Sue

I am a huge fan of baby-wearing and used to carry my daughter around in a sling all the time when she was a baby. However, as she got bigger and more wriggly, I found my original ring-sling and wraparound slings just too uncomfortable. I thought that our babywearing days were over, but then I was asked to try the Scootababy Carrier, available from Slumber-Roo. I have had the carrier for two weeks now and have carried my 18 month old daughter nearly every day! It has been great and I am so pleased to have found a comfortable, easy to use carrier that my daughter seems to enjoy using as much as me!

Ease of Use

The Scootbaby is a hip carrier, designed to hold your baby/toddler on your hip, just as you would if you were carrying them by yourself. There is a very comfortable padded hip belt which you fasten into place first. You then hold your baby into place on the carrier on your hip, pull the back up around them and slip the shoulder strap over your head and onto your shoulder. It then has a simple strap which can be pulled with one hand to tighten the carrier and hold your baby in place. It took a couple of attempts to get it right, but I can now put the Scootbaby on in seconds and don’t even think about what I’m doing. I really can’t emphasise enough just how easy the Scootbaby is to put on and adjust. It’s wonderful, and because it’s so quick and easy to use, it’s perfect for quick trips into shops and on the school/nursery run, when you don’t want to spend ages putting a sling on and getting comfortable.

Comfort

The Scootbaby is very comfortable, both for your baby\toddler and for you. I wore it for nearly an hour on several occasions, and it always felt just as comfortable at the end as it did when I first put it on. The hip belt is nicely padded and can be tightened up so that most of your baby’s weight is carried on your hips. The shoulder strap is padded with beautifully soft fleece, and this can be spread out over your shoulder so that the weight is distributed evenly. This supports your baby as they lean back into the carrier, leaving your hands and arm free as you don’t need to support your child.

It also seems to be comfortable for my daughter as she is always happy when I carry her in the Scootababy. I especially like the fact that the Scootababy has a very wide seat for her to sit in, meaning there is no strain on her back.

Appearance

Although baby carriers and slings are all about carrying your baby, no-one can deny that looks are also an important factor! I tested the Wall Street Scootababy design (shown in the main photograph at the top) - a very simple black version with small white flecks on the body of the carrier. It’s very stylish and is one that both men and women will be happy to use, so ideal for dad to help too. There are several other beautiful designs available on the Slumber-Roo website. My favourite is the very funky Picadilly Circus (shown in the photograph right) - absolutely gorgeous!

Portability

The Scootbaby comes in a small, black drawstring bag. Although the carrier is quite substantial, I was pleasantly surprised by how small it was when folded up, and I found it easy to pack it away into it’s bag and keep it in my changing bag / car so that it was always available when I needed it.

Value For Money

The Scootababy costs £66.99, which is slightly more expensive than other slings. However, I do think it is worth the extra money. It is very well made. The baby seat section and straps are beautifully soft and padded, and all the buckles are very substantial - they will certainly last well even if the carrier is worn again and again.

Overall

I have been very impressed with the Scootbaby, so impressed that at the end of the two week product test, I decided to purchase a Scootbaby from Slumber-Roo myself. It is so nice to carry my daughter around next to me when we are walking around, and to chat to her and point things out. She always ‘chats’ back and our walks and shopping trips are so enjoyable.

If you would like to try the Scootababy before you purchase, Slumber-Roo also offer a sling hire service, so you can see just how good it is yourself!

Verdict: 5/5 - a very comfortable, well-made hip carrier

I monitor Tophop Mini like a hawk and I’ve just spotted that they have this fab red double breasted coat with polka dot lining.

I love the wide neck and collar, and the slightly boxy style, and it’s the type of coat that will look great with anything. £28

They’ve also got a new bobble jumper in £18 and a knitted mittens and beanie hat set, £12.

I am pretty sure that the Concord Neo Carbon is the most expensive pushchair on the UK market at present.

With a prictag of £1699 and I’m sure that’s excluding ‘extras’ this is one serious chunk of cash on wheels. So what’s so special about it?

Handmade in Germany, it’s a pushchair first because it’s made from high tech carbon of aerospace industry standard. It’s described as super lightweight but it is actually 11.2kg, which whilst not the heaviest, isn’t the lightest either. Mind you, at this price, weight is not the top of your concerns if you buy it - this is a style and innovation buy!

Despite the weight, the beauty of the frame, aside from it’s stunning exterior is that it has superior strength and durability that you don’t get in other pushchairs.

Each frame has a unique serial number, so no doubt the writing on the wall is for these to be collectables in years to come. Oh and you can get your baby’s name engraved on it too.

The frame uses an innovative Y-shaped axel for manoeuvrability which is enhanced by the central and independent wheel suspension for a smooth ride. It has a high load bearing capacity and using carbon minimises vibration when you’re on the move, which is great for the overall comfort of your child. You can also get foam or pneumatic tyres.

