Category: Frugal Living Tips

You wouldn’t try rock climbing without training first. Nor would you compete in a triathlon without months and months of rigorous workouts. We say all this to point out that you should prepare for giving birth the way you would prepare for other activities.

You may not have all of the time in the world to prepare because you may have a job or other children to take care of. However, stretching during pregnancy can prepare you to give birth in ways that you never imagined.

Your body is about to do the most miraculous thing that you have ever seen in your life. Take time each day to do these 5 stretches and you’ll be grateful that you took the time to do them.

Stretching During Pregnancy

Exercising and stretching helps your body to become stronger over time. And it prepares your body to carry out strenuous tasks, one of them being labor. Not only is stretching beneficial before you give birth it also helps after you give birth.

Making it easier to return to your pre-pregnancy weight!

Child’s Pose

This pose is a common yoga pose and helps to ease possible discomfort and lengthen the pelvic floor. The way to do it is first by kneeling on your knees on the floor. Next, lean forward and slowly stretch your arms out in front of your body.

Work on your breathing and allow your body to relax as you do so. As your stomach grows over time you will need to place your knees further apart to make the poss comfortable.

If you’re prone to sweaty palms try out one of the best yoga mats for sweaty hands and feet.

Deep Squats

Squats are exceptionally beneficial to the birthing process as they help to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Squats also help to stretch the perineum, which can reduce the risk of tearing during labor.

First, stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and then lower yourself into a squat as little as you can go. Repeat this exercise while keeping your hands clasped together in front of your chest.

Cat to Cow Pose

As pregnancy progresses back, pain becomes a common symptom. The cat to cow pose helps to alleviate lower back pain. To do this pose, place your hands and knees on the floor.

Then as you inhale, roll your chin to your chest and raise your back to the ceiling. Then exhale and bring your stomach to the floor while slowly raising your head to the sky.

Perineal Bulges

Doing perineal bulges help train you to breathe, which is a common issue during active labor. When you hold your breath during labor, it can decrease the amount of oxygen that the baby is receiving through the placenta.

In order to do bulges properly, sit on a towel, and focus on moving your tailbone slowly away from your pelvic bone. This exercise should only be practice in the last 3 weeks of pregnancy.

Perineal Massages

The purpose of the perineal massage is to help lengthen and stretch the perineum. This is to prevent tearing during the laboring process.

To massage, the perineal, take a warm shower, or hold a warm compress to the area. Massage the perineum for 10 minutes every other day.

Labor Time

If you do your best to stretch daily or a couple of times a week it can help the labor process run smoothly. Labor is different for everyone, but these stretches will help your body to prepare for any and everything that comes your way in the delivery room.

If you want to know more about stretching during pregnancy or other pregnancy information, visit our blog! 

Each year, almost 40 million people seek medical attention for personal injuries.

Car accidents, slip and falls, and workplace injuries are some of the most common reasons why individuals seek the help of personal injury lawyers. 

A lot of the time, injured individuals get bogged down by medical bills, missed work, and other inevitabilities of getting hurt.

The question is, what are typical attorney fees for personal injury? Can most people who get hurt afford a lawyer?

Keep reading to learn all about typical and potential attorney fees for all types of injury cases.

Personal Injury Cases Defined

Most people think of car accidents when they think about the possibility of ever needing to hire an injury attorney.

Personal injuries occur in a number of ways, however. Here are some of the most common occurrences:

• Slip and falls
• Car accidents
• Assault
• Workplace accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Premises liability
• Product liability
• Defamation claims
• Dog bites
• Construction Injuries

Personal injury lawyers handle pain and suffering caused by everything from a sprained wrist to wrongful death. You can learn more here about your legal rights and damages in a wrongful death lawsuit.

Most Attorneys Work on Contingency Fees

Most personal injury lawyers work on contingency. What this means is that they don’t demand that accident victims pay attorneys’ fees upfront or out of their own pockets.

Rather, personal injury case fees are typically paid through a contingent fee agreement, in which an attorney will get paid a percentage of the total settlement.

It gives those suffering from personal injuries a break, as they’ll be more likely to seek help without having to fork over a huge chunk of cash they don’t have. In turn, clients can rest assured knowing their lawyer has more incentive to win as much compensation as possible, based on what is fair.

