What baby equipment (so to speak) is worth spending a lot on, and what's not worth spending $ on?

Do your ow

Stroller?
Crib?
Infant car seat?
Diaper bag?
Books?
Cloth diapers?
Toys?
Clothes?
Etc, etc, etc?

Answer
Stroller? I honestly used mine about 4 times, the big huge one that came with the carseat- I held him or used a sling. Plus the big ones that come with a carseat are huge-they take up my whole trunk of the car!

Crib? I got one, but it's rarely used since we decided to cosleep-I change his diaper on it but that's about it.

Infant car seat? read the reviews and buy the best-you can't put a price on safety.

Diaper bag? never bought one, I got a free one at the hospital with formula samples (which I threw out). Still using it 16 months later!

Books? you mean books about raising a baby? If you have the internet you can get ideas from that.

Cloth diapers? I use these! The average savings is $2000 for the first child. Check out www.diaperpin.com and www.diaperjungle.com for different types-they aren't rubber pants and pins anymore!

Toys? you are the biggest source of entertainment for your baby. Plus people always buy your baby toys-I think I've bought a few things here and there-I like wooden toys-they last a lot longer than plastic.

Clothes? They grow so fast, so don't stock up on newborn clothes! Buy them secondhand, I mostly used onesies when we were home.

Other things to consider are playmats, a playpen if you need to run in the other room and want to keep baby out of stuff, nail clippers, booger suckers, receiving blankets for swaddling, washcloths, lotions, soap.

Things I have that I rarely used:baby monitor since we coslept, diaper genie since you can't put cloth in there, the diaper stacker that hangs off the crib.

If u have an infant under the age of 2 can u help me with this?

WonderWoma

Please answer the following questions related to contact comfort and attachment from your experiences with an infant. Circle the choice # or write a brief one or two word description if other is chosen.
Do you currently have significant involvement with an infant (0-2 yrs old)?
Yes (2) No
If NO thank you for taking the time to reading and review this survey. If yes please continue.
What is your relationship with the infant?
(1)Mother(2) Father(3) Sibling(4) Other________________
How involved are you with this infant?
Daily (2) 5-6 days/week (3) 3-4 days/week(4) 1-2 days/week
Who often attends to the infant? (Ex changing, feeding, bathing etc)
Mother (2) Father(3)Sibling(4) Other________________
Who does the infant search for comfort from? (when the infant is crying, distressed) (1) Mother (2)Father (3)Sibling(4) Other________________
Is there any toy the infant is more attached to and stops crying when holding it?
Yes (2) No
Who often soothes the infant and puts it to bed?
Mother (2) Father (3) Sibling(4) Other________________
Who does the infant show more attachment to ex. interacts with the infant during play time?
Mother (2) Father (3) Sibling(4) Other________________

The Psychology 160 research team thanks you for your time

Answer
Do you currently have significant involvement with an infant (0-2 yrs old)? Yes.
What is your relationship with the infant? Mother.
How involved are you with this infant? Daily.
Who often attends to the infant? Mother.
Who does the infant search for comfort from? Mother.
Is there any toy the infant is more attached to and stops crying when holding it? Yes her blankie.
Who often soothes the infant and puts it to bed? Mother.
Who does the infant show more attachment to ex. interacts with the infant during play time? Mother.

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Parents, do you buy at Kmart your children clothes & toys?

*Baby*

I used to believe that Kmart was kind of expensive but you could find some pretty stuff that you coudn't find in other stores, but with the years I can find less differences in the products, but they are always expensive and the customer service is worst.
After the last bad experience in a Kmart store, I wanted to see if there was some Kmart reviews and I found this: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/retail/kmart.htm
only 1% had a good experience, I think that is better for me to change store.

What about you, where do you buy your children stuff (the regular ones no the fancy, expensive such as Gymboree)?
And did you ever had any bad experience at Kmart?

Answer
I am a mom of four. I buy my children their clothing and accessories at various stores. I LOVE thrift/consignment stores as you can find a lot of stuff at great prices.

I used to LOVE Wal Mart's Garanimals brand when my older children (now 14 and 12) were infants/toddlers. They were cheap but great quality. In fact, we still have some of those pieces and the color has held and they are in good condition. My younger children wear them for playclothes, too (the younger two are 5 and 2). Garanimals is, in my opinion, not of the same quality it used to be.

