All the little things about Motherhood...

Are you planning a trip with your baby? Besides the obvious milk/food & diapers, here are few things to consider:

• Extra outfits in the diaper bag – some babies tend to throw up or spit up in a car ride or on the airplane. There’s also the possibility of blow outs. Prepare extra outfits not just for the baby but for adults….you’ll probably want to change on the airplane if your clothes get dirty.
• Medicine & a thermometer – babies get sick easily (and somehow it tends to happen while you are traveling). Keep a thermometer and some baby Tylenol/Advil (and the dosage chart from your doctor). This will save you a trip to a pharmacy store in the middle of the night while staying at a hotel.
• Entertainment – bring some toys for your baby to play with when she’s awake during the flight or car ride. It’s hard to keep a baby in a car seat for a long time without her getting upset. Preparing enough toys to keep her entertained will help a lot. Better yet, plan your travel time so that baby can nap during the flight or car ride.
• Her favorite stuffed animal or blanket for bedtime – staying at a hotel can be quite unsettling for a baby. Bringing something she loves provides her comfort and makes things easier for everyone. Tip: consider bringing her bedsheet to use for the crib offered at hotels. The familiar smell and fabric may provide extra comfort.

Traveling with a baby CAN be an enjoyable experience if you plan ahead and think through the details. Starting to write down notes weeks ahead will help you to be well prepared. 😊

Here are some ideas of things you can do for your Mom on Mother’s Day :-)

• Have a “date” with your mom - a movie, dinner (or even order food for delivery while you watch a movie on the couch), followed by a home-made mix drink!
• Give her a massage - or go out to get one together!
• Go for a day trip - whether it’s hiking or going somewhere you both love. This will create more memories for both of you.
• Let her know what you like about her being your mom. We tend to get busy with life and forget to show our gratitude.

There are so many little things we can do that will bring big joy to our mom. What came to your mind?

Are you overwhelmed by the arrival of your newborn? Try setting up a routine for both you and your little one! While it may seem impossible when you are just trying to meet all your baby’s needs day and night, it’s certainly worthwhile to put effort into setting up a routine – and you will soon realize the power of a set routine!

Here are some tips that might help:

1. Keep your baby in a room that’s bright during the day (no direct sunlight), even when she’s napping. Our body releases melatonin (a hormone that’s critical to our sleep) when it’s dark to tell our body it’s time to sleep and reduces the level of melatonin when it’s bright. It’s a natural way for our body to learn the difference between day and night. Simply by doing this, it might help your baby to get better sleep at night.

2. Have a bedtime “ritual” – babies and kids adopt to a routine quickly. When the whole world seems uncertain and scary, it’s quite comforting for them to know what to expect next (aka, a set routine). Things like a warm bath followed by story time followed by bedtime. It could be anything that works for you and your baby, but try to repeat the same thing every day. It doesn’t just provide them comfort mentally, but also trains their body for what to expect.

3. Do not try to “tire them out” by keeping them up late. Unlike older kids who need a lot of activities during the day to make their body tired and sleep well at night, babies could get “overstimulated” easily when there’s too much going on. Try to “respect” their need of napping during the day when they are showing signs of tiredness. You might be surprised that when they nap better during the day, they also sleep better at night!

Bottomline: Find a routine that both you and your baby enjoy. A good routine goes a long way! :-)

Hi busy Moms, while we tend to constantly think what’s best for our kiddos, keep in mind that it is just as important to take a good care of ourselves! Here are few things I use to remind myself to stay healthy both physically and mentally:

1. Exercise – if it seems too hard to exercise with a full time job plus taking care of kids at night, try a morning or evening walk with your kids! Walking daily is proven to significantly improve our health. Bonus? you get to spend more quality time with your kids while making all of you healthier!

2. Eat Well – yes I know, this is easier said than done. It’s hard to plan ahead or constantly think about what to eat. Here’s a good start: get extra fruits, veggies, and nuts whenever you do grocery shopping. Leave them where you usually look for snacks at work or home. You can even put an encouraging note on them with a smiley face! 😊

3. Make sure you schedule your doctor apts too…Now I know this may sound crazy, but when was the last time you had a well check for yourself? Set up a recurring appointment on your calendar to remind yourself, because you wouldn’t let your kids miss their doctor appointments!

4. Sleep – sleep is so critical to our health – physically and mentally! Set alarms to remind yourself it’s bed time. Be persistent and soon you will not need an alarm to wake up in the morning!

5. Stay Connected to Yourself – block out some time on your calendar for YOURSELF! Whether it’s for meditation, yoga, journaling, or just peacefully sipping down a cup of coffee, put effort into making yourself HAPPY! You will find things tend to get easier when you make yourself happy first. 😊

When should you start to read to your baby? You can start from day ZERO! (aka while you are pregnant!)

It may seem odd to read to your baby before she’s even here but I am sure you have heard about all the benefit of talking and singing to your baby while you are pregnant. So, why not read? It also helps to get new Moms used to reading to a baby – it could be an awkward feeling if you have never read to a baby before.

Reading has so many benefits for your child/baby. Here are some examples:

1. Helps with young baby’s motor skills (when they learn to flip the pages) and sensory stimulation (a lot of baby books include different textures & bright colors).
2. Helps your child to practice their imagination – how important is that!
3. Helps your child to learn more words through your voice and the print. Your voice doesn’t just provide comfort to your baby but also stimulates her brain while trying to catch what you are saying.
4. Creates a strong bond between you and your child – make it a daily routine to cuddle and read!
5. Helps them learn to stay focused and calm for a long period – critical for learning.

Kids love their parents more than anything, and they translate the feeling of cuddling and reading with their parents to their love of books. You might be surprised that even with just 5 minutes of reading to your child everyday you are giving them a gift of life-long love toward books & reading!