Win the Essential Babywearing Stash

Along for the Ride is having a great contest; one lucky contestant will win a great stash of essential babywearing carriers. The lucky winner will win one Gypsy Mama Wrap, one Hotslings pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Beco Butterfly and one Zolo Wear Ring Sling all in their choice of in-stock patterns.

This is a great contest; don't miss your chance. The contest ends midnight on July 31, 2008.

Muffin Tin Lunch

We had a playdate today and for lunch we had a muffin tin lunch. I had seen this on another blog and I love the idea, the girls loved it TOO! It made lunch so much more fun for them, then a plate of sandwiches and fruit, plus they didn't have to eat it all at once they could come back and snack.

I Need a New Look

This blog needs a new look and the last two places I have checked have either had a waiting list or are temporarily closed. I am really looking for something custom. If anyone has any ideas please leave me a comment. Thank you :)

These are just temporary changes, I am still looking for a custom design!

Why Should I Wear My Baby?

1. Babies who are worn cry less.Yes, its true. If you wear your baby in a carrier they will cry less. Research indicates that babies worn close to their caregivers are more happy and content than babies who are not worn. Wouldn't you feel more secure if you were wrapped up nice and tightly with the one you love?

2. Babies who are worn are smarter.Because sling babies spend less time crying, they spend more time in a quiet-alert state. This is the optimum state for a baby to learn. It is also the easiest state for parents to interact with their baby. Babies who are worn typically develop speech faster than babies who are not worn.

3. Wearing your baby helps them adjust to life outside the womb.Wearing baby tightly in a sling or carrier mimics the sensations that baby experienced inside the womb. For 9 months baby enjoyed the gentle sway of mom's movements. When baby is worn s/he continues to experience those sensations, only externally. S/he also gets to hear the sound of mother's heart beating and feel the rise and fall of mother's breath. These all help baby regulate to life outside the womb.

4. Babywearing enhances parental bonding.I t is easy to bond and nurture a baby who is always close to your heart. The proximity enhances interaction between baby and parent.

5. Babywearing is convenient.A mother can easily breastfeed her child in a sling. She can do this while shopping, doing the dishes, catching up on work or resting in a chair. A parent can walk her baby to sleep, hands free, while keeping up with other duties.

6. Babywearing makes sibling care easier. You can easily tend to the need of a toddler or older child with baby in a sling.

7. Babies enhances emotional developmentBabies who are worn are more likely to develop strong attachments to their parents and become more independent as adults.

8. Babywearing enhances physical development. Carrying baby helps to develop balance and head/neck control.

9. Babywearing is fun and you look great while doing it! Ok, this one is a selfish reason, but the slings/carriers that are available today look gorgeous! Everyone will comment on it. I promise. Besides, its a lot more fun to go out shopping with your little one when they are right there close to your heart and experiencing everything with you. Plus, you are close enough to enjoy their sweet baby smell and they are in the line of adult vision for everyone to comment on what a little darling you have!!

References:

http://www.askdrsears.com/
http://www.thebabywearer.com/

Looking far a great sling, wrap or carrier check out:
Waddle n Swaddle

Papoose

Britax Frontier Review:Check It Out at ZRecommends

If your in the market for a new 5-point harness carseat or a booster seat, you need to check out the Britax Frontier Review over at ZRecommends. This is a very thourough review and a must read if you are considering purchasing a new carseat/booster.

Britax Carseats are also on sale this week at various locations. This is important to know because they do not go on sale often.

Are We Being Green Washed?

Let's face it being green is very in right now and everyone wants to get in on it. Here are some simple ways to be sure that you are not being "green washed".

Websites (these websites have done a lot of the research for you already.)

• greenercars.org This site offers driving tips, buying green, and over 10,000 vehicle ratings
  
• responsiblepurchasing.org
  
• greenerchoices.org This site is an offshoot of Consumer Reports
• cosmeticsdatabase.com

Avoid the terms: Natural, ECO and Green

Look for the terms: Organic and recycleable

Look for these seals:




Most of all read the labels, research what your buying and if it's too good to be true then it is.

Whether or Not to Vaccinate?

The choice on whether or not to vaccinate your baby is a very personal one. I found this report from CNN helpful in making this very important decision. Another great resource for helping to make this decision is the Sears schedule, which is an alternative vaccination schedule developed my Dr. Robert Sears. The Dr. Sears site is great because there are answers to questions like how do I switch to the alternative schedule when I have already started the regular vaccine schedule. I found this very useful and I think it will be very helpful at Jack's next check-up. There is also a section about how to talk to your pediatrician about switching to the Alternative Vaccination Schedule.

I hope you find this as helpful as I did and good luck with this very personal decision.

Remember the Golden Rule

Lately it seems as though people aren't being a good neighbor to each other and that they have forgotten the "Golden Rule." A couple of weeks ago here in CT there was a hit and run accident in Hartford where an elderly man was hit by a car and it took almost a minute for anyone to even go into the road and see if he was okay. What's even worse is that many people drove around and didn't even stop. It turns out that the man was not okay and was left largely unassisted with life threatening injuries.

Just the other day I was driving to work and there was a bad car accident on the other side of the highway and the same thing: no one had stopped to see if the people were okay.

My challenge to all of you who are reading this is do something nice for someone else; it could be as simple has holding the door for someone, helping someone with their packages, paying the toll for the person behind you, buying a bottle of water for someone on a hot day or even stopping to help someone when no one else has. Pay it forward as they say and be a good neighbor.

Announcing the Wee-Generation Eco Diaper Bag

I love what I see in this bag! It's gender neutral mom and dad can both carry it; it's organized and better yet it is made from recycled beverage bottles! My favorite features of this bag are the removable inserts which include an insulated feeding tote, changing tote, changing pad and the detachable insulated bottle holder and zip pouch.

The first 500 bags will be fully loaded with all sorts of Seventh Generation and Healthy Child Healthy World goodies to get you even further down the road toward a living, healthy home. Each bag will contain $100 worth of eco-friendly treats, including a copy of Naturally Clean, the Seventh Generation Guide to Safe and Healthy Non-Toxic Cleaning, a Wee Generation baby T, healthy household tips from Healthy Child Healthy World and coupons from Seventh Generation.

The best part is that 100% of the profits from this bag will go to Healthy Child Healthy World. What a fantastic way to support a great organization and get a great bag too!

Dry Drowning: A Post That Everyone Should Read

With the hot weather we are having up hear in the North East, I thought I would share this link that a mommy friend of mine emailed me the other day about Dry Drowning. I had never heard of this phenomenon until I watched this clip from The Today Show. As parents we know to watch our kids when they are near water, but there are signs to watch for even after they are out of the water.

Please be sure to watch this and then give your kiddos big hugs and kisses, I know I did!