your unsafe information about the dock a tot was such a breath of fresh air from a youtuber, safe sleep is so important so THANK YOU for discussing this!
Thank you for the video. As a first time dad I spent 2hours filling our Amazon registry and now I am rethinking it. I look forward to more of your videos.
Influencers promote it because they get it for free. Then it’s the parents who buy it who foot that marketing expense. We never even considered it and are glad we went the Boppy route instead.
I asked for a similar product and ended up researching more into it and found out the product was unsafe. I could no longer return the product so I used it with an awareness of the risks. If I had another baby I wouldn't use it and I don't recommend it even though I had used it for my daughter for 6 months. I am happy that people are talking about the risks of it and I wish there were strict standards for selling products like that.
On the monitor... my son was in the nicu for 47 days (much of that because he was on ventilation). When he was finally released one of the nurses pulled me aside and told me to stay away from monitors that measure Oxygen or heartrate... he's going home because he's healthy and viable. I struggled for those 47 days in the NICU to even hold my son as he was plugged in to so many machines, when he was home and free of immediate worry, it was so much better. My wife, who was in the hospital 8-12 hours each day to visit him (I went back to work a week! after he was born), was used to the sounds and comfort of knowing his O2 levels. But I insisted that when we got home, we didn't buy a system that would measure his o2 or heartbeat for our sake. It was the best decision. He's now a year old, he sleeps through the night and thanks to the care he received, has not had any issues. After experiencing 47 days of beeps and desats, I'm glad to have escaped those noises. For some, these devices may bring comfort and confidence. For us, I knew it would only bring about PTSD.
Thank you for sharing your perspective. While these devices are cool in theory, more and more long-term data is starting to come out to shed light on the efficacy of the product category. What I am seeing is that there's actually quite a high rate of false alarms going off for many parents which can cause increased levels of anxiety for some. As helpful as these devices intend to be, I still think that relying on these should never supersede safe sleep practices. To your point, if monitoring is medically necessary, then your doctor will prescribe you something that's hospital grade.
yes! I’m currently dealing with postpartum anxiety, and those types of monitors would have me up all night just checking. Every beep would freak me out. I’ve almost caved and bought one but I know it would do more harm than good.
Our NICU nurses we also so great. They told us the same exact thing. They also told us to not worry about sanitizing system. If someone in the house was sick to just use the microwave steam bags only then. It helps their immune system. And they were right. Hot water and soap does the job. Those nurses are truly God sent. I appreciate them so much. I am however considering an owlet with baby #2 because toddler and baby will share room.... I need peace of mind. I can’t cosleep with this kid too. We’ll need a custom family bed 😝.
As a stay at home Dad of three, one being a 4 week old baby, I couldn't agree more. Love seeing Father's perspective. Make sure everyone knows we're not useless!
Dads are not useless!! My husband does better job in calming our baby down than me! I don't even know how her car seat works as he dows it all himself. Will have to learn at some point 🤭
@Kat T No, we've got 2 other children. I've been staying home for a couple of years now. But she did only get 6 to 7 weeks I believe. Unfortunately was unpaid leave.
One benefit of having a kid late compared to all your friends is that I was able to get a lot of the things as a hand me down such as newborn clothes which my son grew out so fast as well as the 4moms mamaroo and the graco swinging devices which worked for a week before our son refused to stay in it for longer than a few minutes. Halo bassinet was another hand me down which our almost 5 month old is about to grow out of so as Dad Verb mentioned, it will all depend on whether you are looking for bang for the buck values or only the high end items. One favorite of ours is the fisher price play mats with the dangling toys. We currently can get 15 to 20 minutes of "break time" while our son keeps himself occupied and we spent around 50 bucks? Thank you for all of your videos it really helped us prepare for the birth of our son this past summer.
This is a very honest and accurate review. I've had the experiences and agree with you on the Mamaroo, Doc-a-Tot, fancy bassinets, swaddles, pretty much everything! Please don't change the authenticity of your content.
Halo bassinet is a lifesaver, especially if your a c-section mom and/or breast feeding. It sucks to get out of bed every time your baby is crying. Saves you tones of sleep and having the baby at eye level is great.
**Safety Warning: Tie unused plastic bags in a knot to keep the kids from putting it over their heads. I have 9 younger brothers and sisters. No changing tables, no diaper pails. Just change the kid on a changing pad either on the table, couch, floor, or seat of the car and have on hand a bunch of left over plastic bags from the grocery store, produce, bread, meat bags that didn't have meat leak on them, anything else. Best option IMO. I nanny families who use diaper pails and 🤮 Also, srsly guys, tie up your mound of plastic bags in a knot for those kiddos.
@@treefrog1018 I grew up in a large family as well. My first thought was put in a bag and knot the bag then bring out to the trash outside asap, lol. If the husband won't change the diaper, he can atleast bring out the trash. I think the only purpose of having a place to put diapers is for when you are trying to sleep as much as possible. So diapers at night I would want a place to house until morning. But individually knotting the diapers before throwing into the trash works very well.
@@debaterforhim My mom always had stash of plastic beds by her bed with the diapers and would just put poopy diapers in them, tie it up, toss it at the bed side, and sleep. In the morning, someone would have thrown it away.
Use dog poop bags. In the UK we have baby poop bags, but in the US I can't seem to find them, so dog poop bags are a better option to regular plastic bags.
Yeah I used to weigh luggage by subtracting my weight from my weight while holding the luggage on a simple bathroom scale. Bet you could do the same thing with a baby
My neighbor had a baby the same age and had some free time with an infant with the snoo. Now that I know about it I’ll be renting one for the next baby.
How do you not have millions of subscribers???! All of your videos are so professional and you explain everything so clearly without taking a long time. You are such a great dad!! I LOVE your videos. Keep up the good work. ☺️
Completely agree!! You were such a wonderful find when i was pregnant and my husband actually watched and listened to the vids!! You guys are great!! Looking forward to you building out your platform.
While I can't speak to the Owlet camera system, I can say we loved the O2 sat monitoring. We had difficulty getting pregnant and after the miscarriage we were very anxious for the little one we were finally able to bring home. Yes, people talked about false alarms, but we were more than willing to risk being woken up for no reason, as long as we had some peace of mind that our little one was being monitored. No false alarms and it gave my wife enough comfort that she was able to sleep at night. Overall, love your content and love every video.
I agree with this. My best friend lost her baby to SIDS, prior to this I thought O2 sat and heart monitoring was just something that would cause more anxiety. But if you have ever experienced the loss of a child you would take all the false alarms it may bring for the security of knowing your child is safe.
Agreed, I was struggling to sleep at all and having the owlet allowed me to finally have a little more rest. It was really important for my mental health postpartum and we only had false alarms when baby's feet got too cold- so we started putting booties over and never had another issue.
My husband is with you! After getting up to check on his much younger siblings’ breathing way too often for a middle schooler, he’s so excited about the owlet sock! We’re getting the miku monitor for the nursery, which has similar features, but wearable-free. It’s so much money, but they’re the only two things he really cares about on our registry.
