Frugal Friday

The first (and potentially only) edition of Frugal Friday is here today! Not only do I believe that as  Christians, my husband and I are called to be good stewards of the money we have, but also, we just don't have a lot to be frivolous with! Hence, we have learned how to be more frugal in our everyday lives to stretch a dollar a bit further. Some people think we're crazy to drive old cars... sometimes I also think we're crazy, but hey-- they're paid for. Some people think we're nuts to live without cable half of each year, but we save so much money. We work hard, we spend wisely, we live comfortably. For that I am thankful.

Today's tip is less of a frugal choice and more of a surprise. It's homemade baby food. Let me explain further. When Isaac was born, I chose to exclusively breastfeed him for the first six months. This should come as no surprise considering I've become like a one-woman soapbox on breastfeeding. Enough already! One day, I had to start thinking about solid foods. How they would work into our current feedings and eventually overtake feedings as his primary source of nutrition. To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to solids at all. The trouble. The mess. The cost. But yeah, okay, one day my son had to become a table-food-eating member of the family. I might love breastfeeding, but you won't find me nursing a preschooler. Then also, because I'm an overprotective first-time mother, I like to know what my child is ingesting, which is the primary reason I originally chose to make my baby's food purees. I had the time, I had the resources without needing to buy extra equipment, and it just seemed easy enough. Initially, my choice had no bearing on cost of homemade food versus cost of jarred food.

So I did it. I've made nearly all of Isaac's food. With the exception of rice cereal, prunes, applesauce, and now ritz crackers, the remainder of his intake has been food that I've steamed, blended and spooned up to him. And it was just as easy as I'd anticipated it would be. Then, the real surprise came about: it was also ridiculously cheap. Like slap-your-mama cheap. I had no idea it was going to be so very cost effective. Because I was buying mostly organic products, I assumed that the overall cost would be higher than jarred food. I wrote off the difference in cost, believing that eating whole foods are healthier than processed foods. Imagine my surprise when I started analyzing the costs more carefully and realized I was saving beaucoup bucks. To prove my point, I took a field trip to our closest grocery store. For the sake of good blogging, I put my pride aside and looked like a total creeper taking pictures of vegetables on scales, price stickers, and jars of baby food. In the sake of full disclosure, I shopped at the local HEB and paid no regard to items on sale, nor did I use coupons. I used prices from the Gerber brand of jarred baby food (non organic, 4oz servings). It's neither the cheapest nor the most expensive, but seemed to be a "middle of the road" price. The fruits, veggies, and entrees were chosen simply because they are well-loved at our house.

Lets do a little comparing, shall we?

Carrots

Gerber Price per Jar: $0.63

Homemade Price per Serving: $0.09

The cost per bag of Earthbound Farms Organic Carrots is $1.27. Technically, the entire bag would likely make more than 14 servings of carrot puree, but for today's purposes, 14 servings was my estimate. The math equals out to NINE cents per serving if you get 2 weeks' worth of carrots from a single bag. Or you could buy 2 jars of Gerber Carrots for the same price.

Sweet Potatoes

Gerber Price per Jar: $0.63

Homemade price per serving: $0.16

The cost per Potato is approximately $0.78. Using 3 sweet potatoes, I can easily get 14 servings of baby food. (Do you think 14 is an arbitrary number? Here's where I got it: First, each food tray has 14 spaces for food and like being able to make 2 trays' worth of food each time I steam & puree an item, which equals 28 cubes of food. Typically, I give Isaac two cubes at each feeding and no more than one serving of the same veggie on the same day. That means, I have two week's worth/14 days of sweet potatoes or carrots or whatever else I choose to make. Make a little more sense now?). Three sweet potatoes at $0.78 a piece comes to about $2.34, which when divided up into 14 servings takes us to a grand total of 16 cents per serving. To buy 14 servings of Gerber Sweet Potatoes, it'd cost you $8.82. 

