until you are a parent you will never completely understand this shirt

You can save a lot of money on toys because your baby's favorite thing to look at will be your ceiling fans!

infant bath time - product reviews

I find that my little one really benefits from her evening bath after a long grueling day at daycare.  It's hard work being overstimulated by all the sights and sounds that occur in the infant room at daycare.  Add to that the apparent fight to stay awake at daycare so she doesn't miss anything happening around her, she is flat out exhausted when I pick her up.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

The evening bath has become an important ritual at our house and like most baby rituals (at least the ones not involving livestock) it requires lots of supplies.  I suppose that I shouldn't complain about this.  Bathing an infant is probably a lot easier than bathing a toddler.  With babies there's no chasing them through the house or having them get upset when you tell them to take a bath just so they can turn around and get upset again when you tell them it's time to get out of the bath.  Bath time in my house, for now, is a calm little bonding moment.

My mother had a special infant bath tub for me and my brother.  She just bathed us in the kitchen sink.  I just couldn't see myself doing this - especially in the first few months where your baby can't sit up on their own. We have Fisher-Price's Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bath Center.

This bath tub has 3 main features that I think every bath tub should have (whether you choose to go with this brand or not):  

1. An infant net.  This is for when your baby can't sit up on their own.  Instead they can lounge in this net, which also makes handling a wet and soapy baby a lot easier.
2. Grows from newborn to toddler.  Not only does it come with the infant net, but it comes with an insert that supports your little one until they are ready to sit in the tub without it.
3. Drying/storage hook.  This my seem like a simple item - but its a lot easier to just hang the tub out of the way.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Another item that we find makes bath time easier is a water temperature tester.  We have the Summer Infant Digital Temperature Tester.  It's a cute turtle that tells you the temperature of the water and has an indicator light to tell you if the temperature is too cold, hot or just right.  We got this as a gift and love it.  We've had no problems with it, but after recently reading some reviews online, it appears that the batteries, once dead, are irreplaceable (oops!).  We will most likely replace it when it dies with the highly recommended Aquatopia Safety Bath Thermometer.  Also a cute turtle, but with replaceable batteries.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Sometimes you also run into a product that has such a simply ingenious design, that you can't help but recommend it to friends.  The Method Baby Squeaky Green Hair + Body Wash is such a product.  They actually thought to make the lid a cup!  It doesn't foam up a lot like other brands, but it has a nice clean scent and they get an "A" for just being smart.  I'm sure we could use any good smelling baby wash on her and she would be happy, the cup is just so convenient to switch.

Our bath time ends with a good massage with some lotion (I prefer Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Baby Butter Massage Lotion), put on some fresh clean pjs, fill up the tummy and off to bed!

I don't think there is anything better than a clean smelling baby that's in what we call "milk coma" and is ready for bed.  In fact, last night I could not resist and went back in the nursery and picked my little sleeping angel up, held her to my chest and rocked her for a bit before I had to go to bed myself.  I swear, being a working mom makes you feel like you don't get enough of your little one during the week.

to bounce or swing, that is the question – product review

4moms mamaRoo

When we went around the baby stores to do our registry, we saw something that looked part alien and part amazing – the 4moms mamaRoo.  It is this space-aged contraption that your child sits in and gets gently swung.  At $200, we really didn’t think we were going to get one, but we registered for it anyway.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

This sleek modern piece of machinery has an abundant amount of features:

• Their biggest claim to fame is that the mamaRoo moves like a real mom would. 
• It has five unique motions (Car Ride, KangaRoo, Tree Swing, Rock-A-Bye, and Ocean Wave) that can be selected with adjustable speeds.   
• It has a completely adjustable seat that can be placed anywhere on its axis.
• The fabric, which comes in 6 different colors, can be removed and is machine washable (plus, they just recently came out with their "plush" line -- which will run you an extra $40).
• It comes with a couple of sounds to play with adjustable volume, but what’s really cool is that it has a MP3 adapter  - yup, you can hook your iPod up to it and let your baby rock out to Pink Floyd rather than some overplayed xylophone-d lullaby.
• Should your baby be a lover of the fine arts, the mobile is actually 3 spheres made up of Van Gogh pieces that are black and white on one side and full color on the other side.

We were very lucky when my husband’s (very generous) work pulled their funds together and got us the mamaRoo for a baby shower gift.  I was absolutely stoked to get the opportunity to use it.  I may have used it on my dog (for research purposes, really…). 




So how did our baby like it when we finally got her in it?  Well, she seems to be a bit indifferent.  It’s not that she doesn't enjoy it, it’s just that she doesn’t seem to get excited about it at all.  Now at the time of writing this, she is only 10 weeks old, so she may grow to love it still.

It ends up that she was indifferent about the $200 mamaRoo, but she loves, loves, LOVES, her $35 Fisher Price Hoppy Days Bouncer.

