2017 New York Baby Show Must-See Items
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I’ve been talking about the New York Baby Show for a few posts now, and I was so excited to actually go this past weekend. I had been to the show for the first time last year and had a great time, and now that I am running BabyGotChat, I was excited (and anxious) to represent the blog on my own this year. Fistful of business cards in hand, I made my way to Pier 94 on the west side of Manhattan (superclose to where my big Momcation cruise departed!) and got there just as the doors opened on the first day. I’ve been to a lot of expo-type events in NYC, and this one is clean, well organized, well stocked, and has a great variety of vendors from the big guys (Babies R Us) to independent companies and local inventors. Plus, it’s stroller heaven.
That’s right. If you aren’t sure about strollers, every maker I can think of was there with every model they make on display and ready for you to test out on the stroller test track: an obstacle course with the urban mom in mind. There are bricks, subway grates, grass, pebbles, gates, and steps to try out. It’s a great place to learn and experience the ride for yourself.
I looked at dozens of new products and old favorites, and have composed my list of top picks from the baby show. Read on for the best of baby.
1. Pello
These gorgeous pillows may look like they are more pet-friendly than child friendly, but they are a beautiful and luxurious alternative to the Boppy (and anyone who’s ever tried to prop a newborn in a Boppy knows they aren’t great as baby seats.) Pello has it figured out! Cute prints on one side, soft fuzz on the other, a pocket in which to tuck a paci, and spots to tie ring toys, this is the perfect pillow for little ones. They also make the Comfy Cradle, an ingenious soft spot that looks like a cross between arm swimmies and a pillow. You put your forearm through it and suddenly baby has a soft spot on which to feed. This is perfect for nervous feeders (I’m looking at you, Grandpa) who worry their lap isn't enough to comfort baby.
2. Fridababy
We are a Frida family. NoseFrida and Windi have dominated our lives, especially this time around with Baby 2, who frequently gets stopped up and needs the intestinal help that Windi provides. We have a love/hate relationship with NoseFrida—my husband swears breathing through the NoseFrida tube makes him sick—but we are both fanboys when it comes to the Windi. If you've never used it, be happy you've never really had to worry about a baby pooping. But if you have, you know that it turns a gassy, in-pain baby into a happy just-pooped sleepyhead. But that’s not why I’m excited. Their newest contraption is not even on the market yet, but we got a sneak peek at the baby show. It’s a cross between a pacifier and a medicine dropper, and it’s 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. The pacifier bottom has them sucking the medicine in happily till the last drop. Yes, please!
3. Savor Keepsake Storage
Like the best-meaning of new moms, I’ve saved the newborn bracelet, the sign in the hospital bassinet, the It’s A Girl! balloon, a lock of hair, a pair of shoes, the first drawing . . . all in a crappy, overstuffed clear plastic bin that looks like it got separated from an episode of Hoarders. What to do with all that baby stuff that actually feels cute and archival? Cue Savor. They have it figured out by way of a system of small drawers and labels that you can customize to fit your collection. As big as a magazine holder and easy to store on a bookshelf next to albums, the systems accommodate Baby Years and School Years easily with plenty of pockets for everything you saved. You can pick and choose what you want to display, so no feeling like a bad parent if you didn’t bronze that first pair of shoes. Just skip past that label and on to what you've got!
There was lots of other fun stuff as well, including Noobie Box curated pre- and postnatal picks, Austlen strollers for the mom who actually needs to store real groceries, that Pockit stroller that folds up to backpack size (I tried it, and yes it is as easy as it looks in the viral video that made its way around the Facebook mom groups). Tray Buddi, a solution for highchair food winding up on the floor, Vertiplay wall toys that stick on the wall and provide stand-up activities for toddlers, Tinybeans free baby journal app for milestone tracking and digital scrapbooking, and Bare bottles that don’t trap air and improve infants’ intake experience.
There was so much to see and learn about that even though I spent more than three hours at the show, I felt like I was cutting out early when I finally went to go meet my ride. If you didn’t get to make it to the Baby Show this year, swing by next time. There will be free tickets floating around, and you’ll get to pick up some free swag, make a discounted purchase, or just learn about the newest in baby gear.
That's it for this week! As always, check our website for events and weekly library programs.
See you next time!
Andrea
