Do Not Recommend: Fisher Price Corner Tub Caddy

I was unable to find a link, picture, and price for this item on babiesrus.com (the store it was purchased from), but I was able to find it on amazon.com

List Price: $14.99

Pros:
-reputable brand name
-cute to look at. fun.
-good size for those smaller bath toys
-gender neutral

Cons:
-small, in my opinion (but maybe we have too many toys in the tub?)
-suction doesn't hold at all

The bottom line for me is that this item doesn't stick to the wall. It doesn't stick when there are toys inside and it doesn't stick when it's empty. I attempted to use it on several different occasions and never did it stick for longer than a minute. I personally am very disappointed in this item and would not recommend it.

Do not recommend: food trays

Kidco Babysteps Freezer Storage Tray

Price: $9.99

I bought this product on a whim from babies r us. I kept reading how people freeze baby food in these trays and simply thaw one or two at a time for the baby. The set comes with 2 trays and each tray has seven 2oz cubes.

Pros:

-freezes individual portions

-writing surface (if you have a dry erase marker) to mark dates & foods

-dishwasher safe

-stackable

-BPA free

Cons:

-when I measured each compartment I found that they are actually 1 ounce each, not 2 like they say

-my food was getting freezer burnt

Recommend: I could get over the fact that each compartment is only 1 ounce, but I did not like that the food was freezer burnt after just one night. If someone asked for my recommendation I would probably steer them in the direction of the Stay Fresh Baby Food Containers instead. For almost the same price you get more storage and less ice crystals.

Do Not Recommend: Baby Einstein Take Along Caterpillar

Price: $16.99

When I first saw this item I fell in love with it! It looked so cute and interactive that I just had to have it! Unfortunately after a little time, my opinion changed.

Pros:

- Adorable design

- multiple interactive options - educational

- brand name product with a good reputation

Cons:

- there are two pieces that hang down for the baby to grab on to. Whenever you push the handle back to get the baby out of the car seat, the dangling parts smack him in the head

- music box feature no longer works properly. We have only used this a handful of times and it's already not working after 3 months

- velcro straps that hold it to the handle are not adjustable 

- most of the interactive features are too high for the baby to reach (could change as he gets older)

- Sometimes when carrying my infant seat I try to grab it by putting my arm through the handle and holding it close to my body (as opposed to just holding it with my hand away from my body). This item gets in the way. 

- even though Jude looks at and 'plays' with other toys, this hasn't really caught his eye (could change with age).

Would I Recommend: No. While it's fairly priced, I just don't think it's worth it. I've seen plenty of other car seat toys that seem to be just as adorable in the same price range that could be much more practical. 

Do Not Recommend: Jeep Liberty

I bought my Jeep Liberty brand new in 2006 after Ryan and I got Zoey (our late Chocolate Lab) and got engaged. I excitedly traded in my Scion tC for this transition vehicle that I thought would be great to get us started with our family, tote the dog around in the back and be great for hauling things on our infrequent trips to NC (and other locations). Zoey never stayed in the back cargo area, so reason #1 was quickly foiled.

When buying it, I wasn’t too pleased that I wouldn’t be getting any of the fancy little odds and ends (it was a give and take deal – I really wanted a manual transmission and they all came without any extras) but sucked it up anyway. For the first couple of months I loved it, but after the initial new car excitement my thrill with the vehicle dropped quickly. I had a number of issues with the automatic windows (a factory recall issue that kept going bad), I missed having a sun roof and paying for more gas was just lame. Being that they have come out with newer models and the demand for SUV’s is dropping though, it’s no longer worth what I owe and so trading it in is not a simple feat.

Now that Jude is here and we’ve been using it as a family vehicle for the past 3 months, I have new complaints that go beyond my original dislikes:

Pros:
- A sufficient amount of storage in the rear of the vehicle
- Comes equipped with a full size spare
- Newer models come with a lifetime warranty
- Higher up than a sedan to make you ‘feel’ safer?

Cons:
- Car seat needs to be installed in the middle of the seat, but both of the “latch” system restraints are on the right and left seats – so you can’t utilize the latch system until you have two car seats (at which point I’m assuming it become ok for left or right seat installation). This isn’t too big of a deal though because you can use the middle seat restraint system.
- I’m not too tall (but I’m not too short either) and it’s difficult to reach into the middle to get Jude’s infant seat in and out of the vehicle.
- Rear storage is exposed (not like a normal trunk). We were told by the car seat safety expert at the DMV that in an accident those items stored in the back could roll over the seat and into your child, so everything in the trunk area needs to be restrained
- I believe my car seat is on the large size of infant seats, so this might not be an issue for all car seats, but currently the back seat is not large enough for the seat. The front seats can not recline nor be pushed back too far without hitting the back of the car seat so it could be cramped in the front seat (not an issue for Ryan and I, but for taller people it can be).

