I could not have been more informed about my pregnancy and birth. There was no possible way! I read books, went to classes, listened to podcasts, you name it! Unfortunately, it stopped there. I totally forgot to prepare myself for what to do AFTER THE BABY ARRIVES!!! My husband and I were totally clueless. Thank god the learning curve is steep, but let's just say the first few days, weeks, let's face it months, were a blur of exhausted confusion!! I had a hand-me-down copy of What To Expect The First Year, and read through the first chunk of it during middle of the night nursing sessions but eventually gave up on it. From there I pretty much used Doctor Google for random stuff like "Is it possible my baby's belly button didn't close" (haha yes, this was actually a concern of mine I brought to our pediatrician when my baby was 7 months old, you can see my blog about it!!). Unfortunately Doctor Google, while often helpful, can really bring out the paranoid hypochondriac in you and lead you very very astray. I recently discovered Dr. Carey's Baby Care book which is really an amazing resource for new parents (or parents-to-be) to have on hand. It's basically a users guide for your baby's first year, covering the following topics:
Dr. Carey's Baby Care book is easy to read and concise - only 80 pages - so you get the really important info without all the filler that will put you to sleep or make your foggy new mom brain wander! It's also very very graphic and by this I mean it has 180 full color photos for when you have those "Is this normal??!??!?!!" freak out moments about your baby's rash, poop, or etc. Here's an example of what you'll find: The photos are also really helpful in showing you how to care for your baby. Here, look, 4 steps to make the perfect baby burrito!! Dr. Carey, a pediatrician in Ventura, California said, “In a world of information overload, I aimed to keep this book short and to the point. Despite the quick read, if a picture is worth a thousand words, one might say I spoke a lot. The photos that I share in my book depict items that I am asked about every day in my office.” I'm very visual myself, so this book really speaks to me and I think it will to you as well!! Order your copy of Dr. Carey's Baby Care book on Amazon (also available for Kindle), or enter to win one along with a whole slew of cool products for baby, toddler, and mom in my $1500 value Mother Of Giveaways going on through May 26! Enter to win here!
*Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products 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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I feel so incredibly lucky that I could stay home with my son, nursing him on demand and never have to deal with the drama of pumping. I did pump here and there, and we went through a very shortlived period where we thought I would pump and let my husband feed our baby once a day, for the bonding experience. You can see how that went here, but long story short baby wouldn't take the bottle and daddy thought it was "boring" LOL!! Apparently baby refusing a bottle can stem from a few different issues. Of course the nipple of the bottle is not the same as mommy's nipple - the shape, the feeling, the flow. Baby also has a keen sense of smell and boy oh boy, baby knows what mama smells like pretty much from birth. Of course you've got all those pheromones flowing as well! I'm pretty fascinated with a new product I came across that is trying to help with the issue of babies refusing the bottle: Mamascent. In a nutshell, Mamascent is a fabric that you place in your bra to absorb your scent and then it attaches to baby's bottle so baby smells you and picks up your comforting pheromones when bottle feeding. So simple yet brilliant!! Here's a graphic and a video on how to use Mamascent: Of course my 16-monther is way beyond the need for Mamascent, so I didn't have a way of testing it out, but I played around with the kit and it's very easy to use! The petal material is almost like a thicker sturdier gauze, and it's perforated so each petal tears off easily. You can order a pack of Mamascent here, or you can test your luck - one pack of Mamascent is included in my $1500 value Mother Of Giveaways running through May 26! Enter to win!
