If you are a soon to be mom, you’ll soon discover a universal Mom Truth – the baby product market is a total racket!
One of my biggest regrets was registering for, or purchasing , every single product for any possible scenario when I was pregnant with my daughter. I had it all: newborn sizes through 12 months, the Mamaroo, the Babocush (just in case she was colicky), the bedside bassinet, multiple baby loungers, about 20 different swaddle blankets, mittens, booties, wraps, you name it – I HAD IT ALL!
I was basically drowning in baby gear before my baby even arrived.
Not surprisingly, it didn’t take long after my daughter’s birth to realize that I really didn’t need everything I had stockpiled. Sure, some of it was great, but much of the baby stuff I was told by friends I "needed,"my baby never really took to, and I ended up selling on Facebook Marketplace. I remember one particular afternoon, I was going through my daughter's room, sorting and organizing, and discovered a jumbo size box of size 1 diapers, that were now too small, completely hidden from sight amidst all the other stuff - hello wakeup call!!
My experience hyper prepping and over consuming with my first child is precisely why I love the concept of MaybeBaby. Maybebaby is a Houston based, baby gear rental service with short term, long-term, or rent to purchase options! You just don’t know if you really “need” something, or if your baby will even take to it, unless you try it out first. Plus, I am aghast at how much money i wasted on items that I purchased and never used, or used infrequently.
As a Mom and Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, here are my favorite items from the MaybeBaby collection that I highly suggest you give a whirl:
Ollie Swaddle: Newborn babies sleep better tightly swaddled because it mimics the tightly scrunched womb environment. And, for the first three months of life, which is affectionately coined the ‘fourth trimester,’ replicating the womb environment is the best way to keep baby calm, soothed and sleeping well. The Ollie is great because it is truly a fool proof way to tightly swaddle your baby without the risk of them busting out of it. It’s also nice because you can adjust the length of the swaddle and it allows baby’s hips to be mobile, which is important to prevent hip dysplasia.
Lillebaby Complete Airflow: One reason why I highly recommend the Lillebaby or other structured baby carrier is that your baby can nap in it for long periods of time, while you remain comfortable and hands free. Up until about five months of age, may babies have difficulty connecting daytime sleep cycles and often wake early from crib naps. A baby carrier can foster longer daytime naps, which is important because a baby who naps well will typically sleep better at night.
I loved this carrier because it has an extremely comfortable and supportive buckle-on waist belt for lumbar support. And, given how hot and humid Houston is most of the year, the material is breathable so you can walk around outside and not turn your baby into a sweaty mess.
However, this may not be the best carrier for you! While I loved it, I have Mom friends who didn't. Carriers, above all else, are items i would highly suggest testing out for several days before you invest in the one you and your baby love!
Bitta Kidda: Around 12 weeks, or once baby starts exhibiting signs of rolling, it’s important to transition baby from a swaddle to an arms-out sleep sack. This is highly important for the safety of your baby to prevent accidental suffocation should your baby roll to their tummy while swaddled.
The Bitta Kidda is not only a traditional arms-out sleep sack, it also has two attached tags that serve as soothing mechanisms for your baby. As babies learn to fall asleep by themselves, they need to find ways to soothe themselves. A pacifier can do this (but those fall out and require a parent to replace), fingers can do this, or the handy dandy little tags on the Bitta Kidda sleep suit can do this.
Once your baby gets older, he won’t want to constantly mouth everything in sight, but early on giving baby a safe way to mouth objects helps with brain development and helps him self-soothe – a win-win! SlumberPod: This genius invention was created by a mother/daughter duo and is the golden ticket for making vacations with babies actually enjoyable. The SlumberPod is a breathable, blackout tent that fits over any standard pack and play. Best of all, it folds compactly and weighs about five pounds making it a very portable travel companion. Since the SlumberPod is most useful when traveling, having the option to borrow it for a trip versus having to purchase it outright is ideal!
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Caroline Pavlinik is a baby and toddler sleep consultant, coaching parents how to gently and effectively teach their children how to sleep through the night and take age appropriate naps. To learn more or schedule a free consult, visit: www.bedtimesboss.com