April Blog Contest } Win a Maxi Cosi Car Seat!

OUR APRIL BLOG CONTEST HAS CLOSED - WINNER WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA E-MAIL
Check back for our May Contest!





Our April Blog Contest is pretty awesome! You could win a Maxi Cosi Mico "Choco Mint" Car Seat valued at $219.99


About this Car Seat : The Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat offers European style while providing the ultimate in comfortable transportation. Includes EPP foam for energy absorption, plush cozi dozi infant insert and a stay in car base. The Mico's weighted base (included) installs in a rear-facing configuration with LATCH connectors, but you can also install the carseat using only your vehicle's safety belts and the carrier's special belt guides. Compatible with the Quinny Buzz and the Quinny Zapp. For children 5-22 lbs. and up to 29 inches.

$219.99 CDN
BUY/ READ MORE


HOW TO ENTER
Every month we ask a random question just for fun. :) This months prize question, we'd love for you to visit our online store and tell us .... "What is your favourite product on DearBornBaby.com"

In your blog reply, be sure to let us know the following
(1) The answer to this months question (EX: I love this high chair...)
(2) Your First Name **
(3) Your E-Mail Address so we can contact you
(3) Postal Code **

One Entry per household. Open to Canadian residents only. The name & the postal code you in your contest entry, must match the name, and mailing postal code of the prize if you should win. (This is important in case you have to bring Photo ID to the post office to pick up your prize) For complete prize rules & regulations please click here

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Product Spotlight } Guzzie + Guss Deluxe Stroller

We LOVE showing you new products that are available on DearBornBaby.com and this is a pretty awesome new one!

About the Guzzie + Guss G+G042 Deluxe Stroller

The crowning achievement of the Guzzie+Guss stroller design team, the G+G 042 stroller can go where others dare not. From walking through parks and across uneven surfaces, to sandy beaches and snow covered sidewalks; climbing up stairs and right to the tableside, the G+G 042 is truly a do it all stroller. Incorporating all of the classic functions of a full-sized pram, simply add the bassinette and your baby will glide on sealed bearings, full suspension, and air-filled tires for the smoothest of rides.

Cost: $599.99 CDN *Free shipping when ordered online

Read more online

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In the news, Slings

At Dear-Born Baby we carry a variety of baby carriers, from the classic Baby Bjorn, to a wonderful collection of slings/wraps that we adore. Recently, there has been some extremely sad reports of infant deaths cased by slings in the USA which has resulted in Health Canada recalling specific style slings called the Infantino SlingRider and Wendy Bellissimo Infant Sling Carriers.


To our customers, Dear-Born Baby has never carried the style of slings that have been recalled. However, we wanted to provide you with some helpful information in understanding slings and the issue that is at hand.


The slings that are of concern are '“bag-style” slings, the deep pouch where baby sits puts the baby in a potentially suffocating curved or “C” like position." KidsToday

"What exactly has Health Canada recalled? In a joint recall with the United States United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada is recalling Infantino SlingRider and Wendy Bellissimo Infant Sling Carriers, devices used by parents to carry their babies without using their hands. Approximately 14,755 of the recalled sling carriers were sold in Canada between January 2003 and March 2010. Parents who are using the slings with babies under four months of age are being asked to stop using the carriers right away. Many other brands of carriers on the market are not affected. "
(National Post, March 24)

We wanted to assure our customers that slings as an overall product, are not bad. It is the style of sling that one should be paying attention to. "In well-designed products, baby wearing is not only safe, but is actually very beneficial when done properly. Studies have shown that quality baby slings and carriers have been shown to save lives, improve health, decrease crying, increase IQ, and facilitate breastfeeding and bonding. " KidsToday.com

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), is providing important safety information to parents and caregivers on the proper use of infant slings. JPMA advises that caregivers:

* Make sure baby's face is visible at all times.
* Baby's head should not be covered by any fabric.
* Parents and caregivers should be able to look at baby's entire face when they are wearing the child.
* Be sure that baby is not hunched with chin touching chest.
*Baby's face should not be pressed tight against wearer.


