Getting baby to take a bottle

Getting my baby to go from breastfeeding to bottle feeding has been a difficult task! Originailly my goal was just to be able to pump and allow someone else to feed baby if necessary. I have a 2 year old as well and I had visions of being about to go on mommy/toddler dates with my guy and leave baby with my husband, which would mean leaving him with a bottle. I wanted to wait until my son was at least 5 weeks old to introduce the bottle to avoid nipple confusion (as suggested by doctor and lactation consultant), but once I finally did, it took 2 long months to get him to finally take a bottle! SHEESH!

So I decided to compile a list of helpful tips to hopefully make your breast to bottle journey a little easier!

Who 
Who is giving baby the bottle? 

This may vary from one baby to the next but some little ones will not take a bottle from the breastfeeding mother, they will smell the breastmilk and want to nurse. You can try different positions (see below in "where") to help this OR if possible start introducing the bottle by having your spouse and or family member give baby the bottle while you are not in the room.

If you are home alone with baby and don't have the option to have someone else give baby bottle, you could prop baby up in a rock and play (like THIS one) or just use your nursing pillow (THIS one is my favorite) to hold baby at the appropriate angle (to prevent ear infections) and prevent baby from thinking it's nursing time!

What 
What type of bottle, what goes in the bottle, what is the flow of the nipple? 

These were probably the areas I tested the most to try to get Haines to take a bottle.

Here are the TOP BOTTLES I found that people had positive remarks about consistently in my research:

Tommee Tippee
Dr. Browns Narrow Neck Bottles  ---(we use this one)
Comotomo
Lansinoh Breastmilk feeding bottle
Playtex nurser with drop ins

As far as what goes in the bottle goes, if baby is breastfed I would start with only breastmilk then slowly start to add in formula if necessary/when ready. The trick for my guy was to warm the breastmilk slightly.

The flow of the nipple was crucial too. If you have the premie or newborn bottle nipples, the flow could be too slow, causing baby to get frustrated, you can probably tell this if baby is sucking frantically and pulling off and crying. If the flow is too fast, it is pretty obvious because milk will be spilling out the sides of the baby's mouth and baby may gag/choke.

Helpful tip: If you have a pump, take time to pump a bit and learn your natural rhythm, this will help you best determine which nipple flow is good for your baby.

Where
Where is baby being fed, and how is baby being held during feeding?

I have heard some moms cannot feed their baby a bottle where they usually nurse. For instance if you always nurse baby in the same chair in the nursery, you might want to try a different location so baby doesn't assume its time to nurse and get frustrated when you try the bottle.

I think its best to hold the breastfed baby out away from your chest when bottle feeding, just to affirm that nursing is not going to take place.

I had to feed Haines while bouncing on an exercise ball for the first couple weeks. The bouncing helped soothe him. Crazy kid! :) heres what I have: Ball 55cm


When
The timing of feeding time is important: not too hungry and not only snacking.

Haines fed best from the bottle at the 3 hour mark. 3 hours from his last feeding, after a great nap, he would take 3-4 ounces from the bottle. If I tried to feed him sooner, he would only snack 1-2 oz. If I waited too long, he would get frustrated and want to only nurse.

Why

I wanted to take a second and remind you and myself why I was trying to hard to get my baby to take a bottle. If he preferred breastfeeding, why would I want to stop that? Well my why will probably be different than most of your "Why's", the important thing is that you prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the weaning process, since you have started this sweet bond of nursing your babe it may be hard to let that go. Just remind yourself of your WHY constantly and eventually your baby will move forward, take the bottle, and continue to grow up strong and healthy.


Best of luck!

Surviving the Newborn Stage

                            

We just welcomed our sweet second son, Haines Carter Sewell! What a blessing to have two boys so close in age, I can't wait for the season where they can play together and be the best of friends! That being said, we are in major transition right now in our house! It's amazing how much you forget from the newborn stage!

