Maya Wrap Ring Sling Review & $30 Eco Mom Gift Certificate Giveaway (CLOSED 11/1)

Oct 25,2011 / By Maria / 5 Comments

EcoMom sells eco-friendly and organic products for moms, kids and babies. I received a $30 gift certificate to spend on a review item for the virtual baby shower, and I had a hard time choosing. I felt like a kid in a candy store with a pocket full of money! EcoMom sells organic food, cloth diapers, natural/organic bath and skincare products, wooden and organic toys and way more eco-friendly gear than I could possibly list.

EcoMom is offering free shipping on all U.S. orders for a limited time. If you buy an Ecopass, you get free shipping all the time, plus 15% on all your orders! They have my favorite…a sale section! All products EcoMom sells are EcoMom approved, and their customer service is excellent!

EcoMom has quite a few slings and carriers, and I finally decided to put my $30 gift certificate towards a Maya Wrap Ring Sling. I love the plum and olive colors, but I decided on the neutral chocolate. The slings retail for $74.95 and are available in small, medium and large sizes. There’s a 6″ length difference between sling sizes, and the small is recommended for people under 5′ 2″ and/or who are slender. Even though I’m not exactly slender right now at 34 weeks pregnant, I am petite and small framed, so I went with the size small so I don’t have to worry about tripping on, or getting tangled up in the sling’s tail!

The slings are recommended for babies from 8-35 pounds, and the strong, light anodized aluminum rings are smooth, weld free and tested to 250 pounds. The 100% hand loomed cotton is soft, cool, breathable, durable and gives without stretching, for support and comfort. The shoulder is padded for comfort, and the unpadded tail can be used as a nursing coverup. The sling came with an instructional DVD, and it also has a zippered pocket to store keys, phone, burp cloths etc.

I was a little overwhelmed when I first opened the sling, but I was determined to figure it out before the baby came! I took lots of photos and videos to share with you. I’m sure I made mistakes and some seasoned ring sling’ers will point them out for me. 😉 I think it will be easier with a real baby vs. a teeny, squishy bear too.

To get your sling ready to use the first time, hold each end of the sling with the tags facing each other. Gather the edges of the tail to the middle.

Put the rings over your wrist to make this next step easier, then bring the tail through the rings.

Then you bring the the tail over the closest ring and under the other ring, then spread the fabric over the rings, making sure it isn’t twisted.

Hold the ring at your shoulder and pull the tail through the rings until the bottom of the pouch is around your hip bone.

Quick video demo (and yes I know my videos aren’t very good! They look so darn dark now, but they didn’t look that way on the camera or my computer. I need to find time to edit them more (just added fill light in YouTube!), but I’m hoping to do this better after I’ve used it with the new baby!):

Once you have done this, you’re pretty much ready to use it every time.

Put your arm through the sling, then bring it over your head.

You will make a pocket for the baby, then support the baby’s weight while you place them in the pocket.

Continue to support your baby’s weight while you tighten the ring sling. Make sure you have read all about babywearing safety! The material that came with the sling had lots of good info about using the sling safely. You want to make sure the baby is positioned correctly, is snug & secure, has his/her face/airway clear and head supported

Again, I’m sure I didn’t do this perfectly!

It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it would be though!

The zippered pocket on the tail is really convenient.

Here’s another terrible video, this time of me putting the sling on:

One reason I really wanted a ring sling is that it’s really easy to take it off without disturbing/waking the baby.

Just support the baby’s weight while you pull the rings away from yourself to loosen the sling. Then lift the fabric over baby (while still supporting the baby’s weight of course!) and you’re done. Then it’s just as easy to put it back on again!

Be sure to follow the EcoMom blog, EcoMom on Twitter and “like” EcoMom on Facebook!

~~Giveaway: One winner will receive a $30 Gift Certificate code to spend towards anything you want from Ecomom. Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.~~

Baby Products Giveaway Natural Personal Care Products Review Virtual Baby Shower Event

Exederm Ultra Sensitive Skincare for Baby & Eczema Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 10/31)

Oct 24,2011 / By Maria / 17 Comments

Exederm makes ultra-sensitive skincare with the mildest ingredients possible (no fragrance, lanolin, parabens, propylene glycol, colors, dyes, sodium laureth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine or phthlates), to help the most delicate skin types (including those with eczema or dermatitis.)

