Busy Mommy Media» Health & Beauty

Pregnancy: How to Enjoy the Third Trimester

Rachel — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:05:34 +0000

Enjoying the third trimester of pregnancy can be a bit of a challenge.

I swore this time around it would be different. After I went into preterm labor during my last pregnancy and lost my son, I was going to be grateful for each week as I got closer to a safe gestational age. I wasn’t going to complain AT ALL about third trimester aches and pains and I was going to enjoy every second of this pregnancy.

Fast forward a bit. At 32 weeks pregnant, I’m officially fed up and even though I know this is likely my last pregnancy, I’m having a hard time enjoying it at this point.

While I know there are things that I will miss once this pregnancy is over, I don’t entirely trust my body so I won’t feel completely secure until I have this baby safely in my arms.

In the meantime, I’m looking for ways to try and enjoy the third trimester.

Make Plans

Nothing makes waiting harder than sitting around staring at the clock . . . or the calendar in this case. Plans can always be changed if something comes up with your pregnancy but giving yourself something to look forward to can help pass the time a bit faster. Even if you just make plans to go to the park or see a movie that is coming out before your due date, schedule some things that you want to do.

I have a friend who recommends scheduling something major, like a big get together, right before your due date so you won’t be tempted to wish you were delivering earlier. If you don’t have the energy for arranging something big, think about just putting together a final girls night out before the baby arrives.

Document your Pregnancy

My youngest son’s baby book has little more than his name written in it. While I’d like to recommit to keeping up with the baby books this time around, for this baby and the ones who are already here, I am realistic. I know that this baby’s book will likely get the same treatment as the others.

Take advantage of your last baby-free moments to at least document your pregnancy and write a few thoughts down. It’s easier to continue a project than start a new one after baby is born so if you get a head start, you may be more likely to continue. If not, at least you have something written down.

Let Some Things Slide

I don’t know about you, but most of the things that I’m normally interested in have little or no appeal during pregnancy. I can’t sit through a movie or read a book to save my life at the moment. I’ve had to give myself permission to let a few things slide so I don’t waste all my energy stressing about the things I’m not doing well enough or not doing at all.

One of the things I’ve had to let go of is housework since I’ve been on some degree of bedrest for the last several months. My kids are learning some great housekeeping skills but I have to constantly remind myself that it doesn’t matter if they do it perfectly, it just needs to get done. That means we have streaks on the bathroom mirror and clothes are in the drawers but not necessarily folded. I’m trying to remember that their skills will improve over time and I won’t have to stare at messes I can’t fix forever.

Check a Project Off your To-Do List

If I could feel the nesting instinct when I’m not pregnant, I would be seriously on top of things. Unfortunately, nesting seems to hit full force when I’m too uncomfortable to take advantage of it. Put your family to work on projects that you can’t tackle yourself, like big decluttering jobs, and take the time to get some of the sedentary projects done that you don’t usually have time for.

I have been putting off organizing my digital photos and printing photo albums because I rarely have the time to sit down and focus on it (I’ve actually put them off for so long that the Shutterfly gift cards I had expired. Fortunately, Shutterfly has great customer service and gave me an extension).

I’ve been taking advantage of the times I feel too antsy to work on anything that requires brain power to organize my hard drives and preserve digital photos that I don’t want to lose. While other tasks may go unfinished, I can at least feel like I’m getting something done.

Pamper Yourself

I don’t generally spend a lot of time or money pampering myself but I do make an exception during pregnancy. . . or at least I try to when I can remember to get around to doing it. Despite what everyone says about the “pregnancy glow” there are few times in my life I feel less attractive than during the third trimester and the post-partum period. The situation isn’t helped by the fact that I can’t even bend well enough to trim my own toenails and my split-ends have a mind of their own.

I try and schedule a hair appointment shortly before my due date and with slip-on shoes becoming more of a necessity than a fashion statement, a pedicure is high up on my list.

Is a pedicure not in your budget? Use these tips to give yourself a pedicure at home (or have your more flexible partner do it).

It’s tempting to spend your money on things for the baby, especially if you still have quite a few things you need to buy, but your emotional state will be much better if you take the time to take care of yourself too.

