Category Archives: Everything Baby

Five Tips for Controlling Incontinence During Pregnancy

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 10, 2015 under BladderMatters, Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

Original post written for LiveConfidently.com

Light bladder leakage is common during and just after pregnancy, but can easily be controlled with the right products and lifestyle choices. This happens for many reasons, including heredity, hormonal changes, or weight gain, which are all causes of stress incontinence. During pregnancy, stress incontinence occurs when your uterus grows larger and adds weight to your bladder, giving you less space to store urine. If the women in your family experienced light bladder leakage during or after their pregnancies, there’s a greater chance that you will also experience some form of stress incontinence during or after pregnancy. Read on for five helpful tips on controlling bladder leakage and urinary incontinence during pregnancy.

Note: Before reading our tips, it’s important to make sure that you’re actually leaking urine and not amniotic fluid, which is clear and does not have a smell. If you think it could be amniotic fluid, call your doctor as soon as possible.

1. Select the right products.

Thinking that bladder leakage is solely linked to old age, many pregnant women use feminine pads for protection instead of incontinence-specific products. Feminine products are not made to soak up that much liquid and can also increase the chances of urine odors after some leakage. It’s best to find a pad or brief that is specifically designed for light bladder leakage. Not only will you feel much more comfortable, but you also won’t have to worry about any unwanted smells. You may want to read our blog post on incontinence products versus feminine products for more information.

2. Do your Kegel exercises!

When done in repetition over time, Kegel exercises can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and greatly improve your bladder control. To begin, lie on the floor and squeeze or pull in the pelvic floor muscles. Keep them tight for several seconds, release, and repeat. It’s a simple exercise that doesn’t take much time, and could make all the difference in controlling your bladder. You may want to read our blog post on pelvic floor muscle exercises for more information.

3. Try to keep the weight gain to a minimum.

Added weight only means added pressure on your bladder. It’s impossible to avoid gaining some weight during pregnancy, but with the right diet and low-impact exercises you can greatly decrease your risk for light bladder leakage. Talk to your doctor to design a meal plan that will give you and your baby the proper nutrition without weighing down your stomach with empty calories.

4. Drink eight glasses of water a day.

Many people who suffer from stress incontinence don’t drink enough water, thinking this will make their situation better. Unfortunately, this can make your bladder leakage much worse. Not only will this leave you more susceptible to dehydration and urinary tract infections, but it can also make your urine more concentrated and cause unwanted odors.

5. Cross those legs.

As a last line of defense, it can help to cross your legs when you’re about to sneeze, cough, or laugh. Of course it’s impossible to predict these things, so it’s always best to make sure you’re wearing the right product for your level of bladder leakage.

Have some tips to add? Head over to our incontinence during pregnancy forum to discuss this topic with people just like you!

You can find the original article here.

Baby Picture Taking Tips

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on March 27, 2015 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

You know the ones. The sweet pictures of a sleeping infant posed adorably. Oftentimes in the buff. So precious. But they’re always lying on top of something, right? And how will that item fare if that cute little one decides now is the right time to relieve themselves?

The answer is: underpads! Or chux, as their also known. They can still be used when the baby is lying on a fluffy white blanket: just put the underpad underneath the blanket to save the bed or floor underneath.

When taking shots with the diaper on the baby, our best advice is to make sure the diaper fits. During a photo session, you don’t want to see a loose diaper or one that’s just too tight. Not sure which size your baby is at the moment? Order a few samples from TotalHomeCareSupplies.com and you’ll always have the right size at hand.

The above is also a good idea for taking photos of your baby or toddler with clothes on – a poorly-fitting diaper will look bunchy under clothes. And a diaper that fits well is one of the best ways to prevent leaks!

Also, when trying to get the perfect shot, keep in mind that many pictures of very tiny babies are Photoshopped. If you’re looking at a too-sweet picture of a tiny baby that’s holding their head up, and you’re wondering, “how is that possible at that age?” – it’s probably not! The photographer will use the parents to hold an infant’s head or body, and then Photoshop the parent out. So don’t worry! All photos of your little one are perfect – because they are.

