Monthly Updates :: 8 Months

Hope you lovelies had a wonderful weekend!  We kicked off the holiday season with the Mag Mile tree lighting.  Which was no. 1 on our list of 25 things to do before December 25th.  We are looking forward to Thanksgiving this Thursday and you can look forward to more holiday gift guides this week.  Happy Monday!

Monthly Updates :: 7 Months

Hello October.  I can't believe how quickly this year is going by, and how much the little man is growing.  I hope you lovelies had a great weekend.  The Mister just finished his board exam and we finally had a chance to spend time together as a family.  I'm so looking forward to fall trips to the apple orchard, the pumpkin patch, and to the zoo.  Bring it on October!

Motherhood Monday: Surviving Baby's First Cold

Did anyone catch the Emmy's last night.  I heart NPH, he might have that hosting disorder his HIMYM costars were discussing, but who cares he so much fun.  We all know why we really watch award shows, for all the red carpet glory.  Here are the gowns from last night's Emmy's that I'd like to borrow for my next red carpet event, ha.  I can dream of red carpet events while covered in spit up, right?  But I do love the silhouettes of these stunning gowns: Cobie Smulders,  Zooey Deschanel, & Taylor Schilling.  And how sweet were the 'In Memorandums' this year. 
The Emmys were a nice reprieve from the little Man's first cold.  We were in the middle of sleep training when the little Man came down with what started off as the sniffles, and quickly morphed into a congested and miserable baby.  Sleep training a 6 month old is a whole other blog post, but we're proof that it can be done.  Fast forward to last night when the little Man only cried for 30 minutes (the first night he cried for almost 2 hours) but his voice was so hoarse from the cold that he was silently crying.  Oh man, talk about, major guilt and me itching to rescue him, but I didn't and he slept soundly through the night.  Here are some helpful hints on surviving your child's first cold.

1. Invest in a humidifier, we had the one in his nursery running all day, and another one in the living room.  If that doesn't work you could always snuggle in the bathroom with your little one while running a hot shower.  
2. Saline is your friend, it works by loosening all that mucus.  Even though your child is congested it doesn't mean that getting that junk out of their tiny airways will be easy.
3. Suction.  Please don't use a bulb nasal aspirator, think of the blue thing you left the hospital with, they're a breading ground for mold.  Which is the last thing you want to use on a sick child.  I personally recommend the Nosefrida.  Your little one may not enjoy the suction but they will feel so much better after, the proof is in the smile and giggles.
4. Baby Vicks. The soothing eucalyptus, rosemary, and lavender help sooth baby.  And who doesn't enjoy having Vicks rubbed on their chest when they're sick.  
5. Elevation.  If it's possible, have your little one sleep with their head elevated.  This will help decrease the irritation caused by post nasal drip. 
6. Thermometer & Baby Tylenol.  If your little one has a viral cold, there's nothing you can do but wait it out.  But if your little one starts running a fever, Baby Tylenol will help with that. 
7. If you are still breastfeeding, keep it up.  It's soothing for your little one & if you caught what your little one has, the antibodies your body makes that you pass on in your breast milk can only help.
8. Patience is key.  Your little one will be fussy, and no amount of rocking or fun toys will make it better.  All you can do it cuddle, and spend plenty of time snuggling while you wait out.
9. You know what's normal and what isn't for your little one.  If anything is setting off red flags for you, call your pediatrician.  

And if you are sleep training, keep with it.  Your baby might cry for longer than the previous night, but keep with your bedtime routine, as tough as it might be.  

Monthly Updates :: 6 Months

And the little Man is half way there.  We celebrated his 6 month birthday with an end of the summer BBQ bash with friends and family.  These past six months have been amazing and exhausting.  I can't wait to see what the next six have in store for us.  Happy Monday!

Hump Day

Sorry for being so MIA last week, life's been a little unpredictable lately.  My mom is headed home 3 months early, which means we're scrambling to find day care for our little Man starting in September.  If you're a Chicago parent and know of a great daycare you'd like to share, by all means please do.  Who knew finding daycare could be so stressful.  In other news, Will & Kate or 'the Cambriges' as I like to refer to them as, have released their first family photo.  They look picture perfect, as we've come to expect from them, and incredibly happy.  Even the family dog, Lupo, seems to be having a great time.

 

{via}

In other great reading, I cracked up at this article about what we as parents say we'd never do till we actually become parents.  I personally am guilty of letting our little Man sleep in our bed, because it means that we will all get a little more sleep at night.  Happy Hump Day! 

Motherhood Mondays: Surviving Those First Few Weeks with a Newborn

As a new mom I knew bringing home our little Man was going to be quite the challenge.  I heeded the advice of some great mommies in my life and put some of these time and sanity savers into effect.  Leaving us with more time to get to know our little one.  Here's a few tips and hints to get you through those first few weeks.

