How To Choose Safe Toys For Babies and Toddlers

Baby and toddler toys are monitored by the government with safety regulations to ensure that manufacturers place specific labels on toys for recommended ages of use. You should follow these guidelines at least, when choosing safe toys for your children. Yet, you may want to play even a closer amount of attention to the toys they have. Even with the best intentions, there is no way to know how a child may manipulate a toy and potentially hurt themselves or others with it.

Age Appropriate

The age restrictions placed on baby toys and toddler toys are there for a reason. These toys may have small pieces to them that small children may put into their mouths. They may also have working pieces where fingers can get snapped or pinched in the process. Small hands can get stuck in some devices, too. Never give a toy with a choking hazard to toddlers or babies, as their first reaction is to put things in their mouths. Of course, it also makes sense that the younger child will not use many of the older toys for children properly. Not only could this be a risk for their safety, but it will likely frustrate them, too.

Look Closely At All Toys

All types of toys could have the potential of being an injury for the child. For example, most people love to give their children a cute, cuddly stuffed animal to play with. While these dolls, action figures and stuffed items may be a great toy, some do contain potential choking hazards. Can an eye or accessory pop off these items and go in the child’s mouth? If it can happen, assume it will happen.

When choosing toys, you should look at the design of the toy. How can this hurt your child? A sharp edge on the toy can easily cut or scratch them. You may find a wheel that pops off the car. You may find that if the child chews on the toys too long they could rip it and choke on the plastics. For toys that are electronic, be sure they are safe toys for the child’s age. Battery compartments can come off, fingers can get stuck in keys and the toy can be tossed around which may break it.

What’s It Made From?

In today’s eco friendly environment, not only should you look for safe toys that fit within specific requirements for choking and safe play, but also from what the toy is made. A variety of products is on the market that is eco friendly and just as fun to play with. For example, you may wish to look for toys made from recycled products or made from organic cotton instead of man-made products.

It is also important to know what is contained in the toy. For some children, especially those who suffer from allergies or who have sensitive skin, fabric dyes and chemicals contained in the toys can be harmful to them.

What To Look For

When buying toys, keep these things in mind. Safe toys that fit within these requirements are out there and easy to find, too.

• Look for toys without strings, which can wrap around their neck and choke the child. Some toys may be comprised of strings wrapped around objects. Look for these and avoid buying them.
• The size of the toy is important of course for swallowing risks. Be sure that anything that could come off the toy is large enough not to fit into the child’s mouth.
• Avoid peeling surfaces or toys with any type of material in them that could potentially be dangerous if the toy is broken open.

Perhaps the most important protection for children is to give your child supervision when playing with toys. Even safe toys can be picked up and thrown or dropped on a foot. It is important to watch your child interact with the toy. When you notice them doing something that could potentially be dangerous, take the toy away from them. Over time, teaching your child how to play with toys correctly can limit problems, but nothing will protect them better than your watchful eye.

Caring For A New Baby

A new baby is one of the most precious additions to the family. There are so many things that new parents need to remember regarding caring for a newborn. Safety is probably the foremost of these things as well as giving the new baby as much love as they possibly can. Many of the things that a parent needs for the baby are usually given as a new baby gift during baby showers, christenings and welcome home parties.

New Baby Basics

There are a great many things that should be remembered when caring for a newborn. Among these things is to practice patience with the baby. Babies have no other way to communicate except to cry, which is why for every little thing it wants, the baby usually cries. A new baby usually drinks milk every two to three hours every day. Since there is no set time and this time is an estimate, you can expect your baby to be variable when it comes to eating time.

Feeding the new baby with breast milk or formula is one of the many things that new parents should think about. Breast milk is basically made up of all the nutrients and protection that baby needs for the first few months of life. Breast milk gives colostrum, which boosts the baby’s immune system and helps to protect from sickness. On the other hand, if the mother does not have the capacity to produce enough breast milk, the parents might need to supplement with formula or use formula fully to feed the new baby.

Holding the new baby is one thing that needs to be learned. Since the baby is not able to support his or her body as of yet, it is advisable to support the neck and back with an arm when carrying the new baby. Avoid letting the baby’s head hang limply and make sure that as the baby is being carried the arms or legs are not pinched or trapped.

The clothes that a new baby is to wear should not be too warm or too cool. Avoid using buttons that might come off as well as safety pins that might poke your baby. Cotton is the best clothing to use for a new baby since this is one of the least allergenic materials. Snaps are preferable to buttons and ties. Mittens are not preferable since these can hide the state of the new baby’s fingers and hand. There have been some cases of a piece of string tangling in the baby’s hand and cutting off circulation.

