I originally published this post when M was a baby, in 2014, and it was one of the first posts on my fledgling blog that was read by many. As a woman with a voice, with a following, I measure my words carefully, as I am required to do.

That’s why, with my third child now six months old, with much more experience gained, I feel the need to re-approach this article.

There’s also something the kids’ pediatrician said the other day, during Princess A’s six month well visit. He asked about my blog, how it’s going, if it’s still going strong. And he said “you can really help people”. And I realize that’s true – and that carries with it a responsibility.

So while I try to keep things here more lighthearted, I’m going to approach a subject that is the cause of so much angst for so many moms: breastfeeding.

I don’t know why it’s like that. I think that most mothers want to do whatever they can to give their kids only the best, at whatever cost. And we sometimes ask ourselves: what cost is worth it? Breastfeeding is such a sensitive subject, and yet, I feel the need to discuss this.

Before I share actual breastfeeding tips, I need to share my experience and my history with breastfeeding.

My breastfeeding story

All three of my children started out receiving formula and transitioned to breastfeeding.

I will repeat.

All three of my children transitioned from BOTTLE to BREAST.

I say this because it’s critical for moms to understand that bottle feeding in the first few days is not a breastfeeding death sentence.

I will also say that with my third child, I had the maturity to understand that there was a point where the correct decision might have been to stop breastfeeding, as the extreme pain had a serious impact on my mental health. I remind mothers out there: mental health is real health.

However, I didn’t know what to do with all that milk so I continued trying…

M’s delivery was extremely traumatic. He was too weak and lethargic to latch. We had to wake him for feedings – he wouldn’t cry at all. We bottle fed him, and, starting with a nipple shield, eventually transitioned him. He was also jaundiced, and so we followed medical advice and gave him formula.

I still attempted to breastfeed him, and so, while all feeding (bottle and breast) was touch-and-go, he was breastfed for fifteen months.

Y had low blood sugar when he was born. The hospital encouraged bottles, however he didn’t really take them.

Every time they checked, his numbers were still low, and he had tremors. They really pushed me to give bottles (I wasn’t resistant to it – he just wasn’t taking them nicely). Eventually they offered me an ultimatum: next time they check, if his numbers are still low, he’s going straight to the NICU. So make sure he takes that bottle.

And make sure I did. He drank two ounces, and tested well the next time. We continued to bottle feed until I really had enough milk. We then transitioned smoothly, again, using a nipple shield as a tool, and eventually weaning him from that. Had I not bottle fed him initially, he could have suffered seizures and worse.

At one point, I had thrush, and again, in hindsight maybe I should have quit due to how it impacted my mental health, but I didn’t. He breastfed until nine months old, when my supply dwindled. He was sick a lot, and each time he didn’t eat nicely, causing my supply to decrease further.

Princess A just needed more. For her first 24 hours, she was fine with whatever I had, but then she cluster fed through the entire night, still crying, until I was crying to the hospital staff to give me a bottle for her…

My milk didn’t come in until close to a week after she was born. Had I not insisted on giving her formula, she could have dehydrated or worse!

I did try breastfeeding throughout, giving her a bottle only after breast, but giving her that bottle after every feed. I won’t go through every nightmare with her, as that’s a subject for another time, but eventually she did transition to breast, and, at six months, she is my best breastfeeder.

I share these stories only to encourage those of you who are actively seeking out breastfeeding tips not to take extreme measures and to understand that formula is a lifesaving invention.

However, since you want to give breastfeeding a good go, I am happy to share some tried and true mom-to-mom breastfeeding tips.

These tips go in order of my struggles, with some of them targeted toward any problems you might have. They are also designed to help you make it easier on yourself, so that you’re more likely to stick to it.

I started off with newborn issues, such as latching and a weak suck, and went on to tummy problems, and restlessness. I dealt with thrush, vasospasm, nipple confusion, and more.

One thing I must note: the main thing is that your baby is fed! If you feel like your baby is not gaining weight, always discuss your concerns with the pediatrician. The end goal is a fed baby, not a breastfed baby – remember that! Fed is Best is a fantastic resource for baby feeding education. They are pro breastfeeding and pro formula feeding and that is not a contradiction.

Is breastfeeding for you?

Again, I cannot responsibly share breastfeeding tips before addressing that it’s simply not the only way to be a fantastic mother. I also can’t answer that question for you. You need to be honest with yourself, at every point of your journey. You need to discuss concerns with your pediatrician, with your partner, and if you can with a mentor who truly cares for you.

You are not, in any way, an inferior mother if you don’t breastfeed – even if it’s not because you can’t.

You are not “taking the easy way out”. It’s a pain in the butt to prepare bottles.

Parenting is never easy.

Choose what’s best for your baby and family, and discuss all your feeding decisions with your pediatrician.

These breastfeeding tips are for moms who have decided to breastfeed, have a good supply of milk, and are struggling to make that connection.

Another point: it helps to have a connection with a mental health professional who is a good match for you.

Breastfeeding Tips For the Early Days

1. Seek advice but adapt it to your needs

I’ve gotten advice in all forms. Some was from loved ones, some from experts. Even some of the expert advice was simply not tailored to me.

You know yourself best, and sometimes what an expert might tell you simply might not apply to you,  especially when you hear contradictory advice. You’ll need to choose which to follow according to your needs.

When I first tried to nurse, I held my baby in the most natural position for me. The nurses and lactation consultants who were helping me at the time told me that I should hold my baby a different way – it’ll help us get started.

I was endlessly frustrated, as the different position felt awkward and still wasn’t working. I kept trying this failing technique until another nurse came by and told me that that second position is great for larger women, but for a small women like myself, I should try the original position.

So sometimes following your gut actually works.

2. Try a Nipple Shield

This advice is a perfect example of the point above. Many will say it’s a great tool for breastfeeding. Many people have told me that it takes away from the natural feel and dynamic of breastfeeding. When we live in a world where moms are not only required to breastfeed, but to do it in the “perfect way” – without the use of fantastic tools – we are failing these new moms.

I was handed a Medela nipple shield while trying to get M to latch. While it did not solve the issue of a weak suck, it took us over the hurdle of latching. I can say with confidence that if not for that, I would not have been able to nurse him. This took us through multiple breastfeeding issues with Y as well.

When Princess A was a baby the hospital lactation consultant was extremely disparaging toward nipple shields. I believe that’s why I suffered so much pain later in the game, as I found it to help provide a “buffer” with nipple confusion.

I highly recommend it for babies with latching issues. It did make breastfeeding less convenient, and weaning is a process. We did successfully wean both boys from the shield by three months.

3. Don’t Let them Discourage You!

Sometimes, people will sincerely tell you things like “it should be easy”or, “breastfeeding should come naturally.” I’ve also gotten,  “infants will make their way to the breast on their own.”

Any number other things that may have been true for them might only be true for you in your dreams. Try to filter out these comments. You know your own struggle. Anyone who’s been through it knows it.

It’s not as easy as they make it out to be. Validating your struggles is critical to your own mental health, and can empower you to do it.

4. Let them Encourage You!

While you’re filtering out the unhelpful comments, make sure you absorb the helpful ones. Don’t just absorb them – let them lift you up!

I had the never ending support of my mother and my husband, plus some other friends and family members, who stood by me, helping me out. My mother celebrated every milestone – whether it was a breastfeed a day, or completely weaning him from the nipple shield.

 I was on a hot bus with M, who was screaming, and we were stuck in traffic. A group of women sitting next to me insisted on holding up blankets for me so that I can breastfeed more comfortably. These little things kept me going.
 

Breastfeeding Tips for the Transitioning Stage

5. Appreciate that it’s a process that doesn’t happen overnight

The first few days postpartum tend to pass in a blur. Personally, I felt out of control then. I had a difficult birth, and was so focused on my pain, anything that happened was very passive. So, despite my best intentions, for the first few days, baby hardly got a drop of breast milk.

But I knew I wanted to nurse. And so, I gradually started switching out a feeding at a time. Breastfeeding can be exhausting, and when you’ve started on bottles, making the switch can be challenging.

With M, at first I did one breastfeeding a day. Then we went to every third feeding, then every other, and then a few weeks in, he was getting a formula bottle a night. Eventually I started pumping for his nighttime feedings, as I still wanted the extra sleep that having a “Daddy feed” gave me. (I highly recommend a good breast pump if you are transitioning! I have this one and love it.)