Here are some things that have helped us survive this crazy (but precious) newborn stage:

1) Take notes

So much of the newborn stage is completely out of your control. When will they sleep? When will they want to eat? Will mom ever sleep or eat again!? One thing that brought a little order to the crazy was taking notes. Each day I set up a new note in my phone and track my newborns day. This way I can recognize patterns and try to start to get the little one on a schedule. Here's what my notes would look like: 

MON FEB 29

SLEEP:

Up @7:30 

Put down for nap @8:35...8:55 fell asleep until 10:05

Put down for nap @11:10-12:15 in rock n play 

Put down for nap @12:50-2:40  

Put down for nap @4:10-5:15 

Put down for nap @7-7:45

Put down for the night @8:55-12:20

Woke, ate, back down 12:50-3:50

Woke, ate, back down 4:15-6:50

FEEDINGS:

7:35am

10:10

12:30

3:00

5:20 

7:15

8:50

12:25

3:50am

7:00am

2) Recognize the Season

With all the details and notes you are focusing on it can be really overwhelming. You can get completely stuck in the chaos of the day and forget that this is just ONE short season of your little ones life. It really does go by fast even though the days are long and the nights are exhausting! But each day brings new growth and change in your newborn, and soon enough you will be at your sweeties 2 month check up and have forgotten all about the umbilical cord you had to carefully care for the first week, or the feeding frenzy your baby went through on his second day of life, or those pesky contractions and stretch marks! Have you forgotten about that already? I have and it's only been 3 weeks! Wow! I know it's hard, the bags under my eyes will speak for themselves, but it's just a season, this will pass, and then we will all wish we could have this precious time back.

3) Make the most of your minute

Every minute counts when you have a newborn. Especially if you have any other children at home. I was having a really hard time feeling like I was getting anything accomplished in my day, even though I felt busy nonstop. My husband suggested making a daily list of things I'd like to accomplish. Sounds old school right? But man it was a game changer! I have my yellow legal pad and every morning I sip some coffee and make a list of todo's for my day... And you know what? I WAS getting a lot accomplished! Even if the house still looked like a cyclone hit it, I was still making progress! 

4) "ME" time is necessary

It looks a little different when you have a newborn, and possibly another child (children) to care for. But it is still important to take care of YOU mom! The way I see it, if the caretaker isn't cared for, how can she care for others?? My me time is a quick 30 minute workout in the morning (where I catch up on my trashy TV shows :)) and getting myself ready for the day so I don't feel gross in my Pjs all day! (Although there are times this has happened). Also, a quick nap while my boys naps was KEY since baby boy is waking through the night still. So, figure out what refreshes you and make it a priority! 

5) Lean on your people 

This may be the most important tip for surviving the newborn stage. When I had my first I was so overwhelmed that I shut everyone out, even my mom! I was disappointed that I couldn't do it all myself, and felt like I didn't want anyone witnessing me "failing". Ugh! What a lie! It's more than ok to ask for help! And it's ok to not have it all together! It's so crucial to have your friends surround you too. Other moms that are in the same life stage as you will make you feel less alone, especially when you are super sleep deprived and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there and lean on your people! 

Enjoy this time, even through the difficulties, remember you are AMAZING and God has entrusted this sweet baby to you to care for and I know God will equip you with all you need to survive this newborn stage ❤️

MUST GET registry items for baby #2

As I near my due date, I've been compiling a list of items that are a MUST for baby #2. As most of you know, having your first you can definitely feel prepared that you already have everything you need. But I reached out to many friends who have just popped out there second bundle of joys, and here are some great things they suggested.

1) MANUAL breast pump: CLICK HERE

I already have a breast pump that I love: THIS ONE!
But my friend suggested to get a manual one for the times you have to be on the go. She literally walked into a girls night with it filled with breastmilk she pumped in the car on the way! HA! LOVE IT! So easy to use and easy to clean!

2) A White Noise Sound Machine: CLICK HERE

This should be my #1, because it is so very necessary! Esspecially with a toddler running around, you want to ensure your new babe has the best opportunity to sleep. Research shows that there is a constant "white noise" swooshing sound when baby is in your womb, so they are comforted by this after they are born! This is my favorite sound machine, my husband and I actually use it as well, and it can be portable.

