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Best Baby Products
From Consumer Reports' Guide to Baby Products
from ConsumerReports.org


Whether you’re a new parent, a doting friend or relative, or you’re shopping for a friend’s baby shower gift, the choices in baby products can be downright confusing. What should you look for in a baby swing? Are bottle sterilizers necessary? Are baby walkers safe to use? Sandra Gordon, author of the 9th edition of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, dedicates her blog to demystifying the multibillion-dollar a year baby-gear industry. Read her recommendations below on what to buy, what to steer clear of, as well as gift suggestions. For the complete list of the Consumer Reports' rated baby products, as well as expert, unbiased reviews on thousands of other products, subscribe to ConsumerReports.org. - Deb Hopewell, Yahoo! Shopping Editor

Do I need nursing clothes?

Amy from Redding CT, writes: "How necessary are nursing tops? I'm planning to breastfeed after my baby is born and I want to make it as easy to do as possible."

I think the need for nursing tops--which have strategically-placed slits and flaps that give you access to your nursing bra--are a matter of debate. Some moms, like a friend of mine who just had her fourth child, swear by them. In my own experience, I started out thinking nursing tops were necessary, but quickly ditched the duds because it was just as easy to nurse and wear regular clothes.

If you're not sure what to do, why don't you buy one nursing top and see for yourself. Like many things, you can always buy more once you know where you stand. A bonus: Nursing tops now come in trendy tank-top styles, which I think look less 'lactational' compared with more traditional nursing shirts. They're also great for staying cool in the summer.

See our reports on baby bottles and nipples and breast pumps for more information.

Advice on baby swings

Question: I need to purchase a baby swing. Any advice?

You've come to the right place. When shopping for a swing, here are some things to consider:

Traditional swing vs. travel swing.If you want the option of moving your swing from room to room often, taking it on road trips, or if you're short on living space, a travel swing may be right for you. Travel swings take up about as much space as a bouncy seat, and many have a sturdy carrying handle. The downside? Because you have to crouch down to put your baby in the swing and take her out again, using the swing can be uncomfortable and virtually impossible if you have a bad back or are recovering from a C-section. It can also be tricky to maneuver your baby into the swing from a sitting position if your baby is squirmy.

Side-to-side movement or front to back motion. Some swings, like Nature's Touch Baby Papasan Cradle Swing by Fisher-Price (note: we did not test this model), move in both directions. Cradle-style swings recline so your baby can lie down for the ride, which newborns tend to prefer--but you won't use them as long. As soon as your baby can push up on his hands and knees, he'll want to sit up and see out. That's when it's time to retire it.

Look for a five-point harness. Traditional swings today are required to have a fixed restraint system, which may include a waist and crotch belt (three-point harness) that must be used together so that your baby can't slip out, or a passive crotch restraint and a waist belt, such as a tray with a crotch post and a waist belt. Some models feature an over-the-shoulder, five-point harness. This type of harness is best because it can keep your baby from climbing out of his seat and plunging to the ground, which can happen long before you think possible. Travel swings don't have a tray with a middle post, just a safety harness.

Comfort.Seating options in baby swings ranges from deep, padded, womb-like cradling to a wider chair with an adjustable infant head support. For the infancy stage, you'll want a seat that reclines or has an angled back because your baby won't be able to hold his head up. An infant headrest is a bonus; it will help keep your baby's head positioned properly. If you'd like to increase your chances that your baby will use the swing after 3 months of age (up to 25 or 30 pounds), look for a seat with infant head support that's removable and that offers several seatback positions. Older babies will want to sit upright and reach for the toys on the toy bar, if the swing offers that feature. If the swing you're after has a front tray, make sure it pivots from side to side, flips up, or is detachable--you'll have a much easier time sliding your older baby in and out of the seat with the tray out of the way.

Check the store's return policy.Try the swing within the limits of the store's return policy (typically within 30 days of purchase), so you have the option of taking it back. Keep the receipt and the packaging the swing came in. Common deal breakers are a noisy motor and the fact that some babies just don't take to swinging like you think they will.

