Must-Have Baby Gear to Make a Parent’s Life Easier

Becoming a parent is likely to be the biggest transition of your life, but as with any big life development, you will get the hang of it. There are plenty of things out there that everyone is going to tell you that you have to get before the baby arrives. There are the standard everyday necessities (diapers, wipes, clothes) that you should probably have some vague understanding of needing before going into parenthood – and best of luck to the clueless few who don’t. However, there are other items you might not be totally aware of that could make your life a million times easier. And with what new parents are up against, who couldn’t use some help?

Keep reading to see our list of absolutely essential must-have baby gear that’ll cut all the right corners and free up more time for you.

Bedside Basinet

This is more for parents with newborns, since according to thebump.com, you’re going to want to put baby in their own room at around four-to-six months old. A bedside bassinet acts as an extension to your bed, where your baby is near you and your partner, without taking up any actual space on the bed. This is a great addition for those 2 a.m., 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. wake-up calls signaling feeding time. Simply reach over and grab baby from the bassinet, begin feeding, and gently place them back next to you when done. These first few months of feeding are the hardest on any parent, so why not make it a little easier for you and your partner?

Travel System

Everyone is going to tell you that you’re going to need a stroller and a car seat, but did you know they make travel systems that combine them both? Say you’re driving around running errands, and baby falls asleep in the car before you can get him or her out of the seat. With a travel system stroller, you simply snap the car seat out of its base and sneakily set it in place in the stroller, without disturbing the baby.

Pop-Up Stroller

These cool pieces of baby gear are sometimes called “umbrella” strollers – not because they look like umbrellas, but because they pop open easily. Having two strollers might seem redundant, but for quick trips where you just need to quickly move your baby around will be a lifesaver in clutch moments, and a back-saver in the long the run. You don’t always have to lug that big heavy stroller around everywhere, some trips don’t call for that. When you have guests over at your house for dinner, you don’t move the recliner into kitchen for them to sit – you get out the easy-to-move chairs that can be placed back simply.

Travel Feeding Pillow

You will most likely have some kind of feeding pillow at your home – probably bulky and cumbersome, but oh-so-comfortable. Unfortunately, these items tend not to make great carry-on items for airplanes or other modes of transportation. Investing in a smaller feeding pillow is likely going to save your arms from some serious soreness holding baby in place for feeding in an already tense situation like traveling with young ones can so often be.

Being a parent is hard work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the benefits of a modern society to help make both of your lives easier.