Baby Carriers: Why Splurge?

I never registered for a baby carrier for my baby shower. I found one that was on sale for $12.99 and figured that it could do the job just as well as those pricier ones out there. Boy was I wrong. I finally experienced the difference between quality baby carriers and cheap baby carriers and now I can tell you why you should splurge on a baby carrier (or at least register for one).

REASONS TO SPLURGE:

• Safety 
• Ease of Use
• Comfort & Ergonomics for You and Baby
• Style
• Flexibility & Longevity of Use

Introducing the Stokke MyCarrier. This baby carrier fits the bill, excelling in each of the above categories. I decided to "baby wear" Asher when we toured NC last Tuesday using the MyCarrier and I have to say, I don't think I would have been comfortable walking around on this rock 2280 feet in the air with Asher in any other carrier.  The Stokke MyCarrier features the same technology in it's straps and fasteners as mountaineering gear. He was not going anywhere.

In addition to its high level of safety, this baby carrier is simple to use. It can be worn 3 ways - front forward facing, front rear facing, and on the back. Switching from one mode to the next is easy and quick. Sizing the straps to fit one parent to the next takes seconds. 

COMFORT. The ergonomic engineering of carriers is probably one of the main reasons that one will cost more than another. This is probably the biggest reason you would want to splurge on a baby carrier. If you buy a carrier that does not offer comfort, you won't be baby wearing very often! The MyCarrier is supportive all around and takes the comfort and positioning of your baby for optimum development into consideration, as well. It has an optional aluminum back support bar that John and I took advantage of and I did not feel any back pain after walking around with Asher in it throughout the day. 

The Stokke baby carrier can be used from birth to 3 years, which is pretty awesome if the need arises far down the road. It looks nice and sleek, too, in my opinion. Even John didn't mind sporting it around town, so it is great for daddy baby wearing, too! There is also a little pocket on the side where you can put your keys or cell phone AND it has a sun/sleep shade if your little one falls asleep. Awesome!

I used the bib accessory which is shown in all of the pics with Asher sucking and chewing on it. :) The pack came with two so I can throw this one in the wash and still have one to use.

The Stokke MyCarrier is definitely worth the splurge whether you are looking for a new carrier or you are adding one to your shower registry. I wish I had gotten a nice one like this sooner! I definitely would have been baby wearing more often and probably would have made it to the grocery store a lot more frequently in those early months with our little guy. You live and you learn! We'll be trying out the other carrier positions very soon, so keep your eye out if you want to see the 3 in 1 in action! 

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8 NEW Baby Buys & Lifesaver Products

1. Latchy Catchy
I can't tell you how grateful I am to have this on our bedroom door and the door to our bathroom. We'll switch them to the nursery door and surrounding doors once we move Asher to his crib, too. You can still shut the door - but it's silent! Genius!

2. Bambino Land Burp Cloths
I have come to realize that the more absorbent burp cloths are the ones you'll reach for. These Bambino Land muslin burp cloths absorb what 3 of my other ones would! I always use these when I'm on the go.

3. Sophie the Giraffe ***with PLUSH!!!***
The plush version of the well known Sophie the Giraffe has been the 'go-to' toy. Until he's interested in really chewing on things, he much prefers the plush version. The giraffe shape makes it easy to hold and snuggle with for little ones who can't really grab very well yet, or at all. He's in love!

4. The Diaper Clutch
Just grab this little clutch out of your diaper bag for a quick run to change the baby. Unless you need an impromptu outfit change, as well, but otherwise this clutch is a cute little lifesaver!

5. BIBS
   Some babies just require bibs. Lots of bibs! See my bib post HERE.

 

Bandana bibs from Butterfly Kisses Co. on Etsy

6. Books, Books, & More Books! 
Before bedtime, when baby is a little fussy for no apparent reason (maybe bored), when you want a little extra "bonding time" - books are all around awesome to have and fun to read together! At my baby shower, we encouraged guests to give a book instead of a card (can you believe the price of cards these days??!) so that helped us get a great start to Asher's "library". Zulily also often has great package deals on unique books!

7. OBall by Rhino Toys
Little fingers can hold onto this ball long before their hands follow suit. Helps them with learning the dexterity of their fingers, too!

8. Earth's Best Nursery Wipes
Now that Asher is playing with toys more, playing in his exersaucer/jumperoo, and has his hands and mouth on everything, these wipes are a true lifesaver. They are alcohol free, non-toxic, chlorine free, hypoallergenic... the list goes on yet they still use natural cleansers and germ fighters to keep toys and surfaces safe for babies.

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Conquering Spit-Up Fashionably PART 1

We deal with a lot of spit-up. A lot. A lot, a lot. We've tried to find a rhyme or reason, some kind of method to this madness... but there really isn't much of a pattern other than a lot of spit-up, all the time. There are days when I can lay Asher down after a feeding and he is fine. Actually this happens quite often. He spits-up whether he is held upright or is in a sitting or laying position. Off and on, he spits-up immediately after eating and in-between them. He'll spit-up when he's overwhelmed - but sometimes he's totally fine. The only difference is the spit-up itself with different formulas. We've been through so many and it's pretty consistent in quantity and frequency. At least with his new formula, his spit-up isn't all acidic, curdled milk; that's a plus. 

So, when dealing with a baby who spits up a lot, you NEED to use bibs or you will find yourself changing their outfit umpteen million times a day. Ugh. Bibs.

I used to hate baby bibs. I even wondered to myself in those early days with this sweet, new baby eating from his bottle so delicately in my arms, "Why do these baby outfits all come with ugly bibs? Who would ruin the cuteness of the outfit with a BIB??" Now I know.

We only had 5 or so bibs until a few weeks ago. Don't even ask me how I did it. I don't know. 

"This bib? THIS BIB?? Mommy, you CRAZY!"

In an effort to save a little, I bought 2 packs of 10 bibs that were $10/each at Target. They aren't the cutest bibs in the world, but I needed something and fast. They work well during feedings, but they aren't nearly thick enough for our in-between spit-up occurrences. Asher laughs in the face of those bibs between his feedings. "HAHAHA!" Squashes them like bugs. Or maybe floods them like bugs, rather. I may just double up on them until he grows out of this problem. 

Lucky for us, I have come up with some other options that better fit our "bib criteria" and also are more fashionable! 

My Bib Criteria:

• CUTE
• THICK/ABSORBANT
• DURABLE TO WITHSTAND MANY WASHES

{Of course, with any bib you don't want to let your child sleep or nap with it on.} 

ZULILY SALE / Electrik Kidz - Bandana Style Bibs with Pacifier Loop

I got these super cute bibs from a Zulily sale featuring the brand Electrik Kidz. They're so adorable and also reversible, so they will work with many of different outfits. They seemed to be more targeted towards drool rather than spit-up, but Asher tested out the nautical anchor one just moments after snapping the last picture of him wearing it. It did the job!

LE PETITE BIRDIE - Stylish Boutique Bibs

I purchased these baby bibs from an Etsy seller, Le Petite Birdie. So far so good. They are lined with fleece to wick away the moisture. I'm honestly not sure how that works since it's on the back of the bib and I thought that moisture still would soak through while the fleece still feels dry... but I must be wrong, because these have been protecting Asher's outfits beneath them quite well. I don't understand the concept of a "stay-dry" fleece liner in a cloth diaper now.... Some serious 'Google-ing' is about to take place! Regardless, every time he wears one of these bibs, he gets compliments. In particular, the sock monkey patterned one has been a real hit!

I have some more bibs on their way, a few SCARF STYLE ones from another Etsy seller. Until those arrive and I've had a chance to try them out, this post is officially...

 To be continued...

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Mistobox Has Arrived!

It finally arrived - John's Mistobox! I swear, John was so anxious for this thing to get here! He immediately tore open the graphic, little box and unwrapped the aromatic coffees, excited to see the coffee varieties and the 'mom and pop' companies from which they originated. (If nothing else, they've certainly got some excellent graphic design going on.)

INSIDE OUR MISTOBOX:

El Salvador La Grenadilla - from The Westbean Coffee Roasters in San Diego, CA

Rwanda Mwasa - from Ladro Coffee Roasting in Seattle, WA

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere - from Victrola Coffee Roasters in Seattle, WA

Honduras Jose Salomon Benitez - from Anodyne Roasting Co. in Milwaukee, WI

Although we do love our coffee, we've never paid much attention to the different flavors and aromas of special roasts such as these ones. We just brew up our Folgers and that's that. When we had our Keurig (which broke... 3 machines... 3 times) we would use different flavors, like vanilla, blueberry, coconut, etc., but that's about the extent of our coffee adventures. This is exciting! It's like wine... but coffee! I'll have to find that grinder that I know is hidden in our pantry somewhere, probably under a bag of old marshmallows or something, to grind up the beans so we can brew up our first taste test.

So far, we're impressed. But now, the real fun begins. I'll let you know what we think! 

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Our "Baby Formula"

I've mentioned before how sensitive our little guy is - his skin, his diaper area, his tummy. We are far from "solving" our little health puzzle, but we have figured out a few things along the way that I hope can help out any other parents struggles with sensitive little ones, as well.

SENSITIVE TUMMY

We have formula fed Asher from Day 1. I know the online community can be a cruel place when it comes to this controversial topic, but please, no judgement or harassment on the subject. :) Why did we decide to formula feed? Well there were a variety of reasons. We basically weighed the pros and cons, and in the end we wanted to choose what would result in the best environment and health for OUR baby in OUR situation. We wanted to ensure the most stress-free household that we could. With our list of pros and cons, formula feeding was the choice that would best achieve this for us. I did my research and read up on both sides and am happy with our decision.

I am aware that certain antibodies found in breastmilk and not not in formula could help with allergies such as those to dairy, etc. Could. This does not mean his allergies are a result of being fed formula. There are lots of breastfed babies who have allergies and sensitivities whose moms have to cut out this that and the other from their diets. Just putting that out there.

Anyways, from day 1 we fed Asher formula. We started with Similac Advance Ready-to-Feed. A few weeks in, he started getting terrible gas during and after feedings, which were every 2-3 hours in the early weeks, so basically always seemed in pain. He also spit up A LOT (sometimes projectile, but not always) and we had to hold him upright after every feeding for almost an hour. We added gas drops to each bottle and this seemed to help with the gas pains. I'd say we were 80% better at most times. Then the ready-to-feed started to get SO expensive. We switched to the powder. Now, doctors swear up and down that there is NO DIFFERENCE. Umm...he would not eat that stuff at first and when he did finally take it, he writhed in pain with or without gas drops. We then tried Similac Senstive. No decrease in pains, increase in reflux. Great. Our doctor suggested Similac Soy. Oh My Gosh. He was like a different baby immediately. He took the whole bottle without mid-feed fussiness and had no grunting and groaning afterwards. He was happy! It must have been a milk allergy (not intolerance, there's a difference)! Now we don't even have to add gas drops. I have only had to use gas drops one time in a month!!! He does have an "earthy" smell to him now... my sister said he smells like birdseed - haha - but that is such a small price to pay for a happy and pain free baby. OH - and the poo!!! On the Advance, he had (sorry, TMI alert!) really watery poo. Now on the soy, it is normal consistency. That says A LOT to me that this was a great choice.

We were doing the whole 'pre-make-32-ounces-of-formula-at-a-time-and-refridgerate' thing, but then found it was much more of a hassle needing to warm every bottle. Now, we make it as we need it with water from the tap. This makes for a happy baby who does not have to wait too long for his food. Hurray!

SENSITIVE SKIN

Weird - when on the ready-to-feed, Asher had baby acne. When we switched to the powder, although he hated it, I swear it seemed to go away. Then on the powder soy, he has it again. :( Maybe it hadn't cleared up and it was in my head. I'm not going to switch him back to find out considering how much better he is now.

Also, his body washes seemed to irritate him. I tried many different kinds. Sensitive washes, fragrance and everything-else-free washes, organic rice milk wash... the only one that I have had success with after who knows how many dollars is the California Baby Super Sensitive Wash. It does stink that he never can smell like those yummy fragranced washes, but again, a small price to pay. His face is not beet red after baths anymore. Baby acne is still a 'sort-of' issue. It just might need time.

DIAPER RASHES

This is summed up by the cloth diaper posts I have made. They have made a world of a difference for us. He still gets a "red crack" - heehee - when he is sitting in his car seat for too long. This is from the heat and the pressure and goes away quickly. We don't have him in it that much.

FOR OTHERS WITH SENSITIVE BABIES OR ALL MOTHERS ALIKE...

Sadly, people have many opinions on what modern mothers do for their children. I'm not saying we have faced this, but lots of us have and will. No mother should ever be "bullied" for making decisions for their children - whether it is to feed her child formula or breast milk, to switch to soy, to cloth diaper, to give her child a pacifier, to potty train at a certain age, or to do away with all fragranced soaps, lotions, and wipes. In the end, all any of us want is a happy healthy baby. No mother makes these choices with anything other than great intentions for the benefit of her child. So if you make decisions for your child that are looked down on by anyone, I hope you remember this if you are ever confronted or made to feel like you are doing something wrong. You are not doing anything wrong. You are just loving and caring for you baby. :)

Actually, no one should ever do or say anything to hurt a new mom who is only doing what is best for her child. New mothers should be cherished - they are most likely going through a trying time and should be made to feel the absolute best about themselves, their baby, and everything else in their lives. With the prevalence of post-partum depression and everything else that may or may not come with the new mom territory, I hope that every new mom gets the respect and love that they need and deserve.

Phew! ;) Now cute pics...

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Cloth Diapering Part 2 - Reviews

We have been cloth diapering full-time for about a week now! The rashes seem to be gone; fingers crossed that we found the solution! Hurray for happy baby booty! 

We've added 7 diapers to our "stash" since my last post on cloth diapering last week. In the picture below from top left: Fuzzibunz one size, Kawaii minky pocket, Grovia hybrid cover, Grovia All-in-One, wet bag from PiggleDee, cookie fitted dipaer from MonkeySnuggles, cars velour fitted from SquirrelNOwl, skull "rockstar" fitted from PoopsieDoodles, cloth wipes from SweetBobbins, and charcoal bamboo inserts. 

I have definitely come to prefer certain brands over others. Here's some of what I have experienced with them all so far, including the rest of the "stash"...


Happy Heinys - Double stuffed for overnight and got 7.5 hours no leaks! We woke to a happy, smiling baby!
Bumgenius 4.0 Pocket - No leaks yet day or night! One of my favorites so far, I tend to reach for these ones. The solid colors are nice when Asher is fully dressed and these are also slim enough to not look silly under clothes.
Charlie Banana - Minimal snaps for sizing, which is nice. No leaks overnight!
FuzziBunz - Extra Slim fit = LOVE Even John commented on how much better this style fits Asher than the others.
Kawaii - This is such a soft diaper and the inserts are so slim and soft and seem to be able to absorb a lot!
Grovia AIO - Some daytime leakage, but it may need to be washed a few more times to "break in" the inserts.
Grovia Hybrid - Velcro laundry tabs STAY DOWN in wash! Hurray! Nice to be able to reuse the cover a few times before throwing in the wash, but sometimes you get spit-up all over it anyways... so I have yet to use that feature, lol!

Velcro is great for quick changes but it's so easy to forget to attach the laundry tabs before washing!! Even if you do remember, sometimes they come apart in the wash anyways and you end up with the velcro sticking the everything. Think torn up inserts, pills on covers...ugghhh! Forget that! Laundry bags can help, but then you have to sort through the dirty diapers... not fun.

Too many snaps are super annoying during changes.

The fitteds I purchased from several shops on Etsy are nice when I want his bum to get some extra air. They would need a cover if you wanted to leave them on for longer than an hour or two. That could get bulky, but they are good for tummy time.

The cloth wipes are working out great, but you definitely need a lot of them! I need like.... 30 more, at least!!!

FAVORITES - Bumgenius 4.0 Pocket Diapers and FuzziBunz One Size Pocket Diapers


LAUNDRY ROUTINE  (Every 1-2 days)

I'm happy we recently got an LG HE Top Loader which is supposed to be one of the better options for cloth diaper washing!

• Rinse/Spin Cycle on COLD -- No detergent
• Custom Programmed Cycle - BabyWear, HOT, Water Plus, Extra Rinse -- Detergent (Dreft is OK to use or I just got Mountain Green which is supposed to be one of the best) + BambinoMio Cleanser (every few washes)

And of course, here are some cute pics of Asher in his cloth diaper fashions... :) The majority are from my iPhone, but I a few some nice ones with my Canon, too! There are some where you just see the colorful top poking through and there may even be a few mixed in that don't even show the diapers but are just way too cute to leave out!

All are iPhone pics below...

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Lifesavers! Best Baby Buys Newborn - 2 Months

Less Common Products You May Not Have Heard About...

I am a gadget girl. And I LOVE to shop online. This  results in 2 things - great finds and an irritated husband. Well, irritated until he realizes how much my "finds" have improved our day to day. :) Below are some of the items that may not typically be on registry lists and have made our lives easier while caring for our baby. I realize that every baby is different and some of these things may work wonderfully for us and not for you, but I wanted to share the things that I consider our "lifesavers".

1. Summer Swaddle Me Swaddles - (Great Until 6 weeks old) These swaddles are wonderful because they fasten with velcro which makes it easy and secure. I recommend buying 5-7 of them. Especially if you have a boy, you may go through more than one a night since no matter what precautions you take, they tend to leak out of their diapers for awhile. Finally this stopped for us around 6 weeks.

2. Halo Sleepsacks - (Great from 6 weeks +) At first, I wasn't sure about these. They seemed much more cumbersome than the Swaddle Mes. Then, Asher outgrew the Swaddle Mes and I bought a few different brands in a larger size. The Halo Sleepsacks are my favorite. He did NOT like the ModSwad. The Halo sleep sacks are great because you can leave the arms in or out, you can change his diaper without ever lifting him, and he hasn't houdinied his way out of this one as much as the others.

Here's Asher in his sleep sack just after his diaper change. It's not zipped up or swaddled here.

3. Angelcare Movement Monitor - This is the only reason I get any sleep! A movement sensor goes under the mattress and will sound an alarm on the monitor if your baby stops moving (breathing) for 20 seconds. Thank goodness we have not had a scare yet, but it has given us such peace of mind even with Asher at our bedside in his co-sleeper.

4. Boppy Changing Pad Liners - Save yourself from having to change out and wash your changing pad cover multiple times a day! Sure, some people may just say heck with the cover altogether, but I'd rather lay my baby on a soft, fuzzy surface during changes. These liners make 'oops' moments much easier to handle. I also put one under the sheet in the bassinet!

Changing pad liner seen through his sheets in this picture. He is in the Modswad.

5. Mesh Laundry Bags - If you've ever washed one of your Velcro swaddles or Velcro bibs with a muslin blanket, you know why this is important! Avoid unnecessary rips and holes by putting the velcro items in a mesh laundry bag.

6. Shout Color Catchers - Throw one of these sheets in with your mixed load of laundry and you won't have to worry about color runs. I am able to do one huge 'baby load' and not worry about dulling colors or whites picking up any strange hues. These are especially helpful when washing new items. I use these for my own laundry, too!

7. Nail Brush - I just got one but should have much sooner! Somehow, Asher's nails always look like he's been digging in the dirt. Well, that's an exaggeration for sure, but they do need to be cleaned underneath from time to time. :)

7. Fisher Price Whale Tub - Drew Barrymore just sang the praises of this tub on a talk show! We love it, too.  It has a divider to keep infants in the more shallow, smaller section until they grow. You HAVE to use the included cup that has holes of the bottom. That little cup is second feature that make the tub so great! It's like a mini shower head. So easy (and cheap, too)! :)

8. Lula Clips - We just got these and they are great! The metal buckle magnetically sticks to the side if the seat while you get the baby in and out. No more digging the buckles out! We got them from a Zulily sale, but you can find them at www.embellebaby.com.

9. Sleeper Onesies - The ones with built in footies and mitten flaps. Zippers are easiest!  We have a sleeper onesie that was literally less than $5 from Walmart and it is John's favorite to put Asher in. I wasn't a fan of the gowns because I think they are harder to put on and take off. I know some people like the gowns, though, so this may be one of those things that you have to try on your own.

10. Muslin Swaddles - These are great, especially if you are in FL or another hot region. It's the perfect light blankie. :) I have some from Aden and Anais and some from Bambino Land. The ones from bambino Land are larger, which is great for in the home while the Aden and Anais ones are great for home or on-the-go. The Aden and Anais muslin burp clothes are more absorbent than others, too, so you are less likely to get spit up all over your clothes. Less likely….

11. Zulily!!! If you have an iPad, get the app. For real. Right now. Your significant other and post man will hate me. You will love me. Zulily is amazingly addictive. I should take a picture of my mailbox when multiple Zulily shipments arrive. It's ridiculous and makes me entirely too happy.

12. Paper Plates & Paper Bowls - Less dishes. Enough said!

13. Hats that FIT! - So many of those cute baby sets come with hats that are so awkward and I can't imagine fit any baby's head! A lot of them are way too short! I bought several brands and the only one I have been happy with is L'ovedBaby.

14. Dekor Diaper Pail - I read so many terrible reviews about the other diaper pails. I bought this Dekor diaper pail and absolutely love it. It's so easy and I haven't experienced any super stinky moments when dealing with it. :)

15. Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim Mobile - Asher loves to stare and laugh at this mobile! We attached it to his co-sleeper and will be moving it to his crib once he is sleeping in there. You can change out the images, which is pretty cool.

16. BabyCenter App - "When did I feed the baby last?", "How many dirty diapers did he have today?", "How much did he weigh last time?" These are all questions of the past with this great app!

17. Onesie Extenders - If you've ever started to put on a onesie and the snaps just don't quite reach - although it fits everywhere else - these are truly lifesavers!! It's great not to have to undress yet again and find something else to wear, especially when your baby is SO OVER having his arms stuffed into those tiny arm holes.

Nail Brush, Laundry Bags, Onesie Extenders

I'm sure I'll think of a few I missed. I'll keep a running list for Part 2. What have you found to be a "lifesaver" during those first few months? Pin It Now!