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• Budget Baby: Cutting Corners on Baby Stuff

  There's some ridiculous figure out there about how much it costs to raise a baby to adulthood. Of course, that seems to assume that you buy everything new, for yourself  (no showers or hand me downs or whatever), disposable diaper and bottle feed, have your little darlings in every activity known to humanity and so forth. Still, even with generous friends and families and an eye for resale, it can be breathtaking how much it actually costs to have a little baby around. We've been out of babyland for a couple years and now are horrified at how much money goes out of this house on a weekly basis, and we mostly cloth diaper and only supplement with formula here and there (he's four months old and we're still on the free cans from the hospital). And he's not even eating solids yet. Consumer Reports, a.k.a bible of the thrifty dork, is on the case. Read More... Posted Jun 17 2008, 09:52 PM by AmyinMotown with | with 11 comment(s) Filed under: babies, Consumer Reports, saving money, diapers, baby gear, formula, Costco, budget baby, coupon clubs

• Budget Baby: What Gear Do You Really Need?

  If you believe the hype, you could think you need to spend thousands of dollars and acquire oceans of crap to properly raise your baby – much of which you'll use once and discover your baby loathes it with all the fury a 10-lb. person can muster. One of the rituals of pre-parenthood is the requisite meltdown in Babies-R-Us when confronted with 30 different kinds of bottles and 50 different strollers, with no clue about what makes one better than the other. But here at Budget Baby we're all about helping you resist the tide of crap while enjoying outfitting your little pumpkin. To that end, I liked this blog entry on Green Baby Guide on "Baby Gear I Lived Without."   Read More... Posted Apr 29 2008, 08:03 AM by AmyinMotown with | with 19 comment(s) Filed under: babies, baby gear, consumerism, monitor, useless, budget baby, useful, Green Baby Guide

• Pregcellent: What Gear Do You Need?

  There's a post on HuffPo about some fairly ridiculous gadgets for parents. You can get a fancy-pants baby timer for tracking your baby's sleep and nap and diaper schedule, presumably to help avoid the age-old question, "Crap, when did the baby last eat?" Of course, when I had a newborn I could barely dial a phone number, much less program a handheld device with four timers. And there's also the LENA System, which records conversations between you and your baby and analyzes them on a computer. I know I would not want to be caught on tape making annoying babbling sounds, but perhaps this is good practice for the kid should they ever come under government surveillance. But perhaps you own these things, and find them indispensable. 'Course this all raises the question: What exactly do you need? Anywhere... Read More... Posted Mar 05 2008, 11:34 AM by Kelly Mills with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, babies, diapers, infants, cribs, stroller, baby gear, robot, bouncy seat, pregcellent, surveillance, new parents, computer, monitor, night nurse, swing, lena system, timer

• Stroller Consultants?! Could We BE Any Lazier?

  It was just another typical weekday at 2 o'clock. I was doing my dutiful flipping through a (rather) recent issue of Cookie magazine while my kid was playing with a hammer and Matchbox cars while sitting on the small plastic potty, when the words jumped off the page and shook me out of my normal mommy moment on the bathroom floor. There it was, tucked into the corner of all the boutique advertisements and notices: an ad for stroller consultants. STROLLER CONSULTANTS. And the chipper pink tag line read, "Let us help you pick your perfect stroller!" What the hell? Read More... Posted Oct 31 2007, 11:31 AM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: strollers, baby gear, baby gear trends, laziness

• Half the Baby Stuff You Get is Useless Crap

  One of the most stunning things about new babies, aside from the whole no-sleep, breastfeeding-hurts, my-god-my-hormones, boy-is-this-thing-needy shockers, is the vast amount of gear you end up with. It's a miracle the human race survived this long without special expandable strollers with cupholders and seats that vibrate like a magic fingers bed in a cheap motel. In an effort to help you whittle down that baby baggage, this blog compiled a list of gadgets you will probably not need. We, of course, can think of a couple more.   Read More... Posted Aug 14 2007, 01:06 PM by Kelly Mills with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: newborns, babies, wipe warmers, baby gear

• Babies Deserve Push Prizes Too

  If you think your kid doesn't get enough love and praise from the grandparents, you could go that extra special step that says "I'm a great parent" by bestowing upon your seed a trophy -- a trophy for simply being born. I'm not joking. Read More... Posted Jul 30 2007, 08:03 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with no comments Filed under: baby, Baby Trend, baby gear

