The first year with a new baby is difficult for so many reasons -- not in the least because they change so fast and you're almost too tired to notice. But with a camera and some creativity, you can create month-by-month keepsakes that document your baby's first year (or two or three).
Chalkboards and onesies marking the passing months are always adorable, but your options don't stop there: If you're looking for a fresh way to tell the story of your baby's first year, here are 16 of our favorite ideas!
Do you have the dedication to do #7? We love the result!
Since I've become a mom of two, I've realized something: My kids hate sleep. Actually, maybe they don't hate sleep, but they're super good at impersonating children who do. Are my little dolls the only ones who act this way? (Please, tell me no. Please.)
After gathering up data and carefully analyzing it, I've deciphered the real reasons my 3-year-old daughter and 8-month-old son dislike sleeping -- or at least staying asleep. Here, the (wildly unofficial!) results of my in-depth research into what it is that makes small children actively despise sleeping.
My kids hate sleep because:
1. He's teething.
2. Her brother's teething.
3. It's too dark in her room.
4. It's too light in her room. (The nightlight is scary.)
Post by The Stir Bloggers. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Bet you think it’s a long shot. But there are hundreds of scientific studies published in leading journals suggesting certain temperaments, health characteristics and a ton of other traits are in-sync with the time of year that your baby was born. So take our quiz to see if our research-based conclusion about when you gave birth is way off the mark -- or right on target!
Bet you think it’s a long shot. But there are hundreds of scientific studies published in leading journals suggesting certain temperaments, health characteristics and a ton of other traits are in-sync with the time of year that your baby was born. So take our quiz to see if our research-based conclusion about when you gave birth is way off the mark -- or right on target!
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Few parenting choices bring moms to their knees like choosing between breastmilk and formula. Feeding a baby should be the easiest thing in the world -- universally a good thing, so long as they all get fed -- but the rhetoric surrounding our choices has become so toxic that most of us are choking on the fumes. Even in doing what we know is right for our families, many of us still feel the need to justify our choices to friends, family, and even perfect strangers. I’m a mother of two young kids and an unapologetic formula feeder, but I wasn’t always able to say that with such confidence.
My story began like a million other moms. I got pregnant with my first child and was easily swayed to believing breastfeeding was the best and only option for how I’d feed my baby. I still think breastfeeding is a great option, but what I failed to understand then is that breastfeeding isn’t the only acceptable choice. I read the books and knew the rules, and I completely bought into the idea that this one aspect of childrearing was of unparalleled importance. I set my expectations in such a way that there was only breastfeeding or failure, and then when I “failed” I was devastated. Experience has shown I’m not alone in that.
The conversation about how we feed our babies has become so convoluted that people have had to launch movements like I Support You, in which women talk openly about how they feed their kids and remind moms to simply stop attacking one another. Fearless Formula Feeder, a site I’ve read for years that is part blog and part support group for moms who use formula, regularly features stories from women who are shattered by their inability to breastfeed and the negative comments they get from people in their lives. Yes, formula moms actually need a support group. Think about that. In one article about breastfeeding policing, a woman admitted breastfeeding advocates told her to stop taking necessary thyroid medication in order to keep breastfeeding -- and she actually considered it. She said, “I have to take this drug, but many people made me second-guess myself.” That’s how intense the pressure is.
Breastfeeding advocates have made great strides in educating people about the benefits of breastfeeding and defending a woman’s right to do so -- something I wholeheartedly support. Seventh Generation is putting breastfeeding pods in airports. It’s increasingly socially unacceptable to shame breastfeeding moms. It’s been amazing to witness the cultural shift in support of breastfeeding. Unfortunately, the unintended consequence of that shift has been an increased willingness by some to demonize moms who choose formula, and far too many of us are internalizing that negativity.
When I gave up breastfeeding, I got into the habit of explaining myself to everyone I knew. If someone asked how I was feeding my baby, I launched into a lengthy explanation of my daughter’s tongue tie and subsequent latch issues, how I had postpartum depression and anxiety, how breastfeeding made me feel crazy and resentful. I handled the subject with gloves, always careful to admit that yes, breast is best, and yes, I’m a terrible failure for giving it up.
The truth is, I am not a failure.
I did have crippling issues with breastfeeding, but I also hated it. It wasn’t for me for a number of reasons, and as my babies are happy and healthy and I am too, I don’t owe anyone an explanation as to why I use and love formula.
