Postpartum Real Life

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Did you know (and most of you reading this are parents so you do) that after you have a baby, your life is different forever? I think a lot of us went into parenting not really having an idea about the completeness of that fact. As I look back on having Brayden, I think I probably expected a slightly exaggerated change of what it is to bring a puppy home. Ha!

Your Pregnancy & Birth states, "Having a baby will change the way you live your daily life...Your old routines may no longer work. If you know this in advance and try to accept these changes rather than fight them, you'll be a lot more relaxed as you start your life with the new baby" (page 201). 

This is true with your first or fourth baby (or any number in between or after). I didn't find the babies after my first to be as much of a shock to the system of our lives since I had a better idea of the reality of what it means to have a baby, but it still changed things. And it changes things for everyone in the family. 

How do you adjust to and deal with these new changes?

One great way is to talk about them. I think as mothers we are so lucky to live in this modern time when we can connect with other mothers going through what we are going through. Sure, moms have always had neighbors, friends, and family to talk to. On top of that, though, we now have social media. We have the ability to get with a group of moms who birthed a baby in a two week time span of us who also have the same parenting philosophies as us and talk about it. I did not have this with my first baby and for the first few months of life with my second baby and let me tell you, it is so valuable! There is something so reassuring to know you aren't the only one going through a particular challenge at the time.

"All new parents reach the end of their rope from time to time. This is even more true if you don't have a lot of support or if your baby is fussy" and might I add or your baby doesn't sleep (page 202). Don't feel bad when you get there--to the end of that rope. You haven't slept well in a long time and you are responsible for taking care of a helpless human who can't communicate with words and you have to get to know. There will be days you reach the end. When you do, turn to help from friends, family, and neighbors. 

Spouse

You aren't the only one adjusting. Your spouse is also. Many dads don't have a clue what to do to be helpful. It is helpful if you verbalize what you need help with and what he could do for you. With our first couple of babies, my husband threw himself into taking on big huge projects immediately following the birth of a baby. I think he was trying to do something to contribute to the family, but in reality it wasn't very helpful for me to take a couple of days off of work to go outside and build something. So before McKenna was born, I told him what would be helpful to me. Things were better. Then before Brinley was born, we had things completely and frankly laid out. He was very helpful and didn't start up any new projects :)

Allow your spouse to help with the baby. If you are like me, you have a hard time handing your baby over to someone else to take care of them. I often stick around even if someone is changing the diaper for me or something. Part of it is that I feel bad that someone else is doing it and part is I worry the diaper won't be put on just right. I obviously know the baby better than anyone. But my husband needs the chance to get to know the baby also. It is a good idea to have your spouse do some things in helping care for the baby. Diaper changes, dreamfeeds, bathing, holding...let your spouse do things with the baby. Some are nervous--encourage them.

Siblings

If you have other children, they will obviously experience a big change with a new baby. Some struggle with change more than others. Some get jealous, some are instantly in love. No matter how they adjust to change, you will have less time for them than you did before the baby was here. Some are so in love with the baby they don't care. Some are understanding but still get anxiety about it all. Some get right out mad.

Still have your one-on-one time with your child. Guess what, having a second, third, fourth, etc. baby is challenging because you can't just take a nap any old time the baby is. You have children with needs. Make sure you still have one-on-one time with your other child(ren)--even if it is just reading a story with just you and your child before bed while your spouse holds the baby in another room. 

Have your child help you with baby duties. I like to make it clear the child is helping me and/or serving the baby--I don't want the child to start to think he/she is in charge of the baby. I want the relationship to  be a sibling relationship. That is why I focus on helping me or serving the baby.

Give it time. Your child will soon get used to having a baby around. As will everyone else. You will adjust. Your spouse will adjust. Your children will adjust. You will all learn what your new life is like and what your new normal is. 

You can read more about the postpartum period here:

• Postpartum Changes in Your Body
• Postpartum Body
• Postpartum Survival Tips
• Emotions
• Prepping Siblings For Baby
• My First Baby Was Easy...

And for your enjoyment, I am sure many of you have seen this but I can't get enough.

