Week 26

I keep wondering how much bigger I will get. My belly has grown an inch and a half in two weeks! At least I know where the weight I’m gaining is going. How am I going to make it three more months? Time has been going fast so far. I hope that trend continues.

Speaking of time going by fast, my little sister got engaged this week. I don’t know about her, but I’m not ready for this.

I got a breast pump this week. Learn more about choosing a breast pump here . It is a really nice double electric one. My plans as of now are to breastfeed as long as I can and a pump should be helpful when I go back to work. I’ve actually been lactating a little bit here and there. I hope this means I won’t have any trouble with my milk coming in. I’ve been reading a lot on breastfeeding. All the information is overwhelming and a little intimidating. In a few weeks I’m taking a breastfeeding class. That should help prepare me a little and remind me of why this is the best decision in my case. Read this article on Mommy.com to help you make your decision about whether or not to breastfeed.  There is also a breastfeeding guide and if you choose not to breastfeed, here is some info on choosing the right baby formula.

The prenatal Pilates DVD I’ve been using has been really enjoyable. Especially the flexibility segment. It is only ten minutes long so I have no excuse not to exercise, even if I can’t make myself go to the gym. I’ve been walking whenever I can as well. Self magazine recently stated that expectant mothers who exercise three times a week for 30 minutes have babies with lower heart rates than babies of sedentary mothers.

I had been anticipating going camping for weeks. Unfortunately our plans were changed. The couple we had planned to go with has a seven-week-old baby girl. She got sick on Wednesday. The good news is she got out of the hospital Friday and is doing well. We pretended we were camping Friday and Saturday. Andrew and I brought our camp supplies over to our friends’ house and cooked out over a fire.

The dark line that runs vertically over a mother’s stomach is called the linea nigra. I’ve noticed it darkening lately. Apparently it is ever present, but the same color as the surrounding skin. It is then called the linea alba. The linea nigra is caused by an increase in the production of melanin. This is the same cause of chloasma or the mask of pregnancy. Either should fade between a few months post partum and several months post partum. Sun exposure during pregnancy can intensify pigment changes.

On Sunday, Andrew and I took a baby safety class. It was interesting to learn what to look for when purchasing baby gear. I had previously decided that I didn’t want my boy to use a walker or exersaucer because it can delay muscle development and hinder natural walking. This class reaffirmed that. We also learned that in some countries those “toys” are banned. They really are not safe.

Other baby and child safety reminders are common sense, but a few are easily overlooked. We know to keep cabinets with chemicals and cleaning products locked up, but remember that mouthwash contains alcohol and can be very dangerous. I also didn’t think of my curling iron. After I use it I set it on the floor to cool. I can’t keep that habit up when baby gets here! Car seat regulations are always changing and the recalls are too numerous to keep track of. Call the Auto Safety Hotline at 800-424-9393 to ask about your model.

Baby’s body is now two or three percent body fat. His eyelids are now unfused and open. His eyes are completely formed at this time. Baby’s lungs are now capable of breathing air. Should a baby be born at pre-term, developed lungs mean a much higher chance of survival. At 26 weeks, baby is about 14 inches long and weighs just over two pounds.

Please view my other blogs:

• Health insurance changes mid-pregnancy
• Terra’s Own Birth Day
• Our wiggle worm
• Crafting, sports, pilates and…waddling?!
• Things are a’changing!
• It’s a boy!
• Communicating with your big belly
• Keepin’ it all straight
• Terra’s Announcement
• Terra’s Trip to the Midwest
• My Little Secret
• Terra’s First Few Weeks

Please view my profile on Mommy.com here .

I love buying toys for my six grandchildren. As a “Nana” I feel that it is my right to spoil them. As a former teacher, however, I try to include a lot of educational toys. A good educational toy provides entertainment and teaching. Kids learn while having fun, without even realizing it.

Perhaps the most important learning stage in a child’s life is the toddler period. Their brains are like sponges between the ages of one and four, and that’s the perfect time for them to learn social, sensory, construction and speaking skills, coordination, thinking strategies, manipulation and visual conception. The correct educational toys can improve all of these important skills. Here are some of my favorite educational toys.

Blocks

Blocks are great for babies 6-12 months old. It helps them learn manipulation and coordination skills and helps improve sensory and construction skills. Blocks for this age should be large, soft and easy to handle. Older toddlers need brightly colored blocks that are a little smaller and in different shapes to improve visual conception and recognition.

