Baby Care Products That Are ‘Must Haves’

Choosing safe baby care products will not only guarantee the safety of your child but also make it possible for your kid to enjoy the highest level of comfort possible.

There are a number of baby products which you must have. Each of them can be used at different instances from another one hence it’s imperative that you make the right choice. Among the baby care products that every parent should have are:

Clothing: Cotton fabrics are always considered as the best for babies of all sexes and ages. This fabric is great and very friendly to your newborns skin. This has made it so popular hence it makes one of those baby care apparels that each parent must consider having.

Beddings: Your baby will need bedding’s that are comfy and comfortable. Those baby care items which have some chemicals in them should be avoided at all cost. This is due to the sensitive nature of your baby’s skin. It’s imperative that you go for those bedding options that will provide your baby with the safest environment at all times.

Other accessories: There is a variety of other baby accessories that are must for every parent. When buying porters, carrier and packaging for your inborn baby, it’s imperative that you be cautious and more careful as this will help make your child very comfortable.

There are other baby care accessories such as the blankets that makes it possible for your baby to have uninterrupted sleep. Ensure that you purchase comfy baby products since this have been made to guarantee long time of comfortable seep always.

Furthermore, there are a variety of other baby care items that every parent who have a newborn baby or is expecting one must have.

Cribs are becoming compulsory in today’s world hence you have to plan for it. There are also the baby cartoons which can be purchased separately or with the cartoons. Hanging bells can also make a great accessory for your baby hence its imperative that you have them purchased on time.

You have to protect your baby with the right type of nets. Mosquitoes are every where and can cause havoc to your child if no care is put in place. A net makes it possible for your baby to have uninterrupted sleep hence increasing the overall sleep quality.

When buying this baby care products for your newborn, there are many online shops that can cater for the needs of those parents who would like to shop in style. You can also walk to your nearby shop and purchase these accessories straight away.However; you have to compare prices since you can save a lot on baby care products.

Newborn sleeping positions

When baby is new born, we must remember that she is totally helpless and completely one hundred percent reliant on her parents or family. She cannot move for herself, and even her sweat glands are not properly developed yet, so she finds it difficult to control her temperature when she is hot or cold. She cannot shiver or move, and the only way she can let us know if she needs anything is through crying.

We quickly learn with our mother’s instinct if her cry is for hunger, or because she needs comforting, or if there is something really wrong, when her cry will turn to a higher pitched wail.

So we must put baby to sleep in the correct position that is comfortable for her, as she cannot move to make herself comfortable. Ask your baby care center for advice, or your paediatrician, or consult baby care manuals, and you will find that the norm is to follow the rule “back to sleep.”

This rule means to lay baby on her back, never lay her face down to sleep, and never use a pillow or cushion in the first weeks of the new born’s life. Until baby is bigger and can support her head for herself, it is vital that we do not use a pillow or lay baby face down, as if she vomits, then she will suffocate, unable to lift her head or clear her mouth.

Try not to be over obsessive with watching baby, and making sure that she is still breathing, although this is only natural, especially for the first time mother. The new born has very rapid breathing, her heart rate when she was in the womb double that of an adult. After birth, the rate gradually drops, and is consistent with that of an adult as she grows up. So do not be alarmed if you see baby’s chest rising and falling rapidly, but moving very little. This is how our new born breathes.

If we ask our paediatrician or baby care visitor, they may also say that it is safe to let baby sleep on her side. This can be comforting for a collicy baby as it stops any pressure on her belly, and she will curl up into the fetal position to sleep, comforted and feeling as though she is still in the womb.

Some specialist products are actually available on the market that are placed in the cot, that fit around body of the baby, ensuring that he is unable to to turn over. These would be used more after the first two months, not in the the new born, as when first born, baby is unable to turn.

The viability and usefulness of these products is not actually that certain, as once a baby can turn over, say at three months of age, then she is also capable of lifting her head, therefore the risk of suffocating already having been diminished.

The choice is entirely yours, but if you want to follow a rule for newborns, then it is “back to sleep.” Make sure that baby’s cot is in a draft free place, and that the sheets or covers only reach up to her neck area, so it is impossible that she can wriggle under the sheets and overheat or suffocate.

As our new baby is so helpless, it is only natural that we preoccupy ourselves with every aspect of their care, it is for this that we had our child, to look after and nurture them until they grow.

How to trim baby nails

Trimming the nails of your new born should not be a traumatic experience neither for you or baby. We may panic when we have to trim our new born’s nails for the first time as they are so tiny, and we are afraid that we may hurt baby.

If we are relaxed, and comfortable, trimming baby’s nails is an easy part of your daily baby care routine. Many of us opt to cut baby’s nails while they are sleeping as it is inevitably easier. If baby wakes, or you find you have to trim the nails when baby is awake, a helping hand from your partner or a friend to steady the arms or legs of baby is very useful.

There is no rule of thumb that says you cannot trim the nails of the newborn, or that you must wait until the second week of life for example.

Consult your baby care manual or paediatrician if you are unsure, but there is no underlying reason why you cannot cut your new born’s nails on birth ( if they are born with long nails) This is also as appropriate for cutting of the hair of the new born. You will not physically or psychologically damage your baby by cutting their hair at birth, or shortly after.

When trimming baby’s nails, do not use standard nail clippers that an adult would use, as this is when accidents could occur. If baby suddenly moves her hand as you press down on the clippers, then you may catch the skin, and cause bleeding, the tips of the finger being a place where it is quite tricky to stem the blood flow.

So prevention here is definitely better than cure. Go to your local pharmacists or high street store and you will see on sale special scissors for the trimming of baby’s nails. Again, like with all baby products for baby care, we can spend a little or a lot, but buying an expensive product does not always mean it will function better.

Tips when choosing scissors for cutting baby’s nails are to buy round ended scissors. These are designed  to be safer, and reduce accidents, and often come complete with a plastic cover, so when baby starts to be mobile, if you do leave them on the table for example, baby will not be able to open them and cut herself.

Position for trimming of nails in the new born is also important. Baby will be lying down, maybe on your changing station, or simply on your lap. Whenever possibly trim baby’s nails when they are asleep.

Cut straight across the nails, do not attempt to make them rounded, and there is no need to file the nails after they have been cut. Baby’s nails are a lot softer than those of the adult, so trimming should not cause any problem.

If baby is awake, secure her hand or foot with one hand, and cut with the other. If this proves tricky, ask a family member for help. The intricate toe nails of baby should be cut in exactly the same way as those of the hands. The only foreseeable problem is that they are so small, sometimes it is difficult to actually see them, but as baby grows, so will her nails!

Getting baby to sleep in crib

Getting your new  baby to sleep in his crib should not cause any particular problems, although this rarely turns out to be the case..

When baby is first new born, he is inly aware of his own mothers scent and voice as he has heard and smelt her for nine months in the womb. So once separated from mother, baby may suffer anxiety loss, this being the reason that a new baby who is crying can be passed from person to person, and will only stop crying once he is held by his mother, as he feels secure.

So a lot of mothers go against recommended guidelines in baby care books and manuals, and let baby fall asleep on the breast, and then lay him down to sleep. This rarely works unless you wait at least twenty minutes for baby to fall into a deep sleep, and will wake when laid down in his crib.

This often means that mother decides that it is just easier to let baby sleep by her side , therefore causing no disturbance for night feeds when the new born is breast fed, baby falling asleep on the breast after feeding by her mother’s side. This is okay, and as long as you and your partner are happy with this arrangement, there is no rule or baby care book that will strictly tell you not to follow this practice.

However once this practice is started, with every day it becomes harder to stop. If at all possible, we should try and get baby to fall asleep alone from being a new born, as this will lead to him sleeping through the night at an earlier age, as well as less tired parents.

Make sure always that baby’s crib is to regulation safety standards and that it is made up so that there is no danger of the new born being able to suffocate under the sheets, making the sheets up from the bottom, so baby’s head will in fact be around about the middle of the crib. This may look strange, but has been proven to cut fatalities from accidental suffocation. Make sure baby is comfortable and warm enough and that his crib is in a quiet environment.

For a new born, you can have baby’s crib right up to the side of your own bed, with the front bars let down so it actually becomes an extension of your own bed, a good compromise where you can easily lift baby from his crib for night time feeds and put him back without even leaving your bed.

The most important rule to follow when getting baby to sleep in his crib or cot is not to jump up to his every need. Many babies will cry out and then go back to sleep. It is a mother’s instinct to fuss, but in the end you will only be making hard work for yourself, this aspect of baby care always being surrounded by much debate.

Put baby in his crib on his own and quietly leave the room, do not re enter if he starts to cry, leave him to cry for around five minutes, seeing if he will settle alone. If the crying becomes louder and more persistent, enter the room and make sure baby is comfortable in her crib, that she is fed, changed and not too hot or too cold. Then leave the room. Baby will start to cry again, but on repetition of this process, after a few nights of a lot of crying and sleeplessness for all, you should have baby sleeping well, and alone in his crib or cot.