Fisher-Price Hoppy Days Bouncer

My little one loves her Fisher-Price Hoppy Days Bouncer.   It is pretty darn simple.  It’s a chair that vibrates and when she kicks or wiggles, bounces up and down.  The fabric is removable and machine washable and the 1 D battery it takes seems to last forever.  It is extremely light and easy to move around the house with you or take on trips.  My little girl loves spending time in her chair with the vibrations on (and the mobile off).  She will sit there watching me work in the kitchen and make her cute baby sounds and smiles.  Priceless!

Image courtesy of Fisher-Price.com

You can’t find the Fisher-Price Hoppy Days Bouncer at Babies “R” Us anymore.  They have replaced it with something newer, the Fisher-Price Happy Giraffe – Precious Planet (approximately $43).  Same design though.

Something I do need to say is that the chair lacked in padding around the frame.  My baby actually got a bruise on the bottom of her foot from kicking the frame too hard.  I shoved a dishtowel under there for extra padding and haven't had a problem since.

breastpumps – product review

Oh, where do I begin?  I went through 3 different breastpumps: the Medela Swing Breastpump, The First Years miPump, and finally the Medela Pump In Style Advanced w/ On-the-Go Tote.

Medela Swing

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

I had no problems with the first pump I got, the Medela Swing (approximately $120).  It’s a small little handy electric pump.  I would strongly recommend it to any stay-at-home mom who finds herself occasionally pumping.  I would not recommend it for a working mom or a moron like me that thought she could just become a sole pumper rather than fixing her breastfeeding problems (don’t become this too).

The features I like most about this pump was the fact that it was small and compact and came with all the standard features you will find in most electric pumps (2-phase expression, comfortable breastshields, etc.).  It also comes with a handy little feature that shuts the pump off after 30 minutes.  I found this to be very useful since I kept falling asleep at the pump. J

I had to move away from this pump because I found myself pumping all the time and wanted to cut that time in half.  I knew I needed to spend the money and a get a double.

The First Years miPump – Double

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

I ended up getting the miPump (approximately $63) solely based on price and the fact that I ordered it from Amazon.com, so I could freely take the risk in trying it.  This is something important to note.  Amazon.com will allow you to return opened and used breastpumps (they have wonderful customer service).  You will not be able to return your pump to some stores because they consider it a hygiene product – you’ll be forced to contact the manufacturer instead.  So my advice is to purchase your pumps through Amazon.

So a $63 double breastpump turned out to be indeed too good to be true.  The First Years miPump comes with all the standard features, plus it comes with a “hand-free” bar contraption to hold the pumps.  It’s not handsfree because you still have to hold the contraption with one hand.  This pump seemed to work just as well as my Medela Swing, but sadly after 4 days milk got in the tubing.  This was a common complaint in the Amazon.com customer reviews.  Thankfully Amazon refunded me my money and I broke down to buy a “real” double pump.

Medela Pump In Style Advanced w/ On-the-Go Tote

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

A good breastpump isn’t cheap.  This double pump will run you about $280.  I do not regret the purchase at all.  This pump comes with all the standard bells and whistles, 2 other things that it comes with that I thought were great was the tote – discreet for lugging my pump to work, and the cooler carrier – perfect fit in the bag and with the ice pack can hold 4 bottles.

I would recommend this pump to anyone.  I think it is a great pump and it made my life a lot easier.

I did need to get some additional supplies/accessories that made pumping easier:

PumpEase Handsfree Breastpumping Bra

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

The big one is that this particular Medela pump isn’t handsfree.  This is kind of comical.  You have to somehow hold two pumps to your breast and still operate the pump itself.  The booklet actually shows a mysterious third hand coming out of nowhere to adjust the pump.  I bought a handsfree breastpump bra to solve this dilemma.  You are not going to be able to live without one of these.  Medela has its own version of this that they sell in most baby stores.  I ended up getting the PumpEase Fabulous 50's Collection one.  It ran me about $32 but it’s actually cute and a nice silky fabric.  Just make sure you pay attention to the sizing chart because they run big.

Medela Personal Fit Breastshields

Now not all nipples are the same.  All the pumps come with 24mm breastshields (considered a size medium).  I ended up having to move up in size (they come in 21mm, 24mm, 27mm, 30mm, and 36mm).  Pay close attention as you pump to see if your nipple is fitting in the breastshield appropriately. 

Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags

(Approximately $6.50) This is great for pumping at work or away from home.  Each box comes with 5 bags and you can use each bag 20 times.

Medela 9V Vehicle Lighter Adapter

Now pumping in the car may sounds weird, but for me it was very convenient when we had to go on long roadtrips.

breastfeeding pillow - product review

My mother said that I didn’t need a breastfeeding pillow.  I read some blogs saying that you can just use any old pillow you have lying around if needed (which I suppose is true).  I ended up registering for a Boppy Pillow (approximately $35) anyway.  One, everyone else was doing it. J  Two, it can also be used as an “infant support pillow.”

