Archive for August, 2009
August 20th, 2009 | Safety, recalls | No Comments |
There have been a number of baby product recalls in July and August that will be summarized here. Please look on the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) website for detailed information and for other recalled items, which you may be interested in and are not listed below. Please stop using all the products and contact the manufacturer on how to get a new product or credit. The contact information is linked below to each page of the CPSC.
We have blogged about the Simplicity Cribs and Bassinets. Today, the CPSC re-announced their concern about these products given two recent infant deaths related to these products.
Jumpin’ Jive Doorway Jumpers by Graco have been voluntarily recalled. A strip of fabric can become detached causing a choking hazard. We are not a fan of doorway jumpers to begin with – for safety reasons.
Most alarmingly – The Safety 1st SmartLight Stair Gates have been recalled as the hinges on the stair gate can break, causing a fall hazard. Always regularly check and maintain your own safety gates (no matter what brand) to make sure they are still adequately attached and have no loose pieces.
Baby Hammocks by Nova Natural have been recalled due to fall and strangulation hazards.
If you have a Baby Bjorn bouncer chair, take a good look at the model number with the ones being recalled. This recall involves the Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance and Babysitter Balance Air bouncers. Small, sharp objects have been found to stick out of the padded area, posing a laceration hazard.
Leapfrog recalls electronic plush toy “My Pal Scout” – an electronic plush toy dog due to a choking hazard. We’re sure you’ve seen these in a Babies R’ Us or Target.
Evenflo recalls telephone toys due to choking hazard.
We can’t even believe this is actually a pacifier – it looks like a bad toy for a doll. But 700 of these Gromex pacifiers have been recalled due to choking hazards from the small ventilation holes.
Finally, and sadly (because companies should be better), nine companies have been penalized for selling toys and children’s products that violated the federal lead paint ban. Please check out each item from the recall list and see if you possibly own any of these items. The scariest – children’s metal water bottles!
August 19th, 2009 | Eco-friendly, Giveaways, Nursery, products | 20 Comments |
It’s been a fun summer of giveaways for us and we are sad to see it end. But we are ending it with a BANG – with two products for two winners, generously provided by Serena and Lily! Their products are consistently well made and we are so pleased to give those of you, who have not had a chance to personally experience their products, a chance to win one of their eco-friendly items. As you may recall, we’ve blogged about these two organic and gorgeous items before – the Serena and Lily Market Sling and the Take-Me-Home Gift Set.
This time, we are giving away the color “punch” (aka pink) Take-Me-Home Set – perfect for any baby shower gift or gift for your own baby girl (or confident baby boy, LOL). Retails for $68.
And for another winner, we have the Market Sling in Cloud/Petal in size Medium. Retails for $129.
To win: comment on which item you would like to win and what you do to help the environment. If it’s as simple as not asking for a bag when you buy a book – so be it. We love great tips on saving mother earth! If you would like to win both, comment separately on each item. Good luck! Winner will be drawn and notified next Wednesday, August 26th.
UPDATE: Zmama and Scott are the winners via random drawing. Thank you all for participating and being excited about the finale! Look for future giveaways in the future – though they will not be as condensed as the summer giveaway.
August 15th, 2009 | Beauty and Exercise, Health, Preferred Vendors | 1 Comment |
I never told Connie this story, but months ago, my husband texted me the following: www.lifefitness4me.com. I had no idea what that meant and forgot to look it up and he didn’t remind me to look it up. Then one day I received an email from Connie Marshall, who told me she was referred to me and we set up a time to meet.
Upon meeting her, you get the immediate vibe that she has her stuff together! Connie recently started her business but has been working personally and professionally to get the experience and certifications to specialize in the prenatal and postnatal training of women. She is certified in high risk training and is nationally certified as well. I was completely drawn to her knowledge, her professionalism and enthusiasm in what she does – which is customized personal training. She will go to your home and show you customized ways to do your personal physical best. Check out her website for information on her training and the benefits of exercising while pregnant as well as after giving birth. We are all busy women, and Connie just makes things easier to be your physical best. We can certainly appreciate that.
So when I told my husband I met Connie, he immediately asked if she owned “Life Fitness 4 Me”. I said yes! He said, he had seen her car at the gym and texted me to give her a call. So for some reason or another, Connie and I were meant to meet and work together!
As a preferred vendor, you will get a discount for Connie’s services through Bliss Nine.
August 12th, 2009 | Beauty and Exercise, Celebrities, Giveaways, Health | 2 Comments |
It’s important to exercise or get some movement during pregnancy. Studies have shown that women who exercise during pregnancy have an easier time during delivery of their baby. Pregnant with her second child, Gabrielle Reece worked with a doctor and trainer to film 15 minute workouts from each month of her pregnancy as well as three months after her pregnancy. This DVD covers all 3 trimesters consisting of nine 15 minute exercises for women during their pregnancy as well as warm up and cool down sessions.
The video requires some equipment to start, such as elastic bands and an exercise ball (make sure you use an anti-burst ball/maternity ball). So have those on hand before starting. Also have some water and a towel nearby, should you need it. Don’t be frustrated if you feel like she and the trainer move faster than you are ready for. I often find that with the exercise DVDs. Once you get the hang of the exercises, you will be moving just as speedily along. This DVD Retails at $19.97.
