Parent-2-be Tip-of-the-week: Take a vacation before baby is born

Your friends and family may have mentioned this to you, but you shrugged it off. We'll say it again, take a vacation, even a weekend getaway, before baby is born. You will enjoy the relaxing time before the stresses and sleep deprivation of new parenthood set in. Many couples fear traveling with baby and often avoid it so you will be glad you took the trip if you don't think you will be traveling again for a while.

If you have children already, you may choose to take your children to spend some great family time before your new arrival debuts or you may choose to travel as just a couple. Parents often forget to take that very important couple time after they begin having children. If you have reliable, trustworthy child care, take advantage of the couple time. If strengthens your relationship and offers you time to focus on each other without the daily demands of caring for a child/children.

Of course, as with anything, check with your doctor to confirm it is okay to travel. If you are traveling by car, stop every hour to stretch your legs and walk around so you reduce the risk of blood clots. If you are traveling by plane, choose an aisle seat so it will be easier to excuse yourself when you need to use the restroom and will also allow you to walk, again to reduce your risk of developing blood clots in your legs. Mommy-2-be should also drink more water than usual to keep yourself hydrated.

Now, book a room and relax--it will be your last time to do nothing for several weeks!

Great sale through this weekend!!

Hi Bloggers!

Since we have been behind on blogging due to issues on the homefront, we are going to offer free shipping on all purchases over $50 through this weekend. Discount is automatically applied at checkout. Discount good on shipments in the US only.

Have a great rest of the week!

Parent tip-of-the-week: Mini bag for your car

If you are like many parents, you received a mini diaper bag for a baby gift. However, it seems when you first start out, all of that 'stuff' just won't fit in such a little bag, even for a quick trip. You can still put those mini bags to good use. Stock a mini bag with 2-3 diapers, wipes (stored in a ziploc bag so they don't dry out), onesie, receiving blanket, change of clothes and a plastic bag. You can also include a pacifier and empty bottle if baby uses them, or any other necessity you may need away from home. Breastfeeding moms may want to include nursing pads. Now stash this bag in your car, truck or van for emergencies. You don't have to worry about running out of diapers or having a messy outfit without a change of clothes. We have a bag in each of our vehicles and they have come in handy on many occasions. Just don't forget to change out clothing and diaper sizes and baby grows!

Checking in...

Hi BR2BH blog readers!

We hope everyone is safe and well after the bad weather that has ripped through the U.S. this week. It has been a pretty crazy week for our family, as we were affected by the storms that ravaged our area. We have been out most of the week trying to clean up and salvage what could be saved. Rest assured, all orders are still being shipped on time, most next business day and all emails are being answered promptly. However, we have not posted any new items to our site or to our blog. We hope things settle down a little bit next week and we will have more to post.

We do have a special offer this week and we also have our parent company's Grand Opening. Enter the voucher code 'blogit' for 10% off of your order at Belly Rubs 2 Baby Hugs. Shop our parent company's site, SupermommysSuperstore.com, and receive a coupon for 10% off of a future purchase.

See you next week!

Parent-2-Be Tip of the Week -- Return to work mid-week

Like many parents-to-be, you may be thinking about your maternity/paternity leave and planning how long you would like to be off. First of all, be sure to contact your employer or employer's human resources department to confirm your employer's medical leave policy and if you qualify for FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act). Once you have your employer's information in hand, plan how long you would like to be off from work, adjust your finances to accommodate this leave, then notify your employer of your plans. Make sure you and your employer are in agreement so you will have a job to return to post baby. Of course, unless you having a scheduled birth, your delivery day may change but at least your employer will be prepared for your leave.

Okay, I'm sure you've already heard most, if not all, of the above information. One thing most parents do not take into consideration is the day of the week they return to work. This was not something anyone told us about or offered any great tips on so we just did what we thought would work. However, when that Monday came for my husband to return to work, the trying times set in and I thought 'I have the whole week to do this solo.' Then came time for me to go back and the thought changed to 'I have to do this all week'. We quickly realized that a Monday return is not the best choice for neither Mom or Dad's return unless you are lucky enough to have someone come over and help out. We weren't that lucky! :(

So when baby arrives and you call to tell your boss when you will be returning, make sure it is a mid-week return. This eases you back into the work routine and makes time away from baby a little more bearable because you know the weekend is coming soon. It is also easier for breastfeeding moms because it is less stressful to return for a couple of days than an entire week. Less stress means less of an impact on mom's milk supply, too.

Enjoy those early days with baby, take notes, take even more pictures and remember, you can do this!