Mommies With Style

Another product we brought along on our trip was the GoPillow! My son and daughter loved the Go Pillow! so much that they actually fought over whose turn it was to have it! The GoPillow! is a portable pillow that has a built-in blanket tucked away inside. My kids loved snuggling with it on the airplane (of course taking turns), since it is super soft and cozy. The portable pillow consists of an inner core of soft, pliable cushion/foam and a soft outer fabric covering.

The Go Pillow! reminds me of a cylinder type pillow that you can place your hand on up to your elbow inside to securely cradle your child while feeding them. The built-in blanket tucks neatly inside, providing easy access to pull out while on the go to allow for mother and baby privacy while out in public breast feeding.

Besides being great for snuggling and breast feeding, it also makes a fabulous nap blanket since your child can rest their head on the pillow while lying on the blanket. Additionally, it makes for a nice place to change your child’s diaper. The GoPillow! is washable (we were thrilled since we took it on the plane) and is available in pink and blue. Check out the GoPillow! where you can see pictures of the fabulous ways it can be of use!  Receive a free breastfeeding guide with every purchase-no code required.

We love Happy Baby Food in my house! This organic baby food company, recently finalists for NBC’s Shine-a-Light award, has some terrific, healthy products for your children. We swooned over their Happy Bites (the salmon fish sticks were awesome),  but our absolute favorite products were the HappyTots and the HappyPuffs.

We’re crazy about their HappyTots – which are handheld toddler meals. I actually found these at Target and keep a few in the car for quick nutrition when we’re on the go — which is pretty much all te time. The pouch looks like the Trader Joe’s pouch applesauce that we buy, so my kids knew instantly how to eat them. My 4 year old was into them, as much as my 2 year old. He loved the Spinach, Mango and Pear flavor and didn’t realize he was eating a vegetable (which brought a smile to my face).   HappyTots come in flavors such as: Green Beans, Pears & Peas, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple & Cinnamon, Banana, Peach & Mango, Spinach, Mango & Pear, Butternut Squash & Apple, and Banana, Peach, Coconut & Prunes.

*Reviewer’s note: There was a recent voluntary recall of HAPPYTOT Stage 4 and HAPPYBABY Stage 1 and Stage 2 pouches (not the HappyBites, as mentioned incorrectly) for possible bacteria contamination due to a packing defect. The products were sold at certain Whole Foods and Targets. The company handled themselves admirably, being open and honest about the recall, which made me like them even more. At press time, no child had become sick.

We also loved their Organic HappyPuffs– which are larger and actually puffier than the standard popular non-organic puff. I was pleased to see they have a organic greens version!

Reviewer received vouchers for product samples.

Little Little is eatting big time. The teeny tiny one has been reaching out for foods for weeks and she can finally join in on the fun. And she just loves it.

Plum Organics : My friend was shocked the other day when I told her I taste baby food. Of course, I was just as shocked that she didn’t. So, apparently, I’m quite the baby food connoisseur as I’ve now tried several brand (in addition to my own, homemade baby food). Point being, Plum Organic baby and toddler foods are actually yummy. As in, if I was going to be the baby food eater, I’d be asking for Plum rather than others. Their new Just line of fruits taste wholesome and rich, the flavor really jumps out of the taste. And I’ve noticed that while she’s not being too picky, she’s definitely responding to their foods. I also love Plum Organic’s easy to use and reuse packaging. The resealable packaging vacuums in what is left in the package as it squirts out onto the spoon or into the bowl, so that you aren’t mixing in bacterias and making any uneatten remainder uneatable. Apparently, more flavors are coming soon to the Just line, and I’m really hoping some of those flavors will be veggies. Plum Organics offers a Tots line that includes mixes of vegetables and fruits and Little (and I) will be tasting those soon, too.

The Huz and I decided that the Baby Dipper Bowl is another one of those lightbulb moments. You know, the one where a lightbulb goes off in your head because you thought of this great idea. Except this wasn’t our idea. This was the brilliant idea of Barbara Schantz, mom of 2 sets of twins. The Huz loves the Baby Dipper because of the friction it provides.  The bottom is a rubber that makes it very difficult to easily slide across a surface. Additionally, its thicker around the sides and the shape is hard for a baby to grip, so babies aren’t likely to pick up this bowl and toss it. (yay!) My favorite innovation about this bowl is the slope: it slopes down in one corner so that I don’t have to tilt the bowl to pick up food in the spoon. Its one of those simple things that no one else thought of.

Thanks to Baby Dipper and Plum Organics for the samples for review.

I’ve been a fan of NUK since my first child was a baby, 4 years ago. He loved their orthodontic pacifiers — and would only use them. They’ve been updated for 2010 and are now called Genius^TM pacifier (around $4.50 -$4.99 ). Designed by orthodontists, they’re BPA-free and go up to size 3 (which is for 18 months plus). It allows additional space for the tongue, enabling better oral development.

