Jurlique’s Lavender Hand Cream

From dishes to diaper changes, I can’t tell you how many times I wash my hands everyday. To relieve dry skin, I purchased Jurlique’s Lavender Hand Cream, which has worked wonders on my hands.

Keeping Babies Warm This Winter!

http://www.babylegs.com/

I’d like to have a talk with Old Man Winter to tell him how I really feel about all the snow he’s been dumping down on us this season.  Given the opportunity it would not be a pleasant conversation, but I am sure I have a lot of support from others to end this snowfall madness.  Since I can’t seem to get my message across, I figured I’d attempt to piss him off by sharing Baby Legs with everyone.  Baby Legs are leg warmers, which come in cute colors and designs fit for any lil’ fashionista.  (My husband seems to think no boy should wear these under any circumstances.  I advise you not to listen to him).  There are some patterns for boys too like the Touchdown leg warmer and the Homerun leg warmer.  We received our first pair as a gift from my company, who sent us a bagful of goodies when Sophia was born.  Since then, I have gone back for 8 pairs not including the pairs I purchased as gifts for my friends’ babies.  Those first few months after Sophia was born, I was able to keep her legs warm without having to dress her in pants, which proved to be helpful when we were changing her diaper at least 15 times a day.  After tons of washes, the colors have not faded and none of them have started pilling.  Sophia loves to wear Baby Legs over her tights with skirts or dresses, under her pants when it’s super cold and around the house when she’s wearing only a onesie.  Lately, it’s been an added layer as we try to keep her warm.  Old Man Winter, you obviously could care less about my desire for less snow, BUT I want you to know we are ready for you so BRING IT ON!

Miracle Blanket

 

http://www.miracleblanket.com/

My husband and I discovered the Miracle Blanket late in the game, which is why I try to tell mom’s-to-be about this product.   The Miracle Blanket is a swaddling blanket which as their website says, “Stops colic – GUARANTEED!” (They shouted it, not me).  Honestly, it looks like a straight jacket for newborns (heck maybe they are crazy with all that crying they do).  I still can’t quite figure out what colic (I’ve done extensive reading on this and I am convinced no one really knows) is but this did help Sophia sleep soundly despite her resistance to any and all swaddles.  At the hospital, she enjoyed the swaddle as if she knew nothing else, but when she came home it was a different story altogether.  We tried swaddling her real tight, and then a little loose.  Then, tight again with the arms out.  (Don’t tell me you never tried that one!)  Nothing worked!  Every morning she work up completely out of her swaddle.  This went on for several weeks.  We feared she would hurt herself in the process of trying to get the swaddle undone.  My husband and I were desperate for sleep and we were willing to try anything.  I am not sure who introduced us to this product, but we owe them BIG TIME (yes, that was me that time).  The first night Sophia used the Miracle Blanket, she slept with a smile on her face (we did too). All parents need to be armed and ready to go when their buddle of joy arrives.  Once again, it’s money well spent.

Medela Freestyle Breast Pump

I knew early on that I would be breast feeding so I wanted to make sure I had the best breast pump available.  Given the right tools you will succeed is my motto.  After a lot of research, I decided the Medela Freestyle Breast Pump was the way to go.  It’s important to note that I work full-time and commute via 2 trains so I wanted to make sure the pump I choose was light and portable.  The motor for the Medela Freestyle is the size of a walkman (ok maybe half an inch thicker but it’s still small) and weighs no more than 1 pound.  I used the pump at least three times a day for up to a year and didn’t notice a decrease in strength and consistency of the motor so I would say it did it’s job well.  I found the rechargeable battery to be extremely helpful as I had no outlet to use when I pumped at work.  Downside: It’s not really “hands-free”.  To be fair, I never really gave the clips and attachments a fair shot.  I tried to figure it out once and learned quickly that it wasn’t as easy as it seems.  HOWEVER, I purchased an Easy Expressions Bustier (It looks like a tube top bra from the 80s with two holes on them.  It’s not the most attractive look, but it serves its purpose) and found that it worked better for me.  When I pumped at home, I was quite a sight, but I did manage to get a lot done since I wasn’t confined to one area pumping milk for 15-20 minutes.  

The pump comes with a black tote bag, two 4.5 ounce bottles and a cooler pack.  I always found it easier to use the Medela Pump and Save Storage Bags since it stores easily in my creamery, oh I mean, freezer.  Just be extra careful to set up your bag properly to avoid leakage and wasting milk.  I learned that the hard way.  Unfortunately, the Medela bags only come in 5 ounces so some mornings I had to switch bags mid-pump.  There always seems to be a solution for everything:  I am told Lansinoh makes larger bags, but, honestly, it didn’t bother me enough to go out and make the purchase.

So, go ahead and turn up the volume to Madonna and make some milk for your babies. You know you want to!

Homemade Baby Food Made Easy

I grew up eating my mom’s home cooked meals.  When I learned I was pregnant, I was determined to make my daughter’s meals from scratch, and I have been doing so ever since she started solids at 6 months.  The Beaba Babycook allows me to steam fruits and vegetables in about 15 minutes without having to stand in my kitchen watching over the stove.  Another added bonus is the cooker can also be used to puree the steamed fruits and vegetables, which means less items to wash after cooking.  This product has made it easy for me to make healthy homecooked meals for my daughter.  I would definitely recommend the Beaba Babycook to other mom’s who think they don’t have the time to cook.  Check back for more ideas and healthy recipes.

Mealtime Spoons for Infants

I am passionate about cooking as I am about eating so it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that I am particular about the utensils I use.  When my daughter started solids at 6 months, I wanted to make sure her sensitive gums wouldn’t be traumatized by the spoons we choose.  It took tons of patience and many trips to various stores.  We finally purchased Playtex Mealtime spoons which come as a 4 pack and sell for $4.79. I found the tips to be soft and flexible. Its shovel-like composition is big enough to hold solids, which were really more like liquid at the time.  I recommend these spoons to all my mommy friends who are starting their children on the adventurous journey of food for the first time.