Prince Lionheart BebePod

There are all manner of gadgets developed for helping parents with their children, some just end up being a waste of money but others are like moments of genius and you never realise how useful they are until you can't be without them. The Bebepod plus is much like the better known Bumbo chair, designed to fit comfortably around baby's body, supporting them as they sit, helping their muscles grow stronger and allowing them a little independence. ...
...is actually slightly malleable, run your hand over the surface and it feels much like any regular potty however give it a good squeeze and the slightly spongy material becomes evident, it's not so soft that baby will sink into it when they're sat in the chair but it is soft enough to be comfy on their delicate bodies, the inside of the chair is slightly contoured for comfort but most babies will be in their nappies anyway which give adequate padding! ... more

There are all manner of gadgets developed for helping parents with their children, some just end up being a waste of money but others are like moments of genius and you never realise how useful they are until you can't be without them. The Bebepod plus is much like the better known Bumbo chair, designed to fit comfortably around baby's body, supporting them as they sit, helping their muscles grow stronger and allowing them a little independence. It is an unusual plastic material which looks solid but is actually slightly malleable, run your hand over the surface and it feels much like any regular potty however give it a good squeeze and the slightly spongy material becomes evident, it's not so soft that baby will sink into it when they're sat in the chair but it is soft enough to be comfy on their delicate bodies, the inside of the chair is slightly contoured for comfort but most babies will be in their nappies anyway which give adequate padding! It is suitable for when your little one is 3 months old and able to support their head well, they don't need to be able to sit completely unaided as the way the chair is designed means their backs are fully supported and under no strain.

The Bebepod in itself looks like an oversized potty, a little chunkier though with a higher back, they come with a removable centre pommel which allows you to easily sit baby in the chair without having to bend and twist their legs like you often do with the Bumbo. The Bebepod plus comes with additional accessories which include a tray, place mats and a toy. When the pommel has been removed, which is a simple matter of twist and pull upwards, you can slide the tray into it's place, it completely surrounds baby and the front of the Bebepod meaning they are sat securely, it can be put on the chair in various stages meaning that a chubby baby will be able to use it just as well as a smaller baby, but there is slight movement to the tray so that it is not uncomfortable for your little one if they wriggle around a little. On the tray itself are 2 grooves which the Bebepod toy can be inserted into, alternatively you can simply place one of the wipe clean place mats over the tray ready for feeding.

The Bebepod toy is much like any other table top toy, made up of a main spinning section which has 4 other spinning sections coming off of its 4 points. On the toy are a barrel containing small balls, 2 polka-dotted wing like shapes which can be span together or in opposite directions, a clear ball with an internal spinning disc featuring a smiley face and a mirror, and finally a 2 tone textured cross shape which rattles when it is spun. Each of the sections is brightly coloured, textured and produces a sound, as baby bats at the toy they are rewarded by the movement and sound which encourages them to reach out again for the toy, this is great for their hand eye co-ordination and is very stimulating for young babies, it can be used away from the Bebepod as it has a handle much like a rattle but it would be quite weighty for younger babies.

I purchased the Bebepod with a few different thoughts in mind, firstly I needed a way to feed Jack that didn't involve him sitting in his car seat or on the sofa, at 14 weeks he was too young for a regular highchair. The second purpose was to enable him to sit upright and see what was going on around him, I was never keen to leave him sat on the sofa and propping him with pillows always ended with him sinking down into them. When we first got the chair I wanted to introduce him to it slowly and simply sat him in the basic pod so he could watch me as I pottered around doing jobs in the living room, I wasn't 100% confident he'd be able to support himself properly so I sat the chair against the sofa so if his head fell backwards he'd be supported by the sofa behind him, I had no need to worry though, he was already very strong and seemed to proudly sit in his chair without complaint.

When the time came to try the chair for meal times I decided to make sure he began to make associations with the tray and mat meaning meal times, I would only use the tray with one of the mats when he was having food and would replace the mat with the toy when food was finished, or remove the tray completely and replace it with the pommel, I didn't want him to think that every time he sat in the chair I'd be feeding him. Jacks quite passionate about his meal times and will eagerly move forward for his spoon so it was important that the chair be stable and cope with him moving around a lot, it's not a particularly heavy chair but it is sturdy and has a very wide base which means currently Jack can throw himself into his mealtimes as much as he likes and I've no concerns over the chair toppling. I actually found having him sat upright made feeding him easier, he was more able to swallow the food and we spent less time mopping up food that was dripping down his chin, of course this cut down on how long it took to feed him and how many bibs I'd need to end up washing. The mats, tray and chair are all wipe clean which is great in those messy early feeding stages, but I would recommend putting a blanket or plastic mat under the chair if you're feeding your little one whilst sat on the carpet!

Jack loved sitting in his chair from the very first moment he sat in it, he was able to support himself well and looked very comfortable, I started him off slowly with 10 minutes sitting and have gradually increased the time I'll allow him to spend sat in it, It's important not to leave them sat too long or if they're grizzly because they'll make negative associations with the chair and will be reluctant to use it in future, we have no such worries with Jack though and he'll happily sit and play with the Bebepod toy while I'm busy but is equally as comfortable using it come dinner time, you have to watch him if the TV is on though as he's already quite a telly bug and will watch whatever is on at the time!

The Bebepod Plus comes in 3 colour options- Green which comes with Kiwi patterned mats, Red with strawberry mats and Orange with orange designed mats, we have the green option with the Kiwi fruit mat and it is a very vibrant eye catching colour. I love our Bebepod as much as Jack does, it is brilliant for meal times as it means he can eat sat up properly but it also gives both of us a little freedom as he sits and plays while I get jobs done knowing he is safely sat in the pod. I feel secure leaving him in the chair while I'm busy and I think it would take a lot for him to be able to topple the chair, obviously I never use it on a raised surface though, but I can leave the room and know that he'll be safe for the few minutes I'm away rather than have him on the sofa at risk of falling off. There are no safety straps but the design of the chair is such that babies own weight and position will keep them within the chair.

The Bebepod Plus costs around £45 which admittedly is more expensive then a basic Bumbo chair, however it does have the extra accessories included which cost extra if you purchase the Bumbo and its tray separately, the Bebepod and accessories can also be purchased separately, around £30 for the chair and £16 for the tray and toy, but it makes more sense to get it in one go. I purchased mine via Amazon but I've also seen them in other children's stores, Asda and lots of online stores.
I may have paid more for the Bebepod then I may have done with similar chairs but the fact that you can remove the pommel to easily sit baby in the chair was really a winner for me, I hated the thought of having to squeeze him into a chair moulded from 1 piece, the accessories are a great bonus and overall I think it's money well spent. I would highly recommend it.

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