Baby life 2.0

The doctor knows

If I was concerned with my baby, I called the doctor. If Lotte is concerned, she asks Chat. If I was wondering why my baby was fussy, I looked it up in the book of Dr. Spock. If Lotte wants to know, she downloads a few apps. If I had questions about the feeding or diaper rash, I waited for the next visit at the "consultatiebureau". If Lotte has such questions, she watches video's of moms with newborns, sharing their knowledge and experiences which is very helpful! Especially here in the US with sky-high prices for medical care.

The business of baby bottoms

Back in the day, when my mom changed my diaper, she washed me with water and soap and wrapped me in a non-stretchy kind of a tablecloth, secured with a huge pin. When I changed Lotte, I cleaned her with soft Zwitsal baby wipes and put her in a fitted, but still cloth diaper, with Velcro.

When Harvey gets changed, he is gently cleaned with warm, soft baby wipes, available 24/7 from a special box that keeps them warm and ready to use. And then there’s his high-tech diaper: it comes with a little coloured line that changes colour when Harvey pees, gradually showing just how wet the diaper is. Let’s just say: by today’s standards, cloth diapers were dangerously close to child abuse.” 😄

Baby’s Got All the Gadgets

Think about a car seat in the back, equipped with a mirror so Mom can keep an eye on her baby through the rearview mirror. Actually, that’s already old-fashioned. These days, the must-have is a camera with a screen on your dashboard, so you can watch your baby at all times. Once arrived, baby can just stay in his seat, simply pick up the whole thing and click it in the stroller. If it's warm, put a soft blowing fan on it and baby is all set.

And then there’s the swing at home, which starts moving automatically with just the push of a button. Just don’t put him in it right after feeding: this thing really gets going! If baby gets bored, simply turn it up to level two. And you’d better buckle him in, 'cause otherwise he might fly right out. And believe it or not, this swing has six different speed levels. At that point, it feels less like a baby swing and more like a rollercoaster!

Pacifier Service

Babies lose their binkies all the time. And with a dog around, that binky definitely needs to be cleaned. With tap water? No way! Just put it in a magic little box for one minute, wait until the red light goes off, and done! It’s germ-free.

How did we ever manage to raise babies without all this fancy stuff?

Heading Home

I’m at the airport right now, and I already miss this little, handsome, adorable grandson of mine! But I have so many wonderful memories to hold on to, I’m feeling incredibly blessed. And… I’ll be back in seven weeks, together with “Opa”! ❤️

Thanks for joining me in this trip again, love,

60 year old Oma Marieke