Category Archives: Tips and Tricks

Time Management: Pomodoro Technique

Posted on January 6 by Jillian416 • 14 Comments

Achieving laser focus is a major desire of most people. Everyone wants to achieve that state where you just zone in and get stuff done – Enter the Pomodoro Technique!

Wiki describes the Pomodoro Technique as a time management method developed by Francessco Cirillo in the late 1980s, that takes a timer to break down time into intervals of 25 minutes, separated with short breaks. These intervals are known as a”pomodori”, the plural of the Italian word Pomodoro, for “tomato.”

Time Management- Pomodoro Technique - Baby Doodah

Back in mid-November I wrote a post outlining what time management was and included some fantastic articles for busy moms looking to manage their time better, feel free to click the previous pink text for the article. In that article, I talk about 4 different methods that I’ve come across and attempted to use in my time management journey. Today I want to talk about the Pomodoro Technique.

Here’s Why I Tried the Pomodoro Technique

I’m a “to-do” list maker. I love paper and stationary, new notebooks and pretty pens, so it really should come as no surprise that I love making lists. I get such joy (and sanity) out of creating them, and out of checking items off the list. However, I was finding more and more that many of the items on my list were just sitting there. I was either ignoring them or procrastinating completing them. I knew if I wanted to get things accomplished and manage my time successfully, I needed to try something new.

I came across the idea of the Pomodoro Technique while reading The Nectar Collective (I couldn’t find the specific post, so that’s just a link to the blog homepage). I was intrigued, so I started doing my research and almost immediately fell in love with the concept. I put it into practice and found myself QUICKLY crossing off items on my ever-growing to-do list. It felt fantastic!

How to Know if the Pomodoro Technique is Right for You and How it Works

This Method is Right for You If…

  • You are someone who struggles to motivate yourself to get going.
  • You love lists, but find that it just keeps growing and that you’re not actually doing anything with it.
  • Procrastination is the name of your game.
  • You lose focus VERY quickly, and need frequent breaks to keep yourself on task.

How Pomodoro Works

A timer is used to break your time up into increments, typically 25 minutes each. In that 25 minutes, you do nothing but work on the task you chose to focus on. NO quick breaks for Facebook, answering texts, emails, or anything! The task you chose is your LIFE for the next 25 minutes.

After every 25 minute increment, you get a 5 minute break to use however you’d like. You continue to repeat this cycle for four rounds, after the fourth round, you get a 15 minute break. Use it wisely! My recommendation, is not to spend more time on the computer (unless you have to), I always get up and take a quick walk or simply just get up and move.

This might sound strict to you, and it kind of is – but if you suffer with lack of focus, this can really help and set you in forward motion. You will find yourself zoning in sooner, you’ll be getting WAY more accomplished, and you’ll feel better as your to-do list dwindles and makes rooms for the new items you need to work on.

How to Make it Work for You

Alright, so you’re probably wondering, how do I get it to work for me? I’d love to try it, but I don’t want to keep looking at my phone / clock, to see if my 25 minute increment is complete. That’s just going to take me out of the focused element – You are absolutely right!

I have a few suggestions on how you can get it to work for you. You just need to choose which method you’d like to go with and then make the leap!

  • The most basic of ways is to get yourself an egg timer, similar to this little cutie. Set it for 25 minutes, do your work and then when it goes off, set it for another 5 – so on and so forth.
  • You can use the timer on your phone in a similar way as the Pomodoro egg timer above. Set it for 25 minutes, work, then reset for 5 minutes – then just keep going.
  • There are bunches of apps on the app store for Apple and for Android. This one is my favorite Pomodoro Timer: Focus on your Productivity and Beat Procrastination (this is the link for the Apple store). I’m not seeing it available on the Android marketplace, so readers, if you have any that you’ve tried and are favorites, please share in the comments.
    • The app is great because you hit the start button and it tracks your 25 minute interval and then alerts you when your 5 minute break starts and then again when your interval restarts. It’s fantastic motivation!
  • And now, my new, personal fav is, Focus @ Will. Focus @ Will is a streaming music player that provides you a ton of options of music to listen to that will help get you in the zone. The beauty is, you can set the timer for 25 minutes (or any other length of time), work your butt off and then take a 5 minute break.
    • If you LOVE listening to music, or music really gets you moving – I highly suggest you give Focus @ Will a try. You can get a 30 day free trial, and then if you like it, you can subscribe either by paying monthly or a year at a time. The links I’m sharing are NOT affiliate links, I just really and truly love this program. Oh! And there is an app, too. 🙂

