My two children and I recently went to our first Breakwater Blue beach clean up at Nantasket Beach. We brought our bucket and gardening gloves from home and started on the sidewalk. We picked up several pieces of trash before we even got onto the beach. I was pleasantly surprised by how clean the actual beach was but I know that is probably due to previous beach clean ups. We spent two hours combing the beach on a beautiful day, working together to clean up the beach.

Beach clean-ups provide a great opportunity to talk about community service with kids. When I was explaining what we were going to be doing my son asked: “why is there so much trash and why don’t people care where it goes?” I have been a nature girl from a young age; I live for being outside, getting dirty, collecting bugs, and am an animal lover. However, life for moms gets so busy and my passion for the earth had taken a back seat. I must admit I now have days where I find myself in the drive-thru getting multiple coffees with plastic cups and plastic straws, sometimes even styrofoam so the condensation doesn’t bother me (cringe). I started thinking…it’s time for a change!

My little ones are avid nature lovers as well. If we pass a field I often hear my son say “Mom, that field is so beautiful.” He is so right, and I want to help him learn how to preserve it! Being a nature lover and having two tiny nature lovers on my hands has made things such as teaching composting more enjoyable. This past spring we used our composted dirt in our garden and our flowers are looking better than ever! We talk about what gets recycled versus what gets thrown in the trash and what happens with the recycling. When I saw recently on the news the story about the whale who washed ashore whose stomach was filled with plastic bags and other trash it made me sick to think of how careless we have become. We take so much pride in doing what’s best for our kids, yet taking care of the earth we live on should be on the top of the list – and sometimes it’s not. Taking care of our earth is something we should take pride in doing and teaching our little ones about!

Making small changes can result in big differences:

• Switch from plastic straws to stainless steel
• If you don’t already recycle, START!
• Start using cloth napkins for kids lunches
• Switch to reusable bags
• Get a compartmentalized lunchbox for your children to avoid endless Ziploc baggies.
• Head to a beach clean-up or take a hike in a park and bring along a trash bag to collect garbage on the trail.

Follow Breakwater Blue for more information on local beach cleanups. We are excited to be collaborating an Over The Moon Parenting Beach Clean in the fall, so stay tuned! They also encourage people to do Trash walk Tuesdays! Take 30 minutes or less to walk your neighborhood or beach to pick up trash. Take a photo and tag @breakwater blue and use hashtag #trashwalktuesday #bbluecleanup and you will be featured on the Breakwater Blue website. Another great idea they suggest is #take3 where you take three pieces of trash you didn’t bring from the beach to help keep it clean.

*Please make sure that during any sort of clean ups you and your little ones wear gloves. It is also helpful to show images of things you wouldn’t want them to pick up and stay close to them. Use a beach clean up and nature walk as a learning tool and get the conversation going about the importance of keeping the earth clean.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
—Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Taking toddlers skiing is daunting. It also can be awesome. Here is a list of things I learned from trial and error (mostly error) to make your trip a happier one. Happy skiing!!

Reset Your Expectations
The first time you put your kiddo in boots, they might cry. And Fall. Walking might be frustrating and slow for them in their boots. Just getting them and all their stuff to the carpet lift might take an epic amount of patience, and getting onto the lift the first time might require divine intervention. Go in expecting that the first three runs might be rough, and plan for a cocoa break after #3. The upside is that their center of gravity is really low and most kids are eager learners, so sometime in those 3 rounds they will probably start getting the hang of it. Celebrate small victories and cheer them on loudly. Try your best not to get frustrated. Once they start getting it, the learning curve is steep and you get to sit back and be a proud parent with a camera and some more coffee.

Get the right equipment

An Edge Wedgie, $9, it a clip that holds the front of their skis together so they can’t lose control with their legs everywhere.

Ski straps, $7, are velcro straps for carrying skis. You’ll be carrying your skis, your poles, their skis – plus any extra clothes, gloves, snacks, diapers, etc….and maybe a crying kid. Make life easier and get straps.

