Archive for June, 2008

When it comes to nurseries, you can either do your chocolate-brown-and-pale-blue modern Baby-reads-Dwell thing, or you can just wholeheartedly embrace the kiddie theme, with teddy bears and alphabet-block letters. But just because it’s meant for kids doesn’t mean it has to be tacky. Take, for instance, the “Lions, Tigers, and Kittens…OH MY” crib sheet set from Pixel Organics. At a sweet 220 threads-per-inch count of organic cotton (no nasty chemicals for your kid!), these sheets feel as good as they look. And with a fresh vintage-look pattern, they’ll have your friends wondering if your mom saved your baby sheets in a box in the attic.

Available at sparkability.net.

You’ve got tons of summer activities planned — if you can fit all the baby gear into one massive tote.

Go GaGa Life’s diaper bag will last you through baby-and-me yoga, an afternoon at the water park and a public restroom changing table. The unisex style makes it easy to pass between mom and dad, and the ergonomic design means your shoulder won’t give out by day’s end.

Although your brain might.

Available at gogagalife.com.

Even the most die-hard stroller mama can become a sling convert — with the right design.

Take Hotslings, for instance. The fitted pouch one-piece sling gives a precise fit (for newborns to toddlers) without the bulky snaps, rings and buckles. Plus, a plethora of patterns means you’ll be able to coordinate your entire ensemble.

And bond with baby. Now that’s something your stroller won’t do.

Available at hotslings.com.

New motherhood often sentences women to a stint in fashion purgatory, where tired maternity wear, sub-par transition clothes and bulky granny panties are pretty much the required uniform. Hey, some rules are meant to be broken.

Czela Bellies is fun and flirty supportive underwear specially designed for women who have just had a C-section. A soft chenille front panel covers the waistband, greatly reducing the ouch factor. These boy shorts come in funky patterns that are so cute you’ll want to wear them long after the scar heals.

La Perla is just on the horizon.

Available at czelablue.com.

What you use to pack your child’s school/camp lunch largely depends on how much time you have to spend in the morning. Rushed parents sling things into plastic bags; those with time to spare fill up precious bento boxes. But most of us are treading a middle ground, lacking the time to fiddle excessively yet wishing to inject this mundane daily task with a scintilla of style.

Enter Mimi the Sardine, maker of sturdy, simple, brilliantly hued Lunchbugs. This photo doesn’t do them justice. The bags are beautifully crafted of eco-friendly coated cotton, with strong handles and smooth, heavy zippers that even small kids can operate themselves.

“We double-stitch, we make sure it holds up, and we have very few returns,” says Pia Andersson, a San Francisco Bay Area mom who began her business by sewing bibs on her kitchen table after she emigrated to America from Sweden and had a daughter. “I sent a few to Hanna Andersson, and because I have Swedish eyes and a Swedish visual sense, she bought them.”

Andersson wound up designing children’s clothing for Hanna Andersson and Garnet Hill, but these days her own line pays the bills, and she says Lunchbugs are the company’s most popular item. All Mimi the Sardine bags, aprons, cloths, mats and bibs are wipe-clean and feature bold prints and Marimekko-like colors.

Available at mimithesardine.com.

South Beach, Hollywood and Scarsdale are fine places for kids to visit, unless those locales have the word “diet” in them. In a world where carbs and sugar have been so vilified, it’s important for parents to lay the groundwork for a healthy attitude toward food.

Donna Fish, a social worker specializing in eating disorders and the author of Take the Fight Out of Food: How to Prevent and Solve Your Child’s Eating Problems, offers tips on how children can enjoy real food for real life:

Super Bad: When eating diet-challenged foods such as fries or a donut, try not to say “This is bad for me” in front of your child (no matter how you feel).

Model Citizen: Set a good example. Stop eating after one portion. Show enthusiasm for your food.

Adults Only: Being a good role model doesn’t mean you can’t be on your own, say, low-carb diet. But your mini-me shouldn’t have the same food restrictions.

Clear Signals: Teach kids to stay connected to their body signals. Eat when hungry. Stop when full.

Intervention: Some kids have trouble self-regulating. It’s acceptable to tell a child who has trouble with intuitive eating, “It’s OK. You’ve had enough.” Many parents are held hostage by a fear of creating an eating disorder when in fact, a little parental guidance is in order.

Mirror, Mirror: Keep your vanity hidden inside your walk-in closet. Never say, “Do I look fat?” “I feel fat,” or variations thereof.

Forbidden Fruit (Or Cupcake): Prohibiting a child from eating junk food makes those treats all the more desirable. And when kids do have access to the banned treats at school or on a playdate, they become fixated on them, and all hopes of portion control go out the window.

Food for Thought: Be kid-relevant when explaining nutrition — for example, “You need to eat protein so you can concentrate during your soccer game,” or “Eat well and you’ll grow into those rollerblades.”

Enough: Kids should learn the concept of moderation. When parents lay the right foundation for good eating, children can navigate well for themselves.

Piece of cake.

Remember that inner glow everyone swooned about when you were pregnant? It’s been replaced by under-eye circles and a vacant, sleepless stare.

Fake it ’till you make it back to the facialist: Rosy Glow Beauty is for new moms who want to look less harried, more Halle Berry. The all-natural goodies, like lip plumper, cooling eye cream and facial cleansing wipes are just low-maintenance enough to fit into your pared-down routine.

Get your glow back.

Available at rosyglowbeauty.com.

It sure is fun to play with miniature doll duds, but every popular line has a fatal flaw: Bratz clothes are too hoochie, Barbie clothes too Joan-Collins-in-Dynasty, Groovy Girls apparel is just way too pink. Save your wardrobe-update dollars instead for the Petite Mode Collection: 30 Days in Style doll clothing. Crafted in coordinating stylish shades like black, gray, and red, the “30 Days” collection is made up of simple, up-to-the-minute pieces that are meant to be mixed and matched. Go ahead, put the (approximately Barbie-sized) black-and-white striped T-shirt with the navy suspender shorts; you can’t go wrong.

Manufacturer Re-Ment is best known for its miniature sweets, and it retains its usual strategy for packing its fashion offering: you never know exactly what outfit you’re getting until you open the box. It’s a good thing, really; this way you can much more easily justify buying the whole collection.

Available at asiaphilic.com.

Even some of the layette marked “newborn” is too big for an infant’s teeny tummy, hands and feet.

Keep his little head warm with The Wee Hat, made to fit a new baby’s noggin. The cotton design has no seams or scratchy tags, ideal for babies up to 2 months. Whether it’s for his first ride home from the hospital or a summer trip to chillier climes, his warm head will thank you for the extra layer of comfort.

Now about that “Future CEO” T-shirt that’s five sizes too big…

Available at wee-baby.com.

“More sleep!” your body is saying. But that ever-growing belly keeps you tossing and turning at night.

A lack of shuteye is why a mom inventor came up with the Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow that helps you find a comfy resting positing. The cubic design opens to two triangles that support your belly and back while keeping your body positioned to one side. It’s all connected by fabric (choose the pattern you prefer) that stretches as you grow.

Whew. Get some rest.

Available at utterlyyours.com.