Not me!

Because every other blog that has reviewed the new Onya Carrier has already come up with a clever way to incorporate the brand name into a funny title I decided to keep it simple.  Considering every time I hear the name I then say “All up on-ya” in a male, sexy, deep voice I know how tempting it can be!

I first encountered the Onya at the ABC Kids Expo this past year.  I’ve used a lot of soft structure carriers over the past 3+ years and the SSC is definitely my favorite carrier style.  When I attended the Expo I had my son Everett, who at the time he was 10 months old, so I was planning on babywearing him frequently.  The Onya was one of the carriers I wanted to test out while there.

Before I even go into details about the carrier itself I have to tell you all that the Onya inventor, Diane, is such a nice person.  She really brightened my day!  She explained the various features of the carrier to me and helped me get it on and sized.  We borrowed it for a the evening and returned it the next day.  Just from that time with the carrier I was impressed by it, but more importantly, Everett loved it for the back carry.

When Diane asked if I would like to give it a true review I was totally on board!  I just love trying out new carriers and playing with the buckles and settings!

Once it arrived I didn’t waste anytime.  I unboxed it and pre-adjusted the staps with some guesswork, then tossed Everett onto my back.  Since that day I’ve been using it around the house when he is a bit cranky and needs some mommy closeness and mommy needs to get housework accomplished.  My main use has been at home since the winter cold/snow has kept us from going out as much as we would like.  I have used it out of the house on shopping trips and I even used it outside for a romp in the snow!

Hands down the best thing about this carrier for me has been that the back carry is a bit higher than similar SSC’s.  Everett prefers being worn on the back in the Onya for this reason.  It is pretty obvious that he likes it.  When the baby is younger they are often stuck facing your back.  In the Onya he gets a higher view!

My next favorite feature would be that the back straps unbuckle and allow for criss crossing when performing a front carry.  Rather than reaching around to clip the chest clip on your own back or having someone do it for you, with the Onya you can buckle each strap easily under each arm.  The comfort level is not compromised- in fact I know many mama’s who prefer a criss cross in the back to a clip.  I don’t think one is better than the other, or haven’t noticed a difference.

The straps are insanely easy to adjust.  They glide throughlike BUTTER.  This is mostly a good thing because no one likes having to tug at a strap when you have one hand on a baby and need to get things adjusted quickly.  The only downside I found was when loosening straps it went from tight to way too loose in a split second because they are so smooth.  I had to condition mysef to pull ever so slightly to prevent it.

The waist belt is padded well and nice and wide which in the world of SSC’s means maximum comfort.  The straps are also adequately padded.  They feel a bit stiff (the straps) however and don’t bend/give as much as some other brands.  This could be something that happens over time when they break in, I just won’t know yet.  I also really appreciate the extra step of having multiple stitch lines through the waist belt and straps since it gives it a quality look.

The buckles match well and just feel downright well made.  When it comes to babywearing you want a carrier that has been well made and is safe.  I felt this was very true of the Onya.  Plus it was under development for over 4 years!  That is mighty impressive.

There is a sleep hood that is hidden.  You will need to just unzip it and pull it out.  I like that it is always there when you need it but hidden away.

The chair/seat thing is pretty cool.  It isn’t something that would make me pick it over any other carrier but having it could be to your advantage.  I see the chair seat as a good option for families who frequent those hole in the wall places that don’t cater to families and don’t have high chairs.  Of course in my life we try to make sure our destinations (like a restaurant) are family friendly.  I personally think if something doesn’t have a high chair then they don’t want a family with kids to be there.  And I don’t like that…

I chose to review the The Cruiser which is the cotton version of the Onya.  It currently comes in two color combinations- Dove Chocolate Chip (White/brown) and Leaf Green/ Umber (Green/brown).  One of the reasons I like the Onya is that the White carrier is very different.  It is a neutral color set and won’t totally clash with anything you own.  It is white though so you might see minor dirt on it more than you would on a typical black/brown carrier.  But I love the risk taking nature of it!  If you are more outdoorsy you might prefer the Outback which is a waterproof version of the carrier.

The Seat Chair gives a “poofy” appearance to the carrier.  You can’t take it out at all so there is not way to reduce the poof.

My chosen method of getting my baby on my back (The Super-Man Toss) is a little more difficult to use with this carrier.  The only way I can explain it is that the seat is deeper than most and I can’t get him as deep in it as I need from this method.  I usually have to get my husband or someone else to push my son deeper into the seat.  I do actually like the deeper seat pocket but since I wear him on my back the most it has given me a hard time!

I am a very petite person.  In the Onya I felt I could have tightened my straps a little more.  Everett wasn’t as snug against my back as I wanted.  I am barely 100 pounds (sometimes not even) so for the vast majority of people this isn’t going to be an issue.

You need to be aware before putting the carrier on, how your straps are tightened.  If you leave the straps loose on the side that faces your back (when doing a back carry) you have to tighten them by pulling away from you, backwards.  It is practically impossible 9at least for me) so after having this happen a few times I finally got the memo and would check each time and tighten that strap all the way.

I have enjoyed, and am still enjoying using the Onya Baby Carrier.  It is so clear how much love and thought went into the design.  Often when a first version of a product is released you can nitpick and find little things that could use improving.  I just can’t complain too much about anything.  One day I’m sure they’ll be able to add more color choices and those things come with time.

