Do you have a sleep ritual for your little one?
If you do, is it working well for you? Meaning, does your little one go down with minimal/no crying and stay down for over an hour?
If you don't have a sleep ritual or the one you're using now, is not working for you than this post is to help you!
Sleep is one of the biggest concerns that most parents have.
Tracey Hogg, from the book The Baby Whisperer and The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems suggests that every time your baby goes down for sleep, whether it be at night or during the day, there should be a sleep ritual.
She encourages that parents adopt the 4 Sleep Ritual S's:
1. Set the stage: make sure the environment for your baby is comfortable. This could mean: darkening the room, turning on some white noise (I use a vaporizer), ensuring she is dressed appropriately for the temperature in the room.
2. Swaddle: swaddle, swaddle, swaddle your baby! I know, some of you may be thinking - but my baby HATES being swaddled. Really? How do you know? Did the flailing arms/legs and screams tell you she hates it? That's what babies do - they flail an cry, they don't have control yet over those muscles. She is most likely flailing because she is tired. I prefer the velcro kind of swaddle so they can't get out. Some baby's like the hands tucked in, others don't.
3. Sit: After she is swaddled, sit with your baby in a calm, relaxed environment in an upright, vertical position with her head snuggled in your neck area. No jostling, no rocking, just sit still and let her body relax. Try this for about 5 minutes.
4. Shush-pat: Once your LO is in the zone, lay her down before she is asleep. If she is fussy or starts to cry when laid down, begin the shush-pat method. Pick her up (or you can keep her in the crib), and shhh in her ear while patting her back. The shhh should be like a wave not a train. Once she relaxes, place down in her crib, on her side so you can still pat if necessary.
Hogg claims that baby's can not hold more than 3 thoughts in their heads at once, so with the patting and the shhhing, she will begin to quiet.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Hairbow Giveaway!
My friend is having a give away on her blog - she makes the most fabulous bows! Here's just an example:
So go check out her blog and enter the giveaway!
jensBOWdaciousbows.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Follow up on Flying
The flight went off without a hitch! I read somewhere that it helps the baby to nurse during take-off so that they won't have an issue with the altitude adjustments. So I followed that plan and it worked very well. She didn't have a problem with the take off. During landing she didn't cry but you could tell that she was getting a little upset as her ears started to feel plugged. My sister and I just kept yawning while she looked at us, hoping that "yawns are contagious." It seemed to work and she yawned the whole way down.
Other things I learned:
1. The stroller has to be folded up and put on the belt to be scanned. Even if you have a 2 month old sleeping baby and the stroller obviously can't hide any sort of weapon. Once any mom or grandma sees you struggling - they offer to help so there are nice people out there.
2. Pack snacks. I don't care how long your flight is (ours was only 45 minutes), snacks would have been helpful.
3. Flight attendants are nice and will get you a snack, but the only thing they have are usually peanuts or pretzels. And if you're like me, you got sick and tired of eating pretzels during your first trimester and will never eat them again.
4. If you have someone travelling with you - make sure you are specific in your needs and that they know what help you need. Or they will leave you stranded at the security check in with a sleeping baby and a stroller that needs to be lifted onto the belt.
That's about all I can think of, a friend recently flew and her little one had to change messy diapers, so maybe I can get her to be a guest blogger and give us some advice on that. I didn't have to handle that situation!
Other things I learned:
1. The stroller has to be folded up and put on the belt to be scanned. Even if you have a 2 month old sleeping baby and the stroller obviously can't hide any sort of weapon. Once any mom or grandma sees you struggling - they offer to help so there are nice people out there.
2. Pack snacks. I don't care how long your flight is (ours was only 45 minutes), snacks would have been helpful.
3. Flight attendants are nice and will get you a snack, but the only thing they have are usually peanuts or pretzels. And if you're like me, you got sick and tired of eating pretzels during your first trimester and will never eat them again.
4. If you have someone travelling with you - make sure you are specific in your needs and that they know what help you need. Or they will leave you stranded at the security check in with a sleeping baby and a stroller that needs to be lifted onto the belt.
That's about all I can think of, a friend recently flew and her little one had to change messy diapers, so maybe I can get her to be a guest blogger and give us some advice on that. I didn't have to handle that situation!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Diapers at Night
Tracy Hogg, author of the best selling book series Baby Whisperer, gives a great tip for little ones to help them not be uncomfortable from a wet/dirty diaper.
Put diaper rash cream on their little bums right before you put them down for the night.
I know, why didn't I think of that?
Hogg also suggests that for night time feedings, to only change the diaper if it's dirty. If it's wet - just let it be as to not make the baby even more awake/aware.
Lily has never been terribly bothered by a wet diaper or even a dirty one for that matter. But I am sure she feels a little better having a protective layer down there to help her through the night.
