Tips and Tricks Tuesdays from Moms

This week in support group someone mentioned letting their baby watch tv. I piped up with the question, "Why do they say not to let your baby watch tv?". Well the moderator of the group said, "Google it. But some of the reasons are that it is linked to ADHD and affects their eye development." I gotta say I was totally freaked out! I thought they just told you that so you wouldn't be a lazy parent!

So I googled it. The AAP recommends children don't watch tv until age 2. 20 percent of children under the age of 2 have tvs in their rooms. I know an almost 1 year old that has a tv in his room.

The discovery health article, "Is it ok for babies to watch tv?" says there was a study done on baby enstein type videos. "The study, which was published in the Journal of Pediatrics, looked at 1,000 families, examining children who were 8 months to 16 months old. Thirty-two percent of children surveyed watched the videos, 17 percent of them for at least an hour a day. To determine how programs like "Baby Einstein" affected development, they focused on vocabulary. On average, for every hour a day a child watched these programs he or she knew six to eight fewer words compared to children of the same age."


The argument is that tv wastes babies' alert time. Since babies sleep 12 hours a day when they are awake we should be talking with them, playing games, and reading to them. If they need to be doing independent play the article says blocks are a great choice.


The same article says, "Experts associate excessive TV watching with a variety of problems in children, among them childhood obesity, ADHD and aggression. Some advocacy groups also express concern about the images children see on "non-educational" TV shows. The AAP estimates that if a child watches between three and four hours of TV a day, he will see 8,000 murders before he starts middle school." That's scary. They associate is with childhood obseity because they are seeing fast food commercials and not going outside to exercise and play.

I found no articles online that discussed eye development.

Now that I have done the research, I'm not making freaking out if Chase glances at the tv. How much and at what age your child watches tv is a family decision. At 12 weeks old I talk to and play with Chase when he is awake. He has some independent play time on his playmat. If no one is around to entertain him, his hands seem to keep him pretty occupied. I have no reason to plop him in front of a tv. I don't think we will wait until age 2 to let him watch tv though. Right now the tv is on sometimes when I am feeding Chase or when I'm holding him while he is napping. When my husband gets home I usually turn it off because its just extra noise.

What are your tv rules in your house? Do you have any other mommy advice? Write a post and link up!

Chase is 3 months old!

Another busy month for little C. He celebrated his 1st 4th of July! Thank goodness he slept through fireworks! He is such a lucky boy and got to hang out with both sets of grandparents a couple times. He got to spend some times with his cousins. His cousin Conner is always talking about baby Chase.




We took a trip to Tahoe that went great! He slept in his pack and play and did an 8 hour stretch between feedings! He had a lot of fun playing with his grandparents and Aunt and Uncle. He also got to meet our good friends that came to visit from San Diego.






This month he started grabbing his toys and holding on to them. His monkey toy is his favorite to hold onto. He likes to stand up and is doing pretty good in the bumbo. Tummy time is going ok. He likes to suck on his hands and doesn't try to roll over much.






We think he weighs 17-18 pounds. 6 month clothes fit him perfectly right now. Whenever people ask how old he is they say things like "he's healthy" or "I would have guessed 4 months". My response is, "yeah he's huge".





Chase usually goes to bed between 7:30 and 9. He usually sleeps a 5 hour stretch, wakes up to eat, and then does a 4 hour stretch, wakes up to eat and is usually up for the day around 8am. During the day he eats every 3-4 hours.





I've been looking at his pictures from when he was first born and I can't believe how much hair he had! I also can't believe how small he was!

Boob Tube Babble- Glee

Ok Gleeks, have you heard who is graduating?! I'm seriously depressed! How is the show going to be good now?

Lea Michele, Cory Monteith (Finn) and Chris Colfer will definitely not be returning "at all" next season! The news followed the announcement that Chord Overstreet (Sam) would not be returning to Glee, while Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang) and Darren Criss will be back for Season 3. Thank the lord Blaine is coming back!!!




