Health

Tips for Coping with RSV

RSV season is upon us. For new parents, this can be scary. We surveyed our community of moms and collected our top tips for keeping your family healthy, and dealing with a case of RSV if it enters your home.

Humidifier – Our #1 tip! Keep a humidifier running constantly. This will keep the air moist and help ease congestion and coughing. It’s important to choose a quality, easy-to-clean humidifier to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Our all-time favorite humidifiers are from Crane because they’re easy to fill, easy to clean, and so effective! This 4-in-1 Humidifer and this Top Fill Humidifier are our top picks.
Boogie Stuff! – Saline Spray (or a Saline Spray Inhaler), Boogie Wipes, and a NoseFrida or NozeBot for suction are essential. With RSV, the body produces a lot of extra mucus. Since babies can’t blow their noses, the more you can help clear the congestion and mucus out of their system, the better!
Ask your pediatrician what you can do for hydration at your baby’s age. Keeping baby hydrated when they aren’t eating or drinking normally can be tricky and is one of the more dangerous symptoms that comes with RSV.
Keep a paper and pen next to the changing table to track wet diapers, or check out an app like Huckleberry or Cubtale to help make tracking easy!
Menthol Rub – Bring comfort to baby by using a menthol rub on their chest, feet, and back. Just be careful to keep it covered so baby can’t touch it and get it in his or her eyes.
Pediatric pulse ox – As parents, we worry. A pediatric pusle ox can keep your mind at peace that your child is getting all the oxygen they need. Plus, they’re cute for kids!
Temperature Stickers – Another product to bring you peace of mind are these fun Fever-Bugz stickers that continuously monitor your child’s temperature for up to 48 hours, simply by placing it on the forehead.
Sleep! – Day or night, sleep is vital for you and your little one when they are sick

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Oral Development For Littles

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

When your little one arrives, there isn’t much on your mind besides feeding and a little bit of shut-eye. But eventually, they will grow, and in come the teeth. Teething may arrive calm as a lamb or it may bust through your house like a lion. As your baby’s teeth begin to take shape and oral development changes, there are some things to note.

Newborn Stage & Early Infancy

Your little one doesn’t have any teeth, but this doesn’t mean you should completely ignore your baby’s oral development. Your baby is eating around the clock and may be exclusively nursing, drinking from a bottle, or both. Some will advise staying away from pacifiers during the first few weeks while other experts encourage anything to help the baby soothe. No matter what road you travel, there are a few things to note.

First, teethers aren’t a huge necessity for this stage. Next, when it comes to pacifiers, stick with a round or cylindrical throughout the newborn stage. These are great for breastfed or bottle-fed babies. They allow baby to fully surround the nipple with his/her tongue. We love Nanobebe Flexy, Philips Soothie, and Mam pacifiers for this stage.

The First Teeth have Arrived

You have survived the first teeth breaking through and the sleepless nights that sometimes accompany. Now your little one may be drooling constantly (hello bib central!) and putting everything in his/her mouth. At this point, we recommend moving to an orthodontic pacifier to promote proper oral development of the teeth and palate. Many pacifier companies will even stage their pacifiers for 0-6 mos and 6 mos +, ideally making the change when teeth breakthrough. Boon and Evenflo Feeding have great options.

This is also a great time to introduce teethers. You will want your teether to be easy for your baby to hold and big enough to get towards baby’s mouth. Food-grade silicone is always a great material as it’s easy to clean and holds up to lots of use. Please inspect your little one’s teether before each use as they can occasionally show some wear and will need to be discarded if broken. We find ourselves recommending the following over and over again: Green Sprouts, Moonjax, and Just for Tots.

Mouth Full of Chompers

Your little one now has a mouth full of teeth and it’s time to start caring for them. Brushing is a great first step in your nighttime routine to promote healthy oral development. Also, introducing a variety of healthy foods (of different textures) is great for oral development. We still advise teethers as your little one loves to explore her environment through her mouth. Textured teethers and an easy-to-use toothbrush are a must.

