The Brave Little Mama

Author: TheBraveLittleMama

Tips for Introducing Siblings to a New Baby

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

You can’t ever make a second first impression, or so the saying goes. When I found out I was expecting our second baby, I knew I wanted to try anything and everything to make my son’s first impression of his new baby sister the best it could possibly be. After asking A LOT of seasoned moms, I came up with a game plan. Here is what we did:

This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure here.

Before Baby Arrives

The Initial Meeting with the New Baby:

  • If possible, have baby in bassinet or have another adult other than mom and dad hold baby.
    • My daughter was born during flu season, so our first meeting was at home instead of in the hospital. The only extra step we took to accommodate for this was to have Riley playing outside when we arrived. We set up with baby laying on the bed so that he could easily get hugs and easily sit next to her.
  • Greet your older child(ren) before even acknowledging the new baby. Lots of hugs and kisses since they have probably gone a few days without seeing you. Make it all about them and how much you love them.
  • Introduce THEM to the new baby (not the new baby to them) and fill it with lots of compliments. “Adalyn, meet Riley your BIG brother. He is such a good sharer and he is wonderful at hugs and snuggles. You are so lucky to have Riley as your big brother”! – This may sound dumb but my son was BEAMING with pride when he met his sister.
  • Give them the option to hug, kiss, hold their new sibling but don’t force it. My son was ALL about the kisses but was not at all interested in holding his new sister. No big deal.
  • I took it a step further and wanted to help extend the goodwill we had created with the first meeting. To Riley’s delight, Adalyn had a Big Brother Bag of gifts prepared (here is a Big Sister option). One gift for the first week that she was home.
    • Two of these gifts were in the $5-10 dollar range.One was a big brother shirt (here is a big sister option). The rest were from the dollar store.
    • Every day that we opened a gift we make sure to verbalize, “Riley, look what Adalyn got you. She sure does love her BIG brother”!
    • Whenever those toys were played with, we reminded him that they were from her. She is 2 now and he still talks about “Adalyn got me this stuffed horse and these dinosaurs because she REALLY loves me”

After the First Meeting

  • Give your older kid(s) ways to help you when you are holding or nursing the baby. Bring me a towel, the remote, my cup, the paci. etc. Anything to help make them feel included.
  • THANK them out loud when they help you. “Thank you Riley for xyz, that was SO helpful”
  • Talk about them to their new sibling so that they can hear, “Wow Adalyn, that was so nice of Riley to bring you a pacifier. You are so lucky to have such a helpful brother”.
  • When you are helping your older kid(s) and their new sibling cries, talk to the baby. “Hold on Adalyn, mommy is helping Riley”. I found this one to be VERY helpful in making sure that Riley didn’t feel like I was only tending to Adalyn.
  • Let your older child refer to their new sibling as “Their baby”. My son still takes SO much pride in introducing his little sister to new people as HIS BABY. When she was baptized he walked around church telling everyone and anyone that “the little girl in white with water on her head” was HIS BABY.
  • When possible, do special things with just your older child. If they are showing any signs of regression behavior, make sure to talk up how only big kids like them can do that. “Only BIG kids like you can go on this slide. Adalyn is still too little to have this much fun”!
  • new baby introduction

We are now expecting our third child and thanks to COVID-19, we will be having another at home introduction. My husband and I plan to use all the same tactics to introduce our new little boy to his older siblings.

Struggling with managing your cat’s litter box? Check out my blog: A Litter Box Solution for Pregnant Women
Introducing New Baby to Siblings

The Best Iron Supplements for Your Pregnancy Anemia

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

I have had pregnancy anemia for all three of my pregnancies. I have tried dozens of different brands of iron supplements. It was frustrating to find that SO MANY of the supplements available came with varying GI side effects. While many caused severe constipation, others caused “sulfur burps”, complete with bloating, vomiting and diarrhea. You never want to have to deal with GI side effects on top of being exhausted from pregnancy anemia.

I wasted A LOT of money on lots of different iron supplements. I was never able to take any supplements long enough to alleviate my pregnancy anemia. But still, I persisted and kept trying different types of supplements in hopes that I would find one that worked.

Here are my two favorites:

Floravital Liquid Iron Supplement + Herbs

This iron supplement comes in liquid form. It is formulated for easy absorption and is gentle on the digestive tract due to use of ferrous gluconate, a highly soluble compound. It is a vegan product!

You take 10ml twice a day for a total dosing of 20mg. It is a liquid so you can easily adjust the dosing to match whatever recommendation your doctor makes for your pregnancy anemia.

Besides Iron, the supplement has Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and also Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B1, and B2.

The liquid can stain your teeth so it is recommended that you wash your mouth out with water after taking it.

Fusion Lifestyle Soft Chew

Individual wrapped cherry-flavored Iron Soft Chews contain 45mg of Iron as Ferrous Fumarate with 60mg of Vitamin C. The 45mg of Iron is a lot more than most other supplements provide.

Dosing is 1 chew per day, so each bottle will last for 2 months. It is sugar free, gluten free and is made in the USA. It is also dairy free!

These chews utilize a unique formula that was originally designed by a bariatric surgical team to benefit weight loss patients and those with pregnancy anemia.

My hemoglobin levels have started to RISE on my blood work results for the first time ever. It is amazing what a good supplement can do. I am not a walking zombie that is always cold anymore. Totally life changing!

Goodbye, pregnancy anemia. See ya never!

This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure here.

Need tips on what to pack in your hospital bag? Check out my blog: What’s In My Hospital Bag- The Second Time Around

Struggling with managing your cat’s litter box? Check out my blog: A Litter Box Solution for Pregnant Women

pregnancy anemia

Best Maternity Leggings WITH Pockets

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

I am currently pregnant for the third time but this is my first pregnancy as a SAHM. I have been spending a lot more time this pregnancy at home so finding the best maternity leggings was a necessity. Running after two other littles, my standards were high:

This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure here.

  1. Must not be see through when I bend over
  2. Must be machine washable- mama ain’t got time to hang dry clothes at this point in life
  3. Pockets- MUST have pockets because pretty much none of my maternity shirts or sweatshirts have pockets. This is my non-negotiable that ended up being the hardest feature to find.
  4. Affordable. A new baby comes with a lot of expenses and I was not looking to drop $60-$80 on a single pair of maternity leggings.

Don’t ever let a person tell you that leggings aren’t pants. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life.

Enter my holy grail of maternity leggings…

best maternity leggings
maternity leggings; maternity yoga pants

These maternity leggings met ALL my requirements. They have POCKETS! They aren’t see through. These leggings fit so comfortably with my growing belly. They are machine washable and they are affordable!!! Did I mention that they are also so freaking comfortable? I can’t even tell you how excited I was to find these after HOURS of searching.

Since buying these a few months ago, I have literally lived in them. I wear them at home, while out running errands, to prenatal yoga. I wear them in my weekly bump update photos. Heck, I even wore them with a pair of black booties to a fancy girls night out dinner!

best maternity leggings
Yep, those are my maternity leggings out on the town!

These leggings are super flattering and super comfortable. I usually wear a medium/6 pre-pregnancy. The medium fit comfortably without being too tight and with a little room for my belly to grow. I probably could have also gotten a small and been happy, but I wanted the room to grow. These leggings come in a few different styles. Besides the leggings that I have and am obsessed with, they also have an active version that comes in multiple colors. All with POCKETS! Plus, you can Amazon PRIME them to your house with free 2 day shipping!!!

The material is a so soft and buttery. Almost like you aren’t wearing anything. I have had them for over 3 months and wash/dry them weekly and they still look great. At their price point, I will probably be purchasing a second pair so that I do not have to endure pocket-less yoga pants on laundry day.

Need tips on what to pack in your hospital bag? Check out my blog: What’s In My Hospital Bag- The Second Time Around

Cat Genie: The Best Litter Box Solution For Pregnant Women

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

Why you should not clean the litter box while pregnant

One of the biggest rules with being pregnant is that you are no longer supposed to to scoop your cat’s litter box. This is because of the risk of Toxoplasmosis. According to the CDC, Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The Toxoplasma parasite can persist for long periods of time in the bodies of humans (and other animals), possibly even for a lifetime. Of those who are infected however, very few have symptoms because a healthy person’s immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness. However, pregnant women and individuals who have compromised immune systems should be cautious; for them, a Toxoplasma infection could cause serious health problems.

Litter Box solution for pregnant women
My sweet kitty Strider

If you are newly infected with Toxoplasma while you are pregnant, or just before pregnancy, then you can pass the infection on to your baby. You may not have any symptoms from the infection. Most infected infants do not have symptoms at birth but can develop serious symptoms later in life, such as blindness or mental disability. Occasionally, infected newborns have serious eye or brain damage at birth.

I don’t know about you, but the terrifying list of potential things that could happen to my sweet unborn baby is more than enough motivation for me to find a better litter box solution.

This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure here.

Should I just give up my cat?

You absolutely do not need to give up your cat just because you are pregnant. There are a few steps that we pregnant women can take to help limit our risk. The CDC recommends, that we avoid changing cat litter box and that we also ensure that it is cleaned daily. This is because the Toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat’s feces. Keeping your cat indoors and avoiding a raw diet for your cat can also reduce your risk.

But who is going to scoop this poop?

Not scooping the litter box can become a real problem for a lot of us pregnant ladies. Bugging our significant other or older children on a daily basis can become a burden. Or maybe your significant other travels and it is impossible for them to change it daily. Whatever your reason, it can be very frustrating. My frustration caused me to look for a better solution to my kitty litter problem.

I was drawn to the idea of a self cleaning litter box that didn’t require scooping. I searched and searched for self cleaning litter boxes, but I kept finding that all of the self cleaning litter boxes still required you to empty a tray of some sort at least once a week. Given that the Toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat’s feces, I did not want old cat poop hanging around in my house.

Meet the CatGenie Self Washing Self Flushing Cat Box

Cat Genie Litter Box

The CatGenie litter box hooks up to your toilet or washing machine plumbing. During an automatic cycle, the poop will be scooped and liquefied and then water will clean the washable granule litter. The CatGenie uses a cat-safe, veterinarian-approved SaniSolution to wash, scrub, scours and purifies the washable granules. The litter box will then empty the dirty water (containing cat urine and feces) into either your toilet bowl or your washing machine drain pipe. We have ours connected to a toilet, so once the cycle is finished, we just simply flush the toilet. The CatGenie then follows the washing cycle with a drying cycle so that all the washable granules will be dry and ready for your cat’s next trip to the litter box. The entire process takes about 30 minutes.

The CatGenie litter box can be programmed to run automatically up to 4 times a day or to run after it has sensed that your cat has visited the litter box. We have 1 cat, so we run the box once a day.

Can I afford the CatGenie Litter Box?

I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have some cost hesitations the first time I found the CatGenie Litter Box. At around $300 it is definitely more than most ever plan on spending on a litter box. But then I did a little more of a cost comparison and realized that over time it would actually save me a lot money!

  • Regular Litter Box Cost
    • Monthly Litter Cost- I was spending $20 a month on cat litter x 12 =$240/year
    • Litter box liners- I was spending around $20 each year on liners.
    • I was spending $260 every year on his litter box needs.
  • CatGenie Litter Box Costs
    • The box itself cost around $300. Its an additional $30ish dollars if you also want a cat dome cover for your cat’s privacy. Its important to remember that this is a one time cost.
    • For every 120 cleaning cycles, I have to replace the SaniSolution SmartCartridge. I purchase it in a 3 pack and pay $23 for each cartridge.
    • I also must purchase 1 Maintenance Cartridge per year at $30. It is recommended that this is used once after every 120 cleaning cycles to help descale and maintain your CatGenie Litter Box.
    • My annual cost for the SaniSolution and Maintenance Cartridges is $123.

My cat was 5 years old when I purchased the CatGenie. I know that the average indoor cat can easily live to be 15 or more years old. The break even point of this purchase comes right after year 2. By the end of year 3, I am now saving money each year on my cat’s litter box needs.

After 10 years, I save how much?

