Baby Bump, Baby Bed- Arm’s Reach Concepts Cosleeper Giveaway

Henna belly

For approximately 40 weeks your uterus is your baby’s playground, carrier, and bed. It’s a cushy and safe spot for them, rain or shine. If everything proceeds normally, a baby in the womb faces very little threat and though plenty of mothers will have scary dreams and anxieties about what could possibly happen, most will encounter nothing more worrisome than dealing with maternity clothes and figuring out the estimated due date. With all the protection they need, most babies usually grow in a secure environment. Plus, it’s attractive. There is something so special about seeing an obviously pregnant woman. Maybe it’s the glow from sweating thanks to the increase in hormones and body temperature. Maybe it’s that life is growing and a new person is expected. Maybe it’s the way the hormones have relaxed all the joints and there’s a waddle to her step. Maybe it’s the grimace of pain mistaken as a smile from the bowling ball pressing on her pelvic floor and nerves. Maybe it’s just how much everything is about to change. Whatever it is, it’s beautiful.

Then baby is born and that beautiful bundle is significantly way more exposed. Cute, but now there are safety concerns with how they are transported, what they’re wearing, how they’re held, and where they rest. Even when they are sleeping you have to be careful. There will be a lot of checking to be sure that little chest continues to rise and fall with each breath. It helps when there is another attractive safe place aside from mom’s arms for them to rest securely once they are outside of mom’s body.

Enter Arm’s Reach Concepts co-sleeper.

Arm’s Reach has been there for me and my babies so I was excited to see the new products coming from Arm’s Reach Concepts that I just had to lay down and try them out right on the show floor of the ABC Kids Expo in early September. They even had a weighted baby doll for me to get the full experience with. I may have tried to breastfeed it because that’s just what I expect to do when I lay down next to a baby. Then I wanted to take a nap because it was actually more quiet in that hall with thousands of people than it is at any given moment in my home with 6 kids. No joke.

Also not a joke is Arms Reach Concepts. ARC has been helping families sleep closer since 1997 and just continues to improve how they support families in getting the rest they need. Today they are bringing new designs and new innovative products to the market responding to the needs of the modern family. The designs are beautiful and stylish with a classic feel, I don’t know how many times I said how I wished they had something when my babies were tiny. It’s almost enough to make me think about having another. Almost.

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Trying out an Arm’s Reach Concepts Co-Sleeper at the ABC Kids Expo, September 2014. That’s not a real baby, that’s a doll.

But instead of me getting pregnant and having another baby (no, cool new baby products is not a good reason to have a baby…) we’re just going to send one of these new co-sleeper designs to a lucky Leaky. One of my favorite co-sleepers in the ARC booth this year was the Arm’s Reach® Co-Sleeper® bedside bassinet Clover Cambria:  beautifully curved ends are solid wood panels with built-in leg extensions, caster wheels for easy movement around the house, ample storage basket under a well-ventilated mesh sleeping nest, and an anchor plate attachment system for greater security. I didn’t get to lay down and try this one personally but I did get to ask a lot of questions, play with it a bit, and oooh-and-aahhh over the clean lines and elegant wood. There was no doubt in my mind that I needed a Leaky to try this out and let me know what they think. Here’s what it looks like:

Cambria-Clover-cs-2000x2000But this isn’t just for any Leaky. We want to get one of these stylish co-sleepers (a $249.99 retail value) to a Leaky with a bun in the oven, a baby bump, a list of baby names, crazy pregnancy dreams, a waddle in her step, and a due date November-Feburary. This giveaway is specifically for Leakies in the USA expecting a new bundle of joy sometimes in November 2014, December 2014, January 2015, or February 2015.* And we want to see your beautiful baby bumps, your baby’s current bed and home. Check out the widget below to enter. Good luck Leakies!

*Due to production timing, the Clover Cambria Co-sleeper won’t be available to ship until mid November.
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Arm’s Reach Concepts Cocoon giveaway!

Arm’s Reach Concepts is a committed TLB sponsor and has actively supported breastfeeding families since 1997.  Getting to know the ARC family has been a real pleasure, their values and character are ones I’m happy to connect with our community of Leakies.  Stephanie manages ARC’s social media and has become a good friend, someone I trust and enjoy working with and I love how she cares about families.  This week I’m excited to introduce you Leakies to this member of the ARC family and share a giveaway for a product that’s on my baby gear list, the cocoon.

