Reviewed by Maura Keating

This review has been brought to you by the (divine?) intervention of the product that I am reviewing. Hallelujah! My hands are completely free!

Last year, I reviewed the Medela Freestyle Hands-Free Breast Pump and I loved it–I still love it. The pump is light, portable, and rechargeable. The breast shields have fewer pieces and are easy to clean. But the hands-free contraption that comes with the pump never quite worked for me. When I am at work, I have to pump at least twice a day, and after a while, I gave up the long process that was required to use the Medela pump hands free. It was easier and less stressful to stare at a wall. All that time staring at walls got me thinking–and wishing there was a product that would enable me to utilize the time I spend pumping. Luckily, there is.

The Easy Expression Hands-Free Bustier is a simple idea that works. The Bustier is a tube of fabric that zips in the front. The Easy Expression Bustier is designed to be form fitting. There are no straps to worry about, no snaps or ties to adjust. There is no need to remove your shirt and the Bustier can be worn over a traditional nursing bra–just undo the flaps of the nursing bra. Two holes in the Bustier stretch to support the breast shields of your pump.

The fabric is a cotton/Lycra blend that feels soft against the skin and has just enough stretch to make minor adjustments easy. I put the Easy Expression Bustier in the washing machine for a test run in a mesh delicates bag and it survived. However, since I can’t imagine pumping without this, I would recommend hand-washing to ensure a long life.

Not only did the Easy Expression Bustier make pumping easier, it also improved my production. With my hands free, I am able to relax. I am no longer juggling two bottles, while trying to operate a breast pump and hating every minute of it. The Easy Expression Bustier also may improve positioning. Once you get set up, the bustier keeps everything where it is supposed to be.

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Editors Note: Maura has done a fabulous job test-driving and reviewing a number of double strollers recently, hopefully to help in your search to find the perfect one—or as close to perfect as possible. I never found “the perfect one” when my children were stroller-age because until just a few years ago there were fewer choices, especially ones that adapted easily to my growing children—from accommodating them in their car seats to when they could sit up on their own—yet still small enough to fit into the back of my car.

Parents today have many more options. You can now buy one that grows with your children, easy to collapse, lightweight and available in modern patterns and more color options. However what one urban mom considers to be the perfect stroller may not be same for a suburban parent. A mom of twins may need a different type of double stroller than the parent of mixed-age kids because of weight and balance. Depending on the number of children you have, how often you use it and your budget will also factor into your decision process.

I hope you find this guide helpful in your search for the “perfect” stroller(s). If you plan on buying more than one or would rather not pay full price, shop for a used stroller from a friend,  on craigslist or at your local second-hand or consignment store. A well-made stroller that holds up with repeated use or a rarely used stroller  may be a great buy, secondhand.

Double Strollers reviewed by Maura Keating

Everyone knows that life is a gamble. When you’ve got two kids, the cards change. These five double strollers will get you back in the game—no matter what kid combination you have got on your hands. One double stroller does not fit all. When choosing a double stroller, you must take into consideration the age and temperament—as well as the height and weight of all riders. Are both of your kids nappers? Does one child like to get in and out of strollers frequently? Do you frequent the zoo, a city park, or the beach?

The Phil and Ted’s Dash and the UPPAbaby VISTA are single strollers that include optional add on adapters that transform your stroller into a double. They are perfect for the first time stroller owner who is pretty sure that more children will follow. They are also ideal for parents who have two, but sometimes travel only with one child. With both strollers, the change from single to double (and back again) is quick and painless. The compact design of the Dash and the VISTA make them perfect for city dwellers who will be navigating busy city streets.

The Bumbleride Twin and the Valco Baby Tri-Mode Twin are traditional side by side double strollers with unconventional twists. Both fit through standard doorways and have enough flair and finesse to make you forget your load. The Joovy Ergo transports two in style with its limousine styling and its ability to grow with you as your kids grow in size and stroller needs. These strollers make every stroll a walk in the park.

If two isn’t enough, the Valco Baby Tri-Mode Twin offers an optional Toddler Seat that attaches to the top of the Twin or a Hitch Hiker that allows a toddler to hitch a ride in back. UPPAbaby offers a piggyBACK that attaches to the back of the VISTA to transport toddlers+ up to 50 pounds.

Buckle up! With two+ on board, you’ve always got to be ready to roll.

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The Companies mentioned above provided review samples for these articles. Neither the author nor Kidoinfo has received any monetary compensation for this review and we have no undisclosed relationship with these companies.

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By Maura Keating

Last year, I wrote about my love for the Bumbleride Indie. I might have even raved a little. One year later, I STILL love my Indie, but in case you didn’t guess already . . . we have another on the way and we are starting to see double. Thank goodness, Bumbleride is one step ahead of us with the Bumbleride Indie Twin.

