Naptime Blog

As I family therapist (on hiatus while my children are young), I have come across so many individuals who are looking for their therapist to give them the answers…. “My boss is verbally abusive. How can I make him stop?”… “My wife and I used to have sex 3-4 times a week. Now I am lucky if it is 3-4 times a year. How can I make her have more sex again?”… “My husband is cheating on me, AGAIN. How can I make him faithful?”… “My kids are constantly answering me back and not listening. How can I get them to behave?”… and one of my all-time favorites is the client who has a different relationship problem every time we meet: the fight on line at the supermarket, the brawl with her partner over any and everything, the argument with her sister over different misunderstandings and so forth.

I always need to be careful in my words, however, what a client needs to understand is that a therapist, counselor, even a psychiatrist cannot give her the answer to what to do with her life. And there is no magic pill to take away someone’s problems. Further, many times I want to tell the client who seems to have run-ins with any and everyone that THE PROBLEM MAY NOT BE ALL OF THEM, THE PROBLEM MAY LIE IN YOU! Naturally, I cannot say that, despite how much I want to!

I always try to do therapeutic exercises to let my client try to come to certain conclusions herself. A woman (or man) needs to understand that if by her actions, she accepts the way someone in her life is treating her (knowing that a partner is cheating and lying regularly, for instance) by remaining with that partner, by not requesting (and ultimately demanding) counseling or some other means for the treatment to stop or else the relationship will end (and following through with that ultimatum), that treatment will NEVER change. Every one of us needs to remember that the ONLY person we can control, change, keep in check, fine-tune, and the like is OURSELVES. We can never change another individual.

Your boss is abusive and yells at you whenever he is in a bad mood? File a harassment charge and/or quit your job and find a new one. Your partner is cheating? Throw him out and don’t look back. Your kids do not behave? Re-evaluate how you discipline them and reward them and make some changes in your household. Your wife won’t have sex with you? Don’t tell me you’re upset. TELL HER! And listen to her response… maybe she is exhausted from working, managing the house, taking care of the kids… and maybe you can suggest helping her with some of her responsibilities to lessen the burden. Of course, NONE of these things are EASY, and THAT is where a therapist should come in… to help you find your inner strength, to guide you in the process, to be your cheering squad along the way, and to assist you in seeing certain things that you may not be able to see at the moment.

Just because I am a family therapist doesn’t mean things in my own life are perfect. Further, I know that I am always having to re-evaluate things in my own life and make adjustments as necessary. Yes, there are certain things that are out of our control: health, the economy, our leaders decisions and more. But as an adult, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a professional, I need to be able to make decisions for myself and my family, and those decisions may need to be flexible at times, as the world around me is forever changing.

Because I am a human being, I have first-hand knowledge that major life decisions are not always easy. Finding a new job, leaving a partner, changing your lifestyle can be very difficult. And I know that being a victim to any degree makes attempting life changes so much more difficult because of what that person has gone through. But ultimately, we each have to take control of our own lives, we each need to understand that nothing is every “that bad”, and we also need to remember that the person that might actually need to make the change is YOU.

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As a mom of four and having been a mother for over nine years, I have experienced motherhood as a working mom, a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) and a work-at-home-mom (WAHM).  Any mother knows that parenting comes with many sacrifices, and all three types of moms deal with having to make sacrifices, juggle things around, and sometimes question whether or not the current set-up is what is best for her family.

When I was a working mom, I was very fortunate to have family to watch my daughter while I worked.  However, I still missed many firsts, and I later missed many things such as school trips and bake sales due to my work schedule.

When I was a SAHM, we had to sacrifice many of the “extras” that we wanted to provide to our family.  While I was there to change every diaper and hear every first word, it was rough to pick up and go out for dinner whenever we wanted, and often quite difficult to go on vacation and go on trips that our family would enjoy.

As a WAHM, I have the best of both worlds.  Yes, there are sacrifices, but no sacrifices that I would not be making as either a working mom or a SAHM.  And of course there are drawbacks, but what can you do?

My day starts at seven, when I shower, get dressed, and my daughter gets on the bus.  As the boys wake up, we change them, get them their milk, and get ready for the day.  I am very lucky to have a husband that is so hands-on with the kids, so in the mornings and the evenings I have him to help.  During the day, I juggle feeding, changing, dressing, playing with, potty training, disciplining, entertaining and cleaning up after the kids with doing laundry, washing floors, doing dishes, preparing meals, cleaning up toys, washing bathrooms and straightening up the kitchen.  After my daughter comes home I help her with homework and spend some time with her.  A few times a week, depending on the season, my daughter has basketball or softball games, which we all go to and enjoy watching her.  And throughout the day, I keep my laptop on with my email open and work every moment I am not doing the above!  After cooking dinner and feeding my family, we split the jobs of get everyone bathed and ready for bed with cleaning up the dinner table and washing the dishes.  The boys are in bed by 8:30 and my daughter is in bed by 9:30.  My day is not over.

