Keeping up with the feeding and diapering needs of a newborn can be overwhelming; tack on the frustration of attempting to dress your babe in ill-conceived pieces (e.g., our all time worst newborn garment: jumper with no crotch snaps and only buttons up the back) and your tank will be running on negative.
Enter New For Baby, a company started by two moms who knew they could improve on existing layettes that were lackluster in fit and style. New For Baby offers a yummy mix and match layette collection in fresh pieces constructed to make dressing a breeze. Their long sleeved bodysuit (shown, girl’s pink and chocolate, $18) is tagless, offers foldover cuffs to prevent scratching, and has neckline snaps for easy on and off. Their incredibly soft, coordinate-with-anything micro fleece hoodie ($26) is another must have.
Choose from New For Baby’s hip boy, girl, and unisex color palettes; or select from their coordinated gift sets (ranging from $10 - $185). New For Baby is offering Boston Mamas readers a bargain; enter code “BM06” to receive a 10% discount at checkout.
Keeping up with the feeding and diapering needs of a newborn can be overwhelming; tack on the frustration of attempting to dress your babe in ill-conceived pieces (e.g., our all time worst newborn garment: jumper with no crotch snaps and only buttons up the back) and your tank will be running on negative.
Enter New For Baby, a company started by two moms who knew they could improve on existing layettes that were lackluster in fit and style. New For Baby offers a yummy mix and match layette collection in fresh pieces constructed to make dressing a breeze. Their long sleeved bodysuit (shown, girl’s pink and chocolate, $18) is tagless, offers foldover cuffs to prevent scratching, and has neckline snaps for easy on and off. Their incredibly soft, coordinate-with-anything micro fleece hoodie ($26) is another must have.
Choose from New For Baby’s hip boy, girl, and unisex color palettes; or select from their coordinated gift sets (ranging from $10 - $185). New For Baby is offering Boston Mamas readers a bargain; enter code “BM06” to receive a 10% discount at checkout.
I hate to think that I am pandering to the requests of a crazy toddler, but the thing is, Jon and I got completely fed up with the huge ordeal associated with putting socks and shoes on our babe once fall hit. Clearly, Laurel wishes to reside in a climate that offers more than a 3-month window of sandal season.
I bet Laurel would love the colors and patterns of the previously reported Trumpettes socks but they only come in 0-12 months. So this week I gathered Laurel’s fleet of white Old Navy
You’d never guess that a tiny pair of baby feet could be so facile at wiggling out of socks, but my mama pal Kate swears by the stay put prowess of Trumpettes. These brightly colored and patterned socks are constructed with non-skid bottoms and just enough top elastic to hold socks in place while not cutting off circulation; a cute egg carton serves as shower-stopping packaging.
This Perfect Dozen of Socks fits 0-12 months and is available at Uncommon Goods
There isn't much sex appeal associated with pumping (I believe Jon let out an extended, definitive, and less than supportive "mooo!" when he first saw me pump), but if you’d like to feel - as a mama pal describes - “vaguely like [an Austin Powers] femme bot” (while pumping efficiently of course), try the Easy Expressions Bustier.
A terrific pump at work solution, the bustier makes hands-free double pumping easy through a strapless, zip-front design. Available in small (32-34), medium (34-36), large (38-40), and extra-large (42-44) for $33.95 (see the 
Mamahood apparently comes without the warning label that potential side effects may include creative liberation and career change.
Case in point: Teri Dimalanta of giddygiddy, a self proclaimed “investment analyst turned craftaholic mom” (whose story is similar to my own). The giddygiddy collection features clips in the form of flowers (big and little blooms), food (fruits, veggies, and treats), and the cutest little animal collection you’ve ever seen (shown, “bow wow”; all clips are $8 each). And Teri’s clever styling goes beyond the "oohs!" and "aahs!" effect; the metal snap clip is sewn snuggly into the felt design to avoid snags, and stay put in fine baby hair.
A new season is nearly upon us, a time made complicated by burning fashion desire + limited resources. A while back, my fabulous mama friend Paige hosted a terrific ladies’ event that perfectly suited said fashion desire + limited resources issue.
The event was a fashion swap, before which everyone weeded out their closets and laundered their fashionable, yet now tragically ill-fitting items. Wine and fondue accompanied the initial open browsing period; we then picked numbers out of a hat and, in order, went shopping. The only rules were that we only select one item per go around (so those later in the order had plenty to choose from), and that we tell the other ladies about our super cool find. It was a great way to relax with friends, refurbish wardrobes, and chat about the stories behind some of the clothes.
As it turned out, the event kept on giving. Even after everyone had shopped ‘til they dropped, there remained a pile of great clothing with lots of love and sass left in them. These items were donated to a local Goodwill.
What’s not to love about Global Girlfriend? This online fair trade boutique offers unique handmade items made by women's non-profit programs and cooperatives worldwide. Proceeds support a host of women’s organizations, including Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Global Girlfriend offers apparel and accessories, jewelry, gifts, and décor items. A great pick is the Bold Silk Cosmetic Bag in pink and orange ($12). Made from 100% silk, this bag is handmade by a Southern Indian fair trade group that provides sustainable employment, competitive wages, as well as free meals, health care and education for employees and their children.
