Life in Lape Haven

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Why We Love Baby Sign Language & 6 Tips for Teaching It to Your Little One

January 27, 2018
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Why We Love Baby Sign Language & 6 Tips for Teaching It to Your Little One - Life in Lape Haven. Baby sign language is an easy, fun, and helpful way to teach your baby to communicate before they can even talk. All three of our children have learned signs and used them before they were one year old. Here's how you can teach your child signing, too.

When I was pregnant with Elijah, my paternal grandmother gave me two books about how to teach your baby to communicate using sign language. (One even came with flash cards.)

I’ll be honest. At first, I just looked at her. I’d never heard of such a thing.

But Grandma Charlotte was a pretty smart, well-read lady. She’d also taken classes in sign language a few years earlier so that she could communicate with a couple of family members who were hearing impaired, including my cousin’s little girl who is deaf. She knew how easily children could pick it up and how helpful it would be.Why We Love Baby Sign Language & 6 Tips for Teaching It to Your Little One - Life in Lape Haven. Baby sign language is an easy, fun, and helpful way to teach your baby to communicate before they can even talk. All three of our children have learned signs and used them before they were one year old. Here's how you can teach your child signing, too.

So, I read the books, learned some of the basic signs, and taught them to my husband and our parents.

When Elijah was a few months old, I started using the signs as we went through the day, whenever it applied to what we were doing. I’d say the word as I signed it, and soon it became a habit for me.

As Elijah got a little older, we could tell he understood what the signs meant, and, somewhere around 8-9 months, I think, he began signing back.

If you’ve never seen a baby use sign language, it’s kind of amazing – and super cute!

Suddenly, he could ask for a “drink” or let us know when he was “done” or wanted “more.”

We didn’t have to struggle as much with figuring out what he wanted or needed, and Elijah wasn’t whiny or frustrated…unless he was told that he couldn’t have something he wanted. 🙂 Learning “no” is never fun, whether it’s verbal or in sign.

As my family saw how easily Elijah used his signs and how helpful it was, they started using them with his younger cousins.

My grandma was especially proud of our success, and of course, she enjoyed signing to him and seeing him respond happily.

Why We Love Baby Sign Language & 6 Tips for Teaching It to Your Little One - Life in Lape Haven. Baby sign language is an easy, fun, and helpful way to teach your baby to communicate before they can even talk. All three of our children have learned signs and used them before they were one year old. Here's how you can teach your child signing, too.

When Josiah came along, there was no question that we would teach him those basic signs as well, this time with Elijah’s help. Sadly, my Grandma Charlotte passed away when Josiah was only 5 months old, so she never really got to see how he benefitted from the communication tool that was her idea.

Now four years later, here we are, teaching a third little boy to use his hands to talk to Mommy, Daddy, and the rest of his family.

Isaiah’s response to sign language was almost immediate because the first one he learned was “milk.” If I wasn’t completely ready to nurse him, but showed him the sign for it, he would get upset pretty quickly! And there were times when I’m pretty sure he signed “milk,” even though he seemed too young to be able to.

Now that he’s at the age where he can mimic our signs easily, it’s been so fun to watch his understanding blossom. He’s been very quick to let us know when he’s “all done” eating, and he loves to tell you when something is “hot,” like the heater or his toy stove with the light-up burner. Haha.

But he picked up a new sign even more quickly last week. After only a couple of demonstrations and connecting the sign with what it meant, he was ready to use “cookie” as often as possible. 🙂

When others see us using signs with our boys, I’ve had them ask me if signing discouraged my children from talking when they were little. Since they could get their message across pretty clearly with just some gestures, after all, why would they need to use words?

Our experience, though, has been that both of our older boys started talking fairly early and easily. While this may be in part because I talked to them ALL THE TIME and prompted them to use words once they were able to, I think that teaching them sign language actually encouraged them to try different kinds of communication because they knew we were paying attention to what they “said.”

Another benefit I’ve found it being able to tell my little ones something without having to say a word, which is especially nice in church when you’re trying to be quiet, or in a noisy place, where your kids might have trouble hearing you. (Being able to sign “no” to even an older child across the room is awesome, especially when you couple it with “the look.”)

If you’d like to begin teaching your child sign language, here are a few tips from our signing experience with our three boys.

Why We Love Baby Sign Language & 6 Tips for Teaching It to Your Little One - Life in Lape Haven. Baby sign language is an easy, fun, and helpful way to teach your baby to communicate before they can even talk. All three of our children have learned signs and used them before they were one year old. Here's how you can teach your child signing, too.

6 Tips For Teaching Baby Sign to Your Little One:
1. Start Early

Begin signing even before your baby can physically and developmentally copy them, maybe around 3-4 months old.  You’ll get into the habit, & they’ll be learning. (Even if your child is older, you can introduce signing at any age!)

 

2. Don’t Use Too Many

Pick a few basic signs that you’ll use most often and most effectively and start there. We did ones like Milk, Eat, More, Done, Bath, and Change. You can add others later (Mom, Dad, Please, Thank You, Potty, Dog, Cat, and tons more), just like you build your baby’s verbal vocabulary a little at a time. Here are 21 words you can sign easily.

 

3. Be Consistent

Use the same sign and word each time and teach your spouse and other family or caretakers to use them, too. (Using standard ASL signs is the best for consistency with others who sign.) We all learn better with repetition. (Our kids can even use their signs in the nursery at church. Several families have taught their children signs, so most of the regular nursery volunteers are pretty fluent in baby sign as well. How cool is that?)

 

4. Sign in Context

Use the sign when you’re doing the action. Signing “change” makes more sense when you’ve got your little one down and ready to change their diaper, rather than when you’re in the living room and think they might have a dirty diaper. 🙂

 

5. Don’t Expect Perfection

When your baby starts to sign back, it’s most likely not going to be perfectly executed. Keep in mind your little one is still developing those fine motor skills, so pay attention to anything that even closely resembles a specific sign and respond to it.

