Bugaboo Double Stroller Coming (Finally)

There is more news on the convertible double front. After years of parents wishing for a double Bugaboo, it looks like one will be hitting the market next spring. But unlike most strollers of the genre that stack babies one on top of the other, the Donkey (what a horrid name) will have the seats side by side. And those two seats will be just 29 inches wide, one of  the narrowest side by side on the luxury stroller market.
And if you don't want two seats you can have a cargo basket for hauling things around.

I Wish It Came In My Size

I lust for this Album di Famiglia baby coat every Winter. The wind and waterproof down jacket i just so toasty looking. And the colors are always so sophisticated. 176€

Silver Cross Surf

In the United States Silver Cross is primarily known for it's traditional prams, but they also make modern stylish stroller systems. Their newest stroller is the lightweight Surf. Silver Cross made the stroller 1/3 lighter by using magnesium alloys normally used in aerospace manufacturing. The stroller can be used from birth when used with the included Babynest. The Babynest allows the stroller seat to be used in a fully reclined position. It can also be used with the Ventura S infant seat. The seat can reversed, has an air ride suspension, and a compact single hand fold.

Baghere Long Woollen Cape

I know it is an odd time to add an 100% wool long, wool cape to a catalogue, but that is just what Little Fashion Gallery has done. I love the Anita cape from Baghere though. It's so pretty and old-fashioned. 146.32€

The 2010 Bugaboo Bee

The revised version of the Bugaboo Bee is due to be released in April. They may a few changes to make the stroller easier to use. First off, for safety the seat can only be removed empty. Bugaboo made the backrest and canopy height adjustable so that older children won't be so cramped once they get a little bigger. The backrest also now curves forward instead of backward to improve ergonomics. In addition the seat is wider and they removed the armrests. With no armrests there is less of risk of little fingers being pinched. Of course all this innovation will cost you over $100 more than the previous Bee. $649.99

The First Years Indigo Stroller

Designers  of affordable strollers are taking cues from more expensive strollers, and designing strollers that parents actually want to push. The First Years will be introducing the Indigo to go along with the introduction of the First Years Wave. It will have a reversible seat with five point harness, and is rated for use to 50lbs. It can be folded with or without the seat. The Indigo also has an attachment for use with most car seats.

Babycotpod Cascara

The Babycotpod Cascara is steadily making its way to the sales floor. The company has posted photos of the model that it will be selling on its Twitter account. The company is still trying to secure enough funding, but the Cascara is looking good.

The First Years Wave Stroller

The First Years Wave Stroller reminds me a lot of the Mothercare Spin, except that it cost less than half the price and is available in the United States. The seat has the same swivel motion for rotating the seat from front to back. This European styled stroller (weighing just 24lbs) has higher adjustable handle, a multi-postition recline, one touch brakes, and a large storage basket. And since it fully reclines you can use it from birth as a bassinet until your tot is about 50lbs. It also will accept the First Wave Via car seat and most Chicco and Graco cars seats.  $299.99

Affordable Fixed Rail Crib

Crib recalls always seem to involve dropside cribs, but fixed rail cribs tend to be rather expensive. So I decided to look for an affordable yet safe crib. One of the best I have seen is the Graco Shelby crib (And it has a ton of good reviews.) This crib looks good from all angles so it can be placed in the center of the room. But the best part is that there are no moving parts so you will have one less thing to worry about. And it is available at most big box stores, and everywhere online.

GDiapers New Baby Bundle

A few years ago when I was pregnant I wrote an email to gDiapers asking if they were ever going to make a diapering option for babies smaller than 8lbs, and got this reply:


Thank you for your email!  While we would love to offer a size for newborns smaller than 8lbs, we simply aren’t ready to take it on.  We have only been on the shelves for a little less than 2 years and don’t yet offer as many sizes as we’d like.  You may want to have another diaper option on hand for those first few pounds, but babies grow so quickly!  I’m sure the small will fit before you know it :0)

Well it looks like gDiapers has finally grown large enough to offer diapers for wee babies. The tiny gPants are designed for babies who weigh between 6 and 10 pounds. They are more like the snap in liners used on the other covers, and have words that start with g all over them. The covers fasten in the back with Velcro. There are also snaps in the front to protect tender umbilical cords.

It's nice to know that a cloth diapering company realizes that not everyone has big babies. Some of us still have tiny babies and now there is a diapering system for them. 

The New Baby Bundle contains a dozen tiny gPants cover, 6 little gPants, and a case of small gRefills (160 liners).  $149.99

Fisher Price i-Glide Cradle n Swing

Since this is my third decade of parenting, I remember when baby swings were large noisy things that you had to constantly wind. Baby gear has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last ten years, and don't get me started on what I had to deal with in the early nineties.

The Fisher Price i-Glide is a million times better than what I had back then.  The seat can be used to swing from head to toe or side to side like a cradle. The iGlide has a two reclining positions and six different speeds. It will also play eight different little songs. But trust me, by the time your baby outgrows the swing you will never want to hear any of them again. But the best part is that you can plug it directly into an AC socket, so no more bothersome cranking.

