I breastfed like a champ with both of my kids, even nursing my daughter while I was pregnant with my son. It was not seamless, however, because when I initially started breastfeeding my first-born I felt like I had no idea what I was doing and spent a lot of time frantically trying to work through the process. I consulted the library of pregnancy books I had, but none of them were specific to breastfeeding so I don’t think they offered as much information as I actually needed.

This is one of the reasons why I was really impressed by The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding by Marianne Neifert, MD. The main emphasis of the book is the art of breastfeeding, but it also has other topics including dealing with sleep deprivation and  eventually starting solid foods. While most baby books are written with the perspective that moms want to learn about caring for a baby and will maybe breastfeed, this book is written with the perspective that a breastfeeding mom also needs to know about dealing with other aspects of raising a baby. I really wish  I would have had this book when I was a new mom.

Babies Online is giving away a free copy of The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding. Simply leave a comment on this post to be entered to win.

The book also dedicates a full chapter to how dads can assist mom with breastfeeding. After all, nursing a baby can be really hard, so when a dad isn’t on board it can be downright impossible. The book covers just about every aspect a nursing mom might need to know about, whether it’s pumping, nutrition or postpartum depression. Everything is presented in a very readable way, so even though it’s written by a pediatrician it doesn’t read like a medical manual.

I give this book a huge thumbs up.

This is the type of book that should be given to pregnant moms as they prepare to have their babies and start nursing. It’s a book that will sit at the mom’s bedside and will undoubtedly be thumbed through over and over again for reference.

The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding is appropriate for any nursing mom, whether she will stay home with the baby or return to work as soon as possible. Pick up this book if you are pregnant or new to nursing because it will probably answer all of your questions (and the questions you don’t know you have yet).

BPA in baby bottles, phthalates in baby sunscreen, melamine in baby formula, lead in baby toys. What are parents supposed to keep their baby healthy? Move to a desert island and live like Swiss family Robinson? Buy your own organic farm? Unfortunately, these options are not feasible for most of us.

Matilda is a very lucky little girl. Instead of giving in to panic or resignation, her parents did extensive research about the products they used on her, from her cloth diapers to her eczema remedy. And what’s more they’re nice enough to share their findings with other parents in their website Squeaky Clean Tot. The site is user and family-friendly and is a great platform to get shared information about baby products, household cleaning products, home remedies, you name it. Truly a site made by parents for parents.

Here’s what you can do Squeaky Clean Tot:

Rate and Review
Who can better rate a product than the firsthand consumers themselves? Say what you think and tell what you know about products. Whether it’s a sippie cup or a silicone pacifier, a stroller or a dishwashing liquid, you can vent your frustrations or sing your praises about the products you’ve encountered as a parent. Just remember to be fair.

Get and Search for Info
Before buying or using something new, you can read about other parents’ experience and opinion of different types of products. If what you are looking for is not on the list of reviewed products, email Matilda’s parents and they will try to get the information for you.

Give Suggestions
I’ve lost count of the number of products I’ve used on my babies but they reach into the hundreds. The site also welcomes suggestions and ideas from other parents to make the list of products reviewed as complete as possible.

Other resources

• The site includes links to useful sites including Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database of the Environmental Working Group which look at body care products for babies and the whole family.
• Matilda’s mom is a firm believer of cloth diapering and in this Cloth diapering resources section, she specially reviews makers and retailers and different types of cloth diapers and wipes.
• There are also links to organic product sites and other family-friendly sites.

October 20 is the deadline for joining the website launch competition. The giveaway grand prize is a Squeaky Clean Tot gift pack (see the front page for more information).

The Graco MyRide 65 car seat arrived on my doorstep by way of my neighbor’s house. When my 10-year-old neighbor walked up to the door carrying the bulky box, I couldn’t believe he’d lifted it. But I was surprised to find that, in spite of its size, it was fairly light. The same went for the car seat within.

We looked it over together: the plush seat, the dual cup holders, removable headrest – and I declared it “a Cadillac of car seats.” It looked extremely comfortable and the industry-standard five-point harness with strap covers looked exceptionally secure but easy to use.

“I’d ride in that!” my neighbor exclaimed.

Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts – or latches and belts, as the case may be.

Ease of installation

After viewing the video at Graco’s Web site, my husband and I – okay, I’ll be honest, my husband did the work – installed the seat in less than 10 minutes. Following the directions, we first adjusted the straps outside of the car, installed the seat in the center back seat of our 2003 Toyota Camry using the LATCH system. The car seat comes with two different straps: one for rear-facing installation and one for forward-facing. They are color-coded to match their respective belt paths, leaving a conscientious parent little room for error. Storage areas on the shell were easy to find, and permit storage of the straps, clips, and the top tether when they are not in use. Noting the tether strap, my husband commented, “This is going to be incredibly secure in the front-facing position.”

In the rear-facing position, we noticed a bit of wiggling beyond the acceptable “one inch in either direction,” so my husband tightened the LATCH straps a bit further. The leveling ball dropped securely into the green (previously, it was hanging out on the inner edge of the green zone) and the car seat barely budged.

The car seat can also be installed using your car’s safety belt. Graco warns that the LATCH system should only be used for a child weighing up to 48 lbs.; after that, seat belts should be used to install the car seat, which is the case with most convertible car seat models.

The straps are easy to adjust; the task can be accomplished without uninstalling the seat if it is in a rear-facing position.

Comfort & convenience

The harness straps were equally easy to tighten. Because the My Ride 65 fits such a wide range of sizes, it includes five different harness slots at different heights. Using the bottom four slots when the seat is rear-facing and the top four when it’s facing the front provides a lot of flexibility.

Since my daughter, at 10 months old, weighs about 16 lbs. and is 27 inches tall, we kept the infant support system in, with the straps in the lowest position.

By the description in the instruction manual, everything fit. The harness straps were tight enough that we couldn’t easily pinch them. But on our first trip we noticed she looked uncomfortable. When we got home, we removed the infant support and moved the straps up a notch; everything fit a lot better in this configuration. She nestled in for her first ride, comfortable and happy, and promptly began studying the buckle (a habit she developed in her infant car seat). My point? It may take some trial and error to get the perfect fit. Fortunately, adjusting the harness is very easy and only takes a few seconds.

The plush head support pillow is a nice feature, and I like the dual cup holders.We don’t have backseat cup holders, so I foresee myself using the ones in the car seat (for cold beverages only) during long trips.

The car seat’s footprint is small-to-average. There seems to be more room in the backseat with the My Ride 65 installed than there was with the Graco SnugRide infant car seat, despite the higher back and wide side impact wings and cup holders.

