Bringing home a newborn is exhilarating and overwhelming. If you’re preparing for the birth of your child, knowing a few tricks beforehand might make things a bit easier.

Sterilize Everything
Before the baby comes, you’ll want to have everything sterilized – bottles, pacifiers, and clothing. Prewash all blankets, burp clothes, sheets, mattress pads, clothing, and even your own clothing since baby will be snuggled close to you, in a very mild detergent.

All items that go in baby’s mouth such as bottles and pacifiers must be boiled for about five minutes before use. That can be a long wait if you forget until your baby is hungry and waiting. Better to have what you need ready and waiting when you get home.

Learn to Swaddle
When you’re at the hospital, watch the nurses closely. Babies love to be swaddled, so learn from the experts how to wrap your baby up like a little burrito. It’s counterintuitive, but often the tighter they are swaddled, the more comfortable babies are. This might be the most important trick you learn at the hospital next to breastfeeding.

Read a Parenting Book
Parenting books should be read before you’re actually a parent. This will clue you in to sleep routines and healthy practices you can use the moment you come home. Don’t worry if you fail to grasp it all the first time, however – you’ll be reading that book again many times.

It’s hard to bring a new baby home from the hospital and resist the urge to dress her up like a little doll, but newborn babies have an astonishingly simple wardrobe requirement. After all, your newborn doesn’t go anywhere for weeks most likely and spends the vast majority of her time sleeping, probably swaddled.

Pajamas and Sleep Sacks
The first collection you’ll need to make for your newborn is an assortment of pajamas and sleep sacks. Sleep sacks are the easiest item to use at home as they are simply nightgowns for baby with elastic at the bottom to keep her little feet warm. The sleep sack doesn’t travel well, however, so your next easiest item is the pajama.

Pajamas with feet and zippers are absolutely a must for newborns, There are no complicated snaps and you don’t have to keep chasing little lost socks. Your baby is covered from neck to foot in comfortable cotton and you have the option of lightweight pajamas for summer months or heavily swaddled babies and warm, fleece pajamas for cooler months.

T-shirts and Onesies
A nice collection of simple t-shirts and onesies works well, too. T-shirts are best for the first few weeks as you need to keep the healing belly button from getting agitated, but onesies stay put a bit better with all the carrying you do.

Socks
The only other item you truly need for the first month or so of your child’s life is plenty of socks. Babies lose heat through their heads and feet. Socks should be worn most of the time if her little feet aren’t already in pajamas.

If there was ever a good parental debate, the pacifier deserves recognition. Some parents feel the pacifier is a lifesaver when it comes to a baby with a high need to suck, while others feel pacifiers deter breastfeeding or create unhealthy sleep habits. So do you need a pacifier?

Yes! – A pacifier is recommended to help reduce the risk of SIDS in young babies. Sucking on a pacifier keeps baby in a lighter state of sleep helping to keep her safe.

Yes! – A pacifier can help a baby with a strong suck reflex feel satisfied when she’s not really hungry.

Yes! – A pacifier can satisfy the urge to suck that is extremely relaxing for babies helping her to fall asleep and comfort herself.

No! – A pacifier uses a different form of sucking which might confuse babies learning to breastfeed.

No! – A pacifier can become a crutch for older babies who need to learn more natural ways to self-comfort.

No! – A pacifier can cause poor sleep if baby can’t sleep without it and can’t replace it herself when it falls out in the middle of the night.

A first tooth is very exciting for parents, but baby isn’t always so thrilled. Babies react differently to teething with some showing almost no outside symptoms other than a tooth that appears virtually overnight while others have drawn out misery waiting on each tooth to cut through the gums.

Babies teeth at different times, but the first tooth appears between four and eight months on average. After the first, a companion tooth will likely appear. The bottom two teeth come in first followed by the top two. Then generally teeth continue to appear in pairs on the bottom followed by the matching set on the top. By thirty months, your child will have an entire collection of teeth including two sets of molars.

At the age of three, parents are urged to take their child to the dentist for the first time. Even though his teeth are baby teeth which will fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth in a few more years, caring for these teeth is very important. If baby teeth are damaged, permanent teeth can be misaligned or damaged as well.

Teach your baby healthy dental habits from the start. Brush his gums with a special toothbrush. Then when the first tooth appears, make brushing that tooth, or at least wiping it with a clean washcloth, part of your routine. Good dental hygiene now will make for an adorable smile the rest of his life.

One of the most overwhelming aspects of parenting is helping children go from diapers to the full-time use of the potty. There are so many different methods and ideas behind potty training an entire section may be devoted to it at the local bookstore. Some of the most popular methods follow.

Infant Potty Training

Not for the faint of heart, some parents swear by infant potty training. Theory states if a parent is tuned into a child’s natural rhythms she can anticipate when a baby is ready to go and get them over the potty in time. Obviously this is not an overnight method, but some claim that children can be trained by twelve or fifteen months with consistent parental involvement.

