Getting Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night (after 10 months of bad sleep habits)

We were not one of those lucky parents whose child began sleeping through the night mere weeks, or days even, after they were born. Some infants have no sleep issues at all, of which I am insanely jealous. Our boy definitely does not fall into that category.

I didn't mind waking up numerous times a night to nurse him, because he'd almost always go right back to sleep. For a short while, we actually bed shared, which made sleep so much easier for everyone involved - I could fall asleep while nursing without getting a crick in my neck from sitting in the rocking chair, and G would sleep much longer and more peacefully when he was with us.

But he was getting bigger by the day, and even our normally roomy Queen bed suddenly started feeling small with the three of us in it together. Plus, he started getting to the age when he didn't need to nurse 4 or 5 times a night, but I would be so tired that if he stirred I'd pull him to me without even a glance at the clock to see how long it had been since he last nursed. And, being a stay-at-home-mom, I wanted to make sure my husband got as much sleep as possible, since he had to be up early every day to go to work. I could always catch a nap during the day if needed, so I'd wake him up only if needed. So the minute baby fussed and began waking, I'd latch him on and go back to sleep.

We moved him into his own room permanently when he was 4 months old. The transition really wasn't so bad; he handled moving from our bed to his crib well. I still was waking up and nursing him 4 times a night or so on average - and because I'd often fall asleep in the chair nursing him, I probably spent more time asleep in his room than I did in my own bed. Everything seemed to be going well, and when he was nearly 6 months old, he began going 5 or 6 hours between feeds at night - which meant there were some nights I only nursed him once or twice!

Bizzy Babee Nursing Cover Review

Disclosure: I received a nursing cover from Bizzy Babee as a trade for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Bizzy Babee makes a nursing cover that is designed to be more fashionable than some of the standard options for breastfeeding mamas. (Which it is). The cover comes in a selection of trendy colors including purple, teal, pink, black, grey, and cream.

The nursing cover is a soft t-shirt material and is shaped a bit like a poncho. It has a cowl-neck and asymmetrical hem. One side has a slit over the arm to create a sleeve-like drape-y look.

I tested the cover out at a small town Farmer's Market. It was blouse-y enough to allow me to easily position my baby under it and see him through the neck hole to get a good latch. He latches on really well on his own now that he is 6-months-old though - and I have never been that graceful at nursing him with a cover over him. So if you are like me, then I'd say any nursing cover isn't for you if you have a young baby and are just starting out at breastfeeding. (But like I said, it's easier now that he has the neck/head control to lift himself to the breast and latch on without me having to guide him there).

The nursing cover comes in only one size, but it's plenty big. Yet I didn't feel like I was completely swallowed in a Snuggie or anything. It was great for outdoors because then it also provided a little warmth and cover from the early autumn breeze.

Word to the wise: How not to take an attractive breastfeeding picture. *ahem* Don't sit like a dude.

I did feel a little frumpy... but that is probably also because I had no bra on, hadn't showered, and had no makeup on either...

But I did feel that the cover was much better than the other one I have, which is essentially a rectangle of a stiffer material with a strap attached to the center. That one is easy to use and more commonplace - you just slip the strap over your head and voila! no more exposed boobage. But, it doesn't wrap around your back and I always was pulling at it to try and cover my side and it just never laid right. The Bizzy Babee, on the other hand, is more comfortable, more attractive, and easier to use. You can even leave it on when you're done nursing the baby and you wouldn't look completely loony-toons walking down the street. My sides were both covered, I didn't have to pull at it to adjust it, and there were no straps to tighten.

Just add a belt when you're done nursing and you'll look so chic!

Plus, (and this is a big one for me), it doesn't look like a nursing cover. I've breastfeed in public many times, but didn't often use a cover (because sometimes it was just too much trouble). I also think that it's easier to go unnoticed whilst breastfeeding if you aren't fumbling with a cover and people aren't staring at you trying to figure out why you're wearing a giant apron. But because the Bizzy Babee cover doesn't look like all the other nursing covers I've seen - and looks more like a lightweight poncho or dolman top, people won't automatically know that you're breastfeeding.

