Meet Alura Carbrey

Founder of Cats and Coffee by the Sea

Today we are excited to interview blogger, influencer, and marketing agency owner, Alura Carbrey! Alura is a native North Shore, MA resident and is an amazing resource to all things local to the area and more!

Pre and Postnatal Training

Kayla Mehr

Having a newborn starts a new chapter filled with love, excitement, life changes, and unexpected challenges. One of the most common and overlooked challenges and changes for new parents is the feeling of being isolated. New parents feel like they can’t leave the house because their baby could need them. While it can feel scary leaving the house with the baby because of possible sickness, it can also feel overwhelming since babies need so many things.

Below are tips for taking the baby out of the house without feeling overly uncomfortable and feeling like you’re getting out while staying home.

1. Only pack the essentials: diapers, wipes, pump or bottle supplies, extra clothes, and a portable sound machine. If you are formula feeding, pack the water and formula separately, unmixed, so you don’t waste any.
2. Do your best to avoid overly stimulating places. Venues, such as malls and busy restaurants, have many people, sounds, smells, and bright lights. These all can overstimulate your baby, even if they are sleeping
3. If you’re going for a walk, use the stroller’s bassinet. This mimics the sleep environment. It’s a great way to get out and have them take a cap nap. You can try this at the end of the day or early evening before bed. This will also help the baby get some Vitamin D and support their circadian rhythm.
4. Open the windows and allow fresh air to circulate through the house (even during cold months). It will give the feeling of being outside, and listening to the breeze and birds chirping can bring harmony to the house. The cold can bring in a whole new fresh air feeling to the home and positive benefits for the newborn.
5. Have coffee Zoom meetings with family and friends. If you do, try to schedule these while the baby is awake. This way, the baby can play independently. Yes, it is a good time to start independent play, even as a newborn. This will give them time to learn valuable self-play skills while you reset, relax, and stay in touch with loved ones.Many new parents underestimate how stimulating a quiet room with lights on is for their newborn. We must remember everything is stimulating for them, as it’s all new. By constantly being their entertainment, new parents are overstimulating their newborn and not allowing them to explore, get comfortable, and feel secure and safe in their new environment.Join virtual or in-person parenting groups. Not only can this provide much-needed adult interaction, but you can also gain new information from other parents about all things baby.
6. It may seem complicated, but try to shower, wear fresh clothes, and get ready for the day, even if you stay home. This is a form of self-care and can do wonders for your mental health.Doing activities like this also helps you learn to manage your time with a newborn and navigate these everyday situations when you have the time.
7. It’s important to remember that your relationship continues to grow and requires attention, even after becoming parents. I recommend setting aside time twice a week to connect with your partner. While one of you puts the baby to bed, the other can order takeout or prepare a simple meal. Then, you can use this quiet time to focus on each other. Especially now, it’s essential to prioritize your relationship. During these moments, try to avoid discussing the baby or negative topics. Instead, each partner can share three positive things during the conversation. This way, both of you will consciously notice each other’s actions, which will help both sides see how their partner is supporting and learning to navigate this new journey while also strengthening the relationship.
8. If you have access to experts, utilize their help for errands or personal tasks. Having time without your baby can significantly improve your mental health.
9. Speak with a certified lactation consultant before the baby arrives to prepare for establishing a milk supply and bonding with your baby. You will be more prepared and better equipped to handle the ups and downs of breastfeeding.
10. Hiring professional experts to help you navigate this transition can really help you gain a solid foundation and ease the transition to parenthood.

At Gentle Giraffes Newborn Care, we offer in-person and virtual expert help. Send us a message at contact@gentlegiraffes.com and we will be glad to help.

How to Help Your Baby Sleep More

Over the last decade, Penn State University has been conducting a study on teaching mothers new skills to enable them to attain better and longer sleep for their newborns.

Sleep is essential for healthy weight through childhood, brain development, and emotional regulation. Also parents’ sleep deprivation can lead to depression and elevated instances of traffic accidents. It’s important for newborns to reach the optimum level of sleep for the overall well-being for their growth and development and their whole family.

