Articles in the Moms Category
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Save on school (and work) supplies Notebooks, Post-it notes, pens, pads—it’s that time of year again. Good thing it’s also the season for sales, as stores compete to fill your family’s totes, briefcases, and backpacks. Waiting for those crazy, last-minute, 10-notebooks-for-a-dime specials could slash your spending, but there are lots of other things you can do to save big while you’re shopping for office supplies—and kids’ clothing, too. Sales usually start in August, so get those lists out! Take inventory. Chances are, you already have some of the things you need in your home office. Stick to your list. It makes sense to get a jump on the stuff you know you need (think filler paper and pencils), but wait for the school’s list to do the bulk of your shopping. Consider swapping. If the search of your desk drawer turns up things you no longer have use for, swap them for things you do need. Call other moms or go to Swapmamas.com . Click on School & Office to see listings from people who have stuff and people who need stuff. We found an “almost new” SpongeBob backpack waiting for a good home, plus clothing, crayons, and more. Skip taxes. Many states offer tax-free shopping days in August to encourage spending on clothes. You might find information about your state by searching the Internet with your state and “tax holiday 2010.” Some states extend the discount to supplies, computers, and even clothing. Buy in bulk. Warehouse clubs are great places to load up, but so are online stores like RaymondGeddes.com , where we found a pack of six composition notebooks for $7.50 (they’re $2.49 each when you buy them individually). But you’ll pay for shipping, which is around $8. Also check out DiscountSchoolSupply.com . A recent search turned up a 12-pack of glue sticks for $3.24 (39 percent off). But shipping costs can add up if you don’t order in bulk. Consider refurbs. Whether you need a laptop or your kid needs a fancy graphing calculator, refurbished or opened but unused products can save you hundreds of dollars. Just be sure to stick with retailers you trust. Check Amazon.com , Crutchfield.com , Dell.com/outlet , and SonyStyle.com/outlet . Automate savings. Sign up at ShopItToMe.com to get an alert sent to you when there’s a sale on those expensive sneakers your son just has to have or those shoes you need for work. Be strategic. Shopping the sales at a lot of stores could save you big bucks, but it’s a huge waste of time. Instead, search circulars online at YahooCircularCentral.shoplocal.com and SundaySaver.com . Then shop at stores with price-matching policies, such as Staples, Target, and Walmart. Go to school. Ask whether your child’s school has a supply program where you buy one box with everything your kid needs for the year. Staples claims its SchoolKidz program offers savings of 20 to 50 percent. This article also appeared in the September 2010 issue of ShopSmart magazine . Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
Baby, Consumer Reports, Moms, News »
Save on school (and work) supplies Notebooks, Post-it notes, pens, pads—it’s that time of year again. Good thing it’s also the season for sales, as stores compete to fill your family’s totes, briefcases, and backpacks. Waiting for those crazy, last-minute, 10-notebooks-for-a-dime specials could slash your spending, but there are lots of other things you can do to save big while you’re shopping for office supplies—and kids’ clothing, too. Sales usually start in August, so get those lists out! Take inventory. Chances are, you already have some of the things you need in your home office. Stick to your list. It makes sense to get a jump on the stuff you know you need (think filler paper and pencils), but wait for the school’s list to do the bulk of your shopping. Consider swapping. If the search of your desk drawer turns up things you no longer have use for, swap them for things you do need. Call other moms or go to Swapmamas.com . Click on School & Office to see listings from people who have stuff and people who need stuff. We found an “almost new” SpongeBob backpack waiting for a good home, plus clothing, crayons, and more. Skip taxes. Many states offer tax-free shopping days in August to encourage spending on clothes. You might find information about your state by searching the Internet with your state and “tax holiday 2010.” Some states extend the discount to supplies, computers, and even clothing. Buy in bulk. Warehouse clubs are great places to load up, but so are online stores like RaymondGeddes.com , where we found a pack of six composition notebooks for $7.50 (they’re $2.49 each when you buy them individually). But you’ll pay for shipping, which is around $8. Also check out DiscountSchoolSupply.com . A recent search turned up a 12-pack of glue sticks for $3.24 (39 percent off). But shipping costs can add up if you don’t order in bulk. Consider refurbs. Whether you need a laptop or your kid needs a fancy graphing calculator, refurbished or opened but unused products can save you hundreds of dollars. Just be sure to stick with retailers you trust. Check Amazon.com , Crutchfield.com , Dell.com/outlet , and SonyStyle.com/outlet . Automate savings. Sign up at ShopItToMe.com to get an alert sent to you when there’s a sale on those expensive sneakers your son just has to have or those shoes you need for work. Be strategic. Shopping the sales at a lot of stores could save you big bucks, but it’s a huge waste of time. Instead, search circulars online at YahooCircularCentral.shoplocal.com and SundaySaver.com . Then shop at stores with price-matching policies, such as Staples, Target, and Walmart. Go to school. Ask whether your child’s school has a supply program where you buy one box with everything your kid needs for the year. Staples claims its SchoolKidz program offers savings of 20 to 50 percent. This article also appeared in the September 2010 issue of ShopSmart magazine . Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
Baby, Consumer Reports, Dads, Moms, News, Toddler »
Take the stress out of potty training Being a mom, and having fellow moms (and dads) as friends, I’ve noticed that the two words most likely to raise anxiety are “potty training.” New parents, especially, are inclined to suffer through this landmark stage. We’re so desperate to get to this milestone “on time” that we sometimes forget to see the big picture. We get too involved in the minutiae of the process rather than letting it take its natural course. There are so many products out there that tap into our vulnerability. The gamut of toilet-training products ranges from actual potty seats to potty watches (yes, watches) to targets (use your imagination) to books. Will most people need all these aids to help them train their toddler? Probably not. Most likely, you will need just some kind of seat and a large dose of patience. For the types of seats out there, see our report on some
