I’m all about play.

“For children, play is serious learning. It’s the work of childhood.”

~ Mr. Rogers

I especially love play that takes place outdoors for it’s added benefits physically, emotionally and mentally. Getting out in nature, even for a simple walk around the block provides endless opportunities for learning and fascination. Entertainment you don’t need to organize.

Children naturally love being explorers. They love treasure hunts. A scavenger hunt combines all those elements and turns an ordinary walk into adventure. To add another game element to the standard scavenger hunt, you can use a BINGO card approach rather than just a list.

So I began making some… in Spanish.

Why I Created These BINGO Cards

We love outdoor exploration. We do a lot of walks and just hang out in the yard looking for lizards, insects and any new discovery. I try to lean into slowing down childhood (and motherhood) and being in nature helps that effort. I like adding a mission or making a game out of things to make it more engaging. As you may already know, my children’s home life is entirely in spanish so there’s the reason for that part.

Spanish BINGO cards that are a screen-free way to:
• Promote outdoor exploration
• Are engaging
• Exercise observation skills
• Teach or nurture spanish vocabulary
• Share and connect with family

Why BINGO Works So Well

Aside from keeping kids engaged on walks, BINGO can also serve as a tool to encourage reluctant walkers or those who are new to outdoor strolls. It builds vocabulary, sparks conversation and is good for different ages. I use them with my 7 year old and my 3 year old.

I created these cards because they fit perfectly with my goal of helping our family slow down and notice the world around us.

How to Use Them

You can use these BINGO scavenger hunt cards for:
• neighborhood walks
• beach days
• nature trails
• state parks
• botanical gardens
• camping
• homeschool nature study
• family vacations
• road trips
• picnics

Our Current Collection

BINGO de la Naturaleza

My first BINGO scavenger hunt was used for a walk around our neighborhood. I’ve used it to walk around the block or on our trips down the walking path to a local pond. This BINGO card includes common findings to make winning very possible including bird (pajaro), lizard (lagartija), cloud (nube) and tree (arbol).

This is great for walking paths, ponds and areas with plenty of trees and nature. Siblings of mixed ages can participate together and all levels of spanish learners can use it because each item has a photo.

Shop BINGO de la Naturaleza.

BINGO de la Playa

This one is to engage the kids in an additional way at the beach. It encourages observation as well as spanish vocabulary. It includes shells,  birds, seaweed, waves and other beach treasures.

Tip: if you have a laminator, use that and a dry erase marker for this BINGO card. It’s great for ease in reusing these for any outdoor scavenger but especially for BINGO de la Playa, which is extra windy. If you don’t have access to a laminator, use a plastic paper sleeve.

Shop BINGO de la Playa.

Need ideas for a successful beach outing? Read my tips for prepping for a beach day with a toddler.

I’m currently adding more to the collection and adding to this post as I go.

I use BINGO scavenger hunt cards as a supplement in my exploration, outdoor activities with my kids. It is part of my focus to slow down, be present and connect with my children.

It’s screen-free fun. I hope that these are some of the moments that are part of our treasured memories. And of course…in Spanish.

If you’re looking for even more ideas to encourage outdoor play, I share additional activities in my post on why getting kids outside matters and how to make it happen.

The post Get Little Explorers Engaged with Spanish Scavenger Hunt first appeared on About That Mom Life.

While I was pregnant with my second child, I worried about a lot of things. And most of those worries were about my firstborn.

How can I continue being his person? His everything? How can I continue to show him he’s still just as important and loved as he ever was, even though I now have to care for someone else too?

My list can go on and on. But let’s stop at: “how the hell was I going to continue bedsharing with him while adding a newborn to the mix and while keeping everyone safe?”

My Options

I want to preface this by saying: I in no way think this is what everyone should do. This is simply what my ever-guilt-riddled heart felt was right for my family.

1. Move him into his own bed before baby’s arrival.

For me, this was not an option. I didn’t want him to feel like I was kicking him out and it was out with the old, in with the new.

My then 4 year old had been sleeping right by my side since day 1 and never spent a night in his crib. I didn’t want him watching his little sister do what he used to do and blaming her for being moved into a room and bed by himself.

2. Keep our current setup and have the baby sleep in a crib or bassinet

This is what I expected to do with my first.

I had a beautiful gold Larkin crib from Crate & Barrel in my room and a bassinet by my bed. The only things that ever spent the night in that beautiful crib was some folded clothes and some toys that needed a place to sit. The bassinet got a little more use but as soon as my baby made a little noise I used that as my excuse to cuddle until morning.

