what is the most essential product you must have when having a baby and toddler?

Jessica - posted on 07/14/2010

things that light up, things that make sound, aka my cell phone. if not that then i bought him a kid's toy cell phone that looks almost identical to mine except the long distance bill. :]

Claire - posted on 07/10/2010

Gotta say...WIPES too!!! Have them everywhere, for so many uses. I also love Sudacrem bum cream - works best for rashes. His Graco pram is my other best thing - it has cup holders in front for baby and at the handles for mommy's water bottle, 2 storage compartments, 5-position reclining seat (sitting up straight to lying flat) and a shopping bag basket at the bottom. Couldn't go anywhere without it!

Rebecca - posted on 07/09/2010

For our first born it was a ereally cool rocker that you could take to peoples places it would go to a seat and be stable or lay back to rock bubs to sleep. We took it every where. With our second probably the safety sleep we had to buy. They are really popular in NZ you can gently starp baby into the cot to stop bub from rolling over onto tummy. Our bub was cruising all over his cot at such an early age we had to keep him in one place somehow. Now it's all about play so music toys and sports toys at the moment keep them busy.

Monica - posted on 07/09/2010

WIPES!!! They come in handy for everything...I use them for just about everything...they came in real good use when I went to the market for the rib festival and no one had wet naps...yay for the wipes!!!

Sarah - posted on 07/09/2010

Some kind of diapers, if nursing Lanisoh cream and pads early on are a life saver, a boppy regardless and some kind of swaddle, whatever works for you and the baby best.

My absolute favorite thing is my rocking chair near the baby's crib, I don't think I could have lived without it. On fussy nights early on, it helped to calm me too and sometimes I almost fell asleep there getting him back to sleep! And burp clothes, it saves your clothes, the baby's and furniture everywhere (the big ones that are the old cloth diapers, they cover the most surface). He is over 1 now and I still take one everytime we go out. He even likes to snuggle up with it to nap/sleep sometimes, (especially not at home) and it is much smaller than a blanket and can be cleaned and traded out anytime. I also had a drooler and he still is, so as many bibs as you can get, and not white ones, ones with color that are terry cloth hold up the best.

In terms of places to put baby, they need a bouncy (one that vibrates), mine hated the his rocker.

Tiffany - posted on 07/08/2010

Swing, carrier style carseat, jumperoo, pack n play, and Lansinoh nursing pads. Best ever things invented in my opinion. I have 4 kids. ages 5, 3, 2, and 1. I wished I would have had a jumperoo for all of them, but only had it for this last baby. He LOVED it! Much better than an excersaucer!

Lauralea - posted on 07/07/2010

We can't do without the baby gate, cupboard locks and door bumpers that keep our son from shutting himself in a room. Now that he is mobile keeping him safe is a challenge but those three things are priceless.

Elaine - posted on 07/07/2010

I couldn't have done without my ringsling. It made going out and about a doddle with three other children in tow.

Irina - posted on 07/06/2010

diapers, hight chair, crib, Boppy pillow are my best friends. But honestly my husband and I see that all the things we have are helpful, like baby little mat-gym was helpful when she started to be bored of just laying there. Then bouncy seat, definetely stroller, car seat, later potty.

Bathobile - posted on 07/06/2010

Me personal I learned not to use much products on my baby especially bath products and medicines. I only prefer to have panado syrup, plain aqueous creamer for bath few toys and changing cupboard that's all.

Kylie - posted on 07/05/2010

Without a doubt - WIPES! I have tubs of them everywhere. As she grows things change & at the moment it would have to be my Mum! She has been a lifesaver with us all having the flu. Looking after the kids while I've been sick & helping out round the house. Thankyou Mum

Kara - posted on 07/05/2010

My packs... I had a Kelty front pack that I loved and now the Ergo. They make it possible to keep her with me and still have my hands free.

Charlotte - posted on 07/05/2010

baby wipes they are excellent for the whole family good for cleaning children carpets everything really

Sarah - posted on 07/04/2010

Diaper cream! I was using Desitin for our baby which was good, but I just bought Target's brand which I think is even better. It's thicker, has a milder scent and is CHEAPER!

Anu - posted on 07/04/2010

For a toddler atleast --> Teether....fav toy.....wipes.....few extra diapers.....some snack items.....water ....ready-made milk

Jennifer - posted on 07/04/2010

Boppy pillow and my lanisoh brand nursing pads. I could live without the Baby Bjorn, I'd just rather live with it--it makes life a lot easier, and she'll let me shop a lot longer when she's in it than she would without!

