Mommy and Me class

I look forward to the Mommy and Me class taught by the **AMAZING** Faithe Ploude every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30- 4pm at Mercy Hospital. Not only have I learned so much from the instructor, but I have also picked up tips from the other moms. To be completely honest, this hour and a half in my day is also therapy and a way to validate what I am doing as a mom and realize that I am not alone. Additionally, it is a way for MOMMY to socialize and get out of the house and to realize that Lucas is not the only baby in Miami that cries uncontrollably at times! On June 24th I went to class for the first time and was horrified when Lucas screamed in the car seat for the entire 15 minutes it took to get to Mercy Hospital and there was nothing that I could do to calm him. I almost turned around and headed back home assuming that he would be kicked out of class for crying so much anyways. Of course when I walked into class...half an hour late as I couldn't find the Lactation Center and having a hysterical baby in the car with me did not help matters...I realized that ALL babies cry and one of the other moms even commented on the fact that Lucas had a soft cry which was news to me. In fact, when a baby is crying uncontrollably in class, Faith will ask that you hand the baby to her and she will calm them down. :-) She had to take Lucas twice so far. Other times she has mentioned that I need to hold him and walk around to calm him...or that he needs to be burped, etc. The monthly topics are as follows: 1st week - Parenting. Faith spoke about the harm of television and advised that babies not be put in front of a TV until they are at least two years old. She also emphasized that babies should not be left to cry in bed for any reason as they are bonding with parents until they are 6-7 months old and can not be spoiled. 2nd week - Pumping and Working. Faith went over the schedule for pumping for the working mom and advised that I should pump first thing in the morning when I wake up and just before going to sleep. She told me to freeze 4 oz at a time and that every mommy should have at least a two week supply of milk in the freezer before returning to work. 3rd Week - Starting Solids. Faith said that although most babies will not begin eating solid foods until they are approximately 6 months old, it is important for us to know now what to expect so we can prepare. 4th Week - Weaning and Dental Health. Although the material is identical on both Tuesday and Thursday, I go to both classes as I feel that I need to get out and I always learn something from the other mommy's questions and I absorb information that I didn't grasp the first time around. At the beginning of each class Faith goes around the room and has each mommy state her name, her baby's name, how old the baby is, whether they are breastfeeding or formula and any questions they may have. Another benefit of going to class is that there is a scale to weigh your baby. In this picture taken during the last class (July 22nd), Lucas is loungin' in his Sponge Bob outfit on the scale and weighing in at 12 lbs.