Like many new babies, mine wanted to be held
constantly at first – so it was a relief to realize, after a few days, that we
could actually put him down: in his crib, or
the bassinet in the play yard, or
the middle of our bed. Here are three more products that have helped give our
arms a break.
3. Bright Starts Bouncer – $15.99 on Amazon
An infant bouncer is a great thing to have in the
living room; it allows the baby to be semi-upright and look around, but it’s
comfy enough that he can take a nap. As seen in the picture, we have a slightly older version of the Bright Starts bouncer.
2. Shangrila Activity Mat by Kushies - $120 on Amazon
If you have splintery hardwood floors – or if you
don’t like to vacuum – a good-quality play mat is perfect for tummy time. This
one by Kushies actually stays put as our baby maneuvers over it, and he’s
fascinated by the black-and-white patterns. Flip the mat over, and it’s got a
multi-colored, multi-textured surface with Velcro tabs for the included toy
attachments. This is the softest, most well-designed activity mat we’ve seen –
a world away from the cheap-looking plastic ones at the baby superstores. Then
again, it’s twice the cost – and chances are your newborn can’t tell the
difference.
1. Coco Mat Organic Crib Mattress by Natural Mat – $375 on Amazon
After reading our Parental Advisory column about the dangers
of plastic in mattresses, I started to re-think the cheap used mattress that
came with my perfectly good used crib. The Coco Mat is a truly amazing
creation, made from layers of coconut husks (for support and breathability),
lambswool (for softness and insulation), plant extracts (for dust mite
protection) and cotton – and it’s naturally fire-retardant. (There’s a diagram
here.) But the true test: my squirmy baby went instantly into
sleep-mode the first time we put him on it, which he’d never done in his less
luxe cradle.
Coming up: one bottle to rule them all. –
Gwynne
Watkins
