I’m sure I’m not the first parent to battle an insistent, strong-willed, soon-to-be toddler over diaper and outfit changes. My husband walked into the bedroom the other night asking, “Why is she crying like that?”

I held up a finger covered in Boudreax’s Butt Paste, using my other hand to grab two flailing legs, and with my third hand… wait, there’s the problem. My daughter proceeded to spread diaper cream on her ankles, knees, and toes (everywhere except her butt basically), as I said, “I’m changing her.” My tone suggested this was explanation enough.

“So?” my husband asked, raising an eyebrow. “Does she do that every time you change her?”

I stopped, looking up from the tangle of arms and legs. “You mean she DOESN”T act this way for you?”

“No,” my husband answered. “Don’t you give her a shoe?”

“What?”

My husband grabbed a size 2 Old Navy Tennis shoe off the floor and said, “You just have to give her a shoe.” Our daughter took the shoe, smiled, placed it in her mouth, and I continued with the diapering. Easy as tying a shoelace.

But when the shoe trick gets, well, as boring as an old shoe, what else can the parent of a toddler do to make changing time go easier?

Keep all supplies well stocked. This is good advice regardless of your baby’s age — you don’t want to have to go running around the house looking for a diaper with baby on the changing table. But with a toddler, you only have one chance to change each diaper before you have a naked baby streaking through the house, so you better get it right!

Keep messy objects out of reach. As soon as your little bundle figures out how to open the cap on the diaper cream, get it out of there.  (Fortunately, I didn’t have to learn this one from experience!) Remove from reach anything you don’t want your toddler grabbing for; this frees up your hands for the important tasks — holding baby down, wiping, fastening diaper tabs.

Keep toys within reach. Whether it’s a shoe, a lovey or a favorite teething ring, giving your child a toy may keep them occupied during changing. In fact, the mobile that you can’t use in the crib anymore because your on-the-go baby uses it to pull up on works great above the changing table, where baby can watch her favorite, familiar characters go round-and-round. Just make sure it’s out of reach or it becomes just another thing baby can grab and use as a weapon, er, object to pull up on.

That strap on the changing table? It actually has a purpose. I have a confession. The first time I placed the changing table pad on the changing table, I thought the straps were designed to go under the pad, securing it to the table. Now I know better!

Although experts recommend always strapping your baby down, it doesn’t become mandatory, from a practical standpoint, until your child begins rolling. Using the restraint signals to a squirming toddler that it’s time to be still, just like in the car seat. My husband (who is, apparently, the diaper-changing pro) strapped down our daughter for changing time the other day, and it actually made the process much easier.

When all else fails…  Use the Amazing Standing Diaper Change. I read this post by Brit several months ago and never forgot it. While my husband’s the diaper changing pro, I almost have this move mastered. Let baby stand up, occupied and playing with whatever toy they like, while you quickly remove old diaper (yes, even if it’s dirty), wipe baby, and put on new diaper. Experienced mom Brit makes it sound so easy but, really, it truly is easier than getting an uncooperative toddler to lie down for a diaper change.

Many people often ask creative writers where we get our ideas. This poem was inspired by a variety of posts I read here at Babies Online, especially those that discussed bedtime routines and setting a schedule.

Then, my niece had an assignment in her college writing class to write a particular form of poem, a villanelle. I thought it would be fun to try!

In this form, the first and last line of the first stanza repeat. I gave it a twist, changing the second refrain in order to represent the rapidly passing time with a baby! Enjoy!

Breakfast, naptime, playtime, bath

Then off to bed with a lullaby

These newborn days go by so fast.

Our day is planned, a common path

Treasure each moment in my mind

Breakfast, naptime, playtime, bath

I try to make each second last

As gurgles and goos turn into “bye-bye”

These infant days go by so fast.

Others warned it would pass in a flash

And daily routines make the minutes fly…

Breakfast, naptime, playtime, bath

Then bedtime stories and your cute little laugh

Someday I’ll miss the cuddles and cries

These toddler days go by so fast

Then one day, no lullabies,

No more stories, nor cuddles and cries…

No breakfast, naptime, playtime, bath–

Childhood goes by so fast.

I remember my baby shower for my first daughter.  I got the cute “safety” kit.  It had a nail trimmers, a nasal aspirator and a medicine dropper.  I felt like I could conquer the world with that kit.  Then my child arrived.  I was afraid to trim her nails lest I hurt her.  That nasal aspirator thing was just gross and the medicine dropper…well…that didn’t even work.

Fifteen years have gone by.  None of my children have lost fingers due to nail trimmers.  Their nostrils are not permanently enlarged due to that nasal aspirator.  I’ve finally learned how to give medication to my children and you know, I don’t even use the medicine dropper.

