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Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best finds here!!

Janine
I have that exact blanket. I used it a few times at the park, mostly for J to lie on while M is playing in the playground. I like it a lot. It''s water resistance, so it wouldn''t get wet from grass or spill. It has a little bit of weight to it, so it doesn''t get blown up by the wind. You can''t really see it from the picture, but there are three seams (don''t know if I am using the right word) that run through the blanket, making it very easy to fold. I like that a lot, so I can fold it quickly. I also like that it come with the carrying strap, and not a separate bag to put the blanket it. And it''s not really a blanket. The material is more like a diaper changing pad. I plan to use it at the beach when we go.
 
Janine-

I have this exact blanket as well and we love it. It''s big enough and thick enough to throw down anywhere and it''s so easy to clean. Also, like QT said it''s VERY easy to fold and it folds into this little bundle with velcro and then you can hang it from your stroller. So easy. The material is slick so things brush right off of it.

I went to a picnic a few months back and one of the moms had it. I think every one of us at the picnic went and bought it right after. It''s great.

I have seen other colors, FWIW, but I have this green one and love it.
 
I initially got it because it was online at BRU. But here''s a picture of Jaron using the blanket.

JJ_on_JJColeBlanket.jpg
 
chiming in to say that we also have that blanket and while my LO isn''t here yet, we''ve used it already with my nephew and some friends'' babies for BBQs and the park and it is great. Definitely a nice weather essential for us.
 
Thank you ladies!! Sounds like the "blanket" is a hit!
emsmile.gif
 
Hi Ladies!

I''ve been trying to research breast pumps and I''ve pretty much read what I could find here, but I didn''t see any feedback about this one...

The First Years miPump

I was comparing it to the Medela at Target and what I liked about it was the silicone suctions. It seemed like they would be more comfortable than the harder ones on the Medela?? Any comments? Thoughts? The price is nice, but I definitely don''t want to sacrifice because of money reasons on this purchase!!
 
Date: 6/11/2010 12:53:23 PM
Author: Rock_of_Love
Hi Ladies!


I''ve been trying to research breast pumps and I''ve pretty much read what I could find here, but I didn''t see any feedback about this one...


The First Years miPump


I was comparing it to the Medela at Target and what I liked about it was the silicone suctions. It seemed like they would be more comfortable than the harder ones on the Medela?? Any comments? Thoughts? The price is nice, but I definitely don''t want to sacrifice because of money reasons on this purchase!!
Click to expand...

Well if you look at the reviews on target.com it seems to only get 2.5 stars out of 5. I guess it might not be so great but maybe some with first hand experience can chime in.
 
Date: 6/11/2010 1:37:23 PM
Author: AllieLuv83

Well if you look at the reviews on target.com it seems to only get 2.5 stars out of 5. I guess it might not be so great but maybe some with first hand experience can chime in.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I read the reviews and it seemed like kind of a mixed bag...hoping some can chime in that possibly have experience...or maybe that have researched it already.
 
..re pumps.. if you are looking for a more affordable option than medela try the ameda purely yours. i got mine without the bag/storage stuff (not needed) at diapers.com for $100 and have used it multiple times per day for 4+ months. ameda is owned by the same company that owns medela and my LC liked PY better than the medela option..i forgot what it's called. the only downer for me was that spare parts need to be purchased online. medela is almost the only one you can get parts in stores for. and depending on the pump you will prob have to replace a few things on it from time to time.

re: silicon vs plastic, honestly i don't know that anything is all that 'comfortable' when pumping really, you kind of just get used to it.

one last thing-- i didnt want to buy a pump before birth because i didn't know if BF'ing would really work. i rented the hospital pump for 2 weeks then bought one. so even if you don't make a decision beforehand, you can always get one afterwards. diapers.com has next day ship and great prices, crucial !
 
Rock, what will you be using the pump for?

If you are returning to work, I personally would go with one that has better reviews. Pumping tends to decrease your supply and the least efficient the pump, the worse your supply gets. In order to successfuly pump at work and have enough milk to leave for your LO, you''ll want a good/strong pump.

