Jessica Alba Designing Eco-Friendly Diapers
Filed under: Baby Bath Time, Baby Gear, Baby Health, Baby Safety, Parenting, Premier Baby Stores
Celebrity-created or endorsed product lines are often vanity projects, even when it comes to babies. That’s not always the case, however, and Jessica Alba is a recent example of a star with a genuine vision. Not out to build her brand with handbags, clothing, or fragrances, Alba, who has been absent from films for the past few years, debuted Honest.com, a website for eco-friendly diapers, last week. Profiled by the New York Daily News, the Machete actress described her intentions and motivations for her first entrepreneurial endeavor.
Honest.com, the website for Alba’s The Honest Co., offers a line of nontoxic, environmentally friendly diapers, biodegradable wipes, and organic bath and skin care products. Unlike many eco baby products, which frequently are colored beige or green, The Honest Co.’s adds patterns.
Alba explained that, after receiving a rash from a baby-safe detergent, she researched the chemicals in it, only to find that many were, in fact, not organic. Further finding out that flame retardants are added to breast pillows, she sought out truly green baby products, which were difficult to come across. She said:
“It was exhausting. I had a baby, I was working. I didn’t have time to go everywhere. And I get it. Everything has a green leaf on it or brown or beige. I’m like, just because it’s eco why does it have to be brown, beige, or have a green leaf on it?”
The actress developed the brand of eco-diapers in response, determined to offer truly environmentally-friendly baby products that are both affordable and attractive. At the moment, the diapers and other baby products appear to only be available for purchase online.
Finding eco-friendly baby products is a difficult task, but more options can be found on the internet. DadaBabyBoutique.com has a large selection of green baby toys, supplies, and diaper bags, and Rattlecake’s eco diaper cakes are perfect as baby shower gifts.
Just How Dangerous is Cosleeping?
Filed under: Baby Health, Baby Safety, Baby Sleeping, Parenting
You likely know a parent or two that ardently sticks up for cosleeping, regardless of CPSC warnings. Much like the bonding approach through baby-wearing, cosleeping makes breastfeeding easier for the mother, the mother gets closer to her baby, the parent and child gradually assume the same sleep cycle, and the baby falls asleep quicker. Yet, even with these supposed benefits, CPSC advises against cosleeping.
Simple standards and guidelines don’t quite hit as close to home as stories and experiences. A piece in South Carolina newspaper The State goes into detail about the hazards of cosleeping, particularly the innate ease at which a parent or older child can suffocate a baby.
How unsafe is a baby when surrounded by heavier people in an adult bed? Essentially, an arm or a leg becomes a suffocation hazard, extending over the baby and staying in place. Because infants have limited motor skills, pushing off a heavier person is impossible.
At the same time, co-sleeping, or use of a family bed, may be a greater cause of sudden infant death than previously believed. A baby who dies in a family bed is labeled with condition “Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome – Unsafe Sleeping Conditions,” which can also include letting a child sleep on a couch or armchair, in a crib with comforters or pillows, or in the same space with a dog.
In the past, at least in this area of South Carolina, infant deaths resulting from sleeping were labeled SIDS, but this condition indicates that the child was placed in a safe area. In order to now determine the cause of death, a coroner goes to the caregiver’s house and asks the individual to reenact the sleeping situation with a doll.
Cosleeping, however, isn’t a radical parenting approach, like baby-wearing; rather, it has been in practice with families for many years, going under other names. That doesn’t mean that it’s safe. Just like the playgrounds of metal equipment and blacktop of many adults’ childhoods, not all past situations and practices are safe for children; what was once the norm is now a hazard. Gary Watts, the Richland coroner quoted in the State, piece explained:
“My grandmother did it, my mother did it, and I know I did it. But it’s unsafe. At some point, you have to realize it’s a danger to the infant. If you want to have a child in the room – put him in a bassinet beside your bed.”
