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There are many, many things I want from The Grommet, but this placemat is near the top of my list — goodness my sons are messy! Ladies, has anyone bought splatmats or otherwise found ways to control the crumbs? (My sons both hated the silicone bibs with food catchers on them, sigh.) The Cibo Placemat (L-2)Sales of note for 3.28.24
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Crib Rec says
So we’re going to have the baby sleep in our bedroom for maybe the first year or so and are looking for a mini crib to make the space feel less overwhelming. I had my eye on the Emerson Mini Crib from Pottery Barn but unfortunately it sold out in all colors but navy. I’d like white or wood. Doesn’t have to be convertible, but want something that is sturdy and well made, not something made for a vacation or visiting grandma once in a while. $500 and under. Any recommendations?
Crib Rec says
Also: any other advice on having baby share bedroom are welcome. TIA!
TK says
Everyone has different experiences with this – for us, during the worst of my sleep-deprivation-while-trying-to-work phase (say, months 3 to 7?) it drove me crazy that hubs could blissfully sleep through the night with baby in the room while I woke up at every rustle of his sheets (biology, sigh). So, while having baby with us was convenient (for me, while nursing) it was also infuriating (for me, during all other times) when it kept me from sleeping but bothered hubs not at all.
Advice? Have partner take a more active role with baby early on. Sure, they can’t nurse – but changing diapers, bringing baby to/from bed for nursing, pacing or rocking to get baby back to sleep, etc can be done by someone other than you when you need to sleep. We fell into a bad habit where I did everything.
pockets says
Well, since you asked… If you can not do it, don’t do it. Babies make a ton of noise in their sleep and every rustle, grunt, and whimper is going to wake you up. Doing any sort of sleep training is going to be very difficult, and CIO (cry it out) will be all but impossible. At 1 year old, you’re evicting the baby from your room and the baby is not going to be happy about that. You are going to have a 1 year old who only knows sleeping in your room and seeing you/being comforted by you when she wakes up in the middle of the night, and is pissed that all this is changing. And she’s going to be teething, pulling herself up in her crib to scream, and yelling “mommy” and “daddy” when you’re not there.
Some moms are like, We co-slept until she was 7 and I loved every second of it and now my kid is the best sleeper ever!, and all power to them. But if you value sleep then I would strongly suggest not sharing for more than a few months max.
Crib Rec says
Thanks, I did ask and appreciate the honest perspective. For us it’s not really negotiable because we’re in a 1 bedroom apt. and it makes more sense to move when the baby will be at least 8 mos., if not closer to a year. Moving now would just mean moving again in a year and that doesn’t appeal to me, practically or financially.
Funny what you say re: co-sleeping. My parents let me sleep with them till I was 7 and I am the most phenomenal sleeper in the world. I can sleep anywhere – planes, trains, automobiles, with the lights on, tv on, whatever.
pockets says
I figured you might not have the option. And, different strokes for different folks. Is there any way you can set up some sort of physical barrier (bookshelves or something) to separate you and the baby?
You should also consider getting a white-noise machine (or a fan). Most babies sleep better with one, and it’ll help drown out some of the baby’s tossing and turning.
Your story about your sleeping is funny too – my mom (I’m sure) never slept with me in the room and did extinction CIO, and I’m a very fussy and light sleeper.
Burgher says
We co slept with our first the first year and didn’t sleep train until 14 months once we decided it was past time. He was the *best* sleeper from 14 months until he learned he could climb out of the crib around 2 years. Like really, every single night it was, brush teeth, story, song, out like a light all night. After a while he didn’t even need the story and only made it until daddy started singing and that was it. But then he learned to crawl out of the crib and won’t stay in his bed for anything. Now that he’s about to turn 3, he is finally sleeping through most of the night, but still ends up in our bed every night at some point. I actually love the snuggles and didn’t mind until baby #2 arrived and made it much more difficult logistically. When all 4 of us are in bed in the same room I usually just wonder why in the heck we were in such a rush to buy the 4 bedroom house, since we could have probably made due with 1-2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths up until this point and maybe even a little longer. We never even go in 2 of our bedrooms and the kid’s bath is only used because our master is a shower only. (We live in a LCOL area, otherwise I would not have a 4 bed 2.5 bath place and we bought for long term and not wanting to move ever again after moving about 12 times in 6 years for college & work) Just saying that you can probably make a smaller place work for longer than you think, so don’t stress about a deadline.
Lindsey says
We are in a similar situation, and we have been using a pack-n-play that we wheel out to the living room at night. Not perfect, but way better than sharing a bedroom with my daughter, since we are all light sleepers — we tried that initially, and it was a huge failure. My daughter is now almost 9 months old, and she rarely wakes up when we move her at night, and even when she does wake up, she isn’t scared or upset — seems to be apathetic. She is also a good sleeper — consistently 11+ hours overnight. We are in an HCOL city, and we are hoping to continue to survive in a one-bedroom unless/until we have a second child, hopefully in 16 months or so.
anon says
We’ve been very happy with our Ikea Gulliver crib, which I guess isn’t technically a mini-crib but which is quite small.
stc says
We love the Gulliver. My son is over three and still sleeping in it converted. Although I’m ready for a big kid bed just so I can snuggle while reading to him.
pockets says
I think a lot of people get the Alma Bloom mini crib.
Crib Rec says
I saw that one, but it just doesn’t look very sturdy in the pictures. Maybe because of the fold option/metal brackets and the wheels. Have you seen this in person or does anyone have this one? I went to Babies R Us to check out some regular cribs and was surprised by how unstable/shoddy many of them were, so really weary of that with the mini crib.
anne-on says
Do you have a Magic Beans or a Giggle by you? I’ve seen it in person at Magic Beans since my SIL was considering it for their 1-bedroom apt. It is acrylic, but really very sturdy. I was also super impressed with the mattress it comes with, very thick and plush, and I believe its eco-friendly and organic as well. If you don’t already know, Giggle tends to do a 20% friends/family event on everything in the winter, maybe check when that is? That’s how we picked up our umbrella stroller and a few other pricey items that never seem to go on sale.
