What are the changes in the baby 0-6 months?

best infant toys 0-6 months image

irena_binj

newborn & baby
changes of the perimeter of the head
changes of the weight
and all the similar things

Answer
Infants cannot be "spoiled" if they are held too much. Babies need constant, loving and tender touches to build self-confidence, trust and communication. Loving touches like holding, cradling, hugs, kisses and gentle tickles are important to a baby’s development.


Talk to your baby a lot. Talk in complete sentences – even as you carry out your daily routine. Tell him about the weather or what you’re doing at the moment. Talk and describe things to him as you get dressed, drive or go shopping. When you talk, he learns the rhythms of language and words and the sound of your voice.


It’s never too early to begin reading to your baby. Starting when she is a newborn, make reading an everyday experience. Read simple children’s stories or make up a story as you look at a picture book. If you are reading a book or newspaper, read it aloud so your baby can begin to hear the rhythm and pattern of language.


A baby’s vision is the first thing to develop. Give her lots of things to look at. Safely hang things above her crib such as paper plates - draw black and white patterns as well primary colors like red, yellow and blue on the plates. Hold an object 10 to 12 inches from her face and slowly move it back and forth. As she tries to follow your movement, she will build eye coordination and neck muscles.


Every time you change a diaper, sing a song or talk to baby. Gently tickle his tummy and feet, make bike-riding motions with his legs. Make eye contact and recite nursery rhymes or make up silly songs. Make the most of diaper changing – your baby is a captive audience!


Make sure your baby has "noisy" toys so she can hear different sounds. Make a rattle by putting a few beans in a tightly sealed plastic container. Securely sew small bells to her socks, booties or shoes. Always stay close and play with your baby when she uses toys to make sure she doesn’t remove or swallow small parts.


Play "Peek-a-Boo" and "This Little Piggy" for as long as your baby laughs and enjoys the games. When he turns his head away, he’s had enough for now. Give him time to rest before the next play. For "This Little Piggy," gently wiggle each toe, starting with the big toe, as you say each line of the rhyme: "This little piggy went to market; this little piggy stayed home; this little piggy had roast beef; this little piggy had none; and this little piggy cried ‘wee, wee, wee’ all the way home!"


Make sounds that your baby can imitate. Repeat them and encourage her to make the sounds like you do.


Use bath time for learning fun. For small babies, float brightly colored sponges in the water. Cut new new household sponges in the shape of fish. Make up silly songs about the bath tub fish.


When taking baby outside for a walk, talk about what you see. Describe the green grass, sounds of birds, texture of bark and everything you can see, hear, touch or smell.


Smile at your baby as much as you can. Smiling at him will teach him to smile in return and sends a positive, approving message. Approval can also come from gentle hugs and pats.


When your baby makes noises at you, treat them as conversation. Talk back. Your response will help teach your baby how to relate to other people and starts to teach the basics of conversation.


Repeat, repeat and repeat again. Repetition helps all babies and toddlers form a strong foundation for learning and good behavior. Don’t feel you always have to have a new story, new song or new activity. Children learn from repeated experiences.


Help your baby learn from gently experiencing different textures and temperatures. Guide baby’s hand to feel a soft, furry plush toy; hard, smooth plastic; cold ice; warm toast or rough carpet. It’s important to describe what baby is feeling as she touches. Be careful that textures or temperatures are clean and safe and won’t hurt little hands.


Babies can be fascinated by mirrors. Hold your baby close to a mirror so he can see himself. Point out his eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Play pat-a-cake or other games so he can watch himself in action.


Help your baby’s physical activity through gentle pulls and pushes. Place your hand on the bottoms of baby’s feet so he can push against them. Gently bicycle his legs and move his arms. Clap his hands or move his feet to the beat of different kinds of music.


It is never too early for a baby to experience all kinds of music. Starting when she’s newborn, let your baby hear music every day. Music from other world cultures as well as classical, jazz and popular music can come from the radio, tape or CD player, live performances or just you singing or humming. Make sure music is not too loud for little ears.

Any Mommy/Baby costume ideas for Halloween?

Amy Gwendo

Hi everyone!

My son will be almost 5 months when it's Halloween. What are some costume ideas that him & I could do together? Thanks!! :)

Answer
You could do something from Toy story. He could be woody:

http://www.halloweenandcostumes.com/p-1626-toy-story-and-beyond-woody-infant-costume.aspx


And you could be Jessie. Check these two out

http://www.halloweenandcostumes.com/p-3801-toy-story-jessie-classic-adult-costume.aspx

http://www.halloweenandcostumes.com/p-1411-toy-story-2-jessie-adult-costume.aspx

If you don't like that idea, you can find a lot of other 0 to 6 month costumes here:

http://www.halloweenandcostumes.com/c-123-0-6-months.aspx

This way you can look at what is available and team something up with you.

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Where should I buy gently used infant toys online?

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Maitreyi

I am a proud new mother of a beautiful baby boy, and I am looking to purchase sencond hand toys at a very good price.

I've looked at e-bay but after shipping there is not much of a discount from store prices.

Any suggestions??

Thank You in advance!!

Answer
Anything online is going to have similar shipping cost. the best bet is to go look at second hand infant clothing stores. Try the yellow pages (or 411.com).
We have one in out town that lets us sell the cloths our children outgrew. We put them on consignment. As they sold, we got half of what they sold for, and we always spent it at the store purchasing more age appropriate toys and cloths that fit them.

At what age range do most babies start to crawl?

Q. I know all babies develop at different times. In what month do they start to crawl? I have a 4 mo old and he rolls all over the place! I am so excited to see him start crawling! 1st baby and a boy!

Answer
http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&ref=354
Rolling over, sitting without support, cruising (walking along furniture), and walking independently are important developmental milestones. Crawling isn't.

Crawling isn't even mentioned in my favorite pediatric development textbook!

This seems strange since, of any of these behaviors, crawling is most associated with babies. The truth is many babies never crawl! They do need to find some way to move across the floor. Each will do so at unpredictable times and in distinctive ways. Your grandson may be a scooter, one who likes to stay upright and scoot across the floor on his bottom. Many babies prefer creeping, or wriggling forward on the stomach. Many children will crab-crawl, moving backwards. And, of course, many children will get up on all fours and crawl forward in the traditional way. Each child is unique.

Some adults are concerned that children who don't crawl in the traditional way will be less coordinated. This is a myth. As long as the baby begins to move across the floor using each arm and each leg, there is no cause for concern.

I'm reluctant to mention time frames, but somewhere between six and ten months I expect babies to discover some way to move horizontally across the floor to get desired objects. Obstacles to this include the child's not spending enough time on the floor, using an infant walker (which often eliminates the desire to learn crawling behaviors -- infant walkers are bad for proper development), having toys brought to the infant, pushing the child to learn to crawl, and physical problems such as muscle weakness. If babies actually crawl, it usually begins at around 8 to 10 months

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How to create a homemade toy for toddlers?

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Grace

I am trying to create a homemade toy for my toddler. I am a stay at home mom of twin girls. They show that they are tired of playing with the same toys and so my husband and I thought it'll be a good idea if I came up w/a homemade toy. But, Im stuck.
Please help me.

We'd like it to have a meaningful concept as well as it being safe. Dont' want pieces to easily come off and find them in their mouths!
the twins are 3years of age!

Answer
Homemade toys for your toddlers is very satisfying and can become very addicting. This is a great way to explore your creativity, recycle and provide your child will incredibly unique learning tools.

