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Motherhood

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This is an exciting time! Your due date is getting closer and now it is time to pick a theme for your baby shower!  The first question when planning your baby shower theme is whether you are having a boy, a girl, or both, or want to be surprised.  Another thing you will want to consider is if you would like your baby shower theme to match your baby’s nursery decor and theme.  If you have not decided on a theme for your nursery, it is very easy to carry over the one from your baby shower.   Versatile  Baby Shower Themes These days, baby showers are more chic and mature than those in the past.  While it used to be all baby rattles and bottles, moms-to-be now choose themes such as boho or tea parties with lots of lace and pretty florals.  In addition to these, there are…

Being a first-time mom can be both exciting and a little bit scary!  We have compiled a list of 9 things you will want to know about newborns before you give birth.  While this list won’t cover everything, it covers essential key points regarding personal and baby care. Umbilical Cords and Circumcisions Unless your newborn has to stay in the hospital for an extended time after birth, their umbilical cord will still be attached when you bring them home.  Caring for the still-attached umbilical cord is very easy.  Simply clean around the area with a soft cotton ball wet with rubbing alcohol, and be sure not to cover it with the diaper to avoid pulling on it as your newborn moves around.  It will fall off on its own when the time is right (usually anywhere between one and three weeks after birth).  If you choose to have your…

As new parents, getting and having quality alone time is hard, and going on an actual date seems impossible.  Between feedings, diaper changes, snuggles, and your spouse’s work schedule, time becomes a rare and precious commodity and there is never enough of it.  In the early months of your baby’s new life, it’s the simple things that mean the most.  Here are a few ideas for simple dates to help keep you and your spouse connected during this hectic season of life. DATE AT HOME Whether you are taking turns getting up in the night or you are the one every time because the baby is nursing, sleep is interrupted, and it can leave you both feeling too tired to connect at the end of the day. If the desire is there, you don’t have to look very far to find time to plan a date. One great…

The day has finally arrived and you are holding your newborn baby for the first time!  Everything is a whirlwind from learning to feed your baby to the discharge instructions as you leave the hospital.  You get home, get settled in, and the next thing you know, it is the endless cycle of feed, change diaper, sleep, repeat.  You know that taking care of yourself is important too but it is SO hard when you are so tired and busy!  Believe it or not, every parent goes through some variation of this.  The important thing to remember is that while you may be feeling physically fine after a couple weeks, it actually takes months for our bodies to fully recover from giving birth!  However, the first 3 months are the time during which you will notice the most significant advances in your postpartum recovery as well as when you can…

Congratulations! You’re expecting a baby! Now, the question is, what are you going to name this new addition to the family? Babies are super cute, cuddly (sometimes loud or smelly, lol) and make our hearts fill with joy, but you’ve got to have something just perfect to name this sweet bundle of love, right? So what are parents to do when they need to get help choosing a name that’s just right? Well, there are a lot of helpful resources out there from baby name books to taking a quick flip through magazines with celebrity names, author’s names, names of music artists in the list of Grammy Awards winners, or you can turn to thoughtful bloggers who love to spend their time collecting character-building names for you to thumb through and choose from. Aren’t we just the sweetest? Wink, wink. Ok, I know it isn’t necessarily going to be “hip”…

You don’t have to be a mom to know that breastfeeding can be challenging at times. Breastfeeding can save you money and time, but can also be difficult to do in public or when you are away from home.The hardest part of nursing a baby for me was figuring out how to make it work in the first few weeks. I’ve been there and done that and I want to help. Here are my 8 favorite breastfeeding tips for the new mom. Nursing Bra Having a good nursing bra can make all the difference when trying to nurse in public or in the middle of the night. Wearing a supportive and comfortable nursing bra keeps your breast tissue and ligaments supported under the extra weight of the milk they carry. Different types of nursing bras are sold in stores and online which can benefit the different situations you can…

Good parents have similar feelings and goals for children. We look at our children with care, concern, and hope. We want them to be the best versions of themselves they can be. Most of all, we want them to be self-sufficient long after we’re gone. One of the keys to helping our kids survive and thrive in this wacky, crazy world of ours is by teaching them responsibility. And it’s often a challenging concept to teach. This article will give you seven simple strategies that are highly effective at guiding your kids toward becoming responsible. Communication is Key If you want to teach kids to be more responsible, you’ll first need to communicate on a level your child can understand. First, realize that young children don’t grasp sarcasm. They don’t begin to understand it until their teen years, which is probably one reason many teens come off as so sarcastic…

Considering the task of carrying and delivering a baby, the third trimester of pregnancy can be an emotional rollercoaster. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of information, this checklist can serve as your personal guide through what to expect during the last 3 months of pregnancy. It covers everything from what you should expect during your doctor visits to what to pack in your hospital bag. You are winding down and getting close to that milestone finish line of pregnancy! The amazing feeling of getting to hold your precious little one in your arms is almost here! It will come before you know it! But before you get to cross that well-deserved finish line, there are still a few things that are probably a good idea to keep in mind that could pop up along the way during your last three months of pregnancy.  You’re Ready For…

Can you believe you’ve made it to the second trimester already? Congrats! This is such a great part of pregnancy as you are starting to feel a little better finally,and you’ve got the wonderful opportunity to feel your baby kicking harder and doing little flips and turns inside (especially after a sweet drink or juicy piece of fruit)! Now’s the time to start accomplishing a few important doctor visits during this 2nd trimester.  During the second 3 months of pregnancy, you will be going through a lot of changes. You will start to get used to the changes in your body, and you will also start to feel emotional, or even tired at times.To help you get through the second trimester, here is a checklist of the things you might be experiencing and what you should do about them. Second Trimester Checklist You made it to the second trimester where…

Pregnancy is one of those things that’s hard to understand until you’ve been through it. You may worry about what’s going on with your body, how your life is going to change, and how you’re going to be able to take care of a new baby. This article is a helpful guide to what to expect in the first three months of pregnancy. It has tips for what to do, what to wear, what to eat, and what to expect. Everything you need to know about pregnancy during the first trimester: Buy an at home pregnancy test and see if you are indeed pregnant, or have your primary care physician order a blood test to check for pregnancy Celebrate this amazing moment in your life by sharing your joy with your spouse or partner and telling them the news Schedule an appointment to see an OB-GYN for your very…