Transitioning my Baby out of the Swaddle with Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit

Don't hate me, but my baby is an incredible sleeper. By 2 months old she was sleeping 5-6 hour stretches and by 3 months she was sleeping 7-12 hours through the night. Trust me, we KNOW just how lucky we are. I realized early on that my baby loved and needed a tight fitting swaddle in order to fall asleep and sleep securely through the night.

As she was approaching 3 - 3.5 month old I knew that her days of being able to sleep swaddled were getting numbered. Once a baby can roll over it it is no longer safe for a baby to sleep swaddled for obvious reasons. Bound and determined to avoid the dreaded 4 month sleep regression that I hear and see posted all over social media, I began doing research on a suitable sleep transition for my swaddle-loving babe.

I came across a company that makes a product called Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit. It was designed by a mom of 4 and a pediatric physical therapist (I LOVE Mom invented products!) and was pegged as a swaddle transition product - which was EXACTLY what I needed! I couldn't wait to try it out!

The Magic Sleepsuit is an innovative design that helps babies feel secure and helps to muffle their reflective startles, helping them sleep stronger and longer (and without the swaddle!)

The Magic Sleepsuit comes in two different fabric choices depending on the season and environment your baby will be sleeping in. I chose the Cotton Sleepsuit in 3-6 month size (My baby started using this when she was about 3 months old and it fits her great!)

Much to my happiness, my baby successfully transitioned out of her swaddle and continued to sleep through the night with her Magic Sleepsuit by night 3! The first night she slept in her new suit she woke up one time at 1am and I comforted her and nursed her back to sleep. The second night she slept until 4am in her suit and again, I rocked and fed her back to sleep. By the 3rd night she slept through the whole night and has every night since in her Magic Sleepsuit!

What impresses me about this product is the multi-layered by design, to help ease babies back to sleep on their own should they startle or wake up while sleeping. She does wake up a handful of times a night (like everyone does) and may let out a little cry or moan, but then falls back immediately to sleep because of the comforting layers that the sleepsuit provides.

I seriously can't recommend this suit enough!

Little Boys Love Bugs - GeoSafari Jr. Bug Vac 'N' View Review

If there's one thing that goes hand in hand with little boys it's BUGS (and dirt too - they seem to be magnets to all things messy and dirty!) I'll admit, we ALL were excited when this GeoSafari Jr. Bug Vac 'n' View came in the mail and couldn't wait to use it!

First of all, what a cool, different toy! It seems from talking with other moms that I'm not alone in this, but kids nowadays seem to have everything and need nothing when it comes to toys so it makes it really hard to think of something to buy for them that they'll actually get excited about! Let me tell you, we ALL got really excited about this fun little bug vac!

Running off several batteries, this cute little green frog-shaped vacuum is a fun, safe, and easy way to catch and collect all sorts of crawly critters. We took the Bug Vac 'n' View on our evening walk the first day we got it (I told you we were excited!). When my 7 year old found a bug he wanted to explore, he pushed a button on the vac, which sucked the insect into an attached clear little collection box. The little collection box has a built-in magnifying glass and air-holes so the crawling critter can breathe while it's getting examined. When we were all done looking at our specimens we could return our newfound insect friends back into nature, safe and sound!

As a mom, I love anything that gets my kids outside and active, and this was such a fun addition to our outdoor family and play time! We can't wait to take it to the park next week with our friends to explore and see what kind of bugs we can find next! 

You can find out more information and purchase your own GeoSafari Jr. Bug Vac 'n' View HERE. This would be a sure-fire-hit of a present for the next birthday party your kids are invited to!

Get Those Kiddos Gears Churning - Space Explorers Building Set Review

My 7 year old loves building and being creative - and would much rather construct something than sit in front of the TV after school (after his homework is done - of course!) We were both super excited to be introduced to Learning Resources newest set of Gears! Spinning Space Gears Building Set. What a cool set! This kit contained 80 pieces including planets, astronauts, a spaceship and tons of GEARS to make them all spin and move together!

The kit came with step by step instructions to make the layout pictured below.

 With help from me only once, my 7 year old was able to put together the entire sequence in about an hour! The fun doesn't have to stop there though, because the best part of the GEARS play sets are that the opportunities to build your own designs are endless! They are definitely more interactive and imaginative then standard building blocks because kiddos have to figure out how to fit the pieces together so that they work in sequence and MOVE!

