The Best New Baby Products and Gear of 2021
All the new strollers, bouncers, carriers, bassinets, and other new products that make life with baby even better.
Caring for a newborn is as grueling as it is rewarding, and with each passing year, the caregiving toolkit seems to grow exponentially bigger, with more and more baby products and new gear. Features on car seats multiply, carriers become more intricate, monitors monitor more things via more devices at more times of day and night. Some are gimmicks, but some baby products really do make life easier. How’s a new parent to know the difference when faced with an onslaught of bassinets and strollers claiming to be the best baby products of 2021?
With research. We’ve studied the brands, the reviews, the input of experts and parents to create our list of the very best of 2020’s new strollers, car seats, baby bottles, bassinets, and other gear that will ease your parenting journey and let you focus on the good stuff. Which is really what it’s all about.
The Best New Baby Carriers
SeatMe Multi-Position Baby Carrier by LÍLLÉbaby
If they combined a diaper bag with a baby carrier and made it look like something you’d want to wear, this would be it. It has five carry positions, a padded seat, and a removable torso panel. It fits babies up to 45 pounds. And we particularly dig the roomy zippered pocket, which fits all your baby essentials. This even works as a standalone hip carrier, for older kids.
Cradle Me 4-in-1 Carrier by Graco
Finally, a baby carrier that doesn’t require a newborn insert before you can test drive it. Graco’s carrier has magnetic buckles that latch to connect, making it beyond easy to get your baby in and out. You can carry your baby four ways: facing-in newborn seat, facing-in baby seat, facing-out baby seat, and back-carry baby seat. It’s easy to use. Easy to fasten and unfasten. And you can take your newborn out without buying any extras. What more do you need? The weight limit is 35 pounds.
CoPilot Baby Carrier and Backpack by JP Outdoors
Baby carriers can be a little too cutesy-looking. Or cumbersome. Same with diaper bags. The CoPilot is none of these things: Part baby carrier (for babies 8 to 30 pounds), part rugged backpack, and part “parenting bag” with built-in changing station, it’s eminently practical, streamlined, and looks like outdoor gear — because it is. The 40-liter backpack is made from tough 420D ripstop nylon with water-resistant coating, and has a cooler compartment, food and clothing bags, and padded 15-inch laptop sleeve. The carrier attaches to the backpack (creating a balanced load), and you can wear your child in either rear- or forward-facing modes.
Embrace Newborn Carrier by Ergobaby
Newborn baby carriers tend to be either soft fabric wraps that work well for tiny babies but are impossible to tie, or clunky, high-tech contraptions that are designed for older babies and require awkward inserts. The new Ergobaby Embrace newborn carrier, however, gets it right. The soft carrier is easy to put on, with just a few simple buckles instead of a labyrinthine wrapping pattern, and has a padded neckline for baby’s head. The wide, soft straps, cross in back, providing extra support, and are expandable: you can spread the cloth band across your shoulder. Newborns must face inward for safety reasons until they’re 26 inches long, but the carrier can be used for babies up to 25 pounds, making it long-lasting for a newborn carrier. Size can be adjusted to fit Mom or Dad.
LÍLLÉlight Baby Carrier by LÍLLÉbaby
Sometimes minimal truly is better. Made from hemp and organic cotton, this lightweight new carrier is clean, unfussy, and thoughtful. It has a tie-waist in the front, which looks good and also helps you get a great fit. The carrier itself comes with a detachable hood and fits babies 7-36 pounds, using three carry positions.
The Best New Strollers
Hub+ Stroller by Joolz
Don’t get us wrong. Compact strollers are great. Except usually, they feel like compact strollers. In other words, the ride isn’t smooth, the details are missing, and the look is, well, on the chintzy side. Not the the Joolz Hub+. It’s sharp, yes. It’s compact, yes. But the details make it stand out: There’s a rotatable bumper bar and a massive shopping basket. It has built-in front and rear LED lights. The handlebar is adjustable. It weighs 24 pounds. And the ride is smoother than a Tesla. So yeah, that’s smooth. The weight limit is 50 pounds.
