Inside ToteSavvy

I always try to carry some food around in my purse, not only for myself, but for my toddler as well. I find that when I’m unprepared I don’t make the healthiest choices for us. Although no one’s perfect, I do prefer to give my daughter healthy snacks whenever possible. For me, a good snack is one that is easily contained and has very little mess. I want it to be quick and easy because I don’t have a lot of time. We love smoothies in this house!  Catherine McCord, of Weelicious, has wonderful smoothie recipes. She even has a smoothie planner that you can print out, laminate, and have with you! Genius! I have always made smoothies for myself, even when I didn’t have a child, however I love how she’s introduced so many possibilities into my smoothie making. I now use hemp and flax seeds, kefir, and dates on the regular, all thanks to Catherine. I don’t tend to put chia seeds in smoothies that I give to my daughter, simply because they have a bunch of fiber...if you know what I mean. I don’t need my daughter pooping any more than she already does. However, if she does need assistance in that area, you better believe that I give her a chia filled smoothie. #themoreyouknow I recently made my daughter a smoothie and packed it in her Squeasy Snacker. It has a removable no-spill lid that is perfect! I slipped in the insulated pouch in my ToteSavvy and it was still cold three hours later (because my toddler, naturally, refused the smoothie when I first offered it to her). Even though the smoothie has a no-spill lid, it doesn’t mean that my daughter won’t get any on her face. I love Neat Cheeks wipes to clean up after she’s finished! I’m short on time, so I don’t tend to use specific proportions for my smoothies. I just eyeball them (I have been making smoothies for a long time, however). If I’m making a larger portion, I use my Vitamix. If I’m making a smaller smoothie just for my daughter, I will typically use my Nutribullet. If you check out the Weelicious Instagram account, Catherine is great at giving some tips for balancing out the ingredients to make the smoothies taste good. Make sure to watch her Instastories!   {How delicious does Catherine’s blood orange, strawberry, and beet smoothie look?}   I try to put greek yogurt in our smoothies so that they’re more filling, however it’s not a must. Here are a few of my favorites, loosely based off of Weelicious recipes: Plain greek yogurt, frozen loose leaf spinach, frozen mixed berries, hemp seeds, two dates, and milk Plain greek yogurt, an apple, cinnamon, vanilla,  a small amount of raw oats, ice cubes, two dates, and unsweetened vanilla almond milk Carrots, frozen mango, hemp seeds, bee pollen, two dates, ice cubes, and milk What I love about smoothies is that you can tweak them to fit nearly any palate or diet restriction.  If you pay close attention to your ingredients, they are a filling and nutritious snack. My newest healthy snack is adapted from Christina Lane’s naturally sweetened rice krispie treats, in order to make them more of an everyday snack. I first discovered Christina when I bought her book, Dessert for Two, a couple of years ago. She’s the queen of small batch cooking, and you should definitely check her out (and buy her books)!   {How delicious do Christina’s easter treats look?} I made a few small changes to Christina’s recipe since my goal was to make these more of a regular snack and less of a special treat. First, I used half steel cut oats and half puffed brown rice cereal. Secondly, I omitted the gelatin, purely because I didn’t have it on hand. Christina said it was optional and she was completely right. The active time on this recipe is so little that you can make this recipe often.     Although I usually take these bars with me in a small tupperware or a plastic bag (ugh) I have recently been using Innobaby’s Packin’ Smart Stackables to carry around my daughter’s snacks. I had seen pictures of it before, but was hesitant to use it because the individual containers looked too small. I can assure you that it works great! I break up the treats and fit them inside. I love how you can separate the snacks and the stackables keep everything in one nice cohesive package. It’s clear, so you (and your child) can see exactly what’s inside. The cooking instructions can be found on Christina’s site, and they are very clear and easy to follow. These are so good - you need to try them! I love how both the smoothies and the healthy rice krispie treats are so portable and can easily be eaten on the go. What are some of your favorite snacks to pack inside your diaper bag?

Have you ever shushed a baby that wasn’t yours? Me neither.

