Holiday Gift Guide For Expectant & New Moms

Today I’m wrapping up my Holiday Gift Guide with a few gift ideas for Expectant and New Moms. In case you ladies need some ideas for yourself, or want to leave this post open on the desktop in the hopes your partner will see it.  Don’t forget that many local stores now offer registry services, so you can make a little wish list and let your partner or family choose what they would like to surprise you with.

There are so many great products and services available for moms, so I’m just sharing a few that I genuinely love and hope you will too.
 

Something You Want:  

Relaxation! The aches, pains and stress associated with being pregnant and caring for a newborn can be intense, so a gift card for a wellness appointment (massage, chiropractic, osteopathy, physio), or a wellness class (eg. yoga, meditation) is a great gift for an expectant or new mom. A little time alone to allow your body to recover and recuperate will allow you to feel better and enable you to give more of yourself to your little one. West End Mamas in Bloor West offers a full line of treatment options, classes and workshops for pregnant & postpartum moms, plus they have childcare available for parents during their services (*limited hours please inquire) *Mention With Care for 20% off your 1st Wellness Service at West End Mamas.

For moms with an older baby, toddler or preschooler, a day trip to Ste. Anne’s Spa, or a more local option like The Old Mill or Body Blitz, is also a perfect gift.

Another great gift to help promote relaxation at home are therapeutic grade essential oils. I have fallen in love essential oils in the last few months and now use my oils almost daily to support our physical and mental health. Some of my favourites include: Lavender, an especially calming oil for those panicked feeling days; Peppermint, ideal for respiratory support for the whole family & Lemon, a great awakening oil. As I explore and try more oils I find so many great uses for them in our daily lives. 

Something You Need: 

Sleepbelt is one of those amazing products that you don’t realize you need until you try one. Then you’re hooked! This hands free skin-to-skin support system allows you and rest and recover during the 4th trimester when your newborn wants to be cuddled non-stop. This is one of my all time favourite presents for expectant and new parents. Best of all it was designed and created by a local Toronto Mom and is Canadian made. Purchase online at Sleepbelt and receive free shipping when you mention With Care. 

Something To Wear: 

If you’re pregnant or babywearing over the course of a Canadian winter a Bridge the Bump insert is a must have and a perfect holiday gift. Bridge the bump allows you to adapt your own coat to suit your growing pregnant belly or while babywearing. Check out my Bridge The Bump review from last winter.  I can’t wait to use mine again this winter while pregnant with baby #3. Bridge the bump is available for purchase online, save 10% using code WITHCARE10

If you’re a nursing mom a fresh new nursing bra is a great item to put on your wish list. The newest addition to the Bravado family The Body Silk Yoga Bra is the perfect gift for any active mama. I tested mine out recently while doing yoga and absolutely love the cross back option for additional support. Purchase online or locally at Diaper-eez (more selection available in store) *Save 10% at Diaper-eez with Promo Code: Withcare

Something To Read: 

I don’t know many new parents that have a ton of time to read, so a magazine on a topic of interest is a great gift that has a chance of actually being enjoyed. For the magazine lover a subscription to Texture by Next Issue is also a great way to access a huge selection of magazines online.

A spa menu is also great reading material in my opinion. *See “Something You Want” and check off 2 categories with 1 gift!

Something To Give: 

Two charities near and dear to my heart that help improve the lives of mothers and families here locally and worldwide are The New Mom Project & The Mama Collective.(*Edited Dec 2017 to note that The Mama Collective is no longer running. Please feel free to donate to The New Mom Project)

The New Mom Project provides marginalized families with basic baby necessities to get them off to a great and loving start. They collect new and gently used items for infants 0-12 months old to provide to families in need around our city. Please check out The New Mom Project to Donate to their Sweet Dreams Campaign and stay tuned for our next donation drop off in January. 

The Mama Collective aims to raise awareness about maternal health globally, advocate for expectant women worldwide & raise $10,000 to build a Gift of Hope Clinic with Plan Canada to serve women & families in Nigeria. Check out The Mama Collective to donate. *Edited Dec 2017 to note that The Mama Collective is no longer running. Please feel free to donate to The New Mom Project)

I hope you found some great ideas for yourself or the expectant or new mother in your life. Happy Holidays!

– Care

Bloor West Holiday Cafe with Diaper-eez!

Join Fifty-Seven & Diaper-eez for a Fun & Festive Morning in Bloor West Village in support of The Mama Collective.

*This exclusive event has a very limited number of spaces available, so please email info@fifty-seven.ca to register or be added to our wait list.

Thanks to David’s Tea, Body Language Academy of Dance, Laroux Peoples, Anchor Studio & Diaper-eez for making this community event possible. 

Happy Holidays!!

– Care

Special Event at Movies for Mommies - Milk

Check out this exciting Special Event at The Humber Cinema!

Doors open at 10am for photos & 10:30 am for ticket sales. Space is Limited! 

*Tickets to this Special Event can be purchased online. Buy Tickets.

See you at the Movies!

- Care

The Bump To Baby Show - FREE Community Event

There's a NEW Baby Show in town! Check out The Bump to Baby Show, a FREE Community Event happening next Tuesday May 26th from 4pm-9pm at the beautiful Wychwood Barns. 

This show is perfect for expecting parents, new parents and young families who are looking for a little help going natural. The lineup includes incredible wellness practitioners, services & products all geared toward helping young families live healthy lives. I am so honoured to be part of this event and am looking forward to meeting lots of new people and seeing some familiar faces. 

Check out The Bump to Baby Event Page for a full list of vendors and to see some of the amazing swag & prizes that will be featured at the event. Plus, did we forget to mention it's FREE! 

See you on Tuesday!

- Care

Fifty-Seven Comes to Parkdale! - This Little Piggy

I'm very excited to announce a new collaboration with This Little Piggy. 

Starting in June we will be offering our very popular Infant CPR & Family Safety Workshop to the parents of Parkdale! 

This Little Piggy is one of my favourite shops in the city for expectant and young families because they focus on selling tons of amazing local brands. Check it out if you haven't already! They have a great online shop that's easy to use. Plus you can follow their beautiful Instagram feed to see their adorable products and stay up to date on in-store events.  

*Don't wait to register! Space is very limited and these workshops always sell out fast. Register Online Here or contact info@fifty-seven.ca or 416.972.9367 for any questions or assistance registering. 

Looking forward to meeting lots of local Parkdale families.

Warmly,

- Care

Shopping With Care - Bridge the Bump!

Welcome to Shopping With Care.  For my 1st instalment I am super excited to bring you a product that I absolutely LOVE! Bridge the Bump Maternity & Babywearing Coat Insert.

Some people would consider this product a frivolous purchase, but I consider it a must have! Our Canadian climate makes it impossible to walk around for several months of the year with your coat open to accommodate your growing pregnant belly or baby & carrier, especially during this epic polar vortex!

Pregnancy & Babywearing coats on the market are extremely expensive and most people have already invested in a winter coat that they want to continue wearing, not one that can only be used temporarily. Bridge the Bump provides the perfect solution, a user-friendly zip in panel that adapts your regular coat to be worn while pregnant or babywearing.

Such a smart design that works flawlessly for Bump or Baby!  

We've been all over town in this baby!

I've been using my Bridge the Bump virtually everyday for the last 4 weeks and am completely obsessed with it. It has made my winter babywearing life so much simpler (and cozier for me and Baby L!) Now when I want to go out I just pop Lucy directly into her carrier with booties and a hat (note: no screaming fight to get said toddler into a snowsuit!!) and do up my coat comfortably around the 2 of us. Game changer. Seriously, so worth it!  