I’m an RN and an IBCLC, working in a large maternity unit. You provide a great video for new parents! Very helpful, and I’m sure you’re an awesome dad, too. Thank you!
I agreed with everything you said, with the exception of the SNOO. Let me explain. The SNOO is likely a waste of money if you have an easy baby, but if you have a fussy baby, a SNOO might be worth every penny. We switched to a SNOO after our child continued to wake up every two hours or less for the first 2 months. The moment we switched to the SNOO (which we rented by the way through the website), our child started waking every 3 hours instead of 2. It was a GAME-CHANGER for us. It also happens to prevent suffocation because your little one is in a swaddle that doesn’t move or roll. It will give you the ultimate piece of mind when it comes to suffocation because it’s almost impossible for them to do so in this sleeping arrangement. Lastly, you can put the SNOO at a slight incline so when your little one is stuffy, they breath noticeably better and wake up less. For me with a 2 month premie, the SNOO was invaluable. For others, it might be a total waste but for us, we loved it so much we purchased one for our second child.
And the other thing is that the Snoo second hand market is huuuuuge. You can recoup a lot of money after you’re done with it. Or you can buy it way cheaper and almost new, and then sell it for the same price or a bit less and people will literally beg you to sell that thing.
I’m not a “new” parent since I have a 23 and 20 year old, now pregnant with my 3rd. A lot has changed. We didn’t have all these gadgets with my first two, so this was super helpful!
Sir, you are incredibly organized. I spend a good amount of time on RUclips, probably too much, and rarely do I happen across a channel as organized as yours. Your efforts are appreciated, you have my sub. Good job!
THANK YOU! I cannot tell you how many RUclips videos from moms that I have watched which pimped out these products. As a mother of 3, I have been ranting to my boyfriend about how I cannot believe people are paying this kind of money and how some of them are even unsafe. Speaking about the Dockatot, specifically, it's like parents are willing to spend the absolutely INSANE price because they like that it's stylish. I feel the same when I see people buying $200 diaper bags. I have even thought about starting my own RUclips channel just so I can give parents another perspective because I feel so strongly about how crazy some of these purchases are. Your perspective means so much. Not just because it aligns with my own, but also because it is coming from a father. I even appreciate that your sponsor is not that damn Hello Fresh but something educational (which I WILL be purchasing). You're awesome and you've just earned yourself a subscriber! Keep up the great work!
I am conflicted on the halo basinest. I absolutely loved having it in the bedroom for the first 5 months because I had a c-section and have back issues and being able to raise it to our bed (which sits a bit higher) was such a great feature and so helpful in my recovery. However, I spent about the same that I did on the crib and she has definitely enjoyed and gotten more use of the crib. So, second-hand, definitely worth it. Just don't get all the bells and whistles. I got the midtier one and it was great.
I just wanna say that we had two Mamaroos for our twin girls for the first six months and we honestly don't know how we would have survived without them. We saw them as another pair of hands in the house when we just didn't have enough hands to go around. And although they were a bit weird for them to start out with, after a while they got used to them and would nod off to sleep in them in seconds. Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended.
Great suggestions. Since babies grow so fast, I highly recommend getting involved a parent's group or neighborhood group that holds swap meets. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to get most of these big ticket items second hand for free or significantly less than market value.
I love that you are saying that you don't need the most popular items. i'm a mom on a budget and its sometimes discouraging to look at items that are SO expensive and feel like that's what "good" moms get.
2 things, I loved snapped jammies for my older one, as long as they were ones that I could take just her feet out of without removing the whole thing (I know there are some with 2 way zippers now but I haven’t used those yet lol) and the other thing is I completely agree with the bassinet. We got a playard with a bassinet height that also has a changing table that clips onto the side, I think this will work out nicely and if not, we will definitely get enough use as a playard to justify the cost!
As always , very helpful. My wife finds the swivel feature of the Halo bassinet useful because she can feed in the middle of the night with out getting out of bed.
Buying a used mamaroo is the way to go making sure that it has the box with everything is the way to go because you can can recoup your cost if your kids don't like it, my son fell asleep for 5 hours every day
I’m one of the “swear by the snoo” dads lol. It changed how well my baby slept and stayed asleep. Also I just use Wyze cams for monitoring with iPad. Works for hours uninterrupted.
Omg i really really really wanted to buy one (pre owned) or rent one, but my wife found it absolutely ridiculous 🥲😂 which is understandable due to the price. But from what ive heard and seen, i can see the investment being worth it, especially if you just resell it later down the road at the preowned price being bought for. Preowned prices dont seem to change much on it so you dont lose much money overall. I still want to get it, but time will tell whether my wife softens to the idea 🤣
100% agree with this video! I would never buy a baby monitor, wipe warmer or special bin so I am glad myself and my family saved money there. I didn't necessarily buy all these items myself but I would not want so many snap onesies, leggings, shoes and lots of hats/socks/mittens etc. I will never use a dock-a-tot or bumpers ever again and only used bumpers as a last resort. I also did not end up using a breast pump or feeding pillow due to not breastfeeding in the end. Bottles warmers are not necessary as they take long to heat up and usually the bottle ends up too hot. I enjoyed using a bottle steriliser although it's not 100% necessary and I found cheap bottles worked the best so I would never spend a lot of money on bottles. I wish I had used and loved my carrier more, definitely go with a heavy-duty one. Don't go overboard! spend the money on big-ticket items such as a pram, car seat and cot.
I really enjoyed watching this video because it was honest and straightforward. I liked the fact that you told us the ones you regret buying then give alternatives ones that's priced right. Bravo dad Bravo
Very nice to see a very involved and informed father! Your baby and the baby’s mom are very lucky to have you! I wish my baby’s dad had like 5% of care about our baby and his things like this guy has.
We loved our hatch grow because our son was losing weight when we brought him home. Being able to track how much he was eating was extremely helpful for our pediatrician and lactation consultant.
Love this video! Our first baby is due in a month and I’ve watched all your videos! Happy to say we have most of your “alternatives” and none of the duds. Thank you for your tips!
In the U.K. the lullaby trust (who study cot deaths) do not recommend a dock a tot or pod, they recommend placing the baby on a firm mattress on baby’s back with its feet at the end of the cot/Moses basket so they don’t move down under the blankets Another thing the lullaby trust recommended is every time you change a crib or Moses basket for another child always buy a new mattress to prevent cot deaths
The smell of changing the ubbi hit me when you were just talking about it! But highly recommend. You can also get some deodorizer pods from target that help, we also bought the scented bags from Costco and are going to try that.
Thanks of your reviews. As a minimalist, this super helpful. When I first had kids 8 years ago, half these things didn't even exist so good to know that the basic we used then, will be sufficient now.
