Mommies With Style

I had my baby a week ago and just came home earlier this week. We’ve been using Skip Hop’s Day to Night Baby Log ($39) to keep track of feeding, changing and sleeping. We love that there is a place to record doctor’s visits and baby gifts. The best part? The Time Capsule, which lets you display the current time and date, has a timer, and also lights up (great for recording your data at 3 am!). You can record your data for up to 6 months. This is a great baby shower gift/essential for your registry.

Thank you to Skip Hop for providing a product sample.

Before I went to the hospital to have my third child, I knew I wanted to have sterilized pacifiers and nipple shields on hand. I had just received Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Microwave Sterilizer ($29.99) to review, so I broke it out. Personally, I prefer microwave sterilizers because when my first son was an infant, I burned the tops of his bottles. They’re also compact enough to take to grandma’s house for the weekend.

Tommee Tippee’s Microwave Sterilizer kills up to 99.9% of germs using steam. It sterilizes bottles, nipples, breast pump parts, and pacifiers, without the use of chemicals. I literally had it open and was using it in seconds. Just add water and select the time you will need to microwave to sterilize (it’s based on the power of your microwave). It will hold 4 Closer to Nature Bottles (not included), and comes with one 5 fl. oz. bottle with slow-flow nipple, 1 pacifier, a bottle brush, 1 set of nipple tongs and lid. It’s small enough to fit in practically all microwaves and compact enough for travel (great for taking along to grandma’s house). And it’s BPA & Phthalate Free.

If you prefer a countertop sterilizer, Tommee Tippee also offers the Closer to Nature Electric Steam Sterilizer ($69.99). Tommee Tippee’s products in the US are exclusive to Babies R Us.

Thank you to Tommee Tippee for providing a sample product for review purposes.

We love Skip Hop’s Splash Bottle Rack ($27 – 34) – which is a new mom essential if you bottlefeed or use a breastpump. Once your little darling starts sippy cups and solids, Splash is also excellent for drying all those tiny parts, utensils and dishes!

BPA-Free, Phthalate-Free, and PVC Free, the Splash’s space saving circular design holds a ton. The bottom shelf is perfect for tiny items -  nipples, straws, valves. The Splash holds up to 9 bottles and/or cups, the bottom tray can be removed easily to get rid of excess water, no tools are required to put it together, and it’s dishwasher safe. Includes a rubber gripped bottle brush.

I love when companies make smart products. Take for instance Boon’s Squirt spoon that came out a few years back – fill up the handle with baby food, stick on the cap and feeding baby on the go was as simple as pie…or smashed peas. I still do love this spoon, but there was only a 2-3 month window when baby was only eating one Squirt handle full of food. It lost some of its convenience if you had to refill the spoon handle while you were out and about.

But now Boon has a new fantastic new product to make feeding time even easier when you’re on the go – and for babies who eat more. The Dispensing Spoon.  What it lacks in creative naming, it totally makes up for with usefulness. In conjunction with Plum Organics, the Dispensing Spoon screws directly on to Plum Organics’ squeezable, portable pouches of flavor combinations like apple/carrot, pumpkin/banana and blueberry/pear/purple carrot to make mealtime as easy as squeezing. Brilliant!

What I love:

* great for meals on the go, in the car, at the park and any other situations where one-handed feeding is needed

*  each package comes with two spoons and a storage case

*  dishwasher safe (top-shelf only)

*  free of phthalate, PVC and BPA

Heading on the road this summer or even just to your neighborhood park for lunch? Take the stress out of feeding baby on the go, by throwing a Boon Dispensing Spoon and two Plum Organics packs in the diaper bag. Buy the two pack of Dispensing Spoon for $3.99 at Boon’s website or at EcoMom.

I’m really excited to announce my participation with Healthy Child, Healthy World as a Parent Ambassador. I’m in great company along with 18 other bloggers and actress Amy Brenneman (Private Practice, Judging Amy) and I’m thrilled to be a part of this movement.

About: Healthy Child, Healthy World is a non-profit organization devoted to expanding global awareness and understanding about the environmental hazards that are potentially hazardous to children that unfortunately exist in today’s modern world. They aim to increase awareness one parent at a time – so we can make better choices for our children.

To me, it’s about making small, daily changes.  Global change starts with one family, and over the last few years, I’ve been trying to make subtle changes in my family’s living on a daily basis.  The world isn’t what it was when we were once kids.  There are chemicals everywhere and they are harmful to our children.

My hope is that in being a part of this volunteer position, I can not only help to spread the word but help to learn what changes I can make in my own home to make it a safer environment for my children.  Because I’ll be the first to admit that while I’ve made a lot of changes in the last few years (eating more organically, buying all-natural products when I can), I’m still pretty mainstream and I’m looking forward to educating myself and my family towards living a healthier lifestyle.

Some info for you guys.  First off, watch this video.  If it doesn’t move you to want to make a change, then you weren’t paying attention and need to watch again.

A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.

I could go on and on but we’ll start with this intro post.  In the coming months, I hope to bring you tons of useful information via Healthy Child, Healthy World that will help to educate Mommies with Style readers on ways to have a cleaner and safer home.

Giveaway: Along with this announcement, I have one prize pack available from Healthy Child, Healthy World.  It includes a copy of Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home, and other print materials including a pocket shopping guide (awesome for trips to the store).

To enter, leave a comment below.  Get a second entry but retweeting this post or posting about this giveaway.  Be sure to @mommieswstyle so I know you’ve done it!  One winner will be selected after June 14.

As a part of their Friends for a Change – Save Planet Earth campaign, Disney has come out with a line of Save Planet Earth products that are being sold at the Disney Store.

I came home last week to a neat little package full of a couple of the products – including a plush Toy Story Alien, who is the official mascot for this campaign.  With many of the items, Disney will donate $1 to the Nature Conservacy.  Just look for the little green button, like on this product pictured.

They have a bunch of stylish and sustainable products for sale including a Tree Making Kit, a reusable water bottle and shopping bags made out of recycled plastic water bottles.  Love the Mickey Cosmetic Bag!

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.