Getting Ready Fast AND Looking Decent

 Pre-Baby Luxuries...

You were able to spend as much time as you wanted blow drying your semi-frizzy hair to make it sleek, shiny and straight.

Your eye make was perfected with 3 different colors...highlighter, base coat, and an accent.  Eye liner was neatly applied and two coats of mascara made your eyes look bright and large.

Your nails were always painted and groomed.

Your night-time routine consisted of washing your face, face mask, eye cream, face lotion, and teeth whitening.

Newborn Realities...

FACT:
Some days you will have a baby screaming her head off while you are attempting to make yourself look like you actually got 3 hours of sleep (even if you did not).


FACT:
You may have to nurse baby WHILE putting on your make-up so you can make your doctor's appointment on time.


FACT:
You are all ready to go aaaaand baby spit up ALL over your freshly washed and straightened hair.


YES, these scenarios have all happened to me on more than one occasion.

So, lets discuss how to make the most of your limited time AND look presentable.

1.  Always shower.  Even if this means a 30 second body scrub.  You will feel SO much better.


2.  Train your hair to be washed every other day (push it to 3 days if you can).
  -Day 1 of clean hair: Blow dry and straighten.
  -Day 2 of not so clean hair:  Cute pony.
  -Day 3 of dirty hair:  Put baby powder on your roots, rub in, and blow dry roots.  Pony tail or braid day!


3.  Wash face, moisturize with SPF, and put a quick coat of foundation, a touch of blush, and mascara.  The rest is fluff!


4.  Always put lip gloss on when you are in the car.  It will make your look more pulled together and makes you feel pretty.


5.  Learn to do your make up while nursing.  Crazy...yes...but expedites your routine!


6.  Nail polish...forget about it!  Between changing diapers and washing bottles your polish is bound to chip.  Try shellac!


7.  Lay your clothes out the day before....maybe two options.  (spit up DOES happen!)


8.  Make yourself a check list.  (I have honestly forgotten the following basic needs.)  EX:  Brush Teeth, Contacts, Go to the bathroom, ect....


9.  So....nothing fits, invest in a few cute pairs of yoga pants and tops.  Sure will be beat looking frumpy!!


10.  Have confidence.  Confidence speaks VOLUMES and can make any girl look better!  Put on that smile, pull your shoulders back, and walk like you are proud to be a momma!!  (no one needs to know that you only got 4 hours of sleep TOTAL last night! ....although I am pretty sure I told everyone all about it!)

Thrifty Thursday- Amazon Baby Swing Deal

Today we are featuring a deal from Amazon. This adorable Fisher Price Cradle'N Swing is priced at $126.97 (marked down from $164.99). That's about $38 in savings, score! The swing also has a MUST have feature (according to me at least)- it plugs into an outlet. No more spending $1,000 on D batteries which is basically like a double bonus. 

Check out the swing here and don't forget to click on the link below the price/pictures section to claim the coupon! 

Fisher-Price Cradle 'N Swing

0-3 Months Milestones

Witnessing your baby's milestones are some of the most rewarding moments of being a mommy.

Here are some milestones your baby should start to develop. 

Baby 0-3 Months

Social/Emotional

-Develop a Social Smile

-Playing with others (i.e.-interacting).  Baby may get upset when playtime is over.

-Becomes more expressive and communicative with face and body

-Imitates some body movement and facial expressions.

Movement

-Raises head and chest when doing 'tummy time'.

-Supports upper body with arms when lying on tummy.

-Stretches legs out and kicks when on tummy or back.

-Opens and shuts hands.

-Pushes down on legs when placed on a hard surface.

-Brings hand to mouth.

-Swipes at dangling items with hands and feet.

-Grasps and shakes hand toys.

Vision

-Watches faces intently.

-Follows moving objects.

-Recognizes familiar faces and objects at a distance.

-Starts using hands and eyes in coordination.

Hearing and Speech

-Smiles at the sound of your voice.

-Begins to babble.

-Imitates some sounds.

