Leah Love

Onion

Onion Decongestant for Baby

How-to for ParentingLeave a comment

I’ve never tried this age old decongestant cure myself, and I can’t imagine that anybody would have gotten me to ingest this as a child, I plan on adding this home remedy to my repertoire.  To try, if only just once, with the jittery nerves of a first-time parent caring for her child’s first sickness.

You’ll need:

Onion (I’ll be using white or yellow)

1 Tbs. sugar

Knife

Bowl

Refrigerator

To Make:

Take a knife and cut the onion into chunks and put in a bowl, shake sugar over the top and cover, place in the fridge for a few hours.  As a result, you should get a sort of ‘syrup’ that makes a natural decongestant.  Feed your baby the syrup and leave the onions in the bowl for future use.

This remedy is also for pregnant women who may be unable to ingest, or unwilling to, take store bought medicines.

Do I Need Newborn Care Classes?

Creative ParentingLeave a comment

Newborn Care ClassesI just got done writing a little diatribe on how I don’t need Child birthing classes and left myself with the question, do I need Newborn care classes?   Maybe.

The only things I expect not to know how to do intuitively is CPR.  I already know, whether by previous experience or by instinct, how to hold, bathe and feed a child.  Though, if I’m being honest here, I am harboring a paranoia about my kid and my breasts not getting along right off the bat, but I suppose that’s what professional lactation consultants are for.  So, I seem to be set for all that except… infant resuscitation.  Sure does seem like a skill Jason and I might want to pick up.

But I doubt that infant CPR certification is covered in the Newborn care class. Though, it seems like that would be pretty time intensive enough to take several days right?  I mean, it took several days when I was certified for CPR in middle school.

Between writing above and starting this sentence, Youtube has managed to teach me a little something about infant resuscitation, as well as what to do when baby chokes.  Easy peasy.  More information at my fingertips than I feel I could glean from one instructor in a classroom.

The thing I hate about a classroom setting is after paying the money, I get there and realize that the instructor is a grade “A” joke.  We’ve all had teachers who just didn’t suit us.  Nothing worse than a lazy instructor!  Then I have to sit quietly over an excruciatingly long period while none of my questions get answered fully.  Not saying it’s bound to happen, but I do loathe classes when it does!

If there’s anything I know about my learning style, it’s that I need informational variety, and I need it to be succinct and well presented. Otherwise, I get suuuuuper irritated!  Check out some of the infant choking/CPR links I posted on the bottom of this page.

I also, while typing in ‘Newborn care’, I stumbled across ‘Newborn Baby care made easy for dumb daddies by a dumb daddy’ by somebody who posts himself as Jawaballs.  An instructional for new daddies by a new daddy that manages to keep me interested even though it’s ten minutes long.  This is an example of why I find the internet much more instructive than an actual class, direct from the horses mouth sort to speak.

The new daddy takes his viewers through everything in the baby’s room. What he finds useless (the diaper genie bin) and incredibly useful (pee pee tee pees) for a newborn.  Cute!

I love to see newborn care through a daddy’s eyes!  I just learned that newborns don’t like Johnson and Johnson bath soap, too perfumed for their little bodies.  See?  Another baby care tip I picked up without having to even leave my house!

Okay, done with semi-sidetrack.  Point being, I think I’m personally better off not learning about my baby through other people.  When it comes right down to it, how much of what you learn about the idea of a newborn is going to come right out of the textbook and apply to me?

Probably none, classes are out!

Vinegar

10 Uses for Vinegar

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Vinegar is a very, VERY, useful thing!  Forget all its kitchen and bathroom applications. Let me tell you how vinegar can help you take care of your baby clothes.

1- Clean Baby Cloths

If you add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to each load of your baby clothes during the rinse cycle, it will break down urine stains and other ‘residuals’ leaving the clothes soft and fresh.  Though, if you have hard water, you may have to skip over the vinegar (blasphemy!) because it can react with the urine and increase the stink.  Ick.

Clothes will almost always rinse better if you add a cup of white distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics but strong enough to dissolve the alkalis in soaps and detergents.  Cotton and wool blankets become soft, fluffy and free of soap odor if 2 cups of white distilled vinegar are added to the rinse cycle of the wash.

2- Remove Armpit Stains

Deodorant and antiperspirant stains can be eradicated by lightly scrubbing the offending stain with straight white distilled vinegar, laundering as usual.

3- Hide Small Holes in Cloths

After a hem or seam is removed, there is usually unsightly holes left in the fabric. These holes can often be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with white distilled vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.

4- Clean Leather

Clothing, or furniture made of leather, can be cleaned with a mixture of distilled vinegar and linseed oil. Rub the mix into the leather and then buff with a soft cloth.

To clean leather shoes of winter road salts, make a solution of one part water to one part white vinegar.  Dip a soft cloth into the solution, and dab it over affected parts of your shoes.  You may have to repeat the cleaning a few times before all the salt is gone.  Salt actually can damage leather, so you’d better clean those shoes as quickly as possible!

5- Remove Burn Marks

Accident with a lighter?  Rub white vinegar on your slightly scorched cloth. Wipe with a clean cloth.

6- Fix Cloths’ Colors

When you are dying your clothing add 1 cup of vinegar to the washing machine’s rinse cycle to help fix the color.

To set colors in fabrics that are rather prone to run (red!) soak them for a few minutes in white distilled vinegar before washing.

