newborn Archives - Page 7 of 11 - My Life: A Work in Progress

Review: Bib & Burp Cloth Set by Beautiful Burps

31 December, 2012 4 Comments

“Making burping beautiful, one beautiful burp at a time” is the motto of “Beautiful Burps,” a home business run by mom Courtney.

I’m always excited to work with WAHMs (working-at-home moms), since they’re mothers like myself. I find keeping up with Baby J and the housework to be a challenge, but these women manage children, home, and business all at once. I admire them for that.

Courtney was born and raised in Newport Beach, Calif. She attended Corona del Mar High School and graduated from Hollins University. After marrying, she relocated to Chino Hills, Calif. Courtney began making burp cloths while pregnant with her baby boy (now an adorable 1 year old). She was asked by family and friends to make burp cloths sets. Many of them suggested she start her own business, so Beautiful Burps was born.

As burp cloths go, these really are beautiful. Courtney sent me a Sock Monkey Bib & Burp Cloth set to review, and I absolutely love the patterns and color coordination.

Click on Photos to Enlarge:

Bib & Burp Cloth set- Back (It’s reversible!)

The reversible bib is made with absorbent 100 percent cotton and features a button closure.

The burp cloth is made from a prefold cloth diaper, and it’s definitely the most absorbent burp cloth we have. If you’re unfamiliar with the different types of cloth diapers, the prefold diaper is made with several absorbent layers of fabric (cotton, in this case) sewn on top of each other. The middle of the prefold is the most absorbent part, since it has extra layers (usually 6-8), so this burp cloth really does soak up a lot of liquid!

Inside of burp cloth (made with a prefold cloth diaper)

The outside of the burp cloth has fabric sewn down the center to decorate it/make it adorable!

Burp cloth outer — Outside of burp cloth

Our experiences:

The Bib-

Although Baby J is nearly 8 months old and past the profusely spitting up stage, he has reached the drooling buckets of goo stage. From the moment he wakes up until PJs time again, he usually has a bib affixed to his adorable neck. I am able to use this bib for about four hours before the bottom layer starts to feel damp, and I switch it out with another.

Note: I usually remove Baby J’s bibs before going in public, because…frankly…most of his bibs are ugly. This sock monkey bib though, I leave on him when we go out, because it’s the cutest bib I’ve seen!

The Burp Cloth-

Courtney also recommends these burp cloths can be used as changing pads when on the go, as a blanket, or under a baby’s head while sleeping to protect from spit up or drool. I agree! We found multiple uses for our burp cloth. The burp cloth was wonderful for cleaning up drool, banana surprise and other solid foods, and the little bit of spit up Baby J still gets. It measures 14″x18″, so it’s a good-sized burp cloth.

This bib and burp cloth set appears well-constructed, and the stitching looks even. The pattern choice and coordination is perfect. They do exactly what they’re meant to do and very well. I think a set of these would be a beautiful addition to any mom and baby’s stash of necessaries!

Besides the bib and burp cloth set, Courtney makes and sells individual bibs, individual burp cloths, and burp cloth sets of three. She even has decorated onesies and cross over shirts available!

Visit Beautiful Burps on Etsy or at the new Web site HERE. Find Beautiful Burps on Facebook HERE. She’s also on Pinterest!

Courtney has graciously agreed to sponsor a prize for the Bellies to Babies giveaway hop event that starts this Saturday, January 5! Get a head start on your giveaway entries, by following Beautiful Burps on Facebook and Pinterest at the links above!

Note: I received a complimentary bib & burp cloth set by Beautiful Burps to review and was not compensated for this post. I was not asked to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own and may differ from those of others.

cloth diapers, giveaways

CLOSED Giveaway: Holly Jolly Jubilee 2012- win an AI2 cloth diaper and custom onesie #HJJubilee12

19 November, 2012 48 Comments

Welcome to the Holly Jolly Jubilee giveaway blog hop, hosted by Formula Mom and Fabulous Finds by Tiffany! This is one of my favorite hops, since it’s holiday themed!

I have to confess something. I keep nagging Hubby about his interest in Christmas when Thanksgiving isn’t even over yet, but I’m just as excited…especially since we have a new little one to start traditions with!

Here on My Life: A Work in Progress, you have the opportunity to win two adorable gifts for the little one in your life, thanks to my awesome sponsors, AsherLiz Designs and Mama Loves!

AsherLiz Designs:

Stephanie is the creative WAHM (working-at-home mom) behind AsherLiz Designs, offering cloth diapers and accessories.

“Hi, I’m Stefanie! I started CDing with my youngest and quickly became addicted! One of the reasons I decided to go with CDs was to save a little money. So naturally, that lead to me making the diapers myself. Soon after, AsherLiz Designs became a reality! The name is inspired by my kids, and everything I offer in my store, I use with my kids too.”

