Oh Baby! Daylight Savings Time

I received two interesting, but opposite questions yesterday, so decided to answer them in back-to-back blogs.

The first was asking how to handle baby’s schedule on the day we “fall back” and end daylight savings.  Specifically, what should you do about baby’s routine – feedings, naptime and bedtime?

Easy!  Just follow the clock.  Don’t even think about what time it “should be”, just change your clock and do feedings, naps and bedtime according to the “new” time.  Baby might take a few days to adjust, but in my experience, the adjustment is minor.  It helps mom’s sanity not to have to do any math while looking at the clock and it seems that baby has a near seamless transition this way.

And this all goes for toddlers and preschoolers too!

Halloween Fun Craft Ideas

If you are following this blog, then you know that the posts center around three things (pregnancy, prepping for baby or new baby advice.)  But because Halloween is my favorite holiday and my son and I are obessed with our costumes, craft projects and Halloween parties, I decided to throw in a holiday blog every now and then.

Here are three fun Halloween craft projects for you to do with your kids.  If you are intimidated already, please continue reading.  There is an easy craft, a moderate project and a more difficult one!

FOR THE NOVICE:

·         Paper Plate Jack-o-Lantern – buy orange paper plates or have your kids color/paint white paper plates.  Use black felt, foam or paper to cut out eyes, a nose and a mouth.  Create a green pipe cleaner stem and leaf )or just use green construction paper.  Hang around your house and enjoy!

FOR THE CRAFT DABBLER:

·         Noodle Skeleton – buy different noodle shapes such as wheels, penne, macaroni and shells.  Glue noodles in skull or skeleton shape on black construction paper.

FOR THE PROS:

Clothespin Bats – use a pencil to draw a bat outline on black foam, felt or construction paper.  You can find templates through Google Images (free coloring pages are a good route.)  Cut the form out (you will need two bat forms for each clothespin.)  Glue googly eyes to the bat, or use colorful construction paper, paint, etc. to make eyes.

Meanwhile, paint clothespins black (spray paint is easiest).  Once dry, glue a bat form to either side of the clothespin.  Glue the tips of the wings together.  Hang around your house with the clothespin clip!

Happy Halloween crafting!!!!

Pregnancy - Syptoms and Solutions

I had every pregnancy symptom under the sun, how about you?!  Hopefully this post can help you relieve some of the more common pregnancy symptoms.

Nausea
-eat 4-5 mini meals a day
-don't let stomach become empty
-eat crackers before getting out of bed in the morning
-chew crystallized ginger or drink ginger tea
-peppermint flavored items, drink peppermint tea
-wear motion sickness bands
-if you are throwing up and can't eat, you might need IV fluids
-eat granola bars, Capri Sun drink pouches, lemon candy or Preggie Drops

Fatigue
-listen to your body! It needs LOTS of rest, so don't feel guilty if you sleep on the couch from the time you get home from work until dinner and then you go to bed after dinner!

Stuffy Nose
-saline drops
-warm compresses

Backache
-maintain proper posture
-use good body mechanics (don't bend over sideways to unload the dryer)
-try pelvic tilt exercises

Constipation
-eat lots of food with bulk - whole grains, bran, raw veggies, fresh and dried fruits
-drink lots of water and fruit juice
-establish a daily habit
-get regular exercise like walking
-if none of these natural remedies do the trick, ask your doctor about trying Milk of Magnesia or Miralax.  The latter got me through pregnancy and post-anesthesia.

Leg Cramps
-partner can place the heel of mom's foot in his palm, then gently use forearm to push the ball of her foot towards her body
-adjust calcium/phosphorus ratio (talk to your doctor)

Heartburn
-eat small frequent meals
-drink liquids in between meals rather than during a meal
-avoid fatty and high spiced foods
-avoid lying down after a meal
-avoid carbonated drinks
-try Tums or even a prescription medication

Shortness of Breath
-maintain correct posture
-slow down
-sleep propped up with pillows

Swelling in legs and feet
-sit, swim or walk in water
-increase fluid intake
-sit instead of stand; lie down instead of sitting; elevate feet several times a day

Varicose Veins
-elevate legs at right angle of body 2-5 minutes several times a day
-wear support hose
-try a warm bath
-avoid crossing your legs or locking your knees

Hemorrhoids
-avoid constipation
-Keggel for circulation
-apply witch hazel compresses (over the counter at the drugstore)

Copied from Prepared Childbirth The Family Way by Debby Amis and Jeanne Green

Baby Prep Advice - Nursing!

If you are going to nurse, you need to prepare!

