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Let Daddy Sleep: Holiday Gift Guide for Dads

12/7/2019

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Dad's have a reputation for being pretty fun parents, so we decided to lean-in on that and share our favorite gifts for new dads for the holidays!  Of course there are all kinds of parents but we hope you'll find this list helpful for the special new or expecting dad on your list.
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The team at Let Mommy Sleep really wants Daddy to sleep too, so the "Let's Play Cars on Dad" shirt​ is #1 on our holiday list. Kids play while Dad takes a break- genius!- and a little toy car comes free with each purchase.

Shirts are also 
only $15 and come in a variety of colors.



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In keeping with our sleep theme, we recommend investing in a
​cozy new robe that will get use for years to come.

Easy to pull on when getting out of bed, large pockets and fleece lining give fathers the important message of "You deserve to relax!"   These robes also come in 6 different colors and go from small to 4XL so there's a style for every father.

On a serious note, don't forget that Dad's can also experience postpartum mood disorders and even if they aren't clinically diagnosed, it's vital to remember that a Dad was born at the same time baby was born too.  Rest and compassion can help new dads adjust to life with a newborn. 

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Even when we've done our very best to let dad rest, he still may need a boost of energy but not be able to stop and drink a cup of coffee. That's why we love M.E.G - Military Energy Gum!  

M.E.G won the 
US Army's Greatest Invention of the Year Award for 2005. Originally made for our troops, M.E.G. is now available to the general public.  Each piece of gum has 100mg of caffeine, about the same as a small cup of coffee, and the caffeine effect happens within 15 minutes. 

This gum should be kept out of the reach of children of course but adults can use it as a quick and low calorie coffee or soda alternative.

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The GoPRO HERO4 ​​is billed as the "most advanced GoPRO ever"
with its ultra high-resolution, high frame rate video.  This camera is also waterproof, offers a super slow motion option and has a Smart Remote that can be controlled from Dad's phone from up to 600 feet away. 

As technologically advanced as this camera is, it's real value comes from remembering what it's really for- capturing memories of family adventures and time together...the true spirit of the holiday season. 

You can see our full list of Dad gifts on Amazon!  If there's anything you think we should add, let us know on Twitter or Insta!

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Maximizing Postpartum Rest - "Lying In" in the US

11/20/2019

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PictureNight nurses help promote postpartum health of moms and babies.
As an expecting parent or postpartum caregiver, you may have heard the term “lying-in”or “lying in period.”  This is the practice of giving mothers time to spend undisturbed with their newborn for anywhere between 2 weeks to 3 months. The purpose is to give mother time to heal physically and mentally from childbirth, encourage mother/baby bonding, allow a healthy breastfeeding relationship to develop and promote overall recuperation and postnatal wellness.  Benefits to mom and baby are tremendous as Rachel Wolf, RN of Let Mommy Sleep notes: “Lying in means better sleep and higher immune systems for moms, and decreased exposure to germs and illnesses for infants.” Additionally the mental health benefits of allowing mom to recuperate properly have been demonstrated over and over.

If you haven’t heard of lying in, it’s probably because it’s not practiced much here in the US, where undisturbed time is becoming more and more rare. Families tend to be spread out and job and childcare responsibilities of parents, grandparents, neighbors and relatives tend to mean that postpartum moms (or any parent, really!) simply don't have an opportunity to get extended periods of rest. So how can we help mothers, babies and ultimately entire families stay healthy during this vulnerable perinatal time?

In addition to fair maternity leave practices and follow-up visits with the primary care physician, it’s vital that new mothers have a support network. “The most important thing we can do is ensure that every mom has the help and support she needs, should she end up struggling with postpartum depression or baby blues,” Wolf says.  If new parents don’t have family support, they’ll need to get a little creative. Moms Clubs, church communities, neighbors and even local Facebook groups can organize meals and blocks of time to help with housework or allow mom to sleep. 

