Archive for October, 2016

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Food Allergies and Halloween

Monday, October 31st, 2016

Navigating food allergies on halloweenAs many as 1 in 13 children in the United States are affected by allergies so the Halloween night of fun for most can turn into something quite serious for others. Even if you do not have people with allergies in your home there are things you can do to make the Halloween experience more accommodating for everyone who might come to your door. It takes little effort on your part but helps all kids enjoy the holiday to its fullest.

Consider joining the Teal Pumpkin Project. You can print a sticker from their website or paint a pumpkin teal to let families with allergies know your home has a treat for them too that won’t lead to any tricky allergies. Think bubbles, stickers, glow sticks, crafts, pencils, kazoos, coins, and more! If you’re unsure what non-food items include wheat, check out these ideas for teal-friendly ideas for treats.

Add your address to the crowd-sourced map of allergy-friendly places so local families know you are available. Of course you can still have your bucket of candy to give out if you’d like. Make sure you keep them separate. You can take a step further by using a scoop, gloved hand, and wash your hands frequently.

If you’re really motivated, carefully choose candy that is less likely to have common irritants like nuts. Candy that contains fewer common irritants include basic Tootsie Rolls, Smarties, Skittles, Starbursts, Dum-Dums and others. Stick with the name-brand products and even keep the bags in case someone needs to verify their safety. Some children may still be allergic to these, but by providing them instead of products that may contain nuts, more kids may be able to participate in the candy part of the holiday.

Here’s to a festive Happy Halloween to us all!

Lynette is a mom of three children from 6 months to age four. She has cloth diapered all three since birth and enjoys all things eco-friendly and mindful living

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Baby Wearing Saved My Life

Thursday, October 27th, 2016

 

img_0547When my daughter was born, I purchased a Moby wrap. My family drove 12 hours to meet Johanna, and I had a huge breakdown. The Youtube videos didn’t help, and I was so far from anyone who could help. I just wanted to wear Johanna and go for a walk. When she turned 4 months old, I purchased a Boba soft structured carrier. Johanna lived in this carrier. We went to a Fort Wayne Komets hockey game and she slept through most of it. I was able to go grocery shopping without having an anxiety attack. Baby wearing saved my life, well my life as a mom.

Johanna loved the carrier, and then when I became pregnant with her little brother when she was 15 months old, we stopped. Although, over the past couple years, she has asked to be worn and I’ve gladly obliged.

When Levi was born, I wasn’t sure how to handle 2 little ones who still needing me so much. Johanna had just turned 2 and she still wanted to be held, all of the time. Levi hated his car seat and cried most of the time during those first couple months. Once again, babywearing saved my life.

I purchased a Tula with an infant insert, and Levi quickly grew to love being worn. I wore him at the park while I pushed the stroller with Johanna. The Tula was comfortable and the insert made it easy to wear him, even though he was a tiny little guy. We grocery shopped in the Tula. I wore him to bible study each week in the Tula and he quickly fell asleep after nursing. I had my hands free to chase my wiggly toddler and Levi was content the majority of the time.

img_1760At home, I used a Boba wrap with Levi. This wrap was soft, beautiful, and comfortable for us both. While Johanna napped, I would put Levi in the wrap and clean. On days when he fought sleep, which was often, he would nap in the wrap and I would get things done like cleaning or cooking. Baby wearing gave me back a clean house and home cooked meal.

On-the-go, baby wearing also saved me. We went on family trip to Cleveland when Levi was small. I was able to wear him on my back at the zoo and he could still see all of the animals from a safe distance. We have been to numerous St. Louis Cardinals games, and I have always worn my babies. Strollers are hard to maneuver in large crowds and heavy.

Now as I prepare for baby 3, I wonder how baby wearing will come to my rescue again. Johanna is 4 now and Levi just turned 2. I’m hoping he’s a fan of walking and holding my hand so I can wear my new little squish. I’ve already eyed a Lenny Lamb carrier that this baby needs next spring when he or she is a little older.  I look forward to getting out my Tula and Boba wrap and making new memories in them with this precious baby. How about you? Have you tried baby wearing? As a mom of multiple littles, I will say it can be a lifesaver. The hardest part? Choosing a carrier and convincing your husband you need it.

