Used to be that for relief without drugs you used a Psi Bands Drug-Free Wrist Bands for the Relief of Nausea that looked like a sweatband or a rubber band on your wrist. Today though you can get Psi bands in an array of colors and patterns. You could have one for each outfit if you like.

Psi bands work using pressure points to relieve nausea. They are great for pregnancy as well as other motion sickness caused by things like planes, cruises and cars. I highly recommend checking them out or speaking to your doctor about them if you have any questions.

Hope your queasiness ends soon.

xoxo

-Carla

( I have edited this post: Psi bands are not made for kids at this point. Right now they are only FDA-cleared for use by adults for the relief of nausea caused by pregnancy, chemotherapy, anesthesia and travel (motion sickness). I’m sorry for the mistake)

Want to teach your children the importance of both hygiene and recycling? Then I highly suggest you check out this new fabulous product.

Recycline has created the Preserve Toothbrush, also lovingly known as the “toothbrush made from yogurt cups”, is made out of 100% recycled materials. They teamed up with dentists to create a unique shape and soft bristles that will get your teeth even more sparkling. They come in many fun colors and also each comes in a travel case that allows air to circulate freely.

When you are done with your Preserve Toothbrush simply send your toothbrush back to Preserve using their postage-paid label so that it can again be used to make lumber for things like picnic tables.

I have tried this toothbrush out for the last few weeks and love it. I find that the curve of the handle is just right for getting to all the hard to reach places. I would recommend that people who prefer stiffer bristles try the medium brush because I found the soft bristles very soft.

I also really love that there is a lesson to teach your kids here. I think it is very important that kids learn the value of taking care of themselves and the environment (for really small children there is the Preserve Jr. toothbrush).

Preserve toothbrushes are available at Target stores for only $2.04. Go to this website: http://recycline.com/momcentral/
to print out a valuable coupon and check out the recylcline website for other great eco-friendly products for the home.

So go ahead and live green and live happy.

xoxo

-Carla

However, this has led me to try out many, many different types of diaper rash creams. Below is a list of the ones I have used.

Desitin
Triple Paste
Balmex
Butt Paste
A&D Ointment
Aquaphore
Penaten

I must first mention the last on my list. It is a little on the expensive side but is totally worth it. Penaten is my newest discovery. I cannot say that it is my favorite yet but it is definitely moving up. It is extremely thick and has a high zinc oxide content which helps heal really quickly. It has been working really well this week and I plan to keep using it because it is clearing up my daughter’s rash that nothing else has worked on.

My favorite of the list is Desitin’s overnight relief. For the most part it takes away the rash by the next morning. For very bad rashes it may take two or three days though. I also like this one because it is the most creamy and my daughter seems soothed by it. This was my mother’s choice for diaper rash creams so I guess the saying “mother knows best” is sometimes right. Thanks mom.

The second on my list is Triple Paste. This one works well enough. However, the reason I put it second is because it comes with a money back guarantee and we can all use a guarantee.

Balmex, Butt Paste, and A&D all worked well but with no amazing distinction to note.

Finally, Aquaphore. I love this product as a healing product. I don’t use it on the actual rashes. I use it during changes to make them water proof and prevent irritation before it happens. This product is also great because it can be used for dry lips, hands and many other irritations.

xoxo

-Carla

It’s that time of year again, when kids get the sniffles and you feel like you should buy stock in kleenex. That’s right, the weather is getting colder and the kids are getting colds. My kids seem extra prone to colds, especially whenever the weather changes, so I have tested many products and developed some different ways to deal.

First of all, if you live somewhere dry or in an apartment like mine where the heat is automatically turned on and you have no control, buy a humidifier. These small devices work wonders for reducing the phlegm so your little mines can sleep better. If you have the money to spend the Slant/Fin Germ Free Humidifier, Model GF-220 is a really great one. It is very easy to clean and not hard to refill because of the two separate tanks. I also read many reviews that say that it stands the test of time.
For my kids i bought the CRANE humidifier (Crane Adorable Humidifiers). I bought the frog version but it comes in many adorable animals such as a cow, hello kitty, Thomas the Tank and a pig. These humidifiers are more affordable, easy to use and relatively easy to clean. i also only have to refill it about every three days. This is great because it can be a hassle to have to refill every night. This product has been a G-d sent for my son who was waking up from our overly dry apartment air.
To make humidifiers even more effective when your kids are sick, try to find Vicks VapoSteam Liquid Medication, Camphor Cough Suppressant inserts that give off a menthol steam to help really clear up congestion. Keep in mind though that these inserts only work in hot/warm air humidifiers such as the Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier. If you choose a cold air humidifier like I did you can always rub vaporub on your child’s chest for the same effect. Be sure to use Vicks BabyRub Soothing Vapor Ointment on infants and small children because the adult version can be too harsh for their skin and contains too much medication.

The thing that I find most distressful about cold season is the runny noses. There is nothing that my kids hate more then me wiping their noses on a constant basis. To help myself and give them a break I use a nasal aspirator and saline drops. I have found the brand Little Noses to be a really great brand for children. Little Noses Saline Spray/Drops is what I use on my infant. It doesn’t have a decongestant but I was told I can not use a decongestant on such a small child. For my son who is over two I use Little Noses Decongestant Nose Drops. They really help clear him up so he can get back to his rambunctious self (which compared to him sick is a blessing). You can also purchase the Little Noses Stuffy Nose Kit which comes with an aspirator and nose drops. This nasal aspirator is decent but I find that my kids HATE when I have to put it in their noses so the easier it is to get in the better. That is why I bought American Red Cross 7-pc. Health Kit. It comes with everything I need to ‘help the medicine go down’. If you just want the aspirator Safety 1st Hospital’s Choice Nasal Aspirator has a very similar shape to the Red-Cross one and is sold separately. The only thing I must mention though, you should make sure to sanitize this often and the best way to do that is in boiling water.
If you are willing to spend more money I highly recommend the BebeSounds Nasal Clear, Battery Operated Nasal Aspirator. I have researched this one and cannot wait to get mine. Everyone I know with this says that the battery operation is much better then the manual aspirators and the tunes played while sucking helps distract the baby. It also come apart easily for cleaning and is dishwasher safe. This one also has two different tips for different shaped noses. That solves my biggest problem of the manual ones being to think for my daughter’s nose. Like I said, I can’t wait to get mine.

I hope that these products and tips really help you survive this years cold season. More importantly I hope that you all have healthy kids and don’t really need my tips.

xoxo Carla