Tips for Cleaning Your Carpets

Having just purchased a new carpet for the living room, there is always that feeling of what if…! A living room is meant to be lived in; just because a new carpet has been installed doesn’t mean the room should to be roped off and only used on certain occasions. There will be the occasional spills. In order to avoid any accumulation of dust or other foreign matters, here are tips for cleaning your carpet.

* Vacuum often

* If you spill anything on the carpet; take a paper towel and pat down on the spill until it is absorbed onto the paper towel.

* Whenever possible, use door mats to have your family wipe their shoes so nothing is tracked onto the carpet.

* Be careful when using certain cleaning supplies

* If you choose to have your carpet shampooed; be sure to ask if the scotch guard will be removed in the process.

* Do not allow any family member to eat in the living room. While these are just a few tips for cleaning your carpets, you may certainly have your own tried and tested methods to keep your carpet clean. Preventative measures are the best way to avoid soiling your new carpet.

*Cleaning supplies note: There are so many products which claim to remove stains from carpets. There is one thing you need to be aware of. Most of these carpet cleaners not only remove the scotch guard, but lighten the soiled area as well. Not only are these cleaners toxic; they include dangerous chemicals as well.

Buying a new carpet is an expensive undertaking. To ensure it is kept as pristine as possible, you can use these tips for cleaning your carpets. However, as mentioned earlier your home is meant to be lived in; so accidental spills will happen. Don’t stress over it. Just attend to the spillage as soon as possible and set some ground rules for the entire family.

Tips for Teaching Your Toddler to Share

There use to be an old saying that “Sharing is Caring.” Perhaps we can use this little ditty to explain why sharing is so important. Here are some tips for teaching your toddler to share. Children learn by example. If your child notices that you share with others, it may induce your toddler to do the same. However, kids will be kids, and as such they tend to guard what is theirs with a passion. To this end, perhaps you can utilize these tips:

* If your toddler doesn’t want to share, explain why it’s important to share.

* Tell your toddler that not sharing may mean his friends will not want to share with him either.

* Take the toys in question away; if your toddler doesn’t want to share – then no one will play with the toys.

* Never yell at the toddler, but be firm in your reprimands.

* If other toddlers are invited over, ask your toddler to pick out some toys to put away. But also remind him the toys left out can be shared with everyone.

* If your toddler screams and carries on; give the toddler a time out.

* Teach by example; show your child how you are willing to share something you own.

* Thank your toddler for sharing his toys with others.

* Teach your toddler to think of others.

If all else fails remember this is probably a stage your toddler will outgrow. However, it is important to instill in your child that sharing and giving is important. Try not to give in to everything your toddler wants or buy your toddler a present every time you give another child or their sibling a present. Your toddler is little but also needs to understand the importance of sharing.

“Adding Wisdom Award” For Babysense V

Congratulations to BabySafe USA for having received e “Adding Wisdom Award” form ParenttoParent.com for their the Babysense V Infant Movement Monitor. As a matter of fact the Babysense V was so exceptional that it was awarded in 2 separate categories.

Click here to learn more or to purchase the Babysense V.

Babysense V is the most important monitor you will ever own. As much as parents want to watch over their precious newborns every single second of the day, even the best of parents need their sleep. Babysense™ V can help give you a peace of mind, by calling attention to any lack of movements or unusually slight movement. Infants move while sleeping and make barely perceptible movements. Parents are aware that sleep patterns and body movements change during sleep. At times intervention may even be required.

The simplest and most reliable monitor available, the Babysense™ V is comprised of two very sensitive sensor pads which are placed under the baby's mattress (without touching the baby), and a high speed microprocessor control unit. These pads constantly monitor the baby's movement. The control unit alerts you with a loud alarm if it does not detect any movement for 20 seconds or if it detects less then 10 micro-movements per minute so the parent can quickly go to the baby's aid. The alarm can only be turned off manually by the parent or caretaker when checking on the baby - it will NOT turn off automatically even if movement is detected again. Even the slightest body motions are registered as movement. These motion patterns trigger a flashing green light which can be clearly seen from a distance, providing you with peace of mind.

ConnectingMoms.com - The MySpace For Mothers!

ConnectingMoms is a members only, one-stop site for mothers to find great parenting advice, resources, friendship, support, fun and best of all it is FREE to join! To better understand what ConnectingMoms does think of it as a MySpace for mothers. Within the ConnectingMoms community, are mothers from every stage of motherhood and all walks of life. What makes it especially popular is that it is a friendly and judgment-free atmosphere that go far beyond any color, race, age, parenting style, and religion. Visit http://ConnectingMoms.com to learn more!

Breastfeeding Woes - Soothe Sore Nipples

What is mastitis? Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast usually caused by infection. Occurring during the first six months of breast-feeding, this is a common ailment affecting new mothers. Let’s discuss how to overcome mastitis.

When the breast becomes too full of milk, because a feeding has been delayed or your breast has not been emptied, this will result in a clogged duct. This can cause the infection known as mastitis. Another cause of infection to the breast can be due to cracked nipples. You may feel a sharp pain in your nipple while your baby is nursing, which may mean there is a thin crack in your nipple. This can happen if you do not dry your nipples thoroughly after each feeding. Your doctor will prescribe cream to apply to your nipple and the crack should take a few days to heal. You can, meanwhile, continue to breastfeed your baby using the other breast.

To help protect and heal cracked nipples try using Ameda ComfortGel Hydrogel Nipple Pads.

Mastitis may be exhibited by pain, redness, swelling and fever. A baby cannot get milk from a swollen nipple, so you need to remove excess milk before you breastfeed. Using a breast pump is ideal. As stated earlier, mastitis is common and is treatable with antibiotics. You can continue to breastfeed, however, it is important that if you are diagnosed with mastitis to follow these simple rules: rest; drink plenty of liquids and before you breastfeed, either soak your breasts in warm water or place a warm towel over the affected breast.

Continue to breastfeed from the affected breast will not only help to clear up the mastitis, but is entirely safe for your baby. You can also switch to the other breast if the affected one is too painful for your child to breastfeed. Note that mastitis should be treated immediately to avoid any further complication.

Skip Hop In The News - Tips For The Modern Nursery

Skip Hop makes cute and innovative baby products. They are made for todays generation of parents who like to have the newest and trendiest baby products.Their Toolbox Diaper Caddy was recently featured on the Today Show in a segment focusing on must-have products for the new-look baby nursery. The toolbox caddy is the perfect product for eliminating clutter in a contemporary baby room. The caddy holds up to a dozen diapers as well as a wide assortment of creams, ointments, cotton balls and other necessities and is easily transportable to different rooms. Skip Hop has many other modern and trendy "must have" products, you can view our full line of Skip Hop products by clicking here

5 Things Every Nursery Needs

As you prepare for the birth of your child, no doubt you have already set up a nursery for the new arrival. Between the baby shower and other items you may have purchased, there is no doubt the new baby’s nursery has every possible thing you could think of. Just in case, here are 5 things every nursery needs, and then some. 1. A cradle and crib are probably the most important pieces of furniture you will buy (or receive as gifts). Since your baby will most likely stay in your room for awhile, these would be your first choice. Later on, you can use the crib in the baby’s nursery. Or perhaps, you have a family tradition in which cribs and cradles are handed down from mother to child. How wonderful! In either case, you may already have these items covered. But, you will need to purchase a new crib mattress. 2. No doubt you have either received or acquired a mobile for the crib. With the variety of mobiles available today, you shouldn’t have a problem picking one out for your baby. Incidentally, don’t forget the baby monitor. You will want to have this operational the minute your baby is in the nursery. 3. You will need a dresser for the baby. Depending on your color scheme, there are lovely dressers for babies. Check them out online or at your baby furniture store. 4. You will need a changing table for the baby as well. Depending upon the amount of space in the nursery, you can buy a changing table or one that can fit on top of the dresser. In any case, ensure it is safe and secure. 5. No nursery is complete without a rocking chair. Find a comfortable one for you, since you will be spending most of your time feeding and rocking your baby to sleep. Here are some incidental items you may want to have in the nursery as well. Perhaps a little rocking chair with a beautiful teddy sitting on it, or other stuffed animals. How about some music to lull your child to sleep? A small CD player would be perfect. A blanket would also be appropriate to wrap around your shoulders during those cold nights when baby needs comforting or feeding.

