Can we choose our baby's sex?

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Changing Your Baby's Diaper

Changing Your Baby's Diaper
by Andrew Ashworth
There are many different brands and types of disposable and cloth diapers. No matter which type you use, change them as soon as they are wet or soiled to avoid diaper rash. If you use cloth diapers, you might want to try diaper wraps, which are pieces of fabric shaped like disposable diapers that fit over a cloth diaper. Diaper wraps fasten with plastic hook and loop closures, eliminating the need for pins and rubber pants. Although most cloth diapers are pre-folded, you may need to fold them more to fit your newborn. Put the extra fabric in front for a boy, in back for a girl.You can hire a diaper service to launder your baby's soiled cloth diapers. If you wash them yourself, launder them separately from your other laundry in hot water with a mild detergent and rinse them twice. Add half a cup of white vinegar to the last rinse cycle to help neutralize the ammonia in the baby's urine. Don't use fabric softeners or antistatic products because they can cause rashes. The time you spend changing diapers can be a chance to play with your baby. Talk to him or her, sing, play peek-a-boo, and exercise his or her arms and legs. While you are diapering your baby, keep one hand on him or her at all times and never turn your back on your baby-even for a second. A newborn can roll over and fall off a bed or changing table and be seriously injured. Use a changing table with a restraining strap, or simply change your baby on the floor.Get in the habit of washing your hands before and after changing diapers. Assemble everything you need before you start. You'll need a clean diaper; a soft, wet washcloth or a container of baby wipes; petroleum jelly or a zinc oxide cream; a dry towel; and, possibly, a change of clothing. Some babies are sensitive to baby wipes; if they produce any irritation on your baby's skin, stop using them. (Don't use talcum or baby powder that contains talc because your baby could breathe in particles of powder and develop upper respiratory problems. If you wish to use cornstarch or baby powder without talc, use a small amount and apply by hand to minimize inhalation). You'll quickly develop your own diapering techniques but here are some basic steps:If you're changing your baby on a surface other than a changing table, put down a protective towel, cloth diaper, or changing mat. Unfasten the diaper and, holding the baby's feet together with a finger in between the feet to keep the ankles from chafing, lift up the feet as you fold the soiled part of the diaper in on itself with your other hand. Set the soiled diaper aside. Still holding the baby's feet, use a wet washcloth or baby wipe to gently clean your baby's bottom, around the genitals, in the skin folds on his or her thighs, and between the buttocks. Always wipe from front to back for girls to keep bacteria away from the urethra. Gently pat the diaper area dry with a small towel and let it air dry completely. If your baby has a rash, expose the rash to the air as long as possible, and then apply petroleum jelly or a zinc oxide cream to the area. Hold you baby's feet together again and pull his or her bottom up as you place the diaper underneath. Finally, bring the bottom half of the diaper up between the baby's legs and fasten it in front.

