[Note: This product was provided to me for this post. All opinions expressed are my own]
Let’s be real — Teething isn’t fun. The copious amounts of slobber and seemingly equal amount of tears is enough to have any drool covered, sleep deprived parent on a coffee induced search for just about every product out there that may bring some relief… ANY relief… to their otherwise happy little baby.
I’ve been there. With 6 kids.. I think I’ve tried almost everything that said “teething” on it.. most did nothing. Some worked alright.. but never have I found one I have appreciated as much as my newly found love — the Munch Mitt by Malarkey Kids.
Is it an affective teether? Yes. Does baby like it? Definitely.. Is it cute? Of course it is. But none of these things are what make me love it as much as I do. So, what is it exactly that has me crazy about Munch Mitt? It helps her eczema.
Now, I’m sure you’re sitting there, with one eye brown raised and your hand with a thoughtful grasp on your chin going “uhhh, how exactly does it *help* her eczema?”
No, this isn’t some miracle moisturizer that heals her eczema.. it obviously does nothing to treat eczema.. but what it does do is provide a barrier. This Munch Mitt gives her something else to chew on.
Saliva irritates the skin, as does going from slobbery wet to dry over and over again through the day. We treat most of her eczema prone skin with moisturizers and creams, but she’s a baby. Her hands are not somewhere I am comfortable putting topical ointments – especially with as often as she’s putting them in her mouth. So, her tiny little wrists and hands end up chapped, red, and covered in patches of eczema. That is, until I put this mitt on her hand. She immediately went straight to chewing on it, just as she would her bare hand — but when I removed it after about 15-20 minutes – her hand was dry. It wasn’t covered in saliva. She was happy, and her hand was protected. Win. Total win.
What else makes it a great tool for eczema prone babies? It’s a razer sharp finger nail barrier. She has eczema on her face.. her cheeks are possibly one of the worst areas she has it. Any time I put her in the car seat, she starts chewing on her hands, slobber sits on her cheeks, then they itch. She gets irritated with it’s itchiness and starts clawing at her face. Now we’ve got eczema and claw marks. Not awesome. This mitt, while it’s crinkling offered a distracting toy for her, and it’s silicon soothed her urge to chew on everything — this adorable little mitt also contained her slice and dice happy finger nails. Hooray!
If you’ve been on the fence about getting a Munch Mitt, hesitate no more! Go get it! I only wish I had found it sooner.
I’ve been babywearing for a long time. What began as a means of parental survival when our third baby was born, quickly became a passion. Eventually, I ended up with quite the extensive collection of carriers. I recently joked to my husband that I almost have enough carriers that I can wear a different carrier (be it style, print, brand, etc..) every week for an entire year.. He made the challenge, and so I will!
Introducing the Diaper Bag Confessions #whowhatwearweekly — Every Friday of 2018, I will post our weekly carrier on my Instagram. Who made it (spoiler alert- most of my collection is LÍLLÉbaby) – what it’s called – and a different carrier (be it a different style, color, print, or brand) every week for a year.
Im super excited to show you my carrier collection, have an excuse to grow it a little more, and answer any babywearing questions you might have! I’d love to have you follow along!
Raising five boys has definitely taught me a lot. I became very accustomed to “boy mom” life. Obviously, as a woman raising 5 future men… I have strived to instill values in them that I feel are important traits to make them not only good humans, but men of integrity who value the importance of women.
Thinking about how we raise our boys and the example my husband sets for our boys made me think about raising our baby girl. The differences, the priorities.. She’ll be a little girl in a boys world — which, I’m hoping, prepares her for being a woman in a man’s world.
I want her to grow up knowing that she is not weak. I hope that if her brothers tackle her (and they will!) — she gets up, brushes off her tutu, and pins them to the ground. Stand up for yourself, baby girl! On that same note — I also want her brother’s to know that it’s perfectly okay when she wins, and ONLY encourage her to try to do so! While I do want her brothers to feel protective and defensive of her, I also want them all to realize she needs to be confident enough to hold her own.
I want her to know that she deserves just as much respect and equality as her brothers, and she should not hesitate to go for it! At the same time, however, I want her to realize that she is not entitled to anything simply because she’s a girl – just as her brother’s must also understand that they aren’t more deserving of anything based on their anatomy.
