Baby Equipment Reviews - Part 1

I quite like sharing little notes about my experience of products, and when it comes to the big purchases involved when preparing for a baby, the amount of money spent and thought put into everything, it makes me want to do it all the more. So here are a few personal review notes based on my experience of these products:

Mothercare Spin Travel System
We spent weeks if not months trying to decide what travel system we would buy. Initially we were going to buy one of the Graco systems but changed our minds at the last minute due to weight and bulk even when collapsed. More research later, we settled on the Spin, and never looked back.

It's not the lightest of travel systems (but then again none of them really are!), but it folds down quite small, and you have the additional option of removing the wheels to make it smaller.

The pram becomes the pushchair, meaning there's no additional bit to store away once the baby's grown out of it. I especially liked that part.

The basket is a very good size and easily accessible. Wheels are big and sturdy (The cobbled roads in our neighbourhood needed to be kept in mind).

We went for the special edition black jacquard, but the other colours available at the time (green and orange) were also really lovely. I didn't particularly fancy the silver version - bit too space-age for my liking.

The feature that gives the Spin it's name is extremely handy in that you are able, with a simple twist of the handlebar, to change the direction the baby is facing. This has come in handy especially in tight spaces such as restaurants. Instead of turning the entire pushchair around, you leave it where it is and spin the seat. See the video for a more accurate explanation.

The one downside to the Spin is the brake. It's slightly flimsy and doesn't always do what it's meant to do. During my research prior to making our decision, this was the one issue many people had as far as I could read. When I mentioned it to the salesperson at Mothercare, I was told that the issue had been addressed and the brake no longer plays up. But it does, and I've heard from two friends I know who also own a Spin that they have the same issue with the brake. It's not a deal breaker - you quickly learn how to work around it, it's just annoying.

Ultimately there seems to be no such thing as the perfect travel system. What seemed to work best for us was to make a list of qualities in a pram/pushchair that were most important to us and then try and find something that ticked most boxes. In the end, we found the travel system that was right for us and I'd choose the Spin again if I had to make the decision afresh. All in all, I'm extremely pleased with it and really do enjoy being out and about with it.

[Further Notes]


BabyBjorn Classic Baby Carrier
This has been an absolute lifesaver at times. Good support for your back and adjustable straps for different users. It's pretty simple to put baby into and out of once you know how and Emily absolutely loves it. We've often used it just around the house - I've cooked dinner and done laundry with Emily thanks to the BabyBjorn. It can be used inward and outward facing (outward only once baby can hold her head up herself) and is an all-round winner. Treat yourself or find one on ebay - some way, own one.


Foam Bath Support
I was given this by a friend and it's become one of my "basics at bathtime." I bathe Emily in the bathtub so this is really great to avoid her slipping around in there. If you're planning on bathing baby in your regular tub, this comes highly recommended! Available in various shapes in several shops.



That's all for now. More to come soon.


[Read Part 2]
[Read Part 3]