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Up~Chuckies (feat. Elegant Personalized Blankets) Review

For the longest time I couldn’t decide what type of burp cloth worked best for my son and I. I have every possible kind (as I’m sure all first time moms do) small/medium/large, thick/thin, firm/soft, bib style, etc.

It may depend on my mood that day to decide which one to chose, but I find myself mostly going for the Up~Chuckies burp cloth with my son’s name monogrammed by Elegant Personalized Blankets. At first, this was not my first choice because I was not opting-in for large and firm, and I was spending so much time at home that it didn’t matter the look. Then I realized that using a light and small burp cloth was not absorbent enough and barely lasted through one feeding without being soaked. I can have the more durable option around all day and beyond.

We have been doing some traveling and attending some special occasions. I much rather have a fashionable and presentable burp cloth when around others at these events. I feel a little less disruptive, and it serves as a nice accessory for an otherwise gross purpose.

The monogrammed name is classy, a nice keep sake, and it makes me feel more put together when feeding or burping. Plus, the coverage is better – it covers me and the baby from leaks.

Special thanks to Elegant Personalized Blankets for providing me with a great gift as a new mom!

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Written by our Founder & CEO, and new mom, Lindsay Bell!

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To Pacifier or Not to Pacifier – Part II

As a follow-up to our pacifier post last week, we asked a few of our sitters turned moms, “How do you clean the baby’s paci when it falls to the floor?”

Each sitter turned mom read the following article prior to sharing their feedback.

Brittany S. (first time mom of 6-week old boy)

Funny that this was a topic you are writing about because it has been a topic of conversation in our house. I spent money on wipes specifically to clean pacifiers and have yet to use them. My husband of course questioned the purchase and since he was born I have too. We both believe that some germs are good for the baby, especially the ones in our house. The pacifier has yet to be something he enjoys, so it usually ends up on the ground shortly after we have given it to him. Before reading the article I was literally cleaning it myself by putting it in my mouth! I was laughing when I read that this was something other people are doing. If the paci dropped on the subway platform I maybe would whip out those wipes, but for most situations I think a simple clean in mommy or daddy’s mouth is a-okay. It is a little like the five second rule, right?

Monica M. (first time mom of 6-month old)

Personally, if I am home and the pacifier falls, I do suck it clean and then give it back to the baby, so I’m relieved to hear that it has benefits. It’s only in my home that I do this, because I am in control of the conditions there. If I am out of the house I run it under water to clean it off or even swap it out for a new one and deep clean the other one later.

Lindsey S. (mom of toddler and one on the way)

When my little guy was an infant, I often carried paci wipes with me in his diaper bag. When I didn’t have a paci wipe on me, I would suck the paci to clean it. On a weekly basis (still), I boil all paci’s, especially the ones that come from his daycare. If he is sick, I find myself cleaning the paci’s more often (similar to changing pillow cases or sheets when you are sick).

The study and article is interesting.. and I 100% agree that some degree of exposure to germs at an early age benefits children. I never got neurotic about cleaning the paci’s; it really depends on where it would fall. For example, if it fell on the floor at the airport or grocery store, I would generally stash it away for a deeper clean. However, if it fell at home somewhere or in the car, I would either use a paci wipe, regular wipe, or suck clean.

Leave a comment and share with us what you do!

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Written by our Founder & CEO, and new mom, Lindsay Bell!

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Top Five Tips for Bathing Your Baby

Before you head out into the world, you may decide your baby needs a bath. Believe it or not, babies only need two or three baths a week during their first year. More frequent baths can dry their skin and cause irritation. For the first few weeks, sponge baths are in order. Once remnants of your baby’s umbilical cord fall off—within one to four weeks—and circumcision heals, you can start bathing your baby in a tub.

Here are our top five tips for bathing your baby:

  1. Be sure the room is warm. If necessary, turn up the heat before bath time.
  2. Have what you need within reach. This includes: soft washcloth; mild, unscented baby soap and shampoo; soft brush to clean the scalp; towels (have extra for unexpected needs); an infant tub; a changing pad or clean flat surface; and a clean diaper and clothes.
  3. Fill tub with a few inches of warm (not hot) water. Test the water temperature with your elbow. Add a few squirts of baby wash.
  4. Gently lower your baby into the water, supporting the head and neck gently. Never let go of an infant in the tub. Using your other hand, begin gently washing. Rinse carefully, protecting baby’s eyes from soap.
  5. Wrap your baby securely in a warm towel, making sure to cover your baby’s head.

