Mommies With Style

Packaging says a lot when you’re baby gifting. So does quality and style. When you’re looking for all this in a small baby gift, consider Maclaren’s beginning Range.

I know! I was pretty surprised to realize that Maclaren, reknowned for its buggies/strollers and accessories, had moved into bath products. I was sent samples of beginning bath milks and massage oils, and the package alone is impressive.

The oils and milks provide a mix of nurturing scents that are calming and rejuvenating for the body and mind. Moms to be will delight in rubbing their pregnant bellies and, later, massaging their little babies.

Thanks to Maclaren for providing a sample for review.

I recently went on vacation with my husband and two kids and we decided to test out a bunch of fabulous products that I will be reviewing over the next several weeks! I will be sharing my children’s and husband’s opinions as well.

The first product is one that we used over and over again and were thrilled that we had it with us. My husband was a bit skeptical about why we really needed it, but boy was he ever so thankful that we had it with us on the very first day of our 9-day vacation!

Minimus.biz is the leader in all things travel-sized and individual-sized. They stock more than 2,000 products including over 100 pre-packaged kits and gift sets. Products you couldn’t possibly imagine come traveled sized and Minimus.biz carries them all. All of their liquids and gels are TSA compliant (3.4 oz or less), which makes packing that carry-on all the easier.

The Traveling with Toddlers kit holds all of the essentials you could possibly want as a parent. It contains 21 travel-size products in a zippered 10″x8″x2.5″ clear vinyl bag which makes it a breeze to find what you need at any time! The kit came in handy when the following happened on our trip:

- My son fell on pavement and scraped his elbow pretty badly. Never fear – the handy first aid kit came to our rescue. The kit contained not only bandages, but towelettes to wash the area, alcohol prep pads to cleanse the wounds, anti-biotic ointment (bacitracin) to promote healing plus more!

- My son had developed a diaper rash and needed cream. I never carry cream anymore and was thrilled to have Boudreaux’s Butt Paste in the kit which instantly gave him relief and eliminated me from having to take a trip to the store.

- My kids’ hands needed disinfecting and washing a lot as we were very active with activities everyday. Hand sanitizer and the Candy wipes came in handy often.

- My kids’ noses were always running so the pocket tissues were a huge help!

- We forgot shampoo for my kids’ baths and were thrilled to find California Baby Shampoo/Bodywash and Bubble Bath!

- The stall in the airport was out of toilet paper so the Charmin To Go was perfect!

- We had a few spills in the car and the Bounty to go Mini Roll of Paper Towels was the best!

There is so much more inside the kit as well. It even came with a small flashlight with batteries included. We were so impressed with this kit and couldn’t get over how many times it came in handy and made travel easier! We were so thankful to have it with us on our trip. It has found its new home in my car and has been great to have on the go!

We also received some travel games such as Candy Land Travel Fun On the Run and Tangoes which my kids loved playing on the plane and when we had down time. They were both the perfect size to travel with. Also, with airplane food a thing of the past, we were well-prepared on the plane with great travel friendly treats. My kids enjoyed the Squeezers Peanut Butter & Jelly combo and individually wrapped Ritz Cracker packages while my husband and I had the Wild Garden Hummus To Go and Cracked Wheat Wafers which were delicious. We all liked the Kool-Aid 2 Go packets which we just dropped in our water bottles!

With over 2,000 items and 15 categories to choose travel products from, you’ll be sure to find what you are looking for. The next time you travel or just want some simplicity for the travel sized products you tote around town the most, check out Minimus.biz – you’ll be thrilled you did!!!

Save 5% off the Traveling with Toddlers Kit or the Toddler Travel Kit (smaller version of the Traveling with Toddlers Kit) by entering code mommieswithstyle at checkout until March 31, 2010. Free shipping is offered on orders over $20.

My little one just became potty-trained in the past 2 weeks! During our little potty boot camp (during the crazy blizzard on the East Coast) we used a variety of potty training products. One of them was the On-the-go Inflatable Potty Seat, a soft, comfortable sturdy seat for my son.

You may be wondering why I used a travel potty seat while I was potty training in my house. Well, first of all, this potty seat fit nicely on a toilet that is a bit odd-shaped and was hard to use with other potty seats. Secondly, it was very easy to use and comfortable for my son. The inflatable seat with backrest support and handles made the large toilet seat nice and snug for my son. He felt safe and secure and it definitely helped him gain confidence as he learned to use the toilet. The seat was also very easy to clean. I just rinsed it under some warm water and it was clean in seconds.

This is a great product to take with you in your car, with you on a trip, or wherever you may venture to outside of your home. Since it is inflatable, it folds down to almost nothing, so it’s easy to pack and take along. The stabilization ring fits in the toilet seat opening and prevents the seat from slipping, which is a problem that I find with many of these types of seats.

Best of all, it is very inexpensive, at $7.99. Available in both blue and pink, this is a great product to have on hand for your potty-training or potty-trained child. Learn more about the inflatable potty seat with an interactive video or purchase online!

Everyone loves getting personalized baby gifts: parents give their kids for a reason–they love the name. And absolutely love celebrating a baby by seeing the name again and again. Want to send a bath or baby necessity personalized? Look no further than The Looking Glass. With cloth products for baby and child such as towels, sheets and blankets, its another great gift to give, and receive.

We received a sample towel made by Swaddle Designs, personalized by The Looking Glass. Loved that it wasn’t a plain, old, boring towel. It had a trendy pattern and color scheme, and the personalization looked great. Definitely filing this shop for future personalized purchases and gifts.

Fall seems to have started early in the mid-Atlantic, so my 8-week-old little girl and I are definitely experiencing colder weather. Which means new methods to stay warm and new ways to carry her to athletic events (can’t take a stroller to either the football or t-ball fields).

Last week I tested out the BabyHawk Baby Carrier to see if she was ready for it (which I reviewed in July). Instantly I could feel a balanced difference in my back. She cuddles so nicely inside and I’m very confident that she’s securely attached. The BabyHawk is now going everywhere with us–to preschool, t-ball practice, football games. I expect to start doing a lot less hauling the infant seat and a lot more using the carrier now that she’s in it.

Last night was bath night. A pretty regular night in our home.  But as I was wrapping baby girl up in her towel I reflected how useful and brilliant the CozyCare Cape is. It fits over my head while I bathe her, keeping me dry from little splashes. When the bath is over I can hold her against me and wrap her easily, no need to put her on the ground to dry her like I do with other towels. And when I get to the changing table, the CozyCare Cape is big enough to place her  and the towel on the table and slip it over my head, never needing to unwrap her. This will make a great baby shower gift, I’m adding it to my list of must-haves for future moms. Read my review here.

I love fall, I love the crisp air, turning off the A/C, football, crunching in the leaves. But I dread putting tights on her legs (its actually intimidating!) and, of course, want to dress her in cutesy dresses. I never realized the value of legwarmers until having a little girl. We now have about 8 pair (probably totally unnecessary to have so many, but I have to make sure she’ll match every outfit, right?) and we’re finding 2 brands we love: BabyLegs and Zootie. I also feel like they’re a good investment. They stay on her now but are very baggy and saggy, they’ll fit her much longer than and are far less likely to fray and tear tights would be.

My little one has a thing for my long, curly hair (which is a good thing since she’s starting to get her own, untameable curls!) So while her grabbing on may be a sign of affection, it also causes her to get stuck on me and my hair to get stuck on her. I’ve found 2 favorite solutions:

• When I wake up at 6:30 for her morning feeding, I pull my hair back in a Cappucino by danielleloporto on etsy. Cappucino’s do the job of a do-rag or a bandana, in fact the look is pretty much the same. However Capp’s have a covered elastic wrap on the bottom, securing your hair without knotting it or stripping it, and it stays in for an extended period because the elastic keeps it in place. I’ve been wearing Capp’s while working out for a few years now, but never as much as I do now.
• Debbie reviewed the Clever Clip last spring and I knew that it was a product that I had to try. Now that the baby is obsessed with my hair and that I have yet to find the time to actually do my hair in the morning, the Clever Clip has become my absolute favorite accessory, next to my wedding band and engagement ring. It’s so simple to pull my hair up and out of the way and it looks good every single time. Do yourself a favor, be prepared for a bad hair day and get one now.

Around this house, swaddling is all the rage (she’s sleeping through the night and I think a lot of that has to do with swaddling.) But not all babies like to be swaddled. Some, in fact, kick out of it right away needing access to hands, feet and a little freedom. For parents of unswaddled babies, there’s now a product to “bag” your babies and keep them warm without wrapping them tightly.

Check out the Peke Moe, a product made of 100% natural cotton. Its a great alternative for babies who refuse to swaddle tightly. The Peke Moe is also a safe alternative to blankets to keep baby warm and safe from scratches.

Next week, Nature’s Baby Organics Bath and Body Products will be available in select Target Stores and Target.com. Nature’s Baby Organics products, created by mom of two, Adena Surabian, contain no harsh chemicals and are free of parabens, phlthalates, propylene glycol and synthetic ingredients (including fragrances and colors). 

Target.com is ordering free shipping for Nature’s Baby Organics products if you spend $50 or more. Click here for more retailers who carry Nature’s Baby Organics products.

Ahhh… summer. Sprinklers, swimming pools, sundaes and … sunburn. Okay, I can do without the latter. I’m always willing to try out a new sunscren that the kids won’t mind, and neither will I, to protect their cute little faces and perfect skin.

Substance Baby Natural Sunscreen has an SPF 30 and includes zinc oxide–making for an even stronger sun barrier. We love that, in addition to the zinc and the SPF, its chemical free which offers a lot of reassurance–I know what is going on my kids’ skin.  It also happens to be waterproof, a necessity for my little fishies. With lots of extra herbal oils to moisturize their skin while protecting, it leaves feels good on my hands after apply. And the scent is nothing insulting and chemically–its a mix of citrus and mint. Yum!

Maternitique has Substance Baby Natural Sunscreen on sale through July 31. Additionally, use code MWS for 10% off any purchase of $10 or more.

Planning to give a bath sometime soon? You’ll want to place an express shipping order for a CozyCare Cape. Clearly, the creators of this product sat and brainstormed everything annoying about bathing a little one and found a simple way to fix it.

Splashing is no longer a scream (for you, at least). First, its a terry cape that drapes over you while you’re bathing your little one, so it covers your arms and top, keeping you protected from soaking clothing. But, as we well know, terry is more of a dryer than a protector. So the makers of the CozyCare Cape lined the the cape with a waterproof panel: no more soaking through the towel while baby splashes or while you pick up your child.

Pick-up, Wrap-up and Dry. The CozyCare Cape has longer side panels, so that when the bath is over, you just pick up your child and wrap in the excess terry. There’s no more gripping the towel with your chin (or, ouch!, teeth) or struggling to wrap your child with a towel that keeps falling down. Its all connected to you.

Lessen your slippage insecurity. When baby is squirming and slippery, slippage is a major concern, especially for new parents. The CozyCare Cape allows you to hold your baby so that he or she is nearly attached to you.

I’m thinking this is a great gift–nearly a necessity for anyone bathing a non-walker. Use code STB2 for 35% off your purchase.

They’re not babies, but my boys have been trying out Belli Baby’s Calm Me Hair and Body Wash. Why? For one, its tear free. Two, it cleanses lightly, moisturizing without heavy chemicals. Three, it has an amzing lather that surprises me every time. Who would think something so light and thin would have such an amazing lather?

The thin, light liquid soap goes a long way per pump, so I know there is value for the dollar. And its free of Phthalates and other xenoestrogens… in-other-words, its healthy for kid-skin, and, I’ve heard, great on sensitive skin.

Belli Baby Calm Me Hair and Body Bath is currently on sale at 15% off. No coupon necessary. Which is a good thing. Because my baby isn’t even here yet and I’ll be needing more if the boys keep using it. Which they will.