Babies – Page 13 – Marisa Meidle's Baby Showers

Baby Won’t Sleep? Try a Baby Hammock!

Sometimes the only means to calm a fussy newborn is through rocking him. However it can be challenging to hold your little one in your arms for hours at a time to offer him what he needs. And most of the baby products that make an automatic rocking action do not do so in the usual fashion that your child favors. Luckily, there is a means to help your little one to fall asleep and allow you to sleep too. It’s known as a baby hammock, an innovative but not completely modern way to help your child get the rest he needs.

A baby hammock is an entirely natural method to help a cranky infant settle down and get to sleep. It has been utilized in numerous Asian countries for a long time as the perfect way to help a child calm down and become sleepy. Nowadays, western culture has also become aware of this natural means of soothing a baby.

When you think it over, the theory of a baby hammock is completely logical. It imitates the way that a parent rocks a baby to sleep. It also entirely captures the way a child feels when you are seated with him in your arms in a rocking chair. The rocking rhythm helps to quiet down a baby who has difficulty falling into a serene slumber.

It’s a perfectly secure cradle for a newborn as it has been fashioned so that there is no way for it to topple. There are no open sides so your child can’t roll off, and it entirely mimics an embrace. Your baby will feel like he is being held in your arms and is therefore entirely calm. It’s the perfect cozy little nest for your little one in this big world.

There couldn’t be a more comfy crib for your infant than a hammock. The reason for why it’s so comfortable for your little one is that it is exactly the same position he was in throughout the last stages of your pregnancy. Recreating the security and warmth of the womb will go far towards comforting your baby.

While your baby lies in the hammock it is hard for him to turn over onto his stomach. This means your infant won’t be vulnerable to the threat of sudden infant death that can happen in a conventional bed or cradle.

The age of your baby doesn’t make a difference. A baby hammock can be used from birth until your baby is a year old. Every new parent could use some good baby advice, and this might be just what you need to help yourself and your infant get a good night’s sleep.

Travel Easy With Kids On Strollers

The history of baby carriages is long beginning in Europe. It is only in recent times the baby carriages have become immensely popular as a mode of transport for infants and small children. These days people have to travel a lot. Often they have to take the children along with them. Baby carriages are also called by such names as carry cot or pram or perambulator. These baby carriages are actually bucket shaped. They are fitted with wheels so that they can be pushed as you walk. There are also other kinds of baby carriages such as baby slings, backpack carriers, soft front carriers and hip carriers. The difference is that you will have to carry these baby carriages with you while the former is pushed in front of you.

Baby carriages are made from different materials. They are available in different designs and vary in its comforts, support and rigidity. A stroller is a carriage to transport infants or small children up to the age of three or four. A stroller is often called also as a buggy or push chair. The children face forward away from the pusher in strollers while a pram usually has the infant facing the pusher so that the child can constantly be within the full eye sight of the pusher. Strollers are normally designed for carrying one child. But there are strollers that carry two and also three children. It is also designed to accommodate children with small age gap. Strollers to accommodate three children are a recent addition.

The stroller is designed for easy maneuverability. This is aided by its free wheels allowing it to be turned around within small spaces. The Maclaren Quest stroller gives an instance of a stroller that is meant for babies 3 months and old with an underneath storage basket for holding goodies. The stroller also has such safety features as rain cover, shoulder strap and hood. Its seat can be reclined in 4 positions and has adjustable 5 point safety harness.

You may choose the stroller from amongst the models that are in the market. They differ in their features and weight. You can also buy strollers online.

Safety Devices Make Infants Secure

Accidents are not intentional, but take place unexpectedly. A category of accidents is traffic collision. There can be fatalities, injuries and damage to properties resulting from traffic collision. Even in a country reputed to have a higher degree of safety measures and adoption of the most technologically advanced systems in vehicle and traffic management, have a 40,000 annual fatality due to accidents. Safety requirements have been steadily increasing. The accident rates too have been steadily declining. But in terms of pure numbers, the number of deaths and injured too are on the rise. Rising population, increased travel and travelers and more traffic remain the unavoidable causes.

Safety devices and systems are of two types – the active and the passive safety devices and systems. The active safety devices and systems are those that require the occupant of the vehicle to act such as fastening seat belt. The passive safety devices and systems are those that operate on its own such as air bags on sudden jerks or collision.

The most vulnerable section of travelers is the children when it comes to accidents. They are smaller and lighter than the adults. Sudden jerks during collision impact can dislodge the children and throw them off. Safety measures as air bags and active seat belts can be useful. Special safety measures for children and infants are recognized to be installed or adopted according to the height, weight and age of the children. Many countries have adopted safety measures for children and made them mandatory in vehicles that transport children. These include child safety locks and child seat. Power window lockouts are installed so that the driver can control the opening and shutting of windows and doors to prevent children from meddling with them.

There are specially designed seat for infants. These infant safety seats are secured to the automobile seat. When there are sudden jerks or collisions, the infant seat belt holds the child firmly. These are now a part of the safety regulations prescribed in some countries. There are different models of infant seat belts on sales in the market. Britax Frontier Seat has advanced shock-absorption and cushioning. These are also easy to set up.