Some of my children didn’t really mind taking medication.  That was wonderful.  Then I had my son, who HATES medicine.  If I squirt the medicine too far back in his mouth or if I give him too much at a time, he’s been known to throw up just from gagging.  What have I learned?  A whole bunch of things.

There are many different products out there actually designed to help medicate your child.  I’ve seen specially designed bottles and also pacifiers designed to cleverly sneak medicine into your child.  I’d suggest trying these things because they may work for your child.

I found that my son, even at a young age, wasn’t fooled when medicine came out of the pacifier.  He also wasn’t fooled by mixing the medicine with juice in his bottle.  The thing that I didn’t like about these methods: how long can you let the medicine out before it is just not good to ingest anymore?  For example, suppose it takes an hour for your child to drink the medicine/formula mix?  Suppose it takes longer? Suppose your baby goes on a formula strike and refuses to drink the mix? Then what?

I’ve found that it’s best to actually just get through the whole thing as quickly as possible.  I’ve also found that it helps to have someone assist you if you have a child or an infant who really doesn’t like taking medication.

The plastic medicine plungers available at the drug store work great!  Usually pharmacists will give you extras if you ask politely.  I like them better than a medicine dropper.

In order to give medicine to your baby or young child, it’s best to lie them on their back.  Have a spouse or friend gently hold their hands down and talk to the child or try to distract him or her. Gently hold your child’s head (it’s hard to give medicine to a child who is twisting their head back and forth) and put the plunger diagonal into your child’s mouth.

The plunger should be aimed towards the back of the child’s mouth towards their cheek.  Don’t aim too far back or your child will gag and possibly throw the medicine up.  If you aim to far front, it’s easy for the child to just spit out the medicine.  Don’t push all of the medicine into your child at one time.  Gradually squirt in the medicine a little at a time.  This way, if some of the medicine gets spit out, at least your child will have some sort of medicine in their stomach.  If your child gags easily, this will keep him from gagging too.

Another tip: I have found that my son actually takes medicine better now that I have begun to flavor his medicines.  It really does work!

With some practice,  the help of your spouse, and some flavored medicine, you should be able to give medicine to even the most “difficult” of children.  Good luck!

Throughout my life I’ve gone through phases where I write poetry. Unlike other writing, which is a job, I find it relaxing, more like a game. My daughter just turned four months old, and I realized I still hadn’t written a poem for her.

I’m happy that the Babies Online site  owner has permitted me to share some of my poems, here, and I hope that other moms will relate to the themes. Maybe some Babies Online readers or fellow bloggers would like to share their own creative writing, too?

Milestones, Memories and “Mom-guilt”

I want to capture every memory
In poetry, pictures and prose
My every thought, your every step
Recorded for you to know.

The way your whole face smiles
When Daddy looks at you
And how you want to cuddle–
With us the whole night through.

But diapers and feedings and peek-a-boo
Leave little time for introspection
And as I hold you close I pray
I’m leading you in the right direction.

I wonder years from now
If you’ll look back and see
So many blank pages in your baby book
And wish I’d done it differently

When souvenirs of your youth are scarce
You’ll want to know the truth.
I should have taken time to write it down–
But I was too busy loving you.

]]> http://blogs.babiesonline.com/baby/milestones-memories-and-mom-guilt/feed/ 2 http://blogs.babiesonline.com/products/the-stokke-tripp-trapp-high-chair/ http://blogs.babiesonline.com/products/the-stokke-tripp-trapp-high-chair/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:11:58 +0000 Dawn Allcot http://blogs.babiesonline.com/?p=9016

A high chair is one of only a handful of big ticket items you will buy for your baby. Before investing $100 or more into this purchase, you’ll want to do some research. And yes, you can get a high chair for under $100, but I’ve discovered that in this product category, the adage “you get what you pay for” holds very true.

I began researching high chairs with some personal biases in place. Many months ago, I researched and wrote an article about ergonomics in the home for www.theWAHMmagazine.com and I learned of the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair. I was immediately hooked.

The high chair has several appealing features:

• sturdy solid wood construction (and available in a variety of colors/finishes)
• adjustable footrests
• removable tray for easy cleaning
• modular seat so it grows with the child, even converting to an adult chair

Most significantly, the Tripp Trapp is the first chair that permits you to pull your child—even an infant–up to the family table for dinner.

The solid beechwood construction is built to last and, with 11 available colors, you can purchase a high chair to match your kitchen or dining room table. The cushion is sold separately, so if you change your décor, you can buy another cushion. I love the fact that the high chair doesn’t look like yet another piece of baby gear, but an actual piece of furniture in the home.

And it becomes just that, years down the line, when you can convert it to a regular chair.

The Tripp Trapp allows you to adjust both the height of the seat and footrests and the depth, so your child can fit comfortably at any age and size. Designed ergonomically, the chair has a double curved back rest which takes pressure off your child’s developing spine.