How a Baby Changes a Family
When it comes to having babies, there’s no going back to a child-free lifestyle. Yet, while women’s magazines generally focus on tips for getting a pre-baby body back, a new mother’s life is going to be significantly different from her old one – especially when it comes to finances. Published early in December by Citibank’s Women & Co., BabyCenter conducted a national survey of new mothers’ post-baby habits and thoughts.
What did they find? First and foremost, mothers generally have money and parenting on the mind, in that order. Additionally, her role in family financial decisions is greater, with 60 percent stating they make daily financial decisions and 30 percent split it equally with a spouse.
Although cash might not have been bountiful in a pre-child life, a mother’s financial responsibilities increase after having children; the survey, however, didn’t indicate if fathers experienced a similar pattern. As far as making financial decisions go, new mothers find themselves deciding on new products more, budgeting, spending, saving, and financial planning. Additionally, most mothers end up spending less on themselves after having a baby.
Saving, particularly, becomes a greater part of a mother’s life, as well as her spouse’s. Deals and coupons are more sought after, finances are reconsidered, and both partners discuss spending and saving strategies. But, while a pre-child couple may have focused on paying off debt, they now factor their child and future into the picture, saving for a child’s education and retirement and lowering expenses.
About the survey conducted, Linda Descano, CFA(R), President and CEO of Women & Co., stated in a release:
“As every parent knows, having a baby changes everything – and finances are not an exception. The life change of a baby brings about new and substantial financial needs and questions. After having children, moms are increasingly taking charge of not just day-to-day spending, but also the longer-term planning of the financial future of their family.”
100 Most Popular Baby Names of 2011
Thousands, if not millions, of baby names are out there for parents, but which ones are picked more often than others? BabyCenter.com released their list of the 100 most popular baby names of 2011. Not much has changed for preferences over the past few years, as you might notice. Parents expecting boys often reach for the –aiden variations, while baby girl names more often sound like places (Brooklyn, Madison). If you haven’t had a chance to see the list yet, here are the 10 most popular names for boys and girls. For purposes of the poll, spelling variations were not differentiated; for instance, “Sophia” and “Sofia” are counted as one name. Read the full list on BabyCenter.com.
Girls’ Names
Sophia
Emma
Isabella
Olivia
Ava
Lily
Chloe
Madison
Emily
Abigail
Boys’ Names
Aiden
Jackson
Mason
Liam
Jacob
Jayden
Ethan
Noah
Lucas
Logan
Out of all these names, a few stand out. BabyCenter.com, in its poll, pointed out that “Mason” moved up a few places. For those that follow reality television, one of the Kardashian sisters named her baby “Mason Dash” over the past year; considering the socialite/reality television family’s influence, “Mason” likely increased in placement as a result. However, with no celebrity association, “Liam” moved up a few places, as well.
Aside from these changes pointed out by BabyCenter.com, -aiden names like Aiden, Jayden, Cayden, and Braydon hold strong.
For girls, “Sophia” may be the most popular name, but a few from the top 100 sound more unisex – or more like locations than names given to a daughter: Addison, Madison (Wisconsin?), Brooklyn (Bridge? Heights?), and Peyton were all in the top 30.
While these top 10 names are the most popular, parents should consider their child first before trends. Name trends come and go, but the name given to your baby lasts their entire lifetime, unless he or she decides to change it decades down the line.
Reconsidering Childproofing Around the Home
Babies and toddlers, when left alone for a moment, get into everything. Although out of pure curiosity, this need to touch and explore everything is best done when a parent is present and alert. But if a parent isn’t paying attention every single second, how can a child stay out of trouble? A home needs to be childproofed.
Yet, the childproofing methods of yore, including outlet covers and baby gates, just aren’t enough, according to a parenting advice piece from the New York Times. According to the experts cited, homes have changing hazards and childproofing methods need to stay updated with them.
What new hazards should parents now think about?
• Cords are now considered strangulation hazards. Parents, in response, need to make sure their home is as cord-free as possible. Baby monitors, power tools, and even blinds need to be cord-free. Otherwise, the child can grab it and end up choking.
• Outlet covers are outdated, and parents removing them may forget to put them back in. Instead, experts recommend putting a horizontal slide plate over every outlet.
