There’s nothing worse than seeing your baby in discomfort. Diaper rash is uncomfortable for baby AND you….sleepless nights and a tiny, teary face make you want to do everything and everything to bring relief to your little one.

Learning Curve’s The First Years has come up with an instant, soothing solution for diaper rash woes.

Bottom Care Diaper Rash Relief System is a doctor-developed, all-inclusive pack that includes a cooling gel pad and milk protein healing treatment sleeve, working together to reduce the skin acidity and inflammation.

Bottom Care Diaper Rash Relief System is 100% all-natural and completely safe for mom and baby. Each pack contains two reusable gel pads, 20 disposable treatment sleeves and a .33 oz tube of Soothing Diaper Rash Cream.

Find Bottom Care Diaper Rash Relief System at Babies R’ Us and BabiesRUs.com.

Exclusive offer for my readers!:

Click here for a $1 off coupon for any Bottom Care Diaper Rash Relief System! Hurry — the coupon expires March 31st, 2010!

FTC info — Disclaimer: I was contacted by a PR firm about promoting this product on Muse Reviews. However, I received no other monetary compensation for this review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Brand new from Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Michele Valeri is an album intended for the littlest ones among us! Little Ditties for Itty Bitties is a CD just for babies and toddlers….the ones who are just forming their language and learning to love music and movement.

Michele Valeri has worked for over 25 years as a master artist and workshop leader for the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts. Her passion is in this area and it’s evident by the joy and excitement exuding from her music! Not only in vocals, Michele is fluent and talented at the guitar, ukulele, and banjo.

Michele Valeri states: “Early childhood teachers frequently told us they were looking for new songs to share with babies and toddlers….I wrote these songs with their needs in mind, songs that they can learn easily and sing on their own even with the player turned off.”

Little Ditties for Itty Bitties is simple and sweet. It resembles and reminds me of music my parents used to have playing in my room when I was just a tot. Uncomplicated music with simple, invitational, interactive lyrics that make any little one want to get up and move. The bilingual songs (English/Spanish), Walking/Caminando and Toc Toc Toc bring in a small element of cultural appreciation….while still keeping it fun and cool.

Fishies in the Water is my favorite….caribbean/calypso beats that bring to mind warmer weather and tropical locales. Busy Day also brings a smile to my face, since, as a toddler, telling people that I was having a “busy, busy day” was one of my namesakes. I am glad to be able to share this album with my own two, since it’s nostalgic in nature for me.

Little Ditties for Itty Bitties would be an excellent soundtrack for a children/parent music & movement class, as well a compliment to a nursery setting.

You can purchase Michele Valeri’s Little Ditties for Itty Bitties at Cathy & Marcy’s Song Shop for $12. Each CD includes a PDF document with song lyrics and suggested activities.

Win it! Thanks to Michele Valeri, Cathy & Marcy’s Song Shop, and Sugar Mountain PR, one of you will win your own copy of Little Ditties for Itty Bitties.

Here’s how to enter:

1) MANDATORY: Comment below with the track name from Little Ditties for Itty Bitties that you find the most adorable or fun.
2) For an extra entry, subscribe to Muse Reviews’ feed — tell me in a separate comment if you’re a new subscriber or already a subscriber.
3) For a third entry, become friends with Muse Reviews on Facebook, then tell me you did so in a separate comment below.
4) For a fourth entry, twitter about this contest using @MuseReviews within your tweet, then tell me in a separate comment that you twittered!

I’ll close this contest next Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 11pm EST. Sorry; US entries only. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Congrats to commenter #18, Heidi Donahue, the winner of this CD!

FTC info — Disclaimer: I received this product for free for review purposes; however, my review was honest and my opinions are my own. I only received the product itself; I received no other monetary compensation for this review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

When our son was almost a year old, he choked on a Goldfish cracker. Before I knew what I was doing, I had pulled him out of the highchair, had flung him, facing down, onto my forearm, and began to hit his back between the shoulder blades. After two times, the cracker flew out onto the floor, and he begin to cry.

At that moment, more than at any other, I was grateful that my husband and I took a choking aid/CPR class before G was born. I believe that what I learned there helped me know what to do on that scary afternoon.

Yet what if I don’t always react so quickly? What if I panic and freeze, not knowing what to do? I don’t like to dwell on “what ifs,” but I do believe that preparation and know-how is important, should an emergency spring up.

