Safety While Babywearing
Babywearing may be new to some and safety is always important. Here are the ABCs from BWI that are helpful to practice safe babywearing. 

Airway
Make sure baby's airway stays open by keeping chin off chest and allow fresh air to circulate around baby's face. Keep child high enough to kiss at all times, with the face visible. 

Body Positioning
It is also important that your carrier provide adequate support for your infant’s developing neck and back. Ideally baby should be held with his knees higher than his bottom with legs in a spread squat position and support from knee to knee. Although with older babies and toddlers, full knee to knee support is not always possible or necessary.

Comfort
The carrier should be comfortable for you and baby. If you do not feel comfortable and confident with the carry you are doing, have a spotter nearby to help you. 

Posted by Sofia 
Sofia is a wife and mom to three active boys ages 4, 2.5 and 7 months. When she's not chasing after toddlers or thinking of creative ways to keep them entertained and out of mischief, she loves to cook clean eating recipes, drink wine and day dream of the next beach vacation. She enjoys being an activist for safer beauty so she can help others understand that it is important to use safe ingredients ON their bodies so they can make healthier choices. Learn more about safe beauty on her website. 

I’ve lived by the mantra, "Life is too short not to travel," for years, and although the way I travel changed with the arrival of a little one, I haven’t slowed down. In the wake of recent terror attacks in Western Europe I keep hearing the question of whether we should continue to travel or should we stay home where it is perceived to be safer. And to a tee my response is an unequivocal “absolutely”.  I say this as an American living in Belgium, a beautiful yet quirky country that has recently been in the news for all of the wrong reasons.
 
So how can you travel while staying safe? Here are my top eight tips for getting to your destination and back again as smoothly as possible.
 
Research your destination: I don’t know of many people who are going to hop onto a plane and head to a war zone but just because a location isn’t in the western news doesn’t mean it is a good idea to go there. To keep up to date on the latest current events in foreign countries you can check out the travel section of the State Department’s website. Here you will find regularly updated alerts and cautions for every country in the world. This information can help you decide whether or not it is a good time to travel to your destination.
 
Register with the State Department: And while you are at it, register your travel plans with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). In a single form you can register to receive alerts as they pertain to your destination for the duration of your trip. Registering also allows the State Department to know that you and your family are in the country should an emergency arise.
 
Make copies of important documents: I never travel without leaving my itinerary with a trusted friend. I also make two copies of all of our passports and leave one at home and put another in my checked luggage.
 
Carry a cell phone: Despite wanting to get away from it all, it is important to be able to be connected when you need to. If you are traveling abroad from the United States your current cell phone may work overseas. There are international calling plans but they tend to be expensive. Instead pick up a pre-paid SIM card at the airport and pop it into your phone. You can also pre-program important phone numbers into your phone so you have them ready if needed. 112 is the universal emergency phone number in Europe and is always handy to have. Another important numbers include the local American Citizen Services number for the Embassy or Consulate closest to where you are staying. While you are at it be sure to program in the phone number and address of your hotel, your airline and car rental numbers.
 
Live like a local: Skip larger, western branded hotels in favor of smaller local ones. Or go one better and rent an apartment. I’ve had great success finding apartments through airbnb.com. Staying in apartments often allows me to stay in a better location than a hotel and many times it is much cheaper. In most cases you miss out on daily maid service but in return you get a kitchen and often laundry services, which make it so much easier when traveling with children.
 
Learn the language: I’m not necessarily talking about becoming fluent but knowing a few key words in language spoken at your destination can come in handy. But knowing how to say hello, please and thank you and asking for simple directions can go a long way when navigating a foreign land. You can even turn it into a game that they whole family can play. Before leaving home explore Duolingo, a free online site that can help you quickly get a grasp on language basics. And if you plan on carrying  a smart phone, download the Google Translate app. It is also free and allows you to instantly translate words and the camera feature even allows you to scan foreign texts and receive instant translations.
 
Carry an “emergency” kit: You don’t need to bring your entire medicine cabinet with you but carry some basic necessities that can see you through in a pinch. As the mom of a boy this includes a ready supply of bandages, sun screen, and children’s pain reliever. For the adults I also include Tums and Pepto-bismal tablets (more on the reasoning behind this in my next suggestion). When fevers spike in the middle of the night—because that is when they inevitably do- you want to have medicine at hand rather than trying to find the one all night pharmacy in town. But of course you can’t always predict every medical issue that may arise.
 
