Baby Wearing

I want to write a post about a recent love of mine that has had a lot of inquiry from other moms and friends, and that is; Baby wearing. So here goes.

Many moons ago, when I was pregnant with Al, I went online to Babies R Us and created a baby registry for my baby shower. Much like other new moms I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I picked out things I thought I would need and little things that were cute. Now being a Mom for the second time around I realize what was necessary and what wasn't, but back then it was all new to me! One of the things I registered for was a way to wear baby. This was especially foreign to me but I do remember being interested in wrapping my little babe. I didn't know much about it but was very intrigued and definitely wanted to try. So I registered for a Maman Kangaroo stretchy wrap and a good ol' Baby Bjorn. Something I could try out and something that looked a little easier. I ended up receiving both as gifts (very generous of my family and friends) and started wearing Al right away. I mastered the stretchy wrap in no time and very much enjoyed it. 

As Al approached the weight limit on the stretchy wrap I started to use the Baby Bjorn more but found it relatively uncomfortable and started to use it less and less. It became more of a novelty than anything and was soon stored away in a drawer. Al was happy being worn for the first 6 months of his life for grocery trips and a few other outings here and there but as he became to big for what I had it seemed that we had "outgrown" babywearing. 

With number two on the way I started to revisit the idea of babywearing again and this time had a few really great inspirations to look toward for advice. "Try a woven wrap" they said! So I did, I ordered my first woven wrap. Now I must interject here that I was a bit shocked at the price point of these bad boys. I soon learned why they were so pricey by exploring different internet groups and doing some research. I also found out that these woven wraps held their value very nicely and could be bought and sold second hand! Anyway when I received my first order of fluffy mail (ah babywearing lingo, aka new wrap) and I gave it a try with Al. He wasnt much of a fan since it had been so long since I had worn him. However I realized that this wrap would have been a godsend on all the nights I had been trying to cook dinner and Al wanted "up"! Better late than never I suppose. 

I practiced with my new woven wrap here and there (with stuffies and pillows) until Ashe arrived. He was a big baby and we were able to start wrapping right away. I wore him all the time. It was my ultimate life saver! With two under 2 I was able to get my baby snuggles in while still playing with my toddler. I think it was one of the best investments I have made. 

I have since added to my collection but this time utilizing the babywearing swaps online to buy second hand (and sell some as well). Trips to the park, camping, grocery shopping, you name it, has all been made so much easier thanks to the world of babywearing. As Ashe has gotten older I have dappled in other forms of carriers and we have found our perfect fit with wrap conversion mei tais, basically a mei tai made from a woven wrap. He and I seem to like them best for their ease of getting on and off while still getting the beauty, structure and support of a woven wrap. I have even convinced Al to get in the mei tai a time or two.

I have come to learn that everyone will love something different to carry their baby in but it is the common love of wearing your child close to you while still "functioning" in your daily life that ties us "baby wearers" together. I really hope my big baby boy will continue to love being worn as he grows older as it has been such a bonding experience for us (plus a back saver!). I am by no mean an expert on any of this but I am enjoying learning new ways of wrapping and wearing my babes all the time. Heck I am even learning about things like safety, support & posture and so many other things! But if I can recommend anything to the second time mom it would be this, wear your baby! Whatever you choose to use will be the best for you but I promise you will love the closeness and bonding you get out of it! 

Next mission: convince Dad to wear the babes! (in something other than the bjorn)

Ashe

I'm eating

And bouncing

And rolling

And sitting up assisted.

Just a little update on what our big baby is up to these days

Family of Four

Well it has been 6 weeks since Ashes arrival and things are going very well. The transition from one to two children was MUCH easier for me than the transition from zero to one. Al has adjusted quite nicely to life as a big brother and we are settling into routine. That's not to say we haven't had our moments. Al being the age he is,  is prone to the odd temper tantrum and that is only amplified by his extreme personality and the big change going on in the house. Like any other stage or phase we've encountered with him, we've handled it with firm limits and boundaries and lots of consistency. Rules are rules are rules. I know a lot of Moms in my immediate social circle are starting to experience the change we have just gone through and there is a lot of anxiety about how the big sibling will handle it all. I didn't get too carried away with prepping Al for it and I only did minimal reading on the topic but I did find a few things helped when it was actually time.

