Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Little Projects

Baby Announcement Paperweight
When i bought our pregnancy announcements, I bought an extra one for us. I wasn't sure what I would do with it at first, just that i wanted to have one. As it turns out, I decided to turn it into a resin paperweight. I am currently on the hunt for a round picture frame and am going to hang it on the wall in the nursery, because it matches the color palette really well!



 Mobile
I used a 15" shipswheel for the support structure, and right now we have a dolphin (from our baby moon), a seahorse (from Pappy), a pufferfish (from a childhood friend), and an octopus. I am currently working with 2 glass artists to acquire a: blown/hollow seashell, a jellyfish, a starfish, a sand dollar, a sea turtle, and a blown snail. Still going to hang white seaglass in the center and possibly some pirate doubloons

I saw an idea for a seaglass mobile, and then on vacation we got a glass dolphin ornament. Then my dad bought me a glass seahorse. So our mobile is in progress as we accumulate more lampwork glass sea creatures. One would think it goes without saying that this mobile is going on the ceiling in front of a window and is for staring at not for playing with, but i have had WAY too many people caution me about babies and glass. I am not stupid. Thank You.

Book of Fairytales
I LOVE fairytales. I'm slightly obsessed. It was a goal of mine, long before we were actually having a baby, to have one epic book of my favorite fairytales for my child.  I needed help figuring out that word totally saves things as PDF and adobe totally lets you edit a pdf template, but once i had that secret it was cake!
I did find a place that will print and bind a single book (most only do bulk). They have a promotion code: 1BOOKBABY for any book to be $19  ($30 after shipping)


Board Books
This is a side project of mine. I wrote 3 short children's stories: Kissed By The Fairies (for little freckled children), Grandma Knows Everything, and All The Things That Grandpa/Pappy Does. I bought blank board books for the execution, BUT I still need to illustrate them.

Onesies

 I have this thing about baby stuff. I hate most cartoon animals and neon colors and horizontal stripes. I want geeky or dapper, dang it! I have a degree in fashion design and a sewing machine and serger (makes t-shirt stitching) so i CAN make baby clothes, but the fabric selection isn't exactly stellar. Today I ordered this fabric which is pre-printed in little baby suits (size 3-6months). Technically they are 2 doctor who suits (i don't watch doctor who, i just like suits) and 1 gryffindor robe. It's $30 for the 3 printed on organic cotton knit and shipped BUT i do have to cut them out and sew them. The edging and snaps may prove to be more of a pain in the ass than i'd like, but i think i'm up for it.


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Monday, June 22, 2015

Circumcision

I'll be honest, I always wanted a little girl, and so I never really thought circumcision was a decision that i would have to make.

My first gut reaction was it just seems cleaner and easier to circumcise. An extra skin flap SOUNDS like it would be dirty, right? And almost everyone I know is circumcised, we must do it for a reason. Then I found out the REAL reason we circumcise (Circumcision took off because it was believed it would curb masturbation. Obviously, that mission failed epically, but the cycle of "his should look like mine" kept going and Americans kept circumcising their babies.) and decided i really owed it to my kid to do my research and make an informed decision that goes beyond "everyone else does it."

There are plenty of articles circulating about all the sensitive nerves in the foreskin and how so much sensitivity is lost by circumcising. While no one i know can attest to the experience of BOTH situations, I asked my husband if he felt like he'd been robbed of something, and he said no. Some friends said they wish the choice had been theirs, but most circumcised men said they were happy with their bodies and pro-circumcision.

Care: A big selfish part of me kept picturing a blowout diaper all up in foreskin. Knowing that i have to care for it, that just sounded so gross and like so much extra work. And so I read A LOT of articles, and i talked to a lot of people. One of my co-workers has 4 kids, 2 girls and 2 boys. Her husband is latino and uncircumcised (circumcision is not a part of hispanic culture and i asked several hispanic men as well) but she, like me, did all the research when her sons were born. When I asked if it's messier she said, hands down a girl is the worst to clean. Baby foreskin doesn't retract, it's basically fused together so stuff doesn't go inside. She also said "little boys love to play with themselves, so when they're in the tub you tell them to clean their willy and they do".

I am going to link some articles below- both for and against circumcision- but mainly i'm going to put some factoids that influenced our decision not to circumcise. We aren't anti-circumcision, sometimes it is medically necessary (King Louis' was medically necessary and therefore made it fashionable!), and there's always a possibility that our son could need circumcised later on (though we hope if it does become necessary, he will still be very young). For now, we will not be having our son circumcised when he's born.


