Most of us have a bedtime routine that includes reading books right? It is also true in the Mosca house.  So when Nicholas received the Big Book of Why from Time for Kids Eric and I were super excited!  This book is big, bright it catches your attention right from the book shelf and it is so interesting.  What a nice change to read a book at bedtime that is stimulating intellectually

Doesn’t the cover scream “open me up and lets have fun”.  We’ve really has a blast reading through this book with Nicholas.  Kids ask the craziest questions and some of them you actually find in this book, with a real answer too Big Book of Why is our new favorite bedtime, bath time, dinner time book to read, it really gets us talking and learning.  I’d love to load my kids bookshelves with these great books!  Checkout their website, you can subscribe to magazines with specific topics, there is a Sports Illustrated version for kids too! It is amazing and such a fantastic way to read, learn and cuddle up in bed

OH THANK YOU SARA for writing this fabulous post that hits close to home!  Love my husband dearly but it’s getting more and more difficult to bond with him as our days get more and more corrupted by work and play and errands and exercise and all things related to having a family, self-employed jobs, a house, two cars, blah blah…who has the time or the energy to be active in the bedroom!  I know there’s plenty of us in this boat and it’s so refreshing to know I’m not the only one and to get tips from friends, family members, and now Sara!

For more on this topic, read “Sex After Kids: Does it Exist?” – Chapter 34 of Sara Ellington and Stephanie Triplett’s book, The Must-Have Mom Manual.
www.saraandstephanie.com

Sleep or Sex? I bet your answer to this question is different now that you’re a mom than it was before your little bundle of joy arrived. For years, my co-author Stephanie Triplett and I have commiserated about the decline of our sex lives since we became moms and knew we couldn’t possibly be alone. And we sure aren’t. In fact, the latest issue of BabyTalk magazine reveals the results of their largest-ever sex study – titled “The Whoopee Report,” and, well, it’s official: there’s nothing like a baby to bring your sex life to a screeching halt.

If you answered “sleep” to the sleep or sex question, you’re not alone. In BabyTalk’s survey, 74% of parents said sleep is more important than sex. One caveat: most of those parents were women. I’d wager the drop off in sex drive is not quite so steep for men. There are obvious reasons women prefer sleep to sex after having a baby. You’re recovering from the rigors of childbirth, your hormones are all out of whack, you’re sleep deprived, probably trying to figure out breastfeeding – it’s not exactly a time we feel our sexiest. But even after the postpartum period has passed and we’re feeling back to ourselves, sex still seems to far from our minds.

Stephanie says what happened to her sex drive after she became a mom is like when you’re a little kid and you learn to ride your bike. All you want to do every day is ride your bike. You love riding your bike. When you’re not riding your bike, you’re thinking about riding your bike. And once you learn how to ride a bike you never forget. But then you start a family. And now you really don’t feel like riding your bike anymore. You don’t have the time or energy to ride your bike. But it’s still nice to know the bike is waiting there for you in the garage, just in case you need it.
My bike is definitely in the garage…gathering dust. How about yours?

About 80% of women experience a loss of libido in the first year after childbirth. And it’s often difficult to ever fully get that desire back. But without a healthy sex life, marriages can suffer. My husband is always reminding me that sex isn’t just a want for him, it’s a need. As Billy Crystal says in the movie City Slickers, “Women need a reason, men just need a place.”
So why do we lose our libido? Hormones play a critical role. Changes in hormones can be brought on by stress, lack of sleep or just feeling overwhelmed. These changes can lower testosterone in the body, which leads to less desire. Age can also be a factor because aging also creates hormonal changes in your body. And although less common, sometimes there are medical reasons for low sex drive, so it’s important to talk to your doctor if you think your sex drive is due to more than just the demands of being a mom.

The truth is, sex is an important part of your relationship with your partner. Remember the kids will leave the nest eventually and you and your husband will be a couple again. I must admit when I make the effort and my husband’s needs are and he’s not grumpy, life in general is a lot easier. Although I can talk a good game, but I, too, need to be reminded of how important it is to follow through on the action part. In fact my husband says I’ve perfected the Heisman move – you know, the right arm defense thrust – in bed. Yes, we all need to keep making the effort…me included.

Here are few tips to help keep the home fires burning:

• Make sure your partner understands that you need help getting the chores done so you’re not exhausted when you do finally have a time for intimacy.

• Get some exercise. Exercise can increase your sex drive by making you feel better about your appearance and by releasing hormones that give libido a lift.

• Although it’s difficult to sacrifice sleep for sex, remember all the reasons you used to love it and make the effort. Sex is calming and will help you sleep more soundly and even boost your immune system. It’s good for you…just like vegetables!

• Go for a change of scenery. Let the grandparents watch the kids and get away for a night or two for an escape from your normal life. A getaway can do wonders for your sex life.

Sara will be participating in an exclusive book signing at our next All About Baby Charlotte event on October 3rd, we can’t wait!!