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bottle feeding care

1/29/2020

 
Cleaning and caring for your baby's bottles is important because bacteria and mold can easily form inside and around your bottle. Since your baby is still young, their immune system is still developing so the risks of getting sick can be higher. It's crucial that you wash and care for your bottles as soon as you can to lessen their risks of being sick.

​I've heard a lot of moms rave about bottle warmers and bottle sterilizers but wasn't sure if we should get another "thing" to take up space on our counters. There's a ton out there and all have mixed reviews. So how were we to figure out which one to get? My husband and I opted out of registering or purchasing a sterilizer for while because we figured we would just wash Calvin's bottles right away or boil it to sterilize. This was great until we actually used a sterilizer. In my opinion they're definitely worth it! We have a big sterilizer by Pabalic that we sterilize our big 8 oz bottles, toys and bigger items. But we use our Nuby one-touch electric warmer and sterilizer every day and sterilize just about every other day. 

Nuby's one-touch electric warmer & sterilizer

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I love this warmer and sterilizer by Nuby! It heats up your milk or formula evenly and super quick! It even comes with measuring cup on the side. Simply measure your water, dump it in and push down on the button! It only takes a few minutes to evenly warm up.

Inside of the warmer/sterilizer is a small tray. For small items such as bink binks (pacifiers) and nipples, toss it inside of the tray, attach the lid and push the button down to sterilize. 

I love that it has that inner tray. It helps prevent your bottle or small items to touch the heating plate. I also love that it's small and compact so it's not taking much counter space. It's small and easy to store in a cupboard if you're not using it everyday. 

This one-touch electric warmer and sterilizer is available at Amazon, Walmart and most retailers. 

Here's how we care for our bottles to make sure they're long lasting

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We use our Nuby easy clean soap dispensing bottle brush with a suction base and Dapple's bottle and dish soap to clean all of our bottles and nipples. We also like to use our small Munchkin bottle and cup cleaners to get in the nooks and crannies. 
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I'll take all of the bottle pieces apart and stick in in the sink. Sometimes i'll soak it with some Dapple soap in a bucket while I wash the pieces. I use the Nuby soap dispensing brush to clean the large pieces and the Munchkin brushes to get in the small spaces. This was important and really helpful for my pump flanges and the small pieces for my bottle. 

Why do we use these specific items?

  • Nuby easy clean soap dispensing bottle brush: It's in the name! The soap reservoir actually holds quite a lot of soap. It also tightens well which prevents any leakage. It's super easy to dispense soap without wasting any. I also love that the suction base is super strong! I can suction it on the side of my sink and allow it to air dry without it flopping off. I also really like how firm the bristles are. It definitely gets all the milk residue. This was important because my breastmilk can be very fatty and sometimes you can see the fatty film inside the bottle- gross, I know! This bottle brush is great for wide mouth bottles such as my pumping bottles. It is a bit of a struggle to get into narrow neck bottles but it's not unmanageable. 
    • Available at Walmart, Amazon and most retailers
  • Munchkin bottle and cup cleaner brushes are great because they come with various size cleaner bristles. This was the only way I found to clean between some of the nooks and crannies of my anti-colic bottle pieces or pumping flanges. 
    • Available at Target, Amazon and most retailers
  • Dapple bottle and dish soap is something I recommend and buy for all of my friends. It's plant based and hypoallergenic! It's also the only dish soap I found that works quick! It cleans your bottle and pieces super fast and clean without all the crazy suds and bubbles. 
    • Available at Target, Amazon and most retailers
Once cleaned, I usually try to sterilize all of the items about every 2-3 days in either our big sterilizer or one-touch warmer/sterilizer. 

Essentially Jenni is partnered with Nuby's Parent Blogger program and we received many items as gifts.
​All reviews are honest and genuine about their products.

NBD. We're just teething over here.

1/27/2020

 

"A teething baby is so much fun!"
​- said no mom ever. 

I had no idea that babies could start teething so early! Calvin is just about to be 5 months next week and he's been teething for about 2-3 weeks now. My pretty happy and chill baby became fussy, uncomfortable and agitated for hours on end. He was averaging 6-8 hours of sleep a night to waking up every 2 hours. I was pretty much in denial because he was so young. But as I did some research and checked his gums, I realized he was in fact teething! 
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Constant crying and swollen gums. You can kind of see where his teeth will break through the gums soon. 

