What Does The mamaRoo Do?

The mamaRoo is technically a baby swing, although I can tell you that this is so far beyond a swing it’s hardly fair to call it that. What is so unique about the mamaRoo is that it moves in 5 different motions at several different speeds. It is an all-encompassing chair that allows you to quickly sweep the floor, go to the bathroom on your own, or even have a nice cup of coffee.

There are a lot of different bells and whistles that accompany the mamaRoo including 5 different motion choices, various speeds, audio, entertainment, and versatility. Combined, it leaves you with a lot of options so that you are sure to find the best solution for your baby.

Audio

I’m sure if you haven’t bought a white noise machine you have thought of buying one. There’s a reason a lot of parents have them- they work wonders! The mamaRoo offers the same quality and selection as most noise machines on the market today. Our son loved the rain audio coupled with the car ride. The noise drowned out our annoying whiny dog and let him relax enough to sometimes even drift off to sleep.

Another cool feature of the mamaRoo is the Bluetooth capability. Any music I have on my smartphone, I can play on the mamaRoo via Bluetooth.

I don’t know about you, but our little guy has an affinity for classic rock music. I suspect it’s because I jammed out to those tunes while I was pregnant but you never know. He was probably just born with excellent taste in music like his mama! The point is, I could hook up my Pandora to the mamaRoo and play him some quality tunes that he recognized. That helped keep him calm and happy. I mean, who doesn’t like The Rolling Stones?

Motion

You can choose from the car ride (our favorite!), a wave, kangaroo (this is the typical motion parents make when comforting their baby), tree swing, and rock a bye. We used the car ride option most of the time because that worked with our little guy. Every baby is different but I’m sure one of these options will work for you.

The motion can be sped up or slowed down depending on what works best. We found that as he got older, our baby wanted it to be faster and more choppy. However, when he was an infant, he really liked the slow car ride motion, especially at night. As an added bonus, you can control the motion right from your phone using Bluetooth! Beyond just the different motions, there are excellent audio selections.

Versatility

The mamaRoo seat’s angle can be adjusted based on the size and age of your baby. We had it tilted back pretty far for the first month or so but then slowly kept raising the seat up to a sitting position. The only thing I regret is that we didn’t buy the infant insert. However, we got around that by placing blankets around him. I would highly suggest getting the insert though before your baby arrives.

Entertainment

So if the 5 different motions, different speeds, and vast selection of audio capabilities weren’t enough, 4moms added some entertainment to this handy contraption. The mobile is also unique to the mamaRoo. There are three fabric balls you can place in the mobile. You can either pick the color side or the black and white side. We are pretty strict on car ride with our son, so we always chose the black and white side.

The best part about the mobile is that it naturally moves when the seat moves. That way it is slowly twirling when you have an infant that can’t reach. However, it is nice and soft when your baby gets older and can bat at it without you worrying.

It is fascinating enough for our little one to be occupied for a good 10-15 minutes, just long enough for a quick shower. I actually drug the mamaRoo into the bathroom and then I could make sure he was okay. Any mom will tell you taking a shower can be the difference between an exhausting terrible day and a relaxed and enjoyable day.

What I Loved About The mamaRoo

There is a lot to love about this swing. Our son was very hard to get to sleep (and still is) when he was a baby. There was a long time there where his days and nights were mixed up and I thought I would never sleep again, ever.

The mamaRoo was actually a gift and I tried it on a whim. I remember being super negative about it and thinking there was no way a swing was going to make much difference. I humbly admit I was wrong.

The fact that I could put our child down for even 15 minutes to take a shower was a godsend. I really don’t think I could have gotten through his first few months of life without it! Being a stay at home mom means you are watching your child 24/7 and it’s both rewarding and exhausting at the same time. The mamaRoo enables you to take a little break when you need it.

Give Yourself  Even More Peace Of Mind With A Quality Baby Monitor

I also really liked the audio and not just for our son. It helped me relax too! I put the rain noise on at night when our little man wouldn’t sleep. He would be entertained and relax for sometimes up to an hour or two at a time and I would be able to sleep. It was soothing for both of us!

Finally, the Bluetooth feature really is stellar. Being able to add some audio or movement when he needed it from bed was so nice. Those first few weeks I used the mamaRoo I wasn’t sure how other moms got by without it. You just sync up your phone with the base and away you go. It is super easy and user-friendly.

What I Didn’t Like About The mamaRoo

My biggest qualm with the mamaRoo is that my son grew out of it too quickly. Once he started to get close to sitting up, it was over. I remember having him in the swing in the kitchen one day and knowing I had to give the mamaRoo up. He grabbed the mobile and almost pulled himself out of the seat and onto the floor. Yes, he was buckled in. This kid is crafty though!

My other negative comment is about the first few weeks using it. This is more of a “me” thing than an actual issue with the product. I should have bought the infant insert but to be honest I didn’t even know it existed because the mamaRoo was a gift. I used to get frustrated as a new mom trying to get him in the seat and then try to hold him still while putting blankets around him. Have I mentioned our kid likes to move?

There you have it. There’s my list of complaints. Short and sweet but nonetheless there. Both of them aren’t really issues to be solved but I do think you should know about them going into buying the mamaRoo. If you buy the infant insert, you will probably be 100% satisfied with your purchase. Every kid grows out of their swing eventually, I just wish it had lasted a little longer!

The Verdict

Being a new parent is tough work. There are times where you just need to put your baby down so you can take a little break. You can still be in the same room enjoying their company but able to drink a latte for a quick energy boost at the same time. The mamaRoo saved me from having a meltdown countless times. I also had a lot of fun watching my little guy smile and learn with the mobile. It was a definite win in our book. I’m not sure how any parent gets through the first 6 months without this thing.

Click To See Latest Pricing And Deals On The 4moms mamaRoo

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I was shocked how quickly I fell in love with the iBaby. I didn’t anticipate the amount of calm I would feel. And believe it or not, I really did sleep more. Any parent that is struggling with a baby that won’t sleep will tell you, anything that helps you sleep is absolute gold. Let’s dive into why this product is so magical and you can be the judge for yourself.

iBaby M6S Baby Monitor Overview

The iBaby is just really fun to play with. It has a lot of different features but here are the cliff notes:

• Connects to WiFi and syncs to your phone
• Listen and talk features
• Music selection lets you play a lullaby
• Photo and video taking and sharing capabilities

Video Quality

The video quality on the iBaby is excellent. I was able to make out every detail of my son’s room even in the dark! The only thing annoying about the image quality was when I used night vision, anything white in his room tended to glow very brightly. So, when I was looking at my son in his bed at night with his white blanket on him, it was a little difficult to make out details. Otherwise, I had no complaints about the HD quality video.

Wireless and Syncing Capabilities

The wireless feature is awesome but even better is the fact it can sync up to your phone. The application you download with the system works really well. The only time I had any issue is if I tried to use it too close to the camera itself. That was just when I was testing it out. For some reason when I was about 5 feet away, my husband couldn’t hear me through the talk feature. However, it works like a champ from our bedroom to our son’s room.

I really must elaborate more on why syncing to your phone is so spectacular. The ability to grab your phone when your baby is crying and see what is wrong instantly is just wonderful. Even if you live in a smaller house or apartment, this is useful. When you are exhausted, just getting out of bed and walking a few feet to your baby’s crib is painful.

There were so many times where I could have cried I was so happy that I didn’t have to walk down to our son’s room. I heard him start to cry and then promptly checked on him on the app. When I realized his eyes were still closed, and he was just tossing around a bit, I just watched him until he fell back asleep a few minutes later.

Normally, I would have walked 10 feet down the hallway, picked him up (which probably wakes him up now that I know his eyes are usually closed when he begins to cry) and then try to soothe him back to sleep. Now, I watch from the comfort of my bed for a few minutes and if he wakes up I go to him. Otherwise, I just roll over and fall back asleep. I have gotten SO much more sleep because of this method.

As if the WiFi and phone syncing wasn’t enough, my husband can sync up to the iBaby as well. He usually works later in the evening and texts asking if he can help if our son is crying. Now, he can just open up the app and see if I am already in there or perhaps waiting it out. He will come up right away if, by some miracle, I am sleeping through it. It really is handy in that regard as well.

