Baby Consumer Report

Archive for December, 2009

From the Manufacturer

This classic five drawer chest is expertly crafted with the finest details. The five large drawers have drawer boxes of English dovetail construction, which have side mounted roller glides with security stops, and a generous amount of storage. It is available in black cherry finish.

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When a close friend or relative is having a baby, there are always presents and baby shower gifts to think about getting. The new mother is going to have an intense period of adjustment before she gets settled into the routine of having another human being to look after, so she will need all the help possible from family and friends to make that transition as easy and memorable as possible. This should be a celebratory time for the new family, not a time of worry or stress, and a gift basket to commemorate the new addition can be just the thing to brighten their spirits even more, and maybe even supply them with some things that will end up coming in handy.

A baby gift basket can be one of the easiest way for you as the gift giver to be creative, and show the person your giving it to just how much you care about them. Instead of one big gift, you get to give out a plethora of trinkets, toys, and other fun items, wrapped together in a beautiful package which, in itself, can be a gorgeous thing to receive. A popular thing to do when buying a gift basket is to let the company who makes it fashion the wicker basket as a bassinet, within which are all the things you want to bestow upon the new child, making your gift all the more thoughtful and appropriate. Better yet, there are so many companies out there that are experts at making these sorts of things, so even if you’re not exactly Martha Stewart yourself, you can let an anonymous craftsperson make it seem like you should have your own cable show.

Within the gift basket, you’ll want to include the basics, those simple bare necessities. This means, teddy bears and or dolls are a given, as any parent will know a young child can never have enough teddy bears. If you want to be gender specific, you can go for the standard pink or blue color palettes to appease notions of femininity and masculinity, but many people nowadays are shying away from such black and white notions of sex, so your best bet is probably to stay as neutral as possible. This also means that you can go nuts and include just about anything in the toy department that you want to give the new baby. No longer do Tonka trucks mean ‘it’s a boy’ nor do Raggedy Ann dolls indicate the infant is a girl, so take advantage of this freedom in creating a truly unique and baby gift basket. Baby oil or baby wipes can be the new parent’s dream as well, since they’ll surely be running through plenty of both, so don’t be afraid to include the practical as well as the sentimental.

In addition to the variety of contents you can include in your basket, you also have the luxury of having a wide range of prices and sizes to choose from, as crafting gift baskets for babies is a burgeoning market right now baby. Obviously, if the expecting mother is only a co-worker or a casual acquaintance, you don’t want to present them with an elaborately fashioned and ornately packaged baby gift basket, as you’d probably be shelling out more money than you really want to spend. A nice, small gift basket can say everything you want to say, and do it in a classy, memorable way, without costing you the proverbial arm and leg.

From the Manufacturer

Inspired by the island lifestyle, the Kalani collection is a tropical treat for the eyes.

Inspired by the island lifestyle, the Kalani collection is a tropical treat for the eyes. The Kalani 4-in-1 Convertible Crib by Da Vinci is the full solution for your child’s sleeping needs. Stylish, elegant, and very functional, the Kalani crib will accommodate your child from baby to toddler to youth. The crib features a static side with no moving pa (more…)

If you are like many peo0le you can easily get stuck when it comes to the baby shower invitation. Finding the location, creating the guest lists and buying a cake can seem easy compared to picking the right invitation. The baby shower invitation will be the first impression that the guests will have of the event. It is therefore important to convey a message through the baby shower invitation. One really fun and very popular way to do this is use a baby footprint in the invitation. It is hard to resist the charm of a tiny little baby footprint. Baby shower invitations with a footprint are so irresistible be will just have to come to the shower.

So here are some creative ideas that you can use in creating your own baby shower footprint invitation.

1. Printed – A simple printed baby footprint can be a ton of fun. You can use a silhouette of a baby footprint to make the design. This will show the heel, toes and side of the foot. It will look as if a baby stepped in ink and then stamped the card with their feet. You can find clip art online by searching, use a stamp, use a real baby or even just freehand draw your own.