• Live in NYC? Help Needy Kids With This Cause

  Resources in the suburbs where I live are often pretty slim when it comes to lending a hand to people who need it, and often people don't have a clue where to go or to whom they might turn. In my Happy Bubble World, though, I'm thinking that it's different in cities: a higher population density leads naturally to more services for those who need them. And often, who needs a hand more than parents? Raising kids takes some serious cash, and it's a sad fact that a lot of moms and dads just don't have the wherewithal to procure all the gear and such that babies need. Baby Buggy of NYC helps provide needy kids and families with baby gear and clothing in the five-borough area, and if you're local, you can lend much-needed hand this month. You can help out sorting clothing and baby gear on Thursday, June 28, 2007 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at Baby Buggy at 520 8th Avenue, 8th Floor, New York. Why not spend a couple of hours for a good cause? (Be sure to click the link to RSVP and get directions.) Posted Jun 11 2007, 09:06 AM by Karen Murphy with | with no comments Filed under: NYC, baby gear, worthy cause, helping hand, volunteer, Baby Buggy

• The Double Stroller Dilemma

  Blogger I Hate Snaps is pondering the purchase of a doubler-stroller and wondering whether to go for the tandem (front/back) or side-to-side versions. If you are pregnant and have a toddler you might also be facing this dilemma. I was, and as a result, I obsessively researched double strollers during the last six months of my pregnancy with my second. My eldest would be just over two when the baby was born, and as a city kid, was no where near giving up the stroller. My mission (influenced by my beloved, 9-pound, easily-foldable Maclaren Volo) was to try and find the lightest, most easily-foldable double stroller possible for the most reasonable price. That was not an easy task and, despite my letter-writing campaign, Maclaren did not release a double Volo by the time by second daughter was born. I would have loved to just be able to sling the baby and push the toddler in the single stroller, another one of those "in a perfect world" pieces of advice, but sometimes, you just want to go on a long walk without something attached to you. It's bad enough that you have to push an SUV down the sidewalk.  Some key things to consider when purchasing a double stroller (aside from cost, how often you will fold/unfold it, and weight restrictions) are where you live and the age of the kids. If you live in a city, a double-wide doesn't always work on crowded sidewalks or in small grocery stores that barely fit shopping carts down the aisles. As city-dwellers, that's the main reason we opted for a "skinnier" tandem, even though it was heavier. Side note: Is the Phil and Ted's a happy medium? Maybe, but I always feel bad for the kid that gets the ass-eye view of the world. Plus you have to take it apart to fold it up. No, thank you, I already have two kids to deal with. When choosing a side-by-side stroller consider weight, namely, your kids'. The baby will be much lighter than the older kid. You might feel that difference on flimsier models. However, as the kids got older and interacted more with each other, I wanted a side-by-side so they could chit-chat with each other and pass snacks back and forth. When the "baby" was about 16-months old, we ditched the tandem for a relatively lightweight umbrella side-by-side stroller (pictured). Your needs may change, so be open to that. And that's exactly the reason there are so many double strollers listed on Craigslist. Posted May 16 2007, 01:01 PM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 21 comment(s) Filed under: products, strollers, baby gear, maclaren, phil and ted's, double strollers

• All Your Kid Thermos Questions Answered. And I Mean All.

  I admit that I get a little geeked out when I spy a kid at the park with a sippy cup I've never seen or some mom at playgroup pulls out a nifty new snack container full of fishy crackers. I'm usually all questions when I see cool food gear and bombard the parent (or even kid) with questions about where they got it, how they like it, how much it set them back and then I hope they'll volunteer where they've acquired online coupons so I don't have to go too far over the line with a cheapskate consumer interrogation. It's just that I hate spending money -- even if only six dollars a shot -- on cups and containers that fall apart, crack at the first hurl across the kitchen or hold on to remains of chocolate whole milk no matter how hard you scrub. That's why I'm glad there are mommies and daddies who are even more obsessed with details than I am, and that they have no shame in displaying their baby gear OCD online. I'm glad they're willing to test run products and then lay it all out in a post that I am welcome to indulge in completely or, if all my son's current sippy cup valves are done soaking in the kitchen sink, just skim. While I might bitch about how a cup has totally crapped out on us or might get a little too shrill to see something new with a straw and stainless steel, I really won't take the time to write about. That's one more reason to love conscientous and blogging parents. The folks at Baby Toolkit have done all the research and road-testing of Thermos FUNtainer straw bottles and FOOGO food jars so that you can geek out over the details before making your own purchase for the lunch-packers and juice-toters in your life. Now if only they'd tell me where to get a good coupon for this stuff. Posted May 11 2007, 11:04 AM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: products, baby gear, blogging parents, thermos funtainer and foogo, baby toolkit

