September 2009

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New Baby Checklist: 5 Tips In Handling Your Baby’s Umbilical Stump

September 27, 2009 in New Parent Tips | No comments

When it comes to taking care of your baby, nothing could get you more stumped than your baby’s umbilical stump (pun intended). Here are some tips on how to better take care of your baby’s navel, most especially the umbilical stump:

  1. Unless the stump has become very dirty or sticky, it is best to leave it alone. Constantly touching it might only cause the start of an infection. Umbilical stumps usually change color from yellowish green to brown and then to black before falling off.
  2. In cleaning your baby’s umbilical stump, use a cotton bud soaked in warm water and mild soap. Wipe the area surrounding the stump and then pat dry with a soft cloth.
  3. Make sure that your baby’s diaper does not constantly come in contact with the umbilical stump as this could also cause infection. It is advisable that you have your baby boy’s penis pointed downwards to prevent the possibility of urine seeping out.
  4. Have your baby wear light clothes to improve air circulation. This could help your baby’s umbilical stump dry up fast.
  5. baby towelWhen bathing your baby, go for a sponge bath rather than a tub bath. Sponge bath promotes faster drying than full tub baths. Keep away also from lotions, oils and creams as they would only slow down the drying process.

If you notice some swelling, foul odor or a suspicious looking fluid oozing out, get in touch with your pediatrician. Don’t forget to bring with you your baby bjorn to help you in carrying your baby.

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New Baby Checklist: 5 Signs Your Baby Might Be Constipated

September 20, 2009 in New Parent Tips | No comments

baby blanket boy gift setOne of the hardest things that you would experience as a mom is knowing when your baby is constipated. Here are some signs that your baby might be having problems with his bowel movement:

  1. A drop in the number of diapers that your baby uses in a day is one sure sign that your baby is suffering from constipation most especially if your baby has not had any bowel movement for the past 3 to 4 days.
  2. If your baby keeps putting his knees up to his abdomen and shows fussiness, there is a great chance that he is having a hard time passing stool. This could, however also mean that your baby needs to be burped.
  3. The presence of hard stool even if your baby is still on milk can also signal constipation.
  4. If your baby’s abdomen feels tight or hard, this could mean two things – gas or constipation.Either ways, expect your baby to cry a lot and be really fussy.
  5. One other sign that your baby is constipated is the passing of very smelly gas.

In cases like these, one of the ways by which you can relieve your baby’s constipation is by giving him or her a warm bath. Make sure, however, that you have a baby towel ready with you to dry up your little one.

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New Baby Checklist: 5 Basic Tips In Burping Your Baby

September 18, 2009 in New Parent Tips | No comments

baby burp clothsNine months of carrying your little angel is now over. However, your challenge as a new mom is just starting, and one of the challenges that you would face is how to burp your baby after he or she has eaten.

Here is your baby checklist to guide you on this task:

  1. If your baby slows down on feeding or simply refuses to feed, you might need to burp him or her first. This could also be the case when your baby keeps crying in the middle of the night and insists in bringing his knees up to his abdomen.
  2. The most basic way to hold your baby for burping is to hold them upright against your chest. If your baby is more than six months old, you might want to try having them lay down across your thighs. Another variation is to hold your baby sitting up in your lap or across your knee.
  3. Burping does not necessarily need to be after your baby has been fed. If your baby shows sign of being fussy while feeding, you can burp him or her first before continuing the feeding session.
  4. There’s no need to fret if your baby would not burp after every feeding even after changing positions.
  5. If you are having a hard time burping your baby, you can bring up his knees to his abdomen and move them in a circular motion. Be prepared, however, as this might expel gas in the form of flatulence.

As your baby grows older, you would notice that you would need to burp him or her less and less often making the burp clothes less needed. This is because, as your baby grows older, he learns to feed without sucking in air.

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New Baby Checklist: 5 Brain Boosting Activities For Your Baby

September 12, 2009 in New Parent Tips | No comments

Teach Me Abby CadabbyAs early as your baby’s first month, you can already encourage your baby’s mental development.But don’t go jumping at the first book that you wuld come across. You can actually make learning more fun for you and your baby with the help of a few simple activities.

  1. While taking a bath, you can teach your baby the basic properties of water as well as cause and effect. You can also turn the temperature from cold to warm and boost his or her sensory perception.
  2. Clapping or making any body movement along with a song can help your child build coordination.
  3. Playing with fabrics of different texture and color can help your baby identify which is smooth and which is rough as well as differentiate shades.
  4. Block Play. This is actually develop into three stages and focuses on three different skills. The first stage is “tote and carry” where your child can learn about weight, stability and balance. The second stage, “stack and row,” is where your child learns about patterns. The last stage is “bridging” where the child learns about planning and problem solving.
  5. Give your baby a spoon and a pot and let him bang it. This allows him to learn how to make sounds.

You can also make use of Simply Unique Baby Gifts’ different educational toys to enhance your child’s mental development.

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New Baby Checklist: 8 Ways To Know If Your Baby Is Sick

September 6, 2009 in New Parent Tips | No comments

One of the hardest thing to figure out is when to know if your baby is sick. How so? Well, a baby’s cry could mean he or she is hungry or that he or she needs to change diapers. Fortunately, there are a number of ways by which you can check whether your baby is sick:

  1. The most common way by which you can check if your baby is sick is by taking his or her temperature.
  2. A deviation in volume of the baby’s cry coupled with difficulty in feeding is one sign that you need to bring your baby to the doctor.
  3. If your baby is coughing continuously, it might be time to check with your pediatrician.
  4. Yellowing of the skin upon birth, especially those on the soles and the palm, could mean Jaundice.
  5. If your baby’s sole is colder than his tummy, there is a possibility that your baby is undergoing hypothermia.
  6. Persistent vomiting as well as vomit that is greenish yellow or brownish should raise red flags. This means that your baby needs immediate medical attention.
  7. Unexplained rashes, especially if accompanied by fever, might mean an infection. You should get your baby to the hospital immediately.
  8. diaper bagExcessive ear-pulling might signal an ear infection. Although thus us not an emergency case, you would still need to have your doctor prescribe some antibiotics.

When rushing to the hospital, make sure that you’ve got everything with you. Bring a diaper bag and pack some extra diapers and feeding bottles. Simply Unique Baby Gifts has a great range of designs when it comes to diaper bags.

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