Everything Baby Articles

Taking Baby to the Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:54:00 +0000

It's summer time, and we all want to go on vacation. A popular vacation choice is going to the beach. If this is your first time taking your baby to the beach, there are a few things to consider.

-Is your baby ready to go to the beach? If your baby is under 6 months old, pediatricians don't recommend using sunscreen on a baby that small, so you may want to hold off on the beach vacation so soon.

-What is your baby's temperment? Is your baby easy going, or gets fussy with environment change? If your baby doesn't handle environment changes well, then you may want to hold off on the beach vacation.

-Does your baby like being outdoors? All babies are different. Some may perfer to stay in doors, other babies may like to be outside. If your baby doesn't enjoy being outside in the hot sun, you should probably wait about your beach vacation.

-If you have decided to go on your vacation, what do you need to bring for the baby? Your baby will need the essentials, diaper bag, snacks, milk/juice/water, baby beach towel, sun hat, sunscreen, and plenty of toys for fun!

Whatever you decide, remember to make the most of each moment you spend with your precious little one. Have fun!

Your baby girl will stay cool and comfortable this summer, in this retro sunflower halter dress from everythingbabygifts.com. Go to everythingbabygifts.com for more summer favorites!

Does My Baby Have Allergies?

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Sat, 16 May 2009 20:34:00 +0000

With all the pollen floating around the air, your baby might begin experiencing allergies for the first time. Over half of the U.S. population is allergic to at least one allergen such as pollen, dust mites, animal dander, and molds. The following are symptoms of seasonal allergies:

-Runny nose
-Watery eyes
-Nasal congestion
-Coughing
-Sneezing

If your baby is experiencing these symptoms, you should take them to the pediatrician. The pediatrician can prescribe medicine for the seasonal allergies or give treatments. Treatments only occur twice a year, and can be more affective.

Dress your baby up in style this season with this Pretty Pink Flower Dress and other seasonal favorites from everythingbabygifts.com.

Am I Pregnant?

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Sun, 10 May 2009 03:41:00 +0000

Whether you are trying to get pregnant or not, you may find yourself asking if you are pregnant. Contraceptives are never 100% affective, so if you are sexually active, you could be pregnant. The following symptoms are common in accompanying pregnancy.

-Missed/Delayed Period

-Swollen/Tender Breasts

-Nausea/Morning Sickness

-Food Cravings

-Backaches

-Headaches

-Frequent Urination

If you have some or even all of these symptoms, don't assume right away that you are pregnant. You need to take a pregnancy test. If the pregnancy test comes out negative and your symptoms still persist, see your OB/GYN for a more accurate test. They can do an ultrasound test that will let you know for sure.

Remember, having a baby is a wonderful blessing from God. Cherish each moment that you are carrying your baby and each moment after.

Every mom deserves to go out with her baby with style and class. That's why everythingbabygifts.com is offering these chic and stylish diaper bags for the in-style mom on the go.

Popular Baby Names

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Are you about to have a baby and haven't picked out a name yet? Well, don't panic, here is a list of the top 10 baby names for girls and boys in the U.S.

Girls:
1. Emma - Origin: English, Latin, German; Meaning: whole, universal, complete, all-containing
2. Isabella - Origin: Italian, Spanish, Hebrew; Meaning: God is my oath, my God is bountiful, God of plenty, devoted to God, my God is a vow.
3. Emily - Origin: English, Latin; Meaning: rival, emulating, to strive or excel, industrious
4. Madison - Origin: English; Meaning: Son of Matthew
5. Ava - Origin: Latin, Greek; Meaning: like a bird, bearer of good news
6. Olivia - Origin: English; Meaning: elf army, from the name Oliver
7. Sophia - Origin: Greek; Meaning: wisdom
8. Abigail - Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: joy of the father
9. Elizabeth - Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: my God is a vow, God is my oath, consecrated to God
10. Chloe - Origin: Greek; Meaning: blooming, young shoot, verdant

