Category Archives: Everything Baby

Ways to Help Your Pet Adjust to the New Baby

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 27, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

A few years ago, I read a book called Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien. It was an amazing tale of a woman who raised a rescue barn owl for nearly twenty years. One of the most memorable parts of the book is where she realizes she needs to file down Wesley’s beak (in the wild, an owl’s beak would grow dull over time). The first time she tried it, Wesley freaked out – which she understood, as owl’s beaks are part of their skulls. So she racked her brain about what to do. She came up with talking to Wesley about what needed to happen. She’d tell him about it, she gave him a countdown, she showed him the tools and while in the same room with Wesley, visualized her filing down the beak. Finally, after counting down every day for a couple of months, she told Wesley that this was it. And Wesley, instead of flying away to a corner, held himself very still with a determined look on his face and let her file his beak down.

This is also one of the recommended ways to introduce your pet to your new baby. Tell them about it beforehand. Talk about what will happen. Mention it every day to them (starting a few months before the birth), and use the baby’s name if you’ve picked one out. Your pet may not be able to understand you in the way that people understand one another, but telling them of the intention, of the plan, of how things will change may just help them cope.

Other suggestions include getting your pet used to the new sights, sounds and smells that will be happening (leave diaper packages lying around, play sounds of infants crying or put baby oil on your skin). And try to introduce your pet to other infants (while supervised). Temple Grandin has written about how dogs especially don’t always recognize babies and children as small humans if they’ve never met one before.

If you’re still feeling nervous, YouTube is full of wonderful videos of dogs and cats meeting new babies for the first time. We here at TotalHomeCareSupplies.com wish you the best for your new addition and their furry friends!

Plane Travel with Your Baby

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 13, 2014 under Everything Baby | Read the First Comment

Plane travel is already something that few people look forward to these days now, but taking the trip with an infant can be more than daunting: it can be overwhelming. But! If you make sure you’re mentally prepared and have all the right items within easy reach, your control over the situation will improve considerably.

Pack outfit changes – for both of you
You never know when turbulence will hit. It might be in the bathroom, while you’re changing a poopy diaper. You’ll probably both be fine, but your clothes will be a disaster. Luckily, you’ve brought a change of clothes for the baby and you, all within easy reach. Easy reach means be sure the clothes and anything else you may need are in the bag you stow under your seat – the bag in the overhead compartment may be inaccessible at times.

Have a mini first aid/comfort kit
You may not know before you fly that your baby gets nauseous with plane travel. Or what if they experience an earache that means they can’t stop screaming. Be sure to pack a few travel samples of whatever medication you might suspect you need. Flight attendants can hand out Band-Aids, but not any type of medications, even if they are over-the-counter. Also, if your child is teething, make sure you have a well-frozen teething ring.

Considering buying them a seat and bringing a car seat
Yes, buying a seat for a little person who still fits on your lap is expensive. But it is much safer to have them strapped in during takeoff, landing and turbulence. There have been past reports that during emergency landings, flight attendants have instructed parents to put their babies on the airplane floor, because holding on to the child could endanger surrounding passengers. However, if the cost of purchasing a seat for your baby on the plane would prohibit your travel to the point where you’d need to drive instead, consider how much safer plane travel is than car travel.

Have a great time on your trip with your little one, and please let us know what tips you have for new parents and their first-time-flyers!

Baby Diaper Changing Etiquette

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 8, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

Most of these “rules” are just common sense. And many of them completely depend on the situation and the surrounding company. But these are definitely things to keep in mind when out and about with your little one.

Change quickly
Even if you’re in the middle of a pleasant conversation, or doing something pressing like moving a friend’s couch, you have to stop when you first get a whiff of that diaper. The longer your baby’s diaper contains solid waste, the worse the smell is going to be when you do change it.

Find a good spot
This can be tricky. Not all restaurants have changing tables in the bathroom. And when they do, you know they’re covered in germs. Never leave the house without a changing pad – although a layer of paper towels or seat covers can do in a pinch. If there is no changing table, you have to find an alternative outside of the restaurant. Anywhere not in the restroom, especially on a table, is off limits. Cars are a good alternative – although make sure you feel comfortable in your surroundings before you change your baby while the car doors are open.

Flush what you can
If you are able to change in or near a restroom, most diapers recommend that you flush the solid waste, if possible. This will mean the diaper will be less unpleasant once you dispose of it and it save methane from landfills.

Choose where you dispose
Ideally, an outdoor dumpster is best if there are no Diaper Genies or the like around. But if that’s not possible, at least wrap the diaper well in a plastic bag and dispose in a bathroom/outdoor garbage can if you’re in public. If visiting family or friends, ask them if you can throw the diaper away outside, even if it’s just a pee diaper.

Anything else? What’s your pet peeve, or something that you don’t think is a big deal. Let us know!