Here is the quick breakdown I did to compare what I was spending on cat litter vs. what I would be spending with the CatGenie Litter Box and how it would compare over time.

  • Year 1:
    • CatGenie Cost: $399
    • Regular Litter Cost: $260
  • Year 2:
    • CatGenie Cost: $123 (+ $399= $522)
    • Regular Litter Cost: $260 (+ $260= $520)
  • Year 3:
    • CatGenie Cost: $123 (+ $522= $645)
    • Regular Litter Cost: $260 (+ $520= $780)
    • Cost Savings after year 3: $135
  • Cost Savings after year 4: $272
  • Cost Savings after year 5: $520
  • Cost Savings after year 6: $657
  • Cost Savings after year 7: $794
  • Cost Savings after year 8: $931
  • Cost Savings after year 9: $1068
  • Cost Savings after year 10: $1205

Once I did the math, I was SOLD! Not only would the CatGenie make my life easier on a daily basis but I would be saving a lot of money over time.

Added Benefits of the CatGenie Litter Box

After having the CatGenie for just shy of 3 years I am happy to report that I am still SO HAPPY with my purchase. As terrible as it sounds, I love my cat SO much more since buying this. I get all the benefits of having a cat- the snuggles, the head butts and biscuit making massages without the hassle of cleaning his litter box. My house never smells like ammonia or cat feces anymore. My clean litter box demanding cat has not urinated or defecated outside of his box in protest of me missing a day of scooping.

I really would recommend this litter box for anyone that owns a cat, but for pregnant women that don’t have the option of scooping their own cat litter anymore, this litter box is THE best solution.

Check out my other blog: What’s In My Hospital Bag- The Second Time Around



Mama Bear Diapers: Why Your Baby Should Start Using Them

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

It has been a little over a year since Amazon first rolled out their Mama Bear line of products. Their line includes diapers. After using the Mama Bear diapers for two babies in multiple sizes, I feel like I can confidently review them.

Mama Bear Diapers

Major Selling Points

When I first started my search that ultimately lead me to the Mama Bear Diapers, I was looking for diapers that would limit the amount of chemicals and unnatural products that would be coming in contact with my baby’s skin. The Mama Bear diapers are hypoallergenic; free of fragrances, elemental chlorine, and natural rubber latex. There are very few diapers that meet those requirements.

It is important to point out that these diapers are not in the same category as basic Pampers or Huggies. These are non-toxic! It’s really sad that as moms we we have to specifically look for this!! They are in line with the Seventh Generation, Honest Co. and Earth Best Diapers.

Along with her Mama Bear diaper, Adalyn is wearing her Snuza

The biggest selling point for me on the Mama Bear diapers was the price. They are much less expensive than the other non-toxic diapers on the market. Amazon allows Prime members to Subscribe & Save (with Subscribe & Save you place a monthly recurring order for an item) which allows you to save up to 20% off the base price.

The Feel of Mama Bear diapers

These diapers feel very similar to Pampers or Huggies. They are soft on the inside and on the outside. We had a lot of issues with Seventh Generation and Earth’s Best causing chafing rashes on my son’s inner thighs. With the Mama Bear diapers, this is not an issue we have experienced.

The Fit of Mama Bear diapers

Mama Bear Diapers have soft and stretchy sides that allow for a snug and secure fit. The diapers come in sizes NB-6, so you will likely be switching to Pull-Ups long before your child sizes out of these diapers. Each diaper size has a posted weight range that should fit in the diapers. I find that the diapers run a little small and my babies need to size up long before they reach the upper range of the listed size range.

The diapers claim to have 12 hour leak protection, which allows baby to sleep through the night without needing to be changed. I find that this is definitely true, except when we need to size up. In the past year, my daughter has only woken up with wet clothing on 5 occasions. That is WAY less than when my son was the same age and wearing diapers specifically made for night time.

The Look of Mama Bear diapers

The diapers are available in a blue bear print or in a plain white. Both options include a wetness indicator line to help show when it is time for a change. I prefer the white design for my kids so that the print does not show through their clothing.

