Mommy Favorite #23

First of all – HAPPY JUNE! HAPPY SUMMER! A year ago today I was extremely pregnant and uncomfortable.
Many of these Mommy Favorites are pure and simple luxuries. And while this one is very luxurious, it’s probably one that I would keep over all the others…..

23. Video Baby Monitor
We originally registered for just a regular baby monitor, nothing fancy… it seemed like a good one, but after only a little while using it, it broke. I looked over the manual and couldn’t figure out what was wrong, so we returned it (I usually keep original packaging for stuff like that until I’m sure it works/I like it, plus also it’s easier to store stuff in the box it came in.) Of course we had to shell over the extra money for the video monitor, but momma folks, let me tell you it was worth it. I love our monitor for so many reasons:

A.) When he was really little (and I was still kind of freaked out about SIDS) I could see if he had rolled over onto his tummy or had his blanket over his face. Just knowing I could peek in on him put my mommy heart to rest.

B.) If he’s crying I can see if he’s laying down (in which case if I don’t go in there he’ll fall back asleep in a minute) or if he’s sitting/standing up, in which case I just pop in there before he gets too worked up and he’ll go right back to sleep after a moment of comfort.

C.) Most important of all: general spying on his cuteness. *sigh* I go in there before I go to sleep and make sure he’s tucked in, and then I get in bed and take one last look at my sweet sleeper. I’m wondering how long I can keep it in his room…. until he’s eleven years old maybe? We’ll just tell him it’s a smoke detector. Hehe.

Mommy Favorites #19 - #22

First of all, I have to say again how much I truly enjoy breastfeeding -- David has pretty much weened himself and it makes me kind of sad. However, I must admit it wasn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be at first. Number one, uh, cracked and painful nipples. Eeesh. I don’t even want to dwell on that one for long… Then, the whole latching thing took us a good solid six to eight weeks to get into a good system. Because that was such an ordeal it took me a while before I felt comfortable nursing in public (even with a nursing cover), so I felt like I was cut off from the rest of the world… I felt like I had to plan a detailed strategy around nursing if I ever wanted to leave the house.
Another problem I had was that David liked to snooze after a few minutes, so I spent most of the HOUR it took trying to keep him awake long enough to get a full meal and get that oh-so-important hind milk. AND THEN it felt like I was ALWAYS nursing. With it taking so long per feeding, there wasn’t much time in between and I felt rather chained to my sweet little sucker.

I know most women are all gungho about breastfeeding (as am I), because of this I felt a lot of guilt about giving my baby formula – ever. As with many other mommy-things I’ve found that the best thing for me is to let it go. I don’t need to feel guilty, I am breast feeding my baby 99% of the time, and I felt like I needed to have a bottle of formula so that I could take a shopping trip and not feel panicked about when/where I was going to nurse. Just letting go like that and releasing myself from the pressure and the guilt made nursing even more enjoyable for me. So, for the few times my child does get a bottle, here are my Mommy Favorites:

19. Nuk Bottles
Well, we originally registered for and got the Avent bottles… ug. I so should have read the reviews on Target.com because I soon found out that they leaked after a while (which is what 9 out of 10 of the reviews said) and it didn’t matter how tightly or loosely (we experimented with both) I screwed them on. I was really disappointed because the Avent bottles were more expensive. Tried the Nuk ones (MUCH better price too!) and they worked great. AND I noticed David stopped spitting up altogether once we switched bottles. (he didn’t throw up much when he was little and I was almost exclusively breastfeeding, but when he was around six months old we gave him juice/water out of the bottle and he started spitting up. I know these bottles might not help with every kid, but they did for mine!)
We do still use and like the Avent pacifiers. I like that they’re clear. And I know it's weird, but I think it's soooo cute to watch Davy suck-suck-suck his pacie, I'm sure it's just because I'm obsessed with him in general....
One down side: with the Avent bottles the cap over the nipple kept the milk from getting everywhere. With Nuk you have those little disks, which are find until you’re trying to get a bottle ready for baby to drink in the car or in church and you have to unscrew it, take that out and hope you don’t spill anything.