Pharmacies in Europe are quite different than the around the clock Rite-Aids in the United States. Whether you need simple pain relievers or more potent drugs, you must go to a pharmacy to buy it. Hours are limited but there is always at least one in every town that is staffed overnight (the schedule rotates). But as I have discovered in three different countries, a trip to the pharmacy can often save you a trip to the hospital as pharmacists can diagnose and prescribe medicines on the spot. So whether it be an allergic reaction to a plant leaf (Romania), food poising (Croatia) or intolerable gas pain (Germany), a five minute stop at a pharmacy might do the trick.
 
Eat and drink with care: This is especially true in developing countries but also applies to any place where the food is different than at home. I am an unashamed foodie and don’t hesitate to try the local cuisine when I travel. But I do so with caution. Do some research ahead of time to find out whether or not the water is potable in your destination. If it isn’t, stick to bottled water only and ask for your drinks without ice. You might also want to skip raw vegetables and eat those that are cooked or have had their outer peels removed. If you aren’t used to spicy or rich foods, approach these with caution. The bottom line is no one wants to have a vacation ruined by an upset stomach or digestive issues.
 

By: Steph

We all know that kids never get sick at convenient times but what happens when its really inconvenient? Like when you are traveling on your dream vacation to that bucket list destination?? I hope this post will help calm some fears and give you a few tricks up your sleeve so that you can still enjoy your trip and look back and laugh at the memory of it before you even unpack the suitcases.

We are huge fans of traveling off season; there are fewer crowds so your wait times for everything from museums to restaurants are less, hotels often have lower rates and because you aren't battling the crowds you can actually get nice pictures without being photo bombed. With all this being said, we recently spent a week exploring the Netherlands and discovered that this land of canals, windmills and cheese is an incredibly family friendly destination.

We quickly discovered that bicycles are the preferred mode of transportation here with people of all ages and family configurations taking advantage of the dedicated travel lanes, traffic signals and bicycle parking garages that are located in every city and town. Entire families travel by bicycle with the youngest family members strapped into baby bicycle seats attached to their parents bicycles and older siblings trailing behind powered by their own peddling. You too can opt to travel by bicycle but we chose to take advantage of the amazing train network to visit six must see destinations in Southern Holland.

First up was Leiden, which also served as our home base for the week. Leiden is home to the oldest university in the Netherlands and was the birthplace of Rembrandt. To take in some of his masterpieces you can visit the Museum De Lakenhal which is located in the famous Cloths Hall which dates back to 1640. Another great spot to visit is the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum. Here you can go back in time and get a glimpse of what life was like before the Pilgrims embarked for their new life in America.  But if the weather is nice simply get out an explore. Leiden has the second largest pedestrian area in the Netherlands (with Amsterdam being first) so there are miles upon miles of cobblestone streets you can meander through. You can zig zag over the canals, feed the ducks and enjoy a leisurely meal in one of the many sidewalk cafes. And because this is a university town, the pricing at many restaurants is geared towards students.

There is a new kid on the block when it comes to skin and beauty products, and it's called Beautycounter. Have you heard of it? Wife and mom Gregg Renfrew was blown away by the fact that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will develop cancer in their lives, and that incredibly, there is absolutely no ingredient regulation in the skin care industry, so she founded Beautycounter to "get safe products into the hands of everyone." 

And you guys, this stuff is gorgeous. Makeup, bath products, fantastic sunscreens and SPF sticks, a brand spankin' new line of baby products, you name it. The best part is that it doesn't compromise quality for cleanliness (and that is saying a lot considering it consistently ranks super low on the EWG Skin Deep database). And it is super cool because it supports moms by selling through skin care consultants (such as Wandermom Sofia who has so wonderfully donated an ENTIRE Kids' Bath Collection for giveaway!). But you want to know the REALLY bestiest best part? You guys. The kids' conditioner. It makes my daughter's hair feel like silk, and NO tangles. I brushed her hair after bath with no whining for the first time in her entire little life and was amazed . . . they call it Not-a-Knot for a reason! Sofia swore by it for her sons and sent me a bottle and I will NEVER buy another conditioner again. I'm even planning on watering some down in a spray bottle to spray on her hair before beach and pool days, and am excited that I got my hands on a Protect Stick Sunscreen before they sold out like last year! 

Interested in getting your hands on some Beautycounter? Enter the giveaway below, and visit Sofia's website: www.beautycounter.com/sofiaandry
Instagram: @beauytcountersofia
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/beautycountersofia

Enter to win a Kids' Bath Collection ($54 value!) by Sunday, March 6 at midnight CST by entering below and/or onour Facebook page. Good luck!

Our first day of Vaca-Ready Skin Week featured a Rodan + Fields Sunless Tanner (you can still enter to win here!). But what if your skin issues run more deeply than simple winter whiteness? What if you suffer from eczema, psoriasis, or ichthyosis? Wandermom Jennifer of Leaf Therapeutic, a therapeutic masseuse and mom in Albuquerque, wanted to give skin condition sufferers (herself included) more options than expensive and chemical-filled prescriptions that may or may not work (in her case, they didn't, and she was told her severe eczema would never truly go away, even after limiting her diet and using acupuncture as well). 

