Pure Baby Clothes
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
We love this generation we're in! Companies have really started to make clothes that are not only cute for babies, but good for their sensitive skin and great for the environment.
BabyBam Collection (www.babybamcollection.com) is a new "green" clothing company offering eco-friendly natural bamboo baby clothing and accessories.
All products are made from bamboo for infants 0 to 9 months and are naturally hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, odor free, and made with zero dyes, chemicals or pesticides. BabyBam clothing is softer than Pima cotton -- more like cashmere to the touch. Even their "Little Lathers" baby soap is 100% natural and handmade with bamboo powder. Products range from $9 to $42 U.S.
Labels: must-haves baby
posted by Jennifer James @ 11:08 AM,
,
Black Infant Mortality Rates Unchanged Since Civil War
Sunday, January 27, 2008
It's a shocking fact: black infant mortality rates have not changed since the Civil War. But Dr. Jack Turman, an associate professor from the University of Southern California says it is indeed true. In fact, he says black babies have been dying at twice the rate of white babies since the 1860s.
One of the reasons experts and researchers say black babies die so readily is because black women face a lot of stress and cannot adequately nurture healthy babies. "Black women have much higher levels of stress than women of other ethnic groups," Turman said. "That high stress level has a negative effect on their babies once they become pregnant."
(Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Prematurity is a silent crisis in America. The March of Dimes
Labels: babies, baby health, march of dimes
posted by Jennifer James @ 8:50 AM,
,
Expert Advice for Newborn Screening
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes, is a guest on the weekly podcast called Pregtastic, a series by and for pregnant women, which began on Monday, October 2nd.
In the first episode of this new forum, Dr. Howse discussed newborn screening and why it's important that every newborn receive 29 recommended tests.
Great advances are being made in newborn screening. More and more states are now screening for 21 of the 29 disorders that can be successfully managed or treated if diagnosed early. More than 71 percent of all babies born in the U.S., now are screened, over twice as many as last year.
The show is casual, informative and fun. The hosts are "real" pregnant women who have the same concerns and joys as their listeners.
Labels: march of dimes
posted by Jennifer James @ 9:16 AM,
,
New Finds at Giggle.com
Friday, January 25, 2008
We love these plush, whimsical toys for tots from Giggle. Retails for $14.00
Two-Dees Dog
Labels: babies, toddlers, toys
posted by Jennifer James @ 12:17 PM,
,
The EveryBaby Page
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The March of Dimes is about all babies...those born healthy and those that need our help to survive. One out of eight babies is born prematurely in the United States, but there is something you can do to help. Visit The EveryBaby page. Using the latest in web technology, tell your baby's story in the timeless style of a scrapbook page. You can add text, video or pictures and invite friends to view, add comments or just browse our interactive Story Map. Plus your donations will help fund your local NICUs. With your help and support, we can make sure every baby's story is a happy one. Every baby has a story, tell us yours. Visit The EveryBaby page.
Labels: baby health, health babies, march of dimes
posted by Jennifer James @ 5:45 PM,
,
Baby Buys
Monday, January 21, 2008
Free Shipping on Select Items at BabiesRUs.com
Buy 3 Baby Closeouts Get 1 FREE!
New Boden Baby Collection for Winter. Get 10% Off + Free Delivery and Free Returns. Shop Now >>
Great Prices On Everything For Baby at Walmart.com
Labels: babies
posted by Jennifer James @ 8:14 AM,
,
Cough and Cold Medicine Off Limits for Babies, Toddlers
Friday, January 18, 2008
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration called again for parents to cease giving over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to children under the age of two-years-old because of life-threatening side effects.Studies show these medications are ineffective in treating colds and may cause
"It is critically important for parents to receive clear information about the risks and lack of benefit from these drugs, and ways to help take care of children suffering from colds and coughs," said Renee Jenkins, M.D., FAAP, president of the
For further reading: Safe Cough and Cold Remedies for Children
Labels: child health
posted by Jennifer James @ 9:25 AM,
,
It's Official: Kids Hate Clowns
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Ever since I watched Stephen King's "It" and saw the clown pull the son under the bed in "Poltergeist" I marked clowns off my list of desirables in permanent magic marker. I am certainly no fan of them. Now, I'm happy to to know I'm not alone. A study published in the Nursing Standard magazine found children between the ages of four and sixteen preferred hospital wards not use clown decor and who's to blame them? No one wants a crazy, maniacal, bushy-haired person staring at them all of the time, right?
