Blessings for Staying at Home

Staying at home is such a blessing for many moms who have decided to do so. I, myself, can say that I am blessed as a stay at home mom (SAHM) for more than 7 years now.

I could have pursued a promising career. I could have just asked the help of relatives to look after my children as is a prevalent practice in Filipino culture. But I did otherwise.

I am blessed in many ways as a SAHM. Let me share some of the blessings:

1. I am blessed for doing what God purposed for moms to do. A Jewish proverb says "God could not be everywhere and therefore He made mothers."

It's not that I agree that God is not everywhere. He is! The point is, He made mothers to fit into the special mission of caring for the family. As a SAHM, I'm able to use my full potential to fulfill this calling.

2. I am blessed for having the precious time to devote to my kids. It is such a wonderful feeling to be there to capture your child's first words, first steps and many more once in a lifetime moments.

To be there during my kid's formative years is so important to me. I get to instill in them the values and the faith that I hope to impart to them. This, I believe, is not the duty of the nanny, the grandparents or the school though they can be of help.

My children are only young once. There would come a time when they won't want to be kissed and hugged. There would come a time when they would want to be left alone, be with their friends and do their stuff. Better to enjoy them now and teach the moral values that they would hold on to when they are grown-up.

3. I am blessed to have some extra time to pursue my passions or hobbies. This I could not expect to do because of exhaustion if I'm working outside the home. As an example, I can blog; I spend time home studying Medical Transcription and take some Christian courses online.

4. I am blessed because God gave me a supportive husband. When he is around the house, he helps out in taking care of our 4 young kids. This factor of sharing the load should not be overlooked, because this contributes to a successful and blessed marriage relationship.

There are more blessings to being a SAHM which I have not written here. Feel free to add your blessings in the post comments. God bless you, mom!

How to Hold Your Newborn

It is not unusual for you as a first time parent to be nervous around your newborn baby. However, it is a must that you know how to hold him the right way. If you are not comfortable holding your baby, he is going to sense this. He may arch his back and not want to be carried by you.

In order to avoid this, you need to relax and feel more comfortable with your baby. There are different ways that you can hold your baby. You can cradle her head in the crook of either arm while the rest of her body rests on the lower part of your arm, which support her back and bottom. Your other arm provides additional support to her bottom and legs.

Another way is to hold her against the upper part of your chest with her head on your shoulder. Your forearm should be placed across her back and your hand should support her resting head. The other hand is free or can be used to support your baby’s bottom. Find the position that the baby is most comfortable with.

Deciding to hold your baby more by utilizing a baby carrier has its pros and cons. This depends on the style of carrier you have, whether it is a technical carrier that offer better spinal support, or an Asian-style carriers or wraps.

Then, you need to know how to use your carrier. When you are working with a wiggly baby, you need to know what you are doing quickly and efficiently, or it could be a frustrating experience for both of you. Read the insider secrets as to how to choose, find and use baby carriers quickly and easily! Get your copy of Thriving Babies by Rebecca Wolf.

Most importantly, babies need to feel secure. This can be done by holding them close to your body. Doing so will make your baby happy with you and would love to be held in your arms.