The DIY trend has been all the rage for a while now - it’s not considered to be the “cheap” way out anymore. If you do-it-yourself, you’re “clever”, “creative” and “trendy”, all good things when it comes to design! Nursery DIY projects can be a fun (and yes, very cheap) way to add personal touches to your baby’s room and the blog-o-sphere is chock-full of ideas.

For the Modern Mama

Where to begin? This nursery is modern but still adorable and, of course, very unique. The parents chose three shades of blue that matched their Dwell bedding set, designed the layout using a graphic design program (helps that they are graphic designers) and then projected the image on the wall to paint - GENIUS!
Visit Project Nursery to learn more.

Whimsical Nostalgia

If a Barbie doll was your first best friend, then this DIY project is up your alley. This mom-to-be scooped up some vintage Barbie dresses at a tag sale, framed them in shadow boxes from Michael’s and used craft paper as the background (notes are from the blogger…$10 dresser! Get out!). The overall look fits the vintage vibe of the nursery and will definitely inspire this baby girl to throw a few Dream House pool parties.
Visit Julia’s Poppies Design to learn more.

Coloring Inside the Lines

Stencils, stencils, stencils!!! They’re everywhere - and for good reason. Stencils are THE way to go if you have a budget and aren’t a fan of wallpaper. This couple painted the walls a dark color and then used a geometric stencil to lighten things up. The end result is gorgeous and a newborn’s dream come true with such a contrast in color.
Visit A Little Glass Box to learn more.

Learning the ABC’s

Need a way to fill up a wall but don’t want to use that thoughtful (ahem, somewhat tacky) doily collection from your mother’s third aunt’s sister’s cousin? Simple but gorgeous when patterns are mixed and matched, a collection of alphabet letters is the perfect-o way to add dimension and color to any infant’s nursery. The design-savvy mommy covered various cut-out letters with fabrics, felts and papers and arranged on a neutral wall. Like I said, perfect-o!
Visit Chic & Cheap Nursery to learn more.

Can’t get enough nursery DIY? Be inspired and visit these sites for more ideas:

Ohdeedoh Project Nursery Chic & Cheap Nursery

We would like to wish all moms a beautiful Mother’s Day!

Photo courtesry of Mariah Gale Photography

Boston…get excited. The owners of Magic Beans have created an amazing event for new and expecting parents. The Drool Baby Expo on May 31st, 2011, promises to offer a fabulous day. We’re talking insights into the best baby products, as well as workshops, discounts on products, and lots of freebies.
Who will be there? Only the best. Britax, Bugaboo, UPPAbaby, Stokke, The Bump and many, many more….and, of course, your favorite baby planners, Perfecting Expecting!
To add to the fun of the event, we are raffling off a FREE maternity concierge package valued at over $900. To enter, visit us on Facebook and leave a comment on our page (yes, it’s that simple!) and stop by to see us at Drool!
We hope to see you there!

We would like to introduce Amber Maxwell of The Petite Consumer to our readers. Amber’s company reviews cutting-edge baby products, and often has very useful videos and how-tos for baby gear. And, she’s local! Welcome, Amber!

Today, I am going to share with you some of the coolest items to recently come to the baby market. They say three is the magic number, so here is my top three from the past three months:

True Womb

Swaddling has many benefits but can sometimes be a challenge for parents. Say hello to True Womb. The True Womb is not your average swaddling device. Like many others on the market, it utilizes Velcro and the wrapping of a baby in a womb-like position. The True Womb has a unique Stretchflex pouch that allows a baby’s legs to move and then assists them to return in to the fetal position…just like in utero. Many other devices just concentrate on swaddling the arms to sooth a child. The True Womb not only secures the arms in a fetal position, but helps return to the legs to the fetal position without constricting movement. It is easy to use, washable, well constructed, and comes in a variety of colors and sizes. Illustrated instructions can be found directly on the garment if needed as well. Also, as your child grows, they offer a weaning style that allows baby to move their arms while still utilizing the Stretchflex pouch. This is a very innovative system that will help sooth baby in a similar fashion to the womb. www.truewomb.com

Kleynimals

Ever notice how much babies like to play with keys? Ever wonder how many germs are on keys or if they are safe for baby’s mouth? Well, Kleynimals is a safer alternative to keys. This set of three non-toxic stainless “keys” adorably designed, as a lion, an elephant, and a giraffe are sure to be attractive to any little teether. They are cute, durable, and get this; you can actually have them engraved. So they can make a fantastic personalized gift for any little bundle. Also because they are made of food grade stainless steel (the same materials as the utensils you eat with everyday), they are safe for not only your baby’s mouth, but also the dishwasher. Oh, and they keep a cool temperature due to their materials. One of the best things about Kleynimals is that they are lead, phthaltate, BPA, and cadmium free. The manufacturers of Kleynimals are actually advocates for more stringent rules when it comes to the use of lead in children’s products. When your child has outgrown using Kleynimals they can easily be handed down, saved for future generations, or recycled. www.kleynimals.com

