Hello Hello!

   Sorry for the mini hiatus, I have just been super busy trying to get Lottie on some sort of sleep schedule and trying to catch up on some zzz's myself. I decided to start a new little thing here on my blog. On occasion I will have little tips here and there and decided to call it "Quick Tip Tuesday". This way there will be occasional short read which sometimes is nice, especially if you are on the new Mommy train with me. I know finding time to take a quick shower is sometimes bad enough so to sit and browse the internet isn't exactly on the top of your priority list.

  Today I thought I would talk about something quick while the little Toad sleeps. Something I noticed with Lottie is that she randomly gets a dry scalp. Now it isn't cradle cap or anything but if you think that is what your baby has definitely speak to your healthcare provider about that. Lottie seems to have dry skin, which would be something she has inherited from myself as I have super dry skin and hair. Because babies are sensitive to scents and products my doctor suggested using Vaseline on her dry skin, she has had a few patches on her cheeks and on her legs in the past. (I find I get more dry during the winter as well, I think it has something to do with coming into the heat from being outside in the cold air.) I noticed one day that her scalp was looking a little dry so I decided to put some Vaseline on her head to help. I rubbed that into her scalp and left that on for about an hour before bath time.  Then we gave her a bath as usual and made sure to use a baby toothbrush with super soft bristles to get the vaseline out. After we got her out of the tub and she dried off the dry skin was gone and is just starting to come back now. So, the hydration lasted a good month before the dry patches came back. I plan on using this again to help battle the dryness.

I hope you guys find this tip helpful and I will talk to you again next week!

xx Jenna

Hello Hello!

Today I thought I would do a review on a new product I have used for Lottie.. Truth be told I was working on a Quick Tip Tuesday post but I didn't get it finished in time. Doesn't make much sense to post a QTT on a Wednesday ...

Anywho, I recently tried using the Munchkin Nasal Aspirator and I am super impressed! (Whoops! Should have said "spoiler alert!" before saying that.) It is pretty obvious what this little guy does, it sucks snot out of your babies nose. Babies can't blow their noses (obviously) so they need their loving Moms/Dads to do so. I originally purchased a nasal aspirator from Walmart ($4.97) to try (pictured below) but it was a total waste of money. Instead of a steady low suction it is a quick intake of air that does nothing, absolutely nothing. Unfortunately Lottie got a pretty bad cold and a humidifier wasn't doing the trick, it helped to loosen the snot but it was still stuck in her nasal passage. It got to a point where we could see the booger but the bugger was out of our reach (see what I did there?) so I called my Dad (Thanks Dad!) to see if he could pick up a Nose Frida from the Babies R Us as there was not one anywhere in town close to us. When he got to Babies R Us they were sold out but had just received a shipment of the new Munchkin Nasal Aspirator, in fact that was the very first one sold. As soon as we had it I tried it out and it worked wonders. The snot it pulled out was very thick and mucous like, I was amazed it worked since it was so thick. It works the same as a Nose Frida, you insert the contoured end into babe's nostril and you suck on the mouthpiece with the white tip until the snot is pulled into the chamber, voila! Baby is destuffed! Being able to control the level suction and the length of time is very helpful and I love that there is no filters and it pulls apart very easily for cleaning. It also comes with 3 different tips so it will fit your babies nose perfectly, and we know we all don't have the same noses so that is great. Finally, I really like that it comes in a pretty little case, super simple and easy to throw into your diaper bag. You can purchase the ClearNose Aspirator from Munchkin for $19.99 at Babies R Us. Definitely more pricey then the Walmart one but it actually does the job. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you guys find this helpful. If you have used any nasal aspirator products leave a comment below and let us know what worked for you.

Sending you enough,
xo Jenna

Hello Everyone!

   Becoming a new Mom is certainly the most rewarding thing I have ever done but can sometimes be difficult. For example, breastfeeding didn't come so easy right off the bat. Now I know what you may be thinking .. how hard is it? You take your boob and voila! Well, for me it wasn't that simple. I didn't realise how challenging breastfeeding could be until I got pregnant and started researching. Right after Lottie was born they placed her on my chest and she latched on no problem. Later on when she woke up and needed fed again was when we had some troubles. She wasn't latching the best and I think because I was tired I hadn't 100% understood how I was to get her to latch. I wasn't sure what to do and neither did she, we were both newbies and that can make for some frustrating feedings. Here are some tips I learned from the super helpful hospital staff and my Mom that I want to share with you.