Preparing Your Child for a New Sibling

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 3, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

How you prepare your child for their first sibling depends a lot the age of your (soon-to-be) eldest child. But there are a few universal tactics that can help ease the transition.

Keep their routine the same
No matter their age, your child will not appreciate the baby interrupting their life. You and your spouse will expect all the changes, but you can’t expect a child to do the same. So keep the ups and downs to a minimum. Keep their schedule as consistent as possible. Anything that does need to change (room switching and the like) should be done well in advance so it is not associated with the new baby. And if they’re going to stay with relatives or friends when the new baby actually shows up, have them try that a few weeks in advance, so the stress of something different doesn’t come at the same time as the new baby.

Take their lead
They don’t need to be as excited as the new baby as you and the rest of the family. They might be happy about it, they might express fear, they might express both depending on the time of day. If they want to talk about the baby or help you prepare, involve them. But if they’re doing their own thing, don’t use baby prep as a way to get them excited. Make sure they know what you’re doing when you’re preparing for the baby, and if they’re interested, they’ll find you.

Get them used to babies
If you have a big family, or lots of friends with infants, this may not be an issue. But if your child generally spends their time with children their age or older than them, seek out some babies. Visit a friend with an infant and ask to hold the child, while your child is watching. Make sure the environment is safe and that your child isn’t being ignored while you look at the baby. Now can be a great time to ask questions of your child, or of the infant’s parent. Having multiple confirmations about how things will go after the baby comes from several different adults will help solidify positive ideas about the baby in your child’s head.

We wish you much luck with the new little one, and invite you to check out our TotalHomeCareBaby.com store to see what products and deals are available.

Potty Training Tips

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 1, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

The words “potty training” can invite excitement or fear in both parents and toddlers. Assuming you both have a good attitude about the process (and it might take a while before that happens at the same time), it’s time to dive in.

When you’re ready to start talking to your child about the toilet and the concept of potty training, you may want to ease them into it. First Quality Wonderpants Training Pants can be an excellent tool to getting your child to start understanding about how their body functions. When the design on the training pants fades, that means the diaper is no longer dry. But the pants will still absorb the wetness. Helping your child to understand the process may be less jarring than simply going straight from diapers to underwear.

Make sure that you notice and point out when a child seems like they may need to use the restroom. Always stay with them while they’re using a potty chair or the toilet. Reinforce their achievements, even if that achievement is only standing in the bathroom, observing the chair or toilet. Also encourage the child to sit on the potty while they’re wearing their diaper, or when they don’t have to go. The idea is to get your child used to concept of the toilet.

Once your child has been fairly consistent about using the toilet, take them on an outing to buy “big-kid” underwear. Keep in mind that there will likely be accidents, and they may take some time to stay dry during the night or during naps. If your child has outgrown diapers, but still needs them while sleeping, the Training Pants mentioned above may help, or Sleep Over Youth Pants.

Are you going through the process of potty training right now? Or have you already? What are some of your favorite tips?

Newborn Screening Awareness Month

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 26, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

September is Newborn Screening Awareness Month. Do you know what happens during a newborn bloodspot test? This comprehensive video explains the whole process, and we get to meet one family whose son’s life was saved by the screening.

Newborn Bloodspots Save Lives One Spot at a Time from Save Babies on Vimeo.

Thanks for watching! We here at TotalHomeCareSupplies.com wish all babies a happy and healthy start.

How to Save Money on Baby Diapers

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 22, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

Last month, the US Department of Agriculture released an estimate for how much it will likely cost a middle-income couple to raise a child over eighteen years. The staggering number is $245,000, up 2% from last year. While baby diapers are just a fraction of that price, saving money wherever you can is the smart move to keep your family in the black. Here are a few tips to do just that:

Find the best price
Sure, you can find super discount diapers, but what if they leak? What if the harsh chemicals that are often used lead to a rash for your baby? Some discount diapers even have a chemical smell to them. It’s best to find a quality diaper at a low price. Cuties diapers are free from dyes and perfumes, and the extra soft, hypoallergenic liner is enriched with aloe, chamomile and vitamin E to help keep delicate skin healthy. And the flexible core absorbs leaks quickly.

Find coupons
We’ve all learned from shows like “Extreme Couponing” that it is possible to save an astounding amount of money if you put the effort into finding coupons. But you’ve got enough on your hands with an infant. What if a diaper coupon showed up in your email inbox right around the time you needed a new case? Sign up for TotalHomeCareSupplies.com’s newsletter and you’ll receive great percentage off or dollar off coupons.

Time = Money, so save time!
Every time you drive to the drug store late at night to grab some diapers, you’re losing sleep and making yourself less efficient. And you’re wasting gas, not to mention probably paying premium prices. Why do all this, when you could just get Cuties diapers shipped to your house. And you could even put them on an EZ Ship schedule, so you wouldn’t even have to take that extra minute to reorder what you already know you’ll need.

