Let them eat cake...and other yummy things!

As the kids get older it has become more difficult to plan a birthday party menu. Do you do kiddie food for the kids and more adult hors d'oeuvres for moms and dads? And aren't we getting a little bored of pizza at every birthday party? Don't get me wrong, it has it's merits, but I wanted to do something a little different this year. I decided to create a menu that would satisfy adults and kids alike, and could be made in advance and heated up during the party.

To start, I had a few platters of fruit and vegetables with dip, and cheese and crackers. I also put out a few bowls of Annie's Organic Snack Mix Bunnies and Bunny Grahams for the kids. I had juice and milk boxes for the kids, and beer, wine and cocktails for the adults.

Once the party got rolling, we passed around several different hot hors d'oeuvres. The first sounds very adult, but trust me, it's a huge hit with kids too: Gougeres. Gougeres are pastry bites made with gruyere cheese and can also more affectionately be called "cheesy puffs". I used Ina Garten's recipe, made the puffs a week in advance and froze them. David Lebovitz has a great recipe on his blog too, and the puffs in the picture are actually his, not mine!

Next, I used two of my favorite recipes from the Weelicious blog: homemade chicken nuggets and fruit & vegetable wontons. If you're anything like me I feel a tiny bit guilty when I feed my kids nuggets out if a box rather than a home cooked meal. That's why I love this Easy Chicken Nuggets recipe from Weelicious. You just put all the ingredients in a food processor, form them into "nuggets," and then either cook or freeze them. I always make a double batch and freeze a bunch. Parents and kids alike wolfed these nuggets down and asked for more. The fruit and vegetable wontons I adapted from a Weelicious recipe for Sweet Potato Apple Cheddar Purses. I bought wontons wrappers at the market. Then I pureed carrots and pears (which I happened to have on hand instead of sweet potatoes and apples), and added some cinnamon and a dash of agave. By omitting the cheddar in the wontons even kids with dairy allergies could eat them. I filled the wontons, pinched them shut, and froze them until I was ready to use them. During the party I sprayed a baking sheet with canola oil and baked the wontons in the oven. Again, everyone enjoyed them and moms were to shocked to find out the wontons were filled with pureed fruits and veggies. Again, I usually make a double batch and freeze a bunch for quick dinners and lunches for the kids.

Finally, I got the idea to make Mac & Cheese cupcakes from the Cupcakes and Cashmere blog. I actually used my tried and true favorite mac and cheese recipe from Ina Garten, and used a mini muffin pan so we could pass them around easily and they could be eaten in a bite or two. I skipped the tomatoes, but if you have the time you could always halve some cherry tomatoes and put one on top of each muffin of mac and cheese. The day before the party I made up the mac and cheese, then baked them and placed them in the fridge after they had cooled. Once the party started I put them on baking sheets and heated them through in the oven.

The best part of this menu, aside from the fact that people of all ages chowed down, was that everything was made in advance. That way I was able to focus more of my time on the kids and catching up with our guests. I also enlisted the Grandmas to help in the kitchen with heating things up, and since there was no actual cooking it was a relatively easy job. And desert was the cake, which I described in a previous post. So next time you are planning a kid friendly party maybe you'll be inspired to step out of the pizza box!

April showers bring decked out babies: Big City Moms Spring 2010 Biggest Baby Shower

The Big City Moms always put on a wonderful event, and their Spring 2010 Biggest Baby Shower was no excception. This time the venue moved from American Girls Place to the spacious Park East ballroom. Products filled the two ballrooms from dozens of vendors. On display were new products from some of our favorite vendors including Orbit Baby, Momma Couture, Zoli Baby, Maclaren, Skip Hop, Bugaboo, Boon Inc., and Oeuf to name a few. Also on hand were fab newcomers like Simplisse Breast Feeding Products, Stride, Hop Pop, Tomee Tipee, and the amazing Taga Bike and Luxury Stroller. Expectant moms had the opportunity to test out multiple brands of strollers, check out furniture, diaper bags, and the latest in all things baby.