I shop at Wal Mart and Target a lot. The only reason I do not shop at K Mart more is because the one closest to us is always cluttered and unorganized, there are long waits, etc. And I do tend to find it to be expensive compared to Wal Mart and Target.

I also shop at Children's Place, Gymboree, Sears, Dillard's, JC Penney...if you shop the sales, it is not expensive at all and you can get some great coupons.

eBay and Craigslist are great, too!

What baby equipment (so to speak) is worth spending a lot on, and what's not worth spending $ on?

Do your ow

Stroller?
Crib?
Infant car seat?
Diaper bag?
Books?
Cloth diapers?
Toys?
Clothes?
Etc, etc, etc?

Answer
Stroller? I honestly used mine about 4 times, the big huge one that came with the carseat- I held him or used a sling. Plus the big ones that come with a carseat are huge-they take up my whole trunk of the car!

Crib? I got one, but it's rarely used since we decided to cosleep-I change his diaper on it but that's about it.

Infant car seat? read the reviews and buy the best-you can't put a price on safety.

Diaper bag? never bought one, I got a free one at the hospital with formula samples (which I threw out). Still using it 16 months later!

Books? you mean books about raising a baby? If you have the internet you can get ideas from that.

Cloth diapers? I use these! The average savings is $2000 for the first child. Check out www.diaperpin.com and www.diaperjungle.com for different types-they aren't rubber pants and pins anymore!

Toys? you are the biggest source of entertainment for your baby. Plus people always buy your baby toys-I think I've bought a few things here and there-I like wooden toys-they last a lot longer than plastic.

Clothes? They grow so fast, so don't stock up on newborn clothes! Buy them secondhand, I mostly used onesies when we were home.

Other things to consider are playmats, a playpen if you need to run in the other room and want to keep baby out of stuff, nail clippers, booger suckers, receiving blankets for swaddling, washcloths, lotions, soap.

Things I have that I rarely used:baby monitor since we coslept, diaper genie since you can't put cloth in there, the diaper stacker that hangs off the crib.

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Do you rate and review the toys and such that you buy for your baby?

Q. My daughter recieved this awesome toy for her birthday and she loved it. She picked up how to play with it right away. In all the reviews I read online about it.. it said it was a waste of money because baby never got intrested. So i decided to rate the toy since there was nothing positive about it on there. I think i'm going to do it with most of her toys. Haha.

Anyway, Have you or do you rate and review your babys toys and such?

Answer
I do- especially if they are good! I want other parents to know the same.

It's funny you mentioned that though- I wrote a review after reading a review on our baby's infant bouncy seat. It's a Baby Einstein...and everyone said that after a time, the music and lights no longer played. We had that problem too and discovered it was because it was not pushed in all the way- and I mean all the way. So, that's what started me with writing a review. I also wrote a review for our SUV recently- because I love it. It's almost 1 now and it's been awesome in any kind of weather...so I guess I believe in spreading the word.

Any suggestions for quality infant care programs in Austin, Texas?

dadtobe

We live in south Austin and are expecting our first child in October. We both work and are looking for a high quality infant care program. Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences with different types of Licensed infant care in Austin, TX? I have been to Austin CitySearch and I there are many conflicting "reviews" about many of the infant programs. We don't make alot of money, but would pay for a high quality program for our infant...

Answer
Austin is a beautiful city - you are fortunate to live there. Congratulations. Parenthood is the most amazing experience you will ever have. Have you considered being stay at home parents? What if you used this time before the baby comes to figure out how to cut your expenses to the bone & live on one income? As you have found, there are no good infant care programs in Austin. Think about the folks who work in day care centers. Young, mostly uneducated ( HS diploma, perhaps) with little to no parenting experience. Total strangers to you & your baby. Your child wants to spend his/her day with those who are nurturing & loving - not someone who is making little more than minimum wage. I left my job to stay home & care for my son. I learned to do everything differently in terms of how I made our dollars stretch. Losing $25.00 an hour is a huge hit to the wallet. Has it been worth it? Absolutely! I can sacrifice a lot so I can stay at home with my son & he can stay in his home with his bed, his toys, lunch on his schedule, etc. Go to your library & borrow a book - "The Irreducible Needs of Children" Hopefully this will help you adjust your priorities & make the best decision for you child. Good luck . The highest quality infant care in Austin is in your home.

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What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?

