Originally posted in Mommy Nearest Magazine / App Living in New York City certainly has its perks. Besides having everything at your fingertips or a short taxi or subway ride away, there are events and expos going on at every moment for just about anything you can imagine, including all things pregnancy and baby! I’m happy to share with you my list of very cool must-do Baby Expos coming up this season! Mommy to Bee Expo Location: Bronx (Villa Barone Manor @ 737 Throggs Neck Expressway). Date: March 23 (Sunday) @ 11AM – 3PM. Tickets: $8.50 for 1 or $15 for 2, register here. Other Info: This event is for moms-to-be and new moms in the Tri-State area, featuring over 60 top companies in the baby industry, a one-stop-shop for growing families. Parents, friends and family will enjoy mingling and shopping with other expectant moms while learning how to prepare for their growing families. This is the biggest Baby Shower event in the Bronx. You’ll receive a gift bag valued over 2x your ticket price and enjoy free onsite childcare! Brooklyn Baby & Family Expo Location: Brooklyn Heights (St. Francis College @ 180 Remsen Street). Date: April 6 (Sunday) @ 11AM – 3PM. Tickets: From $15 to $120 per person, register here. Other Info: Presented by A Child Grows, this is a family-friendly event for expectant, new and seasoned parents (of children up to age 8) and will be a day of fun and education, where participants can interact with other parents, exhibitors and experts. Exhibitors will showcase products and services covering all phases of life as a parent of young children! Hands on activities, raffle prizes, gift bags, & live kids’ entertainment! Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower Location: Manhattan (Metropolitan Pavillion @ 125 W 18th St). Date: April 29 (Tuesday) @ 6:30PM – 9:30PM. Tickets: From $65 to $200 per person, or $175 to $250 per couple, register here. Other Info: Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower is held several times a year in several cities (the next one in NYC is November 13). With over 100 of the best companies in the baby industry, it's a one stop shop to test out, touch, feel and get educated on everything you can possibly need for your growing family. Enjoy mingling with other expectant and new parents while you enjoy sweet treats, mocktails and more in an elegant setting. The Mamas Expo Location: Queens (NY Hall of Science @ 47-01 111th St). Date: May 4 (Sunday) @ 10AM – 4PM. Tickets: $15 (General Admission) and $45 (VIP), register here. Other Info: The Mamas Expo is open to all parents, expectant moms, and children, from pregnancy to age 6. Part baby expo, part county fair, and part something entirely different, the Mamas Expo is a one day family friendly gathering that celebrates parenting culture in New York City and beyond. It brings together local resources, businesses, brands, educators, caretakers, parents, grandparents, performers, artists, and of course kids to receive an exclusive look at all of the new resources available and of course, have fun! NY Baby Show Location: Manhattan (Pier 92 @ 711 12th Avenue). Date: May 17 & 18 (Saturday & Sunday) @ 10AM – 4PM. Tickets: Single $20, Family $30, register here. Other Info: Presented by New York Family, the New York Baby Show is a family-friendly event for new and expectant parents from the Tri-State area and beyond. Explore a mix of top products and services for maternity, baby and toddler (over 100 brands!), along with an inspiring menu of speakers and demonstrations from highly regarded and beloved figures in the world of parenting and pregnancy. You’ll also find mom and dad lounges, play area, classes, and a stroller test track!
