Bumbo vs. Bebe Pod

I'm not really the "reviewer" type, but this time I decided to make an exception.... since I have both.  :)  I will preface this by saying that we had neither when Jeremiah was a baby.  Back then, we mostly hung out in the living room where his activity center "thingie" was (I don't know what the official name is... hopefully you know what I'm talking about.)  Now that we're in our house, there are many more places to go--family room, play room, breakfast nook (though we'll usually stick her in a high chair there,) Mommy's room, etc...  Jesslyn, like her favorite big brother before her, always wants to be upright, whenever she's awake.  If you "lay" her anywhere, or have her in any type of semi-reclined position, she will try with all her might to sit herself up.  So we broke down and asked Santa to bring her a Bumbo seat.  He didn't, but she did receive a Target gift card which hooked her up.  

Originally, we had decided on the Bebe Pod--I'd read other reviews comparing the two, and that review basically boiled it down to two things:  If your child is chunky, they'll probably prefer the Bebe Pod, since it's less molded.  If on the smaller side, the Bumbo seat.  Knowing how cute and chunky those thighs of hers can be, we opted for the Pod for Jesslyn.  Ordered one for $54 (with tray, after coupon) off Target's website, and got it today!

Well, while out shopping at Target Friday afternoon, we came across the Bumbo seat, with tray, on clearance for $35!  The seat by itself is normally $39, so we scooped on up and figured we could decide which we liked better and return the Bebe Pod if it wasn't worth the extra bucks.  Here's everything out of the boxes--Bebe Pod on the left, Bumbo on the right (yes, we like orange. :)
The Bebe Pod also comes with a Sassy toy, fun tray inserts (there's a second underneath that looks like an orange slice) and also has straps.  The Bumbo seat keeps it simple--seat and tray.

First, the Bebe Pod.  (Jeremiah volunteered to be my "test subject" since Jesslyn's asleep.  :)  Right off the bat, I notice it's smaller than the Bumbo seat, though their weight is relatively the same.  The box it comes in is less cumbersome to carry around, since it's rectangular in shape, but I don't expect to use the box much, if at all.  

The white "nub" comes off so you can attach a tray to it, and is pretty easy to do, once you figure it out (or read the directions.)  Jeremiah fit in there just fine, though it was tough getting the tray on once he was seated (not that it's designed for 2 year olds, so probably not a fair assessment.) The inserts for the tray are cute, though they don't stick or anything, just sit there.  You kinda have to use 'em, too, as there are gaps in the tray itself from where the locking mechanism attaches (so it can lock onto the seat.)

The Sassy toy is cute, and since it appears that Sassy has successfully gone "BPA-Free", I'll let Jesslyn play with it.  But it doesn't attach to the seat in any way, so I don't really consider it a feature (I kinda wish it did, since she's still in the "flailing" phase of playing with toys... They go flying pretty easily.)

Now the Bumbo seat.  Since I mentioned it with the bebe Pod, I'll mention it here, too--the box is pretty big.  It wasn't easy to move around, since the cardboard couldn't support the weight of the seat if you were only holding it by one handle.  I know, minor thing, but it was driving me crazy.  We won't be keeping the box.   

Otherwise, the seat itself is nice--very simple design.  It's like they took a baby and sat them in a pile of soft rubber to create the perfect "mold".  It is more contoured than the bebe Pod, and so far, Jesslyn's had no problems fitting in it (she hasn't sat in the Pod yet, but I'd expect her to fit just fine in that one, too.)  

The tray pops on over the top and secures itself underneath the seat.  Personally, I haven't been able to do this with a baby in the seat.  I just can't get the tray to lock underneath like it should, and since you're not supposed to "tip" the seat while the baby's in it, I just haven't really been using the tray with her.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had the issue.

And that's about all there is to say about the Bumbo seat.  It does what it says it will do--help a baby sit up.  Simple and to the point.

So which is better?  Well, from their function point of view, they're the same.  The Bumbo is a little larger, so if space is an issue, the bebe Pod might be the better option.  If you're buying the seat and JUST the seat, then I would probably prefer the bebe Pod, just on looks alone (the straps, by the way, I see as pointless.  This is not a chair you really strap your baby into--neither should be used on an elevated surface, so I don't really see the point in including them.  If the baby can get out on their own, I'd rather have them be able to get out completely, rather than tip out and still have the seat attached to them--I can just picture Jesslyn hanging mostly out, over the side, and getting really mad about it, once she's a bit older.  Maybe someone else knows of a better reason to use the straps...)