Keep your jeans bright and help them keep their store-bought shape by turning your jeans inside out and washing them in cold water, add a tbs. Vinegar per pair.

7- Remove Mildew

Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to the rinse water when you launder your shower curtain.  Do not spin dry or wash out.  Just hang immediately to dry, it’ll help you with any mildew problems you might have.

Did we forget to take the laundry out of the wash again? (Guilty!)  After six or so hours, they begin to smell!  Rewash and add vinegar during the wash cycle, smell gone!

8- Cleanout Iron’s Water Chamber

Pour equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water into your iron’s water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position, supervise! Afterwards, unplug the iron and allow to cool completely before putting away.  Impurities should slide out when you empty the chamber.

9- Clean Carpet

Renting a carpet cleaner?  Skip the carpet cleaner solution and replace with vinegar and water instead.

10- Fabric Softener

Manufacture your own fabric softener; combine 3 cups water, ½ cup vinegar, 1 cup hair-conditioner of your choice.  Pour into a Downy ball and use!  Or just pour ¾ cups vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser, whichever you prefer.  Don’t worry, they won’t smell like vinegar.

Easy ‘Homemade’ Electrolyte Solution

Creative Parenting, Mother's Health, Parenting an InfantLeave a comment

You’ll need:

2 Quarts water

1 tsp. salt

½ Cup Sugar

1 Tsp. Baking soda

1 Packet Kool-Aid, Crystal Lite or Juicy Juice for flavoring

Capped container for fridge storage.

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in a container and shake until thoroughly mixed, as always consult your pediatrician before any course of action.

I can’t say that this is the way to go since Gatorade is akin to drinking soda, but some think you can replace brands like Pedialyte by diluting Gatorade 1:1 with water.  It is cheaper but as s always, discuss it with your pediatrician.

Baby Feet.

Baby Face

Homemade Baby Food

Parenting an InfantLeave a comment

You’ll need:

Fruit or Veggie of Choice such as apples, banana, carrots, sweet potato, etc.
In this instance, I’ll pick Carrots.

1 Peeled carrot (or more if desired)

Covered pot/pan

Steamer tray

Water, enough to touch the underside of steamer pan

Food processor or masher

Directions:

Peel and chop the carrot into small pieces and place on steamer inside the pot.

Turn stovetop and steam until carrots can be pierced easily with a fork.

Mash steamed carrot pieces until thoroughly pureed, no hint of a chunk should remain.

Add fresh water to create desired consistency.

Divide what isn’t eaten into ice cube tray compartments, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for future use.

Easy Peasy!  Repeat process with other fruits/veggies.

Lavender

Homemade Lavender Baby Oil

How-to for ParentingLeave a comment

You’ll need:

½ Cup olive oil

10 drops Essential Oil, Lavender

5 drops Essential Oil, Mandarin

Jar (with lid) in which to store homemade baby oil

Blender (optional)

Mix the ingredients in your container and blend until thoroughly combined.

Almond and Lavender Oil Alternative

¼ Cup Cooking Almond Oil

10-15 drops Essential Oil, Lavender

Jar (with lid) in which to store homemade baby oil

Combine ingredients in your container and shake until thoroughly blended.

Homemade Baby Powder (Talcum free)

Parenting an Infant, UpdateLeave a comment

You’ll need:

½ Cup Cornstarch

½ Cup Arrowroot powder

1 Tbs dried ground Chamomile

1 Tbs dried ground Lavender

¼ Cup fine ground Oats

Okay, don’t be discouraged by the ingredients list here.  Depending on the wondrousness of your local supermarket, it may not be too tough.  Here in Wisconsin we have a Woodman’s Grocery near our home, complete with the ‘health food’ isles that (confession time) I rarely enter except when I need unusual items as the above.  If your store doesn’t have the ‘health food’ aisle, you may have to step outside your comfort zone and visit an actual health food store.  Don’t worry, they’re friendly!

A note about Talcum powder and why we like our baby powders to be free of it.  It causes aspiration pneumonia because baby inhales the Talcum it affects the lungs, badly.

So, super easy, blend these ingredients together and pour into a baby-powder style bottle, or reuse your old, empty, baby powder bottle.  Enjoy a dry baby bottom!

 

How to Clean Baby Toys – Teethers, plastic and wood toys

How-to for ParentingLeave a comment

You’ll need:

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Distilled White Vinegar

Using a 1:1 ratio, stir together the distilled white vinegar and water for the easiest, most cost efficient, cleaning solution ever. Keep it in a bottle and just spray a little on a clean rag and then wipe down any surfaces the baby regularly uses, such as play mats or toys.  The vinegar smell dissipates after drying and leaves no residue behind.

Some parents choose to use a bleach solution thinking it has a higher germ kill count (depending on which study you look up, that isn’t necessarily so), and that’s okay if it’s what you want but before you choose that route give some thought to the toxicity.

Not only does bleach have the potential to ruin clothing and carpet but it is harsh enough, with repeated use, to peel the skin off your hands; as any former restaurant dishwasher (Yo!) can tell you.  Plus, you can in no way ingest bleach without harming yourself whereas we ingest vinegar almost every day in things like salad dressings, marinades, potato chips, sauces, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayo.  Some people even take it as a supplement!  Point being, vinegar is a handy product to keep under the kitchen sink!