All posts in Must-Have Monday

This week’s must-have is for both pregnant mamas and post-partum mamas.

Every woman, to some degree, thinks about stretch marks at some point during her pregnancy. Especially her very first pregnancy. It really is amazing how much her belly grows, expands, and   s t r e t c h e s  to grow and house her little baby. Amazing. And a little scary.

In steps this miraculous belly butter from Mambino Organics. This post is not meant to be vain. Not to keep your belly from ever looking like it housed a human being. But why not try to limit the skin damage that can be done?

Here is why this belly butter is so worth purchasing and a definite must-have:

1. It’s 100% Natural & Organic
It’s made with minimal ingredients and all safe ones: mango, shea butter, and madagascar tamanu oil. No crazy, hard-to-pronouce ingredients. No parabens. It feels good to know you’re putting something natural and safe on your belly, since it’s so close to your baby! Your skin absorbs topical creams, so I for one was on the hunt for the purest, cleanest products.

2. It REALLY Prevents Stretch Marks
This sounds silly to claim, but not really. It today’s world, marketing, advertising, and “green-washing” of products (making you believe it’s a safe, clean product) can lead you astray. So I’m here telling you that it really works. I used this belly butter every day during my first pregnancy: after showers and a thick layer before bed. It worked. Zero stretch marks.

During my second pregnancy, and a toddler keeping me busy, I had less time to focus on myself and any pending stretch marks. Lo and behold, I got MAJOR stretch marks. In hindsight, I should’ve taken 3 minutes to apply this cream to help combat those stretch marks and the insane redness and itchiness I had.

3. It Smells Delicious
Though pregnant noses can be particular, this smell never once bothered me. It has a mild, citrusy, mango scent. It smells so good and allows you (or your husband) to give yourself a mini belly massage for a few minutes each day. Bonus.

4. It Helps Your Post Partum Belly, Too!
It’s a TWO-FOR-ONE! Not only does it help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, but also helps strengthen and heal your skin post-baby. It works to firm up your connective tissue and repair any damaged skin. It also softens your skin and minimizes the redness and appearance of stretch marks.

Tips For Using This Belly Butter

A LITTLE BIT GOES A LONG WAYS
I only ever needed 1 jar per pregnancy. I would recommend starting with a teaspoon at a time.

THE BELLY BUTTER STARTS OUT SOLID
Rub it in your hands for a few seconds to melt it. Rub it all over your belly, sides, and wherever stretch marks concern you.

OF COURSE IT’S A BIT GOOEY . . . IT’S OIL!
Yes, it’s a bit oily. But for the results I got, I’ll take it! If it absorbed right away, it wouldn’t be doing the dirty work of protecting and fully moisturizing your ever-expanding skin. I mainly put it on at night, so I wasn’t concerned about my pjs getting some on it. For use during the day, I almost always had a belly band on, and that contained the wetness so that it didn’t get on my clothes.

AFTERWARDS, RUB THE EXCESS INTO YOUR HANDS
I’ve started doing this with olive oil in the kitchen, too! Instead of washing it off, use it anywhere else your skin needs a boost.

So there you have it. My must-have of the week. Buy it for yourself, gift it at a baby shower (or sooner!), or tell someone about it. They will fall in love with this stuff!

Happy Monday!
Kristi

I first stumbled upon this awesome puzzle at Satara, a local baby boutique here in Madison. I quickly fell in love for several different reasons.

1) Everyone love this puzzle. Babies love to chew on the animals. Toddlers love to story tell and use their imaginations with the animals. Older kids love the challenge of putting the puzzle together. Adults love the challenge, too. (It really IS tricky at first!)

2) Eco-Friendly. The rubber wood that it’s made out of is safe for babies and toddlers to put in their mouth. No toxins leeching here.

3) Educational. One side of the puzzle has capital letters, the other side has lower case letters. You can practice all sorts of letter recognition and beginning sounds.

It costs a pretty penny . . .  around $35-$4o. But it makes a great gift, or maybe if you’re kids are good, Santa can bring it.