So, all in all, I'd say that if you are in need of a nursing cover or want to replace the apron-like one you already have... the Bizzy Babee is definitely the way to go. At roughly $40, it is double the price of the standard nursing cover, but I can really see myself using this cover much more than I use that other kind. It's much less hassle to use it and much more attractive. Well worth the $40.

Bizzy Babee Nursing Cover GIVEAWAY

Bizzy Babee makes a beautiful nursing cover that you can get for FREE! All you have to do is enter this giveaway for a chance to win a cover in one of five colors (your choice). The nursing cover is fashionable and can be used for breastfeeding, pumping, or just bonding with baby and actually looks more like a cute top than one of those apron-like covers that just screams "I"M BREASTFEEDING UNDER HERE!!"

See the bottom of the post for how to enter the giveaway. I will announce the winner once it has ended, and then you can let me know which color you would like!

 

Color options: Plum, Black, Teal, Watermelon, and Natural

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Breastfeeding Issues: Hyperlactation

I was producing so much, I began to feel like one of the sea nymphs on the Fountain of Neptune.

I was blessed to have a fairly great breastfeeding experience with very few issues. My boy latched on within an hour of being born, all by himself too! He then quickly bulked up and was back at birth weight within a week. It all seemed to be going well that first month - no pain, no fussing, lots of weight gain... But right after he turned a month old we started having issues.

Baby's First Vacation

Our first family vacation was quite a long one! The longest trip I'd ever taken - 2 weeks long. We wanted to visit family (both sides) so they could meet baby G, since we didn't know when our next opportunity to see all of them would be. (Hey that rhymes!)

We traveled from California to Virginia where my parents and all of my husband's family live. That's where the majority of our time was spent - about a full week. Then we flew to New Orleans and drove to Picayune, then Hattiesburg, Mississippi to visit some of my family. Our final stop on the trip was Pensacola Beach, Florida, to join my mother's family in their annual group vacation.

It was a lot of fun though a bit stressful at times - but also a great learning experience. Here's the rundown of our trip:

Why I Have Three Diaper Bags

Before my son was born, I read lots of tips that suggested having three sets of crib sheets and three changing pad covers. One that would be in use, one that would be in the laundry hamper/washer/dryer, and one that would be in the closet. Well, these are great tips, but do not apply to my three-diaper-bag situation. So why do I have three diaper bags?

Well, I got all of them as gifts (one off my registry and two from different military spouse baby showers) and wasn't really intending to use them all (at least, not all at once). But my mom suggested putting one (stocked with diapers and wipes) in the back of my car in case I ever run out of the house without my fully stocked diaper bag.

Then, just recently, I began using my third one. My main diaper bag is so heavy and really all of that stuff isn't necessary for quick trips (but it's great for all-day outings). So I put the most minimal stuff in that extra bag for shorter trips.

What is in each of my diaper bags:

Daily Life With A 3-Month-Old

Though I promised not to write solely about my day-to-day life and turn this blog into a diary, I have posted about what daily life is like with a 2-month-old, and intend to write a similar post each month as my boy ages.

So, here's what a standard day is like (for me) with a 3-month-old. It really isn't all that different from when he was 2-months-old... he's just awake a little bit more. We were on vacation for two weeks, which sort of threw of his schedule (not that he really had one). But, this is roughly what life was like with him for that month. These are all average times... perhaps in the future I will try and document one full day, if it's an interesting one.

Traveling With a Baby: Preparation

In preparation for our first trip with our baby, (three-months-old at the time), I did a lot of research. I didn't want to get stuck having to dump out pumped milk or having to pay extra to check a stroller cause we didn't do the process right, or have a flight attendant fuss at me to cover up while breastfeeding. I especially wanted to check all the policies and rules because we would be flying on four different planes over a two-week period and visiting four different states. I just like to be prepared!

So I hoped to save someone else a little trouble and compile everything I found here. This is the first part on a series of traveling with a baby and it's solely on preparing for your trip.

Reusable, Washable Nursing Pads Comparison

I made the decision before my boy was born to use reusable breast pads. I did buy one pack of disposable ones - by Lasinoh - but I still have some left cause I prefer the washable kind. However, I didn't know which ones to get or how many I would need. So in the last 3 months, I've ended up with 3 different brands and I thought that it could be helpful to others were I to compare them. They are Bamboobies, Breast Pads from BreastPads.com, and TL Care Organic Cotton Nursing Pads.

