3 Reasons Why The New York Baby Show is a Must to Attend for New Parents and Best in Show

From the very first moment you find out your expecting there are so many new feelings and questions about what's needed for the baby on the way.  I couldn't think of a better way to learn about the latest and most innovative to the trusted and well-known products, and to have all your questions answered by leaders in the parenting industry then by attending the New York Baby Show, hosted by New York Family Magazine. Over the course of two days parents and parents-to-be, family members and friends head to Pier 92 where they had the opportunity to meet 140+ brands that introduced them to essentials to make life easier during feedings, playtime, bedtime, traveling and every precious moment in between.

Last year was my second time attending the NY Baby Show and although my youngest was already four and a half years old I was truly excited about seeing the variety of baby gear that had evolved since I started my own journey into motherhood. This year, my littlest monster ended up sick this weekend and in the ER {an unbelievably high fever of 104.8) so I had to follow all the fun using the hashtag #NewYorkBabyshow and thanks to social media I was still able to scope out the ultimate Must Haves for Lil Monsters on Instagram.

Three Reasons Why Expecting & New Parents Should Attend: 

1. Expert Speakers

If you don't know who The Baby Guy is yet then you must be living under a rock, and I mean that in the nicest way. My sissy worked with Jamie Grayson back in his retail days at Buy Buy Baby, and to many he's like a rockstar of the baby world, the go to guy who's truly loved and opinion is trusted on everything that parents need for life with a baby. His keynote seminar this weekend focused on the purchasing of everything from strollers to car seats and mattresses. Guests also enjoyed a panel of expert speakers { Molly Peterson of Lansinoh, Jada Shapiro of Birthday Presence and Natalie Diaz of Twiniversity} who dished about the journey from pregnancy to new parenthood & seminars from Canon on tips and tricks to capture all the special moments along the way.

2. Services, Lounging and Giving Back

This show manages to incorporate all aspects of life as new parents - as the family expands you'll need experts to help in searching for a new home, to what nursery or preschool to enroll the kiddies in once it's times to head back to work. Parents interested in giving back and supporting those in need were informed on how to donate milk and could support childhood cancer research with the purchase of yummy cookies. There's also the opportunity to get hands on, and I know the test track was a great way to see how strollers functioned over different surfaces. And when it was time to break there was a lounge for the papas to mingle, bottle feed and change diapers & even an area for DIY loving bloggers to get crafty.

3. Essentials for Mama, Papa & Baby

• Involved daddy's like the wonderful ones that are members of City Dads Group want to be a part of babies feedings too! Whether you exclusively formula feed or alternate between the breast and formula (due to being on steroids to control my Crohns disease related flare ups during my 2nd pregnancy I had to incorporate both in case I was ever hospitalized for a long period, unlike my exclusive nursing with my first born for 14 months) having Gerber's Babynes is a lifesaver! I think of it as the Keurig for babies that get your bottles made quickly!
• Goodbye stinky diapers, hide the stench with Ubbi pails that come in solid colors and adorable prints. And take snacks on the go with their fun new Tweat snack cup.
• Support mama's lactation with yummy cookies from Bessie's Best that help increase milk supply.
• It's never too early to introduce STEM learning and the Mochi Blocks make for great brain builders from the People Toy Co.
• Nutribaby from Babymoov has 5 functions that makes feedings so simple, from warming bottles to sterilizing, steaming, defrosting and blending.
• Who would have thought nursing on a colorfully soft plush hen would be so cute? Apparently the folks over at La Millou did, and they've created several beautiful and vibrant blankets, swaddles, pillow and accessories that are fun, stylish and of great quality.

BEST IN SHOW: Top 3 Must Haves for Lil' Monsters!

1. Hailed as one of “the 14 coolest gadgets” at CES this year, Cinemood is the first cloud-connected mini-projector designed for families
2. From the moment they are born and you snip off their hospital tag, or stow away their first size 1 diaper our babies begin creating memories. The Savor keepsake organizational system keeps all those precious items safe in a stylish and functional way. 
3. Being a city mom who frequently had to juggle baby, diaper bag and stroller to transfer from bus to train just to get around, the GB Qbit  is not only a god-send for travel but for city living parents it's the stroller dreams are made of. Watch how compact it get's with just the use of one hand.

I'm sure my blogger babes that did attend truly enjoyed and are thankful to Nicole Feliciano for adding the Blogger Lounge where they could unwind in between visiting booths and for having the Nanny League on hand to engage the little ones in fun activities while their parents networked and checked out the show floor. Take a peak at the MomTrends recap video to get a feel for what a day at The New York Baby Show is like and make sure to mark your calendars for next year!

Which of the above baby items would have made your top 3 choices?  

Image sources via Instagram: @ttpmofficial, @nycdadsgroup, @evenflofeeding, @bessies_best, @smartertoddler, @babymoov, @innobabyllc, @ubbiworld. @la_millou_usa, @gbchildusa, @thebrooklynmom, @thenewyorkmilkbank, @momtrends, @newyorkbabyshow