Click here to visit Comfort1st.com for all your nursery needs!

Unique Baby Shower Gifts

Traditionally, baby shower gifts consisted of clothes; carriage, strollers; car seats; cribs; monitors; mobiles; and all of the accoutrements needed to welcome baby home. There are, however, unique baby shower gifts which have sentimental value; and for which you can purchase online (just in case you might run out of ideas) for your next baby shower.

The International Star Registry has been in existence since 1979, and is the place to go if you wish to have a star named for the baby-to-be. Of course, it would require knowing the baby’s name ahead of time. But instead, you can order their gift certificate so that the parents can have the pleasure of adding their baby’s name to the celestial heavens. In lieu of the gift certificate, you can purchase their star bear, which comes in pink and blue, along with a beautiful 11" X 8" full color certificate for the parents to personalize with the star name and date, and an 11" X 8" sky chart containing the constellation and the location circled in red where the star is in the sky. This is one unique gift that will last a lifetime.

Another unique gift would be a large basket or Tupperware container in which all of the items a baby needs, but would not be given as a single gift, are included. Certainly, the basket or Tupperware could be used for holding stuffed animals or toys; but initially it could be filled with pampers; bottles; bibs; baby wipes; lotions; stuffed animals; diaper bag; pacifiers; books, and the like. With so many things a newborn needs, you can be assured you will fill up the basket or Tupperware without worry.

Whatever unique baby shower gifts you purchase, and with so many wonderful ideas available to help you decide, you are sure to come up with an idea that no one else has thought of, and for which the mom-to-be will be happy you took the time and care to find that one special gift.

Click here to visit our Comfort1st.com Baby Shower Gift Ideas!

Mom’s Night Out Ideas

Hey mom! Have you been longing to get out and have a good time? Not surprisingly. When the last time was you indulged yourself? What can you do when you want to get away from it all? Here is some mom’s night out ideas for you to ponder.

Call a friend and plan on spending an evening together. A movie and dinner at your favorite restaurant sounds great, doesn’t it? Or perhaps one of your friends needs a partner for their bridge game? Why not call some friends and go to the mall? Check out all the latest styles; then have dinner afterward.

Perhaps there is a play or musical you’ve been dying to see. If you’ve never been to an opera, this is your chance. You can dress up in your best outfit and prepare to have a wonderful evening. Are you a baseball fan? Maybe you’d like to go to a game? You and your friends can have a wonderful time eating junk food and rooting your team on to victory!

Need some quiet time? There is no rule that says you can’t go out by yourself and just do whatever makes you happy. You can be spontaneous and just get in the car and drive. You never know where you may wind up. Remember, it’s your night, and you are your own best company.

If these moms’s nights out ideas are not sufficient, there are a plethora of things you can do. Just ask yourself what is the one thing you would most like to do, now that you have the time to do it. Don’t think about it; hesitate or feel guilty over it; just go go go. After all, you deserve it. You may not have this opportunity again. Have a great time!

Nationwide Breastpump Rental Program

We receive a lot of calls from concerned mothers about returning to work after their maternity leave. As much as they love bonding with their new baby and being able to nurse whenever necessary, they also need to get back to their jobs so that they can provide for their child! Their main concern is that the baby continue to drink their milk, so they ask us many questions regarding our different types of breast pumps.

Although we have had many happy customers satisfied with the pump that they purchase, we also get quite a few that are unhappy with the basic breast pump. They claim that it is not the same feel nor does it work as fast as the one they used at the hospital after they first gave birth. We are now proud to inform you of a new service that we are currently offering. We are renting out Ameda hospital grade breast pumps. The service is only $70 per month which is much cheaper than purchasing one for a few thousand dollars. We can ship the pump anywhere in the US for $25 and that includes a return label to send it back when you are done using the pump.

