Archive for September, 2009

Evenflo Infant Car Seat Review

The Evenflo brand has long been best known for its baby care products, but has increasingly become noted by parents for its line of affordable but high-quality baby car seats.

There are two lines of Evenflo infant car seats – the Discovery and the Embrace. Both lines feature rear-facing seats for babies weighing between five to twenty-two pounds.

The basic features of the Evenflo infant car seat include liners made of expanded polystyrene designed to absorb impacts while providing comfort for babies, a five-point harness with one step adjuster to ensure proper fit, Evenflo’s exclusive CarryRight Z-shaped handle which adjusts to four different positions for more comfortable carrying, a convenient Stay-in-Car base and removable pads for easy washing.

To alleviate parents’ concerns about safety, Evenflo certifies that its car seats meet or exceed federal safety standards and are side impact tested. Side impact testing is particularly important in ensuring the safety of baby car seats, since 25% of vehicular accidents involve side impact collisions.

At present there are no provisions in US and Canadian standards for side impact testing but Evenflo has taken the initiative in this area, implementing a rigorous test protocol developed by its engineers. Further underlining the company’s determination to ensure the safety of its products, Evenflo last February implemented a voluntary recall of certain models of its Discovery car seat after lab tests showed that they could detach from their bases in the event of a high-impact side collision.

Evenflo also provided current owners of the seat with a free supplemental dual-hook fastener to remedy the problem. Additional features available with the Embrace 5 line include a separate canopy, a three-position adjustable base with easy-to-use adjuster and a Central Track Ball Angle Indicator to ensure the seat is at the proper angle and a belt guide for use without the base. In addition, the deluxe model comes with a removable body pillow.

Graco Snugride Infant Car Seat Review

To get an idea of how seriously people take infant safety, just look at the uproar pop star Britney Spears caused just a few years ago when she was caught driving with her baby Sean unsecured on her lap. Her stunt underscores how important infant
car seats are when you are driving with your baby.

The right car seat could spell the difference between life and death for your child if you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident. One of the best reviewed brands of infant car seat is the Graco Snugride infant car seat.

The latest model of Graco Snugride infant car seat comes with Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam) padding, one of the most effective impact-absorbing materials. It has the following features: a padded five-point harness; retractable sun canopy; and padded headrest.

It also comes with a convenient carrying handle and car base. When you’re getting ready for a car ride with your baby, just insert the carrier into the base and secure the baby with the harness. After the ride, simply remove the seat from the base. This also makes it easier to transport a baby without waking him or her up.

To comply with safety standards, Graco’s infant car seats are rear-facing. Federal guidelines strongly recommend that babies ride in backward-facing seats if they are less than a year old or weigh less than twenty pounds.

To ensure proper installation, the car seat also comes with a level indicator. The Snugride supports babies of up to 22 pounds and 29 inches tall, and is compatible with Graco strollers, as well as those made by other companies.

Accessories available with the Snugride include the Swaddle Me, a swaddle which covers the baby’s whole body; the Snuglider, a mechanical rocker which uses the Snugride as the seat; the CozyUp, a fleece-lined cover and the Urban Bundle Me Infant, which has a quilted outer shell and a soft grey microfiber lining.

There is also a model of Graco Snugride infant car seat for one-year old kids. The Snugride 32 is a rear-facing car seat that accommodates children weighing up to 32 pounds and as tall as 32 inches and ensures the child remains backward-facing in your car for a year.

Taking Care of Baby Boy Clothes

It is important to realize that newly purchased baby clothes should invariably be washed before they are worn by the baby. The reasons for such cautious approach are simple: to avoid any fabric/stitching discomfort or any probable allergy to the baby and to further ensure that there are no bugs or insects, which may harm the baby.

Depending on the skin condition of your baby and bearing in mind their naturally sensitive skin, appropriate detergents and washing liquids may be used for washing the baby clothes.

