Baby Shower

Tag: babycare

You Have To Look After Yourself To Be Able To Look After Your Baby

Expecting a baby can be a time of great excitement and anxiety. Of course you cannot wait for your new little bundle of joy to arrive, yet at the same time the thought of how to take care of a baby and what to do in certain situations may strike fear into the hearts of even the toughest people. You certainly do not want to do something wrong, so how do you overcome your fears and make sure your baby is well cared for? Here are a few tips to help you get started.

First, relax, take a deep breath, and understand that there are no perfect parents, and you must learn from your mistakes. This is absolutely normal and is precisely what grandparents are for; to provide helpful information for a variety of situations. That being said, do not feel as though you have to listen to every single suggestion that comes your way either. You must learn how to keep a healthy balance between what you believe is right, and what others say.

Next, you will need to go with the flow and be somewhat flexible. Your baby is going to set your pace, at least for the first several months. This means you will sleep when your baby sleeps, and you will use random nap times to catch up on things you need to do for yourself, or around the house. You will also find that your baby gear, such as a gliding nursing chair, comes in quite handy along the way.

Also, it is acceptable to do something you want or need to do on your own, without your baby. This does not mean that you are a bad parent; it could actually help to make you a better parent. A quick trip to the store, a new outfit, or even a date night with your spouse, while a babysitter watches the baby can cause you to feel more relaxed and more able to focus on your child.

Make sure you do not neglect your own health either. Even though you may feel as though you have to give all of your attention to your new bundle of joy, and provide everything that may be needed to him or her, you can’t start to neglect your own health and needs because of that. Eat healthy, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, and as I am sure you will anyway, sleep when you can. If you are not at your best, and in great physical and emotional condition, you will not be able to provide your baby with the very best care.

Finally, as more time passes, you will learn exactly what your baby needs, and exactly when he or she needs it. You will know right away what every cry means, what every noise means, and what makes him or her the happiest. When this light bulb moment hits, you will realize that you can do it, you are a great parent, and that there is no better job in the world!

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.

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