Ways to Be Economical with Baby Products
Earlier this month, we talked about going to secondhand stores for baby clothes and making sure all furniture and strollers were new. Aside from these tips, more can be done to make having a child more affordable. When it comes to baby products, what is necessary and what is affordable? What is a splurge? What don’t you need? An article from GoToBabyGift gives a few suggestions suggestions:
• Always buy new cribs, but if you expect another child in a few years, choose a unisex design.
• If you want a fashionable diaper bag, make sure it holds everything you’ll need.
• Stick with cloth diapers.
• Only use wipes for emergencies and go with soap and water if possible.
• Make sure you have four and nine-ounce baby bottles, which should be BPA-free.
• Have ample onesies around in sizes 0 to 18 months. These, too, can be unisex.
• Invest in a baby monitor.
• Strollers don’t need to be expensive but they should be sturdy enough to protect your child and to last through the toddler years.
• Have multiple swaddling blankets on hand.
• Have a baby thermometer in your home.
While many of these suggestions will help a parent save money, the article doesn’t address one issue: baby toys. Although toys, on some level, might been extravagant and excessive, they’re necessary for a baby’s development and growth. Consider stimulation toys that are age-appropriate: mirrors and crib books and various soft toys with colors, sounds, and textures. Additionally, find a mobile that also stimulates sight and sound. Several retailers carry baby toys and offer a selection of stimulation or educational toys.
Additionally, a car seat is an item that will last for several years. Like furniture and a stroller, a car seat should be new and solid enough to last a few years. The car seat may be part of a travel systems stroller or it may be purchased separately. In either case, it should support the needs of a baby – head support – and a toddler.
Searches for Baby Gyms and Playmats are Up
A press release by shopping search engine Twenga states that searches for baby gyms are up. Such products, also known activity playmats, have increased 116 to 300 percent. The press release indicates that the coordination features for these products have resulted in increased searches, but increasing a child’s coordination abilities isn’t the only aspect that activity mats and baby gyms hold. While toys geared toward increasing brainpower alone are down (could this be the result of various studies disproving the effects of Baby Einstein on vocabulary building?), those that stimulate the child mentally and physically are up.
Activity sets or baby gyms may be as small as an activity seat for a child. These products under the link, carried by retailer Baby and Me Boutique, include a seat and various toys for the child to grab. Most of these are multicolored to stimulate the child’s visual senses, while others vary in texture and sound to stimulate his or her touch and hearing senses.
On a larger scale are activity playmats, such as these carried by retailer Hunky Dory Online. These traditional activity playmats allow the baby to be placed on his or her back or stomach, if he or she is able to roll. In either position, the child is stimulated by the bright and contrasting colors of the mat and toys and experiences several textures and sounds. The mat, for example, may crinkle when the child moves and it may change textures over various points. The detachable toys, additionally, also have varied sounds and textures.
Having hearing, touch, and sight senses stimulated is the purpose of various educational baby toys. Rather than just seeing colors or touching toys, however, the baby can do all of these in one place with an activity mat. Additionally, the mat can be used up to the toddler years, when the child starts to develop better coordination skills.
More Baby Product Recalls: Portable Baby Recliners and Pacifiers
A few baby products were recalled this past week by the CPSC. This included portable baby recliners by Nap Nanny and Pacifiers by brand Karino. The Nap Nanny portable baby recliners can be found at various national retailers, while the Karino pacifiers are sold at stores in California.
The Nap Nanny portable baby recliners are designed for “fussy” babies and feature a car seat-like shape with a three-point harness. The issue with the harness is the lack of coverage; a baby can get out fairly easily and become trapped, suffocate, or fall. When one of these is placed in a playpen or crib (not recommended), the risk of entrapment and suffocation increases. 30,000 Nap Nanny portable baby recliners have been recalled after 22 reports, including one child bruised by the device, and one death.
These Nap Nanny products come in two forms and both are up for recall. The First Generation Nap Nanny is characterized by a lack of D-rings on the harness, while Second Generation products have these. Users of both types of Nap Nanny recliners should stop use immediately. Those with First Generation recliners can contact the manufacturer for an $80 coupon for purchasing a product that has not been recalled; Second Generation users should go to the website for new product instructions and warnings.
45,000 Karino pacifiers were also recalled during the same time period. These baby products are sold in a small area, and consumers in California need to know not to purchase them. The CPSC declared that the pacifiers fail to meet safety standards, as the nipple easily separates from the base and the handle is too long. Both of these factors pose choking hazards. If your child uses Karino pacifiers, stop using them immediately and find another by a manufacturer that has not been recalled.
Buying Frugal: Which Baby Products Should You Purchase Secondhand?
As all parents know, having a new baby or another child is expensive. In addition to the expense of having a child in a hospital, getting all of the appropriate gear is a significant financial hurdle. Parents are advised to stick with the basics, but even this is a long list of clothing, furniture, toys, strollers, and diapers. If you could use hand-me-downs or purchase items secondhand, part of the initial financial burden would be lessened. Parents, however, are advised not to purchase certain items secondhand or receive hand-me-downs, but some are perfectly fine.
