Great Baby Gadgets and Apps

There are so many baby goods out there, but there are some really cool multifunctional ones as well too.

First item I found was the Kinsa Thermometer.
It is not your typical thermometer in that it connects to your iPhone and can collect all temperatures that were taken, you can add symptoms and with the app that goes with it you can see what local illnesses and diseases are going around near you. You can read more about the this cool gadget in this article linked below.

http://kinsa-smart-thermometer.reviews.r-tt.com

Next is the Cool Wazoo. What is great about this product is that it truly is multifunctional. You can use it in the park on the hot swing to protect your little one, a cover for the car seat in the car to prevent it from getting to hot during the summer, a high chair cover at your local restaurant, a shopping cart cover or use it as a diaper changing pad. http://www.thecoolwazoo.com

Another great app is from Healthy Mom and Baby Magazine. You can view the magazine and read their articles for free. This is a great resource for all moms. It was based from Health4mom.org which is website that has advice provided by nurses. Check out Healthy Mom & Baby on itunes.apple.com

Last app on this list is to create your own time-lapse slideshow documentary of your pregnancy that you can share as a mini-movie.

CineMama

itunes.apple.com

Get CineMama on the App Store. See screenshots and ratings, and read customer reviews.

Daily Posts

Many of my posts are on Facebook, so for those that want more frequent updates, I will start sharing my Bebe Tresor, Inc link to access some of my Facebook posts on my blog as well. This is from this morning...

https://www.facebook.com/Bebe.Tresor.Inc

Having worked in the NICU, it was great to see many of our babies still being able to have the added health benefits of breast milk through the generous donations to milk banks. Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine shared the link to the National Milk Bank. Check it out for more details.

Breast Milk Bank | Donate Breast Milk

www.nationalmilkbank.org

Donate breast milk from anywhere within the United States. Your extra breast milk could help premature and critically ill babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Flame Retardant Chemicals Exposure During Pregnancy

Researchers have found that there may be a link to exposure of PBDE's (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) during pregnancy and hyperactivity found in 2-5 year olds. This article may bring to light some things that us moms may have never considered during pregnancy. I know that it was not a concern of mine with my two boys. For those expectant moms, it wouldn't hurt to avoid exposure to help increase the chances of having a healthier baby. Although there is no direct cause-effect link, it does make you think twice. There are so many other risks and concerns during pregnancy as it is, why not decrease the risks by avoiding chemicals and items that could be linked to undesired effects to our little Bebe Tresor. It is something to think about. Read more in the article below for more information. 

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_136551.html

Play Cafes

For many close friends and family that know me, I am a true coffee "fan-addict" so when you combine a cafe with a play area, you have my undivided attention. I visited and reviewed three different play cafes: two in the North Suburbs and one in Chicago.

First place was Nibbles Play Cafe in Wheeling, IL www.nibblesplaycafe.com . The admission is $7.50 for first child and $3.75 for any siblings.What is great about this cafe is that it you have an eating area and are still able to see your kids in the play area. The special right now is free admission on Tuesdays. During the warm days 65 - 85 degrees, they will close at 2pm. They host birthday parties on Sundays, so it is closed to the public on Sundays.

Olly Olly Play Cafe is located in Glencoe, IL http://ollyollyplaycafe.com. I love the staff and the play structures there. $12 for first child and $6 for second child. They serve food from Meg's Cafe next door which was good. My 9 year old still had enough to keep his interest between the games, castle or boat. There are some rooms in the back for dress up and play for crawlers. They will host craft events on occasion as well. The only downfall is the rooms in the back are not easily visible from the seats in the cafe area.

Family Grounds Cafe is located in Chicago, IL http://familygroundscafe.com. This has a great separate cafe from the play area, but you can bring your food and drink into the play area as well. There are drop in play times from 1pm to 5pm Monday thru Friday. It is $12 for the first child and $6 for the sibling. They offer all sorts of schedule class and mommy meet ups so it is great for the first time mom who needs to entertain her baby while being able to enjoy some time for herself.

There are all different types of Play Cafes popping up all over the Chicagoland area. I wish they had these when I had my first born back in 2004. It is better late than never. Check one out and see how you like it.

Avoiding Stress During Pregnancy

One of the missions at Bebe Tresor, Inc. is to decrease the stress that mom incurs during pregnancy because we know medically that stress negatively impacts you and your Bebe Tresor.  Pregnancy can cause some stress and how you handle stress can be harmful to you and your baby. It's the high levels of stress that can be most concerning because it can bring about other medical issues such as high blood pressure which in turn increases the risk for early labor, premature birth, or the chance of having a child with a low birth weight. Please read this great article by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) about how stress affects pregnancy.

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/preconceptioncare/conditioninfo/pages/stress.aspx