Archive for the ‘Baby Safety’ Category

How to Help Stop Your Baby from Biting

Monday, January 30th, 2012

Biting is an extremely common behavior in older infants and toddlers. The effects, however, are extremely painful for the victim and the behavior is unacceptable for the biter. Learn how you can curb biting in your child with these tips.

If you are the parent of a biting child, you may wonder how you can stop your baby from biting. While it is a normal developmental behavior, it is also an unacceptable behavior. Play dates can become embarrassing and frustrating. Play time at home can become stressful as well. If biting has become your baby’s communication method of choice, learn what you can do to help stop your baby from biting.

Start by Comforting the Victim

If you are not your child’s most recent victim, take a moment to comfort the bitten child. Addressing your child first can actually reinforce the behavior and it is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when trying to stop your baby from biting. Once the hurt child is calm, you can move on to the next step.

Calm but Firm Words

Talk to your child in a calm but firm voice. Use simple phrases that let them know that biting is not okay. “No biting,” or “biting hurts,” are some good choices. Avoid using lengthy explanations when talking to your young child about biting. For most children two and under, long discussions will cause the important message to be lost to your child, which will not help you as you try to help stop your baby from biting.

Comfort Your Child if Necessary

It may seem counterproductive to comfort your child when you are trying to stop your baby from biting. However, what many parents learn is that their baby wasn’t even aware of the fact that biting hurts. In fact, this is pretty much a given unless your child has been bitten by another child at some time or another. So, if your child is upset after being corrected, take a moment to comfort them. Don’t use phrases like “it’s okay.” Instead say, “I know,” and “I love you.”

Give Your Child Word Tools

If your child is biting out of aggression, then your baby needs some communication tools. Jump into an argument when you see your child getting frustrated or being treated unfairly. Teach them words like, “no,” “stop,” and “mine.” You will have time to help your child communicate and share when they get older, but right now, your focus is to stop your baby biting.

Posted in Baby Safety, Caring for Baby, Feeding, Parenting | No Comments »

Returning to Work? Find the Right Child Care Provider for Your Baby.

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

Returning to work after having a baby can be hard. Your little one is everything to you and you want to be sure that the person caring for your baby is deserving and capable. Here are some simple tips that can help you find the right child care provider for your baby.

If you’re like most parents, you understand just how important it is to find the right child care provider for your baby. You may worry about all of the horror stories you’ve heard about child care providers that have been abusive or neglectful. And while these cases are rare, they do happen.

In your heart, you also know that no one could ever give your baby what you can, but you want to find someone that can offer as close to that as possible. If you are trying to find the right child care provider for your baby, use these helpful hints.

Begin Your Hunt Now

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when trying to find the right child care provider for your baby is starting your search later as opposed to sooner. The sooner you start, the more selective you can be about your child care choices. By giving yourself an ample amount of time to find the right child care provider for your baby, you can also avoid making split minute decisions.

Use an On-line Child Care Review Site

On-line child care review sites contain reviews from other parents. They can be an invaluable tool when trying to find the right child care provider for your baby. These reviews should give you an idea as to whether or not other parents have been happy with the level of care their children received from potential child care facilities.

When looking at reviews, try to remember that a bad experience can happen to anyone, and sometimes disagreements about minor things can fuel bad reviews. However, if you’re noticing, that the facility has more bad reviews than good, consider it a red flag.

Visit the Facility Unannounced

One of the best ways to determine if a child care facility is honest and upfront about their care is to arrive unannounced. Avoid high-traffic times, like parent drop offs and pick-ups, but try to visit at times that might be busy for the children, such as lunch time, mid-morning, and after school. This should give you a pretty clear indication of how they handle children when parents aren’t around, which is something you need to know when you are trying to find the right child care facility for your baby.

Posted in Baby Nursery, Baby Safety, Caring for Baby, Child Care Providers, Day Care | No Comments »

Symptoms You Should Never Ignore in a Newborn

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

When you have your first baby, you may feel like an incessant worrier. You call your doctor for everything and you are constantly assured that everything is fine. For new parents, however, there are some symptoms that you should never ignore in a newborn. Find out what they are and what you should do here.

There are some symptoms you should never ignore in a newborn; this applies whether you have just had your first child or your twentieth child. In most cases, these symptoms are an indication of a serious health condition. Most of them require immediate medical attention. All of them require you to at least call your child’s pediatrician. Before you shrug off your baby’s symptoms, read over this list of symptoms you should never ignore in a newborn.

Red, Brown, or Bright Green Vomit

Babies spit up—a lot! But vomit that is red, brown, or bright green is one of the symptoms that you should never ignore in a newborn. Vomit with these colors can indicate intestinal bleeding or blockage and your baby should be evaluated by a health care professional immediately.