Safety

Now let’s consider the most important factor when you’re selecting a car seat: Safety.

Of course, the car seat meets or exceeds ASTM standards and it is FAA-approved for use onboard airplanes, as well. (Although the cup holders might make it a tight fit on some airline seats). The EVA foam and deep side wings protect a child against side impacts, while keeping the car seat a fairly light 14.5 lbs.

The key safety feature of the seat is the fact that it accommodates a child up to 40 lbs. in a rear-facing position. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping a child in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible. Most American model car seats top out at 35 lbs. for a rear-facing child. The My Ride 65, per its name, is the first American car seat to accommodate a child up to 40 lbs. in a rear-facing position and up to 65 lbs. or 49 inches in a forward-facing position. (I’m repeating myself because it’s such a cool thing!)

The car seat also gives the option of facing a child over one year old and weighing more than 20 lbs. in a forward position.

Impressions

Graco’s My Ride 65 has certainly set new standards for safety in the U.S. market. At $149, it represents the great value Graco brings to all its baby products.

Several fashionable designs are available; Graco sent me the Streamers pattern, brown and khaki green with beige dots. If I’d had a choice, I would have selected “Edgement Dots” in black and gray to match our car’s interior, but honestly, that’s the only negative we’ve encountered so far.

Graco’s products are time-tested, reputable, and reasonably priced. Our daughter’s first car seat/travel system was a Graco Quattro Tour travel system with the Snugride base and it’s serving us well, as is our Pack n’ Play.

The My Ride 65 is made in the U.S.A., with the infant insert made in Mexico. It’s nice to know we can support American industry and still get a quality product at a reasonable price; that fact alone would make me recommend the My Ride 65 over other brands to anyone in the market for a car seat.

Like many people of my generation, I didn’t grow up having sunscreen slathered on me every time I set foot outdoors. While I know the health benefits of wearing sunscreen today, that doesn’t mean I like applying it – to me or my infant daughter.

Many sunscreens feel greasy, tacky and oily after application. Put something on a squirmy infant or toddler that makes them slippery – and it’s a recipe for disaster! Other sunscreens are hard to apply evenly because the lotion isn’t smooth enough. And spray on sunscreen? They work great as long as you rub them in, but I’m always afraid of spraying it in my daughter’s eyes.

Then I discovered Earth Baby Sun n’ Fun Baby Sunscreen. Earth Baby’s sunscreen lotion goes on smooth, makes baby’s skin feel soft – not greasy – and provides SPF 30 sun protection for even the brightest days.

Earth Baby also works well as a moisturizer thanks to a special blend of:

• Cocoa butter

• Essential oils of chamomile, vanilla and honey

The Importance of Organics

When my daughter was first born, I went on an all-organic kick. But it didn’t last long and, last night, for instance, she sat munching on a French fry at Appleby’s. But I know it’s important to some moms to find all-organic products for their babies. For me, if I can find a superior product at a reasonable price and it is also organic, that’s a bonus. That is exactly the case with the Earth Baby line.

The Earth Baby line is not only certified 90% organic, it’s also phthalate- and paraben-free, pediatrician-recommended and made in the USA. Knowing the product is safe and also supports American industry means a lot to me.

Additionally, Earth Baby partnered with the Forest Stewardship Council and the Rainforest Alliance to use a certifiable 100% tree-free, recyclable FiberStone paper. The packaging contains no bleach and is produced using less energy and no water. It doesn’t get much greener than that.

Oleosome Technology

It’s easy to tell, from all the company is doing for the environment and the U.S. economy, that Earth Baby cares about its customers. The company is also on the cutting edge of technology. It uses proprietary, award-winning oleosome technology (winner of a Frost & Sulliven Technology Innovation of the Year Award) to deliver nutrients directly into the baby’s skin.

Oleosome technology, appearing more and more in high-end beauty products, uses Fresh Cells to deliver nutrients directly to the skin. Picture tiny bubbles within the products, filled with extracts of fruits and vegetables, that burst upon application, releasing healthy nutrients like beta-carotene, and E and C vitamins onto the skin. It’s never to early to start a health and beauty regime for baby, and Earth Baby makes it easy. You’ll find fresh fruit and vegetable extracts deliver through Oleospheres in all their products, including:

• Baby lotion

• Wipes

• Hair detangler

• Baby shampoo

• Bath gel

• Diaper rash cream

Disclaimer

I know this review sounds a bit like a paid ad, but let me assure you, it is not. Earth Baby, as part of a campaign to get their new products into the hands of influential mom bloggers, sent me a sample. I can see why they took that chance – the product really is that good. Now I’m wishing they had offered to send a year’s supply! I’m looking forward to checking out the other products.

Ellyn Satter’s book Your Child’s Weight: Helping without Harming, provides clear directions to make mealtimes pleasant and healthy -something I definitely needed as my infant daughter forayed into solid foods.

As I was looking at my own baby book recently, I noticed several frightening parallels between myself and my daughter, specifically regarding weight and eating habits.

Like me, Ashley was born petite. At 6 lbs. 4 oz., she was just over the limit to be classified “low birth weight.” She was 5 lbs. 14 oz. when I took her home from the hospital, and didn’t begin to gain weight again until she was almost 2 weeks old.

I was born at 6 lbs. 2 oz. and dropped to just over 5 lbs. when I came home from the hospital. It was funny to read that my mom had trouble finding clothes to fit me; even newborn size were too big on Ashley at first!

I cringed when I read that the familiar label “Failure to Thrive”, was almost tossed on me as an infant, as well. (I should note that I was formula-fed, while Ashley was exclusively breastfed, so I think genetics play a bigger role in this situation than anything else).

I started getting what my mom lovingly called “chubby” by my third birthday, and the doctor recommended giving me skim milk. I remember by my sixth birthday, the pediatrician would make disparaging remarks about my weight. He often said, “I told you to feed her and feed her. You can stop now!”

I’d like to think those type of comments – particularly from a doctor who had quite the pot belly himself – wouldn’t be tolerated today. But that, along with other factors, led to a life of chronic yo-yo dieting. While I’m what many would call “thin” now, and my BMI is in the healthy range, I still struggle with weight issues.

I do not want my daughter to grow up with the same relationship to food that I have.

When I happened across Ellyn Satter’s Your Child’s Weight: Helping without Harming, Birth through Adolescence while Web surfing, I didn’t waste any time in requesting a copy to review. (Thank you, again, Ellyn).

If you are wondering about the best way to introduce solid foods and want to make sure your infant or toddler grows up with a healthy relationship to food, this book qualifies as a “must-read.”

