Randomness. Mostly About Baby Stuff. Shocker, I Know.

Lucas went to Nashville for the weekend to work on the garage he's building at his rental house, so I'm here at the house alone with the kiddo (who's asleep) and I thought I might as well kill my time by watching mindless TV and blogging.  It never fails.....anytime Lucas goes out of town, I stay up WAY too late doing a whole lot of absolutely nothing.  And I usually eat crappy as well.....like a teenager whose parents went out of town.  Tonight has been no different.  Don't ask me what I'm eating, because I'm not telling.  ;)  Nothing I'm not supposed to have while pregnant.....but definitely nothing healthy, either!

This picture is missing a bag of Doritos.  And does that pizza have hot dogs on it?

I may end up writing two blogs this evening, because there is something else I'd like to write about, but it deserves it's own blog post by itself.  It's one of those deep convo blogs.  Heavy stuff.  And NOT AT ALL baby-related. WHAT!!??!!  Of course I rented a girly Redbox movie (Safe Haven) so I may wait until Delano's naptime tomorrow for the next blog.

So for now, I'm just gonna talk about random things that come to mind.  Probably all baby-related.  As always.  'Tis my life.

Good to know.

First, let's talk about my boobs (woohoo!).  As you all know, Delano weaned himself cold turkey from breastfeeding last week.  He just up and decided he was over it, and he hasn't blinked an eye since.  It was a little more difficult for me, as I knew I'd have to wean him over the next few months, but not before he was a year old.  And I never thought HE would just be done with ME.  But he didn't even care.  So I think my feelings might be a tad hurt, even though he actually made my life easier by weaning himself. ;)  Anyway, it's been about a week, and I still have milk that I could offer if he wanted it.  I haven't pumped (it's pointless nowadays) but I also haven't become engorged or anything like that.  The only thing that's been different is that my boobs will tingle in the mornings, like they're asking if the baby might need them today.  I have no idea how long it's going to take for my boobs to "dry up", but at least now I have PLENTY of time to start over before the new baby gets here!

Some moms do this.....glad I'm not!

In the past, I've talked about car seats, and how it's important that they're strapped into your car properly and securely, and how even though you can legally face your child forward once they turn a year old, the recommendation (by the same group that makes the law) is that they stay rear-facing up to two years old if possible.  Here's a link for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation if you'd like to read it yourself.  It's a short article but very informative.

I've also talked about crib bumpers.  Though not illegal in the least bit, some people are EXTREMELY passionate about not having them due to reported choking and strangulation incidences that have occurred over the years (which IS a scary thought).  I have been open about the fact that I DO have crib bumpers in my crib, but they are very thin (and not the big puffy pillowy ones) and tied with triple knots to the crib so that Delano couldn't possibly untie them and strangle himself. 

These are the "breathable" mesh crib bumpers.  I've seen them at Target.  Mine are cotton (and not "breathable mesh") but are almost as thin.

One thing I haven't talked about is stuffed animals in the crib.  This is another touchy Mom-subject that is often a passionate one.  The recommendation is, of course, not to have any stuffed animals or toys in the crib with the baby, for fear of suffocation.  Same with pillows and even with blankets for young babies.  I agree with this to a degree.  I agree with the pillow part, because that's just silly anyway.  No baby out there needs a pillow.  As for blankets, I can totally see why you might opt to avoid them, even if paranoia is your sole reason.  The first 6-ish months of Delano's life, he slept in a Rock N' Play Sleeper (which keeps babies cradled like in a car seat) and was typically swaddled, so I didn't have any concerns about blankets, even if he was using one.

This little diddy was AWESOME for us, and will be used by Baby #2 as well.  Plus by keeping the baby's head elevated, it helps to deter earaches and infections (Delano didn't have a single one).  P.S. That's not Delano.

Once Delano started twisting around (and therefore threatened to rock right out of the Rock N' Play) at around 6 months old, we switched him to the top level of the Pack N' Play, still in our room.

P.S. That's not Delano, either.  Of course, he could have just felt pretty that day and wanted to wear cheetah print.  ;)

I thought he'd need time to adjust to sleeping flat on his back, but he really had no problem with it.  At around 7 months old, we moved him into his crib in his room, set on the top level.  His crib was packed full of stuffed animals he'd received as gifts at baby showers.  I wasn't the least bit concerned, because A) they were all at his feet and B) he couldn't move around yet for me to be worried that he might suffocate himself.  Once he could flop like a fish, I still wasn't concerned, because he still couldn't relocate his head to the south end of his crib.  When he was about 9 months old, we lowered the mattress to the bottom level because it was about time for him to start pulling himself up to a stand.  At this point, I STILL didn't remove the stuffed animals because he could freely move away from anything before the chance of suffocation, just like any of us would.  Now, at 11 months old, those stuffed animals are still in his crib because he plays with them.  He can entertain himself for AN HOUR in his crib either before or after a nap playing with his toys.  And I'm totally fine with that.  And no, I don't have any concerns that he's going to suffocate himself.

My child asleep in his crib.  He obviously flipped himself around to the "foot" end, as he does almost EVERY time.

I DO realize that once Delano starts climbing, I'm going to have to take out any big stuff that he could use as "steps" to propel himself out of the crib, which includes the noisemakers strapped to the sides.  I also DO realize that stuffed animals in a crib could be a major hazard if not handled correctly, so I'm not discrediting any parent out there who is anti-stuffed animal.  I'm just telling you that they're in my child's crib.

In the end, WHATEVER it is, if it makes you paranoid, then avoid it.  It doesn't matter what your best friend is doing or what your mother tells you about how she raised you ("and you turned out fine").  If it makes you paranoid or uncomfortable, do yourself a favor and save your sanity.  We already worry about enough stuff as it is as mothers, and your baby won't know any different.  There is definitely such a thing as TOO paranoid, but your choice regarding details like crib bumpers and stuffed animals doesn't fall into that category.  The "TOO paranoid" factor typically shows itself in either super-rich parents with super-spoiled children (I don't know any super-rich people, but I've seen them on TV) or in parents of toddlers and older children who are just blatantly TOO DAMN PARANOID.  My brother's ex used to work at a pricey daycare.  She said there was one mom there who insisted on being updated every hour, and that her child was not allowed to sleep with a pacifier for fear that it would become lodged in her child's ear.  To me, that falls in the category of too damn paranoid.  That poor child will probably never be allowed to do ANYTHING.

I guess I'll wrap this blog post up, since it's already long enough as it is.  But I also came across this photo (when I found the one above) and it made me laugh, so I thought I'd share: