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Baby Shower Gifts

Ask first time parents-to-be what baby shower gifts they would like to receive. Watch their response -- you'll quite likely see a look of real confusion on their faces! Or maybe they'll come up with a stock answer like "diapers" or something similar.

Exactly what a new arrival needs is not obvious to someone who's never had a baby before. And many times, guests are in no better position either, when it comes to deciding on baby shower gifts. Of course, there's a lot more to baby showers than just gifts. But helping parents to stock up for the new arrival is an important part of these celebrations. That's why the following list of top five baby shower gifts can be quite useful.
Top gift #1: Monitors
Monitors are excellent anxiety-busters, especially for first-time parents. That's why they hold the No.1 position on this list. Once they can listen to the baby from anywhere in the house, parents find their confidence levels zooming. The latest monitors are very sensitive and can pick up the slightest sound from baby, even her breathing. If your budget allows for it, take it one step further and buy a video monitor. That'll really ease anxiety. However, they are much more expensive, so perhaps this can be a joint baby shower gift from two or more guests.
Top Gift #2:
Playtime mate for baby Babies love to play. Anything that helps them play and be active not only keeps them engaged, but also stimulates all round development. One of the best products for them is an activity gym or playpen. This is a soft cloth mat surrounded by a baby-friendly structure of bars and arches with many different toys suspended from various points or go on http://www.create-super-baby.com./ Baby gets to play in a safe environment. Basic activity gyms are excellent baby shower gifts. There are also more advanced ones that include noisemakers and a variety of toys. The suspended objects have different colors and textures to help develop baby's cognitive abilities. There are also excellent portable gyms and playpens available to help parents move around with baby. These are lightweight and designed to be easy to carry around.
Top Gift #3:
Baby sling most babies love being carried around in a sling. It's the next best thing to being cuddled in mom's arms. Many parents have had the experience where babies get restless and cry while they use other types of carriers, but immediately calm down when put into a sling. Baby slings are believed to foster a closer parent-child bond. Whether that's true or not, slings do have another great advantage -- they leave your hands free to do other things. That's definitely a big plus and is a reason why this baby shower gift is highly appreciated. Top Gift #4:
The baby travel pack moving around with baby can be a chore -- you have to pack a seemingly endless array of baby stuff even for short outings. One way to ease this problem is to have one or more baby travel packs handy. What's a travel pack? Essentially, a diaper bag filled with baby necessities. It can include disposable diapers, a small toy or two, bib, complete change of clothes for baby, safety pins, and other supplies. It's a great advantage if the parents receive more than one travel pack. Then one pack can always be kept ready whenever they want to go. No need to mess around with picking up and stuffing items into a diaper bag at the last minute. Top gift #5: Car seat Lots of parents say that a well-designed car seat is a wonderfully useful baby shower gift to receive. In fact, it's useful from the moment they leave hospital with the baby. There are infant car seats available as well as infant-toddler convertible seats. The former can be used only till the baby is up to 22 pounds or so (typically). While the latter can usually be used till the first birthday. Both are great baby shower gifts specially designed for the baby on the move! Make sure these top five baby shower gifts are part of the event you're hosting. The guest of honor will end up thanking you long after the party gets over!
http://www.baby-care-book.com/
http://www.babies-tips.com/

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Baby burp

Burping is to bring up gas from the stomach through the mouth.
Why should we burp a baby after her feed?
Babies tend to swallow air while drinking milk. This might cause gas problem inside their tummy. Burping lets this air out. If they are not burped frequently, they might spit milk and develop some gas problems. It is also believed that pneumonia may be caused due to this.
How to burp?
Burping techniques: These are the methods to burp a baby. Find the one suitable for your baby.
1) The most common and useful method of burping is to hold the baby against your shoulder. Keep the baby’s chin to rest on your shoulder and put your hand at the back of her neck to support her is she doesn’t hold her neck well. Gently pat her back or make circles on her back. Burping sometimes may take a few minutes.
2) Make her sit on your lap. Support her with one hand and gently pat or make circles on her back with your other hand.
3) Lay her on your lap on her tummy. Keep her in an inclined position such that her head is higher than her chest. Pat her slowly.
4) Carry the baby by resting her chin on your shoulder and walk around patting gently on her back.
Keep some cloth on your shoulder as the baby may spit or tend to have a wet burp.
Breast-fed babies should be burped after 5 minutes or while changing breasts and after the feeding session. Bottle fed babies should be burped after they have 75ml of milk


Facts:
• Breast-fed babies tend to take in less air compared to bottle fed. So, breast-fed babies may burp less often than bottle-fed.
• Once babies start learning taking milk, they might not burp as they do not swallow air.
• There is no need to worry if the baby spits a little. This spitting usually stops after 6 months. I think the reason for this is that they tend to sit straight after that, so the chances of milk coming back to mouth reduces.
• If the baby stops taking milk, burp her once and again she might be ready to take.

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Baby colic

One evening when I was busy with my laptop, my baby started crying unlimitedly. My mom tried to pacify her, but in vain. I tried my level best to calm her. I tried to feed her. Though she was taking milk, I could find that she was not hungry. But, something was troubling her ----like hell. Colic is a condition when a baby (otherwise healthy cries for more than 3 hrs usually in the evenings. This is observed even when a baby is perfectly normal. They move their hands and legs inwards and outwards and cry very heavily. They may turn red. Colic disappears on its own usually after the baby is three months old.
Researchers are not still clear about the reasons of colic. Most important thing is that it is not caused by you. So, do not feel guilty. Colic affects about 20% of babies.
Some ways of soothing a colicky baby are:
1) Sing a lullaby.
2) Keep your baby close to your heart and baby walk.
3) Take her out for a car drive.
4) Make her lay on her stomach.
5) Put her in a cradle and swing her.
6) Rock the baby.
Some recommended ways for lessening colic are:
1) Feed your baby often(within 2hrs span).
2) Burp the baby properly.
3) Avoid eating spicy foods if you are breast feeding .
4) If you are bottle feeding, avoid gas entry into the baby’s mouth.


There is no method to detect if the baby has colic. But your doctor may suggest some good tips to deal with your colicky baby. My doctor advised me oral colimex drops. But I didn’t have to use them as her colic had gone. Also some colic ease gripe water is available. But I am not sure how they work.
Remember that colic is not a disease and will subside on its own when the baby is 3 or 4 months old. Do not show your anxiety to your baby as babies can grasp your expression from their 7th week itself and they can be more frightened.
I request the readers to contribute their experiences with colicky baby and how they used to soothe them for the benefit of other mothers. These may or may not work for other babies, but if lucky they might.

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Baby Massage

Baby massage is an age old tradition. Babies love mother’s touch and hence it is most appropriate if a mother does the massage. Here are the advantages of massaging, and techniques of massaging.
Advantages:
1) Muscles become strong.
2) Babies gain weight.
3) Blood circulation increases.

Right Place:
A mother can stretch her legs and lay down the baby on her narrowed legs. This way the baby feels very comfortable.
The baby can also be made to lay on a soft cloth or bedding.

Before you start:
-Keep any good baby oil or almond oil(believed to improve complexion) or vegetable oil ready
-Keep the windows closed and the environment warm before you undress the baby
-Remove the ornaments if you wear any
-Cut your nails
- Do not massage just after the feed and when the baby is sick.

Getting started:
Test the oil first by applying on legs of the baby for a few days. Some baby oils might not suit some babies and they might turn dark or generate rashes. Keep talking to the baby while you are massaging. Usually kids like massage. Massage should be done in a position convenient to them. i.e., If they tend lay on their stomach, massage their back first.

How to massage:
There are different techniques of massaging. Start with their legs. Take some oil and rub it with you palm on the legs of the baby from above to foot by rotating around the leg. Then from foot to buttock. Start moving your hands from stomach towards the chest along their arms making arc towards each of the baby’s arm. Also there is a massage technique called ILU massage. In this you, make an I on baby’s top, then, an inverted L and then inverted u- from stomach to chest and then towards stomach. Turn the baby and make the baby lie on stomach. Massage the back of the baby from bottom to top making arcs towards the hands. Apply oil on hands and massage gently but firmly. Move the hands towards each other. This is a good exercise. Avoid applying oil on the fingers as they might tend to suck. Good techniques for massaging are also available here.
http://massagetherapy.ygoy.com/2007/10/17/infant-massage-techniques/
Also one can find good videos on baby massage @youtube.com.

Keep your spirits highest while massaging the baby. This will make their massage time loving and enjoyable for the baby!

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Baby Sleep

It’s always a pleasure for a mother to see her baby sleeping peacefully. Sleep is very essential for a baby’s well-being. When a baby feeds well and sleeps for long hours, they tend to put on weight. This post covers how long a baby should sleep, how to show them the difference between day and night, where the baby should be sleeping, what is safe sleeping position, safe bedding, SIDS and above all how to make a baby sleep.

Signs that show when the baby is sleepy
1) The baby rubs her ears and nose.
2) The baby yawns.
3) The baby is not playing and looks away from people.
4) The baby might be irritated and starts crying.

How long should a baby sleep?
Upto six months a baby usually sleeps from 16-20 hrs. I am lucky as my baby sleeps for good number of hours. And the most thankful thing is that she sleeps thoroughly at night. The best thing one can do about a baby’s sleep is to maintain a regular schedule. Sleeping habits can be cultivated to babies as early as the baby is 6 weeks old.

How to show them the difference between day and night?
Every night one should follow the same routine. Some may prefer to give them bath. Dim the lights. Make them wear a night suit. Always make them sleep in the same room. These all should make them understand that it is time to go to bed.

Where should a baby sleep?
It is actually the choice of parents. In western countries babies are made to sleep in cribs whereas as in India parents make them sleep in their bed. But, always let the baby sleep in your room.

How to make the baby sleep?
There are many ways to make a baby sleep. This is again the preference of parents. If you want your baby to sleep independently, move her to a sleeping place when they are feeling sleepy, but not asleep. Dim the lights and come out of the room. If you hear the baby crying, let it do so for a few minutes. The baby might sleep. If it continues to fuss, go back and pat. Do not pick up the baby. Soothe the baby, say that you are there for her and again leave the room. This should make the baby sleep on her own.
Another way is to lay down with the baby. Act as if you are sleeping by closing your eyes. The baby will also try to sleep. Just pat her, but do not pick her. The baby might look here and there, but finally sleep.
The above methods are a bit strict methods to make the baby sleep. But, they are good to make babies sleep when you are not present or when they wake up suddenly at night.
Other methods to put them to bed are:
1) Rocking
2) Baby walking
3) Singing lullabies
These methods of course demand your presence.
When the baby is ill, always be in their presence if not they might lose confidence in you and feel lonely.

What is the right position?
Babies should always be made to sleep on their back. Good sleeping position reduces the risk of SIDS.

What is SIDS?
SIDS is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. This is the major cause of death of many infants from 1 month to one year old. Unfortunately, despite much research, the reason for SIDS is still unknown. It is more common in male babies and occurs usually in winter. However the risk of SIDS can be reduced by avoiding sleeping on stomach and improper sleepwear which causes overheating. Never lay the baby on pillow and always keep the stuffed toys away. Follow this link to know about safe sleeping http://www.sidsandkids.org/cot.htm.

I hope this information was useful. Cultivating good sleeping habits always serves well in a long run.

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Why does a baby cry and how to soothe ?

I always want to see my baby laughing. So does everyone. We do everything possible to make them happy. But still they sometimes cry. It creates a kind of anxiety when your baby cries. Crying is only a way of communication for the baby as it cannot express in any other way. Also in India they say “Balanam rodhanam balam” meaning crying makes babies healthy. I also have heard that scientifically crying is good for their lungs. We try to calm them at any cost. So, how do we come to know the reason behind their weeping? These are the different reasons I could sort:

1) Hungry: This is the first and foremost reason why even a hail and healthy baby cries from day one. I do not really know what makes them cry when they are hungry. Probably their stomach aches when they are hungry. This can be easily calmed by feeding them. I have also heard that crying of the baby stimulates breast feeding. But if your are going for bottle feeding, this crying will continue for sometime till you prepare the milk. So, its better to keep the feeding time in mind and make the preparations early.
2) Wet Nappy: Babies usually hate to be wet. Whenever they attend to their nature’s call they want to be cleaned as soon as possible.
3) Position problem: The position in which we might have laid down the baby might not be comfortable. Just adjust it a bit by checking if all the parts of the body are comfortable. The baby also might have turned to an uneasy position in its crib or cradle. Just check and lay the baby again.
4) Weather: If the room is too hot, turn on the fan/A/c or open the windows. The baby might feel suffogated. If the room is too cold, try to keep the baby warm by making her wear socks and mittens. My pediatrician also suggested me that the baby always tries to keep itself warm. When it feels cold, its energy is consumed in keeping itself warm. Hence the baby loses its weight. So, try to keep the baby warm.
5) Something has bitten: This is one of the toughest things to found out. If there are mosquitoes in the room take all the precautions to avoid such biting. When the baby is crying because of an insect bite, it is difficult to find out as it does not do anything to show you the place where it is hurt. So try to search everywhere around the body.
6) Scratching: Sometimes babies tend to scratch themselves with their nails and unknowingly hurt. Usually these will be visible. Cut nails regularly.
7) Doesn’t want to be laid down: Babies like someone around them. They also want someone to hold them. If they have got accustomed to people holding them, they always want someone to do so. Especially, if there was a party the day before, and all guesta were around them cheering them, they expect the same even the next day. Hold the baby and they may just stop crying immediately. But, it’s always better to lay them down and play with them.
8) Colic pain: This is one moment when the baby cries uncontrollably. You do not understand what to do. This continues for more than three hours. It usually goes away when the baby is 3 months old. The reason for colic is yet not discovered surely. Colic is something, that is not caused by us and also it does not mean that the baby is unhealthy. A mother should always hold her baby near to her heart when the baby is crying. My doctor advised me to give Colimex drops for colic pain. Also when the baby is made to lay on her stomach, the pain reduces. More tips to soothe the baby can be obtained here
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/infants/036.html
9) Nappy/Diaper rash: This is a common problem faced by babies. Check for such rashes everyday while cleaning. My doctor advised me use Siloderm and xylocaine 2% jelly. They work really well. Applying these and baby powder before putting a diaper also reduces the risk of rash. Change diaper regularly. If a rash is observed, apply the prescribed ointment and leave the area free so that it heals faster.
10) Sleepy: When the baby is sleepy, it sometimes starts crying. Put her to bed.

Babies are good at catching your expressions. Always hide your anxiety. When they see you getting tensed, their agony increases. So, keep your calm and react very positively and soothe them

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