Archive for January, 2009

You’re tired of hearing about the “right” time to have a baby. You seek advice from someone who knows that planning for a pregnancy is different these days.

In her latest edition of Dr. Miriam Stoppard’s New Pregnancy and Birth Book, the author takes into account the fact that women are becoming mothers later in life (”It’s now commonplace for a woman to pursue her career into her thirties and decide to have her first child somewhere around 35,” she writes). This updated version of the bestseller includes new info about the latest fertility treatments, antenatal tests, obstetric procedures and working during pregnancy. Also included is month-by-month pregnancy calendar highlights all the changes that are about to occur, sprinkled with tips on diet and exercise (plus the images are um, realistic).

It feels good to be acknowledged.

Available at amazon.com.

Leftover maternity tees and nursing bras have far outworn their welcome. You want to look like your old — fashionable — self again, even with a little milk monger in tow.

Titi Collection’s pretty handcrafted halter “hoodie,” made of stretch silk (yes, silk!) and purple Italian lace, features a clever design that makes for discrete breastfeeding. A button closure at the neck and a zipper front simplify wear, while a cascading hood can double as a nursing cover. The Los Angeles-based collection wants to keep you looking like you — and that does not involve a tired tank.

Available at titicollection.com.

There in the baby boutique’s wrought iron crib sat your dream bedding — until you saw the price tag. Dropping big bucks on a bumper is out of the question, yet you fear the scratchy megastore sheets.

Find a balance: Babies “R” Us just launched an exclusive line from in-demand Los Angeles interior designer (and new dad) Kenneth Brown. With warm modern designs, color and texture as his signature, Brown’s baby collection includes a touch of sweet sophistication. Three themes — monkey, lady bug and puppy — each feature a 100-percent cotton bedding set and coordinating room accessories from lamps to blankets (which pair oh-so-well with even a pricey duvet and dust ruffle).

Call it high-low nursery style.

Available at toysrus.com.

You can’t get your kid out of her tutu, but hey, maybe you’ve got the next prima ballerina on your hands.

Indulge her dance mania with Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake, a sweet and age-appropriate new ballet DVD for ages 3 to 6. The 40-minute DVD features dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet performing select segments of the classic Swan Lake. In between acts, steps like pirouettes are reinforced through fun dance montages of young students from NYC’s School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, little girls in tutus, and even toys and animals. The entire enchanting experience is hosted by Prima Princessa, an animated fairy ballerina.

Now, back to the barre.

Available at primaprincessa.com.

Winter with young kids means one thing: bunker mode. Instead of wrestling to get them into cold weather gear, you’ve got the unenviable task of warding off cabin fever. A little music never hurts, especially at nap time. Arm yourself with these new albums:

Two Flowers
Danielle Sansone
This Atlanta-based singer-songwriter wows with her superb vocals (think Natalie Merchant). The simple but sophisticated lullabies and love songs are infused with folk and bluegrass styles, and pack a powerful punch in the emotions department. The standouts are too numerous to name — and while the lyrics are sweet and PG-friendly, it’s not bad stuff for reconnecting with your DH, either.

Round and Round
Melissa Green
Melissa Green also has vocals parents can appreciate. Especially earworthy: the danceable Coo Coo and the closing lullaby. The mix also includes a rendition of Do Re Mi, an a cappella version of In My Heart, and good old 5 Little Monkeys set to music. Green, who got her musical start in a New York City preschool, seems to have a penchant for weather-related songs.

It’s Time to Sleep, My Love & On the Night You Were Born: The You Are Loved Collection
What do you get when you put together Sally Taylor, daughter of Carly Simon and James Taylor, with New York Times bestselling children’s author Nancy Tillman? Magic in the form of an audiobook. Each story is set to music (hint: it helps to own the books, which are sold separately). But the real gem of this short and sweet CD (only five tracks total) is the lullaby Taylor crafts.

Tell Me What You Want to Be
Jetta and the Jellybeans
More typical kiddie fare, this is chockfull of silly lyrics set to happy, upbeat music. A noticeable ’50s, doo-wop style pops up throughout, making you feel as if you’re on your way to a sock hop. The album includes songs about being a “good pet mommy” and the importance of hand washing. There’s a cool cat of a number called Scat Cat, plus two zany songs about gravity and the solar system. But hey, all you want to know is when the stars and planets in your world will align.

You were a world traveler before parenthood ever came into play, so why stop now? The first present to your baby will be frequent flier miles — if only you can figure out where to go first.

Get some help in the process: Trekaroo, a community-oriented travel website geared toward families, just launched to connect globetrotting parents. Designed to help you overcome the stress of traveling with kids, the site’s tips and tricks may help you decide on the Grand Canyon vs. Grand Cayman. Developed by a mom-and-dad duo, Trekaroo features recommendations, reviews and budget suggestions on popular destinations across the States (soon expanding worldwide).

Happy trails.

Visit trekaroo.com.

As they say on the boards, a journey taken with a child is not really a vacation, it’s just a trip. But since you’ll be taking many of them in your parenting life, it behooves you to learn how to entertain the little buggers on planes and in the backseat of the car. Think-ets are little net pouches filled with tiny play-stimulating objects; you pull it out, give it to the kids and challenge them to make a game out of what’s inside. Or, you pull out five things one after another and see if you can integrate each into a story you make up. Or you line up four things and try to weave a story around them.

The whole point is to get kids thinking, because a thinking kid is not, for the moment, a complaining kid. Just wondering over each object can eat up a half hour or so, because the things inside the pouches are intriguing: a wooden block, a piece of agate, a miniature tool, a little animal, a golden ring. You, too, may find yourself drawn to fingering them and wondering about where they came from and how they could be connected. Not to worry, at $10 a pouch they’re cheap enough to get yourself one, too.

Available at think-a-lot.com.

The term “push present” makes you cringe. What about a pretty piece that commemorates your DBs but doesn’t scream “mommy jewelry”?

Check out the casual-chic collection at Isabelle Grace. The handmade jewelry features the real stuff: semi-precious stones, sterling silver, vermeil, 14-karat gold and crystals. Personalized options include charm necklaces that you can customize with names, anniversary dates and birth stones in a sweet, subtle way.

Keep your loved ones close to your heart, without being pushy.

Available at isabellegracejewelry.com.

You were the first in line for the Botkier and Behnaz Sarafpour collections at Target, but when it comes to baby gear you’ve been shelling out the big bucks.

Change your tune: Fisher Price and DwellStudio have teamed up to create an exclusive line of baby gear that looks just as pretty as the high-priced stuff. The high chair/booster, bouncer and swing in cool patterns feature both a sleek shape and budget-friendly function. The bouncy seat and swing have MP3 functions, while the high chair-to-booster does double duty as baby grows.

Put the change in her college fund.

Available at target.com.

Baby it’s cold outside — stay indoors and cuddle up with a new book.

The One and Only Marigold, a new book by renowned children’s author Florence Parry Heide, presents four connected stories about the clever, complicated and hilarious little girl (or, unidentified animal-like girl). Follow Marigold as she buys a new coat (yet still wears her old one to bed), invents ugly faces and lists her favorite foods and friends. Plus, punchy illustrations by Jill McElmurry bring all the escapades to life. Readers of little heroines like Eloise and Olivia will relate well to the simplicity and sass of this new character.

It’s sure to be a new family favorite.

Available at amazon.com.