A ban on drop side cribs went into effect at the start of 2011, and retailers, daycare centers, hotels, and secondhand stores have six months to a year to remove and replace all drop side models with safer designs. Retailers of baby furniture appear to be having the easiest time. Parents now shopping for cribs at chains and smaller baby boutiques will no longer see drop side models on shelves. Although this model, prior to the ban, was going out of favor for convertible furniture, parents shopping for a new crib can find safer models only in stores.

Those needing to replace a large quantity of drop side cribs, such as daycare facilities and hotels, may experience the most financial strain over the next six to 12 months. As all drop side cribs need to be gone, 59,555 daycare centers may need to spent $550 million to fully replace them with safer designs. 43,000 hotels and inns have six months to remove and replace all unsafe cribs.

Consignment and thrift stores are also restricted by this ban, and they need to make sure drop side cribs do not end up for sale. Although such secondhand stores have seen overall sales increases, taking drop side cribs out of circulation may reduce the amount of baby products offered. Parents, when looking to save on baby furniture, should still examine all products for safety hazards.

As many brands of cribs saw recalls this past year, other aspects of baby sleeping areas are being questioned. Recently, this has been crib bumpers. Added to cushion a child against the wooden sidebars, crib bumpers have caused 14 suffocation-related deaths over the past year, and Illinois wants to ban this product. Although crib bumpers have not been removed from stores, parents should consider alternative methods for cushioning their child.

How difficult is it to find a stroller for all conditions? Taking your child to the mall or into a store often requires an umbrella model, while sturdier standard strollers and travel systems are best for many other trips. Parents may now be able to find a design that combines all of these features. Inglesina, an Italian manufacturer of baby furniture, announced recently in a press release that they will bring their popular AVIO stroller to American stores in January 2011. Known for a versatile and sophisticated design, AVIO is made for parents on the go. And with work and a baby, who isn’t always on the go?

Ball-bearing wheels and a one-hand folding mechanism are the most distinct features of AVIO. The stroller, as well, is 19.5 inches wide. With a slim design and easily foldable frame, AVIO is ideal for storing in closets, folding up into the trunk of a car, and taking on public transportation. The narrow design won’t block aisles in stores or on buses.

AVIO has many standard features of Inglesina strollers: a hood, storage basket, cup holder, rain cover, shock-absorbing wheels, and adapters for bassinet attachments and car seats. More pleasing on the eyes, AVIO comes in bold colors (stand out against pink and blue), uses a hidden closing mechanism, and does not have rivets.

Until recently, AVIO was only available to U.S. parents through Facebook. Parents, now, have even more options for taking babies and young children with them. AVIO has more features and is more durable than an umbrella model, while the design is less bulky than standard strollers and travel systems.

Inglesina strollers, including umbrella and standard models, and baby products are sold through various American brick-and-mortar and online stores, including Stroller.com and Designer Baby. Retailers also carry accessories, such as bassinets that attach to an existing stroller frame, by Inglesina.

Going to a baby shower? If it’s your first time at such an event, knowing which baby gift to choose is hard. Baby Aspen, one of the leaders in baby gifts, recently announced a new line of gifts – nearly all appropriate for a baby shower – in a press release. Many of their new baby gifts are animal themed, with several patterns of sea and safari creatures, and many of these can be personalized. While the Welcome to the World gift set is one of the most sought-after products by this brand, the new gifts and sets by Baby Aspen use this same concept to combine toys with baby clothes, blankets, and other necessary products.

Baby Aspen is popular at many mid-range to upscale baby boutiques. The brand can be found at Designer Baby, Dada Baby Boutique, and Baby and Me Boutique. Each store carries a combination of gift sets and individual toys, blankets, and baby clothes.

In terms of finding a baby shower gift, Baby Aspen is a brand that many look for. Several of their gift sets combine style with practicality. Generally made with an animal theme in mind, their various gift sets have several basic baby items put together in an attractive package.

Practicality is an important factor when choosing a baby gift. A baby shower is a time for parents to acquire several basic items for their new baby, and, while they may have some of the larger items like strollers and a crib, smaller items, such as clothing and toys, are often appropriate. If you can’t pick just one item, gift baskets or sets, such as those by Baby Aspen, put several of these necessary items together in a package. Individual items often given at a shower, however, range from sets of clothing, especially t-shirts and onesies, to blankets and baby toys.

You’re told often that organic products are better for the environment. From food to clothing, organic products are grown without synthetic pesticides. This means that the product you receive has significantly fewer chemicals added and harms the environment less. Coupled with recycled products, organic items are environmentally-friendly. While going green for yourself may be easy, what about with your children? Organic children’s clothing may not get much wear, but bed sheets and mattresses made from organic parts last longer. If you’re planning to incorporate some organic or recycled products into your children’s lives, consider any items that will get a few years of use, be it through furniture, toys, or sheets.

A recent article regarding organic baby products discusses all the benefits associated with going green. Organic cotton in particular is a target, as conventional cotton involves many synthetic chemicals in planting and more in making cloth. From planting to bleaching and dying, cotton picks up many chemicals along the way that stay in the fabric and may rub off against a person’s skin or settle in their atmosphere. Babies, additionally, have thinner and more porous skin that’s less resistant to bacteria, and chemicals may harm them more than adults.

If you’re considering going organic, many retailers carry organic baby products. While organic clothing may be too much of an expense, many other products can be bought as organics. Mattresses, in particular, can be made from organic cotton or rubber to have no synthetic chemicals released into your baby’s atmosphere. Sheets are another common organic baby product. Often made from organic cotton, these are colored in bright shades through vegetable and soy-based dyes. Being fire retardant is a concern for many baby products, and many of these are reinforced by organic wool, which has naturally fire retardant properties.

When you’re getting ready to have a child, a significant amount of planning is involved. Most of that is financial and emotional but part of it is building up supplies. One item that most parents need is a stroller, and several types are on the market. The basic style, usually called a standard design, involves a secure seat with a five-point harness for the child and a sturdy frame that won’t tip. For parents, enough storage space needs to be available in back and on the bottom for a diaper bag and all other necessary items. Similarly, a travel system offers the same features, as well as a car seat that pops out from the rest of the frame.

One popular design in recent years has been a jogging stroller. If you’re looking for a sturdy design that allows you to exercise with your children, look no further. Each jogging stroller involves a streamlined design with three wheels and all the stability and storage space of a standard design. The wheels, however, differ for various models. Stationary wheels are better for parents who plan to take the stroller to run on a track, while rotating ones are ideal for varied terrains.

Aside from the larger strollers, a compact design may be needed on occasion. Called an umbrella stroller, these styles fold up and can easily be stored around the home. But, with a thinner frame, these should only be brought to push your children on flat surfaces, such as at a mall or on a sidewalk. Keep one of these on hand to use for brief trips and a standard or jogging design for something more substantial. Additionally, 2009 saw various product recalls pertaining to umbrella strollers, so check the brand – Maclaren saw one million recalls last year – before you buy.