-Turns head toward direction of sound.

Source:  http://www.mommyhelp.com

Mommy Milestones

Social/Emotional

-Can have a conversation about your baby without tearing up. 

-Can have a 2-5 minute conversation without talking about your baby. 

-Can make it half of a day without crying for no reason at all.

Movement

-Can walk across the room without pain.

-Can go to the restroom without using squirt bottle.

-Bladder control goes back to normal.  (You forgot how long you could last without making a frequent trip to the restroom!)

-Can nurse without pain.

-Can hold a bottle under your chin while using one hand to hold baby and the other hand to get things done or flip the channel.

-Can walk around fully functional with only 4 hours of sleep. 

Vision

-Can see baby from the corner of your eye to make sure he is still on play mat while you run to get something.  (just incase he decides to crawl away at 3 months)

-Can envision your life with a full nights sleep....in a very distant future.  

Hearing and Speech

-Hearing is not so sensitive to sound of crying baby.

-Slurred speech is minimized when experiencing lack of sleep as your body gets used to it.

-Have mastered "mamamamama" "babababababa" "dadadadadadada".

-Started calling your husband, "dada" instead of by his first name on a regular basis.

-Selective hearing beings to develop towards your baby's third month, especially when he is crying for 20 minutes straight and you are driving in the car.

What other milestones did you or baby hit over the past three months??

C-section or not to c-section...that is the question

 I'm stuck. I need help and guidance. And I need this guidance from Moms that have been there...not my male OB who probably thinks that the pain of giving birth is equivalent to a paper cut. 

THIS: 

http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/1008518

DOES NOT EQUAL

THIS: 

http://www.bestpregnancytips.com/how-c-section-carried-out/

Here's the deal: I had an emergency c-section with my daughter thus providing me with the option of trying to have #2 naturally, or having my tummy ripped in two again.  I don't know what to do! A few facts about my history:

- I had high blood pressure at the end of my first pregnancy so I was induced at 39 weeks. 

- I only progressed in labor after my midwife broke my water, I asked for an epidural 23 seconds later. 

- I was progressing fine but my epidural started fading on my left side, so they flipped me over and then lost baby's heartbeat. 

- After messing with internal monitors, tapping my tummy to get baby to respond and putting me on oxygen...I got the emergency c-section treatment. 

- I had a boost in my epidural for the surgery, but could feel everything. Apparently it takes about 30 -40 minutes for a boost to kick in, they starting cutting after 5 minutes. NOT FUN. 

That being said, I would rather give birth without an epidural then go through what I went through with my daughter. This was so traumatic for me that it almost sealed the deal on never even having a second child. Yes, it was that bad. 

So here I am...pregnant with #2 and I never want this baby to come out. I'm too scared to have a c-section, but too nervous to try a natural birth because I don't want to end up with a c-section. What am I going to do?! 

http://dontgetmestarted-lindasharp.typepad.com/dont_get_me_started_with_/2012/04/pulling-my-hair-out.html

As with any decision, big or small...I write a list:

Pros of a planned C-section:

- I'll have a spinal this time

- It will be planned and there will be no rushing around like in an emergency...aka- time for me to get NUMB

- We get to pick the baby's bday (yes...this is actually important because I am lame) thus having care lined up for big sis

Cons of a c-section: 

- Recovery time

- I will continue to have MAJOR anxiety attacks about doing a c-section and will have to start carrying a paper bag around for me to breath in and out of for the rest of the pregnancy. 

- Recovery again...because it REALLY sucks

Pros of a vaginal birth:

- Easier recovery

- I get to actually "have" a baby

- Less time in hospital

- No risk of having a surgery with anesthetic that is equivalent to taking 2 Tylenol. 
- Doc has promised to put me to sleep if the situation comes about that I have to have a csection, but there isn't time to get totally numb. 

