It’s an exciting time for all of us at Peg Perego USA. We’re at the big ABC Kids Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, and we’re unveiling our 2012 collection. While there is a lot to tell you about, like new colors (we’re swooning for trendy denim and classic navy this year) and several big product updates (yes, it’s true, our most popular P3 and Switch strollers are being streamlined with a new four-wheel design), we thought we’d start with the really good stuff … the brand new products for 2012!

New for 2012, we’d like to first introduce you to the Siesta! This multi-function, ultra-light compact high chair follows your child from birth to the toddler years. The Siesta can first be used as a comfortable recliner, then as a high chair for eating or playing, and then, with its removable tray, as a seat your child can use right at the table. You’ll love its sophisticated design and four beautiful color options.

Another new product addition we’re thrilled to tell you about is our brand new booster seat, the Viaggio HBB 120. Designed for children 40 to 120 pounds, this seat (the third in our Viaggio series; our Primo Viaggio SIP 5-70 Convertible is due out this fall) offers all the celebrated safety and design of our beloved Primo Viaggio SIP 30-30 infant car seat in a booster. The Viaggio HBB 120 provides total Side Impact Protection (SIP). It features wide padded wings at the head and shoulder level and a head panel that adjusts easily in six vertical positions, Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) side foam in the head panel, and a wide padded seat in our breathable Crystal fabric.

We’re working on one more new product for 2012, a new stroller called the Book. It won’t be available until late 2012, but we thought we’d go ahead and give you a sneak peek. The Book will feature a sleek and innovative design and a very special compact book fold. It also will have an easy-to-push single handlebar and wheels with 12 ball bearings and suspension that will allow for 360-degree agility.

In the coming weeks on “Ciao, Mondo!” we’ll be detailing each new product, feature by feature, as well as sharing news on product updates, carryovers, and the highly anticipated 2012 fabric collection. So keep checking back. It’s going to be an amazing year with Peg Perego!

by admin (Erica) | Posted in 2012 Book, 2012 Collection, 2012 Siesta, 2012 Viaggio HBB 120 | 22 Comments

Having a baby changes everything, which is something you’re sure to notice once you start shopping for gear. At least once, you’ll probably find yourself asking, babies are so little, how could they possibly need so much stuff? Well, some great advice we’d like to pass along is while you might need a lot, you don’t need it all at once. So what do you need right away? Here are our top three recommendations for those first few weeks home with baby.

Infant Car Seat: Out of all the baby gear you buy, this is one of the most important pieces. You’ll need an infant car seat just to get baby home. In fact, many hospitals will want to see your car seat before they discharge you and baby. For newborns, we recommend our celebrated Primo Viaggio SIP 30-30. Designed for infants from 5 to 30 pounds (or up to 30 inches), it features a quick-release five-point safety harness with shoulder pads and a fail-safe buckle, adjustable Side Impact Protection (SIP), and a special removable cushion for newborns.

Diaper Bag: Another must is also quite obvious … diapers. And yes, you are going to go through a lot of them, so you need a good diaper bag. Look for one that has lots of pockets and compartments that will keep you organized during those bleary-eyed first few weeks. Our Borsa Mamma diaper bag has a spacious main compartment with extra interior pockets, a zippered outside pocket, and external side pockets and bottle compartment.

Bouncer. A baby bouncer may seem more like a luxury, but ask any experienced mom and she’ll tell you, if you get one, it will soon become a must-have in your book. A great baby bouncer is perfect when you need to empty the dishwasher, fold the mounting loads of laundry, or even just take a quick shower. Peg Perego’s sleek-designed musical bouncer, the Sdraietta Melodia, is designed to offer the best possible support for an infant’s delicate back. It features two built-in speakers, eight included tunes, and an MP3 input so you can customize baby’s play list. The included toy bar can be adjusted for feet or hand play, and when baby gets sleepy, the stationary base easily switches to rocking mode.

