By ShopMOM on Articles, Nursery with 13 Comments

Nursery Feng Shui

<<<<=====Share on Google+ and Like above

Share on Facebook and RETWEET HERE============>>>>
And Comment Below!

Nursery Feng Shui

You’ve probably heard of feng shui, the Chinese system for arrangement and placement of furniture in a room. It’s often used in businesses and homes as a way to create positive energy in your environment. Even if you’ve never used feng shui in your own space, why not consider it for your baby’s room? Feng shui is now making its way into the nursery, and for good reason, too. Feng Shui proposes that by arranging and aligning the room correctly, energy will flow better in the room. Positive energy flow will create an environment to thrive for people of any age, especially a baby.
To maximize the energy in baby’s room, there are several important factors to consider, such as room location, safety, colors, and furniture arrangement. Using feng shui in the nursery will help to make babies less fussy, who will feel more comfortable in their surroundings, and who will be healthy and flourish. What does it take to accomplish this? Following some basic considerations will help both baby and parents create a room that makes them both happy.
First of all, put the baby’s room in a good location. A new baby should have a bedroom that is not over a garage or has an empty space below. The bedroom also shouldn’t be located where there is excessive noise that might keep the baby from sleeping, such as close to a living room where the TV is on, or close to a noisy street or neighbor.
The bed should not be against a window or be directly in line with the door. Make sure the baby does not sleep or is placed against a slanted wall. Avoid placing the baby against a wall that is shared with a bathroom, toilet, storage, or utility-type room. Create good, but soft energy and movement, with mobiles hung close to a window to move gently in the breeze and keep soft music playing in the room.
The baby’s nursery should always be clutter free. Nothing at all should be underneath the crib. Few things should line the walls, keep it minimal. Each night, the dirty diapers should be taken out so a clean, fresh smell circulates. A small air filter can be placed to ensure clean crisp air 24/7.

12 Aug

By ShopMOM on Articles with 1 Comment

Moving to the nursery

<<<<=====Share on Google+ and Like above

Share on Facebook and RETWEET HERE============>>>>
And Comment Below!

Moving to the Nursery

When you bring your new baby home, you probably will have the urge to keep him near you at all times, especially when you (try to!) go to sleep for the night. It makes sense to have a crib or cradle in your bedroom at first, since it will minimize the distance you have to walk to handle nighttime feedings.

You can try moving the baby into his nursery for naps right from the beginning, to try to minimize any trauma or anxiety by moving him into a strange room with new smells and sights when he’s a little older. Sit with him in a rocker or glider and rock him to sleep at first, then move him into his crib.

Later, you can put him in his crib and if he’s fussy or can’t get to sleep, try sitting near the crib for a few nights until he falls asleep. Then move the chair further away for another week or so. Finally, position the chair near the door, so the baby gets used to falling asleep without being right next to you.

It will be hard in the beginning, but if you’re consistent, eventually, you’ll get your baby to the point where he can fall asleep in his own room. Start to establish a nighttime routine, so your baby knows what to expect. A nice, warm bath, followed by changing into soft clean pajamas is a good start. Even a very young baby can be read to at bedtime. You can also sing to him and just talk to him. The sound of your voice is what matters so he feels safe and secure enough to fall asleep. By starting these simple routines early, hopefully you’ll avoid trouble later on trying to move the baby into his nursery and getting him to sleep at a normal time.

12 Aug

By ShopMOM on Articles, Day to Day with 1 Comment

Baby Schedule Adjustment

<<<<=====Share on Google+ and Like above

Share on Facebook and RETWEET HERE============>>>>
And Comment Below!

Baby Schedule Adjustment

There will be days when you bring the new baby home that you think you’ll never get to sleep again. In the meantime, try to get some rest and sleep whenever you can. You will not have a baby sleeping through the night for at least several weeks, but more than likely several months. While she’s adjusting to the schedule of night and day, you won’t be able to sleep through the night until she does.

Until your baby is sleeping through the night, try to sleep when she sleeps. Many new mothers try to do everything at once, and start cleaning or doing the laundry once the baby goes down for a nap. your body is still recovering from childbirth even after several months, adjusting to hormone changes, as well as coping with daily interrupted sleep. You will only make yourself more tired if you try to be supermom, not recuperating while your baby sleeps.

If you can get some help in those first weeks with the cleaning and laundry, by all means, do so. If you can have a friend or relative in to watch the baby for an afternoon while you catch some much-needed sleep, try to take advantage of that whenever you can.

