Notes From Motherhood: Type Me

I’ve written before about how marketers pigeonhole moms into “Alpha Moms” or “Beta Moms” and how I feel like I’m neither. To me, being a mom is a very complex role and I don’t fit into any stereotypes.

I don’t think it’s just marketers trying to tell moms who to be. There is a lot pressure out there.

The BornFree Facebook Fan page and our recent Twitter party have allowed me to learn quite a bit (and fall totally in love with) our awesome fans.

BornFree Moms are homebirthers, hospital-birthers, exclusive breastfeeders, exclusive bottle feeders, sometimes bottle feeders, stay-at-home moms, working moms, student moms, mothers of six, trying to conceive their first, adoptive moms and more.

They’re all BornFree (or soon-to-be & want-to-be) Moms but have completely different lives.

Remember that you don’t have to fit into anyone’s idea of what a perfect mom is. Just be Type You!

Notes From Motherhood: Sleep Secrets

OK moms spill it. We all have our special sleep secrets. Tell me, how do you help your little one waltz into dreamland? There are hundreds of books on the topic but after two children I trust the advice of other moms (and dads!) more than anything.

photo from groupweston.com

Here are my secrets:

- The Miracle Blanket. This is the Rolls Royce of swaddling blankets. If you have a strong baby who needs to be tightly swaddled to prevent her from waking up repeatedly through the night, this swaddler is worth its weight in gold. I sent my husband out to get two after many frustrating attempts at swaddling my future boxer (she’d punch her way out of ordinary blankets!).

-A Good Night Light: For those midnight, 2 AM, and 4 AM newborn diaper changes and feedings you’re going to want just enough light to avoid trying to feed your baby’s ear but not enough to completely wake up your baby. Those “tap on” lights that attach to walls are fabulous. You’ll want something that is dim and can be easily pushed on and off. An overhead dimmer with a remote also works well. Keep all of your supplies close at hand so that you can avoid getting up too much.

- My BornFree Binkies. I know they’re called Pacifiers. Even if I didn’t work for my favorite BPA-free company my baby’s co-sleeper would still be lined with at least three of these soothers before we called it a night. If you’re wondering why we start with three it’s because we tend to lose them in the sheets during the wee hours of the morning. It’s just easier this way. In the morning I round them all up and begin again. When my infant finishes nursing I pop her binky in and she sucks away into a deep sleep. Bliss for mommy.

Those are mine. Tell me yours!

The Interchangeable System

I received an email from a mom a week ago saying she just found out that the entire BornFree line is interchangeable. It’s true! The Trainer Cup spouts, Drinking Cup spouts, and bottles spouts can all be used with each alternate bases. This helps to ease babies and toddlers easily from one stage to the next.

Let’s say your toddler is ready to move on to the Trainer Cups (for 6-12 months of age) from the 9oz bottles. You can give your little one a Trainer Cup Spout with a bottle base so that can experience a sense of familiarity.

I’ve taken some photos to illustrate this. I hope you enjoy them! More photos coming.

Notes From Motherhood: Teething Part II

Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a wonderful celebration. I rang in the new year with two sleeping kids- whoo hoo!

My little one is still working on those teeth. She been doing very well! Her sleep has been a bit compromised but I’m doing my best to keep her happy and comfortable. She’s been munching away at her Teether Gum Brush, letting the soft bristles massage her ailing gums. We were out this weekend and about 4 moms came up to me asking where I bought her teether! They could tell she was teething because of how dramatically she was biting and were surprised that she was so content.

Of course I was happy to share BornFree with them!

If you’re a BornFree bottle fan but are new to the pacifiers and teethers watch this video by Organic Baby Resource to learn more.

May this new year bring you everything your heart desires and more.

Notes From Motherhood: Happy Teething, Happy New Year!

For some reason I can’t at all remember when my first daughter started teething. Was the memory so horrific that I’ve blocked it out? That must be the case because my 3.5 month old has started teething. Isn’t this a little early? I’m assuming this means she’ll be an early reader as well.

Some of the symptoms are: eating around the clock, crankiness, not sleeping well…and that’s just me, the baby is having a hard time, too.

I’ve tried homeopathy, good old Tylenol (although she’s so young I’m keeping the amounts minimal) and lots of love. Of course I brought out her pink Teether Gum Brush for the occasion!

Bite as much as you want, honey! There are no BPAs!

She loves the feeling of the soft bristles against her ailing gums. Great mom that I am, I even popped it in the freezer so that she can cool down her gums a bit. Okay that’s not an original idea but I get points for remembering to do it, right?

Yes, I do keep flour in my freezer...Try to find the Teether Gum Brush!

Tonight I’ll be excitedly watching New Year’s Eve celebrations all over the world on television while tending to her little gums. Babysitters across the globe will be raking in the dough big time, too I’m sure.

I’m hoping that she’s not awake when the clock strikes midnight. Cross your fingers that I’ll enter 2010 with a peaceful, sleeping baby.

Happy New Year, everyone!

*Get your own Silicone Teether: http://www.newbornfree.com/ProductInfo.aspx?id=5144030

*Or the Teether Gum Brush (as shown with 3.5 month-old drooly Tali): http://www.newbornfree.com/ProductInfo.aspx?id=5144031

Notes From Motherhood: More Than Gifts?

The holidays are a big deal in my home. My eldest daughter knows she’s getting gifts. She loves getting gifts. Lately I’ve been wondering how to impart in her the spirit of the holidays rather than just the excitement from the potential loot she’s going to drag to her bedroom.

One way I’ve done this is by discussing why she is going to get presents before she can open any. I’m not sure this works, but it’s what my parents did!

