Crib Notes

Venturing out of the house with your little one is no small task. When you are ready to take your baby out, you’ll need a diaper bag full of all of the essentials. Choose a bag with plenty of space and compartments to keep things separate and easier to find. We've gathered a list of essentials you'll want to be sure to pack in your bag!

We take steps everyday to keep our kids safe. So how do we keep them safe at 60 miles per hour when 9 out of 10 car seats are improperly installed? There are some easy steps you can take to assure your kids are safe while traveling on the road.

This week is National Nurse’s week so my message and thanks go out to all you nurses who work tirelessly (and at all hours of the day AND night) to save lives, provide comfort, and teach us how to care for ourselves and the ones we love. I’ve had more than my share of experiences with you for both personal and family reasons and always marvel at the passion that must burn within you to help others- regardless of how busy, tired and stressed you may be or how rude, angry, impatient, or “entitled” your patients can be.

As I wrote in my earlier post, I had a fragile child.  Yep, that’s “had” – I am relieved (and thankful!) to say that Rachel’s fragile years appear to be well behind her.  These days, the chatter in our house is all about graduation, summer plans and prom dress shopping – a far cry from the lab results, doctor appointments and medication scheduling that monopolized the conversation 17 years ago. My daughter’s future promises to be bright and healthy.  This is due, in no small part, to the talent and commitment of a small army of dedicated, compassionate nurses who kept Rachel alive, me sane, and my family together during those dark days before, during and after her transplant.

Moms do so much for us every day. This Mother’s Day, take the opportunity to show her your appreciation. Do something special for her. Here are some ideas to show your appreciation to your mother or wife this year:

With my first baby I was not concerned with "getting the best deal" on essential baby products. Instead I was concerned with what everyone else said I needed. With my second child, I cut back on buying as I had most of what I needed from my first. When my third was born, I needed deals...good deals...on diapers, wipes and other quickly consumed items. Here are some tips that worked for me on how to get the best deals on these products.

A common baby shower theme of the past is “It’s a Boy or it’s a Girl”. But not anymore! Hosts of baby showers are tossing away this go-to theme and starting to get more creative. Here are some popular new themes for baby showers.

Hip dysplasia is the medical term for instability, or looseness, of the hip joint that affects thousands of children each year. This ranges from mild instability to complete dislocation. Approximately one out of every 20 full-term babies has some hip instability and two or three per thousand will require treatment.

In February of 2004 we had just moved into our dream home that we built and the old saying “new house new baby” held very true for us. We conceived the same month we moved in. We already had a 3 year old son, Nolan, who was kind, big hearted and the center of our world but we knew we wanted to add to our family.

Newborns do not have a fully developed immune system, so it is important to take extra precautions to protect them from germs. Babies are generally protected from germs by the antibodies they receive through the placenta, and during birth they receive a coat of special germs from their mother to help develop their immune system. Reasonable exposure to germs strengthens an immune system, but babies need to build up the resistance to germs gradually and need extra protection for up to a year, especially for the first 3 months.

After being tightly cuddled inside mom for nine months, it's no wonder that some babies enjoy being swaddled after birth. It makes them feel snug, warm and secure. Swaddling can help calm many fussy or crying babies and even help them sleep longer in the first few months of life. In fact, many cultures have been swaddling their infants for thousands of years. Moms often tell us that they love to swaddle their baby because it helps their baby sleep better and longer. But, it’s a practice that cannot be continued indefinitely. And the thought of transitioning your child from swaddling can be distressing with worries of sleepless nights. But, it doesn’t have to be this way, here are some tips to help you’re little one transition from swaddling gently and at the right time.

Some parents find out the gender of their baby at the 20 weeks ultrasound, while some prefer to wait until the baby is born. Either way, all new parents are anxious to find out whether it’s a boy or girl! There are many old wives tales and theories to suggest one gender or another; Have fun thinking about these, but know that there is no scientific proof!

It is beyond belief how your life can change in an instant. One moment you are seemingly going through the motions of your normal day and then within seconds things seem to stop and everything is different. That moment arrived when Garrett passed and we honestly were brought to our knees with such pain. You literally wonder how you will ever move forward.