Instagram Feed Changes and How to Preserve Your Following

Instagram just announced that they'll be showing most popular posts first in their feed (read more about it here) - which means everyone will be more likely to miss posts from little guys, like us.  I understand that for the user this may be nice so they don't miss popular posts, but for small businesses this really hurts.  Instagram is how I get most of my traffic and to know that I'll be lost under Kim Kardashian and big retailer posts really stinks.  

How to Preserve Your Following with Instagram's New Feed Changes

For us small businesses that rely on Instagram exposure, this hurts.  But one way to help preserve your following is to ask your followers to "Turn on Post Notifications".  This way they will get a little notification whenever you create a new post and they won't miss seeing your content with this new algorithm.  You can also encourage them to follow you on other social platforms as well (Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Twitter, etc) so you have more chances to reach your audience. 

I'm sure paying for promoted posts will be the next change coming to Instagram, just like Facebook and Pinterest have done.  I understand it's lucrative for them to make these changes, but as a small business owner it really stinks because I can't afford to pay for consistent advertising.  

I'm hoping that Instagram will eventually give you the option to at least change the filter of your feed like Facebook does (you can toggle between "Top Stories" and "Most Recent" - but it always defaults to "Top Stories"), but who knows.  Like all other small businesses, I'm really hoping that we don't get completely lost in this change.  

Please don't forget to Turn on Post Notifications for me at @birchlandinghome and follow me on the other social platforms linked below.  Thank you so much!

Happy Mail: We Are Knitters

Just received my first We Are Knitters knit kit!  I haven't knit anything in years and I'm so excited to do it again.  I'll be sharing a full review of my project (I'll be making the Downtown Snood) as well as a giveaway for your own kit on the blog soon!

If you can't wait until then, use the code "BIRCHLANDINGWAK" to receive 15% off your order from We Are Knitters. 

- I received this item for review from We Are Knitters but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. - 

A Heathy Toddler Lunch with Nûby (plus lots of great no-cook meal ideas!)

Lunchtime is often kind of hectic around here.  Mornings tend to be when we do errands, groceries, story time, swim lessons, etc. and we always seem to be rolling back into the house right at lunchtime.  This means I often only have a few minutes to get lunch on the table before a hunger-induced meltdown occurs.  Having a no-prep, no-cook lunch is key to keeping everyone happy.  | This post contains affiliate links and an honest review of a Nûby product |

This little lunch isn't anything fancy but that's what's so great about it.  It's essentially a collection of healthy snacks that, when put together, make a great toddler-friendly meal.  This meal hits all the main food groups (dairy, protein, grains, fruit, and veggies) and best of all our little one loves it.  

Our little one's meal includes a Stonyfield Yogurt drink, hummus on whole grain toast, blueberries, broccoli florets, and some cheese all served on this cute Nûby Flower Child Toddler Plate.  

We love this fun plate from Nûby.  It's BPA-free and has a great no-skid bottom which is really helpful when your little one is eating.  Our daughter especially loves the fun shape, easy grip handles, and the pictures (lady bugs and daisies) printed on the bottom of the plate.  This adorable plate has quickly become her favorite for mealtimes.  

Toddler Meal Ideas

If you're looking for more meal ideas, mix and match these other great no-cook or quick-cook foods to make your own healthy toddler meal:  

• smoothies
• puree pouches
• fruit cups (make sure to get ones packed in juice, not syrup.  It's also still a good idea to drain and rinse the fruit to reduce the sugar content a bit)
• any fresh fruit (cut to appropriate-sized pieces if needed)
• any fresh or previously cooked vegetables (cut to appropriate-sized pieces if needed)
• yogurt
• cottage cheese
• cheese
• toast with mashed avocado spread on it
• hummus with crackers
• hummus with unsalted pretzels
• crackers with peanut, almond, or sun butter spread thinly on it (only use nut butters if your child does not have nut allergies)
• instant oatmeal
• cereal with milk
• cereal bar

Always use use your best judgement when it comes to safe foods and safe serving sizes to give to your little one, and always supervise them while eating.  

- I received this item for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -   

Nûby's Flower Child Toddler Plate can be found at various retailers including Amazon.  

Healthy Baby Home Party with Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation was kind enough to send us one of their Healthy Baby Home Party kits full of little free samples, coupons, and tips to share with our family and friends.  I've been a huge fan of Seventh Generation for awhile now and was really excited to share them and this information with others.  | This post contains affiliate links |

Our little one made good use out of the packing paper in the box and went to town coloring it up. That's one way to recycle! (Crayons are our own, similar ones linked here.)

A few years ago, before we started trying to get pregnant, I made the decision to switch over as many household cleaners, detergents, and soaps as I could to "cleaner," all-natural versions.  There's so much chemicals and additives in most commercial products these days and I figured that it could only be beneficial to make the switch and limit our family's exposure to these things.  One of the brands I switched to was Seventh Generation and I haven't looked back. 

Product samples and coupons from: Seventh Generation, Zarbee's Naturals, and Bobble.

I've been a big fan of all the Seventh Generation products I've tried so far, but I have especially loved their laundry detergent and stain remover.  In fact their Free & Clear Laundry Detergent was gentle enough that we found we didn't have to switch to expensive "baby detergent" when our little one was first born.  

There were a lot of Healthy Home Tips shared during the party, but I wanted to pass on some of the ones I found most interesting here:  

• "Purchase toys made from natural materials, like solid wood with non-toxic finishes and natural textiles like organic cotton or wool. The familiar 'new smell' that plastic toys often emit can be a sign that toxic softeners or finishers were used to make the product."

• "The term 'fragrance' or 'parfum' on the label of baby care products can represent hundreds of unknown chemicals since manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients. Whenever possible, look for products that use 100% natural fragrance for the scent or offer fragrance-free formulations to protect your baby."

• "Indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air. Ventilate the home by opening windows, and limit your use of air fresheners and chemical cleaning products that release potentially harmful VOCs into your indoor environment."

All of the above tips came from Seventh Generation/Healthy Child Healthy World.  

- I received samples, coupons, and tips for myself and to share with others, but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -

#healthybabyhomeparty  #generationgood  #comeclean

Nûby Review: New Bath Items from Nûby!

Nûby recently asked us if we wanted to review some items from their new bath line, and what else to say but "YES!!"  So Nûby sent us a set of their Stacking Bath Boats and a set of Bath Crayons to try out and let you know what we honestly thought.  | This post contains affiliate links |

What first struck us about these two products was how colorful they were.  The bright primary colors are a nice feature, and very helpful because our little one is still learning her colors and they are great to practice with. 

The Stacking Bath Boats come as a set of five and are BPA-free.  They nestle inside each other, but only in a certain order, kind of like a puzzle.  This puzzle aspect is a great problem-solving feature for older kids but our almost two-year old can get frustrated with it because she can't easily stack them any way she wants to. 

Each smokestack on the boats have different shapes cut into them, so your child can see how the water runs through them when tipped upside down.  Our daughter particularly loves doing this and watching the water cascade out.  

As fun as the boats are, our daughter REALLY loved the Bath Crayons - I mean when else do you get the go-ahead to color all you want on the walls and floor?  These bath crayons are non-toxic and come in a BPA-free sleeve so they don't get squished once they get wet and soft.  The colors weren't super-vibrant but it did color easily and smoothly on the surface of the tub.  

At first I was admittedly a little nervous that the crayon wouldn't come off our tub or that it would leave faint marks behind, but it wiped off super-easy!  It really wasn't any extra work to take a wet washcloth and wipe the surfaces after, it only took about 30 seconds (whew!).    

My one complaint about the bath crayons is that they didn't come with a holder for them to sit in after the bath to dry.  I suggest having a small disposable plastic plate handy to set them on afterwards.  

Overall we really enjoyed these new bath toys from Nûby and I hope you do too!  

- I received these items for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -   

Nûby's Stacking Bath Boats can be found at various retailers including Amazon and the Bath Crayons can also be found at various retailers including Amazon.  

Tips and Gear for Hiking with a Toddler + Nûby Giveaway!

Hiking with a toddler is a lot of fun with a little prep.  Read on for our tips to make it an enjoyable time for everyone. 
|  This post contains affiliate links and an honest product review of Nûby items  |

Pick the Right Hike

One of the most important things to do is pick the right hike for your family.  Technical hikes that are miles long aren't the wisest choice, especially in the beginning.  For our hike we chose an easy hike with a wide path allowing plenty of room for our little one to run around as we walked.  

Consider the Time of Year

The time of year will determine how to prepare for your hike too.  It's a given that colder weather means packing layers, hotter weather calls for sunhats, sunscreen, and extra water.  But here in New England it's hunting season right now, which is why we're wearing orange.  Even though we're in a park, it's still very important to be visible (tip: our daughter's orange hat is just an adult sized beanie rolled up, no need to buy a child-sized one).  

Gear

Really the best bit of advice I have is to be prepared.  Pack your bag with everything you think you will need and it will help keep everyone happy.  I've included a list of the gear we used on our little hike, including Nûby's Insulated Stainless Steel Food Jar and Insulated Stainless Steel Flip-It Cup which were provided to us to use and review.  
 

1.  Hiking Backpack Carrier - These carriers are a life-saver when hiking with a little one.  Independent toddlers will often insist on walking themselves, but at some point they're going to get tired or you may encounter rocky or steep terrain you don't want them to climb - and that's when this will be essential.  These packs are comfortable for your little one and for you since they have a rigid frame, and padded waist, shoulder, and chest straps.  There's often a lot of storage under the seat area too, which is perfect for carrying your snacks and supplies for the hike.  Carriers with a fold-out stand are super helpful when loading and unloading your little one.  The "Snugli" Backpack Carrier we have is a discontinued model, but the one I've linked to looks very similar to ours.  

2.  Insulated Thermos - Packing hot food to eat on a cool hike is always nice and refreshing.  We packed some hot chicken noodle soup to enjoy at the end of our little hike and it really hit the spot.  
3.  Water for Everyone - Water on a hike is key.  Even if you won't be hiking long, always pack plenty of water for you and everyone in your party.  I packed a well-loved Kleen Kanteen for myself (can you believe I've had this bottle for over 7 years now?  ..hence, the dents), and a Nûby Flip-It Cup for our little one.  
4.  Orange Hat - Visibility during hunting season is very, very important.  Even if you're hiking inside a park, hunting may still be happening on adjacent properties and a hunter may inadvertently get close to hiking trails.  
5.  Snacks - Snacks are very important, you don't want a hangry toddler on your hands!  I packed an Earth's Best cereal bar for our little one and a Lärabar for me.  
6.  First Aid Kit - You never know when a trip and fall may happen and it's important to have a first aid kit on hand for any potential cuts or scrapes.  
7.  Bug Spray - Even though it's getting colder out, mosquitoes are still present and ticks are a huge threat in our area.  My husband and myself have pre-treated our hiking shoes with permethrin (not pictured) and spray our clothing with bug spray containing DEET to deter ticks.  Our pediatrician had told us we could use DEET bug spray on our toddler (*always consult with your own pediatrician first!*), but we're leery about using chemicals on her so we use a locally-made all-natural bug spray (similar type of bug spray linked here).  As soon as we get home we all make sure to change our clothes and check for ticks too, just in case.  

Nûby Reviews

Nûby was kind enough to send us their Insulated Stainless Steel Food Jar with Folding Spoon and Insulated Stainless Steel No-Spill Flip-It Cup to try on our hike.  Their Insulated Food Jar is BPA-free, holds 15 ounces, and will keep food warm for 6 hours and cool for 7 hours.  Inside the jar is a second compartment (I loved this feature!) that is perfect for keeping crackers for your soup or chili.  There's also a fold-out spoon inside.  We packed chicken noodle soup for our hike and it was still piping hot when we sat down to eat.  
Their Insulated Flip-It Cup is BPA-free, holds 9 ounces, and keeps liquids cool for up to 10 hours.  I loved that it holds more than most of our other sippy cups and kept her drink nice and cold.  Overall, I really loved these two products - they have a cute design, insulate well, and I love that they're stainless steel.  The one thing that I didn't like about them is that they're not dishwasher safe (though that is typical of most double-walled cups and jars).  

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*GIVEAWAY!*  

We've teamed up with Nûby to giveaway a stainless steel food jar and flip-it cup to a lucky follower to use on their own hikes - or any other adventure.  Please see our giveaway post on Instagram (@birchlandinghome) for details and to enter.  Good luck!!  

Giveaway ends 11/25/15 at 1PM EST.  

- I received these items for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please read our full Disclosure Policy for more information -   

Nûby's Insulated Stainless Steel Food Jar with Folding Spoon and  Insulated Stainless Steel No-Spill Flip-It Cup can be purchased at various retailers including Amazon and Babies 'R Us.  

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Nûby Review: Stainless Steel No-Spill Flip-It Cup with Weighted Straw

Today I'm reviewing Nûby's Stainless Steel No-Spill Flip-It Cup with 360 Weighted Straw (whew, that's a mouthful!).  Despite the long name, I was really excited to try out this cup with our little one.    

We've been a huge fan of Nûby's regular straw cups for a while now, and I was looking forward to trying something new from them.  This cup is from their new stainless steel line and it has a weighted straw, something we've never tried before.  

This cup has the bite-valve straw that our daughter loves, is BPA-free, and keeps her drink cool for up to 10 hours.  The weighted straw was pretty neat too - the inner part is flexible with a weighted bottom so it gets every bit of water.  No more frustrated toddler shaking her cup, mad because there's still half an inch of water in it that she can't get - this straw is able to get every drop.  

One thing that could be improved though would be to make it easier to clean.  This, like most double-walled cups, can't be put in the dishwasher but ease of cleaning is always important in my book.  Also, while the weighted-straw is very cool, it does make for a lot more pieces to take apart and clean.  

Despite being tricky to clean, we really love this cup overall and have gotten a lot of compliments on it when we're out and about.

- I received this item for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please read our full Disclosure Policy for more information - 

Nûby's Insulated Stainless Steel No-Spill Flip-It Cup with 360 Weighted Straw can be purchased at various retailers including Babies 'R Us.  

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Tips on Dealing with Teething Troubles + Nûby Review

Oy.  Teething.  
It can be the worst... days or weeks of a grumpy, fussy baby.  Sometimes you just have to muddle through, but know that there are tricks and tools you can use to your advantage - you're not alone.  | This post contains affiliate links and an honest review of products provided to us by Nûby |

How do I know our little one is teething?  

Every baby is different, but some tell-tale signs include fussiness, drooling, putting anything and everything in their mouth, chewing, slightly elevated temperature, and waking more often. 

How can I help our little one deal with these new teeth?  

Food

Food as a teether/soother can help - either some cold chopped fruit in a mesh feeder or a frozen banana to gnaw on (very closely supervised of course).  Drinking cold water can also help take the edge off.  

Washcloth

A frozen washcloth is a great teether you can make, especially in a pinch.  I usually take a baby washcloth, tie a knot in one corner, wet it, wring it out, and stick it in the freezer for a bit.  What I like about these is that even though they're frozen they don't seem too cold to hold, they come out more frosty than frozen.  

Variety of Teethers {Nûby Review}

Having a variety of teethers handy is key - most babies like having different textures and shapes to gum and chew on.  Nûby was kind enough to send me two teethers to try and share with you.  

Turtle FLOPPERS Teether

This little guy is pretty cuddly as far as teethers go.  He's a sweet little stuffed turtle (other animals are available too) with textured rubber BPA-free feet for gnawing on.  His soft body makes him a perfect teether for the car - I make a point to try to have only lightweight, soft toys in the car for safety reasons.  Our little one really likes this cute little guy, and the handle on his back is great for carrying around or attaching to a stroller with linking rings.

 
Safari Loop Teether

​This BPA-free teether definitely has a lot of variety going for it!  There are many shapes, colors, and textures strung along the loop - from animals, to rubber beads, to crinkly "leaves," to massaging nubs, this has it all.  Miss M particularly likes looking at the animal characters and chewing on the crinkly leaves.  However, I feel as though the animals on the loop are pretty hard though, maybe too hard for chewing comfortably.. Miss M hasn't been chewing on the animals in particular, and I'm not sure if she's avoiding them because she likes the other items on the loop more, or if the animals bother her gums/teeth.  

Please Note:  Always supervise your little ones with all teethers (and all toys for that matter), but make sure to pay special close attention once your child's teeth break through the gums.  Once they have exposed teeth they are more likely to chew through a toy or sippy cup straw.  Inspecting these items several times a day is very important.  

Medication (as a last resort, in our book)

Some people use baby Tylenol or pain relieving teething gel to alleviate the discomfort of teething, however I always try to avoid giving medication unless absolutely necessary (our pediatrician agrees with this stance).  So I very rarely give our little one baby Tylenol, and if I do it's usually only as a last-ditch effort to get her to sleep better and wake less from teething.

- I received these items for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please read our full Disclosure Policy for more information - 

Nûby's FLOPPERS Teethers and Nûby's Safari Loop Teether can be purchased at various retailers including Amazon and Target.  

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