Kid safety: at home, on the road, while they eat, and while they sleep

This campaign made possible by Title Sponsor: Naturepedic

Let’s talk about the responsibility of keeping our kids safe.

I bet that most of us never thought as much about kid safety as when we had our own kids to look after. All of a sudden we have the responsibility of keeping our kids alive, and not just that, but to keep them safe and healthy! A lot of that is outside of our control, which is daunting, but there are a number of factors we have to manage in our efforts to keep our children safe. That can also be daunting.

There’s a whole lot of pressure that we experience as parents, from outside as well as from within ourselves, to make sure that no harm comes to our little ones. The good news is that kids are extremely resilient. Most of us are going to mess up a few times without any lasting damage to our offspring. But we all want to keep our kids from experiencing any pain or discomfort that we have within our power to prevent.

However, as there’s no one guidebook for child safety and well-being, it can be overwhelming to figure these things out, especially when some of us still have parents who remember a time before car seats. They can only help so much in the safety department as the world’s understanding of child development and safety have steadily grown since they were new parents. What’s outdated advise? What are the latest recommendations? What new or newish products are really helpful? Which ones can you trust? What do you really need?

The Leaky Boob is here to help.

We are launching a 4 week campaign focused entirely on child safety, and we have 4 trusted brands coming alongside that each represent an area of expertise with child development and safety standards: Naturepedic with sleep, Qdos with home safety, Olábaby with infant feeding, and Britax with car safety.

From now through December 15 TLB will be focused on discussing safety that include and go beyond these areas of expertise.

Join us as we all seek to make our world a little safer for our kids. Look for posts with the hashtag #TLBsafekids2019, tune in to the 3 campaign livestreams on TLB FB, and enter to win some wonderful child safety products from our campaign sponsors below.

 

 

Thanks so much to these brands who invest time, creativity, technology, and funds to support new parents with products to help keep our precious children safe. The following products are featured in the #TLBsafekids2019 giveaway. Enter for your chance to win after the info about the campaign!

Naturepedic: MC46 Organic and Breathable 2-Stage Crib Mattress
Retail Value: $349
This mattress starts with a firm, flat crib mattress made from food-grade polyethylene for easy crib changing, and then we add the most hygienic breathable cover to maximize airflow. The waterproofing the back of the cover protects the mattress and the 2-stage design allows it to grow with your child.

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Qdos: a variety of wonderfully designed child safety products for your home- winner’s choice!
Retail Value: $100
Modern, innovative, easy-to-use, and made to complement your home’s style, Qdos designs products to make your home safer for your children, from outlet covers, to anti-tip furniture kits, finger slam guards, and more!

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Olábaby: GentleBottle, Steambowl, Training Spoon, and Toddler Spoon
Retail Value: $42
Made of 100% non-toxic silicone, the GentleBottle’s soft texture and shape allow baby and parents a safe and comfortable grip. Use the clever Steambowl both to prepare steamed baby food puree AND as a serving bowl. And the Training and Feeding Spoons are the perfect tools to get your baby started on solid food. The flexible material allows for easy scooping, cutting, or even slicing, and doubles as a teether!

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Britax: One4Life all-in-one Car Seat
Winner’s choice of color
Retail Value: $375
The Britax One$Life all-in-one car seat grows with your child for 10 years (from rear-facing infant to forward-facing 5-point harness, to high-back belt-positioning booster) and it’s the only all-in-one with ClickTight. It goes from 5 to 120 lbs.

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Meet our Campaign Ambassadors!

Here to test out these wonderful products is a group of moms that will be posting about #TLBsafekids2019 on their own social accounts.

Here’s a little info on this campaign’s ambassadors, listed in the order of the above picture, left to right, top to bottom: 

 

I’m Lissette. A stay at home momma from NYC. Have two little ladies, ages 4, and 3 months. Been breastfeeding nearly continuously for 5 yrs with the support of my husband as well as online spaces like The Leaky Boob. When I’m not on Instagram, I’m rewatching The Office, crocheting, or helping out at our local Community garden.