Responsive Parenting

Responsive parenting (notice how we didn’t say reactive parenting) refers to responding to a child’s needs in a way that is timely, age-appropriate, and tailored to their specific needs. There is a difference when the response is actually what the baby needs instead of the parent projecting what they think the baby wants. When parents in the study responded to things like fussiness, alertness during feeding and play, drowsiness, and sleep, the children slept longer and learned self-soothing skills faster than children who didn’t have parents using responsive parenting. These children also had a lower BMI for the first three years of life.

The Spillover Effect

As the study continued, parents voiced concern that they did everything perfectly using their training for the first born, but didn’t have time with the second born. Researchers at Penn state wanted to see if second born children were affected by the training the parents received.

The researchers assessed a group of moms with a second child, half of which had received the training. Results showed that despite feeling like they didn’t have time to apply the practices, those second born children slept longer, went to bed earlier, fell asleep in under 15 minutes, and had a healthier BMI.

Even though the parents felt like they didn’t have time, they unconsciously were implementing what they were taught and saw how it worked. Plus when you are in a routine with 1 child, the others usually fall into that same routine in general.

Promoting Better Sleep for Yourself and Baby

Responsive parenting at bedtime:

• Establish a healthy routine – this can take a bit of time to actually learn what your baby is telling you versus what the adult thinks baby needs are and what the books say to do. Every baby is unique.
• Respond to children based of age and developmental needs
• Teach self soothing techniques – this is not about leaving a baby to cry alone. It’s about learning and supporting them based on what the baby is communicating. Some babies shake their heads before falling out, some babies lay still, some babies wiggle and some cry/fuss etc. Staying with your baby to support them and learn them is a key component to understanding their communication.

According to Early Childhood theorist Jean Piaget, the first thing a baby learns is trust vs. mistrust. They learn trust when parents respond accordingly to their needs and have consistency. The consistency teaches them they can trust their needs will be met, and they learn what to expect. Knowing what to expect makes transitions like bed and sleep, smooth. When babies, humans in general, have trust they have a strong sense of self-worth and secureness within. These are some of the building blocks to a secure attachment.

For the caregiver new to responsive parenting, once a bedtime is established, be consistent. When the consistent bedtime has been implemented, build a calm routine.

Thirty minutes before the calm routine, it can be helpful to “get the wiggles out”. Do a dance, jump around, or move the baby’s legs and arms to fun music. This can also become a fun part of nightly routine and nightly time to connect with parents/caregivers. The calm routine should include things like warm baths, reading books, and avoiding stimulating activities, screen time or rowdy play. If you have an infant that is not rolling, using a swaddle can add to this calming time.

To encourage self soothing, put the baby to bed while drowsy but awake. Self soothing is a valuable and necessary skill, teaching it as soon as possible will help with healthier sleep.

Babies waking through the night is inevitable, often times for hunger. However, this does not mean that feeding should be the first response. The researchers at Penn state encourage parents to use “lighter touch” methods, like trying a pacifier, verbal reassurance, and gentle touches like patting their butts and rubbing their backs or bellies. Deeper responses include rocking, feeding, and changing the baby’s diaper. These should only be used if the “lighter touch” method doesn’t work.

At Gentle Giraffes, we not only educate you about healthy and sustainable habits but also stand by you as you implement them right from the start. We understand that the early days of parenthood can feel overwhelming, especially when exhaustion sets in. That’s why we’re here to offer our unwavering support throughout the crucial first 16 weeks.

Drawing from our extensive experience, we’ve honed a technique that focuses on establishing routines, understanding and addressing the unique needs of each baby, and alleviating common issues like digestive discomfort and reflux. By minimizing overstimulation and fostering a deep sense of attachment, we ensure that your baby’s nervous system remains calm and balanced.

