Monday, July 20, 2015

Potty Training Under 2- Ruthie Hart

Yep. I am that crazy mom who decided to potty train her 21 month old with a newborn at home but it is pretty much the best decision I've made (only 2nd to getting him an iPad, praise the Lord for technology!). When I posted a picture of my son Ford standing proud in his new undies on Instagram, a few people asked me to post our approach. Initially that made me nervous because we aren't following a book or anything, we are just going with the flow. Dare I say it has been easy? Ford was just 21 months old when we started and that is pretty young considering it is still normal for 3-4 year olds to be potty training but this is why we started. My niece is fully potty trained and spent a week with us after baby sister was born so Ford was with her everyday. He saw her cool undies, cheered for her when she went on the big potty, and understood that she got an M&M when she went. The day she left Ford told us he had to poop on the potty and he did so we decided to give it a shot. My #1 piece of potty training advice is to wait for your child to be ready. Ford wasn't just ready, he was psyched! He talked about potty, undies, treats for a while and he is really the one who decided to start training. I wanted to share some things that have worked for us and how we are going about training him. I read about 3 day potty training and a few other articles on Pinterest and I got ideas from them but just following my own instinct, isn't that what we all do to survive parenthood?


  • Wait until your child shows interest. Potty training is BIG for kids. They are used to going to the bathroom while they play or eat and not even thinking about it. Now if your kid is 5 and not interested yet, there may be an issue. But just because a friend has a 2 year old potty trained doesn't mean your 2.5 year old is behind. Wait until they are ready or else it may take even longer (I've heard of regressions in other areas due to forced potty training).
  • Contrary to the bullet point above, we got 2 little potties for Ford when he was 18 months old and had them set out in our bathroom and upstairs in his room. We started talking about potty and showing him how we went and even asking him if he wanted to try. If he would say no, we wouldn't push it. At the beginning he couldn't care less but then got more and more interested and we got to the point where he would want to sit on the potty to "try" to go almost everyday but never went.
  • We cloth diapered prior to training so Ford knew that #2 was dumped and sprayed into the big toilets. I have heard that with disposable diapered babies you should take them in the bathroom and dump the #2 from their diaper into the toilet and flush it down so they see where it should go. 
  • Once they start showing interest, buy undies. Ford is obsessed with Bubble Guppies and I ordered a 7 pack of Bubble Guppies undies for him online. Buy undies that they will think are super cool (Mickey Mouse, Dora, Frozen, etc). Like introducing the potty, we talked a lot about undies. We showed them to him and said these are special because we cannot go potty in them. We didn't let him put them on until we officially started training.
  • Choose a treat. I tried to start with Juice Plus Gummy Vitamins for treats but Ford doesn't really like them so we chose M&Ms. I bought a bag and put them in a sealed Mason jar on the counter by the potty area. He gets 1 M&M per time he goes on the potty, no matter if it is #1 or #2. If it is right around mealtime we tell him he has to eat before he gets his treat. 
  • Have a designated potty area. Right now Ford's little potty is in a nook between our kitchen and living room. I have a stool next to it with books because he is already a little old man and loves to read on the pot. He can also see the TV which was great during the first few days of training when all we did was stay home. We have his M&Ms, books, undies, pull ups, and wipes in our potty area. 
  • Stay home. I was skeptical of the magical 3 day potty training approach working for us because Ford is so young but we did decide to stay home for 3 days at the beginning of training. Ford was basically naked during those days and we asked him if he had to go potty 2-4 times an hour. 
  • The 3 day approach tells you not to use pull ups but like I said above, we aren't ready to toss out the pull up option right away and I like using them. Ford is in undies when we are at home but pull ups when we are out. Before we leave the house we make sure he pees and put on his pullup. When we get where we are going I usually take him straight to the bathroom not just to make him go but so he knows that we can go potty in public (I've heard of kids being scared of going in public). I am so proud of Ford for this. He is very vocal when we go out and tells me when he needs to go and isn't afraid of going #1 or #2 in a public toilet (lots of hand washing!). He comes home with a dry pull up and we go straight to undies at home. 
  • We still use diapers at nap and nighttime because Ford is a heavy wetter during sleep. I am not exactly sure how to eliminate that because they don't know when they are going in the middle of the night but I am not worried about that right now. We are trying to monitor liquid intake right before bed (he used to drink a whole cup of milk while we read books and now he just gets it at dinner) but he still wakes up super wet. Funny thing though, he wants his diaper off right when he gets up because he's no longer used to sitting in potty. So that's a start!
  • Accidents happen. We are making sure we encourage Ford even when he has accidents. He is such a sensitive little guy already that we love on him and tell him it is okay but next time we go potty in the potty, etc. His accidents in the past few weeks have been so random too. 
  • Take a deep breathe. Potty training is hard. It is physically exhausting at first cleaning up accidents and doing laundry but remember it is worth it! Sure I could just throw a diaper on Ford when we are in public but then that would ruin all the progress we've made. Monday I took the babies to the grocery store all by myself for the first time and right when I got Ford in the cart and Lucy in the ergo, Ford announced he had to poop. It added about 5 extra minutes to our trip and I think I was sweating by the time he was done but that is part of it. Potty training isn't just for the child, it is for the parent too. I keep a tiny Tupperware of M&Ms in Ford's backpack so I can reward him when we are in public. 
  • Teamwork. My husband has been so involved in potty training and I couldn't have done it without him. Stay on the same page as your spouse and have a game plan. Also, if anyone else cares for your child, make sure they know your game plan too. When Ford stays with my parents or goes to Mother's Day Out, I make sure they will offer him potty or listen for him to ask for it. 
  • If it doesn't work, put the potty away for a while and try again later. I hear this is common. You think your child is ready so you try to potty train and it fails. Don't keep pushing it but stop and try again another time. Remember that as adults, we are all potty trained. All the blood, sweat, and tears that go into this will be forgotten. Your child WILL be potty trained!
I read an article about how you shouldn't try any big transitions with your older kids 90 days before or 90 days after a new baby is born. A few weeks ago I would have never thought we would have Ford potty trained before he turned 22 months but I am so glad we didn't ignore the signs. I know it will take time for things to flow a little better and for him to be potty trained at nap/night but I am so proud of my little guy. Like I said, I am no potty training expert but like anything in parenting, you do what works best for you and your family! And remember, one day everyone eventually potty trains!

Monday, July 13, 2015

The Last Leap -Amanda Hays

Today is a pretty momentous day in my journey of motherhood. My daughter, Mae, just finished her last Wonder Weeks leap. I'm both elated and terrified. The Wonder Weeks has been my road map for all my kid's craziness. Is she refusing to nap?- must be a leap. Is she throwing more tantrums than normal?- must be a leap. Is she screaming "no!" at strangers?- actually, that's just normal Mae. Seriously, this information was key to my survival during these first 18 months. But now I feel like I am starting the next part of my journey without a road map.
Does anyone else feel like raising a baby might as well be astrophysics? How did women survive before they could perform late-night googles? How else would I have solved the mysteries of overstimulation, swim diapers, teething cough, and neck roll hygiene? I know there are women who intuitively know how to care for their growing infant- I'm just not one of them. I needed resources to reassure me that I wasn't totally screwing up.
So in honor of my step into leapless territory, I am listing a few more of the resources that helped me survive so far. Disclaimer: This is what worked for me and my family; I know it won't be helpful for everyone and that is perfectly ok :)


How it helped me:
I've mentioned before that Mae was colicky. Getting Mae on a routine helped me decipher her colicky screams/cries and her needs cries. She still led the daily schedule but I knew what she needed and when to expect it. I also followed Tracy Hogg's sleep training method. Because we started a routine so early, we were basically able to sleep train without having to cry-it-out (monumental in the survival of this postpartum depression and frayed nerves mama).


How it helped me:
It's one thing to read about the 5 S's and a whole other thing to see them in practice. These techniques really do help calm infants, even colicky ones!!


How it helped me:
I can’t say enough about how helpful this website was to me! There are tons of great recipes and trustworthy recommendations for introducing foods.


And of course Ladies with Babies!
How it helped me:
Do I even need to explain? Local community and an army of mamas to answer questions... I wouldn’t have survived without you!


I wish you the best of luck and blessing during your baby’s first 18 months. And I would appreciate your prayers for our continuing journey!  

Amanda Hays

Monday, July 6, 2015

The 5th of July

If your 5th of July wasn't quite as magical as your 4th of July you're not alone. We had a wonderful Independence Day. It wasn't without its share of moments but overall it was a very good day. Our neighborhood really knows how to have a big celebration and we were able to spend the morning and afternoon with friends at parties and the evening with friends and fireworks. Its amazing to me that individual neighborhoods do their own fireworks displays - Austin really is the best city!

But for us fireworks it probably where this all went wrong. Lets face it - this really could have gone either way. Some kids love them! I even saw several of your kid’s pictures with the sweetest looks of amazement. Its heartwarming. Thats not quite the experience we had.  Laina was terrified of the fireworks the neighbors were doing and we spent a lot of that time inside alone trying to calm down for the “big” fireworks. We were only 5 minutes from home at a friend’s house but she was terrified and nearly convulsing with every noise. So we left. In the middle of the fireworks.

She went to sleep pretty easily even with all the noise outside but starting at about 1 am she would cry out about every 30 minutes. She did that off an on all night. When she woke up in the morning she just starting calling “Mommy, mommy” which she never does. Once I got her out she was ok. We had a few tantrums in the morning- a little more than normal but over things that usually aren't an issue. We went to church where she seemingly did ok in the nursery (thanks Laura and Kathryn!). But after that is where it all went downhill. I cant even begin to explain how extreme she was acting and how quickly she bounced from happiness to utter chaos. This behavior is pretty typical for her personality but this level was different. Thank God for my husband coming outside and being the Laina whisperer- we actually had a few minutes of peace and it was amazing. 

We went home- she threw a few more fits about nothing and I rocked her while she cried until she fell asleep. I should add that I cant remember the last time either of these two things happened. I have tried to rock her to sleep the last few months (she is turning 2 soon and I'm losing my baby!) and she just wants to play with me. And it seems like years since she has cried herself to sleep. But there she was- asleep on my shoulder. I held her for a little awhile and watched her in the mirror trying to remember how her sweet face looked all squished on my dress. I could have held her forever (but I didn’t...mama needs a break and it’s time for lunch!) So I walked out of her room feeling victorious and defeated all at the same time. I know - like everything with kids - it won’t last forever and soon this day will just be a memory. 


But I just wanted to share this with the other mamas that had a rough 5th of July (or any other day!) The days at the Britnell house are constantly filled with high highs and low lows and not a lot of in-between but that makes life so much more interesting. Having a strong-willed child is great- maybe not today- but I wouldn't trade today for a boring day if it meant losing all our great super extreme happy days. So don't wish away today, or this week, or this stage- but know you're not alone. And know that we have a whole year before we have to do the 5th of July again. 

...jessica britnell

Monday, June 22, 2015

Trusting Your Baby- Alexia Estes

If you you know me, it’s likely you already know that my little guy struggled with weight gain early on. As a result, I’ve become very paranoid about how much he’s eating and making sure he’s gaining weight well.

He’s been doing great since he hit about 6.5/7 months, but like many babies, his eating habits fluctuate, and it has become a little nerve wrecking for me! Once Jack finally started eating his solids well, his formula intake dropped significantly. At his 9 month appointment, his pediatrician said he was growing really well, so his 15-20oz per day, plus solids, was just fine.

When Jack started getting better at drinking from a straw cup I eventually eliminated all day time bottles and offered formula only in a cup. He would get a bottle each morning and at bedtime, but that was it. Once he really got the hang of it, closer to 11 months, his formula intake dropped again. He would take a full 5-6oz from his first bottle, but sometimes only 4-6oz TOTAL during the day. As long as he finished 5-6oz from his nighttime bottle I wasn’t too worried. But then THAT started to drop, too. Sometimes he would take only a few ounces, sometimes nothing at all! I even tried giving him a smaller dinner, but that didn’t work! I started to worry that he was going to become dehydrated, or that he wasn’t getting the right nutrition for a child under 1.

So being the paranoid mother that I am, I made an 11 month well check with our pediatrician. I know, I know, there’s a well check at 12 months. But I didn’t want to wait another month to find out if my baby was growing well and take the chance that something was wrong!

We found out at this well check that since his 9 month appt, Jack had gained 1lb 12oz and about 2 inches in length. He was steady at the 50th percentile, which was up from the 10th percentile at 6 months. I still asked a lot of questions. Is it ok that he’s not drinking much? Should I offer other liquids? Should we go back to daytime bottles?