Now, if you're going to go the tray route, I actually prefer the Bumbo.  I know I said I had a tough time with the tray, but I'm sure I'll get that figured out and it won't be an issue.  My big thing with the bebe Pod tray is that you can't really use it without those inserts (which, I'm sure, will get all nasty and covered in drool/spit up/etc....)  You could, I guess, but I don't get the impression it's designed for that.  Also, there are a lot of extra parts to keep track of with the bebe Pod--that nub you twist off to put the tray on?  Where do you stash that when you're using the tray?  I'm sure once a baby's old enough to get good use out of the tray, whether for snacks or toys, you won't need that nub, so it'll just get put away somewhere.  Yet something else to keep track of.  And those tray inserts, too.   Just seems like too much "stuff".  I'm trying to "de-clutter" not add more stuff that I need to keep.  

So that's that.  We'll probably keep both, since we got a good deal on each of 'em (and Jeremiah likes to sit in 'em... I'm sure he'll want to sit with Jesslyn once in a while...)  But if I could only keep one, it would be the Bumbo--I just don't need all those "extras".  Maybe I'll bring the bebe Pod to Grandma's, and she can keep track of all those extra pieces.  :)

EDIT:  I was wrong, you CAN attach that Sassy toy to the tray... hence, those gaps in it.  So that's nice.  However, it doesn't attach very firmly--I can see Jesslyn pulling it out first try.  Therefore, my opinion doesn't change.  Maybe I can use those safety straps to attach her toys instead of her...  :)

"Twice as cute and half the price!"

We're big Robeez fans around here--I'm a firm believer in not forcing a baby who doesn't walk to wear shoes (hard-soled, at least.)  There's no reason for it, and it could mess up their feet when they do try to start walking.  

But I am a fan of warm feet, and sometimes, you need that extra layer that socks can't provide.  I've been using Trumpette socks for Jesslyn (they're so cute!) but at some point, we're going to need something a little more substantial.

Hence the love.  What I don't love, though, is the price tag.  New Robeez run $30+, though you can usually find a sale and get a pair between $25 and $30.  Don't get me wrong, I've NEVER paid that much for a pair.  I think the most was $15 or $16 (waited for a clearance at Endless.com, then got $5 off and free overnight shipping... sadly, they no longer give that extra $5 off.  But still a great site to buy shoes from!)  Jeremiah definitely got our monies worth out of the pairs he wore!

Enter Bugaloo's.  Same concept as Robeez (soft-soled, leather, easy to slip on and off, and super cute!) but ONLY $15!  Of course, when I see $15 is the regular retail price, then I expect to be able to find it for less (and will probably wait until I do to buy...)  But I just found them and wanted to share.  :)  Plus, 5% of your purchase will go to the International Justice Mission and help fight sex trafficking.  Not bad.  If you're going to shop and buy something anyways, might as well let a portion go to a good cause.

I would totally get these for a boy.  So cute!

The "Worst of the Worst" Booster seats

While perusing ZRecs today, I came across an article on their "Tranquil Parent" site that identifies "the worst of the worst" booster seats for kids. I had expected to see a bunch of no-name brands, but was surprised at the inclusion of a few Cosco (more than any other brand), Evenflo, and Graco! Needless to say, I was a bit surprised and gave the article a good once-over.

Now, some people think we're crazy for spending so much money on carseats (we're a Britax family, at least once they outgrow their SafeSeat) but it's articles like this that make me glad we did. When Jesslyn is ready for a bigger carseat, we'll be getting Jeremiah the Britax Frontier, which is a combo seat that is also a 5-point harness booster up to 80 lbs! Are there other safe seats out there?? Sure, but God forbid if something should ever happen, I'll know we did the best we could to protect them.

You can read the article here.

Oh, and keep in the mind the article is strictly talking about the "booster" function, which utilizes the car's seat belt as the main restraint, rather than the straps included. The combo seats are probably fine otherwise, just unsafe for belt placement as a booster. So if you have one, it's probably still okay to use, just not as a booster with the seatbelt.

BABY PICS! (In utero....)

Well, one plus to making it to 41 weeks with no baby is that you get new pictures of your baby to keep ya going!

