Since my boys were born, we have searched for the perfect educational gifts to keep them entertained while they learn. After almost five years, we are continually surprised by how the simplest gifts are the ones they adore the most.
Today, my three and four year old watch the Nightmare Before Christmas while drawing with their new $.99 sharpie pens, which they are totally enamored with. So, for all of you new and seasoned mommies out there, here is my list of top 5 presents that my kids have receives that are cheap and easy to find.
5. Their own drawer of wooden spoons, whisks, towels, and spatulas in the kitchen.
4. A step stool, to help wash the dishes and cook dinner.
3. Dry erase boards with a 'special' eraser.
2. A mini broom and dust pan
1. Photo album that they have helped make.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! Thanks for keeping up with the Sanity Spot. I look forward to offering more advice for the new mom in the new year.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
How do I know if my baby is feeding well?
As a lactation consultant, I get asked this question all of the time..."How do I know if my baby is feeding well?" First of all, it all depends on the age of the baby because feeding and weight gain patterns change as the baby grows and gets older.
For a 1 day old to 14 day old newborn:
For a 1 day old to 14 day old newborn:
How do I know things are going well?
- Your baby nurses 8 or more times in 24 hours and is vigorous for at least 20 minutes of each feeding.
- Your baby’s urine and stool output increases daily, and by 1 week of age he/she is urinating 6 or more times and has yellow stools 4 or more times in 24 hours.
- Your breasts start to feel full 3-5 days after your baby was born.
- Your baby settles after most feedings.
- Your breasts may be tender, but it is not painful to breastfeed.
- Your baby regains his/her birth weight by 10-14 days old.
How do I know that I need to meet with a lactation consultant?
- Your baby nurses less than 8 times a day (during the first few months)
- Your baby seems hungry all of the time, yet consistently eats for a few minutes and then falls asleep at breast.
- Your baby has not regained his/her birth weight by 10-14 days old or has very slow weight gain.
- You have very sore and/or cracked nipples and it is painful to breastfeed.
- You are worried that you do not enough milk.
- Your baby is increasingly getting yellow from jaundice.
References: Counseling the Nursing Mother by Lauwers and Swisher
Monday, December 7, 2009
Infant Massage Rubs San Diego Babies the Right Way
Infant Massage Rubs San Diego Babies the Right Way
Rachel Rainbolt, M.A., CEIM, ICI
San Diego parents are catching on; research shows that infant massage makes your baby smarter, stronger, healthier, and happier. While most parents are lured to infant massage by benefits like improved sleep patterns and relief from gastrointestinal distress, many find the most rewarding benefit to be the bond that is fostered in their new relationship with their baby.
Are you a new parent? Do you want to give your baby every advantage? Do you want something that makes parenting life easier along the way? Infant massage can give your baby a significant physical, intellectual, emotional, and social advantage that lasts a lifetime.
"Infant Massage promotes an infant’s physiological and neurological development and function, helps soothe common discomforts, promotes restful sleep and increases healthy attachment and bonding," says Infant Massage USA Trainer and Ramona resident, Suzanne P. Reese.
Infant massage stimulates digestion, healthy weight gain, intellectual development, circulation and natural healing. It promotes relaxation, sleep, self regulation, and reduces stress hormones. It relieves gastrointestinal discomfort/pain, tension, and colic. Research shows that infants who are massaged sleep longer and cry less. Even with all these benefits, parents are finding that what they treasure most from their infant massage experience is the strong, close, and healthy attachment that is fostered.
"Our new family bonded through these classes and we found massage to be a very valuable tool for getting to know our son. We loved it and looked forward to it every week!” says Carmel Mountain Ranch mom, Elizabeth Cooper-Shultz.
Infant massage promotes parent-child interaction. Parents and babies learn to read and respond sensitively to each others’ cues. Love, empathy, and respect for each other are cultivated. Infant massage enhances verbal and nonverbal communication, provides interaction through all the senses and communicates your love through nurturing and compassionate touch. Secure attachments are formed which grow into healthy relationships based on trust and security that last a lifetime.