Bottle Feeding Your Child

Bottle Feeding Your Child
by Andrew Ashworth
Breast-feeding is not for everyone. If you can't breast-feed or choose not to (for example, if you take certain medications or develop a severe breast infection), a variety of nutritious formulas are available. Infant formulas are designed to resemble the nutritional content of breast milk as closely as possible. Ask your pediatrician which formula he or she recommends. Bottle-feeding has several advantages. It frees the mother from her baby; other family members, especially dad, get a chance to be more involved with feeding. With a bottle, you know exactly how much your baby is taking at each feeding. A bottle-fed baby still gets the needed cuddling and closeness at mealtime. But avoid propping the bottle up so you won't have to hold your baby during a feeding. You will deny yourself and your baby important opportunities for closeness and bonding. Propping a bottle can also increase a baby's risk of choking and make him or her more susceptible to ear infections.Your doctor will probably recommend a formula based on cow's milk, fortified with iron, and that comes in a powder or liquid concentrate that you mix with water or in a ready-to-feed form. Babies under 1 year of age should not get regular cow's milk because the unprocessed protein it contains is hard to digest and the high protein and salt content can strain immature kidneys. All types of formula are basically the same in nutritional content; they differ only in price. The most convenient, ready-to-feed formula costs the most. Never try to make your own formula at home-your baby might not get the nutrients needed for growth, development, and good health.Whatever type of formula you use, follow these preparation and refrigeration guidelines:* Always check the expiration date before you buy or use any formula. Don't buy or use leaky, dented, or otherwise damaged containers.* Always wash your hands before preparing formula.* Wash bottles nipples and caps in hot soapy water rinse them carefully and let them air dry Running them through the dishwasher will kill even more germs. Rinsing out bottles and nipples right after feedings will make them easier to clean. Sterilizing is unnecessary.* Refrigerate all opened cans of ready-to-feed and liquid concentrate and use them within the time specified on the can.* Immediately refrigerate any unused formula you have prepared from powder or liquid concentrate.* Don't use formula that has been frozen.* When making formula from powder or liquid concentrate, use the exact amounts of water recommended on the label.The major advantage that bottle-feeding has over breast-feeding is that dad doesn't get left out. Make each feeding session a chance to bond and get close to your baby. While dad is bottle feeding the child, he will have time to bond with it. Many times, when new couples get a child, Dad's are typically felt left out or sometimes try to look for opportunities to help his wife with the new born child. Having the dad bottle feed the child, will give mom a good resting time.Another great advantage of bottle feeding is convenience. Bottle feeding gives the mom an opportunity for her not to feel pressured to feed her child when her circumstances are not convenient. All she has to do is to get her child's formula and give the bottle to her baby. This is extremely convenient especially if the mom is traveling or in public.

How to Plan a Baby Shower

How to Plan a Baby Shower
by Jamie Jefferson
Planning a baby shower doesn't have to be stressful. With a little organization and inspiration, you can easily create a party to honor your friend or family member and her new bundle of joy. Here are some tips for planning a baby shower.Your first step is to choose the date. Although showers are normally held on weekends, weekday evenings are a good option if there are conflicts.Showers are typically held in the third trimester of pregnancy or shortly after the baby is born. Talk with the mother-to-be about which date would work best for her and her important guests (such as her mother, mother-in-law and other close family members). Although you can't accommodate everyone's schedule, make sure to choose a date so that those closest to the guest of honor can attend.Once you have picked a date, get a list of possible guests from the mother to be, or work with her to create one. The number of guests will help you determine whether you can hold the shower in your home, or if you'll need to have a separate location. Find out as soon as possible so you can make reservations if you need to.Pick a theme based on the baby's gender, the nursery décor or something else that the mother-to-be likes. Find something that will be fun for everyone and then look for accessories to go with the theme. Party supply stores often have a wide variety of baby shower themes to choose from. Buy invitations in the same theme so that the guests get a sense of the party's theme before they arrive.Choosing your menu is the next step. If you're serving a sit down lunch or dinner, this requires a bit more planning. Many hosts choose to hold the party in the morning between breakfast and lunch, or in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. This way you'll only have to serve finger food type snacks and it makes the planning a bit easier. Chips and dip, cheese and crackers, small sandwiches, fruit and veggie trays are always popular. It's best to leave alcohol out of your menu, since your guest of honor can't imbibe. But sparkling apple cider or another fun beverage are great ideas. Baby shower games are always the most memorable part of the shower. They provide a nice opportunity before presents are opened for everyone to have some fun together. Your game choices will depend on your audience. Word games are popular with everyone. You can print out a game card with the baby's name and give a prize to the person who comes up with the most words with letters from the name. The best part of the shower, especially for the mother to be, is the gifts. Make sure to have a pen and paper handy so someone can write down the gifts received and whom they came from. This makes the task of sending thank you cards a lot easier. With these simple plans you can create a fun, entertaining and enjoyable baby shower for your friend or family member.

