Breasts are Cheaper!

Breasts are cheaper? Gotcha, pervert. I’m not talking about implants here, I’m talking about breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding. I LOVE to break down costs in regards to the hot button issues the “sanctimommies” bring up because, let’s face it…money is important to all of us. 

First, let’s just say baby eats an average of 25 ounces of milk/formula a day. They eat way less than that early on and way more than that later in their first year, but on average, 25 ounces per day. Formula costs an average of 20 cents per ounce, which means baby eats on roughly $5 a day. Shoot, I wish everyone in my family ate on $5 a day. But, this equates to $1825 a year.

This is assuming baby is strictly formula fed; however, most babies will eat purees and solids around 6-8 months and be substituted with formula. So, $1500-2000 is a safe guestimate. Add in bottles, nipples, cleaners, drying rack, bottle warmer, and bottle brush for a total around $150-200 (or more).

Breastfeeding costs $0 if you breastfeed exclusively; however, if you do need to pump, a breastpump will cost between $200-300, which is still a huge savings.

Many breastfeeding moms opt for a few luxury items to make nursing more comfortable so let’s add in nipple pads, nursing bras, fenugreek, blessed thistle and a nursing pillow.

Nipple pads: $7-15

+Nursing bras: $30-40

+Fenugreek & blessed thistle: $30

+Nursing pillow: $60

=Roughly $100-145 total with all the luxury items.

Wow! That means you can save $1000 up to $2000 by breastfeeding your baby! Plus, a breastfed baby doesn’t even need purees or solids. In fact, lactation consultants and baby food preppers recommend solids as “dessert”, given only AFTER a successful breastfeeding session. This prevents nipple confusion and helps maintain a healthy nursing relationship.

Increase milk supply by eating healthily, drinking TONS of water, taking herbal supplements as mentioned above and encapsulating your placenta. Aim to nurse for as long as you can, at least the first year, but be kind to yourself if you don’t make it : )

How long did you nurse your baby?

10 Tips for Flying with an Infant

Have you been putting off that trip you’ve been meaning to take or stressing out about it because you will be traveling with a baby this time around? As a mother who has flown quite a few times with my little one, I know there can be a lot of anxiety and stress associated with taking your wee one on a plane, particularly baby’s first flight.

Because I love you all and want you to be as carefree and relaxed as possible, I’m going to share with you a few tips I have picked up through the past few years of jet setting with my bundle of joy.

1. Choose your flight wisely

A couple things to keep in mind when booking your flight.
a. There are 2 seating options for children under 2, they can ride on your lap or you can opt to purchase a seat for them. While the second option is more expensive, if your kiddo will sleep in their car seat, it may be worth the extra cash.
b. For transatlantic flights, some airlines have a cot option in specified seats, check with the airline ahead of time to see if they offer this. It will allow you a bit of space if you chose to forgo the car seat option.
c. Also for transatlantic flights, take the latest flight possible for the best chance of a sleeping baby for the majority of your flight!

2. Help your little one’s ears

Your baby isn’t going to know how to pop his or her ears when pressure builds up during take-off and landing. But, they have the same ears you do, so they are going to feel that pressure and it might be painful. So you will want to relieve it for them. The best way to do that is to nurse or give them a bottle during take-off and landing, which cause their jaw to move as though they were trying to pop their ears and will help release ear pressure and prevent inner ear pain.

3. Keep it Simple!!!

Try, try, try your very hardest to channel your inner minimalist.  Getting on and off the plane can sometimes be a little frantic, the less you have to gather the better. For entertainment try to limit it to baby’s favorite LIGHT books, a few small quiet toys, and a couple different snacks to keep things interesting.

4. Make friends with your neighbors

Some people have brought a handful of plastic bags with a note saying “This is my first flight, please use these ear plugs in case I get upset–the baby next to you” with some candy, and passed them out to the people in the seats surrounding them. This can help if you’re having some anxiety about whether or not your child will be “that baby on the plane” during the flight.

5. Be prepared for an all-weather flight

In your carry-on bag, pack a couple changes of clothes. The plane is not always temperate, you might want to add or subtract layers to keep babe comfy.

6. PrePOOration

Poop-splosions DO happen, have a plan, bring back-up supplies just in case. (Yes I may two poop-related words in this one).

