I Like To Eat, Eat, Eat......Apples And Bananas!!!

So, fruit is not a good first food, but it is usually the favorite. I mean, why not? It is soft and sweet. Perfect for little ones. Raffi was right to pick these two for his song. They are both at the top of the list in our house. But, this post is about making food, not eating it (sorry). So, here are some tips and advise on making your own baby food (and saving some money!!).

Our first food was Sweet Potatoes (as recommended by our Pediatrician). We did a lot of research into the best way to prepare it and store it. Unfortunately, the starting costs can be quite a lot, but in the long run, it is much cheaper. I highly recommend getting a blender or food processor, if you do not already have one (if you do, bonus!!). While one specified for a baby is great (and I will tell you why), it is absolutely not necessary. If you feel motivated and strong, you probably can even mash it up by hand and then mix it with Breastmilk or Formula, but make sure that there are absolutely no chunks that the baby can choke on.

But, I am getting WAY ahead of myself. First of all, get something to puree the food. We actually got the Baby Bullet as a gift, and I love it. It is actually a common item on sales sites (like Facebook Marketplace) because of how short of a time it is used, so you may be able to get a good deal on one if you want it. It is also dishwasher safe (not the base!!), so able to be sanitized. We also have a blender, but there are three major reasons I love the Bullet. The first is that it can hold smaller amounts of food. It has two sizes that the blades can attach to, so if you are pureeing a small amount to try, you do not need to use a large blender for it that may or may not do well with small amounts. Bonus..... it is fast and easy to clean in the sink if doing multiple foods in a day (like we usually do). The second is that it comes with it's own containers that are 2 ounces each. There are 6 for the refrigerator (the plastic ones cannot be out in the freezer) and 1 rubber tray with 6 compartments for the freezer. While your LO will probably only be eating one ounce at a time in the beginning, it makes it easy to store and save it. Keep in mind that fresh baby food is good for about a week in the fridge. The third thing I love is that there are 2 different blades. One is for pureeing and the other is for grinding. So, if you are making something else for the baby, you can grind up things like oatmeal and spices to use and save more money. The only complaint I have is that when you are pureeing something large, like a pumpkin, you need to do it in batches, but it gives me a chance to take a break or pump more Breastmilk if I need it. Whatever way you choose, I am sure it will work perfectly.

The next step is deciding on a food to make. Our pediatrician likes first foods to be in the yellow/orange family. They said Sweet Potato, Carrots, Squash and Pumpkin (yes ,which technically is a squash) are all great first foods. They do not like starting with oatmeal or rice cereal because they have little nutrition and most babies hate it, so it can turn them off to food, but every Doctor is different. A lot of moms also like avocado as a first food, but it may or may not go well (our daughter HATES it!! We tried twice!). We chose sweet potato because it is simple and not a common allergy. We also bought Acorn Squash and Carrots to make and offer in case it did not go over well.

Both of us did way too much research and reading to figure out the best way to prepare the food. We found it very popular to steam the food in order to make it soft for pureeing, but read that baking it brings out the natural sweetness. That sounded like the best thing for us. Plus, we could put it all in the oven together and do something else while it all baked. We cut everything in half, pulled out the seeds from the squash, but it on a baking sheet and put it in the oven for a half hour. The carrots finished quick, so we had to take them off and put it back in, but it gave us a head start on the pureeing. I had pumped earlier, so I had it ready to go, but you can also use formula to thin it out. The first ones we made very thin so it was easy for her to swallow and get used to. Almost a liquid. So we needed quite a bit of Breastmilk ready to go.

If you are using Breastmilk, it is best to use fresh. You have to keep track of how long it is in the fridge to make sure it does not go bad. Also, you cannot refreeze Breastmilk, so you cannot use any that has been defrosted and sitting out or in the fridge if you plan on freezing the food. If you are using formula, it is best to buy some liquid to use for this. There are mixed reviews on whether it is safe to freeze formula mixed from the powder and how long it is good in the fridge for. We had to use some with some of the squashes that were very dry (like Buttercup) because I could not pump anywhere near enough to make a good puree.

