I'm ecstatic right now to finally be able to unveil to you what I've being working on for the past 6 months. May I introduce you our brand new milk collection, made with the softest organic cotton and completely gender neutral. You can find it online on our website www.lelaitbaby.com.
"You don't have to get one, but you'll be sorry." This was always the answer whenever I'd ask a mom if I'd really need that baby swing, or that infant carrier, or that booster seat. I hadn't even given birth yet, but that well-intentioned motherly fearmongering meant I'd already racked up a registry with seven different products all with the same purpose of providing me a place to put my baby (and that didn't even count the stroller or crib or, you know, my arms).
I winnowed down my own list, but not without first exploring all my baby's leisure-furniture options. Here, my unbiased, extensively researched assessment of the 12 chairs every baby absolutely must sit in . . . or you'll be sorry.
1The Car Seat
Let's start with the seat you actually need. Please buy one of these.
This is a seat that, based on mechanics that only someone with an engineering degree could properly explain, is a safe place to put an infant despite it shaking vigorously every time the baby kicks or barely moves.
All the benefits of a bouncer without that pesky bouncing! This chair, with the aid of hundreds of C batteries over the course of its use, vibrates instead.
Do you ever wish your papasan could be suspended from the ground? Well, you're in luck. The infant swing, which takes up an entire living room, can rock your baby side to side andfront to back, although they will never notice a difference.
Other than being a seat for a baby, no one seems to be able to explain what other purpose it serves, so it thus only goes by its also mystifying albeit catchy brand name.
This serves the same purpose as a high chair except it is strapped onto one of your existing chairs, for those parents who wish to avoid having a high chair clash with their dining furniture while simultaneously destroying just one of their dining chairs slowly over time.
Traveling with babies and toddlers can seem incredibly daunting, but luckily there are a lot of great products on the market today to make the journey go smoother. From safety to entertainment to sleep, there's a gadget for just about every aspect of your trip.
1. Staying at a hotel, relative, or friend's house and worried about childproofing for your little one? Enter the Travel Tot kit - everything you need to childproof a space, and it all comes off cleanly.
2. If your little one is old enough, let them help carry some of their things in a small backpack or suitcase like this one from Skip Hop. It'll make them feel important, provides convenient access, and allows you a little more space in your luggage.
3. Portable cribs like this one from Baby Bjorn provide a cozy, familiar place for your child to sleep and play while on the go.
4. Disinfecting wipes for planes, hotels, and public restrooms help to put your mind at ease, and wet wipes for sticky hands and faces can be a lifesaver while on the go.
5. Never underestimate the power of a book. Read to your toddler or young child before the trip to familiarize them with the process, plus it's great entertainment while in flight. This one by Byron Barton is still a favorite with my three-year-old.
6. Technology is great, but it's not much use on a plane without headphones that fit. This pair is sized for little heads and has a cable that limits the volume to an appropriate level.
7. The FlyeBaby is a great multi-purpose device for babies and toddlers alike. It becomes a five-point harness to instantly turn any chair into a high chair and for small babies can act as a hammock while in flight.
8. If you're going on a long trip you'll want something to keep your devices fully charged and ready to go. This portable power travel pack provides up to 480 hours of device playback time and allows you to charge up to 5 USB powered devices at the same time.
9. If you have a toddler and don't want to lug along a car seat, the C.A.R.E.S. Safety Restraint System is the way to go. It's lightweight, small, and easy to install (I know from experience) It's also approved by the FAA and provides a five point harness for your little one to keep them secure on the plane sans car seat.
10. Ziploc bags are a great item to have on hand when you're on the go. They can hold anything from a dirty diaper to a wet onesie, even food scraps when there isn't a waste bin handy. They've saved my life in many a situation and I don't leave home without them.
11. Technology. A tablet or smartphone is one of the easiest ways to entertain your toddler on a plane or soothe a fussy baby with some white noise in the car or at a hotel. I also love this handy iPad travel case from Brica. It provides a stand for your device and helps to protect it from clumsy little hands.
12. If you must take a carseat for your babe and don't have a travel system that snaps into your stroller, bring along one of these handy transporters so that you're not lugging it through the airport on one hip and hauling a baby on the other.
A couple of other great tips - send baby and toddler items like diapers and formula ahead of you with a service like Jet Set Babies, rent a car seat from your car rental company, or check to see if your hotel provides cribs before lugging along those bulky items. It may cost a bit more, but your sanity is worth it. Happy trails!
