Solid Foods

Angelina has begun the process of learning to eat solid foods. I started feeding her baby rice cereal about a month ago, and from there we have progressed to bananas and squash. She is getting pretty good at eating it. At first, she would just shove the food back out of her mouth and look at me as if saying, "Why are you doing this to me?" After a little while though, she learned that maybe she kind of liked some of this stuff. She still hasn't mastered the technique of eating solid foods yet, but she's getting there just fine. One funny thing she does is when she's swallowed what she has in her mouth, instead of opening her mouth for more, she usually sticks her tongue out. It makes me laugh every time. But at least we have a signal worked out that lets me know she's ready for the next spoonful. So I think as long as she grows out of the sticking her tongue out when she's ready for more phase, I think we'll be all right. It wouldn't look very good if she's two years old and still sticks out her tongue before she eats more of her food. :-) Peaches is next on our agenda of foods. I think I'm going to begin letting her have juice very shortly, as she will be six months old on Tuesday, the 25th. As I've said before, they really do grow up way too fast!

One thing I have noticed is that Angelina likes to gnaw on her hand. Not just a finger or her thumb, she likes to stick as much of her hand in her mouth as she can. I realize she is beginning the process of teething, and so far, she hasn't been very grumpy over it. On a related matter, I found an article about children who suck their thumbs. I'm sure there are many of you out there who have children that do this, and you're probably wondering if it's all right for them to be doing that or if you should really "lay down the hammer" and make them stop.

Officially, according to the American Dental Association, thumb sucking likely won't cause dental problems if they quit before they get their permanent teeth. Children's permanent teeth generally start coming in around the age of six years old.

Thumb sucking is not an easy habit to break. So getting started earlier rather than later is probably a good idea. First, simply talk to your child. Explain that big kids don't suck their thumbs and that doing it will ruin their pretty teeth. You might want to try putting a bandage on their thumb to remind them. It's also safe, as silly as it sounds, to coat their thumb with lemon juice or one of those bitter solutions sold at pharmacies for this purpose. Some children suck their thumbs in their sleep. If this is the case, you can try putting a sock or mitten on their hand at night.

When you see your child with their thumb out of their mouth, make a big deal out of it. It's all right to offer them a small reward, too. Whatever you do, make it clear that you're not punishing them. If this process really upsets her, it's okay to stop for a while. The same thing applies if there's anything stressful happening in their life at the time (starting a new preschool, a new baby at home, etc.)

If you try this over a period of time and none of it seems to work, your dentist can fit her for a mouthpiece that makes thumb sucking physically impossible. But by all means, before you resort to this measure, just remember - you have plenty of time. This isn't something that's going to change overnight.

And if you have some time, go ahead and click on my WeShipBabyGifts link at the top of my page. Whether you're trying to find a gift for a brand new baby, a baby shower, for the mommy or daddy, or even for twins or triplets...I guarantee WeShipBabyGifts will have exactly what you're looking for. They will even personalize gifts just for that specific little one (or big one-mom or dad). They also have a very easy return policy if what you get maybe wasn't quite what you were looking for. So if nothing else, at least check it out. I'm sure there are many of you trying to figure out what to get a certain little baby (or babies), whether it's your own or someone else's.

Thanks for stopping in!

Why Use Dreft?

Hello again!!

I thought I would discuss the use of Dreft, and other laundry soaps, on your babies' clothes today. I have been using Dreft on Angelina since she was born, and I've been wondering how soon I can switch to regular laundry soap for her clothes. I'm sure there are many of you out there wondering why you shouldn't just use regular laundry detergent on your babies' clothes from Day One. Well, today I'm going to tell you more about Dreft and why it's probably a little better to use it over other laundry detergents (as least for a while after your little one is born).

For one, Dreft has been around for 70 years. This isn't a new product that just came out. The fact alone that it's lasted so long and has continued to remain fairly popular should tell you something all by itself.

One of the reasons Dreft has been around for so long is because it's specifically formulated to help clean tough baby and toddler stains, and it rinses away thoroughly, leaving clothes virtually residue free. And that ensures a gentle, soft feeling against your baby's skin.

Dreft can also be used on all of your family's laundry needs, not just your babies'. It can be especially helpful for a family member who may have very sensitive skin (or skin allergies).

Pediatricians also recommend Dreft for use with baby laundry more than any other laundry detergent out there.

Dreft does not harm or diminish the flame resistance of children's sleepwear. It is, however, discouraged to use any fabric softener on children's sleepwear or other garments labeled as flame resistance. This could reduce flame resistance.

Dreft should generally be used for the first 18 months to 2 years. This will vary, of course, based on your laundry habits and your child's skin type. So I still have a while to use it on Angelina.

I'm sure many of you have seen Ivory Snow advertised or have even seen it in the store. The difference between Dreft and Ivory Snow is simple. Ivory Snow has been formulated for use in the gentle cycle. It is designed primarily for delicate garments such as silks or washable wools. Dreft is the first detergent designed for baby's laundry and is the #1 choice of Pediatricians.

If you're someone who doesn't have a lot of money, like me, it might help to check prices at different stores for Dreft. You may also want to check http://www.brandsaver.com. They often have good deals or rebates available.

Like pretty much every other product out there, you can buy Dreft in stores near you, or you can go ahead and order it online. It's all up to you. I generally just grab some in the store, but there are times (especially when it comes to diapers) when buying things online or in bulk can save you some money.

If you would like to get some samples of Dreft, you can try http://www.brandsaver.com, as well.

Well, that about covers my Dreft posting. Like I said, I'm not telling all of you that you have to use Dreft on your baby's clothes. I'm just saying it doesn't hurt. I have also heard that using Dreft helps reduce the chance of your baby getting skin allergies. Dreft, as you saw above, rinses virtually residue free. This helps prevent the chance of your baby becoming allergic to certain things. When babies are introduced to too much at once when they're so little, they have the tendency to become allergic to some of those things. It's just a precaution, and it's generally worth it for most babies.

I know there's also an All Baby Detergent out there. I have used that before, as well. I use Dreft majority of the time, however. So if you can't afford the Dreft, as I know it is pretty spendy, it's nice to try to get even the cheaper version (like Ivory Snow or All for Babies).

Once you're finished reading my very informative article (wink, wink), go ahead and check out my MiniTots link at the top of my page. They have everything there from high chairs to diaper bags to crib bedding to feeding accessories to...well, you get the picture. Seriously everyone, go ahead and look around the website. I guarantee you'll find something you and your baby could use or maybe just plain and simple want. If it makes you're life easier or makes either of you happier, it's worth it!

Have a great day, everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

MUCH Too Hot for MY Liking!

Hi everybody. I'm sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days. I do have a very good excuse, believe it or not. My weekend hasn't exactly been fun-filled. Well, it actually started off good. I received my new car seat from Mothercare on Friday. And yes, I have a link at the bottom of my page that will take you directly to Mothercare's website if you so desire. Her new car seat is so cute!! Her first car seat was actually a "hand-me-down" from my sister. It got the job done but wasn't very cute. So I decided to go ahead and get her a new one this time. It's wonderful. My brother's wife just had their new little baby, and they're already trying to steal my new car seat. I told them "no"! They can just wait their turn! :-) And Mothercare is a fantastic source for pretty much anything you need for your baby. Just so everyone is clear, I have bought things from each website I have on my page here. I wouldn't post them on my website if I didn't know about them. The quality on all their stuff is great. Not to mention, I don't have very much money. And I have found things from each website that even I could afford for my daughter. Now for those of you who have the money to spend, they have "more expensive" products, as well. I know for a fact I could easily spend $10,000 or more on Angelina. And you just wait. Someday I will have the money to do just that. For now, she gets what she needs and some of what she wants when I can afford it. But luckily, as a baby, they don't really "want" too much...besides lots of love and attention. And I can give that to her.

It got up to 109 degrees here on Saturday, and guess what?!! The air conditioning in my apartment decided to stop working. I (and especially Angelina) could not handle the heat very long. We were out of there once it got up to 82 degrees inside our apartment. I grabbed her and we headed out to my mother's. I called my landlords along the way and informed them of the issue. We were assuming that perhaps it was just too hot outside for the central air to keep up. That's why we didn't call sooner. Well, we were wrong. And the soonest the central air repairman could get to my apartment was Tuesday (today). So it has been a very interesting past few days. We have been bonding with my mom and dad. But the central air is working fine now, and I am back. So I can continue my blog. :-)

This "incident" made me think of a good topic for today: How and Why to Keep your Baby Cool. It is imperative to keep your babies cool. The younger they are, the more important it is. Babies' bodies are not fully capable of cooling themselves like ours are. They're still little and growing. So if you let a baby get too warm, the results could be very dangerous. To protect your babies from the heat (and sun):

1. Dress your baby in light weight, light colored clothing.
2. Apply sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least 30. The higher the SPF, the better.
3. If you are outside with your baby, try to keep them in the shade and out of the sunshine as much as possible.
4. Make sure your baby is consuming plenty of fluids - for a baby, mainly water and milk. Older infants (around six months and up) may consume juices, as well.
5. Keep children inside as much as possible (especially babies one year and under) between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on extremely hot, humid days.
6. Watch carefully for danger signs:
- lack of appetite
- vomiting
- heavy sweating
- muscle cramps
- cold, sweaty skin
7. If your child does show any of these signs, you should:
- have the child rest in a cool place
- keep the child quiet
- give the child lots of fluids
- if symptoms are severe or continue, seek medical attention
8. And remember, children of any age should never be left alone in a car - even if the windows are rolled down.


You should also watch for signs of actual Heat Exhaustion. Here's some common signs of Heat Exhaustion (in children and adults):

- heavy sweating
- nausea
- vomiting
- dizziness
- headaches
- difficulty Breathing
- hyperventilation
- anxiety
- mental Confusion
- fainting
- weak pulse
- pale, clammy skin

If you observe any of these signs, you should immediately:

- get victim out of the heat
- give victim sips of cool water
- loosen victim's clothing
- seek medical attention

If left untreated, a victim of heat exhaustion may suffer heat stroke, which can be fatal.


And last, but certainly not least, watch for signs of an actual heat stroke. They include:

- it comes on suddenly
- body temperature rises to 105 degrees Fahrenheit or more
- victim becomes confused or delirious
- victim stops perspiring and his skin becomes hot, dry and flushed.
- pulse rate increases
- vomiting
- victim becomes unconscious

If you notice your baby/child (or anyone else around you) experiencing any of these signs, you should:

- get victim out of the heat
- seek medical help immediately
- loosen victim's clothing
- apply ice packs to the back of the victim's neck, behind the knees, and under the arms (wherever blood vessels lie close to the skin)
- fan the victim until medical help arrives

I'm sure there are other people out there who have been surviving as well through these oh so hot days. So this information should be very helpful to a lot of you (depending on where you live). Now if you live in Antarctica, you probably won't care too much about this post. :-)

Just remember to have fun, but be safe out there! The heat can be very hazardous to all of us, but children/babies are at an even higher risk.