Where is the spring, love?

Back from our holidays in Spain (again!) and the reality has really hit us hard on our faces!
What a nightmare of Spring!
Snow, hail, blizzards and rain: can you believe it?

Well, we better start making our best of being indoors and that's when some birthday presents have been absolutely handy:

 Playing with daddy and mummy with Mega Bloks: Best for under 2 years olds!

 Getting immersed in a really good story. What a reading bug we've catch!

And the latest birthday present: Tomy Aquadoodle! Great for those little artists and slightly OCD mums :)

Lesson 7: Travelling with babies

Another post inspired by Elena, she is lately a very good source of inspiration :) (And I still have another one about swimming with babies...)

Having the family abroad means that travelling is not a choice. So you better do it with some comfort or you will loathe the idea forever.

When Santi was only 4 months ago we did our first trip by plane, a small one to Bristol (1 hour away) to check the baby's attitude and our organisation capability. This trip was quite easy as we didn't have to check-in: our friends will lend us the maxi-cosi, the pram, the travel-cot, etc.
We decided then to travel as light as possible, only one piece of hand-luggage and the changing bag.
Our baby was comfortably on his baby carrier and we were happy travellers!

My two boys at the airport parking

Santi behaved marvellously and we certainly enjoyed the first experience.

The second time, it was much more difficult, a true stress-test for my capabilities. On my own and packing for the next 5 weeks. With the small possibility of asking husband to bring extra stuff after two weeks.
Since I was travelling with Jet2 (totally recommended!!!) and their luggage limit for babies is 10kgs, we decided to browse the Web for a light pushchair. After a little bit of research and reading a lot of comments of London commuters (they are heroes, aren't they?), we went for the Petite Star Zia 3.

A true beauty!!!

Our first impression wasn't that good, we thought it didn't look sturdy enough and it was too light, but, hey, that's what we wanted, isn't it?
I decided to travel light as well, so I checked-in absolutely everything: the luggage, the maxi-cosi and the pushchair. Travelling on my own meant that I would have limited mobility and I was going to get some help at the destination airport from my mum. Furthermore I had read that you are allowed to take the pushchair to the boarding gate but then you would not be able to recover it until the baggage claim, so not very helpful at all.

This trip again went great. Some inside trips, as the flight attendants were able to look at Santi on the baby carrier, we got some extra help from them, as he was charming them with his smile. We even got some extra kilos for free at Mallorca airport!!! (BTW, I cannot express how nice the Jet2 flight attendant were)

Our latest trip has been to the Canary Islands, just the three of us. Not knowing the destination very well or the facilities, we went for the "not-light" travelling. So, we needed extra space. Recommended by some colleagues, I got the Sunshine Kids Buggy Bag. It is perfect for keeping your bag clean and tidy until the destination, as well as some toys or other stuff that will not mind some tough treatment. It helps carrying lots of things and airlines are quite nice about them by not checking the content and allowing some extra kilos. From this trip, it is now a "must" in our travels.

More than enough space for the baby's stuff!

Next trip will be in two weeks with an almost walking toddler. Wish us luck!!!

Lesson 5: Dirty nappies

Cleaning nappies is an skill on itself, a very advanced skill that most mums are not able to master until late and by then the babies are no longer using nappies. (only joking, you will get the handle of it in a couple of fail attempts)

A dry nappy means a happy baby!

It may look like I am exaggerating but how many mums have looked at a very messy nappy and almost started crying?
Here are some of my tricks based on my and other people's stories and experiences:

• You can rate how messy is a nappy by the number of wet towels needed to clean it. The more, the messier!
• Always, always, always remember to take out the floppy part of the leg cuffs. It is one of the little tricks to avoid any spills.
• Use the bath for extreme situations: Ive had to do it 3-4 times in 11 months and don't regret it.
• Bin those vests that are too dirty. How much is a new vest? Is it worth the handwash?
• If the vest is beyond salvation and you can't be bother cleaning the whole baby (e.g. During the night or on a busy moment) cut the baby's vest and avoid spreading the mess.

 Any other tips or tricks?

For those of your that are completely newbies on this faboulous skill, here is a video of how to do it:

Lesson 4: Working 9 to 5

Uf, getting back to the blog after the Christmas holidays and the horrible January. Sorry for the long absence.

And this hard month brings me to the next lesson: going back to work after the maternity leave!

Well, I will just say it plain: it isn't easy.

