Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

How We Established a Bedtime Routine That Really Works for Our Infant

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Recently I had a conversation with my older brother, who has an 18 month old son. His family has struggled and not yet had success getting their child to sleep through the night. My sister-in-law has been running a 102 fever for over 2 months now, and the doctors have simply concluded that she is so stressed out/sleep-deprived that her body just can’t recover from illness.

To say they are struggling would be a gentle way of putting it. And I know all to well how frustrating it can be to have other people who don’t walk in your shoes tell you EXACTLY what you are doing wrong and EXACTLY what you need to do to fix it. Ever notice how for any given problem there are at least 20 different solutions that other parents swear by, and sometimes those different solutions are even polar opposites of each other? It leaves parents utterly confused and doubting their instincts. Been there. Felt that way.

But I can also tell you that not every aspect of parenting is intuitive. Far from it! It is ok to be completely lost at sea and not know what to do. And it is ok to ask other parents for advice. You’ve just got to be prepared for folks to get their noses out of joint if you choose not to take their advice. Because that will happen!

Establishing a Bedtime Routine

So with all that said, I am going to give those of you who have a child who won’t sleep through the night some advice. You are free to take it or leave it. I won’t be offended if you aren’t interested in it! I simply want to share what is working for us. Maybe it will also work for some of you!

First and foremost, I recommend The Sleepeasy Solution, which is what helped us go from a baby who woke up every 90 minutes to a baby sleeping 11 hours straight, all within a 4 day time span.

Beyond, that, though, I want to recommend that you create and STICK TO a strict bedtime routine that your child will be able to recognize easily. We have found that “the routine” goes a long way toward helping our baby, Layah, get herself calm and ready for sleep.

how to establish a bedtime routine

Here’s the nighttime routine we are using:

1. Bath time! We show Layah the sign (we use some sign language with her) for a bath, which gets her VERY excited. She usually will crawl into the bathroom and stand by the tub, watching us fill it with water. She will also put tub toys in the bath while it fills up. It’s totally cute. Mommy’s Bliss Sweet Slumber 3-In-1 Baby Wash is what we are currently using, as it contains lavender, chamomile & ylang ylang in a very gentle formula.

2. To the room! After the bath, we dry her hair for about 30 seconds and then take her into her room to put on her diaper. After her diaper is on, we do a quick baby massage with Mommy’s Bliss Sweet Slumber Massage Cream. It is really amazing how quickly she will go from being very active to very calm. She knows that night time is near once her massage begins. After her massage, we put on whatever she is sleeping in that night. It is very important that all bedtime related activities (other than the bath, obviously) happen in her room.

3. Story time! Now it is time for 1-2 books. Darah often reads with us. Sometimes Layah sits attentively, and sometimes she crawls over to her crib, letting us know that she is ready for night night.

4. Bottle! This is Layah’s favorite part. Either mom or dad will rock Layah in the rocking chair and feed her a bottle. We also turn on some white noise at this point, as well. Layah holds onto her lovey (a small stuffed dog) while she drinks her bottle. The overhead light is off, and her closet light is on. At this point, if she is having trouble getting very drowsy, I will use the Mommy’s Bliss Sweet Slumber Mist and give a quick spritz to her bedding and her lovey. I don’t use it every night, just as needed.

Important note! We keep Layah awake during the feeding. Very important not to let her fall asleep while eating! Then we turn off the closet light and put her in her crib, drowsy but still awake. She usually rolls over on her side, cuddles on her lovey (a dog), and goes right to sleep.

What a dramatic change this is from just 6 weeks ago. Our lives are completely different! I’m enjoying using the Mommy’s Bliss products as part of our new routine. I feel confident about these products because they are made with essential oils that are historically known to assist with relaxation and sleep. Best of all, they are easy to find! You can purchase them at your local Walgreens (a place I shop at every week!).

 I’d love to hear if you are having trouble getting your little ones to sleep, or if you have a routine that works like a charm! Feel free to leave a comment with your concerns, questions or solutions! 

I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post may contain affiliate links at no cost to you. 


(Maternity Monday) Noodle & Boo Skin Perfecting Creme Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I’m 28 1/2 weeks into my pregnancy. I look like I’m about 36 weeks along. Seriously. Some would probably say I look 40 weeks pregnant! I’m super short and the baby has nowhere to go but out. This is also my second pregnancy, so my body seems to be quick to remember how to expand to make room. All this is to say that I’m one round lady these days, with no hope of shrinking any time soon!

So as my belly grows, my skin is stretching. And itching. LIKE CRAZY!!! I need relief, and if there’s a chance that a product might help with stretch marks, well that’s a bonus. I actually had been using a stretch cream product that I used the last time, and it did seem to work, but it had a critical flaw: it is SO greasy! Seriously, I have to not put any clothes on after applying this stuff for a minimum of 10 minutes…way too long!

For the past month, though, I’ve been using a product from Noodle & Boo (remember the review I did earlier for their fantastic super soft lotion?). It’s called Perfecting Creme. I’m just going to be up front about the negative of this product: it ain’t cheap! A 3.5 oz tube will set you back $42.00.

Now let me tell you why I think it’s worth it.

First and foremost, it isn’t greasy! Yay! But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an AWESOME moisturizer. My belly feels so soft! It also helps tremendously with itching. And when you itch like crazy, you will do anything to get relief. This perfecting creme most definitely provides that relief.

Second, this pregnancy stretch marks cream contains a peptide compound that helps prevent and reduce stretch marks while naturally promoting the synthesis of collagen (that’s elasticity for your skin!). So far, I don’t have any stretch marks. I can’t promise that this product will keep them from appearing, but I do feel confident that it will at least help reduce their severity if I do get them.

Third, this stuff smells SO SO SO good. It made with cocoa butter and avocado oil, but if you ask me, it smells like sweetened almonds. It honestly brightens my mood when I apply it, which is a happy little perk.

I’m so glad I got to try this product. It isn’t something I would have picked up for myself, but now that I have used it, I would highly recommend it to other expecting moms. It’s worth it, and so are you! Be sure to check out the rest of their line, which includes lots of great baby skin careproducts.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a tube of Noodle & Boo Perfecting Creme! Woo hoo!

 

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Maternity Monday: Noodle and Boo Lotion Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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One thing I wish I had taken the time to do more often with Darah when she was a baby was infant massage. There’s so much research out there indicating that this is such a great bonding activity for baby and parent. I was always so worried about whether or not she was cold that I didn’t massage her as often as I would have liked. I’m going to be more intentional about giving my little one lots of touch and ski-to-skin contact this time around.

I know this is a great thing for babies, and it is also a great thing for toddlers! Darah likes to “do lotion” after her bath or really most any time that I mention it as an option. She’s actually not an overly touchy child, but she loves a massage!

I try to make sure that I have high quality, hypo-allergenic and all natural products to put on her skin, and I’ll be even more diligent about that with the baby in its first year. Right now we are testing a product that we are really enjoying. It’s called Super Soft Lotion by Noodle & Boo. It smells fantastic; like a baby! It’s made with sweet almond oil and contains natural antioxidants. I find that it moisturizes Darah’s skin without leaving a greasy residue. I appreciate that because in the winter months, I do want to get her dressed quickly after her lotion time, and I don’t worry that this lotion will get all over her clothes.

Noodle & Boo products are made to be used on newborns and babies with sensitive skin, so there is no need to worry about potential reactions. Their baby skin care products are also formulated to comply with some of the most stringent consumer production standards in the entire world (those set by the European Union and Japan). I appreciate that a U.S.-based company goes above and beyond what our own country’s regulations require. That shows a true dedication to providing the very best and safest products possible.

One other great thing about Noodle & Boo is that they aspire to help children in need by donating a significant portion of their profits to different children’s charities. I love an organization that really gives back.

Noodle & Boo has a fantastic line of products that you and your baby are sure to enjoy. I highly recommend the baby lotion as a gift for your little one, or as an extra special baby shower gift.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need winner will win a Noodle & Boo Super Soft Lotion!
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