The beginning of the book explains why diets don’t work – for adults or children – and how early eating patterns can turn into lifelong habits. Then it gives parents the information they need to help their children develop healthy eating habits which will permit children to:

• regulate their own weight from infancy through adulthood;

• learn to recognize their body’s signals of full-ness and hunger;

• learn to appreciate a broad range of healthy foods to create a balanced diet.

At the heart of Ellyn Satter’s philosophy is her Division of Responsibility in Feeding. It states:

• For infants, the parent is responsible for what the baby eats, and the child is responsible for when and how much.

• After infancy, the parent takes on responsibility for what, when and where, while the child is responsible for how much and whether.

This sounds simple, but the philosophy forms the basis for a lifetime of healthy eating, where a child feels in control of food. A child should not view food as reward and should never, ever feel deprived. Children need to know a generous selection of food will be available at a given time and that they are free to eat as much – or as little – as they want.

Satter’s Division of Responsibility should not be confused with Gary Ezzo’s Parent-directed Feeding. Satter believes infants should be fed on demand and no schedule is necessary until they begin solid foods.

For toddlers and adolescents – really, any baby who has started eating solid foods -Satter does stress the importance of a regular schedule. She also emphasizes the significance of family mealtimes to bond with your children. Family meals also permits children to learn table manners by modeling their parents and older siblings’ behavior at the family table.

Before I read Your Child’s Weight, my husband and I would sit down to dinner anytime between 5 PM and 11 PM. Lunch was whatever I could grab quickly and (pre-baby) eat at my desk or (post-baby) eat one-handed and on the go. Breakfast? Yeah. I ate breakfast. Usually.

First, I instituted a set dinnertime – somewhere between 6:30 and 8 PM at the absolute latest, but usually right around 7 PM or 7:30. Then I determined that Ashley and I would sit down for breakfast together in the morning. Lunch, with rare exceptions, takes place at 1 PM everyday.

Another tenet in Satter’s philosophy is to keep emotions out of eating. Don’t reward your child for cleaning her plate, or punish her for failing to do so. Children’s tummies know how much they need to eat to sustain themselves; when parents force-feed or associate rewards with eating large amounts, it eventually shuts off these indicators in a child’s brain, which can lead to a life of overeating.

Of course, it’s impossible to explain and defend a 470-page book in a blog post, but Satter’s philosophies and arguments make sense when she explains them in the text.

Just as What to expect the first year helped me figure out a lot of things about parenting in the first year, Ellyn Satter’s Your Child’s Weight: Helping without Harming is a road map to healthy eating from birth and beyond.

As an Attachment Parenting practitioner (more or less) I try to hold my daughter whenever possible. But she doesn’t care for the baby sling, so there are times during the day when she really needs to sit or lie down someplace and entertain herself. After she outgrew her bouncy seat and began devising ways to escape from her swing, I started hunting for a good, safe seating option. I didn’t want something we’d be shuttling into the attic after a few months, either.

That’s when I found the Cushi Tush. It’s a safe, green, portable sitting solution for your little one that will last until they are about 18 months or weigh 30 lbs.

Hailed as the “perfect babysitter,” the Cushi Tush rests flat on the floor with a wide base to prevent tipping. There are no straps or buckles; the baby stays in place by means of the tray that slides into position. A center bar prevents the baby from “submarining” out the bottom of the seat.

Use the Cushi Tush for:

- Play: Like an infant swing, exersaucer, or playpen the Cushi Tush provides a safe place for your child to play while you do other tasks.
- Mealtime: If you’re going to visit friends or relatives and don’t feel like lugging a high chair, the Cushi Tush serves that purpose.
- Storytime: You can turn the book’s pages and read easily, knowing your child is safe and secure.

According to the manufacturer’s Web site, the Cushi Tush is approved by pediatricians and conforms to all safety standards.

In my quest for a baby seat, I was concerned about BPA in many baby products; I wanted something that was safe for my baby and the environment. The chair is not made from polystyrene, but from an ecologically-safe, strong but lightweight and recyclable expanded polypropylene material called ARPRO. Manufacturers use ARPRO to make car seats, bicycle helmets and more.

The Cushi Tush wipes off easily with a damp sponge and does not house bacteria, so it’s sanitary and safe. It’s also dishwasher-safe.

But let’s get down to the really important point: How does the baby like it?

She sits in it for about 20 minutes at a time. Although I’m in the same room, I don’t have to pay constant attention to make sure she’s not rolling or scooting off someplace now that’s she’s mobile. She plays with her toys in it or watches a Baby Einstein DVD and I’m free to fold laundry, wash dishes or even take a shower. She loves to sit in her Cushi Tush and bang on her toy keyboard while I work on my laptop, too!

Because it’s so lightweight, it travels easily from room to room. I also use the Cushi Tush during interactive time; it gives the baby a place to sit for stories and flash card games so my hands are free to turn pages.

We travel a lot, and the Cushi Tush works well in a hotel room as a high chair or, again, a place for the baby to sit while you do other things. It’s a lot easier to carry around for short—or long—trips than an exersaucer or swing.

There are certain things you can’t do with the Cushi Tush. The manufacturers do not recommend using it in the bathtub or on elevated surfaces (it’s not a booster seat). I would love if it had straps so you could use it as a booster seat or if it had a base that made it safe to prop up on the couch.

With no buckles or clips, the tray simply slides off the base and then slides back into place firmly. It’s easy to use, but I doubt even the most resourceful child could remove the tray by herself. I found it tricky to open the seat one-handed while holding the baby the first few times. I eventually discovered the trick of placing my toes on the base for leverage while I wiggled the tray out one-handed. It’s much easier to put the baby down and use both hands to open the chair.

The Cushi Tush comes in blue, pink, green, orange or mottled patterns of blue/green, green/pink or all four colors. For the price (under $40) it’s a good, durable baby product that lasts longer than many other options on the market.

A ‘Lil Cushi Tush, sold separately, lets your child place their favorite doll or stuffed animal in a seat just like theirs! Find out more about the Cushi Tush and other baby products at www.cushitush.co.uk.

This book starts out with a warning from the author to parents.  Readers are urged to not get overwhelmed by what they are about to read.  It’s a lot of information, the author admits, but don’t freak out.  I read that part and then continued on to the rest of the book, and promptly freaked out.

Plastic bottles? Don’t use them because they’ll poison you.  Lotion? No way; it will seep into your skin and pollute your insides.  Don’t even think of the term “aerosol air fresheners” because you might lose consciousness from the anxiety that will undoubtedly ensue.