Abbie

Answer
Searching for Answers
As the name implies, SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of an infant who is younger than 1 year old. It is a frightening prospect because it can strike without warning, usually in a seemingly healthy infant. Most SIDS deaths are associated with sleep (hence the common reference to "crib death"), and infants who die of SIDS show no signs of suffering.

While most conditions or diseases usually are diagnosed by the presence of specific symptoms, most SIDS diagnoses come only after all other possible causes of death have been ruled out through a review of the infant's medical history and environment. This review helps distinguish true SIDS deaths from those resulting from accidents, abuse, and previously undiagnosed conditions, such as cardiac or metabolic disorders.

When considering which babies could be most at risk, no single risk factor is likely to be sufficient to cause a SIDS death. Rather, several risk factors combined may contribute to cause an at-risk infant to die of SIDS.

Most deaths due to SIDS occur between 2 and 4 months of age, and incidence increases during cold weather. African-American infants are twice as likely and Native American infants are about three times more likely to die of SIDS than caucasian infants. More boys than girls fall victim to SIDS.

Other potential risk factors include:

smoking, drinking, or drug use during pregnancy
poor prenatal care
prematurity or low birth-weight
mothers younger than 20
smoke exposure following birth
overheating from excessive sleepwear and bedding
stomach sleeping
Stomach sleeping. Foremost among these risk factors is stomach sleeping. Numerous studies have found a higher incidence of SIDS among babies placed on their stomachs to sleep than among those sleeping on their backs or sides. Some researchers have hypothesized that stomach sleeping puts pressure on a child's jaw, therefore narrowing the airway and hampering breathing.

Another theory is that stomach sleeping can increase an infant's risk of "rebreathing" his or her own exhaled air, particularly if the infant is sleeping on a soft mattress or with bedding, stuffed toys, or a pillow near the face. In that scenario, the soft surface could create a small enclosure around the baby's mouth and trap exhaled air. As the baby breathes exhaled air, the oxygen level in the body drops and carbon dioxide accumulates. Eventually, this lack of oxygen could contribute to SIDS.

Also, infants who succumb to SIDS may have an abnormality in the arcuate nucleus, a part of the brain that may help control breathing and awakening during sleep. If a baby is breathing stale air and not getting enough oxygen, the brain usually triggers the baby to wake up and cry. That movement changes the breathing and heart rate, making up for the lack of oxygen. But a problem with the arcuate nucleus could deprive the baby of this involuntary reaction and put him or her at greater risk for SIDS.

Do you rate and review the toys and such that you buy for your baby?

Chelsea

My daughter recieved this awesome toy for her birthday and she loved it. She picked up how to play with it right away. In all the reviews I read online about it.. it said it was a waste of money because baby never got intrested. So i decided to rate the toy since there was nothing positive about it on there. I think i'm going to do it with most of her toys. Haha.

Anyway, Have you or do you rate and review your babys toys and such?

Answer
I do- especially if they are good! I want other parents to know the same.

It's funny you mentioned that though- I wrote a review after reading a review on our baby's infant bouncy seat. It's a Baby Einstein...and everyone said that after a time, the music and lights no longer played. We had that problem too and discovered it was because it was not pushed in all the way- and I mean all the way. So, that's what started me with writing a review. I also wrote a review for our SUV recently- because I love it. It's almost 1 now and it's been awesome in any kind of weather...so I guess I believe in spreading the word.

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Activity ideas for insight into children with learning disabilities?

Is My baby can read worth the hassle?

best infant toys reviews image

Chris

So my grandma is stuck on getting this for my Nephew. He just turned 1. I have read quite a few reviews where it doesn't work, some I've read where it worked pretty good. Should we really get it for him or buy more educational toys?

Answer
If you let your child do this they will have 200+ hours of screen time in 9 months or something. Don't buy "educational toys" spend time playing with and reading to your child. that is how they learn not from a toy.


Research has linked infant screen time to sleep disturbances and delayed language acquisition, as well as problems in later childhood, such as poor school performance and childhood obesity. If parents follow Your Baby Can Read’s viewing instructions, their baby will have watched more than 200 hours by the age of nine months—spending more than one full week of 24-hour days in front of a screen. Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under age two.