Crib Rec says
I do have a Giggle! Thanks!!
pockets says
If you are in NYC, the Buy Buy Baby in Chelsea may also have it (they have a lot of fancier baby furniture that isn’t on the website).
mascot says
If you don’t need the folding option, you might want to look at something that is convertible. Presumably the convertible cribs are made to have a longer lifespan and are more sturdy? But really, babies aren’t that heavy and don’t start pulling up for months so sturdy is a relative term.
Crib Rec says
My biggest concern is space. Most cribs are around 53 inches, and the one I liked at PB was 42 which is perfect because it gives me that extra bit of space to keep the room from feeling cramped. The way I figure, by the time baby is too big for 42 inch crib, we will be in a bigger space and can get a convertible toddler bed. The lack of sturdiness bothers me generally. I can’t stand furniture that feels like it’s made out of particle board.
DC Mom says
We have this crib and love it. It is easy to move around and it has a rounded bottom so it can rock.
Baby is almost 1 year old and will probably outgrow it in a couple of months, so that’s the only drawback of getting a mini. It sounds obvious now, but I really didn’t think of that…
http://www.amazon.com/DaVinci-Alpha-Mini-Rocking-Crib/dp/B000FT7NUG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1439909653&sr=8-3&keywords=da+vinci+mini+crib
Crib Rec says
Thanks! Do you find it to be stable and sturdy?
DC Mom says
Yes, I found it sturdy. Our daughter stands and stomps around it all the time now and it has not been a concern. We did get a 5” mattress, bc it comes with a 1” pad.
We also used the rock and play a lot for naps and sometimes overnight. It was nice to have a second place for her to sleep.
Three says
If you are short on space, and can process not starting with a crib, I’d honestly start with a little bassinet or a rock and play. Some people stress that the RNP is not a “flat on your back” sleeper, but neither of my boys would sleep anywhere else their first three months or so. Or, a travel bassinet would be a serious space saver, and perfect for a newborn. We used the Summer Infant By Your Side Sleeper, or I’ve heard the Brica Fold and Go Travel Bassinet is good. Neither of my guys would have slept in a crib, however, and looking back, I would have started with the RNP, and then transitioned to the crib around 3 months.
Anonymous says
Ditto the RNP. This might not be recommended, but the RNP also fits through doors, so I would pick it up and move it while baby was sleeping. You could start baby in your room and move him/her to the living room when you went to bed if baby keeps you awake. (I’ve also heard of people keeping baby in closets or bathrooms…)
MDMOM says
I would consider this also. I have a 3 month old now and we have almost every sleeping container known to man- crib, cosleeper pack n play, rock n play sleeper, rock n play bassinet, and a ghodyu (an indian baby hammock type of deal). Most were gifts, some were bought us… its a mess. Anyway, the cosleeper is awesome for the first few months because it sucks to have to get out of bed every 2-3 hours, bend down to get baby, get back in bed or chair to nurse baby, then get up and bend down again to gently return baby to sleeping container. The cosleeper is the same level as you bed, so you can sit up in bed, grab baby, nurse baby, put baby back, and your feet never hit the ground. We have the arm’s reach cosleeper- it’s hideous but awesome. You can also just turn to see what baby is doing (or, in first few weeks, make sure baby is still alive if he’s being too quiet).
That said, my baby is currently sleeping in the rock n play sleeper, because he seems to do better with the snug fit in there. I hated the rock n play bassinet because it was so much lower than my bed that I couldn’t even see the baby without sitting up (seems like it would be awesome for travel though because it folds up flat). The rock n play sleeper is better in this regard because, although low, it doesn’t have high sides so its easy to just peek over edge of bed and see what baby is doing. I would highly recommend using the RNP sleeper or a cosleeper for the first 2 months at least. When baby is sleeping for longer stretches, and you’ve been conditioned to get up repeatedly in the night and go back to sleep, it’s not such a big deal to have to get out of bed to go to baby.
We’re planning to move baby to crib soon, at around 4 months. Big holdup is that we are having some HVAC issues in the nursery. I’ve heard it’s much harder to move them once separation anxiety kicks in around 6 months.
My baby was only a really noisy sleeper for the first few months. I agree that a white noise machine is great- but I’ve slept with one for years anyway so that’s not new to me.
As to your original question, no experience with mini cribs but I have heard good things about Ikea’s cribs.
Liz says
We used the arms reach cosleeper for the first several months then moved the baby to our bed once we were more comfortable with cosleeping. Cosleeping was least disruptive for my sleep while breastfeeding during those early months. We began the transition to the crib and her own room around 9 months. Now at 14 months she often (4-5 nights a week) sleeps 10 hours in her crib. We still co sleep some nights. I think you have to do what’s best for you and allows you to get the sleep you need.
Mary says
We had our daughter in a Pack N Play in our room for the first 3 months. I woke up with every noise. It got slightly better with a white noise machine running, but not by much. Fortunately, once she hit 3 months, she started sleeping through the night, and I promptly moved her into the crib in her nursery. My husband didn’t like it, but he wasn’t the one getting up all the time.
EB0220 says
We never eat out without our Summer Infant Tiny Diner. Love it so much.
Pigpen's Mama says
How well does it stick to a table? My daughter is a hot mess when she eats because she insists on feeding herself, but tries to rip off the disposable placemats and will throw any plates or bowls.
EB0220 says
It depends on the table. It sticks well on smooth surfaces, but not so much on more textured tables. I can usually weigh it down with napkin holders and other items from the table, but my kiddo doesn’t try to throw it on the floor until she’s done eating.
