The talk of the blogosphere right now is the Motrin ad (clip above) claiming that babywearing hurts and is just a passing trend. Both are not true. Using a baby carrier is far more comfortable than carrying a baby in your arms and attempting day-to-day chores. What’s more, babywearing has been around for centuries and it really does help babies bond with their parents.
Think how much easier cooking dinner becomes with your baby in an Ergo Carrier. Or how much less stressful shopping in a crowded mall can be with a Baby Bjorn. Instead of trying to constantly monitor kids, child carriers keep kids happy and allow mom to carry on with what needs to be done.
What did you think of the Motrin babywearing ad?
Check out our full selection of baby carriers at our sister site, ChildCarriers.com.
Just in - new Quinny Strollers! The Quinny Buzz 4 introduces 4 wheels to the Buzz lineup. The Quinny Buzz 3 maintains the three-wheeled style of the original Quinny stroller. Both the Buzz 4 and the Buzz 3 includes a rainshiled and bugnet, the the seat on each of these amazing stroller is just about the cushiest I’ve ever seen. See the new Quinny strollers!
Being on our fourth child there’s a lot we don’t need, but some of the equipment we have that’s been through all three children (or more if it started as a hand-me-down) will never serve this next babe. Case in point: my old diaper bag. It was a backpack design that I bought from a twin web site. The bag was truly helpful keeping up with two infants. I liked the space, compartments and convenience of the backpack so much I used it again for my singleton. As utilitarian as it was, I longed for the pretty diaper bags I saw other moms toting around. When my youngest was out of diapers, I chucked that old ugly bag that was falling apart at the seams. Good riddance!
Soon I’m going to need another diaper bag. I see from surfing Tip Toe Turtle there are lots of choices and aesthetically pleasing styles to choose from. Although the backpack style was great for keeping my arms free for mothering, I’m thinking a bag with a long enough strap to sling over my shoulder could still serve that purpose (and be presentable for my husband too). I want the convenient compartments–places to store bottles and dirty diapers, but nothing too big and cumbersome. This is, after all, one baby (written like someone has forgotten how much stuff one baby needs lugged around).
We’ve had these in stock for a while, but I wanted to point readers in the direction of the Phil and Teds Graffiti Stroller. Featuring an edgy, graffiti-art pattern and coming complete with the Sport Doubles Kit, the Phil and Teds SP Graffiti stroller lets you stroll with edge. And because the graffiti fabric is cut at different points, each Phil and Teds Graffiti stroller is truly unique.
On Sunday I finished an indoor triathlon at a nearby Life Time Fitness. These short races consist of a 10-minute swim, 30-minute ride in their cycling studio and 20 minutes on the treadmill. The races are scored based on how far you can go in the alloted time. They are great low-stress events because you don’t have any equipment to worry about, you get a set amount of time for transitions (10 minutes between the swim and bike and 5 minutes between the bike and run), and no one finishes last because every one in your wave starts and stops at the same time. They are great events for the veteran triathlete who wants to warm up for the season or follow their progress on a set course, for new or beginning triathletes who feel intimidated by traditional races, or if you need to modify your race, say, if you’re pregnant.
At the moment I fall into that last category. I was grateful for the opportunity to compete–and when I say compete, I really mean be apart of the triathlon scene that I love–in a way that could accommodate my “racing partner.” We didn’t have a stellar performance as compared to the two other indoor tris I’ve finished, but it was the challenge and atmosphere I wanted. And I have to admit, I felt like a rock star for doing the race with a baby on board.
Now, mind you, I don’t feel I have anything to prove by doing this. I wanted to do it because I could. I felt like I could. Last two pregnancies wouldn’t have considered it. I have to say, I enjoyed being THAT woman. I had wanted to be THAT woman during my first pregnancy. Carrying twins held me back. Second pregnancy, I could have cared less about exercise; it was a day by day survival. And with all due respect to the pregnant mamas out there who can’t workout or don’t want to work out, that’s fine, too. It’s just nine months. As moms know, nine months go by pretty quick (although it may not feel that way at the very end). Who cares if you work out? Who really cares if you do a triathlon? But the next 18 years? You gonna get your butt out there and work out again? So in the grand scheme of things, this little indoor tri wasn’t all that significant. Except for a brief period, I got to be THAT woman.
I’ll admit though, THAT woman, who had felt like a rock star during the event, spent two hours napping that afternoon.
I have a Chicco KeyFit 30коли под наем for Miss Molly which I love. It clicks into the base SO easily, goes up to 30 lbs and 30 inches so I’ll get lots of use out of it, and it’s super cute. The down side is carrying it everywhere! This is not an issue with this specific brand - just infant seats in general.
Last week I noticed a HUGE bump on my arm that was turning black and blue. At that point I decided that I need to change my carrying style. Normally I just grab it in the crook of my arm and go. Molly’s daycare classroom is the furthest from the door and I make that walk everyday during the week.
I decided to invest in a Kolcraft Universal Car Seat Carrier. My arm now feels terrific! It’s light weight, easy to fold, and has a HUGE storage basket which helps with lugging in all of Molly’s stuff each day.
Two thumbs up from me! And Happy Halloween from my little stinker!
I just watched a video posted by Lisa Druxman, founder of Stroller Strides, on her blog. I’ve never been involved with Stroller Strides but I think it’s a great concept and a great service for the many (and growing) fit mamas out there. I think it helps in two ways. One, it helps mom’s get moving while addressing the fact that, hello!, we have to find a way to do it while caring for children. And, two, it provides a community for new moms, who often feel isolated after becoming a mother.
What I love most, is what she said in the post: “If you’re a mother, then you’re an athlete.” It’s so true, yet so many mums among us don’t see our strength in that way. It is so empowering to call yourself an athlete–to believe you are an athlete. Believe it!
And Tip Toe Turtle stocks the official stroller for the Stroller Strides program: The BOB Stroller Strides Stroller. The Stroller is a BOB Revolution that comes with the, also separately sold, BOB Stroller Strides Fitness Kit, which includes resistance tubes, a zip pocket for odds and ends, a drink holder, and a manual about how to work out with your stroller. You can become someone’s inspirations too!
And here’s the link to the video so you can pass it on to other Fit Moms:
If your little one wants to carve a pumpkin and you’re not too keen on letting them go at it with a knife, try poking holes! Take a golf tee and a rubber mallet and have them pound holes into the pumpkin. This is actually a more traditional Halloween pumpkin than any triangle-eyed jack-o-lantern - Scottish children would carry them as lanterns.
Molly is now 20 weeks old -basically 5 months. When she was first born, people kept telling me “Don’t worry, it will get easier.” I really didn’t understand that because honestly, taking care of a 3 week old baby just wasn’t that hard. I was home on maternity leave so I got up when she wanted to, slept when I could, whatever. Eating, sleeping, and pooping - that was it!
Well it is a heck of a lot harder now!!!! I don’t know what those people were talking about! She needs to be entertained, rarely naps, wakes up more in the night, etc. She is a lot more fun because she can interact with me but it’s certainly more work than a newborn.
What was I expecting though really? Taking care of a baby isn’t easy and never will be. Thank goodness that I am greeted each morning with a huge toothless smile and a giggle that make it all worth it!
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently changed it’s recommendation for Vitamin D intake for children. Vitamin D is important for kids in preventing rickets, but in general it’s good for our body because of how it works so well with calcium to strengthen bones, to fight against disease like diabetes and cancer, and to prevent heart disease. Obviously you can find vitamin D in most dairy products, but you can also get a whopping from salmon, shrimp and eggs. But where can you get the most Vitamin D? From the sun. And why are people often vitamin D deficient? According to researchers from a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, low levels of Vitamin D can be blamed on ”decreased outdoor activity.” While it may be difficult for our body to make Vitamin D from sunlight in the winter, we can stock up in the summer. I know what you’re thinking: what about skin cancer? Check out this US News and World Report article to help wade through the inconsistencies. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding your baby may need supplementation, but otherwise getting our kids and ourselves outside every day to move and soak in some rays is the best way to stay healthy and fill up our Vitamin D tank. –Kara
