Baby Shopping List – Activity Gym, Stroller, and other Playtime/Going Out Needs
- GWTT
- Sep 14, 2012
- 3 min read
I kinda forgot to continue with this series, but I’m back now because I was just chatting with my preggie friend whom I’m actually doing this series for, and I realised that I haven’t finished the list yet! Sigh. Guess the pregnancy brain doesn’t really go away even after you pop!
Playtime/Going Out Needs – Activity gym We originally ordered one from the US and got it shipped to us via a shipping company, but it somehow got damaged along the way and after getting a full refund, we decided to save ourselves the hassle and just buy another one locally. The Fisher-Price Precious Planet Deluxe Musical Activity Gym
is easily available and we got ours at the Taka Baby Fair. To be honest, I think I would have preferred either the
, which is the same size as what we got, or the
, which is smaller and more affordable. You can also check out the
or the
.
– Play Mat Most of our friends who have recently become parents bought theirs from Small Small World, and so when we found them at one of the Expo fairs, we placed an order for this one. I think we also got it at a cheaper price than what’s offered on the website, together with free delivery, so do check out the fairs just in case you can get a better deal. If you are not in Singapore, you can consider the Baby Care Play Mat – Pingko Friends (Large)
if you want something waterproof, or the
, which can double up as an activity gym of sorts as well.
– Bouncer The Fisher-Price Portable Rocker, Newborn-to-Toddler
was a staple in many of the new parents’ households and we bought ours at the Taka Baby Fair too. Noah seems to really enjoy being in it so far! One problem I’ve had with it is that it can’t really be washed properly, due to the board sewn into the back panel. Noah’s diaper leaked one morning as he was seated in it and I had to get our part-time helper to hand-wash the bottom bit and hang it up for drying after that. It would have been great if the panel is removable so that the whole fabric piece can be machine washed. I place a waterproof sheet under his bum when he’s seated in his bouncer now, just in case his diaper leaks again. I also like the
and my friends who have this, have only good things to say about it.
– Books/Toys/CDs We were very blessed to have received a few books and CDs from our friends. To be honest, I haven’t been able to really work out a routine in which reading and music are incorporated as he doesn’t seem very interested in either! I do show him some black/white/red flash cards which his paediatrician gave us, but I only do it when he seems alert and happy enough. Babycenter has a list of recommended books for babies, although I followed a different list (which I can’t seem to find now). I have also come up with my own list of recommended board books, based on our own experience. One of the first toys we bought for Noah was the Sophie the Giraffe Teether
, but he didn’t use it until much later.
– Diaper bag This boils down to personal preference as well as who will end up carrying the bag most of the time. Most men wouldn’t really want to be carrying a pink diaper bag around! My mummy friends told me to get a roomy bag so that I can lug more things around, so when I saw this Okiedog Bliss Shuttle Travel Bag
on sale at the Expo fair, I quickly grabbed it. I’m even more pleased with it because it was being sold at half price (I love a good deal!) and it’s waterproof. I now use a
and it is my favourite diaper bag among all the others that I’ve bought and tried.
– Baby sling/carrier We heard many good things about this Baby Slings and Carriers shop, and got our Manduca Baby Carrier
from it. Apparently, it’s best to wait till after baby is born to buy the carrier, as you can then bring him down to the shop to try out the various brands and designs. I love my Manduca Baby Carrier, and use it all the time to bring Noah out, instead of a stroller.
– Infant car seat We bought the Maxi-Cosi Pebble car seat as it was one of two car seats that can be used with our stroller. The Taka Baby Fair had a good deal on selected colours for this model so we decided to save a bit of money, rather than choose a prettier colour.
– Stroller We splurged on a good stroller as we originally had plans to relocate overseas for a year due to C’s job. We’ve heard horror stories of how strollers were mishandled by airline crew, resulting in damaged strollers, so we wanted a sturdy one, made of hardier material. Okay, I confess that I was won over by the look of the Bugaboo Bee Stroller and Canopy – Blue
as well. So far, it has served us well, although we haven’t really taken it out much. It is relatively light, although it’s not one of those ‘one-hand-close’ models, which some may prefer. We got ours from Mothercare, as well as the
. Noah seems quite comfy in it and I’ve managed to bring him for two short walks downstairs in it during his first two months. I like that it glides smoothly and is sturdy enough to negotiate bumpy pavements without me feeling as though it will fall apart. The underseat basket is also roomy enough for my bag (but not my Okiedog diaper bag, which is huge) and some small shopping bags.
– Stroller fan We found a cheap one at Kiddy Palace, similar to the KF Baby Clip-On Mini Stroller Fan
. It’s a good idea to get one, as it is portable and keeps the baby cool in our humid weather.
Other posts in this category:
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PS: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you buy the item after clicking on the links, a few cents from the sale goes to Noah’s book fund, at absolutely no cost to you.
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