The two pads on the left are Bamboobies, the watermelon print is Breast Pads, and the bottom right is the Organic Cotton Nursing Pad.

Hospital Essentials: What to Pack When You're Having a Baby

A friend recently asked for my packing list for going to the hospital (to have a baby). So I decided to make it a little cuter than a plain old list.

I had a crazy long packing list when I was pregnant. I searched tons of blogs and websites for the ultimate list. Since my husband was going to be deployed when I gave birth, I didn't want to forget a single thing!

What I Didn't Need:
But it turned out that I brought a lot of really unneeded things. Of course, everybody is different and has their own preferences... Though I have always loved makeup and playing around with it and getting dolled up, during the last few months of my pregnancy I hardly wore it. So I thought for sure I would do the whole shebang after my boy was born when I was getting ready to come home. False. I was breastfeeding practically every hour, and sleeping a lot. I did a little bit of makeup - tinted chapstick and mascara.

Daily Life With a 2-Month-Old

I promised when I began this blog, that I wouldn't solely write about "what I did all day." But, I thought one post about what a day is like for me with my now 3-month-old boy wouldn't be the worst thing. :P I wish I'd done one when he was 1-month-old so that I could compare and see what the difference is. Because it's hard to notice change when it happens gradually over the course of a month.

So, here's what a standard day is like for me. He only turned 3-months-old the other day, so I'm going to write about what life is like with a 2-month-old since that is what he was up until a couple days ago. haha.

Keep in mind, babies don't have set schedules and aren't exactly predictable. So these are just average times and estimates. Babies this age can start to develop patterns, but it's not set in stone.

Breastfeeding Clothes: Cute ideas for things to wear when you're nursing

Sure, you could wear nursing camis and tanks - I lounge in them all day. But when it's time to head out, you may want to wear something a little spiffier than a cami that unclips at the breast.

Sure, there are lots of brands that sell cute nursing clothes... but many of them charge an arm and leg! And for some reason, when I was pregnant, I had the strange idea that I could only feasibly wear clothes designed for nursing. It never crossed my mind that I could wear "real" clothes until my mom mentioned something. Ha!

Here's a couple of ideas that never occurred to me until I actually began breastfeeding.

I love this Zenana Outfitters shirt I found on Zulily!

1) Button-down shirts. I hate the standard, stiff kind. So professional and uncomfortable - plus it reminds me of when I was a waitress, which I loathed. But, I found a couple soft jersey-knit kind. They are more flattering, I think, and much more comfortable. Then there are shirt that only button half-way, which will work as well.

Simply Vera by Vera Wang from Kohl's. I have this top and it's very silky soft - a cute lace button-up over a camisole. Plus, the tie belt helps give new mamas a waist!

Forever 21's zip top disguises a tummy nicely.

2) Zip-up shirts. This is a new trend going around, and it's handy for breastfeeding. I have a couple from Forever 21 (though I'm too old for most of their stuff, their line Love 21 is a little more grown-up and I've been able to find a couple good pieces. Plus it's cheap). They are blousy and loose with a zipper on the upper half of the front of the shirt.

Surplice top from Body Central

3) V neck tops. A v-neck that's very stretchy, or a shirt with a very deep V-neck, surplice neckline, or wrap/faux wrap top will allow you to pull it down when it's time to feed the baby.

Old Navy cowl-neck top.

4) Loose, stretchy cowl-neck tops. Same as the v-necks, if the neckline is a bit low and loose and stretchy, then you can pull it down for nursing.











5) Of course, you could just wear any old top that allows you to pull it up from the bottom... but then you're exposing your belly (and what new mom wants that?) They do make nursing camisoles designed to go under your top so no one sees your stomach... but then you're just adding layers and it's June in Southern California so I'm already sweltering enough with just one layer.

Advertisement for Undercover Mama - they sell camis that clip onto your bra and are designed for layering.

This Sun & Moon dress from Zulily has a surplice neckline.

