Blueberry Squash: ten

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Top 10 Supplies for Cloth Diapering a Newborn

Cloth diapering is good for baby, environment, and your wallet. Depending on the size of your baby you may need to purchase newborn size diapers first before moving on to the popular all-in-one styles that grow with your baby. Here are some of my favorite cloth diapering supplies & kits specific to newborns. I am personally starting with the gDiapers newborn bundle & then moving to Bumgenius 4.0, but there are many options out there for you to choose from! If you already cloth diaper what do you use?

Top 10 Supplies for Cloth Diapering a Newborn

* This post contains affiliate links, but I was not paid by the manufacturer to review this product - I just like it! I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255. Images courtesy of Amazon.

10 Creative Birth Announcements

With a baby on the way and a love for paper birth announcements are one of the things on my mind. I will absolutely be sending them out to family and friends, but what will they look like? I haven't yet decided between DIY or custom designed, and have even pondered a combination of the two. Here are ten of my favorite ideas so far, and you can follow my board on Pinterest to catch new inspirations as I discover them.

Source: parents.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: lisastorms.typepad.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: inababycarriage.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: gab.giggle.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: tinyprints.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: parents.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: swankybaby.net via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: blogs.babble.com via Brooke on Pinterest

* I was not paid by the manufacturer to review this product - I just like it! I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255. Images courtesy of Pinterest.

With the birth of my child quick approaching nursing tops have been on my virtual shopping list. Currently I am in that wear the same thing over and over again because I don't want to buy any more giant maternity clothes state of mind. However, after each breastfeeding class I can see myself wearing the same nursing tops over and over again for the year after baby is born, and I am thinking that I want to make more of a clothing investment so I don't feel quite so trapped in a small wardrobe.

Nursing tops can be anything from a regular shirt that gives easy access for breastfeeding to specially designed clothing that works in layers to keep you covered while nursing in public. I haven't bought anything yet since I am not sure what size I will end up after baby arrives, but I do have a personal top 10 list that I will be shopping from in the near future that I wanted to share with you. If you have a favorite nursing top please share it in the comments - I can use all the help I can get planning for the next phase of my wardrobe!

Top 10 Nursing Tops for Spring

Pregnancy has inspired so many artistic ideas in my mind. I am constantly thinking about new projects to make for baby, but rarely getting to any since I am still working full time. I decided to start up a Pinterest Board with some of my favorite projects for this week's top ten post, and will continue to add more as I stumble on them. Who knows -- maybe someday I will actually complete one!

One of the first decisions I made about my new baby was to cloth diaper. Not only is cloth diapering healthier for baby, but it is also healthier for the environment, and economical too. Besides the practical aspects of cloth diapering - they are also awfully cute too!

In the world of cloth diapering accessories are plentiful. Some are cute, some are useful, and some are even both! I put together a list of my favorites to share with you, and if you have a favorite that is not listed please feel free to mention it in the comments.

Top 10 Cloth Diapering Goodies

All over the web I hear Mom's rave about the Boppy so I had to have one. I am 22 weeks along, and collecting things little by little for the arrival of my baby so I don't get overwhelmed buying everything all at once. This weekend I decided to grab my Boppy so I could check something off my list while still saving up some cash for larger ticket items like the stroller and infant seat.

So what makes this pretty pillow so special? It is the multiple things you can use it for. As you know if you have been reading this blog, the more uses a product has the more I like it.

Ways to Use a Boppy

1) Support baby for nursing or bottle feeding.
2) Baby can lounge on back.
3) Great for tummy time.
4) Gives support for babies learning to sit.

Sounds good to me! It's purchased and sitting in baby's closet as I type this.

Cloth Diapering

I have officially picked out my cloth diapering gear, and added it to my registry. Here is what I have on my list. I will include links to Amazon in case you'd like to add some of these to your collection or registry.

Bright Yellow Diaper Pail / Liner

Bumgenius 4.0 Diapers in a Variety of Colors (20-24)

Newborn Starter Pack from gDiapers

Planet Wise Travel Wet Bag

Imse Vimse Diaper Liners

Wipes Warmer

See also posts with my reviews of gDiapers, Bumgenius 4.0, & Imse Vimse Diaper Liners.