My son goes to a Charter School that incorporates STEM learning into the curriculum and as a parent I LOVE that this building set helps to develop some of the same learning techniques they use in school such as counting, grouping, sorting, and construction design.

This was a super fun toy that my 7 year old loved to play with and I would for sure highly recommend it for a gift for kids 4-12. The younger kiddos may need more help putting it together, but trust me, you'll love playing with it just as much as they will! You can learn more about this building set and purchase it HERE.

New Year, Healthy Choices with Silver Fern Brand

I have always been a pretty healthy eater, but ever since I was pregnant and now that I'm nursing I REALLY pay attention to the foods and ingredients that go into my body. That being said, I'm human and still love a good batch of brownies!

I was super excited when Silver Fern Brand reached out and offered to let me try one of their baking mixes. They had several varieties to choose from, but their Natural, Gluten Free Cake Brownies caught my eye for sure.

I love that they are made with Almond Flour so they still have a rich, dense texture that's GOOD for you (never thought I'd be able to say brownies and good-for-you in the same sentence!) They also only have 2 grams of sugar per serving - I know! You're probably wondering how they taste? Great! Less rich than a real brownie, but fit the bill for a nice chocolate treat!

Silver Fern also send us some of their Prebiotic and Probiotic WAI Drink Mixes. I have always been intrigued about probiotics so I was excited to try these! According to the brand, "Wai's special probiotic converted the prebiotics and dietary fat into sort-chain fatty acids which support healthy fat metabolism." Worth a shot, right?!

Both Adam and I decided we would drink one a day for 21 days. According to the directions, you re to mix one WAI drink powder packet into 16-32 ounces of water, shake or stir to dissolve and drink up. The drink mixes are tasty, but quite sweet, so if you prefer drinks a little less on sweet, I'd for sure dilute the mix into 32 oz of water. 

The first couple days of being on the probiotic, my body kind of detoxed. I had a pimple or two and had to use the bathroom more frequently - all signs it was working! After about a week of taking it my whole system felt amazing. I felt detoxed and like my whole system was reset. My husband took them too and loved them. Taking probiotics now is something we plan on doing daily and the great tasting and convenient WAI mixes are an excellent way to get our daily dose!

Baby Wearing with Nesting Days

This post is going to make me reminiscent - I can't believe my little peanut is almost 4 months old!

Baby wearing was one of the things I wanted to do more of with my second child than my first. I admit, I was very intimidated with baby wearing the first time around. I didn't know how to "do it" correctly, was worried that my baby may fall out, or they wouldn't be comfy in their carrier. That was why I was so overjoyed when Nesting Days offered to send me one of their carriers to try out!

Instantly I could tell that this carrier was different, It's made out of a lightweight technical yoga-wear inspired fabric (it actually feels and stretches just like your favorite yoga pants!) It doesn't have any complicated rings or buckles or anything that I could potentially "mess up" either. It's a tubular design that I literally could put on in under a minute! I just step into the bottom of the carrier, pull it up to my waist, pull the left arm strap up, tuck my baby in, then pull the right arm strap up and tie. See?! So secure, so simple, and the baby is so sung, happy (and safe!)

I used this so much when Taylor was little. When she got a little fussy or tired, I'd pop her in take a walk outside and she'd instantly fall asleep. We packed it in the diaper bag at Thanksgiving and as soon as she started to cry, again, put her into her Nesting Days carrier and everyone was amazed that she instantly calmed and then fell asleep. Heck, I've even made muffins and meal prepped while little Taylor slept peacefully in her favorite carrier. This thing was a lifesaver when she was little.

Not only is wearing your baby convenient when they are small, there are so many other benefits to baby wearing for both the mama and the baby. Baby wearing offers many other advantages such as: happier, healthier babies, more confident parents, more successful breastfeeding, and less likelihood of postpartum depression. Pretty incredible. right?

The amazing folks at Nesting Days have given me a promo code for you. It's GOFASTMOMMY and will save you $5. You can also stack this code with their special pre-order pricing (which will save you an additional $10 if you choose to order a carrier for shipment in 4-6 weeks as opposed to the normal delivery time!)

Do/did you wear your babies or do you plan on it? Please share!

Better Sleep With The Zen Swaddle From Nested Bean

I'll admit, getting my babies to sleep on their own has never been a skill of mine. I vow to let them sleep on their own and not in my arms or bed and then the sleep deprivation gives in and I do whatever I can so that they, and I, can get a little shut eye, It's hard mamas.

