Congratulations! You’re a brand new mom! But at some point you may find yourself frustrated and afraid because your baby is crying and you aren’t sure why. You’ve done everything that you can imagine to remedy the situation, yet the baby continues to squall. Not knowing what to do is scary and frustrating.

The first thing you must understand is that crying is how babies communicate. They cry for many reasons, and sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint a cause. Understanding some of the common reasons why a baby cries, and knowing some simple tricks to fix the problem, can go a long way towards relieving your anxiety.

So why do babies cry?

1. They’re Bored. The world is brand new to a baby, but boredom happens. You must realize that newborns are experiencing everything for the first time. They are continually learning, and actually crave stimulation. Everything that they learn helps them to develop.

Providing controlled experiences is a great way to alleviate your baby’s boredom. Baby accessories such as play yards can help. A play yard (like pack’n play) comes equipped with many features intriguing to your new baby. Most even have the ability to play music, which has been shown to increase brain activity.

2. They Have A Stomach Ache. Every mother knows that babies need to be burped to keep their stomach from hurting, but sometimes those gas bubbles settle deep and cause discomfort. It’s also common for babies to get an upset stomach from a weak virus or bacteria.

Here’s a great trick to relieve an upset stomach. Fill a baby bottle with lukewarm water. Drop a star mint (the red ones) into the bottle and let it begin to dissolve. Let the baby drink from this bottle. The peppermint in the candy will soothe the baby’s stomach and allow him to relax. The little bit of sugar is not harmful, and the results are almost instantaneous.

3. They’re Overtired. Babies need a lot of sleep. However, their developing minds are constantly trying to make sense of their surroundings. Because of this, they try to stay awake as much as possible.

Babies don’t need total quiet to sleep. As a baby gets older, they like to hear the noises associated with the home because it makes them feel secure. This is another time when a play yard comes in handy. Play yards are more portable than a traditional crib. You can move them anywhere in the house and place the baby down for a nap. The baby can still hear you and see what you’re doing, so they feel secure enough to sleep.

These are just a few of the common reasons a baby might cry. While most are benign and easily treated, other problems may be harder to remedy. If your baby cries hard and continually, and nothing you do seems to soothe him, consider consulting your pediatrician.

Babies are alert little people, but they are limited in their communication skills. In just a short time, however, you should start associating your baby’s cries with what else is going on around the baby. Once you begin recognizing the causes of your baby’s discomfort, you can take the proper action to quiet the child—and everyone in the home will be much happier. Thankfully, this is a skill that doesn’t take long to master!

As the father of two boys, Richard Freeland learned to deal with crying babies by necessity. New parents will find that an InGenuity play yard (like pack’n play) is a wonderful accessory for keeping their infants safe and secure while offering fun and playful activities to stimulate their minds.

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Knowing what to eat, how much of it to eat, and how to be sure you and your baby are healthy is challenging, but our tips can help you get the essential “low down” on optimal eating during pregnancy.

One of the most challenging things that women face as they get used to the idea of  being pregnant is discovering how to keep themselves and their growing baby as healthy as possible. Naturally, the primary focus is on diet. After all, you could be a very athletic and fit person and yet fail to give your growing baby the proper nutrition because you have a tendency to eat junk food.

You are What you Eat

So, we’ll look at some easy and simple ways to know that you are creating the healthiest pregnancy possible. Even if you are a lady already eating a great diet full of lean protein, fresh fruits and veggies, and keeping things under control where fat, sugar, and sodium are concerned, you can still “tune up” the diet for pregnancy.

This would mean:

Adding more protein – there are amino acids in proteins, and these are the “building blocks” of all of the body’s cells. Obviously, you and your baby need a lot of these and so it is best to consume around 70 grams of lean protein per day (if you are eating optimally before pregnancy you are supposed to consume no more than 45 grams per day);
Paying attention to nutrients – you may be taking pregnancy vitamins suggested by your doctor, but keep in mind that you might also need more folic acid and more iron, among other vitamins and minerals. The NIH (National Institutes for Health) in the U.S. suggests that a woman ensure they get around 400 to 600 mcg of folic acid and around 27 mg of iron (which is up from the 18 mg during non-pregnancy). Food sources are ideal, and supplements should be your secondary method of obtaining these nutrients.
Counting calories – rather than worrying about your calories during pregnancy, you will want to be sure that you are getting more calories per day than you traditionally consume. If, for example, your BMR (basal metabolic rate) requires you to consume 1400 calories per day, bump it up by 300 during the first trimester and by 450 in the second and third.

