Today’s Mom Tips guest blogger is Amanda at Our Wee Family. When she’s not chasing her streaking toddler through the house, reading “Fancy Nancy” for the zillionth time to her preschooler or cleaning out all of the crushed bunny crackers from the backseat of the van, Amanda enjoys writing articles for magazines, taking photos and attempting to knit.
Five Little Wonders
When my husband and I watched the “Babies” documentary last spring, we turned to each other in utter astonishment as the Mongolian nurse used strips of cloth to tie up the swaddled newborn. No, we weren’t horrified at the restraint. We were kicking ourselves that we never thought of it!
You know what it’s like. You hear about an idea or product from a friend, test it out and thank your lucky stars for the discovery. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn of the Mongolian swaddling technique in time for both of my kids, but here are the five wonders that made our job a heck of a lot easier.
INFANTS
The inventor of this product should simply be kissed. It’s one of the best swaddlers on the market – so simple to use with very secure Velcro. Thanks to the bottom pocket, you can change your baby while still keeping his arms wrapped. The small slit opening in the bottom also makes it easy to buckle baby into a swing or even a car seat. And, bonus, in our culture the SwaddleMe is a bit more acceptable than tying up your kid.I was lucky to have an amazing lactation specialist to coach me through questions with both of my kids, but I still used this book as my nursing bible. It describes EVERYTHING you could possibly want to know about nursing, as detailed as to what to expect the first few days to how to maintain a nursing relationship when returning to work. It’s perfect for reading before baby – either to help you make the decision to nurse or not, or to get you started.
Baby sign language may be trendy, but its benefits go far deeper than what you’ll get from the latest fashion diaper bag. Simplified American Sign Language signs make it surprisingly easy to communicate with your baby long before he can talk. There are several programs out there, but I’ve had a wonderful time using Baby Signs. Sign up for a local class or just buy the starter kit online. Your baby will thank you (in sign).
TODDLERS
SleepSack
As soon as we stopped swaddling, our kids moved into SleepSacks, genius zip-up suits that replace blankets in the crib. The sacks come in several sizes, though we typically just ordered a couple in a size or two bigger and used them for months. This particular brand washes and wears beautifully and even comes in toddler sizes with little foot holes at the bottom for walking. Bonus feature: with babe’s little legs all tucked in a sleep sack, she’s less likely to successfully swing a leg over the crib rail. Sweet!
As soon as we stopped swaddling, our kids moved into SleepSacks, genius zip-up suits that replace blankets in the crib. The sacks come in several sizes, though we typically just ordered a couple in a size or two bigger and used them for months. This particular brand washes and wears beautifully and even comes in toddler sizes with little foot holes at the bottom for walking. Bonus feature: with babe’s little legs all tucked in a sleep sack, she’s less likely to successfully swing a leg over the crib rail. Sweet!
Not surprisingly invented by a mom, these baby leg warmers are even more functional than they are adorable. Easier to pull on and off than tights, they make the perfect accessory to skirts and dresses. But they’re also amazing for potty training. Simply dress baby – boy or girl – in undies, shirt and baby legs for easy potty use. We’ve also used them on both kids during diaper rashes, when their bottoms needed some fresh air. We dressed them in a shirt and baby legs to let them play or take a short nap in the crib. BabyLegs are available in adorable girl and boy designs.
Now that you know my little parenting product secrets, what are yours?
Read more of Amanda’s adventures in motherhood at Our Wee Family.