To put a little action into the baby shower footprint invitation you can make a series of footprints and make them decrease in size from large to smaller. This will give the illusion that the person leaving the prints is walking into the card. This is a great way to draw the attention of the viewer into the card and then place your important text information right above this.

2. Stamps – Stamping has become a very popular craft and is use widely among printers and crafters in the business of making invitations. You can easily purchase baby footprint stamps of varying sizes from your local craft store or on the Internet. These can make a fun and fancy decoration to the invitation. There are so many things you can do by varying the colors, size of the stamp and the paper the possibilities are really endless.

For example pick a cute pink (for girls) or a blue (for boys) ink pad and stamp a tiny border made up of footprints all around the invitation. Don’t worry to much about making them all straight or in line just have fun and stamp at random. This will give the invitation a light fun feeling.

As an alternative you can purchase a large stamp and simply stamp a big filled in silhouetted image smack dab in the middle of the invitation. Then you can creatively with fun colored pens write all around the footprint following the outline of it. This makes another fun creative and even whimsical invitation.

3. Embossing – This is where the baby footprint is raised from the page. There are two types of embossing. The first is by using a professional printer and paying to have the cards done. A printer can actually emboss the paper and have a raised footprint right in the paper. A baby footprint embossed onto a beautifully textured pure white piece of paper can look very elegant!

If you are the do it yourself type it is very easy to purchase an embossing powder in stamping or craft store. These come in all kinds of fun colors but often gold or silver embossing powder can look very elegant! With embossing powder you will need a stamp and some ink. You start by stamping the invitation with the baby footprint stamp first. Then before the ink dries you poor some of the embossing powder on the stamped area. The embossing powder will stick tot he wet ink. You can then hold the piece of paper over a light bulb or use an embossing gun to heat the powder. Once it gets hot it will melt and adhere to the paper. This makes a fun and easy way to have a very elegant gold embossed baby footprint shower invitation.

4. Cut Out – With this technique you will want to find some stiff paper. Then you will pencil in an outline of a baby footprint and cut it out. You can also make a simple stencil suing a file folder and then quickly trace around the stencil and cut out to speed up the process and make the results more uniform. Then on the baby of the cut out footprint you can write all of your important baby shower details. Where it will take place, RSVP information and so forth.

Either way that you choose the important thing to remember is to have fun in creating the baby shower invitation footprint. Get some friends to help you if you plan on making your own invitations as this will speed up the entire process. It can also be more fun with a group of girlfriends around a table talking and having a good time then cutting 25 baby shower footprint invitations all by yourself.

As an addition to the fun, baby shower footprint invitation, it can be lots of fun to continue with the footprint theme in decorating for the part. You can use the same stamps and decorations that you used on the invitation in other places to decorate for the shower.

From the Manufacturer

Dramatically simple in its design, this Crib ‘N’ More has a sleek finish that will compliment any nursery. Its four- in- one conversion allows it to grow with your child; from a crib, daybed, toddler bed and into a full size bed. Toddler guard rail and full size metal bed rails which is sold separately. The daybed conversion rail is included. This Crib ‘N’ More is made of solid Mahogany wood and is outlined with beautiful detailing with soft edges and corner (more…)

Caring for your baby is certainly one of the most important things you need to consider once you became a new parent. There are many things you need to take into account in order to make sure that your baby gets all the attention.

1. Make sure that you feed your baby right. Deciding on whether you should breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby greatly depends on your personal decision and what your physician recommends. However, it has been shown that breastfeeding is still the best way to nourish newborn babies. Lots of benefits can be obtained through breastfeeding. Some medical studies have determined that breastfed infants have less hypersensitivity later in life compared with those who were raised with bottle feeding. This is mainly because the mother’s milk is known to contain natural enzymes and antibodies that can help fortify the baby’s immunity against infirmities. Aside from this, some doctors also believed that breast milk is responsible for superior intellect as he/she grows and becomes fully developed.