Follow Lissette on Instagram!

 

I’m Chinenye, mostly called “Chi” or “Nenye” by my friends and family. I’m a finance analyst but left my job to take care of my little munchkin Jidenna who is almost 13 months old and still grabs on to my boobs like his life depends on it. Lol. When I’m not chasing my little one and preventing him from putting the tiniest things only his eyes can see into his mouth, I’m making scented soy candles and other natural products or testing out new fragrances to include in my candle line. I’ve also recently picked up photography as a hobby.

Follow Chinenye on Instagram!

 

My name is Rachel! I am mother to 4 living children, 1 angel baby, former foster mother to 4 different children, and current foster mom to a teenager and her baby (yes, I’m a grandma at 33!) and wife to Milkman. I can be found stealing kisses from my husband in the kitchen, munching on baby cheeks, nursing a kid or two, chasing chickens around the farm we live on, juggling social workers, and sending memes to my besties. I blog over at SheRocksTheCradle.com, where I talk about parenting, babies, fostering, breastfeeding, and marriage. I am so excited to be back on a TLB Campaign, because it gives me the opportunity to build community with other mothers.

Follow Rachel on Instagram!

 

Hi, I’m Katie! I am a stay at home mom and Coast Guard wife. I have one beautiful daughter who is almost one and a nine year old chocolate lab who still demands as much attention as a real kid. I am one week away from my breastfeeding goal of one year with no intention or desire to wean any time soon. This is my third campaign with The Leaky boob and I am so happy to be back. When I’m not chasing around a baby you can find me in the woods hiking, camping, or exploring.

Follow Katie on Instagram and Facebook!

 

I’m Kimberly – mom of four, married 15 years, coming out of the fog of PPD and learning to fall in love with our big surprise baby and how different this stage looks than I expected. I love baking, binge watching, anything outside, and being right – just ask my husband 😂

Follow Kimberly on Instagram!

 

Hi! I’m Amanda. I am a wife to a hilarious and hardworking man and mama to 4 earth-side kiddos ages 7, 5, 3, and 3 months, and one precious angel baby. I’ve got a Masters in Clinical Psychology and had grand plans to become a Marriage and Family Therapist, but the pull of motherhood was strong within me and I’ve been a Domestic Engineer for 6 amazing years! I thrive in the crazy that is motherhood! I get my kicks hoarding books, singing, drinking coffee and wine, backing, and playing Sims.

Follow Amanda on Instagram and Facebook!

 

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Free to be SAFE!- #TLBsafeKids with Clek

#TLBsafeKids

Hey Leakies,

It’s time to talk about practicing safe…ty.

We’re not here to feed into any anxiety or to cause any stress about your family’s safety.

Be honest, you probably do that just fine on your own.

Since so many of us parents have no problem worrying about our families we wanted to start something to actually help reduce that worry.

I know, right? How are we going to do that without alcohol?

Community. Better than fine wine.

Through the month of September and even far beyond we’re building community to share information, tell our stories, confess our fears, admit our mistakes, and help each other work out the right safety decisions for our families. Free of judgment, #TLBsafeKids respects the individual responsibility of parents for their family and trust them to make the best informed safety decisions according to their individual resources, circumstances, and access to information.

Respecting each other, ourselves, and our children, #TLBsafeKids brings together parents concerned about safety around information, ideas, and sharing our stories. And we believe it can be fun. Though there are aspects of safety conversations and education that can be scary, when we approach it with respect and a sense of fun it can become a part of parenting that isn’t dominated by fear and instead builds confidence in ourselves, our communities, and most importantly, our children. Together we are journeying toward health, safety, confidence, and awareness. Not as isolated individuals, but as a family, a community. With each other and with our kids, we’re taking steps to be confidently and freely safe. It may mean getting your car seat installation checked, reassessing your home for safety hazards, changing how you talk to your children, adjusting your sleep arrangements, fixing something broken in your home, you name it, you define what #TLBsafeKids looks like for you.

