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What Goes Into Making A Good...
...Baby Stroller
By Elisabeth Bergoo, PR and Marketing Coordinator, Regal Lager, Inc.
There is a tremendous number of choices in the market place when it comes to strollers. For parents to be, and especially for first time parents, making this major purchase can be quite an undertaking and sometimes an overwhelming one. It is invaluable to get professional advice from a knowledgeable retail store when deciding which stroller will ultimately best fit consumers’ lifestyles and budgets. A good stroller salesperson will ask lots of questions about the parents’ lifestyle to help determine which stroller will best meet their needs. In the store, parents need to fold and unfold strollers, check that they are easy to turn and maneuver, test how brakes are activated and disengaged, and match their stroller style, not the least size and type of tires, to the area and climate they live in. Many parents do their homework before coming to the store but are hungry for more information and professional advice upon arrival.
What may be the perfect stroller for one couple may be a poor choice for another. Some features are always desirable, regardless of whom the consumer is. The stroller needs to be safe, ASTM safety standard compliant, come with at least a 1 year warranty, be well designed with a five point harness, stable and convenient for the parent and naturally comfortable to the child. A child spends a substantial amount of time in the stroller from newborn to preschool age; therefore, reclining features and excellent padding in the seat are important. The fabric should be easy to spot clean and ideally also be easy to take off the frame for easy washing. Some desired features are more individualized, catering to personal lifestyle, budget, and fashion awareness. The savvy sales person benefits from listening to what the parents have to say early on in the conversation. Fourth floor in the apartment building, no elevator? Or one family home with a private garage? Are the parents planning for the stroller to work not only with the first baby, but also with two or maybe more children in years to come? If so, what are the features that will make it hold up well and work for a growing family during the course of several years?
By knowing the answers to these questions, the search can be more easily narrowed down to a suitable range of strollers to choose from in which most of its desired features are to be found.
Brakes - whether located on the handlebar or at your feet, need to be dependable and easy to operate. Preferably brakes will lock not one, but two wheels at the same time.
Frames - The frame can be made of powder coated steel, or aluminum of different weight. Often, a lightweight aluminum stroller is up to 20% lighter than the traditional steel frame.
Tires - Pneumatic tires (at least 12” in diameter) are practical especially for outdoorsy, active families and in climates with snow and slush that can be hard to conquer with smaller, EVA-type foam tires.
Handlebar - If parents are of considerably different heights, having a handlebar that is easy to change in height is important.
Full recline - A safe, ergonomically correct sleeping environment is crucial. A flat, fully reclined configuration is recommended by pediatricians. Some models are convertible in that they offer a full recline and easily transform to a regular single stroller.
Storage - While it is important that the stroller has superb built-in storage space, look for added storage accessories available for ultimate organization.
Accessories - A good stroller manufacturer offers a wide array of practical accessories; sleeping bags, foot muffs, rain covers, extra sun protection, insect mesh nets, seat liners and the list goes on. A travel bag may be a perfect accessory for families traveling by air, saving on the wear and tear of the stroller’s frame as well as fabric.
Just as the actual number of stroller brands and models have increased, the number of ways for expecting parents to do their stroller homework before making a purchase is more impressive than ever. Many online product review sites help parents to understand what stroller may be the best fit for their family by publishing test results and listing pros and cons on specific strollers. Pregnancy, baby, parenting and lifestyle magazines frequently test and evaluate strollers, doing actual “road tests” on functionality and comfort, and their opinions are published as a valuable guidance to potential stroller buyers. Parents who look for the input from other real life moms and dads, and who spend time researching an upcoming stroller choice will come into the store well prepared with a true understanding of the different strollers carried by the store and end up purchasing the stroller that is perfect for their needs.
Are today’s parents influenced by what products their favorite actors and actresses, musicians and TV personalities are using with their babies? Judging from the many websites and blogs reporting on new celebrity babies and their famous parents, there is indeed a growing interest from some parents to follow what strollers, diaper bags and other items that well-known celebrities are sporting. A number of well-informed, frequently visited sites publish paparazzi shots of celebrity parents pushing their offspring in a stroller, together with information on the stroller used, brand, model, price and color choices together with a link to the manufacturer’s website. In print press, pictures showing up in People Magazine, New York Post, US Weekly and others send a message to potential stroller buyers.
...Nursing Pad
By Tina Bruce, Founder and President, LilyPadz.
As natural as breastfeeding is, it seems that dealing with leakage can be anything but. Childbirth education or closer relations may have helped mom understand that leakage can and actually happens. But still, she has many unknowns. Will she leak at all? Will she need high absorbency? Will a particular choice be comfortable for her? How often will she have to change her nursing pads? How often should she change them? Are they safe? To help a mom make her selection you may offer a brief overview of what’s available along with advantages and disadvantages. A few “touchy-feely” samples are not a bad idea either, so that mom is not misled in any way. Through asking questions and perhaps a bit of experimentation, most moms seem to find a class or brand that works for them and that they prefer.
This class of nursing pads collects leaks into some type of absorbent material, requiring mom to switch them out before they reach their capacity. Advantages are that they are commonly available and that there are plenty of choices. Disadvantages are that moms complain of shifting, the feeling of wetness on their skin, and inconvenient exchanges. Furthermore, they can be fairly bulky and/or obvious under clothing. Many of these disadvantages can be minimized by helping mom select a pad of the proper absorbency, thickness, and shape based on her individual needs.
Washable: Choices include cotton, hemp, flannel, colored, contoured and not. It really is a matter of taste, and sometimes availability. The most commonly available material is cotton. Often there is a contour for a better fit and look under clothing. When available, color selections that are closer to that of moms skin also tend to be less noticeable under lighter colored clothing. Washable pads can be very trim, and some even have a decorative lace overlay, so they are pretty and relatively discreet. A disadvantage, obviously, is that mom will be spending more time on laundry. When out of the house, pad exchanges may be a bit inconvenient, since there is a need to store the wet pads until they can be placed in the laundry. Another disadvantage of a washable pad is that the individual absorbency may not be equal to some of their disposable counterparts. Mom generally needs to buy a dozen or two since they will be in and out of the laundry. So, washables can add up to a more significant up front investment, but tend to be cheaper than disposables in the end. In terms of care, the use of fabric softeners should be avoided, since they can impede absorbency.
Disposables: These one-time use pads are generally cotton based, some with a more absorbent core or construction in layers. Considerations are mom’s level of leakage, lifestyle and the fit of the pad within her wardrobe. Thickness can vary by brand and is sometimes linked to absorbency tailoring (i.e. Light, medium and heavy). Variations include contours, tape backing to hold the pad in place and plastic backing to prevent soak through. Theoretically, pads with non-breathable plastic linings may actually impede the healing of injured nipples or make nipple infections more likely. Some moms feel disposables have greater capacity and that they wick moisture away better than washable pads. Pad exchange is simple so long as a garbage can is nearby. Disposable pads carry the disadvantage of being pretty pricey over the long run. Furthermore, they are generally thicker and more obvious than their washable counterparts. With disposables new moms can count on weekly trips to the store, but definitely less laundry!
The concept of the non-absorbent pad is to prevent, instead of collect, the leak – that is to keep the milk in the breast until feeding time. Pads in this category maintain a gentle, steady pressure on the nipple so that the ducts do not release milk. This is not to be confused with binding or other techniques used to slow milk supply during the weaning process.
Currently, LilyPadz® are the only type of non-absorbent pads on the market, although another product was studied and marketed for some time. LilyPadz, are simply contoured silicone pads with a lining that adheres to the breast. This unique class of pads breaks many of the boundaries set by absorbent pads. Being completely nonabsorbent, pad exchanges are not the norm in this class, and mom can even swim in them. They require washing once per day and dry in minutes so there is no need for spare pairs like other re-usable pads. Without a need to collect milk they are very thin and offer a discreet appearance under clothing. These pads offer a unique lining that adheres to the breast, offering the ability to wear a nursing pad without a bra -so sleeping braless is an option. A disadvantage is that in times of milk supply changes the user may require some additional pressure to suppress the leak completely until equilibration.
