Baby Bedding

Watch Out For Allergies With Baby Laundry!

So you’re having a baby. You think you’ve thought of everything, but at the same time you’re terrified that you’ve missed something. Here’s one thing you might or might not have thought of: laundry. Yes, you know that you will have more, but have you considered the basic differences between your baby’s laundering needs and yours? If you regularly use perfumed detergents, bleach, or artifact softener, your laundering habits might need some reform.

Gone are the days of washing clothes just because they smell. Your baby is going to burp up stuff you’ve never thought of, and your laundry piles are going to skyrocket. This is only one new concern, however, since your baby’s skin is much more sensitive to chemicals than you and your spouses’ grown up skin. Laundering the baby’s clothing in detergents that are free of perfumes and dyes is one swift way to help ensure that your baby does not get unnecessary anguish from irritating chemicals. There are detergents formulated specifically for babies, but for the most part as long as you stay away from perfume and dye heavy products, your baby should be just fine. There are of course rare cases in which the baby has specific allergies, in which case it is probably ideal to find one brand that works for your baby’s skin and stick with it. Unfortunately for your baby, this might mean a short trial and error process. As with food allergies, just keep a keen eye out and make sure you seek immediate medical treatment when you are concerned about anything.

Another thing that is important when laundering baby clothing is to make sure that you launder any cloth diapers separately. If you are using cloth diapers, you might think of the obvious reason: these items of clothing are obviously much more soiled than the average baby clothing item. It is ideal to launder these items twice: once in bleach with a double rinse, and then a second time with just vinegar during the last rinse cycle. This is important because not only is the baby using these items a lot more frequently (so they get a lot more wear), but also they are the closest to the baby’s very sensitive skin. So making sure that cloth diapers are as allergen free as doable is a key bourgeois in keeping your baby comfortable and happy.

The last item on our laundry agenda will keep your laundry service or electric company well fed, and you plenty busy. As your baby swiftly outgrows apiece new item of clothing, and a new one needs to be bought to replace it, the new items should all be washed before being place on the baby. That includes outerwear and bath accessories, but is especially important for things that you purchase a lot of, like undershirts, socks, and onesies. The first couple of months are particularly crucial in determining what kind of laundering ritual is ideal for your new addition. This is also a time in which you will be getting used to a lot of specifics about your new baby. Make sure no matter how you launder your baby’s clothes, you keep a good eye out for doable allergic reactions and rashes. A comfortable baby is a much happier baby.

Traditional, Classic and Old World Baby Clothing Dressing Your Baby The Old-School Way

In today’s world there are almost as many styles in baby clothing as there are babies crawling about. Parents who want modern clothing can find it at the nearest Wal-Mart, those who desire substitute forms of clothing for their babies can usually find it online, some people make their baby clothing by hand, slicing cloth and sewing together designs from patterns bought at the nearest Hancock Fabrics location. The choices are almost limitless and include styles and designs too numerous to mention completely.

Like in other areas of the fashion world, baby clothes designs never really die, they go in and out of style according to the whims of the populace which, in the case of baby clothes, means the whims of the parents. Right now one of those whims is leaning toward retro clothing styles.

The term retro can mean a number of things, but often refers to pop culture of the current past. While its true that styles influenced by the pop culture of the 1970s and 1980s are becoming popular, there is another retro movement taking place and it leans toward classic or old world baby clothing. Designs that were favourite fifty, sixty, seventy, and up to a hundred years ago are gaining popularity with parents all over the country.

For baby boys, billowing “rompers” are selling from a number of specialty shops and websites from around the world to a largely American clientele, as are two piece short & shirt sets and old-style coveralls. Classic designs for girls include mostly flowing dresses and female counterparts to the boys’ rompers.

Most of these designs can not be found in the average American store and many come from Europe and must be bought online or by mail order. The British web site “Baby Classics” offers these styles and more to their customers, so many of whom are in the US that the company saw fit to quote their prices in dollars as well as British pounds. The outfits are costly by most baby clothing standards, costing about the same as some of the more extravagant designer outfits for babies, but have found an audience because of the “cute” appearance of the clothing as it is worn by the infants or toddlers.