6. Give Yourself Privacy

In the days when I was first struggling to get the right position, and later when the crying stage kicked in, I found that having absolute privacy was a must. We see all those breastfeeding advocates who seem to just whip out the nips with no concerns, but, especially in those first days, some of us are simply more private. There’s no shame in that!

Trying to struggle under a blanket, or even just trying to be somewhat discreet can only complicate manners. Giving myself space really helped; whether it was simply requesting that those in the room leave, or not look, or going into the privacy of my own bedroom. It also took off the pressure in a MAJOR way.

Eventually, baby and I gained the skills to be able to breastfeed under a swaddle blanket. Nursing tops will really help later in the game as well.

Breastfeeding Tips for the Screaming Baby

7. Try to Make Tummy Feel Good 

In the days when M would go hysterical at every feeding, we eventually decided that it was tummy issues. That was affirmed when it stopped happening regularly soon after the three month mark (which is when many will say the typical newborn stomach aches go away).

I helped sooth it while feeding which did calm him a little (it’s all the small things combined that made a difference.)

I held him slightly upright – so his legs were lower than his head. I also pushed his legs up to his tummy, which helped release gas and soothe the tummy.

8. Rock Baby if Things Get Desperate

I know, its hard enough to nurse without having to rock your baby. But when nothing else worked, sometimes actually standing and swaying while feeding helped. Yes, it was exhausting. Sometimes we even gave a bottle when he needed this – that way Daddy can help. (You can pump, of course, if you’re exclusively breastfeeding).

I did not have a rocking chair. I wish I had one at the time. I HIGHLY recommend this, as it can solve this one issue. Sitting and rocking the baby can provide the movement that is key to soothing. With A I had one and it was really a game changer.

9. Keep Pumped Milk Handy

While many associate pumping milk with having others feed the baby, it’s a great tool in general to maintain breastfeeding. When baby seemed impossible to feed, yet was hysterically hungry, we sometimes managed to “force” in an ounce or two from a bottle that helped calm him down, so that he can actually breastfeed.

Another advantage to pumping: it’ll help keep up your milk supply, even if you’re missing a feeding here and there. I did not have an easy time with pumping, so I did it at the time of the missed feeding. This helped with letdown (I was missing nursing the baby), plus, my supply was at its best then.

Tip: Use an electric pump for missed feedings. A manual breast pump can become very tiring. Also, it gave me a repetitive stress injury (tendinitis), which affected my general ability to care for my baby (I couldn’t lift him!)

You don’t need a double pump, especially if you’re only pumping once or twice a day. Relax with a movie or book, don’t rush the process, and try to enjoy it. However, if you find it stressful, a double pump does the work twice as fast when used with a pumping bra.

Another lifesaver I only had with A – the inexpensive Haakaa pump! When I say not to use a manual pump, I am not talking about this. This lifesaver is not only much more ergonomic to use as an actual pump, it also serves as a milk catcher while breastfeeding the other side. If I use it for the first two feeds of the day, I get a whole “free” bottle of breast milk! One of the best breastfeeding tips that is truly a game changer is to use the Haakaa pump to build up your stash.

10. DON’T STRESS!!!

Do you find that whenever someone yells at you not to be so stressed out, the stress starts mounting? Yup, I’ve got the same issue. And it doesn’t take much to stress me out. But I definitely saw a connection between my stress levels and baby’s willingness to nurse. Babies can sense a mother’s stress levels and it can cause problems.

Right before our big move from Jerusalem to New York, my baby had one of his hysteria phases. As  you can imagine, that was just what I didn’t need. Of course my stress levels were skyrocketing then. Very soon after the move – possibly the first feeding – that phase ended.

While I can probably write a whole new post on ways to minimize stress, I’ll simply try to offer a few small tips:

First, don’t sit and worry about whether baby will or won’t agree to eat. Try to put yourself in a frame of mind that’s focused only on providing for him, and leave baby’s end up to him.

Also, distraction can help when things are rough. Read a little. Listen to calming music. Don’t put all your focus and worries on feeding. You can start the relaxation process before you start feeding as well.

Breastfeeding Tips for Specific issues

11. Distraction – remove distractions and give something to keep baby focused

My baby was active from the start. By the start, I mean about sixteen weeks into my pregnancy when I started feeling movement. Since then he’s been constantly in motion. To this day, he sometimes finds it hard to relax for a meal.

My almost foolproof solution is to bring his favorite lovie or toy to the feeding. I touch the soft blanket to his cheek and he right away relaxes. Throughout the feeding, I snuggle him with blanket or doll and he almost always stays put.

This helps even more if you remove distractions.

That seems to be the obvious answer when that’s the issue, but sometimes it’s hard to find exactly what it is. I’ve found that a dark room helps. Having Daddy in the room doesn’t.

So we close the door, make the room dark, and sometimes even give him something he likes to hold – such as a book, or my glasses. This helps him focus  on that one thing, and makes him more ready to nurse. (Update: at seven, M is still easily distracted!)

12. Diagnose Pain

Breastfeeding can be painful and I think that’s what gets many moms to give up on it. And no mom should have to breastfeed through excruciating pain.

However, diagnosing the pain can make a world of a difference, especially if, like me, you are struggling to stop. With Y my pain was caused by thrush, and fixing that helped. With A, nipple vasospasm was the cause. Treating it was as simple as keeping it warm and taking supplements.

A doctor can often prescribe an APNO ointment which targets a few problems at once.

A few tools that helped me breastfeed

I’m summarizing the top tools, although I did mention some of these above. Some of these made all the difference.

1. Nipple shield – saved my breastfeeding by M and Y
2. Haakaa pump – saves milk without much effort
3. Lanolin – I used a few tubes in A’s first months
4. Thick cloth nursing pads – these helped keep me warm when I had vasospasm (I used them with disposable pads as I had this issue when I was too leaky for the cloth alone)
5. APNO – you’ll need a doctor to prescribe this

M nursed until he weaned himself at the age of 15 months. It’s simply mind-boggling, considering the issues we dealt with.

Gosh, breastfeeding is tough. Kudos to all the moms who have done it, and to all the moms who knew when the right time was to stop…

You’re doing great mama!

Did these tips help you? Share your own breastfeeding tips in the comments below!

The post 12 Mom to Mom Breastfeeding Tips appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

When Baby Y was first diagnosed with a food allergy, I stepped into an unfamiliar world.

It was a world where eating at someone else’s home meant anxiety that could keep me up at night.

It was a world where my older child’s favorite food could kill my toddler G-d forbid.

And it was a world where forgetting the “kids’ suitcase” including my son’s epipen behind on a visit to my parents can induce a panic attack smack in the middle of driving (true story.)

There are few things that can really relieve the anxiety of being the mother of a highly allergic toddler, but knowing that there is an emergency response available does give a touch of comfort.

I first made this Epipen case for Baby Y’s Epipen duo. I thought it would be cool to have something a little prettier to carry it in, as well as something that provides a bit of cushion.

I used felt because I feel like it insulates a bit (and Epipens ARE temperature sensitive – they need to be kept at room temp.) Do not rely on this to insulate your pen – I only use it as secondary protection.

Another important detail: this epipen case pattern is designed to fit two Epipens perfectly for good reason: you are meant to have both with you at all times, in case the first doesn’t work or isn’t enough.

When designing this epipen case, I used a hook and loop closure to make it easy to open quickly. I needed a solution to make it clear what’s inside – you may want to go even further than I did.

On one, I decoupaged a medical warning symbol on a metal disc, and covered it with Mod Podge Dimensional Magic. I glued this on the flap of the case.  I kept this one for Baby Y and probably should have also embroidered the word “epinephrine” or something along those lines.

On the second, I painted on an allergy symbol using Fabric Creations Soft Fabric Ink and paint mini paint brushes. I wrote the word Epinephrine on the other side. This one I gifted to a friend (you can see the story about how gifting this to her was a huge saving factor when she had a severe anaphylactic reaction!)

Since I use this inside my diaper bag or handbag, I didn’t add a carrying element. On the rare occasion that I use it on its own, I carry it like a clutch. If you want, you can sew a folded ribbon into the seam as you go along to turn it into a wristlet. Or add a full shoulder strap. You can cut two belt-sized slits in the back and thread it onto a belt if you’d like a teen or child to carry it on their person.

