Babies-Toddler Vivian | 07 Jul 2011
Things You Should Know About Baby Girl Gifts
A personalized Baby Girl Gifts add a special touch to a diaper bag, cloth diapers, clothes, or accessories baby. This adds meaning to the items and provide a keepsake for the baby treasure for a lifetime. Personalize baby gifts might include baby’s name engraved or embroidered on the prize. In some cases, gift givers choose to have the baby’s birth date, weight, and length is also a gift. This, of course, assume the gift is given after the baby is born.
It’s never too early to start thinking about your new baby’s arrival, and if you have the advantage of knowing that your child will be a girl you can focus on kitting out your baby nursery with a beautiful gift before he was put in an appearance. Holding a baby shower in your home for all of your friends and your family to give a chance for everyone to bathe your baby with a gift and you may want to give a gift wish list when you send an invitation.
The most popular type of personalized items for babies is diaper bags, burp cloths, blankets, and clothing items. These items purchased from or taken to an embroidery shop baby either name or initials added to the item. Other personalized gift ideas include picture frames or decorative wall with the child’s name and / or date of birth. Personalized baby girl gifts may include a ring or bracelet for a baby boy.
To mark the occasion of the birth of this little princess, a special wall hanging will be a good decorative and memories interesting. All little girls love fairies, and some big girls too. A Fairy Wishes Personalized Canvas features kids a happy elf in a bright pink background, and even available in 2 sizes.
This is an example of beautiful baby gifts that can be personalized with baby’s name and he can lay in bed and secret messages gurgle his own fairy special fairy. You also can choose from many other funky designs like a cat funny, hearts and flowers, chunky or crazy daisy daughter’s name but a few. Each one of these arty baby gift will make a little girl’s bedroom looks great and he will never grow out of them as a canvas is suitable for girls of all ages.
Choosing to give a baby gift designed for baby is touching and full of presents. Name of the item indicates that the gift giver put forward to the gifts of mind because most personalized items take longer to receive to give gifts. It also gives the mother a special item that is different from the others. Opening presents and see your new baby or small person must be in writing is a wonderful name and a warm feeling. When shopping for gifts to give to someone who has had or expecting a baby, consider adding the personal touch gift with baby’s name, initials, or date of birth.
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 06 Jul 2011
Throw Away Disposable Diapers Forever – It’s Time For All-In-One Diapers!
I know what you’re thinking – there’s no way that I’m going to use cloth diapers on my baby! I don’t want to deal with diaper pins and plastic pants, I don’t want my princess hands anywhere near swishing a dirty diaper in the toilet, and I sure as heck can’t expect my partner to pin a diaper on my precious baby without blood being drawn. No way, no how.
For parents like you, all in one cloth diapers are absolutely perfect! Also known as all-in-one diapers or AIO diapers, these are modern cloth diapers that are just as easy to use as disposable diapers. So put your pre-conceptions to rest, and read more about why all-in-one cloth diapers are a great choice for your family.
All-in-One Cloth Diapers Help Your Pocketbook
If there’s one thing that most parents can’t find enough of (other than sleep, of course), it’s money. And let’s be honest – disposable diapers are basically throwing money into a landfill. You buy the diapers, Baby does his duty on them, and out they go. There’s no return on your money, and you’re guaranteed to spend more tomorrow.
With cloth diapers, things are very different! Once you purchase a set of all-in-one cloth baby diapers, you’re good to go. You have all the diapers you need for quite some time. So there’s no weekly outlay at your local store, and there are no last-minute trips in the middle of the night for a package of disposable diapers when you’ve run out unexpectedly.
In addition, all-in-one cloth diapers have a very high resale value. Yes, you heard me right, resale. There’s a large market today for secondhand cloth diapers. If you care for your all-in-one cloth diapers properly and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, you can sell your used AIO cloth diapers for as much as 75% of the retail value. You can’t exactly do that with your bag of used disposable diapers.
All-in-One Cloth Diapers Help the Environment
We’re all more and more aware each day of the problems we’re faced with in caring for Mother Earth. It can seem overwhelming to find something that you can do to help. A simple thing to do is to trade in your disposable diapers for all in one cloth baby diapers.
