I remember how I felt when my eldest son graduated from his crib to the toddler bed. It was his first real step to independence and I admit to feeling more than a little regret at him getting older. The toddler bed we had was a hand-me down from one of our relatives and I remembered how little he looked in the big bed.

Fast forward a few years later and my lanky son’s feet nearly hang out of the end of this once massive bed. It seems like he grew almost over night and I never noticed how he kept inching ever closer to the edge until I woke him the other day.

I know I can’t slow the passage of time and that, no matter how much I want him and his brothers to stay little, they’ll keep growing and growing. With the sudden realization that I need to get my eldest a new bed, I decided to check the lengths of the other two.

My middle son is creeping ever closer, but I think we have another year left before he graduates to a twin or full size bed. My youngest is new to the toddler bed world, so while he’s still in a big boy bed, it will be a while before be gets his big big boy bed.

It’s amazing how things change over time. This house that once had room to spare is now full to the brim. When we moved here so many years ago, our eldest wasn’t even born yet. The house seemed as massive to us as the toddler bed was to my little man. Slowly, as our family grew, our feet began sticking over the edge of the bed and now this house no longer fits our needs.

We outgrew it just as fast as our son outgrew his toddler bed. It’s much easier to head out to a furniture store and buy a new bed, but the house may have to wait a year or so. Anyone who has a small child now should realize that in a few years everything is going to seem smaller as your children get bigger.

We will make do for now, but a new home is on our radar. Once the baby phase is over and everything settles into a nice pattern, parents forget that things change. Change is inevitable, no matter how hard you try to ignore it. Sooner or later, everyone’s feet starts hanging over the edge.

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The day came that she arrived and (after a couple of weeks in a moses basket), she got to take her new bed for a sleepy-time spin. We made sure that there were no stuffed toys or fluffy blankets or pillows around her. She was so tiny! To help minimize any chance of her getting a flat head, we started using a Sleep Positioner (I like The First Years Air Flow Positioner) which worked great. We tipped her just slightly onto one side one night and the other the next.

Now, she is sleeping pretty well through the night. She sleeps under a blanket and is pretty efficient about getting herself turned around and comfortable in her crib. So, I started to think about baby pillows and decided to do some research about when the right time is for her to have her own.

Almost everyone recommends to wait until age 2 for a baby to have his or her own pillow. This is the age that most babies are moving out of their crib into a toddler bed. If a baby is learning to stand and makes some bold attempts at scaling their crib walls, a pillow is not a good idea because it can be used to step up and catapult them over the edge. A good indicator that the baby may be ready for a pillow is when they start to use one of their stuffed toys as a support under their head.  Of course, when they do start to use a pillow, many babies will prefer to cuddle with it. At this age, they start to be aware of being in the dark or if mommy and daddy aren’t there, so a pillow can be a great comfort for them.

Another time that your doctor may recommend the use of a pillow is when the baby is sick: with a cold, an ear infection, or acid reflux. When our Little Doll got her first head cold, we put the pad from her changing table into her crib and propped it up with a pillow under one end. She slept on this until the cold subsided. Now she rolls over a lot, and propping up the heavy crib mattress is too labor intensive.

When shopping for a baby pillow, here are a few things to watch for:

• Baby pillows are very small  (usually the size of travel pillow). Don’t use a pillow you already have around the house: it’s probably too big.
• No feathers. Babies can develop allergies, and feathers are likely still too soft for little breathers. Along these same lines, use a cotton pillow case. Synthetic materials can also cause allergies on sensitive baby skin.
• Memory foam material (Visco Elastic) rates pretty highly, as it keeps the risk of suffocation down.
• Make sure to get one that is easily washable (as with anything that involves the word baby!)

Image Source: photopostsblog.com

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1. Start with the necessities.  In the first year of our Pea Pod’s life, we have used 3 pieces of furniture: a crib, changing table, and rocking chair. These are the things that are worth more of an investment since they will get lots of use. I do like transitional pieces that can be used throughout her years. Her crib can eventually be converted into a daybed and then into a twin-sized bed as she grows. Her changing table is the kind that we can someday remove the pad and use the top for books or pictures. I highly recommend a comfy rocking chair. After logging many hours already, with many more to come, I’m glad we selected a rocking chair with a sturdy cushion.

