Category Archives: Life

Life, Lifestyle, Parenting

How to Choose the Types of Baby Carriers for Dads

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It’s hard to argue with the convenience of a stroller when you want to enjoy a walk with your baby. But not every car or home can fit in the bulk of a stroller. And in some locations, transporting your baby in a stroller just isn’t a good idea altogether.

Luckily, you have the time-tested tradition of baby wearing to tap into. And you don’t even have to worry much about choosing the wrong baby carrier, since they’re all checked for safety. All you have to do is navigate through the multiple types of baby carriers for dads out there.

Our guide will help you do just that.

Why Use a Baby Carrier to Begin With?

Opting for a baby carrier instead of a stroller comes with a number of unique advantages. With a baby carrier, you can:

  • Squeeze in a workout When you’re using a baby carrier, you’re essentially doing a loaded carry with the weight of your child. That’s some cardio and core training right there. You can even do squats, good mornings, or lunges – all without spending a minute away from your baby.
  • Keep your baby calm and relaxed According to research, carrying your baby for just a few hours during the day helps minimize crying in the evening. And it also makes your baby a lot less agitated in general. This is clearly good for the baby’s fragile nervous system.
  • Free up your hands Caring after an infant is a lot of work. But it’s not like all the other chores suddenly get canceled. A baby carrier keeps your child close as your hands stay free to handle other tasks. Be it doing the dishes or taking care of other kids, you won’t feel torn apart.
  • Help your baby enjoy more comfort In some places, you may be hard pressed to find a decent seat for your child. After all, infants aren’t exactly capable of sitting on regular chairs. A baby carrier makes for a wonderful alternative to a high chair, making your child feel comfy.

Besides these benefits, a baby carrier allows you to foster a deeper bond with your child. As you spend more time close to your infant, you lay a solid foundation of your parent-child relationship. And this exact bond works magic later, when you face the challenges of raising a child. Let’s take a look at what type of baby carrier is the best fit for you.

Main Types of Baby Carriers for Dads to Check Out

There are several types of baby carriers to pick from that are designed for dads. Each comes with its own pros and cons:

  • Soft structured Versatile and convenient, soft structured baby carriers work well for infants and toddlers alike. Featuring buckles and straps, as well as padding, they are easy to adjust exactly as your child needs. They require tweaking to fit in the youngest babies, though.
  • Hard structured This type of baby carrier may not be as adjustable as soft structured alternatives. But it’s ideal for times that call for a longer trip, such as when you go hiking with your child. Hard structured baby carriers feature a frame that makes them more reliable.
  • Soft wrap In essence, a soft wrap baby carrier is a long piece of stretchy fabric that you fasten around your body. While it’s highly adjustable, a soft wrap baby carrier takes more time than other types to get the hang of. And it also isn’t suitable for older infants.
  • Woven wrap Similar to soft wrap alternatives, woven wrap baby carriers are long pieces of material that you wrap around your body. The fabric they’re made of is tighter, though. This makes woven wrap baby carriers well-suited for larger and older infants or toddlers.
  • Ring sling Much like the previous type, ring sling baby carriers are made of a tight non-stretchy material. Worn on a shoulder, they secure your baby inside a pocket-like opening in the fabric, that adjusts easily. While they’re easy to use, they’re hard to carry for longer periods of time.
  • Meh dai Originally coming from East-Asia, meh dai – or mei tai – baby carriers use a flat piece of fabric with four straps. You tie two straps around your waist and the other two around your shoulders. Though highly adjustable, meh dai carriers suit younger and lighter infants better.

Which one do you choose? It depends on a few key factors.

What Key Factors Should You Keep in Mind?

Before zeroing in on the type of baby carrier, ask yourself these key questions:

  • What carry position are you planning to use? Some baby carriers support no more than one carry position, while others let you tap into a few.
  • How much does your baby weigh? Baby carriers aren’t one-size-fits-all. Some of them only work for smaller babies. Others can fit in larger infants and toddlers. And some carriers are suitable for a range of weights.
  • Is this baby carrier healthy for your baby? No matter the type, a baby carrier must allow your infant’s knees and hips to assume a healthy “M” position.
  • Does it meet basic safety requirements? Most baby carriers are tested for compliance with safety requirements. But these standards are changing all the time. Safest baby carriers meet the most recent regulations.

In addition, remember that more expensive doesn’t always equal better. Checking with the above criteria is more important than looking at the price tag. Imagine your frustration if you broke your budget over a baby carrier that wouldn’t be a good fit.

Finally, make sure the baby carrier that you go with is easy to clean. This one is self-explanatory but many parents forget this point. Some baby carriers may look promising, but only until your baby puts them through a “trial by combat.”

We hope our guide has helped you zoom in on just the type of baby carrier you need.

Life, Lifestyle, Tips

Considerations for Home Extensions and Renovations

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As the family grows you might need to add a study or increase the size of your kitchen and bathroom area, or even work with your local pool builder to put a pool in your back garden, and might be thinking that this is going to be an expensive thing to do. However, there are many inexpensive and simple ways to improve the quality of your house. Many houses have spouses using the bathrooms only after one has finished using it. Some have houses where all children are using one single room or some have to share a bathroom with their guest. In these cases, people generally opt for a home extension.

Tips to Consider While Extending Your House or Renovation

Everyone wants to change these features in their house. You might think that adding a new extension to your home is difficult because there are a lot of legalities you need to think about, including the money to do the changes. Not only this, but you also need to find a local builder capable enough to take on your project. It’s vital you Learn More about the builders in your area before choosing one, as some may have a better reputation than others. Here are some more things you need to consider:

  • Property Lines: Measure the property lines and prepare a plan of extension which includes the original house plan as well which has the landscape and the location containing the utilities. All these are important as the local laws have a particular restriction in regard to how close any one’s property can be to their neighbor’s says this website.
  • Design According to What Suits Your Current Floor Plan: Always go by the structure and the design of your floor. Consult with an interior designer or an architect and design the extension according to your need. You can make it attractive or useful as per your wish. You should not just add a room to your house, always consider the look of the house from outside as well.
  • Plan: Before starting the extension or renovation create a detailed plan of the extension. Always have the materials and the people working to get the extension ready before you start the work. You should always think of the details when planning an extension because you might not want to lose time gathering the materials. Make a list of materials and have a couple of choices handy. Pick the ones you like the best for the work. You may find that the material which you have chosen is not in your budget. So, decide if you still want to go with the choice or if you can go with the second material you had liked.
  • Cost: Everyone wants the best materials when planning for home extension. However, until you have a bag loaded with money you will have to make compromises. A survey conducted by researchers found out that an average home addition costs about $40,000 and a high-end extension would cost up to $150,000 approximately. Always keep your budget a bit higher if you are leaving inn an expensive area or if there are heavy slopes. Consult with four to five contractors and choose from the list of people you think are capable and experience enough to do the work for you. Take bids and check the price they offer to complete the work. Never go for the lowest bidder as they might not be good enough. Check for hidden costs while dealing with them.
Food, Going Healthy, Life, Parenting

Making Sure Your Family Have Healthy Balanced Diets

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diets, family, health, kids, parenting, healthy food
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When you have a family, you take on the responsibility of ensuring that everyone remains as fit and healthy as possible. But knowing where to start can be relatively difficult. Of course, numerous factors play into well being – ranging from exercise to mental wellness. But for now, let’s focus on diet and what we consume!

Managing Calorie Consumption

The first step that you need to take into consideration to make sure that everyone’s getting what they need from their daily diet is to effectively manage everyone’s calorie consumption. Now, you don’t have to be hyper-vigilant and excessively strict with this. If your family goes slightly above or below their recommended calories every now and then, it’s not the end of the world. You just need to make sure that everyone’s having roughly the right amount the majority of the time. Calories can be spread across meals and snacks and will vary depending on your age and lifestyle. The below list will give you a good idea of where different family members should be though!

  • Children aged 2 to 8 – 1000 to 1400 calories
  • Girls aged 9 to 13 – 1400 to 1600 calories
  • Boys aged 9 to 13 – 1600 to 2000 calories
  • Active women aged 14 to 30 – 2400 calories
  • Sedentary women aged 14 to 30 – 1800 to 2000 calories
  • Active men aged 14 to 30 – 2800 to 3200 calories
  • Sedentary men aged 14 to 30 – 2000 to 2600 calories
  • Active adults over 30 – 2000 to 3000 calories
  • Sedentary adults over 30 – 1600 to 2400 calories

Ensuring Everyone Stays Hydrated

A factor we often forget to evaluate in our diets is what we drink. Sure, we don’t chew drinks up and swallow them and we don’t dedicate whole meals around drinks, but they do still contribute to what’s going into our bodies. It’s absolutely essential to ensure that your family are all staying hydrated. This involves drinking around eight glasses of water a day, though the recommendation for younger children could be less. This will keep you hydrated, keep organs functioning well and will prevent issues such as loss of concentration or dry skin. Having a fresh water supply available at all times is essential. Generally speaking, the water system in your home will provide you with this. But you could visit this link for backup water sources too!

Balancing Everyone’s Plate

Everyone’s plate should contain all of the different food groups in appropriate moderation throughout the day. This includes fruit and vegetables, starchy food, dairy or dairy replacement, protein and fats. Avoid cutting any single food group out. Everything works together to keep everyone’s bodies ticking over properly. If you’re struggling to get all of the food groups into your family’s diet, consider consulting a nutritionist who will be able to help! Or, if you’re pressed for time and have the budget, meal delivery plans are an excellent option. Most services come with a variety of options, include key nutrients for a healthy lifestyle and can lend themselves to different diets (e.g. vegan, paleo/keto, etc..).

These are just a few steps that you can do to move towards ensuring your family has healthy and balanced diets. The steps are simple to implement and will quickly become routine when you get into the swing of things!