Mom4Life

I just wanted to share with you an online store for mum and baby products. Mom 4 Life is US-based (and offers free shipping with no minimum order in the US - if only that was for Canada, too!), and carries loads of products that take you from maternity through labour and delivery, to parenthood.

I love the name, it really resonates with me. Especially with Mother's Day just past, I really feel the honour, joy, and responsibility that comes with being a mum. Definitely a mum for life!

A couple of products they carry that I can personally recommend are the Ingrid and Isabella BellaBand (fabulous for pregnancy, it's a firm yet stretchy fabric that keeps your belly comfortable and covered - and there are some in the clearance section! Deals, mamas!) and the popular BabyLegs - super cute legwarmers that make diaper changes so easy! Mia has several pairs and they're great. Mia also has a Wubbanub that she loves. She never took to soothers (fine with me) but adores her cute Wubbanub puppy. It's a plush toy with a soother attached, which I find helps keep track of the soother and makes it harder to lose! They carry cloth diapers as well!

It's  a store to check out if you are doing some online shopping for babies, mums, or mums to be!

Disclosure: Mom4Life sent me products in return for an article on their store. My opinions of the products I've mentioned are honest and my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Fairhaven Health DreamBelly Butter - Review and Giveaway!

I have worked several times in the past with Fairhaven Health and jumped at the chance to test out and review the new DreamBelly Stretch Mark Butter.

You may recall that while I was pregnant, I used DreamBelly Stretch Mark Cream daily on my ginormous belly. I managed to pack on about 50 lbs while I was pregnant - yowza! Yet I made it through without a single stretch mark from pregnancy. You can read my previous review of DreamBelly Stretch Mark Cream if you want the full story.

Just for fun, here's my enormo belly on one of the last days of pregnancy, while I was in labour. You will have to excuse the nasty pyjama pants, I was scraping the bottom of the dresser for anything I could get on at that point:

Not one stretch mark! Hooray! I'm not posting a belly shot now - oh, how I miss the days of flat pre-preg belly that was not squishy in the least - but I assure you, it's still stretch mark free.

So, I can personally attest to the awesomeness of that product, and although I am not pregnant (no, this review is not an announcement!) DreamBelly Butter was something I needed to try. With our recent move to Calgary from Ontario, I have realized just how much the humidity (or lack thereof) affects my skin. Calgary is dry as a desert bone and I'm headed that way, too. I was in desperate need of moisture.

DreamBelly Butter has natural ingredients, safe for pregnancy - and honestly, why would you want to use anything that is not safe for pregnancy, even when you're not pregnant? DreamBelly Butter:

Combines the healing power of rosehip oil, aloe vera, honeysuckle and grapefruit, to protect and regenerate skin, and provide soothing relief from itchiness

Provides deep moisturizing from natural butters and oils with no greasy, slippery feeling

Has the mild, pleasant fragrance of milk and honey

Contains no petroleum products, parabens, artificial colors or artificial preservatives

I love the very light scent - to me it smells sweet like candy, but not in a sticky, fake way, like so many lotions.  It's just really nice. Feminine without being girly, flowery or powdery.

The best thing about it is the feel. It is thick and absorbs well without leaving a greasy feeling on your skin. You can really feel it moisturizing, but you don't feel slippery or oily at all. I can't stand applying lotion and then feeling like it's going to get all over my sheets or clothing. DreamBelly Butter goes on and soaks right in. Lovely. I just checked out the reviews on their site, and it looks like other women love it just as much as I do - all 5 star reviews.

One of the things I respect about Fairhaven Health - and this goes for all their products - is that they provide a complete ingredient list on their website for each product. Everything I have tried from them has been fantastic quality. Although I write a lot of reviews, I don't always gush - but this company has me gushing. It's good stuff. 

And now I have some excellent news: Fairhaven Health has generously offered to send out DreamBelly Stretch Mark Butter to FIVE of my lucky readers! Get in on this one, you will love this product!

Click "read more" if you don't see the Rafflecopter form to enter!

Milk NursingWear - Review and Giveaway!

***This giveaway is closed!***

Winner: Susan E.

Milk Nursingwear is a source for maternity and nursing clothes that I wish I'd found sooner! They have everything from tops, dresses, bras (lots of the big name brands you'll recognize), sleepwear, to accessories like slings, nursing pads, bibs, and so on. And the prices are very reasonable. I was just looking at the Chic Crossover top (nice for fall!) and it's priced at only $12.99! There is a big end of season sale on right now, so definitely a good time to shop!

Style: The one I tried is the Everyday Tie-Front Top. It has an inner pull-aside layer underneath a v-neck that makes it easy and discreet to nurse. The empire waist is flattering and helps hide the leftover bump (let's not talk too much about that. And don't you go looking for it now!). I like the cap sleeves and the colour is lovely - a deep turquoise. The room I was in was very bright so it looks a little washed out in the photo. It is a more rich colour than the photo shows! Excuse my weird expression in the photo! Ha ha! I was in a hurry, making the most of Mia's short naps!

Fit: I opted for a small and it fits exactly like I hoped it would. I wouldn't suggest going up or down a size - the size seems just right!

Durability: I have worn and washed it several times and hung to dry. It does wrinkle when it's hung to dry (and I don't iron) - but the wrinkles soon fall out when you wear it. The picture was taken about 5 minutes after I put it on, so you can still see wrinkles a little. The fabric is a soft, stretchy cotton jersey with 5% spandex - that explains the nice fit and draping. I love how soft the fabric is. I don't notice any pilling at all, either.

