For the past several years I’ve been wanting to attend the ABC Kids Expo, an annual trade show hosted by All Baby & Child in Las Vegas, but this year I finally got to go! I was overwhelmed with all of the products being introduced; some new, some familiar, and some were mindblowingly innovative!
Here are some of my top picks for products discovered this year at the expo…
The Shaidee Sun Cover
When I first saw the Shaidee Sun Cover I thought of my brother-in-law shielding my sweet neice from the glare of the blazing sun at the zoo, at the Arboretum botanical gardens, or traveling overseas. I felt silly for not having invented it myself because it’s so necessary! We drown our babies in sunscreen and put hats on them to protect their delicate scalps, but what about their eyes? Those brand new eyes are so sensitive to the light, but also at-risk for sunburns to the retina, and any mother will tell you, “We’ve tried sunglasses but they just don’t stay on.” Well, Shaidee understands that which is why they designed the Saidee Sun Cover.
What is Shaidee Sun Cover™? Ultra-light, sun-protective baby gear gives parents the freedom to enjoy life on-the-go, with baby in tow! The Shaidee Sun Cover™ is the newest solution for active parents who want to protect babies from the sun while enjoying the great outdoors. It is a lightweight, easy-to-wear visor design that fits comfortably around ANY person carrying a baby in a front carrier or sling, and also attaches easily to most cars seats and strollers. A dynamic, multi-use item, Shaidee Sun Cover™ is weather-and-wind-resistant, and made from safe and effective fabrics to keep babies shaded, cool, dry and comfortable. When not in use, Shaidee Sun Cover™ rolls up and pops neatly into a stylish carry bag ideal for travel or storage.
EzPz Fun: Less Mess, Happy Mat
The EzPz Fun Mat was developed by a busy mom who’d had enough of the placemats that don’t work, the dishes being thrown, food stuck to the plates, and the stacks of dishes to clean after dinner time from mixing, heating, and serving to feed 3 kids and 2 adults. The EzPz Fun mat had me floored! It’s a plate divided into sections resembling a smiley face, but it’s also a placemat that sticks to ANY flat surface. The unique design of the mat and the materials used create a sort of suction that NO ONE can lift straight up. It can, however, be lifted very easily by lifting the corners. Shhh, don’t tell the kids! It’s also stain resistant, BPA-free, food grade silicone, nontoxic, dishwasher safe, oven safe, and microwave safe! Want one? They’re still being manufactured, but you can submit a pre-order via shopwholeheart.com
What makes the Less Mess Happy Mat special?
ALL-IN-ONE placemat & plate (catches all of the kids’ messes)
Placemat suctions to the table (no more tipped bowls & plates)
Easy cleanup & storage
Easy entertaining (mats can be stacked & carried)
Extra fun (dry erase markers can be used on mats)
IT WORKS!
Did you feel like a dairy cow with your first baby? Or, have you seen colleagues grabbing snacks and water and rushing to the restroom to pump during their work breaks? Ugh, it used to be so inconvenient to pump…but, it’s not anymore! Last week at the expo I discovered the Freemie! With the Freemie, moms can pump anytime, anywhere, with their shirt ON! The Freemie hands free cups (placed directly inside your bra) are designed to collect milk that can be poured directly into the bottle you’re feeding baby with. This prevents pumping into a bag, pouring milk into a storage bottle, then pouring milk into the feeding bottle. Alot of valuable nutrients and “liquid gold” are lost that way; not to mention the added products needed and dishes to 
be cleaned. The Freemie Deluxe Set includes concealable collection cups, two sets of breast funnels (25 mm and 28 mm), and the electric Freedom pump with smoothly adjustable suction—all for hands-free single or double pumping and is compatible with hospital grade pumps or most other popular breast pumps.
- Slide the cups under your bra
- Connect to a compatible pump
- Relax, work, play, while pumping
- Pour milk into bottles to store and/or feed
This two-toys-in-one product was actually designed by a kid named Max whose school project tasked him with designing a toy for both boys and girls of various ages. With a little help from mom and dad, Max designed “BuddyBalls“, a line of teddy bears that can hold all of your favorite toys inside them like a backpack, or can convert to a squooshie ball. This toy reminded me of a new and improved version of “Popples” circa 1985 and I fell in love with the nostalgic feeling I got from holding, and playing with, this toy. These designers also pulled on my heartstrings as a Certified Child Life Specialist when they told me they’ve partnered with the Child Life Council and donate for the kiddos in the hospitals around the country. Can you not love Maxland Toys with your whole heart?!
I had the pleasure of seeing ALL Crane USA products at the expo and I went nuts wishing I could own every single one! The adorable animal humidifers, drop humidifiers, heaters, fans, and nightlights are designed state of the art and are wildly popular globally! They’re popular for their adorable animal humidifers for nurseries, playrooms, and kid’s rooms, but as an adult, I also LOVE the drop humidifers. The design of the drop humidifer is modern and sleek and they come in a variety of colors that fit in nicely with any decor. What I love about Crane humidifers is that they’re not noisy like most other brands, and the soft, cool mist provides sort of a feng shui sense of movement that’s peaceful and calming. Given that Whole Heart is an Austin based company and I live on 4 acres filled with cedar trees, I use my drop humidifer all winter and spring long to moisten the dry air in my bedroom, courtesy of the cedar trees, but I also consider this product a new mom must have. Newborn babies and infants breathe primarily through their nose. Keeping their nasal passages clean ad moist is essential to a healthy baby and promoting healthy sleep for baby.
Raise your hand if you’re nervous about potty-training your kiddo? Don’t be! No longer do you have to buy boxes and boxes of training pants or pull-ups, stay at your house for 3 straight days pottying every hour on te hour, or doing hundreds of oads of laundry due to accidents. Meet BottomzZup! BottomzZup is a complete potty training tool kit designed to take the guess work out of potty training and transition your child out of diapers and in to “big kid” underwear in 3-4 days, flat. The unique design looks and feels like a diaper, but allows the child to feel wet inside, but there’s no leakage or spillage on the outside. A celebratory t-shirt, sticker chart, and potty training suggestions accompany the underwear in the BottomzZup box. This product is still in manufacturing stages and won’t be available until Jan. 2015; however, pre-orders will be received via chelseavail@wholeheartaustin.com. Encourage. Participate. Celebrate.
I fell in love with SO many new products and toys at the expo that I came home and immediately added them to my website! Be sure to check out:
What do you do? You’ve tried the “5 S’s” for calming, right?
Multiple uses!
made from the highest quality material: soft, gripping/non-slip, pearly vinyl that is recyclable, environmentally friendly, latex free, phthalate free and even gluten free. Baby Bump™ focuses on safety for parents and their babies; the balls are “burst proof”, meaning that if they are punctured they will deflate slowly and safely.
whole heart 
