Tag Archives: TotalHomeCareBaby.com

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.