Baby Gear

With my newest baby I am not looking for quantity of clothing, since we are already busting at the closets with the other two kids, but quality. I want clothing that is soft for my baby and earth friendly. A few choice pieces is great for us, as we all know how quickly babies grow out of clothing! The great people at Kate Quinn organics were nice enough to send me a few pieces of clothing for my baby and I am in love.

Kate Quinn organics makes stylish clothing and they are made from the finest 100% certified organic fabrics. The clothing is super soft, and made from all-natural, organically produced cotton certified by Control Union Certifications. Plus, all the clothing has been certified Fair Trade.

Surely I cannot be the only one that thinks babies look so cute in kimono tops? My son is wearing the peacock onesie right now and I love it!
They don’t just offer baby clothing, they have accessories and clothing for toddlers as well. They also offer blankets and hooded towels. If you are buying a gift and are not sure about the sizing, they now offer gift certificates.
Plus women’s clothing is coming soon! I can’t wait for that.

I love this clothing for my children and I know you will too. It washes well and holds up to a busy baby. Although, I do suggest buying a size up because my son is only two months old and almost out of the 3-6 month size onesie.

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When I had my lactation consultant come to the house for help, she mentioned Medela had just come out with a hands free pump. I love my Medela swing pump but I would love to have my hands free to do things like check email, make breakfast for my kids and answer the phone.
The hands free model interested me.

Medela freestyle is the only hands free double-electric rechargeable breastpump on the market. It offers freedom to all the mothers attached to the pump, literally.
It comes with the pump, SoftFit™ breastshields, 4 collection containers with lids, rechargeable battery, carry bag with removable cooler, cooling element, power cord, hands-free kit with two size straps and bra adapters, waist belt with extension piece, instructions and a information guide.
It is not cheap, but a good pump never is.

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There are many cute things for girls these days. Of course, everyone knows it is easier to buy clothes for a girl then a boy, it just seems like there is more out there. When you find something cute, you have to stick with it because you don’t know where you will find it again! Baby Bling is one of those things.

Bling Baby has great * bling* items for boys. The great people at Bling Baby sent my son a cute onesie with his name in bling. It is adorable on and we love it. They also sell hats, pacifier clips and burp cloths with bling on them. I may be biased though, because I love personalized items for babies and kids. Get a shirt with your child’s name on it or their nickname.
They don’t just have items for boys though, check out all they have for girls. These shoes alone make me want to have another baby!
Go get your baby some bling!

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Washing a baby can be…challenging. I always feel like I have to hold the baby in the baby bath tub with one hand while I wash with the other. Getting more soap or a new washcloth can be difficult with one hand. I liked my baby bath tub but when I found the washPOD, I knew I had found something great.

The washPod is a new concept for newborn bathing. It is a European type of baby bath, designed to be a “secure and warm environment, similar to that inside a mother’s womb”. It is vertical as opposed to horizontal and the3 design holds the baby upright.
It is smaller then a traditional tub so it uses less water, which is terrific. The bottom is cushioned so K’s bottom was comfortably paced and he did not slip around.
He loves his bath in the washpod, especially since he is submerged more then a traditional bath so he is warmer.

The WashPOD also has cushioned handles so you can carry it even when it is filled with water, someting I could not do with our other bath, once it was filled it was too heavy and bulky to move. It also comes with stickers to help make the appropriate water level, which should be a few inches under the baby’s arm pits when immersed.

Although it did take me awhile to “learn” how to wash the baby in the POD, I really love it. It is compact, easy to store and perfect for babies 0-6 months. This will make a terrific gift for your next baby shower.

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Thank you all for entering our Sleep Baby CD giveaway, the CD is really great and I am happy I have one to giveaway. I really have enjoyed reading all your sleep tips for baby and I learned many great tips and tricks.
Keep reading reviewing baby gear and parenting our children for more great gear reviews, parenting news and giveaways!

Congratulations to Samantha #28, our Sleep Baby CD winner!

Parachutes are great for kids of all ages. Infants love to lay down and have the parachute go up and down as they watch the show. Toddlers love to be dragged along on them or run under as the parachute falls.
This parachute for kids is worth its weight in fun and is great for physical coordination!

These parachutes are $29.95 fo rthe medium - 11 1/2 ft - 8 Handles and
$57.95 for the large - 19 1/2 ft - 12 handles.

Have your children lie on top of it and makes waves by pulling the parachute up and down around them.
Bounce balls on top of it.
Kids love to run underneath and switch places with others, Number each child around the circle- and then call out a number.

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Zoe and Sprout is a green baby clothing company with a fun line of organic cotton onesies and tees with fresh, funny sayings. All are printed on 100% organic cotton material and are sweat shop free. I have had the pleasure of trying out a 100% organic onesie and I love it!

Zoe & Sprout clothing is soft and holds up well to a washing, no shrinking. They have onesies and shirts for kids 0-3 months all the way up to 6T. Perfect for all of my kids! They make shirts with cute sayings, and I would have loved to dress my twins up in the “I’m a little bit country” and “I’m a little bit rock & roll” shirts when they were small!
Check them all out and support a mom owned business, plus they give back by donating 3% of their profits each year to Keep America Beautiful.

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I have written before about how my new baby does not like to sleep during the day. He likes to nurse 2433 times and to be held, but that is about it. The swing, bouncer and mobiles keep him entertained for a bit but then he wants to fuss again. I was ready to try something new. That something new was SoundSleep for babies.

This is not your traditional lullaby music, this is a blend of digitally recorded sounds from the womb. It is a 60 minute CD that not only can help babies fall asleep faster but can help them sleep longer. Who doesn’t want that?
I was skeptical at first because there are a ton of books, CDs and DVDs on the market claiming to “help babies sleep” or “puts babies right to sleep”. So it tried it and I have to say, I am impressed.
I put it on in a dark room and put K down for his nap. He was asleep in minutes. I wanted to fall asleep! I have to admit, this is very calming music and it reminded me of what is playing at the spa when you get a massage.
Our next test is to see if it keeps our five year old son nicknamed “Rooster” in bed longer in the morning, I will just keep the CD on at night on replay.

I would buy this for a new mom or any mom with kids who have a problem falling asleep. It got my seal of approval and better yet, it also got my baby’s!

WIN IT!! I have one SoundSleep CD to give to one sleepless parent!
Just leave a comment by May 4th at midnight with your best tip on how to get a baby to sleep.

Sorry only open to US residents.

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When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I had tried to breastfeed the twins but with having two babies coupled with complications after my C-section, I didn’t go longer then a few days. This time I wanted to be prepared and that meant a new breast pump, so I went out and researched all the pumps and I chose what I hoped was the best one for my needs, the Medela Swing pump.

The Swing is a great compact pump, I love how small and efficient it is! It operates in two modes, using a patented 2 Phase Expression technology designed to mimic the way babies feed naturally. The first phase is a let down mode like how the baby “nibbles” on the breast, and the second is a nursing mode that uses slower, longer and stronger pulses of suction. It has two buttons that let you easily control how strong the suction is.
One of the things I was looking for was a pump that was Bisphenol A-free and the Medela Swing Pump is one of the only ones that are Bisphenol A- free on the market today.
It comes with a great little carrying bag and two bottles for your expressed milk. This swing is so quiet and compact I used it on the NJ turnpike last weekend while three kids slept in the back!
Don’t worry, I wasn’t driving!

This is a great pump with a great price tag, $125.00, (check Amazon often I have seen it go even lower!). It has great reviews on Amazon, and it is so easy to use.

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Babies love to put everything in their mouths, all moms know that. Babies will put any fuzz, piece of food or even your hair in their mouths, just like a puppy! In addition to having to wear my hair back, I had to limit my jewelry wearing when I had the twins because any dangle earrings, or necklace went right into their mouths. Gross and dangerous!
Now there is jewelry that is not only adorable, but is OK for babies to put into their mouths.

Smartmom jewelry makes non-toxic, phthalate free, silicone teething jewelry for mom. The material is non-toxic, latex-free, food–safe, even dishwasher-friendly.
Whether it is a pendant or a matching bangle bracelets, all are cute for mom and safe for baby. No more picking up the teethers from the floor and having to clean them off before you can give them back to your child, now they are attached to you.
I also love that this is a mom owned business!
The best part of it?

I love my teething bling and I have had so many other mothers come up to me and asking me what they were and where I got them from.
Now, if you order any of the Teething Bling pendants and they will automatically add a matching bangle for free.
Go order away, they make great shower gifts. With Mother’s Day coming up get some for your babysitters, Grandmothers or Aunts.
Plus, they are a perfect way to keep a teething baby occupied!

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Breastfeeding has been a little challenging to say the least. The baby and I have had to work at it. Getting comfortable for me was one of the hardest things to do. I would find myself with backaches and tension in my shoulders from feeding him improperly. Enter the appropriately named My Brest Friend deluxe pillow and all of that is gone.

