The “teething stage”, or scientifically termed “deciduous eruption stage”, of development somewhere between six and nine months after birth. The first teeth typically to come in are in the bottom front, followed by the top front, and finally the back molars. Teething can typically be a very painful and troublesome time for infants as they are too young to understand why they are in pain. They are still developing essential motor skills to help them aid and soothe their pain, generally referred to as “chewing.”

The other solution that I have found quite effective is to attach a pacifier with a ring on it. (Like the old fashion ones with the ring on the back instead of the stud) to a flexible cloth covered stuffed animal or similar thing. A bunch of pipe cleaners covered in a quick stitch piece of fabric to prevent your infant from poking themselves with a wire is a good idea, or any kind of soft posable item that you can loop through the ring to make it easily accessible to your baby. We used one of the dollar flowers in the dollar shop (plush) at Target and folded the end over the ring. This makes it easy for her small hands to grab the stem of the flower and maneuver the ring or pacifier to her mouth instead of struggling to find it when she drops it as she can not turn over or sit up on her own. This is a great tool for her at night when she is having pain and she can use it when she wants it and regulate her own pain with the modified pacifier. Any further questions about this or for pictures of what I did please feel free to email me with questions at Squarecatdesigns@gmail.com

One of the best things I have found to help with the pain of teething is a homeopathic symptomatic teething tablet put out by Hylands. These tablets are usually found next to the usual Orajel (which she hates) and general pain killers like Tylenol. These tablets are 100% natural and have no side effects. They are small soft tablets that you place under your child’s tongue and dissolve almost instantly. Because they are all natural they can be administered 2-3 times an hour and are long lasting and almost instantly kill pain, relax her from frustration and when given with a warm bath, help her sleep all through the night without pain. I highly recommend this product to any mother with small infants suffering from teething problems.

While most babies that begin this process are around six months to nine months old, these children usually have less problem holding teething rings and less struggle with basic motor skills. My daughter started her teething process at the age of three months, which led us to try a variety of different methods to help aid her with the pain and the frustration of her developing motor skills. While my daughter can firmly grasp things, and most of the time can get the items to her mouth, she has difficulty turning items such as round teething rings in order to fit them in her mouth and this inability usually results in crying and frustration.

“What kind of crazy B movie did I find myself in? Attack of the killer cheese curls? Oi!”

Catchy music, sharp wit, good life lessons and all the greens you need to make sure your movie platter is nutritionally balanced, the new big screen adventure in the wildly popular home-sales phenomenon “Veggietales” serves up two thumbs up. “The Pirates That Don’t Do Anything” is smart, entertaining and a great movie for both kids and parents alike. This film mixes both clever humor and fun with a strong and effective underlying moral lesson without coming across as preachy or overly repetitive. While many of the previous Veggietales cartoons and adventures have been solely based around bible lessons and stories, this film manages to avoid any direct religious connotations while still maintaining a solid good Christian ideal and lesson.

The dialogue in the film was one of the most impressive features, carrying a very crisp adult vocabulary and tone without being overly complicated for small children to understand. I respect the writers of this film in taking a risk with the dialogue and not succumbing to other films’ recent trend to overly simplify and dumb-down content targeted for children. The characters display a very well trimmed sense of humor and timing, while working in dialogue to support the main moral theme without having to directly spell it out. The characters have a very smart sense of humor and displays elements of satire as well as a touch of absurdity without going over the top. This is a very refreshing and encouraging film that gives me hope that other popular childrens’ media companies will follow in the footsteps of.

The worst thing popular media has done lately in my opinion is underestimating our childrens’ intelligence and ability to comprehend complex situations and conversations. This film is both fun and easy to follow along with while still being exciting and attention holding even in sections where the tone slows from the fast quips to a more sincere rhythm. The musical numbers are also very well put together and entertaining, and the kids in the theater along with my three month were bopping along to the delight of all the parents present. If you are going to see one film this year with your child, I recommend that you see this one, I promise you wont be disappointed, have your intelligence insulted or leave feeling like you have wasted your money. This film earns every penny of your ticket price

This is one helping of vegetables your child will not turn their noses up at!

Recent studies have found that the chemical BPA, also founds in other plastics, has some retailers pulling products from shelves. Many eco-conscious Americans actively use hard plastic refillable containers to carry water and other liquids in in order to help keep the number of disposable water bottles out of landfills. These types of containers have seen a sharp spike in consumer purchase, especially seen in stores on the west coast. Earlier this year the mayor of San Francisco put an order into effect that banned plastic water bottles inside the city limits to help cut down on the environmental impact being felt all over the world by this type of un-biodegradable waste accumulation.

While this has been a good step for the environment, residents of San Fransisco complain that the tap water and public water supply contains added fluoride supposed to help slow tooth decay but has been shown scientifically to be mostly ineffective and harmful to health, arguing that this added chemical is a waste of tax payer’s dollars. Because of many residents not wanting to consume water straight from the tap many have turned to in-home water supplies such as deep rock and Sparkletts machine and have turned to the refillable plastic containers put out by a variety of companies, most notably including those at Nalgene. The recent findings of the hormone copying chemical BPA has retailers and consumers concerned and many stores have pulled these and other related products from shelves. While there has not been a national or full state ban on these type of materials, many individually owned businesses have already pulled products. California is currently discussing a state-wide ban on these affected products and if passed would be the first ban on a chemical in the world.

In response to the findings of this chemical in other products such as baby bottles and children’s drinking cups, green companies are encouraging parents to pay attention and check online sources before buying such products. While green alternatives can be a little bit pricier and harder to find, sources say that plastic companies are working hard to remove this chemical and are turning towards developing their own green products for mass production in the upcoming year. For now, moms concerned about plastic baby bottles should do their research and a good option to help reduce this risk is the drop in disposable liner products that are found in mostly all retail stores and are put out by Playtex, Evenflo, and other store-brand generic alternatives.

For more information and sourcing material please visit: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1198311904271120.xml&coll=7

and please visit this site for information on this issue ad many others: http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/bpa041505.cfm

With all of the paparazzi and media backlash that stars and media icons receive today it’s no wonder they are prone to eating disorders and vanity. The pressure put on women in the entertainment and modeling business is immense, and many stars suffer from eating disorders put onto them by the stress of being in the limelight. These women are often idolized by our young girls and can be harmful to establishing a positive and healthy self-image. According to an article in Archives of Pediatrics and Medicine (Jama/Archives), “An adolescent girl who regularly has family meals is less likely to suffer and go on to suffer form an eating disorder or consume laxatives, diet pills, or take some extreme measure to control her weight.”
The targeted risk of eating disorder generally increases as the child matures from adolescence into adulthood, explain the authors. “Disordered eating behaviors are associates with a number of harmful behavioral, physical and psychological consequence, including poorer dietary quality, weight gain and obesity onset, depressive symptoms and the onset of eating disorders. Thus, it is important to identify strategies for the prevention of disordered eating behaviors.”

Sitting down for a family meal may be one answer to this rising trend. Having a child on a set eating schedule will help to maintain their natural biological intake cycle as well as help to later reinforce similar cycles as they get older. If possible dinner should be free from outside distractions such as televisions or movies for the most part, and family members should be encouraged to talk about their happenings at school or work or other types of positive conversation.

As a child who was raised with the every night sit down dinner with my parents and the occasional family pizza and a movie, I definitely think that this type of traditional pattern is helpful for a number of reasons. Because of the constant interaction I had with my parents, planning out family schedules and thoughts during dinner gave us time for everyone to be on the same page. This minimized “surprises” and helped to reinforce memory and schedule so that we had very few “oops” family moments. I also think that this type of dinner is helpful because now as I have become a mother, I have a broad knowledge base of meal options to feed my own daughter simply from remembering the meals that were fed to me.

Dinnertime should be a pleasant time and can also be a great bonding time for both parent and child. Having your children help out in preparing, cooking, place-setting, and clean up helps them later in life when they no longer have a parent to watch over them. As according to to Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.d, M.P.H. , R.D., of the University of Minneapolis, “Teenage girls who ate with their families at least five times each week in 1999 were substantially less likely to report using extreme measures, such as using diuretics or making themselves vomit to control their weight in 2004, this was despite such factors as social demographics, BMI and family connectedness. ”
This statistic was not as great in the male gender that were tested, and reasons for this variation are generally unclear. “Perhaps boys who engage in regular family meals are different in some way that increases their risk for disordered eating behaviors. There is also the possibility that adolescent boys and girls have different experiences at family meals. For example, girls may have more involvement in food preparation and other food-related tasks, which may play a protective role in the development of disordered eating behaviors. Finally, family meals may offer more benefits to adolescent girls, who may be more sensitive to and likely to be influenced by interpersonal and familial relationships than are adolescent boys.”

These findings and other related studies should serve as a motivating factor in helping families to find ways to eat meals together. “Health care professionals have an important role to play in reinforcing the benefits of family meals, helping families set realistic goals for increasing family meal frequency given schedules of adolescents and their parents, exploring ways to enhance the atmosphere at family meals with adolescents and discussing strategies for creating healthful and easy-to-prepare family meals,” they conclude. “Schools and community organizations should also be encouraged to make it easier for families to have shared mealtimes on a regular basis.”