 

6. Keep Signing

Once your child starts talking, there’s no rule that says you have to stop using and teaching them signs. Not only is knowing another language fun and beneficial for challenging their minds (and ours), it will create an instant connection for them with anyone they know/meet who also signs, some who may use sign language as their main form of communication.

 

Need more help getting started? Here are some fun resources for learning and teaching Baby Sign Language.

(Some of these links are affiliate links, which means that I may receive a small commission if you use the links. You can see my full disclosure for details.)

VIDEOS

One of our favorite sign instructors is Rachel Coleman of Two Little Hands and Signing Time. (We even used her “Potty Time” app when we were potty training Josiah.) Here are just a few of the video available on YouTube.

Baby Signs:

 

The Potty Time Song:

 

Best of Two Little Hands TV, featuring signs for foods, clothing, ABCs, colors, and more:


BOOKS


 

HAVE YOU TAUGHT YOUR CHILD BABY SIGN LANGUAGE? WHAT OTHER TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE?

Get more ideas & encouragement from this real-life mom as I experience God’s faithfulness through the joy and chaos of motherhood.

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10 Items that Helped Us Adjust to Life with a New Baby

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10 Items that Helped Us Adjust to Life with a New Baby

July 20, 2017
1 Comment
Life in Lape Haven: 10 Items that Helped Us to Adjust to Life with a New Baby. Preparing for all the changes and transitions that come with newborns and infants can be overwhelming, but we've found a few products and ideas that have helped make the adjustment a little easier.

Somehow our littlest guy, Isaiah, turned 7-months-old this week. Seriously, time has FLOWN by.

And yet, it’s still gone slowly enough to remind me that life with a newborn or infant can be challenging. What was once normal and routine gets thrown out the window as everyone in the family adjusts to all the transitions.

Preparing for all the changes in addition to planning to care for a new baby can be overwhelming, whether you’re welcoming your very first baby or you’re an experienced parent.

While I’ve shared with you a few new tips and tricks we learned with Isaiah, I realized that there are some products and ideas that we have been using over the last seven years  – and for all three babies – that also helped make the adjustment to life with a little one a bit easier.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission when you use the link.)

 

SLEEPING

One thing that EVERYONE knows, whether they have children or not, is that babies and sleep don’t always go together. Sure, some parents are blessed with better sleepers than others, but all babies will, at some point in their infancy, have Mommy, Daddy, or both of you up in the middle of the night.

While we’ve never had horrible sleepers – Isaiah’s been our toughest night owl – we’ve also never had babies that easily slept through the night from a young age. (For tips on that, you might want to check out this post from my friend Denise Renae: How I Got All 5 of My Babies to Sleep Through the Night)

Life in Lape Haven: 10 Items that Helped Us to Adjust to Life with a New Baby. Preparing for all the changes and transitions that come with newborns and infants can be overwhelming, but we've found a few products and ideas that have helped make the adjustment a little easier.

However, we have found a few things that helped our little guys sleep better and longer when they finally did go to sleep.

1. HALO Sleepsack Microfleece Swaddler

For starters, as I mentioned in the tips and tricks we’ve learned with our third baby, a good sleep sack can make an amazing difference. We always thought that any sleep sack was as good as another…until we learned differently with Isaiah.

He slept fine in the handed-down ones we had from our first two boys, but he was a bit smaller than they had been, so I ordered a new HALO Sleepsack Microfleece Swaddler in the newborn size. The difference was notable and impressive, and all those other sleep sacks were left in the drawer while our little guy slept longer in his Halo than he had since coming home from the hospital. Hallelujah!

 

2. Nightime Soothers

The other thing that all of our boys have had is some type of musical nightlight soother. For Elijah it was a Fisher-Price Soothe & Glow Seahorse , which played a lullaby and glowed. He used it until he was at least 2 years old. (He liked it so well that we also gave a couple as baby shower gifts.)

Josiah had a similar cuddly animal, a Fisher-Price My Little Snugamonkey, but it alternated playing soothing nature sounds as well as a couple classical songs. After years of listening to the seahorse’s lullaby over the baby monitor, rainforest ambiance was a welcome change!

For Isaiah, we took my brother’s recommendation for a plug-in night time soother from Skip Hop (the Skip Hop Moonlight & Melodies Nightlight Soother Elephant ) that is very customizable. It projects a starscape on the ceiling (also adjustable), plays either nature sounds or lullabies, and has a nightlight feature as well.

My brother had purchased one for his older boy, and the family liked it so much, that his little brother wanted one, too. Since both my nephews had the owl version, we opted to get Isaiah the elephant. We love it, and I especially love that I can crank up the volume on the sounds during nap time to drown out Isaiah’s noisy brothers playing downstairs. 

 

BATH TIME

It seems that when it comes to baths and water, either baby loves it or he hates it.

Thankfully, with all three of our boys, it’s been a love affair from their very first times in the tub (even though Elijah didn’t really enjoy getting water in his face.)

3. Bath Cozy Cover

I think part of our bath time success was due to an awesome baby shower gift: a bath cozy cover.

I’d never heard of one, but my cousin found it at the store and went off-registry, and we have been very glad she did.

The cozy cover is kind of like a giant washcloth that you dip in the warm water and cover your baby with during his bath. It keeps him warm and soothed, so that bath time becomes a calm, fun experience.

You can always use an actual washcloth or maybe a hand towel in a pinch, but I did find something similar to ours (which is, again, over 7 years old) online.

 

4. Clear Shower Curtain & Double Curved Shower Curtain Rod 

The other thing you quickly learn about baths and life with a newborn is that as a new mom (or dad), it can be difficult to get that spare minute to get *YOUR* bath or shower.

One of the best pieces of advice I found online when preparing for our first baby was to buy and put up a clear shower curtain for your shower. This allows you to have the baby in their bassinet or swing in the bathroom with you. You can see them, and they can see you, and you can get all clean and refreshed without the stress of worrying if baby will wake in his crib before you finish.

We also installed a double shower curtain rod so we could have a cloth curtain and a clear curtain. I chose a curved curtain rod because that gives you a little more room in the shower in those last months of pregnancy or when you inevitably end up showering with your baby or toddler.

(And when you need to clean that shower quickly and easily, save time and money by using this safe 2-ingredient homemade tub & shower cleaner. I love it!)

 

NURSING

It’s probably no surprise that the mom who chose to give birth to all three of her babies as “naturally” as possible without pain medications (although Isaiah’s story was a little off my birth plan) also chose/chooses to breastfeed those babies. In fact, we’ve rarely had to use bottles (Isaiah just plain refuses them.)

5. Nursing-Friendly Tops & Dresses 

For me, I’ve needed things that make breastfeeding easier, such as good nursing-friendly tops and dresses, nursing bras, which are not always so easy to find. Sure, you can look for button-down shirts or tops with elastic necklines, but sometimes you want something easier.

Since it had been a few years between babies, I was in need of replacing a lot of my nursing wardrobe when Isaiah arrived. Two of the new companies I found were Latched Mama and Milk Nursingwear.

Latched Mama: They have a fun selection of more casual style tops, dresses, and pajama sets. I especially love my Latched Mama nursing hoodie sweatshirt! (They were available on Amazon, which was great for our Amazon Prime free 2-day shipping, but they don’t currently have anything listed.) Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

Milk Nursingwear: They have more varied styles for how you access the nursing areas of their clothes, and they have more selection in dressier styles. While they can be a bit pricier, when you shop directly through their site, you can earn 5% back on each order, plus you can check out their sales. Or you can go through my Amazon link below and use your Prime shipping. 🙂

 

6. Kindred Bravely Nursing Bras

Of course, a good foundation is also important, especially when you’re nursing, so I had to replenish my stash of nursing bras and tanks, too. That’s when I found Kindred Bravely. Nursing bras and tanks are their specialty. They also sell maternity/nursing pajamas, nightgowns, and panties. You can use the Amazon link below or use this referral link directly at Kindred Bravely and get $10 off you first order of $50 or more.

 

Life in Lape Haven: 10 Items that Helped Us to Adjust to Life with a New Baby. Preparing for all the changes and transitions that come with newborns and infants can be overwhelming, but we've found a few products and ideas that have helped make the adjustment a little easier.

7. Udder Covers Nursing Cover

For nursing in public, I’ve always used a cover from Udder Covers  (because they sent me a coupon for a FREE one, and I just had to pay shipping). I love the special stiffened neckline that allows me to see my baby – and him to see me – easily.

(And despite what you might read about nursing in public, I’ve never gotten any bad reactions. Actually it’s been quite the opposite, whether I’m at a restaurant, church, or at the park with my boys)

—>PLUS: I have a coupon code for you to get yours FREE ($35 off!), just pay shipping & handling. <—
Use coupon code: EAEBF0

 

8. Bamboobies Washable Nursing Pads 

Of course, if you’re nursing, you need nursing pads, and my absolute favorite ones are Bamboobies Washable Nursing Pads. With Elijah, I used the regular disposable kind from the store, and they were uncomfortable. I had all kinds of issue, including clogged ducts – OUCH! When I was pregnant with Josiah, I heard about Bamboobies from a post online, and I was determined to try them out. The difference was amazing. They are incredibly comfortable, don’t leak, are washable (saves $$$), and I haven’t had another issue with clogged ducts or the like since.

(They were also one of things that were a must in my hospital bag!)

 

OTHER HELPFUL ITEMS FOR LIFE WITH A NEW BABY
9. Baby K’tan Carriers 

With Josiah, I discovered the joy of baby wearing, but my carrier was more heavy duty, for outdoor adventuring and Life in Lape Haven: 10 Items that Helped Us to Adjust to Life with a New Baby. Preparing for all the changes and transitions that come with newborns and infants can be overwhelming, but we've found a few products and ideas that have helped make the adjustment a little easier.walks. Plus, I had a horrible time getting it on without someone to help snap the back clasp.

So, for Isaiah I knew I needed something lightweight that I could get on quickly and without help. That’s why I went with a Baby K’tan Original Carrier. It was easy and quick to put on, whether it was for just around the house, a trip to the grocery store, or a hiking outing with our whole family.

 

10. Baby Care Tracking App

One other thing that has helped us keep up with life with a baby has been a Baby Care Tracking App. These apps work like a daily log for baby’s sleeping, feeding, diaper changes, and more.

With both Josiah and Isaiah, I’ve used the iBaby app on my Android, but there are quite a few options, most of them free, out there.

 

What items did/do you find helpful with your newborn/infant?

 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

5 Tips & Tricks I’ve Learned With My 3rd Baby that I Wish I’d Known with My 1st

What Will Be in My Hospital Bag?

Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story that Didn’t Quite Follow My Birth Plan

 

 

 

5 Tips & Tricks I’ve Learned with My 3rd Baby that I Wish I’d Known with My 1st

March 29, 2017
7 Comments
Life in Lape Haven: 5 Tips & Tricks I've Learned With My Third Baby that I Wished I'd Known with My First. Even though I've been a mother for nearly 7 years, I've learned a few new things with my third baby that would have been great to know years ago.
When Elijah was born nearly 7 years ago, Brad and I were the newbie parents, reading books and learning everything we could to help us adjust to life with our newborn little boy. When Josiah joined our crew a few years later, we were much more confident in our parenting roles and our experience, but we continued to learn as we parented two very active boys. By the time Isaiah came along a few months ago, we had plenty of tips and tricks up our sleeves, but as it turned out there were a few things that we’ve discovered since his December arrival that I wished we’d known way back at the beginning of our parenting journey.

Life in Lape Haven: 5 Tips & Tricks I've Learned With My Third Baby that I Wished I'd Known with My First. Even though I've been a mother for nearly 7 years, I've learned a few new things with my third baby that would have been great to know years ago.

This post contains affiliate links which means that, at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you use the link.