Alterrain Pro Jogging Stroller by BOB Gear
There’s lots to love about BOB’s new cruiser, starting with its one-handed, free-standing fold and automatic lock mechanism. Plus, it looks dope as hell when you’re taking it for a spin. It has air-filled tires, ultra-smooth suspension, a foot brake, and an ergonomic handlebar handbrake. Speaking of handlebars, this one has a holder for your phone, plus four other pockets for ample storage. The weight limit is 75 pounds, which means your kid can chill in the ultra-padded seat until they’re 9 years old.
Spring Travel Stroller by Thule
There are tons of strollers out there to choose from, so when it comes to picking one out, it’s all about the details. The Thule Spring is hassle-free: You press a button to fold it, and it just… folds. Like that. The handlebar is adjustable, which is a nice and fairly rare touch at this price point. The seat reclines, the canopy is vented, the fixed footrest makes it easy for kids to climb in on their own. And best of all, this thing glides like it’s a sports car, thanks to its killer suspension and swiveling front wheel, making urban outings and park trips a thing of joy. At 23.4 inches wide, it fits through doorways, and with a 64-pound weight capacity, you’ll get years of use out of it.
Jet Super Compact Travel Stroller by Silver Cross
When you fold this stroller up, you simply roll it along like another suitcase — a brilliant idea for road warriors, and anyone sick of wrangling unwieldy gear. The stroller fits babies up to 55 pounds, and clocks in at 13 pounds, about the weight of a bowling ball, so hauling it around is no big deal. Plus, it looks sleek as hell, and (for those who dare to fly) fits into overhead bins. It has a one-handed fold, an adjustable footrest, and has a multi-positioning reclining seat. And yes, the sweet travel cover is included.
Sleek Everyday Convertible Stroller by Thule
This stroller is made for urban living, but doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to comfort. It can be configured as a single or double stroller, which is handy for growing families. There’s a reversible seat to face front or face the parents; the handlebar is height-adjustable. And shock-absorbing four-wheel suspension is perfect for bumpy sidewalks or uneven park trails.
Mommy Power Stroller Hook
This handy hook provides a hands-free resting place for up to 25 pounds of stuff (think grocery bags, pocketbooks, and whatever other stuff the kids hand you.) But the real zinger is that it doubles as a portable universal charger. So, you can push the stroller without your bags weighing you down and with your phone charging. It even has an indicator light so you can locate it in the dark.
The Best New Baby Car Seats
City GO AIR Infant Car Seat by Baby Jogger
Baby Jogger strollers are immensely popular, because you get great bang for the buck. Now, the brand has branched out into car seats with one mighty fine offering that only weighs eight pounds. It attaches to your Baby Jogger stroller to create a travel system and works without the base in cars, taxis, and rideshares. Yes, it can be used with or without the base, which makes moving it that much easier. It fits babies 4-25 pounds.
Coral XP Infant Car Seat by Maxi-Cosi
Think of this brilliant car seat as something of a burrito for babies. It’s all part of a nesting system includes a car seat base, an outer shell and a detachable inner carrier. It fits babies up to 22 pounds, so it’s ideal primarily for newborns. But here’s the cool part. When your baby is sleeping, instead of hauling him or her out of a car seat and waking them, you simply detach the inner carrier by pressing a button and you’re ready to go.
Sirona S SensorSafe Convertible Car Seat by Cybex
Switching a car seat between rear-facing and front-facing modes is, generally, a massive pain. The Sirona S, however, makes it easy, thanks to its 360-degree rotatable seat, which swivels around and then can easily be locked into place. This might seem like a gimmick, but it makes getting your child in and out of the seat, as well as adjusting the seat’s recline, much less awkward. In addition to a lock that keeps the seat from rotating while the car is in motion, innovative safety features include a load leg, which braces the seat in front, and the brand’s patented SensorSafe clip, which alerts parents via wi-fi if the chest buckle comes undone, or if you somehow forget your kid in the car. The seat has a 12-position recline, and is suitable for kids weighing 4–50 pounds in rear-facing mode, and 22–65 pounds in front-facing mode.
