Website Review: Chatter Scene

I'm so glad Chris, the creator of Chatter Scene, reached out to me--what a great community she has going over there! If you're like me and a fan of The Bump message boards, you should give Chatter Scene a try.

Chatter Scene is message board for women at all stages of life. Whether you interested in talking about anything from books to soap operas, trying to conceive to pregnancy and parenting, there is a message board for you.

While the format of the boards may take a little getting used to if you're not familiar with free-standing internet message boards, the ladies at CS are there to help you along the way. (See how-to info on their Welcome Center board HERE.)

Once you get the hang of it, you'll have a lot of fun not only chatting with a great community of women, but also playing the "game" that is CS. You see, the more you post, the more privileges you get, from being able to see pictures in other members' signatures at 20 posts, to earning points and special image badges for your own profile.

You can also use the posting points that you accumulate to buy virtual gifts for other users or play in CS's arcade. I haven't gotten to this point, yet, but I'm looking forward to it. (The gift-giving option kind of reminds me of community games on Facebook.)

I also like that, unlike The Bump boards, the CS boards have "sticky posts" which always remain at the top of the web page, eliminating the asking and re-asking of certain questions. It also seems that there is a lot less snark at CS, so it may just be the community you are looking for if the Bump gets you a bit hot under the collar! :)

I've only been on Chatter Scene for a short while, but I'm certain it is going to be one of my favorite new sites to connect with other women. I'll keep you posted as I become a CS aficionado. Until then, check it out for yourself, mamas!

If you'd like to sign up for CS, click here: http://www.chatterscene.com/csboards/register.php?referrerid=943

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Product Review: Udder Covers Revisited & Promo Code

Before Andrew was born, I posted a review and some pictures of my Udder Covers nursing cover HERE. At that point, aside from a bit of shoddy sewing, I was pleased with the $8.95 cover. Now that I am actually breastfeeding, I am in LOVE with it!

I use the cover everywhere I have to nurse in public--friends' houses, coffee shops, you name it. The light cotton fabric keeps me and baby covered, while the stiff collar allows me to retain eye contact. Sometimes he does get too hot under there, though, so I uncover his legs and still retain my modesty. (Let's face it though, when you become a breastfeeding mother most modesty goes out the window.) Also, the cover washed great in my laundromat, which is no small feat!

Sure its still a bit strange that they are perpetually sending out offer codes through which you can get the cover for just s&h ($8.95) and a gift set of cover, breastfeeding bracelet, and washable bra pads for $5 plus s&h, but, since I've come to love the cover, I have come to not question a deal that lets me get one for cheap, cheap, cheap!

I actually kind of wish they had more colors to choose from... if they did, I'd definitely buy another one.

If you're interested in buying from Udder Covers with a promotional code, type in PLANNING for the nursing cover and BABIES for the gift set deal.

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Product Review: Boppy Changing Pad Liners

Changing pad liners are a must--especially since our little boy likes to surprise attack once his diaper is off! I anticipated this while registering for my baby shower and asked for Boppy pad liners from Babies R Us. ($12.99 for a pack of 3)

The liners I have are perfect in theory. They are waterproof, save you the hassle of changing your pad cover with every mess, are machine washable/dryable, and are not too expensive. But here's the catch: they roll up like a scroll after the first wash, necessitating that you unroll the liner each time you put baby down for a change. ARG!

Since both line-drying and machine-drying caused the liners to roll, I see no way to avoid this except ironing the liners. This tired mama is just not in the mood for that!

I DO have a boppy liner that came with a changing pad cover gift set though that does not roll up and is just WONDERFUL. This liner is softer than the 3-pack liners and has a contrasting outer stitching that coordinates with the sand cover.

The strange thing, however, is that I got the same gift set in sage and it came with one of the annoying liners from the 3-pack. If you order a gift set, I'd be sure to inspect what kind of liner it comes with.



According to the Babies R Us website reviews, it seems that Boppy has realized the design flaw in their liners and has corrected it. So, if you purchased your liners recently and they roll up, I suggest you pop them right back into their packaging and exchange for the new and improved product!

If you bought your liners from BRU and don't have your receipt, here's a little trick: just add the liners to your online registry (create a registry if you don't have one) and manually enter that you received them. Customer service will accept returns on merchandise purchased from your registry, even if you don't have a receipt.

Happy diapering!

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Extra 20% Off of Sale Items at Gap.com through March 27

Just passing along a coupon code for an extra 20% sale items at the Gap online this weekend! I'm using this as an opportunity to get out of my maternity clothes and into some nice new nursing tops. And, there's great baby and kids gear on sale too.

Enter L1CMBXQ7VQG1 at checkout and you're good to go!

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