With all the talk about pesticides in our produce and the possible dangers of pesticide consumption for children, you may be concerned about feeding your baby conventionally-grown foods (once he or she is ready to eat solids). As someone who never worried about such things before becoming a mom, though, you may be daunted by the high price of organic produce (and maybe organic baby food) in our local supermarkets. Here are some suggestions for how to feed your little one worry-free, without breaking the bank.

1. Seek out organic produce at your local farmer's market. Buying local is an added benefit here, since locally-grown produce often retains more nutrients than produce shipped around the world before arriving at the local Safeway. Find a farmers market here if you're in DC, here if you're in Maryland, and here if you're in Northern Virginia.

2. Instead of going all-out and buying everything organic, buy organic only for those items in the "dirty dozen": peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. These are the items found to have the highest level of pesticide residue.

3. Start your own organic garden! Admittedly you probably won't be able to grow peaches, apples, etc., but a number of other items (bell peppers, strawberries, lettuce) can be grown in your back yard. Live in an apartment with no backyard? Some vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes, lend themselves well to be grown in smaller spaces such as planters on your balcony.

If you are unable to obtain organic produce within your budget or at a reasonable price, however, don't worry too much: many experts believe that feeding your baby organic food makes little to no difference.

Another possible way to save money on baby food is to make your own. Although the convenience of jarred baby food can't be denied, many new moms do not realize that it can also be extremely easy to make your own. Feeding your baby can be as simple as mashing a ripe banana or microwaved sweet potato (neither of which is on the "dirty dozen" list and both of which can often be found cheaply in the supermarket) with a fork. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers immediately, but discard any food that has been touched by the spoon you are feeding your baby with (to prevent bacterial growth). Homemade baby food can also be frozen in small portions in an ice-cube tray.

How to get cheap diapers

Since having a baby, one of the greatest new household expenses has been diapers. Unless you are going the eco-friendly cloth diaper route, you are probably using up about a pack of diapers a week, and this can really add up! One popular solution is to buy large boxes of Kirkland brand diapers at Costco. These are pretty cheap; at $39.59 for a box of 208 size 3 diapers (a baby who is a size 2 in another brand might be a 3 in Kirkland, since they sell only size 1-2 and none that are just size 2), you'll pay about 19c per diaper. However, there is an even cheaper way.

Here is how to buy diapers for less at CVS:

1) Get a free ExtraCare card at your local CVS to take advantage of their ExtraBucks deals. The ExtraCare card is linked to your phone number, and it keeps track of your CVS purchases. CVS often offers deals where you can purchase an item at a sale price but then receive ExtraBucks in return. These may total the whole value of your purchase, making the item effectively free, or they may be worth only a part of the cost of the purchase. The ExtraBucks will print out at the bottom of your receipt. They can then be used as money on a future purchase at CVS, but they do have a two week expiration date.

2) Sign up for a CVS.com account to receive store coupons periodically by e-mail. One of the best coupons they send out, which you might receive every few weeks, is a $4 off $20 store coupon. This is a coupon that you print off your computer and that will allow $4 to be deducted from the total cost of your purchase at CVS, as long as you are buying at least $20 worth of merchandise. It can be used in combination with manufacturer's coupons.

3) Check your Washington Post Sunday insert for diaper coupons. You may also sometimes be able to find diaper coupons online; for instance, at P&G (Procter & Gamble).

4) Check the CVS ads in your Washington Post Sunday insert to see what diapers are on sale for the week as well as what other items come with ExtraBucks.

Use deal-finding websites such as slickdeals.net or iheartcvs.com to help you find when there is a good diapers deal at CVS.