PIPA Lite R Car Seat + RELX Base by Nuna
Imagine a car seat that weighs about as much as a bag of sugar. That’s the newest offering from Nuna, whose previous model, the PIPA Lite, was the lightest car seat on the market. The company’s latest release, the PIPA Lite R, is the new featherweight champ, weighing in at just 5.3 pounds. This rear-facing seat, which must be used with the special RELX base, proves that heft doesn’t equal superior construction or safety. It’s made of aerospace aluminum and specially designed lightweight foam, and is free of fire-retardant chemicals. It installs in seconds, and has indicators that turn green when the seat and the “stability bar” in front are clicked securely into place. Most importantly, it takes some of the heavy lifting out of caring for a newborn. It can be used for babies weighing 4–32 pounds.
Fit4 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat by Chicco
If you’d rather not buy three separate car seats for every stage of your child’s transportation needs, invest in this brilliantly designed beast instead. It will honorably serve you until your kid is 10. Yes, 10. The car seat has clearly labeled 4-stage construction and easy-to-remove layers that you essentially peel off as your kid gets bigger. The Fit4 has nine recline positions and a 10-position headrest, and is slim enough that you can fit three of these across the back seat. In rear-facing mode, it fits babies 4–40 pounds; forward-facing mode works for kids 26–55 pounds; and the booster is designed for kids 40–100 pounds.
Gold Revolve 360 All-In-One Car Seat by Evenflo
Parenting is hard enough. Which is why we appreciate anything that makes things less complicated. This car seat is one of those things. It fits babies 4-120 pounds. It has three different modes of use. But here’s the clincher and the reason any parent would want this seat: The seat rotates, which makes it easier to get your baby into and out of the car. No more twisting and turning to position yourself just so. The seat does the work for you.
The Best New Diapering Aids
Lumi Ultimate Baby Monitor Bundle by Pampers
You don’t have to obsess over whether or not your baby pees enough, but you may choose to, and this groundbreaking all-in-one monitoring system — which includes a smart baby monitor, sleep sensor, 10 days’ worth of diapers, and an app — is here to help. The Lumi baby monitor, designed with Logitech, has 1080p high-definition resolution and a night vision camera, and gives you a 180-degree view of the nursery. There’s continuous and two-way audio so you can hear every burp, snore, and cry. Plus, the monitor tracks room temperature and humidity because of course it does. But the true standout here is the sleep sensor, which works only with Lumi Pampers diapers (and lasts through 1,000 diaper changes): it attaches to the diaper by Velcro and tracks wetness and diaper changes. It all comes together in the app, which lets you keep track of blowouts, vaccinations, sleep patterns, feeding routines, and developmental milestones. It’s the ultimate in Big Brother nursery tech.
Light-Up Diaper Caddy by Skip Hop
Middle-of-the-night diaper changes are hard enough without fumbling for wipes in the dark. This light-up caddy stores all the things you need for a changing in one organized spot, and has an ingenious touch-sensitive light built into the handle. It’s also portable, eliminating the need to stock multiple rooms. The adjustable center ensures that big items can fit, and the light goes off automatically after 10 minutes, allowing you and baby to get back to bed, if not to sleep. It’s such a great idea, it’s a wonder it hasn’t existed until now.
Diaper Cream Applicator by SwipenSnap
Avoid the pesky hassle of getting diaper cream caked under your fingernails — and touching heinies any more than you need to — with this easy-to-use diaper cream applicator. Unlike other applicators, this device attaches directly to the diaper cream tube, which means you can keep one hand safely on your kiddo, and the tip is soft, flexible, and ergonomic, making it easy and gentle on your baby’s bum. The product is compatible with the tubes of most major diaper cream brands.