(If you bedshare, please be aware of the Safe Sleep 7.)

My point is: before becoming a mom,  I expected I’d be using these sleeping spaces. After 4 years of motherhood and learning my style, I knew better than to expect that with my second and last baby.

I kept the disassembled crib around just in case I had one of those unicorn babies that seemed to naturally prefer her own space but I wasn’t betting on it.

As the weeks and months passed, I wondered what the hell was I going to do??

What I Knew I Couldn’t Do

When my son (firstborn) joined our bed, I used a Snugglenest cosleeper for the first 3 months.  Those have since been deemed unsafe for sleep.

At the time, I placed it between me and my husband in our king-size bed, with plenty of space between my husband and the cosleeper. I also didn’t want the baby by the edge of the bed.

It worked beautifully for us those first 3 months until my son only wanted to stay next to me and I was happy to oblige. 

I followed the Safe Sleep 7 and I was extremely aware of everything around him. If a sheet shifted even slightly, I would wake up.

But I couldn’t recreate this setup with my daughter.

The cosleeper was no longer considered safe. I couldn’t place her next to my 4-year-old. I didn’t want her on the edge of the bed.

None of these options were safe for her.

So how do I sleep with the baby, not kick out my 4 year old and make sure everyone is safe?

What I Did

I got a bedside bassinet.

These bassinets have one side that can be brought down, you can adjust the height and then you attach it to the side of your bed. The baby is right by your side and has 3 secure walls around them.

You can also raise that fourth wall and make it a standard bassinet if you’d like.

After reading reviews and looking for a bedside bassinet that had a height that matched my bed, I got the Mika Micky. You can’t find it on Amazon anymore. I found this alternative that looks a lot like my Mika Micky.

How It Worked Out

At the point that I had discovered this solution, the only thing left to worry about was how my 4 year old’s sleep quality might be affected by sharing a room with a newborn that cries at night. 

Fortunately, I was blessed twice with two great sleepers.

Even when my second baby would sometimes wake up at 4 in the morning to happily gurgle, I learned that my son is a deep sleeper and I wasted efforts tip toeing around him for 4 years.

It worked beautifully and I’m sharing my story for other moms who, like me, want to savor the cuddles with all their babies while keeping everyone safe.

The post How I Safely Bedshared With a Newborn and Toddler first appeared on About That Mom Life.

If you’re raising little ones in Spanish, you likely are building a Spanish-speaking world around them. You want that world to be fun, engaging and not lacking all the magic and opportunities that the actual world around you has to offer.

I’ve built this world for my children. I have discovered so many pathways to this life and it’s precisely why I created Toddlerhood in Spanish. I wanted to give other parents, who are trying to navigate the same road, shortcuts that I’ve already figured out for them. 

For this post in particular, I’m focusing on toys or games. Fun, educational activities that can help them grow in spanish. Whether you’re 100% Spanish-speaking or introducing your baby or toddler to Spanish as a second language, these are toys you can use to support that journey. 

Fortunately, there are many toys on the market designed to help babies and toddlers learn Spanish in a fun and engaging way. From interactive plush animals to musical toys, here are some of the best Spanish-speaking toys that combine play with language learning.

Learning Friends 100 Words Book

This book has pages dedicated to different categories from colors to foods. Press the image and it will say the word.

LeapFrog Learn and Groove Shakin’ Colors Maracas

These interactive maracas have different modes to support teaching the names of instruments, colors and numbers.

Baby Einstein Octoplush

This toy plays music and says the color when you press one of the tentacles. Fun fact: it seems like the day they recorded the word for “anaranjado,” the Spanish speaker was on vacation. Can anyone confirm if this is the case on all of these toys?

Baby Einstein Glow & Discover Light Bar Musical Toy

This interactive musical toy identifies colors and animals and plays music and sounds. It’s marketed for children from 3 to 36 months.

Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Rescue Mission Wooden Dashboard

This interactive driving dashboard comes with 3 dual-sided mission cards. You select the character on any given card to hear their name and all of the Paw Patrol characters say a different exclamation in Spanish.

Interactive Learning Tablet

This has the alphabet, numbers and has interactive features such as asking to identify certain colors, letters or numbers.

Storypod

Storypod is a storytelling radio that features different characters, called crafties, that play songs and tell stories. Certain crafties are available with a Spanish option.  I wrote a dedicated post about storypod for Spanish-speaking children here.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair

This interactive toy chair by Fisher-Price comes with Spanish language settings that help babies learn numbers, shapes, and simple phrases in Spanish. The chair has several stages of learning, so it grows with your child. There is a version of this chair that is 100% in English. Be careful that you don’t accidentally buy that one like I did The correct version is linked here.

Spanish Alphabet Puzzle

For slightly older toddlers who are beginning to recognize letters, this Spanish Alphabet Puzzle is an excellent choice. Each letter displays am image of something that begins with the letter. This helps avoid the confusion my son had early on when he’d say things like “R para Conejo” or “O para Pulpo”

Bilingual Interactive Pet Dog Toy

Harry is an interactive robot dog that rolls around and speaks in Spanish. And he does other dog things like barking and panting, too.

Sesame Street Hokey Pokey Elmo 14” Interactive Plush

Full disclosure: we haven’t received this guy yet but he still belongs on this list because he’s bilingual.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy – Multi-language version

This puppy sings songs and says phrases in Spanish, teaching body parts, numbers, and simple phrases.

Introducing your baby or toddler to Spanish through toys is a fun and interactive way to nurture the Spanish language from an early age. Toys are just one piece of the larger picture. Happy learning!

If you are raising a Spanish-speaking toddler or are interested in Spanish resources for children, join Toddlerhood in Spanish for resources.

Looking for activities beyond toys? Try our printable Spanish Scavenger Hunt BINGO Cards.

The post The Best Spanish-Speaking Toys for Babies and Toddlers first appeared on About That Mom Life.

Since my son was born, his world has been entirely in Spanish. The books, conversation, TV shows.

Despite our strict, timed and gradual introduction to TV, it was immediately clear that I needed to nurture other forms of screen-free entertainment.

As a parenting blogger, I receive emails about new products and services on a regular basis. A couple of years ago, one of those emails was about Storypod. Being all about screen-free entertainment for kids, I was intrigued. After learning that they also have Spanish options, I had to try it out.

What is Storypod?

Storypod is an audio device that works like a speaker with different interactive elements like…

Crafties: these are different knit characters that you touch to the top of the Storypod and they play the audio content. There is a growing variety of these that include known and loved characters as well as general themes.

Learning Sets:  these include a combination of crafties, books, cards and tokens. You can also buy set pieces individually. The tokens work just like the crafties.

Recordables: these are tokens or the owl craftie that allows you to record the audio that will play when you put it on the Storypod.

How I Got My Child to Love It

It wasn’t love at first listen for my boy. Now, he loves it. Let me tell you what not to do.

When I first tried to incorporate Storypod into our lives, I was not trying to hide my motive of using it in lieu of television. My son would ask to watch something on TV and I’d suggest we listen to stories on “tu radio” instead. This was not an acceptable trade in his eyes. Of course not. I was inadvertently positioning this screenless gadget as the enemy that’s trying to get between him and his beloved TV.

What to do: start with their natural interests.

My boy LOVES Christmas. As in: reads Christmas stories and listens to Christmas songs year round.

When they introduced the Santa craftie, which plays Christmas songs (and is available in Spanish), I bought it, he loved it and warmed up to the Storypod. Now that he was open to Storypod, I bought Craftie Fox and he was hooked on the adventure stories. With the variety of different well-known characters, you are bound to find a craftie your child loves.

How We Use Storypod

Dancing: some of the crafties such as the monkey or the pig are a series of songs. We have really grown fond of the songs on Manu Monkey and we sometimes put him on to dance.

Background Music: we play these while the kids are playing independently.

Stories While We Eat: we have a “no TV while eating” rule in our house so my son often asks for a book to be read to him while he eats. These days it’s extra tricky because I’m feeding myself and the baby, while sometimes even helping my son along. There really aren’t any extra hands or attention to focus on reading a book.

Benefits of Storypod Screen-Free Storytelling

In today’s digitally-dominated world, finding screen-free activities for children feels like an adventure. Storypod is a storytelling radio that sparks imagination and creates magical moments without the glare of screens. That, in itself, is the biggest attraction for me. But to highlight some benefits:

• Enhance language skills
• Encourage imagination
• Promote emotional understanding
• Develop listening skills and creativity without the distractions of visual media.

Availability of Spanish Options

I originally created this post in November 2024. Sadly, I have not seen any new Spanish crafties added to their inventory. I asked a couple of times in the Facebook community (and directly to the page manager) if there were any plans to add any Spanish crafties but never received a response. Two years later I am moving forward looking at other audio storytelling or play options with a growing Spanish library.

The post Storypod: A Magical Screen-Free Adventure for Kids…in Spanish first appeared on About That Mom Life.

