The Mom's Cheat Sheet » infant

Travelling? How to Baby-Proof Your Hotel Room

admin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:13:48 +0000

Since we’ve had kids, we have been to plenty of hotel rooms with them. We’ve had crawlers, walkers, and full blown toddlers in rooms with us as we are travelling, and let me tell you – it can be interesting. It’s one thing to be in your own home with your baby, knowing where all of the potentially dangerous spots are. Thanks to baby gates, plugs in outlets, and table bumpers, we can usually keep our little ones out of harms’ way. But what about in a hotel room?

If you plan on visiting a hotel anytime soon with your baby or toddler, be sure and check out this post from Delicious Baby.

Step By Step: Babyproofing a Hotel Room [Delicious Baby]

Lose the Baby Weight – 10 Easy Tips

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:39:49 +0000

I’ve always been jealous that men are able to have children without handing their bodies over for ten months (or longer, if you count nursing). They find out they’re expecting a baby, and life pretty much stays the same – and so do their bodies. We moms, on the other hand, don’t have it so easy. Morning sickness, heart burn, and aching backs are rough, but at least they go away once the baby is born. So what about the baby weight?

Let me say right off the bat that I’m not a fitness expert or a nutritionist. And this isn’t an article about eating acai berries, the most effective abdominal workouts, or if the Atkins diet works. This is simply a blog by a mom who has had two children and has lost (most) of the baby weight from both pregnancies. Sure, I could lose five more pounds and get to where I really want to be, but I will admit that I am pretty tired most days and sometimes lack motivation. However, I am at a healthy weight and am the same size I was before I had kids. I’ve put a lot of thought and effort into dropping those pregnancy pounds, and have learned a few things along the way. So, here are my tips on how to lose the baby weight – and keep it off.

If you can, breastfeed your baby for at least 6-12 months. I nursed my kids until they were 17 months and 13 months, and I believe that breastfeeding had a lot to do with losing pregnancy weight. I’ve known some moms who can’t lose those last few pounds until they stop nursing, but personally I felt like it did wonders for me. In fact, my weight loss really slowed once I weaned each of my kids, and I miss nursing for that reason!
Keep track of everything you eat. This is something that can be challenging, but it’s very rewarding. I like My Food Diary, and my best friend uses Calorie Count at About.com. Both are wonderful tools for keeping track of your calories and your goals. If you can make yourself keep track of what you’re eating and stay within your calorie count for the day, you will start seeing results sooner than if you tried to simply “eat well” on your own.
Find an exercise that you enjoy. If exercise feels like punishment, you may not keep up with it. Personally, I hate to run. I know that I could theoretically get up at 6am and run around my neighborhood each day, but it’s not something I will keep up with, because I hate the very thought of it. Instead, I like going for walks pushing my kids in the stroller, and I enjoy doing my Pilates DVD at naptime. I could be much more hard core about exercise, but I have a routine that I enjoy and can keep up with.
Exercise on a regular basis. Keep at it, and don’t get out of your routine. It’s easy enough to form unhealthy habits, so try and make your exercise routine a healthy habit.
Skip desserts for the time being. You may not want to do this, but it’s a way to easily cut calories. However, you don’t have to be legalistic about this. You can make a plan for yourself, like only having ice cream on Fridays but not during the week, if ice cream is your weakness. When grocery shopping, only buy sweets that don’t appeal to you (if you buy them for your kids or spouse). It’s easy enough for me to pass on ice cream if I only buy vanilla ice cream, which my husband and daughters enjoy occasionally but I can easily skip.
Give yourself time in the mornings to feel put together. Even though wearing makeup or showering every day won’t make you lose weight, it will help you feel more like yourself. Feeling good helps motivate you and gives you confidence, which will encourage you to reach your goals.
Join forces with another mom. Right after my second daughter was born, I went on walks every week with my neighbor. It was great to have someone to go walking with, and she helped keep me motivated. On the days I would have rather stayed in, I knew that I had to get up and go for that long walk because someone was counting on me. Schedule regular walks, or have a friend meet you at the gym one night a week.
Bring your child along for your workouts. There are classes like Stroller Fit, mom and baby yoga, or mommy boot camps that involve both mothers and their babies. If classes aren’t your thing, simply go walking or running with your baby in a jogging stroller.
Schedule time to exercise. If you can schedule time to do chores, you can schedule time to exercise. Since I love crossing things off my to-do list, I find that writing down “exercise” on my planner motivates me a lot more than just hoping it’ll get done at some point during the day.
Focus on a lifestyle, not a quick fix. Don’t starve yourself or force yourself to hit the gym seven days a week – be reasonable. Find a routine that can be a lifestyle, and make it one. Also know that you will sometimes splurge, and that’s ok. Go ahead and go to Cold Stone with the kids – it’s part of living your life. And don’t pressure yourself too much when it comes to exercise – being a mom is hard work and keeps you busy, so remember that when making an exercise plan. I know that I can plan on exercising thirty minutes each day, rather than expecting myself to get up at 5am and work out for two hours. Be sensible in your goals, and don’t expect yourself to lose the weight too quickly. They say the rule is “Nine months up, nine months down.” I find that was true from my two pregnancies, and I didn’t really feel like I had my body back until about nine or ten months post partum.