7. Family-friendly airport restrooms are your friend

There are family rooms in certain airports where you can change diapers and take a breather, while keeping the kiddos corralled. They are generally cleaner, more comfortable and spacious, and allow mom and dad to be in at the same time. Take advantage of these!!

8. Take a walk

If they start having a tough time, get up and walk around, it’s hard enough as an adult to sit still for that long of a flight, poor kid needs some new scenery and stimulation. People will get it and appreciate your efforts to soothe your baby and won’t be annoyed. If they are, who cares (see more on this below)? This can also help deter the scowl inducing kicking of the seat in front of them.

9. Family first

People are usually more kind and understanding than you expect, many of them have been there and done that. While it is courteous to try your best to maintain a quasi-quiet baby, the bottom line is that your child’s happiness, safety, and comfort are your priorities-you do not need to be concerned with the contentment of your neighbors.

10. Remove the hassle of traveling with baby gear, rent it!

Don’t bring all of baby’s gear with you! There are baby equipment rentals in most major cities in the U.S. The majority are clean, safe, and deliver to your hotel or residence! No need to lug a stroller, car seat (if you chose to lap sit), play yard, and bulky toys. Rent them and save yourself a world of hassle. Buy things like diapers, extra wipes, and extra snacks when you get there. If you’re not going to a third world country or out in the boonies, you can most likely find these items once you get settled and it will save you valuable suitcase space.

Happy Adventures,

Suzie

Enough Already!

WARNING: This blog may contain curse words, typos, and heavy emotions not suitable for the faint of heart. 

I have never, not once, left the fertility clinic without being completely discouraged. Oh sure, there’s always silver lining if you look for it, but after three years, and a SERIES of disappointments, I’ve lost my inner Polyanna. In fact, fuck you, Polyanna.

It’s my southern upbringing and natural tendency towards being optimistic that continues to cause me to fall flat on my face EVERY time. If I could just stay “Debbie Downer” then it wouldn’t hurt so bad when things go wrong.

Every time I go to the doctor they have to verbally review my chart with me, “History of ovarian cysts, irregular ovulatory patterns, history of uterine septum, history of stage 1 endometriosis, 3 cycles clomid x1, no result, 3 cycles clomid x3, no result, 3 cycles femara, no result, 3 cycles femara with injectables, no result, two failed IUIs with injectables, one chemical pregnancy resulting in loss…”

Well, what a fun trip down memory lane! Next time, I’ll pack a picnic!

Then, yesterday my nurse called me to confirm my day 3 sonogram  and I told her I’d really like to do the injectables this month with two IUIs (increasing my chances of pregnancy up to 50%), but I told her I could only do the injectables if there were any donated ones that I could have since they cost $1300-1500 each cycle. There were! She found some! There finally was a pack of meds and she set them aside for me.

“This is it!”, I told myself. I was pumped. I went in to the office today ready to walk out with my free meds and start a new cycle and finally have a real shot at meeting my baby. But, to quote The Little Rascals movie, “Then the clouds opened up and God said, ‘I hate you Alfalfa!'”

The right side of my ovaries looked great, but, for the first time in over a year, my left side showed two cysts. So…it’s not safe to do the injectables. Not only do I not get to use the meds, but I get the pleasure of passing on the donation to someone else. Call me selfish, but it’s my fucking turn! I know I should try to feel great about somebody else getting these meds, but I just can’t see it that way yet. Enough already, it’s my turn.

Why not me? Why can’t something in this area of my life just work out? What’s the point of continuous let downs and disappointments?

When I thought my HSG was all clear I woke up to find I had endometriosis.

When I thought my septum was mild I woke up to find out it was super severe and they had to put in a uterine balloon and I was literally in labor for two weeks trying to “deliver” it. Freaky, right?

When I think I’m the lucky one who gets to go home with $1300 worth of donated meds, I find out I have cysts and aren’t eligible. 

Enough already! 

one of three scars from surgeries

So, I’ll do femara (lame ass pills) this month with only one IUI which gives me a 15% chance of a successful pregnancy aka I have a shot in hell and I get to waste another month. I’ll get bloated, hungry, exhausted and cranky with no positive end result.

