gear of mine.

LOREX Live Snap - video baby monitor

2011-11-20T13:48:00.001-08:00

Yes... We do have this monitor as well. In fact, it replaced the other two monitors when our daughter was old enough to be moved into our son's room. At that point she didn't really need the Angel Care Deluxe monitor anymore, and let's just say that the Graco Secure Coverage Digital Monitor only made a brief pit stop in our household.

And now of course, we wonder how we ever made it one day without our Lorex video baby monitor??

So here's the scoop. If you are looking for a video monitor, this is truly a great one to get. Lorex actually makes video security cameras and other security systems, so it's hard to go wrong with this company when it comes to "surveillance" of your precious ones... We have two cameras, and although the kids now share a room, we still use both cameras. One points towards the older one's bed, the other towards the younger one's. You can have up to four cameras hooked to it, and you can see all of them on the monitor, either individually or together on one screen.

The sound is great, we haven't had any issues with static. The picture is very clear both day and night (it has a high contrast, bright 2.4" LCD screen) and even more importantly, it is private and secure. It doesn't get any interference. This was actually a huge issue for me and one of the reasons why I felt that I didn't want a video monitor before. I had heard plenty of stories of video monitors getting interference from the neighbors video monitor to the point where you'd see the neighbor's child on your monitor and they'd see your sleeping baby on theirs. I guess that's fine if you know the neighbors. Creepy if you don't. And even creepier to think that pretty much anyone can start keeping an eye on your baby through their video monitor... Anyway, that is obviously not an issue with this particular brand.

It comes with rechargeable camera/s (just like the video monitor) so you can unplug them for a few hours and move them wherever you want them. You can talk to your baby/child through the monitor, which has come in handy a few times for us now that our older one is 3+. You can also snap images with the monitor if you want. We've never done this so to us it's not a very useful feature but it also doesn't make this product any less great in my mind.

The only thing that has occasionally bothered me with this monitor is that the digital wireless signal only goes up to 450 feet with a clear line of sight, which means that concrete walls and dense objects reduce signal strength. We can't be outside in our yard with the older one while the younger one is sleeping and still see her. But in the grand scheme of monitors, it's not a big deal. I love this monitor and we've found ways to work around it (for example, I leave the monitor on the stairs or near the front door and turn up the volume so I still hear her, even if the monitor is not in my pocket).

Finally, I'd say that the monitor and the camera/s are quite small in size and they work overseas as well with a different electrical plug, so you can easily pack them up and take them with you on trips.

If this monitor had a temperature display feature as well, I'd be over the moon :)

Pros:

- Private and secure.

- Great sound, zero interference.

- You can attach up to four cameras to it.

- Rechargeable cameras so you can move them around for a few hours.

- You can talk to your child through the monitor.

- Great picture day and night (in the day time it's full color, in the night time it's black and white for a clear image).

- Small in size.

- Easy to travel with.

- You can snap pictures of your baby with the monitor...

Cons:

- "Only" 450 feet digital wireless signal with clear line of sight.

Graco Secure Coverage™ Digital Monitor (with 2 Parent Units)

2011-11-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

When we had baby #2 we moved our Angelcare Deluxe Sensor and Sound Monitor to her bed and got this plain sound monitor for our older child's room. We did quite a bit of monitor research before we ended up with this one. In addition to great sound, one important factor for us was that it wouldn't interfere with our phone and other electronics. The Graco Secure Coverage Monitor is digital which makes the sound clear and guarantees privacy, and the 900 MHz frequency that it operates on does not interfere with other technology in the house.

It comes with a vibrate alert button that we never used. I actually didn't quite understand the need for the vibration alert on a sound monitor, but I'm sure it can be useful for somebody else.

The low battery alarm on this device is loud and slightly annoying and I'm not sure it's really all that necessary. The lights on the parent unit turn bright red when the battery is low, so it's hard to miss that it's time to charge it...

All in all, it's a good monitor for what it is. So if you are looking for something simple that does the job, this is definitely a good choice.

Pros:

- Great sound.

- Doesn't interfere with other technology in the house.

- 2000 ft range.

- Simple, good sound monitor.

Cons:

- Loud alert to signal low battery.

The Angelcare Deluxe Monitor

2011-11-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Angelcare Deluxe Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor combines a sound monitor and a movement monitor in one single system. It's a brilliant device for paranoid new (and second/third/etc time) parents. The alarm goes off if the sensor pad doesn't detect any kind of movement, such as breathing, in 20 seconds. Of course, it also works as a high-quality sound monitor and you can use the newer models as both, or as either or.

I have to admit though, that I don't know if this device can actually save a life. I know the alarm goes off if you pick up your baby and forget to turn the monitor off. We've certainly done that. We've also had a few heart-attack provoking false alarms because our baby moved too far from the sensor pad for it to detect any breathing. But I don't know if there has ever been an incident where this monitor saved a life because the parents were able to get to their baby in time to rescue it from SIDS or something else that caused it to stop breathing... So while that remains the ultimate question I'm very grateful that I have never had to personally find out.

We used our Angelcare for both kids as infants and it probably made us sleep calmer. It certainly kept us from having to check that our child is breathing 100 times per night. I could just quickly glance at the base monitor's blinking light in the middle of the night to know that everything was alright, although our son hadn't made a sound in what seemed like ages as far as hungry little babies are concerned.

I also liked the large temperature display feature on the parent unit because our house goes from hot to cold very quickly in the evenings and I didn't have to be in the same room with the baby to know what the temperature was.

The sound monitor is very sensitive as well, and picks up even the slightest whimper.

Would I buy this again? I believe the answer is "yes". It sells for around $130 on Amazon and in this case I think it's definitely worth the money. That's because I'm still slightly paranoid, even after two kids, and I'd rather find out in 20 seconds if there is a problem than any later...