I’m trying to remember that this week so that I’ll finally get around to making that hair appointment.

What tricks do you have for enjoying the third trimester?

photo credit: brennaval via photo pin cc

Top 7 Reasons to Declutter Before Having a Baby

Rachel — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:50:17 +0000

With my 5th baby due to be born sometime in the next few months, we’re trying to prepare for the shock of having a baby in the house again. We’re going to have a nearly 5 year age gap and I think we’re going to go through some major adjustments as we adapt.

Decluttering is a great way to prepare for having a new baby in the house. I’m dealing with full-blown pregnancy induced ADD* so focusing is not a strong point for me right now. I may not be able to get through a book or sit through a movie, but thanks to that fabulous nesting instinct, few things feel better than decluttering.

Here are my top 10 reasons why you should declutter before having a baby:

Easier to Maintain

With a new baby coming home, simplifying your life is essential. A clutter-free home is easier to maintain so you can spend less time on housework and more time kissing little baby toes. Tackle high traffic areas first, since you’ll see the biggest difference there.

If you have surface areas that tend to collect clutter, find homes for what is already there and create a system for limiting clutter in the future. This may involve finding a storage container for odds and ends, like car keys and mail, to be dropped in so they have a dedicated place to go. Once you have a system in place and a home for everything, daily maintenance won’t take long at all.

Save Money on Baby Basics

There are few things more irritating than buying something and then discovering that you already owned something that would have done the job immediately afterwards.

We all tend to spend more money than we need to when we don’t realize what we already own. Decluttering will help you rediscover lost items, like that hidden stash of onsies you forgot you kept from you last baby.

Earn Extra Money for Baby Gear

If you are having your first baby (or in our case, having a different gender for the first time), chances are you have a lot you need to buy. Baby gear and clothing can add up quickly and may not be in your budget. You can find the money to buy what you need by decluttering and selling things that you no longer need.

As the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time for a spring garage sale. I usually find that garage sales are too much work, especially while pregnant though so I prefer to list items on local classifieds or Ebay if the item is easily shipped.

Take Advantage of Nesting

During pregnancy, few things feel as satisfying as checking long procrastinated tasks off your to-do list. You may as well take advantage of that nesting instinct while you can and get some decluttering out of the way because once the baby arrives finding time for a shower and a nap will beat out most other things on your to-do list.

I often wish the drive to clean and declutter was as strong when I’m not pregnant because my progress is definitely slower and I’m much more limited in what I’m able to do. I’ll take what I can get though, even if that means putting my kids to work.

Take Advantage of Willing Helpers

Friends and family members are often more than willing to help you get your house ready for a new baby. Sometimes it can be hard to accept help but I’ve realize that delegating is a bit of a learned skill. If you are struggling to hand over responsibility, try making an ongoing list of tasks that need to be done and mark the ones that are more difficult for you to do on your own.

Don’t forget to put your kids to work either. They can be a huge help and it’s a great habit for them to get into before the baby is born. I’ve been on and off bedrest throughout this pregnancy and my kids have been able to do the bulk of the work with just a little instruction from me from my perch on the couch.

Get a head start on baby proofing

Tiny toys and other odds and ends need to be well out of the way by the time your new baby masters the art of crawling. You may as well get a head start by decluttering toys your kids have outgrown (or packing them away) and finding homes for all of the toys that have tiny parts.

Legos are currently the bane of my existence because I know if I don’t get a system for keeping them under control now, it’s going to be a nightmare when this baby starts crawling. Since it takes a while to form a habit, I’m training my older kids now so they can learn to keep their tiny toys off the floor before we end up with a baby choking on something.

It’s a Great Way to Pass the Time

Pregnancy drags a bit for me, especially this time since I’m pregnant after a second trimester loss. I’m sure I won’t feel safe until I have a healthy baby in my arms. Because of that, I’ve been looking for ways to stay occupied — which is a bit tricky when you combine my current short attention span and the bedrest. Seeing progress made on small decluttering projects is a great way to pass the time and it makes me feel like we’re really getting somewhere. With about 6-7 weeks still to go, I will probably be getting a lot of decluttering done.

photo credit: jhiner via photo pin cc

*Excuse any spelling/grammatical mistakes. Pregnancy brain is very, very real.

