Parenting

Tips for Bringing Out the Best Stay-at-Home Mom in You

January 20, 2019 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Whether you’re a new parent or a proud mama of a few beautiful babies, your title as a stay-at-home mom comes with all the perks you would assume it would (plus more than a few headaches).

Staying home and caring for little ones can be one of the most rewarding decisions a mom can make. However, it’s easy to get stuck in a stay-at-home mom schedule that may leave you feeling stagnant and unbalanced.

mom with kids working

Being a mom is hard work, and when you tack working from home on top of caring for your family, things can easily start to boil over and drive you a little crazy. When it comes to keeping sane, adding these eight tips to your stay-at-home mom schedule will keep you grounded, happy, and most importantly, healthy! [Read more…]

The Top 3 Best Double Strollers for Twins

December 12, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

There’s nothing more exciting than learning that you have a child on the way. And things get even more exciting when you discover you are carrying twins!

As much fun as babies are, handling twins (or a newborn and a toddler) can be a daunting task, since both will still need lots of that motherly love and attention. So, how do you solve the problem? Start by making sure you have a great double stroller!

baby boy in stroller

Double strollers for twins can be a massive investment, but they’re an integral tool for allowing you to attend to two children at once. If you’re looking for the best double stroller for your twins, here are my top 3 picks for double strollers you should check out:
[Read more…]

Talking to Kids About the Dangers of Vaping

November 28, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

When I was a young teenager, I went through some pretty shy and awkward years. And eventually, in an effort to fit in, I ended up starting smoking.

It was a terrible decision that cost me money and damaged my health for over a decade, but ten years ago I quit for good and never looked back.

Now, with my oldest son on the cusp of his own teenage years, I know that he’ll face some of the same worries and insecurities as I once did. And unfortunately, there are even more dangerous things that he may be pressured into trying.

[Read more…]

New Parent 101: How to Stay Well-Rested with an Infant

October 20, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

It’s been a long time since I had a baby in the house, and I have to admit I had forgotten just how exhausting having a baby was when I gave birth to my new little bundle of joy.

As cliché as it sounds, I actually fell asleep in a bowl of cereal one morning! My husband was just as exhausted, sitting across from me at the table. We laughed and decided then and there that there had to be a way to get more rest.

Parenting is tiring…there’s just no way around it! But if you’ve got a new baby in the house and spend most nights in and out of bed wondering how much DO newborns sleep, these tips will help you get a little more rest when you need it!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

You don’t need to do this alone. You and your partner shouldn’t feel like you can’t ask for an extra hand as you adjust to life as a parent. You know the expression: it takes a village! So, call on your village. You’ll be surprised how happy your friends and family will be to help. [Read more…]

My Favourite Mom Essentials for Children’s Summer Sports

June 7, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

In our house, May and June is sports season. And I have to say that it’s one of my favourite times of the year! Even though the month is incredibly busy, there’s something so energizing about watching my boys play their favourite warm-weather sports as the baby plays on a blanket in front of me.

But to make sure the whole family has a good time during our various sports activities, being prepared is a must! As soon as Zackary’s baseball games and Benjamin’s flag football season kick off, I prepare a bag of essentials to help ensure that we’re ready for anything during a game.

Have kids in summer sports too? These are the items that I love to have at every game!

Refillable Water Bottles

While it goes without saying that I make sure my sports-playing boys have a water bottle filled and ready to go, I also pack two extra bottles just in case. Sometimes, the day is so hot that I need a little refreshment too! And sometimes, my boys will play an especially hard game and finish off their own bottles early on. No matter what the reason, I’m always happier having extra water available.

Pocket First Aid Kit

My boys don’t get many bumps or scrapes, but I still want to be prepared if they (or other kids on the team) need a bandage or an ice pack. As soon as sports season starts, I take my travel first aid kit and move it into the back of my car so that it’s ready if anyone on my boys’ teams need it. It’s amazing how much a simple bandage can help a child feel better and get back in the game.

Insect Repellant

While I love the warmer weather, I don’t love the insects that make their appearance when the snow is gone! Mosquitos are the main annoyance here in Saskatchewan, and they’re already plentiful this year. Keeping my favourite insect repellant in my sports bag ensures that I can watch a game in comfort, and my boys can play without distraction.

And for times when I’m a little too slow applying insect repellant, I keep a Benadryl Itch Stick ready in my bag. This convenient stick contains a topical antihistamine/analgesic and a skin protectant to help relieve itching due to bug bites and stings. It’s a quick and easy way to soothe any bites so my boys can focus on their game, and I can focus on cheering them on!

Children’s Benadryl Allergy Medication

Both my boys suffer from mild to moderate seasonal allergies. And since I have the same issue, I know how distracting it can be trying to focus on even a simple task while battling itchy eyes, a stuffy nose and sneezing. That’s why I always make sure that I pop a box of Children’s Benadryl Chewables into my bag, just in case one of them starts to show the signs of a reaction.

I recently learned that everyone has a limit in the amount of allergy triggers their body can handle. Too much pollen, dust, animal dander and other allergens can surpass a person’s natural threshold and cause a reaction. That explained to me why there seems to be no rhyme or reason to my boys’ reactions. But by keeping Benadryl ready in my bag, I’m prepared for that sudden “crossing of the threshold,” even if it only happens once or twice a sports season!