Pros:

- Movement sensor and sound monitor all in one.

- Soft night light on nursery unit.

- Room thermometer on parent unit.

- Alarm will sound if no movement is detected in 20 seconds.

- Sensor pad is very sensitive and picks up movement even if baby is not on top of it.

- The monitor automatically converts to battery in case the power goes out.

- Adjustable sensitivity.

Cons:

- If baby moves too far from sensor pad to the sides of the crib, the alarm will go off. It's a little bit hard to go back to sleep after such an event...

Baby Björn Little Potty

2011-10-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

I think this potty is quite average as far as potties go. It is Baby Björn's smallest and lightest potty, which makes it great for traveling. It looks good too, but this is of course part of what you pay for with Baby Björn products. It ranges between $15 and $27.99 on Amazon depending on the color. (It comes in red, blue, pink and white).

The reasons why I think it's just average are because it's low to the ground and not that comfortable for a kid (even with its soft lines), nor is it easier to clean out than other generic ones out there. Neither of my kids ever liked to use it or sit on it for longer periods of time so it wasn't a great potty for potty training. In fact, my little girl seems to fall too far into the potty when she sits on it and has a hard time getting out. So maybe it's not meant for kids with tiny bottoms...

If you want a great looking, more traditional potty and don't want to buy the Baby Björn Potty Chair because it's big and takes up space in your bathroom, I would probably get the Baby Björn Smart Potty instead of the Little Potty. The Smart Potty is still small enough to travel with you, but it's way more comfortable for small bottoms than the Little Potty is, and easier to clean. The one good thing about the Little Potty (other than its good looks) is that the front of the potty is high enough to prevent accidents, especially with little boys.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Small, light-weight.

- Easy to bring with you.
- Has a high front to prevent "accidents".

- Looks great.

- It's made out of PVC and BPA-free plastic.

- OK as a 2nd potty or travel potty.

Cons:

- Small bottoms fall too far into the potty.
- Not all that comfortable to sit in for longer periods of time (thus, not great for potty training but ok for traveling).

Baby Björn Potty Chair

2011-10-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

There are actually differences between potties out there. Granted, most do the job just fine. I mean, the point of a potty is to "capture things" and in that sense a potty is a potty...

However, the Baby Björn Potty Chair might just be slightly superior to the potty next door. Although it's a bit pricey (nearly $30) and I don't know if there is something equally great out there for less, it's a very, very good potty as far as potties go. I've come to realize that all the other more or less generic potties that we own (in various places) have something that make them work less well than the Baby Björn Potty Chair. Some are hard to clean out without "dribbling" between toilet and faucet, others are not as well designed to capture things (especially when it comes to little boys). The product designers at Baby Björn were really onto something when they created this potty.

For one, both our kids like to sit on it for what must seem like ages for an impatient little child, because it has soft lines and an ergonomic design with backrest and armrests. In fact, one doesn't necessarily notice the armrests until your child rests his/her arms on them because the backrest is so well designed. The front of the potty is high enough to limit "accidents" even when it comes to aimless little boys (at least this has been the case with our son). The potty is also easy to empty out and clean and has a leak guard that prevents spills. It is made out of PVC and BPA free plastic which is a big bonus in our household. Lastly, it looks great in your bathroom (at least to an adult).

So as much as I feel that the price is a bit high for a potty, I have to give it both thumbs up. It does everything it's supposed to do just a little bit better. And it lasts for a very long time.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- It's sturdy and ergonomically designed.

- There is a leak guard that prevents spills.

- Has backrest and armrests for little arms to lean onto.

- High enough in the front to limit accidents.

- It has a rubbery strip on the bottom which helps keep it in place.

- PVC and BPA free plastic.

- Looks great.

Cons:

- Of course, anything sturdy with a backrest is slightly bigger than a portable potty.

- Pricey, but I think it's worth it.

Marsona Sound Conditioner: SleepMate 980A

2011-10-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

If you live in a small house, an old house, a poorly insulated or just a loud house, this is a must have item. Especially if there is more than one child running around. This machine completely changed our lives.

One of our children is a very light sleeper and in a poorly insulated old house you can hear everything. Any small sound, such as a door opening or closing (quietly), a cough or a low-toned conversation would wake her up. And no matter how hard I used to believe that all kids just get used to noises and learn to sleep through them, it just wasn't happening with our daughter.

On a particularly hot day well into the first year of our little lady's life I bought a heavy-duty fan to cool down our bedroom. It was quite loud and efficient and I realized that our daughter slept like a baby that night.

So I set out to search for a device which was essentially as loud as our fan but without the fanning effect. Quite a few mothers recommended the Marsona and said that it had made their babies sleep through the night without fail. In fact, one nice mother in our community gave me hers and wished me many sleepy nights moving forward. This is exactly what we got from then on.

I know that there is all sorts of research for and against using sound machines, but in our case we'll have to cross that bridge when we get there. We try to not always use it. But the main thing for us is that it drowns out all the other noise in the house and our little lady sleeps better, and so do we.

I'm endlessly grateful to our Marsona and the mom who gave us hers. In fact, we like this machine so much that we ended up getting the Marsona travel version (Marsona TSCi 330) as well. I also got it for a friend of mine who suffers from tinnitus, and she also sleeps like a baby now...

So, in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- This electro-mechanical sound machine actually creates the white noise (just like a fan). It's not a recording of white noise.

- For a fairly small device it is very powerful.

- The 980A has two settings and you can adjust the "tone" of the white noise from high to low.

- Will absolutely drown out noise and make a light sleeper (or just a poor sleeper) sleep better.

- Fairly low cost for such an effective device (around $65)

- Seems to last for a long time (we got ours used and it still works just like new).