Boys:
1. Jacob - Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: supplanter, subsitute, held by the heel
2. Michael - Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: who is like God?
3. Ethan - Origin: Hebrew, English; Meaning: firm, strong, impetuous
4. Joshua - Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: Jehovah saves, God is salvation, God rescues
5. Daniel - Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: God is my judge, judge of Israel
6. Alexander - Origin: Greek; Meaning: protector of mankind, defender of the people, defending men
7. Anthony - Origin: Latin, Greek; Meaning: worthy of praise, flourishing
8. William - Origin: English; Meaning: desire to protect, determined guardian, strong-willed warrior, will, desire, helmet, protection
9. Christopher - Origin: Greek; Meaning: Christ bearer
10. Matthew - Origin: Hebrew, English; Meaning: Gift of God

Add your baby's name to these blankets and many of the personalized gifts offered at everythingbabygifts.com

Does my baby have the Swine Flu?

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:20:00 +0000

It's in the news everywhere; we've all heard about it. Swine flu has hit the U.S. and has currently affected 41 states. 642 cases have been confirmed with 2 deaths. Should we panic? The answer is no. There is no reason to panic because the swine flu causes the same results as the regular flu. The main difference is that there has not been a vaccine created for the swine flu. Here are some important questions answered about the H1N1 (swine) flu.

Does my baby have the Swine Flu? If your baby just has a runny nose or is sneezing and coughing a little, it is probably nothing to worry about. However, if your baby is listless, dehydrated, vomiting, has a high fever, and/or has diarrhea, you should check with your pediatrician.

How can I keep my baby healthy during this time? Just continue to follow normal health routines. Keeping your hands clean is important since you will touch many other things and then touch your baby as well. You should wash your hands with antibacterial soap rubbing for the recommended 30 seconds. Yes, 30 seconds, but it's worth it to keep you and your baby healthy. For further information, check on the CDC website.

Can my baby and I get the swine flu from pork? If you properly cook your pork, you will have nothing to worry about. So go ahead and eat your bacon and pork chops, just make sure that everything is cooked to the appropriate temperatures.

Should I take my baby out of daycare now? This is all up to you. If you have your baby in a daycare center that you trust, then it should be no problem to keep your baby in that daycare center. All schools and childcare facilities have been informed about the Swine Flu and should be taking precautionary measures.

In short, don't panic, just continue to follow your routine health procedures such as washing your hands properly and covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. But if you are in any doubt about the health and safety of your baby, do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician.

For all those baby "boo boos," give your baby a Plush Animal Oopsie that holds a plastic freezable cube to help make your baby feel better. More cute baby gifts found at everythingbabygifts.com

Getting Your Baby to Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:23:00 +0000

Up all day and all night seemingly for an eternity, moms and dads of infants all over the world are facing the same situation. Although it is not an eternity, it sure feels like it when you have been sleep deprived. Adults are used to sleeping from 6 to 8 hours every night, so why do babies not sleep this way? Babies all go through a period in infancy when their little bodies and brains are getting adjusted to life. Babies will have more REM sleep for the first few weeks of infancy. This type of sleep causes babies to have a lighter and shorter sleep time. Fortunately for the exhausted parents, as babies develop and grow older, their sleeping cycles will become much deeper and longer.

While you are waiting for that glorious day to come when your little one sleeps at least 5 or 6 hours at at time, you can use some of these helpful tips to put your baby to sleep quicker and easier.

1. Try rocking your baby to sleep. This is an oldie but a goodie. It is great for the parent to stay calm and relaxed as well. Who knows, you and your baby could both fall asleep in the rocking chair at the same time!

2. Similar to rocking is swinging. Put your little one in a baby swing free of distractions and let them slowly drift to sleep.

3. Give your baby a nice, soothing, warm bath. Use a soft, warm bath cloth to bathe your baby. Make sure the temperature in your home is warm enough so that the baby will not become more alert from this.

