7 Must-Haves for First Babies

A first time mama-to-be recently asked me for a list of must-haves. Here’s what I’ve come up with. 1. Stroller — I’ve been so many years out of the loop now, that I have no idea what’s out there. For starting out, especially if you don’t have a car and plan on taking cabs, I highly recommend getting a Snap ‘N Go (see here for a comparison of different carseat carrier models). That option will last you about a year. If you want to have a non-carseat options, then you sorta can’t go wrong, though, with a Baby Jogger City Mini. If you plan on having another kid in the next two years, then I highly recommend getting one of the Phil & Ted strollers — then, when #2 comes along, you can just buy the P&T doubles add-on kit (not that we’ve already pushing for #2 or anything…). 2. Swaddles — I recommend getting at least two of these. I prefer the Kiddopotamus Swaddle over the Summer Infant one. Ergo Carrier Beco Butterfly II Carrier 3. Baby carrier(s) — I recommend getting one cozy, stretchy wrap (like this one) and one soft structured one. I’m really happy with the Beco Butterfly, but I think I’d

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Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker Review

Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker Review By Avital Greenbaum Once your baby is old enough to eat (and enjoy!) baby food,the fun really begins. As a Registered Dietitian, I have a special place in my heart for providing nutrition for my baby (or really any baby). I’ve seen a lot of sick babies who have to be fed from a tube for a long time and who can never appreciate taste. It’s incredible tragic. I’m so thankful that my baby is healthy and enjoys some of life’s finer things like food. My daughter Lyla started on solids around 5 months and it was very exciting. We went through all the cereals first and than the step 1 baby purees like banana and apple. The real fun began when she was able to eat stage 2 foods. Stage 2 is still a smooth puree but has a bit more texture. Out of all the jarred foods on the market, my favorite was Earth’s Best. They hare organic and have very creative blends like broccoli zucchini, apple sweet potato, and carrot tomato. I dabbled with homemade blends too. I would steam veggies in the microwave and then blend them with my blender.

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Gerber Infant Spoons vs. Munchkin Infant Spoons

We had so much trouble feeding solid food to our first child (so much so that she really skipped that stage altogether and went straight to finger foods), so with #2 I really wanted to make sure we started out on the right foot, especially since we were planning on starting her on solid foods so early. Gerber (Nuk) Soft-Tip Infant Spoons We already had the Munchkin spoons, but I wanted a fresh start, thinking maybe different spoons would make the transition easier. I liked the classic look of the Gerber Graduates Infant BPA-Free Soft-Tip Spoons, and thought that if the spoons were a bit shallower (as these are), maybe they’d be easier to use. SUCCESS! But here’s what I think: I think that for early feeding (like under 6 months), these Gerber soft-tip spoons are perfect. They have less of a lip than the Munchkin Infant Soft-Tip Spoon (i.e. they’re not as deep), so I think it’s easier for a little mouth to scoop the food out. However, once your baby gets the hang of eating (and that may take a week and it may Munchkin Soft-Tip Infant Spoons take a month or longer), then the Gerber spoons end

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Philips AVENT Formula BPA-Free Dispenser/Snack Cup

We haven’t used this in over a year when Hila stopped using formula, but it was out of the counter for some reason today so I thought of it. Philips Avent Formula Dispenser/Snack Cup I was once out with a friend who was carrying a huge container of formula in her diaper bag, complaining how annoying it is to use formula because you always have to shlep the container. This was strange because my friend is a rather intelligent person. I couldn’t help but laugh at her baby-things ignorance. She had never thought to use a formula dispenser! I showed her our Avent Formula Dispenser and she said, “Oh those — that’s just some gimicky mommy product!” “Call it what you want,” I responded, “but you’re the one carrying around a huge container of formula and I’m the one with a small, handy, 3-serving dispenser, ready to pour directly into the bottle.” Needless to say, she gave in and bought the $5 mommy marketing trap and improved her life forever. The reason why I like this one is because the formula dispenser section pulls out and this turns into a snack container. We never actually used it as such because

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Baby Cups I Want: Sip N’ Munch

Whenever I leave the house with Hila, before I check for diapers and wipes I make sure I have a snack and a drink (which is why I often forget diapers and wipes). I usually grab a Take and Toss sippy cup (does anyone ever actually toss these?) filled with water, milk, or juice, and a snack catcher filled with Cheerios. It’s not like grabbing one thing is so much easier than grabbing two, but the Mud Pie Sip N’ Munch is a convenient way to keep your food and drink together…plus it’s cute. The cup has a straw that slides open and shut, and then the base of the cup screws off and can be used as a snack cup. The girl cups have pink and green polka dots and the boy cups have blue and green stripes, and you can personalize your cup by choosing the cup with your kid’s initial on it.

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Especially for Baby brand bowls and plates

Especially for Baby brand bowls and plates (sold exclusively in Babies-R-Us stores) are the best ones I have ever come across. They are BPA-free, microwave- and dishwasher-safe, and reasonably-priced. They come with lids (great way to store leftovers or pack a lunch in advance!) and also have removable suctions for the bottoms. This is particularly helpful for toddlers learning to feed themselves. The suction helps the plate and bowl stay in place, preventing spills (or tantrum-induced throwing). Bon Appétit! Batsheva is a mom to two daughters ages four and almost two. In addition to reading her reviews on Baby Things, you can read about her mommy adventures at Late Night Feedings.

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Back to School Lunch Kits, part 2

Hey, it’s Melissa again. Thanks for tuning back in. A few days ago I started talking about convenient, eco-friendly school lunch kits. Some of these kits include containers and lunch bags or boxes; others just contain the containers…and so… So began the cute bag search (which was followed by a several days long perfect containers search). These Crocodile Creek bags are really cute, but I just couldn’t pick a pattern. I did choose a lovely paisley print for myself and a blue camouflage print for my son, both made by Fit&Fresh. In terms of containers, in the end, I decided on safe and budget-friendly, colorful, and free of all yucky chemicals for sending hot soup, pasta, or leftover stews. Adorable, comes with a spoon in the lid and has a little spot below for putting two crackers or a napkin. Now I just have to get up early enough to heat up the lunch before putting it in the container. Adorable Fit and Fresh – Lunch On the Go containers – one large one plus two smaller containers, an ice pack, and microwave safe too. $7 each from Amazon, but I picked them up locally at Sheshet for 20.50 NIS

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Back to School Lunch Kits, part 1

My name is Melissa Ser, and I’m a mom to two lovely boys who are about to turn 4 and 1. Since I work full time, I try to make every minute with my boys count! I breastfeed, co-sleep, and babywear. I’ve just begun a side business, hatchalah-kalah.com, selling baby carriers that are both comfortable and fashionable, and offering consultations. Back to school means back to packing snacks and lunches for myself and my boys. And so began the quest for the perfect lunch containers. By perfect I mean BPA-free, lead-free, pthalatate-free, AND cute. I spent HOURS searching for the perfect set. First I found this amazing all-in-one kit from Citizenpip – Soup to Nuts Kits, including cloth napkins, containers, stainless steel water bottles and hot soup containers, and adorable lunch bags too. Oh, I wanted one. I just couldn’t decide between the patterns – Sports for the boys, polka dots, or maybe just the plain ones that say things like “Yum” or “Tasty”! Then there’s the whole Bento Box rage – smaller portions, adorable containers, and cute food will encourage your kid to eat, right? My little guy had his heart set on this one, aliens and all.. Also

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