technology

Evoz Monitor Review

On the market for a new baby monitor? Check out this Evoz Monitor Review from our friend and Gugu Concierge expert, Amber Michel, founder of Your Milk Shoppe.

When opening the package what I noticed first was how compact the device is, which means the installation is super quick and easy. Can we say parent WIN??!! Because of its simplicity and easy install, traveling with this Evoz monitor is super easy, as all you’re packing is the one device that syncs up directly to your phone app that acts as your personal monitor.

Because this device is married with your phone, you have a bit more freedom to walk around with phone in hand acting as your very own monitor. Again, this is a major win for any parent who does not want to sit in one place, monitor in hand, with the fear of losing reception and the screenshot of their baby. You can truly go anywhere in your home, back yard included.

Evoz provides you with a lot of helpful parenting tools for your baby’s sleep patterns; it helps you get a better idea of how long it takes your baby to fall asleep. It also helps you determine how to respond when your baby wakes up at night through an option called “cry alert” and that can be sent to you via SMS, Email or Push alerts. You are truly plugged in, even when you’re not staring at the monitor, and that is liberating.

What I enjoyed most when using the Evoz monitor with my little one was that I wasn’t the only parent dialed into the app on my phone. My husband could also access it on his phone. (And, keep in mind, when we are using this app, we can talk to our little ones through our phones, soothing them back to sleep). And get this, when I wanted to take a bath, I was able to relax and take a bath while my husband could keep an eye on the baby while she slept (or didn’t ?). There is total freedom in sharing the parenting responsibility at bed time!

Evoz Monitor Review bottom line: Evoz Vision WiFi Video Baby Monitor is a great pick for modern, connected, working parents.

About Your Milk Shoppe
A Gugu Concierge network partner, Your Milk Shoppe is a group of certified Maternity Consultants and Child Prep Educators. They affordable services to moms such as Parenting Classes, Baby Planning, Product Recommendation, Local Referral Partner Lists and Nanny Placement. The goal is to support and empower moms, while ensuring a seamless transition into their new life that is parenthood. Your Milk Shoppe is the milk that keeps the moms alive throughout their parenting journey – because moms need milk, too!

Check out these other posts from the ladies of Your Milk Shoppe:

Great Gift Ideas: Foodie Mom Friends

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

It can be hard to make new mom friends, and often we’ve found that it is easier to bond over something you both like…and who doesn’t like food? We rounded up some great gift ideas for your foodie loving mama friends – and also asked our baby planners where some great places to meet new mom friends are – plus their picks for gifts for foodie moms!

What does a foodie mama need, and where can you find foodie mama friends?

Being a new mom can be super lonely; spending all day with a newborn gets long, real quick – so, we always tell our new moms to get the diaper bag ready and head out into the world. If you’re a foodie fan, there are lots of places to go meet other new moms. We asked our Baby Planners where foodie moms can find new friends, and also what their one must have item for foodie mamas is:

Gugu Guru’s Founder, Monica: When I ask seasoned mamas, especially those who work outside of the home, to share their tips for a work/life balance – “food prep” seems to always come up. In my house, we cannot live without our VeeTee rice. VeeTee tastes like delicious, gourmet rice but it’s ready in just 2 minutes in your microwave. And even though it has no artificial flavors or preservatives, it lasts a whole year in your pantry so you can always have it on-hand.

Jessica Zablan of The Birth and Baby Company: Our must have foodie item is a good Mason Jar. They can be used for food storage, you can drink from them, and it’s easy to take them with you. Join your local Co-Op to meet other parents that love food. Most Co-Ops support local farmers and small businesses.

Kimmie Johnson, Maternity Consultant, Co-Founder at Your Milk Shoppe, Chicago, IL: Every Foodie mama needs a go-to blog for inspo and recipes. Mine are, Skinny Taste, Iowa Girl Eats, and Frugal Foodie Mama. [The Gugu Guru team also loves our friend Ali over at Inspiralized!]