Redyper Diaper Subscription Service
The sheer and unparalleled convenience of single-use diapers isn’t up for debate, but 4.2 million tons of them went into landfills in 2017 alone, according to the EPA. Gross. Enter Dyper, the subscription service that delivers eco-friendly, Oeko-Tex-certified nappies every month and uses an algorithm to predict how many you’ll need, based on previous usage. Subscribers who sign up for the brand’s new Redyper program get bags and a specially designed hazmat box for used diapers, which are then composted through a partnership with TerraCycle. The diapers themselves are made from bamboo, and are unscented; they’re made without chlorine, latex, alcohol, lotions, TBT, or Phthalates.
The Best New Diaper Bag
Mainframe Wide Open Backpack Diaper Bag by Skip Hop
The super-cool thing about this diaper bag is its wire frame, meaning when you open it, it stays open. No more digging around blindly for wipes. It can be worn a backpack or a satchel, too.
Top ‘n’ Tail Eco Backpack Diaper Bag by BabyMel
What’s cool about the BabyMel? It’s made from recycled plastic bottles, to start. And to keep parents organized, it has two specific sections: The top holds all the feeding gear, and the tail is your portable changing station. The two internal compartments keep feeding and changing essentials separate, so you’re never digging around for wipes, while picking through pacifiers.
Picos Carbon Diaper Bag Backpack by Pacapod
Admittedly, it’s hard to get excited about a diaper bag. Which is why this updated version of the popular one from Pacapod is so innovative. It’s made from a sleek technical fabric, so it actually looks like a pretty dope backpack. It has a new sliding chest strap, which comes in handy if you’re wearing your kid in a sling or carrier. It has side bottle pockets, carabiner tabs, and a new front zipper that gives you immediate access to wipes, diapers, and your tech.
The Best New Feeding Aids
Battery-Operated Bottle Warmer by Baby’s Brew
The Baby’s Brew battery-operated bottle warmer lets parents prepare bottles anywhere without needing to rely on an outlet. Once you choose a temperature (ranging from room temperature to body temperature for breastfed babies), the bottle heats up in 5 to 10 minutes; the relatively slow process is designed to preserve nutrients and avoid pockets of hot liquid that can be created when bottles are heated up too quickly. It comes with a formula dispenser, but works with breastmilk, too. The warmer holds a charge for 8 to 12 hours, fits in a cup holder, and accommodates most bottles (and there’s an adapter for the few that don’t fit).
Sit-To-Step High Chair by Skip Hop
Skip Hop’s newest high chair has a grow-with-me versatile design that converts from a high chair to a toddler step stool (and easily back again). The height-adjustable seat can be reclined in three angled positions, can be used for infants up to 3-year-olds (or 33 pounds), and comes with an infant insert, soft head support, and five-point harness for added safety. The step stool can be used by anyone up to 200 pounds and has a handle/safety bar, making it a secure perch for a little kitchen helper as they grow. The high chair has tons of little conveniences, like a bib hook in the back, and it folds up, making it super-easy to store. And one of the best things about this high chair, with its wood accents and unfussy design, is that it looks good, making it one less garish baby item to look at.
First Bites Full Kit by Lalo
These sweet little silicone bowls, plates, and cups suction onto the high chair, to keep mess to a minimum while letting kids explore their foods. And the bibs keep the crumbs in check. Toddler dining gear, with an adult aesthetic.
Buy Now $62 Cacti Bottle Cleaning Brush Set by Boon
Want a plant but can’t be bothered to water it every morning? This cacti bottle-cleaning brush set by Boon, the market leader in cute countertop bottle accessories, might just be the way to go. Each “cactus” is a brush handle, for a total of four different brushes, and the vase doubles as a drain to keep water out and prevent molding while keeping the brushes organized, clean, and accessible. Brush bristles are well made, with durable nylon to draw the naughtiest goop out of bottles, straws, sippy cups, and breast pump parts. It comes in white or a more organic (read: schmutz-camouflaging) terra cotta.
Nursery and Toy UV Sterilizer by Munchkin
That nasty lovey that smells like last month’s composting? The pacifier that wound up in some crevice of the car? Your phone that you bring to the outside world of germs and close to your newborn? Those are just a few of the reasons you might want to consider this spacious sterilizer, which uses 21 UVC lights to disinfect all the gross things your kids play with and shove into their mouths. It zaps bacteria and viruses — including coronaviruses, although SARS-CoV-2 was not specifically tested — in five minutes. You can either use a rechargeable lithium ion battery to power it, or charge it via USB.
