Sleeping Through the Night....

Did you know that the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) defines "sleeping through the night" as a stretch of 5 hours? Not 10 to 12 hours, like some people suggest as "normal" and "expected" for babies. It is normal for babies to wake during the night.

Here is an informative article by an Anthropologist - Katherine Dettwyler Ph.D., who discusses the topic of infants and when they should sleep through the night. I thought it was interesting.

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detsleepthrough.html

Excellent Blog on Healthy Sleep Solutions

I found this blog while searching for info on infant sleep and I am just so happy. This blog contains so much great information! I had to share... Enjoy. :)

http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/sleep-training-review-of-research.html

"Crying-it-out does not lead to 'sleeping through the night' - it results in learned helplessness."

~ Danelle Frisbie

The Big Latch-On Experience

There was a pretty good turn-out. I'm guessing about 50 people came to support the Big Latch-On event in support of breastfeeding awareness. It was hosted by the North DFW Baby Wearers group, so there were lots of babies in carriers.



It was fun to get together and support something I feel so strongly about. Channel 5 news showed up ( a little late, but hey, at least they were reporting on the event!) and the mall "authorities" refused to let us organize in a public area, so the event was held downstairs in a sort of bunker-type room... Oh well. We tried, right? Maybe next time it'll actually take place in a public area to bring more awareness. :)

Jars for Homemade Baby Food

These were recommended to me by a Mom who makes her own baby food and I thought I'd share. There is a more "economical" version and a more "pricey" version.

If you click on the picture, it'll take you to Amazon where you can read more, see reviews and order (if you are so inclined ;) - enjoy!


Vital Baby Press'n'Pop, freezer pots: $5.94 for an 8 pack of 1 oz containers. They are BPA, Latex and PVC free.
Wean Green Glass Cubes Baby Food Containers: $24.50 for a 4 pack of 4 oz jars. These are also BPA, PVC, Phthalate, and Platicizer free. They are made from recyclable glass and have a silicone lid to seal food in & prevent spills.

The Big Pink Bus - Latch On America Event

Mark your calendars, to support breastfeeding awareness this month!

The Big Pink Bus - Latch On America Event will be visiting the THR Euless/Bedford area Hospital (Texas Health HEB) to recognize the work THR has done in supporting breastfeeding in the North Texas area. Come out and support breastfeeding with us!

It will be August 19th, 2011 at the above mentioned hospital. Go to Milkforthought.com for more info on the event. This link has the cities that will be on the tour - http://www.milkforthought.com/tour/cities

This is posted on the Milk For Thought website:

Uniting the breastfeeding community.

Connecting advocates, experts and parents. Providing the very best and most trustworthy breastfeeding information. Offering the support new moms need.

Milk for Thought is bringing together the energy from different parts of the breastfeeding community to share, support, educate and create. Whether you’re passionate, dedicated or simply curious about breastfeeding, you can join forces, find answers and meet likeminded people here at Milk for Thought.

I believe this is a GREAT cause and I am so excited to see people coming together to support eachother - so join with us, why don't you?! :)

Teething Product Review

Since Colin is in the midst of teething, I've tried quite a few teething toys to ease his pain. These are a few that I like, and a few that have been recommended to me.

Sassy Cuddle Dolls:
What we like about this toy:
- The hands are made from wood and are very smoothe & Colin enjoys chewing/sucking on them
- Colorful design keeps him interested
- Soft cuddly body is safe for when Colin starts shaking it around
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free

Sassy Butterfly Teether:

Why we love this toy:
- Medium soft/hard plastic for teething
- Bumpy texture for interest
- Can be chilled for soothing sore gums
- Easy for babies 5 months+ to hold onto (slightly on the heavy side for its size)
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free
- Pretty inexpensive: $4.99 on Amazon, Walmart also carries it

Infantino Ring-A-Links:
Why Colin likes these:
- Simple design, easy for little babies to hold
- Textured for interest
- Hard, but some have a soft rubbery texture, too
- Easy to take anywhere and attach to almost anything to keep them from falling on the ground
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free
- Very cheap: $2.99-$3.99 at Target/Walmart/BRU/Etc.

Infantino Water-filled Teether:What I like about it:
- Simple and sometimes simple just works so well ;)
- You can put in the fridge to make it cold and its got a very slight texture
- Easy enough for little babies to handle it
- Colin uses this almost daily

Bright Starts Snuggle & Teethe:

Colin likes it sometimes...
- It is soft and makes a crinkle noise when touched
- The feet are a somewhat hard somewhat soft plastic, for teething (Colin doesn't really teethe on them... occasionally he will put them in his mouth but not all that often.)
- Walmart has them for $6 and I think Target is about the same price - maybe a little cheaper.