These tips worked well for me, and I hope you can get something out of them. Just remember that it’s natural and healthy to gain that weight during pregnancy, and should come off in a way that is natural and healthy. Don’t rush yourself, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself either. Make healthy choices and focus on having a lifestyle that is conducive to losing the baby weight, and soon enough you’ll reach your goals.

- Grace

Mother’s Helpers – Something to Consider?

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:48:54 +0000

Have you ever considered hiring a “mother’s helper?”

If you have not heard of this sort of help before, I’ll fill you in. A mother’s helper is usually a pre-teen girl who comes over to your house to help out with the kids. She can be an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands to help you during the day – which all moms need! I had two eleven year old girls (best friends) come over for the first couple of months after my second daughter was born. The girls came over after school once a week, and it was a wonderful help to me. While I nursed and cared for my newborn, they had tea parties with my two year old. My older daughter loved playing with her new friends, and looked forward to them coming over each week. It certainly helped us during the transition after the baby was born, and it’s something I highly recommend!

Why hire a mother’s helper?

You are pregnant and need some extra help. Perhaps you’re struggling with morning sickness, or are exhausted that last trimester. Consider hiring a helper to come over and give your older kid(s) the energy you don’t have right now.
You just had a baby. It’s great to have someone come and be a playmate for your older kid(s), throw in a load of laundry while you’re nursing the baby, and be another set of hands to help out with the little stuff. Having your second or third baby can be a rough transition sometimes, and this was something that really helped my family.
Your husband is working a lot, and you feel like you’re overstretched. A mother’s helper is going to be able to help you out by giving you a break when it’s just been you and the kids all day. Have her take the kids to the playroom and color for half an hour while you sit down to read a magazine, pay the bills, or make the grocery list. If your husband will be coming home a lot later for a few weeks, have her come over after school and stay until dinner time a few nights each week. This will help during “the witching hour” when you’re busy cooking dinner and the kids are getting antsy.
You have multiple kids, and are just feeling exhausted. It’s hard being a mom, and having several kids spaced closely together is tough. I hear moms with older children say how helpful it is to have their older ones help out with the younger ones, but what about when all of your children are little? Sure, it can be done. But if you are able to have a helper a couple of times a week, it may make a huge difference.

What’s the difference between a mother’s helper and a babysitter?

The compensation is different. Because a mother’s helper is usually a pre-teen girl, you don’t need to pay her as much as you would a regular sitter who is older and will be given more responsibilities. It’s a lot different to have a twelve year old come over and help you, rather than having a seventeen come over and take care of the kids the entire evening.
They have fewer responsibilities. A mother’s helper is not someone who is going to take care of the kids all afternoon – you’d need an actual babysitter for that. Instead, a mother’s helper is just that – a mother’s helper. If you need to nurse the baby but your toddler is hungry for lunch, she can make them a PBJ. If your younger child needs a diaper change while you’re in the middle of doing a puzzle with the older one, she can take care of that while you keep having quality time with your older child.
You are at the house while she’s over. If you want someone to come over while you head out to run errands, call the seventeen year old down the street. A big difference between a mother’s helper and a babysitter is that you stay at the house while the mother’s helper is over.