Considering the constant changing of clothes that is required by the babies, it is imperative that the parents should buy appropriate quantities of clothes or alternatively should be prepared to frequently wash the dirty clothes on a given day.

Baby boys are rather active in their growing years and can stain their clothes quite frequently and badly. For such stains on baby boy clothes, it is suggested that they should be treated with solutions or sprays (readily available on the market or your local stores) prior to washing them.

Having said that, there may be stains and blots which are quite tough and do not go away that easily from the fabric. For such blots, the usual procedure may be ineffective and would require harder and less concentrated solutions, which may be used with the aid of boiling water to get rid of the tough stain.

To overcome the above problem, many mothers buy white baby boy dress clothes and treat them with a bleaching agent to fight their share of stains. Finally, the wardrobe or drawer where the baby’s clothes are kept should be clean and tidy to ensure that the clothes remain clean and safe.

4 Worst Trendy Names for Boys

Choosing your baby’s name is a difficult task. This is what your child will be called for the rest of his or her lifetime. And making sure that it fits with your last name adds a whole new element to work with. Then it’s being certain that the name won’t make the child stand out in a bad way in school. Too often I think that parents go for a trendy name to make sure this doesn’t happen. The worst part is when they become part of a horrible naming trend. For girls, we remember names like Tiffani not too long ago racking up the top ten lists. For boys, I submit my list of the top five worst trendy boy names, in no particular order.

1. Logan – I have known some cool Logans in my time. But I dislike the name. It’s one of those names that moved from being a last name to a first and subsequently became extremely popular. Unfortunately, it sounds like loogey. Nobody wants a name that will be made to sound like discharge from the nose when he’s out on the playground at recess. According to babynames.com, it is an Irish name that means from the hollow.

2. Jaylen – This name is part of a rhyming trend with counterparts like Kalen. Babynames.com says it’s an American name that is a combination of Jay and Allen. The problem is that when they were combined they came out sounding like a girl’s name. I am not completely against names that can pass between the genders, but sometimes it’s just not right to give a boy a girl’s name. It would not be fun to be the only male Jaylen in class at school.

3. Keegan – This is another Irish name that means descendent of the fiery one, according to babynames.com. It’s very popular, but it sounds like some sort of vegetable. “Please pass the keegan and potatoes.” I can hear that being said around the dinner table. I don’t think that it could be a good idea to have a vegetable boy.

4. Sebastien – Sebastien is a name that immediately calls to mind the movie The Little Mermaid. I could meet a little boy named Sebastien and see in my mind’s eye a small singing crab. I believe that quite a few people roaming around in the population would do the same thing. However, it does mean venerable and is from the French.

Parents, Protect Your Children

Remember, It’s a War Between You and the Bad Guys

My daughter and I were talking recently, and I mentioned about those “Baby on Board” sign, and made the comment that I thought they were dumb. Your baby’s safety depends more on your ability to drive safely than mine. Besides that, in this day of weirdo people out stealing babies and
selling them, why would you want to alert people that you have a baby in the car? To make matters worse, a lot of times, I see those signs in parked cars where the parents have left the baby in the car because, you know, “they just need a couple of things.”

My daughter turned to me with that irate look she gets on occasion, and I knew I was about to hear something that really stirred her blood. “That’s bad enough, Mother, but I hate those signs that people put on the car advertising their children. All any pervert has to do is ride thought a neighborhood and look at a car parked in a driveway. In one swoop they know what the child’s name is and what he likes to do. Are they just nuts? I’m as proud of my son as any parent, and I’m not about to give any pervert an advantage. That’s what you should write about.”

After that conversation, I realized my daughter is right. In a time when we worry constantly about sexual predators grabbing children, parents need to be on guard at all times. You wouldn’t put a sign in your yard that says I have a house full of expensive items in my house and this is my alarm code. So why would you put on a sign on your car advertising your most precious possession, your child?

