Claudia Schwarz and Raegan Moya-Jones are two Australian natives’ who, after relocating to the U.S., were concerned by the lack of muslin fabric baby wraps traditionally found from home. What ended up being a tiring search of not finding what they were looking for here in the United States led to the creation of their business, aden + anais.

aden + anais wraps feature 100% soft and breathable muslin cotton which provides babies with plenty of warmth without overheating them. These two moms know well that many baby wraps are rather small when trying to swaddle a baby in one, so they solved this problem as well by making their muslin wraps a huge 47″ x 47″ in size.

It’s a known fact that babies enjoy being swaddled and it helps them to sleep longer and better because it is comforting to them. Since aden + anais wraps are so soft (they become even softer and fluffier after washing) your baby will also enjoy rubbing their tiny little face against them.

If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide on the proper way to swaddle your baby, aden + anais have a great guide here.

When your baby no longer wants to be swaddled, there’s other ways to use your muslin wraps so they just don’t get tucked away in a drawer somewhere. Here are some possible ideas:

• They can be used on the floor during tummy time
• You can use them to cover you and your baby while nursing in public
• Use them as a blanket while at the park in the summer
• Use them as a burp cloth – these are large enough so the spit-up doesn’t end up on your shirt instead
• Spread them out on the bottom of a portable crib
• You can drape them over a portable stroller to block at the sun and provide protection from insects

My babies are much older now and I really wish I had known about this product when they were young. The swaddling blankets that I had used were so small and were just so thick that I always worried about overheating their tiny little bodies. I hope the new moms that are reading this review check out Claudia and Raegan’s product line, it’s definitely something I would have used.

Their website is http://adenandanais.com

New to their product line

I also had a chance to review a sample of their new muslin sleeping bag. Again, this is something that I wish I had with my boys. We used sleeping bags with both babies and this product would have been great!

The Muslin Sleeping Bag is great for babies that are transitioning from the swaddling stage. They were designed to be used over a baby’s pj’s and in place of crib blankets. They are made of 100% muslin, the same material as their swaddling blankets. They come in a variety of patterns and sizes. The one I received had a pattern of fish – so cute. I’ve added a picture of it so you can see it.

Check out aden + anais – Even if your babies are not, well, babies any longer any of these products would make a great gift at the next baby shower you are invited to.

If you are a first time parent and would like to get an idea about how to go about buying nursery furniture, then ideally you should check out several sites selling nursery furniture first. These sites will give you enough information and educate you what is the best furniture for your child.
Nursery furniture is available today in a huge range. Internet will show you that there are different types of furniture available for children. These range from the grand and luxurious, to cheap and simple. You will be able to find just what you want if you do some efforts on exactly what you should look for in furniture.

Every time you visit a mall, you can keep an eye on the furniture available in the market, some malls also keep furniture with latest trends in the market. If you are a fashion conscious person latest trends will help you keep in sync with the fashion world and help you buy what is latest in the market for your baby.

Internet also happens to be the place, if you are interested I shopping for nursery furniture, most of the sites offer competitive prices, however, you should not forget adding the shipping charges for nursery furniture. Internet shopping of nursery furniture will require to be installed by you, in case the site does offer certain help for installation, like sending its people over to your place for installation that would be most ideal. Refer to Classic Furniture for more information.

Another option for shopping nursery furniture is visiting malls or going to a furniture shop, which will surely include a number of nursery furniture in its range of furniture. You can choose and pick and even bargain over the prices at which you buy the nursery furniture. Since you get to see the furniture all by yourself, you will feel more assured of the quality of the furniture than buying it on the Internet.
Though buying the furniture available in a furniture shop near to you is a best option, you will find that the range of furniture is not as much as you find on the Internet, since Internet allows you to see all the furniture available in different geographical locations, it will give you more options in nursery furniture than any other local shop can give you.
So now you can make a decision as to whether you want to shop over the Internet and buy the ones which you have fallen in love with for its style and quality or you would like to take a look and feel the nursery furniture before buying so that you feel assured, even though the range available in not as much as on the Internet. You can find excellent quality nursery furniture through any choice you make, what is required is that the furniture should be long lasting and safe for your child.Gary runs stylish kids shop Monkeyshine which has a large variety of childrens furniture and baby accessories. Visit Traditional Furniture for further information.

photo credit: Kenziepoo

What exactly is a diaper cake? It is made of diapers put together to look just like a cake. It usually includes basic baby products such as diapers, receiving blankets, bibs, bath products, rattles, and whatever useful baby items you want to add. One thing a parent can not have enough of is diapers and that is what makes a diaper cake such a practical gift.