COmmon teething signs

  • Drooling. Constant drooling on everything
  • Swollen gums
  • Tugs on ears 
  • Crying/fussiness 
  • Shoves everything in their mouth
  • More biting or intense biting 
    • C. was biting and pulling his bink bink more aggressively 
  • Loss of appetite
    • He was eating a lot less and in return he wasn't sleeping as well 

We tried so many different remedies to help subside the pain and here's what helped

  • We let him gnaw on a cold compress towel soaked in chamomile
  • Bibs with the silicone teethers at the end of it
  • Baby oragel helped a whole lot! We put just a small amount on our finger and massaged it onto the gums where it's breaking through

NUby products 

Nuby is one of our favorite brands because they're available at common retailers and are so affordable and long lasting! They have a wide range of colors, patterns and textured items!
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Teething Mittens are great because it stays put on his hand & he chomps away. 
  • Crinkles and bright colors help stimulate their senses 
  • Safe silicone helps massage and alleviate pain
Available at Amazon, Walmart and Target
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Vibe n' Teethe Wristbands are AMAZING & fun because it vibrates as they chomp down​. This helps massage their sore and swollen gums. Calvin loved this! 
  • Wristband stays secure on their wrist or easy to hold 
Available at Walmart and Amazon 
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Teething blankies are so comforting because it becomes their little loveys. He loves crinkling it and hugging it to sleep!
  • Bright colors and patterns
  • Multiple textures help relieve pain and uncomfortable gums 
​Available at Amazon and Walmart  

bannor toys Rattles & teethers

Bannor Toys is one of our favorites to support because they're a small business. The Bannor family started their company as a small project because they had a passion for creating authentic wooden pieces that would last for years to come. They are a little pricey compared to your normal retailer store items but it's because they create it for you and you can basically customize almost any of their items. Check out their Instagram stories because they're always showing you what's being created and how it's made! 
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Classic baby rattles are great because they're easy to hold and make​s a fun soft rattling sound which captures their attention. The rings are made from food-grade silicone so it's safe to munch on! 
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Saturn ring baby teethers are soft and fun. These are also made from food-grade silicone. We loved sticking them in the freezer and chilling them before letting him munch when his gums were super swollen. They're fun and easy to hold! 
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WA state rattle with customized name! Also available for any state! I'm such a sucker for customizable things to begin with. This rattle is made from hardwood cherry and long lasting! 

Hux n harper 

I love that Hux N Harper gives back to their community or charitable organizations! Their designs are always cute and sustainable! 
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Look at how cute these designs and colors are! I'm swooning over these! 
Their silicone rings relieve pain from swollen gums, easy to clean & made to last! 
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Teething sloth & other animals are 100% food-grade silicone allows instant and safe relief to swollen gums
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Teething can be rough for both you and baby! You might've gotten into a routine of things and then your baby started teething. It's like you took one step forward and ten steps backwards! But don't worry! It'll get easier for you and baby once you learn how to soothe their pain and figure out what products work. 

​You got this, mama!


Essentially Jenni is partnered with Nuby's Parent Blogger program and we received many items as gifts.
​All reviews are honest and genuine about their products. 

raising kiddos is a trip. roll with it!

1/26/2020

 

The Tour+ (xl1) by zoe strollers

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We've been on a hunt window shopping for a lightweight and functional umbrella stroller for some time now. As much as I love our travel system now, I knew something lighter would be best for our weekend trips or quick outings. Plus, driving a small Subaru hatchback, we needed something much more compact that is easy to store in the trunk. The Tour+ (XL1) by Zoe Strollers is great! It comes in 6 different colors and we opted for Charlotte Navy/Luxe Navy Blue. 
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Look at how far that canopy extends! Say goodbye to germs this winter!
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Peek-a-boo! Mama sees you little one. 
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Put your feet up and relax because dad's got your back! 

