I made a quick list of everyone's site/blog that is in the chat, and i saw that someone else had asked for one, so i figured i would post it and make it alot easier for all.
If i missed yours just, let me know, i grabbed them off of twitters, so if it wasn't there or i didn't already know it, i couldn't find it :(
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avalea
anne54304
blogherathome
beautifulwreck2
chibijeebs
coolzebras
evolvedmommy
family_manager
geekgirlwife
itsmecassieb
jenleereeves Her much more fun mommy blog :)
ladybugsgrama
letstalkbabies
masmom
minnesotajoy
mojomamablog
mom2nji
momneedstherapy
nannyanya
pbandjazz
puddleduck90
rylizliz
serenemoments
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Friday, August 06, 2010
No Sleep, and a Bit Stir Crazy
I love being home with Em all day, but i need something else to do. I have to find a hobby that i enjoy doing. All i've been doing is cooking, cleaning, and baby stuff and i'm about to lose my mind. I need something i can do just for me, or i do think i may literally go insane.
In other news, she is sleeping great, except for last night.. She was up all night, i got 2 hours of sleep total between 9pm last night and lunch time today. So we've started putting her down for naps in the crib also, hoping that it will help get her used to crib=sleep. We don't place her in there for anything else now, just sleeping, that way the crib doesn't equal play.
Also, trying to find a great way to organize all of Em's stuff, in a small space. We don't have much extra room but i hate everything being cluttered and all over the place. I was kinda OCD before, but since i've had Em, it's even worse! Any suggestions?
(I know this post is all over the place, but, i'm running on an empty tank that has big hole in it today, so my brain is all over the place, and a bit scattered)
Ta Ta from me for now :)
In other news, she is sleeping great, except for last night.. She was up all night, i got 2 hours of sleep total between 9pm last night and lunch time today. So we've started putting her down for naps in the crib also, hoping that it will help get her used to crib=sleep. We don't place her in there for anything else now, just sleeping, that way the crib doesn't equal play.
Also, trying to find a great way to organize all of Em's stuff, in a small space. We don't have much extra room but i hate everything being cluttered and all over the place. I was kinda OCD before, but since i've had Em, it's even worse! Any suggestions?
(I know this post is all over the place, but, i'm running on an empty tank that has big hole in it today, so my brain is all over the place, and a bit scattered)
Ta Ta from me for now :)
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Back, belly, side upsidedown!?!? Confusion
In the past month or two i have been hearing EVERYONE having a different opinion on how to lay your baby to sleep. When i was a baby, it was always on your belly, a close friend of mine had a baby about 10 years ago was told only on their side. These days when you are leaving a hospital they tell you babies HAVE TO BE on their backs.
This may work for some people, however i have a few problems with this.
A lot of doctors will say, babies start to roll over at 4 months, well i must have had a 4 month old baby, because from the day after i brought her home, she was rolling her happy butt, for the first two weeks, it was from back to belly only. At two weeks she had made it from belly to back, and these days, she's back and fourth and rolling over and over and over all over the place. LOL.
They also say, sleeping on bellies can cause SIDS, and that without head control they can suffocate face down into the bed/pillow/blanket etc. Well Em also controls her head like 9-10 month old babies, so again, i'm not agreeing or believing all this.
It may be true for some babies, but it is not true for us. If i was to make sure she was always asleep on her back then i would get to lay in the crib WITH HER, because i'd be flipping her over, every 10 minutes.
YOu tell me, if i laid you on your back, and everytime you moved, i put you right back on your back, where you were uncomfortable, would you eventually yell (or cry) at me? That's what i thought.
I put her to sleep on whatever she seems most comfortable with, because doctors say they should sleep on their backs until they are rolling over and since she is rolling over, i'm not going to force her to be crying, or uncomfortable.
YOu may all think i'm being dumb here, but i'm cautious with this. I keep her in her crib, with safety bumpers on the bed, and no pillows/blankets/stuffed animals or anything else that she could suffocate on. If she must have a blanket, it's one that is "breathable" threw material such as the light afghans that i have. Or i simply place her in a "baby bag" (also known as gowns, they just remind me of laundry bags)
I would love your opinion on this one, if you've experienced issues with the controversial "back or belly"
I think i may just start hanging her upside down from the tree and see what doctors have to say about that :) j/k of course.
This may work for some people, however i have a few problems with this.
A lot of doctors will say, babies start to roll over at 4 months, well i must have had a 4 month old baby, because from the day after i brought her home, she was rolling her happy butt, for the first two weeks, it was from back to belly only. At two weeks she had made it from belly to back, and these days, she's back and fourth and rolling over and over and over all over the place. LOL.
They also say, sleeping on bellies can cause SIDS, and that without head control they can suffocate face down into the bed/pillow/blanket etc. Well Em also controls her head like 9-10 month old babies, so again, i'm not agreeing or believing all this.
