When new babies come along, it can be chaotic. There’s just so much to do.
Fortunately, though, there’s an entire industry behind you. Hundreds of brands are trying to come up with product ideas to make parents’ lives easier.
In this post, we take a look at some of the baby gadgets that will make your life a breeze. Check them out below:
Zipper Bags
Zipper bags come in handy for all sorts of things – not just food. You can use them for clothes, bottles, toys, and anything else that’s lying around.
Zipper bags are also waterproof. So if your boxes or bottles break, you can use them as a stop-gap measure. Diapers, wet swimsuits, and garbage – these little heroes can deal with it all.
Counter Stands
Adult homes are the wrong size for kids. Everything is at our height, not theirs.
However, with counter stands, you can correct this problem. The way they work is pretty simple. These are like small trellises that building professionals use. They give kids the extra height they need to work comfortably on counters, without stretching or being unable to see what they’re doing.
Most brands make them adjustable height. This way, you can lower the standing surface as your child gets taller.
They also come with helpful railings and guards. These stop your kids from falling out onto the floor.
Portable Breast Pumps
When you’re sitting on the bus and your baby is screaming for its next meal, you don’t always want to start breastfeeding. You’d much prefer to simply whip out a bottle and put it to their lips.
With portable breast pumps, you can do this discreetly. You just fit it to your breasts and then allow it to work its magic, filling your bottles.
Then, when the screaming for food starts, you just cradle your baby and put the bottle, full of milk, into its mouth. It’s something that will definitely save your sanity long-term.
Baby Monitors
Baby monitors are two-way communication devices, usually with attached video cameras. Parents place one of the monitors in the baby’s room and then carry the other one with them, wherever they go in the house.
What’s great about modern baby monitors is that you can actually soothe your baby remotely. If they stand up and start crying after you put them to bed, you can send them a message, like you might with a walkie-talkie. Some devices also allow you to play soothing lullabies.
Fleece Socks
Baby socks are prone to going missing. They’re so small that washing machines seem to eat them up. You always wind up having to buy more.
Fleece socks, though, are different. These are essentially the only footwear that your baby will ever need to wear. They’re warm, look great and they don’t go missing at anything like the same rate. They are much more substantial.
Walk-Through Gate
Baby gates are great for keeping your children away from the stairs or other parts of the house they shouldn’t access. But, unfortunately, they can be a pain to open. Often you need to use two hands – not ideal when you are carrying a child with you.
Good news, though. Now a range of brands are offering walk-through baby gates. From the outside, these look just like their conventional counterparts. However, they are incredibly easy to open. Usually, you can do it with a single hand.
They’re also easy to install. Most come with extendable horizontal legs that you screw tightly into position across your hallways.
Winter Warmers
Many parents are reluctant to take their newborn babies outside in cold weather. The lack of heat can affect their small bodies quickly.
Fortunately, you can now get winter warmer carry baskets. These look a little bit like sleeping bags and have just a small hole for where the face pokes out. To put the child inside, you unzip the fabric on both flanks and then place them in the carry cot as you normally would. Then you zip the fabric back up again with the option of closing the flap over the face. The design shields babies from the wind and rain, keeping them snug inside.
Crib Covers
Crib mattresses are prone to all sorts of accidents. Children might be bed wetting or diapers could leak.
Washing standard mattresses is a hassle. Some you can’t put with your regular washing at all.
But, thanks to crib mattress covers, there’s a solution. These handy little pieces of fabric offer a protective layer for the mattress. They repel spills and accidents, keeping the material underneath dry and clean.
If your child does go to the bathroom, you simply remove the cover, put it in the wash, and replace it with another one.
Booster Diaper Pads
On a similar theme, you might get your child to wear booster diaper pads. The idea is to provide them with an extra thick layer of protection to see them through the night, avoiding any soiling of the bed sheets or bedding. These options are extra-thick, though, so your kids shouldn’t be wearing them during the day.
BPA-Free Bottles
The plastic that comprises your baby’s bottles should be BPA-free. This harsh chemical is an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it could adversely affect their hormones. Look for options that are BPA and phthalate-free.
Formula Maker
Imagine if there was a machine that whipped up formula bottles for you in the morning, just like a coffee machine. Well, amazingly, such devices work. They have a tank for milk at the side and a hopper full of formula. The machine then mixes them together to provide your child with a drink that he or she will love. There’s no mess or fuss – just easy drinks dispensing.
Burp Cloths
Babies are prone to burping. In fact, it’s quite amazing just how much detritus comes out of their mouths.
Parents get into trouble because they forget how prolific their babies can be. They pick their children up while they are working from home, only to find bile all over their suits.
Burp cloths are something that new parents are getting used to having around. These days, you can get them in attractive, multi-colored designs. Many almost instinctively throw them over their shoulders before picking up their child, to prevent accidents.
Colic Cures
Okay, maybe there’s no such thing as a cure for colic, but researchers are getting closer. You can now buy anti-griping water. It has the remarkable ability to sooth your baby’s body when you’ve tried everything else to get them to settle. Formulations often contain natural herbs, designed to reduce inflammation and pain, such as ginger.
Use Diaper Storage Bins
Throwing used diapers in the regular trash is asking for trouble. After a short time, the smell can become unbearable, forcing you to take them outside.
Diaper storage bins, though, are different. These come with special seals that help to keep unwanted smells inside. With these products, it is no longer a race between poop aroma and Febreeze.
Baby Lounger
Baby loungers are a little bit like dog beds – low-cost seating options you can place on the floor to keep your child comfortable. When you have your hands full, they can be extremely helpful. You just place the baby on top and that’s it: the fabric coddles their body, preventing them from falling out.
Baby Body Wrap
Baby body wraps are a replacement for front-side baby carriers. The idea is incredibly simple. All you need to do is wrap the fabric around your body and then tie it in a knot. Then place your baby in the wrap with their legs dangling out of the bottom.
The great thing about baby body wraps is that they hardly take up any space at all. They’re ideal for anyone planning on going on a long road trip.
Hydrocare Pads
Breastfeeding is a great way to give your child the nutrients it needs, but it can also take its toll on your body. You can wind up with sore patches all over the place.
To counteract this, you might want to experiment with hydrocare pads. These are essentially just soft, soothing pads that you can wear underneath your bra. Wear them for a couple of weeks and see how you feel.
Roll-Down Bibs
Regular silicone bibs are great, but they take up a lot of space. Now some clever manufacturers have come up with roll-down versions instead.
These have two sections: one for the catch-all, and one for the part of the bib that covers the chest. The roll-down fabric section curls up and then fits inside the catch-all, allowing everything to be stored out of the way.
Nose Cleaners
Babies can sometimes accumulate the odd bogie. It’s just the way their bodies work.
As a parent, though, you don’t want to go digging around in there to pull it out. It’s gross and it can actually damage the nose’s delicate internal lining.
Instead, try using a nose cleaner. These handheld devices have a special shape that lets you spoon out any boogers and eliminate them.