How would you like to win a 30 minute Q&A call with advanced sleep consultant and Precious Moment Babeez owner Debbie Fazio? Since this months theme is Play, we’re looking for as many ideas as possible to share with the rest of our friends. It’s simple, just click on the Facebook link below and leave us a short tip or trick about how you play with your child. On January 15th we will pick one lucky winner to receive this special consultation worth $80. Leave us your Play tip on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PreciousMomentsBabeezOnt?ref=ts&fref=ts) Want to win some more? We have some Halo Swaddle blankets we’d love to give to a few lucky parents. Just enter the form below to enter. Winner will be drawn randomly on January 15th. Photo credit: Reese, Hacker. by Donnie Ray Jones via Flickr
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The first thing I always recommend to my clients is to listen to
your body. If you have had previous history with clogged milk ducts or mastitis, than your body may be sensitive and most likely it will take you longer to wean. Set a goal as to when you would like to be done with breast feeding or pumping. you will need to make a plan. On average it may take 4 to 6 weeks to wean. If you are prone to clogged ducts or mastitis, than you may require more time. Once you have set your goal, mark your calendar. Begin reducing pumps or feeds one by one and week after week. I advise my clients to wean 1 feed and stay on that for 4 days. If you are feeling engorged than you may need to wait 7 days before reducing another feed or pump. As you near the end or are down to 3 to 4 pumps/feeds, spread them out as evenly throughout the day. Natasa Oliveira 1. Infant needs to be bathed everyday - FALSE If you bathe your newborn everday, it can dry out baby's skin or cause other irritations. You should increase your newborns' bath gradually week to week. 2. I should not wake my newborn to feed - FALSE It is important to wake your newborn to feed in order to avoid dehydration as well as other injuries. Newborn babies should feed every 2-3 hours. 3. Breastfeeding comes naturally to all women - FALSE Some women have no problem getting their newborn to breastfeed and that is fantastic, however; majority of women struggle and this is common. Try and get as much support in those first few days. Lactation Consultants and Doulas are a great at helping your baby establish breastfeeding. 4. If my baby is fussy, its cause he/she is hungry - FALSE Your newborn can be fussy for many different reason. Always consult your physician to rule out any medical related issues. But if your newborn is healthly, fussiness can be hunger sometimes but it cant also be dirty diaper, bored, gas or being overtired. By Natasa Oliveira Summer travels can be so much fun and a well needed break from the monotonous routines throughout the year. However, parents with young babies can often feel worried about how changes to their babies routine and schedules can affect them. The most common concern is how to most easily travel with baby without disrupting their norm too much. Here are a few great tips to keep in mind when travelling!
1. If travelling to a destination where there may be a time change, it’s a good idea to start moving your baby’s schedule towards the new time. Altering their schedule by half an hour each day over a week can be much easier than trying to change your baby’s schedule by 6 hours in one lump. Follow this same suggestion when returning home. You can find a more detailed description of schedule shifting HERE 2. If flying or driving, always try and schedule your trip during baby’s nap or sleep times. A sleeping baby while travelling to your destination will make it a much more comfortable ride for baby and parents. If flying, try to breastfeed or bottle feed your baby on the ascent and descent of the flight to help prevent baby’s ears from popping. For parents travelling alone or looking for extra help, there is an interesting company that links families with Nannies that may be on your flight, helping to make your flight less stressful. What will they come up with next? Check them out and let us know if you have used them. www.nannyintheclouds.com. 3. If flying, most aircrafts will allow parents with small babies and opportunity to sit in the seats with extra leg room so that you can have your baby sleeping cozy in their car seat. Make sure to inquire about this well in advance as these seats go quickly. Also, keep in mind, flight attendants and staff will do whatever they can for parents travelling with a baby. A happy quiet baby means happy passengers. If there is anything you need to make your baby more comfortable, don’t hesitate to ask. 4. If flying, you can wheel your stroller right up to the aircraft doors. The crew will then safely stow your stroller underneath the belly of the plane and have it right outside the aircraft door for when disembark. 5. If flying with a toddler, have 1 wrapped gift for every hour that you are flying. This can simply be dollar store items but make sure you wrap them and sometimes even twice. Not only will they love playing with the new toy for a while but you can waste some time as they excitedly unwrap it. 6. Once you get to your destination, if possible, the best situation is to have your baby sleeping In his own room. If this is not possible, then it’s important that you have a separate sleeping area where baby can’t see you. An ingenious suggestion passed on to me from a previous client is something I like to share with every family who travels. Pack 2 thumb tacks and a fish line which you can string across your bedroom and hang a sheet over to make a very simple but sufficient room divider. 7. Where ever your travels take you, try and keep your baby as close to schedule as possible. This doesn’t mean you have to go back to your room at nap time but you can allow your baby to nap at the proper time in his stroller or on a beach lounger with you. Keeping to a schedule will prevent you from having an over tired or hungry baby on your trip. 8. Most hotel rooms will have cribs or playpens that you can ask to have brought to your room. This is a great idea but I often suggest for parents to bring their own sheets and bedding for baby as we have no idea what the sheets and bedding were washed with and could cause a rash or skin irritation. 9.Make sure that you bring lots of sunscreen, a hat and umbrella for baby and even a beach tent or dome in case you have no luck getting a chair. 10. Have fun! All in all if you are off schedule and everyone’s having a great time, that’s what’s important. Enjoy your time together and you can always get back on track when you get home. Special thank you to my husband Joe Fazio who is a travel consultant with Travelonly and contributed to this article. www.jfazio.travelonly.com Happy and safe travels! Did you know?? Fifty per cent (50%) of pregnant women experience back pain, with 10% reporting severe discomfort that prevents them from carrying out their daily routines…ouch! (https://d2oovpv43hgkeu.cloudfront.net/Public-Ed-Comm-Outreach/ChiropracticandPregnancyV1.pdf) In a study of 170 Canadian women with pregnancy-related back pain, 72% reported back pain during labour. However, the women who received chiropractic care, reported less pain during both pregnancy and labour. (https://d2oovpv43hgkeu.cloudfront.net/Public-Ed-Comm-Outreach/ChiropracticandPregnancyV1.pdf) One study showed that first time mothers under regular chiropractic care averaged a 24% shorter labour time, while mothers who had previously given birth experienced a 39% reduction in the average labour time compared to those not receiving regular chiropractic care. (The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Pregnancy and Labour: A Comprehensive Study. Proceedings of the World Federation of Chiropractic, 1991:24-31) Dr. Andrea Perricone is a Chiropractor at Living Well Family Chiropractic. To learn more about how Chiropracticcan benefit you and your family, contact her at 416-985-1911 or www.drperricone.ca Often our dogs are our first babies and they are used to being the centre of attention. Here are some important steps to take before the arrival of a new baby to help your pet adjust. 1. Teaching your dog some basic obedience skills will help you manage behavior once the baby comes, commands like sit, stay, and not jumping up are important to instill in your pet prior to babies arrival. 2. Plan and Practice Changes to Your Daily Routine: It may help now to prepare your dog for a less consistent daily schedule once baby arrives. Start doing things like varying the time you feed and walk your dog, and taking naps at various times in the day. 3. Minimize Changes in Attention: Try to avoid showing your dog extra love and attention right before baby arrives. Instead plan times of play and cuddle time so your dog gets used to not always being the centre of your attention. Schedule your sessions randomly so that your dog doesn’t come to expect attention at any particular time. 4. Make New Rules Now: If you will be introducing some new rules such as no jumping on the bed/furniture, ensure you introduce those rules before baby arrives. 5. Introduce Your Dog to Baby Sights, Sounds and Smells: Start unwrapping some of the baby items you will be using such as the swing, diapers/wipes, clothing etc. This will give your dog an opportunity to get used to some of the new sights, sounds and smells that come along with a new baby. 6. Prepare Your Dog for the Baby’s Touch and Movement: accustom the dog to the types of touching you can expect from your baby, including grabbing, poking, pushing and pulling. If you teach your dog that good things happen when she gets poked and prodded, she’ll be able to better tolerate potentially uncomfortable interactions with the baby. Most dogs quickly view a baby as an integral part of the family. They easily adopt the roles of protector and playmate, and they’re thoroughly tolerant of children’s antics. Using some of these tips can help prepare Fido for its new life with a baby and help everyone live happily together. By Kerri - Babeez Doula Article adapted from ASPCA.org “Birth was once considered a behind-closed-doors affair — a messy, painful and fearsome event where neither mothers nor babies looked their best. Then, expectant fathers entered the picture, snapping photos or taking videos with shaky hands. Now, there is both a surge of interest in the experience of childbirth — not just as a means to a baby but also as a moment to be relished
in its own right — and a greater desire to capture all of life’s moments.” (New York Times; June 16, 2012) Our attitude toward the birthing process is changing. It is seen less as a process to be endured, and more as an experience to celebrate and document. Across Canada, more and more couples are hiring birth photographers to record the incredible experience of bringing a child into the world. But in the age of high quality iPhone photos, the question is raised - why hire a birth photographer? Hiring a birth photographer means your partner is free to be at your side every step of the way. The precious moments you want to remember will be professionally captured for you while you experience them as they happen. Meeting your little one for the first time is an experience to be savoured, enjoyed, and remembered: a birth photographer lets you live the excitement of meeting your little one for the first time, secure in the knowledge that the laughter and tears that accompany the first moments of life will be captured and immortalized. Best of all, you and your partner will both be in the picture! Depending on when and where your little one enters the world, photographing a birth can be challenging. An experienced, professional photographer will be able to adapt to any issue that might arise, from cramped conditions and poor lighting to last-minute changes to your birth plan. When hiring a birth photographer it’s important you are comfortable with all aspects of their contract and business practices. They should have a backup plan in case of illness, carry professional insurance and clearly outline their fees and what those fees include. A professional birth photographer will want to know everything from where you plan to give birth and who will be there, to your comfort level in terms of nudity and what types of images you are looking forward to the most. Your birth photographer will share with you one of the most powerful, personal experiences life has to offer, so it's vital both you and your partner feel comfortable with the photographer you choose. Take your time and try to meet with at least two photographers so you can compare their work and approach. Ask to see a complete set of images from at least one birth, not just a “best of” portfolio. Once your little one is born, it can feel as though time is speeding by. You're riding a high of excitement and you will want to remember all those precious moments for years to come. A birth photographer works with you to create images that will be an important part of your family’s history and something you can share with your friends and family. Written By Calla Evans www.bornbycallaevansphotography.com Be a perfect daughter.
Be a perfect friend. Be a perfect student. Be a perfect girlfriend. Be a perfect fiance. Be a perfect wife. Be a perfect pregnant woman. Be a perfect laborer. Be a perfect mother. Be a sexy mother. Be a sexy laborer. Be a sexy pregnant woman. Be a sexy wife. Be a sexy fiance. Be a sexy girlfriend. Be a sexy student. Be a sexy friend. Be a sexy daughter. Be skinny. Be pleasing. Be subservient. Be quiet. Be ashamed. Be what is decided. Be what fits in the small, predefined, sexist, low expectation, perfectly designed box that is decided by 'society' Who is ' society ' ? Who decides what makes a perfect woman? So, you gave natural childbirth to amazing children. You are raising smart beautiful children. You are supporting your family. You negotiate through a loving relationship. You are the best friend you can be. You are the best neighbor you can be. You are the best person you can be. But when people look at you, all they see is if your pretty enough, skinny enough, sexy enough. Is it ever going to be enough? Robyn Woods Pregnancy is an exciting and emotional time for many parents. For you (Mom!), in particular, hormonal, physical and emotional changes can leave you feeling fatigued and in discomfort, to say the least. Did you know: almost 50% of pregnant women experience back pain at some point during their pregnancy? That’s a lot of needlessly suffering women! It is probably safe to say, that almost all Moms-to-be are wary of taking medication (prescription and/or over-the-counter) due to safety concerns for themselves and their growing baby. Many are turning to natural and holistic means to help them through their pregnancy. Chiropractic care is a natural, holistic approach to overall health and wellness that has helped numerous pregnant women with their aches and pains and also to maintain a healthy, happier pregnancy. Chiropractic care is essential for the pregnant mother. Why? Because her systems and organs are now providing for two and their optimal function is critical for the baby’s healthy development. Chiropractic care can help in a two-fold way. 1) A whole body approach. With the rapidly evolving postural changes and adaptations, hormonal fluctuations, nausea, food cravings, and everything in between – you may be feeling stiff and sore in places you never were before (or even knew existed!). These new changes put extra stress on your joints, muscles, and especially your nerve system (which is the communication system between your brain and body). Regular Chiropractic care can help ease this stress leading to reduced pain, increased function, and increased health potential. By having a properly aligned spine, stress and interference is minimized to your nerve system – allowing your body to prepare and function as it should for the 9 months ahead. Some potential benefits of regular Chiropractic care during pregnancy include1: - Relieving back, neck, and joint pain - Controlling symptoms of nausea - Reducing labour and delivery times 2 - Research indicates that in first time Moms (nulliparous) labour times were reduced by 25% and in Moms who had given birth before (multiparous) labour times were reduced by 31% - Allowing the baby to assume optimal position for labour and delivery 2) Balancing the pelvis. The extra stress and strain of a growing baby put a lot of pressure on the pelvic joints. This can create misalignments that may cause tightening and torsion of specific pelvic muscles and ligaments. These tense muscles and ligaments and their constraining effect on the uterus are what concern most Chiropractors. The growing baby needs all the room they can get to move around and get into the proper position for labour and delivery. A specific Chiropractic analysis and adjustment called the Webster Technique helps re-establish the biomechanical balance in pelvic structures, muscles, and ligaments3. This may reduce the effects of intrauterine constraint, allowing the baby to get into the best possible position for birth. Regular chiropractic care during pregnancy helps maintain balance, alignment, and flexibility of the spinal joints. This allows Mom to maintain a healthier pregnancy and the growing baby enough room to develop and move around as he or she needs to. Chiropractic care can be started at any time during your pregnancy; it’s never too early or too late! If you or someone you know is pregnant (or even thinking about becoming pregnant), call your local Chiropractor today to get your pregnancy off on the right foot! Dr. Andrea Perricone is a Chiropractor at Living Well Family Chiropractic. To learn more about how Chiropractic can benefit you and your family, contact her at 416-985-1911 or www.drperricone.ca References 1. American Pregnancy Association http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/chiropracticcare.html 2. Fallon J. The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Pregnancy and Labor: A Comprehensive Study. Proceedings of the World Federation of Chiropractic, 1991:24-31 3. The Webster Technique Defined http://www.makinmiracles.com/articles_pregnancy/the_webster_technique_defined.html My DS is currently 27 months old. We did sleep training when he was 9 months old. He was a stubborn little bugger (sometimes he still is) and it took him a little longer to accept the change and adapt to the new methods and sleep routine. He has been sleeping like a champ since he was 11 months old. Whenever we plan family outings they are ALWAYS planned around my DS and his nap/bedtime routine because I am worried about him missing his naps or going to bed 30-60 minutes later then his usual time. My husband probably thinks I am crazy at times because we would rush to get our three children ready to head out first thing in the morning and then we would leave wherever we decided to go around 1:15/1:30pm so my DS could nap in the car AND....I ALWAYS made him drive the long way home!! My two daughters (ages 4 years and almost 6 years) have been VERY patient and understanding with their brother's routine, however, last weekend I decided enough is enough - why should their fun always be cut short because of their brother's routine. My next thought was "Am I ready to take the plunge and test my DS and his ability to nap on the go?" Last weekend my husband and I decided to plan a family day at Port Dover. The drive from Hamilton to Port Dover was NOT relaxing at all...I kept visualizing the worst case scenario...an overtired 2 year old having a never ending tantrum because he missed his afternoon nap, now his sisters have to suffer once again as another family day has come to an abrupt end...and now I have 3 kids with full blown temper tantrums and meltdowns happening. Much to my surprise this did NOT happen at all!! In fact when I observed my DS and his actions I could tell that it must be around his nap time - how did I know this? With no help from mommy he got his blow up raft, dragged it to the shoreline and climbed onto it and laid down...5 minutes later he was out like a light!!! I check the time and it was 1:15pm (close enough to his routine nap time of 1:30pm). HE SLEPT FOR ONE HOUR!!! He made his mommy proud!! We put my DS to the test once again this past weekend...we decided to plan a family day at Bissells. I prayed that my DS napping in Port Dover last weekend wasn't a fluke! Sure enough I see my DS starting to slow down and unwind. He says "All done" and walks out of the splash pad area, lays down on the lounge chair and puts a towel over himself...he falls asleep in about 6-7 minutes. I check the time and it's 1:35pm. HE SLEPT FOR 1HR 40MIN!!! As I write this I am wondering: "Why did I doubt my DS all summer?", "Why did I think he would NOT nap if we spent a whole day out?", "Why was I worried about him missing a nap if that did happen?" The past few weeks I have realized that sometimes life intervenes and naps get missed or bedtime doesn't happen when it should. I have realized that sleep is all my DS knows!! Next week we will be away at to a cottage for the whole week. I feel so much more relaxed about going because I know that if my DS is tired while we are at the beach then he will nap (hopefully I haven't jinxed myself). I do believe that....Naps on the go and life co-exist!! Carla Underhill |
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January 2016
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