Baby Care

Archive for April, 2010

There are numerous fears an expectant mother faces throughout her pregnancy term. These fears are based on many aspects such as rumors, myths, emotions, hormones and even past experiences. However, educating yourself, especially early in your pregnancy, can help calm your nerves somewhat. Keep in mind that as your trimester changes, so does your fears. Some fears, such as the health of your baby may last the entire pregnancy, while other fears such as labor and delivery surface in the third trimester. It’s okay to be fearful, especially if you’re a first time mother. Each pregnancy is different.

We’ve collected the top pregnancy fears, and try to explain why you shouldn’t fear them anymore.

• Miscarriage- The number one fear expectant mother’s face is having a miscarriage. Less than 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, plus most miscarriages happen within the first few weeks of pregnancy when expectant mothers aren’t expecting. Once you’ve passed the 6-8 week pregnant mark, you’ll be able to hear a heartbeat at your doctor’s appointment and hopefully put your fear aside, as miscarriage percentages decrease dramatically after the first trimester.

• Weight Gain- Many women worry about the amount of weight they will gain while they’re pregnant. Statistics show that 14-20% of mother’s keep some of the weight they put on, however, a steady diet and exercise can help shed the extra pounds. Finding an exercise class such as yoga during your pregnancy, can not only benefit you and your baby, but it can also help you maintain a routine once the baby is born.

• Health of Baby- Many expectant mothers find themselves consumed with negative thoughts and emotions that deal with the health of their baby. Having a healthy baby starts with a healthy pregnancy. Taking prenatal vitamins, eating healthy, exercising and doing things to keep your spirits high are all important things you can do to help ensure the health of your baby. Still, it’s important to remember the unavoidable risks of birth defects that are genetically related.

• Parenting Skills- Many expectant parents spend a lot of time worrying about whether they will be a good parent. It’s a normal fear, and more importantly it’s a healthy sign that the parent will turn out just fine. Many experts remind future parents that they don’t need potty training skills right after their baby is born, and parenting styles are developed as the baby grows.

• Labor and Delivery- Almost every pregnant woman, especially first time expectant mothers, find themselves in sheer fear of labor and delivery. Questions like “How long will it last?” or “How much will it hurt?” can be found in the brains of pregnant women worldwide. Enrolling in childbirth classes such as Lamaze, The Bradley Method or Yoga can help prepare you for the pain, long hours and intense emotions. Childbirth classes not only help you understand the process of childbirth, but they also give you confidence when dealing with pain.

• Harming The Baby- Many expectant mothers are very cautious when it comes to activities, food, beverages, medicine, etc. One of the biggest pregnancy fears is that the mom-to-be will somehow, unintentionally harm her baby. It’s important to remember that your doctor will give you a list of no-no’s, and if you stay away from these things, eat healthy and exercise, there’s really no need to drive yourself crazy.

• Weight Loss- Many expectant mothers are fearful that they won’t be able to lose the weight they’ll gain while pregnant. It’s one thing to fear how much weight you’ll put on, but it’s a totally different fear agonizing if you’ll be able to go back to your ‘pre-pregnant days’ body. It’s a very common fear, however, if you’re that worried about it, make sure you continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly after you give birth.

• Emergency C-Section- Generally c-sections are not spontaneous. In most cases, the c-section is planned if the baby is too large, breech, if there is problems with the placenta or if the mother has had previous c-sections. Doctors usually know of the problem before the baby is in position to be vaginally delivered, so they discuss the options ahead of time with everyone involved.

• Stress- Ironically, expectant mothers find themselves stressing over the idea that their baby will be harmed due to the amount of stress the mother is experiencing. Experts say that mild stress is actually good, and that the stress releases good hormones for mom and baby. Severe stress however, has been associated statistically with lower birth weight babies.

• Sex- Many pregnant mothers worry about having sex during pregnancy and if sex will ever be the same again. The truth is, as long as you and your doctor are okay with you having sex while you’re pregnant, there’s nothing to be fearful of. Even after birth, many women feel like their body parts will never return to normal, nor will they ever have a sex drive again. The truth is, your body will return to normal after the healing process, and yes breastfeeding does decrease your sex drive, however your libido will also continue to increase.

Many expectant parents know how hard it might be to get a good night’s sleep in the months that follow the birth of their child, but who would have guessed that catching some ZZZs during pregnancy would prove to be so difficult?

