Leash Love

This is it.  This is my secret weapon.  This is how I manage to get out of the house with two kids.

Lucy does not like strollers or shopping carts-- she'll tolerate either for 5 minutes tops.  And it's that very reason that we have yet to buy a double stroller.  I refuse to make that kind of investment knowing she'll only sit in it for 5 minutes before she opts for her froggy back pack.  The girl likes to move.  And the leash lets her do just that.  She has her independence, and I have my peace of mind.  I always offer her my hand, but, sometimes, she just isn't in the mood for hand-holding.

Casey spotted the leash on the clearance rack at Target right after Park was born.  At first we laughed, "Haha, those are so stupid."  But then we put it on Lucy...and it was crazy cute.  So we bought it.  Turns out, it was the best $4 we ever spent...  Lucy tears through the diaper bag until she finds Froggy, and drags it everywhere with her; she hides her gummy snacks and sun hat in it.  And I find myself using it for most outings.

Anyone that dismisses a child leash as "bad" or "lazy" parenting clearly has not had to cross a parking lot with a rowdy toddler and a newborn.  And anyone that deems a stroller as a "more humane child restraint" is just silly-- strollers and leashes serve the same purpose.  A child leash (or safety harness, for the politically correct) is essential for parents of 2U2.

Washing bottles is overrated

(I'm sure my Mom will thoroughly enjoy this post...)  She's been telling me since Lucy was, oh, I don't know, 6 weeks old that I needed to use Playtex Nurser Drop-In Bottles.  But being the neurotic, exclusively breastfeeding, new mom that I was, I said, NO!  She will only use Breastflow Bottles!!!  And we all remember how well that worked out.  We were content being slaves to the Medela brand (despite the collapsing nipples and cheapy bottle rings that crack if you look at them wrong).  And my Mom was content using the Playtex bottle when she had Lucy Duty.

My love of Playtex began very recently - shortly after Lu started going to daycare, and it deepened with the transition to formula.  Because there are few things that I hate more than washing a half dozen stinky bottles at 11 pm...

There's no telling how Baby #2 will tolerate the bottle, but you can bet your buns we'll  introduce it much earlier, and we'll also throw a Playtex into the rotation. 

Nursing Bras

Wanna know something kind of gross?  I have two nursing bras.  (Three, if you count my very neglected sleep bra.)

Those bras are expensive, yo.

Last week I was wandering through the bra aisle at Target, having this internal debate, "Should I buy another bra?  Nahhhhhhh."  The way I see it, I've been doing just fine for the past seven months, why spend money now? 

And that's when I saw this...

A leopard print nursing bra, for the nursing momma that wants to feel sexy while nursing.  Just, why?


How many nursing bras do YOU have?  From what I hear, most of the nursing mommas I know only have two or three.   

Interested in guest blogging for GBS?  Let's chat!

I fixed my boobs!

::throws arms into the air victoriously::

Who knew boobs could be so much work?

I used to be lopsided, dear friends.  Terribly, terribly lopsided.  Last week I noticed a very serious problem with my pumping situation...  At first I mistook the issue to be my supply in general, but I quickly realized my pumping output hadn't changed at all.  I was still pumping an average of 15 ounces while I was away from Lulu.  The problem was simply that Mrs. Right was only contributing about one fifth of the total volume.  (That's three ounces for the mathematically challenged.)

Three ounces in a ten hour period is pretty damn alarming.  And to be honest, I kind of lost my shit.

I have a tendency to over analyze, jump to the worst case scenerio, and eventually work myself up into a massive ball of stress.  In my mind I thought this was the end of my breastfeeding career, not with just Lucy, but with my future children.  And the idea of losing our nursing relationship now, after only six months, was absolutely crushing.  We all know that I love breastfeeding, so I'll do my best to contain my word vomit...  The bond that I've developed with Lucy through nursing has been one of the most beautiful and rewarding parts of being a mother, and, in my eyes, nursing is one of the best parts about being a mother.  And I am not ready to give that up. 

Ok, so, back to my boobs.

I immediately consulted my go-to breastfeeding gals (my Mom, Jaye, and Stacy) and Kellymom.  Going in, I sort of knew what the outcome would be.  Stimulation.  Breastfeeding is about supply and demand; if there is a demand, the milk supply increases.  Over the months I repeatedly made two mistakes in the stimulation department:  consistently offering Mrs. Left to Lulu first, and pumping Mrs. Left longer than Mrs. Right.  So you know what I did?

BOOM, baby!

I finally bought my double pump, and what a difference it has made.  Both boobs get pumped the same amount of time and for a longer amount of time.  And as an added bonus, I'm saving at least ten minutes per pumping session!  I test drove the new pump with a couple power pumping sessions last week and it was absolutely glorious.  

The breastfeeding gals even had me considering herbal supplements to encourage milk production.  And even though I had heard/read so many rave reviews about the use of Fenugreek, I was ultimately reluctant to use it.  The (rare, but still possible) side effects scare me too much, you can read about them here.  So I opted for some Organic Milkmaid Tea.  It doesn't work for everyone, but it seems to be helping me!  I drink it twice a day while at work, and holy geez does it has an interesting flavor; I can only describe it as unsalted chicken broth.