The Best New Baby Food Maker
Duo Meal 6-in-1 Food Prep System XL by babymoov
Think of this as your baby’s personal prep kitchen, letting you make 14, yes 14, meals at once. This thing has three speeds and steams and blends at the same time. It has three cooking trays, with a steam juicer and three-speed blender so you can juggle various recipes. And there are separate steam baskets and an audible alert to let you know when your culinary masterpiece is done. We just wish they made this for adults.
Babycook Neo Baby Food Maker by Béaba
Yes, you could just use a saucepan on the stove and an immersion blender to make baby food (or, of course, just buy it). But Béaba’s newest model really does make it easy — and economical, when you do the math — to do the homemade thing. Like previous Béaba models, the Babycook Neo steams, blends, warms, and defrosts, and allows you to steam-cook veggies, fruit, and even raw fish or meat in about 15 minutes. But the Neo does it bigger, better, faster, with a glass bowl that, at 5.2 cups, is bigger than its predecessor, a stainless-steel steamer basket, and timed cooking with auto shut-off so you never have to worry about watching or overcooking the baby’s food. Plus, it’s made in Europe and looks the part, which doesn’t hurt.
Formula Pro Advanced WiFi Baby Formula Dispenser by Baby Brezza
Think of this as a barista for your formula. You can customize your bottle by choosing from three temperature settings and one ounce increments via the app. It does the thinking for you, no measuring or mixing required. It works with all brands of formula and all bottle brands. There have been some issues with the Baby Brezza in the past, so make sure you read all instructions and follow the directions.
The Best New Baby Bottles
Anti-Colic Formula Making Bottle by PopYum
If you feed your baby formula, you don’t want to mix it too early because it goes bad. This smart little bottle keeps formula and separate, so when you’re ready to feed your baby, you press a button to release the formula.
Glass Baby Bottles by Hevea
Glass bottles don’t leach any weird chemicals, but unlike plastic, they break. And given that babies love to throw stuff (throwing stuff never, ever stops being fun), that leaves parents with something of a conundrum. Enter Hevea, which makes glass bottles encased in a bouncing rubber star ball. Kids can grab the ball and hold the bottle to feed themselves. But better yet, the ball acts as a type of bubble wrap, preventing cracks and ensuing shards from falling all over the place.
The Best New Breast Pumps
Elvie Curve Manual Breast Pump by Elvie
For moms who pump on the go, this breast pump is the bee’s knees. It’s made from silicone, it’s worn under the bra, and it’s perfect for managing milk supply. Just press the pouch to create suction; the battery-free pump has a one-way valve to control the suction level. And when she’s done, it lies flat so there’s no spilled milk.
Electric Breast Pump by Willow
The Willow stands out as the only wearable breast pump that gives nursing moms two pumping options: They can deposit the milk into either a bag or reusable containers. The third generation of the beloved pump goes even further, by helping moms produce more milk: It has built-in suction technology that adjusts automatically to individual preferences and your output. The latest version is even quieter than its older siblings, has two new lower levels of suction, and a new sensitivity setting because pumping, well, sucks. A lot.
The Best New Baby Outdoor Gear
Basecamp the Ultimate Portable Play Yard by Veer
At 56 inches wide and 35 inches high, this is the perfect pop-up tent for the littles. There’s no setup: You just pop it open. It comes fully assembled and folds down just as fast. There’s a removable UPF50 cover, front door access and outside-only zipper for safety. And mesh sides for visibility.
The Best New Baby Toys
Activity Arc by Done by Deer
This activity arc is not only unusually adorable and soft; it’s also portable and fully adjustable (height, width, and toy placement). Unlike most activity centers whose arcs don’t separate from their mats, this one is weighted and free-standing, so can be moved to wherever your baby happens to be lounging around. Even better, the folks at Done by Deer know that the most interesting things to baby might be, say, a ribbon, so the arc has lots of places to attach additional toys or objects (with caution, of course). The arc can be used on its own or with a coordinating quilt or playmat.