Cons:

- I'm trying to come up with something here but I have no complaints about this one.

The First Years: Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub

2011-10-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

Since I just gave the Summer Infant Soothing Baby Spa & Shower such a poor review I'm going to write about one of my favorite baby products next.

Staying on the topic of bathtubs, The First Years Infant to Toddler bathtub is in my experience the best baby tub out there. (Granted, I have not tried every single one that I've seen, but I've definitely paid attention to the different product features). After being more than discouraged with baby bath time in the Soothing Spa & Shower, I saw this tub at a friend's house. She swore by it so I went straight to Babies R Us from her house and got it for $19.99 (a third of the cost of the other one we had).

This bathtub is definitely designed with a growing baby in mind and for making bath time much easier on the parents. There is a toddler seat at one end of the tub and a sloped/reclined seat at the other end for when your baby is still small and can't sit up on his/her own yet. In addition to this, there is a mesh sling that attaches to each end of the tub making newborn bathing so much easier. It keeps your infant safe and snug so you can focus on the actual process of washing your child. I found this picture on Amazon and think it conveys my thoughts about the sling better than any words can (the baby in the picture is a 5 lbs preemie): http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B000067EH7/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0

You can place the tub inside your bathtub/shower area (it has a water outlet), or you can place it side-ways on your bathtub (it should fit most standard-sized bathtubs) which gives you tons of access to your babe. Of course, for the sake of safety you should only do this while your baby is small and doesn't move much. After that "floor level" is the safest place.

Lastly, as an added little bonus, it has a drain plug that changes color if the water is too hot.

This is a great tub for a very low price. I would definitely recommend it to new parents.

Pros:

- Ergonomically designed with growing baby in mind.
- Toddler seat on one end and infant seat/recline on the other end.
- Mesh sling for infant bathing that actually works.
- Fits most standard size bathtub sideways so you have better access to bathing your baby.
- The tub is lined with mildew resistant pads.

Cons:

- Perhaps not the most beautiful color but I think I've seen it in a light blue version as well...

Summer Infant Soothing Baby Spa & Shower

2011-09-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

Oh my. You might want to think twice before buying this bathtub for your infant. We used ours once, maybe twice (at the most) and it was the most difficult bathing experience of my life with kids.

I know, it looks tempting. Cozy. Makes you want to hop in a bath like that yourself. However, a tiny baby won't care about a whirlpool bath. Really. Looking at it on a picture will soothe your senses as a parent, but using it most likely won't.

Remember small babies have no neck support. Most parents know that holding a slippery, wet little infant in a bathtub is no easy task. The "deluxe" newborn sling on this Soothing Baby Spa & Shower doesn't offer much help in that department, because it is wobbly to say the least, and you'll be too busy trying to keep your baby from sliding off it into the water to be able to focus on the actual washing.

The motorized jet and shower is a nice idea in theory (at least the shower part), but you need two people to pull this off... One that holds the baby on the wobbly sling while the other one operates the shower. There are just too many parts to this bath tub and too many things to think about before and while bathing your little one to pull it off alone.

Once babies are old enough to sit up on their own, this bathtub becomes more relevant. Even then, chances are your baby won't care much about the whirlpool effect. Rinsing with the shower obviously becomes more important with toddlers and bubble baths, but you need to somehow empty the tub in between to make rinsing worth while in this tub...

We gave our unused Summer Infant Soothing Baby Spa & Shower bathtub to our friends, who returned it to us about one year later, also unused.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Hm. This is a tough one. Maybe the shower feature?

Cons:

- Wobbly newborn sling.

- Expensive as far as infant bathtubs go.

- Does nothing that a cheaper version doesn't do, except that it creates a whirlpool that I can't imagine an infant/baby caring much about at that age.

PRINCE LIONHEART Wipes Warmer

2011-09-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

I wonder how we ended up with a wipes-warmer in our house? One we never even used... If I recall we ran out of electrical outlets in our bedroom where our baby’s changing table was.

To make this story worse, we actually got the wipes-warmer for our second child. We never owned one before she was born. I can’t imagine what compelled us to buy it after actually “surviving the first year” without one when our son was a baby and we were nervous new parents. Perhaps we felt that our baby girl (being a girl) had higher demands as an infant, and simply required warm wipes to thrive...

Well, by the time we figured out all the electrical in our bedroom, our little girl had never cried about room-temperature wipes so Prince Lionheart with its great wipes-warmer was stored in our garage, along with all the other baby gear that we own/don't use.

Of course there is a travel version of this as well, so if you get the home version you might want to consider also getting the travel version. I’m sure it will pack neatly into your child’s backpack years later, when he or she goes to kindergarten.

So in my humble opinion…

Pros:

- If you really feel that you need a wipes-warmer for your baby’s delicate bottom, this particular brand keeps the wipes moist, is non-browning and anti-microbial.
- Might be a useful product for preemies or for the first few weeks at home when babies lose body heat quickly to make diaper changing more comfortable - at least for mommy and daddy. (Using warm water might be sufficient in this case?)

Cons:

- If your baby gets used to warm wipes they will most likely be less than pleased when you are out and about and don’t have them handy. It will happen. Even if you own the travel wipes warmer it is bound to happen.
- Requires yet another electrical outlet (at least we were maxed out between monitors, nightlights, breast pumps, cell phone chargers, etc).
- If space is an issue around the changing table this device may not work for you.

Combi Twin Sport Stroller

2011-09-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

The Combi Twin Sport stroller is just simply put a great stroller. In fact, it's high on my list of "must haves" if you have twins or two small kids close in age and are on the go a lot. Especially when the going involves air travel and foreign countries.