Here's the link for Home Made Toys for Infants and Toddlers
http://www.ehow.com/way_5463829_homemade-toys-infants-toddlers.html

What games or toys should I orgnaize for our baby?

Terence

Our baby is 4 months old. We live overseas, so toys are not so varied. What games are good to play with her and what toys are useful at this age?

Answer
Most toys you can make yourself. You need to make toys that engage your baby's senses, especially touch, sound, and sight. You can make your own shakers by putting beans and ANY other small object in a can or bottle and tapping it shut. It will give your baby a variety of noises to hear and sharpen her sense of hearing. Also, bright colors and lights are easiest for baby to see right now. When you introduce sights, sounds and textures to your baby, you help stimulate the senses and prepare a memory bank of experiences that feed imaginative thinking. You can use anything...try a flashlight on the wall, a laser pointer on the ground (not in your baby's face, of course!) or a prism so your baby can see the different colors. For texture, just use different types of cloth and towels from around your house. Put them near your baby so she can reach for them herself and explore on her own. She will feel them and experience different textures.
Here are some other ideas for encouraging your 4 month old to learn and play:

* During tummy time, place a favorite toy or soft ball in front of the baby to reach for.
* Hide one of your baby's toys - but don't hide it very well - and encourage him or her to find it.
* Let your baby discover that her actions can make things happen. Provide toys that will move or make sounds when your infant manipulates them, such as baby musical instruments, busy boxes, or see-through toys that show motion.
* Sing your favorite nursery rhymes like "Baa, Baa Black Sheep" and "Hey Diddle Diddle".

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How to babysit twin two year olds and an infant?

What do you do as a parent that goes against the grain of the current parenting trends?

best infant boy toys image

Dr. Blue F

No need to be serious. I like silly, yet honest answers.

Me: I let my daughter rough house with her dad, play with "boy toys" and generally be a tom-boy. I basically reject the current trend to make my daughter conform to a very strict "gender stereotype". I also chose to go "old fashion" and not make my infant use the potty.

Answer
i believe children are children who are people. i believe a 3 year old isnt stupid and comprehends things. i give her chores - pick up your toys, put your dishes away, clean up your room. im anti soda. i believe in giving the opportunity to right your wrongs before a discipline action is taken. books are toys. water cakes wont kill anyone.

where wood i go to get an application for the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund?

splat

Its where the program provides free toys to boys/girls from infant to 13(i think) low income families. pltd. press heard puts the application in the sundays paper.

Answer
Here's the link:
http://www.pressherald.com/bruceroberts/brucerobertsapp.pdf

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/bruceroberts/

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I am pregnant and due oct. 10 2011 with my first baby?

best toys newborns 2011 image

countrygir

This is all really new to me and I am not sure what I am really going to need when he gets here. I have looked online and gotten a couple of lists of things that they suggest but I was wondering what I am really going to need for him since he is due in October. If anyone could help it would be great

Answer
warm clothes. lots of socks. all size newborn. slippers are better than shoes for babies.
carseat, stroller, swing, lots of clothes, burping pads, breast-feeding cover, baby monitor, soother maybe, lots of bottles and formula unless breastfeeding. buy diapers now once a week. a pack of size 1, 2, 3, alternating. you will be glad you did. a hat is important for newborns even if warm outside. baby soap, baby tub. crib and pj's. floor mat toy. crib toys. instrumental music for his brain development like mozart and bethoven.

My MIL says i'm a bad mother to my newborn...(please help me :( )?

Amberlyn's

I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Amberlyn Jade on June 17, 2011. My husband and I made the decision long before I gave birth that we wanted to have time to bond with our little one and get settled at home before accepting family and friends to come and see her.

We got home on June 20th and his mother was sitting in our driveway waiting for us. Apparently she had called the hospital because my husband and I had shut our phones off, and the hospital told her I'd been discharged. My husband got out of the car and told her she needed to leave and wait for us to call. My MIL told him she wasn’t leaving without her grandbaby because she wanted to take her and show her off to her friends. My husband told her under no circumstances would ANYONE touch OUR daughter unless we were present. This made her cry, and she finally left. We went in the house and got settled in with our LO. After a week had passed, my husband and I felt we were ready to share our daughter with family, and I called my mother and he called his and told them they could come over. When my MIL arrived, I was sitting in the living room with my princess asleep in my arms, and my MIL walked straight in and took her out of my arms and started kissing her face and bouncing her up and down and rocking her. She didn’t even wash her hands before she stuck her finger in her mouth and started saying, “Oh your my precious baby I’m gonna take you home for the weekend and buy you toys, I have your crib all set up”, and all this other sh!t that pissed me off. My baby was screaming (she had woken her up) but my MIL said “Oh your mommy doesn’t know how to take care of you like I do.” My husband grabbed our daughter and took her to the nursery to calm her down and I told my MIL she needed to leave and she wasn’t allowed back. She told me I was a bad mother for trying to keep her grandbaby away from her and that I didn’t know how to be a mom. I told her to get out, and she left but she kept making rude comments. My mother showed up about 15 minutes later, and I had no problem letting her hold Amberlyn, because she washed her hands and waited till I handed her over. I told my mother what had happened and she told me not to pay her any attention, and that I was a great mother because I was being very careful with my daughter’s health and well-being. My family has all been over to see her, and they respect my husband and I enough to wash their hands before they hold her, they don’t smoke before they come, they give her back if she starts to cry and they don’t pass her around, they ask us if we mind if someone else holds her first. My husband and I really appreciate how supportive my family is being, but my husband’s family has refused to come over, even though we’ve invited them, including his mother back, as long as they follow our rules. His mother calls him every day and tells him that I’m a bad mother because I won’t let her take my daughter out. Um, hello, she’s barely is a month old, there is NO way in hell my daughter is going anywhere without her mother. She tells my husband that I’m a selfish and inconsiderate mother who has postpartum depression and should be in rehab and to let her take care of our baby until I’m “better.”


I’ve been letting the insults roll off my back, but last night his mother showed up at our house and my husband let her in. I was in the nursery breastfeeding my daughter and she just barged in and told me I needed to get done because she was gonna take the baby out and bring her back in the morning after she had time to spend with her. She said I was a horrible mother and should be locked up for “depriving her of her rights as a grandma to take her grandchild out and have her spend the night”


Am I a bad mother? Did you let grandparents take your newborn out? Did you let them have stay over at their grandparents house? Am I just overreacting to this? I know that new moms are overprotective, but am I taking it too far? I’m scared my little girl is gonna lose out on having both sets of grandparents. I don’t want Amberlyn to resent me for not letting her be close to her grandma :( What do I do? I’m so confused and my husband doesn’t think it’s a big deal but I do :( I grew up with a very close and loving family and I want the same for her, but if all my MIL is gonna do is call me a bad mother should I just ignore that side of the family?

Answer
You are NOT a bad mom, your MIL is crazy and if she is going to keep acting like this then the best thing you can do is keep your daughter away from her (if she won't respect your wishes in your own home, lord only knows what would happen if she had the baby for a few hours). My daughter is 5 1/2 weeks old and I have not let her go anywhere without me. The only time I left her was for 5 minutes with my mother while I went to get my mail, and that was only this past weekend. I will not be letting her spend weekends with my mom or MIL anytime soon which is especially hard for my MIL to understand because my stepson is with her every weekend. And the others are right about breastfeeding - At this age, it is absolutely detrimental that you feed on demand.

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where can someone who is opening a daycare get donations from?

best infant crib toys image

philsbaby

My friend is opening a daycare and needs help getting infant and toddler stuff for the center. She needs things like cribs,toys,furniture, and anything else that can be helped with.

Answer
Maybe post an ad on Craig's list seeking donations. Or, get a loan from a bank and buy used stuff.
Or, she could ask around at existing day care centers to see if one of them wants to sell their established business and buy the supplies/business with a loan and payments.

Relying on donations to open a business is risky. If she doesn't have enough money to get the essential supplies to open she may want to wait until she has money saved up to open her business. Or get a business partner to front the money.

I need help with room arrangement in my Day Care Center. Can you help?

shershadow

I work in a Day Care Center. My Center is removing a wall to make my Infant Room large enough for 12 Infants. The children range in age, from four months to 15 months. Can anyone help me with ideas on how to arrange cribs, toy shelves, and high chairs to accomodate all twelve children. I really need help with this. Thank You!

Answer
make them space efficiant but so that the kids feel at home u need somewhere for them to play either have a play thingy or take them to the park put the objects in order from age like and ohh ohh make it COLORFULL hope i helped

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What are some good craft projects for infants?

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bblover81

I am a infant teacher at a daycare and I do different art projects with them weekly, but I am running out of ideas. Does anyone have any ideas? There from age 6 weeks to 12 months, but my oldest is 10 months.

Answer
Are you serious? This is a real title and you went to school to learn this?

Babies should not be doing anything but playing with baby certified toys.

How to get my rescue puppy to learn to hold her bladder?

Khristine

I have a approx. 6 mon. Old Doberman puppy who I adopted from a rescue at 41/2 mon. Her litter had been abandoned by the owners and had been running loose in the woods fending for themselves. Immediately upon getting her home, I noticed that she urinated frequently. Sometime two or three times an hour anywhere and everywhere. I chalked this up to her being used to no correction. I was off from work the week I got her and really worked hard to housebreak her. Out after waking, out after eating, out as often as she needed it. Maybe this is where I went wrong. By Friday, she really had the hang of alerting me that she needed out. In two months she has only pooped inside once. I consider her housebroken in the sense that she will always run to the door then to you to be let out. But she can't hold her bladder more than an hour at a time unless she is sleeping. Sometimes she goes out 2 to 3 times in an hour and always urinates. I tried distracting her with toys etc, but when she alerts she will go in the house if ignored.She is not crate trained. I considered this but with her issue, I thought this would not help things. She is confined to a large room while I work. While in this room she reliably uses puppy pads. I had her checked for a uti 3 days after I brought her home and it was negative. Her kidney function is normal per pre-anesthesia labs for her spaying. And she can sleep up to 7 1/2 hours with no trouble at night. No diabetes as her glucose was normal as well. My vet says what goes in must come out, but this seems very excessive. I can only assume she doesn't understand that "holding it" is expected. I am not looking for a full day of holding it, but no other dog that I have ever had has ever had this issue. I will be returning to the vet for an "all clear" , more bloodwork, urinalysis, etc. If that is good then I am going to try to restart her crate training with the hope that if I start slowly and lengthen the time it may finally click. Advice?
Dixie's only correction is just a quick no for distraction, then rushed outside to finish her business. After she is praised. No treats as I don't want her to just ask for out for the treats. I just think that having to take her out 15 or more times a day is excessive. I am more concerned about something being medically wrong. She has a problem with eating very quickly, gulping down her food, that we are working on. I am wondering if she feels the same about her water and is concerned about drinking while the water is available. I haven't tried to withhold water before bedtime etc. I'm not sure if that is wise. As far as I know none of her littermates have this problem.
And for those who think this is a ridiculous request. I have raised dogs for 35 years and have housebroken many puppies with no trouble. I just have never seen a puppy at 6 months old having to urinate multiple times an hour all day long but is fine at night and is completely housebroken without there being a problem. I am not asking for a miracle and not asking for holding it all day, just longer than an hour at a time! I was hoping someone could offer some help, not looking for sarcasm! Thanks in advance for those with honest answers not judgement.

Answer
Puppies are prone to accidents, theyre just like infants or kids who pee in the bed because of their weak bladder. The best advice i can give is feed them consistently, for a 6 month puppy 2 times a day is enough with a 12 hour interval in the middle. Be consistent then it will learn to pee at those times. Another thing you can do is to cage the puppy in an enclosed area and bring them out to pee, my puppies never urinate when theyre in their cage (or a spot where they sleep).

If you are concerned for medical problems, get a blood test for your dog and ask the vet to check it out, my puppy is a tiny yorkie but only pees after 3 hours average.

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How can i stop my Yorkie form being so destructive?

What is your infant or toddlers favorite bath toy?

best infant bath toys image

Q. My son's favorite bath toy is a windup fish that swims around the tub. His second favorite is, of course, rubber ducky.

Answer
Out of all the 475945793 toys Landyn HAS to have in the bathtub with him he loves a scooper cup that looks like a lobster. He likes to drink his warm yucky dirty bathwater from it...YUCK! He also likes his own "razor" (it's plastic of course!) and his shaving foam :)

what type of bath tub shoudl I use for my 8 mth old?

nia

My daughter is sitting now and it's so difficult to bathe her in the normal infant bath tub, can anyone pls suggest or recommend a brand / type with a seat .Thanks!

Answer
I have the Fischer Price aquarium bath tub for my son. He is now 8 months old and this tub transforms to fit a baby anywher from newborn to toddler. Once they are able to sit on there own you can just fill it up and sit them in there without the netting. When they are little you keep the net up and then you can have the net half on half off when they are a little older and then eventually they can just sit in there on their own. I like it bc it comes with toys, one is even attached to the tub so its always their for them to play with. Its small enough to fit in the tub or you can fill it and bathe them anywhere. It's convenient and not that expensive I believe we purchased ours at Target for about $30. Good luck!

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What is the best car seat toy for a forward facing carseat?

best infant toys 12 months image

julie.cipr

I am going to be getting my son a new car seat because he no longer fits in his old one. The new one is forward facing. In the old car seat, we have a bar that has rattles and a light up musical frog that my son loves to play with. Anyone have any ideas for an awesome car seat toy? I'm looking for the best one out there, one that I haven't seen on my google searches. Thank you!!

Answer
When deciding on any toy to be allowed in the car, think about what's going to happen in an accident and it goes flying. This will sound silly, but its a simple test to decide whether it should be allowed as a toy in the car: smack yourself upside the head with it. did it hurt? If not, go for it, if it hurt you, think about how much more it will hurt a baby, whose skull is softer, and when in an accident it will hit with a lot more force. Ican't at all remember who made them, but check your local kids resale shop (like Once Upon a Child) since they seem to have them often: soft toy steering wheels so child can play-drive while in the car.

However, a bigger issue here, would be how old is your child and what size? Sounds like he's outgrowing an infant carrier car seat? Kids do not go from infant carrier seat straight to forward facing seat. The next step is a rear facing convertible car seat. Most state laws require kids to be rear facing until at least 20lbs and 1 year, but more importantly, the laws of physics say kids should stay rear facing as long as they possibly can. Its THAT much safer. The old 20lbs/1 year rule is just that. OLD. It came about in the 1980's when our seats were only capable of rear facing to 20lbs and we didn't know any better. Now we definitely know better and all current convertible seats rear face to at least 30lbs, but its hard getting people to realize this.
Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life!
1)A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.
2)A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.
3)Current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing.
4)In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)

It works this way: when you get in an accident and run into something, the car stop suddently, but everything and everyone in the car keeps moving in the direction the car was moving when it stopped, in most accidents, this is forward. So in an accident with a child in a forward facing seat, his head, the heaviest part of the body on babies and toddlers, flies forward very forcefully and easily snaps. If that same child is in a rear facing seat, his head tries to fly forward but is supported by the back of the rear facing seat, so there is no stress put on the child's neck and spine.

Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. And most kids actually prefer to be rear facing b/c they can rest their feet on the vehicle seat back. When they are forward facing, their legs don't receive enough support and will frequently fall asleep.
WHY REAR FACING:
http://www.carseat.org/Resources/633.pdf
In the foreground is a forward facing seat, in the background a rear facing seat. You can see how much trauma the forward facing dummy has to endure. The rear facing child simply rides it out.
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosipriori.mpg

Here's another video. You can see how there is NO trauma to the baby, it simply sits there waiting for it to end.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v163/jen_nah/carseats/?action=view&current=video06A_MGA_213_RearFace-Convertib.flv

The story of a child who suffered severe injuries from being forward facing when he could've been rear facing:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59783

How do you decorate a baby's room if you are co-sleeping? How long can she sleep in a cradle?

mewie'smom

I have a happy 5 month old daughter. My husband and I are dedicated to attachment parenting. She sleeps in a cradle next to our bed half the night and then joins us in our bed for her night feed at 2AM. Sometimes she wakes up with us. Sometimes she wakes up in her cradle.

Answer
I attachment parent and did co-sleeping with an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper with my son as an infant... when my son reached the weight limit (at 7 months) we got him a crib and put it in his own room along with his toys and books and pictures on the wall -- nothing fancy, just a place to start putting all of his stuff, and a place to play.

We never "forced" him to sleep there. At first, we would let him take a nap in his new crib... We let him play in his room during the day... (meanwhile, he was sleeping nights in our bed since he was too big for the Co-Sleeper)... after a couple weeks, he understood that he had his own room, and would even crawl over, push the door open and go inside to play with his toys. He started building up positive associations with his room (rather than associations of it being like a prison). We let him initiate most of the time he spent in his room (instead of us sticking him in there).

Once he started napping in his crib with no problems, we started putting him down at night (this was at 12 months old)... if he cried, one of us would immediately go in, pick him up and rock him etc and then put him back down... we NEVER let him "cry it out"... we never wanted to make him think that going in the crib = being alone.

For a couple weeks, this was tedious (we would put baby to bed 25 times before he would go to sleep)... but eventually he trusted the situation (because we go in IMMEDIATELY if he cries) enough that we put him down now (at 15 months) and he smiles at us, hugs his teddy bear and goes to sleep. He wakes extra early (5 am) for a diaper change and to cuddle in mom&dad's bed for an hour or two until breakfast... so we are still in transition...

I think the main thing with attachment parenting is to let the child choose independence, instead of forcing it. Take it slow... eventually the child is going to want/need their own room, so set one up where they have fun (toys etc) read books to her in there etc... and once she enjoys spending time there she will naturally want to sleep there as well.

There are no rules, other than let your child lead you... children know what they want/need, so as long as you pay attention to her signals of readiness, you will know what/when to do her own room.

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What kind of toys worked when flying with kids(less than a year old) on long flights ?

best toys for infant on airplane image

I have a 10 month old, will be flying to Asia, I have purchased a seat for her but she does not enjoy being strapped in the car seat for long. I am contemplating checking in the car seat, at the same time wondering if the airlines provides you with necessary things to secure a child this young ? My first time flying with her so want to do every bit of research so make the journey comfortable for her and other fellow passengers. Please feel free to pass on any tips as well. Thanks.

Answer
We’ve only flown with a really young child once, and it wasn’t as long of a flight as you’ll be taking. My son was 13 months old, so a little older than your baby.

We checked the car seat and did not bring it on the plane. We’d flown with our daughter once when she was a toddler and used the car seat on the plane. It was awful--the seats are so close together that she literally had nowhere to put her feet. The man sitting in front of her insisted on reclining his seat, which made it worse. If she bumped his seat (which she could not help doing every time she moved), he turned around and glared at us. He even made a few comments about it, and when I tried to explain that it wasn’t the poor kid’s fault, he got very huffy. We decided to never try to bring a car seat on the plane again. I don’t know why the airlines suggest it, when they don’t even fit onto those stupid seats!

To keep my son occupied--we brought along a few quiet toys, some small books, and LOTS of snacks. It’s not a tactic I normally use, but to keep him happy on the plane I pulled out something new each time he got restless. His favorite activity was searching for Cheerios in a small box. I’d put a few Cheerios at a time into the little box, and he’d dig around for them. We also brought some of those Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper. The markers only write on the paper, so don’t make a mess. Your baby might be a bit young for something like that, but if she is starting to enjoy scribbling on paper, the markers might keep her busy for a while.

I’d suggest getting some small, inexpensive, quiet toys that your daughter has never seen before. They will be new to her and more interesting than her own toys. Pull them out one at a time, as needed, whenever she gets restless. She’ll probably also like playing with your keys or your cell phone--my kids always liked those things more than they liked their toys! Bring along some picture books that are new to her as well. The novelty of everything will keep her occupied for longer.

Also, it’s a good idea to have something on hand for your child to drink during take-off and landing so her ears don’t hurt. I don’t know what the current regulations are for bring things like juice boxes or bottles onto an airplane, but make sure you check that on the airline’s website before you leave.

Here are some websites with more tips for traveling with children:

http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ best_travel_tips .htm
http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ travel_tips .htm
http:// parenting.ivillage .com/mom/travel/0,,45jl, 00 .html
http://www. faa .gov/passengers/fly_children/
http://www. onestepahead .com/custserv/ shop_smarter_article .jsp?pageName=Flying_Tips

This article lists restricted items on planes. It does say that formula, milk, and juice for infants and toddlers ARE allowed. http://www. tsa .gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/ permitted-prohibited-items .shtm

Have a safe and happy trip!

ps you might want to pack some Advil or Tylenol for yourself. :)

How do i travel comfortable and convenient on an airplane with a 1 yr old and an infant,?

superchic

what can I do to keep a toddler occupied on an airplane and make the trip easy?

Answer
Do you have a separate seat for each of you, or are you planning on having a "lap baby"? Definitely bring the toddler's carseat on board; you will want the convenience of being able to keep the child in its seat! It is WELL worth the hassle of having to lug it around and carry it on the plane, get it installed, etc. Plus the crew can and should help you get it to your seat, and back off the plane when you land. Ideally the baby should have its own seat and carseat as well.

Bring some quiet activities along for the toddler. A few items that they are familiar with, and several that are new. Dollar stores have lots of fun stuff and you don't have to spend a lot that way. Just a bunch of things to keep the toddler occupied if they are bored or frustrated. I would bring 1 toy/activity per 30 min. of flight time, and an extra one or two in case of delays.

Bring lots of snacks (more than you think you'll need-- delays can wreak havoc on little ones' tummies), and notify the airline ahead of time if your toddler has allergies or any other issues that require specific beverages (I don't know what they do if a child must have a nutrition beverage or soy milk rather than cow's, or any of that). Then you won't be surprised and unprepared when it comes to drinks. If you are planning to breastfeed your new little one, do me a favor and ask the airline when you call, if they have any restrictions on bringing lactating breasts on board now with all of their no-liquids policies... LOL

Another thing-- expect that at some point your toddler, your baby, or both, are going to be unhappy while on the plane. Try not to stress over whether this is bothering the other passengers, and just focus on meeting your childrens' needs. You're not responsible for the comfort of the rest of the plane, only for your own two precious passengers! And you paid for your seats, just like the rest of them.

