LilSugar

5 Essential Items to Make Dining Out With Baby Fun

Kate Stahl — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:03:44 PDT

It took me almost a year, but I'd like to think I now have dining out with my 11-month-old down to an art form. High chair, Puffs, and a clean surface are immediate necessities, but there are a handful of items that I now consider my restaurant lifesavers. If you dine out as often as my hubby and I do (usually with a very hungry baby whose desire to eat never ceases to amaze me), consider stocking your diaper bag with the following five items, and believe me, your dining experience will go much more smoothly!

Clockwise from top left

Pampers Disposable Bibsters ($2–$8): Your place mat is eco-friendly, so go for ease with these bibs. Available in three sizes, they have their own fold-in pockets that catch spills and solid foods and a leak-proof liner.
Phil & Teds MeToo High Chair ($50): You don't get more portable and easy than this high chair, which weighs only two pounds but can hold a child of up to 33 pounds! It folds flat to fit into your diaper bag and is supersafe thank to vice clamps, an aluminum frame, and a five-point safety harness.
Itzy Ritzy Snack Happened Mini ($13): Not only is this snack bag supercute, it's also washable, making it the perfect, space-conscious way to tote snacks, including fruit.
Skip Hop Bento Mealtime Kit ($24): While a bit more expensive than many snack carriers, this is a diaper bag must have. The 14-piece kit comes with containers that can be used separately or clicked together and are the perfect size for toting baby food and finger foods. The insulated cooler bag and reusable freezer pack make packing up quick and easy.
Tiny Diner From Summer Infant ($9): Though disposable place mats are nice, this is a more eco-friendly option that has some awesome extras. It rolls up for easy storage, five suction cups hold it securely to the table, and it also has an outer scoop that keeps food off the floor.

Strollin': 8 Strollers to Keep an Eye Out For This Spring

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 10 May 2011 10:04:56 PDT

Like fashionistas await Fashion Week each season, new mamas look forward to a new crop of strollers each year. The Bugaboo Donkey may be the most talked about new pushchair this year, but it isn't the only buzzworthy one to hit the streets. I've rounded up seven hot strollers worth keeping an eye out for this year – several of which are scheduled to make their way into stores over the next few weeks. Check them out!

What's the Best Stroller For Navigating Through the Rain and Snow?

Heather Maddan — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:38:31 PST

It's hard to pop a wheelie on a blustery day! Despite NYC being blanketed in snow, Naomi Watts and her sons - Sasha, 3, and Sammy, 2 - strolled through town this morning to take in some fresh air. The boys were bundled up and rode comfortably in a Phil & Teds stroller. The popular brand of pushchairs has garnered many celebrity families as fans. But which buggy do you think is best for parents to navigate through the rain, sleet, and snow in cold-weather regions?

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Double Up! Rumble Seats Are the Way to Stroll With Two Kids

babysugar — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:00:04 PDT

Two's the way to cruise! The rumble seat, a chair that attaches below the stroller seat to carry a second child, is becoming the way to roll. Moms with two or more tots can push easy in this narrower approach (compared to side-by-side strollers) to doubling up.

When Phil & Teds first introduced the concept, moms snatched the cool buggies up and other companies took notice. The compact design since been adopted by companies like Baby Jogger and Uppa Baby.

The latest to enter the fold will be the Mima Kobi, created by a new Spanish baby product company that plans to introduce its sleek and adaptable buggy later this Summer. Designed by the man behind the Bloom Fresco high chair, the Kobi can be configured with one seat, two seats, or a seat and a bassinet and will easily convert back and forth from a seat to a bassinet.

Check out other rumble seat rides below!

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Best of 2009: Which Stroller Is the Best Stroller of 2009?

babysugar — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:15:10 PST

Strollers can be the status symbol for many groups of mommies. For others, they are simply a means of getting baby from point A to point B. Which stroller do you think should take the top prize for best stroller of 2009?

Opinions Please! What's Your Stroller Recommendation?

LilSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:00:55 PDT

The difference between a mad woman and a happy mother? Her stroller. I'd go so far as to say it's the single most important material purchase parents make for their baby since they use it all the time. As we prep for baby number three, we'll be purchasing our fourth buggy. Clueless of what to look for, we went through two with our daughter. First, we shelled out for an elaborate system that couldn't handle the city streets and had poor shocks and squeaky wheels after our first lengthy walk. Then, we invested in a jogging stroller that was great...until we had to turn it - its front wheel was stationary.

While expecting my son, I did my research before buying (the then largely unknown) phil & teds E3 with the doubles kit. For three years, the amazing invention rolled everywhere from Lake Tahoe's nature trails to my husband taking it off-roading over rocks in Golden Gate Park. The orange fabric has endured more than a few mud and chocolate milk splashes and my lil guy eventually preferred to walk (read run) everywhere so the beloved buggy has retired to our garage. To see what I need in our next set of wheels and to offer your recommendations,

My husband and I want our soon-to-be infant to have a fresh, clean carriage so we're figuring out what to get next. Our needs are a bit different than before - the stroller will be mostly for the new babe, but I want the convenience of an attachable seat in case my son hits the hay when I head out shopping or want to walk long distances to shed postpartum pounds. Living in a city full of cracked sidewalks and pot holes makes durable tires a must and I don't need a ride that accommodates an infant car seat since we'll be using our Britax Boulevard from the get go. Since I'll be juggling three kiddos in parking lots, I'll also need a buggy that is quick to collapse and easy to pop in the trunk. So far, the front-runner is the phil & teds Vibe, which comes highly recommended by BabySugar and is a brand I trust. Do you have a stroller suggestion that fits my criteria? If so, please share!

Six Travel Friendly Sleeping Options For Tots

babysugar — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:00:00 PDT

It's sisterhood of the traveling tots! Mamas who are packing up their babes for Summer vacations should check out their wee one's sleeping accommodations before hand. While most hotels provide cribs for vacationing babies, others may leave it up to the visitor to provide the amenities themselves. When that's the case, there are a few portable crib and tent options that are sure to keep baby (and mommy) sleeping through the night.

10 Swanky Supper Seats

babysugar — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Mama and papa get to dine in swanky digs every now and then so why not give baby a daily dose? Parents looking to treat their sweet buns to a posh seat need not look any further than these 10 high-end high chairs. Mums willing to drop a few Benjamins will love the eye candy in these drool-worthy table additions.

Six Swank Bouncer Seats

babysugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:00:34 PDT

When mama needs to jump in the shower or prepare dinner, a bouncy seat can be as good as a babysitter. Parents who love such contraptions, but detest primary colors, teddy bears and plastic are in luck as some of the high end baby companies are producing aesthetically pleasing options to appease a swank parent's decor craving. Check out my slideshow to see some of the hippest baby bouncing seats on the market.

Best of 2008: Bugaboo Wins Top Buggy!

LilSugar — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 04:00:28 PST

A stroller is not just a way to push your baby around anymore, it's a lifestyle accessory. Parents are willing to shell out upwards of $1000 for a buggy these days, which is why lilsugar readers picked Bugaboo as their favorite stroller of 2008. It's definitely pricey, but the sleek onslaught of features makes it worth the cash for some moms and dads. We like the Bugaboo over here at lil too, but our favorite stroller (especially if you've got more than one tot running around) is phil & teds. Their style and functionality can't be beat.