How I know that it’s works

I still struggle with getting my head on straight for some of the the more abstract tasks, but those items that I use to put off, are now often my central focus. I turn on Focus @ Will and get to work.

It helps with my reading, too. When I’m reading a book for pleasure, I don’t struggle to stay focused, but when I need to read a contract for work or an in depth report, simply by setting my timer, turning my music on, I am good to go. 25 minutes flies by in a flash and I can actually recall what I’ve read.

Final Thoughts

Please keep in mind that this technique may not be the perfect solution for everyone. If you work in a fast paced environment or face frequent distractions, you likely will not find success with Pomodoro. However, those of you who do lots of project work, and can break your tasks up into shorter increments, you will find that you’ll get to that focused point much quicker with this method.

If you’re curious, and you’re in desperate need of some focus, why not give the Pomodoro Technique a try? It’s a pretty simple method, and doesn’t cost a lot to get started (really all you need is your task and a timer).

Your turn!

Have you ever given the Pomodoro Technique a try? If so, please share your experience in the comments below!

signature

Looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to get your news? Check-out theSkimm and sign-up for your daily email box delivery of the world’s news, plus if you share your birthday, you get it listed at the bottom of the newsletter on your day. It’s like celebrating with thousands of people!!!!

Filed Under: All About Me, Family, Tips and Tricks

Tips on Making a Meal Plan

Posted on September 7 by Jillian416 • 12 Comments

Tips on Making a Meal Plan - Baby DoodahLet’s talk Meal Planning

It’s been a couple weeks since I join in with the Sunday Meal Plan Link-up, but I’ve decided to join back-up. Really, the only reason I hadn’t posted my meal plan in the last few weeks was laziness. Seamus and I always make a meal plan! It’s our way of attempting to save money and not worry about what we’ll eat each night of the week.

On Making a Meal Plan

As I flip through other blogs and even other bigger sites around the web, I am noticing what a hot topic meal planning is right now. It’s something that Seamus and I have been doing since we started shopping together 6 or so years ago, so it’s really nothing new to me. We haven’t always written it down, but, as with all things, time progresses and improvements are made. Our system works really well for us, and the bickering that used to occur when we’d meal plan, has pretty much ceased to exist.

It’s because of that, that I decided to share our method with you, in hopes that it will help someone else who is struggling to meal plan, or just doesn’t know quite how to get started.