Nesting and stacking toys

These come in bright-colored rings, squares, house-shapes and other shapes. They’re in graduated sizes that stack on top of each other or fit inside each other. These are very educational toys, teaching manipulation, visual conception and construction skills in babies one to two-years-old. Older toddlers will also learn counting skills, color recognition and other visual conception skills like comparing small to large.

Puzzles

Puzzles come in a huge variety of sizes, colors and types. Depending on the style, and the size and difficulty of the pieces, they’re appropriate for any age. Puzzles improve shape recognition, thinking strategies, manipulation and coordination.

Shape sorters

Any shape sorter is educational, but the best ones reward the child by music, verbal clues or visual clues when they place the correct shape in the correlating space. A more advanced shape sorter requires the child to match not only the correct shape but also the correct color. These improve shape and color recognition, thinking strategies, manipulation, coordination and visual conception. With the “reward” the child also learns cause and effect. Shape sorters are appropriate for ages 12 months and up.

ABC-number school bus

My grandchildren have one of these toys, and they love it. On one side of the bus are the letters of the alphabet, and on the other side are numbers. When the child presses a letter or number, the bus driver announces it. This educational toy is great for teaching number and letter recognition, sensory skills and manipulation. It also helps improve social, communication and speaking skills, and cause and effect. The bus is for ages one to three.

Dolls

All babies and toddlers should have some sort of cuddly doll or stuffed animal. They offer companionship and security and help teach social and communication skills. For all ages.

Make believe

Please buy toys for your children that encourage imagination and playing with others. Toddlers two to four love costumes, role playing, play kitchens, making animals out of PLAY-DOH and drawing and painting. They learn so much from such play: social, communication and speaking skills, and creativity and visual conception.

Books!

Maybe this is just the teacher in me, but the most important “toys” you can buy for your child are books, and they’re probably the most educational toy available. Children are never too young or too old for books. Research shows that even unborn babies benefit from being read to. You should read daily to your child, with his first books being short and simple with colorful pages.

At six months, add books with different textures for the child to feel. As your baby develops, you might want to add talking books, pop-up books or books that require some sort of manipulation. Books teach and improve many skills, including social, communication and speaking. Certain types of books can also improve sensory skills, manipulation, thinking strategies and visual conceptions like recognizing shapes, colors, letters and comparisons like big and small, slow and fast, rough and smooth, and tall and short.

When purchasing toys for your children, keep learning skills in mind. It isn’t difficult to make all their toys educational toys. Just be sure to offer a wide range of toys that address several skills. And remember: Read to your child!

This period in your toddler’s life is so important for learning. If children don’t master certain skills at this age, they’ll always struggle with them later. Your toddler’s brain is “programmed” for learning. Do him a favor and take advantage of the opportunity now. You’ll be glad in the long run that you took a little extra time and effort.

We all want to do our part to keep the planet greener. As you scratch your head, trying to decide whether filling a landfill with plastic diapers is worse than using excess water washing cloth ones, it’s a tough decision. When, after much deliberation, you decide to go with cloth, opting to put soft cotton on your baby’s bottom instead of paper and plastic, you’ve got a million questions about what to do.

Picking a diaper

The first thing you’ll run across is DSQ. This stands for Diaper Service Quality. Any time you see this on a cloth diaper, it means that the fibers are woven to withstand multiple industrial washings. This is a good thing, as you certainly want a diaper you can wash more than a few times before retiring it to house rag use.

Next, you’ll wonder how many you will need. If you are using a diaper service, you’ll only need a dozen or two, depending on how often you have a pickup. But, if you wash them yourself, you’ll need about three dozen to get you through about three days.

There are a variety of cloth diapers available. The most basic and inexpensive is a flat, prefolded diaper, sewn in three panels. The middle panel is the most absorbent. You can find a variety of thicknesses, called ply. They range between 4 and 8 ply. You can find bleached and unbleached cotton, organic cotton and hemp. With a flat prefolded diaper, you’ll need pins or diaper closures. But, there are cotton diapers that have snaps or Velcro closures.

There is also an all-in-one diaper, with diaper pants sewn right to the outside. These are quite expensive, ranging anywhere from $11-20 per diaper. They are adjustable, with Velcro or snap closures. And, fancier varieties have adjustable leg holes for added comfort. They even come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Diaper covers

A cloth diaper that’s not an all-in-one will not be waterproof. That means, unless you want your couch, or whatever the baby is sitting on, to be covered in messes, you’ll want to cover his tush in a diaper cover. These come in vinyl, plastic, wool and fleece. Wool, while extremely absorbent for overnight, requires extra attention in the wash. Diaper covers typically come with convenient Velcro or snap closures and some come in bright, adorable colors. And, they usually have elastic or adjustable leg holes. Plain ones start as low as $5, but they can be as expensive as $15.