3) 2 Camera Baby monitor: CLICK HERE

I originally thought of just buying a brand new monitor for the baby's room, but then thought how annoying it would be to carry around 2 monitor screens to see and hear both babies! So I opted for the 2 camera baby monitor, You can split screen between both kids and only have to worry about ONE monitor screen, PERFECT!

4) Swaddler: CLICK HERE!

I have a LOT of swaddle blankets from Hunter, but in the past 2 years there have been some awesome new companies that have made COMFY and efficient swaddles. I LOVE this one because it actually GROWS with the baby, so you don't have to buy a new one every few weeks your babe grows!

5) Double Stroller: BOB Click Here! and the City Select Click Here!

As most of you know I love to work out, so getting a double stroller was a MUST! The BOB is great for off-roading, jogging, and is SO easy to maneuver! It can be bulky for those mall shopping trips, so the City Select is another option that has stacked seating, so it is easier to fit in and out of tight spaces. If you can grab both, do it! It may motivate you to get up and out of the house as well which is so important.

6) Wearing Baby: Moby Wrap: Click Here! and the Ergo 360: Click Here!

I used the old school Ergo literally EVERYDAY with Hunter, he LOVED it. Especially when doing big grocery shopping trips, he slept in the Ergo and I had the entire cart that I could load up without having a carseat in it. The Ergo 360 allows for 4 positions which is great as baby grows. The moby wrap is SUPER lightweight (great for sweaty summers) and easily transportable.

Our Growing Family

Baby #2 will be here in a few short weeks! Cherishing these precious photos!

   

Activities for Toddlers: Structured Playtime

I'll be honest, this has been a weak spot for me, as I am a firm believer in encouraging your baby/toddler/child to have free playtime where they can learn to entertain themselves, instilling independence and creativity. But I believe I have pushed this and not structured playtime well enough. You may be doing this already and not even realize it! Perhaps you always have arts and crafts time with you toddler in the afternoon after his/her nap. This is a wonderful way to encourage a structured activity time. 

What is structured playtime??

    This is defined as playtime where the parent chooses the time/location of the playtime as well as what the playtime will consist of…(preferably in some way stimulating the mind, which just means interacting with your kiddo!). Preferably you can structure the time, and location of the activity to help establish a routine. 

Here are some structured Playtime activities:

1) Puzzels and/or Blocks.

Some of our favorites:
Farm Animal Wooden Puzzle
Pets Jigsaw Wooden Puzzle
Wooden Block Set

2) Reading Books

I try to make this time interactive, not only just reading, but reading with a call to respond: "Can you turn the page?" or "What does the doggy say?" We also make it a habit to read just before bedtime
My childhood favorite book!
"My First Books" set of 4!
We read this before bed!

3) Music Time

Purchase some fun bells or drums, and put on some music to dance and sing to!
Music & Rhythm Toys
Children's Singalong CD
50 Silly Songs!

4) Arts and Crafts Time

Play doh, painting, coloring or other art projects are fun and a great activity for your toddler to do while you are getting dinner ready or cleaning the kitchen!
Play Doh Multi-color
Mess Free Coloring kit
Bathtub Crayons!!

5) Outside play 

Sandbox, sprinklers, swings, or simply collecting rocks!
Classic Sandbox with Cover
---Don't forget the sand toys!---
Outdoor Swing, attach anywhere!

The BEST baby gear for your baby's FIRST year

Looking back here are some things we couldn't live without during Hunter's first year of life!

1  Ergo baby carrier: Get this new updated 360 version--|CLICK HERE|
Hunter LOVED being held close, it was so soothing for that fussy 5-7pm time at home, and I was able to have 2 hands free to prepare dinner, score! Throw this baby in your diaper bag for easy grocery shopping too…no more pushing baby in the cart and running out of room for food!

2  Exercise ball. YEP! this was a LIFESAVER! Use this size to save your back-- |CLICK HERE|
The Bouncing motion is so soothing for baby, just like in the womb! This was hands down better than a rocking chair…and it's a great workout for your bum while you bounce.

3  Quality Stroller like the Bob (or another GREAT quality stroller). This is my favorite version-- |CLICK HERE|
I have used other strollers and the ease of these tires makes getting around so convenient!