I liked this place a lot better. The US tech was really sweet, and kept telling me how "beautiful" Jess Jr was (and how those lips of hers are going to give Angelina Jolie a run for her money! lol)

She kept saying, "big baby" over and over, too... And she is going to be big! The estimate today, according to the ultrasound.... ya ready for this? 11 1/2 lbs. Woah. Well, we knew she was gonna be big! Of course, that's +/- 1-2lbs, but she's probably right... We'll find out soon!

So here ya go. Something to hold ya over until we can get some real live baby shots on here.

Maybe tomorrow............?? I hope so! (I can't believe my Mom won the baby poll... there's no one left but her! Crazy.)



Go here for more, including those from our 20 week ultrasound.

Hmm....

So we were pretty anxious to turn Jeremiah's car seat around once he hit the one year mark.  Now, I'm not so sure that was the best idea.

New recommendations have said that a child is safest in a rear facing position until the age of 2!  Twelve months and 20 lbs is just the minimum.  Some people will even say leave 'em in there until 4!  

I don't know about that, but was surfing the message boards and found this video... It's a pretty convincing argument to leave him rear facing, at least until he's two (by then, Jess Jr will probably be ready to make the transition to a convertible seat, vs the infant seat she'll be in at birth [if she's ever born, of course.... ;) ])

Also, I think we should probably bring the van in to have the seats inspected/installed properly, since we never bothered before... What's the point of paying for a top of the line car seat, that's supposed to be one of the best out there, if it isn't installed properly?  Now, we followed the directions, and it certainly doesn't seem like it's going to go anywhere to me... but why wait 'til we're in an accident to find that out for sure?  

Anyways, just thinkin'.  :)

Well, I just did some quick extra research, and his car seat is only safe rear facing to 33 lbs... So at this point (he was 31 lbs, I think?) he's probably already at that limit, since it was over 2 months ago now...  Yay, I'm off the hook!  

Jess Jr, though... not so lucky.  :)

Kinda scary...

Parents, do your children wear "tagless" clothing?? Ever had a rash or other "outbreak" near the tag area??? Check out this post on ZRecs....

This is neat.

Ran across this while flipping through a baby magazine. It's called "Cozy Wedge" and it's an alternative to the crib bumper.

From their website:

Traditional crib bumpers look great, but they have drawbacks. Some safety organizations say padded bumpers pose a SIDs risk. They can also help babies climb out of a crib. Plus, they make changing the sheets a big hassle!

CozyWedge bumpers fit snugly around the crib, won't slip down and are easy to remove for sheet changing. They cushion the crib for your baby but they have a safer, firm surface that won't form a pocket around a baby's mouth and nose. The shock-absorbing foam is the same foam used in swimming noodles, and is totally nonabsorbent, CFC-free and odorless. The slipcovers are completely washable.

If I hadn't spent 4 hours a month ago sewing a new cover for a hand-me-down crib bumper, I would so pick one of these up! They are a little pricey ($60), but I think it's worth it. They have a bunch of cool patterns and colors, so there's something for everyone. I think it's only available for purchase via their website at the moment, though (well, and a few boutique baby stores, nowhere near us.) Ah, I'll give it some time--maybe by #3, there will be a few copycats at a more justifiable price (or someone will get it for us, since by #3, we really won't need ANYTHING, 'cept for a babysitter, every now and then.)

Cool indeed.

I think I went a little nuts...

Yeah...

Not all of this was me. I'd say.... maybe... 1/3? was given to us as gifts.

It was all a good deal, though! With the exception of a pack of socks, and maybe one or two other items, everything was purchased on sale, on clearance, or on consignment. Some of the CUTEST outfits I got for just a couple of bucks at various baby sales.

I thought we needed more bibs, but after sorting and counting them up, I think we're probably okay after all... We've got 24 "good" bibs, which should be PLENTY (a few I bought at Dani's Duds had a lot of stains on them... but they were behind a 'good' one, so I couldn't tell. So much for their ultra high inspection standards! I'm done with them... Not worth paying the $5 to get in there only to not be guaranteed quality used items. At least the outfits were nice--some were brand new! Maybe I'll just find 10 random items to consign, price them outrageously high and then collect them on Sunday when they don't sell. Then again, I don't think I'll be going to the next sale anyways--Jess Jr may only be a couple weeks old by then!)

One thing I definitely went overboard on were the wearable blankets. We love(d) them with Jeremiah, especially since he would always kick out of his swaddles (we only did that a couple of times... he slept better on his belly,) and would "scoot" to the corner of his crib, usually leaving his blanket behind. I think I bought 2-3 in each size that I could find (each was only a couple of bucks... brand new, they're $15-$20!)

