Breastfeeding My Baby, Where Do I Start?
September 30, 2007
Breastfeeding My Baby, Where Do I Start?
by: Melida Cohen
Congratulations you have a new baby! Having a new baby is hard enough but when you choose to breastfeed you sometimes feel that you made this experience even harder. Breastfeeding is not as difficult as it looks or as you may have heard from others. It is actually pretty easy and a very fulfilling way to nourish your newborn once you get the hang of it. Remember as with most things practice makes perfect! Breastfeeding is new to you and to your little one but with a little practice you two will become pros in no time!
During the first week of your baby’s life, your breasts will produce colostrum for your baby to drink. Colostrum is rich in antibodies and aids the baby’s immune system. It also helps him pass his first bowel movement, which is called meconium. Meconium is black and tarry looking and is in the first few diapers after birth. Then he begins to transition to a brown substance and after your milk comes in, it becomes a yellow, mustardy stool that is loose and watery. Bottle-fed babies pass firmer, tannish stools than breastfed babies.
Choose The Perfect Baby Shower Gift
September 30, 2007
The first thing you should do when trying to choose the perfect baby shower gift is consider the parents. Quite frankly, babies do not have the awareness or the ability to complain when you buy them weird stuff. But their parents do. A great baby shower gift is something the baby’s parents will think is cute, funny, entertaining, or practical, and if you care about that sort of thing, something the other guests will think is neat.
Baby Shower Gift Don’ts:
1. Don’t give stuffed animals as a shower gift. The parents will probably have already chosen one or two special "stuffies." Too many plush toys gather dust and take up space.
2. Don’t try to outdo the other guests at the baby shower by giving some ridiculous present. You will make people, especially the guest of honor, uncomfortable if you spend too much. Personally, I think $30-40 should be your maximum unless you are family or you are going in on a big item with others.
3. Don’t buy too much in the "0-3 month" size if you choose clothing as a baby shower gift. That sizing is a big lie! Your friends’ baby will likely grow out of those clothes by the time he/she is two months old, if not sooner, especially if he is a boy.
4 Baby Care Tidbits Every Parent Should Know!
September 30, 2007
4 Baby Care Tidbits Every Parent Should Know!
by: Melida Cohen
New parents face many problems and issues that they are expected to understand and deal with immediately. Unfortunately, newborns do not come with an instruction book so here are a few topics that you may need to know about.
Bathing your baby: Until your baby’s umbilical cord falls off one to two weeks after their birth, only give her sponge baths. A cotton ball or cotton swab dampened with alcohol can help to dry the umbilical stump or follow your pediatrician’s directions. After the stump falls off, you can give him a bath in a sink or shallow tub.
Caesarian delivery: A caesarian is usually performed to make delivery safer for you or your baby. C-sections can be done for many different reasons including stalled labor, complicated labor, problems with the baby that may make delivery difficult, or other problems. It does not matter if you deliver vaginally or by a caesarian section, you are still a mother with a beautiful new blessing.
Baby Toy Safety
September 30, 2007
Baby Toy Safety
by: Robin Darch
Buying toys for your baby is about more than just what will entertain them. You have to make sure that you buy toys for your baby that are safe. There are a lot of toys out there that are unsafe for babies. This article will explore some of the things you need to look for when buying baby toys.
Balloons are a definite no. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents and guardians of young children about the suffocation hazard presented by uninflated toy balloons and pieces of broken balloons.
Of all children’s products, balloons are the leading cause of suffocation death, according to CPSC injury data. Since 1973, more than 110 children have died as a result of suffocation involving uninflated balloons or pieces of balloons. Most of the victims were under six years of age, but the CPSC does know of several older children who have suffocated on balloons.
Baby Showers
September 29, 2007
Baby Showers
by: Robin Darch
Planning a Baby Shower is not an easy task! Planning and organizing a baby shower is very complicated. In this article, I’ll try to help you break down the different elements of organizing and planning baby showers.
When should I hold my baby shower?
A lot of parents these days are waiting until after the baby is born to hold a baby shower. It gives guests the advantage of knowing what type of clothing and gifts to buy for the baby. It gives the new mother a chance to show off the baby to a large number of people, reducing the steady stream of visitors to the house right after the baby is born.
If you don’t want to wait until after the baby is born, then generally a month or two before the mom’s due date is a good time to have the party. You don’t want to hold the shower too close to baby’s due date in case he or she makes an early arrival!
Who should I invite to my baby shower?
Baby Names
September 29, 2007
Baby Names
by: Robin Darch
Okay, you only get to do this once so let’s get it right. Remember that it’s not about you! Your little boy or girl is going to have to live with this name for the rest of their life. If they change it on their 18th birthday, you probably did a bad job of naming your baby.
In this article, I’m going to take you on a tour of the Internet as I look for baby names. I’ll be your guide, so sit back and relax. I know what I’m doing here. Trust me.
Before we start, though, no drinking on this tour. It results in baby names like Justin Case, Sandy Castles, Paige Turner, Rusty Hook, Shaunda Lear, Candy Kaine, or others just as bad. As a matter of fact let’s start out by searching for what not to name your baby.
So, you want to be original. Great. Remember, your kid’s gonna be mad when he or she finds out there were much better choices! Ok, that’s not bad enough? Well there are websites that make fun of bad baby name choices too. Some quotes from websites about people’s baby name choices.
Vacation Is One Way To Run Away From Stress During Pregnancy
September 29, 2007
What should you do to have a happy pregnancy? Many things you could do, but what most pregnant women rarely do is having a vacation. Get a life and try to relax a little bit. Or take an extended weekend just to refresh and recharge your batteries.
Downtime is very important, and in a world where nearly all of us are tied to cell phones and lap tops, even away from the office, it is good to get away from it all from time to time. Having time to walk along the beach or play golf or even to stay inside and read a great book without interruptions can help us recharge our batteries.
When the baby comes, your number one job is to be Mom. So, you will not have much time for yourself, at least not in the beginning when the baby depends on you for everything. Capitalize on those spare moments of highly valued free time now.
When you are refreshed, you are more effective and productive anyway. You will also be easier to get along with, and it will be easier for you to deal with others (even the difficult ones!).
Why Worry About Your Children
September 29, 2007
Why Worry About Your Children
by: Michelle Ruble
Did you know that worrying is a sin in Gods eyes and God does not give sin a degree of seriousness? We do that as humans. All sin is equal is Gods eyes. I had to learn that before I could let my children go.
Now, I know this seems heavy, but I promise it will all make since.
Let me start by saying I was the worlds worst when it came to worrying about my children. The more children I had the worse it got. I have three just in case you did not know. I would have terrible nightmares about things happening to them. At least I did with the first two, Taira and Kelsie. By the time Joshua came along, I had figured out how to stop the nightmares. It took me long enough. Ha! Ha!
If Real People Ran the Bank - I (a spoof for the heart)
September 28, 2007
If Real People Ran the Bank - I (a spoof for the heart)
by: Lynella Grant
Banish Loans Forever
If ordinary, hard-working, people ran the bank… the very first thing to get rid of would be loans. Absolutely no more loans!
Because once they’re gone, there wouldn’t be any more:
- Due dates
- Interest charges - at any rate of interest
- Late fees or penalties
- Liens
- Applications or rejections
- Credit reports [Old joke - If it weren’t for bad credit, I wouldn’t have any credit at all]
- Playing catch-up month after month
And that means all the related emotional frustrations vanish as well. That would certainly make a lot of people happier. Don’t you think?
Instead of lending money, how about just giving it away? That should make everyone happier still.
Imagine a bank saying, “Help yourself - and never worry about paying it back.” If it doesn’t matter whether money ever gets repaid - there goes accounting and bookkeeping. There goes financial records. There goes debt - along with bad debt. But that’s not a stretch for a bank that re-writes the rules. If you thought familiar bank policies were cast in stone, think again.
10 Items of the Well-Stocked Diaper Bag
September 28, 2007
Does your diaper bag have everything you need in it? Of course, you have the basic items: diapers, wipes, bottles, etc. But are you equipped for any “baby situation” that could possibly arise? It may seem like a lot of gear, but if you bring along the following baby paraphernalia when you head out, you’ll be ready for just about anything.
1. Diapers-
Bring more than you think you’ll need. Even if your baby’s body works like clockwork, today could be the day when everything changes. Extra supplies also come in handy if your outing keeps you out longer than you had planned.
2. Baby Wipes-
Same goes for the wipes. They’re also great for cleaning spit-up off of little hands, folds of the neck and yourself.
3. Change of Clothes For Baby-
Make sure this is a complete change of clothes, including extra socks if the outfit requires. There is no such thing as a leak-proof diaper. Sometimes the mess can travel further than you can imagine.
4. Spare Shirt For Yourself-
There aren’t many moments more uncomfortable than walking around wearing your baby’s lunch or reeking of sour baby odors.
