Bringing Home Baby

Bassinets- If you want your baby to sleep with you in bed, invest in a co-sleeper (about $30) that goes in the bed so your baby can sleep safely in bed with you. If your afraid to have your baby in you bed, get a bedside sleeper ($100) or a playpen that can be a bassinet. They are more expensive, but it is so much easier to have your baby there with you. He will sleep better being near you. (I wrote this entry before I read “12 hours by 12 weeks”. Read the book and then make the decision. If you decide to let your baby sleep with you, I would suggest you get the co-sleeper) You can always use a port-a-crib as well. Moses baskets also work well and are very versatile. If you want my opinion, I wouldn't have your children sleep with you on a regular basis. It makes for a more restful night and a happier husband. Of course, there is the occasional bad dream or thunderstorm. Just remember, 2 nights in a row is on it's way to being a habit, 3 nights and it is a habit. No reason to add one more thing to wean them from. You might want to put a bed in their room or a hide-a-bed. Good luck!

How should your baby sleep? The doctor recommends on their back for risk of SIDS. Until they can lift their head, they probably should sleep on their back or sides. They make positioners that can support the baby and help them feel more secure. After they can lift their head or if they start choking on their saliva, I personally think it’s OK for them to sleep on their stomachs. I also think it’s OK if they have blankets in their crib. I think that doctors go through phases with their position on sleeping. However, I’m no doctor. I put my son on his stomach and he is OK. They make SIDS detectors that monitor the babies movement as he sleeps. You might register for this.

Sleep!- Make yourself sleep when he sleeps. You may be getting a total of 5 to 8 hours of sleep, but since it is interrupted so many times you will feel like it’s only 2 or 3 hours. You need to get a stretch of at least 3-4 hours to reach the REM stage of sleep so you don’t go insane. If you need sleep, have someone come over so you can sleep. Let your mom or other helper do the laundry, help get dinner on the table, and greet people when they come over. Take advantage of it now, it won’t last long.

Have a date night. It may be hard, but let one of your parents take care of their grandchild for a few hours while you and your husband spend time together It’s very important to keep romance going during this time as much as possible. The more normal you keep things during your pregnancy and after your baby is born, the easier it will be to acclimate to your new lifestyle. Also, the more you separate yourself from your child, the less separation anxiety he will have later.

Father/Child time. You could use the time off and they will enjoy spending time with each other.

Clear your calendar- for at least a month maybe two. Your job is to be the sole source for your child’s welfare. Don’t distract yourself with other obligations. Allow yourself to enjoy this time. There won’t be any other time like it.

Mother’s Day Out- If you stay at home, find a mother’s-day-out program at your favorite church. Being away from your child will be good for both of you. It is inexpensive. It allows your child to be with other kids. You can get your errands done in half the time it takes you with your child and give yourself some time to do something for you. They usually take babies 2 months and older. I promise it’s worth it.

Immunizations- Give your baby Tylenol (they make dye free!) 1 hour before his immunizations. It will make it easier. Stay on schedule with your immunizations, you don’t want to get behind. Your child care provider or mother’s day out will need a copy of the immunizations your child has received. I wasn't worried about immunizations, but several of my friends are and it seems as though the flu shot was the only one that still has mercury in it. My kids got the nasal mist. Talk to your doctor about your concerns regarding immunizations. There are also pharmacies that will help you with more natural medicines.

Solid food/ Rice Cereal- They tell you to start with a little rice cereal mixed with formula or breast milk at 4 months. I found the best way to do this is put some cereal in a bowl and add just a little milk of your choice to it to make a thicker paste. Give them about one or two bites before they eat their bottle. This may help them sleep better. You can probably do this as early as one month. They don‘t digest the food, but there stomach will be full. (At 1 month I tried putting it in the bottle and cutting the nipple, I don’t think it made him sleep any longer. I ended up ruining a bunch of nipples because they tear after you cut them. The tri-cut don’t really work for cereal, they aren’t big enough. If you need more sleep, I found that prayer and faith in God works the best. (God knows when you need a break.) Baby food labels the food with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and toddler foods. They are what baby can digest and are the right texture for each stage. If you find he has a favorite, mix that with other foods in one bowl. He’ll never know the difference. You may find that food helps him sleep. If he’s not sleeping through the night, chances are it’s related to what he’s eating. You can save money by buying his favorite food in adult food and putting it in the blender. Just make sure you get it at the right consistency. Choking- Be careful when you start to give baby solid food. You will have to stick your finger down your baby’s mouth to get the food out. It’s part of being a mom. Don’t panic, they will react with your reaction. Don’t rush your child’s development during feeding. Everyone will try to give them new things to eat. Tell them they will choke and spit up. Chances are they won’t want be the reason your child choked and they will back off. Be patient and firm. The slower you go with new foods, the less your baby will choke.

Teething tips- Keep Tylenol & Baby Orajel around. Use a wet washcloth or teething ring. Let him chew on arrow root cookies or veggie puffs. Put these in the freezer so they can help numb his gums. Supervise him, he can choke if he breaks off a big piece.

Second hand stores- They have everything from clothes to strollers. Most of it is still new! You can get cute clothes there cheap and sell them your old things. The people that work there can give you tips on things your dealing with. They talk to all kinds of moms.

Dye free medicine- It’s much easier to get out of clothing and it’s usually the same price.

Target is my favorite place to shop. They have everything from Dreft to formula in the Target brand and it’s so much less than the name brands. I use their diapers and formula. (I started with an expensive formula at first until his stomach settled, then I switched. He’s done so well on it. They also have soy and next stage (12 months + up)! I also use their Target brand Tylenol and Milycon. (Tip: I put my son on soy and within a day he got very bloated. Jeff pushed the air out of him and I put him back on the regular formula. Just wanted to give you a heads up on switching formulas)

Floppy Seat/ Shopping cart covers- They work great when baby isn’t big enough to sit up by himself in a shopping cart. They also cover highchairs at restaurants and work as a great pallet when baby needs a nap on the floor.

Bumbo Seat- They are about $40. When baby can hold his head up, but can’t sit up, this chair keeps them up on their own. Set it in the floor for playtime or up on the table during dinner.

Sippy cup- Switching may sound daunting, but it’s really easy. Just do it cold turkey. My son didn’t like the sippy cup at all. I found one he liked the most (one with a longer spout) and switched. It took a day. I kept his feeding schedule the same. Just because they go to a sippy cup doesn’t mean you have to switch strictly to solid foods. I kept him on his formula because milk ruins so much faster. I made sure that he would drink milk. If you want, use milk while your at home and formula when you go out for the day. Your child will probably keep there bottle until they are at least 12 months. Some pediatricians will encourage you to get off the bottle then. I thought it was too soon with Flint, so I waited until he was 14 months. I took Quay off about 12 months. You are the Mom! You will know best when your child is ready for changes in their diet. Don’t let others discourage you from doing what you know your child needs.