"I would highly recommend this class to new moms and dads. My husband and I really enjoyed the class and were disappointed when it ended. When my daughter got constipated after the classes ended I knew how to make her feel better and the same thing was true when she got a cold. It’s nice and comforting to know how to make your child feel better. Massage is now a part of our bedtime routine. Since massaging in the evenings I’ve found that Reagan sleeps more soundly and longer too! I’d suggest taking the class early so you can take advantage of the colic and calming routines. An awesome experience!” says San Marcos mom, Stacy Reazor.
The short version: if you’re a new parent who is a fan of sleeping longer and less crying, then this is the class for you. The numerous benefits of infant massage are researched and well documented. If you brought a child into this world with hopes of a healthy, happy, attached family, then enroll today. As I go through my night-night routine with my baby, I will follow our bath with a massage and we will both fall asleep with the potential for tomorrow, peace for today, and harmony with each other.
At Ohana Wellness our mission is to enhance the well-being of families, ohanas. We promote health, happiness and growth while fostering attachment between parent and baby. We offer classes in Infant Massage, Babywearing and Baby Sign Language, an informative newsletter, a comprehensive resource list, and a complete line of Baby Signs products. It is our honor to touch your lives, making the transition of birth a harmonious one, easing your job as a parent, and contributing to the formation of a beautiful bond that will last a lifetime.
Rachel Rainbolt, a mother of two with eleven years of experience working with young children and parents has a Master’s Degree in Family Therapy and is featured as a Parenting Expert on KUSI’s “Inside San Diego.” She works passionately to nurture the loving bond between parent and child to foster happy, healthy families. Rachel is a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM), trained and certified by Infant Massage USA and a Baby Signs® Independent Certified Instructor (ICI).
Friday, December 4, 2009
Crock pot recipe #2
My friend, Jess, is a wonderful cook. She is also a mother of two toddlers, which means that she is always finding ways to put her crock pot to use....just makes life easier. Here is her recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup for the crock pot. It is so delicious, incredibly easy, and stores beautifully in the freezer (if you happen to have leftovers.)
Enjoy!
Jess's Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 chicken breast halves
2 15-oz cans black beans, undrained
2 15-oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 cup salsa
4-oz can chopped green chilies
14- oz can tomato sauce
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cover
ADD:
1 clove garlic
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1-3 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cover.
2. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Just before serving, remove chicken and shred into pieces, stir into soup.
To serve-
I slice fresh avocado and place on top along with shredded Mexican cheese and tortillas chips.
Enjoy!
Jess's Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 chicken breast halves
2 15-oz cans black beans, undrained
2 15-oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 cup salsa
4-oz can chopped green chilies
14- oz can tomato sauce
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cover
ADD:
1 clove garlic
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1-3 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cover.
2. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Just before serving, remove chicken and shred into pieces, stir into soup.
To serve-
I slice fresh avocado and place on top along with shredded Mexican cheese and tortillas chips.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Giving thanks to inspiring women in my life
I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many inspiring women in my life. And while they all play different roles (mom, wife, girlfriend, daughter, caregiver, etc.) each and every one of them inspires me to be a better friend, listener, caregiver, and woman. Each month, I would like to share one of my friends' stories as a way to inspire and empower other women who are looking for a little light at the end of the tunnel.
The first inspiring woman I would like to introduce is Kim, my sister-in-law. Kim is an incredible woman....intelligent, caring, passionate, and determined. She is also an eloquent writer, which makes her a perfect choice to be highlighted on The Sanity Spot. I am so blessed to have her in my life.
Here is Kim's story....
I sit here today with a nearly 7-month old baby girl who drinks only breastmilk, and I have a freezer full of my milk stored for her for later. If you had told me two years ago, when my first child was around the same age, that this would be the case, I would have laughed… or cried… probably both.
Looking back on my first experience with nursing, I’m almost surprised at how poorly it all went. When I was pregnant, I researched everything: I was going to have an unmedicated birth, I was going to wear my baby all the time, I was going to do “Baby Signs” and read to her every night and on and on and on. Somehow I didn’t see the huge gaping hole in my mommy education where breastfeeding knowledge should have been. I was so sure that it would just happen “naturally.”
