Geek Dad Tips – Surviving Week 1 With a New Baby

I am proud to say that I became a first-time father last Friday, October 3rd. Though my wife and I were sleep deprived, we made it through the first week with my beautiful son. He can’t say a word, feed himself, or change his own diapers, but he’s taught me a lot already.

Being the geek dad I am, I wanted to make sure I had all the cool gadgets we’d need by the time the little guy got here. There are a few things that made the first week a lot easier on us, so I wanted to detail the top 5 baby products worth buying (in no particular order). If there are any other fathers out there that have other suggestions of things to make parenthood an easier process, please let us know in the comments.

BébéSounds Angelcare Deluxe Monitor
When my wife and I were shopping for a good monitor, we came across this guy but were discouraged when we saw that the Baby Bargains book gave it a negative rating. However, the rating was based on the fact that this monitor doesn’t prevent SIDS.

We decided to go with the Angelcare because it monitors sound and movement. It detects the minute movements of your baby and, if no movement is detected, it will sound a warning at 15 seconds and then an all out alarm at 20 seconds. Fortunately, we haven’t had a real life alarm, but have tested the device to make sure it is in working order.

The first night our son was at our home, we had him sleeping in a bassinet beside our bed without the Angelcare monitor. I woke up countless times just to check and make sure he was still breathing. Now we can put him in his crib and rest easy knowing that the Angelcare is monitoring him so closely.

The monitor also has a built-in nightlight and thermometer to keep an eye on the nursery’s temperature.

Itzbeen Baby Care Timer
This thing just makes sense. It’s a little device that tells how long it’s been since you’ve changed the little one’s diaper, when he last slept, when you last fed him, and a special miscellaneous timer in case your child needs special medication or anything else.

The timer comes with a belt clip and a nightlight (what child accessory doesn’t come with a nightlight anymore?), so it’s easy to take and use anywhere.

Boppy Pillow
No, this isn’t a hemorrhoidal cushion (but am sure it can easily double as one in a pinch). These little pillows are good to assist in feeding the baby, letting him recline in it after feeding to reduce reflux, or to just stay put for a few moments (depending on the size of your child).

My wife and I usually put this thing in the middle of the couch and set our son inside it. We can sit on either side of the pillow and have easy access to him. It’s also a handy place to set the baby if you need to free your hands up for a few moments.

When shopping for a Boppy, be sure to check out the different washable slipcovers you can get for them.

Fisher-Price Bouncer
A bouncer seat is one thing that was recommended to me by other new parents, and I have to say that I highly agree with their suggestion. We ended up going with the Fisher-Price Lil’ Laugh & Learn, but most bouncer seats have the same concept; you know, they bounce.

This is a nice little chair for our son to sit in and be entertained by the flashing lights and sounds. We also liked this chair because of the vibration feature which our son loves.

The bouncer has a strap so you can secure your little one in it. We usually strap him in while my wife and I are eating and it keeps him entertained so we can actually have a nice, peaceful meal.

Diaper Champ
The Diaper Genie seems to be the reigning king in diaper disposal devices, but we ended up going with the Diaper Champ for one main reason: the actual garbage bags.

The Diaper Genie requires a special insert in order to dispose of the diapers properly. In contrast, the Diaper Champ will work with any garbage bag you already have in your house. You see? The Diaper Champ is open source. Plus, the flipping disposal lid is really cool.

GeekInspired.com does not guarantee your child’s safety of any product mentioned in this article. Please refer to the proper usage and safety guidelines of any baby product you buy.