Babies & Kids Blog » 2009 » August

If you’re having a baby, you know how expensive baby stuff is. Everybody wants to save a few bucks, so using hand-me-downs or used baby items seems like a great idea. Toys R Us and Babies R Us are encouraging parents to make sure used baby items are still safe for use, and offering an incentive to trade them in for newer, safer models.

From August 28 - September 20 Toys R Us/Babies R Us is holding “The Great Trade-In.”

Here’s how it works:

1. Bring in a used baby item from the following list: used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards and high chairs

2. Get a 20% savings on the purchase of any new baby item in one of the categories listed above

Some other important details: New purchases must be made on products made by the following participating manufacturers: Baby Cache, Babi Italia, Baby Trend, Bertini, Britax, Chicco, Contours by Kolcraft, Cosco, Delta, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo, Graco, Jeep, Nature’s Purest by Summer Infant, Safety 1st and Sorelle

Safety First: Sometimes newer really is better.

* Toys R Us points out that most people don’t check recall information on used or hand me down products. To check a product to see if it has been recalled, visit the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

* Some items, like car seats, actually expire as a result of material degradation. For example, the plastic can become brittle over time and the seat will not perform properly in the event of an accident.

* Used products are often missing instruction/safety manuals, which include important information on assembly or installation.

* Finally, newer products often have the benefit of technology enhancements that improve the safety and performance of an item.

Baby slings are incredibly handy for busy new parents. Carriers let you keep baby close while getting other chores done, and save your weary arms when you’re out and about with baby. Looking for a baby sling that has a little more style than most? Here are two slings for moms who aren’t into cutesy stuff:

Fierce Love Baby Sling Carrier $75.95 $65.95

Super hip black Fierce Love sling pouch carrier from Hot Mama Ink with a Heart and Dagger Mom “tattoo”! 100% soft lightweight cotton (poplin) sling features a small pocket with zipper.

Tribal Baby Sling $75.95 $65.95

Super hip black Tribal baby sling pouch carrier from Hot Mama Ink with a pink tribal “tattoo”! 100% soft lightweight cotton (poplin) sling features a small pocket with zipper.

Shop for more affordable baby slings at Smarter.com.

You know how irritating and painful insect bites can be to you, so just imagine how your baby feels when they’ve been bitten! Bug bites are generally no big deal, but you do need to be aware of how to treat them and what to watch for in case of an allergic reaction in your baby.

Prevention:

Most commercial insect repellents that are marketed as safe to use on babies and young children will do a decent job of keeping mosquitoes away. (Note that repellents are not recommended for use on babies younger than 2 months.) Dress your baby in light-colored clothing that covers as much of his skin as possible when he’s going to be outdoors. Avoid bright colors and flowery prints. Once you baby is walking, make sure he or she wears shoes outside. Do not use scented lotions or soaps on your baby if you know you’ll be taking them outside. Avoid playing near still, standing water (mosquito heaven!) and high grass and flower gardens. Keep your food covered to keep the bugs from wanting to hang around. At home, make sure all of your window screens are free of holes. If you have a young infant, you can buy mosquito netting to use over their playpen outside. If you have pets, keep them flea free.

Some children are allergic to insect bites or stings, and in rare cases these allergies can be fatal. If your baby has any of the following symptoms after he’s bitten, call an ambulance:

• wheezing or trouble breathing

• vomiting

• hives or a rash on other areas of his body

• sleepiness or confusion, possibly indicating shock

• rapid heartbeat

• swelling of his lips or throat

While waiting for medical help, lay your baby down with the stung body part below the level of his heart, if possible. Try to keep him calm and cover him with a blanket.

A shot of epinephrine can stop a severe allergic reaction before the child’s throat closes or he passes out.

Talk with the doctor about your baby’s allergy. Together you’ll want to develop an action plan to follow in the event of a reaction. And you’ll need to make sure that everyone who is ever in charge of caring for your child understands the plan fully.

When your baby gets older, the doctor may recommend that you carry an epinephrine auto-injector (such as an EpiPen or Twinject), which he can prescribe and show you how to use it in case of a reaction. These devices look like magic markers and automatically administer the right dose of epinephrine to stop an allergic reaction. They’re designed for people weighing at least 33 pounds.

It’s also a good idea to have your child wear a medical-alert bracelet, so that if he’s bitten or stung his caregivers will know that it’s a medical emergency.

If there’s a stinger, remove it by scraping it out with your fingernail or a credit card. (Pulling it out with your fingers or tweezers could squeeze more of the venom into your baby’s body.)

Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. You can help relieve any swelling or itching by applying an ice pack, calamine lotion, or a paste made from baking soda and water.

If your baby seems very uncomfortable, ask his doctor about giving him the appropriate dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Never give your child aspirin, which can cause a rare but potentially fatal condition called Reye’s syndrome.

image:  iparenting

medical info: babycenter

First, side note…

This morning I was reading a review of the VTech V. Smile Motion Active Learning system over at celebrity-babies:

“For kids ages 4-7, the games are lessons in disguise: while my daughter was spending time happily bouncing the joystick from frame to frame, she was counting to 20, working through the alphabet and matching animal babies with the sounds they make. I read up on the different lessons, feeling happy that she was learning something and playing at the same time. She’s also really into the Disney Little Einsteins ($24.99) cartridge because it has all of the music and dancing that she enjoys in the show. We’re finding that the lessons are fun, integral parts of the games.”

The system is available on the VTech website for $60, but look! You can get it for $40! What a deal!

In other news, Céline Dion is expecting her second child. A rep for the 41-year-old singer confirmed the news to various outlets saying, “Céline and René are very happy,” and “They are crazy in love over the news … they are overjoyed.” Céline is reportedly due in May. Céline and her husband already have an 8 year old son, René-Charles. When I saw a picture of their son (who is really cute!) I was surprised to see his extremely long hair. What do you think, Moms? Would you let your son grow his hair that long?

Image: mamamia

We have already discussed infant car seats and now it’s time to dig into the topic of convertible car seats and booster seats. A convertible car seat can be used rear facing for infants under the age of 1 and forward-facing when a child weighs at least 20 pounds and is 1 year old. Some convertible car seats now hold children up to 65 pounds.

A booster car seat can be used once a child weighs at least 40 pounds. An increasing number of state laws require booster/youth car seats until a child reaches a certain age and/or weight, such as 7 years of age and 80 pounds. Although the age and weight requirements vary from state-to-state, it’s a safe move to opt for a booster car seat even if it’s not mandatory in your state.

When you are looking at various car seats, check out the safety features. Many reasonably priced car seats now have energy-absorbing foam linings similar to those found in bicycle helmets. These linings are comprised of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam or Expanded PolyPropylene (EPP) foam. Be sure the foam lines the entire car seat.

Look for a convertible car seat that uses a five-point safety harness rather than a molded plastic T-bar. Most convertible car seats cost about $100, although they can be purchased for $250 and up.

If you are shopping for youth/booster seats, avoid shield boosters. These car seats have a plastic shield that swivels and is held in place by a car’s lap belt. While the price tag may be tempting (shield boosters typically cost about $25), the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t recommend using this type of car seat. When selecting a plan to spend about $70, although pricier models can be purchased for more than $200.

Do not purchase a used car seat. Unless you know the history of a car seat, and can confirm that it has not been in a moderate or severe crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that you buy a new one. Plus, when you purchase a new car seat, it comes with a warranty. Most major manufacturers offer a limited 1-year warranty; others promise to replace a product for a lifetime. Always return the product registration card enclosed in the product packaging. This card lets the manufacturer know where to notify you in case there is a recall.

Image: memphisparent

Being pregnant is not easy, and being sick and pregnant is downright miserable. Before you were expecting, you probably never gave a second thought to downing some NyQuil when you had a cold or popping a few Tylenol whenever you had a headache. Now, you’re not so sure what medications you can take. Everything that passes through your bloodstream also passes through your baby’s blood stream so some medications are absolutely off limits because they can harm your baby.

Here are trusted pediatrician Dr. Sears do’s and don’ts for taking medication while pregnant:

• Do take the medicine in the exact dosage and for the length of time your doctor recommends. Taking more is not better, and it is often worse.

• Don’t take a lower dose than your doctor prescribes without consulting your doctor. The lower dose may do you no good, yet baby may still get the effects of the drug.

• Don’t read the PDR (Physician’s Desk Reference). The information in the PDR about drugs during pregnancy is there to protect the manufacturer rather than to inform the consumer. The warnings are needlessly scary and are often based upon research in which huge doses of a drug are given to experimental animals; the research may have little application to humans.

• Don’t take medicines, even over-the-counter ones, without consulting with your doctor.

• Don’t take over-the-counter remedies that contain several drugs unless advised by your doctor (e.g., cold remedies may contain mixtures of antihistamines, decongestants, aspirin, etc.).

