DC Metro Mom

Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

As I close in on my due date, I have been hot on the trail of a rug for my nursery.  I wanted to do something different than PB Kids as I feel as though I have been down that path many times with other rooms I have put together for my 6 year old daughter.

I guess it has been a while...as I was a bit shocked that the prices have really gone up.  Plus...this time I needed an 8x10 versus a 5x8.  The search began.  I am going to show you some of my options.  I considered quality, reviews, sources, prices, possible coupon codes, etc.  I worked every angle before finally pulling the trigger.  I share this with those that are searching for any piece of furniture online.  This need not merely apply to a nursery rug.

Happy New Year!!!! It's been awhile since I've blogged. Between the holidays, preschool holiday parties, winter break, sick kids, family in town, like most of you, I've been swamped.

I was just thinking the other day as I was cleaning out my pregnancy/baby books (since my guy turns 18 months on the 10th -sniff, sniff) about the books that I found helpful and not so helpful. This is just my opinion and you can use some of these suggestions as you build your library of baby/parenting books.

1) "What to Expect your Baby's First Year" (or some version of a first year book): This is so helpful in so many ways. One, it gives you information about what your baby is doing developmentally, how much they should be eating, pooping, sleeping, etc. It also provides guidelines for how much and what types of medicine should be given for different symptoms (of course always consult your pediatrician before giving medicine if you have questions). The book gives information on the types of vaccines, common childhood illnesses, how to give your newborn a bath, umbilical cord care, etc. I remember cracking open this book countless times with my first and second children. The only thing I will caution is to not get too hung up on developmental milestones. You can drive yourself crazy wondering "why won't my baby pick up a raisin with a pincer grasp"......but all babies do things on their own time schedules. Use it as a general guideline.

2) Some kind of Breastfeeding book a la "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding": If you plan on nursing your little one it's a good idea to have a breastfeeding book on hand to use as a reference. Even if you take a breastfeeding class (which I also recommend) you will have questions later on. What many people don't tell you is that breastfeeding isn't always as easy as it looks. It takes practice, patience, and luck all together. Borrow a book from a friend if you can. It really will help you if you are having some difficulties or symptoms of mastitis, etc. Also, have on hand the name and phone number of either your hospital's lactation consultant or a private consultant. You never know if you might need it and you don't want to be searching for the info while seriously sleep deprived with engorged breasts.

3) "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp; This book is wonderful for suggestions for dealing with your brand new baby. Your baby will try you in ways that you've never imagined. Dr. Karp gives wonderful suggestion for how to soothe your newborn into blissful sleep. Buy or borrow the book or it's companion DVD. Have a few designated swaddling blankets or large receiving blankets around for swaddling your newborn.

4) "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth or "Good Night, Sleep Tight" by Kim West aka the Sleep Lady: I think it is so useful to have a good sleep book on your bookshelf. I had no idea about newborn and baby sleep patterns before I had a baby besides the fact that I wouldn't be getting much sleep anytime soon. It would have helped me if I had at least glanced at a sleep book before I brought my baby home. It was only by the time that I brought my third one home and reading cover to cover both of these sleep books that I really understood newborn and baby sleep. I do think some of it is luck of the draw however, I am convinced that the reason my little guy Alex became such a fabulous sleeper early on was because I knew how to read his cues, how to swaddle effectively, and what habits not to start.

You will continue to add books to your parenting arsenal but I think this is a good place to start prior to bringing home your little one. I'd love to hear what books others found useful for the first couple of months.

Cross posted on http://www.nurseryknowitall.com/blog.php.

It's been awhile since I've gotten the chance to write. Between a visit with the in-laws, days off from preschool, and the removal of my wisdom teeth, October has been a busy month but I'm back to give some advice on designing a nursery.

You probably want to start working on your nursery design and look when you are about 5 months along at the latest. Before you get started try and imagine the look and feel you want your nursery to convey. Do you like the classic looks a la toile or are you into clean lines with a modern flair? Baby furniture and bedding has come a long way in the past couple of years. Take a look at websites or stores and get an idea of what is out there. If you aren't finding out the sex of your baby beforehand it is still fun to design and decorate a gender neutral nursery (I've done it twice before).

Carefully measure the room and think about what pieces you really need. Obviously you will need a crib and a changing table or dresser that you use as a changing table. I personally would go with the latter as you'll get more use out of a dresser. All you need to convert the dresser to a changing table is the pad and some baskets to place your diapers, wipes, lotions, diaper cremes, etc. If you have the space then a bookcase and/or a glider can finish off the room. Don't go overboard buying furniture before the baby comes. The baby stores can make you feel like you need the matching armoire and tall bureau when you probably don't. You'll need to decide what color of wood you want the furniture in or you can mix and match within reason. With my first, I used an antique white crib that my friend was done with and then bought a yellow dresser and tall bookcase (think buttery yellow, not neon!).

If storage may be a problem, you can always convert a closet with an ELFA-type closet system (The Container Store) or get the professionals in to create additional space. Consider hanging up things like sleepers if you need the drawer space to hold towels, wash cloths, blankets, etc. The bookcase will come in handy for all of those books your little one will collect. It is also great for displaying stuffed animals, picture frames, and hold baskets for containing toys, etc.

If you want your furniture to come in prior to your baby's arrival, you should order it 3-4 months before your due date. There are good furniture lines at several price points. Spend what you can afford. I know it's easy to get sucked in to feeling like you must have it or your baby won't be happy.......just not so! Just make sure that you purchase furniture that is made from good quality wood, bonus if it is manufactured in North America or Europe as the quality tends to be better. Pull the drawers out to make sure they don't catch. Most of all, have fun and be creative. This is a room you will spend a plethora of time in so you want to love it!

Cross posted on http://www.nurseryknowitall.com/blog.php.

Want to dress up a room with a little drama, check out Blik.com. Blik is a really cool web site that I discovered in Better, Homes and Gardens. Blik makes self-adhesive wall decals. Before you envision Junior's collection of Elmo stickers, you must check out the website.

Blik has a whole range of wall decals that can affix to any flat surface including: walls, mirrors, ceilings, tabletops and even floors. The products runs the gamut from fun Blikids looks to high end applicaques. I am totally infatuated with the "Blik Iron Vines". I think it would lend itself nicely to a funky home office or unique guest room. The nicest part of Blik, you can remove the decal when your mode changes or you move onto your next destination.

See more at www.WhatisBlik.com.