Actually, you may sleep more than usual during the first trimester of your pregnancy. It’s normal to feel tired as your body works to protect and nurture the developing baby. The placenta (the organ that nourishes the fetus until birth) is just forming, your body is making more blood, and your heart is pumping faster.

It’s usually later in pregnancy, though, that most women have trouble getting enough deep, uninterrupted sleep.

Why Can Sleeping Be Difficult During Pregnancy?

The first and most pressing reason behind sleep problems during pregnancy is the increasing size of the fetus, which can make it hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. If you’ve always been a back or stomach sleeper, you might have trouble getting used to sleeping on your side (as doctors recommend). Also, shifting around in bed becomes more difficult as the pregnancy progresses and your size increases.

Other common physical symptoms may interfere with sleep as well:

• The frequent urge to urinate: Your kidneys are working harder to filter the increased volume of blood (30% to 50% more than you had before pregnancy) moving through your body, and this filtering process results in more urine. Also, as your baby grows and the uterus gets bigger, the pressure on your bladder increases. This means more trips to the bathroom, day and night. The number of nighttime trips may be greater if your baby is particularly active at night.

• Increased heart rate: Your heart rate increases during pregnancy to pump more blood, and as more of your blood supply goes to the uterus, your heart will be working harder to send sufficient blood to the rest of your body.

• Shortness of breath: At first, your breathing may be affected by the increase in pregnancy hormones, which will cause you to breathe in more deeply. This might make you feel as if you’re working harder to get air. Later on, breathing may feel more difficult as your enlarging uterus takes up more space, resulting in pressure against your diaphragm (the muscle just below your lungs).

• Leg cramps and backaches: Pains in your legs or back are caused in part by the extra weight you’re carrying. During pregnancy, the body also produces a hormone called relaxin, which helps prepare the body for childbirth. One of the effects of relaxin is the loosening of ligaments throughout the body, making pregnant women less stable and more prone to injury, especially in their backs.

• Heartburn and constipation: Many women experience heartburn, which occurs when the stomach contents reflux back up into the esophagus. During pregnancy, the entire digestive system slows down and food tends to remain in the stomach and intestines longer, which may cause heartburn or constipation. Heartburn and constipation can both get worse later on in the pregnancy when the growing uterus presses on the stomach or the large intestine.

Your sleep problems may have other causes as well. Many pregnant women report that their dreams become more vivid than usual, and some even experience nightmares. Stress can interfere with sleep, too. Maybe you’re worried about your baby’s health, anxious about your abilities as a parent, or feeling nervous about the delivery itself. All of these feelings are normal, but they might keep you (and your partner) up at night.

Finding a Good Sleeping Position

Early in your pregnancy, try to get into the habit of sleeping on your side. Lying on your side with your knees bent is likely to be the most comfortable position as your pregnancy progresses. It also makes your heart’s job easier because it keeps the baby’s weight from applying pressure to the large vein (called the inferior vena cava) that carries blood back to the heart from your feet and legs.

Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant women sleep on the left side. Because your liver is on the right side of your abdomen, lying on your left side helps keep the uterus off that large organ. Sleeping on the left side also improves circulation to the heart and allows for the best blood flow to the fetus, uterus, and kidneys. Ask what your doctor recommends — in most cases, lying on either side should do the trick and help take some pressure off your back.

But don’t drive yourself crazy worrying that you might roll over onto your back during the night. Shifting positions is a natural part of sleeping that you can’t control. Most likely, during the third trimester of your pregnancy, your body won’t shift into the back-sleeping position anyway because it will be too uncomfortable.

If you do shift onto your back and the baby’s weight presses on your inferior vena cava, the discomfort will probably wake you up. See what your doctor recommends about this; he or she may suggest that you use a pillow to keep yourself propped up on one side.

Try experimenting with pillows to discover a comfortable sleeping position. Some women find that it helps to place a pillow under their abdomen or between their legs. Also, using a bunched-up pillow or rolled-up blanket at the small of your back may help to relieve some pressure. In fact, you’ll find that there are many “pregnancy pillows” on the market. If you’re thinking about purchasing one, talk with your doctor first about which one might work for you.

