things we love: shopping cart cover edition

As a new mother, I am always in search of great products that other mothers love. Its fun to share what works for you and possibly be able to recommend that product to another mother who could be struggling with the same issue. So I figured, every now and then I would write about a particular product that is or did help us.

A few months ago I got the opportunity to review the Infantino Slim Neoprene Shopping Cart Cover. You see, it actually came at perfect timing. My little man was just starting to do the whole sitting up thing by himself. And if you havent noticed, hes not on the lighter side of the spectrum. So I noticed one day that during our weekly shopping trip to Target, that it was getting extremely difficult to either a) maneuver the shopping cart and a stroller at the same time, or b) wear my now 20lb baby all over the store. I figured it was about time to start putting him in the shopping cart.

Ironically, my sister did too, and actually got me the Infantino UpRight Supportive Shopping Cart Cover for me/Matthew for Christmas. Now, the two, although both made by Infantino, have different pros and cons. I figured since I have both, I might as well give you my opinions on both and not just the first. So here it goes.

From here on out, I will be refering to them as the Slim and the UpRight, just so youre not confused.

Lets start with what they both have in common:

• Smart device pocket with play-through window for entertainment (LOVE this!!!)
• Soft cloth hooks to attach small toys to
• Can be used as both shopping Cart Cover and Restaurant Highchair Cover
• Safety harness keeps baby secure

The Slim, as you could imagine, is just that, very slim, very portable. I absolutely love how it folds right up into itself. Ive read a few reviews about it, and some claim its difficult to fold up, but honestly, I do it after Ive put Matthew in his carseat, as Im sitting in the drivers seat. With little space. And its honestly no hassle what-so-ever. You first just turn the little pocket inside itself, fold it long ways (it kind of does it by itself, once youve flipped the pocket part) and then fold the remaining about twice right into the bag. That might sound difficult reading but honestly it isnt.

The UpRight however, is alot bulkier. To the point that I dont even fold it up because I have yet to figure out how it folds into itself. Instead, I leave a reusable bag in the back seat and just stuff it in there. The ending result, not so pretty.

So you might ask, why I use(d) both. You see, when Matthew was first starting to sit up, and the first couple times we put him in the shopping cart, he would basically tilt either to the left or right. I was always scared that he would end up hitting his head on the side of the carts. So I would put my diaper bag on one side of him and rolled up blankets and/or burp rags on the other side to keep him positioned in the center of the cart (note: this was before I got either of these covers, we were using my sisters at the time). So when I was researching covers, the one thing that really stuck out to me about the UpRight one was that it had adjustable side bumpers that provided comfort and extra stability for wee wobblers. I loved  how cushioned it was, and it helped alot if we were in for one our "longer" Target trips ;) in which Matthew would fall asleep. He would just lean on the cushioned part.

So they both also have cool patterns, but are made out of different material. The Slim version is made out of Temperature resistant neoprene material which protects your baby from hot, cold and wet carts. Great for those of us who live in the south where the shopping carts are left out in the sun all day long. However, since its slim, it doesnt have alot of cushion. I tend to use this one more now, since he can sit by himself completely. But because its slim, it doesnt cover the cart on the sides. Not necessarily a bad thing, just if you have a kid that likes to eat the shopping cart (ahem, Matthew) you might want to use disinfecting wipes on the parts that are not covered. And then maybe drape a blanket or burp cloth over the sides.

Also, something that I like alot about the Slim, is the fact that the front has snaps that actually clip it around the shopping cart handle. With most, and particularly the UpRight, shopping cart covers, they have an elastic band that goes around them completely. And thats whats supposed to keep it in place on the shopping cart. But if you have a little wiggle-worm for a baby (ahem, Matthew) then the elastic doesnt really keep and will drive you crazy as it continuously slips off.

 

Ive used both as highchair covers as well, and you wouldve thought that the UpRight one would have the same affect for babies that cant completely sit by themselves, but thats not really the case. You see, the back part isnt as cushioned as the side parts, so Matthew kept leaning back and sliding down. And when I put the side cushions inside, it just looked uncomfortable. With the Slim, it didnt have this problem, but again, I use this one more now, since he can sit by himself and thats not an issue.

The Slim has another use as well, making it a little bit more versatile than the UpRight. You can actually use it as a playmate on the floor. I personally havent seen a need for this, especially because its not extremely large (like the blankets I prefer to use) and honestly I usually forget to bring it in from the car.

I think this is a good time to mentioned again, one of the featured that I listed above. My absolute most favorite part of both covers is the Smart device pocket for in cart entertainment! I mean come on?!?!? brilliant. Normally about half way through our shopping trip, Matthew gets a little fussy from being in the cart so long. So I take my iPhone and open up my Disney Jr app and stream either a Little Einsteins or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for him to watch. It is seriously a life saver. Especially when youre at the checkout line and all he wants to do is hold on to me. I simply put the iPhone in the little pocket, where its safe from drool, sticky fingers, and chewing, and the minute he hears his shows I know Ive avoided the possibility of a meltdown.

So thats it for my lil review on our experience with shopping cart covers. I personally recommend the Slim  (as you can tell from the amount of pics of the slim above lol) but both the Slim and UpRight have some major advantages to keeping you kiddo safe, clean, and comfortable in your daily weekly Target shopping trips ;)

Thanks to Infantino's Test & Tell Program I have received the Slim Neoprene Shopping Cart Cover from Infantino to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.