Andrea Miller says
The Cibo placemat was the best discovery! Tiny diner was too “tiny” for my kids. Cibo catches nearly all their mess and sticks great to my granite counter and my wood dining table. Use it like 10x a day!
DC Mom says
Does anyone have a favorite splat mat? BLW is messy business!
Anonymous says
We just use picnic table cloths (the vinyl ones with cloth backing.) When they rip we throw them out.
PregLawyer says
A baby boutique in my city has the EZ PZ mats. They are silicone and the bowl is part of the mat. They sort of suck to the table so LO can’t lift them up. They look really neat and useful.
MSJ says
In keeping with today’s topic, any favorite table and chairs sets suitable for young toddlers?
pockets says
I got a cheap-o set from ikea – the Latt. It’s $24.99 and comes with a table and two chairs. At that price I didn’t care if my toddler drew all over it (which she promptly did).
NewMomAnon says
I got a basic Lack end table and two of the Ikea kid stools. The Lack table has been a hit (once I put grippy things on the bottoms of the legs), but the stools are a bit too tall and too lightweight, so they kept falling over when my kiddo would try to climb up on them. They have been relegated to a closet for a while and I just have big floor pillows for sitting under the table.
Burgher says
Haha, glad mine isn’t the only one that was immediately covered in crayon.
Maddie Ross says
We have the Melissa & Doug one (blond wood table with two chairs). It’s been a big hit. Toddler loves it and the chairs hold adults.
Anon S says
Lawyer moms (or other moms with unpredictable work schedules): how do you make it work? I’m a first time mom to a 4 month old and I’m going back to work in 2 months. When am I ever going to see my daughter? Starting to really think about logistics and not sure how it’s going to work . . .
LSC says
Boundaries. I thought my work demanded all of my time and attention until I came back from maternity leave. As it turns out, I was doing most of that to myself. There are still times when I need to be at work when I’d rather be at home, but for the most part I can set up expectations for my availability that give me time to see my daughter and accomplish all my tasks. I hope that will work for you, too.
NewMomAnon says
I went back to work when my kiddo was 4 months old, and I found that it worked best to go into work later than I would have pre-baby. It gave us a lot of time for snuggles and morning nursing/feeding. Also, a short commute was key because I really struggled with feeling like I was off radar while driving. Daycare with long hours was also helpful (mine is open 6 am to 6:30 pm).
My struggle was the end of the day – my baby was a terrible (TERRIBLE) sleeper, which meant that I didn’t have the evening hours I really needed to bring work home. If you have a supportive co-parent, have a conversation about how you will share evening baby handling. In retrospect, I needed to do CIO earlier so I could have had some night time sanity. Do what you have to do to help baby learn to sleep through the night. Do it early.
Also, learn to delegate at work (depending on your seniority). I always make it clear that if there are projects that must be done between 5:30-7:30, the junior attorney or paralegal will do those and then I’ll sign back on after baby is in bed to review/sign off/fill in blanks. Sometimes I feel mean doing it, but I did my years of long hours too.
And having said that – I am struggling with this too, even a year after returning to work. It is hard. Be kind to yourself and know that it will be a delicate balancing act and that sometimes you will feel like you’re about to fall off a cliff. Somehow, I have always managed to hang on and regain my balance. Good luck.
sfg says
Went back at three months. 2 months in, there have definitely been a few days when I didn’t see DD before bedtime, and while I have discretion to make things like depos work for me such that I don’t need to stay overnight somewhere, in reality staying overnight has been easier (and I get a full night of sleep). We have a nanny and DH typically goes to work early and is home early, whereas I have the morning shift and get home later. I definitely have become more efficient during the day, as PP said, I was the one creating problems with boundaries and my workload (a lot of the time, anyway). Things are hard but I am learning to take things one day at a time. Communication with DH is really important – and I’m learning not to hold back on telling him whatever.
Three says
THanks for the responses yesterday on going for 3 when you only ever planned on 2. I wasn’t able to respond or read them after work (can’t pull up individual articles or comments on my iPhone). I really think we’re a 2 kid family — I just have to remember that when I feel the serious baby-fever kick in. I also worry that I will really regret not having more when they are grown up, and realize how short this time was. I keep telling my husband that I want to do all I can to enjoy this time and spend lots of time with them so I don’t feel like I need another baby b/c I missed so much with the two we have. Oy – I don’t think parenting ever gets easier!!
TBK says
Help! My sons are now 17 months and seriously, seriously need haircuts (they’ve never had them). I asked on a local FB parents group for recommendations and tried calling the place a few people recommended. That place (1) doesn’t take appointments and (2) the guy said they can “try” doing a first haircut “if they don’t move around too much.” Have you ever met a 17 month old who doesn’t move around too much!? What do people do? There’s a place called Cartoon Cuts a little ways from where we live, but it has horrible Yelp reviews and the people on FB also panned it. There’s one other place I’ve heard recommended, but I’ve also been told that it’s just the one woman there who’s really good with kids and the wait to see her tends to be around the block. Where do people go for first haircuts? I’ve been tempted to cut their hair myself, but have never gotten them to sit still long enough to make even the first cut. I now understand why little boys used to just wear long hair back in the day.
Katarina says
I used Great Clips, and had no problems. It was cheap, they were good with my son, and we have gotten lots of compliments on his haircut.
Bloom says
+1. We’ve done Cost Cutters (9 months) and Hair Cuttery (one year) and had good experiences both times. My son sat on my lap for the cuts and the stylists had lots of experience with kids.
