Friday, June 21, 2013

5 Modern Baby Shower Gift Baskets

Shopping for a baby shower gift can be more difficult than you might think. If you're not in a position to buy those big-ticket bedding sets, monitors, or furniture items, you're usually left with a ton of inexpensive items that really don't feel gift-worthy on their own. While creating your own gift set with a variety of little items like onesies, toys, blankets, and books is a good idea, we have an even better one: pick up a premade gift basket made by a totally on-trend kid company like The Land of Nod or DwellStudio. We found five gift baskets that will ensure your present is the hit of the baby shower!


Modern Baby Shower Gift Baskets
 The Land of Nod Official Gift Set







Modern Baby Shower Gift Baskets
Designed by Lynne Buchman, this Uncommon Goods' gift set ($82) includes a soft cotton hat and booties and a cute piggy or puppy, all created by fair-trade artisans in Peru. 
Modern Baby Shower Gift Baskets













Modern Baby Shower Gift Baskets


















Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Hospital Checklist {Free Printable}

Preparing for labor? Don't forget to pack your hospital bag! Packing for labor and delivery is a lot like packing to go on a big trip to a place you've never been before: you don't really know what you need until you get there. Still, with a little help from some been-there, done-that parents, you'll at least get the basics into your bag. With this in mind, I’ve put together a Hospital Bag Checklist for expecting moms. It looks something like this:

Free Printable Hospital Checklist

How to Use Your Hospital Bag Checklist

  • When you are in the middle of your 3rd trimester (or before that if you are getting antsy) print off the Hospital Bag Checklist
  • Pack what you won’t need in the next few weeks
  • Lay the list on top of the bag
  • When you go into labor, run through it right before you leave and make sure you’ve packed everything on the list. By doing this you can feel assured you haven’t forgotten anything at home that you’ll really be needing!



Monday, June 17, 2013

10 Weird (But Totally Normal) Things About Your Newborn



by: Kaitlin Stanford


Sure, all those books and classes have prepped you for the major things: labor and delivery, the unavoidable sleepless nights and, of course, round-the-clock feedings. But what about the projectile poop and wandering eyes? Before you go running to the phone to call the pedi, we've got the rundown on all those freaky, but totally normal, things about newborns.

1. Cradle cap

What's the deal? There's no way around it -- cradle caps are pretty gross. But they're also pretty common. How come? Honestly, nobody knows for sure. The good news is any dryness or flakiness will usually disappear within baby's first few months (though for some, random flare ups could go on for longer). In the meantime, try rubbing baby oil on the patches two or three times a week. Dr. Alanna Levine, parenting expert and pediatrician at Orangetown Pediatric Associates in New York, suggests making it a routine before baby's bath and scraping the caps off with a fine-toothed comb.
When to worry: Luckily, there's not too much worrying you need to do about this one -- it's basically nothing more than a common rash. But if it spreads beyond baby's scalp or seems to be growing more severe, ask your doc about getting a prescription ointment.

2. Explosive poop

What's the deal? Okay, maybe our use of the word "explosive" was a bit much. But the truth is, you haven't been officially initiated into parenthood until you've had to deal with a diaper explosion or two. In other words, you're not the first mom to clean baby poop off those newly painted nursery walls. For a little schooling on the physics of it all, Dr. Levine breaks it down: "Newborn poop is mostly liquid with some mustard-seed texture mixed in," she says. "As a result, it doesn't take much power to propel it across a room." Grossed out yet? Just wait until you’ve got an "up-the-backer" on your hands.
When to worry: As long as it has color (ranging from brown to green to yellow) and some seedy particles in it, baby's poop should be good to go. But if you spot any signs of blood, Dr. Levine says it's time to get on the phone with your doc.