20. Formula Container
If you’re gonna do the formula thing, this is great because it has three little compartments (I think you can put up to three scoops in each). It’s much better than carrying the whole formula container around. So easy to make a bottle in the car because it’s already measured, you just open the little lid over one compartment and dump it in – no mess!

21. Bottle Drying Rack

I had registered for the dishwashing kit/thing for bottles and then I realized I don’t need that many bottles since I don’t use them that often. BUT I use them often enough to not want them tied up in dishwasher. It’s pretty easy just to wash them out by hand. I had them on a towel drying, but this rack works a lot better…

also saw this neat one in Target the other day:

22. Pacifier clips and wipes
I know all the books say not to give a baby a pacifier too soon because of “nipple confusion” (I dunno about that though, David seemed to understand pretty quickly where food came from and where it didn’t.) After the first night of sleeplessness we caved and gave him one. Soooo much better. He slept better and so did we. And babies love to suck, so why not?! Anyways, I love the pacifier clips and wipes for when we’re out of the house (when we’re home I don’t worry about it falling on the ground, I keep my floors super clean.) You can also use the wipes for baby toys/spoons/etc. There are tons of cute pacie clips out there, my friend Jessi has an Etsy shop, if I can find it I’ll post the link here. I especially love the clips for the car, when he spit it out it didn’t fall so I couldn’t get it, I’d just reach back and pop it back in.
So there you have my two cents.

Mommy Favorites #16-#18

“There is no finer investment for any community than putting milk into babies.” Winston Churchill


Here here!!!!

Gotta keep those babies fed! I’m so glad I stuck with breast feeding because it’s been a really wonderful experience for both of us. Here are three Mommy Favorites which helped me out a lot.

16. Nursing cover

A.) I got my first nursing cover at Wal-Mart, it looked very similar to this. It’s ok. I wish it was longer and I wish it had a way to see my baby better! It certainly worked well enough though, I’m so glad I got one. It made breast feeding in public a lot more comfortable for me and I didn’t feel so tired down and shut off from the world.

B.) The Hooter Hider
I’d like to get this brand for my second baby! My friend let me borrow hers once and I liked it a lot better. I mainly want one that's long enough/covers well, is easy to adjust, easy to see the baby and doesn't get too hot. There seem like there are a lot like these out there though. Anyone have a preference to a particular brand? Etsy has lot of cute ones!

17. Dimmer switch
Stephen installed these in our bed room and the nursery. I LOVE THEM! We don’t have a night light in David’s room at all, but if I do need to check on him I can turn the lights on low without waking him. I also like to turn down the lights as part of our wind down bedtime routine when I cuddle him for a minute before bed. But I really appreciated it the most David was a newborn and nighttimes included many feedings and diaper changes. I could have the lights on low so they wouldn’t wake Stephen up, but I had as much light as I needed. Added plus, David finds the remote a really great toy – I have snagged a few extra minutes of sleep in the AM while he plays with it.

18. Nursing Pads

A.) Johnson & Johnson’s
my favorite. Cheaper than the Medela ones… I also tried Gerber ultra thin nursing pads but didn’t care for them, they were flat and you had to shape them so they ended up feeling lumpy and itchy (so did the Medela ones.) I also thought the J&J ones had the best absorption (ug. I leaked a lot, especially in the beginning)
B.) I liked my washable nursing pads (I forget what brand I got) but I pretty much only wore them at night because they didn’t absorb as well and didn’t wick away the moisture.

Question – Lilypadz – anyone tried them? They look really neat. I was worried that they might cause Mastitis, but the FAQ page claims that it doesn’t… what do yall think?

THIS was on that show "What Would You Do?" I must admit it got me riled up a bit...I might not whip it out just anywhere, but that's my thing... I think a woman should be able to discretely feed her baby when ever/where ever. Thoughts?

