Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best finds here!!

[TravelingGal]

Hey all, just thought I''d post that BOB strollers are now 20% off at REI if you want to get one.

 

[gailrmv]

hi, I just wanted to follow up and thank everyone who helped out my friend with that stroller question (especially Tacori, CurlyGirl and T-Gal).

She ended up getting the Bob Revolution with 12 inch wheels. She thought it was slightly easier to get around in tight spaces than the regular revolution, and it can still be used for jogging. It fits nicely in her trunk and is easy to fold up. She also got it on REI''s sale this weekend, 20% off! So far she is really happy with it. She also liked another brand (I think it was called CityJogger??) but decided the Bob was the best for her. She plans to get a MacLaren to keep in the car, also.

So, on behalf of my friend, thanks again!

 

[divergrrl]

Date: 8/5/2008 12:13:21 PM
Author: peonygirl
IG, have you looked into the Angelcare Baby Monitor that has a movement sensor? It can detect when a baby stops breathing, and if you''re able to stir the baby into breathing or even perform CPR (once you''ve evaluated the situation) you could save your baby''s life. I know several parents who have this and love it, and it gets pretty good reviews on babiesrus.com.


While ''stuff'' in the crib can be a suffocation risk, SIDS is much more complicated than that because it definitely occurs when there was no physical object impedeing the baby''s ability to oxygenate. DH mentioned recently that new research is showing that babies who die of SIDS tend to have serotonin receptor binding that was lower than normal in the brain stem. So it can be complicated.

I swear by this monitor. Had it for both my kids. If you READ THE DIRECTIONS and set it up right, you won''t have any sensitivity issues. But I think 90% of people don''t read the directions & the get all pissy when things don''t work right.

My son actually stopped breathing one night. The alarm went off. I woke up, rolled over (he was in his bassinet, dh cut a piece of plywood to stick under the mattress so the sensor would work. You MUST have a piece of thin particle board or whatever to place the sensor on...if your dh isn''t good with a saw, take your crib & packnplay/armsreach/bassinet measurements in to home depot and have them cut a piece for you) and turned on the light and saw him still. I was frozen, he was still...the alarm was going off. I shook him & he gasped, startled, cried a bit and then fell asleep. I didn''t get much sleep again that night, but damn...that could have been a fluke but I''m so glad i had that monitor. I''ll never know and I don''t want to.

ONce they turn 1 or so, it becomes a pain because they move too far down the crib & set off false alarms. I took mine out then .

HTH....

 

[Tacori E-ring]

TanDogMom, glad your friend is happy.

SAFETY PRODUCT REVIEWS:

Latches:
Safty 1st, drawer/cab latches. Bought ours from Target. Seem to work well. She tries to open them and they don''t budge. Hopefully she won''t figure out how they work anytime soon. Easy to install.

Gates:
Dream Baby gates, we have two and really like them. I like that they are metal and not plastic. They come in white and black (we have white) and for gates they look decent. Easy to open one handed and the gate swings BOTH ways which is a nice feature. Also we needed WIDE gates and this was one of our only options. They have many different size extensions. They are pressure mounted. They are very strong. She is already hanging on them and they don''t budge.

Kidco gate, this is the one we have at the top of the stairs. You need to mount it so DH had to rig up two pieces of wood with some zip ties to make it work (otherwise you have to drill *into* your stairs). They DO sell mounting kits but they are pretty pricey. Make sure you get a permanent mount for safety. A little harder to open but can be done with one hand (and practice) and not has pretty as my Dream Baby gates. Also white metal.

Outlet covers:
We have the plastic plug ins and they are annoying. We are currently switching them out to the safety outlet overs like
these. They are more money but we figure with at least one more kid and YEARS of baby proofing in the end they will be worth it. We do already have them in her nursery and they are SO nice and a very clean look. Also so simple to install.

Well, that''s as far as we have gotten. Hope this helps someone!

 

[TravelingGal]

TDM, glad it worked out for your friend!

