How to Pick the Right Stroller

If you’re an active parent, you’ll push your child’s stroller around for miles. You might fold and store it hundreds of times. And it’s your child’s special little place for all that time, so you want to get the right kind. While strollers have gotten better over the years, they’ve also become more complicated and diverse, giving parents a lot of options to consider. Here’s some useful information to help you pick the perfect stroller (or two) for you and your child.

HOW MANY ARE IN YOUR PARTY?

An important factor of course is how many small children you have. Many double strollers are available, in side-by-side or tandem configurations. Clearly these are bulkier than single strollers but a lot more manageable than two single strollers! Side-by-side is wider, and harder to get through doors or along busy sidewalks, but they tend to give you better access to your children. Some tandem strollers have a customizable feature that allows you to add or remove the second seat, so you might not need another stroller, ever. And some models allow the rear seat to face you, giving you better access to whichever child needs your attention the most.

JOGGER STROLLER

Jogger strollers are durable and maneuverable, with suspension to absorb shocks, and three large wheels. For extra safety, it’s important that they have a hand brake, a five-point harness and a wrist strap. The large wheels and sturdy frame make these strollers bulkier and harder to fit into smaller cars.

UMBRELLA STROLLER

These strollers are named for their low weight and how well they fold for storage. This convenience comes at a cost, as they aren’t as durable or sturdy as other kinds of strollers. Since they tend to be inexpensive, it’s good to keep one around as a backup.

CAR SEAT CARRIER

These are designed especially to carry your car seat, and can come with it. They often are missing some of the extra features of other strollers.

FEATURES

Here are a few important features your new stroller should have::

• Rain cover
• Cup holders
• Large underbasket for storage
• Easy folding capability
• Adjustable seat angle – to help your child sleep or stay awake

And a few nice extras you may want to pay extra for:

• Adjustable handlebars – in case you and your partner are of different heights
• Handlebar braking. Some brakes have to be manually engaged at each wheel.
• Travel bag
• Bunting for cold weather
• Compatibility with your car seat
• One-handed folding
• Easily removable and washable fabric – accidents will happen

BEFORE YOU BUY

• Test drive if possible. See how easy you find it to operate the stroller. Try some tight turns and stops.
• Ask friends and family for recommendations. Many reviews on Amazon are fake.
• Check the weight capacity. How long will this stroller work for your child?

Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online.

How to Plan a Baby Shower as We Continue to Navigate Through the COVID 19 Pandemic

Baby showers are a lot of fun, but planning one during COVID can be stressful. Here are a few ideas that could make the process easier for you.

Hold Separate Events

If you’re concerned about possible infections, maybe it’s not the best idea to have all your baby shower guests in one place at one time. You could have a separate baby shower for work friends. If you have a lot of family in another state, consider having one shower there and one where you live.

Take It Outside

Outdoor events are much safer than indoor events in terms of infection. If you’re worried about rain, reserve a covered area at a park, or rent a large tent.

Space and Ventilation

The COVID infection risk of an indoor event depends partly on how packed-together everybody is. With a larger venue, guests can spread out. Also, check ahead to see if the venue is well-ventilated, preferably with a HEPA filter or other advanced air purifier. Some indoor venues create a cross-breeze by leaving some doors or windows open, and running fans, which reduces risk.

Spread Out The Refreshments

At many get-togethers, there’s a time where everyone crowds together to get a meal or cake. Avoid this by 1) having snacks instead of a meal, and 2) spreading the foods and drinks out as much as possible so people don’t have to get too close. This will likely require more tables.

Require Masks, Vaccination and/or a Negative Test

One positive recent development is the wide availability of the COVID vaccine, which is free to everyone. If a guest can’t or won’t provide proof of vaccination they can provide proof of a recent negative COVID test. This has the potential to be a bit awkward or even contentious, but as host, it’s your responsibility to keep your guests safe and avoid causing an outbreak. As per masks, make sure to have some available at your party in case anyone forgets theirs. If there’s a gender reveal, you can ask guests to come with either pink or blue masks, indicating their guess.

Have a Drive-by Shower

A newer custom that’s sprung up during the pandemic is the drive-by event, in which the hosts are outdoors, perhaps on a front yard, and guests drive by in a kind of parade or caravan. If you want any time to socialize with the guests without tying up traffic, you need to make an effort to space the guests out, perhaps by giving everyone a limited timeframe in which to drive by.

Just Zoom It

These days it’s easier than ever to be there without going there, via apps like Zoom. People did get burned out on teleconferencing when school and work was remote every day, but those days are over for most of us, and we’re glad to have those apps and to know how to use them.

Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online.

