New moms live the most blessed and most cursed existences at this time in history. It’s such a beautiful time of your life, but one of the main drawbacks is that new moms tend to be stuck at home and if they’re not careful they can go a little stir-crazy. This is especially true for the mommies who were so used to being all over town, even during their pregnancy. It can be a massive adjustment.

Ideally, you will have your home prepared for this eventuality long in advance of the baby’s arrival.

The one thing you want to get for yourself is a top of the line screen to watch your movies on. Don’t scrimp on this; get something nice for yourself like a Panasonic HDR 4K TV. You’re going to be binge watching a lot of Netflix and other material, and you need the best tools to keep yourself comforted and immersed.

Another thing you are going to want to stock up on are ebooks, because you’re going to get tired of watching movies. Honestly, the whole experience is very different, because baby can and will interrupt you frequently, and this is where ebooks shine, because they are easy to put down and pick up on a dime like that.

It’s also a good idea to have Skype or Whatsapp or a similar app installed, perhaps even hooked up to the TV. Sometimes people can’t make it to your home, or you may have lots of friends and relatives out of town or even overseas, and being able to chat on video with them will be great for you. It’s very easy for a new mom to feel very alone, for hormonal reasons or otherwise. This is normal, but easily counteracted.

Lastly, make sure you do get those people you want to visit you. However, during the first couple of weeks it’s not a good idea, but after that you are going to crave it, and it is good and necessary. Surround yourself with people will help you feel more like a human being again and less of a zombie. And past the two week mark you are going to need external help, because frankly you will not have been sleeping properly at all!

Your new mom experience should be much more of a blessing than a curse, and with the proper planning it almost certainly will be.

Imagine this: you just completed your day, got back home, and are ready to relax with your favorite snacks in your hands, and your TV, laptop or phone in front of you. Everything seems fine and gets even better when you remember that the week will carry the birthday of someone who’s fairly close to you. The thought brings a smile to your face, but what’s that nagging feeling at the back of your mind?

You have forgotten to buy a birthday gift.

If you can resonate with the aforementioned situation, then you are not alone. That nightmare scenario has happened to most of us at least once in our lives, and thus we understand how the dreadful feeling could sink in. However, for those who do not want to feel the wrath, coldness or simple indifference by their loved one for forgetting to buy them a birthday gift, My Gift Stop deems to be the perfect answer to their desperate calls for help.

To outline the kind of products that you can find at the platform in terms of last minute birthday gifts, we have put together a brief list that can please even the most fussy of recipients, so instead of getting a frown resulting from showing up at their door empty handed, you get to receive a cheerful grin when they open your thoughtful present.

Movado Red Label 0606283 in Stainless Steel

When it comes to luxury watches, Movado’s name needs no introduction.

The Swiss company is known for its sleek, elegant yet magnificently stylish watches which are a surefire way to make a statement of success, confidence and brevity – since just by the mere action of sporting the watch, the wearer can exude all these qualities to any room which they enter.

In particular, the Movado Red Label 0606283 Automatic Stainless Steel gets to be a timeless beauty with the watchmaker’s signature dial and a bracelet style that is not just aesthetically pleasing but immensely comfortable as well.

What makes it a great contender for a choice gift is that it is being offered at a price of $1,029.49 instead of its usual $1,695.00. Needless to say, it’s an offer that you can’t miss and the recipient of the gift can’t dislike.

Kate Spade WLRU2155-686 Grand Street Neda Wallet

If Movado gets to be a household name for watches, then Kate Spade certainly holds the same for women’s handbags.

While the legendary designer herself passed away recently, her creations and the empire that she created has left a legacy that is prevalent for generations of young girls, who now, in their motherhood have made it a tradition to pass their own Kate Spade to their next in line. This makes Kate Spade more than a handbag and a special gift with sentimental value to it.

This Kate Spade WLRU2155-686 Grand Street Neda Wallet in hot pink seems to carry over the same tradition. No matter who you are buying this for, it is certainly going to bring a smile to their face.

Waterford Crystalware

Waterford’s crystal is renowned for its clarity, sheen and overall beauty.

Due to the variation in its products, Waterford crystal makes the perfect gift for anyone whether it is someone in your personal life or in your professional circle.

Same holds true for the Waterford crystal tumblers and glasses, which would give anyone a reason to break out that perfect vintage that they would be saving for a special occasion.

While not compromising at their magnificent craftsmanship, My Gift Shop manages to offer a great deal on this wonderful choice of a birthday gift.

