Baby products get recalled all the time. It has a lot to do with our sensitivity to protecting our children. After all, nobody wants to use a recalled product on their baby. So how do you check baby products for a recall?

Let’s take one of our more popular items for example, the DREAM BABY DELUXE BATHTUB SAFETY SEAT. Of course, one of the easiest ways to check for a recall on most baby products is to just check www.googoogear.com. Every baby product on our site has a collection of reviews from across the web. And most importantly, we have looked into whether there is an active recall. So for the DREAM BABY DELUXE BATHTUB SAFETY SEAT, there are no recalls.

But as time goes on, a particular product can get recalled even if it receive high safety praise initially. That’s why we always suggest checking the Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

After checking for baby product recalls you’ll be able to sleep soundly knowing there’s nothing to worry about.

Sometimes even the government gets it wrong though. They can’t possibly accurately review 15,000 types of products perfectly. So when in doubt, always try to ask someone you know who has used the baby gear. A mother’s intuition knows best. But if the only thing you do is read the reviews on Goo Goo Gear you’ll at least have a pretty good idea how the public at large feels about the product. Because at Goo Goo Gear we include both bad and good reviews and let you decide for yourself.

You can also report unsafe products here: https://www.cpsc.gov/incident.html.

Dispose of those Huggies or Pampers in a diaper pail like the BABY TREND DELUXE DIAPER CHAMP.

There are so many brands of diapers out there it’s overwhelming. That’s what a few of my friends were observing in their conversation today on Facebook today. So you’re a mother, what’s your favorite diaper brand?  For most of my friends, it was either Huggies vs Pampers. Add your vote in the comments!

Erin writes “I loved pampers for newborn and size 1. Size 2 and up we’ve always used Huggies. I order them online from www.amazonmom.com. If you sign up for their “subscribe & save” program they give you a discount and ship them right to your doorstep with free shipping. Love it!”

Amber says when it comes to disposable, “Just buy the cheap stuff: Parent’s Choice works just fine for us. We do like Huggies or the Costco brand (which I hear is actually Huggies.) We haven’t had problems with the cheap stuff really.” But when it comes to cloth diapers Amber thinks “BumGenius are the best! We mostly do cloth, but disposables at night & out & about or on vacation.”

Melanie exclaims, “We love the Costco brand!”

Then there’s also the point of view from a father. James analyzes, “Mr. Mom here. Pampers are the best for our long and skinny Nora, but it all depends on the shape of your baby.”

Kristie writes, “We liked Pampers Swaddlers for newborn and size 1 then Huggies the rest of the way ( if you get it when they are on coupon at Costco they are pretty cheap.) my sis in law does get pampers from Amazonmom. Just try a few different ones once baby is here and you’ll find the one that fits best  good luck! babies are so fun!”

Liz: “I’m a true pampers fan but we use Huggies now because they don’t carry Aubrey’s size at SAMs club or Costco anymore. I agree about the body shape thing though. I’ve heard pampers work best for skinny little ones (like our girls have always been) and Huggies work better for chubby little legs.”

Ashley agrees with a few others as well, “Pars has always been a skinny little thing so he pees out the sides of the Huggies. I have always used Pampers and love them. I do the Amazon mom thing too. Saves you a few bucks each time congrats!!”

Alexis got pretty excited about her unique opinion, “Honest company!!!!! Free of dangerous chemicals and bleaches and they send you a months supply every month. It is Jessica Alba’s company. I spend less than what I did when I bought Huggies and wipes at Costco plus I never have to go to the store for diapers. Super cute designs too!!!!!!!”

Cathrine, “Pampers for newborns and up to 1’s. After that I buy Huggies in bulk at Costco.”

I’m sensing a theme here, Costco seems to be pretty popular!

Kayleen writes, “I like huggies. Just because they seem to fit my babe really well and I like the material better than Pampers’. I use the ‘natural’ kind they offer.  P.S. But I have often used whatever no-name brand I happen to run onto and they work just as well, if you’re looking to save $!”

Another one for Pampers Swaddlers, “We use Pampers Swaddlers. But Allie is really skinny! So they have worked really well for us! I buy them on amazon too!” says Candice.

Kaitlan gives another vote to Huggies,  “We like the Huggies. just buy some of everything for your baby and find what fits best.  We got probably every type of diaper at showers and tried them that way.”

A try them all strategy eh? That might do the trick! (Baby showers are great for this!)

Brian offers another father’s pragmatic advice on diapers, “We really like the Target brand Up and Up. They are cheap and work great.”

Okay, so you’ve ready what several parents have said, what do you think? Add your own opinion in the comments and share this post on Facebook so others can join in on the conversation.

And… when you’re ready to dispose of those Huggies or Pampers use a diaper pail like the BABY TREND DELUXE DIAPER CHAMP.

Oh, to be a Princess in waiting!

If you’re one of the 2 billion people from around the world who watched Will and Kate’s  Royal Wedding, you’re probably just  as excited to hear the recent news confirming Kate’s pregnancy and getting the first peak at her baby bump.

This week’s Forbes article (yes, even the business-savvy intellectuals can’t seem to get enough of the story) highlights the marketing opportunity for the baby gear industry. Kate’s family has already introduced royal-themed baby products that say “Little Prince” and “Little Princess” on their party website, including paper plates and invitations. And the debate has begun: is the family crossing the line, cashing in on their daughter’s good fortune? Or are they just running a business?

And what about the rest of us, who aren’t related to the expecting mother — despite trying to replicate her perfect hair and buying knockoffs of her iconic dresses.  Is the royal pregnancy fair game?  Fisher Price already sells the Royal Potty.  Will Bugaboo introduce a new royal carriage with a Union Jack print?

As CEO — of my new family, as well as my budding business — I want to control or do everything myself. Maybe I have bigger control issues than others, or maybe it’s a question of trust, but regardless of the source, I’ve learned that total control just isn’t possible. As a new business leader I’m somewhat of a newborn baby in need of help.

We all have our strengths, but for the tasks that we’re not as versed in, it makes sense to hire some help — to outsource.

Building GooGooGear, I found that certain projects were too time consuming, or I simply didn’t know how to do them. I built my website on my own (with a little design help from amazing consultants, of course!), but I have no idea how to build a mobile app. So that needs to be outsourced. Of course, that’s easier said than done. I’ve been reading about the different formats (native vs. HTML 5) and talking to friends and experts. I’m trying to educate myself to a level where I can make an informed decision when I do outsource this task, where I have enough trust in someone else to feel comfortable giving up control. I still have so much to learn before I find the right fit.

As a new mother, I’ve also had to give up some control on the home-front. While I wish I could control the environment my daughter will grow in, protect her at all costs, I haven’t been able to do it on my own. Giving up control was very tough at the beginning. I researched my options (nanny vs. daycare), questioned other new moms, listened to experienced mom, and learned about all the standards and warning-signs to look for. But it was still hard to get comfortable with “outsourcing” the care of my daughter. Would the babysitter know how to soothe her? Would the daycare providers keep her just as safe? Realistically, I knew my daughter was in good hands, but as with anything that you’ve created on your own, no matter all the work you’ve done to make sure your cherished product is in good hands, it’s tough to let go.

I’ve learned that financial plans always need to include a line item for miscellaneous/unexpected costs. Just like the unexpected costs of having a baby, there are also unexpected costs of having a business.

I was able to find a great consultant to help me revamp this website, but the original estimate unfortunately doubled when the consultant was finally able to get into the heart of the site and found that I had created all sorts of hard codes that couldn’t be fixed with the click of a button or a the “global replace” function. I guess I learned the hard way that fake-hacking can be costly; that the starting price could quickly double.

Of course, the same is true for baby items.  A $3 soothing tool can quickly cost you $25.  Over the holidays, I misplaced Amelia’s pacifier.  Luckily, I had a back-up, but it was the last one, and that’s a scary thought when your child depends on a pacifier to fall asleep.

So it was time to buy a new batch.  But I couldn’t find Amelia’s preferred “Playtex Latex Binky (non-angled)” in any store — or online!  Turns out that there are scores of other parents in my shoes, hunting for replacement Binkies, posting on Facebook, demanding an explanation from Playtex.  How dare they discontinue this item?!?!  I turned to eBay, of course – home of all odds and ends for sale.  Success! Someone is selling Amelia’s Binkies, in an unopened package!! Joy quickly turns to sticker shock when I see the “buy now” option at $50. What??? Yes, that’s for a package of 2 Binkies, but that used to cost only $6!  I try some quick math, estimating how much it will cost me to try all sorts of different pacifiers that Amelia will most certainly reject, and the cost of lost sleep.  But this financial model doesn’t work. I can’t honestly pay $50 for something I used to buy for $6.  I move on and decide to order the angled version of the Playtex Latex Binky that still available for $6.  Maybe she won’t notice? Maybe she won’t ever lose her last pacifier and I won’t have to resort to these new ones?

I’ve been able to minimize the cost this time around, but I guess with babies — companies and children, alike — it’s important to expect the unexpected costs. All right, back to the growth hacking.

Learning a new language is hard work! “Goo Goo Talk” as I like to call it, is what my newborn is attempting.

I’m sure anyone who struggled with their foreign language requirement in college will agree.   And they say it only gets tougher as you get older.   Indeed!  Can someone tell me what CSS and PHP stand for?  And since when is magenta (or Magento, for that matter) more than a color? I should be able to throw these terms into the Google translate machine, but alas…  And so, I find myself uttering these technical terms, trying to fake-speak this foreign language.

Dat, dat. E-dit-a. Pappyda.

Little Miss Amelia is trying Goo Goo talk too. She seems to have grasped the concept that every object has a name. Excellent! And she has resorting to fake-speaking, as well.  “Babbling” — if you want to be technical about it.  Determined to communicate her needs, she spits out her orders.  And her language skills are evolving.  “Ahh, Ahhhhhh” recently became “wawa,” and I learned that this means “Mom, give me my sippy cup of water, now!”

I’ve been talking to consultants about designing my site.  I still sound like a babbling child, but I’m determined to learn enough of this new language to have my needs met, as well!