Lyssa says
We got our little boy’s done at R & Co., which I think might be local, but it’s a basic low-cost chain, along the lines of MasterCuts or SuperCuts or Great Clips or that sort of thing. My husband and I go there, too (yes, I’m not fancy), so it was just a matter of asking the girl that cuts his hair regularly. The first cut was free, and they gave us a lock of hair in a little envelope to save, which was nice. He sat on my lap throughout the cut and we promised him ice cream after if he was good (which he really was). So, you might try calling around to your local chains (or where your hubby gets his done, if he has a regular unfancy place); I’ll bet they all have a procedure for little kids.
Anonymous says
I am not usually a diy person, but I do cut my toddler’s hair myself. I bought haircutting scissors at target or somewhere (they are sharper than other scissors). We pull the highchair outside, and DH holds an iPad playing Elmo songs while I do the cutting (takes about 15 min). I just run my fingers through DS’s hair and cut on the outside of my fingers, if that makes sense. Good luck!
JJ says
I cut our boys’ hair myself, as well. We bought a razor/trimmer kit with a bunch of different length blades. Sometimes we have mishaps (accidentally almost shaving all the hair off my youngest’s head a few months ago), but I figure boys hair will grow back quickly. My husband usually gets his hair cut at Great Clips and for the first hair cut, each boy just sat in his lap while it was done.
NoVa says
You are in NoVa, right? Try Ms. Annie at the Westover Barber Shop. Google for tons of glowing reviews of her treatment of kids – she’s amazing, and has done both of my kids’ first and all subsequent hair cuts. If you have to wait, Lost Dog pizza, the Italian Store, and Westover Beer Garden are right down the street and there are tons of parks within walking distance.
I think she’s actually out of town in August, so call first – but worth the wait for her return, IMO.
TBK says
I thinks she’s the one with the long wait who’s been recommended to me.
mascot says
We did the kiddie place when he was under 2. They are pretty good at bobbing around with the kids and have tvs, lollipops, etc. to keep them distracted. For a couple of years, we just got clippers and did buzz cuts at home. His hair took a while to fill in all over enough to necessitate actual cuts/styles. We now alternate btwn the great clips and the local mens barbershop. Both are pretty good with little boys.
POSITA says
Our hair cutter gives our toddler a little McDonald’s toy and that is a great distraction. We also have resorted to letting her watch videos on our phones during a cut.
Honestly, our toddler was so curious about her first cut she actually sat really still. She wanted to see what was happening. We’ve had more trouble with squirming during subsequent cuts. Maybe you’ll get lucky!
EP-er says
I had a couple of baldies, so was able to push off my kids’ first hair cut until they were almost 3! And we are really big Disney fans, so had their first hair cuts at the Barber Shop on Main Street of the Magic Kingdom. (Certificate, special mouse ears, glitter… it was really special.) Anyway — my son hated, hated hair cuts until he was probably 5 years old. Don be afraid to bribe if necessary! Or have him sit on your lap. We tried the kiddie place with the TVs and the fancy chairs, which was okay until they closed. Then we started going to Great Clips, which was also just okay. We have recently switched to an old school barber shop now that his is older and he gets a fantastic cut there, but he can also sit still for 20 minutes.
I just cut my daughter’s straight hair at home.
Ciao, pues says
Ideas for a gift for a caregiver now that we’re moving away? She’s been with our little one for over a year, since infancy, and they adore one another. I’d like to give her a token of our gratitude and friendship, other than cash. She’s in her early 70s, has been in the biz for years, small in-home daycare, and is basically a surrogate grandma. Ideas?
JJ says
Do you have a picture of the two of them together? I’d think a framed picture of them, in a nice frame, with a handwritten note would be wonderful.
EB0220 says
Piggybacking on this – my daughter is about to move from the infant to the young toddlers room at daycare. She’s been with the same two teachers since she started daycare, and they are wonderful. We’re really going to miss them. I’d like to get them a little something to say “Thank you.” I am planning to get a few books for the classroom. Do you think a photo & note (as JJ suggested) would be nice for the teachers? Just a note? Something more practical?
Anonymous says
There’s a good thread on this, including opinions from teachers: http://corporettemoms.com/best-teacher-gifts/
Ciao, pues says
There’s a good thread on this, including opinions from teachers: http://corporettemoms.com/best-teacher-gifts/
Famouscait says
I need tips on starting baby on table food (he’s 9.5 months). Honestly, we don’t typically Eat Dinner at home, and never at the table. Its either takeout, cereal, or at best – a bag of microwaveable steamed veggies and another bag of grain/protein (think a bag of broccoli with a bag of quinoa). My hubby and I prefer to unwind, eating on the couch while watching the news or something. We saw our pediatrician today and I was too embarrassed to ask about this. What do other people do? What are good foods I can make in bulk on the weekend to dispense during the week? I am in the groove of making homemade baby food purees, if that helps… Thanks!
anne-on says
My son was allergic to dairy/eggs, so he’s always eaten different foods than we have for dinner (plus my husband gets home late and I eat with him). What we generally do is protein + veggies + small serving of grains. I do all of this on a weekend and vary the protein/veggies, but honestly he probably gets the same meal at least 1-2x week.
The proteins we do are generally homemade meatballs (which we do in big batches and freeze), boneless roast pork loin (cut into small pieces, its moist and pretty soft), roast chicken breasts, roast beef (roll ups of deli meat), roast turkey (I roast a whole breast at once and freeze portions) and bacon/hot dogs on occasion. Veggies are your typical steamed veggies, though in the winter I also roast sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips/etc. and serve them in a small dice. Pureed carrots mixed with applesauce is also a hit.
I generally serve the veggies/fruit first, then meat, and crackers/bread at the end otherwise that’s all he’d eat. The benefit to cooking so much on the weekend is I can just break out the tuperware containers and have his dinner done in about 5 minutes. Sorry for the novel but hope that helps!
rakma says
We transitioned from purees to cooking chunkier things on the weekend and freezing them like we did for the purees–cubed steamed carrots instead of pureed carrots, pastina in chicken broth. We also keep easy to prepare things on hand–yogurt, frozen waffles, Dr Prager’s spinach cakes (DD’s favorite food).