How to Deal with Breast Engorgement While Breastfeeding

A Clogged Breast Can Be Very Uncomfortable, Learn How to Help Ease the Pain

Sometimes when a woman breastfeeds their baby, engorgement can occur and be very painful. When this occurs, some women do not realize that they can have relief within a couple of hours. All they have to do is know how to get the relief.

At the first sign of breast engorgement, take a few Advil or ibuprofen to reduce the swelling. The
ibuprofen will also help ease the pain within at least 30 minutes after taking them.

Take a really hot washcloth and place it on your breast where it is red and sore. This will allow the clogged duct to slowly begin releasing the milk that has been stopped.

Take a really hot shower. Allow the water to fall directly on your breast for at least 20 minutes. While the water is falling, rub your hand in a downward motion helping to relieve the clogged duct.

Last but not least, and I do believe the best relief is a heating pad placed on your breast for at least 30 minutes on high. I know that sometimes the heating pad can get a little hot, but heat is exactly what we are looking for here. If you cannot stand the high heat, do try the medium.

If you start feeling nauseated, feverish, or have a bad headache for more then 24 hours, please consult your doctor immediately.

How to Lose the Baby Fat After Pregnancy

Baby Fat Can Be a Hard Task to Get Rid Of, but it is Possible.

No matter how much you watch your weight while your pregnant, every mother ends up with some baby weight after the fact. Some with very little, and other with a little too much. Finding the right way to lose it can be tough. Here are some excellent tips on trying to lose the baby fat.

Once the baby has arrived, the first thing any new mother needs to do is start walking at least 30 minutes a day. Whether it be on a treadmill or walking around the block, get yourself out there and do it. You will be surprised at how fast that baby fat disappears and the old you
returns.

Taking one to two b-6 vitamins a day will boost up your energy level, allowing for you to get things done. Since b-6 is a natural diuretic it will also allow you to lose any excess water weight you are holding on to. Do not take more then two pills in one day.

Go and buy a tummy wrap as soon as you can. You can buy them at any sport store or major retail store. These help to keep your tummy all tight and begin to slowly flatten out your stomach. Exactly what we all want. Mind you it can take weeks, but losing weight is a slow process if you want to keep it off.

Eat as many vegetables as you possibly can. Try and stay away from red meats for the time you are trying to lose the baby fat. The more vegetables you eat the better you will feel and the faster the baby fat will start dropping off. When eating the vegetables, try to either steam them, or eat them raw.

  • Eat five to six small meals a day.
  • Use smaller plates for each meal. This gives your brain the illusion that your eating more then you know you are.
  • Walk as often as you can. The more you walk, the faster the weight comes off and stays off.
  • Do not by any means starve yourself. This is not good for you or the baby.
  • Do not over due yourself with exercising. If you can only walk ten minutes, then only walk ten minutes. Eventually you will be able to walk more.

Parenting Stress: A Factor that Leads to Postpartum Depression

Mental Health Implications

Nearly 13 percent of all women will develop postpartum depression or depression even before Baby arrives. As an expectant mother, it is important to understand what factors during your pregnancy may lead
to both the development of antenatal depression as well as postpartum depression. For many women, the presence of antenatal depression is a clear path to postpartum depression and it is, therefore, important to resolve depression during pregnancy in order to negate the effects once your baby arrives.

A common complication among expectant mothers is the development of a socioeconomic complication known as parenting stress. Described simply as the confusion and stress associated with assuming a parenting role, especially for new Moms who were single and unwed prior to becoming pregnant, parenting stress can lead to not only psychological complications during and after pregnancy, but may also impede normal growth and development of your baby while you are pregnant.

If you are an expectant mom who experienced much freedom in her life, had some financial difficulties prior to becoming pregnant, or if you are unsure about your mothering skills, these are all factors that may lead to your development of parenting stress. If you are feeling distressed during your pregnancy, or you are sensing that you are depressed during your pregnancy, it will be important to find a support group and to speak with your obstetrician about your feelings. Because depression during pregnancy can lead to the full development of antenatal depression, which then may lead to postpartum depression, it is important to speak about your emotions during pregnancy especially if you are feeling distressed about becoming a parent.

Make Baby Night Nursing Easy

Because the newborn baby’s biological clock hasn’t established yet, they may wake you frequently during the night. And baby’s crying and screaming can make new parents very exhausted. Most of the new parents are struggling with the night nursing issue. In fact, if new parents can prepare
baby’s night necessaries in advance and have knowledge of how to respond to baby’s sudden events, night nursing could be easier.

If you are struggling with the night nursing issue, here has some tips and advices from experienced parents may help.

Some experienced parents give me the inspiration to write down these useful night nursing tips.

Knowing the possible events may occur during the night nursing:

1, Baby is hunger or thirst

2, Baby suppress urine or has damp diaper or bed

3, Baby feels too hot or too cold

4, Baby is bitten by the mosquito or other insects

5, Bad sleeping position causes difficult breathing

6, Sudden sickness

Controlling the temperature to create good sleep environment

1. Window: Open the window to get some fresh air, and then close it before sleep.

2. Crib: Don’t set crib under the window or the air conditioner.

3. Clothes and bedding: Don’t let your baby go to sleep naked even in the hot summer, protect the baby’s belly with some light baby blankets. Depending on the temperature, put on light-weight cotton sleeper or heavy fleece sleeper.

4. Air conditioner: The wind direction should not toward baby’s bed and as far as possible. Adjust the air conditioner to the natural wind mode or breeze status during the sleep.

Preparing baby night necessaries in advance

1, Feeding supplies: Breast milk feeding is more convenient. Lying down is ideal for night feedings; when baby is small, you may need to lay her on a pillow so the baby can reach your nipple. Or you may store expressed milk in the refrigerator. This will free you from feeling tired down by breast-feeding, and allow your baby to be fed by your partner if you feel really tired.

Going Natural for Treating Acid Reflux in Infants

Acid Reflux in Infants: Natural Methods for Cure

There are several natural remedies for treating acid reflux in infants. This is certainly good news for parents who are hesitant to use any kind of medications. As a matter of fact, infants are delicate and medications can be too harsh for them. Natural treatments meanwhile, are safe and
gentle to use.

As with any other health-related concerns, taking precautions is a must. Following instructions properly is also a crucial step for treating acid reflux or any other ailments.

For natural treatment of acid reflux in infants, you will need a pillow or towel. For professional help, going to a reliable chiropractor is a must.

Instructions for Treatment:

First and foremost, elevate the infant’s head. You can do this by placing a rolled-up towel or pillow on the baby’s crib mattress. This prevents the stomach acid from getting into the baby’s esophagus, which can be very uncomfortable for the baby. This also causes vomiting.

Infants who are suffering from acid reflux should be in an upright position every time they are being fed. While breastfeeding, anchor your arm around the baby’s head in a more elevated position as compared to regular breastfeeding when an infant is usually fully lying down.

Maintain the upright position for about 20 minutes after each feeding. Sometimes, even after the infant has already burped.

Another natural trick is to mix a small amount of infant cereal to the milk formula. While breastfeeding, you can do this for pumped or stored milk – mix the cereal to the baby’s bottle.

The cereal mix thickens the milk or infant formula and thus avoid spit ups, which is a symptom of acid reflux in infants.

Consult your pediatrician before implementing this remedy. Some cases indicate that early consumption of cereals causes allergies among infants.

An infant’s acid reflux can be caused by misaligned vertebrae located between the infant’s shoulder blades. This misalignment sends a signal to the stomach that triggers the production of more acid.

A chiropractor can help realign these vertebrae back to its proper position. A visit to the chiropractor can alleviate the discomfort of your baby.

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More