When our second child was born we already had a garage full of strollers and couldn't imagine buying yet another one. But we also knew that we needed something that could hold both kids, particularly for our upcoming international travel (with two layovers). Our 2.5 year old was too little to walk long distances and our little one was too big to be carried in a carrier for long periods of time. I've also traveled enough with my kids to know exactly what I need to get through airports, especially when layovers and walking long distances are involved.

We came across the Combi Twin Sport and realized quickly that it was going to get us through the next few years. It's light-weight, fits through all standard doors (even in small Spanish towns) and folds very easily. The seats recline all the way down - I even changed my daughter's diaper in it a few times. It's supposed to be compatible with the Combi car seat only, but we were able to squeeze our old Graco Safeseat into the seat just fine and attach it securely with the belt that the stroller comes with. I actually think the new Graco Snugrides are slightly smaller than our old Graco Safeseat so I'm almost sure you can do this with the Snugride as well. The stroller also has an infant safety boot for babies that you can pull up and attach with velcro so your little one feels safe and secure, and pacifiers, bottles, rattles, etc don't fall out. This is one of the details that makes me love this stroller although I'm slightly nostalgic to say my little one no longer needs the boot.

While she was snug in her seat, my son could open and close his side of the stroller bar/guard rail and get in and out on his own, which made him feel big and proud.

The stroller has good pockets for storage, decent baskets underneath, and cup/snack holders on the guard rail for each child.The sunshade is long enough to give decent shade and there are small plastic windows on them that you can peak through, to see what your babes are up to.

The one unfortunate thing relating to this stroller has nothing to do with its actual features as a stroller. I guess American Airlines got tired of replacing broken gate-checked double BOBs etc, and passed a new rule on June 1, 2011 which allows you to only gate check strollers up to 20 lbs. Well, the Combi Twin Sport weighs 22.25 lbs... In our desperation we figured out that removing the front wheels of the stroller shaves off about 2.25 lbs and so we traveled with it anyway (and made sure there was space in a carry-on for the wheels, just in case). They gave us a hard time at the check-in but let us bring it anyway. Rules are rules.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Light-weight (22.25 lbs) as far as twin strollers go.

- Smart, well engineered stroller.

- Great seat recline.

- Good storage.

- Easy to fold ("3-second fold").

- Self-standing when folded.

- Canopies have viewing windows.

- Carrying strap.

- Easy to open/close guard rail.

- Snack/cup holders in guard rail.

- Infant safety boots (if you need them).

- Decent suspension in the wheels (traveled better than expected on cobble stones).

- Does not cost a fortune.

Cons:

- I honestly can't think of any... As far as twin "umbrella" strollers go, this is a great option.

Graco Infant Car Seat Stroller Frame

2011-09-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

I think it's fair to say that this Graco stroller frame is one of the baby products in our household that we got the most use out of. We used it for both kids, so we got almost two years out of it (one per child). And as far as baby gear goes, I think that's pretty good!

It lived in the trunk of my car and came out literally every day for as long as our babies were in their infant car seats. The frame even traveled over-seas with us once. It's light-weight, easy to fold and comes with a huge basket underneath to stuff diaper bags and shopping bags into (and if you've read my review on the UPPAbaby Vista, you know that I'm a huge fan of big stroller baskets). And the best thing is of course that you can seamlessly transfer the car seat into the stroller frame without waking up your sleeping baby.

The "cup holders" are shallow because they are not meant for drinks (especially hot ones!) so you can't use them for that purpose. I used them mainly for small items like my keys and our baby's pacifiers.

This stroller frame doesn't have much suspension in the wheels so don't expect it to run great on cobble stones. However, for your daily errands it's a perfect little invention that makes the life of a parent much easier.

I think this is a must have product, especially if you are on the go a lot and own a Graco car seat. You can use it until your baby grows out of the infant car seat and it's not an expensive item as far as baby gear goes (Amazon and Babies R Us sell them new for $69). Of course, if you have a stroller like the UPPAbaby Vista, that has a car seat adapter (and a large basket for your bags), you technically don't need this frame. We, of course, as stroller obsessed parents, had to have both. But in this case, I'd rather give up the car seat adapter on the UPPAbaby Vista (which I also used quite a bit), than my Graco Infant Car Seat Stroller Frame.

I feel compelled to remind anyone who buys this frame to always remember to use the locks that are meant to secure the car seat to the frame, after it clicks into place. It's common sense really, but if you don't use them and bump into something, the car seat can actually tilt out of the frame.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Makes running errands with a baby very easy (especially since babies always tend to conveniently fall asleep in the car).

- Huge basket underneath. I've even used it to do all our grocery shopping for the week.

- Folds easy.

- Folds flat, so it doesn't take up much space in the trunk.

- Comes as a twin frame as well.

Cons:

- Doesn't have great suspension in the wheels but it's not really meant for off roading anyway so I don't think this is a big deal.

Lille Baby Carrier (EveryWear Style)

2011-09-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

We bought this carrier when I realized that our Baby Björn Carrier (Original) would not meet my needs anymore (or more specifically, those of my shoulders and back). I thought about getting the Ergo, but our son really liked to be forward-facing at this point so I knew I needed something else. Don't get me wrong, I love the Ergo. It is well made, sturdy and it is ergonomically as perfect as you can possibly get with a baby carrier. But, I knew my little man would be happier if he saw the world in front of him, so the Ergo was out.

I came across Lille Baby at Giggle and figured it must be worth looking into since Giggle actually sold it.

The Lille Baby carrier is like the Ergo in many ways. It's ergonomically designed so the weight rests on your hips, not on your shoulders and back. You can comfortably carry your baby in it for very long stretches at a time. The difference with the Lille Baby is that you can carry your baby in 6 different positions, even on your hip with one strap going across your body! The carrier looks great, and I'm sure many improvements have been made since we bought ours "ages" ago as far as baby gear goes (which is about 2.5 years ago). For one, I'm noticing that the newer versions have better head/neck support for the baby, and the carrier looks even better than it did when we bought ours.