You can buy the Onya Baby Carrier through their website or from select retailers.  I’d also love it of you could “Like” Onya Baby on Facebook.  They are always posting wonderful words of babywearing wisdom and sage parenting advice.  

The longer I nurse the more I start longing for the days of wearing beautiful, lacy, SEXY bras again.  I know part of this is tied to wanting to feel sexy again, and part is getting over the hump of the after pregnancy/birth lack of *ahem* desire for certain things.  Once that desire is back I would like to start looking more desirable and less “sweatpants.”

Usually nursing and sexy bras don’t go together.  There are many brands offering cozy and comfortable nursing bras.  I should know, I own many of them and wear them on a daily basis.  However, when I get all dressed up I would like to have a bra that matches that feeling.  Something sexy, lacy, feminine, and that still gives me access to nurse my baby.

Enter the Cake Lingerie line of nursing bras.  Out of the “sexy” brands now offered for nursing bras I feel this brand is the sexiest!  I was fortunate enough to get to see their line in person at ABC Kids Expo.  These bras are made better and designed better than the bras I wore before having kids.

Cake Lingerie does make the popular nursing bra option of the “smooth cup” for under T-Shirts, and more day to day wear bras.  For my review I was able to try one of the bras in their Fashion line.  I was sent Coconut Ice (Plunge).  This bra has a lot of details- lace all the way around, pretty pink and black striped fabric on the bust, decorative straps, a oretty black bow in the center, and a multitude of settings on the back for the ever changing pregnant and nursing figure.

After doing some playing around with the straps and adjusting it to my size, I was happy to find a different kind of silhouette than my every day nursing bras achieved.   It wasn’t something I would wear under my everyday tight T-Shirts, but would look pretty awesome under my nice dresses.  It was more of a “bombshell” shape.

It was a challenge for me to decide on a size.  The company uses a different sizing system and I was torn as to what would fit best.  After some translating from the European sizes and talking with Ashleigh from Cake Lingerie, I decided on a 32 D and it was a bit too big in the cup.  I used some padded inserts from a bikini I had laying around in order to test the shape better.  In most other brands from the US I am usually a 32 D- 32 DD.

I loved everything about the bra when it came to the shape, the appearance, the quality, and the attention to details.  The only thing was that my skin didn’t like the lace!  Insert sad face here.  I just couldn’t wear this bra all day.  By the late afternoon I was one of those women who walk in from a day out at work/ running errands, who immediately unclasp and throw off their bra. It was kind of funny because I have been wearing shapeless and plain cotton nursing bras for so long I forgot what wearing something “pretty” actually felt like before having babies.  The band with the lace trim caused some itching.  It wasn’t the FIT that made it uncomfortable.  I would like to try their Toffee bra in the future; with no lace I expect it would be much more comfortable for longer periods of time.  It is also the ONLY nursing bra with a convertible strap option!

One thing that is nice about the shape of this bra is the wide set straps.  Often, with nursing bras your straps are more centered to the cup.  Certain shirts require wider straps or else they will be visible.  I like to wear this bra with my Toni Top, and even though that top is so wide set they somtimes sneak out, this is a bra that works with it.  Plus the straps are pretty, black, and lacy, so it works.

I was so impressed with the company and I’m thrilled that I met them at ABC Kids.  They really understand what goes into making a maternity and nursing bra.  They offer a huge variety of sizes, including Plus Sizes, and styles.  I’ve never talked to a man who knows more about nursing bras than Keith, who was at the booth during ABC Kids.

I’m going to be stalking Zulily and hope that Cake Lingerie comes back so that I can try one of their other bras.  Admittedly, their price is high at around 59.00 per bra.  After you have tried a lot of cheaper bras and realize how quickly they wear out their welcome and lose shape you start thinking of more expensive bras as an investment.  It has been a gradual shift in my thinking.  But, I still prefer saving money when I can, which is why I try catching good brands like Cake Lingerie on sale.

You can also find Cake Lingerie at A Mother’s Boutique here in the US in select styles.  If you are unsure of your size I know Judy will answer your questions.

*some links are affiliate links.

My first ERGO was purchased used from a woman on Craigslist.  Prior to owning it I wasn’t babywearing much, if at all.  I purchased a ring sling when pregnant with my first son and just couldn’t get the hang of it.  Back then I was a complete newbie to babywearing and parenting.  I read online how amazing the ERGO was and when I saw one for 75.00, gently used, I jumped at the chance.

That carrier introduced me to the wonderful world of babywearing and at a great price!  Knowing what I know now I would have paid anything to have that carrier and have it work as well as it did.  He almost lived in his ERGO.  Months later we started exploring other carriers but the ERGO has a special place in my heart as my introduction to comfortable babywearing.

You can imagine when I heard that Petunia Pickle Bottom (the brand of diaper bag I also use and love) and ERGObaby teamed up that I was over the moon.  My old black ERGO was faded.  It still worked like a charm, but I used it less and less in favor of my other “prettier” carriers like my Boba.

An opportunity to try the PBB ERGO came courtesy of Mom’s Milk Boutique.  They kindly offered to bring one to the ABC Kids Expo for me and I said “OH GOD YES.”  Well…. I was thinking that but I kindly accepted in a less eenthusiastic, more professional way.