BABY BODYSUIT SHOULDERS ARE MADE THAT WAY FOR AN AWESOME REASON

Okay, actually this trick is something I’ve been holding onto for about two years or more. When I first saw videos and comments about it, Josiah was no longer wearing Onesies or other baby bodysuits, so Isaiah is the first child I’ve had a chance to try it out with. And you know what? It’s GENIUS!

You know how the baby bodysuits have those overlapping sections at the top of the shoulders (also called envelope or lapneck shoulder flaps)? I just thought that it was to be helpful for getting them over an infant’s head easily. While that is part of the reason, the biggest, most parent-life-changing reason is so that you can take the Onesie off of your child WITHOUT going over his head. You slip it off his shoulders and down his body.

Anyone who’s ever dealt with a diaper blowout knows the beauty of this method!

The very first time Isaiah wore a bodysuit, I took it off him this way, just to test it out. It was so much easier, especially with a wiggly, floppy newborn.

And not only was it easier to take off that way, we found that in those first few weeks, it was actually easier to put them on him from the feet up. This was incredibly helpful when I discovered that Isaiah’s little sleeper gowns with the elastic at the bottom had the same kind of shoulder flaps. Those go on much easier from the bottom up, too!

Life in Lape Haven: 5 Tips & Tricks I've Learned With My Third Baby that I Wished I'd Known with My First. Even though I've been a mother for nearly 7 years, I've learned a few new things with my third baby that would have been great to know years ago.

Here’s one of the videos I saw that show exactly how easy this method works.

Again, GENIUS!

 

HOW TO CALM A BABY

All babies cry. Since it’s their only way to communicate in the beginning, they do it a lot and fairly often. Knowing that is helpful, but knowing how to meet their needs and calm the crying is even better.

Like most parents, Brad and I had found a variety of soothing techniques with our little ones mostly by trial and error or happy happenstance. For example, when Josiah was tiny, he loved the sound of the dryer running. We discovered this one day when he was crying, and Brad was walking around with him, trying to settle him down. One step into the laundry room, and Josiah stopped crying. Stepping out of the laundry room, he would get fussy again.

When Isaiah was only a week or so old, I saw this video about how to calm a little one and immediately forwarded it to my husband. We were already using some of the techniques and tricks without knowing why they worked. But the order and the way that this man applied them was much more effective and rather amazing to see. (The video was part of a blog post with additional tips to calm a baby.)

Life in Lape Haven: 5 Tips & Tricks I've Learned With My Third Baby that I Wished I'd Known with My First. Even though I've been a mother for nearly 7 years, I've learned a few new things with my third baby that would have been great to know years ago.

In addition, there was another video that you may have seen popping up in your Facebook newsfeed over the last couple of years that showed a similar technique to calming a newborn, and it was an idea that I held onto to try out, too.

This method was demonstrated by a doctor as an almost immediate solution to calm a baby’s crying, and watching the video is rather impressive.

So, of course, we’ve had plenty of opportunity now to try some of the ideas with Isaiah, and they worked really well – so well that I wish we had seen these videos back when our first child was born.

 

THE POWER OF A GOOD SWADDLING SLEEP SACK

All of our boys have used some kind of swaddle or sleep sack, especially when they were first born. However, none of them have ever been particularly effective. The boys all did well at the hospital when swaddled tightly in a blanket, but at home we just couldn’t make our “baby burritos” as well as the nurses.

With Isaiah, we started out with the same sleep sacks and infant swaddlers we used with our older two boys and ended up with the same results: a slightly restless baby, which meant a very rest-less mommy and daddy. Because Isaiah was a bit smaller at birth than our other two, I thought maybe a slightly smaller sleep sack would help him, so I started looking online at all the options.

I decided on the HALO SleepSack Microfleece Swaddler because it not only came in smaller sizes, but also in a winter weight (my other two boys were spring babies, so they didn’t need a heavy sleep sack). The swaddle part of it was also adjustable to either have his hands completely in, partially in, or completely out, which proved to be exactly what we needed as he grew and developed over the first couple of months.

The first night he slept in his new sleep sack, the difference was obvious. It fit him well, he was warm enough, and it swaddled him just right. He was much less restless and slept better and longer than in the other sleep sack we had. I found myself wishing we had tried this sleep sack with our older two.

(This is one of the 10 items that have helped us adjust to life with a new baby.)

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOREMILK & HINDMILK

As a mom who has breastfed both of her previous babies for at least a year each, you would think I knew this one, and I did…sort of. However, when I was pregnant with Isaiah, I clicked through a few breastfeeding and nursing articles just as a refresher to help me prepare. While the one that I originally read is no longer available (the link doesn’t work), here are some of the articles that helped me.

Foremilk and Hindmilk – What does it mean?

The Good Milk

The Simple Picture that Put Me Back on the Road to Breastfeeding Success

Even reading over what I already knew was a fascinating reminder of how perfectly God created us to provide for our babies.

 

HOW TO BURP A BABY

No matter how you feed your baby, you’ll need to burp him. And I already knew how to burp a baby…only I didn’t. Of all the new things we’ve picked up this time around, this tip is BY FAR our favorite.

I saw this video posted by a blogger on Facebook, watched it, and thought, “That looks funny, but it makes sense. Interesting.” It also reminded me of the calming technique from that doctor’s video.

The day after we watched this burping technique, we were at Brad’s sister’s house for pictures and to visit the family since sickness in all our families had kind of postponed our holiday celebrations. When I tried out this burping method on Isaiah, we all noticed how it calmed him instantly. And I mean, instantly.

Life in Lape Haven: 5 Tips & Tricks I've Learned With My Third Baby that I Wished I'd Known with My First. Even though I've been a mother for nearly 7 years, I've learned a few new things with my third baby that would have been great to know years ago.

Calming Isaiah with the burping technique. (Photo courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.)

My sister-in-law asked us if that was something we knew he liked, and I explained that we were just testing it out.

However, it quickly became our go-to for not just burping him, but just calming him down. Here’s how I shared about it on the Life in Lape Haven Facebook page the next week:

“UPDATE: OK, we’ve been doing this all weekend, and it SERIOUSLY works! Whenever Isaiah was fussy and we knew it was not from hunger or being sleepy, we did this. Just the goofy hold with the up & down alone calms him, then he usually burps and stays happy.”

It’s still working, and as he’s getting bigger, working us out, too!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE TIPS & TRICKS FOR TAKING CARE OF LITTLE ONES?

 

Get more ideas & encouragement from this real-life mom as I experience God’s faithfulness through the joy and chaos of motherhood.

Join my email list!  

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

10 Items that Helped Us Adjust to Life with a New Baby

4 Things that Helped Me Through 2 Unmedicated “Natural” Deliveries

The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom That I’d Never Heard Of


Feature picture courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Balls

March 21, 2017
2 Comments
Life in Lape Haven: Tried It Tuesday - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Balls. A simple recipe for healthy energy bites. Great for the whole family.

In the past three months since Isaiah’s birth, I haven’t done a lot of extra cooking or baking. Right now, I’m doing well to get dinner made most nights. 🙂 However, I still like my goodies and making what I can from scratch, and on occasion my older two boys will behave and Isaiah will nap or be content long enough for me to throw together a little something special.

As a mom with a newborn, I haven’t only been looking for recipes that are quick and easy, but also ones that could be helpful to my milk supply since our new little guy LOVES to nurse. In the first few weeks especially, I needed healthy, easy-to make and easy-to-eat snacks for both my boys and myself. I found a perfect answer for all of those in the form of simple, customizable protein balls.

I’d seen these little treats, also called “energy balls” or “energy bites,” before online, and I’ve even sampled some that a mom friend of mine had made. However I’d never made any myself. So, I had to find a recipe.

Since protein balls can be made with such a wide variety of ingredients, I wasn’t sure which particular recipe to try from the myriad I found on Pinterest, so I looked for ones with ingredients that I had on-hand, especially ones with oats and flaxseed, since both are foods that can boost a mother’s milk supply.

Once I found a few options, I compared the recipes, used the common measurements of ingredients, and made up my own recipe, following the same basic procedure that all the protein ball recipes followed.

I have made up several batches since then, and my whole family loves them. However, since the protein balls do pretty much give you a boost of energy, I try not to let the boys have them too late in the evening. 🙂

I have also tried a few different variations, such as using different nut butters (I like using both almond butter and peanut butter as the same time) and using either date syrup and/or raw honey as a sweetener (I prefer the date syrup because the honey can make the balls very sweet and a bit stickier).

I think the fact that I can easily adapt the recipe to what I have makes this a fun, almost foolproof snack. However, here’s my favorite way to make protein balls…so far. 🙂

 

 

 

Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story That Didn’t Quite Follow My Birth Plan

February 27, 2017
8 Comments
Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story That Didn't Quite Follow My Birth Plan. Life in Lape Haven. I thought I was ready for the birth of our third child until things didn't go quite as planned. Thankfully, God is always in control, and His plans are even better than our own.

Looking at our sweet little boy as he sleeps beside me on the couch, it’s hard to believe that he is already two months old. It’s hard to believe that I haven’t really introduced him to you yet.  It’s hard to believe that I have sat down to write his birth story at least once a week for the last nine weeks, and either life interrupts my writing (newborns can be demanding) or the words just don’t seem to come. It’s also hard to believe that that’s been okay with me.

Very few things have gone exactly according to plan since Isaiah’s arrival, such as having a stomach virus hit our home the day after coming home from the hospital with our newborn. It was the kind of virus that lingered and caused us to be quarantined over the holidays and miss out on introducing Isaiah to our family and friends. In fact, for some reason or another (mostly sickness), most of our immediate family members didn’t even meet him until he was about a month old. We also didn’t get to do his newborn pictures until he was about six weeks old instead of six days old.

With all of that and other things, adjusting to life with three boys has been…well, an adjustment to say the least.

However, through these last two months, God has been teaching me to let go of my plans (sometimes my control) and trust Him a little bit more. And He started my lessons off with a bang on the day before Isaiah was born.

THE BEST LAID BIRTH PLANS

Just over ten weeks ago, I was lying in a hospital bed with monitors strapped to my 39-week pregnant belly. As I listened to the sounds of my baby’s heartbeat and movements over the fetal monitor, I was waiting for labor to start. Praying for labor to start.

Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story That Didn't Quite Follow My Birth Plan. Life in Lape Haven. I thought I was ready for the birth of our third child until things didn't go quite as planned. Thankfully, God is always in control, and His plans are even better than our own.

Picture courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.

That day hadn’t gone according to plan, at least not MY plans. In fact, if my week had gone as I’d liked it to, I would have already had our little boy the day before, on Monday, and I wouldn’t even have had to go to my doctor’s appointment that Tuesday afternoon.

But our son had been content to stay put, and I’d gone to bed with a migraine Monday night (the second in three days). I made a quick – unplanned – visit to the chiropractor Tuesday morning (in case my headaches were just from my neck being out of alignment and also to be ready for when our little guy decided to come, which I knew was soon). Then I drove an hour – in the snowiest conditions so far this winter – to my OB for my weekly appointment.

At 39 weeks, 1 day pregnant, I was in new territory. Both of our older boys had been born at exactly 39 weeks, coming naturally, on their own. The goal for this little one was as near to 39 weeks as possible, too, since I am “over 35” and the risks of going all the way to, or over, 40 weeks are higher for mothers “my age.”

As I pulled into the parking lot at my doctor’s office, I was nervous. At my previous week’s appointment, she’d had me get an unscheduled ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid levels. I knew she was concerned that I had measured smaller, even though everything had been okay. I also knew that I’d have to tell my doctor about the headaches I’d had over the last week. (I was really hoping that my trip to the chiropractor that morning had solved that problem, and my doctor wouldn’t be concerned.)

Since I was over 39 weeks pregnant, my doctor would be watching me closely. I didn’t want to be induced if I could help it. I knew my doctor would only suggest if there was a legitimate, serious reason.

But still, I purposely didn’t bring my hospital bag with me. Because, you know, she couldn’t send me to the hospital if I didn’t have my stuff.

Clearly, I was already suspicious that things might not be as “okay” as I wanted them to be.

I was only a minute or so into my appointment when those suspicions got a little confirmation. As she was taking my blood pressure, I heard the nurse say, “Hmmm,” over the results. For the first time ever, my blood pressure was high.

My doctor soon came in and double checked it. It was still high. So after she measured my belly and checked to see if I was dilated or effaced at all (only slightly), she was ready to talk.

And I knew what was coming. With this being my third pregnancy, I knew that high blood pressure, unusual headaches, and my age were going to be issues. But then she informed me that I was measuring smaller than the previous week and had had protein in my urine. Since all of those are symptoms of pre-eclampsia, my doctor simply said, “It’s time.”

She wanted me to go immediately to labor and delivery to be checked and stay…to be induced.

I just wanted to cry.

This was NOT how I wanted things to go. I wanted my labor to be as textbook as my previous two (which were un-medicated, “natural” deliveries), only maybe a bit quicker and even easier. THAT was how I’d planned it.

Instead, I was going home to get my bags (my doctor was adamant that I just get my stuff & go to the hospital as soon as possible).

Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story That Didn't Quite Follow My Birth Plan. Life in Lape Haven. I thought I was ready for the birth of our third child until things didn't go quite as planned. Thankfully, God is always in control, and His plans are even better than our own.

Picture courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.

TRUSTING THE PLANNER

Frustration, fear, and pregnancy hormones had me fighting tears as I sent a text message to my husband at work and then called my mom. As I drove home, I worked out a new plan – one for getting my boys from two different places to my parents’ house, as well as coordinating with my husband and mom how we were all getting to the hospital.

And I prayed through tears.

I hated facing this sudden sense of urgency. I was frustrated that my body was betraying me like this. I was frightened by the worst case scenarios and the overall unknown that I was heading into. I didn’t want to face the wait, difficulties, and complications that can come with inductions, such as stronger contractions or even a C-section (with two older boys to keep up with, I knew my recovery time needed to be as easy and quick as possible).

I had to trust that God was in control, and not just for me, but for my little guy, as well. I believed that He was, and that He had His own (BETTER) plan, but I needed to REST in it rather than fight against it, demanding we go by the plan that I thought was best. Right then, that was hard.

Brad got home about the time I was ready to leave. We picked up Elijah from school, dropped him and our dog at my parents’ (Josiah was already there, thanks to my mom), and we headed to the hospital.

While Brad drove, I sent messages to different people whom I knew would pray – family, ladies in our church, close friends, and the women of my blogging group. Their replies of encouragement and faith started almost immediately and continued throughout the night.

Many mom friends offered positive notes from their own induction experiences, which helped immensely, while others spoke peace into the chaos of my heart by reminding me that God wasn’t surprised by the situation. Having that community of women that I could trust and rely on to cover me in prayer and support was amazingly comforting.

From the very first reply, my spirit began to settle, and God’s peace slowly took over, soothing my nerves and fears and calling me to simply trust Him.

So soon I was in a hospital bed, monitors strapped to my belly, no longer fearful but now resolute and ready for this baby to come.

Since my doctor knew that I wanted as little intervention as possible in my labor and delivery, she gave me a dose of Cervidil around 7 p.m. to start my induction. (It’s a medicine that’s left near the cervix to soften it. It stays there for 12 hours). There is a long line of things that doctors can do to help labor along, but she and I were hopeful that this was the only one I would need.

Now all we had to do was wait for it to work.

All evening and into the night, Brad, my mom, and I waited. With the sounds of the fetal monitors in the background, we chatted, watched TV, replied to lots of messages for updates, and tried to sleep (like THAT is possible in a hospital).

I just kept praying that the medicine would work and labor would start. While this wasn’t how I wanted my delivery to start out, I knew that I was doing what was best for my little guy and me.

Finally, about 4 a.m., I noticed some contractions and within another half-hour I was unable to sleep through them. By 5:30 a.m., I was tracking contractions that I knew meant I wasn’t going to need further interventions. (Praise God!  At least part of my plan happened!)

With those first good contractions, my focus went from all the waiting and dealing with being induced to “let’s get this baby out so I can meet him.” It didn’t matter how my plan was SUPPOSED to have gone – it hadn’t mattered much since I got to the hospital. All that mattered was that I was going be holding my little guy for the first time very soon.

Even though the nurses wouldn’t check my dilation until 12 hours after I received the dose of Cervidil, which would be around 7 a.m., they did set up the birthing ball for me to use. While my mom, Brad, and now his sister Kristin, who was there as our birth photographer, talked on the other side of the room, I swayed and bounced through increasingly intense contractions until 7:30 a.m.

By then, I was at 5cm and progressing rapidly, so much so that about 9 a.m. my water broke on its own, and I was feeling very done with being in labor!

A call to the nurse got me onto the bed and checked again (8cm). I labored there with the help of a peanut ball, my hubby, and my mom for about 4 or 5 more contractions (so NOT fun). Then I was more than ready to push.

At 9:43 a.m. Isaiah Joel made his debut. He was a tiny little guy at 6 pounds, 9 ounces, and 20” long.

With his little body nestled on my chest, I thanked God for such a precious gift. And I thanked Him for this experience. While I always knew that it didn’t matter how a baby was born, I finally had something more to base it on. The feeling of overwhelming joy and awe was exactly the same as it was when I first held my other two boys, even though I needed a little kick start to get to the moment this time.

THE BETTER PLAN

Later in the day, Brad and I would compare notes on how much better God’s plan was than mine.

For one, from what my doctor said when she checked me at her office, it is very likely that I would have gone into labor on my own within a day or so had we not had the pre-eclampsia worry there. (By the way, I tested negative for pre-eclampsia, but they did have to keep a watch on my blood pressure throughout my hospital stay.) Anyway, our weather was being properly wintery that week, that day especially, with the night of my induction having wind chills below zero and icy road conditions. Had I gone into labor that night, we would have had to deal with that not only on our way to the hospital, but also with dropping our boys off with their grandparents.

Also, with as quickly as my labor progressed, had we waited until my contractions were about 5 minutes apart to go to the hospital, we could have been cutting it close to get everyone and everything out the door, drop off the boys, and get to the hospital (in the nasty weather) before Isaiah arrived.

Not only was it cold, but there was also a full moon that night. The maternity ward at the hospital was crazy busy, so much so that we didn’t get to our postpartum room until late afternoon, even though Isaiah was born in the morning. With being induced, though, I was already in my spot in the labor and delivery side when it came time to deliver. 🙂

The timing also worked out well for our boys and Brad’s parents, with whom the boys were staying. Thanks to the yucky weather, Elijah had snow delays for two of the three days we were in the hospital, which meant he didn’t have to be at school nearly as early as normal. That definitely made for easier mornings for them, as well as more time together.

And of course, there’s that whole giving me a chance to trust God thing. Had my labor and delivery gone according to my plan, I might have relied more on my previous experiences and knowledge to get through it rather than finding my strength in God. Often times, having “been there and done that,” we think we can do things at least a little bit on our own.

So even though my birth plan went a little off script, it was exactly as it was supposed to be. Because of that, Isaiah’s birth story will always be a reminder to me that trusting God over ourselves brings us the peace we need in any situation, even when things happen differently than we want them to. God always has our best in His plan.

Our sweet little Isaiah is definitely one of the best of the bests that He has given to us. 
Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story That Didn't Quite Follow My Birth Plan. Life in Lape Haven. I thought I was ready for the birth of our third child until things didn't go quite as planned. Thankfully, God is always in control, and His plans are even better than our own.

Picture courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.

 

Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story That Didn't Quite Follow My Birth Plan. Life in Lape Haven. I thought I was ready for the birth of our third child until things didn't go quite as planned. Thankfully, God is always in control, and His plans are even better than our own.

Our first family picture

Welcoming Isaiah: A Birth Story That Didn't Quite Follow My Birth Plan. Life in Lape Haven. I thought I was ready for the birth of our third child until things didn't go quite as planned. Thankfully, God is always in control, and His plans are even better than our own.

 

Birth photography pictures courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.


 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

4 Things That Helped Me Through 2 Unmedicated, Natural Deliveries

We Prayed, He Answered

5 Tips & Tricks I’ve Learned with  My 3rd Baby that I Wish I’d Known with My 1st

10 Items that Helped Us Adjust to Life with a New Baby

Having a Second Child: The Amazing Multiplication of Love

 

What Will Be in My Hospital Bag?

February 14, 2017
1 Comment
Life in Lape Haven: What Will Be In My Hospital Bag? Labor, Deliver, & Postpartum Stay. With my experiences from two previous hospital deliveries, here's a list of what I'm packing for my labor, delivery, & postpartum stay in the hospital this third pregnancy.
So, here I am, sitting at about 38-1/2 weeks pregnant, knowing that both of our boys were born at exactly 39 weeks and that my doctor would prefer that this little guy follow that trend… and yet I still don’t have my hospital bag packed.

With keeping up with our boys and everyday life, plus trying to prepare ahead for Christmas with a newborn, the hospital bag is more a list than a reality right now.

I know. This is totally our third kid.

I remember with my first pregnancy having my bag ready early, just like the books and websites all suggested, and even with my second time around, we were prepped by 37 or 38 weeks, as much as we could be. What couldn’t be packed ahead of time was written down on a sticky-note and stuck to the matching bag, so we knew exactly what we needed to grab when it was time to go.

And we’re working our way to that point this week, all the while hoping that Baby #3 really does stick with the trend of arriving on the exact day that I’ll be 39 weeks, rather than coming even earlier.

Life in Lape Haven: What Will Be In My Hospital Bag? Labor, Deliver, & Postpartum Stay. With my experiences from two previous hospital deliveries, here's a list of what I'm packing for my labor, delivery, & postpartum stay in the hospital this third pregnancy.

Picture courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.

But since I do at least have my list, I thought I’d share it with you because I’ve added things I didn’t have the first time or two, and I’m sure there are things that I took before that I know I won’t need to bother with.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you use those links.)

LABOR & DELIVERY BAG

Okay, first off – I do make up two separate bags: one for immediate use with labor and delivery, and one for our postpartum stay in the hospital. This was a suggestion from the hospital from our very first trip to labor and delivery, and it works very well.

In the delivery bag, you want anything that you are going to need for the actual labor and delivery or up until they get you settled in your postpartum room after baby’s arrival.

The Bag – For me, I don’t need a lot for my delivery, but most of what I’ll take in will be going in my Kelly Moore diaper/camera bag (the Libby). I got this bag as a diaper bag when Josiah was little, and I love it. It fits everything I need when I’m out and about with my kids, but it also provides a space (and protection) for my camera and lenses. For the hospital trip, it will be more delivery bag than diaper bag, but once we’re home, it’ll be stuffed with diapers, wipes, changing pad, changes of clothes for the baby, diaper cream, toys, my nursing cover, snacks, keys, cell phone, wallet, camera, etc.

Robe – Because we all know hospital gowns aren’t the coziest or the covering-est, and I plan on doing some walking through the halls while I’m laboring.  Of course, once we get closer to delivery, the robe can easily come off.  You can purchase special delivery gowns to wear at the hospital, but I’m fine with possibly getting the hospital’s gown messy rather than something I brought with me and will have to clean later. For comfort and modesty, I’ll use my robe.

Slippers – Again, walking helps when you’re in labor, and my slippers have always been right there with me. I’ve gotten the same kind of slippers for years, even before I was married, to wear around the house, especially during the winter: Dearfoam Matte Spandex Ballet Slippers. I definitely don’t want to be walking around the hospital in socks, or worse, barefoot.

Nursing Bra & Pads – One thing that I didn’t know when Elijah (my first ) was born, was that I could nurse him pretty much immediately after delivery. I had no clue at that point what I was doing when it came to breastfeeding, besides knowing that I wanted to, so I waited until we were in our postpartum room before the nurse helped me feed him. With Josiah, I was better educated, and he was a way better eater, so he nursed as soon as they had his initial measurements in the delivery room. While my milk usually doesn’t come in before delivery, I’d rather be prepared with my Bamboobies nursing pads from the get-go. They are the absolute best nursing pads ever. (I used disposable ones of every kind with Elijah, and not only hated them but dealt with clogged ducts numerous times. With Josiah, I decided to try the washable Bamboobies and never had those problems. Plus they are so comfy and don’t leak!)

Life in Lape Haven: What Will Be In My Hospital Bag? Labor, Deliver, & Postpartum Stay. With my experiences from two previous hospital deliveries, here's a list of what I'm packing for my labor, delivery, & postpartum stay in the hospital this third pregnancy.

Birth Plan(ish) – With Elijah, I had printed out a birth plan with all my ideals for delivery checked off. As a first-time mom, though, the on-call doctor wasn’t impressed, even mocking me at one point because I was so determined to deliver as naturally as possible. She doubted me…until I proved her wrong. 🙂 When Josiah’s delivery came around, I didn’t print anything off, but I was much more confident and vocal about what I needed and didn’t, and the doctor (same one as Elijah’s delivery) now knew me and was fine with going along with my wishes. This time I should have my own doctor at the delivery, and we’ve already discussed how I hope this birth goes, so we’re all in on “the plan.” Of course, as with any delivery, I know to be flexible and listen to my doctor’s advice for the safety of my baby.

Camera – My good camera, charged and with a cleared memory card is an absolute must, even if it’s my hubby or mom taking pictures and not me. Capturing those first precious moments with my little guy are priceless.

Baby Book – Because we don’t want to miss getting his little footprint in it. We may not fill out the whole book over the next year or two, but those prints will be there! 🙂

Life in Lape Haven: What Will Be In My Hospital Bag? Labor, Deliver, & Postpartum Stay. With my experiences from two previous hospital deliveries, here's a list of what I'm packing for my labor, delivery, & postpartum stay in the hospital this third pregnancy.

Cell Phone with Charger – Not only do we need to be ready to let family and friends know when our little guy is officially here, but I may just play some music this time around during labor. I’ve never wanted a playlist or anything before, but I might this time. Having our Amazon Prime account means that I can stream whatever music I’m in the mood for, whether it’s calming and encouraging praise and worship or as I’ve joked (but may totally do it) – Christmas music.   Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

Snacks for Hubby – Some doctors say, “Let the momma eat during labor,” and others don’t allow it. I’ve never really been hungry during labor, anyway, so beyond the popsicles that the hospital provided, I didn’t need anything. Brad, on the other hand, might want a granola bar or two to get him through, depending on when we end up at the hospital and how long the process takes this time. I’d rather have him there beside me than traipsing through the halls looking for a vending machine or headed to the cafeteria!

HOSPITAL BAG

Once baby is born, and we’re all snug in our own little room, I’ll need my main hospital bag. Beyond the usual clothes and toiletries of any overnight stay, I plan to pack:

Nursing Gown – I purchased a Dressed to Deliver Gown that can be worn for either a hospital delivery gown, a nursing gown, or even a maternity dress. As I said before, I don’t plan to wear it for the actual delivery, even though it’s really comfy, because I don’t want to risk getting it messy and then not having it to wear during the rest of my hospital stay. I’d much rather have it as a nursing gown, especially since it has snaps on the shoulders that make it perfectly designed for kangaroo care skin-to-skin. Not many nursing gowns offer that.

Life in Lape Haven: What Will Be In My Hospital Bag? Labor, Deliver, & Postpartum Stay. With my experiences from two previous hospital deliveries, here's a list of what I'm packing for my labor, delivery, & postpartum stay in the hospital this third pregnancy.

Extra Undies – I have learned from my previous two deliveries that those awesome mesh panties from the hospital are so one-size-fits-all that they don’t stay comfortably in place for me. So, I end up wearing a pair of my own over them, to keep them a bit more snug and secure.

Pillow & Throw – I always take my own pillow because it’s more comfortable, and I know I’m going to need the best possible rest I can manage (haha- in the hospital!) Tip: Make sure you use a pillowcase that isn’t plain white. That way it doesn’t get mixed up with the hospital bedding. I’m also planning to add my flannel throw into the suitcase this time around because I hate being cold, and I always seemed to be during my last two stays.

Dry Shampoo – This is a new one. I didn’t discover the awesomeness of dry shampoo until last year, when I had to start taking Elijah to school and picking him up every day. Before then, I was staying home with our two boys most days, so if I didn’t get to wash my hair for a day or two, no one noticed. However, having this on-hand at the hospital, when I may not get to (or feel like) getting a shower immediately after delivery or before visitors come, will help me feel a little more pulled together.

Small Mirror – Having a small stand-up mirror available to touch up or do my makeup and hair at the hospital bed is always helpful.

Goodies – While our hospital always provides new mommas with a constant supply of snacks and treats during their stay, I’ll also be taking along the goodies that came in my Amazon Baby Registry Welcome Box.

FOR BABY

So far, everything I’ve listed has been primarily for me. But what about our newest addition?

For him, we’re packing a few long-sleeve side-snap shirts (good for not rubbing on the tender umbilical cord, and yes, the hospital has them but usually in sizes too big), mittens (my kids have always scratched their little faces as newborns), socks (not sure they’ll stay on), sleep gowns (we love those for the first few weeks because they make diaper changes so easy), & a coming home outfit (two, in fact – one newborn size and one 0-3 months, just in case he’s a bigger boy). Of course, we’ll also have the car seat along with a carseat cover (I call it our “hot potato” because it’s silver and keeps our babies warm).

That’s my list. Now all I have to do is make sure I get it all packed and ready in the next few days before this little guy decides to make his arrival. 🙂

Is there anything you would add? What was the best thing you packed in your hospital bag?