Our Step by Step Meal Planning Process

  1. Make the Meal Plan when You are not in a Hurry – This might seem like a given, or maybe it doesn’t, but my biggest most important piece of advice is to NOT meal plan when you are in any kind of a hurry. That just leads to frustration and irritation when one or both of you can’t come up with ideas or are slightly distracted. Seamus and I do our meal planning Saturday evenings (we shop on Sundays), once Emmett is in bed. We’re not in any hurry and there are few distractions
  2. Choose a Meal Plan Template – There are SO many options out there for meal planners. Heck, if you just use google images, and search Meal Plan templates, thousands will come up. Flip through them, choose your favorite, but as your meal planning evolves, so might your template. So, don’t feel stressed if what you originally chose doesn’t continue to work. This is the link to the one we use, I am a fan of having the days of the week at the top and the meals on the side.
  3. Have a Few Standby Meals – Almost every week, we have one or two meals that we make. These are meals that are quick to throw together, and help to easily fill in the gaps on your empty menu.
  4. Try Out a Few New Recipes – Not every week, but almost every week, we try to find a new recipe to make. Sometimes these are wins, but sometimes they’re EPIC fails!! Either way, it helps to make meal planning go quicker.
  5. Plan For at Least 6 Meals – We always plan for 7 meals, but I recommend doing at least 6. This will allow you enough options to rotate, in case you don’t feel like eating something, or just don’t have the time.
  6. Don’t Assign a Specific Meal to a Specific Day – Our meal plan is very open – we have 7 meals chosen, but none of those are tied to a specific day, unless it’s a more complicated meal, and then it gets saved for weekends. We love having the flexibility to make whatever we want on whatever day we want.
  7. Make a Grocery List – Once you’ve made meal plan, the next step is putting all of the items that are needed in a list. I prefer using apps because then Seamus and I can sync them up. That way we can both add to the list, or delete as needed. Wunderlist is our current favorite for making all of our shopping lists!
  8. Be Consistent! I’m sure you won’t enjoy every moment of meal planning (though, some people do), but do it anyway. You are bound to save money, eat healthier and lose weight by default. And if one way doesn’t work, switch it up and try another. I promise you that after about 6 weeks of meal planning, it will be old hat and you will just do it.

Good Luck!

Here’s our Meal Plan for this week!!

Monday: Steak, Chick Pea & Tomato Salad

Tuesday: Burgers in Romaine Lettuce & Cauliflower “Potato” Mash

Wednesday: Polish Sausage & Asparagus

Thursday: Fish Tacos

Friday: White Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Saturday: Chicken Shawarma

Sunday: Marinated Chicken and Corn on the Cobb

It’s a week full of tasty eats, that I cannot wait for!!

Your turn!

Have you ever meal planned? If you have, do you like it or loathe it?

What’s on your menu this week?

I’m linking up with Laura from Mommy, Run Fast! and Jill from jillconyers.com.

Looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to get your news? Check-out theSkimm and sign-up for your daily email box delivery of the world’s news, plus if you share your birthday, you get it listed at the bottom of the newsletter on your day. It’s like celebrating with thousands of people!!!!

Filed Under: All About Me, Family, Tips and Tricks

Happy 400th Post!

Posted on August 11 by Jillian416 • 29 Comments

Holy guacamole!! Can you believe that this post is my 400th post?? 400!

I know we’re approaching my 2 year anniversary (in September), and while that seems like an achievable feat, somehow 400 posts doesn’t. I feel like there is just no way that I’ve shared 399 different blog posts with you, my readers. I mean obviously I did, wordpress doesn’t lie 😉 but it’s just such a crazy thought.

I thought it would be fun, in honor of my 400th post, if we went on a little time travel journey, back in time. I want to highlight my best posts from the last 100 and maybe a few others. Are you ready to buckle-up and join in on the journey (I feel like I need to play the Back to the Future music here. haha)!?

Top Baby Doodah! posts from the past 100

1. We moved! Do you remember that?? I do. The move was pretty smooth, but we were sad to find out that the neighbors below us were rude and selfish. We’ve since adjusted, but we rarely spend time in our living room because of their noise. It kind of stinks, but there’s not a thing we can do about it, so we’ve grown to accept it and our lives are so much better off.

Lessons learned moving - 400th post

2. Are you interested in reading all about 33 little known facts about me?? Well here yah go!! 🙂

3. Since the beginning of the year I’ve shared many different posts about Binge Eating Disorder, my coping, what it looks like to an outsider, I even wrote an open letter to a woman struggling with binge eating disorder. Each and every one of them has been tremendously important to me in my journey to healing.

