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Archive for Pregnancy and Birth
A Favor to Ask
Midnight Lullaby CD Review
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
“Jane Roman Pitt’s Midnight Lullaby is a delightfully soothing collection of bedtime songs written by some of our genreation’s most endeared singer songwriters including Bob Dylan, Wilco, Tom Waits, The Dixie Chicks, Sade and more. In those moments when it’s time for parents and baby to retire for the night, this CD serves as something that parents and babies alike enjoy.”
“Midnight Lullaby was produced in Nashville by Grammy Award winner Mac Gayden and feature many of Nashville’s finest musicians.”
“Not only is the act of lulling children to sleep with music a pleasurable experience, but studies show that music enhances a baby’s brain development. These songs, which crossover into adult contemporary genre, have significant impact on the child’s health and well being.”
About Jane Roman Pitt:
“Jane’s introduction to music came from sneaking downstairs at night to hear the classical chamber music her parents and their friends were playing, and later by listening nonstop to folk music, pop, and jazz from all over the world. She started to play guitar at 15, and began to sing and play at local coffeehouses, college campuses, and on public television as the resident folk singer. She has a graduate degree in music history and composition, and has published her classical choral music with Transcontinental Music in New York.”
“Jane started collecting lullabies in preparation for her first grandchild. “Since the beginning of time, singing lullabies has been a way to express love and comfort. The languages may vary, but the message is exactly the same: ‘I love you very much, I’m here, and now please go to sleep!”
My Review:
Great baby shower gift! I’m also recommending this CD for people that need to relax and let their day go. When my daughter and I listened to this beautifully soothing CD, I almost fell asleep before her. The music takes you to your relaxing/happy place. If you close your eyes and listen, your there. All the songs are wonderful, however my favorite song on the CD is “My Darling” written by Wilco. You are able to listen to partial songs on her website.
You won’t regret purchasing this CD.
Simply To Impress
Faith and Family Reviews received the following samples in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
Looking for a different way to announce the coming of your new baby? Or perhaps birthday invitations or party announcements? Simply to Impress has a wide variety of quality customizable cards for every occasion.
The paper stock used is sturdy card stock with different textures. The designs are fun and catchy. I would be careful of the photo used because just a couple seem to have a blurry look to them.
Prices vary depending on the paper you choose. The options are photo-style paper, which is cheaper and double-sided premium card stock, which is more expensive. Envelopes are included or may be pre-ordered separately. Shipping is within 2-3 business days.
Here are a few of the samples that I received. I love the first one and wish I had known about it when baby go-go (no not the doll, but my six month old who is on the go, he was formerly known as, Sir Eats Alot, which he still does 
)
Doesn’t it make you want to have a baby? 
Not quite, huh? Gotta love the baby photos though.
There is a sale on just until tomorrow for 20% off all orders.
Belly Armor Holiday Bundle
I bought Belly Armor’s new Belly Blanket – Chic after Sir Eats Alot was born and although it is not as soft as the Belly Blanket Luxe, it isn’t as hot to have over my lap. It does have a small hole in it already, which I think came from some moth infestation we had when we brought some boxes that were in storage into the house. Very disappointing, but so far it hasn’t become any bigger. I have used it for a blanket for baby as well, especially if I happen to be laying in bed nursing and working on my laptop, as I will make sure I cover him while I work. It has a little hood on the corner like a baby towel does. I like it, but I think I like the Belly Luxe better because it does have a softer feel to it.
Now they have yet another new product on the market. Read more below…
Belly Armor Launches “Belly Band” to Shield Cell Phone and Laptop Radiation
New maternity band utilizes technology to address health concerns from everyday radiation exposure.
NEW YORK, NY, November 22, 2010 – Belly Armor by RadiaShield has recently launched the newest product in their line of maternity clothing and accessories – The Belly Band. Utilizing a silver-fiber textile, Belly Armor products shield radiation from cell phones and other electronic devices with over 99% effectiveness. To address the growing concern over the health effects from this radiation, Belly Armor has adapted this technology into a wearable maternity band.
Maternity bands have, in recent years, become an essential item for expecting mothers to both provide support and prolong the use of pre-pregnancy clothing. The Belly Armor Belly Band aims to capitalize on this trend by providing a band with the added functionality of radiation shielding.
“There are a lot of women out there who will be purchasing a maternity band already, it’s an easy decision to choose the band that will also provide protection against the health risks from everyday radiation,” says Belly Armor CEO, Aileen Chen.
The technology behind The Belly Band is called RadiaShield Fabric. It is lighter than the cotton found in a t-shirt, machine washable, and soft to the touch. The fabric utilizes an effect known as a Faraday cage, which neutralizes incoming radiation in a way similar to a grounding wire neutralizing an electric current.