One lucky reader will win an AsherLiz Designs all-in-two (AI2) cloth diaper in a holiday print! Read my review here.

Mama Loves:

I’m also thrilled to introduce the mama behind Mama Loves, a wonderful little online boutique for “things a mama loves.” I first met Angel about 6 years ago, when I was a young teacher wet behind the ears. She helped me survive my first year of teaching, and I’ve always been grateful! Now, as I’m a new mommy, she’s still showing me the ropes!

Angel Lee is a first time mom to an adorable two year old who doesn’t care at all about any of the sweet things mama makes her. Angel lives in perpetual hope that someday her daughter will care, but in the meantime she will keep sewing clothes for her and for other little girls like her.

Angel makes and sells ornate jeweled wine glasses, upcycled toddler clothes, car organizers and more. The wine glasses are gorgeous, but probably my favorite product Angel offers is the “Daddy dress,” from an upcycled man’s shirt. You can provide your own Daddy shirt or Angel will. I can’t wait to have a little girl and have her wear a Daddy dress! It would be especially perfect for our little one to remember Daddy when he’s on deployments.

For this giveaway, the winner has a choice of a custom boy’s onesie, shirt, or tie or a girl’s onesie dress or twirly skirt in a holiday theme. Options are awesome!! Decisions are difficult. :/

Check out these stylin’ sample boy onesies:

Prize information for boy selection: a Christmas themed onesie, Christmas themed shirt or tie. After winning you will be contacted to give sizing information and to make your fabric selection. May choose bow tie or neck tie styles.

I love these girly pieces below!

Twirly skirt close up — Twirly Skirt Close Up

Prize information for girl selection: Choice of toddler twirly skirt in Christmas colors and patterns or onesie dress in Christmas colors and patterns. After winning you will be contacted to give sizing information and to make your fabric selection.

Disclosure: Formula Mom, Fabulous Finds by Tiffany, My Life: A Work in Progress, and the Holly Jolly Jubilee bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that fail to fulfill their prizes. Sorry, this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. You must read and agree to the Terms and Conditions (located through the link at bottom of the Rafflecopter form) to enter. One winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter and Random.org. The winner will be sent an email and will have forty-eight hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen.

Winner:

Entry #3158 Jenna F.

parenting

An Old Wives’ Tale

30 October, 2012 3 Comments

I know I haven’t posted in a few days. I’ve been home with a sick and teething baby while hubby’s been away on his ship (I’m ill as well…boooo!). Sandy didn’t cause too much trouble for us here in Virginia Beach. It rained pretty much straight on from Saturday afternoon until Monday night, but the power didn’t go off.

When J walked in the door this afternoon…after being alone and sick with the baby…I was incredibly relieved to see him. As a new mom, taking care of my baby through his first illness definitely pulled on my heart-strings. I just felt so useless, you know? I tried everything, but I couldn’t make his misery and pain go away. Thankfully, today he seems much, much better. He was still very fussy and sleepy this morning, but he started to play with his toys in the afternoon, and his cough didn’t sound as phlegmy.

Before I realized my son had a cold in addition to teething, I was researching teething symptoms on the Internet. I was surprised to find out that many things I’ve heard about teething aren’t true. At least, there is controversy surrounding them.

For example, I’ve always heard that teething often causes fevers, and diarrhea. Turns out quite a few researchers and pediatricians say that’s not so…that it’s only coincidence that babies have fevers and diarrhea while teething.

Anyway, this got me started on thinking about all the Old Wives’ Tales I heard while I was pregnant and after birth. I think the biggest one I’ve heard is what you eat gives your baby an upset tummy or gas. This is almost never true! But even the nurses in the hospital after I gave birth told me that my son was so gassy because of the broccoli I ate as part of my first postpartum meal. They kept saying that it wasn’t normal for newborns to have stinky gas. Personally, I think he had smelly gas because of the meconium he’d swallowed.

From talking to other moms, I’ve realized that quite a number of women believe eating foods high in fiber will give their babies gas. However, food like veggies and beans don’t cause gas until they react with bacteria in your gut. Unless something gets into your bloodstream, it can’t pass to your baby through breastmilk. If a baby is showing a reaction to something a woman ate, it’s probably a response to dairy, since lactose from cow’s milk breaks down and enters the bloodstream.

That said, I know there are many mammas out there who insist it’s not in their heads, and that their babies always react to a specific food they eat.

What do you think? Do the docs have it wrong? Have you noticed your baby react negatively to something you’ve eaten? What advice have you heard that you think is an Old Wives’ Tale?

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