When is the last time you saw a movie in the theater?

There are countless changes to your life when you become a mother. Some are expected, others come as a complete surprise. The one thing I wasn’t prepared for was the new inability to be out doing things. These days everything my 6 month old daughter and I do must be well thought-out. Restaurants need highchairs. Stores need elevators if we are bringing our stroller, and in bathrooms the first thing we seek out is a changing table. Going to the movies? Out of the question. Or so I thought.

Being a stay at home mom makes getting out and about all the more important. When I found out about Mom and Baby movie days I was so excited. Going to the movies is one of the many things that is not baby friendly. The volume is too loud, it’s dark and no one wants their movie to be interrupted by a baby. But thanks to some thoughtful theaters, moms don’t have to wait for video anymore.  There are several theaters in the Boston area that offer Mom and Baby movies. Editor’s note: Starting March 18th, “Baby Pictures” will be showing at Showcase Cinema De Lux at Legacy Place in Dedham every third Thursday of the month. See below for a chance to win tickets to a Mom and Baby movie at Legacy Place!

We heard about Mom and Baby movies from our Great Beginnings class instructor Cindy M. When Cora was 4 months old, I was finally able to get us out to see a movie. It was just the two of us. Cora and I were so excited for our first movie date. I tend to arrive at things a bit early because you never know what is going to happen when you are out with your child! Most theaters can’t have a bunch of strollers blocking the aisles due to fire codes, so we came in our carrier. That was a great idea for a sleeping baby anyway, my arms didn’t have to bear the weight.

We did a diaper change before the movie–the bathrooms are equipped with changing tables. Everyone at the theatre was very nice, clearly happy to have some cute faces in the theatre for a matinee. The movie theatre turns the lights up a bit, so it’s not too dark to see your baby and baby won’t get frightened, which is great. The sound is lowered but still loud enough to hear over a crying baby. I brought several quiet toy options for my daughter to play with during the movie. Bringing more than one toy was important because if Cora tossed her toy on the floor, I could switch it out with something fresh and clean. (It is still a  movie theatre and even the cleanest of them have dirty floors!)

Babies are going to fuss sometimes but this is one time where no one is going to glare at you because of it. The other moms are used to it, all babies cry. When my daughter got fussy I was able to just stand up and walk the aisle with her so she was calm. I don’t think patrons at a regular movie would have cared for that! I was able to nurse Coraline right in the theatre while the movie was on, a very neat experience.  My daughter slept most of the time, so it was a nice break for me!

All in all going to the movies with my daughter is a fantastic afternoon outing. Some popcorn for me, some breast milk for her, a neat new adventure for the both of us together.

Kim Shipley, Isis mom to 6-month-old Coraline

Kim is a first time mom of a 6-month-old daughter.  She is originally from Pittsburgh, and currently resides in Somerville with one husband, one dog and one cat. When she’s not doing laundry or having dance parties with her daughter she writes a blog called The Girl Is A Mom. 

 

Giveaway Alert!

Isis is giving away 10 pairs of Free Passes to a Baby Pictures movie at Showcase Cinema De Lux at Legacy Place in Dedham! That’s two passes per winner, so you can bring a friend or go twice! To enter, post a comment on this blog telling us why you need to get out and about with your baby. We’ll choose the winners on Friday, March 12th at 10:00 AM.

Passes are valid for admission to Baby Pictures films only and expire at the end of 2011.

This giveaway is for US residents only. Sorry, Isis employees and their immediate families are not eligible to win. Limit one entry per family. Please include a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Your email will not be published and will not be used for any other purpose. 

If your comment doesn’t appear right away, don’t worry. We monitor our comments for spam so there is a slight delay between the time you submit your comment and when it appears below.

Bianca and her son Liam, 22 months.

The art and science of bag packing has been something I worried a lot about even before having children. I’ve always been the lady carrying the huge bag with the sewing kit, first aid kit, and pretty much any other just-in-case supplies in fear of not being prepared for some unlikely emergency. When I became a mom I realized more was not always better – and smart, compact packing was an essential back saver, since a bag is not the only thing one carries around anymore.

It all starts with the right bag. My favorite type of bag is one that has built in stroller clips, plenty of room for everything, tons of pockets to keep it all organized, and it doesn’t scream “diaper bag”. An extra bonus is a bag that comes with a detachable clutch, in which I can store my essentials (money, cell phone, chapstick, keys, etc). Then I can remove the clutch and carry it by itself if I’m running out on a quick errand without the baby, or drop it into my regular purse when I am going to work.

