SO, YOU'RE PREGNANT?
On mommies' wish list

By Tanya Bricking Leach
Advertiser Staff Writer

Four-month-old Noah Smith cozies up to mom Jennifer in a baby sling. (Products courtesy of Baby Emporium.) Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

There wasn't time for a baby shower. So the 21-year-old Kaimuki mom's favorite baby product was one she bought herself: a Boppy.

To which you may ask, what is a boppy?

Here's your cheat sheet. We're decoding some of this year's baby products moms say they can't live without:

Boppy: A C-shaped pillow that goes around your waist and makes feeding and holding the baby more comfortable. Koki's baby can use it as she gets older to help her sit up. (Sells for $29 at stores such as Baby Emporium, 614 Cooke St. For other retail outlets, check www.boppy.com.)

Baby Bjørn: It looks like a backpack, but this baby carrier goes in front and allows you to hold your baby close to your chest. Koki uses hers while she shops, washes dishes and vacuums. (Sells for about $90 on amazon.com.)

Know your boppy from your bjørn?

Baby Showers Hawaii's version of the sling. Baby Showers Hawaii

Baby swing: An old favorite comes in new themes, such as the Fisher-Price aquarium swing (the full-size version is about $100; a shorter, take-along size goes for about $60 at stores such as www.walmart.com). Rowena Wong, a Liliha mother of twins, says her swing is a lifesaver.

Bouncer: A portable seat that allows the baby to safely bounce (some seats even vibrate) while mom or dad fits in a chore or two. (Prices vary, but even celebrities are into this. The John Lennon Deluxe Comfort Me Bouncer, designed by John Lennon, sells for $60 at www.babyant.com.)

Baby bungee: It sort of looks like you're going to send your child out parachuting in this contraption: a bouncer that hangs from the doorway and keeps baby strapped in ($37 at www.babyant.com).

•	So, you're pregnant? This story is the last of a series this week on babies and pregnancy. If you missed our story yesterday, check the link below. Sunday: I'm pregnant Monday: The latest in maternity fashion Tuesday: Popular baby names Wednesday: Empower that baby shower with style Yesterday: Getting big and fit

Floppy seat: It's a portable, washable seat that goes in the grocery cart seat or restaurant high chair to keep baby comfortable and clean ($33 at www.babies1st.com).

Podee: It's a hands-free feeding system that connects a tube from the bottle to the binkie and lets the babies feed themselves (bottle adapter kit sells for $8 on www.whatshebuys.com). It's another favorite of twins' mom Rowena Wong.

Travel system: It's a car seat. It's a carrier. It's a stroller. All-in-one travel systems allow mom to remove the carrier from the stroller without waking the baby (a deluxe Graco system goes for about $200 on www.babiesrus.com).

Baby gear has come a long way from disposable diapers, but it also comes at a price. Baby products have become a $6 billion-a-year industry.

For parents counting their pennies, we found good prices by searching the Web at www.froogle.com.

But what's really worth buying? For that, a good resource is "Consumer Reports Best Baby Products" (at bookstores for $16.95 or information available at babies.consumerreports.org).

Reach Tanya Bricking Leach at tbricking@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8026.