Becoming Parents for the First Time – A Guide

Baby Samuel nursing and sleeping while I was working

When you actively decide to have a baby before you get pregnant, you have more opportunities to better your health, your finances, and your home before you even conceive. Regardless of whether you plan for the conception or not, however, there are a few steps you will need to take to ensure that both the mother and your new baby will be healthy and that you are ready for the new life you are bringing into your home:

How to Prepare Your Health Before You Get Pregnant

The best way to give your baby the best chance at life is to visit the doctor before you begin trying to conceive. A lot of health conditions and factors in your own body will determine the health of your baby, and it is wise to address these issues head-on first. This is particularly important if you have a chronic condition, both physical and mental, as the condition and even the medication you take can be dangerous to a growing baby. Some medication can even make it difficult to conceive at all. That is why it is always wise to go for a checkup before you take yourself off of birth control so that you can find the right alternatives to any medication you need, can address your mental health concerns and deal with health issues you may not have known about beforehand.

Doctor’s Health Checklist

Once you address these health concerns, it is time to create a health regimen to put your body in the best position to have a baby. Before you conceive, this will mean starting a series of prenatal vitamins so that you can improve your baby’s development and decrease the risk of your new baby developing any congenital disabilities.

Attend Birthing Class

For new mothers, attending a birthing class is very important. It can help you get through your pregnancy more calmly than trying to go into it without any prior knowledge. The birthing class can also help by teaching your partner about what they can do to help you. Always sign up and schedule this class so that you can finish it before your baby arrives. Though it is possible to have a premature birth, scheduling your birthing class to finish before your third trimester is usually a good time frame to aim for.

Getting the Baby’s Room Ready

The last step will be to create the baby’s room. It will mean stocking it up on supplies, finding furniture, and even decorating it. If you can, always choose for reusable and organic options, to ensure that your baby’s health stays a priority and that you can save as much money during this time as possible. This can even mean borrowing baby furniture from friends and family instead of getting your own. Put that money instead on quality items like the hybrid diapers offered on thegreennursery.com. There’s no reason to spend thousands on a crib, but when it comes to items that will touch your baby directly, spare no expense.

It is also important to never forget the fun activities like a baby shower. Celebrate your new life, and get your friends and family involved, because there is nothing quite like having your own child and you deserve to celebrate this milestone in every way you can!

Earn Free Gift Cards during the Back to School Team Challenge 8/6/18-8/10/18

It's that time of the year again! Swagbucks is holding a Back to School Team Challenge to help you earn free gift cards! For those of you who don't know what Swagbucks is, it's a website where you can earn cash back on everyday tasks you do online like shopping, answering surveys, discovering deals, and watching videos. You can even earn for searching the web! 

If you've never tried Swagbucks before because you didn't know where to begin, their Team Challenges are a great way to learn the ropes and earn points towards free gift cards and PayPal cash! The challenge runs from Monday, August 6th to Friday, August 10th. 

Here's how you can join the challenge and the site:  

1. Click here to join the challenge and be assigned to a team.

2. In addition to earning SB, you'll contribute to your team's total as you complete different activities on Swagbucks.

3. Check back on the page often to see the scores and what you've contribute so far.   

All members who participate and contribute at least 600 points to their team’s total will receive a SB bonus in the form of a SB Swag Up Shop Bonus on their next gift card! 

Not only that, but if you sign up under me this month and earn 300 SB before September 1st, you'll get a 300 SB bonus!

Members of the 1st place team will receive a 100 SB Swag Up Rebate, members of the 2nd place team will receive a 50 SB Swag Up Rebate!

Let's do this!

Sign up with Swagbucks in August and Get a 300 SB Bonus!

All throughout August you can earn large bonuses when sign up as my referral on Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for things you're probably doing online already, like searching the web, watching videos, shopping, discovering deals, and taking surveys. Then you take those points and exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, or PayPal cash. 

When you sign up through me this month, you can earn a 300 SB bonus! Here's how: 

1. Sign up using this link 

2. Earn 300 SB total before September 1st, 2018. You'll get a 300 SB bonus for it! 

3. That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've now earned 125,158 and I've shared many times that I love to cash out with PayPal so I can use the money for homeschool books, clothes on eBay for the kids (they grow like weeds!), office supplies, things for the garden or pool. It's amazing!

5 Eco-Friendly Ways To Keep a Pet

Pet ownership is as popular than ever in the United States. A recent study noted that there are almost 90 million dogs in households across the country, and pet ownership in the U.S. has increased over 10 percent during the past 30 years. If you own a pet, you may be struggling to keep a balance of knowing the joy of having a dog, cat, or other pet while caring for them in a way that protects the environment as well. Fortunately, there are a few actions you can take that keep your pet and the planet safe.

1.      Keep Your Pets Indoors

Cats and some dog breeds are natural hunters and will stalk and kill animals if they are allowed to roam. This is especially true of male cats, which prey on birds, small mammals, and even large insects. Your cat can have a serious impact on the bird population in your area and leave it vulnerable to parasitic diseases from eating them. To protect your yard’s birds and your pets’ health, do not let your cat or dog roam freely and keep them in an enclosed outdoor area instead.

2.      Switch Your Cat’s Litter

Changing your cat’s litter box can cause air pollution from the smelly dust commercial litters often create. This residue may also affect your cat’s health, as it raises dust each time it uses the box. This issue can be especially troublesome if your cat uses an enclosed box. You can support the environment and improve your pet’s health by switching to wheat-based litter or shredded newspaper. Choosing a natural litter may take some time, as you might have to find one your cat prefers, but the change can be beneficial for it and your home’s air quality.

3.      Use Natural Cleaning Products

Bathing and cleaning up after your pet can be quite a chore, and you may be choosing the most convenient products possible to accomplish those chores. However, reviewing the ingredients in your pet’s shampoo, flea, and tick protection can be help you be kinder to the environment. Switch out your current shampoo with one that is biodegradable and contains natural ingredients, such as colloidal oatmeal and plant-based cleansers.

Protecting your pets from fleas, ticks, and mosquitos is probably another priority for you; however, sprays and collars might contain toxins that are harmful to the environment and other animals if they are not disposed of properly. Consider using sprays made of essential oils, such as peppermint, that repel biting insects naturally. These can be found in most pet supply stores and online.

4.      Conserve Water  

You may not think too much about water conservation when caring for your pets, but there are a few ways you accomplish this. For example, when you clean your pets’ dishes, do not leave the water running. Wash them in hot water with a gentle soap, then give them a brief rinse in a shallow pan of water.

When you bathe your pet, turn off the water as you shampoo instead of letting it run. If leaving it on is simpler for you, then make sure the water is being channeled somewhere useful, such as into your garden. The Cadiz Water Project Twitter page has more information on water conservation that may give you more ideas about how to save water.

5.      Choose Biodegradable Cleanup Products

Cleaning up after your dog while walking it in public is a must, but because plastic bags do not biodegrade, they can be harmful to the environment in the long run. Switching to containers that are made of biodegradable material can support your local ecosystem and make you feel more confident that you are doing your part to help the earth.

Owning a pet can be a joy and a big responsibility. However, using eco-friendly products and practices can ensure that your dog or cat stays as safe and healthy as the environment in which they live.

Virtual Views - How to Take Advantage of Your Virtual Office

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While mining and manufacturing have historically been industries that are attractive to business in
Indonesia, tourism has seen a recent uptick in interest as well. For those thinking about a start-up, the
country still has many opportunities for growth in many areas. However, those unfamiliar with the
country’s many islands might find the task of searching for office space difficult much less daunting.

Probably one of the most effective ways to address office space problems in Indonesia is to manage
your business through a virtual office until you are comfortable with the Indonesian terrain. Your
virtual office can fit out your business with most of the amenities that are standard in a traditional
office. Even better for your budget is the fact that your overhead is manageable through the virtual
office.

Let’s take a look at some ways your virtual office based in Jakarta can work for your business and help
you to move closer to your goals.

Cost-Effectiveness

For those looking to set up shop in Indonesia, you are going to have a bit of a tough time finding
affordable office space if you are not familiar with the landscape. Furthermore, leasing space in Jakarta
can be expensive, especially if you are trying to work in some of the more prestigious business
districts. The virtual office, however, can place you in prestigious locations at the fraction of the price
of conventional office space.

With the virtual office, you essentially move your business to an online format, which allows you to
travel and work from any location. Typically, leasing companies will fit out your business with a
reliable internet service, in addition to providing you with the use of conference and meeting rooms
on an as-needed basis. Businesses save money because they do not occupy space throughout the month,
but only when needed.

Flexibility

Another benefit of the virtual office relates to the fact that these offices can essentially be set up
anywhere, just as long as you have an internet connection and a device. For those with their
office address in Jakarta, you could essentially work from any location in Indonesia and travel to the
city when needed. This flexibility is also very valuable when you need to work in more than one
location at once. You could essentially manage a business in one part of the country and take care of
business with clients in other parts of the world in the same moment. With the right management
system, your business can boost productivity.

Scalability

These office leases tend to be much more flexible as well. Typically, an office lease in Jakarta can last
a couple of years, but virtual office leasing runs month-to-month, and the initial start-up costs are very
inexpensive. If your business expands or the status changes, you can easily modify your lease and
move into a larger space. Essentially, your virtual office lease leaves your business room to grow into
a serviced office, if necessary.

Creativity

Finally, the virtual office allows your business the freedom to create an online office suite
that meets your needs. Because this suite is essentially your office, with the right software, you can
establish functionality based on the needs of the business and how you plan to use the space. Your
virtual team could design an office that is attractive to clients, but functions for the needs of the
company.

Taking Advantage Of Virtual Freedom

The virtual office tears down the walls found in traditional office space. With an office of your own
making and limitless space, you have the freedom to benefit from the online landscape, which has
many lucrative opportunities. Just think, with a device and an internet connection, you can build an
empire.