How to take care of the anger?  The article suggests something I completely agree with–find time for yourself.  Get your nails done, get a massage, meet up with friends!  I’ve found that to be so important.  So much about motherhood is beautiful and wonderful, but even the best mom needs a break.  Don’t feel guilty taking the break because it really helps you be a better mom.  When you get back from your break feeling refreshed you have much more quality time with your baby and/or children!

What are some things you do to de-stress from days with the kiddos?

The best part was bringing my 8 week old daughter, Addilyn, into the class for the breastfeeding and soothing sections.  Our breastfeeding instructor taught as I demonstrated different breastfeeding positions with Addilyn and we used her to demonstrate proper latching and mouth formation for feeding.

Everyone was wowed by The 5 S’s (swaddle, side, shh, swing, suck) and how quickly they soothed Addilyn’s screaming.  It was literally seconds and she was peacefully sleeping.  Having a chance to swaddle a live baby was really great for all the students!  They all realized what a difference it made swaddling a real wiggling, screaming baby instead of a still, lifeless doll!

We hope to have another training in early Sept so we can still use Addilyn for swaddling and breastfeeding demo so join us next time!

Q:  Corinne, You’ve been taking care of kids since you yourself were very young, helping out in your mom’s home daycare.  What do you remember about that experience?

One of the things that really sticks out is the variety of activities my mother offered to the children.  The kids were always challenged and engaged.  They learned so much under her care– she never relied on the TV to “babysit” them.

I enjoyed watching the kids grow from babies to children, and I learned a lot about children and their development at a young age.

Q:  Have you always been drawn to baby care in particular?  If so, why?

I loved taking care of children and babies since I was very young.  I think it started because my brother was three years younger, and I enjoyed caring for him, reading him books, and playing with him outside for hours at a time.  Between him and the other children my mom watched, growing up I was always the “little mother” to lots of kids.

I’ve always received such joy from taking care of children.  Seeing them discover something new, or finally “get” something I have been teaching them is so rewarding.  Children need a lot of opportunities, guidance, and love – that is all.

Q:  Both of our families are a wonderful mix of biological and adopted children.  What tips do you have for similar families to ensure a cohesive family unit?

I read my adopted and biological children age-appropriate books on adoptive families and how they came to be.  My kids have learned that families come together in many different ways.  I also talk a lot of their place of birth, and birth parents.  We keep and celebrate certain traditions from their country of birth.  I make sure they know even though they came to be a part of our family a different way than our biological children, it is not something to be ashamed of, but to be proud of.  It is beautiful thing.

Q: If you could share just one tip for a new mom, what would it be?

Take time for yourself -  it is so important.  Never feel guilty about asking for help or time alone.  We all need to re-charge our batteries from time to time, and moms deserve a break, too!

WHAT: Izzy Maternity is hosting an informational workshop about in-home childcare. If you are planning to work after you have your baby or need extra assistance at home to balance every day activities post pregnancy, this event will have beneficial information for you. Moms will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from Happy Baby Solutions, Nurse& Nurture, SittersUlove, Olive You Nanny, and CHI Au Pair. Light refreshments and drinks will be served. In addition, there will be a special shopping discount available to all attendees.

WHO:  Expectant moms, dads, family, and friends

WHERE:  Izzy Maternity

North Point Village

7300 North Point Pkwy

Alpharetta, GA 30022

WHEN:  Thursday, June 16, 2011  6:30 pm

REGISTER:  To RSVP email izzymaternity2@bellsouth.net

About Izzy Maternity: Izzy Maternity offers top maternity designer lines including Noppies, Olian, Citizens of Humanity, Michael Stars, and Japanese Weekend. Izzy Maternity caters to the customer’s needs and recommends clothing that will fit each unique body shape. Sizes range from XS – 2X (European sizes) and 4 – 24 (American sizes). Bra sizes range from 34B to 44F. In addition, many lines come in petite or tall inseams. For more information about Izzy Maternity or to shop online, visit www.izzymaternityclothes.com .

Q: Julie, when did you first know you wanted to be an infant care specialist?

I always knew I wanted to work with children.  Babies were a passion of mine even back when I was a pre-teen.  At that point I didn’t know there was such a thing as an infant care specialist, but I knew I definitely wanted to work with babies in some type of setting.

Q:  A lot of people have a hard time working with babies because they don’t understand their language.  When did you first realize you had a gift for connecting with babies?

When I was about 13 I started babysitting for my family members and was always the person everyone turned to when a baby was crying.  If my other siblings were holding a baby and the baby started crying, they’d look at me and hand over the baby for me to calm.  I have always been a natural baby calmer and I really think it comes down to just feeling comfortable with babies and staying calm myself when the baby is all worked up.

Q:  As a new mom yourself, what’s been the most challenging part about life with a newborn.

I would have to say having other children to care for really makes a big difference in being a mom.  The first time around, all you have to focus on is your new baby and yourself.  There aren’t piles of laundry, toy messes, and constant family activities.  With more children in the picture you get much less sleep and are so much busier with daily life activities and duties.  So handling a newborn on top of everything else is definitely more challenging.  Some days I feel like my baby lives in her swing because we are all so busy!  Sleep deprivation is the other hard thing to deal with.  Even with a “good” baby that sleeps 4-6 hour stretches at night, you still feel exhausted.

Q:  I’m sure a lot of other busy moms will feel relieved to hear you admit that it’s a challenge and your baby spends lots of time in the swing.  See, even for infant care specialists, having a newborn is tough work, right?

A:  Absolutely!  So if I could share one main piece of advice to new moms, it would be to ask for help when you need it and please, accept any offers of help that come your way.  Don’t try to be “supermom” by attempting to do everything around the house plus taking care of a newborn.   Finding time for yourself is so crucial – whether it’s by simply taking a bubble bath or actually getting out for a pedicure.  Spending time on yourself will make you a better mom – you’ll be revived and able to enjoy that special time with your newborn even more.

Stop by next week for Julie’s interview with Corinne!

For 9 months your baby has been “swaddled” in a luxurious, comfortable haven where everything is perfect for her wellbeing.  Especially in those last few months, your baby is packed very tightly inside the womb and by 40 weeks, she is very used to the wonderful feeling of protection around her.

Parents often think babies need and want their hands free once they are outside of the womb.  However, it is quite the contrary.  Since babies have been tightly packed in the womb for so long, being “free” when they are born often causes fussiness, restlessness, and a baby who doesn’t sleep very well.  Give them a tight swaddle and it can make a world of difference!

There are 3 things you need for swaddling:

1. A large square blanket (40in x 40in works the best)
2. The perfect method and….
3. A crying baby

Let’s talk about the perfect method:

1. Start by laying the blanket down in a diamond shape on a nice flat surface such as a bed.
2. Fold one corner of the blanket down several inches.
3. Lay the baby with the back of her neck along the fold.
4. Be sure the baby’s arms are straight to the side and snugly wrap the left side of the blanket completely over the baby and tuck it under her body on the right side.
5. Take the very bottom point of the blanket (below the feet) and bring it up just enough to tuck under her left shoulder (which would be her shoulder on your right).  It’s ok to leave a lot of space near the feet.
6. Make sure her other arm is straight to her side and fold down the top right corner of the blanket and bring it to the middle of her chest, leaving the excess material out to the side.
7. While holding the fold in the middle of the chest, take the excess material, grab it in a bunch and wrap it snugly the whole way around the baby.
8. This will create a small fold on the baby’s chest that you can tuck the “tail” of the blanket into to keep the swaddle nice and tight.

Looking for great swaddle blankets in the 40×40 size?  Check out our swaddle blanket page to purchase:  http://happybabysolutions.com/other-services/swaddle-blankets

After experiencing two difficult problems I could finally enter into understanding what other mothers have faced when telling me about their breastfeeding woes.  Amongst being exhausted and juggling a newborn no one wants to deal with excruciating pain every time you try to feed your baby!  I can understand now why it is so easy to give up and move to bottles!

But I always wonder how did you feel if/when you wanted to give up on breastfeeding?  Did you feel like people around you would make you feel guilty for not being able to breastfeed or that you were a “bad mom” because you couldn’t breastfeed your baby?

I feel like there is so much pressure put on new moms that “breast is best” and many are looked down on because they chose not to try breastfeeding or tried and “failed”.  But the truth is formula fed babies turn out just as great as breastfed babies so the point of feeding, whether breast or bottle, is that you want a healthy baby who is gaining sufficient weight and it doesn’t matter how it is getting its nutrients!

Are you interested in learning techniques on caring for newborns?

Would you like to know how to market yourself as a professional in the Newborn Specialist field…

And much more?

Join us for our Baby Nurse/Newborn Specialist Training Course!

Instructors:
Julie Trotter, Happy Baby Solutions Owner
Corinne Freesemann, Happy Baby Solutions Owner
Angela Buehler, NNEB
Lactation Specialist TBA

Cost: $250
Date: June 25th, 2011
Time: 9am-5pm
Location:  11605 Haynes Bridge Rd. Alpharetta, GA 30009

Topics covered will include, but are not limited to:

Newborn care including cord care and bathing
Milestones
Soothing techniques
Swaddling techniques
The various types of swaddling blankets
Swaddling hands on practice
Feeding
Medical concerns to look for
Scheduling
Breastfeeding
Caring for mom
Newborn Specialist tax requirements
Newborn Specialist professionalism
Newborn Specialist etiquette
How to market yourself as a professional in the Newborn Specialist field
Resources for Newborn Specialists

Please note:  This is not a national or statewide certification.  By taking this course, you have met the requirements to be certified through Happy Baby Solutions to call yourself a “Happy Baby Solutions certified Newborn Specialist or Baby Nurse”.  This does not mean that you have a nursing certificate or license (as in an LPN or RN).

Apparently Forest Park does not think breastfeeding a child over the age of 2 is necessary, but instead is indecent exposure and they have now passed a law stating that no one can breastfeed a child older than 2 years in public! What has the world come to? We can publicly display scantily clad models in the mall and on billboards for everyone to see and display all sorts of nudity on TV, but the simple act of giving your child some nutritious milk is now illegal because it is indecent exposure?? That is ludicrous! Breastfeeding exposes a whole lot less skin (and for an important purpose) than the media we are exposed to everyday! Who has the right to tell people when, where, and what age they can breastfeed?

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/27920007/detail.html