droolicious : pack n play

Amazon Deal Alert: Graco Pack 'N Plays $50 Off

Chris Ford — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:01:00 GMT

As a new or impending parent, a "pack 'n play" (or some sort of similar portable bed) is something you absolutely think you'll need, but in my experience it's something that you'll only use a few times. But, when you do need one - you really need one. Either way, if you're shopping for one you could do a lot worse than get one for $50 off.

The Pack 'N Plays from Graco that are usually $209.99 are on sale for $159.99 (from Amazon seller Right Start). There is also a more modern-looking option from Combi (the Combi Jazz Play Yard) that's also $50 off.

Check it out at this page on Amazon.com

20 Best Baby Deals on eBay – Save Thousands, Really!

SunnyChanel — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:05:00 GMT

In these days of stock turmoil, credit crunching and good old -fashioned recession style, saving a buck has never been so prudent and, sadly, necessary. If you have a newborn or a bun in the oven, it’s a bit late to “reschedule” that recent or impending birth for a more auspicous era. So although the future financial forecast includes rain, cloud and scattered storms, if you don’t do the standard baby shower route, don’t fret, you can get a significant discount on pert near everything you need for your baby.

Below are 20 baby necessities (not all of them are must haves, but all are popular with the parental units) that are in regular rotation from everyone’s favorite auction site eBay.com. You can get items that are brand spanking new or “gently” used and your savings can, seriously, be phenomenal. Let’s say you bought everything on this list,if you got it all at the retail sticker price you’d pay $3459.39. If you wisely went to eBay and got a mix of used and new items, you could pay as low as $1320.52 for all of it, I mean everything, saving more than $2000! Now that’s a recession friendly deal.

Petunia Picklebottom Diaper Bag
Regular Price = $175
eBay with a range from $36 used to $137.50 new

There are a lot of choices for diapers bags out there. Why did I pick this one? Because I had one and loved it. It has a zip out changing station, two generous sized side pockets, is easy to carry and also tres chic. There are lots of different styles, colors and patterns to choose from .

Medela Breat Pump - In Style with Bag (don't worry it's new!).
Regular Price = $350.99
eBay price range - $260.50 to $200

Yeah, this is something that would probably be best bought brand new. You could always save even more by renting one but if you know you'll get lots of use out of it, you might as well just make that investment.

Baby Bjorn Original Carrier in City Black
Regular Price = $89.99
eBay: $1.04 (used) to $84.99 (new)
The always popular and utterly classic Baby Bjorn is the go-to carrier for both moms and dads. It’s practical, safe and makes multitasking with a baby plausible and possible.

Native Baby Sling
Regular Price: $54.00
eBay: $8.07 (used) to $34.99
For those of you who prefer to sling instead of Bjorn (or perhaps you play both sides of the baby carrier field) there are many options in slings out there and almost all of them are listed on eBay. I picked the Native Baby Sling since that is the one I used with my daughter and we both loved it. Simple, no straps, buttons, or zippers. Just cloth, baby and me.

Britax Marathon Car Seat New - Various covers
Regular: $279.99
eBay: $92.74 to $279.99

Your newborn won’t be able to cold chill in the Britax Marathon Car Seat right away, but one thing about those kids, they grow quick. So having a car seat ready to go when they suddenly grow out of their infant seat is a good thing to keep in your basement. I’m a fan of the popular Britax Marathon Car Seat. Not only is it sturdy and safe, but it comes in many interesting patterns and hues.

Mobile -
Regular: Wide, wide range
eBay .81cents to $69.00
(one pictured above is $39.99)
When my daughter was a baby, I was convinced the mobile was what was keeping her up at night. So I pretty much immediately tore it off her crib. Other parents swear by them. There is an extremely wide range of mobiles from modern to Mickey.

Fisher-Price Butterfly Garden Papasan Cradle Swing
Regular: $160
eBay: $36 (used) to $129.99
The Fisher-Price Papasan series of swings are a great way to cradle and keep your baby safe so you can do crazy things like brush your teeth, make a meal or just sit down and space out for a couple minutes. Babies grow out of these pretty quickly so getting one in good condition on the second hand market is a pretty easy feat.

Graco Quattro Tour Travel System
Regular: $239.99
eBay: $49.99 (used) to $239.99
The Graco Quattro Tour Travel System will take your baby on their first car trip home from the hosptial to strolling them when they're a big-ole toddler. The set comes with a car seat base, infant car seat and the "tour "stroller (which the car seat easily snaps into). The above pictured unit is in the Kasbah pattern but there are a variety of hues and patterns to choose from .

