Keeping your baby healthy and safe involves more than babyproofing. And new technology is here to help. Check out these recently released products that make your life with baby easier, healthier and safer. From thermometers and baby monitors to sanitizers and air monitors, they’re guaranteed to bring you peace of mind.

Sleek Socket Outlet Covers

Hide unsafe outlets with this clever cover! This ultra-thin cover connects to an extension cord with a power strip or surge protector. Keep those cords away from your baby and create a sleeker-looking living space at the same time.

Available at sleeksocket.com, $24-$34.

Coral UV 2 UV LED Sanitizer & Dryer

Make sure the items your kids put in their mouth are clean with this compact UV-C sanitizer. It's sleek and small enough to live on your kitchen counter for easy cleaning of toys, bottles and pacifierseven stuffies and electronic gadgets. This ultraviolet sanitizer and dryer uses ultraviolet C lights to kill germs and bacteria in minutes, without the use of water or heat. Use the sanitizer or dryer on their own or use both combined. When you're not using the sanitizer for baby gear, pop in your cell phone, makeup brushes, shaver or toothbrushes for a cleaning.

Available at coraluv.com, $149.

NozeBot Electric Baby Nasal Aspirator

NozeBot

Designed by a pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist, the NozeBot takes cleaning boogies to a whole new level. This nasal aspirator uses hospital-grade suction to safely and hygienically clean your child's nose when they're sick. You place two fingers in the ingeniously designed nosepiece, leaving three fingers to help stabilize your child's head. It's portable and rechargeable, and the nosepiece and tubing are dishwasher-safe.

Available at amazon.com, $119.99.

Talli Baby One-Touch Tracker

Talli

The easiest way to log feedings, diapers, sleep, nursing, pumping and more! Push a button to sync with the app and add any notes in the app at your convenience, so you can track baby's routine and be better prepared for meetings with the pediatrician, lactation consultant or sleep consultant. There's even a miscellaneous button you can use for medication, baths, tummy time or other baby-related tasks you want to keep track of. Attach this user-friendly device to the wall in baby's nursery or bring it with you around the house to help you remember to use it. When you no longer need it, send it back through the company's buyback program.

Available at talli.me, $99 for a new tracker; $69 for a reconditioned tracker; $169 for a two-pack.

Ally Lockable Storage Containers

Ally

Little kids are lightning fast and have a knack for playing with exactly what you don't want them to. Avoid an unfortunate or dangerous situation with the Ally lockable storage container. In it, you can hide away your meds, supplements, passport, valuables, fancy chocolates and anything else you want to keep away from curious kids. The small size (9.25” x 6” x 3.5”) means you can easily tuck it away on a shelf or in a drawer, even the fridge or freezer, but it's sleek enough you won't mind keeping it on display. You choose your three-digit code and can reset it as needed if mombrain makes you forget. Comes in berry, navy and cream and makes an amazing baby shower gift.

Available at theallyco.com, $85.

Watch Your Mouth USB Safety Cover from Geddy's Mom

Playing with the free end of a plugged-in USB charger can be dangerous for kids, causing electrocution burns in more than 200 kids under age 5 each year. As a doctor of dental surgery, Dr. Sarah Shell had seen the traumatic injuries. And she and her neurologist husband had seen their own son put the loose end of a plugged-in charger in his mouth. So they worked with a team of other doctors, designers and engineers to create a product to keep kids safe. Just snap this safety cover over the free metal connector end of any standard USB cord and you keep curious fingers away from it. The plastic cover has a child-resistant lock and no small parts.

Available at geddysmom.com, $12.95 for a 3-pack.

Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced WiFi Baby Formula Dispenser

This is a game-changer for formula feedings: Thanks to the Baby Brezza app (iOS and Android), you can mix water and formula to the perfect consistency from your phone! Meaning, you can prep a bottle for your child from bed, from work, from the car, or wherever else you happen to be. Get alerts on your phone that tell you when the bottle is ready, when you're low on formula or water, or when there's no bottle in the machine. Choose from three temperature settings, and whether you want it to dispense 2-10 ounces of liquid. It works with all bottles and virtually all formula. brands.

