Sunday, 22 September 2013
Monday, 26 August 2013
Sunday, 18 August 2013
10 Tips for Sleeping Like a Baby While Pregnant
When you’re expecting and not sleeping well, it’s hard to find the energy to prepare for the demands of new motherhood. Whether you’re suffering from leg cramps or raging nighttime heartburn, say goodbye to restless nights with these ten helpful tips.
1. Exercise Daily
Studies show that moderate, low impact exercise for at least 30 minutes a day may aid sleep. Try walking, yoga, Pilates, and swimming.
2. Establish a Calming Nighttime Routine
Incorporate activities into your after-dinner routine that promote relaxation. Reading, writing, and listening to soothing music are great options. If your partner is willing to help, massage works wonders to aid sleep.
3. Unplug
Onscreen programming and content is stimulating. Let your mind take a break at the end of a long day and turn the television and computer off at least an hour before bedtime.
4. You Can Never Have Enough Pillows
Don’t be shy about gathering as many pillows as you need to get yourself into a comfortable position. If you’re suffering from heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), use a pillow to elevate your upper body to relieve symptoms. Pillows between your legs, behind your back, and under your belly may help alleviate the pressure and aches that are ruining your sleep.
5. Alternate Sides
Sleeping on your left side is preferable for both you and the baby, but it’s impractical to attempt to confine yourself to just one position for the whole night. Go ahead and sleep on your right side. Just remember to stay off your back!
6. Keep Cool
Go ahead, let in the cool air! Several studies have found that the optimal temperature for sleep is around 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower the thermostat (or open a window) in your bedroom and use blankets to regulate your body temperature.
7. Snack Before Bed
To ward off nausea and prevent dips in blood sugar, try eating a small, nutrient-rich snack before bedtime.
8. Reduce Fluid Consumption after 7:00 p.m.
Stay hydrated throughout the day and lessen fluid consumption after a certain time in the evening. You won’t eliminate your nighttime bathroom visits completely, but it should certainly help.
9. Eat Right
Throughout the day, focus on healthy eating. Lose the spicy and fried foods that are likely to trigger heartburn and other gastrointestinal upsets that could keep you up at night.
10. Talk to Someone
Understandably, expectant moms have a lot on their minds. If you find yourself having a hard time settling into sleep because of anxiety, try taking some time out during the day to talk to someone about your worries. Getting your thoughts out in the open with your partner, a friend, or even a therapist can help your mind slow down at night to aid sleep.
5 Tips for Sending Baby Shower Invitations
A baby shower is a fun and meaningful way to celebrate a new addition to the family. Sending out baby shower invitations is often one of the first steps you take when planning a shower. Here are some helpful tips for sending invitations for an upcoming baby shower:
- Guest List: Organize your guest list with the parents-to-be in order to make sure that you don’t forget to send baby shower invitations to anyone important. Usually, they will want friends and family to attend and sometimes some co-workers as well. Gather the guests’ addresses or email addresses depending on how you plan to send out the baby shower invites.
- Ladies Only or Mixed: Decide ahead of time if you want just women to attend the event or if you want to host a “Jack and Jill” baby shower. If you decide to invite both men and women, make sure the baby shower invitation wording makes it clear that everyone is invited.
- Timing: A baby shower is typically held 6-8 weeks before the baby’s due date. Choose the date of the event with the mommy-to-be to make sure the date of the shower works for her and does not conflict with any of her doctor appointments. Also, be sure to send out the baby shower invites far enough in advance (4-6 weeks out) so that everyone can plan to attend.
- Invitation Design: If you have a theme for the shower, like rubber duckies or monkeys, you can often find cute invitations that match the theme. You don't always need a theme for a baby shower, so if you don't have one, there are plenty of adorable baby shower invitations from which to choose. Storks, peas-in-a-pod, rattles, strollers, and moms-to-be are popular shower invitation designs.
- Wording: Select appropriate baby shower wording for the invitations. Inspirational quotes, rhyming words, and cute phrases are all perfect for baby shower invitations. You should also explicitly state on the invitations important things like if the shower is a surprise, if guests should bring gifts, directions to the party, etc.
Monday, 15 July 2013
Throwing a baby shower
Can anyone throw a baby shower?