Taylor for the first few weeks of her life and I felt like a pro, and then she WOKE UP and I was like, this is HARD. I'd nurse her gently to sleep and she's slumber softly in my arms, but the moment I'd set her ever so gingerly down in her crib and quietly tip toe out of her room she'd wake up and cry within mere minutes (usually around the time I would snuggle myself in my own bed after high-five-ing my hubbie for our awesome baby-sleeping skills)

We were desperate and sleep deprived and would do anything for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. That's why I was so stoked to hear about the Zen Swaddle from Nested Bean.

No joke, Taylor slept better with the Zen Swaddle from the very first night. Her longest stretch of sleep used to be 2-3 hours and it went immediately to 3-4 hours in a  row. After 2 weeks of sleeping in her Zen Swaddle she now sleeps a continuous 6 hours at night and last night she slept for a continuous 8 hours - talk about life changing!

We've noticed too that the human-like weighted touch of this swaddle helps to sooth her back to sleep on her own. So during the night or daytime naps she may still wake up several times and even cry out, fidget, and open her eyes, but she almost always is able to soothe herself back to sleep. It's amazing!

I swaddle her up for her naps and for bedtime and always place her in her crib for consistency and I think both have helped her tremendously for developing healthy sleep patterns and being able to soothe herself back to sleep if she wakes up.

The idea behind the Zen Swaddle was conceived from a personal need by the founders. They too had a second child that struggled to calm and would immediately wake when he was put down in is crib. Guided by mother's intuition and a research team, the Zen Swaddle was born. My hubbie and I are believers!

Baby Favorite Sales this Holiday Weekend

Hi All! I wanted to do a quick post on all of the sales this weekend!! These are all things that I use often and LOVE!

BOB Revolution Stroller - I use this for all my runs and walks and it's on sale for 32% off here.

Doc a Tot - Little Taylor loves to sleep in this because it makes her feel safe and secure! Save $10 here.

Bao Bei Maternity Nursing Bra - because running with boobs is HARD but this makes it so much easier. My favorite nursing sports bra for sure! On sale today here for $49 plus free shipping!

Figure 8 Maternity - 25% off entire site! Free shipping and free returns too. This is where my favorite BOOB designs nursing hoodie came from. Shop here.

Altra Shoes - My favorite running shoes of all time! They have a bunch of shoes for 30% off right now. Shop here.

Nesting Days Carrier - My favorite wrap style carrier for little Taylor. Everyone comments how comfy and cozy she looks in it and is is SO SIMPLE to use. Use code NEWBORN-NEST to save 20%. Shop here.

Nested Bean Sleep Swaddle - I haven't gotten a chance to review this yet but the concept is awesome (read about it on their site) Since sleeping in this swaddle little Taylor's longest sleep stretch went from 2-3 hours to 4-5 hours - sold! Save up to 25% here.

Bun Maternity - My FAVORITE nursing tops because they are super soft and stylish and don't look like nursing tops. I own 6! They are having a HUGE sale - 40% off everything with code BUNFRIDAY! Shop here.

Cover Me Ponchos - My favorite! I use these as a car seat cover on all my runs and when I bring the car seat into stores and restaurants and I also use it as a nursing cover! I have 2 and keep one in her stroller and one in the diaper bag at all times! They are having an awesome sale - $45 for 2 plus $1 shipping! Shop here.

Belly Bandit - I loved their support belt while pregnant and am now loving their high waist Mother Tucker Capris for postpartum. They are having 25% off their entire store here.

Spearmint Love - The cutest online baby store and they NEVER have sales but today they are offering 20% off everything!! I love and use this Little Unicorn Deluxe Swaddle Set daily! There are the softest and biggest muslin blankets and just so awesome. Shop them here.

BelaBumBum Maternity - An awesome online maternity and nursing site that is having 25% off and free shipping on their entire site with code BLACKFRIDAY2016. My 2 favorite insanely comfy nursing bras are from this site. They are sports bras but cute enough for all day everyday use! Love them so much!! Shop here

LaLaBu Soothe Shirts - The sweetest way to snuggle your newborn! I am in love with the ease of this shirt and little Taylor loves to be snuggled all up! They even sell dad shirts now and are having their lowest prices of the year here.

I'm sure I missed some brands and products and sales because there are SO MANY out there so please comment below if there's any sales I need to check out! What has been your favorite maternity, new mom, or baby product that you just LOVE?