Lego Wall Clocks

If the recipient of your gift happens to be a child, then this makes things difficult, since you never know what these harshest critics in the world would have to say about your birthday present.

However, My Gift Shop offers great deals on gifts that are sure to strike a chord with that fearsome bundle of joy, especially in its offerings of Lego Wall Clocks.

Inspired from the line of Lego’s recent flicks, The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie, these wall clocks give kids the opportunity to have the characters of Batgirl, Robin and Nya stay in their room as an ever-required instrument that does not only add to the décor of their room but also serves as a useful way for them to stay organized.

Why My Gift Stop Should Be a Top Place to Purchase Gifts

Being readily available with its rapid delivery for last minute gifts for men and women that range from luxury products to niche items, My Gift Stop is the choice vendor for those who want great deals without compromising on quality.

What sets the gift shop apart from other vendors is that it also adheres to its corporate social responsibility by donating 5% of each sale to Direct Relief, the global medical relief non-profit, which means that for every purchase you make on the site, you are contributing towards the good of the society.

My Gift Stop is definitely recommended for purchases that cannot be anything but high quality while also giving you the ease of mind of being delivered on time.

There is nothing quite miraculous as giving birth to a healthy baby; the experience can be all too surreal. Nothing can equal what it is to be a mother. Unfortunately, giving birth, despite the joyous newcomer into your life, has a somewhat negative side effect to it.

The toil of having a human inside of you takes a great deal of stress on your body and because of this after you have given birth the body, specifically the stomach, is left with unsightly stretch marks.

These stretch marks can do a great deal of psychological and emotional damage to new and young mother.

Fortunately, we have created a small list of remedies that will help in removing those nasty stretch marks. Say goodbye to those unsightly marks and say hello to your original beautiful tummy.

Home Remedies

There are a plethora of home remedies that newfound mothers can use to remove their stretch marks. Some of the most well-known treatments that mothers can use to lighten their stretch marks are:

Oils:

Olive Oil – Olive oil is an extremely beneficial and highly potent agent in helping to improve the blood circulation and as a result gives the skin a much more youthful, flushed and healthy look.

Castor Oil – Thank heaven you don’t have to swallow it, right? Castor oil is also another beneficial oil; which when rubbed on the stretch marks or massaged, helps to slowly – but surely – remove the stretch mark lines.

Honey:

Awe, the many benefits of honey are too numerous for this blog. But to keep it short and straightforward – honey is an extremely beneficial remedy and this is all thanks to the high antiseptic properties found in honey.

Milk:

Did you know that Cleopatra – to keep her beauty and her youthful appearance – would bathe in Milk? Milk is an excellent agent in for the beginning of the skin regeneration process. No wonder she was considered to be one of the most beautiful women on the planet.

Cocoa Butter/Shea Butter:

Lastly, and perhaps my most favorite, is cocoa butter. Not only do you smell good enough to eat but cocoa butter is a great moisturizer that helps to nourish your skin.

Say goodbye to your stretch marks

Now, the samples listed above are just a small amount of home remedies that you can use to help remove your stretch marks. There are many more remedies and hospital treatments that you can use to get rid of your stretch marks.

Embrace being the beautiful women and mother you are

It is indeed a joyous experience to give birth. Say goodbye to your stretch marks and enjoy the experience of being a mother who is both happy with her newfound baby and happy that she has gotten her old image and figure back. Be positive about your body and don’t feel you have to cover up!

Nobody likes to clean.  It is laborious, time consuming and for the most part dirty.  So why do we do it?  Well, whether in business or in daily life, those working in serving or caring roles; be they parent, food service workers or healthcare staff, have a huge responsibility to protect the health and wellbeing of those within their care.

Food poisoning alone is reported at 5.4 million cases on average each year, in Australia alone.  This means that finding fast and efficient ways to maintain high levels of hygiene throughout the home and workplace, is crucial.

Whilst those figures are daunting, professional cleaners have passed on a few nuggets of wisdom which can shortcut cleaning time and ensure your guests, visitors or customers stay safe and healthy.

Since food preparation is one of the most common sources of food contamination such as e-coli and salmonella, let’s begin there.

Tip 1 – Making a meal of it

You may want to put down your lunch before reading this, but studies have found that the humble chopping board, the platform from which the majority of food is prepared, can be up to 200 times dirtier than a toilet seat.  This means any discussion about food hygiene should begin here – absolute ground zero.

In a busy kitchen where speed can overtake care, cleaning rituals can be lax and the results tragic, caused by a proliferation of pathogens including:

• Salmonella
• E-coli
• Campylobacter

Until recently it was accepted that plastic chopping boards were more hygienic than wooden ones.  Recent research however, has now discovered that bacteria can survive far longer on plastic surfaces than wooden, making wood the far superior choice for chopping boards.

Cleaning wooden boards should be done separately to crockery and other utensils due to the risk of cross contamination.   Inspect chopping boards regularly and if there are deep scores or grooves where bacteria can grow or signs of mould staining, replace them immediately.

Tip 2 – Surface sanitation

It goes without saying that hard surfaces and countertops need to be thoroughly cleaned after each use.  Using products not specifically designed for purpose including bleach and window cleaner, can eventually cause fading or damage to porous or synthetic surfaces.

Natural stone

Wipe down with warm soapy water and a clean cloth followed by a paper towel to dry and prevent streaking.  Sanitise with a mixture of equal parts distilled water and isopropyl alcohol.  Thoroughly spray the entire surface, leave for three minutes then wipe off.  Alternatively, use a commercial sanitising solution.

Stainless steel

Commercial steel benchtops where food is prepared should undergo thorough cleaning after each use.

• Remove all dirt and food particles from the surface
• Rinse with potable warm water using a sponge or microfiber cloth
• Wash with hot water (60C) and a commercial detergent
• To sanitise, apply clean water heated to 75C for at least two minutes
• Apply a commercial sanitising solution as indicated on the label
• Allow to air dry.

Laminate

Follow the same process as for stone benchtops, avoiding the use of abrasive cleaners. Where staining has occurred, use baking soda and water formed into a thick paste and apply it to the affected area and cover with a damp paper towel.  Leave for two hours and then gently wipe off.

Tip 3 – Bake off

The bane of every cleaner are ovens and stove tops due the combination of intricate parts and stubborn grease, grime and carbon build-up.  Naturally, these are not the place for toxic chemical use.

An ounce of prevention as they say, is worth a pound of cure.  Regular cleaning will prevent the worst of the gunk.  Using proper sized dishes, lids and roasting bags plus foil trays at the base of the oven and cooktop, will cut down on mess.

Tips for keeping your oven spotless:

• Remove racks and trays and place in dishwasher
• Wipe down and remove debris from oven and cooktop
• Avoiding the heating elements, apply a paste of baking soda and water to built-up carbon and stains
• Leave overnight
• Use a plastic spatula to lift and remove built-up crud
• In a spray bottle, mix white vinegar and water and spray thoroughly, concentrating on stubborn residue
• Rinse then wipe down with a dry cloth.

Tip 4 – Glass

Whether showers, restaurant windows or splashbacks, maintaining crystal clear glass can be challenging.  Cloudy, streaked glass can be both unsanitary and very off-putting, particularly in food display cases.

Glass requires a three-pronged attack – to clean, sanitise and avoid build-up of mould and bacteria. The following instructions work for soap scum and other hard to shift film on glass:

• Place 1/2 cup of baking soda into a plastic container adding enough white vinegar to form a paste
• Wipe this paste over glass when fizzing has stopped
• Wait 15 minutes
• Clean off
• Sanitise with a commercial grade, non-toxic product made for glass
• Dry with a paper towel.

Tip 5 – Refrigerators and Freezers

Whilst refrigeration equipment usually doesn’t suffer the same built-up grime as cooking surfaces, they still need to be cleaned thoroughly and regularly.  Some tips for cleaning and maintenance are:

• Look for appliances which have removable seals, making cleaning more streamlined
• Empty fridge completely and unplug from wall
• Use a commercial grade sanitiser that is safe for use around food
• Don’t forget to clean the condenser tray, condenser filter and drainage hole!
• Dry thoroughly to avoid bacteria and mould growth.

Tip 6 – Stainless steel cookware

No matter how hard we may try to keep it from happening, pots and pans which are in regular use will lose their pristine appearance eventually.

To bring them back from the brink, place water and a cup of vinegar into the pan and bring it to the boil.  Remove it from the heat and add two tablespoons of baking soda (expect fizz!) Clean the pan as normal.

For stubborn stains mix up a paste using the baking soda and a few drops of water and apply this, leaving it a few minutes to work its magic before cleaning off.

Tip 7 – Grease and gunk

As with ovens and cooktops, a paste comprising water and baking soda or white vinegar is a safe and effective solution for stubborn grease and food residue.

Alternatively, look for a non-toxic commercial grade cleaner, designed for kitchen use.

Tip 8 – Implement a schedule

By employing a cleaning checklist you can ensure that hygienic practices are being followed at all times.  A sample schedule could entail:

Daily:

• Wipe down all surfaces
• Sanitise food preparation surfaces
• Change disposable foil on cooktops and in ovens
• Clean cooking equipment, fryers and small appliances
• Clean heads on beverage dispensers and similar
• Clean sinks
• Launder towels, cloths and aprons
• Wash flatware, crockery and glassware and air dry
• Remove trash and waste to external bins
• Sweep, mop and disinfect floors

Weekly:

• De-lime sinks and taps
• Thoroughly clean ovens inside and out
• Treat floor drains with commercial drain cleaner
• Clean and sanitise refrigerators and freezers
• Clean anti-fatigue mats

Monthly:

• Clean out grease traps
• Wash and rinse out range hood and other vents
• If applicable, clean coffee and ice machines as per manufacturer’s instructions
• Wash down ceilings and walls to prevent build-up of grease.

Implementing a formal cleaning schedule, whether in the home or a commercial environment, takes the guesswork out of hygiene.  It provides a transparent window into the health of a kitchen – a vital component to ensuring the continued wellbeing of everyone in your care.

Maybe you’ve been a stay at home mommy but it’s getting too hard to balance the books, so you have to look for some extra income somehow. Or maybe you’re a working mommy, and you have been offered the chance to work from home, but are not sure if you should take it. There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to both. Let’s analyze things a bit further and see what we can come up with in order for you to make an intelligent decision;

Logistics

There is no question that the office has the advantage of being a space 100% dedicated to work and getting things done efficiently. Furniture at Work, for example, will almost always be superior, as will a lot of the equipment surrounding you. Having said that, often a properly set up home office can be more than good enough for all intents and purposes.

One clear disadvantage of going to the office is not the office itself but the commute to and from the office. This is especially a big deal if you live far enough away from where you work to make the commute a nightmare, which is an unfortunate reality for many of us.

Environment

This one would seem to go in favor of the formal office as well, but there are exceptions.

It’s true that the home is a hotbed of potential distractions from work life, but it’s also true that even in an office environment, distractions abound. Depending on your personality and that of your co-workers, you may really wind up being more productive in an environment where your co-workers are physically separated from you.

One hack that may sound ridiculous at first, but can actually work for some people, is to dress for work at the office even if you are working from home. This sometimes can put people in the right mindset to be efficient while working. Also, of course, your job may require conference calls which may in turn require a certain standard of personal appearance. Your milage may vary greatly on this points, and they certainly could use your own detailed analysis of the situation.

Compensation

Some companies are nice enough to just allow you to work from home and offer the exact same contract. In these cases, it’s much more advisable to take them up on it, because the savings alone (in both money and time) are probably going to make it worthwhile.

However, in the real world, stay at home positions usually come with some pay cut or some other caveat that makes the waters quite a bit muddier.

In actuality, even more worrisome in many cases than simply getting paid less is the possibility of your employers taking advantage of the situation by trying to make you available 24/7. This is something to be avoided at all costs. A situation like this is guaranteed to turn your dream of working at home into a major nightmare quickly. Clear boundaries must be set as to your schedule.

So are you ready to take the plunge into working from home? Only you can decide at the end.

First off, one thing I think a new mom does NOT need on her phone at all is any kind of baby monitoring software. A new mom needs a support network so that 100% of the baby care doesn’t fall on her shoulders. She should be able to be free to go about without having the psychological burden of having to check up on baby 24/7. That’s not healthy. So new moms, if you have it, the recommendation is to DELETE it.

Secondly, everybody these days needs a good antivirus on their phone. While it’s true that this software does take up a little CPU and memory from the phone, it prevents that horrible slow death phones often suffer from where they just get slower and slower and slower….

Now that we’ve gotten beyond that, the next things new moms should have are apps for online ordering of whatever you need. Hey, it’s 2017! You don’t have to get into traffic anymore to get your essentials, and when you have an infant in the house, the essentials are many and need to be replaced frequently. Set up things with your favorite retailers so that things just come to you. This can and maybe should include groceries, depending on how picky you are.

Aside from that, I’d definitely recommend that new moms get a reader app (Kindle or similar) on their phone and keep it well stocked with light reading to taste. There is nothing better than taking advantage of baby going to sleep by doing some reading and edifying yourself. Don’t forget to keep your music streaming up to date too.

Do you have any other suggestions for must-have apps for new moms? Please feel free to leave a comment in the comments section below, we would love to hear from you.