The Internet has got to be the number one source for learning about resources (and great products) so we can be better parents, whether we have newborns or our kids are college-age. And no one appreciates making parenting easier than parents who have triplets (like me), quads, or even just twins or two children born within a year.
Recently, while working as a volunteer gathering Goody Bag and Auction items for the upcoming National Triplet Convention in July, I have come across a number of generous businesses, large and small, who are contributing their products to our non-profit's effort. The pumping bras sold by Snugabell Mom & Baby Gear are amazingly hip for today's breast feeding ladies. These fashion statements are pictured and available at http://www.pumpease.com It's been more than a decade since I last used my Medela high volume breast pump to make sure I had enough breast milk for my triplets and older child, all born within a year and whom I breast fed and pumped milk for simultaneously. I remember it, I felt like a cow in a dairy-go-round facility as I spent so much time pumping. Pumping bras with the proper support just weren't available then, and even the nursing bras were so "old lady." These stylish bras provide pumping support with comfort, functionality, and come in great colors, styles, and designs in a HUGE range of sizes -- they are so ahead of their time! Had this company been around, then, I would have ordered one in every design they have in my size.
Another convention sponsor who is providing an outstanding product for us is Baby Banz, Inc. Their UV protective swimsuit, hat/glass combo, sunscreen kit, and sunglass case for children all feature fine workmanship that is colorful and practical. You can buy these online in various little kid sizes at usa.babybanz.com Makes me almost want to have ANOTHER set of triplets just so I can put little ones into these darling swimsuit outfits.
Please feel free to comment on this post as well as add to the must-have list of products that make parenting so much easier and fun!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Products Simplifying Multiple Pregnancy & Parenting
My own triplets just turned 12, but I cease to be amazed by all the helpful new products and services that keep coming out to make the lives of new parents easier. I am particularly enthralled by the apparent creative genius of inventions that continue to roll out to benefit parents with children born close together, and even more important, to help multiple parents who's children were born REALLY close together, usually just a minute or two apart.
Again and again, I think why can't I be the one to come up with these great ideas that help both expectant mothers of multiples as well as parents raising twins, triplets, quads and higher order multiples? After all, when I was pregnant with triplets, as well as after my trio was born I realized I had three newborns but there were only two parents to take care of them all. In fact, during those exhausting Halcyon days (an oxymoron for sure), I thought of plenty of needs that we had as new multiple parents that weren't being met with solutions by any of the products and services available at our local ToysRUs back then.*
*BTW, I'm not sure about now, but between 1997-2000 I think ToysRUs was the BEST place to buy discounted disposable diapers (premie to toddler size) by the case without having to clip $1.50 off coupons during late night feedings to buy the single diaper packages sold in supermarkets. I can even remember the image of the "diaper warehouse" clearly in our garage, where we had boxes of ToysRUs diapers stacked 5 boxes high!
Back on Subject: To give you some perspective of life in the "olden days" with multiples, when my own triplets were born in the mid 1990s our brand new Perego Triple Stroller, custom-built in Italy, was so state of the art. Perego and its multiple stroller competitors have continued to reincarnate that product category many times since, improving upon and fine-tuning the features us multiple parents want and need.
Today, multiple-expectant friends I know either pregnant or in their first three years of child-raising keep telling me about these great new gadgets they're using.
Like the Baby Dipper bowl that doesn't tip over and makes feeding a breeze and the Prenatal Dance Fitness DVD by a Jennifer Jimenez, a Prenatal Fitness Specialist. I certainly could have used Jennifer's DVD when I was pregnant with triplets and ordered to gain 25 pounds PER BABY (3 x 25 = 75 lbs). Of course this fitness program had not been developed yet, but neither were those Baby Dipper Bowls when I was feeding FOUR in high chairs. Did I mention that my surviving twin son was only born a year before my triplets? It certainly would have made me happier and the kitchen floor would have been cleaner!
Last, but not least, we now luckily have the Internet that is readily accessible, even someone who is on bed rest expecting triplets might easily be connected via Wi-Fi. How I wish there had been blogs back in my triplet pregnancy days and immediately after, when my DH and I found ourselves home from the hospital having to learn from the ground up how to manage this multiple blessing!
Everyone takes the Internet for granted today, it seems. But, if I really think about it, it would have been such a relief to join a list of other triplet parents such as the Triplet.TV list I have belonged to since it first went live. That's not to mention the useful websites with information on multiples such as Triplet Connection www.tripletconnectionconventon.com, which puts on an informative and fun annual convention for multiples and their parents. Back in my day, you'd find a multiples club by accident (usually because someone told you about it), but today all you have to do is a Google search for twins & triplets local clubs nearby and you can find West Los Angeles Multiples and even a website by a triplet mom www.Tripletsandus.com, where you can find a LIST of all kinds of other resources to help you navigate through the world of multiples.
And to be able to post to Blogs like this one, as well as all to contribute to the other blogs that I read and and always learn something new from. The Internet and it all it offers today is really great and I still wonder what the world would be like right now without it.