Every parent has a boppy and the boppy has its place, to help hold the baby or for the baby who is new to sitting up alone, but the Brest Friend pillow is specially designed for breastfeeding. It has a wrap around design that helped to support me and my aching back so much, especially when I nurse at night in bed. It has a velcro adjustable strap that you can adjust with one hand and arm rests for your arms. The pocket is wonderful to keep my utterly yours breast pillow and a burp cloth handy.

Don’t get me started on the fabric, it is soft and wonderful! There are so many fabric types and patterns to chose from. If it gets dirty just take off the slip cover and throw it into the wash it will come out as good as when you put it in. I love this pillow and I credit it and the web site support on breastfeeding with really helping me with nursing. If you know someone who is breastfeeding or you are planning on it, I highly recommend this great pillow.
You, your baby and your back will thank me!

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Loyal readers of this site know that I love organic and I love mom owned businesses. I think organic is the way to go and as I change over my household to be “greener”, I incorporate more organic clothing into our lives. Green apple baby is a great example of not only a mom owned company but sells organic, well made clothing as well.

Made from 100% cotton and with water based inks, these USA made tee shirts for babies and toddlers have inspirations sayings. Get one that says “I am loved” or “I am a genius”. These shirts are super soft and comfortable for kids. They held up in the wash well and I can’t wait to put my new son in them.

These make a great new baby gift or are perfect for a baby shower. Go green and you can start with Green Apple Baby!

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A lot has happened in the five years since I have had kids. I found out early in my pregnancy that everything my kids had when they were babies from bottles to rubber ducks were laden with BPAs. I was suddenly on the hunt for new bottles and pacifiers for our new baby. Green to grow was one of the companies I found with BPA-free bottles.

Green to Grow was founded last year and makes exclusively BPA-free infant and toddler feeding products. Instead they are made from PES plastic, which gives them a natural golden color. They make 5 oz and 10 oz regular or wide neck bottles from PES plastic and medical-grade silicone, made in Taiwan.
The first thing I noticed about these bottles were how cute they were with fruit faces on the front of them. They are easy to use and clean without valves or other intricate parts. They range in price from $7.49 to $10.49.
You can feel good about buy these bottles because not only are they safe for your baby, but they are made with 100% recycled packaging, soy inks, and 1% of annual profits going to environmental causes!

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Breastfeeding has been, well, difficult for me. The baby had a tight frenulum, is a sleepy nurser and my breasts were sore from feeding number one! Trying to find great products to help me and my son breastfeed better and longer has been my new mission. I have found a new product that helps moms with just that, the Shower Hug.

The mom invented Shower Hug is a quality knit terry velour stretchy bandeau worn around your bust line. It is made to help support and protect your very sore breasts. You can wear it in the shower to protect your breasts from chemicals in your shampoos and cleansers. It is absorbent but doesn’t get heavy on your body. It also eases engorgement and is supportive for engorged breasts.

It doesn’t only have to be used in the shower, you can use it before you give birth to provide support, for night time so you don’t have to wear a bra to bed but still have absorbency for leaks or like I did, use it on my stomach after my c-section because I didn’t want to get my bandage wet. It really provided the support I needed in my abdomen after the c-section so I didn’t have to carry a pillow around on my stomach when I walked around!

The shower hug comes in white with pink or blue trim. It fits every woman from bra sizes 32A to 42F. Check out testimonials an how to wear the shower hug .

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When looking for crib bedding for my twins, I didn’t want anything too feminine or masculine since they would be sharing a room. I wanted something to coordinate but with a soft palate of colors. It was so hard to find exactly what I was looking for and I am not even sure I was entirely successful. I wish I had the Serena & Lily Nursery Style book back then to help me!

In case you are not in the know, Serena & Lily are the makers of some gorgeous nursery and children’s beddings and accessories. I am in love their concepts of children’s rooms. Nothing is super cutesy. there are no commercial characters to be found. It is all very high quality and would make any adult jealous.
Their new book, Nursery Style, is for parents who are looking for a new way to decorate a new baby’s or child’s room. Learn how to create a theme in your baby’s room with color, fabrics, and accessories to make a room personal to that child. Besides the tips and advice this gorgeous hard cover book offers over 130 photographs of actual nurseries. It was enough to make my ovaries flutter, and I just had a baby!.

If you are looking for a great gift, this 126 page book is perfect for an expectant mom or new parent. Pick up a copy for your own inspiration. For more information on Serena & Lily check out their web site.

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