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Baby Registry

Introducing the NEW Gugu Concierge (+ We're Hiring!)

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Introducing the NEW Gugu Concierge!
Gugu Concierge offers the convenience of online complemented with the highest level of personal service from your very own local Maternity Consultant to help you along the way. Let our staff of professionals kick-start your registry with an experience unlike any other.

Launching this week in:

  • Greater New York Metro (NYC/ Westchester /CT / NJ)
  • Chicago, IL
  • Washington DC / N. Virginia / Maryland
  • Phoenix, AZ
  • Boise, ID
  • Dallas, TX
  • Seattle, WA
  • …with more cities rolling out in the upcoming weeks!

Get started at: https://blog.guguguru.com/concierge


Are you the person that everyone comes to for baby registry help? Do you enjoy helping new and expecting parents find the right products for their families and would like to earn income doing it? Or maybe you’re already a Baby Planner, Doula or Maternity Consultant who would like to expand your client base. If you fit the bill, come join the Gugu Concierge team! [Apply HERE.]

 

Filed Under: Baby Registry, Gear, Gift Ideas Tagged With:

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Perfect Gift Ideas

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At Gugu Guru, we just love gifts that keep on giving. Whether they’re smart, practical finds, heirloom quality or cause-driven, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite gift ideas for growing families. These make wonderful baby shower gifts or add them to your registry.

-Sponsored Post-

Cause-Driven Fashion

We would be crazy about the adorable and affordable fashions from Smockingbird anyway, but the fact that the brand gives back to a different cause each month makes us love them even more.  Started by two best friends (who also happen to be sisters-in-law),  Smockingbird offers really cute clothes for children at unbeatable prices.

Smart Finds

Self-care is so important when you’re a new mama and, let’s be honest, breastfeeding can be hard. You can get clogged ducts, pain from mastitis, milk blebs and other discomforts associated with breastfeeding. Of course it’s all worth it to give your babe the best, but you don’t have to suffer through it.  Rachel’s Remedy breastfeeding relief packs are a brand new way to treat, soothe and relieve breastfeeding conditions. They offer FDA cleared, moist heat or cooling therapy.

Speaking of comfort or discomfort for that matter, pumping can sometimes be painful for moms, especially those who are exclusively pumping. BeauGen wants to help moms have a more positive, more comfortable breast-pumping experience. BeauGen nipple cushions are a soft, stretchy, and convenient solution that can significantly reduce the pain and discomfort of breast pumping.

Baby K'Tan Diaper Bag

One of the things we love the most about the Baby K’Tan Diaper Bag is its built-in wetbag with antibacterial lining – making it a super smart find for parents. This very stylish diaper bag is made of a unique medical-grade FDA approved nylon, the built-in wet bag pocket is resistant against the growth of germs and odor-causing bacteria, and is completely washable and food safe.

Adorable & Eco-Friendly Accents

Finch & Cotter

One of our favorite gift ideas, is the personalized birth announcement pillow from our friends at Finch & Cotter. Just provide them with the baby’s stats and they’ll create a custom birth announcement pillow. Aside from being such a special, personalized gift, we love that Finch & Cotter is made in the USA from eco-friendly inks and organic cotton canvas so it’s safe for any nursery.

Baby Baazaar

If you’re into global chic aesthetic and favor eco-friendly, fair trade practices – look no further than one of our latest discoveries: Baby Baazaar. Baby Baazaar’s aim is to bring hard-to find, eco-friendly children’s products to parents everywhere. The founder is originally from India, and she continues to be inspired by the unique aesthetics and handcrafting abilities of the artisans back home.

 Thank you to Smockingbird, Finch & Cotter, Rachel’s Remedy, BeauGen, Baby Baazaar and Baby K’Tan for making this sponsored post possible. 