Our pediatrician kept emphasizing that I should follow his lead. Trust him. Baby knows what he needs. Even if he doesn’t seem to be eating and drinking much.

The thing about babies is that they haven’t learned how to manipulate their hunger. I see a piece of chocolate cake and can consume it regardless of how full I am. Many people eat less in order to change they way they look. Not babies. They don’t even have this concept. What babies know is hunger and fullness. And, unlike most of us adults, they eat just what they need - no more and no less. If we try to force them to eat more, we may have a mess to clean up later.

One thing I do NOT want to teach Jack, or any of my future children, is to ignore their own hunger and satisfaction cues. Many of us grew up being told to eat one more bite of vegetables or to clean our plates. I’m not criticizing any of our parents, but I certainly don’t want my child to become an overeater because I think he’s not eating enough. Who am I to say how hungry he is?

It’s hard for me to not keep offering Jack one more bite when he’s already indicated he’s done. It’s really hard. But I have to trust my baby. He won’t starve himself. He hasn’t even learned the concept nor does he have any reason to. I have to trust that if he says no, he really doesn’t need it.

Jack is just over 20 months now, but I know that many parents of older children have the same struggle. It doesn’t just end with babies - the struggle will continue throughout our children’s lives. I hope that as Jack gets older I am able to teach him a healthy view of food and nutrition so that when he does learn that he can over or under eat, he will have no desire to do either.

And in the meantime, I’m going to trust that my baby knows when he’s hungry and when he’s full.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Jessica's LWB Top 10 List

In honor of David Letterman’s farewell show I wanted to do a Top 10 Things I Love about LWB list. But in true mom form Im a little late. I love so much about this group and all its wonderful mamas- this is just a list of some of my favorite things about our awesome network! (Not necessarily in any order)

#10 Sometimes you just need a good laugh. You ladies post things and ask questions in a way that literally makes me laugh out loud. I love it! We can all relate and I love how we can laugh at ourselves. One of my favorites is from Courtney Steen Turner on Valentines Day:  

Only you ladies will get this, haha. Valentine's Day plans conversation (last night):
Husband: My parents called and offered to take the baby tomorrow afternoon. 
Me: Oh? What time?
Hubs: I said no. We don't have any plans!
Me: What? We can MAKE plans! What time are they offering? 
Hubs: I'm not really interested.... we'd have to drive out there (20 min drive), come back into town, do whatever, go back and get her, come back into town... Not worth the effort... 
Me: How about we drop her off, come home, have some quality naked time, take a long nap, then go pick her up?
Hubs: (stares at me open-mouthed for a minute) ... I'll call them back. 
Hubs: (after he talks to his folks) This is why I married you.

#9 Mom’s Night Out. Im not going to lie...every month when this evening comes around Im tired from the day and then I see my husband (aka babysitter for the evening) get in his comfy clothes and I cant help but think how I want to get in my comfy clothes and get all settled in for the night too. But then I get to MNO and Im SO glad I didn't give up before I got there. Its a little like a flashback to a previous world but now with other mamas that can relate to where you are in life. I always meet someone new and its just a nice way to spend the evening. 

#8 My daughter has thousands of potential playmates. I never worry if my daughter will get enough socialization because I know that every week we will see some familiar faces and likely some new faces. Her first year was pretty rough and she spent less hours than I can count on 1 hand away from mom or dad. (Ladies- if you have family in town don’t take that for granted!) But she did gets lots of socialization with other moms and babies. Just being around other adults helped open up her tiny world and I couldn't have done it so easily without this group. Now she looks forward to “go play with friends”  and even tells me certain kids she wants to play with because its a particular day of the week!

#7 Family Fun Day. These are some of my favorite because its bringing in the Dads with Babies too and I love seeing our little family spend time with other sweet families. (Plus Gretchen usually does stuff in Texas wine country, brewery etc and its easy to get the guys on board )


#6 I love that we are all about Non-Judgmental sharing. No group is perfect and certainly not one full of hormonal women ;) but we strive as a group to keep this a safe and encouraging place. We don't all have to see eye to eye and as moms there are a million different stances we can take on a million different topics but thats not always the point. I love that in this group its more important to be together than to be right. There are plenty of ways to have constructive conversations and I appreciate not feeling like I’ll be attacked for putting my thoughts (or top 10 list haha) out there for the LWB world.

#5 Getting out of the house. Not only do we have weekly meet-ups planned, but you ladies are always posting about going to the park, or checking out new bakeries, or meeting at the splash pad. Its so great to know there are other people in the same place in life as me just needing to get out for some “fresh air”. Getting the babies to cooperate so we can actually be at the same place at the same time is another story but you gotta start somewhere. 

#4 There is power in numbers and I love all the wonderful things this group has done together. From reaching out to our neighbors in need, to donating Christmas gifts for a teen boys home, to raising money to help families during personal tragedy, to supporting our community during recent storms, the list goes on and on. There are so many of you that give generously of your time, money, organizational skills, and personal resources. I am honored to be a part of such a caring group of ladies. 

#3 Building community together. This group started with a handful of people (seriously, like 12) and look at what we have grown together. And Im not talking about numbers. Im talking about the communities we have built together, the friendships and connections we have made. I have met so many of you through this group- and I have gone out of my way to meet some of you to add to the group because I had a place to connect you to. Without this group we may have just kept passing each other on the trail week after week pushing our babies alone, or sitting at story time together without really ever getting to know each other. I love meeting new moms and having this group to share with them. Its such a wonderful community full of endless resources on our journey together through motherhood. 

#2 Leading with an Amazing group of Mamas. The girls on the LWB Leadership Team and our Region Leaders are seriously amazing. And they truly care about the health of this group and its members. I cant imagine serving with a more wonderful group of women!

#1 Knowing Im doing what God has called me to do. I believe with all my heart that God has me in this group to support, encourage and learn from all you fellow moms.  I deeply love this group and all the families it represents, and am thankful I don't have to do any of this in my own power but through God who gives me strength and guidance. 


I hope you have found some things to love about this group too. Thanks for being a part of Ladies with Babies!

