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5 Things Your Baby Doesn't Need

5/11/2015

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Any expecting mother walking into Babies'R'Us to start a registry is given a handy little "registry checklist" of items that every baby must have before they make their grand entrance into the world. I remember the first time I was handed this guide. I literally laughed a little looking through it because our first child was born in South Korea, where we lived in a one room apartment (one room - not one bedroom!). We learned very quickly what we actually needed which I am sure has saved us hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the last several years. There are really a lot of those "must-haves" that you can easily skip but I have five in particular that seem like a complete waste of money.
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#1. The Wipes Warmer

I thought this was a joke when I saw it for the first time. I promise you babies' butts are wiped with room temperature wipes every day without the end of the world. Not only are these unnecessary but the largest complaint I have seen about these gadgets is that they're very good at growing mold. 

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#2. Bottle Sanitizer

This might sound terrifying but I never once sanitized my son's bottles. We did not have a dishwasher or a microwave so I just used my trusty warm water and soap. Kid is healthy as a horse and we never had a single issue. Just wash them regularly and you should be fine. Your kitchen will thank you for the extra space. 

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#3. Bottle Warmer


If you are bottle feeding, most people will tell you you absolutely need a bottle warmer. The only way I can see this making sense is if you prepare an entire day's worth of formula in a formula pitcher and stick it in the fridge. The easiest thing to do with formula is to use those handy munchkin travel containers to pre-measure powder for your bottles and then pour room temperature distilled water into bottles ahead of time. This is especially handy for outings and night time. 

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#4. Baby Towels/washcloths

Baby towels are adorable. They have cute hoods and characters and you can match them all together so I get the appeal but I promise you this: baby towels do not work well. They're incredibly thin and non-absorbent. They never kept my first baby very warm post bath which is necessary if you want to avoid blood curdling screams. My tip? Just buy nice soft comfy normal towels in the bath section. More absorbency and warmth for a fraction of the cost. Same with baby wash cloths. They're insanely overpriced and besides being a little softer there is really no difference. 

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#5. Bassinet


This is the biggest waste of money because your baby will outgrow it very quickly. I would recommend purchasing a pack and play for keeping baby close to your bed. It grows with your child and will last into toddler hood. Most bassinets only lasts for a month or so so you're spending tons of money on something your kid barely uses. 


What about you? Anything you would add to this list? Comment below and let me know what you didn't end up needing for your little one! 
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5 Ways to Survive Bedrest

1/26/2015

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Bedrest is the pits. I know every day I say I wish I could sit on my butt all day but once a doctor says I have to, all I can think of is how badly I want to power clean my entire house. Luckily, these days there are planty of things that can make bedrest a little easier.

1. Netflix, Netflix, Netflix

Gone are the days where you have to drive somewhere and rent a movie. With Netflix you can watch your favorite movies and even binge watch entire TV series from the comfort of your own couch!

2. Read a good book

Whether you're reading your favorite novel or reading up on pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting, there is plenty to keep your mind busy.

3. Pamper Yourself

It's really amazing how great you feel after you get a new haircut or get your nails done. See if your stylist makes home calls and if not see if a friend will come have a mani/pedi party with you!

4. Sleep

It sounds obvious but nap as much as you want. Sleep is good for you and good for baby.

5. Have lunch dates

Ask friends to come over a few times a week to have a lunch date. Get take out and enjoy the company of another person!

Sometimes you find yourself on bedrest with children in the house. This is an entirely different situation and is of course much trickier! Keep an eye out for my next post "5 Ways to Survive Bedrest with Children."

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Choosing the Perfect Care Provider for your Pregnancy

10/1/2014

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Pregnancy and childbirth
Congratulations! You peed on the stick and you got a positive result! You are expecting a beautiful new baby and you and your partner are over the moon. The next ten months will be filled with choices. You will plan and prepare and practically live in the baby section of Target and in Babys'R'Us. You will decorate your nursery and throw parties. You will read every baby name book you can find, but perhaps the most important choice you will make is the first one you make: The one choice that will impact your birth more than any other is choosing your care provider.
Now you may ask, "What's so important about what care provider I choose? They all went to medical school, didn't they?" Well your care provider determines a lot about how your pregnancy and your birth will go. They determine your birth location, setting and environment. They determine what types of testing and procedures will be recommended during your pregnancy and birth. They determine how involved you will or will not be in decisions made regarding your pregnancy, birth, and baby. They will determine who will be with you when you labor and birth. They will determine what you do and don't have access to while you labor and birth. Really the care provider sets the entire tone and environment of your pregnancy and birth! It seems like an easy choice to make, but really it should be one that is very well thought out and intentional. You are hiring someone to provide you with care while you grow and birth a new addition to your family. Giving birth is a life altering experience and how you birth has lasting effects on you and your baby. Following some simple advice when choosing this person can make a profound impact on your pregnancy and birth.

