Amazon is offering $20 off on select Philips Avent products when you spend $99 or more. Several breast pumps are on sale including the Isis iQ Duo. The Duo normally retails for $350 but is on sale for $300. The $20 savings would bring the cost down to $280, or 20% off the regular price.

Another qualifying item is the Phillips Avent Digital Screen monitor, which we've profiled before. The original price on this monitor is $150. With the current sale price and $20 savings, the price drops to $103, 32% off the regular price. There are many other great Phillips Avent products which qualify for the $20 off deal, from bottles, to liners, to sterilizers. Many also qualify for Free Super Saver Shipping. Check them all out to see if you can score a deal on stuff you need for your baby! - Jenn

My 18-month-old loves applesauce. She’s been a big fan for months now, though I must say I’m not a big fan of the mess. Even when she lets me feed her (those moments are few and far between these days), it can be a total mess. I don’t dare take snack-cup-size applesauce on the go; I’m just not brave enough for that adventure. And yet all-natural applesauce is a great snack for little ones, especially those still learning that whole chewing thing.

So what’s a mess-fearing mom to do? Well, she can either teach her little one how to slurp applesauce through a straw (been there, done that...just as messy) or she can pick up a case of Smashies, a new line of USDA organic applesauce-filled pouches for kids. Though touted as the perfect lunchbox snack I think these little guys are perfect for infants in the applesauce stage.

First of all, Smashies are healthy with no added water, sugar, high fructose corn syrup or concentrates. Second, they are convenient, portable and though probably not totally mess free, the applesauce splash zone will be a lot smaller than it was before. The applesauce is in a squeeze pouch perfect for small hands. Just unscrew the lid and squeeze - no spoons necessary. The screw cap lid means Smashies are resealable so you can snack on a little now and a little later.

Smashies’ current flavor, Snappy Apple, has only three ingredients: organic apple puree, organic apple flavor and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). They will soon add three new flavors to their line with another three after that. Can’t wait! You can purchase a 10-pack of Snappy Apple Smashies for $10 from Smashies.com. - Emily H.

Registering for the real basics

A friend recently asked me what to register for. Now, my list of recommended items is probably more bare-bones than most, so I am likely to neglect things other people would want. So I thought I’d review some baby registry lists I found online to see what I thought of them. My assessments of six lists from leading parenting websites and retailers are below.

Good lists

Parents.com: I was impressed by this list. Sure, the quantities are off (8 pairs of socks? We had two, and we had a winter baby, and that was enough) and some things are not truly necessary (like a crib bumper, which is not recommended because of small increase in SIDS risk) but really, it is a good list. [Link]

Babyfit.com: A nicely organized, non-overwhelming list. Some things were a little odd (belly casting kit?) but most things were practical and safe. [Link]

Decent lists

Giggle.com: A good list. Again, too many of some things (seriously, how is a stroller blanket different from a crib blanket?) but not overwhelming and not very materialistic. [Link]

Target: Target’s Newborn and 0-3 month lists are comprehensive - overspendy but a good start to whittle down from. For instance, you do not need a diaper stacker, diaper disposal system, or diaper disposal refills, in my opinion. But that is your decision. And according to roughly 95% of the internet community, you can skip the wipes warmer. I know I did. [Link]

Bad lists

Baby/Toys R Us: Totally insane and overwhelming, this page would have made me cry. Unless you love to shop (and thus spend money), avoid. [Link]

Walmart.com: Whoa. Do not follow this list. Far too long, lots of unnecessary things, and at least one thing that is unsafe (sleep positioners). Finally, they completely lost me at “elbow cushion” for the bath list. Are they serious? I did not know such a thing existed. I think the "elbow cushion" of choice for 99.9% of moms is called a "towel." [Link] - Leigh G.

If your baby could write a book for you about breastfeeding, it wouldn't contain pages and pages of small text and big words. It would probably read more like one of your standard early readers: simple and easy to understand with an illustration on every page. In fact, it would probably look a lot like Mommy's Little Breastfeeding Book: 101 Tips Your Baby Wants You to Know About Breastfeeding.

Though the title is a mouthful, the tips roll right off the tongue and are perfect for the new or seasoned breastfeeding mom. Even when breastfeeding my fourth child I found myself feeling like I was new at the whole nursing thing. I would have loved a few tips and tricks from Mommy's Little Breastfeeding Book, especially since they are short, to the point, and sprinkled with humor. I am all for humor when the latching-on process is still under way!

From when to pick out a nursing bra to cluster feeding (this is one I really wish I'd known about), Mommy's Little Breastfeeding Book has 101 tips for making nursing as natural and easy a process as possible. And because this book is much lighter reading than your typical novel-length reference book, you'll be rarin' and ready for letdown in no time! You can purchase Mommy's Little Breastfeeding Book: 101 Tips Your Baby Wants You to Know About Breastfeeding for only $9 from Amazon.com. (And check out the book’s reviews - five stars across the board!) - Emily H.

Babies are not fun to have on planes, trains, or sometimes even automobiles. But if you bring the right foods, you can make you life a little bit easier.

Wet foods like yogurt and applesauce are fine, but make sure it is plain or vanilla yogurt and plain applesauce, and bring a bib. Flavors, coloring, and fruit bits make for more rapid staining of clothing and upholstery, which doesn’t make for a happy flight attendance. I’d advise staying away from most other brightly colored fruits and veggies. One thing you probably want to avoid is the appearance, as well as the reality, of a baby covered in multi-colored vomit.

Dry foods that don’t crumb up really badly are also a good option. For instance, Cheerios are better than saltines. A single wayward Cheerio is easy to pick up, while a crumbled saltine turns to a pernicious dusty prickly nuisance.

Most of all, take extra of everything. The weirdness of travel might make your normally happy eater really picky. So what if you kid only eats applesauce for an entire eight-hour flight? Much better than a starving, screaming horror.

What have you found works for feeding solids while traveling? Share your tips in the comments!
- Leigh G.