Guest speakers included Dr. Alan Greene (see this post to learn more about Dr. Greene) and the wonderful Carley Roney from The Knot empire. Roney spoke about her favorite essential gear for new moms. These included some of our personal faves like the Orbit Baby stroller , which she highlighted as the "Sunday Brunch" stroller thanks to Orbit's patented technology that allows you to pull the stroller up to the table and spin the seat so baby faces you! She also talked about Momma Couture's clever Stinky Bum diaper clutch (another of our favorites and a previous "Fab Find"). Roney pointed out that no matter which stroller you chose, having only one stroller will never fulfill all your strolling needs. She suggested getting a lightweight umbrella stroller for traveling onthe subway on in the airport. Her picks were any of the strollers in the Maclaren line or the Uppa Baby G-Lite. Roney praised the ubiquitous Baby Bjorn carriers for babywearing, and spoke about The Bump's new iPhone app called Baby 411 (see my other favorites in this post).

Finally, Roney, a serious career mom, gave some fantastic advice on being a new mom:

1) Get OUT of the house and take lots of walks!
2) Make sure to network with other moms and build a support system
3) NURSE in PUBLIC (my personal fave!)

Roney explains that breasts are very portable and make it easy to feed on the go and to find places in your neighborhood where you can comfortably nurse such as baby boutiques and department store lounges (Saks has a great one on the fourth floor). Don't hesitate to meet with a lactation consultant if you are having any nursing problems. Other key advice Roney imparted on the expectant moms was to relax, trust your instincts, and give yourself plenty of time to learn this whole motherhood thing! She is truly and inspiring women!

As always, the gift bags far exceeded expectations. The overflowing (and heavy) bags had far too many items to list them all, but some standouts included the new Uppa Baby Car Seat Bubble (universal to fit dozens of car seats), a Bugaboo Stroller Blanket, gorgeous mittens from Oeuf, Robeez shoes, a Company Store Kids crib sheet, a Naturepedic Organic Piddle Pad, a set of Boon Benders utensils, bottles from MAM Baby, Prince Lionhart, Born Free, and Tomee Tipee, and multiple coupons for everything from strollers to nursery furniture. And that's just scraping the surface of the booty moms received in their gift bags. Add to that the individual gifts the moms won in the Baby Bingo Raffle and it almost tops the shower your friends and family throw for you!

Fab Find: Shinzi Katoh Bento Boxes

Okay, so I just realized I was majorly scooped on these Shinzi Katoh Bento Boxes when I googled them and found they were one of Cool Mom Picks Picks of the Year for 2009. But then I realized there are probably lots of moms who haven't seen them yet so they were worth sharing again. Plus Shinzi Katoh makes tons of cute things besides bento boxes that you might want to check out too. I first spotted him at Flora and Henri on the UES. They carry his adorable kid sized aluminum drinking bottles. When I got home I checked him out online and discovered his sweetly illustrated bento boxes. But then, lo and behold, I spotted more Shinzi Katoh in the form of darling zipper tote bags at one of my favorite haunts, Olive and Bette's (fab clothing boutique chain for stylish mamas in NYC). Turns out Shinzi Katoh is taking NYC by storm right now, and with good reason. Embracing a Japanese philosophy known as Zakka, Katoh's designs are meant to spruce up the common things in everyday life. Using his skills as a children's book illustrator and artist Katoh has certainly done just that. The boxes come in single or double decker, or with a domed lid referred to as Onigiri, or Rice Ball Box. They are perfectly sized for stashing some snacks or a small lunch for your wee one in your diaper bag. And when they start school you can pack these reusable containers in their lunch box. I'm a big fan of the fairy tale characters, and love the Alice in Wonderland and Snow White bentos. Or how about the apple and pear on the Red and Blue or the Lazzy Farm bento boxes. There are several online shops where you can find Katoh's bentos and other cute patootie objects like lunch bags and children's cutlery. My favorites are Queen Baby Bean, Ollie Bollen, and
Little Bean Shop.

My Boon Obsession!

