For those of you that are regular readers, you know that I never accept payments for my product reviews.  All of my product reviews are written based on my personal experience or my very extensive research and the Doie Lounge robes are no different.  I actually bought a Doie robe prior to launching The Wise Baby and a couple months before Eloise was born.  I originally bought the robe to take to the hospital with me but couldn’t wait to use it and I wore the robe through the last few months of my pregnancy, in the hospital, post pregnancy and still almost daily.

So what makes the Doie Lounge robes so special?  I already mentioned the robes are made in the US of A but they are made with a super soft, eco-friendly, viscose/bamboo blend with have 100% silk trim.  Seriously, the fabric is so soft and easy to cozy to wear.  The robes come in sizes XS – XL so no matter your size – you can ensure the robe will have a proper fit.  I typically have two problems with robes: 1) the outer tie somehow gets separated from the robe and when I go to wear the robe I can’t find it and 2) the robe never stays closed.  The Doie robes address each of these problems perfectly.  The fashionable silk waist tie is permanently attached to the robe so it always stays right where you need it.  On the interior there is a tie to keep the robe perfectly in place.  I have been wearing my robe for nearly a year and it looks as beautiful as it did they day I received it.

All in and all the Doie robes are fabulous – super soft, super comfy, beautifully made and totally stylish.  They are a perfect gift for yourself or a special mama/mama to be in your life.  I am so excited to share these robes with you and know that you will love them as much as I do!  You can check out all of the gorgeous styles, here.

We are giving away a robe to one lucky lady who gets to choose either the Sadie, Trixie or Tabitha (I love ALL of them!).  To enter:

- Leave a comment on this post with which style you would choose (Sadie, Trixie or Tabitha)

As usual, we are offering additional entries:

- Like The Wise Baby’s Facebook page, leave an additional comment saying you like us on Facebook.

- Follow us on Twitter, leave yet another additional comment letting us know you now follow us.

- Like Doie Lounge’s Facebook page, leave yet another additional comment letting us know you now like Doie Lounge.

- Follow Doie Lounge on Twitter, leave yet another additional comment letting us know you now follow Doie Lounge.

If you already likes us/Doie Lounge on Facebook and Twitter,  just leave separate comments saying so. Be sure to leave separate comments as each comment is considered an entry!

Winner will be selected at random (using www.random.org) on Sunday May 26th.  Winner will be contacted via email and have five days to claim their prize before another winner is selected.

The post The best robe for new & expecting moms from Doie Lounge + a giveaway! appeared first on The Wise Baby.

The post Best Strollers under $200 appeared first on The Wise Baby.

1 – 4moms Mamaroo.  My number one suggestions for moms adding another child to their family?  Why?  It is a safe, soothing place to put a newborn when tending to the older children, it has a relatively small footprint and lastly, babies love them.  Sure it is a little pricey but it is worth it because as evidenced in our “how can I have less baby gear” post, the Mamaroo takes the place of three pieces of gear. We have a giveaway going on right now – enter here!

2 – Double stroller.  There are several good options out there and generally speaking I would choose one that is side by side.  If you have a stroller that converts to a double: Bugaboo Donkey, UPPAbaby Vista, Baby Jogger City Select, etc than lucky you – just get an extra seat.  Even if your other child is older have access to a double stroller.  You may simply just need to “contain” them when strolling around the Zoo, mall or anywhere else fun. The Baby Jogger City Mini Double is a good option.

3 – Additional camera for your monitor.  Many video monitors have the ability to add additional cameras like this one from Samsung.  It saves you from having to purchase an entirely new monitor and you can view both cameras on one parent unit.

4 – Pacifiers.  Even if you have left over infant pacifiers from baby #1 consider purchasing a few new ones.  They are relatively inexpensive and with the miles that a typical pacifier travels it may be nice to have a fresh one or two on hand.  I love Wubbanubs, GumDrop Pacifers and Dr. Brown’s for infants.

5 – Wearable blankets.  Depending on what your first one used, HALO Sleepsack, Miracle Blanket, Wombie, etc you may want to have a few varieties on hand.  What worked for one may not work for another.  The aforementioned three are some of my favorites and are well loved by readers, too.

