Language Development

Dominik has recently started to really explore his vocal cords. He has been "talking" to us for quite a while now and even giggling every now and then. Now, in addition to his baby babble, he will also screech, yell, and make all kinds of interesting noises. I love listening to him and watching his looks of amazement at his own voice. Plus, it is the sweetest voice I've ever heard, even when he is screeching.

This is a great step towards language development for Dominik. He's not only learning how to make loud and soft noises, but initiating the development of tone and sound variation as well as discovering how to make the sounds of different consonants and vowels. The first six months of an infant's development of the language area of the brain is devoted to sorting out the various sounds that they hear around them, imitation is a key part of this. It is during the first three years of life that the child goes through a "sensitive period", meaning they are particularly able to learn language (and even differentiate between different languages). Missing a sensitive period makes it difficult for language to be acquired.

So how to nurture language development? Talk to your baby! I try to tell Dominik about what we are doing at any particular part of the day. For example, during bath time, I tell him about how I am undressing him, counting the buttons, explaining that we are moving to the bathroom, telling him about the warm water, etc. That way, he is not only being exposed to language but also to the meanings behind what I am saying. Simply creating more connections for him.

I also read to Dominik. I feel like lately I've seen a ton of articles about how doctors are recommending that parents read to their babies. I totally agree because it's seriously one of the most beneficial things you can do for your baby's language skills. Mostly, I read simple and short children's books because his attention span is rather short. But the point is that he is being introduced to both spoken and written language (and hopefully gaining a love of books). When we read aloud, the variations and rhythm of our words is slightly different than normal conversation. Reading out loud helps an infant to hear the gentle rhythm of words. Plus if I read something like Dr. Seuss, he can also hear rhyming, more subtle differences between words, and the musical qualities of poetry.

However, I'm not constantly talking his ear off. Babies also need quiet time to let their brains catch up and process what they have experienced. Especially if Dominik is focused on a toy or task, I'll sit quietly and wait for him to absorb what he is doing. Baby's are learning constantly and can be easily overwhelmed. Too much information at once can be too confusing, the result being that none of it is being processed. I know when I am in a new place or situation, it's often hard to notice details or anything other than what is totally necessary.

Happy reading!

Safe Toys

Father's Day was yesterday and it was nice. I made the hubby breakfast in bed in the morning, using his brand new "World's Greatest Dad" coffee mug. As another small gift, I gave him a framed photo of Dominik wearing one of his daddy's favorite shirts. I'm thinking that every year I'll take a photo of Dominik wearing it. Later in the day we went to my mom's house for dinner, so it was an overall mellow and relaxing day.

The past week or so, Dominik has really been trying to grasp items and brings everything to his mouth. I can see a few teeth trying to poke through on the bottom, so I imagine he is realizing that chewing makes it feel better. He is still too young, in my opinion, to try certain teething remedies (although I was thinking of getting an amber necklace) so I've been giving him things to chew. Most of baby items are made of plastic and I can't help but think about how much of those chemicals are making their way into my baby's body. 

I get why baby's toys would be made of plastic. It's durable, cheap, colorful, and it won't shatter so it's safe in that sense. Plastics often contain phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors. This chemical has been linked to hormone imbalance, hyperactivity, cancer, and obesity. Because plastics with phthalates are flexible, these are often found in plastic teethers. Another endocrine disruptor you've probably heard of is BPA, but luckily this chemical is being phased out of baby products. However, just because most baby bottles don't have BPA doesn't mean the same rules apply to toys. BPA is most often in hard plastics and has been linked to behavioral issues as well as diabetes. Plastics have a number marking on the bottom of the product. Try to avoid #3 and #7 since these contain the above harmful endocrine disruptors.

Those are not the only chemicals in plastic or in toys in general. Soft toys are often treated with flame retardants or can "off gas" fumes from the production process. It seems like every synthetic chemical is being linked to or causes some kind of detrimental effect on the human body. Adults may be able to filter out chemicals more efficiently but kids and babies can accumulate things and retain them in their bodies in much higher quantities. 

I know it's nearly impossible to avoid all toxins, but I try to make smarter choices when purchasing toys and teethers for Dominik. Choosing teethers made of pure rubber or hospital grade silicone or toys made of wood and food safe paints/dyes. These items, particularly the wood toys are of much higher quality considering the materials used and the fact that these companies often have very strict regulations. They are more expensive, but I figure it's better for Dominik to have a few safe, quality toys than mountains of cheap, toxic toys that don't withstand the test of time.

Here are some companies I recommend:

Apple Park

Melissa and Doug

Hape Toys

HABA Toys

PlanToys

Natursutten Pacifiers

Hevea Pacifiers and Teethers

Rainbow Pasta Salad

It's feeling more and more like summer now that we have had weeks of warm weather and all the schools are out for the year. Over the weekend we took Dominik for his very first dip in the pool! The pool was warm, but it was still a little chilly for him. So, we only stayed in the water for a short time. But he loves being in water in general and I plan on taking him into the pool many more times!

The pool is at my father in law's house and because they were also having a small cook-out, I brought a pasta salad. Pasta salad is an awesome summer food because it's a cold dish, but it's often very heavy with mayonnaise or cheese. So I created a fresh, colorful pasta salad using a vinaigrette recipe that I use on my other salads. It turned out better than I anticipated, even my meat eating brother and sister in law (both are still very young) requested leftovers to pack in their school lunches!

Rainbow Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

-1 lb multicolored pasta (any pasta with do)

-half red onion, chopped

-1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange) diced

-1 zucchini, diced

-1 yellow squash, diced

-2 Tb olive oil

-salt and pepper

-Maple mustard vinaigrette*

*recipe below

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, combine the vegetables in a pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook for about 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 400 F.

3. Once everything has cooled, mix veggies and pasta in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette and refrigerate until chilled.

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup olive oil

-4 Tb maple syrup

-4 Tb mustard of your choice

-juice of 1 lemon

-splash of apple cider vinegar (tablespoon or two)

-1 tsp garlic powder

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Whisk ingredients until smooth, that's it!

Enjoy!

Rice Cereal and Solids

I'm a member on one of those "birth club" blogs (epic entertainment and drama) and it's interesting seeing the trends in posts. Mid-pregnancy, it was all of the gender and baby kicks posts, then towards March it was "how do I get this giant baby out" threads, and lately, it's been all about rice cereal. A lot of people are really confused about if and when they should give their baby cereal because of all the conflicting advice. Like all other baby-rearing advice, a ton has changed over the years.

Giving babies pureed/mashed/liquified food is historically and culturally common. Grains and starches are the center of every large society's diet (and have been since the agricultural revolution) so it's no surprise that these nutritious foods are often a baby's first.

Starting with the rise of scientific thinking in the late 1800's and early 1900's, lab produced foods and doctor recommendations gained steam. Infant formula was an important outcome as many scientists began exploring "better" ways to feed people. But advice on infant weaning was scattered and while some infants were exclusively breastfed until 6 months to a year, others were given solid food at just a few weeks old.

By the mid 1900's, companies were aggressively advertising for commercially made baby foods and cereals, highlighting "convenience" (TV dinners and other convenience foods were also big). It was even recommended to give up formula or breastfeeding by 6 months in favor of cow's milk and baby food. Armed with no scientific evidence, baby food companies pushed rice cereal as the perfect first food for baby.

The 1950's were also a time when doctor's recommended giving solid food as young as 3 weeks because it was viewed as a milestone. This continued to be common well into the 70's, with most infants being given cereal and pureed foods starting at 3 or 4 weeks.

As giving baby bottles was popular and accepted, particularly 60 years ago, so was the notion of putting cereal in the bottles. The opinions on this were that baby would sleep better, gain weight, and be more satisfied. In fact, my mother in law told me that she put cereal in my husbands bottle as a baby because "he wasn't satisfied". This was pretty common even until recently. However, this was often dangerous, as babies inhaled the cereal which cause respiratory issues.

 It has been a common belief that breastmilk was an inadequate source of nutrition by 6 months, a misconception that has since been disproven. Starting in the 1980's, pediatric committees in the US pushed the age to between 3 and 4 months as a good age to start solids. Eventually, with TONS of studies coming out on infant weaning, the recommendation in 2003 was to exclusively breast or formula feed until 6 months. So why the wait?

Infant's digestive system is still developing well into their first six months and do not tolerate solid foods well. In fact, infants that were given solids before 6 months were twice as likely to have tummy upsets and have to see a GI specialist. It also leads to higher body fat, respiratory problems, and allergies. However, there is still lots of dispute over the "perfect" age to start solids because, in all honesty, every baby is different. Doctors generally seem to agree between 4 and 6 months as the right time.

So what to start with? Rice cereal? Jarred baby food?

Jarred baby food is a convenience food. Like grown up convenience foods, they are processed and not really nutritious. Particularly in the past, they were often laced with sugar and salt to make them more appealing.

Rice cereal is pretty nutritionally void as well. It is a simple carbohydrate, so it's the equivalent of giving a baby table sugar. Sure, it has added nutrients like iron, but those nutrients are not absorbed well, especially because a baby's gut is still developing. In fact, a baby cannot absorb iron if breastmilk is mixed with solid food in the small intestine. It's also getting to be controversial lately because it is being connected to obesity and poor eating habits later in life. Although the American diet in general causes obesity, it does make sense. Getting a child used to simple carbohydrates like rice cereal could set them up for having a taste for such foods later on. It also messes with an infants own hunger-fullness cues. They take in way too many calories which in turn sets them up for overeating.

Yes, rice cereal for babies is easily digested, mushy enough to avoid choking, and is not an allergenic food. This is where many people jump on the cereal wagon. However, it is becoming clear in recent years, as we watch our waistlines expand, that starting baby on something that turn into sugar in the body probably is not the best idea. Plus, why start baby on the blandest thing possible?

It seems to be common sense to give baby different textures and flavors so that their taste palette is used to them. What we give our kids to eat when they are young is what they will crave when they are older and want "comfort food". When I am having a rough day, I crave my mom's grilled cheese or homemade pasta sauce because my own tastes developed from these. So mush up the peas! Blend that spinach! Chop up zucchini spears! It's way cheaper to make your own baby food, whether you feed with purees or practice baby led weaning. Food should be fun anyways, not bland and mushy.

Dominik's Birth Story

Everyone loves a good birth story. I mean, what's not to love? A story about new life coming into the world? Yes, please :)
So here's the story of how my love was born:

Dominik’s Birth Story

Monday March 10th, 2014 started like every morning the last few weeks had. I was several days away from my March 13th due date and was getting more and more anxious. I was huge and uncomfortable and had been doing everything I could to jumpstart labor. For the majority of pregnancy, I had been having contractions like crazy, often becoming regular and lasting for hours. So when I started having uncomfortable contractions the night of March 9th, I brushed it off as Braxton Hicks. But by the next morning they still had not fizzled out. But I still wasn’t convinced.

I went to the chiropractor in the morning and came back home to relax and eat. After eating, at about 12:45pm I was laying in bed when suddenly I felt like I was peeing in my pants. So I jumped out of bed and realized my water was breaking. I ran to the bathroom as my water gushed everywhere and waited for it to stop. When I called my husband, the first thing he asked was if I “had popped yet”. Finally I got to answer with a yes and told him to come home. My water gushed an additional two times before we left for the hospital so I sat on a garbage bag on the way there. It was around this time that the contractions I had brushed off as Braxton Hicks were beginning to feel painful. When we arrived at the hospital, it was getting difficult to speak through them.

After checking in around 2:00pm, we were led to a room where they confirmed that it was my water that broke and checked my progress. I was only at a 1 centimeter so we assumed it was going to be a long day and night. They monitored my contractions as well as the baby’s heartbeat while they prepared to give me a hep lock. My contractions were already going off of the charts and were a steady 2 minutes apart. But despite desperately wanted to get up and move through my contractions, I was stuck in bed while two different nurses and an anesthesiologist tried to find a vein. When they FINALLY found my vein I was finally able to get up and move around. My favorite doctor was there that night so I was so excited to be able to birth with her. She was leaving on a break from 6:00pm to 11:00pm but we were sure that I would deliver much later than 11:00pm.

I labored for the next few hours in a variety of positions and places. Sometimes I paced the room and swayed through contractions while leaning over the bed. My husband would help move my hips or massage my back, which helped immensely. It was now impossible to speak through them, so my nurse got me a birthing ball to try sitting on. I loved sitting on the birthing ball because I could more easily get into the most comfortable position. When I felt the contraction in my back, I would lean over the bed as Kelley massaged my back. If I felt it more in my lower abdomen I would lean back onto Kelley. Most of the contractions were felt in my lower abdomen, like severe menstrual cramps so the majority of the time I was sitting on the ball, leaning onto Kelley, and would put my feet up on the bed. 

Around 5:00pm I moved to the shower. The nurse (who was wonderful, sweet, and supportive) put the ball in the shower and helped me in. I labored for about an hour in the shower, sitting on the ball while Kelley moved the shower head over my back or belly. My mom arrived sometime during this time and switched off with Kelley so that he could get some dinner. 

It was starting to feel like the contractions were closer together, sometimes not really letting up, so we moved the ball back to next to the bed. As I labored on the ball, I couldn’t help but shake from the pain and was beginning to lose the ability to think and see clearly. Around 6:30pm or so it felt like one giant never ending contraction. The breaks I relied on to regain my composure were nonexistent and I wasn’t sure I could go much longer without losing it or passing out. I was only at 4 centimeters so, expecting to be in labor for the rest of the night, I decided it was time for an epidural. I wanted to birth without one, but the pain was unrelenting and getting stronger. 

When the epidural was finally given, it only worked on my right side. It had also caused the baby’s heart rate to drop, which sent the nurses into a panic. I was given oxygen and rolled over to my side until the heart rate stabilized. The on call doctor came in and reassured us that this was a common reaction to the epidural but that all seemed fine now. My blood pressure was low, however, so I had to remain flat on the bed. But since the epidural only worked on one side, I writhed in pain. Laying down had made the contractions even more intense and I was no longer able to see clearly. 

The doctor was working on making my left side numb when I suddenly felt pressure, like I needed to go to the bathroom. All I had to say to the nurse was the word pressure and she rolled me over to check. Much to her and all of our surprise, I was complete and ready to push, and it was only 8:30! 

My epidural was finally kicking in, but it was making it difficult to push correctly. So for almost two hours, I slowly pushed his head down while Kelley and my mom each held one of my legs. Kelley counted through each push so that I would push for long enough, but I was getting exhausted. Feeling the baby’s head gave me the motivated to push harder, so I slowly progressed. The best position was on my side, but my nurse kept insisting that I lay on my back while holding on to my legs. I protested because it did not help at all, and eventually ignored everyone's suggestions so I could do what felt right.

They finally called the doctor in when I was close to crowning. I was then told that because his head was facing sideways, instead of down, it was taking longer to push. Already having torn in two different spots, the doctor asked if he could give me an episiotomy to prevent a worse tear and speed things up. I knew episiotomies weren't ideal, but I kept hearing Dominik's heart rate drop on the monitor so I agreed. After that, it took two more pushes and he was out! They placed him on my chest and I sobbed out of joy as I kissed and held my new baby boy. A minute later, he pooped ALL OVER me. Even the doctor was surprised and impressed, saying he'd never seen a baby poop so much. After we were cleaned up a bit, I latched him to my breast where he ate like a champ for 40 minutes!
Dominik was 8lbs 3 oz and 19.5 inches long. Perfect :)

The Minimalist Guide to Baby Gear

I really hate clutter. I don't mind mess, my years working with small children and growing up with two younger siblings made me immune to mess. But too much stuff? Drives me crazy? It almost makes me a bit stressed out seeing things that are just hanging out unused with no purpose.

When it was time to create a baby gift registry, I was way overwhelmed by the HUGE amount of baby products out there. There is seriously a product or gadget for EVERYTHING. And it seemed like everything was a necessity. I still hear things like, "What do you mean you don't have a swing? You NEED a swing." or "Don't you have an infant car seat? What do you do with him when you are out of the house?"

Instead of relying on the lists of hundreds of items that I needed, I decided to make my own based on what a baby needs. I didn't want tons of stuff that I either hardly used or was left sitting in a corner and I wanted to save money for all of the items I knew had to be purchased in the future (bigger clothes, more books, etc.) So here is my minimalist guide to baby gear, broken down by basic subjects:


Feeding:
If you are breastfeeding:
-Reusable/washable breastpads (the softer the better, and at least enough to last a week)
-5-6 nursing tank tops (I found the bras to be less useful, tanks can go under anything)
-boppy pillow (multi-functioning pillow of awesomeness... can be used later to prop baby up)
*optional:
-breastpump (check to see if your insurance covers it, I got mine for free)
-2-3 small bottles and 2-3 large bottles

If you are formula feeding:
-7-10 small bottles
-5-6 large bottles
-bottle brush (because cleaning bottles is a pain)

