BPA free baby and kids bottles!

With the BPA (bisphenol-A) scare, I thought I'd post my experience with BPA freedom. I recently bought my son a new straw bottle. It's stainless steel, and called foogo, by Thermos.

My son loves drinking from a straw so I thought this would be perfect. I picked up the bottle, brought it home with him, and told him it was for him. I didn't really have to tell him it was for him because he was already excited upon seeing it. I barely got it out of the package when my son picked it up and began sucking on the straw! Wow - he is a happy camper now, and Mom is definitely worry free.

Of course BPA is in so many things it's hard to avoid, even if store owners are pulling the obvious items off the shelf.

For moms of little ones, here's a great site that helps you weed through BPA free baby items.
Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Children's Feeding Products, Third Edition
It's also a great place to learn more about BPA.

Great Baby Shower Gift Ideas

I was one of the first among my friends to have a baby. At my baby shower, many long time and wise moms came to wish me well, as I anxiously approached parenthood.

When I opened my gifts, I knew little about what I really needed. I have to thank my twin sister, though, for helping me choose my baby registry items. Many approaching parenthood are inundated with the hundreds of possible "baby needs" that may or may not prove useful for new parents.

Many pregnant friends have asked me what items they should include in their registry. So, I've come up with my own list of must-haves and nice, but not necessary items. The crib, car seat, stroller, and high chair being a given, the following are the items Moms should include in their wanted list, and are highly recommended if you are deciding on a great baby gift.

1) baby carrier
This is definitely a must so Mom can be out and about, and show off her new bundle of joy.

2) sling
It's not the same as a carrier, but great for short trips to the corner store, or at home. Mom can rock baby to sleep in it, have hands free to do other things, and can even nurse in it! There are so many absolutely beautiful choices now, many made by Momtrepreneurs!

3) bouncer
Mom will need somewhere to put the baby down besides the crib during the day! A bouncer is a great way to give Mom a break, and can sometimes even put baby to sleep - especially the ones which vibrate.

4) diaper bag
Yes, a must have for new moms, todays choices are endless. That being said, I still haven't found quite the perfect bag. In fact, I'm even considering creating my own. Moms: let me know what you love and hate about your bag, so I can incorporate them into my ideas!

5) receiving blankets & diaper cloths
New parents will be surprised how fast they go through receving blankets in the first few weeks of a newborn's life. They will need plenty! And, forget burp cloths, get larger all purpose diaper cloths which are much bigger and have multiple purposes - from emergency receiving blankets, to spit up cloths, these will come in handy from morning till night.

These are my top five. Let me know if there's anything critical you think I've missed, and send in your ideas for my next post.

A New Blog!

My son Erich is now 2 years, 3.5 months, and is just like a little energizer bunny! He keeps me so busy, on top of my part time (80%) job, that I've been neglecting this blog a bit. This must change! My husband and I have been discussing this blog, and have been brainstorming for some ideas on how to liven this poor blog up.

So far we've agreed that I should posts "tips and tricks" on gift ideas, nursing, parenting, and related topics. I am by no means an "expert mom" but I have been told by my friends, that I do give good advice on occasion. If you have ideas on posts, or have questions on these topics, please let me know. All right then. So, here I go.

p.s. Let me know what you think of my new look!