Anyway, enough with the explanation. Here’s the tutorial…

What you need to make a DIY Epipen Carrying Case:

• Optional: the pattern (it’s not so complicated – you can figure out your own, but in case you want the help, I created a template for you)

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• Soft felt
• Good fabric scissors
• Embroidery floss or silk thread
• Embroidery needle
• Hook and loop closure
• E6000 (do NOT use the black stuff that I used – go for the clear stuff. The black is a hot mess!) or FabriTac glue
• Ribbon or leather trim to embellish it
• Something to mark the case with. Either Soft Fabric Ink and thin brushes or a metal stamping blank, a printed tiny medical alert symbol, Dimensional Magic, Mod Podge

How to make an Epipen case:

1. Cut your template and trace it on your felt.

2. Use fabric scissors to cut out our felt.

3. Fold it up to the markings on the template (or use your Epipens to measure).

4. Starting at the corner, sew up that epipen case! Thread your embroidery floss and poke it from the inside of the felt to the outside so that the knot lands up on the interior of your case. Stitch a couple of times in place.

Continue with a blanket stitch (you’re basically pulling the thread up through the loop that you create instead of on the outside of the loop).

Make sure to place a stitch at the edge of the opening. Continue around the flap if you’d like, or trim and sew the other side. If you’re continuing around, make sure to “catch” the opening again in the right place when you come around to it (it can help to pin it in place).

5. Finish off your last stitch inside your epipen case, knot it, and poke the knot back into the case.

6. Label your epipen case clearly however you’d like!

7. Add a hook and loop closure. Attach the two sides how they’ll be when they’re closed. Glue it onto one side.

Add more glue to the other side of your hook and loop, and close the flap of the case. Allow it to dry about an hour, make sure you can open your hook and loop properly and allow it to cure for 24 hours.

If you’d like, you can glue on trim such as leather cord or coordinating ribbons.

Stow your epipens in your brand new felt epipen case and you’re good to go!

Do you keep your epinephrine in an Epipen case? What tips do you have to share with those with food allergies? Comment below!

Loved this DIY Epipen case tutorial? Try these cool posts:

The post Epipen Case – Free Printable Pattern appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

If you are like most parents, you have some great kids who enjoy relaxing indoors, in front of a screen. While a little screen time generally will not do much harm, sometimes you may feel that your little ones are spending a little too much time in front of the television or tablet. If this sounds like you, you are in luck.

I’m here to help you figure out how to limit screen time, and how to divert your kids from the screen when enough is enough.

Incorporate Screen Characters into Pretend Play

While your child will likely huff and puff when you say screen time is up for the day, there are some great ways to help ease them into another activity. One way is to incorporate their favorite characters they were just watching into pretend play or art!

If their show was only half over when it was time to shut it off, have them draw a cartoon for what they think would have happened next. If they were playing a video game like Minecraft, turn it into real life.

Make a cardboard pickaxe for your child to decorate and have them head outside to “chop” down various trees. Cut out apple and carrot shapes for them to munch or (or provide them with the real food) to help keep their “hearts” full. You can even have them plant seeds into the ground for a pretend wheat or carrot crop.

My boys could play Minecraft for hours, if I let them. Which is why incorporating screen characters into pretend play has been such a great thing for my kids.

While screen time is probably going to be a norm for kids in this day and age, it makes sense to help them use their imagination a little.

Have Loads of Fun Activities to Transition to

Find out what your kiddos love to do. Do they love being outdoors? If so, once screen time is over, head on out for a fun picnic at the park. Play in the sprinklers, or even set up a mini car wash for hot wheels cars. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.

Even if they are not outdoorsy, there are plenty of fun indoor activities like board games, craft time, and even baking cookies. The options are endless, but the key is to find things that your children love doing, other than video games and cartoons. Having something exciting waiting for them will make it a whole lot easier for your child to hit the power switch.

Additional activities are always a great diversion from wanting to do more screen time.

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Time Limits are Always Welcome

I’m the first to admit that screen time is nice because then I’m able to do a lot of my chores or work in peace. However, I know it’s not the best thing for my child all the time. Setting a timer has been an amazing thing for me! Instead of forgetting about my child being on the screen, a timer reminds us both that it’s time to move onto something else.

Think of how quickly time goes when we’re on Facebook or our favorite blog. The same thing goes for our kids, time flies when they’re on the screen and having fun.

Something I’ve been trying to do to divert my kids from screen time is keep the tablets and phones out of sight. I often forget they’re laying around, which makes it easier for the kids to grab anytime they want.

Figuring out how to limit screen time can be tough, but with the right tricks up your sleeve, you’ve got this!

Comment below with your tricks for diverting your  kids from screen time. Can you help your fellow moms learn how to limit screen time?  Got anything foolproof to share?

About the Author:

Jess Weaver has been a work at home mom for almost 8 years. She owns www.jessleewrites.com and specializes in copywriting and ghostwriting. She’s the mom of 3 boys and 1 girl. Her time gets filled with writing, baseball, teaching her kiddos, and exploring the world with the fam.

Loved these clever tips for how to limit screen time? Check out the helpful parenting tips below!

The post How to Limit Screen Time with Clever Diversions appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I’ll confess, that when I first heard about the negative effect of glitter on the environment, I was skeptical.

But I realized that it’s a real issue that needs to be addressed and not passed by as it “doesn’t pertain to me.” I use LOTS of glitter – I think it adds sparkle and life to almost any project. And I really enjoy how easy it is to use.

Glitter, however, contains microplastics that not only never decompose, but they are also toxic for fish (and humans?) We don’t want it in our water, in a nutshell, and it doesn’t do great for our earth either.

To start, I am NOT stopping to use regular glitter.

I am always careful to dispose of my glitter properly, either by using a lint roller, or by vaccuming it and throwing it into the garbage.

I also believe that the real harmful effect doesn’t come from using glitter in small amounts, like I do usually. It’s the huge amounts of glitter from parades and events that gets hosed down and ends up in our oceans that’s a real issue, in my opinion.

However, it still won’t hurt to choose biodegradable glitter or another eco-friendly glitter option next time, right? And to be honest, since I typically look for something with better quality when I craft, I’ve been using some of these better glitters already!

Every little thing we do can help, and by making our choices clear, hopefully we’ll affect some change on the manufacturing level, encouraging more manufacturers to consider producing eco-friendly and biodegradable glitter options.

While I don’t think that glitter is the biggest problem our environment is facing, and I believe that there are many other areas of concern, I do think it’s a discussion is to be had.

And I definitely believe that it’s worthwhile to have some eco-friendly glitter alternatives and biodegradable glitter sources handy so that we can do our part if we choose to!

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Eco-friendly Glitter Alternatives:

Crushed glass glitter (my top pick):

I first fell in love with crushed glass glitter when making this “druzy” style bangle. The fact that the glitter is made of glass makes it so much more classy in jewelry making projects!

I’ve also used crushed glass glitter in projects such as these gift tags and found that they didn’t make that mess that glitter is notorious for. You probably DON’T want to use this one in kids’ sensory play activities such as slime, play dough, and anything they’ll be squishing with their fingers.

It definitely is more expensive than cheap tinsel glitter but you can start with a solid neutral and tint it as needed using permanent marker or other pigments – or get a full sampler.

Microbeads:

I absolutely love microbeads!

These are also made of glass, not plastic, and while they could be clingy like glitter they’re not in as many tiny pieces. And they’re made of glass, not microplastics.

I used them in crafts such as my Origami Heart Card. They don’t have the same shimmery look as glitter and I treat it like the “matte version of glitter”.

This is a perfect alternative for kids’ things since they don’t have sharp edges.

Glass seed beads:

Seed beads come pretty much as small as a grain as sand.Use them as you would glitter – and by choosing a glass option, you’re doing the best for the environment. It’s also more feasible for kids’ sensory activities, although it’s not something that will work in sensory bottles, as it’ll likely sink.

The smallest sizes – 24/0 can be hard to find and you might not find the colors you need. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, go larger by choosing a higher number – just don’t go too big! I found the best, most diverse selection here, including some unique vintage finds that will seriously upgrade your crafts.

Confetti:

You can get a lot of the glitz and fun effect of glitter by choosing a rough-cut metallic confetti as a biodegradable glitter alternative!

Biodegradable Glitter:

Etsy sellers and Amazon:

Many Etsy sellers market biodegradable glitter. I’ll be honest with you: I’m not positive it’s all accurate. You may want to look deeper into an individual seller before purchasing. This is the case on Amazon too – may cosmetic glitters say “biodegradable” in the keywords but when you explore the description they don’t share what makes it biodegradable.

One Etsy seller that I found that looks legit is Eco Sparkles. The description says:

This glitter is made from FSC Certified, non GMO eucalyptus trees, it is certified biodegradable and certified for cosmetic use.