Cons of a vaginal birth: 

- I risk the chance of having yet another emergency c-section

- I might go into labor on my own while grocery shopping with Layla...and have no family here to help out. (again...this is actually important to me)

So what do I do friends?! Do I try for a normal birth in hopes that my worst nightmare doesn't occur? Or do I have a planned c-section and trust my doctors when he said he'll get me numb?

I want to know about YOUR experiences. Please leave a comment below or send me an email at naptimetales@gmail.com with the subject: C-Sections SUCK. 

Going back to work

The day I started my maternity leave was the day I started dreading going back to work. I took a week off before my daughter was born so I could focus on bed rest and keeping my blood pressure down. I felt like that was a total waste...one less week I got with my precious little one before I had to go back to work. I've never had 12 weeks go so fast in my life!

I'm not going to lie, it was tough...REALLY tough to go back. I had so many mixed emotions as my start date got closer and closer. On one hand I wanted to spend all my time with my daughter but on the other hand I was happy to have some adult time. It is totally normal to feel everything from guilt about leaving baby to pure happiness to get out of the house!

I had a lot of help and advice about going back to work from friends and relatives. This helped me deal with all these emotions and I am happy to share these tips with you:

- Don't deny the fact that you are going back to work. So many women just push that thought WAY back in their minds when their leave starts. That is the worst thing you can do...you need to prepare yourself for going back. Your maternity leave will be over in a flash and the last thing you want is all the guilt creeping up at the last minute. 

http://www.mommymdguides.com/questions/pregnancy/second-trimester/maternity-leave-planning

- Surround yourself with supportive people. I remember someone telling me I was crazy for going back to work and that I should stay home with my daughter...I wanted to punch them. I didn't have the choice to not work at the time, but even if I did so what? Make sure your friends and family support you in going back, and if they don't...then you have my permission to not talk to them for a VERY long time. 

- Find a daycare/sitter that you are comfortable with and do a few test runs before you go back to work. Plan on practicing your morning routine and taking baby to daycare in the morning a few times before you go back. It will help you know how much earlier you'll have to get up (yuck) and make dropping baby off the day you go back a little less traumatic. 

http://www.startapreschool.com/blog/featuredarticles/how-to-start-a-daycare-day-to-day/

- If you can, make your first couple of days back to work are half days. This was huge for me. It allowed me to get used to dropping baby off in the morning, but still having some afternoon time to snuggle. Plus, it helped me ease back into my job...it takes time to figure out your work/life balance after baby!

http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/maternity-paternity-leave/your-maternity-leave-plan-of-action/

- Practice pumping and feeding baby a bottle several weeks before going back. I was a master pumper when I went back to work so this was never an issue with me...but I do know Mom's that hadn't even tried to pump until they went back to work and then realized that baby HATED the bottle. Getting your nursed baby used to bottle feeding takes time, and it will only make going back to work worse if you haven't mastered it! 

- Be prepared to cry. Every single Mother that you work with will understand so seek one out the second you get to work. I promise you'll get a few hugs and "welcome backs", along with the "let me know if you need to talk" chats.

http://www.bestchurchofgod.org/.god/?115

- Get over the guilt. This was the toughest part for me...I felt so bad for leaving baby and doing something other than taking care of her. It helped me to realize that I was not the only Mother in the world that had to work for a living. More importantly, by going back to work I WAS taking care of her. I was making sure we had the funds to give her everything she needed. 

http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2009/01/new-study-revea.html

Now that I am a stay-at-home Mom, I appreciate every single minute I worked. I stop myself every time I get frustrated with the "terrible 2's" or not being able to get anything done because my daughter needs something. I have to realize that if I was working, I would have to pack all these chores, all this cuddle and play time...everything into my evenings and weekends. I am EQUALLY thankful every day for the opportunity to both work and stay home. 

So for those of you on maternity and going back to work: good luck, you can do it...and I PROMISE it gets easier!

Getting A Babysitter/Daycare

You carried your baby in your belly for 9 months...and now you are going to leave him under someone else's care?!?

Yes...leaving your baby for the first time can be scary and overwhelming.

