This entry was written on May 22, 2009 by our Baby Guru Anna Sanclement
Research from MassGeneral Hospital for Children shows that infants and children ingest twice as much house dust as adults. This is especially of concern because the chemicals that linger in the air and surfaces after a cigarette is put out, 'thirdhand smoke', can be breathed in by your baby and can be harmful.
So, even when no one is currently smoking around your baby, if there is any smoke chemicals left over from a previously smoked cigarette, your baby could inhale them.
If you smell any smoke when you're with the baby, it's best to move to another area and avoid exposing her to any unnecessary toxins.
In the beginning your baby won't know how to put the pacifier back into her mouth once it falls out. So you may find yourself getting up a couple of times a night when she awakes because her beloved binky has dropped out to the side and needs it put back in. But don't despair, soon enough she will figure out how to get the binky back into her mouth anytime she needs it. You may start to see her trying to do this by the age of four-five months or so.
When she learns to grab her own paci a good idea is to place 4 or 5 of them in the crib, this way when she's half asleep in the dark and the binky falls out, she can grab around and feel for one; with a few of them in there, chances are she will find one. As she grows accustomed to this she won't cry out anymore for you to go fetch the paci for her, but she will happily get it on her own.
This entry was written on May 06, 2009 by our Baby Guru Anna Sanclement
Surely you have heard about the Swine flu all over TV and newspapers by now. As you may also know, when babies get the regular flu (just like very elderly people or folks with weak immune systems) you want to make sure that if her symptoms get worse or she gets a high fever you contact ther pediatrician ASAP.
While right now the chances remain low for your baby to contract the Swine flu, you should still be careful and try not to take the baby out to very crowded places (aka-lots of germs). Also, were you to notice any flu like symptoms on your little one, contact her doctor right away so you can be sure that it is the common flu and not the Swine flu.
So, while you should be careful and monitor your baby for any symptoms, there is no reason right now to panic. Use your common sense and if you have any questions on the topic of the Swine flu, or any other health related questions make sure you call your baby's pediatrician and do not leave it up to guessing. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Cribs can be costly and of course, when it comes to your baby you don't want to skimp. But you can have a less expensive crib and still have the quality you expect by considering IKEA. They have great cribs and even if their baby bed selection is not as big as a typical baby store, you can surely find something that will work for you.
You can also find al kinds of sheets and blankets as well as tons of baby nursery accessories. Their items are very whimsical and innovative so you can turn the nursery into a great looking baby room. The quality is just as good if not better than other stores and the styles are very original and functional.
If you don't have an IKEA locally, you can order fromt their catalog as well as online. Even with the shipping costs you are bound to save some money. You can browse thier site for most of the items they carry in their stores, so if you don't have an IKEA near you, I strongly suggest checking out their website, IKEA.com, before going to another more expensive baby store.
You should know, however, that all of IKEA's furniture comes in flat boxes and you have to assemble it yourself (although they do offer assistance if you need it). Still, the prices and products you get are well worth it!
This entry was written on Mar 24, 2009 by our Baby Guru Anna Sanclement
A survey conducted by Consumer Reports found that many kid-friendly cereals are loaded with sugar. Some of these contain up to 50 percent sugar in weight, that's way too much for a child to consume in just a cereal meal. Consumer Reports found that 23 of the top 27 ceral brands geared towards children were rated a mere Good or Fair. Most of these cereals are not only high in sugar, but they are low in fiber and have very poor nutritional value.
When shopping for kids' cereals, look for brands that contain about 12 grams of sugar or less and opt for a high fiber content. Some of the better cereals that scored Very Good in the Consumer Reports rating system are Kix, Life, regular Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios. The regular Cheerios have just 1 gram of sugar and 3 grams of fiber. There are also many natural brands such as Kashi which, while not marketed to children, are still tasty for kids and have better nutritional values.
Another alternative for a good breakfast is oatmeal; again read the nutritional labels and look for low sugar and low sodium amounts, high fiber and natural ingredients. Whole grain oatmeal is best.
Newborns don't have the ability to play using their hands yet, so any toys you get at this stage will serve mostly for visual stimulation. The best toys to get are brightly colored as well as black and white ones. Young babies can't see very well, things are actually quite blurry for them, but they can see bold patterns and bright colors if close enough. Newborn babies can detect movement too, so a mobile above the bassinet will also get their attention.
Another good toy is a rattle which you can shake around your baby and he can follow the sounds, babies' hearing, unlike their sight, is almost perfect when they are born.
So don't go too crazy for toys yet, but focus on working baby's reflexes. A simple bold colored pillow you can wave back and forth close enough for him to see, or a black and white wall hanging you can place near the bassinet will hold his interest for a good while.
This entry was written on Mar 15, 2009 by our Baby Guru Anna Sanclement
There's a fairly new study that has found using a fan in the baby's room can reduce the risk of SIDS. The study suggests that probably the air circulation by the fan disperses CO2 breathed by the baby and thus reduces the incidence of suffocation by inhaling it.
Of course, placing babies to sleep on their backs is still very important and a fan in the baby's room is not a substitute for this. But, by all means, turn the fan on during sleep times or invest in a small portable fan to place in the room. Anything that reduces SIDS is something to seriously consider!
As time goes by you'll probably buy and receive many new sets of clothes for your baby. To get you started, however, here are a few basics that you will need to head you off:
About three or four sets of one-piece pajamas. Get light cotton for warmer weather, or the thicker fleecy ones for winter. If you like to keep your house cool during the summer, then the fleecy ones should be fine so the baby doesn't get too cold being that, for safety, she won't be using blankets yet.
Six or seven onsies, or footsies depending on the weather. You may want to get a few of both, since it may be good to dress the baby with footsies when going to the supermarket or mall.
Eight to ten pairs of socks, get the 0-6 month size so that you'll be able to get good use out of them.
Get two or three swaddeling sacks. Kiddapotamous makes really practical swaddler that closes with velcro, they are easy to put on and babies love them.
A couple of sun bonnets or warm hats, depending on the season.
A few soft blankets for using in the stroller, the car seat, floor time etc...
Eight or ten pairs of pants to pull over the onsies for a quick outfit.
Around eight pairs of shirts that can also be worn with the pants
Four or five dresses with matching underwear/diaper cover-ups for baby girls during summer time
This should be good to get you started. A good idea when adding to the baby's wardrobe is to buy the next size or so from your baby's current age. Baby's clothes sizes usually come in month ranges (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12), so if your baby is 4 or 5 months old get the 6-9 size, this way the clothes will last longer.
This entry was written on Mar 10, 2009 by our Baby Guru Anna Sanclement
I am happy to be sharing my baby tips with you! I hope they are uselful and helpful to you as you go along in your new journey as a mom.
I am a mom too and I know how confusing things can get when it comes to caring for the little one. I have done lots of research and have tried many different tricks to find the best ways to care for my baby daughter. So, I will gladly share al this knowledge so that I can help you in making mommyhood a little easier and you can spend more time enjoying your little bundle!
There are quite a few different types of baby car seats to choose from these days. Of course, when baby is just an infant you'll most likely have the carrier car seat that attaches to a stroller and to a base that is installed onto the car seat. This carrier carseat, however, is only good for the first few months, though. Once the baby starts to get bigger you'll have to get a permanent car seat, since she won't fit into the infant carrier comfortably anymore.
When looking to replace the infant car seat there are a few choices to consider. You could get a rear facing car seat that will work with babies up to 20 lbs, these may cost less since they are used for a shorter period of time, but will need to be replaced as the baby gets bigger.
Convetible car seats are probably your best bet. These also come in different varieties, though, so you have to look for one that best suits your needs. If your baby is under 20 lbs and under a year, look for a convertible car seat that can be installed rear facing and that will also work forward facing once the baby is big enough and over a year.
Some car seats work only forward facing for babies at least 20 pounds, so if you choose this one you'll have to wait until the baby is a year old to use it. Be sure that you can use the infant rear facing car seat until then.
Another feature to consider is the weight capacity. Try to find a car seat that will accommodate your baby until about 80 or 100 pounds. These may cost a little more, but you will use this chair until your child can ride without a car seat at all. If your seat only holds up to 50 or 60 lbs. then you will have to get a booster seat until your child reaches about 80-100 lbs.
All baby car seats have to pass certain safety guidelines, so they are all safe. The best way to pick the right one is to go to the store and test all the ones you like to make sure they will work for you and your baby.
Some babies are finickier than others when it comes to accepting items such as bottle nipples. If you are lucky, your baby will adapt to any bottle nipple you giver her in her first couple of months of life. As she gets older, however, she may get so used to the nipple type you use with her bottles that she will only want that one and won't drink her bottle if you switch them on her.
So if your baby is one that at a young age still seems adaptable, a good idea is to not stick to one type of nipple only. Get a few dfferently shaped ones so that she gets used to all of them. Keep switching them around and introduce new ones each month. This will come in handy when at 8 or 9 months you start the transition from bottle to sippy cup.
If your baby is already drinking from differently shaped nipples chances are, she will adapt to a sippy cup spout quicker and easier. Most babies have a hard time switching from the bottle and will starve first rather than drink from an unfamiliar sippy cup spout. It takes lots of time and patience to keep trying to get her to accept this new method of drinking. But if she is used to switching bottle nipples a sippy spout will just be like another new one for her. Start with the soft silicone spouts found on trainer cups first and then gradually introduce the harder plastic ones.
This trick should really help you in potential sippy cup wars with your baby. It should also be less costly than buying 20 different sippy cup styles so see which one will work.
Once your curious little baby starts crawling, he'll be trying to get into everything. You may now find that you can't put him down to play on the carpet and have him stay put anymore. This shouldn't have to be a problem, though, if you get the right equipment. Now is the time to invest in a baby corral (or baby play center), an enclosed play area that keeps the baby confined inside and away from dangerous and unsafe areas of your home.
There are many types of corrals, some are big with attached toys on the walls others are smaller, to be used inside the home and/or smaller apartments. You can choose from a simple style made up of separate plastic 'fence' style panels, thicker colorful plastic walls with matching floor mats or even wooden styles or clear plastic ones. Whichever one works best for you, it will be a great item to keep the baby busy as well as your sanity!
You can create a great play area by putting a bunch of toys inside the corral and let baby have some fun. Baby corrals are also indispensable when the baby starts walking. Most corrals can be used inside and outside so you can take them with you to the beach, park, friend's house, backyard or anywhere! So pick one that folds up easily so you can quickly pack it in the car and go!
A baby play yard is a great item for parents to invest in. It will be used for multiple purposes as well as for the first and even second years of the baby's life. It's a good idea to get one before the baby arrives because many of them include built in bassinets and changing tables, so they can provide the newborn's sleeping place.
There are many styles available and the prices range widely. Choose one that is right for you and keep in mind that you will probably be using it for play as well as sleep. Play yards can be folded up for easy transportation when visiting friends and family and you can use them as a portable crib. When baby gets a little older they will serve as great play areas where the baby will be confined and not able to scurry off once he starts crawling. Just place a bunch of baby's toys in with him and he'll be entertained for a long time.
The base can be lowered from the bassinet position and thus used as the play yard and portable or alternative crib. Actually, if you travel with your newborn, you can also take it with you if the style you have comes with the built in bassinet we mentioned above.
Play yards can also be used at the pool, backyard, picnics, the beach… anywhere that you take your baby and are in need to keep him in a safe place as well as entertained.
Babies seem to love being messy with food! Put a bowl of food in front of them and they surely will stick their hands right in it! You'll have food flying in all directions and all over the baby as well. Little ones love to test the textures of their environment, especially food, but before you know it you'll have a huge mess to clean.
You can reduce the messiness by implementing a few tricks, here are a few tips to try:
• Don't give the baby too much food at once, give him smaller portions separately.
• Give him thicker foods that will stick to the spoon so less of it will come out.
• Feed him the spoon yourself a few times to encourage him to get the spoon to his mouth and not flicked over the high chair
• When he gets the spoon to his mouth by himself give him words of encouragement
Try following these tips and you should see smaller messes. They won't prevent food splatterings all together, but know that soon this phase will be over and your cutie will be feeding himself and getting every crumb into his mouth and not all over the high chair and floor. Hang in there and have patience!
There are so many cute baby clothes out there to choose from that you may not know what to get. Although you surely will want a couple of those adorable two and three piece ensembles, it’s best to keep it simple. You will soon find out that easy is best, specially when you have to change the baby’s diaper multiple times a day. The outfits you’ll end up using most are the one-piece types, otherwise known as the ‘onesies’.
Onesies come with or without legs. For warmer weather you’ll want the ones without legs and with the snaps underneath. These make it a lot easier to get those diapers changed in a flash. When it’s colder get a few with legs and feet, these come with snaps up and down the legs and underneath as well as with zippers from top to bottom.
With all the other things you’ll be doing as a new mom, having to dismantle a ‘cute’ complicated outfit over and over again won’t be very practical. Leave the cute outfits for special outings or occasions and make it easier on yourself. Invest in a bunch of onsies, you'll see it'll be the type of outfit you will use the most on a daily basis.
A great book that has been around for over 30 years is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This is a great book for babies and children. It is now available in many formats including in hard cardboard for small babies. The book is very colorful and some pages in it have holes to show where the caterpillar has eaten through. I always remember this book from when I was a small child (I actually still have it) and it seems to be a very popular one among many kids throughout the years.
You can also get Caterpillar plush dolls and they look exactly as the Hungry Caterpillar looks in the book. I have bought two different versions of them for my baby daughter; one as a plain plush doll and another as a soft toy that has teething rings and scrunchy parts for her to squeeze. She loves them both. I have also read her the book many times and she really enjoys having it read to her.
No doubt you are familiar with baby wipes at this point, they make changing and wiping baby's bum much easier. But another use for baby wipes also makes things easier when it comes to spills. Baby wipes are excellent for cleaning up that spit up that landed on the couch, the floor or all over the baby.
Here are some other great uses for baby wipes are:
Spit up on clothesWiping down the high chair tray
Cleaning off crusty food on the baby's face or hands
Wiping the baby's belly and arms when you are out and he gets a bit sweaty.
Getting milk or formula off fabrics like the couch or chairs
Getting milk or formula off baby's or your clothes
Many parents find that they quickly run out of room due to all the baby paraphanelia around the house. When you have a small space, it's easy to fill the place up, so any items that can save space are a welcome relief. One item that normally takes up a lot of space is the typical high chair. A great product to consider is a convertible high chair. This is a chair that consists of just the sitting part, it comes with no legs so you attach it to a regular dining room chair. This way it stays with the table, or you can also easily move it around if you need to. You can eat at the table and feed baby at the same time, or you can drag the chair to the couch and feed the little one while you watch TV. But it doesn't take up any more room, it just becomes part of a dining chair you already had.
Most cribs come without the mattress and even though it makes for an added expense, it can be a good to pick a mattress of your choosing. From personal experience I have found that a comfortable mattress will make a huge difference in your baby's sleep time. We picked an 'egg crate' mattress from IKEA and the minute we put our baby girl on it she was in sleep heaven! Mind you, she's always been a good sleeper, but she sleeps even longer and better than before on this mattress.
You don't necessarily have to go to IKEA to get an 'egg crate' mattress, they are sold in most baby stores, but we liked IKEA's price and quality. Another idea is to try out the mattresses in the store, if they have them on display see if you can lay your baby on them. Even if the baby can't tell you she likes the mattress, you should be able to tell if she's comfortable on it in most cases. Try going at a time when your baby is not cranky or fussy and you should get better results.
No matter what style works best for you and the baby, making sure to choose something that the baby is comfortable in will make a big diffrence in her sleeping. Just like us adults, we get a better night's sleep when we are comfortable and naturally, the same goes for babies.
Many parents forget to consider that a convertible car seat should be comfortable for them as well as the baby. No, not comfortable for you to sit on, although some of those seats sure do look comfortable! What I mean is comfortable for you to get the baby in and out of it multiple times a day with considerable ease.
So, an important feature is a good harness. Make sure it is sturdy and well padded so it doesn't dig into the baby. Also, check that it stays in place well, some models tend to have harness straps that twist too easily and before you know it they become so entwined that you have to take the whole thing apart to get them straight again.
The anchor clips should be hard to open by the baby, but at the same time they ought to come off quickly once you press the button. Make sure they are also easy to click in, or else your back runs the risk of being stiff from so much fumbling with uncooperative clips.
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