Dainty Cups...

Just one more product from Etsy, I promise! This one is from Baby O'Really. These truly are the most beautiful reusable nursing pads I have ever seen! Obviously, they are lovingly and carefully handmade with many different yet delightfully feminine patterns to choose from. This rosebud pair is my favorite, but there are so many others, it was hard to choose just one style. Lucky for mamás everywhere, you can purchase them by the pair or in a gift pack set of 6.

For a full product description, see here.

¡Buen Provecho!

Last week I discovered a wonderful web site called Rodrigvitz Style. It has a festive collection of oilcloth products created by owner, Stephanie Hilvitz. In the tabletop section, she has some great chalkmats for sale. Reversible, one side is blackboard oilcloth and the other side has a pattern of your choice (there are three to choose from). Chalk is included! An excellente idea for making mealtimes more interesting for your toddlers....
For more information, see here.

Yummy Besito

I clearly remember that with pregnancy came some crazy changes to my body, most notably my skin. It looked great, but I did have some sensitive lips that chapped easily - especially con el frio (with the cold). I found this super "Lime Sugar" lip balm on Etsy from 4th Ave Soap Company. Made with shea oil and jojoba, their lip balms are completely natural with the exception of the fragrance. Don't care for lime sugar? Then try out one of their other balms which include "Mildly Minty," "Green Tea Mint," and "Pomegranate." Remarkably only $3.00!!

See here for details.

Who's Got a Bun in the Oven?

I discovered these wonderful little dresses that are part of a baby shower game by bazaarLatino on etsy. The dresses can be made in any color scheme and have a little pocket on the back with a cotton ball inside to give the "pregnancy" look. Each guest has a dress pinned to their blouse as they arrive at the shower. At the end of the shower, all the guests remove the cotton ball and whoever has one with a tiny picture of a cinnamon bun inside with it is the winner!

A fantastico shower game idea!

Well, done, baazarLatino!

To see these great little dresses and other products by this designer, click here.

Toddler Fashion

I am absolutely in love with this little outfit on the left by Hanna Anderson. It is part of her winter collection, labeled "A Thousand Flowers" and I believe it suppose to have an Asian feel, but to me, it just screams beautiful! The rich colores and even the style actually make me think of some of my trips to Latin America.

This collection has several other pieces in it, including a dress for mothers.

If you'd like to check out this little outfit, you can see it here.

Nursery Decor

Latin Baby is happy to bring to you several beautiful baby quilts by fabric artist, Martha Tsihlas, owner of Del Sol Quilts. Martha has personally designed and created these fabulous quilts and has used bold, vibrant colors to reflect the Latino spirit. Each piece has been preshrunk and free-motion quilted. Some, like the one shown here, "Towards the Sun," have appliqued motifs.

If you are looking for a handmade heirloom to give as a baby gift, check out all of her designs here.

Nursing Fashion

Having nursed my two children, I completely understand that this is not an easy decision to carry out sometimes. But I can attest to the fact that the proper wardrobe can definitely make breastfeeding a lot easier. So here is a beautifully embroidered dress set for mother and baby that caught my eye. It is by Motherwear, my favorite company for buying nursing-friendly clothing. I love the style, the delicate embroidery and especially the fact that it is made of 100% cotton!

If you haven't discovered Motherwear, yet, then you will be ecstatic to view their on-line catalog.

For a better look at this and their other products, check them out here.

Clothing for Premature Infants

According to the March of Dimes, nearly one out of every eight Hispanic babies is born too soon. While the preterm birth rate for Hispanics is similar to rate for the general population, it has grown more than 8 percent in the last decade.
I have a sister-in-law who has twice given birth prematurely and both her children weighed in at around 3 and a half pounds. They had to buy doll clothes at the store for the babies to wear - cute, but not exactly the best given how these little outfits are made with lots of tags and synthetic fabrics for insensitive dolls, not premature babies with super tender skin.
I was very happy to come across Anna's Preemies on-line. They have a wonderful selection of products for premature infants including sleepers, gowns, take home outfits, bibs, diapers and more. All the outfits are made of 100% Peruvian combed cotton, have no scratchy labels, are beautifully designed and don't cost a fortune.
So check out Anna's Preemies right away! You can see their web site here.

Waiting for Bebé: A Pregnancy Guide for Latinas

Traditionally, we Latinas have had higher fertility rates than non-Latinas in the United States. Big surprise. Unfortunately, we are also more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than white women. And Latinas are at higher risk to encounter health problems during pregnancy, including gestational diabetes and gall bladder disease. We even have the highest rates of neural tube defects during pregnancy, due to lack of proper consumption of folic acid.

I consider myself to be a somewhat on the ball woman, and throughout both of my pregnancies I was the type of mom who went out and bought books/magazines researching how to have the healthiest pregnancy (well, okay, not so much with the second one), but a few months ago I was amazed to discover how much I didn't know, but should have known when I stumbled upon this fantastic book. It is one that I wish I had read when I was pregnant and strongly feel it is one that every pregnant Latina - or even those thinking about starting a family - should have.

Waiting for Bebé: A Pregnancy Guide for Latinas is one of my number one recommendations for Latinas. Lourdes Alcañiz is the author and has a fantastico web site describing the book. The web site also has a Spanish equivalent for those not comfortable with the English language.

Check it out here.

¡Bienvenidos!

Hola, Amigas!
My name is Monica Olivera Hazelton and I am the co-owner of Latin Baby, an on-line baby boutique that caters to Hispanic American families. The goal of this blog is to provide Latina mothers (or soon-to-be-mothers) with valuable information on a variety of topics in an easy and informal setting. From mothers to toddlers, health to fashion, safety to education, Mi Cielito Lindo is here to help you make informed choices, treat you to new styles and answer questions (or at least point you in the right direction.) Please don't hesitate to let me know if there is something you'd like to see on this blog...
A little bit about me...I am a work from home mami of two, whose work day really begins after la familia goes to bed. Like many of you, I have trouble saying "no," and am involved in too many projects - but all of them worth the effort. I run three blogs, two web sites, and hundreds of little projects on the side. I staunchly believe in supporting Latina mamis everywhere, especially those in need and am always searching for good non-profits to feature.
I quilt when I can, but mostly spend the day running after niños while trying to sneak in trips to the post office, processing orders, and answering emails. I used to be a compulsive reader, but now most of my reading revolves around children's literature and entrepreneurial magazines. I still cannot enter a bookstore, though, without buying something.
To all of my fellow Mamás -
¡Felicidades! You have the best (and the most difficult) job in el mundo - this one is for you!
Con mucho cariño,
~Monica