Source:

“Family Meals and Disordered Eating in Adolescents. Longitudinal Findings From Project EAT”
Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, PhD, MPH, RD; Marla E. Eisenberg, ScD, MPH; Jayne A. Fulkerson, PhD; Mary Story, PhD, RD; Nicole I. Larson, MPH, RD
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(1):17-22.
Click here to read more from this study: http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/162/1/17

Every new mom knows that it is important for a child’s toy to multi-task. It must be safe, stimulating, interesting, mind expanding and attention holding to name a few of these tasks. It is also important for A child to be introduced to the right toy at the right time as toys that are too simple will bore a baby and toys that are too complex can frustrate them. Here is a few tips I have compiled for new moms to help when shopping and picking toys that will be just right for your little one.

The most important factor in choosing a toy for your little one is knowing your child’s personality and likes and dislikes. Because babies can not communicate verbally, often times it can be a little difficult for a new mom to determine a baby’s mood. This takes a little practice and each child is different, but you find after spending some quality time with them and observing them in different situations this becomes second nature. When giving a new toy to a child don’t be disappointed if you don’t get an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response, a baby may need to see a toy a number of times before they begin warming up to it. Also it’s good not to present too many toys or simulation at once as it may overwhelm and confuse your child.

Another good thing to do is to check the age recommended on the toy. Most baby companies will put the recommended age that the toy is targeted for on the box or labeling as well as simple instruction on how to get the best value from the toy. You can also check the internet and the companies sites for more information and support. Before buying an expensive item it is good practice to check online to see if there has been a safety recall for it. Sometimes companies release toys before realizing that there may be a health hazard involved, and it is always good to keep a close eye on your child whenever anything new is introduced to watch for allergic reactions or any other sorts of dangers.

Set an example for your child. As you may know or begin to notice, the first lessons a baby learns are learned by observing and imitating you. Everything from the way that you move your mouth when speaking and eating to the way you react to something he or she does. If a baby sees you dancing or swaying to the music, after too long your baby will want to be swaying and dancing along with you! If your baby is very young start slowly and show the child how the toy works a few times, and then follow with helping them to do the same action. Even if your child is not able to play with the toy by themselves, it will give them an example of how it should be played with and encourage them to practice reaching for it themselves.

Actively encourage and reward your child with smiles, kisses and touch for correctly imitating you and for putting their best effort in. Never discourage or yell at a child for not being able to do something, every movement is a learned action and it may take some time before they can reach their toy-centered goals. Also give your child some solo-time with the toy to help them practice the skill without immediate supervision, but make sure that if your child is becoming frustrated that you move on to a new activity or area of play to prevent them from being discouraged and getting upset.

Bright colors and varied textures are also very good for a baby’s development. These multi-colored and interesting toys help the baby to focus on small details and further set up a catalog in their minds of different sorts of patterns and textures. Very young children may not recognize their toys immediately but over time a child will begin to recognize and show ownership and want for a familiar entertaining toy. If your child has become particularly attached to a toy it is sometimes a good idea to either buy another one in case it is lost, or to buy a toy that is similar in a different color or style. The child will enjoy a similar toy because it is a familiar action but at the same time a different change from the usual.

In the long run, only you know best. Keep in mind that every child is different and the act of child-raising is not a perfect science. Be attentive to your child and their actions and soon you will find that play time is both you and her favorite time of the day. Children learn through playing, so help your child to expand their horizons and take time to play play play! You’ll be happy you did!

Lance Cpl. Maria Frances Lauterbach, the 20 year old Marine that has been missing since early December has reportedly been found dead in the backyard of a comrade she had accused of rape. Maria had been set to testify about an unclassified “incident” on the Marine Lejune base in North Carolina when she turned up missing. Maria was around seven to eight months pregnant when she went missing, and was reported to the police by her mother.
After some light digging in a fire pit behind the household of Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, detectives found what “appeared to be burnt human remains,” Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson said Friday night. A person close to the case said that the suspect had left a note insisting that the woman had killed herself.
“We think we have found what will (contain) the skeletal remains of Maria Lauterbach,” Hudson said. There was a tarp being placed around the location at the fire pit early Saturday morning as forensics investigators began to excavate the site for any remaining clues as to the identity of the murder victim, though officials are fairly certain they belong to Maria. Maria’s remains were found due to a tip by another female former Marine that left authorities to assume that she was dead. A source told The Associated Press that the witness is Laurean’s wife.

Laurean is still at large and according to the witness, he had given his wife a note that said Lauterbach had cut her own throat and that her death was a suicide. In this letter he also reportedly stated that he had nothing to do with her death or her whereabouts.

Lauterbach had claimed that her superior office, had sexually assaulted her and she was worried that the investigation was going nowhere according to court documents. When she turned up missing immediately prior to her testify date authorities moved in to interrogate the officer but he had declined to meet with any investigators. Laurean reportedly disappeared from the base that Friday, and according to Paul Chiccarelli of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service said that Laurean was not considered a flight risk.

