The Mom Crowd

The folks at Baby Einstein are exchanging or returning Baby Einstein DVDs, because their marketing used false claims that they will make your baby smarter.

You can mail in your DVD in exchange for a book, CD, or discount on a Little Einstein product at a Disney Store. OR you can get a refund of $15.99 for each DVD.

Here is a link for all the information about the Baby Einstein DVD exchange or refund.

What do you think of the Baby Einstein DVDs?

I don’t think I ever believed that they would make my baby smarter, because the DVDs were just going out of style when my babies were born. At the time I had my kids a lot of parents were already questioning the “smarter” claim. Neither of my children were interested in the videos whenever I played them. I have friends that have played them a lot. The videos are fine for entertaining.

I have mentioned before in various blog posts that my 7 month old baby boy is still waking up 3 or 4 times a night. At the 6 month baby check up my Pediatrician recommended that we try to eliminate the 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. feeding. I don’t remember her telling me how to do that. I do remember that she told me that if he can put himself to sleep at 7:00 p.m. with no crying, then he should be able to put himself back to sleep at 3:00 a.m. with no crying. It makes sense to me. That week I tried letting my baby cry it out (CIO). I finally gave up after an hour and went to nurse him. When I nursed him, he was pissed. He kicked and pinched me. Then he continued to cry even after nursing. After that night I was reluctant to try CIO again.

In the next few weeks I did everything else I could think to try. I started with his naps and created a more structured nap time. He responded very well to the schedule and was sleeping better in the day time, but no change in the night time. I tried feeding him more solid food. I even stuffed him with solids until he wouldn’t eat another bite at dinner time. Still no change. He wakes up around 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. and I had my husband try to give him formula. He wouldn’t drink from the bottle. We tried that because my husband gave him formula one morning during one of my long runs and he slept longer than usual after drinking the formula.

This past week we went back to the CIO method. After he cried for a while I was reluctant to go in and breastfeed for fear that I would get beat up again. I thought it was best to let him finish crying on his own. He was mad, but I really felt like he was alright. (He had just nursed 2 hours before he woke up again.) It seems to be working, because each night it seems to be getting better. Last night he only woke up once.

I am not sure what the alternative is to the CIO method. Is it just pushing through with the many night time feedings with hopes that it won’t last much longer? Attachment Parenting International recommends Co-Sleeping. My son did sleep in my room in a bassinet or pack-n-play for the first 5 months. Then we thought moving him out of our room would help his night time waking. I believe Co-Sleeping may be great for some families, but I am just not wired that way.

I think a mother’s personality will likely determine whatever method they choose to use. Each child and mother is different. We have to trust our instincts and make the wisest choices we can for our families. We shouldn’t judge how another family chooses to help their children sleep. Both the CIO and Co-Sleeping methods have different pros and cons. Each one has various research studies saying why the other method is stupid and theirs is the best.

Seriously, I just read a blog post speaking out against the CIO method and the comments make me feel like the worst mother on the planet. Am I a selfish parent for wanting to sleep more than 4 straight hours? I know I am the mother and I should care and love my children, meet their needs, and help them feel secure. Sometimes I am at a loss on how to do that exactly. Especially with both sides of the fence attacking the other.

What it comes down to in almost every parenting decision is what is right for that child, that mother, and that family. Each situation is different. No two children are alike, therefore one method isn’t going to solve each and every child’s sleep issues.

What do you think? Have you tried the CIO method? Do you practice Attachment Parenting? Is one better than the other?

-photo courtesy of stock.xchng

This post isn’t the usual light Friday faire, but it is something that it is on my heart to share with you all. I truly believe that both spouses will be tempted to cheat as long as they are married. The temptation may not be there every day, but comes and goes over time. Cheating isn’t necessarily sleeping with someone else, but sharing your life that you should be sharing with your spouse with someone else.

No one wakes up and says, “I’m going to have an affair today!” It happens gradually over time. It begins with a thought in your own heart, an innocent flirtation, or checking someone out. You may not think anything of it at the time, but it can build up in your heart. I think it is so important for couples to talk about this subject and hold each other accountable. No one is above temptation.

Here are some ways that we can safeguard our marriages from infidelity.