I know exactly what you’re thinking – but doesn’t the washing of the cloth diapers cause just as many environmental problems as it saves? Not really. Consider the chemical processes that are used to create all the gels and other parts of a disposable diaper. The chemical by-products here aren’t exactly something that’s all-natural. Are there by-products in washing diapers? Yes. However, you can mitigate these by choosing more environmentally-friendly laundry detergents and purchasing AIO cloth diapers made from organic fabrics.
All-in-One Cloth Diapers Help Your Baby’s Skin
Now we’re back to the chemicals in disposable diapers. Let’s face it, I know I can’t pronounce more than half of the products that go into a disposable diaper, and I doubt most of you can either. This gives me more than a slight pause – if I can’t pronounce it, do I really want it sitting next to my baby’s genitals and other tender skin 24 hours a day for the next 2-3 yeas?
With an all-in-one cloth diaper, you know what you’re getting from the get go. You know the fabrics used to make up the diaper. And yes, I said fabric. You know, that soft, breathable material that is used in adult underwear the world over. Personally, I can’t imagine wearing paper underwear…so why put it on my baby?
So while the convenience of disposable diapers has long been unmatched, a new option is on the market that is just as convenient and even more logical. It’s time for you to explore more about all-in-one cloth diapers today!
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 06 Jul 2011
Baby Comforters – Comfort (for Baby) And Joy (for Parents)
People often ask me what the difference is between a baby “comforter” and an “aid” because I recommend using a sleep comforter and I spend lots of time telling parents that sleeping aids are a definite no-no. In reality, they are both aids in essence but the way I see it, there are two types of aids. You have sleeping aids which may become a problem – such as rocking, patting, feeding or giving your baby a dummy to suck on while going to sleep – and then you have good aids which do not require parental participation.
Aids that require your attention are a problem in my opinion. However, something which provides comfort and which the baby can easily find himself when he wakes in the middle of the night or between sleep cycles can be a parent’s best friend.
Every baby finds an aid of some sort to comfort himself with just before he goes to sleep. Unless the parents have introduced the aid themselves, they are usually unaware of just what it is that is comforting their baby at sleep time (with the exception of thumb sucking).
An unintroduced baby comforter could be holding, rubbing or playing peek-a-boo with the sheets or blankets but sometimes it can be a little more complicated. I have seen babies play with the bars on their cots just before falling asleep. That is their comforter and this can cause a problem when you ask one of these babies to fall asleep in a travel cot or anywhere away from their beloved cot bars. If they don’t have the bars to play with, they can’t fall asleep. Another common comforter is playing with labels or tags on bedding or clothing.
In my “traveling with a baby” article, I mentioned Luke as a case study. As I seem to be coming across more and more babies like Luke, I thought I would use this article to share with you his story in more detail.
Luke’s parents contacted me when he was 10 months old. Up until this stage, he had always been a good sleeper. His parents had started Luke on my routines when he was five weeks old. At 10 weeks, he had started to sleep all night and had done so nearly every night since. But now, suddenly, at 10 months he was finding it hard to go to sleep and once asleep he was waking up crying several times throughout the night. I consulted with Luke’s parents several times over the phone but we couldn’t work out what the problem was so I decided a house visit was the only option. After putting Luke to bed I decided to sneak into his room on all fours and observe him in an effort to work out what the problem was.
At first, things looked OK. They had put Luke to bed and he was lying down looking ready for sleep. I watched him and saw a funny movement in his wrist. He was pulling his fingers up as though he was trying to scratch his wrist before he became frustrated and started to cry. It was not the cry you hear when a baby is fighting sleep. He seemed genuinely upset and had tears so I picked him up and went to talk to his parents. After a few minutes, we realised he was looking for the sleeves of his pajamas but he couldn’t find them anywhere as he was now in short-sleeves for summer. It was now obvious to us all what Luke’s problem had been. We had spent hours on the phone trying to work out what was different about Luke’s environment and I felt very silly that we had not considered the summer pajamas to be an issue. We put Luke back in long sleeves and he started sleeping through the night again.
