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My Top Baby Must Haves

bigstock-140345645When I was raising my girls there were several items I just had to have. Whether they were a necessity or a luxury, I became accustomed to using these items and I couldn’t live without them! Today, I’m sharing my baby product must haves, as well as rules to live by to keep your babies safe.

When it comes to safety there are several obvious things; corner guards, outlet covers, gates, and knob locks.

But one thing that many first time parents over look is a bath tub spout cover. These are rubberized covers to go over the spout on the bathtub to protect your baby. This way if they bump their head you won’t have to worry about them injuring themselves.

Another safety item is a Pack ‘n Play. It is essentially a portable crib. This way when the kids spend the night at Grandma’s they have a safe place to sleep. Often times people end up letting infants sleep in the same bed as them when they’re away due to lack of resources. However this is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious injury or even death. Rest easy while you’re away knowing that your child is safely tucked in the Pack ‘n Play.

There were also several things I couldn’t live without when it came to feeding.

One of the most important feeding items was a really good electric breast pump. My youngest daughter could only be breastfed for the first few years of her life. So this was a necessity. Back in the 90s I rented mine for $25 a month. I actually had two, one that I kept at home and one that I kept at the office. That way I didn’t have to worry about bringing it with me. These days, most insurance companies will supply you with a breast pump due to the Affordable Care Act.

Another important feeding item was a nursing or feeding pillow. These are essential to help prevent back pain when nursing. You’re able to prop the baby up on the pillow so they sit at breast height, therefore you don’t need to lean forward. Using a feeding pillow can also help prevent your arms from falling asleep which is common with breastfeeding.

There were also some other luxury items I just couldn’t live without.

In order to get back to my healthy lifestyle, it was important that I had a jogging stroller. I go for a lot of runs and I needed a stroller that was sturdy enough for that. Having something I could use to take the girls with me when I went running was essential to getting back in to shape!

Next for me – an electric swing. Do yourself a favor and splurge on the electric one. A crank one you need to turn, and if you get side tracked and forget to crank it baby is going to wake up. They quickly rock your infant to sleep while you’re doing the dishes or folding laundry.

One of my must-have tips for baby safety is attention, attention, attention! Have your eye on your child at all times. You could turn your back for two seconds and they may already be in mischief. Be mindful of hot things, such as coffee sitting on the edge of the table or any kind of hot water.

Now don’t get me wrong, a lot has changed since I had my girls in the 90’s. But one thing I know for sure is these items are essential to the safety of your baby, as well as for your sanity. I hope you’ve found this helpful when trying to figure out what to add to your registry!

 

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Coffee, Tea and Me

bigstock-123894131Sometimes it’s nice to wake up slow with a cup of tea or coffee in the morning. Taking even 10 minutes at the beginning of each day to set your intentions is excellent for your mental health and well-being. Not only do coffee and tea contain caffeine, which will help get you moving in the morning, but they also contain a ton of other health benefits. Starting your day with a cup of coffee or tea can help boost your metabolism. Drinking three or more cups of green tea each day can increase your caloric output by more than 70 calories. The same goes for coffee: the caffeine in these drinks can temporarily increase your metabolic rate. Today, we are going to discuss the benefits of having a cup of joe in the morning to help prepare for the day ahead.

When it comes to coffee…
Try drinking your coffee black. Adding cream and sugar to your morning cup can add inches to your waistline. It may take a bit to get used to the taste, but it’s much better for your health. Did you know that drinking black coffee can also lower your risk of colon cancer?

Drink coffee to boost your morning workout. Have you ever seen people with Starbucks at the gym? I have, and I’ve always thought they were crazy, but there is some logic to it. We know that caffeine boosts energy which is helpful when you need to be up for an early morning workout. But caffeine also increases your epinephrine levels. Epinephrine is a neurotransmitter, more commonly known as adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and primes you for action. This can help you get the best workout possible.

High quality coffee is chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals. Coffee contains tons of B vitamins. B vitamins are important for brain health and function.  Coffee beans also contain other minerals such as potassium.

What about tea?
Tea leaves are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants help to detoxify our cells. Having a cup of tea in the morning can keep your skin glowing all day long!

Tea can also help increase bone density. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, it’s important that you start thinking about your bone health now. Horsetail tea is a great bone builder due to its high silica content.

Drink tea to boost immunity. Having a cup of tea a day will help increase your cells immunity to unknown antibodies. Kick sickness to the curb by sipping tea every morning, not just when you’re sick.

Where should you get your coffee beans and tea leaves from?
Pay attention to where your coffee and tea are from. Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. Therefore, it’s pick a brand that is organic and fair trade, if possible. So, where are the best countries to get coffee from? Two of the more well-known places are Brazil and Columbia, but most people would be surprised to know that Ethiopia is a huge producer of coffee beans.

You also have to be careful when you pick a brand of tea. Pesticides are often sprayed on the crops for better yield. Before choosing a tea brand, do some research. And of course, always choose organic. A good brand that you can get at your local grocery store is Yogi tea. They have made a lot of changes within their company in the past several years in order to provide you with the healthiest product ever.

We all know that coffee and tea can help give us an energy boost in the morning. But it’s important not to drink caffeinated beverages too late in the day. There are many types of tea, such as chamomile tea, which don’t contain caffeine and can help you to sleep. Whether you’re starting your day with a cup of coffee, or ending it with a hot cup of tea, carving out a little time for yourself is never a bad thing.

 

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my workbook for dealing with caring for your children, as well as your aging parents: Life in the Sandwich Generation. Life in the Sandwich Generation is a workbook filled with information, tips and tricks for managing the demands needing to care for your aging parents, as well as taking care of your children. It details how you can involve your children in the process, how to learn more about your parents health and finances, while still making time for yourself and your spouse. You can find it here for only $10!

 

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7 Tips for Surviving the Terrible Twos

bigstock-123791711Between the crying, the screaming and the temper tantrums, toddlers can be a handful. When it seems like every word that comes out of their mouth is “No” disciplining can become draining. As moms, we all dread these moments. Trust me, I’ve been there. In order to help make this transition easier I’m sharing my top seven tips to surviving the terrible twos.

1. Practice telling them “no” from an early age.
If your child is used to getting what they want all of the time, they will have a difficult time adjusting to things not going their way.

2. Remember to take it one day at a time.
You’re not going to get a child to change their behavior overnight. It will take time, just be patient.

3. Be sure they understand when their behavior is unacceptable.
It’s obliviously difficult to rationalize with a toddler, especially one who is kicking and screaming. But if they aren’t disciplined and aren’t told that their behavior is unacceptable, they will continue to do it.

4. Be mindful of how you word your questions.
Or, don’t ask them at all. Asking kids “Are you ready for bed?” is always going to be responded to negatively. Instead, tell them, “It’s time for bed.” Or pose it in a fun way and make it an activity. Make bedtime story time. This way they won’t protest going to bed as much.

5. Try to be understanding.
Part of the reason that this is such a difficult age is that children are frustrated with the stage they’re in. They’re independent enough to do a lot of things for themselves, but they are still limited in certain aspects, such as communicating. Since they can’t tell you what’s wrong they have to alert you in some other way, leading to a tantrum or an outburst.

6. Make sure they know there are consequences for their actions, whether it be a time out or a loss of privilege.
Be firm and stand strong. If you waiver the child won’t take you seriously. It’s also important that you and your spouse have the same philosophy when it comes to this matter.

7. Applaud their good behavior.
When they do something kind or they don’t protest nap time be sure to recognize that. Thank them for listening. This will encourage the same behavior in the future.

It is important to keep in mind that this is normal and it’s not your fault. This is very common that children go through this stage in their lives. Hopefully you find these tips helpful to surviving the terrible twos! They sure helped me.

 

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my workbook for dealing with caring for your children, as well as your aging parents: Life in the Sandwich Generation. Life in the Sandwich Generation is a workbook filled with information, tips and tricks for managing the demands needing to care for your aging parents, as well as taking care of your children. It details how you can involve your children in the process, how to learn more about your parents health and finances, while still making time for yourself and your spouse. You can find it here for only $10!