07.29.2008

Survival Kits from 5 Minutes Apart

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I really like the setntiment behind the products offered at 5 Minutes Apart. This website is devoted to taking care not only of Mom, but the family as a whole, when it comes to delivering and caring for a new baby. They've got something for everyone, in the form of survival kits and pre-packed overnight bags, including expectant dads sleeping over at the hospital, siblings anticipating the unknown, and those moms out there recovering from a c-section. I particularly love the breastfeeding survival kit since I, like (I assume) many women out there, was clueless as to the less-than-glamorous aspects of breastfeeding that aren't taught in those lactation classes. Included are a My Breast Friend pillow with extra cover, Soothies, washable nursing pads and more. A great idea for a shower gift or just something nice for a friend.

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08. 8.2007

Infobands

info bands

There is nothing particularly new about the idea of tagging your child by whatever means - regular readers may recall a recent post about the SOS recorder, for example. The label or wristband is possibly the most basic form of labelling - apart from the tip I recall reading on Parent Hacks one time, suggesting that writing the address with indelible pen across the child's tummy at least had the advantage that they couldn't lose it, eat it, or get up to mischief with it.

Anyway. The Infoband, is, like I say, at the basic end of child-labelling technology, but it's cheap and it's appealing. Perhaps so appealing that your child will wear it with pride. At only a couple of quid (0r 4 US Dollars), you can pick up a few. There's room for a phone number or crucial details of things like allergies.

Also mentioned on the website is an item I'm waiting eagerly to hear more about. Do you wonder where all your kid's stuff disappears to? it asks. Now here's a product to solve that problem. There's no further information, but I'm imagining some fabulous tracking device that will tell me where my daughter's left her precious Tinky Winky doll within a five mile radius. Watch this space: I'll report as soon as I hear more.

Posted by Myf Category: parenting
Tags: safety
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07. 5.2007

Time Out Pad

time out pad

We haven't got to the 'time out' stage with Tabitha, so it's hard for me to comment on the helpfulness or otherwise of this product. Instead, let me just detail its features, and perhaps someone will comment with what they think.

OK, so the problems are that kids sometimes disobey the command to take time out, get up too quickly, or just find it hard to judge how much time they have left. The Time Out Pad foresees all these potential pitfalls: the parent can set a timer which counts down, and an alarm goes off if the child attempts to get up too early. A series of 'traffic lights' help even a young child understand how much time there is left to go, and it can be set to a range of times from one to five minutes.

Now, I don't know, but my first thought is that a child would, at first, anyway, be so taken with the coloured lights and timer that they forget why they're even there. On the other hand, if that diffuses a difficult situation, then that's all for the good I suppose. One other important feature, anyway, is that the timer is tamper-proof.

Posted by Myf Category: parenting
Tags: parenting
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05. 2.2007

Momergency Kit

The Momergency Kit may come off a bit gimicky, sure, but on further inspection, it's actually quite useful and creative. Besides, I love a good kit, especially ones with good packaging and this one is stuffed with objects, both expected and unexpected, and a book of instructions for 20 activities to fill the time if you're ever stuck in a situation where you need to entertain some bored, cranky kids. Sound familiar?

Posted by Jenna Category: parenting
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03.28.2007

Who wouldn't want a musical journey through the worst of pregnancy?

Some experiences in life involve pure survival, and then after a few years you're allowed to look back and laugh and be a little nostalgic. Life has a built-in defense mechanism that allows you to remember some times as great and fun and magical and forget all the times you just prayed for it to be over. Of course, I'm looking at pregnancy from the outside, so I can be forgiven for the sense of trauma I still carry with me.

Which is why I was slightly horrified by the Mommy and Daddy Rocks music CD. It's like a greatest hits collection of memories I can barely dredge up from the deepest recesses of my mind. With songs like "My Preggo Beauty Queen," and "Glowing, Hormonal Rage," it's like a soundtrack to your terrifying memories of despair.

I remember one time I dropped an entire Snickers bar into a deep fryer, reached in and pulled it out. It was worth the scorching pain and months of reconstructive surgery: I had a fried Snickers. On the other hand, I'm not putting my hands in any deep fryers anymore. That's how I feel about the kids. Totally worth the pain and screaming fear of dealing with a pregnant partner, but it's not something I'd like to be made into a cute CD. The fun bit is having them now, so let's make songs about THAT, shall we?

