The Playtex bundle arrived at my door to my complete surprise. Fortunately, I was wearing clothing. “Ah,” I said, “this must be for a review.” My youngest is 7 months old, so the baskets of baby gifts tapered off a while ago. Still, it brightened my day. And it’ll brighten your day too, if you’re our lucky giveaway winner.

Here’s what was inside:

• Playtex Baby Premium Nurser Newborn Gift Set
• Playtex Baby BPA-Free VentAire Baby Bottles with Unique Anti-Colic Back Venting System, 9 Ounce, Pack of 3 Baby Bottles
• Playtex Baby Nipple Variety Pack
• Playtex Baby Diaper Genie Elite in White (this actually arrived the next day – I was very excited)
• Playtex Baby Diaper Genie Portable Diaper Bag Dispenser
• Playtex Baby Binky Soothers – 0 to 6 months (two pack)
• Playtex Baby OrthoPro Soothers – 0 to 6 months (two pack)
• Playtex Baby Sipsters Spill-Proof* Soft Spout Training Cup – Stage 1
• Playtex Baby Sipsters Spill-Proof* Soft Spout Training Cup – Stage 1 Two-Pack
• Playtex Baby Sipsters Spill-Proof* Spoutless Cup – Stage 2 Two-Pack
• Playtex Baby Sipsters Spill-Proof* Straw Cups – Stage 2
• Playtex Baby Sipsters Insulated Spill-Proof Spoutless Cup – Stage 3
• Playtex Baby Sipsters Design Selections Insulated Spill-Proof* Spout Cups – Stage 3
• All contained in a baby bathtub with towel TY Beanie Baby stuffed animal.

Approximate retail value: $250

Though I tried to shoo my older daughter (3) away from all the cute colourful sippy cups so that I could open everything and inventory it, she grabbed the Sipster Straw Cup and demanded water, so I obliged. She has since requested this cup regularly, and while she’s well past the target age for it (12m+), it’s nice to have her running around with something spill-proof for a change.

The first thing I grabbed from the bundle was the package of Vent-Aire bottles – bottles are always in short supply around here and these were easy to disassemble and wash (I’m past the sterilizing stage with Emily). I offered one to Emily, expecting a quizzical “this is not my usual bottle” look, but I didn’t even get that. Evidently, she likes these just as much as the Avent ones we’d been using, and the Vent-Aire system seems to allow her to drink faster. I prefer her 3am feeding to be fast, so that gets points from me.

But the prime real estate in the bundle is devoted to a pretty substantial set of Playtex Drop-In Nurser bottles and liners. I have never used bottles with a liner before, but I really don’t know why. I’m all about convenience. I guess the old-style liners weren’t pre-formed and required a bit of fiddling, but these ones are 100% fiddle-free. Particularly in the early newborn stages, a liner system can make life much easier on you, since they’re pre-sterilized and ready to go. Why wouldn’t you do that? I gave them a shot.

Though the design is pretty genius, using these is not rocket science: you take the liner, drop it in (hence the name), fill bottle with your choice of baby sustenance, pop on the nipple, and give the liner a squeeze to remove air. The bottle is jointed (!), so you can click to angle it if you want. The Vent-Aire ones are angled too – this makes semi-upright feeding easier on everybody. If you have a slow feeder, the angled bottles are probably easier on your wrist. But Emily guzzled it down. Like a boss.

It occurred to me that the liner system still makes life easier at this stage, because I’ve been known to leave a used bottle sitting on her dresser for a day or two before it gets to the kitchen sink, and then the formula remnants go all congealy (ughhh) … with the Drop-Ins, I can just toss that unpleasantness away. How satisfying.

My verdict for this bundle is that it’s an ideal introduction to a great variety of feeding gear. And the Diaper Genie (which actually arrived the next day) really is a must-have if you’re using disposable diapers. There’s just no regular garbage bin that compares in terms of keeping odour contained. Believe me, I tried. Don’t bother with random pedal bins — just go with the Genie.

Congratulations to Valerie Huot of Langdon, AB! She has won the Playtex Baby Bundle in PLN’s Playtex Baby Bundle Giveaway!