There are many essential baby products a new parent must purchase. Cribs, car seats, baby monitors, baby strollers, high chairs and clothing are all necessary to ensure your child's safety and comfort. However, there are many baby products out there that are not worth wasting your money on, but are marketed to parents as being vital for a baby's growth and development. Parents always want the best for their child and therefore purchase these items that do not serve a great function. This guide reveals the important baby products a parent must obtain to properly care for their child.Baby StrollersThe baby stroller is an item every parent must have for his or her child. Before you purchase a stroller, however, consider how you are going to use it and the money you are willing to spend. This makes the process of buying a stroller much easier. There are many types of strollers to choose from including: full-size, mid-size, lightweight, umbrella, jogger, double and triple baby strollers. Parents who do a lot walking should consider purchasing a full or mid size stroller, while active parents are better suited for the jogger stroller. Lightweight and umbrella strollers are appropriate for parents who travel around frequently because they are easy to stow away. Finally, double and triple strollers are made for parents who need to transport two or three young children in one stroller.Baby CribsBabies spend the majority of their time in the crib. Therefore, every parent should invest a significant amount of energy in selecting a safe baby crib and mattress. Safe baby cribs must always have adjustable sides, the space between the crib bars must not exceed 2 and 3/8 of an inch, and the crib must be sturdy. The crib mattress has to be firm and fit properly into the crib because the baby can suffocate if this protocol is not followed. Baby bedding ought to be kept to a minimum-one cotton fitted bed sheet and a light blanket will suffice. Never place pillows, toys or heavy blankets in your child's crib.Baby Car SeatsA baby car seat is one of the essential baby products to purchase for your new child. The car seat protects the child against injury in the event of an accident. There are three main types of car seats available:
Rearward-facing infant car seats
Forward-facing baby car seats
Booster car seats
The rearward facing baby car seats are used mostly for infants who do not exceed 29 pounds to support their neck, back and spine. The forward-facing car seats are perfect for children between 20 and 40 pounds and should be secured with a tether strap on the car frame. Lastly, booster seats are made for children who can no longer fit into a normal child car seat. The booster seat basically lifts the child so they can use a regular seat belt properly. In addition, always remember all child car seats must be placed in the rear of the car away from airbags.Baby High ChairsA high chair is one of the baby products a parent doesn't need right after the infant arrives home from the hospital. Although, once your child can independently sit upright a baby high chair becomes a necessity at mealtimes. Wooden, conventional, adjustable and booster high chairs are just some of the styles on the market. Regardless of the model you choose make sure your highchair has the following features:
The high chair must have two support straps-one should be around the waist and the other must be between the child's legs.
All baby high chairs must have trays that lock firmly into the chair.
The legs of the high chair should be spaced apart in order to properly anchor it to the ground and prevent tipping.
Baby ClothesBaby clothes are one of the obvious baby products a parent must buy. Keep in mind when shopping for clothes to purchase outfits that are functional for you and the baby. For instance, try to choose clothes that are not complicated to get off come changing time. Also, purchase clothing that is appropriate for the season your child is going to be born in. This step prevents you from buying clothing that is not necessary for your baby's immediate needs. When selecting baby clothes hand me downs are a good way to go because babies grow at such a rapid pace. Hand me downs save you a lot of money and usually come in very good condition. Never buy second hand clothing that is worn out because it could potentially rip posing a safety hazard to your baby.Baby MonitorsBaby monitors help parents keep a watchful eye on their little one without having to be in the same room all the time. This enables parents to multi-task without jeopardizing their child's safety. Over the years there have been many technological advances in the baby monitor realm. Sound monitors are still the most extensively used ones, but now visual, temperature, movement and breathing monitors are becoming more common. Visual (or TV) monitors are great for parents who want to see what baby is up to at all times. These monitors are quite expensive, but can later be converted into a security system. Temperature and breathing monitors are useful for parents who are concerned about their child's health. These monitors inform parents of the temperature in the baby's room and whether it is too hot or cold.Other Useful ItemsBesides the aforementioned baby products there are many other small items a new parent needs to purchase for their child. Diapers, pacifiers, bottles, shampoo, soap, bottle warmers, a diaper pail and travel bags are just some of the baby products required. When purchasing baby products always stick to these basic items - do not get sidetracked by gimmicks. Before buying a product always ask yourself the question: "Do I really need this for my baby's well-being?" Good luck with all the shopping!About the AuthorDorothy Smith is a freelance writer, mother and self-confessed bargain hunter who loves to provide tips to consumers shopping for baby products, best baby cribs and best baby strollers.