Blueberries & Peaches

Gerber Price per Jar of Peaches: $0.63

Homemade Price per Serving: $0.53

I couldn't specifically find a combo jar of peaches and blueberries, so I went with the price of just peaches. Isaac loves the combo of blueberries and peaches with his rice cereal in the morning for breakfast, which is one bag of frozen wild organic blueberries and 2 bags of frozen organic peaches. This easily makes 16 servings or more, considering some mornings I only give one cube instead of the typical two. However, to keep things moving, I went with 16 servings from the cost of the fruit, which totaled $0.53 per serving. This isn't quite as much of a disparity between the prepared food and fresh food, mostly because frozen wild organic blueberries aren't cheap. But as I said, I usually get more life out of our "breakfast" foods since I typically add rice cereal to the fruit, needing only 1 cube instead of two. I wouldn't be surprised if the actual price per serving was much lower. Regardless, you get the point. 

Pears

Gerber Price per Jar: $0.63

Homemade Price per Serving: $0.40

Pears are one of Isaac's favorites, so I make them often. To make the ubiquitous 14 servings of pear puree, I need about 4 pears, which at $1.87/lb comes to about $5.61 total cost for the pears. Divide that up over 14 servings and once again there's a pretty significant savings. Consider the fact that I typically mix 1 cube of pears (instead of the 2 cubes that constitute my "serving size") with a few spoonfuls of applesauce and the pears go even further, which means more savings.

Chicken & Rice

Gerber price per Jar of "meat entree": $0.98

Homemade Price per Serving: $0.22

So maybe you're ready to move past fruits and veggies and onto the more substantial meals. Just because you're adding in pricier ingredients (i.e. protein), doesn't mean you can't still save money. It should be noted that even though the price of jarred meat is higher than the price of jarred fruits and veggies, the serving size is almost half (2.5oz for the meat, 4 oz for the fruits & veggies). The price for a pound of ground chicken (non organic) is $2.85, add in the approximate $0.20 for a cup of brown rice and divide it out over 14 servings (Seriously, it easily makes more than 14 servings!) and you're spooning up homemade chicken and rice to your little peanut for a whopping TWENTY TWO CENTS. Don't forget, my "serving sizes" are approximately 4 oz, which is almost double what comes in the Gerber jars. Savings galore!

So you see, making baby food is super cheap, even when buying "pricey" organic ingredients. It can become fun to mix and match foods once your little one is accustomed to a variety of solids. Isaac's favorite combo was chicken and rice plus sweet potato. It is so easy to pop in a frozen cube of chicken with a frozen cube of potato, warm it up, and spoon it up. The cooking, pureeing and portioning process is kind of time-consuming and definitely messy, but it's a small price to pay for savings on the other side.

Tips for Traveling as a Family

Today on the blog, I'm hosting the fabulous Kendra Thornton. She's a traveling expert and has some fantastic tips and tricks for traveling as a family. Enjoy!!

5 Tips To Make Family Travel Hassle Free

Source

It's summer time, which means its time for the family vacation that will leave lasting memories for both you and your children.  Think of hot summer days spent playing in the pool, traveling to unique locations, and spending time with family.  Traveling with children is more complicated than traveling alone, but with a bit of planning the trip can be relatively hassle free.

1. Home Base For Vacation

The key to a successful vacation with the family is choosing a family friendly hotel.  Research hotels before booking to make sure they have the amenities needed for kids.  Some things to check for: an in-room fridge to store food and bottles and possibly a small kitchenette.  Eating out every night with an entire family is a sure way to make a vacation go over budget, so fill the fridge with snacks for the kids.  For an all-inclusive option, consider a family friendly resort, which will provide your family with kids meals and family entertainment round the clock.  My family’s visit to Hawaii was a huge success in large part due to our family recommended Honolulu hotel.  You’ll also want to know whether your hotel offers a highchair or portable crib for your smallest.  There's a ton of tools and maps online to help you find the best location as well. Look for routes to your vacation destinations, such as theme parks and restaurants. Is there a playground nearby? What about a grocery store to pick up those last minute items? Being familiar with the area beforehand will cut out a lot of stress later.

2. 4th of July Fireworks

If you're traveling on the 4th of July, consider booking a hotel room where you can watch the fireworks display from the balcony.  While watching fireworks from a crowded stadium or park may be good for the entertainment factor, it is often not worth the hassle with kids.  Having a more controlled environment is safer and less stressful which can ultimately lead to a more enjoyable experience.  Kids just want to see the fireworks and don't need the additional entertainment.  Viewing fireworks from the hotel room also allows little ones to go to bed early allowing everyone else to watch the entire show.

Source

3. Routines Lead To Happiness

For adults traveling, half the fun is the spontaneity.  Unfortunately, for little ones skipping nap or snack time can lead to disaster.  They will not understand that it's a good idea to forego lunch to fully appreciate dinner later that night.  Being on vacation also requires a lot more walking for little legs than they may be accustomed to.  Increased activity levels make naptime even more important and sticking to a normal napping routine will keep kids, and therefore their parents, much happier in the long run.

4. Be Realistic With Your Expectations

As fun as it may be for you to sightsee all day, chances are it won’t be as enjoyable for your kids. Don’t try to pack a lot of activities into a short period of time. Add in breaks and playtime throughout your day. Toddlers can’t sit for long periods of time so make sure that you schedule activities that will allow them to move around. This will allow them to use some of their energy and likely make for a sound sleep, allowing for some adult time at the end of the day. 

5. Power Of Movies

Often times, the best way for a kid to pass time while traveling is watching a movie.  Portable DVD players are perfect for long car or airplane rides.  They can be used to calm down anxious kids or help with bedtime in a new place.  Check to make sure that the battery life of the player is long enough for the trip.  When traveling overseas, bring additional DVDs as DVD compatibility changes from country to country.  

All the milk and none of the cookies

Moving forward with L&D 1102, we've got another loaded topic to discuss. The questions I received were "When does the milk come in?" and "What about formula supplementation? Will it screw up breastfeeding?" So I'll get to those questions and maybe a few others also, because at work, I often hear the same questions over and over again.

What this post isn't: a litany of awesome reasons to breastfeed (I mean, we already know this, right?)

What this post is: the ins & outs, and what/where/when/why/how's of breastfeeding. I left off the who, because surely that's an obvious answer.

Source.

And no good L&D post comes without a disclaimer. It's the one you've all grown familiar with: I'm not an expert. I'm not a lactation consultant - just speaking from experience. What I talk about here can't ever replace your doctor's advice.

So lets get started. You want to breastfeed, and you've just been handed a squishy newborn. What now? First things first, just dig your heels in, get stubborn, and prepare yourself to work hard. Breastfeeding your first baby isn't exactly rainbows and cupcakes. It takes a lot of energy when you're the most exhausted. It's easy to throw in the towel, but it takes some determination to see things out to completion. Anyone can do the bottle shake, but there's only one person who can nurse your child (even at 3am-- and then again at 4:15). That's you and it's an important job.

After you've decided that you're in this for the long haul, it's time to latch that baby on. There are lots of nursing positions: Cradle, Cross-Cradle, Side-Lying, Football (which is my personal favorite for the floppy newborn phase), so pick one, and grab a couple of pillows. Positioning is really important in those first few weeks. I can't tell you how many times I ended up with a sore neck or shoulders from hunching one way or the other just to make nursing as easy as possible for my little man. Pay attention to this: A newborn doesn't have the neck control or the strength to hold himself on the breast all by himself. One hand has to support your breast, while the other holds the baby to the breast. This won't go on forever, but in the early days, it's really key to good nursing sessions. Once you're all set up in a good position (tummy to tummy, nipple to nose!), it's time to get the nipple to the mouth. When he's all wide-mouthed and "baby birding" it, that's the perfect time to latch on. A word about latching on: It's more than just having a nipple in a mouth. We're talking Dyson Root Cyclone Technology pulling the entire nipple (including almost all of the areola as well) into his mouth. When it happens, you'll know. Honestly, I didn't get the full latch-on until my second or third nursing session, but from that point on, I knew exactly what I was going for when it was time to nurse.

As a warning, it can be painful. Let me reword that: It's probably going to be painful. Now there are definitely instances where pain is the result of poor latch or other issue. But, I also think it's a widely held misconception that nursing shouldn't be uncomfortable, because even with a great latch and intact nipples, the first minute or two of each nursing session would make my toes curl. Remember that stubborn-ness? This is where you dig your heels in, grit your teeth and get over yourself.

So, When does the milk come in? In short, it can take days for your milk to come in. This means that at first it will appear as if you aren't making anything at all. The #1 most asked question/most heard excuse is "but I'm not making any milk." When your baby is only hours old, there is very little milk being made (like, as in drops of milk), and not only is that first milk super concentrated and extra fortified, but also your 2 hour old newborn has a stomach the size of a marble. It doesn't take much to fill up that tiny tummy. You'll go through three stages on the way to mature milk: Colostrum is first and it's that super concentrated, extra fortified milk I just mentioned. It's thick and sticky and a golden yellow color. Transitional milk is what comes around between colostrum and mature milk. It's less thick, higher in volume and still a yellowy color. Lastly, mature milk comes in. It's the highest in volume, the most thin and almost a bluish white in color. Typically it takes 48-72 hours for your milk to come in, but it can be transitioning as early as 24 hours or as late as 5 days (for me, it was 4 days).

Aside from being stubborn as a mule, breastfeeding success comes with repetition. Demand leads to supply, so stimulation is needed for milk production. This means that in those early days, baby goes to the breast frequently. Your goal is a well-nourished baby and a stable milk supply, which unfortunately comes with little sleep and majorly sore nipples. Whether you're reading hunger cues or trying to maintain some semblance of a nursing schedule, you should shoot for 8-12 nursing sessions in a 24 hour period. For the first 4 weeks, I nursed at least every 3 hours while awake. He always went to the breast for feedings, and if my boy only nursed on one side, I'd pump the other. I also got into the habit of pumping after the first feeding of the day and prior to going to bed. As my milk supply leveled out, I dropped to either morning pumping session or evening pumping session. Nowadays, I only pump at work or if I've missed a feeding and am feeling engorged. Being really diligent in a nursing schedule means routine stimulation which in turn equals milk production.

I'd say this is a good stopping point for today. I originally had written a few more paragraphs, but things started to get overwhelming. As with the epidural question, this whole breastfeeding thing could take up about five separate posts. In the next post, we'll tackle formula & supplementation and how that can affect breastfeeding. Later, we'll look at tips, tricks, and must-haves for nursing success.

To Be Continued.......

The One that Makes you Cringe

I'm back with the next installment of L&D 1102. This one... it's a little... um, personal. So here's the disclaimer: If you don't have the necessary organs to grow and deliver a child, you might want to keep on surfing. What I'm trying to say here is --guys, boys, men, XYfolks-- beat it. For the ladies that stick around, also be warned, I'll use anatomical terms that might make you blush. For certain though, this is the one that'll make you cringe. This is the kind of topic that sometimes comes up between friends outside of work and I can rarely make eye contact while talking about it.

Today, we're getting to the bottom line. Literally. Like, as in tears, lacerations, and episiotomies.

Did the air just suck out of the room?

I told you this one would be fun.

So, babies come out and sometimes things tear in the process. But what does that mean??? What is the difference between an episiotomy and a laceration? What is the recovery like? We'll tackle all things tear-related, and I'll share my tips for post-delivery bottom care.

First things first: Lets get super simple... when delivering, sometimes to accommodate the baby's head, shoulders, or body, things tear apart in the mother's bottom area (here comes the anatomical words.... google searches eat your heart out.) and most often you'll have tears around the vaginal walls, perineum, periurethral area, or cervix. There is a continuum of tearing, going from a First degree all the way to a Fourth degree; the first degree being very superficial and requiring very few stitches to put back together, and the fourth degree is, well, um, pretty significant. We in the biz like to call 4th degree tears a "vaginal c-section." Basic anatomical structures have to be reconstructed. Lets just say, take the colace. The difference between tears/lacerations and an episiotomy is that the latter includes the use of scissors. Catch my drift? For all comparative purposes, the depth of cut with an episiotomy is roughly equivalent to the depth of a second degree tear. Is everyone feeling a little light headed yet?

Do your kegels ladies.

There are basically two camps: pro-epis and anti-epis. Most doctors will fall into one category or the other. Those who are pro-episiotomy are open to cutting an episiotomy if it appears like the patient will tear anyway. Some doctors are even more snip-happy and will cut an episiotomy regardless. The draw is that episiotomies are a clean cut that are easy and straightforward to repair. We're talking stitches in your bottom, people. The anti-epis camp will do whatever it takes to deliver without doing an episiotomy. The theory here is that the perineum is designed to stretch to accommodate a baby, and while repairing a tear is sometimes more complicated than an episiotomy, cutting an epis can lead to deeper tears. Humor me for a minute and go get yourself a sheet of paper.

I'll wait.

Are you back yet? With that sheet of paper? Lets do a little experiment, shall we?

Grab your sheet of paper where the arrows are and try to tear the paper by pulling it apart. This isn't a strongman experiment, just try to tear it.

NOW... cut a slit in the middle of the piece of paper and try it again.

Ok, so paper #2 was way easier to tear in half, right? It's the same principle with episiotomies and the anti-epis camp. Disrupt the integrity of the perineum and it's easier to tear even further -- doesn't always happen, but the possibility is there. Make a little more sense? Have a discussion with your doctor to see which side of the fence he or she is on before it's time to push a baby out, but whatever you do, do not ask for a daddy stitch. It's revolting.

Lets reel this back in... I mean, in the end, you still have stitches in your netherrrregions. And stitches that bring a torn bottom back together feel pretty much exactly like those stitches that bring an episiotomy back together. So what do you do about basic life functions? Like sitting? And using the bathroom? Here are my top tips for keeping post-delivery bottom discomfort at bay

• ICE ICE BABY. Ice packs are your greatest friend. Be that annoying patient and ask for a new ice pack frequently. You should aim to keep ice on that bottom for at least the first 24 hours. Not only does it significantly cut down on swelling (please please please dont--- I repeat DONT--- look down there. You can never un-see things. Just say no to hand mirrors) and it also keeps things pretty numb. So, use the ice. After the first 24 hours has passed, some people like to do sitz baths, which is like a bottom-spraying-basin-warm-water thing. Personally, I never used a sitz bath, but some people swear by them. 
• Pharmacological agents. Around the clock motrin and or tylenol will help. Your doctor may send you home with a prescription for a narcotic pain reliever, just make sure you aren't doubling up on the tylenol in that case. There will be a few painful days (Day #3 is always the absolute worst.), but it won't take long until things are just kind of inconveniently uncomfortable. Don't worry, you won't need to sit on a pillow forever. Speaking of pillows, stay away from the donut pillows. 
• Topical agents. This is stuff like dermoplast (numbing spray), tucks pads (technically for hemorrhoids, but great for the stingies & itchies), and hemorrhoid cream (actually for hemorrhoids, but not good with those awful 4th degree tears). I like to make a nice little pad-sandwich for myself my patients: pad on the bottom, then an ice pack, then a layer of cold tucks, then topped with a generous spray of dermoplast. Ahhh, sweet relief.
• Colace, Water, Fiber. The first time you need to go number 2 after pushing out a baby and getting stitched back together, you might consider asking for another epidural. That isn't actually an option by the way. Taking colace (an OTC stool softener), lots of water, and a high fiber diet will make that bathroom experience less harrowing. And a note: if you're breastfeeding, you need even MORE water to keep the constipation at bay. (FYI: Narcotics can also make you constipated. Yowch.)
• Keep it clean. You'll receive a plethora of diaper-sized pads and a handy dandy squirt bottle, so with each potty trip, do the rinse off/pat dry/pad change. Most sutures dissolve on their own, so keeping them clean and dry is the only thing you should bother worrying about.
• Rest. Lastly, give your birth canal a break for a few weeks. Stay away from tampons and men. Wait until your doctor gives you the go-ahead to do anything besides ice and spray. Things will heal back to normal with time. 

So. 

That was awkward. 

What I've learned: sick meals edition

So, someone around you is ill. Maybe they just had surgery. Or chemo. Or a baby. Or [insert meal-worthy malady here]. It seems like second nature to want to provide a meal to that person. It's the thing you do. Or, at least, it's the thing I do. I LOVE cooking for other people. My heart is filled with someone's tummy is filled.

And then one day, I was the recipient of said meals. I'd gotten meals from my sunday school class on one other occasion for a brief amount of time and that was a huge help, BUT, when Isaac came along, we were inundated with meals. It was amazing. We had so much food, we had to freeze several of the meals and sadly, we even ended up throwing away some of the leftovers because we just couldn't eat it all fast enough.

Which brings me back to the beginning: someone around you is ill and you want to bless them with a home cooked meal.  Here are a few things I've learned about bringing sick meals (from being a recipient!):

     1. Get Organized. Chances are good you aren't the only person who's thinking about this sick meal thing. Get with others and come up with a schedule. There are tons of websites that help you invite more people and keep track of who's bringing on what day, i.e:

Not only should you have a schedule lined up, but organize all the other details ahead of time too. One meal every other day is usually plenty. Fix enough for the entire family. Definitely Definitely Definitely figure out food allergies and aversions, because while you may have a killer spaghetti recipe, what you don't know is that your intended recipient is a vegetarian. Whoops. Also, be courteous and call before coming. Figure out all these little details ahead of time, because the LAST thing you want to do is inconvenience the sickie you intend to bless.

     2. Don't expect to visit. This is true in all cases: sickness, surgery, chemo, baby... you can't come with the expectation that you'll get a visit in exchange for a meal. Bringing meals to friends-in-need is a selfless gift which helps to lift the burden of cooking off of tired shoulders. Recovery is a strange animal and it has no bearing on time or convenience. Keep in mind that your intended recipient might be dealing with pretty intense post-surgical pain, or oppressive post-baby exhaustion. While their heart might yearn for a long chat over coffee, their body simply won't allow it. (Which is why you're bringing a meal in the first place, right?) Sure, there's a chance you'll be invited to stick around and see battle scars or kiss on a newborn baby, but still remember you're not there to be entertained, so don't overstay your welcome. Oh, and if it feels awkward to read this, just think how awkward your friend will feel having to ask you to leave. Be understanding. Be courteous.

     3. Think OUTside the box. It is entirely possible to receive 8 pans of spaghetti and 8 bags of salad in a single week. Lasagna, enchiladas, and spaghetti seem to be "go-to" meals when you're delivering to a family, and sure-- they're great for freezing and tasty (well, until you're on pan #8 of spaghetti). Some of the scheduling websites will allow you to reply with your meal plan, which ideally prevents duplicate meals, but what if you're not using a website? Then it's time to think outside the box. Here are a few "nonconventional" but easy sick meal ideas:

Pork Chops. Corn & Tomato Salad. Enchilada Puffs.
Slow Cooker Sticky Drumsticks. Loaded Baked Potato. Crockpot Beef Brisket.
Chicken & Dumplings. Autumn Chopped Salad. Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu.

One of the greatest "out of the box" meals we received? Breakfast!! It's still a meal, right? I can't tell you how awesome it was to get a basket of muffins and container of fresh fruit salad, because then we didn't have to think about breakfast for days. Many sleepless nights lead to lots of frustrated and tired mornings, so what better way to ease a burden than bringing over some easy breakfast foods??

Pecan Coffee Cake. Fruit Salad. Blueberry Muffins.
Doughnut Muffins. Breakfast Casserole. Breakfast Tacos.

     4. Bring Disposables. Ok, so this is really trivial, and it's mostly for me. My house is like a black hole. Seriously. Chances are good that if you've ever loaned anything to us, it's still here somewhere. I loved getting meals in throwaway containers, because then I didn't have to worry about returning tupperware to the right family. I hate to admit that it took me weeks to return some of our dishes. I also still have most of my borrowed maternity clothes. But nothing tops the drink dispenser that I've had sitting around for over a year. I'm totally ashamed. My own issues aside, it simply makes things easier: No dishes to wash, nothing to return. Everyone wins. 

I hope these tips and tricks are helpful the next time you want to bring a meal to a family in need.