Fisher-Price Rock n' Sleeper

When I was pregnant with my first son I "had" to have a cradle. My husband said "It will just collect clothes." He couldn't have been more right. The cradle was at hip height, the sides where high and I was unable to see or feel my baby while I was in bed.

With my second son I got a Fisher-Price Rock n' Play sleeper for my sleeper. It was perfect! The top was level with the bed. I was able to put my hand down on my baby and feel his little tummy breathe. It was easy to find his binki and pick him up for feedings. He was safe and close. If he fussed a little, I could from bed rock him just a little and he would go back to sleep, as did I!

This again would be at the top of my buy again list! They have many out there, I had the one with out all the extras. They have some that will automatic rock or vibrate. I didn't know what I was missing but I am sure it would have been nice to have the little extra. I did put down a little blanket so that I could change it out with another blanket in the middle of the night in case of spit ups or diaper blow outs.

The other great thing about these Fisher-Price Rock n' Play sleepers is that they fold up for easy storage or travel and are very easy to move about the house.

I have seen many at Target and other super centers. The one that is the closest to the one I had is here: Amazon Fisher-Price Rock n' Play Sleeper

A Poem for My Sons First Birthday!

Linkin,
A year ago today,
You were still in my belly and on the way,
You arrived in the peak of afternoon,
A little over a month too soon.
You struggled with every breath,
Our hell, our deepest fear of possible death.
The doctors swooped you away,
I sat, folded my fingers and did what was best, pray.
The hospital that we were at didn't have what you needed,
Off to another in an ambulance they speeded.
Left behind with your health to me unknown,
Your daddy was with you, second best to me, other than if I had a clone.
In the dead of that cold first night,
Alone and scared with my thoughts, I prayed for you to fight.
Packed and on my way in an ambulance,
Nothing took my mind off of you, not even the turbulence.
Passing by rooms with newborn cry,
I longed for you to be nearby.
Your daddy had to go for fear he had the flu,
Pleaded and begging they brought me to you.
Tubes and wires, hooked up to numbers, I could feel my heart race,
The nurses rushed to find me a doctor, they saw the fear in my face.
He will be okay they all said,
A week he'll need to stay, my body, my mood all felt the dread.
The next morning the doctors pointed,
His numbers need to be much higher, we are hopeful, not disappointed.
I took you into my arms with tubes and wire,
Skin to skin I held you close to hear my heart, this I never did tire.
I watched before my very eyes as those numbers did climb,
Most tubes and wires were removed by evening time.
The snow outside started to fall,
Which just made your middle name Frost mean so much more to us all.
In two days time, after close doctors care,
It was time for your dad, all better, to bring us home with snow everywhere.
This my dear is how it all began,
You are my sweet, kind and loving little man.
Happy birthday from now until the end,
Mommy and daddy love you with transcend!
~Author Tina Morton aka Krissy~

Ever have a Favorite Baby Outfit?

When my youngest son was born it was close to Easter. That meant bunny rabbit things for boys! It's a rare thing to find bunnies in blue, so when I saw this out fit I grabbed it in his size. As the weeks went by, I watched him grow into to this sweet little rabbit suit and I started to mourn the suit. I knew he was going to out grow it before I was ready. When I returned to the scene of purchase I found myself buying one in 3, 6 and 9 months. I would have bought a year plus had they made them in that size. I ended up doing the same with a few other outfits that I feel in love with. When I was out and about with my wee baby in his rabbit suit I would get compliments on the cute bunny feet. I

would confess to my mad purchase of the same suit in four different sizes. Often times I would hear "Oh, what a great idea! I wish I would have done that with a few with my baby!" So I pass on to you, my reader; Buy, buy up all of those cute outfits in different sizes if your heart so desires! Remember that if it so happens to be a holiday special, like a rare blue bunny suit, you'd best buy up all the sizes quickly. You'll find your self missing a few sizes if  you don't!

Blooming Bath

Have you heard of the Blooming Bath? I wish I had about a year ago! It seems like it would be the perfect way to bathe the little wee one. I know when I brought home my teeny tiny little premi,
washing him in the infant bath that I got was a bit to big and I use a towel in the sink and a towel in the infant bath too. It still didn't seem to be as comfy as a mom would want her baby to be. I think this is something I would spend the extra dough on for sure!

You can find these awesome Blooming Baths at Target and you can also find it here: bloomingbath

Did you also have trouble bathing your little pumpkin when you brought him/her home?

Top 10 Reasons why Breastfeeding makes you a Super Human

1.) Your making food for your baby. He/she can thrive from the food you make without any additives! That IS Super Human!