What are your top reasons to declutter during pregnancy?

Make Your Treadmill Time More Engaging

Pamela — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:59:59 +0000

Treadmills can be a great luxury to have in your home. It allows you to get your cardio in without having to fit the weather. Who really enjoys running in the snow anymore than running in the scorching summer heat? But they pose one huge problem, which causes people to not utilitze them to their fullest potential – you aren’t going anywhere and that patch of wall in front of you is B-O-R-I-N-G! Here are a couple of workouts to make your treadmill time more engaging.

Run to the Beat

You probably already listen to music of some sort while running/walking on the treadmill. Whether you wear an arm band for your iPod or just have music on, you can use that as part of your workout.

The basic idea is to switch tasks with each song. So your first song is your warm-up (a brisk walk) to get your heart pumping at a speed of 2.8 MPH with 0 incline. With the second song take it up to 3.3 MPH, depending on your style this is a walk or a job, with 0 incline. On the third song increase your incline by 3 levels (this might be %grade or just increments, depending on your model). Try to keep your speed the same, but know that some treadmills will decrease your speed automatically. For the fourth and fifth songs move your incline back to 0 but increase your speed to 3.8 MPH – a fully jogging pace.

At the sixth song increase your speed to what makes you do a full out run/spring – maybe 4.5 or 5.0 MPH. Once that song is over do the workout in reverse from that point – songs 5,4,3,2 and one. The total workout time is roughly 40 minutes – depending on the length of your songs. Some may choose to make a specific playlist, while other might just put their music on shuffle, both are fine.

Getting an All Over Work out In

While treadmills are primarily meant for cardio workout, you can get some ab and upper body work done too. After you have done a 3-5 minute warm-up, increase your speed to a brisk, yet comfortable walking pace. Then in 4 minute increments do a variety of these exercises (you can add handweights to make any of these more challenging):

Side bends – pretend that your back is against a wall, lean side to side squeezing your obliques (love handles) by moving your rib cage closer to your hip bone.
Shoulder raises – bend at the shoulder and put your arms directly in front of you (parallel with the floor) and alternate lifting – from the shoulder – straight up so that your finger points at the ceiling.
High Knees – get a quadriceps workout in by bringing your knees up to parallel with the floor with each step. *You might want to slow down your pace a little until you get the hang of this.
Butt kickers – get in a hamstring workout by bringing your heel all the way to you butt with each step. *You might want to slow down your pace a little until you get the hang of this.
Standing crunches – just like it sounds – do a crunch while you are walking. This is a great core stabilizing activity.

How to Save Money on Maternity Clothes

Rachel — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:01:19 +0000

After my last pregnancy, I wasn’t expecting to be pregnant again. At the end of a rough pregnancy, we went home empty handed and planning a funeral rather than looking forward to future milestones. I wanted to avoiding going through that particular experience again at all cost.

This pregnancy has left me a bit stunned and even though I’ll be 22 weeks on Monday, I’m still at least partially convinced that I’m probably faking it. The only thing convincing me otherwise is the fact that i still have 24 hour a day morning sickness and my jeans no longer fit, which is problematic considering I seem to have gotten rid of most of my maternity clothes.

The moral of the story . . . don’t get rid of any maternity clothes until you are well past menopause (and even then think twice about it). Life doesn’t generally go according to plan and nothing will guarantee another pregnancy like getting rid of maternity clothes.

So that leaves me with a dilemma. I have no interest in spending loads of money on maternity clothes that don’t have as long of a shelf life on my 5th pregnancy as they did for my first.

So how do you save money on maternity clothes?

Say Yes to Hand-Me-Downs

Good quality hand-me-downs are nothing to turn your nose up at. Maternity clothes, especially if they’ve only been through a single pregnancy and clothes bought towards the end of a pregnancy get put into storage before they get much wear. If you have any friends who are firmly done having kids, send out some feelers to see if they’d be willing to give away or sell you any of their old maternity clothes.

