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New Baby Survival Tips Technology
Our newest edition is home with us!
As a new father, again, this time of a young son, I am remembering some of those really great tips and tricks that helped me survive having a new baby at home last time around. One of them is developing some resources that provide entertainment, distractions, or a way to work while simultaneously holding a baby that won’t sleep unless he’s in your arms.
It can be frustrating during those first few months when a new baby can’t sleep on their own all of the time. Most of us don’t mind holding our beautiful baby boys or baby girls in our arms. The issue is that we often have other things we need to be doing and with our own sleep hours dwindling, it can be hard to find enough time. One answer is to use that time when wall baby needs from mom or dad is their body heat, smell, and breathing’s rhythmic rise and fall of the chest or stomach.
The catch is that most babies don’t turn into pliant lumps of clay that can be moved around to accommodate accomplishing tasks. Instead, parents need to find ways to be able to do things without disturbing baby. Usually, this means doing it one handed.
Last time around, I made sure to have a stack of printouts laying nearby. This time around there is a better option.
The Amazon Kindle and other electronic readers like it allows you to stock up on a bunch of reading that you need to do (or want to do) and then hold it in one hand. The latest 6-inch size Kindle can be held in one hand to allow for reading while baby sleeps in your arms. Fill it up with reports, books, manuals, webpages, news feeds, or whatever you need and then keep it near your usual baby holding spot. That way, when baby falls asleep in your arms, you can get through some of your reading.
Adjusting to a new baby takes both flexibility and maximizing your time and resources. These electronic readers provide one more way to get more done while still taking great care of your newborn baby.
Sunrise Sunset Times and Planning – Free Data
Sometimes, as a parent, nothing is more important than knowing when the sun will set (and to a lesser extent, when it will rise). If it’s 3:30 PM and you’ve got another hour at the museum, plus some time for dinner, is there also time to go to a playground or to play a little catch? Even more important, and harder to just know off the top of your head is how the same data might shape up for another area.
We live in Denver and often like to take day trips to some of the magnificent recreation areas and beautiful surroundings that Colorado has to offer. Between naps and meals and just plain the best times to go places or be at the house, the windows of opportunity can often be hit or miss. Knowing if the sun will be going down when you get there or if you still have 1 hour of daylight left are critical planning considerations.
Free Sunrise and Sunset Times Available
The US Navy, via the US Naval Observatory provides all manner of useful information on things like if tonight will be a full moon or a new moon, or something in between. It is also a great way to answer questions like, “What is that really bright star near the moon?” And, yes, it also has the sunrise and sunset times for almost any city in America as well as the moonrise and moonset times for those youngsters who like seeing the moon, or who just wonder where it is on some nights.
For example, a drive up to Estes Park takes about 90 minutes. Leaving the house at 3:00 PM means an arrival time of 4:30 PM. It isn’t worth it if the sun will be going down at 5:15 PM. A quick check shows a much later sunset for summer time, although the time the sun disappears from view will be much earlier thanks the neighboring mountains.
If you just Google something, chances are you’ll get some ad filled page with pop-ups that might actually just end up redirecting you to the Navy site anyway. Instead, bookmark: www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/rs-one-day-us
On the go, punch www.timeanddate.com into your web enabled cell phone to get the same information in a slightly less clean format, but with a much easier to remember address. Despite having more stuff on the page, it actually works better in mobile browsers, and once you’ve entered your home city the first time, you can bookmark the result page to always go directly to your hometown data.
Or, feel free to use my free no strings re-direct link for Denver’s data at: http://tr.im/UDsunset
Either way, it looks like a great day to pack up everyone and head up to Estes to get some cookie sandwiches filled with frosting and new nesting dolls for our daughter who is now old enough that we trust her with even the smallest ones.
Have a fun Memorial Day weekend. We will.
Date Night Without Babysitter
Ok, as new parents, getting out without baby can sometimes be a tough accomplishment. Traditionally, going out involves a babysitter, or a relative watching your newest family member, but, that can get expensive, or be hard to pull off often enough. Is there another option?
Parent Goes Out, Then Parent Goes Out
My wife and I stumbled upon a technique that is actually very refreshing. In an effort to see some of the movies we want to see this summer, without necessarily ringing up the babysitter on a weekly schedule, we did something new. She went to the 12:20 showing of Iron Man. Then, we met near the theater and she took the baby, and I went to the 3:10 showing of Iron Man.
What’s the point? Going to the movies separately isn’t ideal, but it can be a great experience anyway if done right. If you go and then your spouse goes a few days later, it becomes a different experience. For a few days, you know something they don’t know. Then, when the second parent does see the movie, it is much fresher for them than for their partner.
By going to the movie back to back, it becomes very much like going together. Sure, you don’t have anyone to talk to before the movie starts (load a couple games on your cell phone), but during the movie, it isn’t really all that different. After all, unless you are a jerk, you don’t really talk much during the movie anyway.
When you are both done, you can get together at home and it’s like you both came out of the movie and drove home in separate cars. Now, you can discuss the film (favorite part, worst part, I can’t believe they…) while it’s still fresh and the emotions you have are still real. Is it as good as a real date night when you go together? No. But, if you are trying to see Iron Man, Indiana Jones 4, Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Hellboy 2, and so on, it just might work better than trying to get a babysitter all those nights.
Cheap Movie Bonus
Many movie theaters offer a discount price before a certain time of day. We got to see Iron Man for $5 each instead of the usual $9 by going in the afternoon. Since our babysitter isn’t available until evenings we saved $8 right there. Add in the usually $12 per hour for 3 hours (min) and we’ve save over $40. Now, we can have dinner out with the family, the whole family.
Other One Parent Then The Other Parent Ideas
Try these other activities with Mom going first and then Dad, or vice versa.
- Museums
- Plays (matinee then evening)
- Art Galleries
- Massages
- Spa Day
- Gym
- Bike Ride (ride the same trail)
- Walks
Technorati Tags: parents, family, baby, date night, movie, babysitter
They Sleep – You Sleep
Probably the best advice I ever read or heard was to sleep when your baby sleeps. The first day or two you bring your bundle of joy home from the hospital will pass without any trouble. After all, you’ve stayed up late or even pulled an all-nighter before, it’s not like your body has no flexibility. But, after a few days you are going to be fatigued and tired and that is no way to interact with your newborn who is depending on you. Your natural instinct will be to sleep your normal night pattern and just add in a nap. That isn’t going to work out. The reason is that your baby will be waking up every 90 to 180 minutes every single night. Your body just can’t figure that out. You’ll end up waking up at 6:00 am for a feed and not being able to fall back asleep (especially if the sun is already showing light). Instead, just head for your bed every time you put him down in his bed. If you fall asleep, great. If not, get back up and use the hour for whatever you need. The important thing is that you’ll be giving your body a chance to take care of what it needs in the way of sleep. It will make all the difference in the world next time Junior cries out at 3:00am.
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