Last week I spoke at the Big City Moms Expectant Moms Dinner on the best items for your baby registry. You can see the five products I recommended last night in this previous post. While at the dinner I had the opportunity to speak some great folks from Boon Inc. and share with them how much I loved their products. Then I realized I should probably share with you, my devoted fan base, the many Boon products we love and why we love them. I should specify that I have never received any free products from Boon, so my love is totally unadulterated.

Ok, where to start? I realized as the Boon folks presented their products that I actually owned the majority of them. I guess I'll start with my first crush item, the Benders Adaptable Utensils. We had a few different spoons when Pooka started eating solids, but found these to be the best. The spoon isn't too big for her mouth, and it's just the right depth to get her a good mouthful without a ton of food squishing back out. As your baby grows they will be able to feed themselves with these utensils because they are the perfect size, and the heads can be bent to help your uncoordinated wee one get the head of the fork or spoon into their mouth (Pooka is working on that). Since we are on the topic of feeding, we are also completely enamored with the Squirt Baby Food Dispensing Spoon. If I had a nickel for every mom who said, "I wish they had that when my kids were young" Pooka's preschool tuition would be covered. The spoon has a reservoir that holds up to 3 oz. of baby food that you can squeeze directly into the spoon. We use it in the car and out and about. Need something to serve your food in? We have the Saucer Stay-Put Divided Plate. We are using it now for finger foods, but will use it for all types of food when Pooka gets more coordinated with her spoon. Wee ones have a difficult time picking the plate up thanks to the rubber ring along the bottom. It should keep the UFO's to a minimum. And don't forget about snacks. We love the Snack Ball because unlike a snack trap, Pooka can only get into this one when I open it for her. It's round shape makes it easy to toss in your bag and find it again, and doubles as a fun ball for Pooka to roll around and play with when we are out and about. Finally, dry your Boon products on the high style design of the Grass Countertop Drying Rack. It's so cute we leave it on our counter all the time (and to be honest there is always something drying on it), and sometimes you can even spy some grownup items drying on the grass.

Boon's products also populate the bath. They are most famous for their first product, the Frog Pod and its newer sister the Bug Pod. They are one of the few products we don't have (we have gorgeous new carrara marble tiles in the bath and I couldn't bare to hang anything on them!) but hear nothing but great reviews. We do, however, have Bob the Odd Duck and the Splat Floating Ring Toss. We love Bob because he doesn't have any holes to fill up with water and leak out later after bath time is over (Pooka loves to bring her bath toys into the living area). She is also infatuated with the rings from the Splat and carries them all over the apartment, and because all Boon products are BPA, phalate, and PVC free I have no problem letting her chew on them to her heart's content.

So needless to say we own quite a few Boon products already, but there are still some on the list we would love to have. I'm dying for a Stash Multi-Room Organizer to keep bottles, snack balls, etc in so they don't clutter up the kitchen counter. Your child will clearly have the coolest sippy in play group with the intriguing design of the Fluid Toddler Cup. And eventually we'll have to invest in the Potty Bench!

Whichever Boon products you choose they will likely became as indispensable as they have for us! And did I mention that 10% of all profits are donated to children's charities like Helping Orphans Worldwide and the Child Crisis Center!

Super Sippy Cuteness: MAM Baby's New Products

I have to say that I totally heart Austrian-based MAM (pronounced "Mom") products. Pooka and I have been through several bottle styles, but really fell hard for the MAM Anti-Colic bottles. Unlike most of the other anti-colic choices on the market, MAM bottles are super easy to take apart and clean without needing specialized brushes or worrying about tiny pieces growing mold where I can't see it. This is especially important to me because I don't have a dishwasher or sterilizer in my tiny NYC kitchen. The bottles have a great nipple style (they refer to them as teats) that mimic Mama's own and is designed to be harmonious with breast feeding. We never had a problem with switching between breast and bottle with our MAM's. I should also mention that the bottles are very cute, coming in pink, purple, aqua and light blue.

