The Itsabelly Blog

A Healthy Home for Baby & Family (download your free guide)

 

Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting with Sharon Mazel has written a great guide titled "What to Expect Guide to a Healthy Home".  It's filled with easy tips to keep your house clean and free of germs.  What a perfect time to start thinking about how to keep germs and bacteria away!

In a season where the cold, flu and sniffles from little noses are rampant this guide gave me some practical ways to make sure I keep my family healthy.  Some of the tips that stood out for me were:

• Sponges and washrags in your kitchen are prone to bacteria so wash them in the dishwasher every night or place them in the microwave for 30 seconds to nuke the germs.  Better yet throw them out every month & replace.
• For baby's bottle and pacifiers you don't need to buy special machinery to sterilize them.  Use the dishwasher or boil them in hot water.
• For your children's stuffed animals you can put them in a ziplock bag and freeze them overnight to kill germs.  Or you can throw washable toys in the washer with hot water & soap every week.
• Wash your hands with soap and water as often as you can - this is the #1 way to stop from spreading the germs and viruses.  "Research shows that simple washing can reduce the number of infections in children under the age of five by more than 50 percent!"
• Bleach and water solution is a great way to disinfect your bathroom and any part of your house.
• When looking for a daycare center ask them how often the kids wash their hands, how often the toys are cleaned, how often the bathroom is cleaned and how many kids are in the daycare at one time.

I found everything in this guide to be really helpful and also reminded me of things I should be doing on a regular basis to keep my family out of the doctor's office.

Heidi's guide is a perfect resource to keep at your finger tips.  Click on this link to download your free copy  What to Expect Guide to a Healthy Home

Crawling by Elisha Cooper (a memoir of a father's first year)

Oakland, Baby Brigade at the Parkway theatre and a vision of traveling to exotic places like colorful Bunol, Spain totally stuck in my mind as I read the paperback Crawling by author Elisha Cooper. Oakland was significant for me in the book because I worked and lived in the bay area for 10 years so I felt like I could touch, taste and smell the spots Elisha frequented with Zoe (it made it more real).  Baby Brigade, a reserved time at the theatre where parents get to bring their screaming babies to see a recent new movie reminded me of what we call Mommy Matinees at McMenamins Kennedy Theatre here in Portland (where we moved 3.5 years ago).  Boy, do I remember being nervous not knowing what to expect with Isabella being 6 months old and taking her to see Miami Vice in a theatre with other people (yes, not a movie that was on my hot list to see and luckily the shooting & car chases disguised Isabella's screaching) but it turned out fine because there were other parents in the same boat as us!  The mention of Elisha's vision of traveling to Bunol and taking Zoe to the tomato throwing event just made me giggle because I would always imagine our new little family traveling internationally but just couldn't muster up the courage to deal with a crying baby on a 10 hour plane trip.  Although we didn't make it across the seas we made it to California numerous times by air but flying with a baby was not easy!  My husband and I swore we wouldn't let life with a baby keep us holed up at home and isolated...we vowed to still do most of the same things we did even with our new tiny bundle.  Now, Isabella is 17 months and we've managed to travel and do just about everything we had hoped to...a trip to Cabo San Lucas is next in February (a nice LONG, 5 hour plane ride where we hope our neighboring passengers bring a pair of ear plugs just incase Isabella decides to sing loudly)!

I could relate to Elisha's story and although a bit raw at times definitely true to life.  I found myself shaking my head and saying yes, that's how I felt or I'm sure my husband felt the same way.  Infact, my husband (Randy) would tell me sometimes how he hated when people (especially women) looked at him when he was alone with Isabella at the store and she started crying - they would look at him like he was a pathetic "male" person who had NO clue what he was doing with his baby daughter.  He so disliked those women and wished they had an inkling of how their facial expressions could sour his whole day.  This is a point Elisha captures vividly in his memoir as a new father and I know other new dads would give him a high five for!

How to Find a Good Babysitter

During the holidays being invited to a special event is inevitable so you'll definitely need to find a good babysitter if you don't have mom to help out.  So, if you're a new parent how do you find the best babysitter to take care of your children?  Here are some tips to help you find someone you're comfortable with and trust.

