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Weekend Reading: Car & Caboodle features an LA dad who tells of his road to becoming a minivan owner. Healthy Bump chats with former nanny Deborah Smith, who offers advice on how to search for a nanny. Moms’ Buzz offers 10 tips to help parents encourage children to eat right and maintain a healthy weight. Clever Parents highlights an easy, cheesy cauliflower pasta recipe from Rachael Ray. Coochicoos features the ultimate Batman home theater set up.
The former statistics guru in me would, for pure amusement, like to see how much real estate “time spent diapering” gets on a parents pie chart. And apparently, no matter how seasoned a mom you are, it’s possible to discover new information about diapers anywhere along the journey. Today, a team of my beloved mamas tested and reviewed diapers and wipes from the Pampers line. Read on for their reviews, ordered by age of youngest to oldest kids:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Good to Know: Clever Parents outlines the 15 most important questions to ask when hiring a professional organizer. Healthy Bump features an interview with a nutritionist, answering questions about holiday eating tips and sharing tasty recipes. Modern Mom describes five ways to keep relationships faithful.
You can’t go wrong gifting new parents with diapers. Reader Sharon from Henderson, NV wrote in with this tip on gifting diapers with style: “I just got [a Diaper Cakewalk diaper cake] for my friend's baby shower and it was just too cute! Everyone at the baby shower raved about what a cute idea it was, and most had never seen one before. I got the pink and brown one with the Burt’s Bees products. It smelled great, and my pregnant friend loved it; she got everyone's picture taken with the cake. This is my new go-to baby gift for pregnant friends and family!”
Caring for babies involves a lot of stuff; problem is, new parents typically have no idea what that stuff is. So for your next shower gift, consider Baby Treasure Box, purveyor of prettily packaged baby shower gift boxes. Available themes include Eat, Sleep, Poop, and Splash, and we especially favor the Poop box (shown), which includes diaper bag essentials such as wipes, hand sanitizer, natural diaper rash cream, an extra onesie (for the inevitable on-the-go blowout), linking toys, and a super stylish, super compact Resa Design changing pad and burp cloth set. The changing pad/burp cloth sets are available in a variety of patterns; our fave is the citrus changing pad with stripes burp cloth (shown).
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Cool Finds: Classy Mommy has raves for the DVD Go Potty Go!
Good Lookin': Babyfaces’ photo of the week features a toddler with a rather mature expression. Healthy Bump chats with Sexy Mom Expert Alana Pratt about regaining your groove.
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from our stylish blog partners:
Moms may find comfort in: Fat Girl Slim, a great cream from Benefit that helps smooth skin as it firms, trims, tones, and energizes (shown; from One Chic Mama); tips for how to take advantage of the freshest, most in-season produce in your regular grocery store (from Clever Parents); the style and functionality of Sara Bear diaper changing baskets (from The Stylish Child); and the serenity of an angelic baby face (from Babyfaces).
Kiddies may find comfort in: the most adorable, comfy shoes for newborns, crawlers, toddlers—and big kids, too (from SheFindsMom); Baby Jogger’s City Series Double Stroller (from Mommies with Style); Fairy Princess Designs tooth fairy pillows for boys and girls (from Classy Mommy); and the customized Bumbi Doll (from Coochicoos).
And on the West Coast… learn more about Jayneoni Moore & Renae Plant’s fashion show at BCLA (from Swanky Moms); get the scoop on Tori Spelling’s modern nursery (from Celebrity Moms); and find out whether Marc Anthony is “suffocating” J-Lo (from Mama Pop).
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from our stylish blog partners:
Put a little spring in your step with: Clever Parents’ clutter busting guide on what to do with all those shoes you have and how to make room for the ones you've been eyeing, SheFindsMom’s feature on stylish raingear for the entire family, and the Celebrity Baby Blog’s review of the new spring collection from Bumble Bags.
Also from CBB, get glowing Bridget Moynahan’s look for less. New dad Tobey Maguire opens up about his turbulent childhood and the lessons it taught him as a father, from Celebrity Moms. And check out Alanis Morrisette's hilarious cover of the Black Eyed Peas singer's hit, from MamaPop.
And last but not least, One Chic Mama’s got the latest on fashionable medical ID bracelets and necklaces. Classy Mommy previews Momzillas
Some might call me crazy, but last week I chose privacy over publicity when it came to the unusual balancing act that now defines my identity as an online publisher.
On Friday I was scheduled to give my first TV interview on the topic of potty training. When I first picked up the interview request, I have to admit that I was pretty excited about the potential exposure the interview could bring for Boston Mamas. The producer wanted to interview me about our potty journey. No problem. Her crew wanted to conduct the interview in my home. No problem (except for the fact that I’d have to clean the house). Oh, and they also wanted to shoot footage of Laurel on the potty.
With a potty-trained peanut on my hands, public restrooms are both a blessing and a curse. I’m grateful for their existence but freaked by the potential germ factor. Not to mention that our current system – I lay a (wishfully hygienic) layer of tissue on the seat, squat in front of Laurel so she can plant her feet on my thighs, and wrap my arms around her waist so she doesn’t fall into the hole – is utterly uncomfortable.
None of these issues seem to bother Laurel, but in anticipation of our travel this past weekend (i.e., exponential increase in the need to use public restrooms), I ordered One Step Ahead’s Folding Potty Seat and it was a huge success. This seat is remarkably compact folded, and unfolds to provide a sturdy, secure potty seat. The seat also has handles so your kid can hold onto those instead of the toilet itself. This travel potty, which provided me with sanitary peace of mind and Laurel with a comfortable place to go potty, is a steal at $12.95.
It’s the perfect pairing in a way; a mom who couldn’t possibly have prepared for what lay ahead and a mom on a mission to help parents be prepared on a daily basis. The former is Jordana Holovach, a mom who, in the face of her son Jacob’s struggle with Canavan disease (a degenerative birth disorder with severe physical and perceptual consequences), founded Jacob’s Cure to raise awareness and funds for clinical research. The latter is Stacie Mindich-Jordan, the mom behind BabyDish’s BabyBeReady Diaper Bag Survival Kit, a baby essentials tote that helps take some of the guesswork out of on the go infant care.
For chic diapering on the go, reader Sophie from New York, NY wrote in with high praise for the Rio Grande Toddler Change Pad from Pineapple Cove (shown; $50 at the amazing art and design collective Trunkt). Featuring an oversized zipper pocket to securely hold diapers and wipes, and thick padding to comfortably cushion your baby, the interior is waterproof and the pad folds from 34 x 13” to 7.5 x 13” and secures with a Velcro closure. Click here to see Trunkt’s full collection of change pads and diaper wallets from Pineapple Cove.
The last couple of weeks with our new resident Pee Master have been marvelous. And Laurel recently surprised us by making a couple of unexpected solid deliveries into the toilet.
It’s only a couple of data points, but we’re wondering whether our “play it cool” approach is contributing to the ease of this new development. Despite Laurel’s clear preference to use a diaper for pooping, we decided to simply continue to offer a choice of diaper or potty when she needs to poop, assuming she’d come around at some point (plus, it’s all about having choice with her). This process has worked really well; it seems to provide some practice thinking about bodily control, and has helped avoid soiled underpants, potty regression, and constipation (from not wanting to let go in the potty).
What a difference a week makes.
Whether it was my shift in attitude, the time/learning factor, or an interaction between the two, Week 2 of potty training was a complete reversal from the previous week’s soggy adventures. With one or no accidents per day, a subsequent decrease in laundry, and longer stretches between potty visits, it finally feels as if the axis around which our life is spinning is moving from the bathroom.
We’re not out of the woods yet, but while it’s fresh on my mind (and since I have received some inquiries about the methods behind our madness) the following is our collection of potty training tips to date. Readers, if you have additional tips, post a comment!
Coping with soiled diapers and clothing is the bread and butter of early parenting, and eco-minded parents will be happy to have Diaper Baggies in their arsenal. These disposable zip lock bags are made of recycled plastic, take up virtually no space in the diaper bag (especially compared to wads of leftover grocery bags), and offer an environmentally conscious, odor-trapping means of discarding dirty disposable diapers, or transporting soiled cloth diapers or infant clothing.
Available at HappiBaby.com, each package includes 40 Diaper Baggies ($5.49, 8 x 8", they’re currently offering a buy 2 get 1 free special); giraffe and flower designs are available and additional designs are in production.
Yesterday I was living the phrase “roll up your sleeves and get dirty.” Literally, I spent part of the afternoon with poop rolled up in my sleeve.
After a great week on the potty train (ending with a solid, dramatic flourish on Friday night…), I was on my own with Laurel all weekend and either my timing was completely off by 5 minutes all day, or Laurel was regressing or resisting. Yesterday was no better, and in the afternoon, during a much-needed visit with my pal Paige and her sons we had two accidents in quick succession right after a potty stop.
I love shopping, but sometimes the New England crusty in me gets fed up with buying multiple incarnations of the same basic baby product.
We bought the Bjorn Toilet Trainer and Safe Step
since Laurel tends to be a do everything like mommy daddy girl. But on Day 2 of potty training it seemed like she just wasn’t comfortable. She was squirming a lot on the seat, and her feet were just an inch or two shy of reaching the Safe Step so there was no where to plant her feet and get busy.
It’s a good thing we have a big bathroom.
This weekend we officially took the plunge and started potty training; life thus has revolved around finding ways to entertain our extremely busy toddler while staying close to home (i.e., our bathroom loaded with changes of underwear, pants, and socks for Laurel).
No doubt we’ll have more to report on regarding useful potty training products and strategies, but suffice to say the first item that already has provided excellent peace of mind during local errands is the previously reported on Kiddopotamus Piddle Pad. Laundry volume already is on the rise and we're thrilled to avoid having to strip the car seat regularly.
After a very long week, the household finally seems to be turning a corner.
I’m on the mend, we’re taking control of the dust bunnies, and Laurel’s nasty diaper rash is heading to the exit. On the latter, in addition to our air out method, Triple Paste – recommended when we finally called the pediatrician – ended up working very effectively. (Unfortunately, it turned out we had misdiagnosed the yeast rash, thus rendering the antifungal treatment useless.)
Triple Paste is a fragrance-free, over-the-counter compound that includes petrolatum, zinc oxide, lanolin, beeswax, and cornstarch. This thick paste applies smoothly, stays put, and is excellent for severe diaper rash (although it's also gentle enough for preventative use or treatment of mild rashes). We picked ours up at CVS but if you have trouble finding it locally, Triple Paste also is available on Amazon; the smallest size is 2 oz.
We were thinking about starting potty training this weekend but a gnarly, prolonged diaper rash has deterred that plan and last night left me feeling more like I was house training a puppy.
On Friday Laurel showed the beginnings of a diaper rash when we picked her up from school and it got worse and worse through the weekend. We tried all of our usual methods (including our pediatrician’s terrific remedy for yeast rashes…turns out we diagnosed incorrectly there...) and then last night I decided it was time to go au natural.
It worked out surprisingly well. I explained to Laurel that we were going to let her play diaper free for a while to air out her rash, but that if she had to pee to let me know so I could put a “pee towel” under her (I promise, friends, this is not one from our public hand towel collection) and if she had to poop, well, I wasn’t quite sure what to do about that but my vague plan was to catch it in a wipe. We spent the next half hour with Laurel running around cheerily with me trailing behind her holding out the pee towel, hoping she didn’t have an accident on the awesome shag rug. (Shallow, I know.)
I’ll report back on the effectiveness of this method, which we plan on repeating over the next couple of days, and that of another rash cream product we are trying. Meanwhile, I’m just glad to have made it out of last night’s adventure without having had to field a poop.
Cloth diapering isn't difficult (laundry aside...), but the variety of products and options, and even the basic “how to” associated with some of those products and options, can be overwhelming. Lucky for you, Joanne Sarkar, owner of Zannadu Cloth Diapering Solutions (an online retailer based out of Framingham), is running a free cloth diapering workshop this Saturday, November 4, from 10:30am to 1:00pm in the Community Room at the Morse Institute Library in Natick. You can check out, and learn how to use, samples of every major brand of diapers stocked at Zannadu. Products won’t be available for purchase, but if you are interested in seeing a particular item before purchasing from the Zannadu website, e-mail Joanne and she will bring along a sample.
Pre-registration is not required, but an e-mail indicating your attendance would be appreciated.
Style is in the details. If you’re looking to up the ante while diapering on the go, check out the Posh Pish Wipe Case ($20) at Ruby’s Kids, where humdrum Huggies wipes cases are transformed into a diapering accessory that could be mistaken for a cute clutch. Choose from a variety of designer or luxe fabrics (shown, Pink Chinatown). The case is padded and covered in your fabric choice, finished with cord trim, and shipped with a set of wipes so it’s ready to use right out of the box. Use Boston Mamas’ exclusive reader coupon code (BOSTON) to receive 10% off your order.
The “all by self” phase, coupled with development of dressing (and undressing) skills and/or potty training, can lead to tired waistband elastics and droopy drawers for your little one.
Solve this problem in style with the Myself Belt ($14.50 at Amazon, shown in Sailboat), an accessory that promotes independence by allowing children (ages 2-6) to easily fasten and unfasten their belt on their own. These belts come in a variety of cute styles for girls and boys, as well as simple black leather ($15.50) for more formal occasions.
You have to be pretty cold hearted to not feel at least a little bit bad about leaving a really nasty diaper behind at Grandma’s or in a public restroom. Prior to taking a family vacation at a small bed and breakfast (where the owners clean the rooms), my mama pal Kate was thrilled to stumble across a product called Fresh Sacks. These compact, odor neutralizing sacks offer a considerate, sanitary means for disposing of diapers in public spaces.
