Julie's Rants 2013

On the Topic of Boiling

First, here is today's photo.We're standing on the front porch during a rainshower. There was a cow in the front yard at first. I didn't get a pic because we went outside to see rain and didn't have the camera. Who thinks "I'm gonna see a cow in my front yard when I go outside."

On the topic of boiling. This is probably where launching a blog really started. The scenario is 4 or 5 people sitting around talking. The conversation always turns to kids because that's something almost all of us have in common and it's a lot easier to talk about your kids instead of the debate on national healthcare. We have one pregnant first time mother that we are all giving our motherly advice to when the only nonparent speaks up. This is a tricky situation. Tricky as in one misstep and you're going to have a lot of angry mothers telling you who and what for.

But against all warning glances the nonparent says, "I'm so glad they have those dvd players for the car so the kids will be quiet. You really need to have one of those." *Sounds of crickets* A nonparent, in the real world, is not allowed to say "you need" or "the best way to do this" about anything parenting. A nonparent can say "my mother used to do this with me" or "I read somewhere, etc." Otherwise it's a little like looking at a job applicant with a fake resume, and you know it's a fake resume.

The real topic we had been talking about was the reality of boiling bottles and nipples. I think this is an outdated practice. I have 3 reasons why I didn't boil. (I'm never going to get the Stepford Wife of the Year award)

The first is this was the only way to clean bottles and nipples in the caveman days. This was the purpose in the old movie clips of why they needed some boiling water. Actually, you can still find videos on how to boil/sterilize bottles and nipples. But we are usually so busy these days, who has time to watch boiling water? And there are some alternative ways of doing things.

We have dishwashers. Remember in the old days they didn't. And there is this great invention, the dishwasher combo basket. I used one of these and it is one of the best inventions of modern man. Throw all the baby stuff in the basket and fuhgetaboutit. Run the dishwasher, run your errands, come home and voila! You're up to your elbows in clean bottle stuff. I also put pacifiers in it. (Did she say pacifier? She gave her kid a pacifier! OMG)

Lastly there is bleach. Bleach kills germs and sterilizes. But you have to have the right ratio, and for anyone that cannot count higher than 3 this would be an iffy technique. I used this method every once in awhile but mostly stuck with the dishwasher method.

So for all new mothers out there, there is hope. No longer do we have to be June Cleaver (or live with her technology) to keep our babies well. Happy Mommying and see you soon!