Baby Wearing Saves The Day!

Because I've been blessed with a baby whose prefers to be involved in everything I do and will not sit quietly by himself and play for more than 5 minutes, it has occured to me how thankful I am for the notion of baby wearing. It meets the specific needs of my son perfectly- he can check out all the interesting things I do around the house such as wiping off counters, cooking a meal, or folding laundry and then he can nap in his carrier whenever he's seen enough and I can continue to be productive. Having a baby with this "keep me close" personality has taught me a lot about my priorities in life, where as I used to aim to have my house be the cleanest and most organized home, I am now more focused on meeting my little one's needs and learning how to incorporate my baby into almost everything I do -which has put superior cleanliness at a standstill for now. But that's ok with me, I'm much happier tending to my baby! I came across this following list on the internet and couldn't agree with it more!

Ten Reasons to Wear your Babyby Laura Simeon, MA, MLIS

1. Wearing a baby is convenient.
When we carry a baby in a sling, we can walk around freely and not have to worry about negotiating steps, crowds or narrow aisles with a stroller. Plastic "baby buckets" and removable car seats are heavy and awkward for parents, babies often look uncomfortable, and they are kept at knee level. A sling can block out excess stimuli when breastfeeding a distractible baby, and it allows for discreet nursing in public places. A sling can also double as a changing pad, blanket, or cushion when away from home. I've found my sling especially handy when negotiating busy airports with a small child and several bags!

2. Wearing a baby promotes physical development.
When a baby rides in a sling attached to his mother, he is in tune with the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of her heartbeat, and the movements his mother makes – walking, bending, and reaching. This stimulation helps him to regulate his own physical responses, and exercises his vestibular system, which controls balance. The sling is in essence a "transitional womb" for the new baby, who has not yet learned to control his bodily functions and movements. Research has shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier than babies who are not. Mechanical swings and other holding devices do not provide these same benefits.

3. Babies worn in slings are happier.
Studies have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry and fuss2. In indigenous cultures where baby-wearing is the norm, babies often cry for only a few minutes a day – in contrast to Western babies, who often cry for hours each day. Crying is exhausting for both the baby and his parents, and may cause long-term damage as the baby's developing brain is continually flooded with stress hormones.3 Babies who do not need to spend their energy on crying are calmly observing and actively learning about their environment. Baby-wearing is especially useful for colicky babies, who are far happier being worn, but placid, content babies and children will also benefit greatly from the warmth and security of being held close.

4. Baby-wearing is healthy for you!
It can be challenging for new mothers to find time to exercise, but if you carry your baby around with you most of the day or go for a brisk walk with your baby in her sling, you will enjoy the dual benefits of walking and "weightlifting". A long walk in the sling is also an excellent way to help a tired but over-stimulated child fall asleep.

5. Toddlers appreciate the security of the sling.
Slings are usually associated with infants, but they can be very useful for toddlers as well; most slings accommodate children up to 35 or 40 pounds. The world can be a scary place for toddlers, who feel more confident when they can retreat to the security of the sling when they need to do so. Toddlers often become over-stimulated, and a ride in the sling helps to soothe and comfort them before (or after!) a "melt-down" occurs. It can be very helpful in places like the zoo, aquarium, or museum, where a small child in a stroller would miss many of the exhibits.

6. Baby-wearing helps you and your baby to communicate with each other.
The more confidence we have in our parenting, the more we can relax and enjoy our children. A large part of feeling confident as a parent is the ability to read our baby's cues successfully. When we hold our baby close in a sling, we become finely attuned to his gestures and facial expressions. Many baby-wearing parents report that they have never learned to distinguish their baby's cries – because their babies are able to communicate effectively without crying! Every time a baby is able to let us know that she is hungry, bored or wet without having to cry, her trust in us is increased, her learning is enhanced, and our own confidence is reinforced. This cycle of positive interaction enhances the mutual attachment between parent and child, and makes life more enjoyable for everyone.

7. Slings are a bonding tool for fathers, grandparents, and other caregivers.
Slings are a useful tool for every adult in a baby's life. It makes me smile when I see a new father going for a walk with his baby in a sling. The baby is becoming used to his voice, heartbeat, movements and facial expressions, and the two are forging a strong attachment of their own. Fathers don't have the automatic head-start on bonding that comes with gestation, but that doesn't mean they can't make up for this once their baby is born. The same goes for babysitters, grandparents and all other caregivers. Cuddling up close in the sling is a wonderful way to get to know the baby in your life, and for the baby to get to know you!

