Baby Gear

Since having my third child I have had to simplify many things in my life. One of them being all the baby and kid stuff I have to lug around from house to the park/party/mall/anywhere. I hate carrying a purse and diaper bag especially because I hate my current diaper bag. Enter the Diaper Doodie.

The diaper doodie is a diaper changing accessory. It is a luxuriously soft changing pad that folds up to hold 3-5 diapers and a small pack of wipes! I love supporting mom invented products and this product is a great idea. It folds up simply and is easy to use and pack. They come in eight great designs and colors and each has a minky interior with a soft cotton exterior. They are each $36.00 and can be purchased online. These are not just for new moms this would be great for a mom of an older child who is potty training or for a moms who don’t have to carry a big diaper bag anymore. Great for all moms!

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If diaper bags are the new designer handbags then strollers are the new, hottest cars. Moms no longer are willing to carry around an oversized, pastel diaper bag, and we don’t want a bulky, heavy, ugly stroller. Strollers are not just for the babies that ride in them anymore, if you are not aware of this fact, just look around the playground or mall. Strollers are getting lighter, faster and are mush easier to use.
Now I have found the Cadillac of all strollers, the Bumbleride.

I had the pleasure to try out the new Indie all-terrain stroller that is lighter and more compact than its cousin the Bumbleride Rocket is. I thought this stroller would be bulky and heavy and that could not be farther from the truth. The Indie is only 20 lbs, one of the lighter all terrain strollers, so it was perfect for everyday use, and use it every day we did!
We took this stroller everywhere, to the mall, to a Earth Day fair, for long walks around our neighborhood and we even circled the house in an effort to get our baby to sleep! This stroller handled better then any other stroller I have ever used including the overhyped Peg Perego and my beloved old Maclaren.

Just chillin’ in my awesome stroller

The aluminum frame, great seat padding and 12″ air filled tires make the ride smooth and easy to maneuver on our cracked sidewalks as well as off road. What takes a stroller from “okay” to “amazing” is the features and the Bumbleride is full of them. The Indie comes with: a padded handlebar to hang toys from, a footmuff to keep the little one warm, dual ratcheting canopy to keep sun off of the baby, adjustable handle height (a must for my 6 foot 2 inch husband), cup holder and oversized basket. The brake is easy to use and the Indie folds up so compact, perfect for any trunk space or storage area! The seat even reclines completely flat or in three other angles.

Check out their web site for all the amazing color choices, and styles of strollers. What makes their web site so special is that it has great features like a gallery and a faq section, but also a great video showing you how easy it is to use the stroller and all of its features.

I have had many strollers in my five years of being a mother and this by far is the best. I have never received compliments on my stroller before using the Indie but we had many people comment on it and ask what type it was and where they can get one. I should get a commission!
Overall, I could not recommend this stroller enough, I loved it, my husband loved it, our baby loved it and so did the many strangers on our outings. I can never go back to any old stroller now! Go Bumbleride!

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I have found with this new baby of mine, that he is not an easy sleeper. He is not one of those infants that you can put him down and he will just sleep. After 5-10 minutes in anything he cries. Vibrating seat? Boring. Swing? Okay for a while but then he is done. I wondered how I would ever get this baby to sleep and then I found pippalily slings.

Pippalily was started by a mom whose daughter always wanted to be worn. She couldn’t find the unique and stylish slings she wanted so she made them! These slings are pouches so they are easy to get baby in and out and there are no rings to adjust. Those rings confuse me anyway.
I love that this sling had a deeper “seat” for the baby. It makes me feel that my baby is more secure.
I wear my baby all the time at parties, to the park, it is easy for me to use, K loves it and I have my hands free for my other two kids.

The thing I love most about these slings is that all of the fabric and patterns are simply gorgeous. The silk brocade is fancy enough to wear to a wedding or any other event as well as to the playground. I have received so many compliments on my Chocolate Brown Dragon sling! I love the Morning Glory Coral sling too. I want them all!

Get one for your husband for Father’s Day! Pippalily makes great slings in a masculine camouflage print or a plain black cotton sling. Don’t know how to use a sling? Don’t worry they have instructional how-to videos online for you.
These are going to be my new gift to get for baby showers.

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I love that the trend these days is not just towards great baby gear, but great mommy gear as well. Designers are realizing that moms are the ones carrying the big diaper bags with cartoons on it and pushing the clunky strollers and they are changing the designs, making things more stylish and trendy. Mom inventors are leading this new trend, and thank goodness for that!

Goober Baby is no stranger to this idea. Goober Baby is the inspired offspring of two moms who wanted stylish everyday items to care for new little ones. They make awesome products like the Goober tote, a tote for the dads, gift sets and changing mats. Each come in great, bold modern colors and styles, perfect for moms! I had the pleasure to review the tote bag which is a great item for smaller things that tend to ‘disappear” in the bottom of your diaper bag or purse. It is great for things that can leak like lotions or medicine. I think it is great for transporting wet or messy clothes too. Don’t just use it for the diaper bag use it for your makeup or toiletries when you travel!

The change purse is perfect for when you want to run out of the door without the big diaper bag. Just the right size for a few diapers and some wipes. Goober baby has some of the greatest things for moms that they never knew they needed!
Thank you Goober baby!

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When I had my lactation consultant come to the house for help, she mentioned Medela had just come out with a hands free pump. I love my Medela swing pump but I would love to have my hands free to do things like check email, make breakfast for my kids and answer the phone.
The hands free model interested me.

Medela freestyle is the only hands free double-electric rechargeable breastpump on the market. It offers freedom to all the mothers attached to the pump, literally.
It comes with the pump, SoftFit™ breastshields, 4 collection containers with lids, rechargeable battery, carry bag with removable cooler, cooling element, power cord, hands-free kit with two size straps and bra adapters, waist belt with extension piece, instructions and a information guide.
It is not cheap, but a good pump never is.

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I had planned to use my pack n play as a sleeping unit for the baby for downstairs and our bassinet upstairs in our room. When I came home from the hospital I realized the pack n play was not a good idea, it was too low for me to bend down, because we don’t have a new one with the changing table on the top. I needed a place to have the baby sleep and to change him downstairs because I wasn’t allowed up and down the stairs too often post partum.

My mother in law found this at our local Target ( I had never seen it before) and it has been a life saver! The First Years Close and Secure Sleeper is perfect to use as a portable bed for travel, a co-sleeper or a changing table! The sleeper is anchored to your bed by a large flap that tucks under your mattress and has walls so you won’t roll over on your infant.
I has a soft head barrier that reduces the risk of entrapment and a foot wedge–which can be used as a sleep positioner in future months–ensures baby stays snugly inside the sleep area. The “mattress” is vinyl covered and removable and the sheet is machine washable.

The best part is that it has a little night light so I can check on the baby in the night or change the baby’s diapers without putting on the harsh overhead light. It also folds up so you can travel easily with it!
The only thing I wish it had were pockets to have diapers and wipes handy. This really is a life saver and it is now one of my favorite baby gear items!

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If I don’t go into labor sooner, I will be having this baby via c-section this morning. Since I won’t be around for a while, while I take care of my newborn and five year old twins, I decided to share with you some of my favorite baby gear. Here are some reviews on things that I cannot live without and things I know you will enjoy:

I love this monitor and will use it for years, they are not just for newborns!

There is nothing like a good swaddling baby blanket.

This nest egg has helped me sleep at night which is a luxury when you are nine months pregnant. I think it will be a great help with breastfeeding too. Go get your own with the coupon, even if you are not pregnant this is great for kids or for travel!

We are trying to be more green in our house and what better timing then when a new baby comes!?

I love these products for Mom. The names and packaging are so cute that I would buy them for that alone! They really smell good too.

I think this is great for the summer. I know I would have to get it if I lived in a state that was hot all year round.

I love this thermometer and couldn’t live without it. Plus it is so much cheaper then it was new to the market and I bought it!

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I know I am germ phobic but c’mon grocery carts and universal high chairs are so gross. You can see how well they clean them (never) and it is enough trying to keep a baby healthy at home. Not to mention kids will put anything into their mouths even the bar of a cart, especially when they are teething. That is why I was so excited to try out the Clean Shopper.

