Tips for new fathers

Becoming a father for the first time is stressful. People are focused so much on mother and baby that a new dad can feel left out. Staying involved with daily care and interaction may help, according to health professionals at the Mayo Clinic in an article entitled “New Dad: Tips toManage Stress.”

Extra Long Neck Warmer

Newborns are a huge responsibility and require a lot of attention. They bring changes in routine and activities and stretch the budget with added medical costs, work leave, and day care.  Sleep deprivation, loss of time with partner, and reduced sexual activity contribute to stress and can result in depression.

Financial planning will help smooth the road, talking with other fathers about how they handled the first year of fatherhood and thinking about the kid of father you want to be will help.

Taking turns caring for the baby, playing with him or her, and spending time with your partner and baby at the same time will help. Know that you will get more sleep as time goes one. Be affectionate and find ways to enjoy the time with your new family.  Your new child and your partner need you. Accept help from trusted family members and friends when they offer. If you find yourself in a depression, seek professional help.

Cozy Bunny Warmer for a crib or bassinet

If you are feeling nervous or tense then going to sleep may be difficult. A Maine Warmers Neck Warmer may help you relax at bedtime. You may also want pre-warm a newborn’s bassinet or crib with a microwave heating pad so when you place the baby down the cold sheets don’t wake him/her. 

More tips and thoughts on quitting smoking permanently

Anyone who has quit smoking cigarettes understands how challenging it can be -- difficult but not insurmountable. Freeing yourself from nicotine addiction can only be done a step at a time. Check out these top tips on quitting from the site, Action on Smoking and Health (a British anti-smoking campaign).
Top tips on quitting Fact Sheet #24

Moments of extraordinary stress can tempt you to smoke again within the first few weeks of quitting. Keep in mind that cigarettes aren’t going fix your problems or make things better. Only you can take control and find help to solve problems.

“Quitting smoking is one of the most important things that you will ever do…” from the Tobacco Free Maine Web site. If you want to help a smoker quit, here are some suggestions from the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine.

Does your partner nag you about smoking? A calm conversation about how he or she can best help you may
smooth the road to quitting.

If nicotine withdrawal makes you irritable, frustrated, or you have trouble falling asleep, try relaxing with a Neck Warmer. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they are both stimulants.

Check out Maine Warmers’ Cozy Critters for more options in neck wraps and back warmers to help you relax.

Five Tips to Help Quit Smoking

The cost of a package of cigarettes is now so high, the medical costs associated with related health issues are exorbitant, and many smokers are deciding to quit. The medical costs generated by lung cancer are out of sight. The second hand smoke can impact others' health as well.

1. Replacing cigarettes with exercise and feeling better may offer the incentive needed to kick the addiction. Exercise can help one relax and take the place of the nicotine narcotic. When a person quits it can feel like being released from a prison of sorts. Focus on how you feel.

2. Keep good company. Surround yourself with people who are supportive. Sometimes all that is needed to quit is a feeling of confidence. Some people think they are too weak to change their behavior and need a little encouragement -- not put-downs or derisive comments.

3. Have a few of your favorite foods instead of a smoke. Unhealthy can also become a bad habit, but if one exercises, then adding a few calories won't hurt, and a few pounds can be shed later. Once a person is over the initial feelings of withdrawal from a substance that became a part of his or her body, then other habits can be dealt with.

4. Cigarettes can be a crutch when the stress levels rise. If you need to relax, try deep breathing exercises instead of lighting up. Also, heat is known to relax tense muscles and a neck warmer microwave heat pack offers a natural way to ease tight necks -- the place where many people hold tension.

Maine Warmers Microwave Neck Warmer

5. Find other distractions or hobbies to help keep your mind off smoking. Escape into the world of a good story, movie, or play. Listen to music, learn to play a musical instrument, take up painting, knitting, or boat building. Have fun and do the things that give you pleasure.

 The Foundation for a Smoke-free America is a great site if you are looking for more tips and information on quitting.

If you know someone who is trying to quit smoking tell them you are proud of them for trying and understand it isn't easy. Kind and gentle support from friends and relatives is important. Let them know they can call you when they are feeling overwhelmed and need to reduce stress.

A heating pad like one of  Maine Warmers' Comforting Creatures may offer a person going through nicotine withdrawal a distraction as well as a way to reduce tension.