http://lisajobaker.com/2013/05/a-mothers-day-video-you-are-mighty-because-you-mother/
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
You are Mighty
This video came to me at the perfect time in my life. It is so inspirational and makes me so grateful to be a mother.
http://lisajobaker.com/2013/05/a-mothers-day-video-you-are-mighty-because-you-mother/
http://lisajobaker.com/2013/05/a-mothers-day-video-you-are-mighty-because-you-mother/
Monday, May 6, 2013
Tips to Make Nursing Easier
Nursing isn't a walk in the park. It takes patience, time, and determination to breastfeed your baby. But I promise that it is worth it! Breastfeeding protects your baby from a long list of sicknesses, can help your baby not develop allergies, lowers risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), reduces YOUR stress level and can help prevent breast cancer. But the reason why I personally love breastfeeding is that it is a special time that you get to bond with your baby. There is nothing better than having a squiggly baby snuggle up to you for 15 minutes while you feed them. Even though that feeling helps out with the time and energy of breastfeeding, here are a few tips to make it easier on you.
1) Make your "nursing place" comfy and friendly!
You'll be spending A LOT of time nursing so you better make sure you are comfortable! I love my glider but you can nurse on your bed with lots of pillows stuffed behind your back and sides or even sit crossed-legged on the floor. But I promise you that nursing takes time and you can't rush it so you better be comfortable. My friend calls her nursing place her "throne." Make it comfy and you will find that nursing is a lot easier!
2) You can't expect to produce milk if you aren't drinking enough water!
This finally hit me when my milk started to decrease and I've been trying to be better about drinking water. Buy a cute water bottle or use the handy one that the hospital will give you and keep it by your "nursing place." I love my CamelBak Eddy water bottle because it doesn't leak.
3) Nursing brings out a very hungry you!
If you are anything like me, you will feel STARVING if you breastfeed exclusively. I felt like I was always hungry. But remember, you are burning on average an extra 500 calories every day! (You'll also like hearing that nursing mothers lose weight easier and faster than non-nursing mothers) My advice to you is to find your favorite healthy snack to put by your "nursing place." My favorite snacks were trail mix, granola bars, or carrots. You will want to snack on those during late night feedings because you will feel starving!
4) Nursing Pillows and Creams help!
A nursing pillow is heaven sent. When you are dead tired at 2am, you'll be grateful for a little pillow that you can stick under your arms to help support the baby while you nurse. I personally love my Boppy (http://www.boppy.com/) that someone bought me from Target but you can get a free nursing pillow at https://www.nursingpillow.com/content/home when you use the promo code 50MOM. Also, Lanolin cream really does help! You get pretty sore the first couple weeks but the cream helps a ton.
1) Make your "nursing place" comfy and friendly!
You'll be spending A LOT of time nursing so you better make sure you are comfortable! I love my glider but you can nurse on your bed with lots of pillows stuffed behind your back and sides or even sit crossed-legged on the floor. But I promise you that nursing takes time and you can't rush it so you better be comfortable. My friend calls her nursing place her "throne." Make it comfy and you will find that nursing is a lot easier!
2) You can't expect to produce milk if you aren't drinking enough water!
This finally hit me when my milk started to decrease and I've been trying to be better about drinking water. Buy a cute water bottle or use the handy one that the hospital will give you and keep it by your "nursing place." I love my CamelBak Eddy water bottle because it doesn't leak.
3) Nursing brings out a very hungry you!
If you are anything like me, you will feel STARVING if you breastfeed exclusively. I felt like I was always hungry. But remember, you are burning on average an extra 500 calories every day! (You'll also like hearing that nursing mothers lose weight easier and faster than non-nursing mothers) My advice to you is to find your favorite healthy snack to put by your "nursing place." My favorite snacks were trail mix, granola bars, or carrots. You will want to snack on those during late night feedings because you will feel starving!
4) Nursing Pillows and Creams help!
A nursing pillow is heaven sent. When you are dead tired at 2am, you'll be grateful for a little pillow that you can stick under your arms to help support the baby while you nurse. I personally love my Boppy (http://www.boppy.com/) that someone bought me from Target but you can get a free nursing pillow at https://www.nursingpillow.com/content/home when you use the promo code 50MOM. Also, Lanolin cream really does help! You get pretty sore the first couple weeks but the cream helps a ton.
Gender Reveal Idea
Looking for a cute way to tell family and friends what you are having? I saw this idea on Facebook and thought it was such a cute and clever idea!
Thanks to Ally Best Johnson for the cute idea!