Price: Like the other tops at Milk Nursingwear, it is very reasonably priced and on sale now at $25.20 (down from $42).

The only complaint I have is that, despite my efforts to teach her the baby sign for milk, my daughter still lets me know she's hungry by sliding her open mouth across any part of my body that she can reach - including shoulders, any part of my chest, arms, etc. The drool trail she leaves with this behaviour does leave a dark mark on the fabric (that stays dark even when it dries). Of course, it washes out, but if she happens to glom on while we're out, I'm left with a mouthprint on wherever... I have a feeling/hope this is a temporary behaviour!

I really like this top and it's quickly become one of my go-to pieces for comfortable and discreet nursing wear. I would not hesitate to shop at this nursing wear store again.

Milk NursingWear has generously offered one of my readers a $30 gift certificate!

How to enter: This one's a little different from my usual, so pay attention! You can do one or the other of these things to enter. Doing both gets you two entries! Please be sure to include your email address if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected.

• Visit Milk NursingWear, find a product you like and would be happy to win, and then tweet about it with a link to the product page

  Example: "Check out this beautiful nursing top: http://www.milknursingwear.com/store/pc/Everyday-tie-front-top-2p2112.htm" - now, obviously, don't just copy and paste this tweet, that doesn't count!

• Like Milk NursingWear on Facebook

That's it! Simple, right?

Of course I would be honoured if you follow my blog, follow me (@emilyisland) on twitter, and/or mention me in your tweet. But these things don't count as entries this time.

Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends August 31st at 11:59 EST. A winner will be drawn within a few days, announced here, in a separate post and emailed! Prize will be shipped by sponsor. Sponsor is not liable for duties or taxes incurred in cross-border shipping (but if you spend less than $60 on your order you should be fine!)

You! Lingerie - Review and Giveaway!!!

***This giveaway is closed.***
Winners: Amanda & Luvin My Lil Monkeys!

You! Lingerie is pretty much brand spankin' new on the nursing lingerie scene. They launched their beautiful line just a few weeks ago and are already seeing an amazing response, with retailers lining up to sell and customers lining up to buy!

Here's why - these are quality products at a reasonable price. What's that?! A reasonable price for nursing bras? It's practically unheard of. And they're really nice, too - not your boring beige, black or white, but vivid colours and prints, with lace and bows - not overly frilly, but with some real pizazz. I love seeing products that make being a mama sexy and these definitely fall into that category.

I got to try out the Isis Blue nursing bra. The bra came packaged in an air-filled bag, which protected it from crushing but is still quite minimal packaging. You may recall that I take issue with a lot of maternity & nursing bras. Part of the problem is the sizing, part is the underwires, part is the uglies and part is the insane pricing of nice-looking bras. You! Lingerie addresses all of these issues. Their sizing chart and measuring instructions are quite easy to follow. The bras are supportive, but underwire free - which makes sense, as underwires can lead to clogged milk ducts and infection! They're pretty and affordable.

Not only that, they are functional. The signature hot pink clips (love) are easy to open one-handed. The lightly lined cups provide modesty without bulk. The straps are wide for comfort, and there is a triple hook at the back with four size settings, meaning a comfortable band (no digging in at the sides) and adjustability for fluctuating sizes during pregnancy and nursing. I found mine to be very supportive - now, I'm not super-sized in the boob department, but I am used to wearing underwires and I totally didn't miss the wire at all.

Here's the bra itself - gorgeous colour, love the hot pink lining, clips and bows! I also appreciate that while there is lace on there for style (at the sides it is backed by hot pink, it looks so pretty), it is situated so that it does not create a lumpy profile. The seamless cups are great, too. I really hate that lumpy look that some bras have under a t-shirt! You can see in the picture that the left side is a little crumpled from being packed with one cup inside out (this is fresh out of the bag). Not to worry - the cup reverted to a perfectly smooth shape very quickly!When you see the pretty lingerie models on the website, you might wonder how the bra looks on a real person. I know I always do - they're so perfectly proportioned and I always wonder about Photoshop hiding the flaws of a product. (Skeptical much?!) So here are a couple of photos of the bra in 'action' on a real person. Bear in mind I'm seven months pregnant, and definitely no professional lingerie model! Be easy on me :) I wanted to show the great fit, how supportive the cups are (there's lift going on here!) and how the bra is smooth under a knit top.
Each of the bras has a matching panty as well. There are currently seven designs available, and you can buy them online at You! Lingerie as well as at select retailers. If you are in the market for a new maternity or nursing bra, or if you want to jazz up your lingerie selection, without breaking the bank, I can happily recommend You! Lingerie. You can also pick up a gift certificate on their site if you are looking to impress a mama or mama-to-be for Christmas!

Here's the best part for you:

You! Lingerie has very generously offered TWO of my readers the chance to try a nursing bra and panty set for free! Who's ready to get lucky!?

The giveaway:
Two winners will each receive a You! Lingerie bra and panty set of their choice (subject to availability).

How to enter: This is a two step entry, so make sure you follow the steps to qualify! Put both of these in ONE COMMENT. This is the mandatory entry - do this first to qualify for bonus entries! Head over to You! Lingerie and
(1) select your favourite product (paste the link in your comment) and tell me why you chose it
(2) suggest a new product or fabric that you would love to see added to the You! Lingerie line (examples - new colour/pattern, other types of lingerie).
Make sure I've got a way to contact you if you're the winner!