Good luck! Flying with children doesn't have to be a huge issue; it can even be an enjoyable experience! I've flown with my kiddos many times, at different ages and stages, and with up to 5 children, plus dog & cat, with no hubby to help (he's military) on some occasions. Some have been negative experiences, but most have been wonderful. And the negative ones were only because of unforeseeable problems (getting sick just before the flight, or just me letting myself get stressed over kids being kids). I hope it all goes well!

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What kind of toys worked when flying with kids(less than a year old) on long flights ?

best infant toys for car trips image

I have a 10 month old, will be flying to Asia, I have purchased a seat for her but she does not enjoy being strapped in the car seat for long. I am contemplating checking in the car seat, at the same time wondering if the airlines provides you with necessary things to secure a child this young ? My first time flying with her so want to do every bit of research so make the journey comfortable for her and other fellow passengers. Please feel free to pass on any tips as well. Thanks.

Answer
We’ve only flown with a really young child once, and it wasn’t as long of a flight as you’ll be taking. My son was 13 months old, so a little older than your baby.

We checked the car seat and did not bring it on the plane. We’d flown with our daughter once when she was a toddler and used the car seat on the plane. It was awful--the seats are so close together that she literally had nowhere to put her feet. The man sitting in front of her insisted on reclining his seat, which made it worse. If she bumped his seat (which she could not help doing every time she moved), he turned around and glared at us. He even made a few comments about it, and when I tried to explain that it wasn’t the poor kid’s fault, he got very huffy. We decided to never try to bring a car seat on the plane again. I don’t know why the airlines suggest it, when they don’t even fit onto those stupid seats!

To keep my son occupied--we brought along a few quiet toys, some small books, and LOTS of snacks. It’s not a tactic I normally use, but to keep him happy on the plane I pulled out something new each time he got restless. His favorite activity was searching for Cheerios in a small box. I’d put a few Cheerios at a time into the little box, and he’d dig around for them. We also brought some of those Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper. The markers only write on the paper, so don’t make a mess. Your baby might be a bit young for something like that, but if she is starting to enjoy scribbling on paper, the markers might keep her busy for a while.

I’d suggest getting some small, inexpensive, quiet toys that your daughter has never seen before. They will be new to her and more interesting than her own toys. Pull them out one at a time, as needed, whenever she gets restless. She’ll probably also like playing with your keys or your cell phone--my kids always liked those things more than they liked their toys! Bring along some picture books that are new to her as well. The novelty of everything will keep her occupied for longer.

Also, it’s a good idea to have something on hand for your child to drink during take-off and landing so her ears don’t hurt. I don’t know what the current regulations are for bring things like juice boxes or bottles onto an airplane, but make sure you check that on the airline’s website before you leave.

Here are some websites with more tips for traveling with children:

http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ best_travel_tips .htm
http://www. flyingwithkids .com/ travel_tips .htm
http:// parenting.ivillage .com/mom/travel/0,,45jl, 00 .html
http://www. faa .gov/passengers/fly_children/
http://www. onestepahead .com/custserv/ shop_smarter_article .jsp?pageName=Flying_Tips

This article lists restricted items on planes. It does say that formula, milk, and juice for infants and toddlers ARE allowed. http://www. tsa .gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/ permitted-prohibited-items .shtm

Have a safe and happy trip!

ps you might want to pack some Advil or Tylenol for yourself. :)

How to help infants in the car?

Kate T

We are traveling 5 hours to upstate NY this weekend with a 3 year old and a 6 month old. The 3 year old is fine in the car, but the 6 month old screams the whole time. Does anyone have any suggestions as to help this? It is not car sickness or reflux, I think it is just boredom. Thanks a million for all of your help in advance.

Answer
My husband and I took a trip from MA to PA (6-7 hour trip) when my daughter was 10 months old. The best way we did it was to wake her up in the middle of the night (1:00am) start driving and let her fall back to sleep in the car. Then when she woke up at 6:00 we only had an hour or two left. We stopped and had breakfast, changed her and let her play for 20-30 minutes. When we got back in the car we only had 1 hour left and she was great.

We brought books and toys and don't forget the pacifier (bring a few so when he/she throws it you have more). Plus you have an added bonus, the 3 year old can sing songs and show pictures and toys to him/her. Teach the 3 year old to make faces to make the baby smile and sing baby songs. Give him a reward for helping you! Good Luck!

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How much does a child's car seat cost?

best infant car seat toys image

Splendidly

I need to buy a car seat for a toy drive i'm participating in for a child who really needs one- how much do they usually cost and where can I find an affordable, nice one?

The child is 3 years old!

Answer
If this is for a toy drive, and for a child without, I would forget about infant seats. Even if it is a baby, you can spend the same amount on a seat that will work from birth-40lbs as you would spend on a seat for the first year. Some suggestions for age 0-4:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10151273 This one goes to 50lbs! $100

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10226644 This one goes to 65lbs! $180

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2982660 $80

Good luck! Also see if Babies R Us has an coupons out. Explain to the manager what you are doing and see if they can help!

Are their toys made for convertible car seats for baby to play with while in the car?

Momuvtwinb

I know we have several of the ones on links for the infant carrier but I was wondering if there is anything for the "big girl or big boy" car seats????
My daughter is 9 months.

Answer
Just things for them to hang on to.... nothing that actually attaches to the car seat. We tried to make anything and everything work, but nothing did. My son outgrew the infant carrier at 6 months old, so we had to put him into a convertible car seat facing rear. So he was still really young and therefore constantly dropping toys, but yet he was old enough to want some toys since he wasn't just sleeping in the car. We just had to give him big, soft toys that were safe to go in his mouth and that he couldn't hurt himself with. We kept a small bin of them on the floor of the car so that when he dropped one, I could easily give him another one.

EDIT: I see someone mentioned the trays.... I didn't know how old of a child you are talking about using them for. I just assumed you meant for an infant who was still rear-facing. The trays only work once they are front-facing in my opinion. A baby still rear-facing and reclined back isn't going to be able to successfully play with anything on the tray. But if you mean for a toddler who is front-facing, the trays are great.

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What toy can I create for toddlers or infants?

best infant toddler toys image

sarahcole

I have to create a toy for class that is age appropriate for either infants or toddlers. It has to deal with one of the perceptual developments (one of the five senses). Any ideas of what I could make?

Answer
A jigsaw puzzle is probably doable.

Vision: hand-eye co-ordination, pattern recognition.

Does anyone have ideas of where I can observe infants or toddlers?

blank

For a school assignment, I have to do an observation for 30 min. to 1 hour. I was wondering if anyone had ideas for public places where I'd be able to do this rather than visiting a daycare or asking someone. I also don't know of anyone who has a baby.

One place I was thinking of was the park. Are there any other places where I might be able to observe infants/toddlers? Or if you're a mother, where are some places you take your children?

Thank you in advance!

Answer
I have a toddler--I take her to the park, to the kid area in the mall, to places set up for kids (check your phone book for a place like My Gym or indoor playgrounds--you may or may not be allowed to observe at one of those), and even to the toy section in a store like Walmart--often there is a whole other group of toddlers there too. Think carefully about when you go, too--the midmorning is a big toddler time at the park for stay at home moms; on the weekends there are usually more people at the mall. Evenings and early afternoon are more likely to be bedtime or naptime so there may be fewer kids out then.

