Baby Must-Haves

Published on May 12, 2014 by a.simple.mamaLeave a comment

Registering for your Baby is kinda overwhelming when it’s your first one. I remember standing in the bottle isle at Babies R Us and just staring at the seemingly hundreds of different brands, sizes, types of bottles in front of me. It was like this in pretty much every isle we went through, and the “must have” list that they give you in the store has about 99% of the store on it. How could all of that be “must have”?!?

Like most parents-to-be, the Hubs and I registered for anything and everything that looked like it might be useful. I think after all was said and done, we ended up returning the vast majority of it. Between duplicates and things that we needed to exchange for items we needed sooner, I felt like our registry could have easily just been the entire store catalog. We had no real plan when we registered, we had no idea what things were more important than others or what brands were best.

At every baby shower I’ve been to since J came along, I’ve given all or most of a handful of items that the Hubs and I found to be the most important items baby related. Truthfully, outside of some clothes and diapers, we could have gotten away with just these few items and not a whole lot more. If you have kiddo’s you know what I’m talking about…how many items went unopened, unused, or totally forgotten about? If you’re going to have kiddo’s in the future, try and remember that most of those pretty things on the shelves that look like they’ll be super useful, aren’t. For instance, why do they sell tiny clippers and emery boards for tiny baby fingers? Their fingernails are so soft no emery board will work on them anyway, and regular adult clippers are at least sharp enough to actually cut. But those pretty baby blue care packages sure make it seem like those are the only way to go…

So, for us here’s the few essentials that I can’t imagine how we’d live without for J or any future babies…in no particular order.

Baby Carrier – no brand specifically but these are a must for anything and everything. Get one that will fit both you and the Hubby, especially since once baby gets bigger you won’t be able to carry them and you’ll have to rely on Daddy for that.

accordian style baby gate – these are great for leaving attached to one side of the wall and they stretch farther than most other gates do. Just watch for pinched fingers…

Baby monitor with color screen. We found the Levana one on Woot for under $100 and it works pretty well. The battery doesn’t last super long, but no problems when it’s plugged in. Plus it was 1/3 the price of the name-brand ones in the stores.

An on-the-bed bassinet. It goes right on the bed with you so you can just roll to your side to see your little one. Fits newborns up to 3 months or until they start to roll and such. It even has a little night-light which makes those late night feedings way easy. Plus you don’t have to get up and walk over to the crib every time it’s time to eat again. Life saver for us. Probably the #1 thing I’d recommend to any new mom who is also a little paranoid.

Anglecare Bath support. I picked this one just because of the looks, but it’s worked out pretty great. You can use it over the sink when they are little, or in the tub until they can sit up on their own.

In my opinion, the BEST boobie pads out there. They are even boob shaped so you can’t tell there you’re wearing a pad at all and they’re soft too, so no additional nipple chaff-age. Plus they absorb a lot and are small enough that they don’t stick out of your bra.

Boppy! Best invention for helping Mama’s breastfeed out there! Big help in holding baby until your arms get enough muscle to not feel like they are going to fall off. Believe me, 7 lbs doesn’t seem like a lot until you have to hold it steady for 30 minutes at a time…

I found this cool gadget later on, but I still think it’s ingenious. It’s a nipple or toddler nipple that screw onto any water bottle. Perfect for traveling or on the go.

Britax car mirror. One of the few out there that don’t have that circus-carnival warped look to them. The straps keep the mirror perfectly positioned and the hard mirror stays steady while driving so you can actually SEE your baby instead of a wobbly warped vibrating mess.

The best teether/rattle ever. Got ours through Citrus Lane, but you can find them at Buy Buy Baby or Innobaby.com. Perfect for little hands to hold onto and J has loved it from the start for chewing on.

Baby Elephant Ears. Neck and head supports. I’ll have to expand on this story later, but I wish I had found this product sooner. We ended up using the head support inserts for car-seats, which did the job too.

GoPod by KidCo. Super easy to take with you since it folds up like one of those bag chairs. Protects the little one’s feet from the ground, and you can attach toys to it or use it as a highchair. We use ours in the backyard all the time and it’ll be going on camping trips this summer too.

I swear by my hand-pump. The electric pumps seem nice, but you’ll always go back to the hand pump.

Baby jumper/walker. This will save you once baby is old enough to support their head and can be in it. It’s the only way I can take a shower or cook or clean or get a few minutes to myself these days.

Mesh crib bumpers. I know, I know…yes I said bumpers. I realize that bumpers are a total NO-NO, but frankly these are the only ones out there that allow air to pass through them reducing the risks of SIDS (compared to other bumpers) and J tends to flail about all night long so it’s the only way we can keep his appendages in the crib.

