One of the first things you'll notice as a new parent is that this stage of life is filled with "stuff": pacifiers, bottles, breast pumps, strollers, car seats, developmental toys, cribs, swings, infant carriers, play yards, and baby gates--not to mention diapers, diapers, and more diapers. (You'll go through more than 2,000 in your baby's first year alone.) Indeed, baby products are a $7 billion industry in the U.S., and hundreds of products are added to the lineup each year. As you'll soon discover (if you haven't already), stores cater to expectant parents with aisle after aisle of baby gear. Some retailers that once focused solely on adult apparel and merchandise now have divisions--or entire stores--devoted to children and babies. L.L. Bean, Gap, and Pottery Barn are a few prominent examples. Catalogs offer everything from organic cotton diapers to hospital-grade breast pumps. Then there are online venues. Web shopping can be a convenient way to find the information you need about baby products and services and to make purchases--all without having to pack up your baby and the rest of your family and troop from store to store.
All these retailers and manufacturers are smart. They realize that new parents want the best for their baby and that they are willing to shell out for the privilege. In fact, a typical middle-income family in the U.S. will spend an average of $12,673 on baby's first year alone! But you can spend less, get better value, and still buy high-quality, safe products. That's where Consumer Reports comes in. We know you want the best for your baby. But you don't necessarily need to spend the most to get it.
To navigate through the world of baby products and stick to your budget, you need to be prepared. Shop with a list and use this buying guide to do your homework before you spend. That way, you'll have a firm idea of what makes and models of products to consider, and which items are a good fit for your lifestyle. If you don't take this strategic route, buying for your baby quickly can become an expensive and overwhelming undertaking, often eliciting more questions than answers. What makes a $250 stroller different from an $800 one? Which car seat is best for an infant? How do you install it, anyway? What's the best sleeping arrangement for a newborn? A crib? Bassinet? Co-sleeper? What's better, the Diaper Genie or the Diaper Dékor? And then there's the overarching question: What do I really need and what's nice but not necessary? True, you'll need some items, but many--as cute or as fashionable as they are--are purely optional. Others, even though they're sold in retail outlets, can be a safety hazard. We'll help you determine which is which and advise you on how to spot quality as well as the best brands and models.
Our engineers, market analysts, and editors attend trade shows, read trade publications, and visit stores to spot the latest products and trends. The market analysts query manufacturers about their product lines and update databases of model information. Then staff shoppers anonymously visit dozens of stores or go online to buy the selected models, just as you would. While shopping for a baby can certainly be fun, we take it very seriously because, let's face it, there's nothing more precious than your newborn.
The products we purchase are put to the test in Consumer Reports' own labs in Yonkers, N.Y., or at a specialized outside laboratory under the direction of our engineers (crash-testing of car seats, for example). With baby gear, safety is always the key consideration, followed by convenience and usability. The findings of our baby-products experts--based on unbiased, side-by-side testing--can guide you in your search for safe products. We also can help you find the best value and tell you when a bigger price tag means better quality--and when it doesn't. We'll even help you decide when you need to buy new, and when used (or hand-me-down) is OK.
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