Overheard in the baby aisle

I have been spending some time in the baby aisle recently, restocking on a few baby items that did not survive Pookie and Geetle. Invariably, I see other people in the aisle who are perplexed by the choices. Sometimes I even hear outrageous things about what they are buying and why. I don’t butt in. I am no expert, but I have been a parent for a while now. So, maybe I could offer some advice. But, really, what you buy for your baby is your business and if it makes you happy and its safe for the baby, then go ahead and buy it. It might be a waste of money, but its not the last time you will throw money away raising kids.

Just for the sake of my own sanity, I just want to get a few things off my chest. These are direct comments to anonymous couples I happened across at Target and Babies R Us recently. But, again, buy whatever you want for your baby. If the product gives you confidence or helps you feel connected with your baby, then its great. But, let me say, in my experience:

You don’t need to buy sheets for your pack and play. I am not sure they are safe anyway; they do not wrap around the “matress” very far. But even if they are, for the small amount of time an average baby will be sleeping in there, its not necessary. They can lay on the pack and play floor and be comfortable.

Consider a mid-priced baby monitor. Those really expensive ones are expensive to replace. They probably do have better reception and more channels, but for as often as you will be dropping the receiver, it will break and you will have to replace it.

You know how I feel about crib sets.

Don’t buy that baby motion crib pad, the one that will alert you if your baby stops moving in the middle of the night. What a recipe for paranoia! Please, unless your baby has a medical condition (in which case the doctor will probably send you home with a more sophisticated version), assume that he/she is sleeping peacefully. They probably are.

You don’t need a Baby Bjorn to be cool. Baby Bjorn is just the most mass-marketed baby carrier, it is not the best. The couple on the box sure looks happy, but that is because they only had to wear the baby like that for 10 minutes. Sure, the mom looks cool, urban and hip in her Ann Taylor twin set and the guy is cuter than any real life new Dad you’ll ever see. But what’s in that box will not turn you into them. Would you buy it if there was a cartoon monkey mom carrying a cartoon monkey baby on the box? Probably not. Consider a truly functional baby carrier like one from Hot slings, Mayawrap or Zolowear. I am trying to decide between these myself right now.

Infants do not need shoes. Or boots.

Babies don’t really care how cold the wipes are. If they cringe when you wipe them, its probably because they have a rash, not because the wipe is too cold. Babies are tougher than you might think. Or at least their heineys are.

If you have a dishwasher, wash your bottles in it. You should not need a drying rack or sterilizing unit, unless the doctor says so. Maybe washing in the dishwasher shortens the useful life of your bottles and nipples a bit, but ideally you will only need them for 1 year anyway. I would think that any major brand bottle and nipple would last that long, even with regular dishwashing. I know our Avent bottles did fine in the dishwasher.

* Thank you for allowing my rant. I do not want to squash anyone’s baby-preparation fun, but I am very maternal and I hate to see perplexed parents-to-be. I just want to help.

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