Health experts advise that pregnant women limit their exposure to this type of radiation, which comes from devices like cell phones, laptops, mp3 players, tablet computers, even baby monitors. Some countries and even parts of the US have begun passing legislation to reduce this type of radiation exposure. France has banned the sale and marketing of cell phones to children and San Francisco recently passed legislation requiring the labeling of cell phone radiation levels.
Belly Armor Belly Bands come in black, white, nude and hot pink and in four sizes. You can find Belly Armor Bands online at bellyarmor.com and at maternity stores across the US and Canada.
About Belly Armor by RadiaShield
Belly Armor by RadiaShield is the definitive resource for information and tools to protect your child against the risks of everyday radiation. Made with RadiaShield® fabric and the highest quality textiles, Belly Armor products provide stylish comfort, convenient safety, and reliable protection. Belly Armor products are available online at http://www.bellyarmor.com and through maternity retailers across the country.
Belly Armor is offering our readers the “faithandfam” for 10% off and it expires on December 31st. They have holiday bundles available, plus you’ll receive an additional 10% off using this code!
Baby GoGo
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
About Baby GoGo
Baby GoGo:
This wonderful gift set also comes with an adorable story book following Baby GoGo’s experience coming home from the hospital, from meeting the family to having a bottle, and earning a nickname. Dressed to mirror a modern day baby, children will instantly recognize and bond with this toy. Whether the child is getting ready for a new sibling or just loves baby dolls, Baby GoGo™ is a valuable tool in teaching children how to nurture, a vital life-long skill.
* Ages 3 and up
* Includes 13-inch baby doll, pajama outfit, blankie and Baby GoGo™ Goes Home storybook.
* MSRP $39.99
Diaper Bag:
When Baby GoGo™ is on the go, children will be right there with everything baby might need. Our 100% cotton canvas diaper bag is just the right size for children to carry. Children love to imitate their parents and this diaper bag is the perfect tool. The bag includes a cotton diaper and has plenty of room for children to add their own essentials.
* Ages 3 and up
* Includes diaper bag and diaper
* MSRP $24.99
About Little Sib, LLC
Little Sib provides children with toys that nurture and inspire them to be healthy, loving men and women through imaginative play. The company’s first product , Baby GoGoTM, reinvents the classic baby doll. It’s fun, colorful, safe, environmentally friendly and the answer to the outdated, traditional baby doll that is limited in its versatility for children of all races and genders. Visit the web site at www.babygogodoll.com.
Our Review
In some ways I feel sad about all the gender neutral products that are coming out. I miss seeing the frilly girly products and the products that scream “For Boys!” On the other hand, a product like Baby GoGo seems like the perfect gift for boys and girls since both need to be taught to be nurturing and loving to their siblings and other little friends.
We were sent the Baby GoGo and the Baby GoGo Diaper Bag Set to review. My younger daughter adores this doll! Sometimes I think she likes it better than her Madeline doll but I guess it depends upon the day. Now that our 2-year-old son has a little brother he can be seen mimicking the happenings of our household in his play with Baby Go Go and his sister’s Madeline doll. But I have to admit that my daughter has claimed Baby GoGo for her own, but can be persuaded to let her little brother play with it too. I think that both of them enjoy holding the real deal though. Baby GoGo is much lighter than our infant son so it doesn’t scare the rest of the family if little hands shift quickly while holding Baby GoGo!
Baby GoGo is well made and has already held up through at least one trip through the laundry cycle due to an accident. Baby GoGo’s clothing is easy for preschoolers to put on, although the hat did give our daughter a little trouble since it seems to pop off. Baby GoGo’s blanket is very much like our infant son’s new baby blanket making it even more authentic for our younger children.
The diaper bag is also well made. While the diaper bag and accessories are great and are similar to mom’s and dad’s, they tend to get misplaced or lost easily. Ever notice that some children would rather just undress the dolls and leave the clothes lying around the house? My little ones are still learning how to pick up and put things away in their proper place, so it’s mom (me!) that needs to be patient in the process!
Baby GoGo products are cute, affordable (for a quality made itemsl) and appealing to both boys and girls.
Available from local toy specialty stores and online at www.babygogodoll.com.
Monday Motivation at Faith and Family Reviews
Ok, last week’s list looked like this:
~ To make it through the week! Seriously, I have been feeling awful, baby has been pressing up on my diaphram and it is very uncomfortable to move these days.
~ Work on client projects. Starting with a new client this week and have a training session tomorrow afternoon.
