Braun No-Touch Forehead Thermometer Review

Received from an +Influenster #VoxBox at no cost to me, I want to share my review on the new Braun no-touch forehead thermometer.  I am not being paid to share my opinions.

First, a photo of the item up for review:

As a mom to four, my kids have never all liked the same type of thermometer that we've had through their years of life.  One would like the under-the-arm technique of reading their temperature, one enjoyed holding the thermometer under their tongue, no one liked the rectal thermometers, go figure! But as a parent, I enjoy going the easiest route possible, to get a clear reading of their temperatures without any fuss or complaining from the kids.  Even using the little strip that you place against their foreheads for a few seconds, didn't work out too well.  My youngest, while sick, never wanted me to touch her with anything!

Enter stage left:  the new Braun No-touch forehead thermometer!

SUCH A LIFESAVER!!  The big kids thought it was too cool, with a light that shines on their forehead and beeps when a reading it taken, and wanted to run around taking each other's temperatures all night.  The little one didn't care too much for me pointing anything at her that beeps, but for her, luckily, this thing doesn't have to touch her head AT ALL, and so I can either get a quick reading when she's running by, or just wait until she's asleep and get a reading then, without waking her.  Score one for mom!

Another thing I love about the new Braun no-touch forehead thermometer, is that if your temperature is in the normal range, it will show a green color on the screen with the temp numbers, if it is a low-grade fever, it will beep a few times more and show a yellow color on the screen, and while we haven't had anyone with a full-blown high fever yet, when we do, it will surely beep more and give us the red color with the high fever temperature reading on the screen.  Such a great addition to the thermometer!

We've come a long way from the little thermometers that have the red line that rises inside that you have to shake to get back down to zero!  But this is something that I believe everyone needs, especially moms to new babies or even to kids who have sensory issues and do not want to have anything touching them when they are sick or uncomfortable.

A great find, well worth the price on it (ranges from $45-$55 in different stores I have seen).  Toss those old fashioned under-the-arm thermometers now and run to find one of these!

Thanks for reading my review!!  Be on the lookout for more!

The "Baby Booger Remover" by BabyBubz

Used to clear mucus from a blocked or stuffy nose, the Baby Booger Remover is a great product by BabyBubz that they sent me and asked me to review.  Here is my review of the following product:

Received just in time, my kiddos all had stuffy noses and head colds, so this product was definitely something I was anxious to try out. We had numerous mucus bulbs from the hospital that had always done the job, but they were so uncomfortable for the baby and my other children, and having them stored away in my bathroom drawers, I didn't think they would be as sanitary after hearing stories about them. So the Baby Booger Remover by BabyBubz was perfect! Knowing before even trying it, that I could easily clean each part of the product thoroughly before and after each use as well as see how clean and clear it was before use, put me at ease when using it. The nose piece is small enough to just rest inside the nostril of my baby's nose, and with comfort so that it is not having to be stuck way up in there as the other nasal aspirators seem to do. This makes for a happy baby! If the baby is a bit older, they could even help in holding it on their own nose! As the parent sucks their end of the tube, the baby will feel a suction not near as strong as the other nasal aspirators used before, but a more gentle suction that does not scare them (too much!). If there is a lot of mucus to remove, the process is pretty fast, but if there isn't, it may take several suctions to get everything out! :) But if you are doing it to clear the nasal passages, it does the job quickly, painlessly and better than, in my opinion, than the old bulb-style aspirators. I loved the fact that I could see what color the mucus was (kind of gross but that's what parents do!) so that I could tell if there was an infection or not, and the sheer amount that was able to come out definitely helped a helpless baby who doesn't yet know how to blow her nose. And if you're worried about the sucking part -- don't! Nothing comes back up through the tube you're sucking through, and I don't think it could unless the jar got really full, but you would just use common sense and rinse it out and start the process over to make sure it wasn't over full. And once you're done, you have a baby who can breathe again, and you can clean the entire product, knowing you are cleaning it and being able to see that it's free of old mucus and germs. Not to mention you can let it dry better than the old bulb-style ones too, knowing you will not cause any mold to grow inside.

Overall, I love this product and definitely wish I had one of these when my 10 year old was a baby!! I will definitely make it a point to give these as baby shower gifts from here on out!!

You, too, can find more information about the Baby Booger Remover on Amazon.com or at www.BabyBubz.com.  

Vulli Sophie The Giraffe Teether

I purchased this Sophie the Giraffe Teether way back when my baby girl who is 22mths old, was only 8months old.  Here is the review I had posted on Amazon.com of the item, followed by an updated review from my opinion today.

First off, a photo of the item being reviewed:

I was so excited to finally get one of these for at least one of my kiddos, and it was worth the wait (but what was I waiting for, I'll never know!!). We got it on our doorstep this afternoon and right away, our baby, who is almost 8 months old, took to it, chewing on his ears and legs. She left it in the floor to play with her other toys, but always, a few minutes later, we'd find her holding and chewing on it again over and over. As we put her to bed, we put Sophie in there with her, knowing it is perfectly safe for her to have with her at all times, and right away she grabbed ahold of her and snuggled down into her bed with her Sophie and her pacifier. I have to say the squeaker is kind of funny, but whatever, it gets her attention and we keep it away from the dogs so no big deal there. And I was pleasantly surprised by how flexible and soft the giraffe was. I guess the one I'd seen many years ago seemed to be a little stiff and hard, so I never knew why they were so popular when that one didn't seem to be something that would satisfy babies, but now seeing how soft this one is, I am very pleased. If I were having more kids, which I don't believe I am, I would definitely make sure to buy more of these. In fact, I will probably purchase them as gifts for others now! Great item, though pricey, if you find amazon gift cards and such, you can take a bit off the total, but I'd still pay full price even without the discounts.

Current review, as of June 29, 2014:
As my daughter is now 22 months old, sadly, the Sophie the Giraffe teether is no longer well-loved.  My daughter has most of her teeth (besides molars that come later), and so for the teething purposes, Sophie has not been used in quite some time.  We actually found Sophie behind our couch recently, and my daughter saw it and started giggling and threw it into the toy box, just another toy to her now, it seems.  While Olivia loved the teether when she first got it, it was great for her at that age, but then it just went into the toy bin with the rest of the toys and Olivia moved on.  I would probably still purchase them for mine or other babies, but due to the shape and stiff nature of the toy, I would not bet on a baby taking this around for a long long time as a "lovey", so it may not be worth the money to spend if it does not hold interest that long.  A great gift for a baby shower, but nothing beyond the baby years, probably.  Cute item, regardless!!