Our founder possesses a remarkable talent and deep passion for this work! With an intuition that seems almost uncanny when it comes to newborns and infants. She is a steadfast advocate for both newborns and families, bridging the gap between the books and the Docs to promote a calmer, happier baby and family where everyone sleeps…

At Gentle Giraffes, we’re dedicated to supporting you every step of the way, ensuring that your journey into parenthood is as smooth and fulfilling as possible.

You can check out our sleep conditioning and sleep training packages here. Send us a message at contact@gentlegiraffes.com and we will be glad to help.

Trying to decide on the best formula for your little one can be an overwhelming process – with so many options on the market with so many different ingredients promising so many different benefits for your little one, how do you know which one to pick? What should you look for on the label? What should you be avoiding? Let’s go over the main types of formulas, & what the benefits are to each, as well as some easy ways to pick out the right one for you.

Organic Cow’s Milk Formula

One of the most popular formulas on the market is organic cow’s milk– this is certainly the most popular type of infant formula, and contains at least 95% organic ingredients. You can also be assured that the product is free from preservatives, toxins, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. Non-organic cow’s milk is still made from a cow, however you’re risking exposure to hormones, chemicals, and pesticides since it is not organic.

Organic Goat’s Milk Formula

Another popular option is organic goat’s milk formula, which is very similar to dairy-based formulas in terms of nutrients. But, because it’s made from goat milk which contains the A2 milk protein (vs. A1 for cow’s milk), it may be easier for some babies to digest who are intolerant to cow’s milk. Organic goat’s milk is non-GMO and free from preservatives, toxins, etc. Unlike regular cow’s milk however, regular goat’s milk still has the A2 vs. A1 milk protein, and can be easier to digest as well.

Soy Formula

Soy products are becoming an increasingly popular option, as they’re a great option for any little one who may have a sensitivity to dairy. While it still carries the nutrients your little one needs, it’s important to talk to your pediatrician before making this switch, as it’s certainly not suitable for all babies. Parents can also consider a plant based formula, which is similar to soy products in the sense that they are made without using animal products.

Things to Consider for when Selecting Baby Formula

When it comes to deciding on the best formula for your baby’s needs, you’re going to want to prioritize organic ingredients. What does this mean? You’re going to want to look for the labels that not only say they’re organic, but also advertise that they’re free from preservatives, toxins, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. To that end, look for key nutrients on the back that consist of DHA, ARA for brain development, prebiotics & probiotics for immune and gut health.

Other things to look for when doing research include strong reviews from other parents– certain companies will promote their own products, so you’ll definitely want to steer clear of any reviews that are “sponsored.”

While there’s an abundance of information about what kinds of nutrients to look for and prioritize in your formulas, there’s an equal amount that you’ll want to avoid. Because the US has a much larger range of standards for organic baby formula, even the best organic formulas can have lower quality ingredients.

Because of this, try to avoid processed or refined sugars, as manufacturers use these because they are cheaper than lactose, which they should be using. Look for corn syrup solids (glucose syrup solids), maltodextrin (a partially hydrolyzed starch derived from corn, rice, or potatoes), sugar, or brown rice syrup.

You’ll also want to avoid any added oils using hexane. DHA and ARA are important to have in baby formula, because they are essential fatty acids that are important for both brain development and eye development. That being said, specific types of DHA and ARA – C. Cohnii oil (DHA) and M. Alpina oil (ARA) are processed using hexane (a neurotoxic petroleum-based solvent), which is a big no no. Another oil to avoid is palm oil, as it reacts with calcium, and causes the formation of “soaps” in the baby’s intestines (which can cause digestive issues).

Other key ingredients to avoid include Carrageenan, Synthetic Nutrients Extracted Using Chemical Solvents like lutein, lycopene, nucleotides, taurine, l-carnitine and l-methionine, and soy, which can be problematic for babies because of their phytoestrogen content.

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the right infant formula can be overwhelming, but understanding the options simplifies the process. Organic cow’s milk formula and organic goat’s milk formula offer high-quality ingredients, with goat’s milk potentially being gentler on digestion. Soy formula is suitable for dairy-sensitive babies, but always consult a pediatrician before making the switch. Prioritize organic ingredients and essential nutrients like DHA and ARA, while avoiding added sugars, oils processed with hexane, and harmful additives. By scrutinizing labels and seeking trusted reviews, parents can confidently select the best nutrition for their baby’s development.

