The Hipster versus the Technobaby or how the Nuna Leaf and the mamaRoo came to the Rescue!

When we started registering for baby stuff, I remember looking at what I now know are swings.  I recall looking at this sleek, but minimal looking swing that could double as a chair and thinking that would be nice in the house.  The Nuna Leaf was immediately put on the registry.  I also remember seeing this futuristic looking swing that looked like a half egg on steroids.  At the press of a button, the baby could be riding in the car, swinging from a tree or riding in a kangaroo.  It was called the mamaRoo by 4moms.  At the time, I thought it was just too much both in size and price and it failed to make the registry cut.

We received the Leaf as a gift and loved it from the start.  However, since there were two, we knew we still needed another swing.  On a trip to the store to return some baby items, I once again saw the mamaRoo.  After collecting our return money and looking at the gift cards we had in hand, I decided why not give the mamaRoo a chance.  I mean, most people consider me an early adopter of technology, why not live up to my reputation.  What did I have to lose?  If it worked, then great.  If it didn't work, then back to the store it would go.  To this day, I am glad I took that chance.

The Nuna Leaf

What I consider to be one of the minimally looking swings on the market is the Nuna Leaf.  The Leaf moves just as it sounds, like a leaf falling from a tree.  It swings on an single axis point, from side to side with just the slightest push.  It can also be locked in a stationary position by pressing on a lever near its base.  There are no batteries to change, no cords to trip on, it's just a simple elegant swing that can be put anywhere in the house.  One of the most important features was that it could be used from birth to 130 lbs.   A full review of the specs can be found at Nuna's website.  The toy bar was purchased separately.  For us, it is great to put the baby in the Leaf and gently give it a push and the baby is off and floating away.  Whenever it stops, which usually takes a few minutes, we can give it a slight tap/nudge with our foot and the Leaf is off again.  In my opinion, it is the Hipster of the swings.



mamaRoo to the Rescue

Now to the mamaRoo.  I love it.  Yes, I am a tech guy, but I am also the dad of twin boys.  While the Nuna Leaf is elegant and minimal, the mamaRoo is just the opposite.  It is big, loud and definitely doesn't blend in well with the surroundings.  However, it has been a life saver on a number of occasions.

The mamaRoo is the technology king of swings.  It has 5 unique motions - car ride, kangaroo, tree swing, rock a bye and the ocean.  These motions are created by moving from side to side and up and down.  The mamaRoo also has a number of built in nature sounds and can be hooked up to an mp3 player via a headphone jack located in the base.  The volume can be adjusted and the speaker is loud enough to fill an entire room.  Additionally, the seat can also be set to recline, although to be honest, we just recently moved it from the cradle to the sitting up position.  There is also an newborn insert that can be purchased.  I would recommend this for any small babies.  We used our insert until they were almost 14lbs.  The weight limit of the mamaRoo is 25 lbs.  Additional pictures and specs can be found on the 4mom website.

Now, why would you need the mamaRoo and how did it come to my rescue? One of the biggest problems for parents with twins is that each of you only have two hands.  This is especially problematic when only one parent is at home with the twins.  When it rains, it pours.  For example, the twins are tired.  You think to yourself, now is a good time to put them in their crib for a quick nap.  You start to put them down and suddenly it's like their mattress is made of hot lava or is a bed of nails.  Both are suddenly screaming louder and louder.  This is a time for the mamaRoo.  I place one in the mamaRoo, set it on car ride, and put it on high.  He almost immediately calms down and allows me the chance to take the other in my arms and rock him to sleep.  After that, I can take him out of the mamaRoo and rock him to sleep.  However, most of the time, he is out like a light too.  At that point, it's just ramping down the speed of the mamaRoo slowly and then putting him to sleep in his crib.  I can't recommend the mamaRoo enough.  It has been a life and sleep saver.  

The Leaf vs. The mamaRoo

It is unfair to compare these swings to each other.  In my opinion, both are exceptional at what they do.  The mamaRoo is great for being able to put a baby in it, press a button and it's off to adventure land.  It has every option you could imagine except for a remote.  Which to be honest, would have come in handy, but probably would not be the safest idea.  However, it also has a limited life span and is pricey.  The Leaf is minimal and sleek and will be used for years to come, but requires some attention and is also priced higher than other swings.  I highly recommend both for the reasons above.

Motorola MBP36 and SafeToSleep Mats!

