When a woman becomes pregnant there are several “How to” books in order to take care of your infant. Even if a new mother has not had experience there are different places she can go to find the answer. What about the person who is taking care of an infant or toddler while mother is away? Does the babysitter or nanny now how to do these things as well? Many parents check nannies and babysitters for their qualifications before hiring them. One thing parents may want to consider in hiring a babysitter or nanny is whether they can correctly change a diaper. Correctly using wipes is a part of this. Here are some hints for those who are new to taking care of infants even if you are not a mother: Be sure to wipe the child from front to back. This is done to prevent infection. Even if a child has only wet him or herself, it is still important to wipe for the infants hygiene. It is important to use hypoallergenic wipes for the baby and make sure the wipes are intended for wiping a baby’s bottom. Other wipes could cause a rash or other health problems for the child.

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“Your carpet is one of the largest surfaces in your home – and a hidden cause for illness. “

According to Dr. Jonathan Bernstein, professor of medicine at the University of Cincinnati, “Floor coverings are a major reservoir for indoor and outdoor allergens, including animal dander and dust mites.” He further adds, “And certain carpet materials give off gaseous volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which can cause headaches and respiratory problems for susceptible people.”

We spend so much time cleaning our home and going out of our way in this health-conscious age to make sure we’re as fit and healthy as possible. This is doubly the case for allergy sufferers who feel like they’re walking on egg shells trying to avoid any allergens. So naturally it comes as a surprise that the thing we’re walking could be such a host for all things creepy and crawly.

What’s in Your Carpet?

Dust

Dust is the worst allergen in any household because it’s nearly invisible. What you see on your furniture is only a collected version of what’s constantly filtering through the air you breathe. However, there are some actually some simple measures to take which can help eliminate the dust in your home, such as:
• Getting rid of all carpets. If this is not possible, make sure you vacuum and clean your carpets regularly. And, if you’ve rugs on hardwood flooring, you need to remember to have them cleaned or washed frequently.
• Getting covers for mattresses and pillows. Covers can be cleaned easily, and can protect from dust build-up.
• Washing and steam cleaning sheets, drapes and blinds often.
Using a HEPA filter in your furnace, and making sure to change it regularly.

Pet Dander

Many more people are actually allergic to their pets than they realize since many allergies develop over time. There are some pet-friendly habits you can easily keep up with, including:
• Keep pets out of your bedroom by either closing the door or using baby gates.
• As soon as you’ve hugged or cuddled with your pet, clean your clothes with a lint roller. Go around and remove all fur and hair from furniture and blankets.
• Don’t have carpets if at all possible, but if you can’t get rid of them, make sure you vacuum regularly.

Pollen

Pollen isn’t only found outside – it can be brought indoors on clothing, hair and pets. Take extra care to keep it out of your house, especially during peak pollen season.
• Bathe pets often.
• Again, use a HEPA filter in your home, and make sure it’s changed frequently.
• Don’t hang bedding and clothes outside to dry.
• Don’t leave windows and doors open.

Mold

You can find mold in many places in your home, but chances are there will be a lot more mold in your house than you’re even aware of. Mold can grow in places that you can’t see, but can cause a lot of problems for those living in the home. One very common place for mold is in your carpet, especially under the carpet and in the padding where water may have leaked to undetected.

What You Can Do

Clean – It’s such a simple answer, right? But truly, cleaning is one of the main ways to just keep allergens and contaminates under control. One of the biggest mistakes people make is not cleaning their carpet, simply because it ‘looks’ clean. However looking clean and being clean are two different things.

You should ideally be vacuuming your home at least once a week – more if you have young kids or heavy traffic. Make sure you have a vacuum with a HEPA filter. One vacuum that you might want to consider is the Bissell 5770 Upright Vacuum Cleaner with multi-cyclonic technology, microban antimicrobal protection, and an airetight HEPA filtration system.

Low Pile Rugs vs. Plush Rugs – Because it’s more difficult to remove allergens from large plush rugs, those seeking to reduce in-home allergens may want to get low-pile rugs. Low-pile rugs have fewer allergens stuck to them – the same is true for natural materials. Try favoring rugs made of natural fibers such as cotton, hemp or sea grass.

