Stuff Parents Need

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

Power Up Your Morning with belVita: Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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In my house, we appreciate having a variety of options for our morning meal (which we NEVER skip!). Depending on how much time we have on a weekday morning, we go with anything from cereal to pancakes and scrambled eggs.

Some mornings we really are in a bit of a rush, though (on rare occasions, Darah will sleep in until about 30 minutes before we have to leave the house….the mad rush is worth the extra quiet as Tim and I get ready!). On days like this, we need something fast, but I’m not interested in reaching for something like a Pop Tart (ok, I AM interested because they taste like candy, but I’m not going to choose it!).

Kraft has just come out with a brand new breakfast item that has been terrific for these kind of days. It’s called belVita, and it is a package of breakfast biscuits that you can eat at your table, in your car or even at your desk. They come in three great flavors: blueberry, apple cinnamon and golden oat. Blueberry is my personal favorite, though I would purchase any of these flavors, because they are all quite good.

Each package of belVita breakfast biscuits is packed with 18-20 grams of whole grains. They are also a good source of fiber and B vitamins. When paired with a piece of fruit and a serving of dairy they make for a balanced breakfast.

What I find interesting about this product is the science behind it. It has been specially developed to release carbohydrates regularly and continuously throughout the morning so that you receive sustained energy. Pretty cool, huh?

I think belVita biscuits are delicious and very convenient. And I love that they are good for you, too! They don’t have any high fructose corn syrup and no partially hydrogenated oils.  Look for them in the cracker/cookie aisle of your favorite grocery store!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win 3 boxes of belVita breakfast biscuits (one of each flavor).

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Maternity Monday: Itzbeen Timer Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Lately I’ve been reading a book all about breastfeeding. It’s really helping refresh my memory on just exactly what it takes to feed a newborn…and it’s a LOT of work. You have to feed the newborn a minimum of 8 times each day, round the clock. I can tell you from experience just how easy it is to lose track of the number of times you have fed the baby, or when, exactly, they last ate, or how long it has been since their last diaper change, or even how long it has been since their last dose of medicine if they happen to be taking anything.

With Darah, we had an old-school pen and paper system, and it got the job done, but we would still sometimes forget to stumble over to our dresser and write things down in the log, especially in the middle of the night when the last thing we wanted to do was turn on the lamp. We would promise ourselves that we’d write it down in the morning. You can probably guess how often that actually happened, though.

While it isn’t the end of the world to miss a log entry, keeping up with this sort of thing really is extremely helpful. If you are feeling worried about your baby’s milk intake, for example, you need your log to determine how many wet diapers she has had in the last 24 hours, as this will help you know if she’s eating often enough. So that log really is quite important.

And now there’s a way to make keeping track of it all SO much easier. It’s called the Itzbeen baby care timer, and it makes recording all these events as easy as the push of a button. One handy little device (that can clip onto your belt loops for easy travel around the house!) can keep track of the following:

  • changing time
  • feeding time
  • sleep/awake time
  • one more timer for whatever you need (such as medication time)
  • nursing reminder (help you keep track of the side you nursed on last)
Trying to keep up with all of this in your head will NEVER work, and keeping track on paper also isn’t ideal, especially in the middle of the night. What makes the Itzbeen timer perfect for any time of the day or night is the fact that it has a display back light so you can easily read and record in the dark. Hooray!
Yes, people have been caring for babies since before technology entered the world, and they managed to get through it. But I’m telling you, this technological innovation is going to help Tim and me not feel quite so loopy, and that is worth a whole heck of a lot!

Buy it!: The Itzbeen timer retails for $24.99 and can be purchased at many online retailers or at a location near you. For a complete list of place to buy, click here.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win your own Itzbeen Timer!

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Finding the Perfect Easter Dress with #MyHartstrings

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Darah is a dress girl. She asks to wear dresses to sleep (so we have comfy cotton dresses just for this purpose). She asks to put on a brand new dress in the morning. This is getting easier now that the weather is warmer, but let’s just say we had a serious supply of thick tights to get us through winter. And it’s not unusual for her to have a wardrobe change from one dress to the next in the middle of the day.

So as Easter is approaching, I knew that I needed to look for something truly special. To a girl who wears dresses every single day, an Easter dress would have to be nothing short of spectacular.

