DYRN: Teething Tablets

Do you really need teething tablets? Yes because at some point your baby will cut teeth and be miserable which will make you feel miserable and helpless.  The best piece of advice I have ever gotten came from a total stranger. I don’t remember where I was, maybe I was in line for something and she just happened by. Orion wasn't being fussy and was really quite small at the time. This woman told me about Hyland’s teething tablets and spelled out the name. Orion wasn't teething at the time but I made a mental note and filed that advice away for later.

When Orion did start teething, I went to CVS, bought the teething tablets and a razberry teething pacifier.  Both turned out to be good investments but I would be lost without Hyland’s.  These teething tablets have helped to soothe my baby when he has a mouthful of ouch.  When I first started giving him the tablets, he would fight me and not open his mouth.  After the first few days of giving him the tablets, he would happily open his mouth for me.  Now, I can put 3 tablets in the palm of my hand and he will pick them up and put them in his mouth all by himself.  He knows what they are for and he knows they help.

I really wish babies would get their teeth all at once or in the span of a week or month.  It is an ongoing process and whenever Orion has on his tightest fussy pants, I wash my hands and check his gums with my finger. This has become more dangerous with each new tooth but it is the best way to check for swollen gums and new teeth.  When we have new teeth on the way, I give him 3 Hyland’s tablets and try to cut him some slack.  Extra cuddles, even more nursing, and a bit more of his favorite TV show.

In October 2010 there was a voluntary recall of these teething tables.  The original concern was the amount of Belladonna in the tablets.  What is the risk of overdosing?

"From Dr. Iris Bell, Hyland’s Medical Director: We have added child- resistant caps to Hyland’s Baby Teething Tablets to make it harder for children to accidentally dose themselves. Additionally, with the prior formula, a 10-pound child would need to have ingested at least six bottles of 125 Teething Tablets at once before experiencing the first mild side effect of dry mouth. Today, a child would have to ingest, at the same time, more than a dozen bottles of 135 Teething Tablets before experiencing dry mouth from the product. The body clears Belladonna alkaloids from any dose in a matter of hours (it is unlikely to build up in the system when taken as directed on the package label)."

The tablets came back on the market in 2011 and there was much rejoicing among moms.  Hyland’s are homeopathic which is something my husband is very distrustful of but he loves Hyland’s teething tablets and believes in the effect they have.  I am so glad we are able to use these tablets to provide some relief when Orion is teething.   I really think Hyland's teething tablets are the only option when it comes to taking care of a teething baby.  Thank you random stranger for that bit of advice which i have shared every chance I get!   

DYRN: Diaper Bags

Do you really need a diaper bag?  Well, yes and no.  Most women love handbags and hardly need an excuse to buy a new one.  There are a million different diaper bags on the market but I have yet to find one that is life changing.  In Orion’s first year, I used 3 different diaper bags.  Each had its ups and downs and I plan to keep them all to use in the event of future babies. 

Please pay no mind to the bad cell phone pictures or crappy couch.

The first diaper bag we bought at Ikea.  I thought it was perfect for me and my husband to use because of the gender neutral black and white print.  This bag is mostly a changing pad with a few pockets with room for diapers, wipes, camera, cell phone,a few other sundries and it came with an attachable insulated bottle bag.  It was perfect for the early days because we weren't spending too much time out of the house.  It is also great for when my husband and I leave the house together and I want to carry a real purse.  He can carry the minimalist diaper bag.  It is light and can't really be filled to be too heavy so the messenger style does not cause any back issues.

Orion wants to use the changing pad!

Then when we were heading out to Michigan I began thinking it might be good to have a diaper bag which will hold a bunch of stuff so I could walk out of the house with just one day for the day.  Orion was 6 months at this point.  I bought this JJ Cole 180 diaper bag.  The print was a bit more feminine but it didn't bother my husband.  It came with a removable changing pad, which I love and a pacifier pod which I never used.  It is also full of pockets including a section for diapers and wipes and then a section for everything else.  I do believe that the bigger the bag, the more stuff you will stuff into the bag.  This bag filled up pretty quickly and felt suddenly small.  Also, the messenger style really isn't good for your back.  Carrying this bag leaden with stuff can wreak havoc on your back and posture.  It did come with hanging tabs so you can hang it from your stroller with the weight evenly distributed.

