Thursday 10 June 2010

6 Baby Carrier Safety Tips

The new term is "Babywearing" and everyone is doing it - carrying their baby with them everywhere they go. It's a great way to increase mother/child bonding and what better way to always keep your eyes on that little cherub no matter what you're doing? If you want to join the ranks of Babywearing mothers though, you'll need to take some precautions. Here are 6 baby carrier safety tips to keep the little one safe and snug.
Choose the right carrier for baby - Choose a baby sling that's appropriate for your child's age, weight and height. Some baby carriers are only recommended for certain ages or may require an insert for newborn infants to help support their head. Use a carrier that's too small and it won't offer enough support for you or the baby. Use one that's too large and the baby may slip out.
Choose the right carrier for you - A lot of manufacturers make carriers in different sizes to accommodate your body as well as the baby's. Generally you can choose a sling or carrier made for your size by measuring from your shoulder, across your body, to the middle of the side of your waist. Some manufacturers use different measurements though, so be sure to check before purchasing. Look for carriers that are adjustable but secure.
Position baby correctly - It's important to position you baby in such a way that you can always easily see and check on them. But it's even more important to remember to always have your baby in a position in which their face is not covered by the sling. You should also position your baby so his chin is not resting on his chest. This position makes it difficult for some infants to breathe.

Wearing the sling - The baby should always be held snug against your body and high enough that you can bend down to kiss his little head. As your baby grows you'll be adjusting the baby carrier. This position keeps the baby secure but also helps protects your back.
Be aware of your size - Be careful to make allowances for your adjusted size when you're carrying your baby. You don't want to be bumping through doorways or running into cabinets or open drawers. Always make sure to allow additional space around you and your baby.
Be aware of the baby - Don't lean over a hot stove when you're babywearing. Be careful when drinking hot coffee or tea. Don't handle knives or other sharp objects. Don't lean out a window or over the stairs. The list could go on and on. Once you get used to carrying your baby you might not be as cautious as you were in the beginning. But it only takes a split second for your baby to reach up and grab at that knife. It only takes one little bump from his elbow to make you spill that hot coffee. Always be aware of what you AND your baby are doing while you're using a baby carrier of any type.

Baby Food Coupons

We should all know by now how much a baby is going to cost over the long run. What you're going to find out is that those diapers, formula boxes, bottles, as well as food is going to cost. All of these things add up fairly fast. If you're anything like me, you're going to want to save money as soon as possible, because who likes to waste a few bucks when you don't have to?
I wanted to give you some simple tips and pointers that you can use the next time you want to head out and save on your next baby food purchase. These simple pointers should be able to land you a good coupon that you can use on your next purchase.
Stay connected with the company
The first thing that I do with just about anything is stay connected. Do you have a favorite baby food brand that you love to purchase all the time? If you do, what you're going to want to do is join their email list, Facebook page, Twitter, and more. The lesson here is that the more you stay connected, the more you're going to get in return as in offers, coupons, and more! This way, you don't have to do a lot of searching.
Search out the deals online
Many people need food right way, I understand that, but if you're able to plan or the future, you can get some fairly good deals ahead of time. By looking for deals online, or even buying in bulk, you're going to find that you can save a ton of money. It's a great to save compared to shopping at your local grocery store.
By searching online for printable coupons themselves, you're going to find that should lead to something as well for you to save. Be sure to test out these easy pointers. You're going to find that these tips are going to work out fairly well for you. It's just going to take a little time, as well as effort.
Whether you're looking for baby food coupons tips, or where you can find some today, get more tips over on my blog.

Sunday 27 December 2009

About Women Fertility

Men & Women fertility is one of the most wide-spread problems in the world. Women who are not able to conceive after trying for a long time and women who have suffered multiple miscarriages may be suffering from fertility problem. More young couples have conception difficulties each year and definitely worst if couples in their 40's want to give birth to a child. Let's look at some of the factors that may be related to women fertility problem.

(1) Not ovulating regularly
Women should ovulate regularly each month. Irregularities in the hormone system can affect ovulation.

(2) Ectopic pregnancy
It is a major health problem for women of child bearing age. In an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg implants in a location outside the uterus (usually in the fallopian tubes) and tries to develop there which ultimately ends in death of the foetus. Without timely diagnosis and treatment, ectopic pregnancy can become a life-threatening situation and thus requires immediate treatment. The earlier the condition is treated, the better the chance to preserve the fallopian tube intact for future normal pregnancies.

(3) Age
A woman of age 20 to 24 has their fertility at the peak. A woman of age 35 and above has difficulty in giving birth. Fertility is less than? of the maximum. A woman of age 40 to 45 has a 95 percent less chance than a woman in their 20s.

(4) Fallopian Tube blockages
The female fallopian tubes could be obstructed due to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), pelvic inflammatory disease, or certain surgeries.