Listen and Talk Features

I really appreciate this feature for a number of reasons. First of all, with other baby monitors I have used, the sound is always on. This is great if your child doesn’t wake up every hour or so. Even when my son was a newborn, I was ok with that because I wanted to know every time he even moved. Now that he is a one-year-old, I really like just waiting to hear him cry naturally. He is plenty loud enough to hear from just down the hall.

However, if I am on the other level of our house, I will put the listen feature on so I know when he is crying right away. If he was still really young I would probably have it on all the time too. There is a nice feature where the app will alert you to movement and sound which is just plain incredible. This is what feature I would use if my son was in the 4 to 9-month range.

The talking feature is really nice too. I liked that I could tell my little guy I was coming if he was upset and I was outside or downstairs. He knew I heard him and wasn’t left crying “alone” per se.

Music Selection

I was really excited about this feature when I first started using the iBaby. There are a lot of lullabies provided and you can download more if you want. I thought this would be a great way to get my baby back to sleep instead of me going to him. Unfortunately, my little man is very stubborn and it didn’t work, but I bet it will work for some people!

Photo and Video Taking Abilities

Taking photos and videos of my kiddo from the app was not something I anticipated using or liking. I tried it out when I first started it up just to see what it was like and I was impressed.

However, I soon found myself taking little videos and snapshots to send to relatives when he was being extra goofy playing in his room or snoring in his sleep. It was fun to be able to catch him in his element without him knowing I was there.

Air Quality Sensor

The air quality sensor was another bell and whistle I didn’t think would matter to me. I was wrong. I really enjoyed seeing the “excellent” read out. It made me feel comfortable and relaxed about the room my baby spends most of his time in. When you are a parent, you worry constantly. This was just another reassurance that helped me calm down.

Temperature and Humidity Read Outs

The temperature and humidity readout was a feature that my husband loved. I didn’t really care too much. I was happy that the temperature was at a nice level for him but otherwise didn’t give it a second thought. The humidity read out had my husband checking his app every morning and night. He really liked having state of the art humidity detection to keep the humidity at just the right level.

Privacy Settings

Ok, I’m not the most open person. I definitely like my privacy. I don’t overshare on Facebook and I never will. That being said, I was a little worried about giving people access to see our little guy in his room. I was especially thinking of those nighttime nursing sessions and how I was going to have to throw a blanket over the iBaby just for peace of mind.

Lucky for me, and you by the way, there are excellent privacy settings. You can pick and choose who sees what at what times. That was really nice for me. I didn’t have to worry about who was creeping on me in the middle of the night. I bet no one ever was, but now I was sure.

Easy Set Up

The installation is dummy proof. If I could do it with a glass of wine while watching a baby walk around, anyone can. Installation with technology is something I don’t excel at and I get frustrated easily. This was seamless.

The installation instructions that come with the iBaby are short and sweet. The box also boasts you can install it in under 1 minute. Now, like I said, I was multitasking, but I still don’t think you can install it in under a minute. If they had said under three minutes, I would have let them get away with it though and that is still really fast for the powerful machine you are getting.

All you have to do is plug it in, download the app, and let it sync. Done. I’m sure if you have ultra-lightning-fast internet, someone could install this in under a minute. However, my mediocre internet, glass of wine, and wild child had me installing it in about five minutes.

I was still impressed when it was ready to go, and actually was surprised to see myself show up on my phone screen so fast. I also wondered why no one told me to pull myself together that day, but that is part of being a parent I guess. Hence, the glass of wine!

What I Didn’t Like

I try to be really honest in my reviews and if there is something wrong, I express that opinion. However, I had a really hard time finding anything wrong with the iBaby M6S. I have used other baby gadgets and been more than frustrated with them, but this one just worked like a gem.

The only time I have ever had issues was for a ridiculous reason. My husband had unplugged it, three times in the course of time I had the iBaby before writing this. I asked him not to, but you know how that goes. I thought it was faulty because it would say no signal. Turns out, having it turned on is vital to it working. Go figure!