Since that time I have been using the PBB ERGO on a very regular basis.  I chose the Peaceful Portofino which goes beautifully with my son’s bright blue eyes.  I love all three of the prints so it was a very difficult choice.  I got to see all of them, and the other new colors and prints of the ERGO when I attended the ABC Kids Expo.

As a Petunia Pickle Bottom owner who is familiar with the depth and beauty of their brocade prints I was curious how they would translate over to the ERGO.  I love them on a diaper bag but was just a little apprehensive about that fabric on a carrier.  Luckily they just translated their STYLE of print to a flat cotton material.  I think this works best for durability and washing reasons.

The carrier itself is still an ERGO which means it is insanely comfortable for Moms, Dads, and caregivers to wear their babies and toddlers.  You can also nurse in it, wear a newborn while using their Heart2Heart insert, and use it for front and back carries.

Mom’s Milk Boutique sells the Petunia Picklebottom ERGObaby Carrier as well as their standard carriers in the new colors like the Mystic Purple (which is stuning in person!), the Performance ERGObaby Carrier, and their Organic Carriers.  You can find all of the ERGObaby accessories there including my favorite, the front pouch.  I kid you not, I use it every day as my purse.

Right now MMB is having a special.  If you buy a full price ERGObaby carrier receive a free Infant Insert.  This doesn’t include the Petunia Picklbottom Carriers.  ERGObaby carriers also ship FREE!

Pssst…… Don’t forget to RSVP and attend the #MilkMiles Twitter Party for Mom’s Milk Boutique. There are a gazillion prizes to be handed out in just 1 hour, including a few ERGObaby front pouches! My fav! It all goes down November 22 at 9 PM EST.

Little Everett has been sitting unassisted for a while now but he is definitely not to be trusted, especially on hard surfaces.  When he was a wee tot I ran out and bought a used Bumbo for him and he loved it.  Unfortunately, he grew out of the darn thing!  His thighs got so chunky that we had to wedge him in and use the Jaws of Life to remove him.

A week after I retired the Bumbo I received the Prince LionHeart BebePod Flex Plus for review because I am part of the Elite Writer’s Group.  I had my doubts since I assumed it was similar to the Bumbo.  Fortunately it isn’t.  And it fit him!  Happy Dance! I plopped him in after unpackaging it and did a mondo load of dishes, all while he played with the neato toy that clips into the tray.  That was a major mommy win. It was a lifesaver during the Flats Challenge last week.  While I was handwashing diapers or wringing them and drying them out I had him in the BebePod Flex Plus.   I felt much safer if I had to leave the room since he couldn’t scoot backwards or fall over and hit his face.  I’ve even watched as he leaned over to get a toy and expected it would tip but it never has.

Award-winning, pediatrician approved bébéPOD® Flex Plus is the best, FIRST infant seat for feeding, play and travel. With its dual-strap system, the bébéPOD® Flex Plus converts from a FLOOR seat to a CHAIR MOUNTED seat in a snap, perfect at home, at restaurants and visiting family. It is comfortably soft, non-toxic and easy to clean with an ergonomic design that provides optimal support in helping Baby learn to sit and eat – Adjustable Upgrade Tray, placemat and learning toy keeps baby engaged!
• Soft, durable, non-toxic and easy to clean
• Ergonomic design provides optimal support in helping baby learn to sit
• High back helps promote proper posture
• Pommel helps keep Baby snugly in place
• Leg openings designed for comfortable positioning and support
• Designed from Award Winning bébéPOD®
• Comes with placemat, adjustable tray and toy
• Available in watermelon and kiwi
• Recommended age: 3-14 months

Now I’m a little sad that we didn’t have this seat earlier.  The good news is that because of the extra features and the more generous thigh openings, it will last longer than our Bumbo did and we will still get use out of it.

The BebePod Flex Plus has a harness to secure the baby into the seat, as well as straps that attach the seat to another chair.  Guess what?  That makes it a booster! This was super exciting for me.  I’ll never forget the time I was out to eat with my hubby and son and I saw a family feeding a baby purees in a Bumbo while he was on the table.  It looked ridiculous but the baby was quiet.  Everett hasn’t started solids yet but I see us using this for his mealtimes because it is so comfortable for him.  It is lightweight and portable enough to bring to a relative’s home or babysitters so they have a place to be fed and a safe seat.  The surfaces is smooth with no crevices which also makes it very easy to clean.

There is also a tray that attaches to the chair.  A mat can be placed on top (with cute fruit themed images) or you can remove the mat and insert the included carousel toy.  Hallelujah! I have a suction cup toy similar to this which I love but it always comes unstuck from the table surface.  Everett loves spinning it.  Sometimes I leave it off and put others toys there and he equally loves banging those on the tray to make as much noise as possible.

Aesthetically I find the BebePod to look nicer than the Bumbo.  It is shiny, has contrasting colors with the white knob in front, and the toy isn’t too obnoxious to look at white it is attached.

If I were to change anything about the BebePod Flex Plus I would like some way to keep the buckles from falling into the seat.  I’ve gotten a little annoyed at having to hold 19 pounds in one arm while sweeping the buckles out from the seat only to have them slide back in before I get my guy in.  I’d also like an option to buy other toys built for the tray.  Toys that can’t be swept off the tray are miracles.

Bumbo

BebePod

If you are deciding between a Bumbo and BebePod Flex Plus the tray is a major factor.  I have the tray for the Bumbo and never used it, ever.  It was a pain in the butt to put on and it was bulky.  The tray for the Bebepod Flex Plus is easier to put on, although I have to admit since Everett is chunky I can only get it to click in once.

It looks to me that the Bumbo works with smaller/younger infants better but I can’t say for sure since I didn’t have the BebePod Flex Plus to compare during that stage.

If you are trying to decide based on price, there is no competition.  Both are about the same price, and if you upgrade to the BebePod Flex Plus with the tray, that price increase is the same as adding a tray to a Bumbo (sold separately)

We’ve been very happy with the BebePod Flex Plus and hope to get many more months of use out of it!

Where to buy: The BebePod Flex Plus can be found at your local Target or on Target.com.

One lucky DDL reader will win a Bebepod Flex Plus from Prince Lionheart!  This is a US Only giveaway, sorry Canadians.

(1 entry) Mandatory Entry: Sign up for the Prince Lionheart Newsletter. Please leave the email you used in the comment for verification and contact purposes. Leave it as a comment.

For extra entries do any or all of the following.  Leave a comment for each you do.

(1 entry) Follow @KimRosas on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “Enter to win the Bebepod Flex Plus from @KimRosas and Prince Lionheart.  http://tinyurl.com/3r58mb2 Ends June 16.” Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Leave a comment with your status for each tweet. 1 entry per day.

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Giveaway ends on June 16. Winner will be chosen using And the Winner Is. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn. *Open to US only* A Bebepod Flex Plus was sent for the purposes of the review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% genuine and my own.

Wendy, inventor of  PumpEase, contacted me about doing a review.  I really wanted to work with her because I know they are a fabulous company but frankly, I don’t pump very often.  If you follow me on Twitter you know that I only have a single pump and when I do get around to it I tweet the entire time about how much I despise pumping.  But I have a friend who pumps, and pumps, and pumps.  I knew she could give this a real work out, and she did!  Read about her experience with the Pumpease and how it saved her back and her sanity!  Plus keep scrolling for a coupon code and giveaway!

Organic PumpEase

I was recently asked to review the Pumpease Organic Pumping Bra for Dirty Diaper Laundry. I’ll start with my favorite thing about it….I’m using it right now. Right this second I am double pumping as I type this review. THAT, is my favorite thing. Let me backtrack and give you and idea of who I am and why I like that so much. My name is Ginni, I am a SAHM/doula/nursing mom/milk donating mom with 4 kiddos. I pump 2-8 times in each 24 hour period, typically 5-6 times a day/night. I have a 7 month old nursling and I also pump for a 6 month old that was born via surrogacy and cannot be nursed by mom, but through donation is exclusively breastfed.

I stay home with my kiddos every day, and 3 nights a week I am an overnight in-home baby nurse/postpartum doula for newborn twins. I pump a couple of times during my shift when the babies allow, usually twice between midnight and 8am. I have to have milk on hand for if my son wakes during the night and I’m not there. I also attend births and have to always have a minimum of 24 hours worth of milk for him for if I get called to a birth. I have various workshops, training courses, client interviews/prenatal appointments, commitments and occasionally even…. *gasp*…..SOCIAL EVENTS! Some of those require (or are just better!) not bringing my 7 month old with me. Oh look! My bottles are full! I can turn off my pump and continue! Didn’t even notice.

So as you’ve probably noticed, my schedule is a little full, and multi-tasking is crucial to my family and career balancing and thriving like it is. Kim specifically spoke to me about this product and said “If anybody needs this, it’s you!” and she was absolutely right. This bra….I love this bra. It has taken the frustration out of pumping really. I hate pumping. It’s not fun, it’s not comfortable, it’s time consuming and well….unattractive. I feel very awkward sitting on my couch with both boobs hanging out hunched over trying to be at least SOMEWHAT discreet while answering my 8 year old son’s question about where his baseball glove is. I don’t mind nursing in front of them, I don’t mind nursing in front of anyone really. But pumping is different…it looks weird and I feel very exposed when I do it around anyone. I mean…I have to take both boobs out and basically sit there with them hanging out, and this machine that’s making them look strange and making a bunch of noise for 10-15 minutes, several times a day. Who wouldn’t love that?

One of the things that I love about the Pumpease is that it eliminates some of that lack of discretion for me. I am basically wearing what from the front looks like a sports bra/tube top. I am quite covered up. I have used it with and without a nursing bra underneath, and it functions efficiently either way.

The next thing I love about the Pumpease is that my back has stopped hurting. I realized that instead of just sitting and holding the pumps with my hands and waiting to be done, I was multi-tasking and using my hands anyway….just not very well. I would answer the phone, wipe my 2 year old’s nose, type an email one handed, try to eat, etc, while pumping. Do you know how to do that? You know, you get everything out of your lap, lean over and hold the bottle part of the pump on one side between your thighs and have that hand free! While bent in half slightly turned to the side….for 15 minutes. Yeah…..functional, but quite painful after doing it several times a day. This bra has taken that away. I actually forgot to put it in my pump bag the other night going to work and was NOT very happy when I sat down to pump without it. Amazing how quickly we get spoiled!

In short, the Pumpease is very simple, very comfortable, very modest and has given me back a couple hours a day of functional time…and I didn’t have those couple of hours to spare. I would highly reccommend it to any mom that is regularly pumping and doesn’t have the time to waste. Thank you to Pumpease and to Dirty Diaper Laundry for providing me with this opportunity to review something that I wouldn’t have thought I would want to buy, but now can’t live without!
Ginni is a mom to 4 kiddos, a doula, and an all around busy lady!  If you are in the San Antonio area she is also helping coordinate The Great Cloth Diaper Change there.  Her website:
www.lovingbeginning.com

Your PumpEase hands-free pumping support will hold your breast pump in place as securely and comfortably for your 1000th pumping session as it did for your 1st. Our patent pending, ‘no-stitch’ horn openings accommodate ALL makes and models of pumps guaranteed.

If you decided after that amazing testimonial that you need a PumpEase too, use the coupon code: DIRTYDIAPER15 for 15% off on Pumpease.com.  And did you know that 2.00 from every PumpEase sold on their website goes to Best For Babes?! Love it!

Oh, and I get to give one away!

One lucky DDL Reader will win their own PumpEase Hands Free Nursing Bra in their choice of size/color/style!

Mandatory Entry:

(1 entry) Tell me your favorite color or style of Pumpease available.   Leave it as a comment along with your contact email.

For extra entries do any or all of the following.  Leave a comment for each you do.

(1 entry) Follow @KimRosas on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “Free up your hands to tweet this while pumping!  Enter to win a @Pumpease from @KimRosas!  http://d28gc.th8.us Ends March 21.”Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Leave a comment with your status for each tweet. 1 entry per day.

(3 Entries!)  Sign up for my Monthly Newsletter. Leave a comment saying you did.

(1 Entry) Follow @PumpEase and/or @Snugabell on Twitter. Leave a comment.

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Giveaway ends on March 21. Winner will be chosen using And the winner is…. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn. *Open to US and Canada*

Ginni was sent a PumpEase for the purposes of the review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% genuine and her own.

Ina May Gaskin, America’s Leading Midwife, has a new book out this month titled Birth Matters: A Midwife’s Manifesta. And I am in tears from just finishing it.

I am sure many of my reader’s are familiar with Ina May and her life’s work of not only providing phenomal midwifery services to women at The Farm, her community in rural Tennessee, but also her dedication to promoting the midwifery model of care to improve women’s birth experiences.

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth truly made me believe in my ability to birth my son at home.  It made me realize that I needed to “let my monkey out” while laboring, as Ina May so famously suggested.  I needed to tap into my primal self, the self that instinctively knows how to birth a baby.  The self who, if she didn’t realize she was pregnant and suddenly doubled over in pain and thought she had to make a gigantic bowel movement, would assume the position and birth a baby.

And I did. I moaned, I swayed, I paced, and knelt, and reached, and I grabbed that baby -at home- with the care of 2 great midwives, a doula, and my husband by my side.  So thank you, Ina May.

Birth Matters is different from her other books because it is a history of birth, an exploration of why birth changed from midwife driven to obstetrics and surgery, and how we can get it back to being about women, not profit.  Birth is not only a feminist issue, it is person issue.  Birth shapes mothers and fathers; and how babies are born can shape them as well.  Birth should be respected and honored, not treated as a medical issue in need of solving.

The US has a serious problem.  Our Motherhood Morbidity rates far exceed other nations with comparable technology and wealth.  As it stands, we are at 15.1 maternal deaths per 100,000 births in 2005, up from 7.5 per 100,000 in 1982.   Even sadder, the rates are likely higher than even we know since the CDC reports that two thirds of maternal deaths are not represented because the method of reporting deaths has no standard and is not being done properly.  We are behind 40 other countries.

To understand where we are, where we have been, and where we need to go Ina May documents her own journey to midwifery, the witch hunt and near total eradication of the midwife culture in the US, the resurgence of midwifery care thanks to the Natural Birth Movement, and how we still have a long way to go to get midwifery care to all mothers who desire it.

I myself had to travel 1.5 hours away to receive care in order to have a homebirth. Was it worth it?  Yes!  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.  Should I have to?  No. And NY isn’t the worst in terms of laws regarding midwifery care.  At least here midwives are now legal to practice and Certified Nurse Midwives can be covered by insurance.  Others have it far worse than I did.

So much of this book took me back to my own hospital birth.  In a way I am grateful for it because now I see why hospitals aren’t the best place to have a baby.  The OB/GYN model of care treats women as “ill” who need to be monitored, tested, and have their birth’s practically mapped out if the baby won’t come on their “estimated due date.”  Even the EDD’s are changing.  When once the expectation was that a mother would have her baby around 40-42 weeks, we have shortchanged mother’s by 2 weeks and say 40 is the max!  Just in my own life, the mothers I know who chose an OB and delivered in a hospital usually ended up delivering in the 37-40 week timeframe.  Many ended up with inductions.  Of the women I know who chose a midwife and/or a homebirth, most delivered in the 38-41 week time frame, or later.

