There has been a lot in the news lately about whether all those educational videos are worth it for babies. Here are a few links to articles that explore the topic.
:: Babies and the Boob Tube (New York Times)
:: TV for Babies: Does It Help Or Hurt (Time)
:: TV Before Age Two Won't Boost Baby's Brain (WebMD)
:: TV Won't Improve Baby's IQ (San Francisco Chronicle)
> Related: the original study we posted on Monday.
Live in a cold weather climate? Maybe the Snuggle Bub is just what you need.
Available in lamb's wool or faux shearling, and sized for children from birth to age 4, the thick swaddling wrap looks like a cozy coat, with openings for safety harnesses and belts.
Snuggle Bub is $80 in lamb's wool, $45 in faux shearling.
The Suima crib, developed at Kyuushuu University in Japan, is designed to rock your baby to sleep if it wakes up crying. It does this by sensing cries using a microphone. When detected, the crib starts to sway side to side every 1.8 seconds, or about as fast as a parent's heartbeat.
Apparently, this speed helps lull the infant back to sleep quickly. The video below proves it.
The crib is available for rent in Japan for about $100 per month, or you could buy one for between $4,500 and $5,500.
There's good news for parents who are tired of having their toddlers getting their grubby little paws on their BlackBerrys and other smartphones while they're not looking.
Leapfrog has announced a product called the Text & Learn or - as it's sure to be known in the blogsphere - the "baby BlackBerry."
Now kids can mimic their parents and send text messages and check their schedules at all hours of the day. The device, which is a bit bigger than your average BlackBerry, is geared toward preschoolers who are just learning to spell and includes games that focus on spelling and basic computer skills.
Goodies that will make your toddlers WANT to get ready for bed: Firefly Blinking Toothbrush and Disney Cars Slippers.
We know some Baby Blog Addict readers live in a climate where gloves or mittens are an absolute necessity during the fall and winter months. But here at BBA headquarters in Central Florida we don't know about such things. It was in the 80's today.
If you're dealing with bundling up the kids every day, here's a look at some gloves/mittens that will not only keep the hands of your baby, toddler and pre-schooler snuggly and dry but they also will stay on and you won't end up with just one glove.
Good Housekeeping has revealed the winners of its first Best Toy Awards. The editors looked at hundreds of playthings for ages 3 to 14, evaluated 51 favorites, and then let dozens of kids loose to play and choose their top picks. The result: 14 safe, creative, and fun finds.
Ever think about your child suffocating on an outlet cover? That was almost a terrible reality for George Decell. A few years ago his daughter found a standard-sized outlet safety plug on the edge of the table.
"She put the device into her mouth, it lodged in her throat and she nearly suffocated," Decell told BBA in an e-mail. "I invented SafetyCaps to ensure that this would not happen to another child."
Decell says SafetyCaps are wider and ventilated using U.S. pacifier anti-choking regulations.
"To date, more than 40 hospitals have written to the CPSC asking them to regulate these devices," Decell said. "The CPSC said that not enough kids have been hurt by these devices so the aren't willing to regulate them. Would you rather have a reactive CPSC or a proactive CPSC?"
We'd like to welcome another of Baby Blog Addict's newest advertisers: Baby Bedding Universe. They help make choosing your new treasure’s crib bedding a delight by featuring a range of the finest affordable bedding from trusted manufacturers, so they're sure you’ll find something just perfect! And from the time you do, to the moment it arrives at your door, Baby Bedding Universe strives to make your shopping experience a great pleasure (while their generous return arrangements offer you real peace-of-mind).
We'd like to introduce the newest BBA advertiser, Peek-a-boo Paperie. The idea was born when the owner, Jill, set out to design a birth announcement for her niece that really reflected her little personality. Her niece was introduced to family and friends as being "Born to Rock." In the process of creating her announcement, Jill discovered a passion for designing cards that are fun, whimsical and really speak to the animated nature of babies.
Peek-a-boo Paperie is also the first birth announcement site where parents can literally drag photos of their babies onto the announcement and resize/rotate the photos online. This way parents can see how their photos will appear in the announcement as well as pick and choose which photos they want to use.
