Pregg.net » Parenting Tips & Tricks

Baby Nutrition Saving Money Tips

PreggNet Team — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 09:06:55 +0000

Store baby food in the fridge and don’t throw out leftovers. Homemade baby food will save you a lot of money if you are making it a week in advance and that way you also save a lot of time in the kitchen. You can look for homemade recipes online and discover what kind of fruits and veggies your baby loves the most.

My nephew just loves eating for lunch this great simple soup pureed and it’s so yummy and delicious and easy to make. Just cook in water chicken, potatoes, yams, quinoa, carrots and any vegetable you love would be perfect for this. I take it out of the water and puree it until it’s perfectly smooth for the baby to eat. I don’t add any spices or salt because babies don’t need that kind of stuff.

For breakfast I make bananas, pears, apples, oranges and some fresh berries. This is so good even for adults. to keep the bananas from turning black I add a little lemon juice on top of the puree to prevent it from changing color and lose all the nutritious vitamins. Sometimes I just make double the amount because I have to have some for myself. I make it fresh every morning because fruit lose vitamins very quickly so it’s very important to make it fresh. It’s better tasting that way too.

Are Clothes Diapers Better than Disposable Diapers?

PreggNet Team — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:50:54 +0000

6 reasons to use clothes diapers and why they are better than disposable diapers

1. Avoid the chemicals
2. Save money
3. Go green and help save the planet
4. Baby skin breathes better in clothes diaper and prevents rashes
5. Saves you time going to the supermarket
6. Super absorbent, well designed, easy to use, wash them at home

You need to buy about 20 clothes diapers for a year for your baby and reuse them and enjoy a better quality of absorbent during the night. This only, will save you about $2,000 cost for disposable diapers. Of course you need to add the costs of washing the clothes diapers and the little mount of buying 20 diapers could be as little as $400 total. The saving are obvious and you also get to keep your baby’s butt nice and healthy avoiding the chemicals which from my experience cause bad rashes leading to sleepless night and making your baby suffer.

I was really sceptic at first to use clothes diapers as well, but after you watch all of those videos to help you realize the routines that comes with changing clothes diapers, it’s not so bad.

You need to have a bag for used dirty diapers. A place to arrange all of the clean ones near the nursery, a washing machine, depending on which clothes diapers you use you might need liners for the diapers to help you keep it clean. Dry them outside to save money on electricity and there you go. All you need to do is shop for the best clothes diapers. I prefer the BumGenius.

Saving Money Using Clothes Diapers

PreggNet Team — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:48:49 +0000

There are many companies selling clothes diapers these days. It’s not what you think anymore, clothes diapers aren’t what they used to be and they are very easy to clean and to use, and most of all they are the best for the baby’s skin because the don’t include all sorts of chemicals which often lead to baby skin rash and discomfort.

Double Savings Using Clothes Diapers

The benefits are huge when you are buying clothes diapers. You stop throwing out disposable diapers which are so bad for the environment and you save money not having to go the grocery store every time you ran out of diapers.

They are easy to clean and wash in a washing machine then dry out in the air for the whole day which doesn’t make you use electricity and when they are left to dry, you use the other diapers you have ready to use.

Your baby will love the diapers as they are so comfortable for the skin and prevent unwanted rashes other diapers cause because of the chemicals that makes the waste go jello. You will have to buy at list 10-15 diapers and reuse with liners especially made for clothes diapers.

The total savings a year using clothes diapers could be as much as $2,000.

How to Tuck Your Baby In and Sleep a Whole Night

PreggNet Team — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:35:41 +0000

Yeah, this is the million dollar question. How do you get your baby to sleep a whole night without waking you up every single hour?

It seems like parents are so used and most of them are so warned about sleep loss once the new baby comes, that they just give up in advance. But it doesn’t have to be like that. There are things you can do, believe me.

Sometimes you won’t feel like doing them, because you are lazy, or not really convinced that they would work. But the truth is, if you follow some of these steps, you won’t only enjoy a full night sleep, you will also provide a healthier life to your baby, and probably become a better parent. how is that, you ask?

Well, there’s no need to stress how important sleep is. Research shows this is a fact over and over again. We feel better when we sleep well, we work better when we sleep well, wee are more patient, and obviously more energetic.

We are also more relaxed, more aware, and more alert, which makes us better parents, and provide a happier, safer environment for our baby.

So let get to business –

What Can You Do to Make Your Baby sleep Better?

