The hardest part about shopping for a baby (in my opinion) is the search for "gear." These are your big items...the car seat, stroller, high chair, crib, etc. etc. We all want the safest, most stylish baby gear...and yet we also want to get it at an affordable price. And with so many large, reputable companies, these are tough decisions. I'm thankful that most of the baby gear I have from my son is in excellent condition. Today's shower items will focus on those must-have baby gear items that I personally think shine in quality, performance, and safety.

Bumbleride: There are a TON of fancy, expensive strollers on the market. Choosing one is a difficult decision (at least for me it was). Safety, versatility, and durability are all important factors. But I also want a stroller that looks nice and serves a purpose. I didn't have a lot of time to exercise with my son, and I imagine it's going to get even less when our baby girl is born. Earlier this year I reviewed the Indie stroller from Bumbleride...And then found out I was pregnant. This all-terrain, double stroller offers much in the way of features new moms will appreciate. You can use it in infancy with an infant car seat (a plus since many joggers don't accommodate an infant), it's lightweight for a double, weighing in at 34 pounds, easy to fold (and fits in my trunk!), has an adjustable handle (so my husband and I can both use it), and comes in 5 trendy colors!

Naturepedic: As a green mom, I strive to purchase safe, eco-friendly, sustainable products for my family. My children will spend a significant amount of their life sleeping. A comfortable, safe, non-toxic mattress is a top priority for me. I purchased an organic crib mattress for my son 2 years ago and I was certain that my daughter would be sleeping on something similar. The mattresses offered by Naturepedic are free from harmful chemicals, allergenic materials, and are made with natural, organic, renewable materials.

Avent: While I plan on giving our daughter breast milk for the first 12 months, I am a working mom who will need to introduce bottles at some point in our baby girl's life. There are a lot of bottle options available to parents, most of them now BPA-free. In my experience, choosing a bottle really comes down to a baby's preference. I will say that I opt for bottles that have systems in place to reduce the incidence of colic. I also look for bottles with nipples that best resemble the breast to avoid confusion or preferences. I'm excited about trying Avent's Natural Feeding Bottles, designed to reduce colic and fussiness. Stay tuned for our experience with them.

Phillips: For the first several months, while I'm nursing our baby girl, she'll stay with us in her co-sleeper/bassinet. But at some point, we'll all need our sleep! I'm actually really happy about the two of them in the same room together. I don't like the idea of my baby girl OR my son by themselves. I never had a sibling and I so wanted that for my children. But I digressed. I don't sleep well when my babies are away from me (even if they're just in the next room). We bought a dinky little monitor with my son so I could get a bit of rest. That monitor is on it's way out! Philips offers high-tech baby monitors with an awesome range. We already tried it out and I love that we don't get phone static interference like we did with our previous monitor. Their monitors utilize a special technology designed to prevent interference (a good thing because my husband cannot sleep with static). The monitor also monitors room temperature, has a night-light and plays lullabies.

Prince Lionheart: One of the scariest things you'll have to do as a parent to an infant is give him/her a bath. Even infant tubs seem huge compared to a 7 pound infant. When I first saw Prince Lionheart's WashPOD bathtub for infants, I was intrigued. How innovative to bathe an infant in a position that resembles a mother's womb. I like the fact that my baby will stay warm and secure (rather than flailing all about). You can use this tub through 6 months of age.

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this review. I did receive a product, courtesy of the company in order to facilitate my review.

Warning: This post contains information about breastfeeding.

I've been to a lot of baby showers. In fact, I was one of the last in my group of girl friends to have children. While everyone else was nesting and planning, my husband and I were backpacking Europe. All that to say that while I'm so glad my husband and I had that incredible experience of bonding and seeing the world, I have so much joy and love for my son and our baby girl (who will be here in less than 4 weeks!).

Have you ever noticed that baby shower gifts usually don't include a single gift for the mother-to-be? Now, I'm definitely not complaining (at all), but there are some things a mom-to-be could really benefit from. So today's post is all about the gifts moms (like me) would probably enjoy receiving. Whether it be something essential like a nursing bra or something to pamper her like bath gel...here are some fabulous gift ideas for the mother-to-be.