A ski harness, $39, is for when your kiddo starts getting fast on the slopes. Look for ones that secure to their boots and not their back – that way, you have more control over their skis and aren’t pulling them back off their balance like you would do with a backpack-style harness.

Mabel’s labels makes labels that work great for skis – and backpacks, water bottles, clothes, and anything kid-related that needs labeling. If you don’t have time to order them, masking or painters tape works great.

Plan Ahead
Before a trip, check the weather report for the mountain, lest you drive 2 hours with impatient kids only to be completely rained out.
Try and get them to sleep in the car on the way to the mountain, and maybe put them to bed a little early the night before. Sleep deprived kids and learning don’t mix.
Try and hit the mountain when it won’t be crowded. Weekdays will obviously be less crowded than weekends, but the time matters, too. The earlier you get there, the less crowded the slopes will be, including during the week when school-age kids pile in around 3 p.m.

Work Smart
Bring extras of everything – but leave them in the car. The less you are lugging around, the better.
Bring one adult per child who isn’t a steady skier. Trying to teach two at the same time is too hard.
Have EVERYONE use the potty before going out.
It might be smart to stay in your winter boots instead of skis the first few rounds down the bunny hill so you can get around easy to help them when they fall.
Bonus Points: I always see moms and dads with a baby in a carrier, walking with their older child learning to ski on the bunny slopes. That is some beast-level parenting right there.

Make the mountain work for you
First, it is worth driving around for a good parking spot instead of taking a bus with wild toddlers and all their stuff from an overflow lot. Also, you can make runs to your car for replacement gloves or nap time.
Get a map and plan your runs. Wachusset has a baby bunny hill to the far right, then a bigger bunny hill to the far left, plus a great green trail via lift right next to that. Sunday River has one bunny slope, and then 2 or 3 gentle green trails all on the far right side. Put all your stuff close to where you plan to be.
Carpet lifts can be amazing but FYI the one at Blue Hills is jerky and your kids may eat all the wax and ice off the sides while riding. (Yay toddlers!)
On lifts: You MUST have skis on to ride lifts (exiting in boots is unsafe.) You can use a ride on the lift as a reward if you need to and you think you can make it down a run with them. Some resorts have glass-enclosed gondolas – these are amazing boot-friendly and kid-friendly rides that are all the bargaining chips you’ll need for the day.
Ski School: If your child is old enough, ski school is the way to go. The instructors are pros at getting crying, face-planted kids into little speedsters. Also, most kids pull less whining and are a little tougher with a teacher as opposed to a parent. They’ll also get the added benefit of being in a group of kids all learning together, which can make it more fun for them.</liL

Money-saving Tips
I bought both my littles the Ikon Pass during the flash sale in April. That is cheaper that a single day-pass at any of those mountains day-of. Mark your calendar.
I rented all their boots and skis in September from Sun and Ski for $90 for the entire season. You just return it all tax day in April. If their feet grow, you just bring the gear in and swap it out. It is amazing, and, again, much cheaper earlier in the season. (Currently, in January, rentals are $130/season.)
Booking ski school early can save you about $10-20 a lesson.

Take care of yourself!

I have arrived on the mountain with 3 pairs of gloves for each of my kids, all their equipment and snacks, plus all their jackets and pants and socks…only to not even bring a coat for myself. Any trip like this (beach, museum, zoo – same thing) is really taxing on parents. Be sure to get an extra cup of coffee, double check your bag along with theirs, and be good to yourself. You’ve got this.
One extra note about you – your feet may have grown with pregnancy. Mine grew 2 full sizes. Make sure your boots, rented or your own, are the correct size before you embark on your ski adventure. Sore feet will definitely put a damper on what could be an epic day.

Go have an amazing time!
Build fabulous family memories of skiing together and then cuddling by a fire with cocoa re-telling stories about how awesome your kids skied that day. Play games on the lifts together, take lots of pictures, and enjoy the glee of a great run with your kiddos.