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1. Squish your boob as if you would when you are eating a hamburger and put into babe's mouth. The baby needs more than just your nipple to latch properly. When they nurse the use their tongue to push up on your nipple to nurse and using just the nipple makes it difficult for babe to feed (it will also cause pain for you, generally speaking breastfeeding shouldn't hurt.)

​2. As soon as you see babe putting their hands to their mouth, licking their lips/moving their tongue  around, seeking/rooting they need to eat. Don't wait until they start to cry because that is a late cue and they are now upset making it more difficult to get them to latch. I've also noticed Lottie moves her hands and arms in a specific way when she starts to get hungry. 

3. The quick rhyme to remember what to do is "nose to chin and hug them in." This means you need to make sure baby is belly to belly with you and they pull their chin to their chest to nurse. (I'm sure you could have figured it out ... You're thinking "thanks genius, like the rhyme wasn't clear enough for me to understand.")

4. Keep baby on a downward angle when nursing. This helps especially if you have a baby with bad acid reflux like myself.

5. Make sure to get yourself a really good lanolin nipple cream. My favourite is the Medela Tender Care Lanolin. It has certainly helped keep my nipples from getting sore or cracked. I purchased mine online from Babies R Us for $14.99, certainly one of the best items I bought. (I have copied the link for you.)

http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=3386622

6. Have a flatter queen or king sized pillow to lay baby's head and shoulders on when nursing. I looked at the "nursing pillows" you can buy at the store and talked to other women who used them and said they aren't great. The "form fitting" isn't exact for everyone and it is more money to spend that just adds to the already expensive list of things you will be purchasing for your new arrival. I love using my pillow to lay Lottie on. It's about 4 or 5 months old so it's flattened out a bit which has been perfect for me to use while nursing, and it saved me the money to spend on more important things.

7. Find the most comfortable position for you and baby. At the hospital they suggested I use the "football hold" because I am large chested but I actually found that to be the most uncomfortable way and much prefer the "cross-cradle hold", try the different positions and find whatever works best for you and your baby. I also find sitting with one leg tucked under the other is great. I lay Lottie's head on the folded leg and that helps to keep her head elevated and her body in a sloped position. 

8. Watch your baby and not the clock to see if they are satisfied. This is something I have learned on my own. At first I was following the clock and timing each feeding, which is important when babe is first brought into the world. You want to get your milk supply up so your are feeding baby every hour for 5-10 minutes. After Lottie and I got the hang of things I just watched her to see when she was full. Babies will start to relax their arms and hands when they are satiated, and even sometimes will let go of the breast completely with their mouths open.

I also wanted to touch on something I have had happen a few times, plugged milk ducts. I hope you don't suffer from these because it is quite uncomfortable and can cause quite a bit of pain. When I spoke to my doctor she explained that some women experience them frequently and some not at all. I truly hope you are the latter. But, because I am one of the lucky ones I wanted to share what I found helped the most.

1. Firstly I would feed Lottie much more intermittently and I would also pump afterwards. This helped to alleviate almost immediately but there is usually still swelling and pain. It's hard to tell if it has become unclogged without seeing the long stringy milk come out, usually babe will draw it out when nursing but I tend to think it's better to be safe than sorry and err on the side of caution. 

2. Grab a face cloth and dampen it with warm water, then put some plastic wrap over top and place a heating pad on that. I found the heat helped with the pain and also helped to ease the plugged milk out.

3. Take something for pain if it's very uncomfortable. I have had plugged ducts happen while I'm sleeping. On the rare occasion my little toad sleeps for longer then a 2 hour period. Make sure it is something that is safe to take while nursing, anything you were able to take while pregnant is safe. I use tylenol, but you are better to speak with your doctor or midwife about that. 

4. Rest. Giving yourself a break is very helpful, when I had a swollen boob I figured it was my bodies way of telling me I am doing too much and need to take it easy. Sit with babe on the couch and watch a movie or television shows for a day, you deserve it. 

Anytime I've had a plugged duct it has cleared up within 24 hours, if it persists give your doctor or midwife a call because it can lead to a more serious problem.

There are many benefits to breastfeeding and it has been such a great experience for me. I feel for the women who just aren't able to do it because it is definitely rewarding, but it doesn't mean your any better of a mother whether you choose to breastfeed or use formula. It's all personal preference and what is best for you and your baby, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

If you are having any difficulties breastfeeding reach out to your community. Here in Ontario they automatically ask if you would like to set up an appointment with the lactation consultant before you are discharged from the hospital and even if you say no they still give you the information should you need help in the future. You can always meet with them or ask your doctor/midwife if they have any recommendations. If you have hired a doula you could certainly ask them as well. I have copied some links for you below to check out if you want more information regarding breastfeeding.

http://www.lllc.ca
​http://www.canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org
http://www.lllusa.org

I hope you find this helpful and would love to hear your tips or suggestions. Leave them below in the comment section and I can't wait to talk to you next week.

