By Maura Keating

It is terribly ironic that for decades, mothers (the women who most deserve a boost to their self-esteem and ego) have dragged around oversized, cutesy bags that match their charges. No more. There is whole new crop of bags that will take Mom beyond diapers, and the Zosephine diaper bag is one of the newest contenders.

Zosephine bags come in four styles named after points on the map: Kyoto, Seattle, Minneapolis, and St. Paul. Each bag is made from a solid, durable fabric complemented with a playful print that recalls the destination. The bags are lined with a white nylon fabric that wipes up easily and keeps bottle leaks from dripping all over your car. The bright white interior makes it easy to see objects inside. The nylon is a little stiff, and I worry that crumbs might collect in some of the seams of the smaller pockets. Zosephine bags come with a changing pad made of the same white nylon fabric that lines the inside of the bag. The changing pad rolls up to fit easily inside the bag and ties with an attached ribbon. I found that the changing pad was too small for us. My son is rarely still, especially during a diaper change, and I am nervous when I lay him down on the cleanest diaper-changing stations. I like to have plenty of room to roll, just in case.

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Littlewoods reopened today after a month-long renovation.

By Karen Lambe
Early Childhood Developer

The woods are alive with the sound of children! And they have been since Littlewoods, the beloved woodland environment created especially for the Museum’s youngest visitors, first opened in 1997. Designed to inspire active exploration and interaction with adults and other children, Littlewoods has welcomed thousands of young children and their caregivers and has hosted many magical learning moments over the last ten years.

In the Baby Nest, six-month-old Liam sits at the bottom of a wedge-shaped mat, watching as his mother rolls a colorful, squeezable ball into his outstretched hands. “Look at that!” I observe, “He tracked with his eyes and caught the ball. Good example of developing hand-eye coordination.” Mother beams and baby giggles as he picks up the ball.

Meanwhile, one-year-old Jennie pushes a sturdy wooden cart, stopping periodically to pick up a soft rubber rock or skunk puppet that needs transporting to the Cozy Cave. “Aren’t those carts a great help for the toddler who is working on new walking skills?” I ask. “Yes, they’re just the right size to support her, and Jennie loves that she can carry things around in them,” remarks her grandma.

Nearby, a couple of four-year-olds stage an elaborate feast for the stuffed bears. “You get the bowls ready for the fish soup. I’ll catch some fish and bring the bears over to sit at the table,” suggests Chris to Tommy. “I better climb the ladder into the tree and collect some acorns to put into the soup,” says Tommy. The boys are busy with their dramatic play, working together to create a story that springs from their imaginations, their interactions, and an environment that supports and encourages open-ended play.

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Rhode Island is home to a number of great shops geared towards moms-to-be, new moms, and moms with young children. Most of them have opened within the last few years by moms who had grown tired of the bland Babies-R-Us choices and the non-customer-service typical of the Big Box stores. These independently owned and operated stores have spaces that reflect a unique style and community while addressing the needs of new parents across the board – everything from stylish maternity clothes, nursery decor, lead-free toys made in America, children’s clothes void of Disney motifs, personalized customer service, classes, and a place to meet other new moms.

ModMama
16 South Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906
(401) 741-9646
Nearby Bonus: Conveniently located in Providence’s Wayland Square near Books on the Square and The Edge coffee shop and two blocks from the Baby Park (corner of Humboldt & Elton).

ModMama is a modern, urban shop for kids and their parents. Rachel, the owner, is a mom of Enzo and Milo, ages 4 and 2, who are lucky to test many of the items for sale at the shop for fun and durability! ModMama was awarded Best Kid’s Clothing Store in 2007 form the editors of Rhode Island Monthly because of their hip clothes collection from newborn through 6 years old. Signature lines include Zutano, Appaman, and Daily Tea. Although the store is small, Rachel packs in a lot. Find strollers, baby carriers, slings, and diaper bags from brands such as Stokke Xplory, Quinny Buzz, and Phil and Ted’s. Shoes and accessories from See Kai Run, Pediped, MP tights, and a selection of wooden and soft toys from eco-friendly companies. Items for the nursery include cribs, rockers, high chairs, changing tables, mobiles, pillows, and lamps — everything to satisfy your modern design sensibility (right up my alley). Rachel recently designed an exclusive line of cool graphic tees, layette sets, and dresses under the Rocket 10 label. And if you can’t find it in the store –many items may be special-ordered or found online at modmama.com.