6) Most dresses don't work - you can't pull them up (wouldn't that be a sight!?) But, button-up shirt dresses, or dresses that zip in the front will work. So will stretchy v-neck dresses as well as wrap and surplice dresses. I had no dresses that would work prior to my son being born and since I love dresses, had to go out and get a few that would work.

Dana Buchman snakeskin shirt dress from Kohl's.

Old Navy wrap dress with another nice camouflaging pattern.

7) Now regardless of the type of top or dress you get... make sure it is in a darker shade or has a busier print. Those hide milk stains and leaks a lot better than a solid, light-colored shirt.


Places to look...

It's really best to try on the clothes before you buy them (which I hate doing... I love online shopping). But you have to know if you're going to be able to stretch the top down enough for nursing, or if the zipper or button works the way you want, etc.

I don't want to spend a fortune on clothes that are just going to get breast milk on them and spit up allover. So I like TJMaxx - I was able to find a few maxi dresses that work for nursing (I know I said to try things on first... but you can now shop online!). Also, Zulily (another online shop... but the prices are often very good. Plus they do have nursing bras and tanks from time to time, and though they aren't the height of fashion, they are a necessity for a nursing mama). Old Navy and Kohl's have a lot of button-up shirts and cute dresses. Forever21 is inexpensive and has a ton of clothes. Just steer clear of all the crop tops that they have now. Ick. Body Central's clothing is a bit "spicier" - which means lots of low v-necks and surplice tops. Great for breastfeeding!

I'm sure if you are a currently breastfeeding mom, you've already discovered these clothing options. Hopefully though, this will give some good ideas to new moms-to-be and other women who plan to breastfeed in the future! :)

Separation Anxiety: First time away from baby

Many babies, once they reach a few months of age, often experience separation anxiety when separated from a parent (usually Mom). This post, however, is not about baby's separation anxiety, but my own.

I attended a Pregnancy & Beyond Fair a week before Mother's Day and won a free 30 minute-massage, which I had to schedule later. As a Mother's Day gift, my husband scheduled it and extended it to an hour long. I was told to arrive 30 minutes early for a brief chiropractic consultation, and since it was located half an hour from my home, we decided that my husband should come with me to watch the baby. That way, he'd be much closer to me should he get hungry. (He's still nursing about every 2 hours, and the total massage time, plus the consultation and drive would equal 2 1/2 hours).

Baby G slept in the car on the way there, and we hoped he'd sleep a little longer so we just decided that I should go in for my appointment instead of waking him up to feed him. Since he'd only eaten 45 minutes earlier. My husband was planning to push him in the stroller through the shopping center to keep him asleep.

What was strange to me was that I had discussed with my husband the possibility of interviewing babysitters for down the road. Being able to go out for an hour or two for a quick date without baby seemed like a nice idea at the time. Sometimes I feel like just a milk machine and like the baby is just permanently attached to my breast. I can hardly get anything done around the house, and my husband and I can't really cuddle on the couch and watch tv like we used to. So being able to spend an hour or two just the two of us - even if only once a month - at a restaurant or movie theater or even just a frozen yogurt place seemed wonderful.

But then, I was sitting there, in the waiting area, filling out paperwork and started to stress out. The farthest I'd been from my baby since leaving the hospital was about 20 feet. And the only time I wasn't able to really see him or touch him was when I was in the shower. I just kept thinking, "What's going on? What's he doing? How is he? Are he and my husband ok? Is he crying? Is he still asleep?" and so on. I would attempt to calm myself: "He is fine. He's with his daddy. They are okay, daddy knows what he's doing. He ate less than an hour ago, so he shouldn't be hungry yet..." But still... I was experiencing a bit of separation anxiety.

First Mother's Day!

Today was my first Mother's Day! It's not over yet, but it's been pretty great so far! :)

 

Had a pot of flowers delivered from my parents the other day. I don't have much of a green thumb, but hopefully I can keep them alive... at least for a while!

Love these little pjs, by the way. From Heidi Klum's Truly Scrumptious line. They're made of bamboo and super soft!