Cleaning and washing

There are two ideas that keep parents away from a cloth diaper. First is fear that they have to dunk and soak before washing. Second, that there isn’t a non-stinky storage solution for all those soiled diapers, as their local baby supply store only seems to carry diaper pails for disposable diapers.

First, you don’t have to dunk and soak a diaper before washing. But, getting excess fecal matter off a diaper before wash time will help with odor and with stains. Retailers specializing in cloth diapers sell miniature spray nozzles that attach to your sink or bathtub that will help with rinsing, which is really all that’s necessary. And, as much as you hesitate to believe it, you’ll get used to the grossness after a while and be willing to push up your sleeves and scrape it off into the toilet with a trusty hunk of toilet paper.

Second, there are pails especially designed for cloth diapers. They are readily available at online retailers that specialize in cloth diapers. They also sell pail deodorizers and sprays. These pails don’t have the features and “throw away” quality of regular pails.

To wash cloth diapers, run the washing machine twice; first on cold/cold, then on hot/cold. If your baby has sensitive skin, use Dreft. Otherwise, use ¼ cup of your favorite detergent. Do not use bleach. During the rinse cycle, use ¼ cup distilled vinegar to break down ammonia in the urine. Line dry or put them in the dryer. If line drying to save energy, they may feel a little stiff and you’ll want to toss them in the dryer for a few minutes to soften. If you do use the dryer, don’t use a dryer sheet or fabric softener because they are made with an enzyme that will actually repel moisture, essentially making your baby’s diapers absorbency-free.

Cloth diapering can seem overwhelming because of the extra maintenance. But, think about making fewer midnight runs to the store for diapers. And, while it may be a larger investment at the outset, you’ll eventually recoup the money as you won’t need to continually replace diapers, like disposables. A benefit we often forget, too, is that as babies grow, disposable diapers increase in price as their sizes increase; not so with cloth diapers. Plus, aside from the added comfort for your baby, you’ll be doing a little part to keep landfills a bit emptier.

For the mom who doesn’t want to pack her brood in the car, trudge all over town, and lug packages home every day to complete a list of errands, there’s a lifeline sitting in the living room, kitchen, or home office. It’s the computer. The Internet lets you do more than send cute e-mail photos of first smiles or stumbling first steps. With a few quick mouse clicks and a credit card, a harried mom can take care of everyday errands without leaving the house.

We all need to eat

Going to the grocery store with a baby or toddler in tow is a dreaded errand for many moms. But with online grocers like Peapod, FreshDirect, Amazon and NetGrocer, a mom can point and click her way to home delivery of even fresh produce and frozen food. And business is booming for these online sites. Projected sales for this year are up to $4.2 billion, owing to features you’d find in brick-and-mortar stores, such as services like deli-meat slicing options and cubing cheese. Plus, many restaurants, especially pizza chains, are starting online ordering. A mom can point and click through menus and set up delivery, instead of waiting on hold to place an order.

Online pharmacies

When a mom needs antibiotics for her little one’s strep throat, she can’t wait for a mail order shipment, but online pharmacies are great for everyday prescriptions. You can mail, fax, or have your doctor call your prescriptions into an online pharmacy and have your medications on rotation, with e-mail updates set to remind you for point and click refill orders. As an added bonus, prices are often lower than at regular pharmacies. And online pharmacies provide the same products as your corner pharmacy, like shampoo, toiletry items, and even photo ordering. Brick-and-mortar pharmacies offer online refill order services ,too, but you often have to go pick up your medication. As a busy mom, you may also want to consider ordering your next contact lens prescription online. You’ll not only save time and a trip to the optometrist, but also a few pennies, because online retailers can be cheaper than the doctor’s office.

Banking and bills

The first online bank was set up in 1983 by the Nottingham Building Society, but although that was over twenty years ago, more people than not, moms included, still traipse to the bank to do their banking. The reason for this trek is primarily fear of online fraud. In reality, credit card fraud, signature fraud, and I.D. theft are more common offline than online because a mom leaves something behind, is observed at an ATM or gets something stolen. Because of advanced encryption and password protection technology, online banking is safe. Really, a mom only needs to watch for phishing scams, making sure to be on the lookout for someone claiming to be from her financial institution and asking for account information. And you can securely pay your utility and other bills online, too, saving trips to the post office for stamps.

