Baby Bjorn Carrier

This “different” looking device makes walks so much more enjoyable.  In a nutshell your young one sits in front of you on your chest and allows you the use of your hands.  We recently went on a long walk and I had a great time.  I truly wasn’t fatigued and I attribute that to the Baby Bjorn.

Things I like about the Baby Bjorn:
1 – Really allows you freedom to move when you are out and about with your little one
2 – Does not feel flimsy – I was never worried about our little guy falling out
3 – Very light weight

We got ours from BabyEarth for $79.95.  I know there are newer options available now, but I really recommend the original style as it is the only one we’ve used.

Graco Pack 'n Play Playard with Bassinet & Changer

We don’t have a ton of places we go and stay overnight, but the few places we have gone we have not left home without our Graco Pack ‘n Play.  The one we decided to go with has both a bassinet and a changer that come with the pack ‘n play.  This thing at first didn’t look so easy to put together, but after reading the instructions once, it really is pretty slick how it works.

In a nutshell, it comes in a square carrying case.  You pull the entire thing out, straighten a couple aluminum legs and PRESTO you’ve got a portable napping/sleeping/changing area for your little one.  We’ve used ours about a dozen times now and it truly is quite handy to have.

Things we like most about our Graco Pack ‘n Play with Bassinet & Changer:
1 – Ease of setting it up
2 – Portability – it is a little heavy, but super portable
3 – Functionality – it can really do more than just act as a portable bed
4 – Price – We found the best price for ours on Amazon for $109.99

Floppy Seat

The store carts aren’t all that accommodating for little ones and don’t look at all comfortable.  After we bought one of these and put it in our cart, our little guy behaved 3000% better.  My guess is that the improved comfort is the reason for his drastic change in behavior.

Another nice thing about a Floppy Seat is they tend to keep stuff contained in them if your child likes to snack while you shop.  They also fit over the majority of the part where your child sits, so they act as a small barrier between your child and the germs on the shopping cart.

These are fairly cheap – we got ours from BabyEarth for $39.95 and coupled it with some other stuff to get free shipping.

Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel Stroller System

This travel system is our lifesaver.  We did so much research on strollers and car seats and could never make up our mind.  We finally decided to pull the trigger on a travel system, specifically the Chico Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System.  To put this mildly, we absolutely love it.  Below is a list of reasons we think it is the best travel system around:

1 – Rated safest stroller/travel system by Consumer Reports
2 – Can be used for kids up to 30lbs.
3 – Literally take it out of the base seat and pop into the stroller and go.  It is almost like a USB device for your computer…plug & play!
4 – Price – hard to beat for what you get
5 – Option for more car bases so if you want to take another car you can and not have to transfer the base from car to car.

One thing to keep in mind, the carrier is a little heavier than others I’ve picked up, but I’m assuming that is what makes it safer.  Trust me/us on this, you’ll absolutely LOVE this thing.  I’m sure they are other good strollers out there, but we can’t recommend this one enough to our expecting friends.

We found ours for $329.99 delivered on Amazon.com

If you are interested in other stroller options, we did a comprehensive run-down on the Top Strollers for 2009.  Click the link to the left to check that site out.  There is loads of good stroller information there.

Clean & Green Disposable Changing Table Cover

When you are faced with limited options to change your child on the go, a disposable changing pad can be a life saver.  I use them even with the changing tables in restrooms as to avoid as much germ transfer as I can.

The nice thing about these changing pads is they are quickly and easily disposed of.  They can be used nearly anywhere and are very small and super lightweight to carry in a diaper bag.

We really like these and recommend them to everyone.

You can snag a pack of 8 for $4.95 from Baby Earth.  They are very easy on the wallet.