I don''t have personal experience with this pump but two of the review points that stands out to me:

-There is no speed control-Not all breasts are made the same and having a speed control helps with controlling your cycle time. If it goes too fast, it hurts. If it goes to slow, it can hurt but it also won''t be effecient in getting the milk out.

-Several complained of the milk valve not opening up. This is also important because you don''t want to pump your milk only to have it either spill over, back up, or get in the tubes.

Now, if you will be staying home or will only pump occassionally, then it may be worth it for the price.

Medela is expensive but there are other options out there that are cheaper. I believe the Ameda Purely Yours is cheaper than Medela and ranks w/ Medela in terms of quality.
 
I think I will seriously look into the Ameda PY.

I don''t think I will be pumping all that often. I won''t be going back to work or anything, but I figure I will want options...like having some for hubby to feed baby with, if I have a weekend trip, or "pump and dump" when I can finally drink some much missed wine!! (Side note - I was with a friend on a weekend trip who was BFing/Pumping. She was drinking red bull/vodka''s all night and her breast milk turned neon green!!!!!)

So, that is a good point...do I really *need* the priciest one if I''m not pumping every day??? I guess not.

Thanks so much for the great advice!!!!
 
Date: 6/11/2010 6:20:22 PM
Author: Rock_of_Love
I think I will seriously look into the Ameda PY.

I don''t think I will be pumping all that often. I won''t be going back to work or anything, but I figure I will want options...like having some for hubby to feed baby with, if I have a weekend trip, or ''pump and dump'' when I can finally drink some much missed wine!! (Side note - I was with a friend on a weekend trip who was BFing/Pumping. She was drinking red bull/vodka''s all night and her breast milk turned neon green!!!!!)

So, that is a good point...do I really *need* the priciest one if I''m not pumping every day??? I guess not.

Thanks so much for the great advice!!!!
Click to expand...
If that''s the case, then I would link into a single electric pump or a cheaper pump but one that still gets good ratings.

You won''t need a full size double electric pump if you aren''t working so I wouldn''t really get something like a medela PIS. I''ve heard great things about the medela swing. And as Mara suggested I would wait until after baby is here to purchase one. You may find that you won''t need one at all, you may not be able to breastfeed, or you may choose to pump exclusively (in which case you''ll need the full size pump). GL!
 
Date: 6/11/2010 12:03:44 AM
Author: janinegirly
Thank you ladies!! Sounds like the ''blanket'' is a hit!
emsmile.gif
Click to expand...
janine, I posted somewhere on this thread about the Tuffo blanket I got last summer which is on the same idea as the JJ Cole. I love it. Also, you should check out Bed, Bath and Beyond--they have their version which is basically the same thing and it''s only $19.99!
 
re: the blanket, i don''t have the JJC one but a vendor gave me one like that with the outer being a goretex type material and the inner is fleece and it folds and snaps and we love it for taking J to the park or putting him on the lawn with us--only thing is he had to get used to hearing the grass brush against the goretex material as it makes a loud scratchy noise.

just wanted to give a PSA that the Ergo carrier is 45% off on babysteals.com today. i just picked up the black one, the pink and blue are sold out already. i had been hemming and hawing over it and at the rate he''s growing, the bjorn will be uncomfy sometime soon so hopefully he can be in the Ergo longer.
 
Date: 6/23/2010 11:51:18 AM
Author: Mara

just wanted to give a PSA that the Ergo carrier is 45% off on babysteals.com today. i just picked up the black one, the pink and blue are sold out already. i had been hemming and hawing over it and at the rate he''s growing, the bjorn will be uncomfy sometime soon so hopefully he can be in the Ergo longer.
Click to expand...

hmmm I am contemplating this purchase now, too. The price is definitely great! decisions, decisions..
 
Date: 6/11/2010 6:20:22 PM
Author: Rock_of_Love
I think I will seriously look into the Ameda PY.

I don''t think I will be pumping all that often. I won''t be going back to work or anything, but I figure I will want options...like having some for hubby to feed baby with, if I have a weekend trip, or ''pump and dump'' when I can finally drink some much missed wine!! (Side note - I was with a friend on a weekend trip who was BFing/Pumping. She was drinking red bull/vodka''s all night and her breast milk turned neon green!!!!!)

So, that is a good point...do I really *need* the priciest one if I''m not pumping every day??? I guess not.

Thanks so much for the great advice!!!!
Click to expand...
I bought a Tommee Tippee ''Closer to Nature'' handpump and honestly didn''t need anything else. It was super-easy to clean the parts, pretty quick and not painful to use and you don''t get exhausted ''pumping''. You are also in control which is nice when your nipples are crazy sore at the beginning.

I pumped hugely at the beginning to try and get my supply up and to give my nipples a rest... and after the first few weeks only if I was leaving her with DH or a babysitter. I never bothered doing ''pump & dump'' after a glass of wine (after consulting a couple of doctors).

Daisy is now 13 months and I''m still feeding her 5 times a day or so - I''m pretty sure that most of her calorie intake is still breastmilk and it keeps me calm when she''s going through a day of not wanting to eat anything solid as I know she''s getting something. Anyway, I haven''t pumped in months now, although we co-sleep so that helps my supply remain up, if we didn''t I''d probably have to pump occasionally.
 
Hi Mommies and Soon-to-be Mommies!
35.gif


Does anyone have or is registering for the baby wipe warmer? At first I thought this was completely unecessary, but I was reading reviews and it seems that it really helps moms who are changing diapers esp. for those who have boys. Also, my sister-in-law, who has a 2-week old newborn son, was complaining to me the other night about how her son screams and crys everytime she wipes him with a cold one making diaper changes very difficult. Since I''m having a boy and a girl, I was wondering if this is something I should put on my registry.

Thoughts???
 
Blushing - there are mixed views on PS re: wipe warmers.

I think it depends on a couple of things, most importantly if you live in a colder climate or not. My baby was born in January and I live in New England, so a wipe warmer was absolutely essential for me. I''ve used it 2 winters with him and initially started using it about a month or so after he was born when I noticed he flinched as I started to wipe him during a diaper change. The flinching stopped the same day I started using the wipe warmer.

I''ve heard the same things about boys vs. girls too.
 
SBDE - thanks for the reply! I live in Manhattan so, it does get pretty cold here, plus I''ll be having them end of Sept/beginning of Oct. so, summer will be over. I guess I can throw it on my registry and just see if anyone buys it for me.
5.gif
 
BB - There is a risk of wipes warmers being a fire hazard - several years ago most of the wipes warmers on the market were recalled for this issue. We live in a cold climate and I had a winter baby, but it was not worth the risk to me to have a fire hazard in my nursery. My DD was just fine with cold wipes. Plus, if your little ones are going in day care they won''t have warm wipes, or even if they aren''t, when you take them out and about you aren''t going to have warm wipes, so they might as well get used to it!
 
Date: 6/29/2010 3:18:15 PM
Author: NovemberBride
BB - There is a risk of wipes warmers being a fire hazard - several years ago most of the wipes warmers on the market were recalled for this issue. We live in a cold climate and I had a winter baby, but it was not worth the risk to me to have a fire hazard in my nursery. My DD was just fine with cold wipes. Plus, if your little ones are going in day care they won''t have warm wipes, or even if they aren''t, when you take them out and about you aren''t going to have warm wipes, so they might as well get used to it!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads-up on that NovemberBride. Good point about them getting used to warm wipes and then if warm wipes aren''t available, what do you do? They aren''t going into day care, but I was thinking what if we''re out and don''t have the wipe warmer? Will it be a scream fest?
33.gif
 
blushing, Hi! My DD was born the end of Sept and it was a bitter cold winter. I did not use the warm wipes..I mean it''s not a problem if you have them (I don''t think they''d freak out if they had cold ones when you were out), it''s just kind of unecessary. THen again I warmed all her bottles and sometimes do still warm her milk. I think it''s one of those products that don''t hurt, but not really necessary either. Norma wipes are room temperature, not like ice cold.

So are you staying in Manhattan with 2 little ones?? I probably missed updates since i"m not on the preggo thread at all!
 
blushing - my son was fine with the occasional cold wipe (when we were out of the house etc.) even though he was used to warm wipes. at times if they were super cold from the diaper bag being in the car (and the diaper wasn't a blow out!) i could warm them up for a few seconds in my hand as well.
 
think i might be missing something as to why a climate makes a diff as to whether or not a baby needs a warm wipe. people don't change their baby outside, and the house would presumably be warm no matter where you live, right? so wouldn't the wipes be like 'room temp' not cold?

we live in a warmer climate, but it was winter when babe was born. our house was warm though and we kept it even warmer for him the first 1-2 months. i didnt go wipe warmer because i didn't want him to get used to a warm wipe, aka when i was out somewhere etc. he cried during all diaper changes the first month, but most moms i talked to said that was normal at first. now he tolerates them and no he doesn't love a cool wipe, but no one would i imagine. the fact is wipes are 'wet' so they are going to be cooler unless you warm them. though the other night he was sleeping and pooped so i changed him and i used wipes, and he didn't even wake up so it must not be too shocking.

oh and on another note, just wanted to report that the Ergo arrived, and i love it even though i can't figure out how it goes on yet. the instruction book is daunting! but we will experiment with it this wkd. i didn't realize it was organic... but really it's a nicely made piece of carrier.

question for Moms with hardwood flooring... when it came time to baby wanting to roll around, what did you get for the floor? right now i have J on 2 layered quilts on the floor to do tummy time or rolling practice, but sometimes when he rolls he still 'bumps' his head OR he'll roll right off the quilt. is there like a big thick pad thing i can get that might also be fun for him to look at or play on? tia!
 
Mara,
We have hardwoods but he mostly spent time on the area rugs. I''ve seen these type of mats and I think it would work well.
 
Date: 6/29/2010 4:07:12 PM
Author: janinegirly
blushing, Hi! My DD was born the end of Sept and it was a bitter cold winter. I did not use the warm wipes..I mean it''s not a problem if you have them (I don''t think they''d freak out if they had cold ones when you were out), it''s just kind of unecessary. THen again I warmed all her bottles and sometimes do still warm her milk. I think it''s one of those products that don''t hurt, but not really necessary either. Norma wipes are room temperature, not like ice cold.

So are you staying in Manhattan with 2 little ones?? I probably missed updates since i''m not on the preggo thread at all!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the replies regarding the warmer! I''m going to give my sister-in-law the warmer as a gift and see how she likes it (her baby will be my guinea pig...lol). If he handles it well, maybe I''ll throw it on my registry list, but for now, I''ll leave it off. Need to think about it some more.

Hi Janine!
35.gif
The plan for now is to stay in the city for approx. two years. My mother-in-law has offered to help watch the babies while I go back to work part time (of course me going back to work is our tentative plan). That said, it''ll be easier for her to come into the city from where she lives now than Jersey so, that''s the main reason why we are staying.

Plus, I''m not sure if you remember or not, but instead of buying a house in Jersey couple years a ago, we bought a condo downtown as an investment (DH is in real estate and got an amazing deal on a duplex). So, if we stay in the city, we''ll be able to continue to save for our house in the burbs in a couple of years. We are still thinking of the same area you''re in....leaning more towards Westfield, but we''ll see as it gets closer. You still love it there right?
 
Date: 7/1/2010 10:35:30 AM
Author: Blushing_B

Date: 6/29/2010 4:07:12 PM
Author: janinegirly
blushing, Hi! My DD was born the end of Sept and it was a bitter cold winter. I did not use the warm wipes..I mean it''s not a problem if you have them (I don''t think they''d freak out if they had cold ones when you were out), it''s just kind of unecessary. THen again I warmed all her bottles and sometimes do still warm her milk. I think it''s one of those products that don''t hurt, but not really necessary either. Norma wipes are room temperature, not like ice cold.

So are you staying in Manhattan with 2 little ones?? I probably missed updates since i''m not on the preggo thread at all!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the replies regarding the warmer! I''m going to give my sister-in-law the warmer as a gift and see how she likes it (her baby will be my guinea pig...lol). If he handles it well, maybe I''ll throw it on my registry list, but for now, I''ll leave it off. Need to think about it some more.

Hi Janine!
35.gif
The plan for now is to stay in the city for approx. two years. My mother-in-law has offered to help watch the babies while I go back to work part time (of course me going back to work is our tentative plan). That said, it''ll be easier for her to come into the city from where she lives now than Jersey so, that''s the main reason why we are staying.

Plus, I''m not sure if you remember or not, but instead of buying a house in Jersey couple years a ago, we bought a condo downtown as an investment (DH is in real estate and got an amazing deal on a duplex). So, if we stay in the city, we''ll be able to continue to save for our house in the burbs in a couple of years. We are still thinking of the same area you''re in....leaning more towards Westfield, but we''ll see as it gets closer. You still love it there right?
Click to expand...
What a great MIL you have!! Have you talked about PT options with work? I do remember the investment property (we actually have something similar in midtown), is that the apt you are living in? I think it was 2br which is a luxury in NYC!!

Yes still love the area but currently doing an expansion, renovation so a bit of upheaval right now. Looking forward to the end product though!! I''m still working FT as well (with 1 day at home). We should try to meet up for lunch one day :).

Sorry for threadhijack everyone!!
 
Date: 7/1/2010 10:48:25 AM
Author: janinegirly


Date: 7/1/2010 10:35:30 AM
Author: Blushing_B



Date: 6/29/2010 4:07:12 PM
Author: janinegirly
blushing, Hi! My DD was born the end of Sept and it was a bitter cold winter. I did not use the warm wipes..I mean it's not a problem if you have them (I don't think they'd freak out if they had cold ones when you were out), it's just kind of unecessary. THen again I warmed all her bottles and sometimes do still warm her milk. I think it's one of those products that don't hurt, but not really necessary either. Norma wipes are room temperature, not like ice cold.

So are you staying in Manhattan with 2 little ones?? I probably missed updates since i'm not on the preggo thread at all!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the replies regarding the warmer! I'm going to give my sister-in-law the warmer as a gift and see how she likes it (her baby will be my guinea pig...lol). If he handles it well, maybe I'll throw it on my registry list, but for now, I'll leave it off. Need to think about it some more.

Hi Janine!
35.gif
The plan for now is to stay in the city for approx. two years. My mother-in-law has offered to help watch the babies while I go back to work part time (of course me going back to work is our tentative plan). That said, it'll be easier for her to come into the city from where she lives now than Jersey so, that's the main reason why we are staying.

Plus, I'm not sure if you remember or not, but instead of buying a house in Jersey couple years a ago, we bought a condo downtown as an investment (DH is in real estate and got an amazing deal on a duplex). So, if we stay in the city, we'll be able to continue to save for our house in the burbs in a couple of years. We are still thinking of the same area you're in....leaning more towards Westfield, but we'll see as it gets closer. You still love it there right?
Click to expand...
What a great MIL you have!! Have you talked about PT options with work? I do remember the investment property (we actually have something similar in midtown), is that the apt you are living in? I think it was 2br which is a luxury in NYC!!

Yes still love the area but currently doing an expansion, renovation so a bit of upheaval right now. Looking forward to the end product though!! I'm still working FT as well (with 1 day at home). We should try to meet up for lunch one day :).

Sorry for threadhijack everyone!!
Click to expand...
Yes - sorry for threadjacking!
3.gif


I had lunch with my boss a month ago and I'll probably end up doing Mon-Wed at work with Thurs and Fri off. Ironically, that's what my boss does too. Or it'll be off Mon and Fri and work Tues - Thurs. I love my job and my company is great for working moms so, I want to try my hardest to keep this job. Plus, with two little ones, an extra paycheck will be very helpful!

I didn't know you guys have an investment property too - do your rent it out? That's what we're doing. We also don't live in ours because even though it's a duplex, it's only a one-bedroom. The place we live is a two-bedroom and you're right, it's quite a luxury! One of my good friends is also pregnant and living in the city. She only has a one-bedroom so, she's converting her dining area to a nursery - I feel lucky we have the extra bedroom esp. with twins!

