Review: Medela Quick Clean Breastmilk Removal Soap

I purchased this soap from Babies 'R Us last week when I replaced the membranes on my pump. I spend a great deal of time washing bottles, nipples, and pump parts, as I don't have the ability to put my daughter to breast (poor latch/nipple confusion/preemie/long list of issues). 

Before

I was intrigued by the premise of this soap-no scrub, removes residue up to 3 days old, and all you need is 5 minutes of soak time. BLAM! Clean parts! So I followed the directions to the "T". Added 3 pumps of soap to a gallon of water, and left the nipples to sit in the sink. I read Little P a bedtime story, and came back. 

Soaking for 5 minutes in the soapy water

Stories for the night. "We Love Each Other"
and "The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush"

Initally, the nipples weren't so bad, but after they dried, they were cloudy and felt slimy. That's not what clean looks and feels like!

After first wash.

So I washed them AGAIN! Following the same directions. BUT this time, I scrubbed. 

I don't have time in my life with a preschooler and an infant to be messing around testing this soap's claim! 

After second wash with elbow grease

After I scrubbed, they looked wonderful! No slime and crystal clear! But at $8.99 a bottle for only 25 washes, AND having to use the same elbow grease that I usually use with regular dish soap?! I say keep your money. 

I reached out to Medela for comment and reimbursement, but they told me they would only replace the bottle of soap, and not compensate for it's poor ability in any way, after they insisted that I just wasn't following the directions. I'm a LIBRARIAN, people! I assure you, I'm very literate.

Overall, save your money on this soap. Invest in a bottle brush and regular old dish soap (I like Seventh Generation), and do your best not to deal with Medela customer service.

Are you having a Quiet or a Loud kind of day?

 I never thought that someone would write a book solely on the concepts of being loud or quiet. That said, The Quiet Book and The Loud Book by Deborah Underwood, published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children deserve attention.

Image courtesy of Indiebound.org

I was smitten by The Quiet Book at first read. The book follows several animal characters and the different types of quiet they engage in, like the times you are quiet when you are supposed to be (telling a secret or suprising someone), and the times your are quiet beacuase there is simply nothing else to be (disappointment and shock). The types of quiet in the book are a teaching tool for parents to express when to be quiet, as well as a source of humor. My favorite kind of quiet, "Thinking of a good reason you were drawing on the wall quiet". Ultimately, the book is a bed-time story, with the characters falling asleep at the end, but it is definately an any time book.



Image provided by amazon.com

 The sequal to The Quiet Book, The Loud Book, is just as humorous and enjoyable. Of course, this book focuses on the loud moments of life, following the same animal characters. It is also told as a bedtime story, with the animals trying to sleep in the end, but it is too loud. The parental humor is also on par in this sequal, with jokes that only parents will understand. My favorite parental humor type of loud "deafening silence loud".

These books are fabulous and Ms. Underwood should be commended for creating such creative stories that not only appeal to children, but to thier parents. Pick up a copy of The Quiet Book or The Loud Book at Amazon.com or at your local library!

Review: Everything On It

One of my favorite authors from my youth is Shel Silverstein. Where The Sidewalk Ends was a staple in my elementary school. And it opened the door to a love of all Shel Silverstein's poetry. To this day, 20ish years later, I can still recite parts of Sarah Cynthia Silvia Stout. 


This October, when I found out that Shel had published a new book of poetry I was ecstatic! Everything On It,  is written and illustrated in standard Shel style. And the poem that shares the book's title is one of my favorites. A boy orders a hot dog with "Everything on it", but instead of getting ketchup  mustard, onions, and relish, the boy gets a hot dog with some pretty odd fare atop it. Shel's poetry taps into children's imaginations and gives their imaginations a voice. He is a spectacular writer and this book is a must read. It is particularly good for reading in short bursts, as the poems are short and sweet.

While reading Everything On It, why not make a Plaster of Paris hot dog for your little one to paint and decorate. It's a fun way to work on developing motor skills while tying the craft back to the book! If Plaster of Paris seems like too much work, pick up a pack of multi-color pack of modeling clay, and craft some hot dogs out of that. Or even better yet, have hot dogs for lunch! You might even want yours with everything on it!