Do you ever go out in the car with your baby or young child with the intention of getting all your errands done only to see the little munchkin sound asleep in the back before you are halfway through your chores? It’s frustrating to say the least. But, it’s not a reason to leave your child alone in the locked car while you go in and buy your groceries or even just to purchase that jug of milk. I’ve heard and read a lot of stories this summer of children dying in hot cars because their parents thought that it would be OK to run into the store for a few things – or worse, the child was FORGOTTEN in the hot car! How do you forget that you have a child locked in your car?
This has been the topic of some talk radio programming and I was astounded to hear the announcer say that the results of their unscientific poll indicated that the majority of respondents felt that it was an acceptable practice, as long as the window was cracked a bit! This is horrifying. With temperatures soaring well over 100 degrees on a daily basis this summer how could you do this to another being, let alone your own child!
This morning there was a story of a Toronto family visiting Texas whose toddler died in a sweltering car when the family forgot the child for two hours locked in a minivan in the parking lot of a mall. Does this mean that no one passing the vehicle saw or heard a child in distress in the car for the entire two hour timeline? Let’s all make a pact as citizens of the world. If you see a child has been left unattended in a vehicle – no matter what the weather – call 911. Obviously you will look around to see if the parent is nearby, but if not the please call the authorities for help. We need to stop worrying that we will be seen as busybodies who should mind our own business – this is someone’s life we are talking about. These children are strapped into their seats and cannot free themselves. These parents may as well be sticking their children into an oven. Enough is enough. Let’s take our iPods out of our ears and pay attention to the world around us. Let’s not let another child die from this torturous situation. Thank you for reading this and being a conscientious person.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Weaning Time?
As the first year of my boy’s life comes to a close I look back and wonder where the last 12 months have gone. What happened to my 8 lb baby boy with all this gangly arms and legs flailing? Instead he has been replaced by this big, beautiful and active toddler who is days from walking completely unaided and perhaps weeks from speaking his first real words. A year ago I could not imagine breastfeeding for more than a few days – weeks tops; and now, a year later, I have to begin to think about weaning my child.
I don’t HAVE to wean him now, as there many “experts” who say breastfeeding for two years is optimal, but the way we live in North America makes it a challenge to continue nursing much past the first year. Would I want to continue even if I could? Hmm, I just don’t know. How do you know when the time is right to stop breastfeeding? There are so many factors at play. Most importantly, how do you wean when you are not sure if your baby is ready for it?
It is going to be difficult weaning Harrison, as nursing is probably his most favourite thing in the world. How will I manage to deal with the guilt knowing that I am depriving my little love of the experience that he most cherishes and feels comforted by? While I am 70% ready to begin weaning, as there are things in my life that demand it sooner than later, there is still a part of me that loves those quiet moments with my boy and it tears at my heart to know that they will soon come to an end. I hear of moms who could not wait to stop breastfeeding and I think that made it a little easier – why can’t/don’t I feel like that? How do I know when the time is right and how do I do this? It seems like the hardest thing I have ever been faced with.
If you are a mom who breastfed I’d love to get your comments/suggestions on weaning and how to make it an easier transition time for baby and mom.
I don’t HAVE to wean him now, as there many “experts” who say breastfeeding for two years is optimal, but the way we live in North America makes it a challenge to continue nursing much past the first year. Would I want to continue even if I could? Hmm, I just don’t know. How do you know when the time is right to stop breastfeeding? There are so many factors at play. Most importantly, how do you wean when you are not sure if your baby is ready for it?
It is going to be difficult weaning Harrison, as nursing is probably his most favourite thing in the world. How will I manage to deal with the guilt knowing that I am depriving my little love of the experience that he most cherishes and feels comforted by? While I am 70% ready to begin weaning, as there are things in my life that demand it sooner than later, there is still a part of me that loves those quiet moments with my boy and it tears at my heart to know that they will soon come to an end. I hear of moms who could not wait to stop breastfeeding and I think that made it a little easier – why can’t/don’t I feel like that? How do I know when the time is right and how do I do this? It seems like the hardest thing I have ever been faced with.
If you are a mom who breastfed I’d love to get your comments/suggestions on weaning and how to make it an easier transition time for baby and mom.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Pre-Made Food That I Actually Recommend
I usually avoid pre-made foods at all costs. Typically prepared foods are high in calories, fat and salt and end up costing the consumer much more than if they were to make it themselves, but there is one prepared food that is my go-to on a regular basis…Supermarket Rotisserie Chicken! This baby has saved my precious time, budget and waistline for the past 5 years and if you’re not familiar with its greatness and adaptability then here’s what you’ve been missing.