The Clean Shopper is a universal and original shopping cart cover for babies and toddlers. You know the ones that everyone at your grocery store has but you? They are made with 100% cotton-quilted fabric and has two built-in side pockets for storing anything you or your baby will need. Each also has two loops for attaching toys. I was also surprised to find how many fabric choices and prints there are!
They are very well made and are one piece so it is easy to put on by yourself. It also held up to a washing with no shrinking. They also sell a super soft clean shopper that is 40% fluffier than the original clean shopper!
I wish I knew about the twin clean shopper when I had my twins, I never found anything like that and believe me, I looked!

Looking for more ideas? They offer many other products like the clean changer, the clean diner which fits on public high chairs (although the clean shopper works well on these too!) and the clean burper. The clean burper is a fabulous over sized burp cloth that is thick and absorbent. This also held up to a washing well and are shaped perfectly for over the shoulder burping.

Go check out their great products for yourself but they also make great baby shower or new baby gifts!

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Britax car seats are still one of the best around. They are costly, but very popular for their safety and name. There is a Britax sale going on now at Amazon.com and other web sites. Britax car seats, strollers and other gear are discounted up to 20%, which is a really good deal for a brand that rarely goes on sale! Babycenter.com has all britax on sale for 15% off which is not as good, but you can pick the fabric choices you want.

These are the regular prices for these car seats for comparison:
Few Regular Prices:

Marathon: around $269.

Roundabout: around $219.

Boulevard: around $300.

Decathlon: around $285.

Companion (infant seat): around $200

Check out sale prices on amazon.com, babyage.com and babyuniverse.com for all of these car seats.

On February 1, 2008, Evenflo announced a voluntary safety recall of the Discovery Infant Car Seat models 390, 391, 534,and 552. These seats have been sold since April 2005 and have sold over one million units. The recall results from tests performed by Evenflo in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The recall is in effect because the car seat could become separated from its base in high impact side collisions. Evenflo will provide these car seat owners with a free supplemental dual-hook fastener that keeps the seat better attached to the base. If you own one of these models, call Evenflo at 800-356-2229 or visit www.evenflo.com/Discovery for more information or to get your replacement part.

More recalls can be found here.

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It seems like I see more and more all terrain strollers out every day. I often wonder what makes a stroller all terrain and who really would need one. Then I remember the time we took our Maclaren out in the woods to an animal refuge and how hard it was to maneuver off the road and go on bridges and I realized there is a market for these types of strollers.

They are easy to push because they have larger wheels then regular strollers. This makes it easier to “off road it” with the baby. They are perfect for boardwalks, gravel paths, beaches or hiking paths. Some even can hold heavier children then regular strollers. That makes them more economical because you can use them longer. A few are compatible with infant car seats too!

They do have a few down sides though. Most all terrains are for babies six months and up so you cannot use them for infants. They also are bulky and depending what kind of car you have, you may have to take the front wheel off to get it into your trunk. You also will have to fill the tires once they go flat. They also look like jogging strollers but are not made for that, so check with the company web site before you purchase one.
If you are still considering an all terrain stroller here are some brands to look at:

Tike Tech ATX All-Terrain Stroller

EasyWalker SKY All Terrain Stroller

BOB Revolution All-Terrain Stroller

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When you are pregnant for the first or fourth time you know there is a lot of things you need for a baby. They may be small but they can take over your house with their “stuff”. Some things you need for day to day living and some baby gear is a luxury. Besides diapers, wipes and clothing, a baby monitor is very necessary.

When I had my twins I received a baby monitor as a shower gift. We were living in a apartment and the traditional monitor was ok, although I would get to hear the occasional phone conversations of my neighbors that the monitor picked up. Now that I am pregnant again I wanted a monitor that allowed me to see the baby now that we are mostly downstairs during the day and the baby’s room is upstairs.
I had the pleasure of reviewing Summer Infant Day and Night Handheld Video Monitor. This 900 MHz monitor blows away my old traditional monitor. This portable handheld unit is perfect for moving around the house and still being able to see your baby. There are also traditional sound lights that visually show baby’s level of activity. There are nighttime LED lights on the camera that makes the baby fully visible both day and night!
The video monitor has batteries or you can use it with an AC adapter. It also has a kickstand which is perfect for me to view it while I am doing dishes, using the computer or watching TV.