4. Develop routines. We are all creatures of habit, so create a schedule that will work for you and your baby on a daily basis. Eat meals at a specific time, and take naps at a specific time. You and your baby will be much happier with routines set in place.

5. Play some soft, soothing bedtime music each time your baby goes to sleep. If you do this enough routinely, the baby will begin to associate music and sleep together. Then when you turn on the music, your baby will know it’s time to sleep.

6. It is difficult for anyone to sleep with a lot of lights on, so when you are putting your baby down for a nap, make sure the room is dark to dimly lit.

All babies are different, so it would be impossible for all babies to fall asleep from each technique. I wish I could say all of these tips were guaranteed to work, but it’s obvious that they are not. Just try them out, and if you find something that gets your baby to sleep every time, continue doing it. Remember to get as much sleep as you possibly can during this time. Realistically, the only sleep you will be able to get is while the baby is sleeping (unless you arrange for someone else to watch the baby while you get some shut eye). So whenever your little one closes their eyes and nods off, you should be doing the same.

Say “sweet dreams” to your baby with this special “Sleeping Sheep” gift basket with lullaby music and much more included from everythingbabygifts.com.

My Baby is Teething! Help!

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:46:00 +0000

At around six to seven months, you may begin noticing that your baby’s gums are getting red and lumpy. When your little one begins teething, they may act extremely fussy or they may not act like it bothers them at all. All babies have a completely unique experience when it comes to teething. This progressive milestone will not be reached until your child is around the age of three. Your baby will begin cutting the front teeth and end with cutting the back molars—these two sets have been proven to be the most painful of all.

Some symptoms that your baby may experience are:
- Irritability
- Drooling (subsequently a skin rash may develop)
- Sleeplessness
- Loss of Appetite
- Chewing Reaction
- Pulling of Cheek and Ears
- Low Grade Fever (some may disagree)

If you are unsure of any of the symptoms that your baby is having while teething, such as running a fever, the best thing to do is to check with your pediatrician.

There are several things that you can do to help your teething baby through this unpleasant time. The most popular choice is to give your baby a teething ring, many of which can be chilled in the freezer. This will help cool and soothe your baby’s gums. Other options include using a cold, wet cloth that your baby can chew on. Rub this over your baby’s gums to help clean the gums and teeth as they begin coming through. Remember that your baby will be soothed by anything cold such as cold water or cold baby food.

If none of these things are working, try some Baby Orajel on the gums. After you have exhausted all of these remedies, and you see that nothing seems to work, you can call your pediatrician to see about giving your baby some Infant Tylenol. Do not skip to this right away because many of the techniques listed can and will help your baby, and please do not give the Infant Tylenol without approval from your pediatrician.

Just as each baby has a completely different personality, each baby has a completely different experience when it comes to teething. There are not any set expectations on this event in your baby’s life. Remember to take it one day at a time, and if there is one thing that seems to keep your baby soothed and quiet, continue to provide them with it.

Overall, instead of making this a hectic and unpleasant time, make it a special event by having your camera ready at all times. It will be a memorable occasion when your baby’s first tooth comes through all the way, so take lots of pictures and videos. When your baby’s last tooth comes through at three years old, you can compile all of the pictures together in a scrapbook keepsake of these precious moments in your little one’s life.

Display these precious moments with frames and photo albums from everythingbabygifts.com

Hosting a Baby Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Owner of EverythingBabyGifts.com) — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:03:00 +0000

Hosting a baby shower is a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming if it’s your first time. Here are some tips on making this occasion smooth and successful.

Theme
Okay, so do you really need to have a theme for the baby shower? No, but it makes the whole event flow much more smoothly. First, you need to think about if you want a gender neutral theme, girl theme, or boy theme. When you have decided that, then we can begin looking at our options for each theme.