You could get a really cheap pack of diapers if, for example:

1) that Sunday's CVS ad showed that Pampers were on sale (sale price is usually $8.99); pick up two packages of Pampers

2) that Sunday's CVS ad also showed that there was some item or items costing about $2.50 but that would be free or really cheap after ExtraBucks; pick up about $2.50 worth of that item

3) you had received a $4 off $20 store coupon via e-mail; print it out, and give it to the cashier along with your ExtraCare card (or phone number)

AND

4) that Sunday's Post had a $2 off Pampers coupon; try to obtain two of these (a second one could come perhaps from a friend who gets the Post but does not have a child in diapers); give these to the cashier after you have given the store coupon

Your items will total $20.48, but you will pay out of pocket $12.48. You will receive $2.50 in ExtraBucks, making your net cost $9.98. You have now spent $4.99 for each package of Pampers. That is only 13 to 17c per diaper (depending on how many are in the pack)--even cheaper than Kirkland, and you didn't have to pay for a Costco membership or take a long trip out to the nearest Costco (Arlington is the closest you'll find to DC, whereas you're probably never more than a couple of blocks away from the closest CVS). Just make sure to save your ExtraBucks and use them on something else you need at CVS before they expire (tip--you can buy milk or paper towels or something else you would usually buy at the grocery store. Just keep checking the CVS ads on Sundays to see what's on sale that you would have to buy anyway).

Although the $4 off $20 coupons usually expire only a few days after you get them, diapers coupons usually last a while (and, off the record, CVS often accepts expired manufacturer's coupons), so save them up until they can do the most good.

(All calculations do not include sales tax; this will vary depending on whether you are in DC, MD, or VA.)

Bringing baby to the movies

You just had a baby and maybe you've been stuck in the house with her for two weeks or more (depending on your pediatrician's advice). Now you're starting to get stir-crazy, and you're looking for somewhere you can go out with the baby, maybe someplace air-condtioned (it is summer in DC, after all). Maybe you'd like to go out to a movie but are concerned about disrupting other movie-goers when baby cries. Here are some suggestions to let you view the latest on the silver screen without having to leave your bundle of joy with a sitter.

1. Bring your baby to a regular viewing at the local cinema. Some theaters often have weekday matinees that go largely empty, so you may be able to catch a show where there is no one else to be disturbed. If you do choose a popular showing, though, it is often still not a problem: many newborns will take the darkness as a cue to fall asleep in your arms, and if you are breastfeeding, it is simple to nurse your baby if she is fussy during the movie (and you will not have to feel conspicuous in the darkened theater). In case you do have to rush out, though, sit next to the aisle.

2. Bring your baby to a special showing for mothers with babies or for families. Some movie theaters offer these every week, but the information is not always listed on their websites. Call your local movie theater to see if it offers a special showing, and, if so, what the schedule is. For example, Regal Majestic in downtown Silver Spring, MD offers special matinees for moms with babies every Tuesday and Wednesday; call to see what movies are being offered on a given week. If you can't make it to a matinee, the Arlington Drafthouse, a sub-run movie theater and restaurant in Arlington, VA, offers a "baby night" (during "prime evening hours") at least once a month.

3. Try a drive-in movie! You will probably have to travel farther to find a drive-in theater (I am unaware of any in DC or a close suburb), but if you are able to make it to one, it is a unique experience. This is in addition to the fact that, with baby in the car with you, she will be unable to disturb any other moviegoers. The two closest drive-in theaters to DC are Bengies in Baltimore, MD, and the Family Drive In in Stephens City, VA.

For more on bringing a baby to the movies: http://www.ehow.com/how_2059981_bring-baby-movies.html

For more on drive-in movies: http://www.driveintheater.com/

Getting the help you need after a new baby

This advice is for really new moms. The first two weeks after your baby is born are likely to feel chaotic to you, and you will need to set up a support network in advance so you can get some rest and enjoy getting to know your new baby rather than feeling sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, and crazy.

Before your baby is born, friends will offer to help you out. Take them up on it. And be concrete about it: have a list of things you may want help with, and say right away, "Thanks so much! Do you think you'd be able to XYZ?" If people have previously offered generic help, get back to them and say, "You know, I really appreciated your offer to help out, and I realized I need someone to XYZ; can you help me out with that?" Of course, not every task you need help with is suitable for everyone, but hopefully, with a variety of friends and/or relatives, you can get most of the help you need.