Jennifer then made it her mission to create a lotion that would soothe sensitive skin and actually help her eczema without filling her body with toxins. Enter Leaf Therapeutics Skin Therapy Lotion, an unscented, hypoallergenic, soothing, and best of all, safe for sensitive skin of all types. (I will definitely be trying it on the dried chapped spots around my kiddos' mouths since this doesn't have mineral oil or petroleum or any of those other no-no's). The EWG (Environmental Working Group) gave it arating of 1 for low toxicity, and Mommy Scene made it a 2015 Green Scene Award Winner (you can read their review here). 

Here are some of the specifics:
The primary component, Urea, acts to moisturize, decrease discomfort, reduce inflammation, accelerate wound healing, and improve cellular renewal.  Urea also makes skin more permeable to other ingredients.  For this reason, products containing urea should be non-toxic (Leaf Skin Therapy Lotion has the lowest toxicity ingredients available for a lotion with water content).  The ingredients in Leaf Skin Therapy Lotion are safe, nourishing and nonirritating.  The preservative in Leaf Skin Therapy Lotion is naturally derived Radish Root Ferment.   It contains Goldenseal extract, which is anti-microbial, and helps to act as a preservative, too. Goldenseal is also anti-inflammatory and is used to treat eczema, wound infections, itching and rashes. Tocopherol is a naturally occurring compound related to Vitamin E; it is a skin conditioning agent.

Enter to win a Free Leaf Therapeutics Skin Therapy Lotion by midnight CST, Sunday March 6. Good luck! 

​Hi All!  

Vacation season is upon us and we are all starting to think about wearing that dreaded two-piece after an entire winter of overindulging and hiding in our cosy sweaters! At least that is where I’m at right now :-) For Spring Break we are taking a trip to the JW Marriot Hill Country Resort in San Antonio where the bikini will have to be given its first outing of the year at the 6-ACRE water park (wish I could say at their adult-only infinity pool, but let's be realistic about traveling with kiddos, shall we?).  Of course the workouts will increase between now and then and the late night pantry raids will have to stop, but I find that there is nothing that makes me feel more bikini ready in an instant than tanned, glowing skin! My motto at this time of year is if you can’t tone it, tan it!!

So, that being said, I have teamed up with Wanderlittles to let you all in on the secret to a beautiful, natural looking and (above all!) SAFE tan.  Rodan and Fields Foaming Sunless Tan is easy to apply, quick drying and a lot less smelly than other more expensive brands. It gives an even color and I promise you will not end up looking like Donald Trump! I will post again soon with my top application tips. Best of all, I have a free Sunless Tanner and 3 mini-facials to giveaway! 

Besides faking it, my other top tip is sunscreen, sunscreen and more sunscreen!!  Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays at all times. Obviously this is so important to protect against skin cancer, but you will also be giving yourself a huge advantage in the fight against premature aging – age spots, lines, wrinkles and the like.  All R+F skincare regimens include a step with SPF, whether your primary concern is acne, anti-aging, sensitivity or dullness and discoloration.

If, despite all your efforts, your vacations leave those unwanted reminders of sun, sand and good times on your skin, then check out our Reverse Regimen. It will lighten and brighten your complexion, wiping the slate clean and bringing back that radiant glow!

​If you have any questions about any of the products mentioned or a skincare concern that you would like to address, please drop me an email at melaniecarter@live.com and check out my website mcarter2.myrandf.com 

Happy travels and take care of your skin! You will thank yourself for it!
​~ Mel
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Win a FREE Rodan + Fields Sunless Tanning Foam! Enter below and/or on our Facebook post by midnight CST, Sunday March 6. 
​

Having a young baby, you know that blow-outs are never a good idea, let alone in a long security line at the airport. Oh, did you think I meant a diaper blow-out? Well, that too, but I was really thinking about a carry-on bag blow-out. When I last flew with my nearly-one year old, I could barely zip the bag! I thought I only packed the essentials, but I managed to sneak in some extra toys we probably didn't need. However, we did manage to use almost every item in the bag. Here is my list of carry-on essentials, in order of importance:

1.  Bottles and Formula: Love the instant formula while traveling.  No need to mix formula and water.  Just pour in bottle and it's ready! Even easier is just breastfeeding your baby-- a total space-saver! 

