Babies actually don’t need much, it’s the parents who need their little helpers. The market for baby gadgets is huge and there is so much one can have but only so little one really needs. Since our ninth travel together as a family is coming up next week, I wanted to share with you my go-to baby gadgets when at home and how to replace them when you are travelling.
Babyphone
We have two sets of babyphones, one that is stationary and stays in N’s room, the other one is running with batteries and more suitable when travelling.
What I love about our “Travel Babyphone” is that I don’t need to pack the stationary with when going on a trip, the travelling babyphone is also much smaller and it works pretty well.
If you are actually not travelling so much, a babyphone App will do. The great thing about the App is, that you have a much wider reach because it’s working on the Internet Network. I wouldn’t use it too often though because the frequency waves can be harmful for your baby’s brain.
Bluetooth-speaker
When Baby N was about six weeks old, he was really into the sound of my hairdryer. So much, that I put him for his naps in the bathroom with the hairdryer running (desperate to get a nap in the meantime)
My husband had a more sustainable idea, which was the App called ‘White Noise’. You can create a personalised white background noise and play it via bluetooth speaker.
When travelling, we always take our JBL portable bluetooth speaker with and I’m also quite certain that this will become a great music player when baby N gets bigger.
Another side effect of the white noise is, that it’s working as a soft soundproof for the room, so small noises won’t be heard much. For our first and second New Year’s Eve this little white noise worked miracles, because we would turn up the volume higher than usual so he wouldn’t wake up from the noise outside!
JBL Horizon for home
Monitoring App
When N was born I got asked so many questions from my lactation consultant and doctors like: how much did he sleep last night? How long is he breastfeeding? How many times he napped today? etc. And to be honest it wasn’t easy to keep track of the exact times because it felt like all he did was eat, sleep and poop. Therefore the App “uGrow” by Philips Avent really helped me keeping track. Especially when it came to breastfeeding it was just great to know which side was next or which breast pumped more milk. It was a great tool for the first months when you also get to know your baby and it gives you a better impression on their daily rhythm.
Later I also used the App “Wonder Years” based on the book, which would explain me baby’s development and different stages of phases. This was also great in the beginning to figure out which days might be better or easier for travelling or when it would be better to just stay at home.
Lastly I also loved the App Babycenter. I used it mainly throughout my pregnancy to see what stage of development my baby was or what size of fruit it currently is. Later, when Baby N was born, it was a great source of information on his development stage. I learned when he could start seeing better distances or how to entertain and play with him.
Humidifier and Dehumidifier
It wasn’t until I lived in Shanghai that I realised the significance of a balanced humidity level in your home. Shanghai is very humid, Munich is quite dry. When we lived in Shanghai we had a dehumidifier and now in Munich we use our humidifier in the winter months. I can really recommend you to check your own home conditions by measuring humidity in your home. Just get a humidity meter and see what it says. Perfect conditions would be:
Ideal in-home humidity levels should hover around 45%.Anything under 30% is too dry, over 50% is too high.
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/hot-tip-use-a-humidifier-105471
There are great and easy fixes for your home that don’t require you to buy anything. Same applies when you are travelling. To increase humidity just place a glass of water on the radiator, or leave the window closed while showering. Decreasing humidity is a bit more tricky. I’ve read that keeping doors and windows closed will keep humidity from entering your home. Also it is recommended to open your window when cooking or showering so the humidity caused can get out.
I haven’t tried these home hacks yet. I think that if it’s only about 10% increased or decreased humidity level, you can work around with these little tricks but if your home is more or less humid than +/-10% it could be beneficial to get a device that helps you get a balance. Here’s what we use:
Sidenote: Please bear in mind that a humidifier might indicate a higher level of pollution in your home, because of the water particles. Therefore it is recommended to use filtered water. The Xiaomi Smartmi is not available in Europe but you can purchase it from China.
Nightlight
A nightlight is essential for you and your baby, even more if you share a room together. Our stationary babyphone has a nightlight integrated which is giving the perfect soft, warm light you’ll need during night.
However, to make it even cosier, I bought a light string from Case de Cousin Paul, with customised coloured
When travelling, our travel babyphone also has an integrated night light, which is great but sometimes I love a little extra light, because a hotel room is an unknown environment. I love bringing the star by “a little cute company” with. It gives great light when needed and dims by itself after about 10 minutes.
Thermometer
One of the most important gadgets is a thermometer, because you’ll definitely need it not only for when they are babies but also when they are toddlers and children.
We bought an ear-thermometer from Braun, because it had the best reviews. It is a big device as such, which is why we also have a regular digital thermometer.
Side note: Any ear thermometer isn’t real precise which is why you have to add somewhere about 0,5 degrees
These are our basics when at home or travelling, so let me know in the comments below what you think is missing on the list.
Have a wonderful week-end ahead!
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