• Just in Time for Summer: Topsit Plus Baby Buntings

  Mothers-to-be and other pregnant women daringly heading into the hot weather months, you may think that your biggest concerns should be central air, how many frappucinos fall under the "limited caffeine" category and cankles. Oh no, ladies. You've got a baby registry to fill up and shopping to do. Winter's right around the corner and your newborn's going to need stuff. Lots and lots of cozy, fleecy stuff. Trust this Midwesterner, your baby and you will need a bunting. Buntings slip over the infant carseat and around your little one, keeping your baby snug inside from the cool autumn through the blizzardy hell months of winter. I almost choked when the ever-savvy Stefania said she'd never seen these. In Chicago, these babies are a must. They almost make it worth heaving the child around in the ergonomic awfulness of a blasted infant seat. Like the beautifully bright and cozy Topsit Plus by Red Castle, buntings keep your infant warm without the hassle of wrestling a red-faced baby into a snowsuit, then strapping the sqauwking little one into the twisted seatbelt, then adding several "just in case" blankets over top. Although I was nervous to totally pass on the snowsuit (or even a light jacket), my son was always perfectly warm (and sometimes even a tad sweaty) inside the bunting, whether we were dashing out to the car or out on a winter day's walk. The best part is that with one zip, you're completely done bundling the baby. Read More... Posted May 07 2007, 06:28 PM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: products, baby gear, essentials, red castle topsit plus, bunting

• Save the Earth One Eco-Friendly Toy at a Time

  In celebration of Earth Day and the (sigh) Vanity Fair Green Issue, let's go shopping for some globally-correct kid's stuff, shall we? First stop, ModernTots, where the lines are clean, the colors are bright and happy, and the wares are eco-friendly. For those of us who have to budget in filling up the gas tank these days, you can talk rainforest with the kids while playing the adorable Pandobo game, strategically piling bamboo on a rounded back bear (also preparing them quite well for Jenga drinking games at the frat house in future years...handy!). The stunning Colora really is made up of bamboo magnetic "color pillows" that will introduce hues and patterns to the young ones (and would make a perfect conference call distraction for mommy). I'm loving the organic onesie and the bamboo dominos as nice little green twists on classic kid stuff. For those of you who are really, truly, completely committed to the world, ModernTot offers the wannabe-celeb level of eco-love complete with a fifty dollar hooded baby towel (and wash cloth), hundred dollar step-stool, thousand dollar crib,  and a trundle bed ringing in at (gulp) $1350. Not only will you big purchasers be putting your plastic where your politics are, think of all the baby polar bears you'll be saving. Posted Apr 25 2007, 04:04 PM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: products, organic, baby gear, moderntots, bamboo toys, eco-friendly

• The PortaMEe: Baby Carriers Just Got a Whole Lot Crazier

  CleverParents refers to the PortaMEe child carrier as "the Prada of baby carriers", and in the sense that it's twice the price of similar carriers and not even that cute, they're pretty much spot-on. Don't get me wrong: I'm glad that baby carriers are becoming the new stroller, because my own choices back in the day were limited to Bjorn or sling, in Navy, Chambray, or Hand-Woven Guatemalan Hemp. Choices are awesome, as our own Karen discussed recently. But I was also kind of hoping that Gwen Stefani's Gucci frontpack wasn't a sign of anything other than Gwen's special kind of crazy. The PortaMEe (I hate typing that, but I feel compelled) was designed in response to the nonexistence of baby carriers that worked past the newborn stage, which—can someone please tell the 35-pound four-year-old who rode in my Nojo all over NYC last fall that her whole life is a lie? Anyway, it was designed by someone who'd maybe never run across a sling, a mei tai (mmm...mai tais...) or an Ergo carrier, which is not only half the price of a PortaMEe (I HATE TYPING THAT! MAKE ME STOP!) but can be worn in a variety of positions. Please note the model to the right, who may or may not be an Oompa Loompa: She sports the PortaMEe (@#%!&!!!) in the only position in which it can be worn. What you can't see is that on the back, there is a fanny pack. They call it a "lumbar support pack", but you know what? This lady's just a pair of socks with sandals away from being mistaken for a German tourist. I have to hand it to the mamas who are behind this carrier: Jennifer Gilbert and Robin Stein found a niche, and I wish them well as they fill it, because I love to see mamas living the dream. But still, a fanny pack? That's just cold. Posted Apr 24 2007, 09:00 AM by Patti with | with 7 comment(s) Filed under: products, babies, attachment parenting, slings, baby gear, portamee, carriers, cleverparents

