babyreview.com.au

While on a visit to Sydney a friend loaned me the Valco six sided play yard for Baby. It came highly recommended by my friend who described the playpen as both spacious and sturdy. The play yard is a hexagon shape with a length of 2.0m, width of 1.8m and height of 65cm. So it is a huge play space for Baby!

When I removed the Valco playpen from it’s box, I noticed the frame of the playpen is made of tubular steel with a  mesh fabric finish – resulting in a strong yet lightweight playpen. The frame folds flat and since it is six sided, the three panels fold against each other making it great for easy storage.

The playpen comes with a padded fully washable play mat. So after deciding on a suitable location for Baby’s play area, I lay the quilted play mat down in the perfect spot.

The play mat is big – I measure it as 2 metres across on it’s widest stretch. I simply expand the playpen frame (it stays connected) over the playmat. I secure the feet of the frame to the play mat with good quality clasps. To finish off the assembly, I secure the mesh walls to the frame with zippers and velcro. It took about 15 minutes for myself and Dad to assemble the playpen!

I place Baby and her favourite toys in the Valco Hexagon play yard. She explores her new play space and even plays peek-a-boo with me bobbing up and down. It is the perfect height and such a generous large size for Baby who is now walking.

Not only is the playpen spacious and practical, it looks great – with a snazzy silver theme. Baby seems happy with her play yard too!

The play yard is easily dissassembled too. We just unclipped the frame from the mat, undid the velcro sides and unzipped the mesh which was held in tension on the frame. Folded the frame in half and folded up the play mat giving it back to our friend – too easy!

To find out more about the Valco Hexagonal Playpen visit the Valco website.

I am a child of the Seventies. I love colours like orange and lime green. I value things which are practical, well designed and truly unique. So when it came to selecting a high chair for Baby, one high chair stood out from the others – the Italian designed Chicco Polly Double Phase High Chair. I couldn’t resist it’s bold “Seventy” inspired outer cover, lime green inner cover and glossy pearly tray.

Having two covers not only provides double padding for Baby, the outer cover can be removed as Baby grows. This high chair has been designed with longevity in mind and can accommodate a 5 month old through to a 3 year old. The high chair is packed with features, creating a well supported high chair which has already grown with my Baby – who started using the Chicco Polly High Chair at 6 months and recently celebrated her first birthday.

Throughout this time, Baby has found the high chair remarkably comfortable. In other high chairs Baby squiggles and squirms, in the Chicco Polly High Chair she is settled for longer, allowing her to eat more during her mealtime. In fact, Baby has become so comfortable that she has even fallen asleep at the end of a meal in her Chicco Polly High Chair! This comfy high chair can be fully reclined and even has an adjustable leg rest. An adjustable foot plate can be secured to the leg rest at three different heights. I have the foot plate at the height closest to the tray and it is reassuring to know the foot rest can be moved down as Baby grows.

The frame adjusts to seven different heights too. There are cleverly positioned orange ergonomic buttons which allow you to customise the high chair settings to suit your space. There are four swivel wheels each with a break giving you flexibility in where you feed Baby. Occasionally I wheel the high chair onto our back deck to create an ‘Al Fresco’ dining experience for Baby. It is enjoyable for both of us having our long lunches on the deck together. I eat at the outdoor table, pointing out an interesting bird or flower, while Baby sits comfortably in her Chicco Polly High Chair observing the world around her while she eats her pasta. European dining at its best!

The armrests can be lowered so Baby can eat at the table while seated in her Chicco Polly High Chair in the future. The clip-over food tray can be removed and used at the table too. At this stage, Baby is still using the tray which clicks onto the armrests. The tray is adjustable and can be brought closer to Baby for those messier meals. A cute feature is the small dessert tray towards the base of the high chair. All of these fabulous features allow the Chicco Polly High Chair to be a fully “customised” for Baby as she grows. The high chair has a five-point safety harness with two position height adjustment to keep Baby safe and secure in her high chair.

After mealtime the PVC cover can be wiped clean and can be folded up for easy storage. The Chicco Polly Double Phase High Chair is one funky high chair truly packed with features! To find out more about this product visit the Chicco website.

I remember baby’s first visit to the gallery with some dismay. We were on our way with our fantastic and much loved (but also rather enormous) off-road pram and all the accouterments, and even though fully supportive, I could tell my mother was a little self-conscious of this troop next to her, more suited to jogging along a mountain path. Not only did I spend my time worrying about not intruding on other people’s personal space or running over any toes, but I also felt unsuited to this environment and rather unglamorous.

We bought our Maclaren Volo umbrella pusher to use around town and whilst travelling, however I find we use it often, just not out jogging or on rough terrain. The Maclaren Volo’s main selling points for me are that it is so lightweight, compact, all-round easy to use, comfortable and safe for baby and looks really good with any outfit in any setting!

