WFMW: Weaning from the Binky

I haven't joined the Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival in a long time, but I'm back! I have a great suggestion for weaning a baby/toddler from a pacifier!

I read this advice somewhere on the internet when Wendy was a toddler, and gave it a try. Within a week, she was completely Binky-free, with zero tears. Now that David is that age (our pediatrician recommends weaning from the pacifier by 18 months), I've done it again. And guess what?

It worked even better. He is Binky-free after only a few days.

How did I do it? It's easy!

When your baby/toddler isn't watching, cut about 1/4" off of the tip of the pacifier. That's it! That's all! Let your baby have the pacifier at all the usual times, without any restriction. In two days, if baby is still wanting the pacifier, cut another 1/4" off. Repeat as needed until baby decides that the pacifier isn't necessary.

My favorite thing about this method weaning from the Binky is that I am not the Mean Mommy. The decision to give up the pacifier came from the baby, and I didn't have to fight any battles over it.

Two additional points:
*Make sure that your cut is smooth. You don't want baby's mouth to get irritated if he decides to keep sucking on the pacifier.
*Make sure to keep the pacifier clean. Once the bulb is cut, it can trap all kinds of dirt and germs.

Good luck! For more tips and advice, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family!

TILT: Playtex Nurser

In my 3 years and almost 4 months of being a mother, I have fixed/fed/cleaned a lot of bottles. A lot. Really. We have primarily used the very inexpensive simple Gerber or Evenflo classic bottles; we've never been thrilled with them, but they're cheap. We have one of the BPA-free Avent bottles; the wide mouth is great, but they sometimes leak & soak the baby.

When we accidentally left the diaper bag behind in Florida and didn't discover it until we were a couple of hours down the road, I had to stop at a store to get bottles. I decided to give the Playtex Drop-Ins Premium Nurser a try, since I could just switch out the liner & wash the nipple for the different feedings as we traveled.

I am in love with this system!! We now have two of the nursers and 4 of the rapid-flow nipples (the bottles come packaged w/ slow-flow), and I would rather use them than any of our other bottles. Not only are they simple to clean, but you don't even have to wash the nurser at every feeding. A quick wash of the ring, a new liner, a clean nipple, and you're good to go. The mouth of the liners & bottles is wide, making it easier to mix formula. Also? They do not leak. Ever.

I can't believe I didn't try them sooner! For more recommendations, visit Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries!

Things I Love Thursday: Sophie!

I first read about her on a blog, and I was intrigued. She sounded like a good idea, but was she worth it? Would David like her? Wouldn't she be just like all the other teething toys we've bought - played with for a few minutes and then tossed aside? It seemed like he would rather chew on his fists than any kind of teether. I went out on a limb and decided to give her a try.

She arrived on Tuesday, and I immediately took her out of the box, wiped her off, and handed her to David.

His eyes got huge, and if he could talk, he would have asked, "Where have you been all my life?!?" He grasped her by the neck, inspected her thoroughly, and immediately began gnawing on her feet.

It was love at first sight.



Her name is Sophie the Giraffe. She's made of natural rubber, painted with food paint, and she squeaks pleasantly when her body is squeezed. She's easy for little hands to grasp, and there are many chewable parts - David prefers her feet, but he'll also chew on an ear for variety.

I am so happy that Sophie has joined our family!

For more recommendations, visit Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries!

Things I Love Thursday: Ministar

When Wendy was a baby, I spend about half of every day putting socks back on her cold little pudgy feet - until I discovered Ministar baby shoes at Target. They're essentially like Robeez, but much more affordable for the average parent. I got a pair because I had a coupon, not thinking I would even like them, and once I tried them, I was hooked!!

These shoes stay on. They're soft, flexible leather, so they conform to baby's growing foot. Wendy never did figure out how to get them off; the XL size lasted until she was 2 1/2, and she still couldn't get them off.

When we were putting together a baby registry when David was on the way, these shoes were one of the first things we added. They work so well, and keep his feet warm (but not too hot) and keep his socks on.

We started with this pair:
Then, today, I got him a new pair for fall & winter:
I wish they made these boots in my size!

For more Things I Love Thursday, visit The Diaper Diaries!

WFMW: The Double Swaddle

Swaddling has been used for centuries to soothe & calm young babies. We swaddled Wendy for every nap & bedtime until she was seven months old; it really helped her to sleep better. It was easy when she was a newborn, but as she grew & became stronger, it was harder to get her swaddled securely enough that she would stay that way. David is only 12 weeks old, but we were already having trouble keeping his arms secure - until I figured out this trick, which I call a double swaddle.

(The idea isn't original with me; I figured this out after watching a video about the Miracle Blanket. I thought it was a great idea, and then realized I could accomplish the same thing just using two thin receiving blankets - of which I have a whole stack!)

