Chic And On The Go

Have Baby Will Travel: We’re Going to Do It, How to Travel with Baby

Gugu Guru’s wonderful travel editor Julie Bielenberg is back today with an overview of where she’ll be traveling this year. Every month Julie will be taking us on a new adventure in her “Have Baby Will Travel” series, and showing us her tips for traveling with kids and babies. Stay tuned for her first travel adventure this January!

Holidays and Winter Travel with Baby

So, where are we going? Everywhere and nowhere. Don’t you find going out to eat or a day out at the museum can be as exhausting as a weekend jaunt with you and hubby to wine country or the Poconos? Nonetheless, we are going to wine country and skiing upstate New York, and baby will be in tow, and it’s not going to be a disaster, but a journey.

A photo from last weekend in Vail, Colorado, as my 5 and 7-year olds head out to ski school and baby gets ready for his first snowshoe excursion with mom. [Pictured: Baby Bjorn Carrier]

As I sit down to write some thoughts on 2017, I can’t help but be truthful, I’m nervous to take our 1 year old on a 20-plus hour airplane jaunt to Israel for a family wedding. I finally feel like my 5 and 7 year old could tackle the flight without too much whining, lack of space to expend energy, and non necessary bathroom trips to play with the back of the plane. However, I’m going to do it, and try and remember the small things and not be overwhelmed by the packing, luggage, prescription medications, formula and the oodles of other daunting items that might occupy my mind at midnight hours.

I’m excited to share my travels with Gugu Guru, I’m ambitious this year! In January we are going skiing in Vail, Colorado (pending arrival of much delayed snow), February we’re going to the Islands, in March, we honor green Mother Earth and introduce you to Eco travel and eco-baby goodies. We will reveal the late spring and summer lineup shortly, but until then, it’s time to prep for the holidays. We’ve passed the first major precursors to the holiday season, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Now onto the big ones! Many of you have already packed up and took to the skies and highways to visit family last month, for many, this month it’s time for your adventure.

As you will begin to become addicted to this blog (ha, ha) and learn that each month we’ve selected the most popular vacationing spots, travel experiences and challenges that families with babies will encounter. Don’t fret; there will always be a month dedicated to seasonal travel and family experiences. Please send me any funny stories or input that you have or wonderful little anecdotes you have picked up along the way. Don’t forget to hashtag #havebabywilltravel and #guguguru. I have plenty from our years of family holidays, but somehow, I feel that this Christmas, Chanukah and New Years in Israel is going to provide a wealth of knowledge in traveling with baby—everywhere.

Dora at 6 months old at The Broadmoor for a work trip and some fun holiday celebrations. The resort had a photographer come in to take pictures of the family for their magazine, but Dora was not having any of it. They used another family.

Now, for the holidays, I do have some things on my own personal wish list. We pretty much love anything from MilkBarn Kids—the patterns, woodland creatures and whimsical characters always make my family smile. Stasher Bags, which I had only just discovered at Sprout in Mill Valley, has fast become a Bielenberg go-to for trips. Jaq Jaq Bird is rolling out an entire new art line and we’re already nearly decade-old customers of their pouches.

MilkBarn Kids; Stasher Bags; JaqJaq Bird Bibs

Don’t forget a registry site is the perfect place to shop for holiday gifts and procure really needed items for your loved ones. Sometimes all the times aren’t purchased for the showers or first birthdays and seasonal gifts. Happy Holidays families and see you on the slopes next month!

Need some travel ideas? We rounded up the best travel tips and products for breastfeeding and traveling; why we love the BABYZEN YOYO Stroller for traveling; why you need a travel humidifier; sleek and chic travel accessories with guzzie + Guss and Skip Hop; Gugu picks for the best travel baby gear.

Mompreneur Spotlight: Danielle Cohen of Easy Baby

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We’re big fans of any product that helps keep mama organized, especially while traveling during the holiday season. When we came across the genius Portable Diaper Bag Organizer Inserts from Easy Baby, we knew we wanted to share them with our readers. Today, founder Danielle Cohen is here to talk about creating a business and her oh so helpful bags for mamas.

GG: How and why did you start your Easy Baby?