Amber Michels, Maternity Consultant, Founder at Your Milk Shoppe, Greenville, SC: My one must-have would be easy go-to recipes to have on hand for those days that seem to run on forever and also any kind of wine and/or meal delivery service! Just because us moms don’t have time to cook and drink all things amazing doesn’t mean we can’t pay for a service to bring the yummy goodness to our homes. Not to mention, the whole household is extra happy and fed! I suggest juice shops to meet other foodie moms. As far as juice shops, I love Southern Pressed Juicery. There is nothing like their energy bowl, The Green Monstah. Every one of us moms would kill for something that tastes good, is healthy and gives us a boost of energy!

Some of our favorite Foodie Finds:

Junkless Bars: As a new mom, you’ll find that you always need to bring a snack for yourself in the diaper bag. Sometimes you get stuck under a sleeping baby, or strolling a baby to sleep…for a long time, and you get hungry! We’re huge fans of Junkless Bars for many reasons – they come in four delicious flavors, cinnamon roll, strawberry, peanut butter chocolate chip, and chocolate-chip. Why are they called Junkless? Each granola bar is made with just eight or fewer basic, real ingredients – ingredients that are pronounceable and commonly found in most kitchen pantries; plus they are non-GMO. These are also a great snack for toddlers!

Partake Cookies: If you’re breastfeeding, you’re going to probably need to pack some snacks for yourself because you’ll be hungry throughout the day. However, some moms need to steer clear of dairy or gluten when it comes to breastfeeding, which is why we’re loving Partake Cookies. These delicious (totally addictive!) cookies are certified Gluten Free, certified Vegan, OU Kosher, and Non GMO Project Verified! Furthermore, they are also free of the Top 8 Allergens: no peanuts, no tree nuts, no egg, no soy, no milk, no wheat, no fish, no shellfish, no corn, no sesame, no sulfites. If you’re heading to meet a new mom for the first time and unsure if she, or her little one, is allergic, Partake is a great snack choice to bring along; safe for all – and really yummy.

BizyBelle Snack Bags: Need something to pack all of those snacks in and throw in the diaper bag? We’re fans of reusable snack bags, especially the adorable designs from BizyBelle (ahem, these make really cute little gifts for mom friends!). These handy bags are cotton with a velcro closure and easily washable (phew!).

Dert Bags: It seems as though farmer’s market shopping is a very popular past-time for mom friends, so make sure you’re prepared with Dert Bags. Why are we obsessed with Dert? These eco-friendly bags are sturdy and easy to clean…and fold up into adorable little animals! Stuff the bag back into the holder and it forms an animal shape – super easy to throw into your stroller or diaper bag.

Little Teether: Foodie fun can be had with babies too, especially when it comes to cute teething items. Little Teether is your one-stop-shop for teething toys and necklaces. Check out how adorable those donut teething rings are! They are 100% silicone and BPA free; feel free to freeze them, too. They’re easily washable and lightweight for little hands.

Party at Your Door: It may be a Monday afternoon, but you and your mom friends should celebrate being awesome with Party at Your Door. This adorable shop creates everything you’d need to throw a fun bash, including custom confetti – how cool is that!

Little Spoon: Little Spoon’s motto is, “it’s fresh, baby,” and they mean it – Little Spoon creates baby food which is not only super fresh and shipped to your door, but chock full of healthy ingredients and enticing flavors. With their signature baby spoons built into their packaging, their BabyBlends take your little one through the process of trying new foods, with flavors such as Beet Tahini Chickpea Apple Brown Rice Cardamom, Blueberry Chickpea Spinach Pear Rosemary, and Quinoa Raspberry Pear Coconut Milk Vanilla Date Wheat Germ Oil. Let’s be honest, you and your mama friends will most likely dig in before baby gets a chance, but as long as you share, we’re okay with it!

