Find The Best Care For The Ones You Love
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baby furniture
Discover How to Calm a Cranky Baby
Many babies go through a time of crankiness and irritability for many reasons. Hunger, upset stomach, teething, sleepiness and the dreaded colic are the main factors for uncontrollable Tears. As their parent, it’s hard not to feel entirely helpless when we can’t calm our little ones! After a few months of getting to know your baby, each cry will start to queue you in on what is wrong. Just because we know what is wrong doesn’t me we can get Baby to stop crying. Here are some ideas on ways to help pacify your baby when things start going downhill.
Out in Public
Some babies immediately fall asleep when out in public due to the “white noise” effect of all those voices and sounds. Some babies get completely overwhelmed and immediately begin to cry and get agitated with all the sounds and people either at your home or out at a restaurant. When your little one starts crying and you can’t calm her, you might feel pressure and get upset trying not to inconvenience others around you…but remember, babies can also feel your anxiety, so getting yourself stressed can make things even worse. If your baby is secured in her pushchair or car seat, lightly rocking it back and forth simulates a car ride or the feeling of being held and can usually calm them if things haven’t gone too far. One of the most soothing noises for a baby is the “Shhhhhhhhhh…” sound you make like when you’re trying to get someone to be quiet. Don’t say it like a rude “be quiet” it’s meant to be said quietly in baby’s ear to mimick the sounds from in vitro. Quietly make a “Shhhh” sound right next to her and give her the feeling she’s back in the womb. Just keep doing it as long as possible and you will mostly likely get a positive reaction from her that is entirely subconscious.
The Night Owl
Since baby was used to being in a dark place for 9 months, it’s no wonder your little angel might get her days and nights mixed up. This can also happen if your baby suffers from colic. Night time soothing is a catch 22 because on one hand you want to calm her, but on the other hand you don’t want to make her too awake and then struggle putting her back to sleep. White noise machines or soft music is an easy way to get her to hear and focus on something other than her own cries. Fans, dryers, vacuums, and rain effects also recreate white noise as well if you don’t have the actual machine. Another fabulous option that babies love is to tightly swaddle them with a thin flexible baby blanket. Being in the womb, you can’t move or flail your arms. Now that your little one is out, when they move their arms too fast or lay nonbundled on baby furniture like cribs or bassinets, it can give them the feeling they are dropping or have vertigo. Soothing smells like lavender, baby powder, and fresh cotton are also dandy to keep around the room placed in oil or in an outlet capsule. Be sure that these items are removed before baby becomes mobile! The right baby furniture in the nursery is also important. If you get a glider that rocks back and forth you can hold your baby and rock her back to sleep. This will help keep you calm as well, when your baby wakes you from a deep sleep.
Skipping a Nap
If a parent is going to get back to living a normal life, there’s going to be times when your baby will skip a nap. For some babies, skipping naps can throw their whole day into a tailspin. Many parents will feel guilty for forcing their plans onto their little one, but there are great techniques to combat a day out and skipped nap. Its just as important for you to pick your life back up and get out of the house as it is for your child to nap, so don’t have those feelings of guilt when this does happens. If you want to keep your child up until bedtime, but she’s starting to get irritable, try a good old fashion bath. Baths are a good medium to pass the time until it’s bedtime. Only, make this bath more of a massage bath rather than a play time bath to keep her from becoming over-stimulated and too awake. I learned a great idea from my mOther-in-law and it became my daughter’s favorite activity as a baby. Setting your baby’s highchair up at the appropriate age with toys and a little water in her tray provides loads of entertainment. It taught me that out-of-the-box thinking with baby furniture and gear creates fun new ways to play and even soothe your baby.
On The Road Again
So many times while on a plane, things went bad and there was a holdup or mechanical problem when my child was a baby. The first time it happened, she was teething and had diarrhea! We were stuck in the plane on the tarmac in the center of a jumbo thunderstorm that was a downgraded hurricane for two hours! In those two hours, I tried and both failed and succeeded on ways to get her to calm down feeling as bad as she did. My first attempt was to feed her, but with an upset tummy, it was a no go. The “Shhhhhh” worked some, but after the first hour she was done with that as well. That’s when I remembered she had a waterproof baby photo album packed in my diaper bag with a plastic clip on the end. I pulled it out, attached some of her toys to the clip and wet them with cold water. She was immediately drawn to the pictures of her with mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, and even her favorite neighbor. Combine that with rubber toys with cool water on them and she had a teether/entertainment book all in one. Another great option to this is remove CD holder pages and insert photos to it and attach to a car seat tray with the toy bar strewn over it. It’s very comforting for a baby to have photos of loved ones within view and play with toys when you’re in a strange and new environment!
Get what you need: List of Baby Furniture and Baby Gear
Searching online or in stores for baby furniture can definitely be an overwhelming experience! The first time I walked into the local baby store I turned right around and went back home. It’s hard to view the pages and pages or isles and isles of gear all in different prices and options and know just what you’re going to need! Below you’ll find a list of the top 15 baby furniture and baby gear items you will need and a description of each and ways you can use them.
Convertible Crib
We all know what a crib is, but while shopping for one you’re going to quickly realize that it’s not as simple and just walking in and buying the first one you like! The convertible crib is definitely one of the most popular types of baby beds today. And no, that doesn’t mean it has a removable top! Convertible cribs convert into other forms of beds like toddler beds, day beds, twin beds, and even full size beds, so it will stay a bed your child can use through a lifetime. Each convertible crib is different, so be sure to check to see how many ways it can convert and find out if you need to purchase a conversion kit to make the transformation. If extra parts are needed, I’d recommend getting them at the same time you buy the crib.
