BabyRecommend.com

In the quest for the perfect stroller, many parents will end up eventually buying more than one baby stroller. The first (and typically their main stroller) will be purchased around the birth of the baby, perhaps the best selling Maclaren Techno XT Stroller or the fashionable but expensive Bugaboo
Cameleon Stroller. These baby strollers can provide a single-stroller solution for many parents. However, it is becoming increasingly popular to also buy a more lightweight stroller for shopping, day trips, etc. A lightweight stroller can also be kept permanently in the trunk of the car.

Lightweight baby strollers are typically not appropriate from birth as many will not be able to fully recline the seat. However for a 6 month plus baby, they can offer a convenient and lightweight solution. However, there is a balance between strength, practicality and weight.

When looking for the perfect lightweight stroller, we looked at the following key features.

• Lightweight - easy to hold and carry
• Small size when folded - can easily fit into a typical sedan trunk
• Low cost - offers value for money as a second stroller
• Strong - being light should not compromise the strollers quality

Please keep in mind that our ratings are based upon these criteria, and its use as a second stroller.

• Jeep All-Weather $28.75 (discounted price on Amazon.com)
• Graco LiteRider $53
• Chicco C6 $60
• Chicco C5 $90
• Maclaren Volo $100 to $130
• Britax Preview Onyx $140

We have tried to cover a wide price range, helping to determine if the very cheap strollers are actually good value, or spending a few dollars more will get a significantly better stroller. We have identified standout stroller from our testing, and 2 close runners-up.
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the baby gardner offers a range of classic and vintage designed baby clothing, gifts, stationary and nursery accessories.

Their designs have a classic, vintage look and feel with many of the graphics bringing nostalgic memories of yesteryear. Many of the items also use vintage linens and paper, giving an authentic look and feel to the products. They include a comprehensive range of stationary items, including birth announcements, thank you and invitiation cards. The stationary features vintage graphics from the 1940s and 1950s. See the Mary & Lamb Thank You Card at the end of this article for an example (our personal favorite design).

Some of the items, such as the Sleepy Little Monkey blanket pictured right can also be personalized with your babies name.

The following text is from the baby gardner web site.

Deanna R. Gardner is the owner and artist behind much of the work you see. But we didn’t stop there. Talent and creativity abound at the baby gardner with hand-picked samplings from artists across the country. All of them have a passion for vintage and a love for little ones. This is what makes our store unique and we think that’s a good thing. You can find artist credits throughout our collection.

Deanna grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and continues to keep her roots firmly planted in the South. She has a degree in fine art and graphic design from Mississippi College and 12 years experience as an art director and designer. She currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband and two children, Gracie and Aidan - the true inspiration behind the baby gardner.

The full catalogue of products can be ordered online using most forms of payment, and shipping can be to US, Canadian and International addresses.

It is refreshing to see classic and vintage designs available and it is highly recommened that you take a look around the baby gardner. As an added bonus, they are currently offering a 15% discount on purchases over $75.

We have also included the Web site in our favorite links at the bottom of each page.

We seem to have uncovered a trend among baby and toddler toy manufacturers.

Batteries not included …

It seems that nearly all of the baby toys sold that require batteries do not actually include any. I am actually slightly wrong. Making matters worse, many include ‘trial or demo batteries’ that are stated as only being included for in-shop demonstrations and should be replaced after purchase! I think this is even funnier. First they do not include any batteries to allow us to actually use their product. Second, they include old or worn batteries that are only included to support the marketing of their product to us, which we buy and then throw away the batteries. I struggled to think of a clever analogy … perhaps I was overwhelmed with irony …

The entertainment industry was a previous culprit, where each TV and Video/DVD remote would not include any batteries. Over the recent years, most of the major electronics manufacturers have changed their tactics and are now including a set batteries.

When will the toy manufacturers take a leaf from the electronics industry … please start to include a set of (working) batteries.

Convertible baby car seats offer parents a seat that can be used from birth up to when their child is around 40lbs. A convertible car seat can be used in both rear- and forward-facing positions. The rear facing position is used for the about the first 6 months (the seat can lay virtually flat), after which time the seat can be repositioned to forward-facing.

Baby car seats can be one of the hardest purchases to make. All the manufacturers seem to quote the same information, but the seats can vary widely in price. We have collected here the top 5 bestselling convertible baby car seats from Amazon. We have also researched a number of smaller and national baby retailers, and these baby car seats are included in most retailers top 5 or top 10.

