Comfort & Harmony: mombo play Toy Bar {Review}

Everett is so alert lately.  Although he’s still a very easy going baby, he’s reached the age where he wants to be entertained – constantly.  Whether it’s me holding him, giving him toys, or his sisters singing to him (admittedly, this might be more frightening than entertaining) he wants to interact with the world around him.  At this age, both my girls were holding their heads up and starting to sit, but Everett isn’t quite there yet.  He still lacks the head control to have him upright for long periods of time.  Since I’m always looking for ways to keep him happy and entertained, I jumped at the chance to review the mombo Nursing Pillow and Toy Bar. Remember when I said that every new mom should have a nursing pillow, regardless of whether they plan to breast feed?  Well, it’s true.  And as it turns out, the Comfort & Harmony mombo Nursing Pillow isn’t your ordinary nursing pillow – it’s so much more.  Unlike other nursing pillows, the mombo has 2 different sides – one that’s firm, one that’s soft.  The firm side is designed for providing support during feedings; the soft side is designed for lounging or positioning your baby and also provides a comfortable place for tummy time.  And unlike any other nursing pillow I’ve ever seen, the mombo incorporates vibration using a small battery operated disk (requires 1 “C” battery, not included) that you can insert into the pillow.  Simply push the button on the top of the disk to turn on the vibration and insert it into the pillow.  To top it all off, the mombo has tons of brightly colored, fun covers that are all machine washable.

By simply attaching the mombo play Toy Bar using the elastic straps, your nursing pillow is transformed into an interactive gym for your baby.  The toy bar comes with 2 ultra-soft plush toys (a lion and an elephant) and 4 loops to attach toys – 2 at the top of the arch, 2 towards the bottom/sides.  The lion and the elephant are attached using velcro, so they can be switched around or removed at anytime.  And when your baby is done playing with the toy bar or if you need the nursing pillow for a feeding, simply remove the Toy Bar and fold it up for easy storage.

When I first received the Toy Bar I wondered if it would be enough entertainment for Everett, now 5 months old, but it ended up being just perfect for him.  The mombo Nursing Pillow is thicker than most other pillows than I’ve used, and the combination of firm and soft gives more support than other pillows.  The result was Everett being more propped up, allowing him to not just look at the toys on the toy bar, but also at other things in the room around him.  With traditional nursing pillows – which tend to be flatter – he ends up looking at the ceiling…which gets boring quickly.  And although Everett can roll over, he’s never tried to while playing with the toy bar (and he’s played with his Toy Bar a lot since we’ve gotten it).  I attribute this to 2 things.  First, the toys keep him pretty entertained, and if he’s not playing with the toys, he’s looking around the room at everything else going on.  It keeps him too busy.  Second, I think since this nursing pillow is thicker, it keeps him snug in the middle.  He looks comfortable and secure.But besides being entertaining, the Toy Bar is pretty durable.  Despite the grabbing phase that Everett’s going through, the plush animal toys haven’t once detached from the bar.  And if he pulls at them – causing the malleable Toy Bar to bend – the bar snaps back to its original form once he releases.  Grabbing the toys and then releasing is Everett’s favorite game, and one that always ends with the cutest baby giggle.

For me, the Toy Bar is a lifesaver.  It allows me a safe and entertaining place to put Everett while I’m trying to get things done around the house.  It’s a space that he enjoys and a place where I don’t have to worry about him.  It doesn’t take up a ton of space and is portable, so if I need to move from the living room to the bedroom, I can scoop him up in one arm and carry the nursing pillow and Toy Bar in the other.  It makes my life so much easier!

But where the Toy Bar really shines is as a travel accessory.  When we traveled over the holidays I took so much baby equipment with us.  And all that baby gear was big and bulky and took up a ton of space in our car.  It was a total pain.  But I couldn’t run the risk of being away for 2 whole weeks without some form of entertainment for him.  I only wish I had this back then (and back when I took Hazeline on vacation at 8 weeks old, dragging the nursing pillow, bouncy seat, and playmat with us) – it would have been a lifesaver.  The combination of the collapsible toy bar, the vibration disk, and the nursing pillow have comfort and entertainment roll up into one.  No need to bring multiple, bulky baby items, this gym has it all!  It will be going on our next trip with us.

If you’d like to try the mombo play Toy Bar for yourself, you can pick one up at Babies R Us where they retail for $19.99.  It’s a great way to accessorize your mombo nursing pillow, especially if you plan to travel this summer!Disclosure:  I received a mombo Nursing Pillow and mombo play Toy Bar to facilitate my review.  All thoughts, opinions, and photos are my own.