Friday, April 26, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Baby's Ideal Diet
4 - 8 MONTHS OLD
In addition to 3-5 nursings or 24-32 oz add:
Breakfast:
2 Tbs. infant cereal
Lunch:
1-2 Tbs. infant cereal
2 Tbs. pureed fruits or veggies
Dinner:
1-2 Tbs. infant cereal
1-2 Tbs. pureed fruits or veggies
Food ideas: applesauce, ripe mangoes, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, squash, bananas, ripe apricots.
8 - 11 MONTHS OLD
In addition to 3-5 nursings or 24-32 oz add:
Breakfast:
2-3 Tbs. infant cereal
1 Tbs. fruit
2-3 Tbs. infant cereal
2 Tbs. pureed fruits
1 Tbs. finger food
Dinner:
2 Tbs. pureed veggies
1-2 Tbs. pureed meat
1 Tbs. finger food
Food ideas: finely diced kiwifruit, bananas, ripe peaches, watermelon, very ripe pears, cantaloupe, whole-grain cereal, avocado, cooked and finely diced squash, tiny pieces of pineapple, cooked sweet potatoes.
FOODS TO AVOID until baby is 1:
- Cow's milk: they can't digest it.
- Peanut butter: choking hazard.
- Honey: causes botulism.
- Round foods (like blackberries): can get stuck in baby's windpipe.
- Raw veggies and dried fruits: choking hazards.
- Stringy foods: choking hazards.
Source: American Baby
Baby Food 101
I had a hard time knowing when to start my baby on baby food/rice cereal and it was overwhelming to read all of the articles online. After looking at different advice and tips, here is what I found out:
Can I add rice cereal to my baby's bottle?
No! Your baby doesn't need the extra calories and a new study has come out saying that cereal-thickened formula can make babies gag and inhale the liquid into their lungs.
Should rice cereal be the first thing to introduce my baby to?
In the past people thought that babies should start with rice cereal but doctors say that it's fine to start your baby with pureed veggies or fruit.
When should I start my baby on baby food?
For most babies you can start solids around 4 - 6 months old. Make sure your baby can support his or her self and keep their head up independently before you start. (Ashely Hotle, pediatric dietitian at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital)
What should I do if my baby doesn't seem to like a certain food?
Keep trying! Offer the food one bite every day for a week. 85% of babies eventually enjoy the taste of a new food. (Alan Greene, clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford)
Should I feed my baby the veggies before the fruit?
Not necessarily. In the past a lot of people thought that if you fed the baby fruit first then he/she wouldn't eat the veggies but there's no evidence to that theory.
When should I try new flavors of baby food for my baby?
Your baby can learn to like almost any food from 6 to 12 months (from the time he/she starts solids). If you start introducing your baby to new foods at the beginning then they have a larger variety that they like when they get to the picky stage (around 2 or 3 years old). You can even try some pureed seasoned ravioli to spice things up. When your baby is 10 months old you can get even more adventurous!
How can I help reduce the risk of by baby spitting up the food?
When babies sit up at a 90ยบ angle it will help strengthen the neck and head muscles, relieve pressure on the stomach, and help reduce spit up.
What should and shouldn't I feed my baby if he/she is under 1 year old?
Fish is actually safe for babies 6 months and older! Just make sure you mash it up really good and choose fish that is low in mercury (salmon or mahi mahi). You probably already know this but you need to avoid feeding your baby honey. Why? Clostridium bacteria can contaminate honey, especially, and cause infant botulism. Infant botulism can cause muscle weakness, with signs like poor sucking, a weak cry, constipation, and an overall decreased muscle ton/floppiness (KidsHealth.org). When kids get older they can handle the bacteria better.
Can my baby eat meat?
Yes! As long as you puree your red meat or poultry to a thin consistency then go right ahead! Studies actually show that children who eat meat earlier in life have higher intakes of zinc and iron which are essential nutrients for growth.
* Final Tip:
Make sure that you are eating healthy foods so that your baby wants to eat what you are eating. If you are eating greasy fries or ice cream then your baby will be fussy if you don't offer him/her some. Your baby will be more interested in eating what's on his/her plate if it's the same as yours! But don't let that stop you from your once or twice a month date with Ben & Jerry's ice cream when you have a craving!
Can I add rice cereal to my baby's bottle?
No! Your baby doesn't need the extra calories and a new study has come out saying that cereal-thickened formula can make babies gag and inhale the liquid into their lungs.
Should rice cereal be the first thing to introduce my baby to?
In the past people thought that babies should start with rice cereal but doctors say that it's fine to start your baby with pureed veggies or fruit.
When should I start my baby on baby food?