Eyesight Development Milestones

Helping your child develop their eyesight is a key factor in infant care. Your baby’s eyes will play a crucial role in their development in other areas. This is because your child will be stimulated by the many things he or she sees around them.

The bright colors, textures, and shapes will all be seen through your child’s eyes and help to stimulate their brain development.

They will also be prompted by their eyesight through observation to undertake some of the physical challenges, such as walking, that will help stimulate physical development. All around, eyesight is beneficial to your child’s overall development.

Although there are many people under the false assumption that babies see in black and white or other old wives tales, babies’ eyes are actually fully functioning at the time of their birth and indeed as soon as 7 months into their gestation during pregnancy, unless they have other complications.

That is why, one of the key infant care practices concerning your child’s development of their eyesight begins during pregnancy. Using prenatal vitamins and eating well while pregnant are both very important to your child’s eyesight development.

When your child is born, the world around them will be blurry and bright for them. They will likely not be able to make eye contact with you yet or follow objects and typically have little depth perception or focus.

In baby care, it is necessary to get your child’s eyes checked at their first doctor appointment. If they are declared to have fine eyesight and not problems, then it is probably not necessary to get their eyes checked again until they are two or three, unless you begin to notice problems in their vision which suggest a problem.

One element of a child’s eyesight that has not yet been learned by your child at birth is depth perception. Along with learning how to focus, gaining depth perception is one of the most important skills your child will learn.

This should begin to be accomplished around three months of age and can be observed by noticing your child being able to reach out and grab or touch something. They will also begin to follow you with their eyes within the first three months typically. Some children reach this milestone much more quickly than others. As your child continues to grow, this should ability should become stronger and stronger.

By about six to eight months, your child’s focus should be much better and should be even between the eyes. In infant care, this is one of the times that you may begin to notice problems in your child’s vision the strongest.

If you notice your child is struggling with focusing, has irritated or red eyes, or has crossed eyes, you should take your child to their optometrist to see if there is an issue. The earlier problems with the eyes are detected the sooner they can be corrected if possible or, if not possible to correct, the sooner you can take steps to make your child more comfortable and better able to see the world around them clearly.

How to Sleeping with baby

Co sleeping is one of the biggest subjects that is debated when we talk about baby care, especially of the new born. It raises so many arguments from safety, to separation anxiety, to divorce.

There are obvious advantages of co sleeping with your new born baby, as it means that you do not have to move to give baby her feeds through the night if she is breast fed.

This can be very convenient, both for mother and father, as father may not even wake up, and mother can feed her new born gently by her side.

But there are so many risk factors involved in co sleeping, especially when we talk about with a new baby. They are so small and helpless, that a heavy sleeper may turn, crush and suffocate the new born.

Although unlikely, it does happen, and studies also show that the risk of Sudden Infant Death syndrome is increased if one or both of the parents are smokers, not just during the pregnancy, but also after birth. Of course, no responsible parent would dream of smoking in the room where baby is sleeping, but here we are talking of co sleeping with two parents who are smokers.

Reading baby care manuals might only confuse you more as to whether you should or shouldn’t co sleep with baby. At first it may seem a good idea, but once baby gets used to sleeping in the marital bed it is difficult to stop the habit, and once baby sleeps through the night, there is no need for co sleeping, but by this time, baby has become used to it, and as well as the marital arguments it will cause if you still co sleep with baby when he is older, the bigger baby gets, the harder it will become to get baby to sleep alone, if you are not in bed with her.

Most baby care books are anti co sleeping, both for safety reasons as well the obvious separation anxiety it causes when it it time to put baby in his own bed. There is also the risk of the over tired mother falling asleep whilst breastfeeding her new born in bed, alongside the risk of baby falling out of bed.

If you decide to co sleep, always use some protective barrier between mother and the edge of the bed, so baby cannot fall.

One middle of the road solution to this debate, is known as the “side car” solution. Here, we make up baby’s crib right by the side of the marital bed, leaving the front bars descended, making baby’s bed a continuation of our own.

The crib can be secured so it does not move, and mother can gently lift her new born in and out of the crib to feed, without disturbing her partner, or having to move herself.

So whether you choose to put baby in his own crib from day one, or co sleep, it must be said in warning, yet not as anti co sleeping advice, that habits formed in the first few days of life are hard to break, and the longer they are left, the harder it becomes.

So the decision to co sleep will not only be until you want, it will be until you can put baby down without you, a process that can cause a lot of anguish and argument.