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**Edited 3/5/2014 - unfortunately I didn't receive the product until the giveaway was finished, but I've added my personal review down at the bottom, following the original post** Original post on February 18, 2014: I was too cheap, or lazy, or probably both, to buy a wardrobe of nursing shirts. Instead, I just yank my regular shirt up, exposing my tummy and back to the world. I always wear a nursing cover in public, but my back is still totally exposed which always bothered me. If I have a cardigan to throw on, that works fine, but I don't always have one and it's not always cool enough to wear one. This is why I think Undercover Mama has one of the most awesome products for breastfeeding moms!! Check out this cool tank top they've created: Instead of having straps, the nursing tank attaches to your nursing bra. Then you wear your regular shirt on top and pull it up to breastfeed. But The Undercover Mama is covering your tummy and back! No need for expensive nursing shirts, and really, not a huge need for a nursing cover either! They have the regular style (in 13 colors from XS to 3XL!), as well as one with a lace bottom, and one with a slimming panel around the waist (goodbye muffin top!). They even have a top cover, like a crop top t-shirt that you can wear on top of the tank. Here's the lineup (from their website): Undercover Mama (mom invented, owned, & operated - AWESOME!!) will be giving a $30 gift voucher to the grand prize winner of my New Mom Necessities Giveaway (ending at midnight tonight!!), who'll also win 14 other awesome products valued over $600!! ENTER TO WIN HERE!! (Giveaway is over) Product review added 3/5/2014: I LOVE the idea of this product so was really anxious to get my hands on it to try it out myself! In a nutshell, it's awesome!! I didn't realize the hook had two different options, which is great, and after playing around with it for a second I figured it out and it hooked onto my nursing bra without a problem! I got the "slimming style" design, in size small, which was snug! Not as snug and sucky-inny as Spanx, but it felt good and supportive, like a workout tank or something. Since the Undercover mama hooks onto your nursing bra in the front, the back is strapless, but it's snug fitting and didn't sag. Nursing in it the first time was really strange. I'm used to having my belly and back totally uncovered at home or with a cover hanging over me and baby when out, so to be totally covered up with only my ta-ta exposed was really bizarre! And really nice!!! Undercover Mama is such a wonderful option for breastfeeding mamas out there who don't have the time or money to invest in a breastfeeding wardrobe. The label says "make ANY SHIRT a nursing shirt" and that is spot on!! US-Japan Fam gives it two thumbs up! *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.
OK, I'm just gonna skip the chit chat and get straight to the review because this company NüRoo is totally awesome and I have so much to tell you about the two two amazing products they're contributing to my New Mom Necessities Giveaway!! First off we have the NüRoo Pocket which is a revolutionary babywearing device (see above left photo) - basically a shirt and carrier in one!! I'm so bummed I didn't know about the NüRoo Pocket when my 14-monther was an infant. It looks so comfy for mom and baby and is such a practical way to get in that much needed skin-to-skin time! I definitely have to get my hands on one of these before baby #2 comes along! Here's how it works (from NüRoo's website): I did get to try out the NüRoo Nursing Scarf which is also incredibly unique. Big time kudos to NüRoo for coming out with such new and different products! The NüRoo Nursing Scarf is a big, very soft, super stretchy piece of fabric with a row of snaps on both ends. There are many different ways you can wear it as a scarf as well as a nursing cover, and they have a how-to video for moms like me who are completely clueless! They also have images on the packaging as well as on their website showing you different ideas for wearing the NüRoo Nursing Scarf. Here is what I came up with before looking at their ideas: This one is pretty basic - snap the two ends together and fold it inside itself a few times. Cute and warm! Here's my duck-face selfie modeling my NüRoo Nursing Scarf look great for many situations such as the following:
And here's my suggestion for this one, and we've all been there... "Oh crap!! I forgot nursing pads and totally leaked through my top!! Thank god my NüRoo Nursing Scarf can cover up my milk stains!!" I tried to take a selfie of the nursing cover in action as a, well, nursing cover. But Kenzo had a different plan... this is the best I could do! haha!! Great as a nursing cover, as an accessory, and as a blanket for your little one (see above), or yourself for that matter - I would totally use it on a chilly airplane or on the subway in the summer (you know, when you're in a tank top stuck on a super-AC'd train)! A 90% polyester 10% spandex blend, the NüRoo Nursing Scarf is breathable, machine washable, dryer safe, wrinkle free, and really really soft. NüRoo will be giving their NüRoo Pocket to the grand prize winner of my New Mom Necessities Giveaway (who will also receive 14 other great products for new moms, a jackpot valuing over $600!!), and a NüRoo Nursing Scarf will go to one runner-up! So, what are you waiting for?? The giveaway ends Feburary 19 at midnight so... 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 used to love wearing jewelry. Nothing too fancy, just some dangly earrings or a fun necklace. But that all stopped once my little bouncing bundle of joy arrived. Those itty bitty hands love to grab anything and everything, don't they? I never gave him the chance with earrings (I mean, ouch!!), but he did yank off my all-time favorite beaded necklace about a half year ago. The clasp broke, of course. I have yet to get it fixed, it's just laying in my drawer as a sad reminder. I haven't worn a necklace around him since that, until I recently found Teething Bling!! Teething Bling makes jewelry that is safe to wear around your little ones. The clasps are a simple plastic snap so they will open up and not break when your baby yanks the necklace (and he or she WILL yank your necklace, trust me!!). The pendents and beads are made of medical-grade food-safe silicon and are safe for little one to mouth and chew on. How can jewelry that is safe for your little one to play with and chew on be fashionable, you ask? Well, they're called Teething BLING for a reason - they are totally stylish!! They have tons of styles and colors to choose from, so any woman can find a design that suits her taste. Personally, I fell in love with the Gemstone collection. Here's me and my little one enjoying my new necklace: Here's a closeup of my jade gemstone necklace, as well as the onyx and turquoise still in their bags. What I first noticed upon opening the bag was, WOW, stinky!! I guess it's the silicon? I freaked out thinking the necklace would always smell like that, but thankfully, it aired out really quickly, phew! It was so super cute, I couldn't wait to wear it! My little guy was really enamored with it at first, and it was fun to be like "Go for it dude!" and not have to play keep-away as we do with so many other things. It comes in handy as a quick distraction on the changing table or while nursing. Also, the string is knotted on both sides of each silicon gemstone, so if for some reason the string broke, only one stone would come off. But I really can't see it breaking, because when baby yanks it, the class unsnaps, so there is no major strain put on the string (which is nylon and very strong anyway). Teething Bling will be giving a gift set (example pictured above) to the grand prize winner of my New Mom Necessities giveaway, running until February 19. The gift set (and most of their products) has 14 color combinations for the winner to choose from, ranging from jade to pink to onyx to sugarplum, and includes one donut pendent and two bangles. You can buy a gift set, (as well as any of their other awesome products such as bangles, pendents of all shapes and colors, tween bling, etc etc!), orrrrrr.....
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 used to enjoy lounging around sans bra. It felt like such a rebellion against the daily grind, all of my responsibilities, and the formality of my day job. But if you're like me, this luxury will go out the window with pregnancy and breastfeeding. When you get are completely engorged, you need the support because they are HEAVY and uncomfortable. And of course your nipples are extremely sensitive (ok, downright painful) for the first few weeks while they're toughening up and adjusting to being sucked on 24-7. The friction of a shirt against your bare boobs is downright horrific! The lactation consultants recommend airing out your nipples as much as possible, but my boobs just did not stop seriously leaking around the clock for several months, so this was such a joke of a recommendation for me! Except for brief periods in the shower, my ta-tas have not hung free for going on 14 months now! But your daily nursing bra is not going to cut it in bed. You need something more comfortable and less restrictive for sleepy time. So I was really excited to try out Nursing Bra Express' Pull Over Sleep Nursing Bra by La Leche League Intimates. Made of 95% cotton and 5% spandex with no hooks, clasps, pads, or wires, the Pull Over Sleep Nursing Bra is extremely lightweight and comfy! After hand washing and waiting for it