It is easy to push and has very comfortable handgrips with a wrist safety strap. The pusher’s compact size makes it easy to maneuver through small spaces, easy to fold and carry (with a shoulder strap built-in), and its fold-up size makes it easy to stow just about anywhere. It also boasts a large carry basket under the seat, which is great for those impromptus larger than expected shops at the grocery store!

Maclaren Volo features:

• Lightweight, weighing in at a mere 4.0kg/ 8.8lb (without hood or rain cover): The Volo is the lightest and simplest of the Maclaren pusher range, perfect for taking baby out and about in urban areas and for travelling.
• It has a Carrying Capacity of up to 15kg/ 55lb.: This weight limit allows for the Volo to be used well into Toddlerhood.
• Appropriate from six months of age: The Volo is not suitable until the child is 6 months of age.
• Recline: One position: This feature is in keeping with the Volo being light and simple.
• Wheel Size 11.4cm/ 4.5in: The small wheel size is ample for urban areas. I have found that it is not the smoothest ride on rugged terrain, but then again, who takes a Mini Minor four-wheel-driving!
• Water resistant Hood, which is extra large for maximum coverage: The hood is a good size and a great feature to catch light spray. Used in conjunction with the rain cover it offers good protection.

The Maclaren Volo boasts all the usual Maclaren features:

• 5-point harness system: I find the harness system on the Volo well balanced and secure, with the clasp requiring quite some finger strength, which I think is great, ensuring it to be child safe. Strap lengths at all harness points are easily adjustable as well as the height of the shoulder straps on the seat.
• Washable seat: This has proved to be a very handy feature for those dirty parts that are just a bit much for baby wipes to tackle. I have been known to hose my Volo’s seat down in the garden – and yes, it did clean off perfectly and looks as good as new.
• Compact Umbrella Fold: This is the truly winning feature of the Volo in my opinion. It folds up into an unbelievably small package, which makes it so easy to stow away. It is also really easy to carry when necessary and has a comfortable shoulder strap built into the design.
• Foot operated brakes: The red brakes on the Volo are in the center and easy to use with either foot.
• Shopping basket: The shopping basket is really large for the size of the Volo pusher, reaching from the back all the way under the seat. Every time baby and I pop down to the grocery store I fall in love with the shopping basket all over again.
• High performance aluminium: It is the use of aluminium which enables the Volo pusher to be so lightweight, which is what is it all about.
• Rain cover included: The Volo’s rain cover is easy to use and folds into a tiny bundle to be carried in the shopping basket under the seat.
• Water resistant hood: The water resistant hood is a great feature to catch light spray, however I recommend using the rain cover for anything more than spray. The hood is designed to fold back, which makes it easier to see what baby is up to, and it is also easily removable for outings when it is not desired.

We are very happy with our Maclaren Volo umbrella pram. I find it practical, attractive and appropriate for urban settings in appearance and size and it is absolutely ideal for travel. In conjunction with our off-road/jogger pram it suits us perfectly.

Baby is a winter baby, born at the beginning of winter last year. Like her mother, Baby simply adores shoes! This time last year, it was knitted booties in a broad spectrum of colours which adorned her tiny feet. This year given her increased mobility, need for warmth, comfort and of course style – she is wearing the SKEANIE UGG!

Made from soft leather, with a furry lining and dark suede sole, the SKEANIE UGG is perfect for indoors and outdoors. It is well stitched and assembled, with an elasticised collar which allows the boots to be gently stretched and put on Baby’s feet. It is reassuring to know SKEANIE is a preferred provider of the Australian Podiatry Association (NSW).

SKEANIE UGGs are not only warm and comfortable for this cool winter weather, they are super stylish. Given it is birthday party season for Baby and her friends, she has been sporting her SKEANIE UGGs to many of her friends parties and even wore them to her own birthday party. She’s had lots of compliments on her new boots.

Baby is the biggest fan of her new boots. When I am dressing her, Baby squirms and points to her UGGs. She picks them up and even trys to put them on her feet herself! Once the boots are on, she leaps up and walks around – it seems these SKEANIE boots were made for walking and that’s just what she’ll do!

SKEANIE UGGs are available in a wide range of fashion colours, I couldn’t resist choosing red for Baby. To complete her stylish look, Baby has a red skirtle with white stars and red socks with white stars – all from SKEANIE.

You may be asking yourself – What is a skirtle? It is defined on the SKEANIE website as a garment hanging from the waist with a snug stretchable garment covering the legs from the waist down. Simply put it is an all-in-one ruffled knit skirt and footless tight combo. As you can see from the picture, Baby looks gorgeous in her SKEANIE skirtle, matching socks and SKEANIE UGGs.

The SKEANIE UGG is available in sizes Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. The SKEANIE website cleverly includes a chart with Baby Shoe Sizes which I printed out check the size of Baby’s feet. I put Baby’s foot against the piece of paper and determined she was a Medium. I found the SKEANIE website easy to navigate and Baby’s UGGs arrived a couple of days after I placed the order online. To see the full range of SKEANIE Shoes, Skirtles and Socks, visit the SKEANIE website.