Celebrate Feeding

Introducing A Full Plate with Nikki Dinki

When it comes to making healthy and delicious food for your family, we always turn to one of our favorite chefs (and Gugu Guru mamas) Nikki Dinki! Nikki is a cookbook author, radio host, and voiceover artist. This New York based chef rose to fame by hosting a cooking show on YouTube, and the nation got to know her on Food Network Star – we are thrilled to announce that Nikki will be sharing some fun food tips and life hacks for your family in a new series with Gugu Guru and VeeTee, A Full Plate! Check out the video below for more info and stay tuned for all of Nikki’s hints and tips to make life easier when you have a full plate.

Check out Nikki Dinki’s Foodie Mom’s Registry, city living baby registry picks, and baby food cube life hack!

Cover photo via Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times

Product Discovery: Rachel’s Remedy Breast Relief Packs

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While breastfeeding can be a wonderful, natural, and enjoyable experience, there are also often many stumbling blocks for new (and even seasoned) moms on their breastfeeding journey. Anyone who tells you that breastfeeding is always easy, is not being real. From clogged ducts to mastitis, engorgement issues and more, nursing throws you curve balls some times. If you’re looking for a simple and quick way to bring peace to your breastfeeding journey, we are thrilled to tell you that it exists! Enter: Rachel’s Remedy Breast Relief Packs. We’ve written before about why we think Rachel’s Remedy Breast Relief Packs are an ideal baby shower gift, and we’re excited to introduce you to some new products from Rachel’s Remedy, too.

Rachel’s Remedy has partnered with Dr. Brown’s to create the Dr. Brown’s Rachel’s Remedy Natural Breast Relief Packs, which are the only FDA cleared relief available for breastfeeding moms. These Dr. Brown’s Rachel’s Remedy Natural Breast Relief Packs are wearable relief packs that are made with flaxseed and 100% organic cotton cloth. Their signature moist-heat is proven to help soothe sore breasts and nipples, relieve engorgement pain and actually help increase milk supply. And, want to hear the best news yet? These Dr. Brown’s Rachel’s Remedy Breast Relief Packs are sold at our happy place: Target! Be kind to your body this year and pick up some of these FDA cleared breast relief packs. As one happy mama says, “I have tried everything for clogged ducts and Rachel’s Remedy is the only thing that’s ever worked ~ and works perfectly! To me, this is the most important product to have for nursing moms. They also increased my milk supply so much. Love these!!”

Also just recently launched at Target from Dr. Brown’s and Rachel’s Remedy are the Antimicrobial Breast Pads. The Rachel’s Remedy Antimicrobial Breast Pads are the only nursing pads on the market that have silver ions in the fabric that help to prevent and eliminate the growth of bacteria and microbes – like yeast. They are made of absorbent organic cotton sherpa and have a moisture guard that protects clothes. We’re loving this comment from a breastfeeding mom, “Finally someone found a way to make reusable breast pads that actually fight against yeast infections rather than causing them. These are amazing. Luxurious is an understatement.” That sounds like a Target win to us!

You can find the Dr. Brown’s Rachel’s Remedy Natural Breast Relief Packs and the Dr. Brown’s Rachel’s Remedy Antimicrobial Breast Pads both at Target – and we know you’re there five out of the seven days of the week, so pick some up for you and a friend today!

Gugu Guru is so grateful to our advertising partners. Thank you to Rachel’s Remedy for making this sponsored post possible.

Cover photo by Pics and Paws Photography

Must Have Essentials: Early Feeding for Babies

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There are two questions we often get from new parents when it comes to building a registry: one, “what will I need to feed my newborn?” And, the follow up, “can I register for items for early feeding of solid foods?” To which we always say, of course! However, there are must have essentials for each of those topics – and we asked our amazing baby planners for their picks for early feeding, when it comes to infants and babies. Don’t forget to add these picks to your registry!

Abby Ludwig, Gugu Guru Registry Consultant –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding: My top pick for an early feeding item is the Boppy! As a mom of twins I had two Boppy’s which helped greatly while I was trying to feed my little ones. For those nursing, the My Breast Friend or Twin-Z Pillow are also great pillows to help support you and your children!