No 1. :  Have your baby announcement (text or email) ready to go,  after the marathon known as labor, you'll be deliriously exhausted and sharing the news of your little one's arrival will seem like a chore.  We even completed our list serve, so that all we had to do was add his name, his stats, attach a picture, and hit send.  Here's a look at our baby announcement email:

  

His first breath took ours away...

The Mister and I are elated to introduce our son, Nehvin.  He was born on Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 at  1:23AM.  Weighing in at 1lbs  and 2 ounces & measuring 3 inches tall. 

Both mom & baby are doing great.  We are excited for everyone to meet the new addition #(insert fun hash tag here)

~the proud parents

No 2. :  Change your voice mail   You're a new parent and your friends will forgive you if it takes you 2 weeks to return their phone calls.  We suggest something along the lines of "Hi you've reached the XYZ family.  We are thrilled at the arrival of our bundle of joy, (insert name here), and can't wait for everyone to meet him/her.  (Name) arrived on XYZ date, weighing 1lbs 2 ounces & measuring 3 inches tall.  Mom, dad, and baby, are doing fine and adjusting to our new life as a family of 3.  Between diaper changes and feedings we hope to return you phone call."

No 3. : "What can we do to help?", please take your friends and family up on their offer.  Have a list ready, maybe you don't want your husband's best friend folding your delicates but he can go pick up some milk and bread.  From laundry, to dishes, to groceries, to picking up take out, or holding the baby while you shower; having something for them to do makes them feel useful and you'll be thankful for the extra help.

No 4. : Along the same lines, no one cares if your house is a mess, you have a screaming mini human that demands your attention 24/7.  So don't stress about it, and feel free to send family and friends packing 35 minutes in their visit.  That being said, if you're a friend looking for a thoughtful way to help the new parents, paying for a cleaning lady to clean earns you big friendship points.

No 5. :  Stock up your freezer with ready to heat meals.  The last thing you want to be doing is thinking of what to cook for dinner.  Also please don't be the friend that comes over without food.  Seriously, even a tub of store bought cookie dough, is the equivalent of a gourmet meal.

No 6. : With shows like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, now is the perfect time to get a Netflix subscription or stock up your DVR.  We went through all of House of Cards, Downton Abbey, and caught up with Breaking Bad on my maternity leave.  It's great for all those late night feedings.

No 7. : Breathe, you're doing a great job.  There really is no manual and all babies are so different.  So while your sister's kid might have been sleeping through the night at a month old, please don't feel bad or panicked if your child is not.  Your baby is developing on his or her own timeline.

No 8. :  Be prepared.  Stock up on Gripe Water, Baby Tylenol, the saline solution for their stuffed noses.  With a fussy or sick baby the last thing you want to be doing is running out to the store to pick up these essentials. 

No 9. :  You can not spoil a newborn.  I remember fussing over when to introduce the pacifier, because we didn't want him to get too attached to it.  It doesn't matter at that stage, he or she just needs your love and affection, so hold your child all day, rock them to sleep, and smother them in kisses if you like.  They are so tiny and new they need all your love, and you'll cherish the closeness.

Captured :: 3 Month Photos

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I'm finally sharing  the little Man's 3 month & our family photos that we took a couple weeks ago.  It's crazy how much the little Man has already changed in those few weeks.  I love the candidness that Niraj (aka our talented friend) was able to capture, you can see the adorable mischievousness the little guy is harboring.  If you are interested in a having some amazing photos captured check out the rest of Niraj's site, he's done everything from weddings to kids to maternity to parties etc.  Happy Monday!

Monthly Updates :: 4 Months

I can't believe our little man is 4 months old!  He's learning the art of babbling and loves to roll over.  Apparently he's experiencing a growth spurt and is at the 98th percentile for his height.  Hopefully this pattern repeats itself when he hits puberty.  Happy Monday!

Motherhood Mondays: White House Correspondence

We sent a birth announcement to President Obama at the White House Greetings Office about a month and a half ago, and look what finally came in the mail this Saturday!  I love this idea, and think it's the perfect addition to his baby book.  Maybe for our next child we'll send a birth announcement to Disney World, just to mix it up.  If you're interested in sending an announcement to the White House, you can do so at the following address:

President Barack Obama & Mrs. Obama

The White House

White House Greetings Office

Room 39

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC 20500

Monthly Updates :: 2 Months & the Pumping Diaries

I mentioned in a previous Motherhood Monday post that when my little man was born we were having some breast feeding issues.  What I really meant was the first night we brought him home from the hospital he was miserable, up every hour crying constantly, trying to feed constantly, it was a hott mess.  Flash forward 2 days later when we were at his first doctors appointment and he had dropped 13% of his body weight, anything over 10% is a red flag.  So our pediatrician put us on a new schedule:  feed him for 20 minutes, then the mister would supplement him with a bottle while I would pump for 15 minutes.  It was exhausting doing this round the clock, but we managed to get his weight back up, yay! When asked how pumping was going, I responded it seemed like a lot of effort for just a couple of drops,  so our pediatrician recommended we see a lactation consultant.  I can't say enough good things about our lactation consultant, Jane, she was super supportive, and so sweet.  After coming up with a plan: breast feeding, supplementing, and pumping plus adding fenugreek and blessed thistle supplements (3 pills/3 times a day of each), I began to see an improvement.  I went from less than half an ounce to two and a half ounces, currently, when I pump, and the little man is steadily gaining weight.  It's still nowhere near enough, as he's up to at least 3 ounces a feed, but I'll take what I can get.  Other things she recommended to help with milk production included: keeping hydrated and adding oatmeal to your diet (I opted for the lactation cookies with oatmeal in them).

What I wish I knew: There is such a thing as primary lactation failure (granted it only happens in a small % of nursing mothers)  but most importantly it's not your fault.  I was racking my brain, blaming myself, getting tested for hypothyroidism etc, fretting over the fact that my boobs didn't grow during or after pregnancy, and just generally freaking out about not being able produce enough for the little man.   So when I can across this article, I was so glad I wasn't alone  Honestly, I think most doctors/lactation consultants don't mention it, primary lactation failure, because they want you to give it your all.  Yes, we get it breast milk is best, but seriously I would have felt a lot better if someone had just mentioned this to me. 

Stockpiling:  With our "mini babymoon minus the baby" vacation approaching and of course my inevitable return to work, I started stockpiling my milk.  This basically consisted of the "one boob" method of breastfeeding and pumping after.  Don't forget to leave an inch in your breast milk bags, as milk expands when in freezes.  Also if you lay your bags flat while freezing, they'll occupy less space in your freeze or storage container, when upright.

Pumping on vacation (it can be done).  What you'll need:  a hotel room with a fridge or mini bar; sharpie; milk storage bags; air tight container large enough to transport pumped milk back home (you'll have to check in your bag); alcohol strips; and your pump.
-Plan your day accordingly/around your usual feeding schedule

-Plan on boozing right after you pump, to get the max out of your vaca without slipping a little something extra in your little one's food.  This is where the alcohol strips come in handy. And remember the rule of thumb for every one drink you need at least 2 hours for it to clear your system. Realize that you might have to pump and dump.

-Don't forget those late night feeds.  After the mister and I split a bottle of wine at dinner, I was sloshed (yes I'm a cheap date, and what does one expect after 9 months of not drinking).  I went to sleep without setting an alarm.  Not to worry, my rock hard, throbbing boobies woke me up.  So yes those late night feeds are still going to happen. 

In other fun baby stuff, here's the little man at 2 months.   The age where staring at his face is hours of fun, his pacifier has taken a back seat to his thumb, and tummy time is still a struggle.  Happy Monday!

Motherhood Mondays: Stylish Mamas

Vanity Fair recently put out their list of the 10 Best Dressed Pregnant Celebrities.  And it's no surprise, that the Duchess topped the list.  The other contenders included Hilaria Baldwin, Hally Berry, Penelope Cruz, and Margherita Missoni.

Motherhood Mondays: Meet Our Little Man

It's been six weeks since we welcomed home our little man, and I can't believe how much he's changed in such a short amount of time.  The Mister and I put together a little video for friends and family who have yet to meet him.  To view the  video, enter "littleman".  Happy Monday!

Nehvin from Praveen Patel on Vimeo.

Motherhood Mondays

So technically it's been 3 weeks that I've had the title of Mom, but I wanted to share a little of what I've learned thus far.

1. Breastfeeding is a learned skilled.  Neither you or your little babe knows what to do, so give it some time and don't beat yourself up about it.  
2. That being said it's a good idea to have a lactation consultant's number handy,  and invest in some nipple cream or lotion, I'm a fan of MotherLove's Nipple Cream. 
3. You might not produce enough milk for your little one.  Again don't beat yourself up about it, I know it's easier said that done - from personal experience.  And although breast milk is best, don't let anyone make you feel guilty about giving your baby formula.  After all a hungry baby isn't a healthy one.
4. Take help from your family and friends.  I went to WholeFoods with 4 hrs of interrupted sleep under my belt, only to walk into a display of breadcrumbs, knocking most of them over.  
5. It's normal to be completely in awe of your little one, or to smother them in kisses, or just stare at them for hours.
6. Expect to be delirious when your husband wakes you up for nighttime feeds.
7. Although you might not be cleared to work out, walking is great stress relief, as is getting out of the house for a little while
8. The same goes for hot showers, even if it's a 5 minute one.
9. Enjoy every second of it, I can't believe our little man is 3 weeks old already, time flies!