When it comes to baby gear, the old saying is true: the smaller the baby, the bigger the stuff. So how do you decide what to buy? Here are some basics on everything from strollers to bouncy seats to play mats and more.

Transcript:

The number one thing you're gonna need when it comes to gear, is an infant car seat. Most hospitals will not let you leave the hospital without an infant car seat for your baby. It's a safety thing, very important. So, you're gonna wanna look into these.

I've had the same one. I actually have a Graco. I've had it since 2004 with my first baby, and I've never had a problem with it. Number two thing I'm gonna list in the baby gear department is, what's called a car seat carrier, okay? This is made by... Graco makes one, Universal makes one, and basically, what this is, it's a form of a mini stroller. It's very inexpensive, or relatively, it's like 50 or 60 bucks.

You can put your car seat on top and it's an easy thing for you to use if you're getting in and out of your car, you're getting in and out of cabs, and it's a very easy thing for you to have in the early days.

And actually, one of the things that occurred to me with my last baby, number five, is like, whoa! You know what? You got the car seat, you got the car seat carrier, you really don't need a stroller for at least the first couple of months. You could take your time and look at all the strollers out there and really analyze what kind of stroller you need. But you can get by, for a long time with just the car seat and the car seat carrier.

Okay, couple of words about strollers. I've had the same stroller since 2004. I have had a Bugaboo. At the time, it seemed crazy. It was like the Cadillac of strollers. It's very expensive, but I found the quality to be unmatched. I've never had a problem with it.

This, however, is not something you can use if you're like going to the mall, going to the grocery store, in and out of your car all the time. I've seen a lot of Inglesinas coming back. People really like those strollers. Peg Peregos are great. Take your time. This is something you're gonna wanna spend time on.

Number four thing in terms of baby gear, I would really consider investing in a Baby Björn or a sling. This is a great thing. It's great for walking outside with your baby, especially when your baby is quite light. It's a great thing for when your baby gets fussy, especially during that fussy time in the late afternoon, you could put the baby in the Björn if you can't get your baby to stop crying and you can go about your business, you can even safely cook dinner, or get some emails done, or whatever.

It frees up your hands. It's a really nice way to keep your baby comforted and to travel with your baby. Slings are also very popular, so consider those.

Okay. So, let me just sum up here, what are the sort of gear things that you're gonna be wanting to get in line as you anticipate the arrival of your new baby. Okay. Alright, sorry. [chuckle]

I just got a note from my producer here, the diaper bag. You have to have a diaper bag. Diaper bags are important. You really can't have a regular bag, because you got too much stuff that you need to organize. You are gonna have to have bottles, you have to have something that's waterproof, you're gonna want little areas for diapers, for a changing pad, for a bra pad, for whatever else you have going on, outfits. It's really just not practical to throw all this into a regular bag, especially bottles that you want to keep upright. So, you have to invest in a diaper bag.

One more essential item is a baby monitor. I found a sound monitor for the baby to be super useful when I was away from the baby's room.

Okay. So, that's the gear. Let me put up a graphic just to walk you guys through exactly what you're gonna need in the baby gear department. Carrier, a stroller, car seat, a car seat carrier, a stroller, a Baby Björn or a sling, a diaper bag, and a baby monitor.

Okay, what am I gonna need for my baby in the house in order for my baby to be able to play and be a little bit independent? Now, the number one thing you need, this is not just for travel, is the Pack 'n Play. The Pack 'n Play is a really great and useful thing. It's great for travel, but it's also great in the home because you can bring your baby around with you wherever you are. If you want to have your baby sleep in the room, they can sleep with you in the Pack 'n Play. If you wanna bring your baby with you into the kitchen, your baby can be in the Pack 'n Play. And as time goes on, you can put safe toys in the Pack 'n Play and your baby can play safely in the Pack 'n Play.

Number two, and to me, this is absolutely essential, is the bouncy seat. Absolutely essential. I feed my baby, get her burped, and then, I stick her for a little bit in the bouncy seat because she's upright, she can continue to digest the milk, it's better than placing her in a reclined position, and I actually like the bouncy seats with the lights, with the music, with the vibration.

Some people are critical of these. They think they're bad for babies. They think they're over stimulating, but I've never had an issue with these. And you know what? All my kids so far seem to be turning out fine. They read, they don't seem to have an issue with over stimulation, and believe me, they all spent plenty of time in that overstimulating bouncy seat. And that is the way that I survived.

So, okay. Play mat or gym. These things are great. You can get these, again, with music, with lights, they've got fun little animals. This is a very nice soft place to put your baby either on the carpet or on a hardwood floor and it's a nice place for the baby to play. You might even find that your baby rolls around for the first time in this play gym. So, that's a really, really nice thing.

So, let me put up a graphic, so that you guys won't forget any of this. Okay, Pack 'n Play, bouncy seat, and a play mat or a gym. I hope that this show has helped you figure out exactly what you're gonna need to have, to get your baby around and have your baby play safely at home, and all the best of luck in bringing home your new baby.