SNOO owner here. I know what you mean. We bought the SNOO after talking to a bunch of people that swore by it. Personally, I don't think it's worth the price. It's cool and all but our baby doesn't always like it. I would say it's not worth it. I'm glad we got it because I would've wondered forever but I'll be happy when we sell it. Thank you for the channel... Wish you posted more often :).
Such a great video! I would like to add a comment however regarding the expensive Halo bassinet .... The extra cost is well worth it if you have had a C-section. I started with a more traditional bassinet but after having an emergency C-section I switched after a couple of weeks. I will say it was well worth it. The pain difference between lifting my son out of a traditional bassinet vs ease of the collapsible side was tremendous. If you have had a traditional birth then I agree it would fall into the not really necessary category. I am now pregnant with twins and another c-section on the horizon and insisted on the halo twin version being our only big purchase.
I use the twist nappy bin but don't buy the refills. I bought 800m of scented plastic roll same diameter and just pull out 10m or so and use a PVC pipe to slide it into the empty refills from the starter pack. Very cheap. Worth it
I’ve always thought those baby cushion loungers looked dangerous so it’s interesting to hear your views. As a mother who had her babies in the 1990’s we didn’t have the fancy stuff. You definitely don’t need them a doc a tot. Also for diapers the plastic bags are such a waste . I used mostly cloth nappies but when I used disposable ones Id put it straight into the big dustbin . I don’t like the plastic bag caddies.
I agree with all except the hatch baby grow and that’s only because I breastfed and wanted to take measurements often to figure out how much milk baby was getting. Great video!
I've been using my Nuna air as a crib since my kiddo was 4 months. He's 17 months now and loves it still. One of the best things is that he can't climb out of it on his own. He's a very agile kid and climbs on chairs easily, but the Nuna air is still resisting. Maybe because of the diagonal steel frame ? idk, but we love it ! For the DockATot, here in Europe, there are many cheeper options, I used mine a lot for the price, around 50$
Note on the SNOO - It has rental options and thats the deal to go after instead of spending $$$ on something that's a few months worth. I've personally rented it for our first baby and all the pieces that touch the baby are sent NEW. Only part you are renting is the main body which is extremely clean! Definitely worth considering!
Why are you so much better than all of the mom channels? Really, I'm just glad to hear someone voice the first thing I ever thought when I saw the Dock-A-Tot: crib bumpers!! I've decided on the Bumbo changing pad because I like the wipeability of it. And I subscribed my husband to your site so he can learn from someone other than me lol
Came here just to make this comment. Diaper bins are all terrible because there is always a smell. We just take out the trash when the baby poops and we’re done with it.
Tip for the snap onesies! Snap them before they're on the baby then undo a few of the top button and just slip baby in instead of having to do all of the buttons while baby is quirming around! We got the snap ones given to us and I only finally figured this out with my second child. I hated them with my first!
I bought the Halo Bassinest because I am having a C section and I think it will be beneficial to not have to twist and bend so much while picking up baby from his sleep area. Hopefully it pays off and helps me out!
Oh I hope it does! I was handed down the bassinest and did love it! I wouldn’t have purchased it on my own for budget sake, but it was so helpful. The only thing was those dang legs I would hit in the middle of the night and knick my toes. Worst pain! Lol
The only points that we found worked for us vs. his feedback were: 1. SNOO. It was worth every penny. 2. Momaroo was good for first 3-5 months; really helped. After that it was just another seat.
You can rent the SNOO now! I didn’t want anything fancy and wanted to save money wherever possible. Then we had my daughter that had so many sleep issues, we opted to rent the SNOO.
Agree with Ubbi with one addition- we have hard floors and it slid every time I opened the lid so I added 5lb of random metal scraps to the bottom. They just sit under the bag area totally invisible and now the pail doesn’t slide anymore. 👍
I agree with most things but I did find the Hatch grow useful, for my breastfeeding... made me realize how much my baby was actually getting. For the diapers I really think you should try cloth diapering, so much more affordable and a lot less trouble... obviously that’s a personal choice.
There’s a reason why mom‘s use bassinet and these fancy type of rockers. It’s because after labor some moms bodies are so destroyed they can hardly move because of stitches in the most sensitive area of our bodies etc. so to have a bassinet that’s bed level is so imperative when you cannot move an inch or scoot out of bed because of painful stitches that take weeks to heal. You pay a price for its function as well so you as the mom can recover properly and heal from the trauma that the body goes through after labor. There’s so much back pain post labor that bending to put the baby down is quite impossible. I agree with your comments on the mama Roo and these fancy rockers. Yes it takes time for babies to get adjusted; there’s always a period of adoption but once the babies get used to it - it’s AMAZING. It’s great to see a dad get involved with baby products.
Love the channel. One difference of opinion...we love our diaper genies. You can actually buy cheap generic bag inserts on amazon, and changing the bags is so easy and smell free. We find if we change the smell filter preventer once a month we don't have smell issues in our rooms.
I agree with most of this but I’ve got to disagree on the Bassinest! As a breastfeeding mom (and for c-section moms) the Bassinest is awesome in the middle of the night. The ability to just bring the baby right to you and minimally lift (vs getting up and lifting from the deeper pack and play options or even some cribs) is worth it for me. I do feel the pricier models are a waste, the control panel can eat batteries in a few days without even using the features! I always recommend buying the base model or used if possible, just the swivel and push down bar features are enough.
Generally agree with these recs! I will say the hatch baby scale was amazing for us parents of a premie that needed to keep a close eye on weight gain and milk intake. We could track how much he got when he was nursing and feel more comfortable with taking him off supplemental formula. This is probably a lot less necessary for full term babies who don’t have weight gain issues, but for us it was a life saver.
I agree with all of these with one exception being the snoo. Even that I don’t disagree that it’s not always necessary because for many people it likely isn’t. But our second would not sleep anywhere. His bassinet, crib, a co sleeper thing, even in the bed next to us. He would only sleep while being held which was uncomfortable and unsafe. The snoo was a life saver for that. But with our first we used a second hand, normal bassinet and it was great!
The Snoo seems good. The real value is the many hours of sleep a parent or parents will be able to enjoy, and keep a healthy nerve system. Thanks for the valuable information.
I agree with all you said, and especially about the dock a tot. Thanks for speaking up about it as its quite popular. I didn’t purchase it because its high price point wasn’t worth it to me. I am shocked to hear about the infant deaths related to it. Another thing I would suggest is to not get a diaper pail at all. I used regular stainless steel bin with lid (use your feet to open lid). Good quality kind with a heavier lid so its stays shut. Its easier and faster to open with your feet especially when my hands are occupied by dirty diapers. I got a small size and it was great because it would fill up in 2 days max which meant I change the bag inside sooner and I don’t get bombarded with intense smells when I get rid of contents.
actual pratical video, i can't believe so many youtuber just keep recommending those high end expensive gears for baby, but in reality every baby like different things, no need to buy anything ahead of time. or stock up on anything, just buy one piece and see if baby likes it.