2.) Breast milk is at the perfect temperature. No need to test, cool or warm up the temperature. That's pretty "cool"!

3.) The first milk that comes in is called colostrum. It helps baby have his/her first bowl movement. Yahoo for Poop!

4.) Breastfeeding can help lower postpartum depression. Now that is something to be Happy about!

5.) Babies that breastfeed get natural antibiotics that help keep them from getting sick! Nothing Buggy about that!

6.) As baby gets older, the breast milk changes to accommodate to the needs of the age. Who said Ages milk is bad?

7.) Breast milk is FREE. No need for clipping Coupons!

8.) It's been said that breast feeding will make for a less fussy eater in the later years. Can't be Picky about that!

9.) No offensive smells from breast milk and makes poopy diapers less stinky too. No need for the clothes pin on the Nose when changing the baby!

10.) Get more sleep with night nursing in bed. Talk about breakfast in bed!

No matter how long you breastfeed for I give you a big pat on the back (virtually that is). Keep at it mamas! How long did you breastfeed for?

An Awesome Trend Universal Snap and Go Infant Stroller Car Seat Review

To top off my last post about the Safety 1st car seat I wanted to tell you about the stroller that I used. When registering for my baby shower I knew I wanted a stroller that you snap the car seat into but

didn't know the brand of that I was going to use. I researched high and low to be sure that the one I picked was going to be a good fit. Trend Universal Snap and Go Infant Stroller Car Seat  was the perfect fit. I listed it on my registrar as my highest priced item. Thinking it was going to be an item that we would need to pick up. To my surprise my long time friend Andie surprised and spoiled me. When I go home I went into nesting mode and tested it out on the Chicco car seat that was handed down to me. It fit, I was happy. Then the car seat snafoo happened and I was worried that it wouldn't work. After settling in at home I tried the Safety 1st car seat and it fit as if it was made for it! I felt relief! This car seat is so easy to use. I have used it one handed a few times. It is light weight and opens and closes with ease. This is another buy again product!

You can purchase the Trend Universal Snap and Go Infant Stroller Car Seat  stroller here: Trend Universal Snap and Go Infant Stroller Car Seat.

Car Seats have Expiration dates and Safety 1st Car Seat Review

I was pregnant with my 2nd son this last year (2014) and I was given an infant car seat that was an "extra".  It was in perfect condition. I didn't second guess how old it was. When Linkin came a little sooner than expected into this world, we didn't think much about the car seat. Protocol for infants that spent anytime in the NICU have to pass a final test in the car seat they will travel home in. So without hesitation I handed over this next to new vessel of safeness to take my 5 pound bundle of joy in. The super human nurses up at OHSU in the NICU took one look at it and said "sorry hun, this car seat is expired." I was in shock, there is no way that this perfect condition seat was something that I couldn't use. They sent me to a whole other department of OHSU. If you don't know anything about OHSU then let me just tell you this. IT IS THE BIGGEST PLACE EVER! I got a very harsh (yes there was tears in the empty elevator, completely lost and sleep deprived postpartum me!) crash course of the place. They have a Children's Safety and Injury Prevention Educator in the Doernbecher Children's Hopital part of the OHSU. The super wonderful Lily was very patient with me. She took the deceivingly old (exp. 2007 when my first son was born) car seat and disposed of it (it's hard to find a place to get rid of car seats properly!). She taught me how to properly put in a car seat. I was thankfully able to purchase this new Safety 1st car seat for $28! YUP! What a steal! I must say, at first this wasn't as pretty and applealing as the "OLD" , but WOW light as a feather. NO JOKE, super light! I did roll up a few blankets to help support my little Linkin as he looked like a little bean in the seat. If I where to go back, I would get this one over and over again! If you happen to stubble upon a beautiful used car seat, be sure to check the expiration date.

I found a place online where you can purchase it for a bit more, but I would pay that to have it again if I were to have another! See here: Safety 1st car seat.

What's Up with Raw Amber?

Raw amber is believed to have immune boosting properties, reduction in teething pain and is helpful in calming baby down without the use of drugs. It is made from tree resin that is fossilized. It is warm to the touch and is light weight. It has a twist clasp for safety as well as individually knotted beads.

I was a skeptic at first. How could these little necklaces give any sort of relief? The biggest question; does it work? Yes my dear readers, I believe it does work. My little man has been wearing it since he was six months of age. He got in his first bottom teeth at 8 months and there was one day that I gave him a small dose of Tylenol for what I believe was teething discomfort. He is now cutting in his two top teeth with minimal discomfort.  I might just buy one for my self!

I got mine from a company called The Art of Cure on amazon. It comes in a cute little bag and a letter of authenticity. The key thing to look for is the certificate of  authenticity or you might just be getting plastic. The have bracelets and necklaces.The price isn't bad at about $12-15. They come in many different colors but I liked the multicolored raw amber for my boy.

Which would you get, bracelet or necklace?

Born Free Teething

One of my sons favorite toys is a Born Free teether. It's made of silicone type material that makes for the perfect texture to cut those little ivory teeth in. It is BPA and PVC free. It's perfect to carry around in your purse or diaper bag. You could even put on a cord and wear around YOUR neck for when your out and about. Even if your baby doesn't use a binki you could still use a binki leash and put this great little teether on it and attach for easy access when baby is in the car. It is one of a few must toys I would get again if we lost it. There are many more teething tricks to come. Be on a look out! What is your babies favorite teething toy? You can buy this Born Free toy here: Orange I awesome?

What do You Hug at Night?

When you start your third trimester, your body starts to ache from your wee bundle of joy making room in your now big belly. Trying to get comfortable while sleeping seems like a dreaded chore. I found great comfort in body pillows. One behind me to support my back and one in front to put between my knees and support my front side. They do make some big body pillows that wrap around you. Like this one from Amazon. (click here to see in Amazon)

 I didn't want to wait, I wanted mine now! So off to Target I went. I was able to find some body pillows and stuffed two into shopping cart, still not too entirely happy with the price of two body pillows and two covers. I was temped to put them back and order the one off Amazon right there in the store, but the thought of going to bed without some sort of relief had me wanting to over pay. I rounded the corner of the bedding and happened upon a great sale of body pillows. Just my luck!  The price $4.98 EACH! Here is the down fall, horrible ugly yellow. That is when it struck me, why not make my own cover.

I walked out of Target and headed to Joanns Fabric store. Found fabric that I liked that wasn't too expensive, Used my 40% coupon from my phone application. Made my husband do the same in a different ring up at check out and I had two body pillows that I could stand looking at for around $25. It didn't take but ten min to sew up the sides and put a satin binding on the end that you see. I even added an easy over lap flap so that I could wash the pillow case with ease.

Did you have trouble getting comfortable at night? What helped you?

Why You Want to Eat Your Baby!

"Oh, that baby is just so cute I want to gabble him/her up!" "I want to eat your toes!" Do these sentences sound familiar? It happens for woman mostly and the need is stronger if you are a mother. There is a scientific name for it 'cute aggression'. After reading many different articles about it, I found a fun read here: There’s Actually A Scientific Reason You Sometimes Want To Eat Your Baby (or Puppy)

NUK VS MAM Who Will Win?

If you decide that a binki (pacifier) is right for you, you go into the store, stand at the wall and nearly scream in frustration at the amount of choices! Lots of people stick to the one they get in the hospital.

But when this binki gets lost and you replace it with the doppelgangers from the store you will find that baby just doesn't see it to be the same as the all and mighty hospital one. 

With my older son I don't recall why I pick NUK as the choice. In any case, he seemed to really like it. I found them convenient as far as travel. The loop on the front makes it easy to attach a binki leash or stick your finger in while doing other things. I even would put them on my nursing tank straps. (Unhook place binki loop on strap and hook again) I mainly did this while at home or when we would go to the pool. 

When I was pregnant with my youngest son, I registered with Target for my baby shower. They give you this neat pack of goodies when you do this. It has a sample diaper, sample lotion, a baby toy, lots of coupons and a binki made by MAM. As you will start to see in posts to come, I love bunny rabbits! The binki that came in the gift pack had a bunny on it. I was SOLD! It was gender natural and perfect. The newborn size was perfect for my little premi and soothed him well. He didn't even think twice after switching out the hospital binki. I have found the binki leash is a must for travel. When babies are young their sucking is erratic and you'll find yourself cleaning that binki a bunch.They make special leashes for MAM because they don't have the loop.

At this point I would say that NUK is winning with the loop. Even though I was sold because of the rabbit!

Here is the final win:

MAM makes Glow in the Dark Pacifiers! I do believe NUK does but I have not seen them in stores around here, just online. I can't tell you enough what a life saver it is. How I managed to sleep nights with my first son with out it; oh wait, I remember now. A million binkies in bed with us! I charge it up with my phone flash light right before bed for only a few seconds and it lasts all night.  The push far over the finish line for me, is that they have blue bunny glow in the dark binkies! 

I found my MAM Glow in the Dark Pacifiers at BabiesRUs.