 

Co-sleeper

I got to hang out with Stephanie and Sharon from the Arm’s Reach Concepts team at MommyCon LA this past fall.

TLB:  Hi Stephanie, it has been a pleasure getting to meet and work with you and I’m so happy to have the Leakies get to know you and the support you offer.   Tell us a little about yourself, your role at ARC, and your family.

Stephanie:  Hello Leakies! it’s been my pleasure as well, I love the community you have built Jessica and am glad that we are able to be apart of it.  I’m a creative & social person by nature, at ARC I started with general Customer Service as I love to help and inform people this came naturally to me.  My past work was in an internet/technical background and I’m also a photographer so picking up the Social Media roles at ARC also fell in naturally.  I’m a Mama to 3 children, William is 13, Tyler is 12 and Jillian just turned 11 last week.

TLB:  Arms Reach obviously is committed to helping families get off to the best start possible and providing quality products to do so, tell us about how that commitment translates to the ARC family in how they take care of each other.

Stephanie:  At ARC we truly are a family.  We have a close knit staff who cares about each other and their families. We are all Moms, and with that often comes those “emergency” calls.  We pitch in and help each other out, no questions asked.

TLB:  I just love that ARC uses breastfeeding in promotional materials, such exposure helps normalize breastfeeding and gets more people comfortable with this biologically normal way to feed our young.  Why does ARC have such a commitment to supporting breastfeeding?

breastfeeding and cosleeping

Stephanie:  We believe that Breastfeeding creates the best start in life for babies and mothers and want to help each mother (espeically first time Moms) obtain the goals they have.  We believe that our product does just that.

TLB:  Stephanie, one of your roles at ARC is to manage the social media, how do you see moms connecting and using social media and why do you think that is?

Stephanie:  We now live in a very digital worl.  When I was pregnant I didn’t have the resources that are now available at my fingertips.  This can also be a catch 22, there is SO much info out there for Moms and Dads that it can become overwhelming.  We believe it to be our responsibility to share with our Co-Sleeper community safe sleep practices and offer support to those who need it.  When I see a response to one of our posts that says “Thanks, that’s exactly what I needed to hear today” or “I thought I was the only one who had this concern” it brings a smile to my face, helping Mothers and Fathers, it’s what we do. 🙂

TLB:  As a mom yourself, what is your favorite ARC product and why?

Stephanie:  I would say the Cocoon! (Too bad we don’t have them for us Mamas!) We’ve seen babies be able to soothe themselves with the gentle movements so quickly, I really wish I had one when mine were infants.

TLB:  Heading into the holiday season, share your favorite holiday  parenting survival tip for our readers.

Stephanie:  Don’t overthink it.  Remember the true meaning, we have long standing Holiday traditions in our family going back to my Father’s childhood, those are the things I remember from our Holidays.  Being around family and friends.  There are actually very few Christmas that I can remember specific gifts.  Cherish your family and the time you have with them.

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Stephanie is giving away 1 prizes to 1 lucky Leaky.  The prize is:

The Arm’s Reach Cocoon in Toffee.  Retail Value: $139.99

Currently Leakies can find this and other cosleeping items on the The Arm’s Reach website.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from [month day, 20–] through [month day, 20–].  A big thanks to [your first name] and [business name] for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter  (@theleakyboob on Twitter) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

 

This giveaway is restricted to U.S. residents only.

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Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper Giveaway

TLB is excited to bring you this giveaway from new sponsor Arm’s Reach®.  A struggle that is common to most new parents is what to do in regards to their baby’s sleep needs.  Arm’s Reach® CO-SLEEPER® may be a part of the solution for you.  This giveaway is an opportunity for you to get better acquainted with them and your chance to enter to win one of their adorable bassinets.  Arm’s Reach is also sponsoring our series on night weaning.  Check them out over here!  Let’s start with a bit of general information about Arm’s Reach and then owner, Sharon, will answer a few questions for us. 