From the beginning I knew I wanted a wrap of some sort to wear the baby, and my husband had his heart set on a baby backpack. It occurred to me today that although I had thrown a wrap, and backpack on the registry from ones we had seen out and about, I hadn't really done much research on other brands. I have heard some good things about Boba so I decided to look into their products.

Boba is a company out of Boulder Colorado that makes their products locally with organic cotton, and committed to being green. It is refreshing to look into owning products that are priced within the same range as those made overseas. I also enjoy the quality that comes from a small specialized business such as Boba. Their products are made for active parents by active parents, and make me feel like I am supporting people along with a business. I have a passion for the outdoors, and these wraps look like the perfect way to bring baby along.

I want a wrap for several reasons. First there are the health benefits. A wrap will keep baby warm and secure along with providing a sleep solution close to mom if the baby is fussy. Wearing a baby is also convenient for doing household tasks, and keeping baby close while out shopping. I have heard from many mothers that strangers are less likely to touch a baby that is worn as opposed to a baby in a stroller. Being a first time mom wary of germs I like the idea behind that! I also just like the idea of keeping baby close to me.

I wanted a wrap that was stylish and comfortable to wear. The Boba Wrap is both. I love the palette of modern colors they offer, but think I will register for the grey so it will go with whatever outfit I am wearing at the time. I was warned by a store associate to check weight restrictions on wraps and carriers so I wouldn't end up buying many over time. The Boba Wrap works with an infant up to 35 pounds so it passes that test. I also like that it makes breast feeding easy and discrete for days when I might not want to lug around something else to cover up with.

My husband was looking for more of a backpack for the baby for when we are on our weekend adventures. We had looked at a Baby Bjorn for an infant, and then some more structured hiking backpacks for when the child got larger. When I found the Boba 3G Carrier it was a one carrier solution for both of those scenarios. This carries supports infants and babies worn on the front, and then when the child is a toddler up to 45 pounds the carrier can be worn on the back. It has footrests to make the carrier comfortable for the child, and a place to secure a bag strap so it doesn't slip off your shoulder to make it comfortable for the parent. I watched several You Tube videos with my husband of people happily using this carrier, and think it is a great alternative to other carriers on the market. In all the gear we buy we are concerned with how long we can use the product, and this one stands the test of time.

So these two items have made it onto our registry, and I like them so much that they are in the category of things we must have even if no one purchases them for us.

How can anyone resist a book entitled Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies? When I saw this one at the bookstore I instantly picked it up without even reading the back cover.

The book is divided into short sections making it a great read for when you don't have a lot of time. I read it in small chunks, and enjoyed this book thoroughly.

There is only so many times I can read the same information about pregnancy over and over again so I was excited to dive into this book. It is more about the science behind pregnancy then the symptoms themselves.

I learned things like :

How my diet and my mothers diet will effect my babies future food preferences.
Why my dreams are so vivid?
Where does my maternal instinct come from?
How different levels of stress react with a babies mind.
What does amniotic fluid taste like?

And of course I found out if chocolate lovers have sweeter babies - although I was planning on continuing to indulge in some chocolate every now and then either way!

This book was quirky and entertaining to read. The author takes complicated science and explains it in a way that is not only easy to understand, but also useful and relevant. My husband was even intrigued by all the fun facts I shared with him throughout reading the book. I plan on sending my copy to a good friend who is expecting, and will likely give this book as a gift over and over again.

When I first began my research I was coming across rave reviews on various forums for the Baby Plus Prenatal Education System so I decided to look further into this product.

Basically it is a speaker that you wear around your belly anytime after 18 weeks to the end of your pregnancy. It plays a pattern based on the sound of your heartbeat. You start with lesson 1 and go all the way to lesson 16 depending on how many weeks you have left in your pregnancy. The Baby Plus is meant to be used twice a day. As the lessons progress the pattern gets progressively more complicated.

The scientific premise according to the Baby Plus website is that sound has been used throughout history to educate the baby while still in the womb. Starting in the 1980's Dr. Brent Logan began to study the use of the sounds found in the Baby Plus as a prenatal education tool. It was found that Baby Plus babies were more relaxed and able to self soothe. As they grew older these babies also reached their milestones earlier.

It came up so many times as I browsed forums I decided to give it a try. I figured why not give my baby the potential to start learning early on. I am not expecting miracles, but hoping that my baby benefits in some way from this tool.

I started on week 18 and am now almost 20 weeks pregnant. The sound is soothing, and if you are watching TV or put a blanket over your stomach it fades right into the background. I wear it in the morning while I work, and in the evening on the couch with my husband. I am finding that my baby is more active when I wear the Baby Plus, and I enjoy the pokes and kicks. It is a little bit tedious to wear the unit twice a day for a hour each, but it doesn't seem like the kind of thing you can do halfway and still expect results so I have been consistent with my routine.

I guess we will never know if it was the Baby Plus that will prompt future behaviors from my child, but it is a gadget that I couldn't resist trying. Oh, and my cat really seems to like it too!

Initially I did what many parents to be do and created a registry at Babies R Us. I assumed they would have everything I could ever want for baby, and enjoyed poking around the store with my husband. I immediately did some comparison shopping and chose a stroller, whose story I wrote about recently. When I realized that stroller was not going to work for me, and Babies R Us told me to get a new car because none of the infant seats they carried would fit in the back seat of my Mini Cooper I began to rethink my registry with them.

As my list of quirky wants and needs started to pile up I dreamed of a registry where I could register for anything at any store. Soon I realized that it existed at Amazon.com and I became an instant fan.

First of all Amazon.com offers a wide variety of products so many of my wants and needs were satisfied just by browsing the website. As I noticed that most of the prices were cheaper then Babies R Us, and was finding just about everything I needed I became more and more pleased with my discovery.

I used the registry tools to add some products that I had not yet thought of, and my list began to grow. As it grew I started to delete "wants" and make sure the list was comprised more of "needs" I added everything to the list from cotton balls to nursery furniture so it would serve as a shopping list to let me know that I can use to make sure I am prepared for babies arrival.

The best benefit of this registry is that you can add products from any website. It is really easy to do.

Set up your registry on Amazon.com.
Go to this link and follow the instructions to install the universal registry button.

Now when you are browsing a website you can simply click on your new button and add it to your registry keeping everything you want for baby all in one place. Have I mentioned how much I love this feature? I will say it again - I LOVE this feature!

Another great feature on the registry is that you can manually mark items as purchased from your list. All you need to do is go to your registry, and look to the right side of each item. Click on "Edit Comments, Quantity & Priority" and mark the quantity you received. I also like to add in a little comment thanking who sent the gift or mentioning that we are all stocked up on an item. When I am out and about and grab something for baby I simply add it to the list and mark it as purchased. I am hoping this feature will help me get only what I need and not end up with gifts that I don't use.

This registry is my registry of choice. If you are just getting started make sure to check out the Most Registered For Baby Top 100 Products to get some ideas. Registering is a fun process, and for me having products from all over the web as options makes it even more exciting!

I wrote about how the Summer Sanders Prenatal Workout was my favorite pregnancy workout, and I have to admit that Denise Austin's Fit and Firm Pregnancy is a very close second place if not a tie. On a typical week I like to do these two workouts on rotating days and throw in another video here and there to keep things exciting.

The video features a 20 minute cardio workout that works well for each of the trimesters. I enjoy doing this part of the video quite often and when I have the energy I will do it more then one time in a day. The moves are easy to follow, and fun so the workout goes by quickly and leaves me with lots of energy.

There are also strength training workouts for your second and third trimester included on the video. They are 20 minutes and a great companion to a 20 minute cardio workout.

You can do the workouts individually or if you click on the Custom category on the menu you can schedule them to run back to back to do a combination of workouts without going back to the menu between each one. I love this feature, and wish it was included on more workout videos.

