In a package offered by congress and approved by President Bush to help the U.S. economy, approximately 117 million families will receive tax rebates that will hopefully give the country’s economy the stimulus it so desperately needs. Rebate checks will be between $600 and $1,200 and in some cases more depending on the amount of children within the family.The rebate breakdown is as follows: individuals will receive $600, working couples will receive $1,200, and couples with children will receive an additional $300 per child. The package will also help businesses. Business owners, including small business, will be able to increase the percentage amount of write offs for equipment and plant purchases.

The approved package gives a lower dollar amount in rebates to families, but includes almost 30 million families that would have been left out of the original package proposed. With the lower dollar amounts, more working families will be able to receive the rebate.

Although an exact date has not been specified as to when the checks will be printed and mailed, don’t expect a check within days. Congress is asking that it happen immediately, but since the stimulus package is not expected to go in front of President Bush until February 15, it looks to be like weeks before receiving your check.

Source:

Congressional Leaders Announce Rebates for 117 Million Families, ABC News

Eating healthy during your pregnancy will help you to maintain quality nutrients in your body to help you and to help in the growth of your baby. Although the majority of your nutrition will come from food you eat, Iron could possibly be one nutrient your Physician will have you take in both you pre-natal vitamin and an additional supplement.Hemoglobin is a red blood cell protein that is created by iron. This protein helps to transport oxygen to tissue and your organs. Once you are pregnant, your body will need to make additional blood for you and baby. Additionally with blood increase, your body’s requirement for iron will increase by as much as 50 percent.

Some simple tips for iron supplement consumption – take on an empty stomach for easier absorption, plus it will cut down on nausea. Both calcium and caffeine will affect iron absorption into your body, so make sure to take iron and calcium separately and try to drink caffeinated products some time after iron consumption.

Foods rich in Iron are:

• Liver
• Lean beef
• Chicken
• Iron-fortified cereal
• Spinach
• Lentils
• Kidney beans
• Raisins

Some benefits of Iron are:

• Produces hemoglobin
• Produces collagen
• Protects body from infection

Some risks associated with vitamin E are:

• Not enough will cause iron deficiency
• Iron deficiency could cause heart issues

Recommended daily intake:

• Infants
  • Birth to 6 months, .27 mg/day
  • 7 months to 12 months, 11 mg/day

• Women
  • Pregnant, 27 mg/day
  • Nursing, under 18, 10 mg/day
  • Nursing, over 18, 9 mg/day

Other Nutritional links:
Essential Nutrients during Pregnancy
Vitamin A and Pregnancy
Women Need More Folic Acid
Vitamin E and Pregnancy

This information is offered to you as information only and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your medical professional for information and or questions.

Source: Iron, A Healthy Me

Remembering to eat a healthy, balanced diet is your best nutritional defense during pregnancy. One vitamin that will be derived from much of the food you eat will be Vitamin E. Yes, we know that this is a great vitamin for skin to help fight against free radicals, but review below and see what else Vitamin E can help you with.Foods rich in vitamin E are:

• Asparagus
• Corn
• Green leafy vegetables
• Whole grain cereal
• Liver
• Peanut Butter
• Sunflower seeds

Some benefits of vitamin E are:

• Lung function (adult and fetus)
• Forms and uses red blood cells
• Proper function of reproductive system
• Proper muscle function
• Protects cells from damage
• May lower risk of heart disease
• May lower risk of stroke

Some risks associated with vitamin E are:

• None known in dietary vitamin E
• Vitamin E from supplements may cause blood clotting issues

Recommended daily intake:

• Infants
  • Birth to 6 months, 4 mg/a-TE
  • 7 months to 12 months, 5 mg/a-TE

• Women
  • Pregnant, 15 mg/a-TE
  • Nursing, 19 mg/a-TE

Other Nutritional links:

Essential Nutrients During Pregnancy
Vitamin A and Pregnancy
Women Need More Folic Acid
Why Calcium is Important during Pregnancy