What do you Gleeks think about this? What shows did you watch this week? Write a post and link up with Neely and me!

Nap Advice- Tips and Tricks Tuesdays from moms

Thank you all for the advice on napping and schedules. We have been trying anything and everything to get Chase to take longer naps and get the sleep he needs and not be overtired. A few times putting him in the swing worked.





We had one day he was doing some long naps and I just let him do his thing and waited for him to wake up or woke him up if it had been 4 hours since he ate. When he sleeps he really loves it and his tummy doesn't wake him up! This resulted in him waking up every three hours to eat that night. He normally does a 4-5 hour stretch, so I was not a fan. So we are not ready to do every 4 hours for eating.


My in laws were in town for a family member's 1st birthday party this weekend. Chase took a few long naps before they arrived and we went to the party. That evening it seemed like he didn't take any naps and didn't seem tired either. The next day he was overtired by the evening.




Well, let me share with you some of the nap advice I received when I asked my nap questions this week. No one was really able to tell me how long a nap should be. It seemed like the majority of the group felt like every child is different and no one can tell you how long they need to nap for.





The only piece of advice they gave me and want me to try is someone had a similar problem to mine and they read some where if you go in the room 5 minutes before they normally wake up and put a finger between their nose and upper lip they will go back to sleep. I guess it is a pressure point right there. I haven't really been able to do this. I don't want to risk waking him up by doing it.





I kind of feel like its going to be a lot of trial and error and I'm sure once I have it figured out he'll change on me. He's such a good baby and really this is a minor problem. My plan is to try to get him to eat every 3 to 3.5 hours so he's not keeping me up at night and just stick to a routine of naps after 90 minutes of eat and play. We are a busy family and need to be flexible. Right now a schedule doesn't fit for us.








Any more nap advice? Any other advice? Link up!

Boob Tube Babble

I don't have a lot of comments this week, but they are quality comments.

Bachelorette- has Ashley cried every episode? So Ryan is the one that comes back? Emily- I love her. She seems so nice and genuine.

RHONJ- Greg is so tall!!! Why does Joey, Teresa's brother always dress up like a woman?

Flipping out- Jeff is a big softie keeping his sil

Teen mom- I don't know if I can keep watching this show if everyone is going to pretend to have money problems

16 and pregnant adoption special- I cried my eyes out! I'm glad MTV did this. More teen moms should choose adoption!

That's all I have to say about this week. What shows did you watch this week? Write a post and link up with Neels and me!

Tips and Tricks Tuesdays From Moms and Target Tuesday

One bad thing about going to support group is seeing all the cool gadgets the other moms have and then wanting them! How have I survived 2 months without baggies for Chase's diapers?! Here is a list of some stuff I want to get at Target this week:

$16.99 Gilligan & O'Malley® Womens Full Sling Nursing Tank With Lace - Plum

I don't have any nursing tanks because I usually feed Chase at home. Most of the women in the support group feed their babies while we are there and then they can go out and do stuff afterwards instead of having to rush home to feed their baby. I tried feeding Chase this week and it didn't go so well. I'm trying to resolve all the problems with it. I definitely think having a nursing tank would help! Isn't this one cute?!

Along the same lines of nursing Chase in public, I want to get this nursing cover. $10.49
Eddie Bauer Nursing Privacy Cover - Blue & Green


I want to get a bumbo seat for Chase.

What mom stuff do you want to get? Any other advice? Link up!

Boob Tube Babble

Another busy week here. Holiday weekend, dentist, support group, Chase dr appointment, etc. I only watched two shows! I know! Gasp!

Sytycd- I haven't talked about this show much because I don't really have any favorites. Mitchell and Jess are probably my favorite male dancers but I don't like their personalities. The first week they didn't eliminate anyone. Then they kept Ryan which I disagreed with, and then the one girl I thought deserved to stay, Miranda, was kicked off.