.....Jessica Britnell

Monday, May 18, 2015

Restore Her - by Laura Brown

Hey ladies! I am so excited by the response and generosity already shown through the Restore Her drive LWB has been doing. As many of you have seen, we are gathering items needed for the little girls house at the Restore Her program out at Still Creek Ranch.
I wanted to share just a little bit more information about what the program is all about and why it’s such a great cause to support.
Still Creek Ranch is a place for children (both boys and girls) who basically need to be rescued out of a crisis environment. The circumstances of each individual’s past differ but include things like severe abuse, severe neglect or abandonment, sexual abuse, or even sex trafficking. The ages they take are between 5 and 17. Still Creek Ranch is different from places like Residential Treatment Facilities (who shelter foster children temporarily) because Still Creek Ranch does not accept any government funding and additionally provides a long term home for the children they take in. The ranch provides a home environment for the children who live in homes with two permanent parental figures (a house mom and dad). There is a school onsite that the children attend, and they are involved in a lot of agricultural, equestrian, and athletic programs as well as routine counseling. As students graduate from high school they are given scholarships and lots of transition help to get an education and secure a positive future. Many of the former participants come back to the ranch to help and motivate those still in the program.
Restore Her is a specific program at the ranch that is for girls who have been victims of sexual abuse and/or sex trafficking. The girls are split into two houses-one for the little girls, and one for the older girls. Our mission, is to help out the little girls house, which is older and just needs some new stuff! Again, Still Creek Ranch doesn’t take any government funding and thus they rely solely on the generosity of people who believe that their mission is worthwhile. If you join the event and look at the spreadsheet of things that the house mom said she needs, you’ll see things needed from razors, to softball gloves, etc. The information on the spreadsheet shows you how you can ship items directly to the site! Please, please, don’t be tricked into thinking that what you can afford to give is too insignificant to make a difference. If you have $5 to give, then that is something that can make an impact! Some of the items are larger, and the event page is a great hub for people to discuss pitching in money to get some of the bigger stuff!
It is, of course, easy to condemn sexual abuse and trafficking, but more important than condemning is doing what we can do to support programs that work to stop it. We can come together and each give what we can and we can make a huge difference for the lives of these girls and their wonderful house parents!


Here’s the link to join the event on facebook!


Please feel free to contact me, Laura Brown, with any questions!

Monday, May 4, 2015

Gym Daycare- By Alexia

When it comes to working out, I go through phases. I always feel better when I have a regular workout routine, but life has ebbs and flows, and therefore so does my routine.


Enter baby. Exit workout routine. And even after I was cleared to resume physical exertion beyond walking, I was still running on very little sleep and learning how to take care of a very tiny human. And I just didn’t have the courage to use the gym day care.


Since we were now a family of 3, my in-laws offered to buy us a membership to our local YMCA. We didn’t take them up on it for a while, but by the time Jack was about 9 months old I was really itching to get back into it. So we signed up and I promised myself I’d make every effort to go 2-4 times each week.


Even though Jack was now 9 months old, I was still a bit timid about putting him in daycare at the Y. I have left him other places many times, but it has always been either with family, or at a place where I can take time to talk to the caregivers, get to know them, and even watch him play for a bit. It doesn’t work this way at the Y. When I drop Jack off at the Y, I have to pass him over to the sweet girl at the Child Watch front desk, and she takes him back to the infant area. Granted, I can see through the window to that area, but I don’t get to talk to his caregivers or interact with him in that space. Maybe I’m overprotective, but that made me a little nervous.


The first several days when I picked Jack up he was visibly upset and crying. The second day I was even asked to come and get him because they weren’t able to console him. I was disappointed, sure, but decided to keep trying so that he would have an opportunity to learn to be away from me and become comfortable with new people in a new environment.


We continued to go to the Y about 3 times a week and each time Jack got a little bit better. After just a few weeks I could see that he was playing when I went to pick him up, and he was even smiling and laughing when they passed him back to me. I also learned a few things about what I can do to help Jack have a good time when I leave him with other caregivers.


1. Have a well rested baby! I always go to the gym mid morning after Jack’s first nap. His first nap is often not that great, but at least he has had something. I don’t suggest going later and rushing home just before nap time. That risks having your baby become more upset about being without you the closer it gets to nap time.


2. Have a well fed baby! When Jack wakes up from his first nap, he gets some milk and snacks. That way when I drop him off, I know he has a full tummy (or as full as he would allow it to get!). I also send him with snacks just in case he decides he wants more while I’m working out. This ensures there are no tears due to a hungry baby!


3. Use the paci/lovey! If your baby takes a paci, make sure they have it, or whatever lovey or comfort item they prefer. Jack only gets his paci at sleep times, but I found it to also be helpful when he’s separated from me. The days I’ve forgotten it tend to be the days he’s upset when I pick him up. As he gets older and drops the paci, I’ll make sure he has some favorite toy or lovey to take with him if it’s still needed - and I’ll buy a backup just in case!


4. Keep Trying! Like I said, the first few times Jack stayed in the day care at the gym, he didn’t like it. But the more we go, the more he gets used to it. And now he even has a lot of fun!

For those of you who have hesitated to return to the gym with your baby, I hope this give you some encouragement. It can be intimidating to leave your baby with the gym childcare staff, but it is so worth it to get your own time to do something for yourself!

-Alexia Estes

Monday, April 27, 2015

Water Safety Tips- by Jessica


I grew up in Florida and have a very vivid memory of the day I learned to swim in my grandparents swimming pool. My Aunt and Uncle taught me and it was moments like that that encouraged me to really invest in the lives of my nieces and nephews. But now as a parent I feel an even greater sense of responsibility and protection over my daughter. 
We are traveling to Florida for family visits in May and I know this trip will involve lots of water time. Last year it wasn't as much of an issue because our child had to be held constantly regardless of land or sea. But this year I know our rambunctious and curious toddler will be a different story. I decided to do a little research and thought some of you may benefit from what I found too. 
I am not a swim instructor, I have no experience with babies and water- just a regular mom trying to prepare myself to keep my kid safe. So here’s what I found...

Basic Tips

*Its a great idea to take a Infant/Child CPR class. I actually have to keep my certification current for work and my husband learned through our NICU class so this one was easy for me. But here are some links to local classes if you are interested.  (The one I do is for medical professionals through work so I cant recommend one of these first hand but ours are through the American Red Cross) 
This is an awesome, quick picture reference if you know you will never take a class (but classes are ideal) http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/infantcpr.html


*Always keep a child that cant swim WELL within arms reach. This is one of your best defenses against child drowning. 

