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.

Mommies Who Shop is where the hippest moms meet the hottest designers featuring the very best in unique clothing, gear, gifts and accessories for
chic-baby and trendy tots. For Mama, they also feature a carefully edited selection of apparel and accessories including clothing, jewelry, handbags, fine stationary, gifts and more! All of the items at Mommies Who Shop will be offered at special event pricing.

May 20, 2010 6-9pm
Regis College Grand Foyer
235 Wellesley Street, Weston, MA

June 3, 2010 6-9pm
The Community House of Hamilton and Wenham
284 Bay Road, South Hamilton, MA

At the May event - Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres catered by Healthy Habits Kitchen, desserts from Finale,, wine, a luxurious Spa Lounge by Best of Boston’s Bella Sante, and amazing door prizes

In June – Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres catered by Dream Dinners, wine, a luxurious Spa Lounge by Best of Boston’s M. Lekkakos, and amazing door prizes!

To purchase tickets, or more information about these events, please visit the MWS website: www.mommieswhoshop.com
info@mommieswhoshop.com • 978.282.1854

Facebook and raising money for a great cause…these are two things we, at PE, can surely get behind! From now ‘til Mother’s day, for every new Facebook fan who signs up on HALO SleepSack, HALO will donate $1 to SIDS research.  Spread the word and join HALO’s facebook fan club so we can raise as much money as we can for this important cause!

A very interesting article on Boston.com today suggests that if 90% of new moms in the U.S. breast-fed their babies for at least 6 months, the lives of 900 babies, along with $13 billion dollars, would be saved each year.

Right now, 43% of all Americans will do some amount of breast-feeding but only 12% follow the government guidelines that recommend that babies receive ONLY breast milk for the first six months of life.

Check out the article here and let us know what you think…..

From now until Mother’s Day, Halo Innovations is running a campaign on Facebook to spread the word about ways to protect babies from SIDS.

There’s no better gift for Mother’s Day than peace of mind that your baby will sleep safely.  This is why Halo is encouraging families to learn about safe sleep with a Test Your Safe Sleep IQ quiz and send Safe Sleep Tips to their friends.

Ways that you can promote SIDS prevention….Take the Safe Sleep IQ quiz and send Safe Sleep Tips to your friends through the Halo Sleepsack Facebook page.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have announced a recall of 1.2 million high chairs today….specifically the Graco Harmony high chair. The recall is a result of several complaints concerning screws or plastic brackets on the high chair coming loose and falling out, causing the high chair to tip over.  In total, 24 injuries have been reported so far, causing hairline fractures to the arm and bumps and bruises to the head.

What to do if you own a Graco Harmony?  Stop using the high chair immediately and see the CPSC, or Graco, websites for more info on how to obtain a free repair kit.

Just when you think they’ve covered everything, What to Expect When You’re Expecting does it again!  The award-winning book series has developed WhatToExpect.com, an independent content and community site that guides expecting mothers and parents from the early stages of preconception and pregnancy to infancy and parenthood. WhatToExpect.com offers parents-to-be with the essential tools, information and expert advice from Heidi Murkoff, renowned author of the New York Times best-seller, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. 

Some of our favorite tools on WhatToExpect.com include the week by week pregnancy tracker, month by month infant development, the teething guide, potty training guide and A-Z parenting tips and advice.  So, next time you are surfing around the web for a great pregnancy or parenting resource be sure to check it out!

Today, Graco recalled 1.5 million strollers including dozens of models in the Passage, Alano, and Spree stroller lines and travel systems after reports of finger amputations and lacerations from the hinge mechanism.  For more info about the recall, please see the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website.