Essential Gear Guide
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> For product recommendations in every category, check out our 2008 Buyer's Guide.

> For additional guidance on buying used baby products, check out Buying the Big Four.

> For our picks of the most-needed items at prices you can afford, visit our Essential Gear Guide.

More Baby Gear

For baby-product safety information, check out the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (cpsc.gov) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org).

Also, the infant/child section of recalls.org provides extensive information on recalled products.

5 Handy Extras

1. Camcorder
Go digital instead of analog for compactness and ease of making copies, and look for an image stabilizer to reduce shaking. To save money, consider MiniDV models over DVD models.
2. Camera
Choose a compact digital model with a resolution of 5 to 8 megapixels to allow for sharp 4-by-6 and 8-by-10 enlargements. An optical zoom of 4x to 6x is ideal for shooting candid portraits at a comfortable distance.
3. Life insurance
Protect your children in case of the unthinkable: your death or your partner's. The best value is term life insurance, according to Eric Tyson, M.B.A., author of Personal Finance for Dummies (Wiley Publishing). Apply before getting pregnant because the weight gain may jack up your premium. How much insurance do you need? To replace 20 years of income, multiply your annual after-tax income by 15.
4. Telephone headset
Hold or nurse your baby while talking on the phone without injuring your neck. Look for a cushioned earpiece, an adjustable microphone for clarity and a switch on the cord to answer and end calls.
5. Will
Your will should include a guardianship agreement. Without a will, state law will dictate what happens to your children and your assets in the event of your death.

For recommendations on gadgets, check out our 2007 Buyer's Guide.

For recommendations on gadgets, check out our 2007 Buyer's Guide.