Babys First Year

Flushed with excitement upon bringing home your newborn baby soon turns to anxiety and stress when your baby doesn’t stop crying. Why do babies cry and what are you supposed to do about it?

Babies’ cries are at a certain pitch. They are designed to draw your attention and raise your blood pressure. Sometimes they seem to cry for no other reason than to deprive your already exhausted body of much needed sleep. Here we will examine why babies cry and what you are supposed to do with a crying baby.

Babies cry on average for 1 to 2 hours per day. The poor little mites have no other method of communication at this early stage. Therefore a crying baby does not mean you have done something wrong or are a bad mother. As the bond between mother and baby grows you will learn to recognise the different pitches of his cry and his body language will give you indications of why he is crying. Until you are able to recognise the different signs it is best to work your way through a list of possible reasons for his screaming.

Is he hungry? He may have had his last feed less than an hour ago but his needs change on a daily basis. Like adults, babies sometimes feel hungrier than at other times. Offer him some milk and see where you go from there.

Does his nappy need changing? Imagine if you had to sleep in a wet or worse nappy, wouldn’t you want to moan about it? A quick change may resolve the issue.

Has he got wind? If he was laid down too quickly after his feed, he may have trapped wind and we all know how uncomfortable that is. Hold him upright and give his back a gentle rub or pat and that may solve the problem.

Is he lonely or scared? Your baby has been kept warm and safe inside you for 9 months. He has been in darkness in a very warm and soothing place. How does this compare to his nursery? He has become used to the shhhing noises (or white noise) in your womb and the restricted space. Cuddling your baby helps to recreate the restricted space by holding him in your arms. Swaddling also achieves this. You may want to try swaddling your baby before putting him down to sleep. Ensuring the nursery is not deadly silent will also help to reassure him. You can either sit with him and make gentle shhhing noises or alternatively you can buy cd’s of white noise or womb noise to help him settle.

Is he too hot or cold? This is especially important in younger babies. Ideally the temperature in the nursery should be around 20 degrees Celsius.

Is he bored and awake? If he is wide-awake it is likely he will need something to entertain him. This could be a mobile placed above his cot or it could just mean he needs someone to stimulate him. Try talking to him and carrying him around with you for a while.

As you go through this learning process you will begin to understand the different pitches of crying associated with your baby. You will learn that different pitches mean different things and you will be able to respond to him accordingly. Things can only get easier from now on.

Lisa Mills writes for various websites. This article was written for http://www.newbabygiftboxes.co.uk which is a site offering a baby gift box service and other baby gifts.

Baby Care

By the time you find out you’re pregnant (pregnancy test $15) to the time junior blows out the candles on his first birthday cake (cake $20), parents can expect to spend upwards of $18,000. And that’s on baby’s first year alone. By the time junior reaches 18, the average middle-income family will spend $160,140, according to recent government calculations. That doesn’t even touch college tuition. Ouch!
Children are priceless, but raising them is probably the most expensive thing a parent will ever do.

But there’s good news. One of the few times companies are eager to hand out free things is when someone is having a baby!

When author, Sue Hannah found out that she was expecting twins, she couldn’t wait for their arrival. But feeling the financial strain that goes along with being a new parent (times two), she was definitely a little nervous.

Desperate to find extra help for her expanding family, she contacted almost every company that manufactured baby items. She scoured through parenting magazines, searched the Internet and made phone calls until her husband thought she was suffering a pregnancy-induced craze. He claimed she couldn’t get something for nothing. Boy, was he wrong!

She was surprised to find out that many companies offered free stuff to new and expecting parents Рand with no obligation to buy anything! She received hundreds of dollars worth of fabulous freebies for herself and her babies, including free diapers, baby wipes, baby food, baby bibs, bottles, free gift packs, parenting starter kits, free parenting videos and software, coupons, parenting books and magazines, and tons of free samples in the mail, all from well-known companies like Huggies, Gerber, Heinz, Nestl̩ Carnation, Johnson & Johnson, and many more.

“It was really exciting to receive free stuff in the mail”, says Hannah. “These companies were eager to respond to my requests for free samples and promotional items and within a couple of weeks of contacting them, my mailbox was flooded with valuable free stuff – and with no obligation to buy anything! I could hardly wait to see what my mailman brought me in the mail each day! I filled up three large storage bins with free stuff for my twins, and saved a ton of money!”

After receiving a flood of free stuff in the mail, Hannah decided to compile her contacts and listings into an awesome book, Free Stuff For Baby!, consisting of toll-free numbers that parents could call to request free stuff, company addresses where parents could write to request free stuff, as well as Internet websites where parents could register online to request free stuff for themselves and their baby. And what a success that book has been! Hannah has recently appeared on several television programs promoting her new book, including, “Northwest Afternoon” (KomoTV/Seattle), “Your Morning” (Comcast), “Canada AM”, “Breakfast Television”, to name a few. Her articles have appeared in tons of parenting magazines, including “Fit Pregnancy”, “Today’s Parent”, “Work & Family“, and many more!