Helping Your Baby Sleep Through The Night

Helping Your Baby Sleep Through The Night
by Jesse Walters
When you get a new born baby, typically you will may find yourself waking up odd hours of the nigh to take care of it. Since the baby does not have a set sleep schedule, waking up at odd hours will be consistent for the first few weeks. By about I month of age you can start to influence your child's sleep schedule, but don't expect your baby to give up middle-of-the-night feedings until some time between the third and fifth month. There are no hard-and-fast rules for getting a child to sleep through the night. Some experts recommend putting a fussy baby to bed, leaving the room, and letting him or her cry until he or she falls asleep-no matter how long it takes. They promise that this technique works in 3 nights or less. Others say to put the child to bed, give a reassuring pat, leave the room, and let the child cry for increasing intervals before returning to the room and calmly reassuring him or her. This method promises to train a child to fall asleep on his or her own within 1 week. Most parents try these and other techniques and find a way that works for them.Most experts discourage parents from letting their children sleep in bed with them. The restless sleep of an infant can prevent parents from getting enough sleep and can interfere with their need for intimacy. The baby can also fall out of bed or the parent can roll over onto the baby. Letting your child sleep with you can also make training the child to fall asleep independently even more difficult. Try some of the following tips to help your child sleep through the night:* If you have just fed your baby and he or she is crying, check his or her diaper to make sure it is dry. If not, change the diaper.* Try cuddling, rocking, or stroking your baby.* If it has been 1 to 2 hours since the baby's last feeding, he or she may be hungry, especially during early infancy. Work toward five feedings every 24 hours by the time your baby is about 4 months old.* Establish a regular sleep schedule. Small children thrive on routine. To help your child develop a regular sleep pattern, put him or her down for naps at about the same time each day and schedule your child's bedtime for the same time each night.* Develop a bedtime routine. Before putting your infant to bed at night, engage in relaxing and enjoyable activities-a warm bath or a soothing massage, singing, soft music, or reading.* Help your child distinguish between night and day. Spend lots of time during the day cuddling, socializing, and playing. Make middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes more brief and less fun, done only by the light of a night light.* Put your baby in the crib when he or she is quiet, but not yet asleep. Gently rub or pat his or her stomach as you talk or sing softly to help him or her find ways to fall asleep.* Minimize putting your young baby to bed with a pacifier. A pacifier may interfere with your child's ability to develop his or her own self-comforting techniques and the child could wake up when the pacifier falls out of his or her mouth.