The One Day Method

Other experts claim children can be trained in one day. This method is very appealing to frantic and busy parents. You simply devote a single day to potty training. You don’t leave the house or do anything that might take you away from the potty. Feed your little one plenty of liquids and sit them on the potty regularly (usually every hour.) Eventually all those liquids should come out and the huge amount of positive feedback will convince the child that the potty is the place to go all the time. A variation of this method is to let the child run around naked. Being naked will make them more aware of when they need to go and will speed the process along.

The Reward System

Another parental favorite is the reward system. M&Ms and stickers are given as rewards for a successful trip to the bathroom. Every time your child uses the potty correctly she receives a small award and this motivates her to keep up the good work. This method generally assumes the entire process will take a little while.

The Readiness System

At the opposite end of the spectrum from the infant training is the “wait until he’s ready” system. Rather than being highly motivational and almost forcing your child to use the potty when you feel they are ready, you simply wait for them to tell you they are ready.

Gradually introduce the vocabulary and model the procedures and over time a comfort level will be built up. One day your child will decide that he can probably sit on the potty, too and he will. Experts claim that not forcing the issue will actually make the training easier as it is not emotionally charged.

Most experts strongly advise waiting until a baby is four to six months to introduce solid foods. “Solid food” is somewhat of a misnomer since the pureed baby foods we consider solids are more liquid still than anything else. Babies may be interested in trying out the foods they see on Mom and Dad’s plate, but introducing solid foods gradually is the best method to avoid overwhelming baby and to make the process more successful.

Stage One – Smooth and Simple

The first foods for your baby should be so smooth they resemble a liquid. The most common first food is a cereal, usually rice, to avoid potential allergies, but can be a fruit or vegetable. The first few feedings will be more amusement than substance, but over time everyone will catch on.

Early foods involve very finely pureed fruits, vegetables and cereals. Introduce the foods one at a time to detect any allergies waiting four days between introductions. Many experts feel bland foods should be given first to introduce baby to the texture of a product that doesn’t come in a bottle.

Then vegetables should be added slowly as they don’t have the sweet taste of the fruits. Others find that introducing fruits first makes baby more enthusiastic about the whole idea. So long as you introduce each food slowly and keep the texture ultra smooth, order is not crucial.

Stage Two – Lumps and Bumps

After all the basics have been introduced, although possibly not meats, it is time to move into textures. Babies must work up to solids and this is the in between step. Foods should now be prepared more mashed than pureed and mixing things a bit is fine so long as baby has not shown any bad reactions to anything you’re mixing.

It may take a little while for your baby to decide that little lumps and bumps in their favorite item is okay, and this is perfectly normal. This is also the stage where many parents begin to introduce meat items.

Stage Three – Finger Foods

Somewhere between nine months and a year, babies are ready for a new challenge. They have worked to develop the concept of picking up items and may actually begin to refuse being spoon-fed. They simply want to do it themselves. Humor your baby with finely cut finger foods. Also realize it will take while to get the hand to mouth action down.

Finger foods can be scary for parents as they produce more choking hazards and are usually pretty messy. Babies eat everything with their hands, sometimes well into their toddler years. Keep pieces very small and make sure your baby’s diet is as varied as possible. Also, be aware of highly allergenic foods such as chocolate, egg whites and nut products which should be avoided until your little one is turns one.

Newborns amaze us with their delicacy. They are tiny little beings completely dependent on you to provide for them and keep them safe. One of the toughest areas some parents deal with in their child’s safety and comfort are infant allergies.

Skin Allergies

The first potential allergy parents might notice is a detergent allergy. Baby’s sensitive skin may react to the detergents you use in your washing machine or even to certain fabrics. The same can be said of soaps and lotions. Babies that tend to break out from some sort of skin allergy should be examined by their pediatrician and care must be given to avoid allergy producing products.

Cotton and water will keep baby clean enough for the first couple of weeks and bathing every two or three days after that may help as well. Change detergents to something mild with fewer chemicals or consider using less in a wash. Fabric softeners and any other chemicals should be completely avoided.

Food Allergies

The scariest kind of allergies in a baby is food allergies. Babies who legitimately suffer from a lactose intolerance or milk allergy can get very sick very fast as newborns. Fortunately, there are many soy milk products that are non dairy which can help give these babies the nutrition they need.

Other common culprits of food allergies are egg whites, peanuts, and wheat. Strawberries, chocolate, tomatoes, citrus fruits and shellfish can also be strong allergy triggers. The best way to detect an allergy, even if you can’t prevent it, is to wait until a baby is close to six months before introducing solid foods, and then introduce foods slowly. Wait four days between new foods to see if there is a reaction before trying a new one.

