Baby Tips

I recently stumbled upon a pamphlet at my routine eye exam that said babies age 6-12 months get a free eye exam.  I picked it up and read through it, trying to find what the “catch” was.  But there wasn’t one.  I even asked my optometrist about it and he confirmed that is it a great, free program that he would recommend.  I made an appointment for my 11 month old before leaving that day.

The program is called InfantSEE.  InfantSEE works with a participating optometrist to provide no-cost vision assessments for babies age 6 to 12 months.  Most parents, including myself, wouldn’t even think of having such a young baby have an eye exam.  However, there are rare cases in which a baby may be experiencing some type of eye problem that isn’t noticeable until a routine eye exam. 

So play it safe and find a participating optometrist in your area by visiting www.infantsee.org.  In order to qualify for the free examination, your baby cannot be over 1 year old. 

I will write about our first eye exam after our appointment!  Schedule yours today!

Need a little help shopping for a first birthday gift?  Here is a quick list of five gender-neutral ideas at a variety of price ranges to help get you started.

1. A wagon:  Though on the higher end of the price range, there is no gift more classic than a little red wagon.  Radio Flyer makes several different models to choose from, including classic steel, wooden all-terrain, and plastic ultra-comfort with canopy.  The birthday boy or girl will love getting rides in their wagon, and when they are older, will love pulling it around the yard.  That’s what makes a wagon a perfect and timeless gift for any one-year old.
2. Pull-alongs:  Maybe a wagon is out of your price range or you don’t have the room.  If so, pull-along (and push-along) toys are another great option.  If your baby isn’t walking already by the age of one, they will be shortly.  Get them a toy to pull or push right along with them!  Some of my favorites are: the dancing alligator, the corn popper, the wooden chomp push toy, and the pull along zoo.
3. Rocking Horses and Ride-ons:  Let’s face it, your baby is really becoming a toddler and needs some activities that let them practice their movement.  You can find rocking horses at all price ranges to fit the budget you are looking for.  Some of my favorites that won’t break the budget are the Little Tykes and the Step2 rocking horses.  If you’re looking to spend a little more money, I recommend the classic wooden Derby or Radio Flyer rocking horse.  If you’re looking for an alternative ride-on toy to the rocking horse, you can’t beat the adorable Wheely Bug!
4. Books:  Your baby will soon be trying to imitate your words (as if they haven’t been already!)  Books are a fun way to get some cuddle time in and captivate their attention.  Board books are going still going to be the most durable type at this age.  A great book for this age is First Words.
5. Clothes, clothes, and more clothes:  If you were lucky enough to have a baby shower before your baby was born,  you probably got showered with lots of clothes that wouldn’t even come close to fitting your baby anymore.  Of course, clothes are the most practical of gifts on this list, but because of that you can’t go wrong with buying them!

Follow this list and you really can’t go wrong with the first birthday gift!  Happy shopping and happy birthday!

And it’s amazing how quickly time passes! Have you started thinking about your child’s education? Read about how homeschooling has been amazing and freeing for our family!

What gifts do you find to be great for baby’s first birthday?

Well, my husband and I finally had “the talk”.  We both had been beating around the bush for quite some time as to when we’d try for baby #2, but the conversation eventually surfaced.  I had secretly been hoping that we’d try for another baby in the near future, but I wasn’t sure how my husband would feel about it.  Come to find out, we are completely on the same page.  I have since quit breastfeeding and am birth-control free.  It’s all in God’s hands now!

Is anyone else currently trying for baby #2?  For some reason, I am feeling more apprehensive about the possibility of getting pregnant a second time around.  When we decided to try and get pregnant the first time, I didn’t think twice about it.  I didn’t bother with tracking my ovulation cycle or demanding sex every day.  My mentality was more like “it will happen when it’s supposed to.”  And go figure, I got pregnant 2 weeks after going off of birth control without even trying! 

So why am I a little more nervous the second time around?  My first concern is that I haven’t gotten my period even though my son is almost 11 months old and has been mostly for over a month.  Is it really normal to go that long without getting a period?  I know that breastfeeding can drastically change the natural cycle, but 11 months worth?  It was only within the past week that I have completely stopped breastfeeding, but until that point I only fed him maybe once or twice a day.  Is that enough to hold a period off?  So not getting my period yet has been a little bit of a scare for me.

