Babycare and Mom Helpful Hints with Heloise and Dr. Smith’s Diaper Ointment

Featured Clients,

February 24, 2011

Women gathered in TheMotherhood on February 24, 2011, to share helpful hints about baby and household care. We were joined by hints expert Heloise, an internationally syndicated columnist, TV personality and author of several books, including her latest, Handy Household Hints from Heloise.

As Heloise noted at the end of the Talk, “My mother, the original Heloise, started the Mom’s community back in 1959 in her newspaper column. She told her housewives ‘I love you, and you’re not alone.’”

We are saying the same thing to moms today, more than 50 years later. The communication is different, but the intent is the same – to provide a safe place for moms to ask questions, get answers, sympathize, share stories and stay strong!

Thank you to Dr. Smith’s Diaper Ointment for partnering with us to bring you this incredible, powerful Talk!

Taking care of our families and ourselves

It’s easier to care for your children when you take care of yourself, too!

“If you can find some money for a mother’s help or trade off with friends for a babysitter, I find it helpful to have a day to myself every so often,” said co-host Jill, The Diaper Diaries. “Even grocery shopping without kids is like a spa day. It is a luxury!!”

Added participant 1Chef, “Sometimes I think we all try to multi-task too much! Sometimes focusing more on fewer tasks at a time is helpful.”

Baby care and advice

Moms also discussed their best hints for taking care of babies, ranging from practical to emotional.

Co-host Cat, 3 Kids and Us, advised new moms to “buy a lot of infant gowns and skip the frilly clothes. Babies grow so fast and the gowns are so easy for diaper changes, which happen so frequently.”

In a similar vein, “do your homework, visit and talk with other families and see what you really need in way on baby equipment,” added 1Chef. “It’s easy to over-do and get too much stuff that you actually don’t need or use.”

Co-host Janel, A Mom’s Take, said she would have appreciated knowing how difficult breastfeeding would be. “No one told me it would be hard at first and I could have easily quit if I wasn’t so sure I wanted to nurse. Once I got over the initial learning curve I have loved nursing, but boy I wasn’t prepared for that!”

And when baby is old enough to eat in a highchair, Heloise had a great tip to prevent slipping: “Putting non-skid shelf liner or bathtub appliqués on the seat of the chair.”

When it comes to keeping your child’s toys clean, Heloise recommends “baking soda for stuffed animals and a solution of simple white or apple cider vinegar to de-grime plastic toys.”

She also endorsed using “a quality diaper ointment (I love Dr. Smith’s Diaper Ointment and use it on my hand and feet!)” to treat diaper rash – AND after each diaper change to help prevent rashes.

Above all, “be flexible,” said co-host Rachael, Empowering Mommy. “Only take advice from those you really trust and ignore all other comments. Don’t be afraid to test things and come up with your own rules.”

Potty training

As your kids grow out of diapers, potty training can prove to be a delicate balance, especially overnight.

“I think the pull-ups with their erasable symbols really seem to work with my kids,” said participant mmmyatt. “When they can see a sign that they’ve stayed dry, they are really proud–and they work hard to see those symbols still there in the morning.”

Co-host Angela, Frugal Living NW, suggested waiting to potty train “until you notice a dry diaper. It’s worked for me with my first 3. It might be another year until your child is ready for a dry night.”

“Don’t give any liquids two hours prior to bedtime,” added Krista S. “This helped so they didn’t wet the bed at night or come running into our bedroom and then pee in the middle of the night!”

Getting the kids to help with chores

It isn’t always easy to get help around the house – kids are more interested in playtime.

“Make it a race,” said co-host Alison, Being Alison. “See who can put away the most things the quickest. Or just how fast they can do it.”

You could even use “a timer. I am amazed at how motivated my kids get when I set a timer for 5 minutes,” added co-host Jill Anderson, Diaper Diaries.

ShannonK gets her kids moving by giving them an incentive. “I make a list of what I need each kid to do, then take all media away until it is done. It is shocking how fast they can move, if they are motivated.”

