First-time parent by Lucy Atkins

This is a wonderful resource for first time parents which will guide you through the first year of your babies life. Lucy Atkins is a health journalist and mother of three children herself so the book is a great balance of medical information and every day real life stuff too.

It discusses the needs of the baby and the parent and address’s all of the questions you may have being a first time parent. With a humourous tone, Atkins has written a book full of useful tips that are practical, useful and entertaining.

The Mother’s Book of Well-Being: Caring for Yourself So You Can Care for Your Baby by Lisa Groen Braner

Lisa Groen Braner’s book is a wonderful source of inspiration for mothers in their babies first year. The book is made up of 52 essays, one for each week, which give tips and ideas on ways to take time out for yourself.

Braner believes in the importance of taking care of oneself so you can be the best mother you can be. Who can argue with that?

Great Ormond Street New Baby And Child Care Book: The Essential Guide For Parents Of Children Aged 0-5 by Hilton, Messenger, Tessa Hilton and others

The Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital is world famous and its Institute of Child Health is highly regarded for its research into child health and illness. This book is a full of advice about all areas of raising children covering everything from pregnancy and birth, to coping with a new baby and child development. All of which have been written by professionals.

Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives: How To Use Meditation, Yoga And Other Techniques To Give Your Child The Perfect Start In Life by Deepak Chopra

This book is perfect for mums to be who are interested in yoya and visualisation to take you through your pregnancy journey. These methods not only help you relax, but they also have benefits for your child. Apart from providing you with practical tips for labour it also has advice on caring for your new-born baby and enjoying parenthood. This book is also a great resource for providing dietary guidelines and useful natural remedies.

There are so many decisions and things to learn about when you first have a baby. Some are easy, like the choice between disposable and cloth nappies, while other decisions can be difficult and need a lot more thought. The books listed above are a great resource for first time mums and cover everything you need to know when your bundle of joy arrives.

Top 4 Books For First Time Mummies is a post from: New Age Nappies

Fortunately for girls reading, the market has got the message. The “girl stuff” element is getting modernized, and geared to a more discriminating market. That market also includes parents, and the demand for quality has created a lot of choices.

Unlike boys books, girls books are often far more storyline-based. There’s a wide range of adventures and images, and thankfully many authors and illustrators of girls books put in a lot of effort into quality. That said, there’s no such thing as a standardized child, and the choices have to made on an individual basis. Something new and exciting may be the best choice.

Getting interest from the girls

Levels of interest are vitally important in kids reading. The reading process requires a strong attention span and comprehension. The level of enthusiasm is a more reliable clue.

Any particular area of personal interest is also a good starting point for choosing, but remember kids are also very quick on the uptake. A new book which creates curiosity and a strong personal interest is a reliable indicator.

Learning skills and reading with imagination

Imagination is based on the development of ideas. The mental element in reading is unique as a learning mechanism. When reading the mind does its own visualization and naturally develops its own imagery without visual prompting from media. This creates a strong level of comprehension, which is the real meaning of literacy.

The primary need is for skills to be developed on a motivated basis. These skills are complex, they involve extended logic, working with concepts, and in some cases mysteries that need to be investigated. Most adults are fluent in reading mainly because their skills development has been stimulated by strongly motivated personal reading.

Books for fun and learning

Kids books are also evolving very strong learning techniques, thanks to technology. An excellent electronic book system called Leap Frog TagTM is well worth a look as a good benchmark example of what’s now possible in terms of putting fun and learning together.

These books, which include classic kids stories, allow independent exploration of books. They add the electronic media and very effective combinations of quality images and direct participation in the story with learning to read.

A child reading the books can use the electronic pen to investigate everything in the book. The child learns basic electronic interactions while developing their reading skills. They’re also good in terms of not being “boring and predictable”. The child is given many choices of things to do, and they’re all fun. Books are an exciting new world for kids, and parents will learn a lot, too.