After making the puree ,we put enough in the fridge for a few days and froze the rest. We learned that ice cube trays are divided up into 1 ounce servings. That is perfect, since at this point she was only getting one ounce at a time and it allowed for us to mix however we wanted to in the future (which is a lot of fun, I must say. Babies will eat almost anything, lol). We filled each tray with puree and put it in the freezer for 24 hours, to make sure it fully froze since it is thicker that water. After that, it was easy to put in Ziploc bags that we labeled and dated, though we went through it much faster than the 3 months it is good for in there.

Each time we make food, we make it thicker and have learned she enjoys it a lot more when it is thick. Not she even enjoys some small chunks since she has 2 teeth. I like being able to make it the exact consistency that works for us, even if it is sometimes a little time consuming. But, we like to do a lot at once so it lasts us a few weeks (sometimes even a month). It lasted longer in the beginning, but at 6-8 ounces a day, we go through it a little faster now. I love picking out what she gets every night. I can pick 2 pumpkin, 1 pineapple and 1 blueberry and microwave it all together and she loves it! We have only had a few things (like that darn Avocado!) that she doesn't like, but when mixed with something she loves, she still eats it and it doesn't go to waste.

A tip.... DO NOT USE FROZEN FOOD!!!! It has to thaw completely to puree and even then, you still need to add a liquid to get it smooth. THEN it is too thin when you reheat it to even feed. We are adding iron fortified cereal to our purees now anyway (because I am a Vegetarian and we want to make sure she is getting enough iron), but we have to use no more than 1 ounce (of 4 we feed total at a time) of what we have from frozen fruit and mix in a lot of cereal to thicken it up. The veggies did a little better, but she did not like the taste as much and it was harder to get her to eat it. We thought that since frozen foods are more nutritious (since they are picked at their prime and frozen quickly vs the ones at the store that are usually picked before they are ripe and then ripen on the shelf) that it would be better for her, but it did not work well AT ALL!!!

We still use the Baby Bullet for making all her food, and the rubber freezer container because it is nice to be able to freeze some things 2 ounces at a time, but not so often the plastic ones for purees. We find them easier to use for other things like when we make her yogurt (no, not from scratch. We're not that crazy. We mix plain yogurt with our own fruit and veggies....yes veggies.....because she hates it plain, so we put it with what she likes.....Apples and Bananas!!!) and mashed foods that last a day or two, like bananas and potato.

I feel like this post may be a little scattered, but I hope it helped you get started with making your own baby food. It is work, but also fun. You get to choose what your baby eats and when. You can try new things whenever you like and pick from what is in season. And it is fun for the baby, too. They get to always try new things and get to have a little taste of what they are familiar with to slowly transition to this new way of eating (whether it be Breastmilk or Formula). Even if you choose the baby led weaning path, you may still offer some purees at some point or want to try the baking method of softening foods. There are so many different ways, so hopefully you learned something new no matter which route you decide to go with your LO.

And please. If you have learned anything along the way that other moms should know (tips, advise, etc.), share it below in the comments. It can save someone time, money, and most importantly frustration (like the frozen food).

Who Needs Sleep? Well you're never gonna get it......

I know I am probably falling on deaf ears with this one, but the Barenaked Ladies song pops into my head every time I wake up in the middle of the night. Like a nightmare on repeat...."Who needs sleep? Well, you're never gonna get it! Who needs sleep? Tell me what's that for? Who needs sleep? Be happy with what you're getting. There's a guy who's been awake since the Second World War....". Ok. So it is not that bad. I do get SOME sleep. But, there is not enough coffee or wine to help.

Luckily, it is only temporary and looks like it may be coming to an end. The last few months have been, well.....awful. Not all the time, but especially later in the day and at night. We went straight from the 4 month sleep regression to our first tooth, followed by our second tooth and then the 8 month sleep regression. The 4 month one was not bad. She woke up several times each night, nursed, and went back to sleep. Almost like a newborn would. I was tired in the morning, but I was able to sleep, a little. We introduced food (Sweet Potato and Acorn Squash) a week before she turned 6 months and it helped a lot to fill her up at night and sleep longer. Our pediatrician is against starting with cereal because it has no nutrition, so we followed their guidelines. The 8 month one is the worst, because it is also linked to an aware week. They are now aware that Mommy leaves and will cry every time they get put down, or Mommy goes to get more coffee in the kitchen, or the bathroom to pee in the middle of the night (yes, she is still in out room in her cradle). They start having bad dreams (of mom not coming back and there are no more boobs? maybe? lol), and cry out in their sleep, which is enough to wake Mom up, even if they stay asleep. But, several times during the night, she just wants to be held for a little but and know Mommy is still there and all is ok. Great. I am so glad you love and need me so much that you just need to know I am there and everything is good, but Mommy needs sleep too. And a few hours on and off does not cut it.