At least, that’s how it seems at first.  I was assaulted with a bunch of information that really made me want to pack up my kids and go live in a cave that was first tested for lead before we moved in.  After I got over the initial nervousness from what I was reading, however, I started to digest what was being presented and realized that this is the perfect book for any parents who want to create a better environment for their kids.  This isn’t just about how to be greener, but also how to be safer and healthier.  After all, if you don’t really care about the environment, my guess is that you at least care about the well-being of your offspring in one way or another, right?

One of the best parts of this book are all the “recipes” for healthy, environmentally-friendly items such as household cleaners and finger paint.  Everything is easy to follow and actually a lot less expensive than the stuff you can buy in the stores.  It helped me a lot that the author didn’t just say, “Don’t use toxic cleaners!” but instead said, “Use this instead, and you can make it yourself.  You’re so clever!” I’m paraphrasing there, by the way.

Another thing I really liked about this book were all the excerpts from famous parents.  Some of them were incredibly environmentally conscious while others had changed some things but were still using disposable diapers or hadn’t given up their gas-guzzling cars.  The point is that even little changes can make a difference in the health of your children and your impact on the environment, and that’s an incredibly valuable lesson to learn…even if it initially freaks you out a little.

Available now at Amazon.com

It has been a while since I was in college, reading through textbooks and using words like “adolescents” and “educational psychology.”  This book really reminded me of the reading I did when I was enrolled in Child Psychology, and even though I passed that class with flying colors I still had a hard time following this book a little.

Don’t get me wrong; it’s a great book with a lot of really valuable information.  It’s just a little more academic than I usually choose to read at this stage in my life.  If you don’t believe me, take a look at the last book I reviewed.

This book is aimed more at getting parents and teachers to think differently about how our kids learn.  I think the information is really great for parents of older kids, and I was able to take a few things from it that I can use with my young kids right now.  For example, one of the sections of the book talks about allowing kids to express their own feelings without putting words into their mouths for them.  I started thinking about how I could help my young kids to talk about their emotions without telling them what they are feeling.  I drew some pictures of various emotions onto index cards and my kids and I talked about the different emotions and what they meant and then encouraged them to bring me one of the cards any time they wanted to talk about their emotions.  So far so good, because there have been two times already when my daughter has approached me with a “sad” card and wanted to talk.

The book goes into great depths about the problems with the current school system, and frankly it just scared me to think that I’ll have to send my kids into that environment eventually.  There were lots of stories of kids being failed by parents and teachers who never figured out how to teach them effectively.  The author calls for a big change in the way kids are taught, and she backs it up with plenty of scholarly data and personal experiences.  She has valid points, but as the mom of two kids who aren’t yet in school, all she really did was scare the heck out of me.

I really like how she urges parents to allow kids to find their own passions instead of insisting on certain hobbies and activities.  I think the bulk of this book, however, is designed for people dealing with older children.  I’m going to hang on to this book and read it again in about five years and I’m sure by then I’ll be able to use the valuable advice much more when it comes to my kids.

Go here for more information on Your Child’s Strengths

Let me preface this review of the Baby Traveller Deluxe diaper bag by Gr8X stating that I am extremely picky when it comes to bags. I’m so picky that when I find a purse I like, I carry it until it’s threadbare, the strap held on by a safety pin, the zipper broken so it doesn’t close entirely and when it tips the wrong way, the contents dump out.

I was equally picky selecting a diaper bag; it was one of the last items I added to my baby registry. I like the one I have, but it’s similar to many others on the market — functional, but not particularly noteworthy.

Then the Babies Online owner posted a link to the Baby Traveller Deluxe. After checking out the specs and style on the Web site, I responded with the enthusiasm of a kindergartner trying to get the teacher’s attention. “I MUST have this diaper bag!” I said.

I loved it before it even arrived on my doorstep. This bag is different!

I couldn’t decide which selling point I like best:

The unique fabric colors and styles, suitable for Mommy or Daddy to carry; (The bag comes in a choice of red, black, black w/ a panel of Realtree™ camouflage, and classic woodland camo.)

The adjustable backpack straps, combined with a classic shoulder strap and a briefcase-style handle, providing a variety of carrying options;

The extra long changing pad;

The drawstring bungee to hold a blanket or breastfeeding wrap;

The removable stroller straps;

The outside zippered pocket, giving me easy access to items I use frequently, like my wallet.

The detachable cell phone holder and insulated bottle holder

Keep in mind, these features caught my eye before I even started using the bag. When I stocked it up, I began to appreciate the multiple inside pockets that keep the bag organized and its capability to carry a LOT of stuff in a relatively compact space.

What’s inside this bag?

Open it up via the easy-to-use-with-just-one-hand buckles, and the bag unfolds into two separate sections, featuring:

Five elasticized “pouch” pockets

One zippered pocket

Two mesh compartments, one divided into three separate sections

The extra long changing pad stores in the center to save space.

Let me compare this bag to my experiences with a “typical” diaper bag:

Last week, out to dinner with my old diaper bag, I spent 15 minutes searching for my daughter’s fork and spoon set so she could “eat” with us. (She loves playing with her plastic spoon). It had somehow fallen to the bottom of the diaper bag, beneath her spare outfit, mail I had to drop at the post office, my wallet and cell phone, the baby first aid kit, baby wipes, her teething drops, and random toys. You know what I’m talking about here, Moms!

The organizer pockets in the Baby Traveller Deluxe keep everything in its own separate compartments, easy to find. And if you forgot where you put something, the mesh pockets let you see at a glance. I keep the things I’m likely to need in a hurry, such as teething drops, Boogie wipes, baby wipes, q-tips and her aspirator, in those pockets. And that fork and spoon!

Plenty of diapers store easily in the zippered pocket. Of course, each Mom is different, and the bag provides plenty of flexibility for placing things wherever you feel they will best fit.

I like to keep my “own” items, since I rarely carry a purse anymore, in the zippered outside pocket where they are secure but easy to reach. Those bills that need to be mailed, shopping list, and diaper coupons tuck into the other outside pocket, which snaps shut.

The only thing I’d ask the manufacturers to add in the next version is a clear plastic bag to hold dirty clothes and diapers. I added my own from my old diaper bag, and it fits like it belongs in the longer mesh pocket.

When I finished loading up the bag, I was able to add things that wouldn’t fit in my old bag. Now I carry a jarred baby food holder/dish, a few extra bibs, and two extra outfits instead of just one. (Can you tell I’m a new mom?)

I also tuck my breastfeeding wrap and a receiving blanket in the bungee holder. (A receiving blanket is like rope: you don’t know what you’ll need it for, you just know you’ll need it.)

My husband asked how much stuff I was going to pack away in there, worrying that if it got too heavy, he’d have to lug it around. Then I folded up the bag. My husband studied it and said, “With all that stuff in there, it still seems smaller than our old bag!” It also feels lighter than a conventional diaper bag, but maybe that’s just because it’s so ergonomic.

The Baby Traveller Deluxe excels at stowing a lot of stuff in a compact space. The bag even fits better than my old bag in the mesh basket beneath the stroller.

How did it do in field testing?

Whether you use the shoulder strap, backpack straps, or the briefcase handle, the bag is lightweight and ergonomic to carry. Using the detachable shoulder straps affixes the bag securely to the stroller, and it’s still easy to remove with one hand. (Do Moms ever get to use both their hands to do anything?)

The real question, however, is: How easy is it to get what you need, when you need it, during a day of shopping, a family vacation or a trip to the park?

It was easy to open and unfold the bag and place the changing pad on the public bathroom changing table, while holding my daughter in one arm. Because you can change your baby right on the bag, everything you need is within arms’ reach. Clean up and fold up when we were done went just as smoothly. The buckles are even easier to use than zippers.

The Baby Traveller Deluxe is so well-constructed I don’t think I’ll see the day when I have to hold it together with duct tape and safety pins. It’s machine-washable and also has a two-year warranty, so it will definitely see my daughter into her toddler years in good condition. I have found my dream diaper bag; I’ll be using the Baby Traveller Deluxe until my daughter outgrows the need for it.

You may have walked into a book store and seen a book and wished you knew more about the content. Or probably you read the blurb on the back of a parenting book and wished it said just a little bit more. Well, with parentsdigest.com your wish has come true. This site provides well written, professional summaries of the top parenting and family health books available. Purchasing a summary of a book that you like is surprisingly simple. The instructions are clear and you just complete the form with the required information and in a few clicks you are done.

In fact, the site offers subscribers two summaries per month of the best books dealing with parenting and family life. These summaries help readers decide on which books to buy. The ‘bite-sized’ summaries as ParentsDigest calls them, are easy to read and do not just skim the surface of the content. They provide great information and valuable insight into what is offered in the books being summarized.

Best of all, you are not compelled to become a subscriber to get the summaries. You can visit the site at anytime and purchase what you want. It is also possible to purchase the book being summarized through Parentsdiget.com as well. Talk about convenience. A 3-month subscription is  $19.45 (at 2 per month that’s 6 booklets for less than $20). You can also opt for a one year subscription for $68. If you like what you read in a Parentsdigest.com summary but later want to opt out of the subscription, you can get a full refund within 60 days of signing up. Summaries are delivered to your inbox in PDF format.

Parentsdigest.com understands your need to find quality reading material with limited time. The founder is herself a busy mom who knows what it’s like to pick up a parenting book when she has other mommy things to do. So if you love reading, parenstdigest.com is definitely worth a visit.

Head over to this month’s comment contest for a chance to win a free subscription to ParentsDigest. All you have to do to enter is comment on the post. Two winners will be selected so you have a good chance!

I read a lot of books about child development and research pertaining to effective parenting.  Sometimes I run across conflicting information and sometimes it seems like I’m reading the same thing over and over again.  So when I picked up a copy of Cap’n Billy “The Butcher” MacDougall’s Guide to Pirate Parenting I didn’t quite know what to expect.  I didn’t know whether to brace myself for some really bizarre ideas that were based on some scientific research or if instead I was going to have a good laugh at the humor contained within.

Luckily for me, the book is intended as a comedic, tongue-in-cheek instructional manual for raising kids as pirates.   I was really glad to find this out because I really didn’t think I could handle sifting through 117 pages of pirate parenting that was meant to be taken seriously.

This book made me laugh.  I read the bulk of it at the gym while on the elliptical machine and the other people around me kept peering at the cover to see what book was making me laugh out loud.  Here is the first line that made me laugh out loud and also reassured me that this would indeed be a fun read:

Without going into a textbook lecture about genetics, all you need to know is that the “Y” in “Y chromosome is short for “Why don’t we raise our kids as pirates, honey?”

This isn’t a book you should buy if you are still in the phase of being hungry for all the (serious) parenting advice that you can get your hands on.  If this is the stage of life that you are in then you will probably make it through the first couple of chapters before tossing it aside and grabbing a parenting book written by some expert who probably doesn’t know a thing about pirates or humor.  If, on the other hand, you’ve read your fair share of serious parenting books and you’re ready to get some chuckles out of a read, then this is a great book.

After all, where else can you read parenting advice like this gem:

Your son may not obey you when you say, “Stop fighting with your sister,” but he’ll listen when you bellow, “Avast ye scurvy dog or I’ll give ye a taste of me hook!”

I think I’m going to try that the next time my son is fighting with my daughter.

Every so often I get to review something that I’m really excited about, but this one has me humming that old Pointer Sisters song that goes something like this: I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it….

My husband leaves in a couple of days for a year-long military deployment. We don’t have any family members nearby so I do rely quite heavily on babysitters to give me breaks whenever my husband is gone. As my babysitter pool shrinks, what with one going off to college and another getting a job across town, I find myself wondering what I can do in order to meet some great babysitters who are reliable, responsible and fun.

That’s why I was so eager to try Sittercity.com. It’s an online service that allows you to post a babysitting job (or a pet sitter job, or a house sitter job, or basically any type of sitter job) and sift through the responses until you find the best sitter available. There is also a database of babysitters (some of whom have already had criminal background checks conducted – yay!) that you can look at and find out great information:

• How far is the sitter from your house?
• What education and experience does the sitter have?
• What wage does the sitter expect to earn?
• What is the sitter’s availability?

It’s almost like a dating website, but instead of a date you’re looking for someone to watch your kids.

It was really easy to get started. I registered with the site and paid my fee and had immediate access to the directory of babysitters. I narrowed my search by the job title I was hiring for – I chose “Mother’s Helper” because I really just need someone to come and play with the kids while I work – and by the proximity to my house. I downloaded a picture of us and created a profile, and then I posted a job using the system.

Voila! The next morning I had three messages from potential babysitters and I was thrilled. I really liked how the messages weren’t too terribly anonymous because I had the ability to look at the sitter’s profile. I’m also glad that I picked the annual membership because this means I have a huge pool of babysitters to choose from for the entire time my husband is deployed.

A huge pool of babysitters to choose from? That’s music to my ears.

If you want to give it a try, use this promotion code: babies10

The code will get you 10% off and it’s exclusive to BabiesOnline readers. Look for my follow up review after I have had a chance to actually meet with some babysitters and have them play with my kids for a while.

A high chair is one of only a handful of big ticket items you will buy for your baby. Before investing $100 or more into this purchase, you’ll want to do some research. And yes, you can get a high chair for under $100, but I’ve discovered that in this product category, the adage “you get what you pay for” holds very true.

I began researching high chairs with some personal biases in place. Many months ago, I researched and wrote an article about ergonomics in the home for www.theWAHMmagazine.com and I learned of the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair. I was immediately hooked.

The high chair has several appealing features:

• sturdy solid wood construction (and available in a variety of colors/finishes)
• adjustable footrests
• removable tray for easy cleaning
• modular seat so it grows with the child, even converting to an adult chair

Most significantly, the Tripp Trapp is the first chair that permits you to pull your child—even an infant–up to the family table for dinner.

The solid beechwood construction is built to last and, with 11 available colors, you can purchase a high chair to match your kitchen or dining room table. The cushion is sold separately, so if you change your décor, you can buy another cushion. I love the fact that the high chair doesn’t look like yet another piece of baby gear, but an actual piece of furniture in the home.

And it becomes just that, years down the line, when you can convert it to a regular chair.

The Tripp Trapp allows you to adjust both the height of the seat and footrests and the depth, so your child can fit comfortably at any age and size. Designed ergonomically, the chair has a double curved back rest which takes pressure off your child’s developing spine.

Additionally, the adjustable footrests keep your baby’s feet planted solidly, not dangling in mid-air. Since children are able to shift their weight from foot to foot, they fidget less. (Aren’t you more comfortable and secure with your feet solidly on the floor or a footrest?)

For infants, a separate baby set is available, and a five-point safety harness keeps your baby safe and secure. Not many (if any) other high chairs offer the five-point harness, which exceeds ASTM safety standards for a high chair. The baby set / safety guard is available in colors to match your chair.

Many moms (myself included) might balk at the price tag of the Tripp Trapp. But when you consider that you’re getting a high chair that can change with your décor, last for the life of your child, and convert to an adult chair that holds up to 250 pounds comfortably, the price begins to make sense.

Even more important, however, than the style, durability and adaptability of this chair are the psychological benefits of a high chair / booster that brings your child directly to the family table during dinner. For co-sleeping parents, the concept is a no-brainer. Our children share the family bed; by all means they should join the family dinner table.

Studies show that the family dinner table is the optimal place for children to learn socialization skills, manners and good nutrition. Your child can be part of dinner in a conventional high chair, but they might feel separate from the rest of the family—the “grown-ups.” I’ve always believed in integrating children, whenever possible, to the adult dinner table. Let children be a part of dinner activities as soon as they are able to sit with support, and the learning and socialization can begin sooner!

Best of all, Stokke, manufacturers of the Tripp Trapp chair, have joined forces with Babies Online to offer a FREE Anabel Karmel feeding gift with each purchase made before March 31, 2009.

I’ve heard a lot of moms say they received a Boppy pillow and never used it because they weren’t sure what to do with it. Then there are Boppy enthusiasts who say they couldn’t live without the comfy horseshoe-shaped pillow. I fall into the latter category. I use it for everything! So to help Moms who aren’t sure what to do with this odd-looking contraption, here are uses for a Boppy pillow!

I didn’t bring the Boppy to the hospital with me, so I used my memory foam pillow to prop the baby on my lap in bed for a better feeding position. But when I returned home, I wouldn’t have minded having two Boppies. I used one to support my back while I sat up in bed to feed her during late-night nursing sessions. By the time she was three weeks old, my daughter got all excited when she saw what I affectionately called “the Boppy Bears” come out. (Our pillow has a three little bears design on the front.) I often say, “Thank goodness for the Boppy Bears!”

• The other night, desperate to finish an article, I sat cross-legged on our floor and placed Ashley on the Boppy pillow to nurse, so I had both hands free to type on my laptop. This put her in the perfect position to latch on without assistance. Since nursing is such an important bonding time, I don’t do this often… But hey, WAHMs have to pay the bills, too!
• As Ashley began to sit up with assistance, I used the Boppy to let her sit on the couch beside me and my husband. Propping the Boppy at a 45-degree angle against the back of the couch, I sit Ashley inside the opening. It gives her the side-to-side support she needs and she feels more like part of the family. Most places that infants can sit or lie put them down near the floor, not up on-level with the rest of the family.
• Yesterday morning, I fed her breakfast on the couch sitting up with her Boppy, rather than setting her up in the kitchen where it gets very cold in the morning. The Boppy pillowcase is easily removable and machine-washable, so I didn’t worry about oatmeal drips on the pillow.
• We use the Boppy as a prop in photo shoots, to position the baby exactly how we want her.
• The Boppy is also great for tummy time. You can prop baby’s arms on the pillow so she’s not lying flat. This makes tummy time more tolerable for many babies.

The other night, I got quite a laugh when I saw my husband napping on the couch, using the Boppy as his pillow. The shape creates fantastic neck support, and the covering is just warm and cozy.

As Ashley grows into a toddler, I’m sure she’ll find her own favorite position to lie using her Boppy. And I’m considering buying a Boppy for everyone in the family!

A safety tip: never leave the baby alone with the Boppy pillow as it could create a danger of suffocation.

I started my daughter out on computer games very early. She had a huge affection for all things Elmo, so once I discovered the online Elmo games I was pleased to share them with her. It’s no surprise that now at five years old she can navigate most websites designed for kids and she’s a big fan of spending some quiet time on the computer. Although I do limit how much time she spends on there, most of the time I would rather she did something interactive with a computer game instead of plopping down in front of the television.

I signed up for a free two week trial at Dream Box Learning and ran through the games there myself first to see if it was anything my daughter might enjoy. Since the math games on this site are designed for older kids – around kindergarten to second grade – I didn’t know if it would be above her head. I didn’t want to present her with something that would frustrate her.

To my delight, the games were just right for her age group. Here are the things I really liked about this particular website’s games:

1. You sign in to play, so if you have to quit abruptly or you lose your Internet connection the game goes right back to where you left off when you return and sign back in.
2. There is an option to sign in as the adult so you can try out all the games without altering your child’s scores.
3. There are lots of additional resources for parents to look through and the system tracks the child’s progress as games are played.
4. The animation is appealing, but certainly not “babyish.”
5. The system logs how much cumulative time players have spent playing the game.

I presented the game to my daughter and she was immediately enamored. She loves learning and she loves math, so this game was a perfect fit for her. To my surprise, my younger son likes watching her play, so even though he isn’t old enough to indulge in the game I think he might be getting something out of it too.