According to many book and experts, the most important thing is to create a routine. Doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do every night with a strict routine. This make the mind get ready to fall asleep.

What should this routine include? Here are some ideas.

Rocking Chair

Yeah, you know how this works. It’s a classic addition to the routine, but make sure to put the baby in his bed or cradle before he falls asleep, otherwise they might get used to falling asleep on your lap, which mean they will need you to rock them every night for a long long time.

A Soft Towel

Wouldn’t you love to be wrapped in a warm cozy towel every night after bath time, and before bed time?
Well, guess what, your baby does, too.
That’s a great addition to the routing, especially if followed by some rocking chair quality time.

The Art of Baby Story Telling

Ok, you think you know this one, but you don’t.
The best stories to tell little toddlers and babies are repetitive short stories. Preferably one you remember by heart. And if you’re a little creative, adding “hooks” are a great addition – hooks an be certain words that are repeated throughout the story and are emphasized by intonation, a melody, or a funny voice.

That’s why lullabies work, by the way. Experiment with those too – measure the time it takes to get your baby to sleep with each different lullaby, and abandon the ones that work less.

When you find the perfect lullaby or two – repeat them. Looping is the key.

Shh… Sleeping Baby

Some babys can sleep in a very noisy environment, but don’t take chances. Try to minimize noises when your baby is sleeping, and try to minimize checking up on her/him.

Baby Monitors

That might help the latter.

The Good Kind of Noise

I’m talking about white noise of course.
It is known to help babies and grown up to sleep, relax or even focus, as it drowns other noises.
Ocean sounds could also work, of course.
Better keep the sounds going, by the way, as a silent room might make it easier for the baby to go back to sleep if he wakes up in the middle of the night. And you know what that means, mommy (or daddy!) – blissful sleep!

The perfect Weather

So you can’t control the weather outside, but what you could do is control how the baby room feels.
Temperature in the room must be perfect.
Make sure they are wearing the perfect confortable clothes, and make sure to only tuck them in when the bed or cradle is in the perfect temperature.

Mobiles

Babies love to look at things while they are falling asleep, kinda like we like watching TV. It’s better when it’s something that’s interesting, repetitive but not to stimulating, so it’s hypnotic and helps the little one fall asleep.
When they grow older make sure to get the mobile a little further, so they can’t touch it, just watch.

Now, good night dear babies and parents!

How Your Baby Could Get Smarter Without Commercial IQ Scams

PreggNet Team — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:15:59 +0000

From 2-6 years of age your toddler needs to develop and boost his imagination skills. As a parent you should encourage your kid to be creative, imaginative and curious, which in turn will help him understand processes, and develop a better grasp of logic.

Read on to find out some creative yet free ways to encourage a smart toddler.

First, rather than buying piles of stuff and bucket of an assortment of toys, try to convert a part of your house in a conductive way for your child’s needs. This will encourage active learning in your toddler. Provide him with sand, clay and water to create structures, this helps to boost creative skills in youngsters. Toddlers explore more with simple and cheap toys. So, don’t bother to buy expensive toys who are more often than not mind-numbing and comfortable more than engaging and interesting.
Bonus: A curious toddler would spend more time building, disassembling and fiddling around than craving your constant attention.

Next, Set up a separate area for reading books for your toddler. To encourage learning it is best to choose furniture scaled down for them, this way parents will encourage the kids to use the area more often. Make sure the books are interesting, not just what is trendy and best sellers. Even if your child is to young to read, and even if he’s a baby – pictures can tell a story better than words. You can even write your own story!

Another idea is not to buy those damn children videos. It is recommended that your child’s Video or DVD library items would be chosen with the same respect and consideration as yours. Try to focus on videos that are suitable for children, rather than ones who are made for children (or at least keep a good ratio between them), such as nature videos, National Geographic, Discovery, etc.
Encourage your child to operate the video or DVD himself, this will not only save you time now, but will help your offspring deal better with technical problems in the future without requiring your assistance.

Buying an art activity desk can encourage drawing and innovative skills. An art activity desk includes table, chair, drawing sheets, pencils, and colors. This activity desk would not cost you more than $10.

It’s always best to set up an area that encourages learning and games, spend time with your toddler while they explore and discover, and make sure they focus on beneficial activities. You don’t necessarily have to spend more money to raise a smart kid, just spend it right.

