Baby Baskets: Not Just For Baby Showers
When we think of New Baby Gift Baskets being presented, we think of the baby shower. Certainly the baby shower is one of the first gift-giving opportunities for the new parents, but baby gift baskets can be given and are more than appropriate for the many other gift giving occasions that are in store for the new little one.
Just to make it comprehensive, let’s start with the baby shower. Most of the time, this is a first child for the couple and they need practically everything. The expense of a new baby after it arrives can be daunting, especially if the parents need to add items such as baby formula, baby food and diapers to their weekly shopping list. Along with all of the weekly supplies, there are regular doctor visits that need to be afforded and other incidentals that the baby will need. The baby shower is a perfect opportunity to help lessen the burden financially so the parents can concentrate on enjoying every minute with their precious new bundle of joy.
Use the baby shower to give a baby gift basket of items that they will definitely need. Sure, it may be more fun to buy that 6 foot tall giant stuffed panda bear, but what are they going to use it for? More than likely, it will become a new sleeping place for the family pet. The baby shower is an opportunity to ease the overwhelming sense of responsibility and stress that the parents may be beginning to feel as the day of their baby’s arrival looms closer and closer.
Gift baskets, such as traditional layettes or an assortment of one-piece undershirts or even a crafty display of diapers will be most appreciated. If you are especially talented, present the new parents to be with an array of hand made baby items. Hand sewn baby quilts, crocheted or knitted booties and receiving blankets and little toys are not only practical, but because they are hand made, they could become family heirlooms that get passed down to grandchildren. If it is appropriate, this is also a wonderful opportunity to give a hand made baptismal or christening set of a gown, booties, cap and blanket.
Just because the Baby Showers has passed doesn’t mean that the opportunities for giving baby gift baskets has passed with it. Once the baby arrives is a wonderful excuse to come bearing a gift. Now that the baby’s gender is known, if it wasn’t before, and he or she has a name and is becoming his or her own personality makes putting together a gift even more fun. Now is the time when you can personalize your gift giving and your gift basket can reflect the new child that is actually here.
Now that the baby has arrived, there are still plenty of times that a gift basket can say just the right thing. If the baby is going to be christened, that could be a wonderful time for a small gift basket of Bible story board books, religious jewelry or keepsakes. You could also include a small photo album for the parents to put all of the photographs from the day.
Still the opportunities to give baby gift baskets are upcoming. Throughout the coming year, the baby will be experiencing all kinds of firsts. Every holiday that arrives will be a magical one for the new family. It is always joyful when you can share in these marvelous times with them.
Imagine the possibilities of creating a gift basket for baby’s first Christmas. You could include items such as a tree ornament that represents something that is special to the baby. Or a small nativity set or a Santa’s village that is made of larger soft-sided components. If the baby’s first Christmas is a few months after their birth, this would then be a good time to purchase warmer sleepers for them in their larger size. If the baby is eating solid food now, a gift basket of baby foods, cereals, snacks and formula would really help the parents out especially at this Christmas time. This could also be the perfect opportunity to begin the baby’s movie collection by starting with some of the Christmas classics like Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
Another big holiday for the new baby is Easter time. What a more perfect opportunity to give a gift basket than at Easter. Depending on the child’s age when he or she celebrates their first Easter, you could give appropriate snacks, toys or stuffed animals. This may also be a good time to buy a new spring outfit for them or new shoes. Don’t limit your imagination. Find a beautiful Easter basket that the child could use every year and fill it with everything you can imagine a child of that age appreciating.
Two other holidays that you may not necessarily consider giving a gift basket on are Halloween and Independence Day. These are two holidays where you could really come up with a gift basket that is very unique and special. Again, always shop for items with the baby’s current age in mind and have fun. For Halloween, you could include a small costume or stuffed animal. And of course, don’t forget to add some “treats” that the baby could enjoy. Pop them all in a plastic pumpkin bucket and you are all set. Independence Day gift baskets for the baby could include red, white and blue toys and stuffed animals and some safe celebration toys that do not have any small parts on them like a kazoo or small drum or trumpet. If the child is old enough, he or she will love to add their own noise to the celebration.
