Stuff Parents Need

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

Fluffy Fourth of July! Cloth Diaper Giveaway Worth Over $415!!!

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Welcome to the Fluffy Fourth of July sponsored by Gnome’s Naturals and hosted by Life With Levi!

Whether you’re just starting out using cloth diapers or already a fluffy pro, this giveaway prize offers something for everyone.

Fluffy Fourth Ultimate Starter Pack

One lucky winner will receive the ULTIMATE cloth diaper stash starter pack, valued at over $415!!!

This amazing prize prize pack includes:

  • THREE ones & twos All In One Diapers
  • ONE AppleCheeks Bamboo Little Bundle
  • ONE AppleCheeks Microterry Little Bundle
  • TWO Tots Bots Easy Fit or Tini Fit Diapers
  • TWO Rumparooz G2 Pocket Diapers or Little Joey Newborn All In Ones
  • ONE Bummis Beautiful BASIC Kit
  • SIX Organic Cotton Prefold Diapers
  • ONE Bummis Super Snap Wrap
  • ONE Bummis Super Lite Wrap
  • TWO Snappis
  • ONE AppleCheeks Storage Sac Pail Liner
  • ONE M Monkey Foot Designs Wet Bag for when you’re on the go.
  • ONE KalmSkin Travel Size Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Stick
  • ONE Bag of Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent
  • ONE Clean Cheeks Wipes Concentrate
  • ONE 6 Pack of AppleCheeks Cloth Wipes
  • ONE Mini Shower Diaper Sprayer
  • ONE Pack of AppleCheeks Flushable Diaper Liners

That’s all the diapers AND accessories you need for 18 diaper changes!!

Gnome’s Naturals is a cloth diaper and natural parenting store owned & operated by Lori Whitlock. As a mom of a toddler, Lori is always searching for great natural products for herself and her family. When she finds products that she loves, she sticks with them. Lori created Gnome’s Naturals to share those products with you. As a cloth diaper blogger, Lori has tried almost every cloth diaper on the market and strives to carry only the best of the best.

In addition to some well known brands that Lori loves, Gnome’s Naturals also carries work at home mom (WAHM) made items in the store. Make sure you check out the WAHM Spotlight section for products that are handmade by moms in North America. Lori is a huge proponent of moms supporting moms and she hopes that by retailing some mom-made items, she can help support them financially as well.

If you’re new to cloth diapering, Gnome’s Naturals offers several different cloth diaper trial packages. Beyond cloth diapers, Gnome’s Naturals also carries a great selection of baby carriers, baltic amber teething necklaces, breastfeeding products, and more.

Ready To Win?

Just enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below.
All entries are optional – be sure to come back often to complete the daily entries, since the more entries you have, the more chances you have to win!

Giveaway open to residents of the US & Canada. Contest ends Friday, July 6th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Maternity Monday) Noodle & Boo Skin Perfecting Creme Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I’m 28 1/2 weeks into my pregnancy. I look like I’m about 36 weeks along. Seriously. Some would probably say I look 40 weeks pregnant! I’m super short and the baby has nowhere to go but out. This is also my second pregnancy, so my body seems to be quick to remember how to expand to make room. All this is to say that I’m one round lady these days, with no hope of shrinking any time soon!

So as my belly grows, my skin is stretching. And itching. LIKE CRAZY!!! I need relief, and if there’s a chance that a product might help with stretch marks, well that’s a bonus. I actually had been using a stretch cream product that I used the last time, and it did seem to work, but it had a critical flaw: it is SO greasy! Seriously, I have to not put any clothes on after applying this stuff for a minimum of 10 minutes…way too long!

For the past month, though, I’ve been using a product from Noodle & Boo (remember the review I did earlier for their fantastic super soft lotion?). It’s called Perfecting Creme. I’m just going to be up front about the negative of this product: it ain’t cheap! A 3.5 oz tube will set you back $42.00.

Now let me tell you why I think it’s worth it.

First and foremost, it isn’t greasy! Yay! But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an AWESOME moisturizer. My belly feels so soft! It also helps tremendously with itching. And when you itch like crazy, you will do anything to get relief. This perfecting creme most definitely provides that relief.

Second, this pregnancy stretch marks cream contains a peptide compound that helps prevent and reduce stretch marks while naturally promoting the synthesis of collagen (that’s elasticity for your skin!). So far, I don’t have any stretch marks. I can’t promise that this product will keep them from appearing, but I do feel confident that it will at least help reduce their severity if I do get them.

Third, this stuff smells SO SO SO good. It made with cocoa butter and avocado oil, but if you ask me, it smells like sweetened almonds. It honestly brightens my mood when I apply it, which is a happy little perk.

I’m so glad I got to try this product. It isn’t something I would have picked up for myself, but now that I have used it, I would highly recommend it to other expecting moms. It’s worth it, and so are you! Be sure to check out the rest of their line, which includes lots of great baby skin careproducts.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a tube of Noodle & Boo Perfecting Creme! Woo hoo!

 

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Organic, Fair, Natural: Wild Dill for Babies and Toddlers

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Wild Dill is an absolutely fabulous resource for parents. This online shopping destination is chock full of organic, fair trade and natural toys, clothes and bedding for your little loves.

We recently received a fair trade stuffed animal and I have to say, I was really blown away by the quality. You may be wondering what fair trade means. It means that the artisans who produced this work were paid a living wage for their skills and time. The people making these products are earning a living that ensures they can care for themselves, and their families. Just as you and I seek to make a wage that can not only support us but also help us thrive, so, too, do these individuals, and Wild Dill sees to it that they are fairly compensated. Yes, that does mean that the prices for the products are going to be a bit higher. But I promise you, the quality is unparalleled.

I love this panda from Yellow Label Kids for a few reasons other reasons, as well. It’s organic, which means that when (not if!) the baby chews on it, I don’t have to worry about all the pesticides and chemicals that might be lurking in the material and stuffing. Second, the coloring is excellent for newborn and young infant eyes, which are drawn to black and white images. This ensures that this panda is going to be played with a great deal, especially in the early weeks of life! I will use it with the baby to help her practice tracking objects. And I can already tell you that big sister thinks it is a fun toy, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing her play with it a lot, too!

The product selection at Wild Dill is fantastic, with over 50 great natural brands featured. Some I have already known and loved, and some are new discoveries to me, which is so much fun! What a joy it is to see the growth of organic and fair-trade products!

If Wild Dill sounds like the type of place where you’d like to do a lot of your baby shopping, then you are in luck! They offer wish lists and baby registries! Also, all orders over $65 qualify for free shipping, which is great!

Buy it!: You can purchase the organic stuffed panda I reviewed for $34.00.

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

Maternity Monday: Noodle and Boo Lotion Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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One thing I wish I had taken the time to do more often with Darah when she was a baby was infant massage. There’s so much research out there indicating that this is such a great bonding activity for baby and parent. I was always so worried about whether or not she was cold that I didn’t massage her as often as I would have liked. I’m going to be more intentional about giving my little one lots of touch and ski-to-skin contact this time around.

I know this is a great thing for babies, and it is also a great thing for toddlers! Darah likes to “do lotion” after her bath or really most any time that I mention it as an option. She’s actually not an overly touchy child, but she loves a massage!

I try to make sure that I have high quality, hypo-allergenic and all natural products to put on her skin, and I’ll be even more diligent about that with the baby in its first year. Right now we are testing a product that we are really enjoying. It’s called Super Soft Lotion by Noodle & Boo. It smells fantastic; like a baby! It’s made with sweet almond oil and contains natural antioxidants. I find that it moisturizes Darah’s skin without leaving a greasy residue. I appreciate that because in the winter months, I do want to get her dressed quickly after her lotion time, and I don’t worry that this lotion will get all over her clothes.

Noodle & Boo products are made to be used on newborns and babies with sensitive skin, so there is no need to worry about potential reactions. Their baby skin care products are also formulated to comply with some of the most stringent consumer production standards in the entire world (those set by the European Union and Japan). I appreciate that a U.S.-based company goes above and beyond what our own country’s regulations require. That shows a true dedication to providing the very best and safest products possible.

One other great thing about Noodle & Boo is that they aspire to help children in need by donating a significant portion of their profits to different children’s charities. I love an organization that really gives back.

Noodle & Boo has a fantastic line of products that you and your baby are sure to enjoy. I highly recommend the baby lotion as a gift for your little one, or as an extra special baby shower gift.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need winner will win a Noodle & Boo Super Soft Lotion!
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Dolphin Organics Shampoo and Conditioner GIVEAWAY!!!

