Pampersack: A Baby Sleeping Bag

It's no secret that moms crave sleep.  Also, chocolate...  but definitely sleep.  Once your baby gets to an age where they are (finally!) sleeping more consistently, and you can count on having to nurse them to sleep but that they are not NEEDING to feed every hour or two thereafter anymore, all of a sudden you get to enjoy your nights again.  Or at least, you get to make it through most mornings without needing a fourth cup of coffee to keep you awake.  But then, as luck would have it, things change again.  Baby is growing too big to be swaddled, or just doesn't like it anymore.  Winter is coming and it's crazy expensive to keep the house warm enough for baby to sleep in a diaper and pajamas and nothing else.  Even those adorable, super-soft thick fleece sleepers can only keep so much warmth in.  Blankets, if you are using them, end up kicked off, rolled to the side, or pulled up over baby's head far too often, meaning baby gets cold, baby cries, and you mamas get to roll out of your bed and stumble to the crib to re-tuck baby when actually you should both be sleeping.

Now imagine if you could just take baby's blanket, fit it around her body just right, and zip/snap/pin it on so that it won't be kicked off or pulled overhead.  That's the idea behind baby sleeping bags.  I have a number of different brands and styles, which I intend to review in good time.  But I have to say, my favourite in terms of price vs function is the Pampersack from http://www.babyinabag.com.  I have two of the Stargaze winter models, which I purchased new for around $35 each when my son was little.  I got the big size, 22 months - 3T, and it has a tremendous feature that makes me able to use them RIGHT NOW as my little girl is just 6 months - armpit snaps.  Yes, the arm holes are generously sized, but they have one set of snaps on each side, so that you can make them smaller (thus pretty much ensuring that they stay right where they should when a younger baby is in the sleeping bag).  The bags zipper just off centre, from top to bottom, and are incredibly roomy on the bottom for babies that like to kick their legs and not feel restricted.  There is also a snap at the top of the zipper to keep the fabric flat and keep the plastic zipper part from rubbing against baby's face (though with the armpit snaps done up, this is unlikely as the zipper beginning is mid-chest, not under baby's chin).  100% cotton on the outside, 100% cotton jersey on the inside, plush filling, and sweet embroidery makes this model adorable AND super comfy.

The winter weight Pampersack is really, really nice and warm.  It's also fairly bulky, not around baby's face & arms, but the bottom half where the legs go - so if you are trying to juggle baby onto a nursing pillow, it does add a bit of bulk on the end.  I think this is totally worth it because the size of the sleeping bag ensures it will fit for a good long time, and also because the warmth factor means I can keep the thermostat at 65 degrees without having to feel like a jerk.

I wouldn't recommend this sleeping bag for the heat of summer, but it does well in Fall, Winter, and Spring, as you can vary what baby wears underneath in terms of long sleeves/short sleeves, and pants vs no pants, to accomodate various temperatures.  It is super affordable compared to other brands that also offer the heavy winter weight sleeping bags, the shipping is very reasonable ($4.95 per order, not per bag), and if you sign up on their email list you will get valuable (worth waiting for!) coupon codes emailed to you periodically.  The company also makes summer weight, minky, organic, and silk sleeping bags, which I'm sure are lovely, but I have not had the opportunity to try them and so I can't comment.

To find out more, or to buy your Pampersack, visit http://www.babyinabag.com.

Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier

After my review of the Moby Wrap, it should come as no surprise to you that I enjoy babywearing.  Or, should I say, I enjoy the freedom it gives me.  Freedom from having a heavy carseat tugging at my arm sockets.  Freedom from having to balance a baby on one hip while reaching for a cup of coffee with my free arm (and then attempting to drink said coffee without baby splashing it all over both of us with her endlessly waving arms).  Freedom to shop at Costco without having to leave the baby in her carseat on the "Carts" side of the checkout.

I have heard many great things about the Ergo baby carrier, and had the opportunity to take it for a test drive with my little girl last month as my sister let me try hers out.  This isn't an Ergo review (since I don't own one, I am not going to consider myself qualified to review it) but there were a handful of thoughts that came to mind when I used it.  First of all, I really liked the support around the waist/hips.  And the fabric was really nice and soft (she has the ERGObaby Black Sport Carrier).  So I got my daughter adjusted in the front carry, I had the padded shoulder straps over my shoulders, and then - I had to get my sister to close the buckle.  I don't know about you, but I don't always run around with an assistant.  Unless you could count my 4 year old, which I don't, because if I'd asked him to close a buckle on the Ergo he'd probably answer by saying something like "rawrrrr, I'm pretending to be a spike-o-saurus" and headbutting my hip.  And I'd be left trying to safely buckle in a squirmy baby in a parking lot by taking both hands off her and reaching over my head and ... ouch.  My neck and back hurt just thinking about it.

