Health & Beauty

Dog walking is better than dieting… here’s proof! See the results from several dog walking research studies + How much you need to walk your dog to lose weight.

Crocs shoes can shrink when left in a hot car, when washed in the dishwasher or washing machine, or when left outside in the sun. Here’s what you can do if your Crocs shrunk, and you want to be able to wear them again!

The total cost of having a baby in the first 2 years falls somewhere between $12,462 and $26,612. You can break this down to something like $500 to $1000 a month. Here’s a breakdown of the actual numbers… the cost to have a baby, plus the cost to raise a baby for the first 2 years.

I recently had to get a tetanus shot… even as a healthy adult! Here’s why you would need to get a tetanus vaccine, what it’s like, and the symptoms of lockjaw. And in case you’re wondering… yes, even if you were vaccinated as a child against tetanus, you still need to get a tetanus shot as an adult!

Sometimes it’s hard to separate all of the silly breastfeeding myths from the tried and true facts about breastfeeding. Here are 70 common breastfeeding myths that many women believe. A list of breastfeeding inaccuracies that you can quit worrying about as a new mom. Plus, breastfeeding tips to make the process of breastfeeding your baby even easier!

My top 5 breastfeeding tips for new moms to help you solve common breastfeeding problems. These are all things that I’ve learned firsthand, after having 3 children. Plus my favorite resources to help you start breastfeeding like a pro!

Wondering what to do with all of your used baby items (like all of those super-soft used baby blankets) when your baby is no longer a baby? I counted nearly 20 baby blankets in my son’s closet… he’s now 2 years old! I wanted to donate them to a special cause. Here’s my experience donating baby blankets to charity, a list of where to donate used baby blankets, and some fun ways to repurpose baby blankets and reuse them around the house!

See how to make soothing and relaxing bath soaks! DIY recipes for soothing Bath Salts, fizzy Bath Bombs, and relaxing Bubble Bath. See the simple steps to make them yourself + a list of the ingredients you need to make your own homemade bath salts, bath bombs, and bubble bath!

80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. Here’s how to measure bra size yourself better than a bra fitter could (based on your bra band size & bra cup size, bra strap length, and overall fit) — and find ‘the right’ bra for you!

If you were to give your bra size to a bra fitting expert at a store, they would probably laugh and then invite you to find your REAL bra size with their help. Here’s how to do your own bra fitting — in the privacy of your own home. You can use the tips found here in our online Bra Fitting Guide to find your true bra size today!

After a painful fall with no broken bones, should you see a chiropractor or go to the ER? Here’s the best treatment after a fall and how to get pain relief… fast! See when you should go to the ER. When it’s okay to wait things out. When to see a chiropractor for pain relief.

The total cost of having a baby in the first 2 years falls somewhere between $12,462 and $26,612. You can break this down to something like $500 to $1000 a month. Here’s a breakdown of the actual numbers… the cost to have a baby, plus the cost to raise a baby for the first 2 years.

At 2-1/2 years old and 35 pounds, my son is quite heavy for me to carry. Even though he can walk on his own, my husband or I usually need to scoop him up and carry him at some point whenever we’re out & about. I’m so glad I discovered this toddler hip seat carrier — it puts an end to muscle fatigue and backaches from carrying a heavy toddler!

Wondering what to do with all of your used baby blankets when your baby is no longer a baby? I counted nearly 20 baby blankets in my son’s closet… he’s now 2 years old! I wanted to donate them to a special cause. Here’s my experience donating baby blankets to charity, a list of where to donate used baby blankets, and some fun ways to repurpose baby blankets and reuse them around the house!

Is this your first pregnancy? Wondering what different types of contractions feel like and when they should start? Here’s how to tell true labor contractions apart from other types of contractions — including false labor and Braxton Hicks contractions.

Getting a CAT scan soon? Nervous? Don’t know what to expect? I recently had my first CT scan with contrast. See what it was like, the difference between MRI and CT scan, what CT scan prep is like, and how long a CAT scan takes. I attempt to answer all your questions about CT scans — so you’ll have a better idea of what to expect when you have your first CAT scan!

If your feet and heels are dry and cracked like mine used to be, you’re going to love these tutorials showing how to exfoliate feet by making a DIY foot scrub and enjoying a soothing foot soak in the comfort of your own home! I’ve learned that you should never use a foot tool (like a foot file, foot scraper, or pumice stone for feet) because they’re too abrasive and don’t allow fresh, new, baby soft skin to grow — so the skin on your feet will just keep getting thicker and rougher!