Artsy Mama Must-Haves for Baby #2

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We recently teamed up with Jena Holiday, wife, artist, illustrator and mom of two to find out some of her must-haves. Spoiler: her number one must have is a baby carrier so that her hands are free when it’s time to pick up the paint brush! Head over to her blog, Spoonful of Faith, to find out more.

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Wanderlust Must: BabyZen YOYO+

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This week we are so excited to be featuring amazing products ideal for traveling with baby. There’s no need to sit at home when there is a world to see, and we rounded up our favorite products for indulging in your wanderlust with baby in tow! Each day this week  we will be spotlighting our favorite products for traveling and we’re kicking it off with the BABYZEN YOYO+. 

If you’re looking for the ideal stroller for travel, look no further than the BABYZEN YOYO+! This stroller has has revolutionized the stroller category with a multipurpose stroller travel system engineered to deliver safety, versatility and design for the modern, on-the-go parent. Whether you’re frolicking in a city or stomping around the country, the YOYO+ is engineered to take you from city streets and rural roads to jet-ways and boardwalks with ease and style. The soft-drive system allows parents to stroll along with just a single hand; the YOYO+ is today’s travel stroller for everyday.

No longer do you have to worry about having to carry a big and small stroller on every vacation, the BABYZEN YOYO+ is compact, yet durable making it ideal for daily use and travel, eliminating the need and expense of multiple strollers. The BABYZEN YOYO+ can be used from infancy to toddlerhood, with just a few easy swaps. From birth, baby lies parent-facing and never leaves your sight. BABYZEN YOYO+ comes with a totally flat carry cot for infants and a 5-point harness, a 3-position pop up canopy, a foot cover and a headrest. From 6 months and using the same frame, simply swap 0+ newborn fabrics to 6+ fabrics, and sit baby up to face the road. The YOYO+ backrest can be inclined to 145° in several positions, and features comfortable padding with a 5-point harness. Another reason this stroller is a must have for travel is the throw-up factor! Kids and babies get carsick, or sick eating new foods, and this stroller washes like a dream.

But, the coolest thing of all is that the BABYZEN YOYO+ is perfect for airline travel, as it can be stored in the airplane overhead compartment making child travel a little bit easier. BABYZEN YOYO+ easily converts with a single hand. It weighs just 13 lbs and is compact at approximately 20x17x7 inches when folded making it ideal for small spaces. Plus, car seat adapters provide easy adjustment for compatible car seats with just one click making it less disruptive for baby and parent. Ideal for travel for both parent and baby!

You can find BABYZEN YOYO on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Video Review: Products for a Wedding Registry and Baby Registry

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Today we’re talking about gifts that pull double duty because they are good for your wedding registry AND baby registry – specifically the shatterproof drinkware and Dip and Sip stainless steel straws from the TaZa brand. These products are not only a perfect gift for newlyweds (who may want to start a family soon after tying the knot) but also for expecting parents. These type of gifts truly keep on giving!

We love that these TaZa products are:

  • Ecofriendly because they’re reusable
  • Kid-friendly
  • Safe because they’re BPA free and EA free (Plastic can leach off flavors and chemicals into an otherwise healthy drink.)
  • Stylish and practical for entertaining
  • Dishwasher safe

Add them to your Gugu Guru registry here:

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 588dec5d2505ed0c55140559


PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 588ded03428ba01ddb98d4f0

A Post-Consumer Recycled Baby Registry

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Photo credit: @muvaepiphany

In the past, we’ve written about all sorts of sustainable and eco-friendly mom and baby products but this week we’re focusing on brands that convert plastic bottles into stylish products for your baby registry and home.

Mohawk Flooring EverStrand®
Mohawk  – a leader in sustainable and environmentally responsible flooring – uses recycled plastic bottles to make its EverStrand line of carpeting. The plastic bottles actually create a stronger yarn than other PET. So you will get a durable, long-lasting carpet that contributes to a cleaner planet: made with up to 100% recycled content. With a robust selection of textures and colors featuring exceptional color clarity and fade resistance at an affordable price, you’re sure to find one that fits your style and your budget.