Here's a follow up to our Who Knew: Toddlers Can Tell Time post a couple of months ago. Now, kids don't even have to know their numbers. Check out the Kid'Sleep Clock...only problem is that it's only available in Europe right now. I wonder if something like this exists in the U.S.?
Another new BBA advertiser is Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox. Check out their ad in the right sidebar.
Not only is today's Dad willing to help with late night feedings and diaper changes, he is willing to be a part of the celebration to welcome the arrival of your bundle of joy!
Chris Hartsfield went to his first couples baby shower in October of 2007. At the shower, he was blown away by all the gifts given for the baby and mom, but nothing for dad other than his favorite beer in the fridge.
Although Chris was happy to be a part of the shower, he wished that there had been something more to acknowledge and celebrate fatherhood. This inspired Chris to design the Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox, the box that changed it all. Chris wanted to provide Dads with a chuckle as well as arm them with everything they would need for their very first diaper change, and he did this with practicality in mind. All of the comic extras in the toolbox are actually useable. For example: a functional toolbox and tongs for the grill. Chris put his ideas into action and collaborated with Julie Etzkorn to start Fun Stuff 4 Babies.
Mark your calendars! On November 12th, we'll start a contest to give away a Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox.
:: If you are not familiar with what a pram is, you may want to start here.
By Emma
BBA Contributor
My old pram fell apart and it was the happiest day of my life. We never liked each other - that pram made sure I was miserable every day of my life and I made sure I kicked it at least once in the morning and twice in the evening.
It took me about three months of insisting to get Eric to ride in it and even then I never left the house without the baby sling. Many times he would decide he was fed up with the pram and I had no choice but to pop him into the sling. Otherwise he would scream the whole way home.
That pram had small plastic wheels and they made every little bump feel like a BUMP. It was so difficult to steer - both hands (my rock-climbing hands!) weren’t enough. Getting on and off the sidewalk was a pain. I had to lift the whole damn thing. The hood easily came off, and when it did, it fell right on the babies’ head. If, God forbid, I would put anything in the under-seat basket, the pram would start to behave like a sinking ship.
So thank you, my old pram - you showed me what a real pram needs to look like, what features it must have and what it should and shouldn’t do. Thanks to you, I now own a pram that I love because it makes my life so much easier!
As a little girl, I always loved to have the trendy notepads, pens and calendars. Not much has changed now that I'm a mom. Since I don't have an iPhone or any type of PDA, I still like trendy organizational products. So, I was excited to be given the opportunity by MomCentral to review the stylish Simply Chic and Eye Candy collections from Carolina Pad and Paper and Jacqueline Savage McFee.
I headed to Wal-Mart (that's where the collections are available) to check out the collection and didn't know what to choose. There were trendy notebooks, binders, folders, whiteboards, pens, magnets and more. But the thing that caught my eye was the Simply Chic Laptop Tote. How perfect for a blog addict, like me!
Wanna win some for yourself? Check out their Glam Your Office contest and enter to win Carolina Pad and Paper prize packs that they are giving away each month.
How many times do you try to take couple or family picture with your arm stretched out far enough to get everyone in the shot, only to realize that you look like you have a double or triple chin?
Check out the XShot, which extends to 37 inches and closes to 9 inches, that I came across on the GoodyBlog. This new gadget would make those family pictures from vacation a lot more flattering to post on your blog.
There are some products that you come across and think, "Why didn't I think of that?" because they are so unique yet so practical. Stroller Suspenders would fall into that category for me.
Stroller Suspenders is a unique patent pending strap and clip which secures your own baby's blanket to a stroller. No more blankets getting caught on wheels or bending down to pick up dropped blankets! Another great use is to give your baby shade or privacy when the stroller suspenders are clipped near the handles. This would have been perfect when we took our son on walks, since he hated the sun in his eyes.
Stroller Suspenders come in six different patterns and are packaged perfectly to give as a gift at a baby shower or to new parents.