I appreciate technological advances but where do we draw the line?  Ina May relates many of the “advances” in medicine and technology that have in fact done great harm to mothers and babies.  She even discusses the new phenomenon of stopping periods with birth control.  It seems the research on many drugs and procedures prescribed to women are lacking the long term studies they deserve.  Examples include DES (the hormone pill given to women to prevent miscarriages which has given two generations, maybe more, a rare cancer), X-Ray’s on pregnant women that were once all the rage, forcep deliveries for nearly every birth at one time, twilight sleep (women were drugged and given amnesiacs, tied down, and went totally crazy.  They gave birth tied down but never remembered it, thus thinking it went well and was painless, when in fact it was not).  Then there is the technical advance of Electronic Fetal Monitoring and the pain relief drug, the Epidural.

The last two can be useful, but with overuse they cause more harm than good.  EFM in particular seems wonderful, but it has replaced nurses and doctors with a beeping machine.

And what about the Cesarean? I don’t think even the most staunch natural birth adovocate will deny that the C-Section has a place in this world. It can and has saved countless mothers and babies.

It has also become commonplace, accepted, and normal.  It is no longer just a life saving measure.  It is prescribed for virtually all breach babies, multiples, and of course, for any women who has had a previous C-Section.

The World Health Organization says C-Section births should be no higher than 10-15%.  The US stands at 32%, nearly one in three women! Some hospitals have rates in the 60-75% range.  When the C-Section rate reaches its highest point at 5:00-6:00 PM we know something is wrong.

Ina May and others are proposing we change the broken maternal healthcare system.  Easier said than done, right?

There is a new Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative, and this is laid out in the book.  Among other things, to be classified as a CIMS hospital, free standing birth center, or homebirth practice, C-Section rates cannot exceed 15%, but the goal is 5%.  Inductions (a topic close to my heart) should not exceed the rate of 10%, episiotomies should not exceed 20% but the goal is 5%, and VBAC (vaginal births after Cesarean) should be at least 60% but the goal is 75%.  The VBAC rate finally has a chance to increase thanks to the recent ruling by ACOG saying every woman has the right to a trial of labor to achieve a vaginal birth after cesarean.

Other goals are to treat women with the respect their deserve, to give more women access to midwives who want it, to let women labor and move about freely, to let women eat or drink, and so on.  Things that you would think are common sense, yet they don’t happen in many hospitals.

The CIMS hospital would also discourage non religious circumcisions, follow the WHO-UNICEF’s “10 Steps of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative”  for successsful breastfeeding, and mothers would receive adequate post-partum care including homevisits.

I am almost in tears again reliving the story told in this book (and many other places) of a woman who died of a post-partum hemorrhage a few years ago in NY.  Her mother was concerned about her, and last time they spoke the woman complained of a head ache.  When police finally broke down her door many days alter (after being asked to many times) they found the mother had bled out and her newborn had died of dehydration and starvation.

Had there been a postpartum homevisit her condition would have likely been discovered.  And at the very least, the baby would have been discovered in time.  In the book the number of babies born to single mothers is reported to be nearly 50%.  Many probably don’t have family to check on them.

The US has a problem. There is a solution.  God-willing one day this broken system will be fixed and the needless deaths of mothers (and babies) due to inadequate care, botched C-Sections, and post-partum complications left undiscovered will cease.

That is why I will be joining the Rally at the U.S. Capital with Ina May Gaskin and The Safe Motherhood Quilt.

Find out more information on The Motherhood Quilt and its mission.

You are damn right Birth Matters.  So let’s fix it.

You can find a copy of Birth Matters from my affiliate Amazon.com.  If you buy from my link you can help fund my trip to DC!  I am also hoping to attend her speech which has a hefty ticket price and would involve an extra hotel night.

I received a copy of this book in advance from the publisher for review. I also devoured it in 3 days.  Clearly, I enjoyed it and I think you will too.

I never thought I would need business cards, I’m just a blog!  Well, it turns out my blog is a business too.  Occasionally I will go to a conference or expo and need to give out my information.  And sometimes I will meet someone who wants to learn more about cloth diapers so I hand them my card in case they want to check out my website to learn more or email me with questions.

Mom Bloggers (and moms who want to connect with other moms for play dates) need to have cards on hand.  You really never know when something will come up!

I have used 2 popular card services, Zazzle.com and Moo.com.  I prefer the “skinny” or “mini” cards because everything tiny is cute.  Babies are tiny and they are cute, this applies to all things as well.

My first card order came from Zazzle.com.  I needed cards for a conference I was attending.  I asked on Twitter and many bloggers suggested this company.  No one said Moo at the time so I am guessing they weren’t around back then.  But my most recent batch came from Moo.com.

Zazzle Skinny Cards

Pros:

• Very unique and adorable pre-designed cards to choose from.
• Easy to customize
• Front and back designs
• Comes with stick dispenser (HUGE wow factor when I whip these out, they make a memorable impression and I KNOW businesses would connect me/my card to my follow-up contact email.)
• No minimum orders
• Cards come in packs of 20 for 6.95 or 1.99 per pack in bulk.
• Skinny cards are 3″ by 1″ (they also sell chubby and standard size)

Cons:

• The cards are “flimsy” compared to the stock used by Moo.
• Can’t use multiple designs within one pack.
• Too many designs to choose from!  Users submit them and it can be overwhelming sorting through and choosing (could be a pro depending on your nature)

Why Choose Zazzle?

