Baby Care

The placenta sounds like a planet from another solar system and looks like an alien life form. But it has a very important job to do. It is your baby’s life support system whilst in the womb and not only supplies your baby with everything she needs, but also keeps anything harmful out of her way.

For the first 12 to 13 weeks the placenta is developing rapidly inside you and attaches itself to the lining of the uterus. Some scientists think that this is the reason some women feel very drained in early pregnancy. Their bodies are not only creating a tiny baby, but it’s life support system too. First and foremost the placenta helps your baby to breathe. Each time your heart beats, blood from your arteries flows into the placenta so that oxygen and nutrients flow to...

No-one told you but the first few months are tough. Rest assured they get easier but our survival tips for new mums will speed up the process!

Round-robin dinners
If your friends ask what they can do for you in the early days, get them to do a round-robin of dinners for the first couple of weeks. It’s so exciting waiting for the dinner to turn up and people usually prepare their most decadent meals. It’s better than eating in a restaurant every night. And you’ll find even if your baby has been an angel all day, from 5 – 7 is witching time for many newborns.

Power naps
Business people may think they are the ones who invented these but new mothers have always done them. Don’t always do...

Anyone who’s sat with a teething baby can tell you there’s no surefire way of helping a baby go to sleep. For exhausted parents during the day, getting a child to sleep through the night is vital. After months of nursing, you can begin weaning your child at night, but if you start before your baby is ready, you’ll be waking to the hungry screams of an infant. Experiment with sleeping habits and routines to find what works. You can’t make schedules for sleeping babies, but you can note patterns in the times your baby is most likely to be sleepy.

After the first six months, night weaning is an option. Check with your pediatrician.

Create the Right Environment
You can’t train a child to sleep through the night, but you can make...

All parents need a little time off now and again.

In order to feel comfortable about leaving your baby you need to choose a good babysitter that inspires your confidence.

Many parents rely on family members to care for baby when they will be gone, but you can’t always depend upon your relatives. How do you choose a person to look after your baby?

The Interviewing Process

One of the first steps in choosing a person to watch your baby when you are not at home is the interview process. Be sure you ask for references and follow up on checking them.

You should rely on your instincts when it comes to feeling comfortable and secure in your choice of a babysitter.

You want someone that is warm, caring and flexible. What are the prospective babysitter’s views on discipline? Is the person comfortable and happy around children?

You also will need to discuss the babysitter’s rates. Another factor to consider is the...

These Christmas baby food ideas and tips for the holiday season will help you make baby’s first Christmas extra special!

Your baby’s first Christmas is simply a magical time – for him AND for you! It’s a time to introduce your little one to the wonderful traditions you grew up with and an opportunity for you to re-create wonderful memories from your own childhood.

Christmas dinner for baby can be put together quite easily from your meal, which is traditionally full of healthy veggies – but exactly what you give your baby depends, of course, on his age and stage of development.

Remember: Your baby should be at least 6 months of age before you introduce him to solid foods, unless your doctor has recommended starting earlier.

And, even though it’s Christmas and you’re anxious to include your baby at the Christmas meal, you should still introduce new foods separately and with the consent of his doctor.

This...

The Christmas holiday period is a time when for millions of families the daily routine is likely to change, sometimes drastically or sometimes just a little. If you have a new born, or very young, baby in the house, do not believe that they will not be aware of what’s going on just because they are lazing around in their crib sleeping most of the time. They will be aware of differences in their environment, so it is a good idea to think about the well being of the baby in advance, and plan your Christmas period accordingly.

Probably the first sign that something different is going on in the home will be the Christmas decorations and...

Baby’s first Christmas is certainly an event to be treasured. Here are some creative ways to record your first holiday together.

1. Make or buy a personalized ornament. Hang an ornament painted with your baby’s name and birthdate. Every year you can take out this ornament and remember your baby’s first Christmas.

2. Create your first annual photo ornament. Place your baby’s picture in a tiny frame and hang from your Christmas tree. Do the same thing next year and hang the two ornaments next to each other. As the years go by, you’ll have pictures of your baby from each Christmas.

Christmas is approaching nearer and people are concerned about Christmas gifts they are going to give their nearest and dearest. Nowadays when the market is overloaded with different products it becomes quite a challenge to make a good and appropriate choice, especially for those who want to please little children. Very often you find yourself in a difficult situation trying to choose a gift for a little one though you know it has to be a toy or the like, some adorable items that a baby can play with and have fun. It is wrong to think that any bright toy given to a baby can delight him or her. This can sound incredibly but some children can be very picky and even express their dissatisfaction if they don’t like the gift. Children are perfectly frank and they...

During the first year of life, your baby will spend up to 70% of his or her time in the baby crib you choose. The baby crib is one of the most important investments you will make before your baby’s arrival.

Here are several useful tips to help you choose the best crib for your baby.

1. Safety

What to look for:

* The distance between slats must be no more than 2 3/8 inches (6 centimeters) to protect infants from falling out and toddlers from trapping their heads between the slats.
* The side rails that lower should have at least two locking devices to prevent older babies from releasing them.
* When a side rail is lowered, its top should be at least 9 inches (23 centimeters) above the mattress support....

Winter can be a very harsh time for an adult’s skin but for babies it can be extra harsh.

Your baby’s skin is very sensitive and you will need to take extra care for your baby if you live in a cold environment.

Winter time weather could cause irritation and your baby’s skin to dry out. It is easy for the moisture in their soft skin to disappear.

Cold wind has a way of depleting skin of its moisture and elasticity. There are certain things that you will want to do to prevent this from happening.

Baby bathing and Moisturizing during Winter Months - You will not want to take your baby out into the cold weather directly after giving them their bath. This can chaff their skin. Make sure that...