I love the Moby Wrap because it's so simple.  One knot, and you're done.  I just wanted something like that, only with a little less fabric to deal with.  So I went to a local store that carried a number of babywearing options, and tried out several different styles of carriers.  I tried the BabyHawk Mei Tai (loved it, but they only had one in stock and I didn't like the fabric), another very soft similar style carrier, the brand of which I cannot recall right now (loved how small it folded up, it would literally fit into my coat pocket, but did not like that the straps had no padding), and finally the Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier.  It was packaged up in its own carrying/laundering bag made of a black mesh, so I did have to dismantle the packaging to try it on.  Thankfully the store owner was OK with this.

I love how there are no buckles to fuss with, but the carrier still feels somewhat structured.  It has a reversible front fabric panel (goes from modern abstract vines to plain black, in case I have to make my husband wear it somewhere) and two loops into which to thread the shoulder straps to facilitate an easy back carry (or to make the front carry a bit more secure by ensuring the straps coming from behind you stay in place around the height of baby's torso.  The EcoSash actually has the wearing instructions printed on satiny soft panels so that you don't always need the book in front of you (when you are starting out, use the book.  Once you are adept at wearing it, you won't really need the instructions in either place.  You double-knot the shorter straps around your waist, then hold baby in front of you, lift the front part, long straps go over shoulders, criss-cross behind you, feed through the front loops on left & right, then double-knot in the front.  The shoulder straps are padded and so are quite comfortable even after a few hours of wearing with an 18lb baby in it (I haven't worn it for longer than that, so I can't comment what it would be like to wear all day).  I do wish that the waist straps were either padded or stiffened in some way, because even though they are nice and wide, they do just sort of bunch together after being knotted around my squishy middle section (AKA waist).

The carrier is also baby approved, she is warm and comfortable in it, and apparently sucking/chewing on the shoulder straps is a fun and tasty way to pass the time.  She also loves being able to look right up at me, and to look around at everything going on, especially when we are out shopping.  I love that when she is in the baby carrier, random strangers are less likely to touch her than when she's in her carseat (although, random strangers' children are not shy at all about holding her hands, which dangle out of the sides of the carrier most of the time...).

I have not yet laundered my carrier, and since it is a deep black colour, I will likely wash it on its own the first time, maybe with an old cloth tossed in to see if it stains other clothes.  It does come with its own mesh bag for laundering, so that is a nice feature.  I can just imagine what fun it would be to have to untangle all 4 straps from my old school top loader's agitator...*shudder*.  If I find any major issues after laundering I will be sure to update here.

**Updated**, so I laundered the Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier a couple of days ago, in the mesh bag that comes with it.  It washed just fine, and did not stain my other clothes (granted, I washed it with all my "dark" delicates,  I wouldn't throw it in with anything white or light coloured).  I must not have tied the mesh bag tightly enough, because the straps did work their way out of the top opening and snaked around my top loader, though they did not actually get tangled with anything.  I had to hang it up to dry, and we've been having awful wet weather here, so it's day two of indoor hanging to dry, and it's still a bit damp.  It says explicitly not to put it in the dryer though, so I will just try and be patient while it dries (and use my Moby wrap in the meantime).

If you want to learn more about the Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier, check out the product page on Infantino's website.  You can also read more here on Step2's website.  It sells for anywhere between $60 and $80 depending on where you shop.

Cloth By Tel - OS Pocket Diapers Review & GIVEAWAY

For a quick rundown of my cloth diapering past, check out the first post in this series here.  As you know by now, I've chosen to go with OS Pocket diapers with snap closures.  That's OS for One Size (fits 7lb to 35lb, supposedly, using a series of snaps to adjust the length/rise of the diaper) and Pocket meaning they have a pocket between the outer layer and the inner layer, into which the absorbent liner(s) is placed.  The snap closures allow the diaper to be fastened over and over, securely each time (as opposed to a hook & loop closure which can get less "sticky" as time goes by and threads/lint clog up the hooks).

