Out of the Mouths of Moms!
"You know you're a busy mom when. . . you look down at the pants you have been wearing all day and there's a dryer sheet stuck to them!"
~Lisa~ Mom to Ella (3yrs) and Gage (1 Year)
Best Mom Practice |
Making Mom's Life Easier ~ Product RecommendationsDoes your baby protest about baby food? Do bugs bug your baby in the stroller? High ratings for this high chair! |
Lessons Learned |
Best Mom Practice
Help For Moms with Colicky Babes!
As a new mother of a colicky baby who only stopped crying when
he was eating, I felt like I went through the trial of my life. My advice
to ANY mother who is overwhelmed, sleep deprived, struggling to "do the
right thing" and feeling helpless to comfort her newborn is this: Go
out and buy the video, "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey
Karp. After taking my son to numerous pediatricians and getting nowhere, Dr.
Karp's advice solved my son's problem in 30 seconds. I'd tell you more, but
it wouldn't be fair... Read the accompanying book as well. Dr. Karp is empathic,
loving and compassionate for all parents who weren't born with a manual on
parenthood.
~Cheri ~
Mom of Michael (age 2)
Present Moment Parenting
As a mother of a now 2 year-old toddler, I have learned the
secret of "present moment parenting." By this I mean that during
treasured moments when it's just you and your baby (such as bathing, nursing,
taking a bottle, eating or playing) just BE with your child. Create a sacred
wall around your mind that does not allow ANY OTHER THOUGHT to enter that
space other than the beauty of the present moment. Banish your "to do"
list, exile the mental notes of what you'll do when he/she's finally asleep
and just BE... observe your child's behavior, smell their hair, notice the
mixture of colors in his eyes, play games, sing silly songs, blow bubbles,
make a huge mess and relish the moment. The to-do list will be waiting for
you when the day is done and your wee one is asleep. The moment, on the other
hand, is there for you to savor. Enjoy it, all... because what they say is
so very true... it really does go by in the blink of an eye.
~Cheri~
Mom of Michael (age 2)
Making Mom's Life Easier ~ Product Recommendations
Does your baby protest about baby food?
I did love the BabySafe Feeder. It's a white plastic contraption
with a mesh net that you put food into. It's great for a young child who wants
nothing to do with babyfood but is too young for table food. We would fill
the net up with fresh fruit or veggies at mealtime and Trevor would gum them
happily while we ate dinner. Frozen grapes and blueberries were a favorite
when he was teething. It's available at Babys R Us and One Step Ahead.
~Amy~
Mom of Charlie(5) and Trevor(2)
Do bugs bug your baby in the stroller?
I got a lot of use of my Kiddopotamus Stroller Cover. It fits
over the top of your stroller and has a screen (to keep bugs out) and a shade
that you can snap closed. We found that it was a great way to help the kids
nap in their stroller when we were out and about. It's available from One
Step Ahead, and I think I've seen them at Babies R Us.
~Amy~
Mom of Charlie(5) and Trevor(2)
High ratings for this high chair!
I loved my Travel Lit Table Chair. It's a high chair that hooks
onto the table. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000AY9YB/ref=pd_ts_ba_6/104-4596501-0320739?v=glance&s=baby&n=542302.
The best thing about it is that it doesn't have a lot of little nooks for
tiny crumbs to fall into, and since there aren't any legs, cleaning the floor
post-meal is much easier. The chair comes with a tray that is dishwasher-safe
and actually small enough to fit in the machine! The seat is cushy enough
to be comfortable, but wipes clean easily. I was hesitant to try this chair
because I was afraid Trevor might come tumbling to the floor, but it held
up to my rambunctious little guy quite well.
~Amy~
Mom of Charlie(5) and Trevor(2)
All-Time Favorite Baby Carrier
My all-time favorite baby product is the Ergo Baby Carrier (http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/).
It can be worn front or back, and you can get an insert for newborns. At the
same price as the popular Baby Bjorn, the Ergo is much more versatile and
comfortable. It takes some practice to get into it as a backpack (I recommend
practicing kneeling on a bed and then in front of a mirror), but once you
have it down, it's a piece of cake. I couldn't function without this carrier.
Elliot was happy as a clam to ride in it before he could walk while I cooked
or did housework or ran errands. He still rides in it now when we're out and
about or hiking. He's 25 pounds now, and I don't even feel him back there!
I get asked about it everywhere I go - you will, too!
~Brittney~
Mom of Elliot (age 19 months)
TideTo Go Stain Remover Stick
The new Tide To Go stain remover stick is amazing. It got out
strawberry stains from a white shirt in about 30 seconds, and dried without
leaving any marks. Actually, now that I think it about, it's probably a must-have
for all moms!
~Amy~
Mom of Charlie(5) and Trevor(2)
Lessons Learned
Helping Yourself
Be kind to yourself. Savor the moments. Breathe in the chaos,
and then breathe in deeply during naptimes. Do more self care. Know this too
shall pass. Women have been doing this since the beginning of time. It is
a hard job, but it is so worth it. Learn to laugh a lot! Relax and make fun
of yourself. Sing instructions when you are impatient, it is much harder to
snap then. Take naps too. Mothering your children is the most important job
you can do for this time in your life. Release the ideal for the real. Take
baby steps toward those crazy, perfect ideals, knowing that sanity is way
more important!! Journal your feelings and what your kids are saying on a
regular basis, otherwise you will forget them. Seek out ways to amaze your
kids with your silliness, they will remember it.
~Erin~
Mom of Laura (15), Lynde (13), Landon (9), Liam (6), Luke (4) and Libby (2).
