Bottle Do's and Don'ts

Here are a few Bottle Do's and Don'ts that aren't so commonly known.

Do:
• Wash your hands before preparing your baby's bottle.
• Have someone else introduce your baby to the bottle by 4 weeks old if you want to begin using a bottle in addition to part of your nursing regimen. Your baby will associate mom with breast-feeding and may resist if you try to give him the bottle yourself.
• Wean your baby from a bottle by 12 months of age. By that time, they will be ready for a sippy cup.

Don't:
• Heat formula or breast milk in the microwave. (See my previous blog "Got Warm Milk?")
• Give your baby a bottle of milk or formula to suck on during the night or at naptime, it causes tooth decay. Don't mix bottles and bed.
• Prop up your baby with a bottle. The "feed yourself" practice can lead to choking, ear infections, and tooth decay. Your baby needs cuddling and human contact, which all babies crave.

Got Warm Milk?

Both formula and breast milk are fine at cold temperatures, but many babies like their milk warm like mom "makes it". The best way to heat a bottle is by running it under streaming warm water (but that's not very eco-friendly), so be green by placing it in a bowl of warm water for several minutes instead. Shake the bottle gently to help distribute the heat evenly.

You can also buy an electric bottle warmer like the Munchkin Deluxe Bottle and Food Warmer, that conveniently plugs in anywhere and warms the milk with steam heat. With today's models you are less likely to overheat the bottle, and they come with other conveniences like food warming and pacifier cleaning baskets as well.


For warm milk on the go, you can buy a bottle warmer that plugs in to the car like The First Years Fast Heating Travel Warmer that fits all bottle sizes, and easily stows away in the glove box when not being used.



Do NOT use a microwave to heat formula or breast milk. It's easy to overheat bottles, or create uneven hot spots that you will not likely detect. Microwaves also destroy the immunological benefits of breast milk, and release toxins from plastic bottles that can be harmful to your baby.

Happy Birthday!

The most special HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to the baby that started it all for me, my biological son Austin. Eleven years ago two very amazing parents adopted my precious baby boy, and have raised him in a way I thank God for every day. Without even knowing it, that little boy has made me everything I am today. Thanks to Open Adoptions, I am able to watch his life take form.

BIG NEWS!!

I'd like to introduce my new company The Baby Planner here in San Diego!!
Of course not limited to San Diego,
but I think there is a great market here.

I'm so excited about my network of vendors I will be referring my clients to...

Brian and Melissa Caldwell~ Pregnancy Spa Specialists
Chelsea Ramsey ~ Chelsea Elizabeth Photography
Jessica Thomas ~ Fit 2 Wed
Shanna Belyk ~ Henry Belyk Design, Inc.

...just to name a few!

Welcome Baby Dominic!

With much anticipation, Baby Dominic has arrived!! Although a very late addition, his family is now complete and loving every minute of this new adventure.
Dominic was joyfully welcomed by his teenage brother and sister, and Mother and Father who were more on the track of "Empty Nest" planning, than "Baby Planning"...so I was more than happy to step in and help out. A lot changes 15 years between babies!! Mom and Dad were even able to squeeze in a fun trip to Italy alone before Dominic's arrival, now that Baby Registries and Nursery Set-up was off of their plate!

Shower for Baby Dominic

If your youngest is 15 years old when you find out your expecting again, you need a baby shower of mega proportion! It was so much fun taking this seasoned mother of two, to register for baby items she didn't even know existed. Baby products have changed completely in 15 years, and Mommy-to-be was relieved to have a Baby Planner on board! My favorite moment was when she opened her Petunia Pickle Bottom Designer Diaper Bag, and she couldn't believe they made diaper bags so beautiful AND well designed now!



There's something really fun about throwing a baby shower for a 40-something mother, who has not had to think about any parenting skills outside of dealing with teenagers for quite some time. Grandparents, friends and extended family had a great time teasing her about being a Repeat "first-time" Mother.

Welcome Baby Alice!

A very special WELCOME to the world to my Goddaughter Alice! Weighing in at a whopping 5lb 5oz, she's the tiniest and cutest little button, swimming in her preemie size kimono. When her brother (my Godson) Liam met her for the first time, his exact words were, "What the heck!"....wise words from a very wise 2 year old!! Definitely a moment I will never forget. I am very lucky to have the best Godmother in the whole world, and I hope that I can follow in her footsteps for my own Godchildren.
My first Godmother duty for Alice was finding preemie clothes that were actually small enough for her to go home in. I learned that not all "preemie" sized clothing is actually small enough for most preemies. I found that the smallest preemie sizes were at BabyGap and Gymboree, fitting little ones in the 5lb range. It was so fun to go back to the hospital and dress her up in the tiniest little designer kimono sets and bundlers. Alice you are a very exciting addition to the family, and I already love being your Aunt Kiki!