The Foods to Avoid

In addition to knowing what you should be eating, you also need to understand what you must NOT eat as well. There are the obvious foods and beverages such as alcohol of any kind, but you also want to steer well away from raw fish and seafood, paté or undercooked meat, unpasteurized cheese products, fish that could contain mercury, drinks with caffeine (including coffee and tea), and foods with sulfites and similar preservatives.

The reasons for avoiding these foods are simple – they each contain ingredients that can lead to harm. Raw foods can cause such serious illnesses as listeria and food poisoning, shellfish and seafood can cause problems for developing babies as can alcohol, and caffeine can actually lead to miscarriage, low birth weight, and stillbirth.

Vitamins are Essential

In addition to eating an optimal diet, supplementing with food sources, and avoiding problematic foods, you will want to be absolutely certain that you are ingesting enough nutrients. The simplest way of doing so is to use dietary supplements such as vitamins.

There are prenatal vitamins especially formulated to deliver the most important materials, but only at the appropriate dosage. This means that the last way to optimize the diet is to avoid overdoing anything – including the use of vitamin supplements.

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Playgroups can be great fun for your baby as well as for you, but you need to choose wisely to ensure the group really works well for both of you.

As a guide, a playgroup is a gathering of parents or guardians together with their babies or young children. Normally the group meets up on a regular basis, often once a week, either in the same location or at an arranged venue such as the zoo or in the local park. Playgroups provide a great opportunity to socialise – for the babies this means getting used to interacting with other children their own age, and for the parents these groups offer a chance to chat with another adult which can be invaluable.

There are lots of reasons to join an existing playgroup or even form your own one. The babies are usually close in age and so parents can exchange ideas, normalise things that their baby might be doing, exchange clothes and toys, and more – plus, simply enjoy a cup of tea and a natter while their babies play on the mats that are usually provided.

Even if your baby is young, going to a playgroup provides something new, something to entertain them and keep them occupied. And in the really early weeks, going along to a group gives you the chance to speak with other mums in the area while your baby snoozes or watches from the comfort of your arms. As your baby gets older, he or she will start to take more notice when you go, looking around and gradually beginning to interact with the other babies.

When it comes to finding the right playgroup for you, you might want to consider the following:

Structure

Every playgroup differs in structure, with some being very informal gatherings and others more planned and rigid in format. Think about which one will suit you and your baby best – for example, if you struggle to get to places on time then a more relaxed playgroup where you can drop in at a time that suits you during that morning or afternoon is probably best.

Size

Playgroups vary in size too, and you’ll want to find the size that you prefer. Some are held in big village halls or churches and attract upwards of 20 families, which can be great but also noisy and chaotic. However, other playgroups may only have a few other families and be quieter. It’s a good idea to try a few playgroups and decide what size and atmosphere you take to.

Time

Depending on whether you follow a routine or not, you may need to find a group that meets at a time you can do, and that doesn’t clash with feed or nap times.

Location

Ideally, you should try to find a local group as when the weather’s bad or you’re running late, this will make it much easier for you to get there. Plus, the other parents going are more likely to be local and you could arrange to meet for coffees outside the group also.

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Caroline Dalzell is a regular blogger and mother who writes on a number of interesting topics. She Currently writes on behalf of Baby Pages. Check her out on Google+ now!

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If you want to help your baby begin learning important concepts from an early age, you will need to take several steps to assist them with their development. After all, every baby has the desire to learn about the world around them, but there are certain types of interaction that will ensure that important neuron connections are formed in their brain. By taking the initiative to stimulate their brain when they are still an infant, you can ensure that your child will be ready when it is time for them to go to school. The following activities and products will help stimulate your babies mental development and prepare them for future learning activities.

1) Play Music on a Regular Basis  Research has proven that music stimulates a child mentally and physically, so you should make sure that you introduce them to as many different musical genres as possible. Even if you decide that you would rather not listen to music that has been created specifically for children, you can still help your baby develop by playing music in the background every day.

2) Introduce them to Art  Although most people believe that a baby is too young to learn about art, you can actually start encouraging their creativity as soon as they are able to hold themselves upright in sitting position. As soon as they reach this point, you can begin doing basic art with them, including finger painting. Even though the results will probably be just a mixture of colors, your baby’s imagination will be stimulated, and this will help them with their mental development.

3)  Use a Play Gym  Bright colors mentally stimulate infants, and they also need to have several different items to interact with. You can achieve both of these goals by giving them a play gym, made by brands such as Baby Einstein. As an added bonus, the soft play area is also likely to become one of their favorite places to take a nap.
4) Read to them Every Day If you do not read to your children at least once a day, they will not be in a good position to develop a strong vocabulary and imagination. Therefore, it is essential to make sure that you build a library of age appropriate books. It is also a good idea to buy several cloth books so that your baby can begin safely exploring the pages on their own.