2. Wait for the right deal. Eventually, we will need a home for all of her stuffed animals, but until I find the right piece, they are living in a clear plastic box in her room. In a clear box, we can see her collection so she can easily get to her dolly-du-jour.  I wouldn’t even mind keeping them in the plastic box except that she now enjoys tipping the whole thing over for fun, and a more sturdy toy box will be a must-have. As we’ve waited on the toy box, we’ve been able to pin-point the things that this furniture requires for us: something very sturdy that can’t be tipped over, a lid that’s easy for a kid to open yet has soft-close hinges so those little fingers don’t get pinched, a box that can be used as an extra bench for sitting, etc. By not rushing, we can find this piece for the right price, and getting affordable baby furniture is a beautiful thing. Also, wait until the kid shows interest in a particular hobby/toy/plaything. We have a friend who simply had to have one of those huge train tables as decorum for her son’s room. It turns out he prefers space ships and that great big train table is often neglected.

4. Have fun! It’s a kid’s room, after-all. And they will be a kid for a while. Don’t be hesitant to add those brightly-colored boxes for their bookshelf or an over-sized beanbag  for them to climb all over. Consider that mini-table and chair set for tea parties. Find a pint-sized easel for the next mini-Monet. Encourage a toddler to giddy-up with a rocking horse to gallop across the plains of their room. There are some great little touches that are really not too expensive to give a kid’s room something special. At such a young age, stirring up and encouraging creativity is easily done in a fun, creative space and doesn’t have to cost a whole lot.

Images courtesy of Baby Earth, Pottery Barn Kids, Buy.com

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While there are crib bumpers available with only 3 sides, I recommend the ones that go all around the whole crib as she quickly learned how to turn herself around and Magellan her way all around her little world. It didn’t take long before she would get herself turned just the opposite way of how she was when we laid her down…even before she figured out how to flop over.

Prices can range from less than $50 to around $500, depending on the patterns and embroidery.

When she did learn to turn over and became even more mobile, the crib bumpers kept her safe from getting her arms and legs out of her surroundings. Even though we have a new crib that has the slats close enough together that her head won’t get through, were it not for the bumpers, she could have easily gotten her limbs out and caught. The crib bumpers have kept her contained in her safe crib environment.

As a new parent, I would always jump up every time I heard her move, afraid she would get her nose smooshed into the bumpers, but somehow naturally never did. However, for a baby who finds a way to get their nose pushed against the wall, there are some great breathable bumpers that start at less than $30. For today’s deal of the day, check out a breathable baby universal bumper from Amazon for $29.99.

Most of them use velcro instead of ties in case a curious child should manage to get their arms around the crib corner. We have not had a problem with this, as the bumpers we have are high enough that she has not figured out that there are ties to be played with all the way around on the outside corners of her crib. I also tie the ties into knots, not bows, so the strings hang straight down rather than loops that would be easier to see and grab.

There are so many patterns and designs available for any nursery decor. We stuck with a fairly basic pattern since we didn’t know she would be a girl-person until her big arrival. Now that she is here, we have so many themes available to have fun with, perhaps we need one with more lavender in it to match the girly color on her walls.

Check out Smarter for great deals on crib bumpers.  Check out Carousel Design Blog’s guide on how to properly install a crib bumper.

Image Source: Babybedding.com

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You might notice that your newborn startles himself awake or seems frightened by his own movements.  He may cry for what seems like “no reason”.  Your baby feels lost in this big wide open world and he is struggling trying to find the snug comfort he needs.

So how do you do it?

Step 1:  Lay a blanket on a bed (or soft and safe surface) and fold down the top-right corner about 6 inches.  You will want a blanket slightly larger than the average receiving blanket because you want your swaddle to stay bundled and not unfold when the baby moves.   Some blankets, such as the Miracle Blanket (pictured above) are specifically designed for swaddling.

Step 2:  Lay baby down on his back with his head on the fold.

Step 3:  Pull the corner near your baby’s left hand across his body, and tuck the leading edge under his back on the right side under the arm.

Step 4:  Pull the bottom corner up under your baby’s chin.

Step 5:  Bring the loose corner over your baby’s right arm and tuck it under the back on his left side.

This tight full body swaddle is great for the first month or so, but as time goes on you may notice that your baby is more comfortable with his arms free.  Also, after the first month you will want to loosen the swaddle around the hips so you do not interfere with your baby’s normal growth.  Watch an instructional clip on how to swaddle below.