Smallest rise setting

I purchased a number of generic brand OS Pocket diapers from a local retailer, Cloth By Tel, and have happily been using them for over 5 months now.  They come in regular (smooth fabric) or Minkee (soft/fuzzy) outside layers, in solid colours or various patterns.  I think the Minkee cow and zebra prints are just the sweetest!  The inside liner fabric is a fluffy fleece that helps wick away moisture from baby's delicate skin, and presumably the fluffy factor also helps remove solids from the diaper (we're still 100% on breastmilk here so have not had to deal with "real" poo yet).  The diapers have a generous sized opening in the back for stuffing the liner(s) in, and a fleece flap that folds over the liner to keep the microfiber off baby's skin.  Each diaper purchased includes a single liner, and Cloth By Tel also sells extra liners if you want some for overnights.

Spotless, after 5 months of use.  Elastics all in great shape

Thus far, the diapers have held up well to being used in regular rotation, washing every three days, and line drying the pockets.  I do occasionally throw the liners in the dryer, especially on rainy days, and they don't seem to be any worse for the wear.  The construction seems to be pretty uniform, the tabs each have two snaps, the front of the diapers have 10 snaps in a row so you can really customize the fit, and the rise adjustment has three levels for different size babies.  My baby girl started wearing these as soon as her umbilical cord stump fell off, around 8-9lbs.  She is now a robust 17lb 15oz at 5 months old, and so I've got the diapers at the largest rise setting already.  I am curious to see how the diapers will continue to fit as she gets older, but I do remember with my son that as his shape changed over the months, I had to adjust his diapers differently to get a good fit, so I imagine these will be similar.

10 snaps across the top of the diaper

There are sturdy elastics sewn in at the back of the diaper (to keep runny messes in), as well as in the leg openings (ditto).  They are very stretchy and as they are sewn inside the diaper, no elastic marks are left on my baby's legs.  I was concerned that the thick fleece inside would be too warm in the summertime, but it did not seem to be bothersome to my daughter at all, and she did not seem too warm in her diaper as compared to the rest of her body.  We have had very few diaper rashes, sometimes just a touch of redness, which went away after a bit of "air time".  On the odd occasion that we've wanted to use diaper cream, we stuck with Skinfix, and made sure to use a diaper liner (as is recommended for all balms with cloth diapers).  We have not had to do anything special with the diaper cleaning process, the initial prep wash was super easy with just a squirt of dish detergent and a double rinse.  Even after 5 months of continuous use, they are all still stain free and smell fresh and clean with our current routine:
-dry pail with pail liner for 3 days max
-cold 20 minute soak
-hot 10 minute wash with EcoNuts laundry soap
-2x cold rinse
-line dry/sun when possible, else line dry covers indoors and machine dry liners

Largest rise setting

I've talked enough about the diapers, but I do definitely need to mention Cloth By Tel's fantastic prices and deals - the diapers run from $8 for the regular/print/Minkee ones, to $10 for ones with bamboo inserts.  She also sells leg warmers, swim diapers, wet bags, wipes, bio-liners, and extra liners/soakers.  Cloth By Tel is on Facebook, and frequently has great sales/package deals to help you get the best bang for your cloth diapering buck.  Shipping charges are very reasonable, and she ships the diapers quickly, so you get them without much of a wait.  Go check out her selection over at http://www.clothbytel.com!

Cloth By Tel has generously sponsored a giveaway of ONE regular in-stock OS Pocket Diaper to one of my lucky readers (*Canada and US only for this giveaway*).  This contest will be open until Friday, September 23rd.  To enter, please visit http://www.clothbytel.com and leave a comment below saying which product is your favourite.

Plus earn up to 4 extra entries by:

1. Liking "Geekmommy Reviews" on Facebook and telling me you did this in the comments (be sure to let me know your name on Facebook)
2. Liking "Cloth By Tel" on Facebook and telling me you did this in the comments (be sure to let me know your name on Facebook)
3. Following @geekmommyreview AND @clothbytel on Twitter and tweeting about this giveaway (be sure to link to the tweet in the comments)
4. Following this blog on Google Friend Connect and telling me you did this in the comments

Winner will be drawn on Friday September 23rd, 2011 using Random.org.  Your odds of winning obviously depend on number of entries received.

