Today’s first time parenting tip - Encourage your child to explore their natural talents - stress free.

By the time your baby is almost a year old, he might already be excelling in certain things. For instance, my son can walk around, kick a ball and pick up things I’d never guess a baby could pick up.

Could your child be gifted? Every parent would like to think that their child will excel in something in ways no one else has. Keep in mind that all children are gifted in different ways, and at this age, all you need to do is cultivate that natural talent in a way that’s enjoyable and stress free.

Your baby probably won’t end up being a star athlete, super genius or musical virtuoso. But what you can help them achieve is success that makes them happy. If they are good at what they do and they truly enjoy it, then they have a gift that many people in the world never get to experience - happiness.

So if your baby can keep a beat, get him a toy drum or a kiddie guitar. If your baby can throw like a champ, get him a few balls. But if somebody comes along claiming your child is gifted and they need to join this club and that team and take this class or they’ll never be any good, they’re probably trying to take your money and don’t care about your baby’s happiness.

After all, he’s less than a year old. Shouldn’t he at least be having fun?

Parenting, Gifted, Smart, Athletic, Music

Today’s first time parenting tip - Keep only the essentials in your diaper bag

We got two diaper bags when our son was born. One was a gargantuan that was more like a duffle bag, and the other was a smaller, easier to carry version. It also has sequins and a woman shopping on the side of it, so you can imagine I love carrying THAT around.

Guess which one we use more? The smaller one. We can fit all the stuff we need into it, and we don’t have to spend an hour packing whenever we want to go somewhere.

Here’s what every diaper bag should have for those daily trips out of the house:

• Small first aid kit
• Small kit with a thermometer, dropper, scissors, squeegee
• Changing pad
• 5 diapers
• Baby wipes
• 1 change of clothes
• 1 feeding of breastmilk or formula and 1 jar of baby food (if on solids)
• 1 cloth diaper
• Needed prescriptions or medicine
• Diaper rash creme, if needed
• 1 book
• 1 small toy or rattle
• Card with pediatrician, poison control and emergency contact numbers
• Bib and spoon if your baby is on solids
• 1 ziploc baggie of Cheerios or Goldfish

If you’ve got this, you should be covered for most situations you run int when you’re around the neighborhood.

Parenting, Diaper, Bag, Pack, Essential

Today’s first time parenting tip - Plan ahead if you’re taking a trip longer than an hour or so with your baby

Unless you’ve got a very well-behaved infant, car rides can quickly turn from a pleasant, relaxing ride into a screaming journey into Hades. Some babies fall asleep in the car and will stay that way until you get them out. Some don’t like being restrained. Regardless, you should be prepared. Here are some tips you can use next time you’ve got to drive somewhere.

• Try to travel at night. If you leave right after your baby goes to bed, chances are they’ll sleep the whole way. Of course, this doesn’t work if you’re not spending the night
• Leave extra time to get where you’re going. You never know if you have to stop to feed him or change a diaper.
• Bring a toy, their favorite blanket and a book. This was you’ve got a variety of attention getters if they do get fussy
• Bring music and your singing voice. Our son usually calms down when he hears music or our singing
• A bottle of breastmilk, formula or juice. Most of the time, when our son gets fussy, it’s because he’s hungry.
• A change of diapers. Somehow, the smell of bowel movements does not make a ride with a screaming baby any more enjoyable.
• A change of clothes in case he spills his food or he has a diaper blowout
• Dress your baby to be comfortable at room temperature. If you’re going to be in the car for a while, don’t have him all bundled up as if it’s 0 degrees out. Take off a layer once he gets into the car.

Parenting, Travel, Essentials, Pack, Road, Trip

Today’s first time parenting tip - Use 5 back blows, then 5 chest thrusts to help a choking infant.

Your baby is chowing down on some cut up pieces of fruit when all of a sudden you see them try to cough and their eyes go as big as saucers. They’re choking - what are you going to do?

The important thing is to not panic. Commit the following steps to memory so you can spring right into action.

If they are not breathing and have something lodged in their throat, have someone call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. If you’re alone, do one set of back blows and chest thrusts, and then call the emergency number as you are starting the second set (speaker phone comes in handy).

Hold your baby face down, lengthwise on your forearm with their head pointed towards your hand. They should be pointed down towards the ground, sit down or brace your arm against your thigh if you have to.

Using the palm of your hand, firmly give 5 back blows between your baby’s shoulder blades.

If your baby doesn’t cry or start breathing, flip him over to the other arm, face up. Give him 5 chest thrusts using two fingers. Place your fingers in the middle of his chest between his nipples.

Check to see if whatever it is he is choking on is in his mouth. If it is, sweep it out using your pinky finger like a hook. If it isn’t, repeat the back blows, chest thrusts and check until your baby starts breathing again or goes unconscious.

If your baby loses consciousness, begin baby CPR. This is a topic that really requires a hands on approach, and you should see a certified CPR instructor to learn. A good place to start would be your local Red Cross.

