Baby Food: Keep It Simple (and Healthy)

At about 6 months your baby might be ready for baby food. The first time Junior ever tries to eat from a spoon is pretty comical. And by that I also mean messy. They just aren't real sure what to do with it. Some babies gobble it up while others just push it right back out. Either way, expect an adorable mess when you are finished.

There are many options when it comes to what type of baby food to get. Of course there is the commercial kind at the grocery store. It is the cheapest (that you can buy) but depending on how healthy you are, it might not be the most wholesome. Believe it or not a lot of those brands have a lot of secret sugar in them. And the way they are made actually decreases their nutritional value. Read the labels before you buy.

Most stores are now carrying more and more organic brand baby food, too. These are slightly more expensive but are made from purer ingredients and are rich in vitamins and minerals. Read the label. Earth's Best is pretty good, in our humble opinion, but there are many options out there.

Another option is to make your own. At first this might seem a little overwhelming but from what I have heard it is not that big of a deal. In essence you just steam or boil your average veggie and puree your average fruit (both will need added water to soften them up a bit) into a consistency your baby is okay with. Ice cube trays are great for storing any extra, although containers are also on the market for homemade baby food.

My personal choice is a combo of the two: organic AND homemade. Jack's Harvest is an Atlanta based company (really two moms with major domestic gifts) that makes and sells frozen organic baby food. You can purchase it through Whole Foods and also through Amazon.com.  Why I like Jack's Harvest? No pesticides in the fruits and veggies. No crazy cooking process that robs my baby of what she really needs. Just two moms making delicious, healthy food. It is convenient and more importantly GOOD FOR MY BABY :)

Here's is what Jack's Harvest is all about: (from their website)

Jarred baby food is cooked at extremely high temperatures so it can sit for years. Over processing removes a lot of nutrients leaving food bland and tasteless. (Would you want to eat it?) Jack's Harvest not only tastes better, it has a higher nutrient content. Your baby has taste buds and knows what tastes good. They also know what looks good and smells good. Jack's Harvest feeds your baby's senses with beautiful colors (our peas are bright green) - wonderful smells (the smell of cinnamon boosts brain activity) - and delectable flavors (that we taste test ourselves!). Shape your baby's precious palate with food that is healthy and delicious and help them learn what fresh foods look, smell and taste like.

What's not to love? Give it a try. We'll have some AWESOME coupons at our upcoming Preggo Party if you want to see how yummy Jack's Harvest is for yourself. September 29th is right around the corner!!

Bathing your Baby

After that now-nasty soon-to-be-adorable belly button stump falls off, you can give baby her first bath. It really is a sweet experience, but here are a few lessons from the front lines.

1. Baby cannot sit up by herself until around 6 months so you need a tub that will allow baby to lay back or sit up with your assistance. And then you have to somehow use your other arm to wash baby while she slips all over the place. If possible have a helper (like Daddy) tag team the first bath in case you need some extra hands. Wanna make it easier? Try these items:

A Bath Sponge (just lay it in your sink to keep baby from bumping his or her head on the edge and giving her a soft place to sit. You can also add one to your standard baby bath tub. These are CHEAP, like $6ish, and are really all you need in the beginning. Every now and then baby might poo on it (VERY rare) but for a $6 replacement, not that big of a deal. Find it HERE

A Bath Bucket (since baby cannot hit up these are VERY helpful for the newborn stage, but not cheap at $45ish a pop. Baby will outgrow it eventually, but at least you have a bucket you can re-purpose for other things. Fine one HERE. The regular baby tubs are PERFECT. Fine one HERE for about $10. You can use either a bucket or tub until baby can sit up properly. Just beware that once baby starts moving around, she will splash splash splash in these little tubs. Solution? Take it off your counter and start laying it in the real tub. That makes it easy to fill up, store, and saves your bathroom from a super wet mess. We are not big fans of the expensive baby tubs. For something you will only use for maybe 6 months, not worth it. But to each his own...

A sit up seat (once baby hits around 5-6 months you can try one of these seats if you like. Find one HERE for about $38. They slide over the edge of your tub and allow baby to take a bath in your regular bathtub. The plus? Your back gets a little break and you have some free hands. These are helpful for that transition time when baby is too big for a baby tub but cannot sit up well enough yet to take a big bath without your help. This is not a must have item, but it is a helpful little fellow.

they come in pink too!

Spout Cover (when baby starts sitting up in the big tub these are a good idea. Babies LOVE splashing and wiggling around in the tub, so cover the spout to make sure they don't head butt it. These little covers also give baby something to play with when old enough, too. We like 2fers around here! Find one HERE for about $15 on average. There are animal ones like these and more modern, sleek designs, too.

Extra Bonus Tip: Just like changing a diaper, the difference in air temperature can cause baby to pee (or more!). So unless you want to end up like my husband--- t-shirt soaked in baby urine--- yum!!!!, do not take off baby's diaper until you are ready to put her in the tub. If you realized that you left the baby wash in the closet, do not get baby naked and have daddy hold her until you get back unless you want a good laugh. On daddy. Literally. Keep the diaper on until the last possible moment...just in case.

If you are nervous, or just curious, how to give a newborn a bath, check out this YouTube video. Okay, it is a little cheesy. But it IS helpful. If nothing else it at least gives you an idea of how to give baby that first bath. And take pictures of the first bath if possible or video it. There is nothing cuter than a sweet little baby, all clean and fresh, wrapped up in a towel after a bath. Love it!

Strollerpedia

Okay, so it is time to start your registry. Which is pretty overwhelming. The first time you walk into a store like Babies R Us, you almost run to the gun you are so excited. By the time you leave, someone might have to put YOU in a stroller and wheel your exhausted butt out to the car.

We are hoping that a little info on the different styles of strollers might ease your pain a little :) A lot of your which-stroller-do-I-need decision will be made by your lifestyle.

1. Travel Systems: these consist of a matching carseat and stroller. The selling point is that when baby is in the infant stage you can pop him out of the car, set him on top of the stroller and never have to take him out of his buckles. These are great when baby is really little and sleeps a lot and doesn't weigh a lot yet either. Those car seats get really heavy after a while! The travel system stroller is a little bulky. They don't scream sleek and modern, but they do serve their purpose. And newer models are getting less and less chunky. There is a decent amount of storage space underneath so this kind is good if you shop a lot or are taking baby somewhere and you need a place to stash your stuff.When baby is done with the car seat you can still use the stroller for years because it has a high weight capacity.

2. Frames: Instead of an actual stroller, a frame is a lighter weight way to transport the carseat and you still get storage beneath. A Frame costs about half of a stroller (or even more savings depending on which model you get). So some parents will get a frame for when baby is little and then go straight to a real stroller once baby is about 5-6 months and can sit up. Some babies are content in the frame/carseat set up until 1 year! The plus here is saving money and not having a bulky stroller to drag all over the place. These fold up pretty tight so they take up less trunk/storage space than the travel system sized stroller. The Orbit brand allows baby to rotate. Sometimes you might want to be able to watch baby. Other times baby might like to be turned around to see what is going on. With a traditional frame baby can only be backwards. When baby gets to be about 4 months, he might be entertained checking out the scenery so the Orbit version is cool.

3. Joggers: A jogging stroller is great for moms who like to run or walk. Their design allows them to move faster and steer easier than a traditional stroller. These are good for city babies, too, because of their maneuverability.You cannot put the carseat on top every jogging stroller so you would either use a frame for the first 3-4 months or just plan to unbuckle baby from the carseat and transfer to the jogger depending on the model. Baby will be facing outward and probably enjoy the scenery. You may need a newborn cushion for a bit until baby has strong head and back control around 5-6 months. They look like this and cost around $20:

4. Umbrellas: An umbrella stroller is pretty basic. They fold up pretty small and are easy for quick trips or when you don't feel like pushing a heavy stroller around. They usually do not have a ton of storage space. Umbrella are the least bulky so if you are shopping and don't want to take up half the aisle, opt for this version. If you are flying, this is the kind to pack typically because it is lightweight and compact. They offer little support for a newborn, so add an insert like above or wait until baby can sit up well before busting out the umbrella stroller.

5. Double or more Strollers: having multiples? then you might need a double (or triple...) stroller. The debate here is whether to get a side by side or a front to back model. Honestly, they both have pro and cons. The side-by-side allow the babies to interact when they are a little older and both can see the action. However they are wider and can make shopping and manuvering a little tough. The front to back takes up less aisle room, but can be a little tricker to turn because of the way the weight is distributed. So just go to a baby store and take as much time as you need test driving both options and see which one feels better. They each have their advantages (and disadvantages) but neither are really that big of a deal.

