What useful baby products appeared in the last 5 years?

[Umnitsa]

I am expecting DC2 now and have loads of baby gear from my DD1 who is five now. Still, I am wondering if there are any new products I should know of that were not available in 2010. I remember reading a similar thread when pregnant with DD1 and everyone was raving about gro bags and Ella's Kitchen which had taken the market by storm a few years before. Anything amazing appeared in the last 5 years that you rate?

[MuddyWellyNelly]

Cocoonababy. My SiL has a 5yo and didn't know about it.

[99percentchocolate]

Tommee Tippee perfect prep machine is a must if you are formula feeding.

[Umnitsa]

Oh these look great! Love the cocoonababy idea, and the prep machine seems very useful for a dazed mother of a screaming baby. Thank you.

[Pandapickle100]

Also look at the Sleepyhead as an alternative to Cocoonababy... Longer life and along with my Perfect Prep, the best purchases by far!

[BreeVDKamp]

Definitely perfect prep!!

[NorahBone]

I googled something I saw mentioned on a Facebook selling page and discovered the Poddle pod. Looks good; not sure I would have spent £30 on it, though.

[ffffffedup]

Tommee tippee perfect prep

[winchester1]

Slings seem to be very popular now.

If you're in the UK look for your nearest sling library to try some out.

[Luciferbox]

I've just had DS2, and I agree with PP. the tommee tippee perfect prep machine is a must. Watch out for Asda baby events as they sell it at half price.

[Turquoisetamborine]

We have a toddle pod for DS2 who is six months, he loves it. I also use a fresh food feeder for weaning.
Apart from that things are much the same as when I had my first baby seven years ago.

[TheWildOnes]

Another vote for Perfect Prep here,wish it had existed when I had my older ones!

[OffMyAyersRocker]

Great thread. Dd1 is nearly 5 and dd2 nearly 4 weeks. Interested to see what others suggest!

[Threesocks]

I was recommended the Morrck hoody blanket for my youngest ds. It is great especially for a Autumn/winter baby.

www.morrck.co.uk

[ShootTheMoon]

I have a similar gap and a newborn DC2 . Another vote for the Sleepyhead (DC2 actually sleeps!).
Also we like the Tuppence and Crumble Star Wraps - nice and warm, safe for car seats unlike padded snow suits, and great for going in the sling as you can still get a comfortable carry, which is hard with a very bundled up baby.

[Darcourse]

Marking my place as we have similar age gap.

[Loftyjen]

Really wouldn't recommend Perfect Prep - they don't get the water hit enough at time of making to kill any bacteria in the powder... http://www.firststepsnutrition.org/pdfs/Statementonnmakinguppformula%20safelyMarr2015final.pdf

Btw, if formula feeding the above website is hugely informative without any commercial or marketing angle.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Not sure if these were about 5 years ago or not but it is much. best purchase so far - Angel Care bath seat/prop thing. Can be used from birth. DS the baby bath but loves his baths in this. Leaves both your hands free so you aren't grappling a wet baby

[BettyOctopus]

I'd agree with the perfect prep not being a necessity. One thing that we have found useful for an older baby is a hippy chick seat- amazing as we have a lo that won't sit in a pushchair, and invaluable on public transport

[FireflyGirl]

Lofty The water needs to be 70 degrees to kill bacteria in formula. We tested it, with a very accurate thermometer, and it comes out of the perfect prep at over 70 degrees.

[cookielove]

Agree with firefly we tested our perfect prep and the water temp was correct, so lofty I don't believe you are right!

I too would recommend the perfect prep, the sleepyhead we also had a chicco next time me and the sleepyhead fitted in it perfectly in it :)

[Umnitsa]

Oh thank you for these recommendations! Love the Morck products and am definitely getting the Angel care bath thing.

There seem to be quite a few new sleeping products of the pod/cocoon type, will check them out. Would you use them with a Stokke mini crib?

[thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter]

Firstly congratulations Umnitsa, ditto I was in the same boat not long ago. If you liked those Ella type pouches there's now refillable ones you can buy (got mine from Amazon) - they seem to get really good reviews and so far I've had no trouble with mine - apart from making sure I wash/dry them carefully and being paranoid about someone binning them

[lieselvontwat]

Another who's found water comes out of the perfect prep at more than 70 degrees. The research mentioned in the link states that the water cools very quickly though, so the advice to take from there would be to ensure you add the powder immediately (the research cited isn't peer reviewed, but adding powder straight away is within the limits of the instructions given).

I did find it rather odd, too, that First Steps Nutrition would suggest the only benefit of a Perfect Prep is time saving because you don't have to wait to boil a kettle. Apparently hasn't occurred to them that the immediacy would also be useful for some people! Bit worrying that they can't seem to figure that out with all the expertise they seem to have on board. Rather smacks of being written by someone who doesn't have much practical experience of formula feeding, which is unfortunate.