I love Dr. Seuss and all the nostalgia that images of the Cat in Hat bring.

When my almost-5-year-old was a baby I couldn’t resist a good deal I found to get a tote and 5 Dr. Seuss books for some ridiculously minimal price and I bought a couple of others along the way.

Imagine my excitement when I learned that some of these classics are available in Spanish!

I have a mini collection of Dr. Seuss books in Spanish. Here are all of the ones I’ve found.

Huevos verdes con jamón

The classic green eggs and ham book. Sam (I am) is now Juan Ramon and like in all the other Spanish versions, they did an impressive job at rhyming while maintaining the same message in spanish.

Ages: 0-7

El Gato Ensombrerado

The main book on the lot.

Ages: 3-7

El Gato ensombrerado ha regresado

The Cat in the Hat Comes Back!

Ages: 3-7

Un Pez Dos Peces Pez Rojo Pez Azul

My boy enjoys this one a lot. This story feels like a hodgepodge of stories but that’s what the English version decided it would be.

Ages: 0-5

Yoruga la Tortuga y otros cuentos

This book has 3 stories in 1 book. I had never heard of these titles in English but I love the rhythm of these and the moral of each story. From being happy with yourself the way you are to the consequences of being rude and selfish, the lessons are deep.

Ages: 5-9

¡Oh, cúan lejos llegarás!

Oh, my heart! This one is a personal favorite. My brother had bought a onesie for my boy of this book cover the day I got home from the hospital after he was born and it set the stage for my love for this book for my son. I originally bought one in English and I vividly remember laying on the floor of his room reading it when he was too small to even sit and pausing every few words to regain my composure and carry on. When I realized it existed in spanish, I had to get this one. My honest opinion is that the Spanish version doesn’t flow quite as nicely as the English, but we read and enjoy it anyway.

Ages: 5+

¿Eres mi mamá?

My sister had this one from when her daughter was a baby and she let me have it. A simple, cute story that my son memorized when he was just a toddler.

Ages: 1-3

¡Cómo el Grinch robó la Navidad!

This is my other favorite. Me and my boy are both in love with Christmas and the Grinch is a standard part of that. I’ve been reading him this since he was a baby.

Ages: 5-9

Ven a mi casa

I love this book that shows different types of homes that you’ll find and the lifestyles of different cultures. It touches on how different cultures sleep, live and eat. A little bit of world travel between the pages.

Ages: 3-7

¡Cuántos, cuántos Pies!

For some foot-counting fun.

Ages: 0-3

¡Feliz cumpleaños!

I’ll be reading this one today since it’s my son’s birth month (as well as it being Dr. Seuss’ birthday celebration week).

Ages: 5-9

Cuenta con Dr. Seuss 1 2 3

Incorporate some number-learning with this Dr. Seuss read.

Ages: 2-5

¡Yo puedo leer con los ojos cerrados!

I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Ages: 3-7

Rosita Cabeza de Margarita

Daisy-Head Mayzie

Ages: 3-7

¡Dientes y más dientes!

Some basic information about teeth, how they’re used and how to take care of them.

Ages: 2-5

El Lórax

We don’t have this one…yet.

Ages: 5-9

If you are raising a Spanish-speaking toddler or are interested in Spanish resources for children, join Toddlerhood in Spanish.

The post Dr. Seuss Books in Spanish first appeared on About That Mom Life.

After learning about the benefits and importance of kids playing outside, I want to focus on creating more opportunities to inspire my children to do so. Nature, itself, provides its own tools for play but for me, we needed some man-made toys to facilitate the transition to playing outside more.

As in many other parts of my parenting experience, I find that I get the best results by following my child’s lead. I am listing the toys that my son loves to use outside on a regular basis. No pressure or leading necessary.

To see all these recommendations on one page, click here:

Outdoor Toys

Bug Catcher Kit

My guy is obsessed. Obsessed. He loves to catch lizards and frogs and put them in his little cage for a while before we release them (and thoroughly wash our hands). He can do this for a long while.

Butterfly Net

We originally used this as a prop to help reach frogs and lizards. Eventually, we got to use it for butterflies.

Gardening Set

We got some seeds and planted them. Nothing grew (likely because we didn’t have the right soil…or anything else) but the fun was in the process. We have planted these seeds a couple of times now. My son has also brought out his gardening tools to help my husband plant actual plants.

Foam Throwing Airplanes

My son loves to go out to throw his airplanes around with me. It’s surprisingly fun to watch how easily you can make these planes glide.

Sidewalk Chalk

A classic. Take the artistry outside. No cleanup required.