The last thing babies need is to be drilled with flash cards and to watch videos. It’s particularly worrisome that screen time takes away from the two activities known to be educational—time with caring adults and hands-on creative play. Babies learn in the context of loving relationships, and with all of their senses. Yet, 19% of babies under the age of one have a television in their bedroom and 40% of 3-month-olds are regular viewers of television. And we all know that screen time is habituating. The more time babies spend with screens, the harder it is for them to turn them off when they’re older.

What do you think of the Baby Trend brand stroller/car seat travel system?

wonderingi

Particularly the "Venture" style. And, did anyone order it direct from the website? If so, where can you take it if there is a problem?

Answer
Love the stroller, hate the car seat, would never buy the travel system.

You can try out the strollers or at least some of the models at Target and Toys R Us/Babies R Us. I love them, they're comfortable for my kids, easy to maneuver, easy to go through sand, dirt, grass, whatever, and I haven't tried out a nicer stroller. I love the large wheels that are bicycle wheels so that it's easy to fix them and for them to go over obstacles. :)

However, I don't like the car seat because you can try them at Target as well, and you have to put the two hooks together then push them into the seat-belt latch, and when working with a restless baby that would be a nightmare. Graco and other infant seats let you push in one side then the other, which makes it a lot easier when you're working with a restless baby.

I also don't like people putting the baby in a car seat outside of the car. It makes the car seat at risk for knocking against things and becoming damaged, as well as it curves the baby. SIDS research says over and over that we need to lay the baby flat or be carrying the baby, and research has proven that while car seats save their lives in an accident you should limit their time in a car seat (or anything that tilts them) to less than 3 hours in a day and no more than 1 hour at a time, and basically not use it in anything but the car.

So the stroller is nice, get the stroller, but order it through something like Target or Walmart's or babies r us so that you can take it there if there's a problem. Skip the car seat, get one that is better and will work better. Carry the baby for the first 4 months, either your arms or a Moby Wrap for a cheaper alternative to something like an Ergo, it's really not hard. Do a search on car-seat breathing and you'll find the studies done about the dangers.

Add: Looked at the stroller. It's not the jogger that I prefer. If you're going to go with that style of stroller, look at the Chicco strollers. They lay completely flat, so it's better for the SIDS aspect, and have better reviews. I honestly wouldn't get a Baby Trend stroller that's not the jogger because they don't push well, don't maneuver, don't move well. It's all about the wheels and those little wheels always are a pain in the neck on strollers.

This is one similar to what I thought you were talking about. They're approved for babies about 2 months up.

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Is My baby can read worth the hassle?

best infant toys reviews image

Chris

So my grandma is stuck on getting this for my Nephew. He just turned 1. I have read quite a few reviews where it doesn't work, some I've read where it worked pretty good. Should we really get it for him or buy more educational toys?

Answer
If you let your child do this they will have 200+ hours of screen time in 9 months or something. Don't buy "educational toys" spend time playing with and reading to your child. that is how they learn not from a toy.


Research has linked infant screen time to sleep disturbances and delayed language acquisition, as well as problems in later childhood, such as poor school performance and childhood obesity. If parents follow Your Baby Can Read’s viewing instructions, their baby will have watched more than 200 hours by the age of nine months—spending more than one full week of 24-hour days in front of a screen. Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under age two.


The last thing babies need is to be drilled with flash cards and to watch videos. It’s particularly worrisome that screen time takes away from the two activities known to be educational—time with caring adults and hands-on creative play. Babies learn in the context of loving relationships, and with all of their senses. Yet, 19% of babies under the age of one have a television in their bedroom and 40% of 3-month-olds are regular viewers of television. And we all know that screen time is habituating. The more time babies spend with screens, the harder it is for them to turn them off when they’re older.

What do you think of the Baby Trend brand stroller/car seat travel system?

wonderingi

Particularly the "Venture" style. And, did anyone order it direct from the website? If so, where can you take it if there is a problem?

Answer
Love the stroller, hate the car seat, would never buy the travel system.

You can try out the strollers or at least some of the models at Target and Toys R Us/Babies R Us. I love them, they're comfortable for my kids, easy to maneuver, easy to go through sand, dirt, grass, whatever, and I haven't tried out a nicer stroller. I love the large wheels that are bicycle wheels so that it's easy to fix them and for them to go over obstacles. :)

However, I don't like the car seat because you can try them at Target as well, and you have to put the two hooks together then push them into the seat-belt latch, and when working with a restless baby that would be a nightmare. Graco and other infant seats let you push in one side then the other, which makes it a lot easier when you're working with a restless baby.

I also don't like people putting the baby in a car seat outside of the car. It makes the car seat at risk for knocking against things and becoming damaged, as well as it curves the baby. SIDS research says over and over that we need to lay the baby flat or be carrying the baby, and research has proven that while car seats save their lives in an accident you should limit their time in a car seat (or anything that tilts them) to less than 3 hours in a day and no more than 1 hour at a time, and basically not use it in anything but the car.

So the stroller is nice, get the stroller, but order it through something like Target or Walmart's or babies r us so that you can take it there if there's a problem. Skip the car seat, get one that is better and will work better. Carry the baby for the first 4 months, either your arms or a Moby Wrap for a cheaper alternative to something like an Ergo, it's really not hard. Do a search on car-seat breathing and you'll find the studies done about the dangers.

Add: Looked at the stroller. It's not the jogger that I prefer. If you're going to go with that style of stroller, look at the Chicco strollers. They lay completely flat, so it's better for the SIDS aspect, and have better reviews. I honestly wouldn't get a Baby Trend stroller that's not the jogger because they don't push well, don't maneuver, don't move well. It's all about the wheels and those little wheels always are a pain in the neck on strollers.

This is one similar to what I thought you were talking about. They're approved for babies about 2 months up.

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Where can I find reviews on infant toys and gear?

Q. Just prepping for Christmas shopping. lol.

Thanks!

A. I suggest the book Baby Bargains, which reviews a lot of toys, furniture, clothing--basically all things baby.

Amazon has customer reviews on their site, and so does Toys R Us and Target. I find them helpful most of the time.

Original Question

Any suggestions for quality infant care programs in Austin, Texas?

Q. We live in south Austin and are expecting our first child in October. We both work and are looking for a high quality infant care program. Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences with different types of Licensed infant care in Austin, TX? I have been to Austin CitySearch and I there are many conflicting "reviews" about many of the infant programs. We don't make alot of money, but would pay for a high quality program for our infant...

A. Austin is a beautiful city - you are fortunate to live there. Congratulations. Parenthood is the most amazing experience you will ever have. Have you considered being stay at home parents? What if you used this time before the baby comes to figure out how to cut your expenses to the bone & live on one income? As you have found, there are no good infant care programs in Austin. Think about the folks who work in day care centers. Young, mostly uneducated ( HS diploma, perhaps) with little to no parenting experience. Total strangers to you & your baby. Your child wants to spend his/her day with those who are nurturing & loving - not someone who is making little more than minimum wage. I left my job to stay home & care for my son. I learned to do everything differently in terms of how I made our dollars stretch. Losing $25.00 an hour is a huge hit to the wallet. Has it been worth it? Absolutely! I can sacrifice a lot so I can stay at home with my son & he can stay in his home with his bed, his toys, lunch on his schedule, etc. Go to your library & borrow a book - "The Irreducible Needs of Children" Hopefully this will help you adjust your priorities & make the best decision for you child. Good luck . The highest quality infant care in Austin is in your home.

Original Question

how do i know baby is teething?

Q. My new baby boy aged 5 months, today often fuss and cry for no reason and cram his fist into his mouth. What happened to my child? Is it painful? Is my baby start teething?

A. Hi Natalie, nice to meet you.
How's your baby this morning? May she always be in good health.

Age your baby is now 5 months? Well, it was a time that we parents make adorable while playing with our baby. But it is at these times, there was a moment that usually happens to a baby, which was the beginning of the period of teething. Some litaratur indeed stated that the age of 5-7 months (may be faster or longer), it is a time where a baby's teeth begin to grow. In some cases indeed, a baby will reflexively reached into his mouth, as a solution (in infants) in eliminating ra pain / itching caused by teething start page.

My son now age was 6.5 months. Period of 5 months, he also did the same with your baby. Initially hell did we deem mediocre, and we bought a regular toy anyway. But after I browse and get some references and a review of the occurrence of teething for a baby, my wife and I began to feel worried. Finally, we also provide a teething toy for our daughter, a toy from Vulli. Thankfully, so far even our daughter look more cheerful (although it She can not talk, he .. he ..). But indeed, we as parents see a significant difference in our baby now than ever before, when he was 5 months and happy to put his hand into the mouth.

This is an article from Ezine which time it inspired us, so we finally bought our daughter a toy from Vulli. And also the reviews are interesting, which we got from other sites. You can read through the following link. May be useful.

