http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/01/parents.h1n1.flu.guide.gupta/index.html?iref=newssearch
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination_qa_pub.htm
I'm still unsure if I will get the H1N1 vaccine or if my son will. I'm still breastfeeding and I'm really concerned that this vaccine hasn't been tested much.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Shopping Links!
I will update all the time when I find great website for shopping for baby.
Etsy has great stores that have cute homemade baby clothes.
We use diapers.com ($10 discount for first time customers usually) for fast delivery of diapers. We mainly buy diapers at CostCo now, but we weren't members when our baby was born.
I love babyearth.com and they are so close to where I live.
I buy a lot of stuff on amazon.com because I find they have usually the best prices on things.
Definitely do research and try to find good deals on craigslist. Baby items can be so expensive. We got a jumperoo on craigslist and I wish I hadn't paid full price for his exersaucer. They don't use these items for months on end, so if you can get hand me downs definitely try that route.
We got a lot of hand me down clothes and I still don't buy a lot of clothes. We buy clothes at Ross, Marshall, Target and consignment stores.
I love babysteals.com - every day at 9am MST they have a new deal of the day.
Under 'my links' is 'A Few of My Favorite Things' - a website that has a lot of good ideas on designing and finding unique items online.
Etsy has great stores that have cute homemade baby clothes.
We use diapers.com ($10 discount for first time customers usually) for fast delivery of diapers. We mainly buy diapers at CostCo now, but we weren't members when our baby was born.
I love babyearth.com and they are so close to where I live.
I buy a lot of stuff on amazon.com because I find they have usually the best prices on things.
Definitely do research and try to find good deals on craigslist. Baby items can be so expensive. We got a jumperoo on craigslist and I wish I hadn't paid full price for his exersaucer. They don't use these items for months on end, so if you can get hand me downs definitely try that route.
We got a lot of hand me down clothes and I still don't buy a lot of clothes. We buy clothes at Ross, Marshall, Target and consignment stores.
I love babysteals.com - every day at 9am MST they have a new deal of the day.
Under 'my links' is 'A Few of My Favorite Things' - a website that has a lot of good ideas on designing and finding unique items online.
Bottles
You need to figure out which bottles your baby would like. We registered for Avent and Dr. Browns. In the end, we switched to Dr. Browns and stayed with them. We started around 4 wks or so with them and wish we had switched sooner (it might have been 6wks). Our son preferred Dr. Browns. We were originally intimated by the number of parts that they have and when people online mentioned the many parts needed for Dr. Browns. In the end, they are really easy to clean and are not a pain at all as far as parts.
Many people like Dr. Browns and some like Born Free. I will say to get the BPA-free ones. I did use some that had BPA, but most of mine were the BPA-free ones. Glass bottles are always safe from BPA, but if you plan to have your child in daycare you may not want to invest in so many glass bottles as many daycares can't use glass bottles. We have been to two daycares and both said 'no' to glass. Plus one disadvantage to glass is that they are heavier for a baby to carry when the baby wants to hold his/her own bottle.
You also have to buy nipples that flow faster -after a few months. We had to move to level 2 around 3 months I think and level 3 around 5 months. We mainly breastfeed, but do supplement. Some people don't change the nipples, but if you find your baby is struggling you might want to get faster flowing nipples. You definitely need level 1 or newborn slow flowing nipples at first - when you have a newborn.
I love, love, love the ready made formula bottles that you just add a nipple & ring. The hospital gave us a bunch of nipples and they are really for one-time use, but we usually cleaned them and reused them. I see at Babies R Us that they sell the ready made formula bottles, but I can never find the nipples and rings that go with them. They are so great for late night feedings when you don't want to make a bottle or for when you are on the go.
We did (and still do) breastfeed, but our son was so fussy to breastfeed in public, so ready made formula came in very handy. As he got older, noises distracted him easily so breastfeeding in quiet locations worked best for us.
Many people like Dr. Browns and some like Born Free. I will say to get the BPA-free ones. I did use some that had BPA, but most of mine were the BPA-free ones. Glass bottles are always safe from BPA, but if you plan to have your child in daycare you may not want to invest in so many glass bottles as many daycares can't use glass bottles. We have been to two daycares and both said 'no' to glass. Plus one disadvantage to glass is that they are heavier for a baby to carry when the baby wants to hold his/her own bottle.
You also have to buy nipples that flow faster -after a few months. We had to move to level 2 around 3 months I think and level 3 around 5 months. We mainly breastfeed, but do supplement. Some people don't change the nipples, but if you find your baby is struggling you might want to get faster flowing nipples. You definitely need level 1 or newborn slow flowing nipples at first - when you have a newborn.
I love, love, love the ready made formula bottles that you just add a nipple & ring. The hospital gave us a bunch of nipples and they are really for one-time use, but we usually cleaned them and reused them. I see at Babies R Us that they sell the ready made formula bottles, but I can never find the nipples and rings that go with them. They are so great for late night feedings when you don't want to make a bottle or for when you are on the go.
We did (and still do) breastfeed, but our son was so fussy to breastfeed in public, so ready made formula came in very handy. As he got older, noises distracted him easily so breastfeeding in quiet locations worked best for us.
Starting Solids
When your child is ready for solids, there are a lot of things to consider.
How do you introduce new foods? What about food allergies? Which kind of baby food to buy? Should you make your own? When do you introduce solids?
Introducing Solids:
Talk to your pediatrician before introducing any solids. Some friends/acquaintances of mine started rice cereal early (and some have reasons to do this - reflux, etc). Be careful in doing this because it can cause allergies - 'they' don't know, but 'they' think introducing solids too early can cause allergies. They in this case are drs who advise to wait until 6 months to introduce solids. My dr said never to give a baby rice cereal in a bottle. I didn't know this before I bought bottles that were y or x cut (for letting solids pass through). Each dr is different and some as I stated above are told to do this due to reflux or other issues. I'll be honest and say it was tempting to start solids sooner because I've heard stories from moms that said rice cereal helped a baby sleep through the night sooner. This isn't true. All babies STTN (sleep through the night) at various points. Some babies can do this sooner (more on this on another post) and some won't do it forever. Breast fed babies wake up sometimes more a night because breastmilk digests more quickly than formula. My almost 8 month old is still not STTN. Some babies weeks old can STTN and every baby is different. I was given rice cereal early and I came out fine - you will hear people say that and that could be true, but maybe it isn't the best thing to do. My mom gave it to me since I was always hungry and formula alone didn't fill me up. I was a huge baby.
This website is awesome at knowing when to start solids and how to introduce solids:
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
Jars:
We buy earth's best and make some of our own baby food (another post for this subject). My husband did buy Gerber organic a few times because they make prunes and I never saw that earth's best had prunes and we were told to use prunes to avoid constipation. Our child is almost 8 months and hasn't had prunes yet, but we have prunes if he needs them. You need to do some research and figure out what is good for you and your child as far as baby food. Baby food can get expensive and babies eat purees for months. For example, our son eats at least 3 jars a day - sometimes more. Earth's best are cheapest at Target, not online (at the current time). They are about .78 cents each or around that price. Buying jars of baby food can be very expensive, so we decided to make some of our own food (like I said more on that later).