I guess it's hard to find a product that has all the things you want, without having a few things you don't want as well. This carrier is close to perfect and does many things, but the shoulder straps bothered me a little bit. The padding on the shoulder straps button onto the straps and ours seemed to get twisted sometimes. That, or they just became uneven because you need to re-button the pads with small, not so sturdy buttons depending on who carries the baby. It's just an extra step that I wish I didn't have to deal with. But this is probably a necessary feature so that the carrier can be used in all those 6 different ways. It's also not the easiest carrier to put on (just like the Ergo). If you are by yourself you may need to grow monkey arms to close it properly in the back... (It's doable, though!).

Another thing worth mentioning is that when I carried our daughter in this carrier in the forward facing position I noticed red marks on her legs where the sides of the carrier had been pressing on her legs. I don't think this is harmful and I'm sure it's because the baby's legs are a bit more spread out in this carrier forward facing than they are for example in the Baby Björn Carriers. There are buttons on the Lille Baby that make it narrower when forward facing, but she still got red marks.

All in all it's a great carrier for longer term that was designed by moms, dads and doctors and supposedly also a rock climber! Would I buy it again? It depends. Unlike my son, my daughter always seemed happier to be facing me, so with her I could probably have gotten by with the Ergo. But since the Lille Baby does all the things the Ergo does and more, this might still be my first choice

So, in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Ergonomic, yet stylish.

- Unisex (although my husband definitely preferred to be walking around town with the ultra-sleek Baby Björn).

- 6 different positions to carry baby (including forward-facing after a certain age).

- Great for longer-term usage, longer stretches at a time.

Cons:

- Shoulder straps/pads could be sturdier (like the Ergo) and easier to use.

- Requires some finagling to put on and close with baby in it (same as Ergo).

- Baby sits a little bit too wide-legged for what I'm entirely comfortable with, but this product has supposedly been tested and evaluated by pediatricians, chiropractors, etc, so I trust them. (By the way, babies sit equally wide-legged in the Ergo).

www.lillebaby.com

BABY BJÖRN Baby Carrier (Original)

2011-09-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

I love this baby carrier. I love how our babies fit snugly and safely in it from 9 lbs onward. And I love how this carrier looked on tired, old me. The Swedes were definitely onto something (as they usually are) when they designed this carrier. Not only does it look great on mommy and daddy (it actually makes both parents look better, ha!), but more importantly, it supports the baby's head and little body perfectly. It also doesn't spread the baby's legs too wide apart when they are little, so you don't need to be concerned about your little one's hips.

And as your sweetie pie gets older you can use it forward facing as well. Add a cute little hat to your baby's bald head/smiley face and everyone will comment on how cute you two look, strolling around town.

I have one complaint, however. This particular design gets tough on your shoulders and back after a while. It's really great when your baby is small and doesn't weigh much. Or for short amounts of time. But already around 3 months I started having trouble with it. The more your baby weighs, the more you start slumping forward because there is no back support on this model.

But then again, it's a tough call. Shoulder pain versus a great looking baby carrier? Call me vein, but I think I suffered at least a month too long before looking for another, longer-term option!

Baby Björn actually has an option to this carrier that looks equally great (at least almost as great). The Baby Björn Carrier Active has the lumbar support that most parents need to carry a baby for longer stretches at a time. I don't own this so I can't say much else about it than that I've been very tempted to buy it (but could not in good conscience spend another $100 on yet another carrier...). So without really testing it with my babes, I'd say this: if I was looking for a carrier for the first time now, I'd definitely look into the Baby Björn Active carrier as an option. If it has all the same qualities as the Original, while giving your back and shoulders a break, it's probably worth every penny.

So in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Easy to use.

- Snug and safe for baby.

- Beautiful, simple design.

- Definitely unisex - daddies don't feel self-conscious wearing their offspring in this carrier (I'd say the opposite!).

- Weighs next to nothing.

- Well made (truly premium quality).

- Comes with attachable burp bibs when your little drooler is in the forward facing position.

- Of course it is Swedish. Can't go wrong with that, eh?

Cons:

- Does not have the back support that the Baby Björn Carrier Active comes with.

The BUMBO seat.

2011-09-02T22:32:00.000-07:00

I honestly cannot decide if I think this is a brilliant or a completely unnecessary baby item. Maybe my reasoning to this is that my son seemed to like it alright (but not for long, or for long stretches at a time), and my daughter hated this chair. She actually managed to squirm herself out of it the third time she sat in it at a very young age. Needless to say we have a nearly unused PINK Bumbo seat gathering dust somewhere.

The blue Bumbo that my son used two years earlier was returned to a friend. It was one of the few items that I was clever enough to borrow at the time (although it was horribly worn-out and looked like bugs had permanently moved into it when it arrived at our house).

With that said, I know babies that have been very content sitting in a Bumbo, so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. It probably depends on the baby's personality. I also had some friends that took showers with their babies while the babes were nicely planted in the sitter, (although this may be dangerous and against the Bumbo usage rules, not sure). It worked great for them.

One of the things moms frequently use this seat for is as baby's first "high chair" when they start solid foods. Babies can sit upright (by 6 months they should be able to sit upright with or without the Bumbo, but oh well), and you can buy a tray that attaches to the chair as a table for appropriate finger foods. I think I did this once or twice with our son but could never figure out a good spot for the seat and him. The table and kitchen counter or anywhere "off the ground" is a very dangerous place for a Bumbo seat + baby (don't ever, ever, ever do it, there have been numerous reports of injuries) and a regular kitchen chair seemed a bit wobbly/unreliable with a Bumbo and a squirmy 6 month old on top of it. The floor just seemed, well, like the floor.

