LilSugar

10 Hints For Having Little Helpers in the Holiday Kitchen

LilSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:22 -0800

Too many cooks in the kitchen is a good thing this holiday season. Lisa Barnes, fellow mom, chef, and author of Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry reminds stressed out parents that, "The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to allow your children to help with the meal preparation and offers quality time together as a family. This is a way to keep your children occupied, but is also a fun, educational activity that incorporates a range of skills and senses, such as counting, measuring, reading, touching, listening, planning, smelling, tasting, and creativity." To add some cheer to your cooking during this festive time, Barnes gives LilSugar readers these helpful hints for having your own little helpers in the holiday kitchen.

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Lil Tip: What To Do With Holiday Cards

babysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:03 -0800

Every year, millions of holiday cards make their way around the world reaching loved ones. Along with torn wrapping paper, crushed boxes, and burned out candles, trash bags are also full of tossed out holiday cards.

Instead of throwing them to the wind, start filing them away in photo albums so you can watch families grow year after year. My mom, who has been doing this for years, loves to gather the family around and walk down memory lane.

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Five Remedies For Breastfeeding Ailments

babysugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:01:00 -0800

I never found anything more painful than nursing my child. Thanks to tips from lactation consultants and other mothers, I was able to get through the harsh beginning and make it through many months of breastfeeding. Check out the slideshow to see what my five top recommendations are for nursing mamas.

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Basic Tips For Battling Bedwetting

LilSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:12 -0800

Potty trained tots may go all day without an accident, but nighttime poses a whole new set of challenges – even for the kiddos who've been using the toilet for years. Unlike adults, children are not always able to wake-up to use the restroom and so accidents happen. Until baby gets through the night with dry underpants, try these tips for battling bedwetting.

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Waste Less, Save More

LilSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:06 -0700

Most children are wasteful little devils when it comes to meal and snack times. Parents throw out countless amounts of Cheerios, hot dog bits, leftover yogurt, and half sipped juice boxes. Tots are carefree so it's up to parents to incorporate food saving remedies into our family routines. While mama may be doing it to save a buck, it won't hurt that she's helping out the environment with these easy tips to reduce her brood's waste.

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Lil Tip: Prepare Your Bathroom For Visitors

LilSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:30:04 -0700

Baby's born and mama's home from the hospital, so let the welcoming brigade begin. While her kitchen may be stocked with treats and beverages to keep guests' bellies full, the better place to maintain may be the bathroom!

Before allowing friends and family to visit with a newborn, many mamas require them to thoroughly wash up, especially during this particularly bad flu season. Fancy soaps and pretty linens may liven up the bathroom, but some anti-bacterial soap and paper towels that can be immediately thrown away are better options when it comes to preventing the spread of germs. What precautions did you take to prevent the spread of germs once your lil one arrived?

13 New Uses For Old Household Items

babysugar — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:00:30 -0700

Many a mom has bags or boxes full of old household items that seem useless and trash worthy. Before mommy throws everything away, check out Real Simple Family's suggestions on how to make old household items new again. Mama may be surprised and delighted at the tricks she has in her own kitchen drawer.

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Baby Shower Tip: It's the Sweet Little Gestures

LilSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:30:18 -0700

Whether you're planning a blowout baby shower bash complete with decadent diaper cakes or a simple sprinkle to shower a shy mom-to-be, always remember the biggest smiles can spawn from the littlest details. At a recent shower for a Sugar staffer expecting twins, the hostess dished out carefully selected candies and treats that fit with the multiples theme. She placed bowls of Twix and Kit Kat (they come in twos!), Double Bubble and Hershey's Hugs and Kisses around the office fete, which drew oodles of ohhhs and awws.

Do you have a treasure trove of sweet baby shower suggestions? Join our The Mommy Club over in our LilSugar community and share your tips!

Things to Consider When Buying a Pump

babysugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0700

A newly expectant lady often knows what to buy when it comes to the layette and crib, but when she sets out to buy a breast pump, she may not have the slightest idea what to look for in her purchase. Since many retailers do not offer breast pump returns, it behooves the mama-to-be to learn about the breast pump's purposes before charging her card. Here are a few things to consider:

Does it have a stimulation phase to help the mother's milk let down?
Is it portable? A mom on the go may prefer a light and portable pump.
Does it have hand-free capabilities? Though it's not a necessity, some moms could benefit greatly from such amenities.
Can you control the strength and speed of the suction to mimic your own child's?

To see the rest of the list, read more.

Is it hand, battery or electric operated? Some offer all of the above. For moms pumping often, an electric pump may prove to be worth the investment.
How easy is it to clean and change the parts?
Can you pump both sides at once or is it a single breast pump?
Can bottles and bags collect the milk? Moms wanting to store the milk right away may like the choice of pumping directly into a bag.

Instead of buying ahead of the delivery, many women wait until they have started breastfeeding so they can get a feel for their needs. If she is still unsure of her pump requirements, she might choose to rent a pump (either from a breast pump store or the hospital) until she can determine what she needs.

Bring on the Counting Tools!

babysugar — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:23:32 -0700

Children can learn how to count at an early age by doing mundane tasks. Next time mom brings the tot her meal or tosses the lil one in the bathtub, she can introduce a lesson in math. Check out the slideshow to see how you can get your wee one involved in adding things up!

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