For most babies you can start solids around 4 - 6 months old. Make sure your baby can support his or her self and keep their head up independently before you start. (Ashely Hotle, pediatric dietitian at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital)
What should I do if my baby doesn't seem to like a certain food?
Keep trying! Offer the food one bite every day for a week. 85% of babies eventually enjoy the taste of a new food. (Alan Greene, clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford)
Should I feed my baby the veggies before the fruit?
Not necessarily. In the past a lot of people thought that if you fed the baby fruit first then he/she wouldn't eat the veggies but there's no evidence to that theory.
When should I try new flavors of baby food for my baby?
Your baby can learn to like almost any food from 6 to 12 months (from the time he/she starts solids). If you start introducing your baby to new foods at the beginning then they have a larger variety that they like when they get to the picky stage (around 2 or 3 years old). You can even try some pureed seasoned ravioli to spice things up. When your baby is 10 months old you can get even more adventurous!
How can I help reduce the risk of by baby spitting up the food?
When babies sit up at a 90ยบ angle it will help strengthen the neck and head muscles, relieve pressure on the stomach, and help reduce spit up.
What should and shouldn't I feed my baby if he/she is under 1 year old?
Fish is actually safe for babies 6 months and older! Just make sure you mash it up really good and choose fish that is low in mercury (salmon or mahi mahi). You probably already know this but you need to avoid feeding your baby honey. Why? Clostridium bacteria can contaminate honey, especially, and cause infant botulism. Infant botulism can cause muscle weakness, with signs like poor sucking, a weak cry, constipation, and an overall decreased muscle ton/floppiness (KidsHealth.org). When kids get older they can handle the bacteria better.
Can my baby eat meat?
Yes! As long as you puree your red meat or poultry to a thin consistency then go right ahead! Studies actually show that children who eat meat earlier in life have higher intakes of zinc and iron which are essential nutrients for growth.
* Final Tip:
Make sure that you are eating healthy foods so that your baby wants to eat what you are eating. If you are eating greasy fries or ice cream then your baby will be fussy if you don't offer him/her some. Your baby will be more interested in eating what's on his/her plate if it's the same as yours! But don't let that stop you from your once or twice a month date with Ben & Jerry's ice cream when you have a craving!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
HOW TO Pinch Your Pennies
Let's face it, having a baby is not cheap. There are so many little (and big) expenses that really add up. If you are like me, it can be a little overwhelming to think about everything you need to buy. I wanted to have the perfect nursery that was decorated just right but we didn't have the money to buy everything I wanted. Being a penny pincher motivated me to find whatever ways I could to save money but still get the cute nursery that I had dreamed of. Here are my top 5 tips that helped me save money:
1) BUY USED & REDO!
Buying something used and redoing it is a great way to have the perfect color/pattern/size for your baby's nursery but it also saves you a lot of money! I had a white dresser pictured in my mind for the nursery but didn't have the money. I couldn't find a dresser for less than $200 or $300 (and that's on the cheap end) on the internet or in stores. After buying it used and redoing it, I had the perfect dresser for less than half the price. (Click the link for my Buy Used & Redo post to see the dresser that my husband and I redid and to get tips on redoing your own dresser) Another easy but cute thing to redo is an old lamp. I bought an old lamp from my local thrift store (DI) and just added cute fabric and trim to the shade. You can also spray paint the actual lamp to match your nursery. Quick and easy but it adds a lot to a nursery!
2) DIY PROJECTS
Nursery decorations are really expensive and I had a hard time finding exactly what I pictured/what I wanted. The great thing about DIY (do it yourself) projects is that you can customize the color/pattern/size of your decoration and it is WAY cheaper. Here is a little project I did that I found on Pinterest. It was really easy to do but added a cute little decoration. (If anyone would like the tutorial then send me a message and I will send you the link)
If you haven't been on the famous Pinterest then allow me to introduce you to this amazing tool! It has hundreds of DIY projects just waiting to be created. You can just type "DIY nursery" in the search bar and it will come up with hundreds of ideas. Have fun and be creative!
3) BUY USED/GENTLY USED
You can buy most things used for the nursery. Dressers, lamps, bedding (wash really good), and even car seats and cribs. The thing about car seats and cribs is that you need to be careful in buying used.
- Car seats have an expiration date (usually 5 to 10 years after the manufacture date) so if you buy used, make sure that it isn't expired or that it hasn't been in any accidents. It is your child's safety on the line so be picky with the safety!
- Cribs. Buying a used crib from a thrift store, yard sale, or neighbor can save you a lot a money. Just make sure that the crib doesn't have any paint chips and doesn't have a drop down side. There is a lot of controversy with this but from the research I did suggests that drop down side cribs are dangerous. You can read more about it here: http://babyproducts.about.com/od/sleepbedding/a/drop_side_cribs_safety.htm
- Baby Clothes/Shoes. Definitely ok to buy these used! Babies go through clothes so fast so it's likely that the clothes you buy have only been used a couple times. Just make sure you wash them really good. It also helps to buy them from someone you know, if possible.
4) LOOK FOR DEALS/PROMOTIONS/COUPONS
I tried to find any possible way to save more money when I had to buy something for the nursery. Most websites have promotion codes for 10% or 20% off or free shipping. This can save you a lot of money! I saved 20% on my diaper bag through a promo code. I also signed up for a Target credit card to get 15% off my crib AND got free shipping. Take the time to look for promo codes online because they could really help you save. Another tip: always buy with a coupon! Stores ALWAYS have coupons out and when you are making a big purchase, 10% or 20% off can make a big difference.
Click here to check out my post on FREE nursing covers, car seat covers, diaper bags, etc. for mothers.
5) STICK TO THE BASICS
Let's be honest, your baby won't remember the brand of clothes it is wearing or that you didn't buy the expensive furniture set for the nursery. If you are struggling to buy all the things you want, stick to the basics and add more little things as you can. Click here for a list of basic items for the baby.
1) BUY USED & REDO!
Buying something used and redoing it is a great way to have the perfect color/pattern/size for your baby's nursery but it also saves you a lot of money! I had a white dresser pictured in my mind for the nursery but didn't have the money. I couldn't find a dresser for less than $200 or $300 (and that's on the cheap end) on the internet or in stores. After buying it used and redoing it, I had the perfect dresser for less than half the price. (Click the link for my Buy Used & Redo post to see the dresser that my husband and I redid and to get tips on redoing your own dresser) Another easy but cute thing to redo is an old lamp. I bought an old lamp from my local thrift store (DI) and just added cute fabric and trim to the shade. You can also spray paint the actual lamp to match your nursery. Quick and easy but it adds a lot to a nursery!
2) DIY PROJECTS
Nursery decorations are really expensive and I had a hard time finding exactly what I pictured/what I wanted. The great thing about DIY (do it yourself) projects is that you can customize the color/pattern/size of your decoration and it is WAY cheaper. Here is a little project I did that I found on Pinterest. It was really easy to do but added a cute little decoration. (If anyone would like the tutorial then send me a message and I will send you the link)
If you haven't been on the famous Pinterest then allow me to introduce you to this amazing tool! It has hundreds of DIY projects just waiting to be created. You can just type "DIY nursery" in the search bar and it will come up with hundreds of ideas. Have fun and be creative!
3) BUY USED/GENTLY USED
You can buy most things used for the nursery. Dressers, lamps, bedding (wash really good), and even car seats and cribs. The thing about car seats and cribs is that you need to be careful in buying used.
- Car seats have an expiration date (usually 5 to 10 years after the manufacture date) so if you buy used, make sure that it isn't expired or that it hasn't been in any accidents. It is your child's safety on the line so be picky with the safety!
- Cribs. Buying a used crib from a thrift store, yard sale, or neighbor can save you a lot a money. Just make sure that the crib doesn't have any paint chips and doesn't have a drop down side. There is a lot of controversy with this but from the research I did suggests that drop down side cribs are dangerous. You can read more about it here: http://babyproducts.about.com/od/sleepbedding/a/drop_side_cribs_safety.htm
- Baby Clothes/Shoes. Definitely ok to buy these used! Babies go through clothes so fast so it's likely that the clothes you buy have only been used a couple times. Just make sure you wash them really good. It also helps to buy them from someone you know, if possible.
4) LOOK FOR DEALS/PROMOTIONS/COUPONS
I tried to find any possible way to save more money when I had to buy something for the nursery. Most websites have promotion codes for 10% or 20% off or free shipping. This can save you a lot of money! I saved 20% on my diaper bag through a promo code. I also signed up for a Target credit card to get 15% off my crib AND got free shipping. Take the time to look for promo codes online because they could really help you save. Another tip: always buy with a coupon! Stores ALWAYS have coupons out and when you are making a big purchase, 10% or 20% off can make a big difference.
Click here to check out my post on FREE nursing covers, car seat covers, diaper bags, etc. for mothers.
5) STICK TO THE BASICS
Let's be honest, your baby won't remember the brand of clothes it is wearing or that you didn't buy the expensive furniture set for the nursery. If you are struggling to buy all the things you want, stick to the basics and add more little things as you can. Click here for a list of basic items for the baby.
Don't become overwhelmed, everything will work out. Remember that the most important thing you can give your baby is your attention and love.
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