5)Give them Soft Blocks Most child psychologists believe that basic toys such as blocks are the perfect way to introduce a child to concepts such as building and counting, but you will not want to use hard blocks with a young baby. Instead, you can purchase soft blocks that have been specifically designed with infants in mind. By placing the blocks on top of each other, your child will improve their motor skills.
Getting your baby ready for a modern education doesn’t require that you purchase a large quantity of electronic toys. In fact, many psychologists advise against introducing too many of these items to a child below the age of two. Instead, you can use methods that have been proven effective for decades such as reading to them and letting them play with blocks.  

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Author Molly Pearce is also a mother of two and former teacher. writing to encourage parents to introduce the humanities to their children at an early stage. There are a variety of products from Baby Einstein that can do this for babies. Their toys and entertainers provide early exposure to art, music, language, numbers, shapes, and science.

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Even veteran parents have trouble getting out of the door in the morning with all the necessary items. However, there are some tricks that can help prevent stressful exits and emergency trips home. Here is how to make that happen.

The Checklist

Make a customized checklist using your daycare provider’s suggestions. Print your checklist and use it every day to prevent that unscheduled trip home just as you were about to beat the traffic.

These items should be on your list:

• Diapers and wipes: Pack at least eight and up to 10 diapers. This is not too many since with diapers, less is not more. Your daycare may ask you to provide a box of wipes, clearly marked with your baby’s name, and refill it each week.

• Pacifiers: If your baby uses a pacifier, pack several that are clearly marked with your baby’s initials. Pacifiers are easily lost but become essential at nap time.

• Changes of clothes: Pack two changes of clothes as well as zipper-type plastic bags that can hold soiled clothes. Clearly write your baby’s name on the tags.

• Bibs and burp cloths: Pack at least two and label them well.

• Food: Daycare centers have varying bottle policies. Some will add water to pre-measured powdered formula, and some want prepared formula. Some will store bags of frozen breast milk, and some want thawed breast milk stored in bottles. Daycare centers also vary regarding solid food. You may need to include finger food and baby food. Some centers provide meals, some provide bowls and utensils and some use items from home. Do not forget to pack a frozen cold pack with food.

• A notepad and pen: Use this to record replenishment items. For example, if your baby is running low on wipes, make a note. Recognize that things will get lost. When this happens, make a note of lost items and replace them. Check your notepad each night.

The Night Before

Using your customized checklist, pack all non-perishables. Packing the night before is a key to facing the morning with calm confidence. However, not everything can be packed at night, so leave your checklist in a conspicuous place for morning packing.

In the Morning

Perishable items cannot be packed at night, making them the most frequently forgotten items. Unfortunately, perishables are also some of the most important items, and forgetting them will cause you to run late.

To avert this problem, try mentally attaching your keys to refrigerated items. You cannot go anywhere without your keys, so this little trick could save many hours over the years. Try storing your keys in the refrigerator with bottles and food, or leave a sticky note on your keys each night.When you remove the sticky note, you will remember to pack the cold things.

If you create your own customized checklist and use these tips each evening, getting out of the house in the morning should be easier and eventually become an ingrained routine that makes daily living simpler.

Trudy works at The Growing Tree Academy. Located in Houston, Texas The Growing Tree Academy is a childhood daycare center for children ages 6 weeks old to pre-school.

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Hello Ladies and Gents!! This is our next giveaway and it is available in Coral, Mint and Black. You can enter to win one in your favorite color and size! This is a super chic and trendy maternity maxi dress for the season! Wear it with heels or flats – dress it up or down. You can wear this maxi dress during and after your pregnancy as well!
Features:

- Soft, Comfy and Stretchy Fabric

- Cute Strapless/Tube Design

- Chic Color Block Style

- Poly Fabric

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Eco-Friendly Baby Essentials for a Day Out

A day out with baby means thinking ahead to be sure to pack all of the necessities to keep everyone happy, safe, and healthy. With a variety of environmentally-friendly products on the market, your baby can be safe from the elements outside and the materials in everything from food to pushchairs to blankets.

For Parents

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To stay organized and keep everything needed for baby close at hand, consider the weekender bag from Petunia Pickle Bottom. Earth friendly and made of organic material, complete with a removable changing pad, this bag includes water-resistant lining for accidental spills, bottle pockets, and both interior and exterior pockets for convenience.

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For a lightweight, well-built pushchair that keeps baby free from PVC and other toxic materials, consider the Kinderwagen by Naturkind. In a variety of colors and styles, this pushchair packs up small and maneuvers easily for a day out with baby.

