Hello Everyone

It has been quite some time since I did some blogging! Unfortunately I switched teams at work and my schedule has become so hectic I haven't had any time left for blogging. Luckily things have slowed down, not as much as I would have liked, and I am back to blogging! My daughter is 16 and a half months now, time sure does fly! I have stopped nursing and switched the baby to cow's milk. Just recently she has also stopped using a baby bottle, Hooray! Sadly sleep is still an issue for us, will I ever be able to sleep again? She has gone from crawling to walking and now I can barely keep up with her. I have lots of great posts coming up and even my first giveaway. Stay tuned!

Tip of the Day

I love being able to reuse items around the house. Not only is it good for the environment it's also good for the pocketbook. I recently came across some great green tips that I wanted to share.

1. Plastic baby bottles make great bath toys for kids.When you need to clean them just place them in the dishwasher. You can also make rattles out of them by placing beads or beans inside of them. Just make sure you use nontoxic glue to glue the cap in place to prevent a choking hazard.
2. Clean laundry measuring cups and scoops make fun beach and sandbox toys.
3. Worn out pre folds and old mismatched socks make great dust cloths.
4. Use shoe boxes for storing photos, recipes, bills, small toys and art supplies.  Cover with wrapping paper to make them more attractive and add a label that describes the contents.
5. Greeting cards can be cut up and used as post cards and gift tags.
6. Envelopes from junk mail can be used for to-do lists and shopping lists.
7. Spray bottles from household cleaners can be washed thoroughly and then used for household cleaners and water spritzer bottles for house plants.
8. Save orange and lemon peels and put them in a fireplace.  They will add fragrance to the room when you have a fire.

Cloth Diaper Review - Gro Baby

My family and I are planning on going on vacation this week. This will be the babies first vacation. Since I am using cloth diapers I wasn't sure if I should use them when we go on vacation. I recently read an article discussing traveling using cloth diapers and the article mentioned the Gro Baby disposable inserts. I decided to buy the shell and disposable inserts system to use while on vacation.

GroBaby Shell Blackberry

When my package arrived in the mail I was very excited. I decided to try out the inserts before we went on vacation so I could get use to them. The inserts looked just liked a disposable diaper but instead of having velcro tabs their was a peel and stick strip in the back. I put one on while we went to the grocery store. Boy was I shocked to find my daughter with a horrible diaper rash when I changed her diaper. It was the worst diaper rash she has ever had. I looked at the filler material ingredients and I found that the diapers contained the same gel chemical that the regular disposables have. Since my daughter was allergic to the inserts I won't be using them. I decided that I would use the shell with my Flip Insert. I was very disappointed with the Gro Baby shell. First off the cover was much narrower than my other diaper covers so my insert barely fit inside. I was afraid that their would be a leakage issue since the mid section of the diaper barely covered her. Another problem is the cover isn't as long as other covers so it won't be fitting her much longer. She is only 9 months and 16lbs right now. I hated the velcro fastening in this diaper. Their aren't any laundry tabs or middle velcro strip. You have to use the fabric to attach the velcro and it is very hard to take the tabs off/put the tabs on the fabric, which is a big problem when your child is squirming around. The shells (diaper covers) are very had to use and don't cover tall/chubby babies. I don't recommend the Gro Baby shell/disposable insert.

Getting Organzized

My work has been so busy lately that all my other projects have taken a back seat. My craft area is still a huge mess. I have a bunch of started projects that I haven't gotten a chance to finish and since I haven't had time to get my craft room ready everything is thrown across my dining room table. I have decided that I need to get organized. I found some great online tutorials for making a travel journal, binder cover, and some free planner templates. I wanted to use the travel journal idea and make my own planner for sewing/craft projects. Since I really don't have the time right now I decided that instead I would do "A goal a day" to conquer all my unfinished projects. I will pick one specific thing I need to get done everyday and make that my goal for the day. Remember to be specific when picking your goal, the more specific the better. For example I need to get my daughter's tutu finished by Saturday instead of making finish tutu my goal for today, my goal for today is to finish attaching all the tulle pieces that are missing. My goal for tomorrow is to sew the ribbon sash on the tutu. If I can get my 2 goals done then I will be finished with the tutu. It's that easy. Remember to be very specific when choosing your goal. You might also be tempted to pick more than one goal a day. Don't! If you start picking multiple goals a day you might not get them done, we all know how busy life can be, and then you would be right back where you started!

Tip of the Day

Do you love Robeez's shoes? I love them and so does my daughter. It's the only shoes that she doesn't try to take off and they have such cute designs. For a limited time you can get 20% off any purchase of $50 or more. Use coupon code MOTHERS20 at checkout. Offer expires May 12, 2010.

Sew Mama Sew is turning 5 this month and they are offering 15% off your entire order. As always, shipping in the US is only $5 no matter how large your order. Enter the code 15SMSISFIVE when you checkout. Offer good through Monday, May 17, 2010.

My Preemie Experience

My daughter was born at 36 weeks. She weighed only 4 lbs 6oz at birth, she was a tiny baby. She was so much smaller than all the other babies and our top priority was to keep her healthy. Our doctor told us how important it was to keep her healthy. At her age and weight if she got a cold she would need to be hospitalized. I wanted to share some of the useful things I learned about having a preemie. The hospital nurses told us it would be best to limit the number of guests we had come to see the baby. Not only were their germs to think about but they also warned us that having to many visitors often fatigued newborns. We followed the nurses recommendations and only our immediate families were able to see the baby. All other family and friends were turned away nicely. This was hard for some people to deal with but our daughter only lost 4 ounces during the first week and that was a great start. If possible I also recommend breastfeeding. Even if you don't plan on breastfeeding for long, any amount of breast milk is a great help. Our pediatrician had us supplement with formula for preemies and at first I followed that. When my milk came in though I only gave her breast milk and during that time she started gaining lots of weight. Breast milk also helps your babies immune system and much more. Make sure that anyone who is going to touch the baby washes their hands first. I know this sounds like common sense but you must be vigilant about this. Don't expect everyone to just know that they should have clean hands before they touch your baby. Another good idea is to get a car seat sign. When your out in public people WILL touch your baby without asking first and they will have germs on their hands. Once I put this sign on my daughter's car seat no one touched her again. I didn't take the baby out of the house until she was 2 months old. I know how hard this was on me but it was cold season and I didn't want to risk catching a cold. Another wonderful tip the hospital gave us was to have lots of skin to skin contact. They mentioned studies that showed preemie's do better quickly with skin to skin contact. I would suggest using the Moby Wrap. It is safe for preemies to use and it makes skin to skin contact easy. My last piece of advice would be to stay positive.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is almost here, it's May 9th for all those who don't know. I decided the best gift to give my mom and mother-in-law this year was a framed picture of their kids/grandkids. I found and printed the cutest pictures and I found some cute cheap frames at Target. I love Target they have such good stuff! To make the gift extra special my little sisters and I are getting together this weekend to make our Flower Card and personalized Bookmarks. I plan on changing the bookmark slightly. Instead of using fabric we will be using our favorite school picture or any wallet size picture will do. You can use any scrap fabric you have aroundt he house to make the flower card. Any mother will truly love these gifts!

DIY Invitations and Book Labels

My daughter's first birthday is fast approaching and I am trying to start her birthday planning early. I wasn't sure what theme I wanted to do for her first birthday, do you even need one, but a good friend suggested a princess theme since that's her nickname. I came across some great FREE printable invitations that are breautiful, Free Invitations.They have a wide variety and they even have a cute recipe card template. I think I will be using the Frame Monogram invitation but I haven't decided yet. They add new invitations frequently, I LOVE the peacock feather invitation. I also came across cute templates for This Book Belongs To labels. These labels are an image file so you have to print the whole block and not just the ones you like but they are still very cute. They can come in handy for school books and gifts.

