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Now that my kids are older, I feel like the wise old sage mom. OK, old mom, but sometimes I pose as a wise sage. Truthfully, there is nothing like getting older to make you realize how many really dumb things you did as a parent mdash; generally whilst feeling so knowledgable…but I'm grateful my kids survived me. Mostly.

Today's new parent face an astouding array of choices. Wandering the aisles of Babies R Us is enough to send any prespective parent over the edge…and that's not even considering the checking account.

I never much got into the baby gadget thing. First, because we had our first two children while still in college, and second, because I sincerely didn't want one more thing to take care of, clean around, and to fill up my living space. I always purchased items very judiciously and often found items that could serve multiple purposes.

Still, there were a few things I would never have done without:

• A quality (double) jogging stroller – oh, the freedom this provided when I had little ones! I could walk, jog, or (yes, I did) roller blade to my heart's content, and the kids loved it!
• A comfy baby swing – sometimes there is no substitute for motion in calming down a baby and if you#39;ve ever had one of those babies who will only sleep while on the move, you also know it can be overwhelming. Having a place that my baby loved almost as much as my arms was sometimes a real boon.
• A nursing pillow – I really struggled with nursing my kids. La Leche League (no!) and lactation consultants (yes!) aside, I had all sorts of pain and difficulty. One of the things that made a huge difference was my denim nursing pillow. It was a new concept and not very refined, but awkwardness and bulkiness aside, it allowed me to spend the hours and hours I needed to adjust in a comfortable way.

Today I learned about the Mombo nursing pillow. (It's available at Toys R Us and Babies R Us.) It is my little old pillow on steroids. The shape is much improved with a taper to remove some of the side bulk. It comes in all different styles and fabrics. You can buy a slipcover for it. (Easy clean!) They have a two-sided version that has a softer side and a firmer side. There is even a Mombo with a vibrator to help baby to sleep. (If you're like me, your baby needs something to stay strongawake/strong while nursing, not the other way around!)

If I were back in the baby market—and in the next few years I could be in the grandbaby market—this would be high on my list of critical baby items. I'm sure it would be a welcome gift for the mother-to-be that you know!

What are your favorite, cannot-do-without baby products?

Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.