Itsabelly's Health & Wellness Events for Mom & Baby Happening this Week!

June 22, 2010

Join our HUGE Itsabelly giveaway events focused on Health & Wellness for Mom & Baby!

Hosted by Itsabelly Baby Planners & Sponsored by Britax, Cord Blood Registry & CityMommy.com

with new baby product giveaways from wonderful brands like Zoli, Plum Organics, gDiapers & more.

Win a Britax Car Seat & Stroller System valued at $500!!

See us in:

Seattle on 6/24 at Merry Go Round

Chicago on 6/24 at Galt Baby

SF Bay area on 6/26 at Lullaby Lane

Event details at:   Mom & Baby Events &   RSVP to info@itsa-belly.com.

San Francisco "Bump It Up" Book Tour Success!

May 29, 2010

Wednesday's, May 26, event at the W - Hotel in San Francisco for the "Bump It Up" book tour was a smashing success!  Thank you to all of the following vendors for supporting the raffle on behalf of Itsabelly!  Take a look at all the great prizes.

"Best of the Bay - Mommy Bag"

All of our give away items were from vendors located in the Bay Area!

• FFit Bag in "Orange Zoo on Slate" designed by Tiffany Stickles, medium size for $178 http://www.ffitbags.com/

Items included in the Ffit Bag:

• Flying Peas' Stroller Blanket $58  www.flyingpeas.com
• ZoLi On-the-go Travel Formula & Snack Dispenser $15, baby OHM - diaper changeing mat in green $20, Gummy Stick - Teething Stick (2 pack) $10, Munch - Silicone Teethers (2) $5.00 each, www.zo-li.com
• The Baby Cuisine Cookbook and DVD $19.95 www.alinascucina.com
• Dabib - DaHugs in Yellow micro terry cloth $9.00 www.dabib.com
• Violet's Pea Pod $20 Gift Certificate www.violetspeapod.com
• Maternity's Xchange SF Birth & Baby Fair June 6 complimentary admission tickets (for 2) www.birthandbabyfair.com

More winners received prizes from the following:

• Japanese Weekend $75 Gift Certificate www.japaneseweekend.com
• Lullaby Lane in San Bruno $100 Gift Certificate www.lullabylane.com
• Jenny Lee Photography $100 Gift Certificate www.jennyleephotography.com

Thank you to JJ Cole Collections for providing a Fleurville 'chocolate Re-Run Hana' diaper bag for our "Project Mommy Bag" display featuring eco-friendly baby products.

Tips for Hiring a Babysitter

April 29, 2010

Guest post by Candi Wingate, Founder of and Care4Hire.com and Nannies4Hire.com

Tips for Hiring a Babysitter



Choosing who will care for your child when you are away is one of the most important decisions we make as parents, and peace of mind that your child is safe and happy is top priority. Long gone are the days when finding a babysitter was dependent on word of mouth. Today, services like Care4Hire.com provide a massive database for everyone to find their perfect child care match with just the click of a mouse. With such a vast array of qualified candidates at your fingertips, here are a few tips to help make the process easier.

Make a list of your requirements.
Before you start the interview process, it’s a good idea to figure out what you’re looking for in a babysitter. Think about the hours you require, the amount of experience you’re looking for, the type of childcare philosophy, and whether any household duties will be involved.

Do your homework.
Your child’s safety is top priority. Conduct background checks and thoroughly check references.

Ask the right questions.
These could include things like the number of years she has had as a childcare provider, what type of training has she had, what ages has she dealt with, and what her ideas are on childrearing.

Include your child.
It is best to conduct initial interviews without your child present. There is no need to confuse your son or daughter by introducing him or her to multiple caregivers who they will likely never see again. Introduce your best candidate to your child and observe how they interact together. Does the babysitter actively engage him or her? Is she keeping your child entertained?

