Petunia Picklebottom Review

I ordered the Sunlit Stockholm Sashay Satchel for a trip. The funny part is I ordered it from Petunia Picklebottoms Outlet site. I needed it for a trip and when I realized I may not get it in time I bought another one from Amazon Prime. Of course I got both at the same time so now I have two.

First off the bag is a gorgeous eye watering yellow. It's the glazed one so seems durable enough. I dragged this bag through two airports with two children to an outside rehearsal dinner by a pool and left it on the floor in a warehouse at a wedding. I thought for sure when I left it at the wedding it would be ruined. The wedding was at an old antique abandoned warehouse. the floors were dusty cement and the spot where we (the wedding party) were able to leave our items was next to the bathroom. There is no indication of such treatment anywhere on this bag. My lovely pleather coach bag which I use just to random store visits look worse than this.

The best feature was the instant backpack option. I didn't think this would be something I would ever use. I was completely wrong. Traveling with a small infant and four year old it was essential. It fit under the seat in the airplane which was a bonus. When I didn't want to use the backpack I slipped the straps into the back pouch and it easily became a purse.

This was my first Petunia Pickle bottom purchase and I feel like I am addicted. The outlet sent the bag in excellent condition with a simple $5 shipping charge. I received the items in 3 days. I was impressed with the packaging. it was much nicer than the bag that came from Amazon.

The inside is different than most of my other bags. the shape allows for deep pockets and a narrow top. Currently it holds 3 reusable BumGenius diapers, 1 wet bag, 3 outfits, receiving blanket, socks, baby wipes, hand wipes, changing mat, iPad, and my Coach clutch.

I like the easy access front pocket. There is a designated spot for my phone and keys. The changing pad is more durable than I expected. My Coach changing mat is flimsy and gross. This is definitely much better. Although my favorite changing mat came with the KateSpade bag. However it's big and bulky when folded up. This one folds neatly with a designated pouch to keep it securely in place. The side pockets fit random teething toys, my iphone, and keys. I can see how others may be disappointed about the putter side pockets as I don't think my bottles would fit in them. Although I use BornFree Glass bottles. They are heavier and wider. They do fit in the inner side pockets though.

We also bought the iPad case. It was essential while traveling to have a case. I just had to have something that matched. I was impressed. I fits our iPad perfectly. It even fits out kindle fire HD should we choose to switch them out. This fit in the front pouch with a coloring book and box of crayons easily enough.

I read almost every review. I watched Utube videos on what people pack inside the bag. It definitely has a wide bottom so if you don't like stacking items you may not like it. I love it because unlike my tote Coach and Kate Spade bag nothing falls out if I bend over to pick up the baby. Also it's so much easier to pack than my tote Coach bag which is bigger and much heavier.

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Diaper Bag

Skip Hop City Chic Diaper Bag - Columbus Circle

This is by far the best bag I own. I am shocked at the reviews about it too. I used this for 2 years with my daughter and it is still in great shape.

Every mom has to have a diaper bag. Now if they are like me they have one in every color every brand and are still in the market for another bag.

I bought 3 fancy Coach diaper bags. I love their purses so figured why not. (perfect condition maybe they were used once). They may know purses but their diaper bags aren't the best.

I will say the Kate Spade bag I have used quite often but it's bright red and spills things when you bend over. However this simple SkipHop bag is our go to diaper bag.

I think mostly because it's light weight and still holds a ton. My Coach bag is so cramped and holds very little yet is bigger than this bag. I have a few other brands as well but nothing that I'd recommend. I like the loose compartments of this bag. For some reason all the other bags have everything squished together. With this bag it's easy to get bottles into the sides especially with the larger glass bottles. Plus the option to attach a clutch purse is the main reason I bought it.

It comes in pink or blue too. Now that I have another baby perhaps I can justify buying it in blue. Not as if I need another bag but it's just one of those things we do. I cannot explain why I need 10 bags because I'm not sure myself. It just is what it is. Just like how come my husband must have every version of the same video game... something's we just shouldn't question.

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Glass Baby Bottles

With the crazy hype about BPA and how toxic plastic is I am shocked more mothers don't use glass.

I used glass bottles with my daughter and now with my son. We haven't had a problem breaking them if that was your first question. I tried every glass bottle that Target, Walmart and Babies R Us carried and then I found Born Free. A lot of bottles later we found what worked best for us.

