Reader S. Stoney rights in today with a great tip on how to clean the Medela Pump in Style with the Born Free Twister Brush set:
Greetings Fields!
I am a big fan of all your books. I am currently reading Toddler 411 (I have a 14-month-old girl at home). I wanted to share some hints about the Pump In Style Advance (PISA)....
I loved my PISA and used it often, both at home and when I returned to work, but the pump parts were challenging to clean. As far as I know, Medela does not offer a compatible brush/cleaner set that would make cleaning the shield, connector, and accessories easier. Regular bottles brushes did not work. So, one day, I decided to use the nipple brush that is part of the Born Free Twister Brush set. This is the smaller brush designed to clean bottle nipples. It works to clean the pump parts! It fits perfectly and easily cleans the shield, connector, valve and little white accessory...I love it! I found that if I only use it to clean pump parts, the brush can last for several months. It is slightly expensive but worth the investment to properly clean pump parts.
Please feel free to pass this information along. I hope it is helpful! All the best (and thanks for the wonderful books!),
We popped by the studio of DadLabs in Austin, TX last week. Click here to watch!
This is the first of several videos we did, sort of Baby Gear 101----how to shop for cribs, strollers, high chairs, baby monitors, breast pumps, car seats and more. The videos will be embedded in the next ebook for Baby Bargains (you can watch them on Nook and Apple's iPad; sorry, no Kindle yet). And you can watch them on DadLabs, coming soon!
Great news! Our co-author Dri Ari Brown will be making an appearance on the Dr. Oz show. The show will air next week---we will blog shortly when we have a confirmed date!
Dr. Brown will be talking about EXPECTING 411 on a show that tackles the topic of vaccines and autism.
If you are giving birth this spring, you may have a visitor in the maternity ward: Mickey Mouse.
According to the New York Times, Disney is giving away 200,000 "Disney Cuddly Bodysuits" to new moms in maternity wards across the country though May. This is part of Disney's new push into all things baby, from apparel now to strollers, baby food, bath items and more in the near future.
This reopens the debate about commercial freebies in the maternity ward---hospitals in recent years have been criticized for giving away formula by breastfeeding advocates. Of course, a Onesie isn't as controversial as a can of formula.
In reality, Disney has always had a foothold in the baby gear category---they've licensed their name and characters for a variety of baby gear items over the years. However, this effort marks a shift in Disney's startegy: now the items will be made in-house and heavily marketed, the NYT reported.
It's hard to say whether this will work. Slapping Mickey Mouse on a cheap Delta stroller sold at Wal-Mart will probably sell quite a few units . . . but will parents be willing to shell out money for Disney gear at Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby? There Disney will find entrenched competitors like Graco who aren't likely to give up market share to the mouse without a fight.
On the other hand, Disney's deep pockets and success with brands like Disney Princess show it plays to win. One casualty here could be the weaker baby gear companies (Combi, we're talking about you), who may find themselves left off the shelves when the music stops.
What do you think? Is Disney making a smart move here?
Reader Janet O. writes in today about her experience with a shopping cart cover company we recommended in our last book:
Hi Denise and Alan,
About two months ago, I wrote you saying that I was having trouble ordering a chubby seat as recommended by your book, Baby Bargains. You kindly responded and I managed to order one on Aug 31st. I should have listened to my gut when I was having trouble ordering that this could be trouble. I am still waiting to receive the item (over 2 months later). It was a whopping $57 when you add shipping. I have emailed and only got an auto replies about illness in family, then the number they recommended is no longer in service. I have contacted Paypal about the purchase, but I am concerned that I have totally lost my $57.00.
I am about ready to go public with this fraud as A. Mankel is on facebook, but I thought I will wait to see how paypal will handle this. There is NO WAY to contact these people. I'll give it a week before trying facebook.
I wanted to send out a warning to anyone who fell in love with these seats. I am sorry that things aren't going well for them, but they shouldn't take your money if they can't provide the items.
Still love Baby Bargains.
Janet O.
The Federal Drug Administration has slapped Evenflo with a warning after the breast pump maker allegedly failed to report that its pumps shocked users. The FDA has received 37 complaints about Evenflo pumps, including three from moms who said the pumps shocked them.
The Food and Drug Administration said baby-products maker Evenflo Co. failed to properly investigate some complaints involving women who reported receiving electrical shocks while using the company's breast pumps. In an Aug. 25 warning letter released by the agency Tuesday, the FDA said it found manufacturing violations at two Ohio plants that make pumps used by women to express breast milk. The breast pumps are sold nationwide under the "Comfort Select" brand name.
Online discounters such as eBay and Burlington Coat Factory are celebrating a victory today, after a House committee passed a bill to overturn a 2007 Supreme Court decision that legalized price fixing.
Reader Robyn O writes to us about her new web site: Tall Women Resource---a compendium of online sources for tall maternity wear (jeans, swimwear, shoes and more). The site doesn't actually sell clothes, just links to sites and offers a brief review of what is available.
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