Double-Duty Baby Gear

While your little bundle will undeniably be the cutest, smallest roommate in the house, he’s also going to move in with a truckload of so-called must-haves that your city apartment may not have the room for. Thankfully, not every item pitched as a necessity deserves that label, so don’t let baby crowd your place just yet. If you want to attend to your child’s needs without breaking the bank, cluttering your home or forfeiting your furnishing style, it’s time to make room for double-duty baby gear.

Hybrid baby products get you more bang for your buck. They live longer and help you check off multiple boxes at once. Some of them may even keep your postpartum credit card bills on the low. From a stroller that moonlights as a high chair to a cradle that you can repurpose as a side table, here are 6 double-duty baby products that grow with your child, and then some.

1. BABYHOME SO-RO CRADLE

A cradle is more of a nicety than a necessity. It’s compact and portable, but baby will outgrow it very quickly. That said, if you are feeling fancy (and have a weakness for midcentury modern designs), you may want to consider Babyhome‘s So-Ro. Its shape creates a linear motion that soothes and comforts the fussiest of babes. Once your wee one is too big to cradle, the front-to-back rocker turns into an accent table. Flip it to its side, and you’ll add a soft Scandinavian touch to your home décor. The So-Ro is also available as a twin cradle and can spend its afterlife as a bookshelf. $240, Buy it here.

2. SIMPLE PARENTING DOONA

Maneuvering baby’s travel system in and out of a car is quite the upper-body workout. If you want to give yourself (and your biceps) a break, you may want to get your hands on the Doona. With its integrated wheels, the Simple Parenting all-in-one car seat clicks right out of the car and unfolds into a compact stroller with just the push of a button. Thanks to the groundbreaking design, you now only have 16 pounds of baby gear to lift and no longer need to save half of your trunk space for a stroller. Not to mention, the Doona won’t cramp your entryway as much. $499, Buy it here.

3. PHIL&TEDS ESCAPE

The Phil&Teds Escape is packed with action. From advanced lumbar support that distributes your little one’s weight evenly to foot stirrups that maximize baby’s circulation, the child carrier boasts all sorts of features that will keep you and your tiny hitchhiker comfortable during all your family adventures. The trail-designed carrier also pulls double duty as a backpack and offers all the storage you need for your hiking and baby gear. What’s more, the daypack detaches to help you and dad share the load. $249.99, Buy it here.

4. BLOOM LUXO CRIB

Baby’s crib is a big-ticket item with a big price tag. So you may as well make it last. While on the expensive side, the Bloom‘s Luxo is in it for the long haul. Converting from bassinet to crib to toddler bed, it will see your newborn through his first days of school. Bloom’s crib also does not require any assembly and features a folding design that makes it easy to store. And as if you needed more convincing, the Luxo comes with four lockable casters that allows you to wheel baby close to you at night. $1,400, Buy it here.

5. STOKKE CARE CHANGING TABLE

Here’s a stinky truth: once you become a parent, you can’t escape dirty diapers — at least not for a while. But once baby is out of nappies, what to do with the changing table? You could sell it or pass it down to a friend. Better yet, you can invest in a diapering station that does double doody… er, duty. The Stokke Care offers far more than just a safe space for you to wipe baby’s bum clean. Once your little pooper is toilet-trained, you can convert the brand’s changing table into a bookshelf, a kid’s desk and (with a conversion kit sold separately) a desktop that is big enough for you and dad. $500, Buy it here.

6. ORBIT BABY INFANT ESSENTIALS

Orbit Baby‘s Infant Essentials travel system is everything new parents need for their newborn: a car seat, a stroller and, as it turns out, a high chair. With the brand’s signature 360-degree rotation, you can dock the infant car seat onto the stroller base and swivel it sideways to bring baby to the dinner table while you finally have the opportunity to enjoy a meal with both your hands. Plus, that’s one less baby gear you have to buy – that is, until baby sits on his own and wants his first spoonful of solid food. $1,019.97, Buy it here.

SHOP DOUBLE DUTY GEAR