Potty Training for Boys

PreggNet Team — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:17:08 +0000

Potty training for boys can take a longer time than for girls. This is because boys have more steps to cover than girls. The potty training for boys can be begun at any time between 18 months and 3 years. But between these periods of time, potty training cannot be given to a child at any age. One must ensure that the child is actually ready to take on the training. The first sign of readiness that is shown by the child is when the child complaints of wet diapers or when he says that he is going to wet his nappy.
These are the first signs after which a parent should take over and make the boy understand the need for using a potty. One should not force a child to sit in a potty and use it. This will only lead to complex situations. If the child does not like the whole process, forget about it for a few weeks and restart the training. Accidents are part and parcel of this training and when they occur, one must always react in a calm and patient manner and not scare the child for doing a mistake. This will help the parents in going forward with their children.

Potty Training for Girls

PreggNet Team — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:16:24 +0000

Potty training for girls is quite a difficult task to accomplish for first time parents. It is not that they do not know how to start; it is the timing which concerns them. But if the parent is able to get a hang of it, this task can be quite enjoyable and fun. A few tips to potty train your girl is:
The first thing that you ought to confirm is that your baby girl is ready for this potty training. Unless she is ready for it, the entire process is a waste of time for both the parent and the child. While some children may be trained right from 18 months, it may take even 3 years for a few.
Introduce her to the potty and help her understand that it is not something to be afraid of and that it is very essential to grow up.
When you face accidents do not go vile on the child. Treat them in a calm and patient manner. This can have a very large impact on their confidence and attitude.
Potty training can be quite a daunting task in the beginning but once your child gets a hang of it, it will make a parent’s life much easier.

Saving Money on Baby Clothes – Tips & Ideas

PreggNet Team — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:55:09 +0000

Buying clothes for a new born baby can be hard task. You need to find the clothes that suit and fit your baby. It should also be comfortable and easy to clean. But the toughest part is when it comes to purchasing cheap and good quality clothes. Baby clothes can be quite heavy on your pocket as these are made of high quality material to keep the baby safe and soft.
Some of the tips that one can follow while buying new clothes for one’s baby are:
It is always good to plan ahead and have an idea as to the age at which the clothes will fit them properly. One cannot buy clothes that will suit them at all age. This is because the children grow at a very fast pace and coping up with their growth is difficult.
One should always be ready to accept hands down clothes. These clothes are often bought for babies whose age is below 9 months. Such clothes will be hardly used as most of the children won’t wear clothes at such an age.
All these suggestions will definitely help you to find the right method to save your money and buy good quality clothes.

How to Tell if Your Child is Ready for Potty Training

PreggNet Team — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:16:49 +0000

Most of the parents are unsure about when to teach their child about toilet training. To start with it, both the parent and the kid should be ready. Usually the kid shows certain signs to tell the parents that he is ready to be toilet trained.

The parents can start their training when the child is able to
Understand words regarding toilet process.
Pull the pants up and down.
Doesn’t like to be in a dirty diaper.
Shows interest in using toilets.
The frequency with which the child urinates.

Teaching the kid on using the toilet is not an overnight process. It takes at most three to four months for the child to be fully trained. During the initial process, the kid should be trained to recognize the difference between urination and bowel movements. The parent can make their kids watch their toilet habits and ask questions regarding the same. Also, many picture books are available in the market regarding toilet habits which helps the kid to learn in a visual way.

The parents should not force the kid to sit in the toilet for a long time against their will. This will create a negative feeling regarding toilet. Thus patience is required in teaching the kids in using the toilet.

How to Choose a Baby Stroller

PreggNet Team — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:03:30 +0000

Choosing a baby stroller might not be as simple as choosing a color or brand. One of the most important provisions that a new parent should purchase is a baby stroller since it helps them in handling their babies for a long time on outdoors. Before buying baby strollers certain factors like safety, comfort, age of the baby and the places where it is used often should be had in your mind.

When you are taking your baby for a long outing, strollers which are light weighted and easy to move should be used. For a short trip, umbrella strollers are more than enough since they are easy to fold but they do not have full weather protection.

It is a good idea to choose a stroller that has a basket at the bottom to hold heavy items. The handles should be adjustable for the parents to hold. At the same time, the harness should be safe. Strollers which are convertible according to the baby’s age and size are also available in the market.

For fun loving and adventurous families, jogging strollers are the best option since they are extra stabilized and has terrain wheels.

Certain travel systems contain a baby seat and a standard stroller which fits into the car seat. This allows the kid to move inside the car comfortably. Hence, this type of stroller is recommended for the families who go for outings often.