Real Moms Review: Territory Foods

by Abby Ludwig Leave a Comment

Looking for the perfect gift for any busy Mom or Dad? Territory Foods is a ready-to-heat ‘n eat nutritional food delivery service prepared by local chefs in your communities. Focused on nutrient-dense and sustainable ingredients, we sent a package to 4 New York City moms to see what they thought of the meals.

Zoe, Expectant Mom

We received 6 meals from Territory Foods this week. It was very helpful that the packaging was labeled that the contents were perishable and that it must be refrigerated. I live in an apartment building so it allowed my doorman to let us know immediately upon arrival of the package to avoid the product spoiling. I also liked that the individual food packages had a clear plastic lid so that I could see what each item looked like before deciding what I wanted to eat for my lunch or dinner. The instructions for preparation along with the nutritional facts and content was very straight forward and easy to understand. If I were to have an allergy or food aversion I would definitely be able to know if the contents contained a “problem item” before I opened it or ate it.

The food itself was very tasty and different from what I normally cook myself, which I liked. I was introduced to new items (like Right Rice) and exciting flavors (like coconut curry). The portion size was just right which can sometimes be an issue in prepackaged meals. My husband and I split 2 meals for dinner one night and had a little bit leftover. I had 1 meal for lunch the following day with a small amount of basmati rice leftover, mostly because I tried to exhibit self control on the carb intake! All in all, I was very happy with Territory Foods and would recommend to anyone who was trying to make their life easier but was still interested in food that tasted good!

Becky, Vegetarian Mom of 2 (Newborn + 3 year old)

The food came hand-delivered and packaged nicely. We enjoyed the tofu Mediterranean bowl the most; very flavorful and tasted very fresh. The gazpacho was a nice side-dish. The breakfast items (oatmeal and baked eggs) were both very hearty and nice warm breakfasts. The ginger chickpea dish was flavorful, but very spicy! The portabella mushrooms were a bit oily and slightly bland. The paleo brownies were a great healthy dessert! Overall, the dishes looked good and tasted good. They heated up well and were perfect for busy new parents of 2!

Joanie, Mom of 2 (4 month old + 4 year old)

I loved the salads! They were a refreshing and healthy option. It’s so difficult to find a good salad that fills me up and has protein in it that actually tastes good. Each of the meals was perfectly portioned and tasted healthy but delicious. I love how easy it is to have all the meals prepped and easily heated in the microwave. As a mom of an infant and a toddler, this saved me and my husband so much time and the best part was knowing that we were still eating clean. The brownie was really good as well! My mom tried the brownie in comparison to a full fat gluten-full brownie and could not taste the difference.

Danielle, Toddler Mom

The food was very tasty and arrived cold & packaged well. There was quite a bit of packaging to discard which didn’t really bother me personally, but I can see some people not liking this for environmental reasons. I liked how all the toppings, sauces etc, were in their own containers within, so nothing arrived mixed up or soggy. I thought the vegetarian dish (butcher’s daughter right rice tabouli), while tasty, felt like a giant bowl of rice for lunch/dinner & probably wouldn’t order something like this in the future. The sauces were all fresh and delicious and I enjoyed the variety of items in each of the other meals.

Thank you to Territory Foods for letting our moms test this out!

Looking for more Real Mom Reviews:
*4 Real Moms Tell Us Why Larktale Strollers are a Gamechanger
*Real Moms Tell Why The Boon GRUB is a Gamechanger
*Real Mom Review: Just for Tots Cactus Teether

Skip the Hand Sanitizer, Grab a Crane Humidifier

by Gugu Guru 1 Comment

The crisp air has officially hit and Fall is upon us! Every little cough and sneeze now has us running for the hand sanitizer and tissue box. However, there is one more trusty sidekick that will help you prevent sickness this cold and flu season. Our top recommended humidifer by Crane-USA should not be overlooked.

Throughout Fall and into early Winter, everyone you see is coughing, sneezing, and blowing their nose. Normally our first instinct is to wash our hands and grab hand sanitizer, but research now shows that it might not be enough to keep the flu away. Cold temperatures during the winter months mixed with low humidity create a perfect environment for viruses to spread. A humidifier is an excellent and natural way to help prevent these everyday illnesses.

Crane humidifiers are a great way to help prevent colds and the flu and can help bring relief to you and your little ones if you do get sick. Cool mist humidifiers are safe for your kids as there is no heating element or risk of burns. Plus they are whisper quiet, so they are a perfect addition to any room. Crane humidifiers are made with a clean control antimicrobial material in the base is proven to help reduce mold and bacteria growth. Our favorite top-fill options are also extremely easy to clean and have added sound and nightlight capabilities. A perfect nursery addition for every night!

See more posts about the Crane Humidifier:

Love Your Baby’s Skin with Bubbsi

by Jenna Hatfield Leave a Comment

Protecting your baby’s sensitive skin has never been easier or safer with Bubbsi. They offer everything from skin products to hair care and provide solutions for a variety of skin concerns. Whether your baby has normal baby skin or deals with anything from eczema to diaper rash, there’s a product for you and your little one.

Focusing on healthy, non-toxic options, Bubbsi starts with organic coconut oil to help moisturize as well as soothe irritated skin. All of the Bubbsi products are free from parabens, phthalates, sulfates, mineral oil, and more. To boot, Bubbsi will not irritate your little one’s eyes.

Additionally, the cute packaging helps keep skincare fun, offering kids a cute alternative to other more serious brands. While your favorite part of Bubbsi might be soothing your baby’s skin issues, their favorite part will definitely be the cute animal packaging. It’s like another toy for the bathtub. In keeping with the safety theme, the bottles are made from food-grade silicone, which is both durable and non-toxic. You can feel comfortable letting your little one play with the bottles while you wash their hair.

With so many options for skin and hair, where should you start with Bubbsi? The Newborn Starter Set comes with Whipped Coconut Oil Body Cream, Creamy Coconut Oil Shampoo & Conditioner, and Coconut Oil Balm for bath + body + bum. You’ll get a head-to-toe moisturizing introduction to Bubbsi with one purchase of $62. Which brings us to one more selling point: Bubbsi offers refills!

That’s right. When you buy your product in the cute, food-grade silicone bottle, you can then just buy refills. You’ll save money—40% less! You’ll also help the environment with 75% less packaging. It’s less costly for you and the planet. You’ll be setting your baby up with clean and healthy skin, saving money, and helping the planet all in one fell swoop.

When you choose Bubbsi, you’ll be doing right by your baby and the planet. You can’t go wrong!

Thank you to Bubbsi for making this sponsored post possible.

The Scoop: Baby Boldly Birth Bag – Fully Prepared

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Preparedness and Motherhood rarely go hand in hand, but Baby Boldly has created an all-in-one hospital bag that will do just that. As a third-time mom-to-be, I should know everything that I am going to need to bring to the hospital for labor and delivery. However, as a third-time mom-to-be, I have two other little loves to worry about packing for as well. On top of everyday life – school, kids’ activities, work, meal planning, laundry, cleaning, etc. – preparing for baby #3 has been a little more stressful and a lot more time-crunched than I expected. Having the Baby Boldly Birth Bag: Fully Prepared pre-packed and shipped directly to me has checked at least one thing off of my list.

Truly Comprehensive –

With over 30+ unique pieces, my birth bag was packed ensuring I had every essential, not just some of them. With items to help with labor, nursing, showering, and any down-time in between I am confident that I will be covered. Additionally, 1 thing I love is that there is still room left in the main bag for me to add in any personal items I might choose to bring as well.

Non-toxic + Practical –

I guess you could consider me a “Scrunchy Mom” since I strive to find a balance between choosing products that are as natural as possible but also are convenient. The toiletries and personal care items included were sourced to ensure that they are non-toxic and contain quality ingredients especially as momma’s senses are heightened during this unique time in her life. My bag included items from brands I was already familiar with and confident in like Pharmacopia, Burt’s Bees, Schmitt’s, Tom’s, Earth Mama, Bamboobies, and Rael.

The weekender bag itself is made from easy-to-clean nylon with vegan leather accents and features magnetic closures, a zippered top, and 10 pockets + a toiletry bag. As someone who typically packs in cubes and travel pouches galore, I am thrilled for the organizational options and the future possibilities to use it as a diaper bag, pumping bag, or duffle.

Designed by Mamas, For Mamas –

Maybe my favorite aspect of the Birth Bag: Fully Prepared is the support and thoughtfulness that comes along with it. Right when you open the box, there is a note from the Baby Boldly team encouraging you and letting you know that you are not alone and that sentiment follows you throughout with details like a tag stating “You Got This” on the 2 in 1 Nursing/Infant Carrier Cover and “Strong as a Mother” written on the reusable water bottle and grippy socks. Plus, in a more subtle way the inclusion of a sentimental book (for when you want to disconnect), honey sticks (hospital approved for energy), and a massage ball (cramps can be no joke!) show that this bag is the ultimate gift to yourself or a momma-to-be you love. It completely prepares you for birth in a hospital or birth center.

Thank you to Baby Boldly for making this sponsored post possible.

Check out more resources to prepare for your hospital stay:
5 Best Hospital Bag Products for Mom
Ultimate Hospital Bag Packing List
Hospital Bag Musts – The things you may forget!

5 Real Moms Tell us Why This Teether is a Gamechanger

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Is your little one drooling, looking to chew on everything in sight and extra cranky lately? He or she is probably teething! Finding the perfect teether for your little one isn’t easy, but when you do, it’s like finding the holy grail.

The Moonjax Teether is just that! Moonjax is made from medical-grade silicone and, due to the lack of small crevices and holes, does not harbor bacteria. It is easy to clean and a favorite among babies. Our Gugu Village parents were able to test the Moonjax Teether. Here our Gugu Village product testers give us their real thoughts on the Moonjax teether.

David T. – Baby: 9 months

The Moonjax teether is a great product! Our daughter immediately grabbed for it and probably played with it, twisted and felt all the little bumps for about four minutes before chomping down on it. The teether is soft and squishy in the middle and a little bit firmer on the ends, which is a nice change for our little girl especially on days when those gums are angry! The unique design of the product allows our daughter to grab it in whichever hand and whichever way she wants and hang onto it when she’s biting down hard. The fact that we can chill the teether helps a lot and our daughter loves having the soft cold squish of the silicone to numb her gums. Overall we’re very happy with the product and I imagine it will get a lot of use while those teeth continue to push up.

Leanne P. – Baby: 3 months

My little guy has been chewing everything in sight and now has a new favorite toy, the Moonjax Teether. He was unsure at first but within a few minutes, it quickly became an appendage. It’s so easy for him to hold, he grabs it and likes to bring it with him when I carry him around. As a mama, I love the fact that it is completely solid so water and bacteria can’t get trapped. It’s so easy to wash and dry, and I love the fact that I can throw it in the dishwasher. I get some peace of mind knowing that it isn’t made with any dyes that could negatively impact my baby.

Daron O. – Baby: 4.5 months

The Moonjax Teether is fantastic! My 4.5-month-old doesn’t seem too fond of any other teething toys, rings, etc. besides our fingers and knuckles so I was immediately interested in this teether. Whenever we offer this teether he takes it right away. My fingers say THANK YOU! He likes to chew and suck on it. It seems like a great toy for motor skills and hand-eye coordination as well. He likes grabbing and holding it with both hands. I also like that it’s super easy to clean. I LOVE that I actually saw my baby’s tongue sticking out of his mouth while gumming this! He had his tongue tie revised twice but is still reluctant to use his tongue…until the Moonjax Teether! Since his teeth aren’t quite as far along, we don’t know if it provides relief of pain, but we are very optimistic.

Katherine H. – Baby: 8 months

I’ve been looking for a good and entertaining teether for my 8 month old son. This one certainly fits the bill!

His first encounter with the Moonjax teether lasted longer than anything else I’ve introduced for him to chew on. He can easily grab the teether and likes munching on the different nubs. I saw he repeats using one to get to his back gums where I think the new teeth are coming in. I loved that it’s BPA free, dishwasher safe, and made in the USA. But more importantly, my son loves it! We’ve also tried it cold from the freezer and he liked that too. It maybe doesn’t hold the cold for as long as the gel ones but he doesn’t seem to mind. I would recommend this teether to friends and family!

Alyssa N. – Baby: 9 months

It seems my 9-month-old son is a long, drawn-out teether, so I was really excited when Gugu Guru and Moonjax sent us the Moonjax Baby Teether to try! His top two teeth are trying to break through for weeks and all of the teething products I used with my older daughter do not hold my son’s interest. The Moonjax teether has a really sleek design compared to a lot of the other products on the market, and I love that it’s 100% silicone, which gives me peace of mind that it’s safe for my baby and easier to clean and sterilize. My son seemed to enjoy the teether at first, but alas, it still didn’t hold his interest as much as the plastic play food from the play kitchen. Since I have a crawler, I also noticed that when he crawled with the Moonjax in hand it would pick up any little piece of lint or dust on the floor, so that was kind of a bummer. It definitely wouldn’t be great for a home with pets. We’ll probably keep it in the diaper bag to use on the go when he’s a little more contained in the stroller. I still hold out hope that the Moonjax will become a favorite teether later on when molars come through. The ‘jacks’ design seems like it would be great for reaching those back teeth and providing relief!

Thank you to Moonjax for providing our Gugu Village Parents with Moonjax Teethers. We appreciate our Gugu Village Parents providing us with their honest thoughts.

To purchase a Moonjax Teether, click here!

Are you looking to join an amazing community of parents and parents-to-be? Our Gugu Village is currently accepting new members!

If you have a product you would like our Gugu Village to review? Send us an email for additional information.

More to check out:
Real Mom Review: Eco-Friendly Mochi Teethers
Larktale Strollers Review by The Gugu Village
Top Baby Registry Items

Dr. Noze Best, Because Dr. Really Does Know Best

by Christine Swearingen Leave a Comment

Mamas, dadas, we’ve been there. The stuffy nose and nasal congestion making your children miserable. Keeping baby and toddlers (and parents) up all hours of the night. We are all about finding products that make parents’ lives easier and solve a problem. Enter, the Dr. Noze Best NozeBot, the most effective baby nasal aspirator on the market.

Developed by a pediatric ENT, Dr. Steven Goudy, the NozeBot is easy to use, easy to clean, and features three levels of hospital grade suction. It is battery-powered for portable use wherever baby and you are most comfortable. It is designed to gently clear nasal congestion in babies and children.

The nosepiece only requires the use of two fingers, so your other hand and fingers are free to comfort your baby and keep safely keep him or her calm and still during use.

To use, just select one of three hospital-grade suction levels, place fingers in the nosepiece and insert into baby’s nose. When finished, the nosepiece and tubing are dishwasher safe, and the filter is disposable. The NozeBot is simple to clean and simple enough for any parent or caretaker to use on children of any age.

Dr. Noze Best’s NozeBot is also portable and chargeable, so you can take it with you anywhere, or bring it along for any kind of travel. Do your littles always catch a cold when traveling, or is it just us? Problem solved.

The NozeBot is the solution parents have been searching for to ease baby’s discomfort and nasal congestion. Bonus: the NozeBot is FSA and HSA eligible, so families can use their healthcare spending dollars to help baby breathe easily.

Thank you to Dr. Noze Best for making this sponsored post possible.

Marketplace Brand Spotlight: Crane USA

by Abby Ludwig Leave a Comment

Meet Crane USA, one of our favorite brands, focusing on creating easy-to-use health and wellness essentials for your nursery and your home.

The Baby Massage Primer

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

At the core, parenting is all about creating a soothing and healthy environment in which your newborn knows how loved they are. While touching and caressing your baby may come naturally to you, learning the art of baby massage may seem daunting at first. Yet, it’s one of the most important and natural things we can do to build a strong loving foundation and help our children develop both physically and emotionally.

In India and other Eastern countries, baby massage is considered one of the most important aspects of baby rearing with many families hiring “Ammas,” women who come to the house to perform massage, on a daily basis.

As nice as it would be to book a daily massage for baby, learning baby massage is not as complicated as many parents fear. Simple baby massage techniques will help your baby relax and will have innumerable benefits for both baby and caretaker.