An Introduction to Breast Pumps

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on March 11, 2015 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

TotalHomeCareSupplies.com sells breast pumps and their accessories, including flanges, storage bags, storage bottles, car adapters, nursing pads and Store’N Pour starting kits. Not sure what all those things are or how you’ll use them? Keep reading!

Your main component will obviously be the breast pump, which is lightweight and portable. The Ameda Purely Yours Pump is a closed system with individually adjustable controls and built-in bottle holders. The pump will also arrive with two 36 inch tubes, two adapter caps, two silicone diaphragms, two pump bodies with standard size breast shields, four white valves and two four-ounce bottles with tops.

The flange is the part of the pump that fits over your breast. The ones that come with the pump are standard size, and the extra flanges that we sell are in sizes Medium/Large and Extra-large/XXL.

The Store’N Pour Starting Kit has milk storage bags (so you’re able to store more milk that you could in bottles) along with two flange adapters. The adapters mean you’re able to pump milk directly into the bags.

As for putting the whole thing together so you can start pumping, we recommend watching the video below. Happy pumping!

Fun Quotes about Babies

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on February 25, 2015 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

We’ve written a lot of blog posts about baby diapers, baby sleep and things to do with your baby. Some of those things are fun, but we thought we’d post some extra fun quotes today. Enjoy!

“Babies should be classified as an antidepressant. It’s pretty hard to be in a bad mood around a 5-month-old baby.”
-Jim Gaffigan

“Having a baby is a life-changer. It gives you a whole other perspective on why you wake up every day.”
-Charles Stanley

“Parenthood always comes as a shock. Postpartum blues? Postpartum panic is more like it. We set out to have a baby; what we get is a total take-over of our lives.”
-Polly Berrien Berends

“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, a home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten and the future worth living for.”
-Author unknown

“There are no words that can describe the euphoria you feel when your baby recognizes you for the first time and smiles.”
-Jared Padalecki

“If you were to open up a baby’s head – and I am not for a moment suggesting that you should – you would find nothing but an enormous drool gland.”
-Dave Barry

“May you always know, my little one, you were wished for, longed for, prayed for and wanted. I love you.”
-Author unknown

“Now the thing about having a baby – and I can’t be the first person to have noticed this – is that thereafter you have it.”
-Jean Kerr

“My friend has a baby. I’m recording all the noises he makes so later I can ask him what he meant.”
-Steven Wright

Some quote found on BrainyQuotes.com

Products Offered at Total Home Care Supplies

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on February 3, 2015 under BladderMatters, Caregiver Corner, Everything Baby, Ostomy Care, Very Urological | Be the First to Comment

Every so often, it’s helpful to take a look at the variety of products that we offer on TotalHomeCareSupplies.com. While all of our products are well-made and user-friendly, they all differ so much it’s easy to forget all that we carry. So let’s take a look, one category at a time:

Incontinence
Our incontinence products are our biggest sellers, and we’re proud that so many people get the items for their independence from us. Along with the standard adult diapers (also known as briefs) and protective underwear (also known as pull-ups), we also have pads and liners. For light bladder leakage, a pad can be more freeing than a brief. Underpads (AKA chux) are available in a variety of sizes, along with gloves and many kinds of incontinence wash.

Ostomy
When it comes to ostomy products, we have many of the most popular items and brands. We have both drainable and closed-end pouches. We have 90 barriers with flanges, so you’ll be able to find the product that works best for you. And we have an assortment of accessories, including stoma powder, pouch closures and odor eliminator drops – the Hollister bottle of drops has great reviews.

Urological
You can find wholesale pricing on many of the catheters, leg bags and irrigation systems we offer. Our catheters are diverse, from external items to straight tip catheters and coude catheters. You can also find the major brands, like Mentor-Coloplast, Bard and Hollister.