Thanksgiving Foods Your Kids Will Enjoy

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get together with loved ones and enjoy foods that have been part of family tradition for years. But if your kids are a little bit picky about unfamiliar food, this event can put some stress on your plate. Avoid anxiety with some Thanksgiving-appropriate dishes that your kids will enjoy.

TRADITIONAL FARE

Fortunately, there’s such a variety of foods from Thanksgiving traditions across the country that finding some that your kids will enjoy shouldn’t be too hard.

• Turkey – If it’s nice and juicy, most kids will enjoy some turkey. If it’s a little on the dry side, add gravy or cranberry sauce. Most kids prefer white meat over dark but don’t assume. Let them try both.
• Cornish hens – These are like serving a little bitty turkey just for your kid, which can be fun. It also can be expensive and time-consuming if everyone now wants their own Cornish hen. Younger kids will need a little help cutting this one, but older kids should enjoy it. (And it will keep them occupied.)
• Mashed potatoes with gravy – Kids love this stuff.
• Cranberry sauce – This can be a bit tart for some kids, but it’s also sweet and colorful. Let them choose from a couple different kinds. Canned sauce is fine, and available with whole berries and without.
• Rolls with butter – Easy peasy.
• Green beans – Some kids always want to avoid the greens, but green beans with butter, cooked to be not too hard or soft, tends to go over well. Preparing green beans has been a fairly well-known way to have the kids help with dinner. Tell them to snap the “heads” and “tails” off and throw the pieces into separate containers.

MIX IT UP

If traditional Thanksgiving foods don’t appeal to your child, consider some alternatives.

• Turkey nuggets – If your kids love chicken nuggets, they should gobble up turkey nuggets too. Here’s a recipe with a cornflake crust.
• Cream cheese mashed potatoes – Add cream cheese and half-and-half to make your mashed potatoes extra smooth and velvety.
• Macaroni & Cheese – Not exactly traditional holiday fare, but a reliable side. Make it special with a bread crumb topping and some black pepper.

DESSERTS

If your kids aren’t stuffed yet, they’ll probably not need to be talked into dessert, although some kids aren’t too keen on fruit cake, pecan pie or minced meat pie. Here are a few they’re likely to enjoy:

• Pumpkin pie – The taste of fall, pumpkin pie appeals to all. Sweet and creamy, with that special blend of cinnamon, ginger and cloves. (Don’t tell the kids it’s rich in fiber and vitamin A.)
• Sweet potato pie – Usually like pumpkin but a bit heartier. If you’re already serving a sweet potato dish this one may seem a bit redundant, but it is tasty.
• Cookies – Kids love cookies, including seasonal favorites like ginger snaps. Maple sugar cookies should go over well, too.

Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online.

How To Pick The Right Crib

If you’re preparing a room for a new baby, one of your biggest decisions is going to be what crib to purchase. There’s a wide variety of styles and features. Here’s a guide to picking the right crib for your baby and your home, focusing on the different kinds of crib available.

Standard Size Crib – These full-size cribs provide a lot of room for your baby to grow into. They’re good when you have a fairly large area designated for your baby. It should have multiple mattress settings so that you can lower the mattress height as your baby grows and pulls up to a standing position.

Convertible Cribs – These cribs have gained a lot in popularity in recent years because they grow with your child. They can be converted into day beds, toddler beds, and even full-size beds.

Multi-Functional/Multi-Purpose Cribs – These cribs usually come with an attachable dresser that has a changing table top that can be used as a nightstand later. They may have drawers, open shelves or a combination of the two. Many of these are also convertible cribs.

Round Cribs – Oval or round cribs have a soft, old-fashioned, fairy tale look in contrast to rectangular cribs. Due to their unusual shape, bedding that fits properly can be harder to find.

Bassinets, Cradles and Bedside Sleepers – These are all smaller, more portable and lighter-weight options that work well for your baby’s first four to five months. They can generally be used until the baby starts to roll over and push up on her hands and knees. Cradles provide gentle rocking movements, and bedside sleepers can be kept right next to your bed allowing mom to nurse without getting out of bed. They’re less expensive than full-size or convertible cribs.

Playards – Playards are light and portable play and sleep options that usually have an aluminium frame and mesh sides. Many come with a mattress pad or padded floor. They’re easy to set up and pack up for travel but aren’t considered to be sturdy enough to be the primary sleeping surface for your baby.

Safety Considerations – Any crib manufactured after 2011 should be up to current safety regulations in terms of size and spacing of slats, fire prevention, etc, but you should check for crib recalls at the Keeping Babies Safe website before making your purchase.

Dr. Joshua Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is a leader in helping men become parents. For more information about the vasectomy reversal procedure, please contact our Sarasota, FL clinic at 941-210-6649 or schedule a free consultation online.