A word of advice — unless it’s a really close friend or family member, I’d avoid borrowing maternity clothes. A pregnant belly is a magnet for spilled food and the last thing you want to worry about during your pregnancy is whether or not your friend is going to be offended when you go to return her clothes.

Shop Local Consignment Shops

Local consignment shops and thrifts stores can be great for some frugal finds. Keep an eye out for higher end baby consignment shops because many of them have a maternity section and they typically screen the clothes they sell for quality. When buying second hand, look for well known brands because they tend to hold up better over the long run.

Shop Ebay

Ebay can be a great source for finding some great deals on maternity clothing. You have to be careful to pay attention to shipping costs though because on individual items you can end up paying more than you would for brand new clothes if you aren’t careful. I’ve found the best deals by shopping for “lots” of clothes. Be sure to look carefully at photos and sizes to make sure you are getting something you can use.

Online Clearance

Many larger stores like Target , Gap and Old Navy offer maternity clothes, however the selection in the stores can be a bit sparse. I’ve had great luck shopping in the online clearance section of some of my favorite stores, especially at the end of the season. You can often find offers for free shipping or in store pick up to save even more money. Before you check out, do a quick search for any coupon codes that you can use on your order.

Discount Retailers

There are some great places to get high quality clothes at a discount if you keep your eyes out. One of my favorites is Baby Steals. They generally feature baby items but from time to time they have some great maternity offerings. Totsy is another great site, that again, generally offers baby items but if you keep your eyes open you can find some great deals on maternity wear.

What tips do you have for saving money on maternity clothes?

Treating a Cold During Pregnancy

Rachel — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:01:52 +0000

One of the very unfair things about pregnancy is that your immune system may not be as strong as it usually is. I never catch a cold . . . unless I’m pregnant, and then I come down with everything that goes around. We’re going on our second full week dealing with colds around our house and being pregnant, I’m limited in my treatment options.

While there are some cold medicines that are safe during pregnancy, I’m allergic to all of them, and it’s generally a good idea to limit the number of medications you take during pregnancy. The one exception to this, is treating a fever. Fever’s can be dangerous for your baby so if you develop a fever you’ll want to take acetaminophen to lower the fever and call your doctor if your fever goes too high or won’t go away.

That doesn’t mean you are out of options if you come down with a cold while pregnant. You still have quite a few natural (and mostly natural) options for treating colds during pregnancy.

Sinus Rinse

I have to preface this one by saying that I am the biggest chicken in the world. I hate having water in my nose and I put off trying a sinus rinse for years, even though I keep hearing how great they are for clearing out sinus congestions. Even after coming home from BlogHer 2011 with a Waterpik SinuSe nse Water Pulsator, I still put off using it until I came down with this most recent cold. My son, who suffers from asthma and is prone to catching every respiratory infection that comes near us, was brave enough to try it out and told me it wasn’t that bad, but even then I put it off.

This time, I was just out of options so I gave in and gave it a try. I have to say, it is nearly as bad as I thought it was, but, after not being able to breath through my nose for over a week I could suddenly breath clearly. I’m told this gets easier to use with practice and I may have to keep practicing because it’s the only thing that’s giving me any relief from this horrible cold.

Treat Colds with Steam

Warm, moist air can do wonders when you are sick and congested. We frequently steam up the bathroom by turning the shower as hot as it goes then sit in there with the doors shut until we can breath again. This will probably not get rid of your symptoms for too long but it can loosen up enough mucous to allow you to really blow your nose and get that stuff out of there to get some relief.

Sleeping with a humidifier in your bedroom can give you similar results that will last through the night. We have a Crane Humidifier in a cute animal design that my kids love and it works great when one of us comes down with a cold, especially during pregnancy when cold treatment options are limited.

