Let's Talk Baby Stuff!

As I often do, I am prefacing this blog post.  I am not a doctor.  I am not a nurse.  I am a concerned mom, who probably reads way too much…especially on the internet.
However, this time, I was reading Baby Talk (October, 2011) and came across an article that stated that not only could tight swaddling exacerbate an existing hip dysplasia, it could actually cause it!

WHAT?!?  All I have ever heard is “swaddle, swaddle, swaddle!” It is supposed to help your baby sleep better, make them feel safe, and so on and so on.  So, now what?

Well, swaddling is still suggested, however, you have to really know what you are doing so that you don’t cause more harm than good.

When you are pregnant, your body produces hormones that cause ligaments to relax.  Because of
this, when your baby is born, their hips can be unstable.  Tightly swaddling your baby around the hips can therefore cause, or further promote hip dysplasia which can prevent proper development of the baby’s hip joint. While this is a common condition in little ones, and one that can be easily rectified, prevention is the best defense!

To learn how to properly swaddle your baby with a simple blanket, check out the International Hip Dysplasia Institute’s article here.

Another safe option is to try a sleep sack, such as the SwaddleMe that is sold here at ODIZ Baby Supply. Of course, even with these sacks, it is important to keep the material loose around the baby’s hips so that their legs
can move freely.

I am a fan of these fleece SwaddleMe sacks because they kept my baby warm, without having to use a dangerous blanket in her crib.  She is a hip little too old for these now, but back in the day I felt confident having her all sweetly bundled in her sack, safe and secure.

If you have any other questions about swaddling and hip dysplasia, you can visit the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, (www.hipdysplasia.org), or read the article I referred to in the October 2011 issue of Baby Talk magazine.

Written by Nancy Caron for ODIZ Baby Supply.

The opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author.

I am a list maker.  I make lists for everything.  I have lists of lists I have to make.  Seriously.  It’s a sickness.  Don’t judge.

One of my favorite things to make lists of is potential gifts.  Giving gifts is something that makes me super excited!  I think long and hard about the gifts I buy and the anticipation of the look of the recipient’s
face gives me a giddy feeling.

So lately, I have been thinking about the ultimate baby shower gift.  Filling a basket with all of the essential baby supplies that are often forgotten about is a fun way to give a special mom-to-be a head start for her shopping.  Most people ignore these things on a registry, opting for fancier, larger gifts, but the small things can add up
too, and hey, bigger isn’t always better, right?

With this in mind, I have been compiling a list of the top shower gifts I’d like to give all of the new little ones who will be entering the world this fall.  (Nine months ago was the dead of winter in the North East…ahem.)

So, in no particular order, here they are.
1.  A Boppy Slipcover (or 2)

Don’t ask me what I would do without my Boppy pillows.  I couldn’t tell you.  I have used these pillows while breastfeeding, while bottle feeding, while my babies napped, as a pillow for myself while I napped, and now my little ones will use them as seats when they are watching TV or playing a game on the floor.  I have two pillows, and half a dozen covers. Why so many?  Well, for one, they are adorable.  My fave right now is the Star Power design for boys (above).  I also purchased so many because kids are messy.  They spit up, they pee out of the diapers, they poop out of their diapers, they spill things, breast milk leaks, bottles leak, and quite frankly, it’s not unreasonable to think that you will go through at least one of these covers a day.  Luckily, they wash extremely well, and take up very little space in a closet, so go ahead and indulge in all of your favorites.

 
2.  Sassy Scented Diaper Bags

In a word, lifesaver. Unless you have children of your own, you would be amazed at the enormous stink that can come from such a tiny heiny.  It’s actually quite remarkable…just not when you’re at your single friends’ immaculate, smells-like-roses, looks-like-crate-and-barrel house.  Trust me.  I know.  But, these bags have saved me on more than one occasion.  Plop in a stinky diaper and throw the whole thing in the trash. It truly does keep the scent in the bag, and not the house.  I have used these bags for pee/poo/spit-up covered clothes and burp cloths as well and they work just fabulously for this too.  My diaper bag stayed clean until I was home and could throw the stuff in the wash. As far as giving these as a gift, they are perfectly priced to top a larger gift or add to a basket.

