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Taking the Labor Out of Labor Day

September 1, 2016 by amushro

Oh Labor Day—how bittersweet you are. While I love having a long holiday weekend in the summer with my family, it also means that our summer fun has come to an end for the year. Sigh.

But rather than sit around and mope that my favorite season is wrapping up, it’s time to have a little fun with the fam. So if you’re hitting the road with your kiddos or just staying home and taking care of business with kids in tow, I’ve got some great hacks to take the labor out of Labor Day.

s place

 

If you have travel plans for this long weekend, you’ll want to be prepared for just about anything. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste recently surveyed more than 1,000 millennial parents and 82% said they wished they had more tricks up their sleeve to prevent diaper rash.

It’s no fun to deal with diaper rash when you’re  just hanging out at home, but if you’re traveling or have plans this Labor Day, diaper rash is even more of a pain the butt. So here’s a few hacks and tricks to kick some rash while you’re having a little late summer fun with your baby.

  • If you’re hitting the pool or beach, remember that one key to preventing diaper rash is keeping moisture away from your baby’s skin. That can be hard to do if you have a water baby on your hands! So this Labor Day if your baby will be hanging out in the pool or ocean and you’ll be using a swim diaper, try these tips:
    • Change the swim diaper frequently and remove the swim diaper as soon as water play time is over. Pack a few extras so you don’t have to rely on just one swim diaper all day.
    • Since swim diapers aren’t absorbent and don’t pull moisture away from your baby’s skin, make sure your baby is completely dry before you put on a regular diaper. Give your baby a little time to “air dry” before getting them dressed.
    • The one surefire way to treat and prevent diaper rash is keeping moisture away from the skin, that’s why new parents should invest in a diaper rash cream that provides a thick moisture barrier, like Boudreaux’s Butt Paste.
  • If you’re traveling this Labor Day and need to change a diaper on-the-go but you can’t find a diaper changing station or you’ve found one that is probably covered in a million germs, try the reclining position of your stroller or the backseat or trunk space of your car for a quick diaper change.
  • If your baby has a blowout and is wearing a onesie, it’s your lucky day. Well not that lucky because of the blowout but sorta lucky. Use those silly flaps at their shoulders to pull the onesie down your baby—rather than pulling the poopie onesie up and over and making an even bigger mess. Are you now saying “Aha! That’s what those things are for!”  I know, mind blowing.

diaper

In the same survey, when it comes to getting a free minute of time to tend to some household tasks, parents admitted to taking some shortcuts! Zero shame in that game, Mammas. And a three day weekend is the perfect time to get all caught up on the things we have to do. So to get the job done, parents said they’ve set their child up in front of the TV or a device, put their child to bed before their bedtime (genius), and let their child stay up past their bedtime. So when you’ve got things to do and you have your little ones with you, it’s time to get creative.

  • If you’re headed to the grocery store, leave foldable laundry baskets in your car to easily carry all of your groceries or bags inside the house in one trip.
  • If the floor of your vehicle looks like a buffet of snacks, dirt and things you’re not too sure about, you’re not alone! For quick and easy clean up, line the floor of your car with long rag rugs from the dollar store. The ridges help catch all the crumbs and falling debris and cut down on vacuuming. You can even use blue painter’s tape or double stick tape to secure the rugs to the floor. When you’re ready to clean, shake the rugs out, throw them in the laundry and smile because this hack is saving your sanity!

family

And what if you’re spending a little alone time with just you and your baby this Labor Day? Sounds perfect, right? Well, both moms and dads get an average of eight texts or calls when their significant other is home alone with their child. Sometimes you just need your partner in crime! So here’s a few ways to make that time apart a little easier on everyone.

  • If the parent on duty is feeling a little nervous about the alone time, line up some extra help in the form of a play date, or even a family member to stop by for a little extra support.
  • Many “HELP” calls come from parents not knowing where something is while the other is gone. To cut back on searching, use an over the door shoe organizer to arrange everything you need for a diaper change, bath time and more all in one place. Before your partner leaves home, go over the organizer together to make sure everything is accounted for.