Top 4 Books For Raising Girls is a post from: New Age Nappies

Babies need a range of basic dietary content in a form that they can digest properly. These needs change progressively, another good reason to keep an eye on new baby foods, and there are some positive benefits for parents.

What baby doesn’t like may indicate other issues. Some minor allergies and irritants like food acids and some chemicals used in food processing can cause a negative reaction, and some informed experimentation with foods on the diet plan can be very informative.

A good diet has very basic criteria:

• Baby loves it.
• It’s in the dietary plan.
• There are no negative reactions.

Note: Allergies and other issues may be real issues. If in any doubt whatsoever, contact your family doctor, and discontinue using any foods you consider possible causes.

Home made solids

Home made solids are easy to make, they’re cheap, you know exactly what goes into them, and you can adjust quantities to reduce waste and preparation times. Some of these food preparations are very simple, and very nutritious.

• Mashed bananas are a great vitamin store, with plenty of electrolytes, fibre, and B vitamins, a reliable level of vegetable protein, and there’s nothing easier to prepare.
• Puree vegetables are easy to prepare, they produce a good broth, and they’re full of useful nutrients in an easy-to-digest form. These materials are easy for baby’s metabolism. They contain many minerals, vitamins, green vegetable chlorophyll, and other good things for baby.

Organic baby food

Organic baby food is a healthy mix of vegetable, grain and fruit elements, grown without pesticides, herbicides, and other possible irritants for baby. Like organic cloth nappies and all the other safe healthy products, organic baby food is a really good option. Most importantly, organic baby foods are planned in dietary stages.

A typical combination of organic foods includes a range of things like:

• Quinoa: (pronounced keen-wa) a grain like rice and barley with high dietary phosphorous content, prepared like porridge.
• Berries: Good all round food value.
• Carrots: Beta carotene, precursor of Vitamin A, an essential dietary requirement.
• Kumara (aka sweet potatoes) Excellent carbohydrates and trace elements.
• Sweet corn: High in good carbohydrates.
• Fruits: As well as Vitamin C, fruits contain a lot of pure water and fibre, with many trace vitamins and minerals.

Successes- A good review from baby

One of the great pleasures of life is when their appetites develop and they start to eat everything but the furniture. You will literally be able to see the benefits of the right foods, growing up and asking for more.

Top 4 Feeding Products For Kids is a post from: New Age Nappies

Boys books- Fun is the key

When learning to read, boys are also learning to make associations with information and to relate to stories. If a book’s not getting attention, it’s the wrong book for the boy. Picking books can take time, but the right books are great triggers for learning, particularly for learning to read and understand written information effectively.

Fun is the keystone to learning. Since the development of kindergartens, it’s been professionally recognized that participation is a primary need for reading. A story which generates play, questions and attracts curiosity is a good sign of a happy reader.

What’s needed is what gets the most interest

It’s important that the fun is mental. Boys reading must be interesting to avoid distraction and develop skills properly. The early reading stages in learning are also the introduction to reading for personal interest. If a book generates motivated searches for information, it’s doing a good job of promoting real reading skills which are extremely valuable in later life.

Learning skills and reading with imagination

Boys books can provide surprises, and activate imagination. Old nursery rhymes were based on actions, and strange concepts that needed explanation. They were
funny and sometimes frightening, but very strong stimulation for young imaginations.

The Wicked Witches in kids books or the weird Hollywood characters are the same things. They’re major triggers for imagination. In books, the mental visualizations are created by major learning patterns, training the mind to deal with new concepts without visual prompts from TV and video games.

This is important, because requirements for mental processing when reading are much more demanding than visual media. Imagination of this kind involves extended logic, thinking about future possibilities, and even character analysis. These are advanced skills, even for adults, and in childhood the earlier they start to develop, the better the child’s progress.

