Preview: The 2012 Martha Stewart Baby Shower Show and Rockland Mother's Top Baby Picks

I had the immense privilege of attending the taping of Martha Stewart's "Baby Shower Show" yesterday (my friend applied for tickets online) and boy did we have a nice time! Everyone in the studio audience left with a ton of great products, including those chosen as top baby picks by The Baby Guy who writes The Baby Guy Gear Guide online.

I don't know much about The Baby Guy, but he does know a lot about baby products from his research. BUT, I don't necessarily think he picked the newest and most useful products for the Martha Stewart Show. Perhaps it is because a) The Baby Guy does not have children himself and b) he is a baby GUY and therefore isn't as intimate with the ins and outs of childbirth and breastfeeding as a woman is, but I felt that some of the products that he picked, while wonderful, were either things we all already know about or things that were simply "adorable."

That said, I'm not going to reveal his picks--you can check out the show on Friday, February 17th on the Hallmark Channel--but I do want to quickly mention a few of the items I would have featured had I been the show's baby expert!

1) Milkies Milk-Saver:  I've mentioned this product for nursing/pumping moms before. This smart little invention catches any milk leaking from the breast you are not feeding or nursing on so that you can save it and store it for a future feeding. I haven't tried it yet, but I think the Milk Saver is a new and novel product that will help many a mom.

Mamaroo

2) The 4Moms Mamaroo: This innovative infant seat takes up less space than traditional infant swings and mimics a variety of motions from car ride to a mother's rocking arms.  Among other features, it plugs into the wall so that you don't have to eat through D batteries and it also hooks up to your iPod.

City Select

3) Expandable Strollers: Yes, the robotic, self-folding Oragami stroller is awesome and I'm tempted to list it since it was not mentioned on the show either, but I think many more moms will benefit by knowing about the large array of "expandable" strollers that are out there. By "expandable," I'm referring to strollers that have the capability of growing from a single stroller to a double or triple.

Baby Jogger's The City Select, The Britax B-Ready, and the Valco Tri Mode Ex are just a few of the expandable strollers out there. If I had known what I know now, I would have registered for an expandable while pregnant with my first--they may be more expensive than a single, but you'll save in the long run when you don't have to buy a double when/if you have a second.

4) Shrinkx Hips: Yup, I'm going there. This product claims to take advantage of the extra relaxin left in a woman's body after birth and help shrink her hips back to normal (or even small than) pre-pregnancy size! You can bet my large pregnant ass (and hips) I'll be trying this product this spring.

5) Mommy Necklaces: These stylish bead necklaces are made with safe-for-baby materials and are incredibly strong so that a mother doesn't need to worry about ruining her more expensive jewelry. Mom can wear them while breastfeeding to hold the attention of a fussy baby--and they are even great at distracting my two year old in a pinch! They are the perfect baby shower gift and a great way for a mother to feel pretty in those days just after giving birth--just note that these beads are not meant to be teethed on and that you never eave a child alone with them (not a toy!)

BFF

6) Convertable Diaper Bags: A stylish diaper bag that can hang on your stroller handle is a wonderful thing, but one that is stylish, attaches to a stroller, and can convert from a shoulder bag into a backpack is simply amazing. Anybody who has carried a large toddler on their hip while toting a huge shoulder bag or has run around a playground with a heavy messenger bag across their body can attest to this! (The Baby Guy has probably never done any of these things!)

Jujube's BFF and Packabe or Petunia Pickle Bottom's Boxy Backpack and Abundance Boxy Backpack are stellar examples of a convertible diaper bag. Expensive, yes. But the smart features in all of these bags definitely make up for it.

7) The Snuza: The Snuza Halo and the Snuza Go are small baby movement monitors that clip directly to a baby's diaper, rather than being placed under the crib mattress. This eliminates those false alarms that may occur when a baby rolls away from a movement sensor pad place under him in the crib and allows the monitor to be used on the go (in the car, etc.) The Snuza Halo even features a vibrating "rouse" feature to stimulate a baby who has not moved for a certain amount of time and will alert you to rouse incidents.

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And I've got loads more we don't have time for today folks! So, maybe Martha will give me a call the next time she needs to put together a smattering of new and awesome baby picks for the year? Check out the show on Friday and let me know what you think!

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Great Idea! Milkies Milk-Saver for Breastfeeding Moms

What a great idea! Milkies Milk-Saver is a contraption that collects the precious breastmilk that leaks while you're feeding on the opposite side. I had no idea that such a thing existed when I was breastfeeding my son a year ago! Milkies Milk-Saver is BPA free and holds up to 2 ounces of milk--or you can attach it to any milk storage bag. Sure, you could hold a bottle in one hand and try to catch the leaking milk, but this hands-free gizmo seems like a much more awesome solution.

But, here's my question: does it work well? You'll have to help me out mommy friends--have any of you tried the Milk-Saver and loved it?

I was really bad about pumping with Andrew since it was easier just to breastfeed as a stay-at-home mom, but with this next baby I'd like to build up a better supply. I'll definitely be spending the $26.50 to get a Milk-Saver from Amazon just to give it a go. And of course I'll let you know how it works out come next spring!

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Product Review: Snappies Breast Milk Containers

I got a pair of Snappies breast milk storage containers from my pediatrician's office and I think they're pretty cool. These slender 1 oz and 2.3 oz storage bottles attach directly to your pump, can be attached to a special nipple for feeding, and come with an attached lid, so you're never searching for it. The lid is great as it snaps shut audibly and tightly ensuring a truly leak-proof seal. (I've knocked them over quite a few times so I can attest to that!)

Being attached, the lid is also meant to allow for one-handed opening and closing, but I've spilled milk every time I've tried! Since we all know how much crying is done over spilt breastmilk, you can bet I open my Snappies slowly and carefully to avoid any more tragedies!

The only other downside is that I wish Snappies came in bigger sizes! 1 oz and 2.3 oz meet airline regulations and are great for storing colostrum and for storing milk for premies and newborns, but I need more storage space for my 4-month old. So, I've just been using the 2.3 oz bottles to store milk for making Andrew's cereal and I freeze the rest in bigger bottles/bags. Hopefully Snappies will hear my cry and introduce larger products in the future (one can hope, right?)

Snappies are made of food-grade polypropylene material, which doesn't bind or hold fat during storage. If you're interested in giving them a shot, you can purchase a case of 12 2.3 oz containers for $13.50 or 10 1 oz containters for $8.00 at the Snappies website HERE. The containers are also available in bulk.

Happy pumping! :)

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