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Naturkind makes a variety of products for keeping baby comfortable in travel. For smaller babies, try out the carry cot, made of organic material. Use it as a footbag after 6 months up to age 2.

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Another must for a day out with baby is the Original Collection Baby Carrier from Petunia Pickle Bottom. Made from certified organic cotton, this carrier is designed for babies up to 22 lbs. With a buckle system to keep baby safe and easy machine-washable care, this is another perfect addition to essential baby gear.

Clothes

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With 100% organic cotton, the Sense Organics white knotted hat from Naturalmat is a necessity for keeping baby comfortable with soft, gentle material and protecting sensitive skin.

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Made of 100& Intertek eco-certified organic cotton, these short-sleeved onesies from Layla Grayce keep baby comfortable and safe from harsh chemicals in typical fabrics during a day out. The linen applique can be paired with matching linen pants for a lightweight outfit that keeps baby safe from chemicals in the material and the elements.

Time to Eat!

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With a variety of foods from jarred or fruit pouches to mini pots of vegetables or tray meals, and even drinks, all of the certified organic food you are looking for to have a healthy picnic and happy baby can be found with Hipp organic company.

Playtime

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Organic toys such as Nature’s purest Hug Me Bear Round Rattle baby toy are a perfect addition to the stroller to keep baby entertained and playful during a trip out. Made from organic cotton with no dyes, this toy and is a safe alternative to toxic plastics and harsh chemicals like lead. Find a lot of other wonderful options at The Organic Toy Company and other organic toy specialty stores.

(http://www.bebeco.co.uk/ekmps/shops/nurrayne/images/heimess-clip-on-fabric-book-6488-p[ekm]360×360[ekm].jpg)
Keep baby entertained and learning with a soft, fabric book made from all non-toxic materials from Bebeco. The convenient clip makes attaching easily to prams and cots a snap, keeping the book close to baby.

Having everything you need on hand is a must, and making sure it is all the best possible product for your baby is even more important. These products can help you do just that!

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•  License: Image author owned
•  License: Image author owned
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This article was supplied by Josh Hervall, a baby-care enthusiast and blogger on all things to do with parenting and the environment.

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Throwing a 1st birthday party for your kid? First time? Then you should have it all under control. Sarcasm aside, you need some help if you plan on throwing a stress free 1st birthday party. After all, it is your kid’s first party so it has to be special; however, that doesn’t mean that you have to run around pulling out your hair in order to give them the best one. There are many tips that you can use  to ensure that you have a stress free birthday party. Your child will be able to enjoy the best of their 1st party and you will be able to sit back and enjoy it with them.

• Keep Things Short – Who said that you had to have a long party in order to enjoy it? It is a myth that a longer party is a better party. When your child gets a little older and they are able to spend time playing with their friends, then length of party should be factored in. For now, keep the party to about an hour. After all, the most you are going to do is eat cake and open presents anyway.

• Bring In The Nanny – If you have a nanny or a regular babysitter, pay them to be at the party. First, your child will love this as they are used to them. The party will be full of excitement for them, especially with so many faces that they do not see every day, which is why it is good to have this familiar face. In addition, they will be there in their capacity so they can help when needed. Changing diapers, cleaning  up messes, and anything else that may distract you from the party can be handled with the help of the nanny or babysitter so you will have more time to focus on the fun.

• Divide Up The Work – Everyone is excited about a child’s 1st birthday party. Did someone say, “Grandparents?” Use everyone to your advantage and have them chip in. You do not need to do everything on your own. Trust me, your child will forgive you if you ask for a little help. Have someone pick up the cake and food for you. See if someone is willing to send out invitations. Anything that you can delegate is going to help you relax a little more as the party gets closer. Work smarter, not harder. Believe me, everyone will want to chip in if they can as most of them have pulled their hair out at their own child’s 1st party.

• Do NOT Take Your Own Photos – Keeping up with the “divide up the work” philosophy, make sure that you have someone else take the photos. In fact, you can hire a professional photographer, but I suggest saving money and having a friend or family member do it. In fact, assign this to 2 different people so that you will get a variety of shots from different angles and you will have a backup in case one of your new photographers messes up and deletes their pictures (happens to the best of us).

The above are only a few tips to keep in mind to help you plan a stress free 1st birthday. The hard part is now determining the different activities, presents, and cake to get for the party. Of course this will all depend on if you are throwing parties for boys or going with girls’ birthday parties. Either way, you should be focusing on the fun that you will have at the party as opposed to stressing out organizing the running the party. Hopefully these tips will help you make it through.

Robert Walker is a freelance writer covering a variety of topics including activities for kids as well as parenting advice.