Books for fun and learning

The new range of kids books is a good mix of electronics and reading skills. This is excellent kids reading learning material, and it’s all fun and all learning. A good example of this is a very popular learning electronic book series called Leap Frog TagTM which is a combination of an electronic pen, picture stories, and a lot of choices of activities.

It’s great for young boys, because they can explore facets of the book, learn their way through the words, and it greatly encourages fluency. For kids who are just learning how to form sentences, it’s a real asset, and they can play games as well. There are plenty of activities, and every page provides a lot of fun. Don’t be totally surprised to find your boy immersed in a good book.

Top 4 Books For Raising Boys is a post from: New Age Nappies

The basic issues for Mums aren’t necessarily simple. Babies may be portable, but their equipment can take some managing. Even when the basic needs are known, the amount of “compulsory shopping” can be a real nuisance. Running out of something simple can be a true epic of patience. These trips can become a commuting exercise, and are expensive in terms of time and petrol.

If you take stock of the issues, you’ll find the real problems are easy to define. Some things are essentials, some are occasional needs, and these needs are predictable. This is where you can go to work on solving the runaround problem, and staying ahead with your budget.

Choices and more choices- Decision time

The simpler, and definitely cheaper over time alternative is buying ahead. If you take stock of your usual turnover of products, costs, and time usage, you’ll come up with a dollar figure you’d like to improve. That, naturally, means you’ll need to choose your best brands and do some costing as well. That can be easier than it sounds, particularly if you buy in bulk.

The customized essentials shopping list

A typical shopping list of basic baby needs is a useful starting point when you’ve decided what you want:

• Organic nappy
• Training pants
• Organic baby blankets
• Washable training pants
• Cotton nappy
• Babies nappies
• Baby swim nappy
• Buy nappies online
• Cloth training pants

This shopping list also allows you to cost your outlays very effectively. You can plan your buying in advance, and not have to juggle domestic cash all the time. You can also stock up and have a reserve supply of your essentials when you need it.

Important saving tip: If you shop online, you can do all your shopping in advance, and having the shopping is delivered puts money back into your wallet.

Accessories- They’re always useful

A part of the baby budget that doesn’t often get a mention are the accessories. They’re exactly what you need when you don’t have them. It’s another area where you can save money and buy baby accessories online.

This is a representative range of baby accessories:

• Baby Sling
• Bags
• Bath, Oils and Laundry
• Bibs
• Blankets
• Creams
• Legwarmers
• Pail Liners
• Teething Necklaces
• Wipes

As you can see, these are all exactly the types of things that may cause the dash to the shop at any time, anywhere. These are another area you can get under control with some forward buying.

Top 4 Baby’s Products Every Mummy Should Have is a post from: New Age Nappies

Baby bedroom basics are pretty straightforward. A combination of table, an absolutely reliable high chair, a good quality cot or cot/bed and some simple additions with fun things like sturdy Teddy Bear bean bag play toys are really all you need.

Good toy storage is another very positive addition. A basic child safe footlocker or other simple, safe and easy to handle storage box can be invaluable when the toys start to create obstacle courses and tripping hazards.

Safety issues

There’s one basic rule in baby bedroom furniture: The good quality, solidly made furniture is the absolutely safe, trustworthy furniture you need. Traditional designs in wood are always reliable, and very durable. If you’re a young family on the move, you’ll appreciate the good quality products.

These must be avoided:

• Thin edges
• Sharp, accessible corners
• Any projecting features on any form of furniture
• Poor stitching on covers
• Rough, unfinished timbers
• Brittle plastics
• Low quality tube steel

Another shopping fundamental rule is to check for safety indicators. The good baby furniture manufacturers quite rightly make a point of advertising safety features. These higher quality products are also fully tested products with properly designed components. If you’re on a budget, just a few extra dollars can be well worth spending for this level of safety.

Fun is a happy baby- choices for toddlers

With increased mobility, baby’s exploration of the world will start in the bedroom. The toddler range of baby furniture, which doubles as learning toys, is particularly good for both mobility training and learning purposes. Much more importantly, it’s also the sorts of toys that babies can really enjoy safely.