11 hours of sleeping in pee does not sound fun to me so now we put Desitin on each night with a sturdy diaper (sometimes one size larger) to hold all the pee.
Put diaper rash cream on their little bums right before you put them down for the night.
I know, why didn't I think of that?
Hogg also suggests that for night time feedings, to only change the diaper if it's dirty. If it's wet - just let it be as to not make the baby even more awake/aware.
Lily has never been terribly bothered by a wet diaper or even a dirty one for that matter. But I am sure she feels a little better having a protective layer down there to help her through the night.
11 hours of sleeping in pee does not sound fun to me so now we put Desitin on each night with a sturdy diaper (sometimes one size larger) to hold all the pee.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Epstein Pearls
During a period of time in Lily's life, she was so fussy and often! I started investigating what the issue could be.
At one point, I thought maybe she was sick?
Or maybe she was teething early? I did see these little white spots in her gum.
After figuring out that it was her daytime sleep that was the culprit, I still wanted to know what these little white bumps were in her mouth. Were they teeth? Did they hurt? Were they normal?
The answer is: epstein pearls. EP's are whitish-yellow cysts that form on the gums and the roof of a newborn's mouth. Or in Lily's case a 3 month old baby's mouth. They are normal, will go away in time and are NOT teeth.
So next time your little one is crying, take a peek at her gum's to see if she has any pearls!
At one point, I thought maybe she was sick?
Or maybe she was teething early? I did see these little white spots in her gum.
After figuring out that it was her daytime sleep that was the culprit, I still wanted to know what these little white bumps were in her mouth. Were they teeth? Did they hurt? Were they normal?
The answer is: epstein pearls. EP's are whitish-yellow cysts that form on the gums and the roof of a newborn's mouth. Or in Lily's case a 3 month old baby's mouth. They are normal, will go away in time and are NOT teeth.
So next time your little one is crying, take a peek at her gum's to see if she has any pearls!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Traveling with Baby
So if you've followed me at all, you know that Molly and I have done our fair share of traveling.
The car trip is probably the easiest method of travel with a baby. You're in control of your environment and can tend to baby's needs easily.
However we're planning an upcoming trip to Ohio by plane. Thank goodness my sister will be coming along to help but here's some information I've found helpful.
1. If you're flying with an infant under the age of 2 you can decide to fly them as a "lap" traveller. This way you don't have to buy an individual seat. However airlines offer an "infant fare." These however are a percentage of the normal fare and may not be worth purchasing. You can always buy a discounted fare for the car seat, this would most likely be the same price as your ticket.
2. If the child is under 2 you have to call the airline after you've booked your ticket to let them know that you will have an infant with you (this is if you're traveling with them as a lap traveler). They will ask for their name and add them to the flight list.
3. You must also have their birth certificate and/or a shot record with their date of birth. You must present this to the check in counter when you arrive at the airport for age verification.
4. The baby can have the stroller/car seat checked for travel as checked baggage but this does not count towards the number of bags checked. These are taken when you board the airplane and are ready once you're getting off the plane as well. Don't go to baggage pick up and expect them to be there.
5. When you arrive at the gate, make sure to talk to an agent about seating arrangements. You may be able to board early to avoid the crowd. You'll most likely want to wait until the plane is nearly empty to leave as well so that you, again, avoid the crowd. You can also see if there is a seat with an empty seat next to you so that you can have some extra room for the baby.
I'll let you know how it goes after we fly!
The car trip is probably the easiest method of travel with a baby. You're in control of your environment and can tend to baby's needs easily.
However we're planning an upcoming trip to Ohio by plane. Thank goodness my sister will be coming along to help but here's some information I've found helpful.
1. If you're flying with an infant under the age of 2 you can decide to fly them as a "lap" traveller. This way you don't have to buy an individual seat. However airlines offer an "infant fare." These however are a percentage of the normal fare and may not be worth purchasing. You can always buy a discounted fare for the car seat, this would most likely be the same price as your ticket.
2. If the child is under 2 you have to call the airline after you've booked your ticket to let them know that you will have an infant with you (this is if you're traveling with them as a lap traveler). They will ask for their name and add them to the flight list.
3. You must also have their birth certificate and/or a shot record with their date of birth. You must present this to the check in counter when you arrive at the airport for age verification.
4. The baby can have the stroller/car seat checked for travel as checked baggage but this does not count towards the number of bags checked. These are taken when you board the airplane and are ready once you're getting off the plane as well. Don't go to baggage pick up and expect them to be there.
5. When you arrive at the gate, make sure to talk to an agent about seating arrangements. You may be able to board early to avoid the crowd. You'll most likely want to wait until the plane is nearly empty to leave as well so that you, again, avoid the crowd. You can also see if there is a seat with an empty seat next to you so that you can have some extra room for the baby.
