FOMO Mom Products!
Today's product post is brought to you by WOULDA, COULDA, and my old pal SHOULDA.
First of all, there are ALWAYS new and cool products coming out, especially for children, and I get serious FOMO (fear of missing out) when I see a product come out and we're just past the point where we could use it, due to the developmental stage of Baby A. or weight/height limits of the product.
Still, I thought I'd do a review of a few products I wish I'd had earlier in the game.
#1
The first product I swooned over was the Guava Family Lotus Travel Crib. It's a very sleek-looking travel crib and play yard, in the family of the pack-n-play you typically see. It has a cool zip-down opening in the front that could come in handy for a few reasons:
1) When you're nursing a baby to sleep, you can lay on your side in the crib, since the bottom is resting on the floor, and then be able to slip out and zip up the sides without having to pick up the baby and lay them in the crib and risking a wake up.
2) It is MUCH easier and better for your back to squat down and lay a child on the floor inside of this crib than it is to go up and over the wall of a pack and play... especially for shorter parents or older caretakers with bad backs.
3) That zip-up side is great for play time, since it can zip open and leave a space from which a baby or toddler can crawl out.
Because the bottom of the crib/play yard rests on the ground, there is no way for a toddler to tip it over or collapse to the floor, unlike some traditional pack-n-plays that rest on a platform. This design also reduces any bending or bowing in the mattress, which I have seen happen in our own pack-n-play after about a year of use. Most pack-n-plays have a weight limit, too...this one allows for use much longer than a standard pack-n-play. Also, the see-through mesh surrounds the entire crib area, so you can see the child inside at any angle, which is nice when you don't have a lot of options to position your monitor.
You can also purchase a bassinet attachment for this crib, so that when you first bring your newborn home, you have a raised option that converts into the full travel crib. A sun shade is another cool, but not super necessary, option:
Obviously, every item has some cons along with the awesome pros. This crib is mad expensive, ya'll, and that's not including the extras, like a sheet (you need a specific sheet because it has pre-cut holes for the velcro straps that hold the mattress in place, plus it's not a standard size mattress) and attachments like the bassinet and sun shade. There are some close competitors, like the Baby Bjorn Travel Light, but the comparisons generally have the Lotus coming out on top with the versatility and even price. Some folks had issues getting it open, but if you read the instructions, it's not that hard.
Reasons I wish we had gotten this early in the game: you're gonna need a pack-n-play, for travel, and for us, as an option for having baby sleeping in the room with you at first. You might as well get something you can use for longer, that won't break down as easily, and that allows for some easy transitions.
#2
This cool high chair and walker combo is called the Joovy Spoon. It's a versatile item that allows a baby to sit, walk, eat, and play. Again, I admire the sleek and simplistic design, while still being a product that can be used a ton. It folds flat to store or travel, and it has a huge tray, which, let me tell you, is SUPER useful when you have a tiny human who is learning to eat solid food. I also like this as a space-saving, safe place to sit baby while you get things done. You can sit or attach whatever items you want to the tray, which is removable for cleaning (YESSSSS), as well as the seat cover.
This product would have been great if we'd gotten it around 4-5 months, or just around when Baby A. learned to sit upright on his own and started some solid foods. As it stands, he is already 10 months and according to many reviews, might soon be too tall or too heavy to properly use this walker. We currently have a high chair that he didn't start using until around that age, anyway (the Boon Flair), and while it's beautiful and functional in our home, this walker would have been really nice for now as Baby A. is becoming more mobile. I think this product would be great to pop open to feed Baby A. in and then let him safely burn off some energy while we get dressed and ready for the day, especially for our upcoming travel where high chairs and walkers aren't always going to be available. As it stands, I am looking for a possible travel high chair or booster seat. We tried to put him in his stroller and turn him to face the table during a recent trip, and it's definitely an option, but one that creates a lot of mess that cannot as easily be cleaned up.
Some cons:
1) It has some age/weight/height/ability limits, like you can't use it too early, for a baby that can't sit upright yet. You also can only use it up to a certain height/weight.
2) It can't be your full-time high chair, since you can't pull it up to a table, you can't use it all the time, and when you have a much younger baby, if you're looking for a place to give a bottle or watch baby while you're in the kitchen, you'd probably want a chair that reclines. We sat our swing in the breakfast nook in between our kitchen and living room until Baby A. could sit up in his high chair, so this may not be a real issue for some.
