Lilac City Momma

Mommy Blog

Essential Ways To Keep Costs Down At Home

by

When you have built a great life for you and your family, it can be one of the best feelings in the world to live every day with them. However, one issue that crops up in most family households is keeping costs low, so that you can save for trips away together, or so that you can save for your children’s futures. Knowing where to start with cutting some costs can be tricky, especially when they are beginning to cause extra stress. Luckily, there are a number of solutions that mothers all around the world have put together, which have been proven to help you keep costs low and give your family the best life you can.

Set a budget each month

Every month, after payday, you will be able to create a rough figure of how much you can afford to spend once the essential bills have gone out of your account. Sitting down with your partner and making a list of what you need to buy that month and how much you can afford to spend on luxuries is a great way of helping you save money when you need to. Even if you don’t struggle for money, it’s always good to think about how your money can be put to better use in relation to food and education.

Lower your energy bill

The biggest kick in the teeth for many households is the dreaded energy bill. In winter months especially, this can go through the roof. Getting around this is much easier than it first seems. By making simple changes, such as switching from normal radiators to aluminium radiators, and investing in more blankets and throws, you can see a marked reduction in how much your energy bill comes to each month. Even better is the positive impact you will be having on the planet.

Buy food in bulk

Weekly food shops are the stuff of dreams to children, but the stuff of nightmares to most adults, even more so if you have a large family! Often, buying food every few days is less cost effective than buying in bulk, even though it may not seem that way at the time. This theory also applies to general household items like toilet roll and toothpaste. In the short term, it may feel as though you are spending more, but as the days go by, you will find that you have more loose change in your pocket. Ideally, you should keep a small amount spare from bulk buying to spend on fresh meat and dairy produce.

Start your own allotment

When it comes to buying your own fresh fruit and vegetables, you can minimize this cost even further. Having your own allotment in your backyard or in a specialized space means you cut out transportation costs of buying food. After awhile, the costs of your produce becomes so low that it may as well be free. You can grow anything from tomatoes to carrots, but if you want to get the kids involved, you could create a small indoor herb allotment for your kitchen windowsill.

What To Expect When Expecting To Pay A Visit To A Surrogacy Clinic

by

For some women, visiting a surrogacy clinic is something that never has to cross their minds, for others, it can be an overwhelming and sometimes terrifying experience.

Not knowing what to expect from a surrogacy clinic can be a really scary experience for some hopeful mothers. The uncertainty and disappointment that follows receiving the news that you’re not able to conceive can be debilitating, causing some people to freeze. It’s difficult to know what direction to go or what options to pursue. Fortunately, the heartbreak doesn’t have to be here to stay. With the advancements in technology and medical therapies, conception difficulties can be a distant memory. Through the compassion and knowledge of the practitioners and surrogate mothers, surrogacy clinics can provide families with not only a healthy child and happy future, but a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere that makes the process seem so much less alarming.

Surrogacy is a multi-layered process that has many technical aspects that have to go smoothly in order to achieve the desired outcomes. From initial fertility exams, to initiating a surrogate pregnancy, the medical process and care, to the legal aspects, surrogacy can be some rough waters to navigate and is best left to the professionals at a surrogacy clinic. Understanding what’s to be expected of a surrogacy clinic, including options, tests, treatments, and how to choose your surrogate mother, can help ease the tension and trepidation that intending parents naturally experience.

What is a surrogacy clinic?

Surrogacy clinics are located all over the world, in many different countries and throughout many different cultures. In the United States, surrogacy clinics are medical health clinics ran by professionals and physicians that connect intended parents with a surrogate mother. Some surrogacy clinics offer surrogate programs through other countries, allowing for more competitive pricing and a wider selection of possible surrogate mothers. Choosing the appropriate surrogacy clinic ensures that you have the most comfortable and enjoyable experience throughout the surrogacy process. Most surrogacy clinics also offer a range of fertility treatments and exams. Expert clinics will also offer genetic testing prior to implantation, to ensure that your future child will not be at risk for disease, as well as provide counselling, and help with any of the extensive legal procedures involved with becoming an intended parent.

What can you expect from a Surrogacy Clinic?

Surrogacy clinics vary widely in what they can and cannot provide intended parents, so finding the right fit for you and your family isn’t difficult. There is a large range of options and professionals available to you. Make sure that you and your family are aware of what you expect from your surrogacy experience and that you feel comfortable discussing your needs with your surrogacy provider. The most important service that a quality surrogacy clinic provides is being present to manage the surrogacy from start to finish. As an intended parent, making the choice of who will carry your child and being able to celebrate milestones throughout the surrogacy should be your top concern. Surrogacy clinics will provide correspondence between all of the other agencies (like law firms, medical care clinics, governmental bodies and even the surrogate mother herself) for you. Surrogacy is a multistep process that can be really difficult – even impossible in some places – without a great surrogacy clinic. Don’t fret! Even though surrogacy is a really complicated process, your surrogacy clinic will be able to break down the process for you and help you and your family overcome any obstacles that may pop up along the way.

What types of surrogacy are available?

Depending on where you live, surrogacy laws may dictate what options are available to you. Once you visit your prospective surrogacy clinic, you will know exactly which options they can provide. Essentially there are four types of surrogacy

  • Gestational Surrogacy
    • Gestational surrogacy is the most common, and most widely accepted form of surrogacy. In gestational surrogacy, a surrogate mother is implanted, through IVF (in vitro fertilization), with the intended parents fertilized ovum. In such cases that intended parents are unable to provide either sperm or ovum, some surrogacy clinics offer the option of using donor genetic material to implant within the surrogate mother. In gestational surrogacy, no genetic material is taken from the surrogate mother.
  • Traditional Surrogacy
    • In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother is inseminated (either artificially or traditionally) with the intended fathers or donors sperm, leaving the ovum to be provided by the surrogate mother herself. Traditional surrogacy is rarely used in modern medicine owing to possible confusion over parental rights and genetic material. Many places that have surrogacy friendly laws state that the resulting child legally belongs to its genetic relatives.
  • Altruistic surrogacy
    • Altruistic surrogacy is surrogacy in which the surrogate mother is entitled to no reparation or compensation for her services. Some expenses may qualify for reimbursement, such as medical or living expenses, but guidelines denoting which expenses qualify are left up to the governing bodies of that country/state.
  • Commercial surrogacy
    • Commercial surrogacy is such that a surrogate mother is compensated for her services. Compensation amounts vary by country, surrogate mother requirements, and surrogacy clinic needs.

What can you expect at your first few surrogacy appointment?

Initial exams are usually carried out to assess the fertility status of intended parents. Some clinics also offer testing and treatment for chronic disease or debility, such as Asherman’s Syndrome, or screening for infertility in either parent. During the initial medical exam of intended parents, some fertility clinics will even assess the overall health of the genetic material being supplied, ensuring that no genetic diseases or abnormalities are present, ensuring a healthy and happy child. Following that, intended parents can expect to be informed of the exciting upcoming process of surrogacy during the consultation. Information on medical, legal, financial, and psychological aspects of surrogate experiences will all be described to the intended parents by their health professional. This is a great time for intended parents to openly discuss any concerns or questions they may have at this stage of the process. Once the intended parents have decided on an agency that they feel meets their needs, contracts, financial particulars and any additional medical testing will be completed. These milestones may not all be achieved within one meeting. The initial process may span several surrogacy appointments, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen all in one day!