I can see this seat getting good use in a daycare or share-care setting for example, where there is a lot of action and things to look at. My kids got bored too quickly in it, even with toys in their hands.

So, in my humble opinion:

Pros:

- It's a way to give your arms a break, weather it's a short or a long one. (Think bathroom break, arms free but baby in sight).

- You don't need to worry about your baby falling backwards when he/she first learns to sit.

- A baby may feel delighted at first to be able to sit in this seat, since they really can't do it on their own yet.

- Tray table for finger foods or toys can be helpful in certain situations.

- It's brilliantly designed (but brilliant doesn't always mean 'necessary').

- Lightweight

- Easy to clean.

Cons:

- I'm sure it depends on the baby, but being stationary in a chair low on the ground does not necessarily guarantee a happy baby, at least not for long (unless there are other small, busy people running around the baby).

- The time frame that this chair gets used is very short although the manufacturer claims it is for babies 3-14 months of age.

- I think this seat has become less versatile than it was meant to be because of a recall in 2007 and general liability issues. Buy it used or borrow it from someone, and save those $30.

www.bumbobabyseat.com

My Breast Friend nursing pillow.

2011-08-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that we have this one as well. Oh yes, and in full disclosure, we even have the inflatable version of it... (Remember there was that logic about air travel?)

So when my short-lived friendship with the Boppy came to a screeching halt and my shoulder ache was at its worst, we came across My Breast Friend at a reputable baby & kid's store. They only carried this nursing pillow and since they only sell the best of the best, I thought this pillow would solve my shoulder problems and do what it claimed to do. And it actually did a pretty good job in the nursing department. It worked much better for me than the Boppy, partly because it is height adjustable with a belt and I didn't have to slump over to position our ferociously hungry baby - or use my legs in all sorts of configurations to have him high and close enough. The fact that the pillow has a flat surface may also have contributed to its success with me, because it made our baby stay in position better and not roll into me (or away from me), as opposed to the sloping inside of the Boppy. My Breast Friend just felt less wobbly, like there was much less room for error. Makes nursing sound a bit technical, doesn't it?

This nursing pillow is the #1 choice of Lactation Consultants so if you need a nursing pillow, this is probably the way to go. Of course, you can't use it for much else, like baby's play/lounging and tummy time etc. But I don't think this is a big deal as most people have little bouncy chairs for babies to sit and lounge in, and at least for us a blanket on the floor worked fine for tummy time.

I would only get the inflatable My Breast Friend pillow if there is frequent travel involved when the baby is little. We never used ours. I think we brought it with us when we flew overseas with our son when he was 2 months old, but I don't recall ever using it.

When baby #2 arrived I didn't use the Boppy, nor My Breast Friend. All she got was a good old pillow and her mommy's arms, and it worked very well for both of us.

So, in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- In the world of nursing pillows, this is the more "serious" one out there.
- Height adjustable belt feature helps position the baby and keep baby in place.
- Back rest helps mom maintain a good posture.
- The even surface makes it structurally more stable (there are no gaps between baby and mom for baby to roll into).
- It's practical and well thought through (it's meant for nursing and nursing only).

Cons:

- It's not as "cute and comfy" as the Boppy.
- Is meant for nursing and nursing only so if baby is bottle-fed you do not need this pillow (if you still want a pillow, the Boppy is probably a better match).
- When you are done nursing, you are done with this nursing pillow too, and the $50 you spent on it. (It's probably worth it though, especially if you are a first-time mother trying to master the fine art of nursing).

www.mybreastfriend.com

Boppy, nursing pillow.

2011-08-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

When our son was born, a veteran nurse at the hospital told me jokingly about all the unnecessary things new parents bring to the hospital with them. One of the items she was gasping over was of course, The Boppy. "What is wrong with a regular pillow?" she was wondering out loud. "All the countless things that new parents get tricked into buying!" she exclaimed. Uhm, at that moment I was glad we hadn't brought our Boppy to the hospital with us, nor did I tell her that we actually had two of them waiting for us at our house. I could see her shaking her head in disbelief. We had two of them! Okay, they were gifts but somehow we thought this item was so essential to successful nursing that we needed to keep both, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. And of course, there was the brilliant idea I had read about, that you could bring a Boppy on the airplane when you travel and don't have a seat for your infant! You already need an extra arm and leg to carry all the baby stuff on board... So unless the Boppy has feet and walks on its own I don't see how it gets on an airplane.

Well, my relationship with the Boppy ended when our son was about 1 month old. I got the worst sciatic pain in my shoulder from using it. At first I didn't even realize that the Boppy made me slump forward while I was feeding our son. It wasn't until I was so desperate that I decided to try different things while feeding him, including not using anything at all, that I noticed the difference... Not using the Boppy made me sit up more straight and little by little the shoulder pain went away.

The Boppy did come in handy for a while after this, particularly when I wanted to have my hands somewhat free while my son was snoozing in my lap.

I never used the Boppy with our second child. In fact, with the arrival of our second child I realized that the nurse at the hospital two years earlier had been 100% correct in her statement. I used a pillow, or just held her. It worked perfectly. Our daughter also couldn't snooze in the Boppy because she was small and somehow slumped into it and couldn't sleep. And believe me, sleep is all she did and wanted to do for the first 3.5 months! Just not in a Boppy.

We still have one Boppy laying around on our day bed because our kids like to play with it sometimes (they are 3.5 and 1.5 years old now). The other one is gathering dust in our garage.

I know many moms swear by this nursing pillow and it's supposedly America's favorite baby product, but I wouldn't buy it again. And I would recommend it with great hesitation. I think the success rate of it depends a little bit on how the mother is "built". I'm guessing (from my own experience) that it may not work very well for small/petite moms.