The minds of babies and toddlers are always growing and sensory art is a particularly helpful way to let them explore! Sensory art for babies and toddlers is different from a standard art class in that the focus is on the experience of creating using all five senses, instead of the final product. Here is why sensory play such as finger painting, play dough, sand, mud, and water play important for children’s development:

• Engaging sensory play uses all 5 senses and promotes integration; the ability of their brains to process all the information they receive via touch, smell, hearing, vision and occasionally taste.
• As children pour, dump, build, and scoop, they explore and learn about spatial concepts like full/empty, over/under, in/out.
• They learn pre-math concepts along with language and vocabulary for important cognitive development.
• Art is an essential component to learning that encourages exploration and discovery through creative play.
• Art stimulates both sides of the brain.
• 33% of children are visual learners.
• Art develops hand-eye coordination, stimulates perception, and encourages children to pay attention to the physical space around them.
• Art is a natural activity giving children the freedom to manipulate different materials in an organic and unstructured way that allows for exploration and experimentation.
• Children can share and reflect on their works of art with loved ones, which is wonderful for their self esteem and for connecting with family and friends.

All of our sensory art classes are carefully designed with creative exploration in mind. Come join in the fun!

It’s getting colder, so you are probably getting ready to turn the heat on – which means you’ll want a humidifier on to keep little noses and throats clear. Read our tips on using humidifiers with children to help with colds, coughs, dry skin and runny noses.

1. Humidifiers put moisture back into dry winter air. Cool mist humidifiers are recommended to help with winter coughs and colds, plus they help make breathing easier on little lungs at night. Consider putting one in the child’s bedroom, carefully choosing a safe place that won’t encourage little hands to pull on the cord or knock it over. You might want to put one in the living room or playrooms, too, during cold snaps or if your child sounds particularly congested.
2. Clean your humidifier once a week with white vinegar and a soft-bristle brush. Make sure you are only putting distilled water into your humidifier.
3. Cheat a little at cleaning by adding an antimicrobial humidifier ball or stick to the water. That way, you can be sure you aren’t circulating germs into the air.

Have a great winter, and we hope you appreciated our tips on using humidifiers with children! For more child safety tips, take one of our Child CPR and Safety classes!

Halloween is here, so we’ve compiled a list of Halloween safety tips to keep your little trick-or-treaters safe!

1. Make sure costumes aren’t too long for little legs. All that running over unfamiliar terrain in the dark and bending over for candy can make trips and falls easy.  Also, make sure costumes are warm enough and wear comfortable walking shoes to keep little feet happy for longer.
2. Give each of your children a flashlight, or, if you are sure they won’t put them in their mouths, glow sticks. For toddlers, consider putting some Glow in the Dark Paint or reflective tape on their costumes – then you’ll be able to find them easily in the dark.  You might consider finding a well-lit neighborhood to hunt candy in if yours doesn’t have streetlights.
3. Make sure to eat a meal before going out so everyone’s tummies are full and less likely to get upset at candy later on. While you are all around the table, talk about Halloween safety. Set expectations around staying with the group and not running ahead, staying on sidewalks and with Mom or Dad, not eating anything until they ask first, and being polite to neighbors. Remind them about taking one piece of candy per house, and to say “thank you” to every person.  Tell them you will always be “waiting behind them at the beginning of the walkway” if you don’t plan on walking up to every house with them.
4. If your child has allergies, go over not eating anything without asking first again, and bring an Epi-Pen with you.
5. Then, visit to the potty before heading out, and go have a great time! You’ll want to take any gum, hard candies, and any too-chewy candy…along with a few of your favorites. You deserve a treat, too!

First, let’s recognize that this can be incredibly difficult. Sleep – or lack thereof – can make or break your vacation. Here is a list of tips to help your little ones sleep in a new environment when they would much rather play, giggle, and dance the night away:

1. Try to stick with your routine – both the timing and the activities. If you usually have a nightly routine that includes a bath, book, song, or sip of water – make sure to keep it the same on vacation. Keeping your children’s routine the same will make bedtime a more soothing experience.
2. Try to stick to your regular nap schedule. You might be out and about and nothing is worse than trying to nap a toddler at an amusement park – but do you best. If all else fails, it might be worth it to strap them in their car seat and drive around until they sleep. If they miss a nap, they will be overtired at bedtime, making falling asleep even harder.
3. Remember to bring all their lovies, blankets, soothers, sound machines, and pacifiers. Try and recreate their regular sleep space as best you can when you are away from home.
4. If they are nervous about being in an unfamiliar place and you are sharing a room with them, it might help to sit in the room with them until they fall asleep. Only do this is you’ll be there in the morning when they wake up so they aren’t expecting you to be there and find themselves alone.
5. Talk it through with preschool-age children. Explain that taking rests will make playtime more fun.
6. If all else fails and it is safe, pull your newly nocturnal children in bed with you.

With newborns who will probably be in a pack and play, try traditional sleep training techniques for a good night’s rest.

We have big news to share with you – we’re moving! Over The Moon Parenting now lives at 15 Farrar Farm Road in Norwell. We chose our new home because it is more convenient for families coming from both the north and south on Route 3 (exits 13, 14, and 15.) Our new parenting center sits just off Route 53, on the side street to the left of The Fours Restaurant. Our new space is being completely built out to our specifications with 3200 square feet and plenty of parking! The last day at our current location will be Tuesday, August 15th. The official start date for the new center will be Tuesday, September 5th – just in time for the beginning of our fall infant and toddler classes and the new school year for our Toddler Play School!  Follow us on Facebook in the weeks ahead for updates.

For August, we are running a shorter, 2-week art, music, toddler book club, and child development class session – available for registration online now. All classes will end by August 15th. If you have registered and paid in full for a summer class and/or Toddler Play School that was scheduled to continue after August 15th, we are more than happy to credit your account or refund you for the day/days missed. For all who have registered for August classes, but have not yet been charged, we will only charge your credit card for 2 weeks of classes. Our goal is to be as upfront as possible and we are committed to customer care!  Please call our center if you have any questions or concerns M-F, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., (781) 347-3189 or email us anytime at info@overthemoonparenting.com.

Thank you to all of you for sharing in our growth so far. We feel so lucky and grateful that you share your little loves with us, and are excited to watch your families grow in the years to come.

The most important thing parents can do to when preparing children for a new baby is ensure the older child feels safe and secure in love and importance in the family. Maintaining special one-on-one time with the older child after the birth is crucial to preventing insecurity, sadness, anger, and jealousy, which can manifest in aggression towards the baby or regression in developmental areas.

Planning ahead to register for a special class to take with your toddler, or hiring a babysitter to watch the new baby for an hour so you can play one-on-one with your older child can go a long way in making them feel special and secure. Another idea is to make a daily routine that when your partner gets home, they take the baby so you can focus solely on your older son or daughter.

One warning for preparing children for a new baby: don’t hire a babysitter to spend all their time with your older child while you spend time with baby because that is guaranteed to hurt feelings.

Looking for more tips for your growing family? Check out one of our parenting classes and workshops.

Summer is here, gas prices are low, and road trip season is upon us. Here’s a list of tips to make the drive easier with small passengers.

1. Plan for extra time. If you have to be at your destination by a certain time, add in some buffer so everyone is less stressed.
2. Plan out the rest stops before you leave, and pack plenty of snacks and drinks.
3. Consider driving at night or during nap time.
4. Packing the night before means little hands, feet, and voices won’t get in the way of the job, and leaving the next morning is just a matter of getting dressed, grabbing breakfast, and getting in the car.
5. Pack a bag of tricks of games or toys special for the road trip. Road Trip Bingo, new books, sticker or coloring books, and a new iPad or Kindle game are all good choices.
6. Speaking of electronic devices, make sure they are all charged and the chargers are also packed.
7. Have some fun and make a car playlist.
8. Dress your little loves in layers – and maybe even their PJs.
9. Pack their pillows and stuffed animals to snuggle with.
10. Consider bringing a potty chair for potty training toddlers or recently-trained pre-schoolers. BONUS TIP: Some kiddos are afraid of automatic flushing toilets. Bring along large square stickers to cover the eye of the auto flusher while your child is sitting on the seat. When they are done, just take off the sticker and throw it away.
11. Cool off the car with the air conditioning before you load your babies in.
12. Make sure you have shades on the windows for infants. We find the sticky ones work best.
13. Consider getting the car serviced beforehand.
14. Last, anytime is a great time to make sure the car seat straps are adjusted properly. Read our car seat safety post, here!

