The New Parents Guide Blog

Ask any nurse, doctor, or dentist and I’ll bet they’ll agree that children don’t wash their hands or brush their teeth long enough to do an effective job.

(For that matter, most parents probably don’t either.)

That’s why One Step Ahead offers this “Wash and Brush” Timer from IntelliTEC.  It’s really cute–and really easy to use.  Press the button and the green light flashes until time is up:  20 seconds for hands and 2 minutes for teeth, just what doctors and dentists recommend!

You can mount this little timer anywhere in the bathroom, and it will help encourage your little one not to race through important hygiene tasks.

Teach your child to chase away germs and cavities by washing their hands and brushing their teeth properly!  This timer will really help–and it’ll encourage independence.  Kids always want to do things by themselves, and this way you can be sure that it’s getting done right.

BASKET OF BARGAINS

TODAY ONLY!
20% off Serta Mattress Sets at Fingerhut.com
Use promotional code H531 during checkout. Discount should appear at Step 3 of 4.
Not valid on Clearance. Promotional code only valid online. One promotional code per order. Cannot be combined with other Fingerhut offers. Void where prohibited or restricted. Not valid on Partner Offers.
Valid through: August 25, 2010
See other Fingerhut coupons!

$10 off orders of $50 or more at the Soft Surroundings Online Outlet
Not valid on SoftSurroundings.com. Cannot be combined with other offers.
Enter coupon code 2211017.
Valid through: September 28, 2010
See other Soft Surroundings coupon codes!

I’m sneezing as I write this, because the pollen count is going up–and it’s only going to get higher.  It’s allergy time!

If someone in your household has seasonal allergies, you’ve probably learned the importance of a good humidifier.  You’ve probably also noticed that most humidifiers are seriously ugly.  But look at this little cutie on the right.  Yes, that’s a humidifier!

I’ve got a 14-year-old daughter who would want one of these.  As a matter of fact, I want one of these!  If I’m going to need to use a humidifier anyway, it might as well be one that makes me smile when I see it.

The Crane Adorable humidifiers are not only cute, they’re whisper-quiet.  And they don’t shoot huge drops of water out, so you won’t wind up with a puddle in front of your humidifier.  They also use very little power and provide up to 11 hours of moisture between refills.  When the tank is empty, the humidifier automatically shuts off.

Not into penguins?  These are also available as cows, pigs, pandas, dragons, SpongeBob, frogs and more–a total of ten designs are available.

BASKET OF BARGAINS

20% off select Back-to-School items at BabyUniverse.com
Use this link to view eligible items. Discounts will appear on item pages.
Valid through: August 28, 2010
See other Baby Universe coupons!

20% off Bravado Nursing Bras or Tanks when you buy 2 or more at Diapers.com
Enter promotion code AUGUST20PCT in your shopping cart.
You may need to log in to use this coupon. Diapers.com reserves the right to limit quantities. Valid while supplies last.
Valid through: August 31, 2010
See other diapers.com coupon codes!

Do you wish you had an exercise machine, but you’ve got no room to put one?  A lot of people are in the same boat. J Fit has figured out a solution to that problem with its Hope Series Mini Elliptical Trainer.

This compact and lightweight exercise machine is small enough to stow under a coffee table or in a closet–it won’t take up your whole family room.  It operates silently, so you can watch TV while you work out, or exercise during naptime without fear of waking the baby.

This Mini Elliptical has a timer and step counter, so you won’t have to worry about keeping track of your workout.  You can use hand weights to take the workout up a notch, or balance along a wall or door frame.

BASKET OF BARGAINS

10% off Teamson products at BabyAge.com
Enter coupon code TEAM10 in your shopping cart. Some exclusions apply.
Valid through: July 31, 2010
See other BabyAge coupons!

Up to $630 off select Fans and Air Conditioners at GlobalIndustrial.com
Use this link to view eligible items.
Valid through: August 5, 2010
See other Global Equipment coupon codes!

That’s lean, but not “lean and mean!”

Author Lisa Druxman combines encouragement of the “been there, done that, you can too” sort with well-researched information and small changes that add up to make a big difference in her book Lean Mommy:  Bond with your baby and get fit with the Stroller Strides program.

This book includes workout information as well as good, basic healthy-living advice on diet, nutrition and healthy habits.   That’s because diet doesn’t stand alone, nor does exercise, in helping anyone get more healthy and fit.  Druxman includes several workouts including the Stroller Workout, Mom Just Has a Minute workout, Stretching workout and Baby Weight workout.

You’ll learn how to eat healthier and live healthier as well as gaining an understanding of what happens to your body during those postpartum days.

Enjoy the weekend, stay cool, and stop back on Monday for a big Basket of Bargains!

That old cliché, “you are what you eat,” has stuck around for a reason:  it’s true.

When you’re trying to conceive a child–whether it’s your first or fifth–it’s important that you make sure you are as healthy as you can be.  That’s the premise behind Dr. Jeremy Groll’s book, Fertility Foods:  Optimize Ovulation and Conception through Food Choices.

Dr. Groll, an expert in fertility treatment and reproductive endocrinology, has exhaustively researched the ways in which a woman’s diet affects her chances of getting and staying pregnant.  The healthy diet-based system proposed in this book is noninvasive, inexpensive, low-tech, and easy to follow.  Best of all, it’s natural, working with your body.  Dr. Groll’s advice is based on his research findings that many difficulties with conception are related to the mother’s insulin resistance, which can often be corrected through lifestyle adjustment such as a healthy diet.

Dr. Groll is no diet extremist.  He does not advocate mega-portions of certain food types and completely eliminating others.  Instead, this diet program is all about balance.  He balances out the diet suggestions with chapters on exercise, emotional health, and vitamin supplements.  There’s even a chapter just for dads!

Have a super weekend; I’ll return Monday with a nice big Basket of Bargains.

One shower gift that your baby won’t outgrow in two or three months is a kit of health and grooming essentials. Many of these are things that parents don’t realize they’ll need until they need them right now.  Summer Infant has put together a great little Baby’s Health and Grooming Kit.  It’s got all the little things you need when your little one gets sick:

• thermometer
• nasal aspirator
• medicine spoon
• medicine dropper
• alcohol swabs
• emergency card

as well as equipment to keep him looking good enough for a magazine cover:

emery boards

nail clipper

comb and brush set

All of this comes in a durable hard case.   The case is compact enough to fit into a dresser drawer–you might even want to keep one at Grandma’s house for easy access during your visits.

BASKET OF BARGAINS

20% off Beach Towels at Cost Plus World Market
Discounts will appear on item pages.
Valid through: June 13, 2010
See other Cost Plus World Market coupons!

15% off select Travel Games at Shop.Mattel.com
Discount will appear in your shopping cart.
Valid through: June 12, 2010
See other Mattel coupon codes!