Conquer Losing Your Temper

We all have moments where we lose our temper and usually you feel horrible for losing your temper once you have calmed down. I read a great article that had some great tips on lowering your stress level so you don't lose your temper. First think about your normal daily routine. What part of the normal day causes you the most stress? What part of the day are you happiest? For me the most stressful part of my day was when I got home from work and picking up my daughter. I am trying to get all my chores done but my daughter never lets me get anything done. I usually end up getting very frustrated at this part of the day. The happiest part of my day is playing with my daughter and then getting her ready for bed. In order to make the best of these times you need to evaluate why you are happy/stressed and figure out what you can do to improve them. I realized that I was trying to do to many chores when I first got home. I really only needed to clean my pumping equipment, all my other chores could wait until after my husband got home. So I changed my routine. I now only clean my pump equipment and then I spend the rest of the time playing with my daughter. Not only has this removed my stress it's given me more free time that I can spend with my daughter. Now the happiest time of my day has gotten better because I have more time to play her.

Some of my favorite craft sites

Since my daughter has been sleeping a lot more now, thank god, I finally have some spare time. I have been really getting into crafts lately and am always looking for some great free crafts I can attempt. Most of my crafts relate to stuffed animals or clothes for my daughter. I found some really great websites that I wanted to share.

1. The Creative Place -Random crafts
2. How About Orange - Great recycled paper coasters under Most Popular Projects
3. Pin Sew Press - Random sewing tutorials
4. Ready Set Craft - Random paper crafts great inspiration for homemade cards
5. The Red Thread - Good paper mache craft for kids under My tutorials
6. Prudent Baby - Lots of free tutorials under Babies&Kids, Nursery
7. MMM Crafts - Great Stuffed Monkey Tutorial under Free Patterns and Tutorials

Earth Day Crafts

Happy Earth Day everyone! So I thought the best way to celebrate Earth Day and to teach your children the importance of Earth Day would be to  do a craft together. I found some great crafts online that I wanted to share. Enjoy!

1. Memory Tree Do It Yourself Project from Repurposed Fabrics - great mother's day gift
2. Repurposed Clothes Collage Pillow - great sewing project for adults
3. Earth Day Garland - great craft activity for kids

Yummy Dirt Cups Recipe

I found this great recipe for Yummy Dirt Cups on Kaboose.com. I made some small changes to the recipe to save time. I thought their serving suggestion of using new foil-lined clay pots cute for parties but very impractical for everyday use.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of chocolate pudding (you can buy the ready made cups or you can make the pudding yourself)
• 1 - 8 ounce container of whipped topping, thawed
• 1 -16 ounces package of chocolate sandwich cookies
• Gummy worms or insects

Equipment:

• Medium mixing bowl
• Rubber scraper or large spoon
• 8-10 paper or plastic cups (8 ounce size)

Cooking Instructions

1. Crush the cookies into tiny pieces in a plastic bag
2. Stir whippped topping and 1/2 of the crushed cookies into the pudding (very gently) with rubber scraper until mixture is all the same color. Place about 1 tablespoon of the remaining crushed cookies into the bottom of each cup.
3. Fill cups about 3/4 full with pudding mixture. Top each cup with the rest of the crushed cookies. Add gummy worms and insects to decorate. Put cups into the refrigerator for about one hour to chill. Enjoy!

Product Review - BreathableBaby Breathable Bumper

My 8 month old daughter has turned out to be a very crazy sleeper. She is constantly moving around and ends up in so many different positions. Throughout the night I have to get up to move her little arms and legs out of the slots in her crib. She has banged her head on many occasions on the side of the crib. We had to remove her cloth bumper because she kept shoving her face into it and I was afraid she would suffocate when she was sleeping. I was so exhausted from getting up all night every night but I didn't know what else to do. My friend suggested that I get a Breathable Bumper.

BreathableBaby Bumper

I was so happy that someone had invented this that I went out to Buy Buy Baby and bought it right away. The bumper comes in two pieces, a long piece and a short piece. It was very easy to attach, which was good because it didn't come with instructions. The bumper has velcro along the seams so it's very eay to adjust. Since their are no ties you don't have to worry about your child hurting themselves with them. It is made of nylon so you can breathe even if your face is shoved up next to the bumper. It also can't handle any weight so it will fall down if your child tries to stand on it. My daughter hasn't had any problem with her arms/legs getting stuck in the crib anymore and I don't have to get up all night. It does have some padding but not very much so she still hits her head sometimes and hurts herself but it's not very often. The product costs $30 and it is totally worth the price. The only bad part of this bummper is that when my daughter is awake she puts her leg on top of the bumper and it falls down causing her leg to get stuck. Since I only use her crib for naps/bedtime it's not a big problem for me. I highly recommend this product. It is well worth the money!

Do you make your own cloth diapers?

When I started to make my own cloth diapers I found it very hard to find PUL and some other materials I needed at my local fabric store. I came across Very Baby on the internet and it's a great resource for cloth diapers. You can find a variety of diaper patterns, all the fabric you would need for the diapers, and notions like snaps and size tags. It's everything a cloth diaper mommy needs in one place!

Tip of the Day

Do you have a picky eater? Does your child like all of his food seperated? If you're anything like me then you like to pack each food item in it's own container. Eventually you run out of space in your lunchbox or you barely get it to close. I came across Laptop Lunches on Facebook.

Laptop Lunches are American-style bento boxes designed to help families pack nutritious, eco-friendly lunches for school, work, and travel. The lunchboxes are reusable, recyclable, and dishwasher safe and they contain NO phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), or lead. A complete system is $40 but it comes with the lunchbox, all the containers, carrying case, silverware, and water bottle. For a limited time get 10% off your entire order by using coupon code: weelicious.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you had a wonderful day with your loved ones!

Tip of the Day

Do you have a lemon tree? Does your tree produce more lemons than you know what to do with? If you juice all of the lemons you can save the lemon juice for later use. After you have juiced the lemons place the juice in an ice cube tray and place them in the freezer. When the cubes are frozen place them in a freezer ziploc bag and back into the freezer. Each cube is about a fluid ounce and depending on your freezer should last a year. On hot summer days I use the cubes to make lemonade. I place 2 to 3 cubes in a tall glass of water with some sugar and viola instant lemonade. Since the cube doesn't contain much liquid it only takes a short time for it to become liquid. You can use the cubes in cooking, home remedies, and so on. You can use this trick for all citrus juice.

C-Section Scar Tissue Problem

I had my c-section almost 8 months ago. The incision healed very nicely and became white and flat 3 months after my operation. My incision began to itch at around 5 months and my doctor told me this was normal since it takes one year for the wound to totally heal. Soon after I began having sharp stabbing pains and burning at my incision. Then one day I noticed parts of my scar had turned bright red and had become very swollen. I began having the stabbing burning pain everyday and I decided to see my ob/gyn. She told me that pain so long after the operation is not normal and it appeared that I had developed adhesions. Adhesion is simply a medical term used to describe a scar tissue development. Sometimes the scar tissue forms around your organs constricting them or completely blocking them. She told me I would need to have surgery to cut the adhesion and to get rid of the pain. She told me the next time I got pregnant and had my c-section I could have the surgery done. Until then she could give me pain pills. Well I thought how stupid does she think I am? Why would I ever choose to have another c-section? It also made me wish I had questioned my c-section more. I never knew how many problems I could have. It also affects all my future pregnancies and births which is a real downer. Since she offered no real solution to my problem I decided to try and find one myself. I came across the LilyC Scar Therapy for C-Sections. It is very expensive at $42 but based on the description it looked like it could help with my pain. It mentioned healing red and raised scars. I haven't received the product yet but when I try it out I will be sure to post a  review. Hopefully it can help with my pain.

