A Minimalist's View on Baby Gear

Back 1  2 3 Next

Many new moms feel overwhelmed with the vast amount of baby gear options—and with good reason. There are tons of products that may seem enticing but just aren't needed. Read on for helpful tips on what to shop for and how to avoid the temptation of those less-than-necessary purchases.

I thought the marriage industry had a monopoly on registries, convincing impressionable couples that they really do need that crystal punch bowl or glazed olive-oil jug. Then I gave birth and realized that babies trump marriage, hands-down. A ruffled Diaper Genie cover-up? A scalloped cherry wood changing table? All yours for the taking—but not mine. Amid the pressure to acquire, I've tried to keep my head by decorating simply, thinking long-term, and splurging on only a few practical items.

Sentimental Shopping

It can be tempting to literally buy into the philosophy that your baby deserves the best of everything. Boutique windows with pint-sized petticoats evoke a hundred sighs. When you set up a registry, the world of baby products beckons you to snuggle in. As soon as you sign up for one mailing list, catalogs arrive touting ingenious products for your little one: monogrammed bathrobes, embroidered infant-seat covers, even a blanket that supports a newborn's head.

I too can be seduced by teddy bear booties and brushed-cotton cardigans, but I usually stave off the craving for excess by remembering what is really important to me in my son's life. His excited yelp at the last page of Where's Spot? outshines a linen outfit, and the quizzical look while he pulls a plastic doughnut off his foot means more than a designer bumper guard.

Nursery Know-How

My aversion to spending too much began in a baby superstore three months before my due date. Knowing nothing about baby products, I had read two excellent books cover to cover: Denise and Alan Fields' Baby Bargains and Vicki Iovine's Girlfriends' Guide to Baby Gear. I thought I was prepared to purchase a crib, but after two hours of investigating wood finishes, beveled edges, and two-sided drops, my husband and I threw up our hands and escaped to Starbucks.

We never did buy a crib that day. Instead, we discovered that all new cribs must meet manufacturers' safety standards—the rest is fancy trimming—and ordered a Child Craft model from Target.com, on sale for even less than its $199 list price and cheaper than all but one in the store. It is simple, sleek, and a snap to use, and I love it even more when I remember what we paid for it.