Ultimate Momma Style Nursing Wear

After sleepybear was born, I was stuck at home for a few weeks due to my c-section recovery.  My nursing wardrobe consisted of pajama tops and cheap Motherhood Maternity Nursing Sleep Bras.  When it came time for me to venture out, I desperately wanted some chic nursing tops.  I was still getting the hang of wrestling a baby under a nursing cover so I wanted a functional nursing top to feed sleepybear discreetly.  A lot of the tops at the generic maternity boutiques just did't fit the bill.  They were dowdy, bulky, and anything but beautiful.  After scouring the internet for high end maternity fashion, I found a large selection of beautiful nursing fashion.

Isabella Oliver
Isabella Oliver made up the bulk of my maternity wardrobe.  This English brand delivers timeless style with incredible comfort.  I spent a small fortune ordering directly from their website, but it has been worth it.  The clever ruching of their signature jersey fabric hugs your curves and conceals your baby weight perfectly.  My favourite nursing piece from this label is The Essential Nursing Dress, as seen below.

Seraphine Maternity

This other English staple has been a favourite of Kate Middleton herself.  I have loved their maternity wear, as seen on the Duchess during and after her pregnancy.  These clothes are made of wonderful fabrics with innovative nursing access points.  I love the dresses, tops, and nursing sweaters.  My favourite piece is the beautiful Maternity and Nursing Sweater in bamboo.  This top has beautiful popper details along the shoulder for nursing access.  The bamboo fabric is incredibly soft and breathable.  It is about as smooth as silk, but without the fuss.

Mothers en Vogue
Mothers en Vogue is a Singapore-based label devoted entirely to chic nursing wear.  You can find a stylish nursing top, dress, or tunic for just about every style.  There are different access points for nursing, depending on your preference.  I prefer side-seam access from this brand, as it allows for the most discreet nursing with a baby who hates being under his nursing cover.  The best top I have from this line, which is both comfortable and helps hide my postpartum body, is the Britney Bubble in both the tank and long sleeved style.

All of these labels provide high-quality clothing that allows you to be a nursing version of your former stylish self.  I saw no reason to enter the world as a mother looking dowdy and uncomfortable.  I chose a nursing wardrobe that represented my personal style and highlighted my best features while downplaying my post-baby physique.  The fabric choices are all soft, breathable, luxurious, and machine washable.

Nursing wear does not have to be uncomfortable and ill-fitting.  These brands provide you with the ultimate in Momma Style for all your nursing needs.

Hot New Stroller Coming to North America!

Mima, a relatively new baby gear development out of Europe, is ready to bring their cutting edge designs to North America.  I am so excited to try out their stunning strollers. 

The Xari is a beautiful single stroller, similar to the Stokke Xplory.  It has a narrow and modern chassis, rounded seat, and sits very high up.  The colour options are incredibly chic.  One particularly special feature is the 2 in 1 seat design: the bassinet zips up to become a standard stroller seat.  This is a very innovative feature which gives Mima a competitive advantage over Stokke.

The Mima Kobi is their answer to a double stroller.  It is quite similar to the Xari but with a larger chassis.  The Kobi can be used as a single and later converted to a double.  I am not a huge fan of tandem or stacked doubles, but I am willing to go for a ride with this beauty.






Stay tuned for a detailed review.  These strollers look very promising!

Momma Style Travel Stroller

Sleepybear and I love parent facing strollers.  Him and I chat, make faces, and play games wherever we go.  With a family vacation looming, I knew it was time to find a travel stroller with a reversible sear... a tall order in a compact pushchair.

My requirements were:
-Lightweight
-Reversible Seat
-Stylish
-Ergonomic for Baby
-High Seat
-Ample Storage
-One Handed Folding
-Folds with Seat Attached

It was pretty much impossible to find a stroller that met all of these requirements.  Umbrella strollers are lightweight but there are no reversible ones until BabyJogger releases the Vue in 2014.  I had to come up with a shortlist.  My choices were the Stokke Scoot, Bugaboo Bee, Phil and Teds Smart Buggy, or the Mamas and Papas Urbo.  I went out to test all of these strollers with sleepybear.

STOKKE SCOOT

BUGABOO BEE

PHIL AND TEDS SMART BUGGY

MAMAS AND PAPAS URBO

The Urbo was the first to get axed.  It was very chic and relatively light with an enormous canopy, but it had some serious drawbacks. I dislike stroller seats without a supportive footrest. Sure it is fun to dangle your feet, but after awhile it puts strain on your back. The Urbo had a folding legrest, which could be pulled up for a flat surface, or bent down so a baby can dangle their feet.  The wheels look and felt flimsy compared to the other strollers on my list. Bye bye, Urbo.

The Smart Buggy was my top choice originally.  It is modern, stylish, and very lightweight.  Upon testing, sleepybear immediately began to fuss.  He has been used to sitting in a very firm but comfortable seat in his Stokke Xplory.  The Smart Buggy felt like soft plastic molding.  Seat liners are sold separately, which was kind of an aggravation when buying a travel stroller.  I was looking for an All in One kind of ride. Plus, while the seat looks chic, it doesn't offer much in weather protection. I prefer deeper seats to shield sleepybear on sunny or windy days.