Most supermarkets offer a rotisserie chicken in the hot food section and nowadays you can get all kinds from traditional BBQ flavour to jerk seasoning to skinless herb marinated. The latter is my favourite – it’s actually delicious – but if you get the ones with the skin on just beware that the skin is the only downfall to the meal; you can easily overcome that by immediately removing and discarding the skin before serving. Pick up one of these birds and you can feed a family of four for one meal or you can take my tips below and really stretch your meals and budget.
The price varies from store to store, but you will spend approx $7.00/bird. I normally buy the “mammoth” size chicken, which is slightly bigger than the regular and if I am in a hurry for a meal I will serve it with a Greek salad (chunks of cucumber, tomato, feta and seasoned with oregano, salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon juice – garnish with olives), some whole wheat pita and hummus (you can make it if you have time, but a decent prepared choice is Sabra brand, which is low in fat, sodium and “lowish” on calories, but tastes great). This meal gets you the 4 food groups, lots of veggies and protein and keeps you feeling full for a couple of hours. Because there are only 2 ½ of us eating the chicken, I still have ½ a chicken left over and I use this remaining meat in a pasta dish that stretches our meal plan for at least 4 more portions. Here’s my favourite quick rotisserie chicken and pasta dinner:
Cynthia’s Kitchen Sink Chicken and Pasta
What you need:
2 tsps olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes to taste – optional
3 cloves garlic minced
½ large onion sliced
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 med sized zucchini cut into half-moon slices
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped asparagus
Rotisserie Chicken – ½ the chicken is best, but use whatever you’ve got left over and just bulk up the dish with more veggies if you are low on chicken.
1 28 oz can of pureed tomatoes
3 cups of short pasta (I like penne rigate, but use whatever floats your family’s boat)
What to do:
Bring 6 litres of water to a boil in a large pot (for pasta) while that’s happening, go to the next step.
In a large skillet, add olive oil, onions, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Cook on medium heat until onions are slightly softened.
Add carrots and zucchini to the skillet, cook until slightly softened
Add broccoli and garlic to the skillet, cook until broccoli softened and bright green in colour
Add asparagus and chicken to the skillet, cook for 2 minutes
Add crushed tomatoes to the skillet, cook until hot and bubbling – taste the sauce to see if it needs any seasoning adjustments
Once boiling, add pasta to the water – don’t forget to season the water with a generous handful of coarse salt before you add the pasta
Once pasta is cooked – to taste, or as per package instructions – drain the pasta and add it to the skillet
Mix pasta to incorporate into the sauce
Tasty Tips:
Top with freshly grated cheddar or parmesan cheese.
Throw in whatever veggies you like, especially if you have some leftover in the fridge from another meal.
I sometimes buy radicchio (that red lettuce that looks like a baby cabbage) and I can never use the whole head of it in salads, so I chop it and throw it into the sauce toward the end of the cooking time, just before I add the pasta.
If you don’t need to use the sauce for the current week, then just freeze all or some of it before you add the pasta and use it at a later date when you need a quick and healthy meal.
Substitute the tomato sauce with homemade pesto (I’ll post this recipe for you – so easy and low calorie, you’ll never want to eat the stuff from a jar, or restaurant, again!).
Most supermarkets offer a rotisserie chicken in the hot food section and nowadays you can get all kinds from traditional BBQ flavour to jerk seasoning to skinless herb marinated. The latter is my favourite – it’s actually delicious – but if you get the ones with the skin on just beware that the skin is the only downfall to the meal; you can easily overcome that by immediately removing and discarding the skin before serving. Pick up one of these birds and you can feed a family of four for one meal or you can take my tips below and really stretch your meals and budget.
The price varies from store to store, but you will spend approx $7.00/bird. I normally buy the “mammoth” size chicken, which is slightly bigger than the regular and if I am in a hurry for a meal I will serve it with a Greek salad (chunks of cucumber, tomato, feta and seasoned with oregano, salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon juice – garnish with olives), some whole wheat pita and hummus (you can make it if you have time, but a decent prepared choice is Sabra brand, which is low in fat, sodium and “lowish” on calories, but tastes great). This meal gets you the 4 food groups, lots of veggies and protein and keeps you feeling full for a couple of hours. Because there are only 2 ½ of us eating the chicken, I still have ½ a chicken left over and I use this remaining meat in a pasta dish that stretches our meal plan for at least 4 more portions. Here’s my favourite quick rotisserie chicken and pasta dinner:
Cynthia’s Kitchen Sink Chicken and Pasta
What you need:
2 tsps olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes to taste – optional
3 cloves garlic minced
½ large onion sliced
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 med sized zucchini cut into half-moon slices
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped asparagus
Rotisserie Chicken – ½ the chicken is best, but use whatever you’ve got left over and just bulk up the dish with more veggies if you are low on chicken.