Santa Stroller Toy {Giveaway}

Today you can win a Christmas stroller toy from Mamas and Papas! They are giving away this Santa stroller toy. Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ENTRY RULES

• You must enter the giveaway to have an entry.
• You must fulfill the rules of each entry for each entry to count. If I see the entry is not valid (did not meet entry requirements), I will disqualify your entry. Trust me, I check.
• Entries will be accepted until 12:00 midnight December 13, 2013 (so that means you will not be able to enter on the 13 at all--entries through Thursday).
• The winner will be randomly selected through Rafflecopter.
• The winner will be announced sometime after the winner is chosen. I will email the winner.
• Once the winner is announced, you will have one week to contact me or another winner will be chosen. Be sure to check back and/or check your email. The only thing worse than not winning is to win but not realize it in time.
• I will not use your email address for any purpose other than contacting you if you are the winner (and FYI, I don't have access to the email addresses except for the winner).

Triad Communication {Getting Kids to Talk}

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The talking ways of children is such a roller coaster ride. First, you can't wait for that first little word. You are waiting in line just excited about that ride to start. Their first word is uttered and your ride begins! You slowly climb to the top. Then they start to add sentences and you are so excited! That initial thrill of going down that first hill...Then the talking seems to never, ever (ever) cease. You start to wish there was less talking. The roller coaster ride is fun, but you can't possibly enjoy it all day every day. Every. Single. Day. All day.

The day comes when your child hits a point where the incessant talking does stop. Your ride suddenly ends. And you want it back. And the entrance to the ride is blocked--no simple line to wait in anymore. You know your child has complex thoughts going on in his head and you want him to confide those with you. You desperately want that ride back!

You can get your child to revert back to the non-stop talking of 3-4 year olds. You can get back on that ride. And the best part is that as an older child, the ride seems to last an appropriate length. It leaves you satisfied, thrilled, and wanting more all at the same time. But the trick is finding your way back into that line. 

When you want your child to open up and talk to you, you need time on your side. You need to spend a good amount of time with the child before the child will start spilling forth all of his thoughts. 

There is a trick I call "triad communication." Triad communication is your entrance into the line for that roller coaster ride. Triad communication is simply you communicating with your child while doing a third activity. This can be as simple as washing dishes, going for a walk, or coloring. All people are more likely to open up and talk if there is that "third wheel" so to speak. It is easier for a person to share his or her thoughts and feelings when he can focus on something other than just the emotions and the talking. 

This trick is true of any gender. I find it most helpful, however, on my son. In my house, I have two who are past the age of endless talking, one taking me on the ever-lasting ride, and one slowly taking me up that first hill. 

The line for Brayden's roller coaster ride is longer than it is for my daughter. He is stereotypical male in his desire to sit and "visit about his feelings"--in other words, he doesn't want to. There is nothing about that that is appealing to him. The best way for me to get him to talk is to spend time with him doing things.

And this is why certain things like one-on-one dates and chores around the house are so incredibly valuable. Not only is your child getting some good time with mom or dad and/or learning important life skills, but the child is allowing you into line to ride the roller coaster. Some children will open up faster than others. Some will need a couple of hours of working on something before he suddenly decides to start sharing everything that is going on in his head.

I have a good friend who does one-on-one dates with her children. Her oldest is a boy of 11 years old. She has told me that when she does dates with him, she will start with an activity like bowling. They go an bowl and have fun. Then they go to dinner. She says at dinner, he will open up and talk freely. She told me that if she reverses the activity and starts with dinner, he is not talkative. 

If you want to get your child to talk to you, the approach is not to sit on the couch and face each other and say, "How are you feeling today?" The approach also is not "I have 15 minutes to get some good talking in then I need to get back to XYZ." On Monday this week I posted about Sacrifices and Investment. This is one of those situations where you sacrifice in order to invest. You sacrifice your time now in order to invest into having a relationship where your child is comfortable confiding in you.

Here are some ideas for you to create situations that lend themselves to triad communication. Not every activity will be beneficial to every child. A child who doesn't particularly enjoy art projects isn't likely to open up while you color together. Try different things to see what works for your child. Find the right thing and you will be in line for that ride of communication:

• Cooking: We rotate through and have one child help with dinner each night. Cooking or baking is a great way to create a triad communication situation. One trick, though, is to maintain patience through the mess that is sure to be created. Your child will not open up if you are freaking out about spilled flour.
• Chores: Do chores with your child. Clean a bathroom together. Wash windows together. Shovel the driveway together. Rake leaves together. Weed the garden together. Make beds together. There are plenty of things you can do together.
• Teach Skills: You can teach your child new skills as your child is old enough. I know my husband enjoyed working in the garage with his dad. It was a time he learned to work on cars and engines and it provided lots of time for talking.
• Date Night: Go on dates. Make the date long enough the child will have time to relax and then open up (the length of time will depend on the child). 
• Run Errands: Take just one child out to run errands.
• Read One-on-One: We read to each child individually each night. This gives one-on-one time with the child to allow for conversation. I find children are often more interested in talking right before bed. I don't know if it is a stall tactic or something about the time of day, but it is a great time to get kids talking.
• Get Active: Go for walks. Play basketball. Ride bikes. Do something active together.
• Do Art Projects: Sit down and color together or do some other art project.

There are so many possible ways to make this happen. They can be a part of your daily, normal life so long as you don't overschedule your family. Make it a priority to be able to have time with your child where talking can happen if your child wants it to. You will be amazed at the power triad communication can have. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Oh, and a little marriage tip, you can also try this on your husband ;)

McKenna Preschooler Summary

This is a summary for McKenna between the ages of 4 years 7 months and 4 years 8 months of age.

EATING

Things are good and normal.

SLEEPING

Sleep is also good and normal.

You might remember our room sharing adventures from when we tried to have her and Kaitlyn share rooms when she was a little more than three years old (long story short, she wasn't a great room sharer). Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we had family here with us so we had McKenna and Kaitlyn together for a night. She did really well! She followed all of the rules and was quiet. It was very good to see!

As far as rest time and naps go, as the year goes on, she needs to nap less. So she will stay awake for rest time instead of sleeping most days.

PLAYING

All is well.

PRESCHOOL

She is doing so well at preschool. There have been some incidents with a difficult child at the preschool. McKenna has been stepping in and getting the child to follow the rules and also to be happy. She takes the child by the hand and guides the child to where she should be. McKenna's teacher has called me to thank me for having such a wonderful daughter because she has been so great through it all. It is so heart-warming! McKenna is such a sweet girl. 

It is kind of ironic because she is definitely my most difficult child so far as what a parent deals with as a toddler/preschooler. I had worries about how she would act at school. However, she has been so obedient and good and kind. Her teacher says she would love a class full of her. And I am getting extra phone calls about how great she is! 

EMOTIONS

Oh they have been subdued! We have not had emotional issues at all in the last month. It is interesting that happens the same time she needs less sleep. I wonder if the two are connected?

SWIMMING LESSONS UPDATE

We left off last time with McKenna refusing to progress in swimming. At the next lesson, we talked her into trying it. Unfortunately, in my husband's effort to give her a big push, he was so forceful that her goggles came off and she panicked and it led to her being even less interested in progressing. 

We are brainstorming ideas of how to help her. One thing we think is that she physically has gone further than she is mentally ready to handle. She is way further than Brayden or Kaitlyn were at this age just because they didn't have the lesson experience that she has had. 

We have tried to just continue on with lessons for several months. It hasn't been a big deal because we pay a private instructor a set amount per hour for all of our kids--so our money is the same whether she has the lesson or not. 

But at this point, we have decided to stop having her do lessons. We will have her swim for fun, but take a lesson break. I am considering putting her in public swim lessons in the spring because she is so competitive. I wonder if she is in a class full of "peers" if she will try harder to pass things off.

SCHEDULE

Here is her schedule. She has preschool three days a week and church one day a week, so she doesn't really have consistency from day to day exactly. Here is a school day schedule.

8:00 AM--wake up. Get dressed. Eat breakfast. 

9:00 AM--go to school

12:00 noon--get home. Eat lunch. Free play.

1:30 PM--sibling play with Brinley

2:00 PM--Independent play time

3:00 PM--Rest time

3:30 PM--I check on her. If sleeping, I let her sleep. If not, I let her get up.

4:00 PM--Chores. Then possible computer time or TV time or free play

5:30 PM--Dinner

7:00 PM--Start getting ready for bed

8:00 PM--in bed

On days she is home, we do a nice long bath in the morning and also do learning activities. 

GOOD BOOKS

• On Becoming Preschool Wise
• Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood
• The Five Love Languages of Children
• The Preschoolers Busy Book
• Children's Learning Activities (website)
• On Becoming Childwise
• Parenting With Love And Logic (Updated and Expanded Edition)

RELATED BLOG LABELS

• Preschoolers
• Preschooler Summary
• Preschooler Summary: 4.5 Years Old (Kaitlyn)
• Preschooler Summary: 4.5 Years Old: http://www.babywisemom.com/2009/12/preschooler-summary-45-years-old.html (Brayden)

Brinley Pre-Toddler Summary: 15.5 Months Old

This is a summary for Brinley from 15-15.5 months old.

EATING

Eating is the same. You might remember in the past we have had issue of her throwing food on the floor. This has continued to slowly improve. She mostly does it when she is done eating and we don't respond to her signing "all done." She then starts throwing food on the floor because she knows she will get noticed. This is a struggle with a fourth child--we are often distracted with other children! Children do what they know works. But each time we remind her the correct way to get our attention and require her to ask the right way. She is getting better with time. 

PLAYING

Playing is good. She loves her independent playtime. Sometimes it can even get her out of a grumpy funk. Maybe she just needs some time alone sometimes :)

SLEEPING

We continued with one nap a day during this period. We continued on with every other day, but then moved to one nap a day every day (except Sunday) by the end of this period. 

BOUNDARIES--TOUCHING

I had some Thanksgiving decorations out that Brinley LOVED. They were little Styrofoam balls that looked like little berries that went with a cornucopia. It was right at her level for playing with. Oooh boy. She loved to pulled them apart. Those things lasted through three other children and I was not about to let her destroy them. But it was a battle. She definitely has some tenacity in her. She gets worse when she is bored or tired, as I am sure every child does. Those berries survived, but not without lots of intervention. I am wondering how the Christmas tree experience will be...I imagine by the end of December she will be much better at obeying my voice.

WALKING

Brinley does not walk. She has walked, but it is not her preferred mode of transportation. She mostly walks on her knees these days--not crawling, just walking on her knees. I am not sure why she won't walk since she can. I don't know if she feels nervous at all or if she wants to hold on to "baby" for a while longer. I don't mind so much--she can't move as fast on her knees or even crawling as she will get once she starts walking.

NEW TOOTH

Another new tooth during this period! Brinley always gets a bright red cheek right before a new tooth comes through.

TIME CHANGE

The time change was during this period. It went really well. We couldn't do much prep before hand because of older kids and driving to school. We took about a week to move morning waketime to where I wanted it to be, but I wanted her waking earlier than she had been. The hardest part for her was adjusting to nap time. We took about the full two weeks to get nap moved to the right time.

SNOW

Brinley got her first encounter with snow. She wasn't so keen on it. She absolutely loves the outdoors and I knew winter would be a hard time for her. We get a lot of snow and it is hard for a child that age to move around in snow with proper attire on. She does not like being cooped up on the house--she likes to wander in the outdoors.

SCHEDULE

8:15--wake up. Eat breakfast (fruit, cereal, and milk)

Get ready. Clean with mom.

10:30 Independent Playtime.

11:30 Play

12:00 Lunch.

Play with McKenna.

1:00--Nap starts

4:00-4:30--wake up. Snack. Play.

5:15--Dinner

7:30--Sippy of milk, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00.

But during this period, nap was shifting between noon and 1.

HELPFUL BOOKS

• On Becoming Pre-Toddlerwise
• Baby Body Signs: The Head-to-Toe Guide to Your Child's Health, from Birth Through the Toddler Years
• Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby
• Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
• The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems: Sleeping, Feeding, and Behavior--Beyond the Basics from Infancy Through Toddlerhood
• The Wonder Weeks 
• Fresh Baby So Easy Baby Food
• Super Baby Food
• http://wholesomebabyfood.com/

RELATED POSTS/BLOG LABELS:

• Pre-Toddler Summary: 15.5 Months Old:  http://www.babywisemom.com/2010/07/pre-toddler-summary-155-months-old.html  (for McKenna)
• pre-toddler summary (blog label)
• Baby-Proofing :http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/07/baby-proofing.html
• Childproofing vs. Houseproofing:http://www.babywisemom.com/2010/03/child-proofing-vs-house-proofing.html
• House-Proofing: Pick your battles
• Teaching Your Baby "No":http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/teaching-your-baby-no.html

Quotable Mondays: Sacrifice and Investment

Today's quote is:

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make."
-Gordon B. Hinckley

Do you have things in your life you are sacrificing for? There are so many right! I think we often sit and think we shouldn't have to sacrifice for things. We somehow think that sacrificing is antiquated. Not only that, it isn't fair. We feel entitled to the life we dream of and we feel entitled to it now. 

What are some of the things we sacrifice? We sacrifice material things. We might not have as nice of a car, big of a house, or stylish of cloths as we have envisioned for ourselves. The idea of waiting to save up for something is pretty absurd--we deserve it now! Why should we have to sacrifice and save for something?

We often need to sacrifice our time in order to help others in various capacities. If we want to be in good shape, we might need to sacrifice favorite foods and precious sleep time in order to get that workout in and reach our fitness goals.

And when it comes to parenting, what don't we sacrifice! But should we really be required to sacrifice money, time, travel dreams, career ambitions, and a clean house (among very few things) in order to be a parent?

I believe we should.

I believe that sacrifice is a good thing. I believe sacrificing leads us to be better, kinder, more loving, more patient, and more content people. 

"If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want will be the sacrifice."

As a parent, there are many things you will need to sacrifice. Sometimes that will mean instead of cleaning up that big mess, you spend some time playing with your child. Sometimes that will mean you feel like you spend every other holiday locked up in some far off room with a baby while the rest of the family parties. Sometimes that will mean letting your child learn to sort something out herself instead of running to her rescue every time, whether sleep training a baby or listening to a child talk about a mean girl at school.

Sacrifice for what you want. If you want that good relationship with your child, put the sacrifice of time in to attain that. 

I know sometimes (often times) being a mom is hard, thankless, tiring work. Some days are really brutal. On those days (after you have had your time to get the emotion out) sit back and think about your sacrifice now and what it is doing to help you invest to your future. 

We are not creatures who "deserve" and easy life of completely fulfilled dreams, whims, and fantasies. How would that help us grow into better people? We are creatures who must toil and work and sacrifice for the things that are worth it in life. That is how we invest into ourselves for the future.

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am thankful for you all and the wonderful comments you leave to help keep me going here :) I love to provide you with help and make parenting a little bit easier for you. I hope  you have a wonderful holiday (or a wonderful few days if you are not in the US or celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend). 

I will be taking a "Fall Break" for the rest of this week. See you next Monday (which is December by the way...ack).

Keeping the Christmas Spirit

Do you remember Christmas as a child? Remember how much you loved the whole season? What's not to love? Parties, great food, time off of school, novel songs, and the anticipation of looking forward to presents.

As we become grown-ups, the Christmas season takes on a different form. It is kind of like the difference between having a puppy as a child and having a puppy as an adult. As a child, even if you are "in charge" of the puppy, the reality is the bulk of the responsibility is on an adult in the home. You might play with it sometimes and you might feed it daily, but you aren't potty training, you aren't puppy-proofing, and you aren't dealing with the vet every few weeks.

As an adult, the reality of what the Christmas season is about is as stark as that first time getting a puppy as an adult. You have to decide where to go when--you are juggling the parties and the family gatherings. You are doing the shopping and wrapping for the most part. You are trying to establish good traditions that are meaningful. You are probably trying to make sure your child understands the reason for the season--which is very important but also takes forethought, effort, and time.

All summed up, Christmas is a lot more work as an adult than it was as a kid! I recently read a talk by Dieter F. Uctdorf (can you tell I really relate to his talks? I am often quoting him). He starts by talking about the Grinch. He says:

"Perhaps the Grinch’s story is so memorable because, if we are honest, we may be able to relate to him. Who among us has not felt concern over the commercialization and even greed of the Christmas season? Who hasn’t felt overwhelmed by the packed calendars, the stress of finding gifts, the pressure of planning meals and events? In fact, psychologists tell us that during this season of cheer and goodwill, many feel sorrow and depression."

We know what the Christmas season ought to be—we know it should be a time of reflection on the birth of the Savior, a time of celebration and of generosity. But sometimes our focus is so much on the things that annoy and overwhelm us that we can almost hear ourselves say in unison with the Grinch: “Why, for fifty-three years I’ve put up with it now! I MUST stop this Christmas from coming! . . . But HOW?” 

So the question becomes how do we, as adults, take control of the Christmas season and keep the spirit of Christmas with us. Most of us are pretty new to this. We have spent most of our lives to this point just enjoying Christmas. So how do we take on the extra responsibilities and still enjoy the purpose of Christmas?

Advent

Advent is a great tradition that keeps you focused on Christ each day. There are so many ideas on Pinterest and many great books, too. 

Read Christmas Stories

There are many Christmas stories and scriptures we can read to keep the Christmas spirit in mind. A Christmas Carol is a good one, as is of course the classic found in Luke.

Prepare Early

I really like to be done with the bulk of my work before December 1 so I can not turn into "crazy-mom-with-a-to-do-list." I still have things after December 1, but I have most done before then so I can just enjoy my family and enjoy Christmas.

Cut Back if Needed

We need to be able to enjoy this season. We need to have time to ponder on the meaning of the season. We need to have time to spend with our loved ones. We need to have time to read inspirational scripture and stories that remind us of the reason for the season. 

 If we notice that planning for parties and scrambling for presents begin to detract from the peaceable message of Jesus Christ and distance us from the gospel He preached, let us take a step back, slow down a little, and reconsider what matters most.

You don't have to go to every party and you don't have to go overboard on any one tradition. Your child wants time with you more than anything else you can concoct in your mind.

Rejoice in the Savior

We celebrate the birth of the Son of God, the Creator, our Messiah. We rejoice that the King of kings came to earth, was born in a manger, and lived a perfect life. When Jesus was born, the joy in heaven was so great it could not be contained, and angelic hosts parted the veil, proclaiming unto shepherds “good tidings of great joy, . . . praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Be Optimistic

Our attitude affects everything and everyone around us. 

If we look for what is wrong with the Christmas season, we can surely find it. Like the Grinch, we can grumble and complain, becoming cold and cynical about what we see around us. Nevertheless, if we look for the good, we can see this time of year with new eyes—perhaps even with the eyes of a child.

Related Posts/Blog Labels:

• 5 Ways for Teaching the Reason for the Season

• O Christmas Tree

• Teaching About Christ All Year

• Merry Christmas!

• Santa and Christmas

• Juggling Extended Family During Holidays

Remember our current giveaway--

All Is Calm book {Giveaway}

And to help you bring in Christmas, here is a giveaway for an Advent book:

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Surviving a Cold

Cold season is upon us! And not only that, travel season is upon us. Those two things combined have a way of bringing out the worst of sicknesses. I recently posted on the Facebook page a question for readers. Essentially the question was, "How do you help your baby/child with a cold?" If you want to hunt down the original comments, see the facebook page and look at November 5, 2013. Here is the advice given.

Vicks on Feet

When your child has a cough, putting Vicks Vaporub  on the bottom of the feet helps them to stop coughing so they can sleep. You apply to the bottom of feet and cover with socks (just to keep it all contained). We use Vicks Baby Rub on the little ones.

This sounds like an old wives tale sort of thing. I have known about this since Brayden was a baby; it is easily the most common advice given from mom to mom for sicknesses. Even moms who haven't tried it will say, "I haven't tried it, but I heard..." It sounds crazy, but it works!

And after learning about essential oils, it makes sens that it works now. I always wondered why that is the advice and not "on the chest" like you would think. The feet are the place on your body where things can enter the blood stream faster than any other point on your body. 

"3 nights with Vicks seems to do the trick and they get over the worst of the cold symptoms."

Crushed Garlic on Feet

I hadn't heard of this one before, but one reader said this helps.

Essential oils

When you use essential oils, be sure you use a kind that is safe for administering on children. We use doTERRA Breathe Essential Oil to help with breathing. We also use OnGuard o fight off the bugs and doTerra Lemon Essential Oil for sore throat. Others recommended Eucalyptus  Still others recommended Thieves Essential Oil by Young Living. Another oil recommended was Olbas Oil. Another said:

"Oregano essential oil mixed with coconut oil on her feet for a cough. Takes it away

instantly. Then eucalyptus and melaleuca essential oil mixed with coconut oil on her chest and back for

runny nose/congestion. It works wonders!"

Baths

I love baths when I am sick and my kids do too! I find a warm shower followed by a bath really gets those buggers flowing out (nice huh?). You can see that nicely in the picture above. During bath time, things just flow right out, which is nice for clearing things up. Some do a ginger bath, some do a regular bath.

"baths in a steamy bathroom"

Fluids

Lots of people mentioned pushing lots of fluids. Many mentioned using mostly water instead of milk (milk builds up mucus). 

Nose Sucking

The Bulb Syringe Aspirator is the timeless popular way to go. 

Many, many people recommended the Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator. I haven't tried that so it is going on our list!

"Nose Frieda!!! That thing is like magic!"

"the Nosefrida Snotsucker (works so much better than the blue bulbs)"

Saline Nasal Spray

We use Little Noses Saline Spray/Drops. Saline drops help prevent things from getting hard and crusty in there. 

Boogie Wipes

I have not tried Boogie Wipes  but they were recommended several times. Another recommendation was Puffs. We also like the Klenex with lotion in them.

Medicine/Supplements

• One reader shared she does elderberry syrup for coughs (I am eyeing Nature's Way Sambucus for Kids).
• Advil/Tylenol/Motrin for aches--but one reader said, "Don't use tylenol for croup or sore throats, it can make it worse, use ibuprofen if anything!"
• Olbas Cough Syrup (we had this recommended to us so I bought it but happily haven't had to use it yet. I don't know if it works like they say it does, but I hear good things).
• Decongest Drops--check out Little Noses Decongestant Nose Drops--and this is why I love things like this. I didn't even know these things existed.
• Hyland's Belladonna for pain
• Hylands Homeopathic, Cold 'n Cough 4 Kids for two and up
• Probiodics
• Emergen-C Super Orange
• Vitamin D drops
• Zinc
• Echinacea   
• Colloidal Silver (Natural Path Silver Wings)
• Pedialyte--you can buy this in Pedialyte Powder Packs, which I think is nice for not wasting a ton. We never go through an entire container of the pre-made stuff.
• King Bio Natural Medicine Homeopathic
• Calpol Sugar Free Infant Suspension or Neuofren

"Ours is way more bothered by the sore throat than the sinus stuff, so Advil is a life saver and seems to

be more effective than Tylenol"

"now that he is over 1, we do elderberry and vitamin d supplements to help boost his immune system

and cut sick time in about half."

"we LOVE LOVE Hyland's Baby Cough syrup. It was invaluable to us at night when he had a bad cough!"

Misc

• Bone Broth
• Sun exposure to torso
• Chamomile 
• Vicks vapor rub and water in a scentsy
• Fresh air

Lemon/Honey Drink

These are both ingredients that are well known for soothing sore throats. I use doTerra Lemon Essential Oil on my kids (including Brinley) when they have a sore throat (I also use it on myself). It is great for the young ones you don't want to give honey to yet.

"I just wanted to mention that while honey is great for a sore throat it should never be given to babies under 1 year, and some doctors advise against it until 2 years."

Vicks Vapors Nightlight

Vicks Advanced Soothing Vapors Waterless Vaporizer--I have not tried this. Several readers recommended it.

Johnson and Johnson Vapor Bath Wash

Johnson & Johnson Soothing Vapor Bath--Another one I haven't tried (I love hearing all of these new ideas!).

Humidifier/Vaporizer

When I was pregnant, I noticed a big benefit for me and humidifiers. We live in a dry climate and the humidifier help significantly when I had a cough. You can't always see a difference with them, but extra moisture can help keep things moist inside.

"Humidifiers didn't seem to help much but they made me feel like I was doing something."

Another reader said, "Cool mist vaporizors work great with croupy coughs. Warm mist or regular

humidifiers with vicks medicayed liquid work well for normal coughs and congestion."

Smoothies

"I make smoothies a lot for my daughter. When she has a cold, I use coconut water instead of milk to cut down on the dairy. In an effort to up the liquid intake when she's sick, smoothies are a great way

to do that as well as put in a ton of fruits and veggies!"

"green smoothies with lots of kale and fruit for my toddler"

Sleep at Incline

Being at an incline is helpful if you can keep the child sleeping on it. 

" extra pillows for bigger kids"

"During a recent cold, I also propped up one end of the crib mattress so he could sleep with his head at a more upright angle. This seemed to cut down on waking because of congestion."

"I put a pillow UNDER the crib mattress--it elevates the mattress so they can sleep a little better"

Extra Rest

We all know your body recovers with sleep (I think I never saw that so dramatically as I did after child birth). If your baby or child needs extra time in bed when sick, don't be afraid to make it happen! One day when Brinley was sick, before she moved to one nap a day, she went down at 11 AM and slept until 4 PM for one nap. I didn't wake her because I wanted her to get her sleep. That was the only nap she took that day, but she woke feeling much better.

Lots of Love

Don't be afraid to give your baby or child extra love and comfort when they are sick. When Brinley first comes down with a cold, she always needs to be held for about 15 minutes in her rocking chair before bed. She won't fall asleep in my arms, but she will just lay perfectly still and relax. She gets all setttled and then is happy to lay in her bed and fall asleep.

" If my guy wakes crying, I'll hold and rock him until he falls asleep. It provides not just comfort, but the upright position gives the nose a chance to drain and he can breathe more easily. "

Related Posts/Blog Lables: 

• Comforting a Sick Toddler/Baby:http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/comforting-sick-toddlerbaby.html
• Dealing With Disruptions To Your Routine:http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2007/12/dealing-with-disruptions-in-your.html  
• In Action: Comforting Sick Children:http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/03/in-action-comforting-sick-children.html 
• Preventing Illness {Guest Post}

All Is Calm book {Giveaway}

Today's giveaway is for a daily reader, All Is Calm: A Daily Reader From Thanksgiving to Christmas by Randy Schlichting and Amy Shirley.

This book is designed to be a daily reader that you read each day from Thanksgiving to Christmas. You read one small chapter a day that gives you an idea for helping you remember the reason for the season and keep everything calm as you celebrate the Christmas season. You can read the entire book in under an hour, so it is something you have time for! At the end of each chapter, the authors list scriptures to refer to that speak about their point of the day.

You have the chance to enter to win your own copy to enjoy this season! Three lucky winners will win a copy of the book (your choice of paperback or Kindle). Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ENTRY RULES

• You must enter the giveaway to have an entry.
• You must fulfill the rules of each entry for each entry to count. If I see the entry is not valid (did not meet entry requirements), I will disqualify your entry. Trust me, I check.
• Entries will be accepted until 12:00 midnight November 29, 2013.
• The winner will be randomly selected through Rafflecopter.
• The winner will be announced sometime after the winner is chosen. I will email the winner.
• Once the winner is announced, you will have one week to contact me or another winner will be chosen. Be sure to check back and/or check your email. The only thing worse than not winning is to win but not realize it in time.
• I will not use your email address for any purpose other than contacting you if you are the winner (and FYI, I don't have access to the email addresses except for the winner).