If there’s no reward through a settlement agreement or after a trial, then the lawyer doesn’t get paid.

It’s Important to Ask About Court Fees and Litigation Costs

Even though most personal injury attorneys work on contingency fees, many of those fee agreements are subject to court fees and litigation costs.

These can include fees from case components like:

• The fee for filing a lawsuit
• Expert witness fees
• Medical records
• Police reports
• Postage
• Depositions
• Trial exhibits
• Investigators and other experts

What Percentage Do Lawyers Take for Personal Injury?

It’s not uncommon for a lawyer to take about 33% of any settlement. Most lawyers take between 33% and 40%. If you aren’t comfortable with the percentage or the way fees are determined, some attorneys will be willing to negotiate.

Say you receive a settlement for $60,000 with a 33% contingency fee. That means you’ll get $40,000, and your lawyer will get $20,000. 

However, it’s important to ask if additional costs are considered in that 33%. Otherwise, you could end up getting your portion only after the 33% and additional fees are taken out.

Sliding Scale Can Affect the Percentage

A lot of lawyers will present a fee agreement in which the fee percentage is dependent on when the case gets resolved. More often than not, attorneys call this method a “sliding scale.”

It could be that if your attorney is able to reach a fair settlement outside of court, that they’d take only that 33%. If you end up having to file a lawsuit or go to trial, however, the fee could increase to 40%.

It’s important to consider that you could be losing more of your settlement the longer your case goes on. Rest assured, though, that 96% of personal injury claims get settled outside of the courtroom.

Still, it’s always crucial to discuss payment terms and options with your attorney beforehand.

The Settlement Check Goes to Your Lawyer First

The full amount of the settlement check will inevitably go to your lawyer to make sure they get paid for services rendered.

Because so many personal injury lawyers work on contingency fees, it’s essential for their livelihood and their firms’ success that they don’t run the risk of having to chase down money earned.

As soon as your attorney receives the settlement check, they’ll contact you. Typically, they’ll also provide an itemized list of what they’ve deducted to cover any associated costs. 

Every lawyer does things differently, so remember to ask beforehand if they plan to account for fees in addition to their percentage fee. If so, will they take those costs out before or after they take their cut?

If there’s any dispute on your end, they’ll likely put the amount in a trust account until the issue gets resolved.

You’ll Still Be Better off With the Help of an Attorney

It might be overwhelming at first to imagine losing a significant portion of your settlement. If you look at what your attorney does, however, and the fact that they’re essentially working for free if you don’t win, it’s easy to see how it’s worth the trade-off.

After car accidents, it’s not uncommon for insurance companies to make their own offers to victims. While it can be tempting to jump on an offer, an attorney will likely get you more.

The reason is that attorneys are always thinking ahead to future medical costs and other past, current, and future aspects of pain and suffering that are only fair to account for.

Typical Attorney Fees for Personal Injury Are Fair

Typical attorney fees for personal injury tend to land around 33% of a settlement.

Some lawyers charge more, depending on how long a case takes. It’s important to discuss payment options and terms with your lawyer before you sign any paperwork.

The last thing you’d want is to end up in disagreement when you finally receive a settlement for your pain and suffering.

Are you unable to work from a personal injury and looking to save some money? Take a look at some of our helpful tips and suggestions in the Earn Money section of our blog!

According to one survey, about 91 to 98% of young adults in America claim that they suffer from boredom. 

If you’re one of those people suffering from boredom or have kids who keep complaining they’re bored, you may want to find some fun activities to help keep them sane. 

Are you trying to figure out fun things to do at home? Read this article to learn more about things you can do inside for fun.

1. Have a Christmas Party Even if It’s Not Christmas

One unique idea could be to have a Christmas party even if it’s nowhere close to Christmas. In fact, the farther away it is, the better.

Set up some Christmas decorations, play some music, and make some Christmas cookies.

You can even buy each other presents and wrap them to help make it even more special. You could even make this a special family tradition that you celebrate for years to come. 

2. Bring Out the Games and Puzzles

There’s never a bad time to bring out the puzzles and board games. A classic Monopoly game will be sure to entertain you and your family for hours and hours. 

Or if there’s a huge puzzle that you’ve been waiting to do, now is the perfect time to do it.