Tips for Sleeping Success

Although they might seem appealing when you’re feeling desperate to get some ZZZs, remember that over-the-counter sleep aids, including herbal remedies, are not recommended for pregnant women. Instead, the following pointers may safely improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep:

• Cut out caffeinated drinks like soda, coffee, and tea from your diet as much as possible. Restrict any intake of them to the morning or early afternoon.
• Avoid drinking a lot of fluids or eating a full meal within a few hours of going to bed at night. (But make sure that you also get plenty of nutrients and liquids throughout the day.) Some women find it helpful to eat more at breakfast and lunch and then have a smaller dinner. If nausea is keeping you up, you may want to eat a few crackers before you go to bed.
• Get into a routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
• Avoid rigorous exercise right before you go to bed. Instead, do something relaxing, like soaking in a warm bath for 15 minutes or having a warm, caffeine-free drink, such as milk with honey or a cup of herbal tea.
• If a leg cramp awakens you, it may help to press your feet hard against the wall or to stand on the leg. Also, make sure that you’re getting enough calcium in your diet, which can help reduce leg cramps.
• Take a class in yoga or learn other relaxation techniques to help you unwind after a busy day. (Be sure to discuss any new activity or fitness regimen with your doctor first.)
• If fear and anxiety are keeping you awake, consider enrolling in a childbirth or parenting class. More knowledge and the company of other pregnant women may help to ease the fears that are keeping you awake at night.

What to Do When You Can’t Sleep ?

Of course, there are bound to be times when you just can’t sleep. Instead of tossing and turning, worrying that you’re not asleep, and counting the hours until your alarm clock will go off, get up and do something: read a book, listen to music, watch TV, catch up on letters or email, or pursue some other activity you enjoy. Eventually, you’ll probably feel tired enough to get back to sleep.

And if possible, take short naps (30 to 60 minutes) during the day to make up for lost sleep. It won’t be long before your baby will be setting the sleep rules in your house, so you might as well get used to sleeping in spurts!

When preparing for your baby, one of the most joyful experiences that you will have is purchasing all of those cute, tiny outfits. However, try to resist stuffing your baby’s closet with dozens of outfits. Quite often, the more adorable an outfit is, the more impractical it is. Trying to get a tiny, fragile, squirming baby into a frilly, lacy frock is borderline impossible. Also, keep in mind that your baby will grow quickly. If you buy too many newborn clothes, chances are, your baby won’t even get the chance to wear many of them before they are outgrown.

• Below are several tips for sensibly choosing your newborn’s wardrobe.

• Buy three undershirts. Get the kind that have snaps on the side and open on the front. These are great for the first couple of weeks. They are easy to put on your newborn and they won’t rub against his umbilical stump.

• Buy about 10 onesies. These are appropriate once the umbilical stump falls off. These won’t ride up or wrinkle under your baby and are typically more comfortable for her than the undershirts. These are also good for colder weather because they won’t ride up and expose your baby’s tummy.

• Get about five sleepers with feet. These will keep your baby’s feet warm without trying to wrestle socks onto tiny, kicking feet. Sleepers with zippers are the most convenient for frequent diaper changes.

• Purchase six nightgowns with elastic bottoms. The easy open bottoms make those late night diaper changes a bit easier. Once your baby starts moving around, these become less practical because they tend to ride up.

• Get a couple of blanket sleepers. These will keep your baby warm without using a heavy blanket or comforter. Avoid using blanket sleepers after your baby reaches 5 months of age.

• Buy about three hats for your newborn. Babies lose a lot of body heat from their heads. Newborn babies should wear caps or hats to prevent too much heat loss.

• Get several pairs of socks. You need several pairs because you will lose several. You’ll lose them in the grocery store, the parking lot and your clothes dryer will eat a ton. Baby socks are tiny so once they are lost, they tend to stay lost.

Baby’s nails surely grow fast. Although it is smoother and thinner than adult’s nails, but it is sharp enough to make a scratch on baby’s face or on yours while she is breastfeeding. Therefore, parents must trim baby’s nails routinely, at least once in a week. For new parents, to trim baby’s nails can be dilemma, they will think that if it is not trim it surely can hurt their baby’s face, but if it is trim parents will feel worried that they can hurt baby’s fingers.
So, how to successfully trim baby’s nails without make any harm to their fingers? Maybe these things can be considered:

When?