Baby Carriers: My reviews on three wraps and slings

There are hundreds of different baby carriers: wraps, slings, structured carriers, backpacks... and in a large variety of prices. Some will work for newborns or 8 pounds and up, and some for older babies 6 months and up. Some carriers you can use until your child is 3 or 4 years old, and some only until they're a year old. Two of the most well-known are probably the Baby Bjorn (a structured carrier) and the Moby Wrap. Though I can't review every carrier out there, I can give my thoughts on the ones I have, and hopefully it'll help someone pick their own carrier!

I currently have three different carriers. My baby boy, ("Baby G" as my doula calls him), is now 7 weeks old, so I can't speak to how any of them will work for an older baby - 6 months or older. But he is a big boy - almost 13 pounds at last check and is already wearing size 3 months clothes (and some larger).

At the moment, I don't have any "structured" carriers or back-pack carriers, like a Baby Bjorn or Ergo Baby. Maybe I'll get one down the road and add it to the list. (Anyone want to send me one?) But for now, three wraps/slings is fine. I have the Moby Wrap, Hotsling, and Balboa Baby sling.

Some notes on wraps/slings/carriers before I get into the nitty gritty:

• Check eBay, Craigslist, and consignment shops for good deals. Some carriers can get pretty pricey (over $100 for some!) I got my Moby at a consignment shop and saved $15 and got the Hotsling on eBay for $9! The Balboa Baby sling was free from a friend that wasn't using it. (Thank you Karrie!)
• Make sure you follow the safety instructions for your baby carrier! The Moby and Hotsling both say to make sure baby is "Visible and Kissable" - meaning you should be able to see baby and kiss their head easily. No matter the carrier you do not want baby's chin on their chest - it can restrict their ability to breathe. (This applies to all situations, by the way. Whether they're in a carseat, bouncer, swing, stroller, wrap, sling, or carrier, their chin needs to be off their chest!)

After You Give Birth... Recovery Essentials

 Postpartum Recovery Essentials

1.     Dermoplast- (I got this at the hospital) or  New Mama Bottom Spray (which I used when I ran out of Dermoplast. Frankly, I preferred the Dermoplast)

2.     Tucks Medicated Witch Hazel Pads- These round little pads were amazing! Used two full tubs (layered 3 pads on top of a maxi pad every few hours)

3.     Perineal Irrigation Bottle- I got to take this home from hospital as well. (You can’t wipe for the first few days, can only rinse clean)

4.     Maxi Pads- I used the Always Overnight (super heavy duty) pads for the first 2 weeks, then moved to smaller ones so I didn't feel like I was wearing a diaper all the time.

5.     Cheap, big Underwear- I bought Hanes and Fruit of the Loom briefs, but I wish I’d been able to snag more of the giant mesh briefs they had me wear at the hospital. Those were surprisingly comfy!

6.     Postpartum Bath Herbs or regular Epsom Salt. Sitz baths were so helpful.

7.     Nursing tanks. I lived in them. Still do. Motherhood Maternity and Lamaze make nice ones. Motherhood Maternity often has good sales, and the flash sale site Zulily has the Lamaze tanks (and sleep bras, which I also love) frequently, for super cheap.

8.     Nursing Pillow- My Brest Friend or Boppy. Check out my post on the other way to use a Boppy for recovery!

9.     Earth Mama Angel Baby Booby Tubes-  Like a beanbag for your breasts. You can use them warm or cold – I microwaved mine and rested them on my breasts for 15 minutes or so - they're a donut shape, but not a complete circle. If that makes any sense at all. Beware - my dog thought they smelled delicious and destroyed my first pair. :(

10.   Lanolin- I tried another nipple cream (Motherlove), but preferred the lanolin.  Your nipples will be sore the first few days. (Side note: if you experience pain past those first few days, see a lactation consultant. Extended nipple pain due to breastfeeding is not normal)

11.   Lots of pillows. I was so glad I’d bought more pillows for our couch and bed while pregnant, so I could be completely cushy no matter where I sat/lay/lounged. Not being able to get up and walk around much was sooo annoying - and I'd get so uncomfortable after sitting in one spot for hours, so a multitude of pillows was incredibly helpful in making myself more comfortable.