The ModMama store is more than just a place to shop; it is also a place to connect with other moms. There are floor model toys for kids to play with, space for moms to nurse or change a diaper, and the store hosts a New Mom’s group, an 8-week Pregnancy support class, regular Mom’s night out, tea parties for little ones, and other special events.

Rachel was born in NYC and she definitely brings a bit of her Manhattan vibe to the shop. She believes in great service for her customers - sling fittings, baby registry, nursery design and consultation, at-home delivery, free assembly, easy returns, and gift-wrapping—just a few of the many reasons that make ModMama special.

Madre Bella
1 Waseca Avenue (corner of Rt. 114), Barrington, RI
(401) 247-0122
Nearby Bonus: Madre Bella has plenty of parking out front and is conveniently located diagonally across from Bagels Express and a short walk form the Barrington Public Library and the new fabulous Kids’ Kove Playground (behind the library and Town Hall).

This stylish store, opened in the fall of 2005, was designed and created by Barrington mom Becky Freitas, the mother of Hunter (almost 2). Awarded the 2007 Best of Rhode Island Award for Maternity Clothes because of lines like Citizens for Humanity, Michael Stars T’s, and Habitual, which will make any mom look good and feel hip while baby is on board. Becky stocks the popular must-have for all pregnant moms—a belly band for $26—that turns all your regular pants into temporary maternity pants (I wish I had this when I was pregnant!). In addition, you can find baby clothes and accessories including Robeez and Pediped shoes, Trumpette socks, nursing bras, and diaper bags by Skip Hop and Petunia.

Becky supports many local businesses including handmade diaper bags and jewelry by Linda Demers of A la Mode; stationery, invitations, birth announcements, and thank-you cards by Barrington mom Roxanne Bryant of J is for Jane; a lovely line of kid’s clothes called Tiny Bubbles, designed by Barrington mom Barbara Guglielmo; Ella Bella clips by Barrington mom Maya Birely; and barretts, clips, and headbands by Amie Cunha of Clippies for Ava. I love starting a child’s art collection at an early age, and The Alphabet Series, limited edition prints by Kira Cortese make a great gift for a new baby. Madre Bella also creates a community for local moms by providing a small play space in the store to entertain young kids while mom shops.

nonchalant mom
(Irregular hours - best to call first)
365D Main Street (A block away and upstairs from their old location), Wakefield, RI 02879
(401) 284-4333
Nearby Bonus: Myopic Books is a fab used bookstore (other location is in Wayland Square, Providence) and the Alternative Food Cooperative has a kids day every other week (call for schedule; 789-2240).

Nonchalant Mom was started in 2004 by Corina Schott (also originally from New York), the mother of Sander, age 6, and Franny, age 2. Nonchalant Mom is another 2007 Best of Rhode Island award winner. Until February, Nonchalant Mom was located down the street, sharing space with Orange Lola. Corina moved into the upstairs location to allow her to better balance her work and family life. She recently launched her own line of children’s clothes, nonchalant kids, with simple lines and bold graphic patterns. Corina’s clean, fresh style is evident in everything she does; from her line of kid’s clothing to the Nonchalant shop in Wakefield, and online at nonchalantmom.com.

Corina created the Nonchalant Mom store online and off for parents who live and thinks differently, as she does. Nonchalant Mom carries things for kids up to age 6 to 8, including modern colorful and unisex clothing for kids that is simple and never fussy. Brands are a smattering of collections from NYC, California, Denmark, Sweden, France, and Japan. She also carries special items for moms from Virginia Johnson, Kragh Rosenberg, Lucky Fish, and jewelry by Margaret Solow. Corina believes in simple well-made toys and carries a small selection of brio and Plan wood toys. She shares her philosophy and suggestions for parenting in a more healthy way through her blog — find healing remedies with food, simple ideas for playing creatively at home, and fun things to make your life at home more enjoyable and colorful.

Peak into Corina’s house and see how she beautifully blends home, family and work in the June/July, 2008 issue of Domino magazine.

Bellani Maternity
1276 Bald Hill Road, Warwick, RI 02886
(401) 234-1279
Nearby Bonus: Located conveniently among all the big-box stores (e.g. Target and HomeGoods) on Rte. 2 in Warwick in case you have other shopping to do. Plenty of parking out front.

This all-inclusive education and support center was founded in 2006 by two Rhode Island moms, Shannon Giorgio (mother of a five- and three-year old) and Kelly LaChance-Guertin (mother of a six- and four-year-old and a newborn). They developed Bellani as a resource for families navigating the unexpected challenges of pregnancy and parenting and craving a place to relax and connect with other moms. Bellani offers a comprehensive curriculum of parenting workshops and classes, along with fun activities for families such as playgroups. Breastfeeding support includes lactation consults on-site, pump rentals (with free delivery), nursing bras, and accessories. The online retail boutique and on-site store features Hotslings, Beco, and Ergo Baby carriers, Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bags, strollers, maternity fashion, furniture like the Svan high chair, quality toys from trusted manufacturers like Haba, Manhattan Toy, and Plan, books, gifts, and more.

The seed for Bellani was planted in a preschool parking lot while Shannon and Kelly waited for their children to finish school. The conversations continued at playgrounds, and in living rooms and coffee shops throughout Rhode Island. A doula and certified childbirth educator, Kelly saw the need for a central location for the state’s great offerings available to expecting and new parents. She and Shannon drew on their backgrounds in education, business, and motherhood to create Bellani as a one-stop pregnancy and parenting resource.

Bambini
251 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
(401) 490-6952
Nearby Bonus: Located up the street from the Cable Car Cinema and Café and a few blocks from the RISD Museum.

Bambini prides itself in helping customers design a nursery from soup to nuts. Marie Di Simone, a mom with grown children who bought the business in 2006, will gladly help you design a nursery that will complement your décor and personal taste. She will make house calls (how nice is that?) or you can visit her at the shop to plan the room, pick out the crib, the rocker, bedding, etc. Bambini’s style is a bit more traditional than ModMama and Madre Bella. Marie carries lovely bedding from Bellanotte Linens, Lulla Smith, and Serena & Lilly. Clothing for newborn to toddler includes Room Seven, Petit Bateau, and Kissy Kissy, and one of my favorite local companies, Tiny Bubbles. Toddler shoes from Petit Bet and See Kai Run and toys from Haba and Eboo. This is another shop that excels at delivering personalized customer service and hosts a mom’s night out three times a year.

Support your local mom shops and tell them you’re a Kidoinfo reader…

By Maura Keating

Every parent out there is different and each has his or her preferences for everything from strollers to baby wearing. My own bias leans towards ring slings. The concept is simple—a broad and long piece of cloth is threaded through two rings. Ring slings accommodate a wide range of shapes and sizes, allowing many people to share the baby wearing with a partner without having to buy another size. This also means that the sling can adjust to be worn over a T-shirt in the mall or over a heavy winter coat when you’re outside. They also work for Baby from birth until Baby is too large or too independent to be carried. The tail on a ring sling can be used as a nursing cover or a sun shade. I’ve also used a ring sling as a nursing cover when my son was out of the sling. Our ring sling has also doubled as a blanket, changing pad, and ground cover. I adore ring slings, but my husband gave up on them after a few weeks of trying. The adjustability that I adore made a sling too frustrating for him to use. He prefers buckles and consistency. For this review, I tested three rings slings: the Maya Wrap Ring Sling, the Sakura Bloom Essential Ring Sling, and the ZoloWear Ring Sling.