Thursday's episode- TRAVIS! Ashley was leading her partner in the salsa. I can't stand that!Caitlyn and Mitchell's Mandy Moore routine was amazing!

Teen mom- why are they acting like MTV doesn't pay them? Farrah got a loan for her boobs. Amber has no sheets. Weird! I really can't take another season of Amber and Gary getting back together and breaking up.
What shows did you watch this week? I know a lot of you watched sytycd, teen mom, and big brother! If you didn't write a post for big brother this week, do it next week! Link up with Neely and I!

Nap Scheudles

I asked about nap schedules on twitter and I think I need more than 140 characters to expalin. Chase is 2 months old.

He was waking up around 6 or 7 and then taking an early morning nap around 7:30 or 8:30. This nap was anywhere from 50 mins to 120 mins.

Then he would wake up and eat and I would put him back down for a late morning nap after an hour and a half or so. This was anywhere from 80 to 120 mins.

Back up again to eat, back down again after 90 mins. Afternoon nap 40-120 mins.

Up again, eat, down after 90 mins. Early evening nap ranged from 30-65 mins.

One last time he would get up, eat, play and go back down after 90 mins. His late evening nap lasted 35-120 mins.

I asked the pediatrician today about the 30-40 min naps, if those are ok. She said no. Her point, which is valid, is that kids at daycares do get on schedules. That kids at home their mom might go and get them at every little noise they make. I don't think I'm one of those moms. My kid does sleep in his own room at night for 3-5 hour stretches. My kid is also pretty loud and I am going to try to get him on a schedule.

This is where I need your help, advice, and wisdom. If you had a 2 month old on a schedule at home or daycare what was it?

I think this is the schedule I want to try:
7am wake up, eat, play
8:30 nap
11am wake up, eat, play
12:30pm nap
3pm wake up, eat, play
4:30pm nap
7pm wake up, eat, play
8:30pm bed

So that is 4 2.5 hour long naps. Is that good and normal???

50/50 list update

1. Organize desk (in the process)
2. Organize guest room
3. Wedding scrapbook for mil
4. Wedding scrapbook for me
5. Baby book (worked on it)
6. Get a good paying job
7. Make cookies
8. Get chase on feeding/sleeping schedule- I think I can say we are on a flexible schedule.
9. Decorate nursery
10. Decorate living room
11. Decorate bedroom
12. Family vacation summer 2011- we have a date picked!
13. San Diego trip spring 2012- Hubby has been so cute already making plans for this trip!
14. Cut Chase's fingernails- we did once, need to do it again!
15. Cut blue's nails- complete! we need to do it like once a month though
16. Go to Europe
17. Go to NYC
18. Get abs again- working on it
19. Go on an overnight date with hubby
20. Take chase to meet his great grandpas- he has met both now!


21. Take chase to chico-done!
22. Take chase to my parents house- done!


23. Start college fund for chase- Suze tweeted us back. We should get on this.
24. Take chase to Disneyland
25. Help dad edit wedding video
26. Go to Yosemite
27. Go to MLB spring training
28. Go to high school reunion
29. Go to Texas and visit aunt and Neely, amber, Tara, and ashley
30. Go to a rivercats game
31. Go to Tahoe
32. Go to Disney world
33. Go camping
34. Go to Christmas eve service at bayside church
35. Stay at four seasons biltmore again
36. See movie bridesmaids
37. See movie bad teacher
38. Watch princess bride with mil
39. Go on Mother's day garden tour
40. Volunteer in Chase's classroom
41. Buy a new pair of jeans
42. Finish 40 day love dare
43. Finish What I love about you
44. Get a children's bible
45. Get a Froggie book
46. Take parents and in laws wine tasting
47. Go with dad to Hawaii again
48. Make mouth guard-done!
49. Put pictures in coasters-done!
50. Buy new coasters
51. Watch something borrowed
52. Go to Seattle
53. See the musical Wicked
54. See movie water for elephants
55. Read book water for elephants
56. Go to Oregon
57. Go to Chicago
58. Watch Hall Pass