Night Nannies or Registered Nurse visits can also be a great resource for new parents, especially during the first week after childbirth. This week is a critical time for assessing mental health of both parents, performing physical assessments of mother and baby and providing evidence-based education in newborn care.  Evidence shows the benefits of postpartum visits are numerous and as Wolf notes, “mothers would not be readmitted to the hospital at the numbers they are, if someone was there in the family home early enough to identify those mothers who are either physical or psychological risk for postpartum complications.”

Whatever a new mother's situation, it's important to prepare for life after baby *before* baby arrives. Get those volunteers lined up, join a local support network, organize family members' time off and research professional caregivers just in case they might be needed.  While we may not be able to have months of time off, parents can build their support network to maximize lying-in for a healthy mom, baby and family.

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Anchoring Furniture: A Babyproofing Essential

9/20/2019

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A tip-over injury or fatality means that a child has been injured or killed by pulling over dressers, televisions, bookshelves or other furniture.  About 70 percent of tip-over fatalities involve children ages 1 1/2 to 3 years old, but these accidents are preventable.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Anchor It! Campaign shows parents and caregivers that anchoring is simple, inexpensive and important.  

​Here are their tips:
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- Anchor all furniture to the wall. These videos show how to properly anchor to drywall and to brick walls.

  • - Secure TVs to the wall or base/TV stand and recycle older, unused TVs 

  • - Check for and act on recalls of products that present tip-over hazards

- Anchor furniture before baby is born,  or begins "grabbing" or crawling.  Babies begin to crawl as early as 6 months and reaching for things well before then.  

Refer to the Anchor It poster here for correct installation of anchors, and for more babyproofing info please visit How to Create a Safe Nursery.

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Postpartum Mood Disorders Affect Partners Too

8/9/2019

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Did you know postpartum mental health issues are the most common complication of pregnancy?  Postpartum Depression (PPD) and Anxiety in mothers is finally getting talked about, but postpartum depression in men, called Paternal PostNatal Depression, or PPND, is just as common.  

​What is PPND?  Depression in mothers happens because of the biological and hormonal changes experienced after childbirth. According to studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and National Institute of Health however, depression can affect up to 25% of new fathers -especially if their partner is experiencing depression. The condition is called PPND, or Paternal PostNatal Depression, and with the amount of depression reported in men as a whole typically about 5%, PPND is very real. Hormonal and emotional changes happen in men too. 

Who is at risk? PPND can happen to any father but there are also risk factors to know about before baby arrives:  
     - history of depression  
     - partner who has depression   
     - an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy  
     - poor family relationships and little social support  
      - financial or personal stress

How can PPND be helped?  Early detection and action is KEY - talking about it.   There is still a perceived social stigma to depression so normalizing PPND is helpful.  This assessment can be used to identify PPND warning signs. 

Regular exercise, proper sleep and family and social support also helps, but a professional assessment by a mental health pro is the most important tool to get Dads on the road to recovery.  For new mothers and fathers, knowledge is power in managing postpartum mental health complications before they arise.

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A Dream Nursery fit for your own Royal Baby

6/6/2019

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PictureA dream nursery fit for your own royal baby!
With the arrival of another royal baby, we're taking a break from our usual educational blogs to share our favorite fun, safe and slightly over the top nursery items on Amazon!
 

​Circular Crib - Nothing says Baby Prince or Princess quite like a circular crib or bassinet. Dreamy bedding and draping fabrics make baby's sleep area unique and timeless. Remember not to use the crib bumpers that may come with crib bedding as it is a SIDS risk;  opt for a breathable mesh bumper instead. 
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<---This Macrame and wooden chair and swing
This adorable swing can be mounted indoors or outside and is as sturdy as it is cute. It's recommended for babies age 6 - 30 months and can become a family heirloom, handed down to siblings and cousins for years.

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Diaper Pail - in Gold! - If you're going to have a diaper pail in baby's room, why not get the one that has won the most awards and is FANCY?! ​

​A Rocking...Unicorn - Any baby can have a rocking horse for baby's first  ride on toy, but a Rocking Unicorn? That's a stand-out gift item! We like this toy because it has plush back support for the littlest riders. It also comes in a variety of colors.  

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Our full list of unique, safe nursery decor is in our Amazon shopwww.amazon.com/shop/letmommysleep?listId=2LUTHG65XVOAF but we'd love to hear about your favorite baby items below! 

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50 Cool Screen Free Activities for Kids

4/28/2019

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Picture50 Cool Scree Free Activities for Kids by Let Mommy Sleep
  1.   Cardboard boxes + crayons  

  2. Cardboard boxes + golf tees& a toy hammer!
  3. If you don’t have boxes, get a fort! 
  4. Stare at the night sky and look for planes, satellites and maybe even the International Space Station.
  5. Floor is Lava!
  6. Plant seeds: tomato, cucumber and basil grow quickly and then make a great salad
  7. Gaze at the fish in your local pet store
  8. Read your favorite books of course! 
  9. Magnatiles– the toy you’ll have for YEARS
  10. Go to a comic shop & pick out a book​
  11. Paint with edible finger paint…babies can even paint with yogurt
  12. Go to Target and play with the toys in the toy aisle!
  13. Get this tent for indoors or outdoors
  14. Enjoy a treat at your local café or Starbucks
  15. Get a baby pool, let the kids fill it
  16. Go for a walk & clean up litter in your neighborhood
  17. Play charades!
  18. Re-grow your celery stumps in water
  19. Go on a nature walk 
  20. Go to your local airport and plane-watch up close
  21. Have a blanket picnic
  22. Enjoy make-your-own-pizza night
  23. Write letters to relatives you don’t get to  see often
  24. Make your own musical instruments 
  25. Keva blocks (or any blocks)
  26. Collect the scrap wood from Home Depot -it’s free!- and see what you can build.
  27. Visit a pet shelter
  28. Blow up balloons and hit them
  29. Play with giant cardboard bricks
  30. Attend an outdoor concert or show
  31. Make a keepsake at a paint-your-own pottery shop
  32. Catch bugs and make a bug habitat
  33. Take a bubble bath- just for fun!
  34. Walk through a local garden
  35. Turn off the lights and play with flashlights
  36. Try a new fruit or vegetable you’ve never had from the grocery store
  37. Surprise the kids with a Bounce House
  38. Do “science experiments” using food coloring or simple Alka-Selzter tablets
  39. Make a photo album, look through old photo albums
  40. Go on a scavenger hunt outside
  41. Frost some cupcakes or roast marshmallows 
  42. Check out all the outdoor decorations and flowers at your garden center
  43. Tidy upthe outdoors.
  44. Examine objects with a magnifying glass
  45. Decorate an old t-shirt using magic markers.
  46. “Prank call” the grandparents (stole this from ZenHabits.net and have also done this…it’s hilarious!)
  47. Go to your local sprayground/playground
  48. Ride pillows down the stairs!
  49. Make a lemonade stand
  50. Visit the library & get a library card

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March 30th, 2019

3/30/2019

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Let Mommy Sleep's practical baby care tips on Pinterest.
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What Should be in your Overnight Newborn Care Bag?

3/17/2019

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Night nurses, doulas and newborn care providers are a little different than daytime nannies since we concentrate on caring for families in the postpartum phase.

Our team made a list of items that you may find helpful to have in your overnight care bag. The full list of recommended items is on Amazon and includes:

  • travel first aide-kit for baby- and you!  
You never know if you'll need a nasal aspirator for baby or even a bandaid for yourself. Always be prepared!

  • extra-long chargers  
Your phone should always, always, always be charged and within arms reach in case of emergencies or needing to respond quickly to parents. Caring for newborns also may mean having some downtime while they sleep. For these reasons an extra long phone/device charger is a Let Mommy Sleep  must-have!
 
  • light snacks to help keep your energy up​
​Caring for babies is hard work! Keep your energy up without having to do a lot of food prep with gluten-free energy bars, fruit and dried fruit.

To see the full list, please visit our verified shop on Amazon, and if there's anything you would like to see included let us know below!  

