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Tip #13: Get baby’s car seat properly
installed
Make sure
you’ve installed your baby’s car seat four to six weeks before your
due date (in case you go into labor early). Read and follow the
instructions of your baby’s car seat very carefully. Also, have your
installation inspected by an authorized service center that is trained
to evaluate and correct any problems.
For safety tips and proper installation guidelines,
visit the Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration’s website at
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/
UsingItRight2002/index.htm and
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/index.cfm. To find
certified companies in your area who provide free child safety seat
inspections, visit
www.seatcheck.org (or call them at 1-866-SEAT-CHECK). Their site
allows you to search through the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration’s (NHTSA) database of registered certified car seat
inspection locations throughout the USA. You can also call your local
hospital, police or fire station or Department of Transportation
offices for recommended authorized child safety seat inspection
locations.
Tip #20: Save time washing dishes!
For those
first few weeks (and maybe months!) at home, you’ll be lucky if you
can get dressed, brush your hair and teeth all in one day let alone
worry about washing dishes! And then there’s putting them away after
they’re clean. As crazy as it sounds—even with a dishwasher, this
still becomes a huge chore when it’s amidst washing umpteen new loads
of baby laundry, washing baby bottles, diaper changes and feedings.
Want to save time washing dishes?
Then get as much disposable items as possible! Disposables cups,
plates, bowls, utensils and napkins are a true blessing for new
parents. When friends and family ask, “Is there anything you need?”
put these items at the TOP of your list!
Granted,
they’re not as great as the “real thing” but you’ll use the “real
stuff” again soon. Use the “real stuff” from time to time in the first
few months to “spoil” yourselves at meal time without spending extra
money for this “luxury”. In the beginning, minimizing every task you
HAVE to do during those first sleep deprived weeks is KEY. Wouldn’t it
be great to take a nap or go to bed early because there are no dishes
to wash!?!
Tip #21: Save money and time preparing meals and snacks
The same
concepts you’ve used for disposable dinnerware works for meal
preparation too. Look for any “all-in-one” meals that only require you
to throw them in the oven “as is” or only require you to add sautéed
meat to them. Look for other foods (like yogurt, pre-cut packaged
salads, canned meats) that require minimal effort to make a quick and
healthy meal. Try to stock up on a few of these “dinner” options and
“easy foods” before you head to the hospital so you’ll have them for
your first week home together.
Convenience meals vs. take-out
Granted, the
convenience of these meals may make them a little more costly than a
“non-prepared meal” but they’re worth it! Although they may be a
little pricey, they’ll save you a ton of money you may spend on
take-out meals. Family meals, like lasagna or macaroni and cheese are
super because they come in their own “pot” and provide leftovers for
the next night. With these meals, you’ll have no pots to wash and you
can cook two nights’ (or more) worth of meals in one night. For
example, a store bought pre-cut packaged salad and lasagna meal will
cost about $15.00, but you’ll get about 3 nights worth of meals (and
maybe lunches) out of it. Now compare that against “take-out”. The
same meal purchased as “take-out” will cost about $20.00 and you’ll
only have enough for one meal instead of multiple meals.
Frozen all-in-one meals that come
with pre-chopped vegetables and seasoning are also super and can
provide you a lightening fast stir fry in no time flat. You basically
have two steps, sauté meat and cook vegetables. Or, cut it down to one
step by skipping the meat. Either way, these are great time savers and
provide healthy meal fairly easily and quickly.
“Quick and easy” foods
Pre-cut
packaged salads, canned meats, yogurt, “simple” foods (i.e.,
vegetables, fruits, nuts) and juices are also a great time savers in
those first few weeks. I’m usually not a fan of pre-cut packaged
salad, because it’s pricey, but many times you can get them on sale or
buy-one/get-one free. Still, pre-cut packaged salad gives you a quick
side dish at dinner with minimal effort (exactly what you need in
those first few chaotic weeks!). Or, pair pre-cut packaged salad with
a can of white chicken meat (or tuna fish) and canned pineapple or
mandarin oranges, and you’ve got a quick and easy salad for lunch. By
keeping some yogurt on hand, you’ll have a quick breakfast or lunch
that’s high in protein.
Save time with snacks throughout
the day by keeping “simple” vegetables, fruits, nuts and/or juices
handy. “Simple” means anything that you can grab quick and eat without
taking a lot of time to “prepare” it. Examples of “simple vegetables”
are celery, carrots and cherry tomatoes. With these vegetables,
basically you rinse them and eat them. “Simple fruits” are bananas,
apples, grapes, raisins and pears. Why? Because they come in their own
“packaging”, can travel easily and they don’t require extensive time
to peel or prepare them (like oranges or grapefruit). “Simple nuts”
are any nuts that are pre-shelled—like sunflower seeds, peanuts or
pecans. Try to avoid snacking on a lot of nuts, though. They’re high
in fat and salt. Finally, keep 100% juice on hand for times when you
want refreshment too. Remember: read your labels! Avoid juice drinks
or juice cocktails that are mostly made of corn syrup. If you choose
these juices, you’ll give yourself more unwanted calories and sugar
(and weight!) than nutrition and energy.
During the early weeks of new
parenthood, eating quick but healthy is more important than eating
beautifully prepared and perfectly seasoned meals (especially if
you’re breastfeeding). Trust me, in your sleep deprived stupor, you’ll
barely remember if you ate let alone what you ate and
how it tasted! Who cares if you eat lasagna three nights in a row—at
least you only spent one night cooking! You and your spouse could
actually use the time saved on cooking or heading out for take-out to
actually enjoy one another…even if it is only for five or ten minutes
before your baby starts a’ calling.
$
Total savings:
“Convenience” meals can save you $100 or more on meals that you may
have bought as “take-out”.
!
Sanity check:
“Convenience” meals generally provide leftovers for additional meals
(less cooking!). “Easy” foods let you eat quickly and healthy at the
same time. |