Rock Painting Kit

We painted some rocks around Christmas time and set some as decor under our tree. You can also leave some around your neighborhood with cute messages as a fun activity.

What toys keep your little ones entertained outside? Please share in the comments.

The post Toys to Inspire Kids to Play Outside first appeared on About That Mom Life.

At present day, I have a 4.5 year old and a 4.5 month old. In the last months of my pregnancy leading up until very recently,  my older child spent more time than I’d like in front of the TV.

While there are other contributing factors (i.e. a whole new baby sister turning life on its head), my 4.5 year old son has been acting out more and a lot of his meltdowns happen about issues surrounding the TV.

I needed to focus on weaning my son from his TV addiction and getting him back to some good ole screen-free, brain-stimulating play.

Benefits of Outdoor Play

I have been learning about what kids need for their optimal development and play is essential. More specifically, outdoor play.

Kids are not meant to be sedentary for hours throughout the day. It’s not just for fun. Play is how kids learn. Aside from meeting that basic need, there are so many ways that playing outside benefits kids. To name a few:

• Improved mood. Less tantrums.
• Motor skills development
• Helps get energy out and get great rest
• Decreased hyperactivity
• Boosts immune system
• Helps with problem solving and decision making
• Promotes creative thinking
• Decreased risk of obesity

You had me at “improved mood.” Where do I start?

How Much Time Do Kids Need Outside?

In her book Balanced and Barefoot, Angela J. Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist,  says every child needs a minimum of 3 hours outside per day.

Ginny Yurich of 1000 Hours Outside has her own adapted approach to this: 4 – 6 hours outside three to four hours a week.

My first, second and third thought is how in the holy, humid Miami heat?! If I can convince my 4 year old to be out there longer than 30 minutes, you’ll usually find me proposing we go back inside.

Dealing with Uncomfortable Weather

While listening to Linda Åkeson McGurk at the 2023 Raised Good Summit, she shared a quote, which is also partly the title of her book.

There’s no such thing as bad weather; just bad clothing.

Linda shared that this perspective implies that if you’re using the right clothes, the weather can’t bother you. Basically, ski clothes in snow or rain boots and coats in wet weather.

I don’t agree that the perspective applies to very hot, humid weather. With the way things get where I live, you can go out naked, stay in the shade and still be uncomfortable unless you’re doing some sort of water activity. The hot air just envelopes you. In my case, I was wearing my newborn throughout the summer months and aside from the body heat it added, it wasn’t safe for my baby to be out in that heat. The risk of heatstrokes is real.

You can apply this theory as well and safely as possible by dressing everyone (of an appropriate age) in tank tops and shorts and taking indoor breaks frequently. To do this daily in places with hot weather is undoubtedly tough.

For Safety: Keep everyone hydrated and in shade as much as you can. Buy some portable fans.

What Gets My Child Outside for Longer

There are days my son spends a good amount of time playing outside. This is what keeps him entertained out there:

1. Riding around.

He loves to ride around with me or his dad.

Child Bicycle Seat

Kid’s Scooter

2. Swing Set

My parents got him a swingset for his 2nd birthday and some weeks, like this one, he wants to be out there swinging everyday.

3. Outdoor Toys

Toys are kids’ tools for their job (playing). For example, there are certain activities that my son absolutely loves such as catching lizards. We bought him some tools to facilitate the fun. I’ve made a list of my son’s favorite toys that keep him entertained outside for plenty of time.

4. Scavenger Hunts

Looking for another way to keep kids excited about being outdoors? Our Spanish Scavenger Hunt BINGO Cards turn walks, hikes, parks, and beach days into fun bilingual adventures. See the different kinds of BINGO Scavenger Hunts we have here.

What activities entertain your little ones outside?

The post Why and How to Get Kids to Play Outside first appeared on About That Mom Life.

When I was creating my Amazon Baby registry for baby #2, I wasn’t sure what I needed. I still had many of the essentials from my firstborn like the glider, the baby tub, swing and others.

Now, baby #2 is 3 months old and I want to share what is a must, what not to bother with and some hacks to make the most of your registry. First…

Why I Chose Amazon Baby Registry

We are all familiar with Amazon and it’s benefits such as free and fast shipping, easy returns and its enormous selection of products. There are a few additional benefits you receive when you create an Amazon Baby Registry such as:

1. Welcome Box

This is a huge incentive for a lot of people. You must be a prime member to get this perk.  I actually didn’t qualify for this because I used my personal original account to create my registry rather than my family account which is the prime membership. I’m a dumb-dumb.

