The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Breast-Feeding Essentials

You’ll Love It Because: High-quality information and products are what The Care Connection is known for—the experienced staff will help you choose the supplies and equipment you need, and they’ll keep following up to make sure your breast-feeding experience is a smooth one.

Check This Out: Everything you could want to help you breastfeed is on this site (think: nursing pillows, bras, swimsuits, covers and more), but don’t miss the Medela pumps and accessories—top-of-the-line products that are safe and comfortable for moms and babies. Rent or purchase a range of pumps, from those for occasional use to hospital-grade ones, to suit your situation.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: Classes galore. If you’re in the Western New York area, you can take one of the classes from The Care Connection, which features Infant & Child CPR, Return to Work/Pump for Success, Language and Learning Together, Childbirth Education, Infant Massage and more.z

Contact: www.careconnectiononline.com, 877.639.0300

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Bedding For Boys

You’ll Love It Because: Little girls used to have all the luck when it came to bedding—pinks and frills and lace, oh my!—but after one grandma discovered the dearth in quality options for boys, she launched Just Boys Bedding. Now the little rascals can have style and durability surrounding them as they sleep.

Check This Out: The tween bedding. Guys limboing between boyhood and teendom can be tough to buy for, and figuring out what kind of bedroom theme will suit your not-so-little-but-still-kind-of-little boy is a challenge. Thankfully, Just Boys Bedding has amassed a nice collection of bedding that will suit, the 10-, 11- or 12-year-old you’ve got running around. It’s worth looking at this section if you have younger boys, too, as you may be able to snag something that will take his bedding from elementary to middle school with ease.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: It’s all pretty cool, but some of the standouts are the bolder prints, like the Soccer Boys Quilt and Pillow Sham Set (the vibrant green is fun and inspires us to want to go out and run a couple of laps) and the Pirate Treasure Quilt Set (ahoy, matey!).

Contact: www.justboysbedding.com, 407.687.8802

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Custom-Designed (and Oh-So-Fabulous) Girls’ Clothes

You’ll Love It Because: All the cute-as-a-button ensembles from MiaCarina are carefully crafted and hand-sewn to provide truly one-of-a-kind outfits that will last through the years. From everyday wear to formal dresses, each piece is designed to put a smile on the face of the lucky little girl who gets to wear it.

Check This Out: The spring/summer casual collection is part fruit-inspired, part flower-inspired, all easy and breezy and fun. We especially dig the Cherry Cherries Sun Dress Set, a young and playful throwback to the 1940s silhouettes, with a matching headband that’s adorable as can be. (We’re not gonna lie—we wish it came in adult sizes.)

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: The Precious Gem Birthday Sets that correspond with your babe’s birthstone. At just $25, this tutu and T-shirt make up an affordable special outfit for the big day.

Contact: www.miacarina.com, 702.898.7591

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Special-Occasion Wear

You’ll Love It Because: The folks behind Puddles Collection, founded by brother-and-sister business partners, know a nice outfit when they see one. They specialize in helping parents, grandparents and others find high-quality, fashionable children’s party wear for the most important occasions, from weddings and baptisms to holidays and swanky soirees.

Check This Out: The “New Arrivals” section has all the latest and greatest on the site, like the Shelly Girls Sailor Dress (white with blue-and-white gingham accents, plus a matching hat), which we might just jump overboard for; the Jack Boys Suit (a four-piece set that includes a satin vest and matching tie), a totally suave look for your little man; and the (an multi-use, classic A-line chiffon dress with flowers along the neckline and tank straps), which is sure to keep her feeling pretty, oh so pretty, from parties to holidays to dances and more.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: The site is conveniently divided into categories to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a tuxedo, a communion dress a christening gown or wedding accessories.

Contact: www.puddlescollection.com, 888.725.4374

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Maternity Wear, as Well as Everything Else You Need for a Hip, Happy and Healthy Pregnancy

You’ll Love It Because: Maternitique understands that the choices moms make before, during and after pregnancy in regard to skincare, diet, exercise, pain relief, etc., affect the health and development of a baby. As such, they choose brands that avoid ingredients identified as reproductive toxins (like phthalates), carcinogens and teratogens (substances that cause or contribute to birth defects).

Check This Out: The Relief section of Maternitique offers all kinds of goodies to help you feel well during the maternity months, like a Pregnancy Morning Sickness Supplement from Beauté de Maman, chock-full of vitamin B6, ginger, lime, mint, vitamin D and calcium; Peaceful Mama Tea from Earth Mama Angel Baby to help moms-to-be relax and buck sleeplessness; and Substance Mom Leg & Back Crème, which soothes swollen and tired legs, aching backs, and puffy ankles and feet.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: You’re not the only one who benefits from healthy, nontoxic products—Maternitique carries plenty of items specifically for your new bundle of joy, including an all-natural sunscreen that smells like fresh mint and orange; talc-free baby powder to prevent chafing; and soft, organic bibs.

Contact: www.maternitique.com/, 877.235.3567

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Sleepwear for Little Ones

You’ll Love It Because: PJs that are fun and functional are a great thing to have. As founder Linda Levine says, “It is a picture-perfect moment when [the kids] are fresh from their bath, hair soft and clean, and just adorable. Our daily bedtime routine is a precious time for our family, a time to snuggle and read to our children, prepare them for the gift of a good night’s sleep—something essential to growing bodies.”

Check This Out: The Skivvydoodles pajamas, made for boys and girls, actually get softer with each washing, and the fit allows room to grow for your quickly changing toddlers. There are all kinds of prints to choose from—sea life, ballerinas, frogs, cars, cupcakes and more—so even the pickiest tot should find something to adore.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: The Knuckleheads Skivvies line has a retro look, perfect for the little rocker destined to be a skater boy one day. We love the Bowling Lounge Set, with its bowling pin–patterned pants and coordinating shirt. They also have a fab selection of family jammies and slumber-ific sets for adults, too.

Contact: www.mybabypajamas.com,480.330.6380

Patty and Dan Hoffman's

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Green Cleaning Products

You’ll Love It Because: All those everyday cleaning supplies you’ve got in the closet, under the sink and around the house play a bigger part in your life than you may think—150 chemicals that are commonly found in the home have been linked to allergies, asthma, birth defects and more, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Play it safe with the cleaning items from Switching Stores, which work as well or better than those from the grocery store, without the harsh chemicals that can negatively impact your home and health.

Check This Out: Benefit from the advice of the green cleaning and wellness expert team of Patty and Dan Hoffman, who can help you find the best products to suit your family’s needs.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: Once you give the products a whirl, you can turn it into your own green home-based business, giving you extra money to put toward household bills, day care or anything else you need (or want!). Learn more at www.ilove2behome.com.

Contact:www.switchingstores.com/pattyanddan, 904.460.2759

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Baby Gear Must-Haves

You’ll Love It Because: Like many moms, Nest by Nature owner Jennifer Fisher wanted to keep toxins out of her son’s environment once she became pregnant. Fortunately, she had an eco-conscious role model in her mother. “My mom was always an advocate of organics, even before organics were mainstream,” she writes on the site. “An avid gardener herself, she taught me to be careful of the impact we make on the environment, as it ultimately affects our soil, water supply and the air we breathe.” Jennifer took that philosophy and opened a store to help other moms find organic, chemical-free essentials for their children.

Check This Out: The WeeGo Glass Baby Bottles are chic in a futuristic sort of way, with a patent-pending silicone sleeve that surrounds the bottle to keep it from breaking, and they’re BPA- and phthalate-free to boot.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: Nest by Nature’s Gift Registry allows moms-to-be to register for clothing, furniture, bedding and accessories that are clean and green (and stylish!). There’s free shipping, no sales tax on anything shipped out of California, and you get a $25 gift certificate for every $500 purchased from the registry.

Contact:www.nestbynature.com, 949.228.0309

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Good-Conscience Beauty Products

You’ll Love It Because: All the products on the site are natural or organic (or both!), and many are from smaller companies offering something you won’t find everywhere else. Best of all, they’re not tested on animals, so you can shop easier knowing that you’re supporting companies that are cruelty-free.

Check This Out: Priti Polishes come in tons of colors and a recyclable bottle; are nontoxic, fast-drying and chip-resistant; don’t contain toluene or formaldehyde; and don’t have that all-too-familiar icky nail polish smell. Need we say more? They’re part of the vegan selection on the site, which also includes hemp lip balm, body scrub, bath tea, moisturizer, lipstick, massage oil, diaper cream, shave gel, etc.—if you’re vegan (or even if you’re not), there's definitely something here to help you up your gorgeous the natural way.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: Some products come in sample sizes for just a buck or two, so you can try out that shampoo or sculpting gel before committing the cash for the whole shebang.

Contact: www.goodearthbeauty.com

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Designer Clothes for Kids

You’ll Love It Because: At Chi Chi Bean, a small selection doesn’t mean a lack of great finds—rather, they carefully select products and present only the best ones to shoppers, so you don’t have to wade through mounds and mounds of items to find the cream of the crop.

Check This Out: The super-cool collection of shoes will keep your kids hot-footin’ it in style. The Morgan & Milo Boys Flames Slip-On Sneakers sizzle with awesomeness (bonus: he can put them on by himself!), and the Sweet Shoes Metallic Red Hearts Mary Janes give girls an extra-cute pep in their step. To go with the kicks (we start every outfit footwear first), the site offers clothing, accessories, gifts, toys and more.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: Chi Chi Bean carries great kids’ stuff, but they’ve also got moms covered. Don’t miss the easy-wear dresses and Mija “Mama Bird” Necklace, a pretty symbol of motherhood.

Contact: www.chichibean.com, 914.667.4628

The Place to Scoop Up the Best In: Cool Gifts for Small Fries—and The People Who Love Them

You’ll Love It Because: You’ve heard about quality over quantity before—this is the real deal. The products are all hand-selected at this eco-friendly, organic children’s boutique to support a healthy lifestyle. Some stuff’s modern, some is classic, but it’s all good for the earth (and your kids).

Check This Out: The Rock Love Peace collection of products is aptly named—quite simply, it rocks. We’ve seen a lot of reusable shopping bags before, but the Reduce Reuse Rock On Totes make us want to ditch plastic bags once and for all. Get your baby in on the action, too, with an organic, fair-trade onesie that proclaims “Be the Change” and an heirloom wooden teether in the shape of a heart, star or peace sign.

Something Else You’ll Think Is Cool: Paint you can eat. Yes, you read that right. Kids eat the darnedest things, and now you don’t have to worry when the fingers that have been doing the painting suddenly end up right in the mouth. Organic Edible Baby Paints from Wee Can Too leave no stains on tables or skin, and no harmful residue in your budding artist’s digestive tract.

Contact: www.vannybean.com, 877.948.3332