How to cleaning baby’s eyes

Cleaning baby’s eyes is a very simple part of your day to day baby care routine. Like the entire facial area of the new born, the eyes are very delicate, and no soap or detergent is needed to clean the area, as this would irritate the eyes, just as the whole of baby’s face.

Just like any adult, when your new born wakes, we may find a small quantity of whitish substance in the corner of the eye.

To clean baby’s eye, we need only two things, tepid water, and either a cotton wall ball, or a clean, germ free flannel. It is preferable to use a cotton ball, as then we are sure that it is germ free, and we will not be in danger of spreading any infection to baby.

Gentle dip the cotton wall ball with tepid water, bottled, or tap water, along as tap water is high in safety standards where you live.

We then wipe babies eyes starting from the inner corner to the outside, uses a new cotton wall ball, or reverse side for the other eye, repeating the action.

This simple procedure of baby care is all you need to do to ensure that baby’s eyes are clean, n expensive eye drop or special products are necessary.

Cotton wall soaked with tepid water is also used to clean in and around, as well as behind the ears of baby, as well as the mouth, nasal area and whole face.
Cotton wool is used as it is soft and gentle on your new born’s skin, and disposable and econonmic.

As you can read in your baby care manual or any baby care magazines, no special procedure is necessary to clean baby’s eyes.
If we find however a build up of sticky substance in the eye, that is not at all uncomon, then we may need to clear a possible infection. Sometimes this leaves the eye closed, as the lids appear to stick together. A simple visit to your paediatrician will let you know if there is an underlying problem, and a very popular home remedy for this type of build up in the eye is actually dipping the cotton wall ball in a mild solution of chamomile tea, its herbal properties beating off the infection and build up within the eye.

Problems with the eyes of your new born, are not common, and are always easily solved by a trip to see your health care visitor who will leave you assured that there is no major infection.

The most important thing to remember is not to use soap or detergent on baby’s eyes, or face, even if they seem very dirty. Soap or detergent is too strong for the delicate skin of your young infant, and the use of can cause irritation and cause infection, when baby rubs her eyes to relieve the itching.

As with many aspects of caring for your young infant, the cheapest solution is most often the best. Just simple cotton wool balls and sterile water , or a clean flannel is all we need to ensure good health of baby’s eyes and surrounding area.

Caring for Baby’s belly button

Caring for your new born belly button and umbilical cord in the first few days of life are a vital part of new born baby care.
Depending on the hospital where your infant was born, or indeed the country, some paediatricians will advise to keep a gauze over the umbilical area for the first few days of life.
This however is no actually entirely necessary as keeping the area covered will only actually delay the falling of off the umbilical cord as it will not allow air to get to the area.

When baby is first born, his umbilical will be clamped with a plastic clip, and the umbilical cord will be yellowish in color. The cord gradually dries out over the days after birth and will generally have fallen off by the time your new born reaches two weeks old, if not before.

The color of the umbilical stump will change color from yellow to brownish as it dries, but should not course any unpleasant odor. It is debatable, and depending on which baby care manual you refer to, if apply alcohol to the area to keep it free from infection or not is actually necessary. Yes, the alcohol will prevent the area from infection, and probably assist in the drying of the area, but may also have the counter effect of over drying the skin and area directly around the umbilical area, causing discomfort for baby.

Make sure, that as part of your baby care routine, after bathing baby each day, you gently dry the area before putting on a clean diaper. If you think that the umbilical stump has come in contact with feces or urine, then gently cleanse the area with a mild soap and water, the same as you would when you bathe your new born.

This aspect of baby care should not cause any real problem if we remember to keep the area clean and dry, the drying and falling off of the umbilical stump being a natural process. Remember to not put tight fitting clothing over the area, and if you feel that the area is not receiving enough drying time, you can even cut a small hole in the diaper where the umbilical stump is.

Sometimes the plastic clip will be removed before you leave hospital, sometimes it is kept on, along with an identification tag. As the stump gradually dries and shrivels it is the same process as when we cut or graze ourselves. The darkening of the stump if indeed the drying of the blood which before passed from baby to mother.

Once the stump falls off, you may notice a few spots of blood in baby’s diaper, or a small amount of whitish liquid. Both these are perfectly normal, and after baby’s regular bath time all should be clean and infection free.

If you feel that your baby’s umbilical area is red or appears to be in someway otherwise infected, or is producing a strange odor, do not hesitate to visit your local baby care center or paediatrician for advice.