Tina Morton, Cloud Nine Birth Services –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding: The ezpz Happy Mat for baby is the best for little eaters! This unique placemat sticks to eating surfaces without adhesives and has different compartments for all types of food. Another plus, it’s super easy to clean!

Jessica Zablan, The Birth & Baby Company –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding: Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is a great to introduce food to your baby. BLW allows them to play with the food and for them to learn to put food into their own mouths. There website has some great resources.

Ashley Akselband of Wellsprings Birth and Baby –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding: the Beaba baby food maker for stage 1 foods (steams and purées all in one) and the ezpz Happy Mat all in one mat/bowl combos – super cute and super functional for those first finger foods!

Amber Michels of Your Milk Shoppe –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding:

Your Milk Shoppe’s one “must have” essential for feeding is the Lactalite Breast Pump Device. Lactalite Breast Pump Lights were created out of necessity. Dr. Patrick O’Malley watched as his wife, Kelly, was struggling to see whether or not she was producing milk while pumping. Juggling a breast shield and bottle with one hand and the LED light of her iPhone in the other, they both agreed that there was a better way. They created an easy to use light, attached it to the breast shield, and in Kelly’s words, “This literally changed my breast pumping experience on the spot. I felt that I had to use the Lactalite every time I pumped, day and night, it was that helpful.”

Victoria Zimmerman, Aspen Baby Planners –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding: I can’t recommend aden+anais Burpy Bibs enough! Their unique shape keeps them on your shoulder when feeding, burping, and even when bending over to put baby down (there’s nothing worse than a burp cloth that’s constantly falling off and landing on your little ones face!). Pro-tip: stick to the cotton; the bamboo ones shrink up when washed!

Victoria Facelli, Durham Lactation –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding: I love a sturdy flat breastfeeding pillow like My Breast Friend as you learn to feed your wiggly new baby. I think a water bottle with a straw is essential because breastfeeding makes you so thirsty!

Olivia Howell, Gugu Guru’s Editor in Chief –

Must Have Essential for Early Feeding: I formula fed all my boys and found the Dr. Brown’s Formula mixing pitcher was so helpful for middle of the night feeding.

See also: Dr Brown’s for Formula Feeding

Photos via Pics and Paws Photography

Product Discovery: Nanobebe Bottles

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Nanobebe bottles are much needed innovation in the baby bottle market. The basic design of the baby bottle has been the same since…well, it feels like forever. The idea of the long cylinder with a screw on top and nipple has worked for hundreds of years – and are ideal for formula feeding, but when it comes to breastmilk, Nanobebe knew there had to be a better way. When the Gugu Guru team came across Nanobebe Bottles, we were so excited to share them with you – they have truly re-invented the baby bottle in such an amazing way. Nanobebe is the first and only bottle designed to preserve breastmilk nutrients, without compromising on mom’s convenience and style!

There are so many reasons that Nanobebe’s Bottles are unique and special; this is especially true when it comes to preserving the nutrients in breastmilk. Nanobebe’s reinvented style of the bottle spreads the breastmilk out into a thin layer, shaped more like an actual breast. Nanobebe’s unique surface area is geometrically designed to spread milk into a thin layer allowing it to cool twice as fast as standard bottles on the market which prevents bacterial growth. Often parents are in such a rush to warm breastmilk for the baby that they use boiling water and in doing so, are damaging the nutrients, enzymes, and proteins in the breastmilk. However, Nanobebe has a geometric design to spread milk into a thin layer, and therefore it warms quicker that all standard bottles and at safe temperatures; overheating is prevented and those precious nutrients moms work so hard to provide are protected.

When it comes to transitioning baby from breast to bottle, Nanobebe makes it super easy; thanks to its natural, breast-like design, the Nanobebe feeding bottle makes it easier to combine breast and bottle feeding. If a mother is going back to work and will be pumping, she will be at ease knowing her little one can easily transition back and forth from the breast to the bottle. Plus, your baby will love holding the Nanobebe bottle and learn to feed themselves. Its domed shape and concave base make it ideal for tiny hands, so babies only a few months old can easily hold it and learn to self-feed.

Speaking of pumping, a breast pump adaptor is included with each Breastmilk Bottle package. Using the breast pump adaptor you can pump directly into the Nanobebe bottles using most standard breast pumps – very cool! We also love that Nanobebe bottles are anti-colic, as they feature a 360° venting system with two vents that release air even when covered by baby’s mouth, which reduces colic and keeps baby comfortable. The Nanobebe bottles are super easy to take apart and dishwasher safe, so less time washing a ton of bottles and bottle parts and more time for snuggling with baby. If you’re breastfeeding or pumping, we highly recommend checking out Nanobebe Bottles – and don’t forget to add them to your registry!

Thank you to Nanobebe for making this sponsored post possible.

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 2^nd 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.

Celebrate Feeding with the Earth’s Best Organic Formula! (+ giveaway!)

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As parents, we want the best for our babies; whether it’s where they sleep, what they wear, or what they eat – we strive to make sure that we are providing them with the right resources to keep them healthy and help them thrive.

We’re so excited to team up with the Earth’s Best Organic® brand to Celebrate Feeding! We understand how emotional, exciting, and sometimes confusing deciding how to feed your baby can be, especially for first time parents. While it’s generally known that “breast is best,” breastfeeding might not be an option, such as with adoption. Or, some moms need to supplement when they go back to work. For a host of reasons many moms turn to formula. Through celebrating feeding, we want to give formula-feeding moms the help they need cutting through the noise and learning about what best-in-class products are available to them.

We’re here to share some of our favorite feeding products, helpful tips for bottle feeding, travel tips, fun baby and mama feeding style, and more! Each day this week we will be sharing a new post to Celebrate Feeding; we will be providing resources, product recommendations, and many mama lifestyle hacks!

We are proud to join the Earth’s Best Organic® brand to celebrate feeding because for over 30 years Earth’s Best has been committed to providing better-for-baby products that are pure, safe and sustainable. As the creators of the first complete line of organic infant nutrition and care products, Earth’s Best Organic® infant formulas are produced with milk from cows that are humanely raised and not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones. Earth’s Best is also known for providing parents, no matter how they’re feeding their little one, with amazing resources and information. Their Infant Feeding Schedule provides a comprehensible chart for new parents on how much, and how often, a baby should eat, including resources for both breastfeeding and formula feeding. For parents who choose formula (or supplement with formula), their video on organic formula explains all of the wonderful benefits of choosing and organic formula. Confused on whether your baby needs milk, soy, or low lactose sensitive formulas? Earth’s Best provides resources for navigating the formulas and picking the right one for your baby.

There does not need to be a one-size-fits-all method to feeding your baby. Every baby is different, and even…every baby is different at every stage! Breastfeeding, known for its many healthful benefits, is a wonderfully natural way for your baby to get a boost of immunity from their first feeding onward. Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and an OB-GYN states that “the incidences of pneumonia, colds and viruses are reduced among breastfed babies.” Breastmilk is known to be a cure-all for ear infections, pink-eye, and even helps prevent your baby from getting sick! Breastfeeding also has benefits for the mama, such as leading to a lower risk for ovarian and breast cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes.

Formula feeding, especially with an organic formula, also has some wonderful benefits for babies and moms. It’s much easier to document how much a baby formula a baby is drinking, and when mama gets tired of feeding, she can share the responsibility with others – it does take a village! Formula provides all of the vitamins and iron a baby needs in perfectly measured doses, so you never need to worry that they’re not getting the nutrition they need.

Whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, both methods are nutritionally fulfilling for babies, and no matter how you feed your baby, as long as you’re cuddling their sweet little warm body next to yours, they will feel loved and safe.

We are excited for you to join us and Celebrate Feeding with the Earth’s Best Organic® brand this week!

Follow Earth’s Best on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Enter below to win a three month’s supply of the Earth’s Best Organic Formula, a Comotomo Bottle Starter Pack, a BabyBjorn Bouncer, $125 to Finn + Emma and a Newlie Louise Bag!

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Top photo by Molly Leon Studios

Third Photo by Amy Buelow Photography

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