Mommy Hacks

I have had such a fun time being Caleb's mommy for ONE whole month now! I can't believe it was four weeks ago that I had just pushed a baby out and was enjoying the first few hours of my son's life with John. I have learned a few things here and there that have made my life a whole lot easier than I could have ever thought when he first arrived! I call these "Mommy Hacks".

#1 Distractions!

Around day 8 we were tired of the wailing that happened every time Caleb needed his diaper changed (well we were tired of it before then, but we decided to do something about it!). I posted a black and white picture of me and John at our wedding on the wall next to his changing station. When he noticed it he calmed down and started inspecting it! By the third day it was up Caleb figured out that if his hand flailed enough he could get the picture to swing on the tack that held it up. Big discovery! Intentional flailing happens nearly every time he is changed or an object is close to him. Since putting up the little picture, I also printed off some infant visual stimulation cards. My mom swears this is why we all are so smart; she had them next to our changing tables when we were infants as well. True or not, he loves them! Infants love high contrasting pictures, items, objects, books, clothes, you name it.  During the first few days I was quickly going from one diaper to another and I didn't realize that he needed to air out between wet diapers. Poor guy got diaper rash pretty badly because his booty wasn't getting dry. Mommy fail. See the next hack for how we fixed this one. He still cried when we change him,  but after we are done he loves to check out the the pictures next to him for a good ten minutes! (P.S. never leave an infant on a changing table unattended, we stay there the whole time!). If you want some your self, click here.

 #2 Naked Tummy Time

What baby wouldn't love naked tummy time? Because of the diaper rash, our pediatrician recommended naked time to help him air out. We let him air out on the changing table between changes for about 5 minutes (yes we always get sprayed) and apply a bit of Mother Love diaper rash cream (cloth diaper safe!). My friend Stephanie recommended naked tummy time so he could have even more clothes-free time! Here is another hack for unpredictable pees: put a plastic Ziplock bag under a hand towel or cloth diaper to catch any tinkle. Worried about the little love bug being cold? Put a heating pad on low under the play gym 10 minutes before you plan to start. A warm, happy, naked, pee-controlled baby is all yours to enjoy!

#3 Cloth Diapers

 During the first two weeks we mixed cloth and disposable based on where we were going and what time of day it was. Disposable at night was easier and cloth during the day. However, I don't want to put diapers on too tight because it is uncomfortable for them and can trap gas. Think about an amazing pair of skinny jeans that are one size too small. Sure they make your a** look amazing and they slim your legs, but try sitting down and your tummy rebels. You start fantasizing about unbuttoning the top button when you order drinks on your hot date. Its all you can think about and misery ensues until you stand up again. SO... no tight diapers. But disposables LEAK!! Up the back, on the sides, and up the front unless you have a baby that doesn't pee or you change the diaper every hour. I have never had a cloth diaper leak unless I left some cloth uncovered by the thirsties diaper cover. I am super in love with cloth diapers because they are way cheaper and not too much of a pain to wash. We even share laundry with four other units so no excuses if you don't have laundry in your place! I am sure I will do a more in depth post about this one day.

#4 Binky

I ordered this bad boy off Amazon a few days ago and have started using it a few times a day. Caleb loves to suck John's finger when he is distressed or is trying to pass some gas. However, he won't take my finger! I can hear him thinking "Mom! C'mon, you got boobies! Bust them out for a minute!" I usually do because if he is seeking comfort we want him to know mommy and daddy can both help him, just in different ways. The binky is another tool in our "Help Caleb Belt", along with all the other soothing techniques he likes. We decided to incorporate the binky when he was 3 weeks and 4  days old. I wanted to establish breastfeeding and make sure that his latch and sucking patterns were strong before we gave him any type of pacifier. We are intentional about monitoring when he uses it because we don't want him to become dependent on it or use it to satisfy any type of hunger cues. Plus it is recommended to stop pacifier use before their first birthday, although some sources advocate for sooner, so we know its only temporary anyway. Usually he will take it when he is fussy because of gas or when he is sleepy after he has eaten. He definitely will push it out forcefully when he doesn't want it or if he just wants to work through something by crying while being held. I am glad we waited because it seems like he knows best when he needs it and when he doesn't!

#5 Breastfeeding Help 

First of all, I love this picture. Caleb and I have been constantly working on our nursing relationship. I have nursed in public without a cover every time I nurse out of our home because of the issues you will read about below. I mostly nurse him in the car and in his Ergo carrier. He is a great eater and has all of the right things going for him. Great hunger cues, awesome latch, beautiful suck/swallow patterns, burps galore. However, on day 5 I was starting to feel overwhelmed and ready to give up. He wouldn't take one of my boobs and I was panicking. I cried and prayed and had a major breakdown. Thankfully I called Stephanie (lifesaver) and she reassured me that that is normal and my milk wasn't going to dry up. I also reached out to my sister-in-law Janelle, my friend Jamie, my mom, and a facebook group I am a part of. I am so thankful I did! They all encouraged me and helped me get through the hardest parts. On day 10 I went to a weekly breastfeeding support group "Boobies and Babies" at the yoga studio I went to when I was pregnant. It is now one of my favorite days of the week! The Lactation Consultant who runs it helped me identify that I am an over-producer and I have a hyper-active let down. Basically my body didn't get the memo I only have one baby. It's thinking I have twins or more. Because of this Caleb will choke because the milk is coming out too fast and he will fill up on the foremilk (first part of the milk that comes out) and be too full to get much hindmilk (the fattier milk that comes at the end). As a protective mechanism he will pop off when the flow is too much for him, but he will become frustrated because he isn't eating anymore. This has resulted in him having green, frothy poops and painful gas. Babies need the fat to help their body digest the sugary milk that comes out first. To remedy these problems the LC showed me a few upright nursing positions and suggested I nurse on only one side per feeding. She said it will take some time to normalize, and we have had some "normal" poops a few times a day but the green still creeps up here and there. I am so thankful for the friends and resources I have found to help me. I totally understand why people give up on breastfeeding, it is hard work! I would encourage any new mom to surround herself with other women who can help her and support her through the hard times because it makes it so much easier!