The 4th of July means parades, fireworks, BBQs, pool parties, and great family time! It also brings some safety hazards for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Here are some tips to keep your family safe this summer.

1. Liberally apply SPF 30+ sunscreen early on children and babies over 6 months. Reapply every few hours and after swimming, running through the sprinklers, or any other water activity. For babies under 6 months, check with your pediatrician about their sunscreen recommendations and keep them out of the sun with a loose cover and a hat.
2. Apply bug spray if you’ll be anywhere with mosquitos.  Check with your pediatrician about their DEET guidelines.
3. If you are going to a party, parade or a crowded place, decide up front who will be responsible for watching each child. Consider dividing and conquering. Never assume family or friends are watching your children and be clear when passing on the responsibility to another person.
4. With children over 2, talk about expectations, rules and clear consequences including staying in a designated area, asking before eating and drinking anything, and playing safe. Have them repeat the rules back to you.
5. Be extra mindful of open cups, grills, fire pits, pools, ponds, and other safety hazards. If you are hosting a BBQ, consider putting a play yard around danger zones.
6. If you are celebrating near water, put life vests on all your little ones, even if they aren’t swimming.
7. Make sure your family is staying hydrated, and pack a few extra snacks, too. No one is happy when they are hungry.
8. Try to stick with nap routines to avoid tired meltdowns and to make it to the late firework shows.
9. If your family is celebrating near loud music or noise, use noise-canceling headphones for little ears. Don’t use earplugs – they can be a choking hazard.
10. Consider dressing your family in bright or matching colors so you can find them in a crowd easily.
11. If you’ll be celebrating at a crowded event where toddlers or preschoolers could get lost, designate a meeting place.
12. Frequently check your children for ticks and tick bites, and consider a quick shower before bed to wash any critters away.
13. Flashlights are handy if your family’s festivities go on into the night.
14. For extra safety, consider taking an infant and child CPR and Safety class ahead of the holiday. That will arm you with the necessary skills to care for anyone in an emergency, no matter the date.

Happy Daylight Savings! Here are 6 ways to navigate your kiddos through the time change.

Make gradual changes over the course of a week. In the Spring, each night, put your child to bed 15 minutes earlier,  and every morning, wake them up 15 minutes earlier. In the fall, put your child to bed 15 minutes later than usual, and in the morning, wake them up 15 minutes later than usual. This will help you reach your target bed and wake time without causing change too fast. “The biggest challenge of  day light savings is bedtime resistance, so you need to adjust bedtime slowly. Trust me on this. If you don’t adjust bedtime slowly, you will have a baby or toddler who starts to cry, protest, get out of bed, or try to negotiate with you.” Teresa Stewart, Stewart Family Solutions.

Understand the Circadian Rhythm, also known as the body’s internal clock which regulates the body’s cycle of many functions, including sleep and wake cycles, is also important.

Use Light and Dark. Melatonin, the hormone that regulates your bodies circadian rhythm increases in the evening as it becomes darker. This process helps induce sleep. Production of melatonin stops with exposure of light, increasing wakefulness. In the spring, keeping the room dark in the evening even if it’s light outside, and light in the morning, even if it’s dark, will help regulate your child’s body’s biological clock. In the fall, keep lights bright inside until bedtime.

Cut a Little Slack. When off their typical routine, most older children and toddlers alike will test limits. Cut them a little bit of slack if they are perhaps resisting rules, keeping in mind they are adjusting and a little sleep deprived.