It may be true for some babies, but it is not true for us. If i was to make sure she was always asleep on her back then i would get to lay in the crib WITH HER, because i'd be flipping her over, every 10 minutes.
YOu tell me, if i laid you on your back, and everytime you moved, i put you right back on your back, where you were uncomfortable, would you eventually yell (or cry) at me? That's what i thought.
I put her to sleep on whatever she seems most comfortable with, because doctors say they should sleep on their backs until they are rolling over and since she is rolling over, i'm not going to force her to be crying, or uncomfortable.
YOu may all think i'm being dumb here, but i'm cautious with this. I keep her in her crib, with safety bumpers on the bed, and no pillows/blankets/stuffed animals or anything else that she could suffocate on. If she must have a blanket, it's one that is "breathable" threw material such as the light afghans that i have. Or i simply place her in a "baby bag" (also known as gowns, they just remind me of laundry bags)
I would love your opinion on this one, if you've experienced issues with the controversial "back or belly"
I think i may just start hanging her upside down from the tree and see what doctors have to say about that :) j/k of course.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Some of my Parenting likes, and dislikes, thus far
Note: Well, this is just a little bit about my likes and dislikes so far. Please, i love comments and advice, but please, lets all be adults, and keep things educated. Things like "YOU ARE HORRIBLE BECAUSE YOU DID THAT" is not helpful, or educated, thank You.
Breastfeeding: I am all for personal choice when it comes to this. I don't think anyone is a bad parent or harming their child for formula feeding or for breastfeeding. While i was still pregnant i was on the fence about either/or. I am not a single mom (her dad is still in the picture, kinda) but i am doing a lot of this on my own. I decided that having to always worry. "Did i have enough?" or "Was my baby getting everything she needs" wasn't an added stress i needed. I then decided to write down my pros and cons.
Pros:
-It would be cheaper, because formula is extremely expensive.
-It would always be there, so therefore i wouldn't need to worry if i had enough. I'm pretty sure my boobs weren't gonna stop pouring anytime soon.
Cons:
-I'm not extremely comfortable with my body, and although i give super props to women who can breast feeding in public, i didn't want my body to have to be displayed in front of everyone if i needed to feed in public.
-What if her daddy had her and ran out of milk, and i wasn't available, and couldn't get there in time.
These were not everything on the list, but they ended up being the most important.
When i had Em she was very small (5lbs 14oz) and by the time we left the hospital she was nearing 5lbs even, so me and the doctor and my nurse (I love them both, A TON, seriously i could not have done this without their help and support for the past 9 months) decided it would be best after a very long discussion and debate to put her on a high calorie formula (Enfamil Enfacare 22cal) because she was losing eight so quickly. So we changed her to this formula and her weight went up amazingly. She is healthy and growing like a weed now!!!
I respect every ones right to do as they please, and as they feel is best for their lifestyle. For me, bottle-feeding was the right choice, for others it may not be and either way, you are still caring and loving your little bundle of joy. (or bundle of poop, as the case may be sometimes)
Swaddle: We tried to swaddle Em for the first three or four nights, and she screamed and yelled every time she was wrapped. So we decided to try just throwing a light blanket over her at night, and letting her sleep comfortably. She slept like a rock. TO this day, she still is NOT ok with being wrapped up in a blanket, or a swaddle-me. So, it is definitely a different story for every baby, if they work great for your child, that is amazing, if not you have to find other ways to calm and comfort.
Sleep positioner: The instructions on these say, once your baby can roll over, to stop using them. Well, two days after we got home little Em decided that she was not being stuck in one position, and was rolling happily back and fourth. So, for us, they were just a waste of money, however if they work for you GREAT! Remember, every mom and baby are different, and we all have to make adjustments to fit our own lifestyle.
Bassinet: When i found out i was pregnant i really wanted one of those Victorian-style bassinets that every little girl dreams of. Well, after looking at all of them, i just couldn't seem to find one that was what i needed/wanted. Then i found my Baby trend Pack-n-play. It has a sleeper, that fits on top, once the baby is to big for that, it has a "middle" sleeper, so they are still easy to pick up during those night time feedings, but safe from rolling out, and of course, you can use it just as a pack-n-play. It also came with a changing table add on, that makes life easy when i don't have a clean surface to throw her on. I was also short on space for everything, so having the built in, combination, helped us ALOT! If your heart is set on having a bassinet that is fine, but the packnplays are lifesavers for us in this house, was less expensive, and a space saver!
