Salsa, Baby!

by Krista My second child was born in the month of November, just as winter was settling upon us. I had grand plans to go for daily walks, and spend as much time outside as I had with my first born, but the fact that winter is COLD and the reality of having two children under two set in pretty quickly. It was much harder to keep both happy outside than I thought, and we didn't go out as much as I liked. I missed the exercise, and the interacting with other moms and babes as I walked through the neighbourhood.

A friend of mine suggested that I join a Salsa Babies class with her, as it would give me an opportunity to get out and exercise with my little girl, and interact with some other new parents. I was interested, but not convinced, as I am not a dancer, and have no rhythm at all. The classes we took were offered through Salsa Babies Ottawa-Gatineau, who offer a free trial class before you commit. All it took was that one class and I was hooked, signing up for several sessions that lasted long past the end of winter. The classes weren't a difficult workout, but they got me moving, and my little Goose loved them.  The sessions were six weeks long, and cost $80.

It is recommended that you start the classes when your child is at least 6-8 weeks old, or at least has some pretty decent head control. You need to have a carrier that you will be comfortable in for about 45 minutes, keeping in mind that you will be dancing around for the duration of the class. I was happiest in a baby bjorn, but there were a variety of other carriers in use. You also need to dress comfortably, and have runners or other indoor shoes, as you are moving around, and tend to get warm (especially with a warm baby attached to you!)

The music is also great. Salsa music is lively and uplifting, and was pretty much guaranteed to make me smile. Goose also love the music, the tempo, and all the fancy maracas she got to play with. The music and the movement were also great for soothing her if she was cranky, sometimes when teething she even slept through the entire class!

One of my big concerns with signing up was my complete lack of skill when it comes to dancing, but this really wasn't a problem with the classes. It is expected that you are not able to dance when you sign up, and you are taught the basics right at the beginning. They then review them every week. The three or four different dances are broken down into simple steps, so that you are not overwhelmed each week, and that you can build on what you have learned. If you are like me and you turn left when you should turn right, and move back instead of forward, you just laugh a lot, enjoy the great music and do what you can do.

Goose and I, having fun!

Krista is married to Willy and mom to a 4 year old son, Woo, and 2 year old daughter Goose. You can find her at Life in the Hutch or on Twitter @kgraydonald

Budsie Shares His Porridge

by Ezmy From Monday to Friday, it’s just me and Budsie for breakfast time (A. leaves early for a workout before work because he’s ambitious and amazing like that). Before having kids, ‘breakfast time’ was me fumbling about with the coffee grinder, blindly dumping hot water into a French press, and sitting my pajama clad self in front of the computer for a morning write. My eyes did not open until the first sip of jet black coffee hit my mouth.

Breakfast time is an entirely different affair now, of course, but I’m still pretty groggy first thing so when Budsie started eating people food, I had to figure out a breakfast that was fast and simple, yet healthy and delicious. Oh and fun! Because my boy likes to be entertained. Enter ‘Budsie Porridge’, a super fast recipe that, when combined with sound effects, makes for a fun morning with my little man.

Budsie Porridge - serves one hungry baby boy

-1 1/2 tbsp ‘Bob’s Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal’ - this is small grain oatmeal that works for babies as young as 6 months -1/4 cup or so water -1 cube pureed prunes* -pinch cinnamon -splash homogenized milk or breast milk

*Every couple of weeks, I lightly boil and then puree a container of prunes (make sure they are sulphite-free!). I pop this prune-y goodness into ice cube trays and then transfer the prune cubes to a freezer bag. Incidentally, the water the prunes are boiled in makes a tasty dinner time beverage for babies.

Now. It is possible to microwave this porridge (put all ingredients together - except the milk - and stick in microwave for 3 minutes). But I’m going to outline the details for cooking on the stove because believe it or not, we didn’t have a microwave until a couple of weeks ago.

First, pop the water in a pot and put on stove to boil. When pouring water, make rushing water sounds - whoosh! - and explain what you are up to.

Water will boil very quickly. Turn the heat down to low and slowly add the oats, stirring as you add. Make shaking oats noise - my noise of choice: shooka shooka weeee! - and explain what you are up to.