Wound
We have all the supplies you’ll need for your particular injury, or to fill up your first aid kit. On top of the basic items like tape, wipes and bandages, we have gauze, foam dressings and wound cleansers. If you have a checklist of the things you’ll need to properly heal a surgery wound, you can find it on TotalHomeCareSupplies.com

Baby Supplies
In addition to our adult diapers, we also carry baby diapers. Cuties diapers come in sizes newborn to size six. We also have breast pumps and a selection of accessories to accompany the pumps.

That’s about it. We know, it’s a lot of options! We hope we have everything that you’re looking for when it comes to home care supplies, but if not, we’d love to hear what we’re missing in the comments below!

Baby Diaper Troubleshooting

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on January 15, 2015 under Everything Baby | Read the First Comment

On the surface, diapering a baby doesn’t seem that hard. Take diaper off baby. Wipe baby. Put new diaper on baby. But there are all sorts of issues that can come up during what should take less than a few minutes. Here are just a few suggestions for what to do when you hit a trouble spot, and links to other helpful topics.

Diaper Leaks
The number one reason why diapers leak is because they don’t fit correctly. They may either be too small or too large, or it could be possible that the brand you’re using just doesn’t fit your child in any size, though that is rare. You can find all sorts of answers about which diaper size to buy in our blog post, How To Choose The Right Size Baby Diaper. And you can have lots of different sizes on hand if you order some of our samples.

Diaper Rash
It’s so tough to watch your poor baby suffer through diaper rash. Adding creams can help, but another option is to allow the area to dry out, when possible. If your baby doesn’t move around too much while they nap, it might be worth it to try to lay them down, on their back, on an underpad (also known as chux). If you have a boy, place a cloth over the groin area. All urine should be absorbed , and after the nap you can give them a quick bath (warm water, mild soap or no soap) and apply cream.

Making a Mess
From a baby’s point of view, reaching to the diaper area during a change makes sense: what’s going on down there? You’re futzing around in the area, so it must be fun! But now is not when you want your baby to be exploring. And telling them no will only create confusion, or just plain not work. Try distraction instead. The next time your child seems to take an interest in a toy, put it away after the play session. Then, only take that toy out when it’s diaper changing time. Your child will hopefully be distracted enough by this limited-time-only object to let you finish up the change quickly.

What issues have you encountered while diapering your child? Or what tips do you have for the above problems? You can also find more hints in our blog post, Baby Diaper Basics.

Winter Activities for You and Your Baby

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on December 10, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

When it’s cold out, it can be pretty stressful to be inside your house all day with your young babe. Time passed walking around the neighborhood, and all the exploring and exercise opportunities those walks brought can be missed during the long winter months. But there are many ways to keep entertained, fit and busy while indoors, with just a few supplies and some imagination!

Music

Find a CD that has some songs you know well. Sing along with it and maybe even throw in a few dance moves that you do with your baby on your hip. They’ll love to hear you sing (singing can be exciting or soothing, often the perfect thing to do while changing your baby’s diaper). And all the dancing will get you both some exercise! And if you’re cold, it will warm you both up!

Crafts

Don’t get out the glue gun! When crafting with babies, it’s a much simpler process. It’s mostly exploring different material around your home. Paw through some cotton balls, or simply give them a large piece of ice to touch. Be sure to watch your child closely if they’re partial to putting small items in their mouths. Asia, the writer of the blog “Fun at Home with Kids” has over 50 ideas creative ideas for babies.

The Mall

When walking around outdoors is just too cold, but you’re both feeling restless, head to the mall! Your baby is too young to drag you into the candy store, so you can make excellent time walking from one end to another. And if you have an item or two you needed to pick up anyway, even better!

What is some advice you have about how to keep the both parents and babies entertained when the snow is piling up?

Your Baby and the Holidays

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 19, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

Yay! The winter holidays are nearly here. If this is your baby’s first winter season, there are many wonderful things for them (and you) to enjoy. But there can also be some hazards or just simple issues – this post will help you navigate those.

