Child care: Helpful hints/ideas and questions- share yours

[BitsyNaceyDog]

So many people on Pet Talk have (or have had) babies and/or children in their lives I though a thread to share hints and ideas would be a helpful thing for us all. Share anything that worked for you. If you have a favorite product that you couldn't live without share that. Also ask questions that others may be able to offer helpful tips on.



When we change Nathan's diaper we toss a little washcloth over him to keep us dry incase he decides it's a good time to "go".

When we're changing a poopy diaper we put an old fashioned cloth diaper under Nathan. It's really easy to toss it in the wash if it gets dirty.

Shortly before Nathan's nap we put a heating pad on low in his crib to warm it up a little. When he falls asleep we take the heating pad out and lay him in his nice warm crib. It helps so much- he wakes up if we don't use the heating pad.

Does anyone have any tips on how to keep Nathan happy in the car? He's a very active baby- he loves to move and hates to be confined in his car seat. He often falls asleep in the car, but if he's not asleep then he's crying. I sit in the back with him and talk to him and try to entertain him with toys, but nothing I do seems to help. Any ideas?

[Marigold2]

I would let him cry if he wants to. You could turn the radio on for some relaxing music or if you don't want to hear him scream put on some Led Zepplin. We all went through screaming kids in the car. It's part of being a mom as well as poopy diapers, having them spit on you in the grocery store. Being a mom means work work work work work. Not having a free moment and wiping spit, poop, vomit and pee 24/7.

[AdoreMyDogs]

Quinn was the same way in her car seat. She just despised it and nothing we did made her less miserable in her car seat...toys, attention, more a/c, less a/c, music, no music....so we actually were given a really nice car seat from a friend of ours. It's not the prettiest car seat, it's it doesn't have the cute decorations or fabric that I like, but it looks brand new and that child really seems to like it. I have since put her in her old car seat and she just fusses. She just doesn't like her old car seat, the one that's actually cuter

So, the only thing that worked for us was to get her into a new car seat. The new car seat sits up a little more and it's actually a safer carseat, she's strapped in better and it's more confining, but for some reason she likes it much more and only fusses if she's hungry. She's also a very active little one and isn't fond of being confined anywhere. Weird that changing her car seats worked so well.

As far as tips, the only thing I can suggest (since I'm still learning myself) is putting a cloth diaper, the plain pre-folded white ones that you buy in a pack, on her Boppy as I nurse her....I put it under her on the side she happens to be nursing on. Not only can I wipe her face after words without getting any milk on the Boppy, but it also reminds me which side I last nursed her on so I can nurse her on the opposite side next time I feed her. I only have one cover for my Boppy, so it's kind of a pain when I need to wash my only cover, so it saves on having to always change the cover on my Boppy.

[Cookiebaker]

Being a mom means work work work work work. Not having a free moment and wiping spit, poop, vomit and pee 24/7.

I'm certainly not going to dispute this comment because it is very true. However, it is also true that being a mom means that you get the first smiles. When I enter the room, Lydia's face light up because I am her mommy and there is NO ONE ELSE that will do, not even Daddy. There's no greater feeling in the world. Watching her develop and grow and to know that everything she knows she learned from me; and everything she needs she gets from me. Wow! It is soooo awesome. There is NOTHING else that quite compares to mommyhood. nothing.

I love these hints...keep them coming! The only thing that I can think is if I am having trouble getting Lydia to nap, I take away her pacifier for an hour before naptime. That way when I give it back to her, it really soothes her and she goes right to sleep. (actually, recently that is the only time she gets a binky)

Another thing about naptime is that an hour before her nap I will let her get a little on the chilly side (not COLD, just not warm either). Right before nap, I will put long sleeves/pants on her and she seems to go to sleep so much sounder and sleep longer as a result. (with this hot weather, this concept hasn't been working too well but when we had mild temperatures it worked perfectly)

At nighttime, we have gotten in the habit of putting the same CD on (lullabies), and that has definitely helped her get to know that it is time to go to sleep. (yes we are tired of hearing the saaaaame songs over and over, but it is worth it!)

I'm sorry I can't be of a help about the car thing 'cause Lydia loves to ride in the car. In fact if we go anywhere more than 5 minutes away, she goes directly to sleep. It must be so sad for you that he cries. Hopefully he will get used to the car soon.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I would let him cry if he wants to. You could turn the radio on for some relaxing music or if you don't want to hear him scream put on some Led Zepplin. We all went through screaming kids in the car. It's part of being a mom as well as poopy diapers, having them spit on you in the grocery store. Being a mom means work work work work work. Not having a free moment and wiping spit, poop, vomit and pee 24/7.

Being a mom is a lot of work and it's the best work in the world- I absolutely love it. Because it's so much work I love finding little tips to help things go more quickly and more smoothly. Every minute I can shave off one chore is an additional minute I can spend somewhere else.

Quinn was the same way in her car seat. She just despised it and nothing we did made her less miserable in her car seat...toys, attention, more a/c, less a/c, music, no music....so we actually were given a really nice car seat from a friend of ours. It's not the prettiest car seat, it's it doesn't have the cute decorations or fabric that I like, but it looks brand new and that child really seems to like it. I have since put her in her old car seat and she just fusses. She just doesn't like her old car seat, the one that's actually cuter

So, the only thing that worked for us was to get her into a new car seat. The new car seat sits up a little more and it's actually a safer carseat, she's strapped in better and it's more confining, but for some reason she likes it much more and only fusses if she's hungry. She's also a very active little one and isn't fond of being confined anywhere. Weird that changing her car seats worked so well.

Genius! I hadn't thought of that. Nathan's car seat can adjust to 3 different positions. Today I adjusted it so it sits a bit more upright and he did much better. He's now able to see and play with his toys and books much better than before. He was still a little fussy, but nothing like he was before.