Special detergents: Unless your child has severe sensitive skin, i suggest using just your normal everyday laundry soap (we use, the tide free-n-clear, but almost all brands now have "free and clear" type, so there are a lot of choices) BIG PROPS to moms who have the patience and time to sort and wash adult clothes, and baby clothes separately, but i would be doing laundry ALL DAY around here. The only clothes i make sure i keep separate from baby clothes are her Dad's filthy, nasty, work clothes. Use what works for YOU, not for everyone else.
Baby soap/shampoo/lotion :At the hospital, they used Baby Phisoderm on her and not only did it make her skin smooth and soft, it doesn't have a horrible fragrance to it. It's a baby wash, so can be used on hair and body, and we love it. It is a bit on the pricey side, so we decided that after our little one is older, we will be changing to a scent-free regular body wash, and she seems to really enjoy being rubbed down with the Johnson's Bedtime lotion after a nice splash in the tub. But, until she is actually dirty warm water and just a drop of the phisoderm works great for us at the Em household :).
Wipe Warmer: We live in Southern Mississippi, for those of you who have never been here, it is HOT (i mean like 104, 105) for a better part of the year, on the few months that it isn't THAT hot, it still isn't really COLD (had Christmas in shorts a few years back) It is also so humid you feel like you need another shower, the moment you step outside. So for us, if anything, the cool wipe on her bottom was a refreshing feeling, not a BRRR it's cold, kinda thing. They take up more space then they are worth in my opinion, but as i said, that is my opinion and based on where i live and our climate. If i would have had her while i was still in Chicago, i would probably DEFINITELY try one, because it's -50 on the warm days there sometimes, and although it would be a "wipe warmer" it would probably be used more as a "wipe defroster". :)
Diaper Bags : At my baby shower, the girls all chipped in and got me a beautiful brown and pink bag with all the fixins. I packed it up, once..It was so unorganized feeling all day, and i didn't want to have to carry a bag that was the size of a large dog just to run to lunch. If we are gone for longer than 4-5 hours i pack the big bag, but otherwise, i went to our local Walmart (or any other similar store, Kmart, Target, etc) and bought a regular backpack, with the pockets and spaces i needed. It's almost the size of a pre-school backpack and it carries all i need for 3-4 hours trips.
Side note: I also got a "diaper wallet" at my shower and although at first it seemed a bit "much" I LOVE IT now. You stick some wipes in, a couple diapers, cream if needed, and an extra suit of clothes and your ready to pick it up and go, my actual wallet is almost bigger then this thing is (it's about the size of a travel wipes case)
Well, there are my thoughts, and what worked for me, remember this isn't what works for EVERYONE and this is my first go around, so I'm learning along the way
If you have any advice, or questions, or comments please feel free to let me know :)
Ta Ta from me for now :)
Breastfeeding: I am all for personal choice when it comes to this. I don't think anyone is a bad parent or harming their child for formula feeding or for breastfeeding. While i was still pregnant i was on the fence about either/or. I am not a single mom (her dad is still in the picture, kinda) but i am doing a lot of this on my own. I decided that having to always worry. "Did i have enough?" or "Was my baby getting everything she needs" wasn't an added stress i needed. I then decided to write down my pros and cons.
Pros:
-It would be cheaper, because formula is extremely expensive.
-It would always be there, so therefore i wouldn't need to worry if i had enough. I'm pretty sure my boobs weren't gonna stop pouring anytime soon.
Cons:
-I'm not extremely comfortable with my body, and although i give super props to women who can breast feeding in public, i didn't want my body to have to be displayed in front of everyone if i needed to feed in public.
-What if her daddy had her and ran out of milk, and i wasn't available, and couldn't get there in time.
These were not everything on the list, but they ended up being the most important.
When i had Em she was very small (5lbs 14oz) and by the time we left the hospital she was nearing 5lbs even, so me and the doctor and my nurse (I love them both, A TON, seriously i could not have done this without their help and support for the past 9 months) decided it would be best after a very long discussion and debate to put her on a high calorie formula (Enfamil Enfacare 22cal) because she was losing eight so quickly. So we changed her to this formula and her weight went up amazingly. She is healthy and growing like a weed now!!!
I respect every ones right to do as they please, and as they feel is best for their lifestyle. For me, bottle-feeding was the right choice, for others it may not be and either way, you are still caring and loving your little bundle of joy. (or bundle of poop, as the case may be sometimes)
Swaddle: We tried to swaddle Em for the first three or four nights, and she screamed and yelled every time she was wrapped. So we decided to try just throwing a light blanket over her at night, and letting her sleep comfortably. She slept like a rock. TO this day, she still is NOT ok with being wrapped up in a blanket, or a swaddle-me. So, it is definitely a different story for every baby, if they work great for your child, that is amazing, if not you have to find other ways to calm and comfort.
Sleep positioner: The instructions on these say, once your baby can roll over, to stop using them. Well, two days after we got home little Em decided that she was not being stuck in one position, and was rolling happily back and fourth. So, for us, they were just a waste of money, however if they work for you GREAT! Remember, every mom and baby are different, and we all have to make adjustments to fit our own lifestyle.
Bassinet: When i found out i was pregnant i really wanted one of those Victorian-style bassinets that every little girl dreams of. Well, after looking at all of them, i just couldn't seem to find one that was what i needed/wanted. Then i found my Baby trend Pack-n-play. It has a sleeper, that fits on top, once the baby is to big for that, it has a "middle" sleeper, so they are still easy to pick up during those night time feedings, but safe from rolling out, and of course, you can use it just as a pack-n-play. It also came with a changing table add on, that makes life easy when i don't have a clean surface to throw her on. I was also short on space for everything, so having the built in, combination, helped us ALOT! If your heart is set on having a bassinet that is fine, but the packnplays are lifesavers for us in this house, was less expensive, and a space saver!
Special detergents: Unless your child has severe sensitive skin, i suggest using just your normal everyday laundry soap (we use, the tide free-n-clear, but almost all brands now have "free and clear" type, so there are a lot of choices) BIG PROPS to moms who have the patience and time to sort and wash adult clothes, and baby clothes separately, but i would be doing laundry ALL DAY around here. The only clothes i make sure i keep separate from baby clothes are her Dad's filthy, nasty, work clothes. Use what works for YOU, not for everyone else.
Baby soap/shampoo/lotion :At the hospital, they used Baby Phisoderm on her and not only did it make her skin smooth and soft, it doesn't have a horrible fragrance to it. It's a baby wash, so can be used on hair and body, and we love it. It is a bit on the pricey side, so we decided that after our little one is older, we will be changing to a scent-free regular body wash, and she seems to really enjoy being rubbed down with the Johnson's Bedtime lotion after a nice splash in the tub. But, until she is actually dirty warm water and just a drop of the phisoderm works great for us at the Em household :).
Wipe Warmer: We live in Southern Mississippi, for those of you who have never been here, it is HOT (i mean like 104, 105) for a better part of the year, on the few months that it isn't THAT hot, it still isn't really COLD (had Christmas in shorts a few years back) It is also so humid you feel like you need another shower, the moment you step outside. So for us, if anything, the cool wipe on her bottom was a refreshing feeling, not a BRRR it's cold, kinda thing. They take up more space then they are worth in my opinion, but as i said, that is my opinion and based on where i live and our climate. If i would have had her while i was still in Chicago, i would probably DEFINITELY try one, because it's -50 on the warm days there sometimes, and although it would be a "wipe warmer" it would probably be used more as a "wipe defroster". :)
Diaper Bags : At my baby shower, the girls all chipped in and got me a beautiful brown and pink bag with all the fixins. I packed it up, once..It was so unorganized feeling all day, and i didn't want to have to carry a bag that was the size of a large dog just to run to lunch. If we are gone for longer than 4-5 hours i pack the big bag, but otherwise, i went to our local Walmart (or any other similar store, Kmart, Target, etc) and bought a regular backpack, with the pockets and spaces i needed. It's almost the size of a pre-school backpack and it carries all i need for 3-4 hours trips.
Side note: I also got a "diaper wallet" at my shower and although at first it seemed a bit "much" I LOVE IT now. You stick some wipes in, a couple diapers, cream if needed, and an extra suit of clothes and your ready to pick it up and go, my actual wallet is almost bigger then this thing is (it's about the size of a travel wipes case)
Well, there are my thoughts, and what worked for me, remember this isn't what works for EVERYONE and this is my first go around, so I'm learning along the way
If you have any advice, or questions, or comments please feel free to let me know :)
Ta Ta from me for now :)
Monday, August 02, 2010
Starting Work...Leaving Em At Home
Well its been decided (by me, and the mister) that I’m going to start working part time, just to help with things and because HE thinks I should have some “adult” time away from Em.
In a way I agree, but I feel so guilty leaving her at home. I’m not ready for her to go to daycare, and luckily for now her grandma will happily watch her. But with his farm schedule, its gonna be difficult to do
So I’m officially filling out applications going to interviews in between diapers and spit up.
I just hope that maybe I will be more “okay” with not having her with me for a few hours. Because right now if I have to leave her for even an hour I’m a nervous, emotional wreck!
Only time will tell, but will it ever get better!?!?
Sunday, August 01, 2010
My First Post
The end of another day of eating, napping and of course, perfecting my use of the diaper…Or at least that’s how her day has been. My day has been full of cleaning the kitchen, doing the laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, more laundry, feeding, changing diapers, and now, just hoping the little one will finally go back to sleep.
I know this is all going to be random, but part of it is to unload my brain of all the BABY stuff, ideas, concerns, what i’ve learned, and what i want to keep track of…
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