Yesterday my boobs were almost perfectly symmetrical in their output, but I began noticing a difference in Mrs. Right after day two of power pumping.

The things I do to feed my girl...

Has anyone out there ever been a little lopsided?  From what I hear, most women usually have an oversupply in their right breast, not the other way around - I guess that's just my luck...  Virtual high-fives to all those with double pumps!!!

Always the Pack Mule

Somehow it's easier for me to carry the diaper bag, my purse, my lunch, my pump bag, a water bottle, and a change of clothes, than it is for me to carry my kid in her car seat.

Lucy = 21 pounds
Car seat = 7 pounds
Lucy + Car seat = More than I care to handle

Same story when it comes to grocery shopping.  I'll grab a dozen grocery bags before I'll grab Lulu.  (I make Casey carry her, I don't leave her roasting in the car.)

I feel like maybe, just maybe, this looks a little funny.  I, the "dainty" wife, carrying enough crap for a ten people, and my manly husband is carrying the infant car seat with our cute chubby baby. 

Maybe it's time to bust out the convertible car seat.

Gee, ya think Ma?

Analyzing the Baby Registry

There have been a lot of new pregnancies announced recently!

source

It makes me miss the big belly, the baby kicks, and the anticipation leading up to D-Day.  I loved being pregnant, and I've missed it terribly.  So this week I'm reliving my pregnant days, and hopefully I'll help a few of the newly pregnant in the process.

I remember when we created our baby registry.  Good Lord that was stressful!  Truth be told, I had no idea what I was doing.  My cheap self tried to cut cost wherever possible and my OCD self tried to avoid cluttering the house with useless junk.  I've come to realize some things really are worth the money and some things really are useless.


Worth the Money

Double Breast Pump.  I've bitched about my single pump countless times.  It's a great pump, don't get me wrong, but it takes me twice as long to pump.  And being a working momma, I have zero time to spare.  Unfortunately, the Medela double pumps cost more than my car payment, so I still haven't made this purchase.  (Also, I feel like buying a double pump is like admitting I'll never be a SAHM.)


Space Saver High Chair.  (Thanks for the rec, Jaye Fay!)  Our teeny, tiny house can use all the help it can get in space saving.  Our first, more traditional, high chair has been re-homed to Grammy and Grampy's house, where Lulu gets one of her two meals each day.

YAY for saving space!

Baby Carrier.  Sadly, I cannot recommend the perfect carrier.  I've rotated through four different carriers/slings/wraps and I haven't really loved any of them.  Currently rocking an Infantino Flip and it's okay.

Repin' the Infantino at Natural Bridge State Park

Baltic Amber Teething Necklace.  Lulu is still toothless.  That doesn't stop her from drooling up a storm, though.  This necklace drastically reduced her drooling after just a few days.  I know it sounds crazy, but it really works.  There is a noticeable increase in drool on the days that we forget to put her necklace on. 

Extra Prefolds.  Note the strategic placement on the high chair above, ready to catch rejected pears in a moments notice.  You can never have enough burp cloths, I recommend a minimum of two dozen.  During our first three days home with Lucy, Casey ran out to the store each day to buy another package of cloth diapers.    

Jumperoo.  It never occurred to me to buy one of these until I saw pictures of another friends baby in one at daycare.  (Hi Becky!)  Lulu loves hers!  She'll spend 15-20 minutes in it at a time, just playing and having fun; which gives me a chance to get a couple things done around the house.  We found ours on clearance, score!


Not Worth the Money  

Wipe Warmer.  (Sorry, Meg!)  Maybe it's our secondhand warmer, but the wipes are cold by the time they reach Lulu's tush. 

Bottle Warmer.  Casey prefers to run the bottle under warm tap water in the sink.  It gets the job done quicker and more accurately.

Travel System Stroller.  Where to begin...I hate ours.  It.is.MASSIVE.  It is confusing, it's heavy, it's bulky, it takes up the entire trunk, it just sucks.  Do not buy a travel system.  I've heard great things about jogging strollers, but they're a little pricey for this girl.  Baby #2 will be getting the Baby Trend Snap N Go stroller.  Hello, compact!  And then we'll use a cheapy umbrella stroller when Baby #2 gets older (or bigger, whichever comes first).

Moby Wrap.  Casey loves to remind me of my stupid expenditures.  I wanted to like the Moby, I really did.  I read so many rave reviews online, I just knew it would be the perfect solution to our babywearing problems.  Except, I didn't understand what a "wrap" really was (mind boggling, I know); I didn't realize the Moby was 5.5 meters of fabric that I would have to wrap around my body.  Even after I learned how to put the Moby on, I didn't like the limited carrying positions.  It was ideal for a little Goosey, when she enjoyed snuggling against Momma; but now that she's gotten older and more curious, she is constantly whipping her head around.  So, in my opinion, it's not worth the money for two months of use.

