Aug 28, 2015

Toddler's iPad Apps

- As a frequent flyer and full time mom I really love iPad in certain occasions such as flights, severe bad weather and my home chores.... I wish I didn't, but I do...  In the ideal world kids should not watch TV, play with iPads or video games, but let's get real guys, world has changed, and in small doses I think they might help their development. So here are some iPad apps that my daughter loves (please don't get overwhelmed, I bought them little by little...). They work offline (but be sure to download them and all the in-app purchases prior to your trip!) 

- Video Touch : I recommend buying the bundle. It's a lot of short films of people playing musical instruments, animals, etc. It is my daughter's favorite!

-Peekaboo: I also recommend the bundle:

-Bebop blox: the kids build the selected object/ animal using the blocks:

- Mr & Mrs Potato Head change costumes and scenarios:

- Sorting, matching etc with these apps:

- Pink Fong (Mother Goose Club): (I recommend the songs only... I don't like the stories)

- Fish School: My daughter learned the abc song with this app, when she was 20 months old!

- Endless Alphabet: little monsters teach kids spelling and word meanings...

- Wheels on the bus: There is that annoying but classic song, but also has coloring book, etc

- Ballon made animals:

- A must have in Brazil, now in English (also in Spanish):


Aug 17, 2014

Traveling with kids

Traveling with your little ones can't be hassle free, but with these tips it can certainly be easier:

- Travels with Baby: a complete website with tips about destinations, travel planing, and gear rental directory worldwide! Love it!

- Babies Travel Lite: they deliver formula, baby food, diapers, gear, etc worldwide!

- Diapers.com delivers in 1-2 days everything you can possibly need (US only)

- Baby's Away: gear rental (US only)

- Rent Baby Equipment: gear rental (US only)

- Travel Babees: gear rental (US only)

- Baby Travel Company: gear rental in Miami (Marcela Simões Dias has recently used their services and highly recommends it!)

- Baby Goes 2: website that helps you plan your trip, from destination to packing, it's really helpful!

- Traveling With Kids: a Swedish mom-of-2 gives great tips.

- Taking the kids: useful to help you pick destinations

This blog has a list of other travel blogs (I didn't have a chance to look at all of them yet, but certainly will...): RedTri

My tips:

- Have the diaper bag carefully stocked. Bottles, diapers, wipes, disposable changing pads, snacks, some quiet toys, a change of clothes. Pack enough formula and diapers to last a day or two (in case your checked bag gets lost or the flight is delayed). I usually don't take my purse onboard. I pack my wallet, documents, etc in one large baby backpack (love this one from Dad Gear that has an easy access wipes pocket), this way I have 2 free hands. Please, make yourself a favor... travel light! Take as few clothes as possible for you, and have them dry-cleaned at the hotel or hand washed with this detergent. Just remember your last trips... how many pieces of clothes returned home without being used?

- Dress your baby for quick and easy diaper changes. And always have spare clothes (the worst poops are done in airplanes, trust me... With the altitude the air trapped in our intestines expand, so imagine...). I also keep a small toy with the diapers to distract my daughter. Bathrooms in airplanes are too tight and noisy, so they can get scared.

- Have your iPad fully charged and download previously some games, apps, movies, cartoons (my favorite app is VideoTouch- )... The kids are allowed to play with them only during the flight, so the novelty keeps them busy for a long time...

- Specially for young babies, have brand new toys (books, teething toys and toys that won't fall into pieces under the seats...).

- Try to travel during regular nap times or bedtime; or, if this is not possible, try keep the child awake until after take-off.

- Be the last one to board if you have a partner (he/ she can board first and guarantee luggage storage close to your seat). If you are traveling alone, board ASAP to guarantee that.

- Never, ever, try for the first time a new medicine or sedative (even the natural ones, like Camilia) during a flight. Always try it some days in advance at your home. Trust me, sometimes they have side effects like agitation...

- Have a bottle ready during ascent and descent to alleviate air pressure in the ears. (Remember to buy a bottle of water, room temperature, after the security, if you are taking powder formula). I always take onboard pain killers (Tylenol or Advil) in case the pressure hurts her ears.

- Take one large pashmina that serves for warming you and the baby during the flight, as well as to cover the stroller when the baby is sleeping (I use it a lot specially when dining out and my daughter is sleeping in the stroller).

- I love this snack container!!! (I recommend buying the starter kit and the 2x 150cc)

- I love this Cocoon inflatable pillow during the flight, to cover the armrest so the baby can sleep comfortably. It is really easy to inflate / deflate and is very small.