They have a full line of products for adults in addition to the baby products I reviewed. Exederm received the “seal of acceptance” award from the National Eczema Association, and all 5 baby products received a 5/5 rating from the review panel! The Exederm website has lots of resources and information, including tips and information about irritants.

My son has extremely sensitive skin, and it became pretty apparent this year that he also suffers from eczema. I was lucky enough (sarcasm) to inherit eczema from my Dad. I had it on my arms as a baby, but now I mostly get it on my hands. It is worst in winter (my hands and knuckles crack and bleed) but for some reason it’s not nearly as bad if I am pregnant or newly breastfeeding. My dermatologist told me to stick with incredibly mild skin care products, free of fragrances, dyes or chemicals. To use soap/cleansers only when necessary, don’t use very hot water, and to apply moisturizers while skin is still damp.

The same “rules” of course apply to caring for my son’s skin, and Exederm fits the bill.

My son’s eczema is mostly on his upper arms and lower legs. I had a hard time getting photos of it; it is far worse than it looks in the photos! The biggest problem is that he just won’t leave it alone. From experience, I know it’s terribly itchy, but it can’t heal with him constantly scratching at it.

The first product we tried is the hydrating baby lotion.

It doesn’t contain any potentially allergenic ingredients like botanical extracts, nut oils or herbal additives. There is no fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Water, petroleum, capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, glycerin, ceteareth-20, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, citric acid

The lotion is lightweight and easily absorbed. My son let me put it on his arms & legs, and didn’t freak out (which says a lot!) My daughter used some too, and she said that it smelled like my yummy homemade bread (LOL.) It is fragrance free, but I suppose it has the slightest scent from the ingredients. A 6 ounce bottle of the lotion retails for $14.99.

Next up is the intense baby moisturizer.

Just like the lotion, it doesn’t contain fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Water, petroleum, capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, glycerin, ceteareth-20, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, citric acid

It has a very thick texture, like a stiff mousse or a whipped body butter. I used it on the driest areas of my son’s skin only, and I only needed the tiniest bit. A 4 ounce jar retails for $14.99.

Next we used the non-irritating baby shampoo. My husband said it’s false advertising because all babies are at least a little irritating sometimes, no such thing as a non-irritating baby. Tee-hee!

I’m getting repetitive here, but the shampoo does not contain fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Purified water, decyl glucoside, glycerin, xanthan gum, disodium cocoamphodiacete, phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, polyquaterium-10, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, EDTA, citric acid

My son had cradle cap for a long time, and still suffers from scaly patches on his scalp now and again. It honestly never occurred to me to use a shampoo designed for children with eczema, but it makes perfect sense. Even if they don’t suffer from dermatitis or the like on their scalp, the shampoo is still going to end up all over their bodies, and in the bath water they’re sitting in. My husband did remark that it wasn’t particularly foamy, but I explained that it doesn’t have any of the nasty chemicals that make shampoos foam! It rinsed out well and left my son’s hair clean. An 8 ounce bottle retails for $12.99.

The cleansing baby bath is next.

Are you one step ahead of me yet? No fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Purified water, glycerin, disodium cocoamphodiacete, decyl glucoside, disodium cocoglucoside sulfosuccinate, xanthan gum, phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, tetrasodium EDTA, sodium chloride, citric acid

Just like the shampoo, it doesn’t make loads of suds, but it lathers enough, rinses easily and doesn’t leave residue. An 8 ounce bottle with pump (which I LOVE, it makes it SO much easier to hold a baby and wash at the same time!) retails for $12.99.

The last of the products I tried was the flare control cream. It is America’s only paraben-free hydrocortisone cream, and is the maximum strength available without a prescription. It is also the first and only hydrocortisone product to receive the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance with a perfect 5 out of 5 score.

No fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, phthlates or formaldehyde.

Ingredients:
Active Ingredient: Hydrocortisone acetate USP 1%
Inactive ingredients: (base) caprylic/capric triglyceride, caprylyl glycol, ceteareth-20, anthemis nobilis, citric acid, glycerin, glyceryl stearate, palmitic acid, petrolatum, phenoxyethanol, stearic acid, purified water

I thought this was quite different than other hydrocortisone creams I’ve used. It wasn’t at all sticky or goopy. My son let me put it on his “boo-boos” before bed, and between the flare cream, lotion and intense moisturizer, it looked noticeably better in the morning. A 2 ounce tube retails for $14.99.