And finally, we come to the day of celebration that is all their own, their first birthday. By this time, many babies are crawling and some are even walking. A gift basket at this time could include a small scooter and walker combination that allows the child to push the vehicle or ride it. Many of these are in the shape of small cars, bikes, trains and trucks and have a compartment on them that opens up. Fill this compartment with other items that a one year old would love.
Little ones love to push items like small cars and many are just beginning to experiment with crayons and scribbling. You can find special markers and pad sets that only write if the special marker is used on the special paper. The parents will especially appreciate the thoughtfulness.
Another great gift is a child-safe soft padded plastic mini photo book. These albums usually hold about eight photographs and are equipped with a handle so the toddler can carry it around. Inside it holds pictures of the people who are special to baby, so he or she can open it up any time and see the faces of those they love. This is a wonderful gift especially if the baby has grandparents that live too far away to visit on a regular basis.
As you can see, the life of a new baby is basically one gift-giving experience after another. Use as many opportunities as you can to give the little one a unique gift basket and fill the child’s first year with lots of mementos and small presents. After all of this, if you weren’t a member of the family already, you will be now.
Filed under Parenting | Comment (0)Do You Know What Parenting Is - Learn More Tips About It Here
Former students would probably attest to the fact that few things tried my patience as much as did the statement, “This is boring!” As I reflect back on my many years in the classroom, I can’t help but feel a tad bit sorry for the first kid who made the mistake of uttering those words each year. Well, classes aren’t Electronics.
The sermon went something like this. “Nobody is BORED in my classroom. I work hard to plan fun and interesting activities that will allow you to learn. When you finish your work earlier than others, there are many choices of quiet things to do. You may use the book nook, puppet theatre, computer, writing center, art center, or the manipulative math corner. Now please, do NOT let me hear the word “bored” again!”
I suspect that each school year’s first offender felt like Calvin in one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes cartoons. In the first two frames Calvin is sitting at his school desk looking totally bored, but saying nothing. In the third frame Calvin screams, “BORRRING!” In the final frame Calvin is heading for the Principal’s office muttering, “Yeah, yeah… kill the messenger.”
Although not many kids made the mistake of verbally uttering the “B” word a second time, I suspect they thought it (or mouthed it to their friends) more than once. Why do all teachers hear this complaint on a somewhat regular basis? Is it because most kids find the day-to-day classroom work too easy? Not hardly.
Contrary to popular opinion, the “bored” child is not always the academically gifted child who is not being challenged. As a matter of fact, that is rarely the case. More often than not, the “bored” student is one who is frustrated because he is not really understanding the material being presented, or does not yet possess the skill that he is being asked to demonstrate. (None of us like to admit that we aren’t up to doing a task that we’re expected to accomplish, or that we haven’t the foggiest notion about what is being explained to us. And for most of us, it’s easier to say, “I’m bored” than it is to say, “I’m struggling.”)
When a student of any age says he is bored, he oftentimes means something quite different. He is really saying, “This isn’t fun. This is work and I don’t want to work. I want to be entertained! Furthermore, I don’t understand what she (the teacher) is talking about or what I am supposed to do. ” In the mind of the student (albeit subconsciously), his cry of boredom shifts the blame and the responsibility from himself to the teacher.
If the child is unlucky, the “boredom syndrome” will give the parent a hook on which to hang criticism of the teacher, and no one will win. The parent blames the teacher, the teacher reacts defensively, and the child continues to flounder. An opportunity for helping a kid gets lost somewhere between the pointing fingers of the parent and the defense mechanisms of the teacher. The realities of parenting and education.
And what do I suggest you do if your child says, “School is boring”? Run (forget walk) to the telephone and request a conference with your child’s teacher. Advise the teacher of your concern. Assure “him” that you are not requesting a conference to assign blame to anyone, but rather to get his opinion as to what is really going on in the classroom that might prompt a declaration of boredom. I can assure you that your child’s teacher will appreciate your concern and do everything possible to work with you to determine the cause, and work toward a solution.
