Baby Dickey

Bravado Spring Sale: coupon code

babydickey — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:54:59 +0000

This sale isn’t being announced until tomorrow, but bloggers and their readers are getting it early so we can be first in line to get the sizes we need! Sale ends Monday, March 15th.

Find Me Book giveaway

babydickey — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:08:26 +0000

A few weeks ago, Find Me Book (Kinzie Jones, mom of 4!) started following me on twitter. I always check out all my new followers and when I clicked on their website, I just had to have their book. Such a cute idea! It’s like the “Where’s Waldo” books, but a lot more fun and personal. You get to upload 6 pictures of your family, friends or pets and then you get to choose which 11 scenes your faces are hidden in. I used: myself, the hubby Steve, the baby Ryan, our 2 cats Oscar and Aasa… and I was one face short so I used my grandpa, that passed away 3 weeks before Ryan was born. The 6 faces you choose are shown on the cover and also on every page so you remember what you’re looking for. Here’s ours:

(Sorry for crappy picture quality, these were taken on my iphone. You can see a sample book on their website.) I had fun choosing my 11 scenes too… some fun ones:

This one is probably my favorite. In all the other scenes, the faces are hidden and camouflaged. But in this one, they’re all right out in the open… you just have to search the cars for them! Check out baby Ryan on the left in the red car–too cute!! And hubby Steve is in the bottom right car. I’m on the other page (not shown) with a pig in my back seat

How hot is my husband with that hairdo?! Haha. The one of Ryan on a $100 bill is even cuter. Some of the scenes are hard… I had trouble finding my cat Oscar in a lot of them! But it was FUN! My mom was over when the book arrived and we sat there together going through every page, finding every face. Then Steve’s mom came over and she went through it too. I think we forgot this was a gift for Ryan (which I’m sure he’s going to love when he’s old enough… recognizing his family’s and kitties’ faces!)

The website is really interactive. Upload your pictures, crop them, choose your 11 scenes, and preview. The preview function actually let’s you see YOUR images hidden in your scenes so you know exactly what it’s going to look like–awesome.

The book is a hardcover, 8.5 x 11″, and sells for $32.99. Go here: register - to create an account and make your own book! Or WIN here! One reader is going to win their own personalized copy of the Find Me Book.

Mandatory first entry: Visit Find Me Book and tell me who you’d choose for your 6 faces if you win!

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

1 entry – follow me on twitter
1 entry – follow Find Me Book on twitter
1 entry – tweet about this giveaway: “I want to win my own personalized @FindMeBook from @babydickey! http://bit.ly/ctFz47” (can tweet once a day)
1 entry – follow publicly with google friend connect (left sidebar)
1 entry – subscribe to this blog by RSS or email (top right of site)
1 entry – vote for us on Top Baby Blogs just by clicking this link (no other action needed, can be done once a day)
2 entries (leave 2 separate comments) – put my blog button on your site
3 entries (leave 3 separate comments) - blog about this giveaway, leave a link to it
1 entry – enter any of my other current giveaways (one entry per giveaway)

**Giveaway ends March 17th 2010, at 11:59 pm CST. Random.org will be used to choose the winner who will have 48 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!**

Fisher Price Newborn Rock ‘n Play Sleeper review

babydickey — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:23:16 +0000

As a member of Mom Select, I was given the opportunity to review the new Rock ‘n Play Sleeper from Fisher Price. It’s a “nighttime sleeper and playtime seat all in one.” I was super excited for this because Ryan loves sitting in his bouncer, but can’t sleep in it… and loves his bassinet, but can’t really play in it! It arrived today and I put it together as soon as I got home from work…

The directions said you might need 2 people to hold it steady while putting the pieces together, but I did all on my own and had no trouble at all.

