5 Baby Inventions You Need NOW - The New York Baby Show Report
/This weekend marked one of our favorite events here at Baby Got Chat: The New York Baby Show! This huge event for new and expecting moms takes place on the west side of Manhattan and includes tons of kid-specific companies, large and small. It's the place you can go to try out every stroller on the market (literally! There's a test track with several different types of terrain), see what's new with some of your favorite baby brands, and learn about fantastic products and innovations from small businesses. This is the third year I've attended and it only gets better!
Read on for some of my favorite finds from this year's show.
1. OXO Tot Space-Saving Vertical Drying Rack
I've been drying bottles for three and a half (!) years, and I have to say I'm kind of over my green "grass" drying rack. Sure, it's totally cute, but it takes up a lot of space and isn't the best solution for taller or bulkier bottles. Maybe it's time for a change? Enter the OXO Tot Vertical Drying Rack. Designed to handle bigger bottles for older kids, this system can get your whole assortment dry without taking up precious kitchen space. We can't wait to snag ours!
2. KidKusion Retractable Driveway Guard
It's finally bike season! What do you do when your driveway's a fantastic play zone, but the street just beyond is a hazard? Even if you explain the difference to your tiny riders, without some sort of boundary there's not much to stop your kids from zooming out or a mail truck from zooming in (damn you, Amazon!) while the kids are playing. Short of standing guard at the entrance to the street with a megaphone, what's a concerned mom to do?
Send the message to kids and drivers with this Retractable Driveway Guard. Available in orange or black netting, simply drag the net across the end of the driveway to establish boundaries for kids and vehicles. The guard installs with stay-put stakes so the entire netting canister can be removed and put away when not in use. This product has Parenting Magazine's Mom Seal of Approval!
3. Bibby
There are a million kinds of bibs out there, but they all have one thing in common: that wet spot that collects under the top edge of the fabric near baby's chest. Gross, smelly, and it can cause unhealthy milk rashes. Bibby bibs have a patented drip-catching design, like a rollneck shirt, that doesn't let those dribbles of milk get through. These bibs keep baby cleaner and prevent rashes, and they come in cute styles and are made of soft cotton (80%) and polyester.
4. Summer Infant My Bath Seat
Bathtime is so sweet when you have a newborn who just lays in that teensy infant insert tub, but it becomes much trickier once baby can roll over or sit up. They're too big for the insert, and too small to hang out in the baby tub or use the laundry basket trick without slipping down. Too bad there's not a Bumbo for the bathtub! But wait! Summer Infant has heard your cries. Their My Bath Seat tub insert anchors to three sides of your bathtub and provides a sturdy spot to plop them down and suds them up. Now you don't need to keep one paranoid hand on their shoulder, which makes for a more relaxing time for everyone.
5. PRIMO LapBaby
I must have at least five different "travel" booster seats, and yet I can't count how many times I've been somewhere and needed to strap them in and found myself...well...strapped. Those plastic ones are great but they're too bulky to carry around just in case, and the fabric ones don't work with every type of chair. PRIMO realized this and had an epiphany: what if instead of worrying about which chair to strap a kiddie seat to, your lap was the seat? It's the perfect size, always there, and you know baby loves it.
This is the idea behind PRIMO LapBaby. It's an on-the-go beltstrap that allows baby to sit securely on your lap while you remain hands free. Perfect for when you didn't splurge for their own seat on the airplane or when you're out somewhere and there are no high chairs, or even when you need to get in some keyboard time on the couch.
Those weren't the only fab finds. Here's a sprinkling of more cool stuff.
Category: CUTE!
Prince Lionheart Wheely Animals
These adorbs wooden ride ons made us squee with delight. They come in two sizes and several animal options.
Incredible Creatures Figurines from Safari Ltd.
Okay, maybe "cute" isn't the best description, but for kids who aren't into the whole fuzzy purple unicorn thing, these more true-to-life toys from Safari Ltd. are sold mostly in zoos and museums. But they're not all hyper-realistic. Check out the mom and baby Love Dragons!
Luv Bug Company Products
These are made with a UPF 50 fabric that's absorbent, quick-drying, and breathable. You can find hooded towels, waterproof outdoor blankets, car seat covers, crib sheets, snack bags, and wet/dry bags. We love the Luv Bug Company patterns and the way they feel!
The Mibblers
Au revoir, Sophie! The cool kids chew on these. These Nibbly Bits Teething Toys come in three colors and are 100% silicone. Clean them with a baby wipe or soapy water.
Category: NEED!
Real Shades Sunglasses
Don't take your chances on the cheap stuff when you can protect their little eyes with these unbreakable frames in a flexible material. Available in five sizes from infant to adult, Real Shades have wraparound sun protection to protect from peripheral light, which has been found to be just as damaging as direct sunlight.
Bloom Alma Collection Cribs
This solid wood crib may not be portable like a pack-and-play, but it does fold down for easy storage in a small space. It comes almost fully assembled, has four mattress heights, and lockable castors. Many hotels stock these now, so the next time you stay over and need a crib, ask for it by name.
MediFrida
I covered this last year when it was just a prototype twinkle in Fridababy's eye. Now it's here to stay and it's still one of my favorite finds. A cross between a pacifier and a medicine dropper, MediFrida is meant to administer liquid medicine to baby in a way that doesn’t pass over their taste buds and cause them to spit it out. And it works alone as a pacifier so you can get them used to it before you start doling out the Motrin.
Baby Tripster
Why do alllllllll kids containers have to leak? I'm pretty sure milk leaks in my diaper bag are the only reason my daughter has heard and memorized swear words. Enter Baby Tripster, a snack container system that WILL NOT LEAK. It's got a built-in fork and double attached lid to keep food safe and clean. And it's dishwasher safe, because who has time to hand wash?
Travel Tray
There are cupholders everywhere, but no place to dump some goldfish crackers so your kid can stop screaming for five minutes (amirite?). Travel Tray turns every cupholder into a food tray AND a cupholder in one. We're super excited to try it in the convertible car seat.
Hope you enjoyed these finds! If you missed the Baby Show, I'll have a fresh round of free tickets available next year.
That's it for this week! Don't forget about our weekly Mommy Meetup at Lil Chameleon from 10:30am to noon most Mondays. For our (almost always free) Event of the Day, follow us on Facebook or Instagram. And as always, check our website for events and our easy-to-navigate chart of every weekly kids library program in Westchester. Just be sure to check the date you wish to attend against the library's calendar, because many programs are wrapping up for the school year.
See you next time!
Andrea