(5) Overweight
Women who are overweight may have hormonal imbalances. Body fat levels that are 10 to 15 percent above normal can overload the body with estrogen, throwing off the reproductive cycle.

(6) Underweight
Body fat levels 10 to 15 percent below normal can completely shut down the reproductive process and thus not ovulating normally.

(7) Alcohol or Smoking
Smoking may increase the risk of infertility in women; and even moderate alcohol consumption (as few as five drinks a week) can impair conception.

(8) Medication
Taking medications like antidepressants, antibiotics, painkillers, and other drugs used to treat chronic disorders may cause temporary infertility. The above mentioned is for female fertility. However, you need to look at the male fertility too as it is the combination that can make you conceive. There may be cases that both the male and the female looks normal but still cannot conceive due to Unknown reasons.

The doctors may be giving you conventional women fertility treatments that may or may not correct the root causes of fertility. You may try a holistic approach that may give you a more healthy and practical way. For example, a taking herbs and vitamins, acupuncture and live a healthy lifestyle.

Monday 23 November 2009

Common Morning Sickness Symptoms

Pregnancy is not, by default, a license to suffer from morning sickness symptoms. Migraine sufferers appear to be in a higher risk group than normal but most woman, whatever their health record, will suffer symptoms closely akin to those of travel sickness to a higher or lower degree. Typically these symptoms will include an inability to hold down food and mild to severe nausea.

Typical histories indicate symptoms starting to alleviate around the end of the first trimester and coinciding with a cessation of fluctuating hormone levels. The cause is still a mystery, but popular researcher opinion tends to point to hormonal changes as the match that lights the fuse of morning sickness symptoms and heartburn.

Another theory holds that an enhanced set of senses during pregnancy, most notably those of smell and taste, can trigger an attack of nausea which would not be experienced in the same circumstances prior to the onset of pregnancy. Or what of stress and fatigue - two typical companions of pregnancy? Certainly avoiding these two brings some reported relief, even if in delaying the onset symptoms.

The term morning sickness is a misnomer as many victims experience the symptoms throughout their day, potentially starting when the stomach is empty within 2 weeks of conception. For supplying this early warning signal, it is one of the most reliable early harbingers of pregnancy.

Contrary to what you may feel whilst suffering, your baby will not be harmed by them as millions of mothers will attest, so this fear should not be a stress factor and should be discarded as such. try and adopt a practical approach to combating your morning sickness symptoms, hard as this may seem whilst an attack is underway.

Never forget though that a severe attack, with concomitant loss of fluids and depletion of electrolytes, can harm both yourself and your baby, so take immediate steps to gain relief if symptoms become truly severe, even to the extent of seeking medical help.

Some practical day to day ways of relieving morning sickness symptoms include a visit to your doctor before you start ingesting any medication, eating small and frequent snacks, drinking ginger tea and snacking from a suitable bedside supply prior to rising for the day.

Kim Steel is a researcher in alternate medicine. Morning sickness has become a speciality. Read more about morning sickness symptoms here.

Written by Kim Steelhttp://theglobaledge.net/pregnancy_nausea_remedies/

Posted by BabyKingdom

Friday 20 November 2009

10 Newborn Baby Gift Ideas

If you're looking for something to give a newborn baby, then you might know exactly what you want, perhaps you've bought similar gifts before, or perhaps you're a parent. Alternatively if you really don't what might be suitable, here are 10 ideas.

1. Cuddly toys are always a good idea, and can be simple characters or shapes and in bright colours. They can go in the pram, or can be played with during the day.

2. Mobiles make a relaxing addition to any nursery room, and there is a wide range to choose from. From basic mobiles with characters on them, right the way to more complex and even musical mobiles, you're sure to find one that's suitable.

3. It might seem that a rattle would be too grown up for a newborn, but it won't be long before the baby can grip things, and will want to start holding things. A rattle is also a gift that will last a while and get a lot of use.

4. What about choosing something to go on the pram? As the baby will be spending a lot of time in the pram, it's a good idea to find something that will keep it entertained. Perhaps you'll choose something simple, or something more tactile to help the baby develop.

5. Squeaky toys are a popular choice, and will keep the baby entertained and distracted. Why not choose a selection of toys with different squeaks?

6. Items that can live on the cot frame are a good idea, and will help to relax the baby when he or she is going to sleep.

7. Sensory and developmental toys might seem a bit grown up, but the child will develop very quickly, and will soon be looking for something that they can grip or touch or listen to. Think about cuddly toys with different textures, or with bells or rattles to give the baby lots of different options.

8. Musical toys again might seem a little previous, but children love sounds and music, and these toys can be a great way to get them to go to sleep.

9. A blanket will probably be a baby's most important possession, and so why not see if you can find a nice, appropriate one that you can give as a gift?