The new mobility is naturally another baby safety issue, and the main emphasis is on good quality, no-fuss, and above all no breakable pieces or swallowing hazards. Good choices for toddlers are extremely stable, heavy duty things that allow good balance when moving, and can’t be tipped over or create other risks.

When you know you’ve got it right

A great baby bedroom can form a slightly chaotic but happy picture of toys, cloth nappies, bright colored furniture, and a whole range of fun-based baby things. In the middle of all of this is the star of the show, happily playing in a safe, secure world of things that they love.

From the parental point of view, the picture is similar, but has some additional reasons to smile. Baby’s happy, the budget’s intact, and the baby furniture won’t need replacing for quite a while. Everybody can have a good time.

Top 4 Baby’s Bedroom Furniture is a post from: New Age Nappies

But despite these pleasing figures, the debate over cloth nappies versus disposable nappies still rages.

So let’s look at some of the advantages of using fitted cloth nappies over disposable nappies:

Environmental Advantage of Cloth Nappies

The Cambridge University study cited the fact that 63% of new mothers who are using cloth nappies in preference to disposable nappies are doing so for environmental reasons.

Each year, it is estimated 200,000 trees and 36,000 kg of plastic are required in the US alone in the manufacture of disposable nappies. Further, approximately 2 billion tonnes of plastic, paper and waste matter are added to US landfill each year.

Although many brands of disposables claim to be biodegradable, the amount of oxygen and sunlight required for the decomposition process to occur are unrealistic. Scientists estimate it would take one disposable nappy about 220 years to biodegrade, with most of the plastics in the nappy never decomposing.

Eco-ethicists also point to contamination of our waterways with the untreated waste in disposable nappies as well as the environmental impact from the dyes, sodium polyacrylate (the super absorbent gel) and dioxins leaching into the soil and water around landfill sites.

Skin Care with Cloth Nappies

Of major concern to the parents of newborns and toddlers is nappy rash, however this common condition can be caused by a number of factors including prolonged exposure to wetness, lack of air circulation as well as irritation from some soaps, chemicals and dye agents.

According to the US Journal of Paediatrics, the incidence of severe nappy rash increased from 7.1% to 61% since disposable nappies became more popular.

Of course, nappy rash can and does occur in babies regardless of whether you use fitted cloth nappies or disposable nappies.

The best way to prevent nappy rash is to change baby whenever the nappy is wet and to ensure cloth nappies are washed as safely and softly as possible so that any rash causing bacteria is destroyed.

Most cloth nappy advocates recommend that nappies soak in nappy solution for no more than 48 hours and that they are washed separately in a liquid anti-bacterial detergent without fabric softener, which can contain irritants.

Another sensible suggestion is to air dry baby cloth nappies until they are touch dry and then place them in a dryer for 10 to 15 minutes for added softness.

Convenience of Fitted Cloth Nappies

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of an ordinary cloth nappy over disposables has been the need to prepare them before they can be put on. But with the newer style of fitted cloth nappies with Velcro fasteners they are just as easy to put on and take off as the disposable variety.

Disposable liners also mean the liner and its contents can easily be removed and flushed down the toilet, making them even more convenient and helping to save the environment at the same time.

These newer style fitted cloth nappies don’t need to be pre-soaked or rinsed repeatedly either. On average, cloth nappies only add two additional loads of laundry to your weekly schedule, which is a small price to pay when you consider the overall cost savings and environmentally friendly approach you are taking to your children, their health and their future.

Source:
http://www.babynames.com.au/Cloth-vs-Disposable.htm
http://www.clothnappy.com/articles/cloth_nappy_myths.html
http://www.newagenappies.com.au/FittedNappies.shtml

Why Fitted Cloth Nappies Cost Less And Care More is a post from: New Age Nappies

For the purposes of this exercise, we are going to ignore disposable nappies and assume that you are a modern, new age dad who cares about the environment and the future your new son or daughter will inherit; so we are going to focus on the guerilla tactics necessary to outfit baby in more eco-friendly cloth nappies.