This workout is a lower impact then the Summer Sanders Prenatal Workout, and works well for those days when I am not feeling well, but still want to get some exercise in. If you only pick one workout to purchase during your pregnancy, Denise Austin's Fit and Firm Pregnancy is the one I would recommend.

With this or any workout make sure to check with your doctor or midwife before getting started on a routine.

While I work I enjoy having a podcast on in the background, and ever since I discovered Pregtastic it has been on the top of my list.

Pregtastic is a talk show with a panel of pregnant women who share their stories as well as ups and downs of pregnancy. It is so much less generic then the general pregnancy websites out there because the stories are so personal. It was refreshing to hear women talk frankly about their symptoms, and have given me an idea of what to expect along the way.

The podcasts are often supplemented with experts covering all areas of pregnancy and has led to my discovery of many books, websites and products. I find that the casual nature of the podcast leads to interesting questions during the interviews, setting them apart from other reviews that I have come accross.

You can find the podcasts on iTunes or through the Pregtastic website. I use iTunes and downloaded all the past episodes which are keeping me quite busy so far. There is also a forum on their website, but when I applied to be a poster I never heard back so that was a disappointment -- I wanted to get in on the conversation too!

So it turns out that the perfect stroller for me is not the same as the one I initially wanted. I drive a Mini Cooper so above all else size was going to be a huge factor. So I changed the way I was researching strollers from shopping in stores to scouring the web and seeing what other Mini Cooper Mothers used and loved. Through this line of inquiry I discovered the Quinny Zapp Xtra and quickly fell in love.

First of all this stroller is very compact. The seat is removable and folds separate from the rest of the stroller allowing for easy travel. This will be perfect for my trunk - I will even be able to fit some groceries in the car with the stroller, car seat and baby!

This stroller also has 5 positions which quickly became a selling point to me. There is the traditional forward facing position, a forward tilt, a flat position for infants, and then you can also turn the seat around for two positions facing the person pushing the stroller. I didn't know this was an option before this stroller, and am loving the thought of having my child face me so we can interact instead of the more traditional facing outward into the world position. I also like the benefit of the flat position for when the baby is an infant.

It works with the Maxi Cosi Micro car seat if I want to use the stroller as a travel system - which I will review in a future post. The important point to make here is that this car seat will fit comfortably in my small car making this a good match for my lifestyle.

After researching the stroller I went to a not so local baby store about an hour and a half away to see it in person. I was just as impressed in person, and added it to my registry. The only downside is that I want the brown version which is only available online, but at 30.4lbs shipping shouldn't be too costly.

This is my absolute favorite pregnancy workout video. I have been using it since my first trimester, and plan on trying her other workout after the baby is born.

The video includes workouts for each trimester. There is a regular version that I like to do which runs about 50 minutes, and a shorter express workout for those days when you don't have as much time. I try to do this video 2-3x a week on alternating days since the focus is on toning.

What I really like about this workout is that it was a challenge my first time through. This is my first pregnancy so I am concerned with not over doing it when it comes to working out so doing prenatal fitness videos makes me feel confident that even though I am getting a good workout it is safe for the baby. Before pregnancy I focused mainly on cardiovascular workouts so to switch to a workout like this which has more of a focus on toning arms and legs was a big change for me.

As I am writing this post I just finished this workout, and have done it 5x in the past two weeks on alternating weekdays. I can actually feel my arms gaining some muscle tone so I am really happy with the results. Being pregnant changed my whole view on working out because all of a sudden I was more focused on health then weigh loss or maintenance. After the baby comes I am going to make it a point to keep toning in my routine, because I really enjoy how it makes my body feel.

Before you try this video you do need a resistance band and a good stack of pillows to prop yourself up on an angle for floor work in the second and third trimester. Summer Sanders is coached in this video by her sister-in-law, and both of these women have bubbly, but not annoying personalities. I really enjoyed the personal feeling of the video which made it seem like I had a fitness coach in my living room.

With this or any workout make sure to check with your doctor or midwife before getting started on a routine.