Kutsie Blog / new mom

Baby Led Weaning - A Quick Recap

Baby Led Weaning - A Quick Recap

What is Baby Led Weaning?

Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is a method by which infants self-feed solid foods.  You start BLW around 6 months of age.  Essentially, with BLW, babies skip the puree food stage and you don't have to feed your baby with a spoon.  Babies who are ready for BLW will demonstrate the following skills: 

1.  Able to sit up unassisted

2. Tongue thrust reflex has gone away

3. Able to grab and hold on to food

4. Can successfully take food/objects to their mouth

Benefits of BLW:

1. Babies are introduced to different textures, smells, and colors.  

2.  Babies are given a variety of finger foods to choose from.  This allows the baby to have more control over which foods they decide to eat and at their own pace.

3. BLW supports fine motor skills (hand-eye coordination and chewing).

4. You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen steaming AND pureeing food! 

Check out these Kutsie Babies nailing Baby Led Weaning!

Baby Led Weaning Facts          

Did we mention it's a little MESSY?!        

Tips for baby led weaning

A great way to serve bananas with BLW!

 

One major concern that caretakers have with BLW is choking.  When your baby is gagging with BLW, this is their gag reflex doing its job.  Choking is silent.  As with other food methods, you must be present when your baby is eating and monitor them carefully.  BLW is not for everyone and you need to decide which method suits you best.  

Kutsie Baby Owner
Posted on July 07, 2016
Kutsie Baby Owner
Read more
To My Best Friend Having Her First Child

To My Best Friend Having Her First Child

To My Best Friend Having Her First Child

You are almost to the finish line! Only a few more weeks and you will experience a love that you couldn’t even imagine existed. You’ve battled the morning sickness, the aches and pains, heartburn, and the endless rollercoaster of emotions. You have felt the twirls, kicks, and hiccups of this little being inside of you. I want you to know that you are going to be the best mom to this little girl. Never doubt yourself, stand up for your beliefs, and know that it is okay to be tired, it is okay to cry, it is okay to ask for help.

The first day after giving birth will be euphoric. The baby sleeps, and sleeps, and sleeps. You will stare at that little girl in admiration, not knowing how you lived before her. The next few days are rough though, you will be running on little sleep, you’ll be in some pain, and you may not be eating as much as you should, but you got this.

The first few months after giving birth to your precious baby will be some of the hardest months of your life. Your body will be changed forever, but this isn’t a bad thing. It is something to be proud of. You are a mother, your body created life, of course there will be evidence. Please know that I’ve got your back, I am here for you. I will bring you food, I will listen to your complaining without judgement, I will coach you through sleepless nights, and I will assure you, you are an amazing mom.

I guess I’m really just writing this to you, to let you know this thing called motherhood is HARD and that I have been in your shoes, and I am here for you whenever you need. I won’t judge you, I will stand beside you. I will love that little girl as if she were my own. The next few years will be some of the best years of your life and I can’t wait to be there to experience them with you.  

We may have grown apart since I had my first child, but I can't wait for us and our children to grow together in this new chapter of our friendship.

Welcome to the “mom” group!

We've shared the same dimple and now we get to share the same title, Mom.

Kutsie Baby Owner
Posted on June 22, 2016
Kutsie Baby Owner
1 comment
Read more

How To Get Back In Shape After Having A Baby!

I know it can be scary in your third trimester wondering how in the world am I going to lose all of this "baby" weight?!  Don't stress! There are many ways and I'll tell you how I did it!   I gained about 30lbs throughout my pregnancy.  A week after giving birth to my son, I lost about 15lbs!  I nursed my son for 10 months.  Nursing also helps you lose weight faster. 

When my son was about 9 months, I had 5 lbs to go to my pre-pregnancy weight.  I hadn't been working out, but I was eating healthily.  I love to juice!  Make sure you use lots of veggies when juicing though, too many fruits and you will defeat the purpose. 

Here is a great recipe: 1 bunch of parsley, 2 granny smith apples, 1/2 lemon, 1/4 cucumber, 2 handfuls of spinach

After drinking this, you'll be ready to take over the world! :) I limited my sugar and caffeine intake primarily because I was nursing and didn't want a night-owl (even though I ended up with one anyway, but that's another story!) 

Once I had 5lbs to go I went to a local boot-camp style gym.  They combine Crossfit workouts with cardio.  Within 5 weeks I was in the best shape of my life!

Here is a breakdown!

  • A lot of the weight will come off right after you give birth
  • Breastfeed - this helps you lose weight faster!
  • Breastfeeding encourages healthy eating! Eat lots of fruits, veggies, lean meat, and drink lots of water!  Try our juicing recipe!
  • Go on daily walks when you return home from the hospital (with your doctor's "okay").  You can also try these mom and baby exercises: 
  1. Baby Squat:  Hold your baby close to your chest and do a squat.  Here you can learn How to Squat properly.
  2. Baby Push-ups:  Place your baby underneath you eye to eye.  Now you can interact with your baby and get fit! She will absolutely love seeing mommy go up and down!
  3. Baby Lunge:  Hold your baby close to your chest (or in a baby carrier) and do a lunges, alternating legs each time.
  4. Baby Russian Twists: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and heel about a foot from your bottom.  Lean back and keep your spine straight.  Holding yourself at a 45 degree angle hold your baby and gently twist from side to side.
  • Make sure you are getting your rest!
  • If you are working out and not seeing any results, try a boot-camp or engage in different activities.  Your body will get used to the same ol' routine. We joined Hard Exercise Works.
  • Don't stress, make small goals. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, you have plenty of time to lose the weight.  Follow these steps and you'll be back to your pre-pregnancy weight in no time!
Kutsie Baby Owner
Posted on May 16, 2014
Kutsie Baby Owner
Read more

What to Pack in Your Diaper Bag

Diaper Bag Must Haves:

First thing is first…finding the right diaper bag! You need a bag that is not too big, but is still big enough to carry everything you need for baby and for yourself. Of course you’ll need a stylish diaper bag since it’ll act as your purse for the next few years.

I recommend Kutsie Baby’s Amy Michelle New Orleans Diaper Bag. It comes with a changing pad and plenty of pockets, inside and outside, to fit your needs.

Next, would be to have diapers. Depending on how long you plan on being away from home, I’d say between 6-8 diapers if you’re planning on being out of the house for more than a few hours. Along with diapers, you must have some wipes. There are wipes cases that fit little amounts of wipes. I prefer to just use a resealable package from Huggies or Pampers. If you are going on a short outing The Diaper Clutch is great! Don’t forget about your diaper rash cream & baby powder! You don’t need to carry around a huge tube or tub of it, just a small travel size will do.

If you’re planning on breastfeeding, you’ll need a nursing cover, the Babee Covee is great because it saves space and money! It serves as a nursing cover, infant carseat cover, stroller blanket, playtime blanket, shopping cart cover, and highchair cover.   Back to our list, some burp cloths, an extra pair of nursing pads, and possibly another shirt just in case the one you’re wearing gets messy. If you are not nursing make sure you pack extra bottles, water, formula.

The baby will need an extra outfit or two or three! Plan on packing 1 or 2 extra onsies, some pants, socks, an extra hat, and even a blanket to keep the baby warm (remember the Babee Covee can also act as a blanket!).

A bottle of water and some healthy snacks should definitely be included in your diaper bag, too.

Just in case baby doesn’t feel well while you’re out, then you should pack some gas drops, and Tylenol or Motrin.

Lastly don’t forget some hand sanitizer to keep your hands clean, and any one else’s before touching your newborn.

Some other options include 1-2 extra pacifiers, toys (such as rattles and teethers), disposable diaper bags, nasal aspirator (NoseFrida) and tissues.

You do not need to pack a ton of items in your diaper bag. Its best to just pack for the day so you know that you’ll have everything you’ll need! (plus you want to be able to carry it!)

Visit Blissful Belly Blog for more great advice!

Blissful Belly Blog
Posted on January 23, 2014
Blissful Belly Blog
1 comment
Read more
Left Continue shopping
Your Order

You have no items in your cart

Subtotal: $0.00
View Cart