Product Review - The Healthy Baby Meal Planner

Since I decided to make my own baby food my pediatrician recommended I get a book from the library because certain foods have to be cooked differently. I went to my local library and I got a couple of books. They were ok but they didn't really have very much information besides making basic baby food. When I went to Buy Buy Baby I came across The Healthy Baby Meal Planner by Annabel Karmel.

I flipped through the book at the store and I really liked how much information it had. Since the book was so expensive there, it was $25, I decided to look for a cheaper place to get it. I found it for $5 on eBay, shipping was free. I love this book! It has such great information. It goes over all the vitamins your baby needs and explains each stage of the weaning process. The recipes are very simple but they taste great, I always taste the food I make before I give it to my daughter. They have lots of great puree blends so it makes mixing different veggies and fruits much simpler. It has a sample meal menu you can follow for each stage. It also explains when you can start switching to meats and giving your baby finger foods. It's not just for infants it also has plenty of great recipes for your toddler too. If you plan on making your own baby food I recommend this book, it's the only book you need. Just make sure you get it on eBay because it's much cheaper there!

Do you love crafts?

I have recently begun digging crafts. I don't have very much spare time right now but the little time I do have I like to use sewing or making some cool new craft. My husband has been helping me get my craft room ready and I am very excited to start! I found a great blog at Mothering, Wanda Wen. I love Mothering Magazine and Mothering.com they have lots of great stuff! I am really excited to make this fabric postcard. The Creative Place also has lots of great craft projects. Enjoy!

Tip of the Day

I recently came across a great article on raspberry leaves from Mothering Magazine. Below is a synopsis of what the article said along with a great recipe for Raspberry tea.

Raspberry leaves have been used throughout history to encourage safe, easy childbirth, to speed recovery from birth and to stimulate milk production afterwards. The astringent and stimulating properties strengthen and tone the uterine and pelvic muscles, while the soothing properties relax the uterus. In birth, the tonic and relaxing action of the leaves reduces the pain of uterine contractions and makes them more effective and productive, thereby easing and shortening the duration of childbirth. Raspberry leaf tea also has many uses well beyond the pregnancy and breastfeeding months—as it soothes the kidneys, allays diarrhea, stops hemorrhage, quells nausea, sedates, and relaxes. Raspberry leaf tea is the most popular herb used during pregnancy, and is particularly useful during the third trimester. Its astringent and stimulating properties strengthen and tone the uterine and pelvic muscles, while its soothing properties relax the uterus. Raspberry leaf tea also tones the mucous membranes, soothes the kidneys, allays diarrhea, stops hemorrhage, quells nausea, sedates, and relaxes. Raspberry leaves have been used throughout history to encourage safe, easy childbirth, to speed recovery from birth and to stimulate milk production afterwards. The tonic and relaxing action of the leaves reduces the pain of uterine contractions and makes them more effective and productive, thereby easing and shortening the duration of childbirth.
 
To make the tea
1. Fill a teapot with cold water and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, fill a clean teapot with hot water from the tap. Let it sit until the water boils, then empty the teapot.
3. Place 2 tablespoons dried raspberry leaves or 4 tablespoons fresh raspberry leaves into the teapot.
4. Add 1 pint of boiling water to teapot.
5. Steep for 10 minutes.
6. Strain, pour into a cup and sip slowly.
To make a cup of tea, use half the amount of leaves and water. Drink 1 cup a day during your second trimester, and three cups a day during your third trimester.

Make your own cloth diapers UPDATE

I recently did a post on how to make your own cloth diapers and I wanted to give everyone an update. I haven't had a chance to finish my diaper, work has been very hectic nowadays, but I have made good progress and I wanted to share what I learned. I decided to make the all-in-one diaper. First off I got all the fabric I needed at my local Joann's store except for the PUL. I could only find PUL on ebay. They have lots of different colors online and the price wasn't bad, I paid $10 for one yard. I used 1 layer of knit fabric for the outer layer along with 1 layer of PUL. Joann's sells fabric to make cloth diapers it's cotton and it's similar to the old style cloth diapers. I used 1 layer of this fabric to make the hidden inner layer. For the soaker I decided to experiment a little. Joann's sells bamboo batting which is made of 50% bamboo and 50% organic cotton. They sell this in bags and I bought the craft sized bag since I was just experimenting. It is a little pricey $15 regular price but it was on sale for 50% off the day I bought it. I used 4 layers of this material for the soaker. I then used1 layer of the thinnest fleece I could find. Joann's doesn't sell micrfleece but the fleece I found was fairly thing but a little softer to the touch. It's an important note that I bought a yard to two yards of every fabric, depending on the width. Based on what I have cut so far I estimate I can make around 3 large diapers with all the material I bought. I decided to use velcro instead of snaps because they are easier to fasten while my daughter is squirming around. You will probably need 1 yard of velcro per diaper if you plan on having laundry tabs and double sided tabs. I decided to make my soaker much wider then what the pattern called for. I liked the shape of the soaker the pattern provided but I felt it was to thin towards the middle and top. So far I have been following the picture instructions without any problem. I am new to sewing and it hasn't been challenging for me at all. I will post pictures and another update when I have made more progress.

Product Review - Arm's Reach CoSleeper The Mini

I bought my Arm's Reach CoSleeper The Mini out of sheer frustration. 

                             Arm's Reach CoSleeper - The Mini

I had received the Burlington Baby Bassinet as a baby shower gift. I used that bassinet when my daughter was born and she only liked it the first month. After that we had to haul her play yard up the stairs every night. Eventually I had to sleep in her room on the floor while she slept in her crib. Whenever I would be in my room getting ready I would place her in the Burlington bassinet and that thing was a piece of junk. I hated putting her in it, it was totally unsafe, but I didn't know what else to do. I saw the ad for the cosleeper in my Mothering magazine so I decided to go to Babies R Us and buy it. Oh how I love this cosleeper. I really wish I had this from the beginning. It would have made the first four months of her life so much easier. I am finally able to sleep in my own bed with my daughter sleeping right next to me. It's great peace of mind and I can get much better rest. Since the side comes down I have easy access to her without having to get out of bed. Their is a safety cord that is attached to the cosleeper that you put under your mattress. That way I know the cosleeper won't tip over or move while I sleep. Since it is the mini version it isn't as big as our play yard so I have more space to get around my bedroom. The weight limit on this cosleeper is 30lbs so it can fit a child for up to one year or more. My daughter is 7 and a half months and she still fits great in it. You can also convert it to a play yard when you don't need the cosleeper. It packs up very easily and only takes up the size of a small long box. It costs around $150 which is a little pricey but it's well worth the money. The only drawback is the mattress it comes with. It's not really a mattress so much as a board with foam. You have to buy an additional mattress if you want it to be comfortable. Overall I highly recommend this product.

Tip of the Day

If you use Dr. Browns bottles like I do you have the Bottle Cleaning Brushes that come with them. These little brushes are great for cleaning your bottles and lots of other handy uses. I use my brush to clean the small parts inside of the connector of my Medela Breastpump Shield. It also comes in handy when you need to clean those hard to reach spots in your child's sippy cup, straw cups, or accordion straws. The cleaning brush for the 8 oz bottles also works well when cleaning out medicine droppers. If you don't have a Dr. Browns bottle brush then you can either buy one or you can purchase a Sippy Straw Cleaner, which is the same exact thing but with a handle on one. The Sippy Straw Cleaner is actually more expensive so I would recommend just buying the Dr. Browns cleaning brush.