Shipping

Of course, a mom will still need some stamps, and now you can both order stamps and ship a package without leaving home. By visiting the postal service website at UPS.com , a busy mom can order stamps and schedule a postal service pickup right at her front door. By calculating the appropriate postage for your package using the calculator on the website and printing the postage and paying with a credit card, you’ll have it ready to go when the postman comes to pick it up. UPS and FedEx provide similar services through their web sites.

Shopping for the whole family

Everyone in the house needs clothes, shoes and toys, mom included. A mom shouldn’t go too long without treating herself to a few extra mouse clicks just for herself. The Internet is a shopping mecca if there ever was one. Forget the Mall of America; you’ve got everything at your fingertips if you’ve got your computer turned on. Yearning for an exotic new thimble for your collection? Don’t worry, you’ll be able to find just the right one online.
While the Internet can help you get errands checked off your list from the convenience of your home, it’s easy to get too much done without getting in the car and facing the world. If you aren’t careful, you may end up clicking your way into a case of cabin fever. It’s okay to go to the grocery store once in a while, if only to remember that checkout girls can sometimes still be rude and baggers still put milk atop the bread, crushing it to oblivion.

References:

http://www.cbsnews.com http://en.wikipedia.org

With the recent rash of toy recalls, most parents must be wondering what is exactly safe to buy for their children. Don’t assume that any toy made outside of the United States isn’t safe. It’s not that simple. Many of the component parts of U.S.-made toys are actually manufactured in other countries. Many toys are also made inside and outside the U.S. with the strictest safety guidelines in place to protect children. So how do we buy the safest toys for our children?

Facts about toys

Toy recalls account for about 1 percent of the 3 billion toys sold in the U.S. each year. The U.S. imports 86 percent of the toys sold in the U.S. from China. This staggering number only shows a small part of the picture. Who produces the other 14 percent of imported toys? India and South Korea top the list after China. According to a recent study by Canadian researchers, countries other than China had a higher rate of toy recall.

U.S. toy companies contract the toy component assembly and construction to other countries. In fact, the U.S. company is responsible for quality control and correctly meeting safety standards. Many injuries could be prevented if companies chose to do quality control before placing their products on store shelves.

The truth about toy injuries

Protections are already in place to prevent lead paint in toys. U.S. law prohibits the use of lead in the paint and surface coatings of any toys sold in the U.S. However, lead paint is not the primary cause of toy injuries. In toy recalls from 1988 to the present, 77 percent involved design-related defects. Design defects include small beads or detachable parts that can cause choking or strings that cause strangulation. Injuries from toys usually involve choking on small parts, ingesting detached magnets, and falling from rides-on toys. Despite the media frenzy about lead paint, toy recalls involving design flaws are far more risky to our children.

Independent labs frequently find problems with toys well before manufacturers. This sobering fact points to the very complaint that many parents have in the first place. Companies usually don’t test toys before placing them on the market. In an effort to reassure parents, toy companies are now putting their own quality testing specifications on their web sites. Many companies are performing reassurance testing on existing toys for quality control. Product safety and quality assessment should be the foremost concern for every toy manufacturer.

How to avoid bad purchases

Parents have some options. We can buy U.S.-made toys with the complete understanding that some or all of these toys might be manufactured outside the country. Many U.S. toy companies provide toy recall information directly on their web sites. One toy retailer actually provides a country of origin list for every toy it sells. Parents can also keep up to date with information provided from the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). The commission’s recall alerts and a searchable recall database are available at CPSC.gov . Visit Toyinfo.org for extensive information on toy recalls and answers to toy safety questions.

Proactive parents

Parents need to be vigilant. Toys should be age-appropriate and used in a safe environment under supervision. Periodically, all toys should be checked for breakage and wear. When purchasing new toys, parents need to read labels carefully for correct assembly and use instructions. If toys fall apart, contact the manufacturer directly for a replacement. By working together with the toy industry, we can provide the safest toys for our children.

Note from Mommy.com : Need help finding babysitters, nannies, tutors and other providers near you? We’ve partnered with Care.com to help you. Use the form in our local section to search for providers in your area, and find profiles of prospective caregivers to meet your specific needs. With Care.com’s prescreened profiles, videos, references, background checks, an more, it’s like having a human resources department right in your home! Click here now.

