Gift Ideas

Trend: Central and South American Influence

We have seen the design and style influences of the Central and South Americas trickling in to the mom & baby category over the past six months and the trend does not seem to be slowing down. Some brands like Land of Nod and Anthropologie offer textiles and decor that hint to the regions – such as the use of the iconic llama. Other brands like Tea Collection were ahead of the curve with their Fall/Winter collection of children’s clothing completely inspired and directed by the respective aesthetics of Bolivia and Argentina.

As the trend continues, we are seeing cause-driven, philanthropic brands that give back to the countries of manufacture, as well as brands that simply draw from the beauty of a Central or South American culture. Here, our trend report on what we’ve been spotting:

Clothing

To inspire Tea’s Fall and Winter 2015 collection, the brand traveled to Argentina and Bolivia. “From the European flavor of Buenos Aires to the indigenous pride of La Paz, our newest collection pays homage to the people of Argentina and Bolivia. The sophisticated style of the gauchos and traditional elegance of Cholitas. The passion of tango musicians to the wild color of las mascaras for Carnaval.”

What we particularly enjoyed about Tea Collection’s approach was the beautiful photography, whimsical illustrations and storytelling that accompanied the line.

One to keep an eye on: Joobles on Fair Indigo is an award-winning collection of beautiful fair trade products like the organic baby booties above. Purchasing Joobles products not only lifts up workers with a living wage and a safe workplace, it also helps support small family-run organic cotton farms in Peru.

Other brands to check-out: Humble Hilo, Nena & Co

Diaper Bags

Brands like Nena & Co and Humble Hilo are sourcing directly from the artisans of Guatemala, while also giving back by giving Guatemalan women the income to work from home with their children. Alejandra Hynek, the founder of Nena & Co, has Guatemalan roots herself and was taught about her Mayan heritage by her mother and grandmother, which ultimately inspired her to start the company. Humble Hilo adds another philanthropic layer by allowing customers to decide which humanitarian project to support with their purchase.

Baby Bedding & Accessories

Petite Vigogne is a new high-end brand that sources its fine textiles from Peru. The founder of Petite Vigogne – a mom and native of Peru herself – was inspired to start the company after her difficulty in finding high thread-count Peruvian Pima cotton bedding for newborns in the US. In addition to luxurious Peruvian Pima cotton, Petite Vigogne sources Vicuña – one of the highest-quality threads in the world – and wonderfully soft baby alpaca, also from Peru, to make perfectly crafted products for lucky newborns worldwide.

Other brands to check out: The Joobles Collection on Fair Indigo

Toys & Other Handcrafts

While not suitable for children under 3 years old, these eco-friendly, finger puppets are perfect for older siblings. Moms on team Gugu Guru have personally enjoyed using them during story time with our toddlers. Each puppet is handmade by a number of artist collectives from the rural areas of the Peruvian high-plains. Finger Puppets Inc. sources ethically, practices fair trade principles and strives to help these artisans extend their products’ reach.

Other brands to check out: The Joobles Collection on Fair Indigo

Lorena Canals

by Gugu Guru 1 Comment

One of the most important things you should consider in designing a nursery is the flooring or carpeting. Hardwood floors may be easy to sweep, but they’re not always the warmest on those little feet (or the quietest – we’ve all had a baby awoken by the creak of a floor board – it’s the worst!) Unfortunately, rugs are not always easy to clean and there are many unhealthy – sometimes even toxic – chemicals associated with certain types of carpeting. Fortunately, there’s now a practical, safe and stylish solution. Straight from Spain, Lorena Canals offers non-toxic, machine washable rugs that are truly delicious on the eyes.

Already a favorite, staple brand of European mothers and fathers, each Lorena Canals rug is carefully handmade from 100% cotton, safe for any baby’s room. The dyes used are also non-toxic, which is critical when you consider you’ll be laying your infant on the rug for tummy-time and as they grow they’ll be crawling around everywhere. The rugs are of the utmost softness, making it comfortable for parents to sit on the floor and little feet to jump and dance. But what we love most of all is that you can wash these rugs right at home in your regular laundry machines.

Not only are these rugs practical and safe, they’re also beyond stylish. Coming in a plethora of colors and styles, these rugs will match any nursery theme, from polka dots, skulls, angel wings, butterflies, numbers, letters, clouds, stars, flags and more. Lorena Canals rugs will accent your child’s room now, and are guaranteed to become a family heirloom which you use for many, many years.

