Baby Products You Can't Live Without

Emily is about to have her second baby (YAY!) and has asked for our help. So moms let's get to it. :)

"I was writing a wish/shopping list of things to buy for this baby boy and started wondering what other mom's have found to be "baby products that they can't live without". There are so many things out there, and lots of reviews, but I don't have the time to research it all to know what works best and is worth a purchase. I would love to know what other mom's can't live without. And one particular item in question is a diaper pail. I didn't get one with Olivia, but am considering buying one for this guy. Is it worth it, and if so, which one is best overall?"

Bladder Infection

My little girl always seems to have a bladder infection. (At least that is what I think it is). I am going to the doctor's office today but I want to know what else I can do for her besides giving her meds. Any advice you mom's have up your sleeves? Prevention and/or treatment?

Getting a Toddler to Drink More

How do I get my almost three year to drink more? This may be TMI but her pee is usually dark yellow and so I know that means she needs more fluid. I have been trying to get her to drink more but have been unsuccessful. Any tricks or tips you have for me?

Going from 1 baby to 2

Cute Marci needs advice:

"So as i am preparing to welcome a new baby into our house in the next 3 1/2 months i am wondering if there is any advice, tips, etc that any of you moms of more than one would like to offer. I like reading what others think, it helps me form my own opinions of what needs to be done, or how things need to be done. The advice could range from how you prepared your first for the second, he will be almost 2, anything you prepared for in your homes/lives before or wish you would have done before the new baby arrived. Really any advice."

Nightmares

Kari writes... "My 2 1/2 year old girl had her first nightmare last night! Are there things I can do to minimize the scaryness of the situation for her? Can I help prevent them? Help! It's so HEARTBREAKING seeing her so scared."

Milk Supply

I have witnessed a miracle at my house. My little guy who wouldn't/couldn't sleep for longer than literally a few minutes, even in your arms, has started sleeping on his own. (He has bad reflux and is now on meds.) It started out with 2 hour blocks of time and has gradually increased. Last night he went a whole 7 hours on his own. I LOVE it and it has made me a happy mom again.

My question is this...how do I keep up my milk supply? I'm worried that with him eating so little during the night and then wanting to eat so much during the day my body is going to be super confused and not produce as much milk. Am I crazy for thinking this? Is there a way to keep up my supply without waking up and pumping?

Poop Clothes

I have a SUPER POOPER on my hands. What do you use to get out those nasty stains. I don't want to lose any more clothes!

Baby Burps

Any tricks to get BURPS out?

Keeping Shoes On

How do I get my 22 month old to keep her SHOES on in the car? Every time we are in the car she takes them off. It's annoying to have to put them back on every time we get out. I've tried explaining why she needs them on and when I can I carry her instead of letting her walk. (My attempt to show her that she needs her shoes to walk on the ground-She hates it.) But really I can't carry her everywhere, especially with the new baby coming.

Any advice to get her to keep them on?

Picky Eater and Silverware

Lindsey has a daughter, like so many of us, who is a picky eater.

She writes, "My daughter is about 19 months and I just wanted some tips on getting her to eat with silverware. I give her the option of eating with silverware if she wants to but sometimes it's just easier with her hands. Not worried just wanting some advice. A little WORRIED about my next question. My daughter is such a picky eater. She'll go from one day to the next with different kinds of food she likes. When we go out to eat or over to Grandma's she hardly EATS anything because she seems to always want to be busy. She still takes a bottle right before bed and just drinks it so fast. I feel like she's hungry and counts on that bottle to fill her up at night and we're trying to get her off of it completely soon. I need help with my picky eater! Also any foods or recipes for picky eaters would be great!!"

Airplane Advice

Okay mom's let's help KATE out......