• Six Lavish Gifts for Your "It Accessory," I Mean, Baby

  One thousand dollars for a Bugaboo is one thing, but would you pay $2,000 for a custom designed Bugaboo by Dutch designer Bas Kosters? If you don't want to spend $2,000 on that you could spend it on a Louis Vuitton diaper bag monogrammed with baby's initials. CNNMoney.com highlights six lavish items for the "deluxe diaper set" and the designer stroller and bag are just two of the items on the list. Two of the other items on their list are a spacy, clear plexiglass highchair and bouncy chair for $400. People, let's get real. If you own a spacy, clear plexiglass highchair, all your friends are making fun on you.  Ohmygod, did you see that ridick highchair? Jeezus... Posted Apr 22 2007, 03:06 PM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: products, baby gear, bugaboo, cnnmoney

• Pussycat Dolls-Inspired Baby Wear

  Parenting is all about choices, choices about how we feed our kids, how we discipline our kids, and, of course, what our kids wear. We can choose to dress our kids in 100% organic cotton clothing. We can choose baby designer duds from Burberry or Baby Phat. We can choose to scour thrift stores for treasures, or we can choose to adorn our children in clothing which calls to mind a group of pouty, fishnet-stocking-clad burlesque dancers. Dancers whose business managers decided could make gobs more money if they could parlay their "talents" into a hit single. A hit single containing an uplifting message for all women entitled "Dont Ya Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me?" How better to expand their franchise than to tap into the Pussycat Mommy market and create a line of baby clothing inspired by the gartered group. (Or, inspire others to do it as the case may be here.) Yes, there are parents out there who will make the choice to put their kids in the clothing pictured. But that's okay. The world always needs more strippers and bartenders. Posted Apr 19 2007, 12:35 PM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: products, baby clothes, baby gear, burberry, tunia and g, baby phat, pussycat dolls

• Baby Gear You Didn't Know You Needed: Teething Jewelry

  What will enterprising moms think of next? The latest baby product you never thought you'd ever need is "Teething Bling" by Smart Mom Jewelry. The jewelry is inspired by babies who love to chew. The Teething Bling line consists of large, Asian-esque pendants on silk cord and faux-jade bracelets made of teething ring material. Everyone knows babies love to tug at necklaces almost as much as they love to put things in their mouth. If you are wearing the Bling, your baby will always have a place to plant her gums. Also good for teething? Real jade bracelets. At least that's what all my aunties (aka "The Korean Joy Luck Club") say. That's what we chewed on when I was a kid. Dirty, Joy-perfume-covered jade bracelets that spent their entire lives dangling from my mom's friends' wrists. Wrists that were attached to hands that held lit Rothmans cigarettes. And we liked it. Posted Apr 18 2007, 10:02 AM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: products, teethers, baby gear, teething, teething rings, smart mom jewelry

• The Junior Society: New Kid Product Blog from Mahar Dry Goods

  It's so exciting to be present for the birth of a new blog, and the launch of The Junior Society is no exception. If you are into design-conscious, whimsical, unique, kid-friendly stuff, The Junior Society is definitely for you. The Junior Society developed out of the endless machinations of its self-appointed Grand Poobah, Robert Mahar (whose keen eye for cool gear we much appreciate here on Strollerderby.) His blood-shot eyes are a testament to the exorbitant number of hours he spends online each day sifting through the flotsam and jetsam of kid-friendly design. Mahar is thrilled whenever he’s able to reel in an amazing item for his web shop Mahar Drygoods , but often his catch includes unusual, clever and intelligent products, services and activities for children that don’t fit into the specialized "vintage and artisan crafted" parameters of MDG. Junior Society was created to showcase this bounty of better-than-average children’s design, although there are unsubstantiated rumors that Robert is merely seeking out a reason to wear a tasseled fez and develop secret handshakes. The blog is just getting launched, so do check back often, and watch his baby grow. Posted Apr 06 2007, 03:02 PM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: gift ideas, toys, Mahar Dry Goods, Toys for 2007, baby gear, easter, the junior society, product blogs

