How a New Mother Can Use Her Breast Pump With Less Time and Bother

How a New Mother Can Use Her Breast Pump With Less Time and Bother
By Matia Bryson | Published 09/19/2006 | Parenting |

Many times a new mother is surprised at how time consuming feeding an infant can be. Add to the regular breast feeding schedule the time to use a breast pump and mothers are even more pressed. Timesavers can be found in making wise clothing choices, multi-tasking while pumping, and organizing the breast pumping routine better.

Dress for Successful Breast Pumping.
Wear two-piece outfits with easy access to your breasts. A loose top that can be pulled up from the bottom makes breast feeding and breast pumping more convenient. Another choice would be a dress or shirt that buttons all the way down the front. Buttons that go down only to the waist are not usually sufficient for double pumping because you need to be able to open the shirt wide. Also you could buy nursing tops or dresses with discreet slits at the breast for convenience when nursing or pumping.
Use a pumping bra for hands-free pumping or Medela’s Pumping-Free Attachment Kit. The strapless variety of pumping bra makes it convenient to put on and take off only while pumping in a two-piece outfit if you prefer your ordinary nursing brassieres for most of the day. Some women have made their own pumping bras by cutting slits in an old bra. You could also try the old rubber band trick.
While you are making clothing choices, note that prints will not show wetness as easily as solids, and breast milk will stain your silk blouses. Other wise (or unwise) fabric choices may come to mind. Leaning forward slightly while pumping will help to keep the milk going into the bottles and not running out on your clothes. Some users tuck a towel under their breasts.

Multi-tasking while Breast Pumping.
If you would rather not buy hands-free pumping bras, you can have at least one hand free while double pumping with the following technique. Sit at a desk or a table. Use the edge of the table and one arm to hold your funnels in place. That gives you a free hand to read something that will lay flat on the table or eat a snack. Some users put the breast pump motor on the floor and operate the controls with a toe. With the Avent Isis IQ Duo Breast Pump, the controls are in one button on the part that is near the breast and the user’s hand. Another option for multi-tasking is the hands-free breast pump by Whisper Wear, the self-contained breast pump worn inside your bra. Although not absolutely silent and it makes one’s chest look larger than usual, this breast pump may still be an option for many mothers.
Some women multitask by pumping one breast while nursing the baby on the other breast. Some babies are bothered by the noise of an electric pump so their mothers have more success with a quality one-handed manual pump like the Medela Harmony, Ameda One-Hand, or Avent Isis breast pumps. A good time to try this technique is early in the morning when milk supply and the prolactin hormone is the greatest. Baby will usually be sated with the one side at this time of day – no need to switch sides unless you feel lopsided. Women who have difficulty getting their milk to let-down when pumping alone can often fill a bottle with their baby helping to stimulate their let-down.

Organize Your Breast Pumping Routine Better.
Follow a set routine: assemble your equipment the same way each time. Disassemble and wash the parts the same way each time. Like the pit crew for a race car, you will get faster and more efficient each time.
If you use your breast pump more than once a day, you could try the following. Instead of washing your parts after every session, just give the breast shield assembly a quick rinse and seal it in a clean plastic bag in the refrigerator between uses. Do give the parts a thorough hot, soapy wash at least once daily and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for sterilizing when needed.
Some users advise buying extra breast pump parts as a convenience. Have a couple of sets of the washable parts and you can wash only half as often. Some women buy three sets if they are pumping three times daily while at work. They bag the parts without washing them and bring them home for one washing. It saves time at work, and you can take advantage of your home dishwasher. Some women assign the task of parts-washing to another family member so they can have more time nursing and re-bonding with their baby in the evening. Another advantage to owning at least one extra set of parts is as a little insurance in case you lose something essential. If you are not lucky enough to have a retailer in your area that sells all the parts individually, you need to call the manufacturer and have one shipped to you. It can take days for your part to arrive. That can be a real inconvenience for mothers who must pump every day.

Finally, if you are breast pumping several times a day, buy or rent an efficient, high-quality breast pump. A double electric pump will finish the job in sometimes less than half the time, usually ten minutes when you become experienced. A pump that is slow is not only inconvenient, but some users find them uncomfortable too. A breast pump that wastes your time will cause you aggravation you do not need.

Matia Bryson is the mother of seven previously breast fed children and wants to help other mothers to breast feed their children as long as they desire to do so. The “old rubber band trick” can be found at the Hands-Free Breast Pumping Page. For information on how to get more out of one’s breast pump, read the Breast Pump Articles at the Baby Loves Your Milk website. For tips on buying a new breast pump on eBay, go to EBay Breast Pump Watch.

Matia Bryson is a mother of seven previously breastfed children and reviews breast pumps at the Baby Loves Your Milk website.

Eczema Treatment

My first son suffered with this condition so I thought it was a good article to include.