  • Men have a low risk of UTIs in the first place, and circumcised boys risk only drops 2% compared to uncircumcised boys. What's more disturbing is that the notion that westerners have been told that it needs special cleaning meant that a lot of people actually unwittingly hurt their babies by forcibly retracting the foreskin to clean under it. This is a big fat no no. It doesn't retract, it isn't meant to retract, and when you forcibly retract it, you're basically tearing it. 
  • If we were having a girl, this wouldn't even be up for debate- it's a big f*ck no! We view female circumcision as genital mutilation and the countries that do it as barbaric and cruel. While I am rather certain that female mutilation has a bigger and more lasting impact than circumcision, at the end of the day, we're talking about cutting off nerves in your genitalia.
  • It doesn't always go flawlessly. My sister and her friend had the same doctor, and both my nephew and her friend's son had to be circumcised a second time. A friend told me that she knows another little boy who had to be circumcised twice. Sometimes the error is not on the side of caution, and you can't just put it back the way it was.
  • There have been multiple studies regarding sensitivity and disorders (erectile disfunction, partner satisfaction, ability to climax, loss of sensitivity, etc) and those studies do abundantly suggest that circumcised men have more problems with intimacy and orgasms than uncircumcised men do. That's not to say that all circumcised men will face those problems- i'm of the opinion that most men have healthy and plentiful sexual appetites regardless of whether or not they were circumcised, but just thought it worth noting

Some facts in favor of circumcision:
  • Apparently, U.S. doctors are largely unfamiliar with how they should treat uncircumcised baby's, and regularly do forcible retractions during routing wellness checks which can lead to permanent damage and require a circumcision. We're going to have to be extra obnoxious with doctors every time they go near our kids penis. A lot of "medically necessary" circumcisions are because the foreskin isn't retracting. It isn't supposed to retract until puberty. A small child cannot be diagnosed with phimosis. If your doctor does, find another doctor.
  • It may sound stupid, but maybe it is easier to be "just like everyone else". Hid dad is circumcised and roughly 50% of the boys at school will be too. Culturally, we still have a stigma that men ARE circumcised and i imagine there will be many awkward conversations with girls and the coming generations' boys.
  • Of all the studies on cleanliness and disease, the only one that seems to show conclusive benefit is that circumcised men are less likely to pass HPV on to their partners. My inner feminist says right-on.
  • They can graft ~12,000 square feet of skin from one baby's foreskin. That's pretty helpful for all the people that need skin grafts. It's like organ donation. (fun fact: skin is your largest organ)
  • There is a very slight correlation for lowered risk of HIV, HPV, penile cancer, and STIs. *Most of these studies occurred in Africa, were never actually completed, do not take forcible retraction injuries into account, and were done in the 80s when 85% of american boys were circumcised.







http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgical/circumcision.html
http://www.upworthy.com/the-absurd-reason-why-america-circumcises-baby-boys
http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/circumcision
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Monday, June 15, 2015

Maternity Wear-Beyond the Bump

I may have noted that for the most part, I carry small.
There are several reasons for this

  • Heredity- my mom carried small. My sister carried small. I carry small.
  • Activity- While I have no formal exercise, as a waitress I lead a very active lifestyle
  • Diet- I have a food allergy. I'm not saying i never eat junk, but i generally eat much healthier than the average american. As a waitress, I'm also accustomed to eating lots of small meals a day instead of big ones.
  • Muscle- I use my core muscles everyday and carry stress in my back and belly. Those muscles were already super tight.
  • Placenta- Everyone's placenta doesn't attach in the same place. Really, it can attach anywhere, and that's mostly okay so long as it doesn't attach at the bottom (blocking the birth canal). Mine is categorized as posterior (fundal) which means that it's attached on the back, between the baby and my spine. The placenta is like a really big nutrient cushion that attaches to the uterine wall- read BIG CUSHION. so that cushion might be on the front, way down low, way up high, or on the back. Mine is on the back. *I suspect this is also why we had such super clear ultrasounds as they take them from the front of the belly and mine did not have to look through the placenta. 
I haven't really needed maternity wear, and today was the first day i unbuttoned my workpants and wore a bellyband. Mind you, i can still button the pants, but it was much more comfortable not to. I love Amazon.com. I love that stuff ships right to my door, I love that it's already reviewed by other people, I love how easy it is to return. I love Amazon.com. So I am going to link you to my favorite amazon.com purchases which are NOT maternity, but i have been wearing and will continue being able to wear throughout my pregnancy. I'm pregnant in the summertime, so if you're opposite, my suggestions probably won't do you much good. 

This is cotton, pleated, and super comfy. I like to wear cotton shorts under my dresses, but this falls just above knees. It's a tent dress, so it pretty much fits the same no matter what size you are

 Jumpsuit-$20
This is meant to wear LIKE a dress so it is pleated and flowy with an empire waist and stretchy back. I bought my first in a Medium (and can still wear it!) and bought several more in Large (different colors) to go through summer and honestly am sure i will be able to wear both without belly. I do like to wear a wrap-around belt with these for some added waist definition. *This isn't ideal for when you need to pee a lot, but it's so stinking cute, I just love it. It only takes a few extra seconds in the restroom once you get used to how the loops work. I normally buy all of my rompers in large to accommodate my booty, and can honestly say that buying a medium fit me great, while a Large offers better boob coverage and crotch depth (since that belly is stealing it!) and they will both fit similarly after baby.

This is a lightweight, stretchy, breathable band. It's long enough to wear over your belly for a little support, but i wear it folded in half to cover shirt gaps or unbuttoned pants. It has a silicone band on the bottom that holds it in place AND i have already worn this a tube top (which is stays in place so great!) or bandeau bra so it has purpose beyond the bump. 

