We hope all you mamas out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day yesterday!
Because Raising Madison started out mainly as a resource for new parents, we thought it only fitting our next giveaway be geared toward them (though all parents are welcome to enter!).
The winner of this giveaway will receive a membership and $25 gift certificate to Happy Bambino along with a David Landau DVD and Smiling Planet plate & 12 month shirt from Capitol Kids.
Happy Bambino is a great local resource for new and seasoned parents. Along with selling great toys, books, clothes, nursing & cloth diaper supplies (and much more!), Happy Bambino also offers numerous classes (both for parents and for children), parent groups, and breastfeeding support.
Capitol Kids is locally-owned and operated by mother-daughter team Peg Scholtes and Jenna Hansen. It is one of our kids’ favorite toy (and clothing) stores, located on the Capitol Square at 8 South Carroll Street. You’ve probably seen their mascot, Webster the Bear, sitting outside the store!
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To enter this giveaway, answer the following question in the comments (one entry per person. Please include your first & last name when commenting):
What is your favorite resource to share with new parents? It could be a store, website, toy, business, etc.
All entries must be received by midnight on Friday, May 13. The winner will be chosen using random.org and announced Sunday, May 15.
Raising Madison 
I always recommend the http://www.momsinmadison.com site and their yahoo group!
As a mom who pumped 2-3x/day at work and 2-3x/day at home for over 9 months, I always recommend the Medela quick clean micro-steam bags and Medela quick clean wipes. Both are very helpful if you only have a short time window to clean your supplies after pumping.
I always recommend Happy Bambino. Such a wonderful resource for parents!
I recommend the Moms in Madison group as well as their yahoo group 🙂 A great way to connect with other moms and get great information. I also recommend Happy Bambino for their great products and classes. The Cuddlebugs group for moms and babies is wonderful and I have met so many great moms there. So helpful and reassuring to know that there are other moms going through similar things and that you are not the only one! I also recommend the amazonbaby site to look at reviews of products before purchasing anything big.
The thing I believe new moms need the most, is support. Since many of us are far away from family, I always recommend the new mama (Cuddlebugs) group at Happy Bambino. I started going to the group when my daughter was 3 weeks old. She is now 9 months and I’m still a weekly attendee. The group allowed me to vent, receive support, and most importantly, realize that I’m not crazy after all.
I also always refer breastfeeding mamas to kellymom.com. 🙂
oops, I should clarify it’s a caregiver group! Not just for the mamas. 🙂
Happiest Bany on the Block, cosleeping, and attachment parenting!
Oops, that’s BABY! Happiest Baby on the Block!
I love recommending the Half Pint Resale. They do spring and fall sales and it is the greatest thing since sliced bread! I’ve been able to consign and get rid of things my kids no longer play with or fit in to and we’ve been able to buy tons of stuff for them. Best sale ever and volunteering is so worth getting to shop the volunteer sale. See their site for more info – http://www.halfpintresale.com/. I wish this existed before I had my 1st kid!!
Get an Ergo…the best baby carrier around, and useful for carrying up to a 2 year old! Also, join a parent group, like the ones at happy bambino!
I, too, recommend new parents and parents-to-be rent Dr. Karp’s The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD. Almost all the time, at least one of his techniques work!
For Madison Moms:
1. Half-Pint Resale
2. Happy Bambino – the store & the new mama group (Cuddlebugs)
3. Moms in Madison yahoo listserve
4. The mamas group at Madison Birth Center
For Moms in general:
1. ErgoBaby carrier
2. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book (for bfing moms)
Please remember to include your FIRST AND LAST NAME when commenting to avoid any confusion when we announce the winner!
I always recommend the groups at Happy Bambino and the book/DVD Happiest Baby on the Block…both saved my sanity as a new mama!
La Leche League in Verona is a great resource for breastfeeding moms! Just Between Friends Consignment Sale is also great.
Any mother/baby group! We loved the Meriter Mother Baby Hour!
I recommend the Moms in Madison group as well as their yahoo group A great way to connect with other moms and get great information. I also recommend Happy Bambino for their great products and classes. The Cuddlebugs group for moms and babies is wonderful and I have met so many great moms there. So helpful and reassuring to know that there are other moms going through similar things and that you are not the only one! I also recommend the amazonbaby site to look at reviews of products before purchasing anything big.
I just got my first Ergo and will now be recommending that to first time moms!
Also, all the clothing re-sale events including the Half-Pint and Just Between Friends Sales.
My favorite things to share with new mommas are: infant massage, the Baby Bjorn, Sophie the Giraffe, and the Medela breast pump. All were can’t-live-without items in our household!
I always recommend babywearing!
Happy Birthday – congrats and thanks for all the great info!
I encourage new mamas to seek support any way they can. There is so much attention when you’re pregnant; it can feel pretty lonely and overwhelming once baby’s born.
To that end, I can’t say enough good things about Happy Bambino and their new parent classes and play groups. The staff are so kind and knowledgeable. My kids and I made life-long friends in Cuddlebugs and the breastfeeding and co-sleeping support made all the difference.
And I tell anyone who’ll listen about the Half Pint Resales in April and September. Amazing quality, fancy brands, all the gear you’ll ever need, at 75% off retail or more! I know people who come from northern WI and IL for the sales.
Babywearing — Nicki’s Diapers is my favorite local retailer
Babywearing — Nicki’s Diapers is my favorite local retailer
I always suggest Happy Bambino and Capitol Kids to friends who ask about a kid friendly store in Madison.
happiest baby on the block for a written resource – habby bambino & nicki’s diapers for local resources 🙂
i recently discovered http://www.bebemeals.com . for madison moms, she does a baby food making class at whole foods. the meals are pretty quick (or can be made in bulk and freeze) and super healthy. she posts new recipes on her blog.
also kellymom.com has been a great resource for my breastfeeding issues (and there were many!)
I have a standard baby shower package now:
1. Happiest Baby on the Block book
2. Miracle blanket
3. Nosefrida Snotsucker
I can find all of these at Happy Bambino. I recommend their babywearing and cloth diapering classes! Nikki’s Diapers on the west is also a good source for cloth diapering and nursing bras.
I tell my new mom friends about modern cloth diapers, and point them to diaperswappers.com
Thanks for the giveaway!
Ergo and Moby wrap for carriers, Nicki’s Diapers for cloth diapers and Half Pint Resale!
So many things! But usually Moby Wraps, La Leche League, and Nicki’s Diapers.
I would say Happy Bambino!
I always recommend the fabulous http://www.kellymom.com (fabulous breastfeeding advice/info), our local Le Leche Groups, and cloth diapers (Imse Vimse has fabulous covers: http://www.imsevimse.us/c-16-diaper-covers.aspx).
Also, http://www.mothering.com is my all time favorite online parenting community (I miss their print magazine!).
~Thomasin
I recommend babywearing, especially for working moms. There is nothing better than snuggling with my baby in our Moby after being gone all day.
I always mention Sophie the Giraffe and Happiest Baby on the Block.
Postnatal yoga with Christine at Perfect Knot!
Two things that I can’t live without:
– Happy Bambino Cuddlebugs Group.
– Fisher-Price Rock ‘n’ Play sleeper, esp. for those moms who have babies with reflux.
Rikki Conwell
A great place that I connected with other new moms (and dads) was the local library’s baby storytimes. I met new friends and my child met new friends.
The librarians always had fun games and handouts which helped build my confidence as a new mom interacting with baby at home.
A shout out to Karen at Monona, Tracy at Hawthorne and Krissy at Central. Morris loves you!
(and ditto to all the comments about Happy Bambino, Nicki’s Diapers and Half-Pint Resale)
You don’t need to join a million groups or buy a million toys to stimulate your baby. Keep it simple – and free. The public library is my favorite resource: books, movies, audio cds, free programming that includes everything from Baby and Me storytime to arts & crafts. Raise a reader!!!
Dark chocolate! 🙂 And any parents group, those friendships are so precious and encouraging during sleepless nights and barely awake days.
I also recommend wearing your baby, makes life so much easier!
I highly recommend to new moms the Kids Health Web site: http://kidshealth.org/
It was a great resource to me when I became a new parent of a child who had jaundice, reflux, asthma, and RSV as an infant! 😉
For when the internet is your only relief (e.g. you have a baby asleep on your lap and can’t move for fear of awakening him):
http://benandbirdy.blogspot.com/
http://www.greetingsfrommotherland.com
I absolutely LOVE the Half Pint Resale http://www.halfpintresale.com/
If you can volunteer or consign, it’s even better b/c you can shop before the public sale. It’s less crowed then and there is even more great items.
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