About one quarter of babies will suffer from colic from around age 3 weeks - and you will suffer too! All babies cry of course, but those with colic will cry relentlessly for at least three hours several times a week, usually in the evening when your partner gets home from work. This can be a stressful time for you all, but it will go away of its own accord once baby reaches about 12 weeks. In the meantime there are some things you can try to ease her discomfort and the decibel level.Symptoms Of Colic
As well as the crying and general distress, baby will often extend or pull up her legs, arching her back; and her tummy may feel bloated.The Cause Of Colic
The causes are not fully understood, although some experts believe that bottle-fed babies are more likely to be affected as they take in air through the teat. Other causes are smoking during pregnancy - this includes being in a smoky atmosphere (second-hand smoke).Other theories include an intolerance of lactose (a natural ingredient of milk), and the immaturity of her digestive system - the latter is supported by the fact that babies usually grow out of colic at around 12 weeks of age.Treatments
If you're bottle feeding you can get anti-colic teats that reduce the air intake. Change the teats as she develops as using a newborn's teat after a few weeks will mean she has to suck harder and will take in more air. You can also get colic drops from your pharmacist which break down air bubbles in her tummy. Gripe water will act in the same way.If you are breast feeding, some foods that you eat may be aggravating the problem. Possible culprits are orange juice, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, onions and cabbage.
Try massage. Rub her tummy in a clockwise direction to aid digestion.Switch on a hair dryer or vacuum cleaner so she can hear the noise. Seriously, baby heard these sort of noises while in the womb and she may be comforted by them.Cranial osteopathy may help. If the birth was difficult, a gentle realignment of bones and joints can work wonders and some mothers have found that one treatment results in a cure for colic and other ailments. We have a separate article on this subject.Make a note of anything that seems to reduce or stop the crying and repeat next time.Helping You To Cope
With your baby in obvious distress, the relentless crying, and maybe a grumpy partner; you will be under a lot of pressure. Understand what is happening and the reasons for it, and make sure your partner does too. Talk to other moms who will reassure you that it is nothing you are doing wrong.
Above all, keep in mind that this will end of its own accord, usually around age 12 weeks. Hang on in there!****************************************************************
Author: Tony and Katy Luck who run a site with advice on having a baby.
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It is an unfortunate fact of life but, unfortunately, toddlers and biting frequently go together. It is a painful time for both the toddler and their parents and trying to stop the toddler from biting can be quite a challenge.Toddlers and biting may be a difficult challenge but there is hope for a cure if you are patient and consistent. First you need to understand why your toddler bites. The primary reason that a toddler bites another child or their parents is because of frustration. The toddler is now aware of his/her needs but frequently lacks the ability to successfully communicate those needs. Another reason that toddlers bite is when they are stressed. New situations, new environments, new people or playmates can all stress a toddler and biting maybe their reaction to it. Being hungry or tired also add to the toddler's stress.If a toddler bites out of frustration it is important to start teaching them the exact words they need to use in order to express their wants. Simple phrases like, "I want..." work best. If a toddler bites out of stress the best medicine is preventative medicine. Try to avoid putting the child in positions where he/she will likely to become stressed, a stress that may result in biting.When your toddler bites it is important that you respond immediately and appropriately. You need to let the toddler know that biting is not acceptable social behavior and that it needs to stop. Teaching the toddler appropriate means to handle stress and frustration are the best tools to handle toddlers and biting.Maria Gonzalez is webmaster of Parenting Made Easy, a site dedicted to helping new parents.For more great articles on parenting visit our Parenting Articles page.

The crying ? oh, the crying. A colicky baby can really drive you to the edge. Failed attempts to soothe her crying may leave you wondering if you are cut out to be a parent after all. But, don't worry, you are. You just need to arm yourself with some tools to battle each colic-crying outburst.But, first, let's define why your colic baby cries.The most popular theory from scientists lately is an underdeveloped and immature nervous system. I know all women who have given birth can attest to the fact that a baby has a big head. Right?Wrong. Actually, a baby's head isn't big enough to house a brain that is mature enough to have all the survival tools a human infant needs. Their brain is only the size of an apple. The birth canal cannot handle a bigger head (thank God). So, when a baby is born, the only inherent survival skills are sneezing, sucking, swallowing and?.CRYING!Most babies (80%, that is) are capable of crying for a reason, and then calming themselves down. These are usually what I call "the good sleepers" or "easy babies". They are awake for awhile to learn and accept stimuli. Then they sleep to recover and awake to take in more stimuli.Unfortunately, a colicky baby is usually NOT a "good sleeper" or an "easy baby". They are high-maintenance. Their nervous system is overloaded with all the sights and sounds of a new world. And by about dinner time, they've had it. The crying begins. Once they start crying, they lack the mechanism to calm themselves down. In my experience, most mothers with colicky infants tell the same story. Their baby fights going to sleep. They won't take a nap. They won't stay asleep once they do finally go to sleep. These poor babies never take the time to recover from all the stimuli they have taken in over the course of a day.So this is where you, as a parent, step in. Reduce the environmental stimuli and recreate the feeling your baby had while in the womb.Remember, in the womb, your baby was packed in tightly. It was dark. It was warm. And the prominent sound she heard was the "whoosh" of blood flowing through the placenta. This "whoosh" is a little louder than the noise of a vacuum cleaner running.However, there are other items you might have around the house that can lull your over stimulated colic baby to sleep. Most babies can be soothed by rhythmic, monotonous, low-pitched, humming sound that repeats at 60-70 pulses per minute. Here are 10 such items for you to try:1.A shower running
2.A fan
3.A running dishwasher
4.A running washing machine
5.A very loud, ticking clock
6.A bathroom fan turned on with the light off
7.A metronome set a 60 beats per minute
8.A radio tuned to static
9.A tv tuned to static
10.Smooth jazz or easy listening stationsWhile listening to these rhythmic sounds, it is best to lower the lights, and make your baby comfortable. Remember, we are trying to recreate the feeling of being in the womb.Finally, it is true what you read. Baby colic does eventually come to an end. As your baby grows, and their brains increase in size, all of the circuits mature and they learn the survival tools necessary to cope. It only takes about three to six months. In the meantime, when you feel a crying outburst about to happen, turn off the lights?and turn on all your household appliances.Just kidding!Cherie L. Stirewalt is a colic baby survivor and shares her colic experiences on her website Colic-Baby-Bootcamp.com. The site offers a one-of-a-kind white noise download and white noise CD to help frustrated parents cope with their fussy baby fast!Join the Free Colic Baby Bootcamp newsletter and receive more colic related tips and tricks at http://www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com/newsletter.html.

