White Noise

I just put our son JD down to bed, and turned on the stuffed lamb that makes various sounds - I chose the rain sound, that seems to soothe him the best. When he was younger (3 mos.) we always used some form of white noise to help him sleep - quite ironic as you would think that silence would be best.

Yet as many moms attest, some kind of constant background noise provides comfort, and in some ways simulate the sounds of the womb. We also use it because it buffers any other sudden noises around the house, e.g. clanging of dishes, door closing, and even typing in a room next door.

So what kind of white noise do you use for your baby?

Baby-Gate

Now that JD is crawling and climbing (EVERYWHERE), we knew it was time to get a gate so he doesn't accidently tumble down the stairs. My wife's sister had purchased a cheap wooden one to save on costs, but after looking at ours, they had serious gate-envy and post-purchase regret. We picked this one up at Babies 'R Us, for about $70 - The First Years Hands-Free Gate. Not the cheapest thing in the world, but it's worth the extra bucks.

We got this based on a recommendation from our friend - who love the hands-free capability (step on a pedal and push with your knew or hip to open), and has an extra extension in case your hallway is extra-wide. But the best thing about it is, there are NO screws - so your walls are hole-free, and the gate is still securely fastened.

Sleeping Thru the Night

It has been a couple months now, since JD has been able to sleep through the night without waking up. My, what a relief! Since he was about 7 or 8 months, he has been able to sleep from about 8pm to 6:30am. It is a huge milestone that we've hit, so that mom & dad can get some extended sleep as well. BUT, there are always things that come up, that throw him off schedule...things like, growth spurt, teething especially, stomach pains or constipation when transitioning foods, and more. So while we appreciate that he has progressed, I can't say it has been flawless. C'mon, their babies, not robots. That's a big lesson I learned - rarely do they follow by the book, each child is unique and special and have their own timeline. The challenge is to be patient while hopeful.

Need a Boost(er)!

Our son, now 10 months old, loves sitting in his booster seat. We have a high chair, but we don't even use it. This Fisher-Price booster is great because you can take it wherever you go. So when we go out for dinner (on that rare occasion), we take the booster along, place it on the table with our son! It's a great way to not only feed him, but also keep him in one place. It's the best $30 you can spend, and will allow you to enjoy your meal in relative peace.

Baby Bottle Dilemma

Back when we first came home from the hospital, we used the standard bottle and nipples that they provided. It seemed to work just fine at the time, until our baby boy kept crying in the middle of the night. Was he hungry? No. Tired? Yes. Gaseous? Big YES! When we fed him we could hear the big gulps of air he was taking in along with the milk. It was fine coming down, but NOT coming out.

So we had to investigate/research the bottles that were out there that helped minimize gas. It is pretty amazing actually, the technology that these bottle companies employ - and each with their own unique perspective.

We heard different things from different parents, and the brand that my wife wanted first was The First Years Breast Flow (picture below):


So I scurried off to Target in search of this brand. Sure enough, it was not there, so I made an executive decision and picked up two random brands: Avent and Playtex. Avent I never ever heard of and I thought Playtex just made bras. But in fear of coming home empty-handed, I decided to pick them up.





My loving wife was, not happy. She wanted the Breast Flow. Alas, we gave the other brands a try. Avent had this interesting ventilation system at the neck of the bottle near the nipple, while Playtex had theirs at the end.

I did end up going to another Target, and picking up the Breast Flow - with their unique dual nipple that was supposed to most simulate the breast.

To make a long story short, which one did we decide on? Which one minimized our baby's gas the most? Which one did he most enjoy feeding off of?

Yes, Playtex, the bra company bottle. Who would've thought? But he liked it, and we continue to use it this day.