No matter what holiday you celebrate, I wish you joy, love and peace this season and throughout the coming year. Now the Quote of the Day:
" I believe everything happens for a reason. If something happens that I don't necessarily agree with or I'm unhappy with, I'll just remind myself to stay positive and trust that things will happen the way they should."
Author Unknown
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Using a Baby Sling Can Make Life with Baby Simple
The use of baby slings, or “baby wearing” as it’s sometimes called, is very common in many cultures around the world. More parents in the United States are learning about baby wearing from attachment parenting books and websites, and are realizing the benefits are numerous. The sling a comfortable and simple way of carrying your little one, and can be used for infants and toddlers alike. It’s simple to be discreet when breastfeeding if you’re using a sling and it is much friendlier to mom and dad’s skeletons than backpacks and simple arm toting.
Evidence has also shown that babies in slings are less susceptible becoming colicky, and are less likely to spit up excessively. Slings have also been shown to lower mortality rate in premature infants, and that the natural movement and stimulation provided by being in a sling promotes neurological development.
One of the greatest benefits of baby wearing is that either mom or dad can more easily complete daily tasks around the house.
Lastly, babies who are nurtured in a sling realize they are safe, secure and loved, and the sling assists in continuing the bonding process. Parents who use a sling are usually more tuned in to their baby’s needs, and the baby finds comfort in the sling environment which simulates the pressure, motion and warmth sensations they experienced before birth in the womb. It can also reduce fussiness and crying, and can help lull your little one to sleep. They’re more likely to sleep longer and more comfortably while in a sling as well. It can also help reduce the level of stress hormones in your baby. All of these result in a more restful night’s sleep for both baby and parents.
Evidence has also shown that babies in slings are less susceptible becoming colicky, and are less likely to spit up excessively. Slings have also been shown to lower mortality rate in premature infants, and that the natural movement and stimulation provided by being in a sling promotes neurological development.
One of the greatest benefits of baby wearing is that either mom or dad can more easily complete daily tasks around the house.
Lastly, babies who are nurtured in a sling realize they are safe, secure and loved, and the sling assists in continuing the bonding process. Parents who use a sling are usually more tuned in to their baby’s needs, and the baby finds comfort in the sling environment which simulates the pressure, motion and warmth sensations they experienced before birth in the womb. It can also reduce fussiness and crying, and can help lull your little one to sleep. They’re more likely to sleep longer and more comfortably while in a sling as well. It can also help reduce the level of stress hormones in your baby. All of these result in a more restful night’s sleep for both baby and parents.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Baby Shower December Holiday Themes
A great decoration idea in December will depend on what religion you are celebrating: Christmas: If you want to tie the theme of Christmas into your baby shower, paint bells, mini trees, stars with blue or pink (if you know the gender of the baby). The room can look like a winter wonderland (use cotton with glitter) and the food can be festive for the season. Gingerbread and candy canes can say "It's a boy" or "It's a girl".
Hanukah: If you want to tie Hanukah into the shower, use the blue and white colors as well as make festive foods like latkes and brisket. Decorate the room with blue or pink dreidels (if you know the gender of the baby). The room can be festive with lights since it is the festival of lights.
Kwanzaa: If you want to tie Kwanzaa into the theme, use the colors black, red and green for the room. Tie the seven principals into the theme in how it relates to the baby. People can dress in festive clothing as well as the seven light Kinara placed at the party. Kwanzaa is a family holiday and focus can be given to family values. Vegetables can be served at the party since it coincides with what is symbolic of Kwanzaa. I hope these ideas help you in planning your December party.
Hanukah: If you want to tie Hanukah into the shower, use the blue and white colors as well as make festive foods like latkes and brisket. Decorate the room with blue or pink dreidels (if you know the gender of the baby). The room can be festive with lights since it is the festival of lights.
Kwanzaa: If you want to tie Kwanzaa into the theme, use the colors black, red and green for the room. Tie the seven principals into the theme in how it relates to the baby. People can dress in festive clothing as well as the seven light Kinara placed at the party. Kwanzaa is a family holiday and focus can be given to family values. Vegetables can be served at the party since it coincides with what is symbolic of Kwanzaa. I hope these ideas help you in planning your December party.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Stress Free Holidays During Your Pregnancy
I decided to do something a little different today and post a article to help pregnant women deal with the holidays!