Bonus entries (please leave an extra comment for each. If you already do any of these things, leave the comment - you do get the entry for it!):

• Sign up for the You! Lingerie newsletter
• "Like" the You! Lingerie Facebook page (leave your first name and initial for verification)
• Make a purchase from the You! Lingerie online shop, and tell me what you bought! (2 entries)
• Follow @YouLingerie on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Write a unique tweet about this giveaway for ONE entry, this is not a daily! Include @emilyisland, @YouLingerie and #bfcafe. Leave me the link to your tweet!
  
• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
• Add my blog button to your blog– 2 entries, leave 2 comments (please leave a link to your blog)

I will be verifying comments so please actually do the things you say you do ☺

Please be sure to include your email address if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends December 16th at 11:59 EST. A winner will be drawn the next day, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!

Prize will be shipped by sponsor. Note for Canadian entrants: You! Lingerie is not responsible for customs or duties that Canada may charge if you decide to participate in this You! Lingerie sponsored blog giveaway. (FYI - it's unlikely to have a charge, being under the $60 that incurs duty charges. There was no extra charge on my shipment, which came to Canada quickly and packaged well.)

Disclosure: You! Lingerie provided me with a bra to review, but I was not paid or otherwise compensated for this review.

Ellia C. Naturals - Review & Holiday Gift Ideas!

I took advantage of that great BOGO deal I was telling you about a couple of weeks ago and picked up some of Ellia C. Naturals' Autumn Harvest soap, and got the bonus of a bar of Festive soap as well. Both of these are limited edition seasonal soaps, so if you want to try them out, now's the time!

Jen was kind enough to send along with my order a few extras for me to try out and review for you! I am just going to come right out and say I love these products. Everything I have tried from her shop has been really great. I confess that when the box arrived in our mailbox, a tiny hole had been poked in it during shipping (not to worry, everything inside was well protected with bubble wrap and peanuts!) and my husband and I took turns sniffing at the hole on the walk home because it smelled so good. Yes, I'm sure we looked crazy.

I also love that it is indicated right on each product page if it contains ingredients that aren't safe for use during pregnancy. This is thoughtful (and timely, for me) and something that I really haven't seen on other product sites. I'm not talking about chemicals here, because all the ingredients are natural and often organic, but some essential oils are not recommended for use during pregnancy and if the soaps contain them, there's a warning. Love that.

Here are some of the goodies I got to try:

The Autumn Harvest soap. It's so pretty, and perfect for this time of year. A spice-coloured soap bar (generously sized!) with shavings of white soap on top - it looks good enough to eat! I pulled it out of the packaging so you could see how pretty it looks (and I love the simple packaging, wrapped with a ribbon). It is just about the same colour as our countertop in the bathroom so I put it on a towel so you can see it properly. It smells like fall. It's made with freshly ground spices, shea butter, coconut milk and pumpkin... doesn't that sound decadent? I'm busting this one out as soon as I'm finished my current soap... if I can wait that long.

The Festive Soap - again a very pretty double-layer bar with an adorable coordinating ribbon on the paper wrap. What's in it? "Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom pair nicely with sweet orange, tangerine, and lemon... with a splash of cranberry juice" Um, yum. This one I've been sniffing every time I pass anywhere near it. It smells like all the best things about Christmas and the holidays, without being overpowering. It has a very natural, spicy and fresh scent - hard to describe but it's SO good. I'm saving it for December (yes, I coordinate my soap smell with the season)!

This is an adorable soap pop - cute or what? I think this would be a great gift for kids (or the sweet-toothed adult)! This one is a Whipped Pumpkin Soap Pop, again perfect for the season. They also come in Peppermint Stick, Rainbow Splash (citrus) and Sassy Pants (bergamot and grapefruit). Yum. Cutest packaging ever! The Ellia C. Naturals line also has lollipop soaps (Lather Lollies) in the same fragrances, AND coming soon are cupcake soaps! These products are great for littles, because they contain only natural ingredients, get the cleaning job done, and also provide natural moisture for sensitive skin. Stocking stuffers, maybe? (Speaking of, you've also got to check out the Gingerbread Man soaps...)

Now it's clear that these are brand spankin' new products in the photos - so you may wonder, how can I review them if they're not used yet? Well, I have used Ellia C. Naturals soaps in the past (I've had the pleasure of trying many different bars) and have been 100% happy with them. They smell amazing through and through, last a long time (especially with the Natural Pine Soap Deck which I also have), have a lovely texture, and leave my skin feeling soft and lightly moisturized (but never greasy!). My husband even uses them. So I am full out confident that these will be the same quality (and I can definitely vouch for how awesome they smell!).

One product that I am saving for the (eeks!) near future is the Back in the Saddle Postpartum Sitz Tea. This sample is like a giant tea bag of organic, fair trade herbs and botanicals that are soothing to give a new mama a little relief. The full-size product comes loose in a jar with a reuseable muslin bag and holds enough for 4-5 baths. Awesome, thoughtful gift for an expecting mama, folks!

Here's another that would be a great mama gift - the Mama Meringue body whip. It comes in four different varieties (three scents and unscented), and I got to try out the Lemon Lavender version. Again, it smells amazing - fresh, clean and natural, but not chemically or overwhelming. The scent IS strong but it is not the heavy kind of smell that will give you a headache or anything (I've got it on now and I can smell it where I applied it on my arm if I sniff it, but it's not a constant smell surrounding me, if you know what I mean. This can be used as a belly balm (you know I love me some belly balm) or as a general moisturizer. It's a shea butter lotion made from natural oils and contains Vitamin E as well, great for the skin! The consistency is kind of stiff in the jar, but softens up easily with the warmth of your hands to scoop out a little and glides on. Love.