• Don’t panic if you’ve taken a drug that you later read may be unsafe. Odds are greatly on your baby’s side that no harm was done.

• Do compromise. While some medications pose some risks to baby, a sick mom is not good for baby either. For example, if your nasal passages are so clogged you can’t breathe, a one-time dose of a decongestant spray, such as AfrinR, has been shown not to have any harmful effects on the fetuses that were studied.

• Do think about the effect of the drug on your baby. Because your baby’s liver and kidneys are immature, he cannot eliminate the drug as you can, so the drug may stay in baby’s system longer and at a higher level.

• Don’t use medicines if you are trying to conceive, especially in the first month. The first month of fetal organ development is a high-risk period for the effects of drugs. The “flu” you’re experiencing may turn out to be early-pregnancy nausea.

• If you are already taking physician-approved medications while pregnant, check with your doctor before taking an additional drug. Also, when your doctor gives you a prescription for a new medication, be sure to tell him or her about any other medications you are taking. Certain drugs may be safe if taken individually, but not be safe if taken in combination with others.

Image: parent24

School is upon us, and with the start of a new year comes new schedules and responsibilities for students. Help your kid be punctual with a watch. Not only are they cool for accessorizing, they are also useful for middle school aged children who follow class scheduling, and for the younger kids they are great for learning to tell time. If nothing else, your son or daughter will enjoy being able to watch the minutes tick down until school is out for the day! Here are some cool watches for your cool kids:

Activa Kids’ Rubber Strap Watch $45.00 $14.99

“Your child won’t have trouble keeping track of this playful, bright yellow elastic strap watch by Activa Kids. Comfortable, durable, and easy to read, this is a perfect first watch for intermediate time-tellers and slips easily on and off the wrist. Constructed with a comfortable, 20-millimeter fabric band, a 29-millimeter stainless steel case, and matching stainless steel bezel, this well-designed watch will still be working when your child outgrows it. The sunny dial is protected by a durable mineral window, and features large, squiggly black Arabic numerals, and slim hour, minutes, and seconds hands for timekeeping precision. Powered by analog-quartz movement, this watch is water resistant to 99 feet–which means even bath time is good for this playful timepiece.”

Disney Kids’ The Princess and The Frog Time Teacher Expansion Strap Watch $29.99 $22.50

“With a firefly as your guide, this timepiece shines a light on timekeeping for beginning timekeepers! Clearly labeled “HOUR” and “MINUTE” hands, as well as a sweeping second hand, make the Disney Kids’ The Princess and The Frog Time Teacher Expansion Strap Watch the perfect watch for young Disney fans. Featuring Ray, the lovesick Cajun firefly from The Princess and The Frog, the round blue dial has pink-and-white hands and a lavender outer dial with minute markers. Constructed with a durable metal case and a bezel with hour markers, and an elegant expansion bracelet, this timepiece has a magic touch that kids won’t soon outgrow. Featuring quartz movement, this Disney watch is water resistant up to 99 feet (30 M).”

Timex Kids’ Fast Wrap Watch $24.95 19.96

“Nicely sporty and stylish to boot, the Timex T78351 Tween quartz analog watch is a great match for your constantly on-the-go youngster. It features a wide, oval-shaped resin watch case in silver and gray that frames a classic white dial background with full Arabic numeral display, black hands (with seconds hand), and small minute indexes. It also offers water resistance to 30 meters (99 feet), date display at 3 o’clock, and a durable nylon Fast Wrap strap (with Velcro fastener) in orange, gray, and silver. The Indiglo night-light uniformly lights the surface of the watch dial using patented blue electroluminescent lighting technology. It uses less battery power than most other watch illumination systems, enabling your watch battery to last longer.”

Shop for more kids’ watches at Smarter.com.

Part of being a parent is being prepared for the worst. When you have a baby, it’s even more critical that you are always prepared for an emergency because babies are much more fragile than older children.

Keeping a well-stocked first-aid kit, kept within easy reach, is a necessity in every home. Having supplies gathered ahead of time will help you handle an emergency at a moment’s notice. You should keep one first-aid kit in your home and one in each car. Also be sure to bring a first-aid kit on family vacations.

Choose containers for your kits that are roomy, durable, easy to carry and simple to open. Plastic tackle boxes or containers for storing art supplies are ideal, since they’re lightweight, have handles and offer a lot of space.

The most important items in your family’s first-aid kit may actually be names and numbers. Securely tape, glue, or sew the following contact information inside your kit:

• Your family doctor or pediatrician and your local children’s hospital.

