From the moment you bring your precious infant home, his or her (or their!) room will become a special place for you and your child. Even if you keep your baby in your bedroom at night for the first few settling-in months, you’ll probably use the baby’s room for ch­anging diapers and other everyday tasks. The sooner you and your child feel comfortable in the nursery, the better. (Yes, you need to feel at home in the baby’s room, too, as you’ll be spending a lot of hours there!)

Once you’ve got the crib, comfy chair, changing table, and optional extra bed in place, the rest is child’s play. If your family includes older ­children who share baby’s room, their needs will obviously dictate a lot of the furnishings and accessories. If the room is for the baby only, you may be tempted to go for broke with decorative treatments. There’s no harm in doing this as long as you avoid items with small parts or cords, but you don’t have to spend a fortune on special effects. Babies can’t really see details or pick out the nuances of color until they’re six months old or so. Until then, bold patterns in black and white serve much better to stimulate their eyes and brains.

If your taste tends toward the lively and modern, a baby’s room in black and white with red accents may be just the ticket. If not, however, you can provide short-term toys and board books that stimulate baby just as well and decorate in a way that better suits your style.

1. Buy storage-friendly furniture
Get a crib with drawers underneath or buy a crib skirt and some under-bed boxes, which are great for stashing all those excess diapers and wipes. Still short on storage? Consider a cube system like the IKEA Expedit, which can grow with your tot and be outfitted with drawers and doors to hold toys and books on the bottom. Plus, you can stash clothes they’re growing into or growing out of on the top.

2. Trick out your closet
Use every inch of space already available in your nursery by maximizing your closet’s storage. Little outfits are short, so double your closet space easily using a double-hang closet rod on one side. Then use a portion of your closet to create flexible shelving by adding a sweater bag. Both can be found at The Container Store.

3. Containerize everything
Find attractive open bins for the shelves of your changing table and give each bin a specific category. Inside your closet you’ll want to use clear, stackable containers so you can see exactly what’s there. Label them with size and season. For example, seeing “12-month, summer clothes” is a lot more helpful than having to take down a huge bin of hand-me-downs from the top shelf and then having to dig through. Important: Whatever you do, skip the toy bin! It just becomes a repository for all the tiny pieces, and ends up with stuff on top of it, so your child will never be able to open it to retrieve those stuffed animals anyway.

4. Go vertical
Have a small nursery? No problem! Utilize your vertical space — backs of doors and even the walls are often overlooked areas. Have excess toiletries or tiny shoes? Put an over-the-door shoe bag with clear pockets on the inside of your closet door so that you can compartmentalize all the small stuff and keep it from cluttering up your surfaces. Stick the thermometer in the top row right next to the Infants’ Tylenol, so next time your baby has a fever in the middle of the night you know exactly how to find it (and it’ll be too high for them to reach as they grow!). Have a ton of pictures or other keepsakes to display? Don’t clutter your dresser — hang floating shelves on the wall to show off your treasures. It will look intentional instead of haphazard, and once your child is more mobile, he won’t be able to destroy them so easily.

5. Toss the junk
Having a baby often means you’re showered with gifts. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep and love everything Cousin Gertrude gave you! Take a picture of your kiddo wearing the item or playing with it, write her a thank-you note and put it in the outbound pile. As a parent you need to constantly manage both the inflow and outflow of stuff in your space, so dedicate a bag or two for things that are no longer in active use, and once they are full, get them out. Store the items that you love that make the cut for a future child, but pass others along to a mommy friend with different taste or donate them. Swimming in excess samples from the hospital? Stash a few in your diaper bag, use up the ones you love and toss the rest! You don’t need random stuff you’ll rarely use.

There is something instinctive about seeing a newborn baby, with his soft skin, and wanting to pick him up and cuddle him. Follow your instinct because cuddling with your baby has a range of benefits. A newborn adjusting to life outside the room enjoys cuddling as a comfort measure. An infant bonds with his parents through cuddling.

It may come as no surprise to parents, but cuddling your baby provides them with social benefits for years afterwards, according to scientists.

They found a clear link between love and attention in the early years and healthy emotional responses in later life.
Even if they are then smothered with love as toddlers, it can be very difficult to repair the damage.Children who have been deprived of physical contact as babies have lower levels of social-bonding hormones, the researchers found.

