Book Review: Baby Bargains

 Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Gear, Clothes, Strollers, Maternity wear and much more by Denise & Alan Fields

Author Qualifications:
Denise & Alan Fields are writers that collected parent reviews of baby related products for Baby Bargains.

Stand Out Nuggets:
This book is a great guide to baby products that lays out the best options for your individual lifestyle and budget, so you can personalize each purchase. I used this book to make decisions on my stroller, car seat, carrier, baby monitor and to get ideas about baby furniture.
There are also "nuggets" of information in this book that I had never known before. For example, did you know that Walkers are so dangerous (not to mention bad for development) that they are actually banned in Canada?! Reading that totally surprised me, but I was happy to find another place to save money!
Another great tip from the book is to join Amazon Mom - it's basically Amazon Prime tailored for moms, and it's been essential for me!! Baby Bargains also has lots of tips of products to avoid, ways to save money, and reminders of things you might not otherwise consider (like baby proofing items) spread throughout the book. 

What I Think:
This book is great! I found that researching & buying baby products can be so overwhelming and this book helped give a general picture of what products would work for me. Don't get me wrong, I definitely needed Amazon reviews, too. However, I found going straight to Amazon to be too exhausting in the beginning of my research. It was great to have side by side comparisons of products for items like infant car sets and strollers, and explanations of what companies have done to improve their products since the last Baby Bargains book review.
My only hesitation in giving this book a perfect review is that there isn't much on non-toxic products - not just house cleaning products but things like lotions, soaps & shampoos. For non-toxic research, I generally refer to the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database, which rates individual products' toxicity levels. You can easily to Google "EWG Burt's Bees Baby Lotion" and find a direct link, or go straight to their website and search all "baby lotions."

The Takeaway:
I would definitely recommend this book - even if you have a lot of pregnant or mom friends who are dying to give you advice on the products they used, because your lifestyle and budget may be different from theirs. I was lucky to be able to borrow my sister-in-law's copy of Baby Bargains from 2011 (the newest is 2013), but the book is fairly inexpensive and may save you thousands in the long run. I can't imagine searching for baby products without this book, but I also combined my product research with Amazon reviews and ratings from EWG.


Did you find Baby Bargains helpful? Would you recommend it to a newly pregnant friend? What would you change or add to this book? 
I hope you're enjoying my parenting Book Review series! Please comment and let me know what you think! I love hearing from you! :)

xo kristen genevieve

Pregnancy Update: 33 Weeks!

This past week was fun! We had our last few days in Vermont this week to eat at our favorite local spots and enjoy the mountains. Early in the week, my sister-in-law and 22 month old niece came up to visit and we had a great time! We went to breakfast & then to the toy store - which is both fun and a little crazy with a toddler! She did very well putting toys away, she just loved to dart around the store - so overwhelmed by all the fun things! Adorable. :)

Now that we're back, I can't believe February is almost over! I am looking forward to the last few weeks of pregnancy (7 weeks to go!!) and my dreams are filled with tulips, lilacs, and warm weather. I just need to be outside more! I was able to get outside and walk a couple times this week, but it was still a little chilly. I've been picturing how fun it will be to take walks with my little one and not have to wear a coat, scarf & boots. Ahh...springtime! Come soon!

Because of our displacement, I've thankfully completed most of the major necessities on my "to do" list before baby arrives. One of final big "not fun" things on my to do list is to figure out about getting a voucher for a breast pump. I've read that if you contact your insurance company, you can get a free or partially covered breast pump in some cases if you purchase one from a specific medical supply company designated by your insurance. I think it's fairly recent that this has become a more widespread option, due to the Affordable Care Act. So definitely look into that if you plan on breastfeeding & pumping!

Week: 33 weeks - 7 weeks to go!!

Gender: Boy!!

Total Weight Gain: Right around 20lbs! But my weight fluctuates throughout the week so sometimes its closer to 22lbs total. Ya never know what Monday will bring!

Exercise: More yoga - whats new? I am obsessed! Also trying to get outside and walk more when its nice out. Unfortunately this coming week is going to be cold. :(

Nutrition: This week I felt like I could not eat enough. I mostly snacked on bananas, apples with peanut butter, and low-sugar granola. But I was constantly hungry and rarely felt satisfied! Either baby is going through a growth spurt or I need more cheese back into my diet! ;)

Food cravings/aversions: Still craving that spicy Thai food from my favorite local place!! I was able to eat it a few times while in Vermont, but now that we're back, I already miss it! Why?!

Signs of Stretch Marks: Nothing new since last week - somehow! Still using Burt's Bees Belly Butter! 

Maternity Clothes: As I mentioned last week, I did finally get a few new maternity shirts! I'm wearing one in today's photo. I probably should have a belly band by now, but it seems like it would be so uncomfortable! Next thing on the wish list is 1-2 cute yoga pants that I can wear once my little man arrives, too! 

Sleep: On and off. My heartburn has definitely been worse at night, making it difficult to sleep well some nights. Also, I'm still having vivid dreams, so sometimes I wake up feeling emotional from those dreams, whether they're good or bad. That's not strange, right? 

Feeling: A mix of everything! I felt great this week but I'm a little sad to leave Vermont. My body feels strong from yoga, which is always a good feeling. But I am sooo ready for springtime so I can get back into my evening walk! I need that mental boost! 
I haven't experienced any more Braxton Hicks in the past couple weeks. It makes me wonder if I was actually feeling them in the first place, because they were pretty mild. In your experience, were these contractions very random at this stage?

Baby Movement: Yes! His movements get so much stronger every week, but I don't mind. ;) Over the past few weeks, I've also noticed that he's settling into a definite wake-sleep pattern. 