The teething gives some good nights, and some bad. Tylenol helps a lot on the bad ones. She would go from screaming to sleeping in a matter of minutes, I am not looking forward to the rest coming in, but at least I know there is something I can do to help her. We also made our own yogurt drops which seem to help a lot during the day. We mixed plain whole milk yogurt with either blueberries or banana and put it in a Ziploc bag with the corner cut off and made dots on parchment paper  to freeze. We left them overnight and then put them in a bag. They last about a month in the freezer and feel good on the gums. They also melt very fast, so they are safe.

Besides all of that, she laughs, smiles, is on the move, loves to pull herself up on everything and stand, walks while holding onto things and has even started talking. Her first word was "Bella" (our dog, lmao) and Mama is also heard when she is really upset. Maybe we have some sleepless nights, but watching her grow and learn make it all worth it. She really is amazing and I wouldn't change it for a second..... but check back with me on that at 2 am....

Mommy and the Terrible. Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

I am assuming you know Alexander and his Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. If not, it is a definite must to your child's library. But, in my case I am referring to the first cold that just happened to sync up with our 4 month sleep regression. Yes, all at once. We are doing better now.....better.....but, it has really been a tough one.

It all started about a week ago. I started to feel a lot of sinus pressure. I knew from the mom groups I'm in how important it is to continue to breastfeed your baby when you are sick, so I knew it was only a matter of time before she would show signs of feeling sick as well. We were already past the 4 1/2 month mark, so while I was hoping we would skip the regression, I knew there was a chance it was still going to happen. She has always been a pretty good sleeper (even though her nights and days were reversed in the beginning, as normal), so when we had a few days when we woke up at 6 am and went back to sleep, I was hoping that would be it.

And then came the cold/sinus infection. I did not get checked out, so I am not really sure what it was, but it was bad. Sinus pressure, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, stuffy, sore throat, tired.....you name it. Luckily, no fever. The first couple of days, she seemed fine. I thought maybe she would be ok. But, then she had 2 days of fussiness and more feedings and a lot of sleep. I could tell she was not feeling great. I called the Pediatrician, but they said if she is eating well, peeing enough and has no fever that there is no reason to bring her in unless I really want her to be seen. I decided to hold off unless she got worse. Especially since my body would produce antibodies for her that she would receive through my breast milk. It was a little heart wrenching to see her feeling so under the weather, but luckily after the two days she started to return to normal.

And then the nights started to get worse. Maybe it was brought on by the cold, or they just happened to sync up, but it just added to how awful I felt. She seemed to have it easy. Me, on the other hand, am trying to rest and get better and she has started waking up between 2 and 3, again around 6, and for the morning at 9. Maybe this does not seem so bad, and it isn't when she goes to bed at around 9:30/10, but when she used to go to bed at this time and sleep straight until around 10, with an occasional 6/7 am feeding, it is hard. Especially when sick.

The worst part is that my nephew was born a few days ago (Welcome to the World Dylan!). We are so anxious to meet him. I am hoping that our plan to see him 2 weeks from now comes with better sleep and no germs that we may still be carrying. Also, some tips on how to survive a sleep regression, lol. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that we are teething like crazy and growing (my peanut at almost 5 months is still at 24 1/2 in and almost 13 lbs). Sophie the Giraffe is luckily helping us out with the teething part. We love to read the books as well. The fact that we soak our clothes with drool several times a day causing more laundry than ever is just more to add to everything else we have going on, but the easiest part of it all. For now.....

Have tips on how to survive a sleep regression? Tips for teething? Leave a comment below. I'm sure I am not the only one who could use some advise.... ;).

