Be Prepared: Babies Will Fuss, Cry & Sleep When Bombarded with All the Celebrating

Prepare for the highs and lows of your baby this holiday season.  With so many eyes, hands, and noise, poor baby is going to fuss and cry.  Throw in a few people who might be ill or recovering from an illness and your baby just might catch something too. 

Think about your baby's day in advance.  How much will you need to carry along with you to a family event?  How long will you be staying?  What does your baby typically drink/eat?  Who will be permitted to handle your baby?  Who will watch your newborn when you can't?  How many children approximately will be present?  The more activity you bring your son or daughter into, the more you will need to consider.

New parents make mistakes when they bring babies into public gatherings without planning properly.  Think about how warm the environment is going to be, the space, whether you will be able to change baby comfortably, and whether you need to bring baby's highchair and play yard.  It would make sense to dress baby in layers and then proceed to shed those layers off depending on the temperature of the atmosphere.  You would also want to bring whatever is necessary so that both you and baby are comfortable unless you plan on holding your baby the whole time.  Babies don't like to be passed around after awhile.  Their little bodies begin to ache and skin can get irritated from all the kisses and rubbing on their skin.  They also will begin to sneeze from various perfumes, food smells, and dust particles from people walking near them.

If you should bring your baby to any public event, do remember to do the following (some of these tips can be applied to your older children as well if you have any):

1.  Swaddle baby when tired and fussy.  Be sure you are in a quiet place when trying to get him/her to nap.

2.  Don't sit in drafty areas or where many people are walking by your baby.

3.  Don't leave your newborn or child unattended anywhere assuming that people are paying attention to him or her.

4.  Watch how much your baby is eating or not eating.

5.  Change diapers like you would at home and try not to put diaper changes off.  Be careful who you select to change your baby's diapers.  Not all people (including certain family members) are clean, trustworthy, know what they are doing, or do well with babies and children.

6.  Bring play yard, toys and high chair when you know a place is ill-equipped.

7.  Take along change of clothes, food, utensils, bottles, wipes, medicines, and anything else you know is a must-have when traveling with baby/children.

Print these tips out to help you remember to prepare your son or daughter's items the night before.  Most partners will frown on how much one might be carrying to a family's home, but you may not have to bring as much stuff if you keep the visit short.

Stressed Out Mothers?

Awhile back, I wrote a book for women who are struggling with motherhood challenges.  It is a nonfiction book that opens up areas of a mother's life (including prior to motherhood) that might be contributing to your struggles while offering solutions.  It isn't easy being a parent and you don't have to do alone!  Enjoy the book When Mothers Cry and check out the blog here.

Nicholl

A Message that Makes You Think Twice About Where You Go, Who You Talk To and What You Bring into Your Home

I don't typically put up things on this blog that are non-related to parenting, baby tips, etc.  But this particular audio is a wake up call to those of you who are often busy and don't think much about what you are buying for your children, who you are permitting into your family circle etc.  If you have a faith, you know that there are those products, people, and places that appear to be cute, nice and wonderful, but the reality is that there is a hidden opposition-- an evil behind the scenes at work to destroy families.  So please be mindful what and who you bring into your home and where you take your next family vacation.  Stay in prayer!  

Christian Workers: The Hidden Opposition at the Workplace, Home, Church - YouTube

What New Moms Should Know About Motherhood But Probably Forgot

Caring for a newborn while maintaining other responsibilities can be a daunting task, but with a positive outlook and the determination to achieve desired goals, you will look back on these times and say, “Where did the time go?”

One.  You can’t do it all, so do even try.  Enlist some help.

Two.  Not everyone will be supportive.  So why argue about or worry over them?

Three. Don’t expect the gifts to keep coming.  People lose interest in baby once they start getting into everything.

Four.  The baby will rob you of your beauty sleep, so put some makeup on and do your hair when you can.

Five.  Your work schedule will be affected for the better or worse.  You will either find that shorter hours is making you appreciate your family more or if you are using the job to run from your family, it will eventually make you resent them.  So find the balance and don't go overboard with trying to be all things to everyone.

Six.  Caring for baby will affect finances.  Extra money oftentimes is non-existent.  So when you get it, hold on to it, because you never know what baby might need.

Seven.  Emotionally and physically you will feel different and may look or act strange to others.  It happens, you don't feel yourself and your body seems to be out of control, so when you feel like you are "losing it" get help fast!!

As much as we love being a mom, sometimes it can be difficult.  This is why it is important that everyone looks out for one another.  If you see your fellow mom online is not typing her usual nice stuff or a mom offline seems to often have red, swollen eyes, something is going on.  Don't take yourself or others lightly, do what you can to get out the house, around people, and use all those "cool" baby tools to your advantage to keep baby happy!

God bless.

Nicholl is the author of When Mothers Cry

Play Video Games Too Much?

Play Video Games Too Much 

This would never be an issue if so many people weren't setting aside time each day playing them.  But many do and often the game playing becomes the priority.  It literally suffocates relationships, causes arguments, affects school work and other activities, and causes many to wish they had never started playing them.

Is video game playing worth forgetting that a baby is in a bath tub?  Is it worth losing your partner?  Is video gaming so bad that your son or daughter has a hard time looking you straight in the eye because he or she is too busy looking at his or her gaming device or the TV behind you? 

This is a serious wake up call for some of you gamers. Don't let a leisure activity rob you of your life!

Feel free to click on the link and I pray someone who "loves" playing games will realize what it is doing to you and your family.