They also have a HUGE version of this puzzle that is really, really cool. (It runs about double the price.) However, for the reasons above, it just may be something that you can justify purchasing!

There are several other smaller puzzles of the same idea. This little guy is desperately reeeaaaaching for his beloved snail puzzle pieces that have numbers on one side and roman numerals on the other. His 2 year old sister LOVES putting this one together. Check them out and choose the best for you. http://www.beginagaintoys.com

Happy Monday,
Kristi

Wean Green Glass Containers

I’m excited to share these Wean Green Glass Containers with you today! They are so versatile – for babies, toddlers, kids, & adults. They store pureed fruits/veggies for babies, snacks for toddlers, small portion-out sizes for adults, and sauces/salad dressings, too.

I first bought these little square snack cubes for baby food. They held the perfect amount, stacked and stored nicely, and had a small carbon footprint. I’ve slowly been switching over to glass, and these are by far one of my most used glass storage. Plus, they are adorable and colorful. My favorite.

Why Glass?

Glass is a cleaner, safer, healthier, eco-friendlier option as opposed to plastic. What’s really nice is you can microwave it quick without worrying about leeching chemicals into your kids’ food – even if it is only 10 seconds. Don’t get me wrong, I have plastic in my house, but I have been transitioning away from it. Or else using recycled plastic dishes such as the Reuseit brand which recycles milk jugs.

Isn’t it heavy? Won’t it break? Nope and nope. The containers are small so they don’t hold a significant, weighty amount. As for breaking, head to their website and view the Drop-test, Kid-approved video.

They come in all kinds of small sizes: small bowls & tubs, larger squares and bowls for storing leftovers or packing lunches. This must-have definitely transcends all ages and can be used for everything, forever. Leave a comment with your favorite way to use them!

Happy Monday,
Kristi

A Baby Carrier

This post isn’t meant to tell you exactly what type of baby carrier to get. Rather, just the plain ‘ole fact that YOU WILL NEED ONE!

If you managed your first child without one, good for you! Impressive. But with multiple kiddos in tow, a carrier is essential. Sometimes newborns just need to snuggle. Okay, most of the time. And I had no problem camping out on the couch with my first newborn. But with a toddler and a baby . . . things change. You need to be chasing and changing and playing with your toddler. And getting things done around the house from time to time.

Enter, the baby carrier. It’s almost as if you’re tricking your baby into thinking you’re just there snuggling him. Which is great! Baby feels loved and cuddled. Mom is hands free, comforting her baby, AND taking care of business.

Then comes the million dollar question. Which carrier? Which style? Which brand? Everyone and their mom will recommend a different carrier to you. There are TONS out on the market, and everyone swears by the one they have. But honestly? How many carriers has that person tried out, tested, and compared for an extended period of time? Most likely not very many. Myself included.

My job isn’t to tell you what to go out and buy. Each baby carrier has pros and cons. Each body type will wear the carriers differently. Everyone has different hobbies or uses for their carriers. Some want to go hiking with baby in tow, and others want to wear baby around the house to get some laundry done.

My recommendation to YOU is to head to a local store that allows you to try on and test out different carriers. Wraps. Slings. Structured carriers. Here in Madison, WI, Nicki’s Diapers and Happy Bambino are two local stores that have free babywearing classes. You are able to stop in and try on different styles and seek the advice of workers. So incredibly helpful.

Nicki’s Diapers 

In my own experience, I used the Moby Wrap from 0-3 months mostly around the house, and occasionally outdoors. My kids loved to snuggle up all cozy on my chest like they were still in the womb. I didn’t like fussing with the length of the wrap in public, but if I did wear it out, I had to ensure I had it on well before I left the house or drove anywhere.

From 3 months and on, I prefer my structured, buckled Boba Carrier. My kids like it in there, they feel secure, they can see . . . it’s working for us. It redistributes the weight to my hips rather than pulling on my shoulders, which is great. And my husband loves it. BONUS.

Happy Bambino

Leave a comment below sharing which baby carriers worked and didn’t work for you!

Happy Monday!
Kristi