Bitta Kidda Lovie Sack

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New parents are told so many rules: put the baby to sleep on their back, don’t put anything in the crib with them, especially no blankets or toys! But…babies tend to sleep better when they’re secure and warm, and often when holding onto something, so what’s a new parent to do? Enter the holy grail of sleep sacks: The Bitta Kidda LovieSack! The owners of Bitta Kidda, parents themselves, quickly realized that in order for their son to sleep better as an infant, he needed something soft to hold onto; toys and stuffed animals were out of the question, as well as blankies. So, they came up with the “Wearable Lovie” – a patch of soft natural 100% cotton velour, which provides a safe way for a baby to grasp something as they sleep. The Wearable Lovie cannot come off of the sleep sack, and can reach a baby’s face but never cover it, so there’s no risk of suffocation or strangulation – it’s simply a soft place for a baby’s hands to land.

Why else is the Bitta Kidda LovieSack the top of the line sleep sack for tired parents? If there’s one thing new parents (and seasoned parents) know it’s that changing a diaper in the middle of the night is pretty much the worst thing ever – the baby gets cold and wakes up and no one sleeps. But, not anymore! With the innovative diagonal zipper design, you can unzip the bottom of the Bitta Kidda (and no zipper ends to figure out how to match together – Hallelujah!), open internal (and adjustable) diaper cover, change the diaper, refasten the diaper cover, zipper back up, and put baby back to bed. The baby stays warm on top the whole time, as well as has the Wearable Lovie to hold, so your little one may not even make a peep during their 3AM diaper change any more. Thanks to the internal diaper cover, the LovieSack doesn’t get twisted around the baby, making it safe for infants as young as 3-4 months until 24 months. The LovieSack has snaps for easy on and off, and is made from 100% natural cotton – so your baby can rest healthy, safe, and easy!

We had a Gugu Guru mom, test out the LovieSack with her baby girl and here’s what she had to say:

By the time I received the Bitta Kidda LovieSack, I was in desperate need of a new pajama solution for my “mobile crib standing and rough sleeping” little one. I loved the idea of the lovie attached and the fact that it is a sack design keeps her warm and safe. Construction wise, I couldn’t be happier; everything looks to be stitched nicely and the design is adorable.

The zipper zips up easily and smoothly and the fact that that it is diagonal and ends near the armpit is a smart idea. It doesn’t end up irritating her under her chin or ride up or down and get unzipped. The internal diaper cover is a nice feature. At first I thought it would be a hindrance, but having it in place keeps this sleepsuit more in place than any others I have tried. My baby is an explorer and went straight for the lovie attached; it is a lovely way to have a toy with them in a safe way.

Babesta and aden + anais Collaboration

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One of the thrills of finding out you’re having a baby is dreaming about all the adorable clothing, blankies, and accessories you’re going to swath your baby in – however, long gone are the days of drab pastel baby blankets and boring plain crib sheets! For those new parents who wish to dress and wrap their little one in something other than the same-old-same-old baby stuff, check out Babesta – a website for the “trendier tot” and their parents. Focusing on the rock-star, yoga, urban baby, Babesta features invite-only designers and artists to help give your babe some personality in what they wear (or should we say rock).And now, we’re so excited because Babesta has partnered up with one of our favorite baby lines, aden + anais for a new, exclusive collection of New York City themed baby items! aden + anais is known for their 100% cotton muslin swaddles, blankets, crib sheets, and sleepers – which are just as soft as a parent’s touch. And now, you can deck out your tiny ones in some super cool prints based on the city that never sleeps, thanks to this wonderful collaboration between Babesta and aden + anais!

With whimsical illustrations of NYC taxi cabs and street food, this line of goodies is sure to become a favorite of yours whether you call the Big Apple home or not. Why not outfit your baby’s crib with a pretzel and hot dog crib sheet?

Transportation-themed nursery? Try the changing table pad in a yellow cab print. Swaddle your infant in a taxi cab or pretzel! Baby too old for a swaddle? No fret, there’s a hot dog and pretzel sleeping bag, as well! And, of course, burp cloths with taxis and street food. Looking for the perfect baby shower gift? Look no further than aden + anais’ famously popular dream blanket full of taxis and pretzels!

There’s no reason swaddles and blankies have to be boring, so have some fun with this new collection – and hey, if you’re up at 3am rocking a baby to sleep, at least you’ll have delicious hot soft pretzels to think about.

Product Discovery: b.box

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As a parent, the key word is always “convenience” – any item you carry on you has to be easy to reach, easy to clean, safe for the baby, and double points if the item can be used as two items in one! As your baby grows into the early stages of eating solid foods, you’re going to find yourself having to remember to pack not only the food in the diaper bag, but also a spoon, bib (or 2), plastic baggies, paper towels, wipes, and still, at the end of the day, you’ll probably be shoving a dirty bib into the diaper bag (and, let’s be honest, forget that it’s there and find a sweet potato crusted bib three weeks later). Well, now, thanks to the folks over at b.box, there is a much better way!

b.box, started by two moms, features fun and, most importantly, functional products for babies and young children. Having endured the mess of dirty-bibs-on-the-go themselves, the ladies at b.box invented this innovative travel bib and spoon, which not only is adorable for your little one, but amazingly efficient as well. How does it work so well? Well, this BPA-, Phthalates- and PVC-free bib features a standard bib structure, however, on the bottom of the bib is a pouch to catch all the food which drops – but, that’s not all!

When your darling one is done with their messy lunch-on-the-go, all you do is fold the bib up into the pouch attached on the bottom, throw in the spoon, zip up – and voila! Throw it into your diaper bag, clean as a whistle, and you won’t have any more crusty potato flakes wandering around the bottom of your bag.Once you get home, simply un-zip the pouch, wash the bib and spoon by hand with your regular dish soap, let dry, and you’re ready to zip it back up for your next adventure with your babe.

The pouch features a handy looped handle, so you can easily strap it to the outside of your diaper bag, wear it on your hand, or throw it on your stroller’s handle.

The flexible soft-bite spoon is perfect for early eaters, all the way down to children who can feed themselves. The bib is made from polyester and comfortable for your baby, without being too rigid and making it uncomfortable for them to eat. With an adjustable strap on the neck of the bib, this efficient and functional mealtime accessory will last your little one many months! This one-of-a-kind product is perfect for any mom-on-the-go who loves to leave for adventures at the last minute! You’ll never have to worry about packing towels, plastic baggies, and multiple bibs again – when it comes to convenience, the b.box travel bib has it all – not to mention the modern and cool graphics on it!

Baby Registry: Stylish, Economical “On The Go” Picks

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We plan on regularly featuring some of our favorite budget finds for your baby registry. Whether it’s gear, clothing or nursery decor, the team at Gugu Guru knows for sure that you don’t have to spend a mint to have high quality, stylish products for mom & baby. Here, our stylish economical On The Go gear picks:

Urbini Omni 3-in-1 Travel System

The Omni 3-in-1 system from newcomer Urbini is a stylish, good quality option at a really great price. Its sleek modern design is similar to some of the pricier prams out there so you can look good without the sticker shock. Plus, we’ve been impressed that the product exceeds industry safety ratings — proving that you don’t have to sacrifice peace of mind just because you’re paying less. Oh, and if you’d like a jogger instead so you can get back to your weekend runs with baby in tow, check out their Avi system.

Infantino Flip Front 2 Back Carrier

It’s not just the price tag that makes parents so happy with this Infantino Flip Front 2 Back Carrier (though admittedly that’s a big reason). The Infantino Flip Front 2 Back Carrier has been put to test and compared with some of the best and most popular carriers out there and manages to exceed all expectations. We love the three carrying positions that grow with your baby; the extra padded straps for your baby-wearing comfort and; the breathable mesh fabric so baby is safe and sound.

Baby Cargo Georgi Bag

It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of Baby Cargo and their smart line of affordable and stylish gear. We’ve blogged about them a few times – especially the Georgi bag, a cult favorite. These bags come in a variety of fashion-forward hues (shown here in Moonless Night/Teal). What we love most about this line is that it’s where fashion meets function. Slide the grommets of the bag over your umbrella stroller handles or use the strap snaps to clip on to your stroller bar.

Baby Registry: Stylish, Economical "On The Go" Picks

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Urbini Omni 3-in-1 Travel System

Infantino Flip Front 2 Back Carrier

Baby Cargo Georgi Bag

Funny Onesies

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We just couldn’t resist sharing some of the rompers that made us “LOL” this week. These funny baby onesies make great gifts and are sure to be the talk at any baby shower. Comment below to let us know which one is your favorite.

I Just Did 9 Months on The Inside by Sarah Kety
We’re especially loving this for Orange Is the New Black fans. Consider giving this onesie with a OITNB box set so mom can catch up on the hilarious Netflix comedy while she’s on what we at Gugu Guru call “Newborn Lockdown”. By the way, Sarah Kety Baby & Kids calls its line the funniest snap suits on the planet and from Party Tonight in My Crib to Is There a Napp for That, we are thinking that’s not far from the truth.

They See Me Strollin’ They Hatin by Doozy Designs
This bodysuit is one of our all time favorite funny pieces for baby. A spoof on the catchy hit from the artist Chamillionaire. Good luck not having this stuck in your head all day as you push your baby’s pram. Be sure to check out some of the other awesomely funny onesies from Doozy Designs (including another Gugu Guru favorite with the lyrics from Rapper’s Delight for all you 80’s fans.)