A key witness to the case had reportedly stated that Lauterbach had been dead for some time before authorities found the remains in Laureans’ backyard. Laurean continues to be at large and upon confirmation of the remains positively being affirmed as belonging to Maria Lauterbach, investigators will begin searching for Laurean as the key suspect in question to this sad murder case.

For more information and source please visit:
http://www.koat.com/news/15028898/detail.html?rss=alb&psp=nationalnews

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Many new mothers comment that their newborns fingers and toes are one the most amazing and interesting features to study on their precious little baby’s bodies. It has long been a tradition for hospitals to take ink prints of newborns hands and feet soon after birth as a keepsake memento for new mothers, and many probably still remember placing our hands in plaster of paris molds at the kitchen table. A baby’s hands and feet are also the most mobile and wandering part of a newborns body, and therefore require a little extra love and grooming.

Immediately after birth and for a few days after, most infants are given long sleeves or protective mittens for their hands as some infants accidentally scratch themselves when aggravated. Your baby’s nails are very soft after birth and are very prone to ripping and tearing and can be very painful and upsetting to a confused infant. Keeping your baby’s hands and feet well cleaned and moisturized in this first few weeks is very important as infants loose skin cells very rapidly as new cells begin to form.

Due to hormones that are released during labor and sometimes affected by medications administered to the mother, both you and your baby’s hair and nails will grow very rapidly in the first few weeks after delivery. It is very important to keep your infants’ nails neatly clipped to avoid injury and bacteria from forming under the nails. There are a variety of infant grooming tools for purchase, but I have found that the nail clippers with the attached magnifying glass are the safest and easiest to use.

It is easiest to clip your infant’s nails while they are in the deep R.E.M sleep cycle, categorized by the “limp limb” or “dead baby” appearance when your little one’s arm is lifted gently and dropped. Make sure that you are careful to take your time and be gentle as your baby has very soft skin and sensitive nerves. After you have clipped all of her errant nails, gently cleanse her hands with a wet wipe or washcloth to help keep dead skin cells from layering and causing eczema. Do not use harsh anti-bacterial soaps or gels on your infant as these can irritate their sensitive skin.

Make sure that you keep your little ones hands clean as they invariably collect all kinds of germs from various surfaces. Dried milk and fabric lint should be gently wiped away from between knuckles and anyone handling your baby should have clean hands to avoid the spread of disease or infection.

Little feet should also be cleansed regularly and dead skin cells and fabric particles should be wiped from between toes to avoid the forming of fungus or other nasty afflictions. It is also recommended that you do not submerge your infant in water until their cord stump has fallen all the way off and healed as trapped water can lead to infection and irritation at the cord site. Your best bet is a warm washcloth and a gentle touch, gently exfoliating patchy areas on your baby’s’ body and keeping them well moisturized with baby lotion.

All newborns peel somewhat as they are shedding old skin cells at a highly accelerated rate due to their quick metabolism and rapid growth rate. This is completely normal and natural, and you may notice that your child will peel more abundantly after some time in the sunshine. Using a soft brush on your baby’s’ head and hair can keep their scalp healthy and help to guard against the formation of cradle cap. Always careful to keep your newborn out of any direct sunshine for any long period of time as they can burn very easily, but make sure that they are getting a little bit each day as it is good for their immune system and skin to absorb this natural source of vitamin D.

Every parent worries about saving money for their child’s education, most of us long before the pregnancy test shows up positive. As a college graduate myself, I am a big advocate of education and furthering your education and training through colleges or trade schools. With the job market becoming increasingly more demanding and the basic requirements for employment raising rapidly, your child’s future needs consideration, and soon!!!

I was fortunate enough to have a family that saved for these expenses as well as a recipient of a partial scholarship that allowed me to go to the college of my choice out of state. However, with living expenses and inflation in every consumer market and salary rates remaining low, I was worried that doing the same for my child would be exponentially more difficult. After doing some research I found a program called Upromise that EVERY parent should take a look at and consider.

Upromise is an online college savings program that helps you save for your child’s education without costing you a cent. Yes, really!The program is essentially very simple, by registering your grocery, credit, and bank cards to the system you are given back a percentage of your purchases from qualified sponsors that are directly deposited into a savings account for your child. The best thing about this system is that it is FREE, and all you have to do is continue using your cards in the same way that you have been, and you get rewarded with savings for your babies education. You can also invite friends and family to register their cards, so that they can help you raise money!

There are SO many different companies that are partnered with Upromise, online shopping, credit cards, restaurants, travel companies, grocery stores.. you name it.. it’s on there. We have been a member of Upromise for two months now, and I’m happy to say that we have received our first contribution for a dinner that we had in a local restaurant on Christmas Eve. All we had to do is use our registered cards to pay for our meal at a restaurant that supports the program and we were automatically given back 4% of our meal for her college savings.

How can this possibly be better? While the percentages of companies and sponsors vary in contributions, over time a little bit here and a little bit there can add up to quite a bit of savings. Having your friends and family register their cards only magnifies the savings you can accumulate, and I am VERY excited that such a program exists. Please, PLEASE take a look at this program, you will be very happy you did. If you know any other parents or soon-to-be parents that are worried about their children’s futures, please help support this great program by spreading the word! Happy Savings!

Please feel free to comment your experiences or feelings about this program, we’d love to hear from you! I am a real mother and am not employed or have any professional connection with the Upromise program and system and any opinion or information I have given is of my own personal accord and submission! Thanks!

My two month old daughter Clover received the “Fisher Price Soothing Seas Aquarium” gift set for Christmas and if you don’t already have one of these, you should definitely go get one! My daughter LOVES this toy and it has been an amazing help in getting her to sleep and keeping her entertained. The Aquarium features a variety of different settings so that your baby is constantly stimulated. You can set the aquarium to only play music, only make bubbles, only display the lights, or set it to a melody and variation of each. It also stays on for a period of eighteen minutes without pushing the button or re-activating and this seems to be a good amount of time to allow you to ready yourself for bed without having to disturb your cooing little one.

There are five different “mode” setting on the model, including a soft “Go to Sleep” melody, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” A classic piano piece, soothing ocean sounds and a general soft bubbling noise. The Aquarium is easily portable and either sets or hooks onto your crib, bassinet, or play area. The Aquarium features a large gold “Mommy” fish followed closely by a “baby” fish and a cute little crab who peeps out at your baby from behind a rock. The seaweed sways back and forth to the music and bubbles rise up from the mouths of the fish and from the bottom of the tank. Soothing blue lights simulate actual fish tanks and the soft change of light is both entertaining and calming.

The gift set also comes with a seahorse rattle that my daughter also really likes that is both cute and visually stimulating. The Aquarium also comes with a remote so that you can turn it on or off without disturbing your baby if he or she is a light sleeper, and I found that hanging it on a doorknob keeps it from getting lost. I could not believe how vocal my little girl was about her new toy, she literally lays in her crib and coos and giggles herself to sleep. It also features an on/off button on the front of the tank for your infant to press to learn cause and effect and help develop their motor skills. My daughter is just now ten weeks old and she can turn the Aquarium on and off herself most of the time without any help! I was amazed!

This is a GREAT product and I highly recommend it. The only setbacks to it is that will set you back in batteries, as it does not feature a Ac/DC plug for outlets. The other problem we have run into with it is that it responds to other remotes in the house such as a television or VCR remote at random and we can’t find a way around this type of interference. Other than that, the Soothing Seas Aquarium is both stimulating, soothing, entertaining, and has brought a lot of joy and quiet peaceful evenings to our otherwise hectic life!!

As a soon-to-be mom or the latter, you will find that you are bombarded with propaganda advocating the benefits of breastfeeding and about a million how-to guides in every shape and size. Breastfeeding seems to be one of those topics that escapes popular knowledge and conversation until you yourself are pregnant. As soon as the “p” word leaves your lips you will be bowled over by advice, books, guides, pamphlets, videos, magazines, you name it, it’s out there. While it is my sincere hope that your deliveries come off without a hitch, I was one of the many who had very severe complications with my labor and due to this, I was unable to breastfeed right away in the hospital. Due to the enormous amounts of medication I was administered with my labor and surgery and thereafter I was told that I should not begin breastfeeding until a week after the birth of my daughter to make sure all of the medication was flushed from my body.
This is not usually a concern for infants who are born to term and with sufficient birth weight, but because my daughter was five weeks early and weighed a mere 5 lbs 4 ounces, her feeding was a major concern. She was to eat every three hours and we were to record exactly how much she had eaten and if she had wet her diaper or pooped religiously from the first day in the hospital until she was a month old. This is somewhat difficult to determine when you are breastfeeding unless you are using a pump, use your best judgment and pay attention to your baby to make sure she is getting enough.

