Nursing & Feeding
Claire Holt’s Motherhood Must-Haves
We are so excited to have teamed up with Claire Holt again to highlight her favorite products now that her little guy has turned one! In the blink of an eye, her cutie has gone from infancy to rolling over, then eating and is now on the move! Here are some of Claire’s top must-haves that have helped her throughout her first year and beyond as a new mom! Plus, we love Claire’s social media posts about motherhood, especially as she gets ready to welcome baby #2– be sure to follow her on Instagram!
Fourth Trimester Must-Haves
Baby K’tan: I really loved using this wrap when James was a newborn. He instantly calmed when I wore him and it allowed me to actually get things done! It was so easy to put on (which was very important to me as I struggled with some of the other ‘rubix cube’ wraps), and I was able to pop it in the washing machine to keep it clean. Highly recommend!
Magnetic Me Onesies: These are a MUST!!! We tried many different types of onesies and these are the clear winners. They are so easy to snap, which is crucial for middle of the night changing and bath time fussiness. I love love love love this brand.
aden + anais Swaddles/Blankets: SO beautiful, soft, and very high quality. We really love these and they make great gifts!
Diaper Dékor Plus: The best part about this pail is how easy it is to empty. You simply cut the continuous liner on the side of the pail, tie a knot, and you’re good to go. It’s handsfree and really effective at trapping odors.
Travel Must-Haves
Doona Car Seat/Stroller: This is my absolute favorite baby product. We traveled with James from a very young age and this car seat/stroller made our lives so much easier. It’s lightweight, durable, very comfortable, and switches easily between the two modes. My only wish is that it came in a bigger size, as James grew out of it by 6 months. This is a MUST HAVE if you plan on traveling or just want to save a little space in your home!
Hatch Baby Sound Machine: Awesome product for home or on-the-go. It has such a wide variety of sound options and also works as a night light. We travel with it everywhere – it really helps to keep him in a deep sleep
4moms Breeze Playard: Really great for travel – so easy to set up and pack away. The mattress is super comfortable. We use this for sleep and for playtime.
Skip Hop Pronto Portable Changer: Really great for those times when you don’t want to lug around a large diaper bag. I found it very useful when I had to change him in places with limited space (like a plane bathroom!).
Ergobaby Omni 360 Carrier– I really love this carrier! It’s so easy to use and James loves facing both inward and outward. It was invaluable on my recent trip to Australia – I walked up and down the plane aisle wearing him for many hours. It saved my back and my sanity. While I love the Baby K’tan for newborns, this worked better for me once James got a little bigger.
On-The-Go Must-Haves
Nuna Pipa: We brought James home from this hospital in this car seat and I used this when we weren’t traveling until he was around 6 months old. The Nuna Pipa is a great design and James always seemed very comfortable in it. Safety is obviously the main priority and I always felt confident that he was safe and secure.
Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Convertible Car Seat– Obsessed with this seat. Now that James is bigger he is much more comfortable in this style. It’s beautifully made, very secure, and easy to clean. Huge fan.
Artipoppe Carrier: Another of my favorite carriers. This carrier is SO gorgeous. The quality is incredible, the patterns are really unique, and when I’m wearing it, strangers always ask about it!
Silver Cross Jet: LOVE this travel stroller. It’s so simple to fold, becomes incredibly compact, and most importantly is super comfortable. It also looks really stylish. James even prefers this stroller over the larger version. So glad silver cross released this model!
Sleep Must-Haves
Colgate Natural I Crib Mattress: Love that this mattress is eco-friendly and all natural. It’s hypoallergenic, very safe, and very comfortable.
Magic Merlin Sleepsuit: This suit was really helpful when we transitioned James from the swaddle. He slept really well and most importantly was safe in his crib. We didn’t use it for long but it was a very valuable tool when we needed it.
Crane Humidifer: We use this in the winter months. I like that it dispenses a cool mist making it safe for infants. The design is stylish and it’s easy to use.