We're giving away the pink dots Stroller Suspenders here on BabyBlogAddict.com. You can enter the giveaway by scrolling up to the post above or clicking here.
My husband and I were pretty clueless about pregnancy and parenting when I found out I was pregnant. I knew we needed to learn as much as we could before the baby arrived, so we wouldn't be more overwhelmed than we needed to be facing parenthood. We read books, took classes at the hospital (childbirth, newborn care and breastfeeding) and checked out some videos from the library. This all helped, but was very time consuming.
I was recently introduced to the Laugh and Learn DVD Series (Childbirth, Breastfeeding & Newborn Baby Care). Wow! I watched the DVDs and all I can think is that I wish I had known about this series three years ago.
Sheri Bayles is the nurse with the personality behind the successful DVD series. She is an award winning childbirth educator and lactation consultant. Plus she is the mother of twin boys, so she knows what she is talking about.
The great thing is that you can watch the videos in the comfort of your own home, on your own time frame (you can press pause every time you get a little overwhelmed about the childbirth explanation or if you feel the need to pee every 10 minutes) and even go back to certain parts as a refresher when you are reaching milestones like giving your baby it's first sponge bath or deciding what pump to buy for breastfeeding.
The About Childbirth DVD was great. I don't think I was the only one who still felt a little clueless about the whole childbirth thing, even after the classes I took. These two dvds about childbirth are very thorough. In them, Sheri gives some great pros and cons of using drugs like demerol, pitocin and epidurals. She also talks about the window of opportunity and how it works. I found the part about a c-section to be especially interesting since I really didn't pay attention to it in our hospital childbirth class only to find myself having a c-section for my son. It's best to just pay attention to it all just in case.
I would suggest watching the dvds then passing them on to your pregnant friends when you are done. You might just want to write your name on the dvds, so you can get them back as a refresher for baby #2!
$10.00 per block ~ 5 blocks or more, $8.00 per block :: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED ::
One of our newest advertisers is Booty Goo, a fast-acting, highly effective diaper rash ointment. According to their marketing director, it soothes and treats your baby's rash, while protecting it from moisture and other irritants. Its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties eliminate the cause of most diaper rashes and, with no artificial fragrances or preservatives, you can be sure your baby's sensitive skin will not be further irritated. It's also non-greasy, and won't stain clothing like other popular ointments!
And how cute is their logo?!
When ordering, Baby Blog Addict readers can receive 10% off by entering the code "babyblog."
For those who would like to try their luck instead, we are giving away a tube of diaper rash ointment and a Booty Goo bib to three Baby Blog Addict readers.
Here's how to enter:
1. Go to bootygoo.com and, in the comments below, tell us what you like most about the product.
2. Just make sure we have your contact info (email or blog address) either in your blogger profile or in the comment itself, so we can contact you.
3. Only one entry per person. We'll randomly select three winners then post them here on BBA next week.
This contest runs Sunday, 9/7 - Sunday, 9/14 8am ET.
I remember a time when our son Jack was younger and put his grimy hands in his hair while eating. We were left with a dilemma - give him a bath, even if it was mid-day, or let him spend the rest of the day with sticky hair.
Now there's an alternative. We were lucky enough to be asked to review a rinse-free shampoo from oopsy daisy! It was developed by a mom who appropriately called it their High Chair Hair Care Rinse Free Shampoo.
Our son Jack is out of the stage of putting food in his hair, so trying this out required a fun experiment. I actually put peanut butter in his hair. As directed, I wiped away the excess food (it was a blob) and then started with their three easy steps: apply foam, lather and wipe away! Just make sure you are generous with the shampoo. You can check out the how-to video on their website to see how it works.
The result...It worked and I have to say that peanut butter is a good test, since it's very sticky. The Orange, Vanilla, Lavendar scent made his hair smell great too, much better than going the rest of the day with sticky, peanut butter smelling hair.
Giving back: oopsy daisy! will be donating a portion of their proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and will add a pink ribbon to their bottles during the month of October.