*Any time you are near water, make sure your child is wearing a properly fitting flotation device that is approved by the US Coast Guard. Don't rely on inflatable toys (like water wings) to keep your baby/toddler safe in the water. This one was a little harder for me- I didn't even know they had “approved devices”. But Google knows. And there are lots of places to order one online and local stores that sell them as well. (USCG approved) 

This article was a little advanced for my needs right now but it seemed to have great info if anyone wants more specifics on finding the right life vest for your child. http://www.parents.com/kids/safety/other-safety-issues/choosing-life-jackets-for-kids/
*If you are going to a public pool, lake, or beach do some research to see if there are options for places with lifeguards on duty and rescue equipment in good condition. Bring your phone for emergencies (and poolside photo-ops!)

For Home Pools and Spas: 
(If you have one, likely you already know way more than I do but here are a few tips anyways)

*If you have a permanent pool have a fence around the entire perimeter that is at least 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate that opens away from the pool. Always insure the gate is locked when the pool is not in use and make sure there aren't things near the fence the child can use to climb over. 

*Make sure the drain has an anti-entrapment cover or drain safety system in place. “The suction from a pool drain can be strong enough to hold even an adult underwater, pulling on the hair or on the body and forming a seal. Missing or faulty covers often cause the problem, and an upgrade may save a life.” (babycenter.com)

*Remove toys from the pool and pool area to avoid drawing your child over to the area to play. 

*Drain inflatable or plastic wading pools after each use and keep them upright when stored. 

This article http://www.webmd.com/children/features/new-pool-safety-gadgets-help-prevent-drowning has some interesting information about safeguarding your home pool. It talks about a study conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding child drownings that occurred while children were supervised. The statistics are surprising (especially the ones that drown while there were thought to be sleeping). 

Something I think we all should know: 
What to do if my child slips under the water

*Again- never leave a child unattended in water- not even for a second. 

If they slip under for a moment they will likely come up coughing. 
But if they’ve been under for longer than a moment you will need to act QUICKLY and CALMLY. 
*Lift your child out of the water
*Gently tap or shake your child to see if they respond. If they are unresponsive, aren't breathing, or have no pulse- IMMEDIATELY start infant CPR. 
*If someone is nearby, shout for help and tell them to call 911. 
*If you are ALONE, preform 2 Minutes  of CPR then pause to call 911. (another great step by step for CPR with drowning http://www.webmd.com/first-aid/drowning-treatment)
*Continue doing CPR until the child begins breathing on their own or until emergency medical personnel arrive. 
*If your child has come close to drowning, immediately take her to the emergency room for a complete medical evaluation. Even if she appears fine, she may have inhaled water and stopped breathing, which could cause lung or nervous system damage.

There are also risks for Dry Drowning and Secondary Drowning that are less obvious:

*Symptoms: Coughing,Chest pain,Trouble breathing,Feeling extremely tired,Your child may also have changes in behavior such as such as irritability or a drop in energy levels, which could mean the brain isn't getting enough oxygen.

What to do: If your child has any s/s of dry/secondary drowning its important to get them checked out. Its likely they will get better with a little time but if they aren't its important to act quickly to treat the problem right away to prevent complications. 

This article has more info about Dry and Secondary Drowning http://www.webmd.com/children/features/secondary-drowning-dry-drowning


With any type of drowning please know that even after they are breathing there are other potential complications including dilution of their blood from fresh water or pool water that can cause deadly electrolyte imbalances, aspiration infections and lung complications, potential brain damage from lack of oxygen to name a few.

As a nurse with a background in Trauma and Critical Care Ive see a lot of things that aren't necessarily likely, but they happened anyway. While most of us will thankfully never experience a drowning or near-drowning with our children- please don't just assume it wont happen to you. Drowning remains the second-leading cause of injury-related death for children. Thats not something to ignore. 


This article turned a little more grim than I had originally anticipated but I hope it provided helpful information that can potentially help save a life. It gets hot here in Austin, Texas and I intend to enjoy the water during the summertime. Lets stay safe out there friends!!

......Jessica Britnell


Monday, April 13, 2015

Lissie's Love for Essential Oils

No matter where you go, it's hard to get around without hearing about essential oils.  Whether it's the display awkwardly placed in the middle of the aisle in the grocery store or the incessant offers of samples on your FB post, they are the recommended remedy for everything from snoring husbands and fussy babies to runny noses and ear infections. I've even read testimonies of oil use for fertility, cancer, thyroid...you name it.   Oily people joke that "There's an oil for that!" and the more you learn about them, the more you'll think it's really true!

I first heard about essential oils back when my dad was diagnosed with cancer in 2012.  Neither of my parents were interested in chemotherapy so my mom and I started looking into alternative treatments and we read a TON about the use of Frankincense to digest and destroy cancer cells.  Wow!! Unfortunately, my dad was much sicker than we originally realized and he died only a few months later.  

Fast forward 3 years and my baby, Jacqueline, got a UTI about 2-3 months into her precious little life.  Though we picked up her prescribed antibiotics, I decided to call my friend in KY to see if the mysterious and magical essential oils (that I'd been reading about on her FB page) could help us kick this UTI.  
Lo and behold, they could!  And, she had a local girl who would hook us up with a sample!  

Natural AND free??  That's like gold in this house.

So, we packed our baby into the car, and headed out to Round Rock to meet our dealer. ;)  Lisa was as sweet as can be as she dropped our oils into the baby food jar we had purchased solely for our oils.  She gave me 10 drops each of Young Living's Melrose, Frankincense and Purification and sent us on our way.

We added coconut oil to the essential oils and applied this mixture to Jacqueline's lower abdomen and feet every single time we changed her diaper.  After about a week, we returned to the doctor for another test to see how the UTI was doing.

It was GONE!!!
And...I was hooked.

I was thrilled to find a natural, time-tested remedy that could help my family and we've been using them for pretty much everything since.  

I am by no means an expert...and I'm sure I'll never be.  However, after a year of using oils, I can definitely make some recommendations on how people can use oils with their children. 

So, here are some of my favorites!

Lavender
Often dubbed the "Swiss Army Knife" of oils, Lavender has so many uses and if you don't know what oil to use...just use Lavender and it will often help!
We like it for burns, bug bites, bruises, skin issues and sleep.