*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. Diaper rash - yuck yuck yuckity yuck! And ouch! Of course the ultimate goal is to prevent it (and if/when it occurs, to heal it ASAP), but are you willing to lather your baby's bottom with all sorts of chemicals to do so!? I certainly am not! I know a lot of moms who smear your standard butt cream on after every single changing and think nothing of it. I mean, not judging, but I just can't do that. For one, it's super messy and often stinks! But the main reason is I'm just not comfortable with the ingredients being on my little one's skin around the clock! Luckily my little one's never had a bad rash, so I skip the whole preventative smearing and just use diaper rash cream on the rare occasion that he gets red and irritated (like only a handful of times in 16 months). I recently came across Baby Butz Diaper Rash Cream, which states that it is 100% natural, hypoallergenic, and contains no alcohol, chemicals, perfume, parabens, or gluten. The active ingredient is Zinc Oxide 30%. OK, sounds good to me! How's it work? As you can see, it's really thick. I'd almost call it more of a paste than a cream. At first I thought it was too thick, because my first smear onto Kenzo's butt didn't stick! But then I got into the hang of it and now I think being thicker actually gives better coverage - you can really slab it on there!! Also the smell is very mild. Of course, it's not a NICE smell as there are no perfumes in it, which is good because those can cause irritation. But it's not an offensive smell as some of the other diaper rash creams I've come across are. You only smell Baby Butz Cream if you stick your nose in the tub, not after baby is diapered and clothed. Who wants their baby wreaking of stinky butt cream?? Ick!
Two things worth mentioning: while Baby Butz Diaper Rash Cream does contain lanolin, it's "highly refined" pure lanolin, so if you've had a reaction to products with lanolin before, they were most likely not "highly refined" pure lanolin (the reaction was probably due to the impurities from the sheep that had eaten fertilized grass and chemically treated food, etc). Such impurities have been removed in the "highly refined" pure lanolin, so it is extremely unlikely you'll have a reaction with this one. Also, it's a product of Canada, so while the label says to "Store between 15-30 degrees" that's probably Celsius. I can't imagine we're meant to keep it in the freezer, LOL!!! Unfortunately, or fortunately more like it, we haven't had a diaper rash to really test it out on yet. But they claim it clears up mild diaper rash in only 6 hours, and severe diaper rash in 24 hours - which sounds pretty amazing!! 1 large tub of Baby Butz Diaper Rash Cream is part of my $1500 value Mother Of Giveaways running through May 26 - enter to win here!! *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 love jewelry but have not been able to wear much since my son was born 16 months ago. Of course I'm terrified of him ripping out an earring (OUCH!!). On top of that you have the worry of him yanking off a necklace and breaking it (which he has done, my favorite one no less!!). So when I came across the baby friendly necklace idea I was all over it!! There are several brands out there, all offering very similar designs and colors of silicone necklaces and bracelets which are safe for baby to chew on and have an easy break-away clasp that won't actually break when baby yanks it (and he will, I promise!!). But I recently came across La Stella Della Mamma at The Mamas Expo and saw a design I had not seen before, and really love!! It's the same bpa free food-grade silicone material we all know and love (same kind that's used in pacifiers and bottle nipples), but this one comes in a double chain design - awesome!! I really love this design and the fact that the beads go all the way up and very close to the clasp, so you don't have a bunch of string just hanging out around your neck. Also, the length of each chain is set, it's not one long strand that you wrap yourself and have to keep adjusting. Baby and mommy tested and approved!! Stella Mamma also carries a number of other really unique and beautiful designs, which you can see on her website and order from Amazon. Stella Mamma is having a really great promotion - if you buy one of her 2014 designs from Amazon and leave a review, she'll send you a pendant of your choice for FREE (you just have to contact her on Facebook, Twitter, or email to let her know and choose your color).
