Momma Monthly: November Edition
Hi Sweet Momma!
A few months ago I started a weekly Q&A series on the Momma Society Instagram. It covers all topics related to motherhood including: pregnancy, birth, postpartum, travel, marriage, discipline, and many more. I received so many amazing questions from you all, that I decided to round them up and answer them here at the end of each month. If you ever submit a question that isn’t addressed during the weekly series, make sure to check here for an answer. You can also join us in our private Facebook group for encouragement and advice from other sweet mommas.
Question
How do you change diapers on a long road trip?
Answer
We usually change diapers in the front seat of our car in a parking lot. I'll cover the seat with a diaper changing pad and lay Isla on the seat for the diaper change. For airplanes, we've mastered the standing up diaper change for pee diapers. You might remember reading about this in my travel tips post. We will have Isla stand up in my lap and quickly swap diapers.
Question
What's your best tip for getting an infant to sleep longer at night?
Answer
We've found the Ferber method to be effective for our kids. It's a modified cry it out technique that teaches baby to self soothe by letting them cry for a predetermined amount of time. Brody took to it very quickly--like 2 days. Isla took much longer, but looking back on it I don't think we were as strict with her. I'm still a firm believer in the sleep tips I learned from a sleep consultant when we had Brody.
Question
Have you or any of your mom friends encountered infant dyschezia? Any suggestions?
Answer
I am not familiar with infant dyschezia. That is a new term to me--I just did a quick google search and it sounds painful! If you're in the Momma Society private Facebook group, feel free to post there! I am sure there are mommas in our group that would have helpful suggestions!
Question
What do you do to strengthen your marriage?
Answer
One of the most helpful things for our marriage has been keeping in touch throughout the day via text messages. When the kids are around it can be so tough to even get a few words of a conversation in without being interrupted, so being able to chat via text helps us. My husband and I are huge fans of The 5 Love Languages Book. We read it when we were engaged and it helped us really understand each other's love languages. Doing little things that related to each other's love languages has been helpful. We used to be really great about date nights + staycations to reconnect, but we have been seriously slacking in this department for the past 12 months. Looking forward to focusing on this more next year!
Question
What are your thoughts on the bloomlife contraction monitor?
Answer
Super cool device. I did a full review on it earlier this year with all of my thoughts here.
Question
How do you let go of mom guilt?
Answer
I don't :) I always feel guilty about something. When I'm really feeling it hard, I love watching this interview by Jada Pinkett Smith.
Question
Did you fly with your kids as newborns? Tips?
Answer
We first flew with Isla at 3 months and Brody at 4 months. It's the easiest age to travel with little ones, so do not be intimidated! Biggest tips, nurse/feed on take-off + landing, wear baby through airport, sit in the aisle seat so you can walk the aisle if baby is fussy.
Question
Ideas on what to do with new friends?
Answer
With kids in tow, I love meeting at parks and going to walks. Without kids in tow, I love meeting up after bedtime for drinks and dinner--so original :) I talk about some other fun ideas on this episode of the I Like Your Mom Bun podcast.
Question
How to transition baby to own room?
Answer
We always started with naps. We would do naps in the crib in baby's own bed for a week or two then transition to setting baby in room for bedtime. The good news, they usually take the transition a lot easier than you would think! You'll probably notice they start sleeping better with less little noises waking them up (and same goes for you!). You can read about Brody’s transition here!
Question
Did you use a battery operated pump?
Answer
I did not. I used the Medela Pump In Style + Lansinoh Electric Pump & Manual pump. If you are struggling finding a breast pump you can read about some of my favorites here.
Question
My toddler is waking up in night to go potty/drink... why?
Answer
We went through this phase! Cutting back how much water he was drinking in the evenings helped us a bit with the potty breaks. We also leave a water bottle in his room so he can take a sip without waking us up if needed. If you are struggling with a bedtime routine, feel free to read about ours and see if any part of it would work for you!
Question
How to transition out of swaddle?
Answer
Our first transition is usually swaddling with arms tucked in to swaddling with arms untucked. Then we transition to a sleep sack. For Isla we have loved using the Ergo Pouch Swaddles because we can use the same product through the transition process.
Question
When is next birth course?
Answer
We just opened the wait list from the next session of Birth Prep---yippee! Enrollment will open January 8th! The next session is going to be very engaging and interactive--I'll be spilling more beans to the people on the wait list soon! If you want more info on the birth course, you can head to the website or read this post on Momma Society!
Question
How did you transition from breast milk to cows milk?
Answer
We introduced whole cows milk at dinnertime starting when Isla turned 1. Around that time we started slowly cutting back feedings. When we were down to 1-2 feedings a day, we added a cup of milk in the mornings too.
Question
How did you find and trust non family friends to babysit your kids?
Answer
Recommendations! Or neighbors! I like using neighborhood babysitters because I will usually know their family and I feel more comfortable that if they needed help, their parent would usually be nearby. Asking friends for recommendations is also a great way to find one. The first time I have them babysit, I have them come over and watch my little one's while I'm at home for an hour or 2. This helps us all be more comfortable (or helps me realize they aren't the right fit).
Question
How to get ready with a toddler around?
Answer
Ipad :) #truth. If I'm able to get ready before Brody is up, then that works best. However if I am not, I will let him watch Arthur on the ipad for 20 minutes while I shower and get ready. I let Isla roam during this time--she usually takes everything out of the bathroom cabinets.
Question
Best car ride toys for 1 year olds?
Answer
Tegu magnetic blocks on a cookie sheet, a baby or play purse filled with things than can pull out, a roll of crepe paper to unravel, or a Fat Toys Dimpl toy.
Question
How do you manage work and family?
Answer
Some days I feel really balanced, but most days are the opposite. The days that I feel most balanced are the days when I have uninterrupted time to spend on my family and uninterrupted time to spend on Momma Society. For example, busting out a couple of hours of work at a coffee shop solo or playing outside with Brody + Isla while my phone and computer are happily tucked away inside. When I try to multi-task ie: spend time with my kids while typing up a post--those are the times that I feel completely out of whack.
Question
What is your favorite nursing bra?
Answer
Cake Maternity Waffles bra in nude. Hands down my fav. A few of my other favs are in my nursing bra roundup.
I also wanted to round up some of my favorite items from Friday Mail Day this month! We’ve put all of these products to use throughout the month and genuinely love them! Just click on the image below to shop each product!