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Dolphin Organics is the end result of lots of love, hard work and dedication from the husband and wife team, Nigel and Ayo. They made a commitment early on to eating as much organic food as possible, but later on realized that they weren’t being as careful about what they put ON their bodies as they were about what they put IN their bodies.

Being dissatisfied with the number of organic and natural skincare options for children on the market, they decided to solve that problem by making their own. Dolphin Organics was born, and now has a line of excellent products that you can let your entire family use with confidence. 

We were sent two products to try: the Baby Shampoo & Body Wash (just one product!) and the Hair Conditioner. I really love the shampoo & body wash product. Three cheers for a product that does double-duty and reduces clutter in the bathroom! I have found the product to effectively clean Darah’s body and hair without leaving it feeling too dry (a tough thing to do now that winter is approaching!).

The conditioner is a new product for us to be using on Darah, and I don’t think she needs it every time she gets her hair washed. It gets used about once a week, and I do notice that it adds some extra softness to her hair. I’ve actually used the product as well and found it to do a nice job. It also smells lovely!

One other thing I love about these products is that they very clearly list all the ingredients, and even show you which ingredients are organic, and which are natural. They have a column for designating artificial ingredients, but none of their products contain any, so that column is always empty!

Dolphin Organics is offering a special deal each day for the holidays, so be sure to check in and see what you can snag for a bargain!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Dolphin Organics shampoo AND conditioner set! Yay!

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The Latest and Greatest from Earth Mama Angel Baby (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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We are big Earth Mama Angel Baby fans in our house. What’s not to love? This company offers organic personal care products that are safe for every member in the house, young and old! The performance of their products is excellent, and I think the smells are simply DIVINE!

Speaking of smells, Earth Mama Angel Baby has some products that are designed with the expecting mama in mind. Many pregnant women experience a sensitivity to smells, often lasting throughout the entire pregnancy. The Happy Mama Hand to Toe Wash is ideal for a woman in this position. You don’t have to eliminate every product with a scent from your bathroom, after all. This product contains ginger, organic lime and organic pink grapefruit essential oils, all of which will smell wonderful to a sensitive nose, helping to ease that queasy feeling and lift your spirits! Hooray!

Even if you aren’t expecting, you will love the smell. I know I do! And I love the way it dispenses, as a rich foam. This is especially handy at bath time for Darah, as she is a wiggle worm and we’ve got to move fast to get soap on her!

There are some really great ingredients in this product, but what is even more important to know is what is NOT in EMAB products:
• No petrochemicals, petroleum or petroleum byproducts
• No 1,4-Dioxane, formaldehyde, or phthalates
• No sodium lauryl sulfate, cocomidopropyl betaine or other synthetic foaming agents or surfactants
• No artificial preservatives, parabens, phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-15 etc.
• No artificial emulsifiers

You can always feel confident about any purchase you make with this company. The only offer what is best for you, for baby and for the planet. Yay Earth Mama Angel Baby!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win Happy Mama Hand to Toe Wash! The contest will run until May 30th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

REMEMBER, YOU MUST FOLLOW THIS BLOG VIA GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN. YOU CAN SIGN UP ON MY SIDEBAR IF YOU DON’T ALREADY FOLLOW.

Mandatory entry: Tell me one other product in the EMAB line that piques your interest.

Additional entries:

1.Sponsor love: Like Earth Mama Angel Baby on Facebook

2.Blogger love: Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter

Be sure to enter my other currentgiveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

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

Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash Review and GIVEAWAY!!

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Bath time is a nightly ritual for Darah. She starts using sign language to ask for her bath around 4pm, even though bath time is right around 6pm. She loves it so much! Darah is very playful in the tub, and really enjoys splashing around, playing with tub toys and, knock on wood, getting her hair and body washed (we lucked out on that one!).

earth mama baby shampoo Earth Mama Angel Baby is a company that offers a splendid line of bath products for mamas and babies, all made from organic ingredients. I’ve tried their Happy Mama Body Wash (with a smell that even the pregnant ladies can appreciate!). For the past month, we’ve also been using their new Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash.

First and foremost, this soap works. Darah gets cleaned from head to toe with it, and it takes care of all the food and dirt that somehow manages to cling to her throughout the day.