Tips For Settling In With Your Newborn

As the parents of a newborn, life has changed drastically. Babies take up most of your day. They require feedings every three to four hours. They require constant attention while they are awake, too. As a new mother or father your job may feel overwhelming but in fact it can be one of the most wondrous times you experience. In order to make sure that your new days as a new parent go well, consider these tips on incorporating your life into your newborns sudden demand for attention.

Developing A Routine

One of the keys to your success as a new parent will be your ability to set up a new routine for your child. A routine allows for everything to get done that needs to within the allotment of limited time you have. A routine is nearly possible at first because your newborn will dictate every minute that you have. Yet, it is still likely you can put in place a few crucial details.

• Go to bed early. Newborns sleep most of the day away, so take advantage of this. You may have to get up three or more times per night but going to bed early will still allow you to have enough sleep.

• Make morning time a time for feedings and small things to do around the home. Don’t expect to do a lot of chores during that first month. Instead, incorporate more time for just doing things in the short amount of time you have.

• In the afternoon, perhaps when the other parent comes home from work, take a break. This is a good time to throw a load of laundry into the wash and relax in a bath. Give yourself a break before the overnight shift starts again.

Breastfeeding Help

At the hospital, your nurses will help you learn techniques for breastfeeding. Take advantage of this help and ask questions. Talk to friends about their experience and learn from their mistakes. If you are finding it difficult to get your baby to nurse, call the hospital and talk to the nurses. Most hospitals have nurses who are able to come out and give you help.

Remember that breastfeeding your baby will take time. Therefore, don’t jump at the first cry baby makes. Instead, get to the restroom first and even get something to drink. Flip on the television or grab a book to read. This way, you aren’t rushed because you are thinking about the million things you could be doing.

A warm cloth or a warm shower will help drastically if you are feeling engorged. You may want to use a heating pad laid over the top of your breasts. This will help you relax and the pain to subside.

Don’t Fret

Over the next few weeks, you will receive advice for plenty of friends and family members. Their advice may be sound, and their intentions good, but really what you use from it is up to you. Don’t feel obligated to do whatever they tell you.

Accepting help from anyone that offers is always a good thing. Do not feel like you have to do this all on your own. It is difficult and it will feel like you are not a good mom if you can’t handle it all. This isn’t true, though. If your neighbor would like to visit and perhaps give baby a bottle, go ahead and let them. This is a good time for you to sneak off for a quick shower, for example.

When it comes to giving out the tasks to those who are looking to help, give them the tasks that take longer to do. For example, if your sister wants to come over and help for the day, asking what she can do for you, give her a larger job. Ask her to handle the vacuuming or even changing the sheets on the bed. The small tasks around the home are all things you likely can do yourself, in between feedings and sleeping.

Being a new mother is hard, but it will get easier. Over time, you may find that by reaching out to others, you can improve the quality of your own time with your child.

Simple Skin Care for Your Newborn

Newborn baby skin care is big business these days, with any number of products claiming to be must-haves. However, you might be surprised to learn that many doctors think these baby skin care products might actually be detrimental to your newborn. This is because of the chemicals that some of them contain.

You want to avoid exposing your baby to chemicals as long as possible. Let your baby’s skin mature without interference. This discourages the emergence of skin irritations such as eczema and allergies.

Basic skin care is generally enough for your baby. So avoid any kind of chemicals for the first month of your baby’s life. In your baby’s first month all that’s necessary for bathing is some warm water and a soft cloth. You can comb thick hair with a baby comb to get it clean during bath time.

Pure and Natural

Natural is the best way to go when approaching baby skin care. Natural care means not interfering with your baby’s skin as much as possible.

After your baby’s birth, you might see a white, sticky coating on your baby’s skin. Don’t remove it, because it’s a natural skin moisturizer. It should be allowed to penetrate the skin on its own.

If your baby is premature then it is even more important that you hold back on using any baby care products. This is because a premature baby’s skin is even more delicate than other babies. Don’t use any skin care products at all on your premature baby until after the original due date has passed.

Keeping the Cord Clean

Until the cord falls off, it’s important that you keep the area clean and dry. Lotions and powders are unnecessary. If the area gets dirty simply use a soft cloth and water to wipe it clean before patting dry.

You might need to follow a different routine for cord care if your baby is sick or premature. An antiseptic product might be needed if there’s a risk of infection. Your pediatrician can help you out with advice on caring for the skin of a sick or premature baby.

Hold off on using baby wipes until after your baby’s first month. Choose baby wipes that don’t contain alcohol and are unscented. They should be as mild as possible. Your newborn will do best with moisturizers containing a base of emollients.