Would I Recommend: NO. Before I had a child I didn’t like it. Now that I have a child I dislike it even more. I’m currently looking to trade it in for a 4 door car that’s lower to the ground with a deeper/more spacious back seat. For anyone in the market for a car that would work with their family, I highly recommend trying your particular car seat in the back seat and checking out installation information before purchasing. Obviously 3 years ago this wasn’t something we were really thinking about, but now that I’m in the market for a new car it’s a big priority.

Nursing Wraps

Basic Comfort Nursing Wrap
price: $10.99

Being that I am quite modest, a nursing wrap was a must for me. I registered for this wrap because it was reasonable priced and it seemed like a great idea. There is a special pocket at one corner of the wrap that contains a little weight. You are supposed to drape the weighted pocket over your shoulder so the wrap wouldn't slide off your shoulder and expose you. I used this wrap only twice but was very uncomfortable both times. Trent and I were new to nursing at the time, so I still needed to use both hands and my eyes to get him latched on. I ended up draping the wrap over my head so that I could get Trent latched. I looked ridiculous!! And I was very aware that I was not as covered as I would have liked to be. Once he was latched I peaked my head out from under the wrap and would continue to peak under to see how he was doing. While the weight definitely helped, it did not prevent slippage 100%. After using this wrap twice I went out and bought myself the "peanut shell" (see below)
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Peanut Shell
price: $29.99

Barbie's Take: The picture does not accurately show this wrap, in my opinion. There is a strap that goes around your neck, to keep it up, and a wire of sorts that creates a window for you to look down and see your baby. This is great for eye contact (bonding) and the baby gets more air flow (when compared to wraps like above, or a cloth diaper - which many people use). I would recommend this wrap to anyone who is modest and wants something more full-coverage. There are several different designs to choose from (especially if you would consider purchasing the wrap online). The only downfall, in my opinion, is that the wrap doesn't have enough fabric for a baby who likes to grab and pull. I find myself occasionally tugging after Trent's hands to keep myself concealed. I would like to try making my own with just a little more overall coverage.


Alicia's Take:When selecting a nursing wrap I remember browsing around at BRU and not being 100% sure which way to go – there were only so many options. After putting the standard nursing wrap (above) on my registry, Barbie told me it was a bad choice and to switch to the peanut shell, so I did! I found a pattern I liked (the vanilla bean design shown) and so was pleased with the overall quality. It came with a cute little burp cloth to match and an elastic band to hold the set together folded up tight.

Usually if I’m nursing outside of our home, I’m in my car in the depths of the parking lot (and when I’m not in the depths of the parking lot, I typically don’t care if someone’s staring through my tinted windows – don’t look if you don’t want to see), so a nursing wrap is not 100% necessary. In this situation, we get latched on and once we’re comfortable I toss a receiving blanket over my shoulder just in case someone walks by. However, the handful of times that I have used this nursing wrap I was pretty pleased with it. The little peep hole is convenient and much better than juggling baby and blanket while latching on.

As Barbie noted though, it could be bigger – and this is coming from two fairly small-medium sized women. If I’m not wearing a nursing tank top, then to get to the nursing bra my side-fat is exposed while my shirt’s up around my neck. I have contemplated purchasing a poncho style nursing wrap that goes all the way around my body to avoid the side-fat exposure, but considering how infrequently I use the wrap I currently have, I’m not sure that it’s worth the extra investment. All in all though I’d say the peanut shell wrap is worth the money and probably one of the best that BRU has to offer. If you’re shopping around online though, I’m sure you could find something with more coverage if that’s something you’re concerned with.

Do Not Recommend: Bebe Sounds Prenatal Heart Listener

Price: $19.99-39.99

Shortly after finding out we were pregnant, Kevin and I made a couple trips to Babies R Us, just to try to figure out where to begin. During one of our first trips we found this item - its a little hand-held device that has a microphone on it, that comes with 2 sets of headphones. You press the microphone up to your belly and move it around - with practice and patience you will eventually hear the baby. At least that's what they tell ya. Kevin and I heard a whole bunch of noises, but none were the baby. For a while we actually thought we heard the baby swishing around in my belly, but were disappointed to hear the same exact noises when we put the microphone on Kevin's tummy.