Additionally, the adjustable footrests keep your baby’s feet planted solidly, not dangling in mid-air. Since children are able to shift their weight from foot to foot, they fidget less. (Aren’t you more comfortable and secure with your feet solidly on the floor or a footrest?)

For infants, a separate baby set is available, and a five-point safety harness keeps your baby safe and secure. Not many (if any) other high chairs offer the five-point harness, which exceeds ASTM safety standards for a high chair. The baby set / safety guard is available in colors to match your chair.

Many moms (myself included) might balk at the price tag of the Tripp Trapp. But when you consider that you’re getting a high chair that can change with your décor, last for the life of your child, and convert to an adult chair that holds up to 250 pounds comfortably, the price begins to make sense.

Even more important, however, than the style, durability and adaptability of this chair are the psychological benefits of a high chair / booster that brings your child directly to the family table during dinner. For co-sleeping parents, the concept is a no-brainer. Our children share the family bed; by all means they should join the family dinner table.

Studies show that the family dinner table is the optimal place for children to learn socialization skills, manners and good nutrition. Your child can be part of dinner in a conventional high chair, but they might feel separate from the rest of the family—the “grown-ups.” I’ve always believed in integrating children, whenever possible, to the adult dinner table. Let children be a part of dinner activities as soon as they are able to sit with support, and the learning and socialization can begin sooner!

Best of all, Stokke, manufacturers of the Tripp Trapp chair, have joined forces with Babies Online to offer a FREE Anabel Karmel feeding gift with each purchase made before March 31, 2009.

I’ve heard a lot of moms say they received a Boppy pillow and never used it because they weren’t sure what to do with it. Then there are Boppy enthusiasts who say they couldn’t live without the comfy horseshoe-shaped pillow. I fall into the latter category. I use it for everything! So to help Moms who aren’t sure what to do with this odd-looking contraption, here are uses for a Boppy pillow!

I didn’t bring the Boppy to the hospital with me, so I used my memory foam pillow to prop the baby on my lap in bed for a better feeding position. But when I returned home, I wouldn’t have minded having two Boppies. I used one to support my back while I sat up in bed to feed her during late-night nursing sessions. By the time she was three weeks old, my daughter got all excited when she saw what I affectionately called “the Boppy Bears” come out. (Our pillow has a three little bears design on the front.) I often say, “Thank goodness for the Boppy Bears!”

• The other night, desperate to finish an article, I sat cross-legged on our floor and placed Ashley on the Boppy pillow to nurse, so I had both hands free to type on my laptop. This put her in the perfect position to latch on without assistance. Since nursing is such an important bonding time, I don’t do this often… But hey, WAHMs have to pay the bills, too!
• As Ashley began to sit up with assistance, I used the Boppy to let her sit on the couch beside me and my husband. Propping the Boppy at a 45-degree angle against the back of the couch, I sit Ashley inside the opening. It gives her the side-to-side support she needs and she feels more like part of the family. Most places that infants can sit or lie put them down near the floor, not up on-level with the rest of the family.
• Yesterday morning, I fed her breakfast on the couch sitting up with her Boppy, rather than setting her up in the kitchen where it gets very cold in the morning. The Boppy pillowcase is easily removable and machine-washable, so I didn’t worry about oatmeal drips on the pillow.
• We use the Boppy as a prop in photo shoots, to position the baby exactly how we want her.
• The Boppy is also great for tummy time. You can prop baby’s arms on the pillow so she’s not lying flat. This makes tummy time more tolerable for many babies.

The other night, I got quite a laugh when I saw my husband napping on the couch, using the Boppy as his pillow. The shape creates fantastic neck support, and the covering is just warm and cozy.

As Ashley grows into a toddler, I’m sure she’ll find her own favorite position to lie using her Boppy. And I’m considering buying a Boppy for everyone in the family!

A safety tip: never leave the baby alone with the Boppy pillow as it could create a danger of suffocation.

Before I had a baby, everyone told me how much faster life flies by with kids. And I believed them, in the same way someone has never experienced it can. The same way you believe people who say, “Everything changes once you get married,” but you don’t really know what they mean until you unpack after the honeymoon.

On February 12, my daughter will be four months old and I can’t believe it. She feels so new to us yet it also feels like she’s been a part of our lives forever. Life without her is a rapidly fading memory.

Beginning at about 3 months, she’s been learning something new everyday. She’s becoming more aware of our surroundings and more interactive in her dealings with us. She’s selected her favorite cat out of the four who live with us, has definite preferences in toys, and makes her needs clear in ways that don’t always involve crying.

My husband assembled her high chair the other night, and today I put her in it. Our pediatrician said we can start giving her cereal “at any time” now. Breast milk has everything an infant needs for the first six months of life, and I’d love to hold out that long. But my daughter is an eating machine and I don’t know if I can keep up. I’d prefer solids to formula. After two weeks of sleeping through the night, she was up to eat every 2 hours the past two nights. I’m wondering if she’s not hungry for more than milk. She’s also started trying to grab food off my plate and is close to double her birth weight, which are all indicators that she may be ready to start solid foods.

She offered up a big smile when I placed her in the high chair and began looking around the kitchen, as if waiting for some food. “This is your seat now,” I told her. I’m hoping that even if she doesn’t eat her meals with us, I can place her in the high chair to enjoy mealtime as a family. For the first time in three months, I may get to eat with both hands!

She’s also outgrowing her bassinet (it holds up to 15 lbs.) and we have to make the decision to move her to the crib (I’m not ready for that until she’s sleeping through the night steadily!) or into her Pack and Play bassinet in our room temporarily.

This weekend, we may set up her Exersaucer, too, as it’s definitely a challenge to keep her entertained all day.

I got a little teary-eyed thinking about these changes. This is the next stage. My little girl is growing up and in the blink of an eye, she won’t be my little baby anymore. Now I truly understand what parents mean when they say, “It goes so fast.”

We see incredible articles every day about moms who have done everything they can to conceive but sadly only some are blessed with children.  Recently, I’ve noticed a trend where older–and I say this delicately–women are having children.

Doing a quick web search, I found that women as old as 70 have gone through fertility treatments for various reasons to have children.  I don’t mean to write this entry to judge any woman: having a child is a personal decision and I believe it should stay that way.

I find myself wondering about the whole thing though.  How does a 70 year old woman physically deal with a pregnancy? I am 39 years old and I’m pregnant.  I had my first child when I was 24.  I notice a HUGE difference in my body and in my stamina levels.  I simply can’t imagine what it must be like to have a child at 70!  I mean, how does a 70 year old handle the tiredness that seems to accompany the first trimester?  When I was 23 and pregnant, I was tired, but not like I am now!

I wonder how a 70 year old woman and her 77 year old partner can handle getting up during the evening hours to take care of an infant who needs to be fed.  I asked my 80 plus year old grandmother this question.  She jokingly responded that she doesn’t sleep much anyway because her arthritis hurts so much.  Getting up with a baby wouldn’t make so much of a difference because she doesn’t sleep anyway!  I hadn’t thought of that angle.

I don’t personally think I’d be able to handle having a child at 70.  Perhaps I shouldn’t say that, because I don’t know what I’ll be like at 70, but I think it’s true.  Having a child at my age is enough of a challenge.

What about you? Do you think you’d be able to have the stamina at 70 to handle the demands of a pregnancy?  What about taking care of an infant at that age?

Before I had children, I worked as a therapist in a nursing home which was about a 45 minute drive from my house.  I drove in it all:  snow, sleet, and freezing rain!

Then I had children.

I remember the first time I ever skidded on ice with my children in the van.  I was driving on our country road and slid on “black ice“.  I had skidded and slid around before, but my children were in the car and that was terrifying to me because I realized exactly how much was at stake.

Now, we’ve moved south, and we rarely get even a snow shower.  We occasionally get ice, but most everything closes down when that happens.

If you have to drive in the wintry weather with your baby, be safe and don’t take chances.  If you can delay your drive, do so.  Perhaps you can go into work late once the roads are better cleared.  Perhaps you can work at home that day.

If you have to go out, make sure to carry extra blankets and a shovel.  Leave earlier than usual so you can take extra time to get safely to your destination.  If you are able to do so, you can alter your route to avoid the less traveled roads which may not be so well cleared from snow and ice.

If you get stuck, many times, you can dig yourself out of the snow.  The extra blankets can help to keep your children warm while you are digging.  Kitty litter can be used for extra traction and can help you if you get stuck in the snow or ice.  Studded tires, if they are legal in your area, are a big help when you have to drive in winter weather.

Hopefully, you won’t ever need to use any of these tips!  I wish everyone a safe winter driving season!

Yesterday, I decided to make my first “prenatal appointment”.  I actually found a new OB/GYN for myself and for my developing baby.

I spent last week looking at websites and trying to find a doctor that I felt would be a suitable “match” for our family.  My previous OB/GYN was pretty up front about sharing her negative opinions about the fact that I have a large family(I have children from a previous marriage and now my new husband and I have children as well).  While I appreciate her honesty, I didn’t appreciate the negativity.

Because of my history of bleeding and spotting, I’ll be seeing the new doctor during my 8th week of pregnancy, instead of during my 12th week.  I can download the new patient forms off the internet and fill them out for the first visit.  I am slightly overwhelmed when I see how many forms there are to fill out!  Who ever thought that paperwork was such an important part of a pregnancy?