A thoughtful gift tells a new mom she’s extra special

I’ve been a new mom three times, and I’ve given many gifts to other new moms through the years. It’s easy to run to a department store and grab a sleeper, a baby blanket, or a bottle warmer. And while these gifts would certainly be appreciated, a really unique gift would probably be more treasured. With just a little thought and extra effort, you can present a gift to the new mom that tells her she and her baby are special to you. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Framed keepsake. Get a copy of the baby’s birth certificate and attach a small photo of the baby’s hospital picture somewhere in the white area. Have it matted and framed. This will become a treasured keepsake for years to come.
Photo album. Buy an album with a place on the cover for a photo. Insert a photo of the baby, or a photo of the mother holding the newborn. You know that book will be filled in no time! Moms love pictures of their baby. Purchase one that has the plastic sleeves for easy insertion of the pictures.
Hand-made coupons. Use your color printer to make “coupons” for the new mom. Include some for free babysitting, a home-cooked meal, or for grocery shopping or other errands. New moms are usually harried, so a gift of your time would be much appreciated. And while these gifts don’t cost the giver a cent, they will be priceless for the recipient. In our busy society, time is at a premium, so this gift will certainly convey your message of “I care.”
Restaurant gift certificates. Purchase some certificates for local restaurants and place them in a cute card or small gift bag. Choose restaurants that offer delivery. Mom can call in a hot meal to be brought right to her door. Or she might want to use one of the certificates for a night out with hubby for some alone time.
18-years baby book. My daughter received one of these with her first baby, and they’re really neat. Not your run-of-the-mill photo album, the book has a section for every year from birth to high school graduation. There are lines for notes and places for school photos, mementos for activities like sports, and even report cards. The completed book would make a great graduation gift for the child, too!
Spa treatment. Make the new mom feel special with a couple of hours at a spa, while you volunteer to babysit. If you can’t afford the full treatment, you can give her certificates for a manicure or a pedicure. The pampering will give her spirits a lift by getting her out of the house and making her feel pretty.
Bath goodies. Another way to make the new mom feel pampered, without leaving the house, is a collection of bubble bath, fancy soaps, and bath sponges or mitts. Buy a pretty waterproof basket or caddy to hold everything, and maybe throw in a bottle of her favorite cologne and body lotion. She’ll appreciate the “me” time the assortment will offer.
Growth chart. This is a fun gift. It’s usually a tall wooden giraffe or other animal that doubles as a measuring stick to follow the child’s growth. It’s cute and whimsical, so it’s an attractive addition to the baby’s room. Most of these have lines beside the inch markers to record dates and the child’s height. Some even have slots for photos that correlate to the dates and measurements.
A new mother experiences a lot of conflicting emotions. She might be ecstatic one moment and overwhelmed the next. She might not feel as attractive as she did before pregnancy. With all the attention on the new baby, she might even feel a little ignored at times. A special gift from a friend can be a real mood elevator. With a little thought and a dash of creativity, you can be the giver of that one-of-a-kind gift that stands out among all the booties, onesies, and stuffed animals.

So, you’ve made the wise decision to breastfeed your new baby. What seems to be such a simple process, though, leads to other difficult decisions, such as: what are your feeding options once you return to work, how will your baby eat when left alone with Dad, and how will you handle feedings in public.

The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that breastfeeding continue for one year, and most mothers can breastfeed their baby with this goal in mind by using a breast pump. A breast pump allows a mother to express and store her breast milk for future use. Some women choose to pump exclusively, and do 100% of feedings as breast milk from a bottle. Others pump milk while at work, and baby is bottle fed during the day and breastfed before and after work. Other women choose to pump occasionally for times they know they will be away from baby. Decide which pump to purchase or rent by considering how often you’ll need to pump milk.

Electric pump

If you are the mother of a premature or special needs baby that spends a lengthy time in the hospital, it is likely that your breast pump decision will be made for you. Most hospital lactation consultants recommend the Medela brand electric breast pump. This is the brand that has been used in hospitals for more than 20 years. Most insurance companies will pay for the rental of this institutional-grade pump if it is medically necessary. Most hospital lactation consultants give the manual form of this breast pump to their clients at no charge. The manual pump can be hooked up to the electric pump easily.

The Medela pump is highly efficient because it lets you express both breasts simultaneously, which is a boon for working mothers pumping on their breaks at work. The main disadvantages of this pump are that it is loud and relatively large, the size of a small briefcase. It is also quite expensive, so women usually rent this pump. The pumping mechanism is not a closed system, which means that the milk can be sucked backwards through the tubing and end up in the motor of the pump, causing problems and making sanitizing difficult.