10 Reasons Why Men Are Afraid to Date Single Moms

10 Reasons Why Men Are Afraid to Date Single Moms
by Deborrah Cooper
With divorce rates in the U.S. hovering at the 50% mark, and more children than ever being raised by one parent, the possibility that a man will run across a single Mom are very high. But many men are hesitant to date a woman with children, and have a long list of reasons they feel such a relationship is more trouble than it's worth. Recognizing their fears though, single Moms can approach the dating arena armed with knowledge and ready to deal with men's fears head on! Here are the top 10 reasons men shy away from serious involvements with single Moms:
(1) You Just Can't Get Away.You are tied down and can't just scamper off for spur of the moment romantic dinners, spontaneous plays or concerts, or midnight breakfasts. Spur-of-the-moment overnight get-aways are out of the question. You have to get a babysitter. You have to make plans in advance. And if you can't find a sitter, or your budget won't allow you to hire one, his desire for a romantic evening or weekend with you goes up in a puff of disappointed smoke.
(2) You Have Children by Numerous Guys.Most guys accept the fact that our society has changed and that divorce, long-term cohabitation, and just plain carelessness means that there are many women with children in the dating pool. Dealing with one guy about his child or children is usually not much of a problem. However, the chances of "baby daddy drama" increase substantially the more personalities there are involved in the new relationship. Men may stick around for awhile, but few are looking to "wife up" a woman that has that much baggage.
(3) Your Children Are Too Old.Tim is a 33 year old computer technician in San Jose. He won't date a woman that has children over the age of 8. Tim drew the line after he got hit with that "I don't have to listen to you 'cause you ain't my daddy anyway" line one time too many. He acknowledges that many women make the mistake of telling their young sons that they are "the man of the house," something the young boy may take great pride in. The son will thus challenge any contender to the throne and his power in the household. So for Tim, unless the children are relatively young, he doesn't want to be bothered.
(4) Your Children Are Too Young.At the other end of the spectrum are men that are run off by a child that is TOO young, like nursery or preschool age. Small children are very Mommy-oriented and require a lot of assistance with everything from bathing to eating. They also require constant watchful attention for their own protection and safety. A man that feels he comes in a distant second to your children may not be so thrilled with the situation and choose instead to date a woman that has more time and energy to expend on him.
(5) "Are You My New Daddy?"Smart men know that little children get easily attached to people they have fun with. But guys don't want to deal with that emotional quagmire. Should he decide that you two aren't quite right for each other, he is afraid of breaking your innocent child's heart. Many men therefore shy away from heavy involvements with single Moms, and put up roadblocks or shy away from meeting or spending any time with her children.
(6) He's a Lover, Not a Fighter.Realistically, after a breakup or divorce, children are usually pretty negative about some new person coming into Mommy or Daddy's life. It ruins their fantasy of the parents getting back together. They may even feel that this new guy is "taking you away" and lash out, behaving in a manner so rude and horrible that you are embarrassed to be his or her mother! Your new beau is not so attached to you yet that he wants to put the energy into developing a relationship with any child who sees him as the enemy.
(7) Your Sex Life is M.I.A.Many men feel awkward about being seen the next morning getting out of "Mommy's" bed. Mom can't spend the night away from the children, so there may be a problem finding time for intimate private time. I heard a story recently about a guy that would go through a big production worthy of an Oscar! He'd go about saying goodnight to the children and actually get into his car and drive off. But, he'd hang out at a corner coffee shop for about 30 minutes, then circle back around and come in after the children were in bed and asleep. He would get up and leave early in the morning, before they woke up. So his date's children never, ever saw him in bed or suspected he was in bed with their Mom.
(8) He's Not Trying to Be a Captain.Money is usually tight for single Moms, and paying $30-50 per date for a babysitter is not something most can do every weekend. Should a single Mom ask her date to contribute to babysitting fees? Or is that something an understanding man would offer to do just because? Some men will offer, but others see babysitting as Mom's expense. Additionally, dating a single Mom will usually mean the boyfriend will be called upon to help with sudden expenses and other bills involving the household and/or children. Some men consider this type of thing to be a drain on their resources.
(9) Your Little Darlings Are Devils on Wheels.One of the top reasons men gave for not wanting to date single Moms involves his stance on discipline. "There is an apparent role reversal and the children tell the MOTHER what to do… these women have no control over their children!" exclaimed Darius, a 35 year old high school math teacher. He says that if he doesn’t like how they are talking to her, he pulls her aside to see if she can correct the problem. Knowing "his place" most men, just like Darius, won't say anything, but they are watching to see how you handle it. When Moms allow their children to run wild, talk back, or use foul language, Darius quickly moves on.
(10) Mom Demonstrates Resentment Towards HIS Children.Several men I spoke with have children from previous marriages or relationships themselves, and have close contact with their children, over and above that dictated by child custody and visitation orders. They all reported at one time or another dating a woman with children of her own that expressed resentment that they did more with and for their own children than they did with and for hers. These extremely family oriented and very loving men abandoned these budding relationships without looking back.
Get It Together!A new romance is exciting and invigorating, and something each of us would love to experience. But you cannot ever forget that you still have children and that you need to be there for them 100%. A new man or woman is not going to magically fix what is wrong with your life. Relationships are not designed to be distractions from your responsibilities as a single parent. If your life is a big mess, get busy straightening it out!
Set up schedules for everyone so that your children are provided with a sense of stability. Establish a discipline/reward system so each child knows their responsibilities, the household rules, and what the repercussions are if either is ignored. Get yourself a job with a higher salary and hours that work better for your family's schedule.
Get things running smoothly so that it is obvious to a new man coming into your life that you have things fully under control and are ready for love.

