Mom Blog and Baby Blog | Baby Bunching

product review: tide stain release

Let me preface this post by saying that we at Baby Bunching were not compensated by Proctor & Gamble to review this product, although it would've been kind of cool if we had been. But not really.  I reviewed a product that someone gave me once and it totally sucked, but since they were kind enough to give it to me, I felt compelled to say nice things about it. 

After that, I swore I would never review free stuff (or get paid to review) again.  Baby Bunchers have enough on their hands - I don't want to be the one to lead you astray by directing you towards a crappy product because of my guilt complex.

And I have to say, given the recently released FTC regulations re: disclosure of endorsements, I am even happier that I don't mess with product reviews (although I do think the regulations are total bull*%^t because print media isn't exactly held to the same standards).

All that aside, every once in awhile I come across a product that is so awesome that I feel compelled to share it with you.  New Tide Stain Release is such a product.  I don't know about you, but EVERY SINGLE DAY some member of my Bunch craps up their clothing with either food, dirt, poop, or art supplies.  I do at least one load of laundry a day because there is a running pile of stuff on top of my washer that has to be washed TODAY, lest the stain set in (even over SprayNWash) in the hamper before I get around to washing it.

I've never been one to put much stock in brand loyalty when it comes to laundry detergent or stain removers.  I buy whatever is on sale or I have a coupon for, and have never really noticed a difference between one product over another, save for the fact that I do have my preferred scents.  A few weeks ago I received a free sample of Tide Stain Release with a Gymboree purchase.  I had zero expectations for it, but tossed it in the washer with a load of stained baby clothes and dingy socks one day, mainly because I was de-cluttering the laundry room and wanted it out of my house and felt bad just throwing it away.  Damned if those clothes didn't come out stain-free and the socks whiter than white!  It worked so awesomely that I rushed right out to buy a bag (bonus: they were on sale AND I had a coupon that came with my free sample) and I have been hooked ever since. 

I'm sure my kids will find a way to thwart the Stain Release eventually, but so far, I have not done one single load that hasn't come out with the stains removed.  Yay for Tide! 

scout: the perfect pool bag & giveaway

Summer arrives and I suddenly become the pool sherpa. I have to able to pick the perfect pool for right time of day and bring along all the appropriate gear/toys and food. My first two summers to the pool I literally looked like a lost bag lady. I came in carrying at least three bags full of toys, diapers, swim diapers, clothes, snacks, water bottles, baby bottles, towels and anything else that may be considered essential to water play....even if only for 10 minutes.

Last summer, I walked past the most awesome bag at a local festival and finally decided it was time for a decent pool bag to tote all the junk to the pool. The bag was worth every cent and should be required gear for any Baby Bunching mom who is at the pool regularly.

The bag is called a Scout bag and Pine & Ivy (who I bought three of these bags from) is donating one for our giveaway. I love this bag because it's huge (19 x 10 x 15 inches), waterproof, stain poof and fun to carry. It's made out of poly-woven tarp material and has reinforced handles so I can get literally EVERYTHING for the pool into one bag.

To enter the giveaway, tell me why you need this bag and give us your best Baby Bunching pool story. We'll randomly select a winner on June 25.

Congrats to our winner Ariel. She was selected by Random.org.

product review: Danonino

Summary:  This product is disgusting.  Skip it.

As a grandmother, my mom is a children's food marketer's dream.  No individually packaged, miniaturized serving size product with dancing cartoon animals on the front is too overpriced for her.  She has come home with some stuff that, while admittedly "fun", borders on the ridiculous.  Like Oscar Meyer Fast Franks, for people who are truly so lazy fun they can't be bothered to heat a hot dog in the microwave for 35 seconds and then reach into a separate bag for a bun.  Who buys this crap?  I mean, besides my mom, who stocks up on this and other similarly nutritionally devoid fun products when the grand kids come to visit.

