Jun 5, 2013

Pampers Bundle of Joy #PampersJoy

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*This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Pamperswalmart_logo_214x54

I was not sure if you have heard of Pampers Bundle Of Joy yet? So, I will share it with you because I thought it was pretty cool (that and we LOVE Pampers, it is all I use on my baby boy!!)..

BOJ June_

Pampers Bundle of Joy is a monthly offer on Walmart.com. It began on June 1st and right now you can receive a sample pack (which includes Tide Pods, Downy Unstoppable Fresh, Vidal Sassoon Shampoo, Crest 3D White Vivid Fluoride Toothpaste, and Olay Pro-X Tone spot-fading treatment w/ info card) with any purchase of Pampers diapers on walmart.com, while supplies last. Now that is pretty cool, huh??!?

newborn baby boy

I already love shopping at Walmart and Walmart.com, they have everything under the sun! And, since we love Pampers, then this deal is right down my alley!! I am so excited to take advantage of this :) Will you take advantage of this too??? If you have a little one in diapers, you certainly should!

 

 

 

 

 

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May 7, 2013

Lulyboo Baby Lounge To Go (Review)

By · 10 Comments

*product received. Post contains affiliate linkslulyboo logo

We recently went to the beach and it was so much fun!! We have not been to the beach in a really long time, so this was much-needed!!

lulyboo baby lounger

But, traveling with a new baby (he was only 10 weeks at the time), can be difficult. So, making things easier on me and the baby is a MUST.

lulyboo baby lounger

I was able to review the Lulyboo Baby Lounge To Go on this trip. We got the natural colored one, but it comes in pink and blue too! I was so happy that it arrived a few days before we went to the beach, so that baby had a place to sleep!

 lulyboo

This travel bed is amazing. And I mean that literally. Me and hubs are so impressed with this little fold up and carry travel bed!

lulyboo travel bed

You see, this bed can be folded up, carried, worn as a backpack and has everything you need in it, to make baby happy and comfortable! It is awesome!

lulyboo

You simply undo it and set it up. It comes with a play bar with little attachable toys for baby to view and ‘play with’. This can be taken down for nap time or down time, very easily. It also has a sun shade top that can be put on easily (some assembly required, which is simple!) and taken down easily. Everything about this little travel bed is just SIMPLE!

 lulyboo travel baby bed

 Lulyboo 4-in-1 Travel Bed Details:

• Stylish cotton fabric surrounds a flexible foam interior
• Waterproof underpad prevents messes from spreading
• Removable cover for machine washing
• Folds to a lightweight backpack
• Coordinating toy bar and two removable plush toys included. Loops on toy bar let you interchange LulyBoo plush toys with others
• Three-position canopy included
• Outer pocket holds supplies
• Recommended for babies up to 15 lbs. (6.8 kg) or until baby can push up or roll over unassisted
• Open unit measures 34″W x 24″L x 6″H. Backpack position measures: 15″L x 6″W x 15″H

lulyboo baby bed

This is a wonderful and practical thing to have on hand for your little one! I even use this in the living room when I am working on my computer. My little guy is comfy in this bed and likes to look at the fun little plush toys hanging from the toy bar!

Buy

You can purchase the Lulyboo 4-in-1 Travel Bed/ Baby Lounge  online at http://www.lulyboo.com and locate a store nearest you that sells them!

Connect with Lulyboo on Twitter and Facebook!

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May 1, 2013

The Doctor is In: Post-Partum Recovery Tips

By · 17 Comments

*Product received. All opinions mine.

presley and me

Did you know that May is National Pregnancy Awareness Month? It is! If you are a loyal reader of my blog, then you know of all of my trials I went through, trying to conceive our third child.

newborn boy

When I did find out I was pregnant again and knew it was going to ‘stick‘, I was so excited, scared, happy, tearful and just plain in awe! Man that was a good day!!!

When I was preparing for labor I prepared about 1-2 months in advance, that way I knew I would be prepared and could then just wait for baby to make his/her appearance!

hospital bag

One of the ways to prepare for labor and delivery is with a nice bag filled with things you can use in the hospital. Dr. Elizabeth Chabner Thompson is a medical expert who is devoted to new moms  ease into the labor and post-natal periods. She came up with an awesome hospital duffle bag, the Mommy/Delivery BFFL Bag, that she specifically designed to provide comfort, convenience and care for women preparing for childbirth and a great gift for moms-to-be!

hospital duffle bag

I received one of these hospital bags to check out and I was so impressed by all of the wonderful goodies nestled inside this bag. It has everything a mama needs, to keep her comfy and cozy (well as cozy and comfy as any laboring mom can really be, lol) during delivery!

First of all, the duffle bag is absolutely adorable. You can reuse it time and time again, after the hospital. I love the bright stripes on it and fun colors. Inside the bag, is necessities that any mama would appreciate in the hospital. This is definitely the ultimate hospital bag! It is chock full of all the essentials for C-section or traditional birth.

The bag is made of lightweight, stain resistant pack cloth and has metal feet to keep the bag off the hospital floor (genius!!!), and is roomy enough room for clothing and other essential personal items.

What Is Inside???

*specially designed axillapilla® pillow for recovery and nursing support

* a collapsible water bottle; perineal ice packs

* soft, washable nursing pads

*wound/incision care pack, toiletries, amusements

* KIND healthy snack bar (SO delicious!!!!)

*Expandable folder for important papers from hospital

*flip-flops

*Each bag is accompanied by a handwritten note card

and more!

The only thing I would have added to this already fabulous bag? Would be a small robe or cute nightgown and when the person ordered they could choose a size. Otherwise, this is truly the perfect hospital bag for any mama to be!!!! Love it!

hospital bag for pregnant women

 The Mommy/Delivery BFFL Bag retails for $120.00. 15% of the net profit from your purchase will be donated to the Harvard School of Public Health Women’s and Health Initiative!

Here are some post-partum recovery tips by Dr. Elizabeth Chabner Thompson:

*Do Your Kegels

Strengthening your pelvic floor by doing Kegel exercises is a must. It helps maintain urinary continence and the functioning of your back end.

*Avoid the Stairs

If you live in a multi-story home and must walk down stairs, try going carefully down them backward to reduce stress on your incision or sore areas. (Not sure if I would walk anywhere backwards, but to each their own!)

*Go Nuts for Nuts

After giving birth it’s important to eat a healthy, well balance diet to help the body heal. Not only are nuts a great source of protein & fiber, they are also rich in zinc and selenium which help to boost your mood and prevent postpartum depression. Dr. Elizabeth recommends carrying diaper-bag compatible KIND bars, made primarily of whole nuts, whenever on-the-go as an easy way to get these essential nutrients.

*Return to Romance

When you’re ready for sex, and you’ve held off for the recommended six weeks, go for it. Just don’t forget the Astroglide or other personal lubricant, because after childbirth and while breastfeeding, you’re low in estrogen, causing a thinning of your cervical mucous, which can lead to dryness and discomfort.

Were you prepared when your little one made his/her entrance into this world? What sorts of things did you bring with you to the hospital?

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Archives, Pregnancy & Loss · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Apr 17, 2013

Have You Ever Had a Psychic Reading Done? (My True Story!)

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Have any of you ever had a psychic reading done?? I ask this because I totally believe in that kind of stuff and yes, I have had several done before!

Before I got pregnant with my newest little one, you all know I had a VERY hard time getting pregnant. Nothing worked. I had numerous IUI’s, fertility treatments and tried most anything and everything out there to no avail. This went on for about 2.5 to 3 years. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Blah. It was heart wrenching. I had a miscarriage in those few years of trying too and that was really hard on me. All together I had lost 3 little ones…

angel in garden

So, I was becoming increasingly desperate. Not only was my age a huge factor in ttc, but I only have ONE fallopian tube too now, to work with. It seemed like NOTHING was on my side for a third child..

