Hi Kristin,
I miss your blog and would love the chance to read it again. So, if you're open to it, do let me know if you would consider giving me access? m (dot) nersessian (at) sympatico.ca

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peeepee teepees! LOL!

I remember going to register at Babies R Us (ugh) and getting their sheet of recommended products—it was insane! There are far too many baby gadgets out there. But the marketing machine behind all that stuff is powerful. People kept asking me, "Why not a wipe warmer? Don't you want one of those pop-out carseats? Why not the big stroller? You've got to have those things to keep the baby comfortable!" The implication is you're not a caring-enough parent if you don't have the full range of gadgets.

Uh, nope. Give me a good newborn-to-toddler car seat, a Bjorn or sling, and a baby-jogger and we're good to go.

Maybe this is one of those things you learn after the first baby.

- L

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I believe people buy peepee teepee's for the novelty of it.

Warming breastmilk helps dissolve milk fat that would otherwise end up sticking to the side of the bottle.

Microwave sterilizers are convenient and energy saving. Run the microwave for 5 min or run the dishwasher for 90 min or heat up a pot of water for a handful of nipples and bottles?

I like warm wipes for myself especially now that it's wintertime.

Pop out car seats keeps your sleeping baby asleep when moving in/out of the care and the stroller that goes with it has enough basket space for grocery shopping.

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Ron--To think of it another way, you don't need a warmer to warm human milk. Just stick the bottle in a mug of hot water. You don't need a sterilizer or a dishwasher, either. You can just wash bottles by hand. We have a wipes warmer that we have never, ever used, but I guess theoretically that could be nice (not necessary, again, though). And I can't stand the infant carriers, personally. What's wrong with wearing/holding your baby? Keep it warmer and happier that way.

All this said, people (and babies) like different things and that's fine. What's on my list of necessary or unnecessary items won't be on another's. I think there is too much plastic stuff for children but people find different things useful and that's okay. People have different styles.

But I do think we express our love too much with things.

Anyway, we, as a society, should consider ourselves lucky to have so many options and, for the most part, the cash to avail ourselves of what we choose.

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Well I for one won't even consider a stroller that doesn't include a cup-holder anymore. But we must traverse awfully smooth terrain; I've never had a problem with it tipping over.

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Thanks for the reply Antropologa. I understand there's different ways to accomplish the same thing, cost vs convenience, retro vs modern, your list vs my list, needs vs wants, yada yada yada.

It's the holier than thou attitude of the linked article and the blog above that made me post. If you respect and enjoy other people's interests, they may respect and enjoy what interests you. There's a hint of mommy wars there.

Anyways, I actually use my espresso machine's hot water wand for instant hot water to warm bottles (from refrigerator cold to lukewarm in 1 min). And I use the steam wand to sterilize one off items. I love holding my 9 mo old but there are situations where it's just not practical for me to do so.

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Just for the record, Ron, I am holier than no one. And did not mean to insinuate that I was.

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Hey Ron--I LOVE your espresso machine tips. Good thinking!

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I loved my wipe warmer and I live in Texas! You know, where it's hot. I have lots of friends who didn't like them, but I found that if I had to change a diaper in the middle of the night when my boy was new, he was much more likely to get back to sleep when I used warm wipes that cold ones.

Honestly, I love having so many options, even if many of you think that they are absurd. Things that worked for me may not be right for your baby or family, and things that I think are a bit silly may be critical to helping your family function well.

Ron is so right about this being mommy wars-esque. Why do we have to put people down because they are fine with plastic toys in their homes? Because they enjoy a pop-out car seat? I respect that some people use cloth diapers for their kids and that some people let them have pacifiers until they are three and that some people don't brush their kids hair. It's your family and as long as your child is safe and happy, I really don't understand why it matters so much.

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hiya kristin, i miss your blog as well, any chance of giving me access or making it public? lemme know! janedmathews@yahoo.com

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Ron, I like your commentary. I do agree that there is a certain kind of weird minimalist snobbery among certain people when the subject of baby accessories comes up (although Kristin, I don't think you were reflecting this with your own post about the article). It's almost like sling = transcendant parent. I own a sling, but I also have a bottle warmer. I don't think either object indicates the kind of parent I am. Bottom line is, the babies don't give a crap whether we use stroller systems or hemp slings, as long as we meet their needs. The rest of it is about *our* needs, isn't it?

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