4  Video Monitor. It is SO worth it to pay the extra to be able to SEE what baby is doing--|CLICK HERE|
We had quite the scare around Hunters first birthday, he had a febrile seizure. (more about that in a different post). The noise alerted me, but the fact that I was able to see what was happening in the video made me rush in there, rather than waiting to see if I could here him stop fussing. This monitor was truly a lifesaver.

5  Baby Activity Seat. I highly recommend this Baby Einstein version-- |CLICK HERE|
Hunter LOVED this! The great thing is he was getting exercise while staying stationary.

6  Infant gas drops, save by buying online-- |CLICK HERE|
My little guy had such terrible gas, and even though he was exclusively breastfed, and I changed my diet as much as possible, the gas persisted! So the doctor advised he received gas drops before each feeding. They work only in babies GI track, so there is no neurolgical side effects from using this too often. These work wonders!

7  Baby Bath Sling, the easiest way to clean baby in the sink-- |CLICK HERE|
This compact light little number works well in my kitchen sink, and supports baby's head! I used this until Hunter was almost 6 months!

8  Breast pump--|CLICK HERE|
You should be able to contact your health insurance provider to cover some, if not ALL the cost of your breast pump! There are MANY options out there, but I highly suggest that you get a pump if you are nursing, even if you don't "plan" on pumping, pumping is a great way to check your milk supply output!

9  White Noise Sound Machine...you NEED this! --|CLICK HERE|
My entire family uses this machine! Baby loves it because it reminds them of the soothing sound from being in the womb. It also blocks out any noise that could cause sleep disruptions (dog, alarm, other siblings)

10  Car Seat Mirror…see baby while you drive--|CLICK HERE|
This pivot mirror works well, at all different angels for a clear view of your little one.

How to SNEAK in more veggies for Baby/Toddler: PIZZA!

Who doesn't love Pizza? Sneak in more veggies for your baby/toddler by mixing yummy vegetables into the red sauce.

WHAT YOU NEED:

1) Assorted veggies: I used Cauliflower, carrots, broccoli and zucchini.
2) Peeler
3) Blender (this one is great for the price & it has a food processor! Click here )
4) Crock Pot (THIS one is amazing:)
5) Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (I use this brand CLICK)
6) Assorted Seasonings: I used italian, garlic, minced onion
7) Mozzarella cheese (or really anything baby loves)
8) 1 Can of crushed tomatoes
9) 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Step 1: Wash, Peel and Slice up veggies

 Step 2: Place veggies in crockpot, with crushed tomatoes and seasonings. Set time on Low for 6-8 hours. (It will smell DELISH)

Step 3: Brush whole wheat crust with olive oil, then spread the sauce/veggie mixture on top of crust. Top with Cheese and meat if desired. (I used shredded chicken).

Step 4: Bake in preheated oven at 400 for 8-10 minutes (or until crust is light brown and toasted) and Serve warm, your kid will love it and YOU will love that you have snuck in some more veggies :)

Baby's first year: 5 Things I never knew!

I cant believe a year has passed since Hunter was born. I've been reflecting on things "I wish I knew" before we had him to better prepare for this roller coaster of a year. But of course as any mom will tell you, the challenges and uncertainty that we faced last year were completely overshadowed by the pure joy raising a baby has been. (Super sappy but true). God has blessed us this past year and on his birthday I just wanted to shout "we made it!" 

Here are a few things I've learned as a first time mom in baby's first year.

1) Get out!

Yep, get out! Go outside! Run an errand even! I was so focused on keeping the baby on the schedule that I forgot that I needed to get out! (It is possible to do this and still keep baby on the schedule by the way) When Hunter was about five months old I really started feeling sad during the day, not depressed or anything, just kind of struggling with feeling overwhelmed, and feeling like I was not getting anything accomplished. I joined stroller strides... It is a wonderful program that gets moms together for an hour most days of the week to work out with their babies! We meet in the park or in malls before the stores open, runaround, workout, sing to the babies etc. I got an awesome workout, and Hunter got to socialize with the other kids. This was life-changing for me! I realized the value of a good community, and what a solid workout does to your mood. So if you don't have a program like this, I would encourage you to find something else to do! I'll be writing a post soon on outings for you and your little one, so stay tuned :)