1. I tried to make sure Al got a few minutes of undivided attention from me intermittently through out the day. This is important not only to help with feelings of jealousy but also because of his age. He needs the one on one time. There is a lot of focus on new baby from the family and visitors so it is important that he still gets his focus and attention as well. It can be hard to put baby down and make that time initially but it is very important.

2. Routine. I am a huge advocate of routine so this one was a no brainer for me. Things in his world needed to stay as routine as possible to eliminate the upsets of "change". He is used to things a certain way so keeping them as consistent as possible helps him adjust. This includes boundaries. He definitely tried to push the limits and test new boundaries because of all the change, but staying as consistant with rules, punishments etc helps him to understand that the same behaviour is expected of him as always. 

3. Trying not to blame baby or cause fear or resentment of baby. We did this by allowing Al to show his affection and curiosity towards Ashe. I tried not to hover over him as he gave his brother hugs and kisses or touched his face and so on. There are definitely times where I have to intervene in his "affection" but for the most part I try to allow him to interact with baby as much as possible and not to be scared of getting in trouble or having a parent tell him to leave baby alone. I want him to interact with his brother so a bit of careful but relaxed supervision is key. I am convinced that is why god made Ashe so much bigger, to withstand some of the so called affection from his brother. The other thing is that I try not to blame baby for things, such as "we have to leave now because baby has to eat" or "please be quiet baby is sleeping". I read this causes resentment towards baby so changing your language or not blaming baby helps to develop more of a fondness toward the sibling. Who knows if that is actually true but worth a shot. 

Those were the only big things I tried to remember when dealing with the big change of one child to two. I think every family will have a different experience and every child will react differently but it will and does get easier. Take it a day at a time, and just spend time with the kids. Dont worry about the house and dishes and laundry. Relax and enjoy and soon everyone will be adjusted to the knew dynamic. I hope that helps any mamas about to go through the big family change!

Little Brother

Introducing 

Ashe Monthomery Stein

April 11, 2013

1:20 pm

8 lbs 9 oz

21 inches

Maternity Photos

I just received our maternity photos for baby #2 in the mail today. Love them!

Melissa was a fabulous photographer, and definitely very patient with our uncooperative "big brother".

I seriously love her editing style, so soft and creamy. Makes me think of Vanilla. 

Check out more of her work here. 

New-born Prep

Nine weeks to go (hopefully not even that)! I am thirty-one weeks today and starting to crackdown on some serious baby-prep. I was fairly organized and "ready" for Al's arrival, but of course learned a few critical things along the way that I think will help me be even more prepared the 2nd time around. 

Baby's room is done. This one is major ( I feel) as I like to have everything ready to go so that when baby is here you aren't trying to balance sleep, feeding (and in my case a toddler) AND decorating and organizing a room. Crib is set up room is organized and stocked with diapers (a lot of diapers) wipes (a lot of wipes) and all baby essentials. Clothes are washed, hung or folded in drawers. Dimmer switch and lamp is set up for overnight feedings. Everything is ready to use on a seconds notice. But to add to this I have everything ready to go for Baby's first few weeks in our room.  Bassinet, portable change table, diapers, wipes, white noise maker, nursing pillow, nursing clothes, you name it! In about 4 weeks I will move this giant pile of stuff into our bedroom and have it ready to use.

With two babes I also had to set up our bath spots. Al will use his regular tub and Baby will use the newborn tub in our room. All wash clothes and towels are divided up, there are bath essentials in each spot for each boy and toys are all sanitized and ready to go.

Next week C and I are mastering a giant freezer cook. I have done this twice before but I think this will be my biggest one yet. Basically we are cooking about 30 meals that will then be frozen until baby arrives. The meals are either "throw in the oven" or "throw in the crockpot". With a hubby that works long long hours I cant expect any help with dinner (or the kids so I can make dinner) so I figure about 30 meals should last us close to two months (what with leftovers and what not). I will dedicate an entire post to the freezer cook so I think that is all I will say for now on this one.

April is a busy busy month for my family, with about 600 birthdays and Easter. So to make life easier I have taken care of all birthday gifts and cards, as well as easter baskets and treats ahead of time. Im still finishing up the Easter prep but it will all be finished before Baby's arrival making my life much easier when Birthday Season ( I mean April) strikes. 