Honestly, it got a lot easier when DD was about 13-14 months and really interested in what we were eating. Now, at 20 months, she eats the take out, or what ever else we’re having for dinner, and we’ll supplement with some fruit or cheerios if she’s not into whatever we’re eating.
Famouscait says
How do you freeze them? In ice cube trays or something else?
Meg Murry says
not ramka, but we freeze a lot of things in silicone cupcake pans or by putting the silicone cupcake separate liners into a bigger container. For some things like applesauce, yogurt and oatmeal you can pop them out of the silicone and into a freezer bag. Works great
rakma says
Yup, ice cube trays and silicone baby food containers (Don’t remember the brand, the are about the size of the cupcake liners but have lids–found them in TJ Maxx) OXO has square containers that would serve the same purpose. Ice cube trays are a good size when you’re mixing different fruits and veggies for one meal, but I liked a larger container when we were making blends.
pockets says
The theme in our house is Things That Were Purchased Frozen. So, we have turkey meatballs from Trader Joe’s, spinach cakes & broccoli cakes from Dr. Praeger’s veggie burgers, frozen peas, and other assorted frozen vegetables. We supplement with pasta, mac and cheese, and cheese (either string cheese or cheese I cut up), and various fruit and vegetables that the nanny cuts up (cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes, peppers, cucumbers). And every so often I will make 4 chicken breasts in the slow cooker, re-freeze them, and shred them (you can also do pan-fried chicken breasts and cut into cubes). It’s not the most adventurous diet but baby isn’t complaining and she eats enough.
Famouscait says
The Dr. Praeger’s veggie cakes looks amazing! Thanks for suggesting these.
anonymama says
You can feed your baby takeout, or really almost any regular food. I like to use food scissors and cut the pad thai noodles/veggies/meat into pea-sized chunks, and then put on a tray and let baby go to it. Same with cooked frozen veggies. And baby can eat quinoa too. Also, whatever you were pureeing, just cook and chop into small chunks instead of pureeing, and there you go. Raviolis are also an easy not-really-cooking option, or yogurt, or soup. Even pizza, they can gnaw on a big section of crust, and you can tear up little bits of the cheese and toppings.
CPA Lady says
I don’t cook either. I do a pick three where I do a carb, a protein, and a fruit. The carb is cheerios, teething wafers, part of a biscuit, mac n cheese, or pasta. The protein is scrambled eggs, hummus, bamba, chicken or turkey lunch meat, or plain whole milk yogurt. The fruit is watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, mandarin oranges, pears, etc.
If I get take-out, she can have some of that too.
I just cut everything into tiny pieces and let her go for it. She eats a wide variety of food at daycare (they provide it), so I don’t worry too much about what she eats for dinner.
Famouscait says
Love the pick three idea. Thanks!
also 1 br says
Tagging on to the previous poster’s question – we are in a 1 bed with a fairly large walk in closet (with exit to bathroom) and were considering keeping the crib in the closet. But, we store a lot of things on top of the high shelf (suitcases, large tupperwares of clothes) and now I’m thinking these are all at risk for falling on the baby. We need all the storage we can get, so does it make more sense to try to sleep the baby in the living room at a certain point? Fortunately our situation will only be until baby is about 5 months, but would love for anyone to weigh in.
Also, totally unrelated, but I am really not looking forward to the concept of pumping at work (even though I am trying to be open minded to all possibilities – even the possibility that I may not be very successful with bf at all). I guess I’ve never heard anyone really say “I only bf-ed for 3 months or while on leave” or something. Is it so taboo? I’m also just not sold that the benefits for my child will outweigh what seems to be a crazy-making pita… FWIW I am extremely fortunate and will have 18 weeks before I go back. I realize my feelings on this could all change after baby arrives… but it just seems like a lot….
sfg says
Maybe you can tack up some sort of netting across the shelf that would help keep those items in place? (The image of luggage storage on shelves above seats on a Greyhound bus is what came to mind…)
Re: pump or not to pump, I know there are several regular posters here who did what you are wondering about, or who combo fed to avoid or cut down pumping at work. I do pump at work, and it is a PITA, but right now it’s important to me and it’s otherwise working well. If it didn’t work for me, I would re-evaluate.
mascot says
:raises hand: We combo fed from day one and stopped nursing (completely) within 2 weeks of my going back to work so around 3.5 months. I know several other women who weaned at or before 3 months and some who could maintain enough supply to bf 1-2x a day and formula feed the rest.
Do what works for you and your family and ignore the noise.
Lyssa says
Regarding the feeding issue, even though I had a pretty short leave, this is what I did both times. For the first time, I was a litigator in a small office and really could not see making pumping work with my schedule and set-up. For my second, I have no excuse, it just sounded like a massive and unpleasant hassle.
Basically, I almost exclusively BF’d for the first 4 weeks. After that, I started gradually adding more formula – first, when I just didn’t feel like nursing, then every other feeding, then every third, and so on. By week 6-7, I was sort of gradually trying to extend the time that I would go between feedings by an hour or two more each day, and I did the last feeding at week 7 (and returned to work at 8 weeks). It worked pretty well – a lot of leaking, but no problems with engorgement and that sort of thing.
FWIW, our pedi said that he thought that the main benefits of breastmilk come during the first few weeks. I’m also pretty meh on nursing in general (I’m fairly certain that the studies showing long-term benefits are really just showing that the types of people who breast feed usually have a lot of other advantages as well, and I never really found it all that great of a bonding experience, as compared to bottle feeding).
