Baby Tip #7

Favorite.

I was just shopping around on the internet this evening and found something really cute that I wanted to share with all you moms-to-be out there. I hope to wear this someday. I think it's really great. And its a great brand with many other options to chose from.

This is a time to buy special little somethings for yourself. Being pregnant is a time of your life that will go by quickly and be short-lived. Spoil yourself and take advantage of all those cute "pregnant" items out there!!!

OR! If you aren't a mom-to-be but know someone that is...this is a great gift for a baby shower or for a "just because" gift. Treat a mom-to-be or treat yourself, either way what a great little necklace!!

Check out all the great necklaces at http://www.dogeared.com/


Here's one of my recent favorites. I won't be getting it for a while, but any of you pregnany mommys out there...this will suit you perfectly!

Baby Tip #6

Communication.

Today I had the pleasure of visiting with some ladies at the pool and they were talking about how much children's communication skills vary from child to child. And its so true. Kids are very aware of their surroundings and if the adults around them aren't talking to them and teaching them things then they have to learn it on their own, but won't til later in life. Children learn primarily off of repetition. I can't tell you enough, REPEAT EVERYTHING! Repeat everything! Repeat everything! Their little minds are on overload right now and taking in everything around them. They are beyond eager to learn and know what it is that they are looking at, what they are smelling, and what they are tasting.

A child requires guidance and knowledge from you, their parents. Read to them. Create a quiet time in your schedule, a time where you sit and have eye to eye conversation time with your little one. Or a time where you read their favorite book. Or how about sit down together with a variety of items in front of you and just repeat what it is that they are looking at. They learn so much at such a young age, expand their minds as much as you can, and teach them everything you know.

Get some books. Get some music. Get some random items. And get an educated baby. Some items that I like for young ages are as follows....

Baby Einstein videos. Disney movies.

B is for Bear. Dr. Suess books. Arthur books.

Musical cds.

Baby blocks. ABC blocks. Rings.

There are a lot of items that you can use from around the house as well. Go on walks and visit with your baby about everything outside or the different noises you hear, birds, dogs, car, ambulance, etc. Children listen even if it won't be apparent for a few more months. But trust me they are taking in everything you say and do. So be cautious about the negative things that you might say but also be repetitive in the positive things you can share with your baby. You're your baby's most important teacher, be there for her. And start today!


Stevi. NV Photography. Fort Scott, KS. http://nvphotoedge.blogspot.com/

Baby Tip #5

Questions.

I received an email today with some questions from Mommy2B. She had some great questions that with the answers will help her be more prepared for when baby arrives. These questions might be similar questions that you have on your mind. Or maybe after your own experiences you can give a different recommendation than what i have. Her quesitons are below.

Do you recommend a bottle sterilizer or is that a waste of time?

As far as the bottle sterilizer...I don't recommend the sterilizer, i think it might be a waste of time and money. I recommend some clorox, (check cloroxuses.com) and fill the sink with hot water and depending on amount of water, mix the appropriate amount of clorox and let them soak. And after the initial sterilizing you won't need to do it after each use, just soak in warm water and dish soap, i recommend washing by hand instead of dishwasher because dishwasher breaks bottles down faster and doesn't clean as well. .

Do I really need to get an ugly swing?

the ugly swing....some babies don't even like them. The little guy i watch doesn't have one and never has. i would recommend if you don't get a swing to get a bouncy seat. you will want something for baby to hang out in when food is settling and when she's content. there are some seats out there that rock and vibrate and play music...that might be something you'd want to look into.

What size bottles for newborns especially if not breastfeeding?

The size of bottles...i'd get mostly 8 oz bottles, but having a few 4 oz bottles would be handy. but i wouldn't get more than 3 small ones. you won't use them after 3 months of age

Should I get a high chair now orwait for later?

You probably won't need a high chair til about 5 months of age. if you want to wait, i'd wait. it'll just be sitting there collecting dust if you get it now. and when you pick out the high chair think of convenience first....they aren't the cutest things, but you'll want something that is easy to clean. no matter how well behaved your baby is she WILL get messy.

How to interview a nanny? Pros and cons of live-in versus live out. When to hire nanny (before or after baby is born)?

As far as live in versus live out...its honestly what you are wanting from your nanny. but i personally think that your nanny will last longer if she has a seperation from work and her personal life. i can help you with the interview process if you are nervous about it. or i can help with questions to ask. if that would help. i would start the interview process now or before baby is born. to get a feel for what you have out there to chose from. it might take a while to find someone to fit the criteria for your perfect nanny. every family is looking for something different...and every nanny offers different outcomes. Check out http://www.nannies4hire.com/ to find nannies in your area.

When to pick pediatrician and what to look for?

This is something that you will know when you meet the right pediatrician. i would look online on people's comments on various doctor's offices in the area. you're lucky because there are many in the LA area that are highly sought after and are staffed with some of the best pediatricians.

Unfortunately i don't have experience in this area. i would suggest doing research before baby arrives. so that if there is an unfortunate situation that baby would need to be looked at shortly after arriving home, you would want to have someone familiar with the situation and someone you are comfortable with ahead of time.

One other thing i would do for my own baby is shop around. go and meet the pediatricians that have had good comments made or that people have recommended. someone that might be good for a friend, might not work well for you. so go and get a feel for the doctors in person. i'd even call and see how you are treated over the phone. feel out the staff. you will be working with them every three months for the start of your baby's life, and for years to follow if you stay in the same area.

definitely find someone before baby arrives.

Instructions on products to use when bathing a baby. Can you use baby lotion, etc. right away?

For bath time. You'll want to get a moisturizing wash. i like Aveeno and Arbonne. My friend sells arbonne (mainly only because she gets the discount for herself) and she swears by it for babies. And her baby boy has the softest skin and has never had problems with dryness. Arbonne also uses all natural ingredients and its for sensative skin as well. They also have a great rash cream. If I were you, i'd get small bottles of both and see how your baby reacts to them. Every baby is different. Aveeno has a nice sweet smell where arbonne is scent free. Thats something else to think about. After bath time, baby will need lotion. Baby's skin is adjusting from the womb and tends to dry out very easily. Its common for baby's to get dry spots that look like rashes but its simply because their skin is extra dry. So be sure to lotion up every day, this will help keep those rash looking dry spots away, even if they don't have a bath, lotion before getting dressed. As far as lotion right away...it is recommended, just make sure that its a good, all natural ingredient lotion that is made for babies. Oh and for the wash, its nice to get one bottle thats for hair and body, less items to worry about on the sink/tub. For a seat, in the beginning, wash baby in the kitchen sink, it'll be easier to hold her. I would recommend the sink until she's too big for it then move to the tub. And in the tub you'll want a seat (this is my favorite one). there are a lot to choose from out there. The seat that I like allows water to flow into the seat with tiny holes in the lining of the seat, and its very supportive for the tiniest babies and comfortable too.

The Tourtillott twins. NV Photography. Fort Scott, KS. http://nvphotoedge.blogspot.com/

Baby Tip #4

More Registry.

I've been thinking this evening on what would be helpful for everyone. And since there haven't been requests for specific information, I wanted to continue from the Tip #3 with more registry information.

I am going to go into more detail on the items that you will use every day. And the things you will need as soon as you get home.

First and foremost, blankets. I can't tell you how many blankets you will use. But no matter who you are, I'm betting you'll use atleast 5 a day. Who knows, your baby might be a messy eater, and I've found that using a receiving blanket is tons easier than a small burp cloth for bottle/feeding time. Don't think you won't want a few burp clothes, because they are easier for travel. You can never have too many small receiving blankets though. You won't use too many thick blankets unless your baby is born in early fall and its cold where you live. From my experience I can recommend registering for 2-3 thick blankets for cold days and cuddling, 10 receiving blankets, and about 5 burp clothes. You should also know that these will go in the wash daily. You will always be washing baby blankets. Oh, and that reminds me....if you don't already know, you should wash all baby things before baby arrives. You want to use a mild detergent and one for sensative skin or they have specially marked laundry detergents that mention they are for infants. I have used Dreft in the past and its a great one to try.

Bottles. Everyone thinks they need a million bottles. But to keep your dish load to a minimum in the sink I wouldn't get more than six. Unless you travel a lot there will be no need for more than six bottles. They should be rinsed and cleaned after every feeding and therefore they would be ready for the next use. If your infant will go to a day care that requires a bottle for each feeding then six would be plenty for a full day. You shouldn't need more than that for the day care. Another reason you won't want to get too many to start off is because your baby might turn out to have a sensative system and then would require a different bottle, one that doesn't allow air to pass through while eating. If you are planning to breastfeed and think you won't need very many bottles, having some on hand would be a good idea. Putting them on the registry now and not having to worry about it after baby arrives is a good plan. There are numerous bottles out there. The fewer pieces the better, and the wider the better too, both easier for cleaning and transporting. It can get overwhelming when picking just one brand, so ask questions if you have any.

Onesies. Having a good amount of onesies and sleepers is a good idea. There will be quite a few days in the beginning of baby's life that he/she won't even get out of pjs. And soon enough you'll find outfits that are 0-3 months size and baby's now 4 months old and grown out of those cute outfits. Keep in mind the comfort and convenience of the clothing that you are selecting. Although all those dresses are really cute, don't forget to consider the reality and that those cute dresses hike up on tiny baby girl and then get formula all over them....and are costly. Save the cute dresses for when she's walking and she can show off the adorable clothing. But onesies will be worn quite often. They're good for pjs. Good for under shirts or jackets. And be worn for a casual day with sweats. I would get atleast 10 onesies on your registry.

Diapers & wipes. You can NEVER have too many diapers and wipes. You'll want to place some up in the nursery and some down in a high traffic area where baby will play and also have some constantly packed and ready to go in the diaper bag. If your baby turns out to grow quicker than you had expected and you have extra small sized diapers, just pass them along to the next mommy you know. They are great gifts and it doesn't matter if they are opened or not, they will be used and the mommy will be greatful to have received them from you. I do recommend going to the store and finding out the different textures and fits of the diapers. They all fit differently and they are all priced differently. Some might rub on baby and create irritation, and some won't. Its a learning process. But nonetheless you will be needing many many many diapers and wipes. Also in the wipes category, add some that are in the "on-the-go" containers so they can be handy for travel in the console in the car, throw in the bottom of the stroller, or have in the kitchen for messy lunch time. Wipes will become your best friend.


Gosh there are so many things. I will post more tomorrow as far as tips for registries. Please remember to ask questions so that I can cover the bases for the thoughts and concerns you are having. If no questions then I'll continue to post the tips that I feel are helpful in general. Thank you for following!



Trace. NV Photography. Fort Scott, KS. http://nvphotoedge.blogspot.com/

Baby Tip #3

Hi fellow readers! Hopefully everyone had a great weekend. I enjoyed the weekend off from the tips. I might do that every weekend. Might give people a chance to catch up on reading from the week that they had missed, plus weekends are time for family and relaxing. I want to encourage anyone reading to send questions that are on their minds, it will give me more insight on exactly what people are needing to read.

Today's tip is for baby registries. It can be really hard for a parent-to-be to know what exactly will be used during your routine with baby. A tip that I can give you for this is to talk to someone that knows from their experience to help you, to go with you when you pick things out. Or someone you can ask questions to before you go to fill out your registry. Having an idea BEFORE going and becoming completely overwhelmed and then frustrated is a great idea. Registries can make for a long day to begin with, shorten it by adding an extra hand.

I am available for registry assistance as well. I'm here for all questions and concerns for parents or parents-to-be. You should know that there is no question that shouldn't be asked, if there's something on your mind about something you might think is completely obvious and you don't want to ask those are the questions you should ask. I'm here for anything, along with your family, always know that you can call on family and friends. If they don't have an answer, maybe they know someone with the answer. Remember your resources around you and do research before registering for items that are pricey and then never used.

Another thing to remember is, take your own daily routine into consideration, and put that in your baby's routine; wake, potty, wash face, brush teeth, eat/drink, bath, get dressed.... This will be VERY similar to your baby's own routine, might not be as consistant as yours but will always include these steps at some point throughout their day. and then think of the things that you will want to continue that was part of your life before baby showed up, like going on walks, so you better grab a stroller, or a sling. And for walks, might be windy or chilly, so a hat and jacket would be needed. Or how about shopping at the mall, you'll need that stroller, and also baby bottle storage and formula storage for easy traveling and convenience. There are so many products out there to make your day easy and convenient, you'll need to know from other's experience the items that will be worth the penny.

A few things that I have used daily that I find extremely helpful and well worth the penny are listed below...

The Bob Stroller. Very easy to maneuver and a super smooth ride for baby. Infant seats fit into it so it can be used from birth to 70 pounds. So you will get every penny out of this stroller.

Avent Bottle Warmer. I use the Avent iQ Bottle warmer every day. It is so handy and extremely quick. Enter type of liquid, either room temperature, refrigerator, or freezer, pick ounces, and enter. It warms to the perfect temperature for baby. Saves a lot of guess work.

Dr. Brown's Mixing Pitcher. Another time saver at feeding time. Don't mess with measuring out each bottle at every feeding. Mix ahead of time in a larger quantity and refrigerate with the Dr Brown's mixing pitcher. Easy to use and has a built in mixer for getting out clumps easily. Well worth your money.

Hope these tips are helpful to all you parents-to-be who are getting ready to register for all your baby needs. Please let me know if there are any questions. Click to follow my blog and enter to win a free onesie with baby's name on it.
Alexis. NV Photography. Fort Scott, KS. http://nvphotoedge.blogspot.com/

Baby Tip #2

Schedule.