Breathable Crib Liners: This liner stops James from getting his arms and legs caught in the crib bars. Love that it doesn’t restrict airflow and is a safer alternative to crib bumpers.
Playtime Must-Haves
4moms mamaRoo4: An excellent infant seat option starting right at the newborn stage. This seat has multiple movement patterns and is a great way to keep baby calm during playtime!
Monti Kids: I am a huge fan of Montessori and love that this is an age-appropriate subscription service. The wooden toys are beautifully made and specifically designed for development. The subscription provides parents/caregivers with access to the Monti Kids Learning Centre, which gives instructions and shares research. I did have an issue with the Level 1 mobile. I couldn’t collapse it and took up a large amount of space. Upon checking their website, it seems that they’ve addressed this and the new mobile is adjustable! All of the other toys are really great.
Toki Play Mat: Really great for newborns, it’s made of very soft organic material and has a machine washable cover. It’s portable and comes in lots of great prints.
People Toy Company- Mochi blocks: James is obsessed with these toys! I love that they’re free of harmful chemicals and made from rice – makes me feel better when they spend most of the time in his mouth!
DockATot: The DockATot does an amazing job at keeping the baby cozy. Great for supervised lounging and playtime. Plus it is super portable.
Feeding Must-Haves
Comotomo Bottles: These bottles are the best! We tried glass at first, but they were heavy and I was always worried about dropping them. I love that the Comotomo is made of food-grade silicone, easy to clean, and the nipple mound is quite large, which resembles a breast. By far James’ favorite type of bottle.
Boon Lawn Drying Rack: Large, easy to clean, and keeps the bottles in place as they dry. It seems very simple but I tried a number of different racks and this was the best.
Inglesina Fast Table chair: This is so great for travel! He does much better in this than a traditional restaurant high chair. Easy to clean and very comfortable.
Wabi Baby UV Sterilizer: Another of my must-have items. Great design, highly effective, and easy to use. Sterilizes and dries toys and bottles very quickly. We love it so much that despite the size, we packed it in the back of the car and brought it on vacation with us. (Side note – the Wabi Baby UV Sterilizer is currently
Beaba Babycook: We make our own organic food for James when we can (it’s a little more difficult when traveling), and this product makes it very easy. It steams AND purees the food, which means less equipment and fewer dishes! We have transitioned to more textures so don’t use the puree function as much anymore, but we still use it to steam fruits/veggies.
Clothing Must-Haves
Saint Haven Clothing: I am in love with these clothes. They are so soft yet incredibly durable. James lives in the one-pieces.
Little Crowns NYC Hats: The most adorable little hats. Super stylish and adjustable as they grow. Most importantly, he never tries to rip them off!
Thank you SO much to Claire for all of her insight and photos of her little guy and his favorite items.
Target Lovers: Here’s Your Ultimate Baby Checklist from Nanobebe
When it comes to preparing for baby, it makes everyone’s lives a little easier when everything you need for feeding is at one store, so we thought it would be helpful to round up our must-have Nanobebe items from Target, as let’s be honest, who doesn’t stop into Target 4 times a week?
Nanobebe is known for their award-winning innovative baby products, especially their baby bottle. In fact, the nanobébé bottle made the TIME Magazine’s 50 best inventions of the year list and was named “the smartest baby bottle ever made” by Business Insider. The nanobébé bottle is the first and only bottle for your little one specially designed to preserve essential breastmilk nutrients. Many working moms love the nanobebe bottle because it makes transitioning from breastfeeding to bottle feeding easier for both mom and baby.
The nanobébé Breastmilk Storage Bags & Organizer is the perfect companion for the bottles, especially if you’re pumping and storing milk for later. The leak-free bags feature an innovative design that holds milk in a shallow layer so it can cool quickly and thaw evenly to preserve the nutrients in breastmilk. The nanobébé breastmilk storage bags have serious leak-protection with a double zipper that seals securely, so you can pump and save your milk without worrying. The breastmilk organizer helps keep the flat bags stacked, helping you stay organized and easing your mind about heading to work or out for the night, as you can rest easy your milk will be organized and there when needed.
