A Good Night’s Sleep for Everyone with Ocean Wonders Aquarium

When my daughter was born, we got the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium as a gift. I say “we” because it was as much a gift for my husband and me (OK, me. He can sleep through anything) as it was for Eliana. As a baby, she loved to watch the toy fish and listen to the soothing music. When she got older and I was sleep-training her, I would turn it on to keep her company until she fell asleep. The music, glowing lights and bubbles (which you can choose in several different combinations – music; lights and bubbles/ocean sounds; all three – last for 7 minutes in this version, although on mine (many, many years old since it was a hand-me-down and we received it 4.5 years ago) it lasts for 18. At first I had to go back in and turn it back on if Eliana hadn’t fallen asleep after 18 minutes, but eventually she learned to do it herself. It also has a couple of knobs and switches to make the fish move, if your child needs something to do before dozing off. Eliana would turn on her aquarium if she woke up in the middle

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Exersaucers and Jumparoos

I am a little overwhelmed. I have about 30 amazon tabs open right now and do not know where to begin. Hila is nearing the four month mark and so it is time to introduce to her the next necessary toy in her developmental range: The Exersaucers. Or the Jumperoo. Definitions: Exersaucers are big round plastic playgrounds. The baby sits in a seat, can swivel around to different activity centers, can rock, bounce, and spin, and can activate lots of annoying lights and noises. Jumperoos either hang from a door or from two ends of a metal frame and provide lots of bounce for the baby, lots of good leg and core exercise, and often also have lots of toys and lights and noise (but usually less than the exersaucer). So how to choose? Well, I’m not really sure. At first glance, I like the jumparoos better. They seem less….creaky. All that plastic on the exersaucer makes the whole experience seem a bit clunky, whereas the ride on the jumperoo seems smoother and quieter. All that being said, I’ve still pulled out a few of each that have caught my eye. 1. Evenflo SmartSteps Exersaucer Entertainer – This is your

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Grobag Baby Sleeping Bags

As parents of a 2 year old we’re often the source of advice for friends who are expecting a baby or who’ve just become new parents. One question I get asked is, “What product would you recommend for our new baby?” And my answer is always Grobag Baby Sleeping Bags. Grobags are little sleeping bags that allow babies to move their arms which keeping their bodies and legs snug and come recommended by the British foundation for prevention of SIDS- sudden infant death syndrome. They come in sizes from 0-6 months (7lbs-or 3.5kg) up to 3 years, with loads of funky designs and colours. During those first few months grobags kept our son at a consistent temperature – so no need to wake him up in the night to check he is wasn’t too hot or too cold (yes, new parents really do this)! It also meant that he couldn’t kick off his blankets in the night, solving many of the problems usually associated with sleeping away from home, not to mention the trauma of moving from a bassinet or moses basket to a bigger cot. When used as part of a night time routine they can help your baby

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Simply Good: For you and your baby

I have found a line of products that I simply love: Simply Good. They make wraps and slings, (I bought their cozy wrap at Shilav and it is so soft and cozy), diaper bags (I like this square one — but they all come with these innovative one-at-a-time wipes dispensers and little pacifier pouches), fun pillows, and more! Look at this adorable little booster cushion!But what I really want is this Poncho for 2. There were a few times when it was a bit chillier out when I was wearing Hila and then had to tuck blankets into the cracks to keep her warm and then my coat didn’t really fit over us so then I was cold too and it just wasn’t so comfortable. This poncho really solves the problem, and maybe someone will see you and think you’re really fat or pregnant, but then they’ll see a tiny little head popping out. So cute. I can’t seem to find where to purchase these products, but there are other wraps and slings that are similar to them, like the Moby Wrap. And there are baby carrier coversavailable too, and while they take care of keeping baby warm, you’ll still

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Fisher-Price Open Top Take-Along Rainforest Swing: The Real Deal

I’m not sure if I could be more pleased with the Fisher-Price Rainforest Open Top Take-Along Swing. And I’m not sure Hila could be either. It is smaller than it looked in the picture, but for apartment living, it is absolutely perfect. And while we haven’t taken it along very far, we did bring it into our room one morning when we wanted to sleep in but still have Hila entertained and nearby. It’s lightweight, has gender neutral colors, cute toys — a stuffed tucan and monkey hanging from a tree branch — and best of all, amazing music options. Menachem and I feel strongly that toys with music should be kept to a minimum. Kids shouldn’t constantly need to hear electronic, grating lullabies and parents certainly shouldn’t be subjected to them either. This rainforest swing not only has the option of swinging without music, but has music offerings that are extremely pleasant. The loudest setting is not too loud and the quiet setting is actually quiet. And the lullabies it plays have a bit of a rainforest theme and don’t bother me one little bit. What more could I ask for? Hila is in it now, sucking on her

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Super Soothies

Shhhh…be very quiet…Hila is sucking a pacifier and one loud noise or wrong move could disturb this exciting new experience… We’ve bought all pacifier options available in Israel and nothing has worked. And then, a conversation with Tiffany:Tiff: Why don’t you get those pacifiers that they give newborns in the hospital?Sar: You mean the bottle nipples stuffed with cotton? No, with the bottle rims they’re too heavy and fall out of her mouth.Tiff: Ummm…do you live in a third world country? I’ll look into it and send you some that will work for Hila. And she did! A package arrived filled with goodies from Tiff and Penina and at the very bottom was the Soothie Infant Pacifier that has already changed our lives! This pacifier is made of latex free silicone and is used in over 2000 hospitals (in America that is, not Israel). Some people think it’s ugly, but I happen to think they are much cuter than those big plastic ones that cover a baby’s whole face. I think she looks like a Cabbage Patch Kid. And look at this Soothie Pacifer Attacher you can get to go with it! Right now she’s content in her swing sucking

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Swaddle Me / Happiest Baby on the Block

Menachem thinks it’s cruel to wrap your up so tightly that they can’t move around, so when he’s not around and Hila is screaming, I do just that. The problem is that I’m not so good at it and Hila is quite the little arm-flailer, so I end up with a crying baby is a mess of blankets. The solution: The Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe Swaddler. Now, I haven’t tried it yet, but I have one on it’s way from America and I’m looking forward to the soft cotton easy to swaddle cloth. Easy diaper access and a slit for a carseat buckle make it practical too! Swaddling is an ancient art of baby soothing, as described in Dr. Harvey Karp’s The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer. Dr. Karp has a very my-way-or-the-highway attitude, but so far, I’ve followed his way and seen fantastic results, particularly the windshield wiper moves that utilizes the 5 S’s. If you have a colicky or just a baby in a bad mood, I recommend trying these tried and true moves to a happier baby.

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Contact Nipple Shields

Some people can’t live without their iPod, some without their DVR…me? I can’t live without my silicone nipple shield. A true nipple-saver, the contact nipple shields come in various sizes, help draw out flat or inverted nipples, and help babies (and mommies) deal with latch-on difficulties by protecting sore nipples. I’m pretty sure that they’re not intended for long term use, so my goal is to eventually wean myself off of them, but until then, I’m happy! And Hila’s happy! So what more can I ask for?

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