“I make weekly household chore for every family member, especially my kids,” said SuzanneDS. “A star is placed after chore done, and monthly a special surprise awaits.”

Uncluttering

Most of the moms agreed that avoiding clutter, or clearing it, was a major task. They traded suggestions with Heloise for minimizing the problem.

“For teens, if they decorate their rooms, they’ll be tidier,” said 1Chef. “Also, for teen clothes, they can re-sell/trade at consignment stores like Plato’s Closet.”

“I actually boxed up my daughter’s clothes when she grew out of them,” said Aubrie. “It keeps it organized by size (and gender) for the next possible addition.”

Brandie gets her whole family involved to “do it Clean Sweep Style (if anyone remembers that show). We literally move everything out of the bedroom into the living room. We spread it all out and then we start going through it. We do this about 3 times a year.”

Heloise Hints for uncluttering

1. File it wherever it goes

2. Fix it if it can be fixed, if not, throw it out

3. Five minutes or five things (five minutes cleaning out a kitchen drawer, one shelf in the fridge, etc. Five things – touch and deal with five and only five things: five things out of your makeup drawer, your purse, etc.)

4. Forward: If it goes to another room, carry it with you when you move. If it goes to the kitchen, carry it with you when you walk through the house. Hint from my mother, the original Heloise: Never ever leave a room empty handed.

5. FORGET ABOUT IT!

Heloise last ditch stain remover for washable clothes

One gallon hot water
1 cup powdered dishwasher detergent
1/4 cup household liquid chlorine bleach

Stir to dissolve the dishwasher detergent. Put the clothes in, let them soak for ten to twenty minutes and then check.

If the stains do not come out in twenty minutes, soaking longer or overnight is not going to be any better.

Bleaching out yellowing clothes

Brandie and other moms suggested “vinegar and sunshine!”

Heloise added, “Try one garment and soak it in a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide which acts as a slower, milder bleaching agent.”

BEST HINTS FROM HELOISE AND THEMOTHERHOOD

1. Dealing with Kids’ Boo-Boos:

From Heloise: Use a red washcloth, which shows no blood, and tiny frozen fast-food condiment packages as ice packs, remove bandage, without an ouch, by covering first with baby or mineral oil.

From Brandie: Fill cloth bags with flax and lavender. You can put them in the freezer. They feel good on bruises and small injuries and have a nice scent that can be calming.

2. Ways to Organize Tot’s Things:

From Heloise: Put complete outfits, underpants and all, in a large zipper bag. On the weekend, put together a week’s worth to save stress and time on hectic mornings.

From “Clumberkim”: When you get a new toy, give away, sell or donate an old one to avoid an excess buildup of unused or forgotten toys.

3. Keeping Track of Bath Toys:

From Heloise: Corral them with a plastic colander or mesh vegetable bag, which go right into the tub and allows for easy drying.

From “This Mama Loves”: To clean bath toys, put them in a lingerie bag, zip it and put it on the top shelf of the dishwasher. Avoid squirty bath toys or toys with holes, which are harder to clean and sanitize.

4. Maintaining the Peace During Naptime:

From members of The Motherhood: When the baby is sleeping, put a note on your front door that says, “Do Not Disturb, the baby is napping” to prevent people from ringing the doorbell and waking him or her.

From Heloise: Heloise’s mother, the original Heloise, published this hint in her newspaper column that she started in 1959 (a true reflection of the importance and power of women sharing their best ideas).

5. When Heloise invited the community to share their best advice for new moms, the community overwhelmingly said, trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to come up with your own rules.

Thanks to Heloise, Dr. Smith’s Diaper Ointment and our AMAZING blogger co-hosts:

Janel, A Mom’s Take

Sheryl, Cents’Able Shoppin

Jessica, The B Keeps Us Honest

Jill, Diaper Diaries

Angela, Frugal Living NW

Catherine, 3 Kids and Us

Crystal, Simply Being Mommy

Rachael, Empowering Mommy

Brett, This Mama Loves Her Bargains

Alison, Being Alison

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62162