New to the market for MAM is a line of sippy cups. The lovely ladies I met from MAM sent me the new sippy's to test and we adore them. You can start with the Hold Me Bottle as a transition from breast or bottle towards sippy cups. Then move on to the Trainer Cup with perfect sized handles for wee ones and a hybrid nipple/sippy spout. Pooka is using this one frequently now, and can even tilt it up and hold it by herself. The final stage is the Learn to Drink Cup which has a harder spout and no handles. Pooka is just starting to try this cup. They became available in stores last month, so go out and get yourself one and be the first on your block to have one.

MAM has tons of other great products to check out like their famous pacifiers. We sampled the new Air Pacifier that is open around the mouth so the skin can breathe and reduce rashes from frequent paci use. Other products we love are the Starter and Clip teether and Massaging Brush for sore gums and first teeth. Oh, and I forgot to mention that all MAM products are BPA free! What's not to love?

Dash and Dine: Organic baby foods for tots on the go

I try to make the majority of Pooka's baby food (see previous post on home made baby food), but there's not always time. So what do you feed your wee one when it's not home made? Obviously there are plenty of choices in jars, but they don't impart the sense of wholesome goodness that I seek when choosing Pooka's meals. And to be frank, after tasting some of the jarred varieties I was less than impressed with their bland flavor. After sampling a promising jar of chicken and apple compote that tasted nothing like chicken or apple I went in search of other options. Luckily there are tons of new choices out there for Mamas seeking alternatives! Those options range from frozen, to squeezy pouches, to freeze dried foods. Pooka and I have a few favorites that have seamlessly been incorporated into our typically home made meal plans.

Yummy Spoonfuls: As a frequent reviewer for Parentville (see my latest product reviews in the blue box on the right side of this page) I was sent a box of Yummy Spoonfuls to sample, and I'm so glad they did. Yummy Spoonfuls makes 100% organic frozen baby foods for all three stages. Packaged in individual 6 oz. containers, these portions will last for 3-4 servings in the early days and 1-2 servings as your baby grows. The stage 1 purees, called Creamy Yummy, are perfect for first timers because of their thinner consistency and work great when added to cereals. They offer some unique flavors like Papaya, which was our favorite by far! We also tried some of the stage 2, or Mushy Yummy foods, which are a bit thicker and have more interesting combos. Great choices include blueberry and millet, or papaya, quinoa, and banana. And later on, Yummy Spoonfuls offers Chunky Yummy for babies over 12 months. But best of all, Yummy Spoonful foods are not heat treated which makes them most similar to the purees I make at home. Another bonus is that the plastic containers they are sold in are BPA and Phalate free so I like to save them to use on the go or freeze home made foods. And at $2-3.00 per container they are a great price considering their organic goodness. Yummy Spoonfuls are available online in their store or on Amazon. If you are in the New York area you can find Yummy Spoonfuls at Dean & Deluca stores.

Happy Baby Foods: Happy Baby offers a whole range of organic food for your wee one from stage 1 right up through the toddler years. Choices range from Happy Bellies cereals with DHA and Probiotics, to Happy Baby frozen foods, Happy Tot pouch foods, and Happy Bites meals. Pooka eats the Happy Bellies oatmeal every morning (rice cereal makes her constipated), and we keep our freezer stocked with various packages of Happy Baby frozen foods. I really like that Happy Baby frozen foods come in individual 1 oz. cubes, so it's easy to give Pooka a nice variety of flavors at each meal. We also love the Happy Tot pouches for when we are on the run. They offer awesome flavor combos and don't have to be refrigerated until after they are opened, which means you can carry one in your diaper bag for emergencies or when you don't want to carry a cooler pack. We keep our Snack Trap filled with Happy Puffs (cereal puffs) and Happy Melts (freeze dried yogurt chips). The nice thing about Happy Puffs is that unlike cereals like Cheerios, they melt in the mouth so you can have a little piece of mind when you start your baby on finger foods. Pooka is still too young for Happy Bites, but we plan to try those too. I mean, who can deny oganic Salmon Stix or Veggie Tots! And it's also reassuring to know that all Happy baby Foods come in BPA free packaging and endorsed by pediatric guru Dr. Bob Sears. Happy Baby Foods are available at numerous locations, so check their website to find a retailer near you.

Ella's Kitchen: Ella's Kitchen specializes in scrumptious stage 1 squeezy pouch recipes, and fruit smoothies for babies of all ages. We fell in love with the Broccoli, Peas, and Pears and the Carrots, Apples, and Parsnips. Made in the UK, it can be found at Babies R' Us and now at Diapers.com.

There are lots of other tasty choices in the organic baby food market, but I wanted to share a few of our favorites. We have also enjoyed food from Petite Palate, Sprout Baby, Tasty Baby, and Plum Organics. It's just nice to know that there are companies that care about your child's health and well being as much as you do!

10 Things I couldn't live without for Breastfeeding

Last month I was invited to speak at Big City Moms Expectant Moms Dinner that focused on breastfeeding. As always, it was a wonderful event with every Mom walking away with prizes, and a lucky few winning strollers by Orbit Baby, Quinny, and Baby Jogger. Preparing for this dinner got me to thinking about my own experiences with breastfeeding. One of the biggest surprises with the entire new baby process was how challenging that breastfeeding can be. It seems like it is a natural evolutionary process that mothers should instinctively know how to do. I've travelled all over the world and seen women of every age and ethnicity easily feeding their babies the way nature intended. And yet, here in the states you hardly ever see that! Unlike in many other countries where exposing your breast to feed you child is not considered a taboo, here it is and I had never really seen a mother breastfeed until I went to a breastfeeding support group after Pooka was born. That's why we have to go to classes to learn how to do it! And my mother and other female relatives did not breastfeed their children so I had no expert wisdom to glean from them. So my best advice for those of you who plan to breastfeed is to stick it out for as long as you can to try and make it work. It took us 6 weeks to get comfortable, and 3 different lactation consultants to get all of our issues figured out. My mommy friends have run the gamut of experiences from relative ease with feeding, to low milk production, poor baby weight gain, and even mommy's who exclusively pump for months because their babies won't latch or went on a nursing strike. The bottom line is that breastfeeding doesn't work for everyone, and if trying to breastfeed impacts your quality of life and happiness with your child than it may not be the right choice for you (and don't heap your choice to formula feed onto the pile of mommy guilt that you will inevitably pile up over the years!).

I also want to share my experience with you, because it is one you are less likely to hear: I made too much milk! How is that a problem? You'd be surprised! Once my milk came in, it flowed like Niagra and I had a very fast letdown. The problem was that Pooka couldn't handle the volume and speed of milk flow, so to compensate she would bite my nipples to shut off the flow so she had time to swallow. Not only was the biting extremely uncomfortable (remember those Texas Tittie Twisters from middle school?), but throughout the feeding she would compress the nipple. This led to blistering and scabbing, but also to a more painful condition called vaso-constriction. Pooka was literally slowing down the blood flow to my nipples, and within five minutes after a feed my breasts would feel like they were on fire and full of pins and needles. But we stuck it out and got through it thanks to the help of the amazing Beverly Solow, a lactation consultant on the UWS. Once I knew what was happening and how to manage the pain Pooka and I were back on track. This leads me to my list of essentials for breastfeeding.

1. Lactation Consultant: In NYC there are multitudes of lactation consultants to choose from and your hospital is likely to have one in-house (unless you give birth at Roosevelt!). Make sure you choose an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), use this website to find ones in your area. Here in the city, my friends and I have had wonderful experiences with Beverly Solow, Ayelot Kaznelson, and Heather Kelly. Please know that every penny spent on a lactation consultant will pay you back in spades, and if you have a hard time coughing up the $200-300 for a home visit try one of the many drop in groups around town (especially those run by the ladies mentioned above).

2. Breastpump: My milk was slow coming in so my doula recommended pumping after every feeding the first few days. If you are going back to work a double electric pump is a must, but even if you are not they are still a good idea if you will pump regularly. Now that Pooka eats solids I am pumping daily to add to her cereal, so the pump is still a necessity. We have the Medela Pump In Style. Pumps are pricey, so if you don't want purchase one you can rent one from your hospital or local nursing or maternity store. Also be sure to check with your insurance company, ours agreed to pay for half the cost of our breast pump!