Not Enough Wet Diapers

At six days of age, your baby should have at least six wet diapers a day. A lack of wet diapers is an indication that your baby is dehydrated, making this another one of the symptoms that you should never ignore in a newborn. This symptom may not warrant a visit to the emergency room, but you should at least contact your infant’s pediatrician. More severe signs of dehydration can include sunken eyes, lethargy, and dry mouth. You should seek immediate medical help at this point, but counting wet diapers can help you catch dehydration before it reaches this point.

Labored Breathing

Because babies make funny sounds and their breathing still isn’t regulated, it may be hard to tell if your baby is having trouble breathing. If you suspect that your infant is struggling with their breathing, watch their nose. A nose that flares could be a sign of respiratory distress. Infants that are using their abdominal muscles are in respiratory distress and they should be seen by a health care professional immediately because this is also one of the symptoms that you should never ignore in a newborn.

Posted in Baby Safety, Caring for Baby, Feeding, Health, Parenting, Post Birth | No Comments »

Important Baby Sling Safety Tips

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Baby slings are one of the oldest methods for transporting young infants. This method is both convenient and comforting for baby, but recent deaths have scared parents away from using them. Find out how you can enjoy the benefits without the risk with these important baby sling safety tips.

Baby sling safety tips are important for any parent that is considering baby wearing, a method of transporting your baby with the aid of an infant sling. These tips ensure that baby is both safe and comfortable at all times. These tips also allow you to enjoy the benefits of baby wearing, which have made it the oldest baby transportation method in existence.

Finding the Right Sling

Finding the right sling is the first and foremost task when it comes to baby sling safety tips. Slings should be free of recalls and they should show no signs of rips, holes, or visible wear. Carefully inspect the sling before use, especially if you are purchasing your sling secondhand. You should also choose a sling that is designed to fit your body. They come in various sizes and the wrong size can either restrict your baby’s breathing room or allow baby to slip out of the sling.

Following Instructions

All baby slings should come with baby sling safety tips and instructions. Follow these instructions from first word to last. These instructions are in place to ensure your baby’s safety. Instructions on how to care for your sling and how to place baby in the sling should be very clear and easy to understand. If you have any questions about the safety instructions of your sling, contact the manufacturer directly.

Other Important Baby Sling Safety Tips

Infants that cannot sit up unsupported should never be placed behind you. They should always be placed facing your chest. The position of your baby should be checked regularly. Check for any breathing obstructions and check to ensure that your baby’s chin is not touching their chest. Adjust their head as needed. If baby is not positioned correctly in the sling, then you should adjust their body. Most importantly, you should never wear your infant sling underneath clothing. This can cause breathing problems.

Infant sling wearing can be done safely, but just like all infant equipment, failure to adhere to the baby sling safety tips and instructions can lead to serious consequences, even death. It is for this reason that you should use all of these baby sling safety tips.

Posted in Baby Items, Baby Safety, Caring for Baby | No Comments »

Dos and Don’ts for Your Baby’s Bed

Sunday, January 1st, 2012

Whether your baby is sleeping in a crib, a bassinet, or a co-sleeper, there are things that your baby will need for their bed and other things that they will not. Use this list of dos and don’ts for baby’s sleeping area.

Dos and don’ts for your baby’s bed go further than just style and taste. They are also intended to help keep your baby safe. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, otherwise known as SIDS, continues to happen to an alarming number of infants each year. And while no one really knows what causes it, there are some things that experts know can contribute to the problem, which is why we are offering our list of dos and don’ts for your baby’s bed.

Don’t: Use Stuffed Animals, Pillows, or Crib Bumpers

This “don’t” for your baby’s bed is essential. No matter where your baby is sleeping, you should never place stuffed animals, pillows, crib bumpers, comforters, or any other soft, plush item in their crib. Infants do not have the head and neck strength to pull their faces out of these items, which can lead to suffocation. If you need to use a blanket, go for a thin blanket and tuck it under the mattress and place baby at the foot of the bed under it.

Do: Use Fitted Sheets

Fitted sheets for your baby’s crib will help keep your baby’s mattress clean and will give your baby a soft surface to sleep on. These sheets are also less likely to come off of the mattress and pose a risk to your baby, making it another important item on our list of dos and don’ts for your baby’s bed. You can find a wide range of fitted sheets in a variety of colors and themes. Just be sure that you check the sheet daily to ensure that it is safely secured.

Don’t: Buy a Crib without Checking it Out

Older cribs may not meet current safety recommendations. Some cribs, particularly those with drop rails, have been recalled. Before you purchase a crib, make sure that you check for recalls and distance between the slats (no bigger than 2 3/8 inches). Also, avoid cribs that have any missing slats, missing hardware, or damaged parts. This tip on our list of dos and don’ts for your baby’s bed is extremely important for safety.

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Posted in Baby Items, Baby Nursery, Baby Safety, Caring for Baby, Cribs, Post Birth | No Comments »