So, naturally I turned to a psychic to do a reading for me. I ordered one online from a well-known psychic that many other ttc women were turning to, for support and some comfort.

glass ball

It only cost me $5 bucks so what was there to lose, right? I paid the $5 and immediately the psychic contacted me through email. She asked me a few questions than got right back to me with my reading.

It was unreal how accurate this particular reading would become… I look back to when I first received the reading and could see some things then, but now that the WHOLE picture has already happened, it is UNREAL at how REAL this reading was…

I will explain…

In my reading, it said that I will have difficulty trying to conceive (ttc). I will need help with ttc. I DID need help!

Next it said I have experienced losses and that has made me very scared and full of anxiety (again, true). Then it said that I will be having a boy next (just gave birth to a boy!). But, the psychic told me that I would experience a loss before the baby was born, but maybe I did not know that yet, she said..

My father in law passed away VERY unexpectedly in April of last year (a year ago on the 19th...). ONE week later, I found out I was pregnant with THIS baby. She was right again…

She then said in the first trimester, I would be very sick with morning sickness. I was EXTREMELY ill…

sick

She said this baby would come in December/January.. my baby boy came at the end of December!

baby k

She also said that my labor and delivery will not go as planned. Ummm.. I had my baby in less than an hour from when I got to the hospital. Forty minutes to be exact. I pushed him out, without an epidural mind you all, NATURAL, in about 7 minutes. The doctor who was delivering my baby was just pulling into the parking lot!!!! Ya, my birth plan/delivery was  NOT expected to go this way! LOL..

Then she said that the numbers 3 and 21 kept appearing to her. Well, this was my third baby so that made sense to me. But the 21 I could NOT figure out… until my mom and dad came to visit me in the hospital and they said “This is our 21st grandchild!” OMG!! That is where the 21 came in! Soooo weird!!

The Psychic also said that there MAY be another child ‘out there’ for me, but it is unclear. It would be a girl and it would be VERY close in age with the baby I have now.. SIGH. That has yet to come true and I certainly hope it will not, LOL. I don’t think I could handle that right now. I feel we are done having kids now. I feel complete..

At the end, she said that I would be a hermit for a while. When I think about that, I think that I am a hermit right now. My baby cries all the time, and is colicky and has acid reflux. That makes it really hard to go out very much because I never know when he will be fussy and just cry. So, yes, I am a hermit right now.

So, what do you think about my Trying to Conceive psychic reading I had done??? Isn’t it eerily right on??? I am a FIRM believer in this kind of stuff. I often feel like I have some super natural powers too.. I sense things sometimes, it is weird and then they come true some times! I think we all have a psychic ability, we just have to know how to tune into those abilities..

Anyways, that is my true story and I have been wanting to share it with you all for a while now!

Do YOU believe in this sort of thing? Have you ever had a psychic reading? Please do tell in the comments below! I LOVE this sort of stuff :)

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Archives, Pregnancy & Loss · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Mar 29, 2013

My Baby Boy Is Three Months Today!!!

By ·

My goodness they grow fast, is an understatement! They grow SUPER fast!!! Whoosh. My little newborn, is not so newborn anymore :(

Happy Three Months little ‘Domma’!!

3 months old

 

 

Filed Under: Archives, Family · Tagged: , ,
Mar 11, 2013

Shop Pish Posh Baby For All Your Baby Gear! (Review & $50 GC Giveaway)

By ·

CONTEST OVER! CONGRATS TO

courtney b #927!!pish_posh_logo

This is my second time, shopping online at Pish Posh Baby. Each time, it has been very easy to shop and so easy to  navigate. Such a nice difference from other sites I have shopped on before.

Packages come VERY quickly and soon you have your item in your hand to use. I love that about Pish Posh Baby!

baby wearing

I have always wanted a Moby Wrap and I was sooo happy to see that Pish Posh Baby carried them! Yay! So I went ahead and ordered a Moby Wrap in black!

This arrived so quickly, like my other things have before, and soon I was trying to figure out how to wrap the Moby wrap onto myself! LOL. This thing WAS confusing and LONGGG!! Wow. What did I get myself into, I thought.