Other than my husband, I’ve told my sister so far and emailed my best friend.  That’s it.  We’ve decided to wait until I am out of the first trimester before we tell the other children–that is if they don’t already figure it out.  My teens are pretty astute.  My “tweens” aren’t too far behind.  I’m thinking that telling my almost 16 year old that her mother is again expecting should be a very interesting experience!

As we remember 2008 and look forward to all of the wonders that 2009 will hold, I think of the child that we are expecting.  I wonder if our baby will be a boy or a girl? Given my history of miscarriages, I’m not sure I should even be thinking those thoughts yet.  At least not until after the first trimester is over.  Right now, I’m hoping for the best, yet I’m trying to prepare myself should the “worst” happen. Let’s hope that this pregnancy, just like the New Year, will be both safe and full of happiness.  Happy 2009!

Maybe it’s due to sleep-deprivation, or maybe I’m just not very good at remembering landmarks. I know that my daughter’s first intentional smile took place at approximately four weeks, but I don’t remember the circumstances or the exact date. I also know that I should have written it down in her baby book while it was still fresh in my mind.

I recall telling my husband, “I think Ashley smiled today, while I was changing her clothes, but I’m not sure.” Thinking back, I’m sure it was a smile because she loves putting on new clothes and usually smiles the whole time.

That first smile is a bit foggy, but a few other smiles remain indelibly imbedded in my memory.

-    I remember the first time she smiled after nursing, lying her head on my breast and smiling with her whole face. It’s hard to know, when you’re nursing, if the baby is getting enough food. Weight gain, of course, is an indication that she’s eating enough. But this smile showed me in a way the numbers on the scale never could that she was satisfied after nursing.

I remember rubbing her back and leaning over to kiss her tiny forehead, and she smiled again.

-    My husband and I had been at a wedding until well after midnight. Our daughter was asleep in her bouncy chair when we returned home. She was fast asleep, but she smiled when she heard my voice, and again when I approached to give her a kiss.

-    I remember the first time she smiled at a toy. I hung a little Baby Einstein puppy from the toy rail on her bouncy chair, replacing the original toy that had been there since she was born.
I squeezed the dog and it barked. Her eyes got wide with surprise, and then she grinned. I continued making the dog bark and she continued smiling. I think she even giggled, but, like that first smile, I can’t be sure if it was an actual laugh or just a random sound.

As a full-time freelancer, my days used to be filled with lengthy to-do lists that involved interviews, transcriptions, and writing. I still keep a to-do list, but it is significantly shorter… and if I complete only one or two of the items on the list, I consider my day a success. But the true benchmark of a good day, now, is a day when I can keep my daughter smiling.

I’d love to hear other mom’s stories of their baby’s first smiles – or any other significant smiles in their infant’s lives.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that it plans to study the effects of BPA in depth in the future.  Currently, the FDA says that BPA’s are safe.  According to experts, the FDA bases this on the results of two studies done by other groups.  These studies, which were funded by chemical industries, claim that BPA’s are safe.

The National Toxicology Program has determined from it’s research that BPA’s, even in small amounts, can cause changes in brain development and behavior in infants and small children.  BPA’s are most easily ingested when chemicals from plastic containers seep into food and drink.

I became concerned about this when I saw an article that the bottles that I’d used for my son had a high concentration of BPA’s.  I began to try to find products without the chemical and was shocked at the lack of choices I found.  Many companies that made infant bottles weren’t even forthcoming with information it seemed.

Several months have passed and while strolling down the baby aisle last week, I noticed several products that actually announced that their product was BPA free.  I bought several BPA free products that day for my son.

Call me cynical, but I don’t buy the FDA’s position that this chemical is safe.  I’m grateful that I now have choices for safer products to purchase for my son.

Do you seek out products that advertise that they are BPA free? Do you agree with the FDA that this chemical is safe?

Last year was my son’s first Christmas.  He got to see Santa several times during the Christmas season as part of our holiday traditions.  Santa appeared at my daughter’s school during a special breakfast; and he arrived at our house one night to ask the children what they wanted for the holiday.

When Santa came to our house, our son was just mesmerized! He just sat and stared.  At least he didn’t cry!  When our son saw Santa at the school breakfast, he was curious.  He pulled his beard down and grabbed a handful of whiskers!  Even Santa laughed at that one.

I assumed that this year my son would also enjoy his visit to Santa because he’d done so well last year.  My assumptions were wrong.  We took our son to see Santa and when he sat down on Santa’s lap, I saw his little chin start to quiver.  The ladies in the elf costumes tried to re-direct him and I smiled my best smile.  My son would look at me and smile and then turn to Santa and begin to cry.