• Designer Diaper Baggies Are Full of It

  For the life of me I can't figure out if this is a joke, if I'm simply not getting it -- a common enough occurrence, believe me. But is there really such a thing as designer diaper baggies? I'm not talking about stylish shoulder-strap bags that hold diapers and spare clothes and other crap you need for an outing. I'm talking about little baggies that actually hold the crap. Diaper Baggies -- that's what they're called. They come in all sorts of ridiculously overpriced styles that do the exact same thing a Ziploc Bag does your choice of red flower or sickly giraffe -- and all for only $5.49 for 40! Here's what they do: They hold used diapers. They seal shut. They look pretty -- until you dump them in the trash 3 seconds later. Look, I hate to bag on homeless crack addicts who are obviously trying to make an honest buck any way they can, but the idea of paying for a designer logo simply so I can "look and smell better" on the way to the diaper pail makes me ill. And oh yeah, Ziplocks? 100 for $3.29. Posted Apr 05 2007, 10:01 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 10 comment(s) Filed under: baby, products, poop, diapers, baby gear, diaper bags

• It's My Kid in a Box: Cool Cardboard Crib

  Greg Allen of Daddy Types (and Babble) is a pro at tracking down the most unique baby products in the world. His latest find is no exception. Check out this "baby crib" from Album di Famiglia. It's made out of heavy-duty cardboard (think TV box) and set on casters for port-a-crib portability. The crib is pretty fun to look at, and for a moment you can let yourself imagine all the ways you'd use it with your kid (wicked 360's), but then you peruse the DaddyTypes' comments and your buzz is instantly killed. The cardboard crib is only available in Europe, so anyone worried about it not meeting US safety standards, let me save you the trouble: It doesn't.  [Photo credit: Thierry Bouet] Posted Apr 03 2007, 01:04 PM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: cribs, baby gear, album di famiglia, daddy types

• Apple Releases iPod for Babies

  I've written previously about how iPods are perfect for preschoolers, and so it was with great excitement that I read about Apple's plans to release an iPod especially for babies. Rumors are that it is set to debut hot on the heels of the much-anticipated iPhone release. Banking on the the success of products like the First Years Crib CD Player, Apple is releasing a ruggedized version of its video iPods—called iPodBaby—especially for baby use. The iPodBaby is covered by a soft-yet-strong non-toxic polystyrene coating with a hook-and-loop backing that can stick easily to any cloth from crib bumpers to onesies to the cloth-like coverings of most disposable diapers. It has a 10 gig microdrive from Toshiba which can hold hundreds of lullabyes or your favorite Baby Einstein videos (now exclusively available on iTunes). A unique option only available on the iPodBaby is the Garmin GPS plug-in module that lets you keep track of your baby. Not only is this feature helpful when your baby hits the crawling stage, it also allows you to keep tabs on what your nanny and baby are doing. Is she really at the park? Now you'll know for sure. Plush Bose headphones with buds in a variety of cute animal shapes ensure that your baby's ears are comfortable (and cute!) without sacrificing sound quality. There is also an available Nuk ear bud which doubles as a pacifier The iPodBaby comes in blue, pink, or unisex silver and can be engraved with baby's name and birthdate for no additional change. The iPodBaby will retail for $349 and is appropriate for babies as young as 1 week old. [photo: gizmodo]   Posted Apr 01 2007, 07:01 AM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: preschool, gadgets, ipod, babies, baby gear

• Pimp My Stroller: Maclaren's Limited Edition Leather and Gold Atrocity

  When I say "pimp my stroller," I mean that this is a stroller fit for an actual pimp. Maclaren's latest stroller offering is so not the shiznit. Or, if you have a stable of crack hos working a corner to keep you in malt liquor, it very well might be. Sprung from the pages of King* magazine in between ads for spinning chrome rims and grillz, it's the new Maclaren GB Type Au. The seat is made of black leather and the carbon fiber frame has been painted with only the finest 9k gold. For those that appreciate the best in conspicuous consumption, the Maclaren crest is embroidered on the back of the seat rest. Only 20 of these babies have been manufactured, and they sell for a whopping $3800. Hey, Beyoncé and Jay-Z: you better get cracking in the baby-making department. This stroller has your names written all over it. Not literally, but I'm sure they'd do a Rocawear version. *My favorite magazine ever.   Posted Mar 12 2007, 05:11 PM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: strollers, gear, baby gear, maclaren