Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Guest Post: Baby Shower Gifts That Make a Difference for Mama

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Please enjoy this guest post brought to you by our friends at ASOS. These are fantastic baby shower gift ideas that might not be on your radar! 

After a baby shower, the expectant mom is surrounded by so many goodies for the baby – from cute booties to a top of the range stroller, a baby shower can really help you get prepared for a little one’s arrival. However, carrying a baby for nine months can take its toll on the mom, so it might be nice to get some gifts for her too. In particular, if it’s her first baby she’s going to go from having lots of time for herself to being dedicated 24/7 to a new little person. So why not get her some gifts to help her indulge herself in the last couple of months? Here are some gift ideas for expectant moms everywhere.

 

A new dress

Buying maternity clothes can often be an expensive pursuit, but are a good investment as they are cut to fit pregnant women – if you just buy bigger sized clothing, they won’t always fit properly. So why not get your friend a pretty maternity dress to help her feel fashionable and comfortable? There’s so much choice out there now, and it will be something she can treasure forever and she’ll be able to feel great amidst the swollen ankles and back pain!

 

Luxury pamper kit

Create her a pamper kit with all the essentials you need to indulge in some serious TLC. Get her some luxury bath oils along with a loofah, body moisturizer, a new fluffy towel and a new bathrobe. She will then be able to relax and rest with some long soaks in the tub – definitely what you need when you’re aching all over! The towels and robe will also be handy to take with her if she is giving birth in a hospital and needs to take a bag with her with all her essentials.

 

A good book and a selection of films

When you near the end of pregnancy, lots of rest is required. But even the thought of sitting bored stiff for hours on end is enough to drive most people crazy, so why not get something to occupy your expectant mom friend? Stock her up with some great books and the latest film releases to make sure she doesn’t go stir crazy! It will help take her mind off any pain she’s having in those last few weeks – and it may be the last time for a while that she’ll have any time to read books and watch films that don’t contain cartoon characters!

 

Even if your friend only gets a couple of things that are for her rather than the baby, I imagine she’ll still really appreciate it! She’s about to undertake a crazy, wonderful journey with her baby, which is one of the most exciting things you can do in life. But getting a chance in the last few months of pregnancy to take some time for herself will be a much needed relief in the long run.

What’s in Your Diaper Bag? Guest Post from MizMeliz.com

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Here is a question for those of you with babies. . .

“What’s in your diaper bag?”

You may be asking yourself, why does she want to know this – her kids are teenagers!??

That’s it exactly! My kids are way, way, way out of diapers and well on their way out of high school and I am out of touch on the new stuff for babies. When I get invited to a baby shower, I have no idea what a new parent wants or needs. Most of the stuff I thought was cool when I had babies has been replaced by newer products. But, I wonder, are they better?

I asked my friend at work, Jeff Beam, a few questions. Jeff’s beautiful wife, Kelly, had just given birth to their baby girl, Lynnox, a few weeks prior. I had a lovely conversation with this sleep-deprived first time father on his first week back to work. He gave me some insightful, however sleepy, answers.

MM: What were your first impressions of becoming a parent?

JB: I was blissfully ignorant. I felt ready, for sure. I thought, “this really isn’t that bad, my baby is great!” Then, the sleep deprivation set in. I went from thinking; this is magic to what the hell is happening?

MM: Have you found any baby item particularly helpful or useful at this point?

JB: We were given a small backpack with compartments from the hospital, a good supply of diapers and a changing pad. So far, that has been very helpful.

MM: What is your favorite gift you have received for baby?

JB: For me, it’s the Boppy. We use it constantly.

MM: They still have those? I loved mine!

JB: It’s great! We also received a rocking chair that is perfect for Kelly. She sits in it as she is breastfeeding. My wife’s comfort is most important.

MM: What is the best piece of advice you received when you were expecting that has proved to be most helpful?

JB: I can’t remember right now, everything is foggy! But my friends have told me that taking care of a baby is easy. When they cry, they need something. It is like I am putting together a puzzle. It’s just a matter of figuring out which piece of the puzzle I am missing.

MM: Do you have any advice, based on your experience so far, to give to other new parents?

JB: Always have a change of clothes and plenty of diapers! (MM – for those “explosions!” Right! I’ll never forget that!) To new fathers, I would tell them what I do is remember my responsibility is my wife. Making sure Kelly is okay is my job. We are a tag team. I am ready to step in. Take the time off and stay home from work for those first few weeks.

MM: Is there anything you need now, other than sleep?

JB: We could use some help with meals, we are both exhausted and too tired to cook!

 

My (unofficial) advice to Jeff. . . if you think you are too tired to cook now – wait until you have three teenagers!!! Seriously, have you heard of ordering in? It’s great!

Officially, it was an honor to talk to Jeff. He was in love with fatherhood. He was in love with baby Lynnox and most importantly, even more in love with his wife. He is a wonderful father (and diaper changer!)

I was glad to hear that The Boppy is still a favorite for new parents. It is a great product. Way better than using a pillow. That’s what we did back in the day, you know. When my nephew was born, he was the first grandchild and there hadn’t been a baby in the family for about 15 years. We all passed that child around on a pillow like he was going to break if we touched him! It was symbolic because he was precious and we cherished those moments. It was useful because a baby needs to be propped up and cushioned. They are hard to hold on to at all times. The Boppy helps and is comfortable for the adult as well as the baby.