Casual Tunic Top-$11
I have at least 3 of these. They're a silky, stretchy, polyester and can be worn belted or unbelted. Great with shorts or jeans


Honorable mention to your favorite pair of cotton knit shorts! My sister wears a lot of maxi dresses and they were her pregnancy staple. i don't really like to wear dresses that go all the way to my feet (i'm kind of clumsy and they're a tripping hazard), but i did buy one and they are comfortable
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Product Choices (Diapers, Bottles, Formula)

It feels like there are an overwhelming number of choices for EVERYTHING baby. Diapers, Bottles, pacifiers, baby food, etc. I'm going to admit, i used a lot of baby gear lab and other product comparison articles to make my choices.

DIAPERS
The first thing to decide was cloth v disposable. Cloth has cooler prints, and in theory is cheaper in the long run. Disposable offers convenience. I found this article EXTREMELY helpful in helping me decide. Ultimately I decided we're in the "ain't nobody got time for that" club when it comes to cloth diapers, but i still wanted to go green, SO I chose Bambo Nature as the most highly rated disposable diaper.

Bambo is NOT a cheap diaper- it's among the most expensive diapers on the market at .31-.38 per diaper. If eco-friendly wasn't important to me (or if at some point i just can't find bambo) i'm pretty sure Pampers swaddlers is our second choice since that color change stripe is awesome. I DO care that our diapers are allergen friendly, eco-conscious, and still rated well (a lot of the natural diapers are NOT rated well) which is why we chose Bambo for ourselves. Totally understand those that go the affordable route.

ETA: I just have to rave about Bambo's customer service. They were one of the companies i wrote to asking if they did samples, and while they apparently do totally sell a sample pack on their website (that i just didn't see because it's in their store, not a separate link), within 24 hours they had responded to my request, sent me a sample (4 diapers- 2 sizes) that arrived in 3 days, and less than a week later(today) followed up to see that the sample had arrived and offer me a one-time use personalized discount code of 25% (it has my name in it) that i can use to stock up on diapers before baby arrives. (I chose to stock up on their 11-20lb size 3 diapers at .33/ea) I just thought that was altogether classy and stellar customer service, so not only are they the top rated and most eco-friendly, they're also pretty awesome people. I was hoping to get to try their diaper, I wasn't expecting them to go above and beyond.

BOTTLES
Can I just say that not all reviews are created equal. Bambo came out on top for disposable diapers on pretty much every product comparison site i looked at, but NONE of those sites seemed to agree on bottles. We received several free bottles- 3 avent and 1 munchkin latch, and munchkin latch wasn't even tested in several of the comparisons. Philips Avent seemed to score pretty high in all tests though which is ultimately the choice i made. I really hate drinking out of plastic stuff, it just picks up a flavor and never feels clean, so i did register for the small glass bottles, though we already have 3 plastic bottles(1 is the munchkin). I am accepting some hand-me-down medela bottles just because they're designed to function with the breastpump. We chose Avent based on product comparison charts, but i recently saw it on a list of bottles that mimic breast, and can attest that our baby transitions well between the two.

Formula v. Breastfeeding
There is no debate. All doctors and all formula companies agree that breastfeeding is the best option for your baby. Sometimes, there are medical reasons you can't breastfeed, and other times when formula is just more convenient. Personally, we would probably milk bank (some women sell or donate breastmilk for those that can't breastfeed) rather than use formula, but breastfeeding is every medical professional's ideal choice re: the health of your baby.

I've already explained the reasons why we don't really feel that formula feeding is an option for us, but to recap:

  • I developed a food allergy to soy in my early 20s. Potential allergen hazard
  • Because of that allergy, i've done a lot of research on soy and genuinely feel it is not meant for human consumption. Among other things, the phyto-estrogens have proven strong enough to change the timing of a woman's cycle, the goitrogens are severely anti-thyroid, the saponins are severely damaging to the digestive tract, and many soy formulas are created by acid washing the bean in aluminum tanks. (aluminum is bad)
  • Over 90% of soy is GMO to be round-up ready. More and more studies are showing that the glyphosates found in roundup have an impact on brain development. I truly believe that a link between the soy/pesticides in our food and the rise in autism will solidify as research continues in this field.
  • Here's a link to an article about why soy-formula is so dangerous, but our opinion was formed without that article.

I understand that as strongly as we feel about soy, it seems to be difficult data for the public to swallow, and most people are not willing to make the (surprisingly drastic) change of diet required to eliminate soy from their lives. While I am happy to discuss our decisions and feel very very strongly about them, this post isn't really about converting people. That said, let's compare both breast pumps and formulas:

BREAST PUMPS
This is another product where there were overwhelming majorities. Hundreds of moms compared effectiveness, ease of use, comfort, cost, and availability of accessories. For the most part, medela came out on top Everytime with Ameda as the biggest contender.
 Reviews put them head to head and in many cases they tied, but there were 3 important distinctions that influenced my final choice: 1) Medela has problems with milk backing up into the tubing and leading to mold. Ameda doesn't. 2) There were a lot of complaints amount the "shields" for medela not being comfortable. 3)Insurance seems to cover the fancier ameda pump but requires some out of pocket expense for the fancier medela pump.