DC: Having a baby (now toddler) is a beautiful gift that I am thankful for every day. What I was not thankful for was the abundance of “stuff” that was necessary to pack in my diaper bag to take my son out of the house. You had the diapers, wipes, creams, formula, snacks, back-up clothes… the list went on and on. I found that I would remember to pack everything on my list, only to not be able to find it during crunch time. My son would start wailing, but my meticulously packed diaper bag became a tornado and I became frantic to find ANYTHING I needed. I refused to use plastic bags as recommended by some veteran mothers because it didn’t help me find things faster. I still needed to pull each bag out to see what they contained. I then created Easy Baby, a color-coded organization set to help me find everything I needed in a flash while I was on my second week of maternity leave. It started with the basics: a green “Change Me” tote for the diapering needs, a purple “Feed Me” tote for feeding and burping needs, an orange insulated “Feed Me” tote to store freshly pumped milk or cups of yogurt and a blue “Dress Me” tote for back-up clothes in situations of diaper blowouts or messy eating. When some ladies in my mommy group saw the set they thought it was genius. They encouraged me to mass-produce, and I did. As my son grew, our needs changed and I have kept adding to the line to address those needs with “Change Me” changing pads, “Entertain Me” for toy storage, a water resistant “Clean Me” tote for dirty clothes and a red “Comfort Me” medicine bag, all color-coded and all easy to find.

GG: How do you balance work and family?

DC: Balancing work life and a family is a challenge that I am sure a lot of parents face. I am happy to be mother to a beautiful boy, Phineas, who is an energetic and amazing toddler. During the week when Phin is home we are sure to have computers and phones away to give him the attention he deserves.

I am extremely lucky to have unconditional support from my husband, Jason, to create and build this brand and also co-parent like champions. The whole endeavor is truly a family affair. Jason serves as my product photographer and is constantly teaching me the ropes of building a company. He is extremely knowledgeable in the tech world. Phin even helps out and serves as the CMO-in-Training! He likes to take our phones and will take selfies which we feature on our Instagram as #SelfieSunday.

GG: What’s the best part of being a “Mompreneur” and running your own business?

DC: The best part of being a Mompreneur is creating something that can truly make a routine just a little bit easier when navigating the new world of parenthood. I have a great platform that I am able to constantly grow as my son grows. This is also a great opportunity to teach Phin that he too can take an idea and run with it. With hard work and determination he can do anything!

Mom Style: Staying Stylish When Breastfeeding With Allette

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The lovely ladies of Allette are here today to share their tips for dressing chic while breastfeeding! Head to the bottom of the post for an exclusive discount, too! Want to know more about the company? Head to our Product Discovery post on Allette.

Hello new or expectant parent!

This is Celine. My business partner (and fellow Brooklyn mom), Oksana, and I started Allette, a new line of cute clothes to breastfeed in. For you.

If you’ll indulge us a little bit, we’ll tell you a little about us, our brand, why we started it and our fashion tips for making the best out of your nursing journey and beyond. If you’re already nursing, some of this may resonate with you. If you’re planning to nurse when baby comes, take note! Fashion and nursing’s relationships have been on “it’s complicated” status since, well, forever, but we are determined to change that.

We created Allette for moms who love clothes and do not want to compromise their style when they’re breastfeeding. Each unique Brooklyn-made style is comfortable, flattering, easy to care for, and yeah, pretty cute. So about you. Let’s assume you’ve had the baby already (yay – congrats!). Maybe you don’t quite fit into your old clothes yet and you don’t want to spend another day in your maternity wardrobe (made to show off the bump!). That’s where we come in. Our approach is simple; we design and make clothes that we love – and then figure out how to stylishly and conveniently include discreet nursing access. The result is a collection of dresses and tops cool and chic moms actually want to wear. When they’re nursing, and when they’re done nursing.

Making your wardrobe work for breastfeeding is definitely doable. But some days, you have a lunch or party to go to (with baby in tow of course!) and you want something that will look amazing. Something that you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to breastfeed. That’s an Allette day. And once you have just one top or dress that is just right, you’ll be amazed how much easier life gets (ok oversell, dressing gets easier!). Designs made to be dressed up or down, you’ll want to wear your allette piece every day. And now, here are three fashion tips we live by. And because, as we’ve already established, we don’t believe in changing your style to nurse, these apply to whatever life stage you’re at.

1. Know your body and what looks good on it. Sure, those off-the-shoulder tops are adorable and that high-waisted A-line skirt to die for. But does it look good on you? As we get older we have a natural tendency to move away from wearing clothes because they’re trendy and choose styles which actually look good on us. This is a good thing. There are so many designs out there, not all of them are right for us. And when you’ve just had a baby, this is doubly important. Getting to know your new body and what works with it is key. That’s why Allette clothes are designed to be flattering on a postpartum body and still look great when you lose more of the baby weight (because you will – patience!). We test all of our styles on multiple body types to ensure it works across many shapes and sizes.

