Let Us Know What You Think

Our goal at A Nurturing Moment is to provide you with the support and encouragement you need as you go through your pregnancy and embark on your parenting journey. We do that by providing support groups like Mommy Milk Meet-up and New and Expectant Parents' Meet-up. We also offer a variety of classes including breastfeeding, prenatal yoga, infant massage, childbirth and Music Together.  Our two International Board Certified Lactation Consultants are available to help you any time you have a breastfeeding problem. We'll listen to your concerns and give you advice over the phone, or you can make an appointment to come into the store for a consultation. We'll even come to you, if that would be easier! One of us is available 24/7. If the store is closed, you can call Glenni's cell phone at 256-658-8210.

We also try to provide the products that will make breastfeeding - and parenting in general - easier. From the Woombie swaddler to the Arm's Reach Co-sleeper, our products are designed to help you provide the very best, safest environment for your little one. That's why we only carry GreenGuard Certified cribs and crib mattresses - we want you  to know that when you buy an ANM product, it is the best available for your family!

Your feedback helps us know what we're doing right and what we need to do better. That's why we're having a contest this week encouraging you to leave your feedback. Our listing at Google places has a special place for you to leave a review. Please take just a moment to let us know what you think, then check it off in the contest below. You'll be entered to win some fun prizes that you and baby are sure to enjoy!

One Mom's Take on Thirsties, Rumparooz and Kawaii

by Kaylee Hocking, guest blogger

I have been cloth diapering since my little girl was about 7 months old. Recently she has been leaking at night since she wakes about every two hours to nurse.

I had been using the Kawaii overnight diapers but some nights her pajamas would be wet around her legs so I tried many things: stripping, more inserts... nothing seemed to help. So I decided to try my Thirsties cover or my Rumparooz cover with a Thirsties duo sta-dry microfiber and hemp insert.

So far she has had no leaks with these. I had tried the Rumparooz pocket diaper since they have a double gusset too, but the fleece goes halfway up the elastic just like on all my other pocket diapers, and they just all seem to wick onto her pajamas.

The Thirsties velcro cover was one of the first covers I tried. I had not used it much but went to use it the other night and noticed the inner elastic gusset wasn't very elastic. I have hardly used it, so I think it might just have been poorly made. Now I check them to make sure the gusset doesn't seem loose or worn out looking before I buy a Thirsties cover. I had bought that one online, so I didn't get to look at it first.

I like the Rumparooz a little bit more for my baby right now since she has thinned out from crawling and pulling up. They work great on her thinner thighs because they have a tighter fit. On a baby with chunky thighs it would probably be too tight. We are concerned that it may even inhibit her crawling during the day, so we only use them at night and use Kawaii pockets during the day.

I think as she gets bigger the Thirsties cover will last her longer as she begins potty training.  I have also found that the snaps are best for night time, since I can adjust them tighter around the legs and looser around her stomach if I need to. I do like velcro during the day for pocket diapers (since she is so wiggly right now) as long as they are under clothes.  

Nap Nanny Makes Sleep a Reality

Just over a year ago, much to the dismay of many parents, the Nap Nanny was recalled because a child had actually died in one. Then why in the world is this a product that we would promote? That's a terrific question - I'm so glad you asked it!!


The new Nap Nanny Chill has undergone a design revision to make it safer. After voluntarily recalling all the current Nap Nannies, the creators waged a full-fledged media campaign to make sure that parents were using their product correctly. It turns out that the child who died was in a Nap Nanny that had been placed in a crib -A HUGE NO-NO!! In fact, Nap Nanny posted this video to instruct parents on the proper use of their product.


So what is it about the Nap Nanny that makes us want to carry it? First of all, it's important to emphasize that the company makes no medical claims whatsoever about their product. They don't claim that it helps with reflux. The certainly don't claim that it reduces SIDS. So what does it do? It provides a very safe separate-but-proximate sleep environment for infants who weigh at least 8 lbs. When used correctly, the Nap Nanny will be placed on the floor. It angles baby's body in such a way that  baby can fall asleep and stay asleep more comfortably. That's great news for parents who are sleep deprived and worried sick over their infant. When used according to directions, the Nap Nanny offers a completely safe place for baby to sleep. 