Bathtime:
-Baby bath tub (Some just say to omit this and bathe with baby instead, but I had a tricky recovery and was not allowed a bath for 8 weeks)
-Gentle soap like Dr. Bronner's (Johnson's is filled with nasty ingredients, plus baby doesn't really need soap until they start crawling around and getting dirty)
*you do no need extra baby towels, they are so thin that they really don't work anyway. Just use the same towels and washcloths you use

Clothing:
-2-3 newborn size outfits (you may not even need this size, so wait on it. Dominik was too big for newborn sized clothes)

Spring/summer baby:
-5-6 onesies
-4-5 long sleeve pajamas (if nighttime is cool enough)
-1 hat (one that will protect from sun)
-5-6 pairs socks
-2-3 pairs of pants and/or shorts
-1-2 jackets
-swim diaper

Fall/winter baby:
*same as above just take away swimsuit and shorts and add:
-3-4 more hats, beanie style
-3-4 long sleeve onesies
-2-3 more pants
-If needed: a few heavier coats/jackets

*You do not need shoes yet. Unnecessary and prevents baby from experiencing touch and movement with their feet. Also, a ton of hats are also not needed. The smell of your baby's head helps you to release the proper hormones for milk production and bonding. Plus, leaving their head bare inside will help develop their temperature control. Most of the time, Dominik is in a onesie and that's it.

Diapering:
-Changing pad
-2-3 changing pad covers
-5-6 cheap prefolds to protect changing pad (sooooo much easier to switch out that the whole cover)
-1 diaper bag (one that comes with a changing pad is a bonus!)

If using cloth diapers:
-24 prefolds, 5 covers, 3 snappies OR 24 pocket/all-in-one diapers
-40-50 cloth wipes
-2 large wet bags
-2 small wet bags

If using disposable diapers:
-1 box of diapers
-1 container of wipes
-any trashcan for diapers (maintaining airflow actually helps with smell)
*The reason I advise only 1 box of diapers/wipes is your baby may need a different diaper for these reasons: that brand may cause a rash, they may need a different size, or it may leak because of a poor fit. I know it's hard, but wait for baby)

Sleeping:
-Some sort of bassinet so baby has a safe place to sleep (Co-sleepers are great!)
-Crib*
*If you are bedsharing, the crib really isn't necessary

Travel:
-1 diaper bag (one that comes with a changing pad is a bonus!)
-Convertible car seat (Because it's not safe to leave baby in a car seat for too long, plus convertible car seats last longer and are safer)
-baby carrier (wraps, slings, and other carriers are used instead of toting around a heavy carseat. Waaay safer and more developmentally appropriate for baby)
*Optional:
-Stroller (more useful when they are older, but nice for longer outings when babywearing gets hot and uncomfortable)

Miscellaneous:
-5-6 swaddling blankets (Aden + Anais blankets are worth every penny)
-2-3 heavier blankets
-7-8 burp cloths (prefolds work perfectly)
-Activity center for play and tummy time
-3-4 pacifiers (even if you swear you'll never use them...desperate times call for desperate measures!)
-a rock and play type seat (for times you need a safe spot for baby so you can use the bathroom or eat. I like Tiny Love's Rocker Napper)

That's it! That's really all I use! It still seems like quite a lot, but it's the bare minimum to care for a baby comfortably in my opinion. :)
Happy baby shopping!

Baked Zucchini Fries

I really love breastfeeding, it's free and easy to pull out the boob whenever he's hungry. But it makes me so hungry and thirsty ALL the time! It totally makes sense when I look at Dominik, he's definitely growing! Last night, all of the sudden I was so hungry, but I didn't want to eat any more sugary or salty snacks...but I did have a beautiful looking zucchini in the fridge. Zucchini fries! A fry that's actually healthy!

Zucchini Fries

Ingredients:
-1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into "matchsticks"
-3/4 cup flour
-1 cup almond milk or other unsweetened unflavored milk
-1 cup breadcrumbs
-1/2 cup nutritional yeast
-1 tsp paprika
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees F.
2Cut zucchini and prepare "stations" for dipping. One bowl of flour, one of milk, and the last with the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
3. A few at a time, dip the zucchini in the flour, then the milk, then the breadcrumb mixture and place side by side onto a cookie sheet.
4. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
5. Serve with ketchup or marinara sauce for dipping.