Be clear about discipline.
The babysitter must be able to relate with your family and administer discipline to your children in a manner that is appropriate and consistent with your family’s boundaries. You and your babysitter should discuss, prior to hiring, the discipline style that your family would like the babysitter to use.

Explain boundaries.
The babysitter should be capable of handling small “crises” on his/her own. You and your babysitter should come to an agreement about what issues may warrant a call to you and what issues the babysitter is authorized to handle on his/her own. Your babysitter should be able to act comfortably within the boundaries you have provided.

Finding the right babysitter for your child is a critical decision. Take your time and be picky in your choice. Ideally, this babysitter will be in your child’s life for as long as possible so they can form a long lasting relationship and truly enjoy their time together.

Candi Wingate is an expert in the child care industry with over 20 years experience. She is the founder of Nannies4Hire.com and Care4Hire.com, and author of 100 Tips for Nannies & Families and mother of two.

It’s Yoga, Kids… yoga for all ages and families

November 1, 2009

By Amy Kux, Itsabelly San Francisco

Michelle Wing is the founder of an innovative yoga studio; It’s Yoga Kids. Her concept is to introduce a healthy lifestyle through yoga pre-birth all the way to adulthood. Her yoga classes are offered to families, prenatal and postnatal mothers and to children (baby all the way to teens).
I love this concept and recent reports have shown that healthy lifestyles have a huge impact on children. I have asked Michele some simple questions so we can learn more.
Blog Interview:
Who is she: Michelle Wing
Where did you find her: It’s Yoga, Kids
I started It’s Yoga, Kids because…I noticed how stressed out kids are today with loaded schedules, multiple caregivers, and both social and academic pressure from an early age. I wanted to provide kids of all ages and abilities with the healthy fun that yoga provides.
One thing I’m most passionate about with It’s Yoga, Kids is….that we provide the best possible experience for children and families with our commitment to the quality of our curriculum, our instructors, and our location.
What I say to people that are skeptical about yoga…try it, you may like it!
The best three yoga positions for a pregnant woman are…dependent on their own body. In general, sitting tall with a natural arch in the lower back, rocking on hands and knees, and lying down on the left side fully supported by pillows.

The best three things a parent can do to bond with a newborn are…skin to skin peaceful touch, eye contact and relaxed breathing.

The best three yoga positions for a parent to do with a baby are…cat/cow pose and downdog with the baby between your arms and rolling like a ball with the baby on your shins.

The best three yoga positions for a newborn’s development are…rolling side to side in chair pose (from a reclining position bringing knees to the chest), cobra pose (tummy time) and cross/crawl (crossing the mid-line work).

Announcing Our New Seal of Approval Launching at ABC Kids Expo! We're looking for the Best in Show.

September 5, 2009

Itsabelly's New Seal of Approval

Stay tuned for details on how your product can receive our seal...

Overwhelmed by which BPA-free Baby Bottle to Purchase? Thesoftlanding.com is Your Answer (the #1 safe baby feeding resource).

August 13, 2009

By Amy Kux, Itsabelly SF Baby Planner

As a first time mom, we rely on other’s opinions and experiences.  But what most mother’s forget to tell you is that not all products work for your baby.  Each baby is unique in their needs, wants and comfort level.  A great example of this is using the bottle.  I personally bought all glass bottles prior to the birth of my child.  Once we started to give her the bottle (2 months old), we found that she would not take them.  My instinct was to buy a bunch of other BPA free bottles.  I sat on the computer for hours in the middle of the night reading through review after review.  I was in need of a bottle for a breastfed baby that was not latching on correctly.  I was amazed with the mixed reviews of each bottle.  Some mothers loved the Adiri, which looks like a woman’s breast, others loved Dr. Browns, and some liked the Nuby and the list goes on.  It was very difficult for me to know which one would work for us.
In the end I bought about 6 different types of bottles, hoping one would work. I even bought two of the same type if I felt the reviews were very positive.
After trying most of them, our daughter decided that Born Free wide mouth bottles were for her.  Now, as much as I would like to say this was a great learning experience, I have to admit it was time consuming and very overwhelming.  First, it was hard to tell what was BPA free.  Some manufactures stressed it, while others would not have anything and then there were a few that you had to read through their comments just to find anything.  Second, parents’ reviews were so mixed, that it causes me to think that maybe we were doing something wrong (common first time parent fear).

