The Power of Play with your Newborn

The first few weeks of A's life were pretty rough.  Sleep deprived and physically exhausted from the child birthing process, the last thing I thought about was playing with my baby.  I was just happy that she was fed and taking a nap for some reprieve.  One day, my mother made a comment about how I wasn't playing with A enough.  She was maybe 2 weeks old.  I looked at her like a.) she was crazy and b.) I knew what I was doing, I am educator after all and c.) give me a break... didn't I call you hear so I could sleep?  I will admit, I probably wasn't engaging her as much as I could have, but, I was just happy to have a shower and think straight.  My parents really modeled newborn play to me, as I muddled through my sleepless nights.  Truth is, they were able to enjoy my baby with a fresh and awake mind.  Now play is embedded into our daily routines.  Some of my happiest moments with A are during our playtimes. 

How do you play with a newborn?  Glad you asked.  Here are some playful tips from an SLP momma:

1. Turn off the TV- In fact, turn off all the technology in your house that distracts you from your little one.  
2. Eye-contact- Establish and maintain eye-contact with your babes from the minute you can.  Most times, a newborn will intently watch you while you feed him.  Make eye-contact.
3. Smile- This one isn't hard.  Smile at your baby.  Your baby will surprise you when at about 6 weeks, he smiles back at you.  What a treat!
4. Talk to your Baby- It's NEVER too early to talk to your baby.  Some of it will be really natural for you, other times you may have to force it a bit.  Tell your baby you love him, tell him about your day, tell him about all the people that came to visit today.  
5. Take Conversational Turns-  It's really amazing, how a baby WILL take a "turn" in conversation if you let him.  Talk to your baby, wait and let him talk back to you.  Then talk again.  Even if he gives you a "coo" or smile, it definitely counts as baby talk!
6. Raspberries- Non-speech vocalizations are just as important as others.  They allow your baby to explore the power of his articulators.  Make eye-contact and make raspberries with your baby.  Watch their reaction.  My baby laughs hysterically when she hears these!
7. Copy Cat- My favorite thing to do with A is to copy exactly what she "says" and watch her react.  She gets such a kick out of it.  This will engage her in play for the longest stretch of time.
8. Sing- Take it all the way to Broadway if your discover a new talent.  At first, I used to sing to A to comfort her, but now I sing to engage her in a fun language task.  We make up songs, listen to Pandora, and sing old-fashioned nursery rhymes.  A's favorite song is Happy Birthday... we had so many birthdays in September and she "sings" along with me every time I sing it!
9. Peek-a-Boo-who doesn't like a round of Peek-a-boo?
10. Massage- After I give A a bath, I give her a massage with lotion before I put on her PJs. While I massage her, I name all of her body parts.  I started with, "Mommy is rubbing your legs!", but I've discovered that I can be a bit more specific, "Mommy is rubbing your femur, your knee, your calf, your heel, foot, toes...etc." Why not teach her correct, specific vocabulary instead of general words to describe the same thing?

I hope you have as much fun with your newborn as I've had with mine.  Now that she is officially 3 months old, we have graduated to the "infant" category.  Enjoy each.and.every day....

Peace, love and baby hugs,

JP

Bib is the New Black: Acid Reflux Necessities

A's outfit essential..... the Bib.  Thank you Mr. A. Reflux!  Not exactly the fashion trend I was hoping for.  In fact, I used to shun all of my friends who religiously tied a bib around their child's neck.  Now I know the truth, and let me tell you.. I have every girly bib known to baby.

Acid Reflux struck A like-so-fast.  She would fight feedings that previously calmed her crying periods (see prior post), puke everywhere, scream bloody murder when on her back and my least favorite symptom, choke profusely following feedings.  I also noticed excess saliva everywhere!

Reflux and I are still at war and apparently this is just another one of those things that babies "grow out of".....  fun.  But here are some essentials I depend on to get me through the day (and night)... all approved by my pediatrician, of course!

• Medela Double Breast Pump- Thanks to my insurance company and the Affordable Health Care Act (passed in 2012), I received a FREE breast pump.  My doc recommended that I add some rice cereal to thicken A's feedings and hold her food down (so it didn't come shooting out at me). So I express my breast milk and then I add....
• Gerber Rice Cereal-  add 1 tsp. per ounce to her expressed milk or formula.
• Dr. Brown's Bottles- no need to gulp down air because the Dr. Brown system.
• Rock and Play- A is still sleeping in this.  She needs the incline so that her food doesn't creep it's way back up... It also rocks, so it can be very soothing when she is upset.  She is elevated off the floor and it easily folds so that I can take it with me wherever I choose to go!
• Carter's Bibs- My daughter is always wearing a bib because she is always spitting up/throwing up.  She must go through about 5 bibs a day, minimum.  I specifically love these bibs because they have a barrier in them that won't allow the spit up to wet A's clothing, so she stays dry longer.
• Gas Relief Drops/Gripe Water-  I don't depend on these drops as much as I depend on A's prescribed medication, but both of these were pediatrician recommended and over the counter.  Lots of my friends swear by these products.  Personally, I didn't see too much of a difference... but in my opinion, it's better to try homeopathic remedies before relying on prescribed medication.

Thanks to these tricks, A is doing well.  She is gaining weight and although I have to deal with massive amounts of spit up, choking spells, and multiple costume outfit changes, I am one very lucky mama to have such a resilient baby.

Peace, love and bibs,

JP

First- Time Mom's Survival to the Col-ICKY Period

I'll never forget the first time that I went away with A and my hubby to the Hamptons for a weekend.  A was about 4 weeks old and being first time parents, we thought A acted like the typical newborn.  She cried- a lot.  I was thrilled to get away for a bit, figuring my parents would help us out and I would get a few minutes to myself here and there.  But when my mom, my-cool-and-collected-mom, couldn't console A's crying and I caught my parents worrisome glances, I realized that maybe, just maybe, A was a bit different than the typical happy-go-lucky newborn... if there is such a thing.

After having a cry-off at the beach (where my dad suggested maybe it wasn't a beach day for us) and marching the hallway all weekend shaking, I called my pediatrician.  He found that A had a bout of reflux. He prescribed medication that helped A's feeding issues, but the crying.... oh the crying....

It just didn't stop.

I take that back, it subsided around 7-8 weeks, peaking at about 6-7 weeks.  Since that point, it's like someone swapped out my baby for a much happier version.  During those first 6-7 weeks, I broke out in sweats, cried, and researched every which way to make the colickiness "extended crying periods"(as per my lactation consultant), end.  There really wasn't much I could do to "end" this period for her.  A really had to grow out of it on her own.  There were lots of tidbits of knowledge I acquired from reading, trial and error and pieces of wisdom from friends/family that did seem to help get me, I mean, my baby, through this stage.

1. Support- first and foremost, call your pediatrician.  Make sure there is nothing "wrong" with your baby that could be contributing to these crying spells.  Then, if you are nursing, call your lactation consultant.  Cry to both of these people.  They are there to help and coach you through parenting.  Then call your friends/family.  Ask for help.  Be real.  Know that you can't go through it alone. Realize that you can't wave a magic wand and make these extended crying periods end, but you must muddle through them and find strategies to help you cope.
2. Baby Carrier-  I bought my Ergo probably when A was about 4 weeks old.  Realistically I couldn't hold her 24/7.   The Ergo... thank God for the Ergo.... it kept her close to me, while confining her/swaddling her.   I was also able to walk around to give her some motion.  Best of all,  I was hands free. 
3. White Noise- Get a noise machine, a white noise app or turn on the hood fan over your stove.  Increase the volume to match the intensity of her screaming.  Sometimes it really works.  
4. Keep Moving- my baby needed motion and very specific, rhythmic motions to comfort her.  Try different positions- rock in a rocker, swing, car or stroller. 
5. Pacifiers- Being a speech-language pathologist, I was weary about the pacifier.  Really not a fan of forming habits that I'm going to have to fight A to break later on.  But truthfully no one ever walks down the isle with a paci in their mouth, do they? A needs her paci to comfort her.  Play around with different types and figure out which one is best for her.  Some will pop right out of their mouths and some the baby may or may not prefer over others.  She is great with the Dr. Brown's pacifier 0-6 month.  Once A is sleeping, I pop the paci right out of her mouth.... no need for her to keep it all night long... 
6. Positioning- A's favorite position is sleeping on her belly on top my chest.  She is still comforted this way in the early morning.  I practice calm, deep breathing while she is laying on top of me so that hopefully it regulates her system and she can calm down too.  It actually works.  You can also try the football hold, laying her on her side or over your knees (belly facing down).  Remember that "back is best" for sleeping, but there are so many other positions to calm your baby while he is awake and you are supervising him.
7. Bath time-  Initially A hated bath time, but then all of a sudden it was the one 15 minute stretch of time that she enjoyed.  Run warm water and use Aveeno Lavender wash.  Then, I would give A a nice massage using Burt's Bees lavender body cream.  Lavender is supposed to be a very calming scent.  She still really enjoys this routine before bedtime.  
8. Have a Glass of Wine- my lactation consultant and pediatrician both agreed that one glass of wine every once in a while immediately after I nursed A was perfectly fine.  Well, I thought I would never need such a thing... I mean... I am a mom now... Then, I realized, I DO need such a thing, I am a mom now.  LOL.  
9. Find a Babysitter- There were very few people I would leave A to at this time due to her fussy nature.  But, I had to, HAD to leave once in a while for my own sanity.  Once I left for an hour to watch the sunset, another time to take a pilates class, another just to run and grab a cup of coffee.  Don't judge.  It's called sanity.... and after an hour to yourself, you will realize that you are ready to start at number 1 all over again with a bit of a clearer, more rested mindset.  
10. Sleep- or try to.  

I truly believe that the harder weeks let me appreciate the sweeter ones.  Nighty night.

xo

J

Helpful Parenting Books

As a scared, overly- enthusiastic mother-to-be, I decided that I would learn all there was to know about parenting while I was pregnant, so that by the time I had my baby, I would be suited with well-equipped armor ready to take on Battle of the Baby.

I read two books.  Well, three actually, but I don't think Belly Laughs by none other than Playmate, Jenny McCarthy, counts as sophisticated parenting literature.  Anyway, as much as these books made me feel like Super-Mom-To-Be, there was nothing like being throttled right into parenting.  I mean, one day you don't have a baby and the next day, you do.  I did find these two books helpful.  After all, I did hear these authors whispering sweet nothings in my ear as I was rocking my colicky baby in the loneliness of night.  I have to say, I'm glad I was well-equipped, but life experience, as always takes precedence.

1.  The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp
This book helped me learn about the author's theory about the "missing fourth trimester" and how to calm and soothe your newborn.  In this book, you will learn about the 5 soothing strategies called the 5 S's: Swaddle, Swing, Shh, Suck... and ah! there is one more that I just can't remember.  Use these 5 S's day in and day out.  Remember them.  Read them to your partner. And, in my opinion, there is such thing as colic extended crying periods.  Hang in there.

2.  Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child by Marc Weissbluth, MD.
This bible book will teach you the importance of healthy sleep habits and establish appropriate sleep patterns, instead of breaking poor sleeping habits that develop later on.  Okay, I may be jumping the gun, because who knows what A will be like years from now in terms of her sleeping habits, but one strong belief I have as an SLP and now a mom is that sleeping your child is just as important as feeding your child.  My days and nights are focused on 1-2 hours of wakefulness ONLY and then soothing her to sleep.  Eat.  Play.  Sleep.  Repeat.

A bit of a boring post, but for all of you out there looking to get your hands dirty, these were definitely helpful.

Remember:  Never, and I mean, never wake a sleeping baby.

Peace, love and sweet-reads,
J

My New Uniform

My newest addition, baby A, arrived on 7/7.  She has quickly become my world.  I went back to work when she was only 8 weeks old.  Luckily for me, I work only 15 hours/week in a local elementary school.  I decided to put early intervention/private therapy work on hold for the moment so I could focus on staying at home with my daughter.

My baby spits up. A lot.  So, my part-time SAHM wardrobe is an array of black leggings and sweats (the cute ones).  I was thinking today about how this mundane, Stacy-and-Clinton-would-kill-me, wardrobe has truly become my new uniform....

....for the best job of my life.

A is healthy, aware and delightful.  She had her colicky-cry-24-hours-a-day period.  So, don't worry, I've put in the agonizing hours.  But, my days with her are filled with playtime, nursing and napping.

How do you play with an 11 week old?  So glad you asked!!  Stay tuned for some fun, speech pathologist approved play strategies to engage your newborn..... get ready to WORK, and you may need want to change into your new uniform for this job.

Flying High

What a great activity!  My kindergarten students were able to listen to a Brennan story and decorate the kites using multiple descriptors they heard from the story.  Then, they had lots of fun choosing pre-made kites from a bag, describing it and "flying" the kite on my wall.

Three's a Crowd

Pregnancy evokes friendships, specifically ones with my old and dear friend, Fear and new acquaintance, Excitement.  I really believe that three is a crowd when it comes to friendships. Like many relationships in our lives, every friend has a purpose and you have to take the good with the bad. I am learning to make the best of what Fear and Excitement have to offer me.

Along with the normal Fears of your baby's health, unruly mood swings and keeping your marriage healthy post-baby, comes a Fear I never really considered: Fear of the wilting speech-language pathologist... But then an epiphany occurred.

I mean, can having a child affect my career, my first "baby"?  Sure, my new baby will cause me to lose sleep.  I may not feel like my chipper self everyday.  I may need a cup of coffee or two to get me through 8 treatment sessions and scoring the CELF-4 in one day.  I may not be able to fit back into my old clothes.  I may have a day or two (three or four, who's counting?) when I come to work with spit up on my favorite black shirt, my hair pulled up in a high bun and minimal make-up.  But experiencing my baby's language blooming and growing from birth through adolescence and beyond....

Bring on the Excitement!

I will finally be able to see language development, God willing, from such a truly different point of view in my life, not a text book's version.  My baby's vocal play, precious babbles, calling my sweet husband dada, combining two words....  How can these new experiences coming my way not make me a better SLP, and how can being an SLP not make me a better parent?  How are the words SLP and parent  not synonymous?  I am about to embark on the single greatest journey an SLP could ask for... 

If you know me well, Fear hardly ever takes a back seat in my life.  It's the driving force of most of my decisions, which is why I think I am pretty practical...  But letting go and giving Excitement the wheel in my life, health and career, is so freeing...  

See ya Fear... there wasn't room for you anyway!