Once oats are stirred in, add your frozen prune cube - Boop! (Budsie loves this noise)

The prune cube will start to melt. Once it is all melted, your oats are done (about 2 minutes). During melting time, I like to do a little dance in the kitchen. It perks me up and sends Budsie into fits of laughter. When the porridge is done, take off the stove, pour into a baby breakfast bowl and stir in your pinch of cinnamon and milk. By the time you get this and your breakfast gear to the table, the porridge should be cool enough for baby to eat. Check first of course.

Result: One porridge covered baby!

 

Happy Breakfast Time!

Ezmy is a new mum to son Ewan (aka Budsie). When she isn’t working on her master’s thesis, or playing games with her boy, she’s blogging furiously about life as a stay-at-home mum in our nation’s capital. Follow Ezmy on Twitter (@ezmytweets) where she posts daily resolutions and updates on life with an active and very vocal baby.

The National Gallery - For Moms

by Sasha

The National Gallery isn't the first place most people think of when it comes to activities for kids. But kids can appreciate art too. I'm thinking about the younger set. The much younger set. I don't know how much a baby gets out of the National Gallery, but I can tell you that it can be a nice place for mom.

Last week I visited the gallery with a couple of other moms, and our kids (aged 6 weeks, 6 months, and newly-walking 9 months). I'm not an art afficionado, but it was a nice place to walk around and just take in the ambiance. Basically a mall, with culture-cred.

I am actually sitting in the middle of the gallery right now, in an indoor garden space reminiscent of a medieval cloister. Not bad for midwinter in Ottawa.

Whenever baby gets fidgety from sitting for too long, we move on. In fact, I've moved twice so far in this paragraph :).

In practical terms, the gallery is a good place for a new mom. It not only provides a break from "four walls and a baby", there are change tables in the washroom, it is nice and quiet and has comfortable chairs to nurse (I recommend the arm chairs in the entrance to the Canadian Gallery). It also has underground parking, a real perk during an Ottawa winter.

And if, like me, you know nothing about art, I'd encourage you to take in one of the Docent's Choice talks, a ten-minute talk about a single piece of art.  My primary goals in today's trip were to get out of the house and to get this post written, but much to my surprise I wound up falling in love with a painting - so much so that I bought a gallery membership (I sure wish I'd known that before paying admission).

The other big concern for a mom with a new baby is the potential disruption if baby gets fussed.  Thankfully, I didn't have that issue today - when baby got fussy all I needed to do was keep moving.  The docent's talk was a particular worry for me.  But not only was baby well behaved, I got the distinct impression that, had it been any different, I would have gotten nothing but sympathy.

Have you been to the National Gallery with your kids? Where do you like to go to get out of the house with baby?

Breastfeeding Cafe

by Amanda As a new mother I was prepared for many of the joys, obstacles and sleepless nights a parent experiences. What I wasn’t prepared for was the mountain I would climb to be able to successfully breastfeed my child.  I was under the naïve impression, or possibly more like a dream state, that my child would latch on to the breast and I would magically feed him and all would be a success. Because really, how hard could breastfeeding be? Isn’t it so natural?

I was wrong. So wrong! We had problem after problem.  Needless to say my milk supply diminished and my child was not getting near enough to eat.  We immediately received support through a lactation consultant at her private home and after weeks and weeks of dedication we finally started to have success with exclusive breastfeeding.

Support makes a big difference as it brings the breastfeeding mother encouragement when needed, a place to share stories of joy and where questions are not judged but welcomed.  Breastfeeding can bring forth challenges but for me it is now a joy, a special bond I have created with my child, and I believe I feel this way now because of all the support I have.

Every Wednesday from August to December, with the exception of one or two missed due to appointments, Dominic & I have headed out to the Breastfeeding Café.  The Breastfeeding Café is a supportive atmosphere welcoming breastfeeding mothers were you don’t have to worry if you have showered that morning, if you have bags under your eyes from lack of sleep, whether you have spit up all over your shirt, or feel like you might be judged.  Moms & babies under 6 months are welcomed at the Breastfeeding Café.

The Breastfeeding Cafe was created by Susan Martensen, a DONA approved Birth & Postpartum Doula Trainer and is currently offered Wednesday’s at Milkface in Westboro.  There is no registration or sign up required, you just come and go as you can and wish. Have a breastfeeding question? Come on out and ask.  Want a place to relax, chat and feed your child? Come on out.  It’s a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes moms to enjoy a few hours over snacks, snuggles with their babes and other women.

Every Wednesday I knew what I was doing and where we were going. I looked forward to seeing all of the wonderful women I met and to ask Susan any baby related questions I may have.  It was comfortable, serene and wonderfully supportive.

There is a donation fee, recommended $5, to help cover the costs of snacks.  There is always yummy food!

So, what are you doing next Wednesday from 10:30-12:30? Head over to Milkface in Westboro and enjoy the Breastfeeding Café.

Amanda is mom to Dominic, 8 months, and can be found blogging about life, product reviews & giveaways at Namaste Mommy, PTPA Panel of Moms & Tools for Schools.  When not feeding and changing diapers Amanda is busy with her company DeGrace Energetics & Little Lotus.

Moms Helping Moms

by Sasha 'Tis the season for giving. And while we're busy making our lists and checking them twice, our thoughts often extend beyond friends and family to the wider community.

Giving feels good.  And if you can also clean out the closets, re-purpose outgrown kid stuff, or indulge your crafty side at the same time, then so much the better.  And with that in mind, here are some ideas for moms looking to help other moms this holiday season.

The Diaper Bag Project

It’s one of those brilliantly simple, gee-I-wish-I’d-thought-of-that ideas: collect gently used diaper bags, and the stuff that goes in ‘em, then deliver the stocked bags to women’s shelters, teen mom centres, or anywhere else you might find new moms in need.

The Diaper Bag Project is looking for gently used diaper bags, receiving blankets, newborn size sleepers, empty travel wipes cases, and empty travel size hand sanitizer bottles.  They also need new travel size vaseline/diaper creams and newborn/size 1 disposable diapers. Partial bags of diapers are OK, so it's a great use for the leftovers when your little one moves up a size.

For more information contact Erin at diaperbagproject[at]gmail[dot]com.

The Food Bank

The Food Bank - it’s not just about the food. The food bank also accepts baby care items, such as diapers and wipes. Something we like to do at the office around Christmas time is pass the hat and then a bunch of us go on a shopping spree in the baby aisle. It doubles as a team building exercise: the folks with older children reminisce, and we tease the young single guys who have no idea what babies need. Two Ottawa Moms have also started a Diaper Drive for the Ottawa Food Bank.  See their Facebook page for more information.

The Snowsuit Fund

If you’ve dusted off last year’s snowsuit and can see 3 inches of ankle between boot and suit, then consider donating it to the Snowsuit Fund. Gently used winter outerwear can be dropped off at any local Canadian Tire or Brown’s Cleaners, or at the Snowsuit Fund depot (225 Donald Street, Unit 134).

Getting Crafty

For those with a crafty side, Yarn Forward accepts new, hand-knit or crocheted hats, mitts and scarves for the Snowsuit Fund. They also keep a stash of customer-donated yarn that you can use for this purpose. Similarly, Wool Tyme keeps a yarn stash and collects blankets for Project Linus.

Ottawa area hospitals also accept knitted and crocheted newborn hats, as well as blankets and sleepers.  Details vary between hospitals - call the volunteer office at your local hospital for more info.

Young Moms

St. Mary's Home provides a wide range of support for young moms, from prenatal education and health care to ongoing support for mom, dad, and baby. Usually, they accept donations of used baby and maternity clothing (now, if I could just decide whether I'm done with those oh-so-sexy panel jeans).  Currently, however, their donation room is undergoing renovations, so they are directing donations down the street to Chez Mère Bruyère, where they will also be available to the St. Mary's moms.

So there are just a few ideas, what are yours?

Sasha is mom to 2-year-old Miss Bea, and 4 month old Baby Em.  Her ramblings can also be found on her blog, The Rambling Stroller.