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Home › Articles › Baby Gear › Baby Stuff

Baby Stuff

What Does the Baby Need?

By Mary Kay Dirickson

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Up for Debate
And of course, there is an equally large category of things that divide parental opinion. It's always important to remember that your choices on gear can come down to personal taste. The personal taste, that is, of the baby.

  • Bouncer seats and swings – A lot of kids hate them; some love them, but either way, they take up a lot of space.
  • Pacifiers – Some parents avoid this entirely by never introducing pacifiers. Other parents try endless pacifiers, only to find that their child simply won't be pacified.
  • Diaper wipe warmer – Sounds funny and some parents say they aren't worth the space, but others swear that warm wipes make for scream-free changes.

Things Have Changed
Since being a new mother herself 40 years ago, Morgan has watched the baby gear industry. "I've seen a lot of changes, and I don't feel that old," she says with a laugh. "Just in 40 years, you can look at how technology has changed. We didn't have cars or freeways that went that fast. Things now are much more about the safety features."

She says she remembers when car seats lifted the child to the level of the window instead of securing them to the seat. The seats were no sturdier than high chair seats, she says, and two curved metal bars simply hung the baby's seat over the backrest.

Now, when people bring used car seats to her consignment shop, she inspects them carefully. She watches the lists of manufacturer recalls and won't take things that are damaged, dangerous or have outdated designs. She doesn't take car seats that have been in an accident, even if they appear undamaged, because the stress on the equipment can still make them unsafe.

If you want to check out used and new gear for yourself, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Pregnancy's

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