Why I Love It

• Encourages attachment & babywearing in winter, which is almost always easier than battling a stroller in the snow. *Please make sure to wear proper footwear while babywearing

• Open top vs. hooded design, allows for baby's face to remain visible & kissable at all times. Something that is very important to me as a CPR Instructor & Babywearing Educator.

• Works for Pregnancy & Babywearing!

• High-end fabric choices *Matches my Canada Goose almost perfectly

• Custom colours and fun prints available

• Zippers to accommodate almost every coat on the market

• Designed and created by 2 Bloor West Moms! You really can't beat that for shopping locally.

Where Can You Buy Bridge the Bump?

•  Directly from Bridge the Bump

• Love Me Do Baby & Maternity Boutique in Liberty Village

• Diaper-eez in Bloor West Village

• This Little Piggy in Parkdale

Don't waste anymore time being cold this winter. Get out and grab a Bridge the Bump and stay cozy until spring arrives. I've heard it's going to be a late one this year. Hope it's not true!

I really hope you enjoy this product as much as I do and would love to hear any feedback about your Bridge the Bump. If you need any advice or support with Babywearing or assistance choosing baby products please don't hesitate to contact me at carolyn@fifty-seven.ca

- Care

New Collaboration? Love Me Do!

It's been a busy few months around here and it feels like our little blog has been severely neglected. I can tell you that this busy-ness is a sign of lots of change & growth happening with Fifty-Seven, but you'll have to wait a few more weeks to see exactly what I'm talking about. In the meantime I am thrilled to announce an Exciting NEW Collaboration!

Starting this February, Fifty-Seven will be teaming up with Love Me Do Baby & Maternity Boutique in Liberty Village to offer in-store educational classes & workshops, as well as fun social events for expectant and new parents. 

Love Me Do is a beautiful shop in the heart of our amazing city. It offers tons of my favourite products for mom & baby, so it's the perfect spot to host some of our most popular workshops for parents. 

Join me to learn how to keep your little one safe at our Infant/Family CPR & Safety Workshops.

Or come to learn how to care for your new baby at our Baby Prep Class. 

Both classes are highly recommended for all expectant parents. *Space is very limited so don't wait to sign up. Upcoming Workshops at Love Me Do in Liberty Village:

- Baby Prep Class: Sunday February 1st, Register Here

- Infant/Family CPR & Safety Workshop: Wednesday February 18th,Register Here

Upcoming Workshops at Fifty-Seven in Bloor West Village: - Infant/Family CPR & Safety Workshop: Sunday February 8th, Register Here

- 4-Week Prenatal Class Series: Starts Tuesday February 24th, Register HereStay Tuned for more exciting events at Love Me Do this winter including an educational & social mixer for expectant parents with myself & Lactation Consultant Taya Griffin.

I'm really looking forward to meeting more of the Liberty Village Community!

As always don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or would like help registering for any of our programs. 

Warmly, Carolyn 

The Baby Show - Here We Come!

I'm so excited to announce that Fifty-Seven we will be taking part in The Baby Show being put on by the publishers of Oh! Baby Magazine this fall. The show will take place Saturday Sept 27th (9am-6pm) & Sunday Sept 28th (10am-5pm) at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place, and is filled with tons of local and national exhibitors showcasing the latest in prenatal, postpartum and baby & toddler products & services.

We'll be set up in the Exclusive Begift Registry Lounge chatting about our services, selling products (like our fav the SleepBelt!), and meeting lots of expectant & new families. We're really excited to be one of Begift's featured partners at The Baby Show. 

For anyone who hasn't heard of Begift, it's an awesome new online registry full of incredible services for mom & baby. It features classes, workshops, health & wellness services and so much more. All the gifts moms really want, because you can only have so many onesies!

Come by and visit us at the show to get your free registry passport & gift, plus be entered to win one of TWO Dream Begift Registries! Each Valued at over $2000!! 

General admission at the show is $15. Use coupon code: TBS57 to save $3 on admission! Plus kids under 12 are FREE!

Hope to see you at the show!

- Carolyn