I'm going to put it out there that you should seriously consider these products for holiday gifts for your favourite person. The individual cold processed soaps are really pretty and luxurious for anyone; check out the holiday gift sets as well. If you don't find exactly what you want there, they also do custom gift sets and even party favours.

While you are looking at the Ellia C. Naturals line, you might notice that there's a lot more to the site than just natural bath and body care. Jennifer is the owner and founder of not just Ellia C. Naturals but also the Bullfrogs & Butterflies Boutique, which has loads of beautiful gifts for little ones and mamas, too.

And here's a tip for you: if you sign up for their newsletter, you will find that there is a great big Black Friday deal just for newsletter subscribers about to be announced! You can also like Ellia C. Naturals on Facebook and follow on Twitter for product updates and specials!

A big thank you to Jenn from Ellia C. Naturals for providing me with some of her gorgeous products to try out. I did receive samples for review, but was not paid for this post.

Keep an eye out for You! Lingerie!

Oops, this turned into a rant! Hang in there for the exciting bit at the end!

Remember how I was complaining about the awfulness of your standard maternity bras? The ones I picked up are (a) not pretty and (b) not comfortable, leading me to wish I hadn't wasted my money and fighting the urge to toss these in the nearest trash can. I usually end up unhooking them by mid-afternoon just to get some relief (thank goodness I work at home!).

Perhaps my big mistake was letting the store employees help with sizing (their firm belief was that every woman's pregnancy and nursing size is one band and one cup size up from their pre-pregnancy size. Um. Fail.). Or going for the underwire "pregnancy" option (of the three available bra designs at the store - sleep bras, pregnancy bras and nursing bras), since I've worn underwires all my life and find them comfortable (usually).

More likely, my big mistake was not looking online! Bras can be hard to fit for me, so I usually end up trying on a dozen or so in a store before settling on something. With online shopping it's not so easy (even though most sites have instructions for fitting yourself), so that was a bit of a deterrent. I have a couple bras from online retailers that, despite my best efforts, don't fit that well. I know, most of them will do returns, but then the cost starts to add up, shipping back and forth... The really pretty bras I have seen online for maternity and nursing were all rather pricey for my budget.

When I first started looking at maternity and nursing bras, I was astounded by the lack of selection in the stores. The choices in a regular store (I'm not talking high-end boutiques here) tend to be around $40 for a black, beige or white bra (mad colour selection! wow!), maybe with a bit of lace, and definitely not designed to make a woman in her glorious fertile prime look and feel sexy or attractive. Yes, you can get the boxed bras for $24 at Walmart, but IMO they are even less attractive. Are we supposed to stop feeling good about our bodies during pregnancy? Personally, although it is weird to see my body changing so dramatically, I feel great about it - this is an awesome time for my body, so why should I be resigned to clad myself in the drabbest and least flattering undergarments known to woman?

Pre-pregnancy, I typically would spend about $30 (less on sale or at Winners) on a bra and feel like I'd really treated myself to something nice. You can get a really pretty and comfortable bra for $30. A flattering one that gives you a nice shape! In colour! With lace, or with (gasp) a print! If you're not pregnant, that is. The nice-looking bras for pregnant or nursing women I saw online (there's NOTHING in that category in my local stores) were up in the $60+ range. What?! Is it not just a slightly wider strap and a clip for the drop-down cup?

You can just imagine these companies rubbing their hands together with glee, knowing that women need to buy new bras when they are pregnant and nursing because of the size changes, and where there's a need, there's a great opportunity to rake in the dollars from desperate women.

Anyway, I was so thrilled to come across a brand new line of nursing and maternity lingerie called You! Lingerie. This is the first time I've seen really pretty and sexy bras for nursing and maternity that are not at luxury prices - they're actually affordable. This line launched with seven signature designs in bras and matching panties a few weeks ago (at the big ABC show in Vegas that you may have seen trending on Twitter) and already has retailers lining up to stock their products, and mamas & mamas-to-be drooling over the gorgeousness. These images are a couple of the new designs - love!

I think You! Lingerie is really going to fill the gap between the uglies that are standard fare and the luxury brands that are super expensive with (!shocking new concept!) quality lingerie at affordable prices. Take a quick peek at some of their products, and then check the prices. Warning: you may do a double take.

It looks like I may have the chance to test out one of the new You! Lingerie bras and I am really looking forward to seeing how it stacks up against the bras I have. I mean, the ones I regrettably picked up at Thyme, obviously are on my hate list, but I also have maternity/nursing bras by Cake Lingerie, Bravado and Bella Materna (I'm naming names!). The only one of those that I think is actually pretty is the Cake one, which to me falls into the "expensive" category at $65, so I'm very curious to compare You! Lingerie in terms of comfort, style and quality (unfortunately for me, my size changed since I got it, so I'm not wearing that one daily!).

I'll tell you all about it, and *hint* there may even be a sweet little something for you, too!

my bump maternity - Review and Giveaway!

I had the pleasure of reviewing a great top I received from my bump maternity, which is a maternity (and more!) store not too far away from me in Toronto. They stock loads of maternity fashions: tops, dresses, skirts, pants and outerwear (like the M coat that I have a crush on... pregnant in a Canadian winter means a suitable coat is a must), as well as skin care products, everything you need for breastfeeding, and stylish diaper bags. Also check out the sale section - discounts of 50% and more! You can do your shopping in store or online.

And, if you are in or near Toronto, they're having a customer appreciation event in store this weekend (October 21-24) - 25% off all maternity and breastfeeding!

If you have done any looking at all at maternity products, you will recognize some of the biggest names among the brands they carry. I left it up to Cheryl, the owner, to select a top and I could not have been more thrilled with what she chose for me.

The top I got to try is a transitional maternity and nursing top by the Swedish line boob. I am a big fan of boob designs - they are always so flattering and practical. I have a few boob pieces already in heavy rotation in my wardrobe! It's great to be able to pick up fashions from this line at a Canadian retailer! Plus, I love the colour. Forgive the photos - with my husband working in Calgary, I'm my own photographer these days!

The top is super comfy and flattering as well. It is roomy enough for my belly (getting bigger every day, it seems), and I can tell that the flowy design will be flattering to my post-natal figure as well - with the fitted smocking over the empire waist emphasizing that I still have a figure! The layering of the top gives it very easy and discreet access for nursing as well. I love that this is something I will be able to wear not just for the next few months but for much longer.

Another product I have tried from my bump is the Belly Jelly. I have told you about my morning belly cream that I'm using. This is the one I use for a nightly application. I'm sure you experienced mamas know that a good belly cream is such a relief for tight growing skin. I've been using it every single night for probably 2-3 months now (I picked it up a while back).

You know I'm a stickler for checking what's in the products that I use, and the ingredients list is as follows: Lavender Flowers, oats, soya bean oil, wheatgerm oil, coconut oil, shea butter, evening primrose oil, beeswax, tocopherol (vitamin E), lavender and palma rosa essential oils. All natural, all safe, and it smells so yummy - an herbal scent. You can see that it lasts ages - this is mine after using it for months! I do find that because it's an oil-based product that it's more perfect for night than day. I like a quick-absorbing water-based product for day. But for night, a soothing belly massage with this is just what a mama-to-be needs. And between this and the one I use in the morning, so far so good... no stretch marks (yet)!

my bump maternity has offered a giveaway for one of my readers!

The giveaway: a $25 gift certificate!

How to enter: Visit my bump maternity, and tell me what you love from the store! Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! This is the mandatory entry - do this first!

Extra entries: Bonus time! Leave a comment for each extra entry.

• Become a fan of/"like" my bump on Facebook (mention your first name and last initial in your comment). Already do? That counts!
• Follow @mybump on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
• sign up for the my bump newsletter (on the left sidebar of the my bump website). A great way to find out first about upcoming sales!
  
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!). Already do? That counts!
• Tweet about this giveaway (once - this is not a daily!) and leave me the permalink. You can use this for your tweet, if you like:
  

  "#Win a $25 Gift Certificate to My Bump at Emily's Latest @emilyisland. #maternity & more! @mybump http://bit.ly/afof90 US/CAN ends 11/7"

• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments. Already do? That counts!
  
• Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL. Already have it? That counts!
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to my bump – 2 entries, leave 2 comments and please include a link to your post
• Tell me your favourite maternity or nursing brand. Do you love boob like me, or have you got another one to recommend?
  

Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends November 7th at 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be drawn within a day or two of the giveaway's end, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!

A big thank you to my bump for this review opportunity! I received a top to review, but was not paid for this post and the opinions are my own.

BumbleWee Nursing Wear - Review and Giveaway!

***This giveaway is closed.***
Winner: Rebecca

By now, you should have heard of BumbleWee Nursing Wear - whether by reputation as one of Canada's premiere maternity and nursing wear online boutiques, or maybe because of the awesome contest they are running - they're giving away a nursing top every day until September 15th, and an awesome coupon for every entrant (Read more details here)!

BumbleWee stocks gorgeous and high quality nursing and maternity clothes (many pieces are transitional, which the practical side of me loves!) from brands such as Japanese Weekend, Mamajamas, and 1 in the Oven. Brands that are known for bringing style to maternity and nursing wear - no more giant tents for pregnant ladies! And the nursing wear is functional as well as modest. What I really like about BumbleWee is the way each top or dress describes the nursing feature, whether it be pull aside, pull up or pull down. That way if you have a preference you will know exactly what you are getting into: whatever's most comfortable for you.

Besides tops and dresses, they also stock comfy nursing bras (at truly reasonable prices), pajamas, gifts and nursing accessories like covers and pumping bras. This company is dedicated to making maternity and nursing a time to be stylish, comfortable, practical and as discreet as we want it to be. I love that they have informative and supportive articles about breastfeeding in public, and tips on how to prepare for baby's meals out!

The other thing to love about BumbleWee is the free shipping to the continental US and Canada! I've been doing some online browsing lately, and have noticed that often the shipping charges are higher than the cost of the items I'm considering buying, which drives me nuts and means I generally end up abandoning my online shopping cart. Right in the middle of the virtual aisle! I just click away! But there are a few online retailers catching on to the notion that customers don't want a great deal to be negated by an outrageous shipping fee (and if you US readers think you have it bad, shipping to Canada is usually b-r-u-t-a-l!). Of course, with a Canadian company it's not as bad, but you really can't beat free.

For my review, I was sent the Mamajamas Uganda top, in a gorgeous shade of teal. I love the asymmetrical neckline and the ruching makes it forgiving for before and after bellies! The fabric is super, super soft and that makes this top SO comfortable. The nursing function is a pull up style with an underlayer which I find very discreet. I know this will be a wardrobe staple for me throughout the coming fall, winter and spring. And I think my belly looks super cute in it! Which is why you need to see two pictures - a front and a side view! :)

I have to mention that the shipping was really fast, too. I placed my order on an afternoon, and the fifth business day later, I received it in the morning. You can't always count on the postal service to get things there, but I would expect that if you placed an order on a Monday afternoon, you'd have it by Friday morning - or early the next week! Compared to some two-week or longer waits that I have had for products ordered online, I found this impressive.

You can also get the latest news from BumbleWee by liking the BumbleWee Facebook page! They announce sales, contests, and new stock there (even asking for fans' input!) so definitely worth a 'like'!

Now, the part you've been waiting for - BumbleWee has generously offered one of my readers a choice of top from the Sweepstakes category!

The giveaway:
A maternity/nursing top of your choosing from BumbleWee's Sweepstakes category!

How to enter: Head over to BumbleWee Nursing Wear and let me know which of their products (from any category) catches your fancy, OR let me know something you have learned from their informative articles! Make sure I've got a way to contact you if you're the winner!

Extra entries (please leave an extra comment for each. If you already do any of these things, leave the comment - you do get the entry for it!):

• Subscribe via email to the BumbleWee Newsletter (the bottom right of their site)
• Tell me something you learned from the BumbleWee blog
  
• Follow @BumbleWee on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name!)
• Tweet about this giveaway for ONE entry, this is not a daily! You can use this if you like:

  Win your choice of gorgeous nursing/maternity tops from @BumbleWee at Emily's Latest @emilyisland http://bit.ly/9z61Hf US/CAN 9/13 #bfing
  

• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
• Add my blog button to your blog– 2 entries, leave 2 comments (please leave a link to your blog)
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to BumbleWee Nursing Wear AND mentioning their awesome contest as well – 3 entries, leave 3 comments (please include a link to your blog post)
  

I will be verifying comments so please actually do the things you say you do ☺ If you already do any of these things, it still counts for entries!

Please be sure to include your email address if it’s not public in your blogger profile! Anonymous comments without a way to contact you will be rejected. Canadian or US mailing addresses only, please. Giveaway ends September 13th at 11:59 EST. A winner will be drawn the next day, announced here, in a separate post and emailed!

Prize will be shipped by sponsor. Note for US entrants: BumbleWee Nursing Wear is not responsible for customs, taxes or duties that the US may charge if you decide to participate in this sponsored blog giveaway.

Bumblewee! You need to know...

If you are looking for maternity or nursing clothing, check out Bumblewee Nursing Wear! Bumblewee is a Canadian company that stocks the big names in maternity and nursing clothing, like Japanese Weekend, Mamajamas and 1 in the Oven. Plus... FREE shipping to Canada AND the US! Seriously. Love it.

Right now they're having an amazing contest too - every day until September 15th, they are selecting a winner for a free top. You even get to choose from their big Sweepstakes collection. I love how many of the tops are transitional, so they'll work during and after pregnancy.

When you enter, please let them know I referred you (Emily B. or Emily's Latest)! Thanks, girls!

Head on over here to enter (you can enter each day for that day's draw). Oh, and when you enter, you get a 50% off coupon for anything in their Sweepstakes category!

AND as if that weren't enough Bumblewee goodness, I'll be reviewing a top from them soon. UPDATE: - it will come with a giveaway for my readers!

Two things you need to know about.

1: For my Toronto area readers (and online shoppers too!), the super fashionable store My Bump is having a 4th Anniversary Sale on April 17th!

This is really something to get excited about. My Bump carries some of my favourite mama and baby brands (yes, despite still being in the 'trying to conceive' stage, I have favourite brands - I've spent 18 months now researching and trying out products!).

Here are the details:

Saturday, April 17 & Sunday the 18th
25 % OFF All Spring/Summer Maternity & Breastfeeding Fashions
(sweet! They have gorgeous stuff from Boob Maternity, Momzelle and more!)

Door Prizes & Free cupcakes for first 50 customers.
Yes! Free cupcakes!

If you can't make it to the store on the sale weekend (it's at 944 Kingston Road, in Toronto), for the entire month of May you can still get 15% OFF all new spring/summer fashions.

And if you aren't in the area, online shoppers get free shipping in May!

That's #1.

2:EcoMom is having an Egg Hunt (on until April 15th! There's still time!) on their website with three prizes of a $25 gift certificate! Another great store with products for mom, baby and dad too. Just find the 12 eggs on their website, drop a quick email, and you're in. Details here. There are lots of eco-friendly goodies here that you could buy with $25!

And, a little heads up - I'll be doing a review and giveaway for EcoMom sometime soon!

For the record, I wasn't paid for this post or anything... These are just two cool stores I am happy to support.

Prego Planner Review - and a Giveaway!

***This giveaway is CLOSED***
The winner is: *Mirage* (confirmed)

As you may know if you have been reading along, DH and I have been trying to start a family for a while now. The first time I was pregnant, I was using a pregnancy planner that I picked up at a major chain of bookstores. There were about three options, all ugly, none with the kind of customizable format I was looking for. I used it, but I wasn’t happy with it. (You might remember my complaints about it here.) It was downright embarrassing to pull that ugly beast out at my midwife appointments. The second time, of course, didn’t get far enough to use a planner.

Next time – hopefully in the near future – I will be using the Prego Planner. I was lucky enough to win one over at Jo-Jo’s Place, and as soon as I saw it I knew this was what I’d been looking for.