Mama Bear diapers

Happiness Guarantee

Amazon offers their happiness guarantee on their Mama Bear diapers. If for any reason you are unhappy with your purchase, they will offer a full return without having to return the product to them. I can attest that this is legit. When Adalyn started leaking through her size 4 diapers, even though she was still well within the weight range, I was fully refunded for the size 4 diapers.

All in all, these diapers are amazing. We will be using them for our new baby in June. I just hope they come out with their own line of pull-ups soon so that Adalyn can continue using Mama Bear brand as she growns into a big girl (sniffle sniffle).

This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure here.

Want to speed up your routine of prepping bottles for daycare?  Check out my blog: The Best Way to Label Daycare Bottles!!

4 Year Old Boy Gift Ideas

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

There are so many toys hanging out in our house and because of this, my son rarely plays with most of them. Riley, just celebrated his 4 year old birthday. We were very picky about what we would be gifting him. I wanted to make sure that any gifts that were given to him wouldn’t just become more forgotten items in our bins of toys.

Here is a list of our favorite toys that are interactive, engaging and very hands on.

This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure here.

Favorite Learning Games

Best gifts for a 4 year old boy

Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! 

There are endless possibilities of things that can be build with this set. My son loves it and is constantly begging me to pull it out so he can play. It comes in its own storage container which is super convenient.

Best gifts for a 4 year old boy

ZoZoplay STEM Learning Toy Tubular Pipes & Spouts & Joints 

My son loves that he can make his own airplanes and cars with this set that includes tubes and wheels. Hours and hours of fun come with this set and it comes with its own storage container.

Fun Forts STEM Building Kit

Rather than having to rearrange all your furniture everyday, this kit creates the foundation for any fort your kiddo can dream of. Simply drape a blanket over the frame and bam, you have the perfect fort!

Favorite Activity Items

Best gifts for a 4 year old boy

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Balance Stepping Stones

These Balance Stepping Stones were awarded the 2019 TOY OF THE YEAR AWARD for excellence by Creative Child Magazine. They are soft to the touch and so much fun for kids to create their own little path to walk on both inside and outside.

Monkey Bars Climbing Tower

Bring the playground to your own backyard with this adorable little climber. Hours and hours of energy can be burned without having to venture out into the world.

Batteries Required

Dinosaur Track Toy–

Unlike the usual wooden train sets where the track doesn’t stay together and the train constantly falls off the track, these pieces all snap together and have raised edges so your cars stay in place. My son easily spends 2 hours a day obsessing over this dinosaur track and being a happy boy.

Best gifts for a 4 year old boy

Cartoon R/C Control Toys for Kids

Compared to other remote controlled cars that we have tried these work really well for a 4 year old because: 1. they do not go too fast to control them 2. the steering buttons are easy enough that my 4 year old could figure it out.

These are really great if you have multiple kids or if your 4 year old regularly has play dates with other kiddos.

Games for a 4 Year Old

Best gifts for a 4 year old boy

LeapFrog Epic Academy Edition

Okay, so this one is a tablet, but unlike other tablet options that connect to the internet and thus take away all control over what your child is viewing, this LeapFrog tablet comes kid-safe right out of the box. Loaded with games and apps that are learning focused and kid appropriate, your toddler can spend as much or as little time as you want learning from it.

Best gifts for a 4 year old boy

Shark Bite Game

My son is beyond obsessed with this game. Its pretty simple, you roll a dice and then have to go fishing for one or two of the fish pieces. Each game, one of the fish pieces will make the shark chomp. It doesn’t hurt when it chomps but the drama of it is SO thrilling for a kid. My son plays with this everyday and hopes and hopes that it doesn’t chomp him!

And for those well-loved and old Stuffed Animals in your child’s life. Check out my blog How to Make Old Stuffed Animals Look New Again

The cariPRO Electric Toothbrush + GIVEAWAY

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

This post was sponsored by Smile Brilliant. I was provided with their cariPRO electric toothbrush and offered an extra to giveaway in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Teeth Matter

Earlier this year, I collaborated with Smile Brilliant with their teeth whitening systems (see my review here), so when they asked if I wanted to try their new electric toothbrush it was a no brainer. I loved the at home teeth whitening system so I was confident that I would love the cariPRO! I have been using a manual toothbrush for years and knew that the time had come to step up my oral hygiene game.

