One of Kind Spring Show (ON NOW!)

The One of Kind Spring Show is running today through to Sunday, April 4th. In the fall they had some great unique baby products on hand and I'm sure the Spring show will as well. Also the isles are nice and wide for strollers...

Enjoy the show!

http://www.oneofakindshow.com/spring10/

Diaper Drama

The Mommy Posse had the priveledge of interveiwing Susan Tomasewski, co-owner of the Bloor West Village store Diaper-eez. As only Jenny has used cloth diapers, Selin and Erin were full of questions for Susan.

We learned that there are many types of cloth diapers: pre-folds (a folded cotton liner with an exterior pant), all-in-ones (a diaper that takes your baby from birth to toilet training), and even hemp and bamboo diapers. The reasons why many people opt to cloth diaper their baby is environmental and to keep chemicals found in disposable diapers away from their babies' tushies. While the average parent will purchase 5000 diapers for one child, you only need to buy about 30 all-in-one cloth diapers that can then be used for the next one(s).

As Susan pointed out, many parents feel daunted by the extra laundry and care needed in cloth diapering; however, she said it is as easy or as hard as you choose to make it. She recommends buying one or two of a couple of brands to see what works best for your baby. Also, a proper demonstration of how particular cloth diapers work is essential for choosing the right brand and size for your baby.

For a list of cloth diaper brands at Diaper-eez, check out Susan's website at http://www.diaper-eez.com/, and stop by the store at 2309 Bloor Street West in Toronto for a consultation with a member of her knowledgeable staff.

Mommy-Sentials:
This week Karen and Rita were unable to make the podcast due to surgery and sleep deprivation, respectively.

Erin was wowed by Supper Solved. She found the supper assembling experience easy and the food tasted great. Best of all, they clean up after you.
http://www.suppersolved.com/


Jenny really liked the Funny Face Mirror from Skip* Hop. It's a plush farmyard friend with a mirror as the face. It easily velcros to a stroller to keep your little one entertained. Thanks, Susan - the girls' love it!
http://www.skiphop.com/product/30720.html

Selin's Mommy-Sential is Kimberly Dunbar Photography. Kimberly specializes in maternity, baby, child, and family photography. She will be at the Baby Time Show in Toronto from April 30th - May 2nd, so check out her booth.
http://www.kimberlydunbarphotography.com/

Keeping Yourself Sane

The baby arrives, you leave the hospital, your "helpers" leave ... now what? How do you keep yourself sane? Listen to how we did below:

Jenny started getting out of the house by taking the dog, Kuma, for a walk. This forced her to get out of the house and realize that it's not such a big scary world out there.

Selin was fortunate to have Erin as a neighbour. As you know, Erin had Emme a few weeks prior to Sienna's arrival so they leaned on each other for support and motivation to get out of the house.

Alas, we all joined "The New Moms Group" at St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto. This is where Jenny and I met the rest of the ladies and the "mommy posse" was born. We met at the hospital once a week for 6 weeks to discuss all things baby. It was a great outlet to talk about our new feelings, the highs and lows, new responsibilities and things to expect. At the very least, we knew we were never alone. . Our facilitator brought in guest speakers to share information such as baby massage, nutrition and breastfeeding. And best of all, it was FREE, so we had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Aside from a new moms group, there are tonnes of activities and groups for moms with babies! Some additional mom & baby activities include:

• Movies for Mommies/Stars & Strollers
• Mommy & Baby Yoga
• Baby Salsa
• Stroller Fit Classes
• Ontario Early Years
• Chapters - Reading Time
• Kindermusik/Baby Music Classes
• Swimming - check your City Park & Recreation Dept.

In addition to groups and activities, we all suggest getting some normalcy back into your life by having a friend or family member babysit for a few hours so that you can go for dinner with your hubby, go to the gym, get your hair done or get a manicure (a cheap and cheerful pick-me-up!). In the early days though, don't be too ambitious - don't plan an entire weekend away in the beginning - take "baby steps" and build up to it. As Jenny mentioned, breastfeeding moms also need to think about their feeding schedule. For example, she went to a hair appointment and was very clear that she only had 1 hour when she factored in her travel time etc.

Once you've met some other moms, indoor playdates will become a great outlet for you. You gain adult conversation and the babies learn to interact with each other.

The bottom line is this: you can be as active or inactive with the baby as you want but it's important to do something - anything.

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At the end of each episode, we will share our "MOMMY-SENTIALS" with you.

• Stars & Strollers at Cineplex Odion Theatres. Check them out in your area. - http://www.cineplex.com/Theatres/StarsAndStrollers.aspx
• Baby Yoga/Mom & Baby Exercise
• New Moms Group - check into the Childbirth & Parenting services at your local hospital. If they don't have one, they will probably know of some in the area.
• Ontario Early Years Centre

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Bringing Baby Home

This week we explore the first week or so after we brought our babies home. We discussed visitors, the type of help we received, the type of help that was actually helpful and some tips of what you may expect in the first week. You can listen to the show below or download this and past episodes off iTunes:



First of all, you need to set some boundaries with respect to visitors, both in the hospital and once you've come home. Be firm and clear. We strongly suggest that you ensure you take the time for you, your husband/partner and the baby. You will never get that time back so be sure to the time when you can.

It was evident throughout our discussion that many of us had help from our own mothers - whether it be cleaning the house, walking the dog, taking care of laundry or cooking meals, we all have a new found appreciation and respect for our mothers. The biggest help we all received was help for us and household chores, not necessarily helping with diapers and such. I know for me personally, my mom gave me the confidence to go out with the baby. I was scared in the first few weeks to take her out in public: what if she cried, what if people are looking at me etc and I knew that I had my mom there to support me which was a huge relief.

Aside from family and friends, there are additional support systems available such as Public Health Nurses as well as your midwife - they provide excellent post-natal care as required.

We all shared some laughs as we discussed our expectations vs our reality. Selin & Jenny planned to acquire certifications for work, be out with friends, have a clean house and dinner on the table every night. Oh, how quickly we learned that this was not the case! Erin had an excellent - and realistic - tip for everyone: set mini goals for yourself each day. These may be as simple as having a shower or making your bed, or being more adventurous and trying to go for a walk or get groceries with your little one in tow.

So, this is our new job 24-7. In the early days of bringing Taylor home, Jenny wanted to go back to work. The workplace was comfortable, familiar and more importantly, it ended at 5pm. And let's not forget that while we were working in the home all day, our hubby's were in the workplace and had a long day too. But yes, there is still a hint of jealousy that they got to leave the house and be at work for the day!

Tip when expecting guests!
If you're expecting company, ask them to call the morning of your visit date to ensure that its still OK. You may have a great day and schedule a visit but things quickly change and you could have a horrible night and not be up for a visit the following day.

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At the end of each episode, we will share our "MOMMY-SENTIALS" with you.

• Baby Time Show - April 30th - May 2nd @ the International Centre, Hall 1 in Toronto. Visit http://www.babytimeshows.ca/ for more information.
• Crockpot - in the first few weeks home, the crock pot can be your best friend. Pop something in and get on with your day. See below for a quick and yummy recipe :)
• Hooded Towels - this cozy towels are perfect for bundling up your little one after their bath
• Bravado Nursing Bra's - Erin swears that these are the best nursing bra's out there!
• Baby Bottom Salve by Earthly Essentials - we all use this on our babies, and love it. It's a purely organic product and a little goes a long way! Check www.earthlyessentials.ca for more information.

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