Travel Swing.  We have two swings.  One is really nice, it's huge, but really nice.  And the other is small, portable and lacking power.  We received the Fisher Price Rainforest Swing from Casey's co-workers - it was phenomenal!  Sadly, I didn't realize this until after re-homing it.  It had music, a mobile, and a lot of power; it also has a leg span of 5 feet (precious space that our house couldn't forfeit).  So we bought a travel swing for our house; which was very compact, but I have a problem with the power source...  It only takes batteries!  D batteries, nonetheless!!  So not only is it expensive to use, it has limited swinging capabilities.  If you find yourself in a similar predicament, just get over the space issue.

If you take anything away from this post, be it the importance of a double breast pump and the mistake that is the travel system stroller.  What are your must haves?  Have you found any baby gear to be totally useless?

Traveling Back East, Part I: Packing, Flying, and the Car Seat

Let me start by saying, packing for this trip was a nightmare.

I'm a list person; I require an itemized list to complete almost all tasks:  grocery shopping, household chores, miscellaneous to-do's, PACKING.  I admit, this behavior is a tad OCD.  Prior to embarking on this great journey, I googled four separate infant packing lists.  They were all pretty similar, BUT I had to be sure.  There seemed to be this recurring theme of packing doubles: two outfits per day, two sleepers per day, two hats, two this, two that.  All this makes for a suitcase twice the size of acceptable carry on luggage. 

I eventually decided that packing that much for one little, tiny baby girl was just plain insanity.  And so, we planned to wash clothes a couple of times while staying at my aunt's house (thanks Auntie Judy!).  In the end, it was the perfect solution; I recommend doing this if you're staying with family or friends.

Here's a pic of alllllll the stuff we packed for Goose (not including disposable diapers and diapering supplies):

Naturally, all this packing fun took place at the absolute last minute.  I literally zipped up our suitcases, and we headed out the door for the airport.

My mom made all the travel arrangements, and she so brilliantly chose a red eye flight to Connecticut.  That's right mom, I just called you brilliant - you're welcome.  Goose fell asleep on the drive to the airport, and stayed asleep through most of security.  Apparently just one, short month ago the FAA decided babies must be removed from carriers of all kinds (including the Moby).  Naturally, Lucy woke up, and stayed awake through boarding.

Goose was a perfect angel walking through the airport.  When we got to our gate, she was ready to eat, but we wanted her to hold off until take off (the swallowing helps babies ears adjust).  The six of us took turns trying to bounce her and distract her, but ultimately, papa bear had to request that she and I pre-board, so that I could start feeding her.

Once in flight, Lucy drifted in and out of sleep.  I had a hard time figuring out how to position her, because she hates being cradled.  At one point I was burping her over my shoulder and she fell asleep within seconds.  For those who plan to travel with their babies, keep that sleeping position in mind!


The flight was surprisingly short, less than five hours!  We landed in Newark around 6 AM local time, and headed to the rental car pick up.  Our chariot for the week was a sexy 2011 Dodge Caravan.  Casey and I loved it!  We hope to get one in the next year or so.  It was SO roomy, and perfect for large families - eventually we hope to be a large family!

My one complaint, completely unrelated to the van, was the car seat we rented.  When we found out there were car seats available for rental, we were ecstatic.  Who actually wants to lug a car seat across the country?  We assumed that the rental company would provide a good quality car seat, considering the liabilities...  Well, we assumed wrong.  The car seat we received was pretty damn ghetto, to say the least.  The handle had been ripped off, there was no head support for Goose, and the strap used to tighten the harness wasn't working properly.  So...for those traveling with babies, bring your own car seat!!!  It is worth the hassle. 

 Despite all this, Goose had no problem getting cozy!

Stay tuned for Traveling Back East,Part II:  Diapering, Breastfeeding, and Family!

Observations of a New Parent

I know that I'm still new to parenting, but I wanted to share a few tidbits, that I've learned over the past three weeks, with those who are expecting or one day might start a family; this information would have been very helpful to know prior to Lucy's arrival.


To make this post as effective as possible, I'm going to try to keep it short and sweet... 

Surprises

You WILL be peed on (even by girl babies)

Baby poop is explosive in sound and sight; no, it is not diarrhea...

Changing diapers is actually really easy

Normal poop looks like seedy mustard

Cover your nipples when you shower, or you WILL scream

Supplies/Baby gear you think you don't need, but you actually do

Bassinet (no, the pack-n-play will NOT cut it)

More than 6 burp cloths

Disposable dipes for the first week, or until the Meconium has passed
Massive package of wipes (think hundreds)

Newborn clothes

Random thoughts

Co-sleeping is your friend
Side-lying is the best position for breastfeeding

When nursing, insert your whole nipple into the baby's mouth, not just the tip
(that took us a day or so to figure out)

Cluster feeding sucks; 30 minutes of nursing = 30 drops of colostrum

Better listen to Mommy, peeps!