Blankets

The weather in May and June is notoriously unpredictable in Saskatchewan and sometimes the nicest day can turn frigid by the time the sun starts to go down. That means that I’ve been caught shivering in shorts and a t-shirt more times than I care to remember!

So now, I always keep a couple of blankets ready to pull out when needed, whether I’m laying one out for the baby to sit or wrapping up in one to stay warm after a sudden drop in temperature. I also fold up an extra sweater for everyone in the family and leave them all in the car just in case we need even more warmth.

Wet Wipes

From cleaning up dirty hands after a big play, to letting me freshen up after discovering a port-a-potty is out of toilet paper, a travel pack of wet wipes is a multi-use workhorse that always comes in handy. I choose a variety for sensitive skin, so that everyone from my husband to my baby can use them when needed. (And at nine months old, my baby needs them pretty often!)

Next week, my oldest son has his first baseball tournament, which means we’ll be spending most of the weekend at the ball diamond. I’ll be doing a double-check of my sports bag to help ensure I have everything I need for a fun-filled sporting event and replenishing any items that are running low.

Since Zackary is one of the starting pitchers this year, Children’s Benadryl Chewables are especially important for me to have ready. I know he would be so upset if he wasn’t able to pitch properly because he was dealing with an unexpected allergic reaction.

There are plenty of other items that I find come in handy as well, from snacks for my baby to extra money for the concession to camping chairs that let us avoid uncomfortable bleachers. But these six items are the ones that I find myself using again and again.

If you have kids in organized sports, check out your own bag of essentials and see if you might want to add a few of these. When it comes to kids, I usually find that you can never pack too much, or be too prepared!

Tips and Items to Help Baby Explore the House Safely

May 10, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Media Brand Ambassador Program with Philips Avent and I received Compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

It’s hard for me to believe that almost a year has gone by since I first held my brand new baby boy in my arms. Cormac is now nine months old and as he approaches his first birthday, he’s becoming more and more of a handful!

I don’t want to stop my baby from exploring the world around him, but I do want to make sure he’s safe as he explores. So, over the last few weeks, I’ve been making some changes so that Cormac’s home is a place that helps him learn without putting him in danger. These are a few of the items and techniques I’ve put on my baby proofing checklist so far. [Read more…]

Four Ways to Reduce Baby’s Colic Symptoms-Giveaway

April 11, 2018 by Kathryn 14 Comments

Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Media Brand Ambassador Program with Philips Avent and I received Compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Through raising and breastfeeding three babies, I’ve been lucky that none of my boys have suffered too much from colic. Aside from some slight fussiness, they were all good-natured and healthy babies.

But of the three of them, Cormac has definitely been the one with the most digestive issues. From constant hiccups to spitting up unusually large volumes of milk, I’ve made more than one trip to the doctor about my unique youngest son!

That’s why I’ve incorporated some ways to help minimize any colic symptoms that might appear. If you want to help your little one feel better when his stomach is sore, these are the techniques that have been working for me: [Read more…]

Tips and Advice on Choosing the Best Baby Bottle for Your Little One

April 2, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Baby gear has come a long way over the years, and that’s especially true of baby bottles. The standard bottle has evolved from a clunky and somewhat dangerous glass bottle to a lightweight and shatterproof plastic design with an infinite number of specialty shapes, nipple designs and sizes.

While some women do manage to stick solely to breastfeeding a little one, the vast majority of parents will use baby bottles at some point…even if only when a baby is finally old enough for other beverages! So choosing a bottle that works well for you and for your baby is a must.

Why Use a Baby Bottle?

Ideally, babies should be exclusively breastfed for at least six months. But there are still occasions when mothers need to have a bottle handy, whether because mom is still working or just enjoying a night out. Thankfully, affordable and easy-to-use breast pumps mean that Baby can still get the breast milk he needs. Make sure to use a baby bottle that protects the breast milk quality! And when your little one is older, a baby bottle is handy for letting him drink water, milk or juice before he is able to use a cup.

What Kind of Bottle is Best

There is no shortage of choice when it comes to finding the best baby bottle. But no matter what brand you choose, a good baby bottle should have some features no matter what. It should be comfortable, and include an anti-mastitis breastfeeding latch. It should be made of high-quality, BPA-free material and be easy to use. And, perhaps most important, the perfect baby bottle should have multiple sizes and nipple designs to suit babies at different ages.

Tips for Bottle Feeding a Baby

While some babies may be happy to hold their own bottle as they eat, bottle feeding should still be a time to bond with Baby, so make sure to still play an active role! Keep a proper hold on the bottle to help minimize the air that is swallowed, especially if your baby suffers from colic. And make sure that bottles and nipples are properly sterilized for newborns!

Benefits of Baby Bottles

There are so many occasions when using a baby bottle makes life a little bit easier for a busy mom. But while baby bottles can also help feed Baby when Mom is away, they also give a dad and extended family members the chance to bond with baby a little bit more. While Mom takes a break, Dad gets the chance to interact with the baby in a very special way. If your little one uses a baby bottle, consider handing over one feeding a day to a family member.

With so many different baby bottles to choose from, finding the best baby bottle for your little one can take some trial and error. If you also breastfeed, make sure the nipple flow on the bottle mimics the slower flow of breast milk. And if you’re planning on bottle feeding often, choosing a bottle with a design that’s comfortable to hold is a must. In the end, a bottle that you and your baby both enjoy is the most important consideration of all.