bebestages

If this is your first child, then you're probably not familiar with the whole teething issue your little one has to endure.
We've compiled a short list of helpful tips to guide you along the way
A frozen version of your little ones favorite fruits (i.e., bananas, apples, pears), just be sure to thaw slightly before serving to avoid front bite.
Toasted waffles
frozen or non-frozen bagel
frozen washcloth

I am proud to announce the birth of Claudia Rose Gallagher, Born July 28th 7.30am. 6lbs 8oz 19.5 inches long. I'm so happy for my sister, this is her second child, she has a wonderful little boy noah who is 2.5 years old. Congratulations to the Gallagher Family!

We've all heard about giving baby massages. But what they don't tell us is that not all babies love these massages. It's easy to do this with a newborn infant. You can easily keep them still because hey they just don't squirm very much. But once they learn how to flip, wiggle and squeal its all down hill from there. My advice to you is to be sure to start early and be consistent, if there are used to this routine than you should have no issues but if you're the type that doesn't get to always indulge your infant in this routine than they just won't be interested later on. Take it from me, I learned the hard way.

-Before you begin make sure you are in a quiet relaxed location in your home. Dim the lights and put on some classical music.
-Massage in a warm place on a nice comfy soft blanket
-Remove babies clothing and cover with a soft towel or light blanket the area you will not be focusing on yet
-No need to spend tons of money on oils and lotions, just as long as the smell is relaxing and doesn't contain tons of perfume
-Begin with feet and work your way up

Having a newborn around can be a really scary time, especially when things don’t go as perfect as you imagined. When we had our daughter Paige, we decided we were going to breastfeed and formula feed to make it a little easier. Well no one told me of the consequences that could occur when you do this. The breastmilk and formula combination can do more harm then you imagine in the first few weeks. I realized something was wrong the second night we were home and I decided to give Paige a bottle of formula. After she downed a complete 4 oz. I began to burp her, after the long burping session she began to projectile all of her formula and I had no idea what to do. Thank goodness I had some knowledge on acid reflux in newborns, and when I called her pediatrician this is exactly what they said it sounded like. What I noticed though was that she never spit up when I breastfed, but unfortunately I was not producing much and couldn’t solely breastfeed. I was given a number of things to do with Paige after she would eat.
• Burp after every ½ oz
• Feed small quantities and give more feedings to make up for it
• Sit her upright after her bottles for at least 45 minutes
I did it all and she still spit it all up. I was given a prescription medicine to give to her, which of course I tasted first and couldn’t bare to give this to my baby. So I decided to keep searching for a cure with out the meds.
The Dr. tried to console me when I told him how much she was spitting up and he tried to explain to me that it probably looked like more than it really was, but I knew she was spitting up more than half her bottle every time she ate.
When she was about 3 months old and I had exhausted all types of formula brands I decided to try a lactose free formula. Low and behold she never spit up again! When I explained this to the Dr. I was told she wasn’t lactose intolerant and it happened to be a coincidence. Well I kept my mouth shut and continued feeding her lactose free formula until we were to introduce whole milk. I started with the lactose free and little by little brought regular whole milk back into her diet.
So really what I’m getting at with this story is that Doctor’s don’t always have the right answer and sometimes you have to go with your mommy instinct and do what you think is right.

A moms advice on acid reflux and lactose intolerance

• A few weeks before baby is due make sure you take care of all chores as possible, clean the things you have been meaning to clean. Ask someone to help or higher a maid service
• Wash all baby cloths
• Assistance at home with chores for at least the first couple of weeks is a BIG help. Accept the help that others offer
• Make to-do list for primary support person while you are in the hospital
• Prepare dinners for a few weeks and freeze what you can. If you are having guests over the first week or two, ask them to bring a dish so that you don’t have to cook

* Sneezing
* Hiccups
* Startle Response
* Urinary Status: Boys and Girls may sometimes have small amount of pinkish discharge which may be found in a wet diaper during the first few days
* Temporary crossed eyes: due to immature musculature of eyes
* Spitting up: Occasional spitting up is normal, burp baby before and after feedings
* Cold hands and feet: sometimes slightly blue due to immature circulatory system. Massage them to warm them
* Swollen breasts or swollen vaginal labia: temporary due to increase in maternal hormones
* Rash: due to sensitive skin, if rash persists contact doctor
* Crying: crying is normal

* Always wash hands before handling baby
* Baths: Sponge baths only until cord falls off. Wash baby from head to toe, water should be warm to touch. For BOYS - No tub bath until circumcision heals (about 1 week)
* Shampoo hair at least twice weekly and brush hair twice a day with infant brush
* Clean eyes with cotton balls and water once a day, be sure to use different cotton balls for each eye
* Clean outer ears with wash cloth NEVER clean with Q-tips
* Keep nails trim, use nail files to keep trip if you are afraid to use nail clipper or baby moves a lot. It’s easiest to cut nails when baby is asleep
* Umbilical cord: cord will fall off 7-14 days. Clean with alcohol with each diaper change. Keep clothing above navel and diaper below until cord has fallen off
* Diaper changing’s: be sure you use wet cloths for the first few weeks, wipes can irritate skin the first few weeks.

Baby Showers for the parents-to-be
Who throws the shower? 
Anyone except the expectant couple, any relative, close friend, or close co-worker should feel perfectly okay about planning a baby shower. You’ll be surprised about who wants to join in the planning. This is a fun and exciting time for everyone.
When should the shower be held? 
Most baby showers are held before the baby is born. Any time after conception is fine. Some traditions believe it is bad luck to throw a shower before the baby is born, but that’s completely up to the expectant parents. In some ways a shower will make it finally seem real. But of course nothing is real until you hold the little one in your arms.
Check with the parents – to – be on a few dates they would be happy with, this way they can prepare in advance for a nice surprise and keep their calendars open. It’s also appropriate to check with siblings and grandparents-to-be to make sure they are available on the dates you’ve held open. Nothing is more frustrating then having to change dates around after you’ve settled out your venue.
Who should be invited? 
If you're hosting the shower, you may have some ideas about the guest list, but it's best to check with parents – to - be before finalizing your list. That way you avoid leaving out someone important or inviting someone the mom (or dad) would rather not include.
Jack and Jill parties are growing more and more popular. Why leave the dad – to – be out? He is a big part of this whole baby thing…
Subsequent baby deserves to be celebrated too; the guest list is usually made up of close friends and family. You may or may not have a registry list, but indeed this list won’t be as extensive as the first.

When do the invitations go out? 
Plan to send invitations out early enough to give the guests at least a few weeks' notice, not to early not too late. Normally 4 weeks before the event is more than enough time. It gives you just enough time to get the final list of acceptances and doesn’t give much time for those invited to forget.