Save Money in the Long Run With This Gear That'll Grow With Your Baby

If you really love the look and features of a luxury stroller without the high price tag, Mockingbird’s Single-to-Double 2.0 is a great option. It has most of the high-end features you could want in a stroller, including versatile seat configurations whether you’ve got 2-under-2 or a baby and older toddler. The spacious (yet sturdy) storage basket can hold your diaper bag and some extra essentials and the stroller folds easily with one hand.

This Graco stroller is another cost-effective pick that’ll grow with your baby and family. The stroller comes with built-in second seat adapters, but you’ll need to purchase the second seat (or Carry Cot attachment) separately. We also love the Slide2Me feature which allows you to bring the baby closer to you or make room for the additional seat.

One of the trendsetters in the luxury stroller market, the Vista V3 is one of our favorite high-end convertibles. Many parents prefer its front-to-back design over the side-to-side configuration of other doubles since it makes it easier to maneuver the stroller through tight or crowded spaces. It can hold up to three little ones (with the addition of a PiggyBack board for older toddlers), and you can’t beat the look, luxury fabrics and long list of convenient features.

The Beau crib by DaVinci is simple, sleek and won’t go out of style by the time your little one is ready for their big kid room. It’s also affordable at just under $200. It converts from a crib to a toddler bed and later day bed with a conversion kit (sold separately).

This is one of our favorite cribs for a clean, modern look. It converts to a toddler bed and a daybed as well as a full-size bed—and everything you need to make the switch to a toddler bed is already included (though you’ll need to purchase the full-size conversion kit separately).

Graco playards are popular, and for good reason. There’s a bassinet for when baby is little, as well as a changer for diaper changes. We also love the playard’s breathable mesh sides.

Plan on doing a bit of traveling with your baby? The Lotus is a great playard to take on the go due to its compact, easy fold and it weighs just 13 lbs (much lighter than most playards on the market). Even if you’re just using around the house,

This is our gear editor’s top pick for convertible car seats. It fits well in almost all vehicles, is easy to install and is designed to rear-face longer than other convertible car seats.

This Britax all-in-one seat is packed with safety features and is extremely easy to install. It’s designed for 10 years of use and converts from a rear-facing infant seat to a forward-facing five-point harness and ultimately to a high-back booster.

Nuna RAVA is packed with features in a sleek, modern design that makes it well worth the investment. It’s easy to install and has one of the highest weight and height limits compared to other convertible car seats—meaning it’ll last. It’s got comfy padding covered in durable, breathable knit fabric.

The Omni Dream can be used right from day one (no infant insert required) and works until your child is about 45 lbs.. It has four carry positions—facing inward, facing outward, back and hip—and lots of room for adjustments to get just the right fit.

This structured carrier from WildBird—known for its beautiful ring slings—is made with the same breathable linen fabric. While most people phase out of ring slings when their little one gets a certain age and weight, this carrier lasts through toddlerhood (fitting from 7-45 lbs). The shoulder and lumbar straps are padded, making them super comfortable to wear whether you’re front or back-carrying. It also has an inclusive size run (XS-XL or L-4XL) so it’ll fit parents with all kinds of body types.

The iconic Tripp Trapp is the ultimate “grow with you” high chair. It doesn’t come cheap, but it can be used from the first days of solids all the way until…well, however long you’d like, really—it holds up to 300 pounds!

Mockingbird’s high chair was thoughtfully designed to grow with your baby and also make mealtime cleanup a bit easier. The chair has a smooth, curved design—aka free of nooks and crannies for crumbs to hide in—and the straps are made of silicone so they’re easy to wipe down. Once your baby outgrows the high chair, simply slide that part off and you’ve got a durable chair they can use up to 150 lbs (and a bonus is you don’t need any tools to convert it!).

Our gear editor dubbed this pick the most versatile high chair because of its many configurations that grow with your baby. It also can be used by two little ones at the same time! Use the included booster seat for the older kiddo, and you’ll have the actual high chair for the younger sibling.

I think it’s safe to say most of the parents on our team use this sound machine. Once your child is old enough, the extra features beyond white noise make it well worth the money. You can use it as a routine signal, indicating it’s time to wind down at night or okay to get up in the morning. This version also comes with a base that charges the unit (which, speaking from experience, comes in handy if your power cuts off in the middle of the night).

A diaper bag that’ll fit all of the things and look good doing it is a must. The Midi Harper from Mina Baie is made with high-quality leather and packed with tons of organization to fit everything you need, whether you’re in the newborn or toddler stage. You’ll also be able to use this backpack as a personal purse or work bag when your diaper bag days are over.

This Veer wagon is one of our assistant editor’s favorite pieces of baby gear. The stroller-like push makes it easy to maneuver around tight corners in your neighborhood and the all-terrain wheels can handle the rockiest trail. You can use it from birth with your baby’s infant car seat (adapters sold separately) and there are a ton of accessories to customize it for your toddler as they grow, like a snack tray, padded seat cover for comfort and even a nap system.

A play gym is a great idea for younger babies but is often outgrown quickly. This one goes the distance until your little one is about a year old, then converts to a play fort for imaginative play.

From a standing activity center to a play station to a toddler table, this toy will earn its spot in your play space for years. We also love the modern aesthetic.

This ultra-modern, ultra-cool tricycle is a definite splurge, but it’s also the only one you’ll need from the time your little one starts riding until they’re about three years old. It converts from a parent-powered trike to one your toddler can ride all on their own. It even folds to easily fit into the trunk of a car.