BebeSounds Flat Screen Baby Monitor:
Regular: $200
eBay: $127.50
Things have certainly gotten high tech in the world of baby monitors. Instead of just listening for your baby's cries, you can peek in on your little one with a petite video monitoring device, and via a flat screen at that. When you don't need to watch them in their crib anymore, just put the camera next to the cookie jar.

Huggies Diapers Jumbo Pack
Regular: $12.92 (56 diapers) to $62.00 (220 diapers)
eBay: $5.50 (56 diapers) to $26.11 (192 diapers)
Yes, you can even buy diapers on eBay. There are a variety of brands, styles and sizes. Although you may take a toll on shipping, but even so the price may be much better than at your local drugstore.

Prince Lionheart Diaper Warmer
Regular Price: $23.00
eBay: $2.99 (used) to $21.99 (new)
If you choose to warm up those wipes for your baby's bum, the Prince Lionheart will keep them moist and warm.

Baby Trend Diaper Champ
Regular Price: $29.99
eBay: $8.99 to $19.50 (new)
There are several disposable diaper contraptions out there. But my favorite is the diaper champ since you can use whatever bag you want and don’t have to buy any kind of special replacements. You can risk buying a used one, but you risk also purchasing some lingering smells. I’d splurge here and buy new.

Stokke Tripp Trap Highchair
Regular Price: $249
eBay: $128 (used) to $227.50 (new)
If you’re fond of the convertible furniture pieces, than you may be a fan of the simplicity and multi-aged usage aspect of the Stokke Tripp Trap highchair. You can get padding to cradle the youngin’s and you can adjust the chair to grow with them. Plus, it’s just so damn Swedish looking.

Bugaboo Cameleon Stroller
Regular Price: $899
eBay: $355.55 (used) to $835 (new)

Yeah, this is the big ticket item on the list. But if you’ve lusted after the celebrity style of the highfalutin Bugaboo, for god’s sake, don’t buy one for $899. Seeing one recently sell for $355.55 almost makes it affordable.

Baby Einstein Activity Gym
Regular Price: $49.99
eBay: $3.25 (used) $41.00 (new)
The activity gym is another great item to keep your immobile kid active and interested. It’s soft, colorful and portable. Mine used the Baby Einstein one and loved it. But it is another item that has a short lifespan in babyhood, so picked up a used one isn’t a bad idea, just look for one sans spit-up.

Fisher Price Zen Collection Luxury Gliding Bassinet
Regular Price: $219.99
eBay: $170 to $219.99
An attractive peaceful place for your baby to lay their pliable little head. The "Zen" provides a smoothing enviroment that features music, nature sounds, and even womb sounds and has a smooth gliding motion to rock the baby to sleep. Man, I think I need one of those for myself.

Dwell Studio 3-Piece Zoo Crib Set
Regular Price: $79.99
eBay: $14.99 to $41.00
Who doesn’t love Dwell? I know we at Babble sure do. Their simple, modern designs are pert near perfect for any nursery. And with their line for Target, the beddings were finally affordable. Add eBay into the mix and it gets darn right cheap. The above pictured set is in the Zoo pattern and includes a fitted crib sheet, comforter and a bumper pad.

Graco Pack 'N' Play Portable Play Yard
Regular Price: $179.99
eBay: $35.00 (for a simple used one) to $129.99 (for one like the item above)
I personally didn’t use a Pack N’ Play but I know many, many parents who swear by them. If you travel, bring your kids places where the environment may not be baby proofed or if you just need to put them down for a second, the Pack n’ Play seems to fit the bill. There are oddles of styles on ebay from old-school versions for dirt cheap prices to ones with all the bells and whistles.

Boppy Nursing Pillow
Regular Price: $34.99
eBay: $2.99 (used) to $19.99 (new)
If you nurse, then you bop. The breast feeding pillow, like the above Boppy Nursing Pillow and the My Breast Friend, makes nursing a much more comfortable affair for both mom and the baby. There are lots of Boppy covers out there so if you don’t like the cheap Boppy you found on eBay you can always buy it and then bid on a more stylish cover.

Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo
Regular Price: $89.99
eBay: $20.50 (Used) to $79.95
Yes, yet another tool to occupy your baby. Personally, I’m fond of the Jumperoo, they get to strengthen those leg muscles, get their wiggles out and pretty much just jump for joy. And I prefer the stand alone version rather than the kind that just fastens preciously from your door frame. And seeing the bidding wars for these on eBay, it looks like I’m not the only one who is a fan.