I knew just where to look. I went to Hartstrings! This company is known for their classic and beautiful children’s clothing. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Hartstrings store in my town, but this is really no problem, as they have a website that you can hop on any time of day (in fact, my shopping trip happened around 7am!). As I was perusing the selection, I posted some of my very favorite looks on Pinterest, so be sure to check them out!

I was hoping to find a special “going home” outfit for our newest little one who will be making an appearance, but it seems that Hartstrings doesn’t carry size newborn. No matter, though, as I needed to quickly turn my attention to choosing an Easter dress from their selection.

As cute as I knew Hartstrings clothing to be, I still didn’t expect the decision to be as hard as it was. In fact, I haven’t actually decided. I need your help with that part! I actually ordered my two favorite dresses from their collections and I want to hear what you think we should pick for Easter! The reason I ordered two instead of one is because making a return to Harstrings is really no hassle. Simply return your merchandise (with the tags still on, please!) within 30 days for a full refund.

Want to hear another great customer service feature they have? They offer a one time price adjustment within 14 days of purchase if something you ordered goes on sale. In my case, I just received an email about a 25% off sale, so I’ll be calling customer service later today to take advantage of that sale and saving a bit of money. I really appreciate that they offer this!

And one more thing: you can get an additional 10% off your purchase just for signing up for the Hartstrings newsletter (the same newsletter that let me know about the 25% off sale and saved me some money!). Don’t miss the opportunity to save even more! Here’s a screenshot of the homepage. Look in the top right corner and you will see arrow I have pointing to the newsletter offer.

Shopping on the Hartstrings website was also quite fun. I like how you can shop by collection, size, color and even price point (good for those of us who need to stay within a budget!). They even have a brother/sister category if you are looking to coordinate your children. Excellent idea, especially for holidays or picture taking time!

So, now on to the fashion show. Here are the two options I selected. Remember, the dress chosen will be for Easter, and it will also be worn to the rehearsal for my sister’s wedding, where Darah will be a flower girl. It might even get worn to the hospital to meet baby sister or to wear when we bring her home! We’ll be making good use of this dress all season! 🙂

First up, the Floral Printed Poplin Dress. My very favorite feature of this dress is the cute bows at the shoulders. They are just the right size to add something extra special to the dress without going overboard. The lace detail across the front is also really gorgeous. And the colors in the dress are traditional, yet refreshing all at the same time!

The second option is another Printed Poplin Dress. This one is like a spring bouquet, just bursting with beautiful shades of green and lovely flowers. The back has a very attractive look (that bow! love it!). The delicate lace detail is also a very nice touch.

 

Now you see why I couldn’t make the choice without seeing them for myself! They are both SO lovely.

So, wonderful readers, this is where you come in. I want to hear your opinions on which dress we should go with for Easter. Help this indecisive mama out and leave your pick in the comments!

If you would like to keep up with all the latest fashions and special promotions with #MyHartstrings, be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook!

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, #CBias. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Chuggington Presents Brewster’s Little Helper: DVD Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Toot! Toot! Everyone’s favorite train show, Chuggington, has recently released a new DVD, and Darah loves it! It’s called Brewster’s Little Helper. Brewster is a trainee (get it?!) at the station and this show is all about learning responsibility. The timing for this message is really great for Darah. Already she is in charge of feeding the cat, and we are working on having her always put her dirty clothes in the hamper. Pretty soon we are going to have her start setting her place at the table. Since her responsibilities at home are ramping up, it is great for her to have other examples of people (or trains, in this case) taking on more work and how they handle it, and how to ask for help when it is needed.

This DVD actually has 6 episodes on it, and it retails for $14.98 (but is currently on sale for just $9.99 at Amazon!). I think it is a great value and has great lessons that you can discuss with your kids.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Chuggington – Brewster’s Helper!

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Handbag Revolution: Miche Bags Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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One of my favorite things about running this blog is when I stumble upon a brilliant product concept and have the opportunity to share it with you. Today I’m going to show you a completely different way to approach buying and using your handbags. I think this idea is so stinkin’ smart!

Check out the company Miche. This is a company where you can sign up to be a consultant (in a niche that is certainly not saturated….GREAT opportunity!) and you can also sign up to host a party for you and your friends and get some great discounts.