Holidays can already be a stressful time, and mix that with pregnancy and hormones and you can be asking for trouble. I’m not meaning for just the pregnant woman either, anyone and everyone in her path. Women already feel the pressure of having that perfect holiday for her family, which is probably why she decides to do 100 things at a time...stressing herself out in the end. However, she doesn’t have to have a stressful holiday. There are five ways to make your holidays something to remember.
Mark the Dates
Go out and buy yourself a calendar for the holidays. Post it up on the wall and start marking dates. You won’t need to stress out because you won’t be double booking yourself. This can also help you in preplanning, mark the day you should send out the holiday cards or buy certain items.
Choosing Your Activities
During the holiday season you are sure to be invited to a couple of parties. It isn’t necessary to attend every one of them. Decide which ones you’ll enjoy the most, maybe two or three and explain to the rest you’ll miss going but need some rest.
Choose Where You’ll Go
Whether you want to stay home for the holidays with your own family or go across country to be with the entire family the decision should be yours. Don’t feel guilty telling them you won’t be making it this year, explain you need rest and traveling isn’t very helpful. You may even want to extend an invitation for the family to come to your house instead.
Designating Jobs
If you’ve decided to have the holidays at your house you can still have a good time. Don’t forget that asking for help is okay. No one expects you to do it all on your own. Do you really have to cook the ham, bake the potatoes, make a cake, clean the house and set up the tree all by yourself? Designate others to help, they'll feel happy you’ve given them something to do instead of sit around waiting while they watch you do it all.
Shopping Time
Shopping during the holiday season can be a nightmare that you don’t need to attempt while pregnant. It’s safer to just stay home during some of those sales. Instead you may want to try shopping online, not only will you be home but you can relax. The only thing you’ll need is a credit card and let your fingers do the work. You can even do all your holiday shopping early and have it delivered right to your front door. All you need to do is wrap it up and hide it in the closet.
Remember the holiday season is all about making memories that’ll last. You may be pregnant but you don’t have to sit at home the whole time stressed out, instead you can actually enjoy yourself with these helpful tips. Don’t forget to take a little time off to do something just for you, after all you deserve it.
Holidays can already be a stressful time, and mix that with pregnancy and hormones and you can be asking for trouble. I’m not meaning for just the pregnant woman either, anyone and everyone in her path. Women already feel the pressure of having that perfect holiday for her family, which is probably why she decides to do 100 things at a time...stressing herself out in the end. However, she doesn’t have to have a stressful holiday. There are five ways to make your holidays something to remember.
Mark the Dates
Go out and buy yourself a calendar for the holidays. Post it up on the wall and start marking dates. You won’t need to stress out because you won’t be double booking yourself. This can also help you in preplanning, mark the day you should send out the holiday cards or buy certain items.
Choosing Your Activities
During the holiday season you are sure to be invited to a couple of parties. It isn’t necessary to attend every one of them. Decide which ones you’ll enjoy the most, maybe two or three and explain to the rest you’ll miss going but need some rest.
Choose Where You’ll Go
Whether you want to stay home for the holidays with your own family or go across country to be with the entire family the decision should be yours. Don’t feel guilty telling them you won’t be making it this year, explain you need rest and traveling isn’t very helpful. You may even want to extend an invitation for the family to come to your house instead.
Designating Jobs
If you’ve decided to have the holidays at your house you can still have a good time. Don’t forget that asking for help is okay. No one expects you to do it all on your own. Do you really have to cook the ham, bake the potatoes, make a cake, clean the house and set up the tree all by yourself? Designate others to help, they'll feel happy you’ve given them something to do instead of sit around waiting while they watch you do it all.
Shopping Time
Shopping during the holiday season can be a nightmare that you don’t need to attempt while pregnant. It’s safer to just stay home during some of those sales. Instead you may want to try shopping online, not only will you be home but you can relax. The only thing you’ll need is a credit card and let your fingers do the work. You can even do all your holiday shopping early and have it delivered right to your front door. All you need to do is wrap it up and hide it in the closet.