Lassig Green Label Neckline Diaper Bag
The Lassig Green Label Neckline bag continues to be one of – if not THE – most popular bags for eco-conscious moms’ Gugu Guru registries. The Lassig Green Label Neckline Diaper Bag keeps you organized and looks like a super-chic handbag. Made from recycled plastic bottles, it includes 2 large main compartments, lots of pockets, a changing pad, wet pocket, zip pouch, and more.


Mitz Must Love Dinosaurs Children’s Dress with Spikes
The Must Love Dinosaurs dress from Mitz Accessories is available in sizes for infants, toddlers and kids. The dress features black felt spikes that go down the back of the dress! RAWR! The spikes comfortably fold over and are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.


Green Toys
Green Toys Inc. is an eco-friendly toy company whose mantra is “every day is Earth Day.” Green Toys are made with 100% recycled milk jugs. These non-toxic products are all BPA and Phthalate Free, as well as 100% USA Made.

Gugu Guru Loves REPREVE®
When it comes to post-consumer recycled goods, the editors at Gugu Guru are especially excited about a material called REPREVE®, which is a recycled polyester yarn made from melted old plastic bottles. Unifi, the company that produces REPREVE®, is receiving heavy accolades as the company that is turning 4 billion plastic bottles into cool products. Here are just some of those awesome products that you should consider adding to your registry:

The Stair Barrier
A must for homes with multiple stories (and also great for travel), the Stair Barrier is a specially designed, fabric gate for the bottom of the stairs. With a variety of sizing options available The Stair Barrier is a stylish and effective way to keep your child and pets safe around steps with banisters. See their collection of barriers constructed with REPREVE here.

Recycled Beachfront Baby Wrap made with Repreve®
Each Beachfront Baby® Wrap made with 100% Repreve® PC polyester contains approximately 15 plastic water bottles. All of the Recycled Wraps come with a matching drawstring carry bag, which is also made with Repreve®, and the packaging for this wrap is printed on 100% recycled paper. Made in the USA, all Beachfront Baby® “one size” carriers are sewn with care by work-at-home-moms in the San Antonio, Texas area. Available in Sky Blue as shown.

Tekhni Woven Slings

Tekhni Woven Sling Studio
Born in 2013, Tekhni is the culmination of art, design and babywearing. The babywearing mom founder, Alisa DeMarco, is a painter, graphic designer, dye artist and textile designer.  Tekhni has made the pledge to create wraparound slings and accessories from the finest resources, finished by hand in Grayslake, Illinois. A variety of yarns and blends are used in my wraps– cotton, linen, silk, Repreve®, Tencel®, and more– chosen for beauty and comfort. Everything is finished lovingly by Tekhni’s local Chicago-land seamstresses.

American Flora Shop
And for mom style, we are digging American Flora Shop. The founder of American Flora got her inspiration largely from being a ballet dancer and teacher. She wanted to create pieces that would provide a comfortable feel and feminine look in the studio, and would also pair well with lifestyle wear, and was particularly focused on finding a sustainable fabric. All made in the USA, American Flora’s Life. and Sport. Collections continue to reflect the passion for designing pieces with versatility and femininity in mind. Check out this adorable Pink Bottle Headband made with REPREVE, which assures a soft, comfortable feel.

An Avid Runner’s 6 Baby Registry Picks

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We connected with running mom, Leah Balentine, on Instagram last year when she was pregnant and we’ve followed her ever since. Now a new mommy to her adorable little running buddy, we find Leah’s posts super inspiring plus she’s a Charity Miles ambassador and that means, every time she gets moving (which is a lot), she earns money for a charity of her choosing. With the theme of healthy living and New Year’s resolutions in mind, we asked Leah to guest blog for Gugu Guru this month and share some of her avid running mama picks. Here’s what she had to say:

I started distance running after college. I ran my first marathon (Marine Corps Marathon) with Team in Training in 2009. One thing led to another and over the last few years I have run 10 marathons. I slowed down but continued to run during pregnancy.