Internationally the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has set an international standard for baby and child seats called ‘Regulation R44-04’. ISOFIX standard has been developed by the International Organization for Standardization in 1990 for car seats. The United States equivalent of this is the LACTH. Some manufacturers supply ISOFIX standard compliant baby seats.

12 Cloth Diapers Answers Every Parent Needs To Know

Cloth diapers (also known as reusable nappies, washable nappies and cloth nappies) are much easier to use than you think. Here are answers to some frequent questions about using cloth diapers.

What do I do at change time?

If the diaper is just wet, all you need to do is take it off, throw the liner away (if disposable) and place the diaper and reusable liner in your diaper bucket instead of in the bin.

If the diaper is dirty, the poo can be thrown away down the loo (far more hygienic than putting it in the dustbin) and the diaper placed in the bucket.

Liquid poo can be washed off by holding the diaper under the flush of the toilet before being dealt with in your normal way.

Are they difficult to put on?

No, not at all.Shaped diapers or all-in-ones are the simplest to use and need no folding – simply place them on just as you would a disposable.Terry or flat diapers do need to be folded but the amazing invention of the Nappi Nippa means no pins are needed.

Will our house smell?

Only if you leave lots of dirty diapers hanging around for days. Just think of how your bin smells with a couple day’s worth of dirty disposables in it, with real diapers, the poo is flushed down the loo straight away, so you won’t suffer from this problem.If you like, you can place a few drops of essential oil on a cloth that you keep on the top of the bucket.

Will I have to do lots of washing?

All families have lots of washing, so to include a few diapers isn’t really that much extra work.When you are ready to do a normal wash, simply take the diapers out of the bucket and place them in the washing machine, it is as easy as that.

Putting diapers into a modern machine with its fast spinning is a far cry from having to put them through the twin tub and mangle that your mother may have used.

Diapers can be washed at 60c and some even use 40c with the odd hotter wash to keep away stains.

The easiest way to dry diapers is on the line with the rest of your washed clothing (or on a radiator during the winter) but I to fluff them up by putting them in the dryer for 10 mins with bath towels after taking them off the washing line.

Will I get dirty placing them in the washing machine?

No. The poo will have been disposed of, so you are only dealing with a little wee.If you wet pail (see below) you can use a mesh type bag to store the diapers in, so you just need to pick that up and put it in the machine. Dry pailing is even easier to do.

What is the meaning of ‘pailing’?

Basically, storing used diapers in a bucket.Wet pailing involves placing the diapers into a solution of water and diaper soak or similar or just plain water.

Dry pailing is very simple – just drop the used diaper into the bucket and replace the lid.

Don’t all the washing powders harm the environment?

Yes and no. Yes, as all detergents can cause some damage (this can be limited by using non-bio or eco-friendly products) but no to the extent that this is still much better than using disposable diapers.

Will I have to change diapers more often?

Not really.Advice states that you should change your baby’s diaper every 4 hours during the day (more often for newborns), so this remains the same.

Won’t my baby get diaper rash?

Diaper rash happens when bacteria in the poo reacts to the ammonia in wee.The best way to prevent diaper rash is to change frequently (every 4 hours or so) and let fresh air access the diaper area.

The lock away moisture core in disposable diapers makes parents change less often and their very design stops air from circulating.Most real diaper designs are breathable, allowing air to circulate, resulting in a healthier bottom.

What if I go out for the day?

Many parents use real diapers even when they go out and just take a slightly bigger bag with them. Other parents have a stock of eco-disposables to use for day trips or when they go away.

What about nightime?

Again, some parents use eco-disposables overnight or add booster pads to the cloth diaper.

Will they leak?

Not if they fit properly.A well fitting cloth diaper with a wrap if appropriate is no more likely to leak than a disposable.We advise that you try a sample kit to make sure you buy the right diaper for your baby.

Milestones from 1 to 2 Years

It is great to watch your child develop. Every parent awaits in anticipation to see these moments. Your baby’s body needs to get prepared for any particular action. External factors are involved in this development as it varies within each baby.

Nutrition plays a vital role in development. Sleep is the maximum growth period. Realize that new born babies sleep almost all day. Duration of sleep varies with age. Your baby is always growing so at this age take care of what you feed. When he reaches one year, he will begin to pick things up, try getting into a standing position, feed himself and clap his hands. His muscles also increase day by day.

Feed your baby with a more nutritious food for maximum growth spurts. A malnourished baby does not develop soon. At the time your baby reaches 13 to 15 months, he will play with his toys and try to talk. You will also see that he walks without support. Some babies walk within 6 months but this is very unusual. Toys also help your baby to develop soon. Like if you play a bosendorfer baby piano, your baby will move his body and try to dance with the rhythm. At about 18 to 20 months, he will climb stairs and walk with support. At this age he will play with building blocks and feed himself well. He will also like cartoons and watch television. Your baby will talk unclearly and do a lot of mischief.

When your baby reaches his second birthday, he will become more active constantly doing mischief and messing up everything. Therefore, you too have to be active and maintain safety precautions at home. Every child is different so you may have to be cautious more or less. Your baby might dump and fall into everything and hurt himself quite a lot. This should be prevented because if in case he hurts his head, this is harmful for his brain as the head is still very sensitive.

Take care of such things and have a great time watching your baby grow and develop at the same time.