Parenting, Choking, Infant, Conscious, First, Aid

Today’s first time parenting tip - Brush up on your first aid skills every year

Way back on Day 150 I blogged about taking a first aid class. I never posted any first aid tips specifically, and I definitely know I could use a refresher.

Daycare and child care providers are required to take a First Aid class every year because they are responsible for the well being of children. Since you’re a parent, so are you.

It’s a good idea to bone up on your first aid skills once a year by retaking the class, or by simply re-practicing the techniques on your partner (not for real of course). If you have to use these skills even one time in your life, it’s money and time well spent.

A good time to schedule this refresher is around your child’s first birthday. You’ll never forget the date, and it’s the perfect time to protect the life that you’re celebrating. If you have more than one child, perhaps you could make it around mother’s or father’s day. Pick whatever date you’ll remember to dust off those first aid materials.

Parenting, First, Aid, Class, Safety

Today’s first time parenting tip - Get a Chime Garden from Lamaze for your baby, our son loved it

Our son’s first birthday gift arrived in the mail from his aunt and uncle down in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s a great toy that I can’t say enough good things about, but the biggest vote of confidence comes from my son himself. He hasn’t stopped carrying it around the apartment.

The Chime Garden from Lamaze is a group of five flowers that play melodies when they’re batted or pressed. The faces on the flowers are friendly and colorful. What sets this apart from other baby toys that make noise is that the sounds it makes are actually pleasing and at a reasonable volume level.

If I could sum it up in a word, it would be “sweet”. The way it looks, sounds and feels is very child-like and cute. It seems to be pretty durable too, my son’s already dropped it on the hard floor in our kitchen a dozen times and it’s none the worse for wear.

Parenting, Toy, Chime, Garden, Fun

Today’s first time parenting tip - Get a sippy cup with a screw cap

Maybe they make better sippy cups with snap on lids than the ones we just bought. But this was my experience with them.

I filled the cup up with formula. I took extra care to make sure the cap was on tight, knowing that my son would drop it and squeeze it and turn it upside down. Everything seemed fine. Then I handed it to my son and the top came right off and milk spilled everywhere.

Lesson learned. We went right out and got ones with screw on tops. Anyone else out there know of a good sippy cup with a snap on lid?

Parenting, Sippy, Cup, Drink, Spill

Today’s first time parenting tip - Use patience, imitation and a baby-safe fork to teach you infant how to use flatware

Giving your baby a spoon seems a lot more natural and safe than giving them a fork. After all, the spoon doesn’t have sharp tines they can poke their skin or eyes with.

But you can teach them how to use a fork safely if you get them something like the Easy Grip Fork and Spoon Set. The tines on the fork have been blunted and a little more flexible materials were used to make it safe for you baby’s exploration.

Just like feeding with a spoon, imitate the right motions with your fork so they know what to do. Let them learn at their own pace, the normal time for children to master the fine art of eating with a spoon and fork doesn’t happen until well into their second year.

Parenting, Learn, Fork, Teach, Eat

Today’s first time parenting tip - Take advantage of the freebies you get when your baby is young

What’s the best part about having a baby? Is it the unconditional love? The innocent laugh? The hugs?

Nope! It’s all the freebies you get to take advantage of because your baby is under 2. Kids only get more expensive with age, so cash in while you can. There are lots of fun activities, and practical ones, to do with your baby free of charge.

• Fly on an airplane
• Take the train or bus
• Visit a theme park or water park
• Go to the community pool
• Stay at a hotel
• Eat at some restaurants
• Visit a museum or aquarium
• Go to the Zoo
• Go to a sporting event (and usually get some kind of swag)

What else do you know of that you can do for free if you’re still in diapers?

Parenting, Free, Stuff, Activity, Save

Today’s first time parenting tips - Pampers are the best kind of diapers for preventing bowel blowouts. Every bit as disgusting as it sounds.

Usually I’m pretty brand agnostic. If there are two biggies out there, like Coke and Pepsi, or McDonald’s or Burger King, I switch between the two pretty freely. There’s rarely a discernible difference that makes me want to pick one over the other.

Maybe you’re thinking the same way about diapers. Which one to choose? Huggies or Pampers? Both probably the same, right?

Wrong. We bought a box of Huggies instead of the usual Pampers (we usually buy based on coupons or sales, and Pampers just always seems to be cheaper). We’ve never had a problem with bowel blowouts (no explanation needed), chafing or discomfort before.

Once we threw those Huggies on, we got all three. Stuff would leak, his legs would be red and raw, and sometimes he just seemed generally uncomfortable. I don’t know why it was or what’s different, but there was a definite change from one brand to the other.

Now he’s back in Pampers, and he’s back to normal. So if you’re trying to choose between the two and want a recommendation from me, I say Pampers.

Anyone else had a similar or different experience?

Parenting, Diaper, Pampers, Huggies, Nappy