Why You Need A Baby Carrier

Baby carriers are very handy for mothers (or fathers) who would like the option of carrying baby along while on their usual round of chores whether at home or outside.

Should you buy a baby carrier online?
Given the number of things that modern babies seem to need, you may wonder as to whether you need to buy a baby carrier. While it is true that no one solution works for every parent, many parents do find baby carriers very useful.

The second reason to buy a baby infant carrier is that mothers today lead much busier lives than before; the arrival of a baby does not mean that everything else needs to stop. Baby carriers allow mothers to continue with other activities such as folding the laundry or talking on the phone, while the baby is secure and comfortable.

The third reason is that especially in a country like India, we are often have bumpy, uneven terrain where it is difficult to use strollers. If you live in a locality with poor roads, then a carrier is a much handier way of taking your baby out. It can also supplement a stroller when you are travelling, if for instance you take a vacation at a hill station.

Finally, one of the best reasons to buy a baby carrier is simply the joy of having your baby snuggled up close to you!

What to look for when buying a baby carrier

Whether you go online baby shopping or visit a store, here are some things to look out for when you a buy a baby infant carrier:

• Check if the straps are adjustable and can be worn in a couple of different positions – this also helps as your baby grows a little older, and larger.
• Some carriers come with both a back and front carrying option – this is very useful for babies over 6 months old, where carrying them in front can get heavy
• Look for a carrier with sturdy straps made of durable material that will not give away or wear out
• The carrier should be made of soft material that will not irritate or harm the child’s sensitive skin
• There should be no fastenings with rough edges that could hurt the child. Make sure that all buckles or buttons are made of good quality, have no sharp edges and are stitched on well and not liable to be plucked off by curious little fingers!

You could also check with friends who have bought carriers for their brand recommendations, or read up reviews online.

For all mothers who lead an active lifestyle, and would like to include baby in all parts of their lives, baby carriers are a very good buy indeed!

Tips for Making Bath Time more Fun for the Baby

While some babies love bath time, others find the experience uncomfortable and tend to cry. However, if done with care,  it can be something that they begin to look forward to. Here's how you can make  bath time a more relaxed experience for the little one.

To bathe or not
A new parent is often faced with the question of how often to bathe the child. While a couple of times a week is ideal for a new born, it’s better to give the older ones a bath more regularly. For a baby that is a few months old, cleaning the diaper area and the hands and face is more important than the entire body.

Best time for a bath
For a new born the best time is before a meal provided he's not too hungry. He might bring out the food if he is bathed right after eating. If the season's not cold, then for older babies, the best time is just before bed.Whatever the time, do set a routine so that the child begins to get used to it.

How to Bathe
For a child whose umbilical cord stump hasn't yet fallen off, avoid a full-fledged bath. This will prevent the stump from getting wet. Instead, to bathe a new born, lay him on a towel and cover him with another one. Now expose one leg and hand at a time and sponge it lightly.

Once the stump goes baby bath tubs or a bath seat can be used. You can place a bath seat in the tub during bathing. However do hold your baby firmly and use the other hand to wash him. Take help from another adult especially with the little ones whose heads are still wobbly because cradling his head in your hands and simultaneously washing might be a little tough.

While traditionally, babies in India are bathed by placing them on one’s stretched out legs, this can be difficult in modern bathrooms in most apartments. Baby bath tubs are therefore a convenient accessory. 

Play time
Make it play time for him. You could buy baby bath accessories such as bath toys, bubble blowers andbath crayons, or just sing to him during bath time.

Things you will need
Before you begin the bathing schedule assemble everything near the baby bath tub so that you don't go hunting during the bath. A few must buy baby bath accessories area bath seat,towels, bath wash, baby shampoo and a comb.

Must wash areas
While giving your baby a bath, pay special attention to:

• The diaper region
• In between the fingers and toes
• The neck
• The area near the eyes (wipe this with a cotton ball)
• The folds at the backs of the knees
• The region behind the ears.