First you have to deal with the guilt feeling.
And it is not a simple feeling. You feel guilty because your baby is  at the nursery (that lovely place that he actually enjoys more than being all day at home but that you have associated it with a jail for babies, yep, that place).
You feel guilty because you are actually enjoying being away from him, having a small slice of your previous life back, having adult conversations, being something else than a mum. Don't deny it, you are having a nice time and you feel bad about it.

Secondly, you have to deal with the stress and the very very very tight timetables. You will spend longer than usual getting ready in the mornings, and you would have had less sleep than usual so your movements will be slower...
You will be running to the office without make-up or with uncoordinated socks or forgetting something or without checking your hair. Forget it. You will never be the same. You are a working mum!
And after all the hard day of work, run again to pick her up from the nursery. Entertain her while preparing dinner or organising the house and get ready for the bath and the bed routine. By 8pm you will die for a bed...

Last but not least, you will try to keep things as they were before. You will accept the same amount of work and even will try to juggle travel and outings with the colleagues, just to keep in the loop. "Nothing has changed, I am the same person" will be your mantra. Although some morning you will find difficult to remember your computer password.

I know, it looks impossible. But it is not. Just try to relax and enjoy the roller coaster that your life has become. I promise more fun moments are coming your way.

You will learn to live with a survival kit in your handbag and that will make you an asset in your office.

You will be admired and feared by your colleagues.

The few hours you will spend with your child will become the most fantastic and fun times of your day, and he/she will feel the same.

You will be a survivor!!!.

Baby, it's cold outside

Since last Sunday, we are suffering at home the second cold of the baby's life.

Here are some of tricks that I've used and have worked more or less.

For the fever:

• Remove some layers of clothes, sometimes to the bare minimum (only the nappy)
• A warm bath (slightly colder than the usual)
• Calpol (Seriously considering buying some Stock shares of this company)
• Lots of liquid (colder than usual milk, water, diluted juice, etc.)

Remember that if the fever stays for over 3 days, you need to visit the doctor. And if it goes over 39 degrees better call your emergency services and check with them.

For the congested nose:

• An onion cut in pieces so it "bleeds" next to his/her head.
• Put some books under the top end of the cot and tilt it so the baby's head in higher than the feet.
• Saline drops (Some babies hate it, some babies love it, but it works)
• Some container with water over the radiator for having some steam in the room.
• Snuggle baby ointment (for the chest, the back and the neck)

Note that if the baby is younger than 6 months the snuggle baby cannot be used on his/her skin, so put some on a handkerchief and attach it to the cot closer to the baby's head.

In general:

• Try to make turns with your partner for calming the baby down. It will be a long night.
• Make sure you are wearing warm clothes when you attend the baby: the steam and the fever will make you sweat and get cold yourself!!!
• Patience, lots of it. You will get annoyed and sleepless for a few nights, but it gets better. Promise.

Tips & Tricks series 2

Once or twice a week, ensure you have a couple of hours for yourself. Your partner can take care of the new baby or the baby can be sleeping, but make sure no one is going to interrupt you.

Prepare yourself a bath, select a movie you really want to see or get a good book while drinking your favourite hot drink. Relax and forget that you are a mother for a while. You won't regret it!

Routines & "routines"

Although I thought I had a very good knowledge of what a baby could need during her first years of life, when we got pregnant, someone gave us the famous "The New Contented Little Baby Book: The Secret to Calm and Confident Parenting" by Gina Ford and I managed to read it during one of my business trips.
I felt it was quite helpful but too strict for my style of parenthood that I was planning already.

 

Then, a good friend and recent mum recommended "Secrets Of The Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect and Communicate with your Baby"  by Tracy Hogg and I read most of it (Some parts were too repetitive and were extremely similar to the first book).
I felt that it was closer to my parenting style but not close enough to follow it completely.

 

When the baby arrived, the mayhem started, and I decided to create my own routine based in all the knowledge acquired from those books.
I followed my own routine based in the FAST routine from Tracy and with similar hours than Gina, but not being too strict and modifying the times after each month or so. I used many of the tips from both books, like changing clothes from PJ's to comfortable clothes first thing after breakfast feed or waking the baby up using the light.

I don't think there is a manual for all mums and dads out there. Each parent has to find their own routine and stick to it. If it works for your baby, it works, and that's it.
I recommend reading those books and getting the essence of them, but do not get too stressed if your own baby doesn't want to follow those routines, probably your baby just needs a new and completely customized one, only for her!

Tips & tricks series - 1

If you have enough space, make sure there is a sofa bed or a trundle bed in the baby's nursery.
It will be a life saver during those sick nights.