Urban Mama

Product of the Week: (Edible) LUSH Soap

Sometimes a crawling 11-month-old just can't be stopped. Yesterday while I was in the bathroom, I put baby J on the floor with some toys and left the door open, so he could still see me. Next thing I know, he's crawling into the bathroom to say hello. I chat with him a little bit and then watch him crawl up to the shower stall. Before I could say "Charmin," baby J had a mouthful of soap in his mouth.

LUSH's Porridge soap (left) has tiny little oats that fall off as you lather up, so my shower had a bunch of tiny pieces of soap lining it (I know, yuck, but I hadn't motivated myself to clean the shower and figured the pieces provided a nice little scrub for the soles of our feet). Realizing his little treat wasn't very tasty, baby J began to cry, creating a slobbery, sudsy mush around his mouth. By then, of course, I had washed my hands and was busy wiping his mouth. Thank goodness we use LUSH, which is made of natural ingredients, rather than some harsh, potentially toxic alternative. 

So, if you're like me and have a baby who loves to eat off of the floor, or if you're one of those old-school parents who employs the "Christmas Story" method of discipline, I recommend LUSH soap.

All of my LUSH soaps were paid for by yours truly, and my favorite kind is Honey I Washed the Kids

Product of the Week: MilkBank System by DexBaby

I don't review every product I receive. Lately I haven't even bothered with reviews because I haven't felt up to it. I don't want to waste my time writing about something I feel blah about, so when DexBaby sent me their new breastmilk storage system MilkBank, I was skeptical. Having pumped my milk for all three of my kids, I've tried dozens of bags and bottles and trays (breastmilk popsicles anyone?), and only a couple didn't leak or frustrate me.

What MilkBank provides, however, is actually useful -- a vacuum pump system that not only saves milk for longer than the average 4-6 months but reportedly keeps it fresher than just storing it in a bag or regular bottle. By eliminating the oxygen trapped in the bottle your expressed breastmilk is in (you attach a vacuum pump to a cap, give it a quick few pumps and  you're done -- well, first you detach the pump and put the bottle in the freezer), your milk stays safe for a lot longer. That's important for breastfeeding mothers who have to leave their little ones with caregivers for work.

Pros:

• Vacuum-sealed breastmilk retains the taste and nutrient content of milk
• Milk stays fresher for a longer period of time
• No leaks (at least for me)
• Insulated feeding bottles (sold separately from the storage bottles) keep thawed milk warm, since you can't microwave breastmilk
• All components are lead, phthalate, PVC, and BPA free
• Affordable (starter kit is $24.99, but 3-packs of storage bottles are only $9.99)

Cons:

• You can't pump directly into the bottles
• Vacuum pump adds an extra step before freezing bottle
• Bottles have extra parts (vent straws), but so do other popular bottles like Dr. Brown's
• You must buy MilkBank bottles/caps for the pump to work

Regardless of what breastmilk storage system you use, pumping and saving your milk, while not easy, is the key to a successful breastfeeding relationship when you work part or full time -- or just want a day or date out without your baby in tow. Happy breastfeeding!