New Grandmother....Outdated Crib

I recently became a first time grandmother so I hauled out the portacrib I have been saving for 34 years. I was quickly informed by my daughter and others the crib is no longer acceptable because it may be an instrument of DEATH!!!!! In 201l, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission approved new federal requirements for overall crib safety. No more drop-side cribs. Wood slats must be stronger. Crib hardware must have anti-loosening devices to keep it from coming loose or falling off.

My daughter regards the portacrib with suspicion even though she and her brother survived sleeping in it. I think the crib is safe (except for that anti-loosening device requirement). I am still relegating the crib to the trash heap to insure I will be asked to babysit on occasion.

This is a picture of my son Nick asleep in the portacrib in 1985. It’s a miracle the child survived given his life-threatening surroundings. Other than the crib itself, can you spot the other significant safety violations?

First, he is sleeping on his stomach. This is a very big NO NO. When Molly brought my

grandson home from the hospital, he was swathed in a blanket that pronounced “Back is Best.” This approach hopefully reduces incidents of crib death.

Second, there is a blanket in the crib. Another big NO NO. Blankets, comforters and pillows and even stuffed animals can lead to baby suffocation or strangulation

Third, there is a crib bumper. I don’t know how a baby can get in trouble with a baby bumper but apparently these too can lead to strangulation and suffocation.

Finally, there is a gap between the mattress and the side of the crib. This too is very, very bad. A baby might get his head caught in the gap. However, the size of Nick’s head in relation to the small triangular gap makes me wonder: Really?????

Who knew a sweet picture of my infant son asleep is actually Nick ensnared in DEATH TRAP?

I immediately ordered a Graco Pack ‘n Play which mothers and grandmothers alike recommended. This is the 2019 version of my 1985 portacrib. Although frankly it is not very portable. In fact, it weighs a ton (actually only 15 lbs. but that is a ton to a 71 year old grandmother). Figuring out how to assemble it was not easy. It also features some netting that can be used for a bassinet. My husband was thrilled, announcing, “Oh, look, it includes a trampoline.”

Now this Pack’n Play (or as I refer to it, Unpack and Pray You Can Put It Together) may meet federal safety standards but it still replete with dire alerts: WARNING!!!!! Failure to follow these warnings could result in serious injury or death! This warning applies to the adult who is assembling the crib as well as the child occupying it. Apparently not keeping ones fingers clear of top corners during setup can lead to serious boo-boos. There are directions for avoiding suffocation hazards and strangulation hazards and entanglement injuries. In all the owner’s manual is 20 pages long.

The Pack’n Play is ready to receive my grandson on his first visit to our farmhouse next month.

I am going to opt for a more traditional form of a crib than the Pack’n Play. I plan to hold my grandson in my arms every chance I get.

Baking while awaiting my grandchild

I am baking lots of cookies as I anxiously await the arrival of my first grandchild.

So far I have made peanut butter cookies (the ones that feature a Hershey kiss), tea cakes (my mother called them Russian tea cakes but I think in 2019 it is better to drop the Russia reference) and Salted Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate.

The salted oatmeal cookie recipe is from a 2015 recipe I saved from Real Simple magazine. I have never made them but they now qualify as a top favorite. Definitely better than the peanut butter cookies. It really is an affront to a Hershey kiss to be stuck atop a cookie base. I prefer eating the kisses straight up, thereby avoiding the unnecessary calories from cookie dough. That is how I diet.

I have included the recipe for the Salted Oatmeal Cookies.

Next up: I plan to make a batch of Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies. My grandbaby better arrive soon. I am running out of freezer space.

My husband says cookies that cool on brown paper taste better and I think he's right.

Doula Ron - 1987

My daughter Molly is expecting our first grandchild. A much younger friend asked if I planned to be a doula during the delivery.

Doula is a new term to me. It refers to a person who provides emotional support before, during and after the birth. A doula is actually in the delivery room. When my young friend told me her husband was Doula 1 and her mother Doula 2 I was aghast. “Do you mean”, I asked, “your MOTHER was in the delivery room?” Oh yes she said.

My daughter and I are close but, let me assure you, not that close.

My husband would be a better choice. When she became a teenager Molly started referring to her dad as “the good parent.” Ron is also a dairy farmer. He has lots of experience in the birthing process,

Ron as doula at daughter Molly's birth in 1987

although his expertise is limited to Holstein cows. When I went into labor, he and the delivery doctor were washing up before entering the operating room (I had to have a C-section). The doctor said, “I guess you are used to this cleaning routine from delivering calves.” ”Yes,” my husband replied, “but we only wash up afterwards.”

I am best qualified to be a postpartum doula. They provide physical support in the weeks after birth by cleaning, cooking meals and filling in when the mother needs a break. They can also share information about feeding and caring for the baby

I doubt I will be very helpful in the area of informational support because things have really changed since I was a new mother 3 decades ago. Things like heated baby wipes and mattresses that monitor the baby’s heart rate were non-existent back then. My best piece of advice? Enjoy the baby. Because tomorrow they will be going off to college (or so it seems!)

I look forward to visiting Molly and staying as long as she needs a postpartum doula. To make sure we don’t tire of each other, this doula will be staying in a nearby Airbnb.