Tacori, thanks for the review...we will have to get gates, etc soon...

 

[TravelingGal]

So my friend finally decided to buy the BOB at REI's 20% off sale. A few months ago she decided to buy the Bugaboo (I had recommended the BOB Revoltion AW for her but it seemed that the Bug might fit her needs better - she really wanted storage). She also has the Maclaren, which I also recommended.

Well, she must have a stroller fetish or envied my BOB somehow, because she got it (just the revolution, not the AW) and this is what she wrote me today...

"So, I just wanted to let you know that I love the Bob!!! I was in OC all day with my mom, and we took D in the Bob at Fashion Island and Irvine Spectrum. The Bob must be a South Bay thing, because I was the only one with this stroller at both places. I'm amazed at how smooth the ride is, the turning radius, and it is so easy to fold up!! I realize that I should buy the console. The basket underneath is too shallow (I had a hard time taking my purse in and out of it). I felt cooler strolling the Bob around then I do with the Bugaboo!"

So for those of you who are thinking about it, thought you would appreciate this review of BOB from a Bug owner. I LOVE my BOB!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

TGal, glad your friend loves her BOB. I am too cheap for such a nice stroller

My neighbor has the double and loves it. Anyways, life gets MUCH easier with gates. Wish I had put them up sooner!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 8/31/2008 2:00:58 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
TGal, glad your friend loves her BOB. I am too cheap for such a nice stroller

My neighbor has the double and loves it. Anyways, life gets MUCH easier with gates. Wish I had put them up sooner!

Nah, you''re not too cheap. We all just will pay money for different things. I meant to tell you, I saw your boon highchair in the skymall catalog on the way home from Wisconsin. Such a pretty chair, but I had no idea how much it cost!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 8/31/2008 2:29:52 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 8/31/2008 2:00:58 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

TGal, glad your friend loves her BOB. I am too cheap for such a nice stroller

My neighbor has the double and loves it. Anyways, life gets MUCH easier with gates. Wish I had put them up sooner!

Nah, you''re not too cheap. We all just will pay money for different things. I meant to tell you, I saw your boon highchair in the skymall catalog on the way home from Wisconsin. Such a pretty chair, but I had no idea how much it cost!!

Haha, I guess you are right. Though I did shop around and got it cheaper (I think I paid around $180 which is not that much more than the standard ones). I do love it and I smile every time I see it!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I went out and test drove the UppaBaby, Bugaboo Frog, and I-coo strollers today... tomorrow I''ll post a review and let you know what I thought of the three compared to each other! I was surprised by some of the "results"

 

[Laurenj915]

We are not even close to thinking about getting pregnant yet but you guys have totally sparked my curiosity. Do you need to get a regular stroller? If you are definitely going to get a jogging stroller can you just use that all the time? I don''t know a thing about baby gear so I am sorry if that''s a dumb question.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Lauren, I don''t think you do. I used my snap ''n go (Love it! I even had 2) for the first 7-8 months. Now she is heavy so I keep the infant carrier in the car and just use it as a car seat and use my umbrella (Maclaren Volo). When we go on errands its pretty much always to places with shopping carts so she sits in the front (I have one of the cushion things). I have only used my full size stroller a handful of times.

 

[ljmorgan]

I am in love with the idea of the Perego Skate! I love that you can snap the car seat on it. Or use the whole stroller, which goes from bassinet to upright, and can face forwards or backwards. It also adjusts to three different heights which I like, bringing the baby closer to you. One of the downsides is that it is a heavy stroller! I have read reviews of it and haven''t seen a negative one yet though. Several said despite the weight, it''s their fav stroller hands down. Any thoughts?

 

[ljmorgan]

Pic of some of the different positions

 

[TravelingGal]

OK, so far it seems like a hit, so I will post the link for cute little barrettes (that apparently stay great on baby hair).

www.giddygiddy.com

 

[TravelingGal]

Lauren, I agree with Tacori. If you get a good jogging stroller, I''d get a snap and go to use and a light umbrella stroller later. I''m about to retire our snap and go because my daughter is really happy in her Maclaren and hates being in the carseat unless she is actually in the car.

