Babies Only

Straight from the manufacturer of Swaddle Designs, I am passing on this information that I think will help all parents.  Especially new parents.  Babies Only is always on the look for good and useful information that will help us all.  As parents, we need all the help as we can get.  Believe me,  you do.

“Over the past few years there has been a lack of dialog related to the risk of overchilling.  It is important for parents to understand that both overheating and overchilling are SIDS risk factors.  In addition, when baby is too cool, baby will use valuable energy to stay warm instead of grow and thriving.

Babies are not good at regulating their temperature, and, it is the parent’s important responsibility to dress their baby based on the temperature of the sleeping environment and touch and feel their baby’s back or stomach to make se baby is not too warm or too cold.”

As in hospitals, use a lightweight blanket to swaddle baby.  Cotton sleepers are great for use when baby is sleeping.  And also sleep sacks.

Just because it’s hot outside, baby still needs a blanket.  The baby blanket should be light.

Remember how when you rest or don’t move for awhile, it always seem to get cooler?  This is because you are not using much energy and this is the same for baby, especially a new baby.  Most of us have air conditioning in our homes, thus providing our homes with a constant temperature.  This makes it easy to decide how to dress baby.  Don’t get carried away, just use a light weight blanket.  Like a soft cotton or maybe a knit blanket.  You know, like what we used to call a receiving blanket back in the old days.  Today it is called a swaddling blanket.  Baby will sleep better if he/she is not to hot or to cool.

Every parent wants what is best for their baby, however, not every parent is aware of the secrets to essential baby protection. It’s common knowledge that babies, just like all other humans, require food, clothing, shelter and love. But not everyone knows to read between the lines when it comes to good parenting. You wouldn’t wrap your baby in a soiled cloth you found out by the dumpsters, so why would you dress your baby in anything that may pose threat to their well being?

Organic baby apparel and baby blankets are the solution to peace-of-mind parenting and a safe and nurtured baby. Free of potentially toxic chemicals and dyes, organic cotton is an all-natural alternative to synthetic or chemically treated materials that may be harmful to your baby. When it comes to the health and safety of your tiny loved one, just know it is always best to go green.

When we learn that we are going to have a baby, we think that we want to be the best parents and have the best for our baby.  To each of us, this means different things.  With my first child (way back in the old days) I remember leaving the doctor’s office after my first visit and going directly to the baby store.  The internet was not there yet, so we went to a “real” store. I looked at everything and in my head it was “So Much Stuff”.  I ended up buying a yellow baby blanket.

In times like we have now, we need to be wise in how we spend out money.  Somethings need to be purchased new, but many items that will be needed for baby can be gently used.  Remember that your baby doesn’t know what you paid for an item, only how it feels.A second hand baby blanket can do the same as a new one.  Keep baby warm.  Love and caring goes a long way and may be the most important thing around.  Remember the Bottom Line.

When it comes to our babies, we only want the most comfortable, safest items we can find. We don’t want anything that could cause them harm or even mild discomfort. Organic swaddle blankets help keep our babies warm and snug. And because they are made from organically grown material, we can be assured that no toxins or chemicals were used in the manufacturing process. This makes it completely non-toxic and reliable for infant use.

Your baby is guaranteed a good night’s rest when swaddled in an organic baby blanket. Swaddling has been used for hundreds of years to soothe and coddle distraught children, and now you can participate in this age long practice without exposing your child to chemicals.

A baby blanket comes in many different styles and has many uses.  A special blanket that was a gift or has a very special design or makeup may be kept as an heirloom.

If you have such a baby blanket you will want to consider several things.  Do I want to use this blanket as an everyday blanket?  Do I want to put it aside and not use it at all?  Or maybe I will keep it for special occasions.  If you decide to use it, make sure that you wash out stains immediately when you find them.  Another way you might consider using this special baby blanket is as a room decoration.  Drape it over a chair or hang it on the wall.  Look at pictures in magazines, you will see different ways of displaying.

Now that you are in the process of purchasing your baby clothes, you may want to take a minute or two to think about the kind of fabrics that are used in infant clothing.  The fabric that you place against your new baby can play a big part in keeping him/she comfortable.  We are going to talk about the five fabrics that are most widely used in the manufacturing of baby clothing.

Cotton is the most common fabric used.  Because cotton is soft and absorbent and is gentle on baby’s tender skin.  Cotton can also be found in organic versions of clothing.  Cotton fabrics can shrink up to 10% when washed the first time, especially if you are using warm or hot water.  Now days much of clothing comes “pre-washed” and this helps much in choosing sizes.  Check the label as it will tell you if the garment is pre-washed.  Cotton is the fabric that I think is best for the newborn baby.

Cotton/Polyester Blends is great as it resists wrinkles and dries fast.   It also will not shrink.

Cotton/Spandex is a blend of fabrics that lets the garment stretch.  You will find that spandex is usually a small percentage amount in the fabrics.  Like maybe only 5%.  It is used in tights, leg warmers, and socks to name a few.

Fleece is the newest of fabrics.  We use it in blankets and sleep sacks.  It is light weight, yet warm and cozy.  It’s easy to care for as it dries quickly and does not hold stains.  It is the fabric that is replacing wool in baby clothes.

Bamboo is an all-natural fabric.  You will see bamboo when you are searching for organic clothing.  Bamboo is hypo-allergenic and anti-bacterial.  It is a favorite for infant clothing as it will adjust to baby’s temperature and is great for layering.

Of course, there are other fabrics out there.  You may find baby clothing in linens, cashmere, hand-knis and some others that are high end and high-maintenance.  But, unless you have all the time in the world or hired help, don’t even think about these fabrics.  Remember that babies outgrow their clothes very fast.  This is not the time to invest in an article of clothing that you (baby) will wear for years.

There will be times that you need a baby gift, but do not want to break the bank or maybe you have already given the baby a gift.  A small little something for when you are seeing the new baby for the first time or a christening , or family gathering.  There are always times that “I need a little gift”, so let’s look at this.

Let’s think under $15.00 and yes, you can find great items for even less.  At my store: www.babiesonlyonline.com you will find many of these.  There is always the picture frame.  Every new parent can not have enough of these to display baby’s first pictures.  You can find cute onesies, light weight blankets, bibs and burp cloths, hair bows or headbands for the baby girl.  Soft rattlers and plush toys, or maybe a cute night lamp for baby’s room.  Maybe a baby spoon or a door hanger to let everyone that baby is sleeping.  Then there is always small items of clothes like leg warmers, or tights or socks, or hats.  How about something for the stroller like cup holders or stroller straps and other items for the stroller.  Look, see, and buy, as there are great items that can be very useful for baby and that will not break the bank.

Baby blankets are on the must have list when you are having a baby.  A blanket can provide security as well as keeping the baby warm.  Baby blankets come in 3 types: the swaddle, the sleep sack, or the flat blanket.

When you are purchasing either of these styles, keep in mind the room temperature where you will use this blanket.  Babies will get warmer faster than adults.  If the baby is born in the warmer months or you live in a warmer climate think about blankets that are made from natural fibers.  Such as cotton.  Also consider using this style of blanket in the stroller or car seat.

Sleep sacks are recommended by the Consumer Products Safety Commission for sleeping.  These too come in different fabrics colors and prints and weights.  The same applies to these as the flat blanket.

It’s true that infants don’t arrive on this earth with much stuff, but before they do arrive we have already started to get “STUFF”.  They have to have beds, chest, closets, shelves, transportation in the form of a stroller, special seats, the list goes on and on and we haven’t gotten to things like clothes, blankets, bottles, feeding utensils, food.  And diapers , the one thing that you will be buying for many and many months.

But today we want to talk a little about storage, mainly for clothing and items that will go in baby’s room.  Maybe you’ re one of those that has a house that comes with closets the size of most people’s houses.  Great!!  Closets can never to be to big.  If not, let’s take a look at what may be needed and used.  There are a million and one things on the market that can be used for storage, but we need them to fit baby clothing and blankets.  The closet is the perfect answer if you have room.  It can hold much of baby’s clothing and other items that you do not have to have at arms reach.  If you can hang baby’s clothes, it will make it easy to see what you have and not forget a real cute outfit that you may not find until baby has outgrown it if it is put away in the bottom of a drawer.  Also there are many different types of storage boxes on the market that makes for easy stacking and protects baby ‘s clothing from dust. These can be labeled for an easy find.

Armoires may be the answer for you as they come in many different styles and finishes.  They may have drawers, adjustable shelves, hanging rods, open or with doors.  You might want to think about one that will meet you’re baby’s needs as they grow.  You can also find changing tables that you can take off the changing table part and use as regular furniture later on.  Then there is always open shelving that be placed on the wall.  Here again you will have choices in the style and number used.  Never pass up a hand-me-down, as they can be refinished and make a beautiful piece of furniture.