Source:

Vitamin E, iVillage Health

With pregnancy you might ask yourself many times, “am I eating healthy?” Eating a balance of healthy foods during your pregnancy will give your body its best nutrition. If you have any questions, make sure to ask your Physician for his or her advice. If by some chance you are told to begin taking supplements, Vitamin A may be considered part of your treatment, possibly after the first trimester.Vitamin A will come in several forms, but two forms are:

• Retinol (from food source)
• Beta-carotene (supplement source)

Foods rich in vitamin A are:

• Liver
• Fish oil
• Eggs
• Milk (whole, fortified)
• Carrots,
• Kale
• Squash
• Spinach
• Cantaloupe

Some benefits of vitamin A are:

• Bone growth
• Reproduction
• Cell division
• Cell differentiation
• Regulates immune system
• Helps the body fight infection more effectively
• Promotes healthy surface linings (eyes, respiratory, urinary)
• Functions as a barrier to bacteria and viruses

Some risks associated with vitamin A are:

• Birth defects (excessive consumption)
• Osteoporosis and hip fractures
• Delayed growth

Recommended daily intake:

• Pregnant women
  • 14 to 18 years, 750 mcg
  • 19 years or older, 770 mcg

• Women, lactating
  • 14 to 18 years, 1,200 mcg
  • 19 years or older, 1,300 mcg

This information is offered to you as information only and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your medical professional for information and or questions.

Source:
Vitamin A, iVillage Health

According to recent observations of studies conducted on temper tantrums, there are five styles that tantrums fall in: those that cause self injury; those that injure others; those needing help to calm themselves; lasting 25 minutes or longer; and having more than five tantrums per day or more than 10 per month.

These styles, generated after a study conducted by Dr. Andy Belden of Washington University School of Medicine, were the result of reports submitted by parents of 279 children, age 3 to 6. A comparative analysis was done on healthy children and children diagnosed with ADHD, depression, or other forms of disruptive behavior.

The reports showed children that fall into the “sick” category – previous diagnosis of ADHD, possibly hungry, or over stimulated – were more likely to have temper tantrums, but children that were healthy were less likely to have prolonged tantrums. Tantrums exhibited in healthy children tended to not be as aggressive as children with a noted disorder.

In an article posted on the Environmental News Network by Reuters, Dr. Belden expressed his concern for children experiencing “extreme tantrums consistently. If almost every time they are having a tantrum they are hurting themselves or other people, that is a valid reason to go and talk to your pediatrician.”

Seeking help for your child having difficulty controlling their temper and having continuous tantrums should not be looked upon as your child being “bad” or that you are a bad parent. With just one disorder noted above, approximately 4% to 12% of school-age children are affected by ADHD.

My oldest child has been diagnosed with ADHD and prior to being diagnosed he had frequent tantrums. When we began his review for diagnosis, I was asked to keep a journal of his routine; school, activities, eating, etc. After both his Doctor and I reviewed the journal, we realized key times when he would be most aggressive – usually late afternoon after not enough sleep and around lunch and dinner times.

Since children with ADHD struggle for organization, I had to learn how to organize my son’s life, to give him a routine that kept him on track and allowed him to integrate new appointments and projects at a slow pace to not disrupt his routine. Yes, we still have struggles, as all parents do, but he is adjusting well and becoming a happier child for it.

Source:

ADHD: What Parents Should Know, Familydoctor.org
Some temper tantrums can be red flags, Reuters.com

Everyone is familiar with the Food Pyramid. A colorful diagram of food groups you should eat on a daily basis and how much of each group will give you your daily nutrients. Simple and easy to use, but what guidelines are in place during pregnancy? According to the My Pyramid Plan for Moms, expectant moms should increase their calorie intake approximately 300 calories per day. This increase will depend on several factors such as weight before pregnancy, height, and physical activity and should be under the advice of your Doctor.

