Many individuals often suggest that bringing a second child into the world saves you money on baby essentials, as most equipment is usually already on hand from the first one. However, this wasn’t certain for me, as I had chosen to sell off almost all my equipment from my first baby. I knew I could replace these items at a reasonable cost if I purchased them second hand.
For my second child, my rationale was to invest a bit more in premium baby items, which people might consider luxury, to evaluate if they were genuinely worth their steep price tags.
My first baby adored her swing, which offered me some respite. Just before discovering my second pregnancy, I heard about the mamaRoo swing. Though its high price was daunting, countless moms advocated for it. When it was available for only $164, my husband promptly secured it for me. However, despite its modern design and space-saving feature, the mamaRoo ended up just being a decorative swing. In my view, it offered nothing extraordinary, and my second daughter didn’t seem keen on it either. Nevertheless, I am hoping to recoup at least some of my investment when I sell it.
I often describe the Baby Brezza Formula Pro as the equivalent of an espresso machine for baby formula. I was exhausted from preparing bottles for feeding in the early mornings, so I earmarked this device as a must-have. Despite the initial skepticism, we finally bought the machine from Amazon for $119. The machine has its minor issues but largely made life more convenient. Just with a single button press, I could get a warm bottle ready for feeding in less than a minute. I consider this machine to be a worthy investment.
The idea of purchasing another baby monitor, especially one retailed at $200 and synced with an iPhone, seemed unnecessary given our modest house size. However, my husband stealthily bought it, which I’m grateful for. The camera has excellent picture quality that allows you to pan, talk into it, and remotely monitor through your phone. The clarity has been so impressive, I can even observe my older daughter’s breathing movements. Having this level of detail when she was an infant could have allayed my constant worries, making this device worthy of its high cost.
A Soothe shirt didn’t seem like a wise $60 investment to me, especially since it can only be utilized until the baby weighs 15 pounds. But when I found one for $40, I guess my curiosity got the better of me. Unfortunately, I could only use it for three weeks because of my baby’s swift growth. Despite being expensive and having short useful life, it was quite handy. The baby simply tucked into the shirt, offering a comfortable spot for snooze time, and allowing me to move around the house freely. It was much more convenient than a wrap and was worth the cost if used from the get-go.
Finally, I succumbed to the hype and bought the highly recommended and pricey Aden + Anais swaddle blankets. The blankets, however, were an anticlimax– far from special and seldom used. A gift that I had received – a similar blanket but a different brand – was just as viable and probably priced at a third of the Aden + Anais ones. As such, I concluded that those swaddle blankets were not worth the cash nor the hype.
In conclusion, the premium price assigned to certain baby items might indeed validate them, but sometimes, they might not be worth it. It’s wise to acquire used items, resulting in less regret if you end up not valuing them as much. So, are there any baby items that you wish you hadn’t splurged on? Or any that you would invest in, time and again?