It's a Long Way to the Top if you Wanna Rock and Roll

No, this post does not have anything to do with music. I am just recovering from surgery to have my perineum repaired (finally) after giving birth. That is what tears when you give birth, and mine didn't heal all the way. I thought the recovery was going to be worse, but it is actually not to bad. I am assuming this is more what a lot of woman feel like after a week or two from giving birth when they have a stage 1 or 2 tear, not like me a month later after a 3rd degree.

Anyway, one of the things I want to talk about is something that always seems to be on the list of things that moms say was a waste of money and they never used, but I love and uses 10+ times a day.... my changing table. Are their really people who never use this? Some people say they use their bed, couch or floor. I have and I find that VERY annoying. Maybe my bed and couch are just low enough for it to be annoying, but after labor and now after surgery, getting up and down is REALLY hard. Harder than going up and down stairs, and more painful. Also, now that my daughter is rolling over, I can't leave her unattended for 2 seconds on any surface other than the floor. The changing table allows me to stand, has everything I need within arms reach and has a strap on it so I can walk away for a minute (to pee or grab a change of clothes from the closet) and not worry about her rolling off onto the floor. We also put a mobile on it to help keep her distracted during changes (and because they are not safe to put on a crib in case they fall or the child grabs it and pulls it in), so it has become one of her favorite places to be. She watched it spin, listens to the music and grabs and kicks it as it spins.

Another item that we heard was a waste or dangerous were crib liners. Well, what you don't hear about it how some kids like to stick their legs through the bars. Yes, you read that right. Why, you ask? I honestly have no idea. But day after day, we would wake up to find she had BOTH legs through the bars of her cradle. Many people use bassinets that have mesh or something else before the crib, but we have a wooden cradle (that I LOVE), so we are experiencing this earlier than many parents would. I asked other mothers about this on FB and found that there are plenty of kids that do this (YAY! My kid is now weird!) and that mesh liners helped a lot. Several of them also said that their kids got stuck (which was a major concern of mine as she got bigger) and that is when they decided to get the liners. And that the mesh ones are the only ones safe to use. We found a bunch online that were plain and simple, but settled on ones from Buy Buy Baby that had stars on them. They are cute and we still have a bunch of gift cards to use there, lol. I am happy that I did not buy them before (in case I didn't need them), but I would never put them on a list of useless items. Just maybe not for everyone.

Every child and every family is different. I do not think I will ever say any baby item is useless. Maybe just not for you or your baby. Or, maybe you think it is useless now, but use it later on or with a different child (you never know....). I write this blog for me (so I remember) and for other moms who are looking for help, tips and advice. But, what works for me may not work for everyone. Do you have any experience with these or something else that you heard was a waste? Share below for other moms that may be in the same boat. :)

It's Getting Hot in Here.....

No, not that kind of hot. I'm talking about my babies first temperature. Not a fun night for Mommy. It was nothing major, just a side effect from her first shots, but she just was so sad. It broke my heart. Luckily, the pediatrician told us to get Infant Tylenol for her to help with any pain and discomfort she may have. We went right to Walmart after we left and picked it up so we were ready physically, but not emotionally. I think that night was worse for me than the shots themselves. It was over in 2 seconds, she cried, I put her on the boob and she was fine. Boob power!! Lol. But that night was long and sleepless. We were not sure how high it would go, so we kept taking it and watching her. It never went over 100 degrees, but I'll admit it, I was nervous. I'm sure every Mama is when their little one is under the weather.

The next morning, she seemed to be feeling better, but was over cuddly. We spent a good amount of time cuddling in bed. I know that this is not something you should EVER do, but I will admit I do sometimes. She is so happy and LOVES to sleep on her side, so when she is very cranky, I lay with her until she falls asleep and put her in her cradle. It usually lasts about 5-10 minutes, but lasted a little longer after her shots as she started to fuss every time I went to get up. But, I didn't mind. I love my cuddle time. I could stare at that cute little sleeping face for hours.

So, something to make sure you have on hand ALWAYS is Infant Tylenol. And Gas Drops!!! I think I have said that before, but it is a DEFINITE must!!!! Gripe water can help relieve an upset tummy, but does not work the same way. When your LO is crying in pain, they work so fast, it is like a miracle. These are 2 things I do not think I could live without. Just make sure you call the Dr. before giving any medication like Tylenol to your baby. Only they can give you the proper dosage, and that is not something you want to take a risk with.

Anything you think is a must? Leave a comment below! Let us know!! ;)

The Terrible 2's.....Months That Is....

When they are newborns and they cry, you try everything to figure out what is wrong. They get so upset, but at the same time it is super cute. My Baby Girl's cry was so funny and adorable that it made us giggle sometimes (when we weren't exhausted in the middle of the night). And then the day came when she learned to scream. An ear piercing, blood curdling scream that makes you wonder if  there is something REALLY wrong. But, no. You just took too long to get the boob out, or she decided she does not want to be undressed at that moment, even though she is covered in poop. And man, does it hurt your ears!!

Also starts the baby tantrums. Kicking of the feet, flailing of the arms and arching of the back. All because the boob we are on is now coming out too slow and we want to switch to the other one, or  we do not want to burp (even though we have to), or something as simple as that. It feels sometimes like everything is a battle. Feeding, changing, trying to find out what activity she is in the mood for....

But at the same time, it is also amazing watching them grow. They are no longer your little baby (well they are, and always will be....), but they are starting to become a person. Holding their head up, staring at you, cuddling you, rolling over, learning about their body. It is amazing to watch the wonder in their face, the smiles that come every time you smile at them, and listen to the noises they make as they discover new things. Even the sounds they make when they get frustrated, but they resolve it themselves in a minute.

They love to look at things (mine especially loves the TV), feel things (and pull on things, so watch jewelry and hair!) and hold things. You can start giving them toys like keys and rattles and watch them punch and kick on activity mats for long periods of time (hurry up and pee, now's your chance...). My LO also started playing in her Activity Center at around 2 months. She did not want to lie down as often, so one day I decided to set it up (ok, I admit it may have been to save my sanity). She was very small in it, so I used her blanket sleeper with it (which is also what I did when I carried her around the house or on a walk in her carrier) to boost her up. I also had to make sure her arms were up and not stuck down by her sides. She loved it and I started attaching other toys to it for her to reach better, like a crinkle book and bunny that have attachment hooks on them. As she grew, we did it without the blanket. As soon as one foot touched the floor because it made her wobbly. It is still her favorite place.... and mine. I need mommy time. Even if it is sitting on the couch next to her writing my blog and checking on her every 5 seconds....

So, when the screams are loud and the nights are long, remember that smile.... and grab a glass of wine. :)

Getting those Zzzz's

As I have said in previous posts. my LO sleeps through the night. She started doing this at about 6 weeks. When you are home with a newborn, You can never imagine sleeping through the night again. Especially when you are feeding the baby every 2 hours. People always ask me how I did it! Well, it was actually quite easy. We made a schedule. Not a strict, by the minute, must be followed schedule (we are so not that type). But a works for us schedule. One that is easy for us, that matches our schedule.

The truth is, our bodies do well on a schedule. We sleep better, eat better, feel better and their little bodies are no different. The first place to start is getting them adjusted to day and night. When they were in the womb, they were rocked to sleep by your movements. I'm sure you felt (or feel) less kicks during the day when you are most active, but at night they are little swimmers, moving and kicking non-stop. Well, now they need to learn daytime and nighttime. During the day, keep them out in the house where it is bright and loud. Put the TV on, play music, do the dishes, clean the house. Let them nap where you are and around everyone. Pack-n-Plays, Rock-n-Plays, portable bassinets are all great places to nap, which in the beginning will be most of the day. At night, start making it darker and quieter. We dimmed the lights starting around 7, lowered the tv, made sure the dog was fed and walked and would not bother us or make noise. Our bedtime (well, mostly Dad's because he went back to work) was around 9 PM. Usually closer to 9:30, but we try, lol. By 9, all of the lights in the house are off (night lights help a lot). DD sleeps in a wooden bassinet that rocks in our room with us. We go into the bedroom, start the humidifier, turn on the night light (which is part of our humidifier and makes starts on the ceiling) and feed her. There are many places that say not to nurse to sleep, and honestly I agree, but if she is tired or we are a little off schedule (like going out to dinner and getting home late), sometimes she falls asleep while nursing and I think it is ok. Just don't make a habit out of it. After her feeding, I hold her a little bit and rock her. I think this might be more for me than her, but we enjoy it. Then I put her in her bassinet with her pacifier. She was a major thumb, finger and fist sucker from day 1. The nurse got us a pacifier while we were in the hospital because she hated being swaddled because she couldn't get to her hands. We waited 2 weeks before we gave in to her, lol. But, it soothes her and self soothing is a great way to make bedtimes work.

What also works really well for us is that our bassinet rocks. There is a lock on it, but our LO has learned that if the brings her legs up and then pushes them down, that the bassinet will rock. My little smartie pants. Between this and her paci, she will put herself to sleep with little help from me. When she is very awake, we sill take turns sitting next to it and rocking it until she falls asleep, but most nights she goes down herself and falls asleep quick. I am not saying that you should go out and buy one of these, but it worked out very well for us. Just not sure where we are going to store it once she moves to her crib....

Swaddling is also a great way to get them to sleep. Some babies love it, some hate it. But, in the beginning it is very helpful. We had the most luck with ones that zippered because they were quick and easy. Our DD was also very petite. The Velcro ones were big on her and would tend to slide up over her mouth, which made me very nervous. She always managed to get her hands out of every one too. From blankets (even when the nurses did it), to the Velcro, to the zipper (which surprised the Hell out of me), she ALWAYS got her hands out to suck on them. We even tried swaddling with her arms out, but she would still get the swaddle undone or off her body. We stopped at 2 weeks and used sleeper blankets instead and she loves them. We use the long sleeve ones since it is winter and they fit her better and she loves that she can move her feet in them.

Once your baby learns night and day, starts to self soothe and learn a night time routine, they will start to create their own feeding schedule. I hate that everyone says to feed them every 2 hours. Yes, it is a good guideline, but in reality it is not true and tends to confuse a lot of parents. The more accurate statement, and usually the one you will hear from experienced moms, is feeding on demand. I love my Baby Tracker App because it lets me know when her last feeding was, how many dirty diapers she had in a day and how much pumped milk I have, but I never use the timer to tell me when it is feeding time. If it has only been 30 minutes to an hour since her last feeding and she is cranky, I will try other things before feeding her again. But, if it has been an hour and a half, she may be hungry again. Or, if she is sound asleep and it is 10 pm and It was been 2 hours, let them sleep a little more (if they are showing no signs of being hungry). Also, trust your boobs. They will tell you when it is feeding time, lol. Babies also can Dream Feed. This means that they can latch on and feed while not waking up. So don't pinch or undress your baby and force them to feed if it has been 2 hours. Try and if they don't feed, wait a half hour and try again. And at night, if you fall asleep because they are asleep and you go 4 hours without feeding, don't freak out. Just pick them up and feed. They may go longer, but that is a good thing. It teaches them that they can go longer and get as much as they need. My DD feeds twice as long right before bed than she does any other feeding during the day. She in preparing for a longer stretch. NEVER make your baby wait to feed, especially if they are hungry, but following a "every 2 hour'" rule is not an exact science. Don't let it stress you out.

Some mothers also find (especially later on) that a feeding schedule works for them as well. At 3 months, I still feed on demand. Some days we sleep a little later, our naps are a little longer, or we are more active and hungry earlier. Most of the time, she now goes 3 hours between feedings and drinks more during them, but sometimes it will be an hour and a half and she wants some more before a nap. I do what works for her, and me, but that may be something to look into if you think it is best for you and your LO. Also, I hear a lot of parents say that they like to give their LO a bath before bed. I find this hard for me to do, and a bath every day can dry out their skin *always use lotion after a bath, but avoid hands and feet and anything else that goes in their mouth). Some babies also hate baths. Luckily, mine is not one of them, but yours may hate it. About 3 times a week is fine. You clean the most important parts several times a day anyway.

Do you have any more advise on how to help moms and babies sleep through the night? Let us know! Leave a comment below!!