I received product and compensation from Mead Johnson Nutrition to create this post written by me. All experiences and opinions expressed in this post are my own and not those of Mead Johnson Nutrition. Consult your pediatrician before making changes to your baby’s diet or if you have concerns related to your baby’s digestive health. Please see the product label/website for acceptable use and benefits. You can contact Mead Johnson Nutrition with product related questions or comments toll free at 1-800-BABY123 or through the Contact Us link on Reguline.com or Enfamil.com. You're starting to … [Read more...]
Do More and Worry Less with a Baby Video Monitor
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Levana. The opinions and text are all mine. This article contains affiliate links. "Is that him crying?" I asked my husband about our then-infant-aged son. "I think I hear him crying." We paused the movie we'd been watching in bits and pieces. (Because, let's face it, you don't get to watch full-length movies when you have a new baby.) We craned our necks, and I put my ear to the baby's door. Nope. Just hearing the cries in my head, as usual (raise your hand if you can relate!). Because when you have a baby, you're on high … [Read more...]
Summer Safety Tips All Moms Need to Read
"Can I take swim lessons?" my five-year-old had asked me a few months back. "Yes, of course!" I replied. I didn't know where this sudden interest in swimming came from, but I was glad my son initiated it. I wanted him to feel comfortable in the water, but every attempt at casual swimming at our pool ended with him clutching on to me for dear life. I needed to make sure we practiced summer safety tips for all his activities. Summer became the perfect opportunity to take swim lessons. Not only did I want him to enjoy the water, I also wanted him to learn how to swim. This gives me peace of … [Read more...]
I’m So Glad They Told Me Having Twins Would Be Okay
I had entered the doctor's office assuming I'd see the little embryo growing in my womb. Instead, I saw two. Amid congratulations, I did my best to seem excited, but inside I crumbled, trying to absorb the news and its implications. Twins. It didn't feel real, not when I saw the sonogram nor when I returned home later to face these new changes. I had plans. This was supposed to be my second child—I even imagined having a little girl. Except it wasn't a girl (it was, I would learn later, two boys). I cried, then felt guilty for crying. The worries began: How will I carry twins? How … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Handle an Emergency (Without Scaring Your Kids)
Things happen, and parents need to handle emergencies while protecting our kids. Discover the three ways to handle an emergency without scaring your kids. Here's something quirky about me: I'm scared of earthquakes. As in, the slightest jolt has me looking at my nearest exit or safety spot. And where I keep my eyeglasses within easy reach on my nightstand should I need to grab them before they're knocked down on the floor in the middle of the night. Oh, and I live in California. Yeah, not the best combination. And since my kids have yet to experience anything life-shattering or … [Read more...]
(OLD) 5 Strategies for Learning Letters and Numbers
Panic. That's how you feel when you wonder why your child still isn't learning letters and numbers. You wonder what age a child should be to identify the alphabet and tell numbers apart. You hear how other kids can already write their full names and even sentences, yet yours doesn't seem to grasp the concept. And when you try and teach her, she shrugs it off disinterested, or worse, grows frustrated. How can you help your child recognize letters and numbers—without nagging and fighting? 5 Strategies for Learning Letters and Numbers #1: Focus on one letter or number a week. Words or … [Read more...]
(OLD) Mom Guilt: 5 Reasons Moms Shouldn’t Blame Themselves for Everything
I normally don't feel guilty about most things. Working mom guilt? Not too much. Messy house? No problem. Date night? Absolutely! But when something goes wrong with the kids where I'm prone to say, "If only I had done X, Y and Z, this wouldn't have happened," I'm likely to feel a sense of mommy guilty and blame myself. Blame can take on all sizes of fault. A mom can blame herself for her daughter's cold because she didn't think about bringing along a jacket. Or another can feel terrible that her son isn't saying words yet, thinking of all those times she could have spent talking to him more … [Read more...]
4 Steps for Moms to Stop Worrying
We moms tend to worry a lot about our kids. Here's what to do when you worry too much, including 4 doable steps to stop worrying. Even though I've made strides to curb my worries, being a parent doesn't make it any easier. Like when any of my boys are sick. Or when I wonder about reaching milestones and potential developmental delays. Or when I had one week to find a new nanny. Rather than freaking out, I use four steps to ease my worries and be productive instead. I started using these four steps back in college. I had lost the key to my dorm room. A simple incident, but with the way I … [Read more...]