Nicole - posted on 07/04/2010

A moby wrap, hands down. I couldn't live with out it.

Amanda - posted on 07/03/2010

When they were younger, the boppy and swaddle me were wonderful!

Now, with a 1 year old and a 2 1/2 year old, it'd say wipes, and night time diapers are at the top of my list!!

April - posted on 07/02/2010

Okay, wipes of course, but I actually carried those before baby, so I can't really count those. The cradle swing when she was younger, and a projection mobile! She still uses that to this day, we took off the mobile part so it just projects on the cieling and plays music. totally worth the money for that one.

Cristen - posted on 07/02/2010

My son got a playpen for his birthday and it was a lifesaver! I felt like God himself sent it to us lol

Tracey - posted on 07/02/2010

Bottle warmer

Kat - posted on 07/02/2010

i'd have to add teething tablets to my list :)

Kristy - posted on 07/02/2010

Both of my kids loved the bouncer. Ours vibrated, played music, came with 2 toys they teethed on, and had a mirror and musical mobile that moved for them to look up at. Then they loved the Baby Einstein stander with all kinds of buttons and things. I also couldn't live without the Miracle Blanket swaddler, Itzbeen timer, Sling EZee and Ergo baby carriers. And I definitely couldn't live with out the small potty I keep in the back of my car for emergencies when potty training my daughter. I also keep a travel highchair in the back of my car for the baby which has come in handy.

Danielle - posted on 06/29/2010

anything that plays music are life savers!!! my son loves anything that make any noise at all. he still loves his walker, and anything that he can get his hands on for the most part ( remotes with no batteries)!!!! anything that you think that they will like!!! for his birthday he got a dog named Scout and it plays music and teaches him a lot, even my 2 year old nephew loves it too!!!

Vivian - posted on 06/29/2010

The baby wipes.... hand sanitizer (thats for me) her fisher price cradle swing...her vaseline...her toys...her sippy cup...her yogurt melts...her umbrella stroller (much easier than the big stroller)... her play pen...her walker...and her baby bag which actually I bought from "DOCKERS" it was a laptop bag but it had so many compartments that i used it for a baby bag... year tomorrow and the bag is still going...love all of these items....

Morgan - posted on 06/29/2010

cabinet and door locks and a baby carrier like a Mei Tei or an Ergo!

Rowan - posted on 06/29/2010

Definitely baby wipes, especially the cocoa butter ones they smell divine. I use them for myself and my 1 year old (and my husband!). I love the music mobile that sings You Are My Sunshine that I bought that I was pregnant kept Alfie quiet while I changed him, and still does! Oh and his travel cot that i use to contain him in the kitchen. :D

Autumn - posted on 06/29/2010

swaddle, boppy pillow, and her swing was definately the best investments in the first few months and were life savers!! but the boppy pillow is still being used! love it :)

Kat - posted on 06/29/2010

bath toys, playpen (he couldnt sleep in his crib due to him getting under the pads and getting caught), stroller, and his big soft blocks. he hated his swing :(

Aiyana - posted on 06/28/2010

BABY WIPES!!! I can't live without them...I have them in the diaper bag, my car, almost every room of the house(the babies diaper gets changed were ever), and my purse!

I use baby wipes for all of my kids...I have 5 a 9yr old, 7yr old, 5yr old, 4yr old, and 1yr old! They are not just for changing diapers! :-)

Robin - posted on 06/28/2010

for babies - swaddles / wraps - literally couldnt do without them! as far as a luxuary item goes... my baby bjorn!

for toddlers - bath toys! - they dont need much special items at this age... but bath toys are probably the most useful... especially when bub is tired and grumpy at bath time!

CARRIE - posted on 06/28/2010

Some of my favorite things were and are the Boppy pillow, baby swing, jumperoo, bouncy seat, and the Halo sleep sack. We wouldn't have made it through until he was 5 months without the Halo to swaddle him while he slept because he would startle himself awake by flailing his arms if he wasn't swaddled. And the Halo makes it so easy to change a diaper without undoing the swaddle. The Boppy is a best friend to any mom with tired arms or a sore back. My son loved his jumperoo and his swing which gave me much needed time to do the million other things I needed to do while he was enjoying them. The bouncy seat has a ton of good uses and is one product I think every baby needs.

There are so many products that I'm glad I had. And so many products that I thought I wouldn't be able to live without but, in the end didn't really need. I guess I'll know better the second time around.....lol!