"As adults we make assumptions about what works for children," said Penny Curtis, a senior lecturer in research at the university.
"We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable."
Labels: kids health
posted by Jennifer James @ 11:36 AM,
,
Maternal Stress Heightens Kids' Asthma Risk
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Did you know that if you are depressed or stressed out your baby or toddler has a heightened risk of developing asthma? We know; where's the correlation? Researchers in Canada looked at 14,000 children's medical records and discovered those children who were routinely admitted into hospital care for asthma also had mothers who showed maternal distress recorded by physicians or were prescribed depression medication.
Although researchers admit the correlation between maternal stress and asthma in children is difficult to determine they have pinpointed a few maternal stressors that are known causes of asthma.
Depressed mothers are more likely to smoke and least likely to breastfeed. Research also shows depressed mothers are also least likely to bond and interact with their babies. Animal studies have shown maternal rejection and little contact between mother and child weakens a baby's immune system.
Online Reading Resources for Postpartum Depression
Labels: child health, depression
posted by Jennifer James @ 7:54 AM,
,
Political Tees for Babies, Kids
Monday, January 14, 2008
We love these political tees for tikes from Babesta.com! If you're looking for off-beat, hip clothes for your kids be sure to keep Babesta.com on your lists on online favorites.
We are blatantly pro-Barack Obama here. And now that BET founder Bob Johnson spewed hate towards Barack over the weekend, we're even more in his corner. Now, your kids can be, too.
Barack Obama tee or onesie$20.00
If you love Hillary, you're in luck, too. Your kids can don a Hillary Clinton for President as well. This tee also retails for $20.00.
posted by Jennifer James @ 7:40 AM,
,
Secure Attachment Can Prevent Nightmares in Preschoolers
Friday, January 11, 2008
Do you have a child who has frequent nightmares and restless sleep? Chances are she showed signs of restlessness and uncontrollable crying as early as five months old. Researchers have defined a link between preschoolers who have nightmares and their temperament during infancy. Canadian researchers followed 987 children from infancy to 6 years. Most of the children had an occasional nightmare, but those who had nightmares more frequently were considered "anxious" or difficult babies by their mothers."In this study, "bad dreams" as early as the age of 2.5 were predicted by signs of anxiety at the ages of 5 months and 17 months, explained Dr. Tore Nielsen, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal."
This study raises the age-old advice to calm crying babies to make them feel more secure and bonded with their caregiver. Nielsen suggests forging an early bonding atmosphere of "secure" attachment during infancy.Labels: babies, sleep, toddlers
posted by Jennifer James @ 9:39 AM,
,
New Vaccine for Babies Protects Against Meningococcal Disease
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Infants and children are already given a series of immunizations to protect them against serious childhood diseases. Now, a British team of researchers has developed a vaccine that protects children against meningococcal disease, a disease that affects between 1400 -2000 babies each year in the United States.
The new vaccine was given to 421 healthy babies and produced immunity against four strains of meningococcal disease and was well tolerated by the babies' bodies.
What do you think about this new vaccine?