I come from a medical background and consider myself to be pretty educated in women’s anatomy and physiology, which includes the reproductive system and how it works.  I know what it takes to get pregnant and the signs of ovulation and everything in between.  Yet, I still went out and purchased the ebook “What to Expect Before You’re Expecting” and have been reading it every night.  It’s all stuff I know already.  But I find myself wanting another baby, and quick just like the last time.  I’m not sure what my obsession is this time in having to read about it, but it is what it is.  I spend a good part of the day searching the web on menstruating after baby, ovulation, and getting pregnant with baby #2.

Probably the most extreme thing I’ve been considering is purchasing an ovulation kit.  But not to keep track of what days to have sex.  Honestly, I think my husband and I have sex often enough that we won’t miss the egg.  I simply want to get one for peace-of-mind that everything is still in working order.  However, I don’t want to turn into one of those people who is so obsessed with getting pregnant that they take pregnancy test after pregnancy test when it isn’t necessary.

I guess the thing that worries me the most is that many women who didn’t have any problem conceiving their first baby find they have problems conceiving a second.  Sometimes it due to the physical change that takes place to the uterus after already carrying a baby.  Or maybe it’s the chemical and hormonal change.  Or it can even be age.  I personally know a few women who have only been able to have one child and no matter what they do, can’t have a second.  I don’t want this to turn into a fertility argument of “well they should just be happy they have one”.  Save that for another day.

I just find that knowing we’re ready for baby #2 seems a little more daunting of a task than the first one.  And I guess I want to know if I’m alone on this one or not.  I’ll be sure to keep you posted!

What has been your experience with trying for baby #2?

When was the first time you realized you loved your baby?  Many women would answer that they fell in love with baby the day they found out they were pregnant, or maybe even the first time they heard the heart beat or felt movement.  Or maybe even when they saw the ultrasound picture.  It seems that most the women I’ve ever met were head-over-heels in love with their baby before baby was even born.  You know the type, or maybe you were even one of these women.  They would talk to their baby and rub their pregnant belly, or sing to them, and talk with extreme excitement as the due date drew nearer.  I like to say they were born with the “mom gene” and are just naturals at the whole baby thing. 

It was people like this that made me feel like there was something extremely wrong with me.  During my pregnancy, I never really felt a close bond to the baby.  I can’t even say that I felt love.  How dare you say that is what many of you may be thinking.  Well, the truth is the truth.  I can honestly say I never felt a strong emotional bond with my unborn baby.  In fact, it worried me at times.  Why was I so different than all the other pregnancy women that I’d ever met who were totally infatuated with their unborn baby?  What was wrong with me that many times I felt overwhelmed and not excited to be pregnant?  Inside, I was secretly asking myself will I love my baby?

If you are pregnant and feeling the same way as I did, know that there is not something wrong with you.  I think more women may ask themselves this question than we think, but for some reason it is kind of taboo topic.  I didn’t want to be labeled a horrible, heartless person by telling people what I really thought when they asked if I was excited to have a baby.  Yes, my husband and I had planned on getting pregnant and yes, we wanted a baby, but I just wasn’t feeling an attachment.  Does my story sound similar to yours?

If you’re feeling unattached to your unborn or newborn baby, don’t dismay.  It may take time.  Did you genuinely love your spouse the very first time you met them?  Or even before you met them?  I think I can safely guess “no”.  It’s takes time to know someone and to love them, and although a baby is a very special person, it can take more time for some to grow love and affection towards them.  Some women love them before they are born, and some after.  Neither is right or wrong.  For my specific situation, I didn’t feel that strong, intense motherly love until after he was born, and maybe even a few days after he was born.  Meeting your baby for the first time is a very surreal experience, and it may take some time to feel a bond.  But you will love your baby, even if it takes a little time.

So what should you do if you’re pregnant and not feeling in love with your baby?  First of all, don’t panic or think there is something wrong with you.  There isn’t.  Secondly, if you would feel better talking to someone about it, then talk to someone about it!  Tell you spouse or a trusted friend how you are feeling.  You may be surprised and find that they have felt the same way and they can help you through.  Lastly, try to enjoy every minute of your pregnancy and know that someday you will be amazed that you even questioned if you could love your baby.  Because you will!

How do I know for sure?  Because I once asked myself many times will I love my baby?  And I do, more than anything else in the world.

Have you ever asked yourself “will I love my baby?”  When did you realize you loved your baby?

For breastfeeding moms, especially those first-timers like myself, it can be hard to know when to wean baby from the breast.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continuing until at least the first year of baby’s life.  However, everyone has a different preference and every baby is different.  So how do you know when it’s the right time to wean?

Here are a list of different scenarios of when mothers have decided to wean.  Maybe one is similar to yours and will help you make your decision of when is best for you and your baby.

• Self-weaning:  Some babies end up weaning themselves from the breast.  For one reason or another, they lose interest in the breast and, depending on their age, opt for the bottle or sippy cup.  The great thing about self-weaning babies is that you can stop breastfeeding guilt-free and follow your baby’s cues.  However, if baby weans earlier than you’d like, you can always continue pumping until reaching the age you desire.
• 6-months:  The 6 month milestone is a common age parents wean baby.  By 6 months, baby is ready to start getting a greater source of nutrition in solid foods.  However, remember that breastmilk or formula still needs to be a large source of their nutrition at this age and beyond. 
• 12-months:  As mentioned earlier, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding during the first year of baby’s life, and beyond if you so choose.  At 12 months, baby can also switch to drinking cow’s milk.  The one year mark seems to be a very common goal for breastfeeding mothers to reach.  At one year, baby reaches the toddler stage, which marks the beginning of a whole new independence for baby.  Many moms choose to wean at this big milestone. 
• Teething:  The onset of teething is often a breastfeeding deal-breaker for mothers.  At some point, most likely, you’re going to get bit.  And if you’ve ever had it happen to you, you know it might be enough to call it quits. 
• Returning to work:  For those re-entering the workforce, continuing to breastfeed becomes a whole new challenge.  Pumping can be a real drag, especially if you work somewhere that doesn’t have a facility specifically for the purpose.  If you are returning to work and you know pumping isn’t for you, don’t feel guilty.  That time you had at home with baby to breastfeed, whether 6 weeks or 6 months, was beneficial health-wise and financially. 
• Vacation:  Whether going on a vacation with or without baby, some mothers use this time to wean.  Some mothers find it easier to use a bottle when away from the home.  And if baby isn’t with on vacation, many would rather not mess with having to pump and store.  In fact, it might not even be an option.
• Drying up:  For whatever reason, whether it be stress or simply normal functioning of the body, some women’s milk dries up.  If you don’t want to mess with restoring your production, it may be time to call it quits.

No matter when or how you decide to wean baby from the breast, don’t let another mother’s opinion sway you from what you know is right for your particular situation.  The important thing is to do what is right for you and your baby.

How do you/did you decide to wean baby?

This weekend I discovered what may be one of my favorite items for baby: the Dropper Stopper.  For a while now, my mind had been devising a device that could attach from a bottle, sippy cup, or toy onto a high chair or stroller to keep these items from hitting the floor every few minutes.  While shopping at a specialty store over the weekend, I found that someone already had the same idea and had created the Dropper Stopper.  And what an awesome little device it is!

The design is simple:  A fairly short strip of elasticized material with built-in snaps on each end to secure to your items of choice.  The Dropper Stopper may be a simple concept, but the design is well thought out.  The end that attaches to a high chair, stroller, etc has 4 different snaps to make it easy to fit whatever item you’ll be anchoring it to.  The other end forms a “T” at the top of the strap.  This is where you attach the item you don’t want falling on the ground.  This is is more elasticized than the rest of the Dropper Stopper to allow more stretch to fit a variety of items, from pacifiers, to bottles, to stuffed animals.  The inside of this end of the strap also contains a non-slip material to help hold bottles in place. 

I used the Dropper Stopper first during a long day at the mall, and I’m telling you, it is worth it’s weight in gold!  I attached my 10 month old’s sippy cup to the stroller.  My son had easy access to his sippy cup whenever he wanted it, and when he’d drop it, it would simply hang next to the stroller and off of the ground until I picked it up or until he pulled it back in.  I am such a believer in this item I think it should be something on every baby registry! 

We bought the Dropper Stopper at a specialty store for $9.99.  I thought it was a little high priced for a simple piece of material, but the pricing on the website said $13, so now it looks like I may have gotten a deal.  But now after using it, I may even consider buying one for $13.  It is so worth it!  There are a variety of very cute materials to choose from, and for $13 you’ll never have to worry about picking up a dirty sippy cup off the mall floor again!  IntoBaby is very into the Dropper Stopper.  Do yourself a favor and get one…or two for that matter!

What do you think of the Dropper Stopper?

When registering for baby items before the birth of our son, we totally overlooked the need for an umbrella stroller.  We opted for the big and bulky “travel system” instead, and although that stroller has it’s time and place, an umbrella stroller is almost as much of a necessity.  A traditional stroller is great for offering the most comfort and storage for long outings,  but an umbrella stroller is much more quick and convenient for the smaller and quicker trips.  While on one of these quick excursions, my husband and I decided to pick up an umbrella stroller, specifically the Especially for Kids Umbrella Stroller in Shamrock.

