Preparation for midnight bottle feedings

No one ever gave me a heads up on how chaotic a midnight feeding could be if you weren’t properly prepared. Oh I remember those first couple of nights searching desperately for the right nipple and trying to measure out formula with my eyes so heavy I could barely keep them open. After Jaxon’s second night home, I knew that I was going to need some organization and preparation for midnight feedings, as there were going to be many many more to come.
My best advice is to have everything measured and prepared. Munchkin makes this great little formula dispensers, that holds three different feeding per container. You simply fill it up with the desired amount of powdered formula and when you get ready to use, you just turn the top to the section you want to use, open the top, and add to the bottle. I also labeled the two different dispensers I had, as one had enough powder for a 5 ounce bottle and one had powder for a six ounce bottle.
Make sure you keep plenty of extra bottles with the desired amount of water already added so that everything is ready to go. Have nipples and caps all matched up and assembled especially if you are using Dr. Browns bottles with 50 different pieces. Oh how frustrating that is trying to assemble a Dr. Browns bottle at 1:30 a.m.   Yes I have been there.

Signs, symptoms, and reasons: Middle ear infections in infants

Otitis media, also known as middle ear infection is commonly seen in infants and toddlers and often times goes unnoticed by parents until serve symptoms occur. In infants, the eustachian tubes which connect the ear drum to the nasopharynx and equalizes the pressure in the ear drum with that of the outside atmosphere is much shorter and smaller and can make it much easier for germs, bacteria, and viruses to invade the middle ear and ear drum.

Although ear infections aren’t contagious, other things that cause them are such as colds and the flu. Colds and others upper respiratory infections can cause the eustachian tubes also known as the auditory tubes to become inflamed and infected. If eustachitis occurs it causes fluid to build up behind the ear drum (serous otitis media), which causes the middle ear infection (acute otitis media).

Water that accumulates in the ear from swimming or baths can also cause an infection if left in the ear. Always dry out your baby’s ears after he has been in water. Use caution when cleaning and never stick anything in the ear canal. Only dry the outer ear where the water accumulates.

Cigarette smoke can also cause the eustachian tubes to become inflamed, making it harder for pressure to be equalized and may cause fluid to build up behind the ear drum. Always keep your child away from smokers and smoke of any kind. Child with allergies should try to stay away from pollen and outside dust because this can also cause problems with the ear drums and eustachian tubes

Chronic ear infections that recur again and again can cause serious damage to the ear drum and in some cases hearing loss. Children and adults with chronic ear infections may need surgery to repair damaged parts of the eardrum known as tympanoplasty or have damaged tissue on the ear drum removed to improve hearing also known as tympanectomy.

If any fluid has built up behind the ear drum and cannot drain by itself, a surgery may need to be performed to remove the built up fluid. A tiny puncture into the tympanic member (ear drum) will be made with a needle and tympanostomy tubes may be inserted into the ear drum to provide ongoing drainage of fluid to relieve pressure on the ear drum. This is the most common procedure performed on young children and is what is meant when “tubes” are placed in the ears.

There are different types of tubes that can be placed, some that fall out on their own after six months to two years and then the tiny hole in the ear drum will heal. In some cases larger tubes are needed and will have to be surgical removed after the child is clear of ear infections, the fluid is completely gone, and the ear drum has had time to heal.

It may be harder to tell if your baby has an ear infection since they have not yet learned to pull on their ears when they hurt. Sometimes an ear infection isn’t detected by parents until serious symptoms occur such as a high fever or drainage from the ear. If you notice your child showing any sign of discomfort when cleaning the outer ear, or behind the ear, take your child to the doctor. Ear infections can quickly become very serious.

Prescription antibiotics are usually given for five to ten days to unsure that the infection is gone. A shot of antibiotics may be given for serve infections. Ear drops can also be prescribed to help with the ear pain.Over the counter pain reliever may also be administered to help with pain or fever. If a fever continues for more than 24 hours after starting antibiotics your child may need to return to the doctor to ensure that the infection hasn’t spread or become more serious than firstly expected. Anyways make sure that your child finishes all the antibiotics to make sure that the ear infection doesn’t return.

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Nutrition guidelines for your food newbie

As you may know each and every baby develops differently and each baby will start to show interest in food and signs of development at different ages. There are however, different signs to look for to know if your baby is ready to start eating pureed baby food.

Has your baby begin to sit independently? This is one of the most important signs and if your baby is not sitting unsupported yet, then it’s not time to start introducing solids. You should start noticing the signs when your baby is ready, such as the ability to pick up tiny objects with finger, closing mouth and using upper lip to clear cereal off a spoon, the ability to make “chewing” motions, and the ability to put anything and everything to his mouth.