*Full disclosure: My sister is giving me her super fancy medela pump that she paid out of pocket for the upgrade, and since my insurance still covers a pump, i'm going with the Ameda. Ultimately, I will get to try both. BONUS: Did you know that pretty much all ameda and medela parts are interchangeable. I'm told amedas actually cost a lot less, so if you're needing to replace parts on your medela, the ameda parts are a more cost effective option.



FORMULAS
I DID look at my options for soy-free formula. They don't make it in the U.S. AT ALL. but there are a couple UK versions in Holle and HiPP (hipp's american version has soy lecithin) and NZ based Nannycare. I may pick up some of this "just in case"

*My understanding is that the u.s. does not allow formulas to be marketed for children under the age of 1 without an american clinical trial where formula is the sole source of nutrition. Most non-us companies will not undergo these trials, and so you can buy "toddler formula (age 1-3)" on amazon, while the "infant formulas" are available elsewhere online.

Here is a link comparing all U.S. formulas and here's amazon sorted by rating. Amazon is nice because there are pictures of the ingredients labels. Pretty much all formula is sugar and vegetable oil with added vitamins so not exactly ideal. I have to say that the free tub of Enfamil Infant Formula we were given in our buybuybaby bag is probably the least offensive label i've seen. Similac Advance(Kirkland's is the generic) is similar. Soy issues aside, i personally would not buy a formula with sugar as one of the first 2 ingredients- i just wouldn't.

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Thursday, June 4, 2015

Belly Bands and Back Support- Comparison Review

I had occasional sciatica before i got pregnant. I'm on my feet 8-14 hrs/day, speedwalking on concrete, and i have an overly pronounced curve in my lower back. I also have a posterior placenta (it attaches on the back instead of the front) I'm waitress and that about sums it up. Add baby and lower back pain is a near constant struggle, from the very beginning.

I tried 4 belly bands, 2 lightweight and 2 heavyweight and eventually settled on acupressure tape instead so I'll review them here:



    • Color Options: Black, White, Beige, Grey, and Pink
    • This is a lightweight, stretchy nylon band, mostly great for covering the gap in your pants so you can wear them unbuttoned. It has non-slip silicone, and doubles wonderfully as a stay-put tube top. I wear this folded in half since my belly isn't terribly big. 
    • Overall: I recommend this band for everyday clothing adjustments, but don't expect much support out of it. If you don't need support, this is absolutely the belly band that you want, possibly in multiple colors


    • Color Options: Black, White, Blue, Pink, Light & Dark Grey
    • This was the first belly band that i purchased as it is one of the many coupons that come in all the baby stuff you get (free, just pay shipping). It sounded great, but in actual use, the fabric is too heavy (hot), i'm not big enough for a full tube belly band yet and this one can't be folded in half, and why would i want to button it to my pants when i could just have a silicone strip that keeps it in place? i pee all the time, i don't need to unbutton things! Additionally, this has actual strips of elastic in it, rather than just being super stretchy.
    • Overall: I don't recommend this. I wouldn't repurchase it, and it's not going to offer back support.


    • Color Options: Pink
    • For the price, this will get you the support you need, but it's essentially a giant ace bandage. It's thick, it's unattractive, the edges curl, and there's only the one color option. 
    • Overall: If you're desperate and on a budget, this will help, but there are better bands out there


    • Color Options: Black
    • This is a neoprene band, thick but soft, and way supportive. My favorite hand support is made out of the exact same thing. It's breathable, but you will still notice the temperature change when you take it off and be grateful. It helped my back immensely, but i noticed as pregnancy progressed that belly bands work by applying pressure, and as you may have noticed, your bladder isn't a huge fan of pressure. I was in between sizes and ordered the medium. i could have ordered a small, but being adjustable meant it didn't really matter.
    • Overall: If you're going with a belly band for backpain, this is the one. 