The seat, which faces in either direction, has merino wool inner linings (super soft, eco friendly, regulates temperature) which are also really durable but also an indicator of luxury. Due to the height of the seat, much like the Stokke Xplory, it could be used as a highchair on the go, although, looking this good, would you want to?!

It has leather handles, folds down compactly, and can be used as a travel system with a matching Scout carry cot and Ion Car Seat.

This one seriously beautiful pushchair and is the pushchair of choice for the likes of Natasha Kaplinskey and Rio Ferdinand. You can rest assured that at £1699, you’re unlikely to see many of these out and about on your travels.

Because it’s custom made, it takes 12 weeks for delivery.

You can buy it at Kiddicare for £1698.97 and I have found it at Babybirds for £1150 although do clarify what you get for the price with any deals that you find.

With the Kiddicare price, you get the carrycot and car seat but it is unclear whether this included with the Babybirds offer.

Ideal for: Celebrities, loaded people, design fiends, and the parent that just has to be different and will pay for it too.

Bang for your style buck: Excellent - This is one super hot pushchair where it’s stylish aesthetically and innovation wise.

Weight range: Medium…for a travel system.

Don’t forget that you can see other pushchairs and prams we’ve featured in our new feature The Pushchair Track.

When I was pregnant with the bambino, I was really tempted to buy this as it’s had a lot of great reviews and I liked the idea of being able to watch her. Of course the boyf totally pooh poohed the idea thinking it was OTT and may encourage my detective mentality should we have someone take care of her at the house.

Of course when she arrived, we’d hear all sorts of strange sounds and be racing up to the room and we don’t sleep that well when she’s a bit under the weather…. I’m sure a video monitor could have changed all that…

The Bosie Boo Baby Video Monitor is wireless and features a 5.6″ screen for you to keep an eye on them whilst they sleep. It’s mains powered, free standing, has 4 channels, and also comes with a connector for you to hook it up to the TV, so you could actually record too. The camera (which can be mains or battery operated) comes with a beanbag and tripod stand and you can locate it wherever it suits in your child’s room. It’s pretty cool at night-time as it has infrared vision (it’ll look like your watching one of those Most Haunted programmes sans the scariness and dramatics).

With a RRP of £159.99 this is at the upper end of the baby monitor market although you do get a lot for your money including peace of mind. OK and the opportunity to combine nanny camming if that’s your thang…

Do shop around. A quick scoot around and I found it for £139.99 at Baby Monitors Direct.

Jaysus, I have been monitoring to see when Nurseryworks, the hot US brand of baby furniture were going to turn up in the UK and went into palpitation central when I spotted a few of their famous rockers at the UK source of hot US designer brands for kids.

If you’re not familiar with Nurseryworks, their an LA based range of contemporary furniture, bedding, and accessories created by Traci Fleming and Kaye Popofsky Kramer aimed at design savvy parents.

When I was going through a chair obsession phase a few months ago, I hunted a high and low for a UK stockist to no avail so thankfully yet another killer US childrens furniture brand is on our shores. Their furnishings are handcrafted, using renewable materials that have the safety of your child first and foremost. They ensure that their are no toxins from their furniture making this an eco conscious buy.

This is designer prices in the US and designer prices here…and then some! Their Goodnight Glider will set you back £1039 and sits on bent plywood for superior strength but also to give it a sleek as opposed to bulky profile. You can get it in quite a large range of colours and you can add piping for an additional charge. It is beautiful and I want to hug it, sit in it and buy it but it’s out of my price range. As it looks so good, it could also take price of place in your sitting room when it’s stay in the nursery is over or you just want to hog it.

I am in love with their Three Wide Dresser which looks unlike any baby nursery furniture I have ever seen. You can get in drawers or cabinet options and the drawers for instance, are stacked but connected for stability. There’s also a shelf inside the cabinet. It’s available in quite a few colours and customisations and will set you back £1542 of your finest English pounds. This is another piece that would undoubtedly be a long term buy as it could just as easily take up residence in another room.

Undoubtedly, Nurseryworks furniture is hot, hot, hot at se-ri-ous prices! If any of you buy their pieces, please let me come round and stroke them…

Over at Baby Boudoir they have 50% off their range of Plastisock which comprises of eleven pieces in a mix of distinctive prints and colours. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Plastisock reduced, never mind by 50% so move fast!

A few of the items look summery but there’s short and long sleeved t-shirts and the rather cool skirt pictured. It’s a denim skirt with wide red waist band (6-12 months and 1-2 years) and they also have a brown cord skirt with broad yellow waistband. (6-12 months, 1-2, and 3-4 years) They were £18.99 so they’re now a bargain £9.50 each.

Just enter plastisock30 at the checkout to get the reduction.

Natalie writes…

If you’re on the lookout for a distinctive red dress for your bambino to strut out in over the festive season, here are three fabulous finds.

Budget - Molly n’ Jack Embroidered Red Dress

The art of this stylish, simple dress is the detail. Loving the winged sleeves and hem with lace detail and the sweet floral embroidery on both back and front. Buttons on the rear. 6 months - 6 years.

£20 from Molly n’ Jack at Mini Mode

Mid Price - Mini A Ture Helga Tulle Dress

We love the pomp of this girlie number in tango red which has a layer of spotted tulle over a layer of red netting, over a layer of soft cotton poplin. It’s sweet yet funky and perfect for being the belle of Christmas. 6 months - 3 years.

£46.20 at Yellow Lolly

Deslgner Budget - Ralph Lauren Reindeer Holiday Dress

This knitted A-line delight features a reindeer motif, cable knit sleeves with ribbed cuffs, and a scalloped neckline. It’s a bit hip eskimo meets Red Indian and the contrasting knit detail gives an impression of a cropped cardigan. It’s got a drawstring at the waist with pom-poms and 4 engraved buttons. 18 months - 6 years.

£96 at Alex and Alexa

Ooh, I have found a new store to get all hot and bothered about, France based Kids Love Design. The owner Séverine spent two years researching what has ended up being a well thought out, delectable collection of must have designer led products for kids.

Featuring furniture, decoration, toys, and unique design pieces, there are around 50 brands to wow your miniature style fiend such as Playsam, Automoblix, Esthex, Pappelina, NinetoNine, Normann Copenhagan (huge fan of their homewares in our kitchen….), Sirch, Thorstern Van Elten, Inke, Casala, The Snowroom, Richard Hutton, and XO.

Honestly, I actually swooned when I laid eyes on the the black Kily Bed by Sebra which also comes in natural, white, and baby blue. It is begging me to buy it and my brain is already thinking that considering that it lasts until your child is 7, this is a beautiful, practical design that will literally last for years, which in the overall scheme of things makes it a divine investment piece. Made from birch, it has interchangeable parts that mean you can lengthen the bed or remove the sides. The foam mattress with linen cover is also included in the price. 950 of your finest euros.

These My First Bikes by German designers FirstBIKE look really cool and can be enjoyed from 2 years old. A cool competitor in the balance bike market, it has an ergonomic, waterproof seat for stylish comfort as your tot learns to control the bike. Balance bikes are great for getting ready for a ‘big peoples bike’ and this is certainly a sleek buy with lots of features 119 euro.

Kat raved about achingly cool, contemporary Spanish brand, Ninetonine a few months ago and now I want their Owl 01 changing table (along with the rest of their range). It features fantastic storage that even when its changing days are over, this can still be a key piece in your child’s room (or yours) as a dresser. It has these fab lacquered storage elements that are sitting on top of the unit in the picture, that you can put all of these bits and bobs that get strewn about the place or kept in unsightly plastic storage. 825 euro

They have a really comprehensive delivery page which for the UK, postage ranges from 10-100 euro.

I am definitely an instant fan of Kids Love Design and will probably be dreaming about some of these items for a while and pitching them at the boyf….

If you fancy getting an investment piece (I love using this phrase on the boyf) for Christmas traditions with your bambino, you must check out these handmade Christmas Stockings from Alice & Emma.

Made from 10% recycled vintage materials with sweet details and your childs name appliqued on them, they certainly are a delightful change from your typical red stocking.

Dimensions: approx 47 X 34cms. £55 plus £5 delivery.

Whilst you’re there, do check out their individually designed and handmade vintage blankets which are £85 each. They use lambs wool, vintage cotton, and recycled wadding and these are beautiful and unusual blankets that you’ll want to treat as heirlooms.

When I went looking for a steriliser first time around, I was bit underwhelmed in terms of aesthetic appeal and resigned myself to enjoying technological appeal. But…Mothercare, who don’t normally go for the design led market have got this rather cool Digital Steam Steriliser Pod which has an LCD display to let you know how far along in the cycle it is. My, my, sterilisers have come a long way in 18 months!

Now it’s still plastic and it’s still white (people, use another colour I beg you!) - How about orange and white? Black and white? Green, red? Anyway, I digress….

It sterilises in 8 minutes, holds 6 bottles of any brand, and can keep the contents sterile for up to 48 hours, which is quite impressive. I was actually even more impressed with the fact that if the lid is left unopened, it will keep the contents sterile for up to 6 hours. Love it! This actually means that even though I was drawn on the pod appearance, it still gets its kudos on performance.

It’s fairly compact and has little non slip feet.

It’s £49.99 which puts it at the upper end of the steriliser market, although certainly not the most expensive. There is a version without LCD which is £39.99.