The Droolicious Shopping Guide: Graco Playards

Chloe20022 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:29:00 GMT

Graco knows what you need…a break. Feeding, changing, rocking—you're exhausted and need a place to put that baby down. Finding a safe a convenient spot to set your little squawker (mommy needs a shower and daddy needs some coffee) is the trick. Graco’s got dozens of playard models--some loaded with features, some bare bones—designed to keep baby out of trouble. We put the newest, the Suite Solutions up against Graco’s tried and true.

Placing baby in a sturdy Pack 'N Play (Graco’s trademark term for a playard) makes everybody happy; baby’s cozy and mommy’s got her hands free. If you plan on putting off your crib purchase for a while, the Suite Solutions can get you through the first few months. The elevated oval bassinet is an ideal spot for a newborn’s nap. Wide awake and ready to explore? Busy babes will coo for the Suite Solutions’ built-in entertainment center. Graco calls it the “soothe n’ amuse machine,” we call it mommy’s secret sleep weapon thanks to the vibrations, music, and nature sounds. While we think the prints are fussy and long for more contemporary looks, we love the Suite Solutions’ practical touches. ($229)

Pros: Accessories galore! Bassinet, shelves, changing table, sun canopy, and integrated soothers.

Cons: Expensive and bulky (this model weighs more than 30 pounds and measures 39H x 29.8W x 41L"), the Suite Solutions is too convoluted for travel.

Best For: Any home with multiple floors where an all-in-one baby station would come in handy.

Silhouette Pack 'N Play: Versatile and sturdy, this playard on wheels can be pushed in and out of rooms to accommodate baby’s schedule. ($149.99-$199.99 dependent upon print)

Pros: Update patterns (love the Deco print) combined with baby soothing system and changing stationmake this an ideal mini bedroom.

Cons: Still heavy (nearly 30 pounds) and with all the extras attached, this model is a pain to take on trips.

Best For: A cozy nest at grandma’s house.

Travel Lite Crib: Lightweight Pack 'N Play model with a few extras, such as canopy and dangling soft toys. ($79.99)

Pros: Weighs less than 20 pounds and is 20% smaller than a traditional Pack ‘n Play. Easy to break down and set up.

Cons: NBA players beware: The 32” length may squish your leggy babes.

Best for: Travel with a tiny baby.

Pack ‘N Play Playard: Roomy, square playard without accessories. ($84.99)

Pros: Easy set up (30 seconds).

Cons: One height setting. Pack 'N Play sheets won’t fit the 38” x 38” space so it's hard to keep mat clean.

Best for: Giving junior a safe place for quiet play while Mommy wolfs down a meal.

Pack ‘N Play Playard in Safari Friends: Value-priced travel companion. ($59.99)

Pros: Roomy sleep space (nearly 40” long) yet compact and light. Push-button fold is a cinch to operate.

Cons: While on the road, you’ll need a separate changing station.

Best for: Family vacations with baby in tow.

First Week Home: 5 Essential Babble Bests

editors — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:04:00 GMT

I based most of my registry off our Babble Best lists – because I know how much time and effort our writers put into testing all those products, and Lord knows I didn’t have time to test all the available diaper pails myself. I highly recommend this strategy. Here are 6 Babble Bests that are getting lots of mileage in my house (as modeled by my son). — Gwynne Watkins

1. Eddie Bauer Complete Care Play Yard - from Babble Best Play Yards

It’s a changing table, bassinet and play area in one. The design is ingenious. And my baby is obsessed with the included mobile.

2. Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Blankets - from Babble Best Swaddle Blankets

These Velcro-tabbed blankets make swaddling a cinch for the parents – and the baby actually stays wrapped all night.

3. Diaper Dekor - from Babble Best Diaper Pails

I was skeptical about the refill system (it doesn't take conventional garbage bags), but it's ridiculously easy to use and refills last weeks. Plus, the diaper smell is totally, miraculously contained.

4. My Brest Friend - from Babble Best Nursing Pillows

I love the Boppy for several reasons (we’ll get to that in the next post), but in the early days of learning to feed – when the baby was tiny and I was exhausted – the extra support from the My Brest Friend was a lifesaver.

5. Petunia Pickle Bottom Socks from Babble Best Infant Socks

Totally adorable socks (argyle!) that actually stay on the kid’s feet. Okay, fine, so they’re not essential, but when do you get another chance to buy something this cute?