Several trusted Web sites exist to aide in the education of babywearing for caregivers and new parents. To name a few: TheBabywearer.com, the Facebook fan page for Babywearing Safety, Mothering.com and LaLecheLeague.org.

To see the press release from JPMA regarding the cautioned use of slings, please click here

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Article from an Expert } Staying Organized when baby comes!

Staying Organized when baby comes!
by Lindsay Harris, GlowBaby

Before I had children I was SUPER organized. I remembered everything. I did not need to write things down and I would freak people out with the details I could recall. I could get everything done and then I would look for more. I remember my co-workers saying to me while I was pregnant that I would lose my memory and chaos would ensue once the baby was born. I would just nod at them when they said this, thinking it could never happen to me. Boy, was I in for a shock!

When my eldest daughter was born I felt like I had been hit by and truck and my brain had left my body. The first night was a blur of feedings and diaper changes. When the nurse came in to ask me when my daughter had last fed, I looked at her like she was nuts. That was when the nurse kindly and patiently explained to me that I needed to write down every feed my daughter had as well as every diaper and whether it was wet or dry. Again I think I looked lost because I distinctly remember her look of sympathy (or was it exasperation). I know I felt lost as I turned to my husband to say “nobody told me that they would ask me to do this”. I felt like I had failed my first test as a mom.

Luckily I was a quick study and I took to recording these important details and added a few of my own to my tracking sheets including vitamins and baths. It’s amazing how the brain does not grasp the simplest of details when it is working on broken, limited sleep. I embraced this tracking as it brought back a sense of control into an otherwise chaotic time in my life and enabled me to feel a semblance of normalcy. When my paediatrician asked me about my daughter’s feedings and diapers I was actually able to answer with confidence. I was able to see my daughter’s progress with her feeds and was able to recognize the start of patterns which ended up helping me when it came time to sleep train. The tracking was also helpful when my parents came over to help with my daughter. I was able to hand over the information and my parents could infer from my notes what my daughter would need next. All in all, keeping these details really helped me organize my life with a newborn during a time when I was desperate to have a bit of control.

Lindsay Harris
Owner of GlowBaby

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Product Spotlight } Baby K'tan Sling

Baby Carriers come in a variety of styles, and ways in which to carry your baby. In past blog posts we've featured other slings & carriers and today we wanted to feature the Baby K’tan™.



Baby K’tan™ Baby Carrier is a 100% natural cotton, unique, ergonomically designed & stylish soft baby carrier. Offered in hip neutral colors, the Baby K'tan is a cross between a sling and a more structured front baby carrier, offering the positions and benefits of both, AND MORE!

- Recommended by doctors and midwives
- No wrapping, No hardware
- Economical - double the sling for the price of one
- Adjustable back support band
- Rests comfortably on both shoulders
- Over 8 positions from preemie to preschool (42 lbs.)
- Easy to use; instructional manual included
- Organic and 100% natural soft cotton
- Machine washable and dryer safe
- Double Sling provides extra security for baby and privacy while nursing

4 colours available $69.99CDN
Buy it online or in-store

To see some great videos on how to wear tha Baby K'tan, visit their YouTube channel here

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New Mom - Gift Registry

Getting Read for Baby ---- Gift Registries
(and I thought our wedding one was hard!)
By Lindsay



Back in the day, when my husband and I got engaged, the gift registry process pretty easy. The hardest decision for us was trying to decide if we needed 8, or 12 place settings. Here we are 5 years later and we're expecting our first baby. We were encouraged by family and friends to register for some baby items as we have some fun baby showers coming up.

I went up to Dear-Born a few weeks ago and though; this is a snap. I'm going to go through the store, make a list of what we'll need, and voila. I'll be done. But it didn't happen that way. I walked into the store and was overwhelmed. China was easy. Buying for baby was a totally different story.