Available at Walgreen’s, or for $6.95 (6 boxes, 25 sacks per box) in the BabyCenter diapering section.
A mama pal, unwilling to pay discount club membership dues in order to stock up on diapers, has found great deals through www.1800diapers.com. She reports that this online resource offers “good prices [on diapering supplies and formula], fast and cheap (sometimes free!) shipping, and accepts manufacturers coupons. Definitely a strong recommendation from us over here!”
Our babe recently picked up a nasty little yeast rash along with what appeared to be Coxsackie virus. She was generally in very good spirits, with not much in the way of fever and just a few tiny blisters on her feet and hands, but her bum was looking pretty bad. After a couple of days of diaper treatment, combing my baby manual and the web, and consulting with a couple mama friends, I finally decided it was time to check in with the doctor.
For the most part, time, fluids, and Tylenol are the best treatments for Coxsackie; but our pediatrician did recommend a great tip for the yeast rash. Typical application of antifungal creams is limited to twice a day, thus shortening the time window that the cream can work away at the yeast rash. Our doctor suggested making a 50/50 mix of antifungal cream and diaper cream, thus allowing the antifungal cream to continually treat the yeast rash while still creating a protective barrier via the diaper cream.
Canada is a great place to be a mama. Everyone has access to health care, typical maternity leave is one year, and homegrown products and resources for babies and moms abound.
One of my Canadian mama pals from graduate school pointed me to a couple of especially cool companies. Milkface.com offers a cute array of nursing clothing (check out the comfy and stylish tops!), nursing supplies, and slings. The cloth diapering products from Motherease.com also get high marks. Designed by a seasoned mom who grew tired of the cumbersome and leaky workings of traditional cloth diapering systems, the patented Motherease design offers a snug and streamlined fit for excellent function and comfort.
Both companies ship to the US and internationally.
A mama pal from Halifax, Nova Scotia writes in about a fabulous product she picked up for her potty training son. The Piddle Pad from Kiddopotamus is a lifesaver in the car. The top side is soft terrycloth; the backing is vinyl to protect the seat and seatbelts from accidents. With one (or more) of these on hand you won’t be stuck with a babe in a soggy seat, and the major nuisance of wrestling off the car seat cover and running laundry as soon as you get home.
The Piddle Pad is machine washable (of course!) and available for $7.99 at Babies R Us or $8.99 at Amazon
While I love trundling around little boutiques on foot, sometimes one stop shopping is the way to go. Boston area mama Jeniphir Taylor-McIntire, a sales consultant for Natural Family Boutique, recently pointed me to her online store.
Natural Family Boutique offers eco-friendly products to support families from conception to weaning. The site offers Haba toys (my favorite toy line, period!) and apparel for babes, indulgent jewelry, spa, and home items for mamas, and lots of products for new parents (breastfeeding, baby care, and cloth diapering supplies, pregnancy, birth and postpartum products, books & CDs, slings). The site also offers resource material on breastfeeding, pregnancy and birth, nutrition, parenting, natural living, and activism.
Host a mama’s night out NFB party with Jenipher and get discounts and freebies along the way. Send Jenipher an email to find out more.
UPDATE 8/15/07: Sadly, Natural Family Boutique has closed its virtual doors. Please visit our category links to the left for more fabulous toy, gear, and pregnancy resources.
Cotton diapers have obvious benefits: they save trees, lessen landfills, and cut taxpayers’ costs. But it’s tough to face the rigorous routine required to launder cloth diapers at home. It’s one thing to deal with a big baby blowout in the moment, it’s another thing to deal with it again at the laundry machine.
Enter Changing Habits diaper service operated out of Deerfield, MA. The owner, Donna Grybko, is a bit of a kooky koala bear but boy, is she committed to cloth diapers. She even arrived on our doorstep with the first delivery to give us a cloth diaper demo. We loved the service and it was reliable and efficient on all counts.
Changing Habits travels many miles to serve towns in Western Massachusetts and Middlesex County. Check the website for town listings then call to confirm that they can service your address.
Think you have all the latest gadgets? The July/August 2006 issue of Cookie Magazine features a potty that looks like an iMac. The Boon Potty Bench is available for $29.99 at TargetTarget or Amazon and features side storage for supplies, pull out drawer for easy clean up, toilet paper holder, splash guard for the gents, and best of all: the “large, sturdy bench can support up to 300 lbs.” Whoa. That’s one sturdy toddler.
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