3. Baby boobage

What's the deal? Remember those wacky hormones that plagued your entire pregnancy? (How could you forget?) Well, they did a number on baby too. And, unfortunately, one of the side effects of hanging out in your belly for 9 months can be...well, large boobs. Baby's exposure to your hormones can often cause breast tissue to develop, since it takes a while for the hormones to wear off. But don't stress, they're generally nothing to be concerned about and should go away in time.
When to worry: Notice any redness around baby's breast? If so, Dr. Levine also suggests taking baby's temp, to see if the redness is accompanied by a fever. These symptoms may be a sign of something more serious, and reason to get baby checked out.

4. Weird groaning noises

What's the deal? If you expected just a little cooing and occasional crying out of baby, think again. Babies make a racket. There's grunting, groaning, snorting, and all sorts of other funny sounds that you'll hear out of her. But according to Dr. Levine, all those strange noises are caused by baby's nasal passages being pretty narrow in the newborn stage, leading the mucus that gets trapped in there to create some added sound effects. If you've been hearing a symphony of sounds lately, you may just need to spend more time clearing out baby's nose with a nasal aspirator.
When to worry: Take note of whether or not baby grunts with each breath. If so, he may be having trouble breathing. In this case, Dr. Levine says to call your pediatrician ASAP.

5. Constant sneezing

What's the deal? Don't forget that baby's new to this world and everything in it and, as a result, she's extra-sensitive to lots of things you're already immune to. So if she's sneezing up a storm but not actually sick, she's probably trying to banish any little foreign particles that have made their way into her nasal passages. Looking at the light will also be an adjustment for her, so if you take baby out on a bright sunny day and she starts sneezing, it may actually be the sun -- and not allergies -- that's to blame. Other common causes for sneezing could be to get rid of extra mucus or even amniotic fluid from the respiratory airways.
When to worry: If baby's sneezes are accompanied by wheezing, have her checked out by your pediatrician to see if she may have allergies or something else that needs treatment. You'll want to make sure her breathing is kosher, her swallowing is normal, and her lungs are clear, in order to rule out anything serious.

6. Random jerky movements

What's the deal? Baby's random jerks and spastic limb flailing may be a bit jarring to watch at first, but just keep in mind it's all par for the course. In those first few months, he'll be dealing with a lot of developmental changes, one of which includes honing his startle reflex (or Moro reflex). Maybe you'll see him doing it randomly or maybe it comes after he hears a loud noise, but either way he'll start to settle down around three or four months. Until then you might want to put your swaddling skills to good use: Babies often startle themselves awake, and swaddling will help baby sleep more soundly.
When to worry: You should actually only worry if baby isn’t exhibiting any jerkiness or spastic movements. Their absence could mean something's not quite right. So if baby isn't showing any of these signs, speak with your doc.

7. Oddly-shaped heads

What's the deal? Giving birth is a tough job, plain and simple. But remember, it's not just youdoing all the work down there. Baby's working overtime to get down that birth canal. And after that journey, it's no wonder he came out all purple and swollen-looking. Since baby's little head is soft and malleable in the beginning, squeaking his way past your pelvic bone can definitely cause some flattening to occur. If it doesn't happen during delivery, baby could also get some flat spots later on from lying on his back too much. If you notice this, try holding baby in your arms more, or as Dr. Levine suggests, increase tummy time when baby's awake, and alternate where you place his toys, so he doesn't favor any one side.
When to worry: If you've tried everything and baby's head still seems flat in some places, talk to your doc. He may need to wear a temporary helmet to correct the shape of his head. Helmets are most affective if worn as early as four to six months, though, so don’t wait too long to speak up if you feel like something's wrong.

8. Swollen genitals

What's the deal? There's no delicate way to say this. If you've just given birth to a newborn boy, you may notice his little man parts are significantly larger than you’d probably expect. Specifically, the testes. So what’s up? Baby can be affected by hormone exposure in your belly just before birth. Or, there could be extra fluid build-up in the sac around his testicles. But don't worry, he'll flush it out with his pee in a few days. Same goes for your baby girl, who may have swollen labia for a few days after delivery. Either way, the puffiness should go down with a little time. Speaking of, here's a fun fact for you: Baby will shed so much fluid in the first few days of life that they'll actually drop around 10 percent of their original body weight.
When to worry: If the swelling doesn't go down within a few days after delivery, you should probably get it looked at, particularly if you’ve got a baby boy on your hands. Boys can develop a condition called hydrocele, which can actually take up to a year to correct on its own.