Leading Lady - Nursing Bras and More - GIVEAWAY

Last week, I received a wonderful package in the mail. I had been anticipating a nursing bra from Leading Lady to review on this blog, and imagine my delight when in the box were TWO lovely nursing bras, exactly the ones I had hoped to be able to review for you all.

Leading Lady is more than just a retailer of nursing and full-figure bras, they also support nursing moms via their website.  They have a dedicated section of their website called Amy's Corner where user submitted questions are answered by a lactation consultant.  Their helpful articles there include tips on breastfeeding in the heat of summer, breastfeeding your baby when you are sick, and making holidays less stressful so you can spend more time with baby.

They also make and sell some great and affordable nursing bras, such as the "Baby Sees It" molded seamless underwire, and the lovely molded seamless lace edged underwire, both of which I will review here.  Each of these two bras is well made, the stitching is tight and secure, and the bands are wide enough for a triple hook closure (there are also FOUR! different closure settings so I could really customize the fit).  They both look brand new even after being worn, spit up on, and washed.  The cups are molded so even when nursing, I can maintain a sleek silhouette under summer's light tees and tanks*.  The inside slings are secure and so I felt supported even when baby was nursing, and the fact it didn't shift around also made it easy to pull up the molded cup and fasten the clasp with one hand while balancing a sleepy baby with the other hand.  The openings are generously sized, and do not leave any unsightly bulges at all.  When I chose the size bra to order, I followed the website's fit guide, which suggested a 36C.  I am currently wearing a 36D and 34D in other brands, so I took a chance, and ordered a 34D despite the size chart's recommendation.  Both bras fit me very well, however, the band on the Baby Sees It bra is less stretchy than the lace edged one, and so I have to wear it on the very last closure setting.  If you are uncertain which band size to order, for this style I would suggest rounding up, since it has four settings for the closure, you should get a good fit that way.  The lace edged one fits like it was made for me, since the band is a bit stretchier, and so I use one of the middle 2 sets of hooks to close it.

* Both bras also received the husband-thinks-they're-sexy stamp of approval.

The Baby Sees It bra has a couple of really neat special features: the sling fabric is printed with a bold high-contrast pattern to draw baby's attention to it while feeding, and the straps are wider and padded for comfort.  I found that when nursing with a button front shirt, the printed sling "Baby Sees It" feature really did draw my baby's hands and eyes to it (and kept her from pulling my hair, yay!).  The effect was a little less noticeable when nursing in a shirt lifted up for baby's access, because the tucked up shirt covered part of the sling.  I was concerned that the print might be distracting or keep baby from falling asleep at the breast but I didn't have to worry (I guess the sleep-inducing powers of breastmilk are hard to beat).  The wide padded straps really added to the comfort of this bra, my only other molded bra up til now has ridiculously tiny straps that dig in within the first hour of wearing it.  Now that I have these two lovely bras in my collection, that old one is going into the bin.

I was unsure about how comfortable a lace edged underwire bra could be, since lace can be a scratchy material, but the lace used in this bra is the softest I've ever felt, it looks very elegant and feels so soft against my skin.  The straps are not padded like the Baby Sees It, but they are still generously wide, and have the convenient feature of adjusting in length at the FRONT.  Most bras have the strap length adjustment in the back, but this bra has it on the front of the strap so you can actually get the correct length without having to either contort your arms behind you or take it off to do the adjustment free-hand while you are not wearing it.

Leading Lady has been kind enough to offer to ONE of my readers a $10 discount off your order with free shipping on the entire order.  They do only ship to the US at this time, so this giveaway would make sense for my US readers or those with a US shipping address.  To enter, please visit their website (http://www.leadinglady.com/) and leave a comment here saying what you'd like to order using the $10 discount.

Their bra prices are already very reasonable, so having an extra $10 off plus free shipping would be a great deal!  They also are running a great deal on their website right now (til August 31st 2011) with 20% off your order and free shipping if you buy over $75.

Plus earn up to 3 extra entries by:

1. Liking "Geekmommy Reviews" on Facebook and telling me you did this in the comments (be sure to let me know your name on Facebook)
2. Following @geekmommyreview on Twitter and tweeting about this giveaway (be sure to link to the tweet in the comments)
3. Following this blog on Google Friend Connect and telling me you did this in the comments

Winner will be drawn on Friday September 16th, 2011 using Random.org.  Your odds of winning obviously depend on number of entries received.

