Website of The Month: Baby First TV

For this month, my favorite website is Baby First TV. Baby first not only is its own TV channel, focused on the development of newborns to toddlers, but it has an amazing website to boot. You can watch videos with your little one, play games, learn more about their TV channel, ipad and ipod apps, you can order DVDS, toys, the works! 

Studies show that the brain of a baby can absorb so much more than the mind of an adolescent or adult. Why not take advantage of it? Baby First is made to help you do just that! Check out the link to the website that I have posted for you on the right hand side. 

Happy Learning!

LANSINOH THERA-PEARL BREAST THERAPY

Tenderness and raw skin come with the breast feeding territory.These little therapy pearls are super handy.They give you the option of soothing your breasts before or after a feeding; and for those moms who are really going through it, you can choose to use them before and after. (I know I did!)

Just warm the pearls in the microwave and place on your boobs before a feeding. It is said that the increase in temperature causes your milk to "let down". This just means that your body releases your milk supply; your nipples should, at this point, begin to leak. What is great about using the Lansinoh Thera-Pearl Breast Therapy packs before hand is that, if your milk has already let down, your bundle of joy wont have to work so hard to feed and this means he/she wont suck so hard out of frustration. (mom:1, nipple soreness:0) 

If you'd like to use them after the feeding, simply put them in the freezer before hand. As we all know, anything frozen can act as an anti-inflamitory; it will also help with soreness. What's better about using these packs than just a bag of ice, or something like that, is that these flat, circular shaped packs fit nicely in your bra! This means that you don't have to take time out of your busy schedule to nurse your sore boobs! (mom:1, time:0)

I've found this product at Target, Walgreens, and CVS. They are super easy to find and inexpensive. I recommend investing in a couple pair.

Bottom Line: Great, versatile product & very helpful. I wish the package came with 4 instead of 2 so moms can always have one frozen and one ready for the microwave.

SORRY FOR THE HIATUS

Before I finally get back to the good stuff, let me just say the I am sorry for disappearing on you moms and dads. Due to some unexpected situations, I was unable to keep up with my blog. I am, however, back on the scene (and am extremely excited about it!).

I will pick up right where I left off: Breast feeding! Be on the look out for my upcoming posts.

Love,

Ashly & RJ

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH: BABYCENTER.COM

Alright moms & dads, as promised, here is the website of the month for April: BABYCENTER.COM.

This website is amazing. It walks expecting mothers through each week of pregnancy with videos, ideas on how to cope and relax, things to consider (like the type of birth you'd like, spouse's feelings, etc.), in depth information about what to expect as far as your mood and weight, how your baby is growing and developing, and they even have pictures of what your baby should look like during each specific week! 

BabyCenter was a huge help to me as a first time mom because, for one, I didn't know what to expect and, for two, it gave me something to look forward to during the weeks that I was simply waiting for my next doctor's appointment!

Once your baby is born, BabyCenter just keeps giving! You can opt into continuing to receive emails on how your baby should be developing each week after birth; they even continue providing you with all their goodies well into your child's toddler months and small child stages.

They also have an App! Everything sent right to your phone (I couldn't get enough of it.) You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc!

Check them out! The link can be found to the right of my blog under 'This Month's Favorite Website'.

DRY YOUR BABY BOTTLES ON THE LAWN

While I was pregnant, I was shopping at BuyBuyBaby in Dallas, TX and came across this adorable drying rack made by a company called Boon Inc. It was like the Heavens had opened up to shine light on this product as I was walking by (that's how amazed I was) because I had just recently had a chit-chat with my mother about not wanting an ugly, bulky drying rack sitting on my counter top!

The piece you see in the picture above is called 'Lawn' and the pictures of the pieces below are called 'Stem' and 'Twig'.

The Twig and Stem parts are meant to hold onto the nipples, pacifiers, and all the other small items as to leave room on the Lawn for the bottles! Pretty cool idea and it looks beautiful put together (even when its full of bottle parts.)

I purchased mine at BuyBuyBaby in Dallas and haven't seen it anywhere else but you can order online or check out the store locator on the Boon Inc. website here.

MUNCHKIN LOVE: THE SHAMPOO RINSER

This is really just a peace-of-mind product, moms and dads. But, let's face it, a little peace-of-mind with a little person in the household is a BIG thing!

This is the shampoo rinser from a brand called Munchkin (get use to that name because I love them and I'd bet, after using a couple of their products, you will too!) It is made out of a soft, flexible material with an easy-grip handle. No more anxiety about dropping that hard plastic cup you're dangling over your child's head while rinsing his/her body during bath time!

I bought my shampoo rinser from Target but you can find a retailer on the Munchkin website here!

As the Munchkin product family would say, 'It's the little things.'

FISHER PRICE HAS A HIT! THE ROCK & PLAY SLEEPER

People warned me about the issues I would come across in regards to sleep once I had RJ and everyone has a different opinion about how to get the best sleep for you and your baby once you bring your bundle of joy home with you. It can be a nerve-racking thing, right? If you let the baby sleep with you, you run the risk of causing unintentional harm to baby as you sleep. If you put the baby down to sleep in a crib or basinet, you may find that you don't sleep even if baby is catching some Z's because you can't hear the baby breathing from such a distance or any number of other concerns. Hard decisions must be made!