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15 foods new parents should eat When you're taking care of a new baby and juggling other challenges in your life, it's easy to let your own diet slide. Big mistake. If you don't take care of your nutrition needs, you may not be able to do as good a job of taking care of your baby. You can liken eating right to the principle of the oxygen mask demo on airplanes: Although it feels counterintuitive, parents of small children are instructed to strap on their own oxygen masks before attending to their child's. So feed yourself—as well as your baby—wisely. (Learn about baby formula .) Here are 15 foods to boost your energy and keep you healthy. Milk. Just one 8-ounce glass of skim or low-fat milk supplies up to one-third of the calcium you need for strong bones and teeth. A diet rich in calcium may cut your risk of hypertension, colon cancer, and breast cancer, and possibly ease PMS. Milk is a valuable source of vitamin D, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B12. Bananas. At about 100 calories each, bananas are a good source of fiber and vitamin B6. They're also loaded with potassium—a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure and is essential to muscle function. Eat one after a workout (when potassium levels may be low due to perspiration loss), mix into smoothies, or add to your cereal for an all-day energy boost. (Learn about organic baby food .) Orange juice. A stellar source of vitamin C (just one 8-ounce glass supplies more than what you need every day), orange juice is also full of folate, a B vitamin—which may help prevent certain birth defects and colon cancer—as well as potassium. Opt for the calcium-fortified kind to benefit your bones. Salad. Tossing together a variety of greens (romaine and spinach are rich in vitamin A and folate, and iceberg has fiber), tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers is a smart way to sneak vegetables into your diet. Studies have shown that getting at least three servings of vegetables a day can reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Peanut butter. It's chock-full of protein, fiber, zinc, and vitamin E. It contains mostly unsaturated fat, which helps lower both total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Peanut butter and jelly on whole-wheat bread with a glass of milk is a quick, nutritious meal. But don't go for the reduced-fat version. Since the fat is replaced with carbohydrates, you'll get the same number of calories anyway. Sweet potatoes. These spuds—which are available year-round—should be a staple in your diet, not simply a holiday treat. They're an excellent source of potassium, fiber, and cancer-fighting antioxidants such as beta carotene and vitamin C. Salmon and fish. This fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower your risk of heart disease. Eating salmon once or twice a week may boost your immune system. If you're pregnant or nursing, the fatty acids in salmon help aid fetal and infant brain and central nervous-system development. Government agencies recommend that pregnant or nursing women not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish. Consumers Union recommends that such women hold off on eating canned tuna, as well. Broccoli. It's low-cal and rich with vitamins A and C, beta carotene, folate, and fiber—all of which can help reduce your risk of heart disease and protect against certain kinds of cancer. Enjoy it raw or lightly steamed. Whole-grain cereal. One bowl of whole-grain cereal typically supplies 10 or more vitamins and minerals, as well as complex carbohydrates (for energy), disease-fighting fiber, and phytochemicals—non-nutrient plant ingredients that help prevent disease. Choose cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Lean red meat. Women, especially those who have given birth within the last two years, are at risk for low iron levels, which can lead to a type of anemia. Red meat is an excellent source of iron that's more easily absorbed by the body. Stick with trimmed lean cuts—anything with loin or round in the name—for their low saturated-fat content, and eat no more than one 2- to 3-ounce serving (about the size of your palm) each day. Vegetable soup. There is a slew of vitamins and minerals in soup loaded with veggies such as carrots, potatoes, and onions. Even better, because it's mostly liquid (and contains fiber), vegetable soup will fill you up on relatively few calories. Yogurt. A good source of bone-strengthening calcium (an 8-ounce carton contains about a third of your daily needs), low-fat or nonfat yogurt also supplies protein and potassium with less saturated fats. Choose plain yogurt, since the flavored kinds are often high in sugar, and make sure the label says the brand contains “live and active cultures,” since these bacteria have been shown to benefit the gastrointestinal tract. Eggs. They're packed with the protein moms (and dads) need to help build and repair weary muscles. Eggs are also a good source of vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. Still, because egg yolks are high in cholesterol, moderation is key. Tomato sauce. Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to help keep arteries clear and reduce the risk of heart disease. Most jarred sauces also contain fiber and vitamins A and C. Beans. Canned or dried varieties, such as kidney, black, garbanzo, and navy beans, are a low-fat source of protein, iron, and soluble fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol level. You can make any meal healthier—from soups and stews to salads and pasta dishes—by adding a can of beans to it. However, since canned beans can be high in sodium, rinse them well under cold water or buy the no-salt kind. Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
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Is it risky to deliver a child at home? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists doesn't encourage home deliveries, saying there's too much risk of serious problems if something should go wrong. But how high is that risk? Studies so far haven't given us an entirely clear answer. Researchers have now done a review of the best studies to see what conclusions they can draw. In total, they looked at 12 studies with 342,056 planned home births and 207,551 planned hospital deliveries. Overall, the researchers found that planned home births were better for moms in some respects, but riskier for their babies in others.