These extremely retro baby fashions might not be for everyone because off their one-of-a-kind looks and hefty prices, but many parents are jumping onto this classic bandwagon and dressing their babies in the fashions of long ago. Due to the cost and the delicate fabrics you probably won’t see a lot of these designs showing up at the local park for play dates, but don’t be surprised if you’re sitting in church or at some special occasion and see a baby dressed like she’s living in the 1920s.

Three Kinds Of Baby Clothes

When buying baby clothes parents are suddenly inundated with multiple choices that can become quite confusing. How many lovable and lovable outfits does tiny Bill or Hillary need? How many “Onesie” body suits are enough? For tiny people that grow so swiftly there are certainly a wide variety of clothing options, how does a new parent know what to get?

To help settle the dilemma and answer these questions, parents need to keep in mind a easy “rule of three.” Babies need three kinds of clothes. Clothes are needed for daytime wear, for going out, and for sleeping. The baby sleepwear will likely outnumber the other varieties since sleeping is what babies spend most of their time doing, but the numbers of apiece outfit will vary in direct relation to the number of times the parents are willing to do laundry.

Baby Daywear

The clothes you have for your baby to “hang around” in should be comfortable, easy to access for diaper changes, and simple. These are the articles that your baby will spend most of her time in and they’re bound to get dirty. When the baby spits up, spews strained beets all over the place, crawls around on the floor, or does any of the other relatively messy and somewhat disgusting things that babies do, these clothes are going to bear the brunt of the abuse. As such, you probably don’t want these things to happen while baby is wearing the beautiful Baby Dior outfit that Aunt Edna gave as a shower gift. The ideal clothes for these day to day needs are easy body suits with snaps at the crotch. Onesies are a brand study of these items, but the term has pretty much entered the language to mean any such article designed this way. You’ll probably want anywhere between five and ten of these on hand.

Baby Sleepwear

Clothing for sleeping should meet some of the same specifications as the baby daywear in terms of comfort and accessibility. Obviously if you live in a colder region or it is the middle of December you’ll want heavier articles than if you live in Phoenix and its July. Babies can still be messy when they sleep, but are usually nowhere near as messy as when they’re up and around. In warm enough climates the same style of Onesies that are used for baby’s daytime activities can double as sleepwear, but if the temperature is cooler you’ll want heavier knit PJs or similar sleepwear.

Dressing up Baby

The outdoor baby wear is where the parents really get to shine. Here is where you can utilize the lovable and lovable stuff that was given as shower gifts or that you just couldn’t resist picking up during a routine trip to Wal-Mart. These items should still be analyzed for practicality, making sure that straps, snaps, bows and such do not interfere with diaper changing or cause anguish to the infant, but you’re a tiny freer to show off. After all, everyone wants to coo over an lovable baby. When the lovable baby is adorably dressed, the cooing is that much sweeter.

The Truth About Layettes

Recently, I was at a baby shower for a young friend of mine who is anticipating her first child. Most of the attendees were college friends of ours, and nearly no one in the room has had a child yet. Needless to say, some of the gifts took some explaining. For many young mothers, some necessities might come as a surprise. In fact many might not know what the phrase “baby layette” means. For those, and for those who just feel like a checklist would make them feel more prepared, here are the basic things that an expectant mom and dad should have inactivity for the new bundle of joy.

It is important to have between four and six of all of your baby’s basic regular needs. Things like undershirts, sleeping gowns, onesies, footsie pajamas, receiving blankets, hooded towels, socks, washcloths, and regular clothing will be key, since your laundry needs are going to multiply exponentially. You don’t want to be caught in the middle of a load of laundry with a baby who has just spit up his or her lunch on her last clean shirt.

