ahmelie - Stuff Parents Need

Ahmelie Swaddling Blanket Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

June 28, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · 119 Comments

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if you are going to swaddle your baby, don’t even attempt to use a receiving blanket or the vast majority of swaddling blankets on the market. They are TOO SMALL!

I think many parents give up on swaddling their infants because they don’t realize that they have equipment that does not prepare them for success! When Darah was born, we were gifted with 3 blankets that seemed ridiculously huge. The woman who made them for us said, “You need a bigger blanket for swaddling than you realize.” She was SOOO right. Darah was a small baby, and even she had outgrown her other swaddling blankets within a month or so. We used those “huge” blankets on her for the better part of the next 2 years. She actually still has one in her big girl bed with her!

There’s a company that realizes how big swaddling blankets actually need to be in order to be effective. Ahmelie has been featured on this site several times, not only for her swaddling blankets, but also for her hooded towels and her beautiful burp cloths. The fabrics Ahmelie uses are absolutely stunning. I have truly never seen prettier baby accessories.

And I really appreciate the size of her swaddling blankets. I’ve actually purchased swaddling blankets from Ahmelie several times for friends who have had babies. While I typically don’t like to veer from the gift registry for people, I am eternally grateful that someone knew to get me a huge blanket for swaddling, so I try to pay that forward by gifting them to others. Plus, these blankets are so gorgeous that I know the recipients will be pleased!

Here’s a picture of our Ahmelie swaddling blanket at its full size. Pretty big, right?

Now, here’s a picture of Layah all bundled up in her beloved blanket:

If you are currently expecting and want to try swaddling (which I HIGHLY recommend as a way to comfort and calm your baby), please do yourself the biggest favor and get a huge swaddling blanket, like the ones found at Ahmelie’s shop. Her blankets are $16.00 each are are worth so much more than that! AND…you can use code STUFF10 to save 10% off your purchase at Ahmelie.com! Woo hoo!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a swaddling blanket from Ahmelie!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

(Maternity Monday) Preparing for Baby Bath Time with Ahmelie Hooded Towels (GIVEAWAY!!!)

March 5, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · 111 Comments

At my first baby shower, I received a Tigger hooded towel for Darah. Hooded towels are totally adorable and also serve a great purpose in that they help keep your baby warm from head to toe after getting them out of the bath. This is especially important when they are tiny and can’t regulate their own body temperatures very well.

I also like hooded towels because the larger, more plush versions can grow with your child, as opposed to the tiny hooded towels, which Darah outgrew by the time she was 6 months old (and she was a small baby!). The Tigger towel is just now starting to be a little bit small for Darah.

As great as it has been, I can’t say that I’m going to miss having a big orange towel hanging out in my bathroom. It honestly was just unsightly and it clashed with everything. I guess that’s probably going to be the case with many character print towels.

But Ahmelie, who you saw featured for her stylish burp cloths, has an alternative that you should check out. Her hooded towels are GORGEOUS! No seriously. STUNNING. As in, I want one in my size. Many of them are made with Amy Butler towels. Amy Butler is known for her gorgeous prints, and these towels are certainly no exception. They are also organic. Just take a look and see the cuteness for yourself!

We received the Woodfern Grey hooded towel and it matches our bathroom perfectly. I LOVE seeing it hanging up in the room; what a refreshing change from bright orange! Darah also thinks it is beautiful and loves being wrapped up in it after her bath. The towel is very plush and absorbent. It feels like one of those towels that you get to use when you visit a wealthy relative. Ha ha!

For the next little peanut on the way, I’m completely skipping over those thin infant hooded towels, and I’m bypassing character towels, too. On my wish list is another Ahmelie hooded towel that will get used over and over again for several years. I predict Darah won’t outgrow hers until she is at least 6! These towels retail for $32.00 and given how beautiful and soft they are, and how long they will last, they are absolutely worth the price! Plus, you can use code STUFF10 to save 10% off your purchase at Ahmelie.com!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a hooded towel in your choice of available prints!

[Read more…]

(Maternity Monday) Stylish Burp Cloths by Ahmelie (GIVEAWAY!!!)

February 6, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · 66 Comments

Here’s the deal: babies spit up. A lot. And when I say “spit up” I am not just talking about little dribbles of drool (although they do a heck of a lot of that, especially when teething). I’m talking about what should really be referred to as throwing up, but that’s just too gross to say all the time. They do this OFTEN, and if you aren’t prepared with the right equipment, your laundry basket is about to get seriously full. I learned from the wise parents who came before me that for several months of your life, you should plan on having a burp cloth over your shoulder pretty much at all times. Does it need to be something fancy? Of course not; absorbency is the real key. We used mostly basic pre-folds (so absorbent!) and some cut up towels.

But with that said, we also had a few “nice” burp cloths, and I was really glad to have those when we ventured from the house. If I actually made the time to look halfway decent when going somewhere, I didn’t want to spoil the whole thing by putting a cut up towel over my shoulder! So I do recommend that you get at least 3 nicer burp cloths. But don’t do what my mom did and get burp cloths that are so lovely (full of expensive lace, for example) that you would be upset if they actually got used. If the baby can’t actually spit up on them, then they are useless!

Ahmelie, one of my VERY favorite retailers, offers the perfect marriage of design and function with her burp cloth sets. I had the opportunity to review a set of 3 burp cloths from her line. These are made with 100% cotton cloth diapers, which are very absorbent! But they also have a beautiful piece of fabric added to the middle to make them look beautiful. I really like the size of these burp cloths; they are large enough to double as a changing pad, which makes them all the better. I LOVE when something can do double-duty for me in the diaper bag!

I can tell you as a customer of Ahmelie’s that her designs are simply gorgeous and her quality is outstanding. If your burp cloth stash is looking a little rough around the edges, or if you are looking for a really cute shower gift that will also be useful, I highly recommend these designer burp cloths.

Buy it!: The set of 3 burp cloths I reviewed retails for $17.00, which is a great price for something so darn cute! Ahmelie has a special offer for Stuff Parents Need customers. Use code STUFF10 at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase (good at www.ahmelie.etsy.com or at www.ahmelie.com).

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a set of 3 burp cloths from Ahmelie!

[Read more…]

Hooded Towels for Kids with Amy Butler Designs

August 8, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 147 Comments

Several months ago, I featured a delightful shop called Ahmelie because they carry swaddling blankets that are not only beautiful, but also actually large enough for use ( a traditional receiving blanket is WAY too tiny…check out my post on large swaddling blankets for more info on that topic).

I’m pleased to be bringing you another fabulous find from Ahmelie. This one is perfect to wrap your little toddler in after bath time! Check out her drop dead gorgeous hooded towels! Have you ever in your life seen such beautiful bath sheets???

Ahmelie sent us the Organic Watermelon towel, made with material by Amy Butler. Tim was with me when I opened it, and he audibly swooned when he saw it. This guy is not so easily impressed, but I’m telling you, he was boderline gushing. The colors are bold, bright and beautiful, and such a nice break from the pastel pink that has taken over our home. The towel is also one of those REALLY good ones. You know…huge, super soft, and very absorbent.

This towel measures 31″ x 56″, so it is great for her to use now at the beginning of her toddler years, but is large enough that she’ll still be using it probably until she’s old enough to think it isn’t cool to have a hooded towel (maybe 9? I dunno…). Ahmelie has a wonderful selection of hooded towels, with prices starting at just $19.00. These make a really awesome gift for a toddler or child! And let me just be honest…I wouldn’t mind having one in my size. Just sayin’.

