Babyology

B A B Y O L O G Y

I personally define Babyology as the study of anything that has to do with babies.

Knowledge seekers of this field are usually parents or parents-to-be.

As a first time mum, I anticipated decorating my bub’s nursery and choosing baby items to fulfil his indoor and outdoor needs with a great deal of zest. I need neither expertise in interior design nor impeccable taste in fashion or colour harmony – how could I possibly go wrong with that? That was what I thought.

And then as I began my mommyhood journey I suddenly realised that that exciting task could probably be just the tip of the iceberg. Superficial. There’s definitely more to it. Yes indeed it is fun and easy to pick a theme for the cot linens, to choose a stylish pram or to buy a vibrantly hued walker from the shop. But is that all a parent has to consider for the many purchases she has to make for her kiddo?

For me, there is quite a number of things to be concerned about before deciding to bring home baby gears and gadgets. Some of my bubba’s essential stuff has been sitting long in the storage room even before the stork delivered my firstborn. All of them (and my succeeding purchases) have passed (and should pass) most (if not all) standards my husband and I initially set. Here goes our standards checklist:

1. Item Price. 2. Child’s Safety 3. Child’s Comfort. 4. Item Portability. 5. Item Appearance.

Humbly I must say I am no perfect mum when it comes to giving tangible things to my son. At times I would compromise # 3 with # 1 (it occasionally depends on what’s in the pay check man!), or prioritise # 4 more than # 3, or I would let go of nearly all when pleased with # 5 (am sure I am not alone here). But I can aver that if at times I fail to provide my son David the best I do try to make up in other ways. Here I noted the Top 12 baby equipments that literally fill a room in our house. Some of which are our own purchases and some are presents from great friends. These are the items you might want to consider having for your little angel or buying for a friend who's having one soon.

Cot

They say when choosing a cot for your little one it is important to make sure that it will not be a likely death trap but a safe haven. True. They say that the more expensive the item is the better. Not always true. I bought David’s white wooden cot from an online shop. Its price is one third the usual price range of branded cots which is between 500 and 700$. Yes, the wood may not be as sturdy as the more expensive crib but hey an infant cannot be as heavy as a sack of rice right? And if you fret about it being easily broken because of incessant jumping of your little junior – hmmm … don’t you think it isn’t a good idea anymore to cage your seemingly strong little Hulk Hogan? (Buy him a jumping castle instead!) That’s just my 2 cents worth. That cot that I have has got 2 drawers where I place his towels and blankets. The casters are a must too! I could effortlessly bring the cot closer to our bed on nights my husband and I prefer to have the bed on our own.

Rocker (Fisher Price Rocker)

Swings, bouncers, jumpers and rockers – I first wondered: what are these for? In the olden time parents never had to bother buying any of these. How fortunate of them? Naah! My son few weeks after his birth has truly found much comfort in staying on his rocker. It has a removable toy bar and battery operated vibrations to settle him to sleep (often effective I tell you). This can be adjusted to a rocker or stationary position. And with the safety harness, not only bub is at peace but also moi!

Walker (Love n Care Walker)

This is so far the most recent purchase we made for our baby. When is actually the best time to buy one? I guess when the baby can already hold his head up and sit. A baby needs to roll, crawl, sit and play on the floor in order to reach her developmental milestones. Putting him on a walker too soon might pose danger or too much may even delay development slightly. The walker my other half picked is probably a small-sized one. Meaning it can still fit in a narrow aisle. It is a good choice if your home does not have big space for the tot to loiter around – he might just get stuck in one corner because there is no where else to move to. The design of the walker is apparently a dad’s preference! Look at the wheels! I gave in to his fondness because my “what-if-the-next-baby-is-a-girl” plea fell to deaf ears!

Change Table

A must in every nursery. Ours has a removable bath tub (as baby grows bigger we have an option to place it on a bigger bath tub), storage compartments (which make bath paraphernalia organised and within reach) , padded and wipeable change pad with safety harness (poo and pee mess is no hassle cleaning!) and lockable castors (trips to bath and bed rooms become easier ). This might be more expensive than what you expect but hey, why not wait for the sale season? We did!