Don’t get this monitor just for a new infant, I would have loved this for my twins when they first transitioned into their toddler beds. It would have saved me countless trips upstairs to see what they were up to. Parents love this monitor, go ahead and read the reviews yourself. This is one of my new favorite baby products to tell all parents about.

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I remember sitting in church one Sunday and my mom spitting onto a tissue and rubbing it onto my face. That really grossed me out and I vowed right then and there never to use my saliva to clean anything on my kids. I have kept my promise, well, kind of. I do use Momspit, it just isn’t mine.

Momspit is the universal no-rinse cleanser. It is not a hand sanitizer, it is a cleanser for your little one’s hand and face. It contains no alcohol which I just love. It works like magic, just rub some on the dirt, lipstick leftover from a kiss or ice cream face and suddenly the mess is gone as fast as it appeared. It comes in two scents: fig & green tea and lemon and white tea and they also have unscented.

Here are some of the reason I think this company is as great as their products:
MomSpit products are user-friendly
MomSpit products are not tested on animals
MomSpit products are not manufactured anywhere using child labor
MomSpit products contain no human saliva, ’cause that would just be gross

What is better then that? Whether you are a mom, a grandmother, a babysitter or a lover of all things clean, order your Momspit now. You are not always near water and soap when your kids get messy and these bottles can fit into any purse or diaper bag. Buy it just so you can ask your mom friends if they want to use some of your mom spit! It is good, clean fun.

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When you are going to have a baby there are some items of baby gear that you need. A stroller, car seat, a crib, diapers and a high chair. There are alternatives to a traditional high chair these days which is perfect for parents who live in apartments, don’t have a big kitchen or just don’t like the bulky piece of baby gear. I had two big old high chairs in my kitchen, so I understand.

Fisher Price Healthy Care booster seat is a great alternative to a high chair. It connects to virtually any chair, has a 3 point restraint system and 3 height adjustments to grow with your child. The back and tray can be removed for an older child. It also has the best feature for any high chair or booster seat, a dishwasher safe removable tray. I would never buy any feeding chair that didn’t have this.
This is inexpensive at around $23.00 so you can buy one for the grandparent’s houses. This is also perfect for traveling with!

Kaboost is a revolutionary idea in alternatives to high chairs. This attaches to a regular chair to add height for a smaller child. It just snaps on a chair, is very stable and can holds up to 300 pounds. It comes in three different colors and at $39.99 makes any chair into a high chair. I wish I thought of this!

If you really just want a regular high chair this Graco chair is the slimmest when folded. This seat comes complete with 6- position height adjustment, 3- position recline and two trays that are dishwasher safe. It is slightly more expensive then the average high chair at $129.00.

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Every mom knows about the stroller struggles. The one you bought is too heavy/doesn’t fit well in your trunk/is too small/has no storage room. It is never exactly what you want. I have gone through three strollers in my kid’s five years of life. The bugaboo is the newest coveted strollers on the market and their newest model, the Bee, may be the best one yet.

This stroller is the most compact of the Bugaboo line. It has a reversible seat to face the child to you or away, it also has locking swivel wheels and 4-wheel independent suspension. That makes it easy to maneuver through doorways and small spaces like in department stores! The wheels are also easy to stroll right onto the beach with!
The back goes down to 4 different positions and it has height-adjustable handlebars for tall people, like my husband.

The Bug fits Graco and Peg Perego car seats. It also comes with chassis/seat, under seat bag, rain cover, sun canopy & 2-year warranty. The canopy is water repellent and all the fabrics are machine washable.
There are a couple of things I do not like about this stroller though. I think the weight restrictions limit the length of use of the stroller, it is only for kids up to 37lbs. It doesn’t have a cup holder (you can buy one for $24.99) and it also does not have a tray for the baby, which is my complaint about my Maclaren stroller.

This stroller will not come cheap, it is $529.00. Many bugaboo parents are total converts though, so I guess it is worth the cost.

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