SECRETS OF PARENTHOOD THERE ARE NO MAGIC SPELLS TO MAKE YOU A GOOD PARENT, GO WITH YOUR INSTINCTS, AND GIVE BABY AS MUCH LOVE AND ATTENTION AS POSSIBLE. THESE ARE JUST SOME TIPS PICKED UP FROM PARENTS AND READING ALONG THE WAY! *If baby is restless in her highchair, put her favourite teddy in his own bib and sit him next to her. *You don't have to bath baby every day, but top to tail baby every other day. All u need is cotton wool, warm water,and a soft towel towel, ask your midwife to show you how before you leave hospital. *Sleepless nights...If you drive and need to rest...take baby for a drive, most babys sleep in a car. Don't if you're too shattered fatigue related car accidents are on the up. *Bathing babys sticky eye in your breast milk will usually clear it up. We should bottle it. *Putting a little of babys milk on his spoon when weaning , will give him comfort getting started. *Baby clothes marked 0-3 months are much more practical than newborn. *Theres no real benefit in giving a new baby their own room, it just means a further walk for you each time she wakes. In fact it's actually reccommended that it's safer to have baby share your room for the first 6 months, as cot death occur more often among babies in another room. *Sometimes babys cry because they want to be left in peace. While you think he's asking to be cuddled and held, he may feel happier just lying in a comfy place where he can hear and see you. Thats not to say you shouldn't attend to his needs, but you will soon learn the difference in his cries. * Cook in bulk when you have free time and are in the mood, then freeze the meals, so that you'll have healthy, ready prepared meals availablewhen you need them.. *Camomile is great for Colic. Put one camomile tea bag in a cup of boiling water, cover and leave to cool. Give one teaspoon as necessary. If you're breastfeeding, you can also drink the tea and it will reach baby via your breastmilk. *before washing babys hair stand the baby shampoo in the bath water for a few mins and then its a much better temperature for when applying to babys head * Star Charts are an excellent way of persuading your toddler to do something they aren't too keen on e.g. a star for each time they sit on the potty/eat their dinner/tidy their toys etc. Toddlers love getting praise and will be more willing to do things if they are awarded a gold star and on a chart they can see how good they've been. *SAFETY TIP - empty the kettle after you have boiled it! Toddlers love to copy you and tea parties are all the go for a 2 year old who has the understanding to move a chair to reach the kettle!! (you may think its out of the way but it isn't!) *Toy Rotation - If your toddlers have loads & loads of toys, put the ones they dont play with often in the loft or out of sight. In about a months time bring them out again and they will start to play with them as to them its like having something new. Also means you dont have them taking over the living room floor and losing sight of the carpet !!! *Large margerine tubs cleaned out make really good storage boxes - use for crayons, little items like beads. Also a good size for larger portions of food when freezing for toddlers. They can be used for paint too so you dont have to buy paint pots. *For toddlers learning to feed themselves its a fun, messy time. Put them in older siblings (or parents!) old t-shirts to cover their clothes thus preventing the expected mess getting over them and causing yet another load for the wash. *put a hook close to the sink at your toddlers height, and place a flannel on the hook. this encourages your toddler to get into the habit of washing before dinner etc. *Save all your yoghurt pots to freeze food for your baby. As you baby grows you will find that an icecube tray really doesnt sretch to too many meals. With a yoghurt pot, you can put enough for one meal in there! *To avoid fussy children, try to steer clear of to many tinned baby foods. Instead try making fresh simple meals for yourself and blending some for baby, then gradually working up to mashed. By the time hes a toddler he'll be eating just the same as you. Remember not to cook food in salt. *When pureeing small amounts of food to wean your baby use a (clean) garlic crusher instead of a blender. It mashes food to the right consistency and is easier to clean *Stop fat spitting when frying food by placing a metal colander upside down over the frying pan. This stops kids (and adults)getting burnt by keeping the fat in the pan and allows the steam to escape through the holes *When trying to teach your child the alphabet have theme weeks. Start with an A week and work through to Z. In A week cook foods beginning with A, label things in the house that begin with A, point out pictures of A animals etc. And so on for each letter of the alphabet. Should help kids learn their letters and be fun. *This may sound really basic - and you probably all do it anyway. If your child is off their food/unwell, blend a whole banana with a glass of milk. Serve with a straw . It provides quite a balanced liquid meal. (no need to add sugar !) *When going out on a shopping trip etc, take a healthy snack food with you. We take out apples, and raisins. It helps to keep the childrens hunger pains at bay and also resists the temptation of sweets, crisps etc. *Introduce your child to the family meal table and family food as soon as possible - it