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How to Stock a Diaper Bag
If there’s one thing I learned quickly after having a baby, it was what I needed in a diaper bag. I knew I needed diapers, wipes and a change of clothes, but alot of items I learned by not having the item with me. For example, I never thought to pack plastic bags for my baby’s diaper until I had to change my child’s diaper in the car and was trying to figure out what to do with the diaper. Your diaper bag may vary, depending on personal preference, but as a general guide, I’d love to let you know what I would normally carry in my diaper bag.
Personal items for baby are usually a given in a diaper bag. It wouldn’t be a diaper bag if you didn’t carry diapers, right? Pack diapers accordingly to how long you are going to be gone and the age of your child. A newborn will go through a lot more diapers than a toddler who is 18 months. Make sure you always have enough wipes as well. I always packeed a large package of wipes. I would not only use them for baby, but for my hands if I wasn’t able to wash them, or for spit up messes. Personal items for your baby could also include things like a changing pad, diaper rash cream, sunblock, a bottle, toy, snacks, pacifiers, burp cloths, blanket and anything else that might be age appropriate.
Many moms might not realize that it’s always a good idea to pack some items for themselvess as well. If you’ve ever been spit up on multiple times, you’ll know what I mean! Ideas can include an extra shirt, lip balm, and when I was nursing I always packed water and a snack for me. Often times, I would put a lot of the items in my purse into the diaper bag so I didn’t have to carry two separate bags.
Make sure to keep your diaper bag organized and restock when needed. It will help when you are running out the door and don’t have time to check the bag. That’s another lesson I learned the hard way. It’s not a good thing to be away from home and realize you used the last diaper last time you were out! After a few times of going out, you will see what works for you and what you really need in your diaper bag.
How to Choose the Right Diaper Brand for Your Baby
Picture this scene: You’ve just bathed and put that yummy smelling lotion on your baby. A fresh diaper is fastened and clean clothes placed. You go to lift your little one up, when you hear and see a disaster. I hope I don’t have to delve too much more into this situation, and I think you get the picture. This has happened all too often to me as a mom and I’m sure to other moms as well. So what caused the explosion? Was it the diaper? How you put it on? Your child?
There are all sorts of choices when it comes to diapering your baby. There are many different brands of disposable diapers and some parents choose to cloth diaper. Being a mom who’s changed thousands of diapers and literally tried everything, I have a little bit of a perspective and an opinion on diapering. I did not choose to cloth diaper, and that was definitely a personal decision, but I do have a good friend who cloth diapers and it has worked wonderfully for her. That being said, I want to give you a bit of a guide on disposable diapers and how to choose one.
1. Try lots of different brands! I actually tried every single diaper that I could get my hands on with my second child. I tried 12 different brands that included eco friendly, name brand, and generic. We bought all of the packs in the same size and I compared and contrasted. Look at the features, leak protection, comfort and feel. In the end, I chose a favorite and have since been loyal to those diapers. They simply worked the best for my child.
2. Diapers may fit children differently. I’ve talked to many moms who use one diaper with one child and a different diaper with another child. Because kids are built differently, it’s important to try different brands on a new child.
3. Sensitive Skin and Allergies – If you notice that your child has an adverse reaction or rash from a certain diaper, switch! Babies might react differently to different diapers.
4. Go up a size. Sometimes I hear a parent say that no matter what they put their child in they will blow out or leak out of that diaper. A simple fix for this is to go up a size, it always worked like a charm for my kids. Generally a diaper package will have the weights listed on a box, like 16-28 lbs and such, but that’s just a general guidelines. My kids were tall so even though they didn’t weigh as much, a bigger diaper gave them better protection.
Whatever diaper brand you choose, make an informed decision and really compare and contrast!
Best Ways to Get Baby to Sleep
Having a newborn is a special and amazing experience. With a newborn comes a lot of change, sleep being one of them. I remember some advice that I was given before I had my first child. I was told to sleep when the baby sleeps. That was definitely some smart advice, however, when baby #2 came along that didn’t fly. Having a newborn and a 2 year old, I needed some stability and to be able to get my sleep at night. Here are some ways that can help baby get to sleep, because we all know when baby gets to sleep, mom gets to sleep!