The majority of parents will keep the umbilical stump along with identification tag as a memory of the joyous event of the birth of their baby..

Baby sleeping routines to help your baby to sleep through the night

When we talk about the aspect of baby sleeping routines within baby care, there is such a vast array of differing opinions, across cultures and countries, each mother in the end doing what she feels best for her new born.

In some cultures baby is carried around in a papoose for the first six months or more of his life, feeds on demand, and always sleeps next to the breast of his mother. Some women in Western society have adopted this idea, and as long as both they and their partner is comfortable with the decision, there is no medical evidence to say we should not do this.

The other end of the scale, and rather harsh and extreme, and seen written in many baby manuals from the 1960′s is to let baby cry. That baby must be fed every three hours, not a minute too late, or early, regardless of if the y are asleep or awake. This however is a very strict regime in today’s society, as any parent finds it impossible to hear their own baby crying constantly for more than a few minutes.

Somewhere, mid way along the line is probably somewhere good to start when introducing your new born to a sleeping routine. From a very early age, from new born, distinguish between day and night. When you give a night feed, use dull lighting, and don’t talk to baby, in the day time sing and interact with baby, feeding baby in a bright place.

When you put baby down for a nap, make sure it is in a quiet place where she will not be disturbed. If baby has fell asleep on your breast, and you gently try to place her in her crib, she will more than likely wake again, as deep sleep does not happen for the first twenty minutes of sleep in the new born.

Read as many baby care books as you like, but what is important is that you are comfortable with your way of doing things. In general if you leave baby alone she will cry, unless you are extremely lucky. Leave her to cry for a few moments and see if she settles. If she continues to cry do not leave her until she is agitated, as it will take longer to calm her. Go back to the room and she will be comforted by your presence, knowing she is there by your smell.

Make sure she is comfortable and isn’t too hot or too cold or dirty, and then leave the room, try not to hold her, as then she will inevitably fall asleep in your arms and you are back to square one. Leave the room again, and leave baby, she will cry, but may fall asleep. If she stays crying repeat the entering of the room process again, and for as many times as it takes until baby falls asleep.

This may seem harsh and complicated, but within only a few days you will have your new born sleeping on his own. Once you make this achievement in baby care, it is important you keep nap times to a set pattern, trying not to change nap times where at all necessary. If baby is settled into a good sleep routine, then she will be happier when she is awake to, as will you.

Baby napping tips!

All babies are unique individuals, the same as adults, and some babies will take lots of short naps during the day, others may take one short nap in the morning and a long nap in the afternoon.

The new born spends nearly all its’ time either asleep or feeding, so when we talk about this aspect of baby care, we are generally talking about baby’s who are more than two months old, whereas the new born is really unaware of his surroundings, or anything other than the scent of his own mother, from around six weeks old, baby starts to stay awake for longer periods and will not fall asleep directly after a feed.

It is at this stage in baby care that it is important that we get our baby used to napping at the same times each day, and more importantly that new born or baby can fall asleep alone, not only on the breast or whilst drinking his bottle feed.

The use of pacifiers is not recommended by any paediatrician or baby care magazine you will read, although the huge variety of shapes and sizes in which they are sold has totally commercialized an unnecessary product. In third world countries baby’s do not need pacifiers, so in cultured society neither.

Pacifiers or soother create dependence for the infant, and you will arrive at the situation where it is impossible to get baby to sleep without his favorite soother, and if you are not at home, or cannot find it, you will experience many hours of screaming, until baby finally gives in and goes to sleep through pure exhaustion.

Tips for napping for new borns and babies are to always put baby to sleep in the same place. Make it a cool and quiet environment where she will not be disturbed and can optimize her sleep. If baby falls asleep in the day when it is not nap time, do not be quiet, carry on making noise and go about your daily chores and routine while baby dozes for a while, possibly in her baby chair or carriage.

Try to work out a napping schedule from a very early age. If you know baby falls asleep in a car journey, but then wakes on being lifted from the car, try not to do this, as then you will break baby’s sleep pattern. If you are comfortable with baby having her morning nap in her carriage or pram whilst you are out shopping, then continue with this, but be aware that the day you don’t take baby out, you may end up rocking her in her carriage for her to fall asleep.

Inevitably, the best tip for nap time is to always put baby in the same place for her nap, and try as much as possible to put baby down at the same times each day. As baby grows from a new born, she will sleep less, and by the age of around seven months will probably no longer nap in the morning, and just have one, longer afternoon nap.

Especially for first time mothers, all baby care procedures are hit and miss. Try different techniques until you find one that works for you.