Pregnancy Magazine » Marisa Goldstein

Bumbo floor seat

Marisa Goldstein — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:52:18 +0000

I have been using the Bumbo floor seat for about a month. I got it when my son was only 5 months old and could not sit on his own. We are still using the Bumbo today even though he is 6 months old and fully able to sit on his own. The Bumbo has many uses and I am sure I have not discovered them all.

I originally used the Bumbo with my son to help him sit up and see the world from a different point of view. After about 5 minutes or so he would get tired and I would take him out. Over time he adjusted to being in a seated position and was able to stay in the Bumbo for longer stretches of time. Now he is 6 months old and he enjoys being in the Bumbo for any reasonable length of time. It is a comfy seat for him and the safety strap keeps him contained.

Now that my son likes sitting up, we use the Bumbo for feeding. He just started solids and I put him in the Bumbo when it is time for him to eat. It works as a great little booster seat. I sit on the kitchen floor and feed him while he sits in the Bumbo.

Another way we use the floor seat is for playing. I put a basket of toys in front of my son while he sits in the Bumbo and he pulls all the toys out and sticks them in his mouth while strapped into the seat. When he gets done with that he sucks on the seat belt of the Bumbo. I know its not intended for that but it provides great entertainment.

I also have a 1.5 yr old daughter who loves the Bumbo too. She calls it the “baby chair” and when she is jealous of her baby brother she goes and sits in it.

This floor seat is great and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of sitting assistance for their little one.

Innopbaby Sippin’ Smart™ ez flow straw sippy / 10 oz

Marisa Goldstein — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:34:49 +0000

My 17 month old has been using the Sippin’ Smart™ ez flow straw sippy / 10 oz for a month now. Before I comment on this cup I would like to say that my daughter has chewed through every sippy cup I have given her or stuck her finger in the silicone slit of the spout and ripped it wide open. She is the true sippy cup durability tester. If a cup thinks it is spill proof, leak proof, or anything proof, just give it to my daughter to prove it wrong!

So now for my opinion of the Sippin’ Smart™ ez flow straw sippy / 10 oz. This cup has a straw that my daughter simply cannot stick her finger into no matter how hard she tries. It is strong yet easy to sip from. The cup has handles so it is easy to hold and it also has a flip top that closes down on the straw. My daughter was able to detach the flip top by throwing the cup across the room so I have just left it off to avoid any aggravation on my end. The cup works flawlessly without this orange flip top to protect the straw. Inside the cup, the straw is weighted with a ball so even the last drop of milk is sipped right up. The very best part of this cup is that it comes with a skinny mini straw cleaner so you can be sure to get any liquid residue out and have a super clean cup for your child. This particular cup is plastic but Innobaby makes a stainless steel liner that you can insert. I wish I had that….

All in all, this cup is pretty good considering my daughter cant break it. The only…and I mean only complaint I can make is that occasionally the milk bubbles out of the top of the straw creating a tiny leak. I guess air gets in the straw and it pushes the milk out of the straw spout on its own The best way to avoid this from happening is to shut the flip top over the straw when it isn’t in use. Bravo to Innobaby for making this cup!

7 A.M. Enfant baby carriers

Marisa Goldstein — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:35:38 +0000

The 7 A.M. Enfant’s Blanket 212 eveloution and Le Sac Igloo are perhaps some of the highest quality and best designed items I own for my two children. I cannot give enough praise to these baby carrier covers. I am so impressed by the design, function and quality.

Pros:

These baby carrier covers are multiple things in one. They can be used as blankets, car seat covers, stroller covers and sleep sacs.
They provide a range of warmth. The B212 Evolution can be zipped up completely like a cocoon or left open like a blanket. The Le Sac has a detachable lining to add extra warmth when necessary. And both designs have hoods that can be zipped down to lay flat or zipped up to cover your child’s head. The Le Sac even has a detachable fur trim for extra warmth and style. They are all insulated for warmth and have cotton lining so they are soft against your child’s skin.
The bottom of both carriers has a zipper to allow your baby’s feet to come out. My daughter always has to have her feet out. I’m not sure if all kids are like this but even when it is cold she wants her feet to stick out of the bottom.
There are tons of colors to choose from. All the colors are beautiful and really stand out.
They are waterproof to keep your baby protected from the wet weather.
They are so comfortable. My kids snuggle up inside of their 7 A.M. Enfant carriers and peek out to see the world as if they are still in their beds at home!
The Blanket 212 is adjustable both lengthwise and widthwise. With snaps, zippers and Velcro you can adjust it various different ways to fit nearly any child. The Le Sac igloo can be purchased in 3 different sizes and although it is not necessarily adjustable lengthwise, it can be unzipped at the bottom to provide your growing child with more legroom by allowing him/her to stick their feet out.

Cons:

Costly but worth it!

