Parents often entertain their little ones by attaching colorful musical mobiles to cribs. Newer cribs with high safety ratings often come with thicker crib rails. This can be problematic when parents are trying to attach crib mobiles.
The trick is to purchase crib mobiles that have an adjustable rear arm rather than a stationary clip. An adjustable rear arm can better accommodate a wider rail. Wall mounted mobiles are also a good choice because then you don’t have to deal with the rail at all. Just make sure that the wall mount is secure; you don’t want the mobile crashing down on top of a child.
It’s been a number of years since I attended a baby’s baptism. This coming weekend I’ll be attending the baptism of my best friend’s daughter. Since we are such close friends, I wanted to make sure that I found an appropriate gift for the occasion.
In bouncing ideas off of some other friends, I finally settled on monogrammed baby gifts. I bought a baby blanket and frilly pillow and had them monogrammed with the baby’s initials and day of her baptism. I also bought a few church outfits in various sizes that the baby will grow into over the coming months.
When it became obvious that my sister would deliver her baby two months premature, the family rushed into action. My sister was on bed rest to try to hang onto the pregnancy for as long as possible. The rest of us went out and bought specialty preemie clothing and supplies. When people rang the house asking about preemie baby gift ideas we gave them some suggestions from a checklist we’d compiled.
Once my beautiful niece was born, there were other issues that arose on the home front. My sister and brother-in-law had to spend extra time in the hospital, so the family pitched in to take care of their two older kids. We took my niece and nephew to school and soccer practice, stayed with them overnight, and made sure that they felt loved and cared for while their parents were away.
When I first learned of my pregnancy, I immediately wanted to go out and buy up every adorable piece of newborn clothing in town. My mother cautioned me that I would be best to spend that money elsewhere. “You don’t need as much as you think,” she told me. Adding, “wait and see what people gift you at your baby shower.”
Sure enough, I received loads of clothing, booties, hats, and blankets from well-wishers. It was more than enough to keep my baby comfortably clothed. I also learned that the best pieces of clothing were bodysuits, usually referred to as onesies, because they are comfortable for the baby and easy for the parents when it comes to changing diapers.
As a present for the birth of my last child, my friend gave me a beautiful baby pillow. It even featured the initials of my newborn. As gorgeous as the pillow was, for the first year of my baby’s life, the baby pillow went nowhere near the crib.
Children under the age of one should not sleep with a pillow or excess bedding. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children in the first 12 months of life are highly susceptible to dying from SIDS, which can be caused by the use of pillows, bumpers, and excess bedding. Pillows are suggested for use once children are old enough to no longer sleep in a crib, usually around the ages of two or three.
I’ve attended a lot of baby showers over the past few years. At first, I geared gifts toward the soon-to-be newborn. I bought so many booties, bottles, and diaper bags! Slowly, I came to the realization that no one was thinking of the parents-to-be.
Now when I attend baby showers I bring two gifts: one for the little bundle of joy and one for mom and dad. The former gift includes all the booties and bottles a newborn could want. The second gift basket includes chocolates, gourmet coffees, scented candles, stretch mark cream, and relaxing massage oils. Becoming a parent for the first time is stressful, so I think that all baby gift ideas should include a little something for the parents.
My first grandchild is due this summer and I’ve already gone to work on creating the perfect baby layette . By the time the baby arrives I would like to have a complete layette that includes several short and long sleeved bodysuits, a sweater, a blanket, booties, a hat, burp clothes, pajamas, and a bath towel. Thank goodness I enjoy crocheting because this will be a tall order to fill!
Since the baby is due in the summer, I’ve settled on using a cotton blend yarn. The blend is easily washable and lightweight in comparison to worsted weight yarn. I’ll also be using a half double crochet pattern instead of solid single stitches, so as to make the clothing more breathable.
I call my daughter “small wonder.” My pregnancy with her was extremely difficult and I wound up delivering her two months premature. I was so scared for her health and survival. When the doctor said that she was going to be just fine I literally cried with relief.
Even though she was born healthy, she was a lot smaller than babies carried to term. Fortunately, my amazing friends went out and bought all sorts of preemie clothing and accessories while we were in the hospital. I’m so grateful to them because I hadn’t prepared for a premature birth, despite the pregnancy complications. Within a few months my daughter caught up with the rest of her peers in terms of size and growth, which is common among preemies, but I will always consider her my small wonder.
A few nights ago I was watching the local news when a story came on about a family that had just had a baby girl. I was curious as to why the birth of a child, something that happens all over the world every single day, would be a news story. I turned the volume up and heard the newscaster say that this particular baby girl had been the first female born into the family in five generations.
Five generations – that’s a century of only male children! I’m willing to bet all of the little girl’s relatives are buying up baby girl clothes left and right. She is sure to be the princess of the family for years to come… at least until another daughter is born.
Many parents spend a long time picking out just the right baby crib only to throw any old bedding onto that crib. But parents should be just as selective with their bedding products as they are with the furniture. After all, not all girls crib bedding is created equal. Some have a much higher thread count and are, therefore, much softer and more durable. Some are easier to wash than others and only stand to improve with multiple washings. All of these factors should be considered when purchasing bedding for your newborn’s crib.
In addition to picking out sheets made with a high quality fabric, parents should ensure that the sheets they purchase don’t end up creating more work for them. With that in mind, purchase sheets that are hypoallergenic, so you don’t have to worry about the sheets collecting dust mites that can ultimately make your newborn sick. And, of course, make sure you can simply throw them in the washing machine. Your kid’s sheets are bound to get dirty, and you don’t want to take the time to deal with finicky cleaning processes. This not only applies to newborns sheets but toddler bedding as well.