Mommy Favorites #14-#15

More favorites that have made my mommyhood easier and breezier:

14. Swing!!!!
We did not register for a swing. My thought: there is already too much baby stuff junking up our house, swings are huge and a luxury. Ooooh pre-baby-me, if I could only go back and tell her how much she will come to love the baby swing! In the beginning I was asking all the mommies I knew what they did to get their babies to sleep! And with pity in their eyes for the bags under mine – soooo many moms said their babies loved the swing. Thankfully, we have a generous sister-in-law (thanks Jamie!) who let us borrow theirs. Who cares if it is pink with butterflies – David loved it!

He got his first cold when he as two months old and pretty much slept on my chest the first few nights, waking himself (and mommy) up with his coughing and struggling breath (so pitiful!) He wasn’t sleeping, he was miserable, I was miserable. Out of desperation I put him in the swing and……HE SLEPT THROUGH THE ENTIRE NIGHT. And the angels sang a hallelujah chorus!!! (ok, so sleeping through the night at two months old is pretty good……..but let me tell you – THOSE WERE THE LONGEST TWO MONTHS OF MY LIFE.) I called my dad to see if that was ok, a baby sleeping in a swing all night, and he said yeah that was fine. Thankgoodness for the plug in swing! (no wind up, no midnight run to Wal-Mart for D batteries.) Once he got used to sleeping through the night we then did the transition to the crib. All I know is, I am a better mother, wife and Christian when I get good sleep! And David is a happier, healthier baby for getting good rest himself.

15. Baby wearing
I’m all about some one-handed mommy action! But I also really love being able to use both hands sometimes. (ie. Shopping, cleaning, etc) I love the idea of baby wearing! Closest thing to being preggo again, having my little one nice and close to me!

A.) Sling One
We only used our first sling twice. I felt like it swung away from my body too much and I was nervous about bumping David’s head. Stephen used it once and David got Waaaaaaay too hot and that was the last time we used it. Good thing too, it ended up being recalled due to suffocation danger.

B.) Sling Two
I got this sling at Target. I liked it. It kept David nice and sung and comfortable. I even used it when I went to the library to use the internet and he just slept peacefully. I think I might like the sling with a ring that you can tighten, but this worked well for us. I also tried to use it to help me hold him on my hip. It worked ok (maybe I didn’t use it right) but it sort of put a lot of stress on my shoulder and I wasn’t completely able to use both hands, just didn’t put as much stress on one arm (he’s getting heavy!)

C.) Baby Bjorn
We borrowed a Baby Bjorn and this has to be one of my favorite items! I could wear him facing in or out (he always preferred facing out, he would be sooooo good and happy when we’d go shopping, just looking around and smiling at everyone.) He’s too big for it now. I’d like to look into getting a backpack so we can go hiking!

Question – Moby wrap?
I’ve seen a lot of pictures of the Moby wrap, it looks really comfortable… but it also looks a little complicated and a lot of fabric. For those of you who have tried it – is it pretty easy to put on and get the baby in? (in a parking lot, when it’s raining??) Is it super hot and bulky with all that fabric? Is the Moby brand the best in this type of wrap? I’d love to know what yall think!

ALSO…as David gets heavier… I’m starting to think about getting a backpack so we can go hiking, etc. Anyone know of a good one to recommend?

Mommy Favorite #13

This is one of my faaaaaavorite mommy songs. Every time I hear it I tear up. *sniff* And I KNOW this is cheesey, but I get even sappier when I think about Davy getting married one day, and me handing him over to his wife and letting her be the one to love him the most. *sigh* I have the lyrics to this song written in his baby book… next to THIS picture…

You're my life's one Miracle,
Everything I've done that's good
And you break my heart with tenderness,
And I confess it's true
I never knew a love like this till you....
You're the reason I was born
Now I finally know for sure
And I'm overwhelmed with happiness
So blessed to hold you close
The one that I love most
With all the future has so much for you in store
Who could ever love you more?
The nearest thing to heaven,
You're my angel from above
Only God creates such perfect love
When you smile at me, I cry
And to save your life I'll die
With a romance that is pure heart,
You are my dearest part
Whatever it requires,
I live for your desires
Forget my own, your needs will come before
Who could ever love you more?
Well there is nothing you could ever do,
To make me stop, loving you
And every breath I take,
Is always for your sake
You sleep inside my dreams and know for sure
Who could ever love you more?