2) You won't always know WHY

This was one of the harder lessons for me to learn. I am so calculated and I try to have everything boiled down to an exact science, but that is not at all how babies work! Once you figure out one problem, the next one is brewing right around the corner. First you wonder why your baby is waking early from naps, then you figure out it's because they're hungry...A few days after that they start waking up early again and it takes you two weeks to figure out that they were popping a tooth! OYE! so I had to change my attitude and obsessive behaviors of trying to figure out the WHY, and focused on the WHEN. The WHEN symbolized the reassurance that everything is just for a short period of time, just a quick season of little trial that helped further shape me into the person I am supposed to be: to become more patient, slow to anger, gracious, and thankful. Lord knows that it's going to take many more trials to shape me into this person! So every time a rough day loomed and I would shout out in frustration "WHY!" I would remember when: when it passes it will be a fleeting memory, and me and baby will come out the other side all the better.

3) Never say never!

Have you seen that commercial for State Farm? where the couple always says "we will never do_____", and they always end up doing it? Ya... That was me! Call it judgmental, call it naivety, call it what you want... but I will never say never again! You just don't know where you will be in that stage of life, so you can't proclaim you will never do something if you've never been there! "I will never let my kid have sugar!" ....  My boy has definitely had sugar, just look at the first birthday pictures of that huge cake he is dominating. "I will never post pictures of my baby all the time!" ... Um, so guilty! ... You get the picture! So, I have committed to never say never.

4) Accept Help!

Okay so you have this massive to do list, and you don't think you can get what's most important done in time, you know what I learned you kind of have to do you? ACCEPT HELP! Wow this is a hard one! This speaks right to our pride that we can do it all! There's no shame in accepting help from friends or family members that are willing to lend a hand, even if they want to babysit while you run some errands! Take the help! Don't rob somebody the gift of helping you because you are too proud ;)

5) Give grace!

To yourself, your body, your spouse, pretty much any when you come in contact with on a regular basis, they need grace! I say "to yourself" first because this is probably the area where people struggle the most. Have you checked out Pinterest lately? How many people are making their own baby food, using cloth diapers, and have lost all the baby weight within a matter of days after birth! I mean come on! Where are you hiding the nanny and personal trainer? Ah! I need so much Grace! And you noticed how I mentioned your spouse? Yep, they need grace to! This is a whole new world to have somebody else to share your attention with! Most guys are new at the whole baby thing altogether! So if they don't ooooo and ahhhh over your child every single moment of the day, give them grace! Its all new:)

Hunters first birthday PARTY!

WOW! Hunter is ONE! I cannot believe it! 

I had such a blast planning his party, it took a couple months to gather a lot of DIY materials! The gold party animals with cute party hats were time consuming but a lot of fun. The white backdrop really made the entire party feel like it was in a venue, not just in front of our garage! (YES that is our garage in the background! crazy!) And the darling details purchased from Two Chihuahuas on Etsy made it really feel like a custom party! 

Love the backdrop!? Get your own! Depending on the size around $15 for 6 feet of coverage! AMAZING!!! and it looked soooo elegant! Pick a color and ill make you one for your next party! email: Thelovelylaneblog@gmail.com :)

Love the custom banners and glitter animals? How about the cutest cupcake flags! I died over these details. Click HERE to purchase some costume for your next event. The kids LOVED them :)

Here are some more photos from the wonderful day…

GIANT ONE BALLOON: CLICK HERE

ONE CANDLE (SPRAY PAINTED GOLD): CLICK HERE!

BLACK LINEN TABLE CLOTHS: CLICK HERE!

CLASSIC WOODEN HIGHCHAIR (EASY TO CLEAN): CLICK HERE!

CUPCAKE STAND (CAN BE ASSEMBLED DIFFERENT WAYS): CLICK HERE!

CUPCAKE FLAGS: CLICK HERE

ANIMAL FIGURINES (small ones, spray painted Gold): CLICK HERE!

GOLD CUPCAKE CUPS: CLICK HERE!

BANNERS(CAN CUSTOMIZE)! : CLICK HERE!

BEVERAGE DISPENSER (we did fresh lemon water): CLICK HERE!