3. Hands Free Bra: As mentioned in a previous post, I pumped after every feeding for four days after Pooka was born before purchasing a hands free bra. I would have to prop my arms up on pillows because they would get tired holding the cones to my breasts, and forget reading, napping or holding your baby at the same time. My whole world changed after purchasing a hands free bra. Companies like Easy Expressions make hands free bras, or do what my friend did and cut two holes in an old sports bra. That wasn't an option for me, as my cup size grew from a B to a DD/E when my milk came in (eek)!

4. Nursing Pillow: You wouldn't think your little bundle of joy would feel all that heavy in your arms, but trust me when I say they will. First, your arms are not used to holding anything in a cradle position for an extended period of time (unless you played football in high school or college, but that seems unlikely). Second, getting the latch and holds right is not easy at first and you will need to use both hands, which means you will have a hard time juggling baby. I highly recommend purchasing a nursing pillow like the Boppy or My Breast Friend. I've had experiences with both and have some definite opinions. I purchased a Boppy after looking at both options in the store. I thought the My Breast Friend looked odd and really stiff, and I didn't like the idea of being strapped into it. Then I brought Pooka home (at 5 lbs 12 oz and 19.5 inches long) and discovered that she didn't fit well in the Boppy. She sort of fell in the hole between my belly and the pillow, and I had to roll up a towel and place it across the pillow to fill the gap for the first few weeks. Then I went to a lactation consultant and had the opportunity to use a My Breast Friend and I loved it. Because the pillow is attached it fits tightly to your belly (no gap) and the stiffness was really convenient for keeping the baby stable while getting her latch right. In retrospect I wish I had bought the My Breast Friend for the early months, although the Boppy is a perfect fit now with my older baby and I still use it every feed when I am at home. So check out both pillows an choose which one you think works best for you.

5. Breast Pads: Yes Virginia, you will leak milk! Somehow I thought I might get away with not leaking like the way I had dodged other pregnancy bullets like constipation or severe heartburn. But alas, that was not to be the case although there is the rare woman who doesn't leak regularly (maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones!). So do yourself a favor and stock up on beast pads. I tried both the Medela Disposable Bra Pads and and Lansinoh Pads. Both work great, but I preferred the Lansinoh pads because they had a larger circumference and were a bit thinner. I also have some reusable organic breast pads made by Imse Vimse they I used a lot when I was at home. They are super soft, particularly if you are cracked or scabbed. Oh, and if you produce lots of milk and leak while feeding check out the Milkies Milk Saver to catch and save leaky milk.

6. Lanolin Cream: It was on the list of essentials to have, but I chose an organic olive oil based nipple cream from Mother Love. This cream is great if you have minor irritation, but less effective if you are severely chapped, cracked, or bleeding (I was all three). On my first trip to a lactation consultant she recommended switching to a 100% pure lanolin-based cream, as lanolin is the only cream proven effective at healing nipples. The standard in this category is Lansinoh and it's easy to find and works great. My only concern was were the cream was sourced, since I was rubbing it on my nipples and my vulnerable newborn baby was sure to be ingesting some. I ended up using a Medela Pure Lan 100 because it was recommended by a lactation consultant who shared that it was pesticide free (although I can't seem to find any info to back that up).


7. Itzbeen Baby Care Timer: I couldn't have made it through the first few months without this amazing gadget. Read more about it here in a previous post.

