Pipe cleaner fun

Oh how I love Parmesan Cheese Containers!

Whoever designed them was probably not thinking "hey this would be perfect for children to use for fine motor activities when the cheese is gone" when they designed it but it sure ended up a winner! I love that it has a cap that can easily be twisted off, a large opening and smaller openings. Perfect for "grading the activity" to meet your child's needs (as we OTs often say).

For this activity I bought some dollar store (fun and brightly colored) pipe cleaners and cut them in half. Then I put them on the floor and showed Joanna how to put them in the container. As you can see, Joanna holds them with a fisted grasp and rotates her wrist in order to get them in the holes. She hasn't quite developed the dexterity yet to use a pincer grasp but that is what we are currently working on. 

Not only does this activity work on grip and pinch, it also works on hand eye coordination. Joanna was challenged a bit at first to lower her hand down right where the hole was. With more practice she was able to get the pipe cleaner straight in the hole without having to move it around at all once she hit the surface.

Tah Dah!!!

We are also working on bilateral hand use and stabilization which you can see her doing here. This is a skill that takes some practice because you are making the brain work hard to do two different things at once. We tend to forget that something as simple as holding the container while putting a pipe cleaner in can be difficult for young brains and bodies and it does take practice!

So Proud!

This was Joanna's first time playing with pipe cleaners so she found their soft texture quite intriguing! Another great sensory experience! Other things you can use in the parmesan cheese containers: cotton balls, q-tips, puffy craft balls, straws, beads, toothpicks, the possibilities are endless!!!

Here is our next step: pipe cleaners cut into 1 inch pieces and placed in a plastic container with holes in the top. Joanna has not developed the pincer skills yet for this activity. We have tried it but it came with lots of frustration and tears. So for now, its just sitting on the shelf waiting for her to pull it off and give it another shot! No rush!

Fun toddler activity

I absolutely love this activity for an active 1 year old who loves to empty things out. One of Joanna's favorite things to do is pull the laundry out of the basket and throw it on the floor. Here is a mini version that and it doesn't involve unfolding my clean laundry and throwing it on the dirty floor!

What we did:

1. Cut up scraps of fabric into 8 inch squares with a pinking shears.

2. Fold squares over each other using the "wipes method"

3. Place the pile of fabric in an empty wipes container

4. Pull the first wipe through the slot and let your kiddo go wild!

Why I love this activity:

1. Works on pinch/grip strength

2. By controlling placement of the container, you can encourage crossing the midline

3. You can teach your child bilateral coordination by helping them learn to stabilize the box with one hand and pull with the other.

4. You can encourage your child to ask for help (or sign help) once the container is empty or if the fabric square doesn't come through the slot.

5. Your child has to practice their waiting skills while you re-fold the fabric

6. This can be a great sensory experience if you use different types and colors of fabric. Some of the fabrics we used were fleece, lace, cotton, suede, swimsuit material, tulle, and minky fleece. Encourage your child to rub them on their arm or face to feel the different textures!

12 Ways to be Successful with Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can be challenging for many, especially for first time moms. Our society is quite hush-hush when it comes to breastfeeding so a lot of moms don't know what to expect. Doing your research ahead of time can help you to be more prepared for what is to come once baby arrives. Here are 12 tips for how to be successful with breastfeeding.

1. Be prepared. Before your baby is born, read up and learn all you can about breastfeeding. If possible, take a class and absorb as much information as you can. How does breastfeeding work? What are possible challenges you might face? What can you do to get past those challenges? What is the best way to boost and maintain your supply? How often will your baby want to feed? How do you know if baby is getting enough to eat? All of these are questions you may face when breastfeeding and for many of them, knowing that they are coming may help you be prepared for how to deal with them.

2. Understand the concept of supply and demand. This is the most important thing you can learn prior to breastfeeding. When your baby demands, your body will produce. If your baby does not demand, your body will not produce. 

3. Trust. Trust your body, trust your baby and trust the diapers. If you are exclusively breastfeeding and you are offering breast when your baby gets fussy, your body is producing enough. If your baby is happy and growing, your body is producing enough. If your baby has 8-10 wet diapers a day, your body is producing enough. Don't second guess your body, trust it.

4. Understand that you may be feeding constantly the first month or so and you may feel like a pacifier. Many moms think that they are not producing enough milk or baby is not getting full when they are wanting to constantly nurse. This is not the case. Unlike bottle feeding, there is an emotional aspect to breastfeeding. Sometimes babies just want to be near mommy or they just want to suck. Sometimes they are so content and comfy nuzzled up to mommy that they fall asleep and forget to eat. This is completely NORMAL and does not mean that baby is not getting enough! Just keep offering the breast and be open to the fact that breastfeeding will be a 24/7 job at first.

5. Find a lactation consultant and use her! Most of the time, they know more than your doctor or pediatrician when it comes to breastfeeding because this is their specialty. I recommend meeting with one while still in the hospital (if possible) to really establish a good latch and ask any questions that you may have. Make sure you have them teach you about sucks and swallows so you can interpret how much your baby is actually eating vs. just sucking for comfort. You should also find out about different nursing positions and practice them with the LC. Have your significant other take pictures of you nursing in the different positions so you can look back on how the baby was supported or the angles they were positioned in later on when you are at home and struggling to remember.

6. Skin to skin time is a must! Get as much skin to skin time as possible, especially in the first few days when you are waiting for your milk to come in. The more exposure baby has to your breast, the more comfortable they will get with it.

7. Breastfeeding comes before visitors. It can be stressful trying to accommodate all the people who want to meet your new little bundle of joy. You may find that baby actually wants to nurse more when there are visitors. They may be overstimulated by the increase in people and activity around them and find your breast the most calming place to be. Request that visitors contact you before visiting and let them know that you may have to step away to nurse (or nurse in front of them if you are comfortable with that) if baby needs it. Don't feel bad taking your baby away from them, your first priority should be getting baby fed! In the hospital, have the nurse put a sign on your door when you are nursing so visitors know to wait until you are done (unless you are comfortable with them being in the room). 

8. Have a support system. Make sure your significant other is on board and knows their role and what they can do to help. Sure, they won't be doing much feeding those first few weeks but they can help you by getting up to change diapers, letting you nap when baby is content, making you food to eat, keeping the house clean, taking care of other children and anything else that needs to be done. Find a support group (face to face or online). Online groups are especially helpful for those times you need support in the middle of the night. Most likely someone else will be up and able to provide you with some kind words and encouragement.

9. When baby eats, milk comes out of you! One mistake that many moms make is letting someone else feed the baby during the night but not pumping while baby eats. Remember supply and demand? If baby is eating and milk isn't coming out of your body, then you are messing with your supply and at risk of losing it. Be prepared to do the majority of feedings especially the first few weeks while building your supply. Learn to nurse in the side lying position (your LC can help you with that) so you can catch some zzzz's while baby is eating. If daddy wants to get up with baby and bottle feed, than you need to get up and pump as well!

10. Drink lots and eat well. This is not the time for dieting! Make sure that you are getting enough healthy calories to support you and baby and you are getting lots of fluids. There are many foods that are great for lactation such as oatmeal. Research these prior to baby being born and have them on hand. Continuing your prenatal vitamin daily (with DHA) is also important. Remember, while breastfeeding, you want 300-500 (healthy) calories per day in addition to your daily recommended intake.

11. Consider baby wearing for hands free nursing. This is a skill that takes some practice and you may want to wait until baby gets the latch down and you are comfortable with it as well. But once the latch is mastered, wearing baby is a great way to get things done while breastfeeding (especially if you have other children running around!). My favorite carriers for breastfeeding a newborn are Ring Slings, the Moby Wrap and the Baby K'tan. 

12. Give it time and stick with it. Remember, breastfeeding usually comes naturally to babies but many do need time to figure it out, and so do you! Understand that it will get easier. At first, baby requires more attention and support and nursing sessions seem to last forever. Eventually, you and baby will get the hang of it and it will become second nature.