After the kids are in bed, I finish up whatever chores I have not gotten to finish during the day, spend some time catching up with my husband, and then head back to my laptop.  I answer emails and write posts, blogs, edit the site as well as attend to my other freelance responsibilities.  By midnight, I am usually dozing with my hand on my mouse, and my husband is calling me to go to bed.

Yes, I am exhausted, but I do what I have to for what works for my family.  Luckily, my husband pays the bills, but my working allows for the dinners out, vacations, shopping trips, day outings, parties and more.  There are days when I do not get much work done at all, tending to my family, and there are days when I do not get much time to play with the kids and spend time with my husband, but if I was a working mom that would be the same case.  I put my 100% into my family AND put my 100% into my career.  I think I have the best of both worlds, so the benefits definitely outweigh the sacrifices. 

Jennifer

Wife and Mom of Four

www.mommyslinks.com

Store brand infant formulas won a major victory this week when a U.S. Circuit Court upheld a $13.5 million false advertising claim against Enfamil maker Mead Johnson.

 The case centered on the successful argument by PBM Products, Perrigo’s store brand infant formula business, that Enfamil’s  advertisements of superiority to store brand formulas were false and misleading because store brand formulas offer the same nutrients at the same levels as Enfamil.

 “As the litigation history of the parties demonstrates, despite having twice been restrained from disseminating misleading advertising, Mead Johnson continued to do so,” Circuit Judge Andre Davis wrote. “PBM cannot fairly compete with Mead Johnson unless and until Mead Johnson stops infecting the marketplace with misleading advertising.”

“The Court has made it clear that national brand and store brand suppliers are entitled to fairly compete and advertising abuses will not be tolerated,” said Perrigo Chairman and CEO Joseph C. Papa in a statement. “We also appreciate the Court’s recognition that PBM could lawfully compare its products to national brand products.”

More information can be found in Business Week at http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-04-20/mead-johnson-loses-bid-to-cancel-13-5-million-jury-verdict.html.

My boys are addicted to YoGabbaGabba. This morning on the on-demand channel, the episode called “HAPPY” was on. I have to say, when I first started seeing pieces of YoGabbaGabba all I could do was laugh, because the show really looked ridiculous: psychedelic backgrounds, Biz Markie (“Just a Friend” from the early nineties) singing and teaching the kids to beat-box, these funny looking characters that could be viewed as resembling adult novelties… But the more I watched along with my kids, the more I realized that YoGabbaGabba really can be entertaining, plus, it teaches the kids valuable lessons… lessons that I really need them to learn right about now, such as sharing, no biting, no hitting, and so on.

After the episode “HAPPY”, I realized that this is exactly what I needed to watch today. I have been down and out about certain things beyond my control lately, mainly with regards to future employment and finances. I need to remember what life is all about at times when I feel this way. I am a lucky woman: my amazing husband, four awesome healthy children, supportive family and friends, a roof over our heads, food on the table and our health are many things that tons of people in this world would give anything for. I need to sit down and see “happiness” through the eyes of a child every now and again. And so I asked my two and a half year old twins what makes them HAPPY.

Anthony told me that hugs make him happy. On YoGabbaGabba they sang a song about hugs. I answered him that hugs make me happy, too. He looked at me and said “Mommy, give me a hug!” And so I hugged him tight and chills went up and down my spine. My toddler knew exactly what I needed this morning. I told him that hugs make me happy too. Of course when I asked what else makes him happy, he replied “kisses”! So I happily obliged and kissed him all over his face until he was giggling so hard that I couldn’t help but laugh along.

Just then, Anthony’s twin Louis came walking down the stairs, having slept late. I asked him the same question. He looked at me and said “JUMPING JACKS make me happy!” So we did a few jumping jacks and we all laughed.

I sat with the boys a few more minutes asking them what else makes them happy. They told me all sorts of things, from drinking milk and juice to eating cookies. They told me that watching TV makes them happy (then they went on to each tell me their favorite shows and movies, of course!) Naturally, playing with their toys makes them happy, specifically playing with Mr. Potato Head and their Toy Story characters. Anthony said that drawing makes him happy (and for a toddler, he’s pretty darn good at it!). The boys went on to tell me how seeing their Grandmas makes them happy and named a slew of other family members and friends that make them happy.

The twins asked Joseph (their 18 month old brother!) what makes him happy. He looked around at all of us and said with a big grin on his face “HAAAAPPPYYYYYY!”   I can’t wait to ask my nine year old daughter what makes her happy.  I will certainly do that when she gets home from school.

Happiness. All I need to do is look at my children (yes, even when the four of them are driving me bonkers!) and my husband (ditto!) and I am happy. And nothing else matters.

Jennifer

Wife and mom of four

www.mommyslinks.com

If you have been following along with me over the last few months or years, you know that I am a Jill-of-all-trades. I honestly do not know where this came from, well, of course, other than out of necessity, but I was never into fifty things at once before my last three children were born. I spent fifteen years as a dental assistant, all through high school, college, my first marriage and birth of my daughter, and grad school. Then I received my master’s in counseling and worked as a family therapist/ social worker in a local NYC foster agency. After the birth of my twins, I remained an at-home mom on a very extended maternity leave.

I began working from home for MomsLikeMe.com in 2008 and started blogging here in 2009. Over the last few years, I have picked up (and subsequently dropped off) some smaller blogging gigs and writing assignments to pick up the slack of my lost full time social worker salary. Luckily, we’ve been able to manage as a family of six with me at home since 2008. In 2010, I joined the My City Network of bloggers and began blogging about couponing and sales and deep discounts nationally and locally. With coupon match-ups and planned shopping trips, savings can really add up.

Now, here’s my dilemma. With four kids and four jobs, plus a husband and a home to run, I often find myself running to a drug store when I need something. We do big grocery shopping once a week or once every other week, but find ourselves running into a grocery store for milk (which leads to picking up other necessities along the way) every other day or so. We’re going through a gallon of milk a day with my growing brood. I clip coupons and search for the sales, following along with the coupon match-ups and big sales, but it doesn’t always work out as planned. I forget coupons, my main grocery store doesn’t accept printed coupons (which is a huge part of couponing), I get flustered in the store with whining children… and I know I am not saving as much as I COULD be.

What is proving to work better for me is doing a lot of shopping generic. Ever since I changed my twins over to Parent’s Choice infant formula in 2008, I have become a true believer that generic shopping really saves money without compromise. From cookies and snacks to spices and paper goods, I shop generic brands. I still buy generic baby wipes (we like the Target brand) and I do not buy any frozen veggies other than my grocery store brand. There are certain things that we will not change brands, such as our toilet paper and my shampoo and conditioner, but for the most part, we buy generic whenever we can.

Maybe the extreme couponers might not agree with my style of saving, but for us, it is working. I still follow along with the bloggers, for whenever I can manage a deep discount with coupons I jump on it, but I am very happy with shopping generic.

I conduct online and telephone counseling sessions to help people in their everyday lives. Sometimes I refer them to in-person one-on-one or family therapy, and other times I play the role as that unbiased random ear that will listen to what’s bugging someone while still being able to remain “unknown” to the outside world. As a Marriage and Family Counselor, I was at first surprised to get so many calls from married men. After a little while, I could pretty much guess as soon as I would hear that male voice on the other end of the line what we would be discussing. When the person who is listening to you on the other end of the line is a professional, anonymous human being who you will unlikely ever run into at the grocery store, it is amazing how much you will share with that person.

“My wife and I don’t have sex anymore.” That is usually the topic that comes up with married men in phone counseling sessions. Most men do not come straight out with that statement right away, some beat around the bush for a while, but in the end the discussion always turns to romance after kids.

Hmmm…. now is that a bit of an exaggeration? In 99% of the conversations, it is. What they really mean in most instances is “Our sex life is not as it used to be. Could there be a problem in our marriage?”

Of course there is no way to tell if there is truly a problem in the marriage without further probing and discussion, and of course it would also be helpful to speak with both spouses before answering that question. But for most of the men who call me to chat, the only problem is that for many couples, kids, chores, careers, and just life in general get in the way of that ravenous sex life that was once more active in the relationship.

As I was preparing for this article, I was sitting by the pool watching my husband swim with my kids on a weekend family getaway (which replaced many of our romantic getaways from years ago), and the old “Pina Colada Song” was being played by the disc jockey. I had to chuckle, because it was so appropriate to many of the men who I counsel… A married man is looking through the paper and comes across a personal ad asking for someone who likes “pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain”; a smart man who isn’t into yoga and health foods, but would rather drink champagne and make love at midnight in the dunes on the cape.

