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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

Trend: Versatile Wearables

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We recently did a trend report for Bundle Organics on New Mom Essentials and we called out in that report the almost expectation now that products like nursing covers be multi-functional; doubling as car seat covers, scarves and even swaddles. We started seeing this versatility trend in other categories too from gear to furnishings and clothing. This trend is not only driven by the attraction to smart design but also by practicality; today’s moms are generally looking to reduce waste and their footprint when it comes to consumer goods. Here are some of the top trending Versatile Wearable products plus some of our favorite brands to check out for each:

The Cozy Joey by Mulier NYC

Outerwear
Now moms no longer have to worry about purchasing several different coats for different stages of mommyhood. From pregnancy to babywearing and beyond, maternity apparel brands are now offering outerwear that conforms to a mom’s varying fashion needs. What’s more is that some of these versatile outerwear pieces are multi-seasonal too.

Brands to check out: Mulier NYC (Cozy Joey), The M Coat, Japanese Weekend (Mama Coat)

NüRoo Pocket Shirt

Kangaroo / Skin-On-Skin Shirts
Day-to-day apparel is also now multi-purpose as we see baby wearing shirts – often described as “Kangaroo” shirts – emerging as a trend in the category. Moms no longer necessarily need to purchase a wrap style carrier and nursing tops as we’re seeing these two items blending. The bonus is this wearable offers the benefits of both baby wearing and skin-on-skin, such as free hands, increased milk production, promotion of well-being for mama & baby and more.

Brands to check out: NüRoo (Pocket Shirt), Lalabu (Soothe Shirt), Milk & Baby (Kangaroo Care Shirt) Hint: if you like this trend, be sure to check the details of any brand you’re considering because some of these shirts do not adhere to baby carrying standards. The NüRoo Pocket is one that adheres to sling carrier standards and carries up to 45lbs.

Go-Go Babyz Sidekick

Dual-Purpose Diaper Bag
In the past, the overarching trend seemed to be diaper bags that don’t look like diaper bags. That still holds true for many brands in terms of the overall product design strategy (to see some of our favorites from that trend, see our post here). Now diaper bags are combining with other baby gear categories; doubling up as baby carriers, breast pump bags and even bassinets. We are keeping a close eye on this trend – could there be a stroller diaper bag combo in our future?

Brands: Go-go Babyz (Sidekick), Nurse Purse, 3-In-1 Diaper Bag Bassinet

Sunsnapz Blankets

Multi-Functional Nursing Covers
Once nursing covers were no more than privacy covers for moms who planned to breastfeed outside of the home, but these covers now serve more than one purpose (and some serve five or six!) Many of the popular styles double as car seat canopies or even swaddles.

Brands to check out: Sunsnapz, Cover Me Ponchos, Milk Snob, Shuga Bebe Couture

Little Raindrop Designs Mommy & Me Teething Bracelet in Bubble Mint

Teething Jewelry
Where teething jewelry used to be limited to a few brands, this is now a very fast growing category and some brands boast a cult-like following. Just like any statement jewelry line, some of the more popular teething jewelry brands have signature styles or palettes. Many of these baubles are made of baby-safe, non-toxic 100% silicone.

Brands to check out: Chewbeads, Mama & Little, Little Raindrop Design

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!

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/

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 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:

DockATot

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Today we feature DockATot – a completely unique, versatile and chicly designed product developed in Europe.

Why Gugu Guru loves the super stylish DockATot:

Careful consideration given to the overall design, functionality and safety.
Unique shape and design allow babies to comfortably lounge, play, snuggle and log in some tummy time.
Little one feels snuggled in a safe haven that feels a lot like the womb.
Bumpers made with a special air-permeable fabric that makes DockATot particularly worry-free.
Lightweight and perfect for travel.

Don’t just take it from us, here’s what certified baby and child sleep consultant Jenni June has to say:

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.