That’s the kind of thing I want to see on a description when purchasing biodegradable glitter. I also love Eco Glitter Fun’s mixes (check out the FAQ for more info on how biodegradable it is).

Explore more Etsy sellers with biodegradable glitter here.

Do you think using biodegradable glitter is important? Do you have any other ideas for eco-friendly glitter alternatives?

The post Biodegradable Glitter and other Eco Friendly Glitter Ideas appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Sleep is not something that most of us associate with motherhood.

Sleep deprivation is.

Moms are notorious for walking around looking like zombies, doing absent-minded things. I had given up on really getting sleep long ago.

But I never realized how badly things could spiral downward. I never knew how low rock bottom really was.

Can I say that I HOPE that what I hit was indeed rock bottom? Because it was sheer torture, and leaves me dealing with the trauma and anxiety that it will happen again.

No, this post is not about to admonish you to get your zzz’s.

I’m not about to tell you to shut that phone two hours before bedtime, or to avoid caffeine after 2 PM.

Because at rock bottom, none of this helps.

At rock bottom, it’s about basic survival. It’s about making it to the next day.

At rock bottom, everything slides backwards and your kids don’t have a mom. At all.

What can happen when you don’t take care of yourself.

It’s hard to describe what I’ve been through because people don’t relate to “insomnia” as something very traumatic.

But I need to find a way to describe it, so that I can impress upon you the importance of caring for yourself.

Deliberate sleep deprivation is actually used as a form of torture. While the human body is adaptable, and can compensate for missing a day of sleep, going periods longer than 24 hours without sleep can cause things to start going haywire.

According to Psychology Today: “If a person is deprived of sleep for longer than that, several mental and physical problems begin to develop.”

For years, stress gave me trouble sleeping, but with a little bit of determination and a whole lotta caffeine, I was functional most days.

But then came a few days where I got shockingly little sleep.

And then right after that, I had a night with no sleep.

By the next night, 36 hours with no sleep, my limbs were heavy and hard to handle. But that night I couldn’t sleep again.

My heart was racing.

By the 48 hour mark, my limbs were on fire and felt like they were burning. At that point, you just want to die. I kept finding myself drifting and then suddenly catching myself like I was falling, and then I was wide awake again.

It would happen 20 times in a 20 minute span and was sheer torture. Physically and psychologically it was torture.

But during that day, with my husband home, the kids cared for, I still couldn’t sleep. In the end, I went well over 60 hours without catching a wink.

By night, I doubled down on melatonin and ZzzQuil and fell asleep for an hour before waking again. And then another hour. And then 4 hours. Needless to say, I went to my doctor – finally!

He prescribed medications that sometimes worked, sometimes didn’t, then switched it to something that didn’t work.

On these medications, I’d pass out for most of the night, and during the day I was a zombie. I was withdrawn and lifeless.

Then there was that Monday, when I was ready to snap back and get things done…

I had a follow-up doctor’s appointment to deal with Baby Y’s health issues that we’ve been trying to get to the bottom of. I had to cancel the first follow-up visit because my lack of sleep made it impossible to drive.

I thought I was fine to drive now that I was on the medications and mostly sleeping. I felt fine.

But what I hadn’t realized was that the hypnotic effect of the medications were still lingering, and they caused me to get totally hypnotized while driving. It took me 25 minutes of driving to realize there’s no way I’ll make it. I was shaking violently, on the verge of a panic attack, far from home, and realized there’s no way I’ll make it to the doctor.

My husband left work to fetch me, but he was close to an hour away…

I stepped out of the car with my son, and a kind woman who passed by asked me if I’m okay. I said no. She happened to be a nurse at a local rehab place, and invited me to wait inside, supervised. It was such a huge blessing.

That night, I tried a new medication which didn’t work.
The next night I got fed up.
Fed up with having to call in carpool favors because I couldn’t drive. Fed up with having to take advantage of others’ kindness.

Obviously, if this situation was simple, I’d have helped myself by now. All the things I had tried weren’t helping because they were the easy way out. I wasn’t taking care of myself like I REALLY needed to.

I was dealing now not only with the trauma of those 60+ hours straight of not sleeping, but the added trauma of driving.

I stopped taking the sleep medications. I slowly started sleeping again. I went two weeks sleeping every night, and then I regressed again.

And then I went through the same “sleep for a week, regress” cycle again. And again.

Eventually, I realized that I need to take care of myself. I need to get myself help.

I realized that if my child was going through this, it would be neglectful and possibly abusive of me to deprive him of the proper therapy and help that he really needs.

I realized that I was seriously neglecting myself.

What self-care really means:

“Self-care for moms is important”

“Take care of yourself, because if you don’t, who will?”

These are some of the inspiring statements you’ll read all over the place.

These are true statements that are designed to empower you to be just a little bit selfish, just a little bit of the time. And they are valuable pieces of advice.

But what does self-care really mean?

I learned the very hard way that self-care is not about squeezing in an hour before bedtime to watch your favorite show. It’s not about the occasional splurge, or compromise. It’s not about remembering to slap on some eyeliner once a week. I nailed all that down ages ago.

Self-care is about seeing to it that your basic needs are cared for.

We joke all the time that we “forgot to shower”.

I’ll laugh with a friend about how when I’m not pregnant, I see my doctor every ten years. Oh wait, I’m only married for eight…

We find humor in our diets of “whoops I should probably have some crackers for breakfast at 12PM.”

But it’s really not a joke.

Our kids need constant care because they can’t care for themselves.

We need the same amount of care except we’re capable of giving it to ourselves, so no one else will.

We also need to be “bathed” regularly.

We also need to be fed wholesome meals three times a day.

We also need a bedtime routine.

We also need daily outdoor, active time.

We also need to take our vitamins and get proper nutrition.

We NEED it. Not “should get” it. Not “can use” it. We NEED it and if we don’t get it we will collapse. And what good is a dysfunctional mom?

I learned the hard way that if it would be a necessity if my child would need it, it’s a necessity for me too.

I learned the hard way that it’s okay if my baby cries for ten minutes because he wants MY breakfast a minute after he ate his.

I learned the hard way that it’s okay if my son cries in his crib for two minutes while I refill my water bottle.

I learned the very very difficult way that my son will be fine if I don’t hear him whining for ten minutes if he wakes while I’m in the shower.

And it took a brutal slap-in-the-face to realize that my kids will not be okay without their mother. That if the above doesn’t happen, she’ll be reduced to a dazed, crying, traumatized remnant of herself, and THAT is what can have everlasting effects.

I am currently working through my sleep issues with a very competent therapist.

I wish I could say that my story is over, that I’m back to normal. This morning in particular was a nightmare, coming after a very difficult night.

But as we work through her techniques my bad nights are not as bad. My good days are much better. And my only regret is that I didn’t see her sooner.

So what’s my message for you in all of this?

Basic self-care for moms and the critical lesson in all of this

• Eat those meals. Cook them. You can afford half an hour 3 times a day. Brownies and coffee don’t count as breakfast.
• Take that multivitamin. Even if you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding. You’re taking it for yourself too, not just your baby.
• Visit the doctor after 48 hours of no sleep, don’t wait for the next day!!!
• If you’re in a rut, feeling anxious, visit a therapist before things blow up. If you’re dealing with extreme insomnia a cognitive behavioral therapist can help! This workbook helped me enormously.
  
• Visit your doctor. Visit your dentist. Don’t walk around in a blur for a whole year before getting  a correction on  your eyeglasses prescription. And if you’re struggling with depression, insomnia, or anything of the sort GET HELP before your kids need help too!
• Hug your babies a little tighter – you have no idea what they’d forgive you for.
• Never take for granted those around you. I can’t begin to tell you how many people stepped in and helped.
• Music is a necessity
• Go for that walk – you can’t afford NOT to. Cut your work day short by half an hour if you need to (if you’re self-employed), or walk during your lunch break and eat lunch over work.
• Don’t look at what others are doing. Everyone’s success looks totally different. Comparing yourself to other moms, or others in your industry is a recipe for disaster.
• If you’re a work-at-home mompreneur, cleaning help is NOT a luxury.

And of course, appreciate every last second of sleep you ever get.

Update: I wanted to address something some readers have been commenting about (mostly on social media shares of this article) – the guilt they feel when they read it.

Some people have been complaining that this article guilts them about something that they can’t help. That’s about as far from my goal as I wanted to be…

The point of “oversharing” and writing this post was to impress upon fellow moms the importance of self-care with the mindset that if something is important enough it somehow gets done.

