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Shannon M. on
Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

Image source: creaturebug.typepad.com
Staying nourished during the labor process is absolutely essential and will supply your body with the energy it needs to give birth. In fact, simply following a few guidelines can help protect you against nausea, speed along labor, relieve added discomfort, and delay inevitable exhaustion.
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Shannon M. on
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012

Image source: rookiemoms.com
Labor and delivery are some of the most precious moments that a mother and child can spend together. That’s why a birth plan, or the written birth instructions you provide your doctor or midwife, is essential to ensuring that you have the kind of experience you want. A lot of women scribble down some labor and delivery notes in their maternity journal, but a birth plan takes that process one step farther. But where to start? First off, start by thinking about your ideal birth. Next, grab a piece of paper and a pen and start jotting your ideas down. While you’re writing, keep in mind a few helpful tips:
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Posted by
Shannon M. on
Monday, March 19th, 2012

Image source: thegreenparent.co.uk
Great-great-great-grandma did it, so why can’t you? Even though natural childbirth is clearly not for everyone, some brave women claim that it actually supplements the delivery experience. If you’re considering childbirth without pain medication, consider some of these tips.
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Shannon M. on
Friday, March 16th, 2012

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Exercising and eating smart while you are pregnant can seem like a bit of a sticky wicket but according to The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) it can help you bypass some common pregnancy ailments. In fact, the ACOG actually recommends that pregnant women combine a healthy diet with at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise four times a week. This doesn’t mean you have to give up your indulgent cravings or Mad Men marathons, it just means to pare ‘em back a little and employ these tips…
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Posted by
Shannon M. on
Thursday, March 15th, 2012

Image source: babymakingmachine.blogspot.com
You’ve spent months thinking about – er, obsessing over – the details. You’ve nested and meticulously planned every detail of your new baby’s life. From the bassinet to the changing table, the color scheme of the nursery to the stacks of newborn diapers, everything is in order – except for your hospital bag. How can you anticipate what you’ll need on the most physically demanding and emotionally charged days of your life?
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Posted by
Shannon M. on
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

Image source: sanemoms.com
There are few things more frustrating (save, say, banging your head against a wall) than when your kids ignore you. So maddening is it when kids don’t listen, that sometimes yelling or raising your voice seem like the only viable options. Resist those urges and instead choose to empower yourself by implementing a few behavior-modification tools.
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Posted by
Shannon M. on
Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Image source: mnn.com
If your little one is like mine, Daylight Savings Time is less like a “spring forward” and more like a slow crawl. Around these annual demarcations, you may find your child’s sleep patterns disrupted. The result: sluggish days, irritable children, and sleep-resistant bedtimes. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), there are some things you can do to combat this.
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Posted by
Shannon M. on
Monday, March 12th, 2012

Image source: flickr.com
Change: it’s the only certainty in this life. You’d think that simply accepting this truth would somehow make change easier but such is not always the case. Regardless of how prevalent change is within our lives, it can still be a stressful and sometimes devastating adjustment to make – especially for children. Any series of life-changing events from moving to
a divorce or a new spouse can threaten to shatter a child’s world.
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Posted by
Shannon M. on
Friday, March 9th, 2012

Image source: stephhicks68.hubpages.com
If we do daily tasks, well, every day, then why do they feel so hard sometimes; so boring? Children have these same questions except, most of the time, they don’t have the words to ask them. What results is often a cacophony of whines, cries, and hissy fits – otherwise known as the bane of every parent’s existence. Believe it or not, there are ways to skirt the daily doldrums.
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Posted by
Shannon M. on
Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Image source: inclusive-solutions.com
The self-esteem we build or, adversely, destroy in childhood often follows us into adulthood. A healthy self-image and perception is the very foundation on which most of our social and intellectual happiness rests. Without self-esteem to armor your child, she is left exposed and nearly defenseless to the challenges of the world. Although parents are unfortunately not the only factors in developing a child’s image of herself (media, friends, etc), they are the greatest source of strength in implementing these values.
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