A going home outfit is of great importance, since it is the first time a lot of relatives and friends will see your baby. Not only will there be lots of photos, but there is a lot of sentimentality attached to this particular item. Other individual items to have on hand in the new baby’s nursery are a crib with adjustable settings that can change to meet the needs of your growing (and ever the more clever) baby. You will, for the baby’s bedding need a crib or bassinette with at least two to four crib or bassinette sheets, a crib bumper, and two to three crib blankets. You might want to think about adding a dust ruffle and some waterproof pads for the crib. These are not necessary at first, but you will need them later. A playpen for bringing the new family member along to friend’s houses, family gatherings, or even just to the park or in another room of the home is a convenience that is great for keeping just a tiny bit of me time in those primeval months.

While with baby clothes, you should stock up on sizes three to six months (in case the baby is larger than the average newborn, or grows rather quickly), you want to have at least one massive box of newborn sized diapers on hand when the baby arrives home. You might want to stock up in the event of a sale, but you don’t want to purchase too many, in case the baby is too massive for them.

You also want to keep some other essentials in mind for changing/bathing. Two to three bottles of baby shampoo will get you off to a good start, along with a bottle of baby oil, a bottle of baby lotion, baby powder (corn starch is a great bulk alternative), and one tube of metal oxide for diaper rash. Even if you are breastfeeding, you want to have 6-12 bottles with nipples and collars (and some extra nipples on hand if you are not breastfeeding). These are the absolute basics. It might seem like a lot, but being prepared with these necessities will make your transition into parenting much easier.

Mommy and Baby: Nursing Questions and Answers

Q. How often should I nurse a newborn infant?

A. No fewer than 8 times per day, depending on how long he gives you at night. If he can go 4 hours, you’ll probably see two feedings in between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. If you tank him up right before you go to bed, you might only have one.

Q. How often should I nurse an older baby?

A. Depending on your child’s age, you should be on a 3-4 hour routine during the day. Remember, as your child gets older, the frequency of nursing sessions will drop off, but he will be intake more at apiece session. If you are committed to nursing past 6 months of age, it’s not suggested that you drop below 5 feedings per day. If you believe your milk supply is waning and you don’t want to stop breastfeeding, add a feeding or two to your regular routine in order to increase your milk supply

Q. How do I drop a feeding as my baby grows?

A. The most common changes are mothers who want to switch from a 3 to a 3.5 hour routine or a 3.5 to a 4 hour routine, babies who are ready to drop their middle of the night feeding, or parents who are ready to stop the late-night feeding.

Most often you’ll know when your baby is ready to switch by a change in his sleep patterns. A baby on a 3 hour routine typically takes 3 naps per day (morning, afternoon, late afternoon) and the switchover to a 3.5 hour routine will see a shortening of one of those naps or the dropping of the last kip of the day. Babies are generally ready for this switch by about 12 weeks of age.

Dropping the middle of the night feeding is most often accomplished by the baby himself between 7-14 weeks of age. You’ll know your baby is ready when he doesn’t wake you up until 6:00 a.m. or so, and you’ll probably wake in a panic that morning, realizing you weren’t beckoned in the middle of the night. He will require more food during the day from this point on, and your breasts will likely be overly full for several days, but it’s all good!

Stopping the late night feeding is typically the trickiest to do. Many parents are reluctant to drop it, thinking that if they do, their baby will wake in the middle of the night, starving. If you think he can't drop the feeding completely, back it up in 15-minute increments until you arrive at your desired time. If his last two feedings of the day are closer than your flexible schedule states it “should be,” don’t worry. It’s a temporary fix, and that’s what flexibility is all about. The routine serves you, not the other way around!

Planning Your Baby’s Layette

Even if you’ve done it all before, bringing a baby home from the hospital takes a lot of preparation. The last thing you’ll want to do in those first few days after the baby arrives is run around to pick up any tiny necessitates that you forgot. Getting everything bought, borrowed or found and tucked away before the magical day can give you a feeling of achievement – and set your mind at assist that you’ve got everything you need.

If you’re buying on a budget, there are some great low-cost sources for all of baby’s needs – and considering how fast your newborn angel will outgrow those layette items, you’ll want to take advantage of each cost-cutter that you can.