Pros:
-you can buy the Heart Listener with just 1 set of headphones, 2 sets, or 2 sets and a audio recorder - depending on how much you want to spend
-you actually do hear a lot of noise
-includes a pamphlet that walks you through the process (from how you should lay, to the best time of day, to the different noises you could hear)

Cons:
-it does not work (not for us, at least)

It requires one 9v battery, but I can't honestly remember if the battery was included or not.

Recommend: NO. Just wait for your doctor to do the doppler on you. Or spend the money to purchase your own doppler. Ebay is rumored to be the place to go for them - i believe they are in the $100 ballpark.

Baby Trend Pack n Play vs. Graco Pack n Play (in Deco)

Baby Trend Pack n Play (Orange Oak)
Price: my playard came from BRU, however, it is no longer on the website and I do not remember the price. Walmart has this item on their website for $109.98

Once again I chose this item because I liked the way it looked.

Pros:
-lovely music box/night light/vibration device
-has wheels to make it easy to slide across the floor. also has locks on the wheels
-MP3 attachment option (i never used)
-once you fold it up it's easy to transport and takes up minimal space
-nice pattern (if you like orange)
-Great "parent organizer" tray
-great changing table feature. We used it well beyond the recommended weight (tsk tsk) and found that it held up nicely
-changing table has a buckle for baby
-fairly easy to clean
-a great height for me (im 5'-0")

Cons:
-plain mobile
-mobile only played music for a minute or two
-the sunshade kept unbuttoning so we took it off all together
-very difficult to fold up and unfold
-just too wide to fit through doorways

Would I Recommend: I'm torn. We used this product all the time (even on vacation), and we will use it again for baby #2, but I probably would not recommend it to others. I found it impossible to collapse by myself, and my husband really struggled as well. Again, you should play with all the playards prior to purchasing or registering for one. Looks should take a backseat to usability

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Graco Pack n Play (in Deco):
Price:$189.99



When picking out registry items, I had heard of Graco, I had heard good things about Graco, so I registered for Graco. In addition I found the Deco pattern and just about all the large baby-gear items I was registering for came in that pattern. It might be lame, but I liked the idea of everything matching (from bouncing seat to highchair).

Pros:
- The bassinet feature makes it nice to not have to bend to put baby all the way in the bottom of the play pen.
- changing table makes it convenient to change in the living room.
- nice/neutral pattern (a personal opinion of course)
- has wheels to make it easy to slide across the floor
- has a 'soothing vibrations' pack to put under the bassinet and MP3 player/soothing sounds player, etc.
- seemingly sturdy frame
-pretty easy to put together initially
- folds up fairly easy - and collapses for easy transportation
- fitted sheets available for the mattress/pad

Cons:
- the changing station folds up and down easily, but it'd be nice to have the release button on both sides (slightly difficult to put up/down with baby in hands) or on the bar/in the middle.
- canopy/sunshade is only held up by little pieces of velcro - and a pretty boring mobile (little hanging bears)
- Bassinet portion and changing station doesn't fit into the travel bag so you can't take it with you. This is poor planning on Graco's part because one would think if you're taking it on vacation it'd be nice to have the changing station.
- main support bars for the bassinet are a tight squeeze making it a little difficult to put together - but not impossible.
- has a handy changing station storage system, but not very practical for us (we use cloth diapers though, so it might work out better with disposables).
- Just SLIGHTLY too large to fit through door ways so you have to break it down if you're moving it from room to room (this involves removing the bassinet, unhinging the sides and pulling up the base - nothing too difficult, but annoying if you'll just be moving it back in a day or two).

Would I Recommend: Comparing the two reviews I feel like the main benefit is that it's easier to collapse (it's up to you whether that's worth 80 dollars). I'm pretty happy with my decision on this particular item and I'm sure it will get plenty of use out of it not just for Jude, but with baby number 2 - but I may have been just as pleased with any other brand. Really, they could have skipped the soothing vibrations pack and the music player though because I don't think batteries even made it in this particular item. It has served it's purpose as a pack n play without any major complaints though.

Do Not Recommend: Sassy Earth Smart Diaper Sack Dispenser

Price: $5.49

I often wondered what I would do with poopy diapers while I was out and about...namely, at a person's house.

While at BRU (Babies R Us) one day, this cute little accessory caught my eye. I thought it'd be perfect for us. It's only a couple inches big, so it'd fit right into the bottom of my diaper bag and be super convenient for those stinky diapers I was so concerned about.

Well, I've used maybe a dozen or so of the bags and I can honestly say this item is not worth the $5.49. It's not so much the container that I don't like, its the actual bags that are a waste - and the bags make up half the product. Every other bag I use rips before I even get it open! Because of this I do not recommend the product.