What to start first:
Each pediatrican is different. Mine recommended veggies, meats and then fruits. We didn't really follow that advice. We did stage 1 jars or veggies and fruits and then when he was 6months we moved to stage 2 purees and introduced some meat purees. Once you have done the 3-4 day allergy test, you can keep feeding your child that item mixed with anything else. For example, if you introduce sweet potatoes (our first veggie) and your child is eating it with no problems, you can introduce chicken w/sweet potatoes and then check for a reaction to chicken. Some pediatricians recommend veggies/fruits and then meats at 8 months or so. Ask your pedi for a sheet on what to introduce and also a sample menu for a 7/8 month old (if they have something like that). A sample menu might say 'give 3 meals plus X amount of formula or breastmilk'. It might have more detail on what those 3 meals should be (meat, veggie or fruit). At 7.5 months we do about 3 meals a day with usually a fruit for breakfast (sometimes mixed with rice cereal or oatmeal - both introduced around 5 months), a veggie or meat puree for lunch and the opposite for dinner. Sometimes he gets 4 jars a day or more depending on if he is hungry. We have not intoduced snacks, but I will put more information (another post on snacks). You will find that once you introduce solids you may have to give your child less formula/breastmilk. They should still have a substaintial amount of breastmilk/formula. (probably more than 24 oz a day, but check w/your dr).
What are some items they SHOULD NOT eat:
Our pedi said we could introduce egg earlier, but we have not yet since we know babies can really be allergic to eggs. They used to say to introduce egg after 1 year, but I think things have changed (again check with your pedi and if you have a family history of allergies your child may be more prone to allergies). You should never give honey to a child under 1. You should never give whole milk to a child under 1 (I believe). I think you can introduce dairy, but in the form of yogurt (but always check with your pedi). You should not give a baby plain water until a certain time period and even then only very little (1 oz or so). Ask you pediatrician. The reason they can't have water is because they could have an imbalance in their system as we would if we drank too much water. This is why some babies have died from watered down formula. We were told we could give a small amount of water after 4 or 5months -again like 1 oz. Always ask your pediatrician when you are in doubt. Don't trust anyone on the internet to tell you the right answer with regards to food/water safety (or anything really) for your child. Sometimes we feel silly to call, but that is what we pay drs for, so don't feel stupid - just call them. We also have some friends who are pediatric nurses, so we trust their judgement.
How do you introduce new foods? What about food allergies? Which kind of baby food to buy? Should you make your own? When do you introduce solids?
Introducing Solids:
Talk to your pediatrician before introducing any solids. Some friends/acquaintances of mine started rice cereal early (and some have reasons to do this - reflux, etc). Be careful in doing this because it can cause allergies - 'they' don't know, but 'they' think introducing solids too early can cause allergies. They in this case are drs who advise to wait until 6 months to introduce solids. My dr said never to give a baby rice cereal in a bottle. I didn't know this before I bought bottles that were y or x cut (for letting solids pass through). Each dr is different and some as I stated above are told to do this due to reflux or other issues. I'll be honest and say it was tempting to start solids sooner because I've heard stories from moms that said rice cereal helped a baby sleep through the night sooner. This isn't true. All babies STTN (sleep through the night) at various points. Some babies can do this sooner (more on this on another post) and some won't do it forever. Breast fed babies wake up sometimes more a night because breastmilk digests more quickly than formula. My almost 8 month old is still not STTN. Some babies weeks old can STTN and every baby is different. I was given rice cereal early and I came out fine - you will hear people say that and that could be true, but maybe it isn't the best thing to do. My mom gave it to me since I was always hungry and formula alone didn't fill me up. I was a huge baby.
This website is awesome at knowing when to start solids and how to introduce solids:
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
It also has some homemade baby food recipes.
Jars:
We buy earth's best and make some of our own baby food (another post for this subject). My husband did buy Gerber organic a few times because they make prunes and I never saw that earth's best had prunes and we were told to use prunes to avoid constipation. Our child is almost 8 months and hasn't had prunes yet, but we have prunes if he needs them. You need to do some research and figure out what is good for you and your child as far as baby food. Baby food can get expensive and babies eat purees for months. For example, our son eats at least 3 jars a day - sometimes more. Earth's best are cheapest at Target, not online (at the current time). They are about .78 cents each or around that price. Buying jars of baby food can be very expensive, so we decided to make some of our own food (like I said more on that later).