To win: please submit a comment on why you would like to win this DVD.
August 5th, 2009 | Feeding, products | 7 Comments |
What a great week to do a review and giveaway of the Pumpin’ Pal breast shields. As some of you may know, it’s World Breastfeeding Week!
REVIEW: When we first received the Pumpin’ Pal shields, we didn’t know what to make of them. The large angled shields with striations throughout looked incredible! Then we remembered what the Medela breast shields looked like and thought, sheesh – these are some super shields! Pumpin’ Pal sent us 3 different sizes of their angled shields, a pocket guide to breastfeeding, air dry accessory bags and a hands-free strap.
We asked two local lactation consultants about the shields and showed them the product. They had heard of the pumps but had no desire to try them. As a baby planning business, our job is to test out new products for moms to see what they say and whether those products would make their pre or post-partum life better!
We sent the varying sizes over to a local breastfeeding mommy, Karyn V., who is what we like to call a super-breastfeeding mama. She pumps so much milk, filling 2 industrial size refrigerators, that she has donated her extra milk to a charitable organization! In fact, she pumped so much that her first pump shut down and she bought the Medela Freestyle Pump for her second child. Karyn did a test run of the shields. Because she uses the Medela Freestyle, she likes multi-tasking while pumping. And instead of being tied to the pump, the pump is tied to her. She brushes her teeth, puts on her makeup, works on the computer, etc. Though she understands that the angled cones could help direct milk down while mommy is lying down, that factor didn’t come into play for her since she was using the Freestyle. She did prefer them over the cones that come with the Medela. Karyn said they covered more of the breast area, which means she could tuck them into her bra, for a true hands-free accommodation. She wore a bandeau over the cones so they stayed on her chest. Also, she said the cones just “fit better”. The fact that there are customized sizes is a big plus. According to the Pumpin’ Pal representative and website, the shields are BPA-free, which was important to this testing mama.
GIVEAWAY: Pumpin’ Pal will send the winner the “All-in-One Kit”, valued at $36.95, which includes the following:
SUPER SHIELDS – unique angled breast pumping flanges to allow moms to sit back while pumping – making pumping more comfortable.
HANDS-FREE STRAP – Simple strap, which vertically supports the bottles while moms pump. Moms can watch TV, respond to emails, return calls or simply relax while pumping. There’s no need to remove or add clothing.
POCKET GUIDE TO BREASTFEEDING – Moms who are new to pumping and also those returning to work need support. Our guide is full of helpful tips, and it’s written in a gentle, friendly way – like friends giving helpful advice.
AIR-DRY ACCESSORY BAG –an inexpensive mesh bag so moms have a place to store and dry their freshly-washed pump parts, keeping them together and accessible for their next pump session.
Check out Pumpin’ Pal’s About Us page to read about Shannon and Jon’s reasons for creating these shields and their desire to help breastfeeding be made easier for all moms.
To win: Comment on what you love about breastfeeding or why you want to try the Pumpin’ Pal breast shields, a winner will be chosen at random.
Update: #5 – Toshiko Vu has won the All-In-One package. Congratulations!
August 2nd, 2009 | Beauty and Exercise, Health, Preferred Vendors | No Comments |
We are going to give guest blogging a try here since we have met so many great people and vendors in the industry. We are pleased to introduce our first guest blogger, one of our recently added preferred vendors, Connie Marshall, who is a certified personal trainer and frankly, has it going on! We will do a blog about meeting her later.
Recently, a Mamasource reader had a question about when the best time to work out would be given her busy schedule and raising 2 kids. And can’t we all relate to that question?! When do we squeeze in the time? Here is what Connie, a certified personal trainer and has certifications in pre-natal and post-partum fitness training, has to say.
“First off, good job with making the effort to workout during your pregnancy! Whenever we start something new, we start with great excitement and determination, however, it can be difficult to keep the motivation going, BUT don’t give up! Set small obtainable goals and reward the small changes you make – it will make the transition to exercising that much more rewarding and easier to stick with. Also, remember, it’s only been a week that you started this new workout regiment and the body doesn’t like it and it will want you to stop, but give it 2-3 weeks of consistency and you’ll soon find that you’re body will be “expecting” that workout. As for the pros and cons to working out in the evening versus working out in the morning is purely a personal preference – some people prefer the morning to get it out of the way. If you choose to workout in the evening you should wait between 60-90 minutes after eating to workout. This will allow the body to time to focus on digesting the food and minimize cramping. I also recommend you’re you workout at least 2 hours before bed time to allow the body time to come back down from the endorphin high, so you can get a good night rest. Remember to stay hydrated during your workout and have a protein shake immediately following your workout, at least 1-2 hours before bed.”
Connie Marshall
Pre/Post Natal Exercise Specialist
http://www.Lifefitness4Me.com
THANKS CONNIE! Remember, you get a discount through Bliss Nine with our preferred vendors, including Connie’s services!
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