*Disclaimer:  Geekmommy Reviews was given free of charge the product(s) to review in exchange for featuring this product on http://www.geekmommyreviews.com.  Any opinions or statements given above come only from Geekmommy Reviews and were not influenced in any way by the product vendor.

Nursing Covers - Udder Covers and Cover In Style by Hooter Hiders

I'll admit, I'm not really that big on "covering up" when nursing my baby - it's usually too warm for her and me, she is at that distracted age where she would just grab it and pull if I did try to use a cover, and it's just one more thing to carry around.

However, there are occasions where a coverup has been perfect. Take for example the time I had to nurse my son in the hospital waiting room when he was just a few days old. Neither of us had any idea about breastfeeding and so latching was an awkward and time consuming process (with way more exposure than I was comfortable with at the time). Or how about the times that I have ventured out to church with a baby, that isn't exactly the kind of place where I'd like to whip out a boob... Not to mention that not everyone is as easygoing as I am with breastfeeding in public, and some places even give nursing moms a hard time (that is awful, I'm glad no one has ever told me to cover up, I think they would have gotten an earful!).

I have a new black and white Udder Covers brand coverup and a borrowed pink and white Cover in Style coverup by Hooter Hiders. Both operate on the same premise, they are a rectangle of fabric with a strap attached, and a section of hem between the strap connections that has some boning to make a stiff opening when the strap is fastened around your neck. This opening can be made bigger or smaller by loosening or tightening the strap. Both nursing covers allow this to be done fairly easily using a double d-ring fastener. Once the cover is on, simply bring the baby into position, arrange the fabric around him/her, and rest assured that no one will be seeing anything that you don't want them to. I suppose if you are sitting down and someone stands up behind you, they could possibly see in from the top, but really? Who does that? (Please tell me no one does that...)

The Cover in Style has a terry fabric pocket on one corner, it's great for wiping up any milk leaks or spit up without having to wrestle with another piece of cloth.  Both coverups fold/roll up quite small and so they don't take up much space in your diaper bag. I usually keep mine in the car so that if I happen to be in a place where I need it, I have it handy. They are machine washable (delicate cycle recommended), and can go in the dryer on low heat, though I usually line dry mine.

Both the nursing covers come in a great selection of colours and patterns, I would recommend a lighter colour if you think you'll use it outdoors where the sun can make it uncomfortably warm for you and baby. You can check out the selection of Udder Covers at http://www.uddercovers.com, as well as use the store locator to find a local retailer (and save yourself the $10 shipping!).  Although they don't seem to make the Cover in Style anymore, you can also look at the similar Hooter Hiders and Bébé Au Lait nursing covers at http://www.bebeaulait.com. All of these brands will cost somewhere in the $30 to $40 range.

aden + anais Swaddles - Classic Muslin Collection

Swaddling has been a requirement in our house as far as babies are concerned.  My son was swaddled til around 5 months, as he just would not sleep without it.  He was a very light sleeper and any little noise would startle him (and up would go the baby arms, smack in his face, and then he'd be awake).  We started swaddling after the nurses at the hospital showed us how, and it was a fantastic way to help him to be well rested (and also didn't hurt that we got more sleep too...).  However, my son grew super fast...and so he outgrew the standard 30" x 36" receiving blankets in about, oh, three weeks or so.  Something had to be done!  I ended up purchasing 3 lengths of flannel from the local fabric store, and serged the raw edges, into a larger size swaddling blanket.  It worked great, but by the time he hit 3-4 months old, we were getting into the warmer days of summer, and I hated bundling him up when it was already so warm in his room.

How I wish I'd had a set of aden + anais muslin swaddling blankets at that time!  I don't know if they even existed, certainly I'd never heard of them, but when I did hear about them I knew right away I'd want a set for my daughter.  I was lucky enough to receive a four pack of them as a new baby gift, and wouldn't you know it, my daughter did NOT take to being swaddled, at least not for a few weeks.  It wasn't until after we got her home and a few weeks went by that her sleeping started to deteriorate (beyond the normal newborn interrupted sleep) and we decided to try swaddling again.  This time it worked, she stopped crying just as soon as we had her all wrapped up.  We used the flannel homemade swaddling blankets at first (and still do, if it's cool at night) but have used the aden + anais ones many times so far on hot summer nights.