It’s the only infant seat that also meets industry safety standards for bassinets… so it can be used for sleeping too. After I put it together and examined it, I seriously fell in love. Here’s why:

It looks comfy–it’s not flat (and kinda hard) like his bassinet, it’s more like a sling.. a cushiony one.
There’s a pocket at the top to hold his pacifier–and I use it to hold a white noise player that helps him sleep
It’s higher off the ground than his bouncer, but low enough that if I put it next to my bed, I can get to him without having to get up (like I have to with the bassinet. SERIOUSLY a huge plus.)
It rocks back and forth
There’s no batteries involved
The seat is slightly inclined which is awesome because if Ryan isn’t tired, he HATES to be put flat on his back
The sides are mesh so it’s breathable
The cushion comes off and is machine washable
It came with a little toy bunny
It folds flat for easy storage and transport. We’ve been hauling around the pack ‘n play and it’s a bit annoying. This will be so much easier!

My only worry….. will Ryan like it?!

Ohhh yea! And here he is playing with the toy it came with… he’s just learning how to hold things in his hands, so he was trying to bring it to his mouth and eat it. Look at that determination on his face, lol.

But the REAL test… could he fall asleep in it?? Nap time was coming up so I thought I’d try it out. His bassinet vibrates and his swing, well, swings! Yes, this Sleeper rocks back and forth, but only if I’m sitting there pushing it…. so I gave him his paci, rocked it a few times and walked away. This is what happened:

True story. You can find it on Amazon for $49.99: Fisher-Price Newborn Rock and Play Sleeper.

*Yes, this Sleeper was shipped to me at no cost for my review. All opinions are my own. The link is an amazon affiliate and if purchased I do get a very small %, which would just help me pay for this blog’s domain name and hosting.

Nightmares

babydickey — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:02:05 +0000

All night I was having dreams about c-sections and people yelling at me. Every time I woke up I tried to replay the dream in my head so that I’d remember it in the morning, but no luck. All I remember are feelings of fear and guilt.

I was terrified of waking up this morning to see any more rude comments on my last post. The first time it happens, I can handle it. When a few more start flowing in, I lose it. My skin is thickening, but I can’t handle it yet. When I open my email and I see something from “Baby Dickey”… a new blog comment… I seriously get knots in my stomach because I’m afraid to look and see if it’s going to ruin my day.

You might ask why I don’t just close comments, but… that’d be a shame because the majority of comments are extremely supportive and helpful to me. I can’t let a few people ruin that. Plus… there’s this thing I strongly believe in called the Constitution and the freedom of speech. I just wish people weren’t so hurtful sometimes–I get they’re defensive, I get they’re trying to make their point, but why attack me in doing so? Over this?

I want to report correct stats and I don’t mind being corrected at all. I’ve also learned my lesson–next time I report something like in my last post, I’ll cite my sources. So let’s have an educated discussion and get all the facts out there… let’s not attack eachother. One of the comments yesterday came from a woman who was also upset with her birth experience, yet she was still “attacking” me. How are we not working together on this? What are we missing? We shouldn’t be fighting eachother. I apologize that my stats upset people, but I did not just make them up, I did read them somewhere. And as soon as I find it again I’ll post it… and if they aren’t correct, that’s fine, we’ll get to the bottom of it.

I don’t want any more c-section nightmares. Honestly, I’m surprised this is the first time I’ve had any….and sadly, they were caused by my anxiety over getting comments on my blog. I write publicly, so I guess I “deserve it.” Ah well. I just don’t want these few negative comments to scare me away from posting about this again in the future…

I rant about my c-sections here because it’s healing to write it out. I don’t expect sympathy. I don’t expect any comments at all. I’m thankful you guys are even reading those posts. So on that note… thank you SO much for all the wonderful comments and all the support. I know I’d be much worse off if it weren’t for all of you. It’s great to know there are others out there who feel the same–or at least understand–and I’m not alone.

I failed at birth, not you. I’ll try to explain…

babydickey — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:04:48 +0000

I was planning on writing another post on my c-section about a week ago because it was bothering me again. Then, randomly, I got quite a few comments from doctors and nurses on my “C-Section Thoughts and Advice” post that was written as part of my birth story. They all came on the same day and I’m not sure how… but it made for one hell of a day for me. I cried all day long, and probably most of the next day too. It brought everything back… and the comments were about how the c-section was MY fault… I couldn’t handle it. Where did these people come from?!

I realize I write my life on here to be exposed to everyone. I expected negative comments on my posts about vaccines, circumcision, epidurals, etc. But I never imagined in a million years that I could be attacked because I was complaining about my unnecessary c-section. Call me naive.