Mama may need a few new things too…

6 – Nuring/Pumping Bra.  The Arden Bra by The Dairy Fairy is simply the best (in my opinion).  Not only is it pretty it is super function – check out the full review.

7 – A new robe.  Every mama deserves to feel pampered in the hospital and this lovely robe from Doie Lounge is the perfect solution.

8 – A new hospital bag.  I love these bags from Lands End.  They are in expensive, durable and super roomy.  I also suggest getting one for the new babe if you travel often.

So, what things can you reuse?  With proper sanitation, almost all “personal” items can be reused.

1 – Breast pump.  Check out our breast pump buying guide and review for additional detail but you can reuse your old pump.  It is strongly suggested to buy new tubing and valves although all of the pieces including shields and bottles can be sanitized.  Remember to never share your pump with a friend or family member.  The only pumps that are safe to be used by different parties are hospital grade pumps because they run on a closed system (more about this in our breast pump buying guide).  Most on the market pumps run on open systems and should not be shared for sanitary reasons. 

2 – Bottles/nipples.   Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize but definitely reuse!

3 – Car seat.  If you car seat is more than six years old it is suggested to get a new one as safety standards are more advanced these days.  It probably goes without saying but if your seat was involved in any sort of accident you should consider purchasing a new one.  Remember, you can’t leave the hospital without one!

My best advice, is try to reuse everything you can.  Not only for environmental and budget reasons but for sheer amount of “stuff” reasons.  Obviously, this is a moving traget for everyone depending on the age and gender difference between your children.

What did I forget?  Do you have a second or third baby and what was your must have?

The post Baby Gear for 2nd Child appeared first on The Wise Baby.

I’m a first time mom to an adorable 8-week old girl, Lane. We live in Dallas in a 2200 sq ft. home. I followed The Wise Baby throughout my pregnancy and the Real Moms Favorite Baby Products and registry guides helped me in choosing which products to register for and purchase for our little one.

1. 4Moms Playyard: For the first six weeks, Lane slept in our room and the 4Moms playyard was perfect. The bassinet feature was ideal for a newborn. We opted for the playyard so we wouldn’t have to buy a separate bassinet/cosleeper; I know it will be put to good use as she gets older, too, and when we travel. The set up truly is a breeze!

2. Motorola Video Monitor: At six weeks, Lane started sleeping longer stretches at night, so we moved her to her crib. The Motorola monitor made my husband and I feel at ease that we could see and hear her as soon as she woke.

3. Arm and Hammer changing pads: Between spit up and diaper leaks, it is much easier to throw these down on top of a changing pad then have to do laundry non-stop. Lane’s diaper changing dad sure appreciates these!

4. Gerber diaper cloths: We’ve used these as burp cloths, spit up catchers, and diaper changing pads in a pinch. Good, old fashioned Gerber diaper cloths are a lifesaver in our house.

5. Halo Sleepsack:  I know many moms rave about these, but I couldn’t not put them on my list! The Halo sleep sack swaddle is amazing!

6. Medela Freestyle Hands Free Breast Pump: I will be heading back to work full-time soon. The hands free pumping system is easy to use, has helped provide a stash of breastmilk for Lane and will be ideal for maintaining my milk supply while at the office.

7. Sound Machine: We have two golden retrievers that love to bark at the mailman. This assures us that Lane will stay snoozing through the noise!

8. Bummas Wipes: These can do double duty as a wipe, face cleansing cloth or washcloth during bath time. They are the perfect size, soft and thin.

9. Puj Tub: Speaking of bathtime, Lane loves it! The Puj tub is her favorite spot!

10. Ergo Baby Carrier: The Ergo carrier with infant insert works perfectly for when Lane wants to be held and I need to get things done around the house. She is safe and secure and loves a new point of view.

11. Skip Hop Playmat: Lane loves it for playtime and tummy time. She can look at herself in the mirror and loves all of the different sounds that the stuffed animals make.

Again, a big thanks to sweet as can be Shelly for stopping by to share her favorite products and if you’d like to share yours – email me!

The post Real Moms Favorite Baby Products – Shelly appeared first on The Wise Baby.