I'll let you know how it goes after we fly!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Has anyone used diapers.com? How was your experience?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Reflux
It's a fact of baby life.
Most babies spit up.
But what does it mean, what causes it and is it an issue?
Approx. 70% of babies have reflux which is caused when the sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus isn't strong enough to close completely. Thus, food travels right on up and out the mouth, unless it's swallowed (yuck!). Most little ones will outgrow this phase when their bodies grow and get stronger.
There are two types of spitter uppers: happy and sad ones. If your baby is happily spitting up, eating well at meals and gaining weight properly - then congrats! you have a happy spitter upper and there is no cause for concern. Rarely, is there ever a cause for concern with spit up, UNLESS you're baby is projectile, then you should talk to your doctor.
Now, if your baby is spitting up with a cry following, fussy at meals, arches back and cries during/after meals, has sleeping issues or seems to be in pain following a meal (anytime after 30 minutes) - then your baby may have GER - gastroesophageal reflux. Another indicator, maybe poor weight gain.
As for treatment there are two types of medicine:
1. Zantac - this is a histamine-2 blocker which reduces the amount of acid produced by your stomach.
-This medicine is taken orally twice a day and needs increased based on your baby's weight gain.
2. Prevacid - this is a proton pump inhibitor medicine which shuts off the production of acid in the stomach. This drug is much more effective at treating GER and is also more expensive.
-This medicien is taken orally once a day and the dosage remains the same, there is no change due to weight gain.
My personal opinion is to put the baby on meds for this condition. Sure, you can try to elevate the crib mattress, hold the baby upright for 30 minutes after eating and anything else you can google. BUT in the end, the baby has acid coming up it's esophagus and that equals no fun, for baby AND for Mom.
I have suffered from GERD my whole life, save during my pregnancy and my current breast feeding state. Heartburn sucks. Imagine how it must be for a little baby! No wonder she or he may not be able to sleep or eat well - his throat feels like it's on fire!
Most babies spit up.
But what does it mean, what causes it and is it an issue?
Approx. 70% of babies have reflux which is caused when the sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus isn't strong enough to close completely. Thus, food travels right on up and out the mouth, unless it's swallowed (yuck!). Most little ones will outgrow this phase when their bodies grow and get stronger.
There are two types of spitter uppers: happy and sad ones. If your baby is happily spitting up, eating well at meals and gaining weight properly - then congrats! you have a happy spitter upper and there is no cause for concern. Rarely, is there ever a cause for concern with spit up, UNLESS you're baby is projectile, then you should talk to your doctor.
Now, if your baby is spitting up with a cry following, fussy at meals, arches back and cries during/after meals, has sleeping issues or seems to be in pain following a meal (anytime after 30 minutes) - then your baby may have GER - gastroesophageal reflux. Another indicator, maybe poor weight gain.
As for treatment there are two types of medicine:
1. Zantac - this is a histamine-2 blocker which reduces the amount of acid produced by your stomach.
-This medicine is taken orally twice a day and needs increased based on your baby's weight gain.
2. Prevacid - this is a proton pump inhibitor medicine which shuts off the production of acid in the stomach. This drug is much more effective at treating GER and is also more expensive.
-This medicien is taken orally once a day and the dosage remains the same, there is no change due to weight gain.
My personal opinion is to put the baby on meds for this condition. Sure, you can try to elevate the crib mattress, hold the baby upright for 30 minutes after eating and anything else you can google. BUT in the end, the baby has acid coming up it's esophagus and that equals no fun, for baby AND for Mom.
I have suffered from GERD my whole life, save during my pregnancy and my current breast feeding state. Heartburn sucks. Imagine how it must be for a little baby! No wonder she or he may not be able to sleep or eat well - his throat feels like it's on fire!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Sleeping Books
I know a lot of you are a fan of Babywise, as am I. It was recommended to Reed when we were pregnant with Lara and we started it right away after she was born. It worked like a charm and she was an awesome sleeper (for the first 2 years anyway). I am not a to-the-T follower of Babywise, though. I read a few other books and relied on my own experience and training to tweak Babywise to my liking. There are a lot of other books out there about sleep training and good sleep habits so if you don't totally agree with Babywise, here are some other options.
The Happiest Baby on the Block- There is also a sequel to this called The Happiest Toddler on the Block. I actually have not read either of these books all the way through but my mother-in-law tried some of the techniques on Vivi. The main idea of THBOTB is that babies need 3 things to sleep: something to suck, swaddled, and movement. She would swaddle Vivi, give her a pacifier, sit on the couch with Vivi placed on a cushion on her lap, and would bounce Vivi quite vigorously while "shhhhh"ing. Sounds weird but Vivi loved it and would fall asleep within minutes. This was a good alternative when we were out and about and not able to put Vivi to bed in her bassinet. As for The Happiest Toddler on the Block, I didn't agree with his ideas on "toddlerese" but that's a discussion for later.