What kind of binki do you use?

Onsie Mystery

Have you ever noticed that onesies have overlaps in the collar? I always thought they were for babies cute melon heads. Nope wrong. It's so you can roll the onesie over the shoulders and down the body to better clean up those diaper blow outs. I never knew. All of those blow out diapers and I never knew. Have you ever used this trick before?

Fenugreek to Help the Milky Milk Flow.

With my second son I started using Fenugreek to help with lactation. It helped! My breasts did get engorged but the feeling of making food for my baby out weighed any discomfort. Fenugreek is a plant and the seeds are what is used for the capsules. When I took it, it made me feel like a walking, breathing pancake. YUP, PANCAKE! Fenugreek smells like maple syrup. When taken it can make your sweat glands and urine smell like your morning breakfast. I still haven't finished the first bottle that I bought 11 months ago. The serving size is 3 at a time. In the beginning I took 3, 4 times a day. I was a super pancake. Here is a link on the other great things that Fenugreek can help with: Fenugreek

There is also Mothers Milk Tea and NON alcoholic beer that can help bring in the milk. I haven't tried these methods but have heard from friends and nurses that have, with good review.  I did find that eating granola seems to help. It was one of the staples while in our extended stay at the hospital. I feel that it was my body that knew it needed it and craved it. Even now 11 months later I find eating granola seems to engorge my breasts. 

I bought my Fenugreek at Fred Meyer. You will find it in the herbal department. You can also find Mother's Milk Tea in the same section.

What have you used to get your milky milk flowing? Have you used Fenugreek? Did you smell like a pancake too?!

Welcome to Babies and Boogers

Welcome to Babies and Boogers! I am excited to finally start this blog. I love everything babies. From pregnancy, birth, infancy, breastfeeding (nursing) to full grown kid! My ears perk up anytime I hear someone say they are pregnant or I hear a baby cry. I could sit and talk for days about it all. What better way to talk about it than with you, my readers and fellow baby lovers!

I have had my fair share of babies. I had many baby dolls as a child and always talked about being a mommy. I held my first baby at age 10 and fell in love. From there I would go to work with my sister at a daycare and help her. Did a childcare program in my high school. Nannied on summer breaks. While in college for Early Childhood Education, I ended up working at the same daycare as my sister did. I became a Kindergarten teacher for a short time but longed to work with infants. Finally the day came and I got to work with nearly 100 different babies over 7 years. I still dream of working with my dear friend Judi that taught me all I know about babies.

Life changed and I ended up working at Intel for a short time. I fell in love with my high school sweetheart and I soon became pregnant with my first son Gabriel. Feeling very confident in my roll as a soon to be mommy, I still researched everything I could. My bundle of joy came and I was beaming from ear to ear.

Six years pass and I hadn't become pregnant again, I had accepted that it wasn't meant to be. Giving away the last little bit of clothes that I had hanging in my closet and moving on with my happy sweet six year old son. Feeling nauseous, sore breasts and frequent potty runs, I had a suspicion that I might be with child. I ran to my local dollar store (not spending $20 on a suspicion!) gabbed some sticky buns and a pregnancy test. Came home while husband was at work and son was at school, dropped the three drops of urine on to the targeted spot and watched. There wasn't any setting down and walking away, it was all eyes watching the liquid line move across the magical spot. Test line turned pink. Pregnancy line PINK! I was pregnant again! I couldn't hardly believe it! I was in complete shock! My hands shaking and adrenaline coursing threw me. I WAS PREGNANT! Tears of disbelief and joy soaked my face. I was ready to fill my head up with even more pregnancy and baby related knowledge.

Complicated pregnancy with gestational diabetes with insulin injections followed me from nearly the very beginning. It was a learning curve to get the hang of the new diet but not impossible and lost healthy weight while pregnant. I was far healthier than any time in my life. My 19 week ultra sound showed baby boy number 2. I couldn't be more happy! At 35 weeks I developed preeclampsia and was at a dangerous seizure level. The doctors induced. My sweet dear Linkin had a hard time breathing and they packed him up in this glass box and sent him and my husband to a different hospital while I stayed behind. When you have preeclampsia they give you magnesium to help, but it makes you very loopy and weak. I am thankful for that or I might have had an anxiety attack not being with my baby. A few hours later I was with baby again and with a very short stay in the NICU and then in general peds I brought him home.

Now I sit here writing my story and ready to share different parts of our life. I want to share tips, tricks, things I've learned and reviews on pregnancy, postpartum,
toys, baby foods, breastfeeding, car seats, diapers, creams, you name it!

So here we go!