But what is a Miche bag? Well, Miche bags offer a way for you to very easily change the look of your purse without having to fully invest in several purses each season. You start out with a base bag in the size and shape that you like. Currently, Miche offers 4 different sizes of Miche bags, and their most popular base (the classic) comes in 3 different color choices. The price of the base is $21.95-$44.95, depending on the size you get.

Now comes the really fun part. Miche offers a large number of shells that fit over your base bag, and this allows you to change purses very easily! This is a FABULOUS thing, in my opinion, because even though I own quite a few purses, it is very rare for me to actually take the time to switch them out. I think of it only when I’m about to walk out the door, and by that time, it’s just too late. With the Miche bag, it takes less than a minute to make the switch, so I’ve been switching out my look quite a bit, lately!

Additionally, as someone whose closet space is already at a premium, I LOVE how little space the shells take up in your closet. They also don’t take up as much space in your bank account, because instead of buying several $50-$70 purses (that’s my typical purse price range….I know some women spend FAR more), you just buy one base and then as many shells as you need. The shells range in price from $17.95 – $49.95, depending on what you select.

Check out my super quick video below where I show you just how quickly I can change out my Miche bag looks!

Miche bags save you money, save you space and save you time. What’s  not to love about this concept???

Win it!: One extremely lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Miche bag base and shell of your choice!!!! Squeal!!!!

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Preparing for a Sibling: One Special Day Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Darah and I have been having frequent conversations about her baby sister, and how it won’t be too long before she is out of my tummy and living with us. I have started to feel a bit worried about how Darah is going to feel when she realizes just how much time mommy has to spend with the new baby, and I’ve been trying to explain to her that little babies need a lot of help.

 

Disney Publishing has just released a new picture book that is really helping us talk more with Darah about the upcoming changes in our house. It is called, One Special Day (A Story for Big Brothers and Sisters) by Lola Schaeffer.  In this sweet story, a little boy with lots of personality is celebrated throughout the book, as are all his wonderfully wild characteristics (page after page demonstrates all the ways he is similar to various animals by character…it’s really precious!). Then it talks about the day he gets a new sibling, and how it gives him a brand new personality trait; he becomes gentle!

The author of the book has weighed in on just how this book helps expecting parents with older children. She says, “Preparing older siblings for the birth of a new baby is always a bit tricky. As mothers we don’t want to spend too much time talking about the coming baby because we don’t want to send the wrong message that this will be a major disruption of everyone’s life at home. On the other hand, we want to ease our other children into the fact that the family dynamics will be changing. I’m hoping ONE SPECIAL DAY is a playful, yet comforting, book that will ignite questions from the older siblings. I believe those conversations that begin with the reading of a good book are wonderful opportunities to allay fears and build relationships that will help bridge any “new” event in a child’s life.”

I believe Lola is right. Darah frequently asks to read this particular book and she asks questions about her baby sister and even about herself and how she will act when baby sister arrives. We are so glad to have this book and I highly recommend it!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a signed copy of the book for your own collection!

 

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Time to Stock Up on Glasses for the Family! Buy 2 Get 1 Free Offer!

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Zenni Optical (also known as the #1 online prescription eyeglasses site!) is already a great place to pick up really affordable eyewear. They are the place online that offers the incredible $6.95 prescription eyeglasses.

No, that isn’t a typo.

And Zenni Optical doesn’t only offer reading glasses or other simple prescriptions. If you need bifocals or progressive eyeglasses, or if you want your glasses to have a tint to them, Zenni Optical can meet all of these needs!

I have found that it is AWESOME to have more than one pair of glasses on hand. There’s a lot of peace of mind in knowing that you have more than one pair of glasses in the correct prescription, should you lose (or step on) your favorite pair. The low prices of Zenni Optical also give you the opportunity to try frames that might be a little on the bold side, or glasses that seem extra fancy. You can have several pair that you switch out according to your outfit or mood!

So, even though Zenni Optical already has prices that are unbeatable, they are currently running a promotion that makes shopping with them even MORE exciting: Buy 2 Get 1 Free!!!! This is an very cost effective way to enhance your own wardrobe with a selection of new specs, or to outfit the whole family with new eyewear, and at a price you will totally love! What are you waiting for? Get over to Zenni Optical and pick out some cute frames!