They are a generous size (47" x 47"), big enough to swaddle her still at over four months old and almost 17lbs (!!).  She has at times wiggled her soft little arms out of the swaddle but that could be due just as much to my swaddling technique as to the fact that she has such incredibly soft (and hence slippery) skin.  The blankets really do get softer each time you wash them, and seem to be at their softest & fluffiest when tumble dried.  I love using the blankets when we're out and about, they make a nice airy tent over her carseat when she's asleep in it, and are a nice lightweight way to keep the sun & bugs off baby when we go outside for a bit.

If you'd like to read more about the aden + anais swaddling blankets or find out about other products offered by aden + anais, pop on over to their website http://www.adenandanais.com/default.aspx.  You can buy aden + anais products at stores all over (use the store locator on their website to find a retailer near you), on eBay, and online at retailers such as Amazon.com.  A set of four blankets will run you between $35 and $60 depending on where you buy it (boutique stores seem to be the most expensive) and if the past four months of use & laundering is any indication, they will last you a good long time.

Today (Aug 10th 2011) you can still buy sets of 4 aden + anais blankets over on http://www.babysteals.com!  But hurry, the deal changes to something else at 9pm PST!

BabyLegs Leg Warmers

When I first heard of BabyLegs, I thought they were adorable, but couldn't really think of a use for them - my little guy wore cloth diapers but in our climate, if it was ever warm enough for him to run around in just a diaper, it was almost definitely too warm for leg warmers.  I bought some anyways though, and have been very happy with my purchase.  When my son was younger, he would sometimes wear a onesie and BabyLegs around the house, and it did simplify diaper changes.  We did not like them for potty training though, because it seemed that every time an accident happened, the BabyLegs would inevitably get soaked, and it's bad enough to have to pull off wet socks, let alone wet leg warmers.  Maybe if we were potty training with pull-ups it would have been better but we went straight to underwear when he was ready (and it worked, so no complaints).

I think though, now that he's four, and has his own special version of "fashion sense", BabyLegs get even more use in our home.  Either he wears them under (or sometimes over!) his pants in the cooler weather, or he puts them on his arms as "arm warmers", especially when he is wearing a t-shirt on a cooler day.  He even will wear them under his pyjamas to stay extra warm if he's feeling chilly at bedtime.

They have been washed and dried along with all our other laundry and still look great, there is no pilling, fading, or snagging of the material, and they have held their elasticity very well.  I have bought a few pairs for my daughter too, and I expect that they will be just as well loved as she grows up.  They come in tons of different colours, patterns, and prints, and in newborn (0-3M) and regular sizes, so you are sure to find something you love.  Check out the selection and be sure to view some of the cute customer photos over on their website at http://www.babylegs.com.

Does your little one have a favourite pair of BabyLegs?  My little guy's favourites are a pair of blue/green striped ones that have little giraffe's on the bottom.

My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow

I had a simple Jolly Jumper nursing pillow when I was breast-feeding my son, and for the most part, it did what I needed it to do. But it was sometimes awkward to get it into the right position, and as my son grew, I found that his body being supported at the same height as his head was kind of like you or I lying in bed on our side without a pillow...not comfortable and definitely not that conducive to breast-feeding. So I ended up hunched over and supporting his weight on my arm despite the pillow being there. It was not that great for my back, let me tell you.

When I was pregnant I heard a lot of good things about the My Brest Friend nursing pillow, and I must say, now that I'm using it, I definitely feel it is a good choice of nursing pillow, especially if you tend towards chubby babies that are heavy to hold in those long late night "feeding frenzies" (or am I the only one whose baby takes two hours to settle to sleep at night?)

It is made of foam and has a comfortable C shape that curves around the front of your body, and a narrow piece that goes behind your back. The narrow piece can be buckled to the front part (essentially so you are wearing it like a belt) or you can leave it undone. I prefer to leave it undone so that when my baby finally falls asleep, I don't risk waking her up by fiddling with buckles, etc on our way from rocking chair to crib. The top of the pillow is a uniform flat surface except for two small hill-shaped "pillows" which gently support baby's head while nursing.  The cover has an attached pocket for any essentials, Vitamin D drops, or a book to read while nursing, or whatever else you can think of.

The cover is removable and washable, which is great, because few things see as much spit up as mommy's shoulders and nursing pillows... I'm not sure if the foam core is machine washable, so I always try to keep a spare blanket on the "business end" to help minimize the number of times the cover needs to be removed and cleaned.

