Mamaway Belly Band Review

The post-pregnancy belly takes time to return to normal, contrary to mainstream media portrayal and widespread belief.  Having been through this process 3 times already, I can speak for the reality of the time it takes and the weeks and months of wearing maternity clothes for comfort past delivery due to things needing time to return to their original position.  It doesn't happen overnight.

To help support women and speed this process, Mamaway has their Postnatal Recovery and Support Belly Band

This product is a wide supportive band to be worn around the abdomen after delivery to help with pelvic floor and uterus recovery by stablizing the abdomen and also providing posture support.  It is designed for natural or c-section deliveries.

This wrap is wide, think corset style, only not stiff or constricting.  It is made of soft materials that bend and flex easily with movement.  It is made mainly of nylon and polyester and claims to contain Bamboo Charcoal to help with odor absorption by providing breathability.

This wrap involves a 3-step fastening system.  The large main strap attaches around the belly first, then two smaller straps coming from each side secure where needed to provide extra support.  This band is designed to go through washes without deforming.  It is soft and flexible, lightweight and breathable.

While the manufacturer claims this product helps give you a waist line and a smooth silhouette under clothing, I find it to be too bulky to really do that unless one is wearing heavier shirts.  Tight fitting shirts will definitely show the profile of this wrap.

As far as wearing it goes, it does indeed provide compression and support as well as trim the waistline.  Even at 15 weeks pregant with baby #4, it trimmed me easily, though with a baby bump its not comfortable or advised.  It is definitely able to flex and bend without rolling or sliding around.  I can sit comfortably in it and have plenty of room to adjust for comfort with all three bands.  For around home after baby is born, I can see this being helpful, but I doubt I will feel comfortable wearing this around in public. I cannot speak to whether is speeds recovery as I have yet to reach that point, but look forward to trying this out once baby #4 has arrived.

You can find this product here

*I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review

Mamaway Far Infared Nursing and Sleep Bra

Stocking up for pregnancy #4, I knew more sleep nursing bras were in order.  I found this one and wanted to give it a try.

 The Mamaway Far Infared Nursing Bra is your basic sleep nursing bra with a cross over pull down design for ease of use at night.  It is made of polyester with spandex and "Far Infared" nano fibers.  It claims these fibers help increase blood circulation and therefore help encourage milk production.  I cannot speak to any of those factors, and it seems a bit of a stretch to me that your basic nursing bra could do that, it is after all just fabric.

 Those claims aside, I found his bra has hooks in the back, so it is worn like your regular bra with need to hook/unhook.  My current sleep nursing bras slip over like a sports bra, which I much prefer.  However, I found I can do the same with this one without unhooking it, so though I would rather the hooks not be there at all, I can deal with it.

 The bra has a cross over v design so that either side can be pulled down for access without undoing hooks or clasps at night.  This feature works as expected.

 The back dips down where the hooks attach the sides.

 Another thing I am not a fan of is the boning on either side of the bra.

 The thin strip is fairly bendable, but is still boning that can be hard as well as deform after washing and use as is usually the case.  Again, I would prefer it not be there and it seems unnecessary for a sleeping bra.

 The bra is claimed to be lavender - I would say pink.  If one would call it lavender, it would be a very light lavender.  To my eyes, this is a basic baby pink.  Color really makes no difference to me, but if you want lavender be aware this is far from purple.

Over all, I'm not super excited about this bra and its definitely not better than what I have already.  It is comfortable to wear, soft and easy to use, but the milk production claims leave me questioning validity and the design with hooks and boning detract from my love of the bra.  It's ok and will work just fine, but I'm not singing it's praises as the best out there, at least not for me.

You can find one of these here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Mamaway Nursing Bra Review

Pregnant with #4 while still nursing #3, I have lots of experience trying out different nursing bras over the years.  I am pretty particular and thought I had found one I really liked - until I tried this nursing bra.

The bra comes packaged very simply in a plastic bag, no hangers or fuss.

This is a completely wire free bra that is elastic and spandex with cups designed to stretch and grow through pregnancy, up to 3 cup sizes the seller claims.  There is plenty of stretch and give, but also loads of support and security

The back has 4 rows of 3 clasps for a secure fit.  The straps are fairly narrow in my experience with nursing bras.  This worried me a bit because I had read a description claiming wide straps.  However, once I put it on, this was no big deal at all and I preferred the thinner width than my current bra that always seemed to hang out under clothing and draw attention.  These do not cut into my shoulders or cause any discomfort at all.

The bra opens simply with one hand clasps on the front.

Narrow straps on the inside help attach the shoulder strap to the lower part of the bra when the front is opened for security.

The sides of the bra have tons of stretch and give for pregnancy growth, a design sewn on the side panel gives a little decor.  This is not your cute, frilly, fun bra, but is sure is comfortable and functional.

There is padding in the bra that is easily removable.  The padding is shaped so that it only fits one way.  The bra can be worn without the pads too, it is comfortable either way.

I am loving this bra and saving my money to buy more because they are worth it!

You can find it here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Healthy Baby Home Party Opportunity

Check out this awesome opportunity!  Seventh Generation is preparing to do another Healthy Baby Party selection, and you could get in on a party pack for yourself and your friends.  This home party is packed with great product samples, information and fun.

What is a Healthy Baby Home Party? 

Seventh Generation's home parties are powered by people like you who are focused on creating a healthy environment for the next generation. Developed with input from non-profit partner, Healthy Child Healthy World, they are a great way to get together with friends, share helpful information, and make an impact!

Healthy Baby Home Party kits are provided to all selected hosts and are filled with educational info about our environment, helpful tips, a fun game, and samples and coupons from Seventh Generation and other favorite family-friendly brands like bobble, Plum Organics and Zarbee's Naturals.

What is the Application Process?

• Sign up atgenerationgood.net to join the Generation Good community, or log in if already a member.
• Accept the Healthy Baby Home Party Application offer on your Generation Good dashboard and complete the application.
• Applicants will be notified by end of March if they have been selected to host a party, via an email to the email address assigned to their Generation Good member profile.
• All selected applicants will then need to confirm their participation by accepting the Healthy Baby Home Party Mission in Generation Good and confirming their shipping address.
• 1,900 FREE Party Kits will be distributed in this round.
• Hosting spots are open to US residents only at this time. Canadian parties are planned for later in 2016!
• Full terms and conditions are available within Generation Good in the "Healthy Baby Home Party Application" offer.

Pacifier Case Review

With a baby in the house, there is always a pacifier getting lost somewhere.  This is especially frustrating on the go, when I know there is one somewhere in the diaper bag or when I need a clean place to put it.  Thank goodness for products like these pacifier cases!

Purify You sells a set of three that comes in a handy little mesh bag.

 They come in pink, purple and blue, and are much larger than I expected when I first ordered them.  The cases are made of plastic that is strong enough to withstand a good deal of force (such as my 6 year old stepping on one "for fun") without cracking or buckling.

 Each case has an opened hook end for easy attachment inside of or to a diaper bag, belt loop, purse or anywhere else desired.  The hook has some flex to it, so it can bend and stretch a bit if needed to fit around something.

 They hinge open for complete accessibility, and the hinge is strong and durable.

 The bottom of each case has four small holes to allow for air circulation, which is really nice if the pacifier happens to be recently used or washed.  This prevents moisture and yucky stuff from staying in the case or growing, keeping the pacifier more sanitary as well.

 I was able to fit a pacifier with it's strap attached all inside the case with no trouble at all, and even had room enough that it wiggled around and could easily have held a bigger or different styled strap or pacifier.

These cases are very handy and have saved me the headache of digging around for it as well as keeping the germs off of it when not in use.  I fully intend to buy more for friends who are having babies.

You can find them here

* I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and un-biased review

Vicks Smart Temp Thermometer

Thanks to Influenster, I got the chance to check out the new Vicks Smart Temp thermometer for free!  

This thing is really cool.  Stepping into the bluetooth world, this thermometer syncs to an app on your smartphone.  Once the app is installed, pairing is as easy as turning on the bluetooth capabilities on the phone and then turning on the thermometer.

 This thermometer can take oral, axiallary and rectal temperatures, simply by choosing which method being used on the phone.  The temperature is displayed within 8 seconds.

 The app is really cool.  It has the ability to set up users within the family, and then under each user there is the ability to track temperatures over time, record any medication given and maintain those records for the life of the app.