- I also love my Yoyo Baby zen stroller and Mountain buggy Nano (fit in the aircraft's cabinets) and the Immi Go car seat (not approved for in-flight use, only in cars).

- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly urges you to secure your child in a CRS or device for the duration of your flight. the car seat must be FAA approved. For childs 22-44 lb the easiest method is the CARES. (also sold at Amazon.com)

Please let me know if you recommend any other website!

Have a safe trip!


Jul 31, 2014

Lunch boxes & Outdoor Classes for kids in Manhattan

Great tips from Marcela Simões Dias this week:

- In'Box - funky lunch boxes. Don't have time or patience to cook your kid's lunch? They deliver in Manhattan (home, office or school) healthy and balanced meals (to please the parents) and a mystery goodie (for the kids)! Genius!

- Brooklyn Forest - classes in city parks for young children and their caregivers, vigorous physical work and nourishing food. Great option during their vacations.

Have fun!




Mar 7, 2014

Baby Shopping List - My Favorite Products!

While living in NYC and having a baby I've lost count of how many emails I've received from friends that were planning a trip to buy baby stuff in America (NYC and Miami are the best places in the world to do so). After sending my tips several times I’ve decided to publish them to help others accomplish this difficult task (specially for first-time moms)… I apologize the overwhelming list that follows, but I’ve included everything that I bought and approved. And I'll keep the list updated. Notice that some products have links to the store where I bought them, but I highly recommend comparing prices before buying. I'd like to thank Camila Schuback for helping me build this list (as her son is older than my daughter he was the guinea pig for most things)!


Where to buy:

My favorite general-stores are:
- www.Amazon.com (usually the cheapest)
- www.Diapers.com (usually the fastest delivery)
- www.buybuybaby.com - I recommend you sign up for Bed, Bath & Beyond emails (same owners). They send 20% off 1 item coupons that you can use on their site (that has all the things sold at BuyBuyBaby) to buy expensive things, such as stroller/ car seat, etc.

You should subscribe to their newsletters to get coupons and sale alerts…


Bath time:

- Bathtub: in the first 2 months I bathed my baby in a Puj Tub  inside the bathroom sink because the height was more comfortable for me. Just notice that here in America everyone bathes their babies in the large kitchen sink so the bathtubs that are said to fit sinks usually don’t fit regular bathroom’s sinks… PujTubs do. After 2 months I started to use a larger plastic bathtub (Fisher Price, Safety First, First Years, Primo are good brands and the products are very similar) on the floor of my original bathroom bathtub;  in my bathtub or even in my bathroom floor I don’t have enough area to put a Stand . You find all of them at Amazon and diapers.com.



- My daughter loves to bathe in the Tummytub - I put her in the late morning to relax, and then bathe her (this time with soap and shampoo) at night in the tub... (update: she fitted until 5 months old)

- In the maternity the staff gave me some amazingly soft disposable washclothes they use there to bathe newborns. So until the umbilical stump fell off I used them too. I still buy them because they are great as all-purpose tissues/ burp cloths/ washcloths.

- Mustela Foam Shampoo  - easy to use with one hand (as the other one will be supporting baby's head and neck) and washes off with one rinse, I still use it... For travelling I recommend Johnson's Disposable Washcloths . And for after pool I use this anti-chlorine shampoo/ bodywash from Babo Botanical.

- I started using this Sephora “brush" in my daughter's scalp with that Mustela foam shampoo to avoid cradle crap, and it works like magic, way better than a baby specific one I had bought before… 

- Bath Thermometer (and toy...) Duckymeter or 4Moms Spout Cover.




      Gear:

- There isn’t a perfect stroller. You have to look for one with features you consider important but have in mind that unfortunately it won’t have it all… I recommend watching reviews in youtube before buying… I love BabyGizmo reviews… Important features for me are: lightweight & easy to fold (I don’t like strollers that you have to remove the seat to close, because it’s impossible to do that holding child, diaper bag, etc). For traveling, great options are the incredible Yoyo (the only stroller that is allowed as a carry-on luggage in flights) and the Mountain buggy Nano. (compare them here)

- I haven't seen in person yet but I loved the videos of the new Doona car seat/ stroller (fits only until 12 months old).

- Universal sleep sac for car seat/ stroller: JJ Cole Bundleme

- Stroller hand warmers 7AM WarMMuffs  (so you don’t have to wear gloves and avoid the hassle to take them off if you have to assist the baby…). This brand, as well as JJCole (the brand I bought the carseat/ baby carrier muff), make stroller muffs too that are great for cold weather.

- Stroller hooks: I recommend 2 brands: The Mommy Hook  and Think King

- Weathershield for Infant Car Seat  for car seats- truly a must have, really cheap and useful….

