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Is Your Baby’s Teether Toxic? – Review & Giveaway

May 28, 2015

You want to know what will make you want to run for the hills? As in, literally sell your possessions, run for the hills, and set up camp shunning all modern day goods and living only off the land?

Researching the toxic chemical found in baby toys. Yes, BABY TOYS. Lead? Not just for paint in old houses. BPA? Not just in plastic bottles. Pthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and organotin compounds? Not just for…well chemistry books that we don’t understand.

All of these (and MORE!) can be found in your baby’s toys…you know, the ones they immediately bring to their mouth as soon as they get their hands on them. To their MOUTH. And if you knew the negative side-effects these chemicals can have on us, well, like I said you’d be running for the hills in an effort to avoid anything that’s ever been manufactured ever again.

I know I sound dramatic, but these chemicals are no joke. They’ve been linked to reproductive issues, developmental disabilities, cancer, immune deficiencies, and more. (source) Rocks and sticks sound like great toys, now don’t they?

Ok, realistically, we can’t protect our children from all of these awful chemicals, but we can be intentional about certain items, especially items meant to go in their mouths like teethers.

If it’s supposed to go in a baby’s mouth, it darn better be non-toxic and natural. And is there anything more natural than wood? I mean, there’s not even any explaining I need to do…it’s just…wood. After an extensive search, I found two Etsy shops that had top of the line wooden teethers…unfinished to boot — nothing but pure wood!

The first teether is by Muley Baby. It’s an adorable spin on the traditional teething ring featuring wooden beads and 100% cotton fabric. Each bead is held in place by a secure knot to eliminate the risk of the beads coming loose. These teethers also come in “boy” and gender neutral colors. Oh, and they make a pretty cute bracelet for mama!

Sharelle from Muley Baby is a stay-at-home mama of a 3 year-old girl and 8 month-old boy. After her youngest had to be hospitalized, Sharelle and her family were faced with a number of bills. In an attempt to offset the cost of medical care, she started making these adorable teethers!

The second teether is a Mama Rocks necklace by In Between The Raindrop. It doubles as both a teething and nursing necklace (read more here if you want to know why I love nursing necklaces). It’s made from a cotton cord and geometric unfinished maple wood beads. The teether stays on mama and gives your baby something to chew on and fiddle with as he or she keeps close to you. It’s jewelry that you can wear and that your baby can yank/chew/slobber on to her heart’s content.

Amanda from In Between The Raindrop is a mommy of three (two boys and a girl), aged four, three and 15 months. She started her business when she became frustrated with her jewelry always breaking or just not being functional in her life. She took matters into her own hands and now makes functional, affordable, and super cute products that make breastfeeding, baby wearing and just all around entertainment of the baby easier.

Both Muley Baby and In Between The Raindrop are generously giving away a teether to 2 lucky Best of Baby readers. (Muley Baby is offering a Fox themed teething ring to one US winner and In Between the Raindrop is offering a silicone teething necklace or accessory or wooden crochet necklace to one US or Canadian winner) That’s 2 winners folks! Winners will be randomly selected and assigned to a teether. Check out the shops and then enter below!

And if you don’t want to take your chance on winning, both shops are generously offering a discount during the course of the giveaway. Use Foxy15 at Muley Baby shop (US only) and BOB15 in In Between The Raindrop (US and Canada).

(Note: Babies should not be left to play with these necklaces. Although they are teethers, they are for mamas to wear, not for babies to play with on their own. This can pose a strangulation hazard.)

Iulia from Best of Baby was given this necklace in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are her own. No other bloggers promoting this giveaway were compensated in any way.

Natural Wooden Teethers Giveaway

Baby, Review

Sick Day Saviour – Baby K’Tan Review

February 20, 2015

[c/o denotes a gifted item. Asterisk denotes an affiliate link. See full disclaimer here.]

The stomach flu grabbed a hold of our family this week and wasn’t about to let go easily. My poor little guy was so tired and only wanted to be held, which made it difficult for me to get myself back in working order and keep everything on track at home. So I wore Oliver in the *Baby K’tan and he snuggled right in and was so content!

c/o Baby K’tan

**side note: I made my husband pose for these photos because I look like death punched me in the face which is coincidentally exactly how I feel. But who doesn’t like seeing a Dad baby wear, am I right?**

What sets the *Baby K’tan apart from other wraps on the market is the way you put it on. Like their Instagram says, the K’tan is “A baby carrier that slips on like a shirt and fits like a wrap”. Because of it’s clever design, you aren’t wrapping literally metres of fabric around you which can be a bit intimidating to a new wrapper. Take a look at this video to get the idea!

The *Baby K’tan is so easy to put on and take off I was able to get him in to the wrap without him starting the waterworks and once he was sound asleep I was able to slip him out and into his crib without a peep and with a sick babe, that ain’t an easy feat! I’m a mom rock-star, thanks to the K’tan!

The @babyktan is the perfect #wrap for a first time wrapper, a care giver, or a grand parent!…

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In my opinion this is the perfect wrap for a first time wrapper or for someone who doesn’t wear the baby often like a caregiver or grand parent. My husband has never EVER worn a wrap before, just soft structured carriers. He’s watched me put on my wraps before and I think he might be a little intimidated by all the fabric which is totally understandable. You don’t get any of that with the *Baby K’tan !

The fabric is like a thicker t-shirt material. You still get that comfy stretch but the material is still thick enough to feel secure with the weight of the baby on it. Secure is key when it come to baby wearing!

Our *Baby K’tan is in “Denim” which still feels like a cotton but has a brushed denim/chambray look to it! It’s really nice and I was pleasantly pleased when I felt how cozy it was against me and baby.

Do you have experience with the Baby K’tan? Are you curious to try this wrap? Let me know in the comments!

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these fabulous blogs!

Baby, Review

Make More Breast Milk with Snappy Snacks

January 26, 2015

[This post contains gifted items. Read full disclaimer here]

Did you know eating certain things will increase milk production? These things are called “galactagogues”. Don’t ask me to pronounce that in real life. Foods like oatmeal, sesame seeds, fenugreek, flax and ginger will all help milk supply.

Did you know eating certain things will increase a mother’s milk production!? Find out which…

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Snappy Snacks is a Canadian company that sells dry mixes which contain all those awesome ingredients all in one convenient package. This means a new mom can grab a package of Snappy Snacks, dump the dry mix in a bowl, add a half cup of butter and an egg and make either cookies or brownies. It’s really so simple. If someone asked me to bake from a recipe in the weeks following the birth of my son I would have laughed in their face! You can read my review of Snappy Snacks here.

My dear sister-in-law welcomed a tiny little peanut into the world just before Christmas. She was determined to breast feed her little girl from the moment she got pregnant. She read books and asked me for advice but nothing could really prepare her for breast feeding like the experience its self. Luckily Robyn had the whole line of Snappy Snacks on hand for that first growth spurt. Between a week and 10 days old, babies usually go through a growth spurt that is very noticeable when you are breast feeding. The baby will be super hungry sending your body into milk making mode. Not only will you feel super tired but you’ll be very hungry, too. Making milk burns a lot of calories. BONUS!

So Robyn got in the kitchen and made up all her cookies and brownies and filled her freezer up. I know she had a rough go in the beginning but Snappy Snacks was there to keep her fuelled with things that help to naturally encourage milk production. She’s now successfully feeding her little one exclusively with breast milk. It wasn’t easy but she got through the hardest part with the help of Snappy Snacks and she couldn’t be happier. Sometimes all we need is a little helping hand.

My go to gift for baby showers is now Snappy Snacks dry mixes. They will last in the pantry for up to a year so whenever a mom runs into supply issues she can bust out her mix. You can find Snappy Snacks in these stores across Canada! They make Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, Raisin Spice Mix, and Double Chocolate Brownie Mix.

How was your breast feeding experience? What would you do different if you had a do over?

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these amazing blogs!

Baby, Giveaway, Review

What Do You Do With The Poo – Spray Pal Review + Giveaway

January 19, 2015

[Post contains affiliate links. c/o denotes a gifted item. See full disclaimer here]

We’ve been cloth diapering our son from birth and it’s been really lovely! 100% easier than we expected and we’ve saved buckets of cash. Of course there is poop involved, just like with disposables. Whether you decide to do cloth or disposables, there’s still poop. You can’t escape it! And to be perfectly honest it’s not that big of a deal in the beginning. Our son ate both breast milk and formula and the smell was never a big deal.