Lindsey, most of the strollers of that type will do what the skate does. I know the bug has a carseat adaptor and the I''coo comes with one. Not sure about the uppa, so it will be interesting to read DD''s review.

I really would never use a stroller like that with a carseat adaptor. Just way too heavy for quick errands when you want to just snap the carseat in and go. So of course, I would highly recommend a snap and go type stroller. Babytrend has the snapngo, Graco has it''s own "snugrider" for its carseats and Maclaren has one as well.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Okay, so on Sunday Dh and I drove an hour to find a store that carried three strollers I was interested in: the UppaBaby Vista, The Bugaboo Frog, And the I'coo. Here is my review of what I liked and didn't like about each:

Features that all three have that are awesome

All three strollers have small footprints (about 6 inches smaller than the BOB and similar strollers), ride really really well, and come with a child seat and a bassinet. In addition, and this is something I didn't know and I don't think that other know, all three can convert to a snap-n-go! Yes, you heard right. With all three you can remove the bassinet or carseat, snap on a simple attachment, and then snap a car-seat in place. So on errends all you would need to take with you is the frame and the car seat, which you need anyway. This is a nice addition to these strollers, since I have read so many great things about snap n gos from moms on here. All three strollers can also have front facing or rear facing seat positions.

Bugaboo

We all know this one, there are many plusses, obviously. The main plus compared to the other two is that it is tried and true, so you know exactly what you are getting. The negatives from my POV are that you must remove the bassinet/seat to fold and unfold the frame, and also the folding and unfolding of the frame is a little annoying. It is easy to do, but it has a couple steps and it is easy to miss something and get the thing stuck and then have to start over. I am sure with practice this gets easier, but what if you lend it to a babysitter or family member? Or what if you are tired? Also the basket underneath is silly, IMHO. It is small and has a drawsting top that you would need to updo everytime to get something in and out. Also, you need to remove the basket to fold it, which involves 6 velcro strips. Again, annoying. And the price is $150 0 $200 more than the other two strollers I saw. The car seat adaptor costs an extra $60, and is only good with three types of car seats: Graco, peg perego, and another brand I have never heard of.

UppaBaby Vista

Gorgeous looking stroller. Whereas with the bugaboo and the I'coo you get one frame and must change the fabric attachments to create the bassinet and the regular seat, with the Uppa you get two completely different frames for the bassinet and the seat. I don't see this as a hige plus since you won't be using the two types of seats at the same time, then you have to find storage for the one you don't use. The basket under the seat is HUGE, in part because the chair is fixed really high. I have to be honest, none of this mattered. The stroller is IMPOSSIBLE to fold. The store clerk could do it , and hubby managed to get it about 1 out of every 6 tries, but I could never ever get it. You needed to push two different toggles at the same time and then bear down really hard to get it and it just wouldn't work! The store clerk told us that most people have this issue. So honestly, I ruled it out right then and there because even if I could figure it out, it takes alittle force and what if I am tired, stressed, or a friend uses it? They could get stuck somewhere. Just MHO, but that was a deal breaker. Again, car seat adapter costs extra and is only good with one or two brands of car seats.