Planning a Baby Shower: Nine Ideas for a More Memorable Shower

Planning a Baby Shower: Nine Ideas for a More Memorable Shower
by Jamie Jefferson
The time just before a baby is born is a time to celebrate the parents-to-be and honor the miracle that is about to take place. It is a time to gather with loved ones who will support and love the parents as they embark on this life-changing journey.
The best, most memorable, baby showers not only prepare a mom with the things she needs to care for her new baby, but they also create an environment of support and encouragement. They remind her that she has friends she can call upon to help, and they help prepare her emotionally for the momentous event that is about to occur in her life.
Here are nine ideas to help you plan a more memorable baby shower.
1. Plan carefully. Traditionally, a baby shower is held one or two months before the birth of the child. You don't want it too close to the baby's due date because the mother will need time to make sure she has all the things she'll need before the birth of the baby - assuming there are baby essentials that she doesn't receive as gifts at her shower.
You don't need to send formal invitations, but there are so many cute baby shower ideas on the Internet today. Do an online search for "baby shower invitations" for easy printable cards or templates, or search for "baby shower poems" for cute rhymes you can type and print. Send your invitations about three weeks before the event, and make sure to write on the invitation where your guest of honor is registered.
2. Make sure your guest list is complete. Baby showers are traditionally times when the female friends and relatives of the pregnant mom get together. But "couples showers" are becoming more popular, to shower both the mother and the father of the new baby. See what the mother's preferences are. Some moms love to have their spouses included; others prefer the idea of being nurtured at a girls-only event.
3. Keep things simple. When you keep your party plan (including decorations invitations, and games) simple, you will be able to better focus on the task at hand: making your friend feel treasured and ready for this life changing event. Host the party at your home, which tends to be the least expensive and the most cozy venue.
4. Help the helpers. Beyond the goal of making sure the mom-to-be has everything she needs when the baby is born, a baby shower is a show of support. Put out a calendar or sign-up sheet on a table at the shower, along with suggestions of ideas the guests can offer to do. A few examples: Bringing dinner, taking siblings to the park for a couple of hours, sitting with the baby so the new mom can take a nap or go to the salon for a little pampering after the baby is born.
5. Equip the mom with diapers. Request on the invitation that each guest bring a pack of diapers, from newborn to size 3. It's amazing what leaving the party with a trunkful of diapers will do in helping a new mom feel prepared.
6. Don't forget the guestbook. Put out a small book so that the guests can write messages to the new family. Suggest that they write their best advice on parenting or a special message to the baby to be. Start the guestbook with a message of your own and circulate it at the party to make sure everyone contributes. This will be a treasured keepsake for the new family.
Another idea: put out cards for the guests to write their messages. Then create a special photo book or memory album featuring the cards alongside photos taken at the party.
7. Give the mom-to-be a disposable camera so she can take photos whenever she would like. Depending on the size of your guest list, you may want to distribute other disposable cameras throughout the party room.
8. Create an Encouragement Jar. Each of the guests can write an encouraging thought or inspiring quote on a slip of paper and then put it into the jar. When the new mom is feeling tired and overwhelmed, she can reach in and pull out a slip of paper to help her once again feel surrounded by the warmth and encouragement of her shower.
9. Ask each guest who is already a mother to bring an item that was indispensable to her in her own parenting journey. It may be a book, a parenting magazine or a small piece of baby equipment. You can request that the guests bring these items as gifts (or just give the mom the names of them) so that the mom has them on hand. Another idea would be to have each guest bring a gift copy of her favorite parenting book, if she has one. From "The Three Martini Playdate" to "Operating Instructions" to "Everyday Blessings," it is fun to see the broad range of parenting philosophies in the group and will help the new mom see that there are lots of different ways to solve parenting challenges.