Need one-on-one help starting a baby registry? Use our Store Locator to find a Peg Perego retailer near you.

by admin (Erica) | Posted in 2011 Collection, 2011 Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30, 2011 Sdraietta Melodia, 2012 Accessories | No Comments

There’s probably no one more excited about your baby’s arrival than your own parents, the soon-to-be grandparents. And if baby will be visiting a lot, it might make sense for grandma and grandpa to get a little baby gear of their own. In honor of Grandparents Day, here are our top picks for new grandparents:

An easy-to-store high chair. Our quick-folding high chair, the Prima Pappa Diner, is perfect for grandma’s house. It boasts easy-to-clean vinyl upholstery, our much-loved dishwasher-safe double tray, and non-scratching rubber wheels that make it easy to move and store away. And like all of our high chairs, it comes fully assembled and ready to use. The Prima Pappa Diner also offers a tilt-in-space seat (suitable for even newborns), which is a nice feature when you want to keep baby close during family dinners.

A lightweight stroller. Peg Perego has a number of lightweight strollers, but our favorites for grandparents are our full-featured Vela Easy Drive and Si. Both are incredibly lightweight (just 15.8 pounds each), travel system compatible, and easy to fold and transport. The Vela Easy Drive features a single, one-hand push handlebar, while the Si features two adjustable handles.

A safe, up-to-date car seat. Safety experts strongly warn against used car seats. “Don’t even think about using the old car seat in the attic or the one you just saw at a yard sale,” Luanne Whitmire, a program coordinator at the Greenville (S.C.) Hospital System Children’s Hospital, tells future grandparents on Grandparents.com. “Car seats expire,” she says. “That’s something even new parents don’t know until they’re told.” Peg Perego’s celebrated Primo Viaggio SIP 30-30, designed for infants from 5 to 30 pounds (or up to 30 inches), is a great option for grandparents. It features a quick-release five-point safety harness with shoulder pads and a fail-safe buckle. It can attach to any of our strollers, making it ideal for on-the-go grandparents.

Another option that is coming this fall is the Primo Viaggio SIP 5-70 Convertible. Since it stays in the car, it will be great for option for grandparents who don’t want to have to carry an infant seat around. And since the Convertible converts from a rear-facing (for children 5 to 35 lbs.) to a forward-facing (for children 22 to 70 pounds) seat, it will last from infancy through the toddler years.

Want to check out some of this gear in person? Use our Store Locator to find an authorized retailer near you. Happy Grandparents Day!

by admin (Erica) | Posted in 2011 Collection, 2011 Prima Pappa Diner, 2011 Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30, 2011 Primo Viaggio SIP 5-70 Convertible Car Seat, 2011 Sì, 2011 Vela Easy Drive, Baby Talk | 4 Comments

How many strollers do you have? Working for a baby gear company, that’s a question I get a lot. I once read that the average American family goes through about six. That seems hard to believe, but I have to admit my own family was well on its way to that before we got our first Peg Perego stroller, a  Pliko P3, earlier this year. When we got it, I confidently declared that it would be the last stroller we’d ever need.

That’s the great thing about Peg Perego. The quality is so amazing that their strollers last for years. We’ve gotten notes from customers who are still using their strollers after years and years, and sometimes, even decades.

But now I do want another stroller, the Pliko Mini, and here’s why…

New for 2011, the Mini is a streamlined version of its older brother, the beloved, classic Pliko P3. It’s a traditional umbrella stroller, but there’s nothing traditional about it.

I love that Peg Perego was able to get so many features—like a reclining backrest with three different positions, an adjustable leg rest, and a full hood with peek-a-boo window—into a small umbrella stroller. I tested it out (for “Ciao, Mondo!”) with both of my children—Maddie, who is nearly 5 (the Pliko Mini can be used for children all the way up to 45 pounds), and Jack, who is just 16 months—and thanks to all the adjustable features, it fit both of them perfectly.

I also really loved how easy it was to push, thanks to its suspension wheels and telescoping handles. Plus, at just 19 1/4″ wide, 40 1/6″ high, and 33 1/3″ deep, the Mini easily fits through even the tightest of spaces—through crowds, between parked cars, and even in small elevators.

But what really sold me was its compact fold. When folded, the Pliko Mini is just 37 1/2″ in height by 13 1/2″ in width, so it doesn’t take up my entire front hall closet, or my trunk, which is where I intend to keep mine.

Want to get your own Mini? Use our Store Locator to find an authorized retailer near you.

by Emily | Posted in 2011 Collection, 2011 Pliko Mini | No Comments