It all began in August 2014 with the first ever #TLBmoves and it took off. We cheered on some working on (and succeeding) quitting smoking, others had step goals to hit, there were those that started yoga or crossfit or pilates every day, and others started having salads every day. Getting moving together brought us closer together and we discovered that thanks to the global village of the internet, we could cheer each other on and have fun in the process. When we found ourselves stuck, we could be honest about the challenges we were facing and there would be no judgment, just support and encouragement. It was inspiring and we all wanted to keep moving. Nobody was judged and everyone was supported.

Not long after that we began dreaming about other ways we could support each other and other areas that can be difficult to address alone or where we fear judgment. Safety quickly emerged as an area that where many of needed judgment-free support and information sharing. And to safely admit our missteps along the way.

So #TLBsafeKids was born.

From sleep to babywearing, from car seats to home safety, from relationships to skin care, from health to cleaning products and so much more, we’re talking about it all with #TLBsafeKids and daring to honestly share the journey with each other without judgment. Ultimately, we believe this is the only way we can actually succeed.

#TLBsafeKids isn’t about wrapping our children in bubble wrap and keeping them from experiencing the world around them. Respectful of ourselves and our children, #TLBsafeKids aims to help each of us, parents and children alike, to tap into our own power to make confident decisions assessing risk, utilizing products, and employing strategies that allow us to live life to the fullest while being safe.

We hope you’ll join us.

It’s time for #TLBsafeKids!

Whatever area concerns you the most, our #TLBsafeKids community is here to support you. We may not have all the answers but you have our support in finding them.

Whatever your goal, you can join us for #TLBsafeKids!  This is all about embracing an intentional lifestyle that isn’t encumbered by safe practices but enhanced by them. No matter where you’re starting from and we’re here to support each other completely free of judgment each step of the way.

We have a team to help provide some inspiration, not with dictating how you decide to keep you family safe, #TLBsafeKids isn’t about acquiring a certain set of safety rules, but honest and respectful sharing of the journey we’re all on to keep our children safe. Kids in tow and personal goals put out there, our team isn’t to glamorize the journey, simply to share together one step at a time.

#TeamTLBsafeKids! Meet the five mamas who will be sharing their #TLBsafeKids journeys during the month of September:

Jessica: Founder, owner, and author of The Leaky Boob Facebook group and website; mother of six girls, ages 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, and 16.

Jasmine: is a stay at home mom of 4, 2 in heaven and 2 boys ages 4.5 years old and 7 months. Her eldest has Autism and they are currently implementing some new safety strategies according to his needs. Jasmine is a babywearing group leader in the Pacific Northwest.

Kileah: Member of TLB’s editorial team; mother of four children, ages 7, 5, 3 and 22 months. Kileah loves canning, cooking, and being with her family.

Brianne: work from home mom of 3 children, ages 11, 6, and 3 years old. Brianne is married to a fitness enthusiast but has struggled to find time for herself to do the same.

Meet our partners:

#TLBsafeKids is a big undertaking and we are so thrilled to be working with brands we believe in to bring you this event. Our partners really want to see families discovering the best safety practices for them! With information, education, and support, our partner brands is going out of their way to support YOU. Culminating with a giveaway featuring the best of all our partnering brands for #TLBsafeKids. We’ll be sharing photos of #TeamTLBsafeKids using gear from the following brands:

 

#TLBsafekids clek sponsor

Clek. Elemental safety is the Clek approach — the Clek way of thinking is about the performance of each of their products and the lives they are protecting. Essential elements and our methodology enable them to develop systems that work together to protect our kids. Manufactured in North America with a commitment to innovation without compromise and sustainability which is evident in their recycling program. Clek is striving to keep our kids safe today and tomorrow.