When you’ve been so busy all day with new baby chores, responsibilities, and everything else you have to do to maintain a household, and possibly take care of older children as well, it can be hard to wind down just because everyone else is asleep. Recuperation for yourself is key in order to maintain a healthy environment for both you and your family that relies on you.

Make up some routines to help yourself unwind at night. Take a warm bath – not too hot, hot water can be stimulating – and play some relaxing music. Even if you’re not breastfeeding, avoid caffeine throughout the day and especially at night. Drink water or decaffeinated or herbal tea. Chamomile tea is great for unwinding before bedtime. If foods that have a lot of preservatives or sodium can make you jumpy, try to avoid those as much as possible. Try to eat very natural foods, such as salads, green vegetables, fruits, and warm healthy soups. Try to incorporate vegetables into your favorite foods for a healthier alternative. Fruits and even granola offer a filling and healthier choice for snacking. You will find that welcoming a healthier diet will improve your energy level. Fatty foods and other junk foods make the body sluggish and will leave you with that constant thought of “why am I always so tired?”

As soon as you’re able, try to get out and walk for a little bit each day. The fresh air and moderate exercise will help you and your baby feel relaxed and can help you get to sleep at night.

12 Aug

By ShopMOM on Articles, Nursery with 3 Comments

Nursery Setup

<<<<=====Share on Google+ and Like above

Share on Facebook and RETWEET HERE============>>>>
And Comment Below!

Nursery Setup

The most important part of any nursery is the crib. You want to make it safe and cozy. No matter what type of crib you get, make sure it conforms to all safety guidelines and standards. Make sure the crib mattress fits snugly against the rails, so the baby can’t get wedged between them. You also want to be sure the crib sheet fits snug and tight, nothing loose or bunched up.

Until the baby is at least a year old, you don’t want to use sheets or blankets. A comforter or quilt should be for decoration only in that first year. Make sure the baby’s sleepwear is clean and soft and appropriate for her age and for the weather. You don’t want them too warm or too light, as babies can’t regulate their own body temperatures at first.

The only crib accessory that you want inside the crib when the baby’s sleeping is perhaps a small, foam wedge that you can use to keep the baby from rolling on her stomach. Sleeping on her back or on her side is the position many experts recommend at first.

The sheets should always be fresh and clean; use unscented detergent in case your baby’s sensitive to fragrances.

Keep the room dust-free and the space underneath the crib clutter-free, so it won’t accumulate dust. If your baby’s sensitive to dust, you don’t want to trigger a bout of sneezing and a runny nose at bedtime or naptime.

Make the room and bed sheeting colors soft and restful. Too much color and contrast will stimulate the baby’s vision and keep her alert, just when you want her to wind down for bedtime or a nap. The baby’s room and crib should be soft and inviting places to be. She has busy days – there’s so much to learn and do! The crib needs to be a place that’s calm and restful for her.

12 Aug

By ShopMOM on Articles, Sleep Talk with 4 Comments

Babies Sleeping through the Night

<<<<=====Share on Google+ and Like above

Share on Facebook and RETWEET HERE============>>>>
And Comment Below!

Babies Sleeping through the Night

BY Jean Burns

For the past year, I have constantly been asked how I’ve been able to have my one year old sleep so well. Many of my friends and family members have had struggles getting their babies to sleep and often ask me for good baby sleep tips to help them out.

Like most new moms, I was not very educated on how the supermoms out there got their babies to sleep, so I used the only method I knew how. Night after night, I rocked and hummed and cuddled my son until he was asleep…at least until his first of multiple night time feedings. It is to be expected that newborn sleep patterns leave most parents exhausted but after a while this can become a real struggle. Around the fifth month, I was determined to find anything via baby forums, books, even old home remedies that would teach me how to get a baby to sleep.
I used to think that babies sleeping through the night were somehow mythical creatures. Typically, if you ask a new mom the words baby and sleep don’t usually go together. It’s almost like an unwritten rule that you have to be sleep deprived for months…maybe even a year or more before your child is sleeping through the night. How could it be possible that someone, somewhere had figured out a way to make a baby sleep through the night and I did not know about it?

After trying everything from using calming temple balms, baby massages, forming night time routines, I was at my wits end to find the promise land… night time relief. I began my endless search through baby sleep techniques, though my eyes were blurry from sleep deprivation. Through trial and error, I began to notice small changes in my babies sleep patterns. Eventually, I learned that consistency of his night time routine and creating the right sleep environment added to the mix were priceless tools and I was well on my way to finding the perfect slumber solution. I was so surprised how well my baby responded to very small and simple changes. As if magically, one day all of my prayers had been answered I awakened to find that at last my baby sleeping through the night!!
If you are struggling, walking tiredly into walls, pulling out your hair, simply at your wits end over your baby sleeping through the night, do not give up. Finding the right information is all it takes to literally put your nocturnal nightmares to rest.

Baby forums are great for finding what other moms have tried and failed with and who has found neat little tricks that actually work. Just because one thing worked quickly for someone else’s sleeping baby, does not mean that it will be the same road for you. Try not to become discouraged but hang in there. The process of your baby sleeping through the night is short lived compared to the months of sleepless suffering you could endure if you cut your time too short, too soon. Remember that this is not only a learning process for you, but is a learning process for your baby.
Today, I am lucky enough to have a one year old sleep through the night, take naps, and even bedtime with the babysitter is a breeze. I used techniques that were simple to execute and sustain night after night. Fortunately my achievements…and I do mean achievement with my babies sleep habits have been a great source of inspiration and information for many of my family and friends who found themselves in my sleepy shoes. Luckily for them, I decided to hang in there and got through the process of learning how to get a baby to sleep. Lucky for me, I was well informed and could help their baby sleep and the parents finally had uninterrupted sweet dreams.

12 Aug

By ShopMOM on Articles, Sleep Talk with 1 Comment

Baby Sleeping Tips get your baby sleeping through the night

<<<<=====Share on Google+ and Like above

Share on Facebook and RETWEET HERE============>>>>
And Comment Below!

Baby Sleeping Tips Get Your Baby Sleeping Through the Night

By Jean Burns

Becoming a parent is full of more challenges and lessons that you could ever imagine. After your nine months of pregnancy are over the real work of parenting begins. As your child begins to grow, he is learning and developing all sorts of new skills that are challenging for him as well as you the parent. Finding baby sleeping tips, is an awesome way to stay one step ahead of you’re learning curve. Sure you think about the trials of learning to walk, learning to talk, learning to crawl, but how often does one consider your child learning to sleep? Many parents suffer night after night for months, sometimes years because their child is not a good sleeper, not realizing that this is a skill that must be learned and can in fact be taught. If getting your baby to sleep is an issue there is a great chance that you are overwhelmed and exhausted. This is not only unhealthy for you the parent, but can also be a danger for your baby if you are trying to cope under frustrating conditions. With the use of baby sleeping tips you the parent will inevitably prevent the effects of sleep deprivation such as extreme exhaustion, impaired coordination, blurred vision, and can ultimately lead to more serious health issues due to the weakening of your immune system over time.
In my opinion, there are three main baby sleeping tips that will put you on the road to success when coping with both a tired baby not sleeping and a tired parent. A baby waking at night or one who puts up a little fight when its time to fall asleep is not sending a signal that he is not tired. In most cases of a baby who consistently wakes up through their normal sleep pattern, is more times than none overly tired and is crying out of frustration because he wants relief. Most parents believe it to be the opposite.

Following these three baby sleeping tips are a great first step towards finding peace at bedtime.
The first good baby sleeping tip would definitely be to develop a good sleep routine. Following a sleep routine every night gives your baby something to look forward to and lets them know that it’s time for bed. For example, if you give your baby a bath and read a story every night before bed, after a while your child will learn to expect going to sleep soon after, simply because it is part of the routine. This falls right in line with my second good baby sleeping tip.
Secondly, consistency is perhaps the most important element of developing good baby sleeping habits. Once you have started a nightly routine, or starting developing an appropriate time for bed, etc, it is so important that you stick to the plan. When your baby is doing something on a consistent basis, this teaches him the habits that you would like for him to learn. It can be a difficult task teaching a baby new skills if you repeatedly stop and start. It is understandable that juggling life with a new baby is tiring and sometimes daunting but you cannot allow this to break the consistency of using your new found baby sleeping tips.
My third and final baby sleeping tip is creating a great sleeping environment. Think about your bedroom when you are ready for bed. The room is at the right temperature, you dress in your most comfortable pajamas, dim the lights, and turn off anything that may distract you from falling into a deep sleep such as loud music, laptops you were working on, the television, and such. Just as you create a comfortable and serene sleep environment for yourself, your baby requires the same atmosphere. In addition, any stuffed animals, pillows, loose blankets, and small toys should be removed from the crib to prevent choking or suffocation.
Now it is time to put your new baby sleeping tips to use. Use what you have learned tonight and every night and watch as you will see new changes in how your baby responds at bedtime. Not only can you use your new baby sleep tips at night, but also during the day at naptime. Good luck and sweet dreams!