9. Blood in the diaper

What's the deal? Spotting even the tiniest trace of blood in baby's diaper is enough to freak out any new parent; but the truth is, it's not always cause for alarm. There are tons of legit reasons why it may be happening, all of which are temporary. If you've just had a baby girl, she may be experiencing some extra side effects from being exposed to your hormones in utero. Have no worries, a "mini-period" is actually pretty common among infant girls going through a little estrogen withdrawal in the days following delivery. The hormones will even out soon enough. Other potential causes: a particularly rough BM may have caused a little scratch or cut on the way out, but the bleeding should fade fast. Was your baby recently circumcised? The blood may be from his healing wound. Make sure to apply Vaseline whenever necessary to ease his pain and be extra liberal about moisturizing it. Same goes if baby has a nasty case of diaper rash.
When to worry: Though it's probably totally normal, we're going to give you an out on this one. For the sake of your own sanity, just go ahead and call your doc to be sure. Rare is the new parent who can see blood in their newborn's diaper and actually manage to get some sleep that night.

10. Crossed eyes

What's the deal? In the beginning, a slight case of wonk-eye in baby is to be expected. She’s still trying to sort out all her newfound abilities, one being her sense of sight, and it will take some time for her to gain a little muscle control and hone her focusing techniques. But believe it or not, sometimes even when baby's eyes may look like they're crossed, they may not be. Because of a broad bridge of the nose, extra skin folds can mask some of the white parts of baby's eyes. This can create a sort of optical illusion called pseudoesotropia.  So take a closer look: Are baby's pupils actually lined up and moving together? It may be all in your head after all! (It happens to the best of us.)
When to worry: According to Dr. Levine, if baby's still showing signs of crossed or wandering eyes by six months, you should make an appointment to see if something else is at play. If your little one's eyes are chronically wandering off in two different directions, she may have strabismus; and if there’s just one eye going rogue, she may have amblyopia, or lazy eye.



Friday, June 14, 2013

Father's Day Gift

It's not a secret that I love free stuff, and  I'm sure that a lot of you are with me on this, and thinking about that I created these free printable for your personal use or to give as a gift on this Father's day. You can use as a card or you can frame it and display anywhere you like. Hope you all enjoy it, and HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!


Just click here to download this 8.5 x 11 printable.





Just click here to download this 8.5 x 11 printable.



Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Kate Middleton’s Birth Plan Will Make History in England

Kate Middleton's pregnancy fashion


By: 

While Kate Middleton and Prince William’s baby-on-deck continues to prepare for his (her?) summer debut, word on the street is that Kate’s birth plan will make history in England — for more reasons than you think!
Aside from the fact that Kate will birth the future king or queen of England (baby will be third in line for the throne!), she and daddy-t0-be will also break ground in the English way of arrival. Kate’s birth will mark the first time EVER that dad will be present for the delivery. That’s right — if you can even believe it — all the dad’s before Will were elsewhere when their babes were birthed. For starters, Prince Charles was playing polo during Diana’s delivery with William and before that, Prince Philip was playing squash when Queen Elizabeth gave birth to Charles. Talk about royal no-shows!
Kate will likely give birth in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London, the same locale where Diana gave birth to Prince William. It’ll be a beautiful memory for the two parents, to connect both William’s past with the new future they’re planning together (it’ll also be a beautiful way to honor his late mum) and apparently, Kate’s gone so far as to consider a ton of alternative birth methods for her delivery, including water birth and Hypnobirthing. To be honest, I think Kate may deliver like the mums before her, but that’s just me.
Regardless of the way Kate and Will choose to deliver — one thing is for sure: They’re going to have a birth plan. Known as the “game-plan” for baby’s arrival, it’ll serve as a check-list to make sure that both Will and Kate are totally in charge of labor, delivery and baby’s arrival. Because the entire world will have their eyes glued to the news, it’s super important for the couple to stick to their wishes as the moment of delivery draws nearer and nearer. And while the couple can expect for things to get a little chaotic, their birth plan will make sure that Kate and Will are on the same page as their doctors and nurses.
So, what can we expect their birth plan to look like?
First things first, it will make clear their desires about issues like pain medspeople involvedepisiotomies and cord cutting. Their plan will document their wishes as parents (spoiler alert! Kate and Will’s will most likely involve a lengthy legal agreement that keeps hospital staff from saying anythingabout delivery!), prepare them for hospital policies — their plan will make sure everyone involved in baby’s knows what you want, how you want to do it, no further questions asked! That way, you can just focus on the pushin’.
Source: The Bump


