The basic necessities of feeding, comforting, and responding to a baby's hygiene needs come with the responsibility of choosing among many types of baby care tools, including breastfeeding products, baby carriers, and diapering products.
Nursing Pads
Many breastfeeding mothers require nursing pads, especially during the first few months when milk production is at its highest. Considerations for choosing the most suitable nursing pads include the following.
- Reusability
- Breathability
- Leak protection
- Style
Nursing pads come in washable/reusable and disposable varieties. Wool, cotton, and paper pads allow adequate airflow to keep nipples dry and avoid yeast infections. Washable woolen pads provide the greatest absorbency. Pads with plastic linings may not allow adequate airflow, although certain brands offer a breathable plastic liner. Both washable and disposable pads come in thinner contoured varieties, bulkier multilayered varieties, in flesh tones and other colors, and in circular or elongated shapes of different sizes.
Breast Pumps
Considerations for choosing the most suitable breast pump include where, how often, and how long a mother plans to pump.
- Location
- Duration
- Frequency
Choices include manual and electric pumps in single and double varieties. Electric pumps express more milk in the least amount of time. Double pumps express from both breasts at the same time. A mother who plans to pump only occasionally may prefer a single manual pump.
Diapers
As with nursing pads, diapers come in washable/reusable varieties as well as disposable. Each type is further divided into various shapes, sizes, colors and prints for various specific uses including daytime, overnight, and swimming. Considerations include the following.
- Convenience
- Cost
- Use
- Quality/Durability
- Materials/Chemical Content
Swim diapers are made specifically for use in water. Most public pools require them. Swim diapers come in reusable and disposable varieties, as well as in plain and patterned styles.
Most cotton diapers are cloth reusables. They come in flat, prefolded, and fitted varieties. Some disposables are made of cotton rather than the more common paper and gel bead types.
Cloth Diapers
Cloth diapers come in various types including flat, prefolded, fitted, and all-in-one. Many cloth diapers are used in combination with a cover to prevent leaking. All-in-one cloth diapers include a diaper insert and cover. Covers come in wool, cotton, and fleece. Some include plastic lining.
Diaper Bags
Considerations for choosing the most suitable diaper bag include whether a caregiver will store cloth or disposable diapers or nursing or bottle feeding supplies. Diaper bags come in a variety of styles from trendy to more utilitarian. Some varieties are designed with male caregivers in mind.
Baby Slings
Slings are used to keep babies close to their caregivers while allowing the caregivers to keep their hands free. Slings come in several types including adjustable and non-adjustable pouches, padded and non-padded slings, tie-on slings, stretchy or non-stretchy types, lightweight or heavier weight materials, and newborn or larger child sizes. Some slings are designed for side carry, front carry, back carry, or a combination. For more in-depth information on slings, wraps, and other baby carriers, see The Babywearer.
New parents face many choices in baby care products that assist with basic infant care activities such as feeding, breastfeeding, diapering, and carrying. Well-suited tools and supplies such as baby slings and appropriate diaper bags can play an important role in the new baby adjustment period.
