About: Totsy.com is a private sales website that you can request to join or be invited to by a friend. Totsy offers Apparel, Accessories, Strollers, Car Seats, Safety and Health products, Furniture, Bedding, Toys, Books and Sustainable Green products for babies and tots 0-7-years-old. Totsy.com’s sales each last 48 to 72 hours, and offer up to 70% off retail. With every purchase you make on Totsy.com, they will plant one tree in the name of your child to help reduce the effects of deforestation. BONUS: When you invite friends you get $15!

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Jennifer R.

I like the fact that Totsy.com features a wide range of products. You can find everything from candles to pacifier clips to nursing bras, and the discounts are great. I was able to find some great products for my 6 month old daughter as well as potential gifts for nieces and nephews. One thing I did wish you could do was to  search by size, instead of having to click on each product to find out if they have your size (and sometimes they are out). With that said, the quality of the product definitely outweighs the negative, and makes it a site I’m going to visit regularly.

Grade: A-

Pros: Awesome products, great discount
Cons: Can’t search by size.

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Product: sootheTIME™’ Sleep System
Price:
Snooze Wrap Plus- $19.99
Snooze Sack-$19.99
Snooze Sheet-$15.99
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About:

The sootheTIME™ zzzTIME™ Sleep System includes the following products to give your baby the healthiest and safest sleep possible.

snooze wrap™ plus adjustable swaddle wrap
The Snooze Wrap™ Plus is so simple to use that anyone can achieve a perfect swaddle — every time. It’s been designed to ensure proper positioning, while supporting the healthy growth and development of your baby. And the luxurious 100% cotton knit fabric provides the comfort baby deserves.

snooze sheet™ safe sleep
Use the Snooze Sheet™ with the sootheTIME Snooze Wrap™ Plus or Stage 1 Snooze Sack™ to position baby for safe, developmentally appropriate sleep. Simply open the Sleep Stabilizers™ on the Snooze Wrap™ Plus or Stage 1 Snooze Sack and place baby on the soft fabric over to secure your little one in the “back to sleep” position.

snooze sack™ wear-a-blanket™
With the Stage 1 Snooze Sack™ your baby stays covered and cozy for more restful sleep in any season. Unique design allows freedom of movement while keeping your baby snug and secure. And the soft, 100% cotton assures your baby’s comfort year-round. Machine washable and dryer safe to make your life a little easier, too.

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Sarah
Resident Mom™ Says:

Overall, this product line was great. The material felt wonderful and the products seem very well made. I washed them several times during our testing time and saw no wear. We used the line for about two weeks and loved it. I would definitely recommend this to my friends!

*Reviewed by piece

snooze sack™ wear-a-blanket™:
LOVED IT!!!! Due to the summer heat where I live, I put my newborn daughter, Eve, in this one with just her diaper. The vents kept her cool and the zipper allowed for easy access for diaper changes. She slept like a charm in this. I would seriously love to have several of these!

snooze sheet™ safe sleep and snooze wrap™ plus adjustable swaddle wrap:
Again, the material and fit were great. I also loved that these coordinated. Eve seemed to not like the fact that she was restricted initially, but acclimated very quickly. I loved the fact that I knew she wouldn’t ”roll” around. Figuring it out for the first use was a little complicated, but after one use we were good. I did not use the option of keeping her arms in the swaddle wrap, as she HATES this. Usually she doesn’t like her feet covered, but we had no problems with this at all.  My only complaints were that the wrap made the midnight diaper changes a little difficult, but it was worth it.

Pros: Fabric and quality feels great, items work well together, price is reasonable
Cons: Initial set up takes a bit of time and learning
Rating: A

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Product: VeggieTales’Sweetpea Beauty DVD
Price:$14.99
Buy it Here

About:
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who has the truest heart of all?
Once upon a time, there lived a royally sour blueberry, a fair rhubarb maiden and a dastardly deceptive mirror! Sweetpea Beauty knows that what’s on the inside is what matters most, but insecure Queen Blueberry can’t see past her own reflection! So, when a decree is handed down that only the most beautiful can rule the land, the Queen gets nervous and things turn ugly! Banished to the dark forest, Sweetpea’s fate seems bleak until a charming prince, a band of merry minstrels and seven snow peas come to the rescue! Will Sweetpea and her friends be able to warn the Queen in time to save her from the clutches of the tricky mirror – or will the crumbling kingdom and the Queen’s own heart be lost forever? Find out in this fairy “Veggie” tale about the real meaning of true beauty.

Plus, the almost-classic tale of . . .Snoodlerella.

A self- conscious Snoodlerella is the star of the ball after getting an extreme makeover. Her life of glamour is short-lived as the clock strikes midnight and her glasses, braces and insecurities return. Will she be able to see herself as the good King sees her—unique, beautiful and perfect just the way she is?

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Emily
Resident Mom™ Says:

My 4-year-old daughter and I watched this DVD twice in a row! This is a perfect video for little girls in the “princess stage.” We are familiar with VeggieTales as we have one other VeggieTales movie, but this one has become her new favorite. The basic theme of the movie stresses the concept that beauty is within ( “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”). It is an excellent tool to help young girls (and old as well) increase their self-esteem. Common fairytales like Cinderella and Snow White are loosely transformed to accurately define how beauty should be seen. There is a bit of humor for adults in it as well.

Pros: Everything about it! Increases self esteem. Fun stories and music that captivate.
Cons: May not appeal to some boys. (Although they try to, it is largely princess-based.)
Rating: A

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Product: Medela Freestyle® Hands-Free Breastpump
Price:$379.99
Buy it Here
About: The latest breastpumping breakthrough from Medela, inspired by insights and conversations with over 1,000 breastfeeding moms.

-True pumping mobility with hands-free option.
-Rechargeable battery and ultra-lightweight motor.
-Easy interaction with digital display, memory, timer and backlight.
-More milk in less time with 2-Phase Expression® technology.

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Annie
Resident Mom™ Says:

I am a first time mom, and after 12 wonderful weeks off of work, I had to return. Wanting to continue breastfeeding, I bought the cheapest double electric pump I could find. It worked fine for me, but upon receiving the Medela I started to understand the difference between “cheap” pumps and higher grade pumps. When I first opened the Medela, I was definitely overwhelmed. There were lots of pieces (many of the intimidating ones belonged to the hands free set up.) Once I read the manual I quickly understood the set up. It has a “Stimulation” feature which is a nice way to ease into the pumping session. After your milk lets down, you can “up” the suction by entering the “Expression” phase. You can set the levels as low or high as you need. Once you find your preference, you can set a customized session. The memory feature will do the work for you. The timer on the screen is very handy, I didn’t have to constantly check the clock anymore!

The bottle and pump-tops are much more streamlined than my previous pump. They have more pieces to wash/put together but the size difference is worth it. I didn’t find that the Medela pumped any more milk than my other pump, but the suction was a bit more comfortable with the Medela. The Medela was also quieter and did not shake like my previous pump unit.

The rechargable battery is probably my favorite feature on the Freestyle. It’s so nice not having to be tethered to a plug in! We do a lot of traveling so pumping in the car when I have to is now possible! I love the ice pack/bottle cooler that comes with it also. It all comes in a neat little bag (which isn’t so little, so I use a different one when just packing the pump and the bottles). I recommend it to any mom who has the money to spend!!

Pros: Rechargable battery that goes VERY long between charges; small and streamlined parts; comes with everything you need in one bag; lots of choices for suction levels; informative digital display
Cons: Expensive
Rating: A

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Melissa
Resident Mom™ Says:

I have been using the pump for a little over a week and I love it! While it took awhile to get the handsfree setup (I was frequently readjusting the elastic straps that hook to the side to make sure the shield was on straight) I now have it down to a science with no problems. Everything else was easy to assemble. The strength of the suction has been consistent, and I think the sound of the motor is fine (not too loud but not too quite either, it’s in between). I also like the fact that you can choose from the AC adapter, car adapter, or rechargeable batteries. I’ve used this at home and at the mall, and it is very lightweight and comes with a double-strap black bag that looks just like a regular diaper bag. I will be taking this to work when I go back in a week!

Pros: Lightweight and easy to carry around with you; the timer option is great; hands-free
Cons: The initial set up of the hands free option can be frustrating but as the instructions say, take your time.
Rating:A

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Grace
Resident Mom™ Says:

I had already rented the Medela Symphony pump from the hospital for the first 2 months, and I also have the Medela Pump In Style Advanced at home. When I first used the Medela Freestyle®, the first thing I noticed was that the suction feels fairly strong and I was surprised that I pumped as much out as my PISA. The size and portability of the Freestyle® are a BIG plus. I can put a pacifier in if my baby is crying across the room instead of being hooked up to a pump that’s plugged in, or I can go get a snack in the kitchen. I love that there is a timer since I always forget to keep track of how long I’ve been pumping. The hands-free nursing straps took a little practice to use, but they do work.

I think it’s great to use for the portability convenience and if you need to do a pump on-the-go. I’ll definitely be using it in the future!

Pros:Portability; size; rechargeable battery with good battery life; good suction
Cons:Cannot interchange with other Medela pumps; silicone flanges were too small for me
Rating:B+

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Product: Thermofocus Infrared Thermometer
Price:$49.94
Buy it Here

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Angelique
Resident Mom™ Says:

I am the mom of an 18-month-old girl and I also have a baby on the way so I was excited to be able to test this new thermometer. I really liked it because you don’t have to hold your child down to take their temperature and you don’t have to touch them so it helps to stop the spread of germs when they are sick.

Using the Thermafocus I was able to take my daughter’s temperature at any time, quickly, including when my husband was reading to her and while she was lying in bed. She hardly noticed anything at all. I also liked the other features that came with this thermometer. You can test the temperatures of liquids such as bottles, heated food, bath water, and you can also use it to determine the room temperature. Those features will definitely come in handy with a new baby. Living in the desert the weather changes so frequently that I often wonder if the baby’s room was warm enough or too warm at times, now I can be sure.

The only issue I had with the thermometer was that it’s a little difficult to open the battery door but that got a lot easier with practice. The Thermafocus thermometer is definitely something I wish I had from the beginning with my firstborn and I’m excited to use in the future.

Pros: It’s easy to use and it takes temperature readings quickly.
Cons: The battery door is difficult to open and the instructional DVD did not play in either of my DVD players, but the instructions were clearly written and easy to follow.
Rating:A

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Beth
Resident Mom™ Says:

I’m a child care provider. I take care of other people’s children along with my own. It’s of utmost importance to not spread germs, especially important when I’m trying to identify if a child is sick. The Thermofocus is a non-contact thermometer that keeps each child safe and when taking multiple children’s temperatures, hygienic.

The bonus of this thermometer is that it can take temperatures of other things in your home like bath water, bottles of breast milk or formula, baby food… there are so many uses. I keep this thermometer handy all the time, because I feel confident that I’m getting accurate temperatures in everything, from a child’s body temperature to the food or milk that I’m serving.

Pros: Multi-use thermometer, hygienic and safe.
Cons: No easy on-and-off function, can be difficult to get an accurate reading on a moving child.
Rating: A-

Reviewed By: Resident Mom™ Erica
Resident Mom™ Says:

This product is great and I would recommend it to friends. The thermometer is accurate and fast (if done properly). I like the fact that I could take my child’s temperature three different ways (forehead, neck, and navel) as well as test the temperature of bottles, bath water and my house. I think this product is awesome compared to other thermometers I have tried. I have been searching for a fast and accurate thermometer and now my search is over! In a matter of seconds I can have my child’s temperature, and with a squirmy child that is a heaven sent.

Pros: Fast and easy
Cons: The instructional manual was difficult to understand, and the DVD didn’t work in my player.
Rating:I give this product a B only because of the instructional manual & CD. Otherwise it would have gotten an A.

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