I’m thrilled to tell you today about a first aid kit that takes most of the guesswork out of those crucial situations: Intelligent First Aid. Intelligent First Aid is the most comprehensive, all-inclusive, and smart first aid kit I’ve found. Intelligent First Aid’s Talking First Aid kit not only includes cue cards with detailed drawings and instructions to let you know what to do with every type of injury or occurrence, but it also has recorded instructions which you can play at will to talk you through the actions required.

The Intelligent First Aid Talking First Aid kit includes talking care packs (including talking cue cards and medical supply packs) for all of the following injuries/conditions:

- Breathing/CPR
- Bleeding
- Shock
- Head & Spine Injuries
- Bone Injuries
- Eye Injuries
- Burns
- Bites & Stings

Also included is a basics care packet (with basic medical supplies), a fully illustrated instruction manual, a quick-start guide (also with narration), and a positionable flashlight, all housed within a soft-sided, zip-closure case with a handle and detachable strap. It’s an easy first aid kit to tote around as you go, and excellent for travel.

Here’s my demonstration of what is included within the Talking First Aid kit, as well as a sample of the narration you’ll hear on the cue cards:

Intelligent First Aid review from Megret on Vimeo.

You can order Intelligent First Aid kits directly via their online store. There are several other kits available, including a Safe at Home kit and workplace (On the Job) kits.

***And right now, Intelligent First Aid is running a winter special: 25% off everything on their site with the promotional code WINTER25 used at checkout.***

Win it! Thanks to the generous folks at Intelligent First Aid, one of you will win a Talking First Aid kit, a $149.99 value! To enter to win, just comment below with another one of their kits you’d like to have around or give to someone…or tell me about an experience you had where rapid first aid was required…..OR tell me something you read/learned from their website. I’ll close the contest next Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 11pm EST. Sorry; US entries only. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Congrats to the winner, commenter #6, Melissa, who said, “I think this would be wonderful for us because we have a swimming pool. It would be nice to keep in handy in case we ever did need to do CPR! (but praying to God that we never will).”
Thanks, everyone, for participating!

When I hear about companies that are begun for good reason and for a good cause, I love to spread the news. Bee well wishes is one such company!

It was “born” after Tina Chadwick safely brought her baby into this world, only to immediately undergo surgery to remove a brain tumor. Well-meaning people sent flowers and food, but her husband was allergic to flowers and the food went to waste while she was still on a feeding tube. The only truly useful gift was a pair of pajamas sent to Tina by a dear friend. She began to think about other similar gift ideas that would be well-received during difficult, uncertain times….and bee well wishes was the product of her ideas. (You can read Tina’s entire story here.)

Bee well wishes has a wide assortment of timely, useful, thoughtful gifts that will last well beyond an illness, injury recovery, or hospital stay.

Bee well wishes sent over one of their BIG, BIG bee sleep shirts to try out. Super, super soft, roomy, and comfy….extraordinary quality (and cute bee graphic)! It is made out of 100% ring spun, fine jersey combed 5oz. cotton with contrast bee well brown stitching. Their signature cotton tab label is on the outside at upper neck, for comfort while reclining or sleeping!

Bee well wishes also carries:

• Onesies
• Blankets
• Pillowcases
• Lounge pants

and many more adorable bee well items. The brilliant motto of bee well wishes fits its mission well: “What to send when you don’t know what to do.”

**Here’s a heartwarming way a customer out of Atlanta, GA, used a bee well wishes pillowcase: (Atlanta, GA, December 2009) This holiday season will not be an easy one for Ronnie Salinas. In early November, her son Conrad III was deployed to Afghanistan, and on December 12th her husband Conrad heads to Iraq. So with the heart of a loving mother, Ronnie found a way to send her son a tangible connection to home- one that captures the thoughts of all of his loved ones. “On Thanksgiving I had our family each write a little message on a (bee well wishes) pillowcase in permanent ink,” says Ronnie. “…so that he could go to sleep each night with the love of his family right under his head.”

Everything you order from bee well wishes is sent in a bright yellow, cheery, sturdy box and is wrapped so well inside….really makes a statement. No matter what’s going on, you can rest assured that any gift sent from bee well wishes will be well received and appreciated.

