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

[janinegirly]

TGAL: not really for everyday, but it might be every weekend during the summer or a few days straight while we tranisition between houses. The PNP''s just seem a bit flimsy to me (as you pointed out), but then when I was looking at them, I mostly focused on the bassinet portion. I like the pop up tent, but like you said, it doesn''t really function as a crib. I keep getting drawn back to the Baby Bjorn Travel Lite Crib..so much $$, but still tempted. I''ll have to take a look at PNP''s this wkend to refresh my memory. Thanks!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/17/2009 3:47:37 PM
Author: janinegirly
TGAL: not really for everyday, but it might be every weekend during the summer or a few days straight while we tranisition between houses. The PNP''s just seem a bit flimsy to me (as you pointed out), but then when I was looking at them, I mostly focused on the bassinet portion. I like the pop up tent, but like you said, it doesn''t really function as a crib. I keep getting drawn back to the Baby Bjorn Travel Lite Crib..so much $$, but still tempted. I''ll have to take a look at PNP''s this wkend to refresh my memory. Thanks!

Yes, if your DD likes the peapod, I see no reason you could not use it for those times. Amelia sleeps fine in hers and we''ve done overnights with it. At this point for you, I''d buy the bigger one, as it would be more cost effective. You can find them on sale at different online vendors. I got our big one for just 60 bucks or so.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I honestly think a dark stroller would be fine and at least it will hide stains well!

 

[sunkist]

Thanks Tgal and Tacori for the stroller advice!

 

[pennquaker09]

The BOB came today. It's in the garage still in the box.

I ordered mine from REI with the20% code.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Look at this stroller deal!

 

[TravelingGal]

Tacori, that looks to be a hot deal!

Penn, let us know what you think when you put it together!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/13/2009 6:39:21 PM
Author: EBree
I just made it through the whole thread and didn''t see much about bouncers and swings (though I might have missed something, and if so, I apologize!), so I''ll ask about ''em here. I''ve read it''s handy to have both, so onto the registry they''ll both go. But which ones? Can anyone recommend two great models?

Boppy Rock In Comfort <- This one looks nice and portable, but also low. Is it better to have baby in a swing that sits higher?

The bouncer I''m looking at: Boppy Cradle In Comfort

Ebree we have that portable swing. It is very nice and compact for transport, I like the variety of speeds and the music it plays is actually nice! But I ditto curlygirl''s complaint about the headrest, it really isn''t comfortable for a newborn. And also I ditto others suggestions that you wait until you LO is born and try him/her out in a swing to see if baby likes it before you buy. Hunter could care less about the swing

Maybe he will like it more when he is older...

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/13/2009 2:40:27 PM
Author: cdt1101
China - I''m not a mom yet, but we went w/ the City Mini Jogger because I felt like it was an all in one stroller for me. It was light, very easy to push, folds super easy and has an attachment so that you can snap your carseat in. It''s not super cheap at $230 (attachment for snap n go feature is an additional $60), but I only wanted 1 stroller and felt like this one got me that. But I haven''t used it yet, so I''ll report back after June once the kid pops out

I have this stroller! I loooooove it!!! I posted my review 2 or 3 pages back. Now that we use it all the time, I can say I really love it! It is so lightweight, it steers like a dream and putting it in and out of the car is awesome--we made about 4 stops running errends today and each time it took no time at all to get Hunter into the stroller (with the snap and go attachment), I cannot say how nice this was. It is really a one handed fold. I can steer it one handed, and it turns on a dime. Great storage underneath (fits my JuJuBe diaper bag) and on the back of the seat.

My complains are minimal but worth mentioning. When the car seat is snapped on, you cannot open the canopy to cover the sar seat (car seat is too wide). Other, larger strollers I have seen (like the valco) allow this. So the canopy cannot be used when the carseat is attached, which such since the canopy is dreamy. Also, the wheels are not pneumatic and the shocks are not as strong as they are in the Bugaboo or the BOB, this means that when you want to go over a curb/bump that is greater than about 2 inches, you need to put a footon the rear wheel axel and tilt the front wheel over the curb, simply pushing is over the curb will jolt your baby like mad! But other than those complaints, we adore this stroller.

 

[cdt1101]

Dreamer - thanks for the review!! Eventhough we haven''t used it yet, I really feel like it met most of our needs (or what I think our needs will be

). Can''t wait to use it! It''s interesting you say the basket fits your diaper bag, because my one complaint was that it looked small. I couldn''t fit a diaper bag there in the store....but maybe the one i was trying out was too big of a bag......hehehe......glad to hear it''s working for you!!

 

[Pandora II]

Just in case there are any other UK lurkers/members reading - the Bugaboo and the Stokke can both be used as snap n'' go systems as the carseats fit on perfectly (only abut 3 brands of carseat work though - most people seem to go with the Maxi Cosi).

Have also discovered that Euro makes like Bloom, Bugaboo and Stokke are WAY more expensive in the USA than they are in Europe - and we don''t have some of the US makes available over here.