How to choose your surrogate

Following the initial process of beginning the journey with a surrogacy clinic, the case manager will provide the intended parents with profiles of their available surrogate mothers. Couples are encouraged to take all the time they need in selecting possible candidates. Once a couple has narrowed down the surrogate mothers to one they believe that they connect with, a surrogate meeting is arranged. At the meeting couples and surrogate mothers meet face to face and discuss expectations and ask any questions that they feel are important. Sometimes this takes a few meetings with more than one potential candidate. Intended parents and surrogate mothers alike are highly encouraged to discuss their desires openly, to ensure a good fit for the pregnancy. If both parties decide that they would be happy to work with one another, further surrogate screening is performed, and additional contracts are negotiated. Once the surrogacy clinic clears the surrogate mother for IVF, the next process can begin!

Happily Ever After

Following successful implantation, pregnancy, and birth, you’ll be ready to bring your child home and start your life as a family! Surrogacy clinics will provide all of the help and support you will need throughout this process. Don’t be afraid to take the first step, because it’s not as difficult as it may first seem.

The Tale Behind Dreams

by

Surveys show that quite a number of people have actually dreamt up ailing an exam. One of the surveys shows that about 45% of respondents shared that they’d dreamt about failing an examination. A more comprehensive breakdown shows that compared to men, women are considered to be more likely to have such dreams. Meaning that oppression of the patriarchy is likely to haunt us in sleeping thoughts.

Dr. Kelly Bulkely, a dream researcher and visitor scholar at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California shared more narratives behind dreams with a couple of findings whilst providing short analysis which we captured.

Attack or Pursuit

Because of the weirdness of some dreams, people at times begin to wonder whether or not do dreams come true. Dreams about being attacked are prevalent in both men and women with equal degrees of variation. Such dreams form the basis of recurrent childhood nightmares people remember all through their lives. Such dreams tend to portend an inner fear that has been repressed by the waking ego; or a person or situation in the external world that poses a threat to the dreamer; or instinctual echoes of primordial ancestors who were accustomed to defending themselves from attacks by big marauders.

Schools, Teachers, and Studying

Since the learning process is usually an intensive and takes place over a specified number of years, more people who exposed to formal education are likely to keep having experiences about the school, years after they stopped learning in those centers of study. For some reason, women are more likely to vividly remember dreams about the school setup. Incidentally, dreams about the school environment are not a modern happening. In ancient times, the Chinese used to have dreams and nightmares about taking civil service examinations that had an impact on one’s professional route in life.

Falling

When compared to dreams about flying, we are more likely to dream about falling. This could have something to do with how it’s harder to defy gravity than to simply obey the universal law. Typically, such dreams tend to occur when there is a sudden movement of brain neurotransmitters from one sleep stage to the next one. At times, such dreams are inspired by a physiological instigator, during such situations, dreams about falling tend to take a number of symbolic meanings when it comes to reflection about loss/trauma, sudden change, and disruption. At times, dreams about falling tend to take a wholly dissimilar approach and can lead to scenes of overall entropic calamity like the apocalypse is finally upon us.

Attempting to Continually Perform Certain Actions

During lucid dream sessions, the mind can get lost in loops of half-dreaming and half-repeating actions. Generally, such actions revolve around stressful circumstances ranging from waking life to intense feelings of frustration, fear, and powerlessness. At times, this may have a physiological component that involves atonia, which is the general muscular paralysis that occurs during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.

Incidentally, this also depicts deep human anxiety. This belief stretches back to the time of the Greek myth of Sisyphus who became imprisoned in an endless cycle of futility. Jobs and relationships can lead one to perceive the world in that kind of light. When such dreams occur, they may signify an imminent shadow of existential dread.

4 Ways To Become Rich And Famous

by

Becoming rich and famous is not for everyone. Being rich requires a lot of discipline and hard work while being famous can come automatically after you’ve achieved richness if not engaging yourself with some weird activities. However, there are some few people who become rich and famous without having to work much for it, that’s they just have a good luck. E.g. those that are from the rich background and those you participate in lottery and by good luck they win lots of money. Well if luck isn’t on your side you can also become rich by simply following the below tips.

