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Extreme crying and colic. Those words seem to strike fear in every mother to be. Why are mothers in western culture so afraid of a supposed common problem, one which babies in other cultures seldom, if ever experience?

First let’s define it:

An infant between 2 weeks and 4 months of age with bouts of crying that occur 3 times a week for greater than 3 hours a day and lasting 3 weeks.

Now, some baby colic symptoms:

• Excessive crying and the appearance of being in pain.
• Crying may be sudden and last for greater than 15 minutes.
• Difficulty consoling infant.
• Poor sleeper.
• Acts like they are starving, will then suck vigorously for a few seconds, only to spit the nipple out and scream.
• Passes a lot of gas.

Colic is hard to pin-point and difficult to treat with western medicine. I know how difficult colic in an infant can be. I am not a medical doctor and I cannot cure colic. I am a mother of two and have dealt with a majority of the issues I cover in my parenting articles. I don’t know if your baby has what is termed “colic”. But I know you are concerned about your baby and I want to give you some ideas, mother to mother (or father!).

You’re imagination is a beautiful place, let’s start there:

Indigenous, primitive, native, hunter-gatherer societies. Conjure up a picture. Do you see native peoples living in huts, tepees, or igloos, clad in loin-cloths, beads, animal furs? Naked children running around. Women grinding wheat, carrying water, weaving, beading, nursing, working, laughing.

Men hunting, crouched low, noiseless, making their way through the forest, jungle, across the plain or ice. Intent upon providing the next meal for their families. I am not trying to be stereotypical, this is what I see and it is a peaceful, beautiful picture to me.

What do you hear? Chatter in a different language, children laughing, feet stomping, singing, shouts of glee over the successful hunt.

Do you hear crying? Do you hear unmanageable crying? I don’t think you do. Why not? I think it is because you know, from eons of history running through your veins that it wasn’t happening. Look again at your scene. There are babies in the scene and they are being worn by their mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunties and the like in all sorts of infant carriers; baby slings, wraps, pouches, cradle boards.

Some are awake, some are asleep. They are living and observing contently and alertly the world in which they will soon play an integral part. The people are wearing their babies and responding to them because that is what their instincts tell them to do. They feel, just like you do, that ache in their chest when a baby cries. And they haven’t been conditioned by their society to ignore it. They aren’t being told such things as:

• Make your baby understand who is boss.
• Your baby is manipulating you if you go to her every time she cries.
• If your baby is fed and dry there is nothing she really needs.

Human touch is vital to development and contentment. Have you ever fallen in love? What did it feel like when your lover touched you, just your hand, or held you tight and close? It felt like everything was right in the world. Like you never wanted it to end. Hence the phrase “freeze a moment in time.”

The environment of the womb was perfect. Your baby was constantly hearing you, smelling you and all of her needs were provided for instantly. Newborns have no sense of time or hope for that matter. They live in a constant state of now. When you are holding your baby all is right in the world for her. When she is alone, wrapped in a blanket in a plastic shell she has no concept of you returning.

Wearing your baby can prevent unmanageable crying. When your baby is that close to your body, and you are so in tune with her she has no need to cry.

As I said before, colic is hard to diagnose, but there are a lot of things you can do to help your baby if she is experiencing symptoms.

1. Wear your baby in a baby sling, motion seems to help and it’s a lot easier than driving around in the car all night.
2. Allow your baby to eat or just suckle at the breast.
3. If you are breastfeeding look at your diet, are you eating something that might be bothering your baby’s tummy?
4. If you are bottle feeding, might your baby have a problem with the formula?
5. Rub baby’s tummy or back.
6. Take a bath together; warm water can calm you and baby.

All in all – know that your baby wants to be with you. Embrace the awesome position you hold in his life. Get yourself a baby sling or another carrier (baby slings are my favorite). They are comfortable, versatile, beautiful and most times affordable.

