1. Start Early

Hate that daily battle? Here’s how and when to brush your toddler’s teeth

The perfect time to have your child learn about brushing teeth is as soon as those baby teeth start coming in. Be gentle and careful, and introduce them to a soft toothbrush that they can munch on. About the age of two is when you’ll want to help them brush their own teeth. It might be a little messy, but that is a small price to pay for good oral health.

2. Make It A Game

Brushing teeth doesn’t have to be a tedious process. Try making a game out of keeping your child’s mouth clean. Use your imagination. Maybe the toothbrush is a train and your kid’s teeth make up the track. Now your kid can choo-choo their teeth clean.

3. Race the Time

3 Great Ideas To Make Brushing Teeth Fun for Kids

Get a small sand timer for your child to watch while they brush their teeth. Let them flip the timer to start the time and then they can watch the sand flow out while they brush their teeth. This gives them something to do and something else to pay attention to besides the brush in their mouth.

4. Incentives

If you have a child that can be incentivized then you might consider doing some sort of chart where if your child brushes consistently for a whole week straight then they earn something. This could be a toy from a toy chest or if you want to stick with the teeth theme they could earn a new flavor of toothpaste or a cool new toothbrush.

5. Fun Toothbrush/paste

The best toothpaste for kids

Speaking of a cool toothbrush, it might help your child to be interested in brushing their teeth if they like their toothbrush and toothpaste. Having a toothbrush with Paw Patrol on it instead of just a plain blue one can make a huge difference to an obstinant toddler.

6. Never Use Scare Tactics

This isn’t necessarily to help your kid brush their teeth, but it will save you a world of headache at their next pediatric dental appointment. Never tell their children that if they don’t brush their teeth then they’ll have to go to the dentist. This will just make them afraid of their dentist, which won’t be fun to deal with in the long run.  

7. Be A Good Example

Brush your teeth at the same time as your kid. This will help them to see that even big people need to keep their teeth clean. If you aren’t actually ready to brush your teeth for the night, you can always forgo the toothpaste and just act like your brushing your teeth.

Every child is different so what works for one might not work for another. The key is to stay consistent and positive. Compliment them on how good they are at brushing their teeth as you teach them to make good oral hygiene a part of their daily routine.

The post 7 Ways to Help Your Kids Brush Their Teeth appeared first on InstantELLA.

Eat/Drink

3 Great Benefits of the Keto Diet

This may sound strange but you are going to have to remind yourself to eat. Taking care of a new little bundle of life is extremely time-consuming and it’s easy to forget about yourself amongst the burping and soothing. Have a few snacks lying around that you can easily reach if you get stuck under a sleeping baby. Also, try to keep a water bottle handy so you can stay hydrated, especially if you are breastfeeding. If mama isn’t fed she won’t be able to produce food for her baby.

Hormones

What Messes With Sleep Patterns

Feeling like a total and complete emotional mess after giving birth is okay. Just remind yourself, “it’s not me it’s my hormones,” because honestly, that’s exactly what it is. Sitting on the couch and crying about absolutely nothing is totally normal in your position. Don’t feel ashamed. If you need to, grab your partner, mom or friend and just let it all out. They may not totally understand, but it will be good for you to talk about it instead of keeping it all bundled up inside.

Bleeding

5 Amazing Ways That Robots Are Being Used In Medicine

This is something that many women don’t talk about, but probably should. After you give birth you will bleed for weeks, not just days. At first, it will be a lot of blood to the point that you’ll either need enormous pads or an adult diaper. It’s normal and it’s healthy so don’t worry, just be prepared.

Nursing

4 Foods Where You Should Go Non-GMO

People can shout all day long that breast is best, but that doesn’t change the fact that it isn’t a walk in the park. You may not produce enough milk to fill up your baby and that’s alright. You’re not failing as a mother. Formula is an amazing thing and it’s more important that your baby is healthy and fed than that they solely drink breast milk.

If your breasts are feeling swollen or are developing sores, you are not alone. Some women can pick up nursing with ease, but know that those people are few and far between. You are not alone in your pain. Ask other mommy friends what they did to soothe themselves. It’s not a weird question, it’s an honest one and they’ll be more than happy to help you out.

Sleep

Sleep And Your Health

People will tell you to sleep when your baby sleeps, but sometimes your baby doesn’t sleep. They take 15-minute naps during the day and party all night which equals one tired mama. This is normal for them, but terribly exhausting for you. Most people love snuggling new babies so when someone says, “Let me know if you need any help,” you need to respond, “when would you like to come over and hold my baby?” This is your chance to catch a nap and maintain a little sanity.

Bathroom

Image Source

This is another thing that is rarely talked about except in jokes. After giving birth your muscles are spent. They just worked double time to push a child out of you and sometimes they just give up after that. Some women wet themselves more often than they’d ever like to admit. Sometimes your body just needs to get its strength back, but that isn’t always the case. If it’s been a few months after you’ve given birth and you’re still having a hard time holding it then you’ll want to speak with a specialist.

Don’t beat yourself up. You just created life with your body. You are amazing and your baby is lucky to have you. Just remember to take care of yourself so you can take care of your baby. Showering is important. Eating is important. You got this mama.

The post The Things They Don’t Tell You About Post-Pregnancy appeared first on InstantELLA.