CPA Lady says
I only planned to breastfeed while I was on 12-week maternity leave and then switch to formula when I went back to work. I’m a well-educated, well-off, white woman (I only add that because it means that I’m firmly in the “expected to pump for a year” demographic according to the articles I’ve read on the subject), but I honestly could not comprehend pumping at work based on my personal circumstances.
I almost exclusively nursed for the first couple of months, then added in more and more bottles. Eventually I went back to work, never pumped at work, but kept nursing once in the morning and twice in the evening. That lasted til she was 6 months, at which point I switched over to formula entirely. The only reason I kept nursing so long was that I ended up really liking it, much to my surprise.
It worked well for me, and honestly it saved my mental health to be able to combo feed and then to use formula.
op says
Thanks for all the replies! This sounds exactly like what I want to do, so glad to hear it worked for you!
MDMOM says
Sleeping baby in living room could work really well if you guys can have dinner done and transition to bedroom to hang out/watch tv once baby is in bed (assuming you aren’t ready to pass out yourself). Most newborns can sleep through anything, but my baby became a lot more noise sensitive at around 2 months. It would be a good idea to have them in something movable though, like the RNP sleeper, so if you have people over or want to use the blender or something, you can move baby to bedroom and shut door.
As to your second question, that’s perfectly reasonable. I hear a lot of times your supply drops when you start pumping more than direct feeding, so many moms end up supplementing with formula anyway once they’re back at work. I’m not back for another month and plan to give pumping at work a try, while giving myself full permission to quit if it isn’t working out.
pockets says
Do the things on the high shelves normally fall off? If they’re not coming tumbling down in general, is there a reason why you think they’d start falling off the shelves? If you’re concerned, some sort of netting sounds like a good idea.
Pumping at work sounds like a huge PITA to me too and I chose not to do it. Like Lyssa, I thought it was a massive hassle that had little (if any) benefit to the baby. In my experience people will definitely give you looks for not breastfeeding/pumping but those are people you probably don’t want to be friends with anyway. I thought this article was a really smart take on expectations of pumping: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/01/19/baby-food
Pigpen's Mama says
I had planned to go to 12 months, because that’s just what you do. Instead, we made it six months exclusively bf/pumping, then tapered down to all formula by 9 months. The PITA to benefit ratio just wasn’t there for me.
I took four months leave and pumped some during leave. It didn’t really bother me, it was just time consuming and a lot of work. So before I went back, I realized that I’d rather spend that time working so I could leave work earlier and see my baby. I never mastered the work and pump at the same time, and it was really stressful trying to make sure I pumped everyday. So, I stopped pumping at work entirely around 7.5 months — because there were too many days in a row where I couldn’t fit it in. At 9 months she was biting me during her one nursing session in the am, so we stopped.
Other than some stinkier poops, my daughter wasn’t bothered at all. In fact, I was almost offended that she didn’t seem to care! And after a week of feeling mildly guilty, I was so much happier.
The research I saw said the benefit, if any, was really in the first few months — and then, it’s the presence of breast milk, not the absence of formula, that provides the benefit.
mascot says
“The research I saw said the benefit, if any, was really in the first few months — and then, it’s the presence of breast milk, not the absence of formula, that provides the benefit.”
Yeah, my lactation consultant was quick to assure me that even small amounts of breast milk had all the good stuff in them and not to stress about the formula to breast milk ratio.
anon says
My plan was to bf while on leave, tapering off toward the end, and then only morning/night upon going back to work (if that worked). Of course, the baby had other plans, including tongue tie and other issues, and ended up bfing only 1 month and pumping another month. But yes, I had no intention of pumping at work — it takes time, and I would rather spend that time at home with my baby rather than having to stay even later at work to make up the pumping time.
Famouscait says
My son slept in our living room for his first 3+ months. We tried him in our bedroom for one whole night, learned how much noise babies make while sleeping, and promptly moved him out. It was not a space issue for us (single family home in small town) but simply because our master is on the main floor, and we didn’t want to be trekking all the way up stairs during the night. So, we put his rock n play thingy in the living room during the day, but could also move it into our bedroom in the evening if we wanted to watch a movie, etc. It was very easy but not at all what I had envisioned or planned for.
EB0220 says
Off topic, but I’d love some thoughts. Does anyone work with a cleaning person/service on a flexible task schedule? I currently have my cleaners come once a week to clean the whole house, but I’d rather have someone clean things on a staggered schedule and instead do other tasks around the house. For example, the kitchen really needs to be cleaned every week but the guest bedroom only needs to be vacuumed once a month. This seems like it could get complicated. Has anyone done something like this, and how would I find this type of person? Do the logistics get too complicated?
Meg Murry says
My parents used an individual cleaning person, not a service, but the system they worked out was that my mom left a note on the kitchen counter with a list of priorities – so kitchen and bathrooms were always first on the list, but then she would prioritize beyond that (guest room, thorough dusting of the shelves in the living room, etc), and the cleaner would cross off what got done if she didn’t make it to the end of the list in her alloted time. It worked for them, but I don’t know how well it would work with a service. Honestly, I suspect that if they are vacuuming all the rest of the bedrooms it would probably result in more confusion as to which room got skipped than the time it would take for them to just go ahead and vacuum it unless the guest room is in a separate wing of the house.
mascot says
Does the same person come each time and can you ask them? We use a service, but the same woman has been cleaning for us over a year now. She is happy to prioritize whatever task we need. Same as you, we don’t need our guest room cleaned very often so she uses that time to wash and fold our sheets/towels instead.
EB0220 says
Good idea! I have the same two ladies every time (it’s not a service). I think they take different amounts of time (seems to range from 1.5 hrs to 3 hrs) but I could talk with them about it. Maybe we could agree to something. I also thought of keeping it super simple and having them do the downstairs + laundry/sheets one week and upstairs + others tasks the second week. That would be simple, but I’d rather have the kitchen done every time. Hmm..!