Faves: #11 & #12

For today, just two random favorites….

11. Car Mirror
But not just any mirror! This one plays music that you can turn on with a remote. Now firs t let me say, I think this is ridiculous. I’m one that thinks kids these days are over stimulated, and WHY does everything need batteries??? And it irks me that you have to use a screwdriver to replace any batteries (I mean, I understand why, safety and all that rubbish). BUT the mirror we had originally registered for didn’t work in our car (we didn’t have any headrests in the back seat for them to attach to) so I FINALLY found one that worked and it happened to be this one…the dinky music is soooo annoying, but David loved it. if he was fussy and crying in the car, as soon as I’d turn that thing on he’d quiet down and most of the time just go to sleep (how he found that peaceful I have no idea.) I went so far as to record the dinky music on my cell phone and play it for him when he was super fussy and it would calm him down. So weird, but as any desperate mommy trapped in the car with a screaming kid: YOU DO WHAT WORKS!
I DO love being able to check on him in the mirror. Plus also, he’s waaaaay cute. I do have to be careful about not just staring at him every two minutes. Oprah wants us to sign her No-Phone-Zone so we don’t talk on the phone and drive – I’d say a cute (or screaming) baby in the back seat is Waayhaaay more distracting than chatting on a cell phone!!!

12. Umbrella stroller
This was another thing I sort of scoffed at us “needing.” We already have a great (though honkin big) stroller that came with our infant car seat. But we got an umbrella stroller when we were going to DC to sight see (D was getting too big for me to carry him all day in the Bjorn/Sling). It was great because it folded up easily to go on the crowded subway.
Things I love about our umbrella stroller:
A.) it has a place for your drink/wallet up by the handlebars.
B.) very light weight, easy for me to carry (even with one hand, do ya hear me other mothers?)
C. )it can recline slightly (David took some naps while we were in museums)
D.) a little shade which helped keep the rain off while we were there, also good for tucking scarves/jackets behind when pulled back.
E.) a basket underneath for keeping miscellaneous baby junk.
F. ) an optional tray you could attach (or not) that had a place for a sippy cup.
I will say one down side is that it’s not the best for Stephen to use since the one we have is sort of short, it’s more comfortable for me to push.

Mommy Favorites #8-#10

Last Mommy Favorites were food based, and we all know ------------ what goes in must come out. I KNEW babies had lots of diapers, but I was still kind of poop-shocked at the amount…it still feels like I change a butt-load of diapers. (feeding and cleaning, that’s basically what I do ALL DAY. Man, it’s a good thing my kid is so darn cute!)

8. Diaper Champ
I’ve used the Diaper Genie on several occasions, and it out smarted me pretty much. I dunno if it’s changed since I’ve used it, but something about pushing and twisting a poo-bomb seems dangerous to me. I love our diaper Champ for Several reasons.
A.) it’s so easy to use! You just drop the diapey in, flip the handle, and ca-chunk the diaper is gone!
B.) it takes regular trash bags = saving money!
C.) it keeps the smell out really well until it gets too full. (and I will admit, I totally shake the thing to get every last inch of room in there before I take it out) I’ve noticed it fills up in about a week, so I just take it out every night before our trash pick-up. Also, I hear it works well for cloth diapers as well.

9. Diaper sacks
Simple but nifty. I love these little guys for putting dirty diapers in when we’re out (and any clothes that got wet/dirty). A friend who uses cloth diapers also uses them. They have a nice scent that helps keep the sink contained.

10. Disposable changing pads
Brittany mentioned these and they are great! I use just regular lap pads on my changing table cause they’re easy to just take off and chuck in the hamper when he gets stuff on them. But the disposable mats are really wonderful! Like Britt, I love knowing that the germies from a public changing table aren’t going back into my diaper bag!