Now there is a solution to this; The Soft Landing (www.softlanding.com).  They offer sampler kits for BPA free bottles.  This is an ingenious idea that allows parents to try different safe bottles, but also lets parents know that this is a common struggle. Itsabelly fully endorses Thesoftlanding.com which is truly the #1 baby safe feeding on-line resource backed up by thorough research from founder/CEO Alicia Voorhies (a mom & former RN). One important thing to note is that thesoftlanding.com not only carries BPA-free baby bottles but almost every type of feeding gear as well as teething toy that you can imagine!

Are You Capturing Those Ultimate Precious Moments?

May 3, 2009

By Amy Kux, Itsabelly San Francisco

The other day I started to review my photos of Maya ‘s first 11 months of life.  I found that a lot of them are just “alright.”  I also noticed that many are the same, but with little (and I mean little) changes; hand moved, head slightly tilted, tilted a little more, etc.  The other issue I found, it that I am the one behind the camera, leaving me with loads of Maya and papa pictures, but none with me (ok, I have about 10 and most are close ups of Maya with a little bit of my face or chest).   What I really wish I had, is a set of perfect pictures that can be passed down for generations to come.
Professional pictures may seem to be an added luxury, especially in this economy, but in meeting Jenny Lee, she brought up a point that I never really thought of; “capturing memories.” As we talked, I realized that I have loads of pictures of Maya in her first few months, but I never captured the essence of the moments.  I was so into the details, the newness of it all, that I may have overlooked the vital point of getting the feelings in print.
Jenny Lee is able to encapsulate the moments of pregnancy, newborns and beyond in such an unobtrusive way. Officially, she specializes in “Modern Lifestyle Photography” for Newborns, Babies and Maternity.  This style is well articulated since she comes to your home, in your natural environment, and catches the moment, the feelings, and the emotions.  Below are some of those moments that she has captured of her clients.  I am now hoping that I have done the same in at least a few of my million pictures.

Itsabelly Welcomes Our Atlanta Baby Planner!

May 2, 2009

By Nicole Mabry, Itsabelly Atlanta

Atlanta is home to the hospital that delivers the most babies in the United States each year. Now Atlanta is also a new home for Itsabelly Baby Planners!

When I first heard of baby planning – businesses that help expectant families with all the preparations that come along with a new arrival, my first thought was “Why isn’t anyone doing that?” My second thought was, “Why am I not doing that?” Thus, Itsabelly in Atlanta was born.

I’m Nicole Mabry, a new mom and baby planner serving the Atlanta area. When I was expecting my first child, I found myself wading through volumes and volumes of information to make the best selections of products and services for my son. I wanted to be sure I was making the safest, healthiest and most green choices for him. Sorting through that volume of information can be overwhelming for many families, but since research is my passion, I soaked it all up and soon was passing along my findings to other expectant families. Essentially, I was baby planning for friends and family, I just didn’t know it yet!

My educational and employment background is in communications and marketing, but my passion has always been planning, organizing and helping other people succeed. So far, my most important job title has been “Mommy.” I think of baby planning as being a professional “expectant mommy”. I take planning for every new arrival as much to heart as I took my own as all of our babies are precious. I truly love learning more each and every day about supporting new families in their pregnancies, with their new babies and beyond!

If you or a loved one in the Atlanta area are expecting a baby, give Itsabelly a call! We’d love to assist you with all of your baby planning needs and help you get ready for and go green with baby!

To inquire about Nicole’s services please email her at nicole@itsa-belly.com. You can also reach her by phone at 678-920-2337.