This left me with the Bugaboo Bee and the Stokke Scoot.  The price tag on these bad boys is roughly $750.  They both had a lightweight chassis and plenty of storage room underneath.  Both are sleek, stylish, and come in fabulous colours.  The fabric is comfortable and easily washable.  Sleepybear looked pleased in both of these high end lightweight strollers.  The Bee was a lovely ride.  It was smooth, easy to handle, and folded quite nicely.  The Bee is very beautiful and has all the bells and whistles of a Bugaboo, except in a lightweight ride.  The Scoot was basically an Xplory-lite.  Any Stokke fans would love to cruise around in this.

In the end, I went with the Scoot.  The seat height is just so important to me.  I love to interact with Sleepybear.  The Bee, while indescribably chic, was just way too low.  Baby would literally be dragging his cute butt all over town.  Also, when out and about on vacation it would be great to just pull up to a table and grab a bite to eat without fussing around in a 3-point harness restaurant highchair.  I hate 3-point harnesses.
The Stokke Scoot is a lifesaver while traveling.  It weighs about 22 pounds and folds up with one hand.  It sits at about the same level as the Xplory on its lowest setting... which is much higher than most strollers.  It is reversible, has a huge canopy for sun shading, and reclines to an almost flat resting position. 
The Scoot is suitable from birth and is carseat compatible with separate adapters.  The seat has a bit more support than the Bee, keeping baby cozy and ergonomically seated.


Stokke's lightweight stroller is the answer to my travel woes. Sleepybear loved cruising in his Scoot on out family vacation. We received compliments on the style, uniqueness, and functionality of the stroller wherever we went. I can't wait to test it out on our next vacation. The Stokke Scoot is also wonderful for errand days when we are constantly in and out of the car. I am so pleased with our purchase.   The Scoot is the ultimate in travel Momma Style.

Momma Style Stroller

I spent years researching strollers; long before we were pregnant, long before we were married, even before my husband proposed.  I have been obsessed with baby gear for years.
When we finally did conceive our sleepybear, I knew exactly which stroller our little bundle was going to ride around town in.

The Stokke Xplory is the ultimate luxury stroller.  I know there are Bugaboo diehards out there who will argue differently.  But after trying them both, I can honestly say there is nothing that compares with an Xplory.

This stroller will set you back quite a bit.  For a complete stroller with bassinet and toddler seat, you are looking at approximately $1400.00.  I can assure you it is worth every penny.

PROS:
-Reversible Seat
-Incredible Seat Height
-Sleek Design
-Great Maneuverability
-Doubles as Highchair
-Adjustable Footrest
-Car Seat Compatible (with adapters)
-Lightweight Chassis
-Beautiful Colours
-Footwear Friendly Brake
-Large Stride
-Chic

CONS:
-High Price Point

The Xplory is considered the ultimate connection stroller.  No other pram, pushchair, stroller, or travel system has your baby seated this high up.  Sleepybear is propped up nice and high, patiently awaiting my smiles and kisses as we stroll through the city.  When looking for a luxury stroller, performance is important, but when it is coupled with the fabulous height of this stroller, you will never look at another pram again.  The seat height is adjustable, making climbing in and out for older children a breeze.  This adjustability is also what allows the Xplory to be used as a highchair.  Just turn the seat to face outwards and lower it to perfect dining companion height.

Sleepybear has enjoyed every minute of being up high in his Xplory, interacting with the world around him.  I love being able to talk to him when we go out together.  I see other mothers pushing their little ones around in strollers so low to the ground the baby is practically sitting on the floor.  I am so thankful for the Xplory and the bonding it allows.

The height alone is enough to give the Xplory an A+, but there is so much more to this stunning Norwegian import.  The easily reversible seat snaps in and out with ease.  Now that sleepybear is out of the bassinet, I use the main stroller seat constantly.  When we go out for lunch, I park the stroller at the table and snap the seat out to flip around with my heavy baby in it.  This stroller makes lunch dates a breeze when baby and momma are out on the town.

Pushing this stroller is a dream.  It maneuvers wonderfully over all kinds of surfaces.  Whether strolling through the park or shopping downtown, you and baby will be gliding everywhere.

The large orange brake pedal on the Xplory is very footwear friendly.  Flip flops, high heels, or flats can easily step on the brake to park your stroller.  No fussing around required.

There is ample room when walking with Xplory for tall parents or guardians.  A family friend complained to me recently of having to walk on the side when pushing her granddaughter in a popular mini stroller.  She was in awe at the Xplory and how friendly it was to those of us lucky enough to be statuesque.

Our Xplory is a showstopper to boot.  Everywhere we go, people are always asking about our beautifully chic stroller.  For those who love to set trends and turn heads, this is the stroller for you.

No other stroller on the market will provide you with the wonderful bonding opportunities and savvy style that the Xplory does.  If money is a factor for you, I would recommend skipping a ton of unnecessary baby items and saving for the Xplory.  The myriad of features on this gem justify the price.  If money is not a factor, splurge and get yourself all of the wonderful accessories that accompany this gorgeous pushchair.

The Xplory is the ultimate in Momma Style.