certainly goes someway to reducing the fussy eater! it is always a good way to have family chats, debates and generally catch up. If the main evening meal is not a suitable time way not make breakfast the get together time. Even if it's just the two of you, it's a lovely time for mum and baby, when mum gets a chance to sit down and relax *take a wet flanel (in a plastic food bag) out with you when going for a meal,makes faces easier to wipe clean,instead of using wipes which aren't kind to babies faces... *When doing the food shopping make sure you go on a full stomache and then you will be less likely to buy snack foods bumping up your shopping bill. An obvious tip I know but when you are rushing round with loads to do and trying to fit in the shopping amongst other things eating takes a back seat. *just a wee tip for all heartburn sufferers out there, pregnant or not! As a dose of heartburn can be hell when busy with baby.frequently heartburn can be caused by undigested food that is moving very slowly through your system. try this as a remedy...try drinking 2-4 oz of Pineapple juice BEFORE a meal and 2-4 oz afterwards. (if you eat meat or something heavy drink 4oz) pineapple juice contains a digestive enzyme called in it called Bromelain, this will vigorously speed up your digestion and usually puts an end to most heartburn caused by indegestion! plus it's good for you! *When trying to introduce you baby to foods with a lumpier texture try homemade vegetable soup. Babies love the taste and the lumps of veg are soft enough to teach them how to chew - and it's good for them!!!!! *To save your self the chore of having to "scrub" your pan's that have food burned or stuck fast to the bottom, Save your "used" tumble dryer softener sheets. Put one in the pan and fill with hot water, leave to soak overnight,then in the morning, you will find that all the baked on food has simply just "lifted off". All you need to do then is pour away what is in the pan, no need for scraping! just clean as normal! (Handy at Christmas with all of those pans to clean!) All the more time to spend with your kids! *If you make your own baby food take advantage of the special offers in your supermarket fruit and veg department. If they have a "buy one get one free offer" on you can make up a large batch of veggies for your baby for the freezer and save lots of time and money. *You may already do this but heres the tip . For all the parents of little boys who like to pull their shoes/socks off when out in the buggy - I put navy blue tights on little boys under his trousers , so he cannot pull them off no matter how hard he tries, his little feet and legs keep warm and nobody knows they are tights and not socks! * Dont be gender specific when buying toys. dolls are great toys for both sexesWhy cant boys have dolls ? Nobody thinks twice about buying a girl cars etc. You'll notice the benefits if having another baby or even visiting friends babies...they'll already have play acted being gentle with their 'baby'. After all daddy changes nappies, takes the pram out for a walk etc..i hope lol! *In summer kids are crying out for ice-cream and lollies. Make your own fruity ice lollies by blending tinned fruit such as pineapples or peaches and add fresh fruit juice, then freeze My son loves them and has no idea they are actually healthy. But don't use strawberries or raspberries due to the small seeds. *Hang a musical mobile over the bath and turn it on as you are about to rinse the shampoo off. It means they will look up and not get it in their eyes. *It's never too early to start thinking about christmas! trying to get all your shopping done at november and december is not only nervewracking but the stores have you by the throat because they know you are desperate. so try to pick up amazing deals now and throughout the rest of the year....you should be able to find clever hiding places at home for these and it's much easier on the budget...this doens't just apply to kids things either...why not stock up on buy one get one free offers over the year and use the free bottles to make up a luxury gift basket for someone that likes to be pampered? by using your imagination and being able to wait for something to be a really big bargain you can save yourself alot of money and come up with some great gifts as well as make more time for yourself when the holidays come to actually ENJOY them! *if you are pregnant and on a tight budget,dont by a seperate cot then bed. buy a cot bed as this will last much longer and works out much cheaper. Especially as you may find out that you prefer baby in your bed instead of the cot. *If you are on a tight budget then do not bother with moses baskets and abby baths they are a waste of money and last only for a couple of months, spend the money other more useful thing! *If you have had stitches after giving birth a pad with witch hazel inside your knickers is wonderful and soothing!!!! *If you are expecting and have had friends who have recently given birth - why not ask to borrow her maternity wear? the money you save can be used for baby things or your personal items that need to be taken to hospital which cost a fortune but are a necessity!! *if your boobs get engorged just after giving birth, try a savoy cabbage leaf in each bra. the cooling sensation is heavenly refresing and it helps to numb the pain. Well more to come soon hope you found these helpful!