I just love my 7 A.M. Enfant Le sac igloo and Blanket 212! They are the best baby carrier covers I have ever seen. They are so attractive and so well made. Living in San Francisco, these are essentials because it is always a little chilly here. I would recommend these products to any mommy in need of a little (or a lot of) warmth and comfort for their kids while out and about.

Evenflo Jump and Learn Excersaucer

Marisa Goldstein — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:10:08 +0000

The Evenflo Jump and Learn Excersaucer is the newest addition to our playroom. It has a jungle theme and is designed in multiple shades of green with colorful animals attached to its perimeter. All of the toys are easily detachable so we can take them along for my son to play with when we are out. Up above within arm’s reach there is a soft plush monkey that hangs from a green vine, a yellow lion perched up on a plastic leaf and an orange giraffe with colorful plastic rings on its neck. Along the rim of the excersaucer is a little tray for you to place a snack or drink as well as two toys that light up and play music. One musical toy is an elephant and the other is a little flip book with cute animals on the pages. The height of the bouncy seat is adjustable and at 4 months old, my son fits perfectly in the lowest setting with his toes just barely touching the floor.

Pros:

Very sturdy- this excersaucer is built very well and does not wobble or bend
Completely washable- The plastic parts are wipeable and the fabric seat is washable too
The height is adjustable giving your child room to grow
Detachable toys- you can pop the toys out of there spots quite easily so your child can play with them on the go
Attractive- the jungle theme and colorful animals help make this toy very visually appealing
Musical- the musical toys add extra stimulation and encourage your child to touch the different shapes and colors
Physical activity- allows your baby to use all parts of his/her body

Cons:

Because this excersauser is built so well, it is best to assemble it in the room in which you plan to keep it. It is not easily taken apart and it cannot fit through a doorway.

The Jump and Learn Excersaucer is great. I look forward to watching my son discover all the different things he can play with and learn from this toy. Since he is only 4 months old, I know this toy will provide him with many months of activity, both mental and physical.

My First Year card

Marisa Goldstein — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:12:56 +0000

The My First Year card by StrangeBirdyStudios is a detailed report card for all of your baby’s progress. It is made of lightweight cardboard, folds into three sections, is about 5×7 and contains a bunch of data for you to record about your little one. It allows you to keep track of everything form physical attributes such as eye and hair color to baby’s likes and dislikes along with motor skill milestones. It even records stuff you may not have thought about recording…like baby’s first Halloween costume and favorite way to fall asleep. This report card is a clever way to keep all of your child’s firsts in one place. It is also small enough to mail to your family and friends as a keepsake and to eventually file away with your other special tokens from this early stage of life. The cards come in packs of 5, 10 or 20 and come with white envelopes. These cards would make a great baby shower gift!

WarmZe bottle warmer

Marisa Goldstein — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:59:29 +0000

The WarmZe bottle warming wrap and bottle soc is a clever and convenient invention. Conceptually, it is very much like the boot warmers and hand warmers I use when I go snow skiing. The WarmZe starter kit comes with everything you need to warm your baby’s bottle when you are on the go. It comes with a warming wrap which is activated when removed from its plastic wrapper and hit the air, and a cute little cow print soc for your bottle which protects your bottle from the direct contact of the warming wrap. Together, these items completely warm the bottle within 30 minutes and can keep the bottle warm for nearly 12 hours. There is no need for electrical outlets or hot running water which makes this warmer perfect for travel or anytime you are not at home. To use it, you simply slip the bottle soc over your bottle, then unwrap the warming wrap from its plastic wrapper and wrap it around the bottle soc. It warms up by itself and looks cute while doing it. After the first time using this bottle warmer I was hooked. To make this warmer even better, it is reusable for the whole day…up to 12 hours! This feature allows me to be out all day with my kids and just pop the warmer back on when its time to warm the next bottle from my cooler. Sadly, however, the warming wraps eventually cool down and need to be thrown out, but the fact that they are environmentally friendly and non-toxic makes up for it.

I really like the WarmZe bottle warmer because I use glass bottles for my babies and they get so cold so fast. I usually travel with a cooler and an ice pack to keep the bottles cold and fresh but when it comes time to feed I find that they are too cold to give to my kids. I was happy to find the WarmZe bottle warming system because it is easy to use and does the job. The packaging also makes them easy to stick in my diaper bag and carry with me. I am usually pretty regimented about feeding my babies and I try to stick to a schedule and that is when this warmer is ideal. However, there are those days when my kids are just hungry all the time and I don’t have 30 minutes to wait for a bottle to warm. Even then, in a pinch, after just 10 minutes, the WarmZe has warmed my bottles enough to give my kids. Another way I use this warmer is I activate it as I leave the house so it is already warm when I need it. Then I can slip in on a bottle and within a few minute it takes the chill out. I have found ways to be creative with my WarmZe bottle warmer to make it work for me and I have been very satisfied. This is a great product!!

