Parenting & New Baby Advice Blog

Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category

Every parent wants the best for their baby, and for many, that means opting to use cloth diapers.  Why?  What are the benefits?  One of the biggest is expense: a typical family will save over $2,600 by using cloth over disposable. Many times, family members or friends will sneak cloth diapers into diaper cakes or diaper bags because they're firm believers and it's no wonder why!

The benefits for your child are equally important to saving money: cloth diapered babies tend to have less diaper rash and skin irritation and they will probably be potty-trained before their disposable diaper-wearing peers.

If you are hesitant to use cloth because you fear sticking your baby in the hip with a big diaper pin or you wonder if you'll be able to wrap them correctly in order to prevent leakage, don't worry. Today's cloth diapers are much more parent-friendly and easy to use.

There is no doubt about it: diapering technology has advanced.  While it means drier bums, it can also mean intimidation for new parents.  How do you start?  Which fabric is best?  Do you need liners, doublers, or both?  And what in the world is an AIO or an AI2?

The first step is to learn about the different kinds of cloth diapers.  This isn't your grandma's square of linen anymore; you have incredible options, including:

• All in One (or AIO).  This diaper includes all the parts you need, such as an inner soaker and waterproof cover.  They are relatively easy to use and do not require additional supplies.  Many people consider them just like disposable diapers in terms of ease – the only difference is you wash it instead of throw it away!  On the con side, these take longer to dry and they can cost between $16 and $30.  Remember, though, you can use the same diaper for years.  BumGenius is a highly recommended brand, particularly their organic AIOs.
• All in Two (or AI2).  Because AIOs take so long to dry, AI2s can be a great choice.  They come apart to speed up drying times.  You simply fasten the soaker, or the inner absorbent part of the diaper, to the outer cover.

The downside to both AIOs and AI2s is that they are quite expensive because you have to have enough on hand to last until you do washing next.  Having 10 – 20 $30 diapers is a big upfront expense.  But there are some other options.

• Prefolds. These are the least expensive option.  They look like squares of cloth but have prefold seams to help make diapering a bit easier.  You fold them into a rectangle and put them inside a diaper cover (which are inexpensive and can be reused between changings). You then fasten the cover, and you are done.  You can also skip the cover and fasten the cloth diaper with a Snappi. Prefolds can be used throughout your child's diapered life – and beyond.  They can be used as diapers, liners, and soakers, as well as baby bibs (or mainly burp cloths) when thoroughly cleaned.
• Pocket diapers.  These have a waterproof outer layer and then a layer of suede cloth or microfleece inside.  In between the layers, in the pocket, you can put whatever you want for lining and increase absorbency if you need to.
• Fitted diapers. These have elastic and fasteners built in so you do not need snaps or Snappis. You will need a separate cover.  These are like a combination of prefolds and pockets.

Most parents use a combination of these options.  For instance, they may use prefolds at home and then use AIOs, AI2s, or pocket diapers for going out or when a babysitter or less experienced diaperer is watching the baby.  ClothDiapersMadeEasy has a convenient chart to help you determine how many diapers you need, depending on which option(s) you choose.

The “how” is slightly different with each type of diaper.  AIOs, for instance, work just like regular disposables.  Prefolds are probably the most intimidating at first, but you just need to practice – and invest in a few great covers and a diaper pail with liners. You can find some great video tutorials on YouTube, like the one shown below.

The most important tip is do not be intimidated.  You will soon find that it is easy to use cloth diapers, even prefolds.  You may have some new parent mishaps at first, but everyone does – even those who use disposable diapers!

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Ah, the age-old question. A little one peers up at you with those big, adorable eyes and asks, “Mom, where do babies come from?” You’re caught off guard. You’ve got nothing ready. You hadn’t expected to have this conversation so soon. You can relax. You’re in good company. Many an unsuspecting mom or dumbfounded dad has been hit with this questions and lived to tell about it.

Think about your child’s age and level of understanding. If you’ve got a four year old, now is not the time to take out medical charts and extensive textbooks. A simple answer will do. To a small child, this question bears no more weight than, “Why is the sky blue?” So don’t feel like you have to give a scientific explanation. Here are some things you could say:

• Babies come from God. They are his special gift to moms and dads.
• Babies come to moms and dads when they love each other very much.
• It’s a mystery. Isn’t it amazing that babies grow in a mommy’s tummy and then one day they’re born?
• A baby is a sibling gift - a play mate, and a best friend.

Chances are these responses will be enough to satisfy your small child. If it’s not enough and your child persists in asking, you can say something like:

• A baby is half mommy and half daddy. See how you have brown eyes? They are just like daddy’s. See how your hair is curly? It’s just like mine.
• Sometimes babies are born into a family and sometimes they are adopted. We are going to have our own little baby who will look like us because she grew in my belly, but the Randalls down the road have adopted a baby. Nice people can choose to bring a baby into their homes if they aren’t going to have one of their own.
• God is the only one who can make a baby. He has special powers and he creates a new human being where there wasn’t one before. He’s awesome, isn’t He?

If you have an older child, gauge just how much information will be right. If you have a fourth grader, it’s probably still not appropriate to get out the charts and diagrams. You can be more direct about your conversation, but don’t list body parts and internal organs. You may puzzle your child and leave them more confused than they were before. For an older child, you can simply say:

“Babies come from mommy and daddy when they love each other. Mommy and daddy loved each other and we made you. Now we want to make another baby to share our love with and grow our family. Won’t it be fun to have a brother or sister?”

There may be additional questions. Try to answer them in a way that makes both you and your child comfortable. Remember, she’s just curious. So treat every question with great care and don’t dismiss her questions as a nuisance or unimportant.

For older children, you can seek out books that are appropriate for their ages. Chances are they will have gotten some of the information from school health classes, but they are looking to you for your version to see if it lines up. Many books will show photos of a baby in the womb that they will think are really cool. Start there.

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There are few things more harrowing than a child suddenly biting another child. If one of those children is yours, it’s even worse. You worry if your child did the biting. And you certainly want your child out of there if he’s the one bitten. Human bites can be dangerous. So if you have a child who has been bitten, get it checked out by a doctor as soon as you can, especially if the skin has been broken.

If your child did the biting, you’re going to have to step in and be a strong parental influence. If it’s a young child, you need to figure out if he is teething. Teething can hurt sometimes so much that the child just wants to bite something to make the pain go away. It’s a natural reaction to the pain. You need to do everything you can to reduce the child’s pain including using teething rings that you can freeze (so they cool the gums) and if a doctor advises you, a pain reducer like Anbesol.

Whether your child is teething or older and bit for no reason, you must have the child apologize at once for the bite. Have him apologize to the child he has hurt. If the child is too young to understand, also have him apologize to the parents of the hurt child. It will make everyone feel like at least you addressed the problem. If it happens at a party, you may want to leave immediately after the apology to show everyone how seriously you have taken the situation. If you stay, you may give the impression that it wasn’t such a big deal and the incident may happen again.

When you return home, you need to speak to your child in a firm voice. Be strong, but don’t yell. It won’t help the child understand what he has done any better if you say it in a loud voice. Resist the urge to lay down a huge punishment without talking about things first. Older children can understand what they have done better than younger children, so determine the punishment by age. If a fight over a beloved baby teddy bear or other toy caused the attack, the toy should be removed for a time to show the child you mean business. You can return the toy to the child when the incident has passed and you feel he understands what he did wrong.

A teething child often can’t control his impulse to bite, so deal with it accordingly. But an older child of the age of reason does have control over his actions. Sit him down and ask him if something is bothering him. It may have been a one-shot deal where he wanted to see if he could get away with biting, or he may have acted rashly over a prized object he wanted.

Many times a bite happens once and then never again. If you notice your child has bitten someone (including you) more than once, it’s time to seek help. Ask your pediatrician what to do and what could be causing the behavior. Sometimes children under stress will act out by biting. A child who continually bites needs help, not a spanking. Don’t treat a violent behavior with more violence. It will only make the situation worse. Instead, seek professional advice.

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When a new baby is on the way, you may start to get a bit overwhelmed about what you actually need and what is just a nice addition to your supplies and furniture. If this is your first baby, you may wonder where to turn for this type of advice. If you're just shopping for a baby gift and don't know the difference, well then keep reading! Either way, it's great information to have.

