Tip #5 - Balloons are excellent toys

When you are out and there are free balloons (like at Trader Joe's), get one for your infant. They love watching the balloon bounce in the wind. You can tie it to the top of their play mat or to their bouncy chair. Added bonus if you can tie it to a four-legged pet, then it's fun for the whole family!

Source: Baby Play, 100 fun-filled activities to maximize your baby's potential. Dr. Wendy S. Masi and Dr. Roni Cohen Leiderman, Creative Publishing International, 2001. (Pet idea contributed from personal experience).

Tip #4 - Keep your baby used to the bottle

If you breastfeed and decide to introduce the bottle at the recommended time (4-6 weeks, after breastfeeding is well established), make sure to keep your baby used to it by giving them the bottle every other day or so.

Source: Unknown, but I've met many moms now who introduced the bottle early and then dropped it, just to find at the end of their maternity leave they wouldn't take it anymore.

Local Resource: Postpartum Support Groups

There are free drop-in postpartum support groups and/or breastfeeding support groups every day of the work week in the Arlington/Cambridge/Somerville area:

Monday

2:00pm-3:30pm Mt. Auburn Midwives Support Group .
Vineyard Church Meeting Rooms, 2nd Floor
15 Notre Dame Avenue, Cambridge, 1 block south of Rindge Ave., between Middlesex and Sargent Sts.

You don't need to have delivered with the Mt. Auburn midwives (or at Mt. Auburn at all) to join this group of women. Each week there is usually someone in addition to a midwife, a lactation consultant, a baby massage specialist, etc.

Tuesday

10:00am to 11:30am Jewish Family and Children Services: Cambridge Group
Congregation Eitz Chayim 134-136 Magazine St, Cambridge

You don't have to be Jewish to attend JFC&S groups!

10:00am to 12:00pm JFC&S Breastfeeding Support Group: Cambridge
Cambridge Health Alliance , 8 Camelia Avenue , Cambridge

Wednesday

3:00pm-4:00pm Isis Maternity Drop-in BreastFeeding Group: Arlington
397 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington

Thursday

11:00am-12:30pm JFC&S: Somerville Group
Somerville Family Network, 42 Prescott Street (Cumming School), Somerville

Friday

10:00am-12:30pm JFC&S Arlington Group
Calvary United Methodist Church
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington
I've heard great things about this informal group of women from a friend.

Tip #3 - There are diaper rash creams that can work with cloth diapers

Source: Pin stripes and Polka Dots has a list of diaper rash creams and rates them with their compatibility with cloth diapers.

Summary of diaper rash creams that work well (and don't require a liner):

• Angel Baby Bottom Balm
• Baby Bottom Butter
• California Baby (this is the one we use and have very good luck with available at Whole Foods)
• Claymazing Powder
• Grandma El's (available at Target.com)
• Northern Essence Diaper Salve
• Norhtern Essence Better Butter Cream
  

Tip #2: Improve car safety

If you have an SUV or a car with an open cargo hold, install a safety net to keep projectiles (could be your dog or your groceries) from launching over the seat towards your child in the event of an accident.

Source: Instructor of a Mommy and Me class

Tip #1 - Make pumping more efficient

Refrigerate your pump parts in between uses so you only have to wash and sanitize them once a day.

Source: Friend (and I think I remember seeing this reiterated in a Medela pamphlet as well)

Welcome Post

Hello!

I created this post because I find myself gathering lots of tips and advice from all sorts of people and books as we have just started on our own parenting adventure! I have also found myself then telling new people different bits of this and so here's a blog to keep track of those little bits of insight. So join me around the 'water cooler' when you have a chance in your busy day to share in this fun adventure of parenting! I hope to hear new tips from readers!

This blog will contain general tips on feeding, sleeping, working, breastfeeding, and buying for baby. We live in the Boston area and so some resources will be Boston area specific. Also, our son is 10 weeks old currently, so you'll most likely see the tips grow and change in age range along with our son.

Cheers,
Kristen