The Quilts Zone Blog

Those precious minutes when your little one is napping give you a chance to recharge, regroup, and get things done. It’s easy for new moms to feel frustrated and fatigued due to not having enough time to handle everything on their “to do” lists. When their babies are catching a catnap, the time alone offers a brief – but welcome – respite from an otherwise hectic schedule. The key to keeping your sanity is maximizing those minutes.

Below, we’ll explore some ways in which you can leverage the time your baby spends napping. You’ll learn why you should consider yourself a priority and plan the time around your body’s natural rhythm. We’ll also discuss the differences between your baby’s short and long naps in in the context of spending the time as productively as possible.

Consider Yourself A High Priority

A lot of new moms spend their babies’ naptime frantically getting things done around the house. For instance, they’ll commit themselves to paying the bills and washing the dishes. They rush to toss a load of laundry into the washer or get things ready for dinner. While handling these tasks, make it seem as if you’re being productive, they can make a greater impact on your mind and body over the long run.

Your happiness will be reflected in that of your baby. She’ll be able to detect your stress level when it’s high. When she naps, consider yourself as much a priority as the household chores. The dishes can wait while you enjoy a small bit of rest and solitude.

Plan According To Your Rhythm

Your body works according to it’s own rhythm. Try to pinpoint when your enrgy level is the highest. Do you have more energy in the morning or afternoon? If the morning hours are your peak time, can you plan your schedule to accommodate it?

For example, consider taking showers during the evening to free up more “high energy” time during the morning hours. When your baby takes her first nap of the day, you’ll be able to devote that time to getting more done.

Short Versus Long Naps

Some of your baby’s naps will be shorter than others. The good news is that most babies are consistent in their napping habits. If your baby takes extended naps during the early afternoon, she’s likely to continue this behavior for the foreseeable future. That means you can plan around them to maximize your available time.

For example, when your baby takes a thirty minute nap, use that time to fix dinner, take a quick shower, wash the dishes or return phone calls. While she takes a longer nap, use the time to work out, clean house, throw in some laundry and take a little nap of your own.

Plan To Be Productive

Create a list of action items that need to addressed. This is the first step toward planning to be as productive as possible while your baby is napping. Ensure that your list includes everything you need to accomplish throughout the day. That might include returning calls, cleaning the house, washing the dishes, and scheduling an appointment with your little one’s pediatrician. Prioritize each item.

When your baby takes a catnap, simply go down the list. You’ll know instinctively some action items will require 30 minutes while others can be finished within a few minutes. You’ll be surprised by how productive such a list will make you while your infant is napping.

The responsibilities of being a new mom can rattle anyone’s nerves. The seeming endless list of chores is compounded by the distinct lack of time in which to ge them done. Learn to leverage your little one’s naps. It’s the best plan for being productive while staying, happy, healthy and sane.

You may be one of the many parents frustrated because your three and a half year old still isn’t potty trained. He may not seem to have any interest in getting rid of his diapers whatsoever. Don’t worry – I guarantee that he’ll be potty trained by his wedding! Seriously though, for most every toddler, potty training is a problem that seems insurmountable now, but in no time at all it will be resolved.

According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no set age at which toilet training should begin. They advise that the right time depends on a child’s physical and psychological development. Between 18 and 24 months, children often start to show signs of being ready, but some children may not be ready until 30 months or older. They also advise parents that if their child resists strongly, it is best to wait for a while.

Don’t be discouraged if you have a head-strong 3 1/2 year old, because there are some things you can try. Take your child to the local store that sells underwear with characters on it. Visit the underwear aisle and explain that he is a big boy now, and big boys are very lucky because only they can wear big boy underwear. Tell your son that he is especially lucky because you brought him to Target, or whatever the store is that you chose, where they have lots of underwear to choose from. He can pick whatever he wants…. Batman, Power Rangers, Spiderman, Bob the Builder, etc.

As soon as you get home, he can try on his new undies. If he can go a whole hour and stay dry, he can wear them all day. He needs to use the potty first, to help him stay dry for a whole hour. At the end of that hour, you’ll remind him to use the toilet again, and try for another hour.

Create a sticker chart and each time he successfully uses the toilet, place a sticker on the chart. When he reaches ten stickers, give him a special treat, such as a trip to the ice cream parlor, a small toy, a lunch at a restaurant, etc.

If he can’t make the first hour, try to understand his state of mind. Why do you think he didn’t make it? Was he engrossed in a TV show or game? Is he just really not interested, even with the new cool underwear? If it’s the former and he really wants to try again, let him. Make the time frame a half hour this time and remind him at that point to try to use the potty. If he just really isn’t ready, don’t push it. Tell him that you’ll wash the underwear and put it in his drawer, and you’ll try again next week.

If his friends are already trained, encourage a play date where he’ll see them use the toilet. Sometimes that’s enough to spark interest. By 3 1/2, when he decides he’s ready he will likely be very successful very quickly. It’s probably not that he has bladder control issues, more that he needs to decide for himself that he’s ready.

If your climate is warm, take advantage of it as a great time to train, because you can be outdoors where it’s easier to clean up accidents. Potty training takes time and effort but you have to persevere.