If you are the type to need a nursing pillow, I would highly recommend the My Brest Friend pillow. You can find out more at http://www.mybrestfriend.com/

Review: Moby Wrap

One of my good friends sent me a Moby Wrap as a new-baby gift when I was pregnant with my daughter.  I had used a sling when my son was very young, and a snuggly-style front carrier when he got older, but had never tried a wrap before.  I remember though that I didn't use the sling for very long because my son didn't fit into it very well, and I had done some reading to suggest that the style of front carrier I had used is actually not that good for baby (go Google infant carrier + spondylolisthesis for some thoughts on that front).  Regardless of how many of those articles were truth and how many were just thriving off the new-mom fear/guilt combo, I wanted to try a wrap carrier because of how comfortable they looked - both for baby AND mommy.

The Moby I received was an off-white shade, perfect for a girl or a boy, and nice for using in the summer when the extra fabric would be warm enough without also absorbing lots of sunlight like a black or navy one might have done.  It is not difficult to put on, but it does take a bit of practice to get it right.  I went to a local store that promotes babywearing (BLISS, located on Oland Drive in Bayer's Lake Industrial Park outside of Halifax) and they were very kind to show me how to put it on, and how to put baby into it.  I even went back when my daughter was just a couple of weeks old because I had previously just practiced putting a teddy bear into it, and wanted an expert hand to show me how to put my tiny new baby in.  (Thank you so much, BLISS!)

I don't want anyone to think it is difficult, there are a ton of YouTube clips out there to show how to do it, and once you do it, it's easy to repeat.  The reason I decided to review it today is because I used it at the grocery store and thought to myself how handy it was, and that every mom with a young baby should have one.  I was able to shop hands-free, my cart was not cluttered up with a heavy infant carseat, and my daughter was able to nap comfortably in the wrap carrier while I shopped.  And it's so nice to have her close enough to be able to look down and kiss her forehead or the top of her head whenever the mood strikes (which, I'll admit, is all the time).

The wrap is made of a stretchy cotton material, can be machine washed (thank goodness, because it gets its fair share of spitup on it...), and thrown in the dryer.  I've also hung mine out on the line to dry, but prefer the dryer since it is a huge piece of fabric and takes up a ton of space & clothespins on the line.  Plus, putting it in the dryer restores the elasticity for the next wear.  My daughter was pushing 15 lbs at her 2 month checkup, and is almost 3 months old now, and she still fits comfortably into the Moby Wrap carrier, and I don't have any strain at all having to carry her.  It's so convenient - I have used it while preparing dinner (not by the stove or oven though!), gardening, walking, shopping... basically anything where you are standing up and moving around.  It's also nice for shopping trips where you are in and out of the car, instead of lugging the carseat with you each time, just put the Moby Wrap on once, then put baby into it whenever you leave the car.

You can buy your Moby Wrap locally at Nurtured (http://www.nurtured.ca) or at BLISS (http://www.facebook.com/pages/BLISS-Natural-Parenting-Resource-Centre-Every-Baby-Deserves-Breastmilk/), and possibly other retail locations, or of course you can visit their website at http://www.mobywrap.com and find out other retailers.  The $40-$50 price tag is quite reasonable especially when you consider the added comfort of the carrier and the fact that they have excellent resale value on the secondhand market.

Review: Milkstars Nursing Tops (Styles: Joan and Jenny)

I bought two Milkstars nursing tops from Babysteals when I was still pregnant, for the same reason that I bought my Bravado nursing bras (check out the full review here) - so I could nurse my baby in comfort and style.  Boy, do these shirts deliver in both departments!

Milkstars nursing tops are made of the softest fabric that drapes perfectly against your figure without being tight or clingy.  The two styles that I bought have short sleeves, and have 2 layers of fabric all around.  This is so that you can lift the top layer of the shirt to give your baby access to feed, without having to bare your belly or any other unfortunately lumpy bits.  The openings in the bottom layer are generously sized so you won't have to tug at the shirt to keep fabric from getting in baby's mouth or face.

