Surviving Long Car Rides With An Infant

Taking a long car ride with a baby can be a challenge. However there are ways to make a long trip easier on both you and the infant.

First off, make a promise to yourself that you will not be racing in a disorganized upsetting fashion just to get the trip over with so you and the baby can relax. Instead make frequent stops so you can get out and stretch your legs, go to the bathroom and relax a bit. It is also nice to give the baby a bit of fresh air and take him or her for a little stroll near the car.

If the child is older than play a little game of some sort to tire the baby out during one of your pitstops. However be careful what you feed the baby to avoid upset stomachs and accidents.

If you have a child that bores easily then it is a good idea to bring along toys and books that you can reveal every now and then. If you have a trip of five hours then go to the Dollar store and buy four new surprises that you can reveal to the baby so that he or she is always amused.

If your budget is bigger then get a portable DVD player. All kids love to watch television. Simply put a great DVD in the player and then bring it along on any road trip. Most babies love watching their favorite DVD again and again.

Many babies are very entertained by music. Play a little children's music and even sing along to keep the little tyke amused.

You also might want to consider timing you're driving so that the majority of the time spent in the care is during when the baby might want to take a nap.

If you are really lucky you might have one of those babies that just fall asleep once a car starts moving. If you are one of those people you are really fortunate.

Are you breast feeding and worried about how and when you will be able to feed the babies or how you will save your breast milk? Technology comes to the rescue again. You can now make car adapters for breast pumps. This means you can pump your breast milk and put in a bottle and continue driving onwards if you must.

Remember it is better to take your time when you travel with a baby. It is imperative that you stay organized and do things right just simply because you are carrying such precious cargo.

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Tips for Getting the House Clean Faster

It can be just overwhelming when it comes to keeping the house clean. Most moms constantly deal with toys, dirty clothes, food crumbs, fluids and other messes. Some moms may disagree with this but usually the best approach is to do a little bit of cleaning every day rather than waiting a whole day to clean.

Some moms find it helpful to designate an entire day to a type of cleaning. This helps them keep track of what was cleaned. For instance, two days might be devoted to laundry and two might be set aside for vacuuming, dusting etc. Mondays might be 'Bathrooms', Tuesday could be 'Bedrooms', and Thursdays could be 'Basement and Garage' and so on.
It is also helpful to keep a list of rooms that you have cleaned on a chalkboard or dry erase board. This can help you keep track of which rooms need attention. This prevents you from doubling your work and neglecting doing other areas.

Kids often get in the way of cleaning house so the best time to do this is when your kids are napping. At the very least put them in front of the television or give them a game to play by themselves. Older kids will usually disappear the minute you mention the word 'housework.'

It is also a good idea to have an item called a clean-up basket. This works really well if you have a couple of kids and there are dozens of items cluttering up every square inch of carpet. You simply go around the house and pick up anything and everything. You can then take the different items to where they really should be stored in your home.

If you are a very overworked mom because you just had a baby or have other challenges then you are never going to feel much like cleaning. Cleaning experts recommend setting a timer to motivate you to work more efficiently. Basically you set a timer for fifteen or thirty minutes and during that time you work as hard as you possibly can to get as much as you possibly can. Then you can reward yourself with that nap or shower that you have been waiting for.

If you like a little direction then you can try a site like FlyLady. It gives you schedules and sends you emails so you can get your home clean in about a week or so. The first day you are instructed to 'shine your sink.' This type of thing can help you structure your time so you get the cleaning over and done with.

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