This was a clear case of a baby who was comforting himself to sleep using an aid that the parents were totally unaware of. It is also a good example of why it is better for parents to choose their baby’s comforter for them so you know what it is but it can be just about anything so long as it is safe with him in his cot.
View a range of safe Baby Comforters
Tips about baby comforters
There are a few things you really need to be aware of when introducing comforters to your baby.
* Some babies like to sleep with their comforters over their faces. If this is your baby, make sure she can still breathe (this is why we suggest breathable cotton muslin squares).
* Make sure your baby cannot get the comforter tangled around his neck. A good comforter size is about 38cm by 38cm.
* Soft toys are not the same as comforters.
* When choosing a comforter, please avoid ones with bean fillings or long fur that your baby might pull out and accidentally inhale. Pull at the fur a little to see how easily it comes away.
* Some companies specialise in making baby comforters. They have usually conducted a lot of research into the best comforter features for you and your baby. The Save Our Sleep?online store stocks a large range of some of the world’s most safe and cute comforters. Choose comforters from the SOS store.
* We also recommend that you have more than one comforter, and that they are machine washable. This enables you to rotate and wash them periodically, as well as ensuring you have a back-up comforter in the event that you misplace one.
Tricks of the trade
There are also a few tricks to introducing a comforter to your baby. I believe mum should put it down her top for a few hours to allow her smell to infiltrate it before putting the comforter in the cot near baby’s face so he can turn and snuggle into it. It is amazing to watch a baby take solace from their comforter.
Baby comforters
It is my experience that babies with comforters are much happier and more secure as they progress through certain milestones in their lives. Research has shown that at about nine months babies often become very clingy to mum as they realise they are individuals and not a part of their mothers. A comforter seems to help with this transition.
Meanwhile, in Germany there has been some research published recently which states that slightly older kids feel much more secure if they have a comforter with them for the first few visits at kinder or day-care. I also support this notion but feel you should quickly wean your child off taking it once they are settled. I also firmly recommend that a comforter is only given to a baby at sleep times or on occasions when some additional comfort is required such as a visit to hospital or the doctor. In my opinion, it is not good for children or babies to be carrying their comforter around all day.
One other issue I often get called about is when suddenly, at about 10 months, the baby comforter starts getting thrown out of the cot. The first time it happens it could be an accident, so walk in without making eye contact or talking and very calmly return it to the cot. If this becomes a ritual, the baby is probably game-playing. I suggest parents in these situations explain to their baby that if they throw the comforter out it will stay there and they won’t have it to sleep with. If this continues, don’t go in straight away but instead wait until you feel your baby has realised their comforter might not be coming back. Then walk in without eye contact or talking and give it back. Each time wait considerably longer and the game will soon stop.
Warning
When using comforters or putting cuddly toys in the cot as suggested in some articles, it is important to ensure they are safe for your baby. Soft toys with bean filling could block the air from getting into a baby’s mouth or nose if the baby was to sit it on top of his face. You also need to take care with soft fur covered toys because the fur from a toy could be breathed in by a baby and cause the baby to cough a lot which may not be dangerous but could cause the baby a lot of unnecessary discomfort. To ensure the fur is safe, just pull at it and see if any comes away
View Tizzie’s hand-picked range of safe Baby Comforters
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 05 Jul 2011
Baby Monitor – Is it Really What I Need?
As you prepare for a new addition in your life, you are running back and forth trying to get everything right. Look at the choices and items needed to take care of the little one coming home. From diaper bags, to bath tubs, from bottles and pacifiers to bedding and the right colors and furniture, everything has to be perfect. It is easy for a new mother and father to stress out over all of the decisions to make. How can we every get ready? We are into our seventh month already and the room is not painted. One item that will save you and help you relax after your bundle of joy arrives is a baby monitor.
The first few nights or weeks after arriving home you will not sleep. Every move that your infant makes will be noticed by you and you will snap up to see that he or she is still breathing. Eventually you will realize that your child is fine and sleeps much during the day and not much at night. You also will notice the dishes are piling up and look at the clothes. You need some much needed time to yourself to get caught up on the house work and it is also good for the infant. This is where a baby monitor comes in to play.