Purification
Awesome to help get rid of stink -- um, can you say diaper pail?!  We've also used it for bug bites, bug spray, coughs and general cleansing of the air.

Melrose
This blend will always be my hero cause it was in the concoction that helped us with that UTI.  I've also given this oil to friends fighting mastitis or with a little one working on repeat ear issues and they have not been disappointed!

Thieves
This gem is our germ killer!!  It's named after the Thieves who used a blend of oils on themselves that enabled them to steal from those dead and dying from the plague without getting the plague themselves!  Um...yes, please!!

We diffuse it regularly during the winter months and I always put it on Miss J's feet when she's going to be around other kiddos to help boost her immunity.  We also use it in a spray bottle on shopping carts and restaurant tables --  since we all know it's impossible to stop baby from mouthing those -- and any time we feel that telling tickle in the throat.

Rosemary
After trying everything for Jacqueline's first real struggle with congestion, I diffused this during her nap and she woke with a dry nose!!  Now, I often mix it with Lavender to dry her up and calm her down.
RC is another one that we love to use for nose issues.  It's got a medley of eucalyptus oils in it, just like the popular Vicks rub, only with this, you don't get any yucky petrochemicals! Win!!

Peace and Calming
Can you say sleep training??  This oil got our whole family through that phase with wild success!  I've also heard that it helps calm husbands and dogs in the evenings. ;)

I could keep going but I'll stop there.  I haven't even TOUCHED on my favorite oils for mommy but I guess I should save something for a future post, right!?

If you're already using oils and want to connect with oily mamas, or would like to learn more about how we are using them, ask to join the Oily LWB page and we'll be happy to add you to the group!

Also, using oils has become a passion for me and I love sharing that passion with others.  So, if you're wanting to learn more, ask!! Whether it's a simple email explaining the ins and outs, or meeting up some time so you can see, smell and touch, we can make it happen.

Love,
Lissie

Disclaimer
I am not a doctor and this post is not purposed to replace professional medical diagnosis, treatment or advice. These are my personal testimonies of using essential oils only.. Use of any information from the content of this site solely at your own risk.


I am a wholesale member for Young Living oils and as such I receive compensation when I share YL oils with others. Though this was an unexpected perk of starting my own oily adventure, I would never promote anything I didn't use myself and in which I didn't  truly believe.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Ramblings of a Twin Mom: Our Journey to Parenthood By Lauren


It all started in a CVS bathroom . I had felt so nauseous that day and decided to buy a pregnancy test on my way home…but of course I couldn’t wait till I got home to take it. I was kinda notorious for peeing on a stick in a CVS bathroom anytime I felt nauseous for no reason…so I wasn’t expecting it to ACTUALLY be positive! We weren’t trying and I was on birth control at the time, but all of a sudden we were staring parenthood in the face six months earlier than we had planned,  and we were thrilled! We announced the news to our close friends and family immediately. Three weeks later we went to the dr. for our first ultrasound. As I watched the technician’s face, I knew something was not right. She immediately saidhold on and rushed out of the room. She was gone for what seemed like the longest time! The dr. came in to take a look and gave us the bad news that there was no heartbeat, and then proceeded to tell me that I had a very “weird uterus”. She told me to come back in 3 weeks. THREE. LONG. WEEKS. We were devastated but held on to hope. We didn’t know what else to do during that awkward three week window when we may or may not be having a baby in 8 months. We certainly didn’t talk about baby names or plan out the nursery. We just prayed. When we went back, it was found that the embryo had grown, but still no heartbeat, and we were told to come back in a couple weeks….seriously?! This went on for two months, when finally it was determined to be an unviable pregnancy. We were devastating to say the very least. I’m sure many of you know the feeling of losing a baby. It’s an unexplainably painful experience.  It’s like being on top of the world and tumbling to the deepest valley in a matter of seconds! It’s a feeling I wish for no one…EVER.
During my D&C, it was discovered that I had a septum (a non-blood-bearing wall) straight down the middle of my uterus and through my cervix. Basically, my uterus and cervix were divided in half by this wall. That explains the “weird uterus” comment. We were told this would need to be surgically corrected to decrease my chances of having another miscarriage; however, because of my recent pregnancy we would need to wait 5-6 months before we could have the surgery to let my uterus go back to normal. I was pretty anxious to try again….I remember all I wanted was to be pregnant again…to have that hope back. But now we were being told we had to wait up to 6 months before the surgery and up to 6 months after the surgery to try again. This was the desert…the place where God would test our faith. The times where I would wonder if God heard my cries…Now, I know he did. He had a bigger and better plan ahead than I could ever imagine; but, in that desert my husband and I were hurt, lonely, and sad. I know many of you who have struggled with infertility or miscarriages know this desert all too well. You’ve been in this place, and It’s not pretty. 
About a year after the miscarriage we found out we were pregnant again. Finding out you are pregnant after a miscarriage is not the same. You are filled with joy, yes, but that joy is overshadowed by fear, worry, and the need to protect your heart. This time we decided not to tell anyone until we at least heard a heartbeat. But, unfortunately, we never did. After all that waiting and undergoing surgery to correct what we thought was the problem, we had another miscarriage. I can’t begin to explain the sadness, anger, and frustration we felt….yet, more desert.
I ended up seeing a fertility specialist after the second miscarriage. He suggested Clomid although I had no problem whatsoever GETTING pregnant. My problem was STAYING pregnant. However, he said it would boost my progesterone levels during early pregnancy if I were to get pregnant which would decrease my chances of having a miscarriage. Oh, and have a 10% chance of having multiples….yea, that too! But wdidn’t care if we ended up with 8, we just wanted a baby, so we agreed to try it. The funny thing is I had always wanted twins. Seriously, as long as I could remember, I thought it would be so fun to have twins! Ha- Life is funny sometimes!  I went in when I was 6 weeks pregnant. Honestly, we weren’t really expecting to hear a heartbeat…I think it was our way of protecting our hearts yet again.  (At this time, the dr only saw one sac so we had no idea there were two) But, we FINALLY got to hear a heartbeat, which was the sweetest, most healing sound ever in the world!! It’s weird to think how a sound can give you hope and healing, but that one tiny heartbeat definitely started that healing process!  A couple weeks later, I went in for a follow up- BY MYSELF- and the ultrasound technician said “How many babies did the dr. said you had?” I was thinking to myself “who says that?! What a stupid question!” But didn’t say that, I just looked at her funny and said “one.” She said, “Well,  you’ve got two perfect little heartbeats in here!”  Naturally, I cried…. out of happiness of course… and maybe a little out of fear. 
From then on out my pregnancy was pretty normal with lots and lots of dr. appts and sonograms (one of the perks of twin pregnancy). It was going great up until 24 weeks. At that time my cervix had thinned to 1.5 cm. I was hospitalized immediately and had a procedure done the next day to get an emergency cerclage, which is a stitch in my cervix to keep it from dilating as long as possible. Following the cerclage, was a month of bedrest. Well, modified bedrest…the kind where you can’t go to work or go to the store but you can sit around and watch movies, get up and get icecream out of the freezer, etc…it was great for the first week, then it got pretty old and boring (oh, to have that time back now!). After I was cleared I went back to work full-time until December 10 when I was 34 weeks; 4 days. I woke up that morning having contractions. I went to see my OBGYN who took out my cerclage, and within a few hours I was dilated to a 4, then a 6, then I heard the dr. say “get ready. We’re having a C-section in 20 minutes.” I was NOT expecting that! The C-Section I was expecting because Baby B (Maggie) was breach, but what I wasn’t expecting was to be a mother of two within an hour! I was a complete wreck! I was so nervous to be staring motherhood in the face, and not know what condition my 34 week old babies would be in. The next half-hour was pretty terrifying and incredible all at the same time. Eleanor was born first and weighed only 3lb; 12oz. Maggie weighed 4 lb; 1oz. I got to see them for less than a minute, and I think I might have gotten to hold Maggie. Then they were whisked away to the NICU for monitoring. The next couple weeks of being a NICU mom were some of the most challenging and trying weeks of our lives. But, fifteen days later (on Christmas Day) we finally got to bring our babies home! 
Our journey to parenthood is full of a lot of heartache and a lot of joy, but honestly, I wouldn’t change it for the world! After two years and two miscarriages, God brought us out of the desert and blessed us with TWO beautiful baby girls. HIS PLAN WAS BIGGER!
“So we can rejoice in the unknown and look for opportunities to have faith because without the opportunity to have faith it is impossible to please God.  