Belli: When I was pregnant with my son, I was DETERMINED not to get stretch marks. Sadly, so much of it is genetic and I did end up with some just like my mother. But, I rigorously rubbed oil all over my belly every single morning and evening with my son (I haven't been as consistent about it with this one). Surprisingly, I haven't developed any new stretch marks and I'm 35 weeks (yeah!). Belli offers three lines of skin care products for pregnant women, babies, and new mothers. I received the Motherhood Essentials Kit which includes products designed to restore a woman's body including nursing cream, eye brightening cream, body firming serum, and hand sanitizer. The company has high safety standards and is the only skin care line that screens for teratogens and xenoestrogens.

My Brest Friend: Nursing my son proved to be more challenging than I imagined. It also didn't help that I had a c-section. During my many months of nursing, I used an awesome nursing pillow. My very good friend insisted I purchase My Brest Friend. I know I would not have been able to nurse my son comfortably without it. It got to the point where I even brought it with me in the car for nursing sessions. Two things I KNOW make this pillow different from the rest. It wraps around you (so it stays put and so does your baby) and it's got a supportive back rest. I have never tried another nursing pillow but I will say that my son never slid down or rolled away because the pillow was too squishy!

The Shower Hug: I remember all too well the pain of breast-feeding. When my milk finally came in, I was engorged, febrile, and in a lot of pain. I don't know if it's like this for every woman but it was for me. I suffered through numerous bouts of mastitis but I endured it all because nursing my son was of the utmost importance. How I wish I had The Shower Hug! You can use it in and out of the shower and for support and protection for women who have had a c section. So, I guess I'll have to get another since I'll be using it for all 3 purposes! Providing support, protection, and therapeutic relief, The Shower Hug is definitely something that's going to get a ton of use!

Laugh & Learn: As a nurse with almost 10 years experience in obstetrics and neonatal nursing, you'd think that I'd be the LAST one to fear childbirth. I should know it all right? No Fear! Ha! While I have a lot of knowledge and experience, that didn't (and doesn't) change the fact that there were things I was nervous and even afraid of. If you're a busy mom who maybe doesn't have time to attend childbirth classes, are on bed-rest (like I was with my first pregnancy), or don't like the formal setting of a classroom, you must check out the Laugh & Learn childbirth education program. Taught by an RN, you and your significant other will actually enjoy learning all about childbirth, newborn care, and breast-feeding...all in the comfort of your own home on your time. All three series are informative and actually quite entertaining! Her teaching style is relaxed and non-threatening.

Bravado! Designs: Having a supportive nursing bra is essential (trust me!). I had a very difficult time finding a proper fitting nursing bra after I had my son. Now that I have an idea of what size I will be wearing, it's much easier to purchase bras online (I would recommend getting fitted by a professional the first time around to make sure you're wearing the correct type and size of bra). Many of the nursing bras I saw in stores were supportive, but not particularly attractive. Nursing is not the most glamorous of motherly activities. Bravado! Designs offers comfortably fashionable bras that fit! I particularly like their "What the heck should I buy? section which is a great place to start!

Preggers by Therafirm: When I was 34 weeks pregnant with my son, my feet started swelling (which apparently is quite normal unless you've been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia). I spent a lot of time with my feet up, but it was terribly uncomfortable. Fortunately, I have not had to experience leg swelling in this pregnancy. Pregnancy, as miraculous as it is, can be very uncomfortable. I am very appreciative of companies who have gone out of their way to research ways of making these 10 (yes 10) months more comfortable. When I worked on the floor, I always wore support stockings and socks due to the 12 hours I was required to be on my feet. Preggers by Therafirm offers trendy, comfortable compression hosiery that isn't impossible to put on. Now that it's winter, I've been wanting to keep my feet warm. When given the option, I definitely prefer the trouser socks over the panty hose but I didn't spend ten minutes trying to put either one on (which is a good sign!). They provide enough support to make a difference but they're not so tight that they leave marks. Preggers by Therafirm are not available yet, but soon They also plan on including maternity and postpartum support products in their line. Stay tuned!

Are you ready for another game?

We all have a birth story. Some of you birthed at home. Some of you labored for days without an epidural. What I am really looking for is your most inspirational birth story. I will have help from the gals who threw me the shower in determining first, second, and third places, so make it good. You can either post here in the comment section or on your blog (whichever you feel most comfortable). Remember...leave your answer in the comment section along with your prize choices (in order of preference).

Prizes for Game #3:

Laugh & Learn DVD Set, Book, and Tee

Motherhood Essentials Kit from Belli

My Brest Friend Deluxe Pillow



For more fabulous maternity and baby shower gift ideas, please visit the baby shower site.

Entries for this giveaway will close on December 20, 2009 at 10 PM PST. Please note that entries for all baby shower giveaways are different than my normal entry methods. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Add the “Baby Shower” button to your sidebar and leave me a comment (be sure it's up for the duration of the baby shower!)

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest. Be sure to use the hashtag #rockinbabyshower

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this review. I did receive a product, courtesy of the company in order to facilitate my review.

It's day two of my month long baby series and we've got another set of prizes, games, and fabulous baby products.

Sleepy Wrap: For the first 6 months of my baby's lives, they are "attached" to me. We breastfeed and co-sleep. I wear my babies until they start becoming mobile. It's part of the attachment process and I feel like it helps secure our bond. Babywearing has a number of benefits for both mom and baby (maybe I'll write a post one day). I much prefer to cozily wrap my babies and keep them warm and secure. There are a TON of wraps, slings, carriers, etc. on the market. Choosing one can be overwhelming. Sleepy Wrap is a versatile wrap that can be worn several different ways, for several different stages of your child's early life. Once you master the art of tying it, you'll love it!

Mutsy Grow-Up: I consider myself to be rather trendy and in-the-know about the latest in products and companies. Both my husband and I like modern designs. So having Mutsy's Grow-Up chair in our home fits right in with our decor style. No need for a high chair since you can fasten this chair safely to a regular chair (handy and definitely a space saver). And you child will get many years of use out of it since it's appropriate for children up to the age of 4. The bright colors are perfect for stimulating babies and tots!

Aden and Anais: The company's muslin swaddle wraps are my absolute fav. They keep baby warm and cozy without overheating him/her. They're super soft and bigger than average swaddle blankets, making it less likely that a baby will unwrap him/herself. Plus, they come in stylish modern prints for boys and girls. Once your baby no longer wants to be swaddled, you can use their sleeping bags which are made from the same cotton muslin you'll find in their wraps. They are also designed to reduce the incidence of SIDS.

Pediped: The BEST thing for babies and toddlers who are learning to walk is to go barefoot. However, that is a concept that is impractical for most families. I would much prefer to have shoes protecting my baby's feet. Flexibility, support, and comfort are the most important things to look for in a shoe. Pediped offers all three at highly affordable prices. And, their shoes are adorable! The company offers three collections: Originals, Flex, and Couture.

SmartKnitKIDS: And while we're on the subject of feet, I'll introduce you to a company who makes seamless socks to offer your child the most comfortable fit. How many times have you taken off your child's socks only to see their soft skin imprinted with sock seams? SmartKnitKIDS offers 100% seamless socks and a form-fitting design so there are no lumps or bumps. They truly offer a perfectly comfortable fit.

Are you ready for another game?

I'm almost 35 weeks and I finally have a picture of my pregnant belly (covered of course!). I've taken the liberty of measuring my belly with toilet paper squares (apparently that is what you do when you're 8 1/2 months pregnant). So, your job is to guess how many squares it will take to go around the largest part of my belly (the center). Easy right? Remember...leave your answer in the comment section along with your prize choices (in order of preference).

Prizes for Game #2:

$25 Gift Certificate to Happy Panda Baby

Weil Baby Gift Set

Classic Sleepy Wrap

For more fabulous maternity and baby shower gift ideas, please visit the baby shower site.

Entries for this giveaway will close on December 17, 2009 at 10 PM PST. Please note that entries for all baby shower giveaways are different than my normal entry methods. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Add the “Baby Shower” button to your sidebar and leave me a comment (be sure it's up for the duration of the baby shower!)

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest. Be sure to use the hashtag #rockinbabyshower

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this review. I did receive a product, courtesy of the company in order to facilitate my review.

In less than six weeks (um...anyone counting?), my husband, son, and I will meet our baby girl. I CAN'T WAIT! Today, someone asked me if I was in the "Get the baby out" stage!" of my pregnancy. I'm almost to that point. Ask me again in 2 weeks! : )

It's finally here...my first online baby shower. I feel really special to have some amazing friends put on this incredible event! Thank you Amanda, Kailani, Shannon, and Tanya for taking so much time to make this incredibly special. And a HUGE thank you to the most amazingly generous sponsors. This is just one (of many) posts where I get to tell you about some of THE most fabulous maternity and baby companies around. Because this is our second (despite the fact that she's a girl and we have a little boy at home), we really didn't need much. I am not one to require that everything be pink and I am definitely using things we have from my son (like his co-sleeper, swing, car seat, and bouncer). I simply don't see a need to purchase these items new when they're in such excellent shape. But I digressed.

For the ENTIRE month of December (or until this baby is born...hehe) I will be providing you with individual, detailed reviews of each and every company that made this shower so special. But today...today I kick off the shower with a. giveaways and b. a brief overview of these incredible companies. Please be sure to stop by all month long (I promise it will be worth it). So, without further ado....

Baby Emi Jewelry: For as long as I could remember, I wanted a little girl. I wanted a daughter so that I could have the kind of relationship with her that I have with my mother. Of course, there is something about little girls that compels us to dress them in tutus, put bows in their hair, and put jewelry on them. The Sterling Silver Jingle Bells Anklet (Baby) we received is adorable, quaint, and encourages babies to move their legs. I can't wait for our baby girl to wear this (pics to come!).

Baby Banz: All babies and tots need protection from the sun's harmful rays. It's best to start protecting them early so they get accustomed to wearing hats and sunglasses. Their wrap-around sunglasses offer 100% UV protective lenses. They're also stylish and moderately priced. Be sure to check out their entire line of sunglasses, hats, and UV protective clothing.

PassionSpice: Ok ladies...no pictures here (hehe!). But in all honesty, I just wrote a post about beauty during pregnancy. Pregnancy is one of those awkward times in a woman's life where she may not feel great about her changing body. If you've ever seen the maternity and nursing lingerie at other stores, then you know it's somewhat archaic in appearance. Just because we're moms, doesn't mean we have to give up our femininity. I plan on losing this baby weight when she's born and getting back into shape! PassionSpice offers tasteful, gorgeous (seriously!) lingerie for the pregnant and nursing woman.

Happy Panda: I recently told you about Pamela's incredibly stunning diaper cakes. Not only does she exert her creativity into making incredibly gorgeous (and might I add useful) diaper cakes that can be used as centerpieces or baby shower decor, she also has an entire site dedicated to outfitting the "bigger baby." And most of her items have that adorable little panda on them...her trademark!

WeilBaby: When my son was a baby, there were only two (at least from what I knew at the time) companies offering BPA-free baby bottles. It's been almost 2 1/2 years and I'm so proud of all of the companies who have either stepped up to ensure their products are BPA-Free. To be honest, I'm not sure which bottle our daughter is going to take. But I'll definitely be trying the bottles from WeilBaby. They feature an AirWave venting system proven to reduce colic. Plus, they have a one-piece vent that makes it easy to clean (even in the middle of the night!). Stay tuned for my full review since I must wait until she's here to give you the full 411!

Babies love to be swaddled. I know that because a. I'm a mom and b. I'm a NICU nurse. There is a lot of discussion about how to swaddle, how long to swaddle, and if you should swaddle...particularly in light of SIDS. According to my pediatrician many newborns sleep longer when swaddled tightly. There is a also a safe way to swaddle (meaning avoiding loose blankets). One of the things we do is swaddle our babies from the axilla down (in other words, leaving the arms exposed) and ensure that it's nice and tight. In order to do that, we need a larger type of blanket like those from Aden + Anais. I first learned about their muslin wraps when my son was a baby. He was born in the summer and I knew that most of the blankets we received were too warm and too small to swaddle him safely. I looked at these in a boutique and knew that they were perfect for my summer baby.

One of my pediatrician's recommendations is to also use cotton blankets for swaddling. Babies can overheat (especially if you also dress them in footed onesies and such) which is a risk factor for SIDS. Muslin is a light, breathable fabric that is used in Aden + Anais wraps. The fabric allows air to flow through the material, thereby allowing a baby's body temperature to adjust naturally while still ensuring warmth. I used these with my son because he only slept well when swaddled.

So how do you wrap a baby? The site has a really good description (although I've long ago perfected the fine art of wrapping a baby).

The muslin wraps are perfect for swaddling because they're bigger than most blankets on the market. They allow a baby to be wrapped securely without worrying the wrap will come undone and the fear of loose blankets. And one more reason why I like these wraps? They're big enough to provide some coverage during nursing! Check out all the other uses for Aden + Anais' muslin wraps.

Once your baby gets to the point where they don't want to be swaddled anymore, I like to use sleep sacks or wearable blankets. New for Aden + Anais are their muslin sleeping bags. They're made from 100% cotton muslin (just like their wraps), feature an inverted zipper for easy diaper changes, and are quilted to provide cushion and warmth. They're soft, breathable and eliminate the worries of loose blankets...especially when babies start to move and roll over. Just put them over your baby's pj's in place of blankets. My son used wearable blankets when he started to move and roll over. It's recommended that these be used when a baby is 3 months old or older.