Thankfully, I was approached by Hope, one of the team members at Dear-Born. Hope encouraged me to make an appointment so we could do a registry together and so I made an appointment to come back a week later. On my drive home I realized how nice the concept was...Someone was going to take the time to walk through the store with me and help me pick the best things for my lifestyle. I felt pampered.

Today, I had my appointment with Hope. I was calm, prepared, and excited that I had someone to guide me, to hold my hand, and help me pick the right items.


(Hope helping me with a checklist of what we registered for, and what I may like to think of later)

Here's how it worked. Hope guided me from one end of the store to the other, carefully going through each section, explaining what I would likely need, or would like to have for when baby came. When I saw an item I liked, Hope wrote down the Product Number. Quick + Easy. We moved on to the next product and it was so simple.

My appointment took an hour and a half because I asked a lot of questions. I hadn't done research before hand on what sling or carrier I wanted, breast pump (hadn't even gotten that far in my planning for baby!) but having Hope with me, I utilized every single piece of knowledge she had. She patiently answered questions, and explained the benefits of different models like slings and bassinets, bottles, bath tubs, bottles....and every thing else.

Hope explained that after I left the store she was going to create my registry so that items would be available online for friends & family to see. I would also be able to modify quantities of products on my own. In reality, I may take some things off my registry and I may add more, but the key was that I got 99% of it done today because of the huge, huge help of having hands on guidance.


(a snippit of the wall of awesome diaper bags...!)

So to my fellow Mom & Dads to be, I highly recommend booking ahead of time a registry appointment. Go on a full tummy, bring a bottle of water, and get excited for the experience!

One more thing checked off my list, which is a little more weight off my shoulders!

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Product Spotlight } Baby Gaia Bath & Body for Babies

What products do you need to care for your baby's skin? Our babies are beautiful and so precious but they are all different and have different needs. Some have dry, flaky skin, others have chubby little fat roles you just want to squeeze while some encounter irritation and nappy rash that needs comfort or soothing or you may simply want a quality product to massage your baby. One thing that all babies need is a range of products that are non-irritating and gentle, moisturising and softening.

GAIA Natural Baby takes into consideration that a baby's skin is thinner than that of an adult, more sensitive and does not develop normal barrier functions when they are born. There are no artificial fragrances, soap, sulphates, petrochemicals, mineral oils, lanolin, paraben preservatives, propylene glycol or phthalates used in any of baby Gaia products.

See all GAIA Natural Baby Products Here

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Toronto Star Article, Protecting our Strollers

If you get the Toronto Star you will have likely seen this full page article that was in todays paper about the couple who had a Phil & Teds stroller which was stolen off their porch. It actually highlights that the missing strollers in Toronto is more common than we would have liked to have imagined.

"After a rash of thefts and two arrests, police suggested that strollers be kept inside or locked up."
Toronto Star

The article is a good reminder to even us. We're trusting people, like the majority of the city. We'd like to think that we can leave our stroller on our porch and it will be safe from being snatched. But this article is a reminder that if we store our strollers outside, which many of us do, we should be protecting them. The article highlights one of the great products at Dear-Born Baby, the Buggy Gaurds.



The Buggy Gaurd comes in 4 different styles and fits all strollers - The gaurds have combination dials so you don’t have to worry about losing your keys and it makes it a snap-and-go situation making protecting your stroller quick & easy when you have your hands full. Read more about the Buggy Gaurds here. So pick up one of these for if you're storing your stroller on your porch, or grab that bicycle lock. (But it wouldn't be as cute as Mr. Monkey!)

Although this situation of the missing strollers off porches is alarming, it has been a good reminder to us, and hopefully to our customers, that protecting our strollers can be as easy as chaining the stroller on our porch.

Buggy Gaurds $34.99 CDN Availabel in-store and online
Phil & Ted Vibe $699.99 Avaialble online and in-store
Phil & Teds Double Kit (as seen in the Toronto Star Article) $109.99

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Product Spotlight } Conceva Early Choices Toilet Seat!