In most cases, a new mothers’ milk comes in 2-5 days after a birth, but in cases where there is a lot of medication and trauma concerned with a surgery or labor, this isn’t always true. My milk came in immediately after the birth and came in with zeal. I had to change my night gown and sheets several times a day as I was lactating uncontrollably and in large amounts. This was very frustrating to not be able to breastfeed and because I was not able to, I did not get much instruction in the hospital from nurses except the mandatory discharge meeting you have with the nursery. By the time I had gotten home my milk was already receding and I tried to keep it flowing with pumps but did not have much luck. At the one week mark I began trying to breast feed and found that my swollen breasts made it very painful and I could only do it for short periods at a time. I also found that because of her strict eating regimen that I was getting exhausted and dizzy from the breast feeding, almost to the point of nausea.
After I was given some books and help from some friends of mine, including my fiance’s mother, I learned that breastfeeding stimulates a hormone that is administered into breast milk that relaxes both you and the baby, making the experience easier for your both. For some reason this hormone, “oxytocin” , was making me disorientated and at times even causing me to vomit if I fed her too close to my own eating times. I also found that I was eating non-stop and felt like I couldn’t sustain myself and the baby without getting very tired or over eating.
I struggled with my breastfeeding for about two more weeks until I got used to it and my milk was coming in regularly and in stable intervals. In the times between breastfeeding, it was very helpful to have my fiance’ bottle-feed her and before too long she would take either the nipple or the bottle. She is now ten weeks old and I find that she breastfeeds better in the morning, early afternoon, or early evening. If she is too tired she often fusses while breastfeeding and cries until I give her a bottle.
The best advice I can give a new mom is that it is okay to supplement feedings with formula. Gas Drops are great for new tummies and it may take you a few different types of formula to find the one that works the best for your baby. Nothing is cut and dry, but if you can make it past the first three weeks, you can DO IT!!! It IS important for your baby to have breast milk as it contains anti-oxidants and nourishment targeted for your little ones’ needs, but don’t beat yourself up if you have to supplement. You are no less of a great mom if you have to supplement with formula, and it can be a great way for dad and other family to bond with the baby while you get in some extra Zs. Don’t be overwhelmed by all the hype, just take it easy and you will figure out what is best for you as every baby and every breast is different!!! Good luck!!!

As a new mom who unfortunately falls into the category of “low income” and “below poverty level”, when my daughter arrived I was very concerned about our finances and how we were going to afford all the bells and whistles that come with a new baby. My first attempt at finding frugal buys was to turn to an old fallback, good old Craigslist.com. This is a GREAT place to look for gently used items at garage sale prices without leaving the comfort of your old faithful couch. I was very pleased with the few items that we purchased off of Craigslist, and after talking to a few of the families we were buying from also made some friends and were given additional items from those families and from other families they knew. The most important thing to remember is that you have a common bond with all of the people who are looking for or selling baby items, and it is very easy to connect to others in your area who are also in the same band wagon. If you receive from those in your community, make sure to spread the good karma and give back when you are in the position to.

After finding some amazing deals on Craigslist I posted a help message on my myspace page asking for advice and help from those in my friends’ list. I was first turned on to the yahoo group called Freecycle, which you can check out yourself at www.freecycle.org, by a friend of mine that lives across the valley. What a blessing! I can NOT gush enough about how wonderful this group is, the Freecycle network literally has changed my life and enabled us to give our baby a great new start!
The Freecycle network is a social network run through yahoo that is committed to keeping the earth a greener place by giving away unwanted items to others in their community that are in need instead of throwing them away, keeping our landfills from getting out of control! With groups all over the world you are sure to find a group that functions near you. The idea is simple, give away unwanted things to those in need, find things that you yourself may be in need of, and help save the environment at the same time! The best thing about Freecycle is… IT’S FREE!!!!

It is easy to join, and once you offer an item up for freecylcling you are allowed to request up to five things a month. You can either receive emails of new posts or scan them on the group site, but either way the person who ends up getting your item is up to you. If you have an item someone else needs they will contact you and you can arrange for them to pick it up or meet you someplace! This is also great because you make connections with other people in your community that have kids or share interests with you! And most of the time people who have one item up for freecycle also have other things to give or know others that do.

Thanks to freecycle we have made many friends in the Las Vegas area and I have started attending a new moms’ group at the community center. This is a GREAT way to meet other moms and widen your “baby” base to people from all walks of life. From this group alone we were given a swing, two car seats, a walker, a bassinet, formula samples, diapers, baby clothes, a play mat, a sling, a diaper bag, a stroller, and a myriad of baby toys that would have ALL cost us a fortune to buy individually. We are so thankful for those in our community that have donated items to us and we are actively involved in returning the favor. It’s amazing what the power of community can do.

If you are a mom in need or know of a family that needs help, PLEASE REFER THEM TO THIS GROUP. It is a blessing and filled with people just like you who are ready to help! Spread the word and spread the good, and remember to help out others less fortunate to make this world a better and greener place! Cheers!

Http://www.freecycle.org

Does your baby like to listen to music in the car or seem to sleep better when the television is on? Most babies sleep better in environments with noise stimulation because it simulates the environment they experienced in the womb. If you are like me and listen to music constantly, don’t be surprised if your little one has a hard time going to sleep without a personalized play list. Because of the fluid that surrounds the baby in the womb, most babies are partial to music that has a baseline and a heavy drum beat or have a constant underlying chorus or melody.