Well, these posts are long overdue.  For those parents with kids, I am sure you will understand that before the babies arrive you think you will have all the time in the world or at the very least some time to do things.  For those who are expecting, just beware that free time seems disappear.  As promised and better late than never for those reading this blog, here are some more reviews.

Motorola MBP36

The MBP36 was last years baby video monitor by Motorola.  It was recently updated with the MBP41 although you can still buy the additional cameras separately at many stores.  While the 41 has a cleaner design, all the reviews I have read indicate it may be a step backwards.  Without having used one, I cannot comment on that.  I will say that based on those early reviews and the extremely strong reviews on the MBP36, I purchased that model from Babies 'R Us.  It is my understanding that Babies 'R Us is the only vendor to sell two cameras with one handheld monitor.  With the combined packaging, you save somewhere around $50 versus buying the normal single camera package and then an extra camera.  After extensive use, the camera is great.  The unit is easy to set up and I was up and monitoring within minutes of unpacking the box.  Picture quality has been great and scanning between the camera has worked as advertised.  I do wish it had the option to view both cameras at once, but I can understand that it would have made each of the screens pretty small.  The monitor also can have four cameras connected to it at one time.  I purchased an extra single camera and adding and deleting the camera is simple and just requires holding the pairing button on the bottom of the camera.

My biggest concern before I purchased the unit was how the camera would operate at night.  The night vision on the cameras were originally flawless.  In the beginning, the twins were sharing a large crib with one sleep on each end and I could clearly make out details both of them at night without a problem.  However, once we transitioned them into their room and their own cribs, I did discover a problem with my second camera.  While the day mode worked great, the night vision mode did not.  I appeared that a few or more of the LEDs were not firing properly.  All I could see was a shadow of the baby.  After contacting Motorola's customer service, they immediately sent me a replacement camera which is working great.  

One of the only negatives of the camera is that it is not iOS compatible.  Motorola does make an iOS model, but it does not come with a handheld monitor.  As I did not want to hand off my phone or iPad to the baby sitter every time I went out, we decided the handheld was the better choice.  Finally, I will note that the temperature readings given off by the unit seem a few degrees higher than the actual temperature in the room.  This has not been an issue since I am aware the unit has this tendency.  Overall, I would recommend the unit if you can still get it.  

SafeToSleep Mats

For whatever reason I am a constant worrier.  This has always been an issue for me and I knew once the twins arrived, it would wreck havoc on my sleeping.  While shopping one day, I was introduced to the SafeToSleep Mat.  For those who are not aware, this mat monitors the sleeping pattern of infants by measuring the baby's movements, no matter how small.  You can read more about the mat at the SafeToSleep Website.  The mat comes with its own monitor or you can use an iOS device.  My preference is to use an iOS device as it has more customization options.  However, be advised that you could only pair one mat to each iOS device.  This meant I needed to use my iPhone and iPad if I wanted to monitor both mats.  If you purchase a mat, I would also advise getting a package of additional covers.

The mats were easy to set up and use.  All you need to do is add batteries, turn the mat and monitor on and place the baby on top of it.  The mat can be set up to alarm you when the baby's breathing is too fast or too slow, the baby falls off the mat, or the baby stops breathing.  There are more options available under the iOS app versus the supplied monitor.  This was another reason we used an iOS device.  

The first couple nights with the mats seemed to be a little trial and error.  The boys were about 5 pounds when we came home and bundled with heavy blankets.  There were a few false alarms where the boys would be on the mats and it would indicate a low breathing rate.  However, upon examination, the boys were fine.  After realizing this, I would still check on them when the notification went off, but not be panicked.  That being said, after about 3-4 days, the false alarms seems to stop.  I attributed this to their weight gain and also using a lighter swaddle blanket. 

Now, are the mats for everyone?  Probably not.  They are $299, and if we were not given them as a gift, I would probably not have bought them since we would have had to purchase two.  That being said, did I love having them when the twins first arrived home?  Absolutely!  With one of the twins having been in the NICU for breathing issues, the mat gave me an added bit of security.  Yes, there were a few false alarms in the beginning. However, after they were about 6 pounds, the mat worked perfectly for us.  The only reason we stopped using them was the boys got too big and my anxiety level dropped down to normal.  

In closing, I have read some user posts online that state the mats are a gimmick and don't work.  I will say that I was extremely happy with the SafeToSleep mats.  Are they perfect?  No.  Will you occasionally get a false alarm?  Probably.  In the end, you need to decide if it's worth it for you.  For me, it was.