The experienced elves were able to take a photo nevertheless and we were done.  I went up on the platform, picked up my son, and told him he did a wonderful job.  My son took one last look at Santa and began to cry.

In talking to other parents, I found out that “Santa phobias” are not that uncommon.  It seems that many children go through a stage where they are frightened by characters in costume.  This includes people in Santa costumes and people dressed up as amusement park characters.  I’ve found that the best way to handle “Santa phobia” is to make the visit short and sweet.  If my children were very scared, I just cut the visit short and left.  I’ve seen parents trying to cajole their child who was screaming in fear to sit for a photo.  In my mind, it’s not worth the emotional trauma to the child–there’s always next year!

Do you take your children to get their picture with Santa?  How do you handle the situation if your child is scared?

My husband and I had hired a builder several years ago to enlarge our house when he and I got married. Since I had 4 kids from a previous marriage, we needed at least another bathroom and 2 more bedrooms to accommodate everyone.

Sadly, the builder went bankrupt somewhere near the end of the project leaving us in a difficult situation. Almost four years later, we are still finishing and fixing the house as time and money allow. In the beginning, it wasn’t too difficult. My 4 children are old enough to know to stay away from nails and not to eat spackle. They don’t have a desire to pick up a hammer and see what they can smash either. We didn’t have to worry about baby-proofing our building projects.

Then we had our son and life changed slightly. When it was time to do very dusty projects, we’d take him to our neighbors for a few hours until we could clean things up. Otherwise, it was simple to put him in his playpen with a few toys and do whatever needed to be done. It was slightly challenging to baby-proof our work projects and supplies, but we managed.

For a while, our project stalled due to lack of time and finances. This weekend, we decided to tackle a few building projects when the children were out with family members. It was then that we realized that remodeling with a toddler is not an easy thing to do!

Our son can now crawl out of the playpen and he’s curious. While my back was turned, he played in the paint. After a bath, he discovered a dust pile. After another bath, he discovered it was fun to play with the wall spackle. After another bath, I put him to bed and we worked furiously to finish what we needed to do.

We’ve realized we need a new strategy: we’ll need to do repairs during nap time, or hire our neighbors to watch our son at their house while we work on the house for any extended length of time. Let’s hope that this strategy works!

I was not too surprised when I read that trace amounts of melamine have been found in infant formulas in the USA. Recently, large amounts of the industrial chemical were found in Chinese infant formula products after thousands of infants became very ill after drinking the formula. Several infants actually died.

In the case of the formula in the United States, what surprised me was that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused to identify the formulas that contained the chemical and insisted that trace amounts of the chemical were insignificant and that it would be a “dangerous overreaction” for parents to stop feeding the formula to their children. The FDA further claims that the contamination occurred during the product processing, and was not intentionally added to the product.

WHAT? Does it really make a difference how it got there?

According to The Associated Press, which gathered information un the Freedom of Information Act, the FDA detected melamine in a sample of one “popular” formula and the presence of cyanuric acid in another formula. Cyanuric acid is similar to meaamine.

The chemical was found according to the report in the formulas produced by three firms–Abbott Laboratories, Nestle and Mead Johnson. These companies produce about 90% of infant formula in the United States.

Although no exposure level has been established by the FDA, officials insist that trace levels of the chemical are safe. Some experts claim that scientific evidence shows that low levels of melamine are always present in certain foods and that trace amounts of the chemical pose no health risk and shouldn’t cause alarm. Other experts insist that since no safe exposure level has been established, no amount of the chemical should be tolerated. These experts argue that the FDA should begin recalling the infant formula which contain the trace amounts of melamine, and insist upon a zero tolerance policy for melamine levels in infant formula.

What do you think? Do these finding concern you? Do you think that trace amounts of the chemical in formula should pose no great health risk to infants?

Before my son was born, I watched Dr. Harvey Karp’s dvd called The Happiest Baby on the Block. I had read the Happiest Toddler on the Block and I thought that Dr. Karp had a lot of interesting ideas and philosophies. I had heard of the 5 S’s (techniques for having a happy baby) and wanted to learn more about them in hopes to gain some good tricks to put under my belt for my new baby.

