9 months already?

My baby is 9 months already! Phew..where has the time gone!?!

What she can do at 9 months:

-say “ma-ma” (only when I leave the room)

-mumbles “da-da”

-has 2 bottom teeth finally!

-waves “hi” and “bye”

-almost sleeps through the night (thanks to the CIO method!)

-eats pretty much anything that can be broken into little pieces

-loves Cheerios!

-hair is long enough to put in a ponytail

-can stand on her own

10 Tips for Traveling with an Infant

1. I took my daughter when she was about a month old. We did just fine without purchasing a seat, in fact, I think most people would prefer to seat their child in their laps. In case you do need to purchase a seat, airlines usually will provide car seats/child safety seats if you decide not to bring yours. Check their websites for more info.

2. I was most nervous about this part for some reason, but in actuality, it was the easiest part! It took less than 5 minutes. Once they verified my daughter’s age at check-in, they printed her boarding pass and we were set to go!

3. I definitely couldn’t have done it smoothly without my Ergo!

4. Traveling by yourself is definitely possible! Trust me, I have a friend who mastered traveling with an infant & actually gave me tips that helped me along the way. Luckily, I had my brother with me, so he was a BIG help!

5 . Recently, I discovered that Babies R Us sells car seat covers for traveling! Genius!

6. I am always a light packer, but I couldn’t have imagined having another luggage with me. All my belongings were combined in the baby bag, and that became my purse for the weekend. I felt it would be too much to have luggage, baby, baby bag, and purse..so I suggest to simplify as much as possible! I would also bring some Tylenol just in case (for emergency ear infections and ear aches)

7. I did ask the passenger in my row if he minded if I changed her diaper, and he said not at all. I don’t think people would mind, but just a heads up might be common courtesy.

8. I lied above. This was what I was MOST nervous about..my daughter being one of “THOSE” babies who cries and screams the entire flight. Ugh, sorry, but that’s annoying. I think I just got lucky because she only cried a little bit, and it wasn’t that loud. Phew!

9. I think I really just lucked out with this one. I didn’t really plan ahead in this matter, but my flight just happened to be perfectly in tuned with her nap schedule. Again, phew! God loves me.

10. Good Luck! Oh, before I leave for the weekend..how’s about a sweet little good bye from my little Ave when she was at her first airport.

P.S. Thanks Tracy for hooking me up with the free Chevron templates I used in the background.

 

The Benefits of Breastfeeding (Part 2)

*DISCLAIMER*: This post may contain some boob~age. Beware!

TodayI…learned that there are different positions that you can hold your baby while breastfeeding. Different holds work different for different women. I wonder which one will work for me??? If you weren’t here last week, I decided to post about some of the tips I learned in this Breastfeeding class I took last week. It was very useful! See Part 1 here. Are there any mothers out there who favor a certain position? Do you have any breastfeeding tips? I’d love to hear suggestions or comments about this. Any info will be helpful, I’m sure, because I honestly am very foreign to this subject.

Breastfeeding Holds

Cradle-hold:

This position is where you hold your baby with his or her head on your forearm and the whole body facing yours.

Benefits of this postion:

• comfortable for most mothers

Cross-cradle hold or “transitional” hold:

This position is where you hold your baby along the opposite arm from the breast you are using. Support the baby’s head with the palm of your hand at the base of his or her neck.

Benefits of this position:

• good for new mothers who are just learning how to breastfeed!
• good for premature babies
• good for babies who are having trouble latching on

Side-lying position: (Why do I feel like I will use this one a lot?!?)

This position is where you lie on your side with your baby facing you. Pull the baby close and guide his or her mouth to your nipple.

Benefits of this position:

• allows for the mother to rest while baby nurses
• useful for mothers who had C-sections

Clutch or “football” hold:

This position is where you hold your baby at your side, lying on his or her back, with his or her head the level of your nipples. Support the baby’s head with the palm of your hand at the base of his or her head.

Benefits of this position:

• good for mothers with large breasts
• good for mothers with inverted nipples
• good for mothers who had a C-section

Thanks for reading! (Photos were taken from this site.)

~Melinda

The Benefits of Breastfeeding (Part 1)

Today I…decided to recall some of the highlights from the breastfeeding class I took last night. So influential and informative! I don’t know if you’re a mom, going to be a a new mom, going to be a future mom, or hoping that things stay the way they are for as long as possible…but I thought I’d share some valuable information on breastfeeding.

Yes, I have decided that I am going to breastfeed as LONG as possible. Before yesterday’s class, I’ve only partly seen some friends breastfeed, but had no idea of what that entailed. So here’s what I learned… (All info can be found on kp.org)

Breastfeeding Benefits for the Baby:

• promotes bonding and attachment
• presents food that is always ready to feed at the right temperature
• provides antibodies to strengthen the immune system
• provides good cholesterol and other types of fat in human milk that support the growth of nerve tissue and brain growth
• promotes visual acuity
• promotes healthy jaw and tooth development and reduces the risk of cavities
• supports your child’s intelligence (meaning higher IQ’s than formula-fed babies)
• reduces the risk of infections and promotes healthy bacteria in the digestive system
• thousands of dollars cheaper than formula

Breastfeeding Benefits for the Mother:

• promotes bonding and attachment, calmness, self-esteem, and confidence in mothering
• produces the naturally soothing hormones oxytocin and prolactin (the hormone of “motherly love”)
• helps your body recover from pregnancy, labor, and birth
• helps your uterus contract after birth, lessening the change of hemorrhage and anemia
• lowers the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer
• may protect you against osteoporosis in later life
• may help you lose weight, by burning calories to make milk (about 500 calories a day)

Breastfeeding Benefits for the Environment:

Artificial feeding involves…

• overgrazing of land by cattle
• use of chemical fertilizers to grow the soy
• use of valuable environmental resources for formula production
• packaging and transportation of the product
• use of water and fuel for mixing the product, heating it, and for cleaning bottles and nipples
• waste disposal of cans, bottles, accessories, cartons, etc.

*More information on the value of breastfeeding can also be found on the American Academy of Pediatrics Website

Unique Newborn Photos

Today I admire all these cute newborn photos I found on Pinterest. (Are you obsessed with Pinterest like me, yet?) Anyway, I’m not quite sure what kind of photos I will have taken of our baby once she’s born, but I have been eyeing these: (Please note that all photos are NOT my own and have been linked to the original photographer’s website. I just want to make sure the proper crediting is given to them.)

I don’t know why, but I’m a fan of babies surrounded by different props.

Photos by Blue Lily Photography

Found via Design Mom

Photos by Skye Johansen Photography

Photo by Picsee Studio

Photo from Inna Nucinzon Photography

Photo from Kimberly Photography

By the way, lately I’ve been going through my “nesting” phase and I just can’t help but get ready for this baby. I want to re-organize things lately, buy furniture and remodel our entire apartment, make things like curtains and nursery decor, and go thrifting for some unique finds. Yikes! Please don’t judge me.