Baby-on-Board Review: Be By Baby

By Elizabeth Shapiro in Miscellaneous on Dec 14, 2007 4:10PM

Many of the parents we’ve talked to told us that they will go “China-free” this Christmas, refusing to purchase toys constructed in China. This, in large part, is due to the massive number of Chinese-made recalled toys this year (like those beads that turn into GHB when ingested). Toxic toys and poor oversight is a company issue and not necessarily a country-specific one, but patronizing local small businesses, regardless of impetus, should be applauded. For the next couple of weeks, we’ll be posting about some of our favorite places to buy kid gifts this season.

We love Be By Baby on Roscoe and Lincoln. With their large stock of slings, cloth diapers and plastic-free sippy cups, they’re like the anti-Babies-R-Us. Started by two mamas who are into attachment parenting, this store has everything you need if you are baby-wearing, co-sleeping, nursing or just in the market for some organic onesies. They’ve also stocked up on some snazzy (read: expensive) maternity clothes. Not one of the toys they offer is battery operated or plastic.

But our favorite thing about Be By Baby isn’t even their merchandise. The store offers free weekly playgroups where you can bring your kid and enjoy the company of other parents in their muraled back room. Interested in meeting other parents whose primary language is Spanish? Want to connect with other same-sex parents, or families of multiples? Just need somewhere inside to play while it’s bitter cold? Check out their website for these themed get-togethers (scheduled to start up again in January), as well as their (also occasionally free) classes covering topics from CPR to cloth diapering.