Average Price: $15-20

Availability: Widely Available in theory, harder to find in practice.
Rating:

Product Link: The First Years

This kit is well worth the price, despite the contents being somewhat hit-or-miss, because the products that are good outweigh the products that aren’t quite up to par.

The thermometer is one of the few digital thermometers I’ve tested that reliably and consistently provide accurate temperature readings using oral, under the arm, or rectal methods. (Tip: settle on one. Once you use it rectally you’re not going to want to use it orally.) Its tapered base make it easy and fear-free to take a rectal temperature reading, as you don’t have to worry about inserting the probe too far. It is also blunt-tipped for safety. My baby doesn’t fuss at all when I take his temperature this way, and I actually prefer it over the armpit method which is hard to get a good reading when the little one is squirmy. My only complaints with the thermometer is that it takes 10 seconds to give a reading- which can be a long time to wait, some other thermometers return the temperature reading much faster… But as I noted with less accuracy and consistency. The thermometer also seems to be somewhat fragilly constructed, which raises concerns about how long it will be functional.

The nasal aspirator is rigid and hard to use. The opening at the top with the cap makes it easy to clean, but also contributes to the rigidity. However, it gets the job done in a pinch. Its smaller size makes it ideal for tossing in the diaper bag.

The rattle is somewhat harsh-sounding and freaks my 3 month old out, but I can see it having entertainment value for an older baby. The handle is thin and easy to grasp, and the beads inside of the rattle are too small to pose choking hazards if the rattle were to break open.

The grooming supplies (comb, brush) are basic supplies. The brush bristles are soft and soothing against the baby’s head, and the teeth of the comb are blunt enough to not worry about scratching. These will be more useful when my baby is a big older with more hair or hair with a coarser texture.

The infant toothbrush (fingertip) is soft and supple with less of an overt rubbery smell than some I’ve tested.

The toddler toothbrush is a decent basic toothbrush, however most toddlers aren’t going to find it very appealing compared to the more brightly colored and ergonomic wide-based toothbrushes that are available, so this one may see limited use.

The medicine dropper and medicine spoon are good essentials to have on hand, and are neither the best nor worst of the category.

The emery boards are fine-textured and great for use on infant fingernails when a new mother is too afraid to cut the nails of her baby, or when you wish to even out a jagged edge of a nail or file down the corners instead of clipping them. I rubbed these against my skin to see if they would irritate it, and they did not. My son has limited patience for my using these on him, but they’re fine in a pinch.

The nail clippers are fine. They’re easy to manipulate and not too sharp-edged. I use these on my baby’s toenails which tend to be wider and thicker than his fingernails. I would have preferred a slightly larger body on the nail clippers, as they can be hard to manipulate since they’re so small. I would not use these on an infant’s fingernails, as the scissors are so much easier to manipulate and make it more simple to stop in the middle of a nail if you’ve misjudged how close you are to the baby’s skin. These dont seem likely to cause injury, the nail scissors are just easier to use.

The nail scissors are wonderful, and are my preferred method of cutting my baby’s fingernails. Whereas clippers are hard to navigate, these gently sloping nail scissors make cutting my son’s fingernails very simple and easy, and don’t leave ragged sharp edges the way nail clippers tend to do. I tested these clippers on the skin of my finger before using them on my baby, and even with a large amount of pressure they would not cut through my skin. They’re perfect for the paper-thin nails of a newborn, and much less sharp than clippers or normal nail scissors. They also make it very simple to snip off the corners of his nails once they are cut, to further reduce the risk of him scratching himself. I can get a much closer-cut nail with these scissors than with any clippers, and can go back to re-cut a nail if the first pass didn’t cut it short enough. They’re also very quiet unlike nail clippers, which means that I can cut my son’s nails when he’s sleeping or nursing and not worry about distracting him or waking him up.

I like that this kit offers multiple options for taking care of the baby’s fingernails- one of the most harrowing early experiences of motherhood. Overall, this kit is well worth the purchase price, if just for the nail scissors and thermometer! The other items in this package are great basics to have on hand as well.