2. Practical sleep aid tips for infants. Sleep is crucial for babies because it has a direct effect on the child’s mental and physical growth. Newborn babies sleep for up to 17 and 18 hours a day. Parents should understand that babies sleep cycle could be pretty erratic. You may notice for a few weeks, your baby’s sleep may only last from approximately 30 minutes to 3 hours, and this can vary throughout a 24 period. But by the sixth week, you should see some signs of improvement as your baby’s sleep pattern becomes more structured. Newborns show signs of sleepiness by crying or rubbing their eyes. Newborns should be put down to sleep as soon as they feel sleepy. If you are not getting much sleep at night it may be a good idea to sleep when your baby does during the day if possible.

3. The proper way of bathing your newborn. Newborn babies need not be bathed on a daily basis. Bathing them two to three times a week is enough. Bathe your baby using sponge baths. This is imperative at first. Tub bathing your baby can only be done once the baby’s umbilical cord falls off to avoid infection.

4. Maintaining your baby’s optimal skin care. Newborn babies have smooth and delicate skin. For this reason, it is necessary that you use products that are especially made for babies. But before buying any baby product, it is best to consult your pediatrician. Most babies develop rashes from time to time and this is perfectly normal. However, if your baby seems irritated by a rash or has a fever, you should immediately seek advice from your baby’s doctor.

5. When to give the baby medicine. Like anyone else, newborn babies sometimes have special needs that require attention. When giving your baby medicine, it is important that you follow the advice of your baby’s physician. You need to know how to give the right dose prescribed by the doctor. It can sometimes be advised to start the baby with a small dose to ensure there is no adverse reaction to the medication.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and is not meant in any way to replace advice given by healthcare professionals.

A baby shower is an exciting event for a new mom where she and the new baby are the center of attention. Even if you are not attending the baby shower (for example if you are a male family member or friend) it is still a good idea to pick up at least a small gift for the baby.

The new mom may have made a list of some general things that the baby will need, and if she has a list like this, you can check it out.  However, frequently you will have to pick a gift without a list. So here are some pretty ’safe bets’ as far as baby shower gifts go.  I got a few of these gift ideas when I was in a Target store looking for a gift.  I asked several parents who had babies with them in their shopping cart what sort of gifts would be good for a new baby and here are some of the answers that I got.

These baby gift ideas are very easy to find and very reasonable at a store like Target. For $50 you can get a whole assortment of goodies.

1. Clothing: All babies need clothing, and they grow very fast! If you have ever shopped for baby clothes you may be amazed to see that there are several different sizes of clothes needed for the baby just during the first year!

There is 0-1 month, 3 to 6 months, 6 to 9 months and on and on! Therefore, there are plenty of types of clothing that will be needed in plenty of different sizes.  Just remember to keep in mind how old the baby currently is, because baby clothing sizes change rapidly, and you would not want to buy a gift that is already too small by the time you present it to the parents!

2. Teething toys: All babies ‘teeth’ and will need little chew toys of sorts. These may become dirty quickly and it is probably smart to replace them often, so a number of these teething toys may be useful.  You might find ones with rattles or bells.  Just make sure it is not big enough for a baby to swallow.

3. Stuffed animals: A cute stuffed animal may make a nice gift. The softest kind available may be liked the most for snuggly comfort. Additionally, some of these stuffed animals may have sounds built in. You may want one that makes sounds, or you may want an old fashioned one without noise. A good example is Winnie-The-Pooh or Eyeore.

4. Diapers: Parents always need diapers and they are a very practical and useful gift.  Just remember to look at the sizes correctly, considering how many months old the baby is.  You also might find out what type of diapers the parent prefers to use.

5. Baby books: It is great to read to young children and really helps there little minds grow. While a very young baby won’t be able to understand stories yet, parents are always looking to build a nice little library of quality books to read to their children.

There you have 5 simple baby shower gift ideas! Hopefully you will be able to find a nice gift or even a shopping bag full of little gifts to bring the baby and the parents enjoyment.

