You’ve probably already noticed that there is no shortage of weird and wonderful products on the baby market. There are so many companies competing for your hard-earned money, it’s easy to get swept up in it all. Any parent will be able to list at least a few baby products they had that turned out to be a complete waste of money. Here are just five examples:

1. Top and tail bowl

The very concept of the top and tail bowl is based on the idea that your baby’s butt is so filthy, it would immediately poison your poor baby’s face. Now, obviously you shouldn’t use your baby’s butt to clean your baby’s face, but aside from that, your baby will probably be fine in a normal baby bath. If you have a top and tail bowl, the chances are it was only ever used one and then resigned to the pile of useless baby products building up in your garage.

2. Baby shoes

Babies can’t walk, but that doesn’t seem to stop the hundreds of companies out there making tiny shoes for baby feet. They’re adorable, of course, in fact, they can cause serious injuries to the ovaries of broody women, but aside from this, they have little purpose. Your baby spends most of the day sleeping and all of the day not walking, so his need for shoes is actually minimal. It can’t be very comfortable trying to nap with your shoes on, can it? And yet, it’s a baby purchase that’s pretty hard to resist, after all, they’re just so tiny.

3. Wipe warmer

Your baby’s butt is arguably the most precious (and adorable) thing in the world right now, it’s true. But, is it really so precious that room temperature baby wipes are not acceptable? Baby wipes are used to wipe poop off your baby’s skin, does it really matter whether the wipe is at a warm temperature or not? Surely getting rid of the poop is the most important thing here? By all means, buy a wipe warmer, but know that you are being overly protective of your baby’s butt each time you use it.

4. Changing mat cover

You don’t want your newborn baby to get cold on the plastic mat and so you invest in a fancy cover for your changing mat. It’s hand-embroidered, very pretty and comes with a tiny pillow to rest his head on. It’s beautiful, but it’s also completely pointless. Your baby will still spend every change on the cold plastic mat because that fancy cover you bought will be in the wash again, along with the pillow. On the few occasions, they’re not in the wash, your baby will immediately pee all over them and you’ll have to put them straight back in the wash again.

5. Designer clothes

Oh, baby clothes can be so adorable. It can be hard to resist buying another tiny outfit for your baby, especially when you see a designer one you love. Be warned, though, your baby won’t care whether the clothes she wears were expensive or not. She’s still going to vomit on them, sneeze on them and do an explosive poop in them. She doesn’t care about the price tag, she’s a bodily fluid spraying machine. Better to save your money.

What baby products have you found to be completely useless?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Becoming a new mother is exhilarating and exciting. You have never been so in love in your entire life.

You’ve also never been so exhausted.

Plenty of new mothers realize at this stage in the game that their own self-care has started to fall apart a bit. It’s probably been months (maybe even longer) since you went to get your haircut. You may find yourself going 3 or more days without a shower. It’s possible that your clothes are perpetually covered in spit-up. And makeup? Forget about it—you can’t remember the last time you bothered with that!

This is all very normal and natural, so don’t beat yourself up too much if the image you are seeing in the mirror isn’t one you completely recognize. But don’t succumb to that either—now that a few months have gone by, it’s time to start taking care of yourself again as well. And there are absolutely some quick and easy mom beauty tips that can help you feel a bit better about how you look when you go out into the world.

• Face Cleansing Wipes: For starters, face-cleansing wipes may be your new best friend. Keeping some of these in your purse, as well as your medicine cabinet, can provide you with a quick and easy way to wash your face and at least feel like your are presenting a fresh look to the world.
• Dry Shampoo: Don’t have time to shower today? Well, don’t put it off too long—a good, warm shower has a rejuvenating effect on us all—but don’t fret, either. Instead, pick up some dry shampoo for those no-shower days. By spraying a little onto your roots, you can erase that greasy, unwashed look that otherwise might have given you away!
• Stick to Makeup Essentials: You may not have time for a full-face makeover, but everyone can find a few seconds for a swipe of mascara and a splash of blush. Keep those essentials readily on hand, perhaps alongside a more neutral toned lip gloss, and you’ll find you can feel a bit more alive with just that touch of color applied in 2 minutes or less.

Remember, carving out a few minutes a day for beauty isn’t about anyone else—it’s about feeling good about yourself and taking the time for a little self-care. You deserve to smile at the image you see in the mirror; that lady is a fierce and gorgeous new mama!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Playing with your baby is one of the best ways to spend time together. The games you play are not only fun for your baby; they can also promote social, cognitive and physical development.

If you’re wondering what types of toys and games are best, you have a wide variety to choose from. From simple toys to everyday items, there are opportunities for play all around you.

Keep in mind, you may want to consider your baby’s age and developmental stage when picking toys and games. For example, toys that encourage your baby to track objects and help with head and neck control are good for babies under three months. Consider playing with hand puppets or putting your baby on an activity mat on the floor.

When your baby gets a little older, toys and games that help her develop motor skills are great choices. Get down on the floor and play with your baby using soft blocks, stacking rings or just rolling a ball back and forth. All these activities help your baby develop balance, coordination and grasping skills.

Activity boards are also a fun toy for your little one. With lots of objects to twist and turn and different textures to explore, it helps your baby learn more about her world through touch.

Toys that encourage her imagination are always a good idea. For example, give your baby toy versions of everyday items, such as cell phones, tools and kitchen utensils and let her copy your actions.

Silly games and songs, such as peek-a-boo and itsy bitsy spider, are fun for your baby and also promote social skills. Reading is also a great way to play with your baby. Touch and feel books, along with pop-up books are great for babies of all ages.

An easy play option is taking out sealed containers and letting your baby stack objects or figure out which containers fit inside each other. This game helps with motor skills and also cognitive development.

To make the most of playtime, it’s best to do it when your baby is well fed and rested. If your baby starts crying, turning away or rubbing his eyes, he may be giving you a hint, he has had enough playing for now.

Remember, babies love to interact and explore. Babies are also often easily entertained. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on all types of toys. Babies enjoy interaction, so the specific games you play are not as important as just getting down on the floor and having fun together.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro@writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

When your little one was first born, you probably noticed that he or she seemed to focus only on objects right in front of their eyes. In fact, for many babies, their eyes remain completely shut for the first few days of life. But when those little eyes did open up, they probably stared intently at you much of the time. This is because at birth, baby eyesight isn’t very strong. Most babies can only see about 8 to 10 inches away—the perfect distance to where your face was as you held your little one.

Newborns also struggle to tell the difference between two objects by sight, and they have a hard time moving their eyes from one object to another. So once they’ve locked in on something, that’s where their focus remains.

Recently though, you’ve probably noticed that this is starting to change. In these early months, your baby’s vision has been improving every single day. By 2 months old, your little one’s stares were likely seeming more intentional. And around 3 months of age, babies can start to track moving objects, which means they can watch you as you walk across a room.

In the coming months, your baby’s eye-body coordination will start to improve along with baby eyesight—allowing him or her to start reaching for objects nearby. This may take some practice at first, because younger babies don’t yet have depth perception, so they can’t tell how far away objects are. But around 5 months of age, your baby will start to recognize the three-dimensional nature of his or her world, which will allow that depth perception to develop. Your baby should also be seeing a range of colors by 5 months old, though their color vision still isn’t as good as yours just yet.

The more mobile your little one becomes over the next year, the more their depth perception will continue to develop. At the same time, eye-hand and eye-body coordination will also be improving.

But that’s all still a few months away. Right now, just know that your baby is more likely to start recognizing you by sight, and that high contrast objects are going to continue capturing their attention.

If you notice any potential issues, such as excessive tearing, red or crusty eye lids, sensitivity to light, or their little eyes turning in different directions, make an appointment with your pediatrician to follow up. Your baby could have a simple infection, or there could be issues with eye muscle control that need to be addressed. Either way, your pediatrician should be able to respond to your concerns and make recommendations if visiting a specialist is advisable.

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Latch, unlatch. Latch again, pull off, look around, latch again. Suck a couple times. Hear a sound and stop. Try to turn his head with the breast still in his mouth. Sound like your baby?

Between age two months and six months, and again between eight and ten months, babies tend to become more distractible – even when nursing. Babies are starting to notice more of their world, and are interested in every little sight and sound. While this is a developmental milestone and a sign that your baby’s brain is growing by leaps and bounds, it can be pretty annoying when breastfeeding.

If you find that your baby gets easily distracted when nursing, you may want to …

Find a quiet place: Going to a quiet, darkened room helps some babies concentrate on nursing, and block out any outside distraction. Whisper or talk in a soft voice, if you talk at all.

Wear a nursing necklace: If your baby likes to fidget while nursing, you might consider wearing a ‘nursing necklace’ that he can look at and manipulate with his hand while he’s feeding. Try a long necklace with big colorful beads.

Take advantage of white noise and motion: Try nursing while standing and swaying, or think about putting baby in a sling and walking around while your feeding him. White noise may block out any auditory distractions if your baby is especially prone to stopping at every little sound.

Don’t take it personally: Some moms think this start and stop feeding is a sign that baby no longer wants her. But it’s simply a sign that baby is starting to recognize he is separate from her, while still safe in her sphere of physical and emotional protection.

If your baby tends to pull away without letting go of your nipple, you may need to be vigilant so you can break the suction with your finger before baby gets too far. Some moms find that nursing in a sling or using the football (or clutch) hold keeps their baby from being able to pull away like this (and gives mom a little more control over baby’s movements).

Most moms say their baby was the most distracted between four and five months of age. Keep in mind that just because your baby is distracted while nursing, it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s weaning (especially if she’s younger than a year). Babies younger than age one typically do not self-wean. They still need the calories of breastmilk. If your baby is starting to nurse less because she’s busy checking out her world, you may want to consciously offer the breast more often during the day and get in as many nighttime feedings as you can (when the stimulation from the outside world is very limited).

What tricks do you have for breastfeeding the distractible baby?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Twins. Two babies. Two babies! You probably went into a blind panic when you first discovered you were having twins, but hopefully, things are a little calmer now that they’re actually here. Caring for twins is exhausting, that’s for sure. You don’t often get the luxury of napping while your baby naps because your babies seem to nap at different times. There’s always somebody waiting to be fed, changed or cuddled. It’s not easy, but it is rewarding. Two babies means twice the love, twice the cuddles and twice the giggles. There are few things more rewarding than watching your twins develop a strong bond that will last them a lifetime. It will get easier, but for now, caring for twins is going to be tough at times. Here are five helpful tips to help you cope with twins:

1. Lower your expectations

This is something all mamas need to do. Life isn’t the same now you’re a mom. You won’t have an immaculate house, a perfectly tweezed brow and your finger on the pulse of popular culture when you’re looking after newborns. It’s just not possible. You can choose to spend the next few months miserable because you’re not superwoman or simply lower your expectations and accept that you’re taking a few months off from life as a high-achieving woman. Slow down, enjoy the moment and forget about the list of things you think you should be doing.

2. Don’t compare

The absolute worst thing you can do is compare yourself to other parents – especially singleton parents. Each and every mom has her own unique set of challenges, so you simply can’t compare yourself. You’re all individuals facing different circumstances. Just because that mom from baby group managed to shower and do her make up this morning, it doesn’t mean you should have. Remember, you are your own worst enemy. Try to be positive about your own achievements instead of wishing you were other moms.

3. Reach out to twin moms

The only other people who really understand what you’re going through are the people who are right there with you. Twin parents are the only people who really know what it’s like to have to leave your baby to cry because you’re busy caring for the other one. They’re the parents who really understand sleep deprivation because they’re experiencing two sleep regressions at once. And they’re the people who can share tips and tricks that might just change your life. There might be a twin support group in your local area, offering parents the chance to meet up regularly. If not, you could consider starting your own. If you don’t feel up to that, you could look for online twin parenting communities to join.

4. Accept all the help

You don’t need to do this all by yourself. Two babies is a lot of babies and accepting help is not a sign of failure. In fact, it’s a good sign that you’re being realistic and trying to take care of yourself as well. You will no doubt have plenty of offers of help from friends and family members desperate for a cuddle with the new babies. Say yes, accept their help with hoovering, food shopping and baby cuddles so that you can tick these jobs off your list. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. If it takes a village to raise a child, imagine how many people it takes to raise two!

5. Don’t forget about yourself

You’re rudely awoken by the cries of one twin early in the morning. After a change, feed and cuddle, that twin falls soundly back to sleep only for the other to wake up. You spend your day desperately trying to meet the needs of two beautiful babies and that is exhausting. You’re sleep deprived, rarely find the time to drink a hot drink and can’t remember the last time you had a bath. It’s hard, but it won’t last forever. Soon you’ll have time to yourself again, but until then, you need to snatch time as and when you need it. After a particularly hard day, leave the babies with your partner so you can enjoy a bath in peace. Go out for a run or simply meet a friend for coffee. Spend a little bit of time doing something that makes you feel a little more like you. You deserve it and you’ve certainly earned it.

What are your top tips for coping with twins?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

You gave birth to your beautiful bundle of joy, and you’re getting into the swing of being a mommy. So why does your tummy still look like you’re pregnant? You probably knew your stomach would not be flat right after giving birth, but you may wonder when you’ll get rid of that post-pregnancy pooch.

First off, cut yourself some slack. Your belly slowly grew as your baby grew. Your tummy did not expand all at once, so don’t expect it to flatten all at once.

It’s normal for your tummy and the rest of your body to take a while to get back to its pre-pregnancy state. If you’re expecting to fit into your skinny jeans by your six-week postpartum checkup, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.

It’s also important to remember, every woman is different. Try to avoid comparing yourself to a celebrity on the cover of a magazine or even your friend who had a flat tummy two months postpartum. How fast your tummy tightens depends on several factors, such as your genetics, how much weight you gained and your current diet and activity level.

Although tummy toning may not be as fast as you like, rest assured various changes are taking place that help your tummy decrease in size. For example, your uterus is slowly contracting to go back to its pre-pregnancy size. Hormonal changes are also occurring, which help you lose excess fluid you held onto during pregnancy.

If you’re anxious to have your pre-pregnancy stomach back, there are several things that may speed up the process. For instance, breastfeeding is not only great for your baby, but it’s also good for you. Nursing increases the number or calories you burn and may help with postpartum weight loss.

Exercising is also a great way to tone your midsection. Once your doctor gives you the OK, carve out some time for fitness. Include cardiovascular exercise to burn fat, which helps your tummy flatten.

Add in abdominal exercises, such as crunches, pelvic tilts and planks to help tone your stomach muscles. Try to work your abs from different angles to get an overall workout. Be sure to start gradually and talk to your doctor about any precautions to take if you are recovering from a C-section, or if your stomach muscles are still separated and the gap in the middle has not closed yet.

Lastly, remember what your body just accomplished and try to be patient. You can have a toned tummy again after giving birth. It just takes a little motivation, work and time.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @ writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.