- Bug Net  for strollers/ car seats/ bassinets.

- Car Seat: I suggest you choose your stroller first and then buy a carseat that fits it. If you want just a car seat, not to be removed from your car very often, I love the Peg Perego. For traveling after 12 months old (car use only) I love my Immi Go. For 2.5 years old the Ride Safer is an excellent option too. 

- Baby carrier BabyBjorn . I recommend the Cover  as well in cold/ windy/ rainy days (in Manhattan we walk a lot, the subway stations usually don't have elevators, so strollers can be a problem).

- Baby monitor : Summer Infant - I own the baby touch and love it. Look also for silicone cover and screen protector, because you will end up dropping it several times...

- White noise machine:  Cloud b Sleep Sheep .

- Booster Seat 4-12 years: Mifold

- Stroller rider/ skateboard (when you have to carry 2 kids): Englacha Rider



      Diaper Bag:

- Bags  to dispose dirty diapers when out of home

- Disposable Changing Pad  - I use them at home to protect the changing station and also when changing diapers in public spaces.

- Wipes to clean pacifiers and toys (when you don't have soap and water): Pacifier Wipes.

- Diaper Wallet: I recommend this one, it's great to carry some diapers, the disposable changing pads, water wipes and bags I've mentioned, but you won't need this if your diaper bag has a built-in wiper dispenser (see next item).  

- Diaper bag: I love these 2 backpacks, they are not fancy but are really good: DadGear Backpack  (larger, great for traveling) and Fisher Price (smaller, great for everyday use). 
- When potty training:
I liked this potty that turns into a step stool. After that I loved like the toilet seat adaptor with steps to leave in her bathroom. For public restrooms I recommend this cover. For on-the-go potty I recommend the Oxo with liners (very useful when going to playgrounds/ parks with no restrooms and also serves as toilet seat adapter)

      Feeding:

- Nipple balm if you will breastfeed: Lansinoh  is the best seller but I prefer the Mustela  one.

- Nursing pad: Lansinoh  is the best one.

- Breast pump: Medela (double electric) and I highly recommend their Bra to keep your hands free.

- Baby bottle: Avent  (the new ones, with natural nipple, not the classic ones) are great, but my daughter prefers the Tommee Tippee  ones. 

- For traveling I love the disposable Playtex  bottle (pay attention to the flow of the nipple when you buy it), so you only wash and sterilize the nipples because the bottle has a disposable liners . I usually wash them with this OXO Travel Drying Rack with Bottle Brush  , foam soap and sterilize in a Medela  (if I have a microwave in the hotel room) or Medela wipes  (if I don't).

- Baby bottle sterilizer: I love my Wabi baby, it's the only one that sterilizes and dries. A must-have! 

- Dr. Brown's Bottle Brush - the best!

- Mash & Serve Bowl: great for fruits. A must-have also.

- BEABA Babycook Pro : a machine that cooks (steam in a basket) and blends. It's really easy to use. It has accessories such as the rice/ pasta/ quinoa insertIt is good but not a must-have (a Steamer  and a blender works perfectly also).

- Presto : to grate the vegetables you will cook in the beaba.

- To freeze baby food I suggest ice cube trays (I like OXO  because it is easy to use), and after it is frozen I remove it from the trays and store in ziploc bags to save space in my freezer.

- Baby food recipe books : Renée Elliot  and also Karen Ansel

- Munchkin Silicone Spoons


      Clothes:

- Bodysuit : Carter's and H&M are cheap and great. But I love the french brand Jacadi that are open in the front.

- Footies/ overall/ Jumpsuit/ one-pieces: I love those with one zipper from neck to ankle (they are quick on and quick off) from Carter’s.

- Coat: Every child hates to wear coats... I love Angel Dear because it is super easy to put it on (elastic sleeves) and it has a great hood so you don't have to put hats on them (another thing most babies hate). A must-have.

- Bibs: in the milk phase I love the burpy bibs Aden Anais, because they serve as burp cloths to put in your shoulder or you can fix them (they have a snap closure button) in baby's neck as a bib. I also recommend green sprouts  and Tommee Tippee .

- For when introducing foods I bought BABYBJORN

- Bibsters  disposable bibs for on-the-go: highly recommend them!

- For when they start to feed themselves (and it is not summertime, when you can just leave them in diapers...), I love these sleeved bibs from bumkins.

- Socks: Gap's are the only ones that really stay in their feet. Tip: The elastic band is so tight I usually fold it over the sock to avoid leaving skin marks.