to dry, I threw it on and was really surprised by the nothingness that I felt. On the one hand, it does lack the support you would expect from a bra, so it feels a bit odd. On the other hand, this is exactly what you should be looking for in a sleeping bra, I think? I'm not a bra expert here... Because there are no clasps, you just pull the material over and slip out your boob for nursing time. Super easy, yes! Unfortunately for me, due to the deep v-cut of the bra, my boob occasionally slipped out on its own when I was sleeping on my side. I'm not sure if this is because I got a size too small, or if it's just not a great style for larger breasted women, I'm not sure. But all in all, it's a great nursing bra for bedtime, especially for back sleepers or non-floppy-breasted woman. LOL! TMI? Nursing Bra Express is a great online retailer selling more than just nursing bras. They've also got nursing wear like pajamas and dresses, nursing tanks, hilarious baby nipple hats, and breastfeeding accessories such as nursing pads, nursing covers, babywearing slings, you name it!! Their website is also a great resource for new moms with an abundance of breastfeeding tips and support, and you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Nursing Bra Express will be giving away one La Leche League Intimate's Pull Over Sleep Nursing Bras to the grand prize winner of my New Mom Necessities Giveaway ending February 19! Have you entered yet? No??? ENTER TO WIN 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. I'm a modest gal, when it comes to breastfeeding anyway. I have nothing against the mamas who can just whip it out in the middle of a restaurant, I am simply not comfortable doing it myself. That said, I've been breastfeeding my baby now for 13 months and have fed him just about any place imaginable: planes, trains, restaurants, parks, the ER, a bar... No, I didn't have to run away to the bathroom to get some privacy, I simply pulled my handy dandy nursing cover out of the diaper bag and bada boum, we're good to go! There are a ton of brands out there, heck, you can even make them yourself if you're crafty, which I am not. There are 2 key things to look out for: 1) You need the neck to be a bit rigid so that you are able to look down inside to see your little one (don't worry, no one else can see in there, unless they're standing like directly over your head!), and 2) enough material to cover you fully, especially width-wise if you're like me and have to pull up your entire shirt because you never bothered to buy proper nursing shirts! Bebe au Lait is an extremely popular brand of nursing covers and other products for mothers and babies that has been around for 10 years. Their covers don't just do they job, but come in such fabulous patterns that you will actually look forward to using them and wear them oh-so-proudly! Trust me, other breastfeeding moms will stop you and demand you tell them where they can get one! I've been a big fan of Bebe au Lait since I started breastfeeding, so I was so excited to try out their latest design: The Muslin Nursing Cover. Here's the front and back of the packaging, outlining the great points such as the patented "rigiflex" neckline, breathable material, and multifunctional uses: Upon opening it up, the material really stood out to me as remarkably different from all other nursing covers I've come across. The muslin cotton is extremely lightweight and breathable, and seems like it'll be a great option for the summer. Actually, it's great for the winter too - how many times have I been in an over-heated indoor area , trying to breastfeed under the cover and man, I am just roasting alive! Then I think about how hot my little guy must be in there! I did worry that being so lightweight, people might actually be able to see inside the cover... but after trying it on I realized that is not the case. Can you even tell my little (errr, big!) 13 monther is in there? Of course I had to test out the cover's mulitfunctional uses as well. As a shade on the stroller, yes, it did well while parked indoors. But if trying to use it while walking around outside, you might need some clips on there. The nursing cover is also great as a makeshift blanket for your little one (if he'll stay on it!) as it is quite large. So, I'm totally in love with the muslin nursing cover by Bebe au Lait, definitely worth checking out - they have 2 designs and have muslin swaddles and blankies as well! While you're over there, surf around and you'll see what I was talking about with the awesome design choices they have!! I mean, look at some of these - gorgeous!!! Bebe au Lait will be giving away one of their Muslin Nursing Covers to the grand prize winner of my New Mom Necessities Giveaway, which includes a total of 15 awesome products valued over $600!!