Baby clothes, according to an article on NOLA.com, is one of those products that can be purchased secondhand. Many new parents who still have baby clothes donate them to thrift and consignment stores, and many of these items are lightly worn. Going to a consignment or thrift store is a way to pick out basics: onesies, t-shirts, coats, pants, and hats. You can go and pick out the clothing you’ll plan to use for the first year, and, later, you can find clothing a toddler will use. As babies and children go through clothing quickly, purchasing them secondhand is helpful to your wallet.
On the other hand, certain items should never be purchased secondhand or as a hand-me-down. Baby furniture and strollers should always be purchased new. Certain pieces of furniture and strollers may have been recalled, and secondhand stores may carry these recalled models. Additionally, these items experience wear and tear and have a higher likelihood of breaking. Drop-side cribs, in particular, have been in the news for various safety hazards and have a greater potential for breaking if purchased secondhand.
Strollers, similarly, went through a large recall earlier this year and also have the potential for hurting the child or parent assembling it. Purchasing a new stroller means that the product will be in better shape.
Considering Educational Baby Toys
We’ve discussed several times on here the importance of educational baby toys, particularly with what counts as an educational toy and what should be avoided. With Baby Einstein in question and baby computers still new, what types of toys should you consider for your child?
For those of you who are new parents (or about to become parents), you might be wondering what is considered an “educational baby toy,” also known as a learning toy. Generally, an educational toy is an object or game that teaches a child a new skill. But, before you start breaking out the multiplication flashcards for the eight-month-old, think about the skill associated with the toy first. You might not even think of such toys as being educational.
A recent press release talks about what educational baby toys do. These developmental or stimulation toys may be as simple as mirror or a set of blocks, but they all do one thing: stimulate your child’s senses. The time between birth and age three is significant for brain development. Children want to explore the world around them and, in the process, acquire new skills – whether they realize it or not. This may range from developing better hearing and touch senses in infancy to confidence, creativity, emotions, coordination, social skills, and language in the toddler and preschool years.
If you’re unsure which toys count as being “educational” and which aren’t, many baby stores have a separate section devoted to educational baby toys. Of course, the skill being targeted differs. For example, baby toys designed to improve an infant’s sight will be designed in black, white, and red, while a toy to help a toddler with coordination may be a set of blocks in a variety of shapes.
While a blog post is too small of space to fully discuss which learning toys are appropriate for each age group, consider the skills a child should be learning at the time, and base your choice for learning toys on this skill set.
Suggestions for Packing a Diaper Bag
You might not be out with your baby long, but, even if you’re going to the store, you never know what will happen. The baby may soil him or herself. He or she may spit up. He or she could get a bee sting. No matter what happens, you should be prepared by having a fully packed diaper bag.
Most parents have a basic idea for what should go in a diaper bag. Obviously, diapers should be the first to go in, but how many and which creams? Should you bring a changing pad? Diapers aren’t the only materials you need when taking your baby out, and Parentdish gives some suggestions for packing a diaper bag without having too much or too little:
• Always bring about half a day’s supply of diapers. More should be brought along for longer trips.
• A changing pad.
• A travel-size case of wipes. If you don’t have individual travel cases, pack a bag of wipes and put them in the bag.
• Travel-size containers of balms, powders, and creams.
• A change of baby clothes.
• A bottle and snacks. These should be packed well to prevent them from being soiled and exposed to bacteria.
• Two to three small toys, such as rattles and teething rings.
• Basic first aid items, such as baby aspirin or another child-appropriate pain reliever and bandages.
• Consider packing a bib, tissues, and a pacifier for longer trips.
• Never put purse items, such as electronics, cash, and a cell phone, in a diaper bag. Also, never store large toys in a diaper bag.
Diaper bags can look like purses on the outside, but they have the space to pack all of these items. However, make sure that you can carry the bag and that it will fit on a stroller once you have it fully packed.
Choosing Baby Clothing: Consider Celebrity Style or Not
It seems that only a few years ago that celebrity kids were known for oddball names like Apple, Rumer, and Moon Unit. These days, the curiosity extends beyond this innocuous aspect. Unique and unusual names, these days, it seems are to be expected and, instead, gossip columnists to parents critique the young children’s style – and the parenting behind it.
A few months ago, Suri Cruise (and mother Katie Holmes) was criticized for wearing high heels. More recently, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt – supposedly the product of perfect genes – has been criticized for her tomboyish style. The criticisms have even extended to mother, actress Angelina Jolie, for supposedly enforcing a masculine style – a byproduct of Jolie’s proclaimed bisexuality from 10 years ago – on the child.
No matter which gossip you believe – or even follow – should the style of celebrities’ children have any bearing on your own?
The answer is yes and no. For the latter, parents – no matter how much they read US Weekly — need to realize that celebrities will automatically have a large amount of money to spend on a child. This may include a $600,000 wardrobe, with high-heels, and even a child’s personal stylist. Is this reasonable for the average person? Not in the least.