The baby monitor allows you to be mobile while still keeping an ear and with some monitors an eye on your infant. Most are sensitive enough to pick up their crying as well as grunts, squeals etc. There are many brands to choose from and this can be a difficult task. You need to determine if you want video or just sound. Is there a special distance needed? Will there be interference with your monitor? The most important question to ask is Can I trust the monitor? That is where research has been completed for you.
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 03 Jul 2011
How to Help Infants With Gas
When a baby has gas, it causes a lot of discomfort, making them cranky.
There are many causes of the gas and for every way to get it, there is a way to attempt to prevent it or alleviate it. Because infants with gas can cause both baby and parents grief, first learning how to prevent it is key. To begin to see where some behaviors can be changed, first determine when the gas seems to be most prevalent. If it is after feeding, try burping baby more frequently throughout the feedings.
It is acceptable to take the bottle after a few ounces to burp and then resume feeding. This allows baby to expel the gas and still eat satisfactorily. Holding baby in a more upright position is another very good way to prevent gas. It is a common mistake made, especially by new mothers, to lay baby down for feedings. They must be held as upright as they can be throughout the feeding. When was the last time a toddler, child or adult laid down to eat?
It is the same concept with a baby.If there is not a good way for baby to get rid of the gas, the baby will become uncomfortable and be irritable. Some babies become inconsolable. This can be frustrating for both baby and parents. Education is key in preventing this from happening. A doctor can help with advice on how to help prevent this.
With gas and babies, it is imperative that the parents discuss this with baby’s doctor to rule out any serious conditions that may be causing the gas in the first place. If modifying the way baby is burped and eats does not help, a doctor can suggest some drops that will help baby feel better. While infants and gas do go hand in hand, it is important to remember that there are many causes for it. Aside from the way baby is fed and barring any serious health issues, it could simply be the swallowing of air or the way that baby’s body digests food.
That could suggest a slightly immature digestive system that will catch up on its own in most cases. However, it is always a good idea to discuss concerns with a doctor to make sure that what you are doing is the right course.
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 03 Jul 2011
How to Choose Baby Playpens That Are Comfortable For a Baby
If you are looking for a baby playpen, comfort should always count first. Just imagine your baby is delivered to this unfamiliar world which is surely a big contrary to his mother womb. He is so feared and at the same time curious about all the surroundings, all the noises and visions that come to his proximity.
How do we help this little angel to get with the human world? Besides being pacified by parent hugging, a nice sleeping playpen is an immediate solution to his fear. A comfortable playpen with warmth of family will surely helps a great deal.
Here, a nice playpen will mean a nice and comfortable womb to him, comparatively much look alike to a place that he feels a high sense of security and geniality. Choose a playpen that is sturdy to support the baby, and make the baby feel safe.
Especially for those playpens which meet all JPMA safety standards and requirements. Also choose a playpen that is set with comfortable cushions and quilting. Set the playpen with nice baby bedding, to make him feel extremely nice and warm in his little universe. Of course, organic fabric for baby bedding is most ideal, because it has the best texture and non-toxic materials. It could avoid causing any allergy to your baby when he is not yet strong enough to fight against the unnecessary bacteria and allergic elements.
Set the playpen with nice baby plush toys too to delight your baby. There are lots of plush toys with organic fabric. Find the playmates for your baby and to keep him accompanied by the tiny toys and dolls whenever it is his play time or sleep time.
Last but not least, there are lots of playpens are designed with special functions to provide extra comfort to baby. You will have portable musicals with funny toys to amuse the baby. By extending his little legs or hands to reach for the toys, these kinds of physical trainings will be good to the baby.
There are some mattresses mounted with vibrations, so that once the vibration is switched on, it will comfort your little one to have a beautiful sleep time, and there is no need for you to bribe him to sleep at all.