Always remember to eat a good variety and balance of foods from each food group. Making sure you get complete nutrients from the foods eaten will help to avoid taking extra supplements during pregnancy. If you do take supplements during pregnancy for added nutrients, do so at your Doctor request and under their supervision.

To gain a better understanding of the servings suggested of each food group during pregnancy, please visit My Pyramid Plan for Moms. This information is dependent on personal information prior to pregnancy. Once you have submitted your information, you will see a guide built based on your specific input. Print it out and take it to your next appointment to discuss with your Doctor.

Tip: If you do take a pre-natal vitamin or additional supplements, try to take them during a meal or snack to avoid nausea or possibly at bedtime with a small snack. Ask your Doctor for his recommendation.

Source:

My Pyramid Plan for Moms, MyPyramid Web site
Pregnancy Nutrition, American Pregnancy Association Web site

While giving an address to the St Louis World Fair in 1904, J.T. Stinson mentioned a phrase about apples, “an apple a day will keep the Doctor away.” Stinson had no clue that 104 years later that phrase would still be ringing around homes, handed down from generation to generation. Guess what? It’s true.

Apples are great for your health. No fat, no cholesterol and five grams of fiber; definitely the smart snack choice for both you and your children throughout your busy days. According to Mypyramid.gov, adults should have at least two cups of fruit per day; children should have one and a half cups of fruits per day.

Numerous studies (Mayo Clinic, Cornell University, and The National Cancer Institute) have proven the health benefits of apples. A healthy diet including apples and apple products can give your body an all-over benefit to help reduce the following:

• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Type II Diabetes
• Alzheimers
• Heart disease
• Asthma
• Lower cholesterol
• Risk of stroke

What is it in apples that make them so good for our health? Quercetin and Phytochemicals. Quercetin (a flavonoid), found within the apple, and Phytochemicals, found within the skin, are linked to inhibit the growth of both prostate cancer cells and prevent new production of colon cancer cells. Flavonoids abundant in apples are also linked to lowering incidence of heart disease and preventing strokes. So, eat an apple today to start you and your family on the path of a healthier life.

If you happen to have a young one that just refuses to eat an apple, well, telling them “it is healthy” most likely won’t fly, so try some tricks so they can enjoy the benefits with the rest of the family. A few Cut your apple into chucks, cube some cheese, place a tooth pick through – their own fruit kabob. If that is not their thing, slice your apple and spread lightly with caramel sauce or peanut butter. One more thing to try with sliced apples – cheeses slices placed atop the apple. Yummy! Now go enjoy.

Studies:
Carcinogenesis (March, 2001)
Nature (June, 2000)
Journal of the National Cancer Institute (January, 2000)
The British Medical Journal (1996)

Source:
Great Moments in Apple History by Mitch Lynd, Midwest Improvement Association, Perdue Education Web site
Planting the Seeds of Good Health, US Apple Web site
Apples Keep Your Family Healthy, Healthy Living, Best Apple Web site

Just by entering the keywords “sperm, donor, custody” into a search engine you will see a tremendous amount of links that will take you to article upon article concerning what responsibility a donor has, mainly regarding if they are required to pay child support or not. Many people are harmed emotionally regardless of the outcome, including the children created by the donation.

Recently a ruling in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed a decision that required a donor to pay child support plus back support for twins that were born to a previous lover. Joel L. McKiernan and Ivonne V. Ferguson, previous co-coworkers and love interests, ended their affair of two years prior to Ferguson asking McKiernan to donate sperm.

Ferguson, married to another man at the time, promised McKiernan that he would not be liable for child support, but backed out on her promise and sued him to gain current and back child support for her twins. Being “in the twins’ best interest”, a judge awarded support. It was this ruling that was reversed by appeal.

This situation leads many to debate on what role a donor – sperm or egg – should or should not play within a child’s life they help to create. Visitation and child support are just two of the many emotional roller coasters that families will travel on. In the eye of a donor they are simply that, only a donor. They are not asking for any responsibility when offering their help.