Popular gender neutral themes for baby showers can be “Winnie the Pooh,” “Sesame Street,” “Stars and Moons,” “Baby Bear,” “Handprints and Footprints,” “Noah’s Ark,” or holiday/seasonal themes. If you are planning for a girl themed baby shower, here are some popular options, “It’s a Girl,” “Little Princess,” “Pink Baby Bears,” “Pink, Pink, Pink,” “Ribbons and Lace,” “Little Tea Party,” “Sweet Angel,” or “Ballerina Baby.” If none of that is for you, then here are some ideas for popular boy themes for baby showers, “It’s a Boy,” “Little Fireman,” “Blue Baby Bears,” “Blue, Blue, Blue,” “Little All Star,”’ “Frogs,” or “Little Prince.”

Decorations
Now that you have selected a theme for the baby shower, you can begin buying decorations. Here is a checklist of essential decorations and supplies for the baby shower:

*Banner
* Garland
* Yard Signs
* Balloons
* Tablecovers
* Table Centerpieces
* Plates
* Cups
* Napkins
* Shower Favors

Wal-Mart is always a perfect place to begin for hosting a wonderfully affordable baby shower. Check out their selection first and see if they have items for the theme you want.

Food
There are a few things to consider when deciding the right food choices to serve at the baby shower.

What time of day is the baby shower?

Morning – Light breakfast items should be considered such as a fruit tray, scones, mini quiches, pastries, and a punch with an orange juice base.

Noon – Lunch finger foods would be most appropriate such as pigs in a blanket, cheese ball and crackers, chips, mixed nuts, mints, fruit tray, sandwich tray, and a punch with a fruit juice base.

Evening – Dinner can be a much more elegant occasion with more filling foods possibly set in a buffet style such as chicken (fried, baked, grilled, barbequed…it’s your choice!), baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, roles, and your drink of choice. There are many more options with an evening baby shower; you could serve Italian, Mexican, Southern, or Asian foods in a buffet style. The choices are limitless. Just keep in mind what type of food the “mother-to-be” loves the most!

What is the theme of the baby shower?

After you’ve considered the theme and time of day, you can be creative in making some special themed appetizers or desserts for your guests. Cupcakes are a perfect way to show creativity. Just find the cupcake mold you want and voila, a sweet and simple way to impress your guests. If you would rather make a whole cake for your guests, you can use baby shower cookie cutters on fondant and decorate away! (You can substitute muffin mix in a cupcake mold for a breakfast baby shower)

What does the “Mother-to-be” like to eat?

Most importantly, don’t forget what the guest of honor really likes to eat. If there’s something she’s been craving, give it to her. After all, it’s her baby shower.

Games
There are many games to choose from when planning for a baby shower. Some games are more competitive and others are sillier, so choose games that fit with your guests personalities. Here are a few of the most popular baby shower games.

“Guess How Many Diaper Pins” – Fill a jar with plastic baby diaper pins. Let guests write down their answer and name on a piece of paper. Whoever is closest, wins a prize!

“What’s in the Diaper Bag?” – Guests will be blindfolded and put their hand down into a diaper bag filled with baby items. They will take out one item and feel it and guess what it is. Your guests will have so much fun with this guessing game!

“Baby Bottle Race” – Fill up baby bottles with water and “On your mark, get set, go!” Whoever drinks the most or finishes first wins!

“Dress the baby” – Each guest will have a baby doll and baby clothes. They will race to see who can put the clothes on the baby doll first.

“Balloon Pop” – Divide guests into teams. Each team will have the same amount of balloons to blow up, tie, and put under one of the women’s shirts as if they are pregnant. Then when all the balloons are under, they will “give birth” by popping the balloons!

Hosting a baby shower is a lot of fun. Just remember that it’s all about the “Mother-to-be.” You can take a lot of pictures by placing disposable cameras on the tables so all your guests can capture those candid moments. And don’t forget the video camera because this will be a memorable occasion. Have fun!

Give a baby shower gift basket to the "Mother-to-be." Many more to choose from at everythingbabygifts.com