 

#TLBsafekids with California baby, skin deep safetyCalifornia Baby. With a mission to only create the safest natural products to soothe, nourish and smooth out life’s rough patches the natural way: one baby, one kid, one family at a time; California Baby makes it a priority to keep our kids safe from head to toe. They’re obsessed with purity and sustainability in every part of the process, from ingredient selection to manufacturing to packaging and beyond. With California Baby moms and dads who can rest easier knowing that they haven’t brought another unsustainable, toxic product into the house.

Newton Logo

 

Newton. A breathable crib mattress unlike any other. No matter where your baby sleeps, in their own room in a crib, in a crib side-car with your bed, in a crib in your room, or on a Montessori style bed on the floor, a breathable sleeping surface for you little one will let you breath easier too. Newton knows that your baby’s safety comes first and they also know how much you want to give them the right start in life. As experts in the area of sleep, they know just how important good sleep is for both of you. This is why they have devoted our time and expertise to creating a crib mattress that is not only safer, but also more comfortable.

#TLBsafeKids Health safety sponsor Crane

 

Crane. Since 2005, Crane USA has taken the lead in putting the “fun” into cool mist humidifiers, air purifiers, and space heating with a commitment to design for better living. Knowing just how much the air we breath impacts our health and safety, Crane products are functional and efficient at fulfilling your home health needs while communicating an appreciation for elegant design. With a unique sense of design and unwavering commitment to quality Crane continues to create their own distinctive interpretation of humidity, air quality, and heating solutions while remaining a step ahead of the crowd.

catbirdbaby_logo

 

CatBird Baby. Designed by a mom who needed help carrying everything with her baby, CatBird Baby Carriers are designed to be practical, stylish, comfortable, and easy to use. With a variety of products to support babywearing and make the babywearing experience even more enjoyable, CatBird Carriers are designed by a mom for moms and dads. Offering hybrid carriers along with standard designs, CatBird Carriers listens to parents and what they are looking for in a babycarrier.

Rhoost #TLBsafeKids partnering brand

Rhoost. Rhoost’s goal is to create products that allow parents to spend more time having fun with their kids, and less time worrying about them.  They are committed to creating innovative solutions that are safe for babies, safe for the environment, and easy to use. And they’ve succeeded. From baby grooming to cord winders, from finger guards to outlet covers and cabinet closures, Rhoost supports parents in safe, easy living.

When?
#TLBsafeKids runs run from September 1st-30st, 2015, but we hope you’ll keep growing, learning, and sharing long after the end of the month! (We may have something up our sleeves to that end, too!)

How?
Participation is up to you. How do you want to be involved? Want to share your story? Have some specific safety concerns you want to address in your own home? Are you passionate about certain aspects of safety and want to support others in learning about it? Is sharing the process and seeing how others are putting safe practices into place in their home helpful for you? Whatever it is, there are options for finding the way to participate that works best for you and your goals.

Where?
Anyone, anywhere can participate! We’ll be announcing some fun prizes from our brand partners this month, and those are limited to the United States at this time, but the world is your oyster if you want to get active with us!

JOIN OUR PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP (Please note: this is a co-ed community where you’ll find support as we get active and learn about safety together. Judgement free! Come as you are, this group is your #TLBsafeKids tribe!)

Who?
You, your friends, your kids, your partner, your boss, your mom, your dad… anyone!  Though The Leaky Boob is focused on encouraging families primarily through breastfeeding, we support breastfeeding moms and everyone that supports them.  Breastfeeding isn’t a requirement to participate with TLB and #TLBsafeKids.

We’ll have more updates soon – in the meantime, please follow TLB on Instagram to keep up with #TLBsafeKids. Use the hashtag #TLBsafeKids on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to share your pics. We want to see what you’re doing to keep respectfully keep your family safe and share the journey with you!

