I am currently in Toronto with very limited access to the internet. I’ll try to get a blog post up soon, but here is the first post of my “Mommy Must-Haves”, a review of some of the items that have been so useful to me during my short time as a Mom.
On Saturday, Cameron turned nine weeks old. He was two months old on May 6th. In the past two months, I have really come to depend on some things to make my life as a Mommy easier and more enjoyable. Some things go without saying. I couldn’t do this without my wonderfully helpful, loving, and suportive husband. But there are other things that aren’t so obvious that I have really appreciated in these past two months.
My favourite new toy is the Barnes & Noble NOOK eReader. I got it for my birthday in February. I know that ereaders are controversial, especially here in Canada where ereaders aren’t a normal thing yet. Many people just can’t give up seeing that book physically on their shelf. Well, our problem was that we had too many books and not enough shelf space. But that isn’t the reason why this gadget (or another ereader for that case) is a Mommy Must-Have.
An ereader is a must for any nursing Mama who loves to read. As beautiful as breastfeeding is, it can sometimes get boring doing it over and over and over. Reading a conventional book while breastefeeding isn’t very easy because at least one of my hands is constantly occupied holding my baby, and often both hands are required to reposition Cameron. Unless I have a book that can constantly sit open on its own, it is too difficult to breastfeed and read a paperback or hardcover book. With my ereader however, I am able to sit the device on my lap and just use one quick button push or finger swipe to turn the page. Only one hand is needed to use the ereader, and it is only needed for seconds at a time, leaving my hands free to hold onto my baby.
The nook is a great ereader, and has just been updated to include games (sudoku and chess) and a web browser. But it isn’t the only option. There is also the Amazon Kindle, Sony Readers, and Chapters has just released a more economical choice in the Kobo eReader.
My second and final Mommy-Must-Have for the day is Green Works Natural Cleaning Wipes. Even with a new baby, we still enjoy entertaining and having people over for dinner. But despite being a stay-at-home mom, I have not been able to grasp the “homemaker” role yet. Our house gets messy quickly. Some days, I have needed to clean the house, get groceries, and make dinner, all the while trying to soothe a crying baby. I could not do it without these cleaning wipes. I can hold Cameron in one arm and wipe down the bathroom, the kitchen counters, the stove, and the sink with the other hand. I also appreciate that there isn’t too strong of a smell associated with these wipes. I feel okay cleaning with them around my baby because they are natural.
I know that I probably sound like a advertisement, and that is not my aim. Trust me, I am not getting any reimbursement for this (I Wish!). I’m just trying to help out other moms by letting them know what has been helpful and useful for me as I’ve been taking care of my baby.