Have a lovely day and thanks for reading!
xo Jenna

Hello Everyone!

   I was wracking my brain to determine what I should write about this week and was having some troubles .. Especially considering my days are mainly focused around sleep, changing diapers and eating a quick meal. Since my whole life has changed and become all about baby I thought what would be a better thing to write about than that? I decided I would let you know some of what I have learned in the last 6 weeks since becoming a new Mommy. 

1. Don't worry about what the house looks like.

Easier said than done. I am a person who gets stressed and anxious fairly easily if my space is messy and dirty. I think this is due to the fact that my Mom owns her own cleaning business and I know what happens if you leave things neglected for too long. (Thanks Mom!) If you too are like that it is time to let it go. You will have to come to the realization that the house is no longer going to look absolutely pristine at all times. There are going to be some dishes in the sink, laundry in the hamper and dirt on the floors. I found this especially hard when we had company coming over when the baby was first born. I wanted the house to look great because I was worried about being judged if there was crap sitting around. Here's the thing though, nobody cares. Everyone is too busy looking at your beautiful bundle of joy and will completely understand if your home is messier than usual. Take it from me. Your time is going to be far better spent catching up on zzz's or taking a shower.

2.  Sleep when the baby sleeps... No seriously.

I am still having trouble with this, and still kick myself in the arse when I don't actually follow this rule. (For example she is sleeping right now and I'm blogging ..) I know it is hard to change your sleep schedule (and I am so exhausted!) but I find sleeping in the day is just difficult. Plus I am always thinking there are other things I could be doing, but they will still be there later.. Trust me. I find I can handle colic episodes at 2am far better if I feel somewhat rested. If I haven't slept much than those late night/early morning events are harder to maneuver. So no matter what try and get some sleep, even a quick 20 minute nap is better than nothing. I find curling up with the blankets pulled up to my chin helps me to fall asleep and (if possible) a dark room. A trick I recently learned is to blink really quickly and I find it does make you sleepy. If all else fails I use sleep meditations to help me fall asleep or some white noise. The app I am currently using for meditations is Insight Timer. Thank you Mom for telling me about this great app!

3. Take time for yourself. 

I know it is difficult when you have a new baby and have no routine at all to find time for yourself. Especially if you are dead tired and just want to sleep whenever you can and the last thing you want to do is hop in the shower or do a workout, it will do you wonders though. I find that exercise has been a real help with my mental state the last week. Of course you can't do anything exercise wise at first because you just gave birth but, once you get the OK from your doctor go ahead. I have never been 100% dedicated to exercise and have started to find it really therapeutic instead of a chore. I think because I have always worked being stuck at home is driving me a wee bit nuts. Exercising just helps me to escape and feel better about me, knowing I am taking care of myself makes me feel better and more energized. Meditation is another good way to give yourself a boost of energy, it also helps to clear your head and give yourself some me time. When you feel like you need to relax hop into the tub with some epsom salts, this is also great if you have stitches like I did after a vaginal birth. It helped to heal them and make things not hurt so much. Maybe even bring a new book along with you to read.

4. When the going gets rough take a break.

There have been many nights where all she does is cry for hours, I've learned that setting her down and walking away for a minute is OK. There have been some nights when she has cried for hours straight and nothing I do helps. It makes you feel awful and in turn can upset you. A rattled Mama is not going to help calm baby, so set her/him down and walk away. Take the monitor with you to the kitchen and make a tea. Once you have had a few minutes to collect yourself go back and try some more. You are only human and feeling overwhelmed when they are still crying is normal, I myself have had a few cries late at night when I am feeling this way. 

5. Find an awesome show to binge watch.

Having something to watch is always nice because you are spending lots of time alone with babe and they aren't much for conversation. We have Netflix and I have always wanted to watch Gilmore Girls. Now, with many late nights spent alone with my girl binge watching a show is great. It gives me something to look forward to at night and helps to keep me awake when I need to be. And, if you haven't seen Gilmore Girls yet you need to. Honestly it has quickly become my favourite show next to Friends. 

That's it! I hope these tips help you and if there are any you can think of that I haven't mentioned leave them in a comment below. Having Mama's sharing knowledge is helpful and it's nice to feel supported and understood. This is the biggest change in your life and knowing other women are going through it helps. 

Thanks for reading and I look forward to chatting with you next week!
xo Jenna