Tips and Tricks Tuesdays from Moms! making mom friends

Last Tuesday I went to the first support group meeting. I loved it! There were probably 20 moms with their little ones all under 6 months of age. The support group is two hours long. Pretty much all there was time for was the women to go around an introduce themselves and talk about how their week went and ask any questions they had. The facilitator has been doing this for 12 years and she is an occupational therapist so she is a great resource.

They ask the first timers to share their birth story, who their pediatrician is, and if they are planning on going back to work. The first new girl seemed kind of shy. She didn't really talk much about her birth story. I went for the tmi overshare approach! Driving home I was thinking about how I'm the only one that shared what degree tear I had lol!



I only have a few mins until I need to wake Chase up from his nap. So let me just bullet point some of the tips and tricks I heard.

• we have our 2 month shot appointment coming up and there was a mom that had just taken her son so there were some good tips. i was already planning on nursing him to comfort him and giving him pain reliever afterwards. someone gave me a pain reliever that i'm going to take in and make sure its ok. the mom mentioned some pediasure drops or something and I tried to ask what they were, my friend said she thought they were like tylenol or a pain reliever. the other tip i thought was useful was to bring a bottle nipple with you. i guess there is a medicine they give them as an oral drop and they might not be used to that so you can put it in a nipple and it might make it easier.



• a couple moms talked about the book 90 minute sleep program. i'm tempted to read it but we are doing pretty good so i don't want to stress myself out and mess him up like with all the other books i read. sounds like you don't let them stay awake for more than 90 minutes, we don't let him stay up for more than two hours.



• another book that was mentioned is "and baby makes three". my friend is reading it right now and said i could borrow it after she is done. she said she is loving it.



• someone also mentioned a workout video to do with your baby that sounds fun. i'll have to get the name of it again.



• Someone else mentioned poop color relating to getting hind milk when breast feeding which I thought was interesting. Chase has had some random green poops and I didn't know if he was allergic to something I ate or what the deal was. Maybe it was that he wasn't getting enough hind milk. Hasn't happened in awhile. He's doing frequent mustard poops now. found this info on justmommies.com "Foremilk/Hindmilk imbalance - If your baby is breastfeeding and has green frothy-looking poops, this may be a result of a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. To put this simply, when a mom breastfeeds the first milk that comes out (foremilk) is thinner and lower in fat. After you have nursed for a bit, you will start to produce richer, fattier milk called hindmilk. Babies that receive too much of the thin foremilk and not enough of the richer hindmilk sometimes have problems with green stools and tummy aches. If you have been switching breasts a lot instead of letting baby get a good feed on one breast, you may have problems with this."

I will be going to the support group again today. I'm sure I'll have more tips for you all next week! What tips do you have for moms? Write a post and link up!

Boob Tube Babble

Can't believe it's already Friday! I had a busy week didn't get to watch very many shows!

Bachelorette- the punctuation discussion was a waste of my life. Lucas, I wouldn't date a guy that got divorced because he decided she wasn't "the one". That's scary. So funny watching the guys freak out after she told them Bentley came back! I can't believe Mickey just left! Down to 5 now. Felt like a big cut this week. Blake for next Bachelor? Who comes to Fiji?!

The voice- christina's hair looked like lady gaga. She sounded like she was on drugs or has given up when she talked about javier's performance. I don't like the original songs. Loved Adam and Javier's man in the mirror!!! I didn't watch the finale results shows. I saw on the twit that Javier won. Duh. Is there any other reason I should watch?

Sorry no pics this week guys. Chase is 2 months old tomorrow and I've been working on that post for tomorrow! It has tons of cute pics :) What did you watch this week? Write a post and link up with Neely and me!!!