 

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Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell!

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To Pacifier or Not to Pacifier

During our recent trip to Cleveland to visit my family, my husband was holding our son when the paci fell to the ground. My husband picked it up, stuck it in his mouth; sucked it and then put it in our baby’s mouth. Gross, I snapped in front of everyone (whoops)!

I know there are articles claiming this is good for the baby, but I just don’t like the idea after my husband throws back a coffee or a beer and then puts those tastes, smells, and germs in our baby’s clean mouth.

When I used to babysit, I remember dads doing this first thing in the morning with their coffee breath, and then it would smell the baby’s mouth.

I’m all about our baby being exposed to society. He’s traveled across five states, been held by friends, and has served as my sidekick to brunches, park visits, and grocery store runs. Somehow, none of these things compare to the exposure of a paci that’s been in mine or my husband’s mouth.

Here’s the article about parent germs providing helpful antibodies to the baby. There are studies to support that babies exposed to these antibodies have less allergies, eczema, etc.

Tell me what you think!

Cuddle
Written by our Founder & CEO, and new mom, Lindsay Bell!
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Road Tripping with a Newborn

I’ve heard and seen how much new parents bring on road trips for their baby. I made a special point to not be one of those that bring everything they practically own (my attempt is seen in the photo below).  I wanted to be prepared, but bring the minimum!

Thursday night before our trip I had the list in my head and began piling all the necessitates on my bed. I already prearranged to borrow certain things from my sister in Ohio (the big things).

My son and I woke around 4:30 a.m. and did our feeding routine. I put him down for a quick cat nap while I showered, ate, and finished cleaning the apartment. My husband got the car and we were on the road by 7:15 a.m. My son had never taken a paci before (the hospital I gave birth at made the suggestion), but I packed one just in case. Naturally, he began to fuss as soon as we got into the car, but then something happened…he took the paci and fell into a deep sleep! The sleep lasted till around 9:30 a.m., when we stopped for his feeding. We found a Panera Bread with clean outdoor seating that was perfect to nurse my son and grab a bite to eat. We sat next to a family with six kids under the age of eight. It didn’t take long for us to decide that we wanted to wait awhile before having another baby.

Back on the road again he resumed his sleep, while my husband did business calls and I answered e-mails. We stopped two other times, once to nurse again around 1:00 p.m. and another for a bathroom break before arriving at my parents house at 4:30 p.m. We didn’t make great timing like we used to, but I’ll take a no-cry ride with an extra two hours of travel any day!

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Written by our Founder & CEO, and new mom, Lindsay Bell!

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Family Vacay Time!

Everyone can appreciate the joys of a family vacation. They are normally stress-free, hassle-free, and sleep-free. Okay, maybe only one of those are true (cue the no sleep for parents), but one thing that is guaranteed is an album full of new memories!

I remember the family trips I went on when I was a kid. It usually involved us piling in the mini-van at 4 a.m., but my sisters and I were so excited that time meant nothing. Given that there were five girls my parents had to herd together, road trips were pretty much our only choice of transportation. Could you imagine taking five kids under the age of 10 on an airplane? No thanks!

A few of our family vacay destinations included Atlantic City, Orlando, Niagara Falls, and New York City. We also took a handful of trips to Tampa, FL to visit our Grandpa who lived there. To this day, I think my sister’s and I miss the massive pool he had in his development!

With Summer right around the corner, we wanted to share a great article we found on parents.com, that highlights “Top 12 Family Vacation Destinations.” Rounding out the top five are:

1. Pretty much everything in Orlando, FL
(Magic Kingdom Park, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
2. The Strong Museum, Rochester, NY
3. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, SD
4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC, TN
5. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, NE

For the full list, check out the online article here.

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

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Outside of the Box Fun

Are you getting tired of playing the same games or activities when watching the kids? Let’s face it, board games and “go fish” need a dose of resuscitation.

Our Bell Family sitters are helping everyone to think outside of the box with a slew of awesome ideas! Try out one of these fun activities the next time you are watching the little ones.