Nursing bra’s from Target. For those of you who don’t want an underwire or are used to soft bras. I tried a few others before I found these and while they all do the job, a lot of the other ones’ cups get in the way once you unclasp them. These are awesome, I’m going to be really sad when I have to go back to normal bras…

Pack-n-Play. These have so many uses. We used ours as the bedside bassinet after 3 months and before J was in his own room. Then I took it to the office with me and he sleeps in it for naptime. We got the Lite version which is 25% smaller than the regular sized ones, so it’s great for small spaces or for travelling.

These are a close 2nd to the bed bassinet. When their noses are so tiny it’s hard for you to do anything for them, even sucking snot out is almost impossible without loosening it up first. This stuff works miracles.

Baby socks. For those of you who have kiddo’s who refuse to wear shoes. Also, their little feet get chilly…Even if they do kick one off almost constantly, I still feel better having something between their feet and the air, or the ground.

Travel sound machine. Costs about $10 and is small enough to take anywhere with you. I use it at the office for just enough background noise to cover up some of the other office noises while J sleeps.
spoons
These are the best spoons I’ve come across. Period.
T swaddle
Swaddles are essential for those first few months. I never got to try the SwaddlePod because I couldn’t ever find them in the stores. But I’d still recommend that one over the regular swaddles. Plus there are some other brands out there too (Woombie among many many others.) Get one with a zipper if you can, Velcro is no fun in the middle of the night…

This is a new discovery. A tad $$ but it’s a local Colorado company which is awesome and the stainless steel disk stays cool and doesn’t freeze their little hands off at the same time. J seems to like it.

Someone told me to just get a big step trashcan instead of a Diaper Genie…I wish I would have listened. Diaper Genies are great, but they fill up quick and it’s a pain to replace the bag. Just get a normal trash can, it’ll make your life so much easier.
zipper footie jammies

Zippered footie jammies. Probably the only thing your little one will wear for most of their first few months. The zippered ones are much quick to get on and off…how they expect you to snap 15 snaps is mind boggling. The zippered ones can be a little harder to find though for some reason.

strap covers

Car Seat strap covers. Wish we’d gotten some of these sooner too. Those silly straps will rub your little one’s neck raw every dang time they’re in the car seat if you don’t have them. Just sayin’…

OK, those are our essentials. If you’ve got any that your family can’t live without, please comment! I love seeing new products 🙂

My first Mother’s Day

Published on May 11, 2014 by a.simple.mama1 Comment

This is my first official Mother’s Day. Last Mother’s Day I was still preggers, so Yes I was a mother already, but it didn’t hold the same weight. After almost a year of being a Mama to little J, I can’t imagine any other way of life. I don’t remember what the Hubs and I used to do with our free time, I don’t remember how I used to go about my day without J being involved in every part of it. It’s amazing how much your life changes when you become a Mama.

Mother is a verb. It’s something you do. Not just who you are. – Dorothy Canfield Fisher

There are a few things I’ve learned in the last year. Being a parent changes a lot of things, but these come to mind.

Even though you mastered snaps so long ago you can’t remember, You will come to find out that those 3 snaps on the bottom of a onsie are your arch-enemy during middle of the night diaper changes and all of toddlerhood.
Velcro can be a blessing and a curse. Velcro shoes are nice and quick. But Velcro on diapers runs in the same family as snaps during diaper changes. Try getting the Velcro secured with a squirming infant. Just try.
Remember how you used to get to sleep in? Emphasis on USED TO. Like you will never get to do this again.
Get used to worrying. There’s no use trying to deny it or block it. You have a person that will continue to give you crease lines on your forehead for the rest of eternity.
You will get dirty. If you are squeamish about blood, boogers, poo, pee, vomit or drool you’ll need to get over it. Like, Now.
You will know no greater love for any single thing in this world.
Trying to teach good sleeping habits to your child will make you think you’ve forgotten that you even know what good sleeping habits are. After all, how long has it been since you got a full nights sleep?
Leaving your child with someone else for the first time will break your heart a little. But it’ll get easier
Temper tantrums will happen. And they’ll start way earlier than you think is possible. Figure out a way to diffuse them, quickly.
You’ll learn how to eat with one hand, type with one hand, shower quickly, and use the bathroom with the door open from the time they are born until they are old enough to entertain themselves….sooo 18 years?
Every time your little ones goes to sleep through the first year (and probably beyond) You’ll find yourself glued to the baby monitor to make sure they are still breathing.
When (if) your child finally sleeps through the night for the first time, you’ll probably lose more sleep than usual because you’ll be checking on them every few hours to make sure they are actually just sleeping.
Grandparents are one of the best gifts your children can have in life. Let your kids be spoiled, loved, and given everything that only a Grandparent can give.
Remember to take some time away with your hubby. It’ll be like you’re dating again. You’ll have to learn to be with just each other all over again.