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How do children learn to play?

best infant learning toys image

Kal

This is a question I came across in Sociology. The question is : Describe two ways in which an infant learns how to play with other children.
Please help me out!!

Answer
By interaction with others- other infants whether in the home setting or a childcare.They will learn to adjust their actions by the reactions of other children. Eg: "Oh,when I took that toy, they cried". Perhaps the child eventually internalises this action/reaction, and thereby acquires the skills to interact through play.Also, other children may ostracise a child who does not follow the "rules"

Young infants will obviously be with a caregiver who models acceptable behaviour, and discourages things like biting/ hitting/ snatching toys. The caregiver will adjust their reaction according to the age of the child, with older children having consequences such as time out.

Any suggestions for good toys for young babies?

Q. I'm a first-time mom and my three month old daughter is just starting to swat at toys on her playmat. We didn't stock up on any toys before she was born because we knew we wouldn't need them right away so now I'd like to get some for her. Also, we're planning on getting an exersaucer in the near future when she can hold herself up a little bit better. Any suggestions including name brands? Thanks for your help!

Answer
My baby is 4 months, and he's just now getting big enough for his Rainforest Jumperoo. The activity mat kept him pretty busy for the first couple of months... there's not much they can do except swat things on the activity mat and watch the mobile on the crib at that age. You might buy more toys for the activity mat (I bought the Tiny Love windchimes for my baby to kick, he loves those). Also, board books (like Goodnight Moon) are great. Until they are older, babies really need to interact with their parents, so just pointing things out and talking to her about them is enough entertainment.

By the way, I saw someone suggested the Baby Einstein videos... I would not suggest those. Research has shown that they actually delay language development. http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleid=35898
"Despite marketing claims, parents who want to give their infants a boost in learning language probably should limit the amount of time they expose their children to DVDs and videos such as "Baby Einstein" and "Brainy Baby."

Rather than helping babies, the over-use of such productions actually may slow down infants eight to 16 months of age when it comes to acquiring vocabulary, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute.

The scientists found that for every hour per day spent watching baby DVDs and videos, infants understood an average of six to eight fewer words than infants who did not watch them."

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Any suggestions for good toys for young babies?

best infant toys for learning image

Q. I'm a first-time mom and my three month old daughter is just starting to swat at toys on her playmat. We didn't stock up on any toys before she was born because we knew we wouldn't need them right away so now I'd like to get some for her. Also, we're planning on getting an exersaucer in the near future when she can hold herself up a little bit better. Any suggestions including name brands? Thanks for your help!

Answer
My baby is 4 months, and he's just now getting big enough for his Rainforest Jumperoo. The activity mat kept him pretty busy for the first couple of months... there's not much they can do except swat things on the activity mat and watch the mobile on the crib at that age. You might buy more toys for the activity mat (I bought the Tiny Love windchimes for my baby to kick, he loves those). Also, board books (like Goodnight Moon) are great. Until they are older, babies really need to interact with their parents, so just pointing things out and talking to her about them is enough entertainment.

By the way, I saw someone suggested the Baby Einstein videos... I would not suggest those. Research has shown that they actually delay language development. http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleid=35898
"Despite marketing claims, parents who want to give their infants a boost in learning language probably should limit the amount of time they expose their children to DVDs and videos such as "Baby Einstein" and "Brainy Baby."

Rather than helping babies, the over-use of such productions actually may slow down infants eight to 16 months of age when it comes to acquiring vocabulary, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute.

The scientists found that for every hour per day spent watching baby DVDs and videos, infants understood an average of six to eight fewer words than infants who did not watch them."

How to get my rescue puppy to learn to hold her bladder?

Khristine

I have a approx. 6 mon. Old Doberman puppy who I adopted from a rescue at 41/2 mon. Her litter had been abandoned by the owners and had been running loose in the woods fending for themselves. Immediately upon getting her home, I noticed that she urinated frequently. Sometime two or three times an hour anywhere and everywhere. I chalked this up to her being used to no correction. I was off from work the week I got her and really worked hard to housebreak her. Out after waking, out after eating, out as often as she needed it. Maybe this is where I went wrong. By Friday, she really had the hang of alerting me that she needed out. In two months she has only pooped inside once. I consider her housebroken in the sense that she will always run to the door then to you to be let out. But she can't hold her bladder more than an hour at a time unless she is sleeping. Sometimes she goes out 2 to 3 times in an hour and always urinates. I tried distracting her with toys etc, but when she alerts she will go in the house if ignored.She is not crate trained. I considered this but with her issue, I thought this would not help things. She is confined to a large room while I work. While in this room she reliably uses puppy pads. I had her checked for a uti 3 days after I brought her home and it was negative. Her kidney function is normal per pre-anesthesia labs for her spaying. And she can sleep up to 7 1/2 hours with no trouble at night. No diabetes as her glucose was normal as well. My vet says what goes in must come out, but this seems very excessive. I can only assume she doesn't understand that "holding it" is expected. I am not looking for a full day of holding it, but no other dog that I have ever had has ever had this issue. I will be returning to the vet for an "all clear" , more bloodwork, urinalysis, etc. If that is good then I am going to try to restart her crate training with the hope that if I start slowly and lengthen the time it may finally click. Advice?
Dixie's only correction is just a quick no for distraction, then rushed outside to finish her business. After she is praised. No treats as I don't want her to just ask for out for the treats. I just think that having to take her out 15 or more times a day is excessive. I am more concerned about something being medically wrong. She has a problem with eating very quickly, gulping down her food, that we are working on. I am wondering if she feels the same about her water and is concerned about drinking while the water is available. I haven't tried to withhold water before bedtime etc. I'm not sure if that is wise. As far as I know none of her littermates have this problem.
And for those who think this is a ridiculous request. I have raised dogs for 35 years and have housebroken many puppies with no trouble. I just have never seen a puppy at 6 months old having to urinate multiple times an hour all day long but is fine at night and is completely housebroken without there being a problem. I am not asking for a miracle and not asking for holding it all day, just longer than an hour at a time! I was hoping someone could offer some help, not looking for sarcasm! Thanks in advance for those with honest answers not judgement.

Answer
Puppies are prone to accidents, theyre just like infants or kids who pee in the bed because of their weak bladder. The best advice i can give is feed them consistently, for a 6 month puppy 2 times a day is enough with a 12 hour interval in the middle. Be consistent then it will learn to pee at those times. Another thing you can do is to cage the puppy in an enclosed area and bring them out to pee, my puppies never urinate when theyre in their cage (or a spot where they sleep).

If you are concerned for medical problems, get a blood test for your dog and ask the vet to check it out, my puppy is a tiny yorkie but only pees after 3 hours average.

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What should I buy my little brother for christmas?

What will I need upon my baby's arrival?

best infant toys 2009 image

Krissy

Okay.. I know I could read baby books and magazines but I'd like to know from real Mothers..

This is my first child (Baby boy due May 31st, 2009), and I really want to know what I need on the day that my Son comes home from the hospital. I started buying the basis this week. I have so far..

-14 onesies
- 6 wash clothes
- 1 outfit
- 3 bottles
- 2 cans of formula, one soy one regular
- 1 hanging mat

what are some other things? If someone has a time to make out a list, I'd be so greatful!