3.  PBnJ Paci Wipes

These are another FABULOUS invention.  Especially if the person you are buying for travels with their kids like I do.  Ever seen a paci go down on an airplane floor? Ugh, thinking about it gives me the heebie jeebies!  But have no fear moms and pops, these wipes will save the day.  They are made from food grade ingredients, there are no chemicals, no parabens, and most importantly, no alcohol.  They come in a convenient little to go pouch that is reseal-able, and if they dry out, all you need to do is add a little water and they are as good as new.  These have saved me on more than one occasion.  (Like the time my little one was screaming her head off when we were about 10 minutes into a 2 hour drive and the only paci I could find was one that was wedged between her car seat,
the actual car seat, and about a pound of smooshed goldfish & fruit snacks from who knows when.  Yeah, you know what I mean.)  Throw these in a basket or string some curly ribbon around these and a few pacis.  Either way, this is a MUST give!

4.  Summer Infant Swaddle Me Wrap

Swaddling a baby takes skill.  I have had two children, and I have still not mastered the swaddle in the secure way that the nurses at the hospital can do it.  Unfortunately, when your baby pops their little hands free 5 minutes into their nap, the purpose of the swaddle is effectively removed.  These cozy fleece swaddles come in many precious colors, but I personally love the white.  It makes a little baby look so angelic when they are all wrapped up.  The best parts about these swaddles is that they are easy to machine wash, they are adjustable, and they remove the whole figuring out how to swaddle with only the help of a night-light at 3 am.  An absolute must for any new parent.

5.  Dr. Brown’s Deluxe Quilted Burp Cloths

These burp cloths are fabulous!  If you are like me, you probably used cloth diapers most of the time when burping your baby.  Which works fine, as long as your baby doesn’t actually spit up on you.  Then of course, the spit up leaks through the burp cloth getting you and your clothing wet, your baby and his clothing wet, and making everyone smell like rotten milk.  Yum.  Dr. Brown’s Quilted Burp Clothes can really help with this problem because not only are they waterproof, but they also have ingenious pockets to catch any residual spill.  Your baby will still place their sweet little face on soft, comfortable cotton, but you will both be protected from the wetness.
So, there you have it. Five of the must buy baby shower gifts on my list.  Of course there are more than 5 items on that list, but I’ll save those for another time.  I will give you a fun little wrapping idea, though.  Instead of buying ribbons that cost a pretty penny and will eventually make their way into the garbage, consider decorating
your package with some pacifier tethers. They are inexpensive, cute, and actually USEFUL to the recipient!  My favorite right now is this one from The First Years.

I love that it is really gender neutral and goes with all kinds of wrapping! Plus, it can be used with almost any type of pacifier!
If you ever want the help of ODIZ when purchasing a gift or shopping for yourself, please feel free to contact us at admin@odiz.biz, or leave us a note on our Facebook wall.  We would be happy to help!!

Published by Nancy Caron for ODIZ Baby Supply.

The opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author.

As promised, we are officially opening a very special giveaway for our Facebook fans as a thank you for helping us surpass 150 “likes”.  Here’s what you need to know…

We are giving away a MAM Welcome to the World Gift Set in your choice of Blue, Pink, or Teal.  The gift set includes

• Two 4 ounce/ 160 ml Anti-Colic Bottles
• One 8oz/260 ml Anti-Colic Bottle
• One Start Newborn Pacifier
• Once Pacifier Tether

Wow!  This is a fabulous prize pack whether you are a new parent, or know someone who is.  Entering is super easy and you can even enter more than once.

1. You will earn 1 entry by “liking” our Facebook page @ www.facebook.com/ODIZBabySupply and leaving a comment on this post telling us you are a fan and which color set you would like to win.
2. You will earn a second(third, fourth, etc.) entry by referring a friend to our FB page.  Once your friend has “liked” us, leave us another comment telling us who you have sent our way.  (If you refer multiple friends, leave us multiple comments.  First names and last initials are fine.)
3. You will earn a third entry by checking out our site http://store.odiz.biz and telling us which of our many wonderful products is your favorite, and why.

That’s it!  Easy peasy!  The contest will end Sunday, October 9th, 2011 @ 11:59pm, and a winner will be announced Monday, October 10th, 2011.

Good luck!

There are so many choices to make when you are expecting.  Choosing a bottle to use is a decision that can be overwhelming. Whether you choose to breastfeed or formula feed, it is likely that your baby will need to take a bottle at some point.

As a parent of two little ones, who were primarily breastfed, I can tell you that choosing the right bottle may come down to your
munchkin’s preference, but there are some really important factors that you need to take into account before settling on a brand to try.

Personally, safety has always been my number one concern.  When my oldest child was born, I had stocked up on Avent bottles.  Between my baby shower, and all the bottles I had purchased myself, I had about 20 bottles of varying sizes, not to mention at least 2 dozen breast milk storage containers.  Of course, while nesting, I had washed and stored them all, feeling super prepared for my first’s arrival.  When my son was only a few months old, it suddenly became very obvious that the chemicals in most plastic baby bottles were carrying a lot of concern.  So, what did I do?  I threw all my bottles away, and purchased BPA (Bisphenol-A) free bottles.  At the time, there were a limited number of bottles that were completely free of BPA, but we found a brand that we loved, Born Free, and stuck with it.

Now, almost every bottle company boasts that their products are BPA free (some states have even banned the use of BPA in any bottles, sippy
cups, and other reusable food storage containers), but really, at this point, when we know so much about how chemicals can leech into our children’s food, is BPA the only chemical we should be concerned with?  For me, I’d rather be safe than sorry.  At this point, my children are off the bottle, but if I were to purchase them again, even as a gift, these would be my favorite picks.

ZoLi Wide Neck BPA-Free bottles would be at the top of my list.  ZoLi is a relatively new company, but their products have so many innovative features, that it’s hard not to love them at first sight.  My favorite part of this bottle, (besides the obvious BPA-free bottle and nitrosamine free silicone nipple), is the all in one venting system. This bottle offers all the gas/colic/spit-up reducing features of other bottles, without the pieces to wash!  If you have ever tried washing bottles, you know that it’s worse than changing diapers.  TOO MANY PIECES!  But ZoLi has remedied it, and their bottles are super cute.  Win-win!  Plus, their bottles are easily transformed into sippy cups with their Bottle to Sippy Cup Conversion Kits. (Oh, and if you are in the market for some new bottles now, ODIZ has them on sale!  That’s always a bonus! )

Dr. Brown’s bottles are also high on my list.  I did own a few of these with my kids, and they both used them happily.  My only frustration with these bottles is that there are so many pieces to clean, and you need a special size bottle brush to clean them.  Of course, because Dr. Brown’s is such a phenomenal company, the brush comes with the bottles.  Just don’t lose them every other day like I did and you’ll be good to go.  Many mommy friends of mine have used, and are using, Dr. Brown’s and can’t say enough positive things about them.  I’m going to let you in on a little secret…all of the Dr. Brown’s wide neck accessories will also fit the Born Free bottles and starting tomorrow, ODIZ will have glass Born
Free bottles ready to sell!  Born Free bottles contain a vent similar to Dr. Browns, but is MUCH easier to clean!  (Super important when you don’t have a clean bottle at 3 am.  Just saying.)

Green to Grow is another specialty company that makes bottles that are safe for your baby and good for the earth.  I love this company because it was started by a family who wanted to do what was best for their child, and at the same time help other mothers, including Mother Earth.
I could go on and on about the efforts that Green to Grow is making to improve our world, but I won’t at this point. I’ll just say this…  Their bottles are cute, help with colic, don’t have lots of complicated pieces, and are safe.   They are free of BPA, phthalates, PVC, lead, and nitrosamines. Their packaging and printed materials use recycled paper and soy ink.  They donate 1% of all their profits to help environmental causes. Need I say more?

So, there you have it. This not-a-bottle-expert-but-concerned-mommy’s opinion.  Like all of our wonderful fans, ODIZ cares about safety.  ODIZ cares about providing products that we trust and would use with our children.  We do not sell products containing BPA.  Period.
If you are a fan of any products that ODIZ doesn’t sell, check out our Facebook page and leave a note on our wall.  You can also always email Christine at admin@odiz.biz.  We would be happy to hear your thoughts!

Published by Nancy Caron for ODIZ Baby Supply.

The opinions expressed in this post are soley those of the author.

***Pssst…for all of you who read this far, I have a special treat.  I already told you that our ZoLi bottles are on sale, but I didn’t mention that our Green to Grow bottles are too!  And, if you use the code “FREESHIP”  you will get free shipping on a purchase of $50!  Now that, my friends, is a deal!***

It’s no secret that as soon as the first day of school rolls around, our kids are exposed to more germs in one day, then they have seen all summer.  Unfortunately, having our little one’s come home sick can be just as hard on us, as it is on them.