1 - Evenflo Exersuacer Triple Fun Jungle.  Eloise love, love, loved this “jungle”.  She would’ve spent an endless amount of time in the seven, eight month stage if we would have let her.  However, at about 9 1/2-10 months she was just over it.  She liked it from the outside but no longer will stand for being confined to the inside.  However, she will crawl underneath/through it though (gasp)!  You may recall this has the option of turning into a play table for walkers but due to space constraints we are going to skip that configuration.  This puppy is going to grandma and grandparents at the next opportunity.  One last thing, even though we only used this for about 4 or so months I think it was worth every penny.  As mentioned, it was well loved, well used and I think it definitely helped Eloise master both sitting and standing.

2 - Samsung SafeVIEW Video Monitor.  I was very unhappy with our original video monitor purchase but love the Samsung SafeVIEW.  Even though our place is small I love having a video to confirm it is worth going in Eloise’s room before actually going in.  It is even more comforting now that she is standing and rolling around her crib nonstop.  My only gripe is, no temperature gauge on the parent unit.  Not a deal breaker but I wish it did.  Overall, I love this monitor and am a big proponent for video monitors.  More video monitor reviews, here.

3 - 4moms Breeze.  I don’t hide my love for 4moms products so it is not surprising this one made the list.  I have tested out a number of pack ‘n plays and this one is my favorite by far.  It is super easy to use, is sturdy and travels well.  This one will be a favorite for years to come.

4 - Teething ring.  We’ve been in full swing on the teething front these past few months.  Eloise seems to have the most pain when the tooth is just breaking through but always loves a freshly frozen teething ring.  She even enjoys it after it thaws.  This one from Munchkin is our favorite – it is nice and plump and Eloise likes the bright colors.

5 - Dr. Brown’s Snack-a-Pillar.  As Eloise has moved into solid foods and puffs I feel like I am always traveling with food in my diaper bag.  The Snack-a-Pillar from Dr. Brown’s is awesome.  I have reviewed it before and you can always find these in my diaper bag.  I love how they interlock.  If I only want to take puffs I just take off a few layers – if I need a few more fixin’s I add a cup or two.  The best part is you can put just about anything from puree’s to fruits and veggies in them and they never leak!

6 - Disposable Table Toppers.  I am a germaphobe –  doubt about it.  Eloise has recently decided puree’s are no longer for her.  She would rather pick up all of her own food. While I am proud of this step she is not quite ready for plates as she sees them as fun toys rather than functional tableware.  Enter these great disposable table toppers.  The fun designs create and interesting and safe, clean place for Eloise to eat while we are out and about.  We put the bottom underneath the table a bit to prevent our strong wizard from trying to pull the placemat off.  Even if we didn’t put it underneath the table she wouldn’t be able to get it off because these things are seriously sticky.

7 - Happy Family Happy Puffs.  Eloise has an oat allergy so many of the traditional puffs are not an option.  The Happy Family Happy Puffs are Gluten free and easily dissolve in her mouth all while being easy to pick up.  We’ve also tried the Happy Yogis freeze dried yogurt drops and are very happy with them.  Eloise prefers puffs but the yogurt drops are a great, healthy option too.

8 - Baby Einstein Discovery Table.  I did LOTS of research (shocking, right?) on the perfect Discovery Table for Eloise to practice her standing and pulling up while being entertained and ultimately settled on this one.  I couldn’t be more thrilled with my choice.  Eloise loves it and it always keeps her entertained.  I will say her attention has somewhat decreased over the last several weeks but she still enjoys it she is just busier now.  This table has both a learning and music function and lots and lots of different sounds, words, etc.  It is also great to take the legs off and put on the ground for a different type of entertainment.

9 - Baby Einstein Sea Dream Soother.  This may have made a previous list but we love it more than ever.  So much so we don’t travel without it (we did once and it was a mistake).  The Soother has become a bedtime ritual.  However, with the new found talent of standing in the crib I have taken it out the crib and set it in front of the crib.  I had scary visions of her falling on the soother and feel much more comfortable with it out of the crib.

10 - White Noise iphone app.  This *free* app is another nightime ritual.  We leave the “beach waves crashing” on our itouch overnight and it helps drown out the street noise all while soothing our little lady.

11 - Elmo.  Up until she met this guy Eloise had no interest in a stuffed animal.  She is officially in love with Elmo.  From the moment she saw him he has brought a smile to her face.  I don’t know what it is about him but she sure loves him!