After I read the super easy instructions, I had my Moby Wrap on me and my new baby snug against me, inside of it :) Sooooo awesome. I absolutely LOVE my Moby Wrap, LOVE IT.

I highly recommend the Moby Wrap to any new mommy!! It keeps your baby next to you and lets your arms be free to do what you need to do! I am so pleased with the quality of it and the look and feel. It is VERY stylish too. Just love it!

Anyways, back to Pish Posh Baby!!

I always enjoy visiting Pish Posh Baby and browsing their huge selection of baby gear and items. They always have such a nice selection and really good prices too. The site is designed nicely and is pleasing to the eyes.

need_help_on

I also love that the site has Knowledgeable Mom reps that are available 9am-9pm! (Real Moms Real Advice)- Chat Or Call -quick response time- A Real mom to answer questions or concerns not some answering service! And, fast and free shipping (on orders more than $75). But my item was only around $50 and it still shipped SUPER FAST.

Bugaboo Bee Giveaway!!

Enter to win a Bugaboo Bee Stroller! All you have to do is visit their FB Page and follow the instructions! Good luck!

Win!

One person is going to win a $50 PPB Gift Card/coupon code so they can experience the Pish Posh Baby site like I did!!

How?

Easy! Just use the Rafflecopter form below!

Disclosure:

I was sent product to check out. All opinions are mine.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Mar 11, 2013

Colief® Infant Drops: Less Colic, More ‘We’ Time! (Review/Giveaway)

By ·

CONTEST OVER! CONGRATS TO

Brittney House #249!!

Since giving birth to my sweet baby boy, he has been really fussy. None of my other two kids were like this, when they were newborn. They were quiet babies. But, this newest little one is FUSSY :)

 

Especially when he was first-born. Wow. I was shocked at how much a new baby could scream and cry. It made me feel inadequate as his mother. It made me sad and hurt that I could not calm him like I was trying to do! So, of course, I got online, asked other mothers and then did some more research on my own.

What did I come up with? You can see that below:

Take milk out of my diet

Don’t drink so much soda pop (hey now!)

Stop drinking coffee (Oh gosh..)

Gripe Water Works Wonders

Make sure to burp baby, A LOT.

And MANY more things… But nothing was really working! The Gripe Water worked some, but not for long. I tried it all, or so I thought, and I was getting frustrated beyond belief, with myself :( Could this be the dreaded colic???

I heard of a blogger opportunity to try out the Colief Infant Drops and immediately emailed them telling them I would love to review them. Thank heavens they agreed to send me a bottle to try out on my little one.

When I received this, I read the directions thoroughly and then pumped a bit of breast milk into a bottle (only need a few table spoons of it) , added 4 drops of the Colief Infant Drops into the expressed breast milk, swished it around and fed it to my baby boy. (You don’t give the Colief Infant drops directly to your baby, you MUST put it into formula or breast milk. Find out how to use Colief here) After about a half hour, my little man was not only TRYING to coo (sooooo sweet!!) but he was kicking his legs soo hard and content. I was super skeptical, because would if he is just having a ‘good’ day? So, I tried it the next day and next and my baby was seeming to be more content and less fussy.

colief infant drops

I am pleased with the way this stuff works. So far, so good. Baby is still fussy at times but he does not scream like he is in pain. That part broke my heart and I am so happy that ‘phase’ is over (knock on wood).

 What is Colief®?

Colief® is a dietary supplement, which is added to infant milk. The active ingredient in Colief® is lactase, a safe, naturally occurring enzyme produced within the small intestine. Colief® is not a medication.

What does Colief® do?

The addition of Colief® Infant Drops to the baby’s usual milk compensates for a possible temporary lactase deficiency in the baby’s digestive system. Colief® Infant Drops added to a baby’s usual milk greatly reduces the level of lactose by breaking it down into glucose and galactose before the baby is fed. Studies have shown that the hours of crying may be greatly reduced when a baby’s usual milk is treated with Colief®.

Buy

Colief Infant Drops is available at Walmart, CVS, Duane Reade, Walgreens, buybuy Baby and diapers.com for a suggested retail price of $14.99. Learn more about Colief Infant Drops and Transient Lactase Deficiency (TLD) at www.colief.com and join their community of parents on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coliefinfantdrops for tips and offers.

Ask your pediatrician for a Colief coupon or visit http://colief.us/coupons.html to download a $2 off coupon now.

Win!

One person is going to win a bottle of Colief Infant Drops!

How?

Easy! Just use the Rafflecopter form below!

Disclosure:

I was sent product to review. All opinions are mine.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Feb 28, 2013

From Pea to Pumpkin Pregnancy Journal (Review & Giveaway)

By ·

 

CONTEST OVER! CONGRATS TO

Angela Winesburg #592!!pea to pumpkin logo

Man, when I was pregnant, I would have loved to have the From Pea To Pumpkin Pregnancy Journal. I did not have a journal to chart my woes and I sure wish I had. It is always fun to look back and see what you were feeling at what particular time and what you did or ate! I really should have documented my pregnancy with my last baby, but did not. I did with my other kids though, to an extent.

 pregnancy journal

This pregnancy journal is absolutely adorable, practical and will be a reminder of how you were when you were pregnant (might even be a great birth control for some ;) ). Something to read when you are feeling those baby blues! And, when your child gets older and can understand, you can read it to him/her and let her know what it took to grow him/her! Wish my mom had done that with me! Would have loved to read that now!

pregnancy book

This journal has everything you need to chart your pregnancy. At the very beginning there is a place to put your first ultrasound picture and I love that. At every week, it has a picture of how big your baby is that week! So sweet! At the very end of the journal, there is a place to put your baby’s birth picture and a place to write out the birth story! Seriously, this is definitely a book every new mommy NEEDS. Baby’s grow sooo fast, so document EVERYTHING starting from pregnancy to their sweet birth. That way you won’t miss a thing!!

pregnancy first trimester

 Through beautiful watercolor fruit and veggie illustrations and whimsical, relatable fill-in-the-blank prompts, From Pea to Pumpkin is a pregnancy journal that lets moms record each week of their baby’s unique journey, from crazy food cravings to those first incredible kicks.

You can watch the trailer about it, below:

 how big baby is week 19

 Buy

You can purchase the beautifully illistrated and super cute Pregnancy Journal online at Amazon.com!

baby journal

Win!

One very lucky mama to be will win the From Pea To Pumpkin Pregnancy Journal of their very own!

How?
Easy! Just use the Rafflecopter form below!

Disclosure:

I received product to check out. All opinions are mine. The Amazon link is my personal affiliate link.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Archives, Reviews · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Feb 26, 2013

Express Yourself

By ·

*This is a guest post

If you want to express breast milk but are not sure how or what to use, then here is a quick guide to expressing milk to make this process a little clearer for first time Moms, or Moms who want to give breastfeeding a try.

 time to eat

As you know, breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for your baby and when it comes time to change to bottle, you can still provide your little one with breast milk by expressing. This means you can let your partner take over feeding duties – which will help with bonding – or enable you to return to work with the knowledge that your baby will still be fed with breast milk. It is also a great option if your baby isn’t sucking well or your breast is uncomfortably full with milk.

 

It is possible to express by hand with many women saying they find it more comfortable, but the majority of women choose a breast pump to aid with expressing. Different pumps suit different women so it is important to consider your breast size when choosing a pump. Lansinoh offer a great selection of breast pumps and breast-feeding advice for new Moms or those who haven’t tried expressing before.

 

Expressing milk is also a trained art form, so don’t be disheartened if it takes you a few attempts to get it right. Although seemingly a simple action to perform, different variables can make a big difference to the amount of milk that is expressed. Things such as stress or a cool temperature can have a negative effect on your milk production so if it just isn’t happening; think about other factors that may be affecting it.