What do you do with the poo? #ClothDiapering

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But a strange things happens around the six month mark. You start adding food to your baby’s diet and that food starts to come out, sometimes not fully digested. Our son feeds himself chunks of food and has since he was 6.5 months. This is referred to as Baby Led Weaning. This poop needs to be rinsed off before it goes in the washing machine. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

We have a diaper sprayer hooked up to our toilet that makes our lives a lot easier for rinsing diapers before washing. Some moms believe in the dunk and swoosh method but I on the other hand love to stay as far away from toilet water as possible, thank you very much!

That’s where the Spray Pal (c/o) comes in. This handy little tool has revolutionized poopy diapers & laundry for me and our family. If you are pre-kids or haven’t cloth diapered you may think I am over exaggerating but I’m not. This genius little piece of cloth diapering equipment holds the diaper in place with a big, strong, clip and closes shut with heavy-duty snaps to create a little tent so you can use your diaper sprayer as strong as it can go all while protecting your bathroom and yourself from getting sprayed with poop water. It’s a beautiful thing!

The Spray Pal is made from heavy duty plastic. I was really impressed with how stiff and sturdy it was because that stream of water that comes from the diaper sprayer can be very powerful! For the first time I was able to use the sprayer full blast without spraying water everywhere, thus getting the diaper nice and clean! In the picture I only have the top snap done up so you can see all three snaps. There are also snaps to keep it shut in the closed position.

The clip that holds the diaper in place is giant and strong. The only thing falling into the water is the poop!

The snaps used on the Spray Pal are incredibly strong. They are like the snaps on cloth diapers but feel even stronger, especially when used in conjunction with the firm plastic of the Spray Pal it’s self.

In this photograph I am ACTUALLY spraying an ACTUAL poopy cloth diaper. I’ve never got a poopy diaper this clean before. My husband was actually saying, “OK, Steph…I think you’re done…ok…seriously…you were done 5 minutes ago!”. It only took about 1 minute to spray the diaper off completely. Once I was done I unclipped the diaper and wrung it out so there wasn’t a big soaking wet diaper in in our pail and TA-DA! All clean! Well, clean enough that when it goes through the wash, you wont get any nasty surprises when you open up your washing machine.

Once I’m done with the Spray Pal I hang it back on the hook for my sprayer in a wet bag. Every time we do a load of diaper laundry, I take the Spray Pal out and put it in a new clean wet bag and wash the dirty one. It’s a pretty good system and we haven’t had any issues yet.

Now it’s your chance to score the Spray Pal to use on your own diapers. This contest is open to residents of Canada & the US only. The contest runs until February 6th 2015. Pssst…You can come back every day until then and use the free entry 😉
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What does your cloth diaper routine look like, when it comes to the poop!? Anything you’d change?

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these amazing blogs!

Baby, Giveaway, Review

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide + GIVEAWAY – Baby & Toddler Edition

January 16, 2015

[c/o denotes a gifted item. See full disclaimer here]

Every holiday that comes along with a little one is so exciting. Everything is so new and wondrous through a little baby’s eyes and Valentine’s Day is no exception. It’s another day to spoil our littles and give them extra big hugs and kisses. I like to use the holidays as an excuse to get my little the things he needs. For example at Christmas I gave him new sleepers and jeans in the next size up. He’s 7 months old so he could care less about the gift and more about the wrapping paper!

Gift ideas for the littlest Valentines in your life <3

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That’s why I’ve chosen these totally cute but very functional gifts for the gift guide. Take a peek at some of my favourites that I’ve been drooling all over on Instagram. At the end you can enter to win a cloth diaper from Charlie Banana. Trust me, it’s the PERFECT Valentine’s Day accessory!

Ryan & Rose makes the CUTEST pacifier clips. You wont find a better looking clip anywhere, I promise! The owner hand makes each of her cutie clips. The company launched after the owners failed attempt at finding a pacifier clip that was classy looking. So chic and so important! When we can’t find our soother, it’s a BIG deal!

Charlie Banana has this perfect Valentine’s Day diaper. Who could resist another piece of fluff for the stash? We love our Charlie Banana cloth diapers because they save money, are totally cute, and environmentally friendly. Learn more about Charlie Banana here + enter to win this diaper at the end of the post!

Indie Nook has this onesie that perfectly describes how long I’m going to love my son for. I discovered this company on Instagram. Make sure to check them out and take a peek at their perfect Best Friends t-shirt set. Another perfect Valentine’s Day must for mom + baby.

