Tales for Tuesday: Baby Stuff

So I knew that having a baby was going to be a "learn as you go" kind of experience. There are some general things you can learn from family, friends and media (books, mags, internet). But there are things that you have to figure out that work best for your baby, and your family. I knew this...
And I even knew how complicated baby stuff was - so many choices of bottles and diapers and formula. Just an overwhelming supply of options for products for babies. This I have seen while shopping for friends - and even in registering for our baby.
Still, this week I was baffled not once, but THREE times, by baby products. And I dare say that this will not be the last time. Why do they try to make it confusing as possible? I'm already confused as it is. I don't need help in that area. Nor do I need to try to figure out something else - I have the enigma of a baby in my life now. Mystery enough!

My first mystery of the week was in the land of bottles: We decided to go with the Avent bottles. The baby seemed to take to those the best. And I liked the size and how they felt. So we needed a couple more of the golden-ish durable BPA free bottles that we were using. And when I opened the newly purchased pack, they were totally different. Cloudy and squishy and even had an extra piece. Hmmm... I tried to go on their website and see if they would describe or explain what the difference was and why there were two types of the same "kind" of bottle. Was one of them wrong? Not much information. I don't know why it bugged me so much, but it did. I just wanted an answer... an explanation. I finally got a "sort-of" answer from a user review on the Target website. Apparently when Avent went BPA free, they started with those golden bottles. The way to cap the bottle - twist close with the dome cap on (who knew?) - was confusing and/or people weren't doing that, and the bottles were leaking. So they came up with the other bottles - the cloudy ones that have the extra piece. Guess that extra piece helps the bottle not leak when you twist it on really tight. I kept the "different" bottles - to try them out. I didn't want to miss out in case they were way better. But they are just different and don't match the other ones we have. This will not bother me... this will not bother me...

Then came the diapers: We are using Pampers - and still using size 1. We have gotten several huge boxes of diapers from toysrus & buybuybaby. And then some smaller packs (thinking she was going to move up to size 2 any day...didn't happen yet) - bought at several different stores, including Publix and Target. And EVERY time we get diapers - Pampers every time - they are different. Some have a "wet" line - and then another pack have a line, but the line is a little different. Then there are the dry max ones, then there are ones without it. I thought that if we were in the same brand of diapers, that they would be more consistent than this. Confusing! Daniel says - a diaper is a diaper - it does what it's supposed to do. And really I can't see a difference in performance from any of them. The "wet" line is nice, but why do they all look different.

And then the gas drops: I had no idea that the "dye-free/non-staining" drops wouldn't just be the ONLY product they would sell. Why, oh why, would a product made for babies be made with a staining color added to it. I ended up buying hot pink gas drops the other day. I didn't even think to look for "dye-free." They know where the product is going - in the baby's mouth, which is opening all the time and spitting stuff out. So now I know - dye free!

I am learning that baby products are sometimes made to confuse you. Labels must be read. And even if it's something that you've already bought and it LOOKS like the same thing, it probably isn't.