One more thing: Swings are major battery hogs, so be prepared to go through batteries fast. There's one model on the market that we know of, though, that runs on batteries or electricity. It's the $85 Fisher-Price Power Plus Swing (note: we did not test this model).

Also, see our reports on high chairs and play yards for more information.

Should you buy a baby walker?

Sara writes: "I thought walkers weren't safe. If that's the case, why are they still on the market?"

It's true that walkers are a major safety hazard--or were until 1997 when walker safety standards were improved to protect against stairway falls (a leading cause of walker-related injuries). According to this standard, walkers must either have a bottom friction strip to stop the walker if its wheels drop over the edge of a step, or be too wide to fit through a 36-inch-wide doorway.

Walker-related incidents have declined since the 1997 standard was introduced. In 2003 (the latest available government data), the number of injuries from walkers to children younger than 15 months was 3,200, an 88 percent reduction since 1992. Some of this reduction may be the result of stationary activity centers supplanting wheeled walkers as the product of choice. Still, even with friction strips, we think 3,200 injuries are too many, and don't consider conventional walkers to be 100 percent safe. Canada has banned the sale of walkers completely.

A better idea? Go with a stationary activity center instead, such as the Bright Starts Around We Go ($80) or the Deluxe Around We Go ($90).

See our reports on stationary activity centers and walkers for more information.

Don't worry about crib-mattress warranties

Paige writes: "Do I need to worry about a warranty when buying a crib mattress?"

When you're crib-mattress shopping, you may notice that some mattresses offer a warranty, whether it be 1 year, 7 years, or even a lifetime. Our advice: Don't worry about them, pay attention to them, or pay extra for a crib-mattress warranty.

"Warranties are mostly a marketing tool to entice the consumer to spend more," says Dennis Scheutz, director of marketing for Colgate Kids, a manufacturer of juvenile mattresses, in Atlanta. In general, you can expect any quality crib mattress you buy to last as long as you're going to use it, says Scheutz, provided that the cover hasn't become ripped or torn and that it's been used properly (for sleeping, rather than for toddler tumbling practice, for example).

For more information, see our reports on crib mattresses, cribs, sleep gear not to use, and new mattress-flammability standards.

Baby shower gift ideas

Ronni writes: "I'm going to a baby shower and the Mom-to-be has not registered. I'd like to give something practical in the $50 price range - any suggestions?"

Sure. First off, let me say that you're on the mark by giving something practical. Even though they won't necessarily get the "oohs" and "aahs" at showers, the basics are what new parents really need. How about a diaper pail? Our top-rated model retails for around $40. (Learn more about the available diaper pail options, and see our Ratings, available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers. Throw in liners--the bags that will contain the soiled diapers--and a package of newborn or size 1 diapers, and you're all set.

Another shower gift you can be proud to give is a baby bathtub. We like The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub ($17, www.thefirstyears.com). It has a hammock-like sling and padded contoured backrest to make bath time easier and cushier for babies. Throw in a hooded terry towel, baby washcloths, bath toy, and baby bath wash (which doubles as shampoo), and it's a done deal.

Finally, something moms-to-be may not know they need are sleep sacks/wearable blankets. They're a substitute for loose blankets in the crib, which we advise against using (remember--"bare is best"). Most sleepsacks run about $20 and come in a swaddler version for newborns. You could get a swaddler and regular sleepsack in different colors. Top brands include Halo (http://www.halosleep.com/), Prince Lionheart (http://www.princelionheart.com/), and Kiddopotamus (http://www.kiddopotamus.com/).

Any of these three options should be a winner. At the check-out, though, remember to ask for a gift receipt before your transaction starts so the Mom-to-be can exchange your gifts in case she gets duplicates.

Are sleep positioners a good idea?

Jorgan's Dad writes: "My pediatrician recommended the Dex Secure Sleeper for my baby because she was getting a bad case of 'flat head.' He said it's safe. Have they released any new news on this?"

We don't recommend any sleep positioners, and we're not the only one. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that while various devices have been developed to maintain sleep position or to reduce the risk of rebreathing (inhaling exhaled carbon dioxide rather than fresh air, which increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS), such devices are not recommended because none has been tested sufficiently to show efficacy or safety.