Monday, June 10, 2013

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Baby Outfit for Summer

I couldn't resist to show here all these adorable summer outfit for babies and toddlers. This is going to blow your mind.

Crazy 8 - Summer Vacation 4/30/12Crazy 8 - Summer 4/2/12
Crazy 8 - Summer Vacation 4/30/12
Baby Clothing: Baby Girl Clothing: Hamptons | GapCrazy 8 - Summer Vacation 4/30/12Crazy 8 - Summer Vacation 4/30/12Crazy 8 - Summer Vacation 4/30/12Crazy 8 - Summer 4/2/12Crazy 8 - Easter 2/20/12







Monday, June 3, 2013

Dad's D-Day Duties

Dad's d-day duties


We all know what a mom’s job is during labor and delivery, but a dad plays a crucial role as well. So how can you prepare for what’s bound to be a physically exhausting day for your partner and an emotional one for both of you? Check out these tips so you can proceed with patience and confidence.
Know your facts. If you know going in that this might be a really long day, you’ll be better able to manage your (and your partner’s) expectations. So keep in mind that spending ten to 20-plus hours in labor is not unusual for first-time moms (though a recent study found that six and a half hours is typical). Here’s where you come in: Break out the board games, feed her as many ice chips as she wants, and walk with her if she’s up for it. Gently massage her head, back, or feet if she’ll let you, and hold her hand during those really rough contractions.
Keep smiling. Prolonged intense pain can make even the sweetest woman swear like a sailor and the toughest woman come undone. Be prepared for either or both and try to ignore any negative comments your honey may hurl your way. She (probably) doesn't mean what she says.
Expect the unexpected. No one — not even the most experienced obstetrician — can predict how your wife’s labor and delivery will go, so keep an open mind in case you need to adjust your birth plan. For example, you two may have discussed a delivery without medication, but things can change as labor progresses. For many women, the transition phase of labor (when dilation is around 8 cm) is the most painful part and an epidural may suddenly seem like a good idea.
Be her advocate. During labor, your normally take-charge partner may not be able to speak up for herself, so be ready to be assertive on her behalf. Insist on speaking with the doctor if you or your wife is uneasy about what’s happening. Be a squeaky wheel if the anesthesiologist is AWOL. Be firm but respectful: Even in a critical medical situation (an emergency C-section, for example), you have the right to ask for at least a brief explanation of why an intervention is being made.
Capture the moment, but don’t miss it. When it comes to documenting your baby’s grand entrance, technology can be a blessing and a curse. If you get too caught up in filming or tweeting about the birth, you may not experience it for the incredible moment that it is. And one more word of caution about your delivery movie: Just because it’s possible to share it with everyone doesn't mean you have to.
Be a hero. When it’s all over and you’re holding your brand-new baby, be conscious of what your wife has just accomplished. She deserves a little — no, a lot — of recognition for making it through labor and delivery, not to mention nine months of pregnancy. No need to break the bank with a blingy “push” present if that’s not your style: But taking the time to write a loving note of gratitude and/or a small gift will be really meaningful to her.

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