Fashion & Gear

Prince Lionheart BoosterPOD ($50) is a booster seat with a soft insert, stable base, a three-point harness and a dual strap system — so it secures underneath and behind a chair. It wipes clean easily and can be used indoors and outdoors with children from 12 months to 4 years who are able to sit up by themselves. It does not come with a tray and lets your child sit at the table with your family. Don’t use it in the car, bath or any surface other than a 4-legged chair.

The BoosterPOD worked perfectly for my younger child. She was safely secured with the three point harness, which was safely attached to her chair in two places. My child loved being at the table with the rest of the family. I liked that it took seconds to attach, was a breeze to clean (after our messy eater was done) and didn’t scratch our chairs. The soft insert made it much more comfortable to sit on than a hard plastic booster seat.

– Nancy

We take lots of walks on the trails around a no-longer-active stone quarry, so I knew my sons (ages 1 and 3) would love Step 2’s Water Rush Quarry ($90). It is a combination sand-and-water table that comes with a plastic dump truck and a die-cast tractor, as well as a bucket and a spade. A clever digger with large, easy-to-use handles is a nice addition, too. My kids splash with it and move the water and the trucks around. The red portion flips over to become a lid and that really helps keep the whole thing clean. Click to continue reading »

If your kids love to help you cook and long to travel, the Handstand Kids cookbook series is made for them. Three wonderful cookbooks — Italian, Chinese and Mexican ($28 each) — will inspire you and your children to try new foods and experiment with international flavors while teaching interesting facts about the countries that inspire them.

Though each book comes with a little something extra (the Chinese cookbook comes with chopsticks, for example), Handstand Kids also sells fun accessories, including fabulous multi-purpose mats ($8) that can be used as everything from cutting boards to place mats, plus hats and aprons to give your little Jamie Olivers a true feeling of kitchen authenticity.

– Stephanie

CBB Deal: Save 20% with coupon code CBB (expires 7/15/09).

The Maxi-Cosi Loola Stroller ($430) is a reversible seat stroller with a telescopic 3-D compact fold, adjustable handles, a generous sun canopy and a large shopping basket.

The Dorel Juvenile Group USA recently brought it to the US from Europe, where it was sold under their Bébé Confort brand.

Want to use it as a travel system? Just take off the seat and attach the Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat (sold separately).
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Safety 1st’s Nature Next line is made with eco-consciousness in mind – the products use bamboo (a renewable resource), recycled plastic, and bio-plastic (a durable plastic developed from renewable plant resources like corn and tapioca, instead of fossil fuels).

Safety 1st Nature Next Bamboo Booster Seat ($40) is an eco-friendly feeding booster seat, made from bamboo. Features include a 3-position dishwasher safe plastic tray (not shown), a 3-point harness and a safety bar, which flips down when the tray is attached. The seat height is not adjustable.
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Back in the day, pregnant women were advised to avoid strenuous activity, let alone exercise, but now doctors recommend moderate exercise for most pregnancies.

In addition to 2 ½ hours a week of low-impact aerobic activity like walking, swimming, biking, golf, yoga, etc., simple stretching exercises done throughout the pregnancy keep muscles limber and warm, while Kegel exercises — strengthening the muscles that support the bladder, uterus and bowels — will aid in the birthing process. Once you have delivered the baby, these exercises not only promote the healing of certain tissues, but also allow women to regain control of their bladder. For specific routines, and information on how to stay safe while pregnant and exercising, check out some tips and tricks from Health.com.

Ramey; Fame; GSI Media ; Flynet

We’ve seen quite a few celeb mamas continuing their workout routines while looking adorable in both maternity and non-maternity fitness garb.

The day after announcing she was expecting her first child, Grey’s Anatomy actress Ellen Pompeo was spotted on her way to the gym.

Since her bump debut, we have seen her — more often that not! — in her workout clothes: in April she followed up her normal gym routine with a treat to the spa, later she opted for a pair of black spandex capris for a trip to the gym, and just last week we caught a glimpse of her growing bump hidden under a blue workout tank top and black spandex while out running errands.

Maintaining a workout regimen can be a challenge in and of itself for an expectant mama, so finding comfortable and breathable active wear should be no sweat!

With more stores offering maternity clothes that are suitable for workout sessions, prenatal yoga classes, or even to just run errands, the future of pregnancy-friendly options looks promising.

Steal That Style: Ellen Pompeo’s Physically Fit Pregnancy with the workout combinations below!
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You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but an old diaper bag? That’s a different story entirely. The designers at Storksak have given their popular Emily bag ($198) a makeover just in time for the warm weather ahead, and the end result was worth the wait!

Click below to learn which celebrity mom totes the Emily bag.

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There are two things that my preschooler is totally into right now — computers and audio books. Put the two together and you get Speakaboos, an online publisher that celebrates kid’s stories, songs, games and educational activities for children — for free! Click to continue reading »

Safety 1st’s Nature Next line is made with eco-consciousness in mind — the products use bamboo (a renewable resource), recycled plastic, and bio-plastic (a durable plastic developed from renewable plant resources like corn and tapioca, instead of fossil fuels).

The Safety 1st Nature Next Bio-Plastic 3 in 1 Potty ($10) is made from 50% bio-plastic, a durable plastic made from plant resources.

It can be used as a self-contained potty, a step stool with the lid closed or as a training seat if you take the top part off.

The bowl is removable for easy clean up and the lid locks for easy carrying.

– Nancy

Like many new moms, I had a lot of trouble breastfeeding my daughter the first few days of her life. Despite having read every single book I could get my hands on, breastfeeding was really difficult to figure out. I wish I had Simply Breastfeeding: The Criso Breastfeeding Method ($40) during those early days. Click to continue reading »