May 2017 – The Stork Bag

Posted on May 31, 2017May 16, 2022 by The Stork Bag Team — Leave a comment

Registering For Baby: The Top Five Favorite Items According To Moms Like You!

My sister in law, who is due with her first child later this summer, recently came to me overwhelmed. She needed to register for baby “stuff” and as a first-time parent, was full of questions regarding the list of items she was told she needed to have. Let’s be honest, it’s really hard to figure out if you need something without ever having used it before or on some items, not even knowing what it is. With the help of myself and a few friends, my sister in law was able to figure out her list but it had me wondering, what do other moms love? Obviously, what works for some mamas doesn’t work for others but we asked anyway and below are the top five favorite baby items, as told by our tribe of mamas!

Rock N Play: This was the overwhelming winner. Moms love this because it’s great for sleep or play and babies really seem to love the gentle vibrations.
Infant swing: A close second, this is a variation on the Rock N Play. Moms love this because of its ability to rock side to side, as well as front to back. This was a big time favorite of my babies as well.
Bobby Pillow: Another favorite in our house, the pillow has so many versatile uses: feeding, sitting, corralling, etc. Per our mamas, having an extra cover or two is very helpful!
Burp Cloths: While it’s not higher on our list, these are so critical and mess saving for most mamas. Most (if not all) babies burp and spit up and these can be used anywhere, anytime. Advice from our moms: cloth diapers can double as burp cloths and whatever number of burp cloths you think you need, double it!
Nasal Aspirator: A snotty baby is a sad baby for sure! There are a few different versions of this but they all accomplish the same goal. Having a useful tool like this is so helpful with little ones that it managed to make the top five with our moms!

Other items that didn’t make out top five but still got lots of votes: baby carrier or sling, swaddling blankets/receiving blankets, and the diaper caddy! What are your “must have” baby items? Comment below!

Posted on May 24, 2017May 16, 2022 by The Stork Bag Team — Leave a comment

Our 6 Suggestions To Help Juggle Visitors After Bringing Home A New Baby!

Congrats! You’ve been released from the hospital and brought baby home! Now, besides trying to navigate the new challenges of bringing home a newborn, you are also probably navigating the numerous phone calls, texts and emails all asking the same question: “When can we come meet baby?” I remember so vividly, especially with my first, trying to get everyone over as soon as we could and feeling super stressed. But rest assured, I learned my lesson with my second child and here are my suggestions on how to deal with the wave of visitors who “just can’t wait to meet the new addition!”

Give yourself time: Allow you and your family at least a few days to adjust to being home before welcoming visitors. You need time to get your sea legs and visits will be much more relaxing if you wait.
Space it out: Once you feel you are ready for visitors, don’t feel like they need to come all at once or over the course of a day or two. Having people over and answering questions is exhausting after you have just given birth so allow yourself time. Try and limit yourself to a visitor every other day or space it out in time periods that work best for your family.
Work around your new “schedule”: I use the term schedule very lightly as most new babies don’t have one but be on the lookout for trends. Does baby get super fussy early evening? Does baby sleep most afternoons? The better you know what your day looks like, the better you can plan for visits. Pick times of day that work best for baby (and you!) so that you can enjoy the visit as much as you can.
Manage expectations: You just had a baby and there is no better time to be as blunt as you possibly can when letting visitors know what to expect. Don’t be afraid to be stern about hand washing instructions and turning sick people away. And don’t forget to go easy on your own appearance: you do not need to look like a supermodel for visitors. They should feel lucky if you get in a shower!
Know your visitor: When planning your visitors, it’s great to anticipate what kind of visit it’s going to be. Is it a college friend you haven’t seen in a while who you will need to be “on” for or is it your brother who will hold baby while you shower and close your eyes for 20 minutes? Try and take advantage of the visits that are more beneficial to you and space out the ones that might seem like more “work.”
It’s ok to say NO: Just like you shouldn’t be afraid to lay down the expectations, you shouldn’t be afraid to say NO. Maybe baby didn’t sleep at all or maybe it’s just a difficult day for you. Either way, if you feel like it’s a not a good day, go with your instinct and reschedule. The visit will be much more enjoyable for everyone if it doesn’t feel forced.

Posted on May 21, 2017May 16, 2022 by The Stork Bag Team — Leave a comment

What’s The Difference Between A Push Party & A Baby Shower?!

The Stork Bag - What’s The Difference Between A Push Party and A Baby Shower

Ok, so if you don’t live under a rock and frequently scroll the trending hashtags on social media like we do, you’ve probably heard the term “push party” pop up in the last 24 hours but, what the heck is a push party anyway?!

Many people are wondering if a push party is just an exaggerated baby shower but we think not. Similar to what The Stork Bag is to pregnancy shopping, a ‘Push Party’ is to the celebrating the pregnant mom.

It’s simple, a ‘Push Party’ celebrates the pregnant mom i.e gifts focusing on mommy-to-be, while a baby shower celebrates the impending arrival of baby, i.e. gifts for the baby. Why should push parties be celebrated? Well, because the pregnant mom goes through almost a year of hormonal changes, expanding body parts, developing a human (sometimes more than one) within her own body and she does all of this while still walking, talking and living normally. Let’s face it, not everyone can do it and for those who do, they deserve to be celebrated and pampered, which is why we say ‘YES!’ to push parties!
The Stork Bag is a perfect example of changing the way we shop and celebrate the expectant mom and the ‘Push Party’ does just that.

Who made the ‘Push Party’ phenomena popular?

Our guess, Beyoncé. Now, we’re not saying that no one has ever had a push party before Mrs. Carter, but we are saying that the Carters’ now famous soiree this past weekend has placed some extra attention of this type of celebration.

So, what are your thoughts on Push Parties? Our vote is, keep them going! Let’s change the way we shop for pregnancy and begin to celebrate the expectant mom more, she deserves it!

To find The Best Pregnancy Gift Ever, for your upcoming Push Party, visit our shop here!

Posted on May 14, 2017November 14, 2021 by The Stork Bag Team — Leave a comment

OMG, It’s Almost Summer! 5 Ways To Have A Blast The Summer

I don’t know about you but Summer is my favorite season and I’m sure I’m not alone on this. “Summertime” for parents can mean something totally different, though. Summer time can be daunting as you have to reorganized your family schedule to match the kid’s new found “free time”. So, how do you keep your school-age kids active and maintain your sanity during the summer? We have some real-life suggestions that may just help.

Get out and get that body moving! The kids will be tempted to stay inside where there’s AC and TV but encouraging them to turn the TV off and get outside is paramount to helping the kiddos stay active during the summer. Playing a game of kick ball, hunting for bugs, making mud pies and bike riding are all good ole’ fashion outdoor fun. Be sure to stay hydrated!
Pick up a book, or 2 or 3! Check out your local library, normally the public libraries have fun activities and reading contest that help to motivate the kids to want to read more books.
Of course, there’s always family vacays! Are you one of those families that has annual summer traveling traditions? Well, we have some awesome suggestions for you. Check out our recent blog article Top 7 Family Vacation Spots (By Regions) USA.
Summer Camp! Check with your local park district, community bulletins, churches or check out http://www.summercamps.com/ to find information about camps that your kids may enjoy attending.
Splash Around! Don’t have a pool in your backyard? No problem, pull out the Slip n’ slide, water hose or fill up those water balloons and splash around a little. This is a great way to cool off and a super fun time for not only kiddos but parents, too.

Posted on May 10, 2017May 16, 2022 by The Stork Bag Team — Leave a comment

Six Tips To Stay Organized And Avoid The Toy “Home Take-Over”

It starts from the beginning. You need bouncers and highchairs and a few rattles and before you know it, your home has been taken over by kid stuff. Every square inch has books, toys that make noise and everything else. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed and just chalk it up to “We have kids, this is how it’s going to be for a while” but I’m here to reassure you it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have your house back and feel less take-over by using the six tips below.

Think in zones: If you ask most professional organizers what tips they have for home organization, one of those tips will most likely to think in terms of zones. This basically means putting things that serve the same purpose all in one space of your house/room. This concept can be applied to kids toys too!
Create a “parent zone”: We don’t have any toys on our first floor. I couldn’t handle always feeling like I had to be picking it up so I slowly purged or relocated all the stuff. This seems like an impossible task, but try and create a space that is toy/kid stuff free. Start small with a single room and enjoy having a space that doesn’t feel cluttered.
Accessorize: Limited space? That’s ok!! Stores like Target and The Container Store are helpful with organization solutions like bins, baskets and drawers. Even using small bags (like our reusable Stork Bag!) to keep specific toys together is so helpful!
Purge: This is easier said than done but I like to look at purging as not a once a year thing, but an ongoing process. Every few weeks, tackle a room that feels overwhelming and I bet you will find things that can go away or organized into a more optimal space.
Plan Ahead: A great way to help with clutter is to avoid it when you can. When kids have birthdays or holidays coming up, try and brainstorm non-toy gift ideas like membership passes or a fun excursion. This helps cut back on extra stuff while creating meaningful memories!
Teachable Moments: As your kids get older, have them help in the process. Start small with teaching them where toys go and build to full-blown team efforts of room organization. This can help kids be more vested in keeping their room and home clean, and know where things belong so you aren’t always cleaning up toys alone.

Have any tips to add? Let us know!

Posted on May 1, 2017February 27, 2022 by The Stork Bag Team — Leave a comment

Should Pregnant Women Get Mother’s Day Gifts?

Many have asked, “should I buy a gift for expectant moms?” Our answer is yes, but there are restrictions. Here are some common questions/scenarios.

Typically women don’t announce their pregnancy until at least 12 weeks in. This is because the risk of loss drastically decreases. With that said, purchasing a nice gift for the mom-to-be is perfectly fine and also encouraged. During the first trimester of pregnancy, the woman’s body changes and is bombarded with hormones, causing her to feel icky. Gifting her with not only show her that you care, but will also bring joy to her during a time that most aren’t feeling their best. For gift buying ideas click here.
I know she’s pregnant but no one else does. In this case, you probably don’t want to buy her a gift. You wouldn’t want to let the cat out of the bag before she’s ready, right? If the woman is pregnant for the first-time and is very early in her pregnancy, its best to keep gifting at a minimum. Click here for a great gift idea.
She’s not technically a mother yet but she’ll be delivering soon. She went through 9 months of pregnancy growing a little human (sometimes more than 1), while still carry on her daily life…She’s a mother and deserves to be pampered!
What type of gift do you buy a first-time mom-to-be? You buy her something that SHE can enjoy. Mother’s Day is a special day to moms because throughout the year moms usually give, give, give selflessly. Mother’s Day is a time to give back to her, so when shopping for the pregnant woman be sure to purchase something for HER! Click here to find the perfect gift for under $50.

For gift buying ideas for every price range, visit our shop to checkout our many options. As always, our multiple gift boxes are the perfect gift to buy a pregnant woman so that she can be pampered during her entire pregnancy! All Stork Bag purchases come with a handwritten note!