We're visiting Grandma for spring break and she's discovered a new product this time - Danonino.  Packaged deceptively to resemble very small yogurt shots for the tiniest breed of party animals, this product is actually apparently chalk-flavored pudding of some sort.   I guess the first clue that it is disgusting should've been that it is labeled "dairy snack" and not "yogurt".  What the hell is a dairy snack and why would you want one when you can consume ACTUAL dairy products (like yogurt?).  I guess it just goes to show that dancing cartoon animals can convince rational people to do a lot of things they wouldn't otherwise do (like let their kids eat chalk in gel form).

Anyway, rarely is a product so disgusting or useless that I am moved to write about it, but I didn't get this one.  My Bunch refused to eat it and when I tried it, I understood why.

Linda almost put the kibosh on this post by noting that some of her buddies living in Europe swear by this product and then it has fortifying qualities that actually make it better than regular yogurt.  If so, feel free to chime in and defend it - I'm just a redneck who lives in Georgia and grew up in Texas, so could be I'm missing the point.  We're taking our chances on regular old "unfortified" yogurt in this family.

product review: munchkin food grinder

Even as a third time mom, I am still occasionally discovering products that make me wonder where in the hell they have been my entire parenting life.  Sometimes it turns out they have been right in my own closet.

Take the baby food grinder, for example.  Someone gave me this nifty grinder sometime in between my first and second babies, I think. To say that I am not the most mechanically inclined person would be a gross understatement, and anything with more than one moving part scares me.  In addition to that, I was in a Baby Bunching haze without a spare moment to pee, more less read instructions on a grinder, so it went straight to the top shelf of the nursery closet unopened. 

When I packed away the nursery stuff, it was almost scooped up by my very mechanically inclined (courtesy of his father) eldest son, who is fascinated with gadgets of all sorts.  But since it was still unopened, I threw it in a box thinking maybe I would unload it at the preschool's consignment sale in the fall.

When Baby #3 arrived, it bounced from the storage box to to a box of toys to a box on the changing table and finally actually ended up in a kitchen cabinet somehow.  One day recently, I found myself with a baby who was pretty close to being ready for table food, the grinder, and 5 free minutes to peruse the directions.   It turns out it was a cinch to "assemble", did not require batteries, and was dishwasher safe!  Aside from not being mechanically inclined, I have an aversion to changing batteries and hand washing dishes, so score 10 points for the food grinder.  Another 5 points for the fact that I saw one at Target later that same week and it was only $7!

It was super easy to use and I was able to quickly make a variety of foods suitable for baby, from peas, corn and carrots to a little homemade chicken noodle soup.  The food grinder does not like pineapple, but it did siphon off the juice nicely for baby to enjoy a few spoonfuls.  It was so easy to use that I wondered why it was again that I busted out the Cuisinart mini-processor to make homemade baby food for my first two?  Talk about complicated and moving parts...ugh.

Unfortunately, the food grinder met a cruel fate in the form of my garbage disposal.  Bent beyond repair, it has ceased to grind.  This happened just 72 hours ago and I am missing my new best friend the grinder like I lost my right arm or something.  Literally the ONLY reason I haven't dashed to Target to replace it is because of my tendency to turn a $7 errand at Target into a $90 one, so I have to pace myself on my Target trips.

I have a few products that I love to give new moms and the Munchkin baby food grinder has just made the list.  Cheap, effective, and so easy to use even a sleep-addled Baby Buncher can figure it out - a winner in my book!

review + giveaway: clip n' feed nursing cover

Those who know me, know I really struggled with breastfeeding my first child. When my second came around, I was determined to make it work. And we did--for five months. Until breastfeeding in quiet and total darkness got to be too difficult for everyone.

I must admit to never using a nursing cover with either kid. I grabbed the biggest and most breathable blanket to take with me. But I watched a friend using this Clip N' Feed cover a few months ago. It took a very clever mommy to come up with this concept. 