Belly Button In or Out? In - I don't understand how!

Wedding Rings On or Off? On - I'm hoping it'll stay this way till the end!

What I miss most this week: Over the past week, I've missed having a kitchen again. Since we have returned, I miss Vermont! 

Best moment this week: When my sister-in-law & little niece came to visit! Toddlers are fun :)

Looking forward to: Getting through the next two weeks of displacement. I'm very much looking forward to being settled again! 

Thanks for reading! If you're interested, remember to check out my parenting book reviews on Thursdays! Until next week...

xo kristen genevieve

 

Book Review: The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp

 The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp

Author Qualifications:
Doctor Harvey Karp is an American pediatrician and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at USC School of Medicine. "He completed medical school training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NYC, pediatric residency at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and fellowships in ambulatory pediatrics and child development at UCLA."

Stand Out Nuggets:
-The concept of the "Fourth Trimester." Dr. Karp argues that a newborn's brain and functions are so much less developed than a three month old and thus treating a baby differently for this short stage will help them transition from the womb to the world. In the womb, baby's are exposed to a constant, loud "shhhing" noise, continuous movement, and a warm, cozy you! Dr. Karp explains that entering the world is a stark contrast to that experience and sensitive babies may have a difficult time transitioning. According to Dr. Karp, there is no such thing as "spoiling" a baby in the first three months.

-Babies all over the world and throughout history have been carried around in a sling by their mothers. In some cultures, babies are given the breast within 10 seconds of the baby's cry, each time they cry. Dr. Karp acknowledges that this level of on-demand attention is unrealistic in our culture, but also reminds readers that babies are used to constant closeness because its what they experienced in the womb.

-Not every crying baby has colic. Colic usually starts at two weeks, peaks at six weeks, and ends by three to four months. Colic is not more common among preemies. Babies with colic appear to be in pain, and their screams often begin during or just after feeding, and are much worse in the evening. Colic crying "often improves with rocking, holding, shhhing and gentle abdominal pressure." These babies are fine between outbursts. A colicky baby is NOT the same as a baby who reflux, constipation, hunger, food allergies (or reactions to foods in your breast milk), or other more serious issues. (Information on pages 31-32.)

-The famous 5 "S" solutions to calm even a baby with colic: Swaddling (tightly, arms in), Side/Stomach laying (NOT in the crib!), Shhh sounds (white noise), Swinging (short & vigorous), and Sucking. Dr. Karp emphasizes that for babies with colic, all 5 "S"s must be done correctly & simultaneously in order to achieve success. Most babies can benefit from one or more of these techniques, but more sensitive babies need all five solutions to be soothed. The majority of the book describes & illustrates how to properly execute these techniques.

-Interesting tidbit: just as baby's eyes are adjusting in the first three months, baby's ears are also "waterlogged," so sounds are muffled, just as they were in the womb. So when baby is crying, "shhhing" must be done louder than baby's cry, which is measured to be louder than a vacuum! (p 141) (***UPDATE: In March 2014, a study was published saying that white noise machines at maximum volume were too loud for baby and may cause hearing damage over time. Be sure to consult your pediatrician about this issue in order to make the right decision for your family.)

-For chapter outlines and excerpts, visit this link on the Happiest Baby website. 

What I Think:
Let me just come out and say it: I was hesitant to agree with Dr. Karp initially. I do not plan to practice "attachment parenting" with my child (no judgement, its just not for me). From what I had heard, I felt like Dr. Karp's philosophy "gives in" to baby's demands and would therefore make it more difficult to sleep train later on. However, this book is specifically intended for the first three to four months of life (the "Fourth Trimester"), which he explains as being different because of the baby's developmental stage.  
The lay out of this book is easy to navigate, however, its pretty repetitive. I feel like Dr. Karp could have condensed this book and made it half the length. He went into depth to defend his arguments, which I liked, but he also repeated himself again and again, even when not presenting evidence, and it felt like too much "fluff" to me. If you already agree with the author and his Fourth Trimester theory, a summary would be just fine for you (like the one on pages 126-127). If you disagree with him or are on the fence, it would be more worth your time to read the entire book to understand why he believes what he does.
I am glad I read this book because it focuses on the first three months, when I know I'll be too exhausted to think! If my baby is crying or has colic, I'm glad to have some resources to calm my baby when I'm too tired to research new solutions. I am also planning to read & eventually review Dr. Marc Weissbluth's Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child which focuses specifically on sleep issues, segmented into baby's age (1-4months, 4-12months...).

The Takeaway:
I would recommend this book if your pediatrician suspects your baby to have colic. Otherwise, if you agree with the author and don't need convincing of this parenting theory, go to the library and skim the basics of how to do each technique. If you disagree with Dr. Karp, it still might be valuable to have a few tricks in your pocket in case you're exhausted & desperate. Keep in mind that, in general, babies need tighter wrapping, more vigorous jiggling or swinging, and louder "shhhing" than you might expect. Also, each technique takes practice and may not work perfectly the first few times. So hang in there!
With my baby, I will likely try these techniques when he's crying and I've tried feeding, burping, changing his diaper, and holding him and don't know what else to do. However, I won't rely on the three month mark to change things up and phase out of certain techniques, like swinging. I think it's important to pay attention to your baby and to work with your pediatrician to decide when the right time is to shift strategies based on your baby's individual development.


I hope you're still enjoying this Book Review series! Do you agree with Dr. Karp, that the first three months of life are different? Is it possible to spoil a newborn? Do you plan on sleep training your baby before or after three months? Please comment and let me know what you think!

xo kristen genevieve