I totally agree with the halo bassinet - my boy has yet to sleep in it and loves the UppaBaby bassinet that came with the stroller. Solly wrap is also super temporary because once my baby hit 9 lbs I was exhausted and couldn’t use it!
Regarding the stinky smell from the ubi- I put a zip lock bag with about a half cup of baking soda and leave it open and tape it to the inside. It helps absorb the stench and you can replace it every month for a refresh.
Swaddles are highly recommended by people who have a lot of knowledge, schooling, etc. in baby development. Even if they think they don't want them, once they're in them, they'll start to feel better. My son didn't like his arms down, but I didn't try as much as I probably should have
I liked the snap pjs because I could just unsnap the bum part to change bums and the baby would stay warm during night feedings and diaper changes so they would stay sleepy!!
This is such an informative video! One thing- a lot of the cons were cost, but these items can definitely be purchased secondhand just to test it out. Then, if the kiddo or parent has a different preference, it’s not a huge loss.
I had the halo for my daughter and it was a life saver. Didn’t have to leave my bed at all during the night. But yes not necessary, more of a luxury. Grateful to have it. Will be using it for our 2nd baby in February.
I'm so excited to be a dad and this video is sooo helpful. Thank you so much. It was really informative and you gave plenty of alternative ideas for the products you didn't care for. Living is tight right now and cost is a big factor in these decisions. I'd hate to buy something that my little one doesn't like.
I would say while the Halo bassinet may not be the best option for every family It’s a huge help for specific people if you have a premie or just a little baby it will last you a lot longer than people say my son was five pounds at birth and he didn’t out grow the halo until he started pulling up at seven months old. If you’re breastfeeding the halo is a huge help in getting enough sleep or if you had a c- section.
I have a snoo, and I am very happy with it. The rocking does help my daughter sleep (although she sleeps like a log no matter where she is), and it really soothed her through a particularly bad week of stomach problems. That being said, WAAAAY too expensive, I am not sure I would buy it again if it came down to it. 6 months of use, then it'll live in the basement till the next kid comes along, and costs $1000 dollars. If you want it, buy it second hand if you can.
I’d say if new parents wanted to start with this video before the baby shower registry and circle back after 8-18mo they’d see you caught the essence on a lot of things. Hopefully they take on board that critical concept of safe sleeping environment.
Buy things used! I got a halo for 85. I had a cheaper Fischer Price bassinet for our fist but after birth bending low to pick up my daughter out of the bassinet was too much on my back. So I wanted a higher bassinet this time but didn't want to spend $250 or so on it.
We got a lot of hand me downs, including newborn clothes, a Halo basinet. We only got 2 swaddles, a thick one and a thin one. Agree on the snap-on onesies, they suck!
My wife and I bought a bunch of swaddles. I think we used them twice outside of the hospital. My son likes to feel around when he goes to sleep. He sometimes takes his nap while rubbing my shoulder. Haha
Our family got the Halo Bassinet and it's actually a huge life saver if mom had a C-section. I had a C-section for both of my kids (preemie and preterm) and did not have the Halo Bassinet with my first and it was EXTREMELY painful and hard to put my first in his pack n play because it required bending over the bar... The Halo Bassinet has been so nice with my second (I purchased the Luxe version second hand for $40). Recovery is going a lot smoother too.
I used a $75 graco pack and play with a bassinet feature rather than a dedicated bassinet. Best decision I made. I only used the bassinet feature for 6-7 months, and now I have an almost toddler, I have a great pack and play that I use all the time when I need a safe place to put my kiddo unattended for a few minutes. I’d also toss into your list, pricey cribs. I see so many parents buying these $400-$500 cribs, when a $100 crib functions just the same (and I think can look as nice). Personally, I think it makes more sense to invest in a decent mattress.
We actually have the diaper genie, mammaroo, and halo bassinest but they were all given to us hand-me-down from family members that have kids who grew out of them. Fortunately they work for our daughter (except the mammaroo.. she will be in it for 10 minutes tops before shes over it. So glad we didnt make that investment.) One thing we did end up getting based on your recommendation was the Nanit. 100% happy with the purchase. I recently had a hospital stay and being able to see my baby sleeping while I was away was invaluable plus all the other awesome features. The breathe wear is amazing especially for us since our daughter was a preemie.
When it comes to bassinets, I have a Guava lotus and while I do like it, I wish I bought a bassinet where you can adjust the height. I ended up with a c-section and having to bend down to pick up my baby was incredibly painful especially during those early days and frequent feedings.
your unsafe information about the dock a tot was such a breath of fresh air from a youtuber, safe sleep is so important so THANK YOU for discussing this!
Dock a tot is recalled.
Thank you for the video. As a first time dad I spent 2hours filling our Amazon registry and now I am rethinking it. I look forward to more of your videos.
The fact that a dad made this video I'm gonna like it because we need more daddy content up in here!!
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Yes 🙌🏾
Literally same!
Father craft is another good account!
Yep
So nice to hear you mention about how unsafe the dock a tot is. So many youtubers promote it and people don’t realize how unsafe it is.
Influencers promote it because they get it for free. Then it’s the parents who buy it who foot that marketing expense. We never even considered it and are glad we went the Boppy route instead.
All baby nests are not allowed in Canada - maybe for good reason!
I cringe every time I see people use them. so unsafe and $200 for a dog bed 🤣
I asked for a similar product and ended up researching more into it and found out the product was unsafe. I could no longer return the product so I used it with an awareness of the risks. If I had another baby I wouldn't use it and I don't recommend it even though I had used it for my daughter for 6 months. I am happy that people are talking about the risks of it and I wish there were strict standards for selling products like that.
Agreed
On the monitor... my son was in the nicu for 47 days (much of that because he was on ventilation). When he was finally released one of the nurses pulled me aside and told me to stay away from monitors that measure Oxygen or heartrate... he's going home because he's healthy and viable. I struggled for those 47 days in the NICU to even hold my son as he was plugged in to so many machines, when he was home and free of immediate worry, it was so much better.
My wife, who was in the hospital 8-12 hours each day to visit him (I went back to work a week! after he was born), was used to the sounds and comfort of knowing his O2 levels. But I insisted that when we got home, we didn't buy a system that would measure his o2 or heartbeat for our sake. It was the best decision. He's now a year old, he sleeps through the night and thanks to the care he received, has not had any issues.
After experiencing 47 days of beeps and desats, I'm glad to have escaped those noises.
For some, these devices may bring comfort and confidence. For us, I knew it would only bring about PTSD.
Thank you for sharing your perspective. While these devices are cool in theory, more and more long-term data is starting to come out to shed light on the efficacy of the product category. What I am seeing is that there's actually quite a high rate of false alarms going off for many parents which can cause increased levels of anxiety for some. As helpful as these devices intend to be, I still think that relying on these should never supersede safe sleep practices. To your point, if monitoring is medically necessary, then your doctor will prescribe you something that's hospital grade.