I hope that having all of these brothers helps her realize that she has value much greater than her looks. As a girl, people will surely remark on her outward appearance – and I don’t want her to focus on that. Be them positive or negative comments. Strive for strength and confidence before beauty.
I hope she challenges and encourages her brothers to continue to grow their views of what “masculine” and “feminine” mean. Showing that she can pretend to be Darth Vader and they can sit down in pint sized chairs for tea parties and both are entirely acceptable!
My biggest hope for her? That she realizes that even though everyone keeps calling her “The Princess” (Ugh…) there are MANY variations of “Princess.” I hope that living with these boys is empowering for her. I want her to see that Queen Amidala battled right alongside the Jedi. Princess Leia became General Organa. Mulan saved her country. Merida challenged tradition and chose her own path. I want her to see that she is more than capable of conquering whatever she wants. She can be strong, be confident, be brave — and she can do it all in a crown if she wants to.
When we found out we were pregnant with baby number 6, there was one thing my husband and I were sure of. We were going to wait to announce our pregnancy until after we knew the gender of our baby. Quite honestly, I didn’t want to hear what people thought I must need/want/be having.
Waiting 16-20 weeks to announce a pregnancy is not always easy. Especially when it’s number 6. You tend to be showing much earlier and if children notice — children talk. This meant we also had to keep it a secret from our kids. There were a few “mom, you’re belly is kind of getting a little big..” from our very blunt 5 year old.. but overall my boys were oblivious.
The day came. As I sat in my OBGYN’s office 16 weeks pregnant, he wheeled in the ultrasound machine and declared “we’re going to look..” and look he did. Very closely. As the words came out of his mouth, there was a pause. I honestly was waiting for “and there’s another boy!” — but that is not what he said. “You know, It’s not what I am seeing, but rather what I’m not seeing.. ” Then, we stared intently for more than 10 minutes. Poking, prodding, getting images of every angle baby would cooperate for. We knew his verdict wasn’t 100%, but because hiding it was getting increasingly difficult as each week came, we decided that his “95% positive” was assuring enough to do our announcement. We could always amend our photos later if our 20 week anatomy ultrasound happened to show something otherwise. Haha.
We messaged back and forth with our family photographer, Olivia of Yah Yah Photography here in Portland, Oregon. She has been photographing our family for over 10 years and her excitement over this uncharted territory was equal to ours. Together we knew we needed to do this big and obvious. The photo shoot would not only be telling the world we were pregnant AND having a girl — but the shoot itself would tell our boys they were going to have a baby sister. Something they have begged for. She invisioned a lot of pink – and together our Pink Tea Party “Baby Sister Boot Camp” came to fruition.
We were a little worried our boys would figure it all out before we captured it.. but lucky for us, our kids don’t think twice about the color pink or the random things we do for photo shoots. As the pink treats and balloons came out, they just assumed it was for Spring. Olivia set up the tea party at a park and then she waiting as we all walked over to join her. It was the perfect way to get the little details captured before making the announcement obvious. She then proceeded with a seemingly normal photo shoot at first.
We then walked our boys over to the table, where they began to get confused by the tiaras on the table – but brushed it off fairly quickly. I mean, there were cookies, cupcakes and jellybeans to be had.
After a moment, Olivia declared that she had forgotten something in her car and needed Dad to go retrieve it. He came walking back with “It’s a Girl” balloons and two chalkboard signs. One said “Baby Sister Boot Camp” and one was adorned with baby sister’s name. That’s when it hit them — and we captured their reactions both on video and in these amazing photos.
The hardest part was the week after we did this photo shoot, having to keep our children away from anyone they may spill the beans to. Hahaha. Proud to say, we managed that nicely and it was a very successful surprise for everyone.
By the way — We have since had 2 more ultrasounds, with a total of 5 people in all telling us she is, indeed, a girl. I guess I’ll believe it. Hahaha.
How and when did you announce your pregnancy and/or the gender of your baby?
If you following me on social media, you’ve likely heard the news already. Our family is expanding once more this coming September!