Changing Table
When I had my first baby I scoffed at getting a changing table in the beginning. Then once she came I immediately ran out and bought one! A changing table can come in many different forms, but the top is always configured to keep your baby secure and safe during clothes or diaper changes. These tables also come with shelves or drawers for storing all your baby’s diapering essentials. Having a changing table simply makes life easier for you as a parent.
Diaper Stacker
This is anOther baby product I ignored, but then realized I definitely needed soon after my baby arrived. A diaper stacker is a decorative way to keep diapers handy during every change. A stacker can store up to 4 dozen newborn diapers and keep them right within arm’s reach of your changer. Who wants to see diapers out in the open or a big diaper box on a shelf, a diaper stacker keeps them hidden out of sight while adding beautiful design to the nursery.
Diaper Pail
Another big surprise for new parents? Your sweet little angel’s diapers are way stinkier than you can imagine! Diaper pails are specially designed to keep smells contained in their unit. Simply throw the dirty diaper in the pail and it’s enclosed in a bag until you fill up the pail and take all of that day’s dirty diapers out to the trash.
Play yard
This is a wonderful piece of baby furniture I used constantly with both my children. It starts as a great baby bed for your new born if you don’t want to co-sleep, but you want her close. I had my play yard right next to my bed for the first month, so my daughter was right there when she woke up. Many come with changers that adhere onto the top, so you have everything you need right at hand. When you travel it folds right up and can go on a plane or car wherever you need it. You can buy a net to go over the top and take it outside with toys and your little one can play outdoors without the worry of bees or mosquitoes biting her. This is a must-have type of baby furniture. No family should live without one of these!
Bouncer
You’re going to have a ball picking out which bouncer you think your baby will love most! A Bouncer is a comfy, small seat that will keep your baby safe and entertained. Do you want a rocker, shaker, lights, music, seat that hangs from the doorway or all of the above? You can get a bouncer with a canopy, some have adapters for iPods and some lock into place and then lay flat for naptimes. These handy items are great to have around and are very fairly priced.
Sling
I used my sling every single day. A sling is a baby carrier that you wrap around your body, keeping baby close and suspended on your front. This will come in handy in so many ways, when you have cleaning to do, when shopping and you need your hands free or when you’re carrying things. Your baby will love cuddling up close to you and you’ll love the convenience.
Travel System
It’s wonderful that the baby furniture and gear market made it easier to shop for the must-have items. The travel system is the infant car seat and stroller together and constructed to attach onto each other. You have your car seat base that attaches in the car and never comes out. The infant seat locks into the base for car rides, then unlocks and attaches onto the stroller once you reach your destination. They are even making diaper bags to add, so your whole travel group matches!
Conversion Kits
This one was mentioned before, but here’s more detail of what these kits do. When you decide what convertible crib you want to buy, most times there are kits that go with it to help you complete the transformation. Some are toddler rails for added security; others are bed rails for a full size or twin bed. Just be sure to read carefully what you need when you get the crib, so you can have it on hand when the time is right.
Convertible Car Seat
Once your child reaches about 30 pounds, she will be ready to graduate from the infant car seat to the convertible car seat. This car seat faces the rear in the beginning, then later on faces the front at a more upright position. Infants are safer at an incline, but as they grow it is much more comfortable and safer for them to be upright in the normal sitting position. This type of car seat comes with a 5-point harness and can support a child up to 65lbs, depending on the model.
Booster Car Seat
When your child graduates from the convertible car seat, she’s still not ready for the actual car seat. The seat belt is attached way too high up and is very uncomfortable unless she is boosted up some. The booster car seat puts her in the perfect position for the seat belt and also for back seat airbags. Some states require a child to be in the booster seat until age 5, 6 or even 7 years of age. When traveling, always check the laws in each state you are driving through.
Receiving blanket
It is easy to get confused about the difference between a baby blanket and a receiving blanket. The receiving blanket is the perfect item for a newborn during sleep time. You use it to swaddle your baby, so she will feel more secure in the crib and in your arms. It simulates the warm and close surroundings of the womb. You’ll be amazed at how long a baby will sleep when swaddled just right!
Co-Sleeper
Many parents love the idea of having their baby sleep with them in bed. It’s definitely easier to have them right within arm’s reach when they wake up crying. Unfortunately many studies have come out that baby’s who sleep in bed with mom and dad have a much higher risk of SIDS than if they have their own space to avoid suffocation risks. Co-sleepers either attach onto your bed or scoot right up to it, keeping baby close yet safe. For moms who had a c-section, the co-sleeper is a wonderful idea, making reaching for baby a much easier task.
Moses Basket
Can’t you just picture how cute your little angel would be all cuddled up in a pretty basket? Moses baskets are literally baskets with small mattresses and cute accent beddings and blankets for your little one to nap in. They love the coziness of being in a small compartment to sleep in (just like mommy’s womb) and parents love the ease of carrying her from room to room, and the novelty of how incredibly cute Baby looks when sleeping in a basket!
Glider
Gliders are similar to rocking chairs except they move with a much more natural gliding motion because of a specialized gliding system underneath. You can even buy the coordinated ottoman that glides along with your glider. New moms love these cushy items almost as much as their babies do! This is one type of baby furniture you can use way past the baby stage!