So glad to hear your son is healthy and happy! Those devices just create helicopter-parents. Might as well microchip your teenagers.
yes! I’m currently dealing with postpartum anxiety, and those types of monitors would have me up all night just checking. Every beep would freak me out. I’ve almost caved and bought one but I know it would do more harm than good.
Our NICU nurses we also so great. They told us the same exact thing. They also told us to not worry about sanitizing system. If someone in the house was sick to just use the microwave steam bags only then. It helps their immune system. And they were right. Hot water and soap does the job. Those nurses are truly God sent. I appreciate them so much. I am however considering an owlet with baby #2 because toddler and baby will share room.... I need peace of mind. I can’t cosleep with this kid too. We’ll need a custom family bed 😝.
As a stay at home Dad of three, one being a 4 week old baby, I couldn't agree more. Love seeing Father's perspective. Make sure everyone knows we're not useless!
Dads are not useless!! My husband does better job in calming our baby down than me! I don't even know how her car seat works as he dows it all himself. Will have to learn at some point 🤭
@Kat T No, we've got 2 other children. I've been staying home for a couple of years now. But she did only get 6 to 7 weeks I believe. Unfortunately was unpaid leave.
@@ThreeDPrintDesigns I hope she got unemployment 🙏🏼
@@lexiemaureen6877 Most definitely not! No worries, though. All is well!
Dads are not useless. Dads are the best. Us as moms sometimes don’t let our husbands help us. But Dads rock. Love your videos.
One benefit of having a kid late compared to all your friends is that I was able to get a lot of the things as a hand me down such as newborn clothes which my son grew out so fast as well as the 4moms mamaroo and the graco swinging devices which worked for a week before our son refused to stay in it for longer than a few minutes. Halo bassinet was another hand me down which our almost 5 month old is about to grow out of so as Dad Verb mentioned, it will all depend on whether you are looking for bang for the buck values or only the high end items. One favorite of ours is the fisher price play mats with the dangling toys. We currently can get 15 to 20 minutes of "break time" while our son keeps himself occupied and we spent around 50 bucks? Thank you for all of your videos it really helped us prepare for the birth of our son this past summer.
This is a very honest and accurate review. I've had the experiences and agree with you on the Mamaroo, Doc-a-Tot, fancy bassinets, swaddles, pretty much everything! Please don't change the authenticity of your content.
Halo bassinet is a lifesaver, especially if your a c-section mom and/or breast feeding. It sucks to get out of bed every time your baby is crying. Saves you tones of sleep and having the baby at eye level is great.
Save your bread bags for dirty diapers and keep them handy like in purse and diaper bag. You can knot the bag closed boom no smell.
Seriously!? Does this really work?? i want something on the go that doesnt smell!!
**Safety Warning: Tie unused plastic bags in a knot to keep the kids from putting it over their heads.
I have 9 younger brothers and sisters. No changing tables, no diaper pails. Just change the kid on a changing pad either on the table, couch, floor, or seat of the car and have on hand a bunch of left over plastic bags from the grocery store, produce, bread, meat bags that didn't have meat leak on them, anything else.
Best option IMO.
I nanny families who use diaper pails and 🤮
Also, srsly guys, tie up your mound of plastic bags in a knot for those kiddos.
@@treefrog1018 I grew up in a large family as well. My first thought was put in a bag and knot the bag then bring out to the trash outside asap, lol. If the husband won't change the diaper, he can atleast bring out the trash. I think the only purpose of having a place to put diapers is for when you are trying to sleep as much as possible. So diapers at night I would want a place to house until morning. But individually knotting the diapers before throwing into the trash works very well.
@@debaterforhim My mom always had stash of plastic beds by her bed with the diapers and would just put poopy diapers in them, tie it up, toss it at the bed side, and sleep. In the morning, someone would have thrown it away.
Use dog poop bags. In the UK we have baby poop bags, but in the US I can't seem to find them, so dog poop bags are a better option to regular plastic bags.
$100 for a scale? I put my kid in a laundry basket and weigh him with a handheld luggage scale. $20 tops.
Lol so cute and genius
I need to weigh my 4 wk old. Any suggestions?
@@melt9863 I also used a handhold luggage scale and a huge fabric grocery bag I had...
Served me well until he was 5kg at least.
Yeah I used to weigh luggage by subtracting my weight from my weight while holding the luggage on a simple bathroom scale. Bet you could do the same thing with a baby
@@maramunter5492 Yeah that's all I do, weight both of us and then weight myself and subtract.
Snoo has been a lifesaver for us. Really like how you say your experience and how others might be different.
Snoo was the only bassinet our baby liked!
My neighbor had a baby the same age and had some free time with an infant with the snoo. Now that I know about it I’ll be renting one for the next baby.
How do you not have millions of subscribers???! All of your videos are so professional and you explain everything so clearly without taking a long time. You are such a great dad!! I LOVE your videos. Keep up the good work. ☺️
Thank you! Much appreciated.
@@dadverb he will get there, but it takes time
Completely agree!! You were such a wonderful find when i was pregnant and my husband actually watched and listened to the vids!! You guys are great!! Looking forward to you building out your platform.
i can see why shocked he has this maybe, gave almost zero value in this 10 min video
He have
While I can't speak to the Owlet camera system, I can say we loved the O2 sat monitoring. We had difficulty getting pregnant and after the miscarriage we were very anxious for the little one we were finally able to bring home. Yes, people talked about false alarms, but we were more than willing to risk being woken up for no reason, as long as we had some peace of mind that our little one was being monitored. No false alarms and it gave my wife enough comfort that she was able to sleep at night. Overall, love your content and love every video.
I agree with this. My best friend lost her baby to SIDS, prior to this I thought O2 sat and heart monitoring was just something that would cause more anxiety. But if you have ever experienced the loss of a child you would take all the false alarms it may bring for the security of knowing your child is safe.
Agreed, I was struggling to sleep at all and having the owlet allowed me to finally have a little more rest. It was really important for my mental health postpartum and we only had false alarms when baby's feet got too cold- so we started putting booties over and never had another issue.
My husband is with you! After getting up to check on his much younger siblings’ breathing way too often for a middle schooler, he’s so excited about the owlet sock! We’re getting the miku monitor for the nursery, which has similar features, but wearable-free. It’s so much money, but they’re the only two things he really cares about on our registry.
I agree with u. I dont know how can i sleep without an owlet on my baby.
I’m an RN and an IBCLC, working in a large maternity unit. You provide a great video for new parents! Very helpful, and I’m sure you’re an awesome dad, too. Thank you!
New Dad here (April 2021), this was the most helpful video I’ve ever seen regarding babies! Thanks brother!
Congrats!!
Same here. . . 1st of April
congratulations. n welcome to the club.
