The cost of baby gear adds up quickly, especially for first-time parents, and your baby's crib represents a large chunk of the budget. Cutting expenses on the crib can make it more affordable, but you must put safety first. The width between slats, height of corner posts, design and construction of the crib all play a role in your baby's comfort and safety.
Frequent diaper changes come with the territory when you have a baby. A well-stocked changing table streamlines the process each time you have a dirty diaper to tackle. An organizational system, such as baskets or storage drawers, keeps the changing table supplies even more convenient. Keep backups of all the diapering supplies on hand so you aren't caught without the necessities.
Keeping your baby's mouth and teeth clean is just as important, if not more so, than giving him a regular bath. You'll need to brush his teeth from the minute the first tooth appears. You should wipe his gums with gauze even before teeth start popping up. Babies can suffer from tooth decay caused by the sugar in milk and other foods. Like adults and older children, they have multitudes of bacteria in their mouths that can grow out of control if the mouth is not cleaned regularly.
The baby names bestowed on little girls and boys in the 1950s were, for the most part, given by parents who had grown up in the 1920s and 1930s. The most frequently bestowed names given to newborns in the 1950s range from the traditional traits of their parents' formative years to the creative surge that occurred as the decade neared its end.
Now that your baby is born, you get to enjoy watching her reach several milestones over her first year of life. Baby development milestones include the big ones, such as walking for the first time and saying her first words, as well as smaller, but equally important ones, such as being able to lift her head on her own and recognizing who you are.
Feeding your baby for the first time is exciting. Many parents even record the event for posterity. For some mothers, the anticipation quickly turns to worry about whether the baby is getting enough nutrients. It's sometimes difficult to know just what and how much your baby should eat. Luckily, a balanced diet for babies is not that much different from a balanced diet for adults. The portions are just a lot smaller.
When your baby first enters the world, he will be helpless. This will all change quite rapidly, though -- perhaps more rapidly than you would like. During the first year of your baby's life, he will transform in front of your eyes, changing from that helpless infant to a moving child capable of getting into anything and everything in his path.
When you apply for your mommy card, you're told about the "terrible twos" and other commonly anticipated trying times. These conversations are usually mixed in with the effusive, glowing stories of how wonderful motherhood is.
If your baby is nearly six months old, cuddling and caressing is the best, new thing in town! She wants to touch and caress your skin - usually your face - and understands that you like it and also learns a lot from doing it. In doing so, she realizes that it gives you a "special" feeling.
You've got your nursery set up, but you want to be assured that when you place your baby in her crib you'll be able to hear her when she needs you. Thankfully, the 21st century has ushered in some advanced technology and cool gadgets that have made the search for the perfect baby monitor easier. Parents today also have the benefit of the Internet, which allows you to read consolidated reviews of top-rated monitors, such as these ranked among the best by Consumer Search.