Bottom line, Ahmelie has a tremendous selection of beautiful and functional gifts for babies, toddlers and even hip moms (I am totally coveting this coffee cuff and this checkbook cover). Check out the shop today; you are sure to find something you’ll love! Ahmelie also has a shop at Big Cartel, and you can get 10% off there by using promo code STUFFPARENTS10.

Win it!: Ahmelie wants to help celebrate Darah’s birthday by giving one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a hooded towel from currently listed selection. Sweet! The contest will run until August 18th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be contacted and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is drawn. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Ahmelie wants to be friends…facebook friends, that is! “Like” Ahmelie on Facebook and come back here and tell me you did so for your mandatory entry!

Additional entries:
1. Tell me your favorite Ahmelie item.
2. Follow Ahmelie on Twitter
3. Subscriber to Ahmelie’s blog
4. Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by RSS, email, or Google Friend Connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe multiple ways.
5. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter

Be sure to check out my other current giveaways, listed on the sidebar of my home page.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

The Lowdown on Receiving Blankets: The Key to Infant Sleep (Giveaway!)

December 5, 2009 · by Tiffany Merritt · 109 Comments

(Image from Target.com)

Before I had a child, I thought that receiving blankets (or swaddling blankets for babies) just like the ones shown to the right made the perfect gift for new parents. After all, babies like to be swaddled, right? So a receiving blanket would be an extremely useful gift!
Only now do I realize how very wrong I was. I shudder to think about how many receiving blankets I’ve given at baby showers.

You may be very confused right now. Am I saying that babies don’t like to be swaddled, and therefore, don’t need blankets? Absolutely not! Most newborns absolutely love to be swaddled, and really NEED to be swaddled to help them feel secure, especially during the first 3 months of life (my little one is days away from being 4 months old, and she is still all about the swaddle). The blankets pictured above, along with the vast majority of receiving blankets you will find in stores, are simply WAY WAY WAY too small (the ones above are 30 x 30)! Darah was a smallish baby when she was born, and when we got her home we found that her receiving blankets could not contain her 6 pound 9 ounce little body. We received a homemade receiving blanket at a shower, and it was HUGE. We couldn’t imagine that we needed something that big, but in fact, it became our saving grace at nap time. Our traditional receiving blankets are sitting in her closet gathering dust while her homemade blankets are working overtime.

I haven’t really seen receiving blankets in any national chain stores that are truly big enough (edited to add, since writing this post, Amazon has started to carry some larger ones…always check the size!). But I have found a store on Etsy that makes exactly what you really need. Let me introduce you to Ahmelie. This shop carries a large selection of swaddling blankets that can actually get the job done (they measure 44 inches square for the large blankets). I was blown away by the beautiful patterns she offers. The price is outstanding, as well, starting at $11.00 per blanket. If you are expecting, I am begging you to get a large swaddling blanket like the ones at Ahmelie. If you are going to a baby shower any time soon, this would be a gift that the parents will thank you endlessly for once their bundle arrives (I promise!).

Buy it!
Ahmelie has swaddling blankets with a designer look, but without the designer pricetag. Head on over and stock up for yourselves or for your friends and family who have babies on the way! All orders come with a blank hand sewn card. BONUS: Anyone who places an order and mentions this post in their note to the seller will receive a free bib/nusring clip, which can be used to turn napkins and burp cloths into bibs or to secure a blanket in place so it can be used as a nursing cover!

Win it!
TWO lucky readers are going to win 2 swaddling blankets each of your choice from Ahmelie! Oh how I envy you! The contest will run until Sunday, December 12th at 7:59pm CST, when the winners will be chosen at random and emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected. You must include your email address in your comment or make sure it is listed in your profile! You must complete the mandatory entry in order for any subsequent entries to be counted. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Ahmelie’s swaddling blankets. Come back here and tell me which two you would pick if you won!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Become a fan of Ahmelie on facebook (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Make a purchase at Ahmelie (5 entries, so leave 5 comments)

Disclosure: I received no product or compensation for this review and giveaway.