I recently did a post for Mommy Nearest outlining the best first bikes and rides for toddlers and preschoolers. It was all through research and recommendations, but I hadn't had the chance to personally check any of them out yet, and was limited to being able to only list one in each category (push trike, convertible trike-bike, balance bike, scooter). Well, now I'm excited to be able to actually review one!!

Everyone is familiar with the brand Razor, it's pretty much THE top brand of scooters. But did you know they have a Junior line? That's right! Razor Jr. has a vast array of amazing ride-ons and scooters for little ones as young as 18 months, from 3-wheeled scooters with monster hands or chalk scribbling from the back to Twisti bugs and mini mopeds!

Despite my son being under the recommended age of 3, we decided to go ahead and get him the Razor Jr. Kix Scooter. It has 2 wheels in the front, one in the back, an extra-wide slip-resistant deck, and tilt-to-turn design. It's made of high quality steel, aluminum, and plastic and does need some assembly if you order it online. For someone who is completely baffled by most Ikea instructions, I was really proud I could put this one together all by myself! It comes with all the screws and tools necessary, and took me about 10 minutes to put together before we were ready to roll!

My son couldn't have been more excited to take it for a spin, and asks to ride his "cooter" every day. He definitely needs a LOT of practice, but I'm really excited that this scooter will see him through at least a couple of years of scooting fun! And its storage footprint is MUCH smaller than the push-trike we'd been borrowing from a friend, so that's a big bonus (note: they do make a folding scooter which would be even easier to store)!!

He scoots along, then he'll put his feet on either side and kind of walk/run with it between his legs, and then I have him hop up on it and I push him until my back can't take that anymore haha! It's lots of fun and great quality!! The board is super grippy and wide enough for him to have both feet on it side-by-side, and the tilt-to-turn function is really great, though he doesn't quite understand how it works just yet. It's also very light which is great because I usually end up carrying it home after he's scootered out!

Here's Kenzo on his Kix in live action:

You can check out the entire Razor Jr. lineup on their website, find authorized retail shops and online retailers here, or shop for one on Amazon!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

Sure, you can create a baby registry on Amazon or Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby... you may even get a consultant to walk through the store with you and suggest items. But let me tell you a little secret. They don't know YOU. They don't know you're style and that you wouldn't be caught dead pushing around THAT stroller or putting THAT onesie on your baby. They'll tell you the latest and greatest products, the ones selling best that year, but they won't take your personal style into account.

That's where the newest baby registry on the market comes in and kicks butt. Gugu Guru, a FREE online baby registry, has new members take a style quiz to find out what combination of styles they are (#AlwaysGlam, #ChicAndOnTheGo, #ConsideredCasual, #ComfortIsKing) before recommending items in a wide variety of categories.

Once they calculate your particular mom style, you'll go through page after page of categories with top recommendations and alternative recommendations. You can click to add any product to your registry, and you can click through to Amazon to read reviews and see different color options which you can add instead. Want an item they didn't list for you? You can add that as well!! 

You can also go through your registry and click each item as "Must Have" or "Nice to Have," which is a feature I'm especially digging. You can then share your published baby registry with friends and family via a link or post directly to Facebook or Twitter.

What's more? Gugu Guru is currently hosting a weekly baby carrier giveaway on their blog. They're giving away a baby carrier associated with one of their four main Mom Styles four weeks in a row!! Check it out here!

Gugu Guru was generous enough to contribute a $50 Amazon Gift Card to my $500+ value Best for Your Bump Giveaway, running through April 28. Enter to win the jackpot here!!

While pregnant, we're supposed to majorly increase our consumption of liquids as well as vitamins. Since there's nothing I love more than killing two birds with one delicious stone, let me tell you about a wonderful company called Bundle Organics!!

Bundle Organics prenatal juices are pasteurized and packed full of organic fruits & veggies, and essential vitamins. We're talking 200 mcg of folic acid, 100 mg of calcium, 60 IU of Vitamin D, 4.5 mg of iron, and 500 mg of Omega-3 per 16oz bottle!!

They come in three yummy flavors: Kale - Apple - Lemon - Ginger, Orange - Carrot - Strawberry Ginger, and Dark Berry - Veggies. I knew I would love the berry one, and boy oh boy do I!!! But as someone who absolutely despises ginger, I had some reservations about the other two flavors. So, I gave them the good ol' blindfolded taste test with the help of a friend and was quite surprised by the results!!