Babysitter Basics:

• The prime age for a babysitter is between 14 and 16 years old but you can find experienced sitters through various networks.
• Have a back up list of babysitters because a good one becomes very popular.
• Leave an emergency phone number list (doctor/hospital info, include a neighbor, friend or relative's number incase they can't get a hold of you directly).
• Leave a list of anything your child is allergic to, their routines and meal times etc.
• Check in an hour after you leave the house to see if your sitter has any questions.

Recruiting a Babysitter:

• Ask Around - Ask neighbors, friends, other moms if they know of a good babysitter
• The American Red Cross does not provide certified babysitter referrals however parents have several options to locate a babysitter in their area:

-  One option is to locate the nearest Park and Recreation center and ask if parents can post a notice looking for sitter. 
-  A second option is to take out a personal ad in the high school newspaper at the school located nearest you.  Check with the career counselor as parents can often place a notice on their job board.  Sometimes, this same option works well at the middle school level.
-  A third option is Sitter City. Parents can look at the number of sitters registered in their zip code area for free; but it will cost the parent to access the sitter information.

• Check Ads - Babysitters post ads on community boards in churches, libraries and sites like Craig's List
• Post an Ad - Use sources like Craig's List, Sittercity.com or go to your local college/university and post on their job opening board
• Prepare for the Interview - prep your list of questions.  Run a background check if the sitter has professional experience as a nanny.  Do reference checks.
   
• Arrange a meeting or practice babysitting session with the sitter and your children

Keeping a Good One:

• Be Flexible - try booking your sitter on off hours (eg. instead of a Saturday night do a Sunday brunch)
• Give Your Sitter Advanced Notice - No one likes to be asked last minute to do anything so be respectful and plan ahead
• Make Sure You're Paying Competitively - Don't nickel and dime your sitter.  Make sure you know the going rate and pay accordingly.
• Prepare for Your Sitter - leave your children's pajamas out, outline the bedtime ritual and offer snacks to the sitter.
• Return Home on Time After Your Event
   

RESOURCES

Great Books for Babysitters & Parents:

• The Babysitter's Handbook:  The Care and Keeping of Kids, by Harriet Brown, American Girl, 1999. Friendly, informative guide, particularly for younger beginners.
• The New Complete Babysitter's Handbook, by Carol Barkin and Elizabeth James, Clarion Books, 1995. Covers all aspects, including finding jobs and techniques for feeding, playtime, bedtime and more. Also covers newer ground, such as respecting a family’s values and children’s rights, as well as problem situations with parents.
• What to Expect Baby-Sitter's Handbook, by Heidi Murkoff, Workman Publishing Company, 2003. From the co-author of the popular “What to Expect” parenting series comes this practical guide covering feeding, first aid, time-outs, sibling disputes and more. Plus 61 of the most common questions babysitters ask.
• American Red Cross Babysitter's Handbook
  

Organizations

• The Redcross (offers CPR, First Aid, Babysitter certification course)
  
• American Safety and Health Institute (CPR, First Aid Courses)
  

Recycle Baby Gear and Clothing

Written By Jennifer Lo Prete, Itsabelly California Consultant

This is often a time when many of us clean out our closets and garages. It is a good opportunity to evaluate our items and discover what our children no longer need. Children grow so fast and their needs evolve rapidly. Often their clothing and related gear are in great condition to pass along to a new owner.

Donating clothing and baby gear to a local woman’s shelter or selling it at a consignment shop are two eco-friendly ways to recycle and support your local community. I urge you to look beyond the ease of the Goodwill drive-thru drop-off and donate your gently used items to a local charity that benefits women and children. Consigning is another good option because it benefits a local business (many are mom-owned) and it provides the chance to buy quality items at a hugely discounted price. I buy all of my children’s preschool and play clothes at my local consignment boutique. Actually, I never pay cash for any items because I always have a credit from items that I have sold. The items are in terrific condition and I don’t mind paint stains since I didn’t pay a lot for the item.

