June 28, 2011

7 months

Today is Brayden's seven month birthday and I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone. He is such a different baby today than he was when we first brought him home. Our colic, nocturnal, hairless, tiny 6 pound newborn is now a very well tempered seven month old with a thick head of strawberry blond hair, who naps during the day and sleeps through the night. We never thought we'd see the day. Despite all the challenges and sharp learning curve, we've managed to overcome all the frustrations and tears -- and even had some fun with it all.
Being a mom is like nothing I've ever experienced before and I feel so blessed to have Brayden in my life. It is so gratifying to see how much my love and nurturing is affecting his growth and development. I am so in love with this little human and am getting such a thrill out of watching him explore new things and succeed in all his repeated attempts! For example, just last week he started sitting upright unassisted. It was amazing to see and the look of satisfaction and pride on his face was priceless. I'm so happy to have been able to be there for that, and so many other, important moments and look forward to capturing so many more.

Happy seven month birthday, little buddy! Already, you make me so proud.


June 25, 2011

Tooth eruptions!

At 29 weeks, Brayden's first tooth has officially broken through the gum! (Bottom right tooth.) It's just the tip that is visible but it's pretty sharp when I put my finger in there to feel around. My little munchkin has been taking it like a champ, without any real upheaval to his sleep, feeding schedule or his temperament. While his first tooth continues to work its way up, yesterday we noticed that his second tooth is also now starting to make its debut. (Bottom left tooth.) How exciting! Unfortunately, Brayden is really feeling the pain now. Today was the first taste of his irritability due to teething and let me tell you, it's no fun. In fact, it's down right heart breaking. My poor little guy has been in tears most of the day, putting anything he can into his mouth in an attempt to ease the pain. After hearing some of my mommy friends talk about homeopathic remedies as an alternative to traditional medicines, I decided to look into our options a bit further. Here's what I found:
Tylenol (acetaminophen)
  • Non-medical ingredients (cherry drops): butylparaben, carboxymethylcellulose sodium, cellulose, citric acid, corn syrup, FD&C red no. 40, flavour, glycerin, propylene glycol, purified water, sodium benzoate, sorbitol, xanthan gum
Baby Orajel (benzocaine)
  • Gluten, casein and sugar-free
  • Doesn't contain egg or dairy products
  • On April 19, 2011 Health Canada issued an advisory reminding Canadians about the health risks associated with the use of topical benzocaine products, including a rare but potentially serious blood condition called methemoglobinemia (MetHb). MetHb reduces the ability of red blood cells to deliver oxygen throughout the body. Other reported side effects include breathing or swallowing difficulties and a swollen tongue or mouth, among others
  • Since this stuff essentially freezes/numbs the area where it is applied, it may be helpful to apply shortly following a feed in order to give it time to wear off before the next feed -- especially if you are breastfeeding!


Camilia
  • Homeopathic remedy 
  • Claims to relieve painful gums, restlessness and irritability related to teething
  • Specifically formulated for infants 1 month and older
  • Water-based formula in a pre-measured oral dose
  • Non-numbing
  • No alcohol, sugar, coloring, flavoring or preservatives
  • We've decided to try treating Brayden with Camilia and so far it seems to work quickly. It's also really easy to administer, has a neutral taste and is mess-free!
Other things that might also help temporarily ease the pain:
* Be sure to read the packaging for cooling instructions.

June 21, 2011

My little swimmer

Swimming has always been a part of my life. As an infant, my dad used to take me to the "Pops & Tots" swimming program at the local community centre and, throughout my childhood and teens, I proceeded to complete the Red Cross qualifications required to be a swimming instructor and lifeguard. In fact, my first few summer jobs in high school, aside from babysitting the neighbours' kids, were instructing swimming lessons in our family's backyard pool and lifeguarding public pools.
Before Brayden came along, I always knew that I would put my children in swimming lessons early on. I'd read that babies are born with a natural reflex (called the dive reflex or the bradycardic response) that causes them to open their eyes and hold their breath when submerged under water. The response weakens as babies get older so it was important to me to acquaint our baby with water and swimming during this early phase.
Moreover, swimming is such a valuable skill for children/adults to have. The benefits of organized swimming programs go far beyond simply learning how to swim and include important skills such as water safety (including boating safety), first aid/CPR and aquatic fitness. Needless to say, when Brayden was old enough to be enrolled in a learn to swim program, I immediately signed him up. (In Pickering, the youngest they'll take them is 4 months old.) I knew it would be a ton of fun for both of us and I didn't want Andrew to miss out of the fun just because he had to work during the week so I actually registered Brayden for two sessions - he would go Tuesdays with me and Saturdays with daddy.
Today, was the final class of the 10 week session and I'm sort of sad to see it come to an end. When we began the lessons in April, Brayden had just turned 20 weeks and his adorable swim trunks from Joe Fresh and Little Swimmers diapers were both way too big around his little waist. Brayden was such a great little swimmer though; comfortable and confident in the water since day one. He never cried when being dunked under water and he really developed a love for the back float.

Here we are today, 10 weeks later, Brayden has completed the Starfish level and is now fitting into his swim trunks and diapers a bit better. It was such a lovely way to bond with each other and a great way to meet other moms. I highly recommend it to all my mommy friends. Time to move on to grandma and grandpa's outdoor pool for the summer!

June 20, 2011

Daddy's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day but not just any Father's Day, Andrew's first as a daddy. Unlike Mother's Day, where my wish was to spend the day together with my new, young family at the Toronto Zoo, Andrew wanted to spend the day golfing with his dad. At first I was a little offended that he didn't want to spend the day with his son and I... the whole reason he's celebrating his first FD!  However, after I gave it some time to sink in, I figured it was really great that he was able to get out with his dad and do an activity they used to love doing together when Andrew was younger. It made me think about our son in a few years when he will be old enough to enjoy FD with his daddy and grandpa on the course too. So, with this change of heart, Brayden and I made a trip over to Golf Town and bought a new golf outfit for Andrew to wear for his FD golf round.

You might be wondering what Brayden and I ended up doing while daddy was golfing. Well, it actually worked out to be a perfectly planned day. We spent the morning at my parents' house visiting with my dad & mom and enjoying a Runza family breakfast. I brought the "family bagel" (a fam fav from Bagel Plus, Bathurst & Steeles) and Meg & Justin brought a box of coffee. It was a great morning.

 Next, Brayden and I headed to Oakville where we met up with my mother-in-law and waited for the guys to come off the golf course. Since we had a couple of hours to kill, we headed to the club and took Brayden swimming in the indoor swimming pool. Brayden had a blast showing off with his new swimming skills that he has picked up in the past nine weeks of mom & tot swimming lessons. After lots of dunking and splashing, Brayden was wiped out so we went for a stroller walk down to the eighteenth hole where we met grandpa T and daddy who were just wrapping up their game.
The day concluded back at my in-law's house where we enjoyed a delicious dinner. Our first Father's Day with Brayden turned out to be a perfect day, for mommy and daddy!

June 15, 2011

Retail Therapy... And it's on SALE!

My hubby has been away quite a bit lately, traveling for work, which has left Brady-boy and me to entertain ourselves. It has gotten a tad lonely, especially in the evenings when all of our daytime social activities are done and mommy friends have returned home to be with their husbands.
So, what's a girl (and her baby) to do when she needs a pick me up?  We went shopping!
There are a lot of sales on right now and what a shame it would be to pass up such great deals.

While driving around one afternoon, I noticed that Urban Barn was having a sale. Urban Barn offers a stunning array of contemporary home decor and that is exactly what we are in the market for these days. With the last of our new furniture finally being delivered, our home is still missing a punch of style. And it's nothing that a few accent features such as artwork, throw pillows, area rugs and lamps won't fix. While browsing the gorgeous merchandise at Urban Barn, a spectacular tree print caught my eye. It was reasonably priced and the colours work perfectly with our family room. I can't wait for Andrew to put it up when he gets home!

Since Brayden has been such a wonderful shopping buddy lately, I couldn't resist hitting up Baby Gap to treat him to some very fashionable summer attire. Fortunately, they have a huge sale on their summer line. Brayden loves his new chambray shorts, white wash cuffed jeans, heathered cargo polo and knit military jacket.

Other notable sales are Gymboree's Big Red Balloon semi-annual sale and The Bay's Renovation sale.