What makes it different from wedges? A wedge is actually placed in the crib under the mattress. Often babies tend to slide down. If baby slides down or isn't placed correctly, airway constriction can occur. The Nap Nanny has a harness that securely fastens baby in place. The manufacturer says that once a baby is mobile and starting to sit up, he should not be left in the Nap Nanny to sleep. However, as baby gets older, the Nap Nanny morphs into the ideal toddler recliner. It's the perfect little seat for him to sit in while he looks at a book or plays quietly in his room.


The big question is, "With a price tag of $130, is it really worth it?" One of our ANM moms said this: "A life saver!!!! He had colic real bad and once we got one he started sleeping through the night!"  Another said, 
"We have one and love it!" and a third mom commented, "We love ours!"


If you're ready to get some sleep, come on by and check out the Nap Nanny. Mention this blog post, and save 10% off the regular price!

Family Credits Britax With Saving Daughters' Lives

Jonathan Sherrill of Carmel, Indiana, is one very thankful daddy. On the morning of October 5, 2011 he had just dropped his son off at kindergarten and was headed to the preschool his two daughters attend when his minivan was struck head-on by a driver who had crossed the interstate median. Miraculously, he survived the crash with just a broken kneecap, some damage to his leg and some road rash. He heard his daughters screaming, and turned around, expecting the worst, only to find that they were absolutely unscathed still sitting securely in their car seats in the midst of the twisted wreckage that had been their minivan.

His story emphasizing the importance of properly installed car seats was featured on the news where he lives. In that story he credited the car seats with saving the girls' lives. But he didn't say what brand they were. However, he also wrote a letter to Britax in which he said, "While the local news story mainly highlighted my comments related to the importance of the child safety seats in general, clearly the quality and safety features of the Britax Marathon car seats are to be credited for saving the lives of my daughters." He added, "we are thankful that we chose to spend the additional money for the Britax car seats over the competitive brands – clearly we paid more for better quality. And we immediately replaced the Britax Marathon’s (sic) with (3) new Britax Frontier 85 Combination Harness-­‐2-­‐Booster® Seats – as seen on the news story in the rental van. My wife and I continue to insist that our children utilize the five-­‐point harness until their weight exceeds the maximum limit."

 At A Nurturing Moment we only carry one brand of car seats because we are convinced that Britax really are the best available seats for the money. Between now and November 15, we have a special offer when you buy a Britax Bouldevard 70. Just in time for those Thanksgiving and Christmas trips, you will get a free travel cart with your seat! So come on by and take a look at a Britax!

Win a Free "A Child Is Born" Session

It does seem early to start thinking about Christmas, but before you know it, you'll be sending out your Christmas cards. What a terrific time to send everybody updated pictures of your growing family. We appreciate Mary Ellen Pollard of Lighthouse Photography for helping us create a beautiful, traditional option for your Christmas picture this year. You may include your whole family or just feature your children. It's entirely up to you!

We are so excited about our unique Christmas pictures that we want to give one of our families the opportunity to win a $75 package! Or you can choose to apply your winnings to a more expensive package. All you have to do is call the store to book your photo session, then you have 3 other options for entering as well!. If you've already booked your session, then you can mark that as done and enter using the three other options.

Another thing that makes these sessions so special is that a portion of the proceeds go to benefit the MOM Foundation. This non-profit is dedicated to helping low-income and teen moms breastfeed successfully. They are partnering with the Village of Promise to bring breastfeeding support to Huntsville Public Housing areas.

We do ask that you prepay when reserving your spot, but the winner will receive a refund on the day of the photo shoot. Call today to reserve your spot and enter to win the $75 package!