I'coo

Love this stroller and it is probably the one we will get. First, it has all the same features of the Bugaboo but is $150 less. Second, it has lots of great additional features too. One, the care seat adaptor for the snap n' go feature is universal and comes with the stroller. Second, it can fold with the seat attached! It is a tiny bit bulkier in this mode, and you can choose to remove the seat first, but I like having this option when I am in a rush or am carrying the stroller somewhere. Third, it is FAR and AWAY the easier stroller to fold of the three. I'd say it is as easy to fold as the BOB (though it folds differently)... push one toggle, make one arm movement and the whole thing collapses. Same to open it. The nice thing, though, is that the stroller will lock when it is in the closed position, which is a downside to the BOB. (I am only using the BOB for comparison here, there are many upsides to the BOB that I am not going into because I am not looking for a jogging stroller). The chair attachment has more paddign tha nthe other two strollers and looks more comfortable. Also, another feature this stroller has that the others do not is that it has an adjustable chair height. So you can have the bassinet set higher, and if you are out at a park and want to have lunch at a table, you can raise the seat so that the child is almost at the right height to use the table! Very convenient I think. Negatives is that the basket is on the smaller side, comparable to the Bugaboo, but it is an open basket which I find more convenient. Also, it has limited colors--only 3 now-- if that matters to you. Finally, it has only been on the market since February so it is not as well tested. It is by the German manufacturers of Rock Star Baby and replaces that stroller on the market, and that stroller had good reviews, but still it is somewhat of an unknown commodity. I need to do more research on the stroller before we pull the trigger. ETA it also has a adjustable height for the handle, like the Chameleon.

Okay, hope that helps someone!

 

[ljmorgan]

dreamer, thanks for the in-depth reviews! I am really interested in the I''coo. I love that all of them sort of work as a snap and go. I like the Skate for that reason as well, and it doesn''t have a separate bassinet/seat -- it converts. The closest place by me that sells them is like an hour away, but it may be worth a trip sometime to check it out.

Tgal, thanks for the advice!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 9/2/2008 10:12:35 AM
Author: *Lindsey*
dreamer, thanks for the in-depth reviews! I am really interested in the I''coo. I love that all of them sort of work as a snap and go. I like the Skate for that reason as well, and it doesn''t have a separate bassinet/seat -- it converts. The closest place by me that sells them is like an hour away, but it may be worth a trip sometime to check it out.

Tgal, thanks for the advice!

I haven''t tried the Skate myself, but read that it is more expensive than the I''coo and that it is heavier?? It could be worth the drive to see them, I know it was for us.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

My best advice...get as light of a stroller as possible.

 

[mela lu]

Good review DD! This will be by far my hardest purchase. This info is helpful.
Did you compare the weight of all 3? I''m curious...

 

[ljmorgan]

Date: 9/2/2008 10:21:37 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 9/2/2008 10:12:35 AM

Author: *Lindsey*

dreamer, thanks for the in-depth reviews! I am really interested in the I''coo. I love that all of them sort of work as a snap and go. I like the Skate for that reason as well, and it doesn''t have a separate bassinet/seat -- it converts. The closest place by me that sells them is like an hour away, but it may be worth a trip sometime to check it out.


Tgal, thanks for the advice!

I haven''t tried the Skate myself, but read that it is more expensive than the I''coo and that it is heavier?? It could be worth the drive to see them, I know it was for us.

Yes, the Skate is HEAVY. I want to go to a store and try it out. I don''t know how much the I''coo is? The Skate retails for $899 but I''ve found it as low as $650 with Microsoft Cashback.

 

[TravelingGal]

Lindsey, I looked at the I''coo with my friend when she was deciding (she ended up choosing the bugaboo and then got the BOB a few months later because she just loved my BOB). The I''coo is $699. The USA Baby we went to had it marked for $599, which is why I was urging my friend that if she wanted to get it, to get it sooner than later as I can''t imagine they would have put a brand new stroller out there for $100 lower than SRP.

Great review DD. I never got to check out the uppa, but I posted a similar review on the I''coo. It doesn''t feel quite as solid as the bug to me, but it would have been the stroller of my choice. Interestingly Ephmery is the one who first posted about it here, and she ended up choosing the uppa for some reason (I think her review is on this thread somewhere).

The lady told us the bassinett on the I''coo is separate from the seat. Maybe she didn''t know what she was talking about (which is possible because the stroller was so new at the time).

 

[mela lu]

just looked online.
I''coo weighs in at 22 lbs, but I''m not sure what that includes. kidseat? bassinet? frame only?

thoughts?