Available at babybrezza.com, $299.99.

Baby's Brew Bottle Warmer

Give your baby a warm bottle of formula or breastmilk wherever you are, thanks to this portable, battery-operated bottle warmer. Great for road trips, park visits, camping and all of your daily excursions, the Baby's Brew warms your child's bottle in just 5-10 minutes and keeps it warm for 8-12 hours. Liquids can be warmed to four different temperatures, and it's compatible with many bottle types, either with or without an inexpensive adapter (check the website to find out if you'll need one). The warmer is sold on its own ($75) or in a set with a formula dispenser (pictured; $85).

Available at thebabysbrew.com.

VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer

No more waking a sleeping baby to take a temperature reading or getting up every hour to feel their forehead. Apply the small silicone patch (FDA approved and made with medical-grade adhesive) to your baby's armpit and this wireless thermometer will beep and blink red LED lights if their temperature rises above 100°F. Thanks to a 24-hour battery life, temps will be monitored all night long. The device also notifies you about low battery, disconnection and if the device falls off your baby. The large, backlit temperature reading is easy to see in the dark, or you can move the device to whatever room you're in to track the readings.

Available at vava.com, $79.99.

TruSens Air Purifiers

Here's what makes this air purifier a game-changer: It uses a separate sensor you can place across the room that measures air quality so the purifier can adapt to clean the air more effectively. The filtration system captures pollutants, allergens, VOC gases, airborne viruses and microscopic particles from every direction and then uses UV-C light to destroy germs and viruses trapped in the filter. Once the air is cleaned, the purifier pushes it out in two directions, so the filtered air flows throughout the room. TruSens also sells filters for specific concerns: pets, odor and allergy & flu. The unit comes in three sizes, for small, medium and large rooms.

Available at trusens.com, $149-$399.

Carseat CoPilot Automatic Alert System

Reduce the risk of forgetting your baby in the car with this alert system from American Home Safety Products. Clip this sensor to the straps of your car seat and attach the alarm to the keychain with your car keys on them. If you step more than 10 feet away from your car, an alarm will sound to let you know your baby is still strapped in to the carseat. This alert system comes with one sensor and two alarm key fobs.

Available at shop.ahspcompany.com, $39.95.

Nanit Complete Baby Monitoring System

This combination video and breathing wear monitor has everything you need for baby’s optimal sleep. The overhead camera allows you to see all that is going on in and around the sleep space and includes two-way audio. The camera also reads the fabric patterns on the included electronic-free breathing wear and sends real-time alerts right to your smartphone. There is a wall mount and a floor stand that keep cords safely out of reach and allow for easy portability when you're on the go. The app can show you all you need to know about baby’s sleep patterns and offers tips for making sure everyone has a good night. The Nanit Plus camera works with Amazon Echo and Echo Spot, and the complete baby monitoring system is eligible for purchase with FSA/HSA healthcare benefits. Add Nanit Pajamas ($29.99) to monitor baby's breathing motion in real time without wires or sensors. The pajamas work exclusively with Nanit cameras.

Available at nanit.com, $379.

Smart Beat Baby Breathing Monitor

What sets this breathing monitor apart is the fact that there is nothing for baby to wear. To monitor baby's every breath, the camera checks for movements 20 times per second, detecting motions too small to be seen by the human eye. The HD video streams to your smartphone or tablet and sends notifications for sleep apnea, if breathing falls outside the normal range, and for when baby falls asleep and wakes. There is no need for special sleepwear and the monitor is designed to work when baby is swaddled or in a sleep sack and when baby is in different sleeping positions. Other features include two-way audio, night vision and remote viewing.

Available at mysmartbeat.com, $249.50.

Airthings Wave Plus Indoor Air Monitor

Airthings Wave Plus Indoor Air Monitor

Rest assured that the air baby is breathing is safe and healthy with the Airthings Wave Plus indoor air quality monitor. Its sensors check the air for serious air pollutants, like radon, carbon dioxide, and total volatile organic compounds. It also monitors temperature, air pressure and humidity, so you can keep conditions optimal for baby. The app dashboard on your smartphone provides alerts and advanced analytics of air quality and offers tips for improving it. The battery is designed to last for up to two years.