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Filed under Family | Comment (0)Useful Information About Working and Pumping
Secrets to Working and Pumping
These tips will help you to balance between going for a job and feeding a small baby.
1. Plan ahead if possible. Get a freezer stash going before you go back to work.
2. Do not just pump at work. Pump at home on your days off and before and after work.
3. Pump while nursing. Pump on one side while nursing on the other.
4. Find a good place to pump, where you are comfortable and can relax.
5. Make sure everyone at work knows how important breastfeeding is and not to interrupt you.
6. Drink plenty of fluids through out the day. Simple medicine tip, but an important one.
7. Use a good quality double breast pump like the Ameda Purely Yours.
8. If your supply is dwindling rent a hospital grade pump.
9. Find other moms to talk to that are breastfeeding and pumping.
10. Do not get discouraged if you don’t pump a large volume at once.
11. Pump frequently. Pumping frequently is more important than how long you pump.
12. Try to pump at least every three hours.
13. Pumping is NOT as efficient as nursing. Do not gauge your milk supply by how much you pump. Your baby will get more milk from nursing than you will make from pumping.
14. Before you nurse, relax and do a quick breast massage.
15. Any time you give your baby a bottle make sure you pump in place of that.
16. Nurse frequently at night or try reverse cycling. Reverse cycling is when baby nurses more at night than during the day.
17. Co-sleep with baby if you are comfortable so he can nurse more at night. Nursing at night will help your supply.
18. Try drinking Mothers Milk tea.
19. Eat a bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Oatmeal is really good for boosting milk supply.
20. Avoid giving bottle to baby before he is three weeks.
21. Use a slow flow nipple for your bottles.
22. Find a day care provider that is a breastfeeding supporter.
23. Take Fenugreek or Blessed Thistle
24. If you need to supplement when you are home use a Supplemental Nursing System.
25. Do not assume because baby is fussing it is your supply. Many times baby will fuss for other reasons.
26. When preparing bottles for day care, store them in three oz portions. Your baby will likely only need three oz at a time. If he needs more up it to four.
27. Send small 2 oz bottles of breast milk for day care provider to give to baby if you will be picking him up soon. This way baby will be ready to nurse when you get him home.
28. Nurse on your lunch break if you can.
29. Take picture of baby with you to work. Look at your baby when you are pumping. It will help with your let down.
30. Have a nurse in. On the weekend spend the entire weekend in bed with your baby and nurse as frequently as you can.
31. During pumping session, take a break when your milk stops flowing. Massage your breast and use nipple stimulation to get a second let down. You will usually get another oz or so if you can get a second let down.
32. Cut down on caffeine. Caffeine will hinder your supply
33. Don’t do extreme dieting. Eat a healthy diet.
34. Contact a La Leche League Leader or lactation consultant for advice.
35. Avoid using bottles and pacifiers when you are home.
36. Try switch nursing when you are home. Nurse on one side then switch to the other when baby seems to be getting fussy.
37. Remind yourself of all the benefits your baby is getting and that it’s worth it!
38. Keep your pump pre-assembled so that you can keep your pumping breaks shorter.
39. If your using a pump with horns put them in a Ziploc bag and store them in the freezer between pumpings. This way you can just wash them when you get home.
40. If you can, do paperwork while pumping. This way you can have more pumping breaks and you will relax more if you are not focused on pumping.
41. Don’t watch the pump. Staring at the pump watching for milk will make your session more stressful.
42. Adjust the suction controls, experiment with the speed and suction until you find what works best for you.
43. Keep spare parts readily available for your pump so you don’t have any emergencies.
44. If you own a hands free pump like whisperwear try pumping on the drive to work.
45. Massage your breasts while you pump.
46. Pump in the morning. Your supply is best in the morning.
47. Bring a baby blanket or item of clothing that smells like baby. Use your senses to visualize your baby.
48. Close your eyes and picture baby nursing.
49. Keep a back up pump at work or in your car in case you forget. The Avent Isis is affordable and a great pump to have for a backup.
50. Pat yourself on the back for giving your baby the best!
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Clothes shopping scratching? Ok, here’s the cloths.
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