But I can see how people in the medical field would get defensive… especially if they’re one of the few good doctors who would never do such a thing as my OB did to me. They must get tired of being bashed stereotypically all the time. For them, I apologize.

BUT… 1 in 3 women end up with a cesarean. What percentage of c-sections are actually NEEDED? 3%. Three percent. Yet some 33% are given and that number is climbing. It’s SICK. And I just found out that 1 in 3 women experience fertility issues after having a cesarean. When I asked my doctor about the risks of this surgery, WHY didn’t she mention that? 1 in 3 in HUGE. That could either be infertility, miscarriages, or just difficulty becoming pregnant. Either way, I will forever blame myself if I’m part of this 1 in 3.

On to the title of my post… someone I know (in real life) had a c-section about a month after me. But it was elective… she asked for it. She recently wrote to me about how Ryan being here is all that matters and that me being upset about my c-section was upsetting her because cesareans don’t make you any less of a woman. I totally get that… and I don’t want anyone else to feel bad about their surgeries just because I do. Every experience is different. She chose hers, I did not. I feel like I failed, she should not. So I guess this is just a huge, general apology to anyone I may have offended. It is hard to talk with people about this who don’t understand how I’m feeling. I don’t know how to describe it to them to make them feel what I feel. Anyway… I wanted to paste what I replied to this girl… and I have a feeling this blog will become, in the future, a place where I post articles and facts about cesareans and VBACs. There needs to be more awareness. And let me just say, phew it feels good to get this out. I need to write it down every once in awhile. Thanks for bearing with me… because each of my “c-section rant” posts will probably sound the exact same, haha.

Here is my response to her:

Just because I’m upset about MY c-section and I think I’m a failure, doesn’t mean I think the same about others who’ve had c-sections. You chose to have one and had 9 months to mentally prepare. I had less than 2 minutes. A cesarean is major surgery and I wasn’t prepared at all. I didn’t think there was even a slight chance I’d end up with one–and having a natural birth was SO important to me. So yea, I’m a bit traumatized. People describe it as post-traumatic stress syndrome and many women go through post-partum depression because of it. So on that note, I think I’m dealing fairly well. But it’s still really hard and I still cry nearly every day about it.

Yes, having a beautiful and healthy baby boy certainly matters. But it’s not all that matters. Of course I’m extremely happy to have him, but at the same time, I can be extremely sad and upset over my birth. It’s not that I think I’m less of a woman, it’s that I missed out on the natural birth I wanted. On the magical, amazing, possibly once-in-a-lifetime event. And it’s that it wasn’t necessary. If I had NEEDED the c-section, it’d be a different story. I don’t know if you read the birth story on my blog, but Ryan wasn’t in distress, there was absolutely nothing wrong… I was just progressing too slowly and the OB apparently got tired of waiting around. I was at 8 cm.. I was SO close. But she took advantage of the fact that I was new at this (& had no idea what was going on), I was exhausted, I was in pain, and I trusted her. She took advantage of my trust in the medical system (which is pretty much down to zero now). She was not doing what was best for us, as there was nothing wrong at the moment. And she didn’t even say that as a reason for needing the csection. She said she thought he was too big to fit. But I was at +1 station which I later found out means the largest part of Ryan’s head was past the smallest part of my pelvic bone. Meaning he was on his way out and he was not too big to fit. Being an OB, she obviously knew that, but she lied to my face. And when I started sobbing about having a c-section, she just stared at me stone-faced and didn’t say a word. I was feared into it and I was forced into it. And to think about it and replay it (everyday in my mind), makes me shake. Makes me cry. Makes me pissed as all hell.

To some women, it doesn’t matter. But to me, it did. And when people say to me “a healthy baby is all that matters” or “all that matters is he’s here” – it makes me feel worse because I wonder what IS wrong with me that I can’t get past this?! Ryan should be all that matters. But that’s not fair. I didn’t NEED my c-section, I missed out on my birth experience, and I am mourning that, as crazy as that sounds to some people. I can’t help it.

What pisses me off more is that I asked my OB what the risks were of a c-section and she basically blew off my question. And I just found out now that 1 in 3 women have fertility issues after a c-section. If I can’t get pregnant again or I miscarry, I will blame myself all over again… it will all be my fault… because I wasn’t strong enough to say no ONE more time, I didn’t try hard enough, I caved.

I don’t mean to upset you (or others) who’ve also had c-sections. They are wonderful for people who need or want them. That’s just not the way I feel about mine. And no one but Steve and my mom really know what was done to me in that hospital and how the doctors took advantage of us. I’m not sure if your message was supposed to be a kind attempt to make me feel better? or if you just wanted to let me know that I should get over it (“who gives a fuck”) and that I was upsetting you. Either way… it’s not that easy for me. It’s going to take a lot of time. And I wish I could explain it in some way that could make people realize what I feel.

———————

Changing Brains: child development DVD giveaway

babydickey — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:08:53 +0000

The Brain Development Lab at the University of Oregon is led by Dr. Helen J. Neville. She is one of the world’s leading experts in brain development and neuroplasticity and recently made a DVD (Changing Brains) of the latest evidence-based research in brain development for people that care for children.

What makes this DVD different from other child development videos? First, every statement is supported by evidence from credible scientific studies. Second, there are 9 segments specific to different brain systems that affect human behavior and cognition. The idea is that every aspect of development of the brain is shaped by experience (the environment). Being a science/research nerd AND a new mom, I couldn’t wait to watch this.

*Introduction
*Vision
*Hearing
*Motor skills
*Attention
*Language
*Reading
*Math
*Music
*Emotions and learning

*There’s a section at the end of the DVD that lists references for the studies they cite… very cool.

What makes this a great DVD for all parents is that it explains the importance of each of these systems and tells you HOW and WHEN experience shapes that specific system. It told me what’s “normal” for a child and what signs to look for to know when something isn’t right…. for example, if a child doesn’t have perfect vision, they’d never know it because they’ve never been able to see the world any differently. So you need to look for cues that they aren’t seeing correctly because it’s imperative you catch it early on. Same with hearing, etc. Every mama wants to do the best for their baby and this DVD helped me become more confident in my parenting abilities!

Lucky for everyone, you can watch this DVD for free on their website: Changing Brains

If you’d like a hard copy of this DVD, you can buy one for $9.95 and all proceeds go to future production, low-cost distribution and translation into other languages.

Or WIN here! One reader is going to win their own copy of this Changing Brains DVD.

Mandatory first entry: Leave a comment telling me which section of the Changing Brains DVD (listed above) you’re most interested in learning about.

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

1 entry – follow me on twitter
1 entry – tweet about this giveaway: “I want to learn about my baby’s brain development. Win the Changing Brains DVD from @babydickey! http://bit.ly/dxK253” (can tweet once a day)
1 entry – become a fan of Changing Brains on facebook
1 entry – follow publicly with google friend connect (left sidebar)
1 entry – subscribe to this blog by RSS or email (top right of site)
1 entry – vote for us on Top Baby Blogs just by clicking this link (no other action needed, can be done once a day)
2 entries (leave 2 separate comments) – put my blog button on your site
3 entries (leave 3 separate comments) - blog about this giveaway, leave a link to it
1 entry – enter any of my other current giveaways (one entry per giveaway)

**Giveaway ends March 16th 2010, at 11:59 pm CST. Random.org will be used to choose the winner who will have 48 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!**

Easy Expressions pumping bra giveaway

babydickey — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:32:42 +0000

Brilliant Baby Products was created by mommy Kathleen Tomes because she wanted a place to share some awesome mama-must-have-products! I was sent the Easy Expressions hands-free pumping bustier–definitely an awesome new-mama product. I exclusively breastfeed and while I’m at work, I have to pump. I sometimes pump at night too, to build up the milk supply. Pumping is boring. I try to have my iphone on hand so I can check email or twitter, but I’m always having to hold onto the pumps too and it’s annoying!

I have yet to try this out while I’m at work, but I have used it at home. Awesome things about it:

It fits over my nursing bras
It zips up the front so it’s super fast to put on or take off
Allows you to be hands free so you can: play with baby, email, blog, tweet, read… anything!
Fit my breast shields just great
It’s comfy–elastic/stretchy

Unless you wear it under your clothes all day, it’s a bit much to put on because it (obviously) has to go under your shirt. This isn’t a problem if you’re just pumping at home, but I think that’s why I haven’t tried it at work yet… you can see in the picture that the women are wearing a button down, which would make it easier to get on.

Shortly after Brilliant Baby Products sent me this bra for review, Easy Expressions was sold to Medela so they’re no longer being sold on the Brilliant Baby Products website. But they still have extras on hand for a giveaway! One reader will WIN this pumping bustier in white or black (you can check it out here: pumping bra at mom4life)

Mandatory first entry: Leave a comment telling me which other product from Brilliant Baby Products you love!

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

1 entry – follow me on twitter
1 entry – tweet about this giveaway: “#bfing mamas: win an Easy Expressions hands-free pumping bustier from @babydickey! http://bit.ly/bzfSyb” (can tweet once a day)
1 entry – follow publicly with google friend connect (left sidebar)
1 entry – subscribe to this blog by RSS or email (top right of site)
1 entry – vote for us on Top Baby Blogs just by clicking this link (no other action needed, can be done once a day)
2 entries (leave 2 separate comments) – put my blog button on your site
3 entries (leave 3 separate comments) - blog about this giveaway, leave a link to it
1 entry – enter any of my other current giveaways (one entry per giveaway)

**Giveaway ends March 15th 2010, at 11:59 pm CST. Random.org will be used to choose the winner who will have 48 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!**

Undercover Mama nursing tank review

babydickey — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:36:53 +0000

Ask any breastfeeding mama and she’ll tell you that it’s hard work… and it’s almost a whole new wardrobe too. Nursing bras, nursing tanks and tees, undershirts, covers… it can get to be a hassle, especially when nursing in public. Or for me, when pumping at work. I like wearing tank tops under my shirts so that when I lift my shirt to nurse or pump, my belly stays covered. What’s annoying about that is I have to yank the top of my tank top down – or – if it’s a nursing tank, I have to unclip it and then also unclip my nursing bra. It may not seem like a big deal to most, but nursing mamas agree…. it should be simpler.

Then I found Undercover Mama. It’s just like a tank top, except it has no straps or clips… it hooks onto your bra!! Simply genius. So when you go to nurse, you unclip your nursing bra like normal, and the tank folds down with it. No extra snapping or clipping or anything. And your belly stays covered, just like wearing a normal tank.

I was a little worried that the Undercover tank would come unclipped once I folded it down with the bra (creating a bigger hassle than before!), but I haven’t had any issues with that. It’s just one of those normal hooks and you slide it onto your bra strap right under the clasp… here’s a close up:

I received the Cream tank and loooove it… it’s just so handy! They also come in black, brown, and white for $20. If you want one (or 5) for yourself, you can get FREE SHIPPING by emailing Undercover Mama (elena@undercovermama.com) and mentioning my blog, Baby Dickey!! Enjoy!

Daddy’s Tie giveaway

babydickey — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:04:14 +0000

I’m always on the lookout for nice “daddy” things for Steve. It seems like everything is always made for mom! (All the cool stuff anyway ) Then I found Daddy’s Tie… such a sweet idea! You take your own baby’s hands and feet and stamp them on this tie for daddy to wear proudly! The ties come in blue, pink or yellow and are 100% silk. It comes with an ink pad that’s non-toxic, washable and child-safe.

I was sent a blue tie for review and made it in time to give to Steve for Valentine’s Day! Here’s Ryan helping out, all inked-up!

I didn’t do his hands because he still likes to keep them balled up in fists… too impossible to push them flat for handprints! Now… I did have some trouble with the ink. It was a little dry so I had to really rub Ryan’s feet into the ink pad. You can see his feet were well covered! But it was hard for me to stamp the tie too… I would suggest this being a 2-person job when you have a wriggly little baby! I, however, wanted it to be a surprise so I attempted it alone. When I stamped his feet down, I was trying to hold him up and hold his feet down…. So the prints aren’t totally clear, a little smudged, but still cute! They didn’t come out that dark either, I think because the ink seemed dry on his feet–so then I tried adding more ink and re-pressing

Daddy was surprised and he loved it! After stamping, you’re supposed to spray with scotch guard to protect it. Steve is worried about ruining it and wants to keep it hanging up, lol.