(Images: 1. Product images as linked; composite by Lauren Hufnagl)
Because only the very best will do for your little ones, we've curated a list of the very best luxury gifts for the playground set. While we don't believe in around-the-clock spoiling, treating them to a little something special here and there (especially during the holidays) is a practice that we stand by. Check out these luxe finds for your precious tots — from itty-bitty babes to bigger kids who love to live large. 1- Ralph Lauren Luxe Channel-Quilted Bunting
J.Crew Baby's "The Dude" sweater ($145) is the ultimate in infant luxury. Doesn't every baby deserve to snuggle up in cashmere?
4- Republic Kids Cargo Bike
Miami-based Republic bikes are made for the design-conscious rider, with customization options galore. Now, these "imagination machines" ($349) are available in a limited-edition kiddie size. Whether they're carting around your puppy, starting a portable lemonade stand, or transporting favorite toys in the spacious front cart, these clever contraptions can be customized to your child's liking.
5- Melissa & Doug Tinker Play Piano For Neiman Marcus
It's totally over the top, but how beautiful would the Hermès Avalon Blanket ($870) look tossed over a cream-colored glider?
7- Anatology Leopard Photo-Print Sleep Bag
Sure, you could get your baby a sleep sack from one of the big box baby stores, or you could head to Barneys New York. This superluxe infant sleep bag by Anatology ($165) is made in France and has two adjustable settings for 0-6 months and 6-18 months.
8- By Paige Needlepoint Baby Booties
We know . . . needlepoint baby booties ($56) are hardly a necessity, but isn't that the fun of them? We love By Paige's sweet, tot-friendly designs, and mom wouldn't mind a matching pair either!
9- Milly Minis Metallic Tweed A-Line Coat
She'll be the belle of the Winter season in Milly Minis's Metallic Tweed A-Line Coat ($206, originally $275). Style-conscious moms will wish this coat came in their size, too!
10- Joyfolie Elery Boots
Joyfolie's Elery boots ($84) come in cream faux-patent leather that wipes clean, adding an element of practicality to your little princess' holiday soles.
11- Linus Bike's Lil Dutchi
Retro styling makes the Lil Dutchi ($299) a cool choice for early cyclists. It features thinner, lighter tubing than its adult counterpart and is available with or without training wheels.
12- Baby CZ Take Me Home Outfit
For the one on the way, Baby CZ's Take Me Home Set ($198) comes in pink, blue, or white and includes a cardigan, pants, hat, and baby booties, all wrapped up in luxurious packaging.
13- The Land of Nod Limited-Edition Bungalow Play Home
The cool, mod design of The Land of Nod's Bungalow Play Home ($699) is only available in limited quantities, so if you're considering this upscale hangout, act fast! The bungalow is constructed from solid pine and low-emission engineered wood walls — plus plenty of chalkboard walls and a thoughtful little mail slot.
Storytime has never been quite this colorful! The Philips/Disney Friends of Hue StoryLight($160) is an app-enabled Mickey Mouse-shaped light that coordinates colored lights with ebooks read on an iPad. With more than 16,000 color combinations, the Mickey-shaped light displays every color imaginable on the wall as parents read the Disney-inspired tales and kids move the cursor around the page.
16- Dexton Mercedes-Benz 300 Ride-On Toy
The ultimate first set of wheels. The Dexton Mercedes-Benz 300 Ride-On Toy ($380) will have your little one cruising the neighborhood in serious style.
Perhaps the most exciting thing to come out of Bugaboo this year is the company's three-year collaboration with denim company Diesel. The Bugaboo Cameleon Diesel Collection Stroller ($1,299) launched earlier in November and is full of fun military details — a mesh canopy (a first for a traditional Bugaboo hood), leatherette handles and bumper bar, a military pouch on the back of the seat, yellow shocks, cool hubcaps, and some really fun accessories.
19- RH Baby & Child Faux-Fur Bean Bags
RH Baby & Child's faux-fur bean bags ($179, originally $199) come in six shades of solid and animal-printed faux fur. Also check the site for faux fur jackets, booties, hoods, buntings, and blankets!
20- Burberry Merrison High-Top Sneakers
Burberry's Merrison high-top sneakers ($195-$215) come in sizes for kids 1-8 and feature bright red laces and a side zipper for easy on and off.