~ Work in our garden as weather permits. I am sure we have summer squash in need of picking since I forgot to remind Robert and the boys to pick when they went out to the field!
~ Come up with name for baby! Ongoing until we agree on a name.
~ Work on getting my iron up more. This will be ongoing until even after the baby is born.
This week’s list looks pretty much the same:
~ Last week’s pregnancy issue has exacerbated into heartburn so I am working on that this week.
~ Monday and Tuesday I have a lot of client work to do in preparation for days out on Wednesday and Thursday. That’s why I worked on writing some product reviews over the weekend so I wouldn’t have to worry about them this week.
~ 77Kids.com/TheMotherhood.com Event in Chicago on Wednesday.
~ Garden – we now have green and yellow beans to pick, in addition to onions, lettuce, squash, peas, kale and Swiss chard.
~ Name “Angel” in my womb.
~ Iron
Ok, so I have one more item on my list this week, but hey 77Kids.com /TheMotherhood.com won’t be on my list next week!
Faith and Family Reviews Bebe-O Giveaway Reminder
Just wanted to remind you to enter our Bebe-O Prenatal Vitamins giveaway, if you haven’t already done so! We will only run one giveaway at a time, so the next giveaway will start when this one ends basically. You don’t have to be pregnant to enter, you may enter for yourself or a friend or simply as a shower gift.
NEW! Monday Motivation!
Just wanted to introduce another new theme – Monday Motivation! This was inspired by Every Day Eve’s Monday Affirmation post. I don’t need affirmation as much as I need motivation, especially at this point in my pregnancy! I just want to share the things that I’d like to get done and will let you know next Monday how I did. As time goes on, perhaps I will elaborate to share whether or not sharing helped get more accomplished or what exactly has motivated me throughout the week.
Sooo….this is my Monday Motivation for this week, I limited it to five things for simplicity sake. Please feel free to share your own so we can inspire and motivate one another:
~ To make it through the week! Seriously, I have been feeling awful, baby has been pressing up on my diaphram and it is very uncomfortable to move these days.
~ Work on client projects. Starting with a new client this week and have a training session tomorrow afternoon.
~ Work in our garden as weather permits. I am sure we have summer squash in need of picking since I forgot to remind Robert and the boys to pick when they went out to the field!
~ Come up with name for baby! Ongoing until we agree on a name.
~ Work on getting my iron up more. This will be ongoing until even after the baby is born.
I wanted to give you a bit of an update in regards to the last one on the list. My iron levels stayed the same – right around the 10 mark, possibly a tad higher to even 10.5. I have felt somewhat better, but still have bouts of nausea and tiredness. The thing is I really think that the Bebe O Prenatal Vitamins and Floradix (liquid form of iron) have been helping. So I am going to continue with both of them and hopefully things will remain the same or possibly improve in these last few days/weeks. I have never had heavy bleeding during birth and hoping not to start with this one with my iron lower than my norm.
Floradix may be purchased at Wholefoods or the Vitamin Shoppe and don’t forget about our Bebe-O Prenatal Vitamin giveaway for the opportunity to try an all natural prenatal vitamin.
NEW! FFR Friday Giveaways – Bebe O Prenatal Vitamins! *CLOSED*
Congratulations, Deborah! You are our Bebe O Giveaway Winner!
Winner chosen by Random.org #2 entry.
Thank you to all who entered, I truly thought Julie would win since she had the most entries, but I guess it doesn’t always work that way!
Thank you to Talooza for sponsoring this giveaway and providing expectant mamas and mamas to be with an all natural prenatal vitamin!
Ok, in an effort to vamp things up for you as readers and to motivate me as a blogger I have been rather sluggish around here, wouldn’t you agree? I thought I would try and set some definite themes for each day of the week. That way we all have something to look forward to, as well make the content a little more consistent and interesting.
The first re-vamp was Thrifty Thursdays and the second is to introduce Faith and Family Reviews’ Friday Giveaways – a.k.a FFR Friday Giveaways! This, of course, will all depend upon what PR folks are willing to offer me for giveaways. Thankfully, we have some product lined up for at least 4-6 giveaways, each lasting 2-3 weeks.
So depending upon reader participation etc. we’ll have July as our trial month. After all this blog is a two-way street, right? I write, provide my time and content and you all participate by reading, leaving comments and entering giveaways, right?
Our first FFR Friday Giveaway is…..Bebe O Prenatal Vitamins!
If you didn’t read my review of Bebe O Prenatal Vitamins, please go back and read it here.
One reader has the opportunity to win a bottle of Bebe O Prenatal Vitamins! Yes, our wonderful PR contact has just verified that we can offer one winner one bottle of prenatal vitamins. ($38.00 Value and one month supply of prenates!)
Required Entry: Simply leave a comment telling me why you want to win!
Extra Entries (Please be sure and leave a comment and link for extra entries):
1 Entry: Follow Faith and Family Reviews on Twitter.
1 Entry: Follow Bebe O on Twitter.
1 Entry: Like Faith and Family Reviews on Facebook
1 Entry: Like Bebe O Prenatal Vitamins on Facebook
2 Entries: Tweet about this giveaway, but only one tweet per day please. Include your tweet url with your comment. You may write your own tweet or use this one:
Enter to win a bottle of @mybebeO prenatal vitamins at @faithfamilyrevw! http://tiny.cc/BebeOGiveaway Please share! Thx!
5 Entries: Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post and to Bebe O’s website.
1 Entry for every comment you leave anywhere else on this blog, but please leave a link with your comment!
Details:
This giveaway will run from July 2nd until July 21st at midnight CST. The winner will be chosen through Random.org. Winner will be contacted before July 31st and asked for their contact info. Winner will have 48 hours to send me their info at [ffr] [giveaways] [at] [gmail] [dot] [com] (without spaces and parenthesis). Bebe O will ship one bottle of prenatal vitamins directly to the winner. Please note: This giveaway is open to the USA only.
Thanks and have fun!
Review of The Belly Blanket Luxe
I received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of this product.
I received a new product to review (it did have to be returned though!). This new product on the market is called The Belly Blanket Luxe made by RadiaShield and one of a few pregnancy products now on the market with the focus of protecting the unborn. Belly Armor have specially designed these products with the purpose of protecting the unborn child from harmful radiation that we all are exposed to every day.
What is the problem with radiation? We all know that we live a technological world. It is a world that we all love and appreciate and even hate at times, but admit would be hard to live without now that we are use to it. But do we really know the long term affects of every day use of cell phones/PDAs, laptops/computers, power lines/cell phone towers, MP3 players, wireless networks and many other electronic devices? No, we don’t.
I can be a bit skeptical at times about things because I think more studies need to be done over the long term and there is so many conflicting views about subjects like radiation exposure. Yet, most of us want what is best for our families and our mother’s hearts are definitely in tune to doing what is the best for our children, which is why we don’t mind spending time researching topics to figure out what is best for our family. That is what I have tried to do with this particular product, as you will note from the resources listed at the end of this post.
RadiaShield saw the need to provide an answer to consumer concerns about exposure to radiation, especially during pregnancy. They are also providing a solution to the problem with their Belly Armor. Belly Armor products are made with RadiaShield fabric and the highest quality textiles. I can verify that The Belly Blanket Luxe was very soft and comfortable when I tested it in my review process. It is made of a cotton micro-fleece that gives it an incredibly soft feel to it. The outer edge is satin and the backing is the RadiaShield fabric.
This blanket is not just for pregnancy, as it could be used while your baby is an infant too. Don’t we all nurse or feed our babies while checking emails or chatting online or on our cell phones?
The size of the Belly Blanket is 30″ x 35″. It is machine washable in cold water with like colors, but it is to be air dried and no bleach. The Belly Blanket Luxe retails for $109.00 and comes in great gift packaging, which would make gift giving that much easier. See the photo below.
I have to admit that I like the concept of the Belly Blanket Luxe and that I really like the product. It really made me feel reassured that the baby in my womb was being protected when I was on the computer. I actually forgot about using it while on my cell because I usually use that in the car and I didn’t take the blanket out of my office since it had to be returned!
What really got my attention and was a turning point in my skepticism was the Cell Phone Test they recommend doing (this is right on their website too):
Cell Phone Test
Note the level of cell phone signal you have.
Wrap your cell phone in a Belly Armor product.
After 30 seconds check your cell phone signal again – you’ll notice it has gone down.
It really works. When we did this, we actually lost all the bars to our cell phone signal. They were gone. Only the little green tower left. That really left an impression on both my husband and I.
Belly Armor also offers The Belly Tee ($59.00), The Belly Blanket Chic ($69.00) and plan to come out with The Belly Band and The Belly Tank.
They are also offering Faith and Family Review readers a promo code: “faithandfam” for 15% off, and it is valid until the end of August.
Here are some related articles that I dug up online that may be of interest to you:
http://www.cellphone-health.com/blog/2009/10/who-study-shows-cell-phone-radiation.html
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs193/en/
http://emf.mercola.com/sites/emf/archive/2010/02/16/how-the-media-lies-to-you-about-cell-phones.aspx
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/garment-apparel-news/apparel-technical-textile/usa/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=85973
http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/anti-radiation-products-with-some-science-in-them/