You can buy this Born Free in packs of 3 (financially the best option). I found Walmart has sales online, but be careful. It must say GLASS otherwise you will get plastic. Walmart does not carry these in the store by my house.

I found TJ Max had a few and they were half the price. You can buy them in 5oz bottles or 8oz bottles. I bought enough to go a week without washing them. I know that sounds crazy especially because individually they are $9.99 a bottle.

I have limited time between dinner, kid time, cleaning, me time and bed time. I don't want to add bottle washing every night to the list of things I need to do.

I purchased 15 bottles. 3 bottles per day at the sitters, 5 days a week. On Saturday or Sunday we wash them and sanitize them. If my husband decides he wants to do dishes, (usually he does every night) that's up to him but at least I know we will have clean bottles if he doesn't.

These bottles come with a wide top makes it easy to fill and put together. (The Dr Brown bottles were a nightmare putting together).

There is a compartment that goes between the nipple and the bottle. maybe it works and does something cool maybe it doesn't... but I can say (including my 4 year old daughter) neither of them have ever had an ear infection or thrush. That's gotta account for something.

Maybe it is the glass itself. Maybe it's the bottle. Maybe it's a combination or everything I do. I can tell you most kids get their first ear infection before they turn 1. At least according to my PEDs Doctor.

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Bottle Sanitizer

This seems like a luxury item to first time moms especially on a budget. Technically one could boil water and sanitize bottles. However I would advise against doing so in the sink. The dirtiest place in the average house is the kitchen which includes the sink. So we clean ours regularly with a vinegar spray in addition to bleach and water. I don't want those chemicals on my baby's bottles so we bought a sanitizer.

The first Sanitizer I had was a Safety First Brand. It worked well. This time I bought the Phillips Avent bottle Sanitizer.

The reason I switched was because of the size. The old sanitizer had a huge dome lid that was awkward and annoying. Plus we only used Glass Bottles so that does make a difference.

This sanitizer has three compartments. Below it has all levels stacked. I liked this because I could use the different compartments individually if needed.

This is the top compartment where I clean mostly nipples bottle kids and breast pump parts.

You can see the different levels below. Lets face it with two babies and being a working mom who has time to organize anything in the kitchen. I love this because I can store clean parts in the top and still run a load of bottles in the base if needed.

Mine also came with a storage or organizing case that has come in handy as well.

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Perfect Swing

FisherPrice Swing

Fisher-Price Cradle Swing is one expensive item I would recommend. The biggest feature I liked about this swing is that it shifted from a side to side swing to a front to back motion.

My son has no problem sleeping or sitting and playing but with my daughter that was an entirely different story. There were many days she fell asleep in this swing. The top lit up and played a delicate song that calmed her if she was ever freaking out. We had the natural one with leaves and animals that moved up top.

The biggest thing was she couldn't climb out if it or roll it over. I found with the bouncer chairs she and my son do just that. We have a low to the ground swing now that he can't wait to wiggle his way out of.

I had 4 different bouncer chairs with my daughter and I have 3 different bouncer chairs and 2 new swings for my son. I would trade them all for this swing. It was at my parents house for a long time after y daughter grew out of it. They sold it for $25 at a garage sale. Ever see one at a garage sale it's a must buy item. I noticed Walmart has them the cheapest. However I've noticed the cheapest at Walmart is just that... the cheapest and usually missing a few features.

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Must have Chair

Mamas & Papas Baby Snug and Activity Tray

This oversized version of the Famous Bumbo chair is one item I highly recommend. I use this daily even more so than the actual high chair. 

With my daughter we had a Bumbo chair and LOVED it. With my son we have a Bumbo chair that sits in the garage because we have the Mamas and Papas chair. The base on this chair is wider than the Bumbo chair which creates more stability. I really like that the tray snaps on easily. I smashed my fingers numerous times on the Bumbo chairs add on tray. 

This isn't a chair you can stick your child in and walk away but it does help stabilize them at the dinner table (more like on the dinner table). Yes they do NOT recommend placing this on top of anything but we don't leave him in the chair and walk away. (COMMON SENSE when using the products is of course recommended.)

I had actually wanted another Bumbo chair when I was pregnant. Two weeks before my shower the Bumbo chair was recalled and all the items had to be removed from the shelves. We had one with my daughter so I knew the risks. I was so upset because I had given my daughters to a friend and she moved across the country. 