I agreed with everything you said, with the exception of the SNOO. Let me explain. The SNOO is likely a waste of money if you have an easy baby, but if you have a fussy baby, a SNOO might be worth every penny. We switched to a SNOO after our child continued to wake up every two hours or less for the first 2 months. The moment we switched to the SNOO (which we rented by the way through the website), our child started waking every 3 hours instead of 2. It was a GAME-CHANGER for us. It also happens to prevent suffocation because your little one is in a swaddle that doesn’t move or roll. It will give you the ultimate piece of mind when it comes to suffocation because it’s almost impossible for them to do so in this sleeping arrangement. Lastly, you can put the SNOO at a slight incline so when your little one is stuffy, they breath noticeably better and wake up less. For me with a 2 month premie, the SNOO was invaluable. For others, it might be a total waste but for us, we loved it so much we purchased one for our second child.
And the other thing is that the Snoo second hand market is huuuuuge. You can recoup a lot of money after you’re done with it. Or you can buy it way cheaper and almost new, and then sell it for the same price or a bit less and people will literally beg you to sell that thing.
Good take. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.
damn thing cost more than my king size mattress
I used it and I completely agreed. My baby slept fantastically, also rented, so it was a good investment.
I loved my SNOO, we rented also from the company. Perfect if you have a fussy baby, the crib does the work.
Finally a good dad product video that’s not just recommending products because they “are like the bestest most have OMG product ever”.
I’m not a “new” parent since I have a 23 and 20 year old, now pregnant with my 3rd. A lot has changed. We didn’t have all these gadgets with my first two, so this was super helpful!
🙄
Sir, you are incredibly organized. I spend a good amount of time on RUclips, probably too much, and rarely do I happen across a channel as organized as yours. Your efforts are appreciated, you have my sub. Good job!
THANK YOU! I cannot tell you how many RUclips videos from moms that I have watched which pimped out these products. As a mother of 3, I have been ranting to my boyfriend about how I cannot believe people are paying this kind of money and how some of them are even unsafe. Speaking about the Dockatot, specifically, it's like parents are willing to spend the absolutely INSANE price because they like that it's stylish. I feel the same when I see people buying $200 diaper bags. I have even thought about starting my own RUclips channel just so I can give parents another perspective because I feel so strongly about how crazy some of these purchases are. Your perspective means so much. Not just because it aligns with my own, but also because it is coming from a father. I even appreciate that your sponsor is not that damn Hello Fresh but something educational (which I WILL be purchasing). You're awesome and you've just earned yourself a subscriber! Keep up the great work!
I am conflicted on the halo basinest. I absolutely loved having it in the bedroom for the first 5 months because I had a c-section and have back issues and being able to raise it to our bed (which sits a bit higher) was such a great feature and so helpful in my recovery. However, I spent about the same that I did on the crib and she has definitely enjoyed and gotten more use of the crib. So, second-hand, definitely worth it. Just don't get all the bells and whistles. I got the midtier one and it was great.
I just wanna say that we had two Mamaroos for our twin girls for the first six months and we honestly don't know how we would have survived without them. We saw them as another pair of hands in the house when we just didn't have enough hands to go around. And although they were a bit weird for them to start out with, after a while they got used to them and would nod off to sleep in them in seconds. Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended.
The mamaroo is incredible, we have one for our little guy and he's in it everyday, even laughing. He has a blast in it.
We love our mamaroo.
First baby: let's splurge
Second baby: I know better
Great suggestions. Since babies grow so fast, I highly recommend getting involved a parent's group or neighborhood group that holds swap meets. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to get most of these big ticket items second hand for free or significantly less than market value.
I love that you are saying that you don't need the most popular items. i'm a mom on a budget and its sometimes discouraging to look at items that are SO expensive and feel like that's what "good" moms get.
I agree with the Ubbi, the smell is like getting punched in the face when you open it. But I love it so much better than the Diaper Genie.
2 things, I loved snapped jammies for my older one, as long as they were ones that I could take just her feet out of without removing the whole thing (I know there are some with 2 way zippers now but I haven’t used those yet lol) and the other thing is I completely agree with the bassinet. We got a playard with a bassinet height that also has a changing table that clips onto the side, I think this will work out nicely and if not, we will definitely get enough use as a playard to justify the cost!
As always , very helpful. My wife finds the swivel feature of the Halo bassinet useful because she can feed in the middle of the night with out getting out of bed.
Buying a used mamaroo is the way to go making sure that it has the box with everything is the way to go because you can can recoup your cost if your kids don't like it, my son fell asleep for 5 hours every day
I’m one of the “swear by the snoo” dads lol. It changed how well my baby slept and stayed asleep.
Also I just use Wyze cams for monitoring with iPad. Works for hours uninterrupted.
Omg i really really really wanted to buy one (pre owned) or rent one, but my wife found it absolutely ridiculous 🥲😂 which is understandable due to the price. But from what ive heard and seen, i can see the investment being worth it, especially if you just resell it later down the road at the preowned price being bought for. Preowned prices dont seem to change much on it so you dont lose much money overall. I still want to get it, but time will tell whether my wife softens to the idea 🤣
100% agree with this video!
I would never buy a baby monitor, wipe warmer or special bin so I am glad myself and my family saved money there.
I didn't necessarily buy all these items myself but I would not want so many snap onesies, leggings, shoes and lots of hats/socks/mittens etc. I will never use a dock-a-tot or bumpers ever again and only used bumpers as a last resort.
I also did not end up using a breast pump or feeding pillow due to not breastfeeding in the end. Bottles warmers are not necessary as they take long to heat up and usually the bottle ends up too hot.
I enjoyed using a bottle steriliser although it's not 100% necessary and I found cheap bottles worked the best so I would never spend a lot of money on bottles. I wish I had used and loved my carrier more, definitely go with a heavy-duty one. Don't go overboard! spend the money on big-ticket items such as a pram, car seat and cot.
I really enjoyed watching this video because it was honest and straightforward. I liked the fact that you told us the ones you regret buying then give alternatives ones that's priced right. Bravo dad Bravo
It's great to see a RUclipsr giving an honest opinion without some agenda. Solid advice!
I’m watching this to remind myself there is a dad who cares!
Very nice to see a very involved and informed father! Your baby and the baby’s mom are very lucky to have you!
I wish my baby’s dad had like 5% of care about our baby and his things like this guy has.
We loved our hatch grow because our son was losing weight when we brought him home. Being able to track how much he was eating was extremely helpful for our pediatrician and lactation consultant.
I'm about to be a first time mom and this video was SO HELPFUL! It's challenging to navigate all these baby products!
Love this video! Our first baby is due in a month and I’ve watched all your videos! Happy to say we have most of your “alternatives” and none of the duds. Thank you for your tips!
new mom here and i couldn’t possibly agree more with every single thing you said!!
In the U.K. the lullaby trust (who study cot deaths) do not recommend a dock a tot or pod, they recommend placing the baby on a firm mattress on baby’s back with its feet at the end of the cot/Moses basket so they don’t move down under the blankets
Another thing the lullaby trust recommended is every time you change a crib or Moses basket for another child always buy a new mattress to prevent cot deaths
The smell of changing the ubbi hit me when you were just talking about it! But highly recommend. You can also get some deodorizer pods from target that help, we also bought the scented bags from Costco and are going to try that.