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Our society is an incredibly busy one. You have so much to do in building up a career when you’re young, you don’t always have the ability to focus on raising children until later in life. This is a problem since on one hand; it would be irresponsible to bring children into the world before you’re ready financially, emotionally, and so on. But on the other hand, there can be serious problems with having children when you’re older. If this is unavoidable, there are fortunately plenty of things you can do make sure that you still have a good chance of having children even if you aren’t ready to start until after you’re 40.

Stay Fit with Sports

There’s a modern concept that’s come into the popular consciousness lately that has to do with the difference between how old you are chronologically and how “old” your body is. There are things that you can do to keep your body young even though it’s been around for a longer amount of time. One of these things is to keep it as fit as possible by engaging in physical activity.

Sports can be a great way to do that. After all, the most important thing about exercising is that you keep doing it consistently. And if you enjoy playing baseball, basketball, or whatever else, then you’ll be a lot more likely to keep doing it.

If you keep your body fit you’ll help keep your sperm count up around where it should be, even if you happen to be an older man.

Freeze Sperm

One unconventional approach to the problem is to freeze your sperm when you’re younger. That way, you can use it later on when you’re ready, and you don’t have to take the risk of introducing problems due to using sperm from someone over 40. For example, there’s apparently a nearly 6 fold increase in the risk of having an autistic child if you try to have a child using sperm from a man over 40. Men who are over 35 who try to have children with a woman who is also over 35 will increase their chances of having a child with Down’s syndrome significantly as well. So, one way of thinking is that there’s no sense in even taking the chance. If you use a sperm bank while young, then you’re set.

Plan for Children Faster

Another approach is just to accept that you can’t wait too long. This isn’t a viable option if you’re already older, of course. But if you make the decision to have children early in life, then you can make sure the finances work out at an earlier date, before you hit 35, for example. The quicker you begin the planning process, the more time you’ll have to iron out any possible kinks in it. This may take some financial sacrifice, but it can definitely be worth it when you’re holding your son or daughter.

Dealing with the troubles of fitting children into our busy schedules can be difficult, but parenthood is ultimately rewarding enough to be worth the effort.

Writer Biography

This is a guest post by Lindsey Mcmahon. Her interests are entertainment, television, parenting and health but she is constantly extending her field of view to incorporate interesting news suggested to her by her readers. 

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Just like adults, children also need to socialize. Your children will benefit incredibly if you allow them to socialize with other children at a young age. There are several benefits of bringing your child to a playgroup. Here’s why you should consider them for your children too.

Qualified Staff
There is nothing more reassuring for a parent than to know that their child is in good, safe, caring hands. Most playgroups are run by responsible parents themselves. Professional playgroups are run by highly trained professionals who have education in child development and child protection. You may choose a playgroup where enhanced disclosures are encouraged. This way, you will be sure that the staff is professional and of high quality.

Socialization
Your child needs to learn about co-existing with others. This one of the most important thing they need to learn to live in today’s society. This means they should be able to play and share their things with others. A playgroup essentially helps your child socialize with others at a young age. This is a great experience for them. As they grow, they will feel more comfortable with people around them and will be able to make friends with much greater ease.

Your Child Learns Rules
When you leave your children in a playgroup, they aren’t just out of your hair, they are learning important life lessons. The playgroup is the first school outside of the family for most children. When in a playgroup, children learn to follow simple rules. They also learn to understand their boundaries and learn appropriate behaviour with other kids. This can be a significant learning experience for them, especially if they do not have siblings at home. These learning will not only benefit your child, but will also be great help for you when you the child is at home.

Time for Yourself
Not only a playgroup can be extremely advantageous for your child, but it can also be a great break for you. Parents with young children often get harangued and are time poor. The result is, they are over stressed and unable to take time for themselves. Being able to send your toddlers to a play group will free some of your time that you can use for yourself. You can for example have more time to go to the hair dresser, see your friends or even catch up on your house keeping activities.

Parental Input is Allowed and Even Welcomed
Most playgroups are eager for feedback. If you feel there is some way in which the playgroup could be better, all you have to do is share your suggestions with the management or the proprietors and they will certainly consider your suggestions. This is a great way to ensure there is constant communication between the parents and the playgroup management. If you wish, you could even volunteer your services to the playgroup or get other parents involved. Different playgroups have different rules for such involvement, so make sure you discuss it with the management first.

Mike is a father of 2 with a strong interest in parenting and child development. Over the last 4 years, Mike has been blogging and posted numerous article on child entertainment, edcuational activities. Mike is also a regular toys blogger, who has reviewed a large range of toys including Lego, Little tikes and more.

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