The hand-loomed fabric enables the Maya Wrap Sling to take a beating. The Guatemalan patterns can be a little granola crunchy, but they do wonders at masking unavoidable spills that come with close proximity to a baby or toddler. Post spill, the Maya Wrap is machine washable and one year later, the fabric on my sling still looks great. Solid colors are available in addition to the patterns. The weave is strong yet soft on my shoulders and on my son’s legs. In the summer, it is breathable, but I avoid it on the hottest days. The Maya Wrap Sling comes in four sizes based on height. Maya Wrap also offers a MamaBaby Sling made from 100 percent cotton and the Maya Tie, a carrier based on the Asian-style Mei Tai carrier.

I own the Original Maya Wrap Unpadded Sling—a product that is being discontinued in favor of the popular lightly padded sling that features light padding on the shoulder. Both Maya Wrap Slings feature a cap that folds over to hug your shoulder, distributing Baby’s weight. The biggest challenges that I had with the Maya Wrap was learning how to thread the sling, making sure that the fabric was not twisted—getting my son comfortable while being comfortable myself. Once I got the hang of it, putting on and adjusting the Maya Wrap became routine and unbelievably fast. A crying baby who wants to be worn can be powerful motivation.

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By Maura Keating

Life with Baby is never easy, but always precious. Baby wearing makes day-to-day life a little easier so that you can cherish the precious moments and minimize those moments that are not so prized. Baby wearing is when you use a carrier (which can be as simple as a long piece of fabric) to carry a child on your back, front, or hip. Aside from the obvious benefits (getting things done hands free, bonding with your child through a close physical connection, no more dragging car seats and strollers through crowds), most babies seem to enjoy being in a carrier as much as parents enjoy the freedom it affords them. The number one question that I get when I’m wearing my son is, “Is that comfortable?” The answer is a resounding yes! (Well, most of the time . . .) Some carries were not instantly comfortable; I think that I needed to build up muscles that had never been used. However, after pregnancy, it felt natural for my son to be close to me. What a bonus that I could actually SEE him!

I always knew that I wanted to try baby wearing. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law gave us a beautiful Baby Bjorn carrier before my son arrived. It worked well enough until my husband snapped off one of the buckles in the car door (my son was not inside). For long carries, my back would start to ache mercilessly, and as my son grew larger (and he grew quickly), I found that I could only wear the carrier for short distances, until finally I could barely make it around the block without ripping the Baby Bjorn off in disgust. My dislike for the Baby Bjorn led me to so many other carriers that have made my life easier.

TheBabyWearer.com is an excellent place to immerse yourself in the topic. From forums to product reviews, this website has it all. There is also an excellent list of articles on the subject that go into far greater depth than I can here. In Rhode Island, the Kangamamas is an amazing group of people who meet every month to discuss baby wearing, trade tricks and ideas, learn new methods, and lust over new carriers. Their website has a forum where you can introduce yourself, learn about upcoming meet-ups, or ask questions about baby wearing from a local perspective.

Baby wearing might not be for everyone, but I think it would be for most everyone if they gave it a try with the right carrier. The benefits of baby wearing far outweigh the price, learning curve, or anxiety that may be attached to your perceptions of the practice. If cost is the biggest obstacle, there are patterns available that make it easy to construct your own sling, pouch, or mei tai carrier, or use a long length of gauze and teach yourself how to wrap. Give it a try—I hope these reviews inspire you to go hands free. This week, we’re reviewing pouches and ring slings. Stay tuned for future reviews of soft structured carriers.

By Maura Keating

If you are new to baby wearing or just new to babies—if you find the rings, buckles, and straps of other carriers daunting or just too time consuming, a fitted pouch is a perfect solution to get baby on board quickly and easily. When my son was small, I found the mechanisms of a ring sling to be overwhelming. No matter how many times I watched the instructional DVD, I felt insecure. My husband still hasn’t figured out the ring sling—too many adjustments, he says. I wish I had tried a pouch when my son was younger, but I still find them useful for quick trips with my toddler in a hip carry.

Since fitted pouches don’t have buckles or other mechanisms to adjust size, getting a pouch with the correct fit for YOU is incredibly important. Unless you and your partner are the same size, this is not a carrier that you can share. Take the time to make sure that your measurements are correct—have a friend help if possible. Ideally, you should try on a pouch at a store where you can have a salesperson size you and give you a crash course in baby wearing. If you’re buying when you’re pregnant, post-partum, or online, make sure that the store has a reasonable return policy.

Hotslings and Peanut Shell pouches have more similarities than differences. I tested an Everyday Hotslings in a stretch sateen fabric and a Peanut Shell Reversible Baby Sling in a 100 percent cotton fabric. Both pouches must be folded before wearing. The Hotslings includes striped tabs that you can line up for a quick fold. Both slings feature a padded rail that is supposed to be easier on Baby’s knees for hip carries. My son has never had a problem with non-padded slings, but he seems to like the padding just fine too. The pouch on both is shallow—no pillow or towel needed for a cradle carry. Baby can see the world and the wearer can check in on Baby easily. The Peanut Shell seemed slightly deeper to our cradle carry tester, but we didn’t break out the yard stick. Both pouches are designed for high carries—the bottom of the pouch should hit somewhere around your belly button. Hotslings come in nine different sizes while the Peanut Shell comes in four sizes. Both fit comfortably around the wearer’s shoulder. The Peanut Shell is slightly narrower around the shoulder and I preferred the fit since I have narrow shoulders. For hip carries with a toddler, I flipped the fabric of the sling around my shoulder for a closer and more comfortable fit. Hotslings and Peanut Shell carriers can be used for cradle, kangaroo, or front, hip, and back carries.

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By Maura Keating

If you’re breastfeeding, you may start to wonder why you bother to wear a shirt at all. Most of your day is spent with your shirt pulled up around your armpits. While your partner might appreciate this new fashion trend, visitors might find it awkward. As you and your Miracle venture out into a broader world of friends’ houses, malls, and parks, your decision to bare it all might give you pause. When I entered this phase, I began using scarves, blankets, and large burp cloths as a quick cover up. My son did not approve. He objected to anything touching his face. When he was younger, he wouldn’t nurse. As he got older, he would bat the cloth away—exposing us at precisely the wrong moment. I couldn’t see him to make sure that he was latched correctly and he couldn’t see me, removing some of the magic of the experience.

The Peanut Shell Nursing Cover is the perfect fix for nursing in mixed company. The Nursing Cover is a large piece of cloth, shaped perfectly to cover you from top to bottom and from side to side. The fabric is 100% cotton so it’s breathable and light. A soft jersey pocket is sewn into both sides of the Peanut Shell, perfect for storing for a gentle, quick wipe or for stashing the included matching burp cloth. The burping cloth is great for small drips but is too small to handle larger messes. The nursing cover is machine washable and still looks great after frequent use and repeated washes. In case you needed another reason to leave your scarves at home, the Peanut Shell Nursing Covers are as beautiful as they are practical and come in a wide variety of prints and patterns.

The genius of the nursing cover is a piece of flexible boning at the top. The boning creates a stiff edge at the top that sticks out just enough to create a gap that enables you to see Baby, but doesn’t allow others to see you. The boning’s flexibility allows you to adjust the gap as needed, but is sturdy enough so that it stays put. The boning also lifts the fabric of the cover away from Baby’s face so that the cloth does not cling to Baby like a blanket or other covers might. You feel covered and Baby doesn’t feel smothered—everybody’s happy.

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Diapers and adult incontinence products, like food, shelter, and health care, are a basic need. They are, however, expensive and unfortunately they cannot be purchased with food stamps or WIC assistance. There has been no steady source of free disposable diapers available to those in need in Rhode Island–leaving children from poor and low-income families at risk of spending hours in soiled diapers, which can lead to rashes and worse.