Posted by ben Category: parenting
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03.23.2007

Organize all of your baby's schedules at once with the itzbeen Baby Care Timer

Sometimes you run across a disarmingly simple and useful idea and wonder why no one has yet thought of it. That's how I felt with the itzbeen Baby Care Timer, which is a simple piece of electronics that does nothing but count up. The face of the unit has four buttons that correspond to changing, feeding, sleeping, and anything else you can think of. So when you give your baby medicine, for instance, you hit that button and it begins the timer. You can then look at the itzbeen and see exactly how long it's been since your child has had its medicine, or if it's been too long since you've checked for diapers or hunger.

This isn't a substitute for listening to your baby or child and figuring out what they need, but it's a simple and easy way to keep the timing of these needs organized and available at a glance. This is a great idea, and at $30 is a great gift for any parent who is overworked and underslept. And that's all of them.

Posted by ben Category: parenting
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03.14.2007

Milkscreen - tells you when it's safe to drink and feed

Lots of misinformation goes round about the issue of drinking alcohol when you are breastfeeding, so Milkscreen seems like a really good idea to me. All you do is smear a little milk onto a strip, and it tells you if alcohol is present. Whether you're the sort of mum who likes to round off the day with a glass of wine, or you're worried about a one-off social event, this would set your mind at rest.

Via Baby-blog.de.

Posted by Myf Category: parenting
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03.13.2007

Bubble: Aden and Anais - the end to all your swaddling problems

One of my favorite findings at Bubble this week were the ingenious muslin baby wraps from Aden and Anais. These wont seem like anything new for Aussie mums, but for Stateside parents, they're a breakthrough. When Australian natives, Claudia Schwartz and Raegan Moya-Jones, became pregnant in the US, out they went in search of the muslin wraps that were so popular Down Under, only to find that they were nowhere to be found. Thus, along with their children, Aden and Anais, the eponymous company was born.

What is so amazing about these swaddling cloths is their use of versatile, 100% cotton, muslin fabric. Lightweight and breathable, it's perfect for summer babies who often overheat in other cottons or synthetics. Yet these oversized wraps are substantial enough to keep winter babies perfectly snug without extra layers. No more double swaddling! And the unique large size and stretchiness of the muslin makes swaddling so easy that even, well, a first-time mom can do it. Since both our babies resisted swaddling altogether, Jenna and I were most impressed, when Claudia demonstrated how to wrap "the baby who hates to be swaddled." One thin layer of muslin over the hands keeps fingernails off the face, but still allows for freedom of movement and even finger sucking.

Continue reading "Bubble: Aden and Anais - the end to all your swaddling problems"

Posted by Justine Category: parenting
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02.18.2007

Offset your nappy usage

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I was Green before the term even became mainstream. I was a tofu-munching, car-eschewing recycler years before climate change hit the news. So I assumed - and held on to this belief all the way through pregnancy - that we would be using cloth nappies. Out of our plans for a home water-birth, breast-feeding, and cloth nappies, we achieved one out of the three. Yep, if you want to make a baby laugh, tell her your plans.

A washing machine that broke down repeatedly was our downfall when it came to the nappies. But believe me, I still feel guilt about it to this day, especially when I see the tell-tale bulky bottoms of my more successful friends' children. So that puts me squarely in the market for Carbon Clear's nappy offset package. Like other carbon-neutral deals, it allows you to assuage your guilt by paying for your damage to be made good with tree-planting and sustainable agriculture projects elsewhere.

My biggest surprise was that the offset for two and a half years of 'sposies costs only £5.85. Meanwhile, there's a comparable package for reusables, and that's £5.13. I feel traitorous for even saying this, but was all this guilt just for 72p? Spread over 30 months? 2.4p a month?? Yes, I know it all adds up when you think of the world's population. But I might just concentrate on the good our no-car family is doing, rather than the bad we're doing with our garbage, in the future.

Meanwhile, the good news is that it's eminently affordable, so, really, what's stopping you?

Posted by Myf Category: parenting
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01.29.2007

The Babysitter Journal keeps all your notes together

Ah, organizational aids. I know a lot of people will argue that many organizational products can be replaced by a pad of paper, but I like something that helps me lay out a lot of information for myself or others. And when is that more important than when you're dealing with a babysitter? The Journal for the Babysitter helps you by reminding you of exactly what information needs to be written down, and of course this will keep you from having to make a list every time. I'm always second-guessing myself over whether or not I forgot something; a big empty slot helps me remember that I need to give that information.

With a four year-old and a three year-old in the house, we have many little rituals and ways of doing things that the kids are comfortable with, and having all that written down for the babysitter would do a lot to ease my mind and help me enjoy the rare times I get to go out and enjoy the company of other adults.

Posted by ben Category: parenting
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