Or, maybe after a few days of being negative my southern self will pull through, I’ll channel my inner Polyanna and find some way to be positive again. Ugh, happy people live longer anyway, right? : )

MamaDoo Kids: Vacation Saver

Meet the “Vacation Saver” aka The MamaDoo

The Smart Play Yard Mattress Topper turns Vacation into Baby Sleep Heaven

Millions of babies and toddlers will be sleeping in a play yard during vacation this summer. And their parents look forward to a resting, relaxing vacation. But these vacations often become nightmares because it turns out that babies and toddlers sleep much worse than at home! A way to avoid that is by using the Smart Play Yard Mattress Topper.

The Smart Play Yard Mattress Topper is a basic vacation item for families this summer. By placing the product on top of the play yard´s hard “mattress”, either in the bassinet or in the bottom position, the play yard will turn into a cozy crib and finally millions of families will be much rested and therefore vacations will be saved.

The firm, versatile Smart Play Yard Mattress Topper is the ultimate sleeping pad. Made in California, it matches the density and firmness of mommy´s or daddy´s chest, babies´ favorite place to sleep, and prevents plagiocephaly (flat spots on babies’ head) by keeping their head off the play yard’s hard-floor-board and onto the Mattress Topper.

Why is it so Smart?
Multiple uses!

1) Turns a play yard into a crib

2) Tummy time mat

3) On-the-go changing table

4) A portable pad for playing at grandma’s

5) Floor pad under baby jumper

6) Wedge to prop up a crib mattress or a toddler bed when folded

• Folds easily for travel and storage.
• Correctly sized: fits perfectly in all standard play yards.
• Washes by simply unzipping the soft cotton cover.
• Safe for baby & home, free of all toxic chemicals & flame retardants, exceeds all US safety standards.
• Includes Travel/Storage Bag and a separate carrying handle.

Smart On The Go: light and ultra-portable. Great for hotels, grandparents’ house, camping, daycare…

Here is one of the many of examples of what people are saying:
“Vacation saver! My daughter absolutely hated sleeping in the pack and play from the day she was born. We had a trip planned to the beach and I was soooo worried about sleep!! Then I found this product. I am happy to say she slept through the night and took wonderful naps every day. Thank you thank you thank you for selling this wonderful product!!!!”, Nibsmom (amazon.com)

The Smart Play Yard Mattress Topper fits perfectly in all standard play yards: Graco, Chicco, Nuna Sena, Boppy, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Baby Trend, Safety 1st, Arms Reach Original, Aprica, Cosco, Combi, Boppy, Nature’s Purest Comfort, Bright Starts and more.

It is available in 3 colors, Blue, Pink and, the brand new color, Silver

MamaDoo®Kids truly sets the standard in the industry. It selects only high density and high resiliency foam: it can be used for a long time without suffering indentations, or losing its shape.

MamaDoo Kids products are available at MamaDooKids.com, diapers.com, amazon.com, amazon.ca, maisondrake.com, babyhaven.com, and boutiques nationwide.

Contact: Ana Vega-Woller ana@mamadookids.com (818) 371-2234

Tell her “That Girl from Whole Heart” sent you!

http://www.mamadookids.com

Love Me Like You Do: A Prayer

On Valentine’s Day I woke up feeling super “wonky” (there’s no better word) and extremely tired. In fact, I’d been feeling abnormally tired for a few weeks, but I thought it was a result of my overly packed schedule. Turns out, I was pregnant. My first pregnancy ever…five days later, I got the phone call that I had an impending miscarriage and that the pregnancy would disappear within a week. 

I can’t even begin to describe the grief that followed, and still follows. The night of that phone call I met some friends for a movie hoping the distraction would do me good. We saw 50 Shades of Grey and although the song on the soundtrack by Ellie Goulding is likely meant to be a love song, it held different meaning for me that night as the only thing I could think about was the baby in my body that was slowly, but surely, disappearing.