Moo Mini Cards

Pros:

• You can import photos from many websites including Flickr, Facebook, and more.
• You can choose 2 images per pack for the front, 1 for the back.
• Quality is extremely high and cards are made from hefty card stock that is sustainably sourced and the color is gorgeous.
• You can upload a finished file and design our entire card on Photoshop using their template.
• Cards come in a sturdy and quality mini box.
• Can buy holders in felt or leather for additional charge.
• Many design possibilities and even the ability to print promo codes for dispensing.
• Seamless integration with Etsy shops.

Cons:

• Their interface was very hard to use and I went in 100 circles trying to design and upload my images.  I was beyond frustrated by the end.
• Not a huge fan of the designs available.  Many are just geometrics and florals, nothing innovative.
• Cards do not come with a dispenser, they are an additional 5.00 for plastic.
• You must order larger quantities (100 for 19.95)

Why choose Moo?

It is a TOUGH call to choose between the two services.  Zazzle is so user friendly and economical, however there are more design opportunities with Moo and their cards are a higher quality.

It really depends on the impression you are wanting to make (Zazzle dispenser wins for the cool, thumbing out factor and it is simple to do one handed too) but Moo cards feel nicer to the touch and can really make a “quality” impression.  Both allow you to use a tiny logo or picture on the card.  I did for Zazzle but not for Moo, but I will be using one of thee services again for my BlogHer cards and this will include my photo.  This really helps put a face to the name, literally, for a representative or person who has been handed hundreds or cards.

Who will I choose for my next order? I’m not really sure yet!  I prefer the dimensions of the “skinny” cards from Zazzle but love the look and feel of the Moo cards.  You will just have to wait and see me at BlogHer in August to find out!

I wrote this post on my own, there were no incentives from either company, just wanted to share!

Ever heard of Nosefrida?  No?  Well, let me put this as delicately as possible.  Nosefrida is a snot sucker powered by mom.  It is also the greatest invention for babies that won’t break your bank (15.00) and will save you a whole lot of heart ache.

Now is the season for colds.  I know this because both of my kids are getting over them and so am I.  I don’t know what is worse, a sick and whining toddler who is constantly wiping snot over his face with his hand, or a helpless baby who needs you to manually remove snot from their nose for them to breathe.

Bulb syringes are the devil.  They are thin and pokey, using repeatedly can cause nose bleeds and irritation for the baby, and they aren’t terribly effective. I always had to repeat the suction over and over with little result.

I got my Nosefrida over a year ago.  The timing wasn’t great, my first son was pretty wriggly at the time.  No matter what form of nose suction I used, it required two hands.  He thrashed and screamed.  But since it was a two handed job no matter what, I always chose the Nosefrida.

With a non mobile baby the Nosefrida is even more amazing.  My poor Everett was so congested a few nights ago he could hardly breathe.  I brought out ol’ faithful and starting sucking out boogies.  You know it is good when you hear this wet suction sound and see the snot in the tube.

I could hear the snot getting pulled from the deeper nasal cavity, truly relieving him of his congestion.  Bulbs can never get this deep, and you wouldn’t want to because that would be irritating to the baby’s nose.

How does the Nosefrida work?

There are 4 pieces.  A tapered plastic tube with a small hole opening at the tip, a cap attached to a long tube, a red mouthpiece, and a tiny foam cylinder filter which will prevent any snot from entering the tube.

The tapered tube is meant to create a vacuum in the baby’s nostril. Only a tiny portion is truly inside their nose, but it is not going to irritate them at all.

Once you have this inside your nostril, you are going to put the red mouthpiece in and suck.  I don’t want to sound gross, but you really need to suck.  Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t hearing something.  This does take some practice.  Just keep in mind you need a ton of lung power.

Once you hear that wet “squishy” vacuum noise you know you are doing it.  You will start to see a lot of mucous enter the tube.  Don’t worry, even if you have super lungs and you manage to suck the mucous all the way up the tube, there is that tiny sponge filter which will keep it out of the tube and out of your mouth.

If you have a weak stomach you might gag at the sight of the snot.  My husband did.  It doesn’t bother me in the least.

My advice if you have one or plan to buy one is: rinse the tube right away. I am awful about this because the most use my Nosefrida gets is in the middle of the night when my kid is congested the most.  But letting the snot dry is a bad idea, trust me.

My other advice is: get over the gross factor.  This product is so effective you will wonder how you lived without it.  Sick kids are the worst.  Babies can’t blow their noses.  Babies need to breathe without obstructions to nurse and sleep comfortably.

I promise you, this is an investment worth making.  If your baby is in the mobile phase it is definitely more of a challenge if they put up a fight.  Still, getting them cleaned out before bed is worth the trouble.  Going from hearing the crackled, congested nose, to clear breathing, is worth all the snot sucking in the world.

Right now the Nosefrida is on sale on Amazon.com (affiliate link) with free shipping!

Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator

I received a Nosefrida as swag at a conference over a year ago, but I would have written this review had I paid for it too!  I was not compensated for my review.

Did you know that I live in the snowbelt of the US?!  I totally do.  Last year my city received over 120 inches of snow and was awarded the Golden Snowball Award. We are undefeated.