1. Get cooking: Pretend to own a restaurant and have the child be the chef. Practice using measuring cups and following recipes. Have them repeat the words you use and teach them how to cook and bake.

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2. Play Picasso: Pretend the child is a famous artist making paintings for their museum. Then be the customer in their gallery, view their original artwork, and buy them with pretend money.

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3. Play lifeguard: The sitter is the lifeguard at the city pool and the child pretends to be a grown up at the pool with his little sister or brother.

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4. Get outside and play town (a Bell family favorite growing up): Get play cars, make traffic stops, have a cop, driver, and have them direct traffic. If someone passes a red light they go to jail! Have a pretend jail.

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5. Think outside the box (literally): Get recycled boxes and make a train station or play house. Get construction paper, have the sitter use the scissors and create your own train station with a conductor.

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

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Diaper Bag Secrets

Have you ever wondered what exactly you should keep in your diaper bag? The list of items to throw in before heading out the door seems to be getting longer and longer. To avoid having to sit on the bag to get the zipper shut, we provided a go-to list of items to include in you diaper bag through parents.com.

Make your next house exit hassle-free by using the list below:

1. Diapers (who would have guessed?)
2. Small box of wipes
3. Fold-up changing pad
4. Diaper rash cream
5. Burp cloths
6. Set of clothes
7. Sun hat
8. Sunscreen
9. Bottle
10. Favorite thing (whether it’s a rattle, small plush toy, etc., what ever will help avoid the meltdown)

For the full list and inside details, check out the article on parents.com here.

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Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell!

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New on Demand: Breast Feeding

It is 3:25 a.m. and I’m awake. Four years ago the only time I was up at this hour was to dance at Southside (a then fun night club).

Nowadays, I spend these hours cruising through Facebook, responding to the mass texts from my sisters, and brainstorming new business ideas while I check my six e-mail accounts. Rather than swiping right on Tinder, I’m clicking “interested” to childcare providers and recruiting new sitters and nannies. So really, not much has changed.

As my fellow first time mommy pal would put it, “This sleep deprivation thing is no joke, huh?”

I know we are in an on-demand world now; on-demand babysitting, car services, grocery shopping, etc., BUT on demand breast feeding?!

I had no idea what I was in for. As coached by the doctors and nurses where I delivered, my baby basically regulates his meals and is fully in charge. When he begins rooting or making this snap sound with his mouth – it’s go time. A cry is SOS.

I keep track of each feeding, well, I did at first, now I can’t remember where the note pad is half of the time.

This on demand stuff happens every two hours or so, except at night when he gives me about 3-4 hours of relief. It’s weird how no one told me about this when I was expecting.

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Written by our Founder & CEO, and new mom, Lindsay Bell!

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So Long Sleep

I can’t decide if I need a hug,
A large coffee,
Six shots of vodka, or
Two weeks of sleep.

Sincerely,
Every mom of a newborn

This sums up life with a newborn. You know the endless waking up through the night, the on-demand breast feeding, and the list goes on and on.

I’m up now and it’s 5:07 a.m. I went to bed around 1:30 a.m. My son is on an every 3-4 hour window feeding schedule at night, and during the day it’s between 2-5 hours (I know not consistent). By the time I’m done feeding I have time to check my e-mail, make a call, throw in dinner, and then it’s feeding time again!

Most moms are advised to sleep when the baby sleeps, but I have found that totally impossible. I have too much to do and I’m naturally not a good napper.

Thank goodness my lil guy sleeps between 3-4 hours at night, giving me about 7 hours of sleep in blocks of time typically between 11 p.m.-9 a.m.

My advice – have a solid routine-and don’t stray from it!

– Wake up and position yourself the same (use a boopy – it freed my arms to e-mail, read, etc. when feeding).
– Feed on one side, then burp.
– Feed on the other side, then burp.
– Change diaper.
– Swaddle (I love aden + anais).
– Sometimes if the baby is fussy he/she will need a top off (2-5 min of extra feeding).
– Soothe in your arms (we have a special dance).
– Place in same baby basset every night (try The Baby Box Company or Fisher-Price)

Note you can come up with any routine you want to, this just works for us!

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Written by our Founder & CEO, and new mom, Lindsay Bell!