The first time I left my son it was for a few hours so my husband and I could have dinner together.  We left him with my mom.  It felt so weird to be without him...and I was undeniably a nervous wreck.  (A glass or two of wine later I was much more relaxed...)

Whether you are going back to work or just need someone to babysit occasionally, having a trustworthy babysitter/childcare is a MUST.

Do your homework.  Ask around.  Interview.  Check references.  Repeat.  Never Settle.

Ask yourself what your needs are.  Do you need someone to babysit every day when you go back to work?  If so, what is your best option??  In home child care?  Someone who comes to your house?  Or a child care center??  

There are pros and cons to each.  Lets elaborate...


In Home Child Care:
This person has children come to their home during the week.


PROS:
There hours are typically set, but may allow for some flexibility.
May provide flexibility in payment when not present.
Generally, they are licensed in-home day care providers.  (Check into this...there are pros and cons to this situation.)
Allows for more of a 'home-like' feel versus Day Care feel.
More personable situation.
Depending on the number of children, the child care provider may be able to drive your child to activities.
Child may be able to obtain healthier sleep habits vs a Child Care Center.


CONS:
Generally the day care provider's own children are at their house so they may receive more attention than your child.
What if your child care provider is sick or her kids are sick??  Child care is canceled and you will need to find alternative plans.
Cleanliness.   Is it as clean as your home or a child care center would be?  (this could be a pro vs con)
May not be a curriculum (for older kids).
Less socialization with kids of same age.
May not have supervision.


Someone Who Comes To Your Home:
This is a babysitter who comes to your home to babysit your children while you are unavailable.


PROS:
Children remain in their own home.
Eliminate outside germs.
Promote healthier sleep habits.
Hours may be more flexible.
May provide flexibility in payment when not present.
Personable.


CONS:
What happens if your child care provider is sick??  Finding alternative plans at the last minute may be difficult.
If you have a falling out, it may be a difficult break up for you and your kids.
Due to the personable situation, it may be difficult to keep the business aspect straight.  
May lack a curriculum (for older kids).
Less socialization with kids of the same age.
No supervision of child care provider.




Day Care:
This is a licensed center that you take your child to.  


PROS:
Curriculum Provided.
Licensed Providers.
More affordable than in-home child care.
Reliable. (no sick days)
Socialization.


CONS:
Several kids for child care providers to split their time between.
Children are exposed to more germs and sick more often.
Day care centers will not provide childcare to children who are sick.
Closed during holidays.
Specific drop off and pick up times.

Since are focusing on Baby 0-3 Month...here are some interview questions to ask your potential Child Care Provider:

1.  Would you pick up baby whenever he/she cries?
2.  What would you do if baby does not stop crying?
3.  What are some ways you would get baby settled and/or sleeping?
4.  Are you aware of SIDS and how baby should be placed for sleeping?
5.  Do you think baby should be held when fed?
6.  Where you would take baby for outdoor time? 

Planning for child care can be scary and should not be taken lightly.   Explore your options and go with your heart.   

Attachment Parenting??

Do you practice Attachment Parenting?

Ash W's Story:

When I had my first son I didn't have a "parenting book" so I went to Barnes and Nobel and picked up the BIGGEST book I could find.  It just happened to be Dr. Sears The Baby Book.

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition)

I had no idea about Dr. Sears philosophy or any parenting philosophies for that matter.  But, I was on cloud nine and could not put my newborn baby down so Dr. Sears seemed like the perfect book for me!  

Dr. Sears believes in attachment parenting. 

I then attended a class through my hospital where they talked about "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby".  This book talked about putting baby down every time they fell asleep.  (I just wanted to hold my baby when he/she slept!)   

  
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

I was conflicted and confused with what I believed.  
Dr. Sears or Healthy Sleep Habits??  