First Impressions

There were a couple of features that I noticed immediately. The toothbrush is waterproof so you can take it in the shower. This also means that I was able to rinse the toothbrush completely under the faucet after using which I love. I cannot stand a toothbrush that is crusty with dried toothpaste/water drippage (please tell me I am not the only one). The toothbrush charge holds for 30 days, which is amazing. I can easily bring it along on a weekend trip without also having to bring the charger.

Actually using the toothbrush is a pretty neat experience. There are 5 brush modes (clean, white, massage, gum care and sensitive). I tried all of them but found that sensitive was my favorite, which makes sense because I have sensitive teeth. Once hitting the power button the toothbrush takes you through a 2 minute cycle that pulses every 30 minutes. It is recommended that you focus on a different quadrant for each of the 30 seconds to make sure that every part of your mouth is evenly cleaned.

electric toothbrush

My Takeaway

I am a sugar-aholic that also has an affinity for sweet tea and soda. There is nothing worse than the fuzzy feeling of sugar sitting on your teeth. The first time I used the toothbrush, I noticed that my teeth felt wonderfully squeaky clean. After a few weeks of using the cariPRO, I definitely feel like my gums are healthier than they were previously. The cariPRO has officially converted me from my life long manual toothbrush habit!

If you’re looking for an affordable electric toothbrush, grab a cariPRO! They offer individual and couple packages. It’s not as expensive as some of the other electric toothbrush brands, so you could even win Christmas and gift one to someone you love!

electric toothbrush

I’m seriously excited to share that Smile Brilliant is offering a 20% discount towards cariPRO electric toothbrushes to my readers using the code bravelittlemama20 AND one of you can win one! (Open to US, UK, Canada, and Australia only) The retail value of this electric toothbrush is $119.00! 

**Giveaway Closed**

At Home Teeth Whitening: Does it Work?

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

This post was sponsored by Smile Brilliant. I was provided with their Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening System and offered an extra kit to giveaway in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

One of the very first things that I notice about people is their teeth.

I had braces for over 4 years, so I really appreciate a great smile. A brilliant white smile makes everyone look better (and younger!!). It’s been longer than I care to admit since my braces came off and my teeth were bleached to a brilliant white perfection by my orthodontist. Despite my continual use of whitening toothpaste, all the different drinks that I consume were starting to turn my teeth yellow. When taking pictures with my kids, I realized that my teeth were the first thing I was looking at when deciding whether or not I liked the photo. Crazy, I know but I did not endure 4 years of braces to have a smile that I was not proud of.

I knew that I needed to step up my game but I was unsure of where to turn. Whitening my teeth through my dentist fell way out of my price range. I had tried other popular teeth whitening products in the past and didn’t feel like they would give me the results I was looking for. I’ve found that the spaces between my teeth didn’t always end up really white and my teeth would literally ache after each whitening session with whitening strips. I’ve even tried both the baking soda and activated charcoal methods but neither give the lasting results I wanted.

Smile Brilliant Saves the Day

Smile Brilliant contacted me about trying their tooth whitening system and I jumped at the opportunity. I have seen other reviews about the product and I knew that it was different from what I had already tried. They even offer a separate kit specifically for people like me with sensitive teeth. Plus, not only would I get to try their product at no cost, they offered a FREE kit for one of you!

Within a few days, I received a package containing the Smile Brilliant teeth whitening system for sensitive teeth. It contained step-by step instruction cards, individual sealed packets containing sealed syringes of teeth whitening gel and desensitizing gel, and everything that I needed to create the impressions for making your custom trays fitted to my teeth. Riley was VERY interested to see what Mommy had gotten so I had to wait until he was asleep to really dig into the package. I was really impressed with the entire kit setup. It was organized with color coding and the step by step instructions included a ton of information to help you through the entire process. The first part of the process is to create your custom fit teeth whitening trays.

