There are a lot of things people spend money on for their babies and toddlers that, in my opinion, are not worth it. There are things that we have spent money on that were not worth it for us.
There have been, however, a few expensive or even bougie items that, upon reflection, have been worth the money we’ve spent.
Sometimes, it’s true that you get what you pay for. (And other times, your toddler will less interested in the expensive toy than the cardboard box it came in.)
Here are the six
things that we’ve been happy we’ve spent the money on. If you are a relative with impeccable taste and bundles of cash looking for the perfect baby shower gift, these would all be great options!
1. Play Couch
Nothing gets more use than our play couch. Parents of older kids say that we’ll get use out of it for years to come.
I don’t think you have to buy the most expensive one out there. Ours is Costco’s Yourigami 12-Piece Play Fort, and we’ve been super happy with it.
I recommend getting one with a hole – see photo For some reason the hole is endlessly entertaining, and the highlight of playdates with neighborhood toddler friends.
2. Cybex Sirona S 360° Swivel Seat
Full disclosure: We didn’t pay full price for this one, as my husband found a great deal on a second-hand (but new in box) Cybex Sirona S 360° Swivel Seat.
Despite the discount, I still balked at the price, thinking this was the dad version of wanting a fancy new gadget. It swivels! It adjusts easily! It’s spacious and comfortable! It comes with sensors that alert you to baby’s temperature, whereabouts, safety, and whether they are thinking of pooping soon (only one of those is a lie.)
But we already had a car seat – a car seat baby boy hated, but how much difference would a different one make?
In the end, my husband convinced me, and I’m glad he did.
Getting my boy in and out of the car is so much easier now, since I can swivel him to face the door. He now tolerates car trips instead of screaming bloody murder the entire time. And it will be easy to switch to forward-facing when he gets big enough. I had to pick up a friend’s older son a few days ago, and I spun and adjusted the seat for him in ten seconds flat. We haven’t set up the alerts yet, but we really should – we probably will never need them, but you never know.
3. Lovevery Play Kits
I’ve already written about Lovevery before, and I will again, but it bears repeating: these are great, sturdy toys.
They may not be the only toys he plays with, but they are the only ones that he can repeatedly chew, bang, and throw and still look good as new. They fascinate him in the way that you can practically see the wrinkles forming on his brain.
They are also the only toys we buy him – any other toys he owns were gifts.
4. A Nice Sleep Sack
I started off by getting cheap three-packs of sleep sacks on Amazon. They were ok – I guess – although baby boy was a Level Four Terrible Sleeper, so maybe he was uncomfortable? Who knows?
Then we were gifted one of these Loulou Lollipop 1.0 TOG Sleep Sacks, and I was impressed – it was both fluffy and breathable. I quickly went to buy another one, and absolute gasped when I saw the price. But I pulled the trigger and bought another one, plus a 0.5 TOG Muslin one, since it was summer and getting hot. I’m so glad I did, as we just rotate through these and baby sleeps comfortably.
Now, I’m not saying that these solved my boy’s sleep problems – I’m sure his issues were a combination of factors, some of which I will never understand. However, I feel pretty confident that these at least took away one of the factors that were keeping him – and me – up all night.
LouLou Lollipop is a Canadian company, but surely there are great sleep sack options in the United States and elsewhere – anyone have any recommendations to share? One mom friend recommended the Woolino ones – and I thought ours were expensive!
5. Professional Photos
I know it can seem silly to pay for a photographer when our phones take a million high-resolution photos a day.
But I promise you will not regret getting some professional photos taken. They will be on the walls for years to come, and, if you’re in the geriatric mom club like me, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how young and cute you will look too. (And yeah, sure, your baby looks great.)
Unless you’ve got buckets of cash, though, I would look for a deal. Most family photographers offer occasional mini sessions, which are way cheaper than a full session. A mini session usually consists of a 10-15 minute shoot and maybe 5-10 edited photographs, which is all that’s necessary when you’re as adorable as my son. These are typically offered as seasonal, one-day-only events, so follow some local family photographers on Instagram and keep your eye out for when they announce their next mini sessions.
6. Columbia Bunting Suit
The Infant Snowtop™ II Bunting is a winner for two main reasons. First, it’s car seat safe. Second, it has fold over hands and feet, which is perfect for my baby boy who does not believe in gloves, socks or shoes. (Without this bunting suit, he’s barefeet within minutes and pissed off that his feet are cold.)
Bonus: Recommendations from Mom Friends
I’m not particularly bougie, so I don’t have many more “worth it” recommendations to make. However, I asked the hive mind of my mom friends what they would recommend, and they mentioned a couple of things:
- Tripp Trapp High Chair: as far as I can tell, everyone loves this thing and says it’s super easy to clean.
- Bugaboo Strollers: the stroller that says “I have my life together”, these things really do ride like a dream.
- Thule Bike Trailers: Sleek Swedish engineering for the fitter-than-me moms out there.
- Kyte Toddler Pajamas: I’ll have to try these, since the Loulou Lollipop ones are too tight for my chonkster.
- Snuggle Me Infant Lounger: Can I get this in an adult size?
- Baby Merlin Magic Sleepsuit: My baby never accepted a swaddle, but for others this was great for transitioning out.