Individual studies of the two types of devices suggest that there is no detrimental effect on milk supply, nor any increase in other breastfeeding complications. Both devices are breathable, an important feature for the health of the breast. Clinical research indicates that prolonged exposure to wet nursing pads, or even an environment that doesn’t breathe causes skin irritation and skin maceration, sometimes resulting in common breast infections. A distinct advantage to this class of nursing pads is that they may even help reduce thrush and mastitis by keeping the nipple area dry.
Although not technically a nursing pad, shells can be used to collect breast milk leakage. They are a molded device, in one or two parts, of harder plastic composition and contoured in a hollow shape so as to keep pressure off the nipple and leave it open to air. For this reason, shells are often recommended to women with sore or inverted nipples. Breast milk leakage is held in the lip around the lower edge of the shell and simply emptied, although some contain an adsorbent material in the hollow area to better hold leakage. Holes in the upper outer portion of the shell allow them to breathe without spilling milk unless mom bends over too far. The advantage here is for special needs, there is not a need to buy multiple pairs of shells, but they tend to be bulky and rigid to wear.
...Convertible Crib
By Ross Felfeli, VP of International Purchasing, Baby’s Dream Furniture, Inc.
Unlike the “Energizer Bunny” that “keeps going and going and going and…”, most cribs sold today stop being of any use by the time the baby is around 2 years old, or until he can climb out of it.
The exception to this is the so-called “convertible crib”. No, this crib does not have a plastic top that you roll back when the sun is out to let the baby get some fresh air. The “convertible” in convertible crib refers to its unique ability to change from a crib to a toddler bed to either a twin bed or a full bed, depending on the model and the manufacturer.
Convertible cribs have gradually become one of the most popular types of cribs sold in America. It is easy to understand why. Simply put, convertible cribs are one of the best values in the market. By paying a little more for a convertible crib, the consumer gets a bed that her child can use from the day he is born until he leaves for college.
With so many manufacturers offering convertible cribs, it is important that the consumer knows what to look for when buying nursery furniture.
The most important thing is that the crib meets all government and industry safety standards. Therefore, the consumer should know whether the crib meets or exceeds all ASTM and federally mandated standards. Cribs that have met those standards have been certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturer’s Association (JPMA). This certification is usually printed on the crib’s box, on a sticker on the crib itself, and on the manufacturer’s product literature or brochure. Pay attention to consumer buying publications such as Consumer Reports for top-rated cribs.
Ask the consumer to “kick the tires” as if they were buying a car. Since kicking the crib might hurt the consumer’s foot and result in a lawsuit or insurance claim, it is better to just have the consumer grab the top side rail of the crib and shake it a little to see if it is stable. Does it wobble? Is it heavy enough to stay put in one place when the baby can stand and shake the crib? All frames should be made of smooth hand rubbed solid wood surfaces and assembled using steel bolts and steel inserts to reduce the possibility of stripping during assembly and/or conversion of the crib.
Another important thing is to check and see how the gate operates. Is the operation quiet and smooth? After all, parents don’t want noisy hardware to wake up the baby when they put him down and try to close the gate. Is it easy to open and close the gate or lower and raise the front side of the crib? It should be easy for an adult but next to impossible for the baby or his 4-year-old sibling. There are also cribs that have no moving hardware and have completely stationary sides, making them safe to use and easy to operate.
The next thing is to show the consumer what the crib looks like when it is converted to a toddler, twin, or full size bed. Many so-called convertible cribs will only convert to a toddler bed or a twin bed at most. A true convertible crib will change from crib to toddler bed to a full size adult bed. Usually, the conversion requires some sort of metal or wooden rail that either comes with the crib or that the consumer has to buy separately. It is most effective to display the crib fully converted in the store so that consumers can clearly envision how the conversion works.
Convertible cribs provide great value. Little to no additional purchase is necessary to convert into the toddler bed and full-size bed position. This feature provides value for years to come and saves consumers the cost of purchasing additional furniture for their child. This also helps to ease the child’s transition from crib to “grown-up” bed because they remain in the same environment that they have grown comfortable with. All in all, a good convertible crib should be an investment that will, literally, last a lifetime.
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