You have the most awesome job on earth, the rearing of the next generation. Help create peace in the world. Start in your home!

Emmy lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin with her husband and two children, soon to be three! She is the owner and author of Babywearing Central, a website exploring babywearing around the world as well as classic parenting issues and babywearing as a tool for peaceful, healthy living. You can find her website at http://www.babywearingcentral.com.

Many new brands of baby strollers have surfaced in the past five years with either innovations in design, style, or both.

The poster child of this new era is probably Bugaboo. The brand has managed to revolutionize the stroller industry by gaining broad adoption of their radically different design and vivid color scheme despite a price three times greater than traditional higher-end strollers used to sell for.

This new type of competition has been considered a great threat for brands like Maclaren, Peg Perego and other traditional stroller manufacturers.

Maclaren has the added handicap of being known for the simplicity of its design and a traditional British inspired color scheme, making it hard to innovate without departing from its core identity.

This is why many were eagerly awaiting the next move from Maclaren in designing its 2007 line of baby strollers. Well, the new Maclaren strollers 2007 line is now out at many stroller retailers and it won’t disappoint for 2 main reasons: the british brand was able to strike a wonderful balance of audacity in design with designers like Starck, great style thanks to a new very contemporary color scheme, and yet was able to stay true to its origins of simplicity and efficiency.

The colors still include some classics like navy, crimson red, black, or grey/ charcoal but adds some newer options such as flame orange, coral pink, coffee brown, plum, cherry, etc.

The most notable addition to the line is the Maclaren Techno XLR which is introduced as the SUV of Maclaren’s. The manufacturer picked-up on the trend of children staying in strollers longer and smartly designed the new model around this trend.

Of course the classics such as the Maclaren Volo 2007, the Maclaren Triumph, or the Techno XT are still there in their new and improved 2007 versions.

These are all steps in the right direction in order for Maclaren to protect their maket share but it’s not enough to claim a stake in the new $500+ stroller luxury stroller market which is litterally “owned” by Bugaboo at this point.

Hopefully Maclaren will push their strategy a step further in the years to come and make a bigger push into the new but already thriving luxury stroller market. Their biggest asset in the pursuit of this goal is their trusted brand name but it certainly won’t be enough to win that battle.

Tinyride is a leading retailer of Maclaren baby strollers

Babywearing is an expression of love and is one of the tools of attachment parenting.
Coined by pediatrician William Sears, it is a parenting philosophy based on the principles of the attachment theory in developmental psychology. According to attachment theory, a strong emotional bond with parents during childhood, also known as a secure attachment, is a precursor of secure, empathic relationships in adulthood.

There’s a lot of technical words there. Let’s break down the paragraph neatly. This is what I see.

Attachment parenting is a parenting style based on creating a loving, trusting, emotional relationship with our children.

Dr. William Sears puts forth these eight ideals of attachment parenting:

• Preparation for Childbirth
• Emotional Responsiveness
• Breastfeed your Baby
• Babywearing
• Nighttime Parenting and Safe Sleeping Guidelines
• Avoid frequent and prolonged separations from your baby
• Positive Discipline
• Maintain balance in your family life

Babywearing is the focus of this article, so that’s what I would like to write about, in relationship to attachment parenting.

I like setting the scene:

You have brought home your new baby, she’s beautiful, he’s handsome. You want to be the best parents in the world. No matter what, as long as you love and cherish your angel you will be. Your instincts tell you that this is the most important thing you have ever done, in your whole life. Sometimes you feel overwhelmed. Where is that book that teaches you how to be a parent, how to feed, bathe, hold, teach, discipline – ahhhhhhh!

Stop, sit back, you have one job right now. To create a bond between you and your baby that will last a life time. The bond you create now lays the foundation for the rest of your child’s life.

How does it feel to really trust someone? Your mom, spouse, sister, teacher. If you’re like me that doesn’t come along too often, but when it does it feels soooo good. To know someone only wants the best for you, really means it when they say “I’m here for you, no matter what.”

