Babies Blog

If you have had a baby and are or have breastfed than you will be able to appreciate the challenges that await the mom that chooses this method. One of those challenges is finding clothing that not only allows moma to convieniently feed her baby but clothing that lets her look and feel good about herself. That is where having a collection of stylish nursing tank tops comes in quite handy. These are fantastic pieces that every breastfeeding mother should take a look at.

Breastfeeding tops are a great addition to the nursing mother’s wardrobe and these tops will make your life as a nursing mother a bit easier and a lots more fashionable! Cool right? You bet! The particular brand that is my favorite is the nursing tank top line from Comfy Kangaroo, which is generally considered to have the best functioning and most comfortable nursing bra tank top combos available. Reguardless of your color preferences this collection from Comfy Kangaroo has something for you. You can’t miss!

About now you might be wondering just how these tops work. Alright I’ll fill you in. Ususally you would wear the top in combination with a nursing bra (which is included when you buy the Comfy Kangaroo tops), but you don’t have too. They work just fine with no bra at all as well. Each side of the top has the ability to unstrap and fold down allowing you to nurse your baby. What a great option! The best part is that you can’t even tell the difference between this style tank top and a normal, non-nursing tank top. They’re really great.

So what are you waiting for, go and get yourself some cute tops for breastfeeding! The selections offered by Comfy Kangaroo are really neat (the best in my opinion), but there are other options you might like as well. Be creative and you will be able to find lots of great clothing and accessories to add to your nursing wardrobe.

Remember to check out the Comfy Kangaroo lineup of nursing tank top. You won’t be sorry and you will look very chic. Good luck with your newborns and remember just because you are nursing you can still be fashionable!

If you are like most parents you are always looking for a good babysitter. Great babysitters can be so hard to find that many parents don’t even like to give out the names of reliable sitters they have found (to their best friends even!) for fear of them not being available the next time they need a sitter for their own child.

A good sitter is invaluable to parents as they allow you as parents to have some time off from parenting to enjoy a bit of a social life. This article is here to assist with finding the right care provider for Baby by discussing some of the key qualities to identify the right person for you and your child.

Keys Points To Remember When Qualifying Prospective Babysitters:

1.) Is this person reliable? Whomever you decide to add to your list needs to be reliable and not have an excuse for why they are unavailable 4 out of 5 times you request their services. Now of course it would be courteous on your part to provide a few days notice prior to needing their services, however, sometimes you need a sitter and have little advanced warning. Will they be able to accommodate you in some of these circumstances? Of course this is also why it is wise to have more than one name on your list of potential babysitters.

2.) Do they have your child’s best interest at heart? Of course you need a sitter that is not afraid to lay down the law with the kids, but you also don’t want an individual that is only interested in getting paid and won’t really care about your kid as an individual. They need to take a genuine interest in your child and perhaps do some activities they both find entertaining not just stick them in front of the television all the time and every time they sit for you.

3.) Are they old enough for your situation? You may not be comfortable with the 12 year old neighbor’s daughter watching your infant. Totally understandable and you do not need to feel guilty about this at all. Just be honest with them and they and their parents should understand completely.

4.) Do they have references? Even if it is a neighbor’s daughter watching your child it is still a very good idea to ask for some references you can contact to evaluate the qualifications of your potential babysitter.

5.) Are they punctual? It won’t do you much good if you have a meeting to get to or a movie to catch and your sitter is nowhere to be found. Be sure your prospect has a good track record with being on time and at the very least calling if they are running behind.

6.) Are you comfortable with only female sitters? It’s ok if this is the case. It is your child after all and you need to be 100% comfortable with the person you choose to baby-sit for your children or you will spend your hard earned time off worrying about the kids (which is natural by the way!) instead of enjoying yourself.

7.) How much do they charge? Depending on your circumstances and needs in a care giver for your child, you will need to determine a price range that you are willing to pay for babysitter services. If you need a sitter that is acting more like a nanny expect to pay much more than a 14 year old that is doing babysitting for some extra cash.

How about online babysitter services?

All of that being said, an option that many parents are taking advantage of is online babysitting services. I will be doing an article soon that focuses on these services and why so many parents are turning to them. Basically it comes down to convenience, among other things.

One of the best and well known online sitter services is Care.com. It is relatively inexpensive to signup and once you have you simply enter your zip code and then have are able to view hundreds of qualified sitters in your area, including pictures of the prospective babysitter. Check them out I’ve used them for quite a while now and it’s a great service!