To the baby I lost, the baby I loved, and the baby I still dream of meeting, I sing…

You’re the light, you’re the night
You’re the color of my blood
You’re the cure, you’re the pain
You’re the only thing I wanna touch
Never knew that it could mean so much, so much

You’re the fear, I don’t care
Cause I’ve never been so high
Follow me through the dark
Let me take you past our satellites
You can see the world you brought to life, to life

To my Lord, who I’m often angry at and confused by, I sing this prayer…

So love me like you do, love me like you do
Love me like you do, love me like you do
Touch me like you do, touch me like you do
What are you waiting for?!

Knowing that I was losing the only thing that’s made me sublimely happy in three years I felt I was…

Fading in, fading out
On the edge of paradise
Every inch of your skin is a holy grail I’ve got to find
Only you can set my heart on fire, on fire

And to my Lord again…

Yeah, I’ll let you set the pace
Cause I’m not thinking straight
My head spinning around I can’t see clear no more
What are you waiting for?!

Love me like you do, love me like you do
Love me like you do, love me like you do
Touch me like you do, touch me like you do
What are you waiting for?!

The pain of losing a baby is unmatched by anything I’ve felt before, but I can’t be angry anymore…it’s too toxic. The only way I can find the strength to go on trying and the peace I need for my sanity is to view this pregnancy as a “rainbow” from God. The skies opened up and he said, “Hey you, don’t give up yet. I’m giving you a glimmer of how great things will be one day, but it’s not time yet. Hold on tight, babygirl. Your baby is still coming”

Lord, love me like you do. Touch me like you have touched others and make me a mama. 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.directlyrics.com/ellie-goulding-love-me-like-you-do-lyrics.html

How Crunchy Are You, Mom?

You’ve heard me describe myself as a “faux-hippie”, right? Looking at me, you may not think I’m hippie at all; however, I’m actually pretty crunchy, especially when it comes to babies. I think there are levels to crunchy though, which poses the question,

“How are crunchy are you?”

crunchy (adj.)- Adjective. Used to describe persons who have adjusted or altered their lifestyle for environmental or health reasons. Crunchy persons tend to be politically strongly left-leaning and may be additionally but not exclusively categorized as vegetarians, vegans, eco-tarians, conservationists, environmentalists, neo-hippies, tree huggers, nature enthusiasts, etc. (UrbanDictionary.com)

If you’re a regular follower of my blog, you know that I’m a toxin-Nazi and cautious about both my exposure, and the exposure of every baby and small child in the known universe. My store shopwholeheart.com only features organic and/or nontoxic items because I know that baby products are the runner up for the “Most Hazardous Award” next to household cleaners.

I know some people think I’m more of an extremist when it comes to avoiding toxins, but I encourage all moms and dads to choose products carefully and find a level of crunchy that works for you.

Cunchy Level 1:

• Use disposable diapers, but choose organic, biodegradable options such as Honest Co.
• Breastfeeds, bottle feeds, or uses formula…whatever works, right?
• Buys their own baby food, but chooses organic companies
• Airs out strollers, carseats and carriers to allow off-gassing to occur outside the home
• Washes all clothing, blankets, and sheets in organic detergent prior to use
• Buys organic dirty dozen, but otherwise eats and drinks whatever else they want

Crunchy Level 2:

• Uses cloth diapers and organic wipes (uses a diaper delivery service or machine washes diapers), but uses ‘sposies as night or when traveling
• Makes their own baby food with whatever is around the house
• Breastfeeds when possibly, but uses formula on-the-go
• Buys organic versions or baby gear, strollers, and carriers
• Buys organic cotton clothing for the first few months and pre-washes things that are non-organic
• Buys all organic produce, meats, and dairy
• Uses BPA free bottles like the Mimijumi
• Follows alternative vaccine schedule with pediatrician
• Doesn’t use medications unless there’s a fever or diagnosis

Crunchy Level 3:

• Uses cloth diapers, hand washes or hang dries diapers to save energy
• Makes their own wipes solution and uses reusable rags/cloths for wipes
• Only buys organic/nontoxic strollers, carriers, slings, etc.
• Only buys organic/nontoxic clothing and still prewashes to cleanses products of toxin exposure during shipping
• Breastfeeds exclusively for the first year
• Wears a mask while pumping gas (recommended or preggo mamas)
• Only shops at Trader Joes, Sprouts, or Whole Foods where all food must pass testing regarding toxins, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and mercury
• Uses household items as toys for baby/toddler
• Uses glass bottles like 5Phases
• Wears baby everwhere using a babywearing shirt (Lalabu)
• Makes their own household cleaners
• Wears Belly Armor while pregnant and uses a Belly Blanket later
• Follows alternative vaccine schedule with a naturepath doctor and takes baby regularly to an acupuncturist or chiropractor
• Treats all ailments with essential oils

There’s no better or worse way to raise a baby, but the more you try to limit your baby’s exposure to toxins during the first few years of life, the better their overall healthy and happiness down the road. They have super-human metabolisms right now and are at a much higher risk when exposed to toxins because they can’t process them the way we can.