  • Accupressure Tape- $.50-$1/ft
    • Color Options: Pretty unlimited
    • Brands: I've tried KT Tape and Rock Tape. I prefer Rock Tape as the stickier of the 2
    • Accupressure tape is, quite frankly, magic. It uses adhesives and tension techniques to support and relieve aching joints, and i've used it on most of my body at point or another. It's a growing movement in physical therapy, and if you've watched competitive sports on tv, you've seen it on athletes- allowing them to compete with less pain, and lessening their risk of re-injury. You can buy at 16ft roll for $18. I buy 105ft rolls for whatever sale i can find, and i already had a roll available to me. (*I did repurchase a roll for $65) One of my favorite tapings is for lower backpain and the asterisk pattern in that video is not only how my PT taped me long before i was pregnant, but how PT therapists prefer to use it also. It's magic. You'll thank me.
    • Overall: This is the best option for me. I use this tape in my everyday life, so it's not an expense, but the tape lasts ~1 week and you should get at least 5 tapings out of a small roll. It's definitely worth a try for the relief it brings. Tape doesn't put pressure on my bladder, and doesn't affect my clothing. I wear it when i sleep and when i shower. This is definitely my #1 choice
Update 7/31
The back pain definitely gets worse as pregnancy goes on, so there are some other things I've incorporated besides belly bands:
  • I have always used shoe inserts and I already owned them in both medium and high support. I switched to high support inserts around 30 weeks. I also switched into slip on shoes that are very similar to my regular shoes, but without laces. I already had all of these items pre-pregnancy.
  • I find the higher compression band somewhat uncomfortable- it pushes on the baby and on my bladder and i almost never wear it. I do wear the Bellaband (with silicone strip) every single day. I have not purchased different pants, and use the bellaband to cover the gap of leaving them undone. I also notice some actually support from the band as my belly gets bigger. 
  • A back roller. I purchased a back roller that my husband helps me use almost everyday. However, for a cheaper option, I also totally lay on the floor with my legs on the couch and put a tennis ball under my lower back. Both work quite well. 
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Monday, June 1, 2015

Baby Freebies

We got pregnant in January 2015, announced both the baby and *his* gender in May 2015, and I began really keeping track of all the cool free baby stuff in June 2015. I update it periodically, but what I find most irritating about free baby stuff blogs is that some of them are from YEARS ago, and some of them are super cool but only available in Canada (or other countries, but mostly Canada) so with this blog you know, it's from 

SUMMER 2015

United States


 Baby freebies- both convenient, and kind of fun. This was a baby thing we got to do before we told everyone our little secret. It was a fun bonding experience for me and hubby (trust me, when you get to the toy section, he'll have fun)


 I immediately threw away miscellaneous flyers and any coupons that will expire early. There are multiples of pretty much every coupon.
This is: 1 lowgrade multipurpose bag, 3 baby bottles (i actually got a 4th when amazon brought back their welcome box), 2 pacifiers (3 actually), a tub of enfamil formula, 2 pampers samples in pouches,  1 travel pack of seventh generation wipes, 2 lasinoh sample sets (1 is combined in a pouch and 1 is 2 separate samples), 2 hospital gift bag certificates, 2 safety latches, a baby sling, a magnetic frame, samples of: medela x3, desitin, booger wipes, gripe water, laundry detergent, babyganics, belli cream, bio oil, buttpaste x3, and a minitube of healing balm

Coupons (that i kept): $5 Rebate on forehead thermometer, JCPenney Portraits x4, Golden Girls Baby Announcements, carters, Oshkosh, disney, buy buy baby, Shutterfly, Target (whole book including $1 off a starbucks drink)


Gift Bags:

You are probably going to make at least 1 registry, but if you weren't, I think you should know- ALL the major baby stores offer a free goody bag when you register, and there is some cool stuff in those goody bags. For the most part, you CAN do your registry online and just go pick up the giftbags, but both my husband and myself thought wandering the store with the little scanner gun was actually really fun. ALL the registries include a "completion discount" which is basically a big one time discount of 10%-20% on any (or all) of the items remaining on your registry around the due date, so adding items you want to a registry is economical in the sense that you're guaranteed a discount if no one purchases it for you. I've included pictures of what was in my goody bags circa Spring 2015. They differ a little bit from store to store and year to year, but in general yours will be very similar. Almost everything in the photo above is from Registry GiftBags


  • Target
    • When you make a baby registry at Target, you can pick up a gift bag in store. Their's is a fairly quality (cheap but definitely reuseable and waterproof) velcro front bag with a MAM pacifier, a pampers sample, and lots of coupons and mini samples. Sometimes there's a bottle in here. I kind of lost track of where i got all my bottles, so 1 of my avent bottles may actually be from this bag. They also sent a $20 giftcard in the mail about a month later. Check out their weekly freebies and cartwheel discounts.

  • Babies R Us
    • Babies R Us is similar to Target. Mine came in a paper gift bag (though i've seen slightly nicer one depending on where you live) and includes a cool fancy bottle (mine was a munchkin latch bottle) which seems really awesome, another (identical) pampers sample, breastmilk storage bags, nursing pads, mini samples and lots of coupons.
 

    • Buy Buy Baby
      • Our nearest buy buy baby is like 40 minutes away and is part of Bed, Bath, and Beyond (why isn't it called Baby & Beyond instead of buybuybaby?), but after watching some youtube videos, we decided this one was worth getting. The store is reasonably priced and we picked up a few things while there as well as found some bedding (blankets and sheets) we liked better than most stores. They get you set up with your scanner and put together a bag for you while you browse (to make sure you turn your scanner in i imagine) This one is mostly full of samples and i mean FULL of samples, from more storage bags and nipple pads, to more butt paste, there were wipes and several stretch mark treatments and baby lotions, 2 types of detergent, etc. This one came with a nuk pacifier. Oh! And a tub of formula.