A few questions to ask yourself when stroller shopping:
How easy is it to steer with one hand?
How long can I use this stroller? (is there a weight limit)
Does it have a canopy for rain, snow, heat ,etc?
Does it have the storage I need? (you can also hang storage bags off the handles if not)
How easily does it collapse? (try the City Mini... SOOOOO easy to collapse)
Will it store easily in my car, house, etc?
Oh yeah, and how much does it cost?

The City Mini (great all around stroller)

Sweet P Studio social stationary and gifts

You know how some people are just SO creative that everything they do is adorable? Yeah, that is Monica Stephenson, owner of Sweet P Studio. She custom designs all sorts of goodies. Invitations, thank you cards, cupcake toppers, favor boxes, pillowcases... really we could keep typing for a while. Here is a sampling of her fabulousness. And just in case you were wondering? NO, she is not expensive. In fact we think she should charge MORE. Handmade, one of a kind, precious, and budget friendly. Gotta love it.

Here's a baby shower invitation and the favor boxes she made to match. She makes everything custom, so you get exactly what you want.

These are the paint cans she covers with fabric and then adds a label to the front. They can be made to match your nursery or any other room in the house. Great to stylishly stash diapers, burp cloths, a few toys, etc. Having a boy? No worries. The ribbons on top are totally optional.

Custom stationary for you or for your little one. She has hundreds of designs or you can create one just for you. She also does calling cards for adults and kids, luggage and bag tags and pretty much anything else you can put a name on.

And after your little guy (or girl) has a party, how cute are these thank you cards? Just fill in the blanks. Check out her Facebook Page for more options on everything and how to get in touch to place your order.

Sweet P Studio

The 411 on Car Seats

It seems for every stage there is a different car seat. For newborns you need the infant size that fits into a base, then when baby gets too big you switch over to the toddler size, and then finally when your toddler gets really big they graduate to a booster seat. And praise Jesus the day your kid can just ride in the car.

At Project Mom we are all about giving you options based on your budget and your preferences. So here are some options for car seats:
1. Infant Seats-  some seats are designed ONLY for the infant stage. Once baby weighs 20 lbs these seats are done. In our opinion, not a good choice because you get little use out of them.
2. Convertible Infant-Toddler Seats- A wiser choice. These seats can hold a baby/toddler up to 30-35 lbs. So once baby is too long to be facing backwards, you just turn the seat around in the base and voila! the seat can now be used through the next stage. More bang for your buck.
3. Booster Seats-  When baby, who won't be a baby by this point, is 3 and weighs at least 40 lbs you will need a booster seat. No need to register for one of these yet. Wait till it is closer to time because the safety regulations change and who needs one more baby thing to store, right?

* Project Mom Tip:  for the infant stage, purchase or borrow from a friend who is done with it, 2 bases. That way when Daddy needs to take baby somewhere, or you need to use the OTHER car, you don't have to spend 20 days strapping the base in. Makes going from car to car a whole lot easier. It is also good to have that extra base in case someone else has to pick up baby for some reason. You can keep yours in the car all the time and have an extra on hand. *

There are car seats at every price point, style, and brand. Britax is pretty much the Prada of car seats. Not cheap, but worth the investment. Do not just casually purchase a car seat. Research the brand and model and read reviews. Get one that has high safety ratings (duh) and longevity.

If you have a friend who is just enough ahead of you that she can pass down her stuff or you hit a consignment sale that had a car seat in great condition but costs $40 instead of $270, buy it! There are car seat covers for sale now at about $80 a pop. So even though your friend had a boy and the fabric is not really your thing, just cover it and smile all the way to the bank. This trick can also work if the exact model of car seat you want to buy new is on sale but you don't like the fabric. Get it and add the cover. This cover is from The Bumble Collection. Just Google car seat covers and you will find loads of options

Dirty Diaper Delimna

Sometimes we wish air fresheners came in "new baby smell." Candles would also be cool. Instead of Warm Vanilla Sunrise they could market "freshly bathed baby." Who wouldn't by that?

But then there are those smells that come along with a baby that aren't as marketable. Like poo. And stale pee. Blahh. Not exactly part of GAP's new fragrance line.

So what should you do with those stinkalicious diapers? We are going to get some hate mail for this, but at Project Mom, we think you should go old school and just throw them in the kitchen (or garage) trash cans. In other words, we are not big fans of products like Diaper Genie and Diaper Champ.

