New York Nanny Center » feeding

Grandma’s Back

Alison Gore — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 17:03:08 +0000

I came back to help out with the babies as my daughter was going back to work. I thought it would be nice to make her transition easier knowing I was here with the kids. Being away for a month makes you forget what hard work it is. Back to juggling two energetic grandbabies and trying to fix a bottle while holding a contortionist. I think my blood pressure rises at least 10 points with each feeding. My twelve hour day begins at 7 am. It’s up and down the stairs it seems a hundred times, tummy time on the floor with time for exercising. Stroller rides for some fresh air take up part of the day. You should see me trying to push a double stroller with humans up a 60 degree hill. What a workout. If I don’t lose a few pounds there is no justice in this world. The hectic nature of the day is forgotten when I look into their big blue eyes and they are looking back. They are smiling at me or talking to me, in baby talk of course, the aches and pains of the day seem to disappear.

All the cares of the day disappear when I see these lil’ faces!

With a good night’s sleep I’ll be ready for another day.

-Mama Bell

Best Burping Methods

Alison Gore — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:39:04 +0000

Dear Ask-A-Sitter,

What are the best burping techniques? I have heard so many. I just want to communicate the best one to my sitter when I leave her with my infant. What do you recommend?

-Tooty Twins

Dear Tooty Twins,

Yes that is true, everyone seems to have their own method, which makes sense because every baby is different. What works for your lil’ one may not work for another. Try out a few different positions & see which one seems to mesh with your infant the best. Sometimes I also find switching from one burping position to to the other helps the baby release gas. Here are my top 3 burping positions that seem to work best with an infant:

Hold your baby with their chin near your shoulder, support the baby with one hand and gently pat/rub their back with the other to sooth them while allowing their body to stretch out
Sit your baby on your lap with one hand supporting their chin and pat/rub their back
Lay your baby at a slight angle (with their head higher then their chest) on your lap facing you, rub their belly to sooth them while they stretch out their body. I use this method as a last resort after trying the first two above

Right after burping. The twins are as happy as can be.

Remember to support your lil’ ones head and pat/rub gently. Your baby doesn’t always need to be burped, if he or she seems happy, they’re probably comfortable. And don’t forget to use a burp cloth regardless of the method you choose.

-LB

Diaper Diaries Week # 3

Alison Gore — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:21:41 +0000

A typical day in paradise begins about 7AM with the squawking that signals feeding time. One baby for me, and one for Mom or Dad. You would think they twins would be ready to eat, but they seem to need coaxing for a few minutes as their flailing hands make bottle entry next to impossible. After breakfast it’s poopie time and both girls have mastered the process, which means bath time is the next part of the day.

All dressed up for St. Patrick’s Day!

They enjoy relaxing in the Rock n’ Play and swing and pacifiers give us some quiet time. If lucky, Mom sneaks in a nap and I do laundry, clean, or prepare dinner. If I’m lucky I sneak in a little yoga and escape reality with my favorite hour of General Hospital. That show has taken me through my high school years, my mommy years, and now into my golden years. I think my daughter and son-in-law are enjoying their live-in cook and the new, earlier dinner hour. Their stomachs were used to take out. I think we are all ready for bed at 9 o’clock, but it’s closer to 11 before we are all tucked in.

Another big day tomorrow.

-Second set of eyes, hands, & ears (Mama Bell)

Baby Milestones

Alison Gore — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:47:14 +0000

Our little boy is 4 months old already! It is amazing how fast time is going. Everyone told us that the first six weeks were the most exhausting, and in some ways they are, but they are nothing compared to what we’re experiencing now! Our Henry was a great sleeper from the start. He would take long naps during the day and was sleeping 3-4 hour stretches at night from day 1. That was pretty great to me because I was told I’d be getting no sleep. My husband and I were basking in our “easy child” and feeling lucky about the whole experience. Ha! Needless to say, that did not last!

4 Months!

As Henry got older, and his personality took shape, we were met with new and exciting experiences. When Henry turned 3 1/2 months old, he decided he was going to go from 7 hour stretches of sleep at night to waking up every 2-3 hours. Admittedly this frazzled me a bit. I thought I had nailed the whole sleep routine! Why is my baby crying? He never cried before? WHAT IS HAPPENING?! Out came the sleep books (again), mom and dad needed a refresher course! Luckily, with some strong will on my husband’s part, a mute button on the monitor, and reassurance that letting them self-soothe is best, Henry is sleeping well again!

Henry also started rolling over. One day while “watching” the Today Show (really, it’s background noise because what mom has time to sit and actually watch?!), Henry decided that he wanted to see, too. I always face him away from the T.V. but he was determined. He craned his neck, lifted his legs, twisted his trunk, and BAM! he had rolled from his back to his tummy. I was half horrified that he wanted to watch T.V. that badly and half ecstatic about this new milestone. After that he was unstoppable. He was constantly rolling all over the floor. With that also came sleeping on his stomach…I spent the next three nights glued to the video monitor making sure he could breathe!

At our 4 month doctor visit, I told the doctor that Henry was fussier than usual and seemed extra hungry. She was confident with his mobility and head control and said he seemed ready to start with some baby cereal. Another milestone achieved! This was shaping up to be a big month for Henry. I practiced first by giving him a spoon and seeing what he did with it. He lifted it right up to his mouth. Impressive? Not really, since he puts everything in his mouth these days. Then I held the spoon up to his mouth and he opened it right up. Okay, that was enough evidence for me, we were starting solids! The first night was hilarious, disastrous, and messy! The second night was much better, and it only improved from there.

Clean Henry after a few practice rounds!

Henry is a mover and a shaker and definitely keeps us on our toes! You can’t leave him for a second because he will roll right across the room! Gone are the days of sitting sweetly in the swing and dozing off. Now he has to be on the move at all times! Luckily, all this action makes him a tired boy and he takes really great naps and is sleeping better at night. My husband and I are amazed at his growth and development because it seems like everyday he learns something new or is stronger than before.

While part of me wants to hit the pause button and slow it all down, I’m mostly excited and in awe by how quickly he is developing. It’s pretty cool! Grow, baby, grow!

-Maureen is the Chicago city coordinator for LLD and a new mommy!