Monday, March 30, 2015

MOM GENES? By Gretchen



I have anxiety about the label “mom” and I dislike writing. So when preparing to write this blog post for you all, I hope you can imagine the internal conflict I am facing evening as I type this. 

There was a BIG part of me that just wanted to cut and paste Olive’s birth story that yes, my husband wrote. But the whole point of this blog is to let you into our transparent lives, and hopefully someone will be encouraged by what we have to say. 

So here I go.

There was never really a point in my life, during pregnancy or even this last year, that I spent a lot of time thinking about motherhood. Yes, I knew one day I’d most likely be a mother. Yes, I did set up a nursery. And yes, I was up every three hours breastfeeding… but truly in all of that, I spent most of my time thinking about that unknown 4th lyric in the rhyme “First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes baby in the baby carriage”… 

Really, what happens after baby carriage?

For the longest time I believed that maybe I didn’t have the “mom gene”. You know, that feeling inside of you that supposedly get’s all excited about onesies and small socks? Never felt it. It was a real confusing time for me, because I LOVED my daughter, I believed this was God’s best plan for me, but I just didn’t seem to really care about all the “hoopla” that somehow attaches itself to motherhood. Because of that I started to believe lies that maybe I just wasn’t cut out for this new job, or that there was something wrong with me. 

It took me awhile to finally see the truth in this matter, and that truth is there is no “ONE SIZE FITS ALL” to motherhood. If God did not create us to be robots then He didn’t create mothers to be either. I remember so clearly the friendships I made as a new mother. It was so freeing and encouraging meeting and knowing other moms who felt the same way I did. 

Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for the feeding, the napping, the sippy cup conversations, but what I want to encourage others and be encouraged in, is that motherhood is a very important role we play - but it’s not our identity. 

The author of Ecclesiastes said, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” How true is that! There will be a season for baby rearing (I’m in that), but let’s not loose sight of the big picture. While every role we play is important and the season God puts us through doesn’t last forever, my charge to you (and myself included) would be: what do you want your legacy to be? How do you want to be remembered? How do you want your kids to remember you? For me, I want Olive to see her mom doing more than just folding laundry and house cleaning. I want her to know that her mom loved God and loved people well.

So, how are your mom genes fitting these days?