When I first founded Life in Play back in 2014, I was looking to prove my little idea was valuable and hopefully grow that idea into a real product. Over the past 3 years, I’ve witnessed the growth of our small business, and I began to think about our path forward. What type of company are we, and who do we ultimately want to become? Now, more than ever, the answer is clear. We want to be a company that gives back and supports our global community. We’ve hinted recently about an exciting limited edition ToteSavvy color launching this Spring. While the color may make this ToteSavvy special, what it represents carries the deepest meaning for our company. Our limited edition “Magenta Love” ToteSavvy was inspired by a close friend of mine who is currently battling metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The bold magenta color represents the fire and passion I’ve personally witnessed in her throughout her battle with cancer. No matter how tough the fight, she has remained true to herself as a gladiator for life. Today, I’m more honored than ever to announce our partnership with METAvivor. METAvivor is a volunteer-led, non-profit organization that uses 100% of their donations to award research grants towards finding better treatments for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Of all early stage breast cancer patients, 30% will metastasize (meaning the cancer has spread to non-adjacent organs, such as lung, liver, bones and brain– classifying them as stage 4). MBC is fatal in 97-99% of cases. Sadly, only 2-3% of breast cancer funding goes towards research for MBC. METAvivor was the first non-profit organization to solely fund research for stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and today remains the only US organization dedicated to funding MBC research. I’m proud to announce that Life in Play will be donating 100% of our net profits from this limited edition ToteSavvy to METAvivor. Our partnership with METAvivor means more funding will go towards grants for research, with the hope that someday we will discover better treatments that improve the longevity and quality of life for MBC patients.   Thank you for being a part of our ToteSavvy community. I hope that you love our limited addition organizer and are eager to support the wonderful cause behind it. If you’d like to learn more about METAvivor, our limited edition “Magenta Love” ToteSavvy, or my dear friends battle with MBC, please follow the links below.   METAvivor "Magenta Love" ToteSavvy Cancer, You Can Suck It

This post was written by Megan Guimarin for Many Things Megan   Breastfeeding is an absurd concept. The baby is born. She wraps her tiny mouth around your ridiculously large postpartum nipples. She sucks instinctively. And, somehow, milk comes out and she’s nourished on that and (unless you’re supplementing with formula) that alone for the next six months? *Record scratching noise.* Whaaaat? I read Breastfeeding Made Simple cover-to-cover before Ali was born, but as a recovering perfectionist who learns best by doing, the concept still completely stumped me. I remember holding Ali in the moments after she was born, sort of panicking (I had only held one baby ever), boobs out, desperately wanting to nail the whole motherhood thing, and asking every human woman who walked into the room, “am I doing this right?” The nurses, the lactations consultants, the doulas, your mom, and every mom who’s breastfed will likely have advice for you, so I’m going to go ahead and add myself to the list. These are the ten breastfeeding truths I’ve learned since becoming pro on June 4th. 1. YOU’LL GET THE HANG OF IT.  At first, breastfeeding feels so, so awkward. You have to get yourself set up just so. You have to hold the baby just right. You need the lights on so you can guide your “boob sandwich” into your baby’s tiny face hole. I promise though, soon enough you will have spent as many hours breastfeeding as an Olympic gymnast spends training for gold and you’ll be able to breastfeed with one arm while shoving food into your own face with the other. Ask me how I know. 2. IT HURTS. BUT NOT FOREVER. Lactation consultants maintain that if breastfeeding hurts, then something is amiss. Bullshit. There is a tiny human–who has never eaten before–sucking on your nipples– which have never fed a tiny human before. Nipples are sensitive. They are going to get sore, just like your soft hands would get sore if all of a sudden you had to swing hammers for a living. Use that nipple butter like your life depends on it, and things will ease up in a month or so. It’s not forever. Same goes for the other pain associated with breastfeeding. The uterine contractions triggered by breastfeeding only last a week or so. The weird nervy pain goes away in a couple weeks. Severe engorgement is gone within a month or so. This too shall pass. 3. HAND EXPRESSION IS DUMB. Lactation consultants, especially ones of the hippie