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

One note before I give you my account on breastfeeding pillows.  Something I didn’t take in account was that I would have a difficult time due to the fact that I was already very heavy chested (36H).  Trying to maneuver a baby under my breasts and see what I was doing (let alone if the latch was good) turned out to be quite the challenge.

Well I got the Boppy Pillow and I kind of struggled to use it.  I was always readjusting it and finding myself hunching over my little one (which is killer on my back).  However, my baby (which is 9 weeks old at the time of writing this) loves lounging in this pillow.  The Boppy Pillow comes with a little booklet showing you different uses.  I do not regret this purchase, but it just didn’t work for me when it came to helping me with breastfeeding.

My mother, after seeing me struggle with my large-chestedness, actually got me another breastfeeding pillow.  This one I loved.  It is My Brest Friend’s Deluxe Nursing Pillow (approximately $40).  It was kind of weird to strap a pillow onto me (I felt like one of those burlesque cigarette girls), but it really helps with keeping the pillow in place.  The biggest plus was that it made me essentially handsfree.  I could now reposition my breast or baby and see exactly what was happening.  An added feature is the back support – it’s heavenly.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

books on breastfeeding

I was leant 2 books.  One was a snooze fest (but good as a reference guide) and it was The American Academy of Pediatrics’ “New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding”.

The other book, I highly recommend, and it was “So That’s What They’re For!: The Definitive Breastfeeding Guide” by Janet Tamaro (approximately $10).  This book is a must.  It has great advice and is written in a casual format that makes it very easy to read.  The author goes through her own experiences and those of her clients – it’s always nice to know you’re not the first to do something wrong or freak out.  I read this book while I was pregnant and frequently referred to it when the baby came.  

breastfeeding advice

As I was writing product reviews on the items associated with breastfeeding and pumping I thought I might share my two cents on breastfeeding first.  I won’t go on a tirade about why you should breastfeed, but without hesitation I will tell you that I am think breastfeeding is amazing and I firmly believe in it.  


First, let me say that you can never know enough about breastfeeding ahead of time.  You think you get it, then you get home with a baby whose sole food source is coming from you and it is so easy to get overwhelmed.


Second, let me tell you that I’m not entirely happy how my breastfeeding adventure went.  I made a lot of mistakes, but I definitely plan on learning from them (and contacting my lactation consultant as soon as I have a problem) the next go around.


There is a ton of advice that comes with breastfeeding so I won't go into it all, but if I had to give a new mom only a few words of advice, it would be this:

1. Get a book and read up ahead of time
2. Take a breastfeeding class
3. Get to know your lactation consultant.  If your hospital doesn’t have a lactation consultant (which most do), find out the contact information for one in your area (the La Leche League has a list of resources)
4. At any moment that you run into trouble or difficulty, contact your lactation consultant – don’t wait
5. When things get tough, don’t stop breastfeeding your baby and switch over to a bottle (even if you are going to pump your milk) if you have the intention or desire to continue to breastfeed

It’s pretty obvious that #5 is what got me.  My baby lost a lot of weight the first week (which is common, but I freaked when the pediatrician showed a hint of concern).  I was beyond worried that she was not getting enough milk (which is also a very common worry for nervous new moms).  My pediatrician told me to offer my baby milk or formula after I try to breastfeed to see if she was still hungry.  Sure enough, we did this and my little one was starved – ate up the bottle immediately.  I was so relieved that my baby was eating and putting on weight that I started pumping to get my supply up while we supplemented with formula (mixed with whatever breastmilk I got).  It took my milk about 10 days to come in (which can be a side effect with a caesarean).  It was only then I contacted my lactation consultant for help.  Waiting that long was a big mistake; I should have called her immediately.  I should have also continued to try to breastfeed rather than pumping.  All things I will learn from.  My consultant gave me great advice and tools to use, however my baby was not interested in working for her food anymore.  She wanted to be bottle fed.  I even tried transitional nipples (called nipple shields) that give your baby that rubber nipple feel they are looking for, but I was completely unsuccessful.

Needless to say, I started pumping full time (huge, HUGE, mistake).  I can tell you firsthand, you never want to do this.  Pumping is time consuming.  Feeding your baby is time consuming.  My life went on a 3 hour cycle:  Feed the baby (45-60 mins), pump (75 mins, until I broke down and spent the money on a double pump, but then it was still 45 mins), about 30-45 minutes of downtime and then repeat.  When you are solely pumping you have to pump a lot and for a long time to keep up production.  Your pump can never pump as much as a baby can intake from your breast itself.  Also you can get all the less desirable side effects that come with breastfeeding (engorgement, mastitis, chapped and bleeding nipples, etc.) without the nice side effects (the close bonding and time with your baby).  This is not the life you want – just take my word for it.


I have vowed to learn from my mistakes and so desperately want to prove that I can be successful at this.  Unfortunately it will have to wait until my second child.