Karyn Meyerhoff is a mom of two–almost three–in Arkansas where she can’t wait to babywear again!

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Hiking with Kids

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016

img_7455One of our family’s favorite activities is hiking. When we decided where to locate pre-kids, we decided on Denver since there are so many places to hike in Colorado.  In the summer of 2012, we planned one last backpacking trip before we started to try to have kids.  We saw a family hiking up the trail in the opposite direction on our last day.  Trailing far behind the rest of the family was the miserable looking father, carrying a child, plus what looked like gear and water for the others.  I jokingly said to my husband, “That’s going to be you soon!” once they had passed. We had a good laugh, but we had a lot to learn about hiking with kids. The following tips to make certain no one looks as miserable as that poor father did.

  1. Research and try on a kid carrier before purchasing one. Be prepared to spend some money.  Your hips, shoulders, rest of your body will thank you. While our kids were still little, I carried them using my soft-structured carrier. Some people still use their woven wraps to carry big kids. When they were about 10 months, though, we purchased hiking carriers. Just like a good hiking backpack, make sure you find one that will allow you to adjust the load between your hips and shoulders.

  2. Make sure your kids stay hydrated. Even living in Denver, when we go up to the mountains, the elevation affects us. If we’re feeling the elevation, the kids are too. We encourage Lily to drink water often. To prepare Juniper for the hike, I would nurse her in the car before starting, on any breaks we took, and once we were finished hiking. I didn’t use a nursing cover with my girls, so I made sure to wear a nursing tank under my hiking shirt. Now that Juniper is a year old, we bring her water too. We also bring an extra liter of water on top of what we normally bring to ensure the whole family is properly hydrated. On longer hikes, as an extra precaution, we bring our water pump.  (We split the load.)

  3. Minimize travel time. Gone are the days of waking up at 5:30, driving the two hours to Rocky Mountain National Park, hiking, then driving the two hours back home. We have found many hikes closer to home, within forty-five minutes of our house. Although the views are slightly less spectacular, everyone is much happier with the decreased travel time.

  4. Related to #3, plan your hike length appropriately. Even with frequent breaks and allowing Lily to hike on her own, our kids have about an hour and a half tolerance for hiking. Lily no longer naps, but when she did, we would try to plan to hike during naps so we could go on longer hikes. Be prepared to move slowly if you have a little one hiking on their own. Lily loves finding pine cones, sticks, rocks, and other treasures.  All the exploring greatly decreases the pace we move at.

  5. Expand your first-aid kit. When it was just the two of us, a first aid kit that only included limited bandaids, antibiotic cream, an ace bandage, and ibuprofen was sufficient. We’ve added Children’s Benadryl, extra sunscreen, emergency rain ponchos, additional bandaids, alcohol wipes, and tweezers. In addition to our expanded first aid kit, we also make sure we have a change of clothes for the girls and diapers for the baby.

Although hiking with kids is a little different that hiking pre-kids, it can be just as much fun (if not more).  Now it is not just a hobby that my husband and I share, it a favorite activity of the whole family.

Becky Nagel is a stay at home mom to two girls, a three year old and a one year old, in Denver, CO who enjoys cooking for her family, running, and hiking.

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Tips for Buying a Highchair

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

10-21-16-high-chair-option-1While some baby products regularly make the “didn’t need that” lists, a high chair proves one of the most enduring baby gadgets found in almost every home where a baby dwells. These days many are shaped and customized for more than just feeding in mind.

A few things to consider:

Longevity.
Do you want a chair that will last just until baby can sit at the table with you, or one that might transition well into the preschool years? Will you need a durable chair that will last multiple children or just to use every once in a while at grandma’s house?

Materials.
Do you have a preference for wood or plastic? Plastic options tend to be less expensive, but wooden high chairs these days often boast the ability to multi-function over the years from baby seat to booster to full-size chair that can hold an adult’s weight that can pull up to any table, including an office desk.

Safety first!
Though listed third in this list safety is of upmost importance. Make sure there is a crotch post and five-point harness to ensure baby is fully secure. If the chair has wheels or reclining options, make sure they lock securely. Chairs also can meet specific standards of safety, noted by a ASTM sticker label.