Lulu says
I’ve thought about a formal schedule like you are talking about but haven’t had a chance to sit down with cleaning person to discuss it. For now, if something is important I leave a “pls pay extra close attention to X, but you can skip Y” note on the counter for her. She usually does an extra good job at X and a cursory job at Y, rarely skipping Y entirely. When she first started, we discussed what always must be done every week (kitchen and bathrooms) and what she could skimp on unless told otherwise (like the guest bedroom–if someone’s coming to visit I let her know so she can spend more time there if necessary).
Meg Murry says
I’m in back to school planning mode, and I’m thinking I need a wall calendar again. My most important stuff is in Google calendar, but I want to teach my oldest (3rd grade) to start writing his stuff on a physical calendar, and have a bulletin board next to it to tack up birthday party invites, etc.
I almost bought this one last year – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IS2Z11U/ but didn’t and now it’s sold out – and the 2016 one that starts in August isn’t available in the US yet. I like the week at a time format, with a section for each family member, and the acrylic sheet that you can move from week to week for recurring activities (although I guess it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to have my son just write “karate” every week, or maybe I could make some stickers for that with address labels).
I need something with larger boxes than the standard “1 month per page” calendars, and I’d prefer one that isn’t cutesy and “mom-ish” – although the one I’m interested is called “Organized Mom” that is the only part where it says “Mom”. One month view spread over 2 pages might be ok, or something longer than average.
Any suggestions? Or anyone better at filtering through the 370,000 options at Amazon than me to find my unicorn?
hoola hoopa says
That acrylic sheet is pretty cool. Maybe you could do the same with overhead projector sheet? You could probably print “Karate” etc labels onto avery label sheets, which would at least save the writing time.
I’ve heard good things about Mom’s Family Wall Calendar by Sandra Boynton, which is fairly aligned with your wish list although it’s definitely cutesy. Maybe following the ‘also viewed’ will lead you down a helpful path. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761183272/
Meg Murry says
Oh, good thought. Now I’m going down the rabbit hole, and I think I might DIY something where I just print pages myself and cut off the spine for the the rings from a 3 ring binder to put them on. A little more work, but I can make it exactly what I want that way. But I’ll check the links and see if anything else shows up that is a little better and doesn’t require me to DIY
Stacey says
You could try the FlyLady calendar. It’s oversized and you can order it with stickers that might work for recurring events.
hoola hoopa says
That child’s bowl needs to be so much closer to the edge of the table! The pic is driving me crazy.
IME those types of products are more of a distraction than they are worth, so we scoot the child in, put the dish at the edge of the table, give them a bib/napkin (depending on age), and sweep the floor at night.
anonymama says
I’ve found a large dog very effective at controlling crumbs.
HM says
+1. Only think better is 2 large dogs ;-)
TBK says
Aaaand I have another question. My boys self-feed (one has refused to be spoon-fed since he was about 8 mo). So they eat things that can easily be eaten with hands: torn up bread, pasta, pieces of meat, cut up veggies and fruit, cheese. They loved yogurt back when they let me spoon feed them, but obviously not a hands-friendly food. How do people feed their young toddlers food that needs to be eaten with a spoon? I’m up for starting to teach them to use spoons (they’re 17 mo) but when I think about it, I just see bowls flying everywhere. We currently just feed them straight off their high chair trays.
Meg Murry says
Since it’s summer, could you try feeding them yogurt outside where you can just hose down the area afterwards? Preferably just wearing a diaper and stick them in the kiddy pool after? My kids figured out things like yogurt or thick oatmeal that stuck to the spoon pretty easily – things like soup are still in progress, and still occasionally go flying.
TBK says
We don’t really have a yard.
pockets says
“obviously not a hands-friendly food”
Tell that to my 18 month old, who currently eats yogurt with her hands when she’s tired of trying to scoop it up with a spoon.
We got the mum-mum dippers that were featured on this site a while ago (find them on amazon) and those have been good for letting her feed herself yogurt (although by the end she ends up using her hands).
NewMomAnon says
My kiddo is 18 months and has been feeding herself yogurt since May. It’s messy, so I suggest stripping them down and planning to clean the high chair frequently, but … messes happen with toddlers. I have always provided a spoon for her to use when eating yogurt/peanut butter from a bowl (yes, we do that too)/cereal/applesauce, etc. She now uses the spoon more often than not, but still relies on her hands for some of it.
We haven’t tried soup. I might give her a straw for that…she is pretty good with a straw. Or I might just avoid it until she uses a spoon all the time. The risk of flying tableware is very real. Yogurt at least is somewhat viscous and stays in the cup when thrown.
TBK says
My question is bowls. I don’t care how they get the food from the bowls into their faces. I just don’t understand what I can put in front of them to hold the food that they can’t pick up and drop over the side of the high chairs.
mascot says
Put non breakable plates and bowls in front of them (Ikea is good for this). Self-feeding is messy enough without impish behavior. If they throw food/dishes, then they are done eating for a while (don’t react- it eggs them on). They will eventually learn that purposefully throwing down their dish is not a fun or rewarding game. I know, I know, its hard to do that when you just want them to eat and even harder because there are two of them.
Greek yogurt is much thicker and you can add your own honey/fruit to control sugar levels. You may have to hold the vessel at first while they learn to maneuver the spoon inside.
pockets says
I have seen bowls that suction to the table surface (google “suction baby bowls). I think they work to varying degrees.
Ciao, pues says
We have this one and it works well enough for its price point. http://www.diapers.com/p/the-first-years-inside-scoop-suction-bowl-blue-orange-1177766 My kid has been using it for several months and has figured out how to unstick it, but I’ve found that she’ll eat out of it when she’s hungry and if she starts playing with it, its a signal that she’s done.
