Category: Family Life

It should come as no surprise that the baby apparel industry is valued at over $135 billion. This figure is expected to grow even during a global pandemic.

Perhaps the only negative to baby shopping is that apparel is expensive. For a fraction of the size, baby clothes are often more expensive than adult sizes.

The good news is that we are here to teach you how to buy baby clothes. Read on for five essential tips for buying baby clothes on a budget.  

1. Sign-Up Discounts

Many companies offer a generous coupon for signing up for their website. Typically, the company wants your e-mail address in exchange for the discount.

This is an arrangement that benefits both parties. By signing up, the baby apparel story adds you to their digital marketing network. In exchange, you will receive coupons and promotes via e-mail including the sign-up offer.

2. Shop Around

The best way to shop on a budget is to look around. Do not settle for the first cute outfit that you find.

Different companies run promotions at separate times. One retailer may be selling clothes for full price while another is running a huge sale.

By shopping around, you will also find the hottest new styles. Read more here about the hottest styles in baby clothing.

3. Look for Holiday Discounts

The holidays are the best time for retail discounts. Many retailers run huge sales for the major holidays.

Some holidays that come to mind are Thanksgiving and Independence Day. If you plan ahead, you can take full advantage of these great deals.

4. Join Social Media Groups

Social media is a gold mine for baby apparel on a budget. Many parents go over the top with baby shopping.

They receive dozens of new clothes for a newborn. Little do they know that newborns grow out of their clothes in a matter of weeks. The end result is baby clothes that are too small and still have the tag on them.

This is where social media groups come into play. Parents sell brand new clothes on Facebook and other platforms. Since they are second-hand, they come at a fraction of the cost.

Our advice is to find parent groups on social media. Then, be on the lookout for great deals on brand new items.

5. Join Loyalty Programs

Another way to save money at the store is by signing up for loyalty programs. Some stores want you to apply for a credit card to get a recurring discount.

Others allow you to sign up without a financial commitment. Retailers like Target and Kohl’s come to mind for baby clothes rewards.

Here, you gain rewards points by shopping online or in-store. You can eventually use these rewards points to get free items.

How to Buy Baby Clothes Recapped

Buying baby clothes does not have to be expensive. You can find items on the cheap with savvy shopping skills.

Signing up for a social media group or a rewards program goes a long way. These steps make it easier to get clothes on a budget.

If you enjoyed this article about how to buy baby clothes, check out our blog for more great content.

Want to know if you should breastfeed your baby?

If you have a newborn baby, some people may advise you to use formula instead of breastfeeding. For some families, baby formula is crucial to a baby’s survival. However, breastfeeding can be more effective in your child’s growth.

The CDC says that in the US, 84.1% of infants get breastfed. For many, it’s a natural solution to caring for babies. In this guide, we’ll answer the question of why or what are the benefits of breast milk.

Breast Milk Is a Nutritional Source

Breast milk has everything your baby needs to survive his or her firsts. Be it the first day, first month, or six months, your baby can get all his nutritional needs from breast milk. If you’re curious, breast milk has:

• High protein
• Low sugar
• Antibodies and white blood cells
• Probiotics
• Antibacterial properties
• Growth factors
• Hormones
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids

Those are only a few nutrients and other elements found in breast milk. The interesting part is that these elements come in all the right proportions for your baby. As time goes on, these nutrients also change and adapt to your baby’s needs.

If there is one thing that breast milk doesn’t have, it’s vitamin D only. This means you still have to expose your infant to healthy morning sunlight. If your newborn has jaundice, sunlight exposure is crucial to their health.

Your Baby Becomes Stronger and Healthier

Because your baby gets all the nutrients he needs from breast milk; it’s easier for him to grow well. He also stays within the healthy weight range of a newborn infant. He has protection against infections and diseases from the antibodies in breast milk.

These illnesses and diseases include:

• Middle ear infection
• Respiratory tract infection
• Colds and related infections
• Gut infections
• Allergic diseases
• Intestinal tissue damage
• Bowel diseases

Your breast milk gives your baby everything they need to keep these infections out of his/her system. Breastfeeding is one step to ensure your baby doesn’t become sickly. Not only that, when you breastfeed your baby, you’re ensuring he or she becomes strong and healthy.

You Feel a Stronger Connection With Your Baby

Breastmilk is the one thing that a mother can give that a father could not. This unique ability also helps you create a unique bond with your baby.

Nursing is a great way to build a physical and emotional connection with your child. You get to hold, caress, and kiss your child as you breastfeed him or her. You’ll get this feeling of the miracle that is your infant as you stare at him while he breastfeeds.

That isn’t to say that mothers who bottle-feed their babies won’t feel the same way. They’ll still feel these emotions. However, it’s quite different when you’re feeding your infant straight from your breast.

Avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome is an unexplainable death during sleep. Any baby that is less than a year old, healthy or not, is prone to SIDS. When you breastfeed your baby for at least two months, you cut the risk of SIDS by almost 50 percent.

It’s one of the most vital breast milk benefits for babies. There may be no direct explanation for SIDS.

However, the theory is that breastfed babies rouse from sleep with more ease. The immune protection of breast milk may aid in avoiding SIDS.

When Breastfed, Your Baby Gets Smarter

Studies show that breastfed babies have a larger brain size than formula-fed babies. Breastfed babies also have a somewhat higher IQ than infants who had formula. Again, this goes back to the key nutrients in breast milk that help brain development.

The skin-to-skin contact also adds to the intellectual development of babies. When they have this skin-to-skin contact, infants feel safe and nurtured. Parents who want to bottle-feed their baby can also provide this skin-to-skin contact.

Are you looking to save some of your breast milk for later? A breast pump can also help nursing mothers who are struggling to produce breastmilk. Learn what to look for in a breast pump now.

Avoid Health Risks in Mothers

What are the benefits of breast milk for mommies? Nursing doesn’t only benefit your infant. It also benefits the mother in many ways. First, you burn 300-500 calories each day you nurse your baby.

If you’re experiencing postpartum stress, nursing promotes postpartum recovery. When a baby suckles on your breast, your body releases oxytocin. This encourages your uterus to shrink down to its pre-pregnancy size.

Breastfeeding is Convenient

While breastfeeding is essential to the early development of babies, many mothers find it difficult to do. Often, the reasons include that the baby can’t latch on or they lack support at home. In other cases, they have to get back to work right away and/or have a work schedule that doesn’t allow time for pumping.

Let’s not forget that 57% of American mothers feel uncomfortable about public breastfeeding. This public disapproval gets mothers kicked out of establishments or hear rude comments. It’s an unnatural public response to a natural part of being a mother.

Still, why should babies drink breast milk? The final entry to this list is that it’s convenient. Whenever your baby feels hungry and starts giving you the signs, it’s quick and easy to feed him.

What Are the Benefits of Breast Milk?

That ends our guide to the question of what are the benefits of breast milk. We hope you found this short guide on breastfeeding educational and useful. Now, you know how breastfeeding can benefit you and your baby.

Did you like what you read on the benefits of breastfeeding? Do you want to see more educational guides on caring for your baby? Check out our other posts now for more content on baby care.

There are tons of ideas out there for how to make your children’s playroom the perfect place for their creativity to grow. It can be overwhelming to know where to start as you begin to plan.

Fortunately, we’re here to let you in on five kid’s playroom essentials to make life easier as you design their playtime area. You’ll see how easy it can be to create a space for your children to learn and play in their own special place.

1. Functional and Fun Furniture

When you’re looking for your playroom furniture, try to find pieces that are both useful and playful. Fun bean bag chairs or children’s rocking chair pieces are perfect for this.

Bookcases are a must to hold all the best children’s books and stories you’ll read to your children to spark their love of words. It’s also a wonderful idea to buy a rug or play mat that will make it more comfortable to play on the floor and avoid any injuries from a fall.

2. Distinct Areas

Your kids may have just one playroom, but that doesn’t mean they need to feel limited. Creating multiple different areas in the room gives the opportunity to switch gears easily.

Tents are becoming more and more popular as a little escape within the room. A good desk for drawing, painting, and even building with blocks is a great idea.

3. Good Storage

Utilizing good storage as much as possible is essential for keeping a well-organized play area and avoiding a huge mess. Using a variety of shelves, bins, and cute baskets are the key to keeping things in order and easy to get to.

4. Whimsical Decor

Decorating your child’s playroom is going to be the most fun part of the whole process. Of course, what you choose will depend on your kid’s preferences, but there are almost limitless options on what to use.

Wall decals are an affordable and fun way to add a lot of oomph to the room. These will also help you decide what bright mix of colors you should paint the walls. Even curtains and lamps can add to the creative vibe you’re trying to create.

5. Toys

This is probably going to be the biggest reason your child loves their playroom, so it’s a good idea to spend some time really thinking about what toys you choose.

Of course, they’ll have their go-to favorites but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate some exciting new things. A small kid’s gym is a fun way to keep children active and simple to install.

Children’s Playroom Essentials

Designing your children’s playroom may seem daunting but will probably be one of the most fun things you’ll do all year. Make sure to incorporate the five essentials from above and you’ll definitely have a happy child on your hands.

Are you looking for more ideas on how to keep your kids happy? Check out more tips and tricks here on our blog to keep you up to date on the latest ideas.

Do you like to keep your baby fashionable? If you’re a fashionable parent, you want your mini-me to stay stylish (but comfortable) any time you’re out together.