Anyone considering the Stokke Xplory, the Stokke diaper bag fixes to the chassis leaving the whole of the shopping bag available for other things. The only other diaper bag that seems to fix really well is the Skip Hop which gets great reviews and I think is bigger so if you are formula feeding it might be more practical than the Stokke bag.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Here is a great deal on girl bedding! $14!

 

[Burk]

Date: 3/18/2009 7:44:02 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Here is a great deal on girl bedding! $14!

WOW!! Honestly considering ordering it to use if the next one''s a girl. I could always sell it on Ebay if we don''t have another girl.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Burk, I know! I love Dwell too. It is a smoking hot deal!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Volo owners...I used my new skip hop saddle bag on my Volo tonight and it was AWESOME! Gave me MUCH needed storage, place for her sippy and fit perfectly. I got mine on Amazon for under $14. I know they work on many strollers but I have only used it on the Volo.

 

[mela lu]

Date: 3/18/2009 8:54:25 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Burk, I know! I love Dwell too. It is a smoking hot deal!

I cannot get over the deals you get in the US compared to Canada. wow. We have Dwell here, but the bedding set range from $200 - $450 CAD!!! A typical sale would mean maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe 15-20% off. We just don''t have the same deals / coupons / sales here.

I want to buy that only because I cannot get over the steal of a deal

 

[pavelover]

hey mela- just so you know, there is dwell, and then dwell studio for target is a more affordable version- so dont feel too badly about the price difference. its not the same thing. but i bought dwell studio for my baby''s room and i liked it!

 

[mela lu]

Date: 3/20/2009 11:24:01 AM
Author: pavelover
hey mela- just so you know, there is dwell, and then dwell studio for target is a more affordable version- so dont feel too badly about the price difference. its not the same thing. but i bought dwell studio for my baby''s room and i liked it!

Ahh! Good to know. Thanks for that peice of info Pave. It does lessen the blow...some what.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 3/17/2009 9:49:34 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Tacori, that looks to be a hot deal!


Penn, let us know what you think when you put it together!

Well, we put it together, but I''ve been sick so I haven''t had a chance to test it out yet. My initial reaction was that it''s a big stroller, but I''m not that big of a person.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Penn, it is a monster but it steers like a single. I think you will like it. Hope you feel better!

 

[janinegirly]

hi again, can anyone share their experience with Graco PNP for older babies (not the bassient/diaper changer portion). Is it sturdy/comfy enough for sleeping and playing? Pros and cons? Thanks!

Also, what''s been mommies experiences with the most cost effective baby gear site. It seems alot of these coupon codes are no longer as good a deal as they used to be (and annoying to search for)--and seems like prices on most produts are pretty similar. Can''t find any codes for lower cost sites (Albee,etc) and ones which have well known coupons (BRU,etc) always jack up the prices so that ends up around the same anyway.

 

[janinegirly]

another question--has anyone ordered from babycatalog.com? They have some good prices (limited choices though) and a "club" with extra discounts. Just want to make sure it''s a decent/legit business since I''m considering it..

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Janine, I know my friend (who has a graco PNP) liked my Combi better. She said the mattress was thicker. T still sleeps in it when we go on trips.

 

[sunkist]

I'm looking for general crib advice. Convertible? Drop-side? Mini or full-size? Storage drawer underneath? Good or bad brands? Buy online or in a store?

Just wondering what features are totally useful and what others are totally useless. Thanks!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I want to recommend a baby monitor! I haven''t really seen one recommended on here, so here is the first.

We are using the Fisher Price Dual Private Connection Monitor and we really like it. It has 2 *rechargable* receivers, each with its own charging cable, which is key because you can really go through a tonne of batteries. We also find that the monitor is really sensitive! It picks up every little peep than Hunter makes, we can even hear him breathing. Its also has lights that show the decibels being produced, which is a handy feature when you are sleeping you can just look over and see it. It has a very large range as well, which is great for multi-story homes.

Our friends also have this monitor in a very large home and love it.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Sunkist, I have a munire (I heard they are about to raise their prices for anyone thinking about them) convertible, stationary side crib. I was worried about not having a drop side b/c I am short (5''1") but in the end I LOVE it. No moving parts to break or pinch little fingers. Plus it is a really beautiful crib and will be our last child''s big kid bed (double) when it is all said and done. Space was not an issue for us but if it is for you I could see getting a smaller crib.

DD, our angle care monitor also has the light sensors (I think most of them do) and I love it b/c I feel like sometimes I *think* she is crying but she really isn''t. Motherhood makes you crazy!

Also I wanted to suggest our baby bath not sure if I ever have. It is fisher price and I think the "Rainforest" model took over but ours is blue. It has three parts, a newborn hammock, then one side has a bump to help them sit, then the other side is a bigger open space. You might be thinking "Tacori, your daughter is 16 months and you still use it?" Yes we do! Not as a bath but we often take her in the shower with us (she LOVES it) and we put it filled on the floor of the shower and she plays in it while I will wash her hair/body/ect. I know it is a little more expensive but worth it. She also still plays with the three toys it came with.

 

[sunkist]

Thanks, Tacori!

 

[Kay]

Date: 3/7/2009 1:39:37 PM
Author: so cal girl
Since I found out I was pregnant, I have read through this entire thread, and I just have to say thank you to all of you for information you have shared.

I did have one quick question, though. There was a lot of talk about the Uppa Baby Vista, but I''m not sure if anyone actually bought it and has been using it. I really value the opinions on here, so I was just wondering if anyone had a review of it from personal use.

Thanks!

I haven''t been on PS in a while, so my reply may be too late for you, but I love my Vista. Seriously, DH and I have talked several times about how happy we both are with our choice. It pushes like a dream -- I can easily steer it with one hand. The suspension is excellent and it handles rough terrain and sand well. The basket beneath is large and roomy. I often don''t bother with a shopping cart at the grocery store or even Costco -- I just drop everything in the stroller basket. (Obviously that won''t work with really large items, but it is enough for me on most shopping trips -- the tiny basket on the Bugaboo would drive me nuts.) I don''t have much upper body strength, and I manage to get the stroller in and out of the back of our SUV regularly with no problem. (Carrying a 15 pound baby in her car seat from our house to the car is a different story.)

I drive a small SUV (RAV4) most days, but the Vista will fit in the trunk of my convertible. In the SUV, I can fold the Vista up with the car seat adaptor still attached. I love, love, love this stroller -- it was probably my best baby purchase.

When I bought it last year, the best price I found was at babycatalog.com, especially with the 10% member discount.

 

[Kay]

Date: 3/11/2009 1:41:03 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 3/11/2009 10:57:04 AM
Author: pavelover
Pandora Hi I just wanted to chime in and say that in the u.s. they provide electric pumps at the hospital at your bedside, and give you the little kit that plugs in to the machine. that is yours to keep. then if you need to pump at home, there are many ''stores'' attatched to hospitals that rent the hospital grade pumps for your home(here it was like 30 bucks a week or maybe less I forget now...)At the beginning according to the experts you need the ''strength'' of a hospital grade pump especially if baby cannot/does not get on the breast. We just returned ours this week because Tyler is finally feeding on the breast. we researched a bit to get a home pump that was as strong as a hospital grade as I thought I may be pumping forever without breast feeding. No home pump is listed as appropriate for ''permanent'' pumping but I was told that some women had good luck just using those pumps vs. hospital grade pumps. Medela actually has a website with very informational forums and I found many women in similar situations who were pumping permanently.
My point is I would not buy a pump until you see how things go (like you already said) and what you actually are in need of. I have seen pumps for sale used on ebay but this is not recommended as they cannot be sterilized like the hospital grade ones can, although when you look at the pump, it doesn''t seem like it would be a problem.
We ended up buying the medela freestlye because it can run on rechargable batteries, very light etc and can go hands free(although I found the ''hands free attaachment'' parts kind of unwieldy and I think I preferred just using a sports bra with little holes cut in it for the pump parts.
hope that was helpful and not too much blabbing. Let me know if I can help in anyway as I just have been through this part...

Ditto, we rented ours from the hospital for the 3 days I needed it to help get my supply up that first week. I likely won''t buy a pump until much later on.

This is a brilliant idea! I found the double pump annoying because I couldn''t figure out how to hole both pumps, but this would work well I bet!

A friend of mine recommended the Easy Expression Bustier, which is like a strapless sports bra with cutouts for the pump parts. I got mine at the hospital store, but they are also available online. I''m using it right now to pump while I type.

http://www.easyexpressionproducts.com/

 

[Kay]

Date: 3/13/2009 2:24:15 PM
Author: ChinaCat
Hi ladies.

Ok, I am so confused. Can someone please break down the stroller options/lingo for me quickly?

What is the difference b/w a Snap-n-Go and say a BOB or a Bugaboo or a stroller of that nature? I know Bugaboos are super-pricey, so just asking about logistics, not price.

Do people generally have a smaller, lighter ''easier'' stroller AND a bigger, walking/jogging type stroller? Or just one?

I have asked some friends, and one is getting a Bugaboo (expensive) and the other one has 3 strollers, so hoping for a more moderate answer!

Thanks in advance!!!!

I am a suburban mom, so I have to drive to get anywhere I want to use the stroller. I considered buying a Snap-n-Go for the car seat, plus a full featured stroller, but my husband insisted on just getting the big stroller (UppaBaby Vista) with the car seat adaptor. For us, it ended up being the right choice. It is not as light and easy to get in and out of the car as a Snap-n-Go, but it is so easy to maneuver and has a great storage basket, so the trade off of being a little heavier works for me. The car seat pops on/off easily. We might get a lightweight umbrella stroller for travel when A is older.