After Lily was born, I was so hopped up on hormones and sleep deprivation that I didn’t know which end was up. The nurses in the hospital told me her latch looked good and I believed them. I was completely devastated after four days when Lily was obviously dehydrated and lethargic. We took her to a lactation consultant who told me to put her on formula or she’d have to be admitted to the hospital. A few weeks later, we returned and the prognosis was bad. Any breast changes? Nope. Fullness? No idea. How much are you getting when you pump? Maybe .75 ounces per session. She told me I had “insufficient glandular tissue” and I should just stop. Didn’t even want to see Lily’s latch. I felt so defeated. I finally pulled out the breastfeeding books, but they left me angry and bitter. The only problems they described were “engorgement” – too much milk. Nothing on not having enough. I felt alone - like a total failure. I felt so guilty and ashamed that I had “let my daughter down” by failing to produce enough milk.
I refused to give up. I took supplements that made me sick. I spent hours nursing and pumping with every bottle feeding. My mood was completely based on my pump output – a lot of milk meant it was a good day and a little milk made me so depressed I would cry and cry. My husband didn’t know what to do. He wanted to support me but he could see that the longer I tried to make it work, the longer I would emotionally walk on eggshells. I was completely blindsided. No one had ever told me that it was a possibility to not produce enough milk – and not just for lack of trying.
After six months, I finally decided to throw in the towel.
I got pregnant again when Lily was 13 months old. It didn’t take long for me to start thinking about nursing. Many of my anxieties returned, but I was determined to be smarter and more deliberate this time. First of all, I had some perspective. Lily had absolutely thrived on formula – hitting milestones early, smart as a whip, just awesome. If the worst case scenario was another kid like Lily, that wasn’t so bad. Second, I was going to prepare. I educated myself about supplements, pumping, everything. And I limited my craziness. No thinking about nursing until I was 7 months pregnant.
At 7 months, I met with a lactation consultant to develop a game plan. I asked other moms what they had done and did anything that sounded reasonable. I started taking alfalfa supplements. Two weeks before my due date, I started drinking 1 tsp of roasted ground cumin in warm milk, as suggested by some Indian moms I know. As soon as Maya was born, I added taking goat’s rue to turn fatty tissue into glandular tissue and fenugreek to boost my milk production. I didn’t listen to the random nurses in the maternity ward – I saw certified lactation consultants (5 times in her first 7 days) to help fix Maya’s tight and strong suck so that we could get a proper latch. After every feeding, I would hand express into a cup and would then feed her the milk from a spoon. Once I started to get streams, I switched to pumping after every feeding, except the middle of the night feedings. For those, I continued to hand express to save my time and sanity. I used a home-made Supplemental Nursing System to help supplement her feedings with pumped milk. Finally, I kept her skin-to-skin in a wrap for as long as I could. I stayed calm and didn’t let my hormones get the best of me.
As my milk came in over the first few weeks of Maya’s life, I was just overjoyed. I would wake my husband up in the early morning and make him touch my painful, misshapen, engorged boob as I beamed with pride. I had worked hard and worked smart and it had paid off. The proof is in the chubby cheeks and butterball thighs I get to kiss each day.
The first inspiring woman I would like to introduce is Kim, my sister-in-law. Kim is an incredible woman....intelligent, caring, passionate, and determined. She is also an eloquent writer, which makes her a perfect choice to be highlighted on The Sanity Spot. I am so blessed to have her in my life.
Here is Kim's story....
I sit here today with a nearly 7-month old baby girl who drinks only breastmilk, and I have a freezer full of my milk stored for her for later. If you had told me two years ago, when my first child was around the same age, that this would be the case, I would have laughed… or cried… probably both.
Looking back on my first experience with nursing, I’m almost surprised at how poorly it all went. When I was pregnant, I researched everything: I was going to have an unmedicated birth, I was going to wear my baby all the time, I was going to do “Baby Signs” and read to her every night and on and on and on. Somehow I didn’t see the huge gaping hole in my mommy education where breastfeeding knowledge should have been. I was so sure that it would just happen “naturally.”
After Lily was born, I was so hopped up on hormones and sleep deprivation that I didn’t know which end was up. The nurses in the hospital told me her latch looked good and I believed them. I was completely devastated after four days when Lily was obviously dehydrated and lethargic. We took her to a lactation consultant who told me to put her on formula or she’d have to be admitted to the hospital. A few weeks later, we returned and the prognosis was bad. Any breast changes? Nope. Fullness? No idea. How much are you getting when you pump? Maybe .75 ounces per session. She told me I had “insufficient glandular tissue” and I should just stop. Didn’t even want to see Lily’s latch. I felt so defeated. I finally pulled out the breastfeeding books, but they left me angry and bitter. The only problems they described were “engorgement” – too much milk. Nothing on not having enough. I felt alone - like a total failure. I felt so guilty and ashamed that I had “let my daughter down” by failing to produce enough milk.
I refused to give up. I took supplements that made me sick. I spent hours nursing and pumping with every bottle feeding. My mood was completely based on my pump output – a lot of milk meant it was a good day and a little milk made me so depressed I would cry and cry. My husband didn’t know what to do. He wanted to support me but he could see that the longer I tried to make it work, the longer I would emotionally walk on eggshells. I was completely blindsided. No one had ever told me that it was a possibility to not produce enough milk – and not just for lack of trying.
After six months, I finally decided to throw in the towel.
I got pregnant again when Lily was 13 months old. It didn’t take long for me to start thinking about nursing. Many of my anxieties returned, but I was determined to be smarter and more deliberate this time. First of all, I had some perspective. Lily had absolutely thrived on formula – hitting milestones early, smart as a whip, just awesome. If the worst case scenario was another kid like Lily, that wasn’t so bad. Second, I was going to prepare. I educated myself about supplements, pumping, everything. And I limited my craziness. No thinking about nursing until I was 7 months pregnant.
At 7 months, I met with a lactation consultant to develop a game plan. I asked other moms what they had done and did anything that sounded reasonable. I started taking alfalfa supplements. Two weeks before my due date, I started drinking 1 tsp of roasted ground cumin in warm milk, as suggested by some Indian moms I know. As soon as Maya was born, I added taking goat’s rue to turn fatty tissue into glandular tissue and fenugreek to boost my milk production. I didn’t listen to the random nurses in the maternity ward – I saw certified lactation consultants (5 times in her first 7 days) to help fix Maya’s tight and strong suck so that we could get a proper latch. After every feeding, I would hand express into a cup and would then feed her the milk from a spoon. Once I started to get streams, I switched to pumping after every feeding, except the middle of the night feedings. For those, I continued to hand express to save my time and sanity. I used a home-made Supplemental Nursing System to help supplement her feedings with pumped milk. Finally, I kept her skin-to-skin in a wrap for as long as I could. I stayed calm and didn’t let my hormones get the best of me.
As my milk came in over the first few weeks of Maya’s life, I was just overjoyed. I would wake my husband up in the early morning and make him touch my painful, misshapen, engorged boob as I beamed with pride. I had worked hard and worked smart and it had paid off. The proof is in the chubby cheeks and butterball thighs I get to kiss each day.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Robin and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very, Bad Day
Well, it has been one of those days... one that will go down as one of the most frustrating parenting days EVER!!! My kids, Ben (4 years) and Ryan (3 years) did nothing but throw tantrums, call each other names, call me names, fight with kids at the park, fight with each other at home, and just completely drive me crazy. Ryan actually threw a toy tractor at me and hit me in the head. It was one of those days where I wish I could have gone back to sleep at 9am. I had to go to my parents' house by 2pm (we were supposed to be there at dinner time), just to get a little reprieve.
But, this blog entry is not meant to be a complaining session. I do have a point, and it is this. At 7pm (an hour before regular bed time), I told the kids that I would read them each 2 books before bed. They both sat down next to me, Ryan with his head on my shoulder, Ben with his hand on my arm, just quiet, laughing at the stories, and acting like this horrible day had never happened.
Parenting is such a roller coaster full of ups and downs and there is no way to control anything that happens. Kids can wake up on the wrong side of the bed, just as we can. But, there is hope for us yet because we can recover, move on, and begin with a fresh start each and every morning. Now, I just can't wait to go to bed to put an end to this VERY LONG day!
But, this blog entry is not meant to be a complaining session. I do have a point, and it is this. At 7pm (an hour before regular bed time), I told the kids that I would read them each 2 books before bed. They both sat down next to me, Ryan with his head on my shoulder, Ben with his hand on my arm, just quiet, laughing at the stories, and acting like this horrible day had never happened.