Green Carpet – When you’re getting carpet for an entire room, it’s important to look for natural fibers, like wool, or synthetic products that have earned the Green Label or Green Label Plus from the Carpet and Rug Institute, which ensures that floor coverings have low-VOC emissions.

Two sides of the problem – Thorough cleaning helps control allergen levels, so vacuum at least once a week with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter. (Flip area rugs over and vacuum on the back, as well as the front.) Professionally clean wall-to-wall and area carpeting once a year. Some cleaning agents are now nontoxic, says Gene Cole, Ph.D., professor of environmental health science at Brigham Young University.

Air it – If you do end up with a floor covering that reeks, there is no need to panic. Most carpet gets rid of VOCs within several weeks, says Richard Shaughnessy, Ph.D., director of the Indoor Air Program at the University of Tulsa. (Just make sure that the adhesives used to install wall-to-wall carpet are no- or low-VOC.) To help, crack open a window to let in some fresh air. If you have a new area rug, store it in the garage or basement until the odor is gone.

Getting rid of allergens completely is impossible, but it’s very easy to get the problem under control if you have the right tools and if you’re well-informed on what to look for.

About the Guest Poster:Shireen Shah is an indoor air quality expert with www.Air-Conditioner-Home..Com, and can be reached at shireen@air-conditioner-home.com

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You have read practically every book on baby…what name you can give him or her, what to do when baby does this or does that, what symptoms to watch out for, how to raise a brighter and more emotionally intelligent child, etc. But nothing, absolutely nothing, can prepare you for the reality of having a child. You realize that you still have so much to learn…and you will discover that with each new day, you have learned something new about your baby, and in fact, even about yourself.

As a brand new parent, you will always panic, especially when your week-old baby starts to cry. And nothing that you do seems to make baby stop crying. Here are ten time-tested tips on how to wipe your baby’s physical and emotional troubles away. Because somehow, when your baby’s troubles are wiped away, especially in the first three months, your own anxieties and troubles seem to disappear too.

1. Let daddy play an active role in caring for your newborn baby. It is often very reassuring to know that someone is more nervous and anxious than you. And very often, he provides a welcome new touch for baby.
2. Crying is your baby’s way of talking…expressing a physical or emotional need. Always answer…do not ignore her.
3. Rubbing your baby’s stomach with baby oil is a good way to soothe her. Rub her gently with love and care.
4. When baby is awake, do not be afraid to hold her against your shoulder. This is especially useful, after feeding the baby to avoid gas in the stomach.
5. Talk to your baby; sing to your baby…especially as you transfer her from one position to another. Your voice is a source of comfort and reassurance to her. Remember also, that until your baby is about eight months old, she cannot control her head or muscles. So always support her body all the time. Make sure her head does not flop or her limbs dangle.
6. Indulge your child with physical play. You can do the following with a three-month old child…let her face the world, sit her astride your hip, rock her to and fro.
7. When baby cries, especially in the first month, it is often because she is hungry. You are not spoiling her. In the uterus, she was continually being fed.
8. Top and tail means cleaning and refreshing your baby. Using a bowl of cooled boiled water and baby cotton wipes:
   • Wipe each eye from the nose upwards.
   • Wipe the outer part of the ear. For the inner part, use cotton wipes.
   • Wipe your baby’s face of any milk remnants. Wipe around mouth and nose.
   • Wipe neck creases.
   • Wipe under her arms. Uncurl her fists and wash.
   • Wipe your baby’s nappy area. Always wipe a girl’s genitals from front to back. Never pull back a boy’s foreskin.
9. You can bathe your baby everyday. But if baby does not seem to enjoy a bath in the beginning, you can initiate her into enjoying a bath by topping and tailing her, as explained in No.8.
10. Use baby cotton wipes in applying lotion, cream or baby oil on your baby’s sensitive skin.

Yes, as parents, you have the most wonderful job in the world; that of shaping a human being. And the most remarkable thing about this job is that it is not about doing everything right, or knowing every rearing skill, or using the right technique, or having all the answers. Just the love, caring and the effort to do your best is enough or your children to sustain them through their growing years and throughout their lifetime.

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