variety, fucking love hand expression. They think it’s the coolest thing since, I don’t know, making an artistic print with your placenta. But nope. Using your hands to milk your boobs into a small kitchen bowl is not a “game changer.” Use your breast pump, free with insurance (I got mine here), and let the machine do it for you. That said, being able to milk yourself sans equipment is a handy skill (see what I did there?) to have in your back pocket should you ever need it. I know a mom who forgot her pump at TSA for a transatlantic flight and ended up hand expressing into a cup in the lavatory. Badass status for sure. 4. EXPECT A MESS. Sometimes baby will stop sucking but your body will continue producing. Sometimes it’s a trickle. Sometimes it’s a legit geyser. Either way, it’s helpful to tuck a little cloth under your boob so you don’t ruin a dozen shirts a day or, alternatively, smell like sour milk until your next shower. 5. WHAT YOU EAT MATTERS. (AND DAIRY MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM.) Breastfeeding burns a crazy amount of calories, so you’re going to be hungry all. the. time. Make sure to have healthy snacks on hand so you don’t binge on whatever nonsense is in the pantry. (Ahem, chocolate for lunch anyone?) Baby is getting all of her nutrition through you, so choose your food wisely. Also, a solid number of babies have a dairy sensitivity that they will eventually grow out of. If your baby has a tendency to become a human puke fountain–like more than the “normal” tiny bit of spit up all babies produce–try cutting out all dairy products from your diet and see what happens. Cutting out dairy worked miracles for us. (So much less laundry when baby doesn’t puke fountain daily!) Dairy-sensitive babies are allergic to the dairy proteins, not the lactose, so lactose-free products won’t help. 6. NO ONE CARES IF YOU NURSE IN PUBLIC. AND IF THEY CARE, IT’S THEIR PROBLEM. I read so many stories before Ali was born about militant mamas putting breastfeeding shamers in their place. I fantasized about my moment to do the same. But it still hasn’t happened. Not a single person has asked me to cover up or given me side eye. Granted, I live in San Francisco, where literally no one cares if they see your boobs, but regardless of where you are, give zero fucks about feeding your baby in public. If you want to cover up because it makes you more comfortable or helps your baby concentrate, by all means, do it. But don’t ever feel like you have to. If you’re confident about it, no one will even notice. 7. IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING WITH OVER-SUPPLY, DON’T BE AFRAID TO PUMP FOR RELIEF.  When my milk came in, I was incredibly uncomfortable. My boobs looked like foreign objects. My lactation consultant advised me to hand express until I felt a bit of relief, which also made it easier for baby to latch. (It’s easier to suck on a pillow than a rock, apparently.) She warned me not to pump because it would likely trigger my body to make even more milk. If I hadn’t taken her so literally, I would’ve pumped until I was comfortable, a few minutes– or an ounce or so–on each side, instead of milking myself into a bowl while laugh-crying. 8. IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING WITH TOO LITTLE SUPPLY, THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF OPINIONS ON THAT. LISTEN SELECTIVELY. I had the opposite problem, so I am no expert, but everyone and especially everyone on the internet has opinions about what to do if you have low supply. Try what might work for you, but if you feel like you’ve given it an honest try and it’s just not working for you, formula will nourish your baby just fine. 9. SIDE LYING IS NOT A SAVIOR FOR EVERYONE. Some moms swear by side lying breastfeeding, basically feeding your baby while you both lay on your sides. They claim it helps everyone get more sleep, since you don’t have to get out of bed to do it, but I found it to be the least restful position of them all. It killed my back. Baby kept popping off. Milk spilled all over the sheets. It was no bueno. Later I found out that ladies with smaller tatas (holler!) have a harder time with this position than our big breasted sisters. So if you’re on the smaller side, maybe side lying isn’t for you. 10. ON THAT NOTE, NO ONE HOLD OR METHOD IS FOR EVERYONE. My doula swore by the cross-cradle hold. A friend by the football hold. The lactation consultant by creating pillow forts and the (idiotically named) My Brest Friend. The nurses by reclined breastfeeding. What ended up working for me was a regular cradle position (baby in the crook of my elbow) leaning against some pillows on the bed. Try what people love, but if it doesn’t work for you and something else works better, that’s cool too. When it gets tough, and it definitely will get tough, just remember… this too shall pass. (And then you’ll be nostalgic for it like I am now because you’re a crazy person.)

Today's post is contributed by our brand ambassador, Brooke Walker from This Wilde Love. The post was originally written for Bottle and Heels. Find Brooke on Instagram @thiswildelove    ‘I just had a baby and I’m a mess!’ Raise your hand if you can relate to this title. I bet most of you reading right now can - or at some point - have been able to. Being a mother is the most amazing experience I have had to date, and bringing a little person that you created into the word is nothing other than extraordinary. But once the ‘newborn high’ has worn off and you are back at home with your little one, things begin to seem very different. All of a sudden, there is a tiny baby who needs you for their every move of every day (and night…) and your once beautiful home may not be looking so beautiful. Some days you may not get a shower and other days getting dressed may seem like the biggest challenge in the world! But let me tell you a little secret… you will survive. And it will get easier. How do I know this? I have recently lived out this scenario myself with my baby boy who is now 3 and a half months old. I have had to learn to do things I have been doing for years differently to cater for his needs as well as my own.    Being organized doesn’t come naturally to everyone. For me I find that I need organization and order in my surroundings to be able to function at my best, and functioning at your best is very important when you have children. Over the last 3 months I have developed some strategies to ensure a smooth flow of our days and to help keep any stressful situations that could arise to a minimum.   Organized Mama   Create a Capsule Wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is basically a mini wardrobe that consists of items of clothing that all work together, are versatile and that you simply LOVE to wear. Now I am not saying to run straight into your closet and get rid of everything – that is a little bit extreme! But slowly start to go through the contents of your wardrobe and sell or donate pieces that you haven’t worn in a while. That item with the tags still attached that you purchased during a Black Friday sale because it was the ‘bargain of the century’? Let me tell you now – if you haven’t worn it yet, you are not going to! When you purchase a new piece of clothing, do so smartly. Think about how many outfits you could create with it, or even if you may already have something similar. I have been following this approach for a while and it makes getting dressed in the mornings a lot easier!   Get up and get dressed! There is a reason why most people call staying in their PJs a ‘lazy day’ – because it is just plain lazy! Of course there will be days where you need to stay in bed and sleep when baby sleeps and don’t feel bad about that, but just make it the ‘normal’ to get dressed each morning. You will be surprised how much more you accomplish and how much better you feel about yourself from doing this one, easy task.   Don’t overeducate yourself. This can be very hard to do these days, now that we can Google anything and everything at any moment of the day. I feel like parenting is a game of trusting your instincts and listening to the professionals. You know all of those online forums filled with ‘information’ on parenting? Don’t even bother going there. Read a few books, but not all of them. The clearer your mind is, the more you will be able to focus on what your baby is actually telling you!       Organized Baby   Pack the night before an outing. This is something I have done since we got home from the hospital, and I must say it makes our mornings so easy! Make sure your diaper bag is fully stocked (I leave a pad of post-its in my bag to note down what I need to restock) and also organized (I love my ToteSavvy Diaper Bag Insert!) before you go to bed and leave it by the door or in your car if you have a lock-up garage. That way the only things you need to worry about getting ready in the morning are you and bub! I also have a basket where I keep ‘traveling items’ that we use both at home and whilst out (Pacifier, comforters, Sophie the Giraffe etc) in a central location so I can just reach in and grab what we need as we leave!   Divide baby’s clothes by size and if possible, hang everything! I don’t use fancy dividers with sizes written on them – I simply have a different colored hanger to mark where his current size stops and the next one starts. I find this works better than specific size dividers because I have found sizing to be quite inconsistent across different brands. If you have the capability, also try to hang as much as you can in a closet. It makes it so much easier to find outfits and see what items you are lacking in.   Keep a routine journal and develop your own pattern. I did this for the first month or so of my son’s life and found it really helped me to figure out his needs and natural routine. I wrote down in a notebook every time he ate, slept (and how long for) and needed a diaper change. At first it felt like a chore, but once I started to see patterns emerging it was reward for effort!   It is easy to pick up a sleep training book that has been recommended to you by a friend/relative/professional and have high hopes for your little one falling into a routine straight away. Unfortunately, this is not the case for most babies, and then you are left wondering why your little one won’t comply! This in turn creates stress within yourself, which will transfer to your babe. All babies are different and special, and should be treated accordingly. If you find your little one is having trouble sleeping after the 6-9 month mark, that is when I would suggest getting in touch with a professional.           