Posted by TinyTotties on May 14 2013
As a parent we've all been there. You've had a great day with your kids at the beach and when it came to cleaning and drying off you just can't get rid of the sand. The car ride home is constant complaining from your kids that they still have sand in their toes and it hurts. I just discovered a great secret that I was able to put into use this Mother's Day.
Last Sunday I was lucky enough to spend Mother's Day at the beach with my family. It was SO much fun! A friend of mine had told me to pack a travel size bottle of baby powder in my beach bag. Then at the end of the day, all you have to do is rub the baby powder on their skin. Simple as that! The sand will rub right off. AMAZING stuff! It leaves my babies nice and soft! AND most importantly… sand-free!
Basically what happens is that the baby powder removes moisture from your skin and allows for the sand to easily come off. It works on hair, feet, and legs. Once you try it, you won’t want to head to the beach without it. Even my husband used it!
If you don’t like using baby powder or prefer using something more natural, you can also use cornstarch and it works just as well.
Posted by TinyTotties on September 14 2011
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Posted by Vered on October 20 2010
Good question. :) Unfortunately, there’s no magic answer. Many babies resist sleep with all their might, and while the general advice of “be persistent and keep putting her back to bed” may work at night, naps are short, and many babies are perfectly capable of spending the full 2 hours fighting with you rather than going to sleep.
However, it has been my personal experience that if you do persist, and refuse to allow baby to play during naptime, eventually she will accept that when you announce “Time for your nap!” you mean business.
Note, that I’m not advocating the harsh “crying it out” method. I don’t think babies should be left alone to cry, at night or during nap. But I do believe that older babies need boundaries, and the fact that a baby doesn’t want to sleep doesn’t mean he shouldn’t sleep.
So with my own babies, starting at around 6 months old (before that I nursed them to sleep and napped with them), this is what I did: I cheerfully announced that it’s time for their nap. We did a short naptime routine – drawing the blinds, changing diapers, nursing. I sang a lullaby and put them in bed. When they protested, I waited a couple of minutes, then went back to them, comforted them but remained firm in my demand that they go to sleep.
It worked. The first couple of days they didn’t nap at all – they basically spent two hours protesting and I kept coming back to them but did not take them out of bed. But on the third day, both of them (I have two kids and did this with both) fell asleep almost immediately.
I know that for some families, nursing babies to sleep and napping with them works for older babies too, and this is fine. But for me, around the age of 6 months, teaching my kids that they can go to sleep on their own, in their own bed, and be safe and warm, and that I will always go to them if they need me, worked very well. Good luck!
Posted by Vered on October 13 2010
One of my kids suffers from eczema, which pretty much makes me an expert on dealing with dry winter skin. Thankfully, her eczema is generally mild, but in wintertime, her skin does tend to flare up and requires constant attention – and hydration. Even if your child doesn’t have a skin condition such as eczema, for many babies and kids, dry winter air often causes dry, itchy skin. Here are my best tips for preventing, and dealing with, dry winter skin:
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize! In winter, there’s no such thing as over-moisturizing! Use a gentle, fragrance-free over the counter lotion such as Cetaphil, and apply it to your child’s skin frequently. 3-4 times a day is great.
Vaseline Is Good! I know that some are worried about using petroleum jelly on human skin, but it makes an excellent skin protectant and is the only thing that truly makes a difference when my child has a bad case of eczema. It’s very oily of course, so dab small amounts, only on the driest areas.
Avoid Extreme Temperatures Keep your home comfortably cool and indoor air will not be as dry. Also, avoid very warm water – use lukewarm water when washing your baby.
Avoid Fragrances and Irritants Be gentle with your child’s skin. Fragrances are a known irritant, as are certain oils and extracts, including peppermint and papaya. Before using a soap or a lotion, read the list of ingredients carefully, and remember that even natural ingredients can be harsh on your baby’s skin.
Use a Humidifier In addition to using a lotion to moisturize your child’s skin, using a humidifier in her room can also help you combat dry winter skin.
Avoid Long Baths Prolonged contact with water will dry your baby’s already-dry skin even more, so keep those baths short, and moisturize his skin immediately after towel drying.
When Outside, Protect Skin When going outside, use clothing and accessories such as gloves and scarves to protect skin from chilly, drying winds. Apply a gentle sunscreen daily, even in winter. Winter sun, especially when combined with snow glare, can damage skin.
Posted by Vered on September 29 2010
When you have a baby, winter presents several special challenges. Babies can get very uncomfortable during the winter because of cold temperatures outside, warm temperatures inside, dry air and more. Here are a few tips for keeping baby comfortable in the winter.
Avoid Overheating
Many of us tend to overheat the house during the winter, especially when we have a baby, because we worry about the baby getting too cold. But overheating the house creates problems such as dry indoor air and could cause your baby to become overheated. For the first two weeks, the room temperature should be around 70-75 degrees. If you are comfortable in a short sleeve shirt, it is about right for your baby.
Keep Him Covered
On cold nights, check on your baby occasionally to see that he's covered enough to be warm and comfortable. Babies often kick off their blankets, then get too cold.
Dress Her in Layers
During the winter, it’s often cold outside but very warm inside, including stores and shopping malls. It’s best to dress your baby in layers that you can put on or take off as needed.
Use Cotton
Dress your baby in cotton clothes and use cotton baby bedding. Cotton will allow your baby to stay cool and comfortable much better than non-breathable synthetic fabrics.
Use a humidifier in Baby’s Room
A humidifier will help add much needed moisture to the air in his room. Remember to clean the humidifier daily and sanitize weekly.
Keep Him Hydrated
This is obvious in the summer, but in the winter too, it’s important to make sure your baby gets enough fluids and stays hydrated.
Air Out the House Whenever Possible
Indoor air pollution can be a major issue, especially if the house is seldom aired out. When weather permits, air out the house, even just for a little while.
Go Outside Often
Going outside is good for your baby and for you. Research shows that 10 daily minutes of unfiltered sun exposure is very important. Try to get out of the house daily, or as often as weather permits.
Posted by Vered on September 21 2010
Bedtimes are often tough, especially with babies and toddlers. Many toddlers try to prolong bedtime for as long as possible, and many babies protest when you leave them – often at the top of their lungs! But patience and persistence can result in peaceful, pleasant bedtimes. Here are a few tips to help you get there.
1. Keep it Quiet and Dark. An hour before bedtime, try to keep the room quiet and dark. This will signal to your baby that it’s time to relax and slow down.
2. Turn on a night-light. The room shouldn’t be completely dark. It’s a good idea to leave a night light on in your child’s bedroom.
3. Take your time. A rushed bedtime routine will not work. A successful, relaxing bedtime routine should take at least an hour.
4. Include a warm bath in your bedtime routine. A warm bath relaxes the muscles and will help your child fall asleep.
5. Reading a story before bed is a great way to bond with your child and to introduce her to the joy of reading.
6. Make sure your child goes to sleep at the same time every night. This will help regulate his sleep patterns and will make it easier for him to fall asleep. This works for adults too, by the way!
7. Room temperature in the nursery should be fairly cool – no more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. To make sure your baby is comfortable, it is also helpful to use cotton baby bedding.
8. Leave your child's room while they're still awake so they can learn to settle themselves. If she starts to cry, go back to her and comfort her, ideally without taking her out of bed. However, do not let her become hysterical! If she cries hard, it’s OK to take her out of bed and comfort her, but always put her back and insist that it’s time to go to sleep. Go back as many times as you need (you might have a sleepless night or two). Avoid harsh “cry it out” techniques. Be firm but gentle and always be there for your baby.
9. Don’t expect too much too early. You can start a bedtime routine at a very early age, but leaving your baby to cry, even just for a minute, before she’s six months old is not a good idea in our opinion.
10. If you co-sleep, you’ll avoid some of the issues of babies who sleep in a crib, but you still want to find a way to signal to your baby that it’s time to go to sleep – many co-sleeping babies try to play with their parents instead of going to sleep.