New Baby Care 101

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.

Circumcision: Many doctors agree that there may be some benefit to circumcision, but it may not be absolutely necessary. It may help to lower the risk of urinary tract infections and eliminates just about any chance of penile cancer. Circumcision does not cause long-term emotional problems for your child.

Crib death (SIDS): Many studies have been done regarding SIDS. Although the cause of SIDS has not been definitely defined, there are some correlations that have been made between SIDS and the following things:

Male babies are more likely to die from SIDS than females

Prematurity makes it more likely

Minority children are affected by it more often than non-minorities

More children of young, single mothers die from it

Children who live in a home with one or more smokers are more likely to be affected

Some people say that sleeping with your baby can reduce the risk of SIDS, but the American Academy of Pediatrics disagree with this statement and go on to say that there is a greater risk of SIDS in babies who co-sleep.

Back sleeping is what most pediatricians recommend for babies to decrease the SIDS risk. The reason for this is widely debated between health experts. If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician.

About The Author
Melida Cohen is wife, and mother of 3 beautiful children ages, 1, 7, and 8. She is author of "Baby's First Year: Everything You Should Know but Probably Don't," and is currently a stay at home mom. Her goal is to empower new moms and mothers to be.

Baby Nursery Decorating Ideas

Decorating your baby’s nursery is certainly exciting and a lot of fun. As well as creating a soothing environment, your baby’s nursery should be practical and safe. Here are nine things to consider...

1. Make sure there are no electrical switches, blind cords or other hazards where baby can reach them.

2. Try to plan a nursery your child won’t outgrow. Choose a theme that’s classic and both you and baby can live with for some time. It can be expensive and time consuming if the nursery dates too quickly.

3. You don’t have to stick to traditional baby colors such as pink for girls and blue for boys. With the huge range of paint colors available now you can experiment a little.

4. For an extra special touch try painting a mural on one of the walls. If art isn’t really your forte you can usually find a good local artists willing to take the job on for a reasonable price. You can also stencil a border around the room or stencil in your favorite poem or verse.

5. When choosing the furniture, make sure it’s functional. You’ll need a crib, changing table, and storage for clothes. You may also want a moses basket or basinet. It’s always smart to think ahead and invest in convertible furniture like a crib which turns into a toddler bed or a change table/dresser which can later be used as a dresser only. This will cost a little bit more but will actually save you from having to invest in furniture again in a few years.

6. If space allows, one of the must have items for new parents is a comfortable chair. A good chair will be an investment but it will last for years. It’s important to have a quiet place where you can easily feed and spend some quality time bonding with baby… it will also save you from future back problems!


7. Invest in comfortable bedding. Bedding should be made of quality materials and follow all the baby safety guidelines. A good bedding set will cost a little bit more, but for the decorative pieces like the bumper you’ll only need one good set. Then simply stock up on good quality fitted sheets which are less expensive and you can change on a regular basis.

8. If you’re going for wooden or bare floors place an area rug in the center. When babies starts to crawl and explore a soft surface will be a lot safer and nicer for them.

9. Try to avoid bright colors in the nursery as they can over stimulate and cause anxiety in babies and young children. Instead go for a range of neutral and soothing colors.

source: http://www.momscape.com

Baby Clothes - Hints and Tips

Baby clothes are really expensive, and because your child grows so fast in the first couple of years, these clothes are going to have a very short life. To maximise the wear we need to look at how we take care of them, how we can get wear from them, for longer and how we might save money, if we buy the right things initially.

Buying

* The first thing to remember when buying children's clothing is, they must be comfortable to wear, easy to put on and above all else, washable.

* Buy clothes with elasticated waistbands and trousers or skirts with shoulder straps. This makes letting down or adjusting easier.

* Buy socks without shaped heels they can then grow with your child. Try to stick to one or two colors and brands – this way you will always have a replacement if you lose one.

* Put extra buttons on dungaree, skirt or dress straps – This way you can lengthen them as your child grows.

* Always try to buy natural fibres, rather than man made .The man made fibres don't breathe as well as natural fibres and this can cause your child to get too hot, especially in summer.

Maximizing Wear

* Sleep suit getting too short? – For comfort cut off the feet and you will get another month s wear, at least.

* Add another tier to a tiered skirt, by using identical or contrasting material.

* Trousers or jeans that have become too short, or worn at the knees – can be cut down and made into shorts for the summer.

* Make summer pyjamas by cutting off the arms and legs of a pair of winter pyjamas.

* Don't throw away an expensive jacket if your child has out grown it – remove the sleeves and turn it into a smart waistcoat for your child.

* When you've let down a pair of jeans or dungarees, you can normally see a white line where the fabric has been creased. Make it less noticeable by blending it into the fabric by running a dark blue crayon along the line. A fountain pen or indelible marker also works.

Care Washing Tips

* One tip that seems obvious but is often ignored – the manufacturers washing instructions that you will find in the garment labels. Manufacturers of fabric spend vast amounts of money to find out what are the best washing conditions for their goods. So always try and wash as instructed, it does help clothes last longer.

* Use a fabric protector to spray collars, cuffs and knees of garments, any spills will form into beads and can be easily wiped clean.

* Get grimy soiled socks clean by soaking them in a water and washing soda solution before washing.

* White cotton socks can be revitalised by boiling them in water with a slice of lemon.

* Instead of bleach add vinegar to the water as an alternative.

* Sneakers can be kept looking new by spraying them with starch before wearing them for the first time – this will stop dirt from getting embedded.

* A soap filled scouring pad is great for sneakers or any fabric shoes.

* Rub white shoes with a raw potato cut in half, or alcohol, before cleaning. Keep them white by spraying with hairspray – This prevents the polish from coming off and keeps them looking new.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John tries to combine his role as a SAHD with work as a freelance writer. Home is a small village in West Yorkshire England, where he lives happily with his wife and two young daughters. (Georgia who is nearly 3yrs and Olivia aged 16 months.)