We love baby fashion. It’s always sweet no matter what you choose and the tiny clothes are too cute to pass up. 

Are you looking for the top projected baby clothing trends for 2021 so you can get your stylish infant or toddler into their most fashionable clothes? We’ve got you covered.

Keep reading for our favorite baby fashion trends and get ready to shop!

Hair Accessories

There’s nothing like a cute hair accessory on a baby or toddler. It draws the eye to your baby’s sweet face and it’s a functional way to keep their hair out of their eyes so they can crawl and play without irritation. 

There are plenty of baby accessories to choose from. Depending on the outfit and the age of the baby, you have options. 

For babies who wear cute and frilly outfits, we love hair bows. Whether you affix them to the sides of your baby’s head or right in the middle on the top, hair bows are a classic look that never goes away. 

If your baby doesn’t have hair, no problem. Headwraps add the giant bow you want to a comfortable wrap that can suit bald babies and babies with hair alike. 

Gender-Neutral Colors

While the traditional colors are blue for boys and pink for girls, the world is leaning towards more flexibility with colors, even for babies. 

We love a soft sage green color for all babies. This calming color works for dresses, overalls, and even swaddles. There’s no way to go wrong.

Looking for something more “2021?” Why not choose one of Pantone’s colors of the year? These colors aren’t just for paint; they’re great for styling your baby’s clothing in a trendy way. A soft yellow called Illuminating and a cool gray called Ultimate Gray are 2021’s colors. 

Don’t feel limited to “gender-appropriate” colors. Even for infants, branch out. 

Sensory-Friendly Clothing

As we learn more and more about child psychology, more clothing options have become available for babies and toddlers who may be sensitive to touch.

It’s normal to not know that your child has sensory sensitivity until they’re school-age, so starting with baby and toddler clothes is a good idea. Even babies without sensitivities appreciate the added comfort of these clothes.

They’re easy to put on and take off and they come in soft materials so they don’t irritate sensitive skin. The tags are printed onto the fabric so there’s nothing to scratch your little one. 

In 2021, there are more options than ever, and sensory clothes are all the rage for a cute and comfortable baby.

Which of These  Are You Trying? 

These baby clothing trends aren’t limited to style; they’re also functional. A stylish baby doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable baby. 

Is it time to go on a shopping spree for your baby’s new outfits? We think so too. 

For more posts on style, parenting, and more, check out the rest of the site! 

Are you struggling through a divorce? Does it seem like you and your soon-to-be-ex can’t agree on anything? If so, it may be time to consider divorce mediation.

We know that it’s not easy to make this kind of decision, but it may need to happen if you’re feeling more stressed than normal about the divorce process.

If you’re thinking that it may be time to call in a divorce mediation lawyer, keep reading. We’re going to talk about how you can tell when it’s time to hire divorce mediation services.

Decisions Are Emotionally-Based

If you find that you and your soon-to-be-ex are fighting over decisions because of emotions, it’s time to hire divorce mediation lawyers. A divorce mediation lawyer can bring a third-party perspective that won’t be offended by anything that you or your soon-to-be-ex says.

A third-party such as these lawyers can help you and the other party make decisions factually rather than emotionally. This is especially useful when it comes to dividing time with children or important belongings.

These professionals may also be able to come up with a solution that you nor the other party can think of. Divorce mediation lawyers are experienced in making compromises and helping couples find a middle-ground.

The Situation is Time-Sensitive

If your divorce is time-sensitive, you need to contact a divorce mediation lawyer. They can help you and your soon-to-be-ex go through everything quicker and easier than you would on your own.

If one of you is looking to move, start a new family, or do something else quickly, hiring a divorce mediator is the best option.

Plus, hiring divorce mediation services can also help keep your argument out of the courtroom. So, you won’t have to worry about scheduling court dates or waiting for rulings. These timing problems tend to be the greatest issue when it comes to finalizing a divorce.

Money Is a Problem

Divorces aren’t cheap. In fact, it’s not abnormal for an individual to spend more than $10,000 on a divorce. Although, divorce costs vary by state.

Divorce mediators are cheaper options for those who are looking to get a divorce. Rather than pouring money into the court systems, you can wisely spend your money on someone who is looking to get your divorce done as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

A shorter divorce time saves money, not to mention that divorce mediators aren’t looking to fee you to death.

Learning More

If your divorce is stressful, time-consuming, too expensive, you need to consider divorce mediation. Nine times out of ten, this kind of help will get you out of the divorce easier and faster than any other route.

Plus, you’ll have an unbiased third-party double-checking everything to ensure that each party is treated fairly and kindly. Neither person can stomp on the other and demand things unfairly.

You can’t go wrong with hiring someone who’s looking out for both parties.

To learn more about divorce and similar topics, feel free to check out the rest of our blog.