Science Backed Benefits

If you’re looking for a simple technique to introduce into your routine to help your baby calm down, relax, and sleep better— look no further than baby massage. When a baby is massaged, you are actually stimulating their central nervous system, building muscle tone, and allowing them to release serotonin that helps form vital connections with you, themselves and the world around them.

Research conducted by Dr. Tiffany Fields, Director of Touch Research Institute, showed that infant massage can have these benefits among many others.

Lower heart rate
Lower blood pressure
Increases in positive hormones
Improved immunity
Physical growth in babies
Psychosocial development
Encourages attachment and bonding with parents
Growth and weight gain
Improves sleep

Prepping for the Massage

When it comes to baby massage, the prep is just as important as the basic strokes.

You will want to massage your newborn at a time when they are alert but aren’t irritable or fussy. If your baby is hungry, crying, or fussy for any reason, massaging them will not actually calm them down. It may overstimulate them, causing them to be more distressed.

In addition, make sure that you yourself are calm. If you are feeling particularly stressed or frazzled, take a deep breath and try to calm yourself prior to the massage.

If you are both feeling calm and alert, then you can take the next steps:

Remove any jewelry and wash your hands
Dim the lights and put on soft music
Place your baby on a blanket on the floor, bed, or on their changing station.
Verbally engage with your newborn and ask their permission. If they are smiling and making eye contact, the answer is “Yes.” If they are scrunching their face and arching back, you may want to find another time for massage.
Have an edible oil on hand, such as coconut or grapeseed oil.

Basic Massage Strokes

When it comes to massaging your newborn, be sure that you are using gentle strokes and not applying too much pressure. But don’t make the mistake of having too light of a touch as that can make baby feel ticklish. A nice medium pressure should work fine.

Arms and Leg Massage: For your newborn’s arms, stabilize your baby with one hand, and then use the opposite hand to lightly glide from shoulder to hand. Do this 3 times, and then switch arms. You will do the same steps for the legs, going from thigh to feet. Always massage in the direction away from the heart as this stroke is less stimulating for baby.

Belly Massage: Place your hand flat against the baby’s bellybutton. Rub their belly in small clockwise circles, applying gentle but firm pressure. Try to stay away from the belly button area, especially in babies under 1 month.

Back Massage: After massaging the arms, legs, and belly, you can turn your newborn around onto their bellies. This is a great opportunity for tummy time. You can gently rub their back using the same circular motion as you did for their bellies.

Face Massage: After you have massaged their back, place your newborn gently back onto their back. You can then place both hands on your child’s forehead and trace down to their chin. Repeat several times.

Be sure to remain calm throughout the massage and use songs and conversation to connect with your newborn.

Baby Massage Takeaways

Now that you know the best methods for baby massage, you’ll want to practice once a day and work up to two massages per day. Even 5-10 minutes a day is a wonderful way to release tension for both you and baby and to enhance your bond. It will also help soothe and relax baby so that they improve their sleep and maintain optimal health.

As you can see, infant massage unlocks a wonderfully loving environment for the baby and will help you to enjoy those precious moments with them while they are a newborn.

Elina Furman is a mom of two boys Julian, 12, and Dylan, 8 soon to be moving to Connecticut. As a certified infant massage instructor and baby product expert, she is excited to bring awareness to the scientific evidence-based practice of baby/child massage practiced around the world. To help spread the word about the benefits of baby/child massage, she is developing the first handheld massager for babies and children, Kahlmi. Sign up for their email at Kahlmi.com and follow along on IG @getkahlmi. Oh, and if you need some baby tips and advice, follow her on TikTok at @kahlmi.

Health

Newborn Stage & Early Infancy

The First Teeth have Arrived

Mouth Full of Chompers

Zoe, Expectant Mom

Becky, Vegetarian Mom of 2 (Newborn + 3 year old)

Joanie, Mom of 2 (4 month old + 4 year old)

Danielle, Toddler Mom

David T. – Baby: 9 months

Leanne P. – Baby: 3 months

Daron O. – Baby: 4.5 months

Katherine H. – Baby: 8 months

Alyssa N. – Baby: 9 months

To purchase a Moonjax Teether, click here!

Science Backed Benefits

Prepping for the Massage

Basic Massage Strokes

Baby Massage Takeaways

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