• Televisions and furniture can fall on babies and toddlers. Parents, to prevent any injuries, need to secure all such objects in their home.
• Homes have many small objects. As you look around your home for hazards, examine each small object and see if it can move through a toilet paper tube. If it can, it poses a choking hazard to a young child and needs to be kept out of reach.
As far as checking your home is concerned, examine it from a child’s level and make any necessary changes. But because each home has its own individual hazards, the experts suggest having a consultant come in to survey your home. All childproofing, as well, should be done before the baby arrives.
If you have childproofed your home, what advice do you have for new parents?
Do Children Actually Learn from Educational Toys?
Many baby toys claim to teach a skill, be it better reading or math ability, a larger vocabulary, or problem-solving skills. Parents, it appears, are buying into these claims, as sales of educational baby toys went up six percent last year. At the same time, though, experts are questioning the claims behind educational baby toys, particularly if children actually learn anything from them.
While skills can be learned in a number of ways, there’s essentially two basic approaches: classroom learning style with a direct goal or intention, or indirect discovery and explanation. Many educational toys, including Baby Einstein and Your Baby Can Read, take the former approach. While the educational claims of expanded vocabulary of Baby Einstein were disproved, plenty more toys assert similar results. At the same time, measuring how much a child learned from a particular toy is difficult.
Even if studies cannot be performed on all educational baby toys out there, the advertisements claiming increased learning can. Targeting both parents and their children, marketing for such toys is unregulated. Russ Heimerich, spokesman for the California Department of Consumer Affairs, stated about this issue:
“Nobody checks the ads and says, ‘No, you can’t say that.’ That would be prior restraint. Unless it’s doing someone harm or grossly misleading, you have to give the benefit of the doubt to the people making the claim.”
That’s not to say that no baby toys are educational. Rather, toys without a specific purpose, such as blocks, may be better at teaching that a video geared toward learning words or math. Such toys specifically focus on exploration and creativity, and a child ends up learning both mental and physical skills as a result. The Early Years Institute President Dana Friedman stated about choosing baby toys:
“Generally speaking, the simpler the toy, the more complex the play. The more complex the toy, the more simple the play. You want to find toys where children have options for what they do with it. If it’s a toy that can only be used in one way, don’t get it.”
Babies Recognize Sharing and Fairness by 15 Months
How many times have you heard a small child say, “That’s not fair!”, and you answer back with, “Life’s not fair”? While children may not understand that fairness is not absolute, they understand the concept from an early age. A recent study from the University of Washington shows that babies as young as 15 months old recognize fairness and understand sharing.
Before, scientists recognized that 2 year old children understood fairness, but now the study indicates that younger children are aware of the concept. The first part of the University of Washington study involved showing 47 babies a video of food being unevenly distributed between two people. Then, the same group was shown a similar video of food being divided evenly. For this portion, babies – who supposedly pay more attention when surprised by something – stared at the video of the food being unevenly divided.
The second part of the study involved more interaction between the researchers and the babies. A child was given two toys, and the researcher indicated that he wanted to have one. Two-thirds of the babies offered to share a toy. A portion of these offered their preferred toy, and the researchers recognized them as “altruistic sharers.” Other babies who shared their least preferred toy were labeled “selfish sharers.”
Based on the two studies, babies dubbed “altruistic sharers” were more likely to stare at the video of the food divided unevenly. “Selfish sharers” were more likely to pay attention to the video of the food divided evenly. Jessica Sommerville, who led the study, mentioned about the results:
“Our findings show that these norms of fairness and altruism are more rapidly acquired than we thought. The infants expected an equal and fair distribution of food, and they were surprised to see one person given more crackers or milk than the other.”
Baby Showers for Fathers-to-be Gaining in Popularity
Why is a baby shower only about the mother? A father shouldn’t be left out. Although co-ed baby showers are becoming more common, diaper parties – or showers just for the father-to-be – are also increasing in popularity, according to a piece in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
A diaper party is essentially a casual event for the father-to-be. Male friends come by – usually to his house but a restaurant is also a possibility – and give packs of diapers. The men, then, spend some time playing games – but standard card games instead of the typical baby shower bingo – or have a barbecue.
Parents spend, on average, $70 on diapers per month, and while a diaper party is helpful in building up this supply, the event isn’t solely for gathering more baby basics. Rather, such parties get the father involved in parenting early on and prepare him for parenthood.
But, while a diaper party may not have all of the trimmings of a baby shower, diapers can be offered in a few ways. On a basic level, a man can show up to the party with a basic pack from the supermarket. On another, he can come with a diaper cake.
Is a diaper cake’s appearance too festive for a laidback diaper party? A diaper cake’s use extends far beyond its bright design. Rather, many high-quality diaper cakes are made out of 80 to 150 diapers, which parents will end up using eventually. Additionally, the outside of the cake may be decorated with various other basic baby products, such as clothing, blankets, or toys, which will also be used later.
If you’re looking for a diaper cake that stays within the theme of the diaper party, consider a neutral or sports style from Rattlecake. While not overpoweringly pink yet not too blue for a baby girl, such diaper cakes are practical and can blend in at a diaper party.
How to Carry a Baby in a Sling
Carrying children in slings creates a better bond between the parent and child, insists supporters of babywearing, but at what cost? A recent article in Australian newspaper The Age draws attention again to the fact that, if a baby is carried incorrectly in a sling, he or she can suffocate to death. The newspaper quotes experts telling parents to be watchful of their babies in slings.
As The Age mentions, not all parents are aware of the safety hazards of baby slings. Still, the Australian Competition and Consumer Committee, which issued the warning about slings, is developing safety standards for these popular baby carriers.
As we discussed before, baby carriers can face forwards and backwards, but how a baby is positioned is crucial. If you own a sling and are uncertain about how to use it, keep in mind the following points, courtesy of New York Times’ Motherload, and watch the video below:
• The baby should be in the same curved position as it is in your arms. The sling should not be loose enough that the baby moves away from the parent.
• The baby’s head should be close enough for the parent to kiss without bending.
• The sling must be tight enough around the parent and baby.
• The baby’s face should always be visible – never covered by fabric.
• When using the sling, parents should not feel back or neck pain. Otherwise, the carrier is being worn incorrectly.
A bond between the parent and child is important but not at the expense of the baby’s safety. Although instructions may not accompany a sling, find out beforehand how to position and carry a baby. If you need visuals for the steps above, watch the following video below for putting on a baby sling and positioning your baby inside:
Right and Wrong Ways to Carry a Baby?
Filed under: Baby Gear, Baby Health, Parenting, Premier Baby Stores
Who knew that the way a child faces you affects their development? According to a recent piece in The Daily Mail, just facing your child forward and away from the mother makes the baby “suffer” and become an anxious adult. The same rule applies to parents using strollers.
According to Professor Catherine Fowler, parents who have a child face forward are “cruel and selfish”:
“Imagine if you were strapped to someone’s chest with your legs and arms flailing, heading with no control into a busy shopping center – it would be terrifying. Outward-facing baby carriers and prams give babies a bombardment of stimulus, creating a very stressful situation. In not considering our baby’s perspective, we are inadvertently quite cruel to children.”
At the same time, others decree that a baby facing its mother too much gets bored and needs to see the world. Seems like whatever a parent does, it’s wrong.
On one extreme is the Swedish woman in Massachusetts who left a baby in a stroller outside of a restaurant for 10 minutes and is currently being investigated. Yet, the woman claims that this practice is common in her home country.
The other is the trend of babywearing. A child, in a sling, is carried close to and facing his mother. According to a piece about babywearing from The Lufkin News, the child bonds better with its mothers and, as a result, cries less and is more restful. The mother, as well, has her hands free and is able to do daily tasks while carrying her child.
No matter if you agree with these experts or think their results are just more for parents to worry about, several options for carrying a child are available. Dada Baby Boutique, for instance, offers baby carriers that range from slings to wraps, and products allow a parent to face a child backwards or forward.