From the Manufacturer

Baby Einstein electronic grasp toy with three stages learning to grow with baby throughout their development.

* 3-6 months: Grasp handles to activate lights & melodies to develop eye tracking plus cause & effect learning
* 6-12 months: Grasp a handle to see coordinating color light in the dome & hear the color in English, Spanish & French to encourage language development
* 12 months+: Grasp two handles to hear the secondary color created (more…)

With the pregnancy bug in the water system, you are bound to know someone who is having a baby, if you aren’t having one yourself. Pregnant women equal shopping time. Here are 5 gifts that any mother will most certainly be appreciative of. The baby shower gift ideas are great for those who are shopping or for mom’s to put on their gift registry.

1. Diapers, diapers and more diapers. That is quite a bland gift but a very much needed gift. I don’t any mom who will complain about having too many diapers with a newborn at home. To make diapers snazzy you have to dress it up a bit. You can find diaper cakes in lots of gift sites. Some come with as many as 150 diapers, plus booties, bibs and tons of other essentials for baby, but all in the shape of an all so cute cake.

2. Layettes, blankets, socks and burp cloths. Chances are they are going to get tons of these. However, these gifts tend to come in newborn or 3 months sizes which after a few weeks probably won’t serve its purpose anymore. Making this a great gift is if you buy them in larger sizes. After a few months, mom still has brand new gifts for the baby to enjoy.

3. Pamper products for Mom. The last few weeks of pregnancy are very uncomfortable and can be hard on Mom. Let Mom have the star treatment as well. Once the baby is born, Mom’s 15 minutes of fame are over.

4. Savings Bonds. A savings bond is a great way to help invest in the child’s future. While everyone is thinking of now you are thinking ahead. It may also help jumpstart parents to jumpstart on baby’s future if they haven’t already.

5. Gift Certificates. You can never go wrong with a gift certificate. Mom and Dad get to choose what they want and you gave them that satisfaction. The obvious choice for a gift certificate would where the registry is set up. If they do not have a registry set up, good choices could include their favorite supermarket (formula, diapers) or baby store. Another gift certificate idea could be a check card gift certificate. It works like a credit card and can be used anywhere.

Tip: I don’t suggest buying clothing unless the parents-to-be suggested so. Chances are they have already gone shopping and couldn’t resist those tiny adorable outfits.

New parents face many problems and issues that they are expected to understand and deal with immediately. Unfortunately, newborns do not come with an instruction book so here are a few topics that you may need to know about.

Bathing your baby: Until your baby’s umbilical cord falls off one to two weeks after their birth, only give her sponge baths. A cotton ball or cotton swab dampened with alcohol can help to dry the umbilical stump or follow your pediatrician’s directions. After the stump falls off, you can give him a bath in a sink or shallow tub.

Caesarian delivery: A caesarian is usually performed to make delivery safer for you or your baby. C-sections can be done for many different reasons including stalled labor, complicated labor, problems with the baby that may make delivery difficult, or other problems. It does not matter if you deliver vaginally or by a caesarian section, you are still a mother with a beautiful new blessing.

Circumcision: Many doctors agree that there may be some benefit to circumcision, but it may not be absolutely necessary. It may help to lower the risk of urinary tract infections and eliminates just about any chance of penile cancer. Circumcision does not cause long-term emotional problems for your child.

Crib death (SIDS): Many studies have been done regarding SIDS. Although the cause of SIDS has not been definitely defined, there are some correlations that have been made between SIDS and the following things:

Male babies are more likely to die from SIDS than females

Prematurity makes it more likely

Minority children are affected by it more often than non-minorities

More children of young, single mothers die from it

Children who live in a home with one or more smokers are more likely to be affected

Some people say that sleeping with your baby can reduce the risk of SIDS, but the American Academy of Pediatrics disagree with this statement and go on to say that there is a greater risk of SIDS in babies who co-sleep.

Back sleeping is what most pediatricians recommend for babies to decrease the SIDS risk. The reason for this is widely debated between health experts. If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician.