boobie tuesday! medela nursing stool

www.target.com

the first few days home from the hospital are a whirlwind. you're overjoyed and amazed that this tiny new little person lives in your house. you cuddle your newborn, leaning over to whisper "i love you"s in his precious little ear. and omfg does your back hurt.

nurses, friends and lactation consultants alike told me i needed a nursing stool. "huh," i thought. "does it really make that much of a difference?"

answer: yes.

medela's nursing stool is angled just right to support nursing (and even pregnant) moms' backs. while nursing, it helps eliminate that back-breaking "lean over" factor by propping up your knees at just the right angle. and especially for people who are on the shorter side - like me! - medela's nursing stool can be a lifesaver. it's the perfect compliment to your glider and is small enough to be carried around from room to room.

the nursing stool comes in white or wood to match your decor and when you're done nursing, your child will have a blast trying to climb it. whether you like it or not.

boobie tuesday! bella materna bras and mommy gear

http://www.bellamaterna.com/shop/

there must be some rule that i'm unaware of that says nursing bras and maternity gear have to be both ugly and uncomfortable.

bella materna is here to break that rule. they offer luxurious intimates for expectant and new moms that will replace your super-foxy current ensemble of target's nursing tanks and your husband's pajama bottoms. (speaking from experience, of course.)

bella materna carries everything from comfy maternity/nursing lounge pants to a sexy french lace nursing bra with matching tanga panties that are low enough for even pregnant mommies to wear.

we particularly love bella materna's wide range of nursing bras. offering both underwire and wire-free styles, bella materna has something for just about everyone. our favorite? the ruched clip nursing bra (shown) with sassy ruching fashion detail in front that disappears under a t-shirt, and has great separation for a bra with no underwire. no uni-boob for you! bella materna bras have an easy, one-handed clasp, and a 4-stage hook-and-eye back closure to take you from pregnant mommy to brand new nursing mom to breastfeeding pro. the italian nylon/lycra material not only feels soft and silky to the touch, but dries fast.... just in case. best of all, if your bella materna bra needs a little shrinking for your changes over time, just toss it in the dryer once in a while and problem solved!as for your husband's pajama bottoms, you can keep them. we won't tell as long as you promise to mix it up every once in a while with something cute from bella materna.

boobie tuesday! medela sleep nursing bra

www.amazon.com

hey, ladies. you're looking good. real good. you know what would be even sexier? medela's sleep nursing bra.

okay. maybe it's not hottest thing since la perla, but medela's sleep nursing bra is a necessity for nursing moms during those early months.

you're barely sleeping and the little sleep you have is interrupted by your tiny hungry baby. time to stumble out of bed, feed baby, fall asleep while feeding baby and then stumble back to bed. hopefully you remembered to put baby back in his crib at some point. can anything make it a little easier?

medela's sleep nursing bra is super comfy and lightweight with no annoying tags to bother you while you sleep. it's machine washable and pretty durable and you can pull it on right over your head. the smart pull-back design allows for easy feeding and also holds nursing pads in place while you sleep. the 95% cotton 5% spandex material is breathable and stretchy and perfect now that we're entering the warm summer nights. i'd buy three to rotate in your lounge-wear repertoire.

medela's sleep nursing bra is so comfortable that at least your bra won't keep you from sleeping at night... although your baby may.

boobie tuesday! pillow wars: boppy vs. my brest friend

www.boppy.com/
www.mybrestfriend.com/

when i was registering for my baby shower, one of the big debates i had was whether to get a boppy or a my brest friend. i never imagined the concern i would have trying to decide between two products that i'd never heard of before and had no idea what to do with.

after polling my friends, i registered for a boppy (which i got - thanks, jen!) and was all prepared to use it. until i got home from the hospital. two days later, my husband ran out and bought the my brest friend.

the boppy and the my brest friend are both breastfeeding support pillows. why do you need one of these, you may ask? try balancing a baby on your knee and keeping him at just the right height for nursing. for an hour. maybe more, if you're feeling dangerous. then try it again in the dark at 3:30 in the morning on two hours of sleep. now you understand.