8. Nursing Bras: I bought my first nursing bras at 30 weeks of pregnancy and wished I had bought them sooner. The lovely ladies at the Upper Breast Side pointed out how my underwire bras were leaving marks on the underside of my now ginormous breasts and could potentially lead to pluged ducts (ouch!). Trust me, nursing bras are much more comfortable than standard bras. My first two choices were a Bravado Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra and an Elle MacPherson Maternelle Bra. To get fitted, head to one of two NYC stores dedicated to breastfeeding: The Upper Breast Side on the UWS, and the newer Yummy Mummy on the UES. The two stores carry similar stock but definitely have different vibes. There is often a wait to be fitted at the UBS, the bras and clothes are kept in closets and brought to you rather than allowing you to browse, and you try things on Loehman's style (no dressing rooms, so don't be shy). But they are the original and certainly know their stuff, as well as advocate tirelessly on behalf of the rights of breastfeeding moms. Yummy Mummy is a more pleasant shopping experience with a beautiful store that allows you to browse the racks freely, try things on in a dressing room, and promotes an overall sense of tranquility. When I shopped there recently there were only a few other women who came in while I shopped. And Yummy Mummy ladies certainly know their stuff too.

9. Nursing Tops: Whichever store you choose, make sure to grab some nursing tops. You won't regret it the first time you feed in public and your torso is covered rather than on display for everyone to see how much baby weight you are still carrying. My favorites for warm weather or as an underlayer are tank tops by Bravado and Glamour Mom (go for the longer length on these) that don't require a separate bra. I lived in these last summer, and wear them now under sweaters and cardigans. I also love my hidden nursing tops and dresses by Mayreau, Boob Design, and Milkstars. Each company approaches nursing access differently. Mayreau does super soft jersey tops that are great when you want a slightly dressier look, using cowls or wrap styles to hide the nursing access. Boob Design from Sweden makes their organic cotton nursing tops and dresses with a hidden overlap right under your bust that you lift up for access. Their designs are sportier and good for everyday, and include pieces like hooded sweatshirts. Finally, Milkstars makes t-shirts with great details like micro-puff sleeves and double v-necks. They use a double layer for the entire front of the garment, and you simply lift the top layer for nursing access. Start with one or two styles , and add more as you find a favorite (and are sure you are going to continue breastfeeding).

10. Nursing Cover: If you choose to breastfeed you will eventually have to do it in public. The funny thing about using a nursing cover is that I don't actually use it for me, but to make sure that others don't feel uncomfortable. By the time I left the hospital and saw multiple lactation consultants I had no shame left about baring my breasts to strangers. These days I'm comfortable enough with my nursing tops that I can feed well in public without flashing any nip, and besides, Pooka loves to try to pull the cover off and expose me rather than concentrate on eating so I don't use one anymore. But you will definitely want a cover for the early months. It takes quite some time to get comfortable juggling your baby, unhooking your nursing bra, and getting a proper latch in public without the whole restaurant seeing your goods! I use a Bebe Au Lait, but Peanut Shell and Itzy Ritzy make great covers too.

So that sums up the bounty of my breastfeeding wisdom. Pooka still breastfeeds several times a day, and when her little hand reaches up and touches my face while she drinks I realize it has all been worth it! Oh, and when in doubt, the absolute best resource for breastfeeding info is the website KellyMom. Go there regularly to keep your sanity while going through this process!

Fab Find: Amenity Home Eco-Wooden Bowl and Spoon set

If you read my post yesterday you know that Pooka recently started eating solids and with that comes a whole new set of gear to acquire. It should be simple to find safe and healthy products for feeding your baby but you'd be surprised. After a quick trip to Babies R' Us I realized there were still a lot of products on the market with BPA and finding bowls and spoons without PVC and phalates was nearly impossible despite a wall full of feeding gear. The only brands I found without those ingredients were Boon Inc. (which I love and own) and The First Years Meal Mates and Take and Toss sets. As the name implies, the Take and Toss are not exactly eco-friendly despite their safer ingredient list because they are marketed to be tossed although they are reusable.

Then I remembered Amenity Home's gorgeous Eco-Wooden Bowl and Spoon set they introduced this summer. The bowl and spoon are carved from non-toxic cherry wood and finished with beeswax and oil. You can use the bowl and spoon like a mortar and pestle and mash bananas, avocados,or steamed veggies right in the bowl. This bowl and spoon set will last through more than one child and will likely become a beautiful family heirloom (this ain't no take and toss). An added benefit is that the bowls are made by a co-op in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Purchase the Baby's First Meal gift set and get four organic wash clothes with your bowl and spoon, you're going to need them! And while your there pick up some of their organic bedding and bath gear (read more about Amenity in this post).

