Archive for July, 2009

Ideal Gifts for Baby Girls

Are you looking for an ideal gift for a baby girl? It should be hard because there are usually tons of choices as a baby gift for the baby girls. There are various ideal gifts for baby girls, the baby shower gift or a baptismal gift will usually become the first gift that a baby girl
 might receive. Gifts like toys, clothes, educational toys or many others are also very popular. Because there are so many choices and various gifts for babies, it becomes difficult for the parents to decide which one is the best gift.

Ideal Baby Gifts

The first baby gift idea is educational toys. This is a great idea for baby girl gifts. Educational toys can motivate children’s senses and encourage early learning, so those toys are always popular for the parents. To consider these aspects are important because educational toys can stimulate a child’s development. A lot of shows feature child development and stimulation since we know a well stimulated brain will develop faster than one that is not. Stuffed toys or toys that mimic practical things such as a mobile or a night light are another toy option. Since children love anything fluffy and soft, stuffed toys are other great gifts for them.

Another baby gift idea for a baby girl gift is a set of clothes. There are a lot of styles and different brands to choose from for a baby girl’s gift. You can choose from a jumpsuit to a dress and all kinds of clothes between that as gifts for a baby girl. In fact, the parents will see the appeal of the clothes then decide which clothes would be best for their child. After all, the parents will decide which clothes to dress their baby.

The basic necessities for a child’s need are also ideal gifts for a baby girl. A gift basket contains food and other basic necessities can be a nice gift for the baby girl. A boxful of mashed food like a welcome home or a baptismal mashed food is also great for a baby’s gift. A box of formula should be enough for a child because these days of practicality are unlimited.

When to Start Reading to Your Baby

Many parents are surprised at how early an interest in reading begins. Although you can start reading to your baby as soon as three months, at this age the activity has more benefit for you than for him. If your baby enjoys being nestled in your arms and hearing your voice, then by all
means read to him. Keep the reading time brief (a few minutes at most), and be animated as you talk. If he gets fussy, stop and try another day.

Some parents successfully introduce books when their child is 7 or 8 months old. But babies love to explore objects with their hands and to move about as much as they can. You may find that story time involves more activities than quiet listening: touching books, attempting to chew the corner of the cover, and simply transferring a small book from hand to hand. Follow your baby’s lead. Listening comes in time.

By 9 or 10 months, most babies are really ready to enjoy story time. The need to put everything in their mouth is decreasing, and their ability to comprehend words is markedly increasing. Studies have shown that by one year of age, babies understand an average of 20 words. Reading to your youngster is a nice way to help comprehension along. Don’t be discouraged if he won’t sit still for a story at this age. He is likely on the verge of crawling, cruising, or walking, and his interest in getting around may overpower his interest in books. If he crawls out of your lap as soon as you open one, try another time. One of these days, as you hold him in your lap and read a story, he’ll surprise you with rapt attention.

How to Deal with Your Husband Who is Jealous of the New Baby

A child is always a blessing in life. There are a lot of different types of excitement that come with anticipation for a newborn. The parents will try to find an appropriate name for the child or start to buy the babies needs early in life. The child will be a very important part of the
 family and a strong bond between them. The baby is supposed to be natured by both parents whom must feed and watch over him or her. In some situations, unavoidable conflicts may arise due to disagreements over who should perform certain duties and when. The issues can turn out to be a heated debate which can easily crop them if they are not resolved soon. The relationship between the husband and the child may become affected to a point where the husband feels neglected or isolated since the wife may be focusing mostly on the child or may want to do most of the tasks that concern the child by themselves.

There are husbands who get jealous of a baby and the situation may turn worse when there are older children in the family whom are getting jealous of the attention accorded to the new-born. This is a pressure that will mostly be exerted on you as the mother who must ensure that you deal with the newborn as well as offer equal attention to the husband and other children in the family. This can turn out to be a very big challenge to you especially when you do not have tactics of handling it. The post pregnancy period is the time that you must have enough time to rest. This should not be the time that you find yourself in a situation where you have to do more than anticipated so as to deal with the jealousy issues. These are activities which can be time consuming to a point where you have no time left for yourself. You might be forced to turn to a marriage therapist in case the difficulties become too much to bear with.

The husband’s jealous behaviors over the child may make him feel left out but it may be understandable at this stage. He will feel that he is not a good dad or husband because all the attention is focused on the child and the bond between the mother and the child is so strong.

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What Your Baby Will Need

I am a 44 year old mother of three boys. I am now also a grandmother of six. When my daughter-n-laws started having babies, I was so surprised at the amount of stuff that books and their friends say that they have to have for the babies. When I was young and having babies, not only was
 most of this stuff not on the market yet, but money was so tight , that I wouldn’t have been able to afford it if it was.