Since this bag came with a changing pad that can hold a few diapers and wipes I got to thinking that any bag could be a diaper bag.  We also started using cloth diapers when we were out and about and not just at home.  Going out with cloth diapers requires a different kind of diaper bag.  You need to have a wet bag to hold the dirty diapers and a dry bag to hold the clean diapers.  I got one of these bags

Open to largest size

Cloth diapers can be pretty bulky so I wanted this bag to fit inside a bigger bag.  I wanted the biggest bag I could find.  I found this Betsy Johnson bag for a great price and couldn’t pass it up.  My husband liked it more than the plain black option I brought home.  He has never minded being left holding the bag and I do love seeing him holding my purse.  I have stuffed this bag with an emergency change of clothes, burp cloth, bid, nursing cover, diaper bag, and a million other things.  Having such a big bag can get heavy and unruly but this bag is adjustable so I can make it smaller if I decide to travel light.  

Closed to smallest size

With the availability of diaper changing pads which can hold wipes and a few diapers, any bag can be a diaper bag.  Same goes with the wet/dry bags for cloth diapers.  They will hold diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer, and even a pack of plastic bags for those crazy messy diapers. But let’s face it, I am a handbag whore and I just bought a new bag yesterday.  It is a giant jute tote perfect for the beach, farmer’s market, or using as a diaper bag!  I love pink and orange together and I love goldfish so this bag was made for me!

You really don’t need to spend a lot of money on a diaper bag.  I know that Petuina Picklebottom bag is so very cute but I have never been comfortable spending over a $100 on a bag.  I was even uncomfortable spending the $50 on the JJ Cole bag.  Remember I am cheap and doubt that will ever change.  But maybe if I spent the $100 some odd bucks on a PPB diaper bag I wouldn't have had any interest in any other diaper bag.  I don't know, maybe it really is the be all end all of diaper bags?  Or maybe the answer is a $999 Gucci diaper bag, I will never discover the answer.  

Bottom line, you really do not need a dedicated diaper bag because you can spend as little as $12 on a changing pad station and turn any bag into a diaper bag.  If you want to save some money, you can find used diaper bags for sale on craigslist or at thrift stores.  You can also feel free to buy yourself a nice diaper bag to congratulate yourself on carrying a baby for 9 months and giving birth.  Either way, happy shopping!     

DYRN: Nasal aspirators

We have been fighting a cold since Sunday night. I don't know if it is all the pollen or the hot one day cold the next but something has really gotten the snot flowing. Orion is 11 months old now and this is only the second time he has gotten the sniffles so I count myself lucky. Both times I have gotten sick right along side him. I think this is because we are together every day all day and he loves to cough in my face.

I wish babies knew how to blow their nose! I got so scared that he would drown in snot during the night during his first cold. Until he knows how to blow his nose, it is my job to get out the snot. We have gone through 3 nasal aspirators and have found the Nosefrida to be the best option. Orion doesn't like any of them and fights me whenever I try to get out the snot. He doesn't understand that it is in his best interest. He also fights me during every diaper change so I think he is just fiercely independent.

The first nasal aspirator came with our baby first aid kit. Before I used it I thought it was great because it came apart for easy cleaning and the tip was clear so I could see if I was getting any snot. When I used it for the first time, it sounded like it was working but I wasn't getting anything. It was also cumbersome in my hand, it was too small and came apart easily.

Next we tried a cute little Sassy blue elephant. Isn't it cute? and I am such a sucker for cute! But it did not get the job done. Now it is a fun squirting bath toy so it wasn't $3 totally wasted. With each of these aspirators, Orion would fuss and fight. They also have to be reinserted in the hopes of getting out the snot and they have very little suction power.

The Nosefrida snot sucker is great because it works, is quick, easy to clean, and you can see what your getting. Yes I know it looks weird and the idea of sucking the snot out of your child's nose is gross. But you really do not have to worry about snot getting in your mouth. I have not seen the snot go beyond the first two inches of the tube. I am the designated snot sucker in the house as my husband don't play that, so he holds that baby while I suck, teamwork. With any nasal aspirator, I think it helps to have someone hold the baby so you can get it over with quickly.

This morning I had to clear Orion's nose and my husband held him while I sucked out the snot as per our arrangement. Orion was crying with all his might and afterwards only wanted Daddy to hold him. But Daddy had to go to work and this made Orion cry even more! He cried so hard but by the time Patrick was out the door I had rocked and sushed Orion to sleep. I was able to put him down in his crib and we both got over an hour and a half of sleep.

Yes, you do really need a nasal aspirator and you should have one on hand before you need one. I highly recommend the Nosefrieda and no one is paying me to say that. It also helps to have a saline spray on hand. The saline will dissolve the mucus and it is impossible to overdose on according to my Pediatrician so spray away. Good luck battling the boggie monsters!

DYRN nursing pillows

Do you really need a nursing pillow? No, not really but I honestly do not know how women were able to nurse before these pillows. I love! love! love! my nursing pillow. Orion is 10 ½ months old and we still use our nursing pillow. I am not looking forward to nursing without it but we may have to stop using it soon as Orion is getting so big!

I had registered for a My Breast Friend nursing pillow but then I found a cuter one online. So I added the Balboa Baby nursing pillow to my registry. This was a mistake but sometimes I am a sucker for looks. When we brought Orion home from the hospital he was 4 days old and the Balboa Baby pillow was not much good for anything. Orion was so small that he would fall into the gap between me and the pillow. Luckily, the next day was our first visit to the pediatrician which included time with a lactation consultant.

The lactation consultant had almost every nursing pillow on the market. The first one I tried was the My Breast Friend and I fell in love. Since this nursing pillow wraps around you, it can get right next to your body so there is no gap for the baby to fall into. This pillow also has little baby pillow head lifts which work great to help the baby get to the boob and help with positioning. After our visit, I sent my husband out to pick me up one of my very own.

The My Breast Friend pillow really helped me, saved me some back pain, and kept my baby happy. I have MS and one of my main issues is fatigue in my arms. I was really nervous about how motherhood was going to affect me. Early on, you spend the majority of your time holding that little bundle of joy. Orion was (still is) a total booby monster. He was nursing for up to 8 hours during his first weeks of life. I think without this pillow I would have had some issues and frustrations.

Orion loves to nurse himself to sleep and the My Breast Friend pillow doubles as a bed. He would (still does) nurse and fall asleep and I didn’t have to actively hold him. I just had to make sure he didn't roll away from me. It is nearly impossible to put a newborn down to bed so this pillow really helped. I had my hands free to eat over a sleeping baby or use my smartphone to help me stay awake. You really want to be sure that you stay awake when sitting up and nursing or holding the baby.

I did continue to use the Balboa pillow. I would use that pillow under lapping with the My Breast Friend and put a portable DVD player on top of the Balboa pillow. I spent many late nights in bed with my sleeping husband next to me while I watched movies, nursing the baby, and hoping I would soon be able to put the baby down in his bassinet. Eventually, I put the Balboa Baby pillow in the car to use when nursing out and about. This pillow became much easier to use when Orion was a few weeks old but them he outgrew it when he was just over 4 months old.

I know some people like to use the Boppy as a nursing pillow but that did not work for us. I am a larger woman and I couldn’t get that pillow to fit me right. The pillow would be too low in my lap causing me to hunch over which is no good for posture. But I do love the Boppy to lay the baby on and for tummy time.



One annoying thing about the My Breast Friend is finding covers for it. For whatever reason, Babies R Us sells the pillow but not extra covers. I had to go on Amazon.com to order extra covers. The covers are air dry so you will want to have at least 3. There were a few occasions when Orion would have a massive spit up on the pillow, we would change covers, and then his diaper would leak. 3 covers was the right amount for us and sometimes I would cover the pillow with a waterproof pad then a receiving blanket.

My motto when it comes to life after baby is whatever makes your life easier and whatever you can afford. I highly recommend a visiting with a lactation consultant. You might be able to try out different pillows and some even have breast pumps you can try if you bring a nipple guard. Nursing is not easy so try to not get frustrated and give up. Ask for help!

Do you really need...

There is a lot of money to be made off parents and pregnant women, especially first time parents. If you are like me, you never spent much time around babies before having one of your own. It is hard to tell what you need from what you don’t before that bundle of joy arrives. Once that bundle does arrive, it might be joyous but tinged with sleepless exhaustion. This can lead a desperate parent to shell out big bucks in the hopes of regaining some sanity.

Sadly, I am not made of money and am often shocked by the price tag of many baby items. I follow a number of blogs and am surprised when they recommend a $40 sleep sack or $33 hooded towel. My husband does make enough money to enable me to stay home with the baby but that doesn’t mean we do not miss my previous income. Even with extra money I wouldn't want to spend $33 on a towel unless it can also give the baby a bath.

Truth be told, I am cheap and I have always been cheap. My mother said I was the cheapest person she knew. Not sure if she ever realized that I got it from her as she loved thrift store shopping, bargain hunting, and never let me spend more than $2on a pair of underwear. Old habits die hard but I am now realizing that there are a few things you should not cheap out on.

I hope this reoccurring feature will help you weed out what you need from what you really don’t.

