Recently, I was contacted by JJ Cole Collections with an opportunity to try out some of their products. I try not to do too many product reviews here on the blog unless it’s for something I’m really interested in and feel I’d actually use in my everyday life; these products from JJ Cole fit that description and so I was excited to check them out. As a new mom, I’m always reading other blogs to get the scoop on which baby gear is worth the money and so I wanted to share my honest thoughts on these products with you (along with a few photos!) in case you’re in the market for any of these items…
The Blue Iris backpack is something I was super excited to check out because pre-baby I didn’t realize how awesome it would be to have the option to wear my diaper bag as a backpack. I wear Henry quite often in various wraps/carriers and so having the backpack option is really convenient for me.
The backpack can also be worn as a messenger bag (and comes with grips to attach to the stroller) and it’s super roomy. It has tons of interior and exterior pockets and so there is lots of space to store all of Henry’s stuff. The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was that the magnetic clasp on the front of the bag came unsnapped a few times since I had it pretty full. But the nice thing is that once you open it, there is another zipper so nothing will fall out. This diaper bag is available at Babies R US 🙂
I also received an Outdoor Blanket (in Blue Iris, to match the backpack!) and this product couldn’t be more perfect for the age Henry is at right now. I love getting him outside in the nice weather but since he obviously can’t run around or play on the playground yet, it’s nice to give him the option to stretch out a little bit! The outdoor blanket is perfect for laying down at the park so he can do tummy time and play with his toys. It’s really thick and durable, but soft at the same time. It’s easy to fold and comes with a convenient carrying strap – we’ll definitely get a lot of use out of it this summer for sure!
I happen to think it’s super cute how it matches the diaper bag, but they have a bunch of different options for patterns. The blanket is available at buybuyBABY, and clearly Henry loves it!
We also received the Agility Carrier as well; I’m a huge fan of wearing Henry so I was excited to check this out. This way the baby goes in to the carrier is basically the same as with a wrap but instead of a giant piece of fabric that you have to tie, it’s basically loops of fabric connected to a back panel. I think it’s a little less intimidating to put on than the wrap, but it’s still lightweight and easy to throw in your bag. The carrier is available at Target, Babies R US, buybuyBABY, and Amazon.
All the gardens in Portland seem to be blooming right now and so it’s really fun to take Henry on walks through the city. The nice thing about this carrier is that the baby can be worn either forward facing or inward facing. Henry loves facing out so he can check out the world around him!
Pretty sure this is right when he started grabbing the rose petals and ripping them off…whoops!
A downside to this carrier is that it comes in sizes and isn’t really adjustable. I wasn’t quite sure what size to order, but after reading a few reviews saying it runs a little small in the chest if you’re nursing, I
ended up deciding to order a large. It fits just fine and the nice thing is this way Cameron can wear it too. However, if you and your partner are very different sizes, you may not both be able to wear it.
Also, I know that people have all different opinions on babies in forward facing carriers, and I realize there are potential legitimate concerns with this issue. However, my personal stance is just to use common sense; we only use the forward facing option for shorter outings and turn him inward facing if he’s going to be in the carrier for a more extended amount of time, plus that way he can more easily take a little snooze if he’s tired or overstimulated. But I personally really like having the option to face him out now that he’s old enough because he really does seem to enjoy it!
Thanks again to JJ Cole for giving me the chance to try out these products and enjoy our family day in #jjcolestyle! As always, all opinions expressed here on this blog are 100% my own and based on my experience. And finally, thanks to all of YOU for your continued support of this blog that allows me to receive great opportunities like this!