Fisher Price Monkey Teether:

This one just gets an "Eh..." from Colin:
- Its hard and there is nothing soft on it - not very hospitable for those sore gums
- More of a rattle toy, which he likes for a few seconds at a time
- To be honest, we hardle use it and I'm not even sure where it is at the moment....
- Cheap: $2.99 at Walmart
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free

One of my absolute FAVORITES:

Nuby Soft Silicone Soother Stage OneAll I could find online was a lame picture of the case... HERE is a link to Walmart's site with a picture of the actual teething toy.

Why Colin (and I) love it:
- It 100% silicone so it is super soft and easy to clean
- It has little massaging nubs/teeth that Colin loves to chew on
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free
- Comes with a handy plastic case to keep the teether clean while in your bag (since its made of silicone it is a magnet for lint/hair so I appreciate the "sanitary case", as they call it ;)
- Cheap! $3.99 at Walmart

FYI: This teether comes in stages. This one is the stage one, but there are two more stages for the progression of teething depending on which teeth are emerging. Very cool. I think we will eventually get the other two, as well.



Nuby Jiggle & Giggle Vibrating Teether:

Why I like it:
- easy for little hands to hold
- can be chilled in the fridge for comfort teething
- soft silicone side that vibrates when pressed
- very easy for little ones to figure out - within seconds of handing it to Colin, he figured out how to make it vibrate on his gums and held it there for a long time.
- replaceable batteries! It takes one AAA battery, and it includes a battery when you buy it so baby can use it immediately (which is what we needed that morning! lol)
- The product claims to decrease swelling and discomfort associate with teething and from the way Colin loves it & plays with it all the time, I'd have to agree. :)
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free!

Where you can find it:
Walmart has it the cheapest that I have seen - online it advertises $6.88 but I think I paid $4.99.
Amazon offers it through Kohls but it's $10.

Similar products:
Walmart also sells a Nuby Alligator, Cow and Elephant in the same series with the butterfly. They are each a little different. The Alligator vibrates but doesn't have the cool gel (that I can see).


A friend of mine recommended this option & her baby loves it:

Infantino Vibrating Teether (Strawberry or Grapes)Why I like the Nuby brand a little more:
- Nuby is Cheaper. What can I say? This teether is not that much more, though. I think I've seen it as low as $7-8 at Walmart/Target. BRU & BuyBuy Baby also carry it. Amazon has it for *gulp* $14, but I'd look elsewhere. ;)
- Heavier than the Nuby vibrating teether.
- Can't replace the batteries so if your baby likes it enough to run the batteries out, you would have to buy a whole new one.

RazBaby Razberry Teether:
My friend recommended this one so I'm just going off what she told me:

- Made of 100% medical grade silicone, so its soft and you can put it in the fridge to make it cold
- Similar to a pacifier so its easy for young babies to use and figure out
- Interesting texture for baby to gum
- Walmart has a 2-pack for $6. Amazon sells the 2-pack for $8.80.
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free!

Something to consider:
When I was reading reviews on Amazon, one caught my attention (you can read it HERE). A mom claimed that her 5.5 month old was able to get the Razberry teether in his mouth sideways and began choking. She claims this is because the teether is made of soft silicone and therefore pliable. I am not an alarmist, and my gut tells me she might be over reacting on the choking part, but I thought I should share just to be on the safe side. I think its always prudent to keep a close eye on little ones, no matter what they are playing with.

Another teething toy Colin really enjoys is the Nuby Bug-A-Loop:
Why I like it:

- Like nearly every product I've seen that Nuby makes, it is BPA, PVC and Phthalate free.
- Soft rubbery beads for soothing sore gums
- Easy for little babies (4-5 months) to hold and bring to their mouth
- Relatively inexpensive: $6.42 on Amazon

Another recommendation from a friend - Sassy Beginning Bites Teether:


What she likes about them:

- Easy for little ones to hold and play with
- Soft rubbery toy to chew
- Can be placed in the fridge for a cool teething soother
- Pretty inexpensive: Walmart sells it in a 4-pack with some other rattle toys for $14.98. BRU has the 2-pack for $4.99.

Something to consider:

- Sassy infant toys are all BPA free and Phthalate free if made after 2008.

How I feel...

I read this quote today on a breastmilk donation website. It pretty much sums up how I feel about being a Mother.

"We are not managing an inconvenience; we are raising human beings" - Unknown.

I wish I knew who "unknown" was. I think we'd be good friends. :)