Posts filed under 'baby gear'
Shannon Payette Seip and Adrienne Hedger couldn’t have phrased it better when using that line to title their hilarious book about breastfeeding.
When If These Boobs Could Talk landed into my hands, I opened it to take a peek, thinking I would read it in a bit, and….I couldn’t put it down. If you are breastfeeding, are going to breastfeed, or have breastfed your children, every page will speak to you like your ultra-funny girlfriend and have you laughing out-loud!
I love how the book starts with a nice little letter for you to read to your boobs before your baby is born because “it’s only fair to warn your boobs about the changes ahead.” At the end of the book, it suggests ways you can have a “Boob Retirement Party” once your foray into breastfeeding is over—–invite your breast pump and create a slideshow to the tune ”I’ve Had the Time of My Life”…..heeheeee!
The book has side-splitting and inventive illustrations such as ”The Ideal Rocker,” which is a rocking chair set up for the many hours you will need to breastfeed. It thoughtfully includes a button you can push to convert it to a toilet in emergencies amongst other wonderful things I wish my rocker had!
This book is a great, easy read with advice on how to console a rejected breast, alternative uses for nursing pads, reminders of your breast’s super powers and how to find your inner hottie while you feel like a dairy cow.
There are also quizzes like “Who hasn’t seen your boobs?”, great doodling activities, games and trivia to pump yourself up with!
This book is the perfect shower gift, gift to a new mom, or gift to your own breastfeeding self. We all know that laughter is something we most need when we’re up for a late night feeding!
By the way, the book is sized nice and small—perfect for your one free hand to hold and read while your baby feeds!
Mama Jen
April 3rd, 2008
Recently, I was reading a forum where lots of moms were praising something called a “Balance Bike.” I had no idea what it was, so I HAD to look into it.
Balance bikes are an alternative to the use of training wheels for the beginner cyclist. The balance bikes supposedly allow your child to transition to a full-on bike more easily and quickly than if they had started out using training wheels. That’s because the hardest part—balance—will have been learned.
In my searching I came across an aptly named balance bike company called SKUUT. Scoot is what you can do on these things while your body learns to balance the bike. You can walk them, ride them, “skuut” them or glide them. Definitely something to check out.
Check out the Skuut website or call your local bike shop to see if they have balance bikes for you to look at. Very Interesting!
Mama Jen
March 31st, 2008
The two most amazing nursing cover-ups I have seen are below—Hooter Hiders and Amuse Me cover-ups.
Hooter Hiders are chic little nursing cover-ups that help you stay modest while still being a fashionista—all while nursing your baby. The name is so cute and the fabrics are luxurious and modern.
Amuse Me gives your babies flailing hands that have the tendancy to throw nursing covers off, something to do. There are soft ribbons on the inside where baby’s hands can reach, explore and stay busy. This is such a great idea! The patterns are beautiful and THOSE INTERIOR RIBBONS!!!
Mama Jen
March 27th, 2008
OK. So I’ve often thought I could make my own gift bags — just some cool fabric and a few zigzags on the sewing machine, right? Well, that means that I actually have to get out my sewing machine and go to the store to pick out fabric, iron it, make sure the kids are outta they way before I try to run the sewing machine, etc. etc. So, pretty much, my little spurt of craftiness is not gonna happen.
Enter Lucky Crow fabric bags, owned by Green Approach LLC in Portland, OR. Though I’m a fine papers fanatic, the sustainable/green aspects of our MomAppeal personas LOVE these. By design, they are reusable and, made of fabric, are much sturdier than any of the old paper gift bags, wraps and trimmings I have filling up two bins in my basement. And, the ribbons are attached and the fabric are cool: From the Retro-Rocket Rascals and the Sock Monkey patterns to some ’60s flashback prints (Carnival, Free Spirit and Happy Tree) and even holiday and hip organic prints, you’ll find a design that matches your gifting style and theme.
Lucky Crow bags are sold individually in a range of sizes ($4.50-$13.50), including those that just the right fit for tiny bling boxes, wine bottles, CDs, books and even bigger gifts. The largest size almost fit a Rody bounce-on toy; two extra large bags would work better, and allow you to wrap other similarly sized assembled gifts (we all know wrapping those well with paper is just about impossible).
Or, make your life really easy and choose from one of five collections ($17.99-$115.99) that include bags of assorted sizes and patterns. We love that the Lucky Crow tells you how much purchasing by collection saves vs. ordering oodles of individual bags, and that the company has some fun and free gift tags you can print from your browser window.
Here’s something else we like: Lucky Crow is a member of 1% for the Planet, an international group of businesses that donates one percent of their sales to nonprofit environmental organizations.
Lucky Crow has created a special promotion code for MomAppeal readers — so you can stock up now and be set for birthday parties, house warmings and holidays for the rest of the year. Type in the promotional code MomAppeal at checkout and you’ll receive 20% off any order of $50 or more. Thanks Lucky Crow!
Mama Kate
March 24th, 2008
With Spring officially arriving this Thursday (wahooooo!) you may be getting that spring cleaning fever. I know I have been organizing here and there—only for it to be re-organized by my two year old, but I am making a little, more, OK, some headway! Buttoned Up is a company that helps “stretched and stressed out women” get themselves and their families organized. Personally, I think they are going to rescue our bulging file cabinet.
Buttoned up features about 30 great products or “kits” that will help you organize your tax documents, be prepared if you are in a vehicle collision, get your fitness goals in order, organize to-do lists diaper bags, moves and more…virtually all the important parts of our lives that would be so much easier if they were neatly “buttoned up!”
You can browse their selection of nifty kits that help you organize life’s important information at their website, or look through them in person at Target, where they are available in some locations.