We have tried all five S’s in one form or another. Here is how they have worked for us:

• Swaddling – It is said that tight swaddling provides an environment similar to the tight space in the mother’s womb. Our son enjoyed being swaddled for the first couple of weeks. I believe that it did help him settle and sleep more, however, once he was a few weeks old, he would struggle every single time he was swaddled to get his arms out. We no longer swaddle him at 7 weeks.
• Side/stomach position – While holding your baby in your lap, place them either on their left side to assist in digestion, or on their stomach to provide reassuring support. My son continues to enjoy being held with him lying sideways with his back against my stomach. I put some pressure on his stomach with my arm. This is a position that tends to soothe him when he is fussy.
• Shushing Sounds – Basically what is meant by “shushing sounds” is white noise. Babies are soothed by sounds similar to those that they heard while in the womb. From the moment my son was born, if we do a loud, long “sushhhhhhhhh” (not “sh sh sh sh” the way we instinctively sush a baby) sound in his ear, it calms him down almost immediately. This has been one of the most helpful tricks that we learned. We also have a white noise machine in his bedroom. I’m not convinced yet if this works to keep him asleep, but it will help later on when his ears are more sensitive to noise and becomes more easily disturbed during his sleep.
• Swinging – This is another step that is said to mimic what the newborn was used to inside the mother’s uterus. My son enjoys his automatic swing. He also enjoys us rocking him to help him settle. One trick that I learned was to swaddle a newborn prior to placing them in the swing. You can still strap them in, and they feel more secure.
• Sucking – Sucking triggers the calming reflex. Babies are born with the need to suck. Some more than others. Both of my children have been “suckers”. Even though it is often considered a “no no”, we gave my son a pacifier when he was in the hospital to help him stay calm in his incubator during his photo therapy treatments. If it hadn’t been for his pacifier, he would have had to stay under the lights much longer as he cried every time we put him in the incubator.

I am very glad that I watched Dr. Karp’s video before my son was born. Although most of the five S’s are common sense or instinctive, he definitely had some unique spins to them that have certainly helped us have a happier baby!

I can‘t even begin to guess how many shoes, socks, hats and mittens my children have lost. How many of you have ever re-traced your steps in a store looking for the missing article? Isn‘t it amazing that the article simply is not anywhere to be found - My friends and I joked that the earth immediately swallowed such items whole. That HAD to be the reason why we had so much trouble finding lost items.

Now that the weather is turning colder, most of us will be bundling up out little ones before taking them out. I say most because well, it‘s still rather warm where we are located and I don‘t have to worry yet about bundling my son up.

It is discouraging to keep replacing lost mittens and hats because, at least in my frugal mind, I‘m throwing away money. This year, I‘m going to use a different strategy when purchasing these items. Firstly, I am no longer going to purchase the expensive, but cute items. Instead, I‘m going to choose the cute, yet inexpensive items!

I‘m going to look for hats that can tie under the chin, or hats that actually cover the entire head and just have a hole for the face. I found quite a few choices at our local store! I‘m also going to buy hats that are slightly bigger than what I need. My son grew so quickly last year that the hats kept popping off because they didn‘t fit so well. This makes it easier to lose hats. I also like hats with ear flaps because they tend to fit better so they don‘t get lost as easily. They also cover more of the head and I believe keep baby warmer.

I like to keep my children in a snowsuit as long as I can because usually snowsuits that are made for infants have mittens built into the suit. This is convenient and keeps your baby warm! When you purchase mittens for you child, definitely consider purchasing the economically priced pair. There‘s nothing more discouraging than buying a cute pair of expensive mittens only to have one get lost the very first time the pair is worn. When possible, buy mittens in packs with several pairs. If you can‘t buy your mittens in quantity, definitely purchase an extra set “just in case“ a mitten (or the entire pair) gets lost.

I usually tuck hats into coat hoods and mittens into pockets when I take them off. It‘s a habit now, but it makes it easier to find the items as I know where they should be. If they aren‘t where they usually are, I can assume that they‘ve been lost. I store extra hats and mittens in a basket that I keep in the closet. I also look for sales on winter items and I‘ll purchase extras when I can. I find that although I am careful and encourage my children to be careful too, I can expect for each of them to lose several pairs of mittens and a hat or two during the winter season.

Do you have any tips that you‘ve found useful to prevent the loss of mittens and hats?

Yesterday, we visited my dear friend and her brand new daughter who had just been born 12 hours prior to our visit. She still had that new baby smell on her!

I chatted with her mom and she told me that she couldn’t wait to get out of the hospital so she could get back on track. I just smiled. I know that feeling?somewhat. Due to the fact that I delivered with midwives, I was always home within 12 hours of the birth except for the birth of our last child. The midwife new I had very little family support and that my ex husband was not much help either. She let me stay at the birthing center for 3 days after the birth of my fourth child. I could have stayed longer, but due to an approaching ice storm, I chose to leave on the third day instead of risking driving my newborn home on icy roads.

I have to admit that while I was very excited to get home, I felt much better prepared to conquer the tasks and responsibilities waiting for me at home after being able to rest for 3 days. I say rest because constantly being monitored 24 hours a day isn’t very restful.

Everyone seems to have different ideas on this issue. I’d encourage you to do what is best for you. If you have a choice (sometimes you don’t have a choice – either your insurance company doesn’t cover for maternity stays after 24 hours or you or the baby are very sick), it’s best to make your decision carefully.

