Newborns

Gift Idea: NoJo Swaddle Blankets

It’s no secret that new babies love to be swaddled; it helps keep them calm, feeling safe, and sleepy (we hope!). NoJo, known for their soft and adorable bedding, has released a line of 100% cotton swaddle blankets. Their Just Swaddled three step Secure Me Swaddle Blankets feature adjustable flaps for the perfect fit in three easy steps. When baby feels snug and secure, it allows them to sleep easier and for longer stretches!

The NoJo Swaddle Blankets offer easy access for a quick diaper change in the middle of the night, as well as a back opening which fits most carrier restraints. As we all know babies tend to be messy, so we think it is fantastic that you can buy these swaddles in a 3-pack – you’ll always have a clean swaddle blanket on hand. With their gorgeous graphic patterns and attention to detail in design, the NoJo Secure Me Swaddle Blankets make a perfect baby shower gift! When you’re sleep deprived, sometimes swaddling can be difficult, especially with a squirmy baby – and these Just Swaddled Blankets take all the guess work out of swaddling and allow for a peaceful transition to bedtime for baby and parent!

New Mom Series: Selecting a Crib Mattress

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This is our fifth post in Gugu Guru’s New Mom Series, where we provide helpful information for new and expecting moms about preparing and registering for baby. For this Crib Mattress feature, we have partnered up with new mama Lindsey Bonnice of Live Sweet Photography; leading organic mattress brand Naturepedic and; the Baby Safety Zone powered by the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association). JPMA is a national trade organization representing 95% of the prenatal to preschool industry dedicated to the safe manufacturing and usage of products. Lindsey just recently brought home her new son, Baby Finn, and one of the biggest questions that any new parent has is, “Will my new baby be a good sleeper?” Creating a safe and comfortable sleep environment for baby is the best thing you can do to ensure the first years are happy and healthy. Most experts will tell you that the safest place for an infant or child to sleep is in a fully functional, properly assembled, JPMA-certified: crib, bassinet, cradle, play yard, or toddler bed. All of these require a mattress – so what should you look for? Babies spend 12 to 16 hours per day on their crib mattress, making the mattress the most prominent object in a child’s environment for the first three years of their life and one of the most important items on your baby registry. Here’s how to ensure you have the best crib mattress for baby. Always use a properly fitting mattress as infants can suffocate in gaps between a poorly fitting mattress and the crib sides or ends. Also key is selecting a mattress with a waterproof surface, which is essential for keeping your baby’s environment hygienic and protected from mold and bacteria growth within the mattress.

Gugu Guru selected Naturepedic’s Lightweight Organic Cotton Crib Mattress with Ultra Breathable Mattress Pad for Finn’s nursery – which meets or exceeds safety and quality standards. The Lightweight Organic Cotton Crib Mattress with Ultra-Breathable Mattress Pad is a 2-stage crib mattress for babies and toddlers. It fits snuggly in baby’s crib and is lightweight (under 12 pounds), comfortable, and functional for your child’s needs from infancy through toddlerhood.

The 2-stage feature is fantastic as baby grows; infants require a firm surface for safety but as they get older, it is safe for them and more comfortable to sleep on the softer side. The Naturepedic crib mattress is certified organic to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). This ensures that your crib mattress meets a healthy non-toxic standard and is truly organic. The Ultra organic cotton waterproof fabric is durable and acts as a barrier to moisture, dust mites, and bedbugs. The mattress is designed for safety and can be used with or without the Ultra-Breathable Mattress Pad. Plus it has been thoroughly tested for chemical emissions and passes all flammability standards without the need for flame retardant chemicals or other barriers. What we really love about this mattress is the Organic Cotton Ultra-Breathable Crib Mattress Pad. The mattress pad is made with certified organic cotton fabric quilted to a unique 3D airflow spacer, and dissipates heat and moisture to reduce sweating and overheating. Soils on the mattress pad won’t penetrate the waterproof mattress core.

Lindsey Bonnice is a NY and PA based portrait and newborn photographer and mother. Follow her and her adventures into new mommyhood on her Instagram at @LiveSweetPhotography. Baby Finn’s nursery is featured on Project Nursery and you can see where to purchase some of the adorable decor here.

