Products and Services I Would Want to Buy or Use if I Was Having Another Baby -- But I'm Not, So I Think YOU Should Use Them!

Banned From Baby Showers needs a nice generic post for a change!  Seriously, there are several products and services that I've wanted to mention here, so now seems like a great time to do so.

First, let me say that it's been 6 years since I had a baby in the house.  There are many things that are different now, one being cloth diapers.  I'd like to say that I am certain that I'd jump on that bandwagon, but in all reality, it scares me.  I don't know what I would choose.  I'd like to think I would cloth diaper...   Good thing at 40 I'm not making this decision!

 TCBN PRESENTS A BOOK OF BIRTH STORIES

The first thing I must mention is the book that was just released this week by the  Tarrant County Birth Network  --  The Birth Next Door:  Stories and Lessons of Birth In and Around Tarrant County, Texas.  Obviously, you do not need to be from Fort Worth to enjoy this book!  There really is not another book available quite like it.  Proceeds will benefit TCBN and improving maternity care in and around Tarrant County.  I wish I could take credit for putting this together, but alas, I had close-to-nothing to do with it.  Shannon Blackwell, owner of Simple Baby  - and cloth diaper guru! - as well as fellow Chapter Leader for TCBN, single-handedly put this together.  I did, however, write the Foreword. Get your copy today.

PORTRAIT PAINTING BY HAYLEE RYAN

The Art of Birth took place Saturday, April 30 in Fort Worth, and it was amazing.  One of the features was a Haylee Ryan, 24, finger painting a portrait of a live model.  In less than 5 hours she created a masterpiece.  It was so lovely, I desperately wish I had done something like that when I was pregnant.  If you give her a photo, she will paint a portrait out of it.  (This may be my best bet at this point.)  The cool thing is, you wouldn't have to sit for the painting and you could live anywhere, not just in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.  Visit her website or Facebook page to see all the cool things she can do.

CECI-JANE BIRTH VIDEOGRAPHY

If you have read my birth stories, you know how important videotaping my births were to me.  So important, in fact, I changed from a hospital birth to a homebirth at 33 weeks so that I could videotape my third birth.  Ceci is a professional photographer who recently started birth videography, set to music, catching the highlights of your labor and birth in about a 6 or 7 minute video.  One word -- amazing.  I desperately wish I had known her when I was having my babies.  It is such a treasure.  People spend twice as much money on a wedding video, but do you remember when that woman in The Business of Being Born talked about the day she gave birth, she admitted that it "trumped the wedding day."  A lot of us feel that way.  Spend the money.  You'll be glad you did.

Bonus:  She's doing a FREE giveaway for a Birth Story Movie, worth $800.  Click here for details if you are in the DFW area and are due this summer.

BABY BOND NURSING "COVER"

If you are a regular Banned From Baby Showers reader, you know how I feel about the (stupid) Hooter Hiders and Udder Covers.  Without jumping on that soapbox (for now anyway!), I would like to take this opportunity to plug for Baby Bond.  I love the fact that mom is covered and baby is not!  People still "see" baby breastfeeding, but mom is able to remain covered.  There are 3 different styles, but if I were to buy one, this is the one I would want, shown above.  I never once used a cover in over 7 years of breastfeeding, but there are times when this one would have been handy.  One of my former students ordered this and loves it!  TCBN has been giving Baby Bonds as door prizes and the mamas are loving it!

BOOBIE BEANIES

From "covers" to Boobie Beanies.  Many of you have probably seen the Boobie Beanies on Facebook.  I recently ordered several to use as prizes in class.  I love, love, love this!  It's the "made ya look!" thing that is just so darn fun.  This cracks me up to no end.  The best part?  They come in a variety of "flesh" colors to match mom's skin tone.  Now who would ever want to use a silly nursing cover when you've got a Boobie Beanie?!

MOON OVER MAIZE PREGNANCY JEWELRY

I've mentioned Moon Over Maize here in the past, but it's been a long time.  I've ordered more things and seen more of her work since then, and it's just improved with time.  In the Fort Worth area, she's created quite a name for herself.   No, she doesn't live here, but enough people have her jewelry, people recognize the name.  She has many beautiful pieces of jewelry, not just celebrating pregnancy and homebirth.  My favorite piece is still the pregnancy silloutte, stamped with a word of your choice -- homebirth, doula, midwife -- and the birth stones of your babies dangling from the middle.  Order one for yourself or as a gift for your doula or midwife.

I'll be adding to this list, I'm sure.  Hopefully it won't take me as long next time.  I'll live vicariously through y'all, using the products and services I wish I could use -- just not bad enough to actually have another baby!  Be sure to tell them that Donna over at Banned From Baby Showers sent you.