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. Got milk? Yup! Got MilkCharms? Ever heard of them for that matter? If not, I'm here to tell you about this very cool, super cute, and above all extremely helpful accessory for pumping moms (or formula feeding moms) out there... Eepples MilkCharms!! Maybe you've already got a system going whereby you scribble a date and/or time on a piece of tape and slap it on the bottle before throwing it in the fridge. Well, that's what I did the handful of times I actually pumped. And it worked just fine. But, there is a better way! Shocking, I know! Eepples MilkCharms can be used (and reused again and again) on virtually any bottle, and are made from food grade polypropylene and silicone fre of BPA and phthalate. One one side has a spin dial with the date, and the other side has the time. So you can get as specific as you need to be!! As they put it, "Just dial in the day (and time if you want to be exact), hang the MilkCharm on the bottle, put it in the fridge, and go take a nap!". Ahhhhh a nap. If only!! Not a pumping or breastfeeding mom? No problem! Eepples MilkCharms work for formula, too!! This isn't on their website, but I personally argue that these charms can still be used for so many purposes once your baby has grown past the milk stage... How about baby food or bottled drinks or just about anything that has a quick shelf life of a couple of days once its been opened!? Or the lasagna you made on Tuesday, or was it Sunday... wait... how long has it been in the fridge?? Eepples MilkCharms to the rescue, saving your family from a wicked case of food poisoning! Haha ok maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point! One set of 3 Eepples MilkCharms is included in the jackpot of my 15 product $600 value New Mom Necessities Giveaway ending February 19. Enter to win here!!
Sponsored Post Disclosure: Opinions are my own and not swayed by compensation of any kind. This was a sponsored post, but I limit such posts to companies that meet my moral standards and I feel I can really stand behind (hey, I'm not a sell out!). Ahhhhh nursing bras. My arch nemesis (or at least they were until I discovered Bravado Designs, but I'll get to them later... first some background and a short rant!)... You want to be prepared so you stock up on nursing bras while pregnant. But you know what? Your breasts and rib cage will be a dramatically different size (the former MUCH bigger and the latter much smaller) by the time your little one arrives and your milk comes in. And then in a couple of months your breasts will be not quite so off-the-scale ginormously engorged, and if you keep going you'll probably be smaller than you were pre-pregnancy. I have a friend who, and I quote, has "golfballs in socks" for boobs after nursing two children. No, it's not a pretty picture, but you can see the need for a good bra when you've got these National Geographic worthy ta-ta's to carry around. I got a few hand-me-down nursing bras that got me through the first couple of months of nursing. Oh how I loathed those bras. The wireless ones were falling apart, literally, albeit super comfy of course. And the wired ones? They were a size too small and I 100% blame them on my 2 bouts of mastitis!! So off I went to Motherhood Maternity. But they didn't have any in my size (at the time I was an E or F perhaps, I dunno, no one offered to measure me!). So I had to go with the wireless and cupless bras, which have been doing me alright. But all of these bras had the racerback cut which was extremely annoying and wardrobe limiting (as if breastfeeding doesn't limit your wardrobe enough, I had to worry about the neckline of my shirts now)!!. Suffice it to say I've been looking for some nice nursing bras with a normal strap. I recently came across Bravado Designs online and they have a selection of 9 kinds of nursing bras to choose from... underwire, lace, removable cups, tanks, you name it! I went for the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra because it had the straight-across-the-shoulder straps I was looking for, removable pads (to discretely hide your nursing pads or nips), and is wireless, which I've really come to like (not to mention I'm terrified of another round of mastitis!!). How do I like the Body Silk Bra?? I loooooooooooove it!!!! LOVE IT!!! Seriously, this bra will see me well beyond my days of breastfeeding!! Extremely comfortable, like, can't even feel it on. Supportive. Smooth and causing no back fat - yay!! Easy to pull down for nursing, even with the cup, and easy to hook back up. And I love love love the insertable cups - I have been an ashamed-of-nipping kinda girl since my days of living in Japan (yes, living there will have you ashamed of all kinds of things like nipping, being bigger than a size 0, not shaving your forearms, and blowing your nose in public). They're also great for covering up lines from your nursing pads, and would probably actually act as a nursing pad if need be. But the pads are easily removable too, which is great! Bravado Designs got its start when two breastfeeding moms created The Original Nursing Bra 20 years ago, and quickly became a well respected and trusted source of comfortable, stylish and quality nursing bras. Hundreds of pregnant and nursing women test-wear their bras each year so you can know they have been tweaked and perfected. Each bra comes with an extension kit, so you can wear them comfortably throughout your pregnancy and breastfeeding days (and even beyond that, as I plan!). What's more? They're a green company, they donate to the community, and they use REAL MOMS as models. Wow, I mean, could I love them any more!? Bravado Designs will be sending one of their Essential Embrace Nursing Bras to the grand prize winner of my New Mom Necessities Giveaway. This bra comes in three colors, and has sizes ranging from 32 to 44 and B/C to L/M - wowza!! "The Bravado Essential Embrace™ Nursing Bra is the most comfortable, supportive, yet lightweight bra that you will ever wear while pregnant or nursing." Ummmm yes please!! What are you waiting for... **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.