You definitely need a crib for your baby to sleep in. She’ll probably sleep in the crib until she is about two. But when baby comes home from the hospital, she will be a precious little ball of cuteness. That crib is going to seem so big and maybe her room is down the hall from yours. That’s when a bassinet or Moses basket comes in handy.

A bassinet is going to be your best friend during the first few weeks of baby’s new life. She will sleep in it during the night and also during the day. It’s a secure place to put her down when you have to run to get the phone or if you want to change her diaper quickly without running upstairs. The bassinet is designed to go next to your bed while you are sleeping. The reason for it is so that baby can be near you without being in your bed. It’s not advised to put a small baby in bed with you as she can become entangled in covers. It’s safer to have her near you by the side of the bed.

The bassinet will be right near you so when baby cries during the night, you can get to her quickly. Nighttime feedings are easy when you have baby right there. You can even bring bottles into your room at night filled with sterilized water and keep the powder for the formula all measured out in a plastic container. Mix the bottle and you don’t have to run to the kitchen in the middle of the night. And if you are breastfeeding, you’re already there to feed baby when she cries.

The Moses basket is a different story. They sure are cute. These little woven baby baskets have a liner and are designed to hold baby in a comfortable place when she is tiny. The name of the basket is derived from the type of basket Moses from the Bible may have been placed in when he was floated down the river. The problem with the Moses basket is that it rests on the floor. If you have pets or other children, that’s probably not the safest place for a sleeping baby.

There are some good uses for the Moses basket, however. If you want to go out to eat with a friend, bring along the Moses basket and baby can sleep at your feet in it while you eat. But you can also use your stroller for that as today most come with a car seat that sits on top for this very purpose.

Another use of the Moses basket is in the home while no one but you is around. If you’re going to be doing laundry, baby can sleep in the basket by your side. When in doubt about which to buy, however, it's safe to say go with the bassinet.

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Now that we are fully immersed in the digital age, it’s only natural that new parents will want to create online photo albums of their baby’s life. It’s so much easier to share photos with family and friends when you go digital. Here are some tips for creating a great digital baby photo album that you’ll want to look at again and again.

What is a Digital Album?

First, we should define what a digital album is. There are really two ways you can think about digital photo albums.

OPTION 1: One is a printed album you create from digital photos. You can have this made online for you through a company like Snapfish.com or mixbook.com. You simply upload your photos and design the book using the website’s templates. The printed book then gets mailed to you at home. This would be done instead of the traditional photos in baby picture frames.

OPTION 2: The second way to think about digital photo albums is an online group of photos that are available for family and friends to browse online. You can add to it and remove pictures at any time. It’s actually a virtual album. You send out an email and let friends know where to go to access your album.

Gather Your Photos

You can create your digital album with existing printed photos that you scan into your computer, or you can use photos from your digital camera that are uploaded into your computer. You can also use a combination of these options to create your album just how you want it.  Be sure that the photos you use are clear and in focus. What you upload is what you get, so select only the best images. You can often crop your photos online, but you won’t be able to remedy an out of focus or imperfect image.

For Option 1: The Printed Album

It’s easy to have a digital photo album created and printed for you. You simply log into your preferred website, like Snapfish.com or mixbook.com, and upload your photos. There are backgrounds to choose from and templates in which to place your digital photos. You can add captions to your pictures, and you also will choose the size of your finished album. Add as many photos as you like. The template you’ve chosen will show you where to click and drag your photos. Once you are satisfied with your online preview of the layout of the book, you’ll want to go to the checkout area and order it. Book prices can run anywhere from $5 on up, depending on the site and the size of your album. You may get a quantity discount for ordering multiple copies at the same time. Once your order is placed, you simply enter your credit card information and wait for your album to arrive in the mail.

For Option 2: The Online Album

Sharing your photos with family and friends online is also very easy. You do many of the same things as for a printed album, but there’s no printed product. You upload your photos onto the same type of photo-sharing sites, like Snapfish.com or Kodak.com. Then, you go to a special area called “Share” that allows you to place all your photos together, along with different backgrounds. It’s much like a digital scrapbook. Or you can just display them all without using any backgrounds. The sharing comes in when you enter the email addresses of your family and friends. They’ll receive an email invitation to view your photos, and they can also leave comments on your pictures.  It’s an easy and fun way to share photos with your loved ones, and it’s free!

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