Organized Home   Tidy up before you go to bed. Now I know this is likely the last thing you feel like doing at the moment when sleep is so precious, but I guarantee even a quick tidy of your main living area before you retire for the day will make such a difference to how you feel when you wakeup! I generally try to clear the kitchen benches and sink, as well as pick up pillows and throws that have been moved about on the couch. If the kitchen table has a lot of items (does anyone else’s kitchen table become the central location to dump anything and everything??) I at least try to put away some of it and organize the rest into neat piles to sort at a later time.   You don’t need ‘all the things’. Most of us spend a great deal of our pregnancy researching the best of the best baby items and collecting a whole lot of ‘stuff’ for our precious unborn babe. Before you know it, your once beautiful home looks more like a play center than a home of adults! In my opinion, the ‘non-negotiable’ items are a convertible swing (or something similar that has a soothing motion), a play mat for tummy and play time, a great stroller (one thing that is worth investing in – you use it everyday for years!), basic nursery items, a baby carrier such as the ErgoBaby and capsule that attaches to your stroller. Of course there are a lot of little items that are designed to make parenting ‘easier’ and marketed at new parents who want to give their little one the best start to life, but most are unnecessary (Diaper Genie, anyone??). Items such as play centers and walkers can be purchased at a later point if you think your baby would enjoy using items like that – and by that time (around six months), other items around your house like the swing and play mat will be able to be put away as your babe will be ready to move on from those. So that equals less clutter around your home and therefore a clearer mind!   Keep a small laundry basket for your baby’s items. This may sound strange, but it will help to keep the laundry from piling up! If you have a big laundry basket, human nature will most likely let that basket get near to full before the contents get removed for washing. If the basket is smaller you may be washing more frequently, but it will be a much more manageable quantity. This will also ensure you get enough wear out of all of the outfits you have for your little one. Babies grow so quickly and if an outfit is down the bottom of a washing basket for two weeks, it is almost likely that it wont fit the next time it is clean. You may also find you go out and purchase more outfits than you really need due to items being in the washing basket.       To finish off, I have one bonus tip that I consider to be the overarching element to successful and happy parenting. This is not so much an organizing tip and some may find it slightly controversial, but to me, it is essential. It is OK to put yourself first. Now I’m not talking 100% of the time, but as you feel it is needed. If you never put yourself first, you will find yourself becoming resentful of certain situations. Your baby needs you to be happy. Without that, how can they be happy? Take the time once a day to do something for yourself, that you enjoy. And once a week/fortnight/month – whatever works for your family – take some time off and spoil yourself away from the baby. Personally I enjoy a Mani/Pedi, so this is my choice of ‘Me time’.  For others it may be exercise, trip to the movies, shopping – the sky is the limits!   I hope I have helped in someway to make the transition into motherhood seem a little less daunting! Just remember when all fails (and believe me, sometimes it will!) to just stop, look at your precious baby and know that at the end of the day, they are all that really matters.

Alright mamas, here it is! This is the ultimate ToteSavvy packing list with tips to pack it like a pro. The key to packing like a pro is to pack smart, but not over do it. With a few multi-use products and space-savers, your diaper bag should cover the essentials along with a couple "just in case" items.  Let's start with who we're packing for. This post is representing the essentials you'll need for an infant (0-12 months) and toddler (18 months - 3 years). Let's assume both are in diapers to make it most realistic!  When I pack my ToteSavvy, I like to go heavy on the snacks. My kids have always been driven by food, so being away from home without a snack when hunger hits leads to a HUGE meltdown. I always pack extras to be safe.      Now let's get into the packing details. I love to use the two inner small pockets for smaller items like a pacifier (or 2!), compact sippy cup, bottle, or creams. When my babies were in the paci stage, the top small pocket was ALWAYS our paci pocket. This allowed both my husband and I to locate the paci in a split second. (PRO TIP: Add a paci clip and tether. It can also be used to keep toys from hitting the floor) When packing for more than one child, I like to choose a compact sippy cup for my oldest. At home we have larger options with fun straws and such, but when on-the-go this 4oz Avent sippy is the perfect size to slip right into the bottom small pocket.  