Baby Gear & Gifts

This little one just made the major switch from an infant car-seat to a a big-girl convertible car seat. It was a transition that was over due. While she's pretty small for her age, she is 21 months old, so, yeah, it was about time. (Bye-bye hot-pink bucket seat!) Obviously, ...read more

During the summer, my kiddos and I always head back East to Georgia or North Carolina to visit family. Being on the road with children is a different kind of family bonding, that's for sure. Shoving everyone in a small space—whether it be a car, plane or train—for an extended ...read more

I've always loved Nordstrom. It's my favorite store, and also my first place of employment. The summer between my sophomore and junior years of college, I worked in the BP section—and spent my entire earnings on trendy clothes and shoes. (Because, employee discount!) It was back ...read more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOgiyD-MA0U The first few days and weeks and months after Baby’s big arrival are difficult and daunting for a new mom. It’s hard enough to track sleep schedules (or lack thereof), mealtimes, bowel movements (yes, I went there), tummy time ...read more

Nothing gives me a case of "baby fever" like touching, testing, and trying amazing baby gear. Well, except for maybe watching newborn-wearing mamas touching, testing, and trying amazing baby gear. (Ooph! My uterus!) Last weekend, I hit Pier 92 to attend the New York Baby ...read more

Baby’s bedtime… It’s my favorite part of the day. (And not just because it means Mama gets an hour or two to herself before hitting the hay.) I just enjoy the tranquility of it. The kisses. The whispered lullabies. The feeding cuddles... It’s pure sweetness. I’ve weaned my ...read more

As if growing a child in your belly isn’t hard enough, expectant moms have a lot of planning and preparing on their plates. There are doctor’s appointments to make, childcare to be sourced, and items to register for. It can be downright daunting for a first-timer. And shopping ...read more

I never even tried making my own baby food. I thought I would. I said I would. And then, once my babies were born, I just didn’t. Both times. I had too much to do. Too little time. And too many dirty dishes, pots, and pans that already needed cleaning. Did I actually need to ...read more

(Photo via @teammomtrends Instagram) This Toy Tuesday, we’re coming at you “live” from Toy Fair New York, an annual event that brings together buyers, brands, and press to show the latest, greatest, and newest in PLAY! We thought we’d share a reel with a few of our favorite ...read more

When my firstborn would drop his binky on the floor, I’d practically go through a three-step sanitation process before popping the pacifier back in his precious little mouth... I’d clean every new toy thoroughly with hot water and organic cleanser before he so much as touched ...read more

A dear friend of mine just became a mama for the first time and she asked me for one solid piece of advice that might help her navigate through the early days (months, years..) of mamahood. My advice? Get baby into a routine. I never followed a schedule per say for any of my ...read more

Allow me to set the serene scene for you: The kids are (finally) asleep, the husband is watching some game or another, and you've got a blissful hour or two of quiet time to relax your body and restore your mind before you beeline it to bed. You light a few subtly scented ...read more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwizIpEOPM As you'll see in this video, someone really loves her "baba." I could barely get Baby P to sit still on my lap when she saw me prepare a formula bottle with the help of BabyNes. (And by "prepare," I mean push a button.) It's that ...read more

What did parents do before video baby monitors? I truly don't understand... How did moms survive with audio alone?!? My husband chastises me for literally watching our baby-monitor screen like it's a compelling soap opera. I'm glued to it from the time my sweet love-bug's head ...read more

The market for baby-gear is saturated with… stuff. So many “things” you MUST have as a new mom. I definitely bought into a “more is more” mentality when I was pregnant with my first child. I needed ev.er.y.thing—to keep my soon-to-be baby happy, of course. But soon after the ...read more

During the day, this Tiny Love double-sided crib toy keeps Baby entertained with colorful pictures, knobs, buttons, and music. It stimulates Baby’s senses and encourages fine-motor development. (And, take it from this sleep-deprived mama, it’s a great option to keep infants ...read more

We've used our fair share of strollers over the past 8 years so it's pretty noteworthy when we encounter one with a brand new feature. And, friends, the GB QBit compact stroller is definitely worth your attention. While the brand name is new, GB creates products for the world’s ...read more

To celebrate National Breastfeeding Month we have brought you a series of posts to provide all nursing mamas with some of our favorite finds to make breastfeeding easier, more comfortable and stress free. Check out our Breastfeeding video all about the essentials from a seasoned ...read more

Your baby's first birthday is a big deal. Mostly for you--because, at one, they don't quite know what all the fuss is about. Still, it can be a wonderful reason to celebrate your family. The couple featured in these photos had a particular proclivity for all things Paris so they ...read more

Pregnant mamas want the very best for themselves and their babies. Bump Boxes knows that expectant mamas can have a hard time finding safe products for them and their growing bumps. Bump Boxes is a monthly subscriptions service that offers a wide array of pre-curted boxes for ...read more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvGVxJdUYMQ&feature=youtu.be We love a stylish stroller here at The Shopping Mama. And the Orla Kiely stroller doesn’t disappoint. It marries the functionality of a traditional Maclaren baby buggy with Orla Keily’s signature fashion-forward ...read more

Recently, I took my baby boy on a New York City date. It was a gorgeously, picture-perfect Manhattan morning, and we trekked from Penn Station to Central Park to FAO Scwharz (can’t believe it’s closing!) back to Penn Station. We went on the train and the subway and hailed ...read more

We’ve been on a quest to find a high-quality umbrella stroller—one that’s sturdy, offers a smooth ride, provides plenty of storage, and is lightweight, easy to handle, pleasing to the eye, and comfortable for Baby too. That’s not asking too much—is it? … Enter the Baby Cargo ...read more

Earth Day has come and gone, but, here, at The Shopping Mama, we’re always trying to embrace a greener lifestyle. We want to buy things, try things, and do things that are better for the eco-system around us. We want to feel good about the future of our world and our children. ...read more

If you need to reach me on a weekend afternoon, chances are, you’ll find me at a local farmer’s market. It’s sort of my “thing” in the spring. I could wander around endlessly taste testing raw honey, picking fresh fruits and veggies, and soaking up the sunshine with my little ...read more

We know it's so cliché, but children really do grow up quickly. Everyone tells you this but as parents sometimes it feels like suddenly they go from tiny newborns snuggling in your arm to big school-age kids doing homework just in the blink of an eye. While we can't keep them ...read more

Having a toddler around can make meal times a challenge especially when they want to start using their own utensils. We've had quite the mess at our house with tipped over bowls and forks and spoons that were a little too big for tiny fingers. Enter Zak Designs Toddlerific! ...read more

HALO is already well know for their cozy SleepSacks for babies but now they are expanding their brand. We're excited to share that recently HALO released their very first bassinet - the HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper. The HALO Bassinest is the only infant bassinet that moves to ...read more

Petunia Pickle Bottom's newest silhouette is a modern bag that will go with you through the ages and stages of parenting a baby, toddler and beyond. The Downtown Tote is a sleek, modern bag that masters organization and allows the signature Petunia prints shine. Downtown Tote ...read more

Living in a close military community means I get to attend a lot of baby showers. Seriously, you wouldn't believe the amount of babies born in on our little base every year. I'm anticipating a bit of a baby boom this summer, too, because it's about ten months after a big group of ...read more