I decided to do a mix.  I did what worked for ME and MY family.   (We will talk more about sleep habits in our next series)...but I will tell you that I held my babies A LOT during the first three months.  I also let my babies sleep in a bassinet right next to my bed until they outgrew it. I liked having my baby right next to me in their bassinet.  (They were INSIDE of me for 9 months.  How could I put them in a room across the house??)  When it was time to move them into their crib, I slept on the floor of their nursery for a night or two to make sure they were okay.   I held my daughter in a Moby Wrap for the first three months up to 3-4 hours a day to keep her close to me.  But, I also tried to put her down to fall asleep when appropriate.  However, I would put her in her swing instead of her crib so I could still see her.  

Now...I wonder if this will be me in 18 years....

Ash B's Story:
I had to laugh at Ash W because we were totally different on this subject. I was SO scared to "baby" baby that I put her down not only every time she slept but she also spent a lot of time in her bouncy seat, play mat or just chilling on the floor with our dogs while awake. It isn't that I was doing other things, most of the time I just sat right by her and stared or cooed with her...but I just didn't want her to get used to being held all the time. I never used a sling or carrier, if we were out she was in her car seat or stroller.


I also REFUSED to rock her. I've heard horror stories of parents having to rock their 4 year olds to sleep and I just didn't want to do that. I'd rock her a little to give her a night time bottle or when she was super fussy, but that was about it. And making the transition to her crib? She was 3 weeks old when I couldn't handle her in our room anymore...I just couldn't get ANY sleep with all the times I felt the need to sit up and check on her. I was a little sad when we put her in the crib for the first time because she looked SO tiny, but I quickly got over it and even remember saying "good night Layla, we love you...you're on your own tonight kid so be good" LOL. Mom of the year right here. ;o)

http://roughdraft.typepad.com/dotmoms/dotcomics/

Even though Ash W and I did things differently, our kids are VERY similar when it comes to sleeping through the night and clingyness (this would should be in the Dictionary). I think that goes to show that doing what works for you and your family may not necessarily have different results then what someone else is doing for their family. So feel free to hold that baby 24/7, or put her down and give your arms a break. Chances are they'll turn out fine (we hope!).

What do you think of Attachment Parenting???

Baby Proofing Schedule

I admit, I was one of those Moms that baby proofed while I was still pregnant. Makes sense right? Diapers - check! Crib assembled - check! Car seat in the car - check! Cabinet latches secured and wall outlets plugged - check! 

Let's be honest...you really don't need to baby proof until your child starts crawling. That was 7 months for my daughter and we were ready! In fact, we were prepared so far in advance that our cabinet locks were starting to get loose and our wall plugs were constantly missing because we were sick of messing with them. 

http://travelingwithbaby.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/health-happy-round-up-child-proofing-tips/

Trust me, you don't want to put in all this effort while you are pregnant just to have to struggle with locks for the first 7 months (or more) of your baby's life for no reason. So I've come up with a list of things to child proof and at what time in your child's life you need to accomplish these things:

While you are pregnant:

-  Make sure all fire and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have new batteries.

- Put new lamps and nightlights away from bedding and window treatments. 

- Make sure you have the correct bulbs in for lamp's requirements. 

- Secure any rugs or put rugs on slippery surfaces

- Make sure crib and bassinet mattresses fit snugly and there is no loose bedding (think sheets). 

- Take an infant/toddler CPR class. 

Before baby crawls:

- Secure all mini blind cords. 

- Have your local poison control's number in your phone or on your fridge. 

- Put outlet plugs in all lower outlets. 

- Secure all bookshelves to walls. 

- Put padding on any sharp corners (think glass coffee table, fire place bricks...). 

- Put non slip padding in bathtub and a cover on faucet. 

- Secure all lower cabinets and drawers. 

- Put ALL cleaning supplies and other toxic materials in a high cabinet. 

- Secure medicine cabinet. 
-  Invest in baby gates to block stairways and other areas you don't want baby exploring. 

Before baby walks:

- Install door handle locks for rooms or closets that are off limits. 

- Make sure all doors leading outside the home have locks that baby can't reach. 