Fortunately the Rhode Island Diaper Bank (RIDB) was formed in 2006 by a group of mothers concerned about the welfare of Rhode Island’s young children and elderly. Through the partnerships they established with aid organizations such as food banks and social service agencies, the Rhode Island Diaper Bank distributes diapers and adult incontinence products to children, and disabled and elderly residents throughout the state.

The Rhode Island Diaper Bank accepts donations of money or unused packaged disposable diapers (no cloth diapers). They also purchase new diapers with donated funds and distribute the diapers to local agenices that in turn pass them on to families in need. Please contact the RIDB if you are interested in making a donation.

If you are in need of diapers, check the RIDB website for a complete list or contact one of their partner agencies directly. The following pick-up locations lists places that supply diapers (subject to change as new agencies are added):

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By Maura Keating

No matter what Mother Nature dishes out, you’ll be ready to stroll with the Brooks Pond Perennial Buggy Blanket. The Brooks Pond Perennial Buggy Blanket is bunting that you can use in every season. Year round, the Buggy Blanket keeps kids happy with a layer of Thinsulate that is quilted between an interior layer of suede cloth that is soft on Baby’s skin and an exterior nylon layer that is resistant to wind and water. In winter, a removable layer of insulation works just like the duvet on your bed to keep things cozy. In spring and fall, remove the insulation for a light blanket that can zip on or off as temperatures fluctuate. With the blanket gone, the Buggy Blanket operates as a soft liner for your stroller, keeping crumbs out of crevices and thwarting stains. If it turns out that the stroller of your dreams (or the stroller that you ended up with) has a fabric that isn’t machine washable or if it isn’t convenient to remove, the Buggy Blanket keeps your stroller looking great. The Buggy Blanket is easy to keep clean with a quick spot clean or throw it into the machine for a bigger mess. The blanket, once removed, is perfect to use as a play mat in the park or a change pad on the go. A two-way zipper makes the Buggy Blanket easy on and easy off. The square bottom leaves plenty of room for feet and for kicking and Velcro tabs enable you to quickly resize the blanket. An elasticized nylon boot pouch and boot guard is sewn into the bottom of the Buggy Blanket, keeping messy shoes contained.

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Our Walk on the Stroller Side wraps up today with reviews of the The Quinny Buzz stroller, the Brooks Pond Buggy Blanket and the Stroll Away.

By Maura Keating
The Quinny Buzz is a thing of beauty. There’s nothing extra. There’s no fabric that sags or bunches, nothing to distract you from a gorgeous stroller and the extra-gorgeous Baby inside. This is a stroller with great lines and a fabulous look. Heads will turn. The Buzz offers a smooth 3-wheeled ride in almost every terrain, from the beach to the mall. The pneumatic tires and front and back wheel suspension are fabulous on bumpy city streets and make hopping curbs a breeze. This stroller truly can “turn on a dime.” To entertain my son, I often drive my stroller like a race car. This is the first stroller that responds like a race car.

The Buzz features a gas spring that powers an automatic unfold. It’s pretty cool, kinda like magic, and makes for a great party trick. Simply unhook the safety strap (that keeps the Buzz from unfolding magically in your car) and give the handlebar a little tap with one hand (no magic wand necessary) and the Buzz springs into being. Whenever I launched the Buzz in public, I was tempted to include a little flourish or “Ta Da!” What every stroller really needs is an automatic fold and the Buzz doesn’t have one of those …yet. To fold, the Buzz requires both hands and a bit of effort, but once you’ve done it a few times, the fold gets easier and you get used to the crunching noise that sounds like you’re breaking the stroller. (Don’t worry, you’re not.) The Buzz folds very compactly without the wheels. I am too lazy to remove wheels, so the Buzz takes up most of my trunk. Since it has a low profile, I can still pile plenty of groceries on top of the stroller. It fits well in the closet, but requires its own dedicated floor space.
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