Be consistent – Newborns are somewhat unpredictable, but try to be consistent with a schedule. As your baby gets older, you will get to know their sleep patterns and how they act and react in certain situations. Make a schedule that works for you and your baby. Every baby is different and what works for one mom might not work for another.
Baby’s Needs Are Met – A clean diaper and a full stomach can make a huge difference. Also make sure baby is dressed accordingly. If you keep your home cooler, swaddle and dress to keep them warm. I always noticed my boys slept better when these few things were taken care of, and it was easier to get them to sleep.
Familiar Places and Comforts – In our home, we always sleep with fans. The boys got used to this noise and it was almost calming to them to go in the room and hear the fan. Plus, it drowned out other noises while we were living in apartments. For my second son, his comfort was a pacifier and some hair. If he could play with his or my hair and have his pacifier, he went to sleep quickly. Some babies might enjoy nursing or a bottle to get to sleep, a blanket or lovie, being rocked, a dark room, or music. Again, be consistent with the familiar places and comforts like anything else.
Stay Calm – I remember many times feeling frustrated when my baby was over stimulated or cried because they were so tired. If you need to leave the room and let baby cry it out, or need a spouse or significant other to take the baby, do it. It seemed like my babies could always sense when I was upset or tense. Seems silly, but I definitely think it was true.
When it comes down to it, do what works for you! As your baby grows and you get to know each other, some things might work and others may not. Be sure to become educated, talk with other moms and consult your pediatrician if needed.
Best iPhone Apps for Parents
As every parent knows, time is something of a rare commodity with sleepless nights, baby timers going off at all hours, and even those times when you run out of diapers at 11:46 PM. We’re always looking for anything that makes our busy lives easier, time-saving, or convenient. And with that, I bring you my picks for the best iPhone Apps for parents.
Baby Bump Pregnancy Pro
One of the best iPhone apps for a soon-to-be mother. Period. For $3.99, you’re able to receive weekly updates on your baby’s development, detailed weight charts, as well as a forum where you’re able to exchange tips and notes with other expectant parents. Did I mention the colorful graphics and easy-to-use features?
Looking Glass
It’s definitely never too early to teach your kids how things work or why things are the way they are. This entertaining and useful app is a welcome additional to your educational arsenal. For $3.99/month, you get 3 new videos each week with topics ranging from horseback riding to pizza making not to mention getting access to the entire back catalogue of previous videos. And for any harried parent who wants to teach their kids something new, educational, yet still entertaining, look no further than Looking Glass.
Babydot
Our own little app is an easy and convenient service for new parents. The Babydot app is free, allows you to share information with other parents, read the latest parenting articles, as well as getting the heads up about the latest giveaways and diaper coupons. You’re also able to exchange tips and news with other parents and the ability to easily ‘like’ articles, see photos and look at favorite pages.
Total Baby
Amazing for any parent. This $4.99 app allows any parent to record the most important details of a baby’s life including his/her feeding times, sleep timer, diapers timer, bath timer, and even a section for medication. This app also has a calendar and baby photo section which allows the app to be more personalized for you and your little ones.
These are my top picks for best parent apps. What are yours?
7 Clear Signs That Your Child Should Stay Home from Daycare or Preschool
Clear runny noses are welcome at preschool! Even though the typical runny nose is welcome in a group learning environment, it is important for parents to understand clear symptoms to decide when it may be best to keep your child at home. It is best to use your parental discretion as well as professional advice from your pediatrician, but the problems below are often clear markers that it is best for your child to rest at home.
1. Lethargy
2. Green, yellow, or brown mucus discharge from the nose
3. Wheezing
4. High fever
5. Persistent diarrhea
6. Vomiting within 12 hours of time of drop-off
7. Unexplained rashes or hives
If your child is sick and you are not able to have a continued absence from work, you may find local one-on-one childcare through a local childcare agency, babysitting cooperative, or another parent at your child’s school. Reach out to your daycare’s director to find out if they have earmarked any special services that can ensure a speedy recovery for your child and a positive work environment for you.
Discipline in a Nutshell
I grew up during a time when school principals had yard-long paddles that they could ‘with sufficient reason’ give you three hard licks before sending you back to your classroom to behave with more sense. My mom had switches from a crab apple tree in our backyard that she used to discourage the possibility of unruly behavior “You want me to go get my switch, girl?!” or correct the unruly behavior “Go get me a switch, girl!” While I didn’t grow up with battle scars of resentment, as a parent and owner of a preschool and family focused business, I understand that a strong philosophy of positive discipline is paramount in raising strong, confident, healthy children.
It is important for families to use positive methods of discipline which encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem and cooperation. Any intense physical or emotional punishment is discouraged.
When it becomes necessary to discipline a child, certain steps are followed:
1.Talking to the child to help him/her see how he/she is misbehaving in the level of language that the child can understand.
2. Separating the child from the activity being disrupted.
3. Isolating the child from remaining friends/family members that may have caused the disruption
4. Talking with your parenting partner to create a plan of action that you both can be sure to maintain consistent discipline strategies.
5. Create an environment that decreases the opportunity for unruly behavior (Reduce toys that can obviously be used to hit, poke, or pull others)
Kids Clothes Giveaway from Wittlebee
Wittlebee is a new service that sends your a monthly shipment of kids clothes. This includes the basics like T-shirts, Socks, Onesies, Leggings and more. It’s a great way to put your kids clothes on auto-pilot and save some time and money in the process.
To help get the word out Wittlebee is giving away a free 3 month membership of their 10 item per month plan. That’s 30 clothing items in total all for free!
Entering is easy. Just follow the steps below to get started:
5 Things Your OB Doesn’t Tell You
After four pregnancies and three live births, I’ve had my share of OB, midwife, and doula experiences. My appointments have been rushed, thorough, scary, empowering, and at times confusing. I get it, though. Labor and delivery can create a demanding schedule for an OB or midwife, so it’s no surprise that a few hard truths may slip through the cracks during your round of appointments. After each of my births, I’ve always had that moment of “Why didn’t I know that?!” Let me try to save you from the same:
TENDERNESS- Your crotch will feel like an Anvil fell on it. I swear. It hurts that bad. While all of my births have been vaginal, I’ve heard from the mama vine that even C-section births may produce the Anvil Crotch Syndrome. To combat this very normal, yet under talked about experience, prepare to take a Sits bath at least 3 times daily during your first week home from the hospital. A Peri bottle rinse of warm water and tea tree oil also aids in soothing the soreness.
DEPEND ON IT- You should bring Depends to wear home from the hospital. It’s really that simple. With all of the bleeding, there is just no real reason to wear real underwear, and the hospital grade disposable underwear contraptions really just don’t cut it.
BE PREPARED FOR NURSING- Nursing can be very painful. It’s a good idea to have a good supply of Lansinoh nipple cream on hand to help soothe the nipples and create a more comfortable nursing environment. I think it is also wise to have a reputable lactation consultant lined up just in case you require added professional experience.
POSTPARTUM NIGHT SWEATS- You may have severe to moderate postpartum night sweats. A woman’s postpartum body goes through rapid changes in the days to months after birth. One of these changes is the release of the extra fluid that the body retained during pregnancy.
GIVE BONDING TIME SOME TIME- Bonding with your baby may not be instant. This is the toughest truth, and it shouldn’t cause you to rethink your aspirations of being an awesome parent. The honest truth is that it takes time to get to know anyone including your newborn. While you will love and care for your new baby, sometimes true bonding takes time. If you feel that your situation is not improving and that you can’t seem to get out of the new parent fog, do contact your midwife or OB to ensure that you may not have a case of Postpartum Depression.
December Free Gift: Skip Hop Palette Bowls
All new memberships in December get this FREE gift!
Skip Hop Palette Bowls
Goes from fridge to microwave to everywhere you go — in a snap!
This set of three microwaveable bowls has see-through, snap tight lids that make leftovers and transport easy. Perfectly sized for baby feeding or toddler snacks. These bowls also fit right into the Skip Hop Palette Plate!