The other complaint I have is that the camera panning is a little touchy. Part of this is definitely because my screen protector is wonky. However, I do still think that there is an issue here. It seems like once you stop your finger it goes just a little further. I don’t know if it is a mechanical issue with the camera or if it is with the application itself but it is definitely there. It’s not that big of an issue but slightly annoying.

There really wasn’t anything else that I could find wrong with it. I tried, I really did. There just never was a glitch or anything that annoyed me. I tried out all of the features and those two complaints are it!

The Verdict

The iBaby M6S is an excellent video baby monitor. I don’t think I could ever buy a different one after using this. It has excellent video, all the bells and whistles, and best of all leaves me more relaxed about leaving my baby alone. That is something you really can’t put a price on. The more sleep or rest you can get, the better parent you will be. Trust me on this one!

My sleepless nights are now filled with a little more sleep and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. How naive I was to think I just wanted this thing for the camera. The iBaby is an investment worth making whether you have a sleeping baby (you have no idea how lucky you are) or not. It will make your life just that much easier.

See iBaby Monitor M6S 1080p Full HD Wi-Fi Smart Digital Baby Monitor on Amazon 

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Sleeping is something most of us take for granted for most of our lives. But, the general consensus is that when you become a parent, getting a few hours of uninterrupted sleep becomes a luxury. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are a few tips and smart parenting gadgets you can try to help get a good night’s sleep for you and your little one.

Eliminate Extra Noise

This may sound like a lackluster technique but it is worth its weight in gold. If your baby wakes up every time you put weight on the third step or sneeze, you need not look further!

Creating a sound-proof room can help exponentially in not disturbing your baby. When they do wake up, they won’t hear you watching Netflix and munching popcorn. They will just go right back to sleep. Fingers crossed. So what do you need to make the baby room sound proof?

The Motorola Smart Nursery Dream Machine is here to save the day. Not only does it have lullabies you can download, but a projector, a night light, and a monitor. You can play your baby a soothing noise so they fall asleep while blocking out your wind-down time. On top of that, you can project non-stimulating images for your baby to watch as they fall back asleep.

The one thing that can be stressful with sound elimination, is that you cannot hear baby as well. That’s where the Dream Machine kicks it up a notch. There’s two-way audio so you can hear your baby and reassure them if they are upset from your phone. It’s compatible with your smartphone so there is no need to get off the couch. Netflix marathon…resumed!

Keep it Cool

I’m sure you picked out the best crib for your baby, but have you thought about how warm all those layers of mattress protectors and sheets are?

Temperature control is something that is often overlooked for a baby’s sleep environment. Most parents have the room way too warm. Experts agree that 68-72 degrees is where you want to set your thermostat. However, adjust to your baby! If your baby is always too warm in their 70-degree room. Try turning the temperature down a few degrees. It might make a huge difference!

The Ecobee3 smart thermostat can make monitoring your baby’s room so much easier. The Ecobee3 comes with portable temperature sensors which you can use to make sure your baby’s room is always at the correct temperature.

If you are downstairs enjoying a late dinner with your spouse, just check your phone. Update your baby’s thermostat as needed, and continue enjoying your free time.

Keep It Dim

A natural reaction to waking up in the night to check on your baby is to turn on the light so you can see them right? Well, when you do that you are just prolonging their time going back to sleep. You startle them with the blinding light and then they are stimulated and less likely to fall right back asleep.

Keeping the lighting as dim as possible is the key to checking on them and getting them right back to sleep. Smart LED light bulbs are perfect for this. You can program them with your smartphone so you don’t have to walk into the room in pure darkness. Keep them on the lowest setting and get your baby back to sleep in no time.

If All Else Fails

Okay, sometimes, you just are one of those lucky parents with a child that won’t sleep. No. Matter. What. So, what do we have to offer you? A parenting survival kit.

Give in and get the Mr. Coffee Smart Wifi-Enabled WeMo 10-cup Optimal Brew Coffeemaker. That’s a mouthful, but a mouthful of delicious coffee you don’t have to get out of bed 5 minutes early to make. It’s like having your very own barista in your home without the snarky comments.

There’s nothing better than a clean home when you are exhausted and just want to relax. It can be pretty tough to muster up the strength to do it. If you don’t want your mother-in-law snooping around, there is another option.

Getting the iRobot Roomba 650 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner is the best gift you can buy yourself. You can schedule or adjust settings right from bed using your phone. Mother-in-law not included.

Finally, all new parents will you tell this but, you are going to watch a lot of Netflix. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to stream with multiple devices. Your brain may not work properly from lack of sleep.

Plug in an Amazon Fire TV Stick and you instantly turn your TV into a one stop shop for all your digital media. From Hulu to Amazon Prime and everything in between, you have endless amounts of media at your fingertips. Try to embrace the lack of sleep and become a House of Cards expert.

Wrap Up

Putting your baby to sleep can feel like putting down a ticking time bomb. It doesn’t have to be that way anymore! With these techniques, you should start seeing a major difference in your baby’s sleep patterns. Once you can relax and realize your baby is sleeping away soundly. Maybe, just maybe, you can get that shut-eye you have been day dreaming about.

The post A Smart Home Can Help You And Your Baby Get More Sleep appeared first on The Smart Cave.

1. Owlet Baby Monitor

This is, without a doubt, one of the hottest baby monitoring devices talked about right now. Finally, FINALLY, someone has created a pseudo nanny to watch your baby through the night.

Take a look at the life-saving, sleep-saving, parent-saving Owlet on Amazon

The Owlet is a smart sock that you can place on your newborn’s foot. It monitors pulse oximetry and heart rate to make sure your baby is alive and well at all times. It’s the same as having them in the hospital cared for by nurses at night. It links up to your smartphone and alerts you if necessary.

No more erratic trips to your sleeping child’s room just to reassure yourself, again and again, that they are fine. You can finally get the sleep you need so that you are a better parent during the day. Your baby will be well cared for and you can relax at long last.

2. Hatch Baby Smart Changing Pad and WiFi Scale

I don’t think there is a parent out there that doesn’t worry if their baby is getting enough to eat. Hatch has an app and now a device for that.

Check out Hatch Baby Smart Changing Pad On Amazon for latest deals and options

You can track each feeding and see how much your baby is getting to eat. Weigh your baby and share that information with your pediatrician with ease. Track diaper changes to make sure that input and output are at the levels they need to be.

The first few weeks having a newborn home can be rough. If it’s your first child, and even if it’s your fifth, you worry constantly about them getting enough to eat, having enough wet diapers, and making sure they are gaining weight at the right speed. This smart changing pad allows you to relax. It will reassure you your baby is doing just fine and let you enjoy that wonderful time with your baby.

3. The Mimo

Along the same lines of the Owlet, the Mimo monitors your baby in the night. There is so much fear around sleeping babies with SIDS. It’s no wonder parents are a frazzled mess and can’t sleep even if their baby is sleeping!

Head over to Amazon to get a great deal on a Mimo today

The Mimo is there to help. It’s a wearable onesie that incorporates technology to monitor your baby’s breathing (two different sensors) and movement. It also streams data for you to review if you have any concerns about respirations, sleep activity, skin temperature, and body position. These are all very helpful if you notice any changes in your baby.

You can simply take a look at your smart device anytime you wake up worried and be relieved to know just how the baby is sleeping. It’s a time saver and a sleep saver for both of you.

4. Kinsa Digital Smart Ear Thermometer for Baby

Your baby feels extra warm and you reach for the thermometer. Do you actually trust you are getting a good reading? Chances are you will double if not triple check and get inconsistent results. With the Kinsa thermometer, you don’t have to. You can trust to get an accurate reading the first time, every time.

See Kinsa Digital Smart Ear Thermometer On Amazon For More Information

It works fast and that’s the key here. If you have ever had to take a screaming, sick, thrashing baby’s temperature, you know that it often doesn’t work to hold it for 30 seconds. The Kinsa takes the temperature in ONE second. That’s where the genius comes from.

Not only that, but placing a thermometer in any orifice can be a real challenge. Using an ear thermometer is a great way to keep baby calm to take a quick and accurate reading. You can even log your info into your smartphone to keep track.