Fighting for you,
Gretchen




Monday, March 23, 2015

Mommy Worry: The Good, the Bad, and the Embarrassingly Ugly- By Kara Kopecky



I wish someone would have warned me about Mommy Worry.  I had heard a lot about mommy guilt, but the worry part really surprised me and hit me like a ton of bricks when we brought Abigail home.  Perhaps this is partially due to our adoption story and the fact that I never had the typical, and not so typical, worries that come with pregnancy.  I never once worried about Abigail’s birthmother miscarrying.  I never once worried about Abigail having a birth defect.  I never once worried about a first or second ultrasound, a heartbeat check, glucose levels, preterm labor, preeclampsia, etc. – you get my drift.  I’m sure this is because I spent our entire time of being matched simply worrying that our birthmother would change her mind (which is no fun either) but it finally struck me as odd that I never worried about “Abigail the baby” until my husband asked me one night if I ever worry about Abigail being born healthy.  I looked at him blankly and said, “I never even think about that.  Of course she’s healthy!” 
So what a surprise it was to finally bring our baby girl home and then instantly find myself struck with obsessive worrying … about pretty much everything.  
***Now before I go any further, a quick disclaimer: The below account of my Mommy Worry is meant to be humorous and encouraging to others experiencing obsessive worry as a new mom.  However, there are sometimes “good” reasons to worry depending on your own baby’s circumstances.  I am NOT making light of that whatsoever.  My story centers on the fact that I had NO legitimate reason for Mommy Worry, yet I was consumed with it nonetheless***  
My first stage of worrying began the first night we brought her home: what if she suddenly stops breathing?  This resulted in many nights the first few weeks of me checking on her several times throughout the night while she (and my husband) slept soundly.  It was as though I could not get my mind around how a tiny little fragile human being could breathe throughout the night… without me staring at her like a crazy person.  I obsessively researched SIDS, bought all of the recommended baby gear to help prevent SIDS, laid her to sleep on her back, and stayed up almost all night every night for days (even during my husband’s “feeding” shifts!).  
The sense of fear I had about Abigail suddenly dying in her sleep was intense, something I had never encountered before in my life. 
 I felt this overwhelming sense of responsibility to keep her alive not only for her sake, but also for the sake of her birthmother who chose us and trusted us to keep her healthy and alive.  It seemed everywhere I turned, there was another news article posted about SIDS prevention, and the laundry list of dos and don’ts related to SIDS made my head spin.   Was I doing everything I could to prevent SIDS??  This was only the beginning of my Mommy Worry.
At Abigail’s 2 week appointment, everything looked great, she was healthy and content and I was actually thinking, we’re doing ok here!  We’ve got this!  Until… the doctor says to me, “Abigail is gaining weight on the fast side and we should probably monitor her intake more closely in the coming weeks/months.  Make sure you are not overfeeding her.” Of course, my first question was, well why is it such a bad thing for her to be growing so well?  And how do you overfeed a baby??  And he simply answers, “Well she could get pretty chubby if she keeps gaining weight at this rate.”  Um, ok?  Since when is letting a newborn baby gain weight a bad thing?? (Side note 1: I have since switched doctors.  Side note 2: I am a weight conscious person by nature so this type of conversation struck a cord in me that I did not like one bit).  
The damage was done and I was now obsessively worried about my perfectly contented 2 week old getting too chubby.  
This was the beginning of Mommy Worry: Stage 2.  Looking back, it’s easy to say, why the heck did I care so much?  I cared because, as an uncertain new mom with a huge need for approval (living in a society obsessed with weight), I needed that doctor to say I was doing everything right and my baby was not going to be on the Biggest Loser someday.   I took what he said to mean I was doing something wrong and Abigail was going to suffer her whole life for it.  The ironic part is that Abigail has always been an excellent eater, never once would even spit up (no joke), has never had reflux or colic, very little gas – basically every drop of formula that went in that baby’s mouth ended up in her belly, which is a GOOD thing for a tiny little newborn.  I could not believe that I was now to worry about her “getting pretty chubby.”
There was no way in hell I was going to put my 2 week old on a diet.  
So I carried on as usual, only for the next several months I would seriously cry the night before a well check for fear of what she would weigh.  I obsessively compared her to other babies.  I heard comment after comment about how my baby was the chubbiest baby someone had ever seen. “What do you feed her” followed with a laugh, was quite common from strangers.  I googled, found charts, EVERYTHING to try and make myself feel ok about Abigail being a chubby baby.  And you know what?  She WAS a chubby baby.  Off the charts in weight her entire life and still is at 13 months.  But she is also tall and beautiful and healthy and active.  I kind of want to punch that doctor in the face.  I also want to tell strangers to SHUT IT when you see a new mom and her baby.  We now have a doctor who loves Abigail’s chub, assures me we are doing just fine as parents, and this has allowed me to slowly let go of my Mommy Worry: Stage 2.  I am exhausted at this point… but there is one more stage to go.    
I have a whole forehead wrinkle I will devote to the worry over Mommy Worry: Stage 3 - “Milestones.”  I actually hate that word now.  Let me backtrack a bit and say that as part of an agency adoption you have 6 post placement reports to fill out and monthly visits with your social worker.  This is a good thing, as it ensures the child has been placed in a good home and is thriving.  This is a bad thing for Mommy Worry because it also ensures that every month you will obsessively report on what your baby is doing while also being “not so subtly” reminded of what they are still NOT doing based on general baby milestone guidelines.
Let’s just say that Abigail decided to give the baby milestone benchmarks the big fat middle finger from day 1.  
With the exception of sleeping through the night, which she did at 9 weeks and has never looked back (Praise God), and her ability to consume and digest food like a CHAMP, Abigail did every.single.major.milestone LATE.  Now a little side note about neurotic ‘ole me – I don’t do things LATE.  I am type A, always on time, have never missed a test or a deadline… so how was I to handle my laid back baby doing everything LATE??  (Obviously God has a sense of humor).  Of course a Type A like me would have the most laid back, “I don’t give a rat’s behind about some stupid milestone chart” baby in the world, right??  Regardless of the reason for it, during Abigail’s first 6 months of life, I googled milestones and “what your baby did at _months old” so much that google probably has me flagged as “CRAZY MOM”.  Here are some examples of the crazy: I obsessively compared what Abigail was doing to what other babies were doing all over the stupid internet baby message boards.  I obsessively compared what Abigail was doing to what other babies were doing at our playdates.  I reluctantly made her do tummy time even though she cried the whole time, which made me want to cry (she HATED tummy time until 7 months!!). I tried to “teach” her to roll after watching a youtube tutorial (ughhh).  I put her in swim class in hopes that the activity would help her develop her motor skills (she did NOT like swim class)  …  oh my, the list goes on.    
You’re probably thinking, girl you are seriously crazy.  When is this madness going to stop??
Don’t worry, I was thinking the same thing.  You know when it stopped?  When I was driving home from swim class with Abigail one day, shortly before she turned 6 months.  I was CRYING because during the cheesy “goodbye” song where the babies her age are on their tummys looking all cute and some trying to CRAWL for goshsakes, my child was WAILING and barely lifting her head because she was so pissed off about being on her tummy.  As I heard her in the back of the car cooing and gurgling, happy as can be, I suddenly realized I AM PROJECTING MY OWN ISSUES ONTO MY INNOCENT PRECIOUS CHILD.  This Mommy Worry?  This obsession with charts, graphs, milestones, approval from doctors, approval from other moms, comparison to other babies, ALL OF THIS CRAP?  
Is my own personal garbage… my struggles with perfectionism, feelings of inadequacy, comparison to others, competition within myself, PRIDE, all of which I need to sort through, clean out, and give to God.  Because this child is GOD’s child entrusted to me, not my own personal badge of accomplishment.  This isn’t about me.  ABIGAIL IS HER OWN PERSON.
And you know what? That very next week, I finished our last post placement monthly report for the social worker and vowed to never look at another milestone chart or weight chart ever again.
Just days later, Abigail rolled over.  Both ways.  I am convinced she was laughing at me as she did it.
Fast forward to 13 months old, she’s laughing, rolling, crawling, cruising, and newly walking.  We have not attempted another swim class … yet


-Kara