Win it! Thanks to bee well wishes, TWO of you will each win a BIG, BIG bee t-shirt! For a chance to win, just comment below with another one of bee well wishes’ items you’d love to send to someone. I’ll close the contest next Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 11pm EST. Sorry; US entries only. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Congrats to the winners of the t-shirt, commenters:
#5 – Danielle G
and
#18 – Lisa!

I haven’t yet had an opportunity to attend one of the annual BlogHer conferences yet. It’s something I want to, hope to do….someday….but when my children are still little, it’s just not feasible.

I was super excited, however, to learn that MomSelect was going to send over a box full of swag (”stuff we all get”)….a virtual swag bag of sorts….right to my doorstep! A couple of weeks ago, a box full of several neat items arrived for me to go through and enjoy including a cup of Kraft’s Easy Mac and Cheese, which has already been made and consumed by my two little taste testers, and Hyland’s Homeopathic Teething Gel and Earache Drops, which is a brand I already know & trust.

A few of the items in the box, though, really jumped out at me and held my attention and intrigue.

Grippies shapes! These no-slip adhesives can be easily applied to your child’s socks or tights to create an instant “no-slip solution.” As their ad says, they prevent the “socks-meet-hardwood floors” wipeout so well-known to us moms of fast-moving children with fast-moving little feet! These will be indispensable around here come fall and winter.

95% Organic Lip Conditioner by Softlips. I’m a lover of all-things-lip-balm, and when it’s organic, it gets an even higher vote. I received the peppermint flavor, and I must say that the tingling sensation on my lips is fun! My lips stay soft for hours. Again, this is another product that will become much more valuable in my house once the dry winter hits.

A 12″ Torpedo Level from Latitude Tools. It’s chic, it’s attractive, yet it’s sturdy enough for my rough use as I drag it around the house (I rearrange artwork and other wall hangings often, so I need tools that hold up). Latitude Tools are designed specifically with women in mind….from size, to leverage, to weight, to style. This is my first introduction to Latitude Tools, and I must say, I like what I’m seeing so far.

Thanks to MomSelect for sending over this fab bag of swag to those of us who couldn’t make it to BlogHer this year!

From Sally Lloyd-Jones, the acclaimed author of The Jesus Storybook Bible, comes a new tale, just for little ones, called Time to Say Goodnight.

Time to Say Goodnight is richly and beautifully illustrated by Jane Chapman, the renowned artist whose most notable work appears in Bear Snores On. The illustrations boldly and brightly fill up every bit of space on the large, square pages of this paperback book. The colors and hues of nightfall are soothing and comforting….the images are pleasant to behold by little ones who are settling down for bed….and the adults who lovingly read to them.

The story follows, in rhyme, the goodnight rituals followed by several folk of the forest. From fawns to baby bears, from cardinals to squirrels, it’s clear to see that all little creatures have to rest at nighttime, too. (Except, of course, for the baby owls, who wake up at night instead of sleep!)

The last pages ask your child how he or she settles down to sleep. My little girl is always amazed at how the story brings her in at the last moment, letting her truly become a part of the tale itself. Time to Say Goodnight is a perfect addition to any young one’s bookshelf….and would make a precious baby gift, as well. The paperback book is priced at $6.99 and is available at your favorite local bookstore or from any of these online retailers.

Win it! Courtesy of HarperCollins, one of you will win a copy of Time to Say Goodnight for your own little sleepyheads. Simply tell me one other title from HarperCollins’ Childrens’ selections that your children would find amusing in a comment below. I’ll close the contest next Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 11pm EST. Sorry; US entries only. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Congratulations to commenter #10, Meredith, the winner of this book!

Cloud B makes it its mission to “help children and babies sleep easier and safer.” They have a great assortment of products to help babies and young children sleep better at naptime and nighttime.

We gave some expecting friends the Cloud B Sleep Sheep a while back, and received rave reviews from the new parents. It would have been nice to have one of these when our two were infants….we created our own “white noise” with humidifiers and fans. The Sleep Sheep is so much cuter than those!

Cloud B’s LullaBags keep babies warm and cuddly while making sure they don’t overheat or get tangled up in a blanket. These LullaBags are NAPPA & iParenting Award winners, and come in two sizes and three different fabric options.

We love Cloud B’s “online exclusive” Twilight Turtle from their Sound & Light Collection. The turtle’s translucent shell illuminates five different images of endangered sea creatures.

