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Choose baby gear with the facts in front of you.

We read the manuals, safety standards and recall records, then explain who each option suits. Nobody pays for a place.

  • Specs from the manufacturer
  • Recall records checked
  • Safety advice from the AAP, CPSC and NHTSA

Your first-year gear checklist

What you need, in the order you'll need it. Tick things off as you go; we'll remember on this device.

0 of 10 sorted

  1. While you’re expecting

  2. Before the due date

  3. The first weeks

  4. Around 4 to 6 months

From our latest research

Each guide compares current models on published specs, safety limits and recall history, and says who should skip each one.

Guide in Car Seats

How Long Should Your Child Ride Rear-Facing?

Current AAP and NHTSA advice on rear-facing car seats: why to stay rear-facing as long as your seat allows, when to switch, and common myths.

Published

What are you shopping for?

Safety basics before you shop

Plain-language summaries of current official advice, with links so you can check the sources yourself.

New and updated

Buying guide in Nursery & Sleep

The Best Pack and Plays of 2026, for Home and Travel

Four pack and plays worth a look in 2026: a backpack travel crib, a budget play yard with a bassinet, the lightest travel crib, and a bassinet-and-changer combo.

Updated

How we pick, and how we make money

We're reader-supported. When you buy through some links we may earn a commission, but brands can't pay to be recommended and we never claim to have tested something we haven't. Read more about who we are.