 

Here are some wonderful organizations that are usually in need of baby-related items. These are suggestions for the areas where Itsabelly is currently located. If you are interested in an area outside of Portland, Oregon or San Jose, California the following phrases plus your location will probably result in a local organization: “women’s shelter,” or “family shelter,” “children’s shelter,” “donate baby items.” Please check the organization’s website or call for a wish list before dropping off large items. Also, due to legal reasons, many charities cannot accept car seats.

Portland Area Charities

 

Children’s Relief Nursery

Children’s Relief Nursery mission is to prevent abuse and neglect in children birth through three by partnering with caregivers committed to strengthening their families. Since 2001, CRN has provided family support services – at no cost – to high-risk Multnomah county families. CRN accepts in-kind donations of new or gently used items listed below to the nursery at 8425 N Lombard Street, Portland, OR 97203. Please check their website for an extensive wish list. The only used children's items we cannot accept (due to insurance regulations) are cribs and car seats. 503-283-4776

Northwest Children’s Outreach

Northwest Children’s Outreach is a collection and distribution center that collects children’s items and distributes the goods to care providers working directly with children. Here is their wish list. (503) 352-0493

Race for the cure - We did it! (dedicated to Shanthi & Carla)

I've been meaning to post this for a while and finally have a few minutes before I finish cleaning out my office to write this.  Funny its taken me 3 months to write this and it was a pretty significant event for me personally because for the first time in my life I was able to run a 5k!  Yahoo!!  I don't like running or should I say jogging very much.  I literally jog (or should I say walk fast) and for those of you who want to know how slow I move my feet & legs...I jog a 12 minute mile...talk about being as slow as molasses BUT that's quite ok because what counts is that I got my butt up to train for 1.5 months and didn't die of a heart attack in the middle of my race.  Whew!!

I ran my 5k race with two mom friends of mine (Shanthi & Carla).  We would actually train at the crack of dawn (5:45 am which meant I had to get up at 5:15 am to get ready, talk about CRAZY & dedicated!) so that we could get back in time to watch our kids and see our husband's off to work.

It was very inspiring to run the 5k because there were hundreds of people joining the race and for a good cause, to cure breast cancer.  All I remember now is how hard it was for me to keep jogging during the race because I was huffing and puffing trying to focus on reaching my next landmark so that I wouldn't give up.  Shanthi was jogging next to me during the race and it was so nice to have jogging buddies through this experience - it made all the difference having partners! 

Man, I wanted to stop half way through but I kept going and it was the most wonderful accomplishment ever - the feeling of reaching a healthy goal!  I ran (ok, jogged) the 5k in 36 mins (I had runner #6422 pinned to my chest), not too bad for someone who practically hyperventilated half way through.  The sad thing is I haven't really been jogging since and I was all gung-ho to sign us up for another one...the Turkey Trot at the Zoo or the Christmas Run down town...NOT!  Let's chalk it up to freezing cold, rainy weather...  Moral to my story is that setting a goal and having work-out partners really does work so get up off your butt and sign up for race or get a work out schedule going.  Off to my treadmill I go :)

Baby Needs a Binky? - Here's an All Natural Rubber Pacifier (Natursutten Natural Rubber Pacifier)

One of my favorite blogs Zoe B Organic Weekly  introduced me to a new product for baby, an all natural rubber pacifier (Nartursutten Natural Rubber Pacifiers). I also found The Soft Landing who specializes in non-toxic feeding products for children sells them too.  Alicia Voorhies, registered nurse & founder of The Soft Landing told me these pacifiers are so popular that she's always selling out. 

My daughter uses her binky to soothe as she falls asleep.  I only wish they had this product out when Isabella was born.  The pacifiers I use now all get water caught inside them after I wash or boil them and I have to squish the water out with a clean cloth.  These pacifiers won't do that because they are made in one piece which means no cracks or crevices for water to get into them!  This is great because I always worry about bacteria lingering in the paci even after it's washed. 

Note:
These pacifiers are made of pure, natural rubber, with no artificial colors, chemical softeners, parabens, PVC, or phthalates.

Now, that she's 17 months I'm already thinking about how to wean her off before she turns two years old.  We may have to give the binky to Minnie Mouse at Disneyland - it will be a sad day for Isabella but an important milestone for all of us :)

For more info on the natural pacifier check out Zoe B or The Soft Landing.