Naturepedic Naturepedic specializes in the design and manufacturing of quality organic mattresses for infants, toddlers, children and adults that promote natural and organic materials, a non-toxic design, fire-safety, and overall health & safety. All Naturepedic natural and organic mattresses have been designed with the help of pediatricians, chemists, and engineers. They are constructed by Amish craftsmen in our GOTS certified factory in beautiful Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Research and design is coordinated by G.E.M. Testing & Engineering Labs in Cleveland, Ohio.

Baby Safety Zone The Baby Safety Zone is an information hub and community for parents and caregivers. We’re helping make safety fun, one baby product at a time. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to immerse themselves in the Baby Safety Zone experience and become a part of a circle of parents dedicated to making their child’s first years, happy, safe and sound. The Baby Safety Zone is powered by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. JPMA is a national trade organization representing 95% of the prenatal to preschool industry. Today, JPMA represents 250 companies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico who manufacture, import and/or distribute infant products such as cribs, car seats, strollers, bedding, and a wide range of accessories and decorative items. Visit the Baby Safety Zone at: https://babysafetyzone.org Learn more helpful tips for proper safe use of bassinets and cradles with Baby Safety Zone’s safety infographic here:

Christina Vargas Registry Must Haves

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You may have seen our past post where we helped the ultimate fit mama and professional athlete, Christina Vargas, with her baby registry. If you’re one of those people who regularly uses the #fitfam hashtag on Instagram, you’re probably very familiar with this I.F.B.B. and two time Olympian figure and bikini pro. If not, you can get to know her on Instagram here and follow her postpartum fitness journey.

Christina had her beautiful baby girl, Isabella, earlier this year and is excited to share with us some of her favorite registry picks from Gugu Guru:

Animal Kingdom 3pc Bedding Set from Just Born for Baby
Christina made it clear from the start, she hates pink. She wanted something neutral and sophisticated for Bella’s nursery and selected the Animal Kingdom 3pc Bedding Set from Just Born for Baby.

Mom paired the gender neutral gray and white palette of the set with a lilac paint color and finished the whole look off with the mobile.

TWELVElittle Unisex Courage Tote
Christina is always on the move to or from the gym. She wanted a sleek diaper bag that didn’t look like a diaper bag and was roomie enough to carry some of mom’s essentials. Gugu Guru recommended the TWELVElittle Unisex Courage Tote to keep Christina looking stylish and feeling organized for her on-the-go lifestyle. There’s an interior large padded tech sleeve for all gadget protection. The bag has a waterproof lining and lots of pockets for storage. It fits an iPad, which is a perk when Christina is creating her postpartum work-out program for moms. The hidden zipper pocket on bottom of back side for dirty item quick storage is especially useful for both mom and Bella.

Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump
As for a pump, Gugu Guru suggested something small but powerful – just like Christina – and that is the Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump. This pump is really amazing for the cost and is absolutely ideal for a mom on the move due to its compact size and light weight. First time pumpers seems to be especially thrilled with how gentle the Lansinoh pump is on the breasts, compared to other products in the market. It also boasts easy to assemble and clean parts, three customizable pumping styles and eight adjustable suction levels.

Cleaner Diapering

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Spring is here and summer is around the corner: time to dress your babe in that pristine white eyelet gown or perhaps a crisp new christening outfit. You keep these items hanging in the closet in anticipation of when you can break them out. It’s the big day and baby naps, baby feeds, baby is ready to get dressed. You carefully put the outfit on and pick up baby only to see that facial expression and hear that dreaded sound.

Oh, and by the way – there’s something on your shirt.

You know what we’re talking about: the diaper blow-out. Has this happened to you? Well, we have the cure to your poopy wardrobe malfunction ails: the award-winning BabyBackups.

Utilizing a hypoallergenic, wedge-shaped pad, BabyBackups fits securely to any diaper brand to effectively absorb and contain excess liquids, eliminating messy clean ups and ruined clothing. If you want to keep your baby (and you) clean, fill that diaper gap with BabyBackups. BabyBackups is a disposable pad that adheres to a regular diaper and keeps the poop where it belongs.

Here are some tips that the folks at BabyBackups put together to help make changing a diaper a bit easier and cleaner.

Set the mood. Don’t startle your little bundle of joy in the middle of the night by turning on a bright light to change a diaper. Use a low wattage blue light bulb instead of a white light bulb to keep the room darker. It provides enough light to let you do what you need to do but doesn’t trigger party time for your baby.
Keep them occupied. Keep a special toy nearby to let your child play with while changing their diaper. Keeping them focused, even for just 30 seconds, will allow you to at least get them cleaned off and ready for a new diaper.
Wrap the wrap. Lay a new diaper under the old diaper before changing it. In the event that you missed a spot on her little tush while wiping it, the mess will end up on the new diaper instead of the changing area.
Avoid a tinkle fountain from your little guy. Keep a cloth diaper around the changing table so that you can quickly toss it over your little guy’s privates if he starts to let loose. Or simply use a wipe.
Keep the mess where it belongs. Protect your baby, their clothes, and the changing table from messy diaper blowouts by using BabyBackups. Put one on at night and wake up to a clean baby and crib in the morning, even if your little one was trying to work one out while in dreamland! Plan ahead and apply a few BabyBackups to new diapers in advance so you’re always prepared.

Baby Shower Design Inspiration by Envelopments

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Whenever the team at Gugu Guru wants to get inspiration for events and celebrations or simply see what’s trending, we visit Envelopments. A one-stop shop for all of your creative and beautiful invitations, birth announcements and more, Envelopments’ philosophy is that celebrations feed your soul. In this post, Envelopments shares some of their favorite and most popular Baby Shower invitations. Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

For the Boho Parents: Brush Dance Baby
This watercolor inspired invitation and its feathery aesthetic features splashes of soft colors, culminating in a whimsical hand-painted feel. Available in two “color stories,” a pastel theme, and a bolder theme, both of which are gender neutral and customizable.

For the Hipster Parents: Baby Q
Backyard barbecues are all the rage for baby showers right now; this hipster-inspired invite features both the ever-popular mason jars and a festive string of lights. With two different “color stories” to pick from, parents can customize this invite to create the perfect color scheme for their style.

For the Trendsetter Parents: Donut Drizzle Babies are sweet, and so are donuts – why not pair the two? This invite, which comes in both pink/brown and yellow/blue “color stories” is a delicious way to remind people that they “donut” want to miss out on a sweet celebration!

New Mom Series: Preventing Infant Congestion

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This is our third post in Gugu Guru’s New Mom Series, where we provide helpful information for new and expecting moms about preparing and registering for baby. For this Preventing Infant Congestion feature (or in layman’s terms – “how to unstuff a baby’s stuffy nose”), we have partnered up with new mama Ciera Hudson, Crane USA and Jennifer Bright Reich of Mommy MD Guides. MommyMDGuides.com and the Mommy MD Guides book series are filled with tips that doctors who are also mothers use for their own families.

Why Do Babies Get Stuffy Noses? Babies can get congested for a number of reasons, but this time of year the most likely culprit is a cold. There’s good reason we call it the “common cold.” In the first year of life, most babies have up to seven colds. This means that Mom is likely to have up to seven colds this year as well. “Babies’ immune systems aren’t mature yet, plus most babies spend a lot of time in the company of other babies and kids, who aren’t always so good about washing their hands,” says Rallie McAllister, MD, MPH, a family physician, mom of three, and coauthor of The Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby’s First Year. A cold is simply an infection of the upper respiratory tract, including the nose and throat. Colds are caused by viruses. In babies, the most common signs of a cold are a runny nose and nasal congestion. Of these, the more troublesome symptom for babies is congestion—because they have to breathe through their noses. Babies are obligate nasal breathers meaning they breathe through their nose for the first 4-6 months. Here’s how you can help your baby breathe easier:

Run a humidifier. Moist air is easier to breathe. Humidity also makes it easier to get the mucus out of your baby’s nose. It’s an effective, natural alternative to medications for cold. The Crane Ultrasonic Humidifier is both quiet and effective. The extra humidity helps them to breathe easier, meaning they can sleep better and eat with less frustration helping them to be better equipped to fight off a cold. Babies also do not have the ability to clear their noses on their own so the humidifier helps with this as well.