Teething Tips

My daughter has started teething and she has been having a hard time lately. In my search to help her I got some great tips I wanted to share. Some of my mommy friends suggested Hyland's Teething Tablets, they all swore by it. I discussed this with my pediatrician but she warned against using it because it could numb their throats and that could cause your child to choke. She said I could use children's Tylenol to help her with the pain. I don't like giving her medicine when she doesn't need it, that's why the teething tablets sounded wonderful, so I decided to seek another solution. Some friend's suggested placing ice chips in some Nuby The Nibblers. Since she didn't really drink the infant juice I bought her, I decided to make her a baby popsicle. I mixed her infant juice with water, 50% juice and 50% water, and froze them using some heart ice cube trays I had. I then placed the juice cube inside the Nuby and gave it to her. She absolutely LOVES it. Not only does it help her gums feel better, she also gets the nutrition from the juice. It's also a great treat for a hot summer day! I also found a couple of good teething toys: Sophie the Giraffe, Infantino Barn Babies, Floating Stars Teether, and the Winnie the Pooh teether book.

Infant Choking

In my last support group meeting we discussed infant choking. A RN gave us some great handouts and went over what to do if your child is ever choking. I thought it would be a great idea to share what I learned. Please note that this is just a basic overview. The nurse recommended that everyone take the child safety course at our local hospital. Never give your infant raisins, popcorn, nuts of any kind, or candy. Cut all foods smaller than your pinky finger nail especially hot dogs, grapes, meats, and carrots. Anything that can fit through a toilet paper tub is a choking hazard. Some common choking hazards are pen caps, balloons (inflated or not), coins, safety pins, gum, nails, and rings.

Choking Infant Rescue - For Infants under 1 year
If your baby is unable to cough or cry, is making a high-pitched gasping noise, or their face/lips are turning blue or bright red they might be choking. If your baby is coughing or gagging let him cough. Do not pat the baby on the back, this could lodge the object further down the airway.

If your baby is choking
1. If someone is with you have them call 911. If you are alone begin rescue attempts, don't call 911 first.
2. Place infant face down on your thigh. Be sure his head is lower than the rest of his body. Give 5 back blows. These are given between the infant's shoulder blades by using the heel of your hand. Be sure to support his head so it is not being shaken.
3. Carefully supporting the infant, turn him over so he is facing up. Be sure his head is still lower than the rest of the body. Give 5 chest thrusts. These are given at the nipple line using two or three fingers, pressing straight down about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Be sure to allow the chest to return to normal between thrusts.
4.Repeat steps 2 and 3, alternating between 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts. Continue until the object comes out or the baby becomes unconscious.
5. If your baby becomes unconscious call 911.

Infants and Iron/Vitamin D

I have been making my own food for my infant daughter and since I haven't been giving her iron fortified cereal and I have been exclusively breastfeeding I was concerned she wasn't getting enough iron. I talked to my lactation consultant and she said that around 6 months infants go through all the iron stored in their body. I could either give her foods fortified with iron or I could talk to my pediatrician about giving her an iron supplement. I spoke with my pediatrician at my daughter's 6 month checkup and she recommended I give her Enfamil® Poly-Vi-Sol® with Iron Drops.

 

    Enfamil® Poly-Vi-Sol® with Iron Drops

You can find it anywhere they carry baby products such as Target and Walgreens. It is just one dropper full a day and a box costs around $10. It doesn't taste very good, my daughter hated it at first, but you can add it to your child's food to make easier.  Another important vitamin that infants bodies need is Vitamin D. Our bodies produce Vitamin D with sun exposure. Babies need 2 hrs a week or 17 minutes a day (face only exposed) or 30 minutes a week or 4 minutes a day (stripped down to diaper) for the body to produce the right amount of Vitamin D. Severe Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets. If you know your child isn't getting enough Vitamin D you can buy a supplement for them. The Enfamil PolyViSol already has Vitamin D in it, along with some other vitamins, so you only have to buy one supplement to get everything your child needs.

Tip of the Day

If you have been following my blog then you know I am always looking for easy & wholesome recipes to make for my family. I don't have very much time, as I know most mothers don't, to cook in the evenings and I don't want to have to buy 30 ingredients to make just one meal. I came across Weelicious.com on a friend's recommendation and I love this site. They have lots of great recipes for the whole family, even for my infant daughter, and best of all this site really strives to make wholesome food. My husband and I use to eat out a lot since neither of us had time to cook but all that changed when my daughter was born. I want her eating healthy foods made at home, just like I use to have. Weelicious is just another great resource I can use to help me feed my family.

Infant Sun Care

Now that the weather is getting warmer my family and I are planning some great outdoor activities. I thought it would be important to discuss some tips for the warmer weather. If you are going to be outdoors for longer than 15 minutes then you need to apply sunscreen for your infant and yourself. Use at least SPF 15 sunblock. I use the Aveeno Baby Sunblock with SPF 55 on my daughter. I use the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunblock on my skin. Now I know a lot of people don't bother putting sunscreen on but this is very important. Sun damage can lead to skin cancer as well as wrinkles, sun spots, etc. Also make sure to protect your eyes and wear sun glasses that block out the uva rays. I know we really don't think about protecting our eyes when it comes to the sun but it is very important. Prolonged exposure to the sun actually causes damage to your eyes so always remember to bring your sunglasses! They have great infant sunglasses, the ones with wrap around bands, that you can use to protect your children's eyes. Hats are also another great way to protect yourself and your family from the sun. Try and get hats that are made from thicker material because the thicker the material the more sun that gets blocked out. A denim shirt has an SPF of 1700, but a cotton T-shirt has an SPF of just 8. A useful rule of thumb is to hold the material up to a strong light source such as a light bulb. If you can see images through it, it probably has an SPF value less than 15. If light gets through, but you can't really see through it, it probably has a SPF value somewhere between 15 and 50. If it completely blocks all light, it probably has an SPF value greater than 50. Finally don't forget the water! It is very important to stay hydrated, for you and your children so always pack some water for everyone!

Tips for taking your infant on trips

I know how stressful it can be when planning a trip with an infant. What should I pack? How much should I take? Did I forget anything? are always questions that come to mind. I have come up with some tips from my own experiences that might be helpful.

If possible it's always a good idea to take a short "practice" trip before the big vacation. If you will be driving then take a short road trip or if flying take a short flight before the big day. You can see how your child will react and you can get better prepared.  If your taking breastmilk/formula with you on a flight make sure you know the FAA rules ahead of time. It's also a good idea to print them out and take them with you in case anyone at the airport gives you a hard time. Don't forget to take snacks/food for the baby and some for you as well. I know we all want to keep our child entertained on trips but try to take as few toys as possible. On that same note don't forget to pack some toys or activities that will entertain your child on the trip. Remember to pack only what is needed. Sometimes we think we might need an item and we pack it just in case and we never end up using it. It's best to take only what is needed. Make sure you know ahead of time where the nearest baby needs store is by your hotel just in case you need to purchase anything you forgot. To make packing easier purchase travel size items for all of your medicines and toiletries.This will save space and you should be able to take these items with you on the plane. Make a list of the items you need to pack ahead of time. That way you can add items as you remember them so you will be less likely to forget things. Check the weather report ahead of time so you know what type of clothes to pack. Think of what you do throughout a normal day and make sure you pack all of the items you use. If possible plan on leaving close to your child's bed time so they can sleep for as long as possible on the trip. Plan your vacation itinerary around your baby's naps and feedings. It's best to plan some time each day back at the hotel so everyone can rest.

Most importantly stay positive you are going on a vacation after all!

Cloth Diaper Review - AppleCheeks Pocket Diapers

I came across the AppleCheeks pocket diapers when they were listed on Baby Half Off and I decided to give them a try.