Baby Car by Plan Toys
At first look, this might seem like something straight out of a Star Wars movie, or like some kind of abstract sculpture, but this wooden objet is actually a baby car, designed for little hands to grasp, push, and pull. There’s more to it than you think: it helps babies develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and of course, being made of wood from rubber trees, it feels and looks good, encouraging sensory play. Designed for kids 6 months and up.
Water Rattle by Philos Toys
Babies are somewhat (sometimes?) amused by rattles and their sounds. But they’ll really be engaged by this one, which contains two tiny duckie friends floating on a tiny pool of water. Babies will be hypnotized by the movement of the water, still or shaken. All of the fun of water play, without the need to draw a bath.
The Best New Baby Bath
Puff+ Inflatable Bather by Boon
Like an air mattress, this inflatable tub supports your baby while he or she is in the water, and the water wings keep the infant snug. It deflates for storage.
Cleanwater Tub by 4moms
The 4moms Cleanwater tub seems like an opulent whirlpool for your infant, but it’s better than that. The ingenious bath simplifies bath time with its separate reservoir for clean water, side drain for draining out dirty water, and a built-in color-coded thermometer that ensures perfectly warm water. So, your child can luxuriate in pristine water and get rinsed clean without your having to dump cups of aqua over their head and body. The tub works in a kitchen sink or adult tub and has tons of thoughtful details: a padded back, a cup and built-in cup holder, as well as a removable insert for newborns.
The Best New Baby Wellness Gear
Paci Weaning System by FridaBaby
Terrified of how you’ll break your child’s pacifier addiction without tantrums and tears? FridaBaby’s here to help. This dentist-designed pacifier weaning system follows a patented five-step process to gradually reduce the sucking satisfaction obtained from orthodontic pacifiers. The system — which Frida claims will help babies ditch the pacifier for good within 4–9 days — consists of five pacifiers, each labeled for specific stages that are progressively shorter and less satisfying. The Paci Weaning System is best for kids aged 6–18 months. Its silicone-based material is BPA- and Latex-free and is dishwasher- and sterilizer-safe.
Silicone Teether Rocket by Manhattan Toy
Leisure space travel might be a long time coming, but with the Silicone Teether Rocket, your kid at least gets to sample a taste of the galaxy now. Teething toys generally serve as a counter-pressure to stimulate the gums and ease the breakthrough of a newly formed tooth. This one’s textured silicone exterior provides a safer chewing surface to alleviate some of that teething pain, and is PVC- and BPA-free. Most importantly, though, it’s effing cute and is part of a collection of similarly cool space-themed baby items.
Smart Baby Thermometer by Vava
Not only does this baby thermometer look more like a futuristic alarm clock than something that measures body temperature, but it’s also insanely easy to use, especially when dealing with wriggling infants who don’t appreciate a thermometer in their mouth or up their butt. You turn the base on, remove the silicone temperature patch, and pair it with the device. Then, you insert the patch into a piece of body tape (much like a Band-Aid) and place it under your baby’s armpit, where it stays put. You get a temp reading in about a minute; and you get alerts if your baby’s fever goes up. The battery lasts 24 hours, and charges in less than two hours.
The Best New Baby Sleep Gear
Evi Smart Bassinet with Smart Technology by TruBliss
Here’s what’s cool about the Evi: It works with Amazon Alexa or Google Home, so you can control it from your phone. It vibrates and plays music, fits babies up to 18 pounds, has a wipe-clean surface, and a price tag far, far lower than the SNOO. It even lights up on the interior for late night diaper changes. Oh, and the storage underneath the bassinet is bonus.
