Update: I just fixed the comments so that you don’t need to log in to comment. Just your name and email is sufficient.
I’m so excited to be participating once again with the Nester’s Semi-Annual Giveaway Day. Your chances of winning are fantasic since I will be selecting 5 winners! It’s easy to enter to win one of our great products, simply leave a comment with a tip for a baby (I’m due in 2 weeks!) or tell what you’d like to win or both. Also you’ll want to “like” The Grocery Shrink on facebook. You can be updated on our new blog posts easily that way.
The giveaway is open from April 5th through Midnight on Sunday April 10th. I’ll select the winners Monday morning and notify everyone.
Here’s what I’m giving away:
1. 3 Winners will receive one of my Ebook trio sets! These normally sell for $12 each, but the value is much greater. Here’s what you’ll learn:
A new shopping and thinking method to feed your family for $50 per person per month, how to apply the ideas to a debt free Christmas, and 31 tested Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes for busy nights.
2. 2 more Winners will receive a $20 gift card to my Etsy store. You’ll find sewing patterns for nursing and maternity, ebooks, and ready-made baby slings in designer twill prints.
take good care of YOU so you can take good care of the baby (ies) 🙂
Always put socks in a zipped lingerie bag that can be purchased at Dollar Tree for – you guessed it – $1.00. I always had a problem with odd socks because the socks would stick to the fuzzy pj’s – no more – simply put all of the socks in a zipper bag and wash. No more odd socks 🙂
Here’s a baby tip I thought was cool: when your baby (probably eating some solids by then) has one of those horrific diapers (the kind that makes you wonder if they’ve been eating tar and sand) put a squirt of baby oil on the wipe before wiping them and the nastiness comes off MUCH easier, and you don’t have to use as many wipes! It would also help moisturize the baby’s bum if they had diaper rash!
When our last child was born, our oldest was 13 yrs old. I quickly found a fan or a noisemaker ( makes ocean sounds, etc.) was very useful to allow the rest of our children to interact and not disturb the baby. It worked well since the last one’s crib had to be in my bedroom for a year. And the fan just moved with him when he moved to another bedroom. I also had to have a fan after that to help me drown out noises!! It has come in very handy for me to sleep when our college-age boys return home and stay up late with friends some weekends!
Hold your baby close as long as you can! They get big way to fast!
Babies and sleep: now there’s an important topic. I’ve learned that if Baby sleeps in the daytime in a naturally lit room, he or she will sleep better in the nighttime. This is because the body secretes melatonin, which helps us sleep well (us of all ages!) and deeply, only in the dark. But if you take a nap in the dark (Baby included), your body will secret melatonin then, and have less available for nighttime sleep! Not what we’re looking for!
So not darkening the baby’s room for his or her daytime sleep times will help him sleep better at night, when the room should be as dark as you and he feel comfortable with, so that it will be dark enough for the body to know it’s time for some of that sleep-inducing/enhancing melatonin.
Happy new baby!
If I win, I’d like the Etsy certificate, please!
Babies are far more adaptable than most people realize…..not to take advantage of that quality in them, of course……but don’t worry if they have to miss a nap on Sun morning to get thru Church (when they’re toddlers, etc.). Would think of more examples, but I’m exhausted from chasing toddlers all day. 😉
Thanks for entering us.
Take finger nail clippers to the hospital with you. My first born had long nails when he was born and ended up scratching his poor face and the hospital would not trim them for me. Said they couldn’t do that. Also enjoy every minute, it goes by so fast and sleep when they sleep. Accept meals and help! Good luck.
I really enjoying reading your blog. My tip would be to always take lots of pictures, because babies as you know grow up so FAST!!!
I’d love to win the Ebook trio set!! So much good info!
Hopefully hubby can spoil you during this time!!! Lots of rest, lots of prayer, loads of love! And don’t worry about your readers, we understand and only want the very best for you and your family 🙂
My 4 boys are grown and I am expecting grandies…the best advice I can give is to love them….and watch them sleep.
I love reading your blog and you are a great person and inspiration. It sounds like you probably have the baby thing down pat, but for what it’s worth: Babies get sore after being held and passed around alot, so expect a cranky baby the day after you’ve been around a lot of family and/or friends, such as Monday, after being at church on Sunday. Best wishes!
from a mom of 6: Breast feed your baby!! Breast feed your baby!! Whatever it takes to make it happen, if the world collapses around you, ignore it and breastfeed that baby!! La Leche League is a great help, either at a meeting or online. the breastfeeding has benefited my children all through there lives. They were sick less as children, and are sick less as adults. Not to mention insanely cheaper and better for you!!
I love not having a period for a year the first year after the baby was born because of nursing! Different for everyone, but many often have no period while nursing. (no pacifiers are good to keep periods away as well!)
Make up the baby’s bed with mattress pad sheet and mattress pad and sheet again.Then if there is a mess in the middle of the night take off the first set and the second clean set is already done.: )
I would love to win the $20 for your Etsy store!
Well you probably have more tips for me then me to you but here I go: When you wash “pooppy” diapers/clothes put a cup of baking soda in the washer along with your detergent and you will not have those ugly hard to take off yellow stains. Thank you for all of your tips I have learned a lot the pass 2 weeks since I joined your site, God bless you and your baby.
My best baby tip:
Use mesh laundry bags to keep and wash baby socks and other small bibs, etc. Keep one bag to toss the dirty socks in and just throw it in the washer and dryer. Use a giant safety pin or ribbon to mark which one is dirty. Then you just move the pin. You don’t have to worry about a mid-matched pair because they’re all kept together!
Once baby comes there are SO many better uses of time then matching and folding those tiny socks 🙂
The best thing anyone has ever told me was a tip for diaper rash–mix Aquaphor with Maalox and apply to baby’s skin–the Maalox helps “seal” the skin. Works like a charm!
Make time for the older children to little helpers for mom, along with having one on one time with the baby and each sibling. Again, nothing that you don’t already know….
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During the tough, exhausting moments, remember that this too shall pass.
Sleep when baby sleeps as often as you can. The
housework can wait until later.
I just had my 7th child, Jeremiah Thomas is now 5 months old. My tip is making your own baby food. I just posted about this on my blog. Last weekend I spent about 2 hours while holding Jeremiah the entire time and made all of his first foods which will last about 3 months. I made butternut squash, sweet potato, applesauce, pears and bananas. I can not believe how easy this was, and I feel great feeding it to him since it is just fruit or veggie and water!!!! I gave detailed plans on my blog about how to do this, check it out you won’t regret making your own baby food. Not to mention the money saved. Michelle frugalredneck.blogspot.com
When the baby is old enough to eat solids, use a washcloth instead of a paper towel or napkin. Then you not only have something to wipe them off with but you also have a great clean up rag for the chair or table that is reuseable. Congrats!
When using cloth diapers, before pinning them together, twist the front. Cross your arms and grab opposite corners and uncross them. Make sure the crossed diaper is flat and comfy. It gives baby wonderful fit and also provides extra padding for wetting!
Just enjoy it! Every single minute with that baby should be cherished. When it seems like you can’t go on one more night with no sleep that stage will be over and you’ll be headed for the next one. They grow up so, so quickly.
Oh my lil one is 2 1/2 and my tip for you is enjoy every moment you can, but take any and hlep that is offered. And sleep when the baby sleeps or you will not sleep at all. I would love to win the e book trio. Good luck and Congrats.
Bring one of your favorite tank tops to the hospital with you. You don’t have to wear that gown 🙂
I was so happy to have just a little color and feel so frumpy in those gowns. Plus they are easy to wear and nurse.
No tip…except to enjoy the smell of a baby!
Write a letter to the baby on the day of delivery. Save it to give as a gift on their 18th or 21st birthday.
Many Blessings!
Don’t wake a sleeping baby!
Your books look amazing, I have not written them into my budget yet, so winning them would be a blessing. Thanks
One way to know if your baby is warm enough is if you are cold and put on a sweater then you need to add a layer of clothing or a blanket and if your too warm and remove a layer, then you need to take a layer of clothing off your baby.
Also, in the beginning, whenever the baby is sleeping, then you need to sleep or at leat rest during those times or you won’t get the sleep you need, especially if your nursing. Chores can wait but babies change from day to day…don’t miss all of the changes because you’ll never get that time back.
Good luck, Blessings and prayers for you and your baby during your delivery and for when you get home that all things fall into place and you will be able to enjoy you new Blessing.
Don’t forget to make time for you and your husband. Even the smallest amount of time with him will definitely show him that you still love and care about him too…. Enjoy the last few moments of your pregnancy and remind your other children that you still love them too….Congratulations!
Don’t use harsh alcohol baby wipes, just a wet rag works great. Treat diaper rash with corn starch. Use late night nursing times as an opportunity to pray for your husband. This relationship can be tense when baby is demanding so much time, and prayer can reconnect you in a very important way.
Sing to your baby! It will help calm, get rid of wiggles during changing, concentrate on feeding, etc. Sing songs you know, make up new words, make up new tunes. My son hated having his nose cleaned and he stills loves the song “Boogies in your nose” sung to “Farmer in the Dell”.
Always greet your baby with a smile on your face and before you know it your baby will always greet you with a beautiful smile too.
take lots of photos, and then more again, because they grow up too quickly…i have 6 kids so any money saving book would be fabulous….good luck with you baby…oh and for the record, I enjoyed every one of my labours…crazy hey!!!xxx
Want to know whether your baby is too hot or too cold?
Don’t go by your own body temperature (it is deceptive, and you might be having a bad day, so your temperature is UP).
Don’t worry about baby’s cold hands or feet as indicators, always place your hand on baby’s stomach.
Your clever brain will say “hot” or “cold”, so then you updress or downdress your precious baby according to the temperature of their stomach.
This is sound good advice from an Australian grandma.
This is sound, good advice from a grandma in Australia.
Forgive yourself now for not being perfect then. I wrote a message to myself that I found later and it made me feel reassured. I wrote I love you and you are a good mom.
Also take care of YOU!! If you lose it your family will suffer anyway
This poem was framed in my youngest child’s room – she is now 26 and it is still there:
You may have riches and wealth untold
Baskets of silver and caskets of gold
But richer than I you will never be
For I have a mother who reads to me.
Hi Angela
When changing my babies daiper, I always used cornstarch instead of talcum powder or creams. I just used a small spice container with the sprinkle top (the kind with holes on top) safe, cheap and natural.
All the best.
I am so enjoying your newsletters and tips. I first saw you on 700 Club. Enjoy your new baby! 🙂
Love it!
congraatulations!
Clip baby’s nails while he/she is slepping. Housework will always be there, but baby is baby only for a short time!
Use the plastic bags the newspaper comes in for dirty diapers as it saves you money and you also recycle. Susan
Between 3 & 4 months after baby is born, my husband and I would pick a night to forgo the middle of the night feeding (1-3ish). I needed him to keep me strong! Each baby (5 of them) didn’t cry for long and taught themselves to self soothe. This way I got a whole nights sleep which is helpful for sanity and general happiness :-).
I’ve been blessed with 6 children, the youngest of which is now 9. I think back on all the things I would want to share with someone that I learned during my baby times…there is so much!! And it goes all too fast. It seems one moment you are in the rush and flurry of diapers, feedings, laundry, naps and not enough hours and suddenly those days are gone and you wonder how they could be passed! Cherish each moment, ESPECIALLY love and cherish those “dreaded” middle of the night feedings. They became my special meeting time with the Lord. A time to talk with Him, sing quietly His praise, and pray for this little soul He had blessed me with. It can be such a sweet time with God and your baby…without the noise and interruptions of the day:)
Make sure you spend lots of time talking to your baby and looking at their precious face. It is good bonding time.
I just had my third, a boy, in June 2009 and have two girls, 14 & 16. Needless to say, his baby book is not quite as complete as the girls’ books! I found that keeping a small notebook in my purse (aka the diaper bag) or my car helped me to record little things as I remembered them or as they happened — at daycare? the store? in the car? It just takes a moment to jot down little notes in your notebook which you can then transfer to the official baby book when you have a spare moment! Best wishes with the new baby! I’d love either giveaway!!
Trust your God-given motherly instincts. Even now as a mother of four, at times I may have doubts as to whether I’m doing the right thing, but have confidence in yourself as a mother & trust that you will do what’s best for your baby. No one is perfect, but know that the love you have for your baby is what matters the most :).
I pray God’s best for your family & you!