Available at airthings.com, $229.99.

Katie L. Carroll

 

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Zherr Anne Aquino-Ng

I'm a Disney loving, Target obsessed, mom of 3 from the San Francisco Bay Area. I'm part stay-at-home mom mixed with a dash of blogger and YouTube vlogger.

 

As a mom of three, I’ve come to know many different products throughout the years for both parents and kids. While I’m not an expert, these are products that I cannot live without. Not only have they made my life easier, but either I love them, my husband loves them, or my kids love them. As a mom to kids in three different age groups, these are products that are useful for a mom with kids from the newborn stage to 5-years-old so the majority of these should be useful for a long while. If you don’t already have these products in your home, you will definitely want them after checking out this list.


1

Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine

The sound machine for all ages!

$59.99

This sound machine and night light combo is perfect for kids of all ages. My kids love it for all the sound and color options, I love it because you can control it from your smartphone.

BUY NOW

2

Instant Vortex Air Fryer 4-in-1

The do-all kitchen appliance

$99

Instant Vortex Air Fryer 4-in-1 Forget the stove and conventional oven, this air fryer not only air fries, but it bakes, roasts, and reheats too. I also love that it basically cuts my time in the kitchen down in half. I can spend less time cooking and more time with my family.

BUY NOW

3

Haakaa Manual Breast Pump

The easiest breast pump ever

$29.99

This is the one baby product I wish I had during my first two pregnancies. It’s easy to use and super useful for breastfeeding moms. Forget about the electric breast pump, this silicone pump does all the work without all the cords.

BUY NOW

4

Bumpkin Reusable Snack Bags

Cute snack bags

$12.95

These versatile bags are great not only for snacks, but for small toys, electronics, and more. You’ll be saving the planet with these reusable bags, and there’s so many cute designs to choose from. Just wash and reuse!

BUY NOW

5

Instant Pot

More than a pressure cooker!

$79

The Instant Pot is another appliance mom needs to make cooking so much easier. Not only is it multi-functional, but it also cooks fast and saves you time in the kitchen. And the easy clean-up makes it even better.

BUY NOW

6

Mi Fold

Easy-to-use travel booster

$29.55

Traveling with kids is so much easier when you have the Mi Fold. It’s compact size makes it easy to bring with you wherever you go. And it’s sleek design is not only convenient, but it’s safe and secure as well.

BUY NOW

7

Baby Shusher

Miracle sleep machine

$34.99

Another product I wish I had with my first two kids. This shusher really is a miracle worker. All it does is make shush noises for 15-30 minutes, and your kid will just fall asleep. Works on my baby so hopefully it will on yours too!

BUY NOW

8

Philips Avent Bottle Drying Rack

The clean and tidy drying rack

$13.98

Even if you don’t use Avent bottles, this drying rack is solid. It doesn’t fall apart, it holds 8 bottles plus their parts, and it doesn’t take up so much space on your kitchen counter.

BUY NOW

9

Baby Brezza Formula Dispenser

Instant bottle maker

$182

Make a warm baby bottle instantly with this easy to use formula dispenser. Think a Keurig coffee maker but for baby formula. No need to mix, shake, or measure to make your baby’s bottle. This is another product I wish I had in the past!

BUY NOW

10

Little Tikes Jr Jump ‘n Slide Bouncer

Instant at-home fun

$199.99

If there’s one product that has saved me during the pandemic, it’s this bouncer. It’s easy to set-up either indoors or outdoors, and it’s popular for kids of all ages. You want to get your kids tired before nap time? Just take out the bouncer for instant fun.

BUY NOW

Baby Brezza has been leading the way on bottle makers for quite some time, but even they have outdone themselves with their newest product: a WiFi Bottle Maker!

The Formula Pro Advanced WiFi Baby Formula Dispenser is available starting Jan. 5 and will change your bottle-making ways forever. Currently retailing for $279.99 in the U.S. only, the formula mixing machine can be controlled from your phone!

The dispenser uses Baby Brezza’s patented mixing technology to mix formula and water to the ideal consistency and works with nearly all formula brands and bottle types. Parents can customize and set up to five different bottles and select from three temperature settings. Additionally you can choose to dispense anywhere from two to 10 ounces or just dispense water only.

 

You can control the Formula Pro Advanced WiFi Baby Formula Dispenser with the free Baby Brezza app for IOS and Android and get notified when a bottle is ready or there is no formula or water.

You can purchase the machine on babybrezza.com and take advantage of an 18 month warranty, or purchase wherever Baby Brezza products are sold.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of Baby Brezza

 

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Katelynn Ansari

I'm a creative hustler and model turned mama. I love sharing real-life moments, affordable fashion, and everyday beauty looks.

I’d like to start off by saying this isn’t a political post – despite your stance on COVID-19, I think we can all agree that it’s been rough on us all. 

I had a baby during the peak of COVID-19 lockdowns and let me tell you; it was wild. I was having appointments in my car, we didn’t know if my husband would be able to attend the birth, and we watched supermarkets be drained of basic baby necessities like diapers, wipes, and formula. This was my second pregnancy, and I was terrified to give birth like many mothers are but then also faced with the uncertainty of the world and how I would provide for this new life.

With my first baby, Cash, I tried to breastfeed but didn’t last more than 3 months. My nipples hurt, I was exhausted, and I had no idea what I was doing. At that level of exhaustion, formula sounded like a much better option. Fast forward to the pandemic and seeing the pandemonium of baby formula being unavailable to new mamas – I knew from that moment on, I was going to breastfeed if it was the only thing I did. There was no guarantee that formula would be an option this time around. 

When Oliver finally arrived, he was a bundle of pure happiness. We waited to know the gender till his due date and although I swore he was a girl, my husband and I were in complete shock to hear the nurse proclaim, “it’s a boy!” Oliver came into this world on April 26 via planned C-Section; thanks to placenta previa.

Soon after the serotonin high of meeting our little man wore off, on came the same breastfeeding woes from my first – the cracked nipples, pain, exhaustion, cluster feeding, and night feeds. However, this time was different; my mind was right. I’m a very head-strong woman and when I put my mind to something, I don’t waiver. My poor husband would confirm this. Although secretly I know he loves how determined and strong-willed I am (haha). I kept breastfeeding to be certain that Oliver would be fed no matter what and he wouldn’t get sick. I would be his safe place amidst the pandemic. Turns out, it was the best thing I ever did. Pushing through the tough 3-month mark was exactly what needed to happen. From past experience, I never thought I would like breastfeeding as much as I do now but let me tell you, it’s pure joy. The bond Ollie and I have is special. We get uninterrupted time together where we just cuddle, and *sometimes* sit in silence. I look down into his eyes and see such a pure soul. I’m watching him grow, knowing that I am responsible for that. I know that no matter what happens, he will be fed. Truthfully, I’m a bit sad knowing it’s going to end soon.

Breastfeeding is hard. They say it’s a natural thing and I understand that. However, I don’t know about you, but no one ever taught me how to breastfeed. It didn’t come natural to me and in my exhausted state of mind, I had no idea what advice to take. 


1

Elvie Pump

Elvie Pump, The best hands-free pump I used to chase around my first child, work from home, and build up a freezer stash.

$475.99 BUY NOW

2

Earth Mama Nipple Butter

The best nipple butter thats organic to help with cracked nipples and the pains of breastfeeding.

$10.39 BUY NOW

3

Dr. Brown’s Bottles

Easily transitioned from breast to bottle with these Dr. Brown’s bottles

$22.99 BUY NOW

4

Boppy Nursing Pillow

My favorite nursing pillow

$39.99 BUY NOW

 

 

Every winter of my childhood when the wind whipped outside and the falling rain created puddles in the sidewalks, I would trudge through the door depleted from my two-block walk home from school. 

In the kitchen on those dreary days, my mom would spend the day cooking the most life-giving bowl of pasta to fill me back up. The noodles were usually penne, lightly colored with red sauce that tickled the tip of the tongue with sweetness followed by notes of tanginess. There was magic in that bowl of pasta. And the secret of its power was closely guarded as a sacred family recipe with roots stretching back to the old world. 

