Baby Time Show

I went with our friend Julie and her son Jack to Toronto's baby time show today.  I knew to expect samples and basically "the best of the best" in strollers, toys and organic everything...but I never knew that I could come home with a bag so big and heavy, I felt overwhelmed.

Pros of the show:

I got to retry the stroller that's our favourite.  I still love it and we are going for it, when the time's right.  Our stroller of choice: The Baby Jogger City Select, which can convert to a double if we ever need to one day.  It has a BAZILLION configurations, which we love (car seat, bassinette, stroller seat forward facing, outward facing, two kids facing each other... etc etc.).  While it's going to be our more costly purchase, EVERYONE who has one, wants one and just bought was, said it would be bought without regret.

The amount of samples were CRAZY.  As a first time Mom, it was interesting to learn about new products (that I have not had experience with, watching other people's kids), as well as what will be useful and what seems like a total waste, or something that I can do/make myself.  I walked away with so many samples and although I won't use them all, or don't know if I will, it will make a women's shelter happy one day, should I not need to use them.

I loved seeing more products that I had not used with other children before that were more organic and less "unnatural" or filled with chemicals.  I cannot use Johnson and Johnson without getting a rash myself, and am not wanting to use it on baby, as there are some chemical issues with what they put in their product (fermeldahyde).  I bought some product from Live Clean, loving their lotion and NON PETROLEUM jelly.  Excellent.  What's better, is that it's really only a couple dollars more than J&J.  Something I usually would complain about, but not when it comes to not getting a reaction from certain products.  Some sensitive products for skin and babies can be OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive, so a couple dollars, is NOTHING in the skin sensitive world...

The time spent with Julie and Jack was priceless.  I got to ask Julie a million questions (thanks Jules!), share some time with friends and gain so much knowledge.  One thing that I was dying to get info from Julie about and see at the baby show was: CLOTH DIAPERS.  We are very open to going this route and I learned so much y-day.  I can't wait to learn more!  Thanks Jules!!!!  My favourites were these, as the patterns were SO cute:

These, for a boy.  So boyish and cute!

These for a girl!  Ruffles on cloth diapers...come on!

I did purchase a few essentials (hangers, teethers, mommy hook etc), but as I took the train in, I couldn't really stock up on anything big.  Maybe at their Spring show before baby arrives?

I totally forgot to take a photo of Jack, Julie and I for my baby book, BOO!  But we had a lot of fun!

Some CONS (they were big ones for me):

There was MINIMAL seating to rest/eat.  When you walk around all day, you need to sit, or eat, or anything, really.  The 15 tables WERE NOT ENOUGH and you saw people sitting by the washrooms on a dirty floor, just so they could get off of their feet.  REALLY?

There was 1 small elevator for strollers, which made the line ups big at time.  You could use the escaltor, but security had to bring up the stroller and you had to carry the child (fine, if your child was not sleeping, but Jack was!).

The food options were abismal.  I mean, seriously.  I'd go with 75% of people there were pregnant, and pregnant, hungry woman is a BAD situation.  What's worse, there was 1 cashier for any of the food, as their tills weren't working properly.  It took me 10 minutes to have our lunch rang through, which was WATER AND CHIPS. Yup.  And it cost $6!!!!!!!!!!!!  The only food offered was: $8 croissant sandwiches or baguettes, frozen/reheated chicken strips and fries or an extremely overpriced salad.  There were crepes, but at $10 a pop, you have got to be kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!  We later found pizza pizza across the exhibition hall, but were so tired and I didn't feel like paying $6 for a slice.

NOTE: Give healthy options for people to purchase.  Serve more food.  Have more tills.  Charging $3.75 for a bottle of water, is OUTRAGEOUS.  COME ON!  Aren't people supposed to be teaching Mom's/kids and families to eat more healthily and drink more water?  I was NOT impressed and if I go back again, I will pack a lunch and maybe a chair!

Alot of the "Mommy group" connections and information stretched as far as Hamilton, but did not reach Durham.  Weird, as Hamilton is an hour away and Durham is 20 minutes.  The answers I kept getting, were sorry, there aren't any groups or resources in your area, but alot of people have been asking for them today.  Maybe you could contact us and start one?  A little frustrating, as I think becoming a first time Mom, I'd love to join a group at first, not start one, neccesarily.  Such is life, I guess.

There were a LARGE amount of samples and companies giving out formula, but NO ONE was there from La Leche or a Lactation Consultancy.  REALLY?  I was dying to get some information on local chapters or help for breast feeding, should I be lucky enough to successfully go that route.  NOT ONE BIT OF INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE ON BREASTFEEDING, apart from one small session in a separate room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Not a booth, not pamphlets, nothing, but this one small info session, that you couldn't just walk up and ask questions/get info quickly.  I found this SHOCKING!

Overall though, it was extremely informative, a GREAT time with an amazing friend and her adorable son and something worth going to.  Next time, I will take Graham, as I really think he could learn so much!