I didn’t necessarily share tips on exactly how to do it when you’re struggling. Everyone’s struggle looks different. So I can’t really tell you exactly what your solution will be. I CAN tell you that the best way to find your solution is to reach out to those who are struggling in the same way.

I also wanted to impress on you that you should feel LESS guilty about the sacrifices that your family might make for self-care – whether it’s your child going to a sub-par day care while you go to an urgent doctor’s appointment, whether it means dipping into your kids’ college funds for your own therapy, or even if it means reaching out to charity organizations because even if you JUSTIFY the expense, if you’re drowning in debt it doesn’t help.

At the end of the day, self-care IS another chore on the list, and while I hate to burden my fellow moms with this, it’s 1000% necessary.

And it’s an investment too.

Had I gone to the therapist for the underlying issues that were keeping me awake at night before it escalated to this degree, I would have saved myself the 6-7 VERY expensive sessions that were dedicated just to getting me to sleep okay.

And I would have done it had I felt there was a way.

But I didn’t.

My house is flying, I’m behind on my work calendar, and my kids’ have frozen dinners too often. And this is before taking a few hours off a week.

I barely make it to carpool time with half the day’s tasks checked off so now you want me to also prepare myself proper meals?

Whatever your challenge is, it hurts me the most to hear about mothers who neglect serious medical issues (yes, this is what I’ve been hearing, these are the mothers who feel the most guilty when reading this!) because they are overwhelmed with parenting.

There needs to be another way.

You need to reach out for help if you can’t do it yourself.

Look for a reliable charity. Reach out to your synagogue or church. Don’t be afraid, don’t be guilty to ask for favors, to reach out. And I pray for you your solutions will come quickly.

Get the coloring page packet!

Through all this mess, one thing I took up again was coloring -for myself!

I love the idea of sitting down with some gel pens and these positive messages, and they’re an easy color – they don’t take forever to complete. When I was at my worst, I colored the page that says “It will work out even if not how I planned” and hung it near my work space.

You can get this top-rated coloring page packet on Etsy or right below:

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The post The crazy thing that happens when you don’t take care of yourself first appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

One day, when we were chatting, she mentioned something that made me say “you need to write about this on Moms & Crafters”! And so, here goes. Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

People sometimes ask me if I would consider giving parenting classes, and I generally hesitate. I don’t think they need my classes; they have everything they need to be a great parent right there inside themselves.

Don’t get me wrong, I think parenting classes and books and workshops and anything that can give parents those helpful, often game-changing, tools to help them in their most vital of all trades are wonderful.

It’s just that if I were to ever give parenting classes they would take about ten minutes and involve exactly one tool:

GO TO SLEEP.

That is the beginning and end of it, in my experience.

The footnotes might include healthy eating, exercise and all manners of self-care, as well as practical tips and tips for getting the aforementioned sleep, which, if you have ever gone anywhere near mommyhood you would know is a whole lot harder than it sounds, but those three words would be the basic gist of it.

Hitting the Pillow: My Number One Parenting Tip

You see, I firmly believe that we are all incredibly intuitive and wise parents.

I believe that in any given parenting situation we know exactly what to do.

We know that when three-year-old Devil Debra paints a stunning mural with the full set of make-up we finally allowed ourselves to buy – all over the living room wall of course – the proper response is to remain firm and controlled, to gently remove her from the crime scene and give a natural consequence and all of the things they may have taught in parenting class.

So why do we instead morph into a creature more animal than human? Why do we sob or yell or rant or worse, reacting in ways we know, in the clarity and serenity of night, we will sorely regret and wonder if we’ve forever damaged our precious child?

It’s because we are so deep down, plain and simply bone tired.

It’s because that exhaustion that is our constant companion breaks down our control and wears down our motherly intuition, our ability for calm and rational thought in the face of mommy-crisis and allows our raw emotions to emerge unbidden and unwelcome.

It’s why we become irritable and uptight, snapping at the slightest provocation, acting toward our children in ways we know we shouldn’t.

It’s why we can’t be bothered to listen and empathize; it’s why we lose the battle of self-control because we have diverted all of our fighting resources toward fighting the battle against gravity our eyelids are perpetually waging.

We are just too tired.

For me it’s thanks to that factor that is supposed to be a mommy’s greatest blessing but has become this mommy’s greatest curse: working from home.

How wonderful, they say, and I said at first, that you can be home when your kids are home and then finish up on your own time, when your kids are asleep. It’s not so wonderful when the only “own time” I own is at 2-3-4 am.

After too many late nights spent working, I find that during all that wonderful time I have with my children, I may be there physically, but mentally and emotionally I am far away. I am irritable, prone to lashing out disproportionate to the “crime” committed,  and counting down the moments until I could get them all to bed and crash on the couch before my next late night work marathon.

For you, it may be something else that is causing your sleep deprivation, but the bottom line is that most of us are just plain too tired to parent in the most nurturing, loving, effective and intuitive way we are capable of parenting.

It’s our children who lose out, which is why, as I said, my number one tip for parents is to get enough sleep. It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give your child. You’ll be amazed at what you are capable of, at the depths of patience, insight and calmness you can access when your brain is focused and unmuddled.

How to Get Enough Sleep as a Parent:

It’s easier said than done of course! Which mommy has enough spare hours lying around that she can just simply decide to sleep more? Show me her; I’d love to meet her! Maybe she’ll have enough to spare for me too! It’s hard, but here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Awareness is key.

If you can’t acknowledge how much your parenting is dependent on your sleep level and other manners of self-care that invigorate you emotionally, you won’t have the motivation to make any changes. So first, recognize the importance of sleep.

2. The dishes can wait!

Resist the temptation to whip the house into shape once the little ones are in bed. Leave the mess and go to sleep. No child died from a sticky floor; plenty have died inside from a mommy who was too tired to modulate her words.

3. Naps are your friend!

Nap time is not just for little ones, and if I were elected President, I would sign into law mandatory nap times for every mother with children under the age of ten. It’s not always feasible, but do whatever it takes to help you get there. Power nap. Hire a babysitter if you can; it will be your wisest investment ever. Which brings us to our next tip:

4. Delegate.

Spouse? Relative? Cleaning Help? Takeout? Many of your household tasks can be done by others, but only you can ensure that your children’s Mommy can access her very best self every moment of her parenting career.

5. Keep a time log.

If you feel you simply don’t have time to sleep any more than you are already, spend a week keeping track of all of the time you spend every day. Go through that log with a fine tooth comb and weed out anything extraneous that is getting in the way of your beauty sleep.

You may need to unwind before heading to bed, but you may not realize that you are spending two hours watching a movie when you could suffice with a half hour episode. You never realized that those conversations with your BFF kept you on the phone for over an hour and that you spent a full 72 minutes mending Devil’s David’s torn pants.

6. Say No.

I don’t know about you, but one of the factors that keep me from getting a decent night’s sleep is all of those extra projects and responsibilities I take on, mostly because I don’t know how to say No.

Whether it’s volunteering, an extra freelancing job, or doing a favor for a neighbor or friend, carefully evaluate whether saying yes to this will negatively impact your own emotional health and your family’s well being.

It’s important to remind yourself that by saying No, you can be saying Yes to something far more important.

Don’t forget, until you start taking care of yourself, you can’t effectively take care of others!

Allow yourself to come first so that you can live up to your innate potential to be your children’s very best Mommy!

About the author:

Fradl Adams is the proud mother of four yummy girls. On the side, she works as a life coach in private practice, helping every Mommy find and nurture her true best self. She is also a poet and a writer. Her book, a compilation of inspiring Orthodox Jewish women, is available for purchase here.

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Menucha’s notes: While this article strongly shares with you WHY you need to sleep, and some methods for getting to sleep earlier, there are case when it doesn’t help – when you seem to simply not have the ability to sleep. Not only that, but if you’re struggling with insomnia these tips are really not for you – and taking naps can harm you more than help you. You SHOULD speak to a professional.

I have been struggling with extreme insomnia lately, and have finally faced the fact that I need to take care of myself Fradl’s article is on point and timely for me. I’ve “allowed” myself the expense of therapy, and am currently working through CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) for insomnia.

My therapist is a highly qualified woman, and I am seeing near immediate success with her approach. We are working through this workbook together and I strongly encourage you to give it a try if you’re struggling with insomnia.