Ameda is the only breast pump available that protects your breast milk from bacteria and viruses. You can get more milk in less time, giving you more time to spend with your baby. You can rent this pump by clicking here.

Scandinavian Child In The News...

We are proud to be a dealer of Scandinavian Child products. Mainly known for their award-winning Svan High Chair, they have been getting a lot of publicity lately on some of their other unique products. They were recently featured in the January issue of Pregnancy & Newborn. Their Monarch chair was featured as part of a modern nursery giveaway, and not only that, the editors loved the chair so much that they featured it again in their February issue in an article on chairs. This stylish Monarch Nursery Chair provides the optimum seating for feeding, story time, cuddle time and so much more! We are also pleased to tell you that Scandinavian Child participated in an advertisement in the Feb/March issue of Fit Pregnancy. Both their Monarch Chair and Svan Bouncer are featured in a beautiful two page spread as part of a collaboration with several other juvenile companies. You can view and order these fabulous and trendy items by clicking here

Protects Against SIDS w/ Infant Movement Monitor

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome otherwise knowns as SIDS is when an infant dies suddenly in their sleep. This is a parents worst nightmare. Although the rate of SIDS has gone down since the 1980's, sadly there are still about 2,500 deaths per year in the United States, and thousands more throughout the world. Unfortunately, there is no explanation as to why this occurs and nothing can be done to prevent it besides for checking on your sleeping infant constantly. Everyone knows that the only time parents of an infant can get sleep is when the baby is sleeping, but many parents are not able to get the full rest that they need since they are constantly on edge and checking to make sure their baby is breathing properly. BabySafe has come out with a new baby monitor called the Babysense V. Invented in 1991 and popular worldwide for years, the Babysense V is finally available in the U.S.

The simplest and most reliable monitor available, the Babysense V is comprised of two very sensitive sensor pads which are placed under the baby's mattress, and a high speed microprocessor control unit. The control unit alerts you with a loud alarm if it does not detect any movement for 20 seconds or if it detects less then 10 micro-movements per minute. Even the slightest body motions are registered as movement. These motion patterns trigger a flashing green light which can be clearly seen from a distance. This gives parents peace of mind and lets them sleep peacefully while the baby is sleeping. To learn more about SIDS you can visit http://www.sids.org.

To view and order this truly great invention click here so you can sleep while your baby sleeps.

2 Free Memory Foam Pillows & Free shipping

Visit Comfort1st.com and take a look at our Iso-Pedic Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress. This is a quality bed at a super-low price! We are currently offering a promotion of free shipping and two free Memory Foam Pillows with every purchase of one Iso-Pedic Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress!

"Visco Elastic" foam is five times denser than regular foams and is temperature sensitive. It reacts to the body's temperature and molds itself to the body's shape. Weight is distributed evenly, relieving pressure and leading to a deeper, more rejuvenating sleep with less tossing and turning.Your quality of sleep will significantly improve after only a few nights of sleeping on our Iso-Pedic Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattresses.

Please click here to take a look at this highly popular bed: Iso-Pedic Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress

iJoy Programable Robotic Massage Chair

Do you or a loved one feel tense in your neck and back? Looking for relief? Then the iJoy 175 Programmable Robotic Massage Chair is just what the doctor ordered. This latest model is for the serious buyer, but considering the many uses the 175 has to offer, Interactive Health (iJoy parent company) is offering a lot for the money. Ideal as a gift for a loved one, especially during the Holiday Season. Just sit back, relax, and prepare yourself for some much needed relief. Click here to learn more about the iJoy 175 Programable Robotic Massage Chair.

High demand gifts for Christmas

Christmas is one of the busiest time of the years for most retailers, especially toy stores. Every year there is a different hot item that every kid wants and usually that item sells out pretty quickly. Unfortunately for parents, kids are just not happy with an IOU slip under the tree so we try our best to inform our customers of items that are out of stock. Last year our big seller was the KidKraft Wooden Toy Kitchen as well as the Razor Scooters - we just could not seem to get enough!