June 13, 2011

More on introducing solids

Before we began to incorporate cereals, fruits and veggies into Brayden's feeding regimen, I had decided that I'd try to make as much of his food myself. For those who really know me, I'm not much of a chef (or baker) but I had received a fantastic baby food cookbook from PBK as a shower gift so I decided to take on the challenge.
Although this cookbook includes recipes for preparing all of the basic introductory foods including the cereals, I've decided to purchase My Organic Baby cereals to ensure the iron fortified nutrients necessary at this stage of development aren't missed.
On a relative basis, babies eat more food per pound of body weight than adults, so you want to ensure it's as pure as possible. By cooking with organic ingredients baby's diet is free of harmful synthetic hormones, pesticides and antibiotics. The fruits and veggies that tend to be highest in pesticide residue include: bell peppers, celery, root vegetables (such as potatoes or carrots), greens (such as spinach or lettuce), peaches and nectarines, apples, strawberries and cherries.
To date, Brayden has tried the following foods, all of which I've prepared myself (save the prunes):
Sweet potato Chock-full of both vitamin A and fiber while also offering a balance of sweetness, earthiness and soft toothsome texture.
Prunes To help with constipation induced by the introduction of solid foods which are not as easily digestible as breast milk. (I bought organic prune puree rather than making these myself.)
Banana Choose fully ripe bananas to ensure that they sooth and promote digestion. Unripe bananas may have the opposite effect. Ripe bananas also contain more antioxidants.
Sweet peas Frozen peas are a great alternative to fresh peas in season, as they're frozen at their peak.
Zucchini Recipes that call for everything including the skin, such as zucchini and summer squashes, it's recommended to choose organic. Plus, it's fun to shop for fresh produce in the summer at a farmer's market!
Applesauce Apples are a great first fruit for baby because they're sweet and full of fiber and vitamin C. It's recommended to use sweet apples such as Gala, Pink Lady or McIntosh since babies favour sweet over tart flavors in the early stages. A pinch of cinnamon can also be added to experiment with spices and offer a variance in flavor.
Preparing baby food is as easy as 1-2-3. The kitchen tools required are:
  • A medium-sized saucepan
  • A steamer basket
  • A baking pan or dish
  • A food processor or blender for pureeing (I'm delighted that I am finally putting the food processor we received as a wedding gift to good use!)
  • Ice cube trays (For freezing individual portions. I've been measuring 1tbsp portions)
  • Ziploc freezer bags (Once the food in the ice cube trays are frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag and label the bag with the contents and date prepared.  Most veggies and fruits can be frozen for up to 3 months)
  • Small portion food pots (Useful when thawing and heating individual portions)
To make things easy, everything I use is dishwasher safe!

June 12, 2011

Introducing solids

When Brayden was six weeks old I attended a baby nutrition seminar hosted by the West Durham Family Health Team. Registered Dietitian (and friend), Kori Kostka, presented on topics including breastfeeding, formula feeding, introducing solids, food allergies, food safety and maternal nutrition.
Key take aways from the introduction of solids portion of the seminar include:
  • Healthy term infants with adequate iron stores require additional dietary sources by six months of age to support the needs during rapid growth 
  • Baby is ready for solids anywhere between the ages of four to seven months of age
  • Signs of readiness: 
    • able to sit up, alone or with support
    • able to close lips over the spoon
    • opens mouth when baby sees something coming
    • turns head away when no longer interested
  • Introduce one single-ingredient new food at a time. By waiting 3-4 days before introducing each new food you will be able to identify any adverse reactions or allergies
  • Start with iron fortified infant cereals or single pureed meat
  • Start with 2-3 tsp./meal
Armed with this information and more, and under the advisement of our healthcare professional, we began to introduce Brayden to solids at 20 weeks. His first taste of anything other than breast milk was rice cereal. The first brand we choose to introduce was Heinz. (This brand decision was based on a friend's recommendation of what her two kids liked best.) Well, as with everything else, we quickly discovered that not all babies favor the same flavours. Brayden absolutely hated this rice cereal.

We moved on and tried Milupa which he grew fond of quickly, likely due to its vanilla flavour. With further research and in chatting with other mommy friends, I learned that brown rice is actually easier for a baby's developing stomach to digest than white rice. So, we have switched to My Organic Baby which offers a brown rice cereal, barley and oatmeal. Brayden loves this stuff!

A few things we learned in the process of introducing solids are that:
  • In the beginning, it's normal for baby to push food out of its mouth. Give it time, this is a completely new texture, mode of feeding and flavour for them;
  • Babies need to learn to pull the food to the back of their mouth;
  • Gagging is normal. In fact, it protects them from choking. 
After two weeks of offering rice cereal, we moved on to barley and oatmeal. And, once we were comfortable with these introductory cereals, we started to offer vegetables and fruits. We're only a couple weeks in but things are going great! So far we're eating sweet potato, prunes, bananas, sweet peas and zucchini. Stay tuned for a future post updating on our adventures with mommy's making and Brayden's eating of solids!



June 9, 2011

Fun in the sun

Although it's not quite officially summer yet, we've been experiencing some amazing summer-like weather.    Temperatures well into the 30s and lots of sunshine means spending most of our days outside.  In order to do so, I had to learn about sun safety for babies.  Protecting Brayden is my number one priority and with this lovely weather that means saving his sensitive skin from the damaging effects of the sun.  Instilling good habits is also something I'm trying to do with Brayden, even at this early age, and sun safety is the lesson of the season.

Did you know that 80 per cent of lifetime sun exposure occurs by the age of 18?  So, even if your baby isn't as ghostly white as mine, there is good reason to start taking care early.

Here are some sun safety tips from the Durham Region Health Department:
  • Keep children under the age of one year out of direct sunlight
  • Seek shade or create your own. When lying outside in our yard, we use the Little Tikes Market Umbrella.  It's UV protective and provides just the right amount of coverage.  A sun tent is also a cute way to keep your little one shaded. 
  • Use clothing to cover as much skin as possible. Choose light coloured outfits made of polyester, cotton/polyester or nylon.  And don't forget a wide brim hat!
  • If your child will wear them, try a pair of UV protective sunglasses.  Brayden's are from Carters and he has yet to fuss with them. Plus he looks extra cute with them on. (Thanks grandma!)
  • Slather on the sunscreen.  Caution:  Sunscreen is not recommended for babies under the age of six months.  "Chemical-free" sunscreen made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide can be a great alternative.

June 8, 2011

Early Must Haves

As my hubby and I prepared for the arrival of baby Brayden we relied heavily on recommendations from friends. I have decided to now pass along the knowledge we've gathered from our experience by posting a list of our family favorites.  This post focuses on the items we consider essential in getting started.


1. Skin to skin baby carrier: I had received my Moby wrap as a gift from my lactation consultant/family friend. Skin to skin contact is essential in the first couple of months, especially if you're breastfeeding.  This type of contact with your baby releases all sorts of mothering hormones that encourage milk supply.
2. Video monitor: A huge leap from the monitors our parents used with us, video monitors allow you to hear and see your sleeping baby day or night. We love our Slim & Secure Handheld Colour Video Monitor because when our little guy is fussing, we can check to see if he really needs us.
3. Swing: I was very fortunate to have received the Fisher Price My Little Lamb Cradle 'n Swing as a shower gift from a group of girlfriends.  This swing is worth its weight in gold.
4. UppaBaby stroller: The UppaBaby Vista is available in various stylish colours, has adapters for most popular car seats and has a large basket, which has proven to be very handy in carrying everything from groceries to Christmas presents. We love our stroller.
5. Babywrapper: I love innovative products and the babywrapper is definitely one that I recommend to all parents who are new to bathing an infant. Basically, it's a big, soft towel that you tie around your neck like a bib making the transition from bath tub to towel quick and easy.  Best of all, it's made in Canada! (Thanks for introducing me to this fab product, Genevieve.)
6. Bundle me:  Depending on the season, you'll want to set your infant car seat up with one of these. Brayden was born in November so rather than fussing with snow suits all winter long this was a must.









For the nursing mom
7. Nursing cover: I purchased the Bebe au Lait nursing cover because of the great coverage it provides and its rigid neckline which allows you to check in on baby hassle free. It is available in a variety of colours and patterns so you can nurse in style! I picked up my cover at  Baby on the Hip.


For the fussy baby
8. Exercise ball: Babies love being bounced, and bounced, and bounced.  We found that sitting and bouncing on the exercise ball worked wonders in calming our colic-stricken baby.

June 6, 2011

Celebrations

Weekends are to be cherished.  It's when Brayden and I get daddy's undivided attention and visit with family and friends.  Lately, weekends have been especially fun because we've been celebrating lots of birthdays. Our first birthday celebration took us to Boston (Maynard, Mass. to be precise) to celebrate my brother-in-law, Josh's, 30th birthday.  It was a fantastic excuse for Andrew to take some vacation days and for the three of us to head down to visit Julia, Josh and little Alexei.  We had a great visit and even spent an afternoon in Cambridge touring Harvard!

Next it was time to celebrate with our friends, Hilary and Mark, for their daughter's first birthday. Madelyn had a duck themed birthday party and we had a great time showing our yellow spirit as a family!  Our friends Mel and Derrick's little guy, Hunter, also recently turned one.  Hunter had lots of friends at his party and the parents thought it would be fun to snap a pic of all the kids together.  This was a hilarious photo shoot to coordinate.

This past weekend, we traveled to Waterloo to celebrate yet another first birthday!  My best friend Sarah's little girl, Mariah, had a fun party and we were so fortunate that the stormy weather cleared up in time for the festivities. This was an especially nice party because my closest girlfriends from university were there (less one, MS).  To make the gathering even more special we learned some very exciting news -- LV and her husband are expecting their first baby!  We cannot wait to welcome another little baby into our circle of friends.

June 3, 2011

Our vegetable garden

This spring, Andrew and I decided to grow a vegetable garden in our yard. Since neither of us have much experience doing this sort of thing we chose four veggies that are known to be relatively easy to cultivate: tomatoes, green beans, snap peas and green peppers. (A special thank you to the garden expert at Lowes who walked us through how to best grow a vegetable garden and recommended these beginner vegetables.) As tomatoes and green peppers require more time to sprout than other vegetables, we first planted those seeds in trays and had them grow inside the house for the past month and a half. We have been eagerly watching their progress and have noticed that the tomato plants started to sprout much quicker than the green peppers (by about 2 weeks).  Yesterday, we finally moved them all outside into the garden and planted the seeds for the peas and beans. We are really excited to watch our vegetable garden flourish and to enjoy fresh, organic, homegrown veggies this summer!