What do you do to reduce toxin exposure? How crunchy are you?

Lalabu Lala-believe It!

I’m a HUGE advocate for babywearing, but like many moms out there, I get overwhelmed at all of the options and quite frankly…freaked out about the newborn options. That was until discovering the Lalabu!

Here’s what you do NOT want for a newborn:

• Hips rotated out, legs on either side
• Forward facing carrier (can you say “overstimulation”?)
• Crappy fabric up against the brand new baby skin
• Chin to chest position from an ill fitted sling

This is why the Lalabu Soothe Shirt kicks ass! Not only is it $20-30 cheaper than a Moby Wrap (itchy itchy & complicated), but it’s got some super awesome features unlike any other carrier out there!

• Easy to use pouch calms newborns
• Built-in nursing bra for convenient breastfeeding
• Soft, wrinkle free fabric
• Perfect for all seasons – stylish enough to wear alone, light enough to wear under layers
• Made in the USA (very “mom and pop” roots)

It’s a shirt!! It’s idiot proof!! Just put it on over, or under, your regular clothes. Baby gets fussy, hard to hold, wants to snuggle, or needs to nurse…just pop him right into the lil’ marsupial pouch and get to soothin’!

From a Child Development perspective, babywearing is a MUST! It does much more than you think:

1. Improves gross motor development and trunk control due to the suspension

2. Improves language development and speech patters due to the close range to mamas voice

3. Improves physiological patterns (heart rate, breathing) from so much skin to skin, tummy to tummy

4. Improved bonding…happier baby

5. Babywearing is “attchment parenting” and bukoos of studies have shown products of attachment parenting styles to be better adjusted, more confident, more organized, and more social

The Lalabu Soothe Shirt comes in a variety of neutral colors and is sized to perfection. Order yours now or gift to a friend at your next baby shower!

Lalabu Soothe Shirt

Expecting Twins? 15 Must-Have Items for your Registry

I’m a twin fanatic! My best friend growing up was a twin, my high school crush & college sweetheart was a twin, I studied the psychosocial and emotional development of twins in grad school, and have provided care for…umpteen number of twins as a professional, including the two I’m caring for now.

Twins are fascinating to me; however, if you’re a mother of twins, you might say, “Yeah, I love my twins, but they keep me uber busy”, or if you’re expecting twins you may be wondering what exactly you’re getting yourself into (and potentially wondering if you can get a redo).

Have no fear, the twin master is here! 

Not only do I LOVE twins, but I also have a super high chance of having twins. Twins run on both sides of my family, I’m in my thirties, AND I’m undergoing fertility treatments so, according to statistics…I’m having twins.

This has got me thinking of what my “dream registry” for twins would include and I’m happy to share:

1. Orbit baby Double Helix Stroller/Carseat: Chic, modern, clean, functional

2. Stokke Sleep Basinettes: They start small for your newborns so they can easily fit into the master bedroom or other “nook” of the house or nursery

…but they grow with your child/ren, too! They convert from basinettes to cribs, to toddler beds, to a full size kid’s bed.

3. Two 4Moms Mamaroos: When you’re a mom of twins, you need lots (I mean, lots) of places to set your babies. Rockers, swings, cribs, carriers, etc…but the Mamaroo is not just another place to set baby. It rocks, swings, swivels, with the touch of a hand (or toe) and lulls baby gently to sleep.

4. Baby K’tan Twin Carrier and a Happy Baby Wrap

5. Two Keekaroo Peanut Changers, Height Right Seats and Cafe Boosters.

6. Two PateMM Pads

NOTE: As a twin mom you can never have too many places to change a baby. Keep a Keekaroo Peanut Changer in the nursery/playroom and/or the main living area. Keep a PateMM pad in the car AND a diaper bag.

7. 50 Rumparooz Cloth Diapers and 10 wet bags: If the average person spends $3000 on diapers for a singleton, that’s $6000 for twins so…I’ll go with 50 cloth diapers that’ll take me from NB-3y and only spend $1000

Photo credit: Gilt.com

8. Kiinde Twist and Store Feeding System

9. 4 EzPz Fun Mats: 2 for my house, 2 for grandma’s house

10. 4 Mimijumi Bottles, 6 5Phases Bottles, and 2 Pacific BabyWorld Bottles

11. MimoBaby Smart Monitor and bottle warmer: this monitor actually signals the bottle warmer to heat up with the babies start to wake up. You’re welcome. 

12. Simple Wishes Hands-free Pumping Bra & Freemies!: Functionality during pumping, but also a way to save every precious ounce is vital to mom’s survival. Get the Freemies and get some milksavers.

13. So-Ro Twin Rocker: Again, never enough places to place a baby when you have two.

14. My Brestfriend Nursing Pillow (for twins)

15. Table for Two Feeding Pillow (buytablefortwo.com)

Need I say more?

Obviously you should also register for all the other necessities, swaddle blankets, infant care kits, thermometers, breast pumps, humidifiers, clothing, etc., but these are in my opinion the things one does NOT forget when they’re expecting twins!

Also, when you have twins, triplets, quads, quints…anything other than a singleton, organization is your friend. Channel your inner pre-k teacher and create a designated space for everything. Label, color code, and sort to your heart’s desire. 

What would you add to this list?

I Want My Kids to Get Hurt

Hold up…before anybody gets up in a tizzy and reports me to the authorities for my title, hear me out. 

When I was about 7 years old I stubbed my toe on our driveway and knocked about 1/8 of an inch off the top. No, it wasn’t a scratch or a stubbed toe; I’m talking O-F-F,  toe hanging by a thread.

When I was 8 or 9 I floated the river with my family and got separated from the group. They went right and I went left. I flipped out of my tube and was stuck in the undercurrent of the rapid for what felt like an eternity until a nice man put down his oar and pulled me out.

When I was 10 I let a friend talk me into “pumping” on her bike, which means you stand on the front or back pegs that stick out of the wheels while they drive they bike. Of course she wrecked while I was on the back and the wheels (very hot I might add), burned into the sides of my calf muscles. I still have scars.

In sixth grade I rode my bike down on hill behind our house in England and passed out on the bike due to fear, heat, and the rocky path and I slammed into the wooden fence of the neighborhood pub, flipped over the bike and landed in a thorn bush. Climbing out of the bush once I came to caused even more scratches.

In 8th grade I packed only my cutest outfits to youth retreats and was usually freezing my ass off every night, miserable, and getting sick.

My sophomore year I attempted to dive off my friend’s decorative waterfall in the backyard pool and the rocks broke, sending me sliding rump first down the rocks and causing a bruise the size of the infamous one in “A League of their Own”.

I’ve been on bad dates, gotten food poisoning, been in horrendous car wrecks, fallen down stairs, bumped into walls, sprained ankles, and had close encounters with the death far more than I want to admit. But, the fact is- I’ve learned something from every mistake. People don’t learn from being told; they learn from experience.

• I wear shoes when I’m outside and I NEVER run barefoot unless I’m on a beach.
• I always hold someone’s foot or hand when approaching rapids and wear a lifevest whenever I’m in dangerous territory.
• I never stood on the front of anyone’s bike again and in fact, I learned in adolesence that me and bikes don’t mix- period.
• I always check the weather when I’m traveling anywhere and I pack for all possible scenarios. I’ve learned to agree with my dad that, “Warm is beautiful”.
• I don’t dive, EVER. ‘Nuff said. I suck at diving.

I’ve got stories to tell and I’ve learned to try new things, be adventurous, how to protect myself, and not be afraid. If you fall, you’ll get back up. If you get sick, you’ll heal. If you fail, try it differently next time.

I don’t want to be one of those parents who follows their kids around so scared that something bad will happen. I don’t want to send my kids the message that without me they can’t survive or figure things out. How will they learn to wear a coat if they’ve never been cold? Why would they eat a decent meal if I’ve always got snacks? Why pack their homework when they know I’ll bring it to them? How will they know what it feels like to get up if I never let them fall?

How can we expect them to take initiative if we’ve always told them where to go, what to do, what to watch out for, and what to be afraid of? How many times do you say, “be careful” to your child a day? I don’t want my kids to “be careful”! I want them to grab life by the horns and go for it! (within reason, lol)

The point is- we have to let our kids get hurt from time to time. Let them struggle. Let them fall. A stubbed toe, exposure to germs, or a broken limb are part of childhood.

A parent who always remembers, has a child who always forgets.

From Wine Bottles to Baby Bottles

Several words in your vocabulary as a woman change meaning when you become a mom and a few phrases get misinterpreted. Wine becomes whine. When your husband says, “Baby, the waitress brought our change,” you hear, “the baby needs to be changed”. Shopping rows of wine bottles at the liquor store has been replaced by browsing your local baby store for the perfect bottle. But, your lil’ bambino is totally worth the changes!

With all of the options out there for baby bottles, finding the perfect one for your baby can be overwhelming! At shopwholeheart.com we offer 3 bottles. That’s it; just 3. We only offer three because we have browsed the aisles, shopped the expos, attended conventions, read the reviews, and ultimately decided that the three bottles we hold in our selection are THE three best bottles on the market.

We proudly introduce you to…

The Mimijumi “very hungry” bottle and “not so hungry” bottle. These BPA free bottles are designed to mimic the breast to prevent nipple confusion and help baby transition smoothly between breast and bottle. This bottle is also super easy to assemble because it only has two parts! There’s no insert or outer sleeve, no gas preventing tubes, no adaptors, etc. Just bottle (with an easy to hold shape) and a nipple that snaps on. It’s dishwasher safe, nontoxic, prevents gas and colic, and is FABULOUS. Is it worth the price? Um…yeah! You will love it and only need 2-3 bottles per kiddo.

Mamachi. No, I’m not suggesting a new sushi roll. The Mamachi is the newest, and the creme de la creme, of baby bottles. I discovered this lil gem walking through the ABC Baby and Kids Expo in Vegas this past year. I wasn’t in the market for new bottles because I thought I’d already found the best that was out there, but I was wrong! The team behind the Mamachi stopped me and asked me to feel the bottle. “Feel it?”, I asked. Well, once I touched this bottle I knew why they wanted me to touch it, lol. It genuinely feels like the female breast! Soft, squishy, maleable, ha ha. I can see how a little baby would be drawn to it and adjust easily to the Mamachi when mama can’t be around.

The Mamachi is the ONLY 100% Silicone Bottle in the world! Made of food grade silicone this plastic free bottle is free of harmful BPA and Phthalates.

• BPA Free (zero detection of endocrine disrupting BPA) and pthalates
• Highest grade silicone
• Anti-colic
• Wide neck for easy cleaning
• Microwave/Dishwasher Safe
• 5oz / 160ml or 9oz
• Shaped like the breast

The 5 Phases. I LOVE the 5 Phases bottle because it’s a glass bottle without the added fear of breaking a bottle. The glass part holds the milk and allows you to feed baby without fear of BPA, toxins, pthalates, etc. Glass is the safest way to heat milk and truth be told, the only surefire way to protect your baby from toxins brought on by plastics. The glass gets inserted into a no-slip silicone sleeve. If the bottle is dropped, it’s protected by the silicone and is unlikely to break. Even if it did break, the glass is contained in the silicone sleeve! The 5Phases bottles comes with individual bottles, or you can order a starter kit that comes with 1 fully assembled bottle, 2 additional glass inserts, and extra silicone nipples.

Check out the rest of our feeding products including:

• The EzPz Fun Mat
• Squooshi Reusable Food Pouches
• Keekaroo Height Right High Chairs
• Keekaroo Booster Seats
• AhGoo Baby Bibs
• Keep Leaf Lunch Bags, reusable sandwich wraps, reusable baggies
• Kiinde Twist and Store Milk Storage Starter Kits

 

What bottle did you use with your kiddo? Which of these would you like to try?