Drum roll please!!

It is product review and giveaway time!!  I am pretty excited!  My first giveaway felt pretty daggone good!  I really do like giving things away to people!  Even though I never win anything myself.  :P

I really wanted to take time once a week to do a review of a baby product that I have learned that I cannot live without.  I am new at this and don't know the technicalities of disclaimers but let me say this...I bought these products willingly and before I began making my blog more public.  I am not receiving anything from these companies other than product to give to YOU.  I am not getting paid to review these particular products (I will gloat if I ever DO get paid to do these).  Hmmm...I don't know what else I need to "disclaim" here but, let me say this, the products I DO highlight over the next several weeks are definitely deserving of my praise!

I also want to say that I know every baby is different, every Mom is different and every situation is different.  These products may work WONDERS for me and my baby but do jack for yours.  But, hey, how about the free product to try out??  You never know!

Ok, on with the review.  I want to start my new product review segment with a product that I seriously canNOT live without (and H doesn't live without it very well AT ALL).  This product is Colic Calm Gripe Water.  H has had reflux and gas issues since, pretty much, DAY 1.  We tried breastfeeding for about 5 weeks but gave it up for soy formula after spending most of the day and night watching her SCREAM every time I would feed her from the breast.  No thanks.  This is SO not "bonding" for me. 

After switching to formula (and putting her on a Prevacid prescription), she started doing much better.  It was almost like a brand new baby.  But, even with the reflux in check, she still had horrid gas issues that would make her pretty upset.  We tried Simethicone drops and, although it SEEMED like they helped, I think it is just a false sense of relief.  Or maybe it was just THAT temporary.  We switched formulas.  We tried Little Tummies Gripe Water.  Nothing really made a huge difference.  Just small differences that didn't last long.

The other challenge we were having is that H was having a hard time going poop.  Soy formula is known to slightly "thicken" poop and make babies a bit constipated.  H was no exception.  Her poop looked like a miniature version of brown soft serve ice cream.  In the swirl and everything.  What really broke my heart was how HARD she had to work to get out that "soft" serve!  Her face would turn every shade of red and the veins in her head bulged.  No baby should have to strain THAT hard!

Then, during a Facebook conversation with an old high school friend, Colic Calm was brought up.  I decided to google search and learn more about this product.  As with any product, it touted itself as the end all/be all of conquering gas, reflux and colic.  Sounds too good to be true, right?  Definitely!  But I was willing to try...I was willing to try anything to make my baby girl feel better.



You can only order Colic Calm online (I believe they are trying to get into CVS) so that lends itself to the challenge of shipping.  Especially if you (or your baby) is so addicted to Colic Calm that you cannot go a day without it...but you forgot to order more before you ran out - personal experience.  But the price is decent (and WELL WORTH the peace and comfort you and your baby receive) and the customer service is OFF THE CHARTS!  As I mentioned, I ran out and was freaking out because we ran out on a Friday morning which meant I was ordering on a weekend and didn't know when I would get it.  Add to that,  I was heading across the country to see family that next week, leaving Thur.  I needed that bottle well before then!  I needed it immediately!  I emailed the general info contact and received a phone call from an actual person.  And she was wonderful.  That means a lot to an old sales/customer service chic!  Oh, and I received it by Tuesday morning!  FAST!

The other thing I like about Colic Calm is that it is all natural.  The key ingredient (which differentiates itself from other Gripe Water that you can buy in local stores) is vegetable charcoal.  From what I have researched, this ingredient is used to help digestive issues and has also been used to help those that have swallowed poisons.  Sound extreme?  Maybe.  But. the bottom line is, it works to relieve the digestive tract.  H has been incredibly less gassy (she is able to get it out), her poops are more "baby" consistency and much easier to pass (the smell is the only thing that gives it away) and she is so much happier in general.

I never spend the time to send in testimonials to companies in general but felt like I HAD to send one to them.  Neither H nor I can live without our Colic Calm!

Some things to know about it that may seem a bit...ummm...unusual and a little creepy.  It is a black color.  And it makes baby's poop a very dark green/black color.  It can stain clothing (unless you are like me and the stain fighting champion!  I can Shout that sh!t out!).  It comes in a small bottle so, if you decide it is something that works for you...and works AWESOME...buy more than one bottle at a time.  And don't run short.  Trust me on this.  I didn't realize how well it worked until we ran out.

It is FDA regulated, all natural and has no side effects.  I highly recommend it to parents that have "colicky" babies - who actually probably just has bad gas or reflux.  Of course, I highly recommend talking to your pedi about it...I'm not doctor.  But I am a Mom who absolutely ADORES this product and will not be left with an empty bottle again!

For more information about this product, check out their website...http://www.coliccalm.com/

I informed Colic Calm that I would be doing a review on their product and they were gracious enough to offer a free bottle of Colic Calm to one of you!  I admit, I almost decided to keep it and, if I don't get enough responses on this contest, maybe I will!  :P

Here are the rules to enter the drawing for a FREE bottle of Colic Calm:
1 ENTRY: Become a follower to this blog (mandatory before any other entry)
1 ENTRY: Become a fan of my Facebook Group Page http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=109020702453175
1 ENTRY: Become a follower of mine on Twitter http://twitter.com/cashewmom
1 ENTRY EACH: For each follower you recruit to my blog (be sure to list the name of who you recruited in the comment section)
1 ENTRY EACH: Tweet about this giveaway and receive one entry per tweet per day!

Please shoot me a comment or a FB message letting me know about your entries so that I can keep an eye out!

Deadline for this giveaway is Wednesday, April 21 at 9 PM Eastern.

Good luck!  I hope this review was helpful!  Please let me know what you thought about my product review and about the giveaway!  Comment below.

And, preview of next week's product review and giveaway??  My baby's best friend at bedtime!!