At the end of the day, you need to take care of yourself, because no one else will. If you are dealing with insomnia, ask around and find a therapist that can help you work through it – there is no shame in getting help for yourself. If you think that you may be dealing with something underlying causing the insomnia, such as anxiety or depression, you NEED to find a mental health professional that can help you ASAP. Don’t wait until you hit rock bottom. DO IT NOW.

Also, Baby Y really did get into my brand new nail polish that I splurged on, and spill it on my pretty new desk… Of course I lashed out. I’m tired.

The photo of M coloring on the wall with my lipstick, though, is staged. It’s an old lipstick and it’s really a big poster board taped onto the wall.

The post The one thing that’s preventing you from being a better parent appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

With a long winter ahead of us, I’ve been gearing up my home and children to get warm, cozy and healthy. I dread spending a week indoors with all of us sick, so I do what I can to prevent that. In the event that does happen, these winter survival tips help us be more comfortable and prepared. 

I’ve partnered with Braun Thermometers to bring you some of my best tips and tricks for surviving a long winter with young kids.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to “winterize” properly, especially if you live in a place where temperatures drop rapidly and unexpectedly overnight.

My main trick is to be prepared. That’s why NOW, as the cold and flu season is arriving, is the perfect time to go through that checklist and make sure you have what you need.

Expect it to happen, be equipped when it does, and avoid those late night emergency trips to the pharmacy.

For every family, being equipped looks different. For us, it meant checking that Baby Y’s inhaler hadn’t expired – and replacing it when it was. For others, it might mean being educated on what to do in the case of a febrile seizure.

You know your family’s needs, what your kids’ “sick symptoms” are.

The one thing that every family needs ready and handy: a good thermometer. Braun thermometers are the #1 brand recommended by doctors and are perfect for the entire family. They are especially good for young kids, since it can be harder to get them to cooperate.

Winter survival tips for families with young kids: the 5 point checklist:

1. Get control over your home temperature:

I’ll never forget the winter that we lived in a small, rented apartment, and my bedroom was not properly outfitted with heaters. I came down with the flu and spent nearly two weeks at home and away from work. It took me months to actually recover and get back to work.

You can imagine the havoc it wreaked on my family and life. Before the next winter could come around, we made a hasty move to a better and warmer apartment.

Heat isn’t the only important detail. My pediatrician always instructs me to crack the windows open occasionally in the kids room to let it air out as a stuffy room can breed germs. I like to do this during the day, when they’re not sleeping, so that I can ensure that the room is a comfortable temperature at bedtime.

2. Stock the medicine cabinet:

I also make sure my medicine cabinet is adequately stocked with everything I may need, like vitamin C, vapor rub, children’s acetaminophen and accurate, working thermometers.

I love Braun thermometers because they are highly recommended by pediatricians to be the #1 brand. A quick drive to Walgreens is all I need to stock my medicine cabinet, including Braun thermometers. And you can even get a discount on it using this coupon through the Ibotta app!

Too many times I have grabbed a thermometer out of the medicine cabinet only to find it totally inaccurate or just completely broken. I’ve also struggled with the need to wait until the next diaper change to get a baby’s rectal temperature, only to have him kick so hard, I couldn’t wait the full minute I needed for an accurate reading.

I’m sure you can relate.

It’s important to always know your child’s correct temperature, so that you can tell the pediatrician your child’s fever history. The Braun ThermoScan 5 is clinically proven to give precise readings – more so than forehead or rectal readings. It is pre-warmed to minimize the cooling effect of the tip on the ear canal. The filters helps us avoid cross-contamination, because the one thing our family doesn’t like to share is germs.

The Braun No touch + forehead thermometer gets me a reading in seconds, so that even finicky Baby Y isn’t quick enough to fight it! The color-coded readings help me understand what’s “normal” and what’s not.

3. Ample outerwear:

I start off by making sure all jackets, coats, sweatshirts and thermal underwear is purchased before the winter starts; ideally, even before autumn starts. You don’t want to be caught in a sudden temperature drop unprepared. 

I make sure that they have car-seat ready options (since puffer jackets and bulky outerwear aren’t safe).

Tip: Keep some warm, fleece blankets in the car for the kids to cuddle up under on cold mornings! 

Scarves are a must as well, and don’t interfere with the car seat buckle. A friend of mine suggests getting infinity scarves for kids to avoid loose ends.

4. Layers, layers, layers:

I think many of us tend to overdress our children. A child can always take a sweater off, but we don’t want them to be caught unprepared.

However, overdressing can unfortunately cause a fever to rise. When Baby Y was really small, we had to rush to the emergency room when he spiked a fever (he was under two months old, and any fever is a concern at that age.) He was wearing a thick sleeper at the time, and I don’t think I need to elaborate on the mom guilt I felt…

If you child seems cranky, or sniffly, it’s good to know their body temperature so we can dress them appropriately.  The Braun no touch + forehead thermometer is a great choice; you can easily check up on your child touching the forehead or from up to two inches away. It’s the first thermometer to take professionally accurate temperatures with only a gentle touch or no touch.

The on-screen instructions let you know how your positioning is and if you need to move closer to your child. 

The thermometer also has a silent mode for sleeping children. So when I do my nightly check-up, I can get a discreet temperature reading, and remove or add a quilt.

5. Always have a backup:

When I purchase winter accessories, I always buy an extra pair of anything that can get easily lost. This way, we’re not stuck without a full pair of mittens on a cold morning, rushing off to school. 

Need a backup of your own? I have an awesome giveaway for you!

You can enter to win the chance to stock your medicine cabinet with this cool giveaway from Braun. To enter, just comment on this post answering the question below. Then make sure to enter your information into the GLEAM form so that I can know how to contact you. One lucky commenter will receive (1) $50 Walgreens Gift Card and (1) Braun No touch + forehead thermometer (ARV: $110). Prize is sponsored by and will be fulfilled by Braun Thermometers. Winner will be drawn on 11/17/2017 and will be contacted via email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim the prize after which a new winner will be chosen.

Braun Thermometers Giveaway

 

What are your best winter survival tips for families with young kids? How do you plan to winterize for cold and flu season? Download your Ibotta coupon here and comment below!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Braun Thermometers. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Winter Survival Tips for Families with Young Kids appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

There’s nothing that makes a mother feel as helpless as watching her typically exuberant child lose all that energy. When your toddler is throwing up, knowing the right steps to take can make all the difference!

Disclosure:  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. You can contact Mead Johnson Nutrition with product related questions or comments toll free at 1-888-777-3395.

It was a Sunday late afternoon, and my husband had just finished giving M, then two years old, a bath.

“He threw up in the bath,” my husband told me.

“Give him something to drink so that he doesn’t get dehydrated,” I replied.

About half an hour later, M threw up again. He was looking pale and weak. We called up our pediatrician at home (because these things always happen on a weekend after hours!) who advised us to give him a pediatric electrolyte drink. We were unequipped.

By evening, M was lethargic and we rushed him to the emergency room. There, they helped re-hydrate him and get the vomiting under control.

Disclaimer: this post does not serve as medical advice. Always consult with your child’s doctor if you have concerns about dehydration or any other health matter. Never listen to advice you read on blogs above what your doctor has told you.

4 ways to be prepared for when your toddler is throwing up:

Had I had the experience at the time, I wouldn’t have had to suffer through half that nightmare. That’s why I wanted to share with you some ways that you can be prepared for when your toddler is vomiting.

Always have an electrolyte solution on hand:

Getting your toddler to drink water isn’t enough as she or he is losing vital electrolytes as well. Enfamil® Enfalyte® helps your child quickly replace those lost electrolytes and fluids simultaneously.

It has no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners, and is a clear, great-tasting solution.

I love that it’s created by Enfamil®, the same brand that pediatricians recommend for the formula we feed our babies. Enfalyte comes in two mildly flavored options: Cherry Splash and Mixed fruit. It has been trusted by hospitals for over 25 years.

Keeping Enfalyte handy means that you are always prepared.

Serve it to your child how he or she is used to drinking – for us that’s a straw training cup.

Keep your doctor’s off-hours contact information close by:

I have many important numbers on my phone:

• The local volunteer ambulance
• The doctor’s office
• The pharmacy

But one number I had neglected to put was our doctor’s pager for off-hour emergencies. And of course, every mishap like this happens off-hours.

Most pediatricians will have a number to reach them for when they are closed. Add that to your phone as well, so that you don’t need to be scrambling for it when you’re overwhelmed and stressed because your toddler is throwing up.

Know the indications of dehydration in advance:

When your toddler is throwing up, you don’t want to be looking for information and doing research.