Another great accessory is a changing pad “pack” which I use in place of the changing pad that comes with the diaper bag. That way I can just reach in and grab my diaper changing essentials all at once. In this storage pack I always have 3-4 diapers, wipes, a travel size tube of diaper cream, and a ziplock bag to store a soiled diaper and clothing in case of a blowout and/or a diaper change in a place with no trash receptacle. My husband also appreciates not having to lug around the entire diaper bag if he’s the one changing the diaper while we’re out or if he’s just taking our son for a quick trip to the park.

For extended daddy-and-me outings we have a plain black “daddy” diaper bag packed with pretty much identical contents to the main diaper bag (minus the mom-specific stuff) and we usually keep it in the car. The redundant supplies have also come in handy once or twice when I’ve forgotten to replace used supplies from my regular bag. We make an effort to restock the bag as soon as possible after we get home, so we don’t find a stinky diaper in there a week later.

What to pack in a diaper bag

For the newborn stage I always carried a nursing cover, burp cloth, a spare one-piece baby outfit and a spare T-shirt for me (learned that trick after a massive diaper blowout when I was out with my in a carrier, walking through a bookstore). Additional essentials included nail file and tweezers (trust me on this one), a little bottle of hand-sanitizer, a granola bar for me, and my knitting or a small book – it’s always nice to have something to do in case if you find yourself with an unexpectedly content napping baby and a nice place to sit and relax, like a park bench on a nice day, or a comfy coffee shop chair on a cold day.

Once we moved into the solid food stage I started carrying a favorite jar, spoon, bib (love those long-sleeved bibs, lovingly called the “haz-mat suit” around our house), disposable placemats to cover potentially questionable tables at restaurants, and an additional ziplock bag for food-related messes. I also always have an empty Take N Toss sippy cup – my sons favorite, which I can fill with water from my own bottle or whatever else he’s going to drink. Throw in a couple of little toys, like stacking cups and links and we were good to go.

Now that we’re in the toddler stage we updated contents to include an emergency box of snacks (raisins and cheerios are always popular), a set of pajamas and overnight diaper in case we stay somewhere through bedtime and expect our son to fall asleep in the car on the way home, a couple of small but fun and interactive books like Pat the Bunny, antibacterial wipes for restaurant high chairs or other shared surfaces, a sunblock stick, and my son’s very own refillable water bottle.

The next frontier will be packing for two – our new baby is arriving in a month and we will have to find new solutions and tricks for one and two child outings. I will let you know how it goes!

Looking for the perfect diaper bag? Visit Isis Boston, Brookline or Needham to check out our selection of diaper bags from GoGaga, Petunia Picklebottom and Skip Hop.

Beth, Craig and baby Claire

We welcomed Claire Elise to the family on February 4th, 2010. I am happy to share my birth story, as it was a really wonderful experience, and I think sometimes women only hear about the horror stories!
 
I woke up around 2:45 on Thursday morning and started feeling contractions. I was managing the pain pretty well so I woke my husband up to let him know what was going on, but told him to get some more sleep! We ended up going to the hospital around 7:30 and the contractions were getting pretty intense by then. 

I was pleasantly surprised when we found out that I was already 6 cm dilated. I thought that with my first baby it would take much longer, but we were moving right along! We got checked in and I had an epidural. Once I was pain-free I was in great spirits and was just anxiously awaiting our little girl!

When it came time to push it only took about 45 minutes and we finally got to see our little Claire. It was the most amazing experience of my life.

We are now all home and happily settling in to our new routine with our precious baby girl. We can’t wait to start our Great Beginnings class in a few weeks!

Beth, Craig and Claire

Prepared Childbirth classes provide an overview of early and active labor, birth and recovery. This class can be taken in one day, two weeks or four weeks at an Isis center or in selected hospital locations. Call or go online for more information.

My daughter at 3 weeks old.

When a mom walks into an Isis Great Beginnings Group with her newborn, one of the first things we tell her is ABC = All Babies Cry! Crying, fussing, full-on screaming… it’s all okay and for most babies is completely normal.

