A lot of time and energy goes into clothing your baby during the first year. From the color debate, to the rapid speed at which most infants outgrow their clothing, new parents have their plates full with keeping their babies clean, comfortable and clothed. So what do you do when all of a sudden, the baby doesn't want to wear any clothes at all? How do you deal with the exhibitionist stage of your toddler?
At about fourteen months, your baby will most likely want to romp around in the buff. This is completely normal, and in fact could help a little bit with potty training. Obviously, however, it can be a bit troublesome when trying to introduce social norms, and of course when having company without children over for coffee or lunch. So how does a new parent deal with a naked toddler?
The best thing to do is not discourage this behavior entirely. Set limits about where and when your toddler can be naked and enforce them. It is tedious, but repeatedly re-dressing your toddler may be the best way to get the message across. Keep an especially close eye on your toddler in public. Not just because of the obvious, but because you don't want to lose expensive items like shoes or jackets.
Setting a "naked time" where your child is free to roam around the house for an hour or so a day is a good way to set limits on acceptable behavior. Make sure this time is a time when you can be around to monitor them very closely and make sure that they don't hurt their more exposed areas. Also, it's probably best if naked time is a time when your home doesn't see a lot of traffic. Your toddler may be comfortable with their naked time, but friends and neighbors may not be.
Use your child's newfound freedom to encourage them to choose their own clothing. Let your toddler dress him or herself a couple of times a week as a special treat. Soon they might like to get dressed as much as they enjoy disrobing. Make getting dressed fun, and stress the importance of where and when it is okay to take off your clothes. This way your child begins to understand the important role that clothing plays in the day-to-day life of grown ups.
The most important thing to remember is not to let your discipline about clothing become about your child's body. It is easy to make your child feel ashamed of their naked body, even if it is not intended. This kind of discomfort can go a long way in determining how your child feels about their body in the long term, right up into adulthood. Making play dates for right before or after naked time can be a good way to demonstrate for your child the difference between private time and public time, and let them begin making their own boundaries in their mind. This time in their life is a lot about exploration. So even though you've been there, it's important to let them figure out some stuff on their own.
Senin, 09 Januari 2012
baby's umbilical cord blood
A growing number of ingenious gift givers have discovered a special kind of present for new babies and their families.
It's a contribution to help them collect and store the newborn stem cells in their baby's umbilical cord blood. Banked cord blood provides a unique opportunity to protect that child or another family member's future health. It's one of the most valuable gifts anyone can give.
Doctors use the newborn stem cells in cord blood to treat over 75 serious illnesses, such as leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, and other serious blood and immune disorders. As medical research evolves, so will stem cell therapies, with new treatments expected for heart disease, diabetes, brain damage, cerebral palsy, stroke, and other age-related conditions, offering families more and more uses for banked cord blood.
Currently, scientists believe, stem cells similar to those found in cord blood can develop into replacement cells for damaged organs. Clinical trials recently revealed that stem cells can heal heart tissue damaged after a heart attack or repair damaged areas of the liver. Unlocking that amazing potential could generate new therapies for diseases only treated with traditional medical therapies in the past.
Newborn stem cells derived from cord blood are a noncontroversial source of stem cells. They only come from a live birth, have similar characteristics to embryonic stem cells, and are currently emerging as a viable research alternative to embryonic cells.
Newborn stem cells are easy to obtain and immediately available if needed. They are unique because they do not have to match the recipient as closely as bone marrow, offer less chance of being rejected, and can be used by siblings, the child's mother and other relatives, in many circumstances where bone marrow cells cannot.
There is, however, only one opportunity with each child to collect and store cord blood-right after birth. The procedure is quick, easy, painless, and completely safe for mother and baby.
Families that bank cord blood have peace of mind knowing that related stem cells are immediately available if ever needed. So when you're considering what to get a loved one's latest addition, you may care to think about giving a gift that will last a lifetime.