Hopefully what has been the experience for us, it can also inspire you and your family. Regards for your family and your baby.

Original Question

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how do i know baby is teething?

Q. My new baby boy aged 5 months, today often fuss and cry for no reason and cram his fist into his mouth. What happened to my child? Is it painful? Is my baby start teething?

A. Hi Natalie, nice to meet you.
How's your baby this morning? May she always be in good health.

Age your baby is now 5 months? Well, it was a time that we parents make adorable while playing with our baby. But it is at these times, there was a moment that usually happens to a baby, which was the beginning of the period of teething. Some litaratur indeed stated that the age of 5-7 months (may be faster or longer), it is a time where a baby's teeth begin to grow. In some cases indeed, a baby will reflexively reached into his mouth, as a solution (in infants) in eliminating ra pain / itching caused by teething start page.

My son now age was 6.5 months. Period of 5 months, he also did the same with your baby. Initially hell did we deem mediocre, and we bought a regular toy anyway. But after I browse and get some references and a review of the occurrence of teething for a baby, my wife and I began to feel worried. Finally, we also provide a teething toy for our daughter, a toy from Vulli. Thankfully, so far even our daughter look more cheerful (although it She can not talk, he .. he ..). But indeed, we as parents see a significant difference in our baby now than ever before, when he was 5 months and happy to put his hand into the mouth.

This is an article from Ezine which time it inspired us, so we finally bought our daughter a toy from Vulli. And also the reviews are interesting, which we got from other sites. You can read through the following link. May be useful.

Hopefully what has been the experience for us, it can also inspire you and your family. Regards for your family and your baby.

Original Question

Is this bad or good for my child?

Q. I'm extremely obsessed with buying baby items. Some people are addicted to fashion but not me. So far I have 9 different car seats for my unborn baby, 6 strollers, 3 wagons, tons of bottles, formula (i can't breastfeed), tons of toys, 5 pack n plays, 4 swings, and a ton of sippy cups. And all of these items are high-end. I just can't help myself I found so many things I liked but didn't want to give up the rest. Will this be bad or good for my child?

A. Is this obsession interfering with you being happy in life? Has buying these items (compulsively in my opinion) caused financial problems? Has this caused stress in your relationship with your husband (boyfriend)? If you answer yes to any of these, I would talk to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. They should be able to get at whatever problems you are encountering.

But be careful on the amount of formula you buy- save the receipts because if your baby is allergic to a type of formula, you will have to get a different kind and it would be terrible to have all that formula for nothing.

And car crashes are the leading cause of both disability and death for children in the United States. If you have 9 infant car seats ensure that the bases do not get mixed up. Only the base can be used with the carrier that it was designed for. And car seats do expire, so if you have purchased car seats to use in the future, they cannot be used then because they will be expired by then! I just don't want your child to get hurt or killed in a car crash because this information wasn't available to you.

(As a side note, car seats expire for a variety of reasons. For example, car seats are exposed to UV rays from the sun and it depends on how they are treated too- if they were stored in a musty humid basement or in a hot or cold garage this causes the plastic to become brittle, even if the car seat still looks okay. And if the plastic were brittle, the child has the harness has the potential to rip from the shell, ejecting the child from the seat).

Edit Again: I answered a ton of your "car seat questions" - I always wondered if your questions were serious, however they were, which makes me happy. May I ask which car seats models you went with? I am a car seat fanatic myself, (however I don't buy them; I just look at them at stores) haha. If you don't return them, you should start some type of blog and review all of your baby items.

But remember that children do not necessairly like something that is most expensive. For example, my father told me that when I was younger he gave us a huge expensive air-hockey table and a $5 used Pokemon Nintendo 64 Game. And do you know what we played with 24/7? As children we always played with that Pokemon Game...It brings back such good memories.

Look at this laughing baby; he loves paper: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4abiHdQpc

Original Question

Will the Amby bed hammock help CORRECT mild plagiocephaly?

Q. All reviews of the Amby bed state that it helps to PREVENT flathead. My daughter is almost 4 months and has a flat spot that developed on the back of her right side of head (think it was due to tighter neck muscle on that side). Repositioning in her crib has not seemed to help much. Was wondering if the Amby can help to reshape her head to its previously round state.