Source: Pa. Sperm Donor Wins Child Support Case, The Associated Press, from CBS.com

Parents Raise Awareness and Funds for JPA

Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma, JPA for short, is a brain tumor, the most common brain tumor in children. Roughly 600 children each year are diagnosed with JPA, but unfortunately the most common brain tumor does not have much funding to back research.
Parents were struggling to find resources and treatment for their children with JPA, but regardless of where they turned the research was not there. Corporate greed over profits did not warrant companies backing the research into finding a cure.

FightJPA.org, a parent organization of children with JPA have come together to help fund research. Starting with simple fundraising events in three years FightJPA raised over $6 million dollars in funds to help fight JPA.

You can help FightJPA by donating directly to their cause. All donations go towards funding research; no money is kept as overhead.

Are you one of the 44 Possibly Infected with TB?

A women traveling this Holiday season from India to California with a stop in Chicago may have infected passengers on board an American Airline flight December 13 with a deadly strain of tuberculosis.
Forty-four passengers over a 17 state span were seated within two rows of the infected women and are currently being sought for testing. The unidentified woman is currently being treated in a California hospital.

Approximately one third of our world?s population is infected with tuberculosis and each year TB kills as many as two million people infected with the deadly virus. Right now there is no future diagnosis for the woman as Doctors say it is too early to determine.

Most people infected with TB can be cured. Treatment is a combination of various antibiotic drugs given to the patient over a span of six months and in some cases as long as 12 months. If patients develop MDR-TB, a strain of TB that is resistant to two or more drugs, they can expect treatment to last up to two years.

Patients with MDR-TB and in treatment may still not recover from the intense strain. Anywhere between four and six patients out of 10 will die with MDR-TB.

Source:

Woman Flies with Dangerous TB Strain, The Associated Press, Retrieved from Channel 7 News Albuquerque

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health

Daily we see or read about how our earth is constantly struggling to survive through the damage that we all have placed on her; throwing away trash that could easily be recycled, using her natural resources without thought, and choking her air as we drive to and from our day to day activates.There are many of us that want to rethink how we currently use our earth?s resources and to become a more consciences user. Recycling what can be recycled, changing how we use water and energy, and to help reduce our carbon emissions for a cleaner, healthier earth.

Carbonfund.org is an organization that can do just that. Carbonfund.org is a devoted organization to helping change our climate and educate consumers. Offering online resources, Carbonfund.org, teaches consumers how they can reduce their carbon emissions at various points within their life, like at home, at work, and while traveling.

By using Carbonfund?s calculators, you can see exactly how much emissions you generate and place into our air. Taking into consideration the damage that is done, you can reduce and offset those emissions by using the suggestions on Carbonfund.org and by also making a contribution based on the amount of emission that you create.

The service that Carbonfund.org offers, allows you to contribute to them the dollar amount of the carbon emissions that you have created, or any other dollar amount to help offset your emissions. That money is then placed into various projects like reforestation and energy efficiency to mend damage caused to our Earth.

Get your children involved. Children hear about the damage as much as parents do with current events in school. Children are great promoters and can rally neighbors together to help repair damage that has been caused. They can offer neighborhood recycling tips, how to reduce and offset, and even organize a drive to have your street donate as one group to recognize there involvement in the damage.

Source: Carbonfund.org

Exploration Soon Possible for Immobile Infants

Unfortunately parents with infants that have mobility or orthopedic issues do not have many options when it comes to allowing their infant to explore on their own. Researchers at the University of Delaware are hoping to change that future.
Although not new research in mobility for children, infants do not currently have options to move around on their own. Professors? Cole Galloway and Sunil Agrawal are hoping to help immobile infants be able to explore their surroundings just like infants able to use their legs to move baby walkers and bouncers to explore.