No-Cry Sleep Solution- I picked this book up recently because Lara has started some other really bad sleep habits and I wanted to read up on other methods. This book is really nice because you can skip to chapters that specifically address the challenges that you need. Such as, Afraid of the Dark, Needing Mommy to go to Bed, or Not Wanting to Go to Bed. :)
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child- I have a few friends who really like this book so I read it. I wasn't as impressed but it's another option. It's pretty much totally opposite of Babywise and they make that quite clear.
Babywise- I absolutely love Babywise and, like I said before, it's really flexible so you can tweak it if you want.
Happy Sleeping!
The Happiest Baby on the Block- There is also a sequel to this called The Happiest Toddler on the Block. I actually have not read either of these books all the way through but my mother-in-law tried some of the techniques on Vivi. The main idea of THBOTB is that babies need 3 things to sleep: something to suck, swaddled, and movement. She would swaddle Vivi, give her a pacifier, sit on the couch with Vivi placed on a cushion on her lap, and would bounce Vivi quite vigorously while "shhhhh"ing. Sounds weird but Vivi loved it and would fall asleep within minutes. This was a good alternative when we were out and about and not able to put Vivi to bed in her bassinet. As for The Happiest Toddler on the Block, I didn't agree with his ideas on "toddlerese" but that's a discussion for later.
No-Cry Sleep Solution- I picked this book up recently because Lara has started some other really bad sleep habits and I wanted to read up on other methods. This book is really nice because you can skip to chapters that specifically address the challenges that you need. Such as, Afraid of the Dark, Needing Mommy to go to Bed, or Not Wanting to Go to Bed. :)
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child- I have a few friends who really like this book so I read it. I wasn't as impressed but it's another option. It's pretty much totally opposite of Babywise and they make that quite clear.
Babywise- I absolutely love Babywise and, like I said before, it's really flexible so you can tweak it if you want.
Happy Sleeping!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Pictures Galore!
I'm sure that all Mom's out there have taken about a gazillion pictures of their little ones so here are some quick tips:
1. Don't use flash. It can be really harsh and not just on the baby. Natural lighting is the best; take pictures in the morning or afternoon in the most well-lit room in the house.
2. Be patient. Babies can only do so much and waiting for that perfect face/situation can take a while. Also you may not have much time if you want the baby awake and happy so make sure to keep your finger on the button to snap as quickly as possible. Again lighting is important for quick pictures that will turn out well. The more light - the better the picture will be.
3. Use everyday blankets/sheets for backdrops. You don't need to go to portrait studios to get good backdrops - you may have them sitting in your linen closet!
4. Get a variety of angles. You never know what is going to turn out absolutely adorable.
5. Editing is possible, even for a novice photographer. Google has a program called Picasa and it is wonderful for quick edits. There are a variety of editing functions including turning photos black and white/sepia/soft focus. Then you can add text and even make collages. These are especially good for grandparents who want a variety of photos.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Only You Can Prevent Blow-outs :)
With any new mom- diapering to prevent accidents is a thought that is on the forefront of your mind.
With diapers such as Pampers/Huggies the most important tip would to be to make sure that the diaper fits properly. There are weight limits on the size of the diapers that are a general guide. But we all know that babies are not all made equally.
- If your baby is blowing out the back of the diaper (with most of the mess going up the back of the baby) then you might want to consider going up a size. Especially if your little one has quite the "milk belly."
- Make sure that the diaper and clothes aren't too tight. If the diaper is right up against the baby's bottom than the poo has no where to go but out! The same goes with clothing, if it's too tight then the diaper won't be able properly contain anything!
- Try changing the brand of diaper that you use. Not all diapers are made equal. Depending on what your baby needs you may need to change because of skin irritations or you may not like the feel/style. Some mom's use the cloth diapers if you're up for them!
- Your baby has a schedule, if you know when the baby is most likely to go. Sometimes even facial expressions can clue you in on what's about to happen. If the blowouts are still going out the back, you can hold the baby upright to prevent gravity from helping the blowout situation!
I'm sure there are many more tips, these are just a few to get you started to prevent unnecessary accidents!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Welcome!
I thought it would be a good idea to have a blog dedicated to Moms - and the tips and tricks we discover as we go along. I think it will be a great way to pass along deals and skills that we've learned to help others.
Here's my first contribution:
I found this blog that helps with the financial aspect of raising a baby. They help point out the deals in stores to get items discounted and sometimes even free!
http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/
The most interesting post that I read is this one : It's a prediction of baby sales at stores that will be happening during the month of March!
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