A couple weeks ago, Navy Pier was the site of the first Chicago Baby Show and I was lucky enough to attend. Other Baby Shows have taken place in Los Angeles, Anaheim, and New York.
What is the Chicago Baby Show? It’s the “Largest Show for New and Expectant Parents in the Country”, featuring over 100 brands with pregnancy, baby, toddler, and family products; family entertainment; and speakers and seminars. The show provides everything parents might need, including changing stations, special lounges for moms, dads, and nursing, a reading area, and sample baby and parent classes. Stephanie Izard (mom, Top Chef winner, and executive chef of Girl & the Goat and Little Goat Diner) was the show’s ambassador. BabyGuy Jamie Grayson and Pediatrician and Child Development Expert Dr. Harvey Karp were the top speakers, and discussions ranged from breastfeeding, to health and wellness, to what gear you really need for your baby.
My kids are beyond the baby stage, but I wanted to check out some of the new products. I’ll be honest, I did wish several of the products were out when I had babies, and I may have felt just a twinge of baby fever.
My Top 3 Baby Products from the Chicago Baby Show
I was asked to choose my top three favorite products and it was not an easy task. Famous baby brands like Graco, Boppy, Chicco, and Evenflo, exhibited their products, but there were also smaller boutique brands introducing their products to parents. While at the Chicago Baby Show I discovered Modern Eternity, Pello, Tiny Beans, and Zo-li.
After walking the floor several times, I was able to narrow it down to the top three. These are products I desperately wanted when I had babies, but I didn’t even know it.
#1 Maternity Coat from Modern Eternity
WHERE WAS THIS WHEN I WAS PREGNANT AND BABYWEARING??
Pregnancy and post-pregnancy often make fashion and comfort difficult. When I was pregnant I had some cute maternity clothes, but a coat was always a problem. My pre-pregnancy coat got tight pretty quickly so I got a coat that could accommodate my huge belly. After having the baby, I still often had to use the huge-belly coat to keep my and the baby warm when baby-wearing. The coat shuffle was expensive, inconvenient, and not flattering.
I was desperately looking for THIS. In fact, I think I told my husband that I needed a coat with a zip-in insert to use for pregnancy and babywearing. Thankfully, Modern Eternity finally created it.
Modern Eternity has three styles to choose from – my personal favorite is the Rachel 3-in-1 Mid-Thigh Maternity Puffer Coat – but each style has their trademark 3-in-1 Baby In, Baby Out, and Baby Free removable panel. Zip in the panel as your belly grows, then after baby comes you can take the insert out, or put it in to keep you and baby warm while baby-wearing. It’s so easy to do you can zip-in or zip-out on the go, so you’re not stuck trying to squeeze baby into a too-small coat, or wearing a huge coat when you’re not wearing the baby.
Seriously. Look at this. It’s fantastic! You can continue to wear it years after pregnancy because it doesn’t look like a maternity coat. In fact, without the insert, it’s not a maternity coat!
#2 Nursing Scarf from Boppy
I had three children and I believe in extended breastfeeding, which means I spent about a total of about 7 1/2 years breastfeeding. Of course, I got pretty comfortable doing it as the years went on, but the first year I could not nursing in public without a cover. It was a necessity. I kept a cover in my diaper bag, but it had a wild print on it, and a large hoop in the front, and it basically announced to everyone in the room that I was breastfeeding. I was covered, but it made me feel a little awkward; like all attention was on me. Once I got more comfortable, I didn’t always need the cover. I did still use one when I wanted a little privacy or as a way to keep my child from being distracted.
I wish this Boppy nursing scarf was around then! It’s cute and can be worn with nearly anything. You can keep it in the diaper bag, or just wear it as a scarf throughout the day. When it’s time to cover up, it looks like the pink one on the right. There’s plenty of coverage, but it’s lightweight, comfortable, and subtle. There’s even a panel at the top with mesh so you can look down to see the baby, but it’s barely noticeable to anyone else. Love it, love it, love it! This might be my new go-to baby show gift.
#3 Baby K’tan BREEZE Carrier
I loved babywearing when my kids were little. I even loved it when they were not-so-little. The only thing I didn’t like was that it was HOT. In the winter it wasn’t too bad, usually. Sometimes baby and I would get a little overheated, but we were usually okay. Summer was a whole different story. I loved the idea of ditching the stroller, but my wrap was heavy and caused both of us to be really uncomfortable.
Baby K’tan BREEZE Carrier is the perfect answer: It’s made from a cotton mesh making it super breathable. Not only that, but it’s super easy to use. There’s no wrapping or tying needed – the carrier slips over your shoulders like a t-shirt. It’s fast and easy to use, but also giving you confidence that your baby is secure. The BREEZE comes in four different colors and a variety of sizes to be comfortable for mom or dad and baby.
Runners-Up
Like I said, it was hard choosing my top three favorites. There were a lot of amazing baby products! These made my runners-up list:
Baby K’tan Diaper Bag with Water Resistant Antibacterial Pocket
Babies and kids mean messes. OF COURSE every diaper bag should have a water resistant antibacterial pocket! I’m not sure why they don’t, but Baby K’tan’s diaper bag does. So when you’re dealing with a blowout or grape juice spill you have the perfect place to store those messy clothes without destroying everything else you own.
Luv Bug SPF 50 Sunscreen Blanket
The name kinda says it all. The Luv Bug SPF 50 Sunscreen Blanket is hooded and perfect for covering up babies who are too young for sunscreen. It’s also great for when you forget the sunscreen, or find yourself and kids in the sun when you didn’t expect to be.
Kanga Care Coloring Book 4-pack of Rumparooz Cloth Diapers
These are just adorable. I used cloth diapers with my kids, and I loved Rumparooz. I had some cute cloth diapers, but I’m not sure any of them compared to this Kanga Care Coloring Book set.
Did you attend the Chicago Baby Show? Or do you plan to next year? What product do you think is a must have?