Thanks! :)

Answer
I made this list along with others a few months ago for a friend who had recently found out she was pregnant. There are things you won't need right away, or maybe even never if you just don't want them. And i might have missed some things but at least it's a good starting point and you can go from there. Best of luck with your family :)


Baby List: 0-3 Months

Baby Clothes:
-One Piece Outfits
-Stretchy Pull-On Pants
-Snap Crotch T-Shirts
-Sweater and/or Jacket
-Footed Sleepers
-Gowns with Elastic Bottom
-Hats
-Socks and/or Booties
-Undershirts

Baby Gear:
Basics
-Rear-Facing Car Seat
-Head Support for Car Seat
-Fully Reclining Stroller
-Front Pack or Sling
-Baby Monitor
-Towels and Washcloths
-Night-Light
-Pacifiers
-Bouncer Seat
-Diaper Bag
-Receiving Blankets
-Diapers
-Wipes
-Baby Nail Clippers and File
-Diaper Disposal System
-Pre-Folded Cloth Diapers (if you choose cloth diapers)
-Diaper Wraps (only cloth diapers)
-Diaper Pail (only cloth diapers)
-Bassinet or Cradle
-Bassinet or Cradle Sheets
-Crib and Mattress
-Waterproof Mattress Cover
-Crib Sheets
-Crib Bumper

Bathing
-Baby Bathtub
-Slip-Resistant Bath Pad
-Baby Hooded Towels
-Baby Washcloths
-Floating Water Thermometer
-Baby Wash
-Baby Shampoo
-Baby Lotion
-Baby Brush and Comb
-Baby nail Clippers

Breast-Feeding – if you decide to breast feed
-Nursing Bras
-Breast Pads
-Nursing Tops
-Nipple Cream
-Breast Pump
-Bottle-Feeding
-Bottles
-Nipples
-Bottle and Nipple Brushes
-Dishwasher Basket

Medical Supplies:
-Digital Thermometer
-Petroleum Jelly – soothes skin irritation
-Diaper Rash Cream
-Infant’s Acetaminophen – for low grade fevers/aches/pains
-Saline Nose Drops – clears stuffy nose
-Bulb Syringe
-Antibacterial Ointment – prevents infection of cuts and scrapes
-Tweezers – removing splinters
-Rubbing Alcohol – cleans thermometers, tweezers and scissors
-Baby-Safe Sunscreen
-Baby-Safe Insect Repellent
-Children’s Liquid Decongestant – make sure to check with doctor first!
-Mild Liquid Soap
-A Medicine Dropper/Oral Syringe/Calibrated Spoon
-Calamine Lotion/Hydrocortisone Cream – for rashes, insect bites. And minor sunburns
-Infant Gas Relief Drops
-Electrolyte Solution – replaces fluid lost from vomiting or diarrhea
-Cotton-Tipped Swabs
-Humidifier
-Small Flashlight
-Hand Sanitizer

Toys: - they really do mesmorize even the littlest of babies
-Baby Safe Mirrors
-Little Stuffed Animals

Extras:
-Clothes
-Fleece Body Suit
-Baby Bunting Bag
-“Wearable Blanket” Baby Sleeper
-Dress Up Outfit
-Gear
-Stroller frame for Car Seat
-Play Yard
-Play Mat – just a blanket works really well though
-Baby Swing
-Car Seat Base for Second Car
-Extra Straps for Front Pack
-Rain Shield for Stroller
-Playful Bath Mitt
-Terry Robe
-Padded Faucet Guard
-Bottle Warmer
-Bottle Drying Rack
-Bottle Sanitizer
-Powder Dispenser
-Bottle Rack
-Bottle Carrier
-Burp Cloths
-Nursing Pillow
-Transitional Spouts – practicing moving from bottle to cup
-Nursing Stool – raises your feet and brings the baby closer to you
-Portable Cooler with Ice Packs
-Breast Milk Storage bags – if you plan to freeze breast milk for later use, the bags protect nutrients for up to 6 months
-Breast Shells – keeps fabric away from sore nipples
-Water Bottle – for mommy to keep hydrated during feedings
-Breast-Feeding Guides
-Changing Table
-Changing Pads for Table
-Changing Pad Cover
-Diaper Wipe Warmer
-Mobile
-Deodorizers
-Moses Basket – portable, safe place to sleep
-Glider and Ottoman
-Portable CD Player
-Sleep Positioner – keeps the baby from rolling in it’s sleep
-Massage Oil or Lotion – soothing for the baby
-White Noise Machine

How to decorate rooms of our adopted kids?

Melissa

So basically, I am 31 and my husband is 32. He is a doctor and I am a teacher. Together we have 4 children of our own, Jonas (8), Charles (6), Edward (5) and Alice (0). I am currently on maternity leave.

Last week, my husbands sister passed away. We have never met her but we were informed that we were the next of kin to her three sons, Mason (16), Louis (14) and Oscar (10). We have offered to take them In and care for them.

We have been through the procedure correctly, they are all in schools and will be flying to the UK from New Zeland next week.

They are bringing clothes and toys. Luckily our house is 7 bedrooms, therefore the boys will each get there own room.

The question is, we only know a little about them and have no idea how to decorate their rooms.

So, how do we decorate their rooms? Money is no object? The rooms are all average sized. Please attach pictures and descriptions.

Mason: 16 - He Is head boy in his current school and is very academic. All his teachers say he is lovely, they say he is confident but kind and gentle. He does allot of water sports for fun.

Louis: 14 - The opposite of his brother, he is apparently a trouble maker who can never sit still. He is loud and likes messing around with his friends. He does athletics and running.

Oscar: 10 - Oscar is very shy and clever. He works hard and loves animals of all kinds. He is apparently loving and sweet.

Thanks!

Answer
Decorating a Bedroom for Your Adopted Child
Carla Raley
Carla Raley, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Oct 22, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

More:
Adopted Child
Adopted Children
Adopt Child
Adopting Children

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Every child needs and loves his own special spot, whether he or she has to share it with a sibling, maybe even more than one sibling, or is blessed enough to have a room all to themselves.

As a mother who has adopted three children from the foster care system, I've found that setting up a bedroom was different for each one of them. My first adopted child came to live with us as a newborn infant. For this baby, we fixed up a crib in our own bedroom. Decorating for an infant is easy, you just need a warm bed and some bright toys to catch his or her eyes. We hung a mobile over the crib, and put some cute pictures on the wall. He slept contentedly there for many months.

Our second adopted child was a very verbal little girl who came to live with us at the age of two and a half years, continued in our home as a foster child for the next twenty months, and was finally adopted by us when she was four years old. In the beginning, we fixed up the bottom bunk in our older, biological daughter's room, but we soon realized this was not going to work. In the trauma of being removed from her birth mother, one of the ways she acted out was to destroy whatever she could secretly, and sometimes openly, get her hands on. She ripped wallpaper off the walls during the night, colored on the bed and the sheets with markers, and drew on everything she could get her hands on. It didn't take long to realize this arrangement wasn't going to work, as she was destroying our older daughter's much loved room. When another foster child, a six month old girl, came to live with us soon after she did - one who went back to her family a year and a half later - we ended up moving our already adopted son and the two younger girls into the master bedroom, and turned the loft into a bedroom for us. We gave each child a section of this large room for their own. Both of the girls were still having visits with their birth families at the time, so for them, I fixed a wall with pictures of their birth family. The older girl, now our daughter, and her birth mother liked to exchange real (though deceased) butterflies, so I decorated her part of the room with lace butterflies hanging from the ceiling. On the wall just about her headboard, I stapled another lace doily with butterflies on it, framed some of the butterflies her birth mother had given her and hung these on this piece of lace, along with a picture of her mother. These hang on the wall still today, and since our adoption is somewhat open with her birth mother and she still receives butterflies, we continue to add to it.