You know the drill…your little love doesn’t feel well, but that doesn’t mean that they want to miss school, or soccer, or whatever else their friends are doing.  So we drag them to the doctor kicking and screaming, and then the “m” word drops…MEDICINE!  So off we go to the pharmacy to pick it up.  It isn’t fun pulling an ill child by the hand into the store in the first place, but then we get to listen to them whine about how gross the medicine is.  So we fork over an extra two or three dollars to get the medicine flavored.  (Of course, in our house, 9 out of 10 times the medicines prescribed are conveniently the ones that “can’t” be flavored.)  And of course, if your children are anything like mine, even with the bubble gum – cherry – grape – lemon/lime flavor  that we so thoughtfully had added, the medicine goes in, and then comes right back out.  I can’t tell you how many of my children’s shirts have beautiful pink antibiotic stains on them.

So what’s a parent to do?!  You can’t hold them down and force feed them…at least not easily.  Well, ODIZ Baby Supply has the solution, and let me tell you, it will save you time, money, and your sanity.  Check out the Sippy Sure Medicine Dispensing Cup.

Insert Choir of Angels

This super cute sippy cup has all the features of a regular cup, (it is BPA free, made of food grade plastic, and is spill proof), but also has the capability to hold your child’s medicine and slowly dispense it to them while they drink their favorite juice, milk or water.  The medicine cup sits below the valve base and is easily screwed on and off, so that your child can use the cup every day, not just when their sick.  This makes it
a lot easier to sneak the medicine in without protest.  (Can I get an “Amen!”?)

Sippy Sure has already received a Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center, NAPPA Honors from the National Parenting
Publications Awards, and the 2011 Top Choice Award from Creative Child Magazine.  This product has been proven to make administering medicine to your children easier and more accurate.  No more worrying if all of the medicine made it into their tiny tummies.

It’s also super easy to use.

So, if your sweet kiddies are back to school, daycare, or playgroup, don’t delay.  Pick up a few Sippy Sure cups from ODIZ today and get your kids used to them before they get sick.  And remember to check us out on Facebook and Twitter.  You might just see a sweet deal or giveaway in the near future

Written by Nancy Caron for Odiz Baby Supply

The opinions expressed in this post are soley those of the author.

There is always controversy when it comes to pacifiers.  When to start using one with your baby, whether or not using one has an adverse effect on breastfeeding,  how long a child should be allowed to have one, and whether or not they should be allowed to use one in the first place, are just a few of the issues surrounding “binkies”.  Recently it has been noted that pacifiers may reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and this has also added to the dilemma of “should I or shouldn’t I?”

If you have made the decision to go ahead and give your little one a pacifier, now you are faced with the choice between silicone and
latex.  After researching this profusely, I have come to the personal conclusion that it is truly a matter of preference for you and your baby.

Here’s a little comparison between the two…

• Latex pacifiers tend to be softer than silicone pacifiers, although many brands, like MAM are working to make their silicone
  softer.
• Latex pacifiers are not as easy to find, and therefore there are less brand and design options.  (Luckily ODIZ Baby Supply always has a
  fantastic supply!)
• Latex pacifiers tend to need replacing a little more often because they are softer, but that usually isn’t a problem until your
  child is teething.
• Latex pacifiers are more flexible than silicone.  Your baby may show a preference to the flexible feel of latex, or may prefer the firmness of silicone against their gums.
• An allergy to latex is a possibility for your baby, especially if this type of sensitivity runs in your family.  (If your baby does have an allergy, check out our Nuby Natural Touch Soft Flex Pacifiers. These are designed to be flexible and soft like a mother’s nipple, and
  may be a close substitute for a latex paci.)

So there you have it.  There are pros and cons to using either type of pacifier, and in the end it will probably come down to what will sooth your munchkin at 2 am.  In the meantime, check out the fabulous latex and silicone “binks” that you can find right here at the ODIZ Baby Supply
Store.

ODIZ sells silicone pacifiers by Dr. Brown’s, The First Years, Gerber, MAM, Nuby, Nuk, and RaZbaby.

In addition, ODIZ stocks latex pacifiers by Gerber, MAM, & Nuk.

Because ODIZ is a smaller, specialized retailer, they often have more styles and a better stock then a chain store would.  As a matter of fact, we are one of a very small number of places where you can find MAM’s special edition holiday line.  (And if I were you, and I wanted to have those adorable soothers for my kid’s stocking, I would shoot Christine at ODIZ an email and order them now.)

(Want a sneak peak?!  Here they are…  Aren’t they so precious!!)

Check ODIZ out and if you have a question or special request, feel free to contact them at admin@odiz.biz or leave a comment on the ODIZ Baby Supply Facebook page.  We will be happy to get back to you and try to accommodate your needs.

Published by Nancy Caron for ODIZ Baby Supply.

The opinions expressed in this post are soley those of the author.