Tube Drop Game

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Yesterday I made a little "Tube Drop" game for my son.  

You put tape a paper towel roll up and put a basket underneath the tube. 

What an easy set up!

Put a ball (or some other object) in the top of the tube.

The ball magically drops into the basket.

 Pick up the ball.....

Do it all over again.

And look cute while doing it!

Doctor's Orders

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So I have a question....My sister-in-law has a 6 month old baby boy.  At his last doctor's appointment, the doctor said that they should only give him 3 meals a day of table food and nursing right after and no snacks throughout the day.  His reasoning was because of obesity in America.  What are your thoughts?  Does this seem crazy or like good advice?  How often to you feed your babies?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Mommapproved: White Noise App

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Today's Mommapproved Item is a White Noise App

Jessica says the White Noise App found on itunes made by TMSOFT is seriously a fantastic tool for newborns.  There's a trial version too.  When my son Isaac was born, he'd sleep fine on his own during the day, but would only sleep on us at night.  I finally realized the difference was I'd open the windows during the day, and there'd be all sorts of commotion, whereas night time was silent.  We downloaded this app and Isaac suddenly was able to sleep on his own at any time of the day!

Thanks for this suggestion Jessica!  Whenever I take pictures of newborns I always have white noise playing.  It really does make a difference.  It looks like there is a trial version that is free, a normal version that is $1.99 and a pro version that is more expensive.

Wish I'd Known: Nursing

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Today's top comes from Whitney at sewmuch2create.blogspot.com

Give breastfeeding at least SIX weeks!

It is really hard and easy to give up!  But it is REALLY worth it for your baby!

Thanks so much Whitney.  This is a great post for new moms or soon to be moms.  My experience with nursing definitely wasn't what I was expecting.  My daughter came 3 weeks early and had a bit of a difficulty with latching on.  I thought she would just latch on right away and we'd be set.  I knew nursing would be a bit painful at first because I had heard people talk about it, but I wasn't expecting the emotional roller coaster ride I went through.  I had to give my daughter her feeds using a syringe and tube that was placed into a nipple guard so she would still getting the sensation of nursing this was called S&S.  I worked with a lactation specialist at the hospital who gave me the nipple guard to use.  However, my daughter would suck once or twice and then fall asleep, so we stuck with the S&S so it would be easier for her.  The plan was to stop doing S&S soon and then just use the nipple guard and then get rid of the guard and just nurse.  The nurse had also told me that I could use the nipple guard for a short time, but really needed to get off of it soon (like a couple of weeks) or my milk supply would be hurt.

After a few days, my daughter started latching on to the nipple guard, but still not on to me.  This made me happy since I didn't have to do the S&S anymore, but also frustrated since I knew I was supposed to get rid of the nipple guard as soon as possible.  I worked with the lactation specialist at my daughter's doctors office and after an hour of trying, she had only latched once without the guard and it lasted about 3-5 seconds.  

I went home disappointed, but continued to try the new techniques.  I met with the lactation specialist again when she was 2 weeks old.  Still we only got her to latch on a couple of times, but she just didn't stick with it.  By this point I was frustrated and honestly felt like I wasn't a good mother because I wasn't able to nurse my baby normally.  

I was so ready for her to start nursing without the guard, because she was actually sucking my nipple through the holes at the end of the nipple guard and it HURT!  The day after I met with the lactation specialist I had a bit of a break down.  I cried and cried out of frustration, exhaustion and probably because my hormones were crazy.  I went and tried nursing again and guess what.....she got it!  It took 2 weeks and a day, but she did it!  

I was so close to wanting to throw in the towel and am so glad I didn't.  I continued to nurse my daughter for 13 months.  It was definitely cheaper than doing the whole formula thing, but it was also so great for her.  She never had an ear infection and maybe got one cold the whole time I was nursing.  I know nursing isn't for everyone, but if you're debating between the two, I would definitely suggest nursing.  

What I learned through this whole experience is that sometimes nursing doesn't come as easily as you expect, but it's so worth it to stick it out.  I've known plenty of people who have also had challenges with nursing so don't think that you're the only one.  It was also easier to nurse my son because I had learned a few tricks along the way.  Good luck everyone!  If you have any questions feel free to ask.  Or if you have more tips send them in!

Mommapproved: Gentle Naturals

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I am so excited to start doing "Mommapproved" posts.  These posts are designed to have things that moms think are a must buy or a waste of money.  If you have anything you just couldn't live without as a mom or you wish you hadn't bought, let me know!

Our first mommapproved product is from Dana: 

My son was born with really bad eczema and I had a hard time trying so many different things and wasting money to help his skid.  I know every kid is different, but I found a cream called Gentle Naturals that really helped him and helps keep the eczema somewhat under control.  It's really hard to deal with so I feel like mom's can be unprepared for that!  It seems to be very common from asking other people.

I also have other tips and tricks I've used for his eczema.  One of the best is Vaseline and LONG socks to cover him up.

Thanks Dana!  I'm so glad you sent this in.  I know several people who have babies suffering from eczema and with Winter heading our way it's just going to get worse.

Wish I'd Known: Newborn Nights

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Today's tip is from Annie:

Don't rush in at night and "rescue" your newborn the second they make a noise.

I totally agree Annie.  This simple tip can make your life so much easier!  The first instinct for a new mother is when they hear the slightest sound from their beautiful baby, they think he/she needs instant attention.  However, often times your baby will wake up and move around a bit and then put themselves back to sleep, but if you don't give them the opportunity to go back to sleep on their own, they will become dependent on you for this.

Of course newborns will cry and need some help at times, but not EVERY time.  When you hear your baby whimpering or rustling around, give them a couple of minutes to see if they go back to sleep before jumping in to "save the day" :)  Trust me, it will help you get a little more much needed sleep.

Wish I'd Known: Teething

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Our first "Wish I'd Known" tip is from Carlin:

"I wish I'd known to give my baby Ibuprofen while he's teething."

Her son is currently teething.  She has been giving him tylenol and it just didn't seem to be doing the trick.  She had heard from several different people to try giving him Ibuprofen.  Well she finally tried it out, and she said he's a totally different baby!

Here's a dosage chart I found at Parents.com. 
Make sure to consult a doctor if your child is under 6 months of age.

I've also heard good things about the teething tablets.  My daughter didn't get her first tooth until she was 15 months old and was a pretty good sport about it.  So I never had to deal with a really fussy teething baby.  I may end up using this tip with my son when he starts teething.

If you have a tip you'd like to share please send it to me using my contact form!