When considering a care provider, ask yourself what your perfect birth looks like. Where do you want to give birth? If you are choosing a hospital birth, research hospitals FIRST. Certain doctors practice at certain hospitals (for example, if you notice a specific hospital has a 44% C-section rate, you may want to avoid doctors who deliver there). Once your decide which birth center or hospital you want to give birth at, you have narrowed down your search exponentially. Find out which providers practice at your birth location and ask around for opinions from those you trust - friends, church members, family, mom groups, etc. Ask other women who have birthed with these providers what they're experience was. Look online to see if you can find reviews of these providers. Once you have the list even more narrowed down, call and schedule a consultation, NOT an appointment. Explain that you're pregnant and you would like to meet with the doctor or midwife to see if they are the right fit for your family. This should be at no cost to you. These providers want your business and should be willing to meet with you before they are officially hired. When you go to see these providers, bring pen and paper (or a tablet) so that you can ask open ended and effective questions to find out early in the game if this provider is a good fit for you and your birth. You will find a list of suggested questions to ask your providers here.

This may seem like a lot of work to put in to make a seemingly simple choice, but do this work early on and your pregnancy and birth will benefit greatly from it. You will experience less stress and frustration and the process will go much more smoothly as a result.

Now, you may be reading this late in the game. You may be well into your pregnancy (heck you may in the final weeks or days of your pregnancy!) and you've only recently realized your care provider is not on the same page as your. Trust me when I say it is never too late to switch care providers! Your doctor or midwife is YOUR employee. They work for you and it is their job to offer you evidence based care that sets you and your baby up for the best birth possible. If you have found yourself at odds with your care provider I urge you to reach out to other providers in the area and find someone who is going to give you the care you are paying them for.

To help you in your search for your perfect care provider, below you will find a list of facilities and providers in the area. Facilities and providers I personally recommend can be found in bold print.

Hospitals

Orange Park Medical Center / 2001 Kingsley Ave. Orange Park, Fl 32073 / (904) 276-8500 
Shands-UF Health Jacksonville / 655 w. 8th St. Jacksonville, Fl 32209 / (904) 244-0411
Naval Hospital Jacksonville / 2080 Child. St. Jacksonville, Fl 32214 / (904) 542-7300
Memorial Hospital / 3625 University Blvd. S. Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 399-6111
St. Vincent's Hospital Riverside / 2627 Riverside Ave. Jacksonville, Fl 32204 / (904) 308-7372
St. Lukes Family Birth Place / 4201 Belfort Rd. Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 296-4345
Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville / 800 Prudential Dr. Jacksonville, Fl 32207 / (904) 202-2000
Baptist Medical Center Beaches / 1350 13th Ave. S. Jacksonville Beach, Fl 32250 / (904) 627-2900
Baptist Medical Center South / 14550 Old St. Augustine Rd. Jacksonville, Fl 32258 / (904) 271-6000


Birth Centers

Birth Center of Jacksonville / 804 Margaret St. Jacksonville, Fl 32204 / (904) 633-3333
Growing Families Birth Center / 3750 US 1 South Ste. A, St. Augustine, Fl 32086 / (904) 460-2771

Fruitful Vine Midwifery Services / 1539 Parental Home rd. Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 855-4211

OBGYN Offices Recommended by Full Spectrum Birth Services
Dy. Hyler OBGYN / 1560 Kingsley Ave. Suite 4, Orange Park, Fl 32073 / (904) 264-1628
Full Circle Women's Care / 6817 Southpoint Pkwy Suite 2204, Jacksonville, Fl 32216 / (904) 674-0022



I hope you have found this information very helpful and I hope that it assists you in choosing the perfect provider for your perfect birthing experience.

If you would like to talk to me about choosing a provider, crafting a birth or postpartum plan, or get information on the best way to prepare for birth at your chosen facility, contact me today at [email protected]. I will gladly set up a pregnancy planning session to get you the information you need.


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    Kira Warren

    I am a professionally trained Placenta Encapsulation Specialist and a Birth Doula living in Orange Park, Florida

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