We purchased the stroller at Babies R Us for $29.99, which is in the lower price range for umbrella strollers.  There were a variety of great colors to choose from, including shamrock green, grey, red, chocolate, and even a floral and striped design.  For the price, you get a lot of great features with the stroller.  It folds very easily and compactly and has a built-in handle for carrying.  It also comes with a removable canopy and visor to help protect from the sun.  A small mesh bag hangs in the back to act as storage for a few basic essentials, which is a great option when simply taking a quick trip somewhere.  The handles are gripped and the stroller also has a footrest. 

We have been very pleased with the stroller.  It rides very smoothly and our son, who is over 20 pounds, fits securely and enjoys the ride.  My husband is comfortable pushing the stroller, even though he is relatively tall and the stroller sits lower to the ground compared to our traditional stroller.  It is extremely easy to fold and pack away and has been a great space saver.  On top of all of that, the stroller is very cute and stylish.

The only thing I would change about the stroller is the harness.  It is a 3-point harness, and I would much rather have a 5-point harness for extra security.  Our son hasn’t had any problems staying secure in the stroller, but a 5-point would just give me a little more peace-0f-mind.

Here is the quick breakdown of the pros and cons:

Pros:  Great price, removable canopy, quick and easy folding, carrying handle, storage bag, smooth ride, comfortable handle grips, variety of colors, stylish

Cons:  3-point harness

The Especially for Kids Umbrella Stroller is the perfect little umbrella stroller for the price!  If you don’t have an umbrella stroller yet, or didn’t register for one, you should.  They are a very easy and convenient piece of gear to have for baby.  You won’t regret it!

What’s your thought on umbrella strollers?

Boon makes an adorable little snack container called the Boon Snack Ball which I recently purchased now that my son is old enough to eat Cheerios and Gerber Puffs.  The Boon Snack Ball is a complete sphere with a small, circular lid at the top that slides to the side to open.  The Boon also unscrews into 2 pieces for adding snacks.  This snack ball is for babies 9 months and up.  It retails for just under $7.

I’ll admit it: I purchased this snack ball based completely off of it’s looks.  It’s the cutest snack container I’ve ever seen!  The design and colors are very modern and unique.   I purchased the orange and blue model (I’m a little partial to these colors…just look at my logo!)  I love having a hard-sided container to carry his snacks in.  I had been using Ziploc bags for his snacks, but of course they get crushed easily when in his diaper bag.  The Boon is also fairly compact in size, which is perfect for throwing in the diaper bag or a purse without taking up a lot of space.  It also easily fits into the cup holder on the stroller, and is easy for little hands to hold.  I would estimate that this snack holder can hold about 1/2 cup of snacks.  Not huge, but perfect for little day trips where you don’t need a lot on hand.  I also like that the lid is attached so it won’t get lost.  You can also rest assured knowing that this snack holder is safe for baby, being that Boon products are completely free of BPA and phthalates.  It is also dishwasher safe.

There are a few things that could be improved on the Boon Snack Ball.  First of all, the price of roughly $7 may seem a high for the size.  Also, the size may be a little small for people with toddlers who are needing something that holds more.  However, I’ve found it to be the perfect size for baby.  It would be great if Boon offered a few different sizes. 

Here is a quick breakdown of the pros and cons:

Pros:  Cute design and colors, hard-sided, attached lid that slides, easy to add snacks, nice size for small hands and compact use, BPA free, dishwasher safe

Cons: Price, may be too small for some uses

Overall, I would say I am into the Boon Snack Ball.  It’s cute and it’s very functional, especially when space is an issue.

What do you think of the Boon Snack Ball?

After visiting my son’s pediatrician at his 9 month appointment, she told me that my son was a “trained night crier”.  She came to this conclusion after I told her my son wakes several times during the middle of the night, but not because he is hungry.  I try to feed him but he simply pacifies himself to sleep, only to repeat the cycle several times a night.  At 9 months old, he should easily be able to sleep through the night without waking.  However, I knew that in order to break my “trained night crier” from his bad habit I would have to put on my poker face.  Sure enough, my doctor gave me information on how to teach my son to sleep better using the cry it out method. 

Let me tell you, I was less than thrilled about this.  Despite the fact that my son has a horrible time falling asleep for naps, and hasn’t slept through the night since he was born, I was still reluctant to bite the bullet and start this type of sleep training.  I have had mixed feelings about the cry it out method.  At about 5 months of age, we started sleep training our son, and he actually learned to fall asleep on his own at night.  This was a huge relief that solved a lot of our bedtime woes.  However, it did not cure his middle of the night waking, and definitely didn’t fix his passion for fighting nap-time. 