Be equipped with the knowledge about the indications of dehydration in advance so that you can be aware of what the red flags are to call your doctor.

This was one area where I had done my research, spoken to my doctor, and I was able to know that it was serious and won’t “just pass”.

Have a “throw away” pile ready:

Keep a stash of old towels and sheets that are ready to be tossed handy so that you don’t have to worry about washing large amounts of rags.

My mom’s tip: if you know your child is ill or something is going around, dress him or her in junk clothes.

The last thing you need is extra piles of laundry when you’re struggling to deal with a sick child.

In summary, if your toddler is throwing up:

• Always ask your doctor if you have any concerns. It’s okay to end up in the emergency room for a false alarm.
• Know the indications of dehydration.
• A vomiting child loses important electrolytes. Make sure to restock those.
• Be equipped, because these things happen! Always have Enfalyte handy so that you have it when you need it!

Learn more about Enfalyte in English or Spanish.

What are your best tips for then your toddler is throwing up? Comment below!

Disclosure: This is sponsored by Enfamil® Enfalyte® Oral Electrolyte Solution.

The post What to do when your Toddler is Throwing Up appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

This post was also inspired by a couple of house fires that recently happened in our community. Personally, a house fire is one of my biggest fears as a parent. Hearing about house fires on the neighborhood always spurs me to do more to protect my family as best as I can. I never want to look back and say to myself that I could have done more. 

This month is also Fire Prevention Month. I am using this opportunity to spread awareness about fire safety. While we can never be fully prepared for something as devastating as a house fire, we can certainly do our best to instill safe practices and some ground rules for ourselves and our children. 

Fire Prevention Month is the perfect time to do a home fire safety checklist. Things on a checklist can include:

• Testing the functionality and placement of all your alarms
• Keeping track of expiration dates 
• Planning and practicing your family’s escape route.

This would also be a good time to clean out the chimneys and furnace before the winter season, and ensuring that your dryer vents are clean.

Don’t be a statistic: nearly 3000 Americans die from house fires each year, so the least we can do is to be prepared!

Children can start learning about fire safety from a very young age. My son was barely three years old when he learned about stop-drop-roll in his day care, and I even recall him telling me about feeling the doors to check if they are hot or not.

While your children will learn some important fire safety rules in schools, it’s important to take what they learn and expand on it and apply it to your own home. Review these fire safety rules with your family as often as you see fit; repetition and review are vital to remembering in a crisis. 

9 Family Fire Safety Rules

1. Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

This rule is number one for good reason. It is of utmost importance that your home is properly fitted with enough carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms. The amount you need will depend on the size of your home. Every home has different needs, and you need to consider what it is your home needs to be properly equipped with both smoke and CO alarms.  The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends one on each level and in every bedroom. 

Alarms do not last forever- don’t forget to regularly test and replace alarms and detectors as needed, and replace your alarms every ten years. 

When you replace your alarms, make sure to replace them with devices that have 10-year sealed batteries. These alarms from First Alert offer tamper-resistant reliability, and you won’t need to replace the batteries for the ten year life of the alarm. A variety of alarms are available to meet your specific needs and your local legislation requirements.

First Alert offers a variety of alarms to suit your needs.

• The 10 Year Atom Smoke Alarm makes for a nicer smoke alarm, ideal for bedrooms.
• The 10 Year Battery Dual Sensing PhotoElectric & Ionization Alarm is a great choice for overall protection as it contains both types of smoke sensors recommended by the NFPA. 
•  The 10 Year Sealed PhotoElectric Combination Alarm is a handy piece that provides both smoke and carbon monoxide safety.
• The 10 Year Sealed MultiFunction CO Alarm is a modern, stylish alarm that can be displayed table-top in any room in the house. 

2. Fire Extinguishers

As a child I recall always having a fire extinguisher under the kitchen sink, As an adult, though, I realized I had no idea how to use one! A fire extinguisher is so important to keep in your home, but even more important is learning how to use one correctly.

Place a fire extinguisher in every area you feel necessary. For example, the kitchen, garage, and a central area near bedrooms is a good place to start. 

3. Have an Escape Plan

Whether you live in an apartment, a private home or any other type of home, you must create an escape plan for your family. Repeat, repeat, repeat the locations of all exits in case of a fire. You should be able to identify two ways out of each room (including windows and doors), and make sure everyone in the home understands the plan.

An escape route- both planned and practiced- is an essential part of fire safety. According to new research from Frist Alert, only 27% of families have included a meeting spot in their escape plans. Agree on a central location to meet at once outside so you can do a head count at a safe distance from the house- this can be a specific tree, or fence, or a neighbors yard. 

Do you have an artist in the family? Let an older child draw the escape plan so that everyone has a clear view of how to get out of the house in case of an emergency. Involving the children is a great way to get them to be proactive about fire safety. 

Instruct your children to never go back into a home or building on fire once they are safely out. Call for help, and let the firefighters do their jobs. 

4. Fire Drills

Fire drills are not just for schools. You may handle it differently, but an escape plan on paper is not enough! Make sure to practice your escape plans, including teaching the children to stay low as they exit, and to check closed doors with the back of their hands that may be hot to the touch. Teaching children the stop-drop-roll rule is also important- my son regularly practices stopping, falling to the ground and rolling over and over to extinguish imaginary flames. 

An easy mantra to teach your children in case of fire is “Don’t hide, go outside!” Hiding from a scary fire can be instinctive in a young child. Instill in them the safe practice of getting out, out, out. 

5. Don’t Forget the Dryer Vents

Keeping your dryer vents clean is very important. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, a whopping 34% of house fires start from a failure to clean the dryer. This is especially prevalent in the fall and winter and also applies to chimneys and furnaces. 

6. Kitchen Fires

Kitchens are a notoriously dangerous place for fires to start. Never leave cooking food unattended, even for a moment. Be alert for overflowing pots, grease fires and drips in the oven. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, do not cook. Your reactions will be impaired. 

Teach your family how to put out different kinds of kitchen fires. Don’t forget- if you cannot put out the fire after a few attempts, GET OUT! Take your family, leave the house and call 911. It is not worth the risk to fight something that is bigger and stronger than you are. 

Don’t use your oven as a closet. Storing flammable items in there, even if you are sure you will remember to remove them before turning the oven on, is dangerous and reckless. 

There are a few ways to combat kitchen fires.

• Always start by turning off the heat source; this may very well take care of the fire on its own.
• Have metal cookie sheets in easy reach to cover flames with. (Do not remove cookie sheets until it has cooled.) This will cut off the fire’s oxygen supply. 
• Baking soda is a great aid in grease fires, if the fire is small, and it is also something to always have in a place you can easily access. Water is a no-no for grease fires. 
• If the fire is in the oven, do not open the door. Fire needs oxygen to thrive, so opening the oven door is a big mistake. Turn the oven off, back away and either wait for the fire to die down on its own or call for help. I have personal experience with this!

7.  Be Wary of Your Clothes

Children should sleep in tight fitted pajamas. The tighter the fit, the less of a chance a fluttering sleeve catching fire. This also applies to the clothes you wear in the kitchen. Bell sleeves, scarves and loose bathrobes are dangerous to wear while cooking and baking and can catch fire very quickly.

8. Limit Access to Lighters and Matches

As a parent, this one sounds kind of obvious. But it bears repeating. Look at fire from a child’s perspective. Fire and flames are beautiful, intriguing and pretty cool (when it’s not destroying everything you own.) Even adults find fire fascinating.

Keep your matches and lighters in a high, locked cabinet. If you are not using all the burners on your stove-top at once, utilize only the ones in the back to decrease the chance that some curious hands at stove-top level will try to “fan the flames”. 

9. Local Emergency Numbers

Keep your local emergency numbers in easy view of telephones and speed dials. Review the numbers with your children, though you may want to emphasize the point of only calling in case of emergency. 

Fires can be terrifying, but preparing our children from a young age can prove vital in face of crisis. Learn more about First Alert’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors here!

How do you teach fire safety to your family? Do you do something different than the fire safety rules mentioned here? Comment below! 

The post Family Fire Safety Rules You May Not Have Known appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I asked my assistant Rochel Jager to share her story and write this post for me. Rochel does a lot of the proofreading, editing, and backend stuff for this website. Since she has had lots of personal experiences with food allergies, I asked her to step out from behind the scenes and share these food allergies facts with you.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

You’d think by 2017, every parent would know all there is to know about allergies. If your own kid (or you, yourself) suffers, then you know all about the severity. But what about those of you who really don’t get what the fuss is all about? Questions like: why are entire schools nut-free? Why not even traces? What’s the big deal about a food allergy? Why can’t you just eat peanuts and pop an Epi-pen into your thigh every time?

Well, that’s why I’m writing this.

To educate, yes, but more to bring some light to this issue and some awareness.

I’m not a doctor. Heck, I’m not even a nurse. I’m not in the medical field at all, yet I can give you some insight from my own personal experience with food allergies. .

(Note: This is not considered to be a substitute for medical advice. Please consult with your own doctor if you have any concerns.)

My Struggle with Food Allergies:

My list of allergies is so long, I know more about what I can eat than what I can’t. My brother is an allergy sufferer. And my friend, my neighbor, and possibly even you. 

I grew up with regular seasonal allergies.

Every Spring, things like pollen, mold, mildew, and dust would turn me into a sneezing, red-eyed mess. It was all very unpleasant, but that was about all it was. Once the pollen season passed, I was fine. Some years are worse than others, some seasons I would need stronger medications, but overall, I didn’t think I had it too bad.

My allergies evolved as I grew older, and I now suffer from a little-known condition, called Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS).

OAS is caused by cross-reacting allergens in pollen, or certain trees and raw fruit, and some vegetables. This means that I am allergic to an enormous amount of raw (and some cooked) fruit and vegetables.

I’m also allergic to fruit extracts, which means many soaps and shampoos, a lot of makeup and detergents are all off the table.

My allergens differ, so that some require emergency care, and some just need an anti-histamine, like Benadryl. I don’t even know the extent of my allergies, because the only way to figure out if I am allergic to fruit is to try and eat the fruit and see what happens.

I’ve had some terrible reactions, including ones that have caused me to stop breathing, or cause my eyes to swell up so much that I couldn’t see out of them.

The most recent reaction I suffered had my face looking unrecognizable, and I don’t even know what caused it. 

My Brother’s Struggle with Food Allergies:

My brother, on the other hand, has a severe allergy to peanuts.

Now, he was what I considered a real allergy sufferer. When he started preschool, some twenty years ago, he was one of the first children with such a terrible allergy. His school became nut-free. This included the cafeteria lunches, and even the snacks that children were allowed or not allowed to bring from home.

He ended up in the hospital numerous times for accidentally eating foods that contained hidden peanut derivatives, like peanut oil, or peanut flour.  He was once fed a chocolate covered peanut that a neighbor offered him. She was sure it was a chocolate covered raisin. 

His food allergies are also airborne.

That means that even smelling peanut butter from across the room can trigger a reaction.

It was difficult for me growing up, because my favorite food of all time is PB and J sandwiches. My mother did not let any peanut butter cross the threshold of our house until he moved out.

As I matured though, I realized how much more difficult it was for him.

As he grew older, it became easier for him to manage his allergies.

From a young age, he was trained to ask, ask, ask – does it have peanuts? Is this food dangerous for me? A tough reality for a little boy.

He couldn’t readily share in his friends’ birthday parties.

He couldn’t fully relax in an ice cream store, always nervous that the same spoon that was used to for the chocolate chips had also been dipped into the nut topping.

Anaphylaxis, the reaction my brother has when consuming peanuts, is life threatening.

His airway swells and closes, and he has extreme difficulty breathing. If epinephrine (better known as an Epi-pen) is not administered within thirty minutes, an anaphylactic reaction can result in death.

An Epi-pen is not something to be taken lightly.  It does not replace emergency care, and in fact, one must still be seen by a doctor immediately after receiving the shot.

So, no, he can’t just eat some peanuts, and then pop the Epi-pen into his thigh, and all will be good. It’s not the same as someone with a sensitivity to dairy taking a Lactaid before or after eating.

What are food allergies exactly?

Allergies are considered a medical condition.

They are a damaging and hypersensitive bodily reaction and immune response to a substance. These substances can vary greatly. Common allergens include food (it’s not just peanuts!), drugs, dust, mold, pets, and seasonal allergies, like pollen. 

Allergies are not a myth.

They are a real concern, and very scary for many children and adults. Some people come across as selfish when dealing with their allergies, and imposing restrictions on others around them, but they are doing the best they can to protect themselves.

Unfortunately, it can sometimes be the only way to deal with the severity of allergies.

Allergic reactions can lead to death.

Death due to anaphylaxis is not a fairly common outcome, however the terrifying reality that a child can die due to improper treatment and emergency care is a reality that so many parents live with every day.

We all send our babies into the big, bad world, and we pray that they come home safely.

Parents of allergic children then add the fear of death due to someone feeding their child a measly chocolate covered nut, or another child opening their peanut butter sandwich just two seats away, and the airborne allergens finding their way over to your child. 

It is difficult to find an accurate statistic. However, according to allergicchild.com, at one point, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) stated that approximately two hundred people die in the USA each year from food allergies. Those statistics have never been proven, though. 

For parents who have had little to deal with in regard to allergies, it can be difficult to understand why your child’s school is so strict when it comes to their allergy policies.

Allergic reactions can be so severe, that it is imperative that a shared (enclosed) space is kept allergen free. Cross-contamination does happen, and can lead to tragedy if we do not safeguard against it. These shared spaces include cafeterias, restaurants, daycare centers, school classrooms and libraries. 

I’ve written a lot about anaphylactic reactions, however, those are obviously not the only reactions.

Children and adults that deal with allergies suffer in many ways. Typical reactions can be skin related- all over hives, or a rash in the specific area touched by the allergen (contact dermatitis). They can also be gastrointestinal- severe stomach pains, cramps and/or vomiting. They can involve the respiratory tract- difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, etc.

Another common reaction to food allergies can be swelling of the lips and/or tongue. Dizziness, feeling faint, and a weak pulse are all included in the various reactions a person can have to an allergen- whether airborne or not. 

It’s important to realize that these reactions can lead to life-changing health-concerns as well.

Some statistic and numbers related to food allergies:

• According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), allergies are more common in children, though they can appear at any time, any age, in anyone. 
  

  Allergies… affect an estimated 40 million to 50 million people in the US… allergies may interfere with day-to-day activities or lessen the quality of life.

• Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) writes that researchers estimate that roughly one in thirteen children in the US suffer from food allergies.  They also share that every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room. That would come to more than 200,000 ER  visits per year.

• People who don’t suffer don’t realize the extent of foods that cause allergies. The reality is, more than 170 (!) foods have been reported to cause allergic reactions, according to FARE.

• However, there are eight major food allergens that are responsible for most of the serious reactions in the US. These include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish. 

• The CDC reports that food allergies in children have increased by 50% between 1997 and 2011. Four out of every 100 children have a food allergy.
  (Note: the discrepancy in numbers from the FARE statistic is likely US vs. worldwide stats)

• A CDC data brief shows that in 2012, 1 million people were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. This number is only increasing. Allergic Rhinitis is also referred to as hay fever, or seasonal allergies.

• In the US, 8 million people reported skin allergies between March 2016 and March 2017. (CDC)

It’s important to note that allergies are not a result of unhealthy eating, or how a mother lead her lifestyle during pregnancy. It is in no way a lifestyle choice. And we’re not being picky. Trust me, I would love to have my choice of fruit throughout the year. I can’t eat things like melon, apples, plums, kiwis or pineapple, plus a whole lot more. (It makes dieting tough!)

Trying new foods can be terrifying for a person suffering from allergies.

A new food can be no problem, but it also has the possibility of triggering a terrible allergic reaction. A year and a half ago, I ended up in the ER with the worst hives I had ever seen. The doctors were in shock. Why? Because I peeled eight raw potatoes without gloves on.

I knew I was allergic to raw potatoes, but I honestly didn’t think it would have been such a big deal to quickly peel a few.

If you or your children don’t suffer from allergies, you are incredibly lucky. But it’s important to educate your children about allergies. When other kids suffer from allergies, they tend to feel left out. Suffering from allergies can make children vulnerable and prone to bullying.

There is no cure for allergies, and the symptoms can only be managed. There is no way to know if a child will grow out of them or if they will become worse as an adult.

That’s why it’s critical for the parents of non-allergic children, or the parents of children who are not highly allergic to be extra sensitive to the needs of allergic kids. Inspect the package. Avoid the traces as required by your school. And be grateful that you can send your child off without that fear that mothers of kids with food allergies experience.

Do you or does someone you love suffer from allergies? What has been your experience in dealing with them?

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