It's a contribution to help them collect and store the newborn stem cells in their baby's umbilical cord blood. Banked cord blood provides a unique opportunity to protect that child or another family member's future health. It's one of the most valuable gifts anyone can give.
Doctors use the newborn stem cells in cord blood to treat over 75 serious illnesses, such as leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, and other serious blood and immune disorders. As medical research evolves, so will stem cell therapies, with new treatments expected for heart disease, diabetes, brain damage, cerebral palsy, stroke, and other age-related conditions, offering families more and more uses for banked cord blood.
Currently, scientists believe, stem cells similar to those found in cord blood can develop into replacement cells for damaged organs. Clinical trials recently revealed that stem cells can heal heart tissue damaged after a heart attack or repair damaged areas of the liver. Unlocking that amazing potential could generate new therapies for diseases only treated with traditional medical therapies in the past.
Newborn stem cells derived from cord blood are a noncontroversial source of stem cells. They only come from a live birth, have similar characteristics to embryonic stem cells, and are currently emerging as a viable research alternative to embryonic cells.
Newborn stem cells are easy to obtain and immediately available if needed. They are unique because they do not have to match the recipient as closely as bone marrow, offer less chance of being rejected, and can be used by siblings, the child's mother and other relatives, in many circumstances where bone marrow cells cannot.
There is, however, only one opportunity with each child to collect and store cord blood-right after birth. The procedure is quick, easy, painless, and completely safe for mother and baby.
Families that bank cord blood have peace of mind knowing that related stem cells are immediately available if ever needed. So when you're considering what to get a loved one's latest addition, you may care to think about giving a gift that will last a lifetime.
Pay Your Babysitter
Being that your babysitter will be taking care of your young loved ones, you want to be careful and put a lot of thought into making a decision of which babysitter is best for you. Realize, however, that due to the importance of your children's security, this is not a time that you are really trying to cut costs. The rates that you will be charged are going to differ on the type of babysitter you decide to go with. The two types of babysitter's are generally going to fall into one of two categories: a personal acquaintance/friend and a professional agency.
Hiring a babysitter from an agency will be more expensive than hiring an acquaintance or friend. With an agency, you will have to pay them a fee on top of the babysitter's hourly rate. However, that fee should guarantee you that your loved ones will be in good hands. Being that the agency is correctly run, you should be provided with the babysitter's credentials, and the agency should know the babysitter very well. This will help give you peace of mind while you are out, away from your loved ones. Another advantage of hiring a babysitter from an agency is that they can generally adhere to all of your needs, in terms of having a babysitter ready in very short notice or in being able to have someone take care of you kids over longer periods of time.
Now in determining the rate per hour that you pay your babysitter will likely depend on how many children she will be watching each time. The more children being watched would naturally mean a higher hourly rate. A very common hourly rate for a baby sitter for one child is twelve dollars. Most babysitter's will charge anywhere from three to five dollars more per additional child. If you use the same babysitter all the time and things have been working out smoothly, you might be able to negotiate a slightly lower rate being that you are a source of regular income for that person. It can't hurt to negotiate once a relationship has been built, but don't try and take advantage of that person, or you might lose your regular babysitter.
If you have a child or children that require special needs or that tend to be extremely unruly, then there will likely be a surcharge to the average hourly rate, as it is going to take the babysitter more effort to complete her duties. The same also goes for a babysitter who you require to do more than just watch the children, such as preparing dinner for them or picking them up from school. On the other hand, if you only require that your babysitter read to your child and then put him/her to bed at a specific hour, then your rates are sure to be lower.
In terms of paying your babysitter, that is something that can be worked out between the two of you to find the most suitable terms of payment. Often, however, the babysitter will allow you to pay a slightly lower rate if you pay in cash. So you may want to exploit this option.
At the end of the day, you just want to make sure that you and your babysitter are happy with the arrangements. Your babysitter is taking care of your precious ones, and that is not something you are looking to get a big discount on. More importantly, you just want to make sure that your children are safe while you are away.
Hiring a babysitter from an agency will be more expensive than hiring an acquaintance or friend. With an agency, you will have to pay them a fee on top of the babysitter's hourly rate. However, that fee should guarantee you that your loved ones will be in good hands. Being that the agency is correctly run, you should be provided with the babysitter's credentials, and the agency should know the babysitter very well. This will help give you peace of mind while you are out, away from your loved ones. Another advantage of hiring a babysitter from an agency is that they can generally adhere to all of your needs, in terms of having a babysitter ready in very short notice or in being able to have someone take care of you kids over longer periods of time.
Now in determining the rate per hour that you pay your babysitter will likely depend on how many children she will be watching each time. The more children being watched would naturally mean a higher hourly rate. A very common hourly rate for a baby sitter for one child is twelve dollars. Most babysitter's will charge anywhere from three to five dollars more per additional child. If you use the same babysitter all the time and things have been working out smoothly, you might be able to negotiate a slightly lower rate being that you are a source of regular income for that person. It can't hurt to negotiate once a relationship has been built, but don't try and take advantage of that person, or you might lose your regular babysitter.
If you have a child or children that require special needs or that tend to be extremely unruly, then there will likely be a surcharge to the average hourly rate, as it is going to take the babysitter more effort to complete her duties. The same also goes for a babysitter who you require to do more than just watch the children, such as preparing dinner for them or picking them up from school. On the other hand, if you only require that your babysitter read to your child and then put him/her to bed at a specific hour, then your rates are sure to be lower.
In terms of paying your babysitter, that is something that can be worked out between the two of you to find the most suitable terms of payment. Often, however, the babysitter will allow you to pay a slightly lower rate if you pay in cash. So you may want to exploit this option.
At the end of the day, you just want to make sure that you and your babysitter are happy with the arrangements. Your babysitter is taking care of your precious ones, and that is not something you are looking to get a big discount on. More importantly, you just want to make sure that your children are safe while you are away.
irritate baby's skin
Baby's coming home soon - have you got what you need to take care of the little angel properly? You know you need footie pajamas and onesies, baby towels and bibs - but how many is enough? Having done this five times now - please hold the applause and gasps of shock - I consider myself a bit of an expert on bringing baby home to a prepared household. Most estimates of 'what you need for baby' are a wee bit off, in my opinion. Having brought baby home both with and without a handy washing machine, here's my recommendations for what the well-equipped baby should have at home before he leaves the hospital.
Layette:
Four to six undershirts - the usual recommendation - is actually plenty. You'll find you use them far less than I did when my oldest was born - pre-Onesies days. Skip the tank tops, as cute as the little midge might look in one just like daddy's, and go straight for the lap-shoulder t-shirts. They slip on easily, and if you buy them a size or two too big, they'll be long enough to tuck into sweatpants or bottoms.
Sleeping gowns are underrated. They make a great second layer over onesies, and are cool, loose and comfortable for baby in the summer. If you're bringing home a summer baby, pick up at least 6 or 8 sleeping gowns. They're much more comfortable in the heat than stretchies.
You can never have enough onesies. Whether you use them as the bottom layer in winter outfitting or the only thing baby wears in the summer, you'll go through several a day. If you have a washer at home, you can get by with 6-8. Otherwise, pick up even more. An even dozen isn't really too many at all.
- Experienced mom's note: DO use them in the summer. They'll keep your baby cooler than being in a diaper alone because the cotton absorbs moisture and wicks it away from the skin.
Stretchies are the second handiest baby invention ever. Stick with 100% natural fabrics like stretch cotton or cotton terry for the summer. For the winter, fuzzy jammies should go OVER a pair of onesies rather than against the skin to prevent irritation. 6-8 stretchies should be enough for baby's first few months.
Pick up one or two sweaters or sweatshirts to keep baby warm in wintertime or on cooler spring/summer evenings.
Four to six pairs each of booties and socks should be plenty. Cotton stretchy ones will be far more comfortable for baby than nylon.
One special take-me-home outfit and a few cute everyday ones.
Supplies:
Half a dozen baby washcloths are a must. They're far thinner than regular adult washcloths, and less likely to irritate baby's skin. I never used more than three or four hooded towels, but your mileage may vary. They're awfully handy for wrapping a baby up from head to toe after a bath, especially in a cool house.
Bibs are another of those things you just can't have enough of. Drool bibs are fine for tucking under baby's chin to keep drool and spit-up from staining clothing. You won't need the bigger bibs for feeding for a while, but pick up one or two to have on hand.
Receiving blankets make great all purpose you-name-its. They're the perfect size for swaddling baby under a crib blanket, tossing over your shoulder when you burp the munchkin - or for privacy while you nurse him. You'll use them as towel substitutes, to toss on the floor or on a changing station before you put the baby down, spread them over the stroller or baby seat in the sun - in other words, for just about everything. 6-12 certainly aren't too many. It's not like the baby will outgrow them - my toddlers used them as bath towels for years.
Even if you're using disposable diapers, pick up a dozen cloth diapers. They're simply the best burp rag ever made.
Two packages of disposable diapers (size newborn and size one) if you've decided to use disposables.
Layette:
Four to six undershirts - the usual recommendation - is actually plenty. You'll find you use them far less than I did when my oldest was born - pre-Onesies days. Skip the tank tops, as cute as the little midge might look in one just like daddy's, and go straight for the lap-shoulder t-shirts. They slip on easily, and if you buy them a size or two too big, they'll be long enough to tuck into sweatpants or bottoms.
Sleeping gowns are underrated. They make a great second layer over onesies, and are cool, loose and comfortable for baby in the summer. If you're bringing home a summer baby, pick up at least 6 or 8 sleeping gowns. They're much more comfortable in the heat than stretchies.
You can never have enough onesies. Whether you use them as the bottom layer in winter outfitting or the only thing baby wears in the summer, you'll go through several a day. If you have a washer at home, you can get by with 6-8. Otherwise, pick up even more. An even dozen isn't really too many at all.
- Experienced mom's note: DO use them in the summer. They'll keep your baby cooler than being in a diaper alone because the cotton absorbs moisture and wicks it away from the skin.
Stretchies are the second handiest baby invention ever. Stick with 100% natural fabrics like stretch cotton or cotton terry for the summer. For the winter, fuzzy jammies should go OVER a pair of onesies rather than against the skin to prevent irritation. 6-8 stretchies should be enough for baby's first few months.
Pick up one or two sweaters or sweatshirts to keep baby warm in wintertime or on cooler spring/summer evenings.
Four to six pairs each of booties and socks should be plenty. Cotton stretchy ones will be far more comfortable for baby than nylon.
One special take-me-home outfit and a few cute everyday ones.
Supplies:
Half a dozen baby washcloths are a must. They're far thinner than regular adult washcloths, and less likely to irritate baby's skin. I never used more than three or four hooded towels, but your mileage may vary. They're awfully handy for wrapping a baby up from head to toe after a bath, especially in a cool house.
Bibs are another of those things you just can't have enough of. Drool bibs are fine for tucking under baby's chin to keep drool and spit-up from staining clothing. You won't need the bigger bibs for feeding for a while, but pick up one or two to have on hand.
Receiving blankets make great all purpose you-name-its. They're the perfect size for swaddling baby under a crib blanket, tossing over your shoulder when you burp the munchkin - or for privacy while you nurse him. You'll use them as towel substitutes, to toss on the floor or on a changing station before you put the baby down, spread them over the stroller or baby seat in the sun - in other words, for just about everything. 6-12 certainly aren't too many. It's not like the baby will outgrow them - my toddlers used them as bath towels for years.
Even if you're using disposable diapers, pick up a dozen cloth diapers. They're simply the best burp rag ever made.
Two packages of disposable diapers (size newborn and size one) if you've decided to use disposables.
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