Puzzles are also great because they can be very calming. You can spend quiet hours together working as a team to help create a beautiful picture. It can also be a good bonding and team-building experience for all of you.

3. Plant Some Seeds

If you and your family are into gardening, now is the time to plant some seeds as well. 

There’s nothing more rewarding than planting some seeds and watching them grow. It can also be really educational as well. 

Depending on what you want to plant, you won’t need to do a lot of research either. Most plants take between three to fifteen weeks to actually grow into a mature plant that needs to be planted into a garden. 

You should make sure you know what your plant will need before you start planting it. 

4. Do Some Crafts

Crafts are always a good way to encourage your child’s creative side. You can give them art projects with steps to follow or let them come up with something to show how creative they really are.

It could be something like brush painting, color-by-number, drawing, drying flowers, and so much more! 

5. Film a Cooking Show

You may have seen some cool cooking shows on TV or YouTube, but now could be a chance to make your own cooking show.

It’s never too early to teach them how to cook, and you can make it fun by filming your own cooking show. You can even have your family help you, and you’ll also have a fun memory to look back on. 

Discover More Fun Things to Do At Home

These are only a few of the fun things to do at home. 

The possibilities are endless when you’re stuck inside with your family, but make sure you take this opportunity to make some good memories with them.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure you check out our website for others just like it!

If you’ve got some dental implant surgery on the horizon, you might be curious as to how this process unfolds.

Getting dental implants to replace missing or injured teeth is a common procedure. But, how does it all work? We’re going to take you through the dental implant stages.

In 6 easy steps, you can have your old tooth removed and a new one put in.

1. X-Rays

An X-ray, panoramic x-ray, or CT scan will be performed to look at the condition of your bones and gums. If there are any warning signs of complications that might crop up, they’ll see them and adjust their methods.

2. Impressions

One of the really great benefits of dental implants in this day and age is the precision with which the dental pros can replicate your mouth. They do these by using an impression tray.

They fill the trey with a soft liquid that you then bite down upon, creating an impression that they can send to a lab for processing. This gives them a good replica to use in creating your implant. The whole process takes only a few minutes, then you’ll be ready to prep your mouth for the surgery.

3. Removing Injured Teeth

If your injured tooth is still in your mouth, it’ll have to be removed. This process can be done in the same dental visit as the next step. It doesn’t take long, but if your tooth is fragmented, the process is a much more delicate one.

First, you’ll be given some anesthesia so you don’t feel the pain. You’ll likely just feel a bit of tugging while your dentist removes the tooth.

4. Implant

Once the injured tooth is gone, the dentist will start the implant procedure by drilling a hole into your jawbone. Sometimes, they need to create an incision in the gums to get to the bone, which then requires stitches afterward. 

The implant is inserted into your jawbone, serving as the root of the new tooth. The process takes a couple of hours and you can go about your normal routine, but likely on a soft food diet for a few days.

5. Abutment Placement

While your jawbone heals, it will fuse with the implant. The length of time this takes differs for everyone, but you can expect it to take up to a couple of months. Once your dentist has determined that it’s stable, an abutment will be placed to connect the implant with the new tooth.

You’ll get anesthesia for this as well, so you won’t feel the tightening of the abutment. Now, you’re ready for the crown.

6. Crown

The final stage is getting your permanent crown placed on the abutment. Once you’re done this, the procedure is over and you’ll have a shiny new tooth.

Knowing the Dental Implant Stages Helps

We think learning about the dental implant stages can really help combat the anxiety of getting this major procedure done. All-in-all, it takes up to a few months to complete the entire thing, but it’s not overly strenuous, so you’ve got nothing to worry about.

Did you like this post? Come back and see us again for more on family, health, beauty, and fashion.

Do you want to know how you can get your child to take better care of his or her teeth?

Tooth decay ranks as one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood in America. Kids tend to eat a lot of sugary foods, which contribute to the growth of cavities or tooth decay.

Teaching manners is important, however, dental hygiene is also essential to learn. We understand that some kids aren’t as open to learning new things, especially when it comes to hygiene. In this post, we’ll show you some kids flossing tips plus other ways to get your kid to take better care of his/her teeth.