Now, we do admit that they are convenient, but the thought of leaving poop and pee ANYWHERE for days at a time, or maybe up to a week if it is not a high traffic area, is disgusting and unhygienic. And do not buy into the idea that these contraptions do not smell. Hello. They hold 30 poop sausages. After a little use they smell. Bad.

We will concede that there are places where one of these products can be a huge help, like a daycare or church nursery where loads of diapers are being changed and it is nearly impossible to take each diaper out to the trash can. Or if you have multiples and go through a gazillion diapers a day and don't have a lot of free hands or free time, you go on with your Diaper Genie self. But for the average mom they are a waste. And they do not do all that they claim. Punks. So just use the regular can. If the smell of the trash bothers you use those powder bags we told you about (or just shake some baby powder in the can.)

Our message is not Diaper Genies and Diaper Champs don't work and serve no purpose . But our message is that  Diaper Genies and Diaper Champs are not a must-have item. There we feel better now. Before you slap one of these Poop Packers onto your registry, ask 5 moms what their experience was and let that help you form your opinion. They work just fine, we just think the concept is unnecessary and a little grody to the max.

Those Adorable Baby Feet

Baby feet are addicting! They are so tiny and so cute. It is amazing anything can be that small. But they grow. Bummer. So what can you do to remember those baby days? Here are a few ideas we found that should stand the test of time.

A classic black and white color scheme can change with your decor over the years. This came from SewCrewel and is actually not a picture or the ink copy from the hospital. But crewel (even cooler!) in a shadowbox frame.
www.sewcrewelcreations.com

Beth at Sweet Girl Photo is responsible for this sweet shot! Love the idea of the heart. www.sweetgirlphoto.com. Again, black and white. Goes with everything.

As baby gets a little bigger, add to your baby feet shrine (lol) with something like this. Frame some of those first pairs of shoes. What a fun way to capture baby growing up. www.mybarnwoodframes.com/blog/

Hang all of these ideas in the same area for an artistic college that you can add to over the years. Have some other suggestions? Do share...

15. To Dreft or Not to Dreft...

At Project Mom we think washing baby's clothes in one type of detergent and then washing parents clothes in something else is just too much work. And not even necessary work. You have enough to do. Do not make life harder on yourself.

Wash everyone's clothes in the same thing! If you feel you MUST have Dreft. Fine. But wash everything from Daddy's undershirts down to your t-shirts in it as well. Can't hurt. In fact it might even be better for YOUR skin, too.

Once upon a time Dreft was one of the only mild laundry detergents out there. They pretty much cornered the market on a product that was easy on baby's "new" skin. (You know what we mean). Now, however, they are getting a run for their money. Which is good for you!

Just about every grocery store now carries several detergents that are Free & Clear. Any one of these products would also be perfect for baby. And they might even be cheaper. Detergents without fragrances and dyes are pretty much equal to Dreft. So pick your poison and wash your clothes with it.

Or you could keep using the detergent you are already using. If baby ends up having a problem, like eczema or something, THEN change. But why go to all the trouble of making sure baby's clothes and your clothes NEVER intermingle. And then also going to the trouble of buying, storing, and using TWO different products if there is not an issue to begin with?

Use that extra time to flip through a magazine. It's way more fun.

14. Wipes Warmer

If someone out there really just rocks it out on the wipes warmer, PLUHEZ set us straight. But here at Project Mom, we think this is one of those items you can categorize as a good ole fashioned waste-o-money.

We apologize to the inventor of the first wipes warmer. We also send our regards to Babies r Us, Target, Wal-Mart, and any other store that sells them. Sorry to cut into your profit margin and all, but a contraption that warms up a wipe is just plain silly. We doubt our saying so will bankrupt any of you, so we don't feel guilty for being honest.

Why do we find this product to be a lemon? Because no child ever died from a room temperature wipe. Sorry. Just sayin. And then what happens when precious baby, who is so used to having his wittle wippie poo all warmed up is out somewhere and OMG there is not a wipe warmer to be had? We'll tell you what happens. Baby freaks out because he is not used to this. He screams and cries and raises holy h-e-you-know-the-rest.

Or maybe baby does nothing. Maybe that room temperature wipe is (SHOCKING) not that big of a deal. Maybe if you take your newborn on a hike up Mt. Everest this might come on handy. But otherwise it is a no go. We know it is fun to register for every baby item under the sun (we did it too and will do it again) but this particular treat should stay on the shelf.

Put that money towards something fun. Like a mani-pedi. or something practical. Like a housekeeper :)