 Send us a message at contact@gentlegiraffes.com and we will be glad to help.

When making the immensely important decision to try to conceive, you’ll likely run into a lot of information on the internet telling you ways in which you can help your body prepare. But what’s true and what’s myth? What are realistic ways you can increase your chances of pregnancy, without going to extremes? Let’s go over the physical, psychological, and emotional things you can incorporate into your life.

Stop Using Birth Control

In terms of the physical things to do, you’ll want to start with the most basic –  getting off whatever form of contraceptive you may be on! While you can get pregnant right away, it often can take several months for your body to adjust to the changes in your hormones – be patient!

Take Prenatal Vitamins & Folic Acid

Another easy thing to do is to start taking a multivitamin. While prenatal vitamins are typically associated with people who are already pregnant, a little known fact is that taking them when trying to conceive not only helps the process, but also helps you avoid any nutritional deficiencies during early pregnancy. An added bonus – you’ll have time to try out a few brands to see what works for your body.

In addition to a prenatal vitamin, you’ll also want to add folic acid into your life, which can help prevent neural tube defects during early pregnancy. Be sure you’re taking at least 400 to 800 micrograms a day.

Eat Healthy and Exercise

Diet and exercise can be extremely effective during this time as well – aim to get 30 minutes of exercise a day, and prioritize organic fruits and vegetables, if you’re able. While there’s no science that any one food particularly boosts fertility, the body is best to receive conception when it is overflowing with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, as the baby can take from the overflows and leave the reserves for moms to thrive on. Try eating dark-green leafy vegetables, chickpeas, lentils, black-eyed peas and other legumes, low mercury fish, lean beef and other proteins, flax, chia, and other seeds.

Track Your Cycle

Let’s talk about timing– you are most likely to conceive if you have sex within a day of ovulation, which is usually about 14 days after the first day of your last period. Once released, an egg lives for about 12 to 24 hours after it is released. To become pregnant, the egg must be fertilized within this time. As sperm can live for up to seven days inside a woman’s body, if you’ve had sex in the seven days before ovulation, the sperm can have had time to travel up the fallopian tubes to wait for the egg to be released.

Prioritize Mental and Emotional Health

Getting pregnant not only requires physical health, it also requires mental health – mind, body and spirit health is so important when trying to conceive, and should be just as high a priority as physical health. In terms of the psychological and emotional things you should be aware of, let’s start with stress.

While there’s only so much we can do in our everyday lives to avoid stressful situations, we do have control over how we deal with it and how we process it. When you’re stressed, your sympathetic nervous system—which is activated when you’re in fight-or-flight mode—stays constantly active and your blood pressure runs high, which can lead to hypertension and blood flow being diverted away from the reproductive organs. Because of this, you’ll want to be prioritizing your sleep, practicing calming and deep breaths, meditation, exercising, finding an outlet to confide your feelings in, and more.

Preparing yourself emotionally in order to help conceive is a critical component in not only getting pregnant, but also being the best parent you can be. Try to stay patient, optimistic, and overall, hopeful for what’s to come.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the journey to conceive requires a holistic approach that takes into account physical, psychological, and emotional aspects. Transitioning off contraceptives, incorporating prenatal vitamins with folic acid, maintaining a balanced diet, and regular exercise can optimize fertility. Tracking ovulation will help optimize timing, and prioritizing mental and emotional well-being through stress management techniques can further support the process. Remember, conceiving is not solely about physical readiness but also about cultivating a positive mindset and emotional resilience, laying the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and parenting journey ahead.