 

So whatever you do this Labor Day, enjoy the time with your family and say so long summer. We’ll see you next year!

Find Boudreaux’ Butt Paste online, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

*This post was sponsored by Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience*

Filed Under: Products I love Tagged With: Amanda Mushro, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, Butt Paste, diaper changing hacks, Labor Day

11 Ways Dads Can Help New Moms

May 10, 2016 by amushro

During those early days of having a new baby, I would pass my husband in the morning and at times, I think I startled him with my appearance. Newborns will do that to you: bags under your eyes, unwashed hair, the shirt you’re wearing right now, you wore it yesterday and maybe the day before, and all it takes is something as simple as you can’t find a working pen in your kitchen to send you into an exhausted crying fit. This is usually when my husband (who I’d shoot daggers at if he yawned or mentioned he was tired around me), would see this as an S.O.S. and ask “What can I do to help?” And it was the sweetest sound I had heard in days (other than my baby sleeping).

I know that man wanted to help, but maybe he really didn’t know how or maybe he was just a little scared of me (he had good reason). But I don’t think he was alone with being a new dad and not always knowing what to do to help me as a new mom.

newborn

For instance Boudreaux’s Butt Paste recently surveyed more than 1,000 millennial parents and asked who usually has the dirty job of diaper changing and it looks like mom is doing the heavy lifting. A whopping 95% of women respondents said they do more of the diaper changing than their significant other. So when Dad keeps asking “What can I do to help?” why not just toss him a clean diaper, a few wipes, and Boudreaux’s Butt Paste?

But let’s not just stop with changing diapers, Dad. There are so many more ways you can help your partner and they don’t all involve poop. So for all those new dads and dads-to-be, here’s 11 ways you can really help new moms.

dad helping mom

  • When’s she’s feeding the baby, help her out. If she’s breastfeeding, make sure she has water nearby, her phone, and even a snack. If she’s bottle feeding, offer to be on bottle cleaning duty indefinitely.

 

  • Let her sleep—really sleep. If you’re taking a feeding at night so Mom can catch up on sleep, let her go into another room so that she won’t hear the baby. You’ll be amazed at how different a few hours of deep sleep will help her.

 

  • If you have other kids, offer to take them out and keep them busy, bring them home fed, pop them in the tub, and put them to bed. Let her relax and snuggle that new baby and feel zero mom guilt because her other kids are happy and entertained.

 

 

  • Take over diaper duty no matter what’s inside that diaper and no matter what time that diaper needs changed. And it would really help if you kept those dry heave sounds to a minimum, Mkay?

 

  • Tell her how amazing she is doing All. The. Time. She needs a cheerleader. Be her cheerleader.

 

  • Setup a date night for the two of you. Even if it’s just a night at home with dinner and movie, plan all the details and let her just relax and recharge and reconnect with you.

 

  • Don’t get angry if the house is a hot mess. Pick up a few extra chores around the house and help clean that hot mess.

 

  • Be a really good listener and don’t try to fix everything. She might just need to vent. Let her vent to you. Then offer her some cholate and maybe a foot rub. JUST a foot rub. Don’t suggest more. Seriously, just a foot rub.

 

  • Take care of her and check in to see if she is taking care of herself. Does she need to shower? Does she need a few minutes alone or a night out with her friends? Is she caring for herself? Now that’s she’s a mom, she will put herself last but help her by putting her needs first.

 

 

  • Plan for the times you’ll be late at work or if you’re traveling. Can you have her family come and stay if you’re out of town? What about ordering dinner if you’re late and making mealtime easier on her? She will appreciate your thoughtful gestures when your normal schedule changes.

 

 

*This post was sponsored by Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience*

Filed Under: Can You Hack Motherhood?, Family Tagged With: Amanda Mushro, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, Butt Paste, dad helping mom, new dad, new dad tips

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