If your child (or you for that matter) has ultra-sensitive skin, eczema or dermatitis, you should definitely try Exederm!!

Buy any 3 products from Exederm.com and receive 20% off with coupon code “save20.” Orders over $50 receive free shipping to the U.S. or Canada too! The children’s products are available at lots of brick & mortar and online retailers while the standard/adult line is only available from Amazon.com or directly from Exederm at this time.

Giveaway: One winner will receive the same package of Exederm Products I reviewed (5 full-size products.) Includes 8 oz. non-irritating baby shampoo (ARV $12.99), 8 oz. cleansing baby bath (ARV $12.99), 6 oz. hydrating baby moisturizer (ARV $14.99), 4 oz. intensive baby moisturizer (ARV $14.99) and 2 oz. flare cream (ARV $14.99.) Combined retail value is $70.95. Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.

Baby Products Giveaway Review Virtual Baby Shower Event

Red Envelope Deluxe Baby Keepsake Kit Review & $100 Gift Certificate Giveaway (CLOSED 10/28)

Oct 21,2011 / By Maria / 11 Comments

Red Envelope has all sorts of fantastic gifts for anniversaries, birthdays and of course new baby gifts. I’ve shopped with Red Envelope for several years, and I’ve bought my husband unique gifts (I bought him personalized collar stays for our anniversary this year!) as well as baby gifts. In fact, I not only bought the Deluxe Baby Keepsake Gift for my 6 1/2 year old daughter and 2 year old son, but also for my husband’s brother when their first baby was born!

I received the Deluxe Baby Keepsake Kit for the new baby, but I’m also picturing my son’s and daughter’s so you can see what they look like completed! The kit comes securely packaged, so you don’t have to worry about the glass breaking in transit.

All of the pieces are included inside the frame. The kit comes in different color frames; you can choose from espresso (what I received), mahogany, white or natural.

Inside the frame, you’ll find two, two-sided mats, so you can choose from pink, beige, blue or green.

It comes with everything you need, including a rolling pin, straight edge/ruler, double stick tape, and two packages of modeling clay stuff. It’s soft and spongy, and you can squish it back together and try again if you like. It’s super easy to use, and dries within a day or two.

We bought the kit for our daughter after we had zero luck with the plaster of paris type kits. We even tried waiting until she was asleep, but couldn’t get a good imprint, and just ended up with a huge mess. The Red Envelope kit is simple, quick, and (I think anyway) a beautiful keepsake.

I think they look wonderful on our hallway wall, with our other family photos! The deluxe keepsake kit is a little bit pricey at $59.95, but well worth it in my opinion.

You can buy everything from plants, cigar cases, toys and jewelry to home decor and gourmet foods at Red Envelope!

~~Giveaway: One winner will receive a $100 Red Envelope gift code, to spend on anything they like! Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.~~

Baby Wearing Giveaway Virtual Baby Shower Event

Boba / Sleepy Wrap Baby Wearing Giveaway (CLOSED 10/27)

Oct 20,2011 / By Maria / 7 Comments

I bought my sleepy wrap almost 3 years ago, before my son was born. My daughter (now 6 1/2) wanted to be held all the time as an infant, and I knew that if the new baby was the same way (he was!) I was going to be in trouble. I had a “crotch dangler” carrier that I received as a gift, but it was far too painful on my shoulders and back to wear her for more than a few minutes, even when she was teeny tiny. Of course, I know better now!!

I talked about the Sleepy Wrap a good bit on my baby wearing post on A Nation of Moms last year, and I also got to do a Boba Baby Carrier review shortly before that!

Long story short, the Sleepy Wrap is now the Boba Wrap. It’s the same great wrap that works for preemies-18 months and up to 35 pounds, but now it has a new name to fit in with the Boba Family.

The Boba Baby Wrap is a long piece of stretchy fabric that you wrap and tie snugly around yourself. Since it has a bit of stretch to it, there’s no need to figure out how much room to leave for baby, or re-tie after you wear it for a while. There aren’t any buckles or straps to figure out, and I could wear my son pretty much indefinitely without any pain, since the weight was evenly distributed on my body.

While I totally get the name change, it will always be a Sleepy Wrap to me, since it’s like a tranquilizer for babies!!

I promise I will get better pictures of the new baby in the wrap! 🙂

Here’s a video I made of me tying the wrap (in hindsight I should not have worn a black shirt w/the black wrap, sorry!)