Treat with Food

When I’m sick, my appetite is usually the first thing to suffer, which is unfortunate because food can play a great role in helping you feel better. Chicken noodle soup is always a classic standby and is super easy to make from scratch in your crockpot even when you don’t feel like cooking. Many solid foods may not sound good if you have a sore throat and you may be limited in your food choices if you are suffering from morning sickness on top of your cold. Try vegetable puree soups or fruit smoothies

Drinking orange juice and grape fruit juice can do wonders for a sore throat and is a great source of vitamin C, which will ultimately help you fight off your cold. Hot liquids are especially helpful when you aren’t feeling well (which is why soup is always a popular choice). My family often makes Hot Russian Tea when we aren’t feeling well. It is another great source of vitamin C and it really helps to sooth your throat. My only complaint is it has a lot of sugar in the recipe we use. I’m need to test it out using honey as an alternative since honey can be very soothing for a sore throat.

If you want something fast, plain old hot water with some lemon juice and honey can be a great natural cold remedy during pregnancy.

You have to be careful with supplements during pregnancy. I’m a bit fan of the Emergen-C vitamin drinks when I’m coming down with a cold and was given the okay by my obgyn, but as with any supplement, you’ll want to check with your own doctor before trying something new.

Vicks VapoRub

As a general rule, when I’m sick during pregnancy I turn to the remedies I use when my kids are sick. Vicks VapoRub is usually the first thing we go for when a cold hits our house because as a topical ointment, you aren’t getting as much of the medicine into your body as you would be taking a cough syrup.

While I hate the way I feel when I’m slathered in VapoRub, there are few things that can beat it when it comes to helping treat cough and congestion. I’ll often use VapoRub before sitting in a steamed up bathroom to really clean out some of that congestion.

Cold Prevention

The best way to deal with a cold during pregnancy is to avoid getting one in the first place. Practice religious hand washing habits and encourage everyone in your home to do the same. Be especially vigilant about washing your hands before eating and after coming home from a public place. Avoid anyone who looks like they may be sick and try and keep your hands away from your face after touching high traffic items like door knobs or shopping carts. Don’t share a tube of toothpaste with anyone else, especially if anyone in your home has been sick and keep fresh air flowing in your home by opening windows whenever the weather allows for it.

What is your favorite way to treat a cold during pregnancy?

Pregnancy Milestones After a Loss

Rachel — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:56:27 +0000

I’m 18 weeks pregnant this week and, if I’m being totally honest with myself, I didn’t think this day would come. My last baby was born at 18 weeks and passed away in my arms 10 minutes after birth. With my previous pregnancies, despite the complications I’ve had, I was never really a nervous mom. I knew this time things would be a bit different but I wasn’t prepared for how emotionally draining this pregnancy would be and how much each tiny milestone would mean to me.

Weekly appointments with the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor have kept most of my panic at bay, although my visits seem to alternate between being reassuring and discovering new potential complications. I’ve realized that the best I can do is take things one day at a time and celebrate each day I’m still pregnant.

I’m fighting the tendency to avoid getting attached to this pregnancy and celebrating each milestone as a small victory. These are the milestones that have meant the most:

A Positive Pregnancy Test

After a loss, the possibility of another pregnancy often seems so far off in the distant future that it’s a bit of a shock when you realize you have come full circle. For me, denial hit big time. I took 2 home pregnancies tests and requested 3 blood tests. Even after all of those came back positive, I wasn’t convinced until I’d seen the baby on several ultrasounds. Early pregnancy is when many miscarriages happen so it’s normal to feel cautious after a loss. If you’ve announced your previous pregnancies right away, you may be more hesitant to do so now. I decided that I felt okay about spreading the news only to friends and family members that I would tell if I did experience a loss.

Doubling HCG Levels

After a loss, your OBGYN will likely order a 48 hour HCG test. This is a simple blood test but it can give you a good initial idea of how strong the pregnancy is. Your HCG levels should double every 48 hours. If they do, it’s a good indication that the pregnancy is progressing the way it should. My HCG levels quadrupled at the beginning of this pregnancy and it was a huge relief to know that we were at least starting off smoothly.