4. I’ve shared a couple of awesome recipes, our delicious guacamole and our ooey gooey meatloaf. Mmmmmm

Cheesy-Meatloaf-1---Baby-Doodah

5. One of my biggest posts to date, in terms of traffic, was the one I wrote about being frustrated with blogging. I got a lot of advice, encouragement and commiseration. Sometimes it’s good to know you’re not alone in your struggles.

6. Eating right and exercising can be a difficult thing to stay motivated to do. My post about rewards and how they can help you stay focused, was a pretty big hit!

weight-loss-rewards---Baby-Doodah

7. It’s easy to have a killer Monday when you have this list!!

8. It is no secret that I love my little boy beyond all measures, so I wrote a little blog post about the 10 reasons why having a boy rocks. I know girls are just as awesome in their own right, but I have a boy – so I wrote about a boy!

Reasons-Boys-Rock-Baby-Doodah9. I rode 33 miles in support of Cancer Research for the Ride for Roswell. No simple feat, I assure you! But, I am proud that I accomplished something so great for a cause so good.

10. I don’t use my phone or iPad to keep Emmett entertained much, but when I do, I’ve come up with a fool-proof list of toddler apps that keep him happy and focused, while I get things done around the house.

11. And finally… Emmett turned 2!!! It’s because of this boy that I have this blog and I’m so thankful for him, he lights up every single day of my life.

Happy birthday baby doodah 7

Well, that about rounds up my top posts from the last 100. I’d love it if you checked them out and shared your thoughts in the comments.

I’m excited to see what the next 100 posts brings!!

Your turn!

If you have a blog, do you celebrate the 100 post milestones?

What were some of your favorite posts from the last 100, or since the beginning? Share in the comments below!

Looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to get your news? Check-out theSkimm and sign-up for your daily email box delivery of the world’s news, plus if you share your birthday, you get it listed at the bottom of the newsletter on your day. It’s like celebrating with thousands of people!!!!

Filed Under: All About Me, Family, Tips and Tricks

Cycling, A Breakdown Of The Equipment You Need

Posted on April 30 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

Since I’ll be doing The Ride for Roswell in a few short weeks, I thought it would be great to share some tips on equipment you need in order to start cycling. This is a sponsored guest post.

In many countries, and increasingly here in the UK, cycling is a widely used mode of transportation. Carry on Cycling is an organisation of cycling enthusiasts, so this makes us happy. In Holland and Belgium, bicycles have been a part of everyday life for so long, that they are an extremely safe option, as well as healthy and efficient. Some countries rely very much on bicycles as their main form of transportation and it has become a staple in their culture.

The most commonly ridden bike is a road bike. These tend to have a shorter wheel base and are more upright than mountain bikes. Their shape makes them defter at speed, but the downside is they can be difficult to control at slower speeds. The design also means riders need to lean forward to the handle bars. It is recommended to get advice from a specialist bike shop before purchasing a bike, to make sure you get the right model for you and your cycling plans.

Additions to bikes

These days most road bikes have clip less pedals, which mean the rider can attach their specially designed shoes to the pedal to prevent slipping.

Child seats are a common addition to road bikes, meaning children can share the chassis with their parent or care giver and don’t need to pedal.

Front and rear lights are a wonderful safely precaution, alerting other road users to your position in the dark. Locks are now standard on all models to prevent theft. Bells or horns are an important tool in alerting other road users to your presence. Mud guards and fenders protect your bike from every day wear and tear. Water bottles are a must for longer haul rides. Baggage carriers or baskets mean the rider does not have to wear a back pack and lightens their own load.

What should I take with me on a bike ride?

It is wise to carry a basic maintenance kit when you go for a bike ride, in case you suffer a puncture. A pump is an integral part of these kits, as well as a puncture repair kit and an extra inner tube, in case yours needs to be replaced.

It is also a good idea to take waterproof clothing with you to use in the event of a change in weather; there is nothing worse than ending what had been a great ride sodden because you didn’t prepare properly.