I actually couldn't guess which flavor any of them were. I mean, they all have such a great blend of fruits and veggies that no one taste stands out as overpowering the others. I didn't catch a hint of ginger, which was a relief! I liked all three, but my favorite was actually the orange one, with the purple one next and the green one third. But they were all delish and not overly sweet as some juices can be! 

If you're out and about, they're quite convenient to drink straight from the bottle. If home, on ice is great and this summer I think they'll make amazing smoothies or slushies blended with ice!!!

You can purchase Bundle Organics on their website or Amazon, and you can win a 3-pack in my $500 value Best for Your Bump Giveaway going on right now!!!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

These days, the market is full of competing products that are very very similar. It's not often you see one pop up that is so incredibly unique and cool that it just kinda blows your mind. Well, I'm about to introduce you to one of those today!

I bring you, the Holo - an inflatable air mattress that allows pregnant women to lie safely and comfortably on their stomachs! Genius, right???

I'm not to the uncomfortable stage in this pregnancy yet, but I remember quite well how impossible sleeping became towards the end last time. You aren't allowed to lie on your back or your belly, so are limited to your two sides, which ache terribly. Not to mention rolling over from one side to the other is quite an effort!! So, the Holo offers pregnant women the ability to relax and even sleep on their bellies again - hoorah!

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and I say mothers often make the best inventions. True to that, the idea for the Holo came to Emma Benson five years ago when she as 28 weeks pregnant with her first child. She began working on prototypes and test marketing three years later, after the arrival of her second child, and after several improvements the Holo hit the market in 2009.

My belly is still quite small, but knowing how big and uncomfortable I'm going to get carrying these twins, I couldn't wait to test the Holo out!

I was most concerned that it might be lying down on my breasts. But, nope! What's really fabulous about the Holo is that it has 2 compartments that can be blown up separately (I used an air mattress electric pump and it took under 5 minutes, I don't recommend trying to blow it up by mouth). The section above the hole can be left deflated, allowing you to use your own pillows (which I prefer, so that my face isn't right up against the PVC; I also recommend airing it out for a minimum of a few days before using it, you know, off-gassing and all of that). Using this method, you can also have your breasts kind of in the space between the Holo and your pillows (see below). You will need 2-3 pillows though, to get you up to the height of the holo.

Alternatively, you can blow up both chambers (see below) and even that wasn't uncomfortable for my ta-tas (they kind of fit perfectly into a crease), though you may have an issue if yours are especially sensitive or if your milk has already come in. This would of course be the way to use it if you're going to be floating around in a pool or lake - summer is coming!!

The diameter of the belly hole is about 10" across and 8" deep, and it did pull my belly down into it a bit creating an arch in my back if I didn't engage my back muscles a wee bit. I haven't had the chance to use this for an extended period yet, and will definitely come back in to update my review after doing that as well as later in the pregnancy to see if my twin belly will actually fit in the hole!

Getting on and off of it also takes some getting used to, but that pretty much goes for any movement whatsoever during pregnancy, am I right!?? Anyway, all in all a really awesome product!! Besides sleeping and relaxing, it's also great for floating around if you have a pool or lake house, or if you have an amazing partner who gives you massages!!

You can purchase a Holo on their website, available in pink, blue, and mint. The Holo, including shipping, costs 49.99 pounds (about US $75)... but you can enter to win one in my $500 value jackpot Best for Your Bump Giveaway!!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

Everybody loves a big ol' beautiful baby bump. The only thing cuter is the actual baby! But that bump can bring with it sometimes debilitating aches and pains. But there's no need for mothers-to-be to simply grin and bear it, not when It's You Babe has such a great line of belly support!!

Whether you're suffering from aches and pains of a large and in charge preggo belly, or need help with more serious conditions such as prolapsed uterus, pubic symphysis, hip separation, or vulvar varicosities, It's You Babe has got you covered!

I didn't have too many problems with my singleton pregnancy, but this time around with twins I'm sure I will need some help lugging around my ginormous belly!! At just 4 months, I won't need support for some time, but I went ahead and got the Best Cradle by It's You Babe.

It's a bit intimidating when you take it out of the box, but you'll figure it out in no time just from reviewing the picture on the box or going to their Prenatal Cradle how-to video. The Best Cradle differs only in that it has an adjustable waist band with three sets of hooks; the shoulder straps for both devices adjust just like a bra. You just put it over your head like a t-shirt, hook it under your belly, and adjust the shoulder straps as needed. Pretty simple really!

The support is supposed to mimic the natural ways a mother tries to support herself, such as holding up her belly with both hands, or placing a hand on her back for support. It's certainly not a sexy piece of lingerie, but it seems like an amazingly helpful product. I haven't had the chance to put it to the real test yet with my third trimester twin belly, but am looking forward to doing so in a few months and will be updating this review with those details!

You can purchase maternity support items from It's You Babe on their website or on Amazon, and one lucky winner of my $500 value Best for Your Bump Giveaway will receive her choice of either the Prenatal Cradle ($59), Best Cradle ($69), or Mini Cradle ($25)!!

There are tons of various subscription boxes out there, to be sure, they're all the rage these days! But I have a really cool one for moms-to-be that ya'll are going to love. 

Preggonista (Pregnant + Fashionista) style boxes can be purchased on a monthly subscription basis or as a one time gift (for a friend or yourself). Each box contains:

• a piece of must-have maternity wear (ex. a dress, leggings, a shirt, etc)
• an accessory (ex. a necklace, belly band, etc)
• beauty product geared for pregnant women (ex. stretch mark cream, belly oil, etc)

They have strict criteria for the clothes they include in their style boxes - all items must be: easy to care for, wearable during and after pregnancy, sophisticated essentials, and luxe easy-wear fabrics in colors that look good on everyone. 

Well, it all sounds great to me!! I couldn't wait to get my hands on a box!! Here's what came in mine:

First of all, how cute is that box? Did they know hot pink is my favorite color?? Second of all, opening it up felt like Christmas! It was all wrapped in pretty tissue paper and when I finally uncovered the goods... YIPPEEEE!!! Happy mama-to-be!!! My box included:

• A super soft (machine washable) black Seraphine maternity / nursing wrap dress (below left).
• A beautiful gold silicone easy-break clasp SmartMom Teething Bling necklace (below left).
• A Preggonista tee (below right; my first t-shirt that may actually still fit my twin belly at the very end!!).
• 1 fl oz jar of OGmama relaxing lavender organic moisture oil.

Now, full disclosure - I've never joined any subscription box services before, but this gave me a taste of how awesome they can be. I could totally get used to receiving one of these every month!! It would also make a fabulous baby shower gift, because sometimes mama needs a gift that is for HER and not the baby :) Here are the options they currently have (all include free shipping):

Monthly Style Box, $55
Gift Box, $75
Gift Box + 3 Month Subscription, $240
Gift Box + 6 Month Subscription, $375

And get this! If you sign up for the subscription, you can cancel at any time, or they'll automatically cancel your account when you reach 37 weeks (because they know new moms have more important things on their mind than remembering to cancel their subscription services!). Also, if you deliver prior to 37 weeks, simply refuse the latest delivery (i.e. return it unopened) and send them an e-mail so they can process your refund. Talk about great customer service!

Preggonista is also giving away one of their style boxes in my $500 value Best for Your Bump Giveaway!!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

If you're planning to breastfeed, you'll need a few good nursing bras (check out a review of my all-time favorite nursing bra!), but did you realize even before you welcome your bouncing bundle of joy into the world you'll have outgrown your pre-pregnancy bras? However, your soon-to-be milk monsters are far from reaching their fullest potential, so you'll find yourself in an awkward in-between zone of needing bigger and more supportive bras, but not needing official nursing bras yet. 

It's even recommended that you wear a bra to to sleep in, since your breasts may be sensitive, not to mention you'll want to avoid unnecessary flopping around and stretching of the muscles responsible for keeping the ladies nice and perky! Suffice it to say, you'll want to avoid underwire and clasps in your nighttime bra, so I have a great recommendation:

Check out the Comfort Maternity Bra by Coobie available on Nursing Bra Express for $22. It's extremely supportive, almost like a sports bra, and so super comfortable! No underwire and yet completely supportive - I'm a size C/D and since having a few bouts of mastitis while breastfeeding my son in underwire bras, I've since given them the heave ho and have been sooooo happy! 