Should you stay as long as you are able to stay, or leave at the first chance you get? Here are some things to consider:

• How is the baby doing? – If he or she is struggling with weight gain, having trouble nursing, or looking yellow, you may want to stay extra time.
• Do you have Step B? – You may want to stay longer so that the staff can monitor your child to see that he or she doesn’t develop complications as a result of this.
• How was your birth? – If you have a traumatic experience, you may need extra time for your body to heal.
• How is the weather? – I know of women who have decided to leave the hospital early because there was a mandatory evacuation of their area due to a hurricane that was approaching. I’ve also known women who, under the same circumstances, chose to stay with their infants in a hospital that had made accommodations to deal with such a natural event.
• Do you have family support? – If your family is supportive, or you have a large circle of supportive friends, you may be able to get help during those first few exhausting days.
• Do you have other children? – If you have a large, young family to tend to, rest as much as you can after the birth of your baby.

I am not sure what my friend will decide. Her family lives locally and they are incredibly supportive of her and her young family. She is healthy and her birth was uneventful. Her daughter is doing well and gaining weight as she should. I won’t be too surprised if I get the phone call today announcing that they’ve returned home.

Do you have any recommendations for new moms? Should you stay where you delivered you child as long as possible—or should you go home as quickly as you can?

My children love to dress up on Halloween. I think it’s a wonderful thing, but given that there are 5 of them, I need to be as creative and frugal as possible when creating costumes.

Last year was our son’s first Halloween. I admit, I went to the “big party” store in town and looked at all of the professionally done costumes and I thought–I want our son to have one of these! After all, it was his first Halloween… The price tag of the costume I picked was around $50. $50 for an infant’s costume! I decided at that moment that I needed to check out other options.

Ebay is a good place to find costumes for your children. The costumes are gently used and the prices are more affordable. I did end up buying my son’s Halloween costume there last year. My son went as Robin, and the dog went as Batman. It was too cute!

This year, we are creating a costume for my son. The dog will go as his horse, and he will be a knight. I got a pair of black pants and a black shirt for him. The Dollar Store has helmets and shields and we can make a sword from cardboard and tin foil. I have “borrowed” a pair of my husband’s socks and I am going to paint them silver with fabric paint I have in my craft box.

You may have guessed that I am not a seamstress! I might be frugal, and I am creative, but I just don’t sew very well. The truth is that there are plenty of costumes that you can create without sewing at all, or with a minimal amount of sewing.

For many costumes, you can begin with a simple sweatshirt with a hood and sweatpants. By painting black spots on a white outfit, and adding a felt tail and some felt ears, you have made a dalmatian. Use a green outfit and add some warts and felt eyes on the top of the hood and you have a frog. A black cat costume can be made from a black outfit. I am sure that you can think of other costumes to create using this basic formula.

The best part is that you can “re-use” your costume after Halloween is over because most children can always use and extra sweat shirt or pair or sweat pants! Now that’s a smart way to celebrate the season!

My first child was one month old when Halloween arrived. I remember dressing her up like a pumpkin and keeping her with me when I handed out candy to the neighbors’ children.

My son is the youngest child of 5 and we dress him up so he can enjoy the festivities with his sisters who canvas the neighborhood for goodies. While we are out, a neighbor hands out the candy to children who come to visit our house.

Whether your baby is accompanying you and your older children around the neighborhood on Halloween night, or whether she is staying home with you while you hand out candy to the neighbor children, you should start planning her costume now. It does seem a little bit early to be planning for end of October festivities, but I’ve found that Halloween costumes go quickly. For the best selection, it’s important to shop early.

If you are looking for frugal costume ideas, you can do a search online for ideas that are easy and inexpensive to do. If you can sew, or know someone who does sew, it is fun to look through the costume patterns at the local fabric store.

I have bought several costumes for my children online through different auction sites. If you are thinking about this option, now is the perfect time to start bidding on costumes. Remember that you must allow time for the costume to be shipped once you win the auction. Also, it might take a few tries to win an auction!

I have also found gently used costumes for sale at some of the local thrift shops. Again, it is best to shop early for the best selection.

While you are deciding on this year’s costume, remember to plan ahead for next year. Costumes are incredibly inexpensive after Halloween! It would be wise to purchase next year’s costume at that time. If you decide to purchase a costume for next year during the clearance sales, remember to buy a size or two bigger than your child wore this past year.

My “little pumpkin” is now 15 years old. Believe it or not, I saved her first Halloween costume and it became a tradition for each child to dress up in that costume for their first Halloween. I have to admit though, when, I pulled the costume out for my son’s first Halloween last year, it looked worn.

We decided to start a new first year Halloween tradition. In keeping with this new tradition, my son dressed up as Batman and the dog went as Robin.

Good bye pumpkin, hello super hero and super sidekick!