Clek Triple Giveaway

Clek may well be the the rock-star of carseat companies, but they are also down-to-earth and dedicated to creating the safest and most comfortable seats on the market.  A TLB sponsor since this past Fall, they are offering us a chance to get to know them a bit better through a brief interview with the founders of Clek, and they are offering The Leaky Boob community a chance to win three of their industry-redefining carseats in a 3 week giveaway.  Thank you, Clek, for your support of TLB and our effort to normalize breastfeeding!  First, an introduction as to who they are and what they do:

Husband and wife team, Chris and Jenny Lumley of Toronto, Canada are in the midst of changing the child passenger seating industry with the introduction of Clek’s new convertible car seat, Foonf. Aptly named as a play on the word “five” in German, Foonf contains an active safety technology that is in the same cars we drive and therefore reduces the forces on your forward-facing child in the event of a collision, and they have and share the test results to prove it. Parents to two young kids who use their seats, they wanted to create a series of products that are easy to use, best-in-class in safety, AND stylish. 

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TLB:  What should The Leaky Boob readers know about clek?

Chris:  A few unique facts about Clek are that:

– We are a Canadian company, owned and operated by a husband and wife team, who use the products for their own children.
– We have a North American manufacturing base (Foonf is manufactured in Canada).
– All of our employees are owners in the company.
– We have a recycling program for all of our products.
– We  make kick-ass child seats.

TLB:  How did clek get started, what was the inspiration behind the venture and what’s the significance of the name?

Jenny:  Chris, Clek’s founder, started Clek as part of one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers. In 2010, we took our life savings (borrowed the difference) and bought Clek outright.

The inspiration for our products come from the company’s automotive history and through our experience as parents.

Chris: Clek seats are designed to look and feel just like the seats in your car that you sit in. They’re engineered with the most advanced safety features in the industry to provide optimal safety performance – our kids ride in our seats too. And, they are designed with convenience to make parents’ lives easier, like easy installation, 3 across seating, Crypton® Super Fabrics,  etc.

We were inspired by a kindergarten student, who, when asked what sound the seat made when the signature rigid LATCH locked into place, replied “Clek”!  It stuck with us.

TLB:  What makes Clek seats distinctive?

Chris:  They look and feel like a miniature version of the seat in your car. The uber-convenient rigid LATCH installation is unique to the North American market, as is their advanced safety systems, which boasts a unique mix of European child seat safety systems and automotive safety systems.

TLB:  Every parent wants to keep their child as safe as possible, what is the most common mistake parents make with child safety seats and how can they correct it?

Jenny:  Installation is hands-down the most common mistake. Well in excess of 80% of car seats are improperly used. Like anything, it won’t work properly if you don’t use it properly.

Chris: Read and follow the instruction manual or visit with your local child passenger safety technician to have your seat installed (but remember to learn from them how to install it, so that you can repeat the process when your seat needs to be re-installed in the future).

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Chris and Jenny are giving away 3 different color Foonfs to 3 lucky Leakies in three consecutive giveaways.
(One Foonf given away per week for the next three weeks.  Make sure you enter every week!)

The Foonf is a convertible car seat with top of the line technology and very appealing design, making sure that your child is both safe and comfortable.

Week 1: The black on black version in Drift which is not in Crypton fabric and does not have the integrated magnets.
Week 2: The Blue Moon which is in Crypton and does have magnets
Week 3: The Snowberry, which is like Bluemoon.

Foonf_DriftFoonf_BluemoonFoonf_Snowberry

 

Currently Leakies can find these and additional colors at the ShopClek website at http://shop.clekinc.com.

For a personal review of the Foonf by Jessica (the woman behind TLB), click on this link.

ADDITIONALLY, during the 3 week giveaway period (April 4 – April 30) enter coupon code LuckyLeaky2013 for 20% off all Clek merchandise. This code is only good in the US at http://shop.clekinc.com , and in Canada at http://shop.clekinc.ca

 

Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from April 11, 2013 through April 18, 2013.  A big thanks to Chris and Jenny at Clek for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter  (@Clek on Twitter) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway open to US and Canadian residents.

Our first giveaway ended at midnight on April 10th, and the winner is: Jenny Walker!  Enter for our second Clek giveaway below!

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