Hello Apparel’s signature logo sweater but with buffalo plaid. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. Hello Apparel has so many bold and graphic designs on hoodies and T’s for the whole family. I have the “I’M SO TIRED” sweat shirt with gold sparkle letters. If you’re also a mom, you know what I mean!

Solly Baby makes the best wraps. This mauve colour is perfect for spring, which is around the corner, I swear! I am totally looking forward to wearing my baby down the board walk and through street fairs this summer in our Solly Baby wrap.

Lexy Pexy hand makes all their teethers out of wood. They make tiny ballet flats, purses, croissants and a pair of sunglasses! Such great quality and 110% baby safe! So much love goes into each little teether. Also, prepare for compliments from other moms!

Oliver is LOVING his Lexy Pexy teether in Leo (c/o). It’s made of maple and has been hand sanded to make it nice and smooth for baby!

When it comes to Lexy Pexy, it’s all about the details. From the product to the packaging to the hand written note, this company is top notch. And when it comes to our babies, isn’t that what they deserve?

Now it’s time for you to enter to win one my picks! Enter below to win the same Charlie Banana cloth diaper from my gift guide! Open to residents of Canada & US only. Best of luck & Happy Valentine’s Day!

WIN a @CharlieBanana cloth diaper perfect for Valentine’s Day

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{Oliver is wearing Blue Petit Coeur on White from the Fashion Collection.}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these amazing blogs!

Baby, Review

Adventures in Babywearing with The Wrap by Solly Baby

January 12, 2015

[c/o denotes a gifted item. See full disclaimer here]

Last week I chatted on the blog about babywearing in general, about the different types of ways to carry your baby, and the benefits of carrying. You can read that post here. This week I want to share with you my favourite wrap that I can’t get enough of right now. I give you The Wrap by Solly Baby. From the moment this little package arrived on my door step, I could tell it was luxury and came from a company that takes pride in the details. The packaging it came in is so cute, I can’t seem to throw it out! It’s a work of art, really.

Babywearing is good for the soul #wearallthebabies @sollybabywrap

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I first discovered Solly Baby on Instagram. The mom & pop shop is run by Elle & Jared. All the wraps are made right in California where they live so they can over see all the wrap-making which is how they are able to provide such a fantastic product.

The wrap is made out of a light t-shirt material so it’s insanely breathable and light, especially considering the metres of fabric that go into making a wrap. It folds up into its self with a little handy bag sewn into the end. This makes for easy storage in the diaper bag. It hardly takes up any space! Sometimes wraps can be heavy and hot which is the opposite with this wrap. I was atracted to this wrap when I saw Elle & Jared travelling Europe with their 3 kids. Elle posted a photo of her on Instagram wearing her wrap as a scarf when the baby wasn’t in it! I would never be able to do that with some of my other wraps! Just too much fabric and way too hot.

Tuesday Tip // It’s the best time of year for babywearing! Your body heat helps keep your little one nice and warm warm + when you’re not using your wrap it makes for an excellent scarf. Just double over once so it’s not so long and circle around! #sbtuesdaytip #sollybaby

A photo posted by Elle Rowley (@sollybabywrap) on Oct 14, 2014 at 11:33am PDT

I use my Solly Baby Wrap a lot around the house. It’s like having my son wrapped in a nice light blanket but my hands are free to blog, clean, or just chill out and read a book. I also find myself reaching for the Solly Baby Wrap when I’m headed out to the library, play group, or just to the mall. It’s a very PRETTY wrap and looks so nice with a pair of dark jeans, boots, and a nice sweater.

Even though it’s light and “stretchier” than a lot of wraps, you can still get a really nice fit. I expect to be able to use this wrap into the spring and summer months. The company advises to use the wrap through out the first year of the baby’s life or up to 25 lbs! We are really looking forward to strolling on the boardwalk and taking Ollie to the local street fairs and festivals this summer in his Solly. Ollie loves his Solly!

PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these lovely blogs!

Giveaway, Mom and Baby, Review

Improving Your Breast Milk Supply – Review & Giveaway

December 19, 2014

[Snappy Snacks sent me each of its packages of dry mixes to review but my opinions on and obsession with these lactation products are all min. The items in the giveaway have also been provided by Snappy Snacks]

Every mom has their own breast feeding journey and no two journeys are exactly the same. One thing they all seem to have in common is an element of struggle for some reason or another, whether its a tongue or lip tie, lack of support, or a supply issue.