At this stage of development it is important to introduce new sources of iron and zinc not only from infant cereal but from pureed meats as well. Fruits and veggies are important to promote healthy eating habits with nutrients such as vitamin C for a healthy immune system, and most baby food now days have DHA to help support healthy brain and eye development. After 6 months yogurt maybe be added in small amounts. Plain yogurt with the least amount of added sweeteners is best .Although it is a great source of calcium, protein, and vitamins A, D, and E, your baby’s source of all of these nutrients will still come from formula or breast milk.  At this age, your baby should be drinking around 24 – 32 ounces a day. Some may even start to show interest in drinking from a cup!

It’s not necessarily as important which order to introduce new foods in, as it is how often to add new foods. Always wait 4 to 6 days before introducing a new food and only offer new foods one at a time. Watch for any type of reaction; diarrhea, diaper rashes, vomiting, skin rashes, or breathing problems. If a reaction occurs and becomes severe, you should seek medical attention and should consult a doctor before giving the food to your child in the future.

Wait until your baby is at least a year old before giving them cow’s milk, egg whites or whole eggs, chocolate, shellfish, cocoa, or nuts (especially peanuts and peanut butter). Never give babies under the age of one year honey or products made with honey.

Remember:

*Never prop your baby’s bottle or lay your baby flat with eating. This can lead to tooth decay and ear infections.

*Do not add salt, pepper, butter, sugar, honey, or any other seasoning to you baby’s food.

*Unless the whole jar of baby food is eaten at that feeding, use a dish for the portion of food that your baby will eat. This will keep your baby’s saliva from causing the uneaten portion of food to spoil faster.

* Never feed your baby a opened jar of baby food that has been in the refrigerator for more than three days.

Let your baby experience everything

From a very young age, most babies are inquisitive and can’t help but be nosey. They love new experiences and new things. Whether it be seeing a friendly new friend and beautiful nature scene, feeling a soft stuffed animals or running their hand over a dog or cat for the first time.
Babies love to use all their senses so why not let them try, touch, hear, smell, taste, and see new things as much as possible. Even the simplest things will fascinate your baby and it’s quite funny to watch their eyes light up over each and every little thing they experience.
Touch
Let your babies feel everything you feel during the day. Cooking with artichoke tonight? Let your baby hold it for a minute and feel the odd textured object. Letting your baby sit in grass for the first time may leading to the most puzzling expression you’ve ever seen your baby give you! Wouldn’t you love to pet a bunny rabbit if you had never touched one before? Your baby would!
Sound
Babies love music, sound, traffic noises, and some will even pay attention to commercial noises (blenders, vacuum, dishwashers, etc..)  Example: My son would love to ride the vacuum while it’s on. I don’t know why, but he crawls to it as soon as I turn it on. Guitars and other musical instruments will interest some babies.
Taste
This is more important for the older babies (6 months and up). Let your baby taste some sour pickle juice or even a lemon. It’s very funny to watch their reaction and most really like it. More textured food, such as a whole banana put in a mesh feeder usually intrigues a food newbie, after a while you can try mashed potatoes, cooked carrots,etc..
Sight
Babies love to see new, colorful things. Whether it is a bright colored picture of a simple shape, a bird eating birdseed outside the window, or even a pretty colored bath paint during bath time. Take your babies to new places; the park, zoo, or aquarium. They will get to see things they couldn’t ever image!
Smell
I think we often take smells for granite. We may walk past a flower and not even smell it because we’ve smelled them a thousand times. Your baby would love to smell the sweet scent of a rose. Actually, your baby would  probably enjoy seeing, smelling, and touching the rose. You may not realize it but your perfume or shampoo may be one of your baby’s favorite scents. If you have a scent (say gain detergent) that your baby is used to smelling, it may began to be a comforting smell to him.
Babies learn so much in their first year of life so why not help them by giving them new opportunities to learn, touch, smell, taste, and experience life as much as possible. You are your child’s most important teacher.

Got pictures taken today…

My sister-in-law just started a new job as a photographer at a local portrait studio and these are some of my favorites!!

Running errands with more than one child

It’s hard enough to run errands with one child let alone two!! I don’t know how the women I see in the grocery store with 3 and 4 kids do it!! I commend them greatly!!

New mother’s of two sometimes have a hard time taking their children anywhere. I know I did for about six months. I would go to the lengths of postponing shopping trips until I had an extra hand or someone to watch one of the kids. I’ve had horrible experiences with both of them at the store that lead me to do this.

