Happy New Year!
2025 was a memorable year for me—it was the year I became a mom.
A new life comes with new shopping lists. I made plenty of mistakes buying things I didn’t need, but I also found some true gems. Here are my strictly selected “Best Buys” that saved my sanity during my first year of parenting.
2025 Best buys
Consumables
1. Bread Bags (PP Bags)
Did you know that “Bread Bags” (bags designed for packaging loaf bread) are famous on Japanese SNS as the best substitute for diaper disposal bags?
I tried them, and I was convinced by their incredible odor-blocking power. Japanese summers are humid and trash cans can get smelly fast, but these bags solved the problem perfectly. They work just as well as expensive brand-name diaper bags but are much cheaper!
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2. Liquid Formula & Attachment
Liquid formula (ready-to-feed milk) was a lifesaver during my first outings with the baby, as it requires no preparation.
By using a special attachment with the Pigeon “Bonyu Jikkan” (Nursing Bottle) nipple, you can feed the baby directly from the can.
I subscribe to regular deliveries not just for daily use, but also as a stockpile for disasters (earthquakes, etc.).
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Non-Consumables
1. Baby Carrier: BabyBjörn Harmony
I found this while looking for a breathable carrier. It is structured to be used from the newborn stage, so it is a bit bulky, but it offers amazing stability and support.
A huge plus is that you can put it in a laundry net and wash it in the washing machine. When folded, it’s about the size of two 2-liter plastic bottles.
A brand new one costs about 30,000 yen, but I got one in excellent condition on Mercari for 1/3 of the price. I used the money I saved to buy other baby gear!
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(▼Check my article on how to use Mercari here)
2. Epeios Electric Drip Kettle
Before giving birth, I used to boil water in a pot. Buying this kettle was the best decision I made during the newborn days. It’s a bit pricey, but the features are worth every yen:
- Switchable between Celsius (℃) and Fahrenheit (℉)
- Real-time temperature display
- Temperature adjustment by 1-degree increments
- Keep-warm function
- Mute function for the alarm (So it doesn’t wake the baby!)
It’s stylish and functional. Since it’s a gooseneck kettle designed for coffee, the spout is thin, allowing you to pour hot water into narrow baby bottles without spilling a drop.
I plan to use it for my tea time long after my baby graduates from milk.
Conclusion
Buying baby gear is essentially “buying peace of mind for parents.”
Let’s rely on convenient tools and parent smartly in 2026!