Also, items such as shellfish, chocolate and nuts should probably wait until baby is closer to a year old. The same is true for honey. Honey may not cause an allergy, but it contains Clostridium botulinum which can cause a kind of poisoning the baby’s intestinal tract is not mature enough to fight off.

Air Allergies

Babies can suffer from hay fever and airborne allergies the same way the rest of us do. A trip to the pediatrician can help find the treatment or medicine you need for baby’s seasonal allergies.

Skin is considered the largest organ of the human body — even when it’s the tiny body of your baby. How can you take care of her skin right from the start? Try some of these tips from Sandy Johnson, M.D., a dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at the University of Arkansas. Johnson made her recommendations in October at the American Academy of Dermatology’s Skin Academy:

• Use bath products and clothing detergents that are gentle on the skin. Aim for products that are fragrance-free, with fewer than 10 ingredients.
• Use moisturizer after Baby’s bath. It provides a barrier between her and the environment and can help with those who are predisposed to eczema and rashes.
• Between 2 and 3 years, she can start taking part in her bathing. In the beginning, double-check that she’s rinsed well and doesn’t have any soapy residue remaining. When she can brush her teeth without you having to closely supervise, then she’s ready to wash herself, as well.
• For more information and great baby skin products visit our Baby Skin Care section at SpiffyBaby.com.

Baby teeth don’t last forever, but they need just as much cleaning and care as adult teeth. Neglecting them can cause cavities and lifelong trouble.

Before the first tooth appears, get babies used to having their gums cleaned. Run a wet washcloth or a finger brush around their mouth. Once the first tooth comes in, pay even closer attention. To help protect your child’s teeth:

• Clean your infant’s teeth with a children’s toothbrush and water.
• Take your child to dentist about 6 months after the first tooth comes in, or at age 2.
• Add a pea-sized dab of toothpaste once your child is age 2. He or she shold be able to spit out the paste without swallowing it.
• Start to floss when 2 teeth touch.Don’t put your child to bed with a bottle filled with anything but water. Even milk has sugar in it.
• Encourage your child to drink from a cup by his or her fist birthday. Extended use of a bottle can increase the risk for tooth decay.

If you just had a baby and feel sad, you are not alone. The name for what you are feeling is the “baby blues.”

Usually, blues starts a few days or weeks after the baby is born. You may feel angry at your baby or loved ones. You may cry often. Some women don’t want to eat or cant sleep. You may doubt that you can take care of you baby well. It maybe hard for you to make decisions. Doctors don’t know what causes this. Hormone changes and stress could be reasons.

Baby blues usually go away after a few weeks. Until then, ask your family for help. If your sadness lasts or you think you or your baby may be in danger, call your doctor right away.

Did you know that if you quit smoking your baby may sleep soundly? According to a study recently published in “Pediatrics”, parental smoking may worsen sleep problems for babies who already struggle with snoring. The study found that 100% of babies who lived in a house where one or more parents smoked awoke at least once during the night, but only 50% of those who lived in non-smoking households awoke.

Cough and cold medications that use nasal decongestants, antihistamines, cough suppressants and expectorants are commonly used to treat sick children. Yet an oversight group reports that over the course of one year, more than 1,500 children under the age of 2 were taken to emergency rooms — and three infants died — because of adverse effects from such medicines. “The American Academy of Pediatrics does not support the use of over-the-counter cough medications for children of any age,” says Ian Paul, M.D., of the AAP Section on Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. “There is no evidence that they are effective, and there is a safety concern.” Instead, Paul suggests treating the symptoms to make the child more comfortable. Use acetaminophen for kids over 3 months and ibuprofen for kids over 6 months. Keep Baby hydrated, and use saline nose drops or spray.

A recent study published in the medical journal “Pediatrics” in July found that breastfeeding longer than three months may protect against bed-wetting during childhood. The research involved two groups of children — those who were wetting the bed and those who were not. Participants of both groups were asked about whether they were breastfed and for how long. It turned out to be that the children who wet the bed at night were 81% less likely to have been breastfed for more than three months. “Breastfeeding has been associated with several developmental advantages in kids,” says Joseph Barone, M.D., chief of pediatric urology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. “Bed-wetting is considered a developmental delay. It also runs in the family. If one parent wet the bed as a child, then their child has a 40% chance of wetting the bed. If both parents wet the bed, then it’s 80% likely their child will. Breastfeeding may protect against that. All of this is another piece of information for parents to look at when they’re trying to decide whether or not to breastfeed.”

What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice, of course! Any parent of a little princess can tell you how special it is to have a baby girl. They are sweet, loving and generally pretty good natured. Of course every baby has a flare up or two, but you, as the parent of a precious little angel, can’t help but feel smug when you watch other parents chase wild and rowdy boys around the supermarket.

Playing Nice

Girls just seem to have some sort of internal set of programming that allows them to be a bit more laid back and quiet than their male counterparts. Girls enjoy quiet games and soft items like dolls and blankets. Of course they like to scream and run on occasion, but overall, they are very pleasant to play with. Tea parties, dress up and toy kitchens are endless sources of entertainment, and you love to watch her learn and have fun.It’s been shown countless times that girls favor texture and color in toys. This is why they are so drawn to dolls, teddy bears, and other soft items. Bright colors and bold patterns intrigue them and they love to touch. This actually lasts through adulthood for many girls. The sense of touch is very pronounced in women as well.In addition to touch, little girls as young a few days old show much more interest in looking at faces and building relationships with people than looking at moving items. They adore it when you smile and laugh with them, and little girls are often content just watching adults and other children around them. They are often at peace with their surroundings.

Little Princess

Of course, one of the most fun things about a little girl is the opportunity to play dress up. Yes, you can dress up dolls with her one of these days, but we know you really prefer dressing up baby. Little pink dresses with bows and tights are standards. Hair ribbons and adorable little shoes complete the outfit, and with the variety of baby clothing available to little girls, it’s no wonder parents and grandparents get a bit overzealous in the purchasing department. Everything she wears just makes her look so adorable!If you’re lucky, your little girl will let you get away with dress-up for years, so enjoy it. Find party dresses and patent leather shoes. Get matching tights for every outfit. Why not? She’s a little princess and she should look the part!

Raising a Strong Woman

One of the primary concerns for parents today is raising their daughter to be a strong, self-sufficient young lady. There is endless worry about the impact of too many dolls, not enough outside time, too much freedom, too little freedom and the list goes on. Fortunately, most girls today are being raised by strong, self-sufficient women already, so there is no need for concern. Of course there are countless books to read and programs to watch, but in truth, watching Mom will be the entire lesson she’ll ever need.

Whats the whole fuss is about?

A baby is usually the center of attention in any home. Babies love to play- it’s their sole purpose for existence. Buying a quality designer toy for a child will not only be enough to occupy the baby during waking hours, but will be a number one hit with any parent who desperately needs to find means to entertain a child. Shopping around on the market, the millions of baby stores out there will offer you a trillion designer toys and gadgets in various sizes and shapes. Your mission, if you chose to accept it, is to find that perfect little toy, suitable for your perfect child, for the age and stage, to keep the baby engaged for at least 30 minutes. That should be the approximate time spam required to wash the dishes, load the laundry, and maybe jet to the bathroom for a minute.

Going to a toy store…

So you’re in the most popular baby store browsing the aisles, as you’ve left the baby at grandma’s for a few hours (WARNING: Do Not Enter a Toy Store With Child, Swift Bankruptcy Will Result). With every toy you pass your anxiety grows. You have already passed the sections of soft toys, creative toys, crib toys, pram toys, stroller toys and wooden toys – to name a few. You have also passed the blue boy’s section, the pink girl’s section and the green, yellow, and tan “it’s a surprise” section. Oh… and don’t forget that great “Developmental Toys” section, the one where all the toys promise to develop your child’s cognitive and motor abilities in order for the baby to develop into a “normal, healthy child”. At a loss, you pick three toys out of each section (four from the developmental so your child will not be “underdeveloped”) and dash for the checkout line. You open all the toys when you get home, and you’ll be lucky if one of them will be that perfect one.

What to look and shop for?

Two days later, finding that the sole perfect toy does not keep the baby entertained for longer than a run to the bathroom, you decide to hit the internet. You Google “quality baby toy” and get 30 million results. You revise the search a little here and there to narrow it down. Somewhere you come across the word “designer” and think “Shouldn’t my baby have the best?” Well, are you willing to splurge the extra ten to twenty bucks that comes with the price of quality designer baby toys? Designer baby toys are designed while keeping the baby in mind. For example, they are made of safe, non-toxic materials, are usually sturdier and withstand more wear and tear, are hypo-allergenic, and may come with a guarantee. With all that quality, there’s usually a slightly larger expense to your pocket, but it is definitely a worthwhile one. Some find online shopping to be a little easier, since you can narrow down your search options by age, activity level, and cost. You compare prices, shipping costs, and there you have it! The perfect little toy at your doorstep in just a few days, and you barely moved a finger!

The bottom line

Designer toys (and apparel) also make great gift items. Take it from an experienced gift giver and receiver, quality items are always appreciated, not only because they are safe and sturdy, but also because it’s that much less money that the parent has to spend out of their own pocket. Especially, when the presenter also has taken into consideration all those things talked about previously (baby’s age, size and need for the present). And, of course, if you do not want to rack your brain for the thousand of checkpoints we’ve just mentioned, a Gift Certificate will be your best bet (even to an online store). The only thing to keep in mind in the case of a Gift Certificate present is to make sure it is redeemable at a place with a large enough selection of toys and items to be of use for any occasion.