What I like about this cover: It has clips, and ones that can be removed to use in different locations on the cover. I also like that it's big so serves multiple purposes. Not only can it be used to make breastfeeding more discreet and comfortable for mom, but it can clip to the stroller, the car seat or even the cart to keep the sun out of baby's face.  And I love that it also comes in blankety material, which means it can double as an instant floor mat or burp cloth (preferably not at the same time...but you never know.) I also love that these come in a beautiful assortment of colors and they are all made here in the US. Yay!

What I'm still not sold on: Why are these needed? I think blankets do a good job doing the same thing. Babies, generally, are not thrilled with eating under a cloth anyway, but I guess you can't stay home all the time and if this makes you feel better about it, I like this one. I don't know if I would run right out and buy this for myself; however, I would purchase this as a gift for a new mom....especially a new Baby Bunching mom.

I do have two to giveaway--one in the butterfly pattern and one classic blue blanket.

Just leave a comment here by Jan. 26 with your best nursing-in-public story--where you did it, what people said, how you felt, or just how you let it all hang out. Please let us know if you use a cover like this and what you think about them. We'll randomly select two winners.

review: meal assembly kitchen—let's dish

This year for Christmas I gave my mom the gift of food. She’s sick with cancer and many days just can’t bring herself to cook. She needs the nutrients and while my dad does what he can, I figured there were days they would rather just pull out dinner already prepared and just cook it.

I decided to give Let’s Dish a try. If you live in any suburban area, you may be able to find any number of these meal assembly kitchens: Dinner A’Fare, Super Suppers, or Dream Dinners. Although with the weakening economy, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of these places go out business.  That would be sad because this is a great thing for Baby Bunching moms.

If you haven’t tried one of these and you’re about to become a mom of two under two or recently had a new baby, we would suggest you give this system a try.

In about an hour, for $100 or so, you can make four meals that feed six. You can make more if you like. If your dinners usually just feed the grownup members of your family anyway, do the split portions and you’ll be eight dinners ahead.

Turn the cooking session into a Baby Bunching girl’s night out so you’re cooking with friends. But these places are so easy you could even send your husband there to do it—but then you’d be left with both kids alone, so better not. Use it at as a ploy to get a break from your Bunch. I even know one Baby Buncher who said this is what her friends gave her as a baby shower gift...two weeks worth of meals. The shower was actually held at the location.  

These meals are reasonably healthy (healthier than any boxed frozen dinner) and with a few extra meals like this in the freezer, anyone can cook them when you're strapped for time and sanity—dad, visiting grandma or grandpa, doting aunt, good friend.

If you are a novice at this system, make sure you explain to the workers that you’re new and that you just had your second baby in two years. In your sleep deprived state the whole place can be a bit overwhelming.

it became 'our song': a CD giveaway

My son was two weeks old. I remember pacing the dimly lit nursery--the noisy room air conditioner barely audible. Alex was screaming and no one--not me, my husband nor my mom--could settle him. I ran and grabbed a CD a fellow Baby Bunching mom had given to me as a baby gift. She assured me it was one of the better baby music CDs out there, and as I put it in the CD player I prayed it would work.

He continued to scream and I started to cry. Until the song "It's Alright" came on, and its cricket sounds in the background finally calmed him down. It was like magic. He stopped. I don't know if it was the song or the way the song made me feel as I held him. But I stopped crying and he stopped crying and that become "our song."

I carried Sara Hickman's "Newborn" CD around the world with me--twice--when Alex was little. When I couldn't find a CD player, I would sing the songs. (This included a 6-hour plane ride.) Instantly he'd calm down. The entire CD is filled with sweet renditions of classic songs and some of Sara's own. We loved the CD so much that for Alex's first birthday, we bought her second children CD "Toddler," which was equally as beautiful for young kids. We actually listened to it in the car yesterday.

As soon as Anna made her appearance, I introduced her to the CD hoping this would again be the magical CD. And it was! She loved the songs but didn't make a connection with one particular song like Alex did, which was fine. I loved the idea that he and I had "our song." For her first year, we would listen to it as I nursed her late at night, and it still had some magical quality to it. Anna's song came around later and even at the age of three, I'm still singing it to her.