Manual pump

The choice for a majority of pumping mothers is the manual pump. The new designs of many manual pumps allow for nearly as effective output and comfort to the mother, with a smaller size, a more discreet noise level and much more affordable price tag. The Avent Isis breast pump is a favorite among many women. The comfortable silicone breast shield simulates the sucking action of the baby, effectively stimulating let down and allowing for a comfortable and productive pumping session. Many mothers report that the milk output using this pump is equal to that of a hospital-grade electric pump.

The Avent system is also a closed system and is 100% dishwasher safe, or it can be sterilized using a sterilization system manufactured by Avent. Avent also makes one of the most popular lines of bottles and nipples. Evenflo makes electric and manual pumps. Many women report that the suction mechanism is too strong, causing nipple discomfort and discontinuation of use. Other mothers love the system. The electric version has an LCD display that tracks the time and duration of pumping sessions, which could be useful for a mother pumping full time, but is not useful for the average breastfeeding mother.

When choosing a breast pump, do not hesitate to ask other mothers for advice, and also consult a certified lactation consultant, who can lead you to a current effective model. Remember, too, that a breast pump is never as effective as a baby. Your baby will almost always get more milk in an average nursing session than you will get in a pumping session. So do not become alarmed if you pump and get only two ounces of breast milk in a pumping session and fear that that is all your baby gets in a feeding session. Remember that the most effective way to judge feeding sufficiency is output, 6 to 8 wet diapers a day and at least 1 dirty diaper a day.

Enjoy your baby, and congratulations!

Let your baby make the ultimate statement

Are you a mom with a unique style who can’t bear to see her precious newborn become another advertisement for mass consumerism? Do you hate all the stuffy, traditional pinks and blues for your new bundle of joy? Where can you go to find baby clothing that will help your child learn to walk to the beat of their own drum? We’ve scoured the Internet and have found several unique places to find baby clothing that is definitely not out of the big box or the famous mall boutiques.

Threadless.com

For moms who identify with the artsy crowd, this is the site for you. They offer unique, alternative art on one-of-a-kind baby clothing. Some of the art is quite abstract and some is just plain silly and fun. New designs are released every Friday, so you can visit often and never get bored. Kids’ T-shirts are $17 and onesies are $20. This company is very hip with the campus crowd across America and offers a message board to post comments and discussions. Spend some time browsing the comments posted by the artists. It will give you some insight into the designs you purchase. This site was a bit difficult to navigate, but the designs won’t be found anywhere else, so it’s worth the extra trouble to figure it out.

Cafepress.com

If quick, affordable and witty is your cup of tea, then you’ll want to check out Cafepress.com, which offers more than a million designs to choose from. You’ll find the traditional “I’m the big brother/sister,” and other cutesy sayings; political statements, pop culture icons, and tons of family-related quotations. If you don’t see what you want here, the site lets you can create a design yourself. Two minutes and 5 or 6 clicks of the mouse and you can have your own designer item featuring your child’s picture or artwork. Any jpg or png files can be used for your design. Available items for baby clothing are bodysuits, bibs, and tees. Most items are under $15. Caution: This site can be addictive and time consuming!

Babywit.com

At Babywit.com their tag line is: You may not be cool, but your baby can be. This site features hip, irreverent designs, from punk and alternative themes to classic rock, pirate, cowboy and outlaw pop-culture items. Their designer section features hand-sewn appliqués, which are priced as higher-end products. They have a larger choice of baby clothing items than most other sites, including shoes and slippers (the cowboy boot slippers are awesome!), diaper bags, and diaper covers. Most items start at around $21 and go up from there. This site even has a gift registry, so expecting moms and dads can choose their favorites and keep track of their gifts.

Crazybabyclothing.com

Just want something plain in basic black? You’ll find find the solid black onesies and tees that you need to coordinate with baby’s other fashions. They also offer green or pink camo designs and the ever popular pirate skull choices. Their line of cool pacifiers offers something out of the ordinary, and are sure to draw comments from your baby’s adoring public.

Sandboxcouture.com

This site caters to the fashionista and celebrity watcher crowd, with a collection of designer baby clothing for the preschool set. See designs worn by children of the stars, like Madonna and Jennie Garth, featuring Sweet Potatoes, Kate Mack, Roxy Girls, Quicksilver, No Fear and Flowers by Zoe, among others.