Diapers, wet wipes and cream are all must-haves! I tend to pack 2-3 diapers for infants and 1-2 diapers for toddlers. This tends to work for outings no longer than 2-3 hours.      On the reverse side, I have snacks and a bottle. Only one bottle is shown here but two could be stacked if needed. Again, if I plan to need more than one bottle, I'll choose a shorter bottle that can be stacked two high in the ToteSavvy pocket.  To the far left (inside our insulated pocket) is my personal favorite snack stacker by Innobaby. It's super easy to use for both formula or snacks and fits perfectly inside the insulated pocket. In the layout image above you may have noticed the bottom two compartments were empty. These two compartments were meant to represent where the formula powder would go (we didn't want to waste formula for this shoot!). Simply pre-fill your bottle with water, then add the powder when needed. In the for right pocket I have toddler and mama snacks. Well, a bar for mama until my toddler sees it. Then it's as good as his.       Moving to the outer pockets, I love using the x-large Velcro pocket for a spare change of clothing and small toys. Rather than rolling the outfit and slipping into an inside pocket, I like to fold the outfit flat and store with a few toys.  Crayons fit perfectly inside the little top pocket. I like to have them on-hand, along with a notebook for toddler entertainment when needed. It's amazing what crayons and stickers will do to entertain them!  Inside the bottom small pocket is a genius little kit called the diaper bag buddy. This compact kit includes: latex-free bandages, antiseptic wipes, antibacterial wipes, disposal diaper sacks, and a thermometer. While many of these items won't be used on a daily basis, you'll be very glad you have them when needed!     Finally, slip a notebook, digital tablet, or coloring book inside the flat pocket. I always have a notebook in my ToteSavvy. I'm pretty old school and LOVE to make hand written lists. The satisfaction of crossing action items off my list feels amazing. Plus, the notebook doubles as entertainment for my toddlers.            If you ever have a question about the best way to utilize ToteSavvy, or have specific questions for us, don't hesitate to reach out! We would love to hear from you :)  Our customer service reps can always be reached at support@lifeinplaycompany.com!   

We love a great oversized tote, but what we love even more is a company that gives back to our world community. This week we're featuring one of our favorite totes from a company that's taking steps to empower women in Ethiopia, Parker Clay.  With every 300 orders, Parker Clay is able to help 15 women stay out of the commercial sex industry by partnering with Women at Risk, who provide counseling, rehabilitation, and skills training. Their products are also handmade in Ethiopia, providing jobs and enabling female empowerment.  Our favorite handbag from their current collection is the Zip Tote. It's the perfect oversize tote, great for everyday use or travel. We paired their black Zip Tote with our soft grey original size ToteSavvy and put it to the test as a diaper bag.  Overall we have to say the Parker Clay Zip Tote makes a fantastic diaper bag. The size is perfect for fitting every essential needed, while also offering a little wiggle room around the ToteSavvy insert. ToteSavvy sits low enough inside to allow it to zip closed easily. The zipper closure is a fantastic feature to keep your diapering essentials secure and out of site.  Take a look through our photo diary to see how well ToteSavvy pairs with the Parker Clay Zip Tote.               

It's no secret GiGi New York is one of our favorite handbag brands. Their leather is luxurious, craftsmanship is superb, and design is on-point with current trends. You honestly couldn't ask for more from a classic go-to handbag.  With the launch of our new ToteSavvy Mini, we decided to pick our favorite GiGi New York tote to pair with the smaller sized insert. The Mini Taylor tote was the clear winner, and our hands-down favorite to pair with our Mini.  Of the many reasons to love the Mini Taylor tote, our number one reason has to be the size. It's the perfect small / medium size tote bag. Not too big, not too small. It's the handbag equivalent of Goldilocks. 😉 Additionally, ToteSavvy Mini drops inside as easy as can be. There is still some room around the organizer, offering space for a wallet, or other adult items you'd prefer to keep separated from your burp cloths.  Our photo diary below showcases how ToteSavvy Mini and the Mini Taylor tote can be paired together to create the perfect stylish and lightweight diaper bag for a mom of 2. 😀                  