1. Confess to your spouse when you check someone out. Before we are married we are programmed to check out every potential guy. Then you get married and have to turn that “checking out” switch off. After a while you don’t even think about doing that, then one day you just do it. It happens. I tell my spouse what I did or he tells me and we move on. I do think it is harder for guys, because some women like to showcase their boobs.

2. Don’t put yourself in situations that have the appearance of infidelity. As a common rule, don’t be alone in a house with a friend of the opposite gender, ride in the car, or go out to lunch. This may be extreme, but if you never get in those situations you will never give the impression of any wrong doing.

3. Carbon Copy or CC your spouse when sending an email to a friend that is of the opposite gender. My husband and I seriously do this and I think it helps a lot. We had one friend that wouldn’t reply-all so we told them about our rule and then that friend gladly obliged. It holds each spouse accountable.

4. No magazines or movies that are highly sexual in nature. There is no exception to this rule. I don’t know one woman that feels great when their husbands view other women. It makes wives feel like poop even though that is not their intention when they are engaging in that behavior. Women we need to be careful too!

5. No rules about Hollywood actor exceptions. There are couples that will allow their spouse to be with one actor or actress if they ever meet them. Maybe I am being extreme here, but I don’t think joking about it is funny. I think it opens the door to thinking that maybe this behavior might be permitted. I would rather my husband to always want me no matter who they met. That’s just me.

All these actions build trust in a marriage. I like knowing that we can hold each other accountable and not be jealous. Women love feeling secure and there is something to feeling secure when you know you can trust your husband. It is also great when they can trust their wife. A marriage is stronger when trust is built.

Do you have any safeguards in place? Do you feel like you can trust your spouse?

My husband and I are saying “no” to a lot of invitations lately. A few months after my first daughter was born I read “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child” by Dr. Weissbluth and the book recommends maintaining a consistent bedtime every night. For the most part we do keep bedtime consistent. She goes to bed within 30 minutes of the same time every night. Then along came baby number two.

I love how newborns sleep through practically anything and sleep anywhere. Of course, I don’t love their short erratic sleep schedule. Eventually newborns establish a bedtime on their own as they get older. Now at 7 months my boy starts giving sleep cues just before 7:00 p.m. and he is done for the day. He is ready to be nursed and laid down.

Maintaining a routine and a consistent bedtime has become even more important for us now that we have two kids. We realized this when we kept them up a little later than usual at a friend’s house. My 2 year old could be entertained while at the house, but once we got home she fought being washed in the bath and cried a lot before she fell asleep. She was a bear the next day and tired at Mother’s Day Out. That same evening I was holding and bouncing my son to keep him content. He kept bobbing his head on my boob to nurse. Then he screamed in the car on the way home. My children were put to bed 1.5 hours after their usual bedtime. My husband and I definitely agreed that the cost of keeping our children up late wasn’t worth the price.

Now in the evenings only one of us will go out at a time. We could hire a babysitter, but that isn’t practical all the time. It is certainly a special treat for both my husband and I to be out together past 7:00 p.m. Many times we have to say no to events that start at 7:00 p.m. It is just the phase of life we are in. I know it won’t be this way forever.

On the other hand, we love the early bed time. We have a great time hanging together around the house and creating date nights at home. I appreciate the break from my children. I also love that my children are well rested and behave better the next day. Our whole family is better for them getting their sleep.

How about you? Do you notice a difference in your child’s behavior if they have a consistent bedtime? Have you had to turn down invitations, because they are past your child’s bedtime?

*P.S. That is my boy in the photo. He fell asleep eating his teething biscuit at dinner! Maybe he wasn’t that well rested that day. LOL.

Last night I co-hosted a baby shower for my sweet friend, Rachel. Our theme: Eat Like a Pregnant Lady!

We had all of Rachel’s favorite foods which included: four different kinds of pizza, caesar salad, and a variety of drinks. For dessert we had freshly backed chocolate chips cookies straight from the oven. We also had vanilla ice cream, Reese’s shell, chocolate sauce, caramel, strawberry sauce, bananas, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and nuts. Basically any topping you could ever want on ice cream.

We were so full at the end of the night, but it was a lot of fun. This gluttony of food may not be the best idea for every shower, but it was certainly fun to “eat like a pregnant lady” for one night. The recipient also had fun too!