2. Mix and match. Who can afford a designer wardrobe? The key is to pair inexpensive mass retail items (think H&M or Zara) with one or more unique pieces from designers you love. The result is effortless chic without breaking the bank. So maybe it’s a Forever 21 tank top paired with Sandro jeans and cute flats you got in a flea market. Or an Allette dress with a pair of cool Urban Outfitters loafers you got on sale and a H&M tote. Invest in a few items you love and play around with your wardrobe.

3. Take good care of your clothes. So, this one often gets overlooked but so true. How many time have you seen a girl wearing a super cute top but it’s so wrinkled it looks like she pulled it out of a bin at the Salvation Army and threw it on? If you don’t take care of your clothes, they won’t take care of you. Obv you’ve just had a baby and the last thing you feel like doing is ironing your top which will just have to be washed again in a few hours once baby feeds. At Allette, all of our clothes are easy care so you don’t have to worry. Machine washable and almost always dryer-friendly to take a load off the laundry load (puns are awesome!). If you look good, you’ll feel good. And if you feel good, baby will also feel good. It’s science.

To find out more about Allette and visit our latest collection, visit www.alletteboutique.com. Use discount code GUGUGURU to get 15% off your entire purchase. Because, you know, congrats!

Love, Allette

Follow Allette on Facebook and Instagram

Product Discovery: Allette Nursing-Friendly Clothing

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Today we’re beyond excited to introduce you to Allette Boutique – a gorgeous line of nursing-friendly clothing, created for the most stylish of mamas. Started by two friends who decided to create clothing they love, and then make it nursing-friendly, Allette is the ultimate line for any mama who wants to look and feel her best. Co-Founders, Celine Cohen and Oksana Pavlowsky are out to prove that even when having just had a baby and nursing, women do not have to compromise on their sense of style. If you like what you see in this post, head over to Allette and use Gugu Guru’s exclusive code GUGUGURU for 15% off!

Having just launched this year, Allette has taken the style-world by storm with their brilliant and innovative designs. Their fashion forward designs are created in small quantities in Brooklyn, and feature easy access for breastfeeding, and finely-crafted silhouettes perfectly designed to flatter the post-partum body. Their clothing features high-quality, yet easy to care for fabrics, for they understand the messiness of life, but don’t believe a mama shouldn’t look her best just because she may get spit up on!

We love the concept behind Allette; a woman is still a woman when she has children, and should be able to look and feel her best. In this busy world, sometimes a mama is hopping from playdate to premiere or snuggles to soiree; Allette is changing the face of “mom style” with their confident and feminine designs. As Co-Founder, Oksana Pavlowsky says, “we basically just design clothes we love and then figure out how to make them nursing accessible. That way she can wear them when she’s nursing but will still want to wear them when she’s done nursing.”

Some of our favorite looks:

1. Black Denyse Dress – Loose and lovely, this ultra modern double v-neck dress features a gathered skirt that truly compliments, literally, everyone. Detailed with cuffed sleeves, this all in-one dress is feminine and edgy. The perfect (nursing) little black dress.

2. Jacquard Esther Top – Say hello to your new favorite sweater. The one that meets any and all criteria of awesomeness. Texture, shape, contrast, style, color, oh, looks nothing like a nursing top. But it is! Discrete and integrated side nursing access are there when you need them. You’ll be wearing this one for years to come.

3. Indigo Sasha Dress – The dress that does it all. Deep front pockets with faux-suede trims and an exposed back zipper are just some of the details that accentuate this one-stop nursing dress. The vintage-looking denim peppered with a classic damask print creates a timeless and contemporary look. The sexy double V-neck serves as discrete nursing access.

DIY Baby Headbands With See Kate Sew

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See Kate Sew partners with Gugu Guru once again to share a fantastic DIY tutorial. This time? Adorable and easy to make headbands for the little ones in your life.

I’m excited to be back at Gugu Guru this week sharing a knit headband tutorial! If there is one thing about bringing another baby into the house, it’s older child backlash! Whew, we’ve been dealing with some serious jealousy and behavioral issues with my older daughter but have found a few strategies to keep the attention equally divided!

The UppaBaby Vista Stroller is one of them! We love this stroller and it is pretty special that my 3-year-old gets the front seat. She loves peeking on her little sister and I think it makes her feel good that this stroller is really for both of them! I take this stroller everywhere, including the grocery store and walks. It’s super easy to set up, everything clicks into place! And the basket underneath is big enough for a whole load of groceries (I never get carts anymore!) It’s such a great single stroller and an amazing double! I recommend it to everyone!