Little Nugget Co.: We’ve written about why we’re fans of Little Nugget before, and when it comes to food time for baby, you want to make sure the Little Nugget app is downloaded on your phone. Little Nugget uses artwork overlays to perfectly mark your baby’s exciting milestones and sweet moments! Select from beautiful fonts to add your little one’s name, measurements and memories you never want to forget. Easily edit your baby photo with a selection of over 15 beautiful photo filters. And, when you’re done, have the photos sent to your for the baby book or share with family and friends.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Cover image via Extra On Top

Smart Baby Must Haves with Project Nursery

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Are you a gadget geek looking for smart baby must haves for your home? We have always been huge fans of Project Nursery and the nursery inspiration that the site provides on a daily basis. Over the past couple years, Project Nursery has been rolling out their own line of smart devices for the home from monitors to their awesome Smart Band, these are smart baby must haves that every expectant and new parent should check out – especially techies.

WiFi Monitor
Checking in on Baby is as close as your smartphone or tablet, with the Project Nursery Wi-Fi Baby Monitor. The free Project Nursery password-protected app makes it easy to be there when you can’t. Simple to set up and easy to navigate, the Project Nursery Wi-Fi baby monitor includes a camera with pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities, making it the perfect way to keep in touch.

Digital Zoom Monitor
Take advantage of naptime and tackle your to-do list while keeping an eye on Baby. Project Nursery’s newest video monitor system includes all the features you need at an affordable price. Finally, you can do it all without compromising.

SmartBand
The Project Nursery Parent + Baby SmartBand is a first-of-its-kind wearable device created specifically for parents and powered by world-class technology. From scheduling and tracking events for mom and baby to streamlining digital communications, the SmartBand offers thoughtful features and capabilities to simplify daily family life and keep Baby and Mom healthy through infancy and beyond.

Sight and Sound Projector
Soothe baby with preloaded lullabies and nature sounds, or stream them from your Bluetooth® device. Stimulate learning with engaging images and shapes projected on the nursery ceiling or wall.

Bear with Nightlight
Soothe baby to sleep with high-quality sounds from nature or a melodic lullaby. The soft glow of the nightlight creates a tranquil environment so your little one can drift to sleep more easily. Its playful design, combining well-placed controls and offering AC or battery power, makes it fun and easy to use.

Interested in learning more about Project Nursery? Check out these posts:
Project Nursery Baby Monitor

Project Nursery Shop: Jenny Lind Crib

Smart Baby Must Haves Giveaway

Back to Sleep: Snuza Pico Wearable Monitor

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Back to Sleep week is focused on safe and healthy sleep for baby. Today’s post featured the Snuza Pico wearable monitor, which is a must-have for tech-oriented parents, parents of newborns, parents of multiples, parents of toddlers, and great for traveling.

We have highlighted another amazing Snuza product – the Hero – in our past Back to Sleep event. The Snuza Pico wearable monitor is an advanced multi-sensor smart device for infants and children. For the first year of life, the Snuza Pico wearable monitor provides peace-of-mind movement monitoring in addition to sleep analytics, skin temperature and body position monitoring. After one year of age, the movement monitoring function may be turned off, allowing caregivers to primarily monitor their child’s sleep patterns, which has been proven to be a critical aspect of healthy brain development.

The monitor attaches to baby’s diaper and connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone app. The Pico uses a patented contactless sensor, meaning it does not need to be in direct contact with the baby’s skin, which reduces false alarms caused by loss of contact. If there is no abdominal movement detected after 15 seconds, the device will gently vibrate in an effort to rouse the child awake. After 20 seconds of no abdominal movement, the Pico will alarm.

The Snuza Pico wearable monitor is a fantastic investment in safe sleep, because it provides parents with a peace of mind so that everyone in the family can rest easy. Plus, while you can utilize the movement monitoring function for up to one year, you can turn that function off after your baby is over a year and simply monitor your child’s sleep patterns. By monitoring your child’s sleep patterns with the Snuza Pico, it will allow for you to figure out which sleep habits work best for your family, letting everyone rest easier.