Shop the second’s stores

Just like adult clothing, baby clothes manufacturers sometimes goof just a little. In most cases, the missed stitch or not-quite-perfect seam isn’t anything that will affect wear. You can save as much as 70% off department store prices if you pick up baby layette items at your local job lots or discount department store.

Buy a size ahead in sleepers and footsies

Most babies barely spend a month in 0-3 month sizes. Reserve the smallest size for special occasion clothing – like coming home from the hospital, and skip right to the 3-6 month size for any fitted clothing. For the same reason, stick to comfy, stretchy cotton and terry knits for one piece footie jammies. They’ll fit much longer.

Lay in a good stock of Swee’pea gowns.

Drawstring bottom nighties are just about the most convenient single item for baby at home. When baby needs changing, just pull up, change and pull back down.

A pack of birdseye diapers make the ideal burp rags

Even if you decide to use disposable diapers, purchase one pack of cotton birdseye diapers. They can’t be beat as burp rags to lay over your shoulder or lap when you’re pat-pat-patting the baby to bring up any air bubbles in the tummy.

Shop yard sales

Newborn layette items are almost always gently used. Most babies just aren’t in them long enough to do a lot of damage. A stop at your local Salvation Army thrift store can purchase you a whole layette’s worth of crib sheets, receiving blankets, baby onesies and baby tees for less than $5.

Launder everything before the baby is born

Use a mild laundry soap like Dreft or Ivory Snow to wash away any remnants of dyes, chemicals or starches. Babies have notoriously delicate skin. If you’ll feel superior giving any used items a good bleaching, make sure that you place it all through a second clear rinse to wash away any lingering traces of bleach.

Quality DOES count in ways you don’t expect. Do purchase study brands that feature completed seams – French or enclosed seams are even better. It’s not that your newborn cherub will place a lot of wear on those seams – it’s that flat, enclosed seams will be far kinder to baby’s delicate skin.

Shop wisely, and you’ll get everything you need for baby’s homecoming with a minimal investment of cash.

Pink, Blue Or Undecided?

The pink or blue question is a moot one these days, isn’t it? After all, it’s so simple to tell the gender of a baby before the happy day, so there’s no need to guess. Well, that’s not strictly true. Even with the advances in technology, ultrasound photos aren’t always one hundred percent certain, and many parents like to be surprised. If you’re shopping for a new baby without knowing the gender, you still might have to decide whether to purchase pink or blue.

You could always flip a coin – heads it’s roses and lace, tails you pick up the little man suit. There are more efficient and practical ways to make sure that you pick up clothing and accessories that will be appreciated and useful.

Gender-Neutral Colors

The easiest way, of course, is to stick with gender neutral colors in your choices. As a culture, we’re fond of dressing babies in pastels, but you don’t have to limit yourself to pale yellow and baby green to be safe. There are lots of other gender-neutral colors to select from.

Looking for a crib set that isn’t gender-specific? White and ivory are good choices, and you can actually get away with eyelet and alter as long as it’s not too delicate. A plump white comforter and matching crib bumpers work just as well for a boy as for a girl.

Primary and bright, clear secondary colors are another great way to refrain the gender tangle when selecting clothing and accessories for baby. Bright red, blue, green and yellow sleepers will look lovable no matter what gender the baby turns out to be. Pick onesies in turquoise, orange, dark green or red, either all a solid color, or with contrasting ribbing along the edges.

Go for the unusual. Envision how high the lovable meter will raise if you outfit baby’s room in tuxedoed penguins sporting bright red, blue and yellow ribbons, or pick up a t-shirt emblazoned with red, yellow and blue balloons. You can even pat yourself on the back for choosing bright colors for the baby’s room and accessories. As much as we love pastel baby togs, babies respond far superior to bright, clear colors.

Gender Neutral Patterns

If you’re not sure on the boy/girl issue, keep in mind that you can err more easily on the boy side than the girl. A baby girl in a t-shirt printed with sports motifs is cute. You just wouldn’t place a little boy in a sleeper printed with little sprigs of daisies. Teddy bears and duckies are one gender-neutral choice, but you can find adorable, one-of-a-kind prints that will stand out. Some of the more clever that we’ve seen around lately – Noah’s Ark, lions and tigers, traffic signs, seasonal themes (candy canes, pumpkins, candy corn?).

Other gender neutral patterns that work for boys or girls clothing include candy color stripes, odd-size polka dots and nonfigurative patterns. Pick a motif, pick a color and have a blast dressing your baby in clothes and accessories that don’t scream boy or girl.

Removing Stains From Babies

Would you remember the TV commercials for that laundry detergent that claimed to get rid of the humiliating “ring round the collar? ” The couple would be at a few social gathering, perhaps dining on Lobster Thermador in the Rotary Club or a few such thing, when among the Gladys Kravitz-esque attendees might notice a stain upon Mr. Commercial’s shirt collar as well as point it out loudly enough for everybody this side of Brooklyn to know, “He’s got ring round the collar! ” The singsong nasal chorus would continue doing this as Mrs. Commercial switched several shades of pink and Mr. Commercial continued merrily munching on their shellfish, inattentive to the actual goings-on. I, for 1, always wondered why Mrs. Commercial was so ashamed when clearly the problem would look after itself if Mr. Commercial would just take time to wash his neck.

I acquired to thinking about that commercial recently when i was trying to get rid of another stubborn stain, that one caused by my baby’s ample and artful ways of regurgitation rather than my individualized husband’s poor upper vertebral cleanliness. Babies’ garments are not the same as adults’ you see, and babies’ skin is much more sensitive, so there is totally no miracle stain remover that’s both innocuous for baby and tough about the messes that they makes when they decide that they would like to take one more take a look at that last bit associated with formula. There are, nevertheless, several ways to get rid of stubborn stains like these types of from baby clothes as well as accessories using common household items which contain no harmful chemical substances.

For the traditional spit-up stain that parents of the young baby will see lots of, the ideal method that I’ve discovered uses club soda as well as baking soda. What you’ll wish to accomplish is sprinkle a tiny bit of baking soda on the stained area after which pour on a tiny bit of club soda. Remember the papier mache volcanoes how the nerdier children constructed for that eighth grade science reasonable? This is the exact same effect. The club soda as well as baking soda will bubble and foam a little. Let that happen for some seconds and then take a classic toothbrush and gently scrub the region. The dried on items of yuck should loosen and chip away very swiftly at all. Now clean the garment as typical. Voila! The stain ought to be gone. This same concoction will remove corrosion in the positive and negative posts of the vehicle battery, by the way in which, so if you have that problem eventually, tell your husband that you’ll look after it for him while he adopts the bathroom and flushes his neck.

Diapering 101 – How To Fold And Use Cloth Diapers

Let’s skip right past the great diaper debate and adopt that you’ve read what there is to read, done your soul-searching, and prefabricated your decision – and for your baby, it’s nothing but natural against that tender skin. Whether your decision is ecological, economical, or based on something else entirely, you’ve decided on cloth diapers for baby. Now it’s time for Diapering 101 – how do you turn a rectangle of cloth into a comfy cover for the tiny cherub?

Wash the diapers first

First things first. Never diaper your baby in a brand new cloth diaper straight from the plastic wrapping. Between the natural cotton and the manufacturing process, new diapers have a ‘waxy’ coating that cuts down on their absorbency and can irritate baby’s skin. Toss all your new diapers into the washer and run them through five or six cycles with detergent, bleach and the hottest water you can muster. If you’ve got a clothesline and a sunny day, that’s the ideal way to dry them.

Folding Diapers

You thought you had prefabricated your last choice when you picked cloth, did you? Think again. There are even more choices in 100% natural cloth diapers than there are in the disposable diapers aisle at the supermarket. Pre-folded, padded, flat-folded, nappy-style, all-in-ones, all-in-twos – it’s enough to make your head spin just trying to absorb it all. Add to that the choices in diaper covers – plastic pants? Nappy covers? Wool covers? Velcro, pin or one of the novelty diaper fasteners? For the purposes of this Diapering Baby class, we’ll adopt that you’re using plain old flat-folds – a easy rectangle of absorbent cotton that might have a quilted layer running down the middle for extra absorbency. Here are several different methods of folding diapers, courtesy of moms, grandmas and the DyDee Company.

The Angel-Wing Fold

1. Lay the diaper lengthwise on the changing table. Fold the sides of the diaper in to the middle to form an absorbent pad.

2. Fold a few inches down at the front.

3. Unfold the sides at the back of the diaper, fanning them out.

4. Place the baby on the diaper, and pull the front up between his or her legs.

5. Holding the front against his belly, bring both sides of the back around to the front, and pin in place, actuation the pin through a few layers of diaper. You don’t have to go all the way through the diaper so that the pin is against baby’s skin.

Bikini Twist High-Cut Fold

1. Lay the diaper flat on the table.

2. Turn ONE END of the diaper absolutely over, twisting the diaper at the midpoint to form an absorbent pad.

3. Put the baby on the diaper (or the diaper under the baby, whichever is easier).

4. Pull the front of the diaper up between baby’s legs.

5. Pull back corners of the diaper around the baby, over the front corners and pin securely.

Double-Diaper For Heavy Wetters

1. Use one regular diaper and one infant size diaper. Lay regular diaper on table. Place infant size diaper in center.

2. Fold sides of infant diaper in, then fold sides of regular diaper in to cover the infant diaper.

3. Fold a few inches of the diaper front up, then fan the back of the diaper out to form angel wings.

4. Plop the baby in the middle of the diaper, and proceed as for the angel wing fold.

Whichever fold you select to use, cover the whole thing with a diaper cover, smooch the tiny tyke and send him back off to play with a warm, dry bottom.

Mommy and Baby: Keeping Tabs On Baby?s Growth

Lactation difficulties are not absolutely prevented by using PDF; you are rested and intake properly, your baby is getting enough food and growing, and your life is relatively predictable. So you might think that you’re immune from production issues, right? There are many more factors which play in to milk production that just the ones I listed.

Factors that can affect milk supply include:

 Amount of sleep a mom receives
 Mom’s diet & nutrition
 Her say of mind
 Mother’s age
 Whether this is her first child or sixth
 Mom’s desire to breastfeed
 Her capacity to nurse
 A mother’s nursing techniques
 Her baby’s capability to properly latch on

If you’re nursing, keeping tabs on your baby’s growth is incredibly important—your baby’s life depends on it. How will you know if he’s getting enough milk or nutrition? Unfortunately, the breast tissue isn’t transparent and we can't see exactly how much milk your baby is drinking or your body is producing. Fortunately, there are other ways to achieve our goal.

In the first week of life, your baby will receive colostrum before your milk comes in. Not only is this rich in antibodies and helps your baby’s immune system develop, but it helps him pass his first stool—meconium. This is a black, tarry substance and will be in the first diaper or two after birth. He will transition to a brown substance and then as your milk comes in, to a mustard yellow stool that is watery or loose. A bottle-fed baby will pass stools that are firmer and more clay-coloured than a breastfed baby.

Within 24-48 hours, your baby should begin having wet diapers, increasing to two or three per day.

As your baby works at sucking colostrum and then milk, you should hear a pattern of “suck, suck, suck, swallow.” This will be rhythmic and there will be no “clicking” noises—clicking indicates that your baby is improperly latched and potentially isn’t getting a good amount of milk from you. If you hear this, unlatch him from your breast and re-attach him. If it continues, speak to your pediatrician.

In the second and subsequent weeks of life, you should also notice 6-8 wet diapers a day in addition to at least 3 stools per day. His urine should be clear (not yellow), and he should be gaining alertness as apiece day passes. He should also be growing and gaining weight—weight acquire is the surest sign of healthy growth. Any two days in a row of deviation from the growth indicators listed should be reported to your pediatrician immediately.