Embrace Baby Messes with Dreft -- Enter the #MessiestBabyContest and Join the Twitter Chat with Molly Sims Next Week + $50 #Giveaway #ad

Disclosure: This post and giveaway were made possible by iConnect and Dreft. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine.

I could not have made it out of the baby months without the help of Dreft.  If you have little ones, then you know how amazing this laundry care line is.  It saved so many of my girls' clothes after some of their messiest meals.  It is amazing how little ones can get more food on themselves than in their mouths.  

Parents of messy babies can rely on Dreft Active Baby detergent to help remove 99 percent of baby food stains and other outdoor messes, but Active and the Newborn line are still formulated to be gentle and hypoallergenic on baby’s sensitive skin.

From spaghetti to cupcakes, my girls were pros at getting themselves and the floor around them the messiest they could.  I am not sure if the girls were having a game to see who could get messier, but come laundry each night, I was the one who had to reach for Dreft to battle stains from their messy food games. 

But, I can't get mad at the girls for playing with their food, as studies have shown that "smashing, throwing and playing with food actually helps babies learn.* And, science has also confirmed what kids seem to instinctively know – that playing in the dirt and mud is fun! But did you know that it actually helps soothe, calm and relax children! In short, playing with mud can make kids happier!**"

Studies show that kids are happier when messy...In a recent survey3, "Dreft found that 87 percent of moms frequently encourage their children to pick activities that are unlikely to get them messy over ones that are, even though 81 percent agree that their child learns more when they make a mess and 89 percent agree that children are happier when they make a mess."

The dirtier my girls get playing and eating, the better the experience they have.  And, even though it looks like a lot of food lands on the floor or they are wearing it, they actually do eat a lot and use this "play-time" with food to explore new flavors and textures.  

If you have picky eaters like I do, then you know how difficult it is to get them to try something new. So, by me letting the girls explore their foods their own way, they are more open to trying new things, which I love. :-)

Dreft has partnered with Dr. Hes, who recently shared some of her "messy baby" tips.  I wanted to share a few tips that stood out to me, that I know parents of little ones will appreciate...

Dr. Dyan Hes, Medical Director of Gramercy Pediatrics, was recently named a 2013 top doctor by NEW YORK magazine, is the Medical Director of Gramercy Pediatrics in New York City, and sits on the board of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Dr. Hes is double boarded in both pediatrics and obesity medicine. 

Dr. Dyan Hes has the following tips to bring out your baby’s messy side and embrace that being messy has its developmental benefits: 

• Count the fun and use your fingers: Use your little one’s food as a fantastic way to learn how to begin counting. When snacking, start counting with your little one and encourage them to use their fingers. Also, this is a great time to use food to help them learn how to properly grasp things. It will take time and practice so let them get a little dirty with their food and practice, practice, practice! 

• Throwing practice: Throwing food can definitely be messy, but did you know it helps with their development? Little ones are also still developing object permanence, which means that they don’t know that when they throw things, they won’t come back to them. So throwing food or dropping in on the floor can actually help them learn this basic lesson in physics! Maybe just lay a mat on the floor to protect carpet or allow for easy clean up. 

• Load up on bibs: Bibs are a great way to capture those messy food moments. Once your little one is done with meal time, throw the bib in the washer with Dreft Active Baby to easily tackle the mess so you can do it all over again. The mess went way beyond the bib? No problem—throw that outfit in the washer too! 

• Dress baby right and care for the fabrics: When you expect a mess, dress baby with a fabric, such as cotton, that can easily be cleaned up effortlessly. When it comes to fabrics, it’s also extremely important to seek out a gentle and hypoallergenic detergent to care for the items that touch baby's sensitive skin. Wash baby's items with a specially-formulated product such as Dreft, the #1 baby laundry detergent choice of pediatricians to be gentle and hypoallergenic on baby's skin that has been trusted by parents for over 80 years.

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Back on October 25th, actress, model and mom, Molly Sims was in New York City  to celebrate the launch of Dreft’s America’s Messiest Baby Contest.  

With two children and one on the way, she understands the value of messy play and has embraced the messy journey of #amazinghood in her own personal life! 

Sims got messy with the youngest guests in some fun, sensory food play to help encourage parents to embrace the mess and rejoice in the fact that a messy baby is a sign of a happy, well-adjusted one, while letting Dreft tackle the mess.

Molly Sims is already mom to a son Brooks who is 4 and daughter, Scarlett, who is a year old.  So, this busy mom knows all about messy babies.  And, at the event, Molly Sims spoke about her love for Dreft by saying, "As a mother of two, and soon to be three, I understand how messy little ones can get, but also how important it is to encourage messy play – whether that be in the highchair with spaghetti or outdoors in the grass,” said Sims. “I’m so excited to partner with Dreft because for many years it’s been my little secret to not stressing about the mess and instead enjoying creating so many special memories with my family. I hope we can encourage more families to do the same!”

I couldn't agree with Molly more.  I have captured so many great photos of the girls getting messy with the food.  And, I know when I look back at them I will not be thinking about all the laundry or cleaning that I had to do.  Instead, I will be thinking about how much fun the girls had exploring and growing. Time goes back so quickly, and these are just milestones every little one goes through, as they learn and grow.  

Thanks to Dreft, they are there to help make life, well at least the laundry part, easier for us busy moms. :-)

Here is more about the #MessiestBabyContest which is accepting photo submissions up until the end of November.  Share your child's messiest photo for a chance to be on the cover of Parents magazine. In addition the #MessiestBabyContest I am also sharing information about next Monday's Twitter party with Dreft and Molly Sims, where you can win some amazing prizes.  The RSVP info is shared below, so don't forget to mark your calendar and RSVP today.
And, if that wasn't enough, I am also hosting a Dreft #MessiestBabyContest Prize Pack Giveaway, where one lucky Inspired by Savannah ready can win a $50 AMEX card and Dreft product. So, be sure to read to the end for a chance to enter and win this giveaway.

-- Enter the #MessiestBabyContest Now! -- 

With Dreft, parents can stop worrying about the messes and enjoy all the beautiful and memorable moments they have to share with their little ones. 

Do you have America’s messiest baby? If you do, we want to see! Enter the #MessiestBabyContest hosted by Dreft and Parent’s Magazine by sharing your picture on Twitter or Instagram with #MessiestBabyContest or by visiting Parents.com/dreftmessiestbabycontest

Parents can enter to win Dreft’s America’s Messiest Baby Contest for a chance to have their little one featured on the cover of Parents magazine.  Winners will also receive a supply of Dreft laundry detergent of course! The submission deadline is November 30, 2016.

-- RSVP to the Dreft #MessiestBabyContest Twitter Party Hosted by Molly Sims Now --

Join Molly Sims, myself and other moms all over, for a fun Dreft #MessiestBabyContest Twitter Party on Monday, November 14th from 9-10PM EST.  There will be fun conversation as well as some really great prizes up for grabs including an iRobot Roomba!

RSVP now at http://bit.ly/2f1Djbj.  Hope to see you there!

--GIVEAWAY--

Thanks to the kind folks at Dreft they have provided me with a “Messiest Baby” prize package to giveaway to one lucky Inspired by Savannah reader.  The prize package includes the following...

• $50 AMEX Card
• Dreft product

To enter this giveaway, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Stay up-to-date on all things Dreft related by following their official website and social media channels below...

• www.dreft.com - Dreft Official Website
• https://www.facebook.com/Dreft - Dreft Facebook page
• https://twitter.com/Dreft - Dreft Twitter page
• https://www.instagram.com/dreft -  Dreft Instagram page

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About Dreft®

As the baby laundry detergent brand most recommended by pediatricians, Dreft is specially formulated to be gentle on baby’s skin and tough on stains. Parents have relied on Dreft for over 80 years to help bring cuddle time to a whole new level of warm and fuzzy. Now Dreft has a product for every stage of babyhood, each specially formulated with growing little ones in mind. From pregnancy through toddlerhood and beyond, Dreft’s family of products has you covered every step of the way on the big, messy, amazing, beautiful journey ahead. Dreft is available at retailers nationwide, in-store and online. For more information and the latest news, please visit www.dreft.com.

Disclosure: This post and giveaway were made possible by iConnect and Dreft. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine.