One thing to note: Now that we have two littles, I sometimes try to make bath time a little more efficient by taking everyone into the shower. Because of it’s size, I thought this mat would be perfect for the shower floor. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s designed for standing as the surface is just a little too slick for the shower, so I would definitely recommend using for seated children in the tub only. Which leads to another size tip – the mat is the perfect size for one baby. If you bathe two together, I’d suggest getting one for each of them.  Double the fun!

For the functionality, I found the structure of the bra to be really conducive to nursing. The foundation of the bra provided strong structure, but when the panel drops, there is plenty of exposure for the nipple/breast. I prefer this, as opposed to a really small opening that tends not to line up right, leading to pulling and stretching of the bra. I also liked that there wasn’t a ton of bulky fabric to fold down. The clasps are strong, but I often find that I require both hands to open and close them securely.

For a non-underwire bra, it is very supportive. But, it is still a non-underwire bra so I didn’t get as much lift as I would have liked. The design includes ruching in the center that provides separation, so it’s definitely a step up from wearing a sports bra.

In sum, this is a great every day nursing bra that makes breastfeeding easier for both mom and baby and looks good under all types of clothing.

It’s amazing to me how much gear babies need. But what is more amazing to me is that even after the first baby, I still needed more gear! With two kids under two in separate rooms, we have two cribs, two sets of bedding, etc. To cut down on even more stuff, I had been relying on a hodge podge of gadgets to get my daughter to sleep: a fan for a white noise machine, a humidifier that serves as a nightlight, and a digital clock for telling time. When my son came along, though, I didn’t want to nor was I able to replicate that complicated web of half-solutions. So, I was super excited to get the (one of my favorite baby products companies), that seemed to elegantly combine all the functionality I needed into one cute package.

The Serenity Star is a feeding and sleep system that combines a breastfeeding tracker, nightlight, white noise machine, digital clock, and room temperature indicator into one simple, stylish device. It can run on batteries or plug directly into the wall and looks like a piece of nursery decor, rather than the technical powerhouse that it is. On that alone, I was sold – we could all use a lot more cute and a lot less complicated in our lives, right?! While I did have to consult the instruction manual, it was up and running in just a few minutes. Here’s the lowdown:

Pros:
* It’s an aesthetically pleasing addition to any nursery, regardless of theme.
* The star efficiently combines what could be 5 different items into one, saving space and money.
* The timer allows you to set the duration of the white noise, so you won’t have to go back in later to shut it off once the baby is asleep.
* A quick push of a button allows you to record last feeding. You might think this is unnecessary, but in the depths of sleep deprivation, it’s hard to remember even the simplest of things.

Cons:
* The light is really bright, perhaps too bright, especially if you’re trying to get a newborn’s days/nights turned around. (On the plus side, though, you can do a diaper change without turning on the lights.) I wish the light were on the same timer as the noise and could turn off after a certain amount of time as well.
* The white noise options weren’t particularly soothing to me.  I would like to have an ocean or rain option.
* Rather than using color to indicate temperature, I would prefer it to indicate time of day. Green when it’s ok to get out of bed, and red when it’s 4am, for example. Then we could really get rid of all other devices in the room.

In all, this is a powerful shining star that does a lot of work in a little space. It’s an elegant solution to many needs and I hope the next version does even more.  

The most important thing to me about bath products is that they be free of any dangerous ingredients and these fit the bill. No parabens, no sulfates, no phthalates, no BPA. I felt comfortable putting them on my child (or, I should say, letting my child put them all over herself!). But both stacked up to the rest of our collection in all other ways, too.  Nice packaging, no greasy feel/residue, didn’t dry skin and, well, they worked for getting us clean and moisturized. The lotion is really light and absorbs easily, very comparable to California Baby Everyday Lotion. And the soap has an easy-to-apply consistency, a bit thicker than Babyganics, but not too gooey.  Both have earned a permanent place in our rotation.

The one thing I to note, though, is these are definitely not for you if you prefer a fragrance-free product.  The sandalwood scent stands out – I could smell it in the hallway one night when my husband was in charge of bath time. So if you have a sensitive nose, you’ll probably want to smell before you buy to make sure you’ll enjoy the scent.