Babyrockapparel.com

Finally, for those hardcore rockers who just can’t turn off the tunes now that baby has arrived , this site has baby-friendly versions of your favorite hard rock songs. Preview the music while you shop for your little rocker. Rock On!

Hipbabyclothes.net

The name of this site is actually Tot Rocket: Where cool babies can wear what they think! So you get the idea. The site offers funny tees and onesies, with sayings like, “I only cry when ugly people hold me,” “Breastfed baby - enjoy the show,” “My mom’s too lazy to make a bottle,” “Hung like a five year old,” “Topic of conversation,” and “Been there - broke that.” Some of the bibs with cute sayings: “Being Republican means never having to say you’re sorry,” “Bill Clinton for First Lady,” and “My whole life is being blogged.” They have baby clothing with rock star sayings, tattoo-like graphics, skulls, and sports and punk logos. All the logos are available on tees, onesies, and bibs, and they even have the ever-popular hoodies for babies. They have a great selection of items for only $10.99. Your baby will definitely get a second look sporting one of these products!

Pokkadots.com

This site has a great selection of really cute boutique-style baby clothing, not as hardcore as Tot Rocket’s. They carry sizes from 0-5t for girls, and from 0-8 for boys. They even have cool shoes, cozy pajamas, books, toys, furniture, decor, organic clothing, and items for mom and dad. Their baby clothes are scaled-down replicas of what trendy teens are wearing - all the latest styles in little kids’ sizes! I especially like the layered-look shirts, the pirate cap, the rain gear, the leggings, and the Paul James blazer. The clothes were adorable, and I found the prices to be very reasonable.

Retrobaby.com

For cute, tongue-in-cheek baby clothing, visit Retro Baby. They offer hoodies, tees, dresses, bibs, onesies, and accessories in infant and toddler sizes. Their logos include sayings like “I’m kind of a big deal,” “It’s okay, I’m with the band,” “For good luck, rub my tummy,” and my favorite, “Does this diaper make my butt look big?” The latest craze for teens is a tee displaying an old rock band’s picture and logo, and Retro Baby has them for little kids. They have Led Zeppelin, the Ramones, Jimmy Hendrix, Bob Marley, Iron Maiden, Guns ’n Roses, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I also loved the rubber duckies in the form of Mr. T, Gene Simmons of Kiss, Alice in Wonderland, and Buddha. Very cool. Many items were under $20.

Uncommonlycute.com

These baby clothing articles really are uncommonly cute, and they come in toddler sizes, too. Uncommonly Cute specializes in onesies and short- and long-sleeve tees. Some of their tee shirt sayings are “freshly baked,” “brand new,” “miso cute,” “king of the little people,” and “Elmo is my homeboy.” They even have shirts with peace signs. They also have baby clothing for twins that says things like “perfect pair.” I love the twin shirts that say “copy” on one and “paste” on the other! The onesies and short-sleeve tees are $22, and the long-sleeve tees are $24.
Do a little “window shopping” for some hip baby clothing. If you just buy department store clothes for your child, she’s going to look just like all the other little tykes. Dare to be different! Even if your baby can’t talk, he can still make a statement by sporting a trendy outfit.

Baby wearing has been gaining popularity over the past several years, and for good reason. Keeping your baby snug and close provides all kinds of benefits for both mom (or dad) and baby. Whether you wrap or sling, both you and baby will be comfortable
There are many choices of wraps and slings available, and it may be intimidating to try to choose. Some may work great for newborns, some are better for older babies, but there are many that wok well for both.

Wraps

A wrap is basically one long strip of fabric that is crisscrossed around the body and tied, creating a pocket in front to tuck baby in. A popular brand in this style is the Moby wrap, see mobywrap.com .While the design of a wrap is very simple, getting the hang of using a wrap can take a little practice. The following is a great video that demonstrates the use of a wrap: http://www.youtube.com