Annnnnnnd Stella Mamma's double chain chewable teething necklace (winner's choice of black & gray, black & clear white, or white & turquoise) is part of my $1500 value Mother Of Giveaways running through May 26 - enter to win here!! *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. We've all seen those stickers they make for baby's onesie when you take his photo every month the first year. They're cute and all, and a great way to keep track of how hold he is in that particular photo, but that's about all they do. I came across a really really cool product at the recent Queens Mamas Expo that is so simple yet so awesome... get ready to have your minds blown... I give you: Grow With Me Tee The basic idea of the Grow With Me Tee is that you buy one size, taking photos of your child in the tee at age milestones, coloring in that age on the tee. Their tagline: Our shirt stays the same size, it's your kid that grows! Grow With Me Tee comes in 3 size options: 1) Baby's First Year Onesie - you color in each month on the "age clock" (what an awesome baby shower gift or something to bring when you visit the baby for the first time!!), 2) The Preschool Years Tee - you color in each 6 months on the "age ruler" from 1 to 5 years (hello - amazing first birthday present!!), and 3) School Years Tee - it's a collegiate style "Class of 20XX" t-shirt that you customize with your child's expected high school or college graduation year, and take a photo of them each year in it. I really wish I'd discovered Grow With Me Tee sooner!! But I guess better late than never... we went ahead and got the Preschool Years Tee and for the sake of this review went ahead and did his first photo it in, even though he's not quite 1.5 yet. Included with your tee is a Crayola Bright Fabric Marker and it's super easy to color in. What's not easy is getting your little one to pose for the darn photo! haha!! Hopefully you'll have better luck than me! You can go buy a Grow With Me Tee now (get 15% off with code "USJAPAN15"), or win one in my $1500 value "Mother Of All Giveaways", running through May 26. ENTER TO WIN HERE!!
*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. Music is so important for our souls, and children should be exposed to it from as young an age as possible - even in the womb!! Some parents think they should limit baby's musical exposure to classical, which is great for quiet time, nursing sessions, or as white noise while baby sleeps! But I say no, children should experience ALL kinds of music and learn to appreciate them!! They all bring such a different energy, and you know what kind I like best? The poppy dancing kind!! I'm a big fan of dancing - for fun, to de-stress, by myself, with my husband, with my son, in a club, at home, anywhere anytime!! Unfortunately music these days is not always appropriate for kids. That's why I love KIDZ BOP!! They basically make kid friendly versions of the songs we adults know and love - sung by and for kids! How fun is that!! I got my hands on their just released Party Pop album and it's been on around the clock over here ever since. I mean, check out the track list!! I'm not sure who's enjoying the beats on the KIDZ BOP Party Pop album more, me or Kenzo... You can buy your own copy of KIDZ BOP Party Pop, or win one in my $1500 value "Mother Of All Giveaways", running through May 26. ENTER TO WIN HERE!!
*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. Baby wipes are on a short list of things that every baby absolutely needs (no, not every baby NEEDS a bouncer, you know!). Whether you're using wet wash cloths or a big brand name of disposable wipes, you've got to wipe baby's bottom off with something or you're asking for all kinds of trouble! Out of convenience, most people go with some sort of disposable wipe. You probably did. But, do you know what is in baby wipes?? Often parabens, lanolin, alcohol, perfume, phthalates, benzoates, triclosan... (see my post on why these are baddies). Here's a great video on it (no one ever mentioned the option of water and cotton balls to me... that sounds pretty great for a newborn actually)!! So, you can understand why I was so super psyched when I came across these 100% natural baby wipes by WaterWipes. Yep, you read that right - 100% natural!! Ingredients are: 99.9% water and 0.1% fruit extract. WHAAAAAT!!?? Hallelujah, that is freaking fantastic!! I have to say that my husband