You can get a Daddy’s Tie for $29.95 or you can win one here! TWO lucky winners will receive their own tie… one in pink, one in yellow!

Mandatory first entry: Leave a comment telling me which color of tie you’d want if you won–yellow or pink (or either)!

Extra Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.

1 entry – follow me on twitter
1 entry – tweet about this giveaway: “Win a Daddy’s Tie stamped with your child’s footprints! Giveaway at @babydickey’s: http://bit.ly/9RhQrv” (can tweet once a day)
2 entries (leave 2 separate comments) – follow publicly with google friend connect (left sidebar)
1 entry – subscribe to this blog by RSS or email (top right of site)
1 entry – vote for us on Top Baby Blogs just by clicking this link (no other action needed, can be done once a day!)
3 entries (leave 3 separate comments) – put my blog button on your site
3 entries (leave 3 separate comments) - blog about this giveaway, leave a link to it
1 entry – enter any of my other current giveaways (one entry per giveaway)

**Giveaway ends March 11th 2010, at 11:59 pm CST. Random.org will be used to choose the winner who will have 48 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!**

Ryan has the best daddy ever

babydickey — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:58:20 +0000

It’s time I wrote a post for Steve. I know (I’ve heard) that relationships can get really hard after a baby is brought into it. Steve and I have always had a really strong relationship… we dated for 5 years before getting married and have now been married for 2 years this May. I never worried for a second about how our marriage would be affected by having a baby.

But I can see how it happens. Not that anything has happened to us… but once you have a baby, your priorities change. I thought I understood that before, but… I don’t think you REALLY get it (really FEEL it) until you have one. Your goals change, your wants and needs and desires. My main goal before was finding a job in my field and loving my career. Now? I think I could be happy almost anywhere because all that matters is Ryan and providing for him. I’d do anything and I’d be okay with it. Another high priority was Steve. Of course he still is, but he’s fallen on the list, understandably, to Ryan.

Where I think Steve and I work together is that our goals and priorities have both changed. I think some dads have issues with the loss of being priority #1–issues with getting much less attention. But Steve is right there with me, agreeing that Ryan is now absolutely #1 and we will both do whatever we need to for him.

Oh! Great news- Steve got moved to 2nd shift at work! So he sleeps at night like a normal person now But that also means we get to talk for like 10 minutes a day. I get up in the morning and get ready for work… he hands me a lunch on my way out the door and he stays at home with Ryan until I get home around 1:15pm. He leaves for work by 1:30pm (just enough time to let me know Ryan’s sleeping and eating schedule for that morning) and doesn’t get home until around 11pm–by which time I’m already in bed!

Anyway… why is Steve the best Daddy (and husband) ever?

He makes me breakfast & coffee everyday–and usually a lunch to take to work
He records Ryan’s feedings and naps
I find surprise pictures of Ryan on my camera
He makes sure to give Ryan his tummy time (and also records that, haha)
If we’re both home (like on weekends), he always takes Ryan to change his diaper
He supports breastfeeding all the way (which is the main reason he always changes the diaper–because he “needs a job to do too!”)
Is super concerned (more than ME!) about Ryan’s safety/health
Turns into the biggest baby-talker ever when he’s with Ryan (too cute)
Says things like, “Let’s go in the other room, Ryan, mommy needs a break.”
And things like, “Aren’t you a cute sack of potatoes.”
Has gotten totally into going organic/all natural because he thinks it’s the best for Ryan (I think our grocery bill has almost doubled from this, haha)
He has been to all of Ryan’s pediatrician appointments (except this last one bc of work)
He held my hand through the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through (my c-section)
He never complains.

Okay, okay, I realize we’re only 2 months into this… so maybe I should say…. He hasn’t complained YET. haha. But anyway, I think Ryan is one lucky dude and I’m one lucky mama!

Our 1 year wedding anniversary – May 09