A little different, however, is that this BOY MOM is about to have a GIRL. *insert nervous, freak-out emoji here* As a boy mom, I was very much the type who would say things like “Boys can do and wear whatever they want.” and “Colors don’t have genders.”
While I have nothing against pink and purple, and do wear them.. I’m really not an overly frufru girl. Neither my house, nor my closet, is full of throw pillows, scented candles, and ruffles.
When we found out we were expecting, I was firm in my thought.. if by some crazy obscure chance this baby is a girl, she will be more “Princess Leia” than “Sleeping Beauty” — and I honestly still feel that way in an empowerment sort of way.. (trust me, baby girl will hold her own!!) but the moment the ultrasound tech confirmed “OMG IT IS A GIRL” all of my gender neutrality flew out the window like a tornado had engulfed it. “Pink! All the pink! We need pink. And purple. And flowers. And metallics. Gold and silver and rose gold and sparkles!!!”
This photo courtesy of the amazing Yah Yah Photography in Portland, Oregon!
My husband just laughed.. then handed me the car keys and sent me on my way. I entered the store, about to make my first purchase for my baby girl.. and I shocked even myself. Bows. Headbands. Pink. (Bright pink, soft pink, neon pink.. I did not descriminate.) Purple. Florals. *blink*
Who is this person? What?!? It’s like this dormant girly girl had unleashed itself. I never felt like I needed a girl, but apparently my inner self was just waiting for the chance to explode in a puff of glitter — and here I am.
As parents, we try very hard to give our kids the best we can. We want them to grow and thrive and be happy. What we put into their bodies is an important factor in that.
We try to give our kids the healthiest variety and options – which is why Stonyfield Organic YoBaby Yogurt has always been a staple in our first foods journey.
Not only is it organic, it’s made from whole milk, low in sugar, a variety of flavors, and now — they’ve added the probiotic BB-12! This means baby’s already healthy yogurt will promote good gut health as well.
YoBaby yogurt is the number 1 pediatrician recommended refrigerated yogurt for babies between 6 months and 2 years. I know that it’s the yogurt our pediatrician has been recommending to us for the last 11 years, for all of our kids. We know it, we trust it, and now it’s even better.
With five kids, someone is always coming down with something.. a snotty nose, a stomach bug, an ear infection. If any of those instances require an antibiotic, or just leave them with an unhappy stomach, the added benefits of probiotics in yogurt they already love to eat makes my life much easier. I can rest assured they’re getting what their bodies need when it needs it most.
Available in several flavors, you are sure to find one your baby will love! (Vanilla, Banana/Mango, Blueberry/Apple, andPeach/Pear) You can even buy a non-sweetened Plain yogurt version. What better to add to other foods for bab – or even to make dips out of without losing any of those benefits that make YoBaby so wonderful. (A ranch dip made from plain YoBaby is the perfect exploration dip! A little bit of that, some chicken nuggets and a few fries. Baby is in artistic self-feeding heaven!)
For more information on Stonyfields commitment to healthy food for babies, or to find YoBaby near you, click here!
Note: This product was provided to me for this post. This post also contains affiliate links.
Hip seats are nothing new in the baby carrier industry. They’re extremely popular in Asian regions and are starting to make their way here to the States. They have always intrigued me, as I’ve never used one and I’m very much a fan of floppy SSC’s (soft structured carriers), ring slings, and wraps. You know, the carriers that conform to myself and to my baby. When I saw that LÍLLÉbaby was planning to release this new carrier, I knew I had to try it.
First, I am slightly obsessed with learning the ins and outs of new carriers.. fitting carriers on people is sort of a niche of mine, and I enjoy feeling confident in doing that by knowing a carrier through and through. Second, it just seemed so different than what I was used to, that I had to find out for myself if it was worth the hype. (Spoiler alert: it is!)
Let me start by talking about the feature that makes the SeatMe so much different from LÍLLÉbaby’s standard SSC lineup — Complete and Essentials. That notable feature is, of course, the structured seat insert. It’s exactly what it sounds like it is. A hard (yet slightly padded.. it’s still comfy for baby!) insert that forms a physical seat for baby to sit on. It’s like having a small stool attached to your waist for baby.
On the SeatMe, with 2 very simple steps (one zipper and 2 buttons), you can remove the back panel and straps and use this sturdy seat all on its own as a hip seat, or on your front. I have been asked “but why?!?” about this feature a lot. My answer is simple. Parents are not ignorant to the toddler on the hip.. swing one hip out to the side and stand/walk at an awkward back and hip tilt so your child can essentially sit on your hip bone as you carry them around. This simple hip seat ability of the SeatMe eliminates the need for that swing of the hip and bent back. It basically gives you a hip bone for your child to sit on while you can stand normally. Woohoo!
Another added benefit to this structured seat is, if you choose to face baby outward, that structured seat gives baby a nice seated position that so many struggle to get when outward facing in other SSC’s that support that carry style. It even gives a supportive seat to bigger children when outward facing, as well. I will say, wearing a larger child (over 25 pounds) on the front, especially in the outward facing position, does put a lot of pressure on that structured piece, which can push into your pubic bone area a bit. For short amounts of time, it’s neglegent, but I wouldn’t suggest it for a larger child on front for extended periods of time. Stick to the hip seat, or back carries.
Below the structured seat insert of the SeatMe is another A+ feature. It’s essentially a built in fannypack, without the 80’s stigma and neon colors. This deep belt pocket is in addition to the now-standard large LÍLLÉbaby front pocket so many of us know and love. Yes! Twice the storage!! (I’d actually almost say more than twice.. the bottom pocket definitely holds a hefty amount of stuff!) it’s easy to access, even with baby on you.
You may have noticed, when talking about the structured seat, I used the word insert. The hard seat structure is, indeed, an insert that can quickly and easily be removed and you instantly have a standard SSC to use. Its a fabric and padding covered hard plastic structure that securely velcro’s into the zippered pocket on the belt. It’s like the magical carrier that transforms itself into 3 different carriers. A structured seat carrier, a hip seat, and an SSC! Amazing. Removing the structured seat also gives you even more space in that belt pocket!
One of my favorite features of the SeatMe is most definitely the adjustable panel width feature. The panel is already more narrow than the other LÍLLÉbaby carriers, and then the simple sliding adjustment ability expands its flexibility for baby’s size and makes going from inward to outward facing carries so much easier! Because of the way the slider works, you can essentially customize the panel fit for the size of your baby. Not just two set sizes, wide and narrow. As someone who’s toddler stayed between the wide and narrow setting for a long time, I think this particular ability is a fabulous! You can also, for back carries with larger children, unclip the sliding seat adjuster, since you would use the panel on the widest setting in that scenario anyway.
A small but notable detail that the SeatMe has that other LÍLLÉbaby carriers do not (but I wish they did!!) is a lovely, soft, and plush lining along the inside of the neck support seam. It was one of the first things I noticed when I was examining the carrier, and my baby loved laying his cheeks against it.
The SeatMe, like the Complete, has the tell-tale LÍLLÉbaby neck support that is a very popular feature! It was definitely a selling point for me when I first discovered LÍLLÉbaby, as I know it is with many LÍLLÉ lovers. Along with this neck support is also the nice and large, and easily removable, hood that is also a well known LÍLLÉbaby feature. Same snap attachments as the other LÍLLÉbaby carriers. It also had the same two-way strap adjusters, making adjusting your strap tightness easy in both front and back carries.
A difference you will notice, probably immediately, is the belt. This is not your typical LÍLLÉbaby webbing buckle belt and lumbar support. It’s, instead, a wide canvas belt with sturdy Velcro to secure it around your waist, followed up with a webbing belt and buckle closure. I am not typically a fan of Velcro.. however, I definitely see why this structure is made the way it is. Especially when the SeatMe is used as a hip seat only. The thick, all the way around belt makes it very secure and supportive. It reminds me of those pregnancy back support belts, or the heavy lifting back support belts people buy. (Bonus.. it’s also a bit of a tummy hider! Hahaha)
The SeatMe can be used for the following:
Front inward facing carries
Front outward facing carries (only once baby can hold head in upright position)
Back carries (Minimum 6 months of age)
Hip Seat only (front or hip positions, 12-45 pounds)
As an SSC with no structured insert (front carry position)
These are the ins and outs of the new LÍLLÉbaby SeatMe. I am impressed and highly recommend it! Especially if you are looking for something new and different. It most definitely feels and fits differently than the SSC’s I’m accustomed to — but in a good way. I am thrilled to have it as part of my collection and know it will be used often.
I just had baby number five. FIVE. I’m well seasoned in this mom game and newborns are like second nature to me at this point. I can translate cries easily and change diapers faster than Mark Zuckerburg. I know that newborns tend to want 3 things: Food, clean diapers, and to be cuddled. This is where swaddling comes in.
My previous two babies had an exaggerated Moro Reflex. I am going to guess many of you haven’t heard of a “Moro Reflex” but perhaps know it as a “startle reflex” — or perhaps you don’t know it as anything and just think your newborn is a particularly jumpy little human. The Moro Reflex is a reflex typically found in newborns – usually present until baby is around 3-5 months. It’s a natural response to the feeling of falling, or a sudden loss of support. Baby will flare their arms out, contract them back in, and fuss or cry.
Think about it, when you depend solely on someone else holding you and supporting you, and suddenly you feel like that support is gone, you’d panic a little too. This often happens while babies sleep, and frequently startles them awake. My boys would have this reaction if you even walked while holding them.. Just imagine what nights were like. Until our pediatrician recommended swaddling. It gives babies that feeling of security and combats that reflex action. I knew how to swaddle and did it sometimes, but it wasn’t something I was religious about. Especially at night. All that blanket wrapping and tucking, making sure baby was positioned correctly, things were snug but not TOO snug. Then the moment you aced it, baby would poop and you’d have to undo your efforts and start over again. We found a couple blanket options that were said to make all of this easier.. But they either didn’t fit right or they were just as inconvenient. However, swaddling was the best comfort for our babies when they were in that Moro Reflex stage. Well, that and the feeling of being held.
When baby number five came along, I got an email from Nested Bean asking if I’d be interested in trying one of their weighted swaddle blankets. The Zen Swaddle. I was familiar with the brand (hello: did I me ion I’m addicted to baby products?) but I’d never used it before. The idea intrigued me, but I wasn’t quite sure how it would work for us for a couple reasons. First, I had used Velcro swaddles before, and like I said.. Hadn’t had much luck with them. Second, my newest baby was a “small for gestational age” low birthweight baby. Surely these blankets would be much too big for him, at a little under 5 pounds. Knowing how our previous babies were, however — and the fact that I don’t judge one product on my experience with another — I decided to give them a try.
I have never been more happy with a decision. Ever. When it first arrived, my first observations were aesthetic. It was so cute! I mean, if you’re going to put an adorable squishy baby in something, it should at least be cute, right?!?
The next thing I noticed was the instructions for using it on a smaller baby. WHAT?! Yes!! I followed the directions and was amazed that it fit! Wonderfully. Snug where it needed to be snug, relaxed where it needed to be relaxed. A good, SAFE swaddle for my tiny little man! (Yes. As with all things baby related, there are safe and unsafe ways of swaddling.) I was very happy at this point.
The only thing better was when I got baby to sleep, set him down in his crib, and he slept there for two SOLID hours. I would be lying if I said I didn’t go in and check on him a million times. He’d never slept that long out of my arms since we brought him home!
The Zen swaddle has 3 sections of weighted beans. One on the chest, mimicking a hand resting on baby. Then one on each side of baby. They feel held and snuggled while swaddled. I imagine this is what contributed to his sudden willingness to sleep on his own for that duration of time! It also calms him down, even when I don’t necessarily need him to sleep. Wrap him up into a Zen swaddle burrito, give him his pacifier, and suddenly all is right in the world.
The fabric is so soft. The Velcro is STRONG. (My only advise is, don’t swaddle on something it can stick to. It will stick! Hahaha!!) It works for babies of a wide variety of sizes. It says 0-6 months.. It very likely will last most babies that duration of time! It’s one of my favorite baby staples. Likely a product I will include in baby shower gifts and recommend to new moms! “This! Go buy this! You’ll thank me later!!”
Note: Nested Bean provided me with a Zen Swaddle to review. My opinions are my own and I was not otherwise compensated.