 

ANIMAL FIGURINES (these are the small ones, spray painted Gold): CLICK HERE!

MINI CLOTHESPINS (spray painted Gold): CLICK HERE!

GOLD SPRAY PAINT!!!! CLICK HERE!

MY BOY IS ONE!!!

The Early Riser: when baby starts to wake up earlier and earlier...

Ah, the early riser.  I never thought I would be one, but I sure did marry one...and apparently our baby inherited that gene! Or so I thought...

 Hunter had been sleeping through the night since seven weeks of age. He was the dream child, The scheduling worked for him and he slept at night with ease. (besides the occasional teething problems and sickness) but around 9 months he started waking up earlier and earlier in the morning. He was sleeping from 7:30 PM to 6:30 AM religiously. The kid was like a clock! he would sleep these hours without a change... And then he started waking up 15 to 20 minutes early at first, then 30 minutes, then he started waking up at 5 AM.... I was petrified that my child was only a 10 hour night sleeper now and 5 AM would be my new wake up call... So I started doing my research, this is what I found:

1) Hunger, hunger, hunger.

The main reason baby starts waking up gradually earlier is because they are hungry. I knew this but I did not know how to fix it. Did he need more formula? Or solids? And how much? I can't tell you exact amounts for your child, but for Hunter he was getting way too much formula which meant he was eating less solids. So I reduced from four bottles to three,( but still maintained the minimum of 24 ounces before one years old) The fourth feeding that was dropped (a bottle with lunch around 12:30pm) changed to only solid foods rather than a bottle and solids. At 12:30 He ate almost an entire egg, and a smoothie packed with fruits veggies and yogurt. (Recipes to come soon) 

2) Waking out of habit

Since Hunter was waking graduating earlier and earlier, I knew it wasn't out of habit. If he had been waking at the same exact time give or take 5-10 minutes, then I could assume that it was out of habit from possibly a feeding that was dropped. If this is your baby, waking out of habit, I suggest cry it out in someway, letting the baby fuss & go in every 5 to 10 minutes comfort and then leave for another 5-10 minutes. This helps them learn the precious lesson of self soothing!

3) Has baby had enough sleep?

If your baby is waking up earlier in the morning I would really look at how much sleep he or she is getting throughout the day. Anywhere from 10 to 13 hours a night is considered "normal sleep". So I would look at how much your baby is sleeping at night combined with day sleeping. If you're now nine-month-old is still taking three naps today, and they're ranging from 1 to 2 hours each then they are probably getting too much day sleep therefore waking early in the morning. Does your child need that much sleep? If so then keep on that track! But only you know what's best for your child.

4) What is your baby's bedtime?

Sleep begets sleep! At one point we were putting Hunter to bed at 8:30 at night when he was only three or four months old ! and he would be so overtired that he wouldn't sleep as long that night. Our pediatrician recommended gradually making his bedtime earlier so he would sleep longer. It took a few weeks but we finally got his bed time to 7 PM which helped a lot. Be sure bedtime and the morning wake time are consistent (give or take 20 to 30 minutes) every day.

SO...

If you have addressed pretty much all of these issues, and given it a fair 2 to 3 weeks to work itself out, and your baby is still waking early in the morning before the desired awake time you had set out, I would treat that 4 or 5 AM wake up as a middle of the night wake up. Do whatever routine you would do if your baby were to wake up at midnight fussing or crying. Check the diaper, make sure that they are okay, possibly comfort them for a minute or two, and then laid him back down.

DISCLAIMER as always I want to stress the fact that I am a first-time mom.  But I am also a stay-at-home mom with a passion to do my research and take care of this precious blessing that I've been entrusted with.  The strategies and tips listed above worked for me but I am still learning! Any tips or suggestions that work for you I'd love to hear! We all need to support each other to survive this crazy amazing thing called mommyhood! Xo-B

New Beginnings!

Hello Lovely! 

My new adventure was in creating Best in Blogs! An insta-blog that highlights various bloggers around the world! Its almost a magazine for your instagram, filled with talented lifestyle bloggers. Follow @BestInblogs 

Check it out!

Here are some images you may see: