Mega Baby List – Part 1 Travel

I was still acquiring things and trying to do as much research as I could for my baby into July and August when she was due that September. Although I’m happy with the performance of the products we bought, I’m curious to see what alternatives the green baby market has to offer. Lastly, some of the items mentioned aren’t absolutely essential but all are beneficial in some way. As the title of this post suggests, this list will be broken up across several posts by general category.

When shopping online, I suggest comparing retailers and seeing who offers the lowest overall price with shipping and sales tax considered. You can also check their social media or sign up for e-mail newsletters for any ongoing promotions. To further lower cost, I use cash back rebate sites such as Ebates or Befrugal wherever possible. Rebate rates can fluctuate. Last tip, create a registry with a retailer. Retailers offer different perks for doing so but usually you’ll be offered a close out discount that’s good on most if not all remaining items on your list. Definitely take advantage of this!

xoxo,

Marielle

 

 

1) Baby Jogger city mini® GT Stroller

I wanted a “one and done” stroller that didn’t break the bank but was durable, adaptable, and most importantly safe. I looked around online and also went to several Babies R Us stores to try out strollers. Ultimately, I liked the Baby Jogger brand for several reasons. It was a brand associated with reliability and quality among parents (from research on forums and vlogs), it was able to hold the car seat we had already picked out, and it fit all the other criteria we had. We were able to get a good deal on this using all of my tips described earlier and getting last year’s model.
NOTE: We have the Baby Jogger City Elite but after reviewing their current line up of strollers, the city mini GT looks the most similar.

PROS:
Folds quickly and easily with one handle which is helpful when on the go

Can hold multiple types of car seats (with adapter)

Sturdy tires good for any type of terrain

Smooth to operate/push around/turn

Large canopy for baby

Child max weight of 75 lbs

Easy, quick hand brake

CONS:
May be slightly heavy to hold when folded (or I just have really weak arms, lol) the stroller itself is 26 lbs

 

2) Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat

The reason I didn’t choose to go with a convertible seat was portability. When Catherine was an infant, she’d often fall asleep while we were out. This enabled me to bring her with me, get errands done, and allow her to sleep longer. Also, we liked to go on family walks using the stroller and you need the infant car seat for that since the baby can’t be placed in the stroller seat until they can sit up on their own. Catherine used this seat up until about 9 months. She outgrew it faster than expected as she was usually in the 98% percentile for growth in length.

A second choice I was seriously considering was the Nuna PIPA car seat. The overall setup can supposedly be done in 5 seconds and looks hassle free which sounds great for traveling and general ease. The shade canopy is a nice feature if you don’t have tinted windows. Without the base, it weighs 7.9 lbs which I imagine is easy on weak arms like mine. Due to time and inability to find the Nuna at a discount, I went with the Chicco.

PROS:
Portability (take baby out without having to hold or carry her, especially if asleep)

Use in adapter in Baby Jogger stroller

Base not too difficult to install

Leveling bubble on base to help make proper installation easier

CONS:
Slightly heavy to carry

Have to buy a forward facing car seat when baby is over 30 lbs or after reaching a certain length

 

3) Ergo Baby Organic Carrier

I wanted a carrier with structure over the wrap type carriers because I was really paranoid about the baby slipping down and being smothered or something. I’ve been seeing a lot of the new 4 way carriers (baby can face forward, on the side, etc.) but this one has worked fine for us. The product had a good reputation among parents. At the time I was in the market for this item, even the organic versions of their carriers were on sale. I would highly suggest watching their “how to wear properly” video a few times and practice to get a feel of how it should fit. Seemingly small things like not adjusting the straps properly for instance puts the baby’s weight all on your shoulders when it’s supposed to be distributed more evenly.

PROS:
Use at home/being outside hands free

Sturdy

Comes with hood to cover baby from sunlight

Can carry infant (have to buy separate insert for this)

CONS:
Baby might get a little hot if it’s warm out

Doesn’t fit in diaper bag when you want to have it on hand outside

 

4) Bity Bean Carrier
We bought this at the NY Baby show after being thoroughly impressed by a demonstration. It’s light and breathable for baby and carrier. Perfect for hotter months! We also bought the Sleep/Shade hood which came in handy for naps or for this times it was too bright outside for Catherine. If you’re an outdoors type parent that wants to bring your baby along for the fun this is an excellent choice. Since it is space saving and can be folded up, this is one less thing to get bogged down by when out and about.

PROS:
Compacts into the size of a water bottle, easily portable

Very lightweight

For babies ranging from 8-40 lbs

Material is breathable and quick drying

CONS:
Can’t think of any

 

5) Kate by Timi and Leslie Diaper Bag

I discovered this brand watching the videos of several Youtube mom vloggers. I wanted a bag that was functional, had a good amount of space, and that I liked enough to continue using after the diaper bag phase. I bought it on Amazon and was able to get a discount by placing it on my baby shower registry.

PROS:
Comes with a lot of extras- Bottle insulator, wet clothes/dirty clothes bag, zip up wallet, inside bag key latch (so you don’t have to dump the contents of the bag out to find the keys), changing pad

Lots of interior pockets and compartments (great staying organized)

Comes with straps so you can attach the bag to the handle bar of stroller/shopping cart or wear it cross body

Lots of space

Feels very high quality

CONS:
My zipper broke a few months shy of a year.. however, I contacted Customer Service and they sent me a new bag free of charge

 


Miscellaneous car items

1) Munchkin Backseat Organizer

I wanted to keep some extra baby items in the car like a light blanket (in case of cold weather or to drape over the car seat for shade), small toys, etc. This does the job and is inexpensive.

2) Britax Back Seat Mirror

If your little one is still rear facing, this will help you keep an eye on them while you’re driving around.

3) Britax EZ-Cling Sun Shades

For those that don’t have or want to get their windows tinted. These stay on and are easy to reposition. However, you can’t open the windows that they’re on and they don’t block out all the light.

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