Finding a Heartbeat

Once you see a heartbeat on an ultrasound (or hear it on a doppler if you are further along in your pregnancy) the risk of miscarriage goes down drastically. This can be very reassuring, as is seeing real proof of your little bean. For me, this milestone was less reassuring than it could have been since I experienced a loss later on in my previous pregnancy, but it was still comforting. I’ve never had a desire to rent or buy a doppler in any of my previous pregnancies, but I have to admit, I was very tempted this time. If my perinatologist hadn’t started bringing me in for weekly appointments, I probably would have caved.

If you do buy a doppler, be sure you avoid anything that says “listening device”. A listening device is much cheaper than a doppler but it’s is only useful in the second and third trimesters when the baby is larger.

Hitting Double Digits

This pregnancy milestone has absolutely no medical significance but for some reason I felt better when I moved into the double digits. Making the transition from 9 weeks to 10 just felt huge to me because those early weeks of pregnancy seemed to be dragging by so slowly that I just felt stuck. There was also the added perk that 10 weeks was just a bit closer to that magic 2nd trimester point when miscarriage rates go down and supposedly morning sickness goes away. I would have been very discouraged at that point if you had told me I’d still be dealing with morning sickness at 18 weeks. Some things are definitely better if we’re kept in the dark.

Moving into the Second Trimester

Depending on who you talk to, the second trimester of pregnancy starts sometime between the 12th-14th weeks of pregnancy. Once you hit that point your risk of early miscarriage goes down and in theory you start to feel a bit better. I’m still waiting for all that extra energy that the pregnancy books promise but it does feel better to see those weeks adding up.

Passing the Point of your Previous Loss

The most comforting milestone many expectant moms hit in a pregnancy after a loss is passing the point where you lost your last baby. This obviously varies depending on your last experience (and if you went full term before experiencing a loss you’ll likely be nervous until that baby is in your arms). For me, 18 weeks was that key week and until I got this far, I was absolutely convinced that I was waiting to repeat history.

20 Weeks

20 weeks is not much different than 19 weeks except that anything before 20 weeks is technically considered a miscarriage. I delivered an 18 week baby who was born alive and fought for 10 minutes to try and breath and I can tell you that nothing about that felt like a miscarriage. My son died in my arms with his tiny hand wrapped around one of my fingers. If you have a loss at 20 weeks or beyond, you don’t have to deal with insensitive family members trying to convince you that you only had a miscarriage.

Hospital policy varies but at many hospitals, 20 weeks is also the point where you can go straight to labor and delivery verses stopping by in the ER if you have any problems. I’ve found most ER staff to be clueless when it comes to pregnancy so I’m anxiously counting down the days until I hit 20 weeks this time.

Anatomy Ultrasound

Typically you’ll have an anatomy ultrasound between 18-20 weeks of pregnancy. This ultrasound can give you a good idea if your baby is developing properly and has any markers for chromosomal problems. If you want to know the gender, you should be able to determine that at this point too. I’ve found that knowing the gender helps you bond a bit more with the baby before birth.

Until I found out this baby was a girl, I had trouble separating her in my mind from the previous baby that I lost. I know that doesn’t make much logical sense but it was a trick that my brain played on me. Apparently I wasn’t the only one. My 6 year old son asked me several times if this baby was his lost brother coming back to our family.

The Point of Viability

A baby is viable between 23 and 24 weeks. Before that point, no measures will be taken to save the baby’s life if she is born prematurely. Survival rates go up drastically at 24 weeks and even though it’s best to keep babies cooking much longer than that, it is a huge comfort once you hit the point where you know your baby has a shot. I may have a party when I hit 24 weeks. Seriously.

Every Week Counts

Once the baby is viable, each week is something to celebrate. Survival rates go up each week and the chance of serious complications and lifelong health issue go down. The good news is, the days go by slowly but the weeks often go by quickly. . . or at least that’s what we tell ourselves after the fact.

37 Weeks

37 weeks is considered full term and the likelihood of the baby needing to spend time in the NICU is much lower. This is also my official pregnancy deadline because I’m not allowed to get further than 37 weeks since I have a history of abruptions and growth restriction.

Due Date

I may be a total dork, but I get really excited when I buy food with an expiration date past my due date. In previous pregnancies I would get all excited when yogurt expired after my due date and then when milk expired after my due date. I’m a long way off from that still but I’m already smiling at the dates on my milk carton.

