Sleeping Should Be Easy

The #1 Reason You Can’t Get Your Child to Take Medicine

How to get kids to take medicine: Mom taking care of her sick toddler boy

Wondering how to get kids to take medicine? Discover the biggest reason your child puts up a fight, despite all the tips and hacks you've tried. For some reason, when I was younger, someone thought it'd be a great idea to smash a pill into crumbs and mix into my glass of water. Back in the day, you didn't have cherry-flavored medicine or chewable vitamins. Instead, when kids refused to take medicine, apparently you crumbled it into water, hoping they'd drink it. While medicine has improved over the decades, many parents still find themselves struggling with getting their kids to take medicine. Maybe your child still refuses to take her medicine, regardless of whether it's flavored or not. She shakes her head to spill it everywhere, or spits it out even if you use a … Read More...

Baby Refuses to Eat Solids? Simple Hacks for Easier Mealtimes

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Baby refuses to eat, sitting in a high chair

Frustrated because your baby refuses to eat solids? Discover simple hacks to introduce new food and get your baby excited to eat! If there's one task I loved most about parenthood, it's making baby food. I geek out over planning which foods to offer and the different combinations I can make. And for the most part, all three of my kids have taken to eating pretty much everything I've made. But, of course, there are those days. Those days when your baby refuses to eat anything—even his favorites—because his gums are tender from teething. He might try a few bites, but will certainly fuss within minutes. Or he might refuse heartier meals and prefer food you'd really rather he not grow to rely on too much. Those days when he screams the minute you put him in a high chair, … Read More...

How to Be a Good Mom (Even When You Feel Discouraged)

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How to be a good mom: Mother and her little baby boy, playing together in bedrroom

Feeling discouraged these days about motherhood? You CAN be the best mom to your kids—learn how to be a good mom with these important tips and reminders! We've all had those days. Those days when you yelled at your toddler just because he kept turning the light switch on and off. When you wake up delirious in the middle of the night with the baby and think, "What have I gotten myself into?!" When you resorted to doing everything you swore you'd never do, like giving your kids junk food or letting them watch an extra hour of television. And other times, those days happen when you feel guilty for working and being away from the baby, or conversely, staying home when you wish you didn't have to. The worst part? Not only do you feel awful as it is, but you feel doubly … Read More...

8 Mistakes You’re Making When Your 2 Year Old Refuses to Sleep

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Struggling when your child won't sleep alone? Avoid these 8 mistakes that only make things worse when your 2 year old refuses to sleep through the night. At some point during one night (I prefer not to know), my then-2 year old startled me awake with a rousing cry. I ran into his room and comforted him to whimpers and hiccups until I could finally settle him back in bed. "Stay," he pleaded, complete with puppy dog eyes. Delirious with sleep-deprivation, I put him down in bed and stretched out on the floor next to him. I'll stay here until he falls asleep, I planned. Unfortunately, it took him forever to even settle down and finally fall back asleep. And just when I thought it was safe to get up and leave, he woke up, stood up in his crib, and looked for me. My husband … Read More...

When Does Breastfeeding Finally Stop Hurting?

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When does breastfeeding stop hurting? A mom breastfeeding her newborn baby

When does breastfeeding stop hurting and being painful? Many moms say THIS was the turning point that finally made breastfeeding a pleasant experience. No one told me how much breastfeeding would hurt, at least in the beginning. But for the first few days and weeks, I'd tense up when it was time to nurse, bracing myself for the inevitable pain I'd feel during and after. I even had a lactation consultant at the hospital check the baby's latch, and sure enough, it was fine. Only later did I finally hear that breastfeeding can be painful in the beginning, that it was normal in fact. Except I had no idea how long this pain was supposed to last. After a few days? Weeks? The whole time? Applying cream did help a ton, but not enough to completely make the pain go away. And … Read More...

Watch Out for These 7 Baby Tired Signs You Might Be Missing

newborn

A baby yawning and giving baby tired signs

Do you feel like you're missing your newborn's "window of opportunity" to sleep? Take a look at these 7 overlooked baby tired signs you might not be noticing! Long before I was pregnant, I watched an episode on The Oprah Winfrey Show where a woman described different baby cries. Each cry, she said, would let you know what the baby needed, from food to sleep. The idea was to "catch" your baby's signs before, say, he became too tired to sleep well. This is brilliant, I thought, and pocketed this bit of useful information should I ever have kids. Well... fast forward a few years later when I did have a baby, and I couldn't for the life of me tell one cry from the next. They all sounded the same, which was basically, "I'm so mad right now!" He seemed to go from happy to … Read More...

What to Do When Your Baby Wants to Nurse Constantly

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Struggling when your baby wants to nurse constantly but falls asleep or is still hungry? Learn why this is normal and what to do to make your nights easier. "Maybe he's hungry." The dreaded three words. I seriously think I shot dagger eyes whenever anyone suggested feeding my baby during those first few weeks of bringing him home. Anyone caring for a newborn has it hard, but unlike other adults, newborn moms struggle even more. For one thing, we're often healing from the physical pains of childbirth. We're also extra emotional from the hormone changes that happen overnight. But for breastfeeding moms, one reason we're especially exhausted is because we're the only ones who can nurse the baby. Anyone can change his diaper, rock him when he's fussy, or even run … Read More...

Top Black and White Toys Your Baby Will See Best

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Did you know that newborn babies can see high-contrast colors like black and white best? Find the most-loved black and white baby toys for your baby here! I had heard that a baby's eyesight isn't fully developed once they're born. This makes sense, since seeing isn't exactly as important to a baby's survival as, say, sucking or crying. And what is important for babies to see—their mother's breast to feed, or her face to feel safe—are all within arm's length. Still, that only means that newborns especially can see high-contrast images best. And no two colors show a starker contrast than black and white. I still remember setting my eldest down on a blanket in the living room where, without fail, he'd turn his face toward the blinds. It was then that I realized he was … Read More...

Sleeping Should Be Easy

The #1 Reason You Can’t Get Your Child to Take Medicine

Baby Refuses to Eat Solids? Simple Hacks for Easier Mealtimes

How to Be a Good Mom (Even When You Feel Discouraged)

8 Mistakes You’re Making When Your 2 Year Old Refuses to Sleep

When Does Breastfeeding Finally Stop Hurting?

Watch Out for These 7 Baby Tired Signs You Might Be Missing

What to Do When Your Baby Wants to Nurse Constantly

Top Black and White Toys Your Baby Will See Best

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