1 28 oz can of pureed tomatoes
3 cups of short pasta (I like penne rigate, but use whatever floats your family’s boat)
What to do:
Bring 6 litres of water to a boil in a large pot (for pasta) while that’s happening, go to the next step.
In a large skillet, add olive oil, onions, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Cook on medium heat until onions are slightly softened.
Add carrots and zucchini to the skillet, cook until slightly softened
Add broccoli and garlic to the skillet, cook until broccoli softened and bright green in colour
Add asparagus and chicken to the skillet, cook for 2 minutes
Add crushed tomatoes to the skillet, cook until hot and bubbling – taste the sauce to see if it needs any seasoning adjustments
Once boiling, add pasta to the water – don’t forget to season the water with a generous handful of coarse salt before you add the pasta
Once pasta is cooked – to taste, or as per package instructions – drain the pasta and add it to the skillet
Mix pasta to incorporate into the sauce
Tasty Tips:
Top with freshly grated cheddar or parmesan cheese.
Throw in whatever veggies you like, especially if you have some leftover in the fridge from another meal.
I sometimes buy radicchio (that red lettuce that looks like a baby cabbage) and I can never use the whole head of it in salads, so I chop it and throw it into the sauce toward the end of the cooking time, just before I add the pasta.
If you don’t need to use the sauce for the current week, then just freeze all or some of it before you add the pasta and use it at a later date when you need a quick and healthy meal.
Substitute the tomato sauce with homemade pesto (I’ll post this recipe for you – so easy and low calorie, you’ll never want to eat the stuff from a jar, or restaurant, again!).
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Why Run Toronto?
Running in Toronto is amazing. Looping through the shady trees in Mount Pleasant cemetery transports a runner to another world. One could get lost among the headstones and winding paved pathways that provide a surprisingly good workout as they incline steeply enough to get a decent hill run, or at least allow for some fair hill repeats. If you’ve had enough of the headstones you can always head north to exit onto the Kay Gardiner Beltline for over 9kms (out and back) of a fantastically scenic and forgiving trail run that takes you well into the west end of uptown Toronto. There is no shortage of great running routes for even the most avid and adventurous of runners in the city.
If lake views are more your thing then head south to the waterfront where runners can enjoy a beautiful running path that will take them from the beaches in the east to neighboring cities to the west of Toronto. Be sure to wear your sunglasses if it’s a sunny day, as Lake Ontario will blindingly sparkle as you meander along the shore. Runners are friendly in the city, so nod, smile or wave as you pass your fellow sportsmen and women and they are plentiful; you’ll never feel lonely on your run. If you are looking for a world class running city that has many options for all skill levels, Toronto is the place to go.
If lake views are more your thing then head south to the waterfront where runners can enjoy a beautiful running path that will take them from the beaches in the east to neighboring cities to the west of Toronto. Be sure to wear your sunglasses if it’s a sunny day, as Lake Ontario will blindingly sparkle as you meander along the shore. Runners are friendly in the city, so nod, smile or wave as you pass your fellow sportsmen and women and they are plentiful; you’ll never feel lonely on your run. If you are looking for a world class running city that has many options for all skill levels, Toronto is the place to go.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Banana-Berry Mango Smoothie
Who doesn’t have some ripe bananas sitting on the kitchen counter that have been deemed good only for baking, which you are so sure you’ll get to…tomorrow. Yeah, that’s me too and my husband is still waiting on that freshly baked banana bread. Well, instead he got a smoothie and he did not mutter a word of complaint! Try this out with these simple ingredients, or create your own with whatever overripe fruit you would otherwise end up tossing in the garbage. It’s not only a great way to use fruit that is coming to the end of its life, but it is also a snack, or meal, that is packed with healthy goodness. Even your kids will love it. My 10 month old slurps it up, and he eats nothing except cheese, beets and strawberries!
Ingredients:
1 ripe medium size banana (or ½ a really large banana) – freeze it ahead of time if you remember to.