I appreciate a dad making this video
Thanks of your reviews. As a minimalist, this super helpful. When I first had kids 8 years ago, half these things didn't even exist so good to know that the basic we used then, will be sufficient now.
SNOO owner here. I know what you mean. We bought the SNOO after talking to a bunch of people that swore by it. Personally, I don't think it's worth the price. It's cool and all but our baby doesn't always like it. I would say it's not worth it. I'm glad we got it because I would've wondered forever but I'll be happy when we sell it. Thank you for the channel... Wish you posted more often :).
Such a great video! I would like to add a comment however regarding the expensive Halo bassinet .... The extra cost is well worth it if you have had a C-section. I started with a more traditional bassinet but after having an emergency C-section I switched after a couple of weeks. I will say it was well worth it. The pain difference between lifting my son out of a traditional bassinet vs ease of the collapsible side was tremendous. If you have had a traditional birth then I agree it would fall into the not really necessary category. I am now pregnant with twins and another c-section on the horizon and insisted on the halo twin version being our only big purchase.
I had a c section; we had a bassinet, and I had no problems. Bassinets are pretty tall.
I use the twist nappy bin but don't buy the refills. I bought 800m of scented plastic roll same diameter and just pull out 10m or so and use a PVC pipe to slide it into the empty refills from the starter pack.
Very cheap. Worth it
I agree with EVERYTHING you mentioned. I wish I saw this before I had my baby.
Tip for ubbi smell: fill an old sock with laundry smell pearls and leave on bottom of empty can.
I’ve always thought those baby cushion loungers looked dangerous so it’s interesting to hear your views. As a mother who had her babies in the 1990’s we didn’t have the fancy stuff. You definitely don’t need them a doc a tot. Also for diapers the plastic bags are such a waste . I used mostly cloth nappies but when I used disposable ones Id put it straight into the big dustbin . I don’t like the plastic bag caddies.
MommaRoo for life man. That thing is currently saving my life
New dad here. I am glad that I started watching your videos.
I agree with all except the hatch baby grow and that’s only because I breastfed and wanted to take measurements often to figure out how much milk baby was getting. Great video!
I've been using my Nuna air as a crib since my kiddo was 4 months. He's 17 months now and loves it still. One of the best things is that he can't climb out of it on his own. He's a very agile kid and climbs on chairs easily, but the Nuna air is still resisting. Maybe because of the diagonal steel frame ? idk, but we love it !
For the DockATot, here in Europe, there are many cheeper options, I used mine a lot for the price, around 50$
Note on the SNOO - It has rental options and thats the deal to go after instead of spending $$$ on something that's a few months worth. I've personally rented it for our first baby and all the pieces that touch the baby are sent NEW. Only part you are renting is the main body which is extremely clean! Definitely worth considering!
Why are you so much better than all of the mom channels? Really, I'm just glad to hear someone voice the first thing I ever thought when I saw the Dock-A-Tot: crib bumpers!! I've decided on the Bumbo changing pad because I like the wipeability of it. And I subscribed my husband to your site so he can learn from someone other than me lol
This video helps solidly how excited my family was for my baby boy. Everyone has young kids and they still bought me and my wife all these things lol
I agree with everything he said. Nailed it.
Love this video! We ditched all diaper specific bins and just got a normal trash & throw it out daily lol.
Came here just to make this comment. Diaper bins are all terrible because there is always a smell. We just take out the trash when the baby poops and we’re done with it.
Tip for the snap onesies! Snap them before they're on the baby then undo a few of the top button and just slip baby in instead of having to do all of the buttons while baby is quirming around! We got the snap ones given to us and I only finally figured this out with my second child. I hated them with my first!
I bought the Halo Bassinest because I am having a C section and I think it will be beneficial to not have to twist and bend so much while picking up baby from his sleep area. Hopefully it pays off and helps me out!
Oh I hope it does! I was handed down the bassinest and did love it! I wouldn’t have purchased it on my own for budget sake, but it was so helpful. The only thing was those dang legs I would hit in the middle of the night and knick my toes. Worst pain! Lol
It's an unnecessary purchase, but it's yours to make. Bassinets are super easy and zip down on one side.
I’m a soon to be dad and I’m honestly so relieved I found this page today!! I been watching ur videos all day 😅😅
As a new father I find a lot of value in this content!! Thanks homie!! Team Dad!!!
The only points that we found worked for us vs. his feedback were:
1. SNOO. It was worth every penny.
2. Momaroo was good for first 3-5 months; really helped. After that it was just another seat.
You can rent the SNOO now! I didn’t want anything fancy and wanted to save money wherever possible. Then we had my daughter that had so many sleep issues, we opted to rent the SNOO.
Agree with Ubbi with one addition- we have hard floors and it slid every time I opened the lid so I added 5lb of random metal scraps to the bottom. They just sit under the bag area totally invisible and now the pail doesn’t slide anymore. 👍
Ah very nice! Thanks for sharing!
Ubbi is great. Got one as a gift. Absolutely agree. Basically completely seals the smell in.
I agree with most things but I did find the Hatch grow useful, for my breastfeeding... made me realize how much my baby was actually getting. For the diapers I really think you should try cloth diapering, so much more affordable and a lot less trouble... obviously that’s a personal choice.
There’s a reason why mom‘s use bassinet and these fancy type of rockers. It’s because after labor some moms bodies are so destroyed they can hardly move because of stitches in the most sensitive area of our bodies etc. so to have a bassinet that’s bed level is so imperative when you cannot move an inch or scoot out of bed because of painful stitches that take weeks to heal. You pay a price for its function as well so you as the mom can recover properly and heal from the trauma that the body goes through after labor. There’s so much back pain post labor that bending to put the baby down is quite impossible.
I agree with your comments on the mama Roo and these fancy rockers. Yes it takes time for babies to get adjusted; there’s always a period of adoption but once the babies get used to it - it’s AMAZING.
It’s great to see a dad get involved with baby products.
Love the channel. One difference of opinion...we love our diaper genies. You can actually buy cheap generic bag inserts on amazon, and changing the bags is so easy and smell free. We find if we change the smell filter preventer once a month we don't have smell issues in our rooms.
Good take on buying generic off of Amazon, thanks for sharing!
@@dadverb anytime, keep up the great episodes!
I agree with most of this but I’ve got to disagree on the Bassinest! As a breastfeeding mom (and for c-section moms) the Bassinest is awesome in the middle of the night. The ability to just bring the baby right to you and minimally lift (vs getting up and lifting from the deeper pack and play options or even some cribs) is worth it for me. I do feel the pricier models are a waste, the control panel can eat batteries in a few days without even using the features! I always recommend buying the base model or used if possible, just the swivel and push down bar features are enough.
Great points here. That side dipping wall is definitely a helpful feature for breastfeeding, c-section moms.