Usually someone who's not a relative throws the shower to avoid giving the impression that the family is asking for presents. Practically speaking, this means anyone except the mum-to-be and dad-to-be. However, often it's less clear-cut than that.
The best advice is to go with what feels right. You or any relative, close friend or work colleague should feel perfectly happy about planning your baby shower.
When should the baby shower happen?
Any time after conception is fine, but most mums-to-be appreciate a shower later in pregnancy. By then, she can sure that all is going well. And a party can be a welcome diversion as the months tick by. Besides, it makes it seem more real if the mum-to-be is touting a big belly.
Before setting a date for the party, talk to guests you really want to be there. They may be able to warn you about any prior commitments.
You may also have to take into account the prior commitments of grandparents, if you want them to come too. Nothing is worse than planning a party and sending out invitations, only to find that the most important people can't make it.
If you decide to have your shower after your baby is born, that's fine, too. Then guests can bring gifts specific to your baby's sex. And with a newborn baby to fuss over, there will be lots to talk about!
Where should we hold the baby shower?
You need to consider the location before deciding on how many people to invite. Ideally, the party shouldn't be held at the mum-to-be's house. It's not fair for her to have to worry about cleaning up before everyone arrives and after they've gone. If the mum-to-be does want to be at home, you could ask a few of the invitees if they'll stay behind to help clear up.
Or ask around to see if anyone else is prepared to host the event at their home. If not, think of booking a room at a community hall or local club.
What kind of invitations are right for a baby shower?
You can send traditional invitations by post, or email invitations.
Make the theme of the shower clear on the invitation, as well as including the basic who, what, where, when, and RSVP instructions.
You may have registered with a baby shop or department store and have a nursery list guests can view. If so, mention that, too. Or you can offer the information when guests reply.
Plan to send invitations out early enough to give the guests at least a few weeks' notice. This should give them enough time to work the shower into their calendar and shop for the perfect present.
What should we do at the baby shower?
Before finalising your activities, consider the following:
- You may want to choose a theme to tie everything together. Although it's not necessary, it can help you make decisions about the various elements of the party and it's often fun for guests.
- You'll probably want to serve some kind of food and drink, depending on the time of day, your budget, and how formal or casual you want the shower to be.
- Baby showers usually aren't complete without some fun or silly games. But don't worry if your guests aren't the competitive types, there are plenty of other kinds of activities to keep them entertained.
- It's common to give a goody bag to everyone who attends a baby shower, or you can just offer individual prizes to guests who win games.
How big should the budget be?
If you don't want to pay for the whole thing yourself, the best way to cover the cost is to ask each guest to chip in. When working out how much it might add up to, factor in the following:
- The main gift, if you all want to contribute to a bigger, combined present.
- Food, drinks, paper plates, cups, plastic knives and forks.
- Going-home goody bags.
- Prizes for games.
- Venue hire.
- Decorations.
- Cake.
Who should be on the invitation list for the baby shower?
If you're hosting the shower, you probably have a good idea of who you want to invite. However, if someone else is organising your shower for you, make sure they consult you before finalising the guest list. That way you'll avoid leaving out someone important or inviting someone you would rather not include.
Can I throw a shower for the mum-to-be and dad-to-be?
Although many baby showers are still for women only, baby showers for both women and men are becoming more popular. It really depends on the type of party you're planning.
If the shower is for a second or subsequent baby, the guest list is often made up of close friends and family and anyone else the mum-to-be or dad-to-be wants to include.
A word of caution: think long and hard before deciding to throw a surprise party. If the parents-to-be don't like surprises, they may feel awkward and the party may not be as memorable as you'd hoped.
Unless you're sure they'd appreciate your clandestine efforts, it's safer to let them in on the arrangements. That way you can be confident that the stars of the baby shower will be pleased with the outcome.
Content Source: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a554814/throwing-a-baby-shower
Image Source: http://pinterest.com/freebabyshower
Sunday, 7 July 2013
Interview with Melissa Minahan - CEO of Pure Hoopla
Pure Hoopla is a Brand that is owned by Melissa Minahan, CEO of Pure Hoopla explains how you can get free printed baby shower invitations and birth announcements. Drag and drop coupons on the back to get them for free. for more info visit http://purehoopla.com or http://purehoopla.ie
Interview with Melissa Minahan - CEO of Pure... by dm_5123c45de50a4
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