1 cup (8-10) strawberries cleaned, hulled and halved
½ cup cleaned blueberries
½ cup (or half) mango, cut into cubes
½ cup of yoghurt (I use plain Balkan style, but you can use any kind, however you will increase the calories of this snack if you use the sweetened kind)
2 cups of juice (I use mango or orange or lime, but you can really use anything that you have; cranberry, apple, even grape could work)
2 cups of ice cubes (about 8-10 standard cubes)
What to do:
Toss it all in a blender and blend until desired consistency.
Serves 4-6 snack size portions or 2 meal size portions
Some Tips:
Is your fruit going bad and you’re not hungry for a smoothie? Wash and cut the fruit and freeze the portions in Ziploc bags to pull out and make a prep-free smoothie when you are in a hungry rush!
I don’t sweeten my smoothies, as I feel that the fruit and juice adds enough sweetness, but if you want to you can always add some honey before blending, just make sure that you do not add any honey if you are serving this to a baby. Honey and babies are a no-no – babies are sweet enough as it is!
If you’re making this into a meal you may want to add a couple of scoops of whey protein to bulk up the meal with minimal additional calories.
Freeze the blended smoothie concoction in popsicle molds and serve on a hot day as a much healthier and yummier alternative to Mr. Freezie!
Share your smoothie tips in the comments section; I’d love to read your ideas.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sleepy Time, Baby
There was a time, not so long ago, when Howie was a baby (not a 10 month old “big boy”!) that I would dread it when he was asleep. I was mixed with anxiety that he would stop breathing and guilt that I would want to read a book or take a little nap instead of cook or clean like I should have been doing. However, those feelings quickly faded and I, like so many parents, began to crave an hour or two of daytime quiet to get some housework or me-time in. The problem was that I had a kid who hated to nap. I probably created that monster due to my attitude toward his napping as an infant, but the reality was that I had a child who would wake at 8:00AM and be up until 10:30PM and I’d be lucky if he napped for 20 minutes through the day. Not only was this unhealthy for him, but my sanity, what there is of it, was waning.
Part of the problem was that I took my pediatrician’s advice too literally. She told me that until he was 4 months old, we should not leave him to cry. So, I’d place Howie in his crib and within minutes or seconds he would be wailing for attention and I would retrieve him and that would be the end of that nap. I eventually began nursing him to sleep – another no-no…but it was the only thing that worked. However, he’d sleep for only 20-30 minutes and then wake and not be able to put himself back to sleep, so he’d begin to cry and, you guessed it…that would be the end of that nap. I just did not know what to do. In hindsight, I would do a few things differently to make my life and Harrison’s naps a lot easier.
Firstly, not letting the child cry is good advice; even now at 10 months we rarely let him cry longer than 10 minutes. If he is still wailing we go and tend to him, if he is beginning to fade we wait to see if he’ll settle himself. There is no harm in showing your child that you love him and are there for him and it does not create a monster when you go to him when he is seriously crying for attention – as long as you calm him and then leave again. Don’t camp out and don’t play when it is time for nap or sleep. Just soothe and leave. I should have done that from the start instead of just soothe and never leave.
Second, I have come to realize that Howie and, I suspect, most babies need to learn how to nap. Yes, his naps began in 20 minute intervals, but as he grew to understand that if he needed mommy or daddy we would be there in a flash he began to nap longer. Now I hear him waking mid-nap and he does not cry out, he simply goes back to sleep until he’s had enough. You can set your watch by his napping. 1 hour and 20 minutes in the AM and 2 hours and 10 minutes in the PM. Another part of learning how to nap is through repetition. We stick to the same nap time ritual, which varies slightly from AM to PM, but it did not take long for Howie to come to anticipate all the steps and I can see him begging for the crib once his Sleepsack* goes on, as he knows what’s coming next.
Lastly, I have learned that flexibility and patience is the answer. Sometimes he is ready for a nap a little earlier, sometimes he’s got a little more energy, but when it comes to babies sleeping the last thing you want to do is show any amount of impatience. Babies can sense it and if you need that child to go down to sleep then don’t rush your routine. Take some deep breaths and remind yourself that he will sleep, because he always sleeps, and just do what you always successfully do. If he gives you trouble getting down to sleep one day then just repeat the last couple of steps from the naptime routine and place him in the crib again until it works – and it will work.
I think that each family needs to establish their own sleep routine, but in case you are a new parent and need some ideas, here is what our AM, PM and nighttime sleeping routines are like:
Morning (AM) nap
Happens 2 hours from the time Howie wakes up form his nighttime sleep.
Bath time is in the morning, 15-20 minutes prior to nap time (Steve and I tend to work out in the evenings, so a PM bath for Howie is not the most convenient – unless he’s really grimy)
Towel off on change table and play peek-a-boo with the towel
Change the diaper
Get into a clean sleeper
Say “nap-nap” to daddy
Put on Sleepsack
Shades are drawn
Fan is turned on for some white noise
Door is closed over
Breastfeed until full
Down in crib
Mom leaves room
Afternoon (PM) nap
Happens 3 hours after baby wakes from AM nap
Say “nap-nap” to daddy
Undress baby on change table
Change diaper
Put on pajama top
Put on Sleepsack
Turn on fan for white noise
Draw the shades
Close the door over
Breastfeed until full
Down in crib
Mom leaves room
Nighttime Sleep
Happens 3-4 hours after baby wakes from PM nap
Mom and usually Dad bring baby to room and undress him on change table
Mom warms a washcloth and gives baby a sponge bath (this is because we bathe him in the morning, but I still want to get the day’s dirt off of him!)
Change the diaper and apply a coating of Zincofax to protect bum from a long night in the same diaper
Massage the baby with some lotion
Give baby vitamin D
Brush the teeth
Get into a sleeper
Say good night to the world from the window, draw the curtains
Say good night to daddy
Get into Sleepsack
Turn on fan for white noise
Close the door over
Nurse until full – baby must still be awake when putting down for the night, it’s not as crucial for the nap time, but bedtime is a must!
Place baby in crib
Turn on the nightlight (my boy is not a fan of the total dark, who is?)
Leave the room (If he cries I will wait up to 10 minutes depending on the intensity of the whine/cry and return to the room and repeat from the feeding step until he has had enough and place him in bed and leave the room again. If he will not feed then I pick him up until he stops crying and place him back down again – even if he starts crying again I give him a couple of minutes to see whether he will settle on his own before tending to him again.)
Like I mentioned, this is just what we find works for us, you will have a different routine, perhaps you’ll read a book with you’re babe, or sing a lullaby, we will too in the future, but for now this is what works well and we have a baby who used to sleep about 9 hours in a 24 hour period who now sleeps 14-15 hours in a 24 hour period.
Dealing with Howie’s, or my, sleep/nap issues was one of the most challenging aspects of being a new parent. You just don’t know what to do, but you will figure it out and you’ll laugh when you look back on how hard you thought it was at the time and how easy it is now…until they change the routine on you! If you are having difficulty getting your child to sleep and want to read a book that helped me you can pick up Elizabeth Pantley’s The No-Cry Sleep Solution online or at Indigo/Chapters. We also did a lot of reading online and checked out the Ferber method and I think what we have landed on is a bit of a combo of the two approaches to helping baby learn to sleep. Good luck to all my fellow parents. No matter which sleep approach you choose you will inevitably find yourself dealing with some sleepless days and nights until you sort it all out, but you will sort it all out.
*Sleepsack is a terrific product by a company called Halo, it is a wearable sleeping bag that assists in the reduction of SIDS (as compared to babies being covered in a blanket to sleep. Find them here: https://www.halosleep.com/
There was a time, not so long ago, when Howie was a baby (not a 10 month old “big boy”!) that I would dread it when he was asleep. I was mixed with anxiety that he would stop breathing and guilt that I would want to read a book or take a little nap instead of cook or clean like I should have been doing. However, those feelings quickly faded and I, like so many parents, began to crave an hour or two of daytime quiet to get some housework or me-time in. The problem was that I had a kid who hated to nap. I probably created that monster due to my attitude toward his napping as an infant, but the reality was that I had a child who would wake at 8:00AM and be up until 10:30PM and I’d be lucky if he napped for 20 minutes through the day. Not only was this unhealthy for him, but my sanity, what there is of it, was waning.
Part of the problem was that I took my pediatrician’s advice too literally. She told me that until he was 4 months old, we should not leave him to cry. So, I’d place Howie in his crib and within minutes or seconds he would be wailing for attention and I would retrieve him and that would be the end of that nap. I eventually began nursing him to sleep – another no-no…but it was the only thing that worked. However, he’d sleep for only 20-30 minutes and then wake and not be able to put himself back to sleep, so he’d begin to cry and, you guessed it…that would be the end of that nap. I just did not know what to do. In hindsight, I would do a few things differently to make my life and Harrison’s naps a lot easier.