At Dear-Born Baby we love showcasing products that will make your life a little simpler. Perhaps you're almost at the stage of potty training your little one, or maybe, you're trying to right now. A product that we wanted to showcase was the Conceva Early Choices Toilet Seat.



This toilet seat fits all standard round toilets. Simply clip on this new toilet seat onto your toilet, and you have a 2-in-1 toilet seat --- a baby sized seat, and an adult sized seat! We're all for getting our kids toilet trained easier and months sooner, so this product was definitely worth highlighting in our Product Spotlight!

Buy in-store or Online
Price: $39.99 CDN
*Even better? The makers behind this awesome product are Canadian!

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Article from an Expert } Slings, Happy babies are held babies

SLINGS, HAPPY BABIES ARE HELD BABIES

by Kasie Savage, Owner of WOMBaby Slings

Click here to see all Expert Articles

Did you know? A baby sling might be new to you- but consider that women across the globe have been carrying, or wearing their babies for thousands of years. In fact, even in 2010 it's actually almost unheard of to place your baby down, or into a stroller or playpen in many nations. Happy babies are held babies. So rest assured that when you purchase a great quality sling (both in terms of fabric, design and manufacturing), like a WOMBaby Sling, you are getting the best of both worlds- fashion and function. As is the case with any baby-related product, your baby's safety is paramount and you must at all times ensure that the sling you are using is free of defects and in good condition (maybe that hand-me-down from Aunt Hazel is not such a good idea!). Also, many parents wear their slings too loosely.

• Ensure that your sling is secure and tight (ring-slings allow you to make adjustments) with baby snugly placed within as per the wear instructions of that product.
• Your baby's face should always be visible and never obstructed by fabric.
• Newborns with little to no head control should be supported by a folded receiving blanket placed in the sling under their head/neck/shoulders. This will prevent them from being too curled forward.

Once you get into the sling of things, as we like to say, you can expect to use your sling daily for up to two years +. Dollar for dollar, it is one of the best investments you will make. It's also nice to know how incredibly it will benefit both you and your little one.

Kasie Savage

Mother of three, Babywearing Expert, TV Personality & Owner of WOMBaby Slings- proudly made in Canada. For more information visit http://www.wombaby.com/

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Product Spotlight } Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light

The Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light is now available in Silver! (As well as its original colour of blue.)




Take a peek at this video showing how easy it is to set up....




Available in-store and online
$329.99 CDN

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New Blog, New features!

Our goal with our blog is to give our customers a tool to help you make educated, informed decisions about what products are right for you, your family, and baby. As a specialty baby store since 1979, we've learnt a thing or two about what is helpful for new families.

When you come into the store, you'll get expert advice and hands on help as we guide you through the store, helping you make the right purchases. However, we also know that sometimes it's nice to try to make informed decisions from home, which is how we hope that our blog helps.

Perhaps you've noticed that we've revamped our blog. We've made it more organized, making it not only a blog, but a helpful website where you can search articles, read from experts in the baby industry (coming soon!), and of course, read about sales and specials that we have in our store or online.

So, take a peek around our new blog. At the top of the page is a helpful bar that has popular pages. Take a peek to the right, you'll see new features like "Popular Categories" where you can instantly go to our Monthly Blog Contests!


Do you follow our Blog? How about on Twitter? If so...you're in luck! We have an awesome giveaway just for our followers coming up. How do you become a follower? Either follow us on Twitter, or click on Follow our Blog in the right hand column....

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New Mom - Picking a Crib

Our friend Lindsay over from

PennyPeople.com, who also does graphic design work for us, is expecting her first baby this summer. Like all of our new Moms (and Dads!) Lindsay is in the process of picking out all the necessities for baby. We've invited Lindsay will do a series of posts about her picks, which will hopefully help our other Mom-to-be's out there. Click here to read more on Lindsay and others....