PAIGELAUREN baby romper

Marisa Goldstein — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:47:56 +0000

The PAIGELAUREN BABY – CLASSIC TWOFER ROMPER W/FOOTSIE with matching hat and little blanket is one of the sweetest little outfits I own for my new baby boy. It is so very soft and comfy for my little guy and he looks so adorable in it. I have the meadow green colored romper which is just beautiful on him. It has snaps running down the entire length of it which makes diaper changing quick and easy. It has a charcoal colored thin stripe and white stitching on the seams which gives this set a very natural earthy look. The blanket has stripes on one side and polka dots on the other as does the little hat. The whole outfit is just deliciously cute!! I also like how these items are made with such a high quality cotton blend, making them durable and oh so comfy. The high quality of this line allows my baby to be snuggled up without getting too hot. I just love everything about this outfit. The only downside is that I have the smallest size and he no longer fits into it. I wish I had gotten a larger one that he was able to grow into.

PAIGELAUREN baby has various different collections, sizes, colors and patterns of clothing, hats and blankets. The average outfit is $45, some are more and some are less. I think most people would be more than happy to get a PAIGELAUREN baby gift for their baby….especially with the holidays coming up. For me, as a cost conscious mommy of two, this line is great for the occasional splurge or present. I highly recommend PAIGELAUREN baby to anyone! It pains me that my little boy no longer fits into his PAIGELAUREN baby outfit anymore

Pura stainless – bottle system

Marisa Goldstein — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:18:04 +0000

I am a mother of an 11 ½ month old girl and expecting my second child in 6 weeks. Needless to say my days are full and tiring since I am waddling around while trying to chase my little girl. Having said this, I appreciate finding fabulous products to incorporate into my family’s life that add to our wellbeing and make our lives simpler. The Pura bottle collection fits the bill. I am a health nut and extremely picky about how and what I feed my family. For the most part, we eat only organic foods, unprocessed whole foods and natural ingredients. We do not use plastic or aluminum, we avoid chemicals and additives and we do not own a microwave. Although this may sound extreme, it is really just our way of living a clean and healthy life. The Pura bottles are safe, toxin free, easy to clean and adorable; everything I look for in a product and more.
I own the Pura kiki bottle collection which is made up of a variety of bottle sizes, lids and sleeves for an infant or toddler. Here are the things that make this collection amazing, different and better than other bottles on the market:

Bottles
• made of high grade stainless steel and do not contain any plastic, aluminum or toxins
• easy to clean, dishwasher safe (super convenient)
• 100% recyclable
• Can be used as a bottle or sippy cup by simply changing the nipple or sip spout
• Compatible with other manufacturer’s nipples too!
• Available in 5oz for infant and 11oz for toddler

Nipples/sip spouts
• Made of medical grade silicone
• No BPA or petroleum derived toxins and have never come in contact with plastic
• Pura makes a bottle nipples in slow medium and fast flow as well as a sip spout

Lids and sleeves
• Lids and sleeves are made of silicone not plastic so your entire bottle is 100% free of toxins
• Sleeves come in a variety of colors
• Sleeves make the bottle easier for your baby to grip

Before I came across the Pura kiki stainless bottle collection, I used glass bottles which were heavy and stood a chance of shattering. It was only a matter of time before my child threw a bottle to the ground. I was so happy to convert over to this 100% toxin free, safe, easy to clean, versatile, non-breakable, easy for my baby to hold, lightweight, colorful, environmentally safe bottle. I recommend Pura to all my mommy friends. Pura also makes water bottles for adults in a bunch of sizes and colors. So not only is my baby using a Pura bottle but I am too!

Perry Mackin diaper bag

Marisa Goldstein — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:59:03 +0000

Beautiful, stylish, durable, functional, luxurious, ample, water resistant, spacious….I just can’t say enough about the Perry Mackin diaper bag. This bag has every bell and whistle that a diaper bag should, along with a fashionable yet understated design that both my husband and I love. I am the mom of an 11 month old girl and I am also 8 months pregnant with my second child. As a full time mother, I enjoy getting out of the house with my baby but don’t necessarily enjoy schlepping all the stuff that goes along with it. A key component to an easy excursion is having the right diaper bag. For me, it isn’t just important that the bag can carry everything I need but also that the bag itself be easy to carry. This diaper bag is definitely the one to have.

The style of bag that I have from Perry Mackin is the Zoey bag. It is made of water resistant nylon and has leather trim and leather handles. This bag has pockets EVERYWHERE! There are 2 pockets that snap shut on the outside of the bag and 6 elastic pockets on the inside of the bag built into the lining. I use the outer pockets for my phone and keys because these pockets are so easily accessible. I use the inner pockets for baby wipes, diapers, cream, pacifiers, squeezy fruit packs and I even use one for my baby’s sun hat and sunglasses because there are just so many compartments I can basically use a separate one for nearly every item I have with me. There is also the big main compartment of the bag that is in the center, surrounded by all the pockets. I use this space for toys and clothes and still have extra room left over to throw in almost anything else I need for the day. This bag also comes with a nylon pouch to hold my baby’s bottle, a nylon diaper changing pad and a mini nylon zippered ‘mommy pouch’ that is great for holding my money and lipstick (or whatever I usually carry in my purse). This diaper bag is the ultimate in organization. It holds a ton but doesn’t weigh a ton so I can easily carry it on my shoulder and carry my baby in my arms. Just to make this bag even more awesome, the whole thing zips closed so when I drop it or lay it down, which I have most defiantly done more than once, I don’t spill all of my belongings onto the street. On top of all of that, this bag doesn’t even look like a diaper bag. It has a classic look and beautiful sophistication that even my husband loves. So many of the diaper bags on the market have flowers, butterflies or swirls or come only in pastel colors and look like big purses. This bag is the solution to my husband’s complaints and he is more than happy to carry it. The bag itself is pretty lightweight yet extremely durable and so easy to carry. It comes with an adjustable and removable shoulder strap that allows me to carry it over my shoulder or hang it from the back of my stroller. Maybe most essential of all, this beautiful bag is water resistant so I can clean it off or wipe it down after any of the many messy situations I encounter in my day.

Pros:
-great looking bag that comes in various styles and colors
-ample pockets and tons of space so you can carry everything you need with you in one bag
-holds a ton without weighing a ton
-water resistant so you can wipe it down after a messy day
-comes with a changing pad, bottle warmer/holder, and ‘mommy pouch’
-has a detachable shoulder strap so you can hang it on your stroller

Cons:
-while worth it, it’s a bit pricey

I love this diaper bag and I am so happy I own it. It makes my day easier by keeping me organized. I can fit all of my baby’s supplies plus my personal items in this bag and I know that when my second child arrives in a few months I will be able to fit his essentials in as well. The Perry Mackin diaper bag looks great on my shoulder, on my stroller and on my husband! And after a full day out on the town with my family I can easily wipe down the bag to keep it looking like new. I know there are a lot of diaper bags on the market and I have looked at many of them and even owned a few of them, but this bag is by far superior. It has everything I look for in a diaper bag, its functional, versatile, easy to clean, spacious, lightweight, durable, stylish, classic and even comes with a changing pad, bottle warmer and ‘mommy pouch’.

B kids – Stack ‘n Roll Little Golf

Marisa Goldstein — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:52:46 +0000

The Stack ‘n Roll Little Golf by B kids is a great toy for so many reasons. It encourages my 11 ½ month old girl to use her motor skills, cognitive skills, and best of all, her creativity. I am the kind of mom who wants my child to learn while she is having fun playing, as I am sure most moms do, and it is very rewarding watching her develop right in front of my eyes by finding new ways to play with this toy and its various parts.
This toy comes with two golf balls (one makes noise when shaken and the other is silent), a mini golf club big enough to hit the balls easily yet small enough to hold with little hands and three additional pieces that can be creatively configured to make a mini golf course. The course pieces are also stackable so they fit together nicely to make a mini tower for the ball to drop down. All of the parts are really lightweight which makes them easy for my daughter to hold and move around so she can play with or without my help. This toy is recommended for ages 12 months and up but my 11 ½ month old has already begun to enjoy it. I can see how this little golf game may be more fun for a child who can stand on their own and swing the golf club but she has found so many ways to play with this toy while sitting on the floor. She enjoys rolling the balls down the mini golf ramp, stacking the pieces on top of each other, placing the balls into each of the two animal cups, putting her hands and arms through the cups and wearing them like bracelets (perhaps not what was intended by the company), swinging the golf club, shaking the balls, knocking the balls together, and even just admiring the fun shapes and colors on this toy. I know that eventually she will understand how to swing the club and hit the ball down the mini course she sets up and that is one of the reasons why I like this toy so much. Each day she learns a little more by playing with it. It is so much fun for me as a mom to see her learning curve and her creativity. This game allows her to develop her motor skills and thinking skills as she finds new ways each day to play with it.
In my opinion, it is better to have just a few toys that give my child the entertainment, skills and learning experience she needs than a whole slew of toys that can barely hold her interest. The Stack ‘n Roll Little Golf is one of those toys that fulfills many needs not just one. I am so glad we have this toy as is my little girl and I know she will continue to play with it for a while. I am also glad I gave it to her at this early age so she can continue to play with it as she grows. This toy will be like a whole new game for her when she can stand on her own and hit the golf ball with the club. This is exactly the kind of toy I look for.