Good luck finding your next babysitter!

How many new mothers have felt the frustration of still not being able to wear those cute tops you used to wear as well as other clothes even after baby has been born? Almost all of us. With a nursing tank top you can reclaim at least one element of your former wardrobe, namely cute tops! These tops are so neat and you would never know that they were specifically designed for nursing baby. They feature a hidden flap that allows a mother who is breastfeeding to conveniently feed their infant without removing or stretching the tank top.

So what nursing tank top is right for you?

By far the most popular brand of breastfeeding tops is made by Comfy Kangaroo. The Comfy Kangaroo tops are made to be worn with or without a nursing bra and they have a great deal where you can order 2 tops and a bra for only $35. That’s a bargain. You can also order a single top that comes with the nursing bra for only $19.

Why are the Comfy Kangaroo nursing bra tank top combos so popular? Easy. They do exactly what they are suppose to do and they do it well, they are extremely comfortable, very affordable, and they look fantastic! There are certainly other nursing tank tops out there. Some of these other brands cost less and some cost more. None of these other brands have the loyalty that Comfy Kangaroo has with their customers. Put simply - They Rock!

Below I have included pictures of some of the more popular breastfeeding tops available from Comfy Kangaroo. If you click on any of the images you will be taken to their page where you can get more details or purchase one for yourself.

Here are some of the combos available as well as pricing (don’t forget they have singles as well for only $19):

Comfy K Nursing Dark Kit (Includes Two Tanks and Nursing Bra)	Comfy K Nursing Light Kit (Includes Two Tanks and Nursing Bra)
Comfy K Nursing Light Blue Kit (Includes Two Tanks and Nursing Bra)	Comfy K Nursing Pink Kit (Includes Two Tanks and Nursing Bra)

Remember you can still be chic and wear breastfeeding tops!

Just because you are breastfeeding doesn’t mean you can’t still have great style in your wardrobe. Look around and you will find some fantastic additions for your breastfeeding-clothing wardrobe and if you are in the market for a nursing tank top you can’t go wrong with the fashionable nursing bra tank top selections from Comfy Kangaroo!

If you are still looking for some more info on maternity and nursing clothing you might be interested in this article at babygeartoday.com. They have some great reviews you could find very helpful.

Good Luck!

Many parents enjoy playing music for their unborn child. So does your prenatal baby hear the songs you are playing for them? Researchers in Hungary believe that the answer is a resounding YES. From Mozart to Metallica your baby does indeed hear what you are playing.

What Your Baby Hears & How It Could Help Doctors

Apparently, even at such a young age your child’s brain has the ability to register rhythmic patterns. Changes in beat and melody are all picked up by your baby even when fast asleep, and they do it automatically. This is all according to a recently released study by The Hungarian Academy of Sciences, coordinated by Dr. Susan Denham, of Plymouth University. When researchers conducted their experiment they could tell whether or not the unborn baby was able to recognize when key beats were missing by observing changes in brain activity.

Why is this good news? Among other things, the ability to recognize musical beats and patterns could help doctors to diagnose potential cognitive disorders in babies before they are born. This type of careful prenatal screening and diagnosis could allow doctors to treat potential developmental issues early on before your baby is even born. Dr Denham also believes that by exposing your child to music at this stage of life will make your toddler more perceptive of rhythmic speech patterns that will assist in developing language skills.

This study seems to validate something that many parents felt they already knew about early childhood development. So sing to your unborn child and play them lots of beautiful music. They are definitely listening to the world around them and what better world than one filled with music!

Where To Find More Info

If you would like to find out more information related to this study you may want to visit the University Of Plymouth page on this prenatal study.

Now for the most ridiculous item of the day. You may want to wear a helmet to the next baby shower you attend. The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that a husband and wife are being charged for their part in a fight at a baby shower that left one woman unconscious. The woman, 40 years old, attacked another woman, a neighbor, with a shovel while the attacker’s 35 year old husband grabbed a shotgun out of his truck and swung it at the crowd. Both have been charged by police with third-degree felony aggravated assault. The husband has also been charged with resisting arrest.

Unbelievable, you just can’t make this stuff up. This woman is lucky she is only being charged with aggravated assault and not attempted murder (which she probably should be).

According to an eFlux Media article by Alice Carver on autism , The National Institute on Mental Health or NIHM has decided not to move forward with an autism study that proposed mercury in children’s vaccines was a cause of autism. The main goal of the proposed study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a controversial treatment called Chelation Therapy.

Read the main article from eFlux and the Wikipedia article I linked above for more info.

Let’s find out how indispensable the furniture baby changing table is and how having a convenient place to change dirty diapers is essential. You will, of course, also want a contoured changing pad to use with the changing station. Now where to put it? This spot could be in baby’s nursery, it could be in one of your bathrooms, it could even be in the corner of the living room. Just pick a place that is convenient and easily accessible. Let’s face it, babies always need changing; and what many parents decide is that having a dedicated piece of furniture for changing baby is not only a good option, it’s a requirement.

Why do I need a diaper table or a combo changing table dresser that’s main use is to change my baby’s diapers? Well, let’s look at some of the benefits:

The Three C’s:

1.) Convenience

Diaper stations are very convenient, especially the combo changing table dresser designs. When baby needs to have a diaper changed it’s VERY convenient to have everything you need available to you in one location. Baby wipes - they’re in there. Baby powder - it’s in there. Fresh diaper - of course it’s in there! Diaper disposal - it’s in there or right beside there. And of course the obvious: the perfect changing surface for changing baby into his/her clean diaper. Fast and easy.

2.) Consistency

The furniture baby changing table will help bring Consistency and organization to the dirty diaper routine. Everyone knows right where we are going when baby needs get cleaned up. No we are not going to change baby on the kitchen counter. No we are not going to change baby on the bathroom vanity top. No we will not even change baby on the TV room coffee table! We will go to the same spot in the house each time baby needs to be changed. Mommy knows where we are going. Daddy knows where we are going. Baby knows where we are going. Consistency

3.) Cleanliness

Your diaper station, along with the contoured changing pad on top that you set baby on (preferably with a removable cover), makes the whole process of changing your toddler neater not to mention keeping the house cleaner and less cluttered. Also because you have everything you need at your fingertips it is quick and easy to keep baby as clean and comfortable as possible.

What Are My Options For Diaper Changing Furniture?

Now that we have gone over some of the benefits of having the changing station let’s look at some of the different options and manufactures. I will start on the high end of the scale and work down to more moderately priced items:

Jonti-Craft Diaper Changer Combos

The diaper changer combos from Jonti-Craft are incredible. As far as a furniture baby changing table goes, these are the Cadillac of diaper stations. Jonti-Craft has over 30 different styles and arrangements you may pick from which include different setups, colors and stain options. They certainly are not cheap, however with the additional storage and convenient features that they provide you will wonder how you ever did without.

DaVinci Diaper Changer Furniture

Offering many different combo changing table dresser styles, DaVinci is a brand people trust. There are over 15 different models available, some non dresser styles, with all being under $300 and some even below $100. DaVinci has a great name in baby furniture and you know that you are buying a high quality product that will last for generations.

Stork Craft Baby Changing Tables

Stork Craft offers a line of diaper stations that are affordable, beautiful and provide the perfect base for the contoured changing pad. You have 13 stations to choose from offering many different stained and natural finishes as well solid color styles also. These classic wood changers are a great addition to any nursery.

Badger Basket Corner Changers

Badger Basket makes unique, economic baby furniture including corner stations like the one pictured. They also offer more traditional styles of changers, all of them quite stylish and moderately priced. Have a look.

Wrapping Up

What I have listed above are my favorite picks for changing furniture. Didn’t find what you were looking for? Have a look here at more than 300 different changer table types available, including wrought iron changers as well as other baby chic and more modern options. Hopefully you are able to find something you like that suits you needs as well as your homes decor.

Looking for some more info? Babies Own Room has a great article that touches on safety considerations when choosing a changing table, and check out Curtis and Kristina Callaway’s site with videos that show how much their little guy loves his changing table.

Looking for some free sewing projects related to baby? I have you covered. I have put together a list of projects most with patterns and one or two without that are all free(if they don’t include a pattern you shouldn’t need it anyway). Take a look and hopefully you will find something that will interest you. All of the links will take you directly to the page that has the free sewing project details. Enjoy.

Burp Cloths

You will love this baby burping cloth pattern and instructions from Newconceptions.com. Very well laid out sewing pattern and instructions. Easy to follow.

Jill has a great tutorial for making cute burp cloths for baby. A printable pattern is included on the page, although she notes that it is not to scale (you could always resize it if need be).

Bibs And More Bibs!

Poopockets.com has an excellent page for with three different bib patterns and projects details for baby. The patterns provided are fantastic and very detailed. There instructions are great and easy to follow.

There is an adorable bib project on Martha Stewart’s site you can’t help but love. This includes the bib pattern and instructions as well as a helpful video. Be sure and read the comments at the bottom of the page as apparently there is one step missing from the main directions (it’s nothing big, just read the first comment).

Barbara Hutcheson has a neat design that uses ordinary dish towels with patterns on them to make some cute tea towel bibs. You don’t really need a pattern for this one, just follow the directions and it’s pretty easy.

Diapers And Wipes Cases

Jan Andrea’s diaper case pattern is apparently popular enough to have people copying it and selling it on eBay. Go and view the original pattern and instructions (it really is fantastic!) and give Jan here due credit.

Here is another very useful item from Jan Andrea that she calls the Breastfeeder’s Diaper Bag/Purse. This sewing project also includes very detailed and easy to follow patterns and instructions. Jan created this design because she was looking for a bag (diaper or otherwise) that was smaller than the ordinary baby bag yet had more pockets for things like mommy’s personal items. Give it a look, it’s great for those short outings!

Newborn Sleepers

Touchinglittlelives.org has a great sleeper for your infant complete with detailed patterns that you may download for free. It is just adorable, you’ll love it.

I know I said free at the top of the article and all of the references that I provided so far are 100% FREE thanks to the great people that have provided them on the sites that I have linked to. Here is another resource that might be of interest to you if you are looking for more ideas for sewing patterns for baby.

Please feel free to leave a comment and include a link to your favorite sewing patterns for baby, please make sure it is free.

Support pillows provide assistance for mommy and baby in more ways than one. By design, these types of pillows help with baby’s development as well as saving you from painful back, arm and neck muscle strains. Infant pillow supports are usually designed in a u-shape however there are many different types, shapes and uses. The typical u-shaped design provides support for your toddler’s neck and head while wrapping around mommy’s waist.

You can find a great selection of infant pillow supports here including all of the most popular brands, such as Boppy, as well as less expensive alternatives. All of the different pillow types I describe below are available there.

Here are some of the different uses and types of infant support pillows:

Support For Baby While Nursing

There have been ergonomic studies done showing that the support provided by nursing pillows can dramatically reduce the stress on your arms and neck as well as your shoulders. An infant support pillow can be invaluable to you wether bottle feeding or nursing. So how do they work? Typically the pillow sits on mommy’s lap with baby supported by the pillow. Most feeding positions are compatible with these types of pillows and mothers that use them swear by them.

Assisting With Baby’s Development

With the help of a pillow for support baby can practice sitting while having a comforting cushion for a safety net. These types of pillow supports are great for helping baby to develop lower muscles and coordination so that they can learn to sit on their own. Baby can turn, move around and reach for things without fear of falling and injury.

Total Support Pillows

The snuggly cushion design allows your toddler the freedom to move around while being completely supported. This type of cushion will encourage body awareness development in your infant through the position taken by their body while being supported by this style pillow.

Convertible Infant Pillows

Some of the support pillows available are not restricted to a single shape and are able to provide even more functionality by transforming into different shapes for different situations. An example of this type of pillow is the Leachco Back’n Shape Support Pillow. This style gives support to mommy both during and after pregnancy. Also it can function as a nursing pillow.

Rose C. Foster’s Weblog has a great article titled ‘Baby Care Nursing Pillows: A True Must-Have For Moms’. Rose has some really helpful info to share on pillow support while nursing.

We are always looking for different craft activities for baby. Toddlers loves to play and it can be a challenge to fine the right craft activities to keep them entertained. We have found that printable crafts are a great way satisfy baby’s appetite for learning and play.

Making cutouts with safety scissors as well as crayon drawings and projects using glue will help to get your toddler ready for school. Do activities that involve pouring as well. Pouring helps your baby to develop coordination skills that will help them develop their writing skills later on.

You can find some fantastic printable toddler crafts here. Take a look at the printable craft activites for your toddler at that link and I am sure you will find something that both you and baby can enjoy together.

If you want some more info visit Healthy Pregnancy’s blog post on toddler crafts and activities. They have some great ideas for fun and exciting things to do with baby when their bored.