The top of the Twilight Turtle’s shell has perforated star (and moon) shapes which project stars and constellations onto your child’s walls and ceiling. The star show can be blue:

Green:

Or both:

It comes with a storybook to tell more about these unique animals, complete with a star chart and an adoption certificate. A portion of the sales proceeds from the Twilight Turtle goes to an international conservation organization.

The Twilight Turtle, Sleep Sheep and other “friends” can be bought directly from Cloud B’s online store, as well as a wealth of other products and deluxe gift sets which would make excellent gifts. Stop by and take a look!

When it comes to car safety and peace of mind, I have to be in the know regarding what is the safest everything. Our research process when buying our current SUV was months and months in the making. When we registered for our first baby gifts almost five years ago, I wouldn’t blindly absorb the store salesman’s assurances of how safe the travel systems were….I had to get home and read up more on them before I scanned in the SKU.

Since then, every time we’ve purchased a car seat, it was back to the drawing board first and foremost to find out which ones suited our needs best…and which ones were safest. Crash test ratings, ease of adjustment, consumer complaints — everything was important to me. Let’s just say that I’ve gotten to know our local Safe Kids director very well over the years.

Another pervasive desire of mine was to find a seat that would let our children stay in a five-point harness for as long as possible, since it has been known to be safer at protecting kids in crashes than a booster. At four, G isn’t heavy or tall enough for a booster, and even if he was, at his age, I would still feel uncomfortable trusting him to keep his seatbelt buckled as we drove around.

Enter the True Fit Convertible car seat by the First Years (Learning Curve).

I had begun to assume that a car seat that was easy to install, simple to adjust, easy to clean, and most of all, ranking high on all national safety standards was not to be found….too good to be true. In the past, I had always had to relinquish one of these benefits when choosing a seat, making the decision difficult and bittersweet.

Yet the True Fit seat boasts all of these pluses! It even comes in a great variety of colors, which meant that for the first time ever, G could have a seat with his favorite color on it — blue! That had him sold on the spot…and my husband and I were very quick to follow with our own approval.

Here are the main fast facts on the True Fit Convertible car seat:

- 4-star rating on ease of use by the NHTSA
- Grows with your child from 5 to 65 lbs.
- Deep side wings and extra padding foam for added protection, yet fits great in the seat with another car seat

What do WE love about the True Fit Convertible Car Seat?

1. The ease of use claim was spot on. It took less than 5 minutes to get ready once out of the box. The directions were in a convenient pocket in the back of the seat itself, and the directions were simple and self-explanatory.
We took out the infant head rests and extra infant padding with no problem at all. The LATCH hooks were easy to find and adjust for length. Lastly, it took just a couple of clicks to adjust it to the right height for G.

2. The padding throughout is super easy to remove for cleaning….essential for us, since we do sometimes feed the kids snacks in the car. (And if you’re like us and have a carsick-prone child, this is especially helpful.) It’s all possible thanks to a few simple snaps and loops.

3. It’s exceedingly attractive and plush! G is super proud to be riding in this new seat, and I can feel assured that he is very well protected and comfortable.

Learning Curve/The First Years has produced a very thorough, information-rich video about the True Fit Convertible seat that’s well worth viewing. Click here to watch this video.

You can purchase the True Fit Convertible Car Seat directly from Learning Curve’s website as well as from Amazon!

Win it! Learning Curve/The First Years has graciously offered one of you a chance to win a True Fit Convertible Car Seat for your child! All you need to do is this:

Click on over and watch the demonstration video to learn more about the True Fit Convertible seat. After you’re done, come back here and tell me, in a comment, something that you learned or a particular aspect of this seat that you especially like. I’ll leave this contest open until 11pm next Wednesday, March 11th at 11pm EST. US entries only; duplicate commenters will be disqualified. Good luck!

When our two children were infants, our “bouncy seat” was indispensable. The vibration soothed them when they were fussy, and the rocking kept them happy when they kicked and waved their little arms. I loved putting it beside me where I was in the house….while I cooked, while I read, while I paid bills.

One thing is for sure: If The First Years’ Kickin’ Coaster would have been available when I was registering for baby gear, it would have been my top pick. Here is a bouncer seat that serves as other things at the same time….a musical entertainer, a vibrating seat, PLUS a seat on a track that slides up and down when baby kicks! It is a great progression towards strengthening those tiny leg muscles in preparation for crawling and walking.