I was a little wary of taking out a side-by-side double stroller. They seem huge and, well, they kind of are. There’s no getting around the fact that you are transporting two, but through some sort of magic or sleight of hand, at twenty-nine inches wide, the Indie Twin slides through most doorways. And the Bumbleride Indie Twin is easy to push (something my aching back truly appreciates), and unlike many double strollers, even tandems, the Indie Twin turns and maneuvers very smoothly. Like its single cousin, the Indie Twin could become my stroller of choice for cruising our Providence neighborhood. With its air-inflated tires, Bumbleride makes it easy to navigate curbs, potholes, grass–even sand. The Twin features two front swiveling tires that can be locked for brisk walks. A jogging wrist strap is also included.

My son loves the Twin as much as he loves the single Indie. Bumbleride has transferred all of the best features of the Indie and made them independent so that each child has a customized ride. The Twin’s backrests adjust separately and can fold flat—making the Twin usable from infancy on up. Baby can sleep while your Toddler sits upright. The five-point safety harness is easy to use and easy to adjust single-handedly. Coordinated cute shoulder pads and a headrest for Baby provide a comfy fit. Each seat also has its own canopy. The canopies are large and offer great protection from the sun and the elements. The rear panel zippers off to extend the canopy forward or to increase air flow on hot days. Each footrest is adjustable from flat to vertical.

You can attach an infant car seat to the Twin using the included Infant Carrier Adapter Bar. (A list of compatible car seats is available on the Bumbleride website.) The car seat adapter is not perfect. We tested it with a Graco Snugride Infant Seat and our friend tested it with a Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Infant Seat. Although both seats are compatible, the adapter bar never felt truly stable with either seat. Our friend comments, “I never felt that the car seat was securely attached. It would have felt better if there was some kind of click/lock mechanism vs. the universal bar/strap attachment.” The car seat adapter is a bit of a disappointment, but not a deal breaker for me. I use strollers mostly in the neighborhood for walks around town. My kids have never been content to stay in their car seats for errands.

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By Maura Keating

Everyone wishes that they could go back in time to advise their former self: Don’t date that boy. Study harder for that test. Enjoy lazy Saturdays while you can! If I could go back to my former self, I would definitely advise her to try a wrap with her colicky infant. I think it would have made a world of difference.

My current self has a toddler of two and a half years and an infant of eight weeks. We have been wrapping our infant daughter since Day Two and she loves it, we love it, my toddler loves it. The wrap is a minor miracle. My daughter typically falls asleep within five minutes of being wrapped. If she is fussy, she calms down. The wrap enables me to interact with my son without worrying about the Babe, or if my son is sleeping or my husband is home, I can actually get something done around the house (like write this review). My husband uses the wrap and my babysitter uses the wrap now too. People stop me in public and ask about the wrap—amazed that I am able to carry my two children or that my daughter is content in such a variety of settings.

I tested two wraps for this review—the Sleepy Wrap and the Moby Wrap. At first glance, they are very similar. Both are long pieces of cloth with tapered ends that are designed to be wrapped around your body. The wrapping procedure can be a little daunting, but keep trying, watch videos online, and you’ll be a pro before you know it—probably because your child will demand your expertise! Both the Moby Wrap and the Sleepy Wrap come with great instruction manuals with detailed instructions and full color pictures. Both have carrying sacks that you can use to store your wrap (assuming you’ll ever want to take it off). Both wraps are machine washable and dryer safe—essential for any carrier that will be exposed to an infant prone to spitting up or diaper blowouts. Both wraps I tested were exposed to all sorts of stains and cleaned up great.

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I have wanted a new coffeemaker ever since I got a free one from Gevalia a couple of years ago. I liked the Gevalia coffee, but the maker? Not so much—the brewed coffee was always warm and bland no matter the flavor. I’ve put up with it only for lack of motivation to replace it.

Then I was sent a Keurig single-cup brewing system to review for Kidoinfo. At first I thought to send it back immediately because the very idea of using little individually-packed K-cups seems wasteful. However, reading about its ease of use and the idea of making a delicious single cup of coffee appealed to me, so I decided give it a try. Since I’m the only coffee drinker in my house unless we have company, and because I work from home, I tend to make a small pot of coffee in the morning that I reheat and drink throughout the day. I do not always drink the same amount every day so I tend to overestimate how much to make and throw out the unused coffee at the end of the day. This seems like a waste of water and coffee to me.

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Four Rhode Island authors featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms

A writing coach, a naturopathic doctor, a talk-radio host, and a yoga teacher might not be the first people you think of when you hear the term “power mom,” but four Rhode Island women (including Kidoinfo writer, Erin Barrette Goodman), all contributors to a new book called Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms: 101 Stories Celebrating the Power of Choice for Stay at Home and Work from Home Moms, are helping to broaden and redefine what it means to be a power mom in the twenty-first century.

On Saturday, May 2, at 2:00 p.m., writing coach Lisa Tener of North Kingstown, naturopathic physician Kimberly Beauchamp of North Kingstown, radio talk-show host Robin Kall of East Greenwich, and yoga teacher and RI Birth Network founder Erin Barrette Goodman of Charlestown will share their stories at a public reading and discussion at the North Kingstown Library. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Families First, a grassroots nonprofit organization that partners new mothers with supportive mentors.

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