What milestones meant something to you in a pregnancy after a loss?

How’s Your Indoor Air Quality?

Pamela — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:16:08 +0000

There is one aspect of housework that many people overlook and that’s the cleanliness of your air. Every few seconds you take in a lung full of air, but do you consider the quality of it – probably yes, when you are outside in the city, but probably no when you are sitting on your couch. Having clean air can actually decrease your chances of illness and reduce allergic reactions to pet dander or pollen.

Indoor Air Quality

While many people have switched out their windows for energy efficient ones, put in appropriate insulation and sealed all entrances, they may have created a different problem for themselves – stale air. If the only time fresh air enters your home is when you open and close the door to exit and enter, you may have stagnant air that keeps germs, pollents, vapors and allergens circulating around your home. You may want to open up your windows or back doors for a few hours each week. If you environment, doesn’t allow this, you should have fully functioning exhaust fans that can work to “exchange” the air in your home for the fresher air outside.

What About Air Purifiers

This is one of those uncertain topics as of late. When they were first on the market they were thought to be the greatest thing around. Then as children grew up from infancy into their teens in homes that were always purifying the air, it was discovered that they had a higher risk for airborne allergies as well as a higher tendency to get sick. The basic idea is that they simply had not been exposed as frequently as people without purifiers and thus hadn’t built the immunities. More simply put – the air is TOO clean. Conversely, persons that have developed allergies can benefit from air cleaners that reduce the number of allergens in the indoor air.

Other Ways to Clean the Air

One of the easiest ways to clean the air is to use a damp rag to wipe surfaces as well as dust instead of dry rag. When you are wiping down your coffee table – even if it isn’t “dusty” it still probably has pet dander, pollen and other particles that can contribute to “dirty air” inside your home. By using a damp rag, you are collecting this mess instead of sending it into the air. Another tip is to change your vacuum bag frequently. When your vacuum bag or canister is full, many of the particles get pushed out into the air instead of staying in the machine. And lastly, invest in a good door mat and clean it often. You might be shocked to find out how much muck is on your door mat, but what’s worse is that when you rub your wet feet on it you are making it worse. Whatever you rub off, eventually dries and then gets tracked in by the next person and will eventually end up in your air.

Easy At-Home Fitness Tips

Stacey Nerdin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:23:24 +0000

{guest post from Gina Lay}

Losing weight and getting into shape are a few popular resolutions made each New Year. But let’s face it, time is valuable, especially when you’re a mom. If you are like me, the last thing you feel like doing after a hard day is leaving the house to go work out.

Thankfully, there are easy at home fitness tips we can practice in order to lose weight and get into shape.

Ab Squeeze

One of the biggest things I worry about on my body is my abs. My favorite easy at home way to exercise my abs is by just sitting on the couch and squeezing my abdominal muscles. Start by breathing in and holding in your stomach muscles. It should feel like your belly button is touching your back. Squeeze at least 30 times and rest. Practice this every day and you should feel results in weeks.

Lunges

An easy fitness tip to work out the thighs at home are lunges. Allow enough room to stand with your feet shoulder length apart. Place your hands on your hip and take a step forward with your right foot all the way down until your other leg makes a right angle. Concentrate and use your leg muscles to pull yourself up. Start doing lunges at a steady pace and make your ultimate goal up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions to help get your legs into shape at home.

Wall Squats

Wall squats are a great way to build up endurance in the body. Find an empty wall in your home free of obstacles. Press your back and butt firmly into the wall. Slowly start to move into a sitting position. It should look as you are sitting in an invisible chair. Your knees and thighs should be lined up creating a 90-degree angle by the hips. Your shoulders and arms should be relaxed, and all your focus should be on maintaining a sitting position. If you are doing the fitness move correctly, your thighs should start to burn.

{photo credit}

What I like best about home fitness is the convenience; I can exercise during naps or after bed time. You can incorporate as little as ten minutes or as much time as you want – it’s your choice! You do not need to purchase expensive equipment to have a successful home workout.