I was reading about you doing work on your house, but I wasn't sure what all you were doing. That's exciting! I'm sure it's a huge undertaking, but you're right, the end result will be worth it, plus the added value to your house will be great!

We definitely should do lunch. Let me know if you're ever in the city and I'll let you know if I'm ever out your way. We go to Short Hills a lot and have friends that live in Westfield and South Orange.
 
Date: 7/1/2010 11:01:05 AM
Author: Blushing_B

Date: 7/1/2010 10:48:25 AM
Author: janinegirly



Date: 7/1/2010 10:35:30 AM
Author: Blushing_B




Date: 6/29/2010 4:07:12 PM
Author: janinegirly
blushing, Hi! My DD was born the end of Sept and it was a bitter cold winter. I did not use the warm wipes..I mean it''s not a problem if you have them (I don''t think they''d freak out if they had cold ones when you were out), it''s just kind of unecessary. THen again I warmed all her bottles and sometimes do still warm her milk. I think it''s one of those products that don''t hurt, but not really necessary either. Norma wipes are room temperature, not like ice cold.

So are you staying in Manhattan with 2 little ones?? I probably missed updates since i''m not on the preggo thread at all!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the replies regarding the warmer! I''m going to give my sister-in-law the warmer as a gift and see how she likes it (her baby will be my guinea pig...lol). If he handles it well, maybe I''ll throw it on my registry list, but for now, I''ll leave it off. Need to think about it some more.

Hi Janine!
35.gif
The plan for now is to stay in the city for approx. two years. My mother-in-law has offered to help watch the babies while I go back to work part time (of course me going back to work is our tentative plan). That said, it''ll be easier for her to come into the city from where she lives now than Jersey so, that''s the main reason why we are staying.

Plus, I''m not sure if you remember or not, but instead of buying a house in Jersey couple years a ago, we bought a condo downtown as an investment (DH is in real estate and got an amazing deal on a duplex). So, if we stay in the city, we''ll be able to continue to save for our house in the burbs in a couple of years. We are still thinking of the same area you''re in....leaning more towards Westfield, but we''ll see as it gets closer. You still love it there right?
Click to expand...
What a great MIL you have!! Have you talked about PT options with work? I do remember the investment property (we actually have something similar in midtown), is that the apt you are living in? I think it was 2br which is a luxury in NYC!!

Yes still love the area but currently doing an expansion, renovation so a bit of upheaval right now. Looking forward to the end product though!! I''m still working FT as well (with 1 day at home). We should try to meet up for lunch one day :).

Sorry for threadhijack everyone!!
Click to expand...
Yes - sorry for threadjacking!
3.gif


I had lunch with my boss a month ago and I''ll probably end up doing Mon-Wed at work with Thurs and Fri off. Ironically, that''s what my boss does too. Or it''ll be off Mon and Fri and work Tues - Thurs. I love my job and my company is great for working moms so, I want to try my hardest to keep this job. Plus, with two little ones, an extra paycheck will be very helpful!

I didn''t know you guys have an investment property too - do your rent it out? That''s what we''re doing. We also don''t live in ours because even though it''s a duplex, it''s only a one-bedroom. The place we live is a two-bedroom and you''re right, it''s quite a luxury! One of my good friends is also pregnant and living in the city. She only has a one-bedroom so, she''s converting her dining area to a nursery - I feel lucky we have the extra bedroom esp. with twins!

I was reading about you doing work on your house, but I wasn''t sure what all you were doing. That''s exciting! I''m sure it''s a huge undertaking, but you''re right, the end result will be worth it, plus the added value to your house will be great!

We definitely should do lunch. Let me know if you''re ever in the city and I''ll let you know if I''m ever out your way. We go to Short Hills a lot and have friends that live in Westfield and South Orange.
Click to expand...
BB - we do rent our apt out. And I''m in the City 4 days a week since still working FT! That''s a great schedule you have going or will have--is it PT or work from home! Awesome!
 
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