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Spring Has Sprung with Happy Scarf: Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Spring has sprung, no doubt about it! The trees down here are blooming like crazy. The temperature is quickly rising. And my allergies are going crazy! I guess that’s the price some of us have to pay for such a beautiful awakening of nature. It’s worth it…especially if you have some allergy medication!

I have often heard other women complain about “transition” time for their wardrobes. It can be really tricky to know how to dress when it is 45 degrees when you leave for work and 79 degrees by the time you come back home.

This is when a scarf can be your wardrobe’s very best friend! I have been wearing scarves several times each week for the past few weeks to help warm up or even cool down some of my outfits. They can bring a pop of bright colors to an outfit that looks decidedly “winter.” They can also provide a little extra warmth to some of your spring pieces that are still a little bit tough to wear for the first part of the day.

Happy Scarf is an online company that I have reviewed before (their scarves held up BEAUTIFULLY all winter, by the way!). They have an AWESOME selection of scarves in all sorts of fabrics and beautiful colors and prints. And their prices are excellent! Be sure to check out their current $12 scarf clearance section…I spotted some SERIOUS steals in there!


Happy Scarf also has a line of brand new arrivals, just in time for spring. So much pretty!!! I have been sporting two of their newest looks and have been oh so very pleased. My first pick from their collection, in honor of my college sorority (Chi Omega; the owl is the mascot) is this fabulous owl scarf. It is a hoot! (hee hee!). I wear LOTS of purple, and I’ve been using this scarf with some of my winter purple looks to help give them a brighter, happier look.

The second scarf I’ve been sporting (I’m actually wearing it as I type this) was one that was a bit riskier for me….I usually shy away from bold prints on scarves, but I felt that needed to change for spring. So I went for the poppy flower scarf. I AM IN LOVE!!!!! Why have I been so darn shy about going for a bold scarf? It adds SO much to my outfits. For example, today I am wearing a shirt that is a very pretty blue color, but it honestly just looks like a tent on me (I’m super pregnant, remember?). When adding this scarf to the outfit, it changes my whole attitude, and it brings in some new colors while complimenting the blue I’m already wearing. I don’t feel ugly in this shirt anymore, and that’s a new feeling!

Are you in need of something to brighten up the last of your winter wear? Or do you need something to bring a little extra warmth as you break out your spring collection? Then you need a Happy Scarf (or two, or three…)! I highly recommend this company. The quality is great, the looks are on trend and the prices are nice!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the scarf of your choice from the New Arrivals collection!

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Guest Post: Sleep Matters for Mothers, Norwegian Study Finds OUt

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I hope you enjoy today’s guest post. It has some great information about how lack of sleep can affect us, including contributing to post-partum depression. If some of this information seems to ring true for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor.
Post-natal depression is an issue affecting many mothers, who increasingly turn to renowned institutes, such as Penndel Mental Health Center in Pennsylvania, to solve this very complex problem.
Recent research conducted by Stavanger University Hospital in Norway sees Pennsylvania play a major role also in the interpretation of post-natal matters: the study links post-natal depression to a poor sleep cycle, and its analysis of sleep relies on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, developed by the University of Pittsburgh.
According to the study, a postpartum depression could have a detrimental influence on the sleeping quality of mothers. These same sleeping difficulties are also often considered a symptom of depression.
The results found out that, two months after delivery, mothers affected by post-natal depression were likely to suffer a poor sleep quality.
This effect has also been proved to be depending on other relevant factors such as poor relationships with their partners, previous depression or stressful events.
The data, collected between October 2005 and September 2006 from a total of 2,830 women, showed that 60 per cent of mothers involved in the study had post-natal sleep problems, and 16.5 per cent had depressive symptoms. Still according to the study, the average self-reported post-natal sleep was 6.5 hours and the sleep efficiency was 73 per cent.
A common problem with sleeping problems lies in the fact that many mothers don’t recognize them and hardly consider them to be linked to depression.
According to Karen Dorheim, MD and PHD psychiatrist at Stavanger University, tiredness and lack of sleep can often be caused by depression and could affect a mother’s daytime functioning. Dorheim also indicated the completion of depression screening questionnaires as a useful tool to analyse mothers’ problems properly, and called for postpartum women to refer to doctors and other health workers to engage in dialogue and discuss their difficult feelings.

This post brought to you by Best Psychiatrists.