The 10 Step Guide to Putting on a Nappy

1. Before you do anything, make sure you have all the supplies you will need beforehand.

Your list of supplies will include: the baby (goes without saying!), a freshly laundered cloth nappy, nappy pins, baby powder, a moisture resistant gel or cream, and a plastic nappy cover (often referred to as “pilchers”).

Other items you will require are baby wipes, which could be the disposable variety or if you prefer, a warm damp washer, and a disposable liner for extra leakage protection.

2. Lay your nappy on a flat surface. Turn your square nappy around so it forms the shape of a diamond and fold the top triangular corner over about 3/4 of the way down the diagonal sides.

Then fold the bottom triangular corner up about ½ way along the diagonal sides.

The remaining two sides are folded towards the centre of the nappy so they meet in the middle.

The proportions may need to be adjusted depending on the size of your baby. As an example, for a new-born you may need to make the diagonal folds at a wider angle to make the size of the nappy, once it’s folded, smaller.

If you are using disposable liners, place the liner in the centre of your nappy and then place your carefully folded nappy aside but within easy reach.

3. Now comes the fun part – removing the wet/dirty nappy!

This is a good time to give baby a small toy to distract him or her, or for a new-born, try a colourful mobile above the change table which he or she can focus on.

Remove the outer plastic lining and then carefully remove the nappy pins. Make sure you place the pins well out of the way of baby. A small pillow beside the change table can be used to gently dig the pins into so they are within reach but safely out of harm’s way.

4. If the nappy is wet, lift baby’s bottom so you can remove the nappy and place it in the nappy bucket, which you will have remembered to put beside the change table. You did remember, didn’t you?

If the nappy is soiled, use the inside top of the nappy to wipe away the excess and then gently remove it from under baby, wiping with the nappy as you go. Fold it over carefully and place in the nappy bucket for later disposal.

5. Using a nappy wipe, carefully wipe baby’s bottom clean. This is important because any traces left behind will irritate your little one’s skin and possibly result in nappy rash.

6. Next, apply a small amount of calming nappy lotion all around baby’s bottom. Nappy lotion provides a wetness barrier and keeps your baby healthy and happy.

7. If you use baby powder, sprinkle a small amount on baby’s skin.

8. Once you are satisfied that your precious little bundle is clean, dry and smelling like…well…a baby, it’s time to put the new nappy on.

With your left hand, take hold of both your baby’s feet between your index finger and ring finger with your middle finger between his or her feet. Using the other hand, grab hold of the clean baby nappy in the centre so the folded ends remain together.

Raise your left hand so baby’s bottom is off the change table and carefully slide the new nappy underneath so the top edge is at the same height as baby’s waist. Are you still with me?

Of course, if you’re left-handed, reverse this instruction.

Grab hold of each side piece and bring them in towards the middle front and then pull the section between baby’s legs up to meet the side pieces.

9. To avoid mistaking baby’s delicate folds of skin for a layer of nappy, put your hand under the nappy where you are going to place the nappy pin and then carefully insert it so it captures both the top layers and clip the safety pin.

Repeat the process on the opposite side so the nappy is firm and snug. This is important because if the nappy is too loose you risk major leakage problems or worse, the nappy falling off altogether.

10. And the final step in the process is to add the plastic pants one leg at a time.

Now…how simple was that, I ask you?

Changing your little bundle of joy is a time for bonding, so talk to him or her, tell a story, tickle and play as much as possible.

You’ll quickly find that changing baby’s nappies is not the chore you had nightmares over but a time to delight in this wonderful little gift of life and love you brought into the world.

Sources:
Refer to my children!

Baby Nappies – The Training Manual For The Man In Training is a post from: New Age Nappies