• The American Association of Poison Control Centers’ national emergency hotline: (800) 222-1222.

• Your local police, fire and rescue squad.

• Your two closest neighbors (in case you need immediate assistance, such as childcare for an older sibling or a ride to the hospital). You’ll also want to post these on the refrigerator for your immediate use and for babysitters.

Here are your first-aid kit must-haves:

• Infant and/or child thermometers (both digital and ear or rectal) and petroleum jelly to lubricate rectal thermometers.

• Children’s and infants’ non-aspirin liquid pain reliever (acetaminophen), as recommended by your pediatrician.

• Topical calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream (1/2 percent) for insect bites and rashes.

• Rubbing alcohol to clean thermometers, tweezers and scissors.

• An antiseptic skin cleaner, such as Hibiclens (don’t use hydrogen peroxide, which causes tissue damage).

• Antibacterial cream, also for cuts and scrapes.

• Tweezers for removing splinters and ticks and a pair of sharp scissors.

• Child-safe sunscreen lotion and child-safe insect repellent.

• Pediatrician-approved children’s-strength liquid decongestant.

• Nasal aspirator bulb

• An assortment of adhesive bandage strips in various sizes and shapes

• Gauze rolls (1/2 to 2 inches wide) and gauze pads (2 by 2 and 4 by 4 inches), and adhesive tape.

• Sterile cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs.

• Mild liquid soap (most antibacterial and deodorant soaps are too strong for babies’ sensitive skin).

• An oral syringe or calibrated cup or spoon for administering medicines to infants and children.

• A package of tongue depressors for checking sore throats.

• A hot-water bottle and an ice pack.

• A small flashlight to check ears, nose, throat and eyes.

• First-aid manual; Janet Zand’s Parent’s Guide to Medical Emergencies gives advice for handling a wide range of emergencies.

So, now that your first aid kit is ready, you need to brush up on your infant CPR and choking procedures. If you have not taken a class on infant CPR, you MUST. It’s vitally important that you SEE infant CPR demonstrated. The following clips are helpful, but are not to be substitutes for taking the actual classes:

Image: soredcross.org

First-aid info: babycenter, kidshealth

Nicole Richie has joined popular maternity store ‘A Pea in the Pod’ to create her new fashion collection. Prices range from $48 for tank tops to $148 for maxi dresses. “Pea in the Pod is such a known company for pregnant women. They carry great lines, and so when they asked me to create a line for them, I was really excited and eager to do it,” Nicole told People magazine.

Nicole is known for her signature easygoing bohemian style. Pregnant women will find 14 pieces designed by Richie, including a flowy peasant top, maxi dresses, and tees with asymetric hems and braiding to flatter an expecting mom’s figure.

Richie explained, “You really feel like you have to change your whole wardrobe. And that’s the last thing a woman wants to go through. So I really tried to make this line to get women excited about wearing clothes.”

Nicole has one daughter, Harlow and is expecting her second child with boyfriend Joel Madden later any day now. She starred in the ad campaign for the apparel, which will only be available through the end of the year. Here are my favorites:

This would be adorable with jeans!

This gorgeous satin top could easily be dressed up or down!

The perfect boho maternity dress!

Shop through a wide selection of affordable maternity clothes at Smarter.com.

Check out these adorable dresses at rock bottom prices! Any of these dresses could carry you into fall, just throw a cardigan on with them and you’re good to go!

Gauzy smocked ruffle dress $78 $44.99
“Day or night, dressed up or down — you’re sure to feel amazing in this gauzy gown. A stretchy smocked bodice makes it easy to wear, whatever your shape. A long, lean silhouette, feels super flattering — perfect for summer’s special occasions.”

Tiered empire dress $59.50 $39.99
“Summer dressing has never been simpler. This easy, breezy dress is super-comfy in oh-so-soft jersey. And it’s fit to flatter, with an empire waist and swingy tiers to the knee.”

Ruched poppy-print dress $59.50 $49.99
“Details make all the difference. An empire waist, slim silhouette, and ruching throughout make this dress a curve-hugging knockout for moms-to-be. A bold poppy print puts the finishing touch on what’s sure to be a summer favorite.”

Strapless pom-pom dress $78.00 $49.99
“You’ve got so much to celebrate. Do it up in style in this gorgeous summer dress, featuring a pretty appliqued bodice and flirty ruffled hem. After all, you deserve to look and feel your best — at your baby shower or on a date with your dearest.”

Shop for maternity dresses at Smarter.com.