You go to bed at night with your spouse. You roll over and kiss, maybe cuddle for a while and fall asleep. At 2 am you wake up, alone in bed. It’s dark, silent. You reach over and feel nothing. It’s a little bit scary. Maybe you had a bad dream or something. But after a few seconds you can rationalize; he’s probably in the bathroom or getting a midnight snack. Babies cannot rationalize. That ability comes with age, experience, and trust.

Now imagine you are one week old. No concept of time or what that feeling in your diaper is, you don’t even know what a diaper is, or what in the world that thing hanging over your face in the crib is. All you do know and recognize is her voice, her smell, the taste of her milk. When she is there you breathe easier, sleep deeper, cry less, smile more.

Now, back to you as an adult. Obviously infants don’t grasp all of this intellectually, but that doesn’t make it any less real. Because it is scientifically proven.

Babywearing makes it possible for you to keep baby physically close to you where she and you will be most content. When she falls asleep in the baby sling, close to your heart, your smell, your sound, and wakes up in that same spot able to quench her thirst without so much as a whimper, that develops trust.

Now I’m not saying you have to wear your baby in a baby sling all day to be an attached parent – if you want to go for it, it’s actually really comfortable. What I am trying to imprint upon you is that trust is built at a young age, and wearing your baby, giving him that close physical connection even three hours a day is awesome. You will benefit so much too. You will learn baby’s cues quickly. And it feels so good to hold a sweet, content baby. And you can do it hands free with a baby sling.

As your child gets older babywearing remains an amazing attachment parenting tool. My Iris is almost two and the baby sling is still a source of comfort for her. When she wants that close contact with me she goes and finds a baby sling and brings it to me. I love it. Sometimes it’s just five minutes in the sling and then she’s off again. But she knows she can come back anytime!

Emmy Bill lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin with her husband and two children, soon to be three! She is the owner and author of Babywearing Central, a website exploring babywearing around the world as well as classic parenting issues and babywearing as a tool for peaceful, healthy living. You can find her website at http://www.babywearingcentral.com.

Are you looking for an adorable, unique diaper cakes that can be used for months by mom and baby? With one of a kind baby shower cakes, your gifts’ shopping has never been such easier.

These charming baby cakes are available in various sizes and can be found in a number of different colors and themes.

Diaper cakes, as the name implies, are made of the most needed items for new parents, newborn baby diapers.

New parents can always use diapers.

So these cakes are a creative and delightful way to give parents the items they need most. Though it is designed like a traditional tiered cake, these baby shower cakes are not edible! The entire cake is full of useful little treats for the new baby. Besides a number of diapers, diaper cakes typically include soft blankets, useful burp cloths, and many other small items commonly selected as baby shower gifts.

Simple, one tier diaper cakes are very affordable and make astounding gifts that are sure to please. Small cakes are made up of over fifteen disposable diapers and are most commonly found in baby girl pink, baby boy blue, or a colorful pastel design for either boys or girls. Two tiered cakes contain more than twenty-five diapers and even more useful baby items.

Standard diaper cakes can also be found in a three tier design with at least thirty diapers and an average of fifteen to twenty other items like pacifiers, rattles, grooming accessories, and more. Four tier diaper cakes contain over fifty disposable diapers and may include wardrobe items, stuffed toys, and more than twenty small baby accessories.

For an even more unique baby shower gift, choose a themed diaper cake.

If the new parents have already selected a nursery motif for their bundle of joy, look for a baby shower diaper cake to fit the design. From common nursery characters like Winnie the Pooh to sports related baseball themes, you are sure to find the perfect design. Like standard diaper cakes, themed cakes are available in several sizes and include a number of disposable diapers. The other baby items that fill a themed diaper cake are all designed to match the theme, making nursery decorating a breeze.

