Hands-Free Pumping Bra!

Anyone who has breastfed for any amount of time, knows that any contraption to make it easier is a life saver!  ;)

When I saw this hands free pumping bra, I was ecstatic!!  Pumping and being able to use both hands at the same time?!?  

The perfect nursing bra!  (Photo credit goes to BeliBea)

 We have cut our nursing down to just one session in the morning and one in the evening.  Mostly, it was because I was sick of pumping while I was at work or away from Baby Girl for any amount of time.  Maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have stopped as soon if pumping wasn't a pain in the behind.  This bra, from BeliBea could have made a world of a difference for us.

The BeliBea motto is this: "Nursing mothers demand a new maternity bra that is comfortable but affordable, flexible and durable, simple yet clever - this is the bra line for nursing mothers everywhere."

And I believe it!!  This is my go-to bra.  It is extremely comfortable, offers great support (without wires), and it doesn't have a weird shape that shows when I'm wearing my everyday clothes.  Always concealed.  Always comfy.  Plus, there is enough padding that no one knows when I'm cold....if you catch my drift.  ;)

Affordable, I suppose, is a matter of opinion.  The Nourish bra runs $49.95, which is way more than i want to spend on a bra (I am pretty cheap).  However, I know, first-hand, that you get what you pay for.  I found nursing bras for under $10 at a bargain store.  They are stretched out, tattered, misshapen, and the elastics are shot!  I won't be able to use them for my next child.  I will have to go through the whole process again.  Nourish from BeliBea is so well made, I have no doubt that it will last me through my next couple of kiddos.  Even if I wear it every single day!

But what about that hands free pumping thing??  Does it really work??  Unfortunately, I do not have the right type of pump for this bra to help.  Again, this is because I'm cheap.  Since I wasn't planning on work much, I got the cheapest pump I could find.  The pump attaches directly to the breast shield, no tubing or anything else.  Let me show you why this is a problem:

The bra naturally pulled the shield against my chest....

Until I attached the actual pump....then it instantly pulled away as the pump was too heavy (this picture was taken at the same angle...and you can see a whole lot more of my tank top since it was pulling forward).  I still had to use one hand to keep it in place.

I'm hoping with the next baby I will able to buy (or maybe win) a better pump.  In which case, this bra will be perfect.  One great feature is that there are two separate clasps and dual panels - you remove the first layer for hands-free pumping and the second layer to nurse.

Two clasps

In the meantime, it is STILL MY FAVORITE NURSING BRA!!  Seriously....I want to wear it every day.  It may be my favorite bra in general...

BeliBea Nourish would make a fantastic gift - think Baby Showers, Push Present, New Mom, 2nd Kid, 3rd Kid, Birthday, Christmas, etc.    ;)   If you know a mom who is currently breastfeeding - she will LOVE this gift, I promise!

Don't forget to checkout BeliBea's website.  And follow them on your favorite social media:

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Cloth Diaper Giveaway & WAHM Review: Tailored by Erica *CLOSED*

Hey all!!

It has been quite awhile since I have done a review.  But I am super excited to be introducing you to another fabulous work at home mom, Erica from Tailored by Erica.  She has two boys (2 years and 6 months) and together, with her husband, they live on her grandma's farm!  How fun is that!?!  She has been sewing since she was 9 years old and got her first sewing machine for her 10th birthday!  She even made her own prom gowns.  One was John Deere and the other was camouflage!  

That theme has carried over into her cloth diaper shop!  She sells newborn and one size diapers.  Currently all of the ones on Etsy are camo or bandanna print!  Since Hubby and I are a little bit country, I was pretty excited when Erica asked if would do a review.

Cloth Diapers with a country flair!

For review purposes, she sent me a camouflage one size pocket diaper.  And as a thank you, she also sent a newborn cover in the bandanna print.  Super sweet, right?  It is the cutest little thing....

So tiny and precious.  :)

The camo diaper is pretty neat!  My brother, who very rarely has anything to say about material items, told me he really liked my new diaper.  So I knew it was a big hit with him!

Smallest Setting

Largest Setting

There is definitely room to grow!  I will, say, however, the the smallest setting seems a bit big for a one size (OS) diaper.  We have it on the smallest setting right now.  Aelah is 10 months old and almost 19 lbs.  Admittedly, however, she is a bit skinny since she is so long for her age.  But I don't think this would have fit her (without leakage) very long before now.  

UPDATE: Erica let me know after posting this that she is already in the process of adjusting her OS design so that it will fit smaller.  Guess I should have checked with her on that first.  :/

Here is the fit on her right now...

But, honestly, that would be my only complaint.  Outside of that, this diaper is awesome!  Why?