The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at hormones called oxytocin and arginine vasopressin.

Both play a role in response to stress and social bonding, with levels typically rising after the subject has been comforted with human contact.

Cuddle me, I love you……

There are many ways to cuddle your baby.  First and foremost holding and loving your baby is most important. Swaddling, bathing, massaging, rocking while singing lullabies, and anything that is interactive with your baby that consists of soothing human touch and connection.

Breastfeeding is like a hike through the woods: Natural, but not always simple. In fact, it can be challenging, breathtaking, and full of the unexpected.

The hormones can be intense

Oxytocin:

This powerful hormone is responsible for breast milk “letting down,” or moving to the front of the breasts. And it also happens to be the same chemical released in the brain when a person falls in love, says Laura Viehmann, assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatricians. No wonder you couldn’t care less about all that spit-up and poop! You’re too busy swooning.

Breastfeeding helps (some) women lose their pregnancy weight

The nursing weight-loss plan doesn’t work for everyone. Some moms find their metabolism slowing to a frustrating crawl. “I nursed my son for 27 months
In fact, in a poll of BabyCenter moms, 40 percent say breastfeeding didn’t help them drop pounds while 60 percent say it did. Interesting….. and it didn’t help me lose weight. Then I lost 15 pounds within about two weeks after weaning,” one mom reports.

Your breast milk is perfectly tailored to your baby

Imagine if every single time you were hungry, you were served a delectable, satisfying meal that contained the perfect balance of electrolytes, fats, and nutrients for your body at that particular time. Amazingly, your breast milk gives your baby exactly what she needs immunologically as well.  The components of the milk shift so that it always complements whatever antibodies the baby is low on at that particular time. This is why breastfeeding can actually keep your baby from getting sick. Welcome to your baby’s world!

Nursing Pillows help make this experience a more relaxed and comfortable one!

If you’re a new parent, you probably have your child’s diapering area set up appropriately. Diapers and wipes – check. Diaper cream – check. Baby powder – you may want to hold off on. Although baby powder is sold with baby essentials and has that sweet smell that few can resist, it’s one of those items that just isn’t necessary. In fact, baby powder can be possibly harmful, especially to a young infant.

Traditionally, baby powder has been used on infants to keep the skin soft and dry, thus fighting off diaper rash. Even though it feels and smells good, pediatricians do not recommend the powdery stuff and neither does the American Academy of Pediatrics. Since baby powder is expelled into the air, your little one can breathe it in and irritate his or her lungs. This may lead to further breathing difficulties down the road.

Although baby powder isn’t recommended, you don’t have to throw away that bottle quite yet. First, make sure that it is made from cornstarch instead of talc, as many are. Cornstarch is better for the skin and the lungs, and isn’t inhaled as easily. Second, you can use the baby powder in skin folds and creases that may be subject to irritation. Just make sure you don’t let the powder build up in the skin creases and that you don’t shake the powder near baby’s face.

And of course, when setting up your diapering area, you now know that you don’t have to include baby powder into the mix.

If you do have several bottles laying around from your child’s welcome home gifts, consider using the baby powder for other applications. For example, baby powder works great when at the beach and you need something to get the sticky, wet sand off your feet. Or if you’ve skipped a shower (or two), toss some in your hair for a refreshing lift. Baby powder can also be used on oily spots and spills, as it absorbs the oil.

Image: mothersspace.in

Many of us know the benefits of vaccinating our babies, but then there are the possible risks that seem to have parents on pins and needles these days.  Does the same apply to preemies?  This is a good question, and one I had to research pretty quickly as there has been ongoing confusion if vaccinations are safe for preemies since they are not as developed as healthy newborns. Here is what I found:

According to the Labor of Love,  “just like a newborn, the decision to vaccinate your preemie is entirely up to you.” But, and this is a big but, if you decide to get your preemie vaccinated at two months old, you should take every precaution possible as they are at an “increased risk for respiratory and/or heart side effects.” This is why waiting until more than two months after they are born to have them vaccinated is recommended. Because so many preemies have multiple health conditions, getting them too many vaccinations all at once can put them at great risk of continued health problems, which you most definitely want to avoid.  Studies do show that “preemies do have the worse reactions to vaccines just within 48 hours than other babies.”

I guess the best overall advice to any parent with a preemie is to just wait until your preemie is older to avoid those medical and health risks. Again, it is up to you what you choose to do, but don’t forget to ask your preemie’s pediatrician for advice before going forward with any vaccinations.

For more information, check out Tundraco’s Daily Living Guide.

Source: Labor of Love

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Remember the big, bulky high chairs that would take up too much space in the corner of a kitchen? Not anymore, as today’s high chairs are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Their space-saving properties allow them to take up little space, and some of the newest versions will even blend in well with stainless steel appliances!

Here’s what to look for in your new high chair that will maximize space and function, while giving your little one a cozy place to eat.

Removable Trays – The high chair should have a large removable tray that can be tossed in the dishwasher. This makes it easy to keep clean, and the size offers plenty of room for food and a few toys.

Reclining Positions – High chairs don’t have to be for eating anymore. Look for those that have added features, such as relaxing tunes and different chair settings that allow baby to relax. Some high chairs can even convert to a swing so baby can have his cake and eat it, too – in the terms of a snack and quick snooze that is!

Conversion Chairs – Spending the dough on a chair that your child will only use for a short time can be hard. So why not invest in something that will last a little longer? Conversion high chairs can convert from a standard high chair, to an infant booster, toddler booster and then a young child’s chair.

Swinging Trays – If you’re tired of the gliding trays that seem to get stuck all the time, opt for the contemporary swinging style. These trays lift up and swing open, so it doesn’t matter where you place them. In an effort to streamline the design, these chairs often come with an easy carry handle for portable use.

Easy Cleaning Properties – No one likes a dirty high chair – not even your messy baby. So look for streamlined designs that won’t allow food to get stuck in every groove. Also look for waterproof and tear-resistant materials if the high chair isn’t made from plastic.

Five-Point Harness – Five-point harnesses are commonplace in infant products, but not so much in toddler ones. Yet at the rate that kids grow into toddler products and the squirmy nature of their bodies, a five-point harness is never a bad idea. Look for high chairs that offer these harnesses in the toddler position as well.

Comfort – And finally, you want your little one to enjoy sitting and eating, so choose a seat that’s comfy for him or her. With reclining positions and a cushiony seat, you can find the optimal position for your little one at his or her stage of eating.

Image: highchairsforbabiesguide.com

You may be looking forward to the sunny summer months, but are you stocked on all the warm weather essentials? Before you reach for just any tube of sunscreen, check out the ingredient list. Too often, parents think their kids are protected from the sun when really they’re not. Just slathering on sunscreen and sending your kids out to play isn’t enough.

To start with, experts recommend that infants under 6 months should avoid the sun. Since this isn’t always possible, make sure small infants have the necessary gear, including sun hats with SPF protection.

When choosing sunscreen, most parents make the mistake of selecting a kid’s brand with a high SPF. Surprisingly, there’s not a big difference between kid and adult products. Instead, the differences lie in the ingredients.

Always choose products that are physical; made with minerals instead of chemicals. The sunscreen should be made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These minerals sit on top of the skin and start working immediately.

Chemical-based products on the other hand, require 30 minutes to absorb into the skin and start acting. Plus, since these ingredients leech into the skin, they are more likely to cause allergic reactions or skin irritations.

Sunscreens that contain either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide will protect against UVA and UVB rays. And, you don’t need to buy anything over an SPF 30. These products contain more chemicals and are not necessary. Instead, stick to SPF 15 or 30 and don’t go out of your way to buy kid’s products; adult ones are just as good.

Looking for recommendations? Try Coppertone Water Babies Pure and Simple formula that contains zinc oxide and comes with a moderate price tag. Other products are offered from the natural brands of Badger or Loving Naturals.

Don’t forget to replenish your sunscreen supply, as they’re no longer effective after one year.

Image c/o The Fun Times Guide

Even if they are called baby-safe, are Q-tips really truly safe for such tiny little ears? I know that with my babies I was always skeptical about the idea of sticking a Q-tip into their ears.

Here is what I found regarding these products. What you may have thought about Q-tips, you may want to think again. According to Family Webicine, “Q-tips are weapons of ear destruction.” Why? Well believe it or not, these products were not made to be stuck directly inside the ear. They are to clean the outer part of the ear. So why do we think it necessary to shove them into ears? Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Why are we using Q-tips improperly?

Here is what the Q-tips website says:

“Q-Tips cotton swabs have more cotton at the tip* than any other swab, making them the safest, softest and gentlest tool you can use for family care. They also provide the ultimate precision, making them the perfect tool for uses outside your ear.”

Oops! So we are only supposed to use them on the outside. Well, this definitely explains why so many people end up with Q-tip injuries, they are using them wrong! So let’s think about this in detail. If we are using them on our babies incorrectly, we are risking harming our sweet babies. It definitely pays to read statements on all products because you never know what you are missing. To be honest all these years I thought Q-tips were for cleaning inside the ears. Boy was I misinformed as a child! Do you know the correct uses for Q-tips?

So I guess to answer my own question: they are only safe if they are used directly outside of the ear. No, they are not safe to use directly inside of the ear. Hopefully this information has given you some sort of revelation about Q-tips, as it did me.

Source: WebMd

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Many parents start their infants with a gentle laundry detergent in the first few weeks of life. Yet parents often find that these gentle detergents don’t cut it after a while. Sometimes they are too gentle to remove tough stains such as spit up and baby food. Fortunately, baby detergents aren’t necessary for little ones, no matter how young they may be.

If you’re unsure of whether it’s time to make to the switch, start off by tossing one or two articles of your baby’s clothing in with the rest of the laundry. Make sure you choose clothing that your baby wears against the skin as well, such as onesies or cotton pants.

If your little one shows no reaction – itchiness, red skin – then you’re in the clear! It’s actually quite uncommon that children have allergies to the dyes and fragrances in detergents, so this reaction is unlikely. Also, consider that your infant is being held by you, rubbing up against your own clothes that are washed in regular detergent. No reaction to this is also a great sign.

If you want to err on the side of caution, you can still use a gentle detergent for your child while cutting out the cost of expensive baby detergents. Many companies offer free and clear detergents that have no dyes or fragrances added to them. They’re no more expensive than regular detergents and can be used for the whole family.

What if your child has eczema? This is a common skin condition that includes dry patches of skin that are itchy. They often occur on the elbows and knees. If your child has the skin condition, stick to free and clear detergents (or baby ones) for the first year. The chemicals in the detergent can cause further irritation.

Image c/o frugalvillage.com

For new parents, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) lurks in the backs of their minds until their children reach their first birthdays. A lack of answers is what makes SIDS so scary and what keeps researchers motivated to find these answers.

In 1997, the Back to Sleep Campaign was launched, encouraging parents to place their little ones on their backs to sleep. Since this campaign was started, the rate of SIDS has dropped by half. But there is still much to be learned about SIDS and researchers are now pointing toward gender.

About 60 percent of SIDS cases are baby boys. A new study published in the magazine Sleep suggests that infant boys are more easily roused while sleeping when they’re 2 to 4 weeks old, prompting parents to place them on their stomachs to sleep easier and longer. However, it’s this type of heavy sleeping that puts babies more at risk.

By the time male infants are 2 to 3 months, there is no significant difference between baby boys and girls. Researchers and pediatricians continue to educate parents on the importance of putting their infants on their backs to sleep. Medical experts in this field are always conducting studies, as they feel that the more information they have to educate parents, the more likely parents will be to cooperate.

Not only does sleeping on the belly cause a longer, deeper sleep that puts babies at risk, but studies indicate that babies aren’t getting enough fresh oxygen when sleeping on their bellies. The oxygen is recycled and doesn’t allow the baby’s brain to be alerted that something isn’t right.

For now, it’s important for all parents to place their children on their backs to sleep. When your little one starts rolling over however, you don’t have to worry about the sleeping position that he or she ends up in. And by the time your child reaches his or her first birthday, the risk of SIDS is gone.

Other ways to help decrease the risk is by putting your child to bed with a pacifier, turning on a fan or opening a window, breastfeeding and eliminating smoking and drinking.

Image c/o Officer