5. Snoo Smart Crib

You have probably seen these and wondered what space age crib they have come up with next. There’s always a new crib, a new way to lay your baby to sleep, and a new guideline for your baby’s sleep. While these are ever changing and probably always will be, the Snoo Smart Crib looks like it’s here to stay.

Check out the Snoo website for more information

When you have a newborn that just won’t sleep, everything is hard. Getting up to make coffee seems like climbing Mt. Everest. Let the Snoo let you snooze again! It’s a crib that has integrated technology to help soothe your baby. It literally hears and feels when your baby cries and moves, and starts to rock at a certain speed to soothe them. How magical is that?

One of my favorite features of it is its mesh siding that you can see through to make sure all is well at any time. It’s stylish and will fit in with any bedroom decor. Stop trying to shove a pack and play next to your bed only to get up every hour or two to rock your baby. Do yourself and your baby a favor and get the Snoo to help you both sleep better.

6. Evoz Smart Baby Monitor

This isn’t just any smart baby monitor. The Evoz has so many different features it will make your head spin. The wide angle HD lens allows you to see a crystal clear image of your baby day or night. No more fuzzy pictures where you can’t really tell what’s going on.

The Evoz will send you alerts only when your baby is crying. If the dog barks or your husband snores too loud, Evoz will ignore it. The best part about this beyond the clear image, is the ability to track anything and everything.

Being a new parent makes you forgetful. No matter how organized and on top of things you usually are, you just won’t be as good with a new baby. Evoz has the capability to record: feeding, changing, sleeping, milestone, and temperature data for you. That’s several things you can cross off your list of things to worry about!

Take A Closer Look At The Evoz Smart Baby Monitor On Amazon

Its app is also really helpful for parents (especially new parents). They have expert tips, tricks, and information that you can view all while nursing your baby back to sleep. It will also allow you to view and track your data to see where you can fix any issues.

Going out of town and leaving your baby with someone? The Evoz can go with. Allow any sitter or grandparent access so they can monitor your baby with the ease you do.

7. Amazon Echo

Ok, this one might not be obvious, but it’s a great product for parents! It’s 2 am and you just can’t get baby to sleep. Amazon Echo can play a lullaby for you at your command. Maybe you can’t remember when your baby’s check up is. Amazon Echo has you covered again.

Head Over To Amazon To See Their Great Deals On The Echo

The options are almost endless to what you can use it for. It’s a great way to destress and make sure you have all your bases covered. From temperature control and turning off the lights to playing white noise at 4 in the morning, let the Echo help you through these sleepless times.

8. Ring Pro Doorbell Camera

There isn’t a good parent out there that doesn’t get a little nervous leaving their child home alone the first time, or the 100th time. The Ring Pro Doorbell can really help with those worries. Once it’s set up you can receive alerts directly to your phone anytime there is a visitor.

You will know who’s coming and going and when. It’s a great way to make sure your child is safe at home. The fact you can check it whenever you like is such a stress relief. Although, it’s ability to alert you keeps you from checking your phone every 5 seconds instead of enjoying your chicken parmesan on a much-needed date night.

Check Ring Video Doorbell Pro On Amazon For Latest Price

9.  Toymail Talkies

The Toymail Talkies look like cute plush toys. But inside is a Wifi connected voice messaging system. Download the Toymail app on your phone and you can send and receive personalized voice messages to and from your child. Talkies can even send messages to other Talkies by setting up a circle of friends.

Toymail Talkies Are Available On Amazon Launchpad

You can use the scheduling feature to alert your child to when it’s time for bed or time to wake up. It also has playful voice filters, changeable personalities, and reacts to physical play.

Conclusion

If you are looking for more sleep or just some general sanity in your parenting world, these products will get you through. You can finally enjoy a glass of wine, head to bed, and sleep soundly knowing that these products are your backup. They have you covered from temperature to dirty diapers. Now you can focus on more important things, like remembering to make coffee in the morning.

Do you have any experience with smart technology that makes parenting easier? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 9 Smart Products For Intelligent Parents And Healthy Babies appeared first on The Smart Cave.