2. Ease of the Experience for the Gifter

I had a family member who was due with her baby a month before me. When I bought her baby shower gift using a different baby registry, I was sent to another site which was going to charge for shipping unless I purchased more to reach their minimum for free shipping. Then you need to go back to the registry and mark it as purchased. I didn’t want that for people who were buying a gift for me.

3. 15% Completion Discount

Beginning 60 days before your due date until 90 days after, you can get 15% off items on your registry. I continue to take advantage of this benefit today and have used it to replenish postpartum care products, baby diapers, wipes, a diaper genie and more. For more info on how this works, click here.

4. Easy Returns

You can return items easily and you have a year to do so for items purchased for you by someone else.

Start your Amazon Baby Registry now.

Hack to Maximize Benefits

Include items you may need for your first born. At the very least, if it’s not purchased for you, you can buy them yourself with a 15% discount.

Must-Haves For Your Second Baby Registry

Below is a detailed list of my recommendations including a link to the specific items I included in my reel.

Diapering Essentials

Diapers – add boxes of size NB, 1 and 2

Baby wipes

Diaper Cream

Diaper Cream Spatula

Postpartum Care

When creating your registry, don’t forget about what you’ll need to help you get through postpartum as smoothly as possible.

Frida Mom Hospital Packing Kit for Labor, Delivery & Postpartum:

• Delivery Gown
• Labor & Delivery socks
• Upside down Peri Bottle – get the upside down bottle. It’s so worth it.
• Disposable underwear
• Instant Ice Maxi Pads
• Perineal Cooling Pad Liners
• Perineal Healing Foam

Frida Mom Disposable Underwear

• I lost track of how many boxes of these I ordered.  Same with…

Frida Mom Instant Ice Maxi Pads

• When I had my firstborn I made some DIY padsicles and they were heavenly. However, for my second baby I didn’t have the same kind of time because….firstborn. Fortunately, Frida Mom now has these Instant Ice Maxi Pads. Just snap them in half and it gets cold.

Nursery Needs

Your new baby will need their own furniture and storage solutions. Here are the items you see in my reel.

Hack opportunity: use this opportunity for things you need for your firstborn’s room.

Mint Green Velvet Hangers

Storage Basket Set

Floating Wood Shelves

Dresser

Hamper

Bonding

This one is super important. For the past 4 years, my son has been the center of my universe and I’ve poured 100%+ of myself into him. His world will inevitably be rocked but I wanted to keep up and play with him as much as I possibly could. My new baby deserves all of me, too. My best tool to give myself to both are the following:

Baby wrap carrier – Baby wearing let’s me be hands-free and available to my first born while keeping me close to my baby. Note that the baby wrap I’m wearing in this reel and linking to is a bit thicker than my other wraps so it’s best for cooler weather.

Skin to skin wrap top – I didn’t get to do as much skin to skin as I envisioned with my first and that has always bothered me. I wanted to be sure I got ample skin to skin with my second and last baby. So bring on all the tools!

Sleep

Bedside Sleeper – the bassinet I used for my son wasn’t going to cut it this time around. My son sleeps in my bed and I want to make sure my daughter has a space beside me where she is safe to sleep. This was my key to safely bedsharing with a newborn and toddler.

Travel for Two

Car seat

I used the aforementioned hack and put a new convertible car seat for my first born on there because we needed one for our second car.

Nice to have: if your stroller has adapters to convert to a double stroller or is compatible with a ride along board, that may be of interest to you.

What to Skip

Stroller adapters: I registered for and received adapters for my UppaBaby Vista and I didn’t realize the rumble seat (for my older child) is not compatible with the front adapters, therefore the baby would be furthest from me and out of sight. You have the option to get the rumble seat attached to the lower adapters but it’s much too expensive in my opinion ($219).

Clothes: other than one pajama, I didn’t bother adding clothes to my registry and we still got so much clothes. People like to shop for baby clothes so you’re better off dedicating your registry to other essential items.

Let me know what are your must-haves for your second baby registry.

The post Must-Have Items for Your Second Baby Registry first appeared on About That Mom Life.

In October of 2021 I had a D&C after a miscarriage and that was followed by putting my efforts to conceive on pause for a couple of months.

By January 2022, we started trying to conceive again.

We were using all the products to help us get pregnant at home. In July I did fertility consultations and the Day 3 and Day 21 labwork. August my husband had a sperm analysis–twice. And we made adjustments to my husband’s supplements and vitamins after I wrote my post on how male sperm health affects fertility.