Also new to Aden + Anais are their line of Burpy Bibs (which aren't even on the site yet!). Again, they're made from the same soft breathable muslin (four layers to be exact) as their wraps and sleeping bags. They're also versatile since you can use them as both a burp cloth and a bib. They're big (just like their muslin wraps) and you convert them to a bib by snapping them together. Let's just hope our little girl likes bibs more than our son!

Lastly, co-founder Raegan Moya-Jones just released a book about swaddling called Swaddle Love. With much concern and fear over SIDS, parents are turning away from swaddling, not recognizing the tremendous benefits it offers to newborns. If you want to get any sleep at all, I highly suggest you think about swaddling your baby...just do it safely! The book is beautifully illustrated and highly informative.

Because I am a huge advocate for safe sleep, I'll leave you with some tips on safe sleeping:

1. Always put your baby to sleep on his/her back

2. Do not overheat baby (either via heat in the home or by dressing too heavily)

3. Always put your baby in a safe place to sleep (i.e. a crib or bassinet) (My opinions on co-sleeping, which we did with my sonm will be reserved for another post).

4. Breastfeed, if possible

5. Consider using a pacifier at bedtime

6. Do not smoke or allow anyone to smoke near your baby

7. Do not put stuffed animals, loose blankets, etc. in sleep space

8. Consider a wearable blanket

We can't have a baby shower without cake right? Before you start drooling over chocolate (um...because that's what I am doing!), this is no ordinary cake. In fact, this is the type of cake you WANT to have because it doesn't have anything in it that will crash your diet.

Diaper Cakes are a chic, unique way to shower the mom-to-be with a gift that she'll actually use. They also look gorgeous on tables as centerpieces. Two of my very good friends threw me a baby shower for my son and made mini diaper cakes for the tables. From speaking to them, it takes a LOT of time, effort, and creativity to make just one diaper cake.

Pamela at Happy Panda sent me a stunning Pretty in Pink diaper cake for my shower. I remember early on when she first launched her company and how unique the idea was (and still is) to offer clothing for babies that don't fit the conventional store-bought sizes. Her brand exists to "help dress bigger babies." My son has ALWAYS worn a size bigger than his age. He's almost 2 1/2 and already wearing some 3T outfits. She offers a design system that helps you find a better fit when you shop by your child's age. Her clothing is designed with environmentally safe fabrics and inks and the best part is that they don't have itchy, annoying tags on them!

Pamela's business has grown tremendously and her boutique now offers diaper cakes. Each diaper cake features 70-75 Pampers Swaddlers in size 1 and 2, a PaciPlushie of your choice, a Happy Panda tagless gift set in size 0-3 months, a Fabulous Design lap t, pants, and hat, travel-sized Johnson's products (baby lotion, baby powder, baby wash, baby shampoo), Desitin diaper rash cream, and 4 Germ X packets. By looking at the cake you wouldn't even know all of that is in there because she does an amazing job of making it look like a cake. But once you open it up, all sorts of surprises start coming out!

What's great about her diaper cakes is that you can customize them in so many ways. From the ribbon colors to the outfits and PaciPlushie, you'll find that whether the gender of the baby is known or not, you'll still be able to give a gift that's personal and unique to the mama-to-be. Right now she's offering a Happy Panda Holiday diaper cake complete with an adorable red or green snappy (onesie).

I truly appreciate gifts that are both lovely in appearance and functional. And that is exactly what a diaper cake is. The PaciPlushie is perfect for babies who a. need to soothe themselves and b. keep losing or dropping them. They're also just adorable. You already know about Pamela's super cute and practical clothing. And diapers....those will last at least a week! Pampers Swaddlers are super soft and smell good. And....they're comfy for new babes (my son used them until he grew out of them). Do you want to know the best part of the entire diaper cake? The Germ X packets! Just say Boo to the Swine Flu (and I'm only half joking!).

Diaper cakes run approximately $110 to $124 and are value priced (especially if you add up the cost of purchasing all of those items individually).

Pamela, thank you! Your diaper cake looks good enough to eat! Actually...I'm going to be sad to unwrap it.

Pamela has been very generous to many of us bloggers. She has thrown many a Cyber Baby Shower and she is just a fabulous woman!

Hey everyone! Add the button and help get the party started! Were all so excited for Caryn & Jason!

They jsut found out that they are expecting a GIRL!!! We can't wait to met baby Cate



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