LilSugar

When Do You Turn Off the Baby Monitor For Good?

BabyCenter — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:32:46 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Kristina Sauerwein about outgrowing the baby monitor.

My friend posed this question on Facebook: “At what age did you detach yourself from the monitor with your child?” She was wondering if she should get rid of the baby monitor for her 4-year-old son who “sleeps with his door open…(and has been) talking/yelling in his sleep soooo much lately, (she) was up almost hourly to check on him.”

I left a comment telling her to retire the baby monitor. Honestly, I never really used our baby monitor much. My husband and I slept upstairs on the same floor as our kids, and I am the type of sleeper who would wake up if one of my baby’s coughed loudly. A monitor by my bedside would have revved my mind and kept me awake. Every little stir would have me evaluating my baby’s well-being and I would spiraled into an motherhood-OCD-worrywart hell.

Besides, as one mom said in my friend’s Facebook comments, if a baby’s stirs or cries are important enough, you’ll know.

That said, we did place a baby monitor in our basement since our baby slept two floors up. But even then, I could hear important cries sans monitor.

As for a video monitor, that would’ve wired me to no end so I never bothered. My friend said she used to watch it so obsessively, her dreams would be about her baby on the video monitor. Another friend said she watched the video monitor until she noticed her toddler boy could only get to sleep if he played with his private part and she just didn’t want to know that.

I will say there are two things I liked about the auditory baby monitor:

Once my husband and I heard another couple in our so-called perfect town fighting about stupid things such as his overgrown nose hairs and her annoying food-chomping habits. We had no idea who these people were so it was rather amusing and we took it as free entertainment. I know, it was immature and bad of us but it was a train-wreck-we-had-to-watch moment.
I never did this but I always wanted to turn the baby monitor on when my husband and his friends played cards, drank beer and watched back-to-back football games. After all the guys left, I’d ask my husband what they all talked about and he’d say “nothing.” Nothing? For six hours? I don’t buy it and so I always threatened to eavesdrop via baby monitor. My husband said all I’d hear is a lot of gas passing.

So tell me: Did you use a baby monitor? What kind? When did you ditch it? Did you ever eavesdrop on anyone or have any funny baby-monitor mishaps?

More great stories from BabyCenter.com:
3 simple holiday cookies to make with your kids
Do you force your baby to nap?
Does working make you a better mom?
9 Hanukkah crafts for kids
Kids birthday parties at home: Yay or Nay?

Source: Flickr User kona99

OnSugar Blog: An iPhone App Perfect For Moms

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:05:13 PST

Lots of moms like to think out loud and Melissa-Emily is one of them. On her Life Beyond Base blog she highlights the baby products that make her life easier. Here is her latest post.

Who says you need to have a baby monitor when you have an iPhone? For moms who have an iPhone this BabyPhone App is perfect; not only does it work as a baby monitor but it will also call you on another phone once your child has awakened! For just $2.99 this is a fab deal compared to expensive baby monitors!

Want to see more? Start following Life Beyond Base or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just might feature your content on our site!

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Another Baby on Our Monitor!

babysugar — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:00:48 PDT

Video baby monitors are a parent's security blanket. We took ours along on a recent visit to grandma's house. After putting our tot down for the night, we visited with family and friends well into the night. After checking our son one last time, we retired to bed and drifted off to sleep. A few hours later, I heard a noise and quickly tapped the button on the monitor to find a perfectly content lil girl curled up in a crib. My heart skipped a few beats as I raced down the hallway to find my child peacefully sleeping in his makeshift nursery. It seems my parents' next-door neighbors recently welcomed a baby girl and were using the same monitor as we were.

Have you ever picked up a neighbor's child on your monitor?

OnSugar Blog: Sleep Separation Anxiety

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:00:56 PDT

Lots of moms think out loud, and Celestialkat does too. Sleep Separation Anxiety comes from the From the Mind of a First Time Mom blog at OnSugar.

I'm typing this next to a baby monitor, listening to the sound of rain being transmitted with just a touch of static. And I'm resisting the urge to sneak downstairs. Our little girl is getting good at sleeping through the night, so we're trying her out in her crib. I've never felt so far away from her since she was born. This includes the times when she's stayed with her grandparents.

I just snuck a peek at her, she's sleeping peacefully, probably loving the fact that she's no longer as cramped as she is in the moses basket or her bassinet. Me? I probably won't sleep through the night, convinced that every little sigh and sound is her realizing that she's in a room all by herself.

Maybe I'll sleep on the floor...just for this one night...

Want to see more? Start following OnSugar blog From the Mind of a First Time Mom or start your own OnSugar blog. We may just feature your content on LilSugar.

When Did You Retire the Baby Monitor?

babysugar — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:00:00 PDT

When is a parent monitoring their child and when does it become voyeuristic? Baby monitors make keeping tabs on lil ones a piece of cake with their ability to capture the sights and sounds that come out of newborns' rooms. While many mamas become addicted to keeping an eye on their tots through their video monitors, others blame the lil machines' lights and buzzing sounds for denying them a restful night's sleep.

Once babies are sleeping through the night on a regular basis, some parents turn the monitors off for good. Others keep them going well past the toddler years, citing a desire to know what is their wee ones are doing when the door is closed. When did you retire the baby monitor for good?

Mommy's Lil Helper: Baby Monitor For Your iPhone

LilSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:00:48 PST

Baby monitors can act as a mama's second set of eyes and ears, but when you're on the go and your lil one needs a nap you can still keep tabs on her while she sleeps with the Baby Monitor application for iPhone ($5). Simply place your iPhone near your sleeping baby, and if it detects noise it will place a phone call to the number of your choice (like the land line at your best friend's house). You can then listen in for activity from your tot - the super smart program will also detect if your babe picks up the phone.

Sold? Download it from iTunes, and check out other great iPhone applications for parents and parents-to-be.

How To: Get Your iPad Ready For Resale

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:48:28 PST

If the rumors are true, the iPad 3 should be announced in March. If you're ready to upgrade from your first-gen iPad or iPad 2, now's the time to start thinking about selling. But before you post a listing on Craigslist or eBay, get all your ducks in a row first. Here's a few tips on how to prep your gadget for resale, and get top dollar for your efforts.

Back up your data and do a clean sweep - First thing's first - make sure you connect your iPad to iTunes and back up all of your data. You'll be able to sync it with your new iPad after you bring it home. And just like a computer, before you sell your old tablet, you'll want to wipe it clean of any sensitive information, apps, and contact lists. Erasing all of your content and settings (go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) is great, but go ahead and perform a full restore in iTunes as well.
Polish the exterior - Cleaning your old iPad is kind of like cleaning your LCD monitor - you don't want to use any harsh chemicals or, even more damaging, water. Using a tried-and-tested cleaner like iKlear ($30) will ensure you won't damage your iPad's sensitive bits. Use the included microfiber cloth (or one of your own) and shine that baby up.

To see the rest of my list, including tips on how to get your gadget sold quickly online, just keep reading.

Labor Pains: 7 Ways to Ease the Pain of Labor

BabyCenter — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:37:43 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Nancy Johnson Horn about tips for easing labor pain.

I remember going into labor over 6 years ago with my first child. When my water broke 11 days early I couldn’t remember a thing, other than "pick a focus point on the wall" and breathe.

But there’s more you can do to make labor go a little smoother. Recently, I spoke to Hope Garland, an Affiliated Bradley Instructor, www.blossombirth.net, who recommended these amazing tips. So, if you’re weeks or days away from childbirth - don’t panic, just print out (or bookmark it on your smartphone) this post so you can reference it when you go into labor.

Pack in the protein: If you were about to run a long marathon, would you eat only ice chips? No. You need to eat a protein-rich meal. It will give you the stamina needed for labor (plus many hospitals won’t let you eat once you check in anyway). Make a plan to either keep something in the fridge/freezer/cupboard or know where you can go to get your marathon meal.
Don’t fight gravity: Remain upright as long as possible. Walk around or sit up, but don’t lie on your back. (Yes, that’s really me in the pic, before I found out I should be walking around.)
Hydrate thyself: Pack (and use) a water bottle. If you properly hydrate yourself during labor, you’ll increase your energy output by as much as 30%. Also, if you can keep drinking water, you may not need an IV that will really restrict your mobility. That’s when the ice chips and clear liquids can also help.
Breathe using your abdomen: Normal abdominal breathing increases relaxation, which you’re really going to need. Chest and patterned breathing may fool your body into stress mode, and you don’t want that.
Take a virtual chill pill: You’ve got to stay relaxed. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. If music helps, bring a preloaded playlist on your iPod, locate a focal point in the room and breathe. Banish as much negative energy as possible. While it’s not easy, stay as relaxed as you can through contractions – it will let your body do what it’s supposed to do.
Move around during labor: There are a variety of positions for labor. Try to change positions so you’re not in one place for too long. Speak to the nurse about how you can be monitored and still move around. Bring slippers for those lovely grippy hospital socks so you can walk the halls.
Make sure you have support and loving encouragement: Having your husband, partner, or trained birth partner can make a big difference. That support will do more for you than any amount of medication!

Do you have any tips to make labor a little easier? What did or didn’t work for you?

More great stories from BabyCenter.com:
Quantity or quality time: Which matters more?
Five reasons you need the Origami Stroller - now!
The three greatest dangers for baby are . . .
Seven ways to spread the love this Valentine's Day
What do you say to pushy parents?

Source: Flickr User bradleygee

5 Great Tech Finds For Moms and Kids at CES 2012

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:47:38 PST

If you thought the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week was about products for geeks, you were right - geeky moms, that is! The integration of technology and parenting is more exciting than ever before as programmers and engineers are setting their sights on moms who can't put down their smartphones. From wireless video baby monitors that you can view on your phone to plush animals that turn your iPhone into a toy, here are some of the newest tech products for moms and kids!

The Rise of the Fetus Party: Why Midwives Are Concerned

Natasha Dantzig — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:37:53 PST

What the fetus! For many expectant parents, routine ultrasounds are one of the things looked forward to most throughout the pregnancy process, offering an incredible glimpse at the eagerly anticipated bundle of joy within. The last couple of years have seen an increase in both the use and popularity of 4D ultrasounds, which provide an almost eerily realistic image of the baby-to-be.

Though parents are understandably delighted by these scans - OMG he has your nose! - creating one more photographic keepsake is not their intended use, which is to monitor the baby's development and ensure that everything looks good medically. Yet the use of these scans has taken a quick departure from their medical origins, with "fetus parties" - where parents-to-be invite friends and family to gaze upon the 3D and 4D scans - becoming more and more commonplace.

While everyone can appreciate why expectant parents are so excited to show off and share these lifelike images of their unborn baby with family and friends, not everyone in the medical community thinks it's such a great idea. In a column for the BBC, Professor Cathy Warwick, chief executive at The Royal College of Midwives, discusses her concern about the growing popularity of "fetus parties": "I think the worrying trend towards the commercialization of pregnancy and trend in 'fetus parties' can add to the burden, and can increase the expectation for mothers, which midwives then have to deal with.”

Did you have a fetus party?