My husband was ready to throw in the towel. He didn’t want to keep trying to conceive after July. July came and went with no pregnancy success. I kept truckin’ along like I didn’t hear that. In August, I had a chemical pregnancy.

In September, I started spotting and shortly after inserting my menstrual cup I started to wonder if I could’ve mistaken implantation bleeding for my period and went to Google to know what potential damage I could’ve done.

To my surprise, I saw an article from Parents called ‘Sperm Cups’ Might Help People Get Pregnant Faster.

What’s this? I had never heard of such a concept. There are actual fertility cups that look just like menstrual cups that people buy just for TTC (trying to conceive) but many people improvise and use a menstrual cup.

A day or 2 later my period had really arrived and I left the another tab open on my computer to revisit.

As my fertile time approached, I reread the article, researched a bit deeper and asked for opinions in forums. The people who tried it swore it worked for them. Finally, it was time. And since I had the necessary tool for the job, I tried it. I had nothing to lose.

How I Used My Menstrual Cup in TTC Efforts

I was already tracking my ovulation using Easy@Home Ovulation Tests. When I saw my peak, it was time to put this method to the test.

1. I made sure to keep my clean menstrual cup (I have the Diva cup) by my side (but out of my husband’s view because…awkward) while we…baby danced, as they say. For timing purposes, I will specify this happened during my husband’s lunch break (and toddler’s nap time).

2. Once we were done, I inserted the menstrual cup. It slipped in more easily than ever.

3. I remained on my back with the menstrual cup inserted for about 20 minutes.

4. Get up and go about my business until I went to bed (about 6 to 8 hours later). Remove my menstrual cup, clean it and put it away.

I did this two days in a row.

Two Weeks Later

Two weeks and one day later, to be exact, I took a pregnancy and bam. BFP.

I took another the next day to make sure the line wasn’t getting lighter like it did just 2 months before when I had a chemical pregnancy. I felt good about what I saw.

Final Verdict on Using a Menstrual Cup to TTC

This week I did my anatomy scan at 19 weeks pregnant. I’m half way there! Baby is looking great and has aced all her tests along the way. The menstrual-cup-for-TTC experiment was a success and we got a quality sperm out of it.

I’m sharing this for all my fellow couples who are having a long and challenging fertility journey. Do all the things! And throw this method in the mix.

I’m a believer.

Have you tried using a menstrual cup when TTC? If so, let me know if it worked.

The post I Used a Menstrual Cup to Try to Conceive and This is What Happened first appeared on About That Mom Life.

The 3rd of this month was a year from when I found out I was pregnant, and ultimately ended up having a miscarriage. In many of the conversations I had with family, the OB/GYN and a maternal fetal specialist (MFM), many possible reasons for my miscarriage came up.

Nature’s way of  eliminating something that’s just not right.

The body and pregnancy is a complicated thing and if anything is off, it won’t work out.

Maybe the placenta was unable to attach perfectly.

Could’ve been anything that didn’t fall perfectly together. The MFM feels it was likely a chromosomal abnormality.

No one brought up my husband or his sperm in any of the possibilities.

Not for purposes of finding a place to set the blame. But for allowing a better idea of what you’re working with. All the suggested possibilities felt like they were only mine to own. The power lies in the egg. Not the sperm. I thought maybe something was wrong with my egg. Never did I consider the health of the sperm. I figured all it needed to do was reach and break into that egg.

I was surprised to learn about how much weight the father has in the success of a pregnancy. His role’s finish line is not fertilization. 

I have a personal interest in the topic of sperm health. After all the testing done to myself and my husband when trying to conceive my now-3-year-old the only “issue” found was in my husband’s sperm analysis. He had less than the normal 4% of normally shapen sperm. At the recommendation of the Reproductive Endocrinologist, he started taking Fertilaid and I got pregnant 4 months later (after 11 months of trying to conceive). After my miscarriage last year, we started trying to conceive as soon as we were able to. It’s now been 9 months of trying and we, again, both went through testing. My husband’s semen analysis came back with the same issue: Abnormal Morphology. And worse than it was 4 years ago, despite the fact that he has been taking Fertilaid for the past 9 months. 

I interviewed Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner. She began specializing in fertility after a natural evolution in practice. A need for fertility support in the community kept landing her in front of patients looking for guidance. With time and practice, Ayla found that an evidence-based, holistic approach including both partners brought the best results as men are half of the equation in baby-making.

Ayla gave me an interesting peek into the importance of male fertility and how to optimize it. 

Does Age Affect Quality of Male Sperm Like it Does Womens’ Eggs?

