I've posted before about the trials and tribulations of Liv and her bad sleep patterns. Now at almost a year she goes down very easy. She has been doing this for a while and on most nights only wakes once between 2-5.
Liv has a few sleep essentials that help her get to sleep.
Binkies-Liv needs a binkie, this option can be controversal, but she really seemed to need it as a baby, and does not seem to be ready to wean at all.
Snoedel doll-this organic cotton doll is Liv's lovey. This lovey was pushed upon her for a while. Since she was such a poor sleeper, waking often I used this to help. It took a bit for her to want this doll, but it works wonders now. I wore the doll under my shirt so it smells like me and for months this doll was only taken out at sleep time and in the crib. Now when she is tired she reaches for this doll and strokes it against her face.
Seahorse- This little glowworm like doll sits in the corner of her crib. I put her in the crib awake and push its belly. Its lights up and plays 5 min of music. This was key when I was trying to get her to sleep on her own and now its just a nice part to her routine.
I needed to this, this is essential for Liv and I forgot it in my original post. I noise machine. Liv sleeps to the sounds of the ocean. It is so relaxing. I love listening to the noise of it over the monitor all night long. I start the sound machine when we go in her room at the beginning of her routine and leave it on all night. It keeps out noises in the house, and is just another cue for her that its sleep time. The machine I bought Liv is the Homedics one, which is very inexpensive and can operate on batteries or with headphones. So its very portable and can be used in many situations, even when she is older if she still needs it.
We co-slept full-time till 4 months and part-time till a little after 6 months. The transtion was actually very easy and very natural. We still occasionally co-sleep on nights when she is having a rough time, like last week when she was sick. These tips might help you transition out of co-sleeping if you want to or if it wasnt working out for you, which was the case for us. I love love love co-sleeping, but my little Liv is a wild girl in her sleep and would wake DH and me up. And worse I think she gets that from both DH and I so we would wake her up often too. This is when I decided to transition her to her crib and started to use some of these things to make it easy on her.
These are essential to our sleep routine and can help get your LO to sleep in her crib, with out resorting to CIO methods.
I am learning everyday with my young daughters how to a better parent, homemaker and person. I believe in respectful, gentle parenting, being good to the earth, good to yourself, others and family and instilling good values in my child.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
What I'm cleaning with
White vinegar-I mixed with water in a spray bottle and use it for everything, to clean windows, countertops, even spray on produce before I rinse it. This is my go to cleaner.
baking soda-this is my go to scrubber.
borax-I use borax for a variety of things. To clean with, a laudry booster to kill ants and other bugs too.
hydrogen peroxide- used sprayed before using vinegar to steralize and disenfect. This too is in a blend with water and can be used first with a produce wash too. Peroxide and vinegar used together is very effective at killing germs, many research show that its more effect then most commercial cleaners
All of these are great cleaners and very inexpensive. There are so many uses for these cleaners. I will not get into all of them here, just know that they are much healthier for you to use and will save you time and money. Check out some of the link for more uses and ways to use these natural cleaners.
I use these methods in my flyday missions daily.
I am still flying
So I am stil following the flylady plan. I have to say it is nice not waking up to a sink full of dishes. My kitchen seems cleaner and so do my bathrooms from her plan this month of just wiping things down daily. I also declutted Liv's closet for 15 min (or really as long as she would let me) today. Her bumpers where taking up so much space, so now I will move them to the attic and it freed up room to organize. I would love to have a house that cleans itself. We'll see where this program takes me.
week 49
I also think she is having a growth spurt. She has been sleeping a lot these past few days. She also just seems taller to me. Guess we will find out in a couple of weeks when we go to the doctors.
She is already thinning out and losing that baby fat. I know this is normal, and expected, especially with an breastfeed baby since they thin out quicker, but I hate seeing it go. Its just another sign she is growing up to quick.
Blogging dumby
I just can't seem to get this whole layout thing going right and all my widgets working with the right templets so I'm back to this simple design with a long list of my widgest. Took me forever to just get it back to this. I was looking at other peoples blogs and they are so nice and customized and I just can't seem to get anything on this right. What am I doing wrong here?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Is is amoral to not vaccinate?
Now on the Dr. Snyderman's comments on the topic. She went on to state how vaccinating is the best prevention, that they are safe and that many people are opting out for religous reasons when "that's not the case" and that there are times when the community as a whole trumps the rights of the individual. That when you go into a store and go by someone with cancer or other diseases that weaken the immune system you are endagering them and that not choosing to vaccinate is "offensive and amoral."
So is it amoral to not vaccinate? Should you put your child at risk for the benefits of the community?
I think the answer to this is not that simple. And I don't think its fair that either side of the vaccine debate makes the answer so simple as blindly vaccinate or don't. And I don't think its right for either side to attack each other as did the Dr, especially when there is so much mis-information out there and it can get very confusing for families to make the best choice for them.
Personally for my family I am pro-vaccine. I have done my research and do feel that the vaccines offered now are safe and the risks (which there are still risks) do not out weigh the benefits. Especially with the rise of diseases like whooping cough and measles I do not want to put my children at risk for contracting these diseases.
I did not always feel this way. When people start this not vaccinate trend much more children vaccinated then were not. So you could say that it all the other children who shouldn't be able to get the disease will not be able to spread it to your child. Now this isn't the case. Many people are now opting out of vaccines and many illnesses are on the rise. Even with the chicken pox vaccine. So many children have recieve it that now "green" Dr's recommend it since your child many not be exposed and maybe at risk then later in life when it is more deadly. Vaccines were also the hot button with autism. But recently it was shown that the Dr. who did the major study on the weak link paid his clients and his research has no validity. There was also the mercury debate, which now mercury is no longer in vaccines or in very small trace amounts. There are studies that link mercury and heavy metal poisoning to autism. But now vaccines are cleaner and safer then they ever have been.
Why not vaccinate? Well some people are allergic to ingredients in the vaccines, and allergic reactions can be deadly. People who homeschool also maybe at much less risk of getting these communal diseases that vaccines prevent. But people must understand there still is a risk. I think many people are not not vaccinating because its a trend. They hear things and want to be natural and refuse vaccines with out doing their reseach. Its the green thing to do and they blindy go with the trend. I think Jenny McCarthy ranting and raving how her son maybe got his autism from vaccines doesn't help. People need to do their research and make the best desicion for their family, not just follow a trend. Because for some children following this trend can be deadly.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
my new babywearing love, the ergo
I love my ergo. It totally replaces the bijorn. Liv and I go for morning walks with her in the front and occasionally we go for hikes with her in the back position. I havent figured out the hip hold yet, but I think she'll like that. I sometimes strap her on my back when I am trying to clean or cook and she is not wanting to be put down.
The ergo is a great purchase and replaces all the babywearing stuff I've ever bought. Liv now weighs 22lbs and its still so comfortable.
Keep wearing your baby!
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