Books for your babies

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Books for your babies

As postpartum doulas and baby experts with close to a quarter of a century experience (for some of us) working with babies and young children, we have opinions about STUFF. You know, the stuff that takes over your home and changes it from DINK digs to something resembling an indoor playground. 

Let me quickly add, when it comes to stuff, we think less is more. More stuff does not make parenting easier or better. It doesn’t make children smarter or happier. In fact, too much stuff can overwhelm a baby, toddler or young child. (If you already have too many toys and books, learn about how to manage them and make playtime more fun here.) 

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The "right" way to solve a sleep problem

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The "right" way to solve a sleep problem

I’ve had two sleep support inquiries recently that were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Both were from parents with 10-month-old little girls. Both baby girls bed share and still breastfeed during the night.

One question went like this: “Is it okay that my 10-month-old still wakes during the night and nurses back to sleep? I don’t actually know how often she’s up because I pretty much sleep through it. I like having her with me but people keep telling me I shouldn’t be doing this.”

The other question went like this: “How can we get our daughter to sleep in her crib? She’s up all night crying and the only thing that gets her back to sleep is nursing her, and we’re exhausted and at our wits end. One of us always has to be in bed with her and we have no time together anymore for just the two of us.” ...

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What does the babysitter need to know?

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What does the babysitter need to know?

One of my clients recently went out to get a hair cut while I stayed home with her baby. This is a fairly common occurrence. We like to give our clients time for themselves, including a little pampering. I have her and her husband’s cell phone numbers, but I got to thinking while she was gone about what information parents should leave their sitter. Though kids don’t come with operating instructions, leaving detailed information for the person in charge when you’re not home makes good sense.

Rather than posting the information on a sticky note each time you head out the door, put a little effort in up front and it will last you for years. Consider using a small binder (½ to 1 inch) with extra paper in it behind your details. ...

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Spring cleaning? Remember to clean the air, too!

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Spring cleaning? Remember to clean the air, too!

Breathing. Something most of us take for granted and yet, without it we perish. Many of us spend quite a bit of time thinking about the quality of the food and water we put into our bodies in order to achieve and support good health, but how often do we think about the quality of our air? Unlike some countries whose pollution levels force the citizens to think about it, our air quality isn’t something we typically need to consider. 

Until we have to. 

That’s what happened to us. Oh sure, I had dabbled in so-called air purifiers because of my seasonal allergies and the fact that we have pets indoors. But it wasn’t until my husband was hit with a debilitating sinus issue that we got serious about it. In fact, his ENT told him to get a high quality air purifier and use it. ...

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Eight Things To Do Before Baby Arrives

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Eight Things To Do Before Baby Arrives

Q. I hear talk about “nesting” before the baby arrives. I’ll be working right up to the last minute. Is there anything I should do in the last weeks before my baby is born?

A. Yes. Hire a cleaning company. Get your house scrubbed clean from top to bottom. Let’s face it, scrubbing bathtubs, toilets and kitchen floors could be treacherous for a pregnant body with a wonky center of gravity. Let someone else do it instead. Then, consider having them come at least monthly after the baby is born. If that’s not in your budget, ask for it as a gift. I’d rather buy baby clothes from consignment shops and have my house cleaned, if I had to choose. And, you might find housecleaning deals through some of the online coupon sites though I prefer a word of mouth recommendation from someone you know and trust. 

I just learned of a great idea from one of my clients...

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Parents of triplets share how they survived the early months with 3 babies

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A new baby is a big change. Imagine 3 new babies, all at the same time. This family learned quickly to accept and ask for help. We were honored to be a part of their support team.

It takes a village! Let us be part of yours.

Read to your baby

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What a precious photo from one of my clients. Look at the hands!I suspect your baby got a lot of toys and books for holiday gifts. Don't wait on bringing out the books. It's never too early to read to your little ones.And if you're overrun with toys…

What a precious photo from one of my clients. Look at the hands!

I suspect your baby got a lot of toys and books for holiday gifts. Don't wait on bringing out the books. It's never too early to read to your little ones.

And if you're overrun with toys, be sure to listen to Kara's podcast with Preschool and Beyond on taming the toys (using toy rotation to enhance play and learning). You can read about toy rotation here on our blog.

Educating future parents at Red Hat to plan now for after baby arrives

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I was excited to be back at the Red Hat Wellness Fair last month. The company invites a variety of businesses from the community to present their offerings to their employees. They do a good job, and I’m sure the employees appreciate it. Happy employees = more productive employees.

Here’s what was exciting about this year’s Wellness Fair. Missy and I talked with several pregnant and new parents wanting to learn about our offerings. There seems to be a bit of a baby boom this year. We also talked with quite a few women who have not yet started a family but wanted to learn about what kind of support we offered when they do. I love this!

Each week someone says to me, “I wish I knew about you when mine were babies.” So if these women who chatted with us at the fair learn about postpartum doula services now, before they’ve even conceived, imagine what great support they can have after a baby arrives. And it grows from there. They tell a friend or coworker who tells a friend or coworker and next thing you know more and more people are starting off parenthood with more ease, less stress and lots of joy!

If you know someone having a baby, tell them about postpartum doula services. Tell them to start now thinking about what they will need after baby arrives.