Anyways, yeah, the only thing I need to find now is Jeremiah's newborn stuff--there's a lot of onesies in there, and pajamas that we could use. I hope it's around here... I haven't seen it since we moved (along with all his extra changing pad covers...)

Yup, so that's that. Time to go throw it all in the wash! :)

BABY SHOWER!!!

Saturday, my friend Liz through a "pink" shower for us to celebrate the upcoming arrival of "Jess Jr"! She did a terrific job decorating her home for the event, and made some really great food for us to indulge in (all healthy and diet food.... uhh... well, maybe not! But it was GOOOOOD!) It was a really nice time, with friends and family, and I'm so blessed to have a friend like Liz who would go through the trouble of making us feel special for having our "second". I know some people think that you should only have a shower for #1, but all of our stuff is BLUE! It was nice to get some "pink" girly things to have to welcome our daughter into the world.

So, Jess Jr, you'd BETTER really be a girl! There was no doubt during the sonogram, so if she's not a girl, there'd better be two boys in there, since one huge error deserves another! :)

THE FOOD!!! Everything was SOOOO YUMMY! I love "punch", and we also had these awesome sandwiches (the croissants... "baco-dilly" SO GOOD!), some cucumber w/ dill, mini cupcakes, fruit, and my Mom made her "famous" strawberry crepes (not shown). It was all SO GOOD, I couldn't finish it all (though I made room for more sandwiches... they really were delicious!)

GIFTS! We had just been joking about how Babies R Us only gives you clear packing tape with which to wrap gifts you buy there, making it "oh so 'easy'" for Mom-to-be to open them. Yup, no saving the wrapping paper there!

Me with our "hostess with the mostest." She did such a great job, and it was such a nice time. Thanks so much, Liz!!

Still have Avent or Dr. Brown's bottles and want to go BPA-Free?????

Looks like companies are really starting to take this seriously!

Some Moms have reported luck returning their BPA bottles from Avent & Dr. Brown to Babies R Us stores and getting store credit, whether used or not. This is YMMV (your mileage/market may vary, in other words, not guaranteed for all stores yet,) but it's worth a shot. Here's a blurb from safemama.com:

~Call your local Babies R Us store and ask what their policy is on BPA product
returns

~Ask to speak to the manager to clarify what policy they are following
and what you need to bring to receive a store credit/return.

~Bring bottles and cups in the store clean and bring receipts if you have them.

~Bring our BPA Free Bottle and Cup Cheat Sheet with you to make sure
you’re buying BPA Free replacements.

I’m going off the assumption that they won’t provide this perk forever so I encourage you to get on it if you want to make a change to BPA Free.

This is great news--I guess they're starting to realize that people are really unhappy with the whole BPA issue, especially since Canada (and California, most recently!) declared it unsafe for use with babies under 18 months.

Also, if you choose to purchase the new BPA-free Dr. Brown's Polypropylene or Glass Bottles instead, you can submit 3 of the UPC symbols to Dr. Brown's and they will send you three more matching BPA free bottles (polypropylene only). So even if you don't have the BPA bottles to return, Dr Brown is going to reward you for buying their BPA-Free by offering buy 3 get 3 free!

To get your free bottles, simply mail your UPC codes (up to 3) to:Handi-Craft Company4433 Fyler AvenueSt. Louis, Missouri 63116

Part of me wishes I'd waited now to make the switch, but I got a good deal on my Born Free (30% off) and the nipples from Avent work with them, which saves me from having to buy all new ones. But for you Mama's (and Daddy's) that haven't made the switch yet, now's the time to do it!

Don't forget, if you're out shopping and are unsure about what is BPA-Free, or just partially BPA-Free (since very few products actually label as such, especially sippy cups), here are a couple of tips:

~Avoid plastics that are labeled 3, 6, or 7 (pretty sure those are the ones, but I'll double check and change if necessary.) You can usually find this on the bottle itself, on the bottom. It's surrounded by a three-arrow triangle, usually. All other plastics are generally considered "safe".

~Send a text message to "zrecs" with the company name (and item name, if you have it, such as "nuby sippy cups" or "avent nurser") to 69866. This is a free service run by zrecs.blogspot.com and will reply with a message on whether that item is BPA-free or not (as best as it can, at least. Sometimes you have to be more specific.)

~If you remember before you leave the house, print out the cheat sheet in the above quote, or use the one from zrecs that folds up into a wallet size card. It can be found here.