12 – Books.  Specifically these from Yoyo books.  Eloise loves turning the pages and pointing and chatting with the friendly face on the page – whether it be an animal, toy or letter. These books are usually a savior for boredom while we are out to eat, on a road trip or traveling.  We have all varieties and love them.  Their thick and sturdy cardboard pages stand up well to Eloise’s not always gentle nature.  I highly recommend them for fun and educational purposes and bonus – they are reasonably priced!

13 - Chicco Baby Jogging Ergo Walker.  This is our newest favorite toy. Eloise speeds around the house behind this and has the best time. We choose this one because it was adjustable and sturdy compared to some others on the market.

Gear we are still loving and using religiously – our Baby Bjorn High Chair, Serena & Lily crib sheets, Pottery Barn changing pad covers, Graco Sungride, Itzy Ritzy shopping cart cover and all our Dapple products.

Check out our favorite baby products at one, two, three, four, five , six and seven months too!

The post Eight, nine and ten months – our Favorite Baby Products appeared first on The Wise Baby.

The mamaRoo is one part infant seat, one part swing and all parts genius.  Let’s start with the movement.  The wise team over at 4moms created five unique movement mimicking how parents move.  There are also five different speed levels.  To go along with the natural movements there are five nature sounds to soothe your little one.  If the nature sounds aren’t for you there is a plugin for an mp3 player/iphone for you to play the music of your choosing = complete perfection.

The seat itself reclines to nearly any position to ensure your little one is comfy at any stage.  Certain positions can be beneficial for reflux and/or colic.  The mamaRoo is meant for babies from birth to 25 pounds or until your little one can sit up unassisted.  The baseline seat is comfy and is entirely machine washable.  Additional inserts can be purchased to further enhance the plushness of the seat and I think it is worth the purchase.  Attached to the seat is an adjustable toy bar which may seem less than exciting at first but it is amazing how the bright colors and designs engage the little ones.

So the mamaRoo is really cool, full of fun and ingenious features but how does it actually work?  Amazingly, flawlessly or any other incredible adjective.  I’ve used it myself but also surveyed a great deal of moms on how it works for them.  Of all of the baby products out there the mamaRoo is one of my absolute favorite.  Eloise hated and I mean hated the traditional swing.  One sitting in the mamaRoo and she was in love.  I love the varying speeds and motions and there was always one to suit any food – playtime, rest time or sleep time.  All of the other moms I surveyed loved the mamaRoo as much as I do. 

Another bonus?  The size.  Many swings are huge and take up loads of space and are tough impossible to move from room to room.  The mamaRoo has a small footprint (24″ circumference) and weighs 17 pounds which makes it manageable to move around if need be.

Bottom line, the mamaRoo takes the places of multiple pieces of baby gear, functions flawlessly and is loved by parents everywhere.  You may have noticed I didn’t mentioned a negative and that is because I have yet to find one!

Now for the giveaway! We are giving away a mamaRoo of your choice!  To enter:

- Leave a comment on this post with your color preference (options here, at the bottom of the page)

As usual, we are offering additional entries:

- Like The Wise Baby’s Facebook page, leave an additional comment saying you like us on Facebook.

- Follow us on Pinterest, leave another additional comment letting us know you now follow us.

- Follow us on Twitter, leave yet another additional comment letting us know you now follow us.

Winner will be selected at random (using www.random.org) on Sunday May 19th.  Winner will be contacted via email and have five days to claim their prize before another winner is selected.

The post 4moms mamaRoo Review + Giveaway! appeared first on The Wise Baby.

Bill and Susie wanted Oliver to take longer naps, be able to fall asleep on his own and if he woke, put himself back to sleep. They were so exhausted and knew that their son was overtired. Before any sleep consultation with a family, I email them a brief questionnaire to help me be more aware of their sleep struggles, feeding and sleeping routines. After reviewing the Anderson’s intake, I determined that the whole family was overtired and that Oliver had no self-soothing skills. He was napping at the wrong times and he was going to bed way to late.