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Guest Post: Jeanne Faulkner, RN and Author of "Common Sense Pregnancy"

3/2/2019

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Adapted guest post by Jeanne Faulkner, Registered Nurse and author of the book "Common Sense Pregnancy"

I just launched my new book, Common Sense Pregnancy (Random House/Ten Speed Press, June 2015) about pregnancy and parenthood. Common Sense Pregnancy is part medical guide (I’m a registered nurse with decades of maternal health experience), part advice column (I write Fit Pregnancy’s Ask The Labor Nurse blog and I’m Senior Writer for EveryMotherCounts.org), and part memoir (I’m the mother of four and lived to write about it).

Most of my book is about pregnancy, prenatal care, labor and birth, but I also discuss  sleep deprivation. I write about it in Chapter 15 and I’ll share an excerpt here:

***
You’re in for a bit of a shock. Babies rule the night. They’re totally clueless about circadian rhythms and not the least bit concerned about waking you up at all hours to make you do things for them. This goes on for months and months – sometimes even years. Everyone will tell you: Sleep when the baby sleeps. That’s excellent advice the first week or so but not so great after that, because few of us have the privilege of putting everything in life on hold while we take a nap.

We each react differently to interrupted and reduced sleep. Some can suck it up and function fairly well: others fall apart completely. They can’t think, can’t deal and can’t function at all. These parents have to create coping strategies to keep from losing their minds. 

 First, consider this: while it may seem like you’re never getting to sleep, the reality is you’re almost certainly getting some. Even if your baby is an every-two-hour feeder, that gorgeous hour and a half between feedings might drop you into the deepest sleep of your life. The body is amazing in its ability to grab what it needs, and once you get into a nighttime groove, you’ll find the experience of having bizarre wake-sleep cycles less jolting.

If the fatigue is too extreme, then you and your partner need to make some changes – like alternating nights where one of you gets to sleep all night in a room away from the baby while the other handles night duties. If you’re breastfeeding, this could involve your partner giving the baby a bottle of pumped milk or having dad bring baby in for a quick nighttime feeding, then scooping her back up and away while you go back to sleep. 

For some women, sleep deprivation leads to serious changes in mental health – aka postpartum depression and even psychosis. This is serious business and must be addressed by professionals – your doctor or midwife plus a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional with experience dealing with postpartum mothers. 
***
​Support Resources for New Parents:


Mental Health resources: Postpartum Support International or their primary care physician, New parent groups such 

New Parent Support Groups: MomsClub.org, Parents of Multiples


In-Home Postpartum Care: LetMommySleep.com

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Car Seat Safety Tips

12/23/2018

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PictureImage: IG =@mccutcheonphoto Thank you for this image via unsplash.
According to SafeKids.org 3 out of 4 carseats are used incorrectly.  Following the manufacturers' specific directions for usage is vital, but understanding correct carseat usage in general can help keep your child safe.


For children age 0-2 years old this means:


  • Keeping baby in a rear facing seat at least until their second birthday. 2018 recommendations from the CDC now state that children stay rear facing from age 0 to between ages 2 and 4.
 
  • Follow the carseat manufacturers installation instructions. It's been reported in many accidents that carseats have been installed too loosely or at an incorrect angle. To be completely positive that your seat is installed correctly, visit SafeKids Worldwide to find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician or inspection station in your area.
 
  • Do not place baby in the carseat in their coat or bulky clothing. The creates space between the body and the strap, which is unsafe.
 
  • Use a blanket or car seat cover ONLY if it goes over baby, the straps and the seat and does not cover baby's face. As the AAP says, "Nothing should ever go underneath your child's body or between her body and the harness straps." and "Be sure to leave baby's face uncovered to avoid trapped air and re-breathing."
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  • Do not place toys, mirrors or other items in or around the carseat and be sure your own items such as coffee cups are secured. These can become projectiles in the car.​ 
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  • If an item did not come with the car seat, it has not been crash tested and may interfere with the protection provided in a crash. Commercially sold car seat covers or accessories have not been crash tested. Remember, as Let Mommy Sleep Nurses say, just because they sell it doesn't mean it's safe. 
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  • Tighten the straps around baby snugly. There should be nothing between your baby and the seat except a thin layer of clothing.

Automobile accidents continue to be a danger to all of us but by following the car seat manufacturers' installation directions and by remembering these tips, you can keep baby safe as best you can.


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