  Hey there beautiful mamas! Want to know our favorite feature of ToteSavvy?? It's versatility, of course! We love how you can completely customize the way you use ToteSavvy, and mold it to fit inside your own lifestyle (and handbag!).    In today's post we're featuring the ToteSavvy essentials of a breastfeeding mama. You won't need to pack bottles and formula, but you will need a few other necessities to make your on-the-go nursing session as comfortable as possible.  Jumping right into the list, here's what we packed inside our ToteSavvy for a breastfed 4-month old.   BREASTFEEDING ESSENTIALS  Bamboobies nursing pads – Are these not the cutest?!?! Washable nursing pads are an absolute must-have inside your diaper bag. Keep them inside ToteSavvy's small pocket (top one) for easy access after each nursing session.   Honest nipple balm – Dry and cracked nipples are even more painful than they sound 😖. Keep yours soft and moisturized with nipple balm. We love Honest's nipple balm because you can easily add it to your monthly diaper order. Never risk running out of it!  Milkflow drink mix – A delicious and easy way to stimulate milk production. Throw a few in your ToteSavvy when on-the-go to keep your milk supply up! Milkmakers cookies - If you're looking for a quick snack and can use the boost in your milk, we highly recommend Milkmakers cookies. They're easy to pop in your ToteSavvy and eat while on-the-go. Water bottle – Another quick and easy way to keep your milk flowing is to drink plenty of water. Toss a bottle of water inside ToteSavvy's insulated pocket to keep yourself hydrated on your outing.  Covered Goods multi-use cover – Whether you choose to nurse with a cover or not, the multi-use scarf by Covered Goods is a great option to pack inside your diaper bag. Use it as a cover for discreetly nursing your little one, as a carseat cover, or as a shopping cart cover.   ADDITIONAL DIAPER BAG ESSENTIALS Change of clothing – Between spit-ups, blow-outs and drool, you'll be glad you packed a clean outfit for your little one. Sophie the Giraffe teether toy – Sophie is the perfect toy to pack inside your ToteSavvy because it's small enough to easily slip inside any pocket, and it offers multifaceted enjoyment for your baby.  Honest diapers & wet wipes  Burp cloth – If you like your outfit, don't forget to pack this little necessity ;)                              

Fall is almost here.. can you believe it?! With the season changing and the holidays quickly approaching, we can't help but think about air travel. It's almost inevitable for families to travel around the holidays (no matter how difficult it may be!), so we decided to dedicate a post to tips and tricks for your flight. Luckily, I have a lot of experience traveling with small children and am eager to share the details for making your trip a little less chaotic.  Our latest trip included 1 year old twins + a 3 year old on a 5 hour flight. We were able to save some money by adding the twins as lap infants (yay!) but unfortunately there's a very strict policy on airlines that two lap infants cannot be in the same row. We actually ran into this issue about 6 months earlier and booked accordingly for this flight. In case you're wondering, the reasoning behind the policy is the amount of oxygen masks above each row. There are two extra per row, but only one is allowed to be allocated to a lap infant. If you're able to buy an extra seat, the problem goes away altogether.  Due to our seat arrangement (one parent in the row behind with one twin), we needed to strategically pack our ToteSavvy to be divided between two seats. This meant no sharing snacks or water to avoid tossing things back and fourth all flight long.  So! Our packing list was pretty lengthy...      What's Inside Our ToteSavvy: 8 disposable diapers (size 4) wet wipes (large package) diaper cream sunscreen  lip balm 2 sippy cups – Greet Sprouts 5 puree pouches 2 clean outfits breakfast bar (2-pack) crackers, grapes, apples inside snack tower that can be divided between parents wallet keys cell phone   Now, all of these items were mainly for the twins. Some of the snacks were packed for our 3 year old, but because she's older and very capable, she carried her own backpack filled with toys, snacks and water. She actually prefers it this way because everything in the backpack is hers.  All of the above fit nicely inside our soft grey ToteSavvy, keeping our essentials organized throughout the flight.    Two sippy cups fit nicely inside our x-large pocket. We also recommend placing your stack tower inside the insulated pocket!     Spare clothing can be stored inside the large Velcro pocket. It's large enough for two full outfits!   Generally when I travel I opt for my LV Neverfull GM tote or Longchamp Le Pliage large. Both are great sizes and pair with ToteSavvy splendidly. For this trip I decided to test out my Everlane backpack. It's one of the only backpacks I've found large enough to fit ToteSavvy, and seemed to be the more convenient option for this trip. Being hands-free throughout the airport is super appealing when you have two speed crawlers! As you can see in the image below, ToteSavvy is a pretty snug fit inside this backpack. The pockets are still accessible, though they feel tighter than usual.      I loved carrying my bag (and ToteSavvy) on my back, but if we're being completely honest, the fit was too tight for my preference. This led me to swap the backpack for my Longchamp Le Pliage large for the flight home.  In addition, this trip happened to inspire a new product we're launching in a few months. I've been searching for that perfect backpack to pair with ToteSavvy for years. Still haven't found one... so we decided to develop it. Ssshhhh! Formal announcement still to come! :) Anyways! Getting back to our flight... The ToteSavvy full of snacks and drinks was perfect for our 5-hour adventure. We managed to keep the babies well fed and decently happy. The spare change of clothing came in very handy at the end of our flight. After the outfit change the empty Velcro pocket became the perfect spot to store the soiled clothing. Love the versatility!    Happy and safe travels mamas!            