 

Once you have mastered the action then you need to know how to store your breast milk for future use. In a sterilized container you can store breast milk:

 

  • In the fridge at 4˚C or lower – Up to five days
  • In the ice compartment of a fridge – Two weeks
  • In a freezer – Up to 6 months

 

If you have chosen the frozen method then it is best to defrost the milk in the fridge and then use immediately. Do not use a microwave to heat the milk, as this may cause hot spots which can burn your baby’s mouth. It is also suitable cold – if your baby will take it this way – but you can heat the milk in lukewarm water to keep the milk at body temperature.

 

As with most things to do with your little one, it is up to each Mom to decide what is best for her baby. If you feel like expressing is the next stage for you, then this guide will see you through the initial teething problems.

 

 

Filed Under: Archives, Pregnancy & Loss · Tagged: , , , , ,
Feb 25, 2013

InGenuity Washable Playard Deluxe with Dream Centre #smartbabyproducts

By ·

Having a new baby, you really need lots of stuff! Having just one of something, no longer is good enough, especially when you have two rooms your constantly in. Baby has to go with you, right? Where does baby go, other than my arms all the time?

playard

I really really needed another playard to put baby in, when I am busy around the house. I can’t hold him all day long, though some days I do :) I do still have two other kids that need their mama, so I need both hands! So, when I received the  InGenuity Washable Playard Deluxe with Dream Centre to review, I was so happy. I already have a playard, but now I have one for each room! So happy about this :)

Quick Video:

This was a very easy playard to put together. I actually had my parents over and had my dad quickly do it for me. It took him 10 minutes tops to get it all together. It really does not require a lot of assembly. You just put it up, pop on the side container things, baby bassinet and changing table, add the vibrating musical thing to the side and you are pretty much done!

playard ingenuity

My baby boy loves the bassinet part of it. My other playard does not have that, so it is very nice to have a comfy and safe place to put him when I am vacuuming or doing dishes. The little comfy bassinet is so plush and so comfortable and warm feeling. It also has a little pull up shade that has two adorable hanging plush toys on it. I will touch them to make them sway and my boy will follow them with his little eyes. So adorable!

Video:

The changing table part of it is on the other side of the playard. Makes for changing baby, super easy to do and it is the right  height for me,which is nice. No bending over so far that my back aches.

washable playard

I also love the convenient side compartment. It has three compartments that is great for holding baby changing items like diapers, diaper rash cream, lotion, wipes and more! Very nice to have that so close!

The Soothing Sounds Station has Five melodies and 3 nature sounds to comfort baby! My baby boy loves this as he is just starting to kind of listen to things. He will be very quiet and just look around when I turn this on for him. LOVE. The Soothing Sounds Station just hooks onto the side of the playard!

ingenuity washable playard

The last thing that I absolutely love about this playard is that it is WASHABLE!! The playard fabric zips off and on in just a few minutes and can be completely removed for machine washing. So, if baby has a messy MESSY diaper (we know they have that!!! Whoosh!) or spit up all over the playard or any other messy situation, just remember this can be washed easily! Makes my life so much more easier so I have time for the precious things in life, like snuggling with my kids! :)

 Playard Features:

  • Fabrics easily zip off in under a minute for machine washing
  • Dream Centre: A comfortable place for your newborn to rest; features soft fabrics and breathable mesh
  • One Less Step : Quickly fold & go without removing bassinet
  • Just Right Height: Elevated changing table easily pivots out of the way
  • Soothing Sounds Station: Five melodies and 3 nature sounds to comfort baby

I love the way this playard looks, it is so nice! It is tan and light green in color and is perfect for a baby boy or girl. It is comfy and my baby boy just loves to be in it! When he is older, the playard area will definitely come in handy so I can get some work done!

Feel free to connect with InGenuity Baby on their Facebook page!

Buy

You can purchase the InGenuity Washable Playard Deluxe with Dream Centre online at Babies R Us.

Disclosure:

This review was made possible by Double Duty Divas and Kids II. I was provided the featured product free of charge to facilitate my review, but all opinions are 100% mine

 

 

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