    • Walmart
      • I actually didn't know about this box until i saw it on youtube so I missed the first box. I linked the word walmart above to the registration. The box is free and will ship to your door for $5. They offer you 3 boxes, one for each trimester! (Actually they offer i think 6 boxes for a few milestones up to age 15 months) Mine took ~3 weeks to arrive.
    Walmart 2nd Trimester Box Summer 2015: Has Baby Bee samples, a nivea sample, my 3rd pamper sample, aquaphor sample, and coupons for gerber, avent, and beechnut. It also had flyers for lasinoh and munchkin but no associated promos.
      Walmart 3rd Trimester Box: Another pampers wristlet, an enfamil sample, orajel day and night teething gel samples, aquaphor, and coupons



        • Amazon Mom
          • The Amazon Baby Registry Welcome Box isn't always available and sometimes it's free and sometimes it isn't. It wasn't available during my second trimester at all, and previous boxes have ranged from free to $50. July 2015 it was free for people creating their registry AFTER July 1st or $35 for people who just wanted the box. I purchase my box, but gave them feedback that it seemed really unfair that anyone who created their registry between april and june missed out on a promotion they offered in march and july. They DID give me a credit which made my box free, and by late July, they had reset the checklist on registries so that women like me who made their registries during their second trimester were still eligible for the promotion. So what was in The Welcome Box for July 2015?
        This box contained an Avent Bottle, a MAM Pacifier, a pack of Amazon Elements Sensitive Wipes, a Happy Baby Food Pouch, a 4 pack of single serve Enfamil Supplemental Formula, Breastpads Sample, Sample Babyganics Lotion, Sample Burt's Bees Renewal, and an Amazon Cloud Drive for unlimited photo storage.

        Amazon Mom does have occasional deals (which pop up on Hip2Save and TheSavvyBump) like a free tub of gerber formula, or 6 packs of their elements wipes for $1.90 which are pretty awesome

        • Motherhood Maternity
          • Motherhood Maternity isn't a registry, but they do give out gift bags when you make a purchase. I've seen 3 of these. They all have coupons and samples, but a different cool freebie (like a bottle or pacifier) everytime. Everytime you make a purchase at Motherhood (or Destination Maternity or Pea in a Pod) they put kind bars in your bag for munching on(because pregnant women need snacks!). I wouldn't buy something just for the bag, but they have a shelf of sample skincare, clearance items, and clothing. I purchased a sample skincare kit, a clearance baby set, and a dress i genuinely love that works with or without a bump. I believe we paid $3 to subscribe all 3 magazines.
        I didn't bother figuring out which samples were in here, but i know there was a sample of buttpaste, mustela, and lots of other tiny randoms with coupons. There is usually one " cool item" like a bottle or a pacifier.


        Mailers:

        There are some very cool freebies by mail and while i did not really take advantage of formula ones i did use quite a few of the others. Most of these were just webforms where you fill out your information, and i tried to group similar samples together.
        • Ocusoft Eye Wipes
        • Funtastic Media Colorchanging Fever Pacifier- by form request
        • Bounty- mommy welcome pack
        • Breastfeeding and Moms:
          • Premama Pre-natal Vitamin Drink. Arrived in ~2weeks
            • I tried both- the dha one is orange flavored and tastes heavily of iron and a hint of fish oil aftertaste. The "flavorless" one was worse though i did mix it with water (maybe juice would hide it) and i could not finish it. I'll stick to pill form vitamins.
          • Honeysuckle Moms by emailed request on their page (linked)
            • Free samples was 1 each of their 3 bag sizes, a fabric sample for their pump bandeau, and a product pamphlet. Arrived in ~1week
          • Mommy-to-be Bracelet- This took ~3 weeks to arrive. It's half pink, half blue, rubber, and meant to alert others in an emergency situation. Might be good for vacation?
          • Lactation Cookies Recipe
          • Lactation Tea
          • Medela Breastfeeding U- Code BRUeA2awm for free online BF class (i did use this code)
        • Magazines- i'm not really a magazine person, but there are coupons in some of these if you want them.
        • Safety
        Mr. Yuk stickers. We had these in my house growing up so i just take for granted everyone knows what they are. They are provided by poison control for you to put on potential poisons in your house- mainly all those cleaners you keep under your kitchen sink. They are NOT meant to replace safety latches, but as your kid grows (or you forget to put something away!) this is an image they can understand relatively early. YUK!!! bad! don't eat it!


        • Diapers
          • Pampers- i can't find these by mail, but they came with several registry bags. Only the BRU one came with a coupon. There's one N diaper and a pack of wipes in a fabric wristlet. There's also a code to use in their rewards program (i got 3 of these so 30 rewards points)
        • SimplyRight-currently re-doing their website, but leaving this here if it goes back up
        • Naty- you can become an ambassador -OR- just message me your email address and i'll punch it in from my account which is way easier. (the ambassador doesn't get a sample until the friends do)
        I actually still haven't received anything as an Ambassador, but this is what went to my Mom's address. It's 2 diapers and some information and took 3-5 weeks to make happen. Overall, i don't find them texturally appealing compared to pretty much any other diaper, but I'll still give them a shot.

        Andy Pandy
        • Bambo-  $5/2 diapers- BUT I emailed and made an inquiry about samples and Bambo said yes! Arrived ~3days. Their customer service was so nice and it really doesn't hurt to ask (they sent me 4 diapers and a 25% discount code which i used to stock up because this is the brand we decided on)
        Bambo
        • Beaming Baby- This is a UK-based organic company. Arrived ~1 week. I was a little confused by their website and whether or not it was an auto-subscribe feature. The shipping charge (international) was ultimately $6.37 which is NOT the exchange rate on £.99 to $1, but regular U.S. shipping on their free samples is £9 so I'm not complaining. 
          • They sent 2 mini (4-13lbs) diapers, and some pouch style skincare samples (shampoo/bodywash, lotion, bubblebath, sensitive wipes, fragrance free wipes). 

        • Formula- I didn't really take advantage of free formula terribly much since we don't intend to use it, but in hindsight i would have signed up for all the truly free ones because i can always dump it in a donation bin. Enfamil, Gerber, and Similac all have membership clubs and I am told that formula samples just start pouring into mailbox around your due date (not earlier). There was free formula in my BBB giftbag, my amazon welcome box, and gerber did an amazon promotion. Target included several BOGO and discount coupons for formula in their registry bag. The linked word "formula" above is to a blog with lots of formula coupons.
        • Baby's Only Organic Formula- $5 Shipping 
        • Enfamil
        • Similac-I registered with all the sign up clubs around may/june and received a similac pack 9/8- 3 weeks before due date. 
          • This has an art of feeding nutrition guide, a small tub of formula, $20 in formula coupons, $8 in pediasure coupons, A qrl for a feeding journal app, AND a certificate for a cooler bag at the hospital.
        • Gerber- free tub for amazon prime/mom members. Enter code "GOODSTART"
          • Added 6/29 and disappearing quickly
          • on 7/29 (31 weeks for me) i received an almost identical box from Gerber as part of their club. The supplementing formula comes with a pamphlet on good foods for the breastfeeding mom to incorporate in her diet.

        • Parent's Choice (Walmart)
        • Members Mark (Sam's Club)
        • Email Requests- sometimes i just make a request to company by email or contact form, just to see what they say. I always use the format below, but sometimes i add an extra personal touch to the request. I don't do phone calls.
        "Hi, my name is Samantha we're expecting our FIRST baby in October! We're a bit overwhelmed by all the options for everything baby! Does your company offer product samples for comparison? Thank you so much for your reply! (signed with name and address)"

        *Below i am only posting the "Yes" responses and what was offered:
          • Bambo: was super nice and sent me a 25% off coupon code and 4 diapers

          These are pretty standard (corn syrup) lollipops but they are flavored with essential oils and i have to say, the lavender lollipop is strangely addicting...
          • NurturMe Baby Snacks-samples by emailed request. Took ~2-3 weeks. It's a powdered sample. Also, coupons
          • Boogie Wipes: sample and coupons
        There were 2 samples and 6 coupons in this envelope and it arrived in ~1 week. 
          • Tom's of Maine: Diaper Cream and fragrance-free baby lotion
        • Coupons by Request: Babyganics, Beech-nut, Earth's Best, Jollypop, BasqSkincare, Pfizer, Johnson/Desitin: Coupons


          • Trials-require an automatic subscription that you can cancel at any time so for these deals you have to remember to CALL to cancel your subscription. You do have to pay Shipping & Handling on the trial kits. * I ordered all of these on Sunday August 2nd, and kept a computer file organized with both the order #s and the cancellation phone numbers so I could cancel them the day they arrive. I actually called to cancel them right after bringing the mail in.

            • Honest Company- $5.95 (Cancel: 1.888.862.8818) Arrived in 2 days
              • Comes shoe-box size. I ordered the diapers (7), wipes(10), and essentials kits(5)
               It let me customize for gender (boy), size (I chose size 1: 8-14lbs), and select a number of prints. I only chose 3 prints, but i think you can customize all 6.
              Skincare included: cleaning spray, handsoap, lotion, ointment, and shampoo/bodywash.
               I found the same wipes sample as this kit at Target for 79 cents, but everything else costs more.
              The patterns in the boy pack were giraffe, balloons, anchors, comic, radio, skull and crossbones, and white
              • Time to cancel: ~30 minutes using the online chat function, though i'm told the phone wait is ~4 minutes. It took maybe 2 minutes once i got a person and they didn't make it difficult. I used the chat function mainly because the phone recording said that "the lines were being overhauled, use the chat function online..."
            • Seventh Generation- $4.95 (Cancel: 657-444-7837 or community@epantry.com)
              •  If you were curious about 7th Generation products, absolutely give their trial a go since a full pack of diapers and wipes for $4.95 is a great deal (and the cleaning products are a great deal too, but we're happy with our current selections for those products). I know a lot of eco-aware moms who swear by this brand.
              • I also signed up for their "Healthy Baby Home Party" host kit, and was selected. Will post more about that on the appropriate tab
              This came in a very large box, because for $4.95 they send basically a full size trial.
               I want to say that's 36 Newborn diapers and a smallish (68) pack of wipes.
              You ALSO have the option to add a full size pack of cleaning products (hand soap, dishsoap, and multipurpose cleaner) for $6.99, which i opted not to do.