Oh, a little side note for mommies of boy newborns. Vaseline in the squeeze tube is the way to go with circumcision care. Soooo much easier than the tub. And although I prefer Budros Butt Paste for rashes, The Method brand is in a pump, which is also nice, so I can just squirt that stuff on there, use the diaper to rub it around and not get it caked under my fingernails. Any good tips on how you deal with a baby-butt?? :)

Mommy Favorites #4-#7

A few more of my favorite inventions….

4. Bumpkins pocket bib
I was tired to going to restaurants and feeling embarrassed when we left, feeling like I should have vacuumed, with all the Cheerios and puffs David left on the ground. So I picked up one of those pocket bibs (this is weird, but that is one of my freakishly early memories, wearing a pocking bib). I really like the Bumpkin brand – it’s softer than some of the other ones I’ve seen so it’s easier for the baby to self feed (not stuck behind a huge, stiff plastic bib!). It’s also very easy to rinse off. I heard from a friend who uses cloth diapers that they’ve been experimenting with the different types of plastic covers and Bumpkin ones seem to work the best.

5. Mum-Mums
These were one of the first foods I gave to David. They dissolve easily (without making a huge mess like the Gerber Biter Biscuits) and come in rice and vegetable flavors. They come in a box, packaged in twos – so you can throw a pack in the diaper bag…and you don’t have to worry about them getting hard and stale over time. My mom gave these to my little sister, and they really enjoyed them too. I also loved how they would entertain David so I could clean the kitchen or fix dinner!!!

6. Baby food in a squeeze container
My friend Stacy introduced me to these. We were invited out to eat on a Sunday and Stephen had to drive home first to pick up baby food and spoon. Now I keep one of these in the diaper bag and in a pinch we have food on hand (and it doesn’t even need a spoon!)

7. Munchkins Snack Catchers
These are awesome for self feeding! At church we’d have to hand him one puff/Cheerio at a time so as not to make a huge mess. This allows a child to get one or two out and they also won’t spill the whole container.






On a side note… I’ve been letting David play with a spoon while I feed him. He loves it, and I figure it’s always good to start practicing. I’ve been putting Cheerios in the spoon now and then and he puts it in his mouth, and it’s not terribly messy!

What has saves your sanity when it comes to eating time with a baby??

Mommy Favorites!

Last weekend we had a church baby shower for a new momma and a bunch of us young mothers got together and picked out a few of our favorite things that we thought were helpful as a new mom. Before I had a kid I’d always get the *cute outfit,* and although I still love cute clothes, I realize how important the practical stuff are to a mom! I thought about doing a few posts about some of my Mommy Favorites. (don’t worry, this isn’t the kind of blog where I shorten stuff to the first letters to be cute… MF? Not so cute. Haha)


Here is what I contributed to the gift:

1. The basket we put everything in.

I have small baskets all over the house so that at the end of the day I can throw all the baby stuff in there and straighten up. It certainly helps my sanity! And we also discovered that David Looooves taking stuff out of a basket… his “basket work” will keep him quietly occupied for a long time (plus also, it’s way cute how busy he gets at his basket work.) Stuff we keep in baskets: books, toys, pacies, burp cloths, and on the changing table we keep wipes, butt paste, hand sanitizer and lotion.

2. Baby soap in a pump. (note: Method baby soap is not as good, doesn’t lather very well, has a weird smell)

It makes a difference when the baby’s small and slippery and you’re trying to give them a bath – you can pump the soap with one hand while keeping the other on baby.

3. Swaddler! (Swaddle Me Brand)

You can get these at Wal-Mart or Babies R Us and Target. They are awesome! David slept so much better, all cocooned up in one of these. There are several points of Velcro to keep the baby nice and snug (a little like a baby straight jacket) and makes for a cute little baby burrito. They come in fleece, jersey and cotton. There was one brand we got (I forget the name) that wasn’t as good because it had only one place that velcroed and so David kicked/squirmed it off.

Just a few things I found helpful! :)
Please share some of your mommy favorites! I always love good ideas.