I also like Fisher-Price. We've bought several of their products and have not been disappointed. They are generally well-designed and of excellent quality. They usually focus on some aspect of learning or development, and yet is still a lot of fun for the child. And you can usually find a great deal somewhere.

When we wanted a baby swing for our small house, we ended up choosing the Fisher-Price Aquarium Take-Along Swing, which provides all the features of a full-sized swing but takes up so much less space. It's also nice to be able to move the swing easily from room to room. Here's a link for a demo. (It's the same series as the Fisher-Price Wonders Aquarium.)

Another Fisher-Price item that our 7-month old absolutely LOVES is the Intellitainer. IMO, it's the better alternative to the more popular Evenflo Exersaucers. Here's the link to a past thread with my full description. There's also a discussion there on the safety of walkers. Note that this is not a walker; it's a stationary entertainment center, which has been deemed safe by the Amer Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). There's no controversy -- walkers are considered dangerous and are not recommended by the AAP as well as many other authorities.

First I bought one of those expensive $300+ "systems" - in retrospect those are really a waste of money unless you really need it (I didn't). Oh boy, I had to have all the bells & whistles, too (cup holders, easy closing mechanism, etc.) In the first few months, I barely used it at all - and then he outgrew the carrier so fast it made my head spin. You really don't take your newborn baby out very much unless you live in a perfect climate AND walk alot everyday (my son was born in the summertime in NYC). So before he was even 9 months old I had already given away the carrier and the carrier base for the car. Then I was left with this huge stroller that I found inconvenient and I really didn't use it unless I was taking a walk, so I wound up giving that away too - and it was still practically brand new. Otherwise, If I had to go out with my baby, it was usually to do some shopping and in that case it was so much more convenient to have him in those carriers that strap on to you so you can push a shopping cart around. Then, I was either in the car, or maybe going out to visit family or friends, and you certainly don't need a big stroller for these outings either
Then I invested in a $200 Maclaren stroller but that broke which really infuriated me because it was so expensive. The stroller wasn't misused or anything, it was just a piece that bent slightly on one occassion where his dad was trying to close it but it one of the baby's stroller toys was making it hard to close -- but that one incident made the stroller unusable. I went to an authorized repair place, but they wanted almost $100 to fix it, and they said they see that problem alot with Maclarens - so I didn't want to throw another $100 into that stroller. So I bought another stroller, I can't remember what make but something that starts with a "C" -also expensive - but then you realize how FILTHY these things get once your baby starts eating solid foods! LOL. I was taking it apart and washing the seat every week! Once he was big enough, it was just so much easier to buy what I call "disposable" umbrella strollers at Toys R Us. For $20, I don't care if he spills his fruit juice or drops pieces of banana in the seat and it gets all mushy - I'd just toss it and get a new one. And honestly, the cheap umbrella strollers NEVER broke on me. So I do think you need ONE good stroller for a baby (one that reclines, good padding, etc.) - and use this one for a long day out where you want the baby to be extra comfortable - but don't get one that's so big and heavy and cumbersome that you hardly ever lug it out of your house. After that, when the baby is old enough/sitting up/etc., just invest in a couple of the umbrella strollers for quick outings - they're SO much easier to lug around and throw in the trunk of the car. They're even easier to throw in a shopping cart at the grocery store (try throwing a big stroller in there -- you won't have any room left in it for your groceries!).
Hope this helps somebody

Here is a link to get a FREE sample of the new Huggies Supreme diapers by mail from WalMart.

TO ALL PARENTS:

For this thread to be successful, PLEASE share your opinions on your favorite (and least favorite) baby products!!!

Thanks.

Does anyone have the new Phil and Ted stroller? what are your thoughts. i'm seriously considering. but its like $400!! pretty crazy but maybe well worth it?

here are my product raves and rants
after the 1st kid, boy have i ever learned

Diapers
For diapers, forget the name brands
target diapers work fine
if you can, costco diapers are a step above

Wipes
the very BEST wipes are from COSTCO well worth it!!! I REALLY MEAN IT
but for our newborn, we mainly used wet paper towels.

Carrier
we've tried all types of carriers. the baby bjorn is the easiest. we bought a used one from a resell shop for about 25 bucks

Carseat
Dont skimp on baby carseats, this is the one purchase that we did not skimp on. The marathon from Britax is awesome. I don't suggest the roundabout because it gets outgrown faster.

The Graco infant seat works GREAT

Stroller
AVOID the travel system at all costs! So bulky, and tacky. That was my biggest mistake.

Highchair
The first years reclining seat. Forget those other expensive chairs. This one works with your existing dining chair at home. Easy to clean, saves alot of space.

Potty Seat
I like the Bjorn potty seat. But it's the only one I've tried. Easy to clean, simple, compact. May not be for boys though because there's lesser "AIM" space

Lifesavers
a Swing!
a Carrier
Leapfrog learning table
baby papsan

Stay away from
walkers, they are a safety hazard
name brand clothes, if u need to, buy them used. they get outgrown so fast

JUST my opinions.

That's a great idea! We also like to tape the Classical Baby series off HBO. Very soothing. We play it when he's nursing. It's similar to the Baby Einstein DVDs and it's free if you already have cable anyways.

Thanks for your useful info -- please do share more!

What are some of your favorite books on babies, childcare, or parenting?

We found these to be indispensable:
What to Expect When You're Expecting -- the best pregnancy book out there, mandatory read for new moms-to-be
The Expectant Father -- great for first-time dads, written by a dad, general advice geared towards upcoming fatherhood, with lots of encouragement on how to care for and support your pregnant wife (hint: ladies, buy this for your hubs when you order your own What to Expect book; do it EARLY in your pregnancy and it'll make YOUR life easier! It'll get him involved in the pregnancy and help him to understand better what you're going through.)
What to Expect the First Year -- not quite as stellar as their pregnancy book, but still one of the better books available for new parents; fairly comprehensive, with good and helpful info, but a little disorganized, sometimes hard to find the specific topic you're looking for
Baby Bargains -- fairly comprehensive review of the basic baby gear, what to buy, what not to buy, how to find bargains (MUCH better than their Toddler Bargains book)
DrJackNewman.com -- a excellent on-line visual breastfeeding resource, with videos and handouts on everything to do with breastfeeding, authored by a Canadian pediatrician. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! Mandatory for first-time moms: WATCH the free video clips in the weeks BEFORE your baby's born. It'll show you exactly how help the baby latch on, know when he's swallowing and if he's getting enough milk, etc. It'll save you a lot of heartache once the baby's out and ravenously hungry! Then you can use the website if any problems (difficulty latching on, inadequate milk supply, newborn jaundice, sore nipples, mastitis, etc, etc) should arise. It's free and better than most books or DVDs out there.
AskDrSears.com -- good reference for all the common baby-rearing questions

Useless/waste of money:
The lilaguide: Baby Gear Guide -- just a haphazard list of some baby products, not complete at all, no real reviews, totally useless

Everyone, please feel free to add to this list!

achapino,

We've just gone through the whole stroller struggle. Like, you, we had the Graco snap-in frame while our son was in his infant seat. (Note to other parents, we would still make that decision today -- the frame was lightweight, easy to use, easy to maneuver. We had no complaints at all). However, we were entirely up in the air when it came to the next stroller. After A LOT of reading reviews, comparing models, weighing our inherently cheap nature against the willingness to get our son anything and everything he wants (which, at 10 months now, is mostly food and some random household items to play with), we decided on the Inglesina Espresso 2006 model.

This decision was made harder given that no stores in Michigan, Indiana or Ohio had this model in stock for us to see/test. After the stroller arrived, our fears were alleviated and research effort justified. This stoller is great. At $140 shipped, it was relatively cheap, it is easy to maneuver, comfortable for our son, astoundingly easy to open and fold, lightweight and even looks good. Make sure that you find a reputable store that will actually sell you the 2006 model (many online stores had 2005s, but said they were 2006). They corrected some earlier problems with this stroller with the new model.

That having been said, we are also planning on buying an umbrella stroller in the near future for quick trips. This was planned even as we were buying the Espresso, just for the umbrella's ease of use and small size when folded. We may be going overboard on an umbrella since the generic $15 umbrellas get so much mention, but were looking currently at a Maclaren Triumph or Quest.

What a great thread. I have triplets about to turn one year old, so I am learning to cut costs while trying to keep the "great quality" factor in play.

I started off with the big, heavy bulky strollers. That did not last long at all. The stroller I got was the "Jeep Wrangler" strollers. I got a double and a single. They are built like umbrella strollers, but much more durable. They have canopies, cup holders and side compartments. They are very easy to steer as well. I got them at toys 'r us.

I tried every diaper imaginable. Target has been the only ones that my kids havn't leaked through. They are more affordable, as well.

As for the toys. I went crazy this year buying all the toys with bells and whistles. That was a mistake in my opinion. My children all flock to the rattles and smaller teething toys. Some of them I got at the local dollar stores.

Although I love the Pamper wipes, they become expensive when your wiping for three. I found that Parent's choice (WalMart) wipes work great! They do not pop up out of the dispenser, however, it's worth the savings.