I used my Boppy for feeding and holding my babies when they were very little. They come in cute designs. Mine was black and white. That was big back then. Now they have them in pretty patterns or you can get a plain one and they have slip covers you can buy separately. I went to The Boppy website and found they have lots of products besides just the pillow and you can order online. http://Boppy.com The prices range from $19.99 for a slip cover to $44.99 for a travel pillow. They also have those cute play gyms and mats that are a great and useful gift for $24.99 – $74.99.

There are many new products and some variations of the standard product and all are useful and make terrific gifts. My favorite is and always will be The Original Boppy. Every family should have one! In fact, I wish I had one now. I would still use it! It could be helpful for my aching back! Seriously, I was very impressed that The Boppy company thinks everyone should have a Boppy, too. And they are doing something to make that happen. They have a goal of donating $20,000 worth of Boppy® Pillows to moms in need with Nurse-Family Partnership.

In case you haven’t guessed . . . if you invite me to your baby shower, you’re getting a Boppy!

 

Miz Meliz (aka Melissa Reyes) is a mother of three teen aged boys, lives in Southern California, works full time at a middle school, writes and takes pictures for her blog, and enjoys being married to her equally busy husband of twenty years. Visit her blog at http://mizmeliz.com @MizMeliz on Twitter and MizMelizFan on Facebook.

 

Jewelry that Captures the Essence of Motherhood: Vanessa Gade (BIG discount!!!)

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I want to talk for a moment about a matter that has become a bit controversial, largely due to the way people choose talk about it. Ever heard of a “push present”? This unfortunate term was coined to indicate a gift, typically jewelry, that a woman receives from her significant other upon the birth of their child.

I have NO problems with marking such an incredibly special moment in the life of a family with a special keepsake gift. In fact, I will tell you now that I received a beautiful platinum necklace from Tim when Darah was born. It has 3 interlocking circles, representing our new family. I wear it almost constantly (I’m wearing it in the picture on my home page, as a matter of fact!).

I DO have a problem with the term “push present” as it can be perceived to mean that the woman needs some sort of sparkly “treat” for delivering a baby. The work of carrying and delivering a baby FAR exceeds whatever jewels could possibly be offered, people. There’s no way to create some sort of “fair exchange…baby for bling.” I think most any mom will tell you that upon reflection, that concept doesn’t make any sense.

I think of my daughter and my family every time I touch my necklace. It is a reminder of my amazing family that I am blessed to have. I also know that one day I will pass this piece of jewelry on to Darah; it will mark some special occasion for her down the road, and it will be a true treasure to pass on. Not because I “earned” it by delivering her, but because it symbolizes the gift Tim and I were given the day she entered the world.

I have spent a bit of time thinking about what symbol might represent the arrival of our second daughter. It could be a piece of art, a sculpture for our backyard, or yes, even a piece of jewelry. I wasn’t really sure what to look for, but fortunately, something found me. I discovered the jewelry artist Vanessa Gade, and after taking just one look at her pieces, I fell madly in love. For me, her necklaces were capturing what I have been feeling about becoming a mother of two…an interesting dance between chaos and complete harmony.

Piece after piece in Vanessa’s collection show asymmetrical patterns, but all are captured inside perfect circles. There it is…the essence of my day-to-life life as a mom! The particular piece I received to review speaks so clearly to me about having two children. There are two beautiful chains that cut right through the circle (which I am inclined to think of as a symbol of my heart). They intersect with each other and look to me as though they are running and dancing, just as my children will run and dance through my head and my heart every day from now until it stops beating.  The circle is oxidized silver (though it is also available in sterling). I really like this effect. Part of the sacrifice of becoming a parent is that you do get a bit worn down as you stand up against all the elements. Perhaps I’m not as shiny as I was 5 years ago. But look at the light (the gold chains) that radiate from inside of me! Motherhood, even with all of its pains and scars, is a thing of the most tremendous beauty. I have never shined more brightly in my life. Vanessa Gade took all of those complex feelings and captured them perfectly in this piece. This necklace retails for $136 but can be yours for $95.20 (see below for details!).

Vanessa is an incredible artist. Her pieces likely speak to many different people for many different reasons, but I can guarantee that they will tug at your heart as a mother. Please take a look at her collection of stunning pieces. If you are looking for a special memento or perhaps wanting to give your significant other a few ideas for Valentine’s Day, you are sure to find something that calls out to you on her website.

Vanessa is so excited to have you learn about her collection here on Stuff Parents Need that she has decided to offer a BIG discount to my readers…30% off (if you have been following the crazy increase in gold and silver prices, then you know that to offer this sort of a discount is MAJOR)!!!! All you need to do is like Vanessa’s Facebook page and then email her at vanessagade@gmail.com with the piece of interest and she’ll set up a discount code just for you! 

Wanna see my top pick (aside from the piece you already heard about that I obviously adore)? This sterling silver piece with 3 lines going through it is simply stunning! What about you? What do you love the most from her collection? With the 30% discount, this piece could be yours for just $103.60. What a steal for something so unique and special!

Show Vanessa some love by liking her Facebook page. There will be plenty of eye candy to see there as she releases new and gorgeous designs. She also offers her fans special discounts from time to time!

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