Diaper cakes can also be customized and personalized for the most endearing baby gift a new parent can receive.

Select diaper cakes that are color coordinated with baby’s nursery or a seasonal themed cake for moms who will deliver around holiday times. Some diaper cakes are even designed specifically for multiples with two or three of everything! Add a special touch to your shower gift by choosing to personalize your diaper cake. Baby’s new name can be sweetly embroidered across a bib or blanket and displayed on the cake for a gift that will be cherished for years.

As you read, what other gift can be so useful and make the perfect baby shower centerpiece all at the same time? Select an adorable diaper cake for your next shower gift!

Looking for more ideas for baby diaper cakes? Qing Gu with you the personal experiences of these
adorable and cute diaper cakes

Also sign up with the Planning A Baby Shower with 5 Special Themes FREE eCourse, you’ll be mastering all the exciting, fun and innovative ways to make sure your baby shower a huge success.

It is always a challenge to find a proper and useful toy for your child. On the one hand a toy must be useful for the baby’s development, on the other- it must be harmless. To select a correct toy for the baby you know some of his or her peculiarities of thinking and behaviour at stages of his or her development. Let us help you to discover the interesting and beautiful world of baby toys for your child from the ages of 3-6 months old.

In the period of 6-9 month the agility of your baby develops and becomes more complicated. He or she is grabbling freely and even tries to stand up onto two legs. Simultaneously small hand mobility develops: little one tries not just to grip the object in his palm, but also take it with his or her fingers.

Formerly a baby got acquainted with his or her surrounding objects occasionally, now their actions are purposeful. Liberalisation of the little person’s horizon will depend on adults. It is a serious thing for you to show your baby how to play with various toys: how to bang a little drum, how to play the small piano and press the keys, how to handle and ring the ball. At this age babies still chew and play with the rattles and tweeters, but they are also interested in more compound toys like little cars and books with bright pictures (note, always buy books with thick cardboard for small children!).

This age is a special period of time for the parents. Expression “being all eyes” more precisely describes the given situation. Some parents try to restrain the moving activity of their children from considerations of safety or not having enough time to look after them. But you must protect your child only against that is really dangerous to them. Children must learn out from their mistakes.

At the 9 months old the child understands that he or she can play with two toys simultaneously. For example, if they beat one toy on another, a sound will appear (tinkling, rattling) and the child likes these kind of sounds. Now they can play with bricks and pyramidions. In the beginning the child will smash and destroy the built houses and castles, but with time he or she will try to build them on their own. There are special meccanos of flexible plastic for 7-9 month old babies. As a rule, these are open-ended rings, which are linked easily together (though children like to nibble them).

By now a child can play simple games with the adults like “clapping palms”, “cuckoo”, and “let’s fly” etc. Ask your baby to find this or that toy, asking “Where is the rabbit?” If your child does not understand or finds a difficulty in finding the toy, help him “See, the rabbit is here!”
Attention!

1) Toys must not be broken or cracked easily; these contain fine details, which can get into child’s mouth or nose.
2) Plush toys are given to the child only in case if they are easily cleaned.
3) When the child begins to open the surrounding world in his or her room, cover the sharp corners of the furniture with something soft, close up plug sockets, and clear the wires away from the floor.
4) When entering your child’s room, dear parents, do not forget that your child might be standing behind the door.
5) Look carefully after your child and what he or she plays with. Among their “toys” can be not only the safe Mother’s slipper, but crackling plastic sachet (your child certainly will want to try it on).

Any baby store can offer you a wide range of toys, but, dear
parents please see carefully what toys you buy your little one, as not all are good and safe for them.

© 2007 First Baby Shop. This article may be used by anyone, anywhere as long as the author’s bio and links are included.

First Baby Shop is a family run business, we strive to offer the best possible prices and quality of service. We sell
baby products, clothes and equipment at excellent prices. If you find the same product cheaper elsewhere we will endeavour to beat it!