Stay tuned for my next post on which companies have special coupons, free merchandise, and discounts for triplet, quad, and higher order multiples. I hope you'll contribute to my list of sources to help new parents out with this. Also please tell me about the products and services that have made your own lives with multiples easier as I will write about those here, too, on this blog shortly.
Again and again, I think why can't I be the one to come up with these great ideas that help both expectant mothers of multiples as well as parents raising twins, triplets, quads and higher order multiples? After all, when I was pregnant with triplets, as well as after my trio was born I realized I had three newborns but there were only two parents to take care of them all. In fact, during those exhausting Halcyon days (an oxymoron for sure), I thought of plenty of needs that we had as new multiple parents that weren't being met with solutions by any of the products and services available at our local ToysRUs back then.*
*BTW, I'm not sure about now, but between 1997-2000 I think ToysRUs was the BEST place to buy discounted disposable diapers (premie to toddler size) by the case without having to clip $1.50 off coupons during late night feedings to buy the single diaper packages sold in supermarkets. I can even remember the image of the "diaper warehouse" clearly in our garage, where we had boxes of ToysRUs diapers stacked 5 boxes high!
Back on Subject: To give you some perspective of life in the "olden days" with multiples, when my own triplets were born in the mid 1990s our brand new Perego Triple Stroller, custom-built in Italy, was so state of the art. Perego and its multiple stroller competitors have continued to reincarnate that product category many times since, improving upon and fine-tuning the features us multiple parents want and need.
Today, multiple-expectant friends I know either pregnant or in their first three years of child-raising keep telling me about these great new gadgets they're using.
Like the Baby Dipper bowl that doesn't tip over and makes feeding a breeze and the Prenatal Dance Fitness DVD by a Jennifer Jimenez, a Prenatal Fitness Specialist. I certainly could have used Jennifer's DVD when I was pregnant with triplets and ordered to gain 25 pounds PER BABY (3 x 25 = 75 lbs). Of course this fitness program had not been developed yet, but neither were those Baby Dipper Bowls when I was feeding FOUR in high chairs. Did I mention that my surviving twin son was only born a year before my triplets? It certainly would have made me happier and the kitchen floor would have been cleaner!
Last, but not least, we now luckily have the Internet that is readily accessible, even someone who is on bed rest expecting triplets might easily be connected via Wi-Fi. How I wish there had been blogs back in my triplet pregnancy days and immediately after, when my DH and I found ourselves home from the hospital having to learn from the ground up how to manage this multiple blessing!
Everyone takes the Internet for granted today, it seems. But, if I really think about it, it would have been such a relief to join a list of other triplet parents such as the Triplet.TV list I have belonged to since it first went live. That's not to mention the useful websites with information on multiples such as Triplet Connection www.tripletconnectionconventon.com, which puts on an informative and fun annual convention for multiples and their parents. Back in my day, you'd find a multiples club by accident (usually because someone told you about it), but today all you have to do is a Google search for twins & triplets local clubs nearby and you can find West Los Angeles Multiples and even a website by a triplet mom www.Tripletsandus.com, where you can find a LIST of all kinds of other resources to help you navigate through the world of multiples.
And to be able to post to Blogs like this one, as well as all to contribute to the other blogs that I read and and always learn something new from. The Internet and it all it offers today is really great and I still wonder what the world would be like right now without it.
Stay tuned for my next post on which companies have special coupons, free merchandise, and discounts for triplet, quad, and higher order multiples. I hope you'll contribute to my list of sources to help new parents out with this. Also please tell me about the products and services that have made your own lives with multiples easier as I will write about those here, too, on this blog shortly.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Goody Bag Items sought for TRIPLET CONVENTION
Janis, the pro bono media director for non-profit The Triplet Connection, STILL seeks consumer product donations for Goody Bags for this years annual convention July 10-12, 2009 in Irvine & Newport Beach, California. All kinds of items needed for both parents of multiples and their triplet, quad and higher order multiple kids ranging in age from newborns through college age. Quantities needed for goody bags vary depending item(s) donated so once you let us know the type of item your company (or your client) has to donate we'll be able to tell you how many we would need. We also need products and services donated for our auctions and raffles at the event since this is our only fund raiser of the year. By helping the Triplet Connection Convention (which is widely covered by the media) you'll be getting something in return from our non-profit: more visibility via a link we will post on the convention site www.tripletconnectionconvention.com to your company's own site acknowledging your donations. Email me direct at janis@janiselspas.com and I'll send you a donation form to complete if interested. Triple Thanks!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Triplet Connection Convention July 10-12, 2009
The world's largest annual gathering of families with triplets, quadruplets and higher order multiples will take place July 10-12, 2009 in Irvine and Newport Beach, California. This is the only national meeting of its type providing support, friendship, and resources to parents and their multiple families. For more info on the convention and to register go to http://www.tripletconnectionconvention.com
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