Firstly, not letting the child cry is good advice; even now at 10 months we rarely let him cry longer than 10 minutes. If he is still wailing we go and tend to him, if he is beginning to fade we wait to see if he’ll settle himself. There is no harm in showing your child that you love him and are there for him and it does not create a monster when you go to him when he is seriously crying for attention – as long as you calm him and then leave again. Don’t camp out and don’t play when it is time for nap or sleep. Just soothe and leave. I should have done that from the start instead of just soothe and never leave.
Second, I have come to realize that Howie and, I suspect, most babies need to learn how to nap. Yes, his naps began in 20 minute intervals, but as he grew to understand that if he needed mommy or daddy we would be there in a flash he began to nap longer. Now I hear him waking mid-nap and he does not cry out, he simply goes back to sleep until he’s had enough. You can set your watch by his napping. 1 hour and 20 minutes in the AM and 2 hours and 10 minutes in the PM. Another part of learning how to nap is through repetition. We stick to the same nap time ritual, which varies slightly from AM to PM, but it did not take long for Howie to come to anticipate all the steps and I can see him begging for the crib once his Sleepsack* goes on, as he knows what’s coming next.
Lastly, I have learned that flexibility and patience is the answer. Sometimes he is ready for a nap a little earlier, sometimes he’s got a little more energy, but when it comes to babies sleeping the last thing you want to do is show any amount of impatience. Babies can sense it and if you need that child to go down to sleep then don’t rush your routine. Take some deep breaths and remind yourself that he will sleep, because he always sleeps, and just do what you always successfully do. If he gives you trouble getting down to sleep one day then just repeat the last couple of steps from the naptime routine and place him in the crib again until it works – and it will work.
I think that each family needs to establish their own sleep routine, but in case you are a new parent and need some ideas, here is what our AM, PM and nighttime sleeping routines are like:
Morning (AM) nap
Happens 2 hours from the time Howie wakes up form his nighttime sleep.
Bath time is in the morning, 15-20 minutes prior to nap time (Steve and I tend to work out in the evenings, so a PM bath for Howie is not the most convenient – unless he’s really grimy)
Towel off on change table and play peek-a-boo with the towel
Change the diaper
Get into a clean sleeper
Say “nap-nap” to daddy
Put on Sleepsack
Shades are drawn
Fan is turned on for some white noise
Door is closed over
Breastfeed until full
Down in crib
Mom leaves room
Afternoon (PM) nap
Happens 3 hours after baby wakes from AM nap
Say “nap-nap” to daddy
Undress baby on change table
Change diaper
Put on pajama top
Put on Sleepsack
Turn on fan for white noise
Draw the shades
Close the door over
Breastfeed until full
Down in crib
Mom leaves room
Nighttime Sleep
Happens 3-4 hours after baby wakes from PM nap
Mom and usually Dad bring baby to room and undress him on change table
Mom warms a washcloth and gives baby a sponge bath (this is because we bathe him in the morning, but I still want to get the day’s dirt off of him!)
Change the diaper and apply a coating of Zincofax to protect bum from a long night in the same diaper
Massage the baby with some lotion
Give baby vitamin D
Brush the teeth
Get into a sleeper
Say good night to the world from the window, draw the curtains
Say good night to daddy
Get into Sleepsack
Turn on fan for white noise
Close the door over
Nurse until full – baby must still be awake when putting down for the night, it’s not as crucial for the nap time, but bedtime is a must!
Place baby in crib
Turn on the nightlight (my boy is not a fan of the total dark, who is?)
Leave the room (If he cries I will wait up to 10 minutes depending on the intensity of the whine/cry and return to the room and repeat from the feeding step until he has had enough and place him in bed and leave the room again. If he will not feed then I pick him up until he stops crying and place him back down again – even if he starts crying again I give him a couple of minutes to see whether he will settle on his own before tending to him again.)
Like I mentioned, this is just what we find works for us, you will have a different routine, perhaps you’ll read a book with you’re babe, or sing a lullaby, we will too in the future, but for now this is what works well and we have a baby who used to sleep about 9 hours in a 24 hour period who now sleeps 14-15 hours in a 24 hour period.
Dealing with Howie’s, or my, sleep/nap issues was one of the most challenging aspects of being a new parent. You just don’t know what to do, but you will figure it out and you’ll laugh when you look back on how hard you thought it was at the time and how easy it is now…until they change the routine on you! If you are having difficulty getting your child to sleep and want to read a book that helped me you can pick up Elizabeth Pantley’s The No-Cry Sleep Solution online or at Indigo/Chapters. We also did a lot of reading online and checked out the Ferber method and I think what we have landed on is a bit of a combo of the two approaches to helping baby learn to sleep. Good luck to all my fellow parents. No matter which sleep approach you choose you will inevitably find yourself dealing with some sleepless days and nights until you sort it all out, but you will sort it all out.