Clothes brands I like: Carter’s , H&M and Gap (for basics), Polarn O Pyret, Boden, JCrew, Ralph Lauren, Benetton, Zara... and you find other good brands (and fancier) in stores like Bloomingdale’s , Saks, etc. 


      More:

- Pacifier: for the first 2 months I recommend Wubba nub (the plush toy ends up holding the paci in baby's mouth) and after that tommee tippee, nuk, avent, dr brown.

- Anti-stretch marks cream: Mustela Stretch Mark Double Action

- Nail trimmer- a must-have in the first 2 months when you can't use scissors...  ZoLi BUZZ

- Nail scissors Simba


- Links  that serve as toy, and also to fix toys in the carseat, stroller, etc.

- Wipes Dispenser :Oxo is the best one! A must-have... 

- SPF : Babo Babo stick and lotion ,  Thinksport  and Banana Boat Spray for touch ups.

- SPF hat  (pay attention to the size) and Rashguard

- Swim diapers: I prefer Huggies Little Swimmers  (open in the sides, it is easier when you have poop) 

- Moisturizer Aquaphor Baby, Mustela Hydra-Stick  for the face (amazing for the cheeks)

- To clean the nose: Simply Saline  and then FridaBaby . Boogie Wipes  are great too, as well as the Derma H2O wipes (the ones I use for face/ eyes/ diaper area).

- Thermometer: I like the infrared VeraTemp  and the ear Braun

- Hair brush Ambassador  and for >12 months I like the Detangling ones.

- Toys Lamaze, Fisher Price, Bright Stars, Sassy, SkipHop…

- Headphones  (great for iPad during flights/ restaurants)

- Crib sheets: these ones with Zipper  are really practical (buy also an extra topper).  But if you are looking for cute ones I recommend Pottery Barn Kids, New Arrivals or Restoration Hardware…   

- Swaddle blankets:  Aden Anais are huge and serve as stroller cover, nursing/ sofa/ floor cover . But for swaddle my favorite by far is Polarn O Pyret


- Liquid Dispenser  (I use it to dispense my "baby windex" Mustela No Rinse Cleansing )

- Hand sanitizer: I love this one - foam alcohol - it doesn’t dry my hands and the wall mount is great (I’ve installed mine between the diaper station and the diaper pail).

- Bottle & Dish Soap  Dapple (I prefer the unscented version)

- Diapers: Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive are the best by far… 

- Wipes: I love the versatility of Derma H2O wipes (only 99% water and 1% grape oil). It is amazing because you can use them to clean baby’s face/ eyes as well. I place them in that Oxo wipes dispenser with weight.

- Diaper ointment : purple Desitin

- Diaper Pail: Playtex Genie Elite  is not the cutest one (like Ubbi) but the foot pedal is a must-have feature for me...

- Sippy Cup I love this one because you can replace the straws and the baby can drink it while laying down.

- Teething toys: My daughter loves these: MAM  (it's the best one to freeze, because the handle doesn't get cold and also comes with a great strap/clip), Manhattan Toy , Sassy Flutterby  and Nuby . Remember to clip them to prevent falls (but be careful- never leave anything with a strap/ cord close to an unattended child, because of the risk of strangulation).

-Toothbrush: this 360 degrees toothbrush is amazing! It has 2 stages.

- To prevent flat head syndrome (in the beginning I wasn’t using any pillows because here in America they say you should’t have pillows, loose blankets, toys in the crib because they increase the incidence of SIDS… but my daughter started to flatten her head on the right side, where she used to lean most times…. So I changed her position in the crib (so if she wants to see the world she has to look to her left side) and also bought Pillow . In 1 month her head was symmetrical again ;)

- Mosquito repellent: California baby and also the Simba  stickers and Bracelets .

- Graco Jumper

- A Vaporizer is essential in dry climate regions. I love the Dyson (it's really expensive but if you live in an apartment with heater and AC on all the time is a must-have!).

- Lint shaver  to leave the baby's cloth as good as new! (trust me, you will wash them more frequently than you could imagine, and the fabrics will end up getting pills!)

For travelling, see my other post!

      Nursery decor:

- Giggle has the best brands but I also love Land of Nod…
- I love my Roh crib, and my Monte Design Grano Glider…
- Pottery Barn Kids is great for furniture, bedding, toys (I love their personalized stroller blankets)
Restoration Hardware has nice furniture and bedding too.
- I bought a nursery wall recall on etsy.com, they have lovely ones!


      Must-read:

The Happiest Baby On The Block by Dr Harvey Karp - Honestly, the movie covers the book perfectly! So watch it!  I also recommend the Baby Whisperer series.


      Best apps:  



      Best Blogs: 








    Hope I helped a little!