• After bathing, why should after taking a bath? It is known that right after baby taking bath, their nails are still softer than usual. Cheer your baby out while you trim their nails, or you can ask your husband to do that. Try to shift their attention so that your baby will not pull their hands out.
• While baby’s sleeping. Of course, you can success trim their nails if only they are slept tight. If they are not, they might will be awaken or spontaneously pull their hands out.

Here are some tips to successfully trim baby’s nails:

• Use special baby nail-nippers, usually it is signed by circular tip and also not too sharp to be potentiated harm baby’s fingers.
• Push their meal under the nails, so it won’t be also trim, you should extra careful.
• Talk to your baby while you trim their nails, it makes both of you to not feel intense.
• If you hurt baby’s fingers, don’t be panic. Sometimes people feel nervous, so do you. To stop their bleeding, push the bleed-side by using cotton. In about one or two minutes, bleeding will stop. It doesn’t need to put in cast since it could postpone the healing process.

It is important to always pay attention to your baby’s nails,trim it if you find the nails have grown longer. Do not let your baby harm themselves by scratching their face using their nails. Hopefully these tips on trimming baby’s nails could be useful for you.

You may have heard that you lose a tooth for every pregnancy, but that’s just an old wives’ tale. Oral health is a reflection of your overall health, however, so maintaining proper dental care during pregnancy is especially important.

Pregnancy Gingivitis
It’s quite common to have dental problems during pregnancy. Hormonal changes can make gum tissues more susceptible to the bacteria in plaque, leading to inflammation and bleeding gums. This “pregnancy gingivitis” can be prevented by brushing and flossing each day. Having your teeth professionally cleaned early in your pregnancy may help prevent most gum problems, too.

Frequent snacking on sugary foods can also contribute to gingivitis. Continually bathing the teeth in plaque and bacteria can cause your gums to swell and bleed, so if you’re eating more often, make sure to brush your teeth more often as well.

The best way to improve gingivitis during pregnancy is to practice excellent oral hygiene. Remember the basics:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss once a day.
• Visit your dentist regularly for professional teeth cleanings.

Periodontal Disease and Premature Birth
Proper dental care is especially important during pregnancy, since serious gum disease (periodontal disease) has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight. A study by the University of North Carolina showed that women with periodontal disease were seven times more likely to have a baby born too early or too small. Researchers believe that the bacteria that cause periodontal disease enter the bloodstream through the mouth and travel to the uterus, where they trigger the production of prostaglandins, which may cause premature labor. If a baby is born too soon, it can’t reach its full potential weight.

Pregnancy Tumors
During your second trimester you may notice a red, raw, painless lump on your gums. This is called a “pregnancy tumor,” and although it isn’t cancerous, it should be taken seriously. These localized swellings are usually found between the teeth and are believed to be caused by excess plaque. Pregnancy tumors can be surgically removed after the baby is born if they haven’t subsided on their own.

What If I Need a Major Dental Treatment?
Regular dental care is important during pregnancy to prevent oral infections, such as gingivitis and periodontal disease, which might affect the baby. Most dentists recommend that you delay major dental treatments until after your baby is born, however. If your pregnancy isn’t obviously showing, be sure you inform your dentist when you arrive for your appointment, since some procedures or medications may be harmful to your unborn child.

If you have a dental emergency, by all means seek appropriate treatment. Although dental anesthetics such as novocaine or lidocaine can pass through the placenta, the doses used in most dental procedures are considered safe. If you do need an anesthetic, make sure it’s given in needle form, since inhaled or intravenous anesthetics increase the odds of miscarriage in the first trimester. Epinephrine is sometimes added to local anesthetics to make them last longer, but it’s recommended that you avoid this use during pregnancy, since it can increase the risk of some minor birth defects.

Antibiotics such as penicillin, amoxicillin, and erythromycin are safe to use during pregnancy, but avoid tetracycline, which can permanently discolor your unborn child’s developing teeth.

Under emergency circumstances, an X-ray may be necessary to help your dentist determine the health of your teeth and jaw. If not having the x-ray done poses a risk to your health, then have the X-ray– the risk will be minimal, since your uterus will be shielded with a lead apron.

What’s Good for You is Good for Your Baby
Generally speaking, if a dental procedure improves your overall health, it’s probably good for your baby as well, so go ahead with it during pregnancy. Unfortunately, most women don’t visit their dentist during pregnancy, even if they have dental problems. Remember– taking care of yourself is the best way to ensure the health of your child, so do what’s best for both of you and maintain your regular dental care.

Your baby’s sex is decided at the moment of conception  and it all hangs on whether your X-chromosome (female) egg is fertilized by an X-chromosome or Y-chromosome (male) sperm. If an X chromosome penetrates the egg first it’s X + X, meaning you have conceived a baby girl. But if a Y-chromosome sperm gets there first, X + Y results in you conceiving a baby boy.

There has long been debate over whether nature or nurture is responsible for the differences between baby boys and baby girls – but MRI scanning techniques have revealed over a hundred minute differences between the male and female brain and these come into play the minute your baby is born, becoming even more apparent as he grows. He has higher levels of testosterone in his body and this impacts on how he processes, stores and retrieves information. He’ll respond very differently to the world around him than a baby girl will, and when it comes to raising him it can help to keep this in mind.

So what can you expect from your baby boy?

Nappy changes are easier with a baby boy: As a rule it’ll be easier to clean your baby boy when you change his nappy, simply because poo tends to make its way into a baby girl’s vagina. No such problem with a baby boy. And don’t be surprised if your baby boy gets erections – it’s perfectly normal and you may see it at every nappy change. It can often signal that he is about to pee, so have a towel ready at nappy changes to avoid a soaking!

Boys sometimes walk sooner: Baby boys are more active than baby girls from day one, and will tend to kick and wriggle more. Boys also tend to have better gross motor skills than girls, so for that reason they may get on the move sooner and walk earlier than girls, and will tend to be much happier when they’re running or kicking a ball about. It means that you’ll probably have to encourage him more when it comes to getting him to sit down and do a task that involves concentrating and using fine motor skills, such as colouring. But it’s really in the late toddler and early preschool years that your boy will forge ahead when it comes to physical abilities and strength.

Boys prefer cars to dolls: Baby boys prefer to watch mechanical motion rather than human motion.  Your baby boy will be more spatially aware than a baby girl and better able to track motion – and it could be one reason for the fact that your efforts to be politically correct and get him to play with dolls will likely fall by the wayside as he clamours for his train set and toy cars!

Boys talk later than girls: Studies suggest that male brains have fewer nerve cells in the area of the brain that processes language and this may be why they often don’t vocalize as early or as clearly as girls the same age, and use less complex sentences once they do start talking. Speech delays are diagnosed in boys much more frequently than girls, so while you should expect him to be slightly behind girls the same age, get him assessed for a speech delay if he isn’t keeping up with other boys his age.

Boys are more emotional than you think: Your little boy may be a bigger softy at heart than a baby girl as he grows. Boys aren’t so good at socializing and communicating as girls and this often makes them less independent and more shy when it comes to mixing with others. You may find that your baby boy is more upset at being separated from you than a baby girl would be and that he’s actually more into cuddles with mummy!

However, as your baby boy grows he won’t be as adept as a girl at expressing his strong emotions – one reason why girls are more likely to talk things through and listen to reason when boys might be more likely to hit out. Help your boy by giving him the vocabulary he needs to label his emotions and express them verbally. If you see him looking cranky, tell him that’s how he feels – once he knows the right words to use, he’ll be more likely to use them.

There’s no doubt that boys and girls are different and that working with those differences can help you be a happy parent raising a happy baby boy. But do bear in mind that your baby boy is an individual and be prepared for some exceptions to the rules.

Baby boys are more at risk of poor health: Keep a close eye on your baby boy’s health in his first weeks and months as baby boys are more vulnerable to respiratory infections. They are more likely to suffer from bronchiolitis (a common illness in infancy) as well as wheezing and asthma. Baby boys who are born prematurely also fare less well than baby girls. Physically, boys have less mature skeletal systems, and this means that they’re more susceptible to injuring themselves than girls – the fact they are more physically active as they grow raises this risk.

Your baby’s sex is decided at the moment of conception  and it all hangs on whether your X-chromosome (female) egg is fertilized by an X-chromosome or Y-chromosome (male) sperm. If an X chromosome penetrates the egg first it’s X + X, meaning you have conceived a baby girl.

There has long been debate over whether nature or nurture is responsible for the differences between baby boys and baby girls – but MRI scanning techniques have revealed over a hundred minute differences between the male and female brain and these come into play the minute your baby is born, becoming even more apparent as she grows.