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Child and family news roundup Children’s health and medicines “U.S. health regulators said … they do not expect any shortage of children's pain and allergy medications despite Johnson & Johnson's inability to resume production until at least next year.”— Reuters “A study finds that a combination vaccine against MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and chicken pox slightly increases the risk of a fever-related seizure.” — Wall Street Journal Health blog “Many hospital pediatric wards have moved from conducting traditional ‘rounds’ to a newer, family-oriented form of the practice—but obstacles still remain, a new study finds.” — Reuters Problems with children’s foods “A … study of 186 food products specifically marketed for babies and toddlers found 53 percent of them had excessive amounts … of their calories coming from sugar.” — United Press International “Those bright and friendly colors that bring joy to your child as she slurps down a drinkable yogurt … have the potential to wreak various forms of damage to your child.” – Fooducate.com Focus on parents “Among Americans aged 18 to 50, those with children 18 years old or younger at home are less likely to report frequent exercise than are those with no child younger than 18 at home.” — Gallup.com “The average age of women who give birth in the US is getting older.” — Marketing Charts “‘Since 2006, the number of moms using social media has skyrocketed more than 500%,’ explains Tina Sharkey, Chairman and Global President, BabyCenter.” — BizReport.com Kids’ clothing and gadgets, cyberbullying “Like a status update for your kid’s growth progress, thredUp allows you to notify friends when your little one has outgrown a particular clothing size.” — Inhabitots.com “Schools these days are confronted with complex questions on whether and how to deal with cyberbullying, an imprecise label for online activities ranging from barrages of teasing texts to sexually harassing group sites.” — New York Times “A Kindle for kindergartners? V.Tech hopes so, with this week’s release of V.Reader, formerly called FLiP, a $60 e-book player targeting early readers, ages 3 to 7, with a clear touch screen and a membrane QWERTY keyboard.”— New York Times Gadgetwise Subscribe now! Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
Baby, Consumer Reports, Moms, News, Toddler »
A mom’s hug can boost her kid’s confidence I hug my kids. A lot. Too much, if you ask my teenage daughter. Even my son, who was never embarrassed to show affection toward me, is now keeping me at arms length when there’s any possibility that one of his friends might be around. But touch is an important part of my bond with my kids. A quick squeeze of an arm around the shoulders to let them know I’m sympathetic. A pat on the back when I want to let them know I think they’re doing a good job. A comforting embrace when they’re upset or hurt. I still hold their hands when they get shots, and kiss them every morning before they go to school. A mother’s touch can be soothing, but
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Distracted driving: Why kids’ snacks and mom’s driving don’t mix I usually never give my kids snacks in the car while I’m driving, but that Saturday, I was in a rush. Where were we rushing to? No place special—a new children’s park I wanted to check out. And because they’d been so patient as we visited the shoe store just beforehand, I was eager to get them to the park quickly. As we walked back to the car from the store, my 2-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter got a little cranky, so I pulled out the cereal bars and water after buckling them into their car seats .
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What are the risks of VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section)? Many women who’ve had a c-section in the past would prefer to have a vaginal birth in the future. But there’s a school of thought that says if you’ve had one cesarean section, you should only give birth by c-section in the future. That’s to avoid a dangerous complication called uterine rupture. (Take our true-false quiz on maternity care
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Child safety news: Tylenol recall, furniture tipover, more Tylenol recalls infants' and children's liquid medications. The maker of Tylenol is recalling 21 types of infants' and children's liquid Tylenol , because it may be contaminated with bacteria, including Tylenol Suspension, Tylenol Cold, Tylenol Plus Cough, Tylenol Plus Flu and Tylenol Plus Cold/Allergy in cherry, grape, strawberry and bubble gum flavors. The affected products were manufactured between April and June 2008. Learn more in the full Safety blog post . FDA bans flavored cigarettes. As part of the national effort to reduce smoking in America, the Food and Drug Administration announced a ban on cigarettes that taste like fruit, candy or clove . Talk about a gateway drug–who do you think is attracted to cigarettes that taste like candy? Check out the FDA advisory to parents on the risks associated with flavored tobacco products, and to the rest of this Safety blog post for more information. Dangers of furniture tip-overs highlighted by new CPSC outreach. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently joined the blogosphere and the Twitter universe, opened a channel on YouTube and created a photo stream on Flickr. In