The shirts come in many different styles and colours, I bought the Jenny (scoop neck, cap sleeves) in a bold purple shade, and the Joan (scoop neck, flutter sleeves) in a hot pink.  I wish I had ten of these shirts, whenever they are clean, I am wearing them.  Once they've both been worn, I usually will do a load of laundry just so I can get them back into the rotation.  The Milkstars website recommends hand washing the shirts but acknowledges that busy moms probably won't have time for this (exactly!) so they also state that machine washing on a gentle cycle and then laying flat to dry will also work.  I have a philosophy about clothes that are supposed to be hand washed, which is as follows: if they can't survive the delicate cycle on my washer, then I wasn't meant to own them.  The Milkstars shirts have not let me down in this department.  I have even hung them on the line to dry, but I don't recommend this as the clothespins do leave dents/marks wherever it is clipped.  They do dry nicely on an indoor rack where you can fold them in half to hang them up.

I do wonder why the shirts have the double layered fabric in the back as well as the front, perhaps it is to help the material fall nicely around the body, but it does add a bit of extra warmth which I don't really need, I find that breastfeeding is enough to keep me warm most days without extra layers on top.

If you'd like to buy a Milkstars nursing top, you can do so from their website at http://www.milkstars.com - they offer flat rate shipping to the US ($7) and to Canada ($12) so you might as well get more than one!  They are currently advertised from $56 to $60 for shirts, $79 for pyjamas (be still, my heart... I would LOVE to try these out!), and $85 for a dress.  I was fortunate enough to buy my two shirts when they were on Babysteals.com for half price (http://www.babysteals.com) but if you were to spend $30-$40 on a regular nursing top from a maternity shop, you might as well put in the extra $20 and get one of these, because you will love it forever.

DEAL ALERT!  Right now on their Facebook page (search for Milkstars Nursing Wear) there's a 25% off sale code that's valid til Wednesday - so move fast!

Review: Bravado Lifestyle Microfiber Bra

With my first pregnancy I had no idea how flubby and unattractive I would feel after giving birth and before getting my figure back.  I had purchased 6 cheap cotton nursing bras, with seams in unfortunate places (so they were never smooth under t-shirts), and they did not offer much support.  The colours were good, I had two white, two black, and two nude.  However, I never really felt good wearing them.  They did what they needed to do, but weren't exceptionally comfortable, and definitely were not attractive in any way, shape, or form.

So this time when we found out we were expecting again, I resolved to only wear maternity and nursing clothes that made me feel good about myself.  I bought 3 Bravado Lifestyle Microfiber bras in the "Enchanted" colour scheme, which is a really nice chocolate brown and has dark aquamarine coloured lace and ribbon trim.  I also bought two Bravado Lifestyle Microfiber bras in the "Sugar" colour scheme, which is an ivory colour and has a peach coloured lace and ribbon trim.

The bras are the most comfortable I have ever worn, and are very supportive.  I normally wear bra size 34C so I bought four bras in size 36D and one in 34D.  The 36D ones have a triple hook closure which is really nice and wide for extra support and helps to rein in any back chub.  The 34D has a double hook closure but is otherwise the same as the 36D.  The cup fabric is not padded but is made of two layers of fabric.  The outside layer is the coloured microfiber, while the inside layer is cotton which feels really nice on your skin.  They are well put together and very elegant, even my husband loves the look of them (or maybe it's just the larger breasts?  Regardless...)

I normally wear a padded underwire bra so I am very surprised how I enjoyed wearing this bra.  I haven't had too many moments where my "headlights" were showing as the two layers of fabric do a nice job holding everything in close.  I love the wide shoulder straps - they are almost 2cm wide - as they distribute the weight nicely on your shoulders without digging in at all.  I have even worn them to sleep in the early weeks with our new daughter when my normal sleep bras were in the laundry, and they were so comfortable that I did not miss my sleep bras at all.

One last thing I have to mention about these bras is the way you wear them when nursing.  The clasp is super easy to open and close with one hand, and the entire cup folds down.  There is a non-stretchy piece of fabric that runs along the outside edge of the cup (near your armpit) that connects the strap to the band, but there is no fussing with an opening that has to be lined up just right (is it just me, or do other bra manufacturers make these openings way too small to be helpful?).  The clasps feel nice and solid, and make a distinctive click when they close so you know things are put back together.  I've heard some people say they find the click too loud, but it's never woken my baby so I don't mind it at all.

You can find out more about these bras and purchase them here: http://www.bravadodesigns.com/shop/the-lifestyle-microfiber-nursing-bra.  They are worth every penny!

*Disclaimer:  Geekmommy Reviews was not paid to post this product review.  In fact I purchased the product myself and was not compensated in any way.