Baby Technology: Movement Monitor

I am SO glad I was born in this era!  I found the coolest piece of baby technology today!

My 2-month old had been doing a great job sleeping for at least a 5 hour chunk during the night.  Except for the past two nights when she got up at 2, 4, 5, and 7 after having gone to bed at 1.  She really likes lying (laying? someone help me...) on her stomach and I let her nap that way because I can watch her just in case she puts her face in the mattress/couch/blanket whatever and can't breathe.  But at night I make her sleep on her back because I'm freaked out about her dying in her sleep/SIDS, which is less likely to happen if she sleeps on her back.  How awful it would be to wake up to a dead baby!  According to the SIDS research center,  SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is currently the number one cause of death for infants 0-12 months.  There are about 6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births per year caused by SIDS.  Though that's about half of what it was when I was an infant, it's still something to be aware of.

After these last two nights of really bad sleep, I went to the internet to see what parents with a similar dilemma have done.  I googled something like "when can I let my baby sleep on her stomach" and among the answers (varying from 6 months to 1 year old) I found a lot of references to infant movement monitors.  I had never even heard of these before!  There are two basic types: one with a pad that goes underneath the baby's mattress, and one which clips on to the baby's diapers and touches the baby's skin.  Both types set off an alarm if there is no movement detected for ~20 seconds.

Above: movement monitor - pad version

Above: movement monitor - clip version.

After much research, I've decided to buy the Snuza (pictured above).  The current version is called "Hero," but it's literally the same thing as Snuza Halo.  (At least as far as I understand.)  There is also a Snuza GO! which is the same thing as the Snuza Hero, but lacks a vibration function the Hero has.  If the Hero detects that a baby has not moved for 15 seconds, it will vibrate, hoping to stimulate some movement from baby.   If that does not happen within 5 seconds, the alarm is sounded.  Just so you can get some size reference, below is the Snuza on a baby.

I really like that it's portable and can be worn so it's touching the baby's stomach, side, or back.

One thing that I am not a fan of is the alarm system with these things (and by "these things" I mean ALL of the movement monitors I read about).  When the alarm sounds, it sounds where the baby is.  It's loud enough to hear from far away, or so they say, but if there is a false alarm (which there is occassionally) the loud alarm really scares baby.  I think notifying the parents would be better.  However, I understand that if the baby has not moved, a loud sound would probably be good so as to wake the baby up.

I found one of these Snuzas on KSL, but when I called the owner it had just been sold.  So, I bought it from Toys R Us and paid extra to have it delivered by tomorrow or Thursday :)  I don't often do that, but if it means a good night of sleep, it's worth it.

The only other device that I saw that even compares to this is called the Owlet, but it's still being manufactured.  I heard about it at a BYU student innovation contest or something.  It's a little booty that wirelessly monitors baby's breathing and heart rate.

So there it is.  Baby movement monitors cost around $90-$130, but right now Babies R Us is having a 15% off baby monitor sales.  Plus free shipping!

It's not always easy, and that's okay

I've had several conversations and read several quotes/scriptures recently that have reminded me that life is not always easy, and that's perfectly okay.

Being a brand-new mom was/is hard!  

My whole pregnancy was really pretty easy.  Until labor.  That was NOT FUN.  I had diligently done the Hypnobabies training program to learn deep self-relaxation techniques that I could use during labor/delivery, but once my hard contractions started nothing really helped, except for screaming.  I never pictured myself screaming during labor but I did basically the whole way to the hospital and until I delivered.  When we got to the hospital, I went upstairs to change and Mario went to check me in, but then they called him upstairs because I was all ready to push.  (By the time I had changed into my hospital gown I was already at a 10.)  He told me that when he came in the door to the labor/delivery section of the hospital he could hear me screaming from down the hall.  Then baby came and I was so happy to be DONE with that and so sure I should have gotten an epidural.  But the nurses took little Dulce away because she was having trouble breathing and there I was, just getting sewn up from internal tearing as well as a 3rd (almost 4th) degree episiotomy and wondering where the intensely awesome natural high was that people talked about getting after giving birth, especially after doing it all natural like I had.

The next six weeks were mixed with ups and downs.  My mom came for one week, and then my in-laws for three and I was incredibly grateful for their help.  I don't think I would have survived without it!  After they left I got pretty anxious about doing things by myself.  I felt tired and really frustrated and guilty.  My whole life I had been preparing to be a mom!  I babysat hundreds, probably thousands of hours, since I was twelve.  But here I was with my own baby and I wasn't loving being a mom and that made me feel like a failure.  So I went in for my six week check up and when the midwife asked how I was doing I just completely bawled.  She was the first person I had been 100% open with about exactly how I felt about motherhood at that time.  I had made the resolution for 2013 to not complain as much, so I had not told Mario or anyone how I was feeling when I was at my lowest.  The midwife suggested antidepressants and/or counseling, but I told her that if I was just more open with my husband, things would get a lot better.

And they DID!  Mario is so wonderful and supportive and constant.  He helps with Dulce a lot when he's at home.  He's a great dad and an excellent husband.  Things are getting better all the time.  Being a mom is still hard, but good :)


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My scripture study recently has brought me to some scriptures and quotes that teach the principle of trials and their purpose and connection with faith. (Not that motherhood in and of itself is a trial, but it is a challenge!)

1) Ether 12:37, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." 

Though I try to stay as close to God as possible, when my weaknesses are most evident is when I reach out the most to Him.  There is the wonderful promise that as we humble ourselves, those weaknesses can be made into strengths.  This gives me the hope that someday I will be the kind of mom I always imagined myself to be!

2)  Neal A Maxwell: "One's life...cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free... Therefore, how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, 'Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken.  Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art!  Then let me come and dwell with Three and fully share Thy joy!'  ... Real faith...is required to endure this necessary but painful developmental process."    

I especially like the quote by Elder Maxwell.  Life was never meant to be easy!  And I know that I would not enjoy a life that was always easy.  My mission in Spain was really hard for me and I was looking forward to a break when I got home.   I went straight to my last year at BYU, worked at the MTC, and lived with my sister.  My major was Latin American Studies, so classes were easy, my work was a dreamy breeze, and my sister is one of my best friends.  Life was easy.  And it was fun!  But I soon got antsy because I felt like I wasn't progressing much.  So then I applied to Teach For America and once I was accepted and started working, life got hard again haha :)  But the lesson I learned was important:  I am not happy, not fulfilled when my life is easy.  And I believe that as children of God, if we are striving to do the right thing, we should not be striving for an easy life free of stress, sorrow, and opposition.  That doesn't mean to go out looking for trouble.  For me it just means to try and not freak out when I'm going through something hard, because it's for a reason.  As Elder Wirthlin said, "Come what may, and love it."

I'm new to this

I'm not a hipster. I'm not edgy.  I'm not a fashionista.
I don't like floral print jeans or those shoes girls wear that look like worn out men shoes.  No I don't know what they're called

I'm not exceptionally innovative, funny, thought-provoking, or good at writing.

I rarely read other people's blogs and don't really see this as a means to make new friends.

So why blog?  

Here are a few reasons in no particular order:
1. I've always wanted to.
2. Another means to stay connected with family.
3. Practice typing with just my left hand. since most of the time I'll be holding my baby, Dulce
4. An outlet to vent. one of my resolutions this year is not to complain as much, but i can here.
5. A place to put random thoughts, pictures, funny things I find, etc.
6. Somewhere to talk endlessly about all aspects of my baby and post the hundreds of pictures I take of her.
7. Record history.

Reason #6 to have a blog: Dulce Maria