We’d love to hear about your success with any of these ideas, or your own suggestions. Help your fellow parents out!

How to Dress Your Baby for All Types of Weather

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 17, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

Sure, you generally know what you’re going to wear for each season and the types of days within those seasons. But suddenly there’s another human who’s relying on you to make those decisions for them. What to do?

There are a few basic rules to follow when it comes to dressing your newborn and, later, your baby. We won’t lecture you about fashion (that’s totally up to you), but after reading this, you should know how to keep your baby comfortable and safe.

In the colder months, add another layer of clothing to your baby than you yourself are wearing. So if it’s a pants and sweater day, make sure your baby has a jacket when you leave the house. A blanket is also fine as an extra layer. You can make sure your little one is warm enough by touching their chest or the back of their neck. Their extremities are always going to be a little cooler than the rest of them, so don’t base your judgment on them.

In the warmer months, make sure they’re cool by keeping them in loose-fitting, natural fibers. Don’t feel the need to add the extra layer if it’s quite hot, but it’s always a good idea to keep a light jacket around. You never know how intense air conditioning is going to be. Watch out for heat rash, and always make sure they have a hat to cover their face (we know, some babies can’t stand hats, but keep trying!).

Lastly, be sure to adapt quickly when bringing your baby to a place with a different temperature. As soon as you arrive home or to day care or even a quick trip to the mall, adjust their outfit. Overheating a baby can be dangerous to their health. So watch out for any signs of overheating, like fussiness or a rash.

When it’s just you and your baby on warm afternoon, there’s nothing wrong with just letting them hang out in their diaper. No clothes to irritate them and nothing in your way when giving them tummy raspberries!

What’s your favorite baby outfit accessory? Let us know in the comments.

Common Questions about Changing a Baby’s Diaper

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 15, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

A lot of new parents may not have any experience changing a diaper, and the task can seem daunting. Experience will help, but there are some questions that all new parents have or will have.

How often should I change my baby’s diaper?
While it is “ideal” to change a baby’s diaper after each time they pee, that’s not quite feasible. Often there is no indication that your baby has peed, and checking the diaper (by feeling it to see if the wadding has bunched up) every few minutes is impossible. Generally, checking at least every two hours, or before or after feedings, and before and after sleeping is best. A newborn, a sick child or a child with diaper rash needs to be changed more often. Speaking of diaper rash …

What causes diaper rash?
Diaper rash is caused by having the skin in the diaper area be exposed to wetness and waste. The amount of time a baby’s skin can be exposed to waste depends on the child and their skin’s pH balance. A baby’s skin is about half as thick as an adult’s: that’s why their skin is so sensitive. Diaper rash isn’t caused directly by the foods the baby digests, but can be caused by the diarrhea caused by those foods. Diaper rashes can be cleared up by letting the baby’s skin air out, using diaper rash creams and making sure the diapers and wipes you’re using work for your baby’s skin.

What if my child hates their diaper being changed?
Most children will go through a phase where they hate having their diapers changed. Some techniques to get through this are distracting the child (perhaps with an object that is otherwise unavailable to them), counting down to the diaper change (sometimes even setting a timer) and changing the child while they’re standing up (if they’re stable enough). Oftentimes, parents will use this phase to help start the process of potty-training.

Feel free to ask more questions in the comments, or add your own answers to the ones above!

Bathing Your Baby

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 9, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

The most important thing to remember with bathing your baby is to never leave them alone. After that, it’s also important to keep in mind that bathing them every day is probably unnecessary, and can cause skin irritation. And lastly, be sure to use a mild wash, if a wash is needed at all.

Now that those warnings are out of the day, let’s get down to bath time!

Your newborn only needs a sponge bath for the first two or three weeks of their life, until the umbilical cord stump falls off. During that time, find a nice flat area to sponge them down. Underpads can come in handy for sponge baths, keeping the surrounding area dry. Undress your child, though if they start fussing, you can put a diaper back on them – it may help them feel more secure. Using a wrung out washcloth, wipe them down, starting with their face. You don’t need to take too long, but make sure to get in between their fingers and toes and in their creases.

When you start bathing them in sitting water, it’s probably ideal to have another adult around to help out for the first few times. Wet babies can be surprisingly slippery! Get all supplies ready first, including the clothes they’ll be changing into and a diaper. When filling the sink/tub adapter/baby tub, make sure the water is warm to your wrist or elbow, but not hot. And only fill between two to five inches. Once your baby is in, use a cup to pour water over them to keep them warm, or to rinse if using wash. Make sure to keep a firm hand on them, especially when they’re young. Keep it quick and relaxing and afterward you should have a sweet-smelling, smiling baby (we hope!).