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!

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!

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.

Happy Easter!

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

Every Working Mom's Dilemma

For Christmas I took two weeks off of work to spend some time with my daughter. I had such a great time with her and I was so glad I took the time off. Sadly I had to come back to work this week and I miss her so much. Since I have been back I am wondering am I spending enough time with my daughter? Just like most working moms I have to drop my child off at the babysitter while I am at work. I work eight hour days and when you calculate the time I spend getting to/from work I am gone for 9 hours a day. My daughter goes to bed at 7 pm so I really only get to see her for 3 hours a day. I am very lucky that I get to work from home once a week so I am able to be with her all day 3 days a week but I still feel like I am not spending enough time with her.  I wondered should I be a stay at home mom? I had never really thought about this before. I have worked all of my life and I don't know if I could be a stay at home mom. I worked very hard in college to get my degree and I really like my job so I am not sure if I would want to quit. Finally I just don't think we could afford to be a one income household right now. I have decided to give this a lot of thought. If I really feel like I want to stay at home my husband and I would have to work towards that goal. For the time being I have taken a look at my schedule and changed some things around so I can be with her more. I was working out after work 3 days a week and I wouldn't get home until 7 pm so those days I would only get to see her for 30 mins. During my vacation I realized all the wonderful things I was missing while I was away. Obviously I still need to work out, this is great me time and I also need to be healthy. I decided to no longer work out after work. Instead I work out at home after I have put my daughter to bed. This lets me spend an extra 2 hours a day with her. I also plan to take a day off after every three day weekend so I can be at home for 5 days. I know this is a great start to spending more time with my daughter!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! May 2010 be a fantastic, wonderful, and joyous year for us all.

Do Parents Really Know Best?

I have been getting a lot of unsolicited parenting advice from well meaning family members lately and its starting to drive me a little crazy. I don't want to sound rude or ungrateful but is their a nice way to say I don't want your advice?  Most of my family members never breastfed, used cloth diapers, or made their own baby food so their parenting style is much different than mine. A lot has changed since they were parents. Their advice is not up to date and sometimes it is just plain wrong. It's not that I don't want any advice, I do, but I don't like feeling obligated to follow it. I just want everyone to know I am the parent and I know what is best for my child so please respect my rules and follow them.