The Snuza Pico is available at Best Buy, BabiesRUs.com, Target.com, and Amazon

New Mom Review: 4moms moxi + car seat

by Gugu Guru 1 Comment

Theresa – Gugu Guru’s head of design and new mommy to adorable Robbie – was so excited to be able to try out the moxi stroller and self-installing car seat from 4moms. If you don’t know 4moms, we think of them as Apple computer-like innovators for parents. 4moms’ gear is thoughtfully designed with some of the coolest tech around. Read what Theresa calls out as the pros and cons for the stroller and car seat below (and although Theresa received these products for review from 4moms, all opinions are her own.)

moxi stroller ($699.99)

Pro: Just Downright Cool Technology
This carriage has a cell phone charger port – totally handy! It will also tell you how fast you are going, distance, etc. I really love that the stroller features lights if you are out walking at dusk (trying to get baby to snooze) – super neat!

Pro: Self Charging! (most of the time)
The carriage has a generator in it so it does not require batteries for any of its awesome features! (Caveat: the generator will only last if the carriage is used frequently, if not, you have to plug it in and charge it to use all its cool technology.)

Pro: Easy to Open and Close
It was so easy to open and close the carriage for travel.

Con: Little Pouch for Belongings
The little pouch for your belongings is open. I didn’t totally love this because if my phone or wallet is in it I felt uncomfortable walking away from the carriage, even a little, while out in public. Editor’s note: 4moms really designed this to make your phone easily accessible, hence no zipper.

Con: Converting The Seat To Accommodate An Older Child
The infant carrier and the regular seat for older baby are two separate pieces (separate from the carriage base itself). Even though the regular seat is not hard to attach, it has to be completely converted to work. So if you have two kids, one older one infant, you can only use the carriage exclusively for one or the other in a single outing. Editors note: We spoke to 4moms about this and they said that their test parents have found this process to be very easy – clicking/unclicking two belts on the backside of the seat and turning the seat around. The three configurations are meant to grow with the child – so normally, you wouldn’t be switching back and forth regularly for two different children – although you certainly could.

Self-Installing Car Seat ($499.99)

Pro: Extra AWESOME Technology
The 4moms app will not only self-install the car seat as promised, it will also adjust positioning and tension as your baby grows. It will let you know if carrier is in correctly and it will also alert you if you leave the carrier (and baby) in the car. Pretty cool! Plus the software that runs the car seat base can regularly be updated with new features and functionality right through your smartphone.

Pro: Infant Fit
The car seat comes with an additional infant insert to be used for 4-11 pounds and really helps baby sit comfortably and securely – especially when baby is on the smaller side. Also, the bottom buckle is more rigid, verses just a fabric piece, so it makes it very easy to get baby in the seat (without them sitting on it.)

Con: Requires Eight (8) D Batteries
All the the extra technology that you get with the 4moms app will only work with the addition of the batteries in the base. When baby was only 6 weeks, the batteries died. (Who has time to run outside and change batteries in the carseat once a month?!) Editor’s Note: According to 4moms, this may have been an issue in some of the first units, but today, that issue has been resolved. By downloading the new update (version 4.16), the battery life will be significantly extended. The battery life should last the life cycle of one baby in the car seat. New baby, new batteries.

Con: A Couple Technology Fails
A couple of times the base alerted that the car seat carrier was not in correctly when it was. One of the times we were an hour from home and listened to it ding and false alarm the whole way home. We couldn’t fix this until we could take it out and reinstall which we couldn’t do being an hour away – a little annoying. Editor’s Note: We spoke to 4moms and they said if the carrier is not detected, as described, the issue can often be resolved just by lifting the carrier out, and placing it back in the base. Typically, a re-installation of the base is not needed. 4moms is launching another software update that will further improve the user experience and reduce the occurrence of false alarms, such as this one.

Product Discovery: Angelcare Movement Monitor

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-Sponsored Post-

As a new parent, you want to have every opportunity to watch your little one sleep; however, life is busy, and that’s just not possible. Luckily, Angelcare has just released a new movement monitor which is sure to bring peace to many parents’ mind! Angelcare, the worldwide leader in movement monitoring, continues to pk-callout the baby monitoring corner with their new Angelcare AC417 Video Movement Monitor with Wireless Pad. Angelcare is known for their monitors which are designed to sense baby’s slightest movements and sound an alarm if no movement is detected after 20 seconds. However, the new Video Movement Monitor with Wireless Pad takes the act of monitoring to a whole new, and very modern, level.