Hello Lovelies! If you're reading this we're pretty confident you recently had baby #2 (or 3 or 4!) and are overwhelmed with the idea of adding even more stuff to your diaper bag. Packing for one can be a challenge, but something you quickly master. Packing for two? That's a whole new ball game!  With ToteSavvy you can easily and effectively pack necessities for both of your babes without feeling like you're carrying the whole nursery along with you. As a veteran mom, you probably realize packing light is a true asset!   Here's what's inside our ToteSavvy for a newborn baby and cruisin' toddler: (3) size 4 diapers (3) size 1 diapers wet wipes (1) toddler clean outfit (1) newborn clean outfit Green Sprouts sippy cup Ubbi snack container  Motherlove nipple cream – must have if breastfeeding! Solly Baby swaddle Teether toy Mama & Little teething bracelets Babo lip balm     The list may seem light, and it is! We've paired down the essentials you'll need when out and about with two under two. Your newborn baby won't need much more than diapers, wipes, a spare outfit and maybe a blanket. If you're breastfeeding you can pack your favorite nipple cream and breastmilk pads. If you're bottle feeding, an extra bottle or two can be packed inside ToteSavvy's insulated pocket.        We like to use the extra large Velcro pocket for spare clothing. It's large enough to fit multiple outfits, and easy to reach in and access.      Your toddler may need a bit more than your newborn, but not so much to overload your handbag. Every toddler we know is snack-happy to don't forget to pack his or her favorite snack!      When on-the-go with your babes we highly recommend the Solly Baby wrap. Their super soft Lenzing Modal wraps are perfect for holding your newborn close, while chasing after an energetic toddler. We love Solly because their wraps are made in the U.S. and $1 from every wrap purchased helps make a safe birth for a mother around the world.     

 T-shirt by Ezra + Eli   With Father's Day around the corner, we thought it was the perfect time to highlight how a real dad (of twins!) utilizes ToteSavvy when out and about with his crew.  Now packing for two generally means double the diaper bag essentials, but with the right packing strategy and the right organizer (ToteSavvy!) you can easily pack a dad bag without carrying the entire nursery along with you.      Let's start with the packing list:  2 Green Sprouts straw sippy cups (P.s. We LOVE these cups!) 1 Innobaby snack tower filled with fruits, veggies and crackers 2 puree pouches 2 Grovia Hybrid Diaper shells  4 disposable Grovia BioSoaker pads Babo diaper rash cream (it's cloth diaper safe!) 1 package of wet wipes 2 clean outfits 1 Acure Baby's Day Out kit– includes sunscreen, boo-boo stick, and bug repellant   We love using Grovia's Hybrid Cloth Diaper with disposable inserts when on-the-go. The disposable BioSoaker pads make it very easy to swap out a new one when baby is wet. After returning home you can easily switch back to your cloth inserts which snap right into the shell!  Two extra shells are packing inside this ToteSavvy along with 4 BioSoaker inserts on top. The shells may not be needed, but are great to have just in case!  Next to the diaper shells and pads are our favorite wet wipes from Honest Co. We recommend packing a full package a wipes just in case you run into a sticky situation.    The adorable trio by Acure fits perfectly inside one of ToteSavvy's small pockets. It's always a great idea to be prepared for sun or outdoor fun so be sure to include these inside your diaper bag.  In the second small pocket fits two applesauce puree pouches– a quick and easy snack while on-the-go!    We were recently introduced to the Innobaby stackable snack tower and completely fell in love with it. We like being able to see each snack with it's clear walls and that each compartment snaps on an off with ease. It's also the perfect size for our insulated pocket!    Don't forget the extra set of clothes and a beverage! Two Green Sprouts straw cups fit perfectly inside ToteSavvy's x-large pocket. In between the cups and snack tower is room for two extra sets of clothing. Insider tip: Roll clothing for a better fit inside ToteSavvy's pockets.      ToteSavvy's flat pocket is the perfect place to house these disposable placemats. A must-have item when eating out with baby!        This dad bag is fully packed and ready to go!