Eczema Treatment - Stay Close to Stay Healthy by ADDAM DEVIN
In this fast paced world of the 21st century, one of the biggest things been ignored by humans is their health. There is a sort of outburst of health diseases and disorders prevailing throughout the planet as people helplessly fiddle with precious time wasted on the professional front or simply fail to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This problem poses as a serious threat, especially for newborns who have just stepped into the world and need proper care.
When it comes to babies, one of the commonest ailments that they can suffer from is eczema, which has been recorded to affect about one out of ten babies in today's world. As an ailment, eczema, or atopic dermatitis as it is particularly known, targets the pretty delicate skin of the infants. This disease has been observed to particularly attack the scalp and the face in babies, while young people can develop it in areas like the face, neck, wrists, ankles and between the fingers. To cut the advance of this disease short, prompt eczema treatment is quite necessary.

The effect of this disease can shape up in the form of inflammation, skin rashes, uncontrollable itching, oozing skin and even getting encrusted. This ailment can prolong in babies for some months, although there aren't any harmful effects to look out for in the future. As the disease is quite common, the market is flooded with various forms of eczema treatments in the form of essential oils, moisturising cream, scalp care tonics and bath therapies.

Since there is no dearth of eczema treatment methods to ward off this skin ailment, you can easily take care of your baby and even yourself. All you need to do is follow a healthy regime and experience the wonders of this non medicated treatment as it relieves you from the disease completely.

Related Articles - Eczema Treatment, Baby Skin Care,

How to Massage New Born Babies

We have tried this on our new baby and it does help them go to sleep in a nice relaxed way and its very good for the parents to. Thats why we have included this article.
P.S
How to Massage New Born Babies by JAMES CANDELL

Family & Parenting

Newborns simply love to be touched and cuddled. The skin to skin touch helps you and your baby bond, comforts your baby when she is upset or uneasy with gas or colic problems. Hence, touch is a critical part of growth and development.
The massage strokes used on adults are completely different from the strokes to be used on newborns. You can adapt the adult strokes to massage your child. Just make sure that your strokes are lighter on them. The younger they are, more delicate and smaller will be the strokes be.

It is ideal that you take your child either on your lap or lay him on any kind of elevated soft surface such as few thick towels put together. Be very gentle while massaging. If your child cries or does not enjoy it, stop massaging till it feels comfortable about the whole thing.

Massage steps for the front of the body

- Lay the child on the back. Start by stroking gently the face, move to the middle of the forehead and temples

- Stroke the cheeks from nose to ears and back moving down to the chin. Gently stroke the area around the eyes.

- Stroke the front of the body along the arms. Make clockwise circles around the navel with both hands. Do gentle wringing action across the abdomen and up the body.

- Take one arm at a time, start stroking from shoulder to hand to fingers. Massage the hand, squeeze and rotate each of the fingers in turn. Do the same for other arm.

- Take one leg at time. Do a gentle wring or squeeze up the leg and stroke down the leg. Do the same for other arm. Massage steps for the back of the body

- Lay the child stomach down. Stoke up and over the back and along the arms.

- Do a gentle kneading on the child's shoulder

- Do a gentle wringing stroke all over the body. Massage the rear side with gentle kneading or pinching strokes.

- Slide smoothly down the spine alternating with both the hands. Start from the base of the neck and move to working down to the base of spine.

- Gently stroke the legs, bending the knee up and working all the way to the foot.

- Hold the anklebone between your fingertips and move both the hands in circular motion.

- Squeeze the heal with one hand and use the thumb of your other hand to massage the sole of the foot.

- Massage the toes by gentle squeezing, rotating and pulling it in turns. Hold the foot firmly between your hands for few seconds. Repeat the same for massaging the backside of other leg.

Lastly, turn the baby over and give it a final massage in two strokes. Start from one foot up the leg, across the lower abdomen and move down the other leg. Do light strokes from the top of head right down to the feet.

To massage the baby having gas or digestive problems, use the "I Love You" technique.

- Lay the baby on the back and undress it completely or just leave the diaper on.

- Use two or three fingers of your right hand to trace the alphabet "I" on the right side of the abdomen with gentle, yet firm movements.

- Next do a gentle stroke from left to right across the baby's abdomen and then do a small downward stroke along the right side of his stomach forming upside down "L" alphabet.

- Last, stroke up from the left side of your baby's hipbone moving towards the left side of the abdomen, across the baby’s body from left to right horizontally along the stomach and finally finish by stroking down the right side in the same manner, forming the "U" alphabet in upside down direction.

James Mother and Baby Shop

Related Articles - baby name, pregnancy mother care, pregnant pilates, maternity wear, maternity clothing, breast feeding, infertility baby gift, symptom of pregnancy, m

stretch marks

Cream For Stretch Marks - Surviving Pregnancy by ALIEN SHENG

Oh how things change after having a new baby. Don't you just love it? You will usually have a few extra pounds to try and shave off, and let's not forget the stretch marks. Oh, and I almost forgot, we tend to wrinkle-up and acquire a few age spots.
Isn't the circle of life grand? Oh well, there's really nothing that can be done about this other than slowing the process by taking good care of ourselves.