It seems like everyone you know tends to have babies all at the same time. This leads to months full of baby showers, births and birthdays for which you need to buy presents. There are so many products out there it can be tough to figure out what is best.

If you have a small budget for showers and infants, there are a lot of small items that are really useful. For example, you can never have too many baby blankets. They are used constantly throughout the day, and the baby will spit up on them regularly so you need a big supply. Burping cloths are also in this same category.

Another item that is used on a regular basis is baby bath towels. Babies are usually bathed once a day, and sometimes more than that after really messy diapers. When babies are very young, it seems like the washer machine is getting constant use. The last thing you want is to run out of essential items such as these.

Diapers are another item that you can never have too many of on hand. Even if the parents are using a diaper service, they will still need disposables at times for traveling. You can put a kit together with diapers, wipes and a diaper bag.

When babies get a bit older, there is still a danger of running out of some necessities such as sheets. Parents need many sets of toddler baby bedding as it sometimes needs to be changed often. When accidents happen, sheets need to be changed.

If your budget is a bit larger, you might consider purchasing a high quality car seat. For example, the Evenflo convertible comes highly rated by a consumer magazine. These types of car seats are great as they can be used for infants but also for babies as they grow, up to 50 pounds. The car seat is used facing the rear for babies up to 35 pounds. At that point, or as low as 20 pounds, it can then be converted to facing forward.

Another gift that is in the higher budget range is a stroller. There are simple models that collapse easily for use on the go. Then there are others such as jogging strollers that are a more expensive and less mobile but also much sturdier and perfect for trips around the neighborhood.

Whatever you choose to buy, your present is sure to be appreciated if it is something as useful as these suggestions. They are gifts that never go out of style.

One of the most dangerous scams in recent years is the babysitting and Au-Pair positions. Advertisements are listed on various media offering these positions, almost always overseas. Good wages, air fare, and other enticements are offered.

These ads are usually accompanied by a request for a resume and a phone number you can dial. The average resume contains a tremendous amount of personal information so great care should be exercised when submitting this document. It can, sometimes, be just another way of getting the information needed for identity theft.

As you get interviewed for these kinds of jobs, you’ll typically find your interviewers to be impressive, cultured, and well-dressed, giving you the impression that the job is easy and well-paying, and paints the country as a great place to be. They offer positions to single women with few contacts or relatives.

They’ll also cite their search for a foreign babysitter to be due to their desire to have their children become fluent in a foreign language, namely yours. This may or may not be true. It is extremely important that, in these interviews, the prospective employee ask questions regarding all aspects of the job as well instead of just answering personal questions. Most scammers are reluctant to give direct answers and if this is the case the job should be avoided.

Far too many instances have seen young women wanting to experience a new country and travel. However, the conditions are much worse than they anticipate, and they are forced to do work for the family. There are even instances where white slavers have taken these kinds of girls.

Once the woman reaches the other country, she is alone with little money and few resources and at the mercy of the employer. As a result, you should research the company that is offering to hire you. Telephone look-up services such as cell-registry.com/205/290/ can verify the that the caller is from a legitimate organization, those looking to take jobs abroad should take advantage of this.

Some scam artists will ask the potential Au-Pair for a cash transfer to cover air fare. They are often told that this is because the employer has certain contacts that will make it easier for the employee to gain admittance into the foreign country. They just collect that money and cut off contact with you.

If, after investigation, the person accepting the job feels that it is legitimate they should be sure there is someone who knows all the details who will check on them should they not be heard from for a time. Once you get to the foreign country, contact the embassy of your country before you meet your employers, so they know that you exist and are there. When you’re in a foreign land, you should be extra careful to protect yourself.

These days, the majority of parents sincerely enjoy the plethora of choices available on the market to dress their daughter’s nursery, and find their biggest challenge is narrowing those choices down. Baby bedding is a good industry which is distributed to very deliciously and economically , so this short period business has very large sound in the society.

New parents are bound to be intimidated when a simple online search for baby bedding produces too many results. Many consumers find the time spent on choosing a design hat also compliments the home decor is more wisely used than just surfing the internet.

If you prefer a more modern decor, you’ll probably like bright abstract designs; if your preferences run to the cozy, old-fashioned look, dots and checks will be just right for you. Pink and brown baby girl bedding comes in so many styles these days that all consumers can be sure of locating the perfect items to satisfy their preferences.

Themed bedding has become immensely popular in recent years, giving parents the opportunity to create imaginative retreats for their children which may incorporate animals or plant life. But of course an ever increasing group of those shopping for the nursery are moving toward bedding that is filled with jungle and safari imagery, including imaginatively drawn members of the animal kingdom.

Micro suede is one of the contemporary materials with texture that is very well suited to bed linens with animal print designs. Leopard print crib bedding along with several other animal patterns, in resent years, have become part of many newborn girl’s nursery decor. The ensemble with  the theme of leopard printed over them which have been especially designed for girls with a usual color combination of pink which is even better choice because the same has a sober and natural look.

If you want leopard print linens for your daughter’s nursery, it’s best to purchase an ensemble packaged with bedding and accessories to decorate the room at a reasonable cost. A nursery with a leopard theme is not only aesthetically pleasing, but can also provide an imaginative escape, which works for both rest and play.