Baby products are an $8.9 billion industry in the U.S., with hundreds of new products added to the lineup each year. With an ever increasing range of choices, and seemingly limitless options, shopping for a new baby can be daunting and expensive. Retailers and manufacturers are smart. They realize that new parents want the best for their baby and that they’re willing to shell out for the privilege. It’s no wonder that a typical middle-income family with one child in the U.S. will spend an average of $13,590 on baby’s first year alone!
“You can spend less, get better value, and still buy high-quality, safe products,” says Sandra Gordon, author of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, (Tenth Edition). “And you don’t necessarily need to spend a bundle to get them.”
Gordon offers the following tips for making budget cuts that won’t compromise your baby’s safety, which should always be your top concern.
Go with store-brand disposable diapers.
Nix the convertible option when choosing a crib mattress.
Shopping cart covers—feel free to skip this purchase entirely.
If you choose or need to use infant formula, buy milk-based formula.
Consumer Reports Best Baby Products (Tenth Edition) is organized in a handy A to Z format and reviews a wide range of essential baby (and parent) gear, with an emphasis quality and safety. It will help parents find the best value and give them the information they need to determine when a bigger price tag means better quality and when it doesn’t, which baby products are must-haves and which are a waste of money, and which products might even be unsafe. For more information, go to www.consumerreports.org or visit www.babygearmom.com.