was confused when I brought them home. "If they're just water, what's the point?? Can't you just use a wet towel?" to which I said "Sure, of course you can, and some people do. But I'm not a cloth diaperer and other than the occasional blowout on clothes I do not want to be dealing with all of that washing of pee and poop! I want something easy that I can just throw away, but that is safe and gentle on my baby." I could see the light bulb go off in his head. Got it! I was surprised that the WaterWipes really have no smell. I was expecting to smell that bit of grapefruit seed extract, but nope. They really do seem like they're just water! They were nice and moist, but not too much so, and strong (they only tore in one direction - with the grain - but it takes a good pull so it shouldn't rip accidentally), and were easy to keep a grip of (weird to mention grip, but a brand I recently tried and shall not name is impossible to keep a hold of!! it's the WORST when wiping a poopy butt, ughhhhhhh). So, let's recap why WaterWipes are so awesome: 1) They're a 100% natural baby wipe 2) They're great to prevent diaper rash as they'll do the clean up without leaving any chemicals or fragrances behind on on your babies, ummm, behind :P 3) They're especially helpful if your baby suffers from allergies or eczema 4) You can stop buying separate "pacifier wipes" 5) I'm pretty confident using these would not result in THIS (warning, photos not for the faint of heart!!) I also tried the facial wipes by WaterWipes, which were equally awesome. They're fragrance-free, alcohol-free and consist only of water, sea salt, and grapefruit seed extract. They were true to their promise in that they didn't dry out my skin or sting (and I even wiped over my uber sensitive eye and eyelid area!). These will become a staple in the diaper bag and travel bag - I can picture using them many times on our flight to Japan this fall!! WaterWipes will be at the New York Baby Show this weekend - Pier 92 in Manhattan on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18 so stop by and say hey!! (On a side note, I'll be stationed at the Mommy Nearest booth Sunday from 1-4 pm so come say hey to me, too!!).
A 3 months supply (12 packs of 60 wipes) of WaterWipes Baby Wipes are part of my $1500 value "Mother Of All Giveaways" running through May 26. ENTER TO WIN HERE TODAY!! *Disclaimer: Although I did receive these products 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. Did you know sunblock, even the most natural and organic kind, is not recommended until after a baby is at least 6 months old? Even then, you have to worry about what is in it, and it's a HUGE pain in the butt to get it evenly spread on a child, not to mention how often you're supposed to reapply! UGH!! What if I told you there's a much easier solution? Well, there is... COVER UP! More specifically, cover up with UPF clothing! Coolibar UPF 50+ clothing blocks 98% of UVA/UVB and comes in all kinds of products for the whole family, from shirts and dresses to swimwear and hats! Last summer, Kenzo was right around the 6 months mark and we completely avoided using any sunblock and I felt really great about that!! I kept him shaded with a big hat, Sunny Sleevez, and Baby Legs, and got him this super cute UPF Swim Romper from Coolibar for fun in the park's spray showers! As you can see, it covers from wrists to ankles, so you only have to worry about protecting hands, feet, and face, which is not so tough! FYI, they do make an adorable matching hat, I just never got around to purchasing it!! Funny enough, the 6-12 months size we got last year still fits him this year (photo on left is 2013 and photo on right was today) - WIN!!! Last year's swimsuit still fits, but we went ahead and got a new one just for the hell of it (you can see the new one is big, but fold up the sleeves and ankles and off we go, it'll probably fit him next year, too - woohoo!). We got the 18-24 months size swim romper in a cute whale design and noticed a few changes from our old suit. The other design had a couple snaps at the neck whereas this one does not. Also, Coolibar has changed the types of snaps the use based on customer feedback (don't you love companies that actually LISTEN to us!??). The new snaps, shown in my photo above, are plastic and very easy and quick. There are a bazillion of them, unfortunately, but this is probably a good thing!