1. Kids Flossing Tips: Teach Proper Flossing Early

As an adult, you already know that brushing isn’t enough to keep teeth healthy. Flossing helps clean between teeth where toothbrushes can’t reach.  This is why dentists recommend that everyone sticks to a daily flossing routine.

“When should I teach my child to floss?” You may be wondering. Are your child’s teeth already close together? This is a sign that he or she needs to start flossing them. 

Start by explaining to your child what flossing is and why it’s vital for their dental health. Next, teach them how to floss the right way. Take care to watch how they floss their teeth and let them know if they’re doing well. 

Start as soon as two teeth start touching. This way, you teach them early on the importance of flossing and the proper way to do it. Be sure you remind them to make it a regular habit as well.

2. Act as the Role Model 

It’s cute to see kids pick up their first toothbrush and brush away. For some, it’ll even take them ten minutes to finish for their first brush. Do you know how a child takes an interest in brushing his/her teeth in the first place?

It’s because your kid most likely saw you or another adult doing it. When it comes to children, the trick to getting them to do something is to show them you’re doing it too. It’s like how you teach your child manners or house chores.

“Monkey sees, monkey do” is how children learn to survive, after all.

If you want a young child to pick up the habit of brushing and flossing his teeth, you have to make it your habit first. Better yet, brush your teeth with them in the morning and before sleeping.  The same idea works with flossing for kids so get your kids flossing products for kids.

3. Teach Them Proper Brushing

When they pick up an interest in brushing their teeth, you can start telling them how to do it right. Show your child the step-by-step process of brushing their teeth. Start with how much toothpaste they need to use.

For kids under the age of 3, they need to use a rice-size amount of toothpaste only. This is especially important if they don’t know how to spit yet. When they learn how to spit, you can then let them use a pea-size amount of toothpaste.

Teach them to brush for two minutes each time and to cover all parts of their mouths. Ask your child to sing a nursery rhyme in her head or hum it out loud. Also, remember, brushing isn’t only about cleaning the teeth.

4. Feed Your Kids Healthy Foods

Cookies and cupcakes aren’t enough to keep a growing girl or boy healthy. Remember, the food you feed your child doesn’t only benefit their growth and development. Their diet also fuels their oral health.

The diet they need must be a balanced one. That means having veggies, lean proteins, fruits, and dairy products in their meals. Cut back on sugary foods and drinks, especially juices.

People have a misconception on the unhealthiest “healthy” drink, which is fruit juice. Yes, 100% juice still has most of the vitamins from the original fruit. However, in essence, it’s a glass of fruit vitamins and a lot of sugar in liquid form. 

Fruit in its whole form is the best and healthiest kind of snack or breakfast for you. If you turn it into juice, you lose all its fibers but none of its fructose (natural sugar). The healthiest a fruit juice can get for you is a cup of 100%, no-sugar-added fruit juice.

5. Have Them Visit Their Dentists Twice a Year 

You and your kids must keep dental appointments at least twice a year. These appointments will include checkups and dental cleaning. It may also include extractions for both kids and adults.

“My child grew his/her first tooth recently. When or how soon should he/she visit a dentist?”

Your child needs to visit a dentist within the first 6 months of a child’s first tooth or first birthday. Whichever comes first will define the schedule of his/her regular dental checkups. Set a schedule and make it a habit for the family to see a dentist every six months.

6. Talk to Them About the Importance of Dental Health

Finally, for the last tip of the kids flossing tips guide, give your kid a reason to take care of their teeth.

In the end, it comes down to how well your child understands why they have to keep their teeth healthy and clean. If they understand the consequences of having unclean teeth, they’ll know to clean them. 

Be gentle and patient when you explain the importance of dental hygiene to your child. Always remind them to brush and floss their teeth. They’ll thank you for it when they’re older and wiser.

Help Keep Your Kids’ Teeth Healthy

As our schedules fill up and we get less time for self-care, we often begin to disregard our health. Dental health is often one of the first things that get neglected. Look out for your kids’ dental health while it’s early and later, have them do it for themselves.

When they grow older, keeping their dental hygiene becomes a difficult habit to break.

Don’t hesitate to follow these kids flossing tips! But don’t stop here. If you want to read more content on dental health, check out our other guides available, today!