I have also taken the liberty of putting together a few hospital gifts. The first gift is for my little peanut Al. It will be his "big brother" gift from his little brother. I basically got a few things for him he might like to use at the hospital when he comes to visit and afterward. A big brother book, a truck book, a few cars and motorcycles, a cheerio snack car with some yummy mickey mouse treats for inside, stamps and a new DVD. The next gift I prepared was one for hubs. I guess its more of a care package than a gift but it includes magazines, his favourite snacks, a few juices and waters, chocolate cigars, a real cigar to celebrate with, and a bag of change for vending machines. My moms gift was next which is a little thank-you for all the help she gives us. Since she will be watching Al while the big event goes down I though a little thank-you was necessary. Her gift includes a box of table topics, a gift certificate for a nail fill and a photo cube with pictures of her and Al. Im still finishing this one up but that's what I have so far. The last gift I put together was a thank-you basket for my nurses. I didn't have the best care the last post-partum stay I had, but I am hoping to get off on the right foot this time and hopefully with a little thank you basket in tow they will see that I appreciate the service they are providing. Cross your fingers or we're taking the basket with us. Just kidding. Sort of.

Lastly I am making sure all loose ends are tied up. Dogs are up to date on their vet visits and haircuts. Dentist, hair appointments and anything of the sort will be completed before I am 37 weeks giving me tons of time before I need to make any new ones. Last set of nails will be gone in a few weeks, leaving me au-natural for a few months. Basically anything requiring us to leave the house has been taken care of. This also includes a giant Costco run. I did this with Al and it was definitely helpful. We are completely stocked on any household item you can think of, and in bulk size! So nice to have everything you need, in the house and not require any one to run out and grab something. 

#2 Bedroom

And just like that we are finished another bedroom. Thanks to my partner in crime (hubby) for patiently assisting me with painting, curtain rod hanging, camera mounting and so on. I will take credit for my involvement though! I have started to gain confidence in my picture hanging ability and of course hemming the curtains. Anyway when Al was a little wee babe we had his room done up in clouds and lambs. Lots of soft gender neutral colours, which we just recently swapped out for a more exciting big boy look (see blog post from December). This time we went with an owl and tree look for the baby's room. Still gender neutral with black white and taupe, but not as soft as Al's was. We also threw in some green as well. It has been unofficially decided that Al's colour will be blue and baby's colour will be green. Mostly to differentiate towels, cups and other things that may get mixed up along the way. Anyway enough already, here is the finished product!

Bedding is coming, I had it custom made
so it should be here soon!

And just to conclude I thought I might add how funny it is to look back at how I had Al's room done up as we anxiously awaited his arrival and how we now have baby's room done up while we wait for him. There are many differences in the items I have stocked and the things that I knew were critical to have in the room. First time around you just have no idea. I feel like this time I am a lot more prepared with useful and essential items versus cute decorations and things inconveniently packed or placed. 

Newborn Must-Haves

We've been so busy preparing for baby that I have completely neglected my poor blog. But I am back with a few fun posts, baby related of course. To start it off I thought I would share a few of my "Must-Have Baby Items". Now that I have been through one newborn I have a bit more of an idea what I need for when #2 comes home with us. So here goes what I consider my must have items for newborns.

Dimmer switch, must have! We installed one with Al and I found it worked great for overnight feeds. Way better than a lamp. So before #2 has even arrived I made sure we installed one. And another must have on this topic is black out blinds. I like to sleep train baby to understand sleeping at night is pitch black and sleeping during the day is dark, but has some daylight peeking in. Blackout blinds make this so much easier.

Next item, Sleep Sheep. Or any white noise maker for that matter. Again I use it for sleep training, daytime sleeping is full of daytime noises but nighttime sleeping is the sound of rain or ocean provided by the Sheep. Al is almost 18 months and uses his sleep sheep every night. I have even watched him (on the video monitor) stand up in the middle of a nap or middle of the night, turn on his sleep sheep and lay back down and drift off to sleep. He knows what he likes!

Double electric breast pump. These bad boys are not cheap but it was a fundamental item that I used daily for at least 6 months. It was how I could allow Sandy to be a part of feeding our little guy, or how I could get a few hours to myself and ensure baby was still fed, and that I wasn't completely engorged. This pump is the greatest. I also got a steal of a deal by finding this unit on Kijiji. I know you're probably thinking "gross" that goes on your breasts. Duh, I definitely sterilized it! Honestly its a $400 item that was so essential to daily life, and I spent under $200. Renting is always a fantastic idea too, incase you aren't sure breastfeeding is for you, or might not work, that way you don't spend a ton of money only to not use it (like the lady I bought mine off of).