The best thing about making a diaper cake is you can decorate it to match the baby shower theme or the nursery theme. It can be used as a table center piece at the baby shower and afterwards the expecting mommy can display it in the nursery.
This unique baby gift will definitely be the hit of the shower and guaranteed to be the expecting mommy’s favorite gift. There are tons of online sites that sell beautiful diaper cakes if you do not want to make it, but the great thing about making it yourself is you can give the cake a personal touch. Besides that you will save a fortune if you make the diaper cake yourself.

Now that you have decided to make this unique baby shower gift, here is a list of things to do to get started.

• Take a look at pictures of diaper cakes so you can get an idea of how they look.
• Find instructions on how to make a diaper cake. There are several great articles and videos online that give detailed instructions.
• Decide on the style of diaper cake. There two techniques to making a diaper cake – the rolled method and the fanned method.
• Set a budget of how much you want to spend on your gift. It is easy to go overboard with all the cute baby items available.
• Decide on a theme for the diaper cake. You could use the shower theme, the nursery theme, or a unique theme that is all your own.
• Decide what baby products you want to use on the diaper cake.
• Buy the supplies for the cake. To keep it simple and economical you can buy a layette set that includes all the basic necessities in a matching set or purchase a diaper cake kit.

Once you have the instructions and supplies you are ready to get started. Like anything else there is a learning curve. Make sure to start working on the cake at least a week before the baby shower. Find a comfortable, roomy area to assemble the cake. Organize your supplies and read over the instructions before beginning to assemble the diaper cake.

Now you are on your way to making your own diaper cake!

While surfing the net for a gift for my niece’s little blessing I searched for a similar product.  Lo and behold, at http://yhst-80257359098764.stores.yahoo.net/pacifier-baby-bib.html I found just what I was looking for.  My new little niece is definitely getting one of these amongst her gifts.  They come in three styles and I am sure that it will be just as appreciated as mine was.  Binky problem solved!

Are you looking for a baby shower gift and want to buy a cool diaper bag?

Are you a first time parent and want a cool diaper bag?

Are you having another baby and want to find a nice baby changing bag instead of the old one you have used for your other kids?

If you are looking for a diaper bag for any reason, you have a lot of options and should be able to find a cool diaper bag that you are proud to carry around. You can even find a really nice baby changing bag that you will be able to use long after your toddler has stopped wearing diapers. There are tons of baby changing bags out there so you don’t have to settle for a plain old, boring diaper bag you don’t want to be seen in public with.

The first thing to look for in a baby changing bag is pockets to keep stuff secure. You don’t want all of your stuff to be all over. You should have pockets that you can put baby bottles in, snacks, baby wipes, and diapers. It doesn’t hurt to have space for baby powder, ointments, and any other special items you need. You also need to make sure you have enough room for all of the stuff you normally carry in your purse because you probably won’t want to carry two bags.

Another thing to consider when buying baby changing bags is the size and style of the bag. You may want it small so it is easy to carry and fits under your stroller. You may want a large bag so you can put a lot of stuff in it. You can also find baby bag back packs that can make it easier to carry your stuff and your baby. This one is a personal preference thing.

One of the last things to consider is price you want to pay. You can go out and get a functional diaper bag for under $20. Now it won’t be pretty and will probably wear out before you are done needing it, but for $20, you can probably afford to buy a second one. On the high end, you can spend over $1000 on a designer baby bag. For my purposes, I am going to consider $500 or so the top end as that is something many people can afford if they really want a nice bag. There are tons of designer diaper bags in the $200 to $500 price range. If you buy a nice, stylish baby bag you will be able to use it even when baby isn’t with you. This is also a great way for a mother to feel like she is on “The Real House Wives of Orange County” when she is out with her friends.

Before we go, I just want to mention a few designers of baby changing bags. Some of the top designers include:

• Arturo
• Baby Kaed
• Isabella Fiore
• Cynthia Rowley
• Cole Haan
• OiOi
• Kate Spade
• Mia Bossi

If you are looking for an absolutely premium baby changing bag, some of top designer baby bag manufacturer’s are Kate Spade, Mia Bossi, Debbie Rott, and Elaine Turner. You are going to pay between $300 and $500 for most of the bags these top designers make. However, feeling like a celebrity when you carry a designer baby bag can make it worth the price.

Some of the other top designers that have cool diaper bags in the $100 to $300 range include Isabella Fiore, OiOi, Cynthia Rowley, Arturo, and Baby Kaed. You will find really nice bags that will last and look a whole lot better than the $20 specials.

There is one last niche of baby changing bags you may need to explore[spin]. [spin]Since it takes a mom and dad (usually) to have a baby, this means that you may need to buy a diaper bag for a man. There are some lines of daddy diaper bags that you may need to explore. Mia Bossi also makes designer diaper bags for men. There is also a company called Diaper Dude that makes mens baby changing bags and Nieman Marcus carries some men’s diaper bags. There are a bunch more, but these are a few that I know of off hand.