?Wheeled robots? as the Foxnews.com article has named these hopeful mobile units will allow disabled infants mobility to move across rooms by sitting within their ?robot? and using a joystick device to move around. In order to help infants miss obstacle, l is using infrared to help units avoid possible obstacles.

Current studies involve infants, some as young as six months old, both with and without special needs, monitoring how each baby drives the robot. This first stage robot is a breakthrough for infants, but is still only in testing phase. Hopefully, with continued funding, Galloway and Agrawal can continue their research and create a next-generation robot for purchase.

Currently, mobile units are available in England. The Bath Institute developed and currently markets the Wizzybug which is available for children age 2 to 5. Another company, Dragonmobility Ltd., produces powered vehicles and has designed for children from age 11 months.

Dragonmobility you could say led the way for research in mobile units as their company was built based on a father?s creation to help his 21-month old daughter become mobile with spinal muscular atrophy. His daughter, Ruth Everard, now age 28 continues with Dragonmobility today helping infants and children explore.

Source: Researchers Put babies Behind the Wheel to Help Immobile Kids Move, Explore, Associated Press, Retrieved from Foxnews.com

With all of the great wonders pregnancy will bring you, there are a few discomforts that mom-to-be might experience, morning sickness, baby’s arm stuck in places you didn’t know existed, and the all wonderful constipation. Just take comfort knowing you are not alone, half of the women experiencing pregnancy with you are experiencing constipation too.

Reported in the Obstetrics & Gynecology journal, a current study done by Dr. Catherine S. Bradley and colleagues, University of the Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, constipation occurs in half of pregnant women at some point during their pregnancy.

From the first trimester, 103 pregnant women were followed through to their third trimester. Within the three trimesters the following occurred:

• 1^st trimester, 24% experienced constipation
• 2^nd trimester, 26% experienced constipation
• 3^rd trimester, 16% experienced constipation

Please read the complete article here.

If you experience constipation during your pregnancy and we now know there is a fifty fifty chance you will, there are some tips offered by the American Pregnancy Association on how you can help to treat or prevent constipation during your pregnancy. Please remember, these are only tips and you should consult your doctor for the best plan for you during pregnancy.

• Eat a high fiber diet
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Exercise routinely
• Over-the-counter remedies (Metamucil)
• Reduce or eliminate iron supplements, if possible.

Sources:
Constipation common in pregnancy, study confirms, Rueters Health
Pregnancy and Constipation, American Pregnancy Association

For those of you that love to drink lemonade here is one more reason to drink up – organic style. A new study researching lemonade made from organic lemons compared to non-organic lemons has found that organic lemonade offers ten times the amount of bioflavonoid antioxidants then their non-organic counterpart.

The study, conducted by Washington State University with support from The Organic Center, proves that organic citrus items, like lemons, limes, and grapefruits offer higher antioxidant support then non-organic. The study is one more positive step for antioxidants and the benefits that our bodies receive and also places a large importance on going organic.

And with the growing amount of positive reports over the past few years of antioxidants and their importance in support of a healthy body from smoother skin, a healthy heart, to all-around general better health, consumers continuously want to learn about how they can improve their health.

Bioflavonoids are offered in many forms – Quercetin, Hesperidin, Rutin, and Citrus – and most support health through strengthening our capillaries and connective tissue. The following is a small list of other support functions offered:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antihistaminic
• Antiviral agent

Read the study here.

Sources:
Study: Organic lemonade has 10x more antioxidants than regular, Environmental News Network
Bioflavonoid Uses and Information, NutraSanus

As parents, we strive to make sure we do everything we can to protect our children from harm, teach them about strangers, walking in pairs, not to play with fire, but did you know that protecting our environment will also protect our children? Going a bit green will help our world be a safer place for our children and our children’s children to grow up in.

I am slowly learning about ways to go green and protect our world’s resources, like changing my light bulbs to CFL’s, using reusable bags at the grocery store instead of paper or plastic, and now I have learned one more way to help protect our trees, reduce global warming, and save water, simply by losing 41 pounds.