After our hour Skype session, discussing more details about their concerns, current routine and parenting style, we came up with a plan that was tangible for Susie and Bill. Because Oliver was in daycare, we decided on an approach called “extinction with a cap.” This is a good method for children in daycare and parents not wanting to let the child cry for long periods of time. I stress this is what worked best for their family. I gave them a little 101 on Oliver’s sleep and the importance of sleep for his cognitive and emotional intelligence. No, it was not a formal meeting like you would have in the doctor’s office. It was in the comfort of our homes (the beauty of Skype) and they were able to communicate their concerns, past sleep attempts and fears of sleep training. After 45 minutes of casual Skype conversion, Bill and Susie became hopeful and trusted me to write a sleep plan for Oliver.

The Plan:
I keep my customized sleep plans simple because tired parents need something easy to follow. The details of Oliver’s sleep plan had been discussed in our Skype consultation. It was important that Susie and Bill felt confortable with my suggested approach so they would be consistent. Consistently is key to any sleep approach. After submitting the sleep plan, I asked Susie and Bill to email a daily log of Oliver’s sleep. This gave them a chance to ask questions or express their concerns. A sleep log helps me to see patterns and I believe it keeps parents more on task.

The biggest roadblock effecting Oliver’s sleep was daycare. Daycares in general have set schedules because they have to do what is best for the children as a whole. They also have laws that won’t allow children to cry in their cribs. I respect these laws as they have the best interest of the children in mind. All we could do was submit the sleep plan to daycare and hope that they put Oliver down at the appropriate biological times. I always encourage daycares to contact me if they have questions or concerns, as this really is a team effort. Oliver’s plan did have naps included for the weekend and I wanted the daycare to be aware of Oliver’s new schedule. Realistically, I knew these naps were not going to go well because of the daycare laws and the sleep environment was loud, stimulating and bright. I had to tell Susie and Bill that the only thing they could control during the week was the bedtime and that bedtime was going to be early. When I say early, I meant 5:30pm -6:30pm. Children need more sleep then adults! We had to make up for lost sleep to avoid multiple night waking and early rise times. I am the first to admit, this is the hardest part of my job. Telling two working parents to put their child to bed right after they get home is never easy. After explaining to Susie and Bill why we needed to do a super early bedtime, they were willing to give it a try. I asked them to trust me for the next few days and promised we would see progress if we kept consistent.

Stay tuned…in the next blog we will see the journey of Oliver’s sleep plan!

Photography by Fresh Art Photography

Ahhh, I am on pins and needles! I can’t wait to see the detailed sleep plan and how things turned out for the Anderson family. Again, a big thanks to Erin for sharing her skills with us!

The post The gift of sleep from Pickles & Ice Cream Baby & Sleep Consultant appeared first on The Wise Baby.

I am a first time mom to a 9 month old little boy named Mason. I live in the suburbs in Southern California in a 950 square foot apartment.

1.  Sophie the Giraffe
Mason absolutely LOVES his Sophie the giraffe! So much so that we are on Sophie #2 already and he’s only 9 months old (Sophie #1 lost her squeak so we had to get a new one). It’s great for teething – he puts her mouth, ear, foot, you name it in his mouth all the time – and is great for getting his attention or getting him to smile while trying to take his picture.

2.  SwaddleMe Swaddle blanket
We loved these swaddle blankets when Mason was first born until about 3-4 months. They were great for keeping his arms and legs tucked in so we could fall asleep easily. We tried to put him down for a nap without a swaddle and he just woke himself up every couple of minutes because his arms or legs would move. These are highly recommended!

3.  Puj Tub
This tub is the best! It came highly recommended by my sister-in-law and now I know why. Our bathroom sink was a little small so we use it in the kitchen sink and it works perfectly! It keeps Mason sitting upright while he gets a bath and is soft for him to sit in. We still use it now sometimes (even though he is way too big for it) because it is so convenient and fast to give him a quick bath. It also folds flat for easy storage!

4.  Carter’s onesies
For us, these onesies are the BEST! Mason is long and skinny and we found that most other onesies are too wide and are swimming on him. Carter’s fits him great and come is super cute styles! I want to buy them all!

5.  Summer Infant Monitor
There are what feels like a million baby monitors out there. We chose this one and absolutely love it. We debated getting that huge tv monitor one but realized we probably didn’t need that. This one is perfect, small, super clear picture, has the option for multiple channels (for more than one kid), and has good battery life. We even bring it on vacation with us for when Mason is in a separate room from us.

