My Royal Heinie (good makeup bag, too)

The dispenser lets you load wipes from the inside and the plastic baffle keeps them from drying out. There are small and large versions, both of which have a compartment for holding diapers so that any bag can become a diaper bag. By far my favorite aspect of this product is its versatility.You see, after you’ve spent a couple of years toting a diaper bag, you realize you can never live without wet wipes. You find yourself using them for everything from cleaning handles to wiping off a dusty dashboard. The small My Royal Heinie wallet allows you to cling to your wipes in a dignified fashion (perfect for a cosmetic bag – put your make-up remover towelettes in the wipe dispenser and your cosmetics in the pouch) and, thus, is useful even after your days of diapering a baby’s heinie, royal or not. ($19.99)

My Plate Mate is a flexible guard that fits an 8″ to 9 1/2″ plate and keeps food from tumbling over the edge of the plate. It also allows the food to fall back onto the utensil. Yes, it makes it easier for a child learning to eat with a fork to scoop up the food, but it also keeps food from scattering all over the high chair or table. This could be especially helpful for a special needs child who might struggle with the motor skills required to maneuver a utensil. It’s dishwasher safe in the top rack. ($7.95)

paperwork that comes with being responsible for a new person. It is essentially a case with pre-labeled files for things like birth certificates, insurance documents, health records and even a tracker for gifts and thank-you notes. The best organized moms do this intuitively, but if you do best with a prompt to help you pull assorted papers together, you may benefit from a kit like this that packages everything neatly in one place.

Finally, the NeckSaver is an ergonomically designed, soft little pillow to keep baby’s head from nodding over when  asleep in a car seat, stroller or carrier. The fabric is hypoallergenic and absorbs moisture, which is good because any baby sweats on a hot Alabama day, and most sweat when they’re sleeping regardless.