I love letting my baby run around half naked, touching his buttery smooth skin and blowing raspberries on his tummy! But when outside in the burning hot skin, I prefer to have him covered up head to toe! That's why I'm so in love with Coolibar's swim rompers! They have cute designs that protect my little guy, and they're made of comfy (tagless) material. Woohoo!! Get one today, or enter to win your choice of any item from Coolibar's children's line, part of my $1500 value "Mother Of All Giveaways" running through May 26. ENTER TO WIN HERE TODAY!! *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. Now, I'm not a fashionista or one to try to style everything up all matchy matchy and fabulous looking. Partly because I'm bad at it, partly because I'm lazy, and partly because I'm cheap. But that said, my son's stroller is BORING!!! Snoooooooooze! It's all black, and being a New Yorker I should be cool with that. And I was. Until I came across Tivoli Couture's amazing and luxurious lineup of accouterments for all things baby travel!! From baby carrier covers to fleece-lined car seat jackets to blankets, Tivoli Couture will have you and your little one traveling in style!! I recently got my hands on one of their memory foam stroller liners and was SO EXCITED to snazz up our stroller. With 22 patterns to choose from, it was really really hard to decide but I eventually went with this rockin' guitars design. Cute right!?? But not just cute - apparently these liners are chiropractor approved for helping to absorb stroller shock, offering better support and neck and spinal alignment, and helping to relieve pressure from the child sitting for extended periods of time. Wow! Annnnnnd super comfy!! You can see how thick it is, and it has a soft minky back (it's reversible actually). Maybe Kenzo will stop throwing a fit when it's time to get in the stroller now? Maybe... Unfortunately it's too late in the game for Kenzo, but Tivoli Couture just came out with a great lineup of canopy covers for your carrier, stroller, car seat, or even as a nursing cover! From ruffles to roses, how gorgeous are these!! They even have ties so they won't blow away. They also make fabulous photo backdrops... One Tivoli Couture canopy cover is part of my $1500 value "Mother Of All Giveaways" running through May 26. ENTER TO WIN HERE TODAY!!
*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. My son is chock full of hugs and kisses but has NEVER been a hand holder. Even when he was taking his first steps and learning to walk, he was totally independent. Now at 16 months, forget it! They say pick your battles, so I enforce holding hands when we cross the road, but everywhere else I just let him on his own, try to stay within lunging distance, and pray he doesn't dart off into the road before I can catch him. It's really scary and rightfully so has brought me to consider the controversial baby leash... I took to google and found many different styles to choose from. There are cutesy ones with a stuffed animal on the back and a tail as a leash. There are ones that are disguised as a back pack, and I believe you can actually detach the leash part and use it just as a backpack when they're older. And there are really simple ones that really do look like a full on dog leash. But none of these really sung out to me. Then I found The BusyBee!! Designed by a mom, you can bet it's equal parts function meets fashion. It's very simple, but comes in 6 playful patterns, each reversible with the backside being denim. It also rolls up really compact, so is perfect for keeping in the diaper bag to use whenever your little one wants some freedom from the stroller (throw a Bitybean carrier in the diaper bag as well and you'll be read for anything the day, and your toddler, may bring!!) It's really quick and easy to put on. You just put it over your toddler's head and arms like a shirt, tighten the sides, and boom, off you go! I went with the cute "Polka Dots" design and was really excited to try it out! And where better to give it a go than Brooklyn Ikea!! HA!! So... how did Kenzo do?? See for yourself: I guess it takes some getting used to. He was not a fan the first time he used it and still isn't (we haven't had it long). But in situations where I cannot just let him be free, for example when I've got my hands full pushing the stroller with tons of groceries that would take me a moment to brake and put everything down in order to run after him, The BusyBee definitely comes in handy.
Unfortunately it doesn't keep him from stopping to investigate EVERY SINGLE THING along the way!! Nor should it, I suppose. It's a toddlers job to be curious and explore their surroundings. And it's our job to keep them safe. So I'm all for getting a leash or harness or whatever you want to call it if you have a child who likes to run off unexpectedly. Don't let others make you feel ashamed or silly for using one and in doign so, keeping your child safe!! Shame on those judgy judgy busybodies!! If you're interested in a toddler harness, definitely check out The BusyBee. Also, they're working on their next generation which will have an extendable "leash"! Exciting!! The BusyBee is one of the fabulous prizes in my $1500 value "Mother Of All Giveaways" running through May 26. ENTER TO WIN HERE TODAY!! *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. |
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! Categories
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