Having a schedule for baby and family will establish a sense of security and a sense of day versus night. Starting from day one and laying out a schedule for your new life with baby will allow you to continue to fit in your shopping trips, your walks, workouts, downtime for yourself, and visitors. Having a set "awake" time will stimulate baby and they will be able to establish an awareness of daytime aside from nighttime. This schedule will also set the tone for your child's sleep schedule as they grow.

This sense of security impacts your baby for some time down the road. It is shown that a schedule that sets a good sleep pattern will help your child's attention span and development down the road. Being the mom that still wakes in the night at 18 months old of your child's age wears on you and plays a role on every relationship you're a part of, work, social, marriage, and parenting. Be there for your child from day one and give him/her a schedule, and yourself one too!

A good source for more information on setting a schedule and that might be a good plan for you and your baby can be found in BabyWise, along with many other books. Find the best one that suits your current lifestyle. And find something before baby arrives. Do your research, every situation is different, so there are different solutions, but just knowing that you will need to establish some sort of schedule that will help everyone is a huge step. Baby will thank you. And you will be able to relax...and SLEEP!

If you have any questions about what has been a successful schedule for the kids I have been around, just holler, megancosens81@yahoo.com. Good luck Mommys and Daddys!! Treyton. NV Photography. Fort Scott, KS. http://nvphotoedge.blogspot.com/

Baby Tip #1

Enjoy your baby.

She won't be a baby for long, so enjoy every moment with her. Even though there will be tough times and you want to get upset and frustrated you will need to learn to overcome that instinct in order to enjoy every second of your baby's life. So instead, take a step outside, take a deep breath, or sing a song. You could also take a moment and call a friend that you could vent to a little. Those little things will enable you to enjoy even the tough moments and enjoy the wonderful moments even more.

So take time and ENJOY YOUR BABY!


Stevi. NV Photography. Fort Scott, KS http://nvphotoedge.blogspot.com/

Hi...

One of my Bridesmaids, Ashley, and myself before my wedding on August 1. 2009

Hi, my name is Megan Malone and I've been a Nanny for almost 13 years of my life. Throughout that time period I have learned a lot about baby mannerisms, easier way of doing the every day tasks, and also how to manage my emotional state when times get tough. I don't have children of my own, but hope to very soon, and some people might think "what could she know? she's not even a mom!". And they are right, I'm not a mom, but I have been taking courses in Nanny-hood for more years than some of you have even been moms. The experience I have acquired since my first Nannying opportunity is education that you can't get from any college degree or any major university. Its education you simply gain from day to day interaction. I have been a fan of children my whole life. Watching them learn new things and growing into little adults. I've also learned many helpful tips that I will post daily.

This site is for all you new parents out there, or parents to be, that have those silly questions that you don't know who to ask. I'm here for you to rely on, call on, and lean on when you need some one to talk to. I'm also here for in-home consultations, or house calls. If you're having a hard time getting the little one on a schedule and getting him/her to sleep through the night, maybe I can help. Or how about those moments when you can't figure out why he/she is crying...call me and we can figure it out together. I'm here to be a friend, not here to judge. Also, those moments when you want to cry along with the baby, having someone to call and vent to is sometimes exactly what you need.

A little bit more about me. I went to school and received my associates degree in math, I love figuring things out, working out problems, and i'm a number person, details are my thing. I then went onto Kansas State University to persue a career in Architecture. Took courses for four years and decided I wanted a break. Needed time for me and my passion, family. Went back home to be close to family, shortly after fell in love, moved to California and got married. And here I am today! Happier than ever, living in LA and with the man of my dreams.

I was inspired to start this line of work due to a gentleman asking me such a simple question, that at the time I thought was so weird that he didn't know the answer, but after time I figured that there are probably a lot of new dads out there with the same simple questions. I was on a walk with the little guy, Cooper, that I currently watch and this man came up to me and asked "how long did it take for you to do that". I assumed he meant, how long it took me to walk around the neighborhood that we were in, so I answered "twenty minutes". And he looked at me confused, and he asked again, "no, how long did it take til you were able to put him in a stroller". At the time, Cooper was 7 months old, and I took a moment to answer and I said, "if the weathers nice, and baby's healthy, you can take her for walks any time after birth. its a good way to get her out and around new things, and most babies love being outside." He responded, "thats great! my baby girl is cranky often and would probably like a walk." I felt so good the rest of that walk, having helped that gentleman and also helped the baby girl. I'm sure she's loving her walks with daddy. And honestly, since that moment, I've been wanting to help anyone else that might have a question.

Don't hesitate to write or call. The purpose of this blog is to inform you and be there for you and your baby.

I'm available 24/7. 620.224.6957.