I give this online game a big thumbs up. If you have preschoolers then you should check it out and let your kids give it a try.

Cold and flu season has attacked with a vengeance. Kids everywhere have runny noses or worse, those awful boogers caked beneath their noses. On a normal day, I wipe or pull at least two of those out of Ashley’s nose. Running the heat in the house also dries up sinuses and can cause congestion. A humidifier helps a lot, but how do you get rid of those boogies?

Mom-preneurs Mindee and Julie of Little Busy Bodies, LLC, came up with the answer in Boogie Wipes. These gentle wipes contain saline that loosens caked on mucus, permitting you to wipe it easily from little noses. Boogie Wipes are available in “Natural Fresh Scent” and “Grape” and also contain aloe to moisturize the skin.

I used to keep about four aspirators (aka snot-suckers) in my house so one was always at hand. I’m happy to say I haven’t had to use one at all since I got a pack of Boogie Wipes. I always despised using the nasal saline solution and the aspirator on Ashley. I could tell she hated it. I don’t like having anything squirted up my nose, either! I was always afraid I would push the aspirator up to far, or she would move at the wrong moment, and I would hurt her. Q-tips were no better in that regard.

The saline in the boogie wipes loosens the mucous, letting you wipe it away easily. Tough boogies sometimes take a while, but they always come out. With the pleasant grape or “fresh” scent (which smells like fresh-washed laundry hung out to dry on a spring day!), Ashley doesn’t mind if I spend a minute or two wiping her nose. But most of the time, it only takes a second! That’s why the inventors created the wipes: To catch and clean little noses on the go.

Ashley smiles whenever I pull out a Boogie Wipe. She also opens her mouth to try to eat the grape wipe. (I will have to keep them out of reach when she’s a bit older!)

Boogie Wipes cost about $4 for a package of 30 wipes, and they come in a convenient pop-up package, which allow you to pull out one wipe at a time. They fit easily in your diaper bag or on the changing table. Four dollars isn’t exactly cheap for only 30 wipes, but the convenience and quality is worth it. Since you are helping to support a U.S.-based small business, it is money well spent. I’d like to see a re-usable package and then “refills” that sell for less money in bulk, just like baby wipes.

My only complaint is that the wipes are a bit bigger than they need to be; they are the size of actual baby wipes. Look at the size of a butt, then look at a nose (even an adult nose!) and you’ll see what I mean! The wipes could easily be half the size and still do the trick, and then you could get more per package. I’ve tried ripping them in half, but they’re too strong to tear easily. You’d have to cut them, and who has time to do that when you have a kid with a dripping nose?

Pulling out a package of boogie wipes at the local park will spark questions, so beyond their practical use, they’re a great conversation piece if you’re looking to meet other moms. I am definitely what social media expert Seth Godin would call an “early adopter” so I love being the first to have an innovative new product and telling my friends about it.

If you have a tot with a runny or stuffed up nose (and really, this winter, who doesn’t?) I definitely recommend you pick up a pack of Boogie Wipes. They are available at Wal-mart, Rite-Aid and grocery stores across the U.S.

I’ve been reading to my daughter since a few days after she was born. I even packed a few picture books in my hospital bag, but we were too busy trying to get the breastfeeding thing working that I didn’t read to her in the hospital.

Just the other night, my 15-week old daughter realized that the stories I’ve been reading to her come from books. She noticed that there are neat, colorful pictures to go with the words. I first caught her looking at the pages when I read the classic bedtime story, Goodnight Moon.

Bibliophile that I am, this milestone was even more significant to me than when she rolled over for the first time. I was so intrigued by her reaction to the connection between the pictures and the words that I read her four bedtime stories that night!

Now, as I read her the same stories I’ve been reading to her for four months, she is seeing them for the first time. And it makes story time so much more fun for both of us.

So, I’d like to share with Babies Online readers a list of my daughter’s favorite picture books. The criteria? She likes short, snappy sentences with not too many words per page. She seems to prefer animal characters, and a story where I can really put some enthusiasm into the lines, meaning they are fun for me to read, too!

And yes, I can tell her favorites already by her reactions and how long the story will keep her attention. Maybe I’m raising a book review blogger!

1. Goodnight Moon – This classic by Margaret Wise Brown is the perfect bedtime book, and because it was the first book my daughter “noticed,” it goes first on our list. It’s got a great rhythm and simple pictures that hold a child’s attention—even an infant’s. By the time I am whispering “Goodnight noises everywhere,” my daughter knows it’s time to go to sleep.

2. The Foot Book – This interactive story by Dr. Seuss is shorter than many other Seuss books, making it perfect for infants and young readers alike. My daughter loves when I grab her foot to show her “left foot, right foot.” The cats don’t like it so much when I use their paws to demonstrate “fuzzy fur feet.” Best of all, you can get two free Dr. Seuss books, and a tote bag, right here through Babies Online’s special offer.

3. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Author Laura Numeroff has an entire series of “If You Give…” books, and each one is a great addition to any children’s library. The adorable mouse, cat, pig and moose characters endear Mom and baby alike. With one fun sentence per page and great illustrations filled with details, these books just don’t get old, even after the hundredth or so reading. Watching the smile on my daughter’s face when I ask her, “What happens next…?” simply melts my heart. I’m sure when she’s older she’ll begin to narrate the books along with me.

4. The Hat – I’ve always been a Jan Brett fan, and The Hat is one of my favorites. It’s a lot of fun to read, and the ironic ending will make adults chuckle. Brett’s detail-rich illustrations bring every page to life, and the plot progresses with just enough repetition that children love it but parents won’t find it tedious.

5. The Monster at the End of this Book – Originally published in 1971, The Monster at the End of this Book (starring lovable furry old Grover) was one of my childhood favorites. When I found a beat-up copy at a garage sale while I was pregnant, I pounced. Then my aunt bought Ashley her own, brand-new copy, and I can’t think of a more perfect gift. This title is fun to read with enthusiasm and always makes my daughter giggle. Yes, we all know Grover IS the monster at the end of the book, but that doesn’t make it any less suspenseful for little ones.

There are so many other great books available to foster a love of reading for your child, this list is just a very small sampling. I know I’ve left out many notable authors, including Karen Katz and Eric Carle.

Really, there’s no excuse not to read at least one book a day to your child. When your baby gets to the “grabby” stage, sturdy board books are a great investment and are priced lower than their hard cover counterparts.

Readers, what are you favorite children’s books? Please share!

It’s not easy finding fun music for kids that parents can enjoy as well. As the first-time mother of an infant, it took me exactly three months before I started cringing when I hear the repetitive electronic tones of Bach or Beethoven coming from a swing or mobile. And don’t even get me started on Brahms’ Lullaby.