There are advantages and disadvantages to having a noise loving baby. Babies that sleep with light music or a constant pulsating noise such as a fan or a humidifier sleep deeper and longer than babies that sleep in very quiet rooms. They more easily sleep into the restorative R.E.M sleep and wake up more rested and less fussy and intermittently needy. Music can be a very powerful tool in calming an upset baby and is a great aid for car rides and long outings. My husband has a portable MP3 player that he slips inside the cell phone pocket of our baby sling that makes a great on the go player for our little music lover, though if you use this in public expect to receive some confused and irritated stares.

It has been proven in a number of studies that babies that are exposed to classical music have consistently higher IQs and do better in math and language later on in life. Since music is a aural expression of mathematics, vibrations, tones and equations, it is essential to your babies development and promotes faster learning and lesson recognition. Taking your baby to the movies during the early months is a great way to stimulate and entertain them while at the same time helping them to recognize language variances such as accents and voice pitches that are much different than your own. Learning to sleep with noise is also helpful as they are not bothered by their surroundings and you may find that they will peacefully sleep through the grocery store or loud family Christmas party.

The downside to this practice is that babies may become fussy or irritable if they are in a very quiet place for too long without their usual tunes. This can be frustrating for both baby and parent when the climate does not allow for much disturbance, the baby has a hard time understanding the importance of ‘quiet time’ and may become confused or angry in these situations. Also some babies are very sensitive to electro-magnetic fields and can become irritable if exposed to too much electronic stimulation put out by such household items as computers, microwaves, radios or televisions. You may find that your power bill spikes way up as well with the all-night tunes, which for a family on a budget needs to be considered.

The best thing to do is to strike a balance that works for you. If your child sleeps better with a radio or television on, then leave it on in moderation. Try to expose your child to different sleeping environments around the house to aid in flexibility, moving their bassinet from one room to another or letting the child sleep in the bed next to you for those quick afternoon naps. If your child falls asleep in the car it is sometimes a better option to bring the entire car seat inside and let your infant sleep in it undisturbed for a time before moving them to their usual resting spot. Babies prefer to sleep in darker environments as it reminds them of their time in the womb, so darker curtains in their nursery or a cover for your bassinet is a great option for those long afternoon cat naps.

Remember that your child is unique and it will take anywhere from 8 weeks to 6 months for your child to settle into a constant sleeping routine. Try to be patient despite your exhaustion, and when you can, share the feeding and changing responsibilities with your mate, friends or family and make sure you are getting enough rest. Also remember not to take a babies’ cry personally, tests show that a child that has it’s needs consistently met for the first six months are better behaved and are more secure, independent and have higher self-esteem. Just as it is important for you to rest, remember that your baby is growing all the time and she will need lots of sleep to help her develop correctly. Try to leave the baby undisturbed if possible if she falls asleep, as moving her may awaken her or interrupt this healing process.

When possible take your infant to bed with you or place her in a sleeper either on top of the bed or besides you. This is especially important in the first few months as you develop and strengthen your bond with your child, there is nothing quite as satisfying as sharing a sweet dream and comforting embrace with your new miracle. Whether you play music, television, sing to her, rock her, talk to her or any variety of soothing calming activities, remember to fill it with love, tenderness, and soft tones and you will both sleep better in the end.

Did you know that your baby learns more in their first year of life than any other time? Not surprising considering everything your baby experiences is completely brand new. You may find your baby staring for long periods of time at a textile pattern on your shirt, and wonder to yourself what they are thinking so diligently about. Being a baby is tough. You are completely helpless and depend on your parents for every basic need and you find that you are unable to communicate these wants and needs in any other way than crying, smiling, squirming, laughing, or any other form of verbal or physical expression you can muster.

The most important thing that your baby learns in these early months is how to coordinate their motor skills with their thoughts and senses. Babies experience uncontrollable movement in their arms and legs for the first few months as their brains send out signals to their limbs at random and at times to the wrong body part. Most hospitals place long sleeves or mittens on newborns in the first few days as they have a tendency to accidentally scratch themselves when they are upset or hungry.

As a baby your main senses are smell, touch, taste, sight, and hearing. A baby’s eyesight is undeveloped and it is unclear exactly what it is a baby sees and to what degree they do not. Newborns are drawn to bright colors and stationary objects, and you might find that your baby on occasion begins to go a little cross eyed as they try to focus their sights on a single object. Don’t panic, this is normal! To help your baby learn to coordinate their vision and movement, the absolute must have for every new mom is a bouncy chair with an overhead bar for dangling toys. While these chairs come in about a bazillion colors and styles and just about as many price ranges, the important thing to have in a chair is the dangling toys that are within reach of your baby’s hands and feet.

As your baby begins to connect their site and movements they will start to try to reach for the toys with their hands or fists. They will also kick their feet and rock their bouncy chairs as they learn that their movement affects the toys environment. Seeing that the toys rattle, blink, or swing when they are touched helps to strengthen this relationship between free will and action. The best type of toys to attach to these dangling overhead bars are brightly colored, interesting to look at, and unique to the other toys adjacent to them. Many baby toy brands make small plastic toys that hook onto interchangeable latches and make it easy to change out and move the toys to the baby’s liking. I have found that it is best to have a variety of different toys that do a variety of different things and to change them out between play times to keep the baby stimulated and present new challenges and stimulation.

Be active in your child’s play time by sitting next to them, encouraging them to reach and kick at the toys and helping them move their arms and legs in the desired fashion. My daughter is now only nine weeks old and can reach out and grab a toy at will, as well as bring a stuffed animal closer to her in her crib at night. She has also learned how to pet the kitty with a little bit of help, and how to turn her crib aquarium on and off on her own. This is a remarkable feat for a child of such young age and I can only attest it to the constant reach and grab play she has been stimulated by her bouncy chair.

These clip on toys are also great for the car as they are easily clipped onto car seats, diaper bags, or strollers to provide on the go play and help to familiarize the child with recognition of her toys. Some of my daughters favorites are the Jittery pal fox from Infantino and the dangling play keys from fisher price. These are inexpensive and versatile toys that can be found at most stores, and can later be adapted to be used on play mats, exersaucers and walkers. Keep talking to your baby and promoting learning through play to make these struggles and lessons more enjoyable and fun for both you and your child. Bouncy chairs for everyone!!!

There is absolutely nothing in the world that compares to holding your new baby. The bond and draw you feel knowing that they are just as much a part of you as your own two hand. The countless hours you spend carefully studying your baby’s face and every single detail you can find about them never seems to lose it’s first-time wonderment. It is exciting to feel the embrace of your child and your partner as two have all of a sudden become in a flash both one and three.

As an only child myself, I breathed a sigh of fulfillment that I would never again have to worry about growing old alone. While I think everyone has this fear from time to time, it is a fleeting but constant fear through an on only childs’ life that they will be left alone by accident or fate. I find that I can barely remember what my life was like without my daughter. She is only now turning eight weeks old and I feel like these last few months have been simultaneously the longest and shortest periods I’ve ever experienced in my life.

On one hand I am amazed that he is growing so fast and barely have time to enjoy one moment to the next before it changes, while on the other I am so excited to see her grow up and learn about her world that I almost can’t sleep at night! Sometimes at night I wake up to her soft cooing and in my drowsiness almost startle to the realization that she is no longer a figment of my childhood dreams, but a living breathing human being lying in a bassinet not feet from my bed. It almost scares me to get up and look, fearing that somehow this all had been a dream and I had imagined it all. It all feels so surreal. I feel like she has always been there waiting for her time to come into the world. I find it fascinating to think that when I was in my own mother’s womb, I had my daughters’ egg already inside of me, and within that egg the key to my family history and the sequence that will eventually make up my grandchildren.

I don’t think that you can understand the feeling of being caught in a single moment while at the same time feeling stretched across the ages until you yourself become a parent. I found my thoughts dancing over all of the nights my mother had waited up for me to come home, and all the mistakes I had made as a teenager that in one way or another hurt my family. All of those nights that I came home late and dismissed my mother’s worry and frustration with me all of a sudden came around full circle. What would I feel like if my daughter had not come home on time? Will I now be the one losing sleep waiting for the door to click open and heave a sigh of relief when the door quietly squeaks? Will I pretend that I am asleep to cover up the fact that I had been up late worrying? Will I get up and stand in my doorway as she comes upstairs to her bedroom to ask her if she is all right?

I find myself singing the same songs my mother used to lull me to sleep with, and comforting her with the same loving touch I always savored before bedtime. No matter how much you may feel like you are different from your parents, there is never a time that you feel so completely molded in their image as when you have your own child. Seeing my father hold her for the first time tonight was truly the perfect gift I could have received for Christmas. I stepped back as he pulled her into his arms and smiled down at her, her eyes lighting up as she peered up at his face as a smile grew across her lips.

All I could think about was how I used to be that small baby girl in his arms that he was smiling down at, and now I am watching him hold the baby that will carry on in his likeness and memory years after he is gone. He paused for a moment and looked up at me and softly smiled, only remarking that I would always be his little girl even if I’m not so little any more. I bit back tears and smiled back, replying that he would always be my daddy and he was going to be the best poppy in the world. After his near-fatal cancer scare earlier this year, I am so thankful that he is here with us to experience the birth of his grand daughter and relish in the quiet completeness that only a baby can bring to your heart.

Happy holidays to everyone celebrating their first Christmas with a new family, and to those dreaming of the Christmases to come, enjoy the love and warmth the togetherness allows us to experience and remember to make your memories count. Please comment back to this post and tell me what your perfect Christmas gift or moment was this year and a little bit about yourself so that we can spread the holiday cheer here at babiesonline.com!