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The Arm’s Reach® CO-SLEEPER® comes in a wide variety of styles, fashions, and sizes. Some features include: co-sleeping mode, bassinet mode, and, in select products, a play yard mode.  The product line has something for everyone – whether you have a preference for a particular style, or have limited space requirements, Arm’s Reach has a Co-Sleeper® for you. We are also proud to offer a high-quality line of Organic accessories. The Arm’s Reach® CO-SLEEPER® is widely distributed throughout the U.S., and is even available in many countries around the world. Our patented CO-SLEEPER® technology is highly recommended by leading experts: James J. McKenna Ph.D. (author & Director of the Mother-Child Sleep Lab at the Notre Dame University), and Dr. William Sears (renown Pediatrician and author of 40+ books on infant care that are translated to over 40 languages around the world).

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You can sleep better knowing your infant is in arm’s reach.

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TLB:  What inspired you to start Arm’s Reach?

Sharon:  As parents, we wanted to experience the bonding and ease of feeding but were concerned for the safety of the baby. We realized that there was a way to still have both, the Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper® was born out of that belief. It allows the best of the two worlds – safe co-sleeping and easy breastfeeding!

TLB:  What would you like TLB readers to know about Arm’s Reach?

Sharon:  The safety and welfare of babies is our utmost concern here at ARC. We would like to have all Mothers and Babies have a positive, and safe, co-sleeping and breastfeeding experience while they use our Co-Sleeper® products.  Our goal is to improve our society, one Co-Sleeper at a time.

TLB:  What is your favorite part of co-sleeping?

Sharon:  For 9+ months you carry your baby and you feel safe knowing that your baby is with you at all times.  Then they are born. Co-Sleeping gave the peace of mind that our baby was right next to us and still safe and it sure made those nighttime feedings much easier and more enjoyable

TLB:  Share how sleeping near their baby can help moms reach their breastfeeding goals.

Sharon:  Research had shown that when Mother and Baby sleep in such close proximity their bodies tend to sync with one another. Breastfeeding becomes stressless. Mom is right next to her baby,  tending to their feeding needs becomes second nature. It makes breastfeeding at night a more satisfying experience .

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Sharon is giving away a Mini Arc Co-Sleeper® Bassinet to 1 lucky Leakie.
Retail Value: $179.99

5161-TS CoS 5161-TS Mesh Highlight

Currently Leakies can find this and other Co-Sleeping items in the Arm’s Reach Concepts website.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from August 28, 2013 through September 4, 2013 .  A big thanks to Sharon and Arm’s Reach Concepts for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter (@cosleep on Twitter) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is restricted to U.S. residents only.

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Arm’s Reach and MommyCon Announcement and Giveaway

I’m headed to Vegas baby!  I’ve never been, true story.  But now Arm’s Reach Concepts has made it possible for me to meet up with a few hundred other moms at MommyCon– the boutique style conference focusing on natural parenting methods for everyone; single moms, career moms, stay at home moms, and even dads.  I get Vegas and hanging out with like-minded internet friends to talk about breastfeeding, parenting, birth, babywearing, sleeping, sex, growing up, and all other manner of topics related to life as a parent.  There’s even yoga.  Sugarbaby and I can’t wait!  While there I get to lead two sessions, one to talk about “Sex, Lies, Breastfeeding, and the Rest- finding fun and sleep amidst the realities of parenting” and another session called “Growing Together With Our Children“.  Even better, a designated private party to hang with other Leakies!

 

I’m thrilled that MommyCon has put in considerable effort to make this conference affordable.  Staying in a swank Las Vegas hotel AND workshops /seminars with fun and informational presenters such as Jamie Grayson, TheBabyGuyNY and all for a great rate.  At $110 for a single attendance registration and hotel stay or $150 family registration and hotel.  That great rate just got even better, read on for a discount code just for Leakies.  The price can’t be beat for a getaway in Vegas with friends.  It’s great to know that having my 8 month old Sugarbaby in tow at the time won’t be a problem either at this mommy centered event.  To register, go here.  To reserve your space at The Leaky Boob Meet-And-Leak private party on the 3rd, email jessica@mommy-con.com.

One of my favorite companies, Arm’s Reach Concepts, a company that helps families have safe sleeping arrangements, is not only partnering with me to make it possible for me to speak at MommyCon, they are sharing information for parents to make the right sleep choices for their family.  Joining me in Vegas, ARC places great value in supporting parents and producing great products that assist them.  It’s no surprise then that this company is staffed with incredible people that genuinely want to help families get off to a great start.  Innovative and dedicated this company isn’t afraid to think outside the crib which has earned them the endorsement of Dr. Jack McKenna regarding their co-sleeper design.

