If you think picking baby names is hard, just take a walk through one of those infant and toddler superstores or browse a baby catalog or Web site. As any prospective or new parent can attest, it is a veritable jungle of multicolored plastic out there, with hundreds of pieces of baby equipment competing for your dollar and space in the nursery.
The gear is supposed to help ease you into your new life as a parent. From exercise saucers to bassinets to electronic sound and video monitors, it’s tough to distinguish between the lifesavers and the dust collectors.
To give parents-to-be and parents of newborns the real scoop on baby gear, we asked several local moms, dads and grandparents who recently experienced the wonder and chaos of a child’s first year to name their favorite baby item, as well as the piece that they rarely used. In some cases, they also offered their own insight into adjusting to life with a newborn, advice that goes beyond the baby registry.
As they shared their thoughts and advice, our parents also pointed out a related lesson of parenthood: how to make sense of a 15-page instruction book and assemble something in about two hours.
Stephen Bardo, age 32, and Leslie Bardo, age 32, Hazel Crest; parents of Landon, 2 and Stephen Paul, 9.
Worth it: “My favorite would be the strap-on baby carrier,” says Stephen. “A lot of times, the child seems to relax when he’s close to your body. And it frees up your arms to do things. I worked from home a lot when he was a baby and we used it a lot for the first seven months.”
Skip it: “The seat with the attachable tray for the table. We just didn’t use it and he didn’t care to be in it.”
What’s new: “I loved the baby jogger, and so does Landon. They didn’t have those when I had my first son. It’s our one-on-one time and brings us together. It also puts us in touch with nature — I’ll point out trees and flowers for him and things like that.”
Katherine Anderson, 32, and Doug Anderson, 33, Wheaton; parents of Sam, 16 months and Wyatt, 4.
Worth it: “I have a few favorite CDs for the stereo in their room, like Kenny Loggins’ “Return to Pooh Corner,” one from “Disney Baby” and “Mozart in the Morning.” It’s been great, not just for the baby, but for Wyatt too,” says Katherine.
Skip it: “Definitely the baby swing. It was huge and he cried and cried every time we put him in it.”
Favorite thing they never had: “Looking back, I really wish I would have bought the stroller that you can put the car seat into. It seems like the best thing.”
Elizabeth Schuering, 26, of Evanston; mother of Jack, 11 months.
Worth it: Elizabeth loves her clip-on mirror that allows her to view Jack in his rear-facing carseat. “I especially liked it because we were commuting from the city to my job in Wilmette every day,” she says. “I could see if he fell asleep or was playing. For about $2.99, it was a lifesaver.”
Skip it: “I had a beautiful quilt set that I never used. It was so big and bulky for his bed. I ended up buying a quilt rack to hang it in his bedroom just to do something with it.”
On the power of reading: “Read to your babies every day. I read to him even before he was born, and when I read to him after he was born, it was almost like he recognized the stories. I especially recommend `Oh Baby, The Places You’ll Go’ by Dr. Seuss.”
Jessie Wang-Grimm, 31, and Robert Grimm, 33, of La Grange; parents of William, 13 months.
Worth it: “A snap-and-go stroller frame,” suggests Jessie. “The infant carrier/car seat snaps right in, there is a nicely sized basket underneath and there is a safety belt to protect the baby. For all purposes, it beats having to haul an infant carrier and separate stroller and takes up much less room in the car than the bulky travel system strollers. And for travel, it was a dream.”
Skip it: “The baby carrier [the kind you strap onto your chest or back]. While many parents praise this, we found it really depends on your baby. Our son didn’t like it very much. After he was over 2 months old, he hated being restrained in it, and once he got heavier, it became hard for me to wear it comfortably.”
Buying do’s and don’t’s: “Before shopping for any equipment, research the products. Other parents can offer you invaluable tips. Try before you buy and ask if you can borrow items from relatives or friends for a “test drive” for a week or two.”