If you’re on the go with or without baby and need to store the breastmilk, the nanobébé Cooler and Travel Bag is designed with your baby’s needs in mind; whether the travel cooler is for storing your breastmilk at daycare with your little one or for family travel, you can be sure that precious breastmilk nutrients are being protected with three layers of insulation. Designed with the modern parent in mind, its sleek style is also convenient, as you can quickly store and go thanks to the stackable shape of nanobébé’s breastmilk bottles! You can pack up to three bottles in this cooler and the included compact ice pack keeps your breastmilk cold for several hours. It also fits extra feeding necessities, like nipples, pacifiers, pump parts, and more.
If it’s easier to buy everything at once, check out the Complete Newborn Baby Bottle Gift Set & Accessories, which includes everything a new parent needs for feeding, such as the award-winning nanobébé Breastmilk Bottles, a non-electric Smart Warming Bowl for quick and even warming of breastmilk, a Microwave Steam Sterilizer (which quickly eliminates household bacteria in under 4 minutes), and a space-saving slim Drying Rack for all of your feeding/pump parts (stores at just a 1/2 inch with removable, adjustable pegs that can be tucked away in the breathable, germ-free base). The set also features essential accessories such as medium flow and slow flow nipples, breast pump adaptors, and extra soft Flexy Pacifiers designed to stay in place and fit perfectly to baby’s face. Or, check out the Starter Set with Warmers & Pacifiers, which includes the bottles, warmer and pacifiers. These make a great baby shower gift!
PS. Use code NANO20 for 20% off Nanobebe sets on Target.com
How Can You Establish Healthy Food Preferences Early In Your Baby’s Life?
Today’s guest post is from ChildLife Essentials; founded by a father and doctor, ChildLife Essentials wants to ensure all kids get optimal nutrition. Check out this post by Dr. Nicole Avena on establishing healthy food preferences early in your baby’s life.
Feeding a baby for the first time is fun and exciting, for all parties involved. Who doesn’t love to see the video of a baby’s face after trying a new food for the first time? However, amid all the excitement, parents often make one of the biggest mistakes they can when it comes to establishing healthy food preferences in a baby’s diet and probably don’t even realize it: they are trying too many different foods too quickly.
Research has shown that regardless of whether infants are breastfed, formula fed, or both, once they transition to solid foods, acceptance of fruits and vegetables increases most when the baby is repeatedly exposed to each one. Most feeding guidelines don’t follow this advice, though. Typically, they suggest trying rice or barley for a few days and then adding a fruit or veggie. Usually, 2 to 3 days of exposure is given before a new food is suggested to be introduced. While 2 to 3 days may be sufficient to alert you to the presence of an allergic reaction, studies show you need more time to establish liking of a food. How much more time? Between 8 and 10 days. That might sound like a lifetime to you (and your baby), but that will give you the best chance of creating a strong preference for these foods (especially vegetables).
Remember, when you feed a baby, she needs to actually taste the food in order to create an experience with it. Often, this feeding is messy, as baby spits it out or fusses at new tastes. Studies show that the more days a baby is exposed to a food, the more likely her facial expressions are to change to suggest she likes it, and the more likely moms are to report that they think the baby likes it.
Young children live in a taste world that’s very different from the adult one. Our brains have been biologically programmed such that early in life our sensory systems detect and prefer calorie-and mineral- rich foods that taste sweet or salty, while rejecting the potentially toxic ones that taste bitter (like cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli). This is because in nature, sweet and salty foods tend to be safe to consume, while bitterness is often a sign that the food has gone bad (think about a fermented piece of fruit that may have fallen from a tree). So there is a biological basis to why kids like candy and don’t like most veggies! Babies naturally prefer sweeter things more than adults do.
But we can capitalize on this. Clinical research has shown that school-aged children like vegetables better if they are sweetened. So even though children have been biologically programmed to be leery of bitter foods, their preference for sweet and salt at a young age can actually trump the dislike of bitter tastes. Similar research conducted in babies showed that repeated exposure to green beans and/or peaches increased intake (as I said earlier, 8 to 10 days of exposure is best), but only the babies who ate the peaches right after green beans appeared to like the taste of the green beans more after the 8 days of exposure. It may be that the sweet taste of peaches masked some of the bitterness of the green beans, increasing their palatability and making it easier for the baby to like.
The Best High Chair Investment You Can Make: The Nomi
One topic we often discuss at Gugu Guru is the term “investment,” whether it’s an investment of your money, your time, or your physical space, we want to make sure your baby products are the best investment for your family. When it comes to high chairs there are many factors to consider, which is why we’re huge fans of the Nomi because it is the ultimate investment high chair piece for your family. Nomi is the next generation high chair that seamlessly adjusts without tools, and evolves with children’s changing needs from birth all the way through the teenage years!
For one thing, the Nomi can be used before baby can even sit on his/her own. You can actually start using this amazing high chair right away from birth with the addition of the Nomi Baby raised bouncer attachment. Having baby at the same height of the table from birth means you can enjoy your special meal time moments with every member of the family. This means less standing up and sitting down for you, and more time to eat! Plus, the Nomi is modern and chic, and doesn’t take up a ton of space, so it’s ideal for small space living.
Many parents love the Nomi Baby bouncer attachment because they can safely have baby at eye level in any room of the house, whether you’re putting on makeup, working from home, or taking care of your older kiddos.
As your baby grows into toddler hood, the Nomi Chair becomes the ultimate seat at the table! For mealtime, playtime, and helping you prep dinner, too. When sitting in either a booster seat or an adult chair with dangling feet, children get fidgety and uncomfortable, making it hard for them to focus on their meal. The Nomi Chair brings your child up to the table and the floor up to his/her feet, so your child is always comfortable like you are in a regular adult-sized chair.
One of the other bonuses about the Nomi Chair is that it’s easy to clean, which is one of the top requirements for parents when looking for a high chair! Its sleek design doesn’t trap food and Nomi is lightweight which makes cleaning a breeze—you can even hang it on the table edge to clean underneath. The Nomi Chair is available in 36 combinations to fit any décor–4 wooden stem options and 9 chair color variations. This would make a perfect baby shower gift, as it’s a lifetime home decor investment for the whole family!
Read more about Nomi here, too.
Thank you to Nomi for making this sponsored post possible.
Feeding/Bathing/Changing Finalist List: JPMA 2020
We’ve got the Feeding/Bathing/Changing finalist list for JPMA Innovation Awards. You need to check these out. We love the innovative products in this category, especially the 2020 winner for potty-training!
WINNER! The First Years Super Pooper Plus Potty: The First Years Super Pooper Plus Potty helps your potty training toddler sit in the correct position with a foot lift for the perfect squat. The adjustable foot lift raises the legs above the hips for a natural, more relaxed squatting position that can help with pushing. To help encourage your child, this toddler potty system includes “flush” buttons that make realistic flushing and cheering sounds. When your child is ready, the trainer seat removes to help your child smoothly transition from the potty to adult toilet. The realistic design also helps for an easier transition to the regular toilet. There’s a high splash guard for less mess and a lift-out pot for easy cleaning after successful attempts. Find it here >>
Feeding/Bathing/Changing Finalist: MOOV The MOOV bag combines fashion and function to make it more than just another diaper bag. Regardless of a parent’s particular style, MOOV can convert from a handbag, to a backpack, to a shoulder bag, and everything in between, to meet their needs. The innovative indicator “Xcheck” system is fully patented and unique to MOOV which transform its Smart Pockets to an organization checklist. The system is to remind you what to pack, what’s missing, and helps parents delegate the packing task to another family member easily. When it’s time to change diapers, MOOV’s unique construction also helps parents perform diaper switches on-the-go in a convenient, sanitary way. Find it here >>
Feeding/Bathing/Changing Finalist: TOWNEW Diaper Pail TOWNEW Diaper Pail is an automatic diaper disposal system that seals and changes bags itself. With its patented technology, this helpful diaper pail works to works to lock in smells, seal bags and replace a clean refill all at the touch of a button. Key features: Self-sealing bag, Self-changing refill, Oder-control, Motion Enabled Lid, Rechargeable Battery. TOWNEW Diaper Pail is a modern solution, thoughtfully designed to make diaper duty a whole of easier. Find it here >>
Feeding/Bathing/Changing Finalist: Stokke Clikk High Chair The Stokke Clikk can be assembled and break apart in less than one minute. It can be used from 6 months all the way up to 3 years. It is ergonomic with an adjustable footrest for comfort at each age. It features an easy to wipe clean, dishwasher safe tray and is travel friendly: light, easy to put together & take apart. Find it here >>
Feeding/Bathing/Changing Finalist: Unilove FeedMe High Chair The FeedMe high chair is a new product category that hasn’t existed in the market before. FeedMe high chair is the first chair combining with dining booster, portable booster and chair. The product comes with two parts. The FeedMe booster and an adult seat. If you are traveling around, you can carry the FeedMe booster. However, if you are dining at your own place, you can install the FeedMe booster into the FeedMe high chair. From 6 month to adult, the product can be used for a long time. Find it here >>
The Ultimate Target Baby Registry
Today we are bringing you the ultimate Target baby registry. We searched Target for our favorite baby products and collected them for you. The best part of the Target baby registry is the fabulous welcome kit full of goodies for mom and baby that you can pick up at Target Guest Services when you create a registry in-store or online. Target also has an awesome 15% completion discount on everything left on your registry (the only kicker is it’s only good until eight weeks before baby’s expected arrival).
Let’s start with the nursery. Likely a room you will be spending a lot of time in as baby grows, it’s important to make sure this is a functional, comfortable place.
- Diaper Genie
- Munchkin Changing Pad
- Changing Pad Cover
- Hatch Rest
- Baby Monitor
- Bedding Set
- Crib Mattress
- Crib
- Dresser
- Glider with Ottoman
Next up is feeding. Whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, or a combination of the 3, Target has what you need.
We love to keep it simple for Health & Wellness: a bath tub, bathing essentials, a grooming kit, and simple diaper needs.
Baby Gear is a category that is worth the splurge! These items will help you manage the chaos of life with a newborn, making life simpler and easier.
Clothing is the most fun baby product category and one of our favorites! Target is full of amazing options to fit every stage of babyhood.
So many options for baby Play, it can be hard to narrow it down. We picked some of our favorites, but Target has many more great baby toys.
We can’t forget about the Parents! Target has your needs covered too!
- Diaper Bag
- Baby Carrier
- Milk Storage Bags
- Nursing Pads
- Nursing/Pumping Bra
- Postpartum Recovery Kit
- Mama Sweatshirt
In the baby world, there are many “nice to have” items that aren’t a necessity but can make your life easier. These are some of our favs.
Did we miss anything? What are your favorite registry items from Target? Let us know!
More Gugu Picks:
Home Care and Organization Picks
Summer Travel Must Haves
Best Nursing Pillows: Gugu Picks
This post contains affiliate links.
The nanobébé Baby Bottle: Feeding Reinvented
SPONSORED
It can be tricky trying to figure out what baby bottles to add to your baby registry. There are endless options, and truth be told, it’s hard to know what baby will want before they get here! Whether it’s heading back to work, running daily errands with baby, daycare drop-off, or even a hiking adventure: modern parenting isn’t what it used to be, and finding the right bottle is more important than ever.
With this lifestyle in mind, nanobébé actually designed a baby bottle to fit your journey as a new parent. Their innovative, health-focused products are completely changing the baby feeding game by making nutritional feeding a breeze, without sacrificing style and convenience. Winning the coveted Parents Magazine Best for Baby 2020 Award and named “the smartest baby bottle ever made” by Business Insider, this bottle is topping new parent registries and must-haves. Read on to learn why we’re super fans of nanobébé’s products and why they’re the bottle everyone is talking about!
The nanobébé bottle is actually the first and only baby bottle designed specifically for breastmilk. What makes the nanobébé baby bottle unique?
- If you’re planning on pumping or heading back to work, nanobébé makes the process much easier. You can pump, store, warm, and feed all from the same bottle (an absolute game changer for nursing moms).
- Its concave shape spreads breastmilk into a thin layer to safely warm and cool 2x faster than other bottles, which means your nutrients are protected, and those late night cries are subdued quickly.
- Babies are drawn to the familiar mom-like shape, making it easy to pass off feeding duties to dad or other loved ones without causing nipple confusion. Many moms worry about ensuring their babies will take their breast milk while they are at work, and the nanobébé bottles are designed to not only help ease the transition between breast and bottle, but allows you to continue your breastfeeding journey both when you’re with and without baby.
- They’re a huge space saver; the bottles are stackable for easy storage or travel.
Our team here at Gugu Guru recently named the Nanobébé Newborn Gift Set our Top Recommended for Infant Feeding. As you’re creating your baby registry, we encourage you to take a look at their full range of award-winning products that are functional, stylish, and convenient. 2 different gift sets (Newborn and Starter) are perfect registry additions. The line includes everything a new parent needs from eye-catching bottles, baby loved pacifiers, breast milk storage bags, fashionable travel essentials, and much more. There’s a reason they’re often called “Apple of infant feeding”.
Use Code MOM20 for 20% off all nanobébé products and free shipping! Head to nanobebe.com to shop now.
FYI: We’re also digging their brand new Duet Diaper Bag, which, not shockingly is innovative in design with a sleek and modern style. Check it out here.
Thank you to nanobébé for making this sponsored post possible.
Colic Relief Naturally: GranolaMoms’ Mommy2Me
The following is a guest review on Mommy2Me colic relief drink from a Gugu Village member, Amandine. Amandine received a pack of Mommy2Me in exchange for an honest review of the product. All opinions are her own.
I have a 6 month old daughter who has struggled with acid reflux/colic since the very beginning. She’s breastfed (I exclusively pump) and as a result, I’ve cut nearly everything out of my diet that could possibly bother her (dairy, caffeine, anything spicy) to provide colic relief. Nada.
She is on medication for acid reflux and while it helps, it doesn’t take her reflux away fully. She had a hard time napping and sleeping at night. In the past, the remedy would have been to have her sleep slightly inclined. However, with all of the recent recalls there isn’t a way to do this safely. Our only option was mildly propping her crib mattress up with a doctor-approved crib wedge. Even then, it wasn’t approved for long-term use. I was one exhausted and drained mama.
My older daughter slept through the night from day one and I was woefully underprepared for life with a colicky baby. I was shocked to learn that 50-60% of all babies struggle with some severity of acid reflux and colic.
Granola Moms was kind enough to send me a case of Mommy2Me natural colic remedy to test and it really helped. This is a drink for adults, not for baby. Thankfully, my daughter’s acid reflux became considerably better around 4 months old. She is now sleeping mostly through the night. It’s a massive challenge to work and live with very little sleep as a mom, but I also really worried about my daughter getting enough rest to develop properly. It was heartbreaking watching her be in so much pain and struggling throughout the night to get the rest she so desperately needs.
As for the Mommy2Me colic remedy drink itself, it is tangy and tastes lime-ish. I’m not typically a huge fan of lime flavor so it was a bit strong for my liking. However, if I mixed it with a little seltzer and drank it cold, it was delightful. It does stand to be noted that it could taste like NYC hot dog water and I would have drunk it if it meant it would help my daughter and I could get some sleep, haha! The bottle was small, which I liked. I could see where it would be easy to throw into a diaper bag or a purse to take on the go. It is made with all-natural, organic, and plant-based ingredients.
Thank you GranolaMoms for creating this one-of-a-kind colic remedy beverage that naturally supports colic relief through breast milk.
Learn more about GranolaMoms Mommy2Me and order here.