There seems to be more and more pressure on parents these days to enrol their pre school children in all sorts of innovative learning programs. There are music and swimming classes, craft centres and activities to promote movement, motor skills or sporting ability.Did you know some of the best learning tools for your kids are right at your fingertips, literally! We as parents are the primary carers and therefore the first teachers of our children before they start school. Without all the classes and activities that we could pay for them to do, just playing simple free child games, your kids will get all the stimulation and encouragement that they need to get the best start.By providing them with an enriched environment with free activities based around your home and neighbourhood you will get more quality time with your children while enhancing their imagination and creativity.Top 5 Free Child Games / Activities- Indoors1. Storytelling- Telling stories to children promotes language, listening skills and imagination. Don't feel confined to reading from books, tell your children a special family story that helps them to know their place in the world. How mum and dad met, how great grandpa sailed in a tall-ship to start a new life in a new country, or the story of their birth. These tales will delight them time and time again, perhaps you have photos to help them put faces to names.2. Dressing Up- As children the dress-ups box was always our favorite treasure trove for creating characters for a play or story. Pretending to be dinosaurs, truck drivers, doctors, zoo keepers or even mum can keep children entertained for hours. The more props the better so always have a store of blankets for cubbies or tents and assorted boxes for cars, dolls beds or wherever their imagination takes them.3. Music- Children love a chance to dance and jump around. By the age of three they will already have some favorites which will probably have actions to match. Given the opportunity to march, stomp, clap or any other loud action will be happily accompanied by any musical instruments that you have around the house. If you don't have any, a pot and wooden spoon will do just fine!4. Craft- By using recycled materials you just need some glue, a little inspiration, and your child's creativity will do the rest. Materials can be used to create collages, space rockets, animals and a whole lot more. Keep a ready supply of recyclables by keeping cereal boxes, toilet rolls, candy wrappers, magazines and yoghurt containers. Other crafty ideas can involve play dough, paint, crayons, chalk and modelling clay! The ideas are endless.5. Board Games and Card Games- Fun for the whole family or just two bored kids looking for something to do on a rainy day. For younger children these games help them with numerical skills, taking turns and gamesmanship, as well as the concept of chance and that anyone can win the game. Super for holidays as they are easy to set up and can last for hours. There are many card games to learn from easy kids games right up complicated ones for teenagers and adults. Best of all, the only equipment needed is a deck of cards. Board games like Scrabble and Monopoly have been played for generations and will continue to be, unless everything becomes computerised!Most of these activities will be known to you, but have you played them all? If not, then get out there and enjoy some free child games with your tribe, they'll love you all the more for spending some one on one time with them.The place to go for all your games needs for 0-6 year olds is Kids Fun and Games. Educational baby and toddler games, party games, crafts, indoor and outdoor games, festivals and more.

When you have already made the decision not to use cloth diapers, your next decision will be how to choose a diaper pail for disposable diapers.To some degree, cloth diapers will give off less odor than disposables, because they are not as absorbent, and parents often rinse out some of the urine, and dispose of solids by using liners for their cloth diapers.With disposables, you lose those benefits. The chemical ingredient added to the manufacturing of disposables, makes them retain water within the layers of material, turning it to a gel that can't leak back out. This means all the urine stays in the disposable, as does any solid wastes. And every parent knows how much that can smell, even after a brief time in a diaper pail.So what you're going to want to look for when learning how to choose a diaper pail for disposable diapers, is the most effective system that suppresses odors. A pail with a tight fitting lid is not enough, as odor escapes every time you deposit a used diaper, or change the liner and remove the liner bag.Two of the better options offer very different approaches to this problem. The Neat! Diaper Disposal System is a "new age" pail, with two separate sections. The top handle pulls up easily, you deposit the diaper, then close the lid and push the handle down so the diaper drops into a second, odor-retaining section without the lid being opened at the time.The Diaper Genie system by Playtex offers an alternative to simply storing away the dirty diapers. Their system, also easy to operate with just one hand, provides a diaper pail with a built in system that seals each dirty diaper in scented wrap, and deposits it in the retaining section until you change the liner bag.Visit http://www.MalcolmsWeb.com and sign up for free weekly tips that will
take the mystery and fear out of parenting your precious little one.

Every mother wants an enchanting baby shower for her new baby ranging from shower decorations to invitation. These baby showers are a mere cakewalk essential for the baby care by both the parents. Not only baby shower themes revolve around Rubber Duckies, Diapers, and Bottles but also involves like shower decorations, shower recipes.Well there is a difference between extra and extraordinary and that is 'extra'. This baby showers is truly an extraordinary achievements that help parents achieve their goal for their babies. Special baby shower includes decorations to the food and favors, special touches that will mother's baby extra especial.Baby showers nowadays start getting into progress during the mother's pregnancy time only. All kinds of nursery colors can be used for baby especially for its napkins. The mother decides the colors. Usually pink is the opted color. The baby shower can have themes like bottle, diapers, etc. The guests are assigned a specific time and asked to come with gift and present it to the newly born baby or its mother. All parents must ensure that all babies clothing will be in multiples.Babies theme can be given a green signal by introducing classes for babies; for instance the babies can start by learning their first school lesson through the alphabet letters. Baby shower really offers the theme required by the babies as they are born and brought up. Without this theme it would be difficult for parents to curl their babies.There are various showers here like Office Party, Shower of Multiples, Baby Quilt Shower, Teddy Bear Shower, Baby Quilt Shower, Diaper Shower. Like in office party showers parents expecting more number of babies are advised to throw party upon guests and being given the multiple babies photos and asked to recognize who's who and as they win in recognizing the respective babies; they are given prizes.Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher who offers advice on baby names and nursery and shower themes.

Baby Shower for Moms who just wanna have fun! This type of baby shower is not the only type of shower given today. Traditionally, baby showers have been thrown for mommy-to-be and the guest list was strictly women.These days, many families choose to have different types of showers, including back-yard barbecues to include the men. These
are a nice idea since they remember that Daddy is a part of the new baby's life, too.But there is something to be said for a Sunday afternoon gathering of women to ooh and aah over Mommy's belly without disparaging looks from the men. One reason to plan a baby shower for mom only.When you have only women at the shower, you have the opportunity to really "girl it up", so to speak, at your baby shower for
Mom. You can do really girlie things and not have to worry about the men being bored or embarrassed.Here are a few suggestions for making a shower extra-girlish: Have Tea and Cake. Find a few really pretty tea sets and order little delectables like petit fours, tea cakes or maybe bring a cookie basket. Drink your tea like ladies, with pinky finger sticking up!See if you can find pretty lace doilies for napkins. Pick up some baby shower party favors to go along with your ladies only party. You might even want to fake a British accent, dahling!At your baby shower for mom and the ladies only, let them all be pregnant. Maybe purchase some baby shower decorations to match the pregnant theme. The guys definitely wouldn't go for this!Ask each guest to come with a pillow or other make shift stuffing to pretend that she is pregnant, too. Give a prize to the most authentic pregnant lady (excluding the guest of honor, of course) at your baby shower for Mom. You can pick up the prizes at any local party favor store or online party favor supply site.Have everyone tell a story from their childbirth experience, or, if they have never had any children, let them rehash the stories their mothers told them ("I was in labor for 72 hours with you..."). Be sure there is a mixture of funny, touching, and
gruesome stories to round it out.Decorate with extra-large maternity bras and undies (or get them in mom-to-be's size so she can actually keep them after the
party).Play baby shower games for your baby shower for mom. There is no way you would get away with this at a couples shower! But at a baby shower for mom and the ladies, you can play Guess the mom-to-be's weight (go easy on her - guess low).Paint her belly, do crafts like paint matching tees and onesies for Mom and baby, or play a game like baby bottle bowling. Ask guests to come up with other baby shower party ideas or baby shower party themesDon't Husband Bash. But you can tell funny or touching stories about other new Dads or dads-to-be. You don't want to scare the mom-to-be. But she should be aware that some Dads will try to stop for coffee on the way to the hospital. Even though Mom's contractions are 3 minutes apart.Drink Girlie Drinks at the baby shower for Mom. Well, except for the mom-to-be. She can have non-alcoholic versions of girlie
drinks, though. Try Strawberry Daiquiris, Cosmopolitans and other fruity drinks.