I will admit, I still let RJ sleep with me sometimes but when he isn't taking up every, possible inch of my bed, he sleeps in his Fisher Price Rock & Play Sleeper. It really is a great product, moms & dads. It is a good height (stands only about 2 inches lower than my mattress), has bowed legs so you can rock your baby when he/she becomes fussy, is super simple to put together (I put it together in less than 5-minutes without the instructions), and is a comfort for my baby to lay in. I think it may have something to do with the design; it's almost like laying baby in a hammock (a very sturdy hammock, made out of plastic and metal and runs no risk of flipping over if you lose your balance.)The point is that the sleeper surrounds your baby to make him/her feel at ease. It is also inclined for those babies who don't like the feeling of laying flat yet! 

Pros

• Easy to assemble & fold for easy travel. easy,easy,easy
• Removable cover for easy cleaning (there's that 'easy' word again!)
• Stands at good height next to a standard bed for close proximity between you and your sleeping baby
• Cover comes in different colors & cute designs (different stores will vary)
• Surrounds your baby, sits at an incline, and can rock back and forth for comfort

Cons

• Possibility of mold 

NOW, BEFORE YOU PANIC, I wouldn't recommend something that I knew was bad or dangerous for your baby but I do want you to know all the facts: Fisher-Price released a warning (a type of recall, if you will) in Jan.2013 telling parents that they needed to check for mold between the cover and base of the sleeper. The mold stems from not washing the cover. 

Bottom Line? Babies sweat in their sleep just like we do and if you feed your baby in the sleeper, chances are milk will also find its way into the cover. If you change your bed sheets every 7-10 days, why would you go weeks, months without washing what your baby sleeps in? Wash the cover, wipe down the base and mold will not be an issue.

You will love this sleeper and so will your baby! :)

^^look how comfy he looks! & he will sleep ALL night in this thing. I bet you're sold on this sleeper now, huh?^^

Little Noses: Fun & Function

While a baby with a stuffy nose is No Fun, I cant help but smile every time I pull out my Little Noses box (isn't the little baby on the saline bottle just adorable?!) Anyways, the Little Noses aspirator is by far the best one I've tried;I'd say 3-4 other aspirators got a chance and didn't make the cut.

I started with the big blue aspirator I was given at the hospital when RJ was born but, let's face it, unless your child is born with the nostril size of an 18 year old boy, it's just too dang big. I made my way through a few others until RJ came down with a little cold and I had to buy the saline spray (aspirator included.) The Little Noses aspirator is the perfect size for infants and is angled so that the process of sucking mucus out of a crying child's nose is as painless and comfortable as possible for both parent and baby. 

Where can you pick one up? I've seen them at both Target and CVS.

Bottom Line: Good things come in small packages

I LOVE YOU, AQUAPHOR BABY

This just in: Aquaphor Baby is the best thing since sliced bread. THE BEST. I put it all over my son. During a diaper change, I put it all over before I close the diaper, after his bath, I put it on his face. After RJ's circumcision, the healing process was slow and when he peed, it hurt him which made both RJ and I miserable. I was using some ointment that is no longer relevant in my life. I bought Aquaphor Healing Ointment and he healed up in literally a day. A DAY! No more puss or uncomfortable peeing.  

-Diaper Rash? RJ has never experienced one. (my niece is a year old, uses this product, and has never had a rash either.) 
-Heat Rash? Gone in 2 days MAX.

You can get this product almost anywhere baby products are sold: Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, etc.

If you aren't using this on your baby, start to! (I'm serious..before the next diaper change, get this product!)

You can thank me (and the makers of Aquaphor, of course) later. 

Bottom Line: Magic in a can. 

MUNCHKIN STANDARD WIPE WARMER ROCKS

I learned very early that RJ did NOT like to be cold. He would stage the grandest protest to all things that caused his skin to become cool or his body temperature to drop. 

^^No one wants to see this kid mad! ^^

Anyways, the Munchkin Standard Wipe Warmer rocks my socks. Since I started using it, my baby boy has not cried once during a diaper change. The warmer locks on both sides to keep the lid down on your wipes and the button on the front of the lid is actually a light that you can push to see how full or empty the container is so that you are prepared to refill the warmer when it needs it. The horror of being in the middle of a diaper change when you realize your warmer has no wipes in it, right?! Not with this warmer! 

I bought my warmer at Target but I have also seen it at BuyBuyBaby.

Pros

• Super easy to set up. (Take it out the box & plug it in!)
• Light helps you stay ahead of running out of wipes
• doesn't over heat wipes; wipes get a nice warm temp
• happy baby during diaper changes

Cons

• Depending on the wipes you use, warmer may dry out the wipes (I am currently using Huggies One&Done & Im having no problems)

INTRODUCING [drum roll, please] ROCK-A-BUY BABIES BLOG

Hey there! My name is Ashly. The handsome guy in the picture with me? That's my 3-month old son, RJ. He is the love of my life and the reason why my obsession has changed from shoes (I still buy myself a pair every now-and-then) to diapers, formula, baby blankets, lavender shampoo.. (you get the picture).

RJ is my first child and I have dove, head first, into the on-going process of finding the perfect baby products for my baby boy;my husband just nods and agrees with my purchases (as he should!) With all the options out there for feeding, bathing, clothing, monitoring, etc. I decided to start this blog, ROCK-A-BUY BABIES to let you in on my fab' baby buys, one busy mommy to another!