I have since decided that I am just going to have to do what I have to do basically and have started running all my errands during the day with both of them. Recently all our adventures have went well.

If you can detain both the kids (double-stroller- this is best but sometimesit is too much of a hassle especially if you’re trying to push a buggy too. When both kids can sit up, the buggy is just fine. I’m able to use it now and as long as the oldest son is locked in, we are good to go.

Make errands as quick as possible. You don't  want to be in the middle of the store when your toddler decides to throw a tantrum. Hopefully you have made it to the register.

Keep snacks, toys, and Sippy cup handy. This may keep you from having to buy toddler’s impulse buy! I’ve learned to deal with the tantrums even though others haven’t and it still makes me mad when I see someone just staring! OK! You know the kids throwing a fit get over it! When I see this, I think to myself, yeah that could be Jaxon… ignore it.

Baby proofing your home

Here’s some tips for making sure your home is safe for your baby. After baby proofing my house with my first son, I thought I was ready for the second crawler. I was wrong. I soon started remembering all the precautions I took at first and now I’m double checking everything to make sure if just as safe for baby number two.

Checklist for baby proofing:

1.Make sure all outlets are covered with outlet covers. Make sure no cords or blind cords are out of reach.

2. Store all siblings small toys up high and only play with supervision to insure none are left in reach of the baby.

3. Install child proof latches on all cabinets. Even if cleaners are stored up high, eventually that crawler will be walking and moving chairs quietly across the floor and getting in that top cabinet. Later on you may even want them on dresser drawers to keep the toddlers from rearranging their assortment of clothes.

4. Never leave knives, scissors, or any sharp object on even the kitchen counters. Toddlers reach for stuff without looking.

5. If you put your crawler on the floor even for a minute, scan the room and check for small items of any sort.

6. Remove dangerous furniture. (It seems the coffee table is usually the prefect height for a baby to pull up on, hit their head, fall off of. Lamps were the first thing to go in my house and coffee table was next.)

7.Make sure all doors are closed completely before leaving a room. (The bathroom especially. Don’t want baby crawling in there.)

8. Trashcans are easy to knock over and are covered with germs so they are best kept in a pantry or closet.

9.Has your baby found a favorite area to stand, refrigerator for instance, but you have tile floor. Try putting a rug in that spot to keep them from sliding down.

10.Make sure DVD racks, book shelves, etc.. are securely anchored to the wall to keep baby from pulling it down on themselves.

11. Keep electrical appliances away from toddlers. They know what to do with them and while try to plug them in so just keep them out of reach.

I’m sure I will think of a million other things after I post this so there may possibly be a Baby proofing your home: part 2!!

Transitioning to the “big boy bed”

Before my second son was born we began working on this transition making sure that my oldest son was involved in the process every step of the way and we also made sure he completely understood what was going on. He knew why he was getting a big boy bed (too big for the crib basically and climbed in and out of it) and that his new brother would be needing a crib before long. He “helped” us put it together and picked out his new bedding and he helped pick out coordinating bedding my his little brother’s crib.

We first put the toddler bed together and got the bedding on and got Jaxon ready for his first night in the big boy bed. We explained that he had to stay in bed just like in his crib and that just because he was able to get in and out didn’t mean that he could get up in the early A.M. hours and play.. 

The first week, there were many trips back to bed, extra stories read, more water, blah blah and after a while it just got really old. We stopped with all the extra stuff just repeatedly putting him back to bed, kiss, and a firm good night and after the third night it became easier. It took about a week and a half total, he was used to the whole idea and was perfectly fine with it. He now goes straight to bed with no arguments; Oh I’m sure this will change as he gets older but for now thankfully he’s cooperating!!

Dylan–The 7 month old adventurer!!

Yesterday he began pulling up on the couch, coffee table, kitchen chairs, EVERYTHING! When he’s on the floor he just goes! He follows behind his big brother, trying so very hard just to keep up. He is just a little adventurer.

He is just still so young it seems to be doing all this. And the reality of the whole situation is that he is no longer my little infant but almost a toddler! I miss the days that I could lay him in his cradle and he would just sleep and lay there so peacefully…. ah, but those days all long gone!

He is now on to exploring his bedroom, trying to climb up his brothers back, and pestering the dog anytime he is within his site. He’s the same size as his 1 year old cousin and looks just like his older brother. Man oh man, I wonder what the next few months will have in store for him. I’ll be planning his 1st birthday party before I know it.

