$25 CSN Stores Gift Certificate Giveaway - Ends 8/8

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I am hosting a CSN Stores $25 gift certificate giveaway. What is CSN Stores? It is one website that unites 200+ online retailers selling a broad range of products, including home decor, baby/children items, tools, pet supplies, office supplies, and so much more. The website is very easy to navigate. The website's search engine allows you to search by keyword or brand. All of the stores offer very competitive prices, often much lower than retail price.

I decided to put my $25 gift certificate toward a new car seat for Lydia. Everyone I know recommended Britax, so I searched all of the car seats and found several Britax car seats. As I had expected, the price was at least 20% lower than the leading baby department stores. The car seat I found was under $200 and was gender neutral, which was important to me. The site also offered free shipping, which was awesome.

One thing I would recommend - I searched the site several days in a row to really figure out what I wanted. Unfortunately, I initially picked out one car seat, but when I looked the next day to purchase it, it was already sold out. However, the car seat I picked out was just as nice and less expensive - Bonus! So, when shopping on CSN Stores, if you really like something, purchase it that day. If you are uncertain, search for a few days, as merchandise is constantly being updated.

Here's Lydia sleeping in her new Britax car seat. What's so great about this car seat? She'll be able to use it until she is ready for a booster seat. It is rear-facing for now, but converts to a forward-facing seat when she is ready. Definitely an eco-friendly choice for my family!

 

WIN IT! You can win a $25 gift certificate to CSN Stores, to be used at any of their 200+ retailers.

Mandatory entry: Visit CSN Stores and tell me what you think you'd put your $25 toward.

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. Follow CSN Stores on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
4. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
5. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
6. Vote for Zimmerman School House dba Abi's Place to win $500,000 in the KOHL'S Cares campaign by clicking the link to the right (just above the Facebook Badge). You get 5 votes.
7. Follow my new sister blog Moms on a Mission.
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 8/8 at 10:00 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck!

30 Years Later - Have we moved forward?

Earlier in the year, my mother-in-law had a fire in her house. No one was injured, but it caused her to have to go through everything in her house. In doing so, she came across a lot of my husband's old papers, photos, etc. and gave him a big box of stuff. One thing she found and gave to us was his baby book. She kept really detailed information about his development until about the age of 5, which was so cool to read. She also included a guide that was given to new parents in the hospital, written by the American Academy of Pediatrics. I just wanted to share some of the information in this guide that was published back in the 1970s.

It begins with explaining how your baby is not a miniature adult:

• The bones of the head are soft and rubbery. 
• Your baby may have no hair - or excess hair all over his body. 
• The face is asymmetrical. 
• Your baby has poor vision. 
• The neck is short and supports the head poorly. 
• Extremities may twitch. 
• The skin has a purple-red color due to poor circulation. 
• Hearing is not present at birth, but appears within a few days.
• Babies can lose as much as 10% of their birth weight.
• Babies are born with their mother's hormones in the blood, which may cause swollen breasts, bloody vaginal discharge, swollen vagina/scrotum.
• Respiration is irregular.
• Spitting up is very common the first few months.
• The bridge of baby's nose is flat.
• Hiccups are common.
• Sleep patters vary in infants. Some may sleep 18 hours a day while others 7 - 8 hours.
• Bowel moments also vary greatly.
• The navel may protrude.
• The feet may turn in or out.

Before even mentioning breastfeeding, the next section is entitled "Formula Preparation." What?? Are we not even giving the mom a chance to successfully breastfeed? No information regarding the benefits of breastfeeding before promoting formula usage? This section discusses that it is no longer necessary to sterilize formula or boil water. You should use tap water to make 26 oz of formula at a time, which should be divided into 6 bottles. Scrub nipples with soap and water. Refrigerate. Warming the milk is unnecessary. Then it describes how to bottlefeed your baby and how to schedule feedings roughly while being open to feeding when baby is hungry. The only good part is that it specifically states "Never prop up the bottle and leave baby to feed himself."

Okay...here's a highly-disturbing section (I think) entitled "Friends and Visitors" - "Do your utmost to keep visitors and especially children away from your baby. The newborn baby is best kept as much to himself as possible. He should never sleep with you or with anybody else." Again, WHAT?! So the baby's father, grandmother, siblings, aunt, etc. should not interact with this child? Everyone should be kept away, and this insecure baby with poor vision and hearing (as described above) should feel lonely just laying by himself all night and day? Oh, that's right...this is for people giving their babies formula, which does not allow the baby to share the mother's immunity as breastfeeding would, so the baby's immunity is compromised, and he should be ignored. Sigh...

Finally, on page 5 of this booklet, breastfeeding is mentioned! Phew... It opens with "For maximum milk production - - your baby will be brought to you every three to four hours around the clock." While that is very important, shouldn't it really begin with "For maximum bonding and health, you should breastfeed"?? Most of the other information is actually accurate and beneficial for new moms - how to hold your baby while nursing, how to get a good latch, manually express if needed, be patient, wear a good nursing bra, etc. It talks about how you should not sleep through the night until at least the 8th week. I am still waiting for more than 3 hours of sleep at a time, and Lydia is almost 11 months old. And for some reason, after all that, it says not to weigh your baby at home. That's just odd. Just turned the page and found the best part yet, actually (no sarcasm here for a change): "If baby cries you MUST NURSE baby ON DEMAND. IT IS NORMAL DURING FIRST FEW WEEKS TO NURSE 10 - 12 TIMES A DAY!" (I think I still nurse this frequently.) This is followed by a sentence about how you need to offer your baby lukewarm water once or twice daily, but it's okay if your child does not take it. I don't think Lydia was ever offered water until about 6 months of age. I couldn't imagine offering a newborn a bottle of water. Isn't the whole point to provide your child with nourishment, comfort, and weight gain? How would water help with any of that?

The next section is on baby care, and it is still accurate. Here's the really amazing part -- no mention of disposable diapers, only cloth diapers. Intriguing! It's all about how to properly wash your diapers (doesn't even call them "cloth diapers") or to use a diaper service. One other thing I like that was in here was to not over-dress your baby. Your baby only needs as much clothing as you need. I see so many moms who dress their kids in full outfits and then wrap blankets around them - in the summer heat in Florida!  UGH!

So to wrap it all up...The biggest difference of all between the 1970s and 2010? "Most babies prefer to sleep on their stomachs with the head turned to one side." Definitely not a recommendation anyone would make anymore! Amazing how all of us turned out okay and we all slept on our stomachs. Now babies sleep on their backs and need positioners that warn against plagiocephaly (flattening of the head).

What do you think? Is the parenting advice given in hospitals better now...or better then?

Amy's Kitchen Review & Giveaway - Ends 8/1

Amy's Kitchen is the #1 natural frozen foods brand, specializing in vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free savory snacks/meals and sweet treats. They just released some awesome new products that I was lucky enough to review. I received a package in the mail containing the following:

• Broccoli and spinach white pizza
• Orange cake (vegan/dairy-free)
• Chocolate cake (vegan/dairy-free)
• California veggie burger (light in sodium)

I will begin by reviewing the cakes. While I preferred the chocolate cake, my husband preferred the orange cake. Unlike many vegan desserts that I have tried that tend to be bland or dry, these cakes were very flavorful and moist. You can purchase them in the freezer section at your grocery store, and all you have to do is thaw them in the fridge for a few hours and serve. Even after having them in the fridge for a few days, they still tasted fresh and maintained their moisture. The orange cake had a very intense orange flavor. The chocolate cake had a bittersweet flavor.. While I usually make my own desserts for dinner parties, I would proudly serve one of these cakes. They'd both be great as part of a trifle, layered with fruit/berries, pudding, and whipped cream (for those of us who eat dairy).

When I was a meat-eater, I was particular about burgers. After becoming a pescetarian 4 years ago, I became particular about the types of veggie burgers I would eat. Generally, I prefer black bean burgers, but I decided to give these a try. Turns out....they're delicious! I topped my burger with sharp cheddar cheese, grilled onions, and avocado, and I enjoyed it throughly. I even served them to my nieces, calling them "burgers," and they didn't even notice that they were made of veggies instead of beef. One bit of caution, these burgers do contain nuts, a common allergen.

The white pizza was the first think we tried. The picture on the cover looked delicious! Usually I add extra flavors (more cheese, garlic, herbs, etc.) to frozen pizzas. This pizza was very flavorful. Even my 10-month old daughter liked it. The crust was thin and crisp, and there was a good about of toppings. 

Overall, we loved our new Amy's products! We'll definitely purchase some of these items on future grocery shopping trips.

BUY IT! Visit Amy's Kitchen to learn more about where to purchase Amy's products, including online. The website also has dietary information, a link to their blog, FAQ's, and more!

WIN IT! You can win THREE FREE product coupons (you get to choose your favorites) and a reusable Amy's tote bag.

Mandatory entry: Visit Amy's Kitchen and tell me where you can find Amy's products in your neighborhood by going to the "store locator."

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' Amy's on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
4. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
5. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
6. Vote for Zimmerman School House dba Abi's Place to win $500,000 in the KOHL'S Cares campaign by clicking the link to the right (just above the Facebook Badge). You get 5 votes.
7. Follow my new sister blog Moms on a Mission.
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 8/1 at 10:00 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck! 

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

CSN Stores *Sneak Preview*

I am going to be doing a review/giveaway of CSN Stores. CSN Stores is an awesome website! They link together over 200 different stores, carrying baby/kid items (e.g. children's furniture, toys, & games), household items (e.g. towels, headboards, & cookware), outdoor living (e.g. grills, fire pits & lounge chairs) and so much more!!

The product I plan on reviewing is a carseat. Since Lydia is turning 1 in less than 2 months, I need to invest in a forward-facing carseat soon. CSN Stores has many options to choose from, so after doing some research, I will pick the one that I think will be best for my family.

Have you visited CSN Stores before? What did you purchase? Did you find this to be a helpful website to purchase lots of different types of merchandise at one location? Any forward-facing carseat suggestions??

Tune in soon for my review and giveaway -- a $25 gift certificate to CSN Stores!

GladRags Nursing Pads Review & Giveaway ends 7/20

I was approached by GladRags to review a pair of reusable organic cotton nursing pads. The organic cotton is very soft and is grown without the use of pesticides or any other chemicals. I have seen other pads that are organic/reusable, but they are usually much bulkier, which may be awkward when wearing a form-fitting shirt. These are thin, but absorbent. To clean the nursing pads, simply machine wash and dry. For increased absorbency, wash in hot water before using them for the first time.

The best feature about these pads is that they have a slit from the center outward so that you can shape them into a more natural-looking nursing pad (see image below). This also makes for good protection against leakage. The only time I leaked regularly was probably for the first 3 - 4 months, during the night. These would've been great inside a comfy night-time bra.

For those of us who use cloth diapers, we have already learned how easy it is to use eco-friendly, reusable products such as these. You don't ever have to worry about them "running out" as you would disposable nursing pads. I recently wrote about my period returning, so I definitely want to look into some of their reusable menstrual products as well (like cloth pads and pantiliners, cups and sponges).

There's also a great GladRags Blog that discusses important women's issues - with a focus on menstruating, going green, and healthy lifestyle choices.


BUY IT! GladRags makes so many other great products for new mommies, like nipple butter, bath herbs, and organic cotton hankies, as well as alternative products to tampons and disposable sanitary napkins.

WIN IT! You could win a pack of 3 pairs of nursing pads PLUS an Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter (RV over $35).

Mandatory entry: Visit Gladrags and comment with the product you are most interested in trying.

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' GladRags on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow GladRags on Twitter.
4. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
5. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
6. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
7. Vote for Zimmerman School House dba Abi's Place to win $500,000 in the KOHL'S Cares campaign by clicking the link to the right (just above the Facebook Badge).
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)
 

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 7/20 at 10:00 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck! 

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Congratulations to Stephanie! Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway.

YoBaby Yogurt Review & Giveaway ends 7/18

YoBaby yogurt is one branch of Stonyfield Organics. YoBaby is whole milk yogurt, suitable for babies 6 months and older. Their most recent product to hit the markets is the YoBaby 3-in-1 meal. Each 4 oz serving contains one veggie, one fruit, and yogurt. They come in three flavors:

• Apple & Sweet Potato
• Pear & Green Bean
• Peach & Squash

We tried the apple & sweet potato and the peach & squash. Lydia really liked both, but seemed to prefer the peach & squash. In addition to the fruits and veggies, these 3-in-1 meals also contain an exclusive blend of live active cultures.


Stonyfield Organics makes many other great products for you and your little ones. After trying the peach & squash 3-in-1 meals, we purchased the peach drinkable yogurt, which Lydia really likes. We're able to get two servings out of each 6 oz container.

Here are a few more reasons to purchase YoBaby for your baby:

Certified organic. Because YoBaby is organic, you know it’s made without the use of persistent pesticides. That’s especially important for babies, because their little bodies are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure. YoBaby is also made without the use of synthetic growth hormones or antibiotics.

Helps support brain development. We make YoBaby from whole milk, which helps support healthy brain development. Pediatricians recommend whole milk for babies and toddlers up to two years.

Helps support baby’s immune system. One serving of YoBaby provides 25% of your baby’s daily need for zinc, the mineral that helps support a healthy immune system.

Helps support growth. Each serving of YoBaby provides at least 25% of your baby’s daily needs for calcium, protein, and vitamin D, plus other nutrients essential for babies' growth.

BUY IT! Visit Stonyfield to learn more about where to purchase YoBaby products. I found the 3-in-1 meals at my local Super Target. The website has printable coupons if you register, recipes, and extensive information about healthy eating.

WIN IT! You can win coupons for TWO 4-packs of YoBaby 3-in-1 meals and an Eric Carle growth chart.

Mandatory entry: Visit Stonyfield and tell me where you can find Stonyfield products in your neighborhood!

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' YoBaby on Facebook.

2. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

3. Follow Stonyfield on Twitter.
4. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
5. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.
6. 'Like' Abi's Place (the non-profit where I work) on Facebook.
7. Vote for Zimmerman School House dba Abi's Place to win $500,000 in the KOHL'S Cares campaign by clicking the link to the right (just above the Facebook Badge).
(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)
 

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 7/18 at 10:00 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck! 

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Congratulations to Charity! Thanks to all who participated in this giveaway.