Here's why we love it

  • Lightweight! Weighing 12.5lbs
  • Easy to fold/unfold
  • High end material and sleek designs 
  • The canopy crazy long and the extension zip is easy. It doesn't get caught when you zip/unzip quickly
  • Braking mechanism is easy and doesn't fuss 
  • Peekaboo window design at the top
  • Smooth ride
  • 5 harness buckle is easy to use 
  • Large canopy for an umbrella stroller
  • Includes parent cup holder and kid snack holder 
  • Has a ton of accessories you can add on
    • Stroller storage bag
    • Car seat adapter (it only works for the Chicco system at the time)
    • Stroller carrying straps
    • Parent organizing console
  • You can purchase a second seat to turn it into a tandem stroller!
There's so many umbrella strollers on the market that it can be overwhelming! If you're on a hunt for one then I recommend mapping out 2-4 key features you're needing for an umbrella stroller and going from there. Ours was how easy it was to fold/unfold and how far the seat reclines since Calvin is just about 5 months but with very strong neck support. I wanted something that we would be able to use now and this definitely worked out for our family. You can obviously tell he loves it from the picture above!

overwhelmed by mess

1/13/2020

 

A cluttered home creates anxiety

My anxiety has been getting to the worse of me the last few weeks. It tends to worsen when I've been home for an extended amount of time or when our house gets cluttered and unorganized. I'll be fine one moment and completely overwhelmed the next. It'll happen in a split second and I honestly just panic and feel the need to clean everything all while freaking out. My poor husband will drop what he's doing and help clean with me just so I can calm down. 

So what did i do to help?

I started tackling one room of our house a day to keep up with household chores. This worked out great for a few days until other things took priority. For example, I'll be cleaning the kitchen but then the towels have to get done so laundry gets started and that meant cleaning up our laundry room/mud room. Then I'll be spiraling around the house trying to get everything done again. Obviously I meant well and it just didn't work. 
I realized that I'm a pretty visual learner and need structures and routines. I mean that's why I became a teacher to begin with. I remembered how successful I was at creating charts, graphs, to-do lists when I was teaching so I decided to create something I would need to stick with at home. 

So i created a weekly cleaning chart and it looked something like this

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This would allow me to fully focus on one room without getting distracted. I'll still try to get other things done around the house but this will keep me accountable to tackling one room and fully accomplishing something for the day. 

If you're easily overwhelmed by clutter or a messy house, definitely create a weekly task chart. This way you won't go spiraling! 

newborn must haves

1/4/2020

 

Our newborn essentials for the first 4 months

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​My husband and I had no idea what we needed for baby boy when I was pregnant. We'd spend countless days going in and out of baby stores to add things to our registry or get hand-me-downs. We also got a lot of stuff from our Facebook Buy Nothing groups! The baby market is HUGE and there's just soo much out there. What in the world do we 
need? I was also leaving my job and becoming a stay at home mama for a year so we knew we had to budget our money soon. 

So here's some of our must haves or go to items for the first few months. I didn't add any diapers, wipes or clothes since we don't really have any big preferences. I also didn't want to add strollers or swings because he transitioned through so many and was so picky. I'll talk about that at the end. ​

Feeding

I was lucky enough to have a pretty easy time breastfeeding. Calvin had a great latch from the beginning.. maybe too good! He would latch so hard I would sometimes cry! We introduced him to a bottle the same week after coming home from the hospital because I needed a break from him sucking so hard. He didn't have any nipple confusion or issues transitioning from the nipple to bottle or vice versa. 
  • Dr. Brown's Anti Colic Bottles: I love that there are multiple nipples to try so it was nice to be able to find a slower flow nipple when he was first born. I also liked the narrow neck/bottle because it fits easily inside any diaper bag/backpack without issues. The anti colic feature was great as well. 
  • Dr. Brown's Ultra Preemie Slow Flow Nipples: My best friend told me about these nipples so we used them and it was great! The flow was slow enough so he actually took the milk and didn't spit up or waste any. 
  • Mommy's Bliss Daily Probiotic Drops: We didn't use probiotic drops until he was about 3-4 weeks old and I wish we used it sooner. This was a GAME CHANGER! He was having so many issues pooping and was so constipated/gassy. These drops really helped regulate him. We still use them daily!
  • Nature's Bond Silicone Letdown Catcher: This silicone letdown catcher was such a life saver! As I breastfed baby, I attached this on the opposite breast and the natural suction would pull my letdown. I didn't waste any milk! 
  • Soothing Gel Pads for Breastfeeding: My nipples hurt SO bad the first two weeks of breastfeeding. They became raw and was peeling because I was feeding him so much. I basically kept the gel pads on them 24/7 unless I was feeding him. The soothing/cold gel pads helped them from swelling. 
  • Burp Cloths/Receiving Blankets: I loved muslin burp cloths and receiving blankets. We used the receiving blankets as burp cloths too just because they were absorbent. Honestly I didn't have a big preference on any brand. We just kept these all over the house and diaper bag. 
  • Boppy Nursing Pillow: I tried a few other nursing pillows but this was my favorite because it didn't hug my c-section incision line too hard. It was also soft and comfortable for baby. We also used this to help prop him up a little for tummy time. 
  • KeaBabies Organic Reusable Nursing Pads: I tried so many disposable nursing pads but they made me so itchy. These organic reusable ones are soft and so absorbent. They got softer as you wash them more too!

Sleep

Sleep was the hardest part in the beginning because we weren't getting any! At the beginning he would only sleep on our chest or in our arms. He hated the Snuggle Me and Dockatot co-sleepers. It took us weeks to finally get him to sleep in his bassinet. It took lots of time trying and being persistent but eventually we got to a nighttime routine. He's 4 months now and it's a breeze to get him down to bed and he sleeps about 6-8 hours on average before waking up to be fed and getting put back down for another few hours. 
  • Halo Bassinest: The Halo Bassinest was great because it swiveled. It also sat a little above our bed so I didn't have to bend down and reach for baby. I needed something raised because I couldn't bend over and grab baby due to having a c-section. I know Halo has multiple models that are fancy with lights and sounds but we opted for the basic one.
  • BabeBay Head Flattening Pillow: Calvin was breeched and his shoulder was pretty well lodged into the left side of his head so it was pretty flat when he was born. He also had a hard time laying flat on his head so this helped keep him on his back and stay at midline. I really think this helped fill out his head. 
  • Swaddle Me Velcro Swaddles: We used these first and he loved it at the beginning because he was swaddled tightly. They're great because the velcro is easy to use and tighten. 
  • Love to Dream Swaddle: We didn't use the Love to Dream Swaddle until he was a little older than a month when he started sucking on his hand to self-soothe after he spits out his binky. This was great because he didn't get startled when he slept!
  • Dreamegg Sound Machine: We use sound machines throughout the house and even when we're out. The white noise helped him drown out any other sounds and makes it feel like he's in the womb. This specific sound machine has soo many other sounds, a night light and so many volume settings. I absolutely love this one. 
  • MAM Pacifiers: He just loved the MAM bink binks. He seriously won't take any other brand! I loved that they have newborn-6+ months. We did give him a binky 2 days after coming home from the hospital because he needed to suck to self-soothe !

being out

I remember I was so scared being out on my own because of my incision and I was just anxious about not knowing what to expect. My diaper bag was full of things at the beginning but now we don't carry too much. It's usually bulky because of a carrier but that's about it. 
  • Milky Chic Nursing Poncho: I loved this nursing poncho the best. I have a full review on it here. Long story short, it covers nicely, has metal grommets that hold your shirts up and has a wired neck to create airflow and a peekaboo window for you and baby.
  • Bumco Diaper Clutch: This diaper clutch is great because of the wipes opening and it's large enough to fit a ton of diapers and an extra set of clothes!
  • Portable Changing Pad: I seriously dread changing him when we're out and about because of those nasty changing tables. I never know if stores/restaurants actually clean them and they're just gross! But when you have to change them then you have to. I carry a portable changing pad with us so he's not touching the actual ones. We've gone to many places that don't have a changing table or the flip down tables in bathrooms so the portable pads make it easy to change him anywhere. 
  • Portable Sound Machine: It helps calm him down so quickly!! 
  • Colugo Baby Carrier: My favorite baby carrier! I'm petite so this is the only one that works for me. I love carriers because they help put the weight to your hips rather than shoulders. I also wrote a full review on it in another post. Check it out here. 

