How To Choose Your Baby Essentials
A new arrival to your family comes with various purchases, especially if you’re a first-time parent and not quite sure exactly what you will need. There are products for nearly every need and situation, but there are a few essential items you will undoubtedly need. It is down to you to decide which products best suit your lifestyle, home, and storage space. This article will mainly focus on your life's key three areas: your car, travel, and home.
Car Seat or Travel Systems?
The safety of travelling with your child needs to be of utmost importance. In general, children should be rear-facing for as long as possible to reduce the risk of injury. When a car seat is rear-facing, it reduces the impact of crashes by a considerable percentage. You can get mirrors that fit onto the headrest in front of your child to make sure they enjoy the journey.
The car safety laws for children differ worldwide, so it is always best to double-check the rules if you are travelling to another country and keep this in mind if you are looking to rent a vehicle when you’re away.
You can find car seat systems that will adjust from birth to 4 years old, and they are well worth the investment rather than having to buy a new seat for each stage of your child's development. Car seat systems can also cross over into your prams and strollers, leading us to a different kind of travel.
Prams, Strollers, and Carry Cots
Getting yourself out and about is vital to the health of yourself and your baby. Not only does keeping active help new parents keep a healthy mind and body after all of the changes a baby brings, but the motion of walking can also be very soothing to your baby as well as the fresh air, new sounds, and exciting sights. You will initially need a pram or carrycot so that your child can lie flat; however, once your baby can sit unaided, you can upgrade to a stroller. Instead of buying everything you need for the car and pram/stroller separately, you may want to look into travel systems.
Travel systems are a great way to reduce the number of separate items you need (for example, the car seat can fit onto the pram frame). They generally include a carrycot and car seat at the more fundamental level but can expand to have everything you could need from rain covers to changing bags. Once your baby is big enough to move on to a stroller, you will feel the difference in how much you need to carry around with you.
Whether using your stroller in Singapore or Sydney, you will realise the benefits of these collapsable systems. Perfect for everyday travel, they will also be a lifesaver for tired little legs even as your child gets older. Even if your toddler turns out to be a determined walker, a stroller can be the difference between whirlwind tantrums or a happy family for big days out.
Running buggies have increased in popularity in the last decade and are a great way to exercise with your baby without leaving them to go to the gym. Separation anxiety is a natural phenomenon with both babies and parents in the first few years!
High Chairs - The Messy Thrones
You need to ask a few questions when thinking about what kind of highchair you want to use. If you’re planning on using your highchair from the earliest stages (which is around six months or when your baby can sit well unaided), you will need something that has a more padded surround for comfort and security. Any highchair needs to be easy to clean as the weaning stages are always a very messy affair.
You can find chairs for younger children in all different ranges, from a more permanent structure that will stay at your table or counter to a collapsible chair that can be easily stored when not in use. High chairs come in various designs that can suit your home decor.
Once your child is older, you can always change your highchair to one that is less padded and takes up less space. You can also even replace a highchair with a booster seat that can sit on top of your usual dining chairs. Including children in meal times is a great way to develop their speech and associate food with social and happy memories.
Resources:
Maxi Cosi - Government of New South Wales