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Baby Slings & Baby Carriers

You need to know what nursery equipment to buy - and what to avoid. Baby goods are a boom industry. How can you sort the useful items from the expensive but useless?

You only want 'the best' for your new baby - but how do you know what that is? Think carefully about which equipment will suit your lifestyle before you buy, or you may end up with expensive items that gather dust.

ON THE MOVE.

Baby sling

A baby sling is a great way to carry your baby from birth without suffering arm strain! The sling is wrapped round your body, leaving your arms free. This is a useful device if you also have a toddler who still needs a buggy, as you can transport both without a heavy twin buggy. There are many slings on the market. Before you buy one, make sure it spreads the weight across your shoulders and back or you'll end up with backache.

As your baby grows and can support himself, a baby backpack is a great piece of equipment. Made on a frame in a similar way to a regular backpack, the frame allows the baby to face the way you are going, giving her the same vantage point as though she were on your shoulders - but safer.

Prams and buggies

Choosing a pram or stroller is like choosing a new car - and can nearly cost as much! Shop around, and find one that fits your lifestyle. You want something that will last for this baby - and perhaps for more children as they come along.

The pram or buggy you buy must be suitable for a newborn, who needs to lie completely flat. It must be padded and comfortable, sheltering and weatherproof. Can you fit your shopping in a tray on the bottom?

If you do a lot of walking, you'll need a model with good suspension. If you're going to be using public transport, you'll need a model that is light, so you can lift it on and off with one hand. You'll also need something that will fold quickly and easily as you dash for the bus.

Before you buy a three-wheeler 'rough terrain' buggy, think about where you will use it. It's a bit like buying a monster four-wheel drive jeep with bull bars. Will you actually take it out on rough terrain, or is it for posing around town? Good models are expensive, so only buy one if you live in the country and do a lot of walking.

Pushchairs and prams can be fiendishly complicated to the uninitiated, so have a go at folding and unfolding it at the shop. Try putting on any attachments and give it a push around. Consider whether the handle is adjustable, and whether it is comfortable for your height. Think about how big the buggy is when folded - will it fit in your car, and leave room for groceries?

Car seat

A well-fitting car seat is a legal obligation. Make sure you buy a seat that is suitable for your baby's stage of development. Look at internet and magazine 'test runs' of seats before you decide. It's worth buying a new car seat to make sure it has not been damaged, thus negating its safety value.

Choose a seat that is padded, comfortable and easy to fit and remove - even when your baby is asleep. You can buy infant-only seats, and then buy another toddler seat, or you can buy one seat that will last for several years. Later on, you'll need a booster seat, designed for children from age four.

AT HOME.

The first chair you buy for your baby is likely to be a bouncer chair, which props the baby and allows her to see what is going on. Her back is supported and any movement she makes creates 'bounce' as the frame allows her to move. These are inexpensive and valuable for allowing you to put the baby down, but allow her to still be involved in the goings on of the household. Never place these chairs on a raised surface, or one day your baby will bounce right off.

A high chair is useful from around six months, which coincides nicely with your baby starting to eat what are loosely known as 'solids'. Look for a multi-purpose high chair. Our youngest had a high chair that converted into a table and chair as she got older. At five, she still uses it as a handy messy play table.

Whatever you choose, check the tray is a good size with high edges. This stops junior swiping food easily onto the floor. Check that the whole thing is easy to clean, as any awkward crevices will soon be full of bacteria-friendly gunk.


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