I’m sure I could keep going, but I think you get the point. Being a Mother is a gift you can’t put into words.

To my own Mama,
Thanks Mums for always being there,
for teaching me so much,
for being my shoulder to cry on and my best friend.

Love you.

C-Section

Published on May 10, 2014May 10, 2014 by a.simple.mamaLeave a comment

When I was pregnant with J I knew that I was going to want an epidural. No question in my mind that I wasn’t ready for a natural childbirth and so for me, I always planned on the epi. When I went into labor they were sure J was going to be born within about 6 hours from my water breaking, he was moving along pretty quick. But I didn’t get my epidural until 8-9 cm and then it was overkill and I completely lost feeling and the ability to push effectively. So my labor stalled. 12 hours into labor I was finally able to push and pushed for 2 hours with no significant movement.

My midwife had told me at my 39 week appointment that J’s head was on the large side. Well apparently my pelvis, while plenty wide, is also oval-shaped. Something I’d have no way of knowing…until I tried to give birth.After 14 hours of labor, even the vacuum didn’t help any and the decision was made to take me in for a c-section. There was no way that J was coming out as planned.

I’d never really thought too much about a c-section. Mainly because I didn’t think there was any significant risk of needing one. I didn’t have any specific ill-thoughts or feelings about c-sections either though. Beyond not wanting to go all-natural, I didn’t have a specific idea of how my birthing plan would be carried out. When my midwife told me that I would need a c-section after all, she approached it with some apprehension. I think a lot of mothers who go through the initial parts of labor and really disappointed when they have to go through a c-section too. I appreciated that she approached it carefully and explained to me what was happening and that J just wasn’t going to fit through the birth canal. C-section really wasn’t an option at this point, it was mandatory.

My c-section went smoothly, and besides being really exhausted after 14+ hours of labor and then a major surgery, I didn’t have any regrets at the time. The only major disappointment I had was that I wasn’t able to hold my own baby until an hour after they pulled him out of me. I made sure that I was allowed skin-on-skin as soon as possible and he breastfed fine, but I missed out on that whole first hour. Luckily Daddy got to be with him during that time so they could stitch me back up.

Yesterday I shared this post from Facebook:

Five Things You Should Not Say to a Cesarean Mom and Three Things You Should

I don’t specifically remember comments that I’ve made in the past to friends who’ve had c-sections. Nor do I specifically remember comments that were made to me after my own c-section. But the article did get me thinking back to my experience and how these five things affect me now.

#1 is a very valid point in my mind. Everyone’s experience with birth is different. Some people have it really “easy” with no complications, and some people struggle with birth or recovery. Comparing one birth to another is as valid as comparing a fruit to meat. Just don’t do it.

#2. Yes, very true, but don’t forget that birth is a very important experience to moms, dads, family members. If you had a very specific birth plan in place and you were forced to change it, that’s a hard thing to quickly get over. Consider the mother’s feelings, especially since she birth is exhausting.

#3 If someone would have said this to me I would have either slapped them or not spoken to them for a very long time. Seriously? Who in their right mind would say something like this to a new mom riddled with hormones and postpartum symptoms?

#4 If you really want a c-section by choice, that’s your own prerogative. Maybe that’s in your own birth plan. But don’t cheapen our experience by making it sound like a c-section is the “best” way to give birth.

#5 Some people connect more to their c-sections than others. For some it is a reminder that things didn’t go quite the way they planned or envisioned. For others it may be a way that they can look back on a wonderful gift. I personally have no attachment to my scar other than it being a story to someday tell my little one(s). To each their own.

If you really want to talk to a new mama about her birth story, c-section or otherwise, please keep in mind that new mama’s are very sensitive, overly emotional (rightly so) and sleep deprived. Be careful with what you say and how your words may come off as judgmental. Be supportive and listen to what mama has to say about her experience. Unless she asks, she probably doesn’t give a rats ass about your own thoughts or opinions on the matter.

When baby #2 for us happens, I will tell my midwife that I’d like to try for a VBAC first. Unless the next one has a head the size of a watermelon too, I’m hopeful that I’ll get to experience a vaginal birth. My midwife did tell me that the chances of needing a second c-section are higher if you’ve already had one, and that if we are planning on more than 2 kids we will need to discuss the risks of a possible 3rd pregnancy or c-section. We’ll cross that bridge when/if we come to it.