My parents bought us this instead. At first I was bitter because it wasn't the same. It was bigger and took up more space. Now after using it feels more stable, sturdy and safer. Plus I was given a used Bumbo chair and sadly it is sitting in the garage. 

Unfortunately they didn't have the activity tray when we had gotten ours. To me this is definitely worth every penny. It seems $$$ for a chair but if it's something you'll use everyday it's worth it. 

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Best FREEBE

Medela Free style pump

This is the pump I am currently using. We pump 4-5 times a day for 15 minutes each session except when I'm trying to increase my milk.

I would NOT recommend the freestyle version. (See below for pump recommendation) While the digital clock is awesome and the hands free is exciting it is a far stretch from the Medela Advance Backpack Style pump below.

I've been breast feeding for 11 months and pumping consistently for 7-8 months (whenever I went back to work). I have replaced the motor 3 times.

I do love the fancy digital clock. The parts are super easy to clean. Much easier to clean that the other options.

I have the Medela Advanced backpack from my first child. I pumped or breast fed every 3 hours for 2 years. I have never replaced anything other than the tubing or the parts. I hate cleaning and sanitizing parts. So I would buy a couple components and wash them to use.

I recommend this one because it pulls harder and seems faster still without insane pain. I've still had days where I've pulled this out of the closet instead of using my new one.

Cambridge Medical Supply will send you a free pump. www.Cambridgemedicalsupply.com. All you have to do is call them.

I paid to upgrade mine. I had to give them my insurance information and sign something and 2 days later it came in the mail.

Best secret for new moms EVER!

I also have a playtex brand cheap ($80) pump that I attempted to use. It's awkward and hurt like someone was cutting me with scissors. Lets just say that's used in the utter most extreme situations. Now that I have the two Medela pumps I don't need it. There are days when I've forgotten the pump bag at work and it's a relief to have a back up at home.

My Pump Schedule:
7:30am breast feed
9:30am pump.
12:30pm pump
3:30pm (usually turns into 4pm) pump
5:30pm breast feed
7:30pm breast feed
9:30 to 10:30pm pump depending on how tired I am and how full.

With my daughter I pumped every three hours regularly because I wasn't eating meat or dairy. She also woke every three hours on the dot. with Jace he sleeps through the night so I haven't gotten up to pump. Although in the beginning I was up every 2-3 hours whether he was or not. To me that's THE ONLY way to get your milk in and keep it up. Now if you're a stay at home mom that's a different story but working moms have to pump.

As they grow it takes more 1-2 pumping sessions for every 1 feeding. So you want to have a large reserve. With my daughter we had an abundance. With Jace I'm waiting up to pump so he will have enough for tomorrow.

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Must have Barlean's Oil

In order for my milk to stay up with my little ones needs I had to start adding more fat into my diet. I'm pumping every 3 hours but if I don't eat enough my milk suffers.

I noticed with certain foods my milk was watery white and didn't weigh much. So I added fish oil. I started with the Whole Mega Salmon pills that are about $40 a bottle. That lasted a month. I didn't notice an increase in my milk supply but my milk went from watery to a thick yellow color.

I hate taking pills. I'm taking calcium. I'm taking zinc. I'm taking a prenatal and now fish oil. It was too much to remember.

So this month I decided to try Barlean's flax oil. I had tried the chocolate flavor before so I knew it didn't taste like something from the bottom of the sewer as most flax oils do. I saw lemon flavor and thought I'd try it. I had no idea the lemon swirl flavor was fish oil and not actually flax until I got home.

I figured I would try it. There is something about Salmon oil that helps with milk supply. I pumped 9 oz the next morning. I couldn't believe I got 4.5 ounces out both sides even out of my stubborn breast. There is always one side that seems to want to be difficult.

I've been breast feeding for 11 months now on my second child so it's not like my milk fluctuates like a new moms would. Generally I pump 3-4 ounces each pumping.

I'm hooked! I swear it's the added fat into my diet. Plus there is no pill to take and it actually tastes good. The best part... I've noticed an improvement in Jace's skin. It sounds crazy. I was taking supposedly the best Salmon oil paying $40 a bottle with nowhere near the results.

So I paid over $30 at WholeFoods. While I love WholeFoods their supplements are insanely over priced. I found it at The Vitamin shop on sale for $21.99.

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