Because I'm so fond of the CD, Sara Hickman and I are giving away both the "Newborn" and "Toddler "CDs as a special Baby Bunching package. It makes a great gift for Baby Bunching moms since each child gets his own CD. A onesie with the child's name is included with the CD and will be sent from her directly. Here's what you have to do: Tell us about a special song you have with your child or one you had with your mom. I'll take responses by Nov. 3 and randomly pick a winner.

review: sport watch doubles as a night light

I am not a big fan of night lights. I used to sleep with one for most of my life and am secretly convinced it interfered with my sleep pattern. So my children never started with any kind of night light in their rooms. I learned to navigate in the dark. Amazing what I can do in the dark.

After my second was born, my husband bought me a Timex Ironman Triathlon Watch. It may seem like an insignificant watch, but I loved it. I could bathe my kids with it on, I could time a feeding AND it doubled as a night light! I would push a button and for a few seconds I could find that missing lovey or remove the book that was in way. Between the monitor light and the watch, I could even change a diaper. Pretty amazing, huh? Eventually after a few years, the watch broke, and it was replaced with a Casio Baby-G. The light is even brighter on this watch and I can even measure out medicine in the middle of the night without turning on a light. Bonus!

review: keying it all together

When my oldest was five months old, we returned from our overseas post in the Middle East for a few weeks in the US. I managed to travel halfway around the world with my son alone, but on the last leg, I left my purse (with diplomatic passports, jewelry, IDs, keys, etc.) on the plane. Fortunately, I got it all back. My dad took me over to REI and bought me this Chisco Triple Play keychain. I had no idea how this $7 gadget would transform my life. But it has.

In the early days of Baby Bunching, there is so much back and forth from the car to the house and back to the car again. Forgot the diaper bag. Forgot the sippy cups. Ooops, need to grab some snacks. Oh, let me run this milk inside before we head back out. This silly little keychain has saved me so many times from having to turn off the car or hand the keys to my husband. Sometimes I would clip this to my bag so I didn't even have to dig around for my keys, it has two quick release latches that just helped make my life so much easier. Having trouble getting into the car and out of the house, I swear by this keychain. (No, I promise I'm not getting a kickback from REI. I wish!)

product review: toddler bites

I am a sucker for gadgets, especially ones you use in the kitchen, and I happened upon a nifty one this weekend.   Toddler Bites are plastic cutting utensils that you can use to cut food into small toddler-sized bites that are easy for little fingers to pick up and little mouths to chew without choking.  Toddler Bites comes in three models - sandwich, hot dog, and banana cutters. 

I was first attracted to the hot dog cutter because my 3-year old still hasn't really mastered the art of chewing hot dogs properly, and I am always paranoid that he is going to choke. We used the cutter for the first time tonight and it was pretty cool in terms of getting the hot dog cut into just the right size pieces.  My only complaint is that the plastic blade wasn't quite sharp enough to cut all the way through the hot dog, so there was some touching/breaking apart of the perforated hot dog that had to occur after using the cutter.  Hot dogs really, really ick me out, so I was really hoping that this would be a completely touch-free solution.

In the sandwich arena, we tested our cutter on peanut butter and jelly and it made quick work of that.  Plus my kids were giddy with the excitement of the novelty of having their sandwiches cut into tiny squares.  I actually have been fairly happily using the Pampered Chef Cut N Seal product for sandwiches, with my only complaint being that it wastes half of the bread.  What I love about the Toddler Bites gadget is that it maximizes the amount of bread left after cutting off crusts AND cuts into bite-sized pieces, to boot!  Again, the cutter isn't super sharp, but on the bright side, for that reason it is kid friendly enough for a preschooler to cut their own food.  Not sure how it would do on a lunchmeat and cheese sandwich, but we also used it on banana bread and waffles and it worked great!

The cutters can also be used for softer foods like pancakes and cakes.  Definitely a handy tool for Baby Bunchers to have on hand!