City Select Baby Jogger. This stroller has been a miracle on four wheels. It is a double stroller that can be used as a single or double, with either two seats or a seat and a bucket. It is fantastic for jogging, and I would know as I trained for an ultra marathon with it! Al and I ran with this bad boy 3 times a week for over 6 months and I have no complaints about it as a running stroller. It is simple to fold and take apart. We have bought a few accessories for it as well, including the snack tray, second seat, rain cover and travel bag. Honestly another pricey baby item but I LOVE it and would recommend this stroller to anyone considering having more than one child! 

Wipe warmer. A silly little luxury item that isn't a necessity to life but for $20.00 at Costco I think it was great. If you woke up at 2:00am to go to the washroom and had to wipe your underside with a chilly wet cloth, Im pretty sure you would howl too! Why not make it more comfortable for the little one, and hopefully eliminate a few face showers in the process (mama's of boys, you know what kind of face showers I'm talking about).

Lastly the baby's sleepwear is so important (to me at least). During daily diaper changes you have all the time in the world to snap cute little outfits back together. At night it is a different story. Who wants to be aligning buttons and snaps at 3:00am in the semi-dark while one of you is screaming hungry and both of you are exhausted. That's what I thought. So my MUST HAVE baby sleepwear are sleepers with zippers, and sleepers with a scrunch bottom. Honestly a life saver! Quick change and get to the eating part with less tears and sleep disruption. 

Here are a couple newborn brand names that are critical in the beginning, that I swear by.

Pampers, love em! And heres why, when you are changing bums, the flaps don't fold in. The competitor brand has a flimsier velcro strap and tend to fold in when they are used, resulting in poopy velcro straps. Yuck. Not pampers though.Desitin is my bum rash cream of choice. I tried many bum creams, but I swear by Desitin. Every mama has their favourite but this is mine. Ovol. For those tiny tummy aches from gas. Poor little guys, I find the Ovol definitely helps!

A couple more items, starting with the microwave sterilizer. Great for bottle fed baby or breastfed baby. You have so many items to sterilize, this makes the process quick and easy! And in your sleep deprived state you wont forgot about a pot of boiling water and all your items. The microwave will do its thing and wait for you to remember what you were in the middle of!

On the topic of sterilizing and sanitizing. Hand sanitizer. We keep one pump bottle beside the change table to keep hands clean post-bum change and pre-feed. clean hands are important. 

Bath hammock is essential for newborn bathing. We also found it helpful to loosely wrap baby in a receiving blanket and unwrap body parts as it was necessary to wash them. This way baby stays warm and happy in the bath and you don't have to rush through the relaxing bath process.

Latchy-Catchy, made by a wonderful shop on Etsy. These bad boys warp around both doorhandles and cover the latch of the door. When you open and close the door it is silent! No worrying about opening the door quietly, simply push or pull and there is no noise. We love ours!

Carseat mirror is great for while you are driving. When baby starts to fuss you can simply glance into your mirror to see what is going on. Much safer than trying to twist around and becoming distracted while driving. Plus it is something extra for baby to look at as he gets older.

Glider Chair and Nursing pillow. Fundamental for comfortable feeding overnight. I think these two items were amazing for overnight feeds and I would not sacrifice them.

Lastly the video monitor. We did not have this with Al but decided to get this as it is a dual monitor, meaning I can see and hear both babies on one device! Brilliant. We have only used it in single camera mode but it has already been amazing. I cant believe we didn't have a video monitor from the start. Again not a life neccessity but I think its been an amazingly helpful luxury item. I did a lot of research to figure out which dual video monitor would be best and found this brand (Summer Infant) had the best reviews. We've been using ours for a few months and I love it!

So there you have it, my list of Must-Have Newborn Items.I know not all of these items are critical for the survival of a newborn but they are items that have helped me with the transition of a new little peanut in our home. I hope you find this list fun and humorous if not helpful!

*****

I have had a ton of inquiries about this blog post, in particular the latch-catchy's so here is a link to the shop on Etsy that makes these bad boys. 

Latchy-Catchy Etsy Shop Link.