Jen says
for yogurt- how about frozen GoGurt (or Chobani) sticks? My 22 month old is crazy for those and has been eating them for several months. She’s oK with a spoon for regular yogurt but likes these a lot.
EP-er says
Have you tried the pouches that the kids just suck out of? I see in my grocery store that they have refrigerated ones now. We call them “astronaut food” to make it sound cooler….
TBK says
Do they make them with plain yogurt though? I tried the refillable ones and couldn’t get them to work (they kept opening and spraying food everywhere). We used GoGurt once on the road, but I’m little Crazy Mom about sugar.
K. says
You can buy reusable food pouches. I use those with my 12 month old and she loves them. I still have to watch her to make sure she doesn’t squeeze it out upside down.
rakma says
We mixed yogurt with baby oatmeal to make it thicker, so it stuck to the spoon. This way, even before she got the scooping motion down, she was not getting frustrated with eating with the spoon, and was slower to stick her hands in it.
We liked the Earth’s Best yogurt pouches, the one with the Sesame Street characters on them. They’re fruit flavored, and not completely no-sugar, but I thought it was a reasonable amount.
And yes, suction cup bowls can help, but DD figured out how to pull them off within weeks. They work best when DD is too hungry to play with the bowl, it’s just enough to keep the bowl from sliding around.
Switching Daycare says
We moved and our daughter, who is 2, just started a new daycare in May. She had a really rough transition period (i’m sure it was move + new DC) and now is finally settled at the center (ie doesn’t go to tears every day).
Problem is, I’ve become increasingly underwhelmed with the daycare. Her old daycare had sort of medium/run down facilities, but the staff was fantastic and truly “working parent friendly.” Communication was great, and the kids were all really happy there (my daughter included). Her new one is just…not. The staff doesn’t seem hands on- -they hang around and watch the kids play while chatting. They do things that annoy me, like tell me they’ll provide “school milk” and then 2/5 days each week they are out of milk or the milk is expired (apparently, all the other kids BYO milk and my daughter is the only one that drinks “school milk”– so I get it, but still– there is no milk in the entire school–ever?). The playground isn’t that nice. Many of the teachers have their own kids in the center and I get the sense those kids get special attention/treatment (I was there one day and the older kids were having an ice cream party….so a teacher came into my daughter’s class and picked up her son and said “[name] do you want ICE CREAM!?!?!?” so naturally the entire class said YES WE WANT ICE CREAM!!! and then they didn’t get to go to the party. I know they are only 2 but it still rubbed me the wrong way).
Pros to staying:
– center is right by our house- a 2 min drive
– daughter has finally adjusted, and since we are actively trying for #2 and will switch to a nanny + preschool once we have 2, moving centers again means another potentially really rough transition and then switching to a nanny in <1 year
– center is the cheapest of the options (we can swing any of them and are actually putting the difference in daughter's 529–but the savings is several hundred/month)
– daughter is safe and I presume happy
– she doesn't get sick a lot- not sure if this is the center or her immune system finally maturing
I only send her 3 days/week now and have a babysitter the other 2. We are moving her to 4 days/week in Sept. My other option is to keep the 3/week + babysitter (which is the same cost as a nicer facility).
For anyone that made the call to switch–what did it for you? Is it worth the hassle of a longer drive, a bit more cost, and the potential for a rough 3 month transition for what may end up being a different center with different problems?
pockets says
This sounds really annoying, but I would stick with the current place. Just not worth the stress of an unnecessary transition, plus the center sounds convenient and the money savings are real. All the things you mention legitimately bother you, but they probably don’t bother your daughter that much.
Sarabeth says
If she truly seems happy, I’d stick it out. However, my personal experience was that the transition wasn’t as rough when the daycare didn’t kind of suck. My daughter had a bad start at a mediocre daycare, then settled in, but we still weren’t thrilled with the place. We switched to a new center, and it was basically a non-event, because the staff were SO MUCH better. We also had a lot of small issues (for example, we brought special vegetarian proteins in for my daughter, and they never used them) but I think the small things were all symptomatic of the larger issue, which is that the staff were phoning it in.
Sarabeth says
And FWIW, we could tell the staff at the new place were going to be better when we visited. The whole atmosphere was just so different – they actually clearly enjoyed their work, had management support, etc.
Anonymous says
The EZPZ mats are AWESOME. They were also invented by a fellow mom, which makes the purchase special. They are available on Amazon and at Nordstrom. They aren’t foolproof (they can definitely be lifted by a persistent toddler!) – but they protect the table and make messes minimal. :)
Pest says
I haven’t had to transition my daughter, but I have turned down a spot at a less expensive daycare because I didn’t like it as much as our current daycare. The daycare where we were offered a spot had a large room with dividers about up to an adult’s waist that marked off the “rooms” for toddlers and infants and a separate space for the kitchen and changing areas. It was $250 less per month and a bit more convenient. Where my 9 month old is now she is in a large infant room for 6 babies that is bigger than the infant “room” for 9 babies at the cheaper place, and it is an actual room with a kitchenette and a changing table there in the room. I turned down the spot in the cheaper daycare, because I thought it must get very loud to have all the babies under age 2 in one room and friends tell me that the teachers at their daycares cheat on the ratios when they have to leave the room to prepare bottles and change the babies’ diapers.
What is troubling to me about what you described is the staff’s behavior and how they don’t interact with the children. If I were in your shoes, I would go back to the old center. I wouldn’t weigh into the calculation that your child doesn’t get as sick or the fact that you will switch to a new daycare when you have a second child because it’s impossible to know when that will be. Maybe if you transition back she will be okay with it, because she already knows her old center. If you do decide to stay where you are now, I suggest you start bringing your own milk.
Pest says
This is in response to “Switching Daycares.”