The truth is, you can get by without a lot of the stuff that the books say that you need. Money is tight enough when you are first starting out. There is no reason to get carried away.

Here is a list of things that you actually need for your new baby.

6 oncie t-shirts, short sleeve

2 oncie t-shirts, long sleeve

4 sleepers (I preferred kicking bags, because you didn’t have to fight with the newborn’s legs to get them in the sleepers)

4 receiving blankets

2 heavy blanket

crib or bassinet

2 sheets

3 baby bottles

bottle brush

nipple brush

formula

wet wipes ( i used washcloths, but this is a small luxury that is worth a couple of extra bucks a week)

diapers

diaper bag

pacifier

3 pairs of socks

stocking cap (the hospital usually gives you these)

baby wash cloth

baby towel

baby laundry soap

A & D ointment

baby soap

baby shampoo

cotton balls

vaseline

baby thermometer

baby tylenol

car seat (hospitals usually have a trade up program as your baby grows and helps the money situation if you take advantage of this)

car seat pad (fits around baby’s head to help keep it stable in car seat)

That should just about do it. A lot of the stuff on the list can be bought at your local dollar store, which will also help save you a little money.

Good luck with the new baby and always remember that all babies are blessings and though some may be “surprises” none are mistakes.

Things to Discuss with Your Sitter Before You Leave the House

Beyond Leaving Your Cell Phone Number with the Babysitter

If you have a young child, it is always a relief to find a reliable babysitter and have a night on the town. Nevertheless, especially if you are using a teenager, you may be unhappy if you aren’t clear about your expectations. In addition, it is important to anticipate emergencies and
let your sitter know where you keep items that he might need.

1. If your child is very young, leave suggested activities for your babysitter or advise your babysitter of your child’s favorite games or toys. Leave them out for your babysitter’s convenience.

2. If you expect your babysitter to make a meal or serve a snack, be clear about what your child can eat, where the food is permitted, and your expectations about clean up.

3. Indicate what time your child needs to go to bed, and whether there is a specific bedtime routine that should be followed. Leave out an appropriate book and show your babysitter where your child’s room is located. If your child is accustomed to a particular stuffed animal or blanket, make sure that the item is accessible.

4. Alert your babysitter to any allergies your child may have.

5. Tell your babysitter whether your child may have friends over or go outside.

6. Leave alternative phone numbers for your babysitter in case you can’t be reached, preferably a neighbor or nearby relative who will be home.

7. Leave a flashlight out, or preferably one on each floor. Even if a thunderstorm is not expected, your home may lose electricity due to work being performed in the area or some other unforeseeable circumstance. In addition, if your sitter brings a cell phone, encourage him to keep it in a pocket or with him. Should you lose electricity, he will have access to a phone that works without scrabbling to find one in the dark.

8. Leave out a first aid kit. Minor scrapes and accidents can happen. Save your babysitter time so that he can handle the situation quickly and have the appropriate items at his fingertips.

How to Get a Baby to Sleep 10-12 Hours a Night

Tricks for sleeping babies:

At first it’s endless, getting up all night feeding a crying baby girl, then I decided I had enough. I was going to change our schedule:

Last bottle at 9:00 pm, three hours later Bianca is crying for her bottle, I checked her to see if she had a wet diaper, yep, ok took care of that, she continued to cry, comforted her, closed the
door.

Three hours later, she’s crying again, rest assured made her comfortable again, and again, this went on for 2 nights, the endless 3 hour rituals, but then the 3rd night came, I put Bianca down for night, night time, then my internal clock turned on waiting for her to wake at midnight, finally dosed off at 1:00am and believe it or not, woke at 6:30 am and still a sleeping Bianca!

So, it was worth it, listening to all the crying, and all the comforting, and now she is 17 months old still sleeping
10 to 12 hours at time. Even with teething and shots.

Having a consistent routine helps also:

1. Feeding Schedules: We eat at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm, 5:30 pm and snacks and bottle in between. We always feed veggies first, then meats, then fruits, Bianca eats everything in site! She has never been sick in her little life!

2. Naps are a must: 10:00-12:00, and 2:30-4:30. As we like our beauty sleep, so do our children!

3. Baths: Every night at 7:00 pm there is bath-time and fun time playing with the tubby toys, and Mom and Dad trade off!

4. Reading Time: 7:30, means it time for 30 minutes of snuggling and reading, even if it’s just pointing at pictures!

5. Bedtime: 8:00 pm Bianca goes to bed with no crying, screaming, nothing but loves and kisses!

Night, night Bianca!

Can a child sleep with parents?

Once a baby appears in a house, care of him, desite to defend and be always close become natural parental needs. A child grows up, his outlook changes, while adults continue treating him as a newborn: allow him sleeping in their bed, change clothes in his presence. Baby-health tells about how parents should behave in a child’s presence.

Accustom a child sleeping alone

Situation: Mother takes 8-year old son sleeping in her bed.

Comment: Indeed, such situations, when mother sleeps with her son up to 15 years are frequent. And often they lead to the fact that for a mother becomes stunned by a message that her son has a man. And this is not surprising: a boy listens to women’s talk, knows women’s issues and saw everything. He does not perceive women as objects of passion, and feeel himself an object of adoration, and becomes a girlfriend instead of son. It does not matter whether you sleep alone or with your husband. Starting from 4-5 years old, a child should not sleep in a parental bed. It is also important, as putting a kid on the pot. Perhaps, moving to a separate bed is stress for a child. But you will face real crisis much later, if you do not.

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Tip: Of course, ideally a child should have his own separate room. If there is no room, you’ll need to create a corner. You must simply declare him: «This is your bed, your shelf, etc. You’re big! You are an owner here and must keep this place in order». If a child resists, you can «attract» him, for instance, hanging a poster depicting his favorite super-hero over the bed. Remember, if you gave a child his own space, you should put up with his tastes, because you declared he is adult. If a child is afraid to sleep alone, he may ask you to lie down near. But after a while you need to raise, take him by the hand and draw in his own bed. You can sit with him until he falls asleep and then leave.

Do not walk undressed in a child’s presence

Situation: Parents are so accustomed to a child that walk in their underwear in his presence.

Comment: Consumer erotic freedom is unacceptable. A child does not need to attend at the nudist beach since infant years. And mom can not run nude in front of the child, asking him to fasten hooks on underwear. Having respect to her son, she is quite able to get dressed without his assistance. Borders should always be formed. If a boy wants, he will peep through a keyhole, and will see everything he wants to. Father walking in an unbuttoned gown in a daughter’s presence – an unacceptable thing. Remember, if you have a daughter in a house, dad should not be seen without underpants. Well, underpants are also not good, except neat home shorts or swimming trunks on the beach.

Starting since 4-5 years old, a child should not sleep in parental bed

Of course, a child will not become a maniac from all this. But he will lose a very important quality – fine feeling. Look at old movies, read classics: earlier a man could go mad at the sight of a woman who just raised her skirt slightly, became excited with the look at a woman’s neck, ear. Today meeting such man is almost impossible, and modern moms are to blame here. In addition, a child, seeing half-nude parents, can not save the notions of «mother» and «father» in full sense. The distance disappears. Anything is allowed: you can bite a mother, pat, say gross word … If a mother walks nude, she loses her status.

Tell your child where children appear from

Situation: A child accidentally caught parents having sex.

Comment: There is an opinion that a child should parents having sex. Many «admired» this picture through a keyhole, but showing children love making deliberately is impossible! At the same time, you should not also deprive yourself of sex, for example, if you have a common room with a child, put a smokescreen. A child should understand that mother and father need to stay together. And if he sees something, do not worry about it. This will be peeped, not shown at the show specifically.

Tip: Generally, parents do not have to hide, if they want to hug or kiss each other. Kissing, hugging and talking about love in children’s presence is good. Allow son or daughter hearing: «Love and sex are inseparable, sex without love is dishonest». If a child saw you having sex, you will have to explain him calmly. There is no need to blush, you committed nothing unnatural. For example, you can say: «I sit at a Dad’s hands, because we love each other». Of course, your words will be different to a six year old boy and a ten year old girl, but the meaning must be preserved.

Differentiate love and excessive care

Situation: Parents control every child’s step

Comment: Parental hyper-care is dangerous and harmful! «Oh, do not fall! Oh, do not do this and that! And do not go there!” And do not sit here!” In future, a child becomes a very dependent adult. There are problems in a team and family, because he needs constant care. For example, girls grown up in such atmosphere, in future, literally «stifle» their husbands, demanding constant care of themselves.

Tip: Do not confuse hyper-care with love – these are very different concepts. There is a phrase: «Until six years a child is God, to thirteen, fourteen – slave, then he becomes a friend». This aphorism has the deepest sense. Until six years you need to kiss, stroke a child, teach him right desires, be able to bend at the level of his eyes or raise him higher. He will not be able to get what you have not given him later, properly express his emotions and listening to people, if he was not heard since childhood. There is no need to carry out his whims, but it is important to listen to your child’s heart, he must become a Human being due to his parents, not Internet or friends. An adolescent is dependent on mom and dad, that’s why, that’s why breaking him at this age is difficult and dangerous, if you’re not friends with him before his six years.

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