*Sleepsack is a terrific product by a company called Halo, it is a wearable sleeping bag that assists in the reduction of SIDS (as compared to babies being covered in a blanket to sleep. Find them here: https://www.halosleep.com/
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The “Mommy Run”
When I found out I was pregnant I immediately got dressed for a run and hit the sloppy slushy streets of midtown Toronto for my daily fix; pregnancy was not going to change my running, at least not as long as there was no harm to the baby. And no baby was going to slow me down once he arrived. I had visions of long runs with my little guy giggling in the stroller as I wheeled him through city streets, trails, and peaceful cemeteries. What was I smoking? Running would never be the same, at least not for a few years.
I did well through my pregnancy. I got mixed reviews from onlookers, some would cheer while others frowned their disapproval as I ran past them on a 4k run a week before my water broke, but overall running was the best thing I did for my baby and myself during those fabulous 9 months.
Post delivery I was itching to get back out on the streets. I was blessed with a very easy birth of a healthy and gorgeous 8 pound boy. My recovery was quick and relatively easy and the only thing that kept me from lacing up the Sauconys two weeks after I had the baby was the fact that I was nursing him almost every hour and did not want to leave for any length of time in the event he needed me, or my boobs at least.
However, by three and a half weeks following my son’s birth it was time for me to go on my first run. This was to be the first few steps in the long road to a spring marathon and my very first 42.2 (26.2 for you “milers”). Ha! Getting back into my running life was not really a challenge because I had kept up the running throughout the pregnancy, but thinking that I would ever have time in my life for marathon training was complete naivety on my part. I figured that I’d have all these days free to run with my boy and, on longer runs, leave him at home for a couple of hours with my husband. Ha! My child will humour me for about 40 minutes in the stroller before insisting that he’s had enough running and, let me tell you, you really don’t want to be running for more than 40 minutes while pushing 45 pounds of stroller and baby in front of you – even if it is a fantastic Phil & Ted’s running stroller, possibly the greatest thing to come out of New Zealand since The Lord of The Rings trilogy. While stroller running may be an awesome work out, it is not ever going to allow me the distance runs that I need to do in order to achieve my marathon goals. Oh, and by the way, the spring marathon came and went and I was cheered on at the finish line by hubby, baby and good friend as I completed a 5K race…Well, at least I raced!
The “mommy run” is 2 kinds of runs. The first, as I described above, is with stroller and baby (or babies as I have seen on occasion – good for you multiple mommy!) and it is somewhat grueling. Although I have to admit that the public attention and looks of awe as I blow past people walking, sitting in their cars or other runners is encouraging and gets the adrenaline going. Catching a glimpse of my son’s little face, with his feathery hair blowing in the wind, also gives me a thrill when I catch his reflections as I run past store windows. His little hand sticking out of the side of the stroller trying to grab onto passing shrubs, trees and flowers also gives me a chuckle. And, most importantly, knowing that I am setting an example for him that I hope will encourage a lifetime of physical activity is something that is not only a pleasure, but also a duty as a parent. However, I must admit to feeling all kinds of guilt when I rush him from crib to stroller and then to highchair, etc…, and wonder if I should not allow him the 30-40 minutes of playtime for him to roll/crawl/creep around for his own physical activity. Does every running mother feel this kind of guilt? Does every mother feel this kind of guilt? Probably.
The second “mommy run” is that which allows you to run free while baby plays at home with daddy. I always eagerly anticipate these runs with full hope that I am going to run forever and with such ease that I am gliding on the street. Ha! I’m usually tired. It’s usually much harder than it seemed it would be. But, I do it and I think of the baby the whole time! And, there’s that guilt again; this time it’s that my husband is not able to go to the gym early or just decompress from the day and that makes me feel bad. But, running makes me feel good – even when it hurts my body and my guilty conscience. Happy healthy mommies make for happy and healthy babies (hopefully) and husbands (hopefully!).
My marathon dreams will come true, just not as quickly as I thought they would. For now I have refocused my goals and I am attaining them. I need to run a minimum of 3 days a week, but really I want to achieve a 4-day running week with no less than 20K. I have also begun to add in a “long” run day and am working up to a 10-12K weekly run. A treadmill would be a godsend, but until that time I will be dealing with “mommy running guilt”. And while I am disappointed that I could not cross the finish of my first marathon this spring I am also OK with the fact that I did something else amazing this year; I spent the last 10 months (or 19 months really) growing and raising a little person who brings infinite joy to my life and the lives of many other important people. And that’s a pretty good accomplishment that was built on a foundation of hundreds, or maybe even thousands by now, of kilometers.