Our third adopted child was the full sibling brother of our little girl. He moved in with us the day before he was six months old. Our other little foster daughter had left us just less than a month before, so setting up a space for this child was simple: I sat back up the crib I had taken down in tears just three short weeks back, and made ready for my new son. Although he had a crib in the room with his big brother and sister, he slept in a port a crib in my bedroom for many weeks, while he adjusted to his new home and family.

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When did your baby start grabbing things?

best babies toys 3 months image

Ryan's Mom

My baby is 3 months and still cannot grab things. Im not sure when they are supposed to.

Answer
It really depends on what you are talking about. My daughter did not start grabbing at toys and stuff until somewhere between 4 and 5 months. However, it you mean not at all then this may be a problem. Newborns should be able to grasp your finger, if you place it in his or her palm and she doesn't even try to grasp it then I would definetly get things checked out. Keep in mind that even if she is delayed they won't start any kind of intervention unless she becomes at least 4 months or more behind. Babies all develop differently so unless she is 6 months old and can't hold a toy or roll over then i wouldn't get worried. They have to be significantly behind before you should worry.

Would a 3 month old still be interested in a baby gym toy?

first time

I read reviews from parents of 4 weeks old to 3 month old babies. Until what age are babies still interested in a baby gym? The can be quite pricey and wouldn't want to have it for a few weeks only... Thank you.

Answer
My children are about 20 weeks old and they still love it. They always sat in it and looked, but they really couldn't play with the toys until they were about 15 weeks. It has been incredibly worth it. My friend has a 8 month old who still plays with thier gym - only now he can crawl around it on his own.

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Will 3 Car seats fit in a 2012 Kia Sorento?

best infant toys 2012 image

BabooBaboo

Hi! I just purchased a 2012 Kia Sorento and I just found out I am pregnant with baby number 3

Just wondering if anyone has experience with fitting 3 car seats in a Sorento.

I have a 3 1/2 year old son whos 31 lbs and a 2 year old girl whos 24 lbs.

If you have fit three Id love to know the brands of carseats if you know!!

Thank you very much

Answer
If your car was older, I would tell you to go on www.car-seat.org and type in your vehicle name, year, and the words "3-across". Many times you will get search results on car seats.

I know that the Diono Radians are extremely narrow car seats. The R120 and RXT version both have a rear facing weight limit of 45 lbs, a forward facing weight limit of 80 lbs, and it can be used as a booster seat from 120 lbs, however, in most 3-in-1 models, there are always flaws with the booster seat. I wouldn't worry though because using this seat as a convertible seat is still awesome.

The Radians tend to take up a large room front to back when rear facing. Diono has created a new angle adjuster, a wedge that you place under the Diono Radians to change the angle. This can make an older rear facing child much more happy. Your 3 1/2 year old can rear face in this seat if he is short enough- this car seat is outgrown by height when the child's head is 1 1/2 inches away from the shell.

Also, you don't have to buy an infant seat for an infant. You can use a convertible car seat from birth. I would recommend the Diono Radians, Safety 1st TrueFit Convertibles, Evenflo Triumph 65, Evenflo Symphony e3, and the cheap Cosco Scenera 40 lbs weight limit (there are two scenera one with a 35 lb weight limit and the other with the 40 lb weight limit so read carefully)- costs $50 at your local target.

Before you ever buy a car seat make sure that you test it out in your vehicle first. Many times at Toys R Us, they will let you test out the seat with the display model.

Space saving ideas for studio apt? Baby due Feb 2012?

Scrapper

My BF and I live in a studio apt (approx 500 sf) - one large open room. I've determined a place to put a pack-n-play for the baby to sleep in which contains a built in changing station, however, in doing so I've had to rearrange the living room and nothing works. Storage space savings ideas? We'd like to have a small portable swing for the baby as well as one of the jungle gym. Anyone been in this situation and came up with some great ideas?
Unfortunately the lease to the apartment isn't up until Jan 31st and I'm due within 2weeks of that. We decided it would be best to not add the stress of moving right at that time.

We are adding risers under the bed to add some storage space under the bed, as well as condensing out of date clothing to the vacuum sealed storage bags. We are looking into a new microwave cart with a hutch for storage of baby bottles, etc in the kitchen.

For the baby jungle gym - one of the small floor play areas for the baby to lay on and be stimulated with the colorful toys. We are aware of course that at some point, we'll need to also get items when the baby is old enough to sit up and trying to walk - but are looking into moving one year after the baby is born.
To K - I ABHOR when people suggest just letting a baby sleep with you ... mainly for the reason that I personally know someone that lost a child that suffocated that way. My child will be in their own bed (chose a pack-n-play over a crib to save space) and as for the 'other' items - we will manage to give up some of our comforts for our child to have stimulation outside of mommy/daddy's arms. I was asking for space saving ideas - not to be criticized for wanting to make our apartment more suitable for a baby.

Answer
I don't know what kind of budget you have but Ikea has a huge selection of storage and many that have doors so you can hide stuff out of sight! Consider altering uses of things - a wardrobe system for a bedroom could be placed in a family area and offer you a place to hide baby things but look nice. You can also buy pretty inexpensive vinyl ottomans at Walmart that have tops that lift off and storage inside. A bonus with those is that they are soft for when baby starts pulling up on things. Think about maybe getting a tall bookcase (Expedit unit at Ikea) but turning in on it's side like a bench. You can throw some pillows on the top for extra seating and put baskets in each shelf to store toys or baby stuff (blankets, wash cloths, diaper changing needs, etc). In other words, if you just look for things that you can use to hide some of the baby stuff you can certainly manage to live in one room and not look like your living in a nursery.

You may want to reconsider the pack n play and get an inexpensive crib. I say this because a pack n play is really an occasional bed once the bassinet phase (first 8-10 weeks - may be less if you have a big baby) is over and then the baby will be sleeping on a very tiny board and very low to the ground. They are not designed as a crib replacement. If you really want to go with a pack n play for the diaper changing feature be sure to find out the weight limit of the changer and how it works. Most of them only go to 15lbs which could be a very short time if you have a big baby. My baby had reached the bassinet/changer limit by 8 weeks! Buy one that has a hinged changer instead of the lift off type. When you are holding a baby in one hand it is not possible to lift off the changer with the other! I had the one in the link below because it was inexpensive and the changer was on hinges.

Also, some babies hate swings. You may get more use out of a chair that goes from newborn to toddler just to get more use out of it. I borrowed a swing from a friend and my son only used it a handful of times. And I live in a house and was frustrated with how much space it took up.

And as far as a change table goes, I'd scrap the idea all together and go with a crib. Or, if you already have a dresser you can buy a pad for the top and use that for a while. I did that until my son became too squirmy and I've been changing him on the floor every since. The floor is easy and baby can't fall off the floor! If you don't already have a dresser you can use I would just buy a diaper caddy and use the floor. Save that space as you don't need it and you can use almost any surface to change a diaper - you will learn that fast when out and about!

My advice is to just use what budget you have to buy the absolute least amount of large baby things and the most amount of living room/bedroom things with drawers and doors so you can manage the baby mess! An infant has a lot of small stuff that is needed but easily stored away and if you cut out some big things and ask friends what the did and didn't use you can get by with very little and keep you space in order.

Good luck and congrats on the baby! :)

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50213565
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4024389
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90116275
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70215714#/80183944/
http://www.walmart.ca/Home/Furniture/Living-Room-Furniture/Hometrends-Storage-Ottoman

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