All riders should wear appropriate protective clothing to prevent chaffing and saddle sores and to protect from soft tissue damage should you come off your bike.  A helmet is an absolute must here too. It will act as an impact absorber for your head should you have an accident. Glasses are great not just to shield your eyes from the sun, but to act as a barrier to all the grit that can be thrown up from the road.

It is also possible to individually customise your bike, adding whatever you feel you need to compliment your riding style and experience. To learn more about cycling visit Carry On Cycling.

Here is more ideas on equipping your bike.

Sarah Mcarthy is a writer for Carry on Cycling. You can find her on Google Plus here.

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Reviews, Tips and Tricks

Excuses – They’re so Easy to Make

Posted on September 14 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

Excuses are really easy to make, so easy that I’ve probably made one or two already today.

Why is that? Why are excuses just so easy to make?

My alarm goes off at  4:45, I wake up and get out of bed. The very first thing I say to myself (nearly everyday) is, don’t worry about working out. You’re tired and can go sleep on the couch, and off I go to do just that. I do this on a daily basis and swear each morning will be different, that when I wake up I will NOT go sleep on the couch, tomorrow I will workout. Tomorrow I will turn on my yoga app and do a few moves to strengthen my back. Tomorrow I will no longer make  excuses and tomorrow I will be a better person. Each tomorrow comes and I go through the same flow every time and make more and more excuses. I’m getting pretty sick to death of hearing myself make these excuses and I wouldn’t be surprised if those around me feel the same way. I decided, because I want to stop hating the decisions I make, that I will do some research on ways to avoid being a perpetual excuse maker.

Ways to Avoid Making Excuses

Set Your Goals – Take some time and write out all of your goals, every single one of them, even the far out, way down the road ones. Write them down! Once you’ve written them down, slowly go through the list and write down every possible excuse that you might have for not meeting that goal. After you have that all written down you can begin to work on ways to overcome or get around those excuses. You may even find that most of your excuses aren’t even valid or are things that you don’t need to work hard to get around.

Get Over Yourself – Have you ever spent time acknowledging your own responsibility in your excuses, or is it always someone else’s fault? Or do you feel like people are out to get you? If you struggle with either of these thoughts, then you need to get over yourself and realize that there will always be people out to get you, judge you, criticize you or disrespect you. Don’t waste your time trying to find ways to disprove their thoughts and opinions, it will just make you seem suspicious and distrustful explains an article on askmen.com.

Excuses Disrespect Your Hard Work – Whether you fail or succeed, you should own up and be in charge of the situation. When you make excuses it disrespects the work you put in, even if you’ve failed. [source] Own up, it feels good to be fully accountable for your actions.

Stop Complaining – You need to admit to yourself how destructive excuses are and the negative implications they cause. Drive yourself to change!

Write and Sign a Contract with Yourself – Write down all your goals and assign deadline dates to those goals. Have your some of your close friends check-in and see how well you are doing with those goals.

And finally…  

Remember the second that you allow yourself to start making excuses, you are giving yourself permission to fail. So when you say that you don’t have time for a workout, you’re already giving yourself permission to skip that session. Instead of making the excuse, put on your gym clothes and go. I’ve never heard someone complain about feeling worse after a workout.

Your turn!

What are some things you do to avoid making excuses?

Filed Under: All About Me, Food & Fitness, Tips and Tricks

The Art of Using No – with a Toddler

Posted on August 31 by Jillian416 • 3 Comments

As children grow they become more and more curious which leads to more opportunities for them to get into things they shouldn’t. For the majority of parents (including myself), the first reaction is to start using no. But is that really the best way to handle a situation with a toddler who is almost constantly getting into things? Does the word no eventually become ineffective?

I did some research to determine if there were better ways to manage children’s behavior, check it out below!

Save “No” for those extremely important occasions.