First we are going to talk about baby containment devices. There are play yards, swings, jumpers, Bumbos, and exersaucers. When our baby boy first came home, the only thing we had to land him in downstairs was his carseat. I think this has turned out to be one of the best baby holding options. First, if you have a car and a baby you must have a carseat. We spent about $300 on the Chicco Key Fit this is one of those things you do not want to cheap out on. When shelling out those big bucks, you want to get your money’s worth. We love our stroller and find it very easy to use. The carseat worked well to hold our newborn because it was portable, snug, and rockable. The seat with infant insert envelopes the baby who has spent the past 9 months floating in goo, cozied up in your womb. This seat isn’t a swing but it can be rocked and I love a multitasker. I can remember having Orion in the carseat on the floor next to my bed and rocking it with my foot while I rested my eyes. To this day, the only way I manage a shower during the week is by putting Orion in the carseat and bringing him into the bathroom. I do have to strap him in now that he is such a wiggle butt but he can see me, hear my voice, and more important, I can see him. I do not have to worry if he is crying or if he decided to test gravity in his crib. Do not under estimate the power of a carseat. It might not work for everyone but it certainly worked for us.

We had an open top take along swing but Orion was never interested in it and it really wasn’t very portable. We put him in it a few times and he didn’t mind it but it was never a magic charm which would swing him to sleepyland. This was a hand me down which we later donated to Goodwill. I am glad we were able to try it out without spending the money. Go make friends with pregnant women and see if they are willing to swap stuff once they are finished with it. This was an item that was very bulky which I would not be willing to put into storage for years until baby number 2 shows up. I am sure many other moms get to a point where they really just want to downsize on the baby gear.



Most people have happy memories and childhood photos of them in a doorway jumper. When I was registering at Babies R Us, I assumed this was a must have. For Orion’s 4 month birthday, we instilled the Sassy Seat doorway jumper which he liked until he knocked his head into the door frame. His weight was never evenly distributed in the seat and he would end up being lopsided. He really loved the toys that came with that seat. Our pediatrician told us that he does not recommend these types of jumpers as they can cause hip issues. Thanks for telling me now Doc! But we did get some really cute pictures of a very happy Orion in his Sassy seat.



The Doctor recommended an exersaucer and I started to shop around. This is an expensive item which becomes obsolete once baby is walking or so long that he can stand up flat footed when seated. I looked at Kid to Kid for a used one but they all seemed pretty ratty. I ended up at Burlington Coat Factory and got a super sweet deal on a floor model. We love our exersaucer and the seat is removable for washing. It is also durable, Patrick fell on it once and it came apart into 2 pieces but was not damaged. Regardless of much we love this exersaucer, we will not be keeping it around once Orion outgrows as it takes up way too much space.



Highchairs are a wonderful thing and Orion loves being in the highchair and drumming on the tray. I often feed the baby when I am eating. Yes it is annoying and I have learned to use both hands, one feeding me and one feeding the baby. But I want us to have family meals and eat together. Orion likes to feed himself so I can get a bit of a break when I give him finger foods. There are many different types of highchairs so you can find one that works for your family.



If you plan on doing any traveling within your baby’s first year of life, you will need a pack and play/play yard. This was the first item we bought to have a place to put the baby down when we were downstairs at our old house. Orion was 4 weeks old when we bought it and even though we are now living in a one floor home, it is still set up in our living room. This is the pack and play we bought. It has hamper, shelves, bassinet, changing table, carry case, and a mobile with bears, lights, and music. Orion would lie in the bassinet and watch the bears with such intensity. They never put him to sleep but it kept him quiet and happy. The changing table was really great until Orion became too much of a wiggle worm. Now we use the changing table to put his coat and shoes on before we head out the door. This is an item that will grow with your child. The shelves that used to hold diapers, wipes, and burp cloths now hold Orion’s toys. Sometimes he will crawl over and help himself to a toy or two.

I hear a lot about Bumbo and sometimes wonder if we should have gotten one. I do not think Orion missed out on having one or that it would have been a magical answer to some prayer. If you do want one, buy it used. They are easy to clean and I have seen tons of these at Kid to Kid and on Craigslist. You might even be able to get a free hand me down from a friend or family member. There have been a few recalls on this item so be sure you are using it safely.

Bottom line, you need a carseat and you can use it in different ways. You need a highchair, and can find one that fits your price range and family life. Then it is a good idea to get a fun play seat for the baby and exersaucers seem to be the answer. If you will be traveling a pack and play is a necessity. Do you need anything else? Not really but that doesn’t mean you won’t want other things and you might find that they answer all your prayers.

When shopping for big ticket items, keep in mind that Babies R Us is always giving out 20% off coupons, use them wisely. When shopping for anything, ask yourself if you really need x, where will you put x once you bring it in the house, and how often will you use x. Try to practice mindful shopping.