The shift in my thinking came slowly. I spent the entire first year of my daughter’s life feeling guilty and isolated. I felt the judgmental stares at playgroups every time I whipped out a bottle, and I avoided the subject of feeding entirely with anyone new that I met. As my daughter got older and my new parent panic stopped being so immediate, I realized how silly I was to think this one decision could make or break my child. I realized how ridiculous I was to think studies showing my baby might have six additional I.Q. points from breast milk were more important than my own health and well-being. I became more confident in my skills as a parent, and I realized that no matter what, my baby was going to be just fine.
Oddly enough, I still ended up trying to breastfeed my second child, but I quit within days when my feelings about breastfeeding remained unchanged, and this time I gave myself permission to feel good about my decision. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if other moms don’t like how I feed my babies.
Formula is a viable option -- one that’s worked for millions of parents, including my own -- and being a happy, present mom to my children is more important than what anyone else thinks about my choices. When we have these arguments about how to feed babies, what we’re really fighting for is agency, for moms to have the space and trust to make decisions for themselves and their families. I will fight to the death to demand that for other moms, but have been so reluctant to claim it for myself. I trust women to know what is right for them and their kids, and in choosing to unapologetically formula feed, I’m also claiming that trust for myself.
Do you apologize for formula feeding? Why?
About the Author: Ashley Austrew is a freelance writer who loves tacos, Target, and screen time. Her work has appeared on Mommyish, Scary Mommy, Modern Day Moms, and more. You can read more on her website or follow her on Twitter.
It's a fact: Babies need to eat. But how moms feed their kids -- by breast, bottle, or otherwise -- is a question often fraught with struggles, stress, and guilt. That's why photographer and mom of two Caitlin Domanico (pictured above) decided to do something about it with a photo project called United We Feed.
"This series was the result of watching friend after friend struggle with their feelings regarding their method of feeding," she says. "When you have a new baby in your arms, feeding them in everything. It consumes your days and nights -- making sure they are getting enough, checking to see if they have burped, you are recording ounces or times of feedings, and what side you nursed with, as well as washing and sanitizing bottles, pump shields, and tubes. If you are tube feeding, you are attending classes at the hospital. It can all be very overwhelming."
In addition to this stress, many moms also struggle with guilt. "Maybe they felt guilty because they didn't want to or couldn't breastfeed," Caitlin continues. "Maybe a friend or in-law made a degrading comment about her choice to breastfeed, or maybe, due to various medical reasons, tube feeding was their option to help their child thrive and grow."
Caitlin's goal was to show the beauty of every way a mom feeds her child. "My mantra has always been the same, you do what is best for you and your child. I support you, and you are incredibly nurturing, no matter how the milk is being delivered."
And the response -- from the moms she's photographed as well as women who've seen these photos -- has helped break down barriers between moms and prove how we all want to nurture our kids.
"Bottle-feeding and nursing moms alike have told me the series has been a source of healing for them," says Caitlin. "I have spoken with women who tube feed their babies due to medical reasons, and they have thanked me for including them, too. I think these photos are powerful because they remind all of us that women are not the enemy. Life is so lovely when we can all feel secure in our decisions and respect one another."
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.I was holding the door to Starbucks open with my foot while attempting to shoehorn my double stroller over the threshold, when a woman nearby muttered, in her loudest stage whisper, “These women and their SUV strollers!” My double stroller, if you hadn’t guessed, is not one of those sleek upstairs-downstairs contraptions. Nope, mine is a double-wide, a pre-fab on wheels, a monster.
Improbably, it is just narrow enough to fit through the doorway of most bodegas. But when you see it coming down the sidewalk, it appears to be roughly the same size as a 1978 Ford Pinto. Or maybe Sputnik.
But it is nothing like an SUV. I should know, because I have one. For starters, my SUV has a seat for me, which my stroller sorely lacks. It also has air-conditioning. When I strap my kids into my SUV, they sit far enough apart that they have to try really hard to kick one another. (Now don’t get me wrong: It happens. It just takes effort.)
My stroller has no power beyond the propulsion of my beat-up flip-flops, and pushing it around isn’t a day at the spa. On average, it has two kids, six diapers, two bathing suits, a towel, three buckets, four shovels, a ball, a pack of sidewalk chalk, and lately, a set of plastic golf clubs. It also has my wallet and phone, sunscreen, a handful of superhero books, some Elmo swag, a few canisters of bubbles, several bagels, sippy cups, and bags of Goldfish. Oh, and a portable toilet.
And when I do, I am shocked by the visible ire on the faces of strangers when they see me coming. Each day brings a litany of eye rolls, audible sighs, and doors clanging shut in the faces of me and my children, as if we have violated a code of being by daring to take up more than our allotted space. There is a shocking amount of rage people feel toward those of us who are deigning to raise young children right out there in public, and the double stroller seems to bring it out in people.
Case on point: Brooklyn bartender and anti-stroller champion Andy Heildel, who wrote ‘The Stroller Manifesto’ decrying the presence of children and strollers in bars and restaurants. In it, he writes:
Don’t get me started about the strollers blocking access to the bar, seating, and the looks I get when I ask someone to move their stroller because it is obviously in the way of not only me but also everyone else. Doublewide strollers are the bane of Park Slope.
Parents insist on squeezing into the aisles with their strollers when there's barely space to maneuver? What now? Are we supposed to make space for you? Why can't you bring a smaller jogger stroller? You don't need that massive HUMMER-size stroller with 20 different compartments!
Indeed, mom Rebecca Odes writes that strollers have “become a symbol of the things people without kids hate about people with them: They take up too much space, they expect others to conform to their needs—literally, to get out of their way.”
And yet, my double stroller is my prize possession. It allows me to leave my apartment in the early morning and not return until evening. It allows me to never use a grocery cart. It allows me to have more upper body strength than I deserve, considering I haven’t been to a gym in years. Most importantly, it has allowed me to fulfill my intrepid vision of parenting -- one where we aren’t bound by nap schedules or meal times, deterred by bright sunshine or pouring rain, or sentenced to an afternoon surrounded by the four walls of our apartment and the echoing cries of “I’m bored." If you can name it, we can walk there, and if you can shove it into the basket underneath, we can bring it.
My double stroller and I aren’t going anywhere. Or, more to the point, we are going everywhere. Until the day comes that it is more efficient for my children to walk than to ride, you’ll see me behind my pre-fab, puttering down the streets. It’s a big world out there, and there’s room for all of us -- four wheels and all.
Do you have a double stroller? What kind of comments do you deal with?
About the Author: Erin Blakeley writes about parenting and family life. Her work has appeared in The Boston Globe Magazine, Parents, CNN.com, Babble, and Scary Mommy, among other publications. You can find her on Twitter @blakeleyerin.
Sure, breastfeeding moms are a beautiful sight ... but are they goddesses? Hinsdale, Illinois, mom and photographer Ivette Ivens sure thinks so -- which is why she embarked on a photo project that has made many swoon: Breastfeeding Goddesses.
"I define 'goddess' as a female with supernatural powers," says Ivette. "A woman's body makes food for her baby -- isn't that a superpower? I really think that every mother -- breastfeeding or not -- is a goddess."
And apparently many others agree: Once Ivette started posting these photos online, people ate them up, and asked for more. The photo series has even become so popular it's morphed into a book (which can be pre-ordered on her website).
Given all the breastfeeding harassers and "haters" out there, Ivette hopes these images will encourage more people to treat breastfeeding moms with the respect they deserve.
"I'm beyond happy that it's already making a difference," Ivette says. "I get sweet e-mails from all over the world, even from people who don't have children yet, saying that they'll smile and encourage every nursing mama they see."
Check out some of her gorgeous images in this slideshow.
Don't you wish you could close your eyes and magically be transported to #3?
If you've got a newborn baby on your hands, you will no doubt be admiring every inch of him -- and maybe breaking out the camera so you'll never forget it. Well, make sure you don't miss out on one of the best parts: baby's feet.
Why feet, you may ask? Because there's just something about those tiny little toes and those wrinkled soles that just makes us giddy. Seriously. Check out these photos and you'll see what we mean.
Post by Megan Zander. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Kristina Kuzmic makes great videos about the realities of parenting, and her latest installment is no exception. If you support breastfeeding, her title, 4 Reasons Women Should NEVER Breastfeed in Public, might make you see red -- but before you rage-quit the Internet for the day, take a peek.Kuzmic's video is actually a positive breastfeeding piece, and does a fantastic job of tearing down common arguments people make when telling women to cover up:
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Videos like these prove that laughter really is the best medicine. Not only do they encourage moms who are pregnant and thinking about breastfeeding or who are currently breastfeeding, but they also serve as a balm to anyone who remembers having a bad experience while nursing. To a woman who has ever felt shame or anger at being told to cover up or been accused of trying to draw attention rather than just feed your baby, videos of support like these serve as a great reminder that you're not in the wrong.
While Kuzmic's video echos what others have said before, it's seeing her arguments brought to life with visuals that makes this video so powerful, and so funny.
What do you think about women who breastfeed in public?
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Most parents breathlessly await the day their baby starts to talk, walk, and reach other developmental markers. Only do you know when that will happen? Take this test to find out.
Most parents breathlessly await the day their baby starts to talk, walk, and reach other developmental markers. Only do you know when that will happen? Take this test to find out.
Most of us realize that deciding to have a baby means that there will be a lot of crying in our future. But how many of us expected that it would be us and not the baby covered in tears?
The combination of postpartum hormones, sleep deprivation, and crazy joy is a potent one and can leave a new mom feeling like she is riding an emotional rollercoaster.
Read on for the sweet and sometimes funny (OMG, #8!) stories of the first time our babies made us cry.
You know you're supposed to play with your baby. But HOW exactly do you do that? It's not like you can pull out a board game and make them the banker. (Not yet, at least.)
It's kind of tough to oversell how crucial play is for kids -- especially itty bitty ones. Play aids brain development, builds physical strength and dexterity, develops a kiddo's imagination, AND increases their already-special bond with you.
In a perfect world, we wouldn't have to plan how to play. We'd just do it. But hey, we're all careful parents with access to the Internet; we like to KNOW we're doing things right.
To that end, we have answers for you! Click through the slideshow to learn the type of play baby likes best and needs most.
The first time you decide to leave the house with your newborn often involves a level of planning on par with a covert spy operation. You have to plan for feedings and diapers and nap time plus trying to make sure you have everything you could ever need in your 30-pound diaper bag that is bursting at the seams. But then it always goes smoothly, right?
Okay, now that you're done laughing, click on for real-life stories of those first public outings from both rookie and veteran moms alike.
Breastfeeding is no doubt a beautiful way to feed your baby, but don't be fooled: It's also FULL of surprises. And unless you know what to expect and when, nursing can be full of frustration, too.
For instance: Many moms freak if their milk isn't flowing on day one. Well, guess what? That's not what your body is designed to deliver, or what your baby needs. To help prep you for the first year of breastfeeding, here are some breastfeeding milestones to commit to your memory.
Aren't month 3-6 a nice bonus for losing that baby weight?
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.With the fun of summer comes the worry about the sun and its potentially harmful rays. We want our little ones to play outside, but we also have to make sure they are protected without having to slather on chemicals. There are natural ways to protect your baby from the sun and guidelines to follow when it comes to sun exposure.
J Lee Jenkins, MD, is an emergency physician, emergency public health expert, health blogger, and mom to two daughters. As a doctor and mother, she also worries about the chemicals in sunscreen and has shared her knowledge on the best natural protection, when to apply, and more helpful insight into keeping our babies safe from the sun's rays and toxins.
How do you keep your baby safe from the sun and heat?
Nearly every parent on the planet likes to show off their new nursery, which bores most people to tears. But not this dad's nursery tour, which is done as an MTV Cribs parody that will leave you in stitches.
MTV Cribs, for those of you who missed this series before it went off the air in 2013, had celebs like Lil Wayne, Ludacris, and even Mariah Carey show off their swanky pads, complete with $10,000 game rooms and walk-in closets.
So dad Bryan Canatella gave us a tour of his daughter "Cici's Crib," complete with "wings," wall art, and a diaper-changing station where he'll "wipe her little bum bum while she's sittin' on swans." Check it out below:
As far as nursey tours go, this one takes the cake! In all honesty, it's just your average nursery -- only the MTV-style clubby sound track and jagged camera work could make any place seem sweet.
And the truth is I love when parents poke fun of their mundane lives by recasting nursery decor as something cool. Because let's face it: No one really cares about your diaper-changing table, so you'd better make people laugh when you show it off!
Pets are a big part of the family, no question about it. That means they're bound to love their new -- human -- little brother or sister like family, and there's no sweeter way to honor that than by including your pets in your baby announcement.
We know, we know -- that's a dangerous amount of cute in one photo. But if these people managed to fit all that adorable in one frame, we think you can, too.
Newborns are like celebrities: Just seconds after they emerge, people are fawning over (and photographing!) every inch of their cuteness left and right. Yet here's one oft-overlooked feature you should make sure not to miss: their hands.
Think about it: Those teeny tiny fingers can curl up into fists, clamp onto your pinky with a death grip, and all in all are surprisingly nimble and expressive, at least compared to the rest of their body (that is, so far). So be sure to give those mitts the adoration they deserve. Check out these birth photographers' pics of baby hands and you'll see what we mean.
Pediatricians are parents' sounding boards for just about all health concerns we may have for our kids. And while certain questions crop up regularly, every once in awhile, pediatricians hear things that make even a trained medical professional stratch her head.
In case you're ever embarrassed to reveal some question or concern with your pediatrician, let these quotes put you at ease that they've honestly heard it all. Really.
Geez, hasn't the mom in #4 ever heard of shrinkage?
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Have you actually ever really thought about the words to those nursery rhymes you're singing or reading to your little one? Many of them are downright creepy and scary. Watch and we think you'll agree ...