GEAR:
Breast pads - I tried the Lansinoh and the Medela and liked both equally.
Lansinoh nipple cream - great for sore nipples and it is OK to leave this on for nursings (easiest way to get it off your hands is a dry tissue .)
Milk storage bags - definitely buy the Lansinoh bags. I bought another brand and all of my frozen milk went bad!

BRAS:
This is tricky because you don't know how big your breasts will be once your milk comes in. You can try and buy one or two before you give birth. It is generally safe to go up one size from your pregnancy breasts. I had a very hard time finding a bra that fits because I have very large cup size and relatively smaller around the bust. I didn't like any of the bras that looked like traditional bars. I had luck with the Seamless Nursing Sleep Bra by Medela at Mimi Maternity. It comes in S, M, L, XL and it is very comfortable for every day. I didn't know it was a sleep bra until I looked it up for this web site! I then bought two bras at Motherhood, one with underwire and one without. These were very uncomfortable because I had such nursing issues (very sensitive breasts inside and out), but they were fine for going out.

Now, I can't stress enough how much I love the sleep bras at Motherhood Maternity. At the time that I purchased them, they were $11. If you are apprehensive about buying 'cup size' bras, just buy 2 of these sleep bras and wear them day and night when you first come home. They are so soft and comfy and they have decent support for day and night. I bought one in white and one in black, but would have preferred two whites.

And once my breasts regulated and went closer to their normal size, I was able to wear this great Wacoal bra that is a soft lace with no under wire. It is comfy and because there is no under wire, there is easy access for feedings.  Just keep in mind, without underwire, there WILL be less support!

BUYING A PUMP:
Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or you work full time, buy a high-end, professional grade pump. This was a piece of advice a friend game me and I thought, nah, I am going to be at home or bring baby to work, so I can get a cheapy. I thought that going cheaper just meant that it might take a little longer for the milk to come out. Well, it can take A LOT longer but it can also be harder to get the milk out. And that is the last stress you need!

I suggest the Medela Pump In Style or the Ameda Purely Yours. The Medela is the most mainstream and well-known because it is sold in stores like Babies R Us.

The Ameda is ranked as a tie in Baby Bargains, but it is harder to find. It is about $50 cheaper, so that is why I sought it out. I bought it online at www.babycatalog.com and I have been very happy with it. It actually came damaged and the manufacturer sent me a new which I received within two days of calling.

The only downside I can see with the Ameda is that the refrigerator storage bottles only hold 4 ounces, but the Medela bottles hold 6 ounces. Once I started feeding baby 6 ounces, I had to pump 3 ounces in two bottles or do 2 and 4 ounce bottles.

I also was told by friends to buy the pump before baby was born. But I didn't listen. I honestly thought that I might not need it - that I would be such the Mother Earth that I would only nurse. WELL, once I started nursing, 8 times every 24 hours, and I had sooo many issues with it, I was DYING to pump at least one bottle a day so my husband could give me a break. SO, buy it ahead of time, unless you are really on the fence about nursing and think you might not want to do it.

Ah, what we go through for our little babes!  I didn't even mention my thrush AND mastitis!

Mommy Wisdom's Favorite Questions

I received a new question recently from a reader about her baby.  I thought I would post it here in addition to some of the top questions I have received in the past.

Please feel free to email me any question and if I don't have an answer based on personal experience, I'll research answers for you.

And remember, send me the funny things your kids say, I am compiling a blog of all-kid quotes!

NEW Q: My 4-month old daughter is already (somehow) ending up on her tummy in her crib at night which worries me!  My pediatrician scared me so badly when he said to always have her sleep on her back.

A: This happens to almost every baby at some point.  They realize that tummy sleep ROCKS and is what nature intended!  Four months is early, but it is definitely not uncommon.  My pediatrician said that if a baby does it all on her own, then not to worry, let her be.  BUT, the golden rule still applies.  Make sure not to have anything in the crib - blankets, swaddle, hat, pillow, stuffed animal, etc.  This is always important, but DOUBLY so when a baby begins to sleep on her tummy.  And if it were happening to me, I would check on her a couple of extra times in the night.  :-)

Q: My newborn daughter screams and cries when I nurse her. Is she not hungry?

A: There are a variety of reasons why your baby might cry during nursing. She could be milk/soy intolerant. This can be tested by your doctor through a dirty diaper. If she is, then you can either change your diet to continue nursing, or you can purchase special milk and soy free formula. Baby also might cry if your let down is too slow or if she can't latch on due to engorgement or a weak latch. And then, there is always the chance that there is no reason. Newborns are allowed to cry just because.