The new wireless sensor pad goes under the crib mattress and can track subtle movements (like breathing, rolling and kicking) that audio and video monitors can’t detect. This means parents can truly monitor all of baby’s slightest movements. This touchscreen monitor from Angelcare offers the only wireless movement sensor pad in the market and features new data analytics that sense and track baby’s activity level. Imagine being able to track every move your baby makes; very reassuring for a new parent! Furthermore, with this insight into baby’s activity level during sleep, parents are better able to adapt routines and respond to baby’s needs.

The sleek design of the new Angelcare monitor will surely fit into any home decor style. In the nursery, the wireless sensor pad is accompanied by a low profile, wall-mountable video camera with wide-angle lens and color-changing room temperature display. The new parent unit features a large touchscreen display (4.3” inches) which enables parents to check on the baby in real time, and track baby’s activity level with up to two months of data stored. Very cool!

This Angelcare Video Movement Monitor is expandable for up to 4 cameras (sold separately) and has night vision, too. It features adjustable movement sensitivity levels, and you can even tell room temperature display – so baby won’t get too hot or too cold. The wide angle lens has digital zoom, and two way talk means you can sing to baby from another room in the house. This monitor is a must-have item for any new, or seasoned, parent. It’s more than just a baby monitor; this Angelcare Video Movement Monitor is a peace of mind for parents, as it not only monitors every movement of baby’s, but tracks and records all data as well. You can purchase this Angelcare monitor at Target online.

Thank you to Angelcare for making this sponsored post possible.

Product Discovery: Snuza Pico Movement Monitor

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–Sponsored Post–

As a new parent, when you’re handed a tiny infant to take care of, it can feel very overwhelming! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a way to monitor your new little one while they’re sleeping, so you can rest easy and sleep too? Snuza, known for spearheading the innovation in one of the biggest trends in the marketplace right now, wearable tech for infants, has just released their Snuza Pico Movement Monitor, which is unlike anything else on the market. While some of the newer baby movement monitors are fitted beneath the baby’s mattress, Snuza monitors attach directly to a baby’s diaper and alarms if no abdominal movement is detected. This early detection provided by Snuza monitors offers a solution to help bring peace of mind to parents.

However, Snuza has recently revolutionized the monitor market with their Snuza Pico. The revolutionary new Snuza Pico is the first wearable baby movement monitor in the line that allows parents to directly connect to a smartphone or tablet via a Bluetooth App! The Pico attaches to your baby’s diaper and using a patented contactless sensor, monitors abdominal movement of your baby. By using this contactless sensor, the Pico does not need to touch your baby’s skin, which in turn reduces the amount of false alarms caused by loss of contact. If there is no abdominal movement detected after 15 seconds, the device will vibrate in an effort to rouse the child awake. After 20 seconds of no abdominal movement, the Pico will alarm. Parents can also select an optional movement rate warning, which alerts parents if baby’s abdomen moves less than eight times per minute.

The App, which is Apple and Android compatible, also monitors a baby’s abdominal movement, skin temperature, sleeping position (side, face-down, face up) and fall detector. It also features an on/off button and alerts parents if they become out of range. The Pico unit can be accessed by multiple smartphones so that parents and/or caregivers can monitor multiple Pico units from one or more smartphones. Snuza wearable movement monitors are made with hypo-allergenic, medical grade plastics and do not send or receive radio frequency signals. There are NO wires, cords, cables or sensor pads that could potentially harm baby. Weighing only 1oz, these monitors are the lightest of their kind on the market today.

For more information, check out the Snuza website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Thank you to Snuza for making great products to keep our babies safe and for also making this post possible.

Vote on Your Favorite Breast Pump Innovation!

by Gugu Guru 4 Comments

From hands-free to cordless to whisper quiet features, there are lots of new developments in the breast pump category right now. Gugu Guru wants to know what you think so vote on your favorite using the thumbs up icon today! (Did we miss an innovation? Comment below to let us know what should be on the list!) Winner gets the Gugu Picks badge!