Or maybe I should have put the two Boppys on top of each other? Hm. I may be onto something here.

So, in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Good for having babies sleep in your lap to give you free hands (while they are small and don't move much)
- Can be used to support babies as they grow (it's a good little spot for lounging, playing, sitting and tummy time).
- Probably helps some moms with nursing.
- Can be used for bottle feeding baby.
- Washable cover.
- Cute cover themes.
- Boppy has done a great job branding a half-moon shaped pillow. I think every expecting parent on this continent knows what it is. Kudos to them for doing that.

Cons:

- It doesn't work for everyone. (Get a used one or borrow one from your friends and test it for a minimum of 2 weeks).
- Can give you bad posture and achy shoulder/neck muscles if you do not pay attention to how you sit.
- Pricey. If you want to save an extra $40-$50, use a regular pillow instead.
- You really don't need it to survive motherhood, no matter what people say.

www.boppy.com

BOB Revolution SE

2011-08-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

The BOB. The ultimate jogging buddy. The SUV, 4 wheel-drive of all strollers. You see this stroller and instantly feel more fit than you did before you saw it. Or you feel bad, because you aren't fit (yet) and can't fathom buying yet another stroller.

Or you do like we did and bought it, thinking that we'd be fit and trim just because we own it.

Jokes aside, the BOB is an amazing stroller. It's incredibly light-weight and it runs smoothly, on almost any kind of terrain (except on a wet beach, which we were lucky enough to test last January). It has all the sporty features that one would expect from a well-made jogging stroller: big tires, swiveling or fixed front wheel, suspension system, parking break, etc. It also has your typical stroller features such as: reclining seat, harness, multi-position canopy and storage features. The recline is nothing much to write home about, as there is just a strap behind the seat that you can tighten or loosen to adjust the recline, but all in all it's a great stroller for an active family.

I'm a bit sad to admit that I don't use our BOB. But that may have more to do with the fact that I'm so content with our UPPAbaby Vista, than with anything else. In fact, I'm pretty sure this would be my favorite stroller if I didn't own the UPPAbaby, because there is truly almost no comparison out there to the smooth, light-weight ride that baby gets in the BOB.

Luckily our BOB has not been a complete waste of money and space in our household, even though I don't use it. My husband has used it for the occasional run, and he loves it. It's masculine enough, even with a bald baby and a pink blanket in it, and he particularly likes the tracking adjustment that it comes with. And I'm pretty sure he will use it again one day. When there is more time...

So, in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- Durable.

- Relatively good shock absorption.

- Good sunshade.

- It's basically made for what you want to use it for (street, jogging, heavy transport of kids, light off-road jogging, etc).

- Comes as a double stroller as well.

Cons:

- Handlebar is not height adjustable (unless they changed this recently).

- There is nothing small about this stroller.

- It's like buying a Jeep Wrangler - you need to be able to live up to the image of owning it (but that could just be me).

UPPAbaby Vista Stroller

2011-08-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

This post is very long but it's because I love this stroller and have many things to say about it. In fact, I would put it on the top of my list of things I could not have lived without. I say this even though our UPPAbaby Vista is already “ancient” compared to the newer Vista models that are out there. I've recommended it to everyone I know, and my friends who have bought it have been equally happy. In fact, I don't know anyone who has had any complaints about it.

Our "love affair" with this stroller began in 2007 when we were expecting baby #1 and went to a Baby & Kids store to check out the fancy pants Bugaboo. Being from Europe where everyone walks around with proper prams, I really wanted a stroller that came with a bassinet so we were quite set on buying the Bugaboo. Well, that was until I saw a couple strolling around the store with what must have been the first generation UPPAbaby Vista. The stroller had a great design already back then (although one could argue it was a bit wide at the time) and it looked so comfortable for both parents and baby. And best of all, it had a giant basket underneath that I just couldn't take my eyes off.

Stroller highlights:

We quickly learned that the stroller actually came with a nice, sturdy bassinet and a seat (which could be forward or backward facing), and as a bonus for us - new colors and narrower tires. Folding this stroller was a breeze, as opposed to the Bugaboo that you somehow needed to flip with your foot while using both hands to hold it upright. You could even fold the stroller without removing the seat if you wanted to (forward facing) and it wasn't very heavy as far as strollers go. The seat was also higher off the ground than on most other strollers, keeping our dog’s nose - or any other dog’s nose - out of our precious baby’s face. Oh, and let me just emphasize that basket size does matter. Even my at the time incredulous husband now sincerely agrees.

The handle bar could also easily be elevated or lowered, which was perfect for us since there is a bit of a height difference between me and my husband.

Accessories/additions:

Car seat adapter(s): UPPAbaby makes car seat adapters for the Maxi-Cosi, Peg Perego and Graco infant car seats. I can't speak for the other brands, but our Graco car seat adapter was very easy to install and use, and the stroller would even fold with the adapter in place. These adapters technically eliminate the need for a "snap & go" type of stroller base. (Of course, I wouldn't be writing this blog if this was the case with us...)

When we were expecting baby #2 in 2009, we learned that UPPA had come out with new goodies that a parent of course cannot live without. Especially if you think you'll have more children one day.

Rumble Seat: Genius. This answered all our double stroller questions before we even got there. The Rumble seat attaches to the stroller base with one small “click” and removes just as easily.

PiggyBack board: Another lifesaver. This board attaches to the back of the stroller and is meant for the older child to stand on.

We actually haven't used our rumble seat very much because the stroller got quite heavy when our older child sat in it (the baby always sits in the "primary" seat). The seat attaches to the front base bars which makes it front-loaded and heavier to push, especially going uphill.