Although you won't use everything right away, it is still a great idea to put all this stuff on your baby registry! And don't be cheap either...you'll have to spend a bit extra to get higher quality (longer lasting and easier for Mom and Dad to use) products. Here are some of our favorites from Amazon!

1. Safety 1st Outlet Plugs - 30 Pack- $1.79

 2. Spring Loaded Cabinet/Drawer Latch- 4 pack is $5.49

 3. Door Handle Lock by Safety 1st- $12.19

  

4. Door Knob Safety Cover - $3.54 for 2 pack

This can all seem like a lot of work but it is worth it for your child's safety! Nothing says this better than the relief you feel after you see your 2 year old walking around with a screw driver near an outlet that is safely covered. Now if we could only find a better way to secure that screw driver we'd be set! 

Funny Friday: 8 Things That WILL Happen While You Nurse

It has happened to the best of us...a Mom turns her back for 2 seconds and there is a toddler dumping bubble bath down the drain, a dog drinking out of the toilet or your dishwasher foaming because you didn't put the right soap in. But when you are nursing or pumping, you can't just get up and take care of business...the dairy farm doesn't shut down for emergencies! So for the new Mommies out there...here are 8 things that WILL happen when you are least able to deal with them:

1. An older child will take a marker and color on their hands, feet and face. If you are lucky, they will stay away from the dogs and walls (and other siblings). 

http://www.fark.com/comments/6283116/Seven-kids-who-can-paint-better-than-most-artists

2. If you are pumping- your baby will puke all over themselves 2 minutes into your 20 minute pumping session. You will not have a burp rag within reach so you will sit and and imagine cleaning up that mess as quickly as possible...for the next 18 minutes.

3. One of your animals will also puke ALL OVER the place. Repeat thoughts from #2. 

4. An animal cruelty commercial featuring Sarah McLaughlin will come on and your remote will be across the room. You will be forced to watch those poor animals to the heart wrenching tune of the saddest song known to man. You will cry until Good Morning America comes back on. 

http://www.podpocalypse.com/2010/12/21/sad-puppy-is-sad/

5. The UPS man will pick the exact moment you start feeding your baby to ring your doorbell and deliver that package you've been waiting for. And of course that package will not be delivered unless they have a signature. 

6. You will be tied in a competitive game of "Words With Friends" verses your old college roommate. Your phone will ding and the anticipation of what word she played will kill you...too bad you left your phone out of reach and will have to wait until baby is full to fire back. 

7. You'll be nursing and looking out the window to a beautiful thunderstorm before you realize that your car is parked in the driveway with the windows rolled down. 

8. You will put your baby down upstairs for a nap only to sit down and pump. As soon as you are hooked up, baby wakes up. 

How to get Shutterfly photo books up to 80% off

 
I love Shutterfly photo books. I've done them for vacations, holidays, gifts and yearly books for my daughter. Some have asked me how I afford to do so many BIG books so I'll let you in on a little secret: I NEVER pay full price. In fact, I only order the books when I can get them around 80% off. My Mother-in-law (Ash W's Mom) would be SO proud. 

I'll share a ways to get this done- first, wait until the books go on sale. They normally offer 20-30% off randomly throughout the year and around holidays. You can have your book done and ready to go...just don't order until Shutterfly posts a sale. They also offer free shipping a lot too!

Second- Make RetailMeNot.com your new BFF. Not just for Shutterfly but for ANYTHING you purchase online. Just fill your cart on any online store, then before checking out visit RetailMeNot to see if you can find a coupon code for things like percentages off or free shipping. I normally find free shipping and a coupon for so many dollars off an order when I search for Shutterfly deals.

And last, Groupon.com. We've talked about this site before but they currently have a deal for Shutterfly.com. Purchase a $10 Groupon to receive an 8x8 or 8x11 photobook (typically valued at $30).  Click on the photo below, click "goods" on their top menu and you'll see Shutterfly featured. 

So simple right?! Doing all this literally takes 5 minutes and you can save oodles of money. No more excuses to have piles and piles of pictures on your computer and nothing to do with them! ;o)