How do you make sure your kids know the holidays are more about more than collecting presents?

Photo from CuddlesnGifts.com

Notes From Motherhood: Mom of Two

With my first baby I was all about schedules. I scheduled her naps, knew exactly how many hours she spent sleeping & playing, and planned my day around her every possible need. I kept an insanely detailed chart wherein I recorded how much she ate and for how long. My second baby is receiving no such treatment.

I don’t know exactly how many hours she spends sleeping but I know when she’s getting enough based on how rested or tired (puffy and red) her eyes look. If you ask me how much she eats, all I can tell you is, “enough.”

Data isn’t a part of the parenting equation this time around. I’ve traded graphs and spreadsheets with the number of wet diapers during the day for using my instincts and guesstimations and I’m okay with that. I love how relaxed everything is this time around. Our lives are more full but also filled with a sense of calm. I trust myself.

All that said, I’m not sure how moms with more than two kids do it. Right now we have an adult for each child. What do you do when you’re outnumbered? How does anarchy not break out? Share you secrets!

Notes From Motherhood: Snacks

I love snacks. I love them more than real meals. My favorites are popcorn, raisins, nuts, fruit…and chocolate cake. My husband says chocolate isn’t a snack but that can’t be right because then why would I call it “snacking chocolate”?

My 3 year-old loves snacks as well. She won’t eat many vegetables but she will eat baby carrots because they’re so adorable and snack-able. When she was younger she used to embarrass me by hitting up other moms at the park for their goodies. All a mom had to do was open a zip-lock bag or box of crackers and my little hooligan would go running towards her! They probably thought I was starving my child. We always had our own things to eat but the novelty of another child’s food was irresistible.

Lately I’ve been trying to get her to eat healthier foods. Apparently all of her classmates are munching on cucumber and baby arugula at lunchtime. I know I can sneak veggies into her favorites such as steamed, pureed cauliflower into her oatmeal and eggplant into her smoothies, but I’d love for her to one day eat vegetables knowingly.

I have a plan. She loves to have her park and playdate snacks packed into her BornFree Formula Dispenser. Creative, right? It has three compartments so that different items don’t mix (it’s a sin for foods to touch in Toddler World).

Perhaps instead of packing her usual munchies like sunflower seeds and popcorn:

Pretty healthy but we we need veggies!

I’ll start bringing this to the park:

Peas, corn, and snacking chocolate.

Totally kidding! I won’t take peas and carrots to the park because I’d never remember to bring a spoon.

Maybe putting the vegetables in a container she loves will encourage her to eat veggies at dinner. I’ll remove the chocolate and give it to her when she’s done of course.

Let me know what you think. I’ll choose one commenter to win a BornFree Formula Dispenser!

Notes From Motherhood: My Dirty Laundry

If you were a celebrity mom, what perk would you most enjoy? For me, I think it would have having a 24-hour maid. I don’t think all celebrity moms have 24-hour maids, but I would. She’d definitely be the kind of maid that does laundry.

I have a love/hate relationship with laundry. A friend of mine once suggested that I do a load a day to keep it from piling up and taking over my home. I didn’t follow her advice because of some weird guilt I feel over using that much water and power everyday but when I end up doing five loads of laundry in the middle of the night I know it all ads up to be the same.

Speaking of wasting water, I’ve heard that some moms have to run the washer twice for the same load when they accidentally leave wet clothes in the washer for too long and they start to smell funny…I’ve heard there are moms like this…but I don’t know any. Ahem.

Occasionally I’ll be really on top of it and manage to get a few loads washed and dried early in the week. I may even get them folded. Where my maid would be handy in these cases, is in the putting away. Oftentimes I leave my clean laundry on the couch and coffee table where I’ve folded them. It only takes my 3 year-old three seconds (one for every birthday she’s had) to destroy my carefully folded symbols of domesticity. She always looks at me with her big brown eyes as if causing a 15 stack-high pile of t-shirts to tumble was an accident, but I doubt it.

One of my goals in 2010 is to get my home running smoother. A place for everything and everything in its place. No more lost socks or missing pacifiers. BornFree™ was on the Martha Show earlier this year. Maybe she’d be willing to come over and help me out…

Stay tuned!

Notes From Motherhood: Thanks, Thanksgiving!

Notes from Motherhood is written by Tali & Maya’s Mom, Bunmi. Bunmi is the BornFree™ Social Networking coordinator for North America.

Thanksgiving was more fun than I could have imagined. I have three brothers, none of whom are interested in cooking, so I’ve always helped make Thanksgiving dinner. For the last few years I’ve taken the lead and made the entire meal myself.

This year was my first year with two children. My home was full of family and we’d decided to take out Thanksgiving dinner from a restaurant. Sounded great to me! No large roasting pans to scrub, my appliances would stay clean, no pie crusts to make- this mom of two was ecstatic! Don’t get me wrong, I love to cook but lately I’ve loved to watch people cook for me even more.

I spent Thanksgiving Day cleaning and tidying my home. I called the restaurant myself and was sure to place an order that would please everyone  (including the vegetarian). Right before our final guests and the food were scheduled to arrive I proceeded to put my two very tired little girls to bed. It was 6 PM and they were exhausted from the day’s activities. Little did I know, but so was I.

As I rubbed my 3 year-old’s back with one hand and held my infant’s pacifier in with my other hand I didn’t even feel myself fall asleep.

When I woke up it was 3:30 in the morning. Imagine that!

I think I remember my husband coming in to tell me that the meal had arrived but that could have been a dream.

I felt a bit guilty for not being there for our guests but they were well taken care of and everyone had a great time, including me! I haven’t slept that long in over a year. Thanks, Thanksgiving!