Buying baby furniture can be a long process because there are so many choices. You may want to go modern or traditional. You may want to spend a lot of money and decorate to your heart’s content or be frugal but still make the room show all of the love you have for your baby. Deciding on colors, types of wood, fabrics, convenience and of course safety are other reasons to start doing some research and then actually shopping.

Make a list of the items you’ll need for the nursery from books or searching online. Then go through to see what is necessary for you and your family. If you have some hand-me-downs, check to see if they’ve been recalled before putting them into use again.

Sometimes you’ll be lucky and find a collection of furniture that you like and settle on. That makes getting ready so much easier! For example the Oeuf Furniture Collection is one that you may fall in love with. You can start with the Oeuf crib which is in natural birch and then go from there. Add sheets, wall hangings, a dresser, the mattress, possibly a bassinet and don’t forget the Oeuf changing station.

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Using pressure gates that lead to outside, especially ones that fit sliding glass doors, is one solution to keeping your baby safe inside your home. The ones that automatically close behind you are one of the safest. Pressure gates means that the gate is mounted with hardware that won’t damage walls.

Don’t forget to install stairway gates to prevent injuries from falls. Babies seem to be fascinated by the free fall drop of steps. So keep those areas safe. Even though baby gates may not be a cute gift, they make great baby shower gifts as many families don’t own them, especially with a new baby.

Consider shopping for your home safety needs at KidSafeInc.com who also provided me with the information for this post. They provide all types of baby gates and other safety items for your home too.

In fact, it is more economical for all women. It is completely free and can save parents up to $2000 a year on formula. When I nursed my younger daughter I remember saving money on bottles as well as formula. There’s an online calculator where you can check the cost of formula for the time your baby will be drinking it. It will surprise you when you learn how much formula costs.

If you decide to formula feed or add formula to breastfeeding and want to still save money, learn about brand name formulas. According to Dr. Barbara Levine, Weill Cornell Medical College:

In the United States there are no generic infant formulas. The truth is all infant formulas are subject to the same regulations governing manufacturing and ingredients as stipulated by the Infant Formula Act.

There’s no need to pay more for brand name baby formula. All formulas go through testing of the FDA and have the same nutritional value. Breastfeeding is best, but if you need to formula feed don’t waste your money on brand name formulas.

This offer expires on Sunday, July 26th at midnight. Be sure to use promotional code:995PS when you register. There is another discount service available through Cryo-Cell called the Signature UCORD Service and Exclusive C’elle Service. This include umbilical cord storage and menstrual blood cell storage. The cost is $1299 and you need promotional code : P2PS to get this best value price.

Umbilical blood cells are known to treat over 75 diseases, and have been used in over 12,000 transplants worldwide. With medical research progressing in this area, I’m sure that these numbers will increase in time. Saving u-cord cells is something we as parents can do to protect our children’s future and possibly their siblings too.

I used Cryo-Cell ten years ago when my daughter was born. Their service is outstanding. I continue to store the cells every year. Since we have autoimmune diseases in our family, this was a choice my husband and I made. Check into it for peace of mind.

ikookie has organic baby clothes, towels, blankets, hats and diaper covers that are made of 100% cotton. The cotton is “grown with natural fertilizers and free of toxic chemicals”. It is naturally soft and just perfect for baby’s delicate skin.

I fell in love with the Short Sleeve Lap T-Shirts that are available in solid colors and with wording such as “Little Guy” and the logo ikookie. The colors are as cute as the names, nature, sky and blush for example. I chose a short sleeve “Cute As A Bug” shirt in size 18 – 24 months to review. It is so soft and adorable. It adds style to any outfit and would work for a boy or girl. My model is Leah who is almost 2. She is definitely enjoying showing off her new shirt and who can blame her?

To Purchase: Visit ikookie online click on Shop Products to see the full line available. This shirt is only $5!

Giveaway: Win one t-shirt of your choice, size and color (depending on availability, of course)

The Rules:

1. Contest starts now and ends Monday, July 27th at midnight EST.
2. Open to people in the US.
3. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
4. Winner has 2 days to claim prize.
5. Have fun and tell your friends.

How To Enter:

Mandatory – You must do this to be entered into the giveaway. Visit ikookie and leave a comment about one item that you like and why.

For Extra Entries – Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. Sign up for this blog’s RSS feed. (Only for new followers)
2. Follow my blog on Facebook (Only new followers)- use the Networked Blogs widget on my sidebar – Leave your Facebook name please.
3. Follow me on Twitter. (Only for new followers) Leave your Twitter ID please.
4. Comment about one organic item you use in your home.
5. Tweet this and leave your Twitter ID please:

Win an ikookie organic baby t-shirt made of 100% cotton @ConnieFoggles http://tinyurl.com/lqcp5w

This review and giveaway sponsored by ikookie.