However, some people go to the lengths of having plastic surgery done to retain their youth. Now, I'm not necessarily knocking this concept, but I personally don't look forward to going under the knife. There are simpler alternatives, you know.

Take stretch marks for example. You could go and attempt to have them surgically removed, or you could purchase some cream for stretch marks. Doesn't that sound a tad less frightening? Creams For Stretch Marks

What do you know about cream for stretch marks? Well, if you're a man, then you probably know virtually nothing. However, if you are of the softer sex, and have had a bout or two with the old stretch mark fairy, then you're probably looking into cream for stretch marks. There must be a way to reduce their visibility or simply vanquish them altogether.

I can recall going shopping with my wife a few years back and she was in the market for a quality cream for stretch marks. Who has one you might ask? The heck if I know. She ended up trying some serum from Clarins, but it caused irritation where she applied it.

Needless to say this was not a keeper for her. After browsing through several other products, she decided to just leave well enough alone. However, now days she is wanting to banish those irksome stretch marks once again. So it's back to the drawing board. Luckily there are more treatments and remedies to choose from now. That ideal cream for stretch marks is probably out there if you can actually pinpoint it.

One great place to start this journey is on the World-Wide-Web. The Internet is filled with cosmetics and reviews to give you the scoop on their quality. Sometimes you'll find that certain upper-scale products aren't rated so well. Go ahead and pop open your Mac or PC. It's time to find that perfect cream for stretch marks today. Alien writes for pregnancy signs . He also writes for weight loss tips and herbal remedies

Bedtime

Having had 3 children all completly unique as all baby's are, one thing I know is absolutely true baby's love rountine, Yes its boring, it interups your previously "I'll just do this, go here lifestyle but believe me it pays you dividends.

Also please please remember anything you start with for baby care when they are tiny and new and cute in this rountine is with you for years!!!

Parents most useful baby toy

One of our favorite toys is a baby nest with an over head frame. Your baby can be safe while you get on with things around her. There are lots of different things to look at and when they sit up its great too because they can play with all the textures and squeaky bits. If you have not seen one of these toys its basically an inflatable tyre covered in a colourful fabric with a tubeler plastic frame over the top with hanging toys to play with its great fun for both parents and babies.

Baby care Cuddly Toy

All my 3 children had, and still have a musical cuddly toy.
One had a bear with light up cheeks, the other two had a Winnie the Pooh laying on a cushion that changed colour and played a musical tune. All worked great for the bedtime routine's.
Tip once you have used these baby toys make certain You have a cupboard full of battery's. Believe me it isn't pleasant when you go to put them to bed......... and no batteries.

Tip Purchase some rechargeable battery's usually they take "AA" ones which can come in many power ratings and last for a long time. As you will be using the toys every night the problems with battery discharge does not matter, but it will save you quite a lot of money over the year and its better for the environment. If you can afford it buy the Maximum power rating battery because the toy is for young children they sometimes make it quite difficult to change them, it cuts out some of the hassle.

Baby Bed time

We found an over cot mobile is a good buy for your baby care because your baby will love watching this revolve and play music.

Another item we liked for value for money was a fabric bumper that you attach to the side of the cot and on one side it is shapes, faces etc in black and white for when baby is learning to focus.
Later this can be reversed to more interesting colourful pictures.

baby face

First birthday party

Arranging your baby's birthday party can be quite a hand full so I have included this article to help out.

How to Make Sure Your Baby’s Birthday First Party Will Be a Roaring Hit by MUNA WA WANJIRU
While many of us look forward to a birthday party and we remember them, our 1st birthday first party is one event that we know of only from photographs and tales from our family members. You will find that most parents usually plan their baby’s first party with great care.

To make any type of birthday a success there are a few items that you will need to look into. These items are of especial care when you are planning a one year olds birthday first party. The party can otherwise become a nightmare if you plan of lots of elaborate events.

For this type of 1st birthday party you will need to keep things in the party simple. You will need to plan on having lots of finger foods and filling snacks that your guests can munch on as they socialize at the party. These foods can be an assortment of sandwiches, mini pizzas or lots of different pizzas, hot dogs and burgers, fries with tubs of different sauces.

You can have many bowls of sweets and desserts like ice cream, caramel, éclairs, chocolates and cakes all laid out on a buffet style table. To have your younger guests laughing with enjoyment at your baby’s birthday first party you should plan on having different party games like Elephant Walk, Water Balloon Toss, Pass the Bubbles among a variety of activities.

For added enjoyment you can have lots of brightly colored balloons, tinsels and streamers flying around the site of the birthday. As birthday cakes are just about everyone’s favorite food you should buy a couple of large sized cakes in bright colors that has lots of icing all around it. The kids will love choosing a big piece of cake that is smothered in icing and you will see lots of sticky fingers and icing covered smiles wherever you look.

When you are looking at the different types of birthday cakes that you can buy for a birthday first party, you will see clowns, teddy bears, Scooby-Doo, My Little Pony, a fireman, a spaceman and even animal shaped cakes. These are just a few of the cakes that you can buy for your baby’s first birthday.