All told, putting anything soft in the crib, like a sleep positioner, is a suffocation risk. So I would ask your pediatrician what else you could do to reduce the tendency for flat head syndrome to develop. One idea is make sure your daughter spends lots time on her tummy ("tummy time"), and hold her upright when she's not sleeping, to counter the pressure that's causing her head to become misshapen. When you put her to bed, keep putting her to sleep on her back; that's still one of the best ways to prevent SIDS. But you might also try varying your daughter's head position so that one day, her face is turned to the right, the next day, to the left. These are just a few suggestions from the AAP to help prevent flat head syndrome, but your pediatrician might have others for you to consider.

See our reports on sleep gear not to use, as well as cribs and crib mattresses, for more information.

Changing-table tips

Question: "We live in a studio apartment, so we're tight on space. Is it OK to change the baby on our bed?"

Sure, there's nothing that says you must use a changing table. I didn't buy a changing table either. Although I envied my friends' official-looking changing stations, I changed my daughter's on the bed for five years and that worked just fine. (I meant to buy a changing table, but once I started using the bed, I just never got around to it.)

Changing tables do make staying organized easy, though, so that's something you'll need to think about. If you use your bed as a changing table, where will you put supplies like diapers, ointment, and an outfit or two? I set up a little table in the corner of our bedroom near the bed, so supplies were within arm's reach. If you don't have room for a table, you'll need to get creative and maybe store supplies in a wicker basket under your bed. But if you do that, get the supplies out before changing your baby so you don't have to go digging. Whether you use a changing table or your bed-as-changing-table, you'll want to keep one hand on your baby at all times when you're changing him.

Although it's not as cushy, another alternative is to use the floor as a changing table. That's even safer than a bed because there's nowhere for the baby to fall from.

See our reports on disposable diapers, cloth diapers, and diaper pails for more information.

Do I need a bottle sterilizer?

Question: Do I need to buy a bottle sterilizer, or it is OK to just wash the bottles in the dishwasher?

If your tap water is chlorinated (chlorine is a natural germ killer), you don't need to buy a bottle sterilizer or boil your baby's bottles to sterilize them between feedings - washing the bottles in the top rack of your dishwasher will do. You can also just wash the bottles in hot tap water with dishwashing detergent and rinse them well in hot tap water. But if you have well water, or for some reason your town/city water isn't chlorinated, you should use a sterilizer or boil bottles in water for 5 to 10 minutes before using them. (You can find information about your local water supply at the Environmental Protection Agency's local drinking water information page.)

You should also boil all bottles and nipples before the first use, including accessories such as the vent on Playtex VentAire bottles, according to manufacturer's directions - usually for about five minutes. Likewise, after each use, wash nipples and accessories in hot, soapy water for about a minute and rinse thoroughly. Silicone nipples, which we recommend because babies can develop a sensitivity to latex, are dishwasher safe (top rack only). Some manufacturers advise you to boil nipples and accessories once a week for five minutes for maintenance. That's a good idea, too.

See our baby bottles and nipples report for more information.

Registering online

Question: "I'm planning to register online for products we'll need for our twins. Is that a good idea, or is it better to register in the store? We live in a small town and the nearest baby store is an hour away."

Registering online for baby products is convenient, especially in your case. However, remote registering can be a little too easy. Unfortunately, reading about products online and clicking away with your mouse is no substitute for getting some hands-on experience with the products, especially big-ticket or important items such as a stroller, car seat, crib, crib mattress, and diaper bag.

We think it's well worth your while to spend a Saturday or two "kicking the tires" at baby stores and taking careful notes about makes and models. For example, take a stroller for a test-drive, comparing maneuverability and adjusting the seat back and folding it up one or two times to see to see how easy it is to operate. Then, armed with your detailed list, you can register and even buy online, if you like. You'll know so much more about products once you do the legwork. And it can save you time later, when you don't need to return products that weren't quite what you thought (or read about online).

Consumer Reports Best Baby Products can help you determine what your list might include. You can also use our new baby basics checklist as a guide (times two, in the case of twins!).

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