• It is unique...definitely haven't seen very many camo diapers
• It doesn't leak at night!!  Stuffed with a double microfiber insert and a bamboo booster...which is what we put in my other tried and true pockets.
• It has an adorable ruffle on the butt for some added girly-ness!  

Lace is good.  :)

• The inside is made of a very soft almost mesh type material.  It keep baby's bottom dry and actually doesn't stain very easily.   UPDATE: While this fabric is fantastic, Erica has switched to a stay-dry cottom velour for the inside of her diapers.  Apparently, it is very similar to bumGenius 4.0.

Looks run of the line here....

But up close, it is a bit different.  Almost like Gro Via shells....but a bit softer...

• They are affordable!!  You can snag a one size pocket for just $14!  And her newborn diapers are only $10!

I love being able to add a diaper to my stash that I know we will be reaching for often!  This is a 5-Star keeper!!

Ruffle Butt!!

SO cute!

Kissable!

**Additional Note - inserts are not included when purchasing from Tailored by Erica.  However, you can purchase each diaper as a pocket OR cover and the newborn diapers include an AIO (All in One) option.  I love having options!  

As a thank you to Erica for this review and giveaway - be sure to follow her on one of the following social media outlets.  Thanks!

Etsy

Instagram

To Buy: Head over to the Etsy shop here.

To Win: Enter to win the diaper of your choice (must be in stock on Etsy) by using the Giveaway Tool below:

Entry-Form

Chidren's Book Review: Drinking Animals

Story time is one of our favorite times of the day.  I especially love it because it is a quiet moment where I get to watch my husband be a wonderful Daddy.  Even when she is grabby and can't sit still, I think he still treasures that time with her.

An E-Book

I was given the opportunity to review the e-book: "Drinking Animals" by Dan Jackson.  It is a fun and educational book!  While my little lady is quite young for anything deemed "educational," I still appreciate when things are meant for more than just fun.  I have worked with children for long enough to realize the importance of combing the two.

"Drinking Animals" does a fine job of that!  Each page pairs a picture with a fun caption and an educational fact.

Who knew dogs needed so much water?  I learned a thing or ten from this book!

  
Unfortunately I only have a Kindle Paperwhite, so it doesn't display the color.  But from the images I have seen online, the images are really quite vivid - definitely something children would appreciate.

I think it will be a fun book that Aelah will definitely enjoy when she is older.  It even has a giraffe...which is our favorite:

Giraffes look so awkward when they drink....

For now, she enjoys books she can get her hands on (which means board books are our friends...)

She so does love reading.

The description of the book on Amazon does say for children 4 - 8 and notes that it can be read aloud or that it would work great for beginning readers.  I'm not convinced that it is suited for beginning readers as the "facts" contain rather large words like: 'efficient,' 'retention,' or 'quantities' to name a few.

However, I can envision the child reading the quirky captions for the pictures and an adult chiming in with the facts.

All in all, it is a very cute book that is full of great pictures, education, and fun!

What is your favorite children's book?  I'm looking to grow our collection...

Uniquely Daddy: Zoey's Attic Daddy Gear

So far, our unique Father’s Day gifts include camping gear, a ginger beer kit, a daddy diaper bag, antiques, and a few other things.  Today, I’m bringing you an adorable idea for dads of all ages.

Matching t-shirt sets!!

From Zoey's Attic

And I'm not talking the cheesy kind...I'm talking about t-shirts that Dads will actually want to wear.  Here is our selection:

Adorable Baby!!  Love her grin here.  :)

We absolutely love this set because we can keep using it after our first baby!!  And it is easily dressed up for a little girl.

This is my favorite - black and white polka dots! 

Hubby loves this combination so much that he always wants to wear it.  Shortly after it arrived in the mail, we had friends come over.  As soon as he got home from work he changed into his shirt and made sure that I got the baby changed so he could show off.  ;)  And people really do think it's pretty cute!

And if you don't like the grey baby shirt you can also get white, light pink, or light blue.  I love having options!  

These shirts come from a pretty neat little store called Zoey's Attic.  Like a few other shops I have highlighted, this shop was started because there was a lack of unique items for babies.  With a background in graphic design, Erin new she had an opportunity on her hands.  Erin's mom gave her first daughter, Bridget a small zebra names Zoey when she was born.  Since it was a connection between all three generations, Erin used the name for her shop!  And attics, well, to quote the website, "everyone knows that there are wonderful, unexpected treasures to be found in an attic."

Here are some of our other Father's Day favorites:

Who doesn't love mustaches these days!?!  Find this set here.

This is how we stumbled across the Daddy items...since baby girl's name means "oak tree" in Hebrew, we thought this was super cute.  But Hubby really liked the "Adorable Baby" set better... Find this set here.

  

After we have a couple more kiddos, I would love to get this for my dad!  Find this set here.