Slings

Slings are also fairly simple in construction, but instead of wrapping all around the body like a wrap, they are worn across the body like a sash. Baby can ride lying down as a newborn, or sitting as a larger baby, or can even be supported on the hip into toddler-hood.
Different styles of slings : A ring sling positions the ends of the sling loop through a set of rings over one shoulder. allowing for some adjustment of the pouch size. I had a NoJo sling with my first baby, http://www.amazon.com , and it was a lifesaver for my sanity as a new mommy.
Pouch slings are very simple. They are just a piece of fabric sewn into a loop, folded in half and worn as a sling. With my second child, I used a Gorgeousbaby sling: http://www.gorgeousbaby.ca , and found it slightly easier to use than the ring style and just as effective. The Gorgeousbaby site also has some useful information about how to use a sling for babies of different ages.
Asian style slings use a rectangular section of fabric to create a pouch, with wide straps attached that wrap around the body and tie in place. One of the key differences between the Asian style and other slings is that the Asian slings can be wrapped to carry baby either in front or in back. You can see how they work here: http://www.betterforbabies.com Because most wraps and slings are so simple in design and don’t require much sewing skill (or any, in some cases), they can be made at home. Two handy sites with free wrap and sling patterns are:

1. http://www.mammasmilk.com . This site also has baby carriers for sale if you decide making your own isn’t for you.
2. http://www.mamatoto.org . This site has instructions for making baby wraps, but lacks much information on how to use them.

While it may take a little bit of practice to get used to using whatever style of wrap or sling you choose, you’ll find the rewards of having your baby happy and close well worth the small effort.

With the hustle and bustle of motherhood, capturing all of your child’s greatest moments on film can be a real challenge. Happily, some of the newer digital cameras on the market have made this task easier. There are many excellent digital cameras out there, with many different features, and it can be difficult to understand the differences between them. When shopping for a digital camera, there are several aspects to consider. While size and cost are the most obvious differences, there are a number of other features to look for. Some of the most important ones are:

• Memory Storage : What type of memory device does the digital camera use? While most will use secure digital (SD), Sony uses their proprietary Memory Stick.
• Pixels : The number of pixels for each photo determines how clear the picture will be. Generally, a digital camera with at least 6 megapixels is considered ideal for a standard 3 1/2″ x 5″ picture. If you intend to enlarge pictures, however, you may want to consider a digital camera with a greater number of megapixels.
• Zoom : The zoom feature on a digital camera allows you to take pictures that appear closer than you really are. For a digital camera, the zoom is noted as a factor, e.g., 2x.
• Video : Most digital cameras have the capacity to take very short videos.
• Automatic red-eye reduction : A digital camera with this feature automatically eliminates red eye without any additional editing.
• Image stabilization : Useful when you’re balancing a baby on one hip and trying to catch a picture of your toddler on the go, this feature compensates for any movement that occurs while you are taking a video.
• Face detection technology : With this feature, a digital camera will automatically focus on the face in a photo.

Canon PowerShot SD850 $299.99*

This camera is a member of the the Canon Elph family, compact cameras that fit in a small purse or pocket. With 8.0 megapixels, 4x optical 4x digital zoom, image stabilizer, face detection and red-eye correction, the SD850 has most of what you will need to photograph your children. With a scratch-resistant viewer, this camera will do well simply slipped into your purse. This digital camera will connect to either a PC or a Mac via a USB 2.0 cable.

Nikon Coolpix L14 $129.00

Lightweight, 7.1 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom, red-eye fix, longlasting AA lithium batteries. The Coolpix features a bright LCD screen.

Panasonic DMC-TZ3 Lumix $229.99

Lumix has wide-angle lens capabilities, making it easier to capture the guests at a birthday party in a single shot. This camera has Intelligent ISO Control which will help reduce image blur from children’s movements or poor lighting. The Lumix also has full-size movie capabilities.

Samsung L73 Slim $120.00

If you want a digital camera with excellent video capabilities, consider the Samsung L73 Slim. With 7 megapixels, 3x optical, 5x digital zoom, image stabilization and red-eye reduction, this camera has all the basics plus sophisticated video capabilities. Photos can be directly output to a Pictbridge-compatible printer.

HP Photosmart M447 $89.00

A great camera for the beginner. 5 megapixels, 5x digital zoom. Precision lens allows you to zoom in for clear distance shots. The M447 Features anti-shake mode, red-eye correction,. live action recording in the movie mode, one-touch audio.

Kodak EasyShare $79.00

Another great camera for the first-time user, Kodak has many EasyShare cameras with a range of megapixels from 5-12 that create stunning pictures and quality prints. Features digital image stabilization, perfect touch technology, advanced video feature, red-eye reduction. While all of these digital cameras have a suggested retail price under $400, most retailers, both in-store and on the Internet, charge significantly less. Be sure to shop around for the best price. When calculating the final cost of your purchase, remember to include an additional memory card and a spare battery. *Prices are approximate and could be outdated. This article has contributions from both R Warner and Frances Simon .