365 people entered this giveaway!! The winning entry is #177, which is “.:karen:.” That is definitely a clever way to make sure it is you, and not another Karen! 🙂
Congratulations Karen, I’m sending you an email so you can claim your prize and choose your colors!
Founded by Lynette Damir, RN, in 2002, SwaddleDesigns was the first company to introduce the large square swaddling blanket to the US and many countries around the world. SwaddleDesigns is known for their premium quality fabric, fabulous colors and prints, decorative edge, and the innovative 123 Swaddle® instructional label that helps new parents master the art of swaddling. SwaddleDesigns swaddling blankets are perfect for swaddling and have many uses such as a privacy throw for breastfeeding moms, a tummy time play mat and a cover over the stroller.
SwaddleDesigns strives to help new parents care for their baby by providing accurate and up-to-date information, so parents may make informed choices. SwaddleDesigns Safe Sleep Program includes recommendations from the AAP and the NIH as the company strives to increase awareness of Safe Sleep practices and help parents reduce risk of SIDS.
According to leading SIDS researchers, both overheating AND overchilling are risk factors for SIDS. In addition, it’s important for parents to understand that when baby is too cool during sleep, baby will use valuable energy to stay warm instead of growing and thriving. Over the past few years some juvenile product companies have over focused on overheating as a SIDS risk factor, and there has been a lack of balanced conversation regarding insufficient thermal insulation – the danger of baby being too cool – as a risk factor for SIDS. It is time for a balanced information where parents are educated and reminded of their important responsibility to make sure baby is not too hot or too cold, but comfortably warm.
The SwaddleDesigns Goldilocks Guide™ says baby should not be too hot, or too cold, but just right ~ comfortably warm. The Goldilock’s Guide helps new parents remember the importance of keeping baby comfortably warm. Visit the SwaddleDesigns Safe Sleep page to learn more about Safe Sleep Practices and the SwaddleDesigns Goldilocks Guide.
SwaddleDesigns is best known for their Ultimate Receiving Blanket and Marquisette Swaddling Blanket, and they are now introducing the SwaddleDuo.
SwaddleDuo offers two premium, yet different, baby soft cotton swaddling blankets – two swaddle blankets in a wonderful gift box:
With the SwaddleDuo, parents will be prepared for a variety of environmental settings – cool, moderate and warm
Swaddling instructions are sewn right to the blanket, and you can also visit their “How to Swaddle” page to view “How to Swaddle” and more information regarding sleeping environments and the benefits of swaddling.
SwaddleDesigns sent me the Swaddle Duo “modern duo” in lime with brown
The blankets are packaged perfectly for gift giving, are soft and generously sized. I can’t wait to swaddle the new baby!
The SwaddleDuo is available in 17 styles with MSRP of $38, so you’re sure to find one you love!
Follow SwaddleDesigns on Twitter and “like” SwaddleDesigns on Facebook. Facebook fans get the inside scoop, previews of new collections and Fan discounts. SwaddleDesigns would love for you to leave a comment on their Facebook wall stating your favorite print or product!
Join SwaddleDesigns’ exclusive email club and get the inside scoop for special offers (and receive a promotional code in your email for 10% off full priced items in your first purchase!)
Giveaway: One winner will receive a SwaddleDesigns swaddle duo classic peace love swaddle duo in blue or pink (ARV $38.) Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.
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.
226 people entered this giveaway. The winning entry is #80, which is Christine Mitchell.
Congratulations Christine, I’m sending you an email so you can claim your prize!
When Cottonbabies announced the new Flip Trainers and Freetime AIO cloth diapers, I was excited for the new products, but I was especially excited for the new colors Mirror, Dazzle & Sassy, and the new prints, Albert & Lovelace. Somehow, I was under the impression that the existing Bumgenius (4.0, Elemental, Newborn AIO) and Flip products would be available in the colors/prints after the new products came out. In hindsight, I remember hearing “Fall 2011” as well as “early 2012” thrown around so who knows. I blame pregnancy brain.
Anyhoo, a week or two ago I started hearing things about “new colors shipping soon” so I was thinking that maybe the new products were releasing earlier than expected. Then I got with the program and realized that some retailers were receiving 4.0s and Elementals in the new colors already!! As of the time I’m writing this, Kelly’s Closet (affiliate link) has the new colors in stock, in snap-closure 4.0s!
I knew that having two in diapers (at least for a while) soon would mean that I’d need a few more diapers, if I didn’t want to start having to wash more often (I don’t.) I had wished I could take advantage of the buy 5 get 1 free sale that is ending this week, but since I don’t know if I need pink or blue, I didn’t want to end up with a whole mess of yellow diapers. Well shiver me timbers when I found out the new colors were available and part of the buy 5 get 1 sale!! $14.48 per diaper and new colors? Yes, please!
All 3 are really gorgeous, vivid, bright colors. Mirror (blue-ish), dazzle (orchid purple) and sassy (red-orange.) Dazzle is maybe a little more pink than I expected, and sassy was a bit more orange, but I’d still put either on a boy or a girl.
I didn’t have any of the artist series prints since I wasn’t exactly wild about them, but I did love the solid blue in the retail therapy print. I wondered how close the mirror color was to that blue, so I chose that as my free diaper.
I actually like the mirror better than the blue in the retail therapy print. It’s gorgeous. Just a hint of green to the blue and such a beautiful, gender neutral color.
Some people say they think Bumgenius are kind of boring because they don’t have the prints that other brands do, but my hubby and I both think that Bumgenius are some of the cutest diapers we have, despite being so simple. The solid colors contrasting with the white aplix and a hint of the white inner at the waist & legs make them classically cute in my opinion! My favorites are Twilight, Moonbeam & Ribbit, along with Blossom & Zinnia if I had a girl, and now Mirror as well!
I hope Bumgenius continues to come out with more solid colors. On the other hand, maybe not…how many more diapers can I justify buying? Tee-hee!
Looking at the Bumgenius site it appears that the new colors and prints will eventually be available in the newborn AIO diapers as well!
FTC compliance: I purchased the pictured items at normal retail prices. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own. This post contains a single, labeled affiliate link.
Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. Read More »