Gradually Adjust Naps. Naps are driven by sleep pressure, or how tired kiddos are, and not the circadian rhythm. Therefore, have some more flexibility when it comes to nap time. You may have a couple days where the day is not quite normal, but as your child adjusts, you will see things fall back into place.

Make Routines Work For You. Keep in mind that it may take a couple days to get back on track, but if you stick with a plan, day lights savings doesn’t need to be a nightmare. Read more about establishing routines, here.

Looking for more help with sleep? Check out our sleep training classes and workshops, or take a child development class for more information!

Guest Post By Elise Macaluso-White, Beautycounter Manger, Bonus: Beautycounter coupon for moms: NAE16

Let’s Start at the Beginning and Do It Right
The skin and body care industry in this country is not as regulated as you might think. During the last two decades, the EU has banned 1300 ingredients while the U.S. has only banned 11. There are about 10,000 chemicals commonly found in personal care products —only 10% of those chemicals have safety data. Even more troubling, chemicals linked to breast cancer, learning disabilities, infertility, and other health issues are allowed in the products we use every day.

The ingredient selection process at Beautycounter is the strictest in the industry. We’ve banned more than 1,500 ingredients, setting a new health and safety standard—all while ensuring our products perform, and that they’re as indulgent as any luxe shampoo, lipstick or oil in the market.

Beautycounter is a fast-growing mission-driven company dedicated to getting safer products into the hands of everyone.

In addition, BC has partnered with several non-profit organizations such as Healthy Child Healthy World that empowers parents and caregivers to protect children from harmful chemicals. Their easy actions and tips help families create safer environments for children to flourish. The Breast Cancer Fund works to prevent breast cancer by eliminating our exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation linked to the disease. BCF is a founding member and national coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a broad-based coalition working to eliminate dangerous chemicals from cosmetics and personal care products.

Welcome Baby Set $64.00
Set includes Gentle All-Over Wash cleanses body and hair with a tear-free formula, Soothing Oil absorbs easily and nourishes skin, and Daily Protective Balm acts as a layer of protection for sensitive, delicate skin.

To order products or for more information, contact: Elise Macaluso-White, Beautycounter Manager/Consultant emwbeautycounter@gmail.com
Please mention the exclusive Beautycounter coupon for moms, NAE16, and receive free shipping.

Caring for newborn hair and skin, including learning how to clean cradle cap, can be daunting. We are here to help!

Your baby is born with several layers of skin, which were necessary when she was living in amniotic fluid for so many months. You may have noticed peeling skin on her tiny body already. This is normal as baby doesn’t require all those layers anymore. Do not feel as though you need to lather baby with moisturizing lotions. In fact, lotion may be irritating to newborn skin.

When the skin peels on baby’s scalp it may not look very pleasing! The baby isn’t bothered by this but moms and dads can be!

There are a few tactics on how to clean cradle cap. Some caregivers will gently rub an oil, such as Jojoba oil, olive oil, or even coconut oil into the scalp. If, however, you don’t want to deal with an oily baby, you can simply massage a soft-bristled baby brush on the scalp in circular motions when washing baby’s hair. This will help to remove some of the peeling layers without creating an oily head.

Always check with your pediatrician before using anything on baby, including “natural products,” such as oils. Remember: this too shall pass!

For more information on bathing and caring for newborns, check out our Newborn Care classes and our new mom’s groups.

There are many reasons to choose cloth diapers, and today’s options are incredibly easy-to-use. Here is a guide on how to use cloth diapers.

They save money. The savings will depend on what type of cloth diapers you choose, but whichever style you go with , there will be a savings with your first child and a huge savings with subsequent children as you can reuse the same diapers.

The environment. By not contributing to the enormous amount of disposable diapers that end up in land fills each year, you are ensuring your little pumpkin will live in a cleaner world.

Having natural products against your baby’s skin. Protecting my baby’s tender bum from the chemicals in disposable diapers was my reason for choosing cloth.

There are also a multitude of options for cloth diapers. Chose the one that fits your lifestyle the best!

The most economical is to use a diaper-service-quality Chinese or Indian cotton prefold. You can use the newborn size for roughly three months then switch to the regular size until your child is out of diapers. These need to be used with a diaper cover. It may be helpful, but not necessary, to use snappi’s or pins to secure the diaper to help prevent blowouts. These diapers need to be washed three times before their first use. Word to the wise: wash diaper covers in the regular washing machine but hang them to dry, and they will last much longer. Also, covers do not need to be changed at every diaper change. Good sources of Chinese or Indian cotton prefolds are thegreennursery.com, and amazon.com.

Pre-fitted, all-in-one and pocket diapers are a more expensive option, but are as easy to use as disposables. Some need covers and others do not. They come in many sizes, fabrics and colors. It is wise to stick to gender-neutral colors/patterns so they can be used again. Turn all-in-one and pre-fitted diapers inside-out before drying. The one-size-fits-all diapers really do not work well until your baby reaches at least 12 lbs., but then work wonderfuly until baby reaches 35 lbs.

To wash cloth diapers, follow these easy steps:

1. Rinse poop from diaper with a sprayer attachment. Leave it wet until washing – it reduces stains.
2. Wash 12-18 diapers in your machine on the highest water level with a cold pre-rinse with no detergent.
3. Then run the hot cycle with Tide or special diaper detergent. (Don’t use Tide Free.) Do not use fabric softeners, and use bleach sparingly as it breaks down the fibers.
4. Dry diapers by line (preferable) or machine.
5. Still on the fence? Try a company that rents starter packages so you can see if cloth diapering is for you. Modernclothdiapers.com, kissedbythemoon.com and earthycrunchymom.com all offer this service. Some companies offer packages which can be more economical or customized. Check out Greenmountaindiapers.com, clothdiapers.com, cottonbabies.com and borntolove.com.

Want to learn more about cloth diapering and see your options first hand? Sign up for a class at The Diaper Lab in Somerville, MA. Go to their website for class dates and to register.

For more information on caring for your little baby and their bum, check out one of our newborn care classes or join a new mom’s group! We hope to see you soon!

By Saheeda Mohammed-Kelly RN, CCE, Certified Carseat Technician

It can be really stressful parents-to-be begin researching how to choose a car seat. But the best car seat is one that fits your child and car appropriately and you’ll use the best.

Not all car seats fit all cars but finding car seat dimensions is easy, and you can pick one appropriate to your vehicle. A quick check on Consumer Reports can give you car seat safety ratings, as well as an indication on how well it will install into your car via the LATCH system or using the seat belt.

Infant car seats feature removable bucket seats that clip in to a base that stays in the car. These are handy for transporting sleeping newborns or carting infants on errands. However, infant car seats are outgrown quickly, and children need to be moved to convertible car seats.

Convertible carseats stay belted in the car, but can be installed rear-facing for infants up to 2 years of age, and then turned around to front-facing for preschoolers. It is recommended to keep children rear-facing for at least 2 years, even if they grow out of the infant seat. Switch to the convertible seat but keep them rear facing as long as you can – it is safer!

When you are ready to install the seat you’ve chosen, read the directions before you attempt to install it yourself. Next, follow the instructions to install the car seat. Then, once you have done your best, visit www.safercar.gov to find the nearest car seat checkpoint. (It is a free service but you may need an appointment.) The licensed car seat check person will inspect your installation and make any needed adjustments. Seven out of ten of people install carseats incorrectly.

After-market products like mirrors, head rolls, strap covers, and toys are not recommended for use with carseats. Each carseat is crash tested the way it comes and if you add an after-market product there is no guarantee it will work as it should.

During the colder months, nothing should be added under the baby in the car seat such as, blanket or snowsuit. Instead, use a simple blanket or cover over the car seat that does not interfere with the harness.
Also, if you are involved in a car accident, even if the seat is not affected, you should replace it.

Lastly, if you plan to use a used car seat, it is important to know the history of the seat. Ask for the date of expiration, if it ever in a car accident, and if there was smoking allowed around the seat.

You can learn more about protecting your newborn in our Infant CPR and Safety Class. We hope to see you there!