Now even though your baby is too young to understand and enjoy all of these activities that are going on you can plan on making the birthday first party that you are hosting a success with everyone else.

The way to achieve this is by seeing that everyone has plenty of food and drinks, lots of fun games and activities to take part in and the kids have goody bags that are filled to the brim with toys and sweets. This way your baby’s birthday first party will be a roaring hit and you can be sure that many people will talk about it for a long time to come.
Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years.
For more information on birthday first party, visit his site at birthday first party

Why Do Babies Have Such A Difficult Time Going To Sleep?

This acticle has been included because most parents at some time or another have a difficult period with our babies going to sleep, so I thought it could be useful. At present we are playing a CD of a Tropical rainforest just outside my 20 month old daughter's bedroom door set on repeat play, and guess what she is now sleeping like a baby, excuse the pun. But is has worked after trying many different ideas to keep our little darling a sleep.
It has been hard going with a teenage son who bangs around the house like an Elephant on a rampage forgetting his little sister.
The reflux section is also worth a look as our daughter had it quite bad. I hope this acticle helps you and your partner get some sleep.
Please give me some feed back so we can all learn more tricks.

Why Do Babies Have Such A Difficult Time Going To Sleep?By: Dylon Sanger
Many people have asked the question of why babies seem to have such a difficult time getting to sleep. Is it just that the baby is being stubborn, is the baby not getting enough attention, is the baby missing his or her parent? The questions linger on in the minds of parents and the parents often blame themselves unjustly.

There are many reasons why your baby may be having difficulty getting to sleep at night or for daytime naps. Many of the causes of baby sleep problems are quite simple to resolve, once you know what those causes are. If you can understand why your baby has difficulty going to sleep, then you can come up with a solution that will help your baby's sleep problem. Let's take a look at some of the common reasons babies have trouble getting to sleep.

A Dirty Diaper. A wet or dirty diaper is not a comfortable feeling for your child. This is one of the easiest issues to address with your child. Check and/or change your child's diaper before putting him or her down to sleep.

Heat. There is a school of thought that says a baby needs to feel much like it did in the womb to be able to achieve complete comfort. This statement has a good deal of merit, but some parents may overdo it by wrapping a baby in a warm blanket while wearing an outfit. If the room is not a comfortable temperature your baby, much the same as you would in a hot room, will have a hard time getting to sleep. The point here is if you would not be able to get to sleep in that room fully dressed, with a blanket over you, do not expect your baby to be able to get to sleep either.

Teething. Teething pain can begin for a baby as early as 3 months of age and continue off and on all the way through age 2. Teething pain is very uncomfortable for a baby and unfortunately he cannot tell us what is hurting, all we know is that he will not go to sleep. Pay attention to teething symptoms with your baby. There are many products on the market that can relieve teething pain, but as always you will want to check with your pediatrician before using these over the counter medications.

Eating Too Much Or Too Little. Most parents understand that a baby that is hungry will be fussy and difficult to get to sleep. Not all new parents know just how often they should be feeding their newborn though. Newborns need to eat every 2-3 hours up until they are about 6 weeks old. After 6 weeks old the feeding times will stretch out to every 3 hours and after 4 months of age feeding will be about every 4 hours.

Try not to feed your baby too much. This is quite easy to do, although your baby will usually let you know in the most unattractive fashion if he or she has eaten too much.

Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER). This is much like heartburn that adults experience and can cause your baby's sleep pattern to be thrown off. There are many symptoms of this condition that you can detect. Some symptoms include irritability after meals, excessive spitting up, and wheezing. If you have any concerns that your baby may be suffering from GER you should contact your pediatrician and have your baby checked over by the doctor.

Lack Of A Baby Sleep Pattern. Some new parents do not know that babies need to be trained to go to sleep. Babies will often try to fight off sleep much the same way that many adults do. If you set up baby sleep patterns and rituals your baby will soon learn that after the ritual ends it is time to sleep. Some of theses rituals might include going to sleep shortly after a bath, taking a nap after a meal, etc.

As you can see, understanding the causes of why your baby might be having trouble getting to sleep leads to some simple solutions. Your baby can have difficulty sleeping for any one of the reasons above, or for others not listed. It could be a combination of any of these symptoms that keep your baby from going to sleep when you feel it is time for him or her to get some rest.

Hopefully you can see that it is not poor parenting or a "poor tempered baby" that keeps your baby awake. It can often be as simple as needing a clean diaper for your baby to get that needed rest. As you being to recognize the different symptoms of problems keeping your baby awake, the easier it will be for you to find a solution to those symptoms.

Article Source: http://www.blogtelecast.com

A Case for Babying your Baby

I really liked this article I found so please leave feed back what You think?