Labels: babies, baby health
posted by Jennifer James @ 10:31 AM,
,
Backyardigans Mania
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
If you have a little one who loves The Backyardigans they will definitely love the coming weeks and months because Nickeoldeon is rolling out a CD, a T.V. movie and a national live 50-city tour that begins in March. Here's the rundown:"Tale of the Mighty Knights," premiering Monday, Jan. 14 (7 p.m. - 8 p.m. ET/PT
In "Tale of the Mighty Knights," royal knights Uniqua and Tyrone are ready to do mighty deeds in service to their King (Pablo). It seems like a pretty simple task until the King asks them to babysit an egg, which grows legs and runs away! A rock opera soundtrack moves the action along as the knights pursue their egg in Goblin Land and encounter a grabbing goblin (Austin), through Fairyland where they meet a tiny and mischievous fairy (Tasha), and finally to Dragon Mountain where they face a mighty baby dragon (Adam Pascal). Will the knights conquer their greatest challenge yet?Backyardigans Live! Tale of the Mighty Knights: Starting March 28, 2008
During Backyardigans Live!, Pablo, Uniqua, Tasha, Tyrone and Austin will need the audience's help as they face a mighty dragon and return the egg to the king. The stage show will have the entire family singing, dancing and laughing along to songs from the rock opera.
Other scheduled tour stops include: New York, NY; Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Baltimore, Maryland; Camden, New Jersey; Atlanta, Georgia; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Tampa, Florida, San Antonio, Texas; and Houston, Texas. For schedule information visit www.nickjr.com.
The Backyardigans: Born to Play CD
On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Nickelodeon and Sony BMG release the ultimate playtime playlist as The Backyardigans: Born to Play CD hits retailers nationwide. The third CD from the hit series features 22 new tracks, including six songs from "Tale of the Mighty Knights." Joining the backyard gang in the studio are celebrity guest artists Alicia Keys, Cyndi Lauper and Adam Pascal. Alicia Keys lends her unique R&B vocals on "Almost Everything is Boinga." Cyndi Lauper reminds us to think pink on the jazz-tinged "Lady in Pink," and Adam Pascal powers the Zepellinesque rock-opera ballad "Not an Egg."
The Backyardigans airs regularly weekdays at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET/PT on Nick Jr.
(Source)
Labels: kids, kids entertainment, toddlers
posted by Jennifer James @ 7:16 AM,
,
Researchers Find Ear Tube Surgery Not Necessary In Most Cases
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
A new study out of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine says children who receive ear tube operations because of fluid in the inner ear or ear infections typically do not need it.
Published in the January issue of Pediatrics, the study found that most of the children in New York who received ear tube operations in 2002 only had mild disease that should have been medically treated instead of operated on.
"Ear infection is the most common illness with which children present to the doctor," said Dr. Salomeh Keyhani, lead researcher of the study. "We found that many children are getting surgeries for minor disease and the typical child who gets ear tube surgery does not have disease severe enough to warrant the operation. If the study findings could be applied to rest of the country, it would be particularly troubling."
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends ear tube operations for children who have experienced fluid in their inner ear for three to four months.
Labels: child health
posted by Jennifer James @ 4:40 AM,
,
Updated Immunization Schedule for 2008
Monday, January 07, 2008
The updated immunization schedule for children ages 0-6, ages 7 to 18, and children with late or incomplete immunization was released in the January issue of Pediatrics.
Schedule changes include:
- a single dose of pneumoccoal conjugate vaccine for healthy children ages 24 to 59 months who are incompletely immunized
- expansion of the age recommendations for the use of the live attenuated influenza vaccine to include healthy children as young as 2 years old
- a reduced time interval for the administration of the second dose of live attenuated nasal influenza vaccine (when a second dose is required) from 6 to 4 weeks; and a single dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine for all adolescents 11-to-18 year olds, if not previously administered, and for 2-to-10 year-old children at increased risk for meningococcal disease.
FOR MOMS: Download the 2008 Immunization Schedule
Labels: babies
posted by Jennifer James @ 7:54 AM,
,
Expert Advice for Lulling Your Baby to Sleep
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Dee Rule, Baby Nurse and Nanny to the Stars, says getting babies to sleep is doable if you establish a routine and keep it consistent. Here are a few of her tips:
1. There's a solid solution for getting a little one to sleep through the night: Patience, persistence, love, and imagination. Also back it up with daily timing of activities: baths and get-togethers.
2. Getting your newborn on a routine early is a huge key to success. Parents can feel less stress by doing what they love. The infant or child will pick-up or feel if you're depressed or down; and will communicate frustration with excessive cries.