Holiday Gift Idea: UviCube for the Technology Loving Mama

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We’ve found the perfect holiday gift for all of the high tech and technology-obsessed parents you know! New parents (and seasoned ones) are all about keeping baby healthy and safe, especially during the germ season of Wintertime. Luckily, UviCube, a new essential baby item, is here to keep the things your baby loves totally germ-free! It is the first of its kind in the U.S. market, to dry, store and eliminate 99.9% of bacteria on surfaces exposed to UV light on items such as baby bottles, bottle nipples and pacifiers, but can also sanitize electronics, mobile phones, toys and other items your baby might like to touch or teethe on.

In the past, parents have used sterilizers and dishwashers to keep baby’s bottles free from germs and mold, but what about all of the other things baby may chew on or touch? UviCube uses direct UV light (without moisture or heat) to eliminate 99.9% of harmful bacteria to sanitize bottles, pacifiers, mobile phones, remote controls…if it’s in baby’s mouth or hands, UviCube will keep it clean! UviCube disinfects using low heat infra-red light bulb to dry and ultraviolet light – this means there’s no worry about burning your fingers taking hot bottles out to use – safe for mama and baby.

Not only is UviCube important because it keeps the bottles clean and sanitized, but it helps keep mama’s brain organized, because there won’t be bottles strewn about the counters all the time! You can store the bottles in the UviCube and take when needed, keeping them ready to go at all times. Baby drop a pacifier or toy? Just place it in the UviCube and disinfect. It’s so easy to use and safe for baby, parents, and your house. No more boiling water for bottles, pump parts, and nipples, the UviCube is able to safely disinfect anything you put in it. Baby love to play with your phone, or toddler watches videos? Don’t let germs spread in your house this holiday season – the UviCube is there for your keys, phone, and anything baby touches, play withs, or gnaws on.

This holiday season, UviCube wants you to focus on your family, and less time on cleaning! Instead of spending hours washing pump parts, bottles, and baby gear – throw it in the UviCube and focus on the important things, like your loved ones. If you’re traveling this season, make sure to disinfect everything as soon as you get back home; just place in the UviCube and let the UV light work its magic. The UviCube is an ideal gift, for anyone with kids, as it’s not just a baby product, it’s a family essential, for keeping everyone healthy, happy, and clean, year round.

Back to Sleep Day 12: Owlet

by Gugu Guru 6 Comments

With unintentional suffocation the leading cause of injury death among U.S. children under the age of one, it’s no wonder parents often have trouble getting a good night’s sleep during baby’s first year. So, on the twelfth day of Back To Sleep, we are featuring a company that has an amazing mission when it comes to safe sleep: Owlet. Owlet is a device worn like a sock on your baby’s foot designed to alert you if your baby stops breathing. With the Owlet monitor, parents and caregivers can rest easy knowing there is an extra set of eyes watching over baby.

While Owlet is certainly cutting edge, this is actually a “smart” device you don’t really need to be a gadget geek to appreciate. The Owlet device uses hospital technology called pulse oximetry, miniaturized into a snuggly Smart Sock that your little one wears to bed at night. The base station collects vitals data from the Smart Sock via bluetooth to the base station located on the parents’ night stand. Then parents can remotely monitor vitals within the smart phone app.

If you’re a working parent and especially one that may leave baby at daycare, you can have peace of mind that Owlet is monitoring baby, providing peace of mind. Owlet is the only monitor that uses hospital technology designed to alert if your baby’s heart rate or oxygen fall outside of range. Plus if both parents work both of you can access your child’s information on the Owlet app from your respective smartphones.

Owlet was founded by a team of passionate parents who wanted to bring themselves—and other parents around the globe—peace of mind. The co-founders of Owlet, all of whom are young fathers, have learned firsthand what it is like to lose sleep worrying about their babies. As parents, the team at Owlet feels that they are their own target market – all have young children and all have experienced the stress of coming home that first night and the hundreds of the feelings and emotions that come with it. The Owlet team is built around this knowledge and passion for helping others.

PRODUCT WIDGET – ID: 56608c746336361092420500

Note: all sleep tips are independent to all the products featured in Back to Sleep and Kim West is not endorsing these products unless otherwise indicated.

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