Now all you have to do is decide what you want to get. Good luck on your quest for the perfect diaper bag!

photo credit: nyki_m

If I was told I could only have one item of child equipment, without hesitation, I would select a baby sling. I did not own a sling for my first three of my seven children. I had no knowledge of them outside of maybe seeing pictures of women in third world countries using them to strap their babies to them. Something significant happened during the seven years between the births of my third and fourth daughter: the rise in popularity of the internet. With the internet came the easy exchange of ideas.

Other hands free ways to hold your baby are Baby Front Carriers and baby backpacks. Greco and Baby Bjorn are two of the more fashionable brands of front carriers. With these, two padded shoulder straps go over your shoulders and criss-cross your back. The straps adjust to take different sizes and shapes. The baby is then slid into a supportive pocket with leg holes that leave the feet dangling. As the baby grows and gets bigger, many carriers allow the baby to face outward. Personally speaking, the baby front carrier seemed awkward to me. If the baby fell asleep while in the carrier, it was difficult to gently remove her to lay her down in the crib. Also, having the baby in front was both physically and visually impairing, making the accomplishments of such tasks as sewing, meal preparation, cleaning, caring for older children, et cetera more difficult.

Baby backpacks have metal or plastic tube frames to stand the frame up in order to introduce the child. Then the frame is elevated and slid onto the back of the adult. I learned that the baby got heavy rapidly with this method. Also, I didn’t like the fact that I had no visual contact with the baby while she was on my back. I also couldn’t just sit down and take a rest without having to first remove the backpack. I personally didn’t like the functionality of the backpack for times when the baby fell asleep. Additionally, it was rather bulky and took up quite a bit of space when it was not in use.

Nine years ago, after the birth of my fourth daughter, I was finally introduced to … cue up the Halleluah chorus … A BABY SLING!!! There are several kinds; my chosen sling style was a long piece of fabric that fed through two metal fastening rings, leaving a “tail” of fabric. The absolute favourite was the Maya Wrap with a pocket sewn into the tail, which I used to carry a couple extra nappies and wipes, and often my car keys and wallet! With the baby sling, I could carry the baby high or low, on the front, side, or back, facing forward or facing me, and lying down or sitting up. I was also able to breast feed in a tactful, usually hands free manner, covering any unintentional exposure with the tailpiece of the sling, which easily went over my shoulder. As the child grew, the sling easily adjusted to take her changing comfort preferences. Up until my children were about four or five years old, I was able to continuously use my sling for hands free carrying. As a child care center owner, there were many times where I was able to put two children comfortably in one sling allowing me to still use my hands for other things. I often used the sling to hold and bottle-feed infant twins.

As you can see, I am a bit slanted toward slings, but the other hands free baby carriers might be absolutely perfect for your needs. Look at all options and try a few out. Whichever you prefer, you will be a happier, more productive new parent as you learn to incorporate the joy of nurturing your newborn with the other long list of tasks that you have.

Sun block that is a minimum of SPF30+ and is broad spectrum, blocking UVA&UVB rays, should be the start of any routine. Any skin that is not covered by clothing should be covered by sun block. However, some pediatricians recommend no sun block for the first six months of life (consult with your pediatrician), and there are products for those babies as well!

There are products that cover up your jogger or stroller from UV rays, bugs, or wind. For example, the SunFree Blankee blocks 98% of UV rays, is extremely lightweight, and ties to just about anything. The versatility of this sheet allows you to tie it to your front carrier, stroller, or drape it over your child. Active parents like this sheet because of the ties because it holds the sun protection in place compared to a standard blanket that slips off during activity and contains little sun protection. The only thing challenging in a work out should be the work out itself.

100% UV blocking sunglasses are available with an adjustable band, and no arms for safety purposes. These are great because they stay on during activities, and they grow with the child. Because they are secured over the entire head, it is much more difficult for the child to remove them. They are available for newborns through five years of age.

Flap hats and wide-brimmed hats work wonders to provide shade, are lightweight, and have a strap to hold in place. Those parents that hike with child on their back enjoy the UV protection from all sides that the flap hat provides.

Lastly, many parents choose to maintain an active summer with their children (even infants) through swimming lessons. Have your child well suited for sun protection in the water with swimsuits that cover a child’s back and shoulders and filter out 98% of UV rays.

Regardless of the activity your family partakes in, children are spending more time in the sun, and sun protection should be part of the warm up of any summer day!

Jen Clement lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina and is a mother of three children and cofounder of www.SunFriendlyProducts.com and can be reached via email at jclement@sunfriendlyproducts.com. Sun Friendly Products focuses on providing products that offer easy and effective sun protection for our families. These products include UV Protective swimsuits, stroller covers, portable beach cabanas, chemical-free sun blocks, as well as many items for outdoor family fun. For more information, please visit www.SunFriendlyProducts.com or call 866-SAFE-SUN.

photo credit: cupcakes2

The Clingy Cord provides a great solution for when your little ones are in the throwing, dropping or losing their toys, cups or other items stage.

The elastic cord is covered in fabric, which can be purchased in many different designs and then consists of these important features:

Plastic Link – The plastic link is what you can use to secure the Clingy Cord to car seats, strollers, high chairs, etc.

Sliding Knot – To hold your child’s items you use the “sliding knot” which is made up of plastic beads that create a loop that you can tighten. You simply open the loop and place it around the object, then you adjust the beads to create a snug fit.

I remember when my oldest son was in the throwing stage and he use to have a small stuffed Tigger toy that he had to take everywhere. One particular day we went to a fair and we used his stroller to push him around. He really enjoyed throwing that Tigger toy out of his stroller every chance he got. So, you can imagine how dirty that little stuffed Tigger became I wish I had the Clingy Cord back then, if would have stopped poor little Tigger from hitting the ground and getting so filthy.

Visit CaitiMac Creations to learn more about the Clingy Cord.

Tot-To-Go, founded by Shani Sam in June 2007, has chosen to feature their popular line of designer Baby Slings in the “New Girls in Tinseltown” and “Let’s Hear it For the Boys” baby gift bags created by Jewels and Pinstripes. The in demand gift bags consists of high-caliber products from different companies including personalized stationary, baby clothing, shoes and accessories. Tot-To-Go already participated in the first quarter of the gifting program from January to March 2008.

“We personally review and select each product that goes into our gift and event bags,” explains Julie Kenney, founder of Jewels and Pinstripes. “We feel celebrities and other VIP recipients will appreciate the simple, versatile and stylish nature of the Tot-To-Go Baby Sling.”

The Tot-To-Go Baby Sling offers parents a fashionable and comfortable way to wear and bond with their babies hands free. The reversible, one piece pouch style baby sling is easy to use with no buckles or tying to contend with and comes in a selection of premium fabrics and trendy prints.

Celebrities are no strangers to baby-wearing-many Hollywood moms have been pictured toting their tots in different types of carriers and slings. Sam was lucky enough to impress at least one of the many the Jewels and Pinstripes Celebrity Baby Bag recipients. Sam received an order and a personal phone call from a popular sitcom actress who received a sling in her gift bag. Shortly after, the actress was photographed wearing her newborn son in the Tot-To-Go Baby Sling, helping give Sam a sudden boost in sales.

“There certainly has been an increase in web traffic and sales as a result of our work with Jewels and Pinstripes. Being in the gift bags has helped us build our brand with not just celebrities, but with local customers too,” says Sam, owner of Tot-To-Go.

“It is flattering to be picked out of many companies to participate in such a high profile celebrity gift bag, “Sam explains. Jewels and Pinstripes provides each participating company exclusivity in their product category which means Tot-To-Go faced competition against other brands in landing the baby carrier spot. Sam also adds, “I feel validated as a small mom run business to be recognized by Jewels and Pinstripes and celebrities alike.”

The latest celebrity parents who received a Tot-To-Go Baby Sling in the “New Girls in Tinseltown” and “Let’s Hear is for the Boys” gift bags include Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Brooke Burke, Melissa Joan Hart, Elisabeth Rohm, and Cate Blanchett to name a few.

For more information about Tot-To-Go Baby Products and the latest celebrity buzz, please visit: http://www.tot-to-go.com.

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Shani Sam
tot-to-go Baby Products
web: www.tot-to-go.com
email: shanisam@tot-tot-go.com
phone: 1-604-523-9339

As seen on Celebrity Baby Blog, Mommies with Style, Cool Mom Picks, Celebrity Baby Scoop and more!

I received matching pendants and bangles that “mimic” real gemstones. I decided to let a friend try them out with her teething baby and as soon as her baby saw the pendant around Mom’s neck, her eyes lit up and she reached out and grabbed it right away. After she thoroughly examined it, she plucked it in her mouth and started to chew on it while her Mom and I had a conversation. By the way, the pendants come in a breakaway clasp and everything has been independently lead-tested.

The Teething Bling was inspired by babies who like to tug on jewelry. They are made from food-safe, non-toxic, phthalate free, CE marking compliant, dishwasher-safe silicone and they look great on women and are stylish. A very hip teething toy that many of us have hoped for.

They recently introduced 4 new colors which are moonstone, coral, mother of pearl and onyx. They will soon be releasing these new colors: malachite, lapis lazuli and brown snowflake.

Even though I can no longer use these personally, I will be sure to recommend them to friends and what a great baby shower gift these would make!

Be sure to check out their site here.