Generally agree with these recs! I will say the hatch baby scale was amazing for us parents of a premie that needed to keep a close eye on weight gain and milk intake. We could track how much he got when he was nursing and feel more comfortable with taking him off supplemental formula. This is probably a lot less necessary for full term babies who don’t have weight gain issues, but for us it was a life saver.
I agree with all of these with one exception being the snoo. Even that I don’t disagree that it’s not always necessary because for many people it likely isn’t. But our second would not sleep anywhere. His bassinet, crib, a co sleeper thing, even in the bed next to us. He would only sleep while being held which was uncomfortable and unsafe. The snoo was a life saver for that. But with our first we used a second hand, normal bassinet and it was great!
The Snoo seems good. The real value is the many hours of sleep a parent or parents will be able to enjoy, and keep a healthy nerve system. Thanks for the valuable information.
You come as a refreshment to all moms on you tube 😅
I agree with all you said, and especially about the dock a tot. Thanks for speaking up about it as its quite popular. I didn’t purchase it because its high price point wasn’t worth it to me. I am shocked to hear about the infant deaths related to it.
Another thing I would suggest is to not get a diaper pail at all. I used regular stainless steel bin with lid (use your feet to open lid). Good quality kind with a heavier lid so its stays shut. Its easier and faster to open with your feet especially when my hands are occupied by dirty diapers.
I got a small size and it was great because it would fill up in 2 days max which meant I change the bag inside sooner and I don’t get bombarded with intense smells when I get rid of contents.
actual pratical video, i can't believe so many youtuber just keep recommending those high end expensive gears for baby, but in reality every baby like different things, no need to buy anything ahead of time. or stock up on anything, just buy one piece and see if baby likes it.
I totally agree with the halo bassinet - my boy has yet to sleep in it and loves the UppaBaby bassinet that came with the stroller. Solly wrap is also super temporary because once my baby hit 9 lbs I was exhausted and couldn’t use it!
OMG the 4 momsroo infant seat saved my life as a new mom I would put in my baby and do all the work while she was sleeping 😂😂😂😂
Regarding the stinky smell from the ubi- I put a zip lock bag with about a half cup of baking soda and leave it open and tape it to the inside. It helps absorb the stench and you can replace it every month for a refresh.
Good tip right here.
Swaddles are highly recommended by people who have a lot of knowledge, schooling, etc. in baby development. Even if they think they don't want them, once they're in them, they'll start to feel better.
My son didn't like his arms down, but I didn't try as much as I probably should have
I liked the snap pjs because I could just unsnap the bum part to change bums and the baby would stay warm during night feedings and diaper changes so they would stay sleepy!!
This is such an informative video! One thing- a lot of the cons were cost, but these items can definitely be purchased secondhand just to test it out. Then, if the kiddo or parent has a different preference, it’s not a huge loss.
I had the halo for my daughter and it was a life saver. Didn’t have to leave my bed at all during the night. But yes not necessary, more of a luxury. Grateful to have it. Will be using it for our 2nd baby in February.
I'm so excited to be a dad and this video is sooo helpful. Thank you so much. It was really informative and you gave plenty of alternative ideas for the products you didn't care for. Living is tight right now and cost is a big factor in these decisions. I'd hate to buy something that my little one doesn't like.
I agreed . I recommend nanit for camera . I watched lots of video and comes with saving a lot . Some products are so expensive and useless .
I would say while the Halo bassinet may not be the best option for every family It’s a huge help for specific people if you have a premie or just a little baby it will last you a lot longer than people say my son was five pounds at birth and he didn’t out grow the halo until he started pulling up at seven months old. If you’re breastfeeding the halo is a huge help in getting enough sleep or if you had a c- section.
I think its wise to get only basics before baby is born. Then, when you get to know your babies preferences, you can buy accordingly.
Good approach for sure.
I have a snoo, and I am very happy with it. The rocking does help my daughter sleep (although she sleeps like a log no matter where she is), and it really soothed her through a particularly bad week of stomach problems. That being said, WAAAAY too expensive, I am not sure I would buy it again if it came down to it. 6 months of use, then it'll live in the basement till the next kid comes along, and costs $1000 dollars. If you want it, buy it second hand if you can.
I’d say if new parents wanted to start with this video before the baby shower registry and circle back after 8-18mo they’d see you caught the essence on a lot of things. Hopefully they take on board that critical concept of safe sleeping environment.
Buy things used! I got a halo for 85. I had a cheaper Fischer Price bassinet for our fist but after birth bending low to pick up my daughter out of the bassinet was too much on my back. So I wanted a higher bassinet this time but didn't want to spend $250 or so on it.
New dad here and this is super helpful there’s a ton of mom content. I like having a dad point of view
We got a lot of hand me downs, including newborn clothes, a Halo basinet. We only got 2 swaddles, a thick one and a thin one. Agree on the snap-on onesies, they suck!
My wife and I bought a bunch of swaddles. I think we used them twice outside of the hospital. My son likes to feel around when he goes to sleep. He sometimes takes his nap while rubbing my shoulder. Haha
Thank you for this!!!!!! New parents NEED to know what to spend money on and what not to spend money on💯 much appreciated for this for real🙏
Our family got the Halo Bassinet and it's actually a huge life saver if mom had a C-section. I had a C-section for both of my kids (preemie and preterm) and did not have the Halo Bassinet with my first and it was EXTREMELY painful and hard to put my first in his pack n play because it required bending over the bar... The Halo Bassinet has been so nice with my second (I purchased the Luxe version second hand for $40). Recovery is going a lot smoother too.
those colorful lights on the wall are awesome!
I agree about everything except swaddles. My babies seem to love being swaddled and it helps me get more sleep... another on the way soon.
Thanks for this video. Having a baby and figuring out what I need need versus What is extra or unnecessary
I used a $75 graco pack and play with a bassinet feature rather than a dedicated bassinet. Best decision I made. I only used the bassinet feature for 6-7 months, and now I have an almost toddler, I have a great pack and play that I use all the time when I need a safe place to put my kiddo unattended for a few minutes. I’d also toss into your list, pricey cribs. I see so many parents buying these $400-$500 cribs, when a $100 crib functions just the same (and I think can look as nice). Personally, I think it makes more sense to invest in a decent mattress.
We actually have the diaper genie, mammaroo, and halo bassinest but they were all given to us hand-me-down from family members that have kids who grew out of them. Fortunately they work for our daughter (except the mammaroo.. she will be in it for 10 minutes tops before shes over it. So glad we didnt make that investment.) One thing we did end up getting based on your recommendation was the Nanit. 100% happy with the purchase. I recently had a hospital stay and being able to see my baby sleeping while I was away was invaluable plus all the other awesome features. The breathe wear is amazing especially for us since our daughter was a preemie.
When it comes to bassinets, I have a Guava lotus and while I do like it, I wish I bought a bassinet where you can adjust the height. I ended up with a c-section and having to bend down to pick up my baby was incredibly painful especially during those early days and frequent feedings.
Great point for c-section moms. Height and convenience for that is a major thing to consider when purchasing.