 In addition to the temperature taking abilities of the app, there are many options in the menu.  One of my favorites is the chart displaying the temperature ranges in a color code so users can know when they read the temperature where it falls in terms of being safe, mid-range or high.

 There are so many other options in the menu as well.

 This thermometer is small, fitting easily into the palm of my hand.  It is super lightweight, and is comparable to any other thermometer on the market.

 The tip is super flexible, which is awesome when using it with kids!

 Included is a cover for storage when not in use.

I am in love with this thermometer.  Not so much with the fact that I have already had opportunity to use it with all of my children in the past week. but glad I had it.  It is super reliable, quick to record and display the temperature, and so convenient with the app data storing capabilities.  This is a tool I will be recommending to all of my friends for their medicine cabinets.

* I received this product for free to review in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.  All thoughts are my own.

Spreading the Word: Seventh Generation

I have the opportunity to be a part of some great things going on with Seventh Generation.

Seventh Generation Baby Wipes
I was able to get some samples of their wipes to try and share. These wipes are designed with baby and mother nature in mind, so one can feel a little better about a baby care product that gets thrown away.  Safe for little ones, they are free from fragrance, parabens, pthalates, alcohol and dyes.

My Review:

Like Them, Wish I Loved Them

I like these wipes for their attempt at being safer and more natural in comparison to the other companies on the market. The wipes are better than ok, but not the best, unfortunately. I like some of the competition better for their strength, durability and longevity. If these could be built a little stronger I would be all in, but for general easy clean ups (not heavy duty diaper messes) they will get you buy and leave you feeling like you have done something good for your baby and the environment.

I received a free product for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own."

Get Unsafe Chemicals Off Store Shelves

I am also participating in a campaign to make people, especially lawmakers, more aware of the need to regulate and eliminate toxic chemicals from the market.  Below is the call to action from the Generation Good Community:

The Senate is likely to review the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), which regulates toxic chemicals, shortly after they return to Washington.

This is your chance to be heard! Join Seventh Generation, and other health and environmental advocates, in reaching out to your Senators to call for meaningful changes to the updated TSCA law.

Tell your Senator that any TSCA reform legislation must contain provisions that:

1) protects the rights of states to regulate toxic chemicals; 2) immediately gets the worst, most toxic chemicals off the market; and 3) prioritizes identifying and reviewing the most high-risk chemicals first.

It's unacceptable that legislation would be considered without these common sense elements. Tell your Senator that reform should only go forwards, not backwards.

Join us and our partners the Breast Cancer Fund to tell our leaders it's time for real toxic chemical reform.

You can contact U.S. Senators from your state to let them know that you want meaningful change to the chemical regulation standards last set in 1976.

Step 1 - Email your Senators NOW to tell the senate we want strong TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) reform!

Step 2 - Find your Senators' Twitter Handles HERE.

Step 3 - Copy and paste their handles into the Twitter Sharing tool below with your message and tweet them to show how much you care!

Sample tweet: @senatorsname I'm a mom who wants toxic chemical laws fixed! Support stronger TSCA reform, please!

Join me and the Generation Good Community in spreading the word!

3-Pack Girl Pacifier Clips Review

By baby number three, any pacifier clips I had around my house were well used and a few even past usable.  New clips were necessary, and so I added these cute clips to my collection of baby paraphernalia.

Sold by Savy Baby, these cute girly clips come in a pack of three.  Each clip has two fabric patterns.  Really cute fabric options in fun girl colors and patterns make these clips great for the little girl in your life.

 The clips are your basic pop up, place fabric between teeth and pinch closed type.

 Pacifiers attach by threading the loop around the pacifier handle and then threading the strap back through the loop.

These clips are sturdy.  I tugged on each one from one end to the other, checking for loose stitching or weak spots and found none.  I love that the straps are dual sided, instead of boring or showing stitching on the back like some do.  The loop is well sewn into the strap and made of a durable braided cord that should hold up for quite a while.

My only complaint was with the clip itself.  It seems a little cheap and squeaked horribly each time I opened or closed the clip.  However, with just a little Vaseline, that problem was easily remedied and now the clip operates smoothly and quietly.  While I still maintain that it is a bit on the cheep side of things as far as how durable it feels, the rest of the strap is great and as a whole I think it should last me for quite some time.

You can check them out for yourself here.  They come in gender neutral, boy and girl three packs, so there is sure to be a set for you!

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.