"I'm taking a trip with my kids, and the idea is pretty daunting. Here are the details: I'll be alone on the airplane with my two boys (2.5 and 1 and both still in diapers), our flight is 4 hours long, and their typical bedtime will be somewhere in the middle of all that. But I still have 6 days to prepare for it, and also, I have no problem using sugar to my advantage.So if you have any good secrets, please pass them along now!"

"I need all the HELP I can get"

Potty Training

Ever since I started watching a little boy who is potty trained Hallie has become extremely interested. I went and bought her a little toilet seat which sits on the top of the toilet and she loves it. She constantly says "POTTY" and asks to go sit on the potty and have her diaper changed. The problem is that she never pees!! She sits on the toilet for a minute, asks for toilet paper, flushes the toilet and then washes her hands...BUT never actually pees. I thought maybe if she sat there for a few minutes that might help, but nope. I also thought that maybe if she heard running water (always helps me) it might trigger something. But again nothing. She is only 19 months old and so it seems early to be potty training but I don't want to discourage her, especially with baby #2 on the way.

Any suggestions?

Transition from 2 naps to 1

Lindsey has a question about her daughter's nap routine...

"Noelle is transitioning in to only needing one nap a day but I'm not sure how to go about doing it. I love when she takes an early afternoon nap (between 11am and 12noon) but sometimes she'll stay in her bed for a half hour or more just talking to herself. She'll take a pretty good nap but then wake up and eat a very late lunch and then gets tired around 5 or 6 but by then it's too late to give her a second nap. I just want to know how to TRANSITION so I don't have an ornery girl half of the day."

Weaning from Breastfeeding.

Marci Kay has a question for all of us moms who breast fed at one point.

She writes, "I would like to know how long it took you moms to loose your milk once you started to wean your baby. It has been 2 weeks and I am still PRODUCING milk! Besides that I was only nursing 2 times a day before I weaned him...why the soreness still!?"

Weaning From Pacifier

Brittany has a question regarding her son's pacifier.

"My son is turning 2 in June and is very attached to his pacifier. I was just wondering when I should start 'weaning' him from it and what would be the best way to do so. He HAS to have it when he goes to bed and likes to use it every once in a while during the day as well. I really don't mind him having it but I was very annoyed when he woke up screaming last night when he couldn't find his pacifier so I had to get out of bed to help him. I don't want him to continue this. What is your ADVICE?"

Circumcision?

With baby #2 being a BOY I now have the question...

To circumcise or not to circumcise?

Double Stroller Recommendation

With baby #2 on the way I'm in the market for a double stroller.

Any recommendations? Any that I should stay away from?

Immediate nursing help!

Juls needs IMMEDIATE HELP!!

She wrote "Nolen has totally just STOPPED breastfeeding as of last night. Stopped! Refuses! My boobs are large and in charge!!!! I am in discomfort and PAIN! I was not ready for this! For him to just stop! WHAT THE HECK?? We were down to 3-4 times a day of nursing... now zero?? Just like that??? NOOO!!!! I dont want to pump, because then my boobs will just produce more and more, and well if Nolen is done,what DO I DO????? OUCH!!!!"

Okay ladies let's come to her rescue!

Learning to Eat

Erin, the mother of the CUTEST little Lucy you have ever seen, needs advice when it comes to rice cereal.

Here is her question..."We've started to introduce solids to Lucy (almost 5 1/2 months now). We've tried feeding her rice cereal 4 or 5 times now and she doesn't understand how to eat it (or that it's something to eat); she just spits/drools every spoonful out of her mouth. Is there a secret to teaching babies how to eat, or is it just practice and repetition until they finally catch on?"

Discipline

I need help disciplining Hallie. We first tried TIME OUT which worked wonders. My husband and I thought yeah we totally have this parenting thing down. HAHA Little did we know that it would stop working after a couple months. After that we started lightly slapping her hand when she did something bad. It didn't take long for her to start slapping her own hand and saying "No, No" to herself. As funny as it was to watch we knew that it meant it was no longer working.

So mom's what do we do now? How do you discipline a 18 month old?