The attachment options for this stroller are amazing! We love the cup holder, sometimes I use it and sometimes it’s a little snack shelf. And the Piggy Back Stroller board transforms this into a stroller for THREE. An older child can hop on and ride when she gets tired. The brake is super easy to engage and all of the features are just so functional. Each seat has a window flap that closes with magnets (no velcro!) and a bar in front. It’s so well thought-out!

I have lots more to say about using the Vista as a double, read my full review over at See Kate Sew!

Let’s make some knit headbands! Matching accessories is another way we are fighting the new baby jealousy. This project is super easy and only requires a scrap of knit fabric. I made this pattern in two sizes for little babies and larger toddlers/children. Since you tie the knot, it’s adjustable for lots of head sizes!

Materials:

-1/4 yard stretchy knit fabric

-Matching thread

–pattern pieces download

Instructions:

1. Print the pattern pieces and cut them out. Tape together where indicated on pattern pieces.

2. Cut out the pattern and pin it to a piece of fabric. The arrows on the pattern will butt up against a fold. Cut 2 pieces.

3. Sew together with right sides together 1/4″ from the edges. Leave a 1.5″ opening on one of the straight sides.

4. Press the headband and stitch the opening closed.

And you’re done!

Must-Have: Covered Goods Nursing Cover

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Whenever the Gugu Guru team works on a registry with a mama, we always recommend one item, whether a mama is breastfeeding or not – the Covered Goods Multi-Purpose Cover – while it can obviously be used as a breastfeeding cover (that’s why it was created), we love that it is so versatile and can be used for many things! Did you know that Covered Goods is the original multi-use nursing cover? It comes in so many patterns and colors, every mama can find exactly the style for her. We teamed up with the lovely mamas from Baby Bailey Mama Drama to demonstrate all the different ways to use a Covered Goods cover.

Since a Covered Goods cover is so stretchy, it makes for the perfect shopping cart seat cover, as it can be used in any sized cart to protect your baby from touching a cart full o’ germs!

Don’t forget, as you head to the park, that the cover can also be used in swings, too!

And, of course, the reason we love Covered Goods most of all, is that a mama can go from breastfeeding her little one to wearing a chic scarf within a matter of seconds. The Covered Goods multi-use cover is very breathable and washable.

Product Discovery: Lalu Lenders

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It’s no secret that babywearing has become popular for a variety of reasons; it’s great to have your hands free, easy to travel with baby, and a wonderful way to bond with baby and help them feel safe and secure. Baby wraps are the ultimate way to wear a baby because they are incredibly versatile, breathable, and can grow with your child. However, investing in a baby wrap can often be expensive, and if it’s your first time trying a wrap, new moms are often hesitant to invest. This is why we’re so excited to introduce you to Lalu Lenders, an easy and efficient way to try wraps out until you find one which works for you and your baby.

Lalu Wovens are known for their gorgeous wraps featuring modern patterns, available in all different densities. Their patterns and designs are created with specific meanings in mind, for example, their Demoiselle pattern features cranes in flight, which is symbolic of happiness and eternal youth. All of their wraps have textures that provides the perfect amount of stretch, bounce, and support for your baby. Their aim is to introduce wraps to all new moms and make it easy for them to find a wrap which they love.

So, how do they accomplish this? With their Lalu Lenders program! Lalu Lenders is a risk-free way to try a Lalu woven before you buy it. Lalu understands just how important it is to see, touch, and feel a wrap before you buy it. Lalu Lenders allows you to try a Lalu woven for just $10 per week. This includes free shipping and a pre-paid return envelope. You’re simply billed $20 every two weeks for as long as you have the wrap. The lender program allows you to test out a wrap for as long as you’d like. If you decide to buy it, you’ll get full credit for any fees paid towards the purchase of the wrap. It’s a win-win!

As we head into gift giving season, we think this is a wonderful gift for a new mama! Because you don’t have to invest all the money at one time, it’s an affordable, useful, and gorgeous gift for your wife, sister, friend, or yourself. In fact, the perfect stocking stuffer this year is a $20 gift card to try two weeks of a wrap – head to Lalu Lenders to purchase the gift card and Santa can stick it in the stocking this Christmas. Looking to purchase a wrap or try one out? Use the special code 2WEEKSGIFT for 15% off your order. If you’ve been looking to try out a wrap to babywear, head over to Lalu Wovens and pick the weight, pattern, and style perfect for you.

DIY Teething Necklace

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See Kate Sew partners with Gugu Guru once again to share a fantastic DIY tutorial. This time? An adorable and safe silicone teething necklace!

I’m so excited to be here at Gugu Guru sharing another DIY project! This month we partnered will Solly Baby to show off their new fall line! As soon as I saw the Rifle Paper Co collaboration wrap I was in love! This floral print is just so pretty! I love the colors and the floral pattern is beautiful!

We have been using this wrap all the time lately with my third baby. I love how easy it is to put on and how convenient it is to have my hands free, both when we’re out and when we’re at home doing chores. The Wrap has come in handy these last few weeks as we have battled baby’s first cold and endless teething pains!

Teething is the WORST! We’ve relied on the Solly Baby wrap for extra comfort throughout the day and this necklace gives her something to chew while she’s wrapped up with me! This colorful necklace is made of soft silicone beads, which are safe for baby to chew and also look super cute as an accessory!

Silicone Teething Necklace Tutorial:

Materials –

1. Silicone Teething Beads (light pink, dark pink, white)

2. 1/16″ elastic cord

Instructions –

1. Cut a piece of elastic to 35″.

2. String one white bead on and center it.

3. Tie a knot on each side of the bead to keep it in place.

4. Thread two light pink beads on either side of the center bead.

5. Continue creating a pattern by adding white and pink beads. Tie knots in between each bead.

6. Finish it off with 2 round beads.

7. Tie the ends of the necklace together.

8. All done!

Gift Roundup for the Mama Who's Heading Back to Work

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Around this time of year many mamas are heading back to work after a maternity leave, especially teachers. Looking for some great gifts for a mama who’s heading back to work? We’ve rounded up some practical, and stylish, gifts for a working mama – these gifts are sure to make her feel confident and put-together, even when she’s working on very little sleep. These would make wonderful baby shower gifts, or add them to your registry.

Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra from Bravado: If you’re looking for the ultimate nursing bra which is functional, but also stylish, soft, and feminine, look no further – the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra from Bravado is your perfect back to work under garment. The Body Silk Seamless nursing bra is super comfortable, putting you at ease and helping you feel confident when you head back to work. It is the perfect everyday, at home, on-the-go, anytime nursing bra. The luxuriously soft fabric molds to your changing shape, so that you can wear it throughout pregnancy, post-partum, nursing and beyond. Plus, it includes a bra conversion kit so you can convert your nursing bra to a ‘regular bra’ once your nursing journey is complete – no need to spend money on a bra you’ll only wear a few years, the Bravado Nursing Bra will last many years helping you feel put-together and beautiful inside and out.

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 57ef85032505ed1c625cd72e

The Multitasking Cardigan from goodbodygoodmommy: When the Gugu Guru team came across this multitasking cardigan, we knew we had to share it with you all – especially mamas heading back to work. This made in the USA cardigan is a blend of 90% modal and 10% spandex with 2 on-seam pockets, perfect for storing pacifiers, or nursing pads. The cardigan is the perfect addition to you wardrobe at the start of pregnancy and after you meet you baby, it can continue to be a wardrobe staple as it transitions to both a nursing cover and baby wearing cover (seriously cool!). Dress it up or dress it down, the multitasking cardigan can go with you to the gym, back to work, to a night out, or anywhere your mom-life takes you.

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 57ef87f8428ba01c11c3f633

Wiley Black Sweater from Loyal Hana: Looking for a wardrobe staple to head back to work? We can’t say enough good things about the Wiley Sweater from Loyal Hana. Made from 100% cotton, this sweater features a waffle texture front and discrete side zipper for breastfeeding or pumping. This sweater is the perfect Fall clothing staple for transitioning from dropping baby off at daycare, to working mama, to out to dinner with a client. You’ll feel modern, stylish, and able to easily pump and feed in the Wiley.

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 57ef843f0452727ba81b0d42

Beaugen Breast Pump Nipple Cushion: These breast pump nipple cushions are a universal fit, soft and stretchy which add comfort to your breast pump. Each package includes 2 nipple cushions which fit breast shield sizes 19mm-36mm. Make your time pumping more comfortable with these soft and helpful cushions!

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 579f24b9af09b16d386ff715

Gift Roundup for the Mama Who’s Heading Back to Work

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 57ef85032505ed1c625cd72e

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 57ef87f8428ba01c11c3f633

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 57ef843f0452727ba81b0d42

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 579f24b9af09b16d386ff715

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