Cool Baby Products

I've been getting Parents magazine for free for the past year (I'm not sure how or why, but I won't argue). I really enjoy reading a lot of the articles and they always have a page dedicated to cool kid products. That is what has prompted me to compile a list of cool baby products that I either plan to get soon or hope to get the next time around. I've linked them all for your viewing pleasure. If anyone has any others, feel free to leave details in the comments. I'm always open for ideas.

Note: I got most of these ideas from a mommy blog I found called CoolBabyKid.com. Check it out.

Nap Nanny

This product was featured in the most recent Parents magazine. Since I have recently been compelled to get a part-time job, I have been lamenting Eddie's bad napping habits. Most days he is a really good napper when we're at home, following our normal routine. But trying to get him to sleep anywhere other than his crib is a chore. So the next time I have a kid, I want to get a Nap Nanny and put the kid in there for naps from the very start. It's portable, it's comfortable, and it's safe for them. The down side: it retails for $129.99.

Slurp & Burp Nursing Wrap

Sure, the name sounds disgusting, but after trying to deal with nursing a wiggly, sweaty baby in various public places (including church, the park, the dinosaur museum, and the zoo), I would be willing to give this a try. It may not be as discreet as some people prefer, but it makes it so you don't have to have a blanket over the baby's head while they nurse. By the time the kid is 6 months old, they can pull the blanket off anyways.

The Baby Keeper

I became aware of this product because Dave Barry featured it in his 2008 Holiday Gift Guide. Yes, it is a funny concept and I laughed about the great photo included in the guide. However, about a week after seeing this, I had to use the restroom at the grocery store and had nowhere to put Eddie. Let's just say that is a complicated situation... especially for a germ-a-phobe like me. So while it may seem strange to want to be able to hang your baby from the bathroom stall, I would much rather do that than set him on the bathroom floor. So, bring on the Baby Keeper!

Dapple Cleaners

I've always thought there ought to be a safe way to clean things that go into a baby's mouth (besides just normal old dish soap). When I clean toys, I have to separate them, sanitize them with my Clorox wipes, then keep them separate until they are very dry because I know as soon as Ed gets them, they'll go straight in his mouth. I might just have to make a trip to Babies R Us to pick up some Dapple wipes.

Squirt Spoon

Trying to feed a baby is a messy task. If they're really hungry, they don't want to wait for you to turn and get another scoop. Or if you're not paying good enough attention, they'll just grab the food container from you and make a huge mess. Believe me... I know. So it make sense to have a spoon that contains the food within itself. That way, you've got your other hand for deflecting little hands reaching for said spoon. I'd like to give this one a try and see if it is as good as it sounds.

Begin Smart Books

I'm all about giving my kids every possible advantage when it comes to their development. I love reading to Eddie and really believe that I'm helping develop his language skills... and hopefully his attention span. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with also trying to "encourage the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth of babies and toddlers" like these books claim to. I plan to search the county library to see if they have any of these ones and give them a try.

BumpyName Orbit Labels

I saw these in pretty much every issue of Parents magazine and think they look pretty neat. It's a personalized, microwaveable, dishwasher-safe, reusable label for all sorts of containers. I imagine these would really come in handy for a kid who was in daycare. They come in all sorts of fun colors and you can even get a braille version. The down side: they only use Comic Sans font. Ugh.