Making Your Impressions

at home teeth whitening with Smile Brilliant

The kit includes the materials to make the putty that you will then use to make the impressions. To do this, you mix the contents of two separate little containers, you then place the putty into the form and press it into your upper teeth. Wait 3 minutes and remove. Repeat on lower teeth. The instructions for this entire process are extremely detailed and includes tips to help avoid mistakes. They even give you a third set of the putty mixture just in case you make a mistake. I found this entire process to be really simple. Once you’ve created your molds, you rinse them and let them dry. Once they are dry, you ship them back in the provided postage paid envelope. The Smile Brilliant lab will use your molds to create your custom trays. In 3-5 business days you’ll get your custom fit dental trays back.

Whitening Your Teeth

You can start whitening your teeth once your custom dental trays arrive. Before you begin, brush your teeth with water to remove any food particles. Squeeze a thin ribbon of the tooth whitening gel (which is 22% carbamide peroxide) into the front of trays. Before putting on the trays, make sure that your teeth are dry. Apply the trays and check the clock. Whiten for 45 minutes for your first session. If you have ever whitened your teeth before, you know that the process makes you salivate. I don’t like spitting that much so I just stuff a couple of cotton balls between my teeth and gums.

After Whitening Desensitizing- Sensitive Kit

After whitening, brush with toothpaste to remove all of the whitening gel. If you have the sensitive kit, like I did, there’s one last step. Clean and dry the whitening trays. Pro tip- to really dry the trays out, q-tips are your best friend! Once they are dry, squeeze a thin ribbon of the desensitizing gel into the trays and reapply the trays for another 15-20 minutes. After removing the trays, you do not re-brush your teeth and you avoid eating or drinking for at least 30 minutes.

My impression?

I eased into using the Smile Brilliant teeth whitening system to avoid any sensitivity. So, I started with the minimum 45 minutes for my first 4 sessions. It wasn’t until after my 4th session that I experienced sensitivity. I took a day off of whitening and didn’t have sensitivity the next time around. Instead of upping the session length, I stuck to the 45 minute time frame to avoid any additional sensitivity.

Most of my sensitivity was around my gum line. Smile Brilliant recommends that if you are experiencing any gum or tooth sensitivity issues, you can apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to your gums before whitening to protect them and whiten every other day instead of daily. Doing both of these, eliminated all of my sensitivity.

I started seeing results after my first session, and after a week and a half of daily 45 minute sessions, my teeth look significantly whiter. I still wanted my teeth to be a little brighter so after giving my teeth a week break, I did a 3 hour long whitening session. That final session really helped whiten my teeth to pearly perfection! As you can see from these unedited images, my teeth are definitely whiter now!

Everyone’s teeth will reach a different whiteness level. The whiteness level that I achieved makes me happy and much more confident! I’m smiling more and not self-conscious about how my smile looks in pictures. I plan to keep using Smile Brilliant to maintain my results.

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” 

Thich Nhat Hanh

My takeaway. If you have been looking for a great and effective home teeth whitening system, Smile Brilliant is well worth the cost. It’s more effective than the popular products you can find at other retail stores. It is also less expensive than what you would pay at a dental office. They offer both sensitive and non-sensitive kits for light, average and heavy stains. After your initial whitening, you can purchase more tooth whitening gel and desensitizing gel from their website.

I’m seriously excited to share that Smile Brilliant is offering a 15% discount to my readers using the code thebravelittlemama15 AND one of you can win a full kit! (Open to US, UK, Canada, and Australia only) The retail value of this kit is $149.00! 

**Giveaway Closed**

Professional Teeth Whitening

Unique Wooden Timepiece – Travel Accessories for Women

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

Disclaimer:  Jord Watch sent me this unique wooden timepiece in exchange for this blog post and review.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% mine. 

Click HERE to enter Giveaway!

After months and months of planning, our European vacation is finally upon us. Packing for two small children while trying to minimize the amount of things that you pack, is no joke. There is nothing quite like quality time with family, seeing the world and making memories.