The Kickin’ Coaster was an absolute snap to assemble, and I marveled at how trendy the colors and fabrics were. I asked a good friend of mine, Sara, if she wouldn’t mind testing out the Kickin’ Coaster at her house, as she has a four-month-old daughter who would be a prime candidate for this fun seat. She gladly agreed.

In fact, Sara gave me such a stellar review of this superior baby bouncer that I thought I’d just share with you what she gave me as feedback, word for word!:

“I am thrilled to try “The First Years Kickin’ Coaster” with my
daughter Ava. At 6 months old, Ava is constantly in motion; grasping, rolling and kicking. The seat is easy to assemble and use. We adjusted the seat to the shortest length since our girl has short, chubby legs.  Ava settled right in, and I liked the soft pillow supporting her head.  Once she was restrained, we turned on the music. Ava was immediately drawn to the lights on the kick panel that twinkled with the playful sounds. Our 3 year old, Lucas, was drawn to the bouncy toys. It took her a few minutes to realize the cause and effect relationship between kicking and seeing the lights and hearing the music. But once she caught on, Ava loved it!

“I like the different settings on the control panel. Depending upon how active Ava is feeling, I can set the music as playful, soothing or rewarding. The auto-off feature is also great since Lucas likes to turn the music on when we are in another room. This feature saves our batteries!

“The Kickin’ Coaster is way more than just an average bouncy seat! As Ava grows this year, we can adjust the seat and let the fun continue! This attractive, quality seat is entertaining and functional, and we love it in our home!”

You can view a full demo of the Kickin’ Coaster in action by visiting Learning Curve’s website and clicking on the green demo button (or jump to it directly here).

The Kickin’ Coaster by The First Years retails for $69.99. You can purchase The First Years Kickin’ Coaster directly via their website, or wherever fine baby gear is sold.

Win it! Learning Curve/The First Years has kindly offered one of you a Kickin’ Coaster for your own little one! All you need to do is go over to the Kickin’ Coaster’s product page and read more about it. Come back here and, in one comment, tell me one of its features that you appreciate the most or that you think would be the most helpful. I’ll close the contest at 11pm EST next Sunday, February 15th, 2009. Sorry; US entries only. Good luck!

Welcome to Muse Reviews via the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival!

I am extremely tickled today to be able to tell you about Zooni, a company that turns out hand-knit hats and mittens for babies and children that are extremely cute and unbelievably unique.

Zooniwear’s designs are totally, 100% original — even the yarn is theirs. The founders of the company used the arrival of their own children as inspiration for their fine products. These items are strong enough to withstand anything your child can throw at them. In Michelle & Melissa’s own words: “Children can be demanding. Rest assured Zooni’s products stand up to being thrown, pulled, tugged, and stomped on. Each piece has been rigorously tested by our own babies and toddlers. A quick hand wash once in a while is all they need.”

These oh-so-trendy hats & mittens are not just warm, they’re unforgettably uncommon in style. Zooniwear was most recently a part of the goody packs at the Golden Globe Awards! With Zooniwear, bundling up for the cold can be fun and fashionable! Take a look:

Kate’s Moss hat

Blue Grass hat

Flower Power Mittens

G loves his Zooni Chunkee Monkee hat! It keeps him warm when we choose to go outdoors even on the coldest days!

Zooniwear hats are available in sizes ranging from 0-6 months to 2-5+ years. Zooniwear mittens come in two sizes: 18-36 months and 3-5+ years. They are available for purchase directly from their site, or you can use their store locator to find a retailer near you.

Win it! Zooniwear has generously offered one of you a chance to win one of their fantastic hats for your little one! If you win, you will be able to choose one of these five styles: Firecracker, Blue Grass, Hipster, Kate’s Moss, or Under the Sea. Just head over to Zooni’s website and look at the styles available, then come back here and, in a comment, let me know another style (not mentioned above) that you or your little one would love. That’s it! I’ll close the contest at 11pm EST next Saturday, January 31, 2009. Sorry; US addresses only. Duplicated commenters will be disqualified. Good luck!

(Cruise over to Bloggy Giveaways to enter more great contests…)