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 29 Jun 2011
Urban Baby Clothes
Are you a cool dresser and do you want your baby to look the same? Urban baby clothes are great for making your new baby look stylish and trendy when you are out shopping, but they are also functional clothes for all seasons. Individual pieces can be put together to create a really trendy look whether you are in a city mall or playing in the park.
I always think of urban clothing as utility wear, yet flexible enough to be worn in any situation. Babies are really tough on their clothes, you may put bibs on them but they still manage to spread the mess everywhere. The fabric of all baby clothes should be soft and capable of withstanding numerous washes.
Urban baby clothes may be fashionable but they are adaptable. Wearing layers is a real advantage when kitting your baby out. When it is chilly, a trendy T-shirt over a long sleeves is ideal, if the weather warms up, then it is easy to strip one off. If it turns really cold, add a hoodie and your babe will be snug.
Urban clothes are hard wearing. Think of the stylish but practical, casual look that you wear around the city and transfer the idea to your baby. Cargo trousers will look as trendy on your baby as they do on you, stylish sneakers and boots are available in baby sizes. Hats, gloves and scarves will finish the outfit.
If you live in a small town rather than a city, you may find little choice in your local shops, but online there are a number of great stores stocking a wide variety of urban outfits and accessories to go with them.
Online auctions are a good place to look for clothing bargains. As good quality urban clothes are tough, children outgrow them so quickly they do not wear out. Selling them online means parents can make a little money to reinvest in a new outfit, while the buyer gets them at a fraction of the shop price. Look out for bundles of clothes, you may not like them all, but you can always put any you don’t want back into the auction.
Of course there is no need to stop at clothes. Really cool bibs, bottles and fancy diapers bags are all available to complete the image. There are some great looking sling carriers for your little tot too, so shop around and turn your baby out as stylish as yourself!
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 27 Jun 2011
Bedding For Baby Boys
If you have a baby boy, there is an excellent chance that you are in need of bedding for your baby. When you get the right type of bedding, it can make a difference in the way your baby sleep and this can really affect how well you sleep as well. This means getting bedding can really be a serious matter.
There are many places where you can find the perfect bedding to meet all your needs. You may choose to go online to find the ideal bedding or you may decide to do some physical shopping and go to the store. It’s really up to the individual where they decide to look for bedding for baby boys, but the choices are endless.
Also, you may want to take some time and try to find the best quality bedding to go with the room you want it to. There are various qualities to choose from and when you invest the appropriate amount of time to allow you to find it, you can.
Most parents choose the color blue for their bedding for baby boys, but there are certainly other colors to choose from as well. You may want to consider the colors you currently have in your nursery and this will allow you to get the perfect bedding to match it. There are a lot of various types of bedding to choose from and colors, so when you make the right combination, you are certain to have a lovely room.
You also may want to consider shopping online because there are a lot of ways for you to find the perfect bedding to meet all your needs if you just take the time to look. Try searching at some auction sites to find the best deals and you can also visit store sites to allow you to find a certain name brand you may be looking for.
Regardless of where you find the best bedding for your baby boy, you will want to make sure it is as comfortable as possible. This means getting a soft and cushy bedding to allow your baby to sleep as well as possible. This is certainly something you should consider when you looking at various types of bedding for your baby. By taking the time to find it, you will be glad you did when your baby is very comfortable.
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 26 Jun 2011
Events for Children in Barcelona, Sitges, Sant Cugat and Maresme
Barcelona is infamous for its child-friendly attitude and its wealth of theatre, workshops, cinema, carnivals, sporting events and markets to keep kids entertained at the weekend. Often families relocating to Barcelona miss out on the wealth of events available for local children due to events not being widely advertised (relying more on word of mouth) and more often the language barrier that many expat families experience when they first move here. Carrie Frais and Rebecca Laidlaw decided to change this for expat families living in Barcelona and surrounding areas. Their website mumabroad offers a whats on guide for kids in Barcelona, Sitges, Sant Cugat and Maresme for local events in Catalan and Spanish to international get togethers and VO cinema listings.