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Be very careful that you do not over dress your baby.  Check your baby to make sure he is not too warm.  Never, ever place your newborn or infant on his stomach, especially when he is swaddled.  When you do lay your baby down, make sure that the area is clear of blankets and pillows.

If you would like to know more about swaddling and other methods for helping your baby to be content longer and sleep better, I highly recommend the book “The Happiest Baby on the Block” by Dr. Harvey Karp (Lowest Price on Smarter.com: $4.64) .

It is the single most helpful book I used when my daughter was an infant.

Good luck new moms!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for affordable swaddling blankets and receiving blankets.

Related posts:

1. Cool Bedding Deal: “Cheetah” Patchwork Baby Blanket
2. Teaching Your Baby Sign Language
3. Sleep Well: Baby Sleep Positioners

After just 3 weeks of sleeping in her Moses basket, our brave baby began to prefer her crib. We found that she slept better on her side, and tried to accommodate her growth with a balance of snuggliness and safety, as she was still too young to roll herself back over if she tipped forward in her sleep. We rolled up blankets and tucked them in front of and behind her, but found that since blankets don’t breathe well, she would get very toasty in her sleep. It also got tricky trying to keep blankets rolled up and re-arrange them each time she got up at night and was put back to bed.

The First Years Baby Positioner is a wonderful thing!

A friend suggested this Baby Positioner, which has been the perfect sleep accessory. It has a Velcro adjustment to grow with her. The Baby Positioner provides cuddliness no matter what position she falls asleep in, making it great for back-sleeping babies, too. The ventilation flows beautifully so our baby doesn’t get too hot and sweaty in her sleep, but does allow for us to put a blanket over her without concern about it being pulled over her head. It also serves well for any parents who co-sleep, putting a boundary around the baby for sound-sleeping moms and dads.

There are several similar products on the market. We compared many of these products and found that the First Years version was the best or our baby. This Positioner is a great value, as it cost a fraction of other Positioners. It’s simplicity is a welcome relief after the complications of every other product we had to put together for our baby (swings, strollers, play mats, etc.). Some of the other Sleep Positioners feature a wedge-shape to keep the baby’s head up while sleeping, but we prefer the small flat-laying version so our baby doesn’t slide in her sleep.

And the best feature of all — a baby who is sleeping 4-5 hours a night! Of course this comes with her growth, but any little thing we can do to encourage her healthy sleep, we welcome with open arms and sweet dreams.

To check out baby sleep positioners on Smarter, click here.

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Andi Sheeting: $14-$109 Now: $2.99 – $49.99

Noah Plaid Sheeting: $18.00 Now: $3.99

Sateen Nursery Sheeting: $39.00 Now: $19.99

Sports Sheeting: $24-$69 Now: $6.99-$49.99

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more kids’ sheets.
                                        Discounts on baby sheets.

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It’s funny how cheetah or leopard print can make the simplest things much cooler and a bit more “edgy”.  Your little wild child’s nursery will look super cool with this patchwork baby blanket. It’s super soft & cozy as it is made of sherpa and velour. It also comes in “blue camo” and “ivory giraffe” – all are on sale!

“Cheetah” Novelty Patchwork Baby Blanket: $27.99 Now: $20.99

*Use coupon code SURVEY at check out at JCPenney.com and get 15% off! (Exp: 09/30/08)

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Here is a great deal on a pretty floral bed sheet set. I particularly love this set because it’s a subtle floral pattern making it pretty unique.  These will match a variety of comforter colors like black, white, purple…get creative!  It’s a very calming and happy pattern….just the feelings we’d like our kids to experience on a daily basis.

Lilac and Sunshine Dutch Floral Sheet Set: $99 Now: $49.50 (Twin size- also available in full and queen)

I found a coupon code at RetailMeNot.com that gives you 10% off – P08072 - That’s about 5 more dollars off – $44.55 (not including tax)

Also, this product qualifies for free shipping!

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Help your baby appreciate nature with this “Flower Power” Crib Bedding Set!  For the sale price of $199 you will get a crib bumper, quilt, 200 thread count sheet & crib skirt.  If you want more nursery accessories like a lamp shade, cute round pillow ($30), extra sheets or a sherpa blanket ($25) that will cost a bit more, but not much.

Flower Power Crib Bedding Set: $250 Now: $199.00

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