Shampooing
All babies won't have a head full of hair. However, whatever little that he has, it needs to be shampooed once in a while. Use only a small drop of the shampoo for washing though. Gently massage and then rinse it off. Leave the shampooing for last so that he doesn't have to sit in a tub full of dirty soap water.

Temperature of the water
Before children are put into baby bath tubs do check the temperature of the bath water. This is especially because a baby's skin is much more sensitive than an adult's;so what might feel alright for you will be too hot for her. Test the water temperature with the back of your wrist or your elbow as these are most sensitive to temperature. You can also buy a baby bath thermometer.

Water play and safety
Never leave your little one alone during bath time. Make sure that adult supervision is always there, even if it is a paddling pool. Little babies can drown even in water that is just inches deep. If there is something that you have to attend to during the kid's bath time then get him out of the water, wrap him up and take him with you. Leaving the child near the water is as dangerous as keeping him inside it is.

Surfaces around the baby bath tubs
It is advisable to hold the child tightly when taking him out of the tub. Surfaces around the tub are bound to get slippery; hold them so that they don't slip.

Despite all your preparations don't be surprised if your baby cries during bath time occasionally. It happens because bathing is an unfamiliar concept for them. Maintain your cool and things will smoothen out soon.

Tips on Useful Gifting Ideas for Parents with Infants

It can be quite a challenge to find the perfect baby gift when you have been invited by the parents to an infant's party. Here are some ideas to get you going to find the perfect gift box for baby.

Baby Clothes

If there is one thing that the baby needs it is clothes. And that too, lots of them. So you could get clothes of different types. For summer, it is tops, shirts, pants, shots and caps and for the winters it is pyjamas with feet, baby socks with matching hats and other woollens. Wrap these nicely to create the perfect gift box for baby. If you are pressed for time then you will get such gift sets online too.

Baby Strollers

Parents will be getting back to their routines now and exercising is one such. Even kids should be taken out once in a while. So, baby strollers and prams or sling bags are good baby gift ideas. These can be slightly expensive but they make memorable gifts. Just remember, before you purchase, do ask the parents what exactly they are looking for, because there are unlimited options nowadays. Then look around before you finally purchase. You can find these gifts sets online as well.

Baby Skincare

There are so many baby products and brands in this category in the market today. Pick up one of your choice but do remember to keep it a known brand. You can make a gift box for the baby with shampoos, creams, powder, soaps etc. They make useful gift sets and also look good.

Baby Toys

Kids of this age will loveplaying with toys like rattles, small soft toys and o-balls (balls with large holes that the baby can grab onto easily).Just make sure that these are made of non- toxic materials and do not have any small loose parts as many a times these will go intothe child’s mouth. Infants can be read to as well, especially books with large colourful pictures. For infants who are only a few months old, floor gyms are also gaining popularity.

So get these baby products and instead of wrapping it in a gift box for baby, you could evenput it into a bag and make it into a bag set. It will look different and the bag can be used by the parents when they take the baby outdoors.

Baby Room

The options are unlimited here. If you are very close to the family, then you can offer to get the kid's room painted or even gift a cot or a rocker. Else, for the child's room, things like small hanging toys, wall stickers, a colourful security blanket and door name plate are some of the other baby gift ideas.

Homemade gifts for the baby

Make a gift box for the baby with various home made things. If you are good at drawing then sketch the child's picture and frame it to be hung in his room. If he has started eating outside food, then you can make tiny cookies of different sizes for him. Or knit a sweater, crochet a top, embroider a baby wrap. You can even use different coloured cloth lying around in your home and turn it into a quilt. All these baby products make a wonderful gift set for babies because they are useful and also add the extra personal touch.

And if none of these baby gifts appeal to you than simply look for gift sets online or give a gift voucher of a well known kids' store. The basic essence behind baby gifts is not only to gift things that look cute and sweet, but also to choose gifts that will be useful for the child.