Some things to consider when hiring a mother’s helper:

Hire someone who lives close by. Ideally, look for someone who lives in your neighborhood or within walking distance. Remember that because they are too young to drive, you’ll have to consider transportation. I worked out an arrangement with the parents of my mother’s helpers’ that if they dropped the girls off, I’d bring them home.
Arrange a meeting with the parents and the mother’s helper before anything else. It’s good to meet her parents, make sure she’s good with your kids, and be comfortable with her before scheduling regular visits. Ask around your church, playgroup, or neighborhood to find out if anyone has a pre-teen daughter who’d like to earn some experience watching kids before they start babysitting alone.
Be clear about expectations. If you want her to do some light housework (unload the dishwasher, throw in a load of laundry, sweep) then let her – and her parents – know in advance. Avoiding misunderstandings about her responsibilities will help everyone.
This arrangement works well for both parties. Not only do you have help with the kids, but a mother’s helper is getting experience at babysitting without actually having to “babysit.” Parents may be more comfortable with their daughter learning the ropes of babysitting in a supervised setting, rather than having their first babysitting job be entirely on their own.

Having a mother’s helper come over once or twice a week is an option that many of us may not have thought about. I talk to moms who would love to hire a sitter here and there, but they (a) feel guilty for leaving their kids during the day, and (b) don’t want to spend the money. A mother’s helper is a great way to get the assistance you need without having to leave your kids or spend a bundle. Remember, being a mom is a rewarding but challenging job, and having a little help could go a long way.

- Grace

An Easy Way to Administer Meds to Your Baby

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:53:38 +0000

Don’t you love it when it’s 2am, your baby is up with a cold, and you are trying to give her medicine in the dark? She gags, isn’t sure what to make of the dropper, and then the infant Motrin is all over you instead of in her. So you start over, hoping eventually you’ll succeed.

I came across this post from parent hacks today, and it’s awesome. This makes absolute sense to me, since babies are used to either nursing or drinking from a bottle. Check out this little gadget –

Nipple-Shaped Medicine Dispenser Works Well For Babies [parent hacks]

Tips For Helping a Friend With Meals

admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:30:25 +0000

When a friend has a new baby, friends and family usually sign up to bring her meals for a couple of weeks. This is a huge blessing to a new mom, because cooking is the last thing she’ll want to do! Since I have brought many meals to friends, as well as received many myself, I thought I’d compile a few tips and suggestions when it comes to what to do – and what not to do – when bringing a meal to a new mom.

As her what meals she’s already received. No one wants to east spaghetti three nights in a row – even if it’s from friends.
Time your arrival with when her family eats dinner. If your friend’s family usually eats at 5pm and you don’t arrive until 7pm, it could end up making things stressful instead of helpful.
Is she nursing? If so, avoid gassy foods like onions and broccoli. When my first daughter was born, we found out the hard way that her tiny tummy couldn’t tolerate onions.
Offer to come an hour early to help out. One of the best things my in-laws did right after my baby was born was to come over with dinner – and clean. I’m not suggesting you arrive ready to clean her entire house, but ask her if you can swing by to help out for a few minutes. Throwing in a load of laundry, doing a few dishes, and making the beds can be incredibly helpful to a new mom.
Make sure you cook enough food. Consider providing enough dinner so that her husband can take some to work the next day. This will be helpful if he usually takes leftovers anyway. Also remember that nursing moms are notoriously hungry!
Call to ask if she needs anything before you come over. Life with a brand new baby can be hectic – she may be out of milk or running dangerously low on diapers. Even if she’s fine, it will mean a lot to her that you offered.
Don’t turn it into a long visit. Yes, she’ll want to chat and be glad to see you, but she will also be incredibly tired. Drop off your meal, sneak a peek at the baby, and save the visiting for later. She’ll appreciate the favor you are doing her family, as well as your thoughtfulness in understand how exhausted she is.

- Grace