Play Pen (Jolly Versatile Playpen)

Now that my son is becoming more and more mobile as days pass by, I couldn’t think of other than a play pen to confine him in whilst I do my chores (that unsurprisingly never run out). Babies who roll over and crawl are the ones who make parents ask “where is baby?” in absolute panic. So I can be a kitchen warrior, a couch potato, or a web surfer knowing that my fearless little explorer is safe amusing himself with cuddly toys around him inside the pen. The colourful “cell” is made of plastic and is so secure and stable. I usually act as my son’s inmate with my notebook on my lap watching GMA shows as I lull him to sleep. If you wish to make the play area bigger, extensions are also available.

Portable Chair

Portability is one big factor considered by any shopper like me. If I can possibly get something that is either small or foldable to bring anywhere – I am generous to give the item a score of 10! David’s portable chair can be used in SML dining space. Good eh? What’s even better is that we bring this chair almost anywhere we go. Sunday service at Church or tea party at a friend’s place. It is stable and can be placed on the floor. It is secure and can be strapped to just about any chair (or even small side table). Seat is wipeable, the height has three adjustments and recline has three position where the tray stays level. A real space saver! (Although I must admit it would be in the next months that he will get to use this more often because he still prefers eating solids and drinking milk lying down.)

Baby Seat (Bumbo Baby Seat)

There is car seat, baby capsule, high chair … and now baby seat? How many seats should a baby’s bum touch before he reaches adolescence? Well, at least there is no Lazy Boy for babies! This baby seat provides a well-fitting and cozy environment for my little one. Slowly he learns how to sit independently in an upright position. Material is soft and durable, portable and easy to clean.

Baby Carrier (Baby Bjorn Carrier)

In a pram-friendly planet, one should be aware that (really) not every single place in town is pram-friendly. Take the baby with you and tour the Blue Mountains or go for a walk at the Manly shore – you would realise bringing the ever useful stroller to these places isn’t a brilliant idea at all. So that’s where a baby carrier comes to the rescue. My son’s carrier has been a great substitute for a pram in some occasions. Places that are hill-y or where lift is nonexistent. I actually don’t just use it outdoors. While cooking or preparing dinner, while hanging the laundry clothes or folding the sun-dried clothes. Wherever possible, I put him in and off we go. With this carrier, having my child so close to me leaves a very good feeling to both of us. Knowing he is secure and being hands-free, what more can I ask for? And for him snuggling close to Mama or Papa is enough to forget about crying at least for the time being.

Car Seat (Go Safe Car Seat)

A child's age and weight is very important in choosing the right car seat. We had a capsule that baby used from birth until he was three months old. Then we shifted to the longer-lasting car seat which can be rearward or forward facing. We got one that is easy to install and has got harness which is easy to clip. The padding proves to make baby feel so comfortable.

Playgym (Tiny Love Gymini)

Even if I want to play and cuddle David all the time it is indeed a sad fact that I cannot. So at moments I am no supermum, little baby can spend playful times on his coloured comfy play mat. Here, he is in a self-contained world of stimulation for his initial physical, sensory and emotional development. Whether on his tummy or back, this play gym can surely amuse him and attract his curiosity. Comes complete with lights & music, mirror, hanging toys – this foldable playground is without a doubt a mum’s favourite!

Pram (Streelcraft Pram)

Since this will be in service from birth until couple of years later (and most probably be handed down to baby's sibling) it certainly is significant to do research first before swiping that plastic card for this big purchase. We did product reviews for the pros and cons of almost every type and brand of a stroller. (One r-e-a-l tough task!) We found one that passed our standard checklist criteria. Is it all-weather purpose? Passed. Is it easy to manoeuvre? Passed. Is it durable? Passed. Is it comforting for babies? Passed. Is it reasonably priced? Passed. Does it fit the car boot? Passed. (But the front wheel needs to be removed. I guess the solution is to upgrade the sedan to a “pathfinder”. Now that is wishful thinking!)

Baby Appliance - Food Machine (Bebedelice)

Who would ever think babies have their own kitchen appliance? I never did until I got one as a present! This multifunctional baby appliance helps parents efficiently prepare fresh and nutritious food everyday. How? It cooks and steams. The food’s (fruits, veg, meat or fish) natural vitamins and minerals are preserved with the moderate steaming purpose. Whatever baby ingredients you have chuck them in for the right consistency! It warms bottles or jars. Use this when little bubba prefers warm food or milk. It sterilises bottles. It defrosts frozen food. Pre-prepared is safely thawed in few minutes. Perfect for home or out-of-town use.

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Every baby needs a lap. ~Henry Robin
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