Health Tracks

OK, so you have the baby and now you have to keep track of their health for the next 18 years. How is one really expected to do that? Between the doctors’ appointments, the dentist, a few stitches, when your child last had a shot, and how many teeth they have lost, and the exact date they got three stitches only adds to the brain jumble. Wouldn’t it be nice to have it all in one place…comprehensively? Well, say hello to Health Tracks. Health Tracks is a comprehensive health history journal designed to keep all your child’s health records in one place. It is a well-organized binder to keep every important piece of health information together from birth to age 18. There is even a place to keep information on disease and illnesses of family members, prescriptions and medications, reminders of what to expect at different ages, and pockets for documents and a place for personal notes. Health Tracks also offers an online service to make it easier to keep documents digitally and share with others if needed. Also, with the mobile society in which we live documents often get misplaced with moves and job changes. It may be hard to imagine now, but one day your little baby will be all grown up and wouldn’t it be nice to give them a well-organized document of their health as a child for future use? Think of it as a VERY useful baby book. www.healthetracks.com

Amber, thanks for these great tips!  I know our readers are excited to check out these new, hot products!

Is your due date rapidly approaching and you don’t have a clue what you need or what’s to come?

Join our friends, Boston Baby Nurses, Magic Beans and Healthy Habits Kitchen on April 13, 2011 from 7-8:30 pm to gain important knowledge, encouragement and support, and to receive coupons and discounts. You’ll learn…

• What to look for in a stroller, car seat and carrier
• How to stay healthy in your third trimester
• Everything you need to know to prepare yourself for the hospital
• How to prepare baby and yourself for coming home
• The importance of and how to stock your freezer with healthy food

DATE: Wed., April 13, 2011
TIME: 7 – 8:30 pm
LOCATION: Healthy Habits Kitchen
COST: $10, all of which is redeemable towards meal kits purchased that night

RSVP is required by April 8!  Sign up today!

It’s Giveaway Time! We are giving away TWO new copies of the ever-popular book, “What To Expect When You’re Expecting.”

To enter, simply email us or leave a comment here

We are giving away a Britax Chaperone Infant Car Seat in super-hip cowmooflauge (as seen in pic below)!!!!!

If you, or anyone you know, needs a fabulous car seat, this is your chance!
To enter, visit our Facebook page and leave us a comment or contact us via our website.
Good luck!

Sometimes in our busy days as parents, we forget how some of the simplest things keep our day running as smoothly as possible. Today, we wanted to share one of those little tricks with you. In three words: the bottle brush.

This item is sure to go on your registry, but it’s likely to not get much attention. However, it is a daily staple for those of you who use bottles, and the right one can make ALL the difference.

We have two favorites, for two different reasons.

1. Dr. Brown’s

The Dr. Brown’s brush is a winner for two reasons – the sponge is terrific for getting good lather, and the narrowness of the brush makes it really easy to wash the bottle. The drawback – because of the narrow base, you are likely to burn through about 3 of these in the first year, as the handle will weaken and start to break. The sponge will wear out, too.

2. Munchkin

The Munchkin bottle brush is sturdy, and will last you at least a year. The problem is that it’s wider, so you have to really pop it in to the bottle and pop it back out, using some elbow grease. If you lather it up enough, you may end up with a sudsy shirt when you’re done.

You can’t go wrong with either, these are just the little details we keep in mind and love to share with our clients. After all, dishes are dishes, so let’s make them as simple as possible, right?!

For those of you who have seen our services, you may have noticed that we offer some food related goodies. Stocking the freezer for couples who return home from with a newborn, providing catering for baby showers, and more. And, you also may have noticed that we pay particular attention to providing only the BEST services for our clients.
That said, we want to share the news of our favorite private chef and caterer, Rachel Nason, owner of D’Lish Intimate Catering. We met Rachel early in our Perfecting Expecting days and we instantly loved her. Her passion for food, paired with her amazingly cool and fun style, convinced us that she was our go-to gal for all things food. She is the consummate professional, yet you feel like she could also be your best friend. Her clients (including celebrities!) have absolutely RAVED about her performance as a private chef, as caterer to super swanky black tie affairs, and everything in between. She serves it up good…and with style.
Soon, Rachel will be featured on the Food Network on the 24hr Restaurant Battle. We hope you join us in watching her HUGE television debut on July 21st, and cheering her on. Rachel, we knew you were a shining star…now the world will see you work your magic.

We love a good giveaway ~ especially ones that help breastfeeding mamas! We are giving away one My Brest Friend nursing pillow. This pillow is the #1 recommended nursing pillow of lactation consultants. To enter the drawing, simply “contact us” and tell us why you think this pillow has your name on it.