However, we love, love, love the PiggyBack board. It's attached above the back wheels of the stroller so I really don't even feel like I'm pushing two kids at the same time. The board rides smoothly, also over bumps. The only thing to keep in mind with the board is that the handle bar needs to be “elevated” or your kid will have to lean forward or bump his head on the handle bar. Not a big deal for us, even though I prefer the handle bar on the lower setting. We get a lot of great comments when we’re out an about with my younger child in the seat and the older standing on the board.

Sunshade/canopy: When we bought our stroller in 2008 it had a normal size canopy, which didn’t give any sunshade on baby’s face when the seat was in a reclined position. UPPAbaby later replaced it with a much longer canopy for proper sun cover, in any seat position. Of course all the new strollers automatically have this feature, but there is also a retro-fit canopy for the 2008 stroller that you can order.

UPPAbaby has tons of other cool accessories for the stroller and bassinet that we actually didn't buy or try out (check these out on the company website www.uppababy.com), as unbelievable as it may seem.

Stroller recline:

Our stroller, being ancient as far as strollers go, has three settings. 1) Almost upright. 2) Slightly reclined. 3) Reclined.

The fact that it doesn’t have an “upright” setting never bothered me with baby #1 but has bothered me with baby #2. She still seems to slump into the seat, even though she is technically a toddler now. UPPA has of course since fixed this, so the 2010 Vista strollers have an “upright” position as well. We can’t get this feature without buying a new stroller, so we just live with this and try not to get too much stroller envy.

UPPABaby customer service:

I know I probably sound like an ad for UPPAbaby Vista at this point, but in addition to all the things I love about our stroller, the customer service has been fantastic. The few times that we have needed customer service it has been friendly, prompt and personable. I mean, who gets that anymore? You actually get to talk to a real person! And they answer emails right away.

Our first baby dug his teeth into the foam material on the “guard rail” and UPPAbaby replaced it for free and added a replaceable biting guard to it. The other time I needed customer service was when the carry bag had broken in airline transit and it was replaced with a brand new one for free. Lastly, we also wanted to update the upholstery on the stroller and get the retro-fit canopy for our second child, which proved to be a very smart and simple process to do.

So, in my humble opinion…

Pros:

- The UPPAbaby Vista stroller comes with both bassinet and seat for under $1000.
- It’s easy to fold.
- It folds with or without seat.
- You don’t break your back trying to lift it in your car.
- The seat is higher off the ground than it is on most other strollers so you can be extra close to your baby’s beautiful face.
- There is a giant basket underneath to put all your shopping bags into! Or groceries, if that’s what you decide to do.
- Handle bar that can easily be adjusted.
- Easy to use car seat adapters to fit the Graco, Peg Perego and Maxi Cosi infant car seats (check which models on the company website).
- PiggyBack board for your toddler to stand on. Lifesaver.
- You can re-upholster the stroller if you get tired of the colors or if your precious one makes an unsalvageable mess.
- Excellent customer service!

Cons (it’s hard to come up with any, but here goes):

- The Rumble Seat is a great idea in theory but didn’t work well for us because it makes the stroller front loaded and heavy to push. (It is also possible that I’m very weak...)
- While this stroller runs smoothly on a lot of different terrain, it is not a jogging stroller. So if you are looking for a stroller to jog with, the BOB or Phil & Ted etc, are probably better options.

http://uppababy.com/products/

BEABA Babycook's Babyfood Maker.

2011-06-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when my first baby was finally old enough to eat solid foods and I could start preparing endless varieties of mashed things for him. I’m not entirely sure how we came across this smart little invention but it just seemed too good to be true, at least for a new mom and solid food enthusiast. It could handle veggies, meats, fruits, berries - you name it. Just by adding water into the small tank on the side, it would actually steam everything you put into the food container (in a small basket), even frozen food, and with one small move, you could take the contents out and pour them into the blender. Smart, indeed.

So, enthusiastic as I was I stayed up way into the night making baby food with BEABA Babycook, which truly ended up taking much longer than I had anticipated. This was naturally due to the steaming phase, which always takes a while so it wasn’t a problem with the BEABA per se, except for the fact that the food container is small and you can’t make a lot of food at once. However, at 2 a.m. I was finally done. I had made a few trays of different blends to freeze. Yes, I even tried some of the recipes in the BEABA Babycook book, which seemed so tasty, at least if you are a baby.

Well, my baby did not agree. He did not agree the next day, or the next week or the next month. The only things he wanted to eat came in Earth’s Best jars. Earth’s Best, and things he could pick up with his little fingers and put in his mouth.

Needless to say, our BEABA stayed in the cupboard collecting dust. I gave it another try later on, but I was still out of luck. I ended up using the good old stove top and blender for our second child’s solid food needs, and have never looked back at the BEABA Babycook. In fact, I don't even know where all the parts are anymore or else I'd sell it to someone else wanting to add some French flair to their baby's daily digest.

So, in my humble opinion...

Pros:

- It's French. It has got to make tasty food, right?

- It's compact.

- It has a steamer, blender, defroster, warmer... all in one.

- It steams fruits, veggies, meats and fish in 15 minutes (give or take) while preserving vitamins (due to the steaming process).

Cons:

- You don't really need a $150 BEABA Babycook to make mashed foods for your little ones. They will be just as happy (or unhappy) with food boiled or steamed in a pot and mashed with a blender.

- The food container is small so you can't make a lot of food at once to freeze for a later time.

- For a new mom, time is an enemy, not a friend. Although the idea of serving "fresh" food out of the cooker by tossing in a couple of potatoes, carrots and a piece of chicken right before lunch and then leave it to do its thing for 30 minutes is great, I don't know many moms who have the bandwidth or time to plan this much. When baby is hungry, baby is very hungry.

http://www.beabausa.com/product-babycook.cfm