The advice I was never given

Nine months is the perfect amount of time to prepare for the arrival of a child.  To be honest, you're never quite ready for the drastic increase in responsibility, lack of sleep or postpartum hormonal roller coaster.  Nine months does however, allow for enough time to relish in the excitement of finding out your expecting, gather all the basic baby essentials, grow out of all your pre-pregnancy clothes and conduct loads of research about the pregnancy/baby's development in utero. One other inevitable encounter that an expectant mother will be faced with is becoming the recipient of everyone's well meaning advice.  I lost track of how many times I had been advised to get my sleep now, before the baby comes...  While it's very true, sleep does become highly sought after and not very likely once a newborn enters your world, now having been through it myself there is so much more constructive advice I wish I had received.  This post is dedicated to all my girlfriends who have yet to enter motherhood.
1. Am I in labour?  The night before Brayden was born my two sisters were at my house visiting.  The three of us were sitting around the kitchen table chatting when I began to notice a sensation I hadn't experienced for the past nine months -- menstrual cramps.  I mentioned these uncomfortable pains to my sisters and they immediately questioned whether I was in early labour.  I got a bit excited about the possibility of finally meeting the little baby that had been growing inside me for the past 40 weeks but was skeptical that I was in fact experiencing contractions or even Braxton Hicks. I was expecting contractions to feel completely different; like my entire pregnant belly was contracting.  I can now confirm that I was mistaken.  But no where in any of the books that I read or pre-natal classes I attended was the sensation of a contraction described.  This would have been really useful to know while I had been mentally preparing for the birth.  Although I felt a bit silly admitting I did not know what a contraction would feel like, the more moms I talk to I realize I wasn't the only one.
2. Breastfeeding isn't all it's cracked up to be.  During my pregnancy, my hubby Andrew and I had agreed that I would exclusively breastfeed for the first year of our baby's life.  So, when Brayden was born and breastfeeding quickly became more of a challenge than the natural, loving experience it had been described to me as being deflated doesn't even begin to describe how I felt.  The issues I encountered included: baby with a severe tongue tie (a tongue tie prevents baby from being able to draw milk effectively); extremely weak milk supply (after weeks of taking more than 20 capsules of blessed thistle & fenugreek (herbs) per day I was eventually prescribed domperidone to help promote milk supply) and; cracked, sore nipples (it felt as thought I had severely sunburned nipples with a crab hanging off each one. Ouch!)  Under no pressure but my own determination I endured the frustration, pain and tears for 10 weeks which was when things finally turned a corner and were looking brighter.  On the other hand, don't feel guilty or defeated if you need to supplement with formula (I did for the first month and a half) or switch over to exclusive formula feeding.  What's important is that your baby is being fed.
3.  Whatever works.  So many moms I talk to often feel guilty for decisions they make as it relates to their infants.  We're given so much unwanted advice such as not to co-sleep because once you start it will be near impossible to stop; breast is best; etc. But when it comes down to it every baby has unique needs and wants and will react differently to every situation.  There comes a point where we as moms need to hang on to our sanity so, if you've found a way to make both baby and mommy happy, regardless of what other people's opinions are, then I say keep doing it and always remind yourself that you're doing what's best for your new family.
4. Make time for yourself.   As a new mom, this certainly isn't an easy thing to do especially during the first few months brining baby home.  But, it's so necessary.  This could be as simple as finding time to take a 5 minute shower or going out for a cup of coffee with your husband while someone else watches your little one. Just a few minutes of 'you time' will help you feel like a whole new person and allow you to engage with your baby with a clean slate.
5.  Get involved.  We are so fortunate in Canada to be given the opportunity to stay at home with our new babies for a whole year.  That said, however, the lack of social interaction during the day quickly wears. Going for walks outside or at a mall is great but becomes redundant and lonely after a while.   Within the first 48 hours of being home with your new baby, you'll get a call from Public Health offering to have a nurse come by your home. Take them up on it. Not only will they make sure you've prepared your home appropriately for a newborn and answer any immediate questions you have but, they'll also connect you to local resources and introduce you to mommy/baby groups in your neighbourhood.

June 1, 2011

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!  I guess I should start by providing some history as to why I've decided to start writing... I am a PR practitioner and have spent many hours following blogs and connecting with bloggers on behalf of my clients. The blogosphere is a great place to learn, exchange opinions and connect with people who have similar interests, views or experiences.  Throughout my time working in PR I've done a lot of talking about the impact of social media so, when I found out I was pregnant I decided that while on mat leave I'd join the blogosphere by becoming a 'creator'.  My research into blogs over the years has turned up that "Mommy blogs" are abundant and very popular. It was a phenomenon I couldn't quite wrap my head around until becoming a mommy myself.

It's amazing how quickly my online habits have changed.  As I look back at my search history, it wasn't all that long ago that I was Googling the Toronto club scene, last minute weekend getaways and celebrity gossip. Since becoming pregnant (and now with child) most of my time online is spent looking up resources that help affirm my parenting choices.  That said, there is a lot of information out there, some better than others of course.  But, above all, the one thing I've learned in the six months of being a mom is that there isn't just one right answer. Every baby is unique.  This is a very harsh reality for someone like myself who appreciates being told the right way to doing something, then mastering it.  As such, the motto I've come to live by these days is "whatever works".  It's advice I pass along to any new mom struggling with feeding, sleeping, crying, etc.

So, why am I adding The Chronicles of a First Time Mom to the already rich mommy blogosphere?  I figured it would be a great place for family and friends to keep up on everything Brayden.  I also thought that since there is so much anecdotal advice for new moms out there that I'd add mine to the pot and allow others to consider my experiences when contemplating their own.  Most of all, however; I need to satisfy an intrinsic desire to document my new life as Brayden's mom.  Stay tuned for posts about how I'm spending my days with the little guy, new things I'm trying to help set him up for success, adventures from daddy and family updates.  I hope you enjoy my posts.  Your comments are welcome.
Here we go!