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At SmartMom, we’re all about the quick tips for new moms. Coming home for the first time with your new bundle of joy, just having given birth and in full-swing recovery mode, we have a five diapering tips to make the “change” easier for you and your growing family.
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If you’re expecting a new baby, chances are you’re overwhelmed by everything you’re reading in the baby books. People will tell you to look for the basics — teething toys, diapers and baby clothes — so we talked to several new moms to find out exactly what you’ll use…and use…and use during the first weeks at home with a new baby.
From taking care of your newest addition to taking care of yourself as a brand new mom, we have four must have products for new moms that you’ll find at your very own drug store or makeup counter.
At an early age, I could tell that both my daughter and son had creative thinking skills, but I wasn’t sure how to inspire them. Obviously being a stay-at-home-mom of two isn’t the easiest job and definitely doesn’t come with a manual for activities and things to do to bring out the best in your children. I decided to interview a fellow SmartMom that is the daughter of a designer. She believes her mother’s natural creative thinking skills translated to her with a few simple ideas.
This week, most kitchens are dedicated to preparations for Thanksgiving turkey plus all the trimmings. If you happen to be a vegetarian who is gearing up to say “no, thanks” when Aunt Martha passes the bird for the seventh time, then you need a back-up plan. Not to mention we all have experienced picky eaters at the dinner table. Skip the drama with a fancy, yet easy to follow recipe that will surely become a family favorite. Who knows, you may have just started a new family tradition. 
Paula Jones at bell’alimento has a Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna recipe that you could serve as one of your favorite family recipes any night of the week, but also makes an exceptional pinch hitter for poultry around the Thanksgiving table.
Last night the kids and I cozied up together on the couch to watch what is possibly one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, the old cartoon version of Dr. Seuss’s iconic tale: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. (I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but it’s snowing, and my kids have been home sick all week- I think that makes it okay.) We sat close together, watching in delight as the Whos down in Whoville, the tall and the small, celebrated Christmas without any presents at all. I felt the familiar tug of my heart strings as the narrator recited my favorite part of the story:
In 1851 an English pharmacist called William Woodward formulated a treatment that was an effective “soother of fretful babies and provided relief from gastrointestinal troubles in infants.” Today gripe water for babies still flies off the shelves as tired mothers try desperately to soothe their little ones. While there has been some controversy over gripe water through the years, particularly in cases where it contains sugar or alcohol, many parents still see it as an effective aid in helping treat an upset baby. Today most remedies avoid these ingredients and it’s considered safe to use. Here we look at 7 possible benefits of using gripe water. Continue reading
It is common knowledge that babies need to be burped every so often to avoid an episode of colic. Colic is a paroxysmal stomach pain that infants below the age of three months suffer from. The pain can persist for hours, and it is a disheartening dilemma for both the parent and the infant.
The exact cause for colic is not fully determined. There are some theories, however. One is overfeeding and the other is swallowing too much air while being fed. Formula-fed babies are more susceptible to colic than breastfed babies. Continue reading
Some parents wonder why their baby has a cold or signs and symptoms of it just after birth. It’s not really a cold; it’s nasal congestion – a common condition that babies experience. Constant sneezing, stuffy nose, and even snoring are the clear hints that the baby is suffering from it.
But my baby’s nose and mouth have been suctioned well right after birth, so how come this still occurs? It’s not all about suctioning the mucus out, really. Newborn nasal congestion occurs because they continue to have mucus in the upper respiratory tract (nose, sinuses, and larynx) and the posterior pharynx (throat) until about two weeks after birth. That snoring you hear when your baby is fast asleep is due to aforementioned mucus. Another cause for the snoring is the irregular breathing of newborns. It is normal for them to have it during the first month of life. Continue reading
Remember sleep? Let me refresh your memory. It’s that thing where you lay in a bed and you don’t wake up until morning. Remember that?
Even if you have kids who are great sleepers, it’s likely you still wake up to check on them. And everyone knows that when you become a mom, you morph into this superhuman who is weirdly 100 % alert and awake at the sound of an irregularly timed suck of the pacifier (In other words, your sleep can now be described as lighter-than-light). There is no known tranquilizer-like method I know of to ensure healthy sleep habits for your family when you’re smack dab in the midst of the parenting years. But, I can tell you that there is hope…for the future. Moms of newborns, hang in there. We’re all counting on you. Continue reading
I think all SmartMoms will agree with us when we say that childbirth is already difficult as it is. With all the advancements in the medical field, parents are given choices in childbirth that make the journey that much more stressful! The ultimate goal of every parent is to have the best childbirth, and this very idea plus the available options can cause a series of debate between couples, knowledge acquisition, and asking other moms about their experiences. The best source for the last one is our SmartMom app, of course! For the second point, you can find pertinent information below! Continue reading