Examples of things you might want help with:

• Meals—You will not be up to making dinner during the first couple of weeks, and even if you feel like you are, that is not where you should be putting your energy. Try to line up different friends to bring over dinner each night for two weeks or so. Make sure they call before they come to determine when is a good time. If you are not able to line up someone for each night, try to prepare meals in advance that you can keep in the freezer until needed.
• Groceries—Even if you have dinner delivered to you each night, you may find that you need someone to bring other little things, such as milk for breakfast cereal, snacks (if you're breastfeeding, you may be just as hungry as you were while pregnant), toilet paper, etc. A grocery delivery service such as Peapod may be a good alternative.
• Answering door and phone—A close friend might be able to come over at some point in the afternoon and just be there to receive whoever is bringing dinner that night as well as answer any phone calls and receive any other visitors. You could even give the friend your house key so you do not have to be disturbed to answer the door at all.
• Household chores—A family member might be willing to come in once in a while to wash dishes, do laundry, and even take out the trash.
• Baby sitting—But not so you can run errands! Tracy Hogg, the "Baby Whisperer," recommends getting someone to watch the baby for three hours every afternoon so you can get a nap. I don't think I could have done that, unless the baby were sleeping during that time anyway, as my baby would have wanted to nurse several times during that stretch. But try it if you can manage it, even if it's for only one hour. Friends and relatives who love babies will probably jump at the opportunity to help you with this.
• Coordination—If you have a friend who offers to help but lives far away, a perfect task for them would be to coordinate help from your other friends. Just give her a list of tasks you need help with and another list of friends who have offered to help and their contact information. That's one less thing for you to worry about.

For expert postpartum care, or if you have trouble putting together an adequate support network on your own, you may find it worth it to hire a postpartum doula who can take care of everything written above for you. Find a local one at: http://www.dona.org/mothers/find_a_doula.php.

Co-sleeping safety

Concern has been voiced in some circles (for instance, here and here) about the practice of co-sleeping or bed-sharing (i.e., a parent sleeping with a baby in an adult bed). In some cases, co-sleeping appears to have lead to the death of an infant. A closer look, however, shows that it is not co-sleeping per se that causes these deaths but, rather, unsafe co-sleeping practices. Not everyone is aware that there are safety precautions that must be taken before you can feel safe to sleep with your baby.

Co-sleeping does have its benefits. If you are able to co-sleep safely, it may help you sleep better with a baby who needs to nurse several times during the night. Not only this, but there is some evidence that safe co-sleeping can actualy reduce the risk of SIDS. Besides this, even if you have no intention of co-sleeping, taking the recommended co-sleeping safety preparations may still be a good idea: I never thought I would be co-sleeping myself, but almost every night from the time my son was born until he got his own room at seven months old, I ended up sleeping with him in my bed for part of the night (usually due to my falling asleep while nursing lying down).

The recommended safety precautions are as follows:

• Never sleep with baby in your bed if you're under the influence of drugs (including some prescription drugs that make your sleep heavier) or alcohol or extreme sleep deprivation
  


• Don't sleep with baby in your bed if you are obese
  


• Use a firm surface (NOT a waterbed, for example)
  


• Make sure sheets are securely fitted and keep pillows and comforters away from baby's face
  


• If the bed is raised (i.e., not a mattress on the floor), mesh guardrails should be used to keep baby from falling out
  


• Make sure there are no cracks for the baby to get stuck in (such as between the bed and the wall; a rolled-up towel may be adequate to stuff a crack)
  


• It's best to put baby between mom and the wall or guardrail, not between mom and dad, since many dads do not seem to be as sensitive to the baby's presence--and don't let a babysitter, grandparent, older sibling, etc. sleep next to baby either
  


• Don't let pets sleep in the bed with the baby
  


• Don't wear dangling jewelry or anything with long strings to bed
  


• Don't co-sleep if you are a smoker, and also avoid using strong-smelling sprays (such as deoderants, hair sprays, or perfumes) before bed.
  


• Make sure baby is dressed warmly but not too warmly, as co-sleeping comes with increased body heat
  


• Put the baby on his back, just as you would in a crib
  It is best not to leave baby unattended in an adult bed (i.e., put baby to sleep in a crib or bassinet until mom is ready to bring baby to bed with her)
  


• And of course, as Dr Sears recommends, "use common sense when sharing sleep."

If taking these precautions is too difficult for you, as an alternative, a "sidecar" or "co-sleeper" bassinet is nearly as convenient as having baby in your bed and can relieve safety concerns.

For more information about preventing SIDS, see the American SIDS Institute
For more information about co-sleeping, see Dr. Sears

Family lounge and nursing room at Westfield Wheaton

I don't know how many people in the area know about this new-mom hidden treasure, but it is awesome and totally unexpected. In Wheaton, MD, just a bit north of DC in the suburbs, in the shopping mall formerly known as Wheaton Plaza and currently called Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton, on the second floor near JC Penny, there is a food court. Right off the food court, there is a "family restroom." For years I have been frequenting this mall, and it never occured to me to check out the family restroom (of course, until recently, I never had much need for one). Anyway, I thought a family restroom merely referred to a large bathroom with one toilet and one sink where a mother could bring in her son or a father his daughter without bothering any other restroom users. Maybe that's still the case in some places, but not at Wheaton Plaza.

The "family restroom" here could better be described as an entire family lounge. When you walk in, to your left, along the wall, is a long row of changing tables (concave so baby doesn't roll out) with--think how clever this is--sinks right next to them. There is also a microwave (for warming baby food with caution, I guess) and an electric bottle-warmer. To your right, there is a play area for young children that has a child-size table and several child-size chairs and a television playing cartoons. Behind the play area, there are three nursing booths that resemble small changing rooms with armchairs and with curtains over the doors. These are perfect for any shy breastfeeders, although I find that many changing rooms in the mall are also more than adequate--and there is also a very comfortable sofa in Macy's ladies' room--if you find you need to nurse and are nowhere near the food court. Finally, at the back, there is the large bathroom part of the family restroom, but instead of one toilet and one sink, it contains one adult-sized toilet and sink and one child-sized toilet and sink.

Even if you don't need to use the family restroom, you might want to swing by just to marvel at it! The only downside I have found is that the cartoons are pretty loud, so an older baby may be distracted while nursing.

Additional props to Westfield: Wheaton Plaza also has reserved parking for expectant moms near many of its entrances.

For more info:

Locate nursing rooms throughout the country with the nursing room locator

Check out different types of nursing covers here

Protect baby's hearing at Fourth of July fireworks

The Fourth of July is coming up, and so is the annual fireworks display on the National Mall. As a new mom, I love bringing my baby with me everywhere, and celebrations like this are no exception. However, if you are planning on heading out to see the fireworks this year with baby in tow (bedtime or no bedtime), you may want to consider bringing some noise protection for the little one. The sound of fireworks can get to be much louder than a safe decibel range, and your baby's hearing is more sensitive than yours.

So what can you do without risking your baby's hearing or compromising your evening out (and without having to search for a babysitter)? One solution you might want to try is a product called "Peltor junior earmuffs" by AOSafety. Babies tend to find them comfortable to wear, and they reduce sound by twenty-two decibels. They are not terribly expensive (under $20), and you'll be glad to have them after the Fourth, too, when you want to bring baby with you to concerts and other loud events. Look for the earmuffs here or here.

While you're at it, you might want to get some for yourself to block out a bit of that crying :)

For more information about your baby's hearing see the Better Hearing Institute

For more information about the Fourth of July celebration in Washington DC, see http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/4thofJuly.htm