Q: I know that newborns can't regulate their temperature. How do I know what to dress my baby in?

A: The general rule of thumb is to dress your baby in one layer more than what you are wearing. And this only applies to newborns. So around 6-8 weeks in summer and maybe closer to 12 weeks in winter, you can stop layering and dress baby in the same amount of layers as you are wearing.

Q: My baby has a lumpy head. Is this dangerous or should I worry about it?

A: This is very common now that babies sleep on their backs. They have very soft heads as newborns so the hard mattress causes the lump. It's in no way dangerous to your baby's brain. Ask your pediatrician to look at it BEFORE six months. If it is very noticeable, you can helmet your baby. This is very costly and is only suggested if it is cosmetically noticeable.

Q: My baby has a terrible diaper rash. How do I know what to do about it?

A: There are a lot of different diaper rashes. I suggest you look in What to Expect the First Year because they have a descriptive list of the various diaper rashes. I can tell you that when my son was a newborn he got one that was a red ring around his b-hole and my doctor said this was very common in breast fed babies. He prescribed a compound cream and it worked. My son then got a rash while we had thrush and I had to use foot cream on his butt. I asked my doctor what I should do to prevent the diaper rashes and he had a great tip. He said that the heavy-duty white creams are great, but when you try to get it off, it irritates the skin. So, he suggested that after you use wipes, dry it completely with a tissue and then apply Vaseline. This keeps the moisture out. It worked GREAT!

Q: You talk about the best diapers to buy. What about swim diapers?

A: One of my friends suggested Pamper Splashers, although they all seem to do just fine. She did tell me a little trick. She washes them out after she gets home from the pool and uses them a few more times - until they get scruffy. And, I accidentally bought Dora decorated diapers for my son. So, get gender appropriate, if you care.

Q: Is the whole "nursing calorie burn" true?

A: It definitely is true that you burn about 500 extra calories a day nursing. BUT, you are super hungry because of nursing, so you are taking in more food. And, it depends what food you eat! I gained exactly 30 pounds during my pregnancy. And within about 4 months of having my baby, I had lost all of it. BUT, when he turned 6 months and I was only nursing 4 times per day, I gained about 4 pounds back. And, before I got pregnant, I needed to lose 10-12 pounds. And that was really hard to get off even with the 4X per day nursing. So, my advice - be your ideal weight when you get pregnant. And one more thing - I have heard that your body keeps on an extra 5 or 10 pounds while nursing. I hope that is true!

Q: My baby was born with steel blue eyes. Will they stay that color?

A: From what I have read, babies are born with steel blue or brown eyes. If he is born with brown, they will stay brown. But, if they are steel blue, they can turn green, brown, hazel or they can stay blue. And they will generally stick around 8 months - but of course, it could be earlier or later.

Getting Ready for Baby - Names!

Whether you have had your baby's name picked out for months, or you don't plan on deciding until you actually give birth, it is so much fun to research baby names.


Here are my two favorite sites to surf for baby name options and information!

www.socialsecurity.gov - you can type in any year all the way back to 1885 or so and see the top names of that year. Mary was #1 for something like 50 years!

www.babynamewizard.com - click on Name Voyager - this is great fun. See the peaks and valleys of a name's popularity over the decades.

You might notice that some of the most popular names of today did not even exist 50 years ago!

New Baby Advice - Wake a Sleeping Baby?

I had a really hard time with this because my friends and doctor told me to wake him if he was going over schedule. Basically, your goal is to get your baby to sleep through the night. This is gradual, so you are trying to eliminate feedings slowly. But during the day, it is suggested that you feed your baby every 3 to 4 hours AND that you get 6 feedings in during the day. Well, my son always slept past this mark. So, I had to wake him A LOT. I would go in and stare at him, chicken out and run out and call my husband. I usually forced myself at the 4.5 hour mark after I would envision being up in the night an extra time.

So, I say, definitely wake a sleeping baby but only until about 4 months. This is advice I got from the book Baby Whisperer. I noticed that I didn't generally have to wake him as much around 3 months or 3.5 months. And by 4 months, he was on a pretty decent routine. But, there were maybe 2 times where I woke him after 4 months, and it was very hard for him to get up and he was fussy. When they are newborns, babies can sleep anywhere, eat anytime, etc. But as their internal clocks start to form, it gets harder to break up their routine.

And you'll notice that baby won't be able to sleep on the run anymore. You will be stuck at home while he sleeps in his cozy crib. But it is worth it to have a happy, rested baby!