Babies Only

It’s time to bring out the Red, White, and Blue.  It’s time to celebrate and say a thank you for the country that we live in.  I know that there are many things that we do not agree on and this is OK, because we are able to disagree and still have the “good life”.  At one time we lived overseas, when our boys were young.  I can say that it was a good experience, but I can also say that we were all glad to return to the good old USA.

One summer, while on our vacation back in the states, we took the boys to the Six Flags amusement park and every night the park would put on a big fireworks show.  At the end of the show they played the Star Spangled Banner and I remember standing there with tears rolling down my face.  I was thinking that everyone there and everyone in the USA needs to see a little of how the rest of the world lives.  How easy we have it and how many advantages we have.

So dress your baby and children in the Red, White, And Blue and celebrate.  Decorate the tricycles and bicycles with red, white, and blue and join the parade.  Have a neighborhood cookout, enjoy the parks, or whatever your family decides to do, but enjoy and be happy that you are an American and you do have a choice.

I know that this is not the usual type of things that I post, but I think it needed to be said.    Oh, and protect those babies from the sun while you are out doors.

Prohibition on sale of certain products containing specified phthalates is part of the new CPSIA law passed on August 14, 2008.  So what does this mean?  We are to the point of needing to be a chemist to understand the dos and don’ts of what is good and what is bad.  Phthalates are a group of chemicals that is know to cause reproductive disorders and cancer.  These chemicals are oily, colorless liquids that are used with other materials to make vinyl and other plastics soft and flexible.

Many of our baby products, clothing, and baby  toys are effected by these chemicals.  DEHP, DBP, and BBP have permanent restrictions on the use.  DINP, DIDP, and DnOP have been placed on temporary restrictions.  DINP was found safe in a previous review by CPSC and will be referred for further study.

The industry voluntarily removed DEHP and DINP from teethers, rattles, and pacifiers and, as a result, these products are made from plastics that are not expected to contain phthalates.

According to the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) children falling from shopping carts cause 21,400 injuries each year.  Many of these injuries are to the head.  Baby products or items that we use for babies should have restraints and should always be used for children under the age of 5.

Shopping cart covers are being used more and more by parents that want to protect their baby in as many ways as they can.  When purchasing a shopping cart cover always be sure that the cover you choose has its own restraint or a way for the straps from the cart to be fastened.  You can purchase these covers in many different styles and colors.  They can be soft and puffy with toys attached or you can find one that is just plain or even a one time use or throw away after one use.  The choice is yours, but the main factor should always be safety.  One that you will use.

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.

A preemie is a baby born before 37 weeks of gestation—in other words, born early. Premature babies start life with challenges a full-term baby does not, varying dramatically by how much time they spent in the womb. Micropreemie and preemie are the two terms medical professionals use to categorize premature babies. A micropreemie weighs less than three pounds, having usually been born before 29 weeks gestation.  The survival rates for a micropreemie range from 10-80%, and thanks to modern medical advances and treatment awareness by parents, more and more of these babies are surviving despite major physical underdevelopment and potential long-term health issues.

A preemie is defined as a baby born prior to full term that weighs less than 5-1/2 pounds, and their survival rate is currently higher than 90%.  Long-term medical problems may still exist in preemies, but these babies and their families fight for health and survival every day.  Tiny baby wear is just a part of life for these families, whose babies are just that more precious to them for their spirit as well as their small size.

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.

Did you know that baby’s skin is 5 times thinner than yours?  This tells us a lot.  Mainly that infant clothing should be soft.  Cotton is the choice for soft clothing for infants.

Not only is cotton soft, it breathes.  It can help cool your baby when the weather is warm.  Never put your baby in polyester, it’s hot and is full of chemicals.  If you want to go a step further, to organic baby clothing.  Organic cotton is totally free of chemicals.

There are many manufacturers out there that make fashionable baby clothing and yet are very soft for baby’s skin.  Two that come to mind immediately are LeTop and Kissy Kissy.  Both of these manufacturers use the very finest of cotton, especially in their cotton knits.  To get the better quality of infant clothing, you will pay a little more.  If this is a concern, but less, and wash more often.  You will be happy that you did.

There will come a time that you can put baby in frilly dresses with lots of lace and such and your little boys in jeans and boots and athletic shoes and all that stuff.  But not while baby is new.

According to me, a very important baby product that you need is a rocker.  This is one item of furniture that you probably won’t find on the need to have list.  Every nursery has to have a rocking chair.  There are many different styles of rockers on the market and your room size may dictate the style and size of the rocker that you choose.

Time spent rocking your baby is time that can never be taken away.  Every infant needs to be held and touched.  In studies, it has been shown that babies that are held and touched are more likely to grow up to be well adjusted adults.

The old thinking that if you rock your baby, it will become spoiled.  Well, I rocked both of my babies and they were not spoiled.  The may not have enjoyed hearing me sing to them as I can not carry a tune, but that time was very precious to me.  I talked to them about everything.  About my dreams for them and about things good and bad.  You know, at this age, they can not talk back or repeat anything you tell them.  The sound of your voice has a calming effect.

So, go out there and get a rocker.  No matter the style, size, cost or what.  You may even have someone give one to you. It  does not have to be the top of the line.  It it holds you and it rocks, it will work.

We all want a happy and healthy baby. Shopping for baby clothes and decorating the nursery is great, but if we do not take care of ourselves and baby before it is born we won’t have a happy and healthy baby.  The March of Dimes gives these five tips for a healthier baby.

1.  Get early and regular pre-natal care.  It reduces your risk of having a low birthweight baby.

2.  Eat nutritious foods.  Make sure that you and your baby get all the protein and nutrients you need through a varied diet.

3.  Don’t smoke!   Women who smoke increase their chances of having a miscarriage or low birth weight baby.

4.  Don’t take drugs.  Taking drugs, except those approved by a doctor who knows you’re pregnant, can cause severe disabilities – or even result in the death of your baby.

5.  Don’t drink.  Hard liquor, wine, and beer can all cause birth defects.

You can visit the March of Dimes online for more health information and learn more about their programs and services.  www.marchofdimes.com

If  you have ever walked the floor with a crying baby for what seemed like hours, you do not need me to tell you about baby colic.  Colic effects about 20% of babies.  It begins when they are just several weeks old and can go on for several months.

The exact cause is not know, it is believed to be painful gas in your baby’s tummy.  Some believe that baby’s nervous system tenses up.  It does not help if baby clothes or baby blankets are making the baby to warm or to cool.  Once or twice this happens, may be just that baby is out of sorts that day, but if it persists talk to your pediatrician.

If you are nursing, first look at what you are eating.  Foods that you take in are passed to your baby.  Foods that you should try to eliminate:  cow’s milk and dairy products, spicy foods, wheat products, bran, caffeine, alchol, and “grassy” vegetables such as beans, cabbage, broccoli, onions, and cauliflower.  If you are bottle feeding your baby, you may need to change the formula that you are using.  Here again, talk to your pediatrician.

Sometimes gently patting or rubbing your baby’s stomach will help to relieve the pain or try laying your baby tummy down across your knees.  Having a quiet time after you feed baby has been helpful for some.  But above all stay calm and patient.  Babies react to your feelings.