Short-Lived but Lifesaving Baby Products

When my son came home from the hospital he was a fussy, fussy, child. He screamed and cried around the clock and he wanted to be held all the time. I had the added challenge of taking care of my 14-month-old while trying to heal from my c-section. This was a point in my parenting career where any item at any price that could make my job easier would be worth the cost. There are a few baby products I used during my son's first few months that made life a little easier but have had a short life of actual use.

Bright Starts By Your Side Infant Seat

This infant seat got a lot of use in the first few months because my son actually tolerated sitting and sleeping in it. The interesting feature of the By Your Side Infant Seat is that it is elevated off of the floor. This was nice for my home because we had pets and big sister walking around and the baby just seemed safer being higher up. The seat takes 3 C batteries which allow it to play a variety of music or white noise and vibrate. It also rocks but not by itself.

For some reason one day my son just stopped wanting to be in this infant seat. He hasn't officially outgrown it at four months and 15 pounds, but he just doesn't to sit in it for long anymore. Although I would like for him to continue to use this seat until he outgrows it, the few months of comfort it has given him are well worth the price; even if he never sits in it again.

The First Years Close & Secure Sleeper

This small co-sleeper was used very few times, a generous estimate of the time I used the Close & Secure Sleeper would be three weeks. Still, for when it was used it was nice to have. I used it both in my bed and in his crib and for a short period of time he slept better in the co-sleeper than out of it.

This is a product that under normal circumstances (a baby that doesn't cry non-stop) I wouldn't recommend. The retail price is expensive for what it actually is and the baby kind of slides out the side of it. If you are a parent that is nervous about co-sleeping the Close & Secure Sleeper probably won't make you feel much better about it. With that said, I believe this product gave me a few more moments of peace than I would have had without it.

MobyMoby Wrap Baby Carrier

My son needed to be carried a lot and I still needed a hand to do other things like prepare food for my daughter. MobyMoby Wrap helped me immensely on the few occasions I actually used it. This wrap baby carrier holds the baby securely against your body leaving your hands free. It's nice that it doesn't have buckles or rings but it is a long piece of fabric and it is awkward to put on.

It takes some time to learn how to wear the wrap properly which is why I didn't use it much in the beginning. Once I learned how to wear it and get the baby in comfortably, MobyMoby Wrap was very useful to have.

I don't use MobyMoby Wrap anymore because my son does not like it right now. However, this is the one item on my list that I anticipate being able to use again in the future. The manufacturer suggests that it can be used on a child of up to 35 pounds.

I didn't get a lot of use out of the products above but with a fussy baby I was grateful for any help I could get to calm him down. For the time I was able to use these items, they were lifesavers and they allowed me to keep a little bit of my sanity. For that reason alone, even one use would have made these products well-worth their monetary cost.