Bumbo

This item deserves a category all on its own.

The Bumbo is amazing!!
Eventually our baby was getting sick of always lying on his back, so we began to sit him up…supported by us. As you know, it’s difficult to hold them up and manage other tasks. This seat allows babies to sit up on their own once they have gained full head control. The seat allows baby to have both hands free for chewing on or holding toys. We used the Bumbo as our babies first high-chair, allowing him to begin sitting at the table with us for dinner.
I believe this product also helps with gas and great for those babies who spit up a lot as it keeps them upright. It also helps baby get the hang of sitting up.
Once my baby was placed in the Bumbo it also allowed me to get ready in the mornings, you know….make-up…..;)
A great item to add to a registry or would be a great gift to those expecting.

Happy Bumboing,
Jessica

Baby's First Toys

My son is very easily amused by my husband and my facial expressions and weird noises, by the end of the day our faces and throats were beginning to really hurt. We knew it was time to start investing in toys for our little man. It’s hard when choosing entertainment for a baby because as we all know every baby is different. What one baby is easily entertained by one may just look the other way. We went for the obvious toys that we heard so much about and were top rated on sites like Babies R Us.
Our first couple of purchases and their success:
Whoozit – this was one of our first purchases due strictly to the bright colors and the black and white pattern on the back that our baby was easily distracted by. It has bright colors and high-contrast patterns for visual stimulation, there are hidden noises, and a variety of textures and shapes. He has loved this toy from 4 weeks and going….

Baby Einstein Baby Neptune Ocean Adventure Gym – although a little overwhelming at first there are many visuals to keep baby occupied (for those looking to shower at some point in babies first couple of months). It has a whale shaped pillow that can be hung from the cross bars, brightly colored baby safe mirror, a hanging octopus rattle and teether and even an electronic crib toy that lights up and plays music.

Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper – our little man was a little over stimulated at first, but caught onto the jumper part quickly. This is a wonderful jumper with many great features, such as movable swivel seat that he can turn 360 degrees. It comes with a piano toy with lights and classical melodies. There is a spinner and bead chaser along with a teething toy. This has been a great energy burner for our high-octane baby.


Although it seems at times he still prefers us over his expensive array of toys the above are just the beginning to what I foresee as a never ending collection of entertainment…;)

Happy Playing,
Jessica

High Chairs

I'll admit it, we purely went on aesthetics when it came to picking out a high chair. We had just purchased our first dining table as a couple and I knew I definitely wanted something that matched. So, we registered for a Carter's high chair that was a dark wood.

The high chair has removable fabric pad on the seat that is vinyl-coated to clean up easily, a seat with 3-position recline, a 5-point harness system, 1-hand tray release which also makes tray easy to clean and is a nice mahogany looking wood.
Very functional and my son loves it.
The "Big" high chair these days are the Stokke's.

Although very pricey, these high chairs are awesome! The stand out feutures for this particular high chair is the fact that it brings children of all ages to the table for true family meal time, constructed of sustainably harvested beech wood, has an adjustable seat and footrest which accommodates children at all stages - from baby through high-school graduation. It has the adjustable footrest which keeps baby's feet at the right position for better stability in the chair and reduced fidgeting, and the most amazing feature is that it can contain up to 300 lbs.
Another great buy is the Chicco Caddy Hook On chair.

This chair hooks on to the side of a table. It can hold a child from 6 - 36 mos with a weight capacity of 37 lbs. Convertible and very functional when going out.

I found a great website when researching other high chairs, oddly enough, www.highchairs.com. Has a lot of info and great reviews.

Happy Dining,
Jessica

Bibs

Thank you Bumkin!! For first of all saving my sons clothes and making my job a lot easier when it came to cleaning up. These bibs are awesome! We just started introducing my son to solids and I had the bright idea of "PEAS"! Yikes...what a mess. However, when it came to the Bumkin my worries began to subside.

These Bumpkins are amazing due to the waterproof fabric that is also stain and odor resistant. It is easy to wash by hand or by machine. It also fits my son perfectly.
Turns out the Bumpkin is also PVC, BPA, Phthalate & Vinyl Free...woo hoo!
I highly recommend when it comes to eating...those cute little drool bibs just won't cut it for a job this messy.