What to start first:
Each pediatrican is different. Mine recommended veggies, meats and then fruits. We didn't really follow that advice. We did stage 1 jars or veggies and fruits and then when he was 6months we moved to stage 2 purees and introduced some meat purees. Once you have done the 3-4 day allergy test, you can keep feeding your child that item mixed with anything else. For example, if you introduce sweet potatoes (our first veggie) and your child is eating it with no problems, you can introduce chicken w/sweet potatoes and then check for a reaction to chicken. Some pediatricians recommend veggies/fruits and then meats at 8 months or so. Ask your pedi for a sheet on what to introduce and also a sample menu for a 7/8 month old (if they have something like that). A sample menu might say 'give 3 meals plus X amount of formula or breastmilk'. It might have more detail on what those 3 meals should be (meat, veggie or fruit). At 7.5 months we do about 3 meals a day with usually a fruit for breakfast (sometimes mixed with rice cereal or oatmeal - both introduced around 5 months), a veggie or meat puree for lunch and the opposite for dinner. Sometimes he gets 4 jars a day or more depending on if he is hungry. We have not intoduced snacks, but I will put more information (another post on snacks). You will find that once you introduce solids you may have to give your child less formula/breastmilk. They should still have a substaintial amount of breastmilk/formula. (probably more than 24 oz a day, but check w/your dr).
What are some items they SHOULD NOT eat:
Our pedi said we could introduce egg earlier, but we have not yet since we know babies can really be allergic to eggs. They used to say to introduce egg after 1 year, but I think things have changed (again check with your pedi and if you have a family history of allergies your child may be more prone to allergies). You should never give honey to a child under 1. You should never give whole milk to a child under 1 (I believe). I think you can introduce dairy, but in the form of yogurt (but always check with your pedi). You should not give a baby plain water until a certain time period and even then only very little (1 oz or so). Ask you pediatrician. The reason they can't have water is because they could have an imbalance in their system as we would if we drank too much water. This is why some babies have died from watered down formula. We were told we could give a small amount of water after 4 or 5months -again like 1 oz. Always ask your pediatrician when you are in doubt. Don't trust anyone on the internet to tell you the right answer with regards to food/water safety (or anything really) for your child. Sometimes we feel silly to call, but that is what we pay drs for, so don't feel stupid - just call them. We also have some friends who are pediatric nurses, so we trust their judgement.
Welcome!
Thanks for visiting! I wanted to start this blog to share my experiences as a mom with other new moms. Some of my experiences are probably unimportant to some, but I hope some will find this blog useful.
About me:
I'm a 30 something woman who has one child, a boy. I am an opinionated person, but I like to think my opinions are real and honest. I work outside the home. I admire stay at home moms, but it is something I'm not cut out for.
I try to do things on a budget, but I do love shopping.
My advice comes from my down-to-earth nature. I appreciate comments and a healthy debate. I'm a self-proclaimed know-it-all, but I have a lot of learning to do as I experience being a new mom. I don't do everything the right way (as I sit here and type with a sleeping almost 8 month old on my chest).
This blog will focus on life 'after baby', but I may have some pre-baby insight or pregnancy related posts as well.
I will try to link to other blogs/websites that are new-mom related or informational. Oh, I would love to hear from experienced moms too!
Thanks again for visiting- I hope you stay awhile!
Grape Mama
About me:
I'm a 30 something woman who has one child, a boy. I am an opinionated person, but I like to think my opinions are real and honest. I work outside the home. I admire stay at home moms, but it is something I'm not cut out for.
I try to do things on a budget, but I do love shopping.
My advice comes from my down-to-earth nature. I appreciate comments and a healthy debate. I'm a self-proclaimed know-it-all, but I have a lot of learning to do as I experience being a new mom. I don't do everything the right way (as I sit here and type with a sleeping almost 8 month old on my chest).
This blog will focus on life 'after baby', but I may have some pre-baby insight or pregnancy related posts as well.
I will try to link to other blogs/websites that are new-mom related or informational. Oh, I would love to hear from experienced moms too!
Thanks again for visiting- I hope you stay awhile!
Grape Mama
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