The Prego Planner is not only stylish (I picked the zebra design – love it!), but functional as well. It has lots of room to write, tabs keep you organized, and I really love that because it’s a binder format, I can add my own pages. If I run out of room to write, no problem. If I want to add anything random – like an extra sleeve for ultrasound pictures or documents (it comes with one sleeve already), or, as we get ready for pregnancy #3, charting pages – no problem.

The planner already contains a lot of useful pages. There is a 12-month calendar that you can write your own dates in. Pages for your important contact information (from your health care practitioner to the people you want to call once the baby is born!), as well as a place to write your questions for your next appointment. Lots of checklists and even a gift list so you don’t forget to send your thank-you notes. The tabs make it easy to flip to the section you need.

What I really like is how customizable it is (and did I mention, not ugly?!). At 7.5x9”, it will fit in my handbag. It’s not irritatingly cutesy – it is designed for women, not children. It has lovely quotations from mothers at the beginning of each section. I can’t wait to use it!

The Prego Planner is available online, of course, as well as in a ton of stores in the US. Lucky for us Canadians, they have just begun distribution in Canada! You can now buy the Prego Planner at these stores:

Springy's, at 1048 Barton Street East in Hamilton, Ontario
Bloom Maternity at 4937B Sherbrooke Street west in Westmount, Quebec
Rolz and Sassy at 791 Queen Street East in Kincardine, Ontario
Bug and Blossom at West Market Square at 509-1851 Sirocco Drive S.W. in Calgary, Alberta
Blossom Maternity at 112 Wyndham Street North in Guelph, Ontario
My Bump at 944 Kingston Road in Toronto, Ontario

For the most up to date info on the Prego Planner (including events, reviews and giveaways of this great planner from around the web), become a fan on Facebook (search "Prego Planner").

Heather – the mother behind it all – has been generous enough to offer one of my readers a Prego Planner of her own! Whether you are planning for a baby, pregnant, or know someone who is expecting, this would make a welcome gift for those mothers-to-be.

(No, that's not Heather in the photo - it's yours truly - excuse the still wet hair and poor quality! I wanted to give a better sense of the size and how it looks in real life!)

The giveaway: A Prego Planner of the winner’s choice.

How to enter:
Visit Braelyn Bounty Bug, and tell me which planner you would choose, OR something you learned from the website. Please be sure to include your email if it’s not public in your blogger profile!

Extra entries (leave an extra comment for each):

• Follow Braelyn Bounty Bug on Twitter (@BountyBug)
• Follow my blog (publicly) – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
• Add my blog button to your blog - leave the URL
• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post and to the Prego Planner website – 2 entries, leave 2 comments
• Let me know - would this be something you'll use yourself, or will you give it to someone lucky that you know who's expecting!
  

Eligibility: Open to US and Canadian residents.
Ends: January 19th at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be emailed and announced on this post and a separate post on my blog. If I don't hear back within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

This review was based on a product that I received as a prize from another blog. No payment was made for this review. Prize will be shipped directly from the sponsor.

Back from holiday

...and back to reality! We had a great time in Mexico. I wanted to stay a little longer. The resort was great, the food was good (although, as usual, the vegetarian options were rather limited), the ocean was warm, the company was wonderful. I am missing the big buffet breakfasts already, though the scale tells me it's a good thing to leave those behind.

I have a zillion things to catch up on, hopefully I will get to a few giveaways to share today. I'll start here:

For baby:

• Win a Twilight Turtle from Cloud B at {Natural} Mommie. Open to Canadians only! Ends December 7th.
• Win a $25 gift certificate to Sprout Baby at Me and My Boys. Ends December 7th.
• Win a $35 gift certificate to JamTots at Feisty, Frugal and Fabulous! Ends December 10th.
• Win a $50 gift certificate to Baby Grins at My Wee View. Ends December 11th.
• Win Robeez baby shoes or boots at {Natural} Mommie. Ends December 4th.
• Win a Beco baby carrier from baby SNAZZ at Simple. Ends December 5th.
• Win a SoftBums diaper in the new print at I Love Cloth Diapers. Ends December 6th.
• Win an AppleCheeks MiniTest diaper at Momma in Flip Flops2! Ends December 2nd so hurry up!
• Win a Little Lasso at My Organized Chaos. Ends December 2nd so hurry up!
• Win a Halo SleepSack at Annie's Home. Ends December 6th.
• Win an Organic Sherpa Sleeper from Snug Organics at Mkokopelli. Ends December 4th.
  

For the ladies:

• Win a $50 gift certificate to Amon Maternity at Melinda Joy. Ends December 15th.
• Win a Bravado Designs Sublime nursing bra at Just for Me...and You. Ends December 7th.
  

For grown-ups:

• Win a $50 gift certificate to Eden Fantasys at J. Leigh Designz. Ends December 11th.
• Win a $75 gift certificate to Eden Fantasys at Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House. Ends December 11th.
  

For anyone:

• Win a $20 gift certificate to Ecorations (reuseable gift bags!) at Mkokopelli. Ends December 10th.
• Win a $50 gift certificate to Stylefly.ca at CoolCanucks. Ends December 18th.
• Win a ReliOn Temple Touch Thermometer at My Wee View. Ends December 4th.
• Win hourly prizes from Dell in their Holiday Gift Hunt! Open to Canadians only! Ends December 11th.
• Win a Head to Toe Kit from J.R. Watkins at Feisty, Frugal and Fabulous. Ends December 5th.

For the home:

• Win a $40 Right on the Walls gift certificate at My Organized Chaos. Ends December 9th.
  
• Win a fabric storage bin by Nestings at BabyLuxe {daily}. Ends December 8th.

Heading south

We're leaving later today! It's not a big trip, but it's going to be a fun one. We'll be driving and flying. I've never been to any of the places I'm going before. I'm looking forward to it!

Some giveaways for today:

For baby:

• Win a Sleepy Wrap at A Giveaway Everyday. Ends October 29th.
• Win a Sherpani Rumba carrier at BabyLuxe Daily. Ends October 29th.
• Win a Kokopax carrier in your choice of fabric at Thanks, Mail Carrier. Ends November 3rd.
• Win a Snappy Nappy by Petite Krott at Audrey's Country Crafts. Ends November 6th.
• Win a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited g-edition stroller from Kolcraft at The Bragging Mommy! Ends November 10th.
  

For the ladies:

• Win a $50 gift certificate to Amon Maternity at Ohana Mama. (Canadian winner will have to pay shipping.) Ends November 3rd.
• Win a handbag of your choice from Handbag Heaven on the Handbag Heaven blog! Ends October 28th.
  

See you next week!

The list

I got a haircut today... it looks pretty good, but I decided to get some sideswept bangs (yeah, that photo on my profile is a little out of date). Now the bangs are falling in my face all the time. I forgot about that part. Hm, I should get a new profile photo!

Tomorrow's my doctor's appointment. I'm not expecting any answers but I do want to request some tests and, I think, a specialist. If you haven't been following what's going on and are interested, basically I had a miscarriage in June and now am having some health/fertility issues... lately involving trips to the ER. Not so fun and very worrisome.

Okay, on to more optimistic things - giveaways :) I've got two going on here:

$30 gift certificate to Skin Free (10/19)
and
Spice Up Your Life cookbook (10/27) (new!)

Both open to US and Canada. If you haven't entered, these are both things I have tried and loved, and I'm sure you will too. You should go enter right now!

Elsewhere -

For baby:

• Win a $25 gift certificate to Daisy's Children's Boutique and Toy Store at Buggie and Jellybean. Ends October 18th.
• Win a $75 Zutano gift certificate to their Itzy Bitzy collection (newborn clothing) at Simple. Ends October 18th.
• Two winners: a Paci Sitter or a Toy Sitter of choice from Tutimnyc at Project Nursery. Ends October 16th.
  

For mums:

• Win a Pampered Mama gift box from The Spoiled Mama at My Wee View. Ends October 16th.
• Six winners of one these prizes: three belly belts, one pair of maternity tights, one super bra or one pair of perfect fit undies from Fertile Mind at Mommy News & Views, as part of their blogiversary celebration! Ends October 26th.
• Win a Hooter Hider from Bebe Au Lait at Mommy News & Views, as well. Ends October 29th.
  

more to come... but probably not until Thursday as my hubby is taking my laptop tomorrow! See you then :)

Getting back to giveaways

It's been a while! Here's a start:

For baby:

• Win an Organic Sleepy Wrap carrier at Jabbering Jessi! Ends October 9th. This is part of her Back 2 Blogging Bash - lots of giveaways, check them all out!

• You can also win an Organic Sleepy Wrap carrier at J. Leigh Designz! Ends October 9th. These look awesome.
• Win an aden+anais muslin swaddling wrap at Minnesota Mama's Must Haves. Ends September 24th.
• You can also win an aden+anais muslin swaddling wrap at Forever and Always (mind the speaker volume - this blog has tunes). Ends September 28th.
• one more chance to win an aden+anais muslin swaddling wrap at MomStart. Ends October 19th.
• Win an organic Bamboosa blanket at {Natural} Mommie - ends today (September 20th)!
• Win a Dylbug onesie (cute!) at True Cuddles... last day to enter!
• Win a Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair at Mom Central (must register with site to enter). Ends September 23.
• Win a New Native Inc. baby carrier at Penelope's Oasis (must follow her blog to enter)! Ends September 23rd.
• Win an aden+ anais Muslin Sleeping Bag from Spunky Sprout at The Veater Family blog! Ends September 28th.
• Win some really nice burp cloths from Little Luvee at Fun and Funky Mommy! Ends October 12th.
• Win an Evenflo Snugli Sway carrier at Mom Most Traveled. Ends September 26th. I won one of these recently from Mommy Goggles - I can't wait to receive that and test it out with my best friend's newborn.
• Win a gorgeous Boutique Mei Tai carrier at Natitys Design. So pretty. Ends September 24th.
  

For the ladies:

• Win a clothing item of your choice from Milan Maternity at Minnesota Mama's Must Haves. Ends October 2nd.
• Win a Hip-T at the Cute Like Me Giveaways and Reviews blog. Ends September 25th.

For cooks:

• I have been browsing my Small Batch Preserves cookbook lately for things to do with the fall harvest. Here's a chance to win a cookbook called jam it, pickle, it cure it at Views from the Farmstead! Sounds like it's right up my alley. Ends September 20th so hurry up!
• Hmm, cooks or babies? Win the Beaba Babycook (BPA-Free) Babyfood Maker from Toads & Tulips at Chic Giveaways. Ends September 25th.

For the home:

• Win a $60 gift certificate to CSN Mirrors at A Hen's Nest! Ends September 22nd.

For fitness:

• Win an Intro to Hoopnotica kit at Forever and Always! Have you seen Hoopnotica? It looks so amazing! Ends September 26th.