When it came to breast feeding my son, I thought everything was going on. It hurt really badly but he was latching on and seemed happy. I was thrilled! But week after week he wasn’t gaining any weight. At a month I was told I had two options: 1) I could get a prescription for a drug that ups your supply or 2) we could supplement here and there while I work on my supply. After a quick search, my doctor realized the prescription would have a really bad reaction with my medication i was already on. So there I was sitting in the doctors office with my can of formula: angry, sad, defeated, relieved… too many emotions.

Fast forward 5 months and I am exclusively pumping. Talk about supply issues! Keeping up my supply is a constant challenge and I need all the help I can get.

That’s where Snappy Snacks comes in — a line of dry mixes to naturally increase your breast milk supply. The company was started by Bridget after she attended some mom-focused markets with her healthy snacks and lactation treats but after missing one week, women were trying to track her down! She realized she had a following and discovered there was a need for lactation products for breast feeding women.

Snappy Snacks Lactation Cookies are based on five lactogenic super foods: Oats, Ginger, Flax and Sesame Seeds, and Fenugreek. All these ingredients are blended seamlessly to create a delicious treat that will naturally increase breast milk supply. Snappy Snacks aims to make all its products healthier than the average baked treat, easy to use, and highly effective.

She developed a line of dry mixes that can be bought and stored for up to a year. All you need at home is a half a cup of butter and an egg to add to the mix. At the moment Snappy Snacks sells Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, Raisin Spice Mix, and Double Chocolate Brownie Mix.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

So. Good. I’m a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies so I was very impressed with these cookies. I love the oatmeal in the cookies. It gives it an extra hardiness that is so wonderful. There’s also some subtle spiciness to the cookies that is so cookies. It was hard to not eat them all in one sitting! These were also insanely easy to make and I’m usually awful at following directions.

Raisin Spice Cookies:

Amazingly spiced! These cookies are superb and highly addictive. With flax and sesame seeds in the mix, they are as much filling as they are delicious. They go perfect with a cup of tea, a cozy blanket, and your favourite shows.

Double Chocolate Brownies:

These brownies are absolutely amazing. Definatly the best brownies I’ve ever eaten. I’ve never made brownies before but I’d imagine this is the simplest set of directions to follow. Even with my mom-brain turned up to high, I was able to whip these up in less than 5 minutes +baking time.

My results

After eating about 5 Chocolate Chip Cookies one night, the next day I noticed a significant difference in my supply. I was able to pump an extra 6 ounces through out the whole day. That’s a whole extra bottle of breast milk I was able to feed my son instead of having to supplement with formula. I think that’s amazing results!

I honestly can’t think of a better gift to give to an expecting mom. Sometime within those first 10 days of breastfeeding, supply will begin to be an issue. Having a bag or two of dry mixes in the pantry could go a long way to help a new mom on her breastfeeding journey.

Looking to buy Snappy Snacks? Here’s where you can find all the retailers in Canada that stock the dry mixes.

Now it’s your turn to try out Snappy Snacks line of Lactation Dry Mixes. You have until January 2nd, 2015 to enter! GOOD LUCK!

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PS: I’ll be sharing this post with these fabulous blogs!

Baby, Giveaway, Review

Charlie Banana Cloth Diapers – Review + Giveaway

December 5, 2014

[Asterisks denote a paid link or a gifted item. Charlie Banana sent me 1 OS diaper + 1 pack of wipes to review but my opinions on and obsession with these amazing diapers are all mine. The items in the giveaway have also been provided by Charlie Banana]

[bandana bib* by Baby B Handmade]

I’m always talking about cloth diapering on the blog but I figured it was time to share what makes Charlie Banana* our brand of choice. I spent countless hours researching the top cloth diaper brands and landed on Charlie Banana for the reasons I’m about to share with you. Keep reading to find out how you can win a sweet prize pack from Charlie Banana*.

Review

(Note: Babies should not be left to play with these necklaces. Although they are teethers, they are for mamas to wear, not for babies to play with on their own. This can pose a strangulation hazard.)

Iulia from Best of Baby was given this necklace in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are her own. No other bloggers promoting this giveaway were compensated in any way.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Raisin Spice Cookies:

Double Chocolate Brownies:

My results

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