Remember the holiday season is all about making memories that’ll last. You may be pregnant but you don’t have to sit at home the whole time stressed out, instead you can actually enjoy yourself with these helpful tips. Don’t forget to take a little time off to do something just for you, after all you deserve it.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Baby Game Shower: Baby games to play at the Baby Shower
Babies are so much fun. But baby games shower are much more fun since moms-to-be, godparents, grandparents, and other invitees in the baby shower can get to play childish games again. Some of the baby game shower that can be played include Sing It, Baby!, Measuring up Mommy, Here's Looking at You, Kid!, Don't Say Baby, Baby Truth or Dare, The Seventh Gift, and Dig out the Pins.
These baby games are the common baby game showers usually played. They are a great way that would let the guests mingle and get to know each other, if they aren't acquainted yet. This is also another great way to give honor to the mom-to-be for having that precious baby on the way.
How do we play these baby game showers? Here is the run-down on how to play the baby game shower and create good memories of a great baby shower.
In Sing It, Baby!, the guests participants form a circle. They can sit or stand. Then, each guest must sing a line or two from a song that has the word "baby" in it. When the first game player has finished, the next person seated on her right has ten seconds to sing another "baby" song. "Baby" songs cannot be repeated, thus, participants who repeat a song or cannot think of a "baby" song gets booted out of the game. Last person singing in this baby game shower wins the prize!
How big has mommy become? Measuring Up Mommy is the baby game shower to play as this gives the guests the freedom to measure mommy's size. Have a couple of toilet paper rolls ready and ask each participant to estimate the size of mommy's girth by cutting the toilet paper to their guess size. Then each one wraps around the new mommy's stomach the toilet paper they cut. The nearest length approximating to the mommy's stomach wins the prize!
Remember how you looked when you were a baby? This game takes you down memory lane as you need to dig up those baby pictures of yours. Because you need them to play the baby game shower Here's Lookin' At You, Kid! Before the party itself, request all the guests coming to bring the cutest baby picture of themselves. Upon their arrival, secure each baby picture and assign a number per picture. During the game, lay all baby pictures and give each participant paper and pen and ask them to identify as many baby pictures as they can. The guest with the most number of correct guesses is the big winner.
This baby game shower makes you NOT say what you are suppose to be attending to! The game Don't Say Baby is precisely that! Don't say "baby" during the entire length of the baby game shower for the diaper pin that was given to you upon your arrival will be taken away from you. The person with the most number of diaper pins collected at the end of the shower party wins a prize.
This baby game shower is for those who love baby trivia and the like. Play Baby Truth or Dare by writing down some baby trivia, some correct and others purposely written incorrectly. During the baby game shower, ask randomly if the baby facts are either true or false. Those who guess correctly gets a prize while those who don't will be dared to perform in front of everyone else.
We all know that the single lady who catches the bride's wedding bouquet is said to become the next bride. In The Seventh Gift, it is not so much a baby game shower but more of a fable that says that the giver of the seventh gift unwrapped will be the next expecting mother. However, avoid "planting" the seventh gift.
Last but not the least, Dig Out the Pins is the baby game shower that tests the agility of the guests as they fish out the most number of diaper pins from a large bowl filled with uncooked rice and diaper pins in under two minutes. The participant that has the most number of pins brings home the prize.
These baby games are the common baby game showers usually played. They are a great way that would let the guests mingle and get to know each other, if they aren't acquainted yet. This is also another great way to give honor to the mom-to-be for having that precious baby on the way.
How do we play these baby game showers? Here is the run-down on how to play the baby game shower and create good memories of a great baby shower.
In Sing It, Baby!, the guests participants form a circle. They can sit or stand. Then, each guest must sing a line or two from a song that has the word "baby" in it. When the first game player has finished, the next person seated on her right has ten seconds to sing another "baby" song. "Baby" songs cannot be repeated, thus, participants who repeat a song or cannot think of a "baby" song gets booted out of the game. Last person singing in this baby game shower wins the prize!
How big has mommy become? Measuring Up Mommy is the baby game shower to play as this gives the guests the freedom to measure mommy's size. Have a couple of toilet paper rolls ready and ask each participant to estimate the size of mommy's girth by cutting the toilet paper to their guess size. Then each one wraps around the new mommy's stomach the toilet paper they cut. The nearest length approximating to the mommy's stomach wins the prize!
Remember how you looked when you were a baby? This game takes you down memory lane as you need to dig up those baby pictures of yours. Because you need them to play the baby game shower Here's Lookin' At You, Kid! Before the party itself, request all the guests coming to bring the cutest baby picture of themselves. Upon their arrival, secure each baby picture and assign a number per picture. During the game, lay all baby pictures and give each participant paper and pen and ask them to identify as many baby pictures as they can. The guest with the most number of correct guesses is the big winner.
This baby game shower makes you NOT say what you are suppose to be attending to! The game Don't Say Baby is precisely that! Don't say "baby" during the entire length of the baby game shower for the diaper pin that was given to you upon your arrival will be taken away from you. The person with the most number of diaper pins collected at the end of the shower party wins a prize.
This baby game shower is for those who love baby trivia and the like. Play Baby Truth or Dare by writing down some baby trivia, some correct and others purposely written incorrectly. During the baby game shower, ask randomly if the baby facts are either true or false. Those who guess correctly gets a prize while those who don't will be dared to perform in front of everyone else.
We all know that the single lady who catches the bride's wedding bouquet is said to become the next bride. In The Seventh Gift, it is not so much a baby game shower but more of a fable that says that the giver of the seventh gift unwrapped will be the next expecting mother. However, avoid "planting" the seventh gift.
Last but not the least, Dig Out the Pins is the baby game shower that tests the agility of the guests as they fish out the most number of diaper pins from a large bowl filled with uncooked rice and diaper pins in under two minutes. The participant that has the most number of pins brings home the prize.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
How To Choose A Breast Pump
The milk production in the breasts, much like so manyother things, work on the shear principal of supplyand demand. The more breast milk your baby consumes,the more your body will need to make.
Breast pumps are generally used to insure continuedproduction of breast milk when you cannot feed yourbaby - whether you are back to work, traveling, takingmedication, or just out of town.
Basic types of pumpsBreast pumps can either be battery operated, handoperated, semi automatic electric, or even self cyclingelectric.
Hand pumpsManual hand pumps are designed to use the strengthof your hand or arm muscles for pumping one breast ata time. You can also get pumps that will use the legand foot muscles for pumping both breasts at one time. Mothers that with carpal tunnel syndrome maywant to consider using a pump designed for the armor leg muscles or even an automatic model.
Battery operated pumpsPumps with battery operation are the best for womenwho have an established supply of milk and want topump once or even twice a day. These pumps use batteries to create suction, minimizing any type ofmuscle fatigue. Most battery type pumps are designedfor pumping one breast at a time and are recommendedfor occasional usage.
Electric pumpsEven though electric pumps are more efficient thanhand or even battery operated pumps, they also tendto be more expensive. You can however, rent them ifyou need to. Electric pumps can normally plugdirectly into an outlet and are designed for pumpingboth breasts at a time and even frequent use. Hospitalgrade pumps are the most efficient for initiating andmaintaining milk supply, and are available for rentor purchase.
Breast pumps are generally used to insure continuedproduction of breast milk when you cannot feed yourbaby - whether you are back to work, traveling, takingmedication, or just out of town.
Basic types of pumpsBreast pumps can either be battery operated, handoperated, semi automatic electric, or even self cyclingelectric.
Hand pumpsManual hand pumps are designed to use the strengthof your hand or arm muscles for pumping one breast ata time. You can also get pumps that will use the legand foot muscles for pumping both breasts at one time. Mothers that with carpal tunnel syndrome maywant to consider using a pump designed for the armor leg muscles or even an automatic model.
Battery operated pumpsPumps with battery operation are the best for womenwho have an established supply of milk and want topump once or even twice a day. These pumps use batteries to create suction, minimizing any type ofmuscle fatigue. Most battery type pumps are designedfor pumping one breast at a time and are recommendedfor occasional usage.
Electric pumpsEven though electric pumps are more efficient thanhand or even battery operated pumps, they also tendto be more expensive. You can however, rent them ifyou need to. Electric pumps can normally plugdirectly into an outlet and are designed for pumpingboth breasts at a time and even frequent use. Hospitalgrade pumps are the most efficient for initiating andmaintaining milk supply, and are available for rentor purchase.
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