We often hear “35” as the magic number for women when talking about fertility risks and challenges due to the quality of their eggs. Do men have the same magic number? Because it seems not.

Ayla explained that the amount of DHEA we produce declines as we age. DHEA is known as the Master Hormone because it produces other hormones including testosterone and estrogen. Men need testosterone to produce quality sperm. What’s more important than any specific age are stressors’ cumulative effect on the body as we age. By stressors, we are talking about nutrient deficiencies, personal care products, pollutants and lifestyle.

So how about a round about age when men start to have a decline in sperm health and quality? While there is no specific age for men, many can expect a considerable decline around age 45 and older.

How Do We Minimize and Compensate for Stressors? 

For men, it’s mostly about antioxidants. Sperm are sensitive to environmental stress (i.e. pollution, toxins). Antioxidants help protect sperm health and counteract damage. 

To What Extent Can Men Affect Pregnancy Health?

New research shows men have a role in pregnancy complications. A man’s preconception health (3 months prior to conception) affects sperm health. The sperm produced 80-90 days prior will be the sperm that will conceive the baby. Sperm health has a large effect on the health of the placenta and may influence preeclampsia, preterm birth, pregnancy and miscarriage. Sperm makes up to not only 50% of the impact on pregnancy but also on the baby’s long term health.

What Can Men Do to Improve Fertility and the Health of the Baby?

A holistic approach is the best way to improve sperm health. Meaning diet, lifestyle changes and dietary supplements. 

Diet: eat a diet high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Fruits and vegetables are the foods that will deliver antioxidants. Focus on a lot of colors. Seafood is the only food to give a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

Lifestyle: get 7-8 hours of sleep and exercise routinely. Any movement gets blood circulating. If a man has lower levels of testosterone, more intense high interval exercise is recommended. But like with anything, too much is no good. Overexercising and undereating will reduce the production of reproductive hormones.

Supplements: Supplements can play a pivotal role but are not the be-all and end-all.

What Specific Nutrients are Important for Men to Improve the Overall Health of the Baby?

A smart, well-balanced multivitamin is a good base. But specifically:

• Vitamins A, C & E – powerful antioxidants that counteract the damage of free radicals from stress
• B-Vitamins (Folate) – supports overall sperm production
• Selenium – a powerful antioxidant with protective function. Recommended: 200 mg
• Zinc – supports sperm motility and testosterone production. Recommended: 50 mg
• Lycopene – helps with sperm count, viability and quality. Just a small amount needed.

After working with fertility patients and familiarizing herself with the different fertility supplements and nutrients, Ayla created FullWell Vitality + Virility, her own supplement for male fertility, to include all of the important nutrients.

Are There Supplements Men Should Stay Away From? 

If you are combining supplements to get all of the helpful nutrients, do not exceed a maximum recommended dosage. My husband takes an outrageous amount of vitamins (in my opinion). Last month, I assessed my husband’s supplements to make sure that we weren’t overdoing certain nutrients, such as Zinc or Folate. Changes were made. 

Be wary of products made by companies who don’t share a full list of ingredients or mention a proprietary blend. It’s important to have access to independent 3rd party testing results to make sure they don’t contain contaminants. 

How Long Until Efforts to Improve Sperm Health Have an Effect? 

At least 3 months.

What Should Men Avoid to Increase Fertility?

Funnel your body’s resources towards fertility. If it needs to make the choice, the body will choose survival over fertility. Give your body a break by avoiding: 

• Chemical and heavy metal exposure. 
• Toxins. Obviously, we are unable to eliminate all exposure to pollutants but a simple way to reduce toxin exposure is to discontinue the use of synthetic fragrance products i.e. cologne, air fresheners, candles.
• Avoid or reduce alcohol consumption for 3 months for healthier sperm and pregnancies. The liver requires so many nutrients as it is. Don’t spend resources on having it filter alcohol, too.
• Smoking

Last month, immediately after my interview with Ayla, I told my husband about everything I learned. We made changes to his supplements. About 2 weeks ago my husband redid his semen analysis and while it still came back with more abnormal sperm morphology than is considered good, it’s better than it was the first two times he tested. I know 1 month is not long enough to make a significant difference but I believe we’re on the right track.

You can follow Ayla Barmmer or her fertility supplement company FullWell on IG for information about fertility.

Also, if you’re TTC check out my post I Used a Menstrual Cup When Trying to Conceive.

Have you dealt with fertility challenges? Comment below to share.

The post How to Improve Sperm Health for a Healthy Pregnancy and Babyhood first appeared on About That Mom Life.