My daughter had a major “fussy time” from about 4pm until bedtime every night for the first 3 months of her life. It was so stressful and I dreaded that time period every day.  My husband and I felt helpless–nothing we did seemed to calm her crying, even things that earlier in the day worked like a charm.

But what really used to drive me nuts was when other people (cough-cough, my in-laws, cough-cough) insisted upon finding a reason for my newborns’ fussiness. 

“Must be gas.”

“Must be hungry.” 

“She’s cold!”

“Does she need to be changed?”

“She’s tired.”

“Aww, she wants her mommy.”

On the outside I’d nod and smile but inside I would be seething… I had TRIED all of those things. She had a clean diaper, she ate just 10 minutes ago, she won’t go to sleep, she doesn’t have gas, she’s not cold!! If I knew how to stop the crying, don’t you think I would?? There is nothing “wrong” with her. She is just crying! All babies cry!

Did my baby have colic? Maybe. Some weeks she fit the official definition of colic (more than 3 hours of crying 3+ times a week), but sometimes she didn’t.  Nationally known pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene says, “[A fussy period] is present in almost all babies, the only thing that differs is the degree.”

So, babies (and parents): it’s all right to cry. There doesn’t always have to be a reason for it. And we most certainly are not failures if we can’t stop it.

Cindy Meltzer, Isis Community Manager, New Moms Group Instructor and mom of two children who are no longer fussy (most of the time)

Does your baby have fussy periods in the evening? Do well-meaning folks try to find a “reason”? How do you deal with baby’s fussiness?

At Isis, we pay close attention to the latest and greatest products.  Especially when it comes to those that help nursing moms breathe a little easier!  Below you’ll find a collection of videos demonstrating our newest nursing necessities, all of which are up for grabs thanks to our bundled giveaways. See details at the end of this post about how you can enter to win!

Let’s start with a conversation with our own in-house nursing mom, Erin Bose. She chats with buyer Ally Abrams about some of the new products that she “test drove” at home.

Get the Simple Wishes Bustier, Bravado Sublime Nursing Bra and Breast Buddies in stores and online.

Nursing moms far and wide love their Boppy nursing pillows. Check out a few new products from Boppy that make your pillow even more easy to use.
 

Get the Boppy Newborn Booster, Boppy Signature Organic Hideaway Slipcover, and Boppy Protective Water-Resistant Slipcover in stores and online.

Ever wish there was a travel version of your favorite nursing pillow? Look no further.
 

Get the My Brest Friend Inflatable Travel Pillow in stores and online.

Moms of twins, the day has finally come! There is a My Brest Friend nursing pillow especially for you!

Get the My Brest Friend Twins Plus Pillow in stores and online.

Looking for a simple, chic nursing cover? This one is incredibly soft and versatile.

Get the Allover Nursing Cover in stores and online.

Great news! We’re giving all of these products away!  Take a look at the four Giveaway Bundles and then enter to win!

Winner: Aimee H of Salem! Bundle #1: Beautiful Boppy Bundle includes: Boppy Bare Naked Pillow, Boppy Signature Organic Hideaway Slipcover, Boppy Newborn Booster, and a Boppy Protective Water-Resistant Cover, a $91 Value

Winner: Julie M of Braintree! Bundle #2: Two Cheers for Twins Bundle includes: My Brest Friend Twins Plus Pillow, and a 6-Pack of Bravado Moisture-Wick Washable Breast Pads, a $89 Value

Winner: Cady A of Boston! Bundle #3: Savvy Traveler Bundle includes: My Brest Friend Inflatable Travel Pillow, Allover Nursing Cover, and a 6-Pack of Bravado Moisture-Wick Washable Breast Pads, a $91 Value

Winner: Rachel G of Medford! Bundle #4: Nursing in Style Bundle includes: Bravado Sublime Nursing Bra, Simple Wishes Bustier, and a pack of Breast Buddies, a $112 Value

Enter to win one of these 4 Giveaway Bundles!  Just leave a comment about WHICH bundle you’d like to win and WHY you’d like to win it. This contest is now closed–congratulations to our winners, listed above!

This giveaway is for US residents only. Sorry, Isis employees and their immediate families are not eligible to win. Limit one entry per family. Please include a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Your email will not be published and will not be used for any other purpose. 

If your comment doesn’t appear right away, don’t worry. We monitor our comments for spam so there is a slight delay between the time you submit your comment and when it appears below.