Parenting is such a roller coaster full of ups and downs and there is no way to control anything that happens. Kids can wake up on the wrong side of the bed, just as we can. But, there is hope for us yet because we can recover, move on, and begin with a fresh start each and every morning. Now, I just can't wait to go to bed to put an end to this VERY LONG day!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Happiness is......
What makes me smile as a mom of two preschool-aged boys:
Happiness is....
Having my 3-year old run all the way to preschool and want to hold my hand the entire way there, just so that I wouldn't trip in my flip-flops.
Having my 3 and 4-year old boys ask for a hug and a kiss every time we part ways.
Watching my sons sigh while they sleep.
Having my 4-year old lean his head on my shoulder while we read books together.
What about your kids warms your heart? Share your moments with other moms by sending me your comments. Help another stressed-out mom smile:)
Happiness is....
Having my 3-year old run all the way to preschool and want to hold my hand the entire way there, just so that I wouldn't trip in my flip-flops.
Having my 3 and 4-year old boys ask for a hug and a kiss every time we part ways.
Watching my sons sigh while they sleep.
Having my 4-year old lean his head on my shoulder while we read books together.
What about your kids warms your heart? Share your moments with other moms by sending me your comments. Help another stressed-out mom smile:)
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Top 3 Tips to Getting Breastfeeding off to a Great Start
One of my best friends in the entire world, Michelle, is having her first baby at the beginning of December. Unfortunately, she lives across the country, so I will not be able to be there when her little one arrives. Nor, will I be able to be there in the hospital to help guide her during those few first days of breastfeeding. So, in honor of Michelle, I have created a list of my Top 3 Tips to Getting Breastfeeding off to a Great Start. I figure, I might as well share the wealth with all new moms out there. Love you, Michelle, my belle:)
#3 For the first two hours after your baby is born, kick out all extraneous people from the labor room. Your baby will be extremely alert during this time and then will mostly likely sleep for most of the next 24 hours. During these first two hours, she/he will study you, listen to your voice, and will want to breastfeed. Give her/him this quiet time to get to know you and to feed for as long as she/he wants to. If she is healthy and requires no medical attention, then you can postpone all baths, Vitamin K, and measurements until after this momentous two-hour period.
#2 Keep your baby skin-to-skin (in her/his diaper, upright on your bare chest) and covered with a warm blanket as often as possible. Babies who are held skin-to-skin cry less, stay warmer, breastfeed better and longer, have less risk of jaundice, and have a reduced risk of illnesses. Moms who hold their babies skin-to-skin are more relaxed, often produce more breast milk, and have increased confidence in parenting. Dad can also hold the baby skin-to-skin.
#1 Feed your baby on demand for the first couple of weeks. The more stimulation your breasts get, the more milk you will have in the future. Babies do not know how to read the "Baby Handbooks", so feeding every three hours is unrealistic. Feeding 8 or more times in a 24-hour period allows your baby to eat frequently during certain periods of the day and to go longer stretches during other times (hopefully at night.) You cannot spoil a baby....nor can you expect a baby to be on a schedule in the first few months. Those schedules will make more sense for you down the line.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Crock pot recipe #1
Now that it is getting cooler out, and the 'Summer of Bar BQ' is over, I feel the need to cook hot dinners for the family. But, with two boys running around the house, and often needing a referee, who has the time to cook a big, healthy meal? Well, that's where the crock pot comes in....what an amazing invention. I think all new moms should receive one as a baby shower gift. So, to make life easier for all of the moms out there who are in the same predicament as I am, I have decided to include some tried-and-true crock pot recipes on The Sanity Spot. Your kids will thank you... your husband/partner will thank you...and everything can be done in the morning while the little ones are napping or at school:)
Enjoy!
The first recipe is from my friend, Pam
Beef Brisket and Couscous
3.5 - 4lb beef brisket (cut in half to fit in the crock pot)
1 can beer (she used a bottle of Pacifico)
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tsp prepared mustard
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 small green or red bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Couscous (follow directions on box)
1. put brisket in slow cooker
2. combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat
3. cover and cook on low 8-10 hrs
4. remove meat and slice thin
5. serve on rolls or over couscous
Enjoy!
The first recipe is from my friend, Pam
Beef Brisket and Couscous
3.5 - 4lb beef brisket (cut in half to fit in the crock pot)
1 can beer (she used a bottle of Pacifico)
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tsp prepared mustard
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 small green or red bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Couscous (follow directions on box)
1. put brisket in slow cooker
2. combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat
3. cover and cook on low 8-10 hrs
4. remove meat and slice thin
5. serve on rolls or over couscous
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Top 10 Sanity Savers for Moms
This list is for all of the moms out there who are looking for a little sanity...
10. Clean Well All-Natural Hand Sanitizer - clean away playground dirt and other gross residue without poisoning those kiddos with nasty toxins.
9. Fruit smoothies with kefir - my friends call it 'bug juice.' If you have a picky eater, fruit smoothies with kefir pack quite a protein punch with much less sugar than adding yogurt. Get all of those vitamins and minerals in before 9am.
8. Dinosaur Train and Little Einsteins - I don't feel so bad plopping my kids in front of the TV for an episode (or 5!) when they can now recognize a Van Gogh painting, hum multiple classical tunes, and point out a Stygimoloch.
7. Date night with your partner - no kids, uninterrupted dinner, maybe a movie. Your partner will thank you!
6. Strong coffee - changes a grumpy mommy into a peppy mommy! Your kids will thank you!
5. Trader Joe's - "Find the Monkey and Get a Treat"... must have been thought up by a mom who really needed to get the grocery shopping done. Thank you!
4. Good crock pot recipes - greatest invention EVER. Seriously, my house is "Crazy Town" at 5pm...like I could even attempt to cook a meal at this hour.
3. Play dates with friends who have kids as crazy as yours - I can only truly relax when I am with friends whose kids are as embarrassing as mine.
2. Girls' Night Out - Mom or not, all women need a little TLC from their friends. No Kids Allowed!
1. Diapers.com - the greatest time-saving web site out there (they even keep track of previous purchases and have a completely 'green baby' section)
10. Clean Well All-Natural Hand Sanitizer - clean away playground dirt and other gross residue without poisoning those kiddos with nasty toxins.
9. Fruit smoothies with kefir - my friends call it 'bug juice.' If you have a picky eater, fruit smoothies with kefir pack quite a protein punch with much less sugar than adding yogurt. Get all of those vitamins and minerals in before 9am.
8. Dinosaur Train and Little Einsteins - I don't feel so bad plopping my kids in front of the TV for an episode (or 5!) when they can now recognize a Van Gogh painting, hum multiple classical tunes, and point out a Stygimoloch.
7. Date night with your partner - no kids, uninterrupted dinner, maybe a movie. Your partner will thank you!
6. Strong coffee - changes a grumpy mommy into a peppy mommy! Your kids will thank you!
5. Trader Joe's - "Find the Monkey and Get a Treat"... must have been thought up by a mom who really needed to get the grocery shopping done. Thank you!
4. Good crock pot recipes - greatest invention EVER. Seriously, my house is "Crazy Town" at 5pm...like I could even attempt to cook a meal at this hour.
3. Play dates with friends who have kids as crazy as yours - I can only truly relax when I am with friends whose kids are as embarrassing as mine.
2. Girls' Night Out - Mom or not, all women need a little TLC from their friends. No Kids Allowed!
1. Diapers.com - the greatest time-saving web site out there (they even keep track of previous purchases and have a completely 'green baby' section)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Memo from a football-season widow
After your baby is born, it is always a challenge to find ways to continue doing the things you did pre-baby.... going to the movies, shopping, finding time to yourself, etc. My hubby's biggest challenge is finding a way to watch football without being interrupted. Our first son, Ben, was born in July....right before football season. This first year was awesome. Jason would stay home, watch football all day, and snuggle with his baby boy. Once Ben was mobile and Ryan was born, it became a constant battle over the TV, who changes the diapers, and anything else that interrupted 'precious' football-watching time.
Now I know that I am NOT alone. Most of my friends are also 'football-season widows' - women who have no visible husband from Sunday morning through Monday night. After all week with the kids, all I want is a few moments to myself during the weekend and football season totally robs me of this personal time. It is BUNK!
So, I have found a few solutions, that I would like to share with all of you other 'football-season widows' out there.
1. Hire a cleaning lady. Now you may wonder what this has to do with football. Well, it is simple... the weekends were usually a time for me to clean my house. Now that I am in charge of the kids on the weekend, during football season, I don't have the time nor the desire to clean my house on the weekends. Now I don't have to and I don't feel a bit guilty about it.