But they carry more than just items for Dads!  They have all sorts of things for babies and families and much more!  There is something for everyone!

  

To Buy: Head on over to the Zoey's Attic Website and take a look around.  Right now you can use the code NOTIES for 10% off for Father's Day!

To Win: One reader will win a $35 gift code to spend on whatever they like...but don't forget - Father's Day is just around the corner!!  Use the Giveaway Tool below for your chance to win.

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Uniquely Daddy: Collapsible Coffee Brewer

Another great Father’s Day gift idea!!  Does your hubby love to camp?  I know mine does.  It’s our chance to get away from the craziness of life, from any kind of screen, and to reconnect with nature as it was intended.  This usually means hiking and kayaking and all sorts of adventures.

But Hubby’s one complaint is that he doesn’t have good coffee.  He loves waking up and getting the fire ready for breakfast but we don’t have a good way to make good coffee.  You see, when I say camping, we mean it.  No electric.  Sleep in a tent.  That’s our kind of camping.  We can’t plug the good old coffee pot into the camper.  ;)  We got a percolator that makes coffee.  But the grinds usually end up the coffee and it is kind of difficult to get it just right. 

But what if there was another option?  When I stumbled across this genius invention, I knew it would be a great gift idea for my Hubby’s first father’s day.

Single Serve Travel Coffee Brewer - great for camping and hiking!

This is perfect for the Dad who camps for soooo many reasons.

First of all, it is BPA free, lead free, and heat resistant up to 500 degrees!  That means that it is dishwasher safe!! 

Our favorite feature is that it is compact!  It is collapsible so it doesn’t even end up being an inch thick.

Collapsed!

A shot for perspective...

  

Plus, it comes with a caribener so easily straps onto a backpack or something of the like. 

Simple yet very effective.

This makes this so very travel friendly!

Then the only other thing I have to pack is coffee and enough filters to last us for our trip.

Simple system - add a filter, grounds, and hot water...and you have fresh brewed coffee!

I do love the smell of coffee....just not the taste.  Ick.

Also, there isn’t any waste!  We don’t have to make a percolator full of coffee where half of it gets dumped out (I don’t drink coffee…so we only need enough for him).  He can make just enough coffee for himself.  Though, to be fair, figuring out that ratio can be a bit difficult.

So how does the coffee turn out?

Better than the percolator.  No grounds.  But still not the best cup of coffee.  Definitely a step up from the percolator.  And maybe once we figure out the coffee ratio it might get better... 

All in all, I think this is a super unique gift for Father’s Day that will actually be used!  I’m not a big fan of giving gifts that will be left in the box or left untouched.  Our first big camping trip is coming up soon and Hubby is so excited to finally have a simple way to make coffee…without having to drink grinds!  It may not be the best, but it is easy and tastes good.  And that's all he asks for...  

Head here to get yours for only $15.95!

Does your hubby enjoy camping?  What are some other camping gift ideas?

Review and Giveaway: "How to Work from Home and Make a Six Figure Income" Udemy Series *CLOSED*

In exchange for an honest review, I was given access to the Udemy course, "How to Work from Home and Make a Six Figure Income" for free.

I was a little unsure if this was something I wanted to review, it sounded a bit...well...scammy.  But as I read over everything, I noticed this little tidbit of information:

There are 5 different ways to make six figures that instructor, Dave Expino, includes.  In order to be included, there were the parameters he set: It must be able to be done from home, must be easy to start, easy to learn, cost nothing or very little, and you must be able to legitimately make six figures.  (Screen shot from Udemy course)

I can honestly say that he did an excellent job of staying within those parameters.  While nothing was super new information for me, I still was able to learn a few things and taking this course gives me access to a lot more as well.

There is plenty of insight given for each topic.  I am willing to bet anyone can learn something from this course.  For instance, did you know that some companies will pay affiliates 100% commission!?!  

I really appreciated that Dave made note of what types of people would be good at each method of monetization:

And he is extremely thorough about this matter. (Screen shot from Udemy course)

It was because of these lists and Dave's thorough explanations of each method that I learned affiliate marketing is simply not for me.  Not as a means of income anyways...

He is perfectly honest about what might be risky and what takes work.  He also gives reasons as to why it might not work for you.

Dave Espino clearly knows what he is talking about and is an expert at each subject he discusses, sharing his experience as well as trials and errors along the way.

My favorite part is that he ends with, "God Bless." While it may seem a simple thing, not very many businessmen include God in anything they do.  I ended the course with a smile.

A Udemy Course

If you are looking for ways to make money from home and aren't afraid of the work that goes along with it, I definitely recommend this Udemy course!  If you follow this link, you can purchase the course now for just $17 (it is usually $97). 

