BREASTFEEDING
Kristen Bell Breastfeeding Quotes That Show She’s Cool AF
There are plenty of reasons to love Kristen Bell and even more so if you are a mother. Beyond just being a celebrity mom you can actually relate to, she’s an inspiration for breastfeeding mothers. Check it out for yourself to see how frequently she advocates breastfeeding and motherhood in her social media networks. [See more here.]
Coco Austin Reveals 15-Month-Old Daughter Chanel Is Still Breastfeeding: ‘Going Strong
Reality TV star Coco Austin is continuing to proudly support and encourage breastfeeding mothers as she recently revealed that she is still nursing her 15-month old daughter Chanel. Austin regularly posts stories, videos, and pictures to her Instagram account of herself with her daughter. The 38-year-old posted a video of a special moment saying nap time is her favorite time of day. [Read more here.]
PREGNANCY
Best Shoes to Wear During Pregnancy
Maternity clothes are not all too hard to find these days, and for those that want them, the cute stylish options are readily available. You can still feel trendy and cute while showing off your bump. Shoes, on the other hand, are trickier. Honestly, ‘maternity shoes’ are not exactly a thing, and most women don’t think about needing special shoes for pregnancy until their feet begin to swell and all your regular shoes become completely uncomfortable or maybe even unwearable.
“[W]hen I was pregnant my feet looked like two loaves of baked bread that had been crammed into gravy boats Cinderella-stepsister-style, so I was always on the look out for comfortable shoes. Some are cute (some are not) but we are all about the comfort this time.”
This article should help you find shoes that will be fit your feet during pregnancy while also bringing the support you need. [Read more here.]
9 Things to Do to Get Your House in Order Before Baby Comes
Between nesting, fretting about not being fully prepped for your new baby, and the general desire for spring cleaning, you may be spinning circles figuring out how to spend your time. Take a deep breath and leave the sorting out to someone else. Just use this guide to figure out what tasks to take on.
This article breaks your home pre-baby cleaning/organization into four task lists: (1) Big picture to-dos (2) Kitchen musts (3) Laundry helpers (4) Manage the daily dirt. [Read more here.]
MOTHERHOOD
The Secret Behind My Child’s Robust Immunity
Whether you are still amid a horrible flu epidemic in your area or if spring air seems to be moving out the stomach bugs and winter colds, there is never a wrong time to start bettering the immune systems of your family. In fact, doing things to boost your family’s ability to battle through cold and flu season now is a perfect time. Now gives your body a full six months to build up strength and be ready when next year’s rounds of sickness begin.
“As a mother, one of my biggest concerns is his exposure to germs that freely circulate in the air we breathe. Moreover, he is a fussy eater, which has hit his immune system, making him fall sick often. He looks healthy but I sense that he has a weak resistance to diseases.”
Use this article to learn more about the immune systems, it’s function in the body and how you can help it do it’s job best for your children. [Read more here.]
13 Funny April Fool’s Day Pranks to Play on Your Kids
There is nothing quite so fun as a good April Fool’s joke and jokes with your kids are always a good round of fun. This slideshow shares several simple but extremely silly and fun pranks to set up for your kids to make the day a fun one full of laughs. Besides, the goofy holiday falls on a Saturday so you have all day to pull these stunts on the kiddos. [Read more here.]
INFANTS
13 Things That Go Through Every Mom’s Mind When She Can’t Get Her Baby To Stop Crying
The squeals of a crying baby–particularly your own crying baby–can elicit nearly every emotion possible and oftentimes, if the crying persists long enough, you get to experience the entire range of emotions.
“The scenarios that run through your mind will make you feel every emotion imaginable, from irritation to sadness to panic to absolutely everything in between. When I had my own child to care for I quickly realize that when he was sad, I was sad. So, when he was inconsolable, I suddenly forgot all my tips and tricks that had worked so perfectly with other babies. In a way, I was inconsolable until I could soothe my baby. Sometimes the best thing to do when your baby is in a crying fit is to pass the baby on to someone else and take a break. Babies can feel your distress and it doesn’t help them to calm down, at all.”
Hopefully, though, the emotions you go through will conclude with relief when the little one finally calms down and finds peace. Either way, know your thoughts and feelings associated with your crying baby are not unusual to motherhood. [Read more here.]
Image: Fotolia
Study Proves That Cuddling Babies Early (And Often) Has Huge Benefits
There is enough to fret and worry over with your new baby, so holding your cherub too much should never be one of them. Why worry over something you should be able to fully enjoy? If someone wants to give you a hard time about how much you hold your baby, you have science on your side.
“Just a few months ago, a study came out showing that early skin-to-skin contact leads to improved neurodevelopment, higher IQ, and lower rates of aggression. Skin-to-skin contact has also been shown to increase breastfeeding success, and can even make certain medical procedures less painful for infants.”
To read more on these studies, check out this article.
Image: ThinkStock
TODDLERS
Your essential guide to the best, safe tick repellents for kids this spring
The incredibly mild winter that much of the country experienced may have been a bit of relief during the months of January and February, but it could lead to a more stressful spring and summer with the bugs being worse than ever. There is not much you can do about it other than to be prepared and protect in the best and safest ways. With store shelves covered in options for bug and tick repellents, how do you choose? The big word you may have heard problems with is DEET.
“For those of us worried about exposing our kids to too much DEET, here’s the good news: Across the board, experts seem to agree DEET is a great mosquito repellent, but an average tick repellent. Instead, the EWG recommends parents choose tick repellents for kids with 20% Picaridin, 20% IR3535, and if your child is over 3 years old, 30–40% Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.”
This article provides more information on what is recommended as well as brands to consider. [Read more here.]
Image: Shutterstock
5 tips for taking away the tablet without triggering the tantrum
Every parent has heard at least one person say that screen time is bad for children. But let’s be honest, giving them screen time is likely something you do and that is perfectly fine! A mom’s sanity is pretty important and there are a lot of games and shows that offer great education for kids. However, possibly the biggest drawback to allowing screen time is having to face choosing a time to end it. While the time with a tablet can bring some great peace and quiet in the house, taking away the tablet or turning off the TV, can elicit a meltdown.
“[T]he American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some new guidelines around screen use that ease some parental guilt, but you still need to get your kid off the iPad at some point. Aside from being a strong role model, try these tips to minimize conflict and find the balance we’re all seeking.” [Read more here.]