The company was invented by a Alicia Rockmore (a mom) with her business partner Sarah Welch and her sisters, who know just how much you are juggling and found a way to help.
Fabulous idea that has major MomAppeal! Mama Jen
March 18th, 2008
Amazing handmade baby changing pads, diaper and wipe totes and beautiful items for mom can be found at b. handmade designs.
The colors and fabrics used are so adorable, fun and playful. Perfect for spring handbags and whimsical baby items!!!
This crafter also makes duvet covers, curtains and pillows. There are also fashionable beds for your four-legged children!
Custom orders are always welcome, so if you have a theme going for your child, or would love a purse in your favorite fabric, b. handmade designs can do it for you…this is very helpful for moms like me who can dream up ideas, but don’t know their way around a needle and thread to save their lives!
Mama Jen
March 6th, 2008
A while back, the catalog for Twilite Moon came to my house and I have been looking at their website ever since.
They have the most amazing selection of stylish items for mom, dad and baby. The items tend to be quite modern, though they do have some traditional items as well. Look at this amazing dresser for a child’s room. There is also a funky low piece that could be great for storing toys. If you are looking for your child’s furniture to be art, these are the ticket… You can customize what the accent drawer color is too! Maybe these should be in your room…so chic!
And GASP!! Sexy Nursing Bras??? They found ‘em…How’d they do that??
They also have a selection of accessories for safety and many practical items as well, such as the Sleepsack which I used and loved for my daughter—keeps little babies warm and covered without the fear of having them sleeping with loose blankets. In our experience, loose blankets never stayed on a sleeping baby, AND I was afraid about the blankets covering her face…the Sleepsack solves both problems.
At Twilite Moon, they put together a wonderful section to help you find gifts for every kind of child and family.
Twilite moon is one of those baby boutiques that makes moms drool—-and that has MomAppeal!
Mama Jen
March 4th, 2008
My daughter is absolutley in love with being tatooed with temporary tatoos. Sometimes finding appropriate tatoos can be hard! Enter Tatoos for Tots!
The idea for Tatoos for Tots began when a mom, who is a teacher, had a child that was into temporay tatoos. She thought of a great concept to turn temporary tatoos into an educational tool. Each cute graphical “tatoo” includes the name of what it is to aid in the learning of a new word. I love this idea!!! Mama Jen
February 18th, 2008
Lori Pope, a fellow mom came up with an idea that will help unclutter your home, and give your kids the chance to try many different toys—a Toy rental company called Baby Plays—lots of choices and opportunities to continuously refresh your child’s playtime. No more fear that you spent money on a toy for your child which may be as interesting to them as your dusty treadmill is to you.
All of the toys stocked are kid approved, organized by age appropriateness, sanitized and loaded with fresh batteries before they reach your door. Pope specifically chooses toys that are easy to clean, so you can rest your germ fears on this one!
“Families generally keep the toys for one month and then send them back in the box they came in, using a postage-paid return label the company includes with each shipment. Most parents know that’s long enough for little kids to exhaust their interest.
But it’s no big deal if the little one wants to hang on to a couple of toys for several months, Pope said. Parents can just exchange the toys they don’t want, and new toys are shipped out as the old ones are returned.” (AOL Money and Finance)
Don’t worry that you will be receiving really worn items either…anything that is more than “gently worn” is donated to needy families who are nominated by Baby Plays customers.
Each shipment of toys is lead tested—wooohoo! Also, toys with small parts, or that are not easy to clean are avoided. Fantastic!
Lori Pope also mentions that this is a great way for grandparents to have some great toys on hand and change it up every now and again. So smart and full of MomAppeal!!!
Happy Toy Renting and great job Lori! Mama Jen
February 11th, 2008
This modern mom is all a-twitter about Little Lark and its hand-printed baby clothes and cards. The Ts are hip little statements in graphics form that transcend the usual standbys of butterflies and trucks on girlish pink and boyish blue (though you can find those sweet colors stylishly paired with modern brown). Instead, it’s artful wear for all, including a small selection for mamas and papas who like a little sophistication to their Ts.
The clothes are deliciously comfortable. I’ve outfitted myself and my own little larks in shirts of the same vein (Tree and Birds styles) — we call them our mama bird and baby birdies outfits. I’m drawn to the simple strength and sweetness of the organic images — the birds, fiddlehead fern and tree branches designs — but love the playfulness of the gnome, robot and bike graphics, too. Little Lark offers shirts, onesies, hats, pants, bags, hoodies and even individually letter-pressed cards. I could’ve bought enough of the latter to supply my correspondence needs for a year — the paper is a great heavy stock and the colors of the crisp graphics and envelopes among my favorite combinations. But truly, the cards are so beautiful I framed and hung them in groupings to make some bold statements on my walls.
But there’s more to squawk about when it comes to Little Lark: The conscientious side of me loves that the attire is 100% cotton —onesies are organic— sweatshop-free, American-made fabric. The arty side of me loves the individuality of the pieces: The inks are hand-mixed, the designs hand-printed. Even the unique labels are hand-printed on recycled fabrics and pressed into the inner shirtback. I’m a sucker for packaging, and dig that the shirts arrive in their own little printed muslin bags.
This mama-owned business in Portland, OR, is creatively powered by Christy Nyboer, a painter, sculptor and mom to two boys. She and pal/neighbor Jean Sammis co-founded the company in 2006. (While the two still inspire each other, Sammis now focuses solely on Lark Press.) Nyboer is busy prepping the spring line and gearing up to carry LoveMily, “little old man meets baby” cardigan sweater designs (these cozy little handmade cotton pieces — we’ve seen ‘em — come in chocolate brown or heather gray).
We think all of Nyboer’s stuff is something to chitter about!
Mama Kate
February 6th, 2008
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