bath time

Our bath time is pretty quick and easy. There are a few brands we like such as Tubby Todd and Hello Bello because they're hypoallergenic and plant based. I also really enjoy using an Otteroo bath floatie in the bathtub for fun! I would highly recommend it because they get to swim and relax. We used it at least once a week since he was about 8lbs. 
  • Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling 'n Seat Tub, New Version: This was the best tub we found. The sling kept him in place and he didn't slide around. We do bathe him in our kitchen sink. We have a large stainless steel farmhouse sink so it fits nicely inside. I also like that there are many features to it so he will grow with the tub and we won't have to buy another one when he gets bigger. 
  • Frida Baby Nail Clippers: I tried 2 other nail clippers and these were the best. They're angled/curved so it hugs his nails. It's almost impossible to nick and cut the skin. I do recommend clipping their nails when you're feeding them or when they're asleep. 
  • Hooded Towels: I tried a few types of towels and we got some really cute ones for our baby shower. I will say that I don't recommend the microfiber feeling material. I do like the 100% cotton towels since they're more absorbent. The hooded feature is great to dry off their heads.
  • Frida Baby Windi: These were a go to. Sometimes he would be so backed up and couldn't poop or even fart. He would grunt and turn so red. It broke my heart! You lubricate it and put it in their rear end just like a thermometer. We would keep it in for a few seconds and he would push all the gas out. Sometimes even more than gas. 

baby wearing

1/2/2020

 

Colugo's "the baby carrier"

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Since having my son, I've tried out SOO many baby wraps and baby carriers but none of them worked. As mentioned in previous posts, I'm very petite. I'm about 5'1'' and 108 lbs. ​I enjoyed baby wraps but couldn't use them for an extended amount of time or often because the weight of my son would sit on my shoulders. They're also too long for me and takes me a long time to wrap and get him inside. So I gave up on the thought of using baby wraps! 
Baby carriers never worked out for me for so many reasons. I've tried just about every brand on the market and wanted to cry every time! The shoulder straps are usually really thick and too bulky for me. They would dig into my sides or armpit awkwardly. The piece that buckles around your waist was usually very thick and I usually wouldn't be able to buckle and fasten the waistline snug enough. 

I've been testing out our new baby carrier by Colugo for about two weeks now and I can't say anything bad about it! 
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  • Super soft carrier that's also breathable
  • Huge front zippered pocket that's large enough to store a diaper and some wipes
  • Lower zippered pocket along the waistband
  • Flap that I buckled down has a sunshade that you can pop out and attach to the buttons on top of your shoulder straps
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  • Magnetic buckles that are SO easy to clip baby in and out 
  • Easy to adjust shoulder and armpit straps 
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  • Shoulder straps are the perfect width and padding 

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  • Waist straps provide amazing support and fastens enough for my petite frame
If you're a petite mama like me then you'll love this carrier! Unlike most carriers that I've tried, it's really easy to use. The buckles are easy to get on and off and I love that you buckle the waist and back together and it's on you. There's a mesh liner that is between you and baby and then you move the front portion to the magnetic clip​s. This way the carrier is fully on you and it's super easy to get baby into the carrier. It's also great because it's breathable! 

Whether you're a petite mama like me or just looking on the market for a new carrier, you should try Colugo's Baby Carrier a try. They're great because you can try it for up to 100 days! If you're not satisfied for any reason during that 100 days then you can return it!

New year new you?

1/1/2020

 

Let's refine our focus

Every January I hear everyone's New Year's resolutions but I don't generally participate. These goals are often pushed to the back burner and people generally give up on them after a few weeks or months. Rather than putting the burden upon yourself and creating such specific goals, try something smaller. I recently read an article that said to focus on intentions rather than resolutions. Rather than focusing on what you don't have, you start channeling your focus on what you want to achieve and think about what you can do to achieve those goals. 
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By @TheSelf_CareKit
This year, my intention is to focus more on self-care. As a new mama, I need to give myself more grace and taking better care of my needs. The image to the left is a great way to focus on self care! 

So as you reflect and set goals and expectations this year, refine your focus on what it is that you intend to achieve.

Message me and tell me what your New Year's intentions are!

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