6.  Aquaphor
This stuff is perfect for diaper rash and when your baby is teething and drooling and gets a little rash on his face from all the moisture. A little goes a long way and really, really helps!

7.  Peg Perego
We love this stroller! The main seating snaps on and off so when your baby is in an infant seat, the infant seat can snap straight to the frame and becomes more like a travel system stroller. Super convenient as you can just take the infant seat from the car to the stroller and back. When your baby is old enough to sit in the stroller on their own, you snap the main seating back on and off you go! Mason is so comfortable in the stroller that he puts his feet up now as we cruise around.

Again, another BIG thanks to sweet Elizabeth and her cute little man. I’d love to feature your favorites too, email me for details!

The post Real Moms Favorite Baby Products – Elizabeth appeared first on The Wise Baby.

From Lana, mama and designer… We are so excited to be “done” with our 13 week old boys room! Atlas is getting to a point where he needs his own space so we wrapped up his room this past week. It doesn’t have a theme really, just crisp and clean and cozy is what we were going for.

Sources:

DIY Projects:
The “A” marquee letter $11 to make
The painted tree on the wall commissioned by Duane price varies
We refinished the matching dressers $200 on craigslist + $12 for paint

Target:
Gold side table, Blue lamp on dresser, White floor lamp, Brass elephant on shelf

Ikea:
Curtains and Rods $24 per 2 panels

Rugs:
Both RugsUSA.com

Gel Mattress:
Intellibed

Vintage finds:
Table fan, Sailboat painting, Owl pillow, Striped Hudson Bay blanket

Etsy: It’s OK flag

The post Chic & Cool Baby Boys Nursery from Making a House a Home appeared first on The Wise Baby.

1 - maya brenner necklace.  I love this sweet, simple and beautiful initial necklace from Maya Brenner.  It is subtle enough to wear everyday and you have the ability to have more than one letter on the necklace.  It comes in silver and gold and is sure to be something mom would love.  This also makes a great “push gift” if you believe in those.

2 – Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms.  A fun and easy read this book catalogs real moms confessions that most moms can relate to in some way.  I particularly like this book because it is one you can pick up, read 20 pages and not pick up again for a few weeks.  It is hard for busy mamas to find time to read so this is a good option!

3 - jcrew cuff.  This cuff from JCrew is a great transition piece to Spring and Summer and can jazz any plain old outfit up!  JCrew is offering 25% off through tonight – so shop quickly!

4 - Tory Burch sandals.  These flops are a favorite of mine.  They are a bit on the pricey side but since I hardly ever wear heels (or any other shoes for that matter) in the summer I got LOTS of wear out of them.  In fact I am about ready for another pair (hint, hint hubby).

5 – Purl Soho Learn to Knit Kit.  I wish I was more crafty and this adorable Learn to Knit Kit makes learning a crafty skill easy and fun.  Included with the helpful book is enough yarn to make a scarf.  This would be a great for a dotting grandmother!

6 – Duchess Peony via Biscuit.  These beautiufl and delicous smelling candles always make a great gift.  The version piecuted is the Duchess Peony but there are a variety of other great scents – one to suit every taste.  While you are picking up the candle, shop around Biscuit; they have a great selection of gifts, home decor and of course luxurious bedding!

7 - Accordion Brag Book.  Pinhole Press has absolutely gorgeous books and this Accordion option is cute, fun and portable.  A great gift for a grandma (or mama) to show off her little one in a medium other than an iphone!

8 – Doie Lounge Robe.  Every mama needs a comfy, chic robe.  This one from Doie Lounge is super soft and absolutely lovely.  You may recognize it from our What to Pack Hospital Edition and I personally own one and LOVE it.

9 – Kate Spade Iphone Wristlet. Iphone holder and wallet in one – I need this.  For those of us mamas always losing our phones and/or wallet in our bags this wristlet is the perfect solution.  Not only does it make it easy to find your phone but is also compact and easy to grab on the go.  Lucky for us, our gal Kate Spade has thought of this handy – mom must have!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mama’s out there! xoxo

The post Mother’s Day Gift Ideas appeared first on The Wise Baby.