  1. Invest

Make an investment in things that add value but not lose. E.g. A real estate investment can only make you smile to your bank in future. Buy shares and again get a financial advisor to help you know which one are good to invest in. Get education policies for you kids and save your money with money market to enjoy a greater interest. Tip: Don’t invest in a new car.

  1. Reduce your expenses

It’s possible to reduce your expenses when your determination is to get rich. This can be achieved by buying things in bulk. Do shopping for like three months or so to enjoy the discounted price that comes with bulky shopping. Avoid impulse buying and if it’s not easy for you, carry no cash or the exact amount that you want to spend.

  1. Save

After reducing your home expenses, make sure to save the extra money you have saved. Make sure to have a fixed account that will limit you to withdraw you money in order to save more. Have a target and ensure you hit it. Save your money immediately you get it and budget on the remaining amount. Remember to write your budget down and ensure to stick to it. Tip: Don’t ever spend your money without having a budget.

  1. Start your own business

Start an income generating business and avoid relying on your salary only. When you start your own business, the sky is the limit on how much you can earn. There are a lot of people out there who are waiting to be served by you. You only have to plan before you start in order to be successful in the business world. Read about other rich people on Richestlifestyle.Com to be motivated and work hard towards your goals. Tips:

  • Do not leave your salary job without having saved enough.
  • You cannot get rich if you fear taking risks.

Many people desire to be rich, but few people achieve it. For you to be among the few that do achieve it, you must be ready to work as well as to spend on the right things. Hire a financial advisor if you feel you don’t know more about investing. Do a lot of research and in this case take advantage of the internet learn how to start your business and more about finances. Finally learn how to retain your richness once you grab it.

Choosing A Healthcare Job

by

Have you decided you want a job in healthcare but you don’t necessarily want to spend years in training to become a doctor? There are many different occupations in healthcare, each needing a certain level of education and training, yet not requiring several years at medical school. Find out here some of the most popular jobs in healthcare and how you can begin your career in one of these fulfilling roles.

Nurse

A nurse can encounter all manner of trauma and although you will not have as many responsibilities as a doctor, you will still experience a heavy, stressful workload. This should not put you off however, as being a nurse can be one of the most satisfactory jobs in health care. In addition to having the ability to build a great rapport with people from diverse backgrounds, you will need to attend an accredited registered nurse program. To enrol on one of these courses you will usually need to hold a Bachelor’s Degree and will be required to undertake certain exams. You will then need to register in the state in which you intend to be employed. Training is ongoing to maintain your skills and to acquire new skills if needed when new techniques and technology are introduced.

Occupational Therapist

The role of an occupational therapist involves assisting people to learn, or re-learn everyday activities such as bathing, dressing and eating. It is however, about more than physical recuperation as you may be required to help patients with emotional or mental difficulties too. Becoming an occupational therapist requires a lot of study and experience, and you will need to secure an undergraduate degree, and in many cases, a Master’s Degree also. Although it is not necessary to be certified, it would help with employment opportunities to gain certification, and this can be achieved by passing the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists. If this career interests you, search for the Best Colleges For Occupational Therapy Major courses to discover the best opportunities.

Medical Social Worker

If you want to flex your people skills, and enjoy the personal side of healthcare rather than the strictly medicinal element, consider becoming a medical social worker. Helping people with practical issues that they may face while in hospital, in addition to their emotional wellbeing is an essential role of the medical social worker and you may find yourself finding financial and housing solutions for patients in hospitals and health care centres. There are many roles a medical social worker may play, including therapist, and case manager. To become a medical social worker, you will need to successfully graduate with a Master’s degree from an accredited course provider.

Choosing a healthcare position can seem difficult at the beginning, but if you research the qualifications, relevant schools, and accreditations you need before pursuing one particular role, you will find the final decision much easier to make. If possible, speak with other healthcare professionals to ascertain their experiences and advice, as well as a realistic view of what their job entails.