Just the Basics: Baby Gear 0 to 6 Months

Ah yes, the gear. Like many of you mommies out there, I for one can attest to the fact that the baby gear industry is booming. I’m constantly bombarded by toys and products that will make my life simpler and my baby’s life far more entertaining (or so they claim). Hopefully, some of my thoughts here will help you cut through the clutter and understand what your baby really needs—or at least what is best for his developing movement patterns.

As much as I want to say that all the cute and convenient creations out there are great for your developing infant, the fact of the matter is that many of them are not. In reality, many of the things we consider basics these days actually encourage the very muscle imbalances I’ve talked avoiding.

Really an infant zero to six months only needs a few, very simple, things:

• Firm flat surface
• Light weight “toys”
• Encouraging voices
• Happy faces 

This being said, following are some of the items you should look to avoid. Disclaimer: I know it’s impossible to avoid all of these 100 percent of the time! All I’m saying is to limit their use if possible. For our son, the less we used them the more content he was with the simple things above.

• Swings and bouncy chairs. Many of these put your baby at an incline, which is not ideal. I’ve quoted Hermsen-Van Wanrooy on this before, but I’ll do it again—“A slightly tilted surface, like a bouncinette…changes the force or direction of gravity. This will inhibit the development of good muscle balance because he cannot learn to lift his legs up in this position” (p. 28).
• Jumpers and exersaucers. I’ve repeatedly stated that we don’t want to encourage positions that are beyond baby’s developmental level—basically we don’t want to put him in any positions he can’t get to himself. Jumpers and exersaucers put baby in a standing position, which at six months he’s obviously not ready for. This can encourage muscle imbalances.
• Front and back packs. Front packs “put a lot of pressure on his spine and the young developing discs between his vertebrae.” Back packs encourage sitting, which baby isn’t ready for until 10 months or so (p. 78). 

Here are some options Dr. Husband was OK enough with that we got them for our son (and will use for our daughter). Again—the more limited use the better.

• Moby wrap. Unlike a front or back pack, when worn correctly, the Moby aligns baby’s spine and puts his hips in a normal, resting angle. Warning: My son loved being in the Moby SO much because it was the only time we let him “sit up.” This meant he would get mad until he got it; hence my suggestion to avoid these things unless necessary.
• My Little Snugabunny. We have both the swing and the bouncy chair. We chose these because they were the flattest we could find. If you find something flatter and/or firmer, please post it in the comments! 

Grr—I was hoping I wouldn’t feel like such a downer when I got to the end of this post, but I do. It’s so fun to shop for new babies, especially if it’s your first, so I don’t want to burst any bubbles. I guess I just encourage you to be thoughtful about your purchases in hopes of creating ideal movement patterns for your little one. Happy shopping, mama!