My favorite thing about this bra? The removable pads (see below - they slip in and out via a small hole on the inside of the bra)!! I really REALLY hate nipping (possibly a result of having lived in Japan for 5 years), so having thin pads in there to offer my boobies a bit of discretion is just totally awesome in my book!!

Nursing Bra Express carries a great lineup of maternity and nursing bras, nursing tanks, postpartum shapewear, and mom & baby care - so head on over and see what they've got!

WIN A FREE MATERNITY BRA!!!!

That's right!! The grand prize winner of my Best for Your Bump Giveaway will win her choice of Coobie's Comfort Maternity Bra (below right), Strappy V-Neck Lace Trim Maternity Bra (below left), or Strappy Seamless Maternity Bra (below center) - courtesy of Nursing Bra Express!

With this pregnancy, my morning sickness started just shy of 4 weeks, before I even knew I was pregnant. By my first prenatal visit at 7 weeks, the nausea was practically intolerable. It persisted around the clock and it was all I could do to hold down food and liquid. When the midwife noticed two babies on the sonogram, it all became clear. TWINS! Double the hormones, double the nausea. Faaaaaabulous...

My midwife suggested eating at least every 1-2 hours, always including something protein in the snack. And that helped bring the insane nausea down to a terrible annoyance that left me pretty miserable and for lack of a better description, a pretty lousy mother to my toddler (i.e. LOTS of TV time).

I tried No Mo Nausea acupressure aromatherapy bands but they didn't grant me much relief (though many moms find great instant relief with them, I wasn't so lucky). So by the time I discovered Pink Stork Morning Sickness Solutions I was pretty darn desperate, excited, and wary.

I got the Mild Morning Sickness Treatment set (apparently it's "mild" if you're not vomiting), which includes the following:

Pink Stork Mist: Containing Dead Sea magnesium flakes and steam-distilled purified water. It's widely believed that a deficiency in magnesium can contribute greatly to pregnancy-related nausea, and it's believed that most adults are either mildly or moderately magnesium deficient! You can take oral supplements, but many nutrients will lower the absorption of magnesium, as will any kind of gut issues (including, ahem, vomiting), so a transdermal magnesium oil or spray such as Pink Stork's Mist is definitely the way to go. 3 spritzes equals about 100mg of magnesium. Supposedly many pregnant women find relief instantly after spritzing with this magnesium mist, however I didn't notice any myself.

Pink Stork Pro: A powerful probiotic to eradicate harmful bacteria that are believed to cause or contribute to nausea and vomiting. Probiotics are all the rage recently, and for good reason! Making sure our guts are filled with enough good bacteria to fight the bad bacteria really does a body good!! Instructions say to take two of these (completely tasteless, by the way) capsules first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach if possible. 2 capsules includes 2 billion lactobacilus acidophilus, 1.2 billion bifodobacterium bifidum, 200 million bifodobacterium longum, 200 million streptococcus thermophilus, 200 million lactobacilus bulgaricus, and 200 million lactobacilus paracesei. I started right away with the full dosage and never had any negative reactions - no diarrhea, cramping etc. Phew!

Pink Stork Cocolaurin: A pure monolaurin derived from coconut oil, the cocolaurin is the most powerful agent of the Pink Stork lineup, and acts as a "gut cleanser" against harmful bacteria and gastrointestinal issues. Monolaurin has been used for decades as a natural immune booster, and instructions recommend starting with one scoop three times a day working up to three scoops three times a day within two weeks. This supplement was the hardest for me to get used to. They're like tiny soap beads and you just toss them in your mouth and swallow with a chug of water. There's no taste or anything and the beads are very small, so they're actually easier to swallow than a regular sized pill. Just an odd feeling in your mouth!

After about 3 weeks of being on the treatment plan, I started to feel overwhelmingly better. Now, whether this was due completely to the Pink Stork Supplements or just a coincidence with relief actually being due to my body coming to terms with the hormones as I journeyed into the second trimester, well, I will never know. But, I definitely think that Pink Stork is worth a short if you're suffering from morning sickness or even hyperemesis gravidarum, as they have the mild, moderate, and severe morning sickness treatments to choose from. Please do note I am not a doctor or medical professional, and Pink Storm treatments are not regulated by the FDA. As always, please consult your health care professional before considering this regimen!