Second, the smell is FANTASTIC! Some people avoid scented soaps for their babies because those smells are created using harsh chemicals. Not so with this product. It is scented with organic vanilla and organic orange oils. It smells like a creamsicle! I’ve tried several different bath products over the years (I really should say hundreds…I’m a junkie) and Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash is easily in my top 5 as far as smell goes.

Third, the pump formula is extremely convenient when we are bathing Darah. We can easily squirt out some foam right onto her body or her head and we don’t accidentally get too much product, as we sometimes do with more traditional bottles.

We love this product and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants the best for themselves and for baby, but who would love to have something scented on hand.

Buy it!: If you’d like to try the Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, you are smart to do so. And getting for a discount is even smarter! use code Itsablog20 for 20% off! The 5.3 oz bottle is $10.95 and they offer a 34 ounce refill, as well!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need read will win a bottle of Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash! The contest will run until January 16th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States and Canada. Limit one entrant per person, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me one product in your home that you want to replace with something less toxic, but haven’t yet. Why haven’t you?

My answer: I still have a closet shelf full of body washes that contain ingredients I have since learned are not so good for me or the environment. The frugal gal in me is reluctant to pitch them/donate them, though, since they are already paid for! But I’m not replacing them with other similar products. When they are gone, they are gone! And they are never used on Darah.

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like Earth Mama Angel Baby on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need via RSS or email

Be sure to check out my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my home page.

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

Our Favorite Organic Shampoo for Babies: Little Twig

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Bath time is totally where its at in our house. Darah LOVES to take a bath, and she comes by that honest. Tim and I are both bubble bath fanatics (hope I didn’t just embarrass you, dear).

Thanks to the power of moms talking online, I learned about organic shampoo for babies by a company called Little Twig, and they specialize in shampoo for baby and other bath products for tiny tots. Thanks to a great blog win by my little sister Laura, we’ve been using Little Twig unscented baby wash, and it has rocked! It gets her clean as can be, and there’s never been the slightest irritation. I also have had the opportunity to work with little twig, and they sent me the Happy Tangerine baby wash. HEAVEN IN A BOTTLE! The smell is amazing, and Darah seems to like it, too!
organic shampoo for babies Now, I’m going to tell you, when I saw the prices for the products, I thought they were a little bit steep. They are $10 for an 8.5 oz bottle. BUT….the more I use the stuff, the more I realize that the price is actually amazing. The products are completely organic and natural (I recognize everything on their ingredient list). AND let me tell you, a little goes a long way. We are going to be using her bottle of baby wash for several (as in, probably 6) months before we run out. And we bathe Darah every 1-2 days. So $10 for baby wash that will last 6 months and that is not scary for my baby = TOTAL STEAL! They also sell the products in a 17 ounce container (with a pump…super nice) for $14.50, which lowers the cost per ounce quite a bit more!

We also had the opportunity to test out the little twig mineral sunscreen. This stuff goes on smoothly, is water-resistant and is nasty chemical-free! I’ve been very pleased every time I have put it on Darah, though I do wish the SPF was a bit higher than 30.

I also want to point out something really awesome about Little Twig. From their site, “Each month little twig chooses a charitable organization benefiting our environment and children’s issues. little twig donates 15% of the purchases you make every Wednesday to organization we have chosen.” I love it when companies actively give back. You rock, little twig!

Buy it! Overall, I’d have to say that little twig offers an incredible line of delightful and effective products that you can use without worrying about your child’s safety. I highly recommend them! You can buy Little Twig products on Amazon.

Win it!: little twig wants to give one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a $50 gift certificate to use on their site. You read that right, $50!!! That will take care of your bath and body needs for a long time! The contest will run until September 4th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. You will have 48 hours to respond to your winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.
Mandatory entry: Tell me anything about bath time at your house. Is there a favorite tub toy? Favorite shampoo for baby? How often do your kids take baths? Any relevant comment will do!

Additional entries:
1. “Like” little twig on Facebook
2. Follow little twig on Twitter
3. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter
4. “Like” Stuff Parents Need on Facebook
5. Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by RSS, email or Google Friend Connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe multiple ways)
6. If you are a blogger (posted something within the past 3 months) put my button on your blog and leave a url so that I can find it.

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways (listed on the sidebar of my home page).

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links.