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 9/2/2008 11:18:42 AM
Author: mela lu
just looked online.
I''coo weighs in at 22 lbs, but I''m not sure what that includes. kidseat? bassinet? frame only?

thoughts?

That''s the seat and the frame. The pieces by themselves feel quite light.

 

[Dreamer_D]

It is a little deceptive to compare weights because the bugaboo you have to remove the seat to fold it, so really you only ever "carry" the frame or the seat, whereas with the I''coo you can fold it with the seat attached. I guess if you are getting on a bus or something and needed to pick it up with the kid in it then you might get a direct comparion??

I found the I''coo very very easy to pick up when folded, even with the seat attached. Not only does the weight matter, but I really think the distribution of the weight (i.e., how it actually folds) matters a lot too. The I''coo has the weight very evenly distributed when folded and I could easily lift it with one hand. Would need two hands to get it in the trunk though, I''m sure.

In comparison, I tried an all-terrain stroller that was very nice in many many ways, and the BOB, and although they both fold like a dream and are compact, because the weight is very compacted as well and they do not lock, I found I couldn''t lift them with one hand and it felt like a bit of a strain to lift them? Maybe others feel differently.

Tgal, I noted that Ephemery got the Uppa. I wonder if maybe there is a better way to fold it and our sales person just didn''t know how? We are going to go to some other stores and see if we can check it out again.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 9/2/2008 11:57:02 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
It is a little deceptive to compare weights because the bugaboo you have to remove the seat to fold it, so really you only ever ''carry'' the frame or the seat, whereas with the I''coo you can fold it with the seat attached. I guess if you are getting on a bus or something and needed to pick it up with the kid in it then you might get a direct comparion??

I found the I''coo very very easy to pick up when folded, even with the seat attached. Not only does the weight matter, but I really think the distribution of the weight (i.e., how it actually folds) matters a lot too. The I''coo has the weight very evenly distributed when folded and I could easily lift it with one hand. Would need two hands to get it in the trunk though, I''m sure.

In comparison, I tried an all-terrain stroller that was very nice in many many ways, and the BOB, and although they both fold like a dream and are compact, because the weight is very compacted as well and they do not lock, I found I couldn''t lift them with one hand and it felt like a bit of a strain to lift them? Maybe others feel differently.

Tgal, I noted that Ephemery got the Uppa. I wonder if maybe there is a better way to fold it and our sales person just didn''t know how? We are going to go to some other stores and see if we can check it out again.

I totally agree on the BOB. I have to lift it with both hands...no way can you lift it with one hand and even with two hands I sometimes feel it is awkward. However, I only lift it in and out of the car, so I didn''t feel this was an issue for me.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I am having a hard time finding reviews etc about the I''coo since it is so new. Would this put anyone else off, the fact that it is a new model? The makers have been around forever and have been making strollers for years...

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 9/2/2008 3:31:29 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
I am having a hard time finding reviews etc about the I''coo since it is so new. Would this put anyone else off, the fact that it is a new model? The makers have been around forever and have been making strollers for years...

There just aren''t many out there (I did find a few when my friend was searching though). It wouldn''t put me off if the price was right.

 

[erica k]

Speaking of strollers, any thoughts on the Bugaboo Bee? The stroller won''t be the principal mode of transport, but my mom will need one to help out with the baby. I want something light, stylish, easy to maneuver and collapse/carry, relatively narrow, and under $600. I know Maclaren makes several good models, but I was wondering if any Bugaboo fans had tried out the Bee?

Also, has anyone used an Ikea crib? I was reading on the Baby Bargains blog that some people have found a gap between the mattress and the frame on the Hensvik and Leksvik cribs. I was thinking about buying the Gulliver, which doesn''t seem to have the same problem. How much of a safety issue is this?

link to photos

I don''t think we''re going to buy anything until December at the earliest. Everything is giving me a headache, from strollers to car seats and crib mattresses!! But someone has to do the research, and if not me, who?