So the husband replies to the ad stating he wants the same things and asks to meet the woman at a bar so the two could run away together. The kicker is that the woman who shows up is actually his wife. Neither of them knew how the other was feeling. It’s almost like they lost touch with each other due to the hustle and bustle of life and forgot to ask the other how he or she felt along the way.

Through my counseling sessions with my married men clients, I always make sure to ask them if they have shared how they feel about the change in their sex life with their partners, and I request that they ask their partners how they feel about the changes as well.

The other thing I find ironic in the song is that the man thinks he is alone in feeling as if their relationship was dragging like “a worn out recording of a favorite song”. But the wife was the first one to take out the ad, so she knew it also! This is another reason why I always tell my clients to verbalize how they feel with their partners, because they may not be alone in their thinking.

Although I always liked the song, I did think it was horrible that the couple were looking else ware in their marriage for some spice. But the longer I am married and the more children we have, although I wouldn’t take the lyrics literally, the message is the same message I give to all my clients and how my husband and I try to keep our relationship: we always verbalize our feelings and be sure to take some time out regularly to take care of each other. Whether we go out to dinner alone, get a night to each other (we are lucky to have both sets of parents who are willing to take the kids overnight on occasion), or even if we just get to go grocery shopping just the two of us, that “couple time” means the world to us. It is also amazing how a small gesture or change of scenery such as an overnight in a hotel without the kids can renew the spice and remind both of the partners what drew them to each other in the first place.

I have recently been interviewing some moms/wives on the subject and many of the thoughts are the same. For many, it isn’t that they have fallen out of love or no longer want to be intimate, but at the end of the day, there is just so much going on that life gets in the way.

I have gotten other good suggestions to help spice things up, regardless of your budget. Taking a nice walk together without the kids is a good one. Rose petals and candles create a different ambiance. Many husbands also complain that their wives never initiate intimacy. Well it doesn’t always have to be this way. It’s nice to feel wanted and it doesn’t hurt to put the moves on your man every once in a while!

I cannot stress enough how important good communication is within a relationship. You never know, you might learn that you aren’t the only one who likes Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain… Your spouse might, too!

I originally wrote this for Naptime Blog in 2009. I had so much fun with it and think we need a constant reminder of this, so I decided to share again!

Jennifer Nevadomski, M.S.
Wife and Mom of FOUR!
www.mommyslinks.com

Pregnant moms are told that they need to prepare for a new baby by getting themselves healthy.  Prenatal health is such an important part of the development of our babies, and we strive to get our bodies and minds in the best possible shape for the good of our babies.

Many new moms are so consumed with their new baby’s health and well-being, they forget to take care of their own.  I try to keep reminding myself that I can only be a good mom if I am at my optimal health.  I need to take care of myself better so that I can take care of my children.  I wish I would remember to be as good with my post natal health as I was with my prenatal health!

Prior to becoming pregnant, I ate healthy.  I remembered my fruits and vegetables; I watched my meat intake, increasing fish and chicken.  I drastically cut back on sweets and snacks, choosing healthy options instead.  I quit smoking and only drank a glass of wine or one drink every now and then.  After all, I did not know how long it would take to conceive, and I wanted to be sure that if I had gotten pregnant that I was giving my baby the best possible start from day one.  I limited my caffeine intake to one cup per day and I took my prenatal vitamins faithfully and kept up with regular exercising.  I was in very good shape.

These days, I make sure my children are clean, safe, well-fed, and happy.  I work from home and manage the house and the kids 24/7.  I find myself dragging to get into the shower each morning, and by mid afternoon, when I develop a headache, I realize I haven’t eaten anything, the only thing I consumed all day long was coffee (and lots of it) and whatever picking I have done from my kids’ plates.  Not good.

My children are my world, and they are wonderful.  Tired as I am, I enjoy every minute I have with them.  The one thing I have to change is how I take care of myself.  I think it is time for me to go back to taking care of myself as if I was taking care of my prenatal health.

What is the best ovulation calculator on the market?  Should you spend almost $300 on a fertility monitor?  Should you buy ten kits of ovulation predictor tests?  Maybe.  But the first, and possibly the best, ovulation calculator is YOU.