3. Swaddling is a great feat for many parents but it's one key to many doors of restful sleep. A routine schedule and persistence will send a clear message to the toddler or child: it's sleep time!
Reading Resources- The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
- The Sleepeasy Solution Book
- The Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family (Sears Parenting Library)
posted by Jennifer James @ 7:38 AM,
,
Your Organic Baby
Saturday, January 05, 2008
We know feeding your baby only organic food is important to some moms so we've decided to put together a list of our favorite organic baby food brands, plus share links to important resources you should know about.We've tasted all of these baby foods, and although they tasted "bleh" to us -- it is baby food!-- they're all organic and that's all that matters!
Plum Organics
All of these brands are certified organic with the USDA and basically taste the same making it hard for us to really choose a clear winner. We highly recommend them all.
Important links:
Labels: babies
posted by Jennifer James @ 8:21 AM,
,
New Employment Alternative: Bringing Babies to Work
Friday, January 04, 2008
As more women try to make work and motherhood mesh, innovative employment alternatives are popping up all the time that attempt to alleviate the stress of mothers going back to work after maternity leave. In recent decades, mothers began using flexible hours to stay at home with her children at least part-time. Increasing numbers of corporate employers now offer on-site daycare. And, mothers who can't swing these options sometimes find themselves monitoring their children via a video feed from their child's care facility.
Now, working mothers are doing something unthinkable: taking their babies to work. An article on Time.com, Who's the Boss, talks about this growing trend. A brand-new institute, the Parenting in the Workplace Institute, has compiled a list of 70 American companies that allow mothers to bring their babies to the workplace.
Mary Secret, a social-work professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, found that babies in the workplace can actually raise moral among colleagues. "We have tended to have this myth of the separation between work and family," Secret says. "In reality, that never existed."
On the Net:
Parenting at Work Institute
Babies in the Workplace
Labels: babies
posted by Jennifer James @ 12:37 AM,
,
You Heard It Here First: Pacimals
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Tons of press releases find their way into our inboxes, but rarely do we click right over and then immediately request the product.Pacimals is one of the cutest baby products we've seen in a long time! Pacimals are pacifiers with stuffed animals attached so babies and toddlers can better hold them and keep their pacifier in.
We haven't received our sample yet, but did receive a postcard saying samples will be sent out later this month.
In the meantime, we couldn't hold in this secret much longer.When we receive our sample we'll post a review right away. But we know we're going to love them and so will you. Pacimals come in five adorable animals with three more coming soon.
On the Net: www.pacimals.com
Labels: babies, toddlers, toys
posted by Jennifer James @ 10:45 AM,
,
Valuable Tips for SIDS Prevention
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Many new parents are not aware that over-wrapping, or over-swaddling, their baby produces thermal stress and can lead to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which is the leading cause of death for children under 1 year of age.Here are valuable tips to help prevent a SIDS tragedy in your life.
- Place baby face up in the crib.
- Put baby's feet closer to the foot of the bed so he/she can't roll down.
- Tuck in blankets at baby's feet. Never tuck the blanket higher than baby's armpit.
- Never cover a baby's face or head. Infants release most of their extra body heat through the head.
- Never fall asleep with baby on the couch-as you might roll over and suffocate or drop the infant.
- Never allow baby to share a bed with older siblings and/or parents. The baby can be kept in the parents' room but in his/her own crib.
- Don't rely on baby apnea monitors. They are good for monitoring heart-rhythm disturbances or lapses in breathing. However, they are not effective in picking up other subtle changes leading up to SIDS, such as drops in oxygen levels, and they won't protect babies in unsafe sleeping conditions.
- Premature babies are at higher risk for SIDS.
While over-swaddling your baby is not recommended by pediatricians, wrapping your baby can provide comfort and a feeling of safety for your baby.
We love Baby-Gami: Baby Wrapping for Beginners because it shows in precise detail with flawless instructions how to properly swaddle your baby. We also appreciate that the authors used black babies in the book as well.
Buy Baby-Gami: Baby Wrapping for Beginners
posted by Jennifer James @ 5:41 AM,
,