One reader will WIN their own access to the course for FREE (giveaway ends May 11).  For your chance to win, leave me a comment below answering the questions: Why do you want to work from home?


With a little one at home, I am ready to put in the work that I need to so that I can be home with her.  It is so very important to me.

Uniquely Daddy: Daddy & Co

Hey all, I hope you guys are as excited about this as I am!!

Daddy & Co is one of my husband's favorite place to shop right now!  Being first time parents means we are beyond excited to be 'Mommy' and 'Daddy.'  He loves his little girl like nothing else and he is proud to be her dad.

When I was asking him about Father's Day gift ideas he said, "Anything that says Daddy on it would be good...what about stuff from the company where you got my mug?"

I got him this insulated mug for his first Father's Day...when Aelah was still in my belly.  ;)

Aren't those little feet the cutest?  Perfect for the expectant Daddy!

And for this past Christmas I got him a matching t-shirt set from Daddy & Co as well:

The Oak Tree.....

PICTURE OF THE LITTLE T

Aelah doesn't quite fit into her t-shirt yet...but it should be very soon since she is growing so fast!  And I'm hoping we can get her a few more of the same t-shirt in bigger sizes so that she can match Daddy for a few years.  hehe.

So I knew that I needed to ask Daddy & Co about doing a review.  They graciously accepted and sent me two awesome products that would make fantastic Father's Day gifts, especially for the new dad.

First up is the vintage hoodie, available in 3 different colors.  Hubby's favorite color is blue, so that's what we went with:

I love this look!  <3

And he loves this...

I think he really loves it because it tells the world that he is Aelah's Daddy.  She really has him wrapped already!  ;)

The second item is pretty high up there on Hubby's new favorite list - The Daddy Messenger Diaper Bag.  Yep, that's right, a diaper bag designed for Dads!  But, let's be honest, I'm in love with this thing too!

The Messenger comes with a changing pad and a wipes case.  And definitely doesn't look girly at all...

And, yes, you can put cloth wipes in the wipe holder.  :)  To be fair, we use baby wash cloths for travel because they are smaller.  But thicker wipes would still fit...just a smaller number.

Hubby went from hating our diaper bag and only carrying it because he had to....

Rocking his "Daddy" hoodie!

To showing off his 'manly' diaper bag and telling anyone he could that it is made of "ballistic material."  Now, if that isn't cool, I don't know what is!  ;)

Looks sooooo much better, don't you think??

Here are some of our favorite features:

The ergonomic strap is our absolute favorite feature!  It really distributes the weight differently than any other bag I've carried.  And everyone notices!  Practically every time we're out, someone mentions how nice that is and how much easier it must be to carrier. We always respond, "It is!"

A detachable pocket for your cell on the shoulder strap.  It is padded as well.  Admittedly, this probably won't fit larger cell phones.  With the case on, my iPhone 4 just fit...but it wasn't easy to get in and out.  Hubby has an otter box on his iPhone 5c and it wouldn't fit.  :(

There are two of these nifty straps and buckles on each side of the bag....

....Which means it attaches to ANY stroller!!  Our stroller handle is extra wide and not only did our old diaper bag not fit under the stroller, the straps didn't fit over the handle which meant we were left toting the diaper bag around everywhere we went.  What a pain!  This straps onto the handles of the stroller so easily.  It is marvelous!

Each side has an insulated pocket for baby bottles or water bottles for Dad.  We tend to stuff small toys in here.

Small zipper pocket on the inside - great for holding keys, gum, and finger nail clippers!

PICTURE OF CLOTH WIPES IN HOLDER

The best thing, besides that amazing should strap, is that this diaper bag fits a ton of stuff!  It is definitely ideal for cloth diapers!  This is what our original diaper bag looked like for everything we need for a day out:

Stuffed full and difficult, if not impossible, to zip shut.

And this is what our Daddy & Co bag looks like for a day out:

A little stuffed, but it shuts!!  And that really is a lot of stuff!!  I also love that it stays standing no matter how empty or full it is.

This is what I had in both bags:

3 stuffed pocket diapers
2 Covers
4 Double Inserts
Changing Pad
Cloth Wipes
Wet Bag
Wipe Spray
Diaper Cream (CJ's)
2 Burp Cloths
2 Extra Outfits
Nursing Cover
Boba Stretchy Wrap
3 Small Toys
1 Medium Toy
Extra Nursing Pads
2 or 3 Bibs

The Daddy Messenger Bag is the definite winner!!
Especially because Daddy doesn't hate carrying it.  In fact, he loves to show it off.  ;)

And guess what?!?  Daddy & Co has graciously offered to give one of my readers a Daddy & Co Messenger Diaper Bag of their very own!!  The giveaway will begin on May 4th as a part of the "For the Love of Dad" Giveaway Hop.  Don't miss it!!

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