8. Slings are a safe place for a child to be.
Instead of running loose in crowded or dangerous places, a child in a sling is held safe and secure right next to your body. Slings also provide emotional safety when needed, so that children can venture into the world and become independent at their own pace.

9. Slings are economical.
Slings cost far less than strollers, front-carriers or backpacks. Many mothers consider the sling to be one of their most useful and economical possessions. Inexpensive used slings can be found in consignment and thrift stores, and new ones can be bought for about $25 -$50 (U.S.) - not bad for an item many parents use daily for two years or more! A sling can also be sewn for the price of a length of cotton, some rings and batting; sling patterns are available.

10. Baby-wearing is fun.
Who doesn't love to cuddle a precious little baby? And when your baby is older, having her in the sling makes conversations easier and allows you to observe her reactions to the wonders of the world around her. It's also fun for baby, because when she is up at eye level, other adults notice and interact with her more. Your child will feel more a part of your life when she is in her sling, and you will find yourself becoming more and more enchanted with this special little person.

http://www.naturalchild.com/guest/laura_simeon.html

A Good Quote To Live By

"A lot of disappointed people have been left standing on the street corner waiting for the bus marked 'Perfection.' " Donald Kennedy

Our Favorite Bottle

Caiden doesn't get bottles all that often and we went through a great period of trial and error to find a bottle and nipple that he agreed with. We ended up trying and sticking with Gerber NUK bottles using the medium flow nipple. I believe that Caiden likes this nipple because it's shaped in the same way a real nipple forms when a baby is sucking on it (what a great idea someone had when creating this!). So if you are in the market for baby bottles I'd recommend you start with these. Caiden really did not like the shape of typical nipples, he'd cry and refuse to eat. So I'm glad we came across these and of course they were the last brand we tried after buying lots of others!

A Favorite Toy

Mallory The Monkey, made by Infantino, quickly became one of my son's favorite toys. I discovered the toy by accident- during a shopping trip to Meijer, I forgot to bring in a toy for Caiden to play with while I shopping and it wasn't long until Caiden's patience wore out and I needed to find something quick to entertain him. We rushed over to the toy aisle and this toy caught my eye because it was colorful and could be hooked to his car seat. Caiden immediately fell in love with it, he was grabbing at it and loved running his fingers through the hula skirt. It was the first time I really noticed Caiden taking interest in a toy and trying to grab it so of course I had to buy it. We've since renamed the toy simply "Monkey" and he has become a part of our family in a sense. Monkey goes everywhere with us, on our trip to Lake Tahoe Monkey was with us and he was quickly known by other passengers on the plane sitting near us. When Caiden would start to fuss, we'd bring out Monkey and Caiden would instantly start to smile and baby talk to Monkey. I'm not sure what Caiden is thinking when he sees Monkey, but I'm pretty sure it is something about the pleasure of seeing a reliable friend who is always there when you need him. Definitely a must have toy that I highly recommend!

Easy Way To Count Your Baby's Age in Weeks...

Since I'm always getting confused about what number of weeks Caiden's age is I did some searching to find an automatic counter online. So here's the link, it's so easy- just type in your baby's birth date and today's date and presto- it figures it out for you! On the website there are several other calculators- you'll find the age one on the right hand side.

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/weight-gain-calculator.html

A Baby's Smile

Seriously, is there anything more wonderful than the smile your baby gives you? I am addicted to my son's smile, every day I relish in every single smile he bestows upon me. I love seeing him smile and knowing all his needs are met and that he's happy. It's funny when we are out in public and he smiles at people- especially the grumpy, unfriendly ones cause even they cannot resist smiling back. I'm positive there's a message to be learned in the power of a baby's smile- as adults we all too often get caught up in our stresses and forget to be happy, but a baby can remind us to let some of the stress pass by and smile because it feels so good!

Wine and Cheese Pairings

While preparing a shopping list this evening I needed to decide on what type of cheese to pair with a bottle of Chardonnay that I'm sharing with family and friends this weekend. I had difficulty finding a website that made it easy to see what cheeses compliment specific types of wine, most sites only explained what cheese to pair with their own vineyard's wine types. I just wanted a list of common wines and cheeses that are not impossible to find in a local supermarket. Here's the best info I found on about.com...

http://wine.about.com/od/servingwines/a/wineandcheese.htm

And for quick reference:

Beaujolais - Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, goat cheese

Cabernet Franc - Cheese to Consider: Blue, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Fontina, goat cheese, Gorgonzola, Port Salut, Swiss

Cabernet Sauvignon - Cheeses to Consider: Camembert, Cheddar, Colby, Danish Blue, Gorgonzola, Gouda, Parmesan, Roquefort

Chardonnay- Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan, Provolone

Champagne- Cheese to Consider: Beaufort, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Chevre, Colby, Edam, Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan

Chenin Blanc- Cheese to Consider: Camembert, goat cheese, Graddost

Chianti- Cheese to Consider: Look for regional cheeses to complement an Italian Chianti, perhaps Fontina, Mozarella, Parmesan or Provolone

Dessert Wine- Cheese to Consider: Crème Fraiche, Marscopone, or shake it up with a salty/sweet combo. and consider a crumble or two of blue cheese.

Gewurztraminer- Cheese to Consider: Boursin, Camembert, Chevre, Muenster, Swiss, Wensleydale

Merlot- Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Gouda, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Parmesan

Pinot Blanc- Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, Feta

Pinot Gris- Cheese to Consider: aged Cheddar, Asiago, Edam, goat cheese, Gouda, Mozarella, Muenster, and even Ricotta for a unique combo.

Pinot Noir- Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, Feta, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Port Salut, Swiss

Port- Cheese to Consider: Blue, Gorgonzola

Riesling- Cheese to Consider: Brie, Blue, Colby, Edam, Gouda, Monterey Jack

Rioja- Cheese to Consider: Asiago, Cheddar, Havarti

Sangiovese- Cheese to Consider: Blue, Fontina, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Provolone, Ricotta

Sauvignon Blanc- Cheese to Consider: Asiago, Brie, Cheddar, Feta, goat cheese, Gruyere, Neufchatel, Parmesan

Shiraz/Syrah- Cheese to Consider: Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, Parmesan

Zinfandel- Cheese to Consider: Asiago, Blue, Feta, goat cheese, Gouda, Gruyere, Muenster

Air Travel with an Infant

My husband and I spent the past three years prior to having our son doing a lot of traveling, both domestic and international, and we were unsure of exactly how having a baby would change that pattern in our lives. We knew the obvious changes that would take place and we were ready to face the notion that put simply- we no longer would be jet setting around all the time.

We recently took our 3 month old on trip to South Lake Tahoe and flew from Chicago to Reno. I was very stressed prior to the trip thinking about the amount of baby items that we would need to pack (ie. car seat, car seat base, stroller, diapers, etc) and still have enough room for Mom and Dad's stuff. I was also dreading the airport; hauling all this stuff in, deciding what to check at the counter or take to the gate, and getting through security without getting yelled at by their less than friendly staff.

Well the good news is that the trip ended up being a great success. I spent some time searching the internet to find tips on traveling with an infant but I was unable to find many sites with clear cut advice. Here's what worked for us:

1. We took the car seat and attatched it to the base and then zipped them up in a car seat travel bag. We then checked this at the desk when first arriving at the airport. This worked out perfectly- the airlines we flew didn't count the car seat as part of our personal luggage so we still could check our own suitcases without paying additional costs for extra luggage. On the way home we were able to stick some stuff into the travel bag along with the car seat that wouldn't fit in our suitcases so that was helpful too. The car seat travel bag was also nice to have to protect the car seat from getting dirty and scratched during transit.

2. We debated on whether or not to take the stroller that goes with our travel system vs our compact umbrella stroller. We decided on the umbrella stroller and I'm glad we did. This is what we used to roll Caiden around in the airport, it was easy to fold up and put through the x-ray at security and then at the gate before we boarded they would take the stroller and store it under the plane and when we got off the plane it would be sitting there waiting for us. I felt the travel system would have been just a bit too big for us to manage, I did see other families that had their's in the airport and they seemed to be working out fine. I guess if you have a long lay over and a baby that will sleep in their stroller, the travel system stroller would be nice because you can recline it and free up your arms. I would still opt for the umbrella stroller on our next trip.

3. I was very nervous about Caiden's ears on take off and landing, I have horrible ear pain when I fly and I actually have to wear "Ear Planes"- which are specially designed ear plugs that even out pressure, I honestly cannot fly without them. On take off and landing, I nursed and this worked perfect. Caiden showed no signs of ear pain and the sounds of the plane lulled him to sleep. What a relief!

4. I found that flying with an infant has some perks too. Getting to board the plane first is a huge advantage and even the security lines had shortcuts for families with strollers and children. This kept us moving and Caiden happy!