Theatre and Puppet shows are very popular amongst Barcelona Kids and offer a fantastic family atmosphere. Although most shows are in Catalan they are easy to follow and are generally recommended for children from the age of 5 upwards. Fiestas, Carnivals and Markets are held regularly all across Catalunya and are a chance for the whole neighbourhood to get together for a really fun day out. Outdoor puppet shows, floats, fancy dress, fireworks and processions are simply loved by children and adults alike. Barcelona museums, shops and parks regularly hold educational exhibitions, story-telling and workshops for children and are a fun way to learn. There are many English Version cinemas in Barcelona with the latest releases in English.
For parents thinking of relocating to Catalunya
Barcelona is one of the most child-friendly cities in Europe, given its numerous parks, play-areas and beaches. Children are adored by the locals and there are plenty of shops & restaurants, play-groups, mother and toddler groups and mum meet ups. The long wide promenade, stretches of clean, sandy beaches, vast national park and proximity to Barcelona make Sitges a favourite for many international families. It should therefore come as no surprise that an estimated 35% of Sitges inhabitants are from Northern Europe. Sant Cugat is a very popular town for international families due to its proximity to Barcelona, its good schooling and green space that is lacking in so many capital cities. Local resident, Rachael West tells us “Sant Cugat has the largest proportion of child population in Catalonia.
The good side to this is the capacity to meet other parents in the same situation as you, the total acceptation of children everywhere you go from restaurants to boutiquey shops all happy to amuse your child while you browse. And the town is literally full of children’s play areas and green areas. The negative side is the difficulty of getting into the school of your choice, all private ones have long waiting lists, and state schools is by “lottery” system where supply rarely meets demand so often you cannot get into your first choice. Sant Cugat is a typically commuter town, very well connected with Barcelona by FGC train (trains run every 3 mins to Bcn in rush hour, 10 mins off peak and Sundays). It is surrounded by countryside so ideal for nature lovers. Walking paths and routes in Collserola (protected national park area) run right beside and within St.Cugat itself, ideal for children.” Finally the Maresme coast lies just North of Barcelona and stretches from Montgat to Malgrat. Its commutable distance to Barcelona as well as its attractive inland dwellings makes Maresme a very popular location for young families with children.
Babies-Toddler Vivian | 25 Jun 2011
What You Should Do When You Have a Baby
Having a baby changes everything in your life. Not only are you facing a new lifestyle, but you need to make some financial changes as well.
Start with looking at your budget. While little ones don’t take up that much room, preparing for their arrival can take some money. Your new budget should include food, diapers, baby clothes and health insurance costs. Then consider all of the one-time expenses that will occur before and after the baby arrives, such as strollers, car seats and baby monitors. You will be surprise at how fast the costs can add up.
Make sure you apply for a Social Security Number for your child. You will need it in order to take advantage of the tax benefits available to parents. You can apply when the baby is born. The easiest way is to apply at the hospital. Simply tell the hospital representative that you would like to apply for a Social Security Number for your baby. You will need your and your husband’s Social Security Numbers. Your will receive your baby’s card in a few weeks.
Make sure you protect your child’s social security number and card. Identity theft is an increasing crime in this country. Don’t give it out without good cause, such as to the IRS or for a savings account.
You may find that you will need additional insurance coverage, especially when it comes to life insurance. Good coverage will give your child and spouse the funds to continue in a consistent way after your passing. Select the amount of coverage that will help your family meet living expenses, pay the mortgage and send your children to college.
Young parents are more likely to be disabled than killed in an accident. It is important to prepare for this by having disability insurance. This will replace a portion of your income so you can continue meeting your financial obligations until you are able to work again.
If you don’t have a will, you need one. A will is the perfect place to name the guardian of your child in the case of both parents passing away. Without one, the state determines who raises your child. You can also establish what parts of your estate go where and to whom.
Once the baby has arrived, have it added to your health insurance as soon as possible. This will help avoid any mixups. Call in advance to see what you will need to do. You should also update your income tax withholding to reflect an additional dependent. This will give you a little more money in each paycheck, which you can spend on those endless packages of diapers.
Having a child is a good time to look at your finances and your goals. It is the perfect time for planning for the future.