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It can be difficult to know what purchases can give you the best bang for your baby buck before -- and sometimes even after -- your little bundle of joy has arrived. I know that in our case, it took us a little time to find out what worked and what didn't for our child.
Some of our purchases were booming successes, others were utter failures, but with a little trial and error and by asking friends and family what they'd had luck with, we were able to land some decent buys that more than made their prices worthwhile.
Baby Classes
From holding, swaddling, and diaper changing, to nursing, feeding, the birthing process, and all sorts of other tips and techniques, investing in good baby classes gave us a much better idea of what to expect and be prepared for when it came to caring for a baby. We had six, three-hour baby classes, which at the time seemed a little overkill to me, but that provided the confidence that can be so important when transitioning into the new parent role. And better yet, the class instructor ended up being our nurse for a large portion of birthing process, which was awesome.
Our baby classes ran about $50 a pop, but since my wife worked for the hospital in which they were held, we got them for half price. But even at full price they would have been well worth the investment.
Stink Containers
I guess they actually call these containers "diaper buckets" but their main purpose is to contain the stink of smelly diapers, and whoo, did such an item ever come in handy! For those of you who are as of yet unaware of the stench old diapers can create, let me just tell you from experience, IT'S BAD!
While the air-filter on our particular model of diaper bucket died and early death, it still worked as a great way to dispose of diapers in a non-stinky way. It only cost us about $20 and lasted the duration of my son's diaper days.
Collapsible Play Pen
If you have any hope of ever corralling your little one occasionally, it might be worth considering investing in a good portable/collapsible play pen. While used in the wrong way or not put together correctly there can be safety issues involved, I found that in a safe and supervised environment, these can be great tools, especially for a parent who is often at home by himself with a little one.
Such an item allowed me to be able to run to the bathroom, make trips to the kitchen, and do other quick errands around the house without having to worry about my little guy doing something crazy or dangerous while I was out of the room for a minute.
The collapsible play pen was also great for traveling. We could put it up in hotel rooms to keep our little guy from touching things he shouldn't or take it with us on trips to visit friends and family who didn't have such items. Once my son outgrew his play pen, we still used it as a blockade for the stairway to help keep him out of danger's way.
Motorized Swing
While my son had pretty much outgrown his motorized swing before he was age two, it was still a godsend in the beginning. I can't remember how many times this soothing swing rocked my little guy to sleep, but it was enough to make the purchase well worthwhile.
Swings like the one we had typically run between $100-$200, but can be well worth the money, especially if you have a fussy sleeper like we did.
Bouncy Seat Playland
We had an "ExecSaucer" -- one of those circular entertainment centers that a baby sits suspended within a seat in its center -- for our little one. Wherever he swiveled in his seat, he found himself surrounded by a variety of objects to play with and explore, plus, like his play pen, it kept him contained, allowing me to work on the computer close by while he entertained himself.
Such items can range in cost from around $50-$150 but might be found cheaper at children's lightly used resale shops.
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