the boppy (shown above) is a "c" shaped firm but puffy pillow that you can wrap around your waist or side for breastfeeding. it has a stretchy middle allowing it to conform to different body sizes and is soft enough for baby's head to rest on comfortably. it comes in a number of different fabrics and can even morph into its second life as support for your baby learning how to sit up. it's comfortable for mom to rest her arms on and lives on my sofa to this day.

the my brest friend nursing pillow (pictured right) is a flat, foam pillow that you can literally velcro or buckle around your waist to support baby while feeding. it's firm surface helps keep baby where you want him and it fits snugly so the pillow - and baby - don't slide around. a little pocket on the side can keep pacifiers or other necessities close at hand. it also comes in a number of fabrics as well as in an inflatable "travel" version to take with you wherever you may nurse.

long story short? i ended up using both of them. i thought the boppy was much easier when leaning back against a couch but the my brest friend was more helpful during feeds in the glider and especially in the middle of the night when, yes, i would fall asleep while feeding the baby.

got a vote one way or the other? please share in the comments!

philips LCD DECT digital baby monitor

Philips LCD DECT Digital Baby Monitor

if, like me, your baby's room is on another floor in the house, you're going to need a good baby monitor.

if, like me, you've stupidly chosen the Coldest Room in the Entire House for your baby's room, then it would be nice to know that your baby's not freezing at night.

and lastly, if, like me, you and your husband switch off on monitor duty and when it's your night you don't want to hear every teensy tiny itty bitty sighing noise that your baby makes - but still want the option to do so - then you need to get philips LCD digital baby monitor.

recommended to me by my neighbors, who carefully vet all their baby products, the philips baby monitor is excellent. the base in baby's room is not only highly sensitive, but can accurately measure the temperature. the handset allows you to remotely turn on music, talk to baby (if you dare) and display the temperature. you can adjust the sensitivity on the handset from "i want to hear every breath you take" to "i really only want to hear you if you're standing up in your crib and banging against the wall with your binky."

the philips baby monitor is amazing. you can turn the volume off, but set an alert to beep at you if baby gets too loud for comfort. you can set a temperature alarm, letting the monitor beep at you if baby's room gets too hot or cold according to temperatures you choose. it's crystal clear with a guaranteed no interference. and best of all, the range is up to 900 feet (yep, that's right!) or as i like to put it, far enough to put the monitor in your pocket and still walk your weiner dog halfway up the street. so go ahead! enjoy your (limited) freedom!

happiest baby on the block by harvey karp

www.amazon.com

when i was pregnant and visiting my parents, their across the street neighbor came by to say hello and congratulations. she also happens to be an ob nurse.

"that's such great news! congratulations!" was the first thing she said.

"have you read 'happiest baby on the block'?" was the second.

she was the first, but she wouldn't be the last to recommend "the happiest baby on the block." i heard about this book from friends, family and even in my "newborn care" class.

people speak about harvey karp in reverential, hushed tones, and i was determined to figure out why. then i realized: it's because he is a god.

harvey karp, md, was one of the leading doctors to usher back in a generation of swaddled babies. calling the first three months of your baby's life "the fourth trimester" (accurately, i believe), dr. karp and "the happiest baby on the block" will help you to calm your little one using the 5 S's technique. i was advised to watch the dvd in addition to/instead of reading the book, which was a great suggestion, as it's one thing to read about these techniques and another to see them in action.

i'll admit, i was doubtful. and as if to punish for me for my doubt, my first born son was incredibly colicky. he cried so much one day as a newborn i called my husband at work and begged him to come home. we did get some relief, however, from the happiest baby on the block. whether playing white noise and shushing at a million decibels in my son's ear, wrapping him up tightly like a burrito or rocking him back and forth, the happiest baby on the block's tips at least helped my crying child not be the unhappiest baby on the block.

and for that, i am grateful. but not as grateful as i am that he is now sleeping through the night.

little noses stuffy nose kit

www.walgreens.com

bad news: it's not too late in the season for your baby to catch his or her first cold. we managed to make it 6 months cold-free, and then the sniffles arrived. i blame it on cole's doctor (a doctor!) who swore he was "no longer contagious." bastard.

we've managed to make it most of cole's almost-10-months without any major illnesses, but the sniffles are once again rearing their ugly head. and, naturally, since my son likes to stick his fingers in my mouth and fishhook me, i've got them, too.

