Going to the Pool

How old was your baby when you first took him swimming? Was it a positive experience? Summer is approaching, and we just bought our baby’s first swimming suit. The purchase may have been unnecessary, but we really enjoyed picking through the adorable styles and prints. When we arrived home, I started thinking about whether our baby would ever enter a pool or lake this summer. I don’t hesitate to bring her in the water because of fears that she will drown. We’ll always have two adults around at all times (one holding her, one there on the rare chance that … Continue reading →

DIY Baby Proofing: I did it!

As my daughter becomes more and more mobile, I am increasingly aware of all of the hazards in our apartment. There are exposed outlets, breakable knick knacks, and garbage cans within reach. A major hazard is our TV stand. There is a big pile of electric cords and wires under it, easily within reach of a curious baby. I wrote about a solution I read about online. It’s called curtained storage. I decided to give it a try, and am rather pleased with the results. I’ll go through each step with you, and also show pictures. Here are the before … Continue reading →

Tea Tree Oil: Worth The Risks?

I’ll admit it. I jumped on the tea tree oil bandwagon, and I don’t want to get off. Tea tree oil is said to have numerous uses and health benefits. From relieving the itch of insect bites and speeding up the healing process of cuts and bruises, to clearing up acne and curing athlete’s foot, it seems there is nothing tea tree oil can’t do. I didn’t start using tea tree oil until I came across recipes for homemade baby wipe solutions that called for a couple drops of the oil. My baby has always had sensitive skin that is … Continue reading →

Nesting Again?

Ever since I witnessed my son roll a few feet across the room last week, I have entered a new mindset. It feels just like “nesting” during the final weeks of pregnancy, but worse. Visions of my son plucking the unknown off the floor and eating it or choking on it have me stuck in fits of cleaning that pale in comparison to my nesting days. I’ve developed an acute perception of dirt and grime; every crumb on the floor seems to be waving a huge red flag in the corner of my eye. I’m always scanning the floor and … Continue reading →

Baby Safe Plants

My daughter has always loved, loved, loved putting things into her mouth. Luckily, when she was a baby she did not have an inclination to swallow these things. From tales told by other moms, I know I’m lucky. I do live with an eat anything monster, though. Our cat will eat anything that we leave around the house. With her, I’ve been in emergency for dehydration after she was unexpectedly sensitive to a fig leaf. Who knew? Between the cat and the kid, I’ve had my share of putting things in the mouth scares. In that spirit, I wanted to … Continue reading →

When Another Child Hits

Playdates can be a fun activity for both babies and their parents. Introducing your child to his peers is a great way to jump start the socialization process. Plus, having other adults to talk to during the day can help keep parents connected. But one issue that eventually seems to come up for every parent who play dates is what to do if another child hits, bites or otherwise abuses your child. How do you balance the protective instinct with the aversion to discipline another parent’s child? So what do you do if your little guys friend starts hitting? The … Continue reading →

Sun Protection and Your Baby

Protecting your baby’s skin is so important for his lifelong health. One bad burn in childhood can dramatically increase her chance of getting skin cancer as an adult. Baby’s skin is thin and can often burn even on a cloudy day in the shade. Here are some tips that you can use to protect your baby from the damaging rays of the sun. What type of sun protection should you choose? Sunscreen acts as a screen absorbing the suns rays, while sunblock does a better job at actually blocking out everything. There is generally no difference between the active ingredients … Continue reading →

Facts About Car Seats that You Probably Don’t Know

While we all know that car seats are an important way of protecting your baby from a fatality, there may be some interesting facts about car seats that you may not know about. Being educating on these facts will allow you to provide the best level of care and safety for your child when on the road. Don’t miss them. Expired car seats The old common knowledge advice was that if a car seat hadn’t been in an accident then it was safe. While most parents know enough not to purchase a car seat online or at a yard sale … Continue reading →

High Chair Safety

High chair accidents occur more frequently than you might think they do. Maybe parents are pretty vigilant about high chair safety when their baby is just starting to use one, but after months (or several children), the safety rules tend to slip. Here is a guide (or a quick reminder) about high chair safety. Use a high chair that follows current safety standards While that antique wooden high chair you saw in a shop or were given by grandma looks lovely, save it as an accent piece in your home to display dolls, plants, old lace, etc. We know a … Continue reading →

Baby Shampoo and Lotions that Contain Carcinogens

If we didn’t have enough to worry about concerning the BPA plastics that hold baby shampoo, baby bath and baby lotion causing developmental issues in our children, now we have to be concerned about the products themselves causing cancer. The report I was recently made aware of through an article posted in the Boston Globe scares me to no end, since we are regular users of some of these products. In fact, my own parents used some of these same products on me throughout my baby hood and childhood. What I thought was gentle and safe for my babies may … Continue reading →