Stuff Parents Need

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

My Very Favorite Products of 2012

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I have had so much fun over the past few months highlighting my favorite products of 2010 and 2011. And now I come to my favorite products of 2012! This list was the most difficult of them all to create. After initially going through all my posts I had 42 products that made me squeal with delight. Sheesh! I painstakingly narrowed it down to 16 products that I want to give one more shout out to as we close our 2012 year.

Do keep in mind that any positive review on my site is completely honest. What you see below is the cream of the crop for my family. These are the products that have surprised us the most, given the most delight, and enjoy the most use. They are in no particular order.

1. Everyday Minerals. This mineral makeup company has generous sizes of product, outstanding prices, beautiful colors, and coverage to match premium brands.

2.  Rubbermaid Hidden Recycler. While it is petite, it is the perfect fit for our small kitchen. Keeps our recyclables out of sight. Lots of love for this product!

3. Jahgoo Infant Bath. Another great space saver for those of you with babies 0-6 months. Layah recently outgrew it. We all were quite sad about that!

4. Attribute Apples. I continue to be amazed at how frequently Darah requests to play with this game. She loves sorting them by size, color and other attributes.

5. LifeLock. This service has helped keep identity theft at bay and also kept me alert to other potential threats, such as registered sex offenders in my neighborhood. I’ve been so pleased with the service provided and absolutely believe that it is worth the cost and then some.

6. Vanessa Gade Jewelry. This designer has a true gift. My necklace from her collection is one of my most beloved material possessions.

7. Pork. Yes, as in the other white meat. I had the opportunity to try out several different cuts of pork this year. We weren’t pork eaters before that time, but now we are. It’s delicious and surprisingly versatile!

8. Bobble Water Pitcher. I have purchased replacement filters for my Bobble since reviewing it because we use it multiple times, every single day. It has a permanent home in our fridge!

9. Ruggable Rug. I can’t say enough what a genius idea a washable rug is. The white shag run we own has been washed several times and still looks absolutely fantastic.

10. Beaba Babypote. This nifty container gives me the opportunity make squeeze pouches for my girls. It saves me a ton of money!

11. Shower Hug. This is the item that pregnant women and brand new moms have no idea they need until they try it. It is bliss!

12. First Years Feeding Chair. We ditched our old high chair that was twice as expensive and took up twice as much room. This chair rocks!

13. Dexas Ice Cube Trays. These bad boys make the biggest ice cubes ever, and they are super space efficient in the freezer. I use them daily!

14. Swaddlebees Simplex One Size Diaper. I’ve seen some amazing diapers, but this one takes the cake. It’s the whole package, folks.

15. Hot Dots. These flash cards are fantastic for learning and independent play. They travel well, too! I’ve bought several more packs and even bought some as gifts.

16. Olay Products. I have been extremely impressed with how well everything I’ve tried from this company works. My skin looks great!

There’s my list! Did you have any standout favorite products you used for the first time in 2012? I’d love to hear about them!

Shower Time Revolution for Nursing Moms: The Shower Hug (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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There’s a product I have been using on a very regular basis since about 2 weeks before Layah was born. It has been helping me SO much with feeling comfortable in those weeks before and the weeks after having a baby.It’s called a Shower Hug, and at first glance, it may not really seem to be that phenomenal of a product. But hang with me and I’ll explain!

This is a terry velour wrap that goes around your breasts in the shower. It is meant to be a protective barrier between your chest and the shower spray, which can suddenly feel VERY uncomfortable when your breasts are sore or engorged. Additionally, it acts as a warm compress which is extremely soothing and does help to ease engorgement.

Now, for me, engorgement only lasted 3 days. The Shower Hug provided enough comfort in those 3 days that I would say it is worth it just for that period, but I can also tell you that it has several uses after this phase of breastfeeding ends.

First and foremost, if you are going to be breastfeeding, you will learn that you are supposed to avoid using soap on your nipples and areolas, as they can actually dry you out and impede breastfeeding. I am still using the Shower Hug when I get in the shower to keep suds from my soap bar and from shampoo away from that area. But at the same time, the Shower Hug does get wet, so I don’t feel as though I’m not rinsing that area off well.

I also really enjoy getting to take hot baths again, and when I am taking a hot bath, I dip the Shower Hug in the hot water and then wear it while I soak. Our tub is on the small side, so it is impossible for me to fill it up to the point where my chest is submerged. The Shower Hug gives me that same feeling, though!

The Shower Hug is also useful to me during the night when I really don’t want to wear a nursing bra to bed, but I know I can’t sleep with nothing on or else I wake up with wet sheets! I can wrap my Shower Hug around me and put in breast pads. It is really nice to take a break from something with straps.

The Shower Hug comes in white with pink trim, white with blue trim or natural with sage trim. It is proudly made in the USA. It is available here for $29.95.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Shower Hug!

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.