Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Equipment, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More!

Product Information

DON’T BUY A USED CRIB OR CAR SEAT. Old cribs may not meet current safety standards. It’s also difficult to get replacement parts for obscure brands. Car seats are also a second-hand no-no— you can’t be sure it wasn’t in an accident, weakening its safety and effectiveness. And watch out for clothing with drawstrings, loose buttons or other safety hazards. When you do buy bibs, stay away from the ones that tie. Bibs that snap or have Velcro are much easier to get on and off. Another good bet: bibs that go on over the head (and have no snaps or Velcro). Why? Older babies can’t pull them off by themselves.

Different versions for different folks. The Bassinest comes in three versions: the basic model (called the Essentia), a deluxe version (Premiere), and the Luxe. The latter two versions add vibration, sounds and lullabies, nightlight and additional storage. Those are nice—but if you just want a no-frills bassinet, the basic model would do fine as well. Some colors don’t have matching toddler rails. If you get one of the unusual colors, like Lagoon blue, you won’t be able to find a matching toddler rail. Only white and grey have matching rails. Mid-century vibe. This solidly made crib is a great splurge if you are looking for a crib as a statement piece. Bonus: you can get this crib in a two-tone option, where the spindles are a contrasting color to the crib’s base.Sounds/lights turn off after 30 minutes. This is a battery saving feature, of course. But it also means kiddos can wake up when this stops! The EveryStage is a big seat—we measured the shell at 32″ long when used in a rear-facing recline mode. Yes, folks that is nearly THREE FEET. Hence, we see complaints from parents that this seat either doesn’t fit or is a tight fit in small to mid-size vehicles.

Cute extras. In addition to a sturdy bassinet, this model features a cute mobile and light/vibration module.When it comes to travel car seats and infants and toddlers, we’d go for a lightweight seat that is easy to use and affordable. The key issue is weight: if you are lugging this seat through an airport or wrestling it into a rental car, you don’t want a 30 lb. behemoth (yes, some car seats weight that much!). Here’s more on why the Costco Onlook is a best bet for travel car seats for infants and toddlers: What We Liked While we recommend the HALO Bassinest, we say pass on their “newborn insert,” an accessory designed to create a smaller space inside the bassinet for newborns. This inserts attaches to the side of the bassinet and has mesh sides. Whether you love to play or you're a keen collector, there's something for everyone with our selection of 15 inch action figures with movable arms and legs, and comic-inspired sculpture and detail. Creative Sets & Family Favourites

Finally, let’s talk about one unspoken flaw of all-in-one car seats—wear and tear on the fabric. Graco promises you can use the 4Ever Extend2Fit until age ten or so. That’s ten years worth of fabric use and abuse, starting with diaper blow-outs and continuing through toddler tummy troubles. Yes, you can clean the fabric . . . but we can imagine some kids reaching the point where they reject sitting in a “baby” seat that is stained/worn from years of use. Just sayin’. Legs can be a tripping hazard. The exterior poles of this travel crib extend at an angle from the base—and you can trip on them if not careful. CHEAT SHEETS for your baby registry—create a baby registry in minutes with our good, better, best ideas.

Feeding Baby

Ease of use. The lids on all the dispensers we tested were supposed to rotate to direct the spout over each compartment. Some were easier to rotate than others. Another frustration was the harness, which a few dissenters said was difficult to adjust. And removing the seat from the car can be a bit of a pain, especially trying to release the ratchet.