This year there seems to be a high demand for the KidKraft Savannah Doll House. Unfortunately, that item is sold out and will not be available until February. We are informing our customers of a comparable Doll House - the Kidkraft Fashion Doll house. While the Savannah Doll house has calmer colors and a more classic look, the Fashion Doll house has a bright and trendy appearence. They both have 4 floors - the top being the attic, but the Fashion house has the attic hidden under the flip-top roof. They are both very cute and would make a great addition to any toy room. As a special offer, we have lowered the price of the Fashion Doll House by $10 and you can order it by clicking here. Happy Holidays!

Products invented by parents for parents!

In today's hi-tech, convenience oriented culture much of the work of parenting has been turned over to large corporations. Who better understand what's needed to make parenting more comfortable, safe, efficient and rewarding than the parents themselves. "Parents Of Invention" are products that were invented by in the trenches parents who found their needs were not being met by baby products on the retail shelves.

Click here to view all the "Parents Of Invention" products.

Is the dry winter air giving you a sore throat?

If you suffer from sleep apnea, or the dry winter air is giving you a sore throat then its about time you invested in a new humidifier. There is a wide selection of cool and warm mist humidifiers as well as whole house humidifiers. You might also consider replacing the filter on your old humidifier. For a complete list of humidifers click here.

As December moves into full swing and temperatures begin to fall rapidly, the perfect addition to any home can be found in our wide selection of space heaters. The winter months are not the time to be caught out in the cold, so order your new space heater today.

Click here for a full list of space heaters

Dyson Vacuum Holiday Gift Special!

Order until Sunday, December 17 and Get $70 In Savings With...

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When other vacuums lose their suction, they leave behind the things they're supposed to eliminate - like dust mites, mold spores and bacteria. Dyson technology uses centrifugal forces to separate the dirt out of the airflow. There's nothing to clog, so a Dyson vacuum cleaner doesn't lose its suction - ever. Only a Dyson maintains constant suction and expels clean air. The air that comes out of a Dyson is significantly cleaner than the air you breathe. Dyson is designed to clean all floor types. A Dyson vacuum is designed to operate effectively on all floor surfaces - vinyl, tile, wood and carpet. So your whole house will be clean and not just parts of it.

Click here to visit our Dyson page...

With a range of 11 different exciting models of Dyson Vacuum Cleaners, you are sure to find the perfect gift

A parents guide to shopping for twins

Congratulations, you’re having twins!

I’ll never forget those words. I wish I had a picture of my husband and my faces when we got the news. Almost 4 years later, allow me to pass on some of my tips. Considering my husband sells baby products, I was in a unique situation to try out all sorts of products. Through a series of posts, I will try and pass on some of the “wisdom” learned over the past few years.

Having twins, doesn’t just mean that there are 2 babies coming home from the hospital. There are also going to be 2 car seats, 2 cribs, 2 highchairs … you get the idea. Lets start out with the infant seats:

Whether you already have an older car seat, and are just purchasing a second, or you are getting 2 new ones, MAKE SURE THAT BOTH INFANT SEATS CAN USE THE SAME BASE. This is an absolute must.

When carrying 2 infant seats with 2 babies, you are in no position to rearrange the babies to make sure the right seat goes into the right base. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE SAME BRAND, THE BASES ARE INTERCHANGEABLE. For example, the Graco SnugRide® base is not compatible with the newer Graco SafeSeat® Base. Check with the manufacturer if you are not certain.

Secondly, the next required product is a double universal car seat carrier. When taking both children to the doctor, or just for going anywhere with the 2 of them, a double car sear carrier is a must. We kept it in our trunk. Remember, when you have 2 car seats, you need a carrier simply so you can have a free hand to do anything. And remember, the weight of 2 car seats and 2 babies begins to add up quick. We used the "Swan" Double Snap N Go LX Twin Stroller By Baby Trend. This product is an absolute must.

Until next time try and get some sleep...