Though taking it out of the package the first time was a little intimidating, it only took a few practice tries to become a pro at tying it. I loved that I could tie it before we went somewhere & just wear it in the car, ready to wear my son when we got to our destination.

Tying it is so easy a ~~cave~~man can do it. My husband quickly figured it out, though sometimes he needed a little help putting it on without twisting it (not sure why he had trouble with that, I think it’s easy to do it without having twisting issues!)

The wrap was an absolute life saver for me, and I’m looking forward to using it again with baby #3. It’s one of those things that I think every new mom should have, after the obvious things like diapers of course! The Boba wrap is available in 12 colors, and retails for $48.

Not only is the product amazing, but Boba’s customer service is excellent too. The wrap came with all the instructions I needed, but you can also view instructions online. They are commited to babywearing safety and stand behind every product they sell.

Find Boba on Twitter, Boba on Facebook and read Boba’s blog. Be sure to check out Boba Family’s YouTube channel for videos, including a demo of how to nurse in the wrap!

Giveaway: Boba Family is offering one of my readers a Boba Wrap in his/her choice of color (ARV $48) Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.

Cloth Wipes Diaper Accessories Giveaway Virtual Baby Shower Event Wipes Solution

Thirsties Fab Wipes & Booty Luster Giveaway (CLOSED 10/27)

Oct 20,2011 / By Maria / 10 Comments

Thirsties makes more than just fantastic cloth diapers & covers. They also sell wonderful cloth diaper accessories including the fab wipes and booty luster.

You may have missed my Thirsties Fab Wipes & Booty Luster review, since I posted it a year and a half ago! Those wipes are still in my rotation and holding up wonderfully. They are two-sided; one side is 85% cotton 15% polyester velour, the other side is 100% polyester microfleece. They come in 6-packs of assorted boy or girl colors, for $10.75 per pack. Though cloth wipes seem pricey at first, they pay off in no time. I would stock up on disposable wipes when they were around 2.5 cents per wipe, but I often had to use 3-5 wipes per change! I rarely have to use more than one cloth wipe at a time, and in no time flat, you will recoup your investment.

The wipes are 8″ x 8″, the perfect size to fold to pop up in a wipes case or warmer!

The Booty Luster is a pre-mixed wipe spray that retails for $6.25 for a 4 ounce bottle, or $11.00 for an 8 ounce bottle. It’s biodegradable, non-toxic and non irritating. A couple squirts on baby’s bottom (or the wipe if you prefer) removes messes without leaving residue. Booty luster does not contain: petroleum, alcohols, animal products, parabens, sulfates, DPGs or dilutants, and isn’t tested on animals.

Ingredients: Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, water-based Extract of Coconut, Honey, Grapeseed Extract, traces of Glycerin, Avocado Oil, Humectant Moisturizers, and other Organic Ingredients.

The bottles are also well made and sturdy. When I was mixing up my own solution, I bought enough dollar store/travel section bottles to pay for several bottles of booty luster (and I ended up doing just that…buying several bottles of booty luster!) The bottles spray and spray, and continue to work long after the solution is gone. Other spray bottles I bought got stuck or stopped spraying quickly, and couldn’t withstand being dropped (which means you won’t survive long in this household!) A little goes a long way, so a bottle will last you quite a while.

I’m getting ready to buy another bottle or two for the new baby’s stash!

Be sure to request a Thirsties print catalog, “like” Thirsties on Facebook and follow Thirsties on Twitter!

Giveaway: Thirsties is offering one of my readers a 4 oz bottle of Booty Luster (ARV $6.25) and a 6-pack of fab wipes (ARV $10.75) in “boy” or “girl” colors. Combined ARV $17. Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.

1 2 3 4 … 6

Category : Virtual Baby Shower Event

Maya Wrap Ring Sling Review & $30 Eco Mom Gift Certificate Giveaway (CLOSED 11/1)

Exederm Ultra Sensitive Skincare for Baby & Eczema Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 10/31)

Red Envelope Deluxe Baby Keepsake Kit Review & $100 Gift Certificate Giveaway (CLOSED 10/28)

Boba / Sleepy Wrap Baby Wearing Giveaway (CLOSED 10/27)

Thirsties Fab Wipes & Booty Luster Giveaway (CLOSED 10/27)

Subscribe