It is amazing how many women do not know more about their own bodies as they should.  Possibly a better way to phrase that is: it is amazing how many women do not think they know as much about their bodies as they do.  Let’s face it.  You may have a great team of gynecologists, reproductive endocrinologists, midwives and more, but they do not know your body like you do.  After all, you have lived with it since the very moment your own mother became successful in her predicting ovulation when you were created.  No one knows your body better than you.

What is most shocking is that many women continue to believe that ovulation occurs on day fourteen of her menstrual cycle.  Let’s back up one step.  Day one of your menstrual cycle is the first day of your period.  In a perfect menstrual cycle, ovulation would occur on day fourteen.  If your cycles are consistently 28 days long, that may be a good indication that you might ovulate consistently on day fourteen, although because of the different phases of the menstrual cycle, this might not always be the case.

The menstrual cycle is broken up into the follicular phase (lay terms: when the egg matures), ovulation (when the egg is released from the ovary and can be fertilized by sperm) and the luteal phase (when the egg either breaks down ending in menstruation or the egg and sperm become an embryo and pregnancy is achieved).  The duration of a woman’s luteal phase usually remains consistent, although the follicular phase might fluctuate.  If a woman’s cycles are usually 32 days, and she learns that her luteal phase is consistently 16 days long, ovulation generally would occur most months at around day sixteen (not day fourteen).  Once you can figure out your luteal phase length, you can use simple math to pinpoint ovulation more successfully.

Because charting is fairly simple and inexpensive, and because both the woman and her partner can participate in charting, I would recommend giving it a try to pinpoint your luteal phase length and then your day of ovulation.  If you take your basal body temperature (your waking temperature, taken at the same time every morning) and record it daily, charting it on graph paper might tell you a lot right off the bat.  The morning AFTER ovulation occurs, and usually for 12-14 days after (give or take), your basal body temperature should be significantly higher than the previous days.  Once you have charted for two or three months you should see a fairly reliable pattern.  If your temperatures are all over the place and no pattern can be seen, you might want to move on to alternate methods of ovulation calculation.  Y ou can get some ovulation prediction strips to see for yourself if there is a surge indicating that you are ovulating, your doctor can run some tests to track your hormone levels to confirm that you are ovulating, and you might want to invest in that fertility monitor to track ovulation as well. 

Remember that by just charting your temperature, once you see that temperature surge, ovulation has already occurred.  You might want to chart other signals your body gives off every month to better pinpoint ovulation, including cervical mucus, cervical position, any ovulation pains or mood changes you may have throughout your cycles, and anything else that might affect your temperatures (“I had a few drinks last night, my temperature this morning was off”).  Charting cervical mucus and position helps to pinpoint impending ovulation, and charting temperature confirms ovulation occurred. 

Obviously, if after a few months of charting and learning more about your body, understanding its signals and getting better at pinpointing ovulation, timing intercourse accordingly, you and/or your partner might find it time to see your doctor.  But at least by this point, you know more about your body and can work together with your doctor on deciding the next steps!  Good luck!

Although we should be aware of baby safety every day, here is a list of things to keep in mind with your little ones.

IN THE HOME

Fire Safety:
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are a must in every home, especially in the home of a child. Make sure all batteries are fresh and alarms are working correctly. A good rule of thumb is to check your alarms and change the batteries when you change the clocks in the Spring and Fall, helping you to remember their maintenance.
It is a good idea to have a fire escape plan in place in case of fire or smoke. Having a filled fire extinguisher is advisable, and having all adults and older children know how to use it is a good idea. Be sure to have flashlights with fresh batteries readily accessible.
Teach your children what to do in case of a fire. Laying low to the ground and following the “stop, drop and roll” guidelines can be extremely helpful. Covering his or her mouth with a towel or shirt to avoid breathing in smoke are all good tips to share. Your local fire department can help you with more tips for the children.

Electrical Outlets, Plugs, and Wiring:
I cannot stress how important it is to keep your baby away from any electrical hazards. Outlet covers are available in most stores for very cheap. Be sure that your baby does not play near any electrical outlets or pull on any plugs. Be sure there is no exposed wiring anywhere in the house. Consider getting cord clamps so the kids can’t pull on any electrical cords.

Windows and Doors:
It is a good idea to have window guards on all windows, to keep baby from having any window accidents. Be sure they are properly installed.
Check all of your blinds and curtains to make sure no cords are dangling, as this can cause strangulation. Tie them up or cut them off if necessary to avoid a baby getting tangled in the cords or strings from window treatments.
My kids are always fiddling with handles and trying to get doors open.  I have to purchase some doorknob covers.  I also need to invest in a good security gate.