To get ready for the fun in January, we’re doing 2 exciting giveaways: a single attendance registration (winner is responsible for their own travel) and an Arm’s Reach Concepts Cocoon.  Both of these giveaway items are a great value and all about encouraging and supporting families.  It’s an honor and a pleasure to share these with you.

baby hammock, Arm's Reach, Cocoon

The Beautiful Dreamer Cocoon, a $140 value, is a new product in the ARC family of co-sleeping accessories.  Designed to mimic the feeling of the womb so newborns feel more secure, the hammock bed style Beautiful Dreamer Cocoon cradles baby closely and gently sways in response to baby’s movement.  Perfect for babies birth to 15 pounds The Beautiful Dreamer Cocoon is easy to move around the house, keeping baby close for naps while mom or dad accomplish tasks that need to be done in their day.  The Cocoon is for infants birth to 15 pounds or when child can rollover, whichever comes first.

Sugarbaby and I got to scope out The Beautiful Dreamer Cocoon this past October and while she was just on the edge of being to big for it, we were both big fans.  After spending 3 days on my back at a trade show, a fussy Sugarbaby was done being worn and settled right down when we tried The Cocoon.  In no time at all she was happily kicking and smiling at the soft toys bouncing above her.

Arm's Reach Concepts Cocoon, baby hammock

I talked with Xza Higgins from MommyCon and asked her to share the details of the registration giveaway and some background on why she started MommyCon and what Leakies could expect.

Xza:  MommyCon was founded to bring forward thinking parents together in an environment that promotes; learning, growing and nurturing our offspring.  A big part of why I started MommyCon, was because I was sick of attending mom events that talked about breastfeeding, babywearing, birth, etc. but then receiving a package of formula to take home with me and pamphlets on “when to ask for the epidural.” The seminars didn’t speak to me, and so I began planning babywearing classes, cloth diapering workshops, and car seat checks utilizing my like-minded friends knowledge and experts that I met along the way. I always felt like I was just at one big sales pitch, and that is why I’m dedicated to making MommyCon an event that moms from across the globe want to attend so they can mingle with other mommy’s and learn about things they are passionate about.

Our first event under the MommyCon title is MommyCon Mini and will take place  on January 4, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event will run from 10am-5pm, but we will have morning yoga for early risers and there will be private meet and greet the evening before with Jessica from The Leaky Boob. MommyCon registration is required to attend the meet and greet on the 3rd, and space is limited. You can email Jessica@mommy-con.com to reserve your space.

MommyCon, Las Vegas

Sample Schedule for MommyCon Mini, 2013

Red Rock 3

9:15AM :              Yoga – Mom and Baby

10:30AM:             Pre and Post-Natal Dance Class with Menina Fortunato

11:30AM:             Babywearing 101 & Wrapping

Lunch Break

1:30PM:               Pre-natal Considerations for Expectant Mom’s

2:30PM:               Car Seat Safety & The Best Seats for Your Family

3:30PM:               Tips for a Greener Home: Saving Money & Protecting Our Planet

 

Red Rock 4

10:00AM              Welcome! Mothering Through Breastfeeding

11:00AM                  The Leaky Boob Growing with Your Children

12:00PM               Cloth Diapering for Modern Families

Lunch Break

2:00PM                 The Leaky Boob presents Sex, Lies and Parenting

3:00PM                        Infant Massage Workshop with Amber Puzzi, LMT

4:00PM                 Jamie Grayson “The Baby Guy NYC” Best of Gear Seminar with thousands of dollars worth of giveaways!

Registration Opens at 8am

Shopping area is Red Rock 2 from 9:30am-5:00pm

Las Vegas hotel

You can register to attend MommyCon by visiting our website and clicking “attend.” We have single tickets, family packs and even hotel and ticket bundles. A ticket to MommyCon is just $50 for a day full of fun, learning and growing together. Children are all welcome to attend, but we do encourage babywearing instead of lugging strollers as there is limited parking for them.

The Leaky Boob readers can receive 10% off tickets and bundles by using code Leaky10 – prize can also be applied to existing MommyCon ticket purchase.

Website

Twitter

Facebook

To be entered for either of these great prizes, check out the widgets below.  Good luck everyone!  Hope to see you at MommyCon, 2013!

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