            • Everyday Happy- $9.95 (Cancel: 1-(844)-805-0626) Arrived in 3 days
              • As written below, it would appear that Everyday Happy and Dollar Diaper Club are actually the same. If you really just want 1 trial, Everyday Happy (which is the brand) comes in a nicer box. I don't really feel that i needed 2 sets for $9.95/each, but lesson learned.
              The diapers are nice and seem comparable to Bambo in texture with a tiny leaf pattern. You get 6 diapers and the cutest teenie pack of wipes, and decent sized samples of: laundry detergent, hand soap, lotion, shampoo/bodywash, and diaper cream. 
            • Dollar Diaper Club- $9.95 (Cancel: 1-855-627-3726) Arrived in 3 days
              • In the top photo you can see that the flyer says Dollar Diaper Club, and that the box behind is a white shoebox size. In the bottom photo, you can see my Everyday Happy box with all the samples laid out on the left, and on the right the Dollar Diaper Club with the samples still in their EverydayHappy packaging.
              • So...funny thing about Dollar Diaper Club. Dollar Diaper Club and Everyday Happy are the same thing. Everyday happy comes in a nicer box, but the product is the same, and while i called different numbers to cancel, it sounded like the same hotline, i'm fairly certain i talked to the same woman and my cancellation confirmation #s are 6 numbers apart (16 & 22 endings). 
            Deals- There are a couple sites I visit weekly for deals. Sometimes the stuff they put up is free, sometimes it's just a really great deal.
            "Other" Freebies 
              • Post-Baby Feminine Products (i've done so many of these, my cupboard is full)
              Sweepstakes
              A lot of the big baby companies don't do freebies, but they do weekly giveaways. Check them all out on facebook. You can earn entries daily, but i just pin them to my favorites bar and click them when i remember. There are lots more if you google "baby sweepstakes", but since they're basically a raffle and forms are no fun, i am not linking them all.
              Similac-through August 31st
              Luvs- through June 2016
              Parents- Resets Daily- have to watch a 30 second video for your entry which is kind of annoying
              Land of Nod- Through August 31st

              "Free" Promo Code/S&H Items:
              Every bag you get will come with "coupon cards" for these, and you'll probably get several emails with "discount codes" for these as well. Generally, the shipping is exhorbitant for the item. (If any of these codes don't work, just google for one. There are hundreds of codes that all do the same thing for all the same products). BD4M or HIP2SAVE should work for all of them i think. Shipping is usually ~$13
              This is an example of how they come. This one is from Parents Magazine. The registry bags usually have a placard covered in little plastic gift cards (like a credit card). They ALL have different codes, and i have listed some codes below

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              5 months

              I can't believe there's only 4 months to go! This does not feel like waiting forever, it feels like "oh crap! there's so much to do! Am I ready? I'm not ready..."

              The nursery is almost done. The theme is officially "explorer". It's a little bit pirate, a little bit indiana jones and all adventure. It's painted, decorated, contains a crib (with mattress and blanket), a "mommy" guestbed, shelving and changing table. The only essential in there is to mount the shelf to the wall and plug the outlets (we have plugs, i'm just waiting til all the plugin items are here and plugged in, like humidifiers). Still working on the seaglass mobile.

              We have a diaper bag and even some basics- our freebies rendered 3 bottles, a pacifier, and even some diaper samples!

              We do still want a packnplay for our bedroom upstairs which will serve as a bassinet. The one I picked is actually really cool with a newborn napper that converts to a rocker which converts to a travel bassinet, a changing table, a bassinet conversion for the packnplay itself and you know, it's a packnplay so you can put that baby down long enough to take a shower.

              The only other BIG thing is a carseat, so in the sense of essentials, we're prepared, just not ready. lol.


              Bob has been very good about the whole baby shopping and decorating thing lately. He did try to get me to try on the ugliest things in the maternity store, but other than he's been a real team player. Maybe it's because our baby is officially a boy, and so very very active that Bob has gotten to feel him now. Bob was nicknamed "Thumper" in utero and his son seems to be carrying on the glorious tradition. Hey, an active baby is a healthy baby so i'm okay with that.

              The boobs. What to say about the boobs. Everyone's bodies change differently. My belly is still quite small though it has "popped" in the sense that it is there everyday now, but not so obvious that strangers don't probably just think i'm fat. The boobs on the other hand are up 2.5 cup sizes. My sister gave me a bag of maternity clothes, which i don't quite need yet but did sort through. There happened to be a single maternity bra in there, 34D and low and behold it fits. I already knew i needed a bigger bra but was trying to live in denial. My sister's bras no longer fit the same after my nephew, so for this particular cup jump i will be going hand-me-down. I went from A/B to full B to full C to full D. It's only 5 months. I'm not even lactating yet, and my shirt have fit differently for months- not because of belly but because of boobs. They're going to be huge :/
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