Time for solids: The skinny on healthy feeding

My extreme dislike of peas is a family legend. At the tender age of four I went toe to toe with my dad at the dinner table, sitting for hours refusing to eat my peas and finally being sent to bed. I think I won that round, as dad never tried that tactic again. So when it came time to feed Pooka her first meal I put a considerable amount of thought into what that first meal would be. It became clear last week that she needed more than mommies milk to get through a night (she woke up ravenous at 3 AM three nights in a row, which is very unusual). I was very happy that we made it just shy of 6 months of exclusive breast feeding.

The first issue was what to feed Pooka for her first meal. I was armed with several books to help me make this decision. First, I had decided to make homemade baby food as often as possible. I have two books on home made baby food, the Organic Baby and Toddler Food Cookbook, by Lizzie Vann and Cooking for Baby by Lisa Barnes and have found them both very useful. To be honest though, at the outset you are steaming a single vegetable and pureeing it in your blender or food processor, so the cookbooks are a little irrelevant at this point. Many of my mom friends are also big fans of the Beaba BabyCook, which steams food and then purees it all in one bowl. It is BPA free but unclear whether it contains PVC or phalates, so make sure you do your research if you plan on using it daily. Personally, we live in a studio so adding another appliance to our counter didn't seem like a good idea. I actually use a hand or stick blender (sometimes called an emulsifier) which is great because I can use it right in the pot or a bowl, takes up little space, is portable for trips away, and makes a fab smoothie right in the glass you drink it from. I parcel out enough puree for a few days in the fridge, then freeze the rest in trays. Right now I am using the Beaba Multiportion Trays which are silicon and BPA, PVC, and phalate free. The silicon makes it easy to pop out a single portion when you need it, but I have found that I only need to fill them halfway to make a Pooka size portion at this stage. I also have the Kid Co BabySteps Freezer Trays that are designed more like an ice tray with a lid. They are BPA and phalate free and like an ice cube tray, you need to smack it on the counter a few times to loosen up a baby food cube. Kid Co also makes a manual or electric food mill as an alternative method of pureeing foods for baby (the battery operated food mill is great when you are on the go and want to feed baby from the table).

So now the question was what that food should actually be. I was inspired by two books, Feeding Baby Green by Dr. Alan Greene and Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton. Feeding Baby Green is a fantastic book describing how babies start experiencing tastes while still in the womb and continue exploring new tastes through the first 2 years. He discusses windows of opportunity to expand your child's palate and hopefully encourage them to eat a wider variety during the picky toddler years when children experience Neophobia (otherwise known as "I will only eat french fries and chicken nuggets, and don't even think about bringing that green thing near me!"). He suggests trying as many as 10-15 times before your child excepts a particular food, and making sure to feed your child produce from all 21 categories he lists in his book. He also dispels many myths about food allergies and outdated modes of thinking when it comes to feeding babies and toddlers. We're on board with his program, I only wish it had been out when I was pregnant! Hungry Monkey is more of a foodlogue about a gourmet dad's effort to expose his daughter to a variety of foods, particularly those that people say kids shouldn't eat. It's humorous and encourages parents to think a little outside the rice-cereal box!

So Pooka ate her first solids a little over a week ago. We decided to bypass the rice-cereal for now. Her first meal was peas and she can't get enough. Seriously! By the end of her first meal she was literally opening her mouth, leaning forward, grabbing my hands and pushing the spoon into her mouth. Thinking my luck would hold I introduced Pooka to one of my favorite veggies a few days later, green beans. On her first bite she made a lip quivering frown and spit them out. Hmmmm, certainly not what I had expected, but perhaps apropos since I loathed peas as a child and she adores them. Since then she has enjoyed roasted acorn squash and had a mixed review of raw avocados. Per Dr. Green's method we tried the green beans again last night which garnered a slightly less strident rejection, but I think we still have a ways to go!