Since Trent's poops weren't super poopy-smelling for a while (until recently) I found myself simply putting the diaper right in the kitchen trash. If you don't feel comfortable doing that (understandably) I'd recommend putting the diaper in a grocery bag and tying it together and/or putting the diaper in the outdoor trash can.

Pros:

-snazzy colors/designs

-case has a hook for easy access

-refill bags are seemingly easy to come by at BRU

-the scent of the bags is very mild

-case comes with 25 bags to begin with

-biodegradable

Cons:

-bags are terrible quality

Baby Trend Travel System vs. Graco Stroller and Car Seat

Baby Trend Travel System (Orange Oak):

Travel System Price: I believe the system was approximately $169.99

The travel system I own is no longer available on Babiesrus.com, therefore I can not provide an exact price. The reason I chose this travel system is because I liked the way it looked. We did not know if we were having a boy or girl, so we needed something gender neutral. I'm on a big orange kick right now, so majority of our large baby items have orange in it. In hindsight I wish I had played with the travel systems on display for a bit before choosing one to register for.

Pros:

-affordable

-nice colors (if you like orange)

-car seat attaches to, and removes from, stroller easily

-stroller has a nice window feature so you can peak in on the baby if he's sleeping

-stroller has a nice cup holder tray with storage compartment

Cons:

-car seat handle is very difficult to adjust

-stroller was oftentimes difficult to collapse

-strollers storage basket on the bottom is not very large and barely holds my diaper bag

-harness system on car seat is a pain to deal with

-car seat is very heavy and awkward (though, I'm assuming all car seats are heavy and awkward to handle)

-car seat does not come with a head positioner for newborns

Would I recommend: No. My husband actually had a woman come up to him in BRU saying she was about to register for this system, and she asked if he liked it. He immediately told her it was junk and he had her check our out. It didn't take long before she realized it was not the best system out there.

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Graco Quattro Tour Stroller and SnugRide Car Seat:

Stroller Price: $149.99
Car Seat Price: $149.99

Total Set Price: $299.98

Note: I have the Quattro Tour Stroller and the Safe Seat, not the Snug ride in "french roast". The Safe Seat was recently replaced by the SnugRide. When comparing them in the store, I determined they're very comparable and it seems the biggest difference is that the SafeSeat holds babies up to 30 pounds and the SnugRide up to 35 pounds. In addition the "french roast" pattern was discontinued.

There is no particular reason why I chose to buy the two separately as opposed to in a set other than I liked the green and brown color better than any other Travel Systems I saw. It offered the same convenience as a Travel System though and really is no different.

Pros:

-The car seat goes up to 30 or 32 pounds - most other infant car seats only go up to 20-some pounds, so you'll get more time out of it.
- They both seem to be of great quality and very durable.

- Car seat adjusts easily

- When comparing how easy it is to move the carrying handle recently (compared to above brand), the Graco won hands down.

- Comes with a built-in head rest. This is nice because 'technically' you shouldn't be using a head rest/head positioner unless your car seat comes with one that is crash-tested.

- Window on the side to confirm that car seat is positioned correctly

- Easy to get car seat in and out of base

- Car Seat attaches easily to stroller and has locks to keep it in place

- Stroller is a great height for us - and seems like it wouldn't be too low for taller couples.

- Stroller moves easily - not difficult to steer.

- Convenient to leave baby in the car seat when sleeping or going in a restaurant.

Cons:

- Price! More expensive to buy the two pieces individually than in a set.

- Even though it holds babies up to 30 pounds, it's already getting heavy, so pretty impractical that we'll need it that long - it's not uncommon now for me to just carry him in a store, etc.

- Strollers storage basket on the bottom is not very large and barely holds my diaper bag

- Stroller seat needs to be straight up to get items into/out of the storage basket, but down to put the car seat in making it difficult to access quickly.

- While the harness system on the car seat is great, in general I'm not a huge fan of the harness system on the rest of my graco products. I still haven't totally figured out how to adjust the sizes and the way they fit together is almost annoying.

- Stroller is large and takes up a significant amount of space in your vehicle.

Would I recommend: I'm very torn about whether I'd recommend a Travel System to any one at all (no matter what the brand). Part of me loves it, part of me hates it - the car seat gets heavy quickly, the strollers are pretty bulky, but it's nice to be able to move baby easily while sleeping and I'm sure would be great to get him in his car seat inside during the winter instead of in the cold. If I had to recommend a Travel System though, I would say that the Graco brand is all around wonderful. To save some money though, try to find a pattern you like that comes in a set and be sure to check the weight capacity on the car seat to get more bang for your buck.