 

Based on the description this is a pocket diaper, they call it an envelope diaper on their site, that comes in two sizes. The diaper is suppose to unstuff itself in the washing machine. Since size 2 fits children up to 40 lbs I bought two diapers in this size. I was very surprised at how trim they are. They are very simple diapers a PUL outerlayer and a fleece inner layer. The fleece used in this diaper is very soft! With my other pocket diapers the opening is so small it's hard to get an insert in but these diapers have a large opening and since its in the middle of the diaper it is very easy to use. I have my own inserts, both prefolds and Flip inserts, so I didn't buy the inserts AppleCheeks sells I just used what I already had. The only problem with using your own inserts is that the diapers won't unstuff themselves in the washing machine. I was a little concerned with the elastic on the waist but the elastic is very stretchy and soft so it doesn't hurt my daughter's skin. I don't see how this diaper fits children up to 40lbs. My daughter only weighs 15lbs and she was already on the second to last column of snaps. They do sell waist extenders so that might be why the company advertises it fits up to 40lb children. The best part was that my daughter's skin was dry even after a heavy wetting. I am so happy with this product. I wish I had purchased more!

Infant Neck Rash and Chapped Lips

 My daughter has been having severe chapped lips recently. It's been so bad that her lip has been bleeding. I called the doctors office and at first they were concerned with dehydration. Since she has been having so many wet diapers we knew that wasn't the case. The doctor told me it's probably due to her drool. She told me to put some Vaseline on her lips. It is safe to use on infants and it really worked. Since she is constantly putting things in her mouth I have to reapply it often, which she doesn't like, but it has stopped the bleeding. Another problem cause by her drool is a rash under her neck. Since she is drooling a lot it is hard to keep her neck dry. I have tried as hard as I can to clean all the rolls under her neck but it's impossible. She got a really bad rash under her neck and the doctor said it was due to the moisture being trapped there. She told me to keep it as dry as I can and when it the rash gets bad to put hydrocortisone cream on it twice a day. I did what she said and the rash was gone the next day. Since the rash disappeared so quickly I only had to use apply it 3 times.

Product Review - Deceptively Delicious

I first learned about Deceptively Delicious when I saw the author on Oprah. At the time I didn't have any children but I thought the book would be good since my husband hates eating healthy food. I was always trying to find new ways to get my husband to eat healthy food so I decided to buy the book.

 

Deceptively Delicious

Most of the recipes require you to puree vegetables but you can add some finely shredded vegetables in some recipes. I liked the concept of the book but you have to make sure you have the time to puree the vegetables ahead of time. If you wait until you are going to cook the recipe then it will take a long time to make the meal. Some of the recipes were very good, my husband loves the turkey meatball soup, but most of the recipes were rather bland and not that great. The point of the book is to get your family to eat vegetables and this book really does acocmplish that. My husband hates cauliflower but he didn't even taste it in the mash potatoes that I put it in. Since this book is $15 I wouldn't recommend buying it. I would recommend you get it from your local library and try the recipes out. If you do in fact think the book is worth $15 at that point you can buy it to have at home.

Tip of the Day

I am always trying to find great products that help busy mom's out. I came across Mom 4 Life on facebook. Mom 4 Life only carrys products 100% invented by mom's. They offer free shipping on all orders and they have some great products on their website. I purchased the Cover Me Strap and the Mini Moby Wrap from this site.

 

Mini Moby Wrap

  

Cover Me Strap

I absolutely LOVE my Cover Me strap. It has so many uses besides a nursing cover. I often attach it to my daughter's toy so she won't lose it. She thinks it's fun now to throw her toys and to pick them back up using the strap. I have also used this strap to cover my daughter when I am out and trying to put her to sleep. The mini Moby Wrap is so adorable I couldn't resist. I thought my daughter would really enjoy it when she got a little older. Their are a TON of other great products not just for mom and baby but also for dads. 

Cloth Diaper Cleaning/Care

When I first was interested in using cloth diapers I was a little overwhelmed on how to properly clean the diapers. I thought it would take a lot of work and time to get them clean but I was wrong. Cloth diapers need lots of room to agitate and lots of water to get clean. Only a very small amount of detergent is necessary. Use 2 tablespoons of detergent or for HE washers use less than 1 tablespoon. Fill your washer no more than half-full but run it as a full load.  It is EXTREMELY important that all of the detergent is rinsed out of the diapers. If the detergent isn't removed your diapers will retain odor, perform poorly, and in worst case scenarios irritate your baby's bottom. Look in your washer on the final rinse and see if there are any suds. If so you need to run the rinse cycle again. When your diapers come out of the washer, they should smell like water. If they smell unclean, then use a bit more detergent. If they smell like your detergent, use less detergent and rinse more. Choose a detergent with no fabric softener, no optical whiteners or brighteners, and no enzymes. Do not use chlorine bleach, there is one exception to this BumGenius products can be treated once per month with 1/4 cup of bleach in a full load of wash. You need to read the labels of detergents you are considering. The fewer the ingredients, the better!  Biodegradable surfactants should be the main ingredient and preferably the only ingredient.  I use Eco Nuts natural soap for my cloth diapers.

Cleaning Instructions for Cloth Diapers and Diaper Covers
1. Wash cold cycle - You don't need to use detergent as this cycle is only a presoak.
2. Wash hot cycle with detergent - For HE washers, you might want to run 2 short hot washes instead of 1 long
3. Wash with rinse cycle - Don't add any detergent
4. Dry in drier on medium-high or line-dry.

Tip of the Day

I am always looking for new recipes to cook for my family and when I subscribed to Mothering I found a good recipe resource. You can sign up to receive Peggy's Kitchen Newsletter, it's free you don't have to subscribe to the magazine to receive it. The newsletter comes every two weeks or so with six to seven recipes. A menu suggestion list is provided for each of the recipes. They also provide a grocery list so you can purchase everything you need for the meals. Another great feature is the green kitchen tip and a video demonstration from Cookus Interruptus. The Mothering website is also another great resource. They have a recipes tab with lots of great information. Vegetarians can easily find recipes using the Recipe Index on the Recipes tab.

Free Girl's Dress Pattern

I have decided to start using the sewing machine that I bought a couple of years ago. It's been sitting around collecting dust in my craft room and I finally decided to use it. I have been looking for some good easy patterns to begin with and I found this free dress pattern at Little Comet Tails. It comes with a sleeve add on pattern as well. The pattern is very simple and it is easy to follow. It only comes in a size 2T I believe but you can set the scale on your printer to make it slightly bigger or smaller. You can use a variety of different fabrics so I decided to start with a piece of fabric that I had lying around since I am just practicing. I haven't been able to finish the dress yet, I only have time to sew when my daughter is sleeping, but it's going well. I will post an update when I have finished my dress.

Making your own cloth diapers

I really love my cloth diapers and I would never switch back to disposables. I am using the Flip cloth diaper system during the day and the Thirsties AIO diapers at night. My daughter has been growing so fast that she has outgrown her diapers. Since the AIO are so expensive I decided to look into making my own cloth diapers. I am no expert at sewing but I decided to go ahead and give it a try. I found some great free cloth diaper patterns. Little Comet Tails has a good pattern for AIO, pocket, and fitted diapers. She also tells you which materials to buy and she has picture instructions. You can use snaps or velcro using this pattern. An added bonus is she also has a simple dress pattern on her blog. You can find a variety of cloth diaper patterns at Celtic Cloths. I think that the Little Comet Tails pattern is simpler so its easier to follow but Celtic Cloths has more free patterns available. I bought all of the fabrics I needed at Joann's except for the PUL. I could only find PUL on ebay. I am currently in the process of making my first AIO pocket cloth diaper and I will post an update once I am finished!

Looking for an eco-friendly lunchbox?

I was trying to find myself a good lunchbox, mine is falling apart, and I came across Yubo Lunchboxes.

 

Yubo Lunchboxes

 These lunchboxes are bpa free, antimicrobial, 100% recyclable, and dishwasher safe. These lunchboxes are great for kids. My daughter is only 6 months old but I use this lunchbox to carry her baby food and some snacks for myself. It fits nicely in my diaper bag and I don't have to worry about anything spilling. The front image, faceplate, is changeable and you can also customize them. You can use one of the standard images or you can upload any photo and make that your faceplate. A standard one is $21.95 but you can also order a deluxe version for $29.95. The deluxe version comes with custom containers and an ice pack that all fit perfectly in the lunchbox. No more ziploc baggies needed. Clean up is a breeze because you just take the lunchbox apart and place it in the dishwasher.

Product Review - Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Soap

Recently I came across a natural laundry soap, Eco Nuts, on Baby Half Off.

 

Eco Nuts 4 oz Organic Laundry Soap

I was very excited about this product when I read the description. It's a natural, organic, soap nut. It's fragrance free, hypoallergenic, biodegradable, and antimicrobial. What is a soap nut? They are completely sustainable dried fruit shells that come from the Sapindus mukorossi tree in Nepal, India and Indonesia. Eco Nuts contain saponin, a natural cleaner that works as a surfactant, breaking the surface tension of the water to penetrate the fibers of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric and leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away. My husband and daughter have very sensitive skin so I am always looking for soap that won't irritate there skin. Since it's antimicrobial I thought it would be perfect for washing my cloth diapers. I found that the price was much cheaper through the Eco Nuts website. You can enroll in their laundry club, it's $13.56 for each 50 load box, and shipping is included! You can unsubscribe any time without a fee so I decided to start with the 3 month plan. The Eco Nuts were very simple to use. Just put 3-5 nuts in the bag provided and toss in with your laundry. I followed their instructions on cloth diaper care and my diapers were much fluffier. My daughter hasn't had any kind of reaction to the soap and her diapers always smell clean. The thing I love the most about these nuts is that once you have finished using the nut you can make liquid soap out of them and use for laundry again or as liquid soap. Nothing is wasted with this product so it is very good for the environment. I highly recommend this product.

Tip of the Day

My daughter gets tired of playing with the same toys over and over again but she has so many toys I don't want to purchase any new ones. I have gotten into the habit of setting aside some of her toys at the bottom of her toy bin, out of sight for her. When she loses interest in the toys she has I just take out the toys at the bottom of the toy bin. Since she hasn't played with them in a while she treats them as if they were new. I keep this rotation going to keep her interested in her toys. Another great thing you can do is hold a toy exchange party. You can exchange your child's toys with neighbors, friends, or family. That way your child can get new toys and you don't have to spend any additional money or collect more clutter in your house!

Baby Bottle Review - Dr. Brown's vs Playtex vs Medela

Before my daughter was born I bought the Playtex VentAire Wide Bottle because I read it was a good bottle for breastfeeding mothers to use to avoid nipple confusion. I also liked that the air flow design helped reduce spit up and helped with gas.

Playtex VentAire Wide Bottle

I tried using this bottle to feed my daughter but she didn't like it. It was very hard to grip since the bottle was large and the angle made it awkward to hold.  This bottle also didn't fit in my sterilizer or bottle warmer. Each bottle came with a lot of parts, 6 total which made cleaning the bottles a time consuming chore. Since my daughter didn't like this bottle I switched to the Medela bottles that came with my pump.

Medela 5-ounce Breatsmilk bottle

My daughter liked these bottles much better. They were very easy to use and since they were compatible with my breast pump it was easy to just put a nipple on the bottle that I had used to pump my milk. Each bottle only has four parts so it was very easy to clean and since it was a standard size it fit in my bottle warmer and sterilizer. This bottle did have some issues. First it didn't help with spit up or gas. Many times when my daughter would drink her milk the nipple would become flat and eventually slip into the bottle making it impossible to get milk out. I decided to look for a better bottle solution. I went to Buy Buy Baby and they recommended the Dr. Brown's bottles.

Dr. Brown's® 4-Ounce Baby Bottle

My daughter absolutely loves this bottle! She is able to get the milk out without any issues. I don't see her struggling with the nipple as she did with the Medela. It has also helped with her spit up and gas problems. She really is doing well with this bottle.  Since it's a standard size it fits my bottle warmer and sterilizer. The only problem I have with this bottle is the many parts it has, 6 total per bottle. It is very time consuming to clean these bottles and you can only use the cleaning brush provided to clean some of the smaller parts. Since my daughter seems to be doing really well with these bottles I don't mind the extra time spent.

Breastfeeding and the Mini Pill

As soon as my daughter was born my doctor was already talking about birth control options for me. She said it was best to wait at least one year, preferably two years, before I had another child. I had started on birth control many years before I got pregnant. I started having serious side affects, a blood clot scare, a couple of years after I was on the medication and I decided to stop taking it. So when the doctor suggested I get back on the pill I said no. When my daughter was four months old I thought I might be pregnant and I found out that it would be a very risky pregnancy and I would not be able to have a VBAC. When I found out I wasn't pregnant I decided to go ahead and research the Mini Pill. I found out that the Mini Pill is a progesterone only pill. While your breastfeeding your body naturally has high levels of progesterone. Their have also been studies that followed the children that were breastfed into adolescence and no side effects were present. This is why doctors recommend the Mini Pill for breastfeeding mothers. I decided to go ahead and start the medication. A couple of weeks later I noticed my daughter had tiny bumps on her butt. It wasn't a rash, they weren't red and they didn't seem to be bothering her. A couple of days later the bumps spread to her legs and I was really concerned. I called her pediatrician and I told them her symptoms. They informed me that they thought she was having an allergic reaction to the Mini Pill. I stopped taking the medication and within a couple of days all of the tiny bumps were gone. The pediatricians office also informed me that it's possible for your child to have a reaction if your on antibiotics.

Car Seat Safety

I recently bought a new car and I wasn't sure how to properly install the car seat. I had always thought it had been installed improperly in my previous car but I wasn't sure. I decided to make an appointment at my local fire station to have it checked out. I learned some great things that I wanted to share. First you should always read your car's instruction manual and see if there is a section on car seat installation. If you don't have your car manual I am sure you can google it. It was so easy to install the car seat after we read the manual. Second if your car has leather seats and you don't want to damage the leather you shouldn't use a towel. I found out that it actually affects how much the car seat will slide and is a hazard. Instead use the shelf liner sheet that has the grips on it. You can purcahse a roll at any 99 cent store.

 

Non Slip Shelf Liner

Thirdly the plastic harness that is suppose to go across the baby's body should be at arm pit level. I always put this part of the car seat across the top of her abdomen which is wrong. It can hurt her in case of an accident. Lastly is the car seat mirror. I bought one of these mirrors so I can see my daughter when I am driving. I never knew what a hazard they were. These mirrors are not tested for safety in car accidents. Most of the mirrors have hard backs and can fly off in an accident. Worst of all you usually point the mirror at your child's head, can you imagine that mirror flying towards your child's face at 60 mph? So you must never use a car seat mirror and if you know someone who has a mirror please let them know what a safety hazard it is!

When Mommy Gets Sick

I have been battling an ear infection for the last week and fortunately my daughter didn't get sick. I have been washing my hands constantly and I have been wearing a mask whenever I am near her. At first she didn't recognize me when I had it on but when she heard my voice she was all smiles. My wonderful husband has been taking over my motherly duties. He has been a regular Mr. Mom but my daughter seems to know the difference. She loves her dad but she is use to the way her mom does things. I never realized how much my been sick would impact all of us. I have been trying my hardest to get better, I have even missed 3 days of work, but I haven't been getting better fast enough. I am hoping that in a few days I will be back to normal and no one else in the house will get sick, fingers crossed.

Will My House Ever Be Clean Again?

Before my child was born I was a bit of a clean freak. Some would say I was anal about cleanliness. I would clean the entire house at least once a week and the kitchen would be cleaned everyday. Even one spec of dust would bother me. After my daughter was born I wasn't able to do any cleaning due to my c-section. By the time I felt well enough to clean, my house was a complete disaster and I didn't know where to begin. Since I worked full time the only free time I had left was weekends and that wasn't exactly open all the time. It seemed that every weekend would get booked up weeks in advance and I never got around to cleaning. Weeks turned into months and my house really needed to be cleaned thoroughly. I felt horrible when guests would come over to the house since it was in such shambles. I finally decided to get a housekeeper. I don't know why but I felt a little bothered by the idea. I mean I really needed the help and I just didn't have the time to do it myself but I couldn't help feeling like a failure. I had always pictured myself doing it all: working, cleaning, cooking, being a mother and wife. When I realized I couldn't possibly keep up with everything it bothered me. The more I thought about it the more I realized I couldn't do it all, not if I wanted to be a good wife, mother, and sane woman. I would much rather spend my weekends with my daughter and husband than stuck in my house cleaning all day. I decided that the best thing for my family would be to get the help I needed. I still am getting use to the idea of having someone come over to clean my house but it has lifted the stress I felt about the house off my shoulders. I am a much happier person now, it is the best gift that I have given to myself!

Product Review - My Hands Are Clean Sign

I ordered the My Hands Are Clean sign because they used non-toxic and eco-friendly ink and plastic.

I was a little worried that the sign might be to large, based on the product description, but I was pleased it wasn't. I ordered the Red Stop design and it arrived in the mail very promptly. I was a little disappointed that the bright red color was more of a cranberry but this is probably due to the image resolution. I was afraid that the sign wouldn't be as visible because it wasn't as bright but since the sign is large it's not an issue. Another huge benefit of this sign is that it entertains my daughter. Since it hangs above her head she is always looking at it and sometimes she tries to stick it in her mouth, thankfully non-toxic ink is used. There are some areas were I think this product could improve. First they don't include instructions for the strap. I wasn't sure how to attach it and I attached it wrong and it fell off. Thank goodness we were still at home when it fell. I am pretty sure I have it on right now. My second issue is that the strap isn't adjustable. Since the opening is so large it is constantly sliding down the car seat handle. I have to move it up all the time or else it can't be seen and the sign is useless. They aren't very expensive around $9.99 and shipping is free. Overall I am very happy with this product, not one stranger has touched my daughter since I put the sign on her car seat!

Should My Baby Watch TV?

I never really gave my baby watching television much thought when I was pregnant. I grew up with a TV in my room and I had my husband move the TV into our bedroom when I was put on bed rest. I often had my daughter in the same room while the TV was on and I didn't think much of it. I mentioned that my daughter tried watching the TV to my pediatrician and she informed me that it was bad for her eyesight. She recommended that I not let her watch it. Soon after that this was a topic of discussion at my support group and I was stunned to learn that a recent study shows that children who watch TV have problems concentrating. Even having the TV on in the background can be harmful, even if your child is not paying attention, the sound can be distracting to a young mind. It's not recommended that any child under 2 watch TV. My husband and I discussed this and we decided not to let our baby watch TV until she is 2. I want her to enjoy the outdoors and other hobbies and not be addicted to the TV. Even when she is 2 I only plan on letting her watch a movie as a reward for good behavior. This was hard at first because it meant we couldn't watch TV either but now I realize all the wonderful hobbies I have been missing out on. It is a bit of a challenge enforcing this rule when we are visting family but we try our hardest. Not everyone is on board with our decision, I have heard lots of Why won't you let her watch TV?, but I know this is the best thing for her so I try to not let it bother me. I hope this decision lets her creative mind soar!

Tip of The Day

My husband bought the Playskool Lullaby Gloworm for our daughter when she was first born.

She absolutely has loved this toy since the first day we brought it home and she is now 6 months old. She loves the music, it helps soother her when she is cranky and puts her to sleep. She loves watching the glow worm's face light up. It has three settings: demo, light only, and music/light mode. I only wish their was a fourth setting that kept the music/lights playing for at least 10 minutes. You can take the control out and wash the toy in your washing machine. It's very durable, I have dropped it many times and my daughter is constantly eating it, and it still looks brand new. It's very reasonably priced $9.99 - $12.99 and it comes in both pink and blue. Some of my friends have the same toy and they all have had the same positive response from their children. The suggested age is birth to18 months but my friend's 2 year old still plays with this toy! It's a must have toy!

Product Review - Blush Your Topless Undershirt

I bought the Blush topless undershirt because based on the description it was exactly what I needed. It's a topless undershirt, think tube top, with lace trim.

It goes under your shirt right below your chest and is long enough to cover your mid section. It reaches the top of your butt. It cost $20 but I bought it at Baby Half Off for $10. I hated showing my stomach when I would pump or breastfeed so I really loved this idea. It 's also great when your pants are to low and you want to hide the little section of skin that is showing. The website says that this shirt also can be used when your pregnant to cover your growing belly. I ordered a medium because based on their sizing chart it fits sizes 6-14. I am a size 10 and the shirt fits me very snug. Their is no way this shirt would stretch enough to cover a pregnant women's belly. You could try a large but I still don't think it would stretch enough. It does fit snug enough that it keeps my loose pants up without a belt. Since their is no elastic at the top of the shirt after its been worn once it has stretched out. The top part of the shirt kept falling down when I tried wearing it on the second day. I am sure it will go back to normal after I wash it but I don't do laundry every day. Overall I like the shirt because its great for breastfeeding mothers but I wouldn't buy this shirt if I was pregnant or not breastfeeding.

Is your baby gaining enough weight?

As a mother of a preemie weight gain was a very important issue to me. If your breastfeeding sometimes its hard to tell if your child is getting enough to eat because you don't know how many ounces they have taken in. I found a great article on baby weight gain by a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. This article covers topics such as
How much weight should a baby gain?, How often should a baby eat?, When should you worry about your baby’s weight?, What to do if your baby is gaining too much weight, and What to do if your baby is gaining too little weight. It's important to remember that most babies lose two to three ounces of weight in the first 24 hours. Your newborn is getting enough to eat if she has frequent bowel movements and is content for two to three hours after feeding. Your baby may be hungrier and need to eat more during growth spurts (usually around three, six and nine weeks of age). Babies typically double their birth weight by five months of age and triple their birth weight by 12 months of age. If your baby is not gaining enough, talk to your doctor about ways to increase your milk supply, such as drinking fenugreek tea, or about supplementing with formula.

Breastmilk Storage

You can find a guideline for breastmilk storage at Ameda.com.

Milk should not spoil before the times listed, but the longer milk is stored, the more nutritional value is lost. The living parts of a mother's milk kill bacteria, making it much hardier and longer-lasting.

The guidelines say that freshly pumped milk can be stored without cooling for 10 hours, if your room is 66°F to 72°F. If your room is warmer than this, the guidelines change. In a 79°F room, your milk is good for a shorter time — 4-6 hours. If your milk is kept at 66°F to 72°F for up to 10 hours, you can then put it in the fridge for up to eight days. After eight days in the fridge, the milk can still be frozen. Fresh milk that has been cooled can be added to frozen milk, as long as you add less milk than is already frozen.

Important Tips
* Any clean, sealed container can be used to store milk. But avoid thin bottle liners, which are not intended to be frozen and can split.

* Store your milk in amounts no larger than what your baby might take. This means less waste. It also should help make the milk faster to warm. If your baby wants more, more milk can be added.

* Write the date and time on your milk container with a sticky label or non-toxic marker. Add your baby's name if he is in daycare or in the hospital.

* You can combine milk pumped at different times. If you combine milk from different days, use the date of the oldest milk.

* If your milk is used within eight days, keep it in the fridge. Otherwise, plan to freeze it in the coldest part of the freezer. Avoid the door.

* You can add fresh milk to cooled milk. And you can add fresh milk to frozen milk if it's cooled first and is less than the amount frozen.

* If your baby takes some milk from a bottle and there is milk left, don't save it. His saliva mixes with the milk during feedings, and that affects storage recommendations.

* Your milk is not "homogenized" like the milk in the store. So it may separate into layers. This does not mean it's spoiled. If this happens, just gently swirl it to mix.

Craft Project - Recycling Greeting Cards

Christmas is now over and are you wondering what do I do with all these Christmas cards? It seems like a waste to just throw them away. A good craft is to let your kids cut out the pictures, or if they are to young you can cut them up, and make their own wonderful picture.

Materials
Construction Paper
Christmas Card or any other greeting card (Birthday, Valentine's, Baby Shower, Etc)
Glue
Scissors
Any other decoration you want to include (glitter, paint, crayons, cotton balls, pom pom, stickers, sand, craft foam)

Directions
1. Cut out the pieces of the card that you want to appear in your picture.
2. Glue the picture(s) to your construction paper to create a new picture.
3. (Optional) Decorate your scene with glitter, paint, cotton balls, pom pom, craft jewels, etc.
4.  Frame your picture by adding a white or black construction paper border.

Product Review - Ocean Wonders Take-Along Projector Soother

My husband bought this Ocean Wonders Take-Along Projector Soother at Babies R Us because he thought it would be a great addition to her nursery. It was much cheaper than other soothers, only $20, so he decided to buy it. The suggested age is Birth+. It plays classical music as well as ocean sounds for up to 12 minutes at a time. It projects a lighted image onto any surface. It has two ocean images you can project and one image has more animals and is suppose to be for older children. My 5 month old daughter liked the classical music but the ocean sounds didn't catch her attention. You have to project the image very close to your child's eyes or else they can't see the image. The projected image didn't rotate so when my daughter could see the image she wasn't really interested in it. The projector is suppose to be able to stand on it's side to make projecting on a side wall possible but I could never get the projector to do so. It kept falling down and I eventually gave up. I don't recommend buying this product. It is not worth the money. I am going to return it and get a full refund.

Ocean Wonders Take-Along Projector Soother

Making Time for Yourself

As a mom I know how hard it is to find a moments peace throughout the day. I also know how important it is to make some time for yourself everyday. As moms we expect ourselves to do everything for everyone else and we often neglect ourselves. I found it very hard to make time for myself when my daughter was born. I never could find any free time and when I did I would always make cleaning the house my number one priority. When I couldn't handle the stress anymore I realized how important me time was. It helped me be a better mother and wife. Now I make sure I have at least 15 minutes to myself everyday, even if it's just to sit and drink my tea. I found it easier to make my me time the same everyday so I never missed it. If you find yourself putting yourself last make sure you take a moment to realize how important you are. Your family needs you to be 100% and your me time helps you be just that.

Should I have a C-Section?

I ended up having a c-section with my daughter because she was breech. I never expected that I would have a c-section and I never knew how hard the recovery would be. I was completely unprepared and I wish I had known how hard it would be and how it would affect my future pregnancies. If I had known I would have tried some natural ways to turn the baby before I agreed to have the c-section.

The surgery
In preparation for my surgery I had to wait 8 hours from my last meal before I was taken to the operating room. I couldn't eat or drink, not even water, during this time. My husband was allowed to go in with me but I had to be prepped before he was allowed in which was really hard. I had a spinal tap, since I didn't have an epidural, and it wasn't to bad. The worst part followed. I immediately felt my feet burning and within minutes I no longer could feel anything below my chest. The staff had to move me to the operating table and then my arms were strapped down in a T position. I was warned I might throw up during the operation and I began to get nauseous soon after my arms were strapped down. I was given some medicine by the anesthesiologist which calmed my nausea. My husband was finally alllowed to come in and sat next to me. The doctor began the operation and within 15 minutes my duaghter was born. The next 10 mintues went very quickly. I was able to catch a glimpse of my daughter before she was taken to be weighed, cleaned, and checked out. Since I was strapped to the table I couldn't be there with her. She was brought to me and I was able to kiss her and take pictures with her but I couldn't hold her. She was taken to the nursery while the doctor finished. It took an hour for me to get the feeling back in my legs.

The recovery
The recovery process was very long. It took 8 weeks before I was able to do most things. I was on pain medication for 2 weeks because the pain was so unbearable. The pain medication made me sleepy so it was very hard to take care of my daughter. I wasn't able to carry anything heavier than my daughter. I couldn't drive, go up the stairs in my home, and I could barely walk. The recovery process was so slow and I was very upset that I couldn't really do anything at all, not even take care of my daughter. It has been 5 months since the operation and I still have pain. Some areas by my incision are numb and probably will be that way forever. It takes a full year before the incision heals and if you get pregnant before the year then their are some risks involved.

Tip of the Day

If you can sew and would like to make your own cloth diapers some good patterns are available. Little Comet Tails has patterns for fitted diapers, diaper covers, all-in-one diapers, and training pants. Kayla's Cloth Kits has patterns for one size pocket diapers and sized pocket diapers, fitted diapers, and all-in-one diapers. Both of these sites have videos demonstrating how to use the diapers and how to sew them. They are very eager to help and you can always contact them with questions you might have.

Breastpump Cleaning and Care

When I first started pumping I wasn't sure how to properly care for my pump. I did some research and this is what I found. If your pump uses tubing, any moisture in the tubing can contaminate milk. Moisture can get inside tubing and grow mold. In order to keep this from happening you should either boil or steam clean your tubing, I do it once a week. Always make sure you sterilize your pump before the first use. Put all the pieces that come into contact with your milk in a pot, cover them with water, and boil for 20 minutes before using the pump. After every use, wash the pieces that come in contact with your milk in hot, soapy water (using mild detergent), rinse with hot water. You then need to either, boil, steam, or wipe your pump pieces with disinfecting wipes. They sell quick clean wipes and micro-steam bags making it easier to clean your equipment when you're away from home. If you don’t have time, place the pump parts unwashed in a clean plastic bag, such as a Ziploc, and store them in the refrigerator. Be sure to wash them thoroughly at least once a day when you get home. To clean your pump motor bag, just wipe it with a clean, damp cloth. This is also a good way to clean the outside of your pump tubing if milk drips onto it.

Fantastic Banana Bread Recipe

This banana bread recipe is so good I had to share it. If you don't like almonds you can use any nut you like or you can leave out the nuts. I use almonds because they are my favorite nut.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease  2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.

2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, yogurt and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in almonds. Pour into pans.

3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Tip of the Day

I have been taking my daughter out with me since she was 2 months old. I waited a long time to take her out because I was very afraid of germs. She was a preemie and weighed only 4 lbs and I was afraid she would get sick. She was born right before flu season started and I didn't want her catching anything. All newborns are very vulnerable to germs and can't take any medication until 6 months. I was afraid if she caught anything she would have to be hospitalized so I was very cautious. They told us at the hospital to make sure everyone washed their hands before touching her. I am sure that anyone who has had a baby has been told this by the hospital staff. When I started taking her out I was amazed at how many people would touch her without asking my permission. They would do it so fast that I didn't even have time to tell them to stop. I found out about these car seat signs from my support group.

My Tiny Hands Signs

My Tiny Hands has very bright plastic signs that tell people to please wash their hands before touching your child's hands. I only wish the sign said please wash your hands before touching me period but they are still good signs. If you're looking for a please don't touch sign you can find them at Healthy Little Ones. These signs are much longer and not as bright so I am not sure how effective they will be.

 

My Hands Are Clean, Are Yours?

I recently came across some signs that are non-toxic and eco-friendly at My Hands Are Clean, Are Yours?. They come in a variety of cool designs and shipping is free! They are around 5 inches so they are very hard to miss and a portion of all sales is donated to a local charity.