When I had my son a few months ago, I made the decision to give nursing a try.  Those early days turned out to be really hard, primarily because of the sheer time consumption.  I often found myself segregated in the nursery, hungry and thirsty, and frankly, it was not fun.

What would have made it fun is if I had some magazine, books, snacks and water nearby. All Mamas need good nutrition, and nursing mamas especially need calories and hydration to keep up their milk supply.  Having energy bars like Luna and Belly Bars, and drinks like Steaz iced tea would be great to have on hand while nursing or feeding your baby.  A stack of magazines and fun, chick-lit books, would also provide something to do other than think about how tired you are.

So if you know a soon-to-be Mom or new Mom, maybe by-pass the sleepers or onesies for the baby welcome gift, and bring the new Mom a basket filled with bars, books, and magazines. Maybe even some cute pens and paper for the “To-Do” lists or thank you notes.  She will totally appreciate it and it is a unique gift.

So maybe the best new Mama gift is a day at the spa, but this could come a close second.

Between drool, spit-up, eye gunk, dog licks, poop, pee, kisses and general grime, your baby probably gets pretty dirty!  Yet, if you are like me, you don’t necessarily give your baby a bath everyday.

Now you can feel guilt free, and have your baby squeaky clean, with these Baby Silk Gentle All Over Clean cleansing towelettes by MD Moms.

These cleansing towelettes are soft and luxurious. They are gentle enough to use on irritated or sensitive skin because it is an alcohol-free blend of marine silk, vitamins E and B5, and organic aloe.  Comfrey provides moisturizing and antioxidant benefits, while ginger and chamomile soothe and calm irritation. Baby’s skin, from their nose to their toes, will be squeaky clean and silky soft in between baths.

As an FYI, the Baby Silk Gentle All Over Clean towelettes have no phthalates, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum, waxes, wheat or gluten.  They are clinically tested, hypoallergenic and no tested on animals.  Overall bonus is that they are made in the USA!

The packaging is great and there is even travel sized towelettes for the diaper bag.  I wish they had small towelettes for when you just want to wipe down your baby’s face, but I just rip one towelette in half, use it, and tuck the other half back in the case for another time!  My son seems to like the scent (I love it) and it is not overpowering.

Each pack comes with 72 towelettes and retails for around $12.  Added bonus is that you can use them too.  It is a great makeup remover and is a fabulous way to remove sweat after a workout when you can’t get an immediate shower.

The product is distributed by many online retailers and may be stocked at your local baby/mom boutique store.  I found mine at Isis Maternity, which has three locations in the Boston, Massachusetts area.  I am happy I picked them up!

Seeing that my chest was scratched by the little bitty nails of my nursing son, I needed to find something that could keep his wandering fingers occupied during our breastfeeding sessions.  So I recently picked up the Mooma Nursing Necklace at Magic Beans.

Created by a Magic Beans staffer, the Mooma Nursing Necklace just slips right on. The wooden ring is made from natural birch, and is a great size for baby fingers. It’s sanded super smooth, oiled with organic olive oil, and rubbed with beeswax before being attached to a brown adjustable organic cotton cord, which is also something babies can grasp..

As soon as I came home, I put it on before I fed my son.  While nursing, his hands immediately found it and his fingers have been playing with it ever since.  (Much to the relief of my skin!)  Since I leave it on all day, I find myself fiddling with it while on the phone, which is soothing.  I don’t remember to slip it on during the night feedings, but since we have a special blanket, my son strokes that for his nighttime nursing sessions instead. I have had it for four days and wish I had gotten it sooner.

The necklace retails for $14.95.  I feel it would be better priced at $9.99, but it is a nice product with quality materials.  You can pick one up at either of the four Magic Beans locations or online.  You can find it in the bottle/feeding section. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I dread the day my son gets sick, but when that day comes, I am so glad I have the Safety 1st Complete Family Thermometer.  I got this Thermometer as a token for participating in a focus group.  I have already tried it and think it is so nifty that I had to spread the word, even though no one asked me to do so.

It is important to take your baby’s temperature when he or she is not sick so you know what is “normal’ for your baby.  Therefore, when your baby becomes sick, you will have a basis point.  I took my baby’s temperature for three days in a row, three times a day (morning, noon and evening) so I could make sure I knew what was his average temperature.  Temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day so I wanted to know what were those fluctuations.  I also wanted to try the thermometer when I was not in a state of panic (and neither was he).

What is great about this thermometer is that it is a “3-n-1″ thermometer.  It can be used orally, rectally or under the arm. You just insert which tip you want to use into the main probe and you are good to go. The main compartment stores the tips so you are never having to search for them. Genius!

But it gets better.

The tips each have unique designs so if you have to take the temperature rectally, for example, it makes it easy for you to take it safety.  It tells you when the batteries are low or when to clean the device.  It gives you a chart telling you when it is a fever based on whether you are checking the temperature rectally, orally or under the arm, and it recalls the last 10 readings.

It retails for around $40. With three thermometers in one and all the extras, it is priced right in my book.  It is a solid device too and the display section is easy to read.  It lights up really well at night. You’ll dread having to use it, but when you do, it is a great device and makes the process so easy.  So if you are looking for a thermometer to put on your registry or looking for a registry gift, this is top notch.