Well, one of the fun things I get to do is dress my toddler in winter gear when we go out.  I am a little picky about what he wears, and hadn’t really found a winter coat I liked.  Many looked too poofy, others didn’t seem warm enough.

Luckily I was able to work with Obermeyer on a review of their “I-Grow” toddler ski coat.

Obermeyer has a philosophy that I can definitely get down with:

“We must step lightly on the planet, we are here for only a very short period of time really and it is not right to destroy something which gives us such great beauty and asks for nothing in return.”

Their About page is absolutely fascinating.  They are working hard to be a sustainable company.  Their Aspen office is very mindful of reducing waste and reusing what they can.

What is “I-Grow” exactly?

Every parent loves adorning their child with best: the cutest clothes, the warmest coats, the hottest shoes. The only problem? Your kids are constantly growing – nonstop it seems – so that by the time you actually purchase anything you get (maybe) a few weeks of wear before your tot has outgrown a garment yet again. For any parent facing this dilemma, Obermeyer has just the solution for you: Obermeyer’s children’s jackets and outerwear, which are equipped with an original I-Grow system.

A unique Obermeyer feature, the I-Grow system increases the life of a child’s garment longevity with expandable sleeves and cuffs: the sleeves can be lengthened up to 1 ½ inches longer, while the cuffs can be expanded up to 2 inches longer.

There is no better place to test out a coat than Syracuse NY.  I LOVE using this coat to play in the snow.  It is a little big but it certainly keeps him warm!  The cuffs and band at the waist prevent air from blowing in, and the zipper has easy to use velcro tabs over it keep air out of there too!  With toddlers, these little things matter.  No one wants to button over a zipper, that is way too much trouble!

The hood on this coat easily comes off.  Since we wear hats it isn’t needed much so it stays off the majority of the time.  The hood also has the ability to adjust in the back with a buckle.

Close-up of sleeve

The sleeves of the coat boast the “I-Grow” system.  You can snip the red thread which will give you an extra 1 1/2 inches on the sleeve for growing boys.  The only drawback would be that if you want to hand the coat down it would be impossible to re-shorten the sleeves.  Maybe you can re-sew it?  I haven’t had to snip so I am not sure if resewing is possible.  Still, I love that this coat will fit my son next year, and possible even the following year since he is a peanut!

Like their adult coats, the children’s “I-Grow” has handy features like zippered pockets, mitten clips, and more!  The ORV Jacket my son reviewed has these features:

• “I-Grow” system
• Adjustable interior hem drawcord
• Adjustable interior waist drawcord
• Alligator clip mitten retainers with Gator Garage
• Articulated elbows
• Fleece chin protector
• Fleece earwarmers
• Fleece inside collar
• Fleece-lined cuffs

Obermeyer coats come in some stylish colors and patterns.  We were sent a coat in Carolina Panthers colors!  I also love the Barcode pattern they have.  Your kid would be the most stylish kid on the slopes in one of these!

The price tag is steep, but if you are spending a considerable amount of time playing in the cold and snow you want something truly meant to keep the cold, wet, and air out.  And if you buy a little big you can get multiple years out of it so it will make the price tag worth while.  Your next child might even get some wear out of it. These coats are built to last so I guarantee it will last many, many seasons!

The thing they say about living up north is that you have to embrace the weather and learn to love snow sports.  Dressing appropriately for the weather is KEY. With the right get-up you can stay outdoors and enjoy the beautiful snow for hours.  Just because the kids are little doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a nice warm coat.

This review was performed and written by DDL contributor, Kristen.

I was given the opportunity to review a doll sling from Sweet Sugar Baby. I was excited about it because my oldest daughter had just turned two and was given a doll ring sling for her birthday and LOVED carrying her dolls and stuffed animals around.  So I was happy for her to be able to try out another doll sling, cuz lets face it…baby carriers are like shoes, you can never have too many!

Emerson wearing her baby

I was able to go check out the doll slings on the Sweet Sugar Baby website and was impressed by the VAST selection of prints available for doll slings.  I had a hard time choosing because there were so many cute prints but finally decided on the “carnival” print, because it had so many colors in it and will match most of my daughter’s clothes (and yes, I cared about matching.  Hehe).  Aside from having lots of great prints to choose from, the sling is also made out of bamboo/organic cotton, which is a bonus in my book.

When I received the doll sling, I was impressed by the quality of the sewing and the softness of the fabric.  It had the adorable carnival print in the center and the long piece of fabric was a nice shade of brown.  I tied it up and put it on my daughter, who immediately understood that this was her new sling and went to find a baby doll for me to put in it.  It was easy to get the doll in and can be used in many different positions.  Because it is just tied in the back, it will easily grow with your child and it was easy for my daughter to take off when she decided she was done with baby-wearing.

I love the Sugar Sweet Baby Doll Sling for my daughter because aside from being super cute, I know that it is also very comfortable for her to wear, which has been an issue with the doll ring sling because of the metal rings laying against her shoulder.  I know that the Sugar Sweet Sling will get a lot of use from my two girls and I love that my daughter and I can baby wear together…her wearing her doll and me wearing her little sister.

Kristen received a doll sling for the purposes of this review.  All opinions expressed are 100% genuine and her own.