By Cynthia Helwig

When you’re a new mom it’s truly hard to keep your sanity at times because of always juggling. Even seasoned moms are overwhelmed at times when you have a small brigade to chase after and keep up with (and that’s not including keeping your significant other happy either). Here are just some common mistakes we all make at one time or another that might just help stop the craziness before it begins.

1. Sharing Your Bed

Nursing, changing diapers, bonding with baby, calming an upset child and just plain being tired are the general reasons why we tuck our children in beside us. Sadly though, babies nesting with parents are 40 times more likely to suffocate than those who don’t. And, of course, breaking that feeling of your baby being dependent of you is really hard to break once you have bonded. Your bed should be your private domain for sleeping and loving your mate and never a sleep in for your little ones.

2. Milk or Juice Bottle at Bed Time

This is definitely an incubator for cavities according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth changes the sugars contained in these drinks into tooth-decaying acid. Try to limit milk and juice at dinner and snack times. They have a lot of saliva during those waking moments to neutralize all that acid. At night time there’s not a lot of saliva, and “the acid attacks for hours.”

3. Delaying Crucial Shots

Are you afraid even questioning having your children receive the vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) because they might cause autism or some other disabling mishap? Every parents concern and fear are very understandable. We want the best for them and making the right decision can be overwhelming. However, forestalling these vaccines can and will leave your child open to “serious, preventable diseases at the most vulnerable time in their lives. Don’t make the decision solely on your own without having a heart-to-heart with your pediatrician first.

4. Leaving Your Little One In The Car

Your baby or toddler is asleep in the back seat and maybe you just need to pop into the store for a loaf of bread, buy some stamps or a quart of milk. Nearly 36 young children die each year because they were left in a hot car while the parent ran an errand. What we don’t realize is temperatures can jump 19 degrees in just 10 minutes … just 10 minutes. If you get delayed, it can prove deadly because a young child’s body heats up 3-5 times faster than we do. It doesn’t take long to get heatstroke, which can be fatal.

5. Wearing Helmets

Your little boy or girl is just riding their tricycle and you are confident there is no cause for concern. Even if they aren’t pedaling and turn quickly loosing their balance, a simple fall can cause serious injury. It does not matter how many wheels they are riding. If done so on a hard surface, they must wear protective gear. Start the habit early as toddlers who wear helmets when pedaling their tricycle are more likely to do so when older when riding their bike and doing dangerous tricks on a skateboard and scooter as well. Starting early will enforce positive behavior and safety.

6. Being Ever-Vigilant During Bath Time

100 children under the age of 5 years old drown each year in the bathtub, usually because a parent or babysitter steps away for a few minutes. Slips and falls happen all the time and constant supervision is so very important during bath time. More than 43,000 children either get hurt in bathtubs or showers each year because an adult was not able to reach out and touch them in time … not because they left the room. Stay close. Be near.

Cynthia has been writing since a Crayola was placed in her hand and made no sense to any one other than her and she has not stopped since then. She is from the Capital Region in upstate New York born and raised and  worked in various industries throughout her career that include beauty & fashion, banking, marketing and public relations. Nothing, however, gives her more pleasure than entertaining the masses with the written word. In 2008 Cynthia designed a website & blog exclusively for women offering light, witty and informational articles on every topic of interest called The Girlz Korner.