This week's Mama Said is a triple doozy, with words of wisdom from some of the raddest mommies in the blogosphere. First up is Raechel, who is a special blog friend of mine- Henry and her daughter were actually born just days apart! I've absolutely loved getting to know Raechel and her family via her blog, and watch little Ev grow up right alongside Henry. Then, you'll hear from the fabulous Dena, who is a beautiful mama to some adorable boys. Dena and her blog (one of my daily reads) always inspire me to be in the moment, and I really enjoy seeing what it's like to raise older boys- she seems to have so much fun doing so! And lastly is Thursday, who is another fave blogger and super mama to a lovely little lady named Georgia. Like Dena her advice may be simple, but so absolutely true. I admire her ability to be such a present Mommy but also have time to be so creative. Stop by her blog and you'll see what I mean! But without any more of my rambling, here's Raechel to start us off (and thank you again, so so much to all three of you lovely ladies!):
Hey, Sometimes Sweet readers! My name is Raechel and I blog over at Our Island Outlook. I started blogging so that our family and friends back in the States could follow our adventures while we live in Japan but it has morphed into so much more.
Our daughter, Evelyn, was born within just a few days of Danielle and Hank's sweet little Henry. She is our little pride and joy; she's cat-napping in her carseat as I write this at 0630 after bringing my husband to work. The joys of a one-car family. :)
Many thanks to Danielle for letting me contribute to her great feature, "Mama Said".
My advice I have to offer is rather practical and very well may be common knowledge to most but hopefully at least one person can pull something away from my small contribution...
Call. If you're unsure of anything regarding your baby's health and wellness, call someone. It is difficult for me to call back to the States to pick my mother or grandmother's brain but you can bet your bottom dollar that at 1:00AM on Thanksgiving morning when Ev was just a week old and projectile vomited all over, I called the ER. If a medical professional seems less than thrilled or downright rude about your questions, try to brush them off. It is their job to help you out and if they have an attitude about it, that's their own problem. You are your baby's advocate so don't ever be afraid to call someone to ask questions.
Olive oil and a toothbrush. Little Miss has had a small amount of cradle cap since about her second week of life. At her two month appointment I finally asked what I could do to "get rid of it" and while my doctor told me that babies eventually grow out of it she suggested brushing Evelyn's wet head with a soft baby brush. We didn't have a soft baby brush so I've improvised with a soft-bristled toothbrush; we have yet to buy a baby brush because the toothbrush is working just fine. The olive oil was my grandmother's suggestion. You can put a small amount of it on your baby's head during bath time and then scrub lightly with a soft brush of your choice to help loosen the unsightly flakes. Just be sure to really rinse otherwise the oil could exacerbate the problem.
Always check for hairs in between precious fingers and toes. Last year a close friend had her second baby. I was horrified when the baby was just a couple months old she had to take her to the doctor because a piece of hair had wrapped itself so tightly around the little toe that the doctors contemplated the best course of action: one of them was removing the toe because of the possible damage the unseen hair had caused. Little did I know hair tourniquets are a common issue among infants; my mother informed me that I had a hair tourniquet as an infant as well. So during bathtime be sure to do a thorough check among your baby's cute little digits to check for any hairs that may be beginning to embed itself in the skin. If you notice a red or swollen digit, it could be a hair tourniquet call your doctor or ER if it is after hours. We don't have to worry about this since Ev is a girl but I read that hair tourniquets can also happen to a boy's penis so if you have a boy, be sure to check there, too.
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Name/blog: Dena from With Love, The Fishers
Our pack of boys: Brandon 8, Ayden 4 and Lucas 1.
And here's my advice:
1) Always remember to live in the moment with your kids. Remember what they talked about, what they did, what they looked like...cherish these fleeting moments, and skip the dishes every now and then.
2) Motherhood is an art.
And we are the makers of our home.
Every inch of it.
And we get these beautiful people to raise up.
How lucky are we?
3) You can never say I love you too much.
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Hello there friends! My name is Thursday and I'm super excited to be here today on Sometimes Sweet. If you ever travel to Peterborough, Ontario (a small town in Canada) you may just stumble across my humble homestead. Here I live a pretty blissed out life with with my partner Jesse and our one year old daughter Georgia Grace.
Now, normally I don't like to give advice. Maybe that's because when Georgia was born I was inundated with it (and resented much of it). I have to admit that when I wrote this list I wasn't writing to anyone but myself - the me that was a brand new and scared out of her wits mama.
1. If someone offers a helping hand (and you could use it), take them up on it! Forget your pride. It feels good.
2. Let your house get messy and enjoy every sweet moment. Every single stage is an amazing era. Be present and take it all in.
3. If all of this seems like too much to handle - tell someone. If you're overwhelmed by irrational thoughts - tell someone. You don't have to spend the first months of your baby's life drowning in fear. Postpartum depression is all too common and definitely not something you need to go through on your own.
Those bits of wisdom were hard-won in the early days of Georgia Grace. Silver lining? At least I know a little more for the next one. (Please don't ever tell the boy I said that, okay?)
If you'd ever like to stop by my place to learn more about me, my wee family or my wonky little handmade life I'd love to have you! Bring a mug of tea or a bottle of vodka - whatever you choose we'll have a good time.
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