At a glance:
Our panel of parent testers loved the developmental pillow from Taf Toys, making tummy time comfier for their babies. The only downside is there’s not many uses for the pillow once your little one passes the tummy time stage. Still a great product overall.
What they say:
“A uniquely designed tummy -time pillow, with teether and rattle toys, for encouraging baby’s lifting up head & neck and easier development and easier parenting! Features include a detachable teether and rattle toy, an extra soft fabric on pillow's back, all of which can be used on any surface suitable for baby's practice of head & neck muscles.”
Tested by mum Viktoria Konczol for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I loved the shape of the developmental pillow; it looks so comfortable! My baby can be on her tummy for a very long time without getting upset or crying, which happened a lot before we started using this pillow. It is made of very good materials, is easy to wipe clean, and the toys attached are of a very good quality too.
How did the product make your life easier?
Before we started using this pillow my baby used to hate tummy time, always screaming when put on her tummy. But ever since we started using the Taf Toys developmental pillow that’s changed a lot, as she now enjoys being on her tummy so much, and loves playing with the attached toys or whatever toy she can reach.
Would you choose this product to win?
This product has a very comfortable and unique shape for a baby lying on their tummy. It is different from the others I've seen before, as it helps in keeping the baby on their tummy for longer, and ensures they won't be rolling off it while playing. It has an attached toy that is really handy, as it can't be dropped and is very easy for her to reach.
What changes would you make to the product?
While there isn't anything I would change or improve, if I had to pick something, it would probably be a variety of attachable toys. There could be a few more to chose from, which could possibly explore different textures. Maybe the material could be swapped to a machine washable one as well, although it is very easy to wipe off clean.
Tested by mum Nickey Knight for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would yes, as it reminds you to give your baby tummy time. I have a two-year-old and it was great to take time out and watch him progress with this. My daughter enjoyed helping him hold the toy that came with it, which was great for learning to grip, and has also been great whilst he‘s teething. I would definitely buy this as gift for a new parent. It’s packaging is lovely, and I think any parent would enjoy the time you spend with your little one. It doesn’t take up a lot of space and can be integrated with other play mats, or taken to the grandparents.
How did this product make your life easier?
I don’t think you can say that this product makes life easier, as it’s not something you can really leave your baby on unattended. However, the product is not intended for you do to this. It’s been really good for bonding with him and making lots of eye contact as he tries to lift his head and strengthen his neck. I never used the one we had for my daughter, as she constantly rolled off of it, but Taf have really thought about the design of this, and you don’t forever have to replace them all the time, which for this age is ideal.
Would you choose this product to win?
We had a smaller pillow that came with a play mat we used with my daughter. The one we reviewed was a much better design, as it wasn’t round, meaning he didn’t roll off it. I felt it was gentler on his tummy as his weight was spread more evenly. Also, the option to detach the toy so he could use it separately was well thought out.
What changes would you make to this product?
It seems a shame that after tummy time is done and they are sitting that you don’t really have a need for this product (we are not there yet, and are still using the pillow) but it is fairly priced, I feel, to reflect this. I‘m not sure if he will be using it as some kind of prop up pillow or support, but it would be a shame for it just to go back in the box as when it arrived I was so pleasantly surprised by how they had packaged this.
Tested by mum Georgina Leggett for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would recommend this product to my fellow mums and friends as I have personally found that this pillow is brilliant at helping my baby with tummy time. It supports them on their chest, whilst also giving them all the movement they want with their arms. They seem to be very relaxed while using the pillow, which is exactly what you want, as I have personally found my kids didn't enjoy tummy time until now.
How did this product make your life easier?
It makes my life easier as a mum because I can trust this product to support my baby's chest and help them to develop and improve their neck muscles. My daughters have both used the pillow, and have both drastically improved when it comes to tummy time and lifting their head and neck. This product is amazing.
Would you choose this product to win?
I would say yes, as I have used this product and have now seen the results you can get from your baby, and also how relaxed they were whilst using it.
What changes would you make to this product?
I would recommend having something attached to where the teether was, which is crinkled and makes a noise, as my kids didn't seem overly interested with the design of the toys that are attached to the pillow. I like the idea of it being detachable and that they can hold and chew something, though I think it needed to be more sound stimulating or textured, as everything else with the pillow is perfect and does not need changing.
Tested by mum Alexia Lewis for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would defiantly recommend this product to other mums. The design is perfect and the shape will definitely help any little one spend time on their tummy comfortably. My little boy sleeps with this during the day on his playmat, so it's an item that can be used as they grow, which I love. The teething and toy ring are also lovely additions.
How did this product make your life easier?
My son was up on his front with head control at seven weeks, so he didn't use this for it's intended purpose. That being said, it has quickly become a comforter for him whilst he uses it as a pillow on his playmat. The fur backing is lovely, and I like knowing that I can get on with stuff in the house and that he is content while I do so.
Would you choose this product to win?
I love this product, and I am not a fan of the bright coloured toys that usually appear on the market. The materials on this pillow are brilliant. The colours are lovely, stylish and friendly, and it’s soft but firm enough to give enough support. It's perfect for both boys and girls. I love that it can also be cleaned so easily!
What changes would you make to this product?
The only thing I would change would be the way the teething ring and toy are connected. The whole item is of brilliant quality but the small material that connects the teether and the toy seems cheap, and looks as though it may fray easily after a lot of chewing and dribbling from an excitable baby. Overall, it's a lovely item, and I would definitely choose it again!
Tested by mum Rebecca Knight for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would recommend this product to a friend with a young baby because of its practicality. It aids tummy time, which is great, and you can have it with you on the move, so even if you are at a baby group you can have it there and keep your baby happy – even as they get older due to having the toy attached at the front.
How did this product make your life easier?
This product made my life easier as a mum by simply being what it is. It aided tummy time well, as I knew my son had something soft to rest on that I could also take out and about with me. It was practical for him and when he was approaching four months, and as he became more aware of toys, it kept him entertained for longer.
Would you choose this product to win?
I think I would choose this product above all the others on the market because it is soft, does exactly what it is intended to do, and kept my son happy and his head protected if he dropped it at any point. My son also learnt how to hold the toy on this as he approached four months, so it kept him entertained and happy for that extra bit longer.
What changes would you make to this product?
One thing I would change about this product is its length. Nearer to the end of its 0-4 months use, my son learnt how to use his head to roll from belly to back, and with his arms over it, it meant when he did roll he came down quite hard and bumped his head a couple of times (nothing too bad, but scary nonetheless.)