7 month old–Pulling up

And failing tremendously I might add. He keeps trying to stand and he keeps falling. Wish I could reason with him, but he’s determined. Going to take some pictures tomorrow. It really is funny because he looks so small and he is pulling up on everything!! I have to watch him like a hawk now and really wish he was still a little less mobile!

You can’t have anything nice with kids…

 

My mother often told me this when Jaxon was little, when I would brag about the awesome new guitar lamp I bought for my husband or I would tell my mom we were getting new carpet. I just thought she was exaggerating… Little did I know that she was sooo right. I’ve just about decided that I will not buy anything brand new again until the kids are much older. Jaxon basically destroys everything he touches.. LoL This I promise you!

Brand new leather couch…. The second month it was covered with pen marks…. Thanks for watching him closely daddy! Ugh.. can’t tell you all the toys we have thrown away, how many walls have been marked on, and how many precious items of mine have been broke.I’ve since learned that I can’t have anything on my coffee table, and there is really no need to have an end table if I can’t have an awesome lamp there so my point to the rambling… keep valuables up high, clear off the kitchen and coffee tables and make sure that no chairs are in distance of the valuables or the candy jar!!

Teething and Ear Infections–Very Similar Symptoms!!

After a tiring weekend and no signs of anything but teething, I started to wonder if maybe something else was going on with my baby. Since his last visit to the doctor about a month ago, he has had an on and off clear runny nose. His doctor assured me it was allergies and that he had no congestion. His nurse also told me that with the teething sometime it can make their nose run due to the crying.

Sunday night the fever began so I took him to the ER. He was basically given a shot and I was assured that he only had a sinus infection and he would be fine and sent home. I wasn’t told to follow up with his pediatrician or anything.

I went ahead and called first thing Monday morning and got an appointment for the following day to see his doctor. Mid-morning I noticed some drainage in his ear and immediately called back the doctor and told them he needed to be seen today; ASAP.

I took him in and he was thoroughly checked over. His doctor said he had a inner ear infection and that with teething the symptoms are usually quite similar and with a 7 month old, they usually haven’t learned to pull on their ears yet.

I felt horrible that for the last few days he has had this and I just can’t believe the ER nurses didn’t notice the drainage in his throat from the ear infection and didn’t even look in his ears.

My oldest son only recently had his first cold so I was oblivious to the fact that these two different problems can have so many of the same symptoms. I’ve never had a child with an ear infection and I pray that this won’t be an ongoing problem he has. It’s so tuff when they are still too little to tell you what’s wrong and where they hurt!

Complications at birth

During the birth of my first son, things suddenly took a turn for the worst and it got very scary. The first problems came after a full night in the hospital in labor. My husband and I were both there and at about 5 am and my demoral began in wear off and I was in great amount of pain. When my hubby called the nurses and they came to check me, I was almost fully dilated and soon began to feel the need to push. But they told me not to. They were trying to hurry to get the epidural in me when Jaxon’s heart rate suddenly dropped and my blood pressure went through the roof. I was terrified and crying because I didn’t know if my baby would be ok. I was rushed into the OR and after only 10 minutes and with the amazing staff, my beautiful baby boy was born; 17 in long and 4 lbs. 4 oz. I at the time had no idea that my water had broke during the epidural and there was quite a lot of meconium in the amniotic fluid. He was 3 weeks early but still considered full-term.

I was fine and everyone assured me that my baby was fine but I didn’t see him for another 14 hours afterward. He wasn’t in NICU but was on antibiotics for 24 hours after his birth. I was so upset and heartbroken that I couldn’t see him and at 7:30 that evening I lost all my patients and assured the nurse that if a wheel chair wasn’t brought at that minute I would be walking with my catheter in my hands down to the nursery to see him. Immediately a wheel chair was brought and I was taken down to the nursery to see him. He was in an incubator so that he would stay warm since he was so tiny and was connected to an IV for the antibiotics.

The next morning was the first time I held him, he was brought to me and I wouldn’t allow him to leave the room after that. I wanted him with me at all times.

In the last 2 and a half years, I’ve given birth twice; and have had three friends that have had babies. Out of all 5 births, 4 were cesarean section births, 3 due to complications, 1 planned c-section, and 1 vaginal birth.

I guess complications during delivery are more common than I thought. But thankfully we have so much more medical technology than 50 years ago

And the teething continues..

For the last two weeks everything has been back to normal. Dylan was back on his schedule after his two bottom teeth came in and he was feeling better. But since yesterday things seem to be going back down hill. My poor little mister is back to drooling uncontrollably and crying hysterically for long periods of time. Last night was tough after getting up probably 5 times through the night to comfort him, put some orajel on his gums, and get him back to sleep. Today has been pretty much the same and I’m certain that a top tooth will be breaking through soon. It’s so pitiful and I feel helpless. I’ve resorted to Tylenol after nothing else worked this afternoon. I tried everything I knew and it finally came down to that but has certainly helped. He’s feeling much better and is trying to catch up on some much needed sleep. Hopefully tonight will be better.

My two boys diagnosed with Dermatitis

 

After hearing the horror stories from my mother-in-law about her daughter suffering from a much more server form of dermatitis then I had ever heard anything about, I often worried about my first son having it. While I was pregnant I had a dream that he was born with it and it covered most of his body.

He had no symptoms of dermatitis until right after his first birthday and my mother-in-law cried when I showed her. She knew exactly what it was. I made a doctor’s appointment and he was diagnosed with Atopic Enzyme Dermatitis. It has been an ongoing battle and something I often worry about. It is very hard to keep under control and causes his skin to become extremely dry and irritated and he usually scratches, making it much worse; usually to the point of bleeding.

In the last year and a half we have been through 10 different ointments, 2 series of steroids, and many doctor visits. The steroids are the only things that work but will literally make my son climb the walls and crazy but within 2 days of being on the steroids it is almost completely cleared up. It’s so frustrating because as hard as we try we can’t keep it from happening and none of the ointments really work that well.

I’ve started noticing places on my seven month old’s ankles and I  knew he had it too. During his doctor’s appointment yesterday I showed the doctor who immediately asked, “Your oldest has it too doesn’t he?” I said yes and almost began to cry. His is nowhere near the severity of his older brothers and I hope it never will be. Only time will tell. The most important thing is they will make it through this. They are happy, healthy children, and this is something small and over time they will grow out of it.

Babies love music!! Even Rock N Roll!

During both of my pregnancies the first few times I felt my boys kick, was while I was playing the guitar with it pressed against my belly. Ok, so at first I didn’t know if they liked it or hated it. I continued to play during the majority of my pregnancy; until I literally couldn’t play because my belly was too big and I couldn’t fit it in my lap. Not to mention the babies kicked so much and so hard. It was much worse with my second son because I gained a few extra pounds and my belly got extra big.
Now with both of my boys avidly listening to my husband and I play, they really enjoy it! Dylan now crawling, likes to climb on it not really understanding the whole concept yet but Jaxon has his own “little man” guitar and strums a neat little beat. He also plays my hubby’s drums as often as I’ll let him!!
Kids love music even from an extremely young age so why not start them out early! It is a awesome hobby for the whole family.

My son cut his second tooth

I knew it wouldn’t be long until my six and a half month old son cut another tooth! He had been miserable the last few days and I felt terrible for him!! We used Tylenol and baby orajel all day long and finally at about 10:30 (last dose before bed) I felt it had broke through. He has still been miserable ever since and I hate it because I feel helpless, being unable to really do much of anything for him.
My first son didn’t get his first tooth until he was 11 months old and really didn’t have much trouble at all. He was only fussy a few days and they all seemed to come in at once. Well, one after another. He had all his teeth even his molars after only 4 months of cutting his first tooth.
I’ll be so glad when he’s feeling better and hope that he is able to get the fairly quick for his sake. He’s always such a happy baby and it is so unlike him to be so miserable. It’s really sad and hurts my heart!

Hearing Loss in Babies

3 out of every 1000 babies born today will suffer with some type of hearing loss and many of these babies aren’t diagnosed until months down the road. This is because only 43 states have laws passed that make sure each baby’s hearing is checked before they may leave the hospital. This means 7 states will not mandatorily check each baby! A baby with hearing loss may be given a clean bill of health and sent home and the problem may otherwise go unnoticed until the baby is little older!
Expecting mothers:
You can get a copy of your hospitals policies to find out if hearing screenings in newborns is a mandated law. After having my first child I found out that my insurance did not cover the screening but they range from $10 – $15 dollars depending on the different test used so even if it isn’t mandatory in your state you can still have it done for next to nothing!! Please make sure to get this done. It is defiantly worth it!!

A 6 month old with a tooth!!

So, after 4 days of non-stop crying and no sleep my poor little 6 month old son just cut his first tooth!! The doctor and I talked about it 2 weeks ago when he had his check up and he said he may be starting the process of teething but it will be a while before he gets any teeth…. boy has he wrong! And won’t he be surprised when Dylan goes back in 3 weeks for his next booster!!
I’m very relieved because I now know what has been wrong with him the last few days. Anyways, I’m glad I’m no longer breast feeding! Haha!