As a brand spanking new mother, I was a mess. An absolute mess. No sleep, check. Uncomfortable to stand, sit, walk, sneeze, you name it, thanks to my 50 hour labor and having pushed an 8 pound bouncing baby boy out of my hoo-hah, CHECK! And to top it all off, I was using reusable nursing pads (that I'd received as a gift) and they were a freaking joke. A JOKE!! My mammaries must have thought they were trying to feed an entire village, and these nursing pads lasted all of 5 minutes before they were soaked through. And you know what? I thought this was normal. I thought this is the humiliating kind of thing breastfeeding moms have to deal with. I'll just have to stock up on a bunch of flowy black tops that won't show my milk stains quite so bad. I remember standing over my newborn baby at the changing table, as milk was literally dripping out of my soaked shirt, bra, and pads. Yuck. yuck. yuckkkkkkk... I don't remember who enlightened me that there were other brands and types of breast pads out there. Even disposable ones! The second I bought a box at my local Rite Aid and stuffed a pair in my bra it was like a whole new world! Hoorah!!! No looking back now!! Going through this inspired me to come up with Miny Moe, which sells variety packs of multiple brands of diapers and nursing pads. Also a huge inspiration was going through the equally terrible situation with my newborn son's diapers not containing his, how do I put this gently, digested breastmilk? The problem I saw was that you can't buy an individual pair of nursing pads out there, not disposables or washables. And really, that's all it would take to figure out if you like the brand. Just a single pair! So, that's what Miny Moe gives you! Our Basic Mama Disposable Nursing Pad Sampler gives you a pair each from 3 top brands of disposable breast pads: Lansinoh, Johnson's, and Nuk. Our Green Mama Nursing Pad Sampler gives you a pair each of 3 top brands of washable breast pads: Bamboobies, Itzy Ritzy, and Philips Avent. And finally, our Mega Mama's Nursing Pad Sampler gives you a pair each from all 6 of those brands, both washable and disposable. Miny Moe Diaper Samplers were born from the same problem: you can't just go to the store and get a few disposable diapers to try out. Oh no, you have to commit to a big ol' box of at least 50 diapers, but if you're trying to be economic you're looking at more like 150 diapers. I thought I was being smart by putting newborn diapers on my baby registry and stocking up before my munchkin even arrived! But nope, the brand I had randomly chosen did NOT fit my little guy's tooshie. We went through a couple more brands and failures before finding one we liked. With Miny Moe around, no parents should have to go through this kind of frustration! Miny Moe's Diaper Samplers come in a variety of packs including the top name brands (Huggies, Pampers, Luvs), generic store brands (Target Up & Up, Walmart Parent's Choice), and environmentally-friendly brands (The Honest Company, Seventh Generation, Earth's Best, Naty). Order a Miny Moe Diaper or Nursing Pad Sampler today, or enter to win the Mega Mama Nursing Pad Sampler (as well as 14 other awesome products in a $600 value jackpot!!) in the... New Mom Necessities Giveaway running through February 19!! ENTER TO WIN HERE!! Disclaimer: Miny Moe is not affiliated in any way with the brands included in their samplers. Miny Moe merely include the brands they have found to be the most loved by moms, so you can try them all at once and find which one YOU love the most!