As we were making our travel plans, I was given the opportunity to check out one of these unique wooden timepieces from JORD Watches. Let’s just say I am in LOVE with it! I have been stalking JORD (pronounced Yode) for a long time on social media. Their unique wooden timepieces are so eye catching and stylish. I am thrilled that I received my timepiece before we left so that I can wear it throughout our trip. Travel can make you feel anything but glamorous, but this watch makes me feel like a million bucks. Not only does the watch make me feel great but it is incredibly lightweight which makes it perfect for travel.

Meet Cassia

The timepiece I selected was a beautiful watch in the Cassia series.  Made from ebony wood, which is known for its durability and hardness, this watch features a beautiful sable face. The wooden band integrates seamlessly into the face of the watch which allows it to be an uninterrupted circular design. I have never seen another wooden timepiece with such an innovative design.

Strikingly bold and beautiful, this unique wooden timepiece has a domed sapphire crystal glass. Sapphire glass is nearly twice as hard as normal glass and almost as hard as diamond. This means that it is almost impossible to scratch. Finally a watch that can handle it all, from vacationing in Europe with my kids, to surviving the normal challenges in the day in the life of a SAHM, without becoming scratched. I have ruined quite a few watches over the years from normal daily wear so I am thrilled that this unique wooden timepiece was built to last.

My JORD Watch came with a polishing cloth and a cleaning pen. The pen contains 4 applications of a custom-formulated cleaning oil created specifically for the care of wood watches.

Besides the fact that JORD Watches make the perfect travel and life accessory due to how durable and lightweight they are, another thing that makes the Cassia perfect for travel is that she will match so well with a variety of clothing options.  The dark wood tones and neutral sable face will compliment my dressed down sightseeing attire. Just as easily as it will compliment my date night dress.

More Reasons to Love JORD Watches

  • Most watch backplates and all Cedar humidor presentation boxes are engravable.
  • The watches may be sized for the recipient.
  • Most watches have additional options for customization — mixing and matching faces and woods!
  • JORD offers free worldwide standard shipping!
  • Every watch comes with a one year warranty and options for return & exchange

JORD Wood Watches Giveaway

JORD is a St. Louis based company that offers many unique men’s and women’s watches, so you’re sure to find the perfect watch! Everyone who enters will receive 10% off AND the chance to win a $100 discount code towards a JORD watch of their own!

Click HERE to enter!


Wooden Wrist Watch

Nursing Friendly Clothes You Actually Want to Wear

Posted on by TheBraveLittleMama

After breastfeeding for 32 months and counting, I have become pretty frustrated with the selections of nursing friendly clothes in the world. For the most part your options are 1. Affordable but ugly or 2. Adorable and expensive AF. Better yet, most nursing tops and dresses are also made for maternity wear, so the fit isn’t exactly a dream situation for your non-pregnant body.

This gap in breastfeeding clothes has forced me to look outside the box to find clothes that aren’t specifically made for breastfeeding but that are nursing friendly. Here is a round up of my favorites.

This post contains affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure here.

Nursing Friendly Shirt

With functional buttons, this top is cute and nursing friendly. It comes in a bunch of colors and prints. It is chiffon so it would work great for times that you want to look more put together. Find it here

This is one of my personal favorites! This romper has a small snap that makes it nursing friendly. Its soft and comfortable making it perfect for everyday or travel wear. Bonus, it comes with POCKETS!! Find it here.

Nursing Friendly Shirt

With functional buttons and adorable stripes this top is far from all the basic options out there. It comes in a few other designs. Find it here.

This is probably my most worn nursing friendly top from Amazon. It comes in a bunch of colors and has a long sleeve option as well. It is a waffle knit and is super flattering on. The buttons are functional so nursing is a breeze. Find it here.

Nursing Friendly Romper

This romper is super adorable and breastfeeding friendly. More of a green color IMO. The waist tie makes this flattering for a lot of different body types. It is a little short on my 5’8″ frame. Find it here

Nursing Friendly Romper

With functional buttons this is another great romper option that is nursing friendly. Comes in royal blue, navy blue and black. Find it here

Still looking for Nursing Friendly Clothes? Check out Nursing Maxi Dresses for Tall Mamas You Will Love