When I found out I was expecting, I was absolutely overjoyed like all new parents. One of the things that has kept me occupied, apart from reading all of the books on preparing me for our new addition, was focusing on our nusery design. I was delighted when Dear-Born asked me to share my shopping fun after I posted on our home blog about our crib. We're working on a budget on our end, so we're trying to incorporate new (like the crib) with some older pieces.

I'm a pretty big design nut on this end, having recently gone through a series of renos which my husband and I documented on our home blog. Thinking about designing a nursery was exciting as oh-the-fun you could have with different looks. I contemplated a lot of crib styles but fell in love with one particular look called the "Jenny Lind".

The Jenny Lind style of crib was popular when I was a baby 30 years ago. The crib has been been gaining visibility once again by popular blogs and awesome room designs that are encorporating the traditonal crib into modern day designs. Here is one picture that inspired me...

Ebony Jenny Lind Crib via Making it Lovely
(To see more inspirational pictures head on over to my home blog where I've posted more) :)

I hadn't seen the Jenny Lind crib at the store, but I thought I'd ask if they knew about this style of bed. I was estatic to learn that although it wasn't on the floor at the store, it could be ordered! And, to make it even more appealing, the crib was under $300. Right on budget. :) (so my tip here is...it always pays to ask!)

We built the crib just last week and posted it on our home blog but here it is again so you can see how it is so far working in the room. I'm working on other elements (hence the empty frame that is propped up on the crib!)


Image via our home blog

But I also realized the crib wasn't enough! Baby needed a mattress. :)

We decided to buy a mattress when we were at the store picking up the crib. I asked Hope, my awesome guide around the store that day, what Mattress she would recommend and she pointed out the Jupiter Health Assure Mattress ($229.99). She pointed out that this particular mattress had 2 sides. A firm side for baby and a softer side for Toddlers. When I asked why the 2 sides, she told me that pediatricians recommend firmer mattresses for babies. As I read on About.com when I got home...

" Soft mattresses seem like a good choice from an adult perspective, but babies need a more solid sleep surface since they can't move themselves out of positions where their face sinks into the mattress if they get turned over."

Seems logical!

I also liked the fact that it had an unbleached, organic mattress cover that was made from 100% Certified Organic Cotton. Needless to say, this baby has one nice mattress, and it's probably beter than the one I sleep on. :)

And there you go! We picked our crib. Now I just need bedding. :)

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Creating a Gift Registry

Do you need help deciding on what items you need for your upcoming new arrival? We know that a lot of it can seem overwhelming, which is why we have amazing Registry Consultants at the store to help you decide on items that will help you out for babies arrival. Sometimes it's just nice to have a helping hand guide you through the store, and point out items that from our experience, are really helpful. You and your registry consultant will work together on putting together a perfect baby registry for you, as you're going to have friends and family want to get you items that you really would like for you, and your little one.

BOOK A REGISTRY APPOINTMENT

How to set up an appointment:
Call 905-881-3334 or e-mail us at info@dearbornbaby.com

What a Registry appointment entails:
One of of our skilled Registry Consultants will give you a personal tour of the store and take you on your journey to making a fantastic gift regitsty for your family and friends. You and your consultant will work one on one to add items to your registry list. We'll give you some registry cards, so friends & family know how to order off your amazing registry!

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March Blog Contest } Baby Jogger City Mini 2010

This month...you could win.....

Baby Jogger City Mini 2010 in Crimson/Grey!

Value $299.99

The City Mini captures the essence of urban mobility. Its lightweight design makes it perfect for running errands or all day excursions in the urban jungle. Click here to read more about this awesome stroller!

HOW TO ENTER:

Every month we try to switch it up a bit to keep things interesting. This month's hard question is...

----------------------
What was one of your favourite yummy cravings - if any, when you were (or are!) pregnant with your little one?
----------------------

In your blog reply, be sure to let us know
(1) The answer to this months question (Example: I craved peaches!)
(2) Your name + E-Mail Address so we can contact you
(3) Postal Code* Postal code - Open to Canadian residents only, the postal code you enter in your entry, must match the mailing postal code of the prize if you should win.

To read full contest details click here

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