In today’s world of social media, it’s not unusual to see influencers creating extravagant baby nurseries, showing off their luxury baby products, and doing insane baby clothing hauls. That’s just not realistic for most people.
For many people, even the cost of diapers and wipes is enough to make us break into a sweat — but at the same time, we want the best for our babies.
So which products are actually worth splurging on? Which items should we spend a little extra on?
I’ve tested out a lot of baby products over the years, and these are the expensive items that I believe are actually worth the cost.
Philips Avent Premium Connected Baby Monitor
There’s a lot that goes into choosing a baby monitor.
Do you want video and sound? Do you want it to have app compatibility? Do you want smart controls? Do you want music and/or white noise? Do you want it to alert you to temperature changes in the room? Do you want it to track baby’s breathing?
Nowadays, there are a ton of options, and they’re not all created equal. Gone are the days of baby monitors that resemble basic walkie-talkies; we’ve swapped them for high-tech video monitoring systems.
Before we tried the Philips Avent Premium Connected Baby Monitor, we set up another monitor in our baby’s nursery. Within a week, the camera stand had physically broken and the app was malfunctioning. We’d talked to friends who had tried a number of different monitors, all with varying levels of success.
After eight months, we’ve had absolutely no issues with the Philips Avent Premium Connected Baby Monitor — not only that, but we love all the features and rely on the monitor to ensure our daughter is safe and comfortable when she’s sleeping.
So let’s get into the features:
- Works with or without WiFi, since it has a parent unit with a 5-inch HD screen
- Encrypted links, so all data and images are protected and secure
- Sleep and breathing tracking to reassure parents
- Cry detection and translation (using an algorithm to translate five cries)
The SenseIQ Technology tells you if baby is awake, moving, or in light or deep sleep, and tells you baby’s breathing rate, analyzing millions of pixels per second to detect motion and breaths.
Nurture& The Glider Plus
To be completely honest with you, I never thought a glider seemed really necessary — boy, was I wrong. We set up the Glider Plus during my second trimester, and it quickly became my favorite spot to sit. With an adjustable headrest, power recline, and automated lumbar support, it’s the ultimate nursery chair. We set it up in our living room (we live in a small house in Brooklyn), and everyone who comes over absolutely loves it.
In addition to the automatic movement features, the chair also has a built-in USB, a smooth glide, a 200-degree swivel, and stain-resistant fabric (and believe me, we’ve tested the fabric). Another thing I love about this glider is the design. Gliders take up a lot of space, but they don’t have to look bulky and oversized. This one has a simple, modern design that looks great in any room, big or small.
Baby Brezza Bottle Washer Pro
This is another product my husband was hesitant about. In order to make space for the Baby Brezza Bottle Washer Pro, we had to move our KitchenAid stand mixer to the basement. “We’re never going to use it,” my husband complained, “it’s just going to take up counter space.” Well… he was definitely wrong. We use our bottle washer every single day, multiple times a day. The device washes, sterilizes, and dries bottles, sippy cups, pump parts, pacifiers, and more, killing 99.9% of germs with steam and drying with HEPA-filtered hot air.
Although most bottles and pump parts can go in the dishwasher, we quickly realized we wouldn’t be using the dishwasher often enough to wash all the bottles our daughter was going through. Instead, we’re able to quickly wash, sterilize, and dry everything quickly, multiple times a day. Plus, the counter space it takes up is actually pretty minimal — it doesn’t use more space than an average bottle drying rack.
Stokke® YOYO³ Stroller
This ultra compact stroller is incredibly popular among parents, especially in big cities. Once we got the Stokke® YOYO³, I started seeing it everywhere. And there’s a good reason for it! It’s versatile, lightweight, folds quickly, maneuvers well, and has great storage. The stroller is perfect for six months and up, with a comfy recline and extendable shade.
For younger babies, there’s a newborn pack that allows babies to lay flat, as well as a hard-shell bassinet. Plus, there are car seat adapters to turn it into a travel system. And don’t even get me started on all the accessories, from a cupholder to a mosquito net to a rain cover to a footmuff to a ride-along board, to a bag to a parasol to skis! Best of all, this stroller is carry-on compatible, so you can take it with you when you travel.
This has quickly become our go-to stroller because it’s so lightweight and easy to use, especially in New York City.
A Stroller Wagon
I didn’t get a stroller wagon until my fifth baby, but it was a product that absolutely changed everything about my parenting. I would 100% recommend a stroller wagon over a traditional stroller any day, especially a version like the Evenflo, which has adaptors that can accept infant car seats.
The Evenflo can handle any terrain, folds for transport, and has built-in snack trays, cupholders, and shades. The wagon is a must-have for walks, trips outside, to the zoo, and we even used ours (thanks to the convertible handle) through the sand at the beach. Life-changing.
A Truly Supportive Hiking Backpack
$270
from
Backcountry
If you plan on spending any significant amount of time outdoors with your baby or toddler, a supportive, well-made hiking backpack is an absolute must. We live on a farm and have acres of trails and woods, so my youngest baby practically grew up in a backpack.
Unfortunately, that backpack was an old hand-me-down, and our backs paid the price for hauling her around. I would recommend a well-made hiking backpack with lumbar support, a weather shade, and supportive straps.