The secret was whispered from one great-great relative to another and smuggled across war-torn borders and oceans of migration to our suburban home where its magic wrapped me in warmth. So you can imagine my disappointment, when I found out the recipe—like this memory—was a big, fat lie.  

It turns out the magic came from a can. Specifically, Hunt’s tomato ketchup—the premium kind only, please.

“I will show you how to make it,” said my mom. “So you can know.”

I was in my 20s and ready, in her eyes, to have this old family recipe transmitted to me. 

Boil penne noodles. Open can. Pour sauce over cooked noodles. Have ready for when her overly-dramatic daughter falls through the door. Sure, my mom added a pinch of this and a dash of that, but she will swear to you that the origins of this recipe survived in her memory bank through wars. Okay, just one war that lasted many years in Vietnam that forced our family to cross perilous waters to a refugee camp in Malaysia. 

That’s the funny part of human memory and traditions—we all believe what we want as inalienable truth. During the holiday season, especially, our daily lives can get consumed with habits and traditions passed down from our parents and grandparents. In the intersection of memory, manufactured traditions and commercialized holidays, how do we decide what traditions are real and worthy of carrying on?

The holidays bring out a complicit stretching of truth, that with time can become memory and tradition. It’s a time to tell stories about a man with eight reindeer, who watches children and brings toys to the good. And it’s a time, more than any other, that we willingly suspend disbelief. My childhood home did not have a chimney, how did Santa get in? I asked my parents one Christmas morning when I woke to a stocking full of trinkets. 

He opened the window, my dad said. “Yes! Of course!” I exclaimed not thinking to question how Santa got through the window’s metal security bars. 

Every tradition needs a willing transmitter and transmitee. 

After the eggnog haze clears, it’s okay to take traditions off of their hallowed high shelf, examine their origins, and question their roles in your busy lives. 

The pressure to find a good family photographer starts as early as August and peaks in early December when inevitably, someone posts on social media in all caps a desperate search for a good photographer for their family’s holiday greeting card. Those cards with pictures of smiling people in perfect lighting was originally the idea of Louis Prang, who—surprise!—owned a printing business and needed to create a market for his business.

Let’s get real here: Taking those family photos is just as fun as going to the DMV without an appointment—someone always ends up crying or fighting. But those cards come every year like the OG Instagram, showing a filtered snapshot of an otherwise complex life. Our family stopped sending out holiday cards a few years ago. We decided the race to get them sent out didn’t make sense to us. The absence of this tradition in our life has yielded a little more time, a little less stress.

Sorry, not sorry, Louis Prang. 

Some traditions have commercial starts while others start from necessity.

Fifteen years ago, Helene Skantzikas, a food blogger, and her family had almost finished decorating their Christmas tree when they noticed one important finishing touch was missing—the star on top. The problem was they didn’t have one, so they put a hedgehog up there. Not just any hedgehog, a plush one named Hérisson, whose origins trace back to France. Every Christmas since, the hedgehog has reigned.

“I think he’s happy up there,” said Skantzikas. “But hilariously, people who see Hérisson have varied reactions, including really relating to him with an ‘ouch!’”

Out of necessity came a family tradition with a story that may continue to evolve. What version of Hérisson’s story will Skantzikas’ 8-year-old son tell to his children? Only time can tell.

Let’s go back to my mom’s steaming bowl of pasta, which she said she cooked even in the shack of a refugee camp. 

After the fall of Saigon to Communist power in 1975, millions of Vietnamese families fled the country, including mine. We settled temporarily in Malaysia while waiting for our permanent homes in the United States. Conditions were harsh and overcrowded, but one of the highlights, my mom said, was receiving care packages from foreign agencies including baby formula for me and, yes, cans of Hunt’s premium tomato ketchup.

The magic was real even if the story was not. 

Recently, my mom made the pasta dish again and presented it to my kids, ages 7 and 4. The way I saw it, I had a choice with my new level of awareness: To continue to string the line of this story for another generation or choose to stop it. 

I let them eat. I did not say a word, at least for now. Some traditions deserve more time for evaluation. 

Lynda is a creative person, a wife, a mom and half a CrossFit athlete. Just half, because rope climbs suck. Despite the shiny veneer, the cracks in her identity make her marginally okay. 

There have been way too many times that we have left the house and I have forgotten one crucial item. It tends to be the most critical item that we need and there it is, left at home. Have you read the book, Checklist Manifesto? A diaper bag requires a checklist because there are too many things that baby needs and are so easy to forget.

The tricky thing is that we need to pack each time we go out, right? We use all the things like outfits, diapers, bottles but it’s the replenishing that causes me to forget an item. (That and my current state of sleep deprivation.) So, I’m making a list here as much for me as it is to share. Now if only someone could help me pack suitcases for a family of five.

 

So here it goes, this is my list for one newborn baby. The best way for me to remember all items is to think in categories: diapering, feeding, mom, all others/siblings.

Diapering

  • Changing pad 
  • Wipes
  • Diaper cream
  • 6 diapers
  • 2 Changes of clothes

Feeding 

  • Bottles, with breast milk or water and formula 
  • Thermos packed with hot water to warm bottles on the go
  • Nursing cover and if needed nipple shield, lanolin, etc
  • Burp cloth, I love the flannel ones 
  • Pacifier 

Mom

  • Wallet, keys, glasses, etc
  • Change of shirt, I keep a basic grey v-neck bc you never know
  • Chapstick, gum, I don’t know but things you’d put in your purse
  • Sanitizing wipes, lotion

All others

  • Toy for baby or sibling
  • Phone charger if needed
  • Blanket or muslin

The diaper bag evolves as the baby gets older and needs less or different things. Also, I used to carry a larger duffle bag style when we had two children under two and thus had two different size diapers and clothes to remember to pack. Oh, those days were exhausting. 

It is important to remember to get your items like your wallet (!) when the weekend is over, for example, and you are headed to work for the week. I’ve been without my wallet on a few occasions because it’s left in the diaper bag. Oops!

And the worst thing I ever forgot? Formula at the airport!

I was traveling to Boston to get to Cape Cod, to visit family with just Deacon, my youngest at the time. He was in between breastmilk and cows milk and so we supplemented with formula. He ate solid food but not enough to satisfy my big, growing boy. We went through security before I realized it. They do not sell formula anywhere in an airport, FYI. I learned that the hard way.

Thankfully, our flight was delayed for one hour. I had our bag checked, of course, and so we left the airport and went back to the car and into the parking garage. I drove to the closest Walmart and bought baby formula. This may have been one of the highest stress situations I have been in and I felt like I was the worst mom on the planet that day.

By then he wanted a bottle so I made one on the spot in the Walmart parking lot and drove back to the airport. We had to go through security again and made it back just in time. I definitely would have had to miss my flight otherwise! Lesson learned. Don’t be like me. Use this list.

I sometimes think about when I was younger and meticulously packed my purse or bag for a class in college. Now I can’t even remember what I even needed for myself. A hairbrush, mirror, face powder? Now I just need chapstick, phone, and a wallet and I’m good. It’s the little ones that need all of the things!

Oh yeah and after all that packing, don’t forget the little one too! 

This post originally appeared on Life Love & Little Boys.

Located in Bloomington, Indiana I am a wife, full-time working Mom to 3 boys, a part-time graduate student & a writer. I am also an optimist, problem solver, peacemaker, gardener, runner and a crazy-busy mom just trying to enjoy each moment. I truly value my friends, family and my mommy tribe.

If you’re confused by how to read food expiration dates, you aren’t the only one who just doesn’t get it. Best by? Sell by? Use by? Before you toss a seemingly ancient box of pasta or a might-be expired can of tomatoes, read on.

Do you assume that the “sell by” date on your milk, cheese or any other product is set by some sort of research or government standard? Even though this is a popular view, expiration dates aren’t actually regulated in the United States.

photo: difisher via Pixabay

A recent study published in the journal Waste Management examined what consumers really understand when it comes to food expiration dates and wording. According to the study, one-third of the 1,029 adults surveyed incorrectly believed that the “best if used by” or “use by” date was federally regulated. Another 26 percent of consumers were unsure whether the date was, or wasn’t, regulated. Along with confusion over whether use by dates are or aren’t regulated, a whopping 84 percent of study participants threw away food that was near its package expiration date at least occasionally.

So what do the different phrases and dates really mean? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, manufacturer-provided food dating that says “best by” refers to when food is of its best quality—an arbitrary determination made by the company and not a safety guide.

The only current exception is baby formula. “Best by” dates printed on baby formula are safety indicators, meaning that you need to follow those strictly.

photo: Alan Levine via Flickr

Phrases are a bit trickier to understand than dates. A “use by” date refers to the last day of the food’s peak quality. A “sell by” date is more for retailers than consumers, indicating the last day a seller should display the item for sale.

This brings us to the big question: should you throw away food that’s past its “use by” or “sell by” date? There’s no clear answer. Properly stored food that has no evidence of spoilage typically doesn’t need to go in the trash. Unsure about how long perishable items—such as ground beef, chicken or milk—can stay fresh and safe in the fridge or freezer? Foodsafety.gov has a handy chart to use.

—Erica Loop

 

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January is National Bath Safety Month, so now is a good time for a few tips on keeping baby safe in the bathtub. Babies are wiggly little people. They don’t follow instructions and when they’re all wet, they become slippery, wiggly little people! Not all babies love baths, but most do and as long as you follow a few rules for tub time, you will too.

Sponge bathing is the right place to begin

There is a lot to be said for a good sponge bath for newborns. After all, they don’t have the ability to regulate their body temperatures very well so a full immersion might be more than they can handle! Sponge bathing allows you to keep baby warm with towels and only wash the parts that need it: face, diaper area, and hands.

Full immersion isn’t recommended until the umbilical cord stump falls off anyway, as it is best to keep that area dry to avoid complications like infection. Wait the week or two it will take for the stump to dry up and fall off before considering a full bath for baby.

Moving on to a baby bath is your next step

When you and baby are ready to move beyond sponge bathing, the next best bet is a baby sized bath. Whether you put a baby bath in the tub or go directly to the kitchen sink, choose a warm environment and make sure that you can can stand or sit comfortably. Attempting to get the baby out of the bath if you’re awkwardly positioned could be dangerous! Remember: slippery and wiggly!

Babies don’t need a daily bath; in fact, too many baths can dry out their skin. Every few days, fill up a baby tub or the kitchen sink with around three or four inches of warm water. Why a baby bath? A standard bathtub is hard to manage until baby can sit up. A baby tub will give you the ability to control the water depth and baby’s movements, with its gentle slope.

  • Have a hand supporting the head and neck as you slip them in, feet first. They can get used to the water more easily this way, which is less likely to trigger crying!
  • Start washing at the top and work your way down; and don’t use too much soap, as it can be drying. Less is more in this case.
  • When done, lift them out the same way they went in and get them wrapped up in a warm, snuggly towel.
  • Don’t let bath time run long: the water will cool quickly and baby won’t enjoy that!

Since you can’t step away from a baby in a bath for even a second—children have drowned in less than an inch of water!—have all the things you’ll need handy:

  • Towels; more than one is a good idea… just in case!
  • A thermometer designed for baths, to make sure that the water temperature isn’t too hot or too cold.
  • A soft face cloth for washing all the parts.
  • Mild, baby formula soap.
  • A plastic cup for pouring water on their heads and on their bodies throughout the bath, which helps keep them warm.
  • A shampoo cap, which keeps the soap out of your baby’s eyes when rinsing.
  • A bath toy, for older kids.
  • Fresh diaper and clothes.

When can you transition baby to a standard tub?

When your baby can sit without being held up, you can transition to a regular tub. They are still wiggly and slippery though, so you still need to be very careful before, during and after!

With all these tips, both you and your baby can enjoy bath time—safely.

Featured Photo Courtesy: bblüv
Geneuviève Thibault
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Geneuviève Thibault is the co-founder of bblüv baby essentials. Geneuviève and her husband launched bblüv to provide thoughtfully created, well-designed, safe and durable baby products that will make life simpler for the modern parent.