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.
Baby showers typically leave you with stacks of onesies, but the clever and stylish designs from Lotus Children are sure to rise to the top of your pile. Founded by a mama in search of comfy, appropriate clothing for her little yogi, Lotus Children offers a series of om-worthy designs across their collections for babies (“Omsie” shown in Upward Dog - $22, pants, t-suits) and toddlers (short and long sleeve t-shirts, pants up to size 6).
A while back our toddler had a truly crappy week. She had conjunctivitis, some big fat molars breaking through, and then she got a handful of splinters when she grabbed a wooden rail across the street. There were about a dozen of the little buggers – all tiny and deeply embedded.
After I stopped hyperventilating, I combed the web for solutions. We tried the tweezers and needle routine (dreadful), dabbing glue on the end of any protruding splinters (to pull out the splinter), and soaking the babe’s hand in a mix of Epsom salt and water (to draw out impurities). The babe started running away whenever she saw me approaching with another “solution.”
You love your partner for offering massages, but often it’s tough to coax them to go for more than 5-10 minutes. How can you blame them? They didn’t take Massage Therapy Stamina 101 last fall.
For pre/postnatal massage services, I highly recommend someone near and dear to me: Jennifer Koh, LCMT. I have received both pre- and postnatal massage therapy from Jennifer; both approaches were relaxing and therapeutic. I’m just always sad when it is time to slide off the table and re-enter the real world.
Jennifer operates her practice out of The Healing Center, 259 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington. Give her a call (781-424-1060) or send her an email to book an appointment. Her regular hours are: Sunday (12-6pm) and Mondays & Tuesdays (6:30-9:00pm); other appointments may be available upon request. Fees are $70 for one hour, or $100 for 1½ hours.
Update (1/11/07): In addition to her practice at The Healing Center in Arlington, you now also can book appointments with Jennifer in downtown Boston at Boston Bodyworker.
Ah, how I took the Nursing Weight Loss Plan for granted. I was one of the lucky ones whose pregnancy weight fell off quickly, thanks to the voracious infant who nursed her way through the entire 2004 World Series, and otherwise was happiest being walked around and around the block in a sling.
Then a few months post-nursing, many baked goods, and three major clothing crises later I discovered that I had gained 15 pounds. My fabulous husband, who insisted he didn’t even notice the weight gain (perhaps it’s the myopia) suggested that there was one thing I should do and two things I could do. The “should” was to buy myself a pile of clothes that actually fit and made me feel good. The “could’s” were to join him in trying to cut down on the daily desserts, and/or find a fitness outlet.
Possibly ranking #1 on the Worst Things Ever list is the experimental dentist. I had an out-of-country dentist not long enough ago who, I later discovered, performed a number of experimental procedures on me, including a freakish bridge procedure apparently not implemented in the United States as well as an experimental cavity filling procedure (also typically not used in the US). When I developed the hiccups during one visit he instructed me to hold my breath and then – without asking – jammed his fingers in my ears and wouldn’t let go until he finished counting to 10. I never knew that ears could feel so violated. At least he was wearing gloves.
Not surprising then was my aversion to finding a new dentist when I relocated back to Boston several years ago. Luckily, one of my mama pals turned me onto The Best Dentist Ever, Dr. Russell Forman. Dr. Forman is knowledgeable and friendly; he explains procedures before they happen, honestly prioritizes urgent and back burner dental work, and employs his small practice with kind, skilled hygienists and reception staff. Dr. Forman is so hands on with his practice that it’s even not unusual to find him booking an appointment at the reception desk himself.
Plus, did I mention that he keeps his fingers out of my ears?
Dr. Russell Forman, 875 Mass Ave, Ste 63, Cambridge. Tel: 617-868-5500
As a mama, it’s all about multi-tasking. So when you next hit a crisis inspired by a closet full of pre-mama clothing that no longer fits, head to Second Time Around. This boutique offers new and resale clothing – a place where you can sell your pre-mama clothes and boost up your wardrobe all in one stop. A mama friend can’t say enough good things about this shop’s chic collection and tech savvy approach (you can track the status of consignment pieces through your online account).
Check out Second Time Around’s website or contact one of their many area locations (3 Boston stores, Cambridge, Newton, Wellesley, Needham, Portsmouth, NH) for consignment details; however my mama pal did pass along the general rules that consignment pieces should be: 1) in season; 2) from within the last two years; and 3) from a fairly popular store/designer (although they rarely take anything from the Gap).
Interested in a different kind of fitness activity? A mama pal in search of higher ground recommends Volo Farm in Westford. Riding instruction is offered to riders of all levels; beginners start in private lessons and move up to small group lessons once they have mastered simple control of their horse. Individual lessons can be purchased for $49 each. Packages are available for monthly sessions.