Picking a Crib Mattress
Filed under: Baby Gear, Baby Health, Baby Safety, Baby Sleeping, Miscellaneous, Premier Baby Stores
Picking out a crib mattress is only one part of designing a baby’s room, but it is one of the most important parts. Did you know that a baby sleeps 70 percent of its time during the first year? When a baby is sleeping, be it in a crib or a bassinet, he or she is close to the crib mattress. As some baby products have been found to contain harmful chemicals in recent years, including baby bottles, crib mattresses were put into that group, as well, because of the chemicals contained in the foam core and in the cotton surrounding the foam. When a baby sleeps close to something treated with formaldehyde or made with PVC, he or she will be breathing in those fumes.
One option created over the past few years has been organic baby mattresses, which try to be as chemical free as possible to create a safe environment for the baby, regardless of where he or she is sleeping. These mattresses come in cotton and rubber varieties and are made in sizes for cribs, bassinets, and cradles. Two prominent makers of organic baby mattresses include EcoBaby and Naturepedic.
Neither of these mattresses are made with polyurethane foam and don’t have a PVC shell or coating. Instead, an organic cotton mattress consists of cotton fill and a cotton shell, with a mattress pad in case of leaks. The cotton components, even down to the threads used, are made of 100% organic cotton and don’t contain any chemical dyes. Organic rubber baby mattresses, similarly, use an organic cotton shell and the interior is composed entirely of natural rubber, which, in addition to antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, is absorbent.
To accompany an organic mattress, organic baby sheets can be purchased and, much like baby clothes, are available in 100% organic cotton or organic bamboo options.
How to Buy Baby Clothes
Filed under: Baby Clothes, Baby Gear, Miscellaneous, Premier Baby Stores
If you’ve never picked out baby clothes before, one piece of advice often given is to never pick out ornate or expensive baby clothes for the first six months, as a baby will grow quickly and will probably only wear those special occasion baby clothes once or twice before being too big. This sentiment is fair accurate, especially as advice for picking out clothing for the first six month often consists of picking out the basics.
The basics for baby clothes during the first year consist of onesies, footies, pajamas, pants, shirts, a coat, hat, and socks. The sizes for baby clothes vary, and most sizing for baby clothes, regardless of whether the baby or a boy or a girl, are in six month increments, from zero to six months and six to twelve months. Not all babies grow at the same rate, and a baby, before being six months old, may surpass the zero to six months size. For the first six months, baby clothes may be sold in packs of two or three t-shirts, onesies, or footies.
After the first six months, parents generally have fun with some of the baby clothes they pick out, but the first six months often consist of basics in traditional blues for boys and pinks for girls. Unisex baby clothes are also available in sizes up to six months.
Whether you’re picking out clothes for a newborn or a six-month-old child, many options exist for even picking out the most basic baby clothes. As being green has become a popular topic, so has green clothing, and this also applies to baby clothes. Baby websites specializing in organic baby products may carry 100% organic cotton baby clothes or bamboo baby clothes in sizes for both newborns and babies older than six months. Aside from organic clothing, traditional and high-end baby retailers carry a variety of baby clothes for warmer and cold weather.
Educational Toys: Infants
Filed under: Baby Gear, Baby Toys, Miscellaneous, Premier Baby Stores
When picking out infant toys, one aspect to keep in mind is the educational value of the toy. Educational toys for infants, however, don’t focus on learning skills, such as counting numbers, reading, or learning another language, but are used for stimulation. In fact, educational toys for children under three years of age can be considered indirect educational toys, as playing and using the toys themselves allows the children’s senses to be stimulated and to learn basic skills, such as motor skills, how to play with others, and coordination and balance. Infant toys are designed to stimulate the senses of touch, sight, and hearing and, as a result, many infant toys are geared toward at least one of these senses.
Have you ever wondered why infant toys are designed in primary colors, black and white, or patterns? The use of bright colors and vibrant colors is designed to stimulate an infant’s vision. For the first six months, a baby generally has blurry or unfocused vision and seeing things in black and white, or with brighter patterns, develops the child’s sight. Toys, or stimulation objects, are generally placed in the crib area. These can be black and white toys, baby books, or mobiles and, in fact, some specific stimulation mobiles combine black and white colors with bright patterns. In addition, for the baby to become more familiar with his or her reflection, a mirror can be placed in his or her crib for him or her to see his or her reflection often.
For stimulating touch, many baby toys, in addition to bright and contrasting colors and patterns, are made up of various textures. These can be harder or soft textures, while others are crinkly. Other toys, such as teething rings, allow a baby to grasp onto something to feel its shape and size. Some baby playpens, or play mats, combine both colors and touching aspects with various toys and surfaces for additional stimulation.
In addition to touch and sight, baby toys are designed to stimulate the sense on hearing which, much like vision, is cloudy and unfocused during the first few months. Baby toys, however, don’t play music, with the exception of mobiles, and are designed to make jingling or other sharp sounds when a baby touches, squeezes, or pushes the toy.
Picking Out a Baby Shower Gift
Filed under: Baby Clothes, Baby Gear, Baby Showers, Baby Toys, Celebrations, Miscellaneous, Premier Baby Stores
Having a baby shower is traditional for new months. Typically, a baby shower consists of friends and family members of the new mother giving her presents for the new baby, most of which are useful items like baby clothes, strollers, furniture, and baby toys. Some other options for baby showers gifts can be a gift basket of mixed baby items. The mother, in return, has food and baby shower favors for the guests. This is often an occasion for a new mother to get the basics for her new baby and, in this case, some baby shower gifts can be diapers, sometimes arranged as diaper cakes, and diaper rash cream, as these will be used often, but also baby clothes that can be used during the first six months.
Some of the most common baby shower gifts include baby clothes, toys, and furniture. Although checking with the new mother if she has purchased anything beforehand like a stroller or highchair is recommended, all of these items should be geared toward the first six months or the next six months. While many of these items are designed with a baby girl in mind, if the mother doesn’t know the baby’s sex, unisex gift options are available in yellow or green.
Gift baskets are another common gift for a baby shower. If you can’t think of anything beforehand or have too many items in mind, many baby gifts websites allow you to pick through several gift baskets or design your own with items you’ve picked out. Baby gift baskets have a combination of basic baby items, including baby blankets, a few pairs of baby clothes, stuffed animals or educational baby toys, a few baby dishes, and baby crib books or mirrors. Gift baskets, like other baby gifts, are designed according to the baby’s sex, but unisex gift baskets, and even twins gift baskets, are available with the same types of items in yellow or green.