It starts like a traditional swaddle, except that you lay out two blankets, one on top of the other, both with the top corner folded down.

Place your baby right in the middle, with his head above the top edge of the blankets. (Be sure to smooch his baby cheeks when you do this; it's essential for the swaddling process.)

Here's where it is different. Take his left arm and pull it down against his left side. Take the top layer of blanket on that side, wrap it around his arm, and tuck it under his rump.

Do the same with the other arm. At this point, his arms are pretty effectively pinned against his sides, with the blanket tucked up under his behind.


Then use the outer blanket to swaddle him like you normally would, tucking one side in snugly, and wrapping the other around & tucking it underneath.


And there you have it! A securely wrapped bundle of cuteness. I wish I had figured this out when Wendy was a baby, because it would have saved us a lot of frustration from her getting loose & waking herself up. David can't budge at all when he's wrapped like this, and he loves it - he usually grins up at me once he's securely wrapped.

Because there are two layers of blankets, make sure you don't over-dress your baby before swaddling him like this. David usually just wears a onesie & socks to bed, and he seems to be perfectly comfortable with his two flannel receiving blankets around him. (The only reason he was in a footed sleeper for these pictures is because he was fresh from a bath.)

Double-swaddling definitely Works for Me! For more great tips & ideas, head over to Works-For-Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family!

For my previous WFMW entries, click here.

Babywearing: A Beginner's Summary

I first heard about the concept of "babywearing" when I was pregnant with David. I had known all along that there were different styles of wearable carriers for infants; when Wendy was a baby, we had a (very uncomfortable) Evenflo Snugli that we used a time or two. Because the Snugli was uncomfortable for Wendy and for whoever was wearing her, we only used that carrier when the stroller wasn't practical.

When I heard about babywearing, it piqued my interest - I knew that having my hands free would help a lot in taking care of a newborn and a toddler at the same time. I researched different products and talked to friends who had different styles of carriers. From all of that information, I chose two products to try - the Moby Wrap and the Maya Wrap. I was also given a gently-used BabyBjorn from someone whose baby had outgrown it.

Here are my thoughts on the different carriers, after using them for about six weeks:

1. Moby Wrap

The Moby Wrap is an 18-ft long piece of slightly-stretchy cotton knit. It feels a lot like a comfy old T-shirt. It comes with an instructional booklet that is easy to understand, illustrating how to wrap it and different positions for carrying your baby. It takes a little practice, and it takes a few minutes to put on, but it is by far the most comfortable of my three carriers. When David rides in it, I don't feel any pressure points; his weight is evenly supported along the wrap. There are many different ways to carry a baby with the Moby Wrap. Right now we use the Newborn Hug Hold and the Cradle Hold; I look forward to trying the other holds as soon as David is developmentally ready!

• Advantages: very comfortable, very versatile, easily washable
  
• Disadvantages: need practice to wear baby confidently, can be hot due to all the fabric

2. Maya Wrap

The Maya Wrap is a lightweight woven ring sling. It comes in different sizes for different body types; mine is actually too big, but that just means the tail is too long - and we can work with that. There is a nice zipper pocket in the tail for storing the Binky or Mama's cell phone or whatever. It comes with an instructional DVD that clearly demonstrates how to wear the sling & how to position baby comfortably - it even shows you how to wear more than one sling if you have multiples. I haven't used the Maya Wrap as much as the other two, because I've had a hard time getting David comfortable in it. The material isn't stretchy at all, so it takes a little time to adjust it. The woven material is nice and breathable, and it's definitely the coolest of my three carriers. There are a few different positions for carrying baby; we've only tried the tummy-to-tummy and the cradle. I think with more practice, I'll prefer the ring sling for certain situations.

• Advantages: simple to put on, much cooler than the other carriers
• Disadvantages: no stretch - not quite as comfortable as the other carriers

3. BabyBjorn

The BabyBjorn is a structured carrier for wearing baby in a tummy-to-tummy hold. It is very easy to put on, and is easily adjusted for different wearers. The seat and back are padded for baby's comfort, but the padding does restrict airflow. The top edge can be folded down once baby has good head control, so that he or she can look around while being carried. My BabyBjorn lives in the car, because it is the easiest to put on and use when I'm on the go. It's also a good carrier for James to use, because it is so simple, there's just no learning curve to it. It's fairly comfortable but can get hot since it isn't breathable. It's also not quite as secure for babies without good head control; David's little noggin can get to bobbing around quite a bit if he's trying to look around.

• Advantages: Very easy to use, fairly comfortable
• Disadvantages: Not breathable, only one carrying position

Babywearing is often tied to attachment parenting. We aren't into attachment parenting per se, but wearing David definitely has benefits. He is more calm and content when he is in one of the carriers, especially during times when his tummy is upset or he is fussy. He generally settles right down & goes to sleep. David is a natural snuggler, and would happily spend all day being held & carried around. That makes it difficult to take care of Wendy & get other things done, so wearing him has definitely helped. (I don't wear David 24/7 - some days I don't wear him at all, it just depends on what we're doing.)

I've also noticed that wearing David helps him to stay asleep in situations where he might otherwise be disturbed & wake up. I've worn him in the grocery store many times, in the backyard playing with Wendy, and even during Bible class last Wednesday night. If babywearing helps him to sleep when he needs to sleep & helps us keep to a more normal schedule, I'm all for it!

I hope this has been helpful for anyone interested in babywearing. This information is all based on opinion and my limited experience, since I've only been trying it for about six weeks, and only with a newborn. As David gets bigger, I definitely want to try a mei tai carrier and an Ergo carrier, because I've heard such good things about both of them.

Do you have any experience with baby carriers? What's your favorite?

WFMW: Second Baby Advice

This week at We Are THAT Family, the Works-For-Me Wednesday tip carnival is a backwards edition - meaning I get to ASK for advice instead of volunteering it.

Obviously I've got babies on the brain right now, with David coming in less than 6 weeks. I'd love some advice from mothers of 2-or-more kids, especially if your first child was roughly 2 1/2 when your second was born.

How do I explain the changes to my daughter?

How do we help her to love her baby brother?

How can I make the transition easier for her?

How in the world am I going to take care of a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn while recovering from a C-section???

Thanks for your help. This is the stuff that keeps me awake at night.

Jumping Bean

This Friday, Jan. 23rd, at 8:15 a.m. is what I've been waiting for the whole pregnancy. It's the BIG ultrasound. Of course, we're hoping that all signs point to a healthy baby. We want to see that little heart beating away, we want to see those legs & arms flail about, and we want to see all kinds of development since our last ultrasound two months ago.

But what I'm really excited for? We want baby to show us those privates!!!

This is no time for modesty.

There's a poll up at the top of my sidebar so you can vote for what you think we're having. I just knew that Wendy was a girl; I'm not as sure with this one, but I'm leaning toward a boy.

Come back Friday afternoon for the big reveal of the baby's sex & name!

Prayers for Tiffany

Many of you are friends, either IRL or online, with Tiffany from Snapshots of Life. She is having a C-section this morning to deliver little Mr. Austin Wyatt into the world! Please think of her today, & say a prayer that everything goes well!

****
Update: He's here! Austin is 6 pounds, 13 ounces, 19ish inches long, and has black curly hair! Yay!

(Thanks for the info, Sandi!)

Stoicism? I think not...

Men are stronger than women in many ways - physically, emotionally, even sometimes mentally. But women in general have made fun of men for decades for their struggles in dealing with illness, be it a cold or an injury or whathaveyou. I've read & heard plenty of jokes about men having the sniffles and being incapacitated, whining and expecting special treatment when suffering a minor cold.

Let me just say that the situation I described is entirely reversed in our house.

Yes, indeed.

James is brave. James is strong. James is stoic. He has the unspoken mentality that "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Since he works from his upstairs office, he works when he's sick - there isn't anyone to worry about infecting. He works on the cars when his knuckles are bashed & bleeding, because he doesn't want to stop & get a bandage - it's no big deal, after all. When we lived in Missouri, he once mowed our acre lot while he had the flu. He regretted that one after he threw up & was basically incapacitated for about 24 hours.

I am...not brave. Not strong. Definitely, most sincerely, not stoic. It's not that I cry & weep & wail when I'm sick or injured. But I DO take it easy, ship the Girlie off to Grandma's, take extra naps, and basically pamper myself.

That brings me, once again, to my (all-day) morning sickness. The kind of illness I am the LEAST stoic about is nauseousness. And so God, with his wisdom & sense of humor, has chosen to make me a very, very sick pregnant woman. The prescription antacid helps quite a bit, but there are days...stressful days, days when I'm tired, days when the wind blows from the west...that I am still nauseous. All day long. As in, if I move much at all, the dry heaves start.

When I was pregnant with Wendy, the nausea was worse but was actually easier to cope with - I wasn't working and I didn't have a 2 year old to care for! If moving make me sick, then fine, I'd stay in bed all day. This time around, I have to do a certain amount - I have to keep Girlie clean & fed & entertained, even though I can barely change her diaper some days.

This post doesn't really have a point, except that I always want sympathy when I don't feel good. So please, sympathize with me, and tell me I'll be feeling a lot better in just a few weeks - all I need to do is hang in there, trust God, ask for help when I need it, and remember why I'm doing this.

The reward we expect in May will be SO worth it all.

If you don't laugh out loud, you weren't listening.

This is very funny, and I could see my Wendy saying this...




Many thanks to Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer for the link!

Mommyhood

I’ve been working on this blog entry for several days, getting it all ready. I’m sure I’ll think of things to add to it after I’ve posted it. Please feel free to share your additions to my list as well!

This is a list of a few things I’ve learned in my short time as a Mommy:
1. Poop can end up anywhere. ANYWHERE.
2. Related to no.1 – some diapers are better than others, but no diaper is perfect.
3. Sometimes it’s better to just throw the sippy cup (or bottle) away. Don’t open one that’s been in the car for a week.
4. Babies grow back their fingertips (after Mommy practically cuts them off with the first couple of nail trims).
5. When baby is tired, every little thing is a catastrophe of global proportions.
6. Little girls learn how to wrap men around their fingers at a very early age. Especially older men like grandpas and great-grandpas and strangers at the grocery store.
7. Oxi-clean is the closest thing to a perfect stain remover, but nothing will completely remove those dried-in formula stains.
8. Pink footie pajamas hanging on the clothesline make me smile.
9. We could have skipped the 3-6 month size of clothes completely with hardly any problem.
10. Sometimes a baby just needs her Mommy.
11. Every baby must have a certain number of goose-egg bruises on the forehead when learning to walk.
12. You can use a lot of effort and discipline in your finances, and lose your head when it comes to cute baby clothes. (Which your baby will outgrow immediately.)
13. Baby socks make good cat toys.
14. There’s nothing like a good Daddy to make a Mommy’s life better!
15. No matter how frustrating and exasperating a toddler is, a couple of nights with a 104 fever that doesn’t respond to Tylenol will change your mindset completely.
16. Packing the bag to go to the store with a newborn feels like mounting an expedition. And you will still forget something important.
17. Pediatricians have on-call nurses for a reason – you aren’t the only panicky parent in the world.
18. Even if you think you’ve baby-proofed your house, once your toddler starts to toddle, all bets are off.
19. A toddler set in the yard to play will immediately head toward the street.
20. Nothing beats a snack of juice and Goldfish.
21. Two crib sheets are good, but three is better. (I have two, and once had one in the washer and one in the dryer and none to put on the bed!)
22. Buy a spare Blankie.
23. Take the spare Blankie on trips, just in case.
24. There’s no such thing as a truly leak-free sippy cup.
25. At the end of a rough day, when baby toddles over to you and rests her head on your knee, everything is suddenly OK.
26. Baby, who turns up her little nose at decent, healthy foods, will happily eat leaves, mulch, bugs, and cat hair.
27. It’s better to use the tiny plastic earring backs for babies. They’re much harder to get on & off.
28. Footie sleepers are wonderful. Light ones for summer & air conditioning, heavy ones for spring & fall, light ones plus a heavy one for winter. That works for us, anyway, in our old drafty house.
29. A bare foot is a happy foot – ask any baby.
30. A happy toddler in a bathtub can splash water all over a large bathroom.
31. That same happy toddler does NOT want her face washed.

That’s all I can think of for the moment. I’m sure I’ll end up adding some!

Strange things you've told your children

One of my favorite stories from a friend of ours is that she one day had to tell her 3 year old, "Don't drink out of your brother's shoe." Just thinking about that makes me laugh. Well, I just told Wendy, "Don't eat my sock."

We celebrated her birthday at her Grandma & Grandpa's house this afternoon. I'll post about that tomorrow, hopefully with the cute cake pictures.

What's the strangest thing you've told your child?

Thank God for healthy babies...

I was going to wait to blog until tomorrow, and include this in my "5 for Friday," but I just couldn't. Wendy went to the pediatrician this morning for Wendy's 1-year physical and shots. (Happy birthday - here are 4 pokes with sharp needles!) She's in perfect health. She weighs 21lb 3.8 oz and is 31 inches tall. That's 95th %ile for height and 50th %ile for weight. She's a string bean like her Daddy!

After we came home and I put her down for a nap, I checked my friends' blogs. I followed links around and ended up on this site. It tells a heartbreaking story of a precious baby girl and her family. As I read it, tears poured down my face. I thought of all the times I get frustrated with Wendy and her high energy level and propensity for trouble. I complain because I'm always chasing her or picking up after her, because she's so busy. And what I feel now, after reading that blog, is how dare I!

How could I complain about my vibrant, healthy child? The poor Farley family was hanging onto their little girl's every breath, and I get upset about books and toys in the floor? I have been so blessed. I don't even know the Farleys, but I'm certainly praying for them. I hope you will, too.