If you own your home, make sure to have smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and window guards. If you rent, your landlord may be responsible for ensuring these things are in place. Check with your local and state laws.

Kitchen and Bathroom Safety
Be sure all cleaning appliances and cooking ingredients are safely stored from baby’s reach. Safety latches work well.  When cooking, use back burners when at all possible. If you have a pot/pan on the burners, be sure the handle is facing the back of the stove so baby can’t reach the pot and get burned. Be sure all knives and forks are out of baby’s reach at all times.

Never leave water in the bathtub, sink or even a bucket to avoid drowning. As a matter of fact, never leave water running, even if there is no plug, for a playing baby can clog up a drain and this is a potential drowning hazard as well. Bath seats are not safety devices, so do not leave a baby unattended in a tub or with another child under any circumstance. Consider purchasing a toilet lid lock to avoid the baby getting into the toilet unattended.  Prevent bumps with a tub spout cover.  Avoid burns with heat sensing tub guards.

Choking Hazards
Watch out for loose change, keys, or other small items that can end up in baby’s mouth. Never leave a baby unattended while eating, as choking can occur in the blink of an eye. Be sure all handles, latches, and any other mounted objects are secured to avoid baby pulling and choking on nails or screws.

Furniture
Bolt television stands, bookshelves, hutches, and any other furniture that the baby can pull on to the wall to avoid heavy items from falling on him. Baby superstores sell safety items to bolt these things, so check the baby proofing section.  If you have sharp corners on your tables or other furniture, pick up some corner pads.

IN THE CAR

Car seat safety
You can go to your local fire department to help you install your car seat. Additionally, look around your local baby magazines for other places that install your car seats and help you ensure you have properly installed it. Always be sure your baby is snug in there with safety harness straps securely in place.

Never put a baby in the front seat of a car and follow the laws in your state for rear facing / forward facing. A baby under one and under twenty pounds should be rear facing.

Children up to seven years old and seventy pounds should be in a booster seat in the back seat.

A child under age thirteen should be strapped in the back seat. Be sure to check the laws in your state for more specific guidelines for safety in the car.

In my minivan, I have a three-way mirror so that I can see the kids in the backseats while I drive.  It came factory installed with the minivan.  If you don’t have one, they sell mirrors to see the kids in the back.

BABY GEAR

Always submit your warranty and registration information on all baby gear so you are informed of any product recalls. Additionally, you can sign up on baby sites to get notifications of any recalls that may be in effect. Over the last few years, strict guidelines have been put in place with baby furniture and other baby paraphernalia. Therefore, before using a crib from a friend whose child is now older or that infant seat you found in your garage, be sure it is still ok to do so.

I gave one of my sons a little lion squishy toy not too long ago. It came from a baby boutique, and I didn’t think there was anything to worry about. Luckily I checked in the corral and saw what looked like little bits of Styrofoam on the floor. My son had bit off the lion’s ear and was working on the rest of the toy. Be sure to check all toys are safe, that baby cannot bite or eat them, that there are no sharp points or breakable items in their play area, and that any toys with batteries are not leaking battery fluid.

Check your safety gates, corrals and play yards. Gates should be properly locked in place, especially at the top and bottom of stairs or in doorways. Be aware of the older baby who likes to climb, even with gates in place. The older accordion style gates are now known as a strangulation hazard for babies.

Be sure to never leave a baby unattended in any baby gear. Baby carriers, infant seats, baby seats, Bumbos, boosters among other things should always be safely on the floor or securely fastened by manufacturer’s directions if you intend to walk away even for a split second.

BABY CLOTHING

Be sure to remove all tags, strings and loose buttons from your baby’s clothing. Proper fitting clothing are the best bet in all situations. Clothing that is too big might cause a tripping hazard for crawling or walking babies. Sleepwear should be flame retardant.

IN THE YARD
Pools need to be either fenced in, have an alarm in case of sudden unexpected falls, or a removable ladder needs to be taken out when not in use to avoid a child falling in. Remember to never leave baby unattended near a pool, even in a kiddie pool.

Put away any yard equipment such as lawn mowers and wheelbarrows, and everything in between. An inquisitive baby/toddler can find his way into the equipment and get hurt. Remove ladders as well, both inside and outside the home.

Even the most careful of parents see accidents. Keeping aware of your baby’s surroundings at all times is imperative. Consider taking an infant CPR course in the event of an emergency. And remember, babies and toddlers are very nosy and inquisitive human beings and will try to get into EVERYTHING!