The Mom Crowd

When you have children to take care of, laundry to do, meals to prepare and your job to go to it can be difficult (well downright impossible sometimes!) to make time for yourself and your own needs. Finding the time to get your hair cut, working in your flower garden or even sitting down to have a couple of sips of tea and read a few pages in a novel can be beyond the scope that your schedule allows. It is important though to find “me” time in your busy “mom” days.

Why is it so Important?

Making time for yourself is important because if you do not then you can become overwhelmed, stressed out and exhausted. You may even end up feeling angry because you are neglecting yourself. If you can find a few minutes every day to relax and do something nice for yourself then this can be very good for your emotional and psychological well-being. Even if it is not every day, as often as you can you should look for opportunities to make time for yourself.

Find the Time Whenever You Can

You need to find time to be good to yourself whenever you can find it. Perhaps it is later in the evening after your children have gone to bed. Or maybe it is first thing in the morning before your children have gotten out of bed. Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and the silence of some uninterrupted moments before the day takes hold. Or maybe it is when your six month old is napping, in between doing laundry and washing dishes. The point is make every moment count in your day-to-day schedule and find a few precious minutes wherever and whenever you can in your hectic day to do something just for yourself. Even if you stop for five minutes to put your feet up and daydream as you look out the window, that is still precious time for yourself – and it matters.

Me Time Options for Moms

When the weather is good and your children are at school, or at grandma’s or are visiting a friend take a stroll around your neighborhood or through a local park. Be leisurely about it and pay attention to all of the beauty that surrounds you. Breathe in the fresh air and enjoy those moments of being alone with nature. Okay, so maybe the dog needs to be walked so you choose to combine his walk with your alone time and maybe you are walking in a dog park instead of the local park. At least you are out walking! Whatever works for you is fine as long as you get to relax your mind and body a bit and get away from some of the stresses of the day.

Regardless of whether you work inside or outside of the home you need to take breaks. Whether it is a break from your computer or your kids wanting your undivided attention you need to take mini breaks throughout the day to keep your sanity. Maybe you can retreat to your favorite chair and flip through a magazine or call up a close friend for a quick chat. Or maybe you can spend a few minutes working on a craft, skimming the newspaper or glancing at a television program that you enjoy.

When you have a larger block of time for yourself, such as if your husband takes the kids somewhere for an afternoon then pamper yourself because you deserve it. Go to the beauty salon and get your hair styled differently, get a manicure, a pedicure, a facial, or a massage. If one of your friends is free then make it an outing for the two of you. While you are at it the two of you should catch up over coffee or lunch.  As a mother you are probably so use to treating your loved ones that you have forgotten how good it feels to treat yourself. It is time to remember it now!

Eating right is essential both for yourself and for your baby. This is so true before your baby is born as well as once he/she is here with you.  Here we offer a guide to nutrition for expectant mothers.

Eating for Two

What should you eat while you are pregnant? This is a very important question that you need to ask yourself. To ask it before you are even pregnant is good news for your baby’s health and well-being.

Nutrition during pregnancy sets the stage for the health of your baby while in utero as well as after he or she has been delivered. It needs to be a very important consideration for all expectant mommies. A good pregnancy and nutrition go hand in hand. A pregnant diet should include all of the foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential amino acids.

You should learn about the food groups and also learn how to eat for two and how to balance your meals so they lean towards the healthy side. Your physician will be able to tell you what constitutes a healthy pregnancy. He will tell you what foods contain nutrients and also what foods to avoid during pregnancy. You must do your part for the health of your baby by following the guidelines recommended to you by your healthcare provider.

Your nutritional needs will change as you progress through the trimesters. You will also find that your tolerance for eating different kinds of foods will also change.

There are some basic guidelines that all pregnant women should follow throughout every stage of the process. Let us look at those now.

The Importance of Eating and Drinking Water

As a pregnant woman eating during pregnancy matters a lot. Your baby needs to grow and develop and he or she requires proper nutrition to do that. You need to try to eat balanced meals and not to skip any of your meals.

During those times when your stomach is queasy eating less or eating a diet that is a little bland is understandable but you should not deliberately skip any meals. This is not the time to be worrying about your weight. Of course you will put on weight- you are carrying a baby who needs to eat to develop and grow strong.

You need to keep yourself well hydrated. When it comes to avoiding constipation and what to avoid when pregnant the last thing you want to do is to reduce your water consumption. Drink up and do so often throughout the day. Consume at least six to eight glasses daily. You should also cut back on your caffeine consumption. That means drinking less coffee, tea and soda and consuming less chocolate (in food and in beverages).

Food for Pregnancy

A diet for pregnancy needs to include plenty of calcium. To increase your intake of calcium you need to make sure you are consuming enough dairy products. Examples of good choices of food for pregnant ladies include milk, yogurt, low fat cheese and pudding. You can also get a plentiful supply of calcium through non-dairy sources such as broccoli, beans, kale, salmon and orange juice.

A healthy infant requires folic acid because it is needed for the development of the brain and the spine. It is particularly important to be consuming enough folic acid before you know that you are expecting a baby. Ask your doctor if taking a folic acid supplement is a good idea for you if you are trying to get pregnant. Some of the best sources of this mineral include dark leafy green vegetables, cantaloupe, corn, beets, squash, peanuts, peanut butter, orange juice from concentrate and dried beans.

Children are as prone to depression as adults. Youngsters do not get depressed for the same reasons and not to the same degree as adults but they can get down and feel blue in a similar manner to grown-ups.

Depression is a mental disorder that it was once believed did not affect youngsters at all. Research studies that have looked closely at this over the years have discovered that this is not the case. It has been estimated that as many as three in 100 young children suffer from the effects of depression. Depression in children needs to be acknowledged and addressed the same as it does in adults and an appropriate treatment needs to be undertaken before it leads into a more serious stage.

What Causes Depression in Children?

Just as depression in adults is not necessarily brought on by one particular thing but can be influenced by a number of factors, the same can be said for depression in kids. Childhood depression can come about due to a genetic predisposition towards it. It can also result from a traumatic or stressful event in life such as a death, a new school or a move to a new place. Medications can sometimes bring about depression as can an imbalance of chemistry in the brain. Learned helplessness is also believed to be a potential cause of depression in kids when it works in combination with the type of personality traits that a youngster has.

Seeing the Doctor for a Diagnosis

If your child seems lethargic and is sad and unhappy all of the time and no longer enjoys spending time with his friends or doing the things he use to enjoy doing then it may be time to take him in to see his doctor. The family physician has the training needed to make a proper diagnosis. He can first rule out other physical problems as the cause of the condition.

After examining the child and asking him or her series of questions the doctor will then be able to decide if the child is suffering from depression. If he is then one of the most suitable means of helping a young child is by way of counseling. For children who are quite young play therapy can be very beneficial to helping them to cope with their depressive feelings and thoughts while for older kids cognitive behavior therapy tends to be the most helpful approach to dealing with depression. Sometimes family therapy is recommended or in some cases, interpersonal therapy.

Most doctors do not prescribe antidepressants for their young patients as their brains are still in the developing stages. In the rare cases where medication is prescribed it is used as a last resort and not as the first option for treatment. If medication is used then it is combined with a type of therapy. This is something that as a parent you must discuss with your child’s doctor. You must consider the advantages and disadvantages of every treatment option.

Helping Your Child

As a mother you do not have to sit back and take a passive role as you watch your child battle with depression. As a loving and supportive parent there are plenty of ways in which you can support your child in having the most uplifted mental state possible. To contribute to positive mental health and a better outlook you can do everything possible to ensure that your child eats as nutritiously as possible, gets enough exercise on a daily basis and gets the right amount of sleep. It is also extremely important that you are always available to listen to your child and to talk with him whenever he is feeling sad or upset. Your child needs to know that you are there for him and that he will be heard.

A child who is depressed feels that his world is falling apart and caving in on him. You need to shower him with love and understanding and he needs to know that you are his biggest supporter. Show your child that you are in his corner and let him know that he will get through this difficult period of time in his life with your help.

Shopping for Baby is not as easy as it may sound.   With so many brands available today and an overflow of resources at your disposal, it can be difficult for even the most seasoned parent to easily decide what to purchase, how much of it to purchase and when to make those purchases.

The good news is that manufacturers have evolved enough to better satisfy parent’s needs and budgets.  The even better news is that retailers too have listened to parent’s feedback and now make it possible to make the same in store purchases and more online.

All of those bulky baby must-haves can be purchased through your favorite retailer’s website and shipped directly to your home, sometimes for free.

Retailers who have a focus on baby merchandise, like Argos, carry a wide selection these baby items from all of the major brands.  With a wide inventory selection, it is possible to find items that are not available in stores or are sold out in others online.

If you walk into your favorite Argos location, for example, because you know that Argos provide prams, but they don’t have the color you prefer in store, you can always visit Argos online, order the pram in the color you want and have it shipped to your home.

Due to space constraints, these same retailers are limited in what they are able to stock on site.  Even though the manufacturers they carry in store manufacture a variety of styles of prams, stores cannot carry an inventory of each, so they offer them for sale online instead.

Not only does Argos provide prams, Argos also carries a wide selection of pram accessories and toy prams that your child may one day enjoy.  Just remember, whichever pram it is that you are seeking to buy, if it’s not available in store, it is most likely available online.

Manufacturers have paid attention to feedback from parents.  Companies who focus on baby goods have started to manufacture merchandise that grows with your child.  From strollers to prams to pushchairs, we no longer have to make several purchases of similar items to keep up with your child.

Today, these baby must haves follow your child at least through three stages of their quick growing early years from the infant to toddler to kid stage.

It’s always a good idea to see any baby items you are interested in purchasing in person.  Check out the floor models at your preferred baby item retailer.  Test out the items by carrying them, pushing them, lifting them and if possible, sitting in them.

It’s OK to treat these floor models a little rough.  Retailers make them available to you so that you can make your purchase with some peace of mind.

Once you have narrowed down your list, go ahead and consider ordering the items online.  Making these purchases online saves you and your vehicle some wear and tear.  We’re not always prepared to arrange our purchases into our vehicles because we’re not anticipating the shape and size of the boxes in which they are packaged.

Retailers understand that parents want to make the right purchase the first time, so if there is a problem with any merchandise, easy exchange, return and refund policies have been set up.

So go ahead and enjoy the process of making these purchases for your child whether you are a new or seasoned parent.

You have been noticing of late that your style is well … not so upbeat (admit it, totally drab) and this has you wanting to make some changes in the way you look. There is something missing in your style that no longer grabs your attention or anyone else’s anymore. You feel bored when you look at yourself in the mirror. This is not a good sign for anyone. What should you do about this  wardrobe problem of yours?

It is really not a problem and you should not view it as such. In fact it can be an adventure you embark upon to revamp and reinvent your sense of style. It can be fun and challenging and it can provide insight into who you really are. Looking good my friend is much easier than you might think!

Change Your Thinking

Take a close look at your wardrobe. You might want to invite a friend along to give you an objective opinion. If your wardrobe is devoid of any lively colors and all you see is neutrals such as brown, gray and black hanging in your closest then that is a good place to start. The same can be said for your style of clothing. If all you have is jeans and tee shirts or if you own six brown sweaters then you need to add some pep to your wardrobe.

Do some shopping but visit stores that you usually do not go into. Take the friend whom you feel has the best fashion sense with you. Try on different colors and styles. Just have fun with it. By trying on a spectrum of different colors and by mixing and matching separates your clothing ideas will start to take you in a new and exciting direction. It will open your eyes to what you have not been seeing!

You cannot picture yourself wearing a lavender dress? Try it on anyway. What about a turquoise blouse? A little bright for you maybe? Or perhaps it brings more color to your face and shows off your amazing facial features?  Open your mind to the possibilities. This is not the time to be a wardrobe wallflower. You need to get creative and you need to push past your wardrobe boundaries. Have your friends be a part of the process because you want their opinions. You must have at least one friend who will give it to you straight, right?

You may want to ease into wearing brighter colors at a gradual pace. We don’t want to stress you out too much. The same can be said if you have been wearing solid colors for longer than you can remember. Give patterns and prints a try but start small and do not choose anything that is overpowering or busy looking. You want to look good but you want to be the focal point of interest for others and not your blouse, dress, skirt, jacket, etc.

Bringing back the life and vibrancy into the outfits you wear is just a matter of the willingness to experiment with new styles and new colors. You do not have to settle for being a wardrobe wallflower. You can decide that  you need to enliven your look and from there you can recruit your fashion savvy pals to help you to send dull, depressing clothing away and to replace them with bright stylish choices that make you look as fantastic as you are!