When getting ready to bring your little one into the world and raising them once they’re here, you’ll likely continually hear how important the nervous system is to their development. Let’s go over what the nervous system does, and why’s it’s so integral to your baby’s well-being:

The Nervous System Maintains Physiologic Functions

Firstly, the nervous system is essential for maintaining physiologic functions including cardiovascular and respiratory homeostasis. It’s also intricately connected to the higher brain system involved in the emotional and physical aspects of life that make us uniquely human. It plays a role in nearly every aspect of our health, including basic things like breathing, to more complicated things like the ability to make memories and  regulate emotional state. In other words, the nervous system is absolutely critical to who we are as people, and ensuring that your little one is developing in a healthy manner is incredibly important.

Emotional Experiences Shape the Way Babies Think

Science also tells us that early emotional experience can quite literally shape the way our little ones think– but how exactly does that work? Essentially, the subcortical part of the brain is responsible for creating emotional memories, while the medial prefrontal cortex part of the brain is involved in managing behaviors, as well as in planning and decision making. These two areas are connected and constantly communicating with one another, and extremely vulnerable to environmental influences– particularly in the early building stages, when your child is very young. Neuroscience actually suggests how these early life experiences can literally shape the ways in which children think.

This raises incredibly important questions for us as parents – how do our actions impact our little one’s nervous system, and how can we help promote healthy nervous system growth? Because we are the key source of creating these first experiences, it’s important to create a nurturing environment.

Parents Can Influence their Baby’s Nervous System

How can we do this? Firstly, engagement in healthy and positive situations is key here. You’re going to want to protect them from any loud, negative, and damaging noises, which can play a negative role in their development. You’ll want to try to create a gentle and supportive experience for them, as much as you can. In this environment, everything from the sound of your voice, the volume of your voice, and more plays a huge role. If we react well to something, our little ones will often do the same. If we respond in a calm way, our little ones will likely follow that lead. In this sense, we should view ourselves as an extension of their children’s developing brain.

Although very few people know this, the development of a baby’s nervous system begins long before they’re even brought into the world – in fact, it actually begins in utero. In just the fifth week of conception, a baby’s synapses begins forming in the fetus’s spinal cord, which then leads to the eventual development. In other words, the eggs we carry also carry emotional health. Because we know that a baby’s nervous system begins while they’re still in utero, we know that they’re nervous system is intrinsically linked to the birth parent– in other words, the development of their nervous system is based on ours. Thus, when it eventually comes to their own self soothing and self regulation, it’s imperative that we’ve provided them with the healthy tools to do so.

Looking for other ways of promoting healthy growth? It’s always helpful to expose our children to new and exciting environments, sights, and sounds – they’re learning so much from the moment they’re born! While we aren’t always perfect, and that shouldn’t be the goal, we should be trying to bestow kindness and gentleness in everything we do for our children, especially in their early months and years of life.

 Send us a message at contact@gentlegiraffes.com and we will be glad to help.

When your little one hits their six to twelve month mark, you’ll likely start to transition them over to solid foods and a more diverse amount of ingredients. This can be a somewhat stressful time, and it raises the question– how should I begin this process? What does this look like? Let’s go over the two main ways to help transition your little one, as well as some of the pros and cons of each. 

Baby-led Weaning Method

Additionally, it encourages motor skills development by allowing them to use their own muscles in order to feed themselves – self-feeding not only allows your baby to strengthen muscles, it also develops coordination in their back, arms, and hands, as well as improving oral motor skills. It’s also possible that it will save you time and money, as you already have ingredients on hand for the family that can be blended &  mashed for the baby.

In terms of the complications of this method however, self-feeding babies can be a messy process–be prepared for food to end up on the floor, on the baby, and even on you! It can take a while for babies to figure out how to self-feed, and they need time to explore food in order to get the hang of it.

Especially in the beginning, when babies are sampling ingredients more than eating them, it can feel like a lot of food waste– try to be patient during this time, and if possible, encourage some boundaries when it comes to throwing food.

Finally, food tends to end up everywhere with baby-led weaning, so it can be tough to know exactly how much your baby is actually eating– you’ll have to be closely monitoring their hunger cues, as well as making sure they’re not overeating as much as possible.

Purees Method

Conclusion