If your child is about to reach for the hot oven, you obviously want to yell no, and move his hand away. But if you’re child is about to dump out a bucket of blocks, choosing a different method of stopping the child might be better. My favorite method? Redirection! Whenever Emmett is about to do something that won’t hurt him, but that he shouldn’t do, I offer him another play option. 9 times out of 10 it will stop the behavior in its tracks and he’ll happily move onto something new.

Give Options

Your child loves bouncing a ball, and you find yourself shouting, No! No! No! Instead of just say no and offering no better options, suggest that instead of bouncing or throwing the ball, that they roll it or you all head outside to bounce. Giving your young child the ability to make simple choices like these fosters independence and competence [WebMD parenting]. Plus you’re ensuring that your use of “no” doesn’t become ineffective.

Using-no

Toddler’s Want What They Want

David Walsh, Ph.D., author of No: Why Kids — Of All Ages — Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It, explains that it doesn’t matter whether your child wants a cookie and you want them to have a carrot, a toddler wants what they want. Instead of using no, firmly and warmly offer them a healthy snack (like carrots with peanut butter) and stick with it, despite your child’s protests. This way your child still gets an extra treat but it is something healthy. [10 Ways to Say “No”]

 Offer Explanations

Your child loves reaching for the outlets, doesn’t matter whether something is plugged in or not, if she sees it, she reaches for it. Instead of immediately reacting with a NO!, explain why she shouldn’t be touching it. Try, “Outlets are for plugs only, not toys or fingers. If you stick your fingers in the outlet you could be badly hurt.” It may take a few tries but eventually you’re child will understand you and will stop reaching for the outlet.

Create a Diversion

If your child loves playing with the TV remotes and it doesn’t matter how many times you say no, remove the child from the situation and offer another toy to play with. Try to make it a toy that is equally as stimulating, since your goal is to keep the child from running back to the remotes, you don’t want them getting bored quickly. [belly belly]

 And Finally (and most importantly) – Acknowledge and Cheer for the Good Things

When your child seems to actually understand what you tell them not to do, reward them with cheers, claps and smiles. Toddlers inherently want to please their parents, so when they see that if they don’t jump on the bed, mommy gives them a huge smile and a hug, they’re more likely to stick with the right behavior.

Emmett is just now starting to understand what no means, we’ve gone through a lot of the above tips. Some have worked on the first try, others took more effort but either way, we try using no sparingly.

Your turn!

Any tips or tricks on how to avoid using no?

To see some of my other tips and tricks, click here.
Filed Under: Tips and Tricks

5 Tips I wish I’d Know as a New Mom

Posted on August 24 by Jillian416 • 7 Comments

Life as a new mom, can very difficult but You Can Be Better Prepared.

When you’re pregnant for the first time, and the days, weeks and months are slooowly creeping by, you are left wondering, am I prepared for this?

Oh momma, you’re prepared, but there are some additional things that other mommies may not have shared with you.

I had so many people say that mom’s don’t always share what actually happens after having a baby because they don’t want to scare women away. I say, to hell with that! Nothing would have scared me away from having a baby, but if I had known then, what I know now, my experience as a brand new mom might have been bit smoother.

5 Real Life Tips for New Moms - Baby Doodah(1)

Your Love for Your Newborn Will Grow and Change as a New Mom.

I’ve loved Emmett from the moment I knew I was pregnant. I felt him grow and move and kick inside the womb and there was an instant connection to him once he was born. However, I struggled in the beginning because when he was first in my arms, I felt affection for him but my heart wasn’t bursting with love right off the bat. There was nothing wrong with me, and there is nothing wrong with you, if you should feel this way.

This new, beautiful little bundle is coming in and changing your life completely, it doesn’t mean you don’t care for him (or her) or that you wouldn’t do anything for them, it simply means you need time to adjust. You have too much else going on in your life, that you don’t need to put added pressure on yourself to feel any differently than how you’re feeling.

Postpartum Depression (PPD) Isn’t a Joke!