2.  Diapers (and wipes and disposable changing pads): Well, what goes in must come out! I try not to pack too many diapers in the carry-on, but enough to cover the extra blow out that can happen with the pressure changes of the flight.  Also, I LOVE to have disposable changing pads to cover the sometimes gross changing tables in the bathrooms. 
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3. Pacifiers (and pacifier clip):  Pacifier is a must-have in this house.  Definitely a soothing item for my baby especially on plane rides.  And I recommend using the pacifier clip... nothing worse than having "corky" fall on the airplane floor... or airport bathroom floor... or in the toilet... eww

4.  Change of clothes: I usually just pack one extra outfit for baby when space is tight... and then pray that she only has one major mess (or fewer if we're lucky!) before we get our checked luggage!

5.  Blankets/small burp rag:  Useful for any small spills or messes...and to keep baby warm on chilly flights!

6.  Snacks:  Love the pouch option. Easy for baby to eat and not too messy.  Super convenient to pack! (and unlike this photo, packing the WHOLE bag of cheerios is definitely not necessary! A smaller zip-lock bag would have been just fine!)  

7.  Toys and books: If I had to cut anything out of the bag, this would be it.  I try not to overload the bag with too many toys as my baby barely plays with them on the plane.  Too many other distractions around her to keep her busy! She would rather climb all over me and the strangers sitting next to us, or pull all the magazines out of the seat back pocket and throw them on the floor... and then do it all over again :)


Okay, so what do you think, WanderFamilies?? What did I miss that you recommend for baby's carry-on??

So, how do you celebrate Christmas when you are half a world away from family and your usual traditions? You do what you can, and make new traditions! My family and I live in Dubai now and this will be our third Christmas living abroad. We are crazy enough and lucky enough to put our little family on a plane to fly back to the comforts of our hometown for the holidays but it still means its not quite the same. But let me tell you why celebrating Christmas in Dubai still has all the magic of the season.

Family is hugely important to us. And when you live so far away from them you find new ways to still have your family close. We have taken advantage of technology to bring family closer to us and still feel part of the action. We record videos of our kids and send those out when the time change means we can't  connect. And the biggest thing of all is we make our friends like our family and gather together with them to eat and make merry.

As an expat family we work so hard to make the holiday season feel like home for our kids. We want them to have the same joys and excitements we had growing up. Some of those things are easy to accomplish, some are more difficult and some require making a decision if having it the same is worth the extra cost. In Dubai, I was so surprised to learn that they do celebrate Christmas despite it being a Muslim country and best of all is that everything is "Merry Christmas"! All the malls have their Christmas decor out and the holiday window displays can rival anything you can find in the US. All the home decor stores and supermarkets have the Christmas section or aisle and you can get stockings, Santa hats, garland, ornaments and lights. Plus, we have Marks and Spencer and Ikea (bless them both!) that can make you feel all warm and Christmas-y inside. Finding all the usual holiday food from home can be hit or miss. Sometimes everything is in stock and sometimes you are just out of luck. For example, pumpkin pie filling is a hot commodity here and among us expat moms there becomes a black market for the stuff. One mom will find it, buy every last can and then sell to her friends who need their fix. French's Fried Onions and Butterball Turkeys are also quick to fly off the shelves if they make it here at all. Other food items you might modify, like instead of the Christmas ham just getting a Christmas ham steak. Then there are the things you can get here but have to decide how much it really is worth, like having the real Christmas tree. Believe it or not you can find them here but at 200 USD a tree and knowing its been on a boat for a few weeks and is probably past its prime, makes you think twice about getting the fake one in the box you can use again next year.

So how do people who stay in Dubai actually celebrate? Leading up to the big day you can make the rounds of the mall Santa's . . . just prepare yourself and the kids for Santa possibly looking less Scandinavian and more Asian. There is a lovely group here that organizes an evening of caroling out in the desert. You can download the list of songs ahead of time and then join everyone out the in the dunes for a beautiful night of singing. At my oldest son's school the Parents Association puts together a lovely holiday bazaar and Christmas party to get everyone in the spirit. And they top it off with Santa riding in on a camel, I mean it is Dubai after all! ​

Once Christmas morning rolls around most families do their usual routine and then instead of heading over to grandma's, they head off to one of the hotels for a Christmas brunch. And Dubai does brunch up big! Huge feasts of all your favorites from home and new foods from Christmases around the world to enjoy until you have had your fill. Once the family is stuffed many people head off to see a movie, enjoy some time lazing on the beach or get out and enjoy some of the sites of Dubai. How does cruising by the iconic buildings by yacht sound? 

We are so blessed to be able to see so much of the world. Sharing our family traditions from home with the kiddos and learning about how our new international family of friends celebrate Christmas has been such an honor and privilege.  The world and its treasures never ceases to amaze me and I'm so thankful this holiday season for the experience of it and the chance to open my children's eyes to the beauty and magic that is all around them. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night (or day, depending on what time zone you are in)!

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