Travel
Does your family live far away? Will you be getting on a plane with your baby before the year is over? If so, check out our recent post, “Plane Travel with Your Baby.” If you will be traveling by car, you’ll need all the food your infant might require during the trip, along with diapers and a changing pad for stops. Additionally, it might be a good idea to have a new toy along, or a toy your child hasn’t seen in a long time. The toy can be brought out in the case of a major melt-down. But do make sure the toy is soft, in case there’s a bump on the road and the toy goes flying.

Food
With all the new food around, this might be a great time to introduce your baby to new flavors. A lot of holiday food is perfect for pureeing if your baby isn’t up to full-on solids. Don’t forget to go slow, though. You never know what new food may upset your child’s stomach, or they could turn out to be allergic to something. Not an issue you want to deal with while away from home.

Visiting
There’s lots of visiting over the holidays, even if you’re not traveling. Many people, even those who have kids, do not have baby-proofed homes. It can be hard to keep your child in your arms during an entire visit, so if your baby is mobile, it might be prudent to block out a space for them. That way you can chat without constantly watching where your child is going and what they’re putting in their mouth.

For you parents out there who have done this all before, what’s your best tip for new parents during the holiday season? Or what’s your favorite story from the winter holidays?

Helping Your Baby Set a Sleep Schedule

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 6, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

Early on, knowing that eventually your baby will develop a “normal” sleep pattern is sometimes the only thing that can keep you, a very sleep-deprived parent, going. For the first two months, or so, you’ll need to wake up your baby to feed. But after that, you can start making changes that will help your child sleep through the night (or near enough).

Make sure they’re dry
They won’t be able to sleep through the night if their diaper leaks. Prevent leaks by making sure you’re using the correct size diaper. Our previous blog post, How to Choose the Right Size Diaper, can help you with that. And you can always order baby diaper samples to find the best fit!

Keep things boring
Try to keep things low-key once it’s dark outside. Leave toys and playing for the light hours of the day. You’re welcome to interact with your baby, just try to keep the lights low and the excitement level at a minimum.

Let them figure out how to put themselves to sleep
This isn’t necessarily sleep training. It’s more making sure your little one doesn’t need certain things to sleep. Once your baby is more than a month old, try not to let them fall asleep while they’re feeding or being rocked.

Start a routine
Even if it’s hard to keep, try and create the beginnings of a routine. It may not be easy – since babies sleep so much, it’s tempting to just take them out to dinner or a party that goes past their “bedtime.” But if you’d really like to get them on a schedule, set a time to start getting ready for bed, then add in a bath, reading or snuggling.

What’s your best “sleep schedule” tip? We’d love to hear it!

Baby Diaper Basics

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 4, 2014 under Everything Baby | Read the First Comment

Maybe you’re going to be a new parent! Congrats! Or maybe you’re off to visit your new little niece this weekend. This post, and the links in it, will have you changing diapers like a pro in no time.

How to Change a Baby Diaper
First, never leave a baby unattended on a changing table, even if you’re using the provided strap. Some parents like to put the new diaper underneath the child before they start, so it’s all set to go when the old one is off. Once you’re ready, take the old diaper off, taking care to “cover up” if you’re changing a boy. If it’s just a pee diaper, you may not need to wipe (for more about when and whether to wipe, see our post Baby Diaper Issues: Wiping). If it’s poop, carefully clean up the area, making sure to wipe front to back for girls. Apply diaper rash cream if necessary. Remove the old diaper if you haven’t already, and fasten the new one on, taking care to spread out the bottom of the diaper and make sure the fit is tight but not pinching. Afterward, take care to dispose of the diaper properly, especially if in public (see our post Baby Diaper Changing Etiquette for tips on that) and wash your hands.

Do you have more questions? We have more answers! Below you can find links to article that you may find quite helpful as a new parent:

How to Choose the Right Size Diaper

Solutions for Diaper Rash

Common Questions about Changing a Baby’s Diaper