But, one aspect that has surfaced from celebrity children gossip fodder is the development of personal style. Angelina may describe Shiloh as a tomboy and Zahara as girly, but each one is still young and finding their identity some way through clothing.
While a large and expensive wardrobe is simply unfeasible, clothing for a baby or toddler doesn’t need to stick to onesies and t-shirts. Instead, you can throw in a few pieces of unique baby clothes that may show off a child’s style. If the child is old enough, he or she can pick out a few of these pieces.
More Crib Recalls by CPSC
As the ban on drop-side cribs nears, the CPSC issued a warning regarding several brands of such baby furniture that poses various safety hazards. According to a recent article, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled another two million drop-side cribs from several brands. Although no infant deaths were reported, the cribs still pose several significant safety hazards, including suffocation, entrapment, and falls – all factors that have led to previous infant deaths. Children have been injured from cribs by these various brands, however. Nine million drop-side cribs have been recalled over the past five years, with the last occurring toward the end of 2009.
All current recalled cribs have been manufactured between 2000 and the present. The seven manufacturers cited are Delta Enterprises Corp., Evenflo, Jardine Enterprises, LaJobi, Million Dollar Baby, Simmons Juvenile Products Inc., and Child Craft Industries. The latter of these seven recently changed its name to Foundation Worldwide, Inc., so look for either name.
The CPSC recommends to parents, according to the above, to stop using such cribs immediately. Free repair kits will be issued to those who bought drop-side cribs by these manufacturers, however. Kits will immobilize the drop side or will address other safety issues.
If you’re using a drop-side crib in the present, it’s recommended that you stop using the piece of furniture. Aside from the several recalls over the past five years, this design of crib is about to become illegal and obsolete within the next six months. If you own a drop-side crib, you should look for a safer model instead. Several types of cribs are sold on the market, including high-end brands for long-term use by designer furniture brands and others that are more economical.
Additionally, if you purchased a drop-side crib second hand or received one as a hand-me-down, check the brand and model to see if it is one being recalled in the present.
Changing Your Finances with a New Baby
A significant amount of preparation goes into getting ready for a baby. This may range from finding all the supplies – furniture, clothing, and diapers, for example – and getting a child’s room ready. But, this is only part of the picture when planning and getting ready for a child. Another significant portion is adjusting your finances to meet both your child’s and your own needs. A recent story in the Boston Globe reports that a child will cost at least $250,000 between birth and 18 years of age. Parents wanting to plan for their child’s education and their own retirement and life insurance should take note of the points mentioned in the article.
The author of the Globe story follow a couple planning for a child to a financial advisor. While the couple has acquired several hand-me-downs, they have their own and their child’s financial needs for the next 20 to 40 years. In consulting a financial advisor for these matters some points to meet both needs include:
• Budgeting the amount for each need. In the case of this couple, this includes life insurance, college, retirement funds, and the immediate financial needs of owning a child. Living on a middle-class income of about $60,000, two individuals should be able to put away a few hundred dollars each month for all of these.
• Consider inflation for long-term planning. Prices, as you know, change over time, but the money in your checking and savings accounts doesn’t.
• For college, consider a 529 savings plan. In addition to your savings, this plan will also assist to meet your needs for your child’s education in 18 years.
As this article indicates, your spending and saving habits should change when you become a parent – not only for your child’s immediate and future benefits but also for your own.
Common Chemicals and Your Baby
In the past, we’ve talked about organic or natural baby products being free from common chemicals, such as BPA and PBDEs. Such chemicals may be ingested by a child or stay in his or her environment, where he or she sleeps for about 70 percent of the first year. If you’re unsure about which products contain these chemicals – BPA, phthalates, formaldehyde, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) – a recent article on CNN.com discusses the risks associated with each and which common products contain them. Generally, all four are linked to behavioral issues, brain development, and cancer. The article can be read here but, in terms of you and your baby, here’s a condensed version:
• BPA. We’ve talked about states banning bottles, and other baby products with chemicals for children under three years of age, but this is only a small percentage at the moment. BPA may be found in plastic bottles and can linings and has been linked to cancer risks and behavioral development issues, as the chemical mimics estrogen hormones. If you’re looking for an alternative, go for stainless steel or glass-only products – nothing made from plastic or with a plastic lining.
• Phthalates. As far as baby products are concerned, phthalates are commonly found in shampoo, vinyl items, and soft plastic toys. Considered to have endocrine-disrupting effects, phthalates has been linked to the development of ADD/ADHD in children. As an alternative, look for non-soft plastic items or find those advertised as “phthalates-free.”
• PBDEs. This group of chemicals is commonly used as flame retardants in items ranging from foam to fire retardant fabrics and clothing. It also accumulates in dust over time and may affect brain development. To avoid these chemicals, find baby mattresses that are free from PBDEs and don’t purchase fire retardant sheets or clothing, unless they’re made from wool.