The estrogen in her system affects her brain development, and she also has higher levels of the hormones serotonin and oxytocin. Serotonin affects mood, meaning that your baby girl may be less cranky and more easily soothed than a baby boy. Oxytocin is a hormone produced during sex and while lactating, and could be the key to a baby girl being more receptive to emotions than a baby boy.

What else can you expect from your baby girl?

Nappy changes will be more fiddly : With a baby girl you have to be extra careful to wipe from front to back as this can help to prevent poo from entering her vagina, which can result in a yeast infection (these are common in baby girls), and her urethra, which can jumpstart a urinary tract infection. In her first few days you will notice that your baby girls vulva is swollen and she may pass discharge – this is perfectly normal and results from oestrogen that entered her system from your body via blood passing through the placenta and umbilical cord. She also may have discharge from her nipples for the same reason.

Baby girls are often smaller: Baby girls tend to be born smaller than baby boys, although if you and your baby’s father are especially tall she may be larger than a baby boy whose parents are small. They tend to be healthier too: their skeletons are stronger, making them less vulnerable to injury, and they also seem less susceptible to developing complications from respiratory infections such as bronchiolitis. Premature baby girls typically thrive better than premature baby boys.

Baby girls love to be active! Don’t be taken in by the fact your baby girl may seem less physically strong and active than a baby boy – she still needs to run and climb and kick and throw a ball. You shouldn’t treat her as any more fragile than a boy and a good workout will help her gross motor skills catch up with those of boys her age.

She’s keen to communicate with you: Baby girls are entranced by faces, and your baby will love nothing more than to be held up close to your face and will maintain eye contact with you for longer than a baby boy. It may be one reason why girls are better at reading emotions as they grow. Her fascination with watching your features express emotion makes her a great mimic – from just a few hours old she may copy you if you slowly poke out your tongue at her.

Baby girls are good with their hands: Baby girls are better at fine motor movements performed with the fingers so your baby girl will probably be able to hold and control a piece of chalk or a crayon with more dexterity than a boy her age. They are better at playing with toys that require a degree of manipulation, such as twisting movements, and more proficient at using a spoon when it comes to self-feeding, and holding a pencil for writing later on.

Baby girls talk sooner: The fact she’s watching you that bit more closely and better able to register your voice means your baby girl is likely to understand what you are saying to her earlier than a baby boy would, and she’s more likely to try to communicate back with hand gestures such as waving and pointing, sooner too. She’ll talk sooner too: at around 12 months as opposed to around 14 months for a baby boy. By 16 months or so, your baby girl will know and be able to say up to 100 words, while a boy the same age will typically average around 30. She’ll string words together to form sentences earlier, and once she reaches preschool age she will use longer and more complex sentences than a boy.

Baby girls are better listeners: Baby girls are better able to hear noises in a higher register. The fact your baby girl is more attuned to your voice should mean that she is more inclined to listen to you (though we can’t guarantee it once toddler tantrums rear their ugly head!)
The fact her hearing is more acute means you can expect your baby girl to be more easily startled and upset by loud noises than a baby boy would be, and when it comes to toys that make noises she will prefer gentle sounds like music rather than the wailing sirens a baby boy would favour.

Baby girls are more sociable: Baby girls have better social skills than baby boys, mainly because they are better at communicating, and at empathizing with others. This means your baby girl might well be more independent than a baby boy would be, less apt to get upset if she isn’t in your presence and more inclined to play with other children a further distance from you than a boy the same age would be.

There’s no doubt that boys and girls are different and that working with those differences can help you be a happy parent raising a happy baby girl. But do bear in mind that your baby girl is an individual and be prepared for some exceptions to the rules.

Kids just love Easter baskets, but when they’re still babies, they don’t really know what it’s all about. Even so, if this is your baby’s first Easter, or if you know a baby who’s celebrating this milestone for the first time, you should consider putting a simple basket together for them.

Why First Easter Baskets are Important

If you’ve got older children, and if the Easter Bunny brings them a basket each year, then it’s vital that baby gets one too. Otherwise, the older kids might wonder why your baby was left out! Traditionally, the Easter Bunny brings gifts to children who are good, so you can imagine what older siblings may think.

Even if you don’t have older kids, you should still consider getting baby their very first Easter basket. Easter is a time when families and friends often meet up, and if there is a new arrival, they’re bound to be the subject of lots of photos and videos. Imagine when they look back at their first Easter and see the adults gorging on chocolate, but nothing for them!

But the most important reason of all is that they’re special, and really, we do want to spoil them!

Gift ideas

There are, essentially, three types of gift that are suitable for baby’s first Easter basket, and it’s likely you’ll include some of each.

First, we have little gifts for baby to enjoy. No chocolate or candy, of course, but their favorite baby foods, some soft toys, and musical instruments are all appropriate. Other ideas include bath toys, baby books, and music CDs.

Secondly, we have the practical stuff. These are things that baby probably wouldn’t choose for themselves, but mom and dad will be happy with. Think of teething rings, Easter themed clothes and bibs, blankets, and so on.

Thirdly, there are gifts for babies, but that are really for mom and dad! For example, you can get a chocolate egg with your baby’s name on it. They may not be allowed to eat the chocolate, but they make a great addition to any Easter photo. After wards, mom and dad will help to tidy it away!

You can easily get your precious little one to be the center of attraction this Easter by dressing your baby up in a cute costume designed especially for babies. In fact, there are numerous designs available when you walk in to any baby clothing store.

According to legends, the Easter Bunny will bring toys, colored eggs and candies to well-behaved boys and girls on the eve of each Easter. Little children will get very excited at the colorful gifts they receive on this special day. Now, to add to the joyous celebration, why not let your precious little one become a lovely and adorable Baby Bunny?

As parents, it is understandable that you will want to dress your little bundle of joy up in a beautiful costume. This Easter should not be an exception and you can easily find lots of ideas on how you should dress your precious little one up in the cutest way possible so that he or she will be the most attractive baby bunny in the crowd!

Since rabbits and hares are the main highlight during Easter and they are also very adorable creatures, bunny costumes are in great demand all year around. As such, you can easily get a beautiful and attractive bunny costume for your little one from any wholesalers or retailers. Due to the fierce competition all around, designers are constantly coming up with new bunny costumes designs to attract parents.

To ease your task at making a suitable selection from the dazzling array of choices available in the market, let me now introduce to you just a few of the bunny costumes that you can get for your baby.

1. Pink Bunny Infant Costume
If your baby girl is between the ages of 6 months to 18 months old, you may want to consider getting the Pink Bunny Infant costume for her. Your precious little girl will be kept warm by this pink fur jumpsuit that comes with a matching headpiece as well as a rattle to entertain her. The attached pinkish and furry ears as well as white pompom on the headpiece will attract her attention as well as everybody else’s and she will love to wear it everywhere she goes.

One advantage of dressing your baby up in a jumpsuit is that you can be sure she is well-protected from the cold and her diaper is also well hidden. This is definitely a good deal at the low price that you will be paying for. Don’t worry if you have a baby boy instead because the same set is available in blue as well.

2. Cozy Little Bunny Cape Costume
The Cozy Little Bunny Cape costume is available in both infant and toddler sizes. Since this bunny costume is basically a hood with long rabbit ears, your one-time purchase is likely to last for a few years without worries that your darling will outgrow it too soon. You simply have to tie it around your little one’s shoulder so it does not matter if it appears a little short after a few years. It will still look very attractive on your child. You can have lots of fun taking Easter pictures with your little one in different poses with the cape. It is definitely well-worth the price that you are paying. Moreover, it can be machine washed easily so there will not be any hassle.

3. Plush Bunny Child Costume
The Plush Bunny Child costume is a very attractive pink and white bodysuit that is made of ultra soft micro fiber so you do not have to worry about your baby being allergic to the material. It comes with a matching bunny hood so your baby will stand out from the crowd when dressed in one of these costumes on Easter. This bunny costume is available in X-small, small and toddler sizes. Maintenance is also hassle free as you can simply machine wash it.

4. Bunny Suit, Child Costume
The Bunny Suit, Child Costume is something for your bigger sized toddler or slighter older child. This one-piece jumpsuit is made of plush so your child will feel very comfortable when dressed in it. Purchase of the costume also comes with a character hood, mitts and shoe covers. The pink pompom at the backside of the costume will make the little bunny even more real-like as your child hops around in the costume. Your child will have great fun with this costume during your Easter celebrations!

With so many ways you can dress your precious little one up, you will definitely have a lot of fun this Easter.