2. If your kids nap, sneak out of the house during nap time. Your husband is still in the house so it is not like you are leaving your kids home completely alone.
3. Find a bunch of friends, with kids, who are also 'football-season widows.' On Sunday night, send all of the husbands to one house to watch football and have all of the moms and kids go to another house for dinner and hanging with the kids. As moms, we will be happy for the company, help with the kids, and good food. The kids will be happy to have some playmates and different toys to play with. The dads will be happy to have some uninterrupted time to watch football with some noisy guys. It is a WIN-WIN situation for everyone!
Lastly, as soon as football season is over, take a much-deserved moms' weekend out-of-town with your 'football-season widow' friends and have the dads stay home to take care of the kids!
Now I know that I am NOT alone. Most of my friends are also 'football-season widows' - women who have no visible husband from Sunday morning through Monday night. After all week with the kids, all I want is a few moments to myself during the weekend and football season totally robs me of this personal time. It is BUNK!
So, I have found a few solutions, that I would like to share with all of you other 'football-season widows' out there.
1. Hire a cleaning lady. Now you may wonder what this has to do with football. Well, it is simple... the weekends were usually a time for me to clean my house. Now that I am in charge of the kids on the weekend, during football season, I don't have the time nor the desire to clean my house on the weekends. Now I don't have to and I don't feel a bit guilty about it.
2. If your kids nap, sneak out of the house during nap time. Your husband is still in the house so it is not like you are leaving your kids home completely alone.
3. Find a bunch of friends, with kids, who are also 'football-season widows.' On Sunday night, send all of the husbands to one house to watch football and have all of the moms and kids go to another house for dinner and hanging with the kids. As moms, we will be happy for the company, help with the kids, and good food. The kids will be happy to have some playmates and different toys to play with. The dads will be happy to have some uninterrupted time to watch football with some noisy guys. It is a WIN-WIN situation for everyone!
Lastly, as soon as football season is over, take a much-deserved moms' weekend out-of-town with your 'football-season widow' friends and have the dads stay home to take care of the kids!
Monday, October 5, 2009
A little breastfeeding-support advocacy
How many of you out there needed the help of a lactation consultant or rented a pump? How many of you actually had those services covered by your health insurance? I know that my lactation consultations were absolutely invaluable, considering I saw my LC with both of my boys and attended her support groups multiple times....so valuable that I paid out of pocket! Well, we in California are in the process of trying to pass a bill that would make insurance cover:
- lactation consultation by an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
- the provision of quality breast pumps, as part of their health care service plans or insurance policies that provide maternity coverage.
Hello??? That is a no-brainer!
We are still waiting for the Governor’s signature on our bill AB 513. He has until October 11 to either sign the measures into law, let the bills become law without his signature or veto the bills. I know that we all are super busy....hey, we are moms....but we also know how to rally behind a very important cause. Please send a letter of support as soon as possible. We need to have our bill files full of support letters!
Hopefully one day all women will have free access to professional lactation consultants and pumping equipment!
Here is a fact letter about AB 513
Here is where to find a sample letter of support
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Secrets of Baby Behavior
One of the best trainings I have ever attended was taught by Jane Heinig from UCDavis. She teaches a workshop about understanding infant behavior. Check out her department's blog at http://www.secretsofbabybehavior.com/. Great advice for all moms about reading your baby's cues and understanding infant sleep patterns.
Welcome to The Sanity Spot
Sleep deprivation, diapers, feeding, crying.....sound a little familiar? And not just describing your baby??? All within a matter of minutes, your life has completely changed and sometimes all you want is for it to go back to the way it was.... pre-baby! But then, that sweet little baby of yours (or your three and four year olds, in my case) just look at you with those adoring eyes and you are brought to tears as your heart fills with so much emotion that it is impossible to describe. Welcome to motherhood... the
most rewarding and, definitely, the most difficult job you will ever have in your life!So sit back, put your feet up, lay your baby (infant, toddler) on your chest, and smell his/her sweet scent while he/she sleeps for a few moments. It is all about being present, in the moment (if you will), and taking a deep breath. For it is those moments you will remember the most. Hey, if we remembered all of the difficult times, we would never have any more kids.
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