We have tried to cover a wide price range (we have included car seats from $55 to $270), and have found a real bargain at the lower end of the price range.

• Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Baby Car Seat - $55 -
• Cosco Alpha Omega Elite Convertible Car Seat - $139 -
• Evenflo Triumph DLX Convertible Baby Car Seat - $140 -
• Britax Roundabout Baby Car Seat - $219 -
• Britax Marathon Baby Car Seat - $270 -

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We previously reviewed baby names Web sites and found some interesting, if not breathtaking sources of information to help expectant parents choose a name for their baby. For this review, I will be looking at one of the best selling baby names books on Amazon, The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby.

The Baby Name Wizard has 368 pages and is available for around 10 dollars.
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Interacting with textures, colors and music are all important parts of any babies development, especially in the first 12 months, helping them to develop their brain, muscles and co-ordination skills. Baby play gyms and baby play mats can provide all of the necessary components to offer this stimulation, offering opportunities for babies to play on both their back and providing them with the all-important tummy time. A baby play gym can also provide busy parents with a brief moment of rest, perhaps for a quiet cup of coffee or to prepare lunch or dinner.

The Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe - Lights & Music has won a number of awards in both parenting magazines and on Web sites, and represents one of the most popular baby play gyms available. After your baby has played with the Tiny Love Play Gym for a while, you can understand why.
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You may have noticed that we have included a store on BabyRecommend.com.

We have built the store around the vast product catalogue of Amazon.com.

We will be limiting the products available on the store to those that we believe are the best products available in each category. These will typically be products that we have reviewed and tested.

We have categorized the store according to our buyers guide categories, based upon the following.

• In The Nursery
• In The Home
• Breast Feeding
• Bottle Feeding
• Clothing
• Infant Care
• On The Go
• Music, Video and Books

Please take some time to look around, and help to improve our product range by giving us some feedback.

A diaper bag is one of the most important accessories for parents. Whilst design and color can be a personal choice, its comfort, features and practicality are things all parents are looking for. A diaper bag also has a sort of magical quality, being able to hold far more than looks possible!

The Skip Hop Dash from Skip Hop is one of the best selling diaper bags, and features a modern design and style that hides its real purpose. The Skip Hop Dash resembles a modern messenger bag, such as those from Crumpler. It is refreshing to see products that allow parents to continue to buy and wear fashionable items, knowing that having a child is not the end of being able to look and feel great.
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The Bugaboo BEE Complete Stroller is the most recent addition to the Bugaboo range. Bugaboo is well known as the stroller of the rich and famous, and it seems that most photos show hollywood stars pushing their babies in Bugaboos. However, Bugaboo is out of reach for most parents, who cannot justify the nearly 900 dollar cost. Bugaboo have responded with the introduction of a cheaper model, albeit it is still $529! The Bugaboo BEE Complete Stroller has a compact, nimble, one-piece foldable design that accommodates children from infant to toddler and a full set of features that include a height-adjustable handlebar; a seat that reverses, reclines and extends; adaptability for various car seats; and an integrated design that almost folds on its own. The Bugaboo BEE is available in a range of colors, including red (shown here), black, yellow, dark khaki and blue. The Bugaboo BEE will be available from the 1st September, and retails for $529. First impressions show a very modern design that follows the Bugaboo tradition of producing strollers that stand out from the crowd. However, at$529 it is still an expensive stroller, and may well be out of reach for most people.

A matching Bugaboo Bee Diaper Bag is available, priced at $125. The diaper bag includes a change mat, compartments for diapers, wipes, and other accessories, as well as two insulated compartments to keep milk bottles warm. The canvas cover also functions as a changing mat for quick diaper changes.

Also available is the Bugaboo Baby Nest Bee, an enclosed and zippable pouch that provides extra warmth and comfort for infants. The nest is priced at $99. Both the nest and diaper bag are colored-coded to match the stroller.

Free shipping is available on these items, so be sure of check out the complete range of Bugaboo BEE Complete Strollers at Amazon.com.

We are pleased to announce that we will now be including news, articles and reviews of products available from BabyAge.com.

We are particularly impressed in the range that BabyAge.com offer.

They consistently offer good discounts and offers, and respond quickly to questions and support.

They are currently offering 10% Off Orders Of $50 or more Use coupon code: wow06, so we recommend that you spend a few minutes to take a look around their Web site.