Feeling your baby kicking inside you is one of the awesome rewards of being pregnant. Here are 5 ways you can get the baby moving — so your husband or kids can feel the baby kick, too! Plus, how to count fetal movements, why fetal kicks matter, and what to do if you don’t feel your baby kicking or moving.

After months of playing with VTech playsets with my son, I thought other parents might benefit from my thoughts regarding the Go Go Smart Wheels collection. To this day, I still ask myself the question if VTech Go Go Smart Wheels cars and playsets are worth it…

My 2-year-old wants to ride his Big Toys Green Country Jeep every time we’re playing in the yard! Here’s our honest review of this fancy, expensive, remote control ride-on Jeep — including the pros and cons.

If, like me, you’ve started using microdermabrasion products and a face exfoliator to keep your skin looking smooth and healthy, then you’re probably wondering if too much of a good thing could actually be hurting your skin. How often should you exfoliate your face? Here’s everything you need to know — including how to exfoliate your face!

My girlfriend didn’t know about the GoodRX app — and she was really upset when she learned that she could’ve saved $140 on a recent prescription of Tamiflu for her daughter. So I thought there may be others who don’t know about Good RX yet either. Here’s how you can get prescription discounts and start saving on your medications immediately by using the GoodRX app (…it’s FREE).

Want to protect your dress shoes on rainy days without looking like a farmer going to feed his cattle?! Here are the best rain shoes for men, according to a trusted men’s stylist.

If you haven’t been to a chiropractor before, then you’re probably a little nervous about getting an adjustment — and you’re not sure what to expect. Here, a chiropractor answers your questions, revealing what your first chiropractic visit will be like, the average chiropractor visit cost, and an overview of what a chiropractor does when you visit their office.

While I don’t think that CBD oil is the magical cure for everything that goes wrong in the body, I do believe that the properties of CBD are quite beneficial for some conditions. Here’s what I’ve learned about CBD vs. THC and my personal experience using CBD oil for pain management.

The Radio Flyer 4-in-1 trike is adjustable in so many ways… it grows with your toddler! My son is almost 2 years old and we’ve found that the Radio Flyer tricycle is a great alternative to a traditional stroller. Here’s my review of this toddler trike – including the pros and the cons.

If you’re the parent of a 2-year-old boy like I am, chances are your friends & family will ask what you recommend they buy for your son’s birthday, Christmas, or other special occasion. If you happen to be a grandparent or friend of the family, then you’re probably wondering which gifts for little boys are most needed at this stage. Here’s a first-time mom’s list of the best gifts for 2-year-old-boys.

The fourth trimester begins when your baby is born and continues until she reaches 3 months old. It’s a time of adjustment for both the mother and the newborn — who was quite content for 9 months inside the womb and now must learn to adapt to all new sights, sounds, and activities. Here are 5 pediatrician-recommended ways to re-create that feeling of being inside the womb during your baby’s first 3 months of life.

My first colonoscopy a few years ago required drinking 1 gallon of a nasty tasting solution. This year, my colonoscopy prep drink was CLENPIQ instead. See why I love this new colon prep drink — it’s SO much better than other bowel prep drinks!

After spending a couple hours at Arrington Vineyards on a Sunday afternoon, we determined that our next visit will include a picnic basket and blanket. It’s such a relaxing place, you could spend an entire afternoon just lounging around and enjoying the scenery & special events — along with a great bottle of wine (or two) made right on the premises!

I am 20 months into being a full time, stay-at-home mom with no immediate family nearby. And I’ll be the first to say… I sometimes need a break! So I’ve made a point to find ways to give my toddler and myself a break from “just us” once in awhile. Here are 10 ways I’ve found to take a well-deserved mom day, meet other moms, and help your child make new friends. My best tips for socializing your stay-at-home toddler…

I try to keep a handle on the flow of the toys coming in and out of our home and ways to organize them in order to keep them interesting and useful for my son. See how we prevent too many toys from entering our home AND how to organize toys in such a way to avoid toy clutter.

An activity table is a great way to get up off the floor while playing. I wanted an activity table that would last a long time, grow with my son, have multi-functional use, and be durable (not made of pressboard, laminate, or plastic). I was really happy to discover the Nilo table! The Nilo activity table is a really thoughtful and well-made multi-activity play table. Here is my review…

Chino shorts made with a plain front are a classic that can easily be dressed up or dressed down. When paired with the right shirt, belt, and shoes, chino shorts can really give you a smart, cool look — for day or night. I’m going to show you how to dress up and how to dress down a pair of chino shorts. First, it all starts with selecting the right length of shorts…

My toddler likes to be nearby (and sometimes participate) when I’m working in the kitchen. But I didn’t feel comfortable using just a chair for him to stand on to reach the countertop. Then I discovered the Little Partners learning tower! It’s like a ladder for toddlers to get higher & closer to the action — while standing safely on a non-skid, solid wood, sturdy surface.

‘How much longer do you plan to breastfeed? This is a question I get quite often. (My baby is 17 months old.) While breastfeeding has always felt so natural to my baby and I, when it came to a mother’s choice of allowing her toddler (no longer a baby) to breastfeed, it just seemed weird… until I became a mother myself! Here’s my experience breastfeeding beyond 1 year, plus a list of the benefits of extended breastfeeding.

I started my baby’s oral care regime as soon as he got his first tooth. But I should have started even before his baby teeth erupted through the gums. My toddler and I are going to show you how to brush a baby’s gums using a wet washcloth, gauze, or a finger toothbrush. Plus how to brush baby teeth by following a daily routine where you brush your teeth together. Also… what I’ve learned about when to start brushing baby’s teeth & gums, issues regarding fluoride toothpaste, and what to do when your baby doesn’t like teeth brushing.

Our baby is learning to walk at 16 months. His Grammy thought he needed a baby push walker to help him learn to walk — so she bought him the VTech Sit To Stand Learning Walker. Now he repeatedly attempts to walk completely on his own. I definitely believe the VTech baby walker helped get him start walking!

I was in dire need of a new hairstyle — after it had been pointed out to me more than once that I’ve always had bangs. So I decided to see what growing out short hair is like… and I documented the entire process. Here’s how to grow out short hair (starting with your bangs), how long it takes to achieve a new hairstyle, how to make your hair look better during the “in between” stages, and how to cut bangs yourself. Everything you need to know before growing out bangs and going from a short hairstyle to a medium one.

I’ve used Pampers Swaddlers since the day we brought our baby home — because they are soft and absorb well. Plus, Swaddlers have a moisture indicator strip, which helped with my observations of baby’s potty signals. However… after using disposable diapers for 16 months and trying cloth diapers for the first time, I’m honestly wishing I made the switch to cloth diapers sooner! I found a good deal on used cloth diapers that were in excellent condition. See why I’m now a huge fan of Alva cloth diapers with snaps that grow with your baby, how to clean cloth diapers, my tips for stripping cloth diapers of bacteria, and my thoughts on cloth diapers vs disposable diapers today.

Here’s my review of the Step 2 Whisper ride on push car with pros & cons. I use it as a stroller a lot — because it keeps my toddler contained and entertained whenever we have to wait in line somewhere. I also use it in our yard a lot — it’s a great way to get him outside when I don’t want him getting down and dirty (like when I’m doing yard work).

We used a Bumbo multi seat as a high chair for about 8 months, but at 14 months of age, I think it’s time for a more sturdy high chair. I decided to try the Keekaroo Height Right high chair after doing a good deal of research on the Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair. The Keekaroo is a great substitute for the Stokke high chair because — much like the Stokke — your baby simply cannot outgrow a Keekaroo high chair… and it’s much more affordable! We especially like the look and the sturdiness of the Keekaroo. See all the other reasons we love our Keekaroo Height Right high chair…

Here are details and photos of our favorite Natchez Trace hiking trail near Nashville TN. The Old Trace trailhead is located at milemarker 426.3 on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Also, a little about ticks & lyme disease here in Tennessee, plus tips for removing ticks from your body (and from your dog!) and how to prevent tick bites in the first place.

I’m thinking of getting a foot tattoo. But I’ve done a lot of research and I’ve found 5 good reasons to reconsider getting a tattoo on your foot that I thought I’d share to help others who are trying to decide whether to get foot tattoos or not. The 5 things I’ve learned: the pain is different (I have a high tolerance for pain, so this one doesn’t scare me), the amount of space required & tendency for foot tattoos to get blurry (a foot tattoo is one of the hardest places for an artist to tattoo well), the time it takes to heal after getting a foot tattoo (the feet require more pampering than tattoos in other places on your body), the fact that some tattoo artists won’t even tattoo feet (their reasons are eye-opening), and it’s difficult to remain still throughout the tattooing process (which could result in a messy tattoo). See more details about these and other little-known facts about foot tattoos.