That’s why the newest CD from Milkshake, titled “Play,” has been getting quite a workout in our house. The companion DVD, “Screenplay,” rocks too! The Baltimore-based band has a simple mission: To create great rock music for kids.

The band is made up of singer Lisa Mathews and guitarist Mikel Gehl, along with drummer Tom Moon, Michael Sheppard on electric guitar, and Brian Simms playing accordion and keyboard. Lisa and Mikel began their musical careers together with the indie rock group Love Riot. Milkshake’s sound is deeply rooted in sounds from the 70s and 80s pop. That’s why today’s parents love it so much; it reminds us of songs from our childhood and especially our teen years.

I first heard a clip from the song Superhero online, a song with great lyrics and a positive message, hailing firefighters and teachers right next to Batman and Spider-man. Lisa’s throaty vocals called to mind Melissa Etheridge. That sound is prevalent, too, in the oh-so-catchy We Got a Band. That’s the track I find myself humming in the car, in the shower, while washing dishes. It has the easy-to-sing vocals and catchy chorus of an 80s rock anthem, and a great message for kids. “I’m not gonna just sit around / Wondering what to do / Gonna call my friends, get together and play a few new tunes.”

The CD contains 12 songs plus three bonus tracks. Play is the band’s third CD.

The real fun begins when you hit play on the band’s new—and long-awaited–DVD. “Screenplay” incorporates concert performances with fun, animated music videos. There’s even behind-the-scenes segments called Backstage with the Band. Eleven musical numbers and six bonus videos make this DVD a real bargain that will keep your kids entertained for hours. It also promotes movement; kids will want to get up and dance and sing along with the DVD. They won’t just sit like couch potatoes and stare at the television. That’s a big plus for me. In fact, I spend about a half hour a day dancing around with my daughter and singing along to this DVD.

My infant can’t keep her eyes off the screen during the song Bluebird, which shows animations of flowers, greenery, bluebirds and other living things. The simple melody is more like child’s music than many of the other tracks, but there’s still something very likeable about it. She also loves the animation in Fingers & Toes, a catchy and repetitive counting song. I like that it’s teaching numbers.

As a writer, I love what is perhaps the most creative alphabet song I’ve ever heard: ABC of Me. Lisa and Mikel, who wrote most of the songs on both Play and Screenplay are talented wordsmiths. Too many children’s songs feature trite lyrics with no surprises or fun phrases. Not so with Milkshake, who put real thought into not only the tunes, but the lyrics, as well.

Milkshake is currently supporting the release of their DVD with a concert tour, and have appearances scheduled up and down the East Coast through May. If the live performances on the DVD are any indication, seeing Milkshake live is a real treat for tots (and their parents).

I have to admit, from the opening chords of the first track on Play, I became a fan. Now, Babies Online is offering you a chance to discover this great kids’ rock band. We’re giving away FREE Milkshake media sets, which include the CD Play, the DVD Screenplay and the first ever Milkshake comic book. We have three CD/DVD/Comic sets to give away. (This contest is over – Congratulations to the winners! )

Simply go to www.milkshakemusic.com, then come back to this post and tell us WHERE the band is playing on Sunday, February 22. List the city OR the venue (or both) in the comments section of this post here at Babies Online.

While you’re at it, feel free to add your thoughts on children’s music. The contest ends Thursday, February 12 at Midnight (Eastern Time), so be sure to post your comments before then.

We’ll pick three winners at random and notify you by email to get your mailing address to send your FREE Milkshake set!

I should start off my review by warning you that I’m always elated by any product that prompts fathers to step up and support the women bearing their children, and although we women all know that there is no way in God’s Green Earth that a man can ever understand what we’re going through when pregnant it’s always endearingly sweet when they try really hard.

I knew I was going to like this book a lot when I read this:

“Supporting your partner through the months of pregnancy is one of the best gifts you can give your child.”

The rest of the book was really informative and easy to read, but the thing I liked most about it was I could tell it was written with the intention of letting men in on the simple fact that women need a lot of support during pregnancy.  The theme of being a help to pregnant partners is present throughout the book, but it’s not done in an obnoxious way.  The authors don’t tell readers, “Hey, you got her pregnant, so now you need to step it up.”  Instead, it’s a much more supportive urging to be the best partner and father-to-be as possible.

I also liked the format of this book.  It’s broken into chapters but there are also little interludes within the chapter including personal experiences from the authors and myths debunked.  My favorite are the “Brownie Points in the Doghouse” that offer tips to dads-to-be that help them to be more supportive.  For example, one of them warns men to not point out how huge their partners are getting because – as we all know – this cannot end well.

The book also has a couple of chapters devoted to after the baby is born, and even goes into what dads need to consider before they agree to have another baby.  I liked how the book doesn’t just leave things with, “Congratulations on the new baby…the end” because – as most of us somewhat seasoned parents know – the baby being born is hardly the end.

Would I recommend this book to friends of mine who have pregnant partners? Yes, I would, and I would even recommend it to men who are merely considering having a baby with their partner.  This book is great at revealing to men that there is a lot more to a man’s role during pregnancy than doing the initial deed and then handing out cigars when it’s all over.

Enter the Babies Online Comment Contest to win a FREE copy of this book! (Beginning Jan 26th)

Buy this book at Amazon.com

Visit the author’s website

I found a wonderful little book for my baby today: Haiku Baby by Betsy Snyder. Each poem is short (haikus have 3 lines, 5 syllables each) and is about nature. Each one inspires emotion and even action when you read to your little one. When I read rain to my eight month old, he loved my exaggerated voice and gestures.

It reads:

“Splish splash, puddle bath!
Raindrops march in spring parade.
Wake up, sleepy earth”

For the first line, I “splashed around”, during the second I marched and during the third I yawned and stretched like I was trying to wake up.

Each haiku is equally engaging. It’s amazing how there can be so much in three short verses! The colorful pictures caught my baby’s attention and the big tabs on the sides encourage baby to turn the pages.

I found this little treasure at my local bookshop, an absolutely amazing place located in the oldest building in town. I can spend hours in there, hunting for unusual and interesting books, journals and other gift items. I’m so glad I went in and found this book for my little one. The kids’ section is full of books which I have never seen at larger chain bookstores.

Another thing that came from this trip is that I was reminded that even during tough economic times (and maybe especially then), small, local businesses need our support, even if it is just to buy a little book for baby.

There is also a haiku baby website which has some very cute nature sounds and other cute features. (I looked it up as soon as I finished reading the book.) You can order the book from Amazon. I recommend it!