A Case for Babying your Baby by KEVIN WILSON
Recently, I have noticed a resurgence in parents afraid of “spoiling” their children, in particular their newborns and infants by holding them too often in a baby sling carrier. This certainly isn’t anything new. In the early half of the 20th century, the majority of child care experts discouraged parents from excessively holding their babies, warning that by doing so, they would not prepare their children for the harsh and cruel world that awaited them.
However, in 1946 Dr. Benjamin Spock published “The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.” Dr. Spock was one of the early proponents of mothers caring for their babies by using their own judgment to determine what was best for their baby. Today there are still many who warn new parents that excessively holding their baby will spoil the child. These people are known as “regulators.” Regulators believe that the child needs a disciplined routine to develop. The second group of people is referred to as “facilitators”. The facilitating parent acts reactively to the child’s physical or emotional cues of distress.

In 2001, A. Scher from the University of Haifa, Israel, conducted a study to determine which method of parenting created a stronger bond between the mother and child. Overwhelmingly, babies whose mothers used a facilitating approach to parenting displayed more “attachment” to their mothers than babies whose mothers used a more regulating approach.

So what does this mean for a new parent? It simply means that by holding your child and appropriately caring for your child when they begin to fuss, you build a relationship of trust and security with your baby. Building this sense of trust with your baby will actually foster your baby’s confidence to explore and interact with others. So relax, and worry more about what your baby wants and less about the way your peers and associates say.

Baby's esseontials

:- Moses basket- Baby only in here for 3 months and the time flies.
Consider buying a pram system which has a carry cot, you could place on a stand.
Cot If possible buy a cotbed so your baby can grow with this as going straight into a normal single bed is very daunting. However if you intend to have another baby quite close then you would need the cot for them.

Baby Gadgets and toys

As a follow on from the last post I thought it would be a good idea to state that your children will be subjected to lots of stimulus quite early on from the likes of Play stations, X-boxes, Nintendo etc and then the wars will begin. So my advice is not to subject your baby to it. Tip A simple bouncer with a removable arch to look at and reach out to is the best.

I must confess though my first two children went in the bouncer quite a lot... My third baby preferred the car seat!
Tip: Its best to keep some of your money back because as they get older the costs will rise.

Toys and Gadgets For the Active Baby

There are never ending array of toys gadgets etc that the advertisers will try to convince you that your baby needs..... and yes with my first child we did buy quite a few things that were so little used we could probably sell them as new!
Let me share with you what we did find value for money and a pleasure for baby.

I would suggest a bouncy cradle although a first car seat with some little toys attached is absolutely fine. You will find many types of bouncing cradles that do all sorts of things, they rock and even vibrate! How on earth a baby is expected to relax on its own when it becomes use to being rocked and vibrated.
I would stay away from these, along with the flashing light versions...... heaven knows what that does to a tiny brain.

Active Baby

Daytime
You will be surprised how soon your baby starts to take an interest in you and their environment. The first smile is not to be missed. Babies need very few things to stimulate them, because what they enjoy most is you talking to them, singing nursery rhymes, using relaxing baby massage.
Tip The more relaxed you are around play time, the more relaxed your baby will be. You will have more fun and hopefully your baby will to.

Baby Bath Time

Here the cheapest option is to buy a seat to put into your bath although make sure you have some padding for your knee's!

We went for an over bath unit which really eases the stress on your back. It has been real value for money as it has been used for all three of our children. Bath times are such fun times for you and your baby and the more comfortable you both are the more you will enjoy it.
Which ever product you use it is only for the 1st six months.

Another option is to use a bath set where you bath the baby on the floor or suitable surface. Personally I never liked this idea having to lift the bath with water and empty it again.

We then used a bath swivel seat which is a great product.This is rated as a best buy product for value and fun it gives your baby. Your baby can sit happily in the bath and play with the support of the seat, some of them even have activities on them. A few bath toys is money well spent and invest in a bath thermometer it takes the guess work out of how hot the water is. Tip make sure the bath seat base has attached to the bath with all its suckers. Try pulling upwards before placing your baby in it.
If you go away quite a lot you might consider an inflatable bath or a foldaway bath. Both great ideas.

Stroller screech

Now anybody that reads this blog will be saying please don't mention the stroller/buggy any more on your blog, well I can't not yet until I have covered all aspects of ownership. Yesterday when a was covering the school run I noticed a young mother with a very very stylist 3 wheel stroller going across the park with one wheel hanging off as it went round and round accompanied with a high pitched screech. I new how that mum felt people where turning there heads to look what an advertisement for this company.

One very kind lady left a comment on this site stating why use a stroller at all when you could try a sling which comes in many different styles and makes. This is a very good idea because it brings you close to your baby and leaves both hands free. In my local town I recently saw a lady window cleaner doing her job early in the morning with a new baby attached to her front, and both seemed very happy.
The only problem to the sling idea is if you are suffering any type of back pain, or injury which could be made worst by the additional weight. Also my first baby was born weighing 10lb 11oz which was quite heavy to begin with and within 4 weeks had gone over to the stroller on a permante basis.

Baby Care: stroller Weight

Baby Care: stroller Weight

Baby Care: Eating Vegetables

Baby Care: Eating Vegetables

Baby Blanket

The importance of a safe, stylish baby bedding blanket by RANDELL ROGFEND
Buying a Baby-bedding blanket is a tough decision for any mother. She needs to take care of the various factors while choosing a baby-bedding blanket for her infant. Unlike adults, babies are not bothered about the color of the bedding blanket or whether their room has been decorated at all or not, rather they look for comfort. The same issue should be on the mind of a mother who is looking for a baby-bedding blanket and she should ensure the ease and the safety of the child.
It is generally advised that the baby pillows and duvets must not be included in your baby bedding purchase if your baby is comfortable in his cot as they can easily cause suffocation. There are a number of options that are available in the market apart from the traditional baby bedding blanket. You can opt for a wearable blanket or a sleep suit for your child. While purchasing these things make sure that the length is not very large or else the baby might get entangled in a blanket, thereby feeling uncomfortable and suffocated. Try to keep the length of the baby-bedding blanket as small as possible.

While making a purchase for a baby bedding blanket ensure the texture and the durability of the material. Make sure that it is soft and smooth and the baby is at ease. The material should not be rough and should be washable. This is an important aspect as you will feel the need to wash the blanket if it gets dirty.

It is better to choose a cotton blanket which is quite popular as the custom baby bedding among mothers. the reason being the optimum baby bedding safety and coziness that it provides to your child. The best fabric you can get for your child is 100% cotton baby bedding blanket.

It is always fun to purchase the baby nursery beddings for your toddler. You can search among some beautiful baby bedding sets around with some of the most attractive and sober looking baby blanket knitting patterns. You can also look at some designer baby bedding blankets that are available in the stores. If you are looking for something cheap and reliable then you can always purchase a discount baby bedding or a wholesale Baby Blanket that are easily available at any nursery shop. Baby Bedding Blanket There is no hard and fast rule for baby bedding. You will see many neutral unique bedding themes with cartoons such as Disney and Popeye characters or cute animations. The baby bedding blankets could differ depending on whether it is a boy or a girl, or alternatively it could be gender neutral as well. The color combination and cute looking cartoons are common to both the baby boys and baby girls. At most of the stores you will find different sections for Baby Girl Beddings and Baby Boy Beddings! www.babybeddingblanket.ixvv.com Finding the perfect Baby nursery bedding blanket is easy; however, making a decision with all the variety that is available will be harder than you think. You can create a wonderful nursery in any style, design, or theme you can imagine! Baby Bedding Blanket

Baby Monitor Technology

When it comes to our children, we can never be too cautious. If you have a child of your own, you know exactly what I mean. In this day and age there are a number of safety measures we all must abide by to ensure our children's well-being. In the home, a baby monitor can be a great device allowing you to keep tabs on your little one. This is the prime time we have to take special care with our child since he/she cannot fend for his/herself. Infants are so fragile and unaware, therefore we have to take certain measures.

It wasn't long ago when I had an infant of my own. While out shopping, my wife and I quickly came to the realization that our child would be in a separate room. This actually bothered me. It made me feel uneasy. How can I keep an eye on the little one while she's sleeping? We then searched for a quality baby monitor. Just the notion of having one set my mind at ease. This way every time you lay down your child, you can keep a watchful eye out. Thank God for technology.

If you're shopping around for a baby monitor, it is wise to check online. Tons of reviews are offered on these products. However, to find a good baby monitor, you don't have to break the bank. There are reasonably priced monitors found online and in baby stores as well. You want a product that will get the job done, but you needn't go overboard. Well, unless you have the extra funds. You want a quality baby monitor that will offer a clear sound of your child, while in another room. I prefer them to have a camera option. This way you can always see what your infant is up to. You can never be too careful. An example of what I mean is the way they are positioned while sleeping. We certainly don't want our infants to suffocate, therefore the camera feature is a great one. This way you can also always make certain that nothing fishy is going on with your child, and that no one else has entered the room. These days we have to take these measures. It's a harsh world out there.

Okay, I understand that babies are expensive, but how valuable is your child? Our children depend on us to keep them far from harm. We have to make sure we keep an eye on them at all times. A baby monitor will help you profusely with this difficult task. This way you can even get grown-up things done while your baby sleeps, and always know that they're okay.

Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on Internet Marketing for years. For more information on Baby Monitor, visit his site at Baby Monitor
by MUNA WA WANJIRU

Brushing Baby's Teeth

Keeping your baby's teeth clean may not always be easy - when he clamps his jaws shut, it can be difficult to persuade him to open them - but it is very important.
Ideally, you should start cleaning your baby's mouth from birth, using a piece of damp gauze or a soft, damp washcloth to wipe any milk residue from his gums and teeth. It's a good idea to start this early, as it gives your baby time to get used to the whole routine and may make him less likely to object to having his teeth brushed later on!

Once his baby teeth start appearing, it's crucial to clean them carefully at least twice a day. The bacteria that live naturally in your baby's mouth turn the sugars (including natural sugars) from foods into acid. This acid may then attack the enamel of your baby's teeth.

The importance of your baby's first teeth

Although your baby will eventually lose his first teeth, don't be fooled into thinking that caring for them is any less important than caring for his permanent teeth later on.

1. Baby teeth "reserve" a place for the permanent teeth to grow into. If a baby tooth is lost, the permanent teeth may shift, potentially leading to orthodontic problems later on.

2. Babies need their milk teeth in order to learn to speak clearly and correctly.

3. Baby teeth are needed for biting and chewing.

4. The excessive loss of baby teeth due to decay can affect your child's confidence at pre-school level - after all, we all want to look our best!

Choosing a toothbrush Once your baby has his first tooth, it's time to buy an appropriate toothbrush. A long handled brush with a small head is best at first, as this design makes it easy to reach all parts of your baby's mouth quite easily. The brush should have soft, rounded filaments and should be replaced every 10-12 weeks, or as soon as the filaments start to splay.

Alternatively, you could use the type of infant toothbrush that fits over your finger and some babies do prefer this - but beware if your baby is a biter, as they don't offer much protection to your vulnerable finger!

When your baby is older and wants to hold the brush himself, then buy him a chunkier-handled design, which will be easier for him to hold - although you will still need to do the bulk of the brushing yourself!

Toothpaste and fluoride

You don't have to use toothpaste to clean your baby's teeth - the action of brushing is the most important factor in keeping them clean. If you do use toothpaste, then choose one specifically designed for infants - these usually contain very little fluoride. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry actually recommends that babies under the age of 2 should receive NO fluoride at all.

Although fluoride can help strengthen the enamel of the teeth, too much of it can lead to fluorosis - a condition which can cause white spots to appear on the permanent teeth. Young babies tend to swallow toothpaste rather than spit it out - if you use an adult toothpaste, then they will be swallowing too much fluoride.

Speak to your child's dentist for more information about the fluoride requirements for your child.

For further information, see How Much Fluoride Is Enough?.

Tips for brushing baby's teeth

1. If your baby is reluctant to open his mouth, try putting a brush in your own mouth - babies love to copy whatever Mum's doing!

2. Try singing a musical scale with your mouth wide open (no-one's looking!) He may try to copy the singing - or he may laugh - but either way, he'll open his mouth!

3. Sit your baby in whatever position works best for you - standing or sitting behind your baby as he looks up is a great position, because it enables you to reach all parts of his mouth very easily.

4. Be gentle - firm brushing isn't necessary at this stage and can put your baby off the whole experience.

Visiting the dentist

So when should your baby pay his first visit to the dentist?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and many other dental authorities worldwide, you should take him for a dental check-up at some point during his first year.

This gives your baby's dentist the opportunity to identify potential problems at an early stage and also to establish a good prevention program. It also gets your baby accustomed to the routine of dental visits and can help ensure he is calm on future visits.

Tips to keep your baby's teeth healthy

1. Avoid giving your baby juice. Nearly 90% of infants in the US are drinking juice before their first birthday. Yet whole fruit is nutritionally superior to fruit juice and contains dietary fiber, which juice lacks. Giving water to your baby is the healthiest option when he needs additional fluids.

2. If you do give your baby fruit juice, then make sure he drinks it from a sippy cup, not a bottle. Drinking juice from a bottle causes it to "pool" around your baby's teeth and puts him at a very high risk of dental decay.

3. Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of juice or milk. The lactose in milk can react with the bacteria in your baby's mouth, forming the acids that attack tooth enamel.

4. Do not dip your baby's dummy/pacifier into any sweet substance.

5. Do not add sugar to your baby's food. A little maple syrup or barley malt can be used instead if you really need to sweeten a particular food for your baby. NEVER use honey as a sweetener for babies less than 1 year of age - honey may contain botulism spores, which can be fatal to a young baby.

6. Ensure that baby's teeth get an extra good clean at bedtime! During the night, his natural production of saliva decreases, so its rinsing action diminishes too. This means that any harmful bacteria in the mouth are able to settle on the teeth more easily.

7. If your baby is receiving oral medication, give it to him before you brush his teeth, not afterwards. Almost all oral medications for infants contain sucrose.

Christine Albury is a mother of four and the author of Homemade Baby Food Recipes - your complete guide to solid feeding during baby's first year. Homemade Baby Food Recipes, which was recently featured by the BBC, includes a very active blog - keeping parents up to date with all important baby food news - plus a free monthly newsletter.

Eating Vegetables

Vegetables contain so many vitamins, minerals and nutrients necessary to good health that it's important to ensure your baby is eating enough of them. Understandably, then, many parents become concerned when their little ones refuse to eat vegetables at all!
When starting solids, it's a good idea to try introducing veggies before fruits - the thinking behind this is that babies will be less happy to accept vegetables after experiencing the sweetness of fruits. Despite this, though, some babies just don't seem to particularly enjoy vegetables - so here are some ideas to help incorporate these nutritious foods into his diet:

Try cooking your baby's vegetables in homemade beef stock or chicken stock instead of water (avoid commercial stocks, which are too salty for use in baby food preparation). This is a popular solution that works well for many parents.

Try stirring some pureed veggies into pureed fruit. It sounds awful, but actually tastes pretty good - babies have no idea which foods should "go" together, so you'll be surprised by what they enjoy!

Top a dish of cooked veggies, whether pureed or cut-up, with grated cheese. A subtle difference, but one that many babies appreciate! Alternatively, serve veggie pieces with a cheese dip.

Add pureed veggies to your baby's favourite soup or pasta sauce - he won't even realize he's consuming all those wonderful vitamins!

For older babies, add grated squash, pumpkin or carrots to your homemade muffins.

At mealtimes, offer your baby a plate of cooked vegetables to feed himself at the beginning of the meal (if he is developmentally ready for finger foods). This is when he will be most hungry... and therefore most likely to try them.

If you are making mashed potatoes for your baby, use sweet potatoes instead of white ones - they are highly nutritious and a great source of beta-carotene.

Don't overcook your veggies! As well as losing their texture, vegetables lose their goodness AND their colour when cooked to a mush. If you want your baby to enjoy vegetables, they need to be appetising and visually enticing, too!

Set a good example by eating plenty of veggies yourself - eat them in front of your baby, with exaggerated enjoyment... and your baby might just copy you!

Christine Albury is a mother of four and the author of Homemade Baby Food Recipes - your complete guide to solid feeding during baby's first year.

stroller Weight

If you get the right one it should last 3-4 years and its money well spent.....If any body has any ideas about selecting any baby care products then drop me a line, because it helps all of us equip our children with the best, without wasting any money.

Top Tip for buying a Stroller

The key is to try out as many as possible and think about the weight. I cannot emphasize this enough. Ask your friends what they think, if they have one and give them a try yourself with a child on-board it makes all the difference. Do not rely on the shops to give you best advice about what baby care product to buy. do your own home work it will safe your lots of money$$$.

Baby stroller/Buggy/Pram part 2

The second buggy is a pramette this was great when the baby was tiny really cosy. It had small lockable wheels for great manoeuvrability around town. Adjustable handle height is great when the dad's pushing and drops back for the mum's. It sounds simple but try pushing a stroller with your arms up at an angle for any length of time and its amazing how it hurts. You would think as most husband's and wife's are different heights the manufactures would consider this on all strollers/buggies.It also has the scissor action for easy collapsing with 1 hand. This is also very light weight.

Baby Buggy/Pram/Stroller

There are some super models around today that were not available when my first two children were born. With our third we were determined to get it right.......guess what we still ended up with TWO, proving to get baby care on wheels right is very hard. A three wheeler buggy with quick release wheels that have pneumatic tyres although carry a roll of plastic bags with you to put the dirty wheels in when you return from your loverly off road walk. Adjustable handle bars and a big shopping basket are a good idea to have. We find this type of buggy great for recreational walking to school etc. If you have the smaller wheels you get stuck in cracks etc and frankly its hard work pushing the thing especially as your baby's weight piles on! So make sure it is light weight because some models weigh as much as a small truck only joking but some times it feels like it.

Baby Buggy/Pram/Stroller Part 1

Pram/Buggy/Stroller,

Well this is where your confusion will start as the choice is endless. Sadly I still feel the perfect baby care pram/buggy/stroller has yet to be seen! When we had our first baby I went for style, I wanted to best looking transport for my beautiful baby to be seen in.....the reality was it was great if you walked everywhere but it was difficult to manoeuvre in town and we could fit nothing else in the car when it eventually was squeezed in the boot, (by the way we did,t have a small car either.
We also stopped going to the gym because we didn't need to go anymore as we where getting a good work out manhandling the pram/buggy/stroller every day. Great Muscles. We also found the car's paint work was suffering from chips and scratches from getting it in and out especially in the rain.

The truth is you need to take time thinking about your lifestyle and what you will be doing. I would suggest this is the product you invest the most time in. If you don't you will be like me and work your way FOUR different ones

Baby Transport

Car seat. This is probably the one area where I would say money is well spent as you will want the safest chair available if taking your precious cargo out.

The new isofix system is fantastic and takes baby care to a new level by removing all the worry out of "have I fitted it right". On my previous car that was quite old it did not have this new fitting system and I drove around for 2 years with an incorrectly fitted car seat and whats more worrying is the car manufactures say its a common problem, which is not very reassuring for baby care. So if you can get an isofix system it makes the seat rock solid.

Baby Sleeping alone

Another tip to consider when buying a cot is to consider one where a side can be removed to put the cot next to your bed.

Baby's don't always follow the text book and some need a little more time to sleep alone in their own room. It isi't considered safe to have a baby in your bed and this type of cot could give you much needed rest.

Third baby

My third baby had reflux which is quite common and he spent most of the time sleeping in the car seat inside the cot to prevent choking. So they actually spent very little time in their moses basket. It was a very stressful time for us all. Sleep becomes the main focus for both partners, sharing the available time to get some rest does help, but there are no quick baby care products to buy that will help improve the situation except lots of soft clothes to mop up your baby's mess. Sorry I wish we had the answer to that problem.