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One thing that I dislike about the summer are the BUGS, especially the ones that BITE. When I get bitten by mosquitoes, the bites swell up pretty big. And although I have this reaction, I avoid using insect repellent because I don’t like how strong commercial repellents smell. Since having Jayden, I worry about little critters nibbling on his little body. He’s not old enough to use insect repellents sold in most stores, so I decided to find some tips to help keep buggies off him.

Instead of, or in addition to, using insect repellents, there are also many steps that you can take to avoid insect bites. These protective measures include:

* dressing your kids in thin, loose-fitting, long-sleeve clothing that doesn’t include bright colors
* encouraging your kids to wear socks and shoes instead of sandals
* avoiding spending time outdoors during evening to early morning hours (dusk to dawn)– when mosquitoes bite the most
* avoiding scented soaps and other things that might attract mosquitoes and other bugs
* using a bug screen over your child’s stroller
* controlling mosquitoes and other insects where your kids play
Credit goes to Vincent Iannelli, M.D.

After looking for these tips, I decided to see if there were any chemical free insect repellents that are safe for infants. I’ve come across quite a few online shops that sell completely natural repellents. I’m still debating which ones I’d like to try, so I will report back with my selection. One insect repellent for toddlers that really caught my eye is called Hugs, Not Bugs! by j.blossom. It is recommended for ages 3 and up so of course Jayden isn’t old enough to use it, but I am! The whole family can actually use it, including the dog! Isn’t that something?

I wanted to try Hugs, Not Bugs! for myself since I’ve become lunch to the critters down here in the south. I also wanted to see how the product worked on myself to see if this would be something I’d like to use on Jayden in the future. Hugs, Not Bugs! all-natural insect repellent body spray is packed with 10 of nature’s most powerful bug-blasting herbs. Hugs, Not Bugs! has a fresh lemony-citrus scent that I love. I can SMELL GOOD and at the same time not get attacked by swarms of bugs! The formula does not contain DEET, parabens, or any other toxic chemicals. To add to its eco friendliness, Hugs, Not Bugs! is packaged in a recyclable green PET plastic bottle.

Check out this testimonial that made my mouth drop down to the floor!:

“I special ordered a gallon of this stuff to take back to Tanzania because it’s the only thing that keeps the big African mosquitoes off us!” — Wariko Waita mother of 4-year-old twins from Tanzania, East Africa.

Who would have known that you could fight off African mosquitoes using all natural ingredients?

Be sure to check out j.blossom for all natural bath and body products for girls! A haircare line is in the works! j.blossom believes every girl is beautiful, and their products are about helping girls feel good on the inside as well as on the outside! Every product is made with laughter and love and has a positive affirmation right on the bottle, such as “Short or tall, thick or thin, I love the skin that I am in!” The affirmation for Hugs, Not Bugs! is “I love the Earth and the Earth loves me!”

I’ve grown to love two products that lend a helping hand to the lactating girls in their time of need.

The first product I want to present is the Cushie Pushie. The Cushie Pushie is a plush little wedge which allows the breast to be pushed up while allowing your arm to provide additional support to help keep it in place throughout the feeding. The instructions explain how to use it well, however I was a little slow at catching on to them, lol. It’s one of those things that an actual picture could help, but due to the nature of the product, it’s best left illustrated. The Cushie Pushie can be really beneficial to breastfeeding mothers with a little more up there than me, but luckily I have just enough to make it work. When nursing Jayden, I tend to slouch. Yes, I know there are stools to prevent slouching. But in certain situations, like when I’m out and about, a stool wouldn’t be of much use anyway. When I slip the Cushie Pushie underneath the girls, it lifts them up so Jayden is able to latch on instantly. Me slouching down on the Cushie Pushie feels great, it make nursing even more enjoyable :-). The Cushie Pushie comes in many fun fabric colors. There’s even an organic solution for the eco-conscious mom!

The next product I want to present are Lily Padz. Lily Padz are non-absorbent nursing pads that keep breast milk off your clothes. I use disposable nursing pads, but under some bras they look crunchy. The last thing I want to do is go out into public with boobs that look like I put tissue in them. So when I pop on the Lily Padz, I have seamless nursing pads. Sometimes I can fill up a whole nursing pad, which eventually leads to leakage. With Lily Padz, the pressure they on my nipples temporarily stops the milk from leaking all together. Lily Padz are also good in situations where you don’t want to wear a bra, but you don’t want nipple imprints on your clothes. It’s a 2 in 1 with Lily Padz!

I’m sure there will be more products that I will grow to love (nursing apparel perhaps) and I will be back with an update!

Last month, I won a Mama Mio The Smoothie Spa-at-Home Kit from one of Due Maternity’s weekly giveaways! I meant to blog about it but had a bajillion other things on my plate. Although I’m late, I still want to share my prize as well as encourage you all to enter Due Maternity’s giveaways. You can win! The Moisturizing Shower Cream is lightly scented and leaves my skin feeling soft. The Supersmooth Body Buff helps keep my skin exfoliated. I use this in areas where I broke out during the pregnancy, my back in particular. I had some major bacne going on. The O-Mega Body Oil is aromatherapy to my nose. I rubbed this on my belly during the pregnancy and I still continue to do so. The picture to the left is of me at 36 weeks pregnant posing with my Mama Mio The Smoothie Spa-at-Home Kit. I was holding it backwards and didn’t realize it! I got a good laugh at myself. I can’t believe I did that! I’m wearing a Spring Baby tee, which is one of my favorite maternity tees. Hopefully I’ll get to wear it again. See, Daddy and I were both cursed with winter birthdays, so we want our kids to be able to enjoy their birthdays in warm weather. That way we can all go out and celebrate outside instead of hiding in from the cold.

Due Maternity is having a Memorial Day Weekend Sale! If you’re shopping around for Maternity Clothes, now is the chance to take advantage! I miss wearing maternity wear! *cries*

Note: Discount coupons of any kind are not valid for items in the Due Outlet section. Check out Look Who’s Preggo where you can create little preggy dolls with your face on them. See how you, your friends, or family members would look preggy! Try your luck at winning a Skip Hop diaper bag from Due Maternity, there is hope!