The Ultimate Baby Gear List – What I Find Helpful & What I Won’t Recommend
Alright, new & soon to be parents, while my wife was pregnant, we did our research on baby gear & bought all the stuff we thought we needed.
Now that our son is born, I can tell you which baby gear is a time-saving god sent & which is a complete waste of money.
So in this article, I will list & rate all our baby gear & hope that our experience can help you make an informed decision.
Let’s begin:
Baby Transportation Gear
| Item | Brand | Price | Link | Do We Like It? |
| Stroller | Nuna Trvl | RM2,000 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
| Car Seat | Joie Spin 360 | RM1,000 | Shopee, Lazada | ❌ |
Underrated – Nuna Stroller
- It can be folded & unfolded with 1 hand.
- The wheels are smooth with a soft suspension to prevent the baby from waking up during a bumpy stroll.
- You can maneuver the stroller with 1 hand. Very handy when you’re trying to open doors by yourself.
I recommend you get it at a physical baby shop, but you can also get it online.
Overrated – Joie 360 Spin
The Joie Spin 360 is a recognized international baby brand.
The car seat is sturdy & worked as advertised. However, there are some pain points:
- The ISOFIX mechanism is tough to latch on. It genuinely annoys me.
- It’s very awkward to carry the car seat out of a car.
Consider these points when looking for a baby seat
Baby Clothing, Diaper & Bathing Gear
| Item | Brand | Price | Link | Do We Like It? |
| Changing Table | IKEA SMÅGÖRA | RM299 | IKEA | ✅ |
| Diaper Bin | Tommee Tippee | RM200 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅✅ |
| Waterproof Mat | Pureen | RM14 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
| Baby Towels | – | RM15 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
| Baby Detergent | – | RM25 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
Underrated – Tommee Tippee Diaper Bin
When my wife bought this during her pregnancy, she kept it a secret because it cost RM200++.
But what is it & why is it different than a regular bin? The Tommee Tippee diaper bin helps to suppress the smell of used diapers.
Insert the used diaper, then twist the handle to seal the smell.
Without it, you’ll have to throw used diapers out of your house whenever the baby poops.
Considering that babies change diapers at least 2 to 3 times a day. This device, although expensive, saves us a lot of time & energy.
The plastic refills are RM37 per cartridge that can hold up to 30 used nappies.
Underrated & highly recommended!
Baby Feeding Gear
| Item | Brand | Price | Link | Do We Like It? |
| Feeding bottle | Pigeon | RM89 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
| UV Sterilizer | Coby UV | RM250 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
| Temp Control Kettle | Xiaomi Pro | RM150 | Shopee, Lazada | ❌ |
| Milk Warmer | Dr. Brown | RM200 | Shopee, Lazada | ❌ |
| Vacuum Jug 2L | – | RM50 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅✅ |
| Baby Handkerchief | – | RM2 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
Underrated – Vacuum Jug
The thermos jug is a NECESSITY. Your baby will need to feed every 2 hours.
Imagine you have to boil water every time the baby starts crying.
That’s bad enough already. Now imagine having to do this at 2 or 4 am.
The water jug can hold hot water for 18 hours, a lifesaver.
Overrated – Milk Warmer
The milk warmer IMO is a gimmick.
It doesn’t heat the milk properly & I still have to wait for 2 to 5 minutes.
Dipping the milk bottle in a mug of hot water is better & it’s FREE.
The temperature control electric kettle is also unnecessary. You’ll know how to mix water temperature through experience rather quickly.
Baby Sleeping Gear
| Item | Brand | Price | Link | Do We Like It? |
| Baby Cot | Sweet Cherry | RM249 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
| Baby Monitor | Sunshine | RM150 | Shopee, Lazada | ✅ |
| White Noise Machine | LOMG Owl | RM30 | Shopee, Lazada | ❌ |
| Swaddle | – | RM5 | Shopee | ✅ |
| Sleeping Light | – | RM5 | – | ✅ |
Underrated – Baby Monitor
The baby monitor is like a portable security camera to keep an eye on your baby.
I find it the most useful if you keep the baby asleep in another room where you are currently hanging out.
It has night vision, a temperature gauge & also a 2-way communication to calm the baby while you are walking over.
All this for a little over RM150+? Underrated.
Underrated – Sleeping Light
You’ll sleep with your newborn baby for the next couple of months.
You’re not going to be sleeping in total darkness because you need some light to make milk for the baby.
Turning on the blinding ceiling lights at 3 am will not do in my book.
So I used an old standing lamp & a 3 Watt warm white lightbulb. I find it perfect for sleeping, with enough illumination to see what I’m doing.
How to Save Money
All these baby gears are EXPENSIVE. So I don’t think it’s wise to purchase everything outright.
We saved a lot of money as our family members & friends who have growing children handed us their old baby gear.
Plus, my wife requested some of the stuff we needed during her baby shower.
I know that not everyone will be lucky enough to have such generous friends & family. But don’t be shy to ask for hand-me-downs.
Raising a child is expensive & you need all the help you can get!
Doing the above saved us THOUSANDS. We are truly grateful for our generous friends & family.
I hope this article has been helpful. Check out my other articles on the cost of pregnancy checkups & baby delivery at UMSC private hospital.