The play has many more functions for toddlers than for adults. For toddlers, play is not just a way to relax but it is also the best way to learn and perfect skills like walking, balance and controlling the hands.Through play, the child discovers the objects and their functions and learns some social behaviors. For him, the play is similar to the work of the adult: the toddler imitates the work of his mother, father and grandparents.He repairs the car like his father and he cleans the house like his mother.His work "tool" is the toy. If for the little baby the toy is mostly a decorative object, for the toddler who is just starting to walk and talk, toys are absolutely necessary.The parent must make sure to offer his child adequate toys to his age and skills level. The most indicated toddler toys are the functional ones, who develop and stimulate different processes and mental activities (knowledge, inventiveness, imagination).In fact, we can consider as toys all the objects that help a toddler's play, many of which can be found in our house.Moving games are one of a toddler's preferred activities.It is very good if near your house is a park with a designated place, with special structures for toddlers.Small sized slides, wooden or plastic material cubes, arranged in a pyramidal shape helps toddlers develop their musculature and agility.If it is possible, the family members, using non-expensive materials, can make these arrangements in the backyard. The children will use them until they will grow older.Another open-air game for toddlers that requires manual skills is sand play. This game requires the toddler to make different sand shapes and even complicated constructions.At the sand box, the toddler uses different plastic shapes (stars, cookie), shovels, little buckets, toy cars and kitchen vessels.Don't hesitate to let the toddler play in sand just because he might get dirty or because sand play is a germ source.Dress the toddler adequately and keep a watch on him not to put something in his mouth during the play. Sand play is so important, that I advise parents to arrange a sand box inside the house!If you don't think you can find a box good enough to be used for this purpose, or sand to fill it, you can also buy one.A toddler also requires toys to play inside the houseFor the interior, the most important toys for toddlers are the cubes. They are used by the toddlers as load for toys trucks.These cubes will later take part in construction games that help develop hand maneuverability, the capacity to concentrate and the imagination.Toddlers, both boys and girls, love animals and dolls made of different materials. It is a mistake to believe that at this age dolls are specific only to girls.Dolls help toddlers to identify the role of the mother and father in the family and learn the different body parts that a person has.From the list of toddler toys, we must not exclude books.For toddlers, beautiful colored books, with few images but well outlined, help enrich the vocabulary and verbalizing perception.As a parent, you can create short stories based on these images, using words that the toddler can understand, with similar activities and experiences to the ones the child has experienced.After showing him the images and explained what they are, we can ask the toddler "What is this?" "What does it do?" This way you test the things he learned.The child likes this because he can see the satisfaction a parent has when he answers correctly.Besides enriching his vocabulary, this game wakes up in him feelings of trust and security.You can find the original article located at http://www.child-toys-guide.com/toddler-toys.shtmlEugen Lisov is the creator of http://www.Child-Toys-Guide.com, a site that helps parents worldwide to choose the best toys for their children. Please feel free to browse my site; it will only help you when choosing toys for your child.

Helping your child move from breast breast milk or formula to solids is a milestone for both you and your baby. However, it can be challenging for some parents. Here are some tips and tricks I've compiled for introducing solid foods to your baby. Do remember, however, that you should follow your pediatrician's advice if you're in doubt.Start with fruits One tip I've heard from various is to start with fruits. Use really ripe bananas, mashed with a fork. Or sweet potatoes (baked, with the insides scooped out).Use a baby food grinder You can try small bits of real rice, mixed with meats (without seasonings). The meat should be meshed with baby food grinder (you can find these pretty cheap).Don't feed your baby directly from the jar This is an interesting tip I've heard from experienced mothers. Feeding your baby directly from the jar is not a good idea. Their saliva can mix with the food and make it taste bad. Put the food in a mug rather than a bowl so that you can feed baby more easily.Keep away the sweet tooth Try not to give baby sweet stuff at this stage. Deliberately give them vegetables before fruits to keep away that sweet tooth.Wait for the first tooth It is a good idea to wait until your baby gets his / her first tooth before even thinking of starting solids. One baby (I heard) got his first tooth at 5 months and began showing interest in what his father was eating shortly thereafter. At about 6 months, he was reaching for his parents' food.Starting your baby on solids need not be a difficult task. Hopefully the above tips will help you somewhat when that time arrives for your baby.About The AuthorGary Hendricks is the editor of www.baby-product-guide.com, a hobby website offering articles on parenting, baby care and baby products.gary_hendricks@baby-product-guide.com