Besides the redesigned Genius^TM pacifier, Nuk is introducing many more products for 2010. They’ve got breastfeeding support products, like a Gentle Moisturizing Balm, breast milk storage bags and containers, and reusable nursing pads (as well as disposable ones).

I liked their EZ-to-Hook Pacifier Carry Case. Just stash your child’s pacifier in it,  hook it onto a diaper bag, purse or stroller. It will hold up to 2 pacifiers and it has ventilation holes to prevent moisture build up. Looking for a great first cup –  NUK’s Learner Cup (between $9.99 and $10.99) is suitable for ages 6 months on. This BPA-free cup features a spill-proof soft spout, easy-grip handles, and an extra wide neck make for easier filling and cleaning.

Gerber’s Graduates line of cups, utensils, and tableware are also made by NUK, as well as the Gerber First Essentials line.

I attended NUK’s 2010 Preview Breakfast in and received a gift bag containing samples.

In honor of Earth’s Best’s 25th anniversary, they are inviting parents and grandparents to share their own wishes for their baby’s future. The company wants to hear about the hopes and dreams parents have for the next generation. These wishes will be shared with the online community and entered into a sweepstakes where one lucky child will win a $25,000 savings bond from Earth’s Best.

To enter:  Visit www.earthsbest.com and submit a wish to be entered.

Sweepstakes Prizes:

* 1 Grand Prize: $25,000 US Savings Bond

* 4 First Prizes: Earth’s Best Organic Birthday Bash ($850 value)

*25 Second Prizes: Earth’s Best Gift Pack ($38.99 value)

Monthly Prizes: Each month, 25 winners will be randomly selected to receive a $25 US Savings Bond and $25 in Earth’s Best coupons to help them save for their baby now and in the future.

Everyone who submits a wish will be mailed $4.00 worth of coupons for the complete array of Earth’s best products. Parents can also print and frame their wish – choose from 12 wish styles, all are printable and will fit 6×4 frame as a keepsake (for free).

Go to http://www.earthsbest.com/earths-best-wishes/wishes for more information. Wishes can be entered from now to March 31st, 2010.

Have a used car seat/stroller/bassinet, etc. lying around? I have a few old car seats that are from my daughter and I don’t think they are safe to use for my 2-year old son. So when I heard about the “Great Trade-In” event, I was thrilled!

Through Saturday, February 20th, Babies “R” Us and Toys “R” Us stores are holding the “Great Trade-In” event providing their customers with the opportunity to trade-in any used car seats, strollers, cribs, bassinets, travel systems, play yards, toddler beds or high chairs in exchange for a 25% off savings on the purchase of a new baby item, in any of the product categories from select manufacturers. Participating brands are: Britax, Babi Italia, Baby Cache, Baby Trend, Bergamo, Bertini, Carter’s, Chicco, Contours by Kolcraft, Cosco, Delta, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Graco, Jeep, Little Tikes, Safety 1st, Sorelle and Step2.

The “Great Trade-In” event places an emphasis on specific baby products, that due to safety concerns, may not be the best candidates to be handed down or resold. Beyond recalls, certain older and used baby items can be potentially unsafe for a variety of reasons, including damage or lack of compliance with recent advances in product safety standards.

You don’t need to have purchased the item you want to “trade-in” from TRU or BRU. You can bring in multiple items and you will be given one 25% off discount for each item traded in. The discount must be used that day on another item from the participating categories and manufacturers. Trade-In items and purchased items can be from different categories.

Having a baby and kids means a lot of scheduling and record keeping. Losing sight of those schedules can be cause for a rausous of a child, and, often, a stressed and frustrated spouse. Over a baby’s uncalmable screams, there’s nothing more frustraing than screaming “when was she last fed?” and receive the response: “I don’t know… maybe about an hour ago? or three?”

So its really helpful to find a recording system that will work for you, your spouse and your babysitter. One system that’s working well is Lullaboards, a dry erase board that can be posted on your refrigerator. It offers space for tracking feedings, diapers, naps and milestones. We’ve found that listing these accomplishments each day, and keeping it on the refrigerator in the same spot all the time, helps to keep everyone sane, and in the know at the loudest and most stressful times. Its also been so helpful to have when calling the pediatrician with questions and preparing for a babysitter.

Lullaboards are available for tracking newborns, babies, pumping and toddlers withcolorful border options. (I’d love to see a “sickie” Lullaboard for tracking fevers and medications in the future.) They can be personalized, which I imagine is perfect for daycares and twins.

Edited to add:  Julie received a sample of Lullaboards to assist in this review.

It’s common knowledge that my 4 year old son gives me a very hard time about eating. One thing he never gives me a hard time about is yogurt, so I was thrilled to try Stonyfield Farm’s YoBaby’s 3 in 1 Meals.  They contain whole milk yogurt, plus fruit and vegetable puree, and it’s certified Organic. Both my children liked the Pear & Green Bean, Peach & Squash, Apple & Sweet Potato meals – and never once realized it contained vegetable puree.

What I wasn’t wild about was the 6 oz. container it came in. It was bigger than the typical 4 oz. YoBaby yogurt container and they often wouldn’t finish it their containers. Now, after talking to moms, Stonyfield Farm created a 4 pack with 4 oz of yogurt in each container (MSRP $2.99). Besides looking similar to the 6 packs of YoBaby I buy, the serving is more appropriate for my 2 and 4 year old!

Click here to download a coupon and see special offers from Stonyfield Farms – you’ll have to register.
Product coupons for the 3 in 1 Meals were provided for review purposes.

The year was 2001 and I was in England to visit my friend Sam’s new baby Ella. While shopping at the English drugstore chain, Boots, I found these great soft roll bibs by Tommee Tippee. Now, as a mom of two, I’ve never been able to find a bib that worked as well since. I was pleased to find out that Tommee Tippee is coming to the US and will be exclusive to Babies R Us and Toys R Us. One of the best selling brands in Europe, I was also happy to find out their products are BPA-free.

They’ve got two major lines launching in the US very soon. The closer to nature line (for infants and babies) consists of bottles, breastpumps, pacifiers and baby accessories (like bibs and weaning cups). The explora line (for ages 6 months to around 4 years) consists of bibs, cups, feeding bowls, and utensils.

The expora® Easi-Roll Bibs (2 pack for $6.99) are an an updated version of the ones I loved in 2001. They are made of silicone, have a crumb catcher, and can be cleaned in the top rack of your dishwasher.

We loved the explora® Truly Spill Proof Cups (2 pack for $7.99). They were easy to grip, insulated (so drinks stayed colder longer) and looked a little more chic than regular sippy cups of the same size. They hold 9 fluid ounces, and have a valve that’s designed by a physicist so liquid flows on demand, but it’s still spill and leak proof. Both my 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter kept reaching for these cups. We kept tipping them over (which most of the time accidentally) and no liquid ever spilled. We even took them with us when we visited my inlaws over the Christmas holiday.

Look for Tommee Tippee products very soon!

The reviewer was invited to a comedy show and gifted with some Tommee Tippee items.

I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that it just keeps getting easier to feed your child healthy organic baby food. What was once a laborious task, with my oldest child (shopping, preparing, freezing, etc) has just become a no brainer with Ella’s Kitchen baby food products. A friend brought over a starter pack recently, suggesting I review them for Mommies With Style and I just want to send her a big public thanks! Even though we are not really in the baby food stage any more I will definitely buy this product to have on hand “in the mix”. If you are just starting out with baby foods or in the thick of infant feeding, seriously, you need this! Want to try it for yourself? One lucky reader will have the chance to try out a sample pack and I’m you’ll agree!

All the Ella’s Kitchen Stage 1 baby foods contain JUST organic fruits and vegetables, no fillers, no added salt or sugar, and unlike most baby foods, not even added water which would dilute its food value (if you look closely you’ll see that often up to 40% of many baby foods’ ingredients are actually water). The fruits and vegetables are pureed until smooth, gently pasteurized and popped into handy, light, re-sealable pouches.

Did I mention how much I like this packaging? It could not make eating on the run easier. The pouches have a sort of spout and a lid. You unscrew the lid to serve the food – just squeeze out what you need and recap, placing the remainder in fridge or freezer. If you’re in a pinch to serve a snack in the car, older toddlers can actually slurp the smoothie fruits and any of the Stage 1 blends, juice pouch style.

I never liked carrying glass containers of food in my bag, and frozen baby food is just not easy to deal with on the road, or on the spur of the moment. The fact that this food never needs to be refrigerated prior to use and has a 12 month shelf life without preservatives is just mind boggling and a little rock my world-ish. I had to read more about how they managed to do this. The secret is in the packaging, a method similar to canning but they’ve managed to preserve the nutritional integrity. Clearly the concept appealed to me from the start. There was only one last test to pass… The taste test!

For the taste test we brought in my 21 month old son. He’s past the baby food stage, clearly, but that did not dampen his enthusiasm for Ella’s kitchen foods. He happily slurped up the Smoothie Fruits and wanted to try all the Stage 1 foods. We let him try one a day (note: he would have happily tried them all at once, but moderation kiddo!) He actually would select the pouches himself, thinking carefully then announcing “I want yellow!” or “I want green!”. We packed pouches in his bag for the daycare at the gym and took some with us when we went out on errands or to dinner.

So far every pouch has been pronounced “yummy” and not “gucky” which is toddler for yucky, and in liberal use at our house. This overwhelming endorsement of non guckiness is like an awesome Michelin rating as far as we are concerned. I’m recommending this stuff to all my friends and buying more to have on hand for those days when all my son wants to eat is pasta and I want to get something else into him.

And now the giveaway… Leave a comment below telling us what flavor of Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food you think your child would enjoy the most. One winner will be chosen at random to receive a sample pack containing all 6 Stage 1 baby foods and the Smoothie fruits.