Do you have east home fitness tips that you would like to share?

Gina Lay is a married work at home mother of four children. She enjoys baking, cooking, and sewing. Her family is her everything and she hopes to create and pass memories and traditions. Her website is www.themomwriter.com

Top 5 Beauty Resolutions for Busy Moms

Rachel — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:00:38 +0000

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

The New Year is a great time for evaluating what changes you need to make in your life. If you are like most busy moms, taking the time to care for yourself is probably not at the top of your list. Fortunately, there are plenty of really simple things that you can do to revamp your beauty routine that will make a big difference in the way that you feel, especially during the cold winter months.

1. Wear sunscreen. Many moms forget that the sun’s rays can be just as damaging during the winter months as they can during the summer, especially if you are involved in any winter sports that keep you outside for extended periods of time. You can simplify this step by finding a face moisturizer that includes sunscreen. If you are going to be outside for longer than usual, use full blown sunscreen anywhere your skin is uncovered.

2. Take the time to moisturize your skin. Cold weather can really do a number on your skin. We’ve spent the last few winters living in San Diego so winter is really doing a number on my skin. Keep a small container of moisturizing lotion in your purse so it’s on hand when you need it. When your hands or feet get especially dry, slather them in Vaseline before you go to bed then cover your hands or feet in a large sock. By morning your skin will be feeling brand new.

3. Stop sleeping in your makeup. Don’t lie. We know you do it too. Sleeping in your makeup is not only hard on your skin but it can lead to dry eyes or eye infections if your prone to that sort of thing. Make a really simple change and invest in some makeup removing towelettes. I love the makeup removing towelettes made by Neutrogena and it’s one of the beauty products that I refuse to run out of.

4. Try something new with your makeup. I tend to do my makeup the same way every day. As the seasons change (or just when you are feeling the winter blahs) it can be refreshing to change things up a bit. Try a new color of eye shadow or give yourself a more dramatic look by changing up your eye liner. If you need some ideas, many makeup brands have color combination ideas right on the package.

5. Ask a friend for a beauty product suggestion. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to read beauty magazines or hunt down the latest and greatest beauty product. When I want to try something new, I typically turn to my friends for ideas. Knowing what products they’ve already tried and loved helps me to avoid the trial and error of finding something new to add to my beauty routine.

What are you changing up in your beauty routine for the new year?

Listening To Your Body

Pamela — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:27:38 +0000

It may sound strange but lots of people forget their body is a living, breathing, growing and changing entity that really does function independently from our minds. No matter how hard you try, you cannot convince your body to burn more fat or convert your food into energy more quickly. True certain actions and decisions our minds make will have a “default” effect on our body but for the most part our body works they it was designed give the environment it is in. And because of that, you need to learn how to “listen” when you body is trying to tell you something. And I mean really listen – for the whispers and not just the “screaming at the top of its lungs” screams for your attention.

How Does Your Body Communicate With You?

Our body has regular routines – from our bowels and menstruations to how our body changes with the seasons. When something is not quite right without our cells, you probably got a notice when those cells noticed, but overlooked it. If you have lived your life with your period being “like clockwork” – or maybe you have a morning BM everyday – and then one day it’s all wrong, your body is talking! This also goes for the twinges of pain that you sporadically experience. If one day you decide it’s a great idea to help your neighbor offload a washing machine from his truck and your back screams in pain, this means you body is telling you that you need to be more careful. Either you are lifting more than your body can manage, or you need to be taking better care of the body you have.

Do All The Little “Comments” Add Up to Something Bigger?

Many people will wait a day or two before taking action – which usually is fine. It might be a little germ that your body is working out or something you ate that isn’t agreeing with you. However, if you have minor issues on a regular basis, it might be the sign of something major. If you realize that every time you eat a certain food, you end in the bathroom the next day, you might have a food sensitivity – not quite an allergy, but still no fun. Or maybe if you are getting cramps in your calves in the middle of the night, your body is trying to tell you that you need more potassium. It’s all a judgment call, but if you take the time to consider what your body might be saying to you, you might be able to fix things before they get too far.