I never had a problem with my milk supply, thank goodness!! Actually, quite the opposite - I had an oversupply with a heavy letdown the first few months of nursing that left my little guy practically drowning in every feed. Suffice it to say I didn't have the need to research home remedies for increasing your supply, but of course I heard plenty of ideas come up in my mommy group. A big one was Fenugreek supplements. Other popular ones were oatmeal and beer! Recipes were passed around for how to make lactaction cookies, which sounded amazing! But what about those moms who don't have the time or energy to bake cookies, or don't want to pop pills or down a Guiness? For those moms, there is Mrs. Patel's!! Mrs. Patel's offers "Indian Ayurvedic treats & teas for lactation and postpartum healing". These recipes have been passed down through generations of Indian nursing moms, and will be delivered to your door with a click of the button! They have three main kinds: Fenugreek Bars (peanut butter, chocolate, original, and gluten-free/vegan), Milk Water Tea (Chai Spice or Herbal Blend), and Munch Crunch. I had the chance to give all three of these products a whirl and am happy to offer you my honest opinion: The Fenugreek Bars: These were really tasty, not "so-unbelievably-delicious-I-stuffed-the-whole-box-down-my-throat-in-one-sitting", but pretty darn good. There was a kick to them, almost like a hint of curry, which I like, but some people might not. I was advised to pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes after receiving them, and then keep them in the fridge, eating one every morning, which I did. Kinda fun having this little treat after my breakfast! The Milk Water Tea: Now, the last tea I had was over a year ago – Red Leaf Raspberry tea, in hopes of prepping and strengthening my uterus for birth. Maybe it worked, because my uterus endured a grueling 50 hours of labor! Haha! So, long story short, I’m not really a tea girl. I was advised that this loose tea was so heavy, you can get away without using a strainer, but I definitely did not find that to be the case. Luckily my husband is Japanese and a tea junkie, so I had a strainer on hand, not that I had ever used it before LOL!! I tried the tea straight first, which was tolerable but not enjoyable. I have a major sweet tooth and don’t even like green tea straight, so you can imagine with ingredients like dill seeds, rooibos, alfalfa, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom I wouldn’t be a big fan of it straight. With some milk and sugar it was quite tasty and incredibly different from anything I’ve ever had before. Definitely not your Starbucks Chai Latte! It said to use four tablespoons for one cup, and you can re-brew 3 times. So I made 3 cups with it throughout the day – very cost effective! The Munch Crunch: This is the only one I just really wasn't a fan for. Directions tell you to eat a tablespoon of this mix by itself. It looks like bird seed, but I kept an open mind and munched away. Unfortunately there are a few ingredients in the mix that are just not to my liking, especially fennel. It did have a tangy citrusy kinda flavor in there, which helped, but I think a much better way to get this into your diet would be tossing it into a salad where the crunch would be a nice addition and the flavor might be disguised by your salad dressing. But that's just my opinion, and I'm a pretty picky eater LOL. I'm sure some women probably love the Munch Crunch's taste straight. The results? Well, I've been breastfeeding for over a year now and I don't pump, so it's really hard to have an objective before and after to give to you. Did I notice a HUGE increase in my supply, engorgement around the clock kinda thing? No, and honestly I don't think there is ANYTHING that will give you that amount of supply increase! But if you're looking for an increase of a few ounces a day, Mrs. Patel's is definitely worth a shot!! Some women have reported pretty great success with it! You can order some treats from Mrs. Patel's today, or you can enter to win a $34 gift certificate as well as 14 other awesome products for new moms in our $600 value jackpot, ending February 19th!! 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.
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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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