Taking offense to what makes a “good mom”

Published on May 9, 2014 by a.simple.mamaLeave a comment

I read this article yesterday:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bunmi-laditan/im-done-making-my-kids-childhood-magical_b_5062838.html?utm_hp_ref=email_share

I get the overall message of the article, and I see the point of mama’s these days feeling like they have to go above and beyond to make themselves or others think that they are being a “good mom” purely through appearances. But one of the lines I take serious offense to:

“For a few years, I got caught up in the “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” parenting model, which mandates you scour Pinterest for the best ideas, execute them flawlessly, and then share the photo evidence with strangers and friends via blogs and Facebook posts.”

I’m curious how Pinterest and Blogs and Facebook has anything to do with being considered a “good mom”? Since when do outside hobbies and creativity and sharing turn into the “anything you can do I can do better parenting model”? As a crafty person, I’ve always been interested in crafts and organization and blaming Pinterest for promoting a new form of Parenting seems a little harsh. Yes, I use Pinterest for ideas for J, but I also use Pinterest for home ideas, cleaning ideas, meal ideas, projects for the Hubs etc. How does that make me one of these so called “anything you can do I can do better” parents?

The fact that I choose to share my ideas and projects and that I have this blog has nothing to do with me trying to show that I’m a “good mom”. My hobbies do not define my worth as a mother. My choosing to share with my family and friends and whomever else may come across this blog has nothing to do with trying to prove that I’m a better mom than any other mom out there. I am a good mom because I love my son. I love him unconditionally and I do anything and everything that I can for him. If that involves and idea I took from Pinterest then so be it, that doesn’t mean that Pinterest makes me a good mom.

I share my ideas to help inspire other people, mom’s included. I share my stories here and on Facebook to keep my family and friends who are out of state in the loop with my family’s life. I enjoy doing projects and making my home and my life better by incorporating new ideas and trying new things. None of these things define my worth as a Mom. I am a GREAT MOM whether I do these things or not. I don’t know of a single mom out there who rates her worth as a parent by the number of Facebook shares, or the number of Pinterest ideas used at their kiddo’s birthday parties. And for those of you out there who judge other mom’s because they choose or don’t choose to share their ideas and photos via social media, shame on you. Mom’s do not attempt to gain popularity points by the number of shares and posts that they accomplish throughout their little one’s childhood.

We are GREAT MOM’S when we love our children. With or without money, photos, “keeping up with the Jones'” mentality, big houses, more toys that you know what to do with, or fancy schools. If you love your child and you do whatever you can to keep your child safe and cared for, you are a GREAT MOM.

Tongue Tied

Published on May 8, 2014February 6, 2020 by a.simple.mama2 Comments

J was born tongue-tied. Meaning that the little piece of skin under your tongue that attaches the bottom of your tongue to the floor of your mouth was attached all the way to the tip of his little tongue. The doc told us it was genetic. Although neither the Hubs or I can figure out who it came from. Either way, the doc said that getting it snipped wasn’t mandatory and many kids do just fine. However we decided it was better for J to have it taken care of as soon as possible. Just like circumcision, it would be a pretty quick and painless procedure. The doc also told us that being tongue-tied could complicate breastfeeding. And being a new mama, that was proving to be hard to get started as it was. I wanted to breastfeed, and that was another reason we chose to get it taken care of.

I don’t think there are any cons to getting the procedure done. At least none that I’ve come across in my research on it. I don’t remember what the chances of tongue-tie are in babies either, but I’d never heard of it before so I assume they are pretty slim. The ENT who did the snipping told us that a lot of times kiddos who don’t have the procedure end up ripping the skin themselves when they trip and fall during their younger years. Ick. Can’t imagine that would feel great! ENT also said that tongue-tie could cause problems later in life if J ever wanted to play an instrument or that it may affect his speech, so he (without actually saying it) told us that it was better to get it taken care of. So we did.

The procedure was pretty quick but it wasn’t fun to watch. Doc had us hold J down while he stuck a spork looking thing under his tongue and then made a quick snip with the scissors. For me it was worse than the circumcision though, they don’t numb them up for the tongue-snip procedure since there aren’t any nerves in that little piece of skin. He sure screamed though…probably more from being held down than anything but it still pulls at your heartstrings, especially as a new parent with a 2 week old. Doc had me nurse him for a few minutes to get the bleeding to stop and in about 5 minutes he was perfectly fine.

Now that J is old enough to really stick out his tongue in response to one of us doing the same thing, it appears that his tongue still isn’t quite normal. He can’t stick it out very far, and the tip isn’t rounded when he does. I’m sure it won’t be a big issue, but still makes you worry that other things could be lingering for the future. The Hubs jokes that he has a short tongue too.

It’s something I’ll mention to the pediatrician when we see him at J’s 1 year appointment, but I’m not sure I”ll get more than an “it’ll be fine” answer. Not sure there is any other answer really. I’m probably just thinking too much into it. But being a mama means over thinking things ~~some times~~ always.

pic courtesy of: http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/articles/tongue-tie