3) There are some studies showing that prolonged walker use is detrimental to baby's back and their ability to walk.
4) Cost... although if you consider that it is a walker AND high chair, you could easily spend $40 on each of those products, and this is a combination of both at around $80. There are definitely other walkers with trays and activity centers, too, but I think the clean look of this and ability to use that wide tray for a myriad of things makes this worth it.
#3
Lastly, I think any pumping momma should invest in a manual hand pump...and I say "invest" very lightly, because the one I bought, the Medela Harmony, was just under $20. This a super practical item, unlike some of my other more frivolous and swoon-worthy product wants. I bought mine only a few months ago because I was doing the Women's March on Washington, and I knew I'd be gone from Baby A. for almost a whole day. I didn't want to lug along my electric pump through the metro and crowds, even though pumping stations were apparently present. This pump can be tossed easily in a bag, and I brought a lid, small cold pack, and an extra storage bag in case I pumped more than one bottle of breast milk.
If I were a working mom, I would buy one of these to keep at work in case I ever forgot my pumping kit or a necessary piece. As it is, I take this pump with me for overnights, and I have been using it every morning to pump off whatever side Baby A. is not eating from so I can put some extra milk away in storage. Once I got the swing of how to get a good seal for suction, I felt like I could pump more milk with this than I ever had with my electric pump; and because you can control the pace a bit more, it feels more comfortable.
Very minor cons include:
1) Possibly needing two hands to use the pump-Baby A. has learned to accommodate my two-hand positioning (one pumping, one holding my breast from the underside) and after a few minutes of a good pump, I can usually just use the pumping hand. Still, I see the benefit of the electric pump + pumping bra combo for some hands-free time. Plus, you can only do one side at a time. Unless you have an extremely dexterous and supportive spouse to do a side for you, haha.
2) Low storage- you can only do one bottle at at time. However, you could find a larger bottle, and if you have Medela products, they all fit with one another and it wouldn't be hard to just click another one in. Honestly, this has not been an issue for me because I have never been a large producer during pumping sessions.
3) This pump clearly declares it is only good for occasional use. I'm not sure if that's because it will break down faster, or if the makers just assume you won't want to manually pump more than occasionally. I have been using mine once every morning pretty consistently for a few months now with no visible degradation.
While you can get a very decent quality pump free through most insurances, I would still get one or two of these to stash for extra pumping opportunities, like a storm that causes a power outage, or the zombie apocalypse. You know, whatever.
I hope you all find these to be useful reviews, and let me know if you have any suggestions!
-Big A.
First of all, there are ALWAYS new and cool products coming out, especially for children, and I get serious FOMO (fear of missing out) when I see a product come out and we're just past the point where we could use it, due to the developmental stage of Baby A. or weight/height limits of the product.
Still, I thought I'd do a review of a few products I wish I'd had earlier in the game.
#1
1) When you're nursing a baby to sleep, you can lay on your side in the crib, since the bottom is resting on the floor, and then be able to slip out and zip up the sides without having to pick up the baby and lay them in the crib and risking a wake up.
2) It is MUCH easier and better for your back to squat down and lay a child on the floor inside of this crib than it is to go up and over the wall of a pack and play... especially for shorter parents or older caretakers with bad backs.
3) That zip-up side is great for play time, since it can zip open and leave a space from which a baby or toddler can crawl out.
Because the bottom of the crib/play yard rests on the ground, there is no way for a toddler to tip it over or collapse to the floor, unlike some traditional pack-n-plays that rest on a platform. This design also reduces any bending or bowing in the mattress, which I have seen happen in our own pack-n-play after about a year of use. Most pack-n-plays have a weight limit, too...this one allows for use much longer than a standard pack-n-play. Also, the see-through mesh surrounds the entire crib area, so you can see the child inside at any angle, which is nice when you don't have a lot of options to position your monitor.
You can also purchase a bassinet attachment for this crib, so that when you first bring your newborn home, you have a raised option that converts into the full travel crib. A sun shade is another cool, but not super necessary, option:
Obviously, every item has some cons along with the awesome pros. This crib is mad expensive, ya'll, and that's not including the extras, like a sheet (you need a specific sheet because it has pre-cut holes for the velcro straps that hold the mattress in place, plus it's not a standard size mattress) and attachments like the bassinet and sun shade. There are some close competitors, like the Baby Bjorn Travel Light, but the comparisons generally have the Lotus coming out on top with the versatility and even price. Some folks had issues getting it open, but if you read the instructions, it's not that hard.
Reasons I wish we had gotten this early in the game: you're gonna need a pack-n-play, for travel, and for us, as an option for having baby sleeping in the room with you at first. You might as well get something you can use for longer, that won't break down as easily, and that allows for some easy transitions.
#2
This product would have been great if we'd gotten it around 4-5 months, or just around when Baby A. learned to sit upright on his own and started some solid foods. As it stands, he is already 10 months and according to many reviews, might soon be too tall or too heavy to properly use this walker. We currently have a high chair that he didn't start using until around that age, anyway (the Boon Flair), and while it's beautiful and functional in our home, this walker would have been really nice for now as Baby A. is becoming more mobile. I think this product would be great to pop open to feed Baby A. in and then let him safely burn off some energy while we get dressed and ready for the day, especially for our upcoming travel where high chairs and walkers aren't always going to be available. As it stands, I am looking for a possible travel high chair or booster seat. We tried to put him in his stroller and turn him to face the table during a recent trip, and it's definitely an option, but one that creates a lot of mess that cannot as easily be cleaned up.
Some cons:
1) It has some age/weight/height/ability limits, like you can't use it too early, for a baby that can't sit upright yet. You also can only use it up to a certain height/weight.
2) It can't be your full-time high chair, since you can't pull it up to a table, you can't use it all the time, and when you have a much younger baby, if you're looking for a place to give a bottle or watch baby while you're in the kitchen, you'd probably want a chair that reclines. We sat our swing in the breakfast nook in between our kitchen and living room until Baby A. could sit up in his high chair, so this may not be a real issue for some.
3) There are some studies showing that prolonged walker use is detrimental to baby's back and their ability to walk.
4) Cost... although if you consider that it is a walker AND high chair, you could easily spend $40 on each of those products, and this is a combination of both at around $80. There are definitely other walkers with trays and activity centers, too, but I think the clean look of this and ability to use that wide tray for a myriad of things makes this worth it.
#3
Lastly, I think any pumping momma should invest in a manual hand pump...and I say "invest" very lightly, because the one I bought, the Medela Harmony, was just under $20. This a super practical item, unlike some of my other more frivolous and swoon-worthy product wants. I bought mine only a few months ago because I was doing the Women's March on Washington, and I knew I'd be gone from Baby A. for almost a whole day. I didn't want to lug along my electric pump through the metro and crowds, even though pumping stations were apparently present. This pump can be tossed easily in a bag, and I brought a lid, small cold pack, and an extra storage bag in case I pumped more than one bottle of breast milk.
If I were a working mom, I would buy one of these to keep at work in case I ever forgot my pumping kit or a necessary piece. As it is, I take this pump with me for overnights, and I have been using it every morning to pump off whatever side Baby A. is not eating from so I can put some extra milk away in storage. Once I got the swing of how to get a good seal for suction, I felt like I could pump more milk with this than I ever had with my electric pump; and because you can control the pace a bit more, it feels more comfortable.
Very minor cons include:
1) Possibly needing two hands to use the pump-Baby A. has learned to accommodate my two-hand positioning (one pumping, one holding my breast from the underside) and after a few minutes of a good pump, I can usually just use the pumping hand. Still, I see the benefit of the electric pump + pumping bra combo for some hands-free time. Plus, you can only do one side at a time. Unless you have an extremely dexterous and supportive spouse to do a side for you, haha.
2) Low storage- you can only do one bottle at at time. However, you could find a larger bottle, and if you have Medela products, they all fit with one another and it wouldn't be hard to just click another one in. Honestly, this has not been an issue for me because I have never been a large producer during pumping sessions.
3) This pump clearly declares it is only good for occasional use. I'm not sure if that's because it will break down faster, or if the makers just assume you won't want to manually pump more than occasionally. I have been using mine once every morning pretty consistently for a few months now with no visible degradation.
While you can get a very decent quality pump free through most insurances, I would still get one or two of these to stash for extra pumping opportunities, like a storm that causes a power outage, or the zombie apocalypse. You know, whatever.
I hope you all find these to be useful reviews, and let me know if you have any suggestions!
-Big A.
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