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We've been quite lucky to get tons of really great hand-me-downs from my sister for my son, including a diaper bag! It has truly been a work horse, but having gone through 3 kids it's definitely on its last leg. So, I was thrilled to get my hands on a brand new and GORGEOUS diaper bag from PacaPod!! Founded by UK clothing designer and mom of two, Jacqueline Wagget, PacaPod offers a truly unique pod system and diaper bags that are extremely organized, practical, and super stylish.  On the outside, the PacaPod's Jura appears to be a regular woman's bag measuring about 14" wide by 13" high by 8" deep and weighing 2 pounds, with a wipe clean coated weave, 4 metal feet, an adjustable shoulder strap, as well as 2 removable straps (pictured above left) that can easily attach the bag to your stroller's handlebars. But when you start exploring the compartments you're wowed by it's organizational features such as little pockets, a key ring, a changing pad, and two individual pods that can be contained within the diaper bag itself or strapped directly onto your stroller! This ain't no ordinary diaper bag, it's a 3 in 1 organizing system! 1) You have the outer "parent bag", with two zippered pockets (one which has three small pockets and a key ring). 2) You have the "changer pod" for diaper changing items (with 5 pockets and a separate clothes bag). 3) You have the "feeder pod" for bottles, baby food, and snack related items (which contains an insulated bottle cover that keeps liquids cold or hot for up to 4 hours). For me, with twins on the way, I imagine using the two pods to keep each of the babies' items separate. And once your child is potty trained, you could use one for toys and activities and the other for snacks and a water bottle! You can even use the pods independently from the bag, giving yourself a large free compartment within the diaper bag to store even more stuff! The sky's the limit with how you can use PacaPod bags!  PacaPod bags are extremely versatile not just because of the numerous ways you can utilize them for your baby's things, but because once your kids grow up and you no longer need a diaper bag, it can easily be used for other things, such as a work bag, fitting an iPad or small laptop, lunch bag, you name it! It's so stylish, no one would have a clue that it once served diaper duty!! What I like most about PacaPod's Jura: It's hard to narrow it down, but if I had to choose my two favorite features they would be 1) the pod system which gives you great organization options, and 2) the shoulder strap and two removable straps which allow you to easily strap the bag onto your stroller, shopping card, you name it!  What I like least about PacaPod's Jura: There is really only one thing I could think of to improve the bag and that would be to put an exterior pocket on the side. My previous diaper bag had one pocket on each side that I frequently used to stow my own water bottle and a small umbrella. Here's a quick video of the PacaPod Jura in action, courtesy of PacaPod: The Jura (in black, cranberry, navy, and dove) is one of more than a dozen bags carried by PacaPod, with prices ranging from $120-$520. You can see all of PacaPod's bags on their website, and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest, and their blog!
Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, I was not compensated in any other way to do this product review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
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Still extremely nauseas around the clock... check! Eating for 3... check! Switch to maternity pants... check! Nuchal Translucency Scan... check!! Nuchal what now? Yep, you know, the NT scan where they measure the back of the baby's neck to assess their risk of having Down Syndrome. It's offered to all pregnant women between 11-13 weeks. Apparently during this period the back of the baby's neck is still translucent so they can measure the amount of fluid back there. Baby's with Down's have more fluid, and also lack a nasal bone at this point (you can see Kenzo's scan here, which was done at 13 weeks). Just before heading off to my high risk sonogram clinic today, I read a post from a mom in my Multiples group who went for her NT scan only to discover both of her babies' hearts had stopped beating, which kind of brought back the reality of that risk still being very real even this far along! Agh. I was a bit nervous during my 45 minute walk to the clinic!! But... everything is GOOD!! Both babies' necks and noses were absolutely perfect. They were both measuring a few days ahead (Baby A was 12w3d and Baby B was 12w5d), which is fine, always good when they're the same size and measuring close to their gestational age (which today is 11w6d)!  I wasn't prepared for how active they were on the screen. Last time I saw them they still resembled little jelly beans, but this time they've definitely taken human form and were just scissor kicking and karate chopping up a storm!! In my keepsake photos, you can't see much in the way of limbs, but in the live video you could see arms and legs and profiles. I was giggling like a school girl it was just really really cool to see them dancing around in me, especially since I can't feel them doing so yet. They also did a blood test, which combined with the scans and another blood test at 16 weeks will give a better assessment of the risk of Down's along with some other chromosomal disorders. I guess if something comes back high risk, you have the option of doing a more invasive test such as an Amnio, but I'm pretty sure we'd pass on that since it comes with a 1% risk of miscarriage!! No thanks!! Some people don't even do the Nuchal scan because they don't want to have pointless worry, but for me, I like to have my mind put at ease when they tell me everything looks good, which they did this time and also with Kenzo last time, phew! I also wasn't prepared for the schedule the doctor set forth for me. My next visit will be at 16 weeks (hopefully we can determine genders!!) and from there I'll have to get scanned every other week til 28 weeks, and from there every week!!! And that's just the high risk clinic, my OB/Midwives have their own schedule, so pretty much it's like weekly or bi-weekly visits starting in a month. UGH!! Very annoying, but at the same time it's nice to be able to see and hear the babies that often and just be reassured that all looks good! I haven't had a chance to take a belly shot recently, it's not a cute bump anyway but rather a bloated pooch, so here's an idea of what's going on via babycenter.com :)  Photo credit: Baby Center One more week til I'm officially out of the first trimester, not that it's a magical point where the nausea will stop, but here's hoping!!!
Two years ago, Miny Moe was born. I was just three months postpartum with our first baby and had recently made my maternity leave permanent. We'd had a terrible time finding the right brand of diapers for my son and had actually gone through four brands before finding one that fit and got the job done! I'd also had a tough time finding the right nursing pads, going two months before realizing it wasn't a breastfeeding mother's burden to soak through a breast pad in an hour and have never ending milk stains on her shirts.  I thought, wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to have all of the top brands of diapers (or nursing pads) in one pack so you could try them out and find your favorite with less time and less mess? So, I turned this wishful thinking into an actual business and through it have set out to help other new parents and parents-to-be, as well as their thoughtful friends looking for unique and amazingly helpful baby shower gifts!  Since Miny Moe's creation, I've added new brands and a variety of sampler options to choose from. We carry a total of 9 brands of diapers (4 "eco-friendly", 3 "budget", and 2 "standard") that you can mix and match or select a pre-chosen set. We also have 6 brands of nursing pads (3 disposable and 3 washable) and 5 brands of newborn pacifiers. Our most recent addition to the sampler lineup is our "Ultimate Baby Shower Gift", which packs all of the diapers, nursing pads, and pacifiers into one amazing package! You can check out all of Miny Moe's variety packs on our website (free shipping on all domestic orders over $10, and also shipping to Canada) as well as on Amazon. GIVEAWAY TIME!!!  To celebrate the momentous occasion of Miny Moe's second birthday, I'm giving away a 6-brand "Big Booty" Diaper Sampler to one lucky winner. This pack includes 30 diapers, 5 from each of the following 6 brands: HUGGIES, Pampers, Luvs, Honest, Walmart Parent's Choice, and Target Up & Up. The winner must be 18 or over and a US resident, and can select their size preference (Newborn, Size 1, or Size 3). The winner may also substitute the prize for a "Green Booty" Eco-Friendly Diaper Sampler (5 diapers from each of the following 4 green brands: Honest, Naty, Seventh Generation, and Earth's Best; available in Size Newborn or 1). Non-winners will receive a consolation prize consisting of a 15% off coupon code, so what do you have to lose! Enter in the Rafflecopter box below (giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on March 26 and winner will be contacted by e-mail on Miny Moe's birthday, March 27, and have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be chosen).
In case you are just tuning in, I'm 9 weeks along in my second pregnancy (with twins) and as one might suspect, the morning sickness is indeed doubled... or worse. It's pretty miserable, and I've talked before about various ways I'm trying to deal with it. The biggest help so far is making sure I eat pretty much every hour on the hour, ideally something with protein. But all of this food leaves quite a nasty aftertaste in my mouth, which just brings on more nausea! So, after eating I have to brush my teeth, chew on some minty gum, or suck on some candy!! You've probably heard of Preggie Pops and seen them in your local maternity store, but perhaps you haven't tried them yet. I never tried them in my first pregnancy, so was extra keen on giving it a go this time around! The brand, Three Lollies, has several varieties and I got a box of the original Preggie Pops (Variety Pack) as well as the Preggie Pop Drops Plus. Both of the products contain dried cane syrup, corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors (made with essential oils), and natural colors. The essential oils are what separate these from any old candy. They're specifically formulated to help relieve morning sickness related nausea.  The Preggie Pops Variety Box comes with 7 lollipos in each flavor: Peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender, Ginger, Sour Lemon, Sour Tangerine, and Sour Raspberry. They hit the nail on the head with the sour flavors - those really rock this pregnant lady's world! The lollipop design has the benefit of being able to easily remove it from your mouth, say if you're at work and have to answer a phone call. Personally, I just felt kinda guilty eating them around my son with the evidence of my "candy" hanging out of my mouth, since he's not allowed to eat candy yet. Ha!  I also tried the Preggie Pop Drops Plus, and the "plus" is because each drop contains 10mg (750% of your daily value) of Vitamin B6 (which is believed to help relieve nausea). They come in Sour Raspberry and Sour Lemon and are both delish! These were my favorite since I could discretely pop one in my mouth and shove it over to the pocket in my cheek if I needed to talk or anything. Plus, you feel good about it containing some sort of vitamin - yay!
If you want to try any of the Three Lollies products for yourself, which come in various flavors as well as "queasy pops" (i.e. for non-pregnant folks) version, you can purchase them directly from Three Lollies' website, on Amazon, at your local Motherhood Maternity, and at various other pregnancy-related shops! Or you can enter to win this set in my $500 Value Best for Your Bump Giveaway!! ENTER TO WIN HERE!! Are you a fan of Three Lollies or another nausea-relieving candy? Share below!! Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, I was not compensated in any other way to do this product review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased. I’m thrilled to bring you another giveaway in collaboration with Willy B Mum, sponsored by Leonisa - makers of high quality, helpful and comfortable innerwear. This giveaway is especially of interest to new Mothers, as Leonisa make nursing bras, postpartum belly shapers and post pregnancy girdles. Leonisa also make gorgeous bathing suits as well as lingerie.  Ah, the joys of giving birth are many. Yes you are holding a beautiful bundle-of-joy in your arms, but your jelly belly might still feel (and look) pregnant, at least for a while. Completely worth it, of course, however even if your "weight" is back to normal, stretched and weakened abdominal muscles can leave some mothers with anxiety as to whether their body is ever going to return to normal. Thankfully, Leonisa make a range of postpartum pieces, which can boost confidence by making a woman feel supported, tucked in in all the right places, and most importantly, comfortable.  Whether this is by wearing one of their lightweight nursing bras (which cleverly comes with a clip-on strap so you keep track of the last breast with which you fed your baby), a postpartum panty with adjustable belly strap, a high-waisted girdle, slimming cincher, or one of their various kinds of body shapers. No matter, Leonisa has you covered. So, what makes this brand so fabulous? Well, they have a whole range of features in place, which have secured them as a mommy favorite all over the Wworld. Try their anti-slip bands built-in, variety of choices with bra straps - halter, strapless, classic, one strap or criss cross, PowerSlim™ technology, seamless items (so another will not be able to tell you are wearing help underneath your clothing) and compression, push up and contour support, to just name a few. PowerSlim™ is a powerful elastic material that has multi directional reducing strength due to its hexagonal thread pattern. A garment that has PowerSlim™ feels like it fits perfectly to your body with inherent slimming properties that shape, control and support like no other.  We also appreciate Leonisa's maternity panty by the way, which is suggested for use in the later months of pregnancy. This panty helps supports a mother's growing belly, aids in reducing back pain and is comfortable enough to sleep in. As added incentive, by supporting Leonisa, you can be assured that you are behind a company who gives back; since 2005 they have actively been raising awareness by sending educational messages in regard to the prevention of breast cancer in women. Did you know that the best time to give yourself a breast exam is 8 days after the first day of your menstrual cycle. Visit HERE to see how to learn how to do this exam in 4 easy steps. Leonisa, is definitely one of those companies that grows with you, through your journey before and after becoming a mother.
 We are giving away, to 2 lucky readers, gift certificates to choose whatever you want from the Leonisa website. The first prize winner will be awarded a $75 gift certificate for any 2 items, and the second prize winner will be awarded a $50 gift certificate for any 1 item. Perfect timing for a new swimsuit for the upcoming warmer weather. Or, a pair of slimming leggings perhaps? There is much to choose from. This giveaway starts at 6PM EST on Sunday March the 1st, and ends at 6PM on Tuesday the 10th of March at 6PM EST. It is open to US residents only. We wish you best of luck in the giveaway... it's a really good one! **US-Japan Fam is not responsible for fulfilling sponsored prize obligations; prizes will be shipped directly from the brand. If you are a winner you must respond to your notification email within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. |
 
About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! 
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