10. Perhaps you know that the baby you're buying for will get lots of baby toys, and you want something for when they are older. What about stacking toys, or a shape sorter, or perhaps even something to pull along for when they start walking?

Now you know more about what sort of things are suitable, perhaps you can go and buy the right newborn baby gifts.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_James
posted by Baby Shop

Monday 16 November 2009

How to Keep Your Child Quiet on Long Journeys

Making long journeys with young children can be tricky. Having to encourage toddlers to sit still or stay quiet can be tricky if they're used to running round the garden all day.

Always take a selection of toys. Include things that the child can be quiet with. A squeaky toy on an aeroplane will be very annoying very quickly for everyone. A pad of drawing paper, crayons and stickers can be a good start to building a travel pack. There are lots of games you can play with pencil and paper too.

Games include 'Guess the Animal' where you have to take it in turns to draw an animal and other other person has to guess what you're drawing. You can also play noughts and crosses, draw mazes for each other, and of course just good old drawing and colouring!

A few story books means that you can quietly read a story to your child and this might help them have a nap on a long journey. Some people like to take mini DVD players and allow the child to watch a favourite film - this can work really well, and DVDs are quite small to pack so an effective use of space.
For older children a hand held console might be just the thing.

Take snacks and drinks that the child likes and pack wet wipes to avoid stick hands! Avoid any excessively sugary snacks as the last thing you'll need is a child with a sugar rush desperate to run round and burn off some energy. Even if you're having meals on the plane or train it'll probably not correspond with the time your child is hungry!

On flights where there are lots of empty seats, you can always ask the cabin crew if you can move seats to make yourselves more comfortable and have more room. This should normally be possible after take off, but always ask first.

For babies in nappies make sure you take more than enough spares and wipes. Same applies for baby food and milk. Better to have too much than not enough, but watch out for any liquid restrictions that might apply. For popping ears you'll need boiled sweets for older children and perhaps a dummy for little ones. It's very hard to explain to a toddler though what they need to do to stop their ears hurting though.

A spare change of clothes in case of accidents is a good idea - and remember to pack a plastic bag for the wet clothes. Put another bag in for your empty food wrappers and bottles too.

Make sure you keep your child as quiet and calm as possible. Don't allow them to kick the chair in front as it will drive the person mad!

Most airlines will let you take a buggy per child free. Check before you travel though to see what the procedure is for this. Usually you get to the boarding gate with it before you need to pack it off to the hold, but you'll need to have told them at check in!

A last hint is to ensure you have something new for the child to give them if they get really bored. Make sure it's something that will keep their attention for a while too!

Written by Diane Drinkwater
Posted by BabyKingdom baby shop

Sunday 15 November 2009

Stress-Free Travel With Your Baby

If you want to have a stress free travel experience and you are taking your baby, the key is in the planning. There are going to be certain things that happen with your baby that will trigger stress. Consider what those things might be, and be pre-emptive. When you plan for them, your travel will be far less stressful. The following is a look at some of the things you may want to pack in order to make travel with baby easier.

Doctor Info: If your baby breaks out in a rash, gets sick, or has a problem, it will be stressful to you, but it will be far more stressful if you do not know how to get a hold of your doctor. Furthermore, you may have to tell a new doctor about your baby's health history. Before you leave on vacation, make a list of your doctor's contact info, nurses line, info hotline, emergency contact, etc. so you can reach them. Write it on an index card and stick it in your purse or wallet. Then, visit your doctor and ask them for a condensed version of your baby's medical history. Having copies of it to take with you will save a lot of time and trouble should you end up at the ER. Do not forget their immunization record!

Food, Bottles: One of the things that make babies the most upset is being hungry and not being fed right away. Be sure to pack plenty of bottles so that you always have a clean one to use. In addition be sure to bring along plenty of whatever food your baby eats. This can be formula, baby food, or snacks like cheerios, bread, fruit, and so on. If you pack these, you have them when you need them, and do not have to make a trip to the store.

Change of Clothes: Babies have blow outs, spit up, leakage, and all sorts of other problems that can leave them in soiled, wet, or ruined clothes. Don't leave your baby naked. When traveling, always bring a change of clothes in the diaper bag so that if your baby does have a poop explosion, or drips watermelon all over themselves, they can be changed.

Shade and Sunscreen: Babies have new, sensitive skin, and they get burnt easily when exposed to the sun. So, be sure to take along plenty of sunscreen that your baby can use, as well as a hat, and some sort of shading device. It can be an umbrella to put over them at the beach, or a shade device to put in the window of the car so they do not have sun in their face.

Plan around naps, feedings, and routines: Lastly, when making your plans for your trip, make it less stressful by planning around naps, feedings and so on. Your baby likely eats at regular intervals, sleeps at regular intervals, and you can plan on that. It is not fun to be in the middle of a hike in the rainforest if your baby wants to nurse. So, plan that hike for in between feedings.

by Beverly Frank