The “mommy run” may be the most challenging of my life, but in a way they are the most rewarding and they hold so much hope.
I did well through my pregnancy. I got mixed reviews from onlookers, some would cheer while others frowned their disapproval as I ran past them on a 4k run a week before my water broke, but overall running was the best thing I did for my baby and myself during those fabulous 9 months.
Post delivery I was itching to get back out on the streets. I was blessed with a very easy birth of a healthy and gorgeous 8 pound boy. My recovery was quick and relatively easy and the only thing that kept me from lacing up the Sauconys two weeks after I had the baby was the fact that I was nursing him almost every hour and did not want to leave for any length of time in the event he needed me, or my boobs at least.
However, by three and a half weeks following my son’s birth it was time for me to go on my first run. This was to be the first few steps in the long road to a spring marathon and my very first 42.2 (26.2 for you “milers”). Ha! Getting back into my running life was not really a challenge because I had kept up the running throughout the pregnancy, but thinking that I would ever have time in my life for marathon training was complete naivety on my part. I figured that I’d have all these days free to run with my boy and, on longer runs, leave him at home for a couple of hours with my husband. Ha! My child will humour me for about 40 minutes in the stroller before insisting that he’s had enough running and, let me tell you, you really don’t want to be running for more than 40 minutes while pushing 45 pounds of stroller and baby in front of you – even if it is a fantastic Phil & Ted’s running stroller, possibly the greatest thing to come out of New Zealand since The Lord of The Rings trilogy. While stroller running may be an awesome work out, it is not ever going to allow me the distance runs that I need to do in order to achieve my marathon goals. Oh, and by the way, the spring marathon came and went and I was cheered on at the finish line by hubby, baby and good friend as I completed a 5K race…Well, at least I raced!
The “mommy run” is 2 kinds of runs. The first, as I described above, is with stroller and baby (or babies as I have seen on occasion – good for you multiple mommy!) and it is somewhat grueling. Although I have to admit that the public attention and looks of awe as I blow past people walking, sitting in their cars or other runners is encouraging and gets the adrenaline going. Catching a glimpse of my son’s little face, with his feathery hair blowing in the wind, also gives me a thrill when I catch his reflections as I run past store windows. His little hand sticking out of the side of the stroller trying to grab onto passing shrubs, trees and flowers also gives me a chuckle. And, most importantly, knowing that I am setting an example for him that I hope will encourage a lifetime of physical activity is something that is not only a pleasure, but also a duty as a parent. However, I must admit to feeling all kinds of guilt when I rush him from crib to stroller and then to highchair, etc…, and wonder if I should not allow him the 30-40 minutes of playtime for him to roll/crawl/creep around for his own physical activity. Does every running mother feel this kind of guilt? Does every mother feel this kind of guilt? Probably.
The second “mommy run” is that which allows you to run free while baby plays at home with daddy. I always eagerly anticipate these runs with full hope that I am going to run forever and with such ease that I am gliding on the street. Ha! I’m usually tired. It’s usually much harder than it seemed it would be. But, I do it and I think of the baby the whole time! And, there’s that guilt again; this time it’s that my husband is not able to go to the gym early or just decompress from the day and that makes me feel bad. But, running makes me feel good – even when it hurts my body and my guilty conscience. Happy healthy mommies make for happy and healthy babies (hopefully) and husbands (hopefully!).
My marathon dreams will come true, just not as quickly as I thought they would. For now I have refocused my goals and I am attaining them. I need to run a minimum of 3 days a week, but really I want to achieve a 4-day running week with no less than 20K. I have also begun to add in a “long” run day and am working up to a 10-12K weekly run. A treadmill would be a godsend, but until that time I will be dealing with “mommy running guilt”. And while I am disappointed that I could not cross the finish of my first marathon this spring I am also OK with the fact that I did something else amazing this year; I spent the last 10 months (or 19 months really) growing and raising a little person who brings infinite joy to my life and the lives of many other important people. And that’s a pretty good accomplishment that was built on a foundation of hundreds, or maybe even thousands by now, of kilometers.
The “mommy run” may be the most challenging of my life, but in a way they are the most rewarding and they hold so much hope.
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