For those “new or expecting” parents who are reading this article today, Hannah has offered to give you a sneak preview of her new book, Free Stuff For Baby!, in the form of an awesome, 101-page e-book called The Best of Baby Freebies, that contains hundreds of listings of companies that offer free stuff to new and expecting parents in the U.S. and Canada….FREE!! Details are available at the website. www.Free-Baby-Samples.com

Hannah’s final words of advice: “Join as many mailing lists as you can to take advantage of what these companies have to offer. Enjoy your baby. Cherish every moment!”

Note: When contacting these companies, ask to be put on their mailing list to receive free promotional items for new and expecting parents. If you are expecting multiples, be sure to mention that in your correspondence with them.

Check out Sue Hannah’s website at www.Free-Baby-Samples.com, where you can sign up for these and many other free baby offers online. Simple, Fast….and FREE!!

1. Pampers (Procter & Gamble) In the United States or Canada, call 800-543-0480, 800-726-7377 U.S.

Website: http://www.us.pampers.com/ (click on “JoinPampers.com”)

Canadian Website: www.pampers.ca (click on “coupons and special offers”) Call the above-listed number to be put on the company mailing list to receive sample products and disposable diaper coupons. Call again after the baby is born to receive further offers. Pampers will also send out occasional mailings and coupons at the different stages of your baby’s development. When you register online at Pampers.com, you will receive a free newsletter, a $10.00 New Registration Coupon Book, private product previews and samples from Pampers, as well as special offers from other Procter & Gamble brands.

2. Huggies (Kimberly-Clark Corporation) In the United States or Canada, call 800-544-1847

Webiste: www.Huggies.com

Call, or sign up online to join Huggies’ mailing list for new and expecting parents where you will receive coupons for Huggies diapers, wipes, and other promotional items and free samples that they are offering at the time.

3. Johnson & Johnson In the United States, call 800-526-3967 In Canada, call 800-361-8068 U.S.

Website: www.johnsonsbaby.com www.babycenter.com

Canadian Website: www.jnjCanada.com

Parents can call the above-listed number to receive a free Baby Care Basics brochure with valuable coupons, as well as to receive occasional mailings from time to time with further offers from Johnson & Johnson. You can also attend at the Johnson’s Baby Website to sign up for their free personalized newsletter, as well as special offers. When you sign up, you will automatically be entered for a chance to win a diaper bag filled with $50 worth of Johnson’s Baby products. There is one winner each month. Good luck! Residents of Canada can call Johnson & Johnson to receive a “New Parent’s Pack” with free samples, coupons, and literature.

4. Bright Beginnings

Webiste: www.brightbeginnings.com

Bright Beginnings, the fastest-growing baby formula in the United States, is offering a free sample of Bright Beginnings baby formula, coupons & more. Residents of the U.S. can sign up online at the Bright Beginnings website.

5. Nestlé Infant Nutrition In the United States, call 800-242-5200 In Canada, call 800-387-5536 U.S.

Website: www.verybestbaby.com

Canadian Website: www.nestle.ca (click on “Good Start Magazine”)

Call to join Very Best Baby to receive a free 6-month subscription to The Very Best Baby magazine, as well as to receive free money-saving checks for Nestle Infant Nutrition products. You can also register online to join the Very Best Baby at the above-listed Website. When you register online, you can choose to receive an assortment of free benefits. Residents of Canada can call the above-listed number to receive a FREE subscription to the Nestlé Baby Magazine for expecting and new moms. Along with your free magazine subscription, you will receive valuable coupons, free samples of infant formula and baby cereal (if you choose), plus information and savings on special products for new parents. You can also subscribe online to the Nestle Baby Magazine by visiting the website listed above.

6. Similac Welcome Addition Club In the United States, call 800-BABYLINE (press 1) In Canada, call 800-518-CLUB U.S.

Website: www.welcomeaddition.com

Canadian Website: www.welcomeaddition.com (click on “Join the Club”)

Call the above-listed toll-free number, or attend at the Website listed above to join “The Similac Welcome Addition Club”. Member benefits include money-saving discounts, free samples of Similac Infant Formulas, periodic newsletters containing expert pregnancy and parenting advice, or other gifts. Residents of Canada can call the toll-free number, or write to the address listed above to join the “Welcome Addition Club” to receive coupons, free samples, and a free gift for your baby.

7. Enfamil Family Beginnings (Mead Johnson Nutritionals) In the United States, call: 800-BABY-123 (press 6) In Canada, call 800-361-6323 U.S.

Website: www.enfamil.com

Canadian Website: www.enfamil.ca

The “Enfamil Family Beginnings” program is a free program that is brought to you by Mead Johnson. Call the above-listed toll-free number to take part in the program and receive valuable retail checks and special offers. You can also register online at the above-listed Website to join the “Enfamil Family Beginnings” program. Attend at http://www.enfamil.com/enfamil8.html/ to print out a page to pack in your suitcase and give to your nurse at the hospital when your baby arrives to receive a free diaper bag and other free samples.(Offer available at participating hospitals.) Residents of Canada can call to receive discounts on baby formula, and to join the “Enfamil First Connections” program. When you join “Enfamil First Connections”, you’ll receive a keepsake box with a free product sample and coupons, informational brochures, & more. You can also register online at the above-listed Website to join “Enfamil First Connections”.

8. Gerber Products Company In the United States & Canada, call 800-4GERBER U.S.

Website: www.gerber.com

Canadian Website: www.gerbercanada