What? I can hear you asking what does weight lost have anything to do with going green. Well, 41 pounds is the approximate amount of junk mail that one person receives per year. The impact of junk mail on our world is devastating. Just in trees alone, junk mail consumes about 100 million trees per year. There is no feasible way to replace that amount of trees.

41pounds.org is an organization that will contact direct mail companies on your behalf to stop approximately 80% to 95% of the direct mail you receive, such as catalogs and coupons. The service provided by 41pounds.org will cost you $41 and lasts for five years and the best part of the $41 fee, 1/3 of that will go back to community and environmental organizations that help our world’s resources.

I honestly think this will be the best $41 you have spent. And remember the $41 is for five years, only $8.20 per year. Definitely a small amount to help protect your child’s future world.

Source: 41pounds.org

Lights have become part of the Holiday tradition for families and continue to grow as a main attraction for those decorating and sightseers alike. From a simple yard display to an embellished home that can be seen from miles away, each year light decorating becomes more a work of art.

A fantastic way to spruce up your light design for the winter Holidays and a great idea to keep lights all year long to help bring cheer to parties and get-togethers are Sparkleballs. Sparkleballs are made with simple materials – plastic cups and lights – but will take some patience for the first assembly.

The Sparklelady from San Diego, although not the creator offers a great web site with free instructions on how to create four different versions of Sparkleballs: basic, mini, dancing and the snowman. All of these creations come through trial and error as she never had original instructions. I appreciate her time and patience because they are great..

I love Sparklelady’s story and how she discovered her first Sparkleball. Had she not stopped on that dark Texas road would I be bringing you the Sparkleball story now? I guess we will never know. I am grateful for her kind Christmas Spirit because many people would charge for the detailed instructions she has, but because Sparkleballs are a simple pleasure, she gives them free to everyone, so that we may all experience the joy.

I plan to create some Sparkleballs for my deck and sunroom. At night when I want to sit outside and take in the quiet, having Sparkleballs placed in various locations will help distribute light around my deck more evenly instead of having either the over head lights or motion lights on. They also offer a very relaxing feel with the soft lights.

Creating Sparkleballs for other occasions would be a big hit. Instead of using multi-color lights for a Holiday theme, use red, white, and blue for the fourth of July, maybe red at Valentine’s Day, or green for Saint Patrick’s Day, or a little orange for Halloween or a Harvest theme for Thanksgiving. Sparkleballs can be used for tons of occasions, just use a little imagination.

My daughter wants to help me create some mini-sparkleballs for her room. She would like them placed one in each corner and will give her room it’s own warm and cozy feel. So, I know what I will be doing after the Holiday season, creating a room of atmosphere. Do you plan on creating some Sparkleballs? If so, stop by the comments section and let us know!

Note: Due to the detailed instructions and pictures associated with making Sparkleballs the directions will not be re-posted on this site, but links throughout this article will direct you to Sparkleballs.

For today’s baby, there are so many options when buying furniture, toys, and accessories. There literally is something for everyone you can’t do wrong. A main issue many parents find themselves in today is staying within a budget. Budgeting for baby’s room can be difficult, especially for first-time parents. You want everything that is the best for baby, so your bright eyes are much bigger than your limited wallet allows.

Research. Research all of the products out their so that you can make a solid decision. From cribs, bedding, changing tables, dressers, and accessories – there is so much to think about. Take your time, go to local shops, look on-line, review catalogs, all of these options are good choices for learning about your options. While you are learning about your likes and dislikes, you can also gather a sense of pricing which will help you to set a budget or goal of what you can spend.

One crib option for parents is a convertible bed. This might be the right investment for you now because as baby grows the crib will grow too. From baby, to toddler, to adolescent, to teen; you won’t have to keep changing out beds as your child grows and will help to cut down on costs later. Just a possible option.