A. It should help because it generally encourages babies to lie in a more straight position, and doesn't put as much pressure on any one part of the head (distributes the pressure more evenly).

However if your baby has torticollis you should have been referred for physio at birth.

Usually if it hasn't resolved by 3-4 months with therapy the refer you for surgery. There is a limit as to how long you can leave it before it effects other development.

http://health.yahoo.com/musculoskeletal-overview/congenital-torticollis/healthwise--tp22216spec.html
How is it treated?

Congenital torticollis is treated through exercises that stretch your baby's neck. Your health professional or a physical therapist will teach you how to do them with your baby, and then you will stretch your baby's neck on your own several times a day.

You can also play with your baby in ways that stretch the neck. Placing toys and other objects in positions where your baby has to turn his or her head to see them helps stretch the muscle.

If your baby does not improve after 2 to 8 months of stretching, contact your health professional. There may be another problem, or surgery may be necessary to stretch or lengthen the neck muscle.

The lump in the muscle usually goes away on its own.

If the congenital torticollis is not caused by a shortened neck muscle but by a cervical spine abnormality, the spine abnormality is sometimes treatable.

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/peds_ent/wryneck.cfm
Treatment may include:

* gentle stretching exercise program (to help relieve the tension and lengthen the sternocleidomastoid muscle)

* infant stimulation (to help the infant learn to move and stretch the muscle)

* surgery (to correct the shortened muscle)

The neck mass may enlarge during the first month of life, then gradually get smaller, usually disappearing by age 5 to 8 months.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/189074/does_your_infant_have_torticollis.html?page=2&cat=25
If you think your infant has Torticollis schedule an appointment with your pediatrician soon. If your pediatrician confirms your worries you will be set up with a physical therapist to learn the proper techniques and stretches tailored to your son or daughter. You will probably have a check up every 2 weeks to see how your child is progressing.

Although Torticollis can be worrisome to any parent, it is highly treatable. If your infant seems to be uncomfortable or in pain a trip to the doctor is necessary! With a little bit of stretching and exercise your infant can have a straight neck once again!

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My husband and I have a 2008 Wrangler 2 door. We would like to know what car seats will fit in the back?

Q. We have considered selling it, but no takers as of yet. We discovered that a lot of people get by with the 2 doors, and were wondering what brands other have used to fit into the backseat for a newborn on up!

A. It is not necessairly the brands of car seats, but the individual car seat itself. You need to find car seats that result in a secure installation. A secure installation is when the car seat moves less than 1 inch from side to side at the belt path. Toys R Us will let you install their car seats with the display model.

Personally I would skip the infant only seats. Infant seats are the type of seats that you see in grocery stores on top of shopping carts (they should never be on top of shopping carts). They are outgrown very quickly because of their short shells and low weight limits. You would be lucky getting a year use out of it. Most kids outgrow them at 6-8 months and by the time your child is 4-6 months old, you will be leaving it in the car (as it is SUPER heavy). Instead of using an infant car seat, you can use convertible car seats from birth. In every rear facing car seat, the harness needs to be positioned at or slightly below the shoulders as in a crash, the child will slide up toward the top of the seat. It is important to find a convertible with low slots for the harness. Some convertibles have infant inserts. These inserts are crash tested- you place them under the cover to lift the baby up for a better harness fit.

I would recommend the:
-Britax Convertibles (only if you were to buy the infant car seat insert as it is sold separately)
-Graco My Ride 65
-Cosco Scenera (their are 2 different Scenera made by cosco; I would get the one with the 40 lb rear facing limit than the one with the 35 lb rear facing limit)
-First years True Fit convertibles
-Diono Radians
-Evenflo Triumph 65 or the Triumph Advance Model
-Evenflo Symphony 65
-Evenflo Symphony 65 e3
-Maxi Cosi Pria

I would go to Toys R Us and find out which ones result in a secure installation. The most important thing that you can do for your growing child is to have a properly installed car seat. Car crashes are the leading cause of both disability and death for children under 12 years old. Statistics show that 95% of car seats are used or installed incorrectly. Car seat manuals are very confusing. I cannot emphasize enough to go get your seat checked by a child passenger safety technician (CPST). It should be absolutely FREE to go get your seat checked. You can find a CPST at http://www.seatcheck.org/

Below are reviews on convertibles by done by CarseatBlog. They are very objective and do list the pros and cons. Of course, never by a car seat without checking if it fits and looking at it yourself. Newborns require the 45 degree angle to keep their airway open. When your child has more head and neck control, the seat can be installed much more upright, as up to 30 degrees from vertical.

Did you know that a rear facing child is 5 times safer than a front facing child? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all child stay rear facing until they are at LEAST 2 years old...and for a good reason to. Find that reason out on the next 2 links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvyIv9QVRBE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8

http://www.thecarseatlady.com/
Above link: This website has a TON of info regarding car seats. Please click on the tabs "Rear facing" and "LATCH"

http://carseatblog.com/9557/maxi-cosi-pria-70-convertible-carseat-preview/
Above link: CarseatBlog's Review on the Maxi Cosi Pria 70 convertible

http://carseatblog.com/2813/dorel-cosco-scenera-review-a-true-workhorse/
Above link: CarseatBlog's Review on the Cosco Scenera (the one with the 35 lb rear facing weight limit)

http://carseatblog.com/2312/maybe-the-graco-my-ride-65-could-be-my-ride-a-review/
Above link: CarseatBlog's Review on the Graco My Ride 65

Original Question

Is My baby can read worth the hassle?

Q. So my grandma is stuck on getting this for my Nephew. He just turned 1. I have read quite a few reviews where it doesn't work, some I've read where it worked pretty good. Should we really get it for him or buy more educational toys?

A. If you let your child do this they will have 200+ hours of screen time in 9 months or something. Don't buy "educational toys" spend time playing with and reading to your child. that is how they learn not from a toy.


Research has linked infant screen time to sleep disturbances and delayed language acquisition, as well as problems in later childhood, such as poor school performance and childhood obesity. If parents follow Your Baby Can Read’s viewing instructions, their baby will have watched more than 200 hours by the age of nine months—spending more than one full week of 24-hour days in front of a screen. Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under age two.


The last thing babies need is to be drilled with flash cards and to watch videos. It’s particularly worrisome that screen time takes away from the two activities known to be educational—time with caring adults and hands-on creative play. Babies learn in the context of loving relationships, and with all of their senses. Yet, 19% of babies under the age of one have a television in their bedroom and 40% of 3-month-olds are regular viewers of television. And we all know that screen time is habituating. The more time babies spend with screens, the harder it is for them to turn them off when they’re older.

Original Question

What do you think of the Baby Trend brand stroller/car seat travel system?

Q. Particularly the "Venture" style. And, did anyone order it direct from the website? If so, where can you take it if there is a problem?

A. Love the stroller, hate the car seat, would never buy the travel system.

You can try out the strollers or at least some of the models at Target and Toys R Us/Babies R Us. I love them, they're comfortable for my kids, easy to maneuver, easy to go through sand, dirt, grass, whatever, and I haven't tried out a nicer stroller. I love the large wheels that are bicycle wheels so that it's easy to fix them and for them to go over obstacles. :)

However, I don't like the car seat because you can try them at Target as well, and you have to put the two hooks together then push them into the seat-belt latch, and when working with a restless baby that would be a nightmare. Graco and other infant seats let you push in one side then the other, which makes it a lot easier when you're working with a restless baby.

I also don't like people putting the baby in a car seat outside of the car. It makes the car seat at risk for knocking against things and becoming damaged, as well as it curves the baby. SIDS research says over and over that we need to lay the baby flat or be carrying the baby, and research has proven that while car seats save their lives in an accident you should limit their time in a car seat (or anything that tilts them) to less than 3 hours in a day and no more than 1 hour at a time, and basically not use it in anything but the car.

So the stroller is nice, get the stroller, but order it through something like Target or Walmart's or babies r us so that you can take it there if there's a problem. Skip the car seat, get one that is better and will work better. Carry the baby for the first 4 months, either your arms or a Moby Wrap for a cheaper alternative to something like an Ergo, it's really not hard. Do a search on car-seat breathing and you'll find the studies done about the dangers.

Add: Looked at the stroller. It's not the jogger that I prefer. If you're going to go with that style of stroller, look at the Chicco strollers. They lay completely flat, so it's better for the SIDS aspect, and have better reviews. I honestly wouldn't get a Baby Trend stroller that's not the jogger because they don't push well, don't maneuver, don't move well. It's all about the wheels and those little wheels always are a pain in the neck on strollers.

This is one similar to what I thought you were talking about. They're approved for babies about 2 months up.

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