MamaRoo Sleep Bassinet by 4moms
The Snoo is roughly the price of a mortgage payment, yet parents swear by its miraculous sleep-inducing magic. Enter the MamaRoo, which has many similar features for a fraction of the cost. It has five motions (car ride, wave, kangaroo, tree swing, and rock-a-bye) and five speed options to lull baby to sleep. If you need white noise, you can play the sounds of rain, ocean, a fan, or that old standby ‘shh.’ The bassinet pairs with the app, so you can control everything remotely. The height is adjustable, and the weight limit is 25 pounds.
Smart Sock 3rd Generation Heart Rate Monitor by Owlet
If you’ve ever gotten up in the middle of the night to double-check that your newborn’s chest is rising and falling, this product is for you. Simply place the sock on your baby’s foot before bed, and the device will track their oxygen levels and heart rate all night long. If anything veers away from normal, you’ll get a notification on your smartphone. The sock is small and cozy, so your little one won’t even know it’s on. It charges wirelessly and is designed for babies up to 18 months old (5 to 30 pounds).
Stay Clean Humidifier by Safety 1st
Humidifiers are awesome appliances that add moisture to dry air. They’re also five-star hotels for mold and various forms of bacteria, all of which thrive in moist, dark environments. That’s where Safety 1st’s gadget, launching in October, comes into play. It’s equipped with a chemical-free LED antimicrobial disinfecting light that kills up to 99.9 percent of most common bacteria without the use of UV light, meaning it’s dim enough that you can run it at night. It also disinfects both the water and the humidifier tank continuously to stop microbial growth, so you get all the humidity, and none of the nastiness. It’s available now.
The Best New Bouncers and Rockers
Bamboo 3Dknit Bouncer by Bombol
If only this came in adult sizes. No, seriously. First of all, it’s beautiful, yes it is. And it’s basically a hammock for your baby. The fabric is breathable. The bouncer provides optimal support. The bouncing motion is natural, and not battery-powered, so it’s entirely baby-led. Your child chooses his or her position simply by shifting his or her weight, it’s that simple and that smart. The backrest can be adjusted, locked, or released. The fabric is easy to take off and is machine-washable. Oh and wait for it: The weight limit is a solid 40 pounds.
Bluetooth-Enabled Musical Baby Swing by Munchkin
First off, we love the total lack of garish primary colors. Or patterns. Or both. This isn’t an eyesore, and that’s a huge bonus. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth, can be used until your baby is nine months, and supports children weighing up to 20 pounds. It has removable head and body support. You choose between five different speeds, and you can either play classical music, or choose your own from your phone.
City Sway 2-in-1 Rocker and Bouncer by Baby Jogger
This rocker-bouncer duo isn’t revolutionary, but it’s portable and sturdy with a sleek, neutral design, which can be hard to find in the bouncer world. The rocker weighs less than 10 pounds and can be folded flat, so it’s easy to store (you can use the storage bag that comes with it), move from room to room, or bring to Grandma’s for the weekend. The rocker has three reclining positions, vibrates, and is made of stain-resistant and breathable fabric.
Up and Down Bouncer by Béaba
Most baby bouncers are garish enough to give you a migraine. Not the Béaba. Not only is this thing gloriously neutral enough to look good in your living room, but it’s also height-adjustable, meaning you can see your baby (and vice versa) from anywhere. It has four adjustable heights and three reclining positions, including a (doctor-recommended) lie-flat option. Plus, it has a natural rocking motion if you release the wedge at the bottom and has carry handles that double as toy bars. You can use it from birth until your baby is six months old.
The Best New Baby Play Yard
Here I Grow Play Yard by Tiny Love
Multi-purpose baby products don’t get any better or more thoughtful than this six-in-one bassinet, play yard, and changing station. Use it in bassinet mode with an infant, and as a play yard when your kid can sit up, at around six months. As with many baby products, the devil is in the details: The colorful hanging mobile turns into a tummy time playmat when paired with the bassinet mattress; the changing station has a sizable pouch for storing diapers, wipes, and creams; and the sides of the play yard are made of breathable mesh so you can always see your baby. And it’s got two wheels, so you can move it around.
Every product on Fatherly is independently selected by our editors, writers, and experts. If you click a link on our site and buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This article was originally published on
