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!

Product Samples We Offer

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 10, 2014 under BladderMatters | Be the First to Comment

Starting to use a new product or switching to a different brand can be a daunting task. Not least because sizes can vary between brands, or you may not know where to start. While all our incontinent product sizes are based on waist size, a product may rise too high on the hips or be otherwise uncomfortable. For this reason, we offer samples of our products. Check out our most popular:

Prevail Extra Adult Pull-Up Sample
This protective underwear comes in five sizes, from small to 2XL, with a range of a waist sizes from 20 to 80 inches. These pull-ups are our top sellers, and we want to make sure that our customers are satisfied with them before they order a case.

Prevail Underpad Sample 30 x 30 Sample
No worries with a perfect fit for your body, but what if you wanted to check out how the underpad (also known as chux) fits on your favorite chair? If it was comfortable to sleep on? You can answer both these questions (and more) quickly, with the two samples that arrive in this pack.

Cuties Baby Diapers Sample
Just because your baby’s diaper is getting tighter, does that mean you’re ready to move up to the next size? Are you ready to buy and use that new case of the next size up, or will it have to spend some time in that already too full closet? Make life easier by having a few sizes of diapers handy. Cuties come in sizes from Newborn to size six (over 35 pounds) so you should be set through all those growth spurts.

The best part about our Prevail product samples? They cost three dollars for the sample and come with a nine dollars off coupon! So once you do pick what type and size you want, you’ll save right away!

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!

Helping Your Elderly Parents with Their Finances

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 6, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

There’s no denying that helping your parents sort out their finances can be a daunting task. How well they respond to your offer to help, how organized they are and how spread out their finances are – these can all be contributors to the difficulty of the job. But it is doable, and with a little help for yourself, you’ll find you can get all those figures under control.

First, there’s actually getting your parents to allow you to participate. If they’re particularly reluctant, you can always just ask them to speak to an elder-care attorney. This article shows that that might be a good idea no matter the case: the attorney quoted in the post says he spends most of his time fixing the mistakes people made when they tried to do everything themselves. Your parents should also, at the least, tell you where they keep their financial information in case of an emergency.

If you’re able to actually help them with a budget, be sure to schedule that time for when everyone is relaxed. Don’t lump it into when you’re already going to take them to a doctor’s appointment – many people, whether or not they tell you, can become anxious before appointments. Try to schedule a time to sit down with some kind of reward at the end: a nice dinner out or a visit with the grandkids.

Don’t necessarily use your own budget as a template for theirs. They may have expenses you wouldn’t think of at first, like extra money for medical equipment, incontinence supplies or higher insurance premiums.

With a lot of patience, you can work together with your parents to get them financially set. Good luck, and let us know if you have any advice you’d like to share in the comments.

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.

Exercise and Incontinence

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 2, 2014 under BladderMatters | Be the First to Comment

There’s no need for any type of incontinence to stop anyone from exercising. Maintaining your health is more important than any worries you may have about any of your fellow athletes discovering you’re even occasionally incontinent. But with the right preparation and products, no one need know anyway.

Stress incontinence can occur during running, working out on NordicTrack-like machines or exercising on stairs. When the pelvic floor is not up to holding in urine, it can leak when pressure is put upon it. To prepare for this, be sure to empty your bladder before starting a workout. And when you take a break half an hour in, use that time to head to the bathroom as well. You can also purchase incontinence products for the sole purpose of using them during exercise. Many of these products are discreet enough to wear under regular workout clothes, or if you’re feeling self-conscious, sweatpants are an option.

Frequent restroom visits will not help the issue if you’re experiencing urge incontinence. In this case, you’re likely on a schedule for when to use the restroom. But there are more ways to keep bladder leakage to a minimum while working out. Make sure you drink only water before and during your workout. Caffeinated drinks can irritate the bladder and make the urge to use the restroom worse. Additionally, sports drinks are often made with citrus components, which, again, can irritate the bladder.

When exercising the rest of your body, don’t forget about Kegels. These exercises work out the pelvic floor muscles and they’re important in the fight against incontinence. You can read more about Kegels for women and men, and more about the different types of incontinence. Have a great workout!

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?

Three Things You Can Do To Prevent Falls

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 29, 2014 under BladderMatters, Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

September is National Fall Prevention Month, to coincide with the start of the fall/autumn season. Falls are often the reason why seniors end up in the hospital. With so many situations where falls can be prevented, it’s worth the time to check and make sure the seniors you know are safe in their homes, nursing homes or while out and about.

Check on medications
Not only do medications affect each person individually, some medications can affect older people differently from the young. The elderly also tend to take more medications, which can lead to un-intended and sometimes dangerous drug interactions. The side effects of these medications can lead to dizziness, or confusion, both states which can creat a higher risk of falling. Caregivers should be certain to go over, and repeat if necessary, all medications their caree is taking to doctors, nurses and pharmacists. You never know who is going to catch an adverse combination.

Solve any incontinence issues
A common time when seniors fall is when they’re trying to get to the bathroom. The sudden urge to go and a diminished ability to walk can lead to a fall. Not only is it important to make sure that all paths to the restroom in the senior’s home are clear, incontinence problems should be addressed and solutions found. If the senior can wear a pad or a brief, then the need to get to the restroom quickly is mitigated. Additionally, nighttime falls are common, when the light is low and the senior may be disoriented. Sometimes using incontinence supplies only at night can solve this problem.

Help encourage balance
Physical therapy can be one way to help an elderly person regain their balance, especially after an injury or illness. Another way can be to try exercises that encourage balance, such as Tai Chi. Or simple stretches and strengthening exercises to make sure those muscles are there when needed.

To find more information and more ways to prevent falls, you can check out this National Council on Aging Page. And let us know in the comments how you prevent falls for your senior!

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.

Hobbies and Activities for Seniors

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 24, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Read the First Comment

One of the more amazing things about aging is that sometimes the things a person didn’t like as a younger adult are the exact things they love as an elder. So be sure to offer new activities to an elderly person every so often, just to see they’ll take you up on it this time. Here are a few suggestions.

Painting
In their youth, many people are intimidated by the talents of others. Sometimes this leads to a feeling that they themselves are not creative. But as time goes by, shyness begins to disappear and, occasionally, whatever was holding someone back years ago disappears. There are stories of the elderly that have never painted before but started painting late in life, all because someone introduced them to the materials and they no longer have that that little voice that says “I can’t.”

The Radio
Televisions are a ubiquitous part of everyday life, and you’d be hard pressed to find a retirement home without one parked in the main gathering area. But sometimes television can be too hard to concentrate on: too many images, too many options, too much violence. Don’t underestimate the power of simply turning on a baseball game and sitting quietly with your senior while the runs are scored.

Tai Chi
Tai Chi is that activity that you see people doing in the park, often in large groups, that looks like very slow karate mixed with yoga. It’s a meditative form of exercise that can be both relaxing and practical. Check out this list from Inside Elder Care that names twelve benefits of Tai Chi, including improving balance, something very helpful for those seniors who are a fall risk.

What are your favorite hobbies? We here at TotalHomeCareSupplies.com would love to hear about them and how they’ve changed over the years.