Four Tips for Travel with a Baby 1 Year Old or Under to Prevent Heat Exhaustion

In September, we went our first family vacation. It was a mess. Two words: Bahamas & Hurricane. I did an amazing job at making sure my baby was cared for when the rain subsided and the sun was OUT! Man it was hot! A bearable hot but the type of hot that would be exhausting for a baby or infant.

The last thing I wanted was ANY heat-related illness- for all of us. Thankfully all those tips that i researched when Ava was a few months-old we're so helpful.

FYI - all of this is pretty self explanatory BUT you wouldn’t believe how easy it is to forget about the simple things when your away from home. 

SPF Is your friend

Please don’t forget to pack this in your suitcase. A lot of people feel like just because they have melanin that they don’t need sunscreen. That’s a complete lie! Wear it! A cool perk from my hotel was that they offered sunscreen to guests on the beach. I should add that there are kid-friendly options as well! On top of that - keep your little ones head fully covered. I had a few bucket hats that I rotated for Ava.

Bottles: Glass vs. Plastic Pro vs. Con

I remember back 20 years ago when glass bottles were the norm. Yes I’m that old. We started Ava on plastic and silicone based bottles... which I don’t regret but there are a few benefits to glass bottles that we have observed in the past few months.

Thank you to Dr. Browns they gifted us Options Glass Wide-Neck starter set!

Not sure if you seen these in-stores but they feature an anti-colic vent system. If you have a baby who takes in a lot of air or gas. You totally need a paced flow! These help reduce feeding issues, helps digestion and also helps to preserve vitamins. I'm thankful that they added nipples for 9+ months for Ava Rose. I waited until baby girl was at least 10 months before I introduced these bottles because I wasn’t sure of the weight and overall sentiment that she would have towards them. 

She does so well with them! I wish I started earlier.

Guest Post: Toddler Hair Care

In the Black community, the topic of natural hair is seemingly never-ending and personally, it’s a favourite of mines. For all intents and purposes, I have two girls ages 2 and 2 months but I will focus on my toddler’s hair care in this blog post.

Charlotte was born with a head of curly hair however, the crown of her hair grew a bit faster than the rest so for awhile, she looked as if she was sporting a fro-hawk. Back in 2009/2010, I learned that the key to what makes black hair thrive (in terms of health and thus, length retention) was moisture and since then, I have implemented the LOC method for myself and even more intentionally for Charlotte’s hair.

The LOC method stands for Liquid, Oil, Cream. This is the specific order that one must apply product to the hair to ensure maximum moisture retention. Similarly, there is the LCO method that stands for Liquid, Cream, and Oil. Since I am such a big advocate for natural hair in all its forms, I implemented this method when Charlotte was about three weeks old.

Crib safety in Canada

As a new mother, I swear nothing gave me more anxiety than then crib.
It stayed empty for like 3 months!

Convincing my little one to finally fall asleep is hard enough at one (All she wants to do is play), but when I put her down in her crib I want to know that she's going to be safe and secure. I heard too many SIDS stories via online and heard about too many close calls that I had to do a lot of research before putting baby girl in there. There are a lot of articles and blog posts that talk about official Canadian crib safety standards. I’m not going to lie some are over dramatic and if your a new mom like me... We just want to learn some simple tips for making our baby's crib safer. Thankfully my months of research has you covered!

Here are a few things I've learned from reading up about crib safety online and speaking to other moms about keeping your little one safe during sleep time.

There are a few obvious ones that I think we all know, like don't give your newborn baby a blanket to sleep with (even though I know it's tempting on cold nights). The best alternative is a sleep sac! We had a few for baby girl that we purchased and received as a gift.

Review: Maxi-Cosi Lara Stroller

Can we talk about strollers for a minute? 

I remember when I was 30 weeks and the hunt to find one (that had everything I wanted) was tricky. I knew I wanted a bassinet stroller which came with a car seat. FYI: Super important for leaving the hospital. I was extremely grateful that the Maxi-Cosi Zelia stroller just came out on time and met my full expectations. I was even luckier that I put it on my baby registry and my brother purchased it for us. We have been rocking it ever since.

We always knew that when the time came that we wanted to get a travel stroller as well. 

Why? 

When my Ava and I are just out shopping- it's all fine but the minute I need to take her up a flight of stairs we're in trouble. Thankfully I only had to do this once so far and my husband was there BUT... I remember the struggle. And I don’t want to have to do all that again on vacation.

A few months ago, I started the hunt because we wanted to travel a lot this Summer. I knew that meant that a plane would be included and thinking of everything we have to carry is stressing me out and we haven’t even left yet!!! Plus the thought of struggling with a big stroller through the airport and the narrow aisles of a plane is giving me nightmares. 

Thankfully, I found a solution. I was gifted the Maxi-Cosi Lara stroller.

REVIEW: Dreambaby Mayfair Converta 3-in-1 Playpen Gate

The best thing about being a parent is watching your little one grow up. Every new milestone is exciting! Ava Rose is so smart! I just love the way how she catches on to things. Their process of learning how to crawl is no exception, even if it is the “belly/military” crawl (like what she is doing). The scary part is that it makes you realize just how dangerous your house is. 

Without giving out my full details I live in a decent sized townhouse that has a open concept kitchen/living room/dining room. Not my first choice- but the best choice that my husband and I had at the time. We totally didn’t think it through if we had kids... 

Back to the baby: My 11.5 month-old has been crawling a lot lately. And getting into EVERYTHING! The one thing about her is that she quite quick! I don’t know where she got it from but if she sees something she likes... she goes for it. It's adorable....until she heads toward the TV unit, or the stairs. Pretty sure that if we leave her be- she'll crawl her way right out the front door altogether. 

I’m so happy that I was introduced to Dreambaby. They graciously gave me the opportunity to chose a gate of my choice for Ava. When my husband and I started researching we looked into everything and a Play-Pen Gate was the best option. More specifically, we went with the Mayfair 3-in 1 Play-Pen Gate! 

New Mom Essentials: Up to 10 months!

We are a few days shy of eleven months and again I feel like I say this in every post but I cannot believe how quickly time flies. Ava Rose is growing and doing something amazing every day. I honestly cannot get enough of her. Having a baby is expensive but I’m blessed to have the opportunity to try many products whether it be through blog, gifts or just my husband and I seeing something cool and buying it. Here are some products that helped up in the past few months.

Yoomi 
Yoomi Bottle with Warmer ($39.99 CAN)
I was actually gifted the yoomi feeding bottle a while ago. I thought it was super unique. I can admit- I didn't get to use it for night-feeding (baby girl slept through the night). I can totally see how a product like this could be ideal! No fumbling in the dark at 1am trying to warm up milk. The yoomi self-warming bottle warms your baby's feed in just 60 seconds using the bottle warmer that inserts into the nipple.

Quick and Easy Apple Puree Mixes for Your Baby

Making food for your baby at home might seem high maintenance for some. When Ava was 5 months we started to feed her "solids". For the first few days, she was like... what is this!? Then after a while, she was obsessed. For the purposes of this article, I'm going to base my tips on a simple fruit that we all start on as babies: Apples.

You know how that old saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well, in this case, an apple a day might just make their transition to solids so much easier!

Guest Post: Road trip with a baby under 3 months old

Road trips are meant to be fun right? 

I personally love taking them every chance I get. I like packing up, wearing my sunglasses and singing songs on the highway like I’m the artist on stage while driving to my destination. It was all so simple before our daughter Juliette was born. Now I try my best to plan it all out before hitting the road. Our first road trip as a family was to Atlanta, GA luckily for us Nashville, TN is only 4 hours away by car. I must admit I was a bit nervous to take our 3 month old on a road trip, but she really enjoys car rides. We decided to leave early in the morning to beat the morning traffic here in Nashville and arrive before the after work rush home from the Atlanta drivers.

I nursed Juliette at 5:30am then got her changed into a clean diaper. I dressed her in a sleep and play onesie to make sure she would be comfortable. This outfit also helped make diaper changes on the road swift. Afterwards, I checked her diaper bag to make sure I didn’t leave anything out while my husband loaded our luggage in the trunk. Anytime we head out the house I always make sure Juliette has her 3 favourite items a soft blanket, a WabbaNub and her lovie. Juliette’s lovie is a small bunny with a tiny security blanket attached. I tend to keep them in her car seat so we don’t have to go on a wild goose chase searching for them. She loves holding them all while traveling in her car seat.

An hour later it was finally time to hit the road. My husband Johnathan loves to drive and I sat in the back with Juliette. We closed our eyes and prayed for safe travels and opened them to see we needed to get gas. I highly recommend getting gas the day before. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and was on the highway by 7:00am. Literally, 7 minutes later Juliette was asleep. Two hours later we stopped in Chattanooga, TN to change Juliette’s diaper at a restaurant nearby the exit ramp. I like stopping at a restaurant so I can eat a snack, if needed and nurse her at the same time. After Johnathan got a few good burps from Julie it was time to it the road again.

Guest Post: Travelling on a plane with a baby over 6 months

Hey everyone, my name is Jennifer.

Just before heading back to work from maternity leave, my husband and I wanted to take a two week trip over to London, England with our 11 month old son, Eli. While planning, I thought it would be best to fly overnight so Eli could sleep for most of the flight and he did. He slept for the whole 6 hours in my lap. He was very comfortable, but I will say, I was not. We ended up getting seats in the middle of the plane and wished we had seats on the sides. I think I would have been more comfortable if I had the window to lean against if needed. But with that all to say, it was still a good flight. On the flight back home, it was a little different. It was a morning flight and I knew that I would have to find things to keep Eli busy. He did have a nap but when he was awake, we walked around the plane and played with the few toys I had. The toys we brought we from the company Fatbrain Toys. These toys can be suctioned to the trays in front of you. Eli was going at them for a quite a bit of time, they kept him entertained. We also had snacks. DO NOT FORGET THE SNACKS!! Lol. Those helped a lot.

Natural Teething Remedies For Babies

A few mornings ago Ava woke up at 5:30am. Most the time (when she wakes up early) we give her a pacifier and she’ll go right back to bed. But this totally was not the case.

Is there anything more heartbreaking then a teething baby? We feed them, we diaper them, we care for them but try as we might, it seems like there is nothing we can do to relieve the pain of their new teeth coming in.

Trying out Aleva Naturals

Have you heard of Aleva Naturals? 

I’m no stranger to the brand. I actually received a massive box of their wipes from my BabiesRUs registry. It honestly helped me get through the first two months of life with baby Ava. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to try out a few other products from the line.

The line is ideal for moms like me who don't want to use any products which might be an allergen on their children. From the very beginning I knew that I only wanted to use mostly Vegan brands on Ava.

Aleva Naturals is...

• Vegan
• Hypoallergenic
• Paraben Free
• Phenoxyethanol Free
• Toxin Free
• Harsh Chemicals Free

How to take your baby's temperature: Newborn | Six Months | Nine Months

Oh no! 

You suspect your little one is sick. There is nothing more stressful than a sick baby. 

It's even worst because it's not possible for them to tell us what's wrong. 

If it could only be so easy!

The first time Ava Rose was a little feverish, I was instantly paralyzed with worry. Is this serious? Or am I just imagining that she's warmer than normal? After calling Telehealth, they instructed me to take her temperature. Thankfully she was okay but it totally could have been a serious situation.

The day after I googled instructions on "How to take a baby's temperature at multiple months" because I totally wanted to be prepared for my next freak out. 

**Please contact your family doctor for accurate information**

New Mom Essentials: Up to 6 months! Was it worth it?

Looking back, I can say I did quite well prepping for Ava. How? By talking to other moms and looking at baby registry must haves. I can admit not EVERYTHING is necessary but some things are essential.

I’m always asked what are my must haves... 

Now that Ava is 7 months I can tell you what made my transition to motherhood smooth.

Diaper Caddy
Why?
I wanted everything at my fingers when diaper changing.
I never wanted to have to leave her on the change table to have to run and get anything.
How did it ease your new mom concerns?
I always knew what my supply was.
I never was out of wipes/diapers/body lotion/diaper cream.
Plus it also helped my husband stay organized as well.
How long did I use it?
This is something that I will continue to use for a WHILE.
As long as Ava is still in diapers.
Would you purchase again?
I'm 50/50 for only one reason. I do feel like if you hit it (walking past it or whatever) with enough force. It will crack and eventually break. But I love how simple it as and cost effective- so I'm torn.

First Time Mom Must Haves- Four to Six Months

Oh my! How behind are we?!? I apologize. So much has been going on! I have been in school, working and taking care of the baby. Plus being wife! Can’t forget that one. I legit have no time for anything but that needs to change. This is the update from her being four months to six months old. 

UPDATE:

• She can say dada. 
• She’s been saying that since she was four months old. 
• She loves to roll back-and-forth.
• She’s working on sitting up without any assistance. 
• She’s good at doing it for a few seconds and then she gets excited and wants the clap but doesn’t have any balance to do so. So she ends up falling over. 
• She also loves singing and dancing. 

Baby: Hospital bag must haves

Say goodbye to the days where everything is provided to you in the hospital. (Some) Hospitals provide you with the bare minimum in terms of amenities. You get a bed, washroom and staff that will assist you with getting your bundle of joy out. But did you know that it was your responsibility to bring things like extra linens and pillows to stay comfortable. I totally did NOT!

Here are a few things that you should not forget to pack in your hospital bag for labour.

buybuy BABY: Breast Pumping Essentials

This post is in partnership with buybuy BABY. All opinions here are my own.
Making the decision to incorporate pumping into your daily life is a tricky one. I applaud moms who are exclusive pumpers. Which means that they pump around six-eight times a day. I pump about four times a day (on a good day) and I feel like I am tied to my machine...but I will do anything for my little baby.

If you're a first time mom and interesting in pumping essentials- you have found the right post!

All of these products can be found at buybuy Baby. If you have any questions: One of their staff members can explain each product to you. They can also let you know what would work for your unique lifestyle before you have your baby. You can even put it on your registry!

Diono Radian 3 RXT Car Seat

Safety is number one when it comes to choosing a car seat. When I was pregnant, my husband and I always decided that we would get two car seats. One for his car because he will be driving the most. The second car seat would be for my car or a family member (if they were helping out with the baby). 

A few factors go into choosing a car seat.

First thing is
Longevity:
We were looking for something that is going to last a long time. We have a very tall baby- so anything that is going to honestly take her from infant to onwards is ideal.

Design:
There are some awesome designs out there but wanted something that was black and sleek.

Safe:

This is number one! We wanted something that is sturdy and long lasting. Also because she’s so tiny right now- she needs comfort but style.

I was lucky that I was able to try the new Diono radian 3 RXT ($399.99 CAN).

Five Tips to consider when visiting a new baby

Around this time is when germs are around the most. People are battling colds, flus, fevers and God knows what else. There is a lot to consider before you make the trip out to see your good friend or family member.  Here are five tips to consider when visiting a new baby.

If u have a tickle in your throat.. Don't come

I don’t even care if it’s allergies... Don’t come. If it’s going to make you have to explain yourself to the mother/father- it totally isn’t worth it. What if that tickle isn’t from allergies and it's actually the beginning of a cold. Just reschedule when you feel better.

First Time Mom Must Haves- Third Month

Hello everyone!

We're back with another update. I’m gonna start doing these monthly. 

Hopefully, I can keep up until 12 months!

Ava Rose turned three months on October 23. The most noticeable change is that she loves playing with her hands. From the earlier months, she loved hitting things like toys. Now she’s grabbing them and inspecting them. It's really cute! Also she’s in screaming stage. Which is funny because she only yells when she’s home. Usually when she’s outside she doesn’t really make any noise (AT ALL). Overall, still a very well behaved baby who sleeps through the night.

Meaning that this Toronto mom gets some sleep at night now!

Wooooo!

Now onto the products which have made my 2 -3 month transition easy.

I know how I have shared this on Instagram a while back but baskets are everything! 

I have a basket for everything relevant. 

Basket A is for clothes that are her under shirts, plush toys and bibs. 

Basket B is for her bows, clips and socks. 

Baskets C has her washcloths, burp cloths and more socks!

These can be found at ToysRUs/BabiesRUs.