As he grew older and learned to roll over and crawl, he eventually lost his knack to settle himself to sleep at night.  And ever since then I’ve resorted to lying next to him until he fell asleep, and then tiptoeing out of the room and hoping I didn’t wake him.  My husband suggested many times that we try letting him cry it out so he could learn to put himself to sleep, but I just didn’t have the heart for it, or the motivation. 

So when my doctor gave me a reality check at the 9 month appointment, I knew it was time for me to suck it up and teach my son good sleeping habits.  If I didn’t do it now at 9 months, it would only get worse and harder with time.  So after scouring over the handout she gave me and reading a lot of posts on the internet, I decided to start slow and implement the method for his nap times at the beginning.  It is much easier to listen to a crying baby during the day as opposed to the middle of the night.  And my hope is that by learning to put himself to sleep for naps, he will learn to put himself back to sleep when he wakes in the middle of the night. 

So here is the plan.  I do the normal sleep routine when I see he’s getting sleepy, and then lay him in crib awake.  When he cries, I only check on him every 5 to 10 minutes, soothe him for only a minute without picking him up, and then leave the room again.  I repeat this until he goes to sleep.  Like I said, I did this with him before at 5 months, and it is easier said than done!  My pediatrician said it will take 3 or 4 days for him to learn, but the pamphlet said up to 2 weeks.  I will chronicle his progress below.

Thus begins my adventure of the trained night crier versus the cry it out method:

Day 1

• Nap 1:  60 minutes to fall asleep.  Not as bad as I was picturing for the first try.
• Nap 2:  30 minutes to fall asleep.
• Nighttime:  Only woke up once in the middle of the night!  A rarity!

Day 2

• Nap 1:  10 minutes to fall asleep.  Barely even cried!  It can’t be working this fast, can it?
• Nap 2:  90 minutes to fall asleep.  I though after his first nap today that he already had the hang of it, but I was sadly mistaken.  Only napped for 30 minutes.
• Nighttime:  Woke twice during the middle of the night, but was able to get him to go back to sleep without even picking him up.

Day 3

• Nap 1:  45 minutes to fall asleep.  Slept 1-1/2 hours.
• Nap 2:  45 minutes to fall asleep.  Slept 40 minutes.
• Nighttime:  Woke twice.

Day 4

• Nap 1:  2 minutes to fall asleep.  He barely even fussed!  Slept 1-1/2 hours.
• Nap 2: Less than 10 minutes to fall asleep.  Slept 30 minutes.
• Nap 3:  20 minutes to fall asleep, but barely cried.  Slept 30 minutes.
• Nighttime:  Woke twice.

Day 5

• Nap 1:  Less than 20 minutes to fall asleep.
• Nap 2:  Slept in the car.
• Nighttime:  Woke twice.

Day 6

• Nap 1:  Slept at church.
• Nap 2: Fell asleep with no fuss!  Slept almost 3 hours.
• Nighttime:  Woke twice

Day 7

• Nap 1:  Fell asleep with no fuss for the second time!  This is great!  Slept 1-1/2 hours.
• Nap 2:  Had a rough time again: 3o minutes to fall asleep. 🙁  But slept 1-1/2 hours.
• Nighttime:  Woke twice

Day 8

• Nap 1:  20 minutes to fall asleep.  Slept 45 minutes.
• Nap 2: Fell asleep with no fuss.  Slept 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Nighttime: Woke 3 times.

Day 9

• Nap 1: Fell asleep with no fuss.
• Nap 2:  No fussing again!
• Nighttime:  Woke twice

So it took a little over a week for him to go a full day of falling asleep with no fussing.  Not too bad!  There were only a couple days where he cried a lot, and the amount of fussing dropped off pretty quickly.  It still hasn’t really crossed over into his nighttime waking as he still usually wakes twice a night, but I would definitely say it has been worth it anyways.  Nap-time is so much easier on both of us now.  He doesn’t fight sleep like he used to and he still usually takes nice, long naps.  It’s a win-win. 

Although I was extremely hesitant to try the cry-it-out method, it has proved to be the right choice in my certain situation.  With that said, the cry-it-out method isn’t necessarily for everyone.  There are a lot of extreme opinions out there about it.  The main thing is to simply trust your gut when dealing with baby’s sleep issues.  No two babies are the same and what worked for one won’t necessarily work for the other.  I’m just happy that the doctor’s solution has so far turned out to be a good one.

Have you used the cry it out method for baby?  What is your experience?