“Turnt Up” from Wry Baby
Wry Baby is the fabulously funny couple that put together the best-selling Safe Baby Handling Tips (which makes a laugh out loud baby shower gift by the way.) Check out more of their hilarious products here.

#TBT from KiddieCo
The illustration on this Throwback Thursday onesie for baby says it all. Sure you can only put this on baby one day a week, but it’s guaranteed to get smiles when you do. This is the ideal gift for any hashtag loving parent.

I Woke Up Like This by Sexy Girl Rock
The perfect onesie for the glam girl in your life. No make-up required.

Mama Boxes

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We actually learned about Mama Boxes through one of our favorite bloggers, Heather Wilson Tomoyasu of US Japan Fam, who happens to be pregnant with twin girls. Anybody that knows Gugu Guru knows that we are all about discovering new products that are right for your lifestyle (not someone else’s). Mama Boxes are a great way to find out about pregnancy-related products that you may not have heard of before but that may just be perfect for you. Each box is filled with pregnancy goodies that are trimester specific. The boxes contain sample- AND full-size products for expecting moms to discover, try and fall in love with.

We received the three trimester bundle to share with some of our pregnant mommies and we were thrilled to see the variety of products ranging from skincare to prenatal vitamins to healthy snacks. This is a terrific gift for an expecting mama. (Time to drop a hint!)

Our first trimester box included products great for boosting your overall prenatal health at this critical time of your baby’s development and also addressing some of the downsides that can occur early in your pregnancy (e.g., nausea, morning sickness, constipation).

As seen here: Preggie Pop, Credible Cravings, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts, Frolic, Promise Prenatal, Prenatal Oxylent, Sibu and Slather Lemon Vanilla Bean Scrub.

In our second trimester box, we found more tasty (yet healthy) snacks to satisfy your pregnancy cravings along with some wonderful products including some that will aid and relieve your stretching belly.

As seen here: Beanfields Chips, Hello Fresh, Mommi, XO Mints, Ziaja, Breeze Bar, Dream Belly Butter, Mun, Weleda, and Everyday Happy.

Lastly, our third trimester box was overflowing with “you’re in the homestretch” goodness. In your final trimester, you need to keep caring for yourself, of course, but also start thinking about caring for the baby who’s going to be making his/her appearance very soon. This box was filled with perks for mom AND baby.

As seen here: Pampers, Ziaja, Goddess Garden, Dapple, Now For Mothers, MomIn, Doctor Kracker, S.A.C., Babies ‘R’ Us, Erba Organics, Johnson & Johnson, Lansinoh and KINeSYS.

The products inside the Mama Boxes are updated from time-to-time based on customer feedback, but here are just some of the brands you may see:

Baby Shower Gift Ideas: Gender Neutral

by Gugu Guru 4 Comments

It’s shower season–and by that we mean it’s raining babies–not cats and dogs. Baby showers are a blast, but don’t let the stress of figuring out what to get your mom-to-be friend or relative put a damper on the festivities. We’ve rounded up some of the best baby shower gifts for moms-to-be who are waiting to find out the gender.

Best Gender Neutral Baby Shower Gifts

Real Baby Food: Easy, All-Natural Recipes for Your Baby and Toddler
Moms will be logging countless hours feeding their little ones. This new baby food cook book, written by the food editor of Parents magazine, is chock full of easy, peasy yummy recipes good for the whole family.

Rockabye Baby Lullaby Renditions of Maroon 5
If these soothing rock tunes don’t help to usher baby into some much needed sleep, at least they’ll provide some nice background noise to the sound of crying.

Aden+Anais Organic Cotton Lovey
It doesn’t get much cuter–or much more worry-free–than this line of super-cute lovies from beloved baby brand Aden +Anais. These cuddly lovies are machine washable, handmade from 100% cotton muslin and sure to be baby’s favorite thing to snuggle up to.

Baby Aspen Five Little Monkeys Gift Set
This all-in-one gift basket is packed with mom-to-be essentials, including a rattle, blankie, door hanger that alerts others of a sleeping baby and a plush stuffed animal, all in a cute five little monkeys theme.

Matimati Baby Bandana Drool Bibs
These unisex bandana bibs are a cool way to keep baby’s clothes free from drool and milk that will inevitably drip from his mouth. Made from 100% organic cotton and super-absorbent fleece with easy snaps to adjust the size.

Sophie the Giraffe Teether
Sure she maybe ubiquitous, but Sophie the Giraffe has become something of an icon for the modern mom set. Made from 100% natural rubber and totally adorable, Sophie is a must-have teething toy for every baby. This new rendition of Sophie comes with two teething rings of different textures attached, to help babies at different teething stages.

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