My Baby Compass (Did your baby come with instructions?)

Review: My Baby Compass

By: Kathryn Thorson Gruhn, MA,CCC-SLP

This is item number 3 in my reviews for the Ultimate Baby Shower giveaway. By now I know you are looking forward to this awesome giveaway as it approaches. I am sure you are getting excited to see each of the baby and mommy products lined up for this event.

What is My Baby Compass? This is the instruction book you might have wished your baby came with. It is actually a complete guide that you can use to help your child think, speak, move & thrive. This book covers the baby's development from birth to two years.

How would I describe this book? My Baby Compass is an awesome how to manual on understanding your baby, its development and growth. You can use this book as a guide to measure you baby's development and know that your  baby is on track. If you see your baby behind in any area you will be able to address the issue with your child's doctor. Through out the pages you will find these neat little notes that will be helpful information in taking care of and understanding your baby.

Example

The checklists in chapter 3 will make it easy to keep track of each milestone the baby reaches. The lists are divided into months. Birth to 3 month, 4 to 6 months, 7 to 9 months, 10 to 12 months, 13 to 18 months and finally 19 to 24 months. The developmental milestones that are covered in the checklists are speech/language, hearing, cognitive/reasoning, physical, vision, and social/emotional. 

Chapter 5 is all about age-appropriate toys and playtime. I really liked the suggestion to make a Good-to-Go Bag. This is a bag you put together to use as a tool for a fussy, afraid or uncooperative child. The bag should contain two age-appropriate toys that are new to the child. An extra of his special toy or blanket. (that would be the stuffed bear or blanket they won't part with)

Favorite snack and drink. There are a few other items on the list but you get the idea. The Good-to-Go Bag should be used only on special occasions when you want to reinforce good behavior or when the child needs distracted. There are also many safety notes in this chapter that will help playtime be safe.

Chapter 6 is about music, rhymes and learning fun. The nursery rhymes and finger plays will be helpful in remembering the words that you may have forgotten if you have not recited them since a child. I remember when my son's first child was born. He told me when my granddaughter was crying the first night he could not remember any of the nursery rhymes he sang as a child except Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. So, this book sure would have come in handy for him that night.

In the appendix 1 is a list of common words a child will have learned by the age of two.

What did I like most about this book? I really liked the Appendix 2. There are many different signs to teach baby in sign language. I believe sign language helps baby communicate even before they can talk. This helps reduce frustration for baby, mommy and grandma!!

What did I not like about this book? My only complaint! Where was this book when my babies were little? I rate this book a 5 out of 5. My Baby Compass should be on all new mothers wish lists.  If you would like to learn more or to purchase the book go here. My baby Compass is a $40 value.

Find My Baby Compass on Twitter and Facebook.

Remember if you would like an opportunity to win this book. Mark your calendar to return on April 13th for the Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway.

I received a copy of  My Baby Compass to review in exchange for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was received.

Traveling Nurse

Today was one of those days I had the opportunity to reflect upon the birth of my first granddaughter Pumpkin. I have shared the story of her birth a few months back so I will not go into much detail here today. I attended Pumpkins birth as a Doula and I have so many fond memories about that day.
One of those memories was how all the nurses were so helpful and supportive. There was one nurse in particular that I have not forgotten. She was a traveling nurse. I had heard about Traveling nurses but had not thought much about their career. Through out the day we had the chance to visit a little each time she came in to check on my daughter-in-law. One question I had asked her was, " What made you choose to be a traveling nurse?" She went on to tell me how she had always dreamed of traveling and seeing as much of our country as possible. While she was in nursing school she had learned about a traveling nurses program and made the decision that it would be something to try.
My daughter was also able to be present at Pumpkins birth since she was on break from nursing school. My daughter thought the idea of being a traveling nurse was something she might think about. I knew the opportunity to meet this registered nurse and talk about the travel program might influence my daughters plans for her future.
I do have to say I think Travel Nursing programs are wonderful and can be a great opportunity for registered nurses and Licensed practical nurses who want to travel the country. There are many benefits of being a traveling nurse from building skills, free housing, to the great pay. What more could someone ask for?
On a side note, my daughter decided not to become a traveling nurse. She got married right after she became a RN and a year later had Pooh Bear.
All events in this story are true.

The Amazing Births of My Grandchildren!

So it is time for me to write a little about myself. First off if you have read my profile you know I am a mother of four wonderful grown children. I don't have any complaints about my children. I feel very blessed with how they all turned out to be very respectful and moral persons.
I am also a grandmother of four very adorable grandchildren. Two boys and two girls. The two girls are sisters, they would be Pumpkin and Sweet Pea. Pumpkin is 4 years old and Sweet Pea is 14 months old. My two grandsons are Pooh Bear and Little Bug. Pooh Bear is 20 months old and Little Bug is 15 months old.
As you all know I love my grandchildren dearly. what I have not told you is I was present at their births as a Doula. I became a doula when my daughter in law was pregnant with Pumpkin. I wanted to be there and assist her in any way that I could. Pumpkins mother was in labor for over 23 hours. All of her labor was natural she did not take any thing for pain and no epidural.
The next grandchild to be born was Pooh Bear. He was one of those babies who insisted on coming right now! Grandpa was driving to visit for the weekend. He wanted to see me (grandma) since I had been staying with my daughter waiting for her to go into labor. We informed him the baby would be coming soon and to drive straight through and meet us at the hospital. Pooh Bears birth was amazing while my daughter was just at the end of her labor the monitor went off and all these Doctors came running and one of the doctors told the nurse to shut off the pitocin. Was he surprised to hear her labor was all natural with no pitocin. We all decided Pooh Bear wanted to be born while grandpa was in town.
Little bug came next. Little Bug was a home birth. We had a midwife attend the birth. It was a great learning experience. If Little Bug had been born in a hospital setting he would have surely been born with a cesarean section. After his birth the midwife said he was weighed around ten pounds. So when we weighed him she was stunned to disbelief he was 12 pounds on the nose. Just to be sure we weighed him 3 different times.
Last came Sweet Pea. Her birth was very special also. I am not going to tell too much about her birth because I am sure Tootsabella and The Rose will want to tell you the whole story. I can say I was with my daughter in law when she was trying to start labor. She did not want to be induced so we talked to her midwife and got some tips and got her labor going.  When she was admitted into the hospital she birthed Sweet Pea in a birthing tub just one hour after arriving to the hospital.
Well that is enough about me and the grandchildren for now. I hope you all have a great week.
I would like to invite you all to stop over at Tootsabella and The Rose and give her a follow if you like She will follow back.