You can order Pink Stork products on their website and Amazon, and you can also enter to win a Mild Morning Sickness Treatment set in my $500 value Best for Your Bump Giveaway, running through April 28!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!!
Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

You may have noticed pamphlets in your OBGYN's office for cord blood banking. You may have picked some up and wondered what it's all about. Well, I'll tell ya! The stem cells found in your baby's umbilical cord blood have amazing properties and can be used to treat over 80 diseases and conditions, such as leukemia. They can be used to treat that child, and since they don't require as high of a match as bone marrow blood, they are more likely to be able to be used to treat a sibling, or even a parent. 

What's more? There is great research being done and the hope is that stem cells will one day be able to treat conditions such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and even restore movement to patients with spinal cord injury! The possibilities are very exciting!

As a sort of insurance policy for your family, you may want to consider banking your baby's cord blood. And to store even more of these lifesaving stem cells, you can also bank your baby's placenta blood, an extra service offered by LifebankUSA. They report that customers who bank placenta blood in addition to cord blood save 60-70% more CD34+ stem cells, the cells most important for rebuilding diseased blood into healthy blood.

LifebankUSA is the only cord blood bank with proprietary technology offering [T1] placenta blood banking with cord blood banking to expectant parents. They are also the only company in the world to release placenta stem cell units for transplant. 

You can find out more about LifebankUSA here, and also enter to win one of three Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 car seats (click here to enter)!!  

Eating healthy is important, and especially so while pregnant. But it's not always easy! Pregnant women find themselves with insane cravings and aversions, as well as increased nutritional needs. Prenatal vitamins are pushed by most care providers and even recommended for women to start while still trying to conceive, since consuming enough folic acid during the first few weeks following conception seems to be vital for preventing spina bifida and other severe birth defects.

But what if I were to tell you that you could avoid the scary horse sized gag reflex inducing prenatal pills for a powder that is equally nutritious and actually, dare I say it, DELICIOUS?? Well, you can!!

I give you:  Mamamlicious!!

Mamalicious is the first ever protein powder formulated specifically for pregnant women, and really packs a nutritious punch into a yummy drink! We're talking 11 grams of protein, 800mcg of folic acid (100% DV), 5mg of B6 (200% DV), 30mcg of B12 (375% DV), 255 mg of calcium (25% DV), and even probiotics! And that's before you mix it into 8 ounces of milk, a Greek yogurt smoothie, or your beverage of choice! The protein base is whey, but they even have a vegan option for you vegetarians / vegans out there!

When my midwife mentioned that I need to be consuming 175 grams of protein A DAY for the duration of my twin pregnancy, I felt extremely overwhelmed and frustrated. How can I possibly get in that much protein?? Especially when dealing with morning sickness and severe lack of appetite. It felt like a losing battle, on a daily basis. I tried a couple of protein drinks I found at the grocery store, but each swig was rather repulsive and they did not go down smoothly. 

And then I discovered Mamalicious. One scoop, together with 8 ounces of milk provides me with 19 grams of protein. What's more? It's freaking delicious!!! I'll be honest, for my taste the vanilla and vegan chocolate are alright, but the chocolate one is, in a word, AMAZING!!!! No joke, it would fit right in at Jamba Juice, Starbucks, Shake Shack... you get my point. Actually, Mamalicious should really try reaching out to be carried as a supplement at those types of shops!! I wonder what they would say if I walked up and ordered "a tall caramel light frappuccino, oh and hey can you throw a scoop of this in there?" handing over my tub of Mamalicious! HA! Actually... I may have to try this, just for the sake of research of course...

Will Mamalicious provide you with all of the nutrition you need during the long nine months of pregnancy? No, of course not. You still need to do the best you can to eat a smart and well-balanced diet. Nothing beats nutrients that come from fresh whole foods! But if you're struggling, as I am, Mamalicious sure is a (delicious) insurance policy to help you know you're doing everything you can to keep yourself and your baby as healthy as possible!

You can purchase a 14-serving tub of Mamalicious on their website or on Amazon for $39.99. And don't forget to enter to win 2 tubs (a 1-month supply) of Mamalicious in the flavor of your choice in my $500+ value Best for Your Bump Giveaway, running April 15-28.