12.   Bamboobies (or other nipple pads). I like the Bamboobies for those first few weeks because they are soft and not rough on your nipples like some of the disposable ones are. I never had a problem with them becoming over-saturated and soaking my clothes, but you do have to change them once they're wet. (So get a couple pairs. I had an overnight pair and two regular pairs, plus a pack of Organic Cotton Pads and the Lansinoh Disposable Pads). 

Here Comes Baby Boy! - The Birth Story

Almost 2 months after my baby boy was born, I'm finally writing his birth story. And now scrambling to find my birth notes that my doula gave me... (in reality, I'm calling my husband to find them for me cause I have a baby sleeping on my chest, in the Moby Wrap (which I will write about in more detail later).

Found it!

So if you are only interested in the general picture of my birth, read the short version, which I have here first. If, however, you are interested in the details and specifics, read my novel (aka, the long version), which follows the short version. :)

Short version:
March 14, my due date, I woke up at 4:00am to find my water had broken. 4:30ish I felt my first contraction. I labored at our apartment until 9:00am and arrived at the hospital around 9:50. (Only a 15 minute drive, but it took a while to get down the stairs and out to the car). The nurses were shocked to find I was already completely dilated, and after forcing my feet into stirrups and repeatedly trying (and failing) to get an IV into me, my son was born at 10:31am. The nurses, having forgotten that I had not received an epidural, jabbed me in the leg with a needle to give me pitocin (without my permission), and my doctor then informed me that she was stitching me up from the episiotomy she'd given me (again without my permission and without me even knowing what she was doing). Then another nurse dumped cold water all over me "down there" - to which I shouted "ahh" to. (She then asked, "what?!" to which I told her it was cold and she then said she'd forgotten I hadn't had an epidural). My boy crawled to the breast and began nursing on his own within the hour. Because my husband was deployed, my mom flew out and arrived around 6:00pm.

Read on for the long version...

Multipurpose boppy pillow - episiotomy recovery!

Well, it's been a little while since my last post... but I'm not sorry! Cause I had my baby! :)

I had a bunch of posts in the works, saved as drafts and ready for me to write... but I decided to write this one instead because it's a little more relevant to my current situation.

The boppy pillow is good for more than breastfeeding!

Birth Preferences (infographic)

This will be a short post...
I am not going to go into the details of creating a birth plan and choosing what to put on it right now. I just wanted to share a Birth Prefrences infographic that I just created on Easel.ly
I had created my birth "plan" (which is what they're usually called, but you can't always plan for everything and I know you may not get what you plan for... so I use the term loosely) on a word document, nicely typed with a friendly introduction ("We are so excited to be birthing our baby at Mission Hospital!" etc) before going into my bulleted requests for my labor and delivery. My husband did help create it and then our doula looked over it as well to give her suggestions.
Though I still plan to use my typed one, I saw a cute infographic-style birth plan on pinterest (that you could have someone personalize for you on Etsy for $10) and just had to make my own!

Here is the one you can have made for you on Etsy:

And here is the one I made! I actually made two... one with my contact info on it and this one here, which has no name or contact info (for sharing online... don't need my phone number floating around the cyber-universe!) I'm not sure if I will actually use it, but I was bored and enjoy playing around creating different things like this.

 

Happy to hear your thoughts on it!

Thanks for reading!


UPDATE 3/1/14

I edited my birth preferences infographic to be a little more printer-friendly (less color).
There's an open space at the bottom below the feet, that is where I put my name and contact information.

Human Milking and Making Milkshakes: Breast Pumps

So I had my first request for a post... breast pumps! Breast pumps can be very confusing (as are a lot of things you may need for a new baby I have learned!)
So here is my attempt to concentrate the smorgasbord of information out there on breast pumps... from what they are, to whether you may need one, to the different types available, to safety information, to the best selling pumps on the market today...

What is a breast pump?
Simply, a breast pump is a FDA regulated medical device used to extract breast milk from a nursing mother. They can also be used to "maintain or increase a woman’s milk supply, relieve engorged breasts and plugged milk ducts, or pull out flat or inverted nipples so a nursing baby can latch-on to its mother’s breast more easily." (FDA)

Do I need a breast pump?
Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, you may find you have a need for a breast pump.