There are tons of childproofing tools, kits, and accessories available. However, there are three important child safety tools that everyone should have, tools that carry over into your child’s life for a long time.
A cordless phone: You know, I haven’t seen a non-cordless phone in a long time. Sometimes I wonder if they still exisit. Most people have cells, and that’s a good thing, because having a phone you can carry anywhere allows you to easily move room to room with your child. It also allows you to answer the phone, say, if you’re giving your baby a bath. If you have a cell phone, instead of a cordless, use a good case that attaches to your jeans, so you never have to leave your baby alone to go find the phone.
Anti-scald water devices: There are anti-scald devices that a plumber can install for you and some you can install yourself.You should also set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, this keeps water hot, but it’s cooled enough to help prevent serious burns if your child gets a hold of the faucet. For example, at 120 degrees, you’d need to hold your hand in the water stream for more than five minutes to produce a substantial burn, and no child (hopefully) would do that. 120, causes immediate pain, and thus a child will remove their hand from the stream of water.
Smoke detectors: This is a given. Your home should have smoke detectors in all rooms. The kicker is you need to check them out. A smoke detector with expired batteries is useless. You need to check them once yearly at minimum, but honestly, I think going by season is best. This way, if you forget one season, it’s no big deal, because in three months, it’ll be time to check them again. There is a downside to smoke detectors though. Watch this video shocking fire safety news for your children.
Of course, I suggest baby proofing to the max, but these three basic safety measures above, should be in place throughout the years.
Pregnancy heartburn can seem worse than normal run of the mill heartburn, and no wonder. Not only are you carrying extra weight but now you have that tight, icky feeling in your chest and belly.
Try these tips for the quickest heartburn relief:Â
- Chew gum. Anything that increases saliva helps to reduce heartburn because saliva decreases icky stomach acids, and gum is one of the quickest ways to increase saliva.
- Drink TONS of water every day, and before you lay down to sleep or rest.
- Avoid spicy foods. Why create more uncomfortable acids? After you give birth you can enjoy your fave hot salsa again
- Go walking or sit up straight. Staying upright means that stomach acid stays down. Once you turn horizontal, stomach acid starts to creep upwards.
- Use more pillows at night. Using an extra pillow under your head keeps you more upright, which, as noted above, keeps those stomach acids down.
- If heartburn gets too terrible, talk with your health care provider. You don’t need to suffer through your pregnancy.
If you’re looking for some quick, free, and easy baby fun and games, try these tips out…
1. Put a box - any old safe box on the floor, and wait. Your baby will climb in and out, push it around, and just in general stay happy for quite a while.
2. Wad up all those old magazine pages (the ones you’ve read already), and toss them around the living room. Your baby will love the crackle of the paper, the texture, and the fact that this is easy to throw play.
3. Grab all that laundry you’ve been meaning to fold, and dump it onto your clean floor. Allow your baby to wade through the cloth as you fold. You can incorporate peek-a-boo fun with this activity.
4. Toss colorful scarves into the air and see if your baby can catch them. Many babies love to just watch them float down.
5. Place an old sheet onto the kitchen floor. Grab two unbreakable bowls (fill one with water) and a sponge or two. Teach your baby how to gather water with the sponge and then squeeze it into the other. For more fun and learning, cut the sponges into fun shapes.
6. Pull out the pots. Yeah it’s an od trick but every baby loves to whack away on pots with long spoons. To make different sounds try a tin bowl vs. a colander vs. a big metal pot.
There you have it - six foolproof ways to keep a baby happy and entertained. What other easy ideas do you have?
If you’re looking for some adorable baby shoes, look no further. I’ve got two great pairs, perfect for summer…
Daisy Roots Baby Shoes: White Ballet Style Shoe available at Little Baby Shoes
And for the boys, Pediped Baby Boy Shoes - Liam in Khaki and Olive also available at Little Baby Shoes
Today lets see two recipes - one veggie based, and one that’s a bit sweeter…
Lentils or brown rice & carrots:Â
This is a good hearty meal, and this recipe makes a lot. You can pour the extra into ice cube trays (about 3-4 trays).
Mince 1/2 of a red pepper, and saute in a wee bit of olive oil until soft. Mix in 1/2 pound of dry lentils, 4 cups water, and 1/2 pound organic carrots. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about an hour; until everything is very soft. Cool, then mash or puree, depending on the texture your baby can handle.
If you’re using brown rice: saute the pepper, then add carrots and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer - cook for 1/2 hour or until carrots are very soft. Make four cups of brown rice according to the package directions in another pot. Once both the rice and veggies are done; cool, then puree or mash everything together.
Serve, and then pour the extra into ice cube trays to save for later meals.
Kiwi oatmeal:
Grab 1/4 to 1/2 cup of prepared baby cereal or oatmeal. 1/2 cup is too much for one serving, but then you can save half in the fridge. Mash up kiwi in the blender or food processor for babies under nine months, and mash it with a fork, for more texture, for babies over nine months. You know what your baby can handle, so if you want it smoother or chunkier, adjust the kiwi.
Mix both the kiwi and cereal together. Serve. This is a great way to make a sweet treat out of typical cereal.
To see more great baby food recipes visit:Â
If you’ve got an extra cool baby on your hands, then you really need to visit Sandbox Threads. Sandbox Threads has the best of the best graphics for just about any style baby tee or onesies you can imagine.
You choose the clothing style - long sleeve, short sleeve, baby dress, tee or onesie. You choose the color. You choose the hip graphic. There are even organic options, and bonus, right now, it’s free shipping on orders if you spend $50 or more. The choices of graphic designs offered at Sandbox Threads is insane. I found three designs to share, but trust me, I could have shown many more.
Milk & Cookie
Vintage Birds
Peace
See all the coolness at Sandbox Threads.
In the last post we looked at five things to avoid during pregnancy. Now lets see something more cheerful - five things you can and should do during pregnancy.
Ask about medications and supplements: Always ask your health care provider before taking an over-the-counter medication or vitamin/herbal supplement. Many aren’t safe during pregnancy, and it’s better to ask first.
Fight the pain: Pain and discomfort is commonly thought to be just a basic part of pregnancy. However, you can have a pregnancy that’s comfortable and healthy. If you have heartburn, morning sickness, headaches, back pain, or any other uncomfortable issue, talk to your health care provider, because they can suggest ways to cope, feel better, and have a comfortable pregnancy.
Make sure to get all the proper vitamins each day: All women need proper nutrition and vitamins during pregnancy. Many women lack extra iron, so a supplement may be necessary. Educate yourself about the vitamins and minerals needed during pregnancy.
Get your beauty sleep: Healthy pregnancy sleep is super important. It’s hard work to grow a baby. Some studies have compared pregnancy to climbing up hill continuously for nine months - imagine the strain on your body. You do need sleep, and plenty of it. Aim for 7-9 hours a night.
De-stress: Plan a fun trip with your partner, take prenatal yoga, exercise safely, take a mama spa day, and eliminate annoyances. Got a lame mother-in-law? She doesn’t have to visit during your pregnancy. Have trouble at work? Take some time off, or ask for less responsibility. In the long run, your physical and mental health can affect your ability to handle labor, parenthood, and your relationship with others. Pregnancy can feel overwhelming, so cutting out stressful trouble spots of your life when possible is a good idea. If you can’t eliminate stress, talk to your health care provider about options like counseling.
There are tons of things you should avoid during pregnancy. There’s the obvious - sky-diving, deep sea swimming, raw meat, you know; obvious stuff. Then there’s the typical day-to-day issues you may run into, but should avoid.
Five things to avoid during pregnancy:
Eating mercury laden fish. Studies show that some fish during pregnancy is healthy and perfectly safe, for both you and your growing baby. However, there’s some fish you should avoid eating. Make sure you keep a list of good and bad fish during pregnancy handy.
Scented feminine hygiene products: It can be tempting; you’re tired, feeling out of sorts with your body, and a whiff of fresh scents seems helpful. That said, don’t go there. Scents commonly found in feminine sprays, panty liners, bubble baths, and more can irritate areas of your body that frankly, you want to avoid irritation in. These chemical scents can make you more prone to developing a yeast infection or a urinary tract infection, and the meds you’d need to clear that up have not been proven safe during pregnancy. Note that if you feel like you may have an infection, don’t avoid your health care provider, they’ll be able to suggest the safest course of treatment for your situation - sometimes even natural cures.
Douching: Along with scented hygiene products, douching can throw off your natural vaginal ph balance, which is another risk factor for infections.
Optional x-rays: Get dental work done before pregnancy if possible. Don’t allow extra x-rays unless highly advised by your health care provider. X-rays are noted as being mostly safe during pregnancy, but they still carry a small risk to a growing baby.
Foodborne illness: It seems almost silly to suggest avoiding foodborne illness; I mean, who goes out looking for a foodborne illness. Still, during pregnancy, it’s important to be vigilant about food safety and proper food handling. Wash your hands before cooking, use separate knives and cutting boards for meats vs. veggies. Store cooked food in the fridge, and cook everything to a decent temperature. Foodborne illness is no fun. Foodborne illness during pregnancy can cause serious health risks to both you and your baby.
What are you trying to avoid during your pregnancy?
Next up, five things you should do during pregnancy.
If you’re looking for some unique, and slightly silly baby bedding for the nursery, you have to visit Arte Bebe.
Arte Bebe’s Silly Owl Crib Set is totally swoon worthy. A funky retro look, with bold colors of orange, brown, gold, and taupe on white will make your nursery stand out from the rest:
Adorable, right? Check out this nursery set-up, with the Silly Owl set as a focal point - just lovely!
See this crib set and more at Arte Bebe - it’s always worth a visit to see what’s new; tons of baby stuff to amaze you.
Once the end of summer starts to get close, most stores start offering amazing deals on items in order to move them out in time for the new fall lines.
Here’s what’s on sale right now; to see the great price, click on the item photo:
Nautical Dot Dress
St. Tropez Button-Front Mini-Stripe One Piece
Construction Trucks Hoodie
Sunflower Crib Shoe
Happy shopping!