New mom to her beautiful baby girl Marloe, Ciera Hudson selected the Crane Adorables Humidifier in the polar bear design for her daughter’s nursery. It fits right in with the on-trend pastel color palette and décor (we also spy a Lorena Canals machine washable rug in Hippy Mint in this chic nursery!)

What Other Things Can I Do To Help My Baby With Congestion?

Use a bulb suctioner to clean out your baby’s nose. She won’t like it, and neither will you, but it will help.
Spritz saline in your baby’s nose. “In my babies’ first years, I didn’t give them any drugs for a cold,” says Hana Solomon, MD, a pediatrician and author of Clearing The Air One Nose At A Time: Caring For Your Personal Filter. “To help to ease their nasal congestion, I’d mix up a saltwater solution in a clean glass. Then I’d gently and slowly insert 10 to 20 drops of the salty water into the baby’s nostrils while she’s in an upright position, let it sit for a few minutes, and then suck the mucus out really well with a nasal aspirator. After that, my babies would nurse better, sleep better, and feel better.”
Or you can buy an over-the-counter nasal saline spray. The devices with a quick squirt action are best because it’s over and done with before your baby has time to get upset about it.
Elevate the head of her crib but putting books or blocks under the crib’s legs. Do NOT put pillows or blankets or toys in your baby’s crib.
Give your baby lots of extra love! Cut yourself some slack too. It’s not easy to have a baby with a cold.

When Should I Call the Doctor? Besides being uncomfortable for babies, stuffy noses can pose more serious problems. Congestion can make it hard for babies to nurse or drink from a bottle, so watch your baby closely for signs of dehydration, including dry mouth, crying with few or no tears, fewer than four wet diapers per day, going four to six hours without urinating, or if the soft spot on your baby’s head looks sunken or flatter than usual. Whenever your baby is sick, keep a close eye for signs of infection, such as a fever or crankiness. These warrant a call to your pediatrician’s office.

Bios Jennifer Bright Reich is a mom of two sons and coauthor of The Mommy MD Guide to the Toddler Years, in Allentown, PA.

Ciera Hudson is a lifestyle and style blogger. Follow her and her adventures into new mommy hood on her Instagram at @YoursTrulyCiera

{Disclaimer: The information provided here by Mommy MD Guides or on MommyMDGuides.com is not intended to replace the diagnosis, treatment, and services of a physician. Always consult your physician or child care expert if you have any questions concerning your family’s health. For severe or life-threatening conditions, seek immediate medical attention.}

Lorena Canals

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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.

Naptime to Nighttime Safety Tips

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New Mom Series: Car Seat Installation

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This is our first post in Gugu Guru’s New Mom Series, where we will be providing helpful information for new and expecting moms about preparing and registering for baby. For this Infant Car Seat feature, we have partnered up with expecting mama Terra LaRock, the leading brand in infant safety Britax and, the Baby Safety Zone powered by the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association). JPMA is a national trade organization representing 95% of the prenatal to preschool industry dedicated to the safe manufacturing and usage of products.

When Terra LaRock, who is expecting her first baby, was researching car seats the most important factor was safety. Terra is 36 weeks along and most experts will tell you that installing your car seat 4-6 weeks before your due date is a smart idea, just in case you go into labor early. As you may or may not know, most hospitals won’t let you leave without an installed car seat.

Based on her lifestyle and budget, Gugu Guru recommended the Britax B-Safe 35 Elite Infant Car Seat for her registry. The B-Safe car seat is engineered to exceed the highest safety standards out there. Aside from the B-Safe being built to last, parents and caregivers love that the seat is easy to adjust and comfortable for your child as s/he grows. In Terra’s words:

“We settled on the Britax car seat because it got rave reviews for safety and it is much lighter to carry than many of the other car seats we tried out. We also love how easy it is to click in and out of the base and the fabric appears super easy to maintain and keep clean. The extra bonus of this Britax car seat happens to be the color and pattern choices—they are so fun!”

Terra loved the perfectly unisex Cactus Green color (Baby LaRock’s gender is a surprise!)

The next step? Reading up on Car Seat Safety on Baby Safety Zone‘s website. The Baby Safety Zone is an information hub and community for parents and caregivers. Baby Safety Zone helps make safety fun, one baby product at a time. It’s very important for new parents to check resources like this because the unfortunate fact is that *most* car seats are installed incorrectly.

Tip: Some parents will tell you that you can go to the your local fire department for installation. We see this as a “checking your work” step and don’t recommend you have a safety technician or fire department personnel install the seat from the start. While these are great resources, it’s important that YOU know how to install it yourself.

For example, did you know that a properly installed car seat should not move more than an inch in any direction? Learn more helpful tips for proper safe use and installation of a child’s car seat with Baby Safety Zone’s informative car seat safety infographic. (Find it here or scroll down to the bottom of this post.)

Featured in this week’s New Mom Series:

Terra LaRock
Terra is an educator who lives in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with her husband, Perry, and their husky named Rio. She enjoys gardening, floral design, bluegrass music and getting their home ready for baby’s arrival. Terra is expecting their first baby at the end of October and the gender is a surprise!
Follow Terra on Instagram at @LoveAndLaRock

Britax
Britax has been leading the way in child safety technology for more than 70 years. Always innovating, always focusing on what’s best for the child, always going beyond ‘good enough’. From Europe’s best-selling car seat brand, Britax has become one of the brands most trusted by American families since they launched here in 1996.

Since then, Britax has revolutionized side impact protection, transformed safe seat installation, and introduced a range of smart strollers designed around the changing needs of today’s families.
Visit Britax at: https://us.britax.com/

The Baby Safety Zone is powered by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. JPMA is a national trade organization representing 95% of the prenatal to preschool industry. Today, JPMA represents 250 companies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico who manufacture, import and/or distribute infant products such as cribs, car seats, strollers, bedding, and a wide range of accessories and decorative items.
Visit the Baby Safety Zone at: https://babysafetyzone.org

Learn helpful tips for proper safe use and installation of a child’s car seat with Baby Safety Zone’s informative car seat safety info graphic here:

Bottle Style: Plastic or Glass?

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Glass or Plastic – Which one is best for your lifestyle? Here’s the team at Gugu Guru‘s list of pros and cons to help you decide which is best for you.

Also consider: Stainless steel are arguably the safest bottles for feeding and will keep liquids hot or cold for longer, but they definitely need to be hand washed. If your interest is piqued, check out the Pura Kiki infant bottle.

PLASTIC

Pros

Plastic bottles are lighter weight than glass. Lighter bottles make it easier for baby to start self-feeding earlier.
Plastic bottles are less expensive than their glass counterparts.
And, maybe most notably: plastic bottles don’t break.

Hint: If you prefer plastic but don’t want the hassle of constantly washing the bottles try bottles that use disposable liners.

Cons

The most obvious reason moms are shying away from using plastic bottles is the BPA factor. The chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), which can leach out when heated, is linked to an increased risk of hormonal disruption. The FDA issued a ban on the use of BPA in baby bottles in 2012, however, alarmists are claiming that other chemicals in plastic are just as harmful as BPA, but there is no scientific evidence to back this up.
Many moms feel best washing their plastic bottles in the top rack of the dishwasher or even hand washing. If you don’t want to hand wash and you don’t have a dish washer, you’ll need to buy a bottle sterilizer.

GLASS

Pros

Safety rules with glass bottles. No potentially scary chemicals here.
You can give glass bottles a second life as water or juice glasses.
Glass bottles can get washed in the top or bottom rack of the dishwasher without any risk of harmful chemicals, like BPA, leaching out.
Glass is greener for the environment.

Cons

They’re heavy. Try schlepping one or two around in your diaper bag for the day.
They cost more money than plastic.
There’s always a possibility of breakage with glass.
Glass can get chipped without actually breaking, so you’ll need to be on the lookout for any cracks before handing it over to baby.

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