Obviously, I knew going into having a baby that there was a chance that I would feel mopey or sad, but I completely underestimated how mopey and sad I’d actually feel. No one shares how bad it can be. Not one single other mom said to me, watch out for how you’re feeling after you have Emmett. Sure, I’d read about it, and my OB-GYN had mentioned it but I was in no way prepared for the swing of hormones that were racing through me. All of which, lead me to feel sad and ready to kill myself one minute and so undeniably blissful the next. I thought something was seriously wrong with me, that nothing would ever feel right again, which is probably why I had so many issues with #1. Thank goodness for my doctor, Seamus and a dear close friend, reminded me of what was going on in my body, and allowed me to cry to them without a lick of judgement. They only ever wanted me to feel better and I did, eventually.

5 REAL LIFE Tips for New Moms - Baby Doodah

 Breastfeeding Isn’t Easy, but You CAN Do It!

In the midst of dealing with the beginnings of my PPD, I was trying to get my newborn son to latch and nurse and gain weight. I knew before having Emmett that I would breastfeed him, but in the back of my mind I knew there was always formula if I needed it. I regret thinking this way, I should have never entertained the idea that formula existed and that my son might drink it, I believe this is what led to most of my trouble with breastfeeding, because I was always so willing to just give up.

Emmett’s first night was a tough one, he was latching but not really sucking because he’d fall asleep at my breast. The next night, was the night he went through his cluster feeds, he’d wake up and cry every 2 hours or so to eat. I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep, I almost admitted defeat and allowed him to be fed formula. Once again, thank goodness for Seamus, he gently pushed and encouraged me to keep doing what I was doing, reminding me that the next night would be easier and he was right. Each subsequent night got easier and easier, and now we’re old pros (yes, Emmett is still breastfed today at 13 months old).

I encourage you to reach out to support groups, lacation consultants and friends who have breastfed. Surround yourself with people who will support your desires, not belittle them or make you feel crazy for wanting to give your child the very VERY best, despite the extra effort it takes in the beginning.

Breastfeeding Will Likely Hurt in the Beginning but Your Body is Made to Adjust.

As with anything worth doing, it requires extra effort and perseverance. The first several times that Emmett would latch, it was wrong, but I didn’t know it was wrong. His mouth wasn’t open wide enough, which leads to a shallow latch and potentially cracked nipples. Thankfully our hospital had lactation consultants on duty 7 days a week, who were very VERY helpful. They watched Emmett latch, showed me what he was doing wrong and how to fix it, they shared the phrase, “shove with love,” which basically means that once you have the baby’s mouth open wide enough and your nipple inserted, to gently shove the baby on until you feel him latch. It worked like a charm and it was because of these women that I had such success.

The other thing is, it hurt a lot, in the beginning, but with patience and lots and lots of Medela Lanolin (I recommend you buy this now, if you plan to breastfeed), I healed and breastfeeding became a pleasurable time for me and my baby to spend together.

You will bleed lots and lots and LOTS!

Again, one of those things that people had mentioned to me but never quite stressed how bad it would be. The hospital gives you pads that resemble adult diapers, but in the first few days, even those you’ll soak through quickly. Most hospitals will load you up with pads before you walk out their door, but once you run out of those you’re probably wondering what you should buy next. I went with Stayfree Ultra Thin Overnight Pads and they worked perfectly! They weren’t the bulky pillows from the hospital, but they still soaked up so much blood, I never worried whether I was going to overflow it, which is a huge accomplishment considering how much comes out of you at a time.

There you have it, my top 5 things I wished I’d known before delivering Emmett. My goal isn’t to scare you, but to share what REALLY happens after birth, so that you’re prepared and can stop PPD in its tracks.

Your turn!

What tips do you wish you’d had before becoming a new mom?

Any questions you have that I can help you work through?

signature

Filed Under: Family, Tips and Tricks
Copyright © 2013 Baby Doodah // Designed By Bumble + Buzz Design