Why I Paid $7 for a Binky Strap and You Should Too!

Picture this:

 1 month well-child visit.  The same doctor office you went to as a child.  The same nurses as when you were a child.  The same tables with that crinkly paper to keep it sanitary-does that actually work?  But now, it is not you waiting for the shots while naked and cold, but your babe.

How appealing.

On this particular September day, Mack was feeling cranky.  We had been at the doctor's over an hour; he was waiting for his shots; he was over it.  So were we to be honest.

So there we were just waiting for them to bring back the dreaded shots and get the show on the road and simultaneously over with, when it happens.  The binky drops on the floor.  *cue horrific music*

Uh yeah, so we're at the doctor's office.  You know, the place where sick, cough, cough, kids go.  Clearly, this is not a situation where picking the binky up off the floor and wiping it off with spit would work-at least not when my husband is with us.  Can you say #germaphobe?  GERMS! Germs everywhere!

Let the crying really commence now.  There was wailing and more wailing.  I started fishing around in my first-time-mommy diaper bag (read-ridiculously over full with tons of things you won't actually need) and was able to come up with a replacement bink, but it wasn't the same.  Mack was totally a binky snob for the first 5 months of his life.  If it wasn't one of these, he was not happy.

    

So after the incident, I broke down and bought one of those new fangled binky straps, pacy leash, or pacifier clip.  Whatever you want to call it.  

Pacifier clips are so cute, IF you have a girl.  Mack is a boy.  Clearly I wanted to get him a masculine binky strap to make sure he remained secure in his manhood, but I am not the biggest fan of camo.  What's a mom to do? Buy a strap, I guess.

This Booginhead is the specific strap I bought Mack, but I noticed it's been discontinued. Womp, womp.

There are some other styles and brands that are similarly priced or slightly cheaper, but I was looking for one that I could buy with my Prime and have pronto.

Hmm, why do I love my binky strap?

Here are my reasons why you should just shell out the money for the binky strap and make your life easier:

• It keeps the binky from falling on the floor.  Number 1 reason!  C'mon, everyone hates when the binky falls on the floor.  You have to lean down and pick it up.  Who knows what's been on the floor depending where you are?  I am not a germaphobe, but I am also not a fan of leaning down to pick the binky up off the floor 42,000 times over the course of the day.
• It keeps the binky attached to your child so when you're pulling the mom-maneuver (ie-reaching your hand into the back seat of the car while driving to aid your crying child, so safe) it's easier to find.  Just search for the strap then perform your magic to get it back in your child's mouth.
• It helps your child find the binky his/herself-talking about fine motor skills here.  Mack is 6 months old as of February 1, 2016, and those fine motor skills are slowly coming through, (read-making life somewhat easier).  Although he has not mastered putting the binky in his mouth, he does occasionally get it there by pure luck/accident.  Yay!  Now only if he could find the binkies we strategically place around his crib at night.
• Binky straps ensure that the binky won't get lost.  UGH, lost binky.  Need I say more?  I think binkies and Chapstick have a conspiracy together.  The more you have, the less you can find.  So keep the binky on the strap and keep track of it.
• The binky strap is also multi-functional.  You can put a binky on the end or some sort of teething ring.  You could even hook one of these mesh teether things on!  Mack is a big fan of chewing on the strap.  While I would think the straps could go in the washer, I usually just wet it and rub some Dawn on it to clean it up then rinse thoroughly!
  
   

Mack tested.  Mack approved.

So those are a few of the reasons I decided to spend almost $7 on a binky strap, and why I think you should to.

Olivia Makes A Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associations Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.  If you choose to purchase an item from one of my Amazon link, I will receive a very small compensation of which I will be eternally grateful.

Tummy Time Help on a Snowy Day

Tummy time.  I know that some magical infants like this special time set aside to be face down, but Mack does not.  Not at all. At. All.  Like, it's basically torture.  He hates is so much that he literally rolled over when he was 2 weeks old.  I'm not even joking. 

So tummy time in our house either consists of screaming bloody murder or him rolling himself over promptly.  As he's gotten slightly older, it's not quite as bad--sometimes.  Sometimes it's still bloody murder.  

We have searched in vain to find ways to make tummy time a little more bearable.  Mirrors didn't help.  Books didn't help.  Getting down eye level with him made him scream harder.  So basically we would just wait it out.  A little screaming never hurt anyone even if it did drive Red crazy.

One day, I saw a picture on Pinterest that used a muffin tray with tummy time.  I don't have the link to the original post, but I decided to go off the picture and try it.  Rachael Ray will do different week long tributes to rarely used kitchen items.  I bet she didn't include this in her salute!

        

It's simple enough.  Take out your muffin tin, fill it with toys, and leave some holes open if you please.  This is a great way to introduce your babe to something being full vs. empty, etc.  I usually put these little yellow toys down (they are the type that you match with the right shape hole, hand-me-down), I had a hair claw clip one day so that went in, whatever really works.  Today I even included 2 ice cubes and 2 jumbo size shells-I didn't want him to choke!-so he could feel the different textures they offer.  Fast forward to when I'm writing this and the dog has claimed at least 1 ice cube and 1 shell.  Oh well.

I hope this may help in your tummy time adventures.  When all else fails, get a dog that will check the baby out and give a good face lick or 2!  It's also good for sitting practice too!

 

So this is what the fam is up to on this magical snow/ice day.  Stay warm!