Special features.
I’ve mentioned some mulit-functioning features already. We used our basic seat before baby was ready to eat as a way to, for short periods of time, play sitting up once she was stable enough to enjoy the view. If you need a chair to assist with bottle feeding, look for options that can slightly recline. Some, particularly wooden options, offer height adjustments to accommodate larger children.

Where will it be used?
If you need an on-the-go option consider a seat like Chicco’s hook-on seats that clip directly onto the most tables. If you plan to pull baby up to your table, do you have a standard height table or taller? Some high chairs are made to fit onto most dining chairs, like the Fisher Price Space Saver.

How much space?
Like the Chicco and Fisher Price options listed above there are small, space-saving options if you don’t have much room. Some designs are so sleek, like the Stokke Tripp Trapp, they can fit to the table and are versatile enough to be used as a seat in the office or stand as furniture in the corner of the living room. Note some high chairs may appear large and bulky, but easily fold to a small, manageable size that can easily stow away.

Is it easy to use/clean?
Babies and messes go hand in hand, especially for those years they sit in a high chair. You want a smooth surface that is easy to wipe down, and removable parts (like its tray and any cloth material) are particularly useful. Also test the various buckles and latches to ensure they work to your liking. A frustrating buckle will still be there day after day of use, so make sure you like the functionality of the design details.

New or Used.
The perks of a new chair mean you get the cleanest and possibly most innovative product to date. Used options often sell for very low prices on buy/sell/trade pages and in the online classifieds like Craigslist. Before buying used grab the model number and date (usually located on a sticker on the chair) and check online to ensure the chair was not recalled. Wash the material and wipe your chair down well. Good as new!

Lynette is a mom of three children from 6 months to age four. She has cloth diapered all three since birth and enjoys all things eco-friendly and mindful living.

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Have I Outgrown Social Media?

Monday, October 24th, 2016

10-20-16-outgrowing-social-media-option-1Scroll. Scroll… scroll.

It started innocently enough five years ago. I researched strollers. Which brand should I buy? Which one is smoothest for jogging? How smoothly does the front wheel pivot? It costs HOW much? Oh wait… a giveaway! I’ll enter the giveaway! Just like these 20 Instagram accounts and I could win! Ok. Cloth diapers. Which brand should I buy? Group? Sure I’ll join your group. Seasons of life start like this, at least for a new soon-to-be-mom and solidly through my second child’s first year.

Here I am with baby number three, at six months old, and I’m tired of scrolling through Instagram photos of single strollers and belly belts. It’s not you, it’s me. I’ve outgrown you. I don’t mean to be brutal. After all, you’ve supported me with encouraging words, kept me company through many sleepless nights of nursing. But unfollow. Unfollow. Unfollow. Don’t get me wrong, there is a core group that will always keep me going. I’m sticking with a group, a couple businesses, and my handful of friends. I just don’t have interest in the fringes anymore.

The moment of truth hit me after weeks, months even, of me mulling over the rut I so desperately wanted to climb out of. The mommy rut, with three kids ages four and under, wanting to lose that baby weight and talk about something other than diapers, nap schedules, and tantrums. I don’t have time for everything. I have to choose. I have to cut the fringes because grabbing onto them I know I’ll just fall back into a rut. I need the strings that are deeply attached. I am ready to reincorporate the “me” from before mommy hood with the mommy that I am now.

Those late night chats with a handful of imaginary friends—the ones I’ve shared with but never met—they got me through many challenging times. Friends we will always be, but it’s time for me to put my computer away at night because I need to sleep. My kids now sleep through the night, you see. Five years ago I was expecting my first brand new baby and I had so many questions. Now I’m seasoned. I’m happy to talk you through your sleepless nights but I no longer need it myself.

I’m always going to be parenting, so it’s not so much that I’m giving up something as I am outgrowing the first stages of being a parent on social media. Goodbye stroller specs, hello homework or sports or preteen questions. Let me be clear there is no judgement at all. I am thankful for the likeminded people, companies, and communities I invested in—and who invested in me. I needed you and hope that I served you well. But I’m done. It’s done. That season of my life is done.

Lynette is a mom of three children from 6 months to age four. She has cloth diapered all three since birth and enjoys all things eco-friendly and mindful living.

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