4Moms MamaRoo Bouncer

The revolutionary baby bouncer by 4Moms, the Mamaroo, is available for preorder on several websites. But the bouncer didn't make its 20 January release date. I've even seen information that the release date could be as late as mid-April. But it looks like the price will still be $199.99

Mimijumi Baby Bottles Now Available

You can purchase the breast shaped Mimijumi Very Hungry bottle now. This was one of the critical hits of the ABC Kids Expo.  The 8oz BPA-free bottles are $17.99. I can't wait to see what their pacifiers look like.

Update: And a portion of the purchase price will go to help children born with cleft palates.

Phil & Teds Smart Stroller Nearing Release

before
It is always interesting to see how a stroller changes from a prototype to a production "vehicle".  I mention this because the Phil &Teds Smart stroller is nearing it's release date. And that weird "Croc"-looking seat has been replaced with a more conventional looking seat. The seat is still being made of the Aero Core material, it just looks like almost every other stroller seat. But it will still weigh in at under 13lbs.

after


$249.99

Curio Avventura Stroller

Here is another stroller that will probably never see America's shores. Designed for a densely populated urban country, the Curio Avventura is narrow enough to fit through a Japanese subway ticket gate. And it is a stroller designed for parents who aren't driving huge SUVs, it can fit in the back of a small car.

There is a normal version of the stroller, the A and a sports version, the R. By replacing the front wheels the Avventura R can be used off road, as a jogger, or as a bicycle trailer.

 

The stroller comes in four different frame colors: black, yellow, orange, and olive green with a choice of a black or grey seat. Sooner or later you will be able to purchase the seats in additional covers. It is rather unusual that a stroller has more color options for the frame than the seat, but the yellow and black reminds me of Bumblebee from Transformers.

 

I think the stroller is perfect, but others may find a few problems with it. The seat doesn't seem to recline, so it can only be used after the baby can sit well on its own. Curio is recommending it for kids 6months to 3 years. And the handle seems fixed at 940mm (about 37inches). Not so great if you are tall. And there is no cupholder. But the tubing is a lightweight 22mm alluminum bicycle pipe, so you can use bicycle accessories. So add your own cupholder, lights, or even one of those cute bicycle bells.

The stroller will cost 69,000 yen ($755) for the type A and 78,000 yen ($854)for the type R.  The Curio Avventura will be available in Japan in early 2010.

Mama &Papas Mylo

You can now preorder the Mamas & Papas Mylo for a March delivery. The base price for the stroller and carrycot is £695. And the website has this fun interface where you build the exact color combination that you want.
Update: It seems the company has given Gwen Stefani one early. I think it was a big mistake. Because she has been seen pushing her oldest son in it, and he looks all cramped in it. Not the look you are going for with a luxury stroller.

Seed Pli Stroller

The Seed Pli kind of reminds me of strollers from the early 80s. But made with lightweight materials. The Pli is sleek and minimalist in a way that is very Danish. The pushchair converts from a carrycot to a seat. There is a collapsible frame, the wheels fold, and the handle adjusts for parent comfort.  And you have a choice of fixed or swivel wheels.

It also comes with the usual range of accessories. But if you live in a snowy area take heart. One of the Pli's accessories is a set of skis that attach to the wheels.


£799-839

Babycotpod Metro Crib

Babycotpod will be releasing another new product when they release their Cascara bassinet. The Metro crib (bassinet in English) will be made of wood, steel, and acrylic. The Metro will be a rocking bassinet that will last you until the baby is about 6 months. I would love to see a non-rocking crib version.

Expect Babycotpod's bassinets to jump off the design board and into the real world sometime next year.

Why Don't All Baby Bottles Look Like Boobies?

Maybe if they did babies wouldn't have such a hard time with nipple confusion. Mimijumi doesn't have that problem though. Their bottles are designed to mimic the look and feel of a real breast. (I wonder if the nipples will come in a range of colors. Just kidding.) The bottle will be made of BPA-free plastic and the nipple of  medical grade silicone. The nipple snaps on to the bottle for one hand use. It doesn't sound like a make or break feature, but when you're trying to fill a bottle with a crying baby in your hand it really is.

Mimijumi will be releasing the "Very Hungry" or 8 ounce bottle within the next month. And it is expected to retail for $17.99. 


But what  I love most are the little milk cartons that the bottles and nipples come in. But I am a sucker for product packaging.

Mothercare Spin

For a while all of the cool strollers were of Dutch design, but it seems that Britain is where to look if you want true stroller innovation. When I saw video of the Mothercare Spin pushchair I was really impressed. It converts to a pram like the Peg Perego Skate, fully reclines in stroller mode, and will hold a car seat. So you can actually use it from birth. And the company makes getting your baby in and out of the stroller much easier by simply allowing the bumper bar to open and close. And once you take the seat off it folds like a dream. But the coolest feature is the spinning mechanism. You press a button on the handle and you are able to rotate the seat from forward facing to parent facing with just a single hand. Video below. £420