Thursday, June 11, 2009

Baby Breakout!

I have never considered myself to be vain. Of course I care about my looks - shouldn't we all? But I am an extremely low maintenance gal. I can count on one hand the number of times I've blown my hair dry in the past year. My thinking is, 'Why take the extra 15 minutes when I could be sleeping in?'

And it's the same for my kids. They must look clean and neat before stepping out of the house. My daughter's hair must be brushed and swept back, clothes clean, nose wiped. With a newborn in the house, it's a bit more challenging to make sure all of this is accomplished every time we run an errand, but I make the effort none the less.


Before the breakout

The toddler I've got a handle on. It's the 3-week-old that is giving me problems. She's got a terrible case of baby acne! I knew this was coming, as my oldest daughter suffered through it for a few weeks as well, but it doesn't make it any easier to bear.

And it has caused me to do some unusual things. I've avoided having any professional pictures taken until it clears up - which could take who knows how long! The timing is especially unfortunate, as I had hoped to give my husband a cute framed photo of the girls for Father's Day.

What's a mom to do? I know I'm supposed to wait it out, as it's especially common in breastfed babies, but in the interest of Father's Day, I've decided to cheat a bit and see if I can come up with a few remedies.

I've found a bevy of ideas on Mamapedia.com:
- Cetaphil
- hydrocortisone
- washing with a warmly soaked rag each night
- rubbing breastmilk on the affected areas
- ponds lotion
- ruling out allergies
- checking to see if it's actually eczema

But, of course, I'd like to do the right thing, so I checked in with the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has a handy dandy handout about newborn skin conditions, which you can download here. Turns out "Baby acne develops within the first three to four weeks due to hormonal changes that stimulate oil glands." The academy recommends washing your baby's face with a mild soap and warm water, and advises that the condition will usually clear up on its own. If it doesn't clear up within three months, consult your pediatrician.

So, I suppose I'll wait it out before trying any lotions or creams while my daughter is still so new. And I can always Photoshop the acne away just in time for Father's Day!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Is Pre-K A Good Idea?

Though my oldest daughter is only 3, I’ve realized that it’s never too late to begin thinking about her education. After all, in just one year, when she’s four, I’ll have to begin researching pre-K programs, and then a year after that, what elementary school to place her in. Sure, I’ve got plenty of time to make a decision, which has led me to start quizzing all my mom friends who have been through the pre-k experience.

Do I move my daughter from her private preschool to a Georgia pre-k program, or leave her where she is?

Of course money plays a factor, at least in my family. Who wouldn’t want to take advantage of a state-funded school program that prepares a child for kindergarten? But on the other hand, do I really want my child to dive straight into a full-day of school, five days a week, at the tender age of four? She’ll be in school for at least 13 years after that (hopefully seven more if she decides to get her masters!), so my thinking is why push her into one more year? Sure, it would be nice to not have that monthly expense anymore, but would that be in the best interest of my daughter?

Some friends feel that any extra educational head start you can give your child should be taken advantage of – and even better if you aren’t required to fund it. Others feel they want to keep their children at home just a bit longer – putting them in preschool programs that are a bit less intense in terms of time commitment, or working with them at home.

Moms had some very helpful advice on the subject in response to a similar question posed by S.S. – Georgia Pre-K vs. Private Pre-K - on Mamapedia.com. Most seemed to concur that pre-k programs, whether public or private, have the same curriculum. Others expressed some dissatisfaction with programs held at daycare centers.

P.K. mentioned in her response that “My daughter is currently in the GA pre-k at Primrose of Woodstock and is doing wonderfully. The private class is no further along than her class, but the biggest difference is they wear private school clothes. My friend has her child in the private class and they cover the same items each week as the GA pre-K. We had to make the same decision when it was time for ours and we talked to the teachers and other parents and they didn't see a difference for the price.”

What do you think? If my daughter seems well prepared for elementary school by the time she's four, does she really need the pre-K experience? Let me know your thoughts. After all, as a mom, I can never get (or give) too much advice!