Stroller running brings a whole new level of intensity but it is so fun! We love to run around Honolulu. A great place for stroller running near us is Ala Moana Park. It’s a beautiful, paved park.

Here are some of my top picks for avid running mamas:

 

  1. Thule Urban Glide is an all-round sports stroller with a sleek and lightweight design making it perfect for urban mobility or jogging on your favorite path.

Baby Bump Stability Yoga Ball

2. Stability ball for core/pelvic strength.

Running Journal

3. Running journal to keep track of fitness during pregnancy and postpartum progress.

Moving Comfort Women's Juno Bra
4. A supportive sports bra that allows for breastfeeding. I like the Moving Comforts Juno Sports Bra.

BaoBei Maternity Belly Sports Bra
5. A Bao Bei Maternity Sports Band to provide pregnant belly support for workouts.

Gabrialla Maternity Support Belt
6. Gabrialla maternity support belt – I found this one works best for belly support specifically during running versus just general workouts.

 

 

Vote on Your Favorite Breast Pump Innovation!

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From hands-free to cordless to whisper quiet features, there are lots of new developments in the breast pump category right now. Gugu Guru wants to know what you think so vote on your favorite using the thumbs up icon today! (Did we miss an innovation? Comment below to let us know what should be on the list!) Winner gets the Gugu Picks badge!

Celebration of Feeding: Feeding Twins with Twiniversity and BabyBjorn

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For today’s Celebration of Feeding post, Natalie Diaz, the founder of Twiniversity, is here to share her tips for feeding twins!

There are MANY options when it comes to feeding your twins. This week we are celebrating formula feeding and in my expert opinion, bottle feeding in bouncers is the best way to go. The BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft is incredible. Not only will your baby be comfortable, but it can hold him/her until their 2nd birthday! My only problem with this bouncer is that they don’t make one I can buy in my size. So let’s get down to business. How are we going to bouncer feed twins?

Here’s how you do it:

Step 1: Set up your situation! Get your “home base” ready to feed those hungry babies. You should have: Full bottles with the correct amount (maybe a little extra for that morning feed!), burp cloths, wipes (for cleaning up small spills) and the remote to turn on some tunes. Hey, why not? Ever go to a restaurant that was silent? Yeah, it was uncomfortable, right? Well, set the mood for fine dining even if it’s just in your living room. Suggestions: Harry Belafonte, REM, Trace Atkins (those were my twins’ favorites!) 

Step 2: CHANGE your babies. You should never begin a feed — breast or bottle — without first changing the babies. That way if they are fussy you at least know it’s not because they are wet. Once they are changed, bring them to their bouncers and strap them in safely. SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS! If they are little and having a hard time with neck support, buy a head positioner, or just use a rolled up receiving blanket behind the neck to help prop them up into place.

Step 3: Go to the bathroom yourself! Same as the babies, no one should be uncomfortable during a feed if you can avoid it.

Step 4: Sit on the floor with your back against a chair or couch, stretch your legs out in front of you, get your supplies within arms’ reach and settle in — you’re going to be here a minute. Once you are all adjusted, place a bouncer on each side of you so that your arms can comfortably reach the babies.

Step 5: Feed those babies! Hold each bottle in one hand and let your hungry babies go to town. Remember to make sure that the nipple is filled 100% of the time with the milk! Our suggestion would be to use the Dr. Brown’s Options bottles. Start off with a level 1 nipple but move to a level 2 nipple once your doctor gives you the green light. If you are doing a combo of breast and bottle feeding, STICK WITH LEVEL 1! That is closest to the actual flow of your nipple and the baby will be most comfortable with that.

Step 6: Halfway through the bottle, stop for a quick burp. I’m sending successful burping vibes your way! Start with the easier burper first and move over to the one that’s a bit more challenging.  Make sure you take advantage of that burp cloth. If you end up getting some formula on your clothing, or theirs, try the Dapple Stain Remover which we find works like a charm to get those stains right out. Then go back to feeding as usual but still make sure that the nipple is full 100%!

When the feed is done, feel free to give ‘em one final burp. Then, PUT YOUR BOTTLES IN THE SINK! Make sure that after each feed you get some fresh water into those bottles. By the days end, even if it’s a ¼ oz, it might be tough to get out. Keep a large basin in the sink prefilled with sudsy water for those bottles to go right into.

Make sure that every night you do a final tally of your bottles. If you used 16 bottles, make sure they are all accounted for in the dishwasher! You don’t want to have a rogue bottle floating around your house. In a few days’ time, if you don’t find it….you will. You can just track the scent! Yuck!

Follow BabyBjorn on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. 

Dr. Brown’s for Formula Feeding

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Designed by a doctor in the mid-nineties, Dr. Brown’s has become a leading standard for baby bottles and accessories for all parents. Dr. Brown’s is known for their Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow® bottle, which is the only bottle “to feature an internal vent system that helps reduce colic, spit-up, burping and gas by eliminating negative pressure and air bubbles, helps preserve vitamins C, A, & E by minimizing oxidation of breastmilk and formula, and provides vacuum-free feeding similar to breastfeeding.” Whether you’re breastfeeding, supplementing, pumping and feeding or formula feeding, Dr. Brown’s makes it easy for parents with their well-thought out products designed to make baby fed and happy. Today we’re sharing some products that make life easier on all parents – because no matter what, we can all agree that washing bottles and preparing formula is time consuming, but Dr. Brown’s aims to make it as simple as possible for all families!

When we chatted with formula feeding parents in preparation for the Celebration of Feeding, the number one essential which came up over and over again was the Dr. Brown’s Formula Pitcher. Using the pitcher, a parent can prepare up to four 8 oz/250 ml bottles at once in this pitcher with a spill-free locking lid, no drip spout and soft-grip handle. It’s easy to use and BPA free, but most importantly, it mixes formula quickly without clumping and dissolves formula quickly with no clumping, which helps limit the amount of air in the formula. The less air in the formula, the less air in your baby’s tummy, and less gas and colic to contend with. The pitcher makes those middle of the night feedings so much easier – no need to spill powdered formula all over your counters as you sleepily make a new bottle!

Like we said before, Dr. Brown’s is known for their bottles with a special venting system to keep air out of your baby’s stomach; and now, for the first time, they have introduced the Options Bottle, the market’s first convertible bottle that can be used with or without the vent system. The new vent system is designed to grow with baby, and it is recommended to use this system in order to experience all the health benefits of the Options Bottle. The vent system helps reduce feeding problems, helps digestion and helps preserve vitamins. However, some parents find removing the vent system a convenient option as their baby’s feeding becomes more developed. The nipple venting creates a paced flow, and provides a feeding experience similar to most nipple-vented bottles. Options bottles also fit most breast pumps, and are BPA-free. Dr. Brown’s believes in letting parents choose what’s best for their baby, which is why they’re so proud of the Options bottles, which will allow the bottles to grow with the baby.

And, lastly, we all know how tedious and time consuming it can be to wash all of those bottles (Twiniversity mentioned washing 16 bottles a day for twins in their post!), but Dr. Brown’s is here to help with their handy Deluxe Bottle Brush. The bottle brush is perfect for any kitchen, as it has a suction cup on the bottom to keep it upright and away from any dishes or food. It’s compact and efficient, as the tiny nipple brush is located within the handle of the bottle brush, so you’ll never lose the nipple brush! The brush features combination sponge and bristles for thorough cleaning of bottles, and chevron channels at the base for cleaning nipples. This is a must-have for any parent who will be washing bottles, whether formula or breastmilk.