so the only thing to do now is wait, drink tea (for me) and use little noses (for him). little noses saline drops and aspirator kit is the easy way to help your snuffy little baby feel better. the saline drops help loosen up stuffy little noses and the nasal aspirator will help suck out any yuckies, assuming your baby lets you get close enough to do so.

the little noses stuffy nose kit also came in particularly handy when we came home from the hospital and paid $9.99 to the emergency help line to report that our newborn sounded stuffy, only to have them tell us "newborns are stuffy." um, thanks.

boobie tuesday! motherlove nipple cream

www.motherlove.com

things i never thought i'd say, especially with any frequency:
1. poopy diapies
2. breast pump
3. boobie tuesday
4. nipple cream

how one's life changes after having a baby....... things will never be the same.

in the meantime, you still need some extra tlc while you're breastfeeding, especially if you're having a hard time. a difficult latch often leads to tender, sore nipples and that lansinoh cream, while effective, feels like rubber cement.

motherlove makes organic, natural herbal products that support breastfeeding. motherlove was founded in 1990 to provide new moms with herbal personal care and supplements specifically designed for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

the motherlove nipple cream is formulated especially for sore, cracked nursing nipples and unlike lanolin, has a smooth, creamy feel. its all natural ingredients, including olive oil and shea butter, mean it's safe for ingestion and doesn't have to be washed off prior to breastfeeding.

added bonus: when you no longer need to use the nipple cream for its intended purpose, i've discovered that it makes an excellent cuticle cream! no need for leftovers to go to waste and definitely earns our little dictators seal of approval.

boobie tuesday! lansinoh breastmilk storage bags

www.lansinoh.com

what's in your freezer? ice cubes? vodka? lean cuisine mac n'cheese? how about breastmilk?

odds are these days it's the latter, with a high possibility of the second-to-latter. (i'll say a 50/50 chance for the ice cubes and 3% chance for the vodka, unless it's been in there for 1+ years.)

if you got the medela pump-in-style like me (which i recommend), you probably also gravitated towards the medela milk storage bags..... at first. but after a few tries, i discovered that the bag shape was weird and they didn't work for me the way i wanted them to. i got a sample of lansinoh's breastmilk storage bags for free when i bought their nursing pads, so i figured what the hell, i'd try them out.

the lansinoh storage bags are far superior to other brands. they're 100% Bisphenol-A (BPA) free, have a double zipper enclosure (think sturdy ziploc bags), they have an easy write-on tab for the date. they can be laid flat in your freezer for optimal storage and subsequent thawing.

in fact, we like lansinoh's breastmilk storage bags so much that we're awarding them with our little dictators seal of approval - something we reserve for products we feel stand out in their field. woo hoo!

lansinoh bags can be found at target, among other places, so store away!

right start!

www.rightstart.com

i've decided now that cole is crawling around all over the place that it's time for a Toy Run. you know the Toy Run, right? it's those times every few months when you're convinced that your child is bored with all their toys, even if it really means that you're bored with playing with the same toys over and over and over again.

in all honesty, there are times when your baby goes through developmental changes (starting from looking at things, to then grabbing things, to then throwing things, to then chasing your poor dog around the house, etc.) and they do need a few new toys to help keep themselves challenged and entertained.

but it's not a trip to dante's 7th circle of hell (a.k.a. babies r us) for us! nope - we're going to right start. right start has 33 stores nationwide (for my bay area mommies, there's a right start in palo alto, walnut creek and san francisco). right start is the largest national specialty retailer of juvenile products for infants and young children. they have a great selection of carefully tested and reviewed toys for newborns to toddlers.

and for you mommies who don't have a right start nearby, they have a fabulous, easy-to-navigate website for all your baby needs. they also have a great registry for your mommy-to-be friends! be sure to look for their eco-friendly line separated out on their website for your little environmentalist.

boobie tuesday! lansinoh disposable nursing pads

www.lansinoh.com

hey there, husbands who happen to be reading this blog... go away. no, seriously. you don't want to hear this.

are they gone? good.

so you know by now that one of the many blessings of being a new mother is the miracle of being able to breastfeed your baby. and as an added bonus to this amazing, life-sustaining gift is the ability to leak and spray all over the place. woo! super powers!

out in public and your baby starts crying? leak. finally got a babysitter and out at a romantic dinner at your husband but start thinking about the baby? leak! arm yourself with nursing pads, but not any brand will do. we recommend lansinoh disposable nursing pads. other brands can be itchy, or too thick, or bend funny and are visible to everyone within a ten mile radius.

we found lansinoh disposable nursing pads to be the best on the market. they come individually wrapped in their own packages so you can stow a few in your diaper bag without fear of diaper cream cross-contamination. they come in boxes of 36 or 60, meaning you'll be covered for at least 3-4 days.

monday mommysaver: symphony in motion mobile

www.toysrus.com
tiny love's symphony in motion mobile is great. cole loooooved his mobile starting at almost 2 months. he would have entire conversations with it. the mobile was the first "toy" he really liked... and still does.

your little baby will be fascinated by the bright colors, circular motion and jingly music. the symphony in motion mobile has three cute but bug-eyed little animals on it, prompting us to dub them "stupid cow," "stupid donkey" and "stupid mystery animal," since we can't figure out what the heck the third one's supposed to be.

the mobile is useful at first to buy you 15 minutes to throw some clothes on or pull endless laundry out of the dryer. later, it will serve a different purpose altogether.

for example, thanks to the mobile we just discovered that cole can pull himself up on the side of the crib.....where he also apparently learned how to turn the mobile on and off once he's standing.five minutes after we put him to bed and closed the door, we heard the jaunty tunes of beethoven keeping our child from sleeping. au revoir, mobile. we had a good 9 month run.

new mom necessity: bouncy seat!

www.babiesrus.com

when i was pregnant, i remember asking my friends with kids, "do i really need to get a [fill in the blank]?" and believe me, there was a long long list of baby products and new mom items to fill in the blank.

one of these things was the bouncy seat. did i need one? was it necessary? did i need a bouncy seat and a swing? which kind should i get?

answers: yes, definitely yes, you won't believe me but yes, and fisher-price rainforest bouncer.

my friend lisa used to refer to the bouncer as the "magic seat," and after having a baby, i can understand why. although the first and second times i put cole in the bouncer he hated it, it has been a godsend. need to take a shower? put the bouncer in the bathroom. need to wash dishes? put the bouncer in the kitchen. need 10 seconds to yourself/baby is grumpy and you can't do anything to help? put the baby in the bouncer.

cole ended up liking the bouncy seat so much that we continued to put him in it long after he'd outgrown it. we finally gave up once his entire foot started hanging off the edge and he could practically walk out of it. ah, good times.

gilligan & o'malley nursing tank tops

www.target.com

are you breastfeeding your little one? are you tired of the new-mom-trying-not-to-show-too-much-boob dance? or perhaps you prefer the exposing-the-boob-while-trying-not-to-pull-up-your-shirt and show-everyone-your-post-partum-belly dance?

gilligan & o'malley nursing tanks are the solution. every nursing mom i know has a closet full of these. why waste your money on some fancy nursing shirt that you (hopefully) won't be wearing forever? gilligan & o'malley tanks are available at target (everyone's favorite store), come in black, white & gray and are only $16.99. (i've also heard rumors of new colors.... the things that excite me these days! woo!)

now you can save the rest of your money to buy new shoes, since the old ones no longer fit on your post-baby feet.

rubis baby nail scissors

www.swissknifeshop.com

have you ever cut a baby's fingernails? no? you should - it's AWESOME! between your little guy squirming around and deciding he hates you to being terrified that you're going to cut your baby's fingers off, it's quite an experience. what could be better?

we got ten million pair of "specially designed baby fingernail clippers." they all sucked. the pair with the magic finger guard, the pair with the built in magnifying glass that even my engineer husband didn't know how to use..... each pair left me more terrified than the last.

to help make it easier, use rubis' baby nail scissors. they come in a cute little elephant case so they look innocuous and have soft, rounded tips to protect inquisitive fingers. the blades have a slight curve, making cutting baby's nails quick and easy. and unlike nail clippers, you can actually see what you're doing!

the blades on the scissors are sharp enough so you only have to cut once, but the blunt ends help you worry less about poking your darling little angel. they're not cheap, but trust me - they're worth every penny. my advice? buy them up front. it'll be better than the ten pair of clippers you'll be throwing out. because once you use rubis' baby nail scissors, there's no going back.