Happy Bumpkining,
Jessica

Baby Monitors

We live in a two bedroom apartment and aren't too worried about not hearing our little man, however I knew I'd need a monitor when we moved him into the next room. I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money and knew I didn't need anything fancy. We ended up going with the Sony BabyCall after reading reviews on Baby "R" Us and talking to a couple of friends.
This monitor is awesome and very affordable! Our neighbors also have the same monitor. They came over for dinner and had the monitor in our place and you could hear everything without interference.


The features are awesome:
* It uses the clearest channel available to deliver crisp clear audio
* built-in rechargeable battery receiver
* 5 Sound-Sensor activity lights
* out-of-range indicator and low-battery warning
* A belt-clip is included for the receiver (for the nights you and the husband are at the Wii)
* receiver is water-resistant - the perfect choice for use in the bathroom (finally hit the tub for some relaxation) or kitchen (finally get YOUR meal)....;)

Good quality for a great price.

Happy Monitoring,
Jessica

Diaper Bags

Being a new mom I had no idea all the gear that was required when taking baby from point A to point B. So....I went for looks when choosing a diaper bag. I figured if I was going to loose the purse I had to still have something that was stylish. As a first gift for me during pregnancy my husband got me a Petunia Pickle Bottom.


Such a beautiful bag, and come to find out...very functional for baby.
The specs are as follows:

Hands-free backpack or long messenger strap
Built-in changing station w/detachable changing pad

2 large diaper/wipes pockets
4 bottle pockets
2 organizational pockets
Small pacifier pocket
Detachable dirty diaper pouch
“No more digging” key clip
Water-resistant liner
PPB monogrammed wipes case
Dimensions: 13 X 13.5 X 5.5
Dry clean only. Spot clean liner with damp cloth.
Compatible with Valet Stroller Clips (Sold Separately)

Although this bag is pretty pricey I absolutely love it. They have many different variations from small to big, pink to blue. I can fit a ton of stuff for baby and mom.

In addition to this bag I also have a smaller bag that has necessities for short trips...a "just-in-case" supply. I purchased the Bella Tunno from GAP.

Turns out GAP has some wonderful baby and mommy supplies...;)

Hope this helps a little when seeking a diaper bag.

Happy Toting,
Jessica

Baby Teethers

Argh, can you believe my 4-month is already teething. Yikes! We have been in the market for teething toys since my mom had mentioned I also teethed early. We have definitely tested out some great teething toys but might resort to the infamous frozen cloth or as my Irish ancestors would have done…whiskey…ha, sure.

Sophie The Giraffe – although a very cute idea it seems this is more of a dog toy than a teething toy. Even after disinfecting my son still can’t figure out how to chew on Sophie. However, I have many friends whose babies absolutely love Sophie.


Natursutten Fish Teething Ring – this caught my attention right away with the ridges, grooves, and bumps that would seem very appealing to the gums. My son loves to play with it, however still hasn’t caught on to the fact that it has a purpose. We froze the fish and he loved it…for nursing, it numbed his lips and never reached the gums. I still have hope for this one.


Learning Curve Teether – this to me is old skool. I picked this teether up thinking it’s been around a while it should work….NOT. My son has no interest.


ZoLi Teether – again, a great concept however it seems to be too thin. I can understand if you can fold this teether in half it might work great. This is a very affordable item and was really hoping my son was pleased with this product, but again…another toy put back in the basket.


We just purchased a new teething toy by Haba...

made of maple wood, cotton/polyester and velour and even has a little squeaker inside, so far so good.

My next purchase is going to be the LittleStar Teether. It is a made of 100% organic wood and cotton. I’ll be sure to let you all know how it goes. In the meantime my son seems to love our fingers for pressure on the gums near the tooth and has also been nursing a ton. Recently everything seems to go straight for the mouth.


Happy Teething,
Jessica

Baby Car Seats

This is a very important category due to the law by California Highway Patrol, which requires children to be secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint (safety seat or booster seat) in the back seat of a vehicle until they are at least 6 years old or weigh at least 60 pounds. (http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/safeseat.html).

When preparing for your baby this is very important information as you'll want to have your car seat properly installed and inspected. We had ours inspected by our local fire department.

Infant car seat - This was our first car seat purchase which we chose to go with a travel system (car seat and stroller package). We purchased an Evenflo Aura Travel System which has been good so far and very functional. It comes with a base that you install in your car that the car seat easily clicks into, so the car seat can be removed from the car.


The only downside to the car seat is that our baby's head tends to fall forward a lot, which can be stressful since they look so uncomfortable. I am not much of a stroller person so I don't use the stroller much. However, we use the car seat daily and are very pleased.

Baby Car seat - We purchased the Britax Marathon, which is awesome. It's like a lazy-boy for babies. It is a convertible car seat, which has a 65 pound weight capacity. Awesome with the rate our son is growing...;) Very easy to install and very easy to get baby in and out. We haven't had to buy any accessories for this car seat and find it very practical. Don't be discouraged by it's size, I drive a VW Beetle and it fits perfectly.


There are several brands out there. In my research I found a great website: http://www.babycarseats.com, seems to have a lot of information, but hoping this site will bring other opinions.

Happy Driving,
Jessica

Babyfood Maker

So funny that I received this gift from my grandfather since back in his day baby food was either bought or made by hand mashing. I am very relived times have changed...;) I had planned on making my sons food by hand but did not anticipate such a great product out there. Having a babyfood maker makes making my son's food very easy.

The Baeba Babycook is awesome. It is a 4-1 device that functions as a steamer, blender, warmer and defroster to prepare fresh, healthy meals for my baby. It is very easy to use. The babycook is also very small and able to fit easily in my cupboard when I am finished using it, which is a plus! It is easy to use and very easy to clean.


Although this is a great product, it is almost the same as using a food processor. However, much easier since the babycook does all the work for you when it comes to the other steps in preparing the food to be pureed.

For more information please see their website at : http://www.beabausa.com/babycook.cfm

Happy Pureeing,
Jessica

Breastpump

For those who currently nurse or are planning on nursing it's a good idea to have a breast pump in mind or on hand. While in the hospital I was introduced to a very industrial old school version of a pump I knew I wouldn't be able to have in my own home. However, some hospitals will let you rent their pumps, which is good when using a pump for the first time.

I reached out to my girlfriends who already had children and got some really great feedback on Medela pumps.
Currently I have a Medela Swing pump, which I love. It is a single pump so it can be time consuming. It is a more modern version from the hospital pump and sounds a lot less industrial...:) It is also easy to carry on the go and very compact (easily fits in my diaper bag if need be). Here are the specs for this pump:


Swing™ Breastpump
Model: 67050
Features and Benefits

* Mobile pumping with tabletop, belt clip and neck/shoulder strap options.
* Drawstring bag to keep everything clean and in one place between pumpings.
* Comfortable, massaging SoftFit™ breastshield.
* More milk in less time with 2-Phase Expression® technology when pumping at Maximum Comfort Vacuum™.
* IMPORTANT: This product is a single user item. Use by more than one user may pose a health risk, performance questions, and voids the warranty.
* All parts that come into contact with breastmilk are BPA-free.

What’s Included

* SoftFit™ breastshield
* Bottle stand
* 2 - 5oz breastmilk bottles, lids & travel cap
* Wide base slow-flow nipple
* 1 valve
* 3 membranes
* Tubing
* Neck/shoulder strap
* AC adapter
* Battery power option (4AA batteries not included)
* Carry bag
* Instruction manual
* Breastfeeding Information Guide

So far I am very pleased with this product and the quality of Medela.

Happy pumping,
Jessica

Information regarding the Medela swing obtained from: http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/breast-pumps/145/swing-breastpump

Pacifiers

I did not think I wanted to go the pacifier route with my son, but after a few days in this world he seemed to catch on to one pretty fast. He soothes himself to sleep while sucking on his pacifier.

Soothies: These are given to the child by most hospitals. They are very affordable and have a medical silicone and is latex-free. While my son enjoyed the soothie in the hospital we were unable to keep the pacifier in his mouth. The soothie falls our very easy.


Nuk: Our son currently uses the Nuk. The Nuk is an orthodontic pacifier and is available in silicone or latex. These pacifiers are also sold by age range of 0-6 mos, 6+ mos, and 18+mos. We found that our son was easily able to keep this pacifier in his mouth and was soothed very easily.


There are many pacifiers out there and each baby is different.

Happy Pacifing,
Jessica

Diaper Genie

Oh man, the Diaper Genie is a must!! My husband is a big smell person, so having the diaper genie has saved me from changing our son outside...not really, but sometimes those diapers get pretty nasty. The Diaper Genie does contain the smell and also tons of diapers. The refills last a while and aren't too pricey! This product is a must for a baby registry!

Happy Changing,
Jessica

Diapers

My husband and I made the decision to go with disposable diapers. We are both very busy people and knew we wouldn't have time for cloth diapers or had the money for a diaper service. We went through a couple of diapers and here are our results:

Pampers: Not a big fan. We used these diapers up until @ two months when his poops were getting quit large. We noticed the diaper did not withstand a large child's bathroom habits, nor where they able to contain much pee.


Huggies: BIG FANS!! This diaper has withstood the test as far as large messes....;) They also stand the overnight test of maximizing the 12 hours. We are very pleased with these diapers and continue to have our son grow with the good ol' Huggies.


I know there are many users of cloth diapers and would really appreciate the feedback and discoveries. I am thinking for our next child this may be an option.

Happy Changing,
Jessica

Joggers

Prior to pregnancy I was a big runner and knew when I got the green light at my 6 weeks I had to continue my passion. Not knowing a whole lot about strollers or joggers I reached out to friends who were also passionate runners. Here is what I found:

B.O.B. Ironman - this is the one I own and LOVE!! This was definitely made with the distance runner in mind. It is very light weight! With any B.O.B. there are many accessories to be added that can easily be found at REI. I immediately purchased the infant carrier attachment so I could begin when my son was young. Highly recommended for those who are serious about running.


B.O.B. Revolution - this is also a great stroller for runners although a little bulkier. Many lock the front wheel when running long distance which is ideal for straight line. This stroller is able to handle on and off road terrain. Also a great stroller for those serious about running. The plus to this stroller is that it can also double as a regular stroller.


Baby Jogger - Although I've never got around to using this jogger a dear friend of mine who I've trained with for years swears by this stroller. I ran with her while the Baby jogger was in use and found that she had minimal issues and absolutely loved it.


Again, there are many other joggers out there and appreciate any other recommendations.

Happy Running,
Jessica

I know this will fall under a catagory coming soon, but felt it very important to post now for those who currently use Maclaren strollers:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/09/news/companies/Maclaren_stroller_recall/index.htm?section=money_latest

Baby Carriers

After having my son, there was no doubt I wanted him to be as close as possible at all times. Knowing that it helps milk production, closeness, and eliminates having to leave him here and there when trying to accomplish simple tasks such as going to the bathroom or washing my hands, I knew I needed a good carrier. I was out of the loop when it came to knowing what the best carriers where and had no idea that each are specific to size and weight. I went through a few and felt it important that other moms know the difference and how I felt about each one.

Sling - although a good idea, a sling is ideal for a smaller baby. My child is in the 97 percentile and felt it difficult to get him use to the idea of being slinged. He would tolerate it for five minutes here and there, when asleep, but other than that he wasn't to keen to the idea. I also felt it very difficult to take him in and out, even after watching several You Tube videos.


Moby - this is my favorite. A cheaper more customizing way to carry the baby. There are also several You Tube videos available and several ways to jimmie-rigg the moby. I liked the idea of a washable long piece of cloth that I could tie around myself and have my baby very close to me. I also hear you can nurse easily in the moby, although I never tested the theory.


Baby Bjorn - one word, "OUCH". This thing killed my back and neck area. If your child is over 13 lbs I do not recommend. It is a great idea when it comes to facing your child outward, but for a large child this can really do a number on your back. There is an active version with lumbar support and would love to hear the feedback on it, since the original is a serious body killer.


Ergo - although a little more pricey, I felt this to be the best option. It is very comfy for my child and he has accepted it as a napping spot which is always a plus. This is a great investment as the child can grow into it, I've seen children up to 4 being ergoed around town. The only downside is that the child doesn't have the option to face outward and that there isn't much head support once the child gets the asleep head bobble.


I would love any additional feedback as I know there are many other carriers out there.

Happy Mom,
Jessica