Think wisely when planning the items you want to purchase. You will hear many different things, from many people. “You have to have this” or “I never used that.” Everyone will give you their opinion and expect you to use their advice. My thoughts, I never used a changing table and I loved my baby swing. Just use your best judgment and be wise with what you purchase.

Simply Baby Furniture

Location. Much of what you put into your baby’s room will depend on the room itself. If you want a crib, changing table, dresser, rocker, table, lamps, and more, it might not seem like a lot, but it could very well be too much for baby’s room. As you research, go back to baby’s room and look how you might set up the crib, or a corner for the rocker, will it fit with room to maneuver or will you be too cramped to even enjoy?

If you are tight on space, an idea would be to use the closet smartly. Have shelving or organizers placed within the closet and don’t use a dresser. I never used a changing table, but if you choose to use one, you might go with a portable changer. These mobile units can go anywhere within your home and can be stored easily out of the way. No space to take up. Place in your baby’s closet to keep out of the way.

Easy Change Changing Table/Rail Raider

Decorating. Decorating in a theme is very important to many parents. Having your curtains, bedding and walls all match might be a great idea, but baby needs to have some change for stimulation. Using paints in baby’s room will allow you to create various different ideas plus is less on a budget then purchasing wallpaper or edging.

You can paint on the ceiling where baby can see. Paint a blue sky with some white clouds. You don’t have to be Picasso, baby won’t know the difference. He will love it no matter what. If you don’t want just a sky, paint a whole view. Throw in a tree, some grass, a few birds, he will see shapes and colors, and best, he will be taking it all in.

With my first, I added some balloons on the wall, bubbles floating to the ceiling, other shapes and colors all for him to just look at and take in. When I was pregnant with my second, my son and I dipped our hands in pain and did hand prints all over an area of wall in different colors; a few butterflies flying to the ceiling.

The Sherwin-Williams Company

When it comes to your baby’s room a budget doesn’t restrict your imagination. Be creative with the items you purchase, whether they are new or maybe something eccentric from a flea market. Open up and just go with your instinct. Baby will love what you do with his or her new place.

When my first child was born it was hard to determine sometimes when he was cold or warm. I used my own internal temperature. When I was warm, a t-shirt and shorts worked fine. If needed, I could take him all the way down to a diaper and know there was not much else to take off.

Winter was a different story. When I was cold, I layered him so that we could remove or add back as needed, but many times I wasn’t sure if what I put on him was too much. My son never seemed to mind, but he also couldn’t vocalize, “Hey mom, I’m hot.”

Winter has blossomed everywhere in the U.S. and in my little corner, I have noticed an array of how parents bundle their children. From “not enough clothing” to “way too much the baby will suffocate.”

But regardless of what stage of parent you are, a new “over clothed” parent, or a seasoned “it’s not too cold” parent, a baby’s body can not adjust to the cold temperatures to keep their bodies warm like an adult can. Bundling up is your child’s best protection.

There are three things according to RN Jan Nissi, parents need to consider and remember when bundling baby up for an outing:

• Body surface
• Shivering
• Fat

Mom and dad are more proportioned when it comes to weight compared to body surface. We are able to maintain our body heat but a baby’s body will lose their body heat at a faster rate because their large body surface.

Shivering is something everyone does when it is cold outside, but have you noticed your little one? Baby’s body doesn’t react to cold, so he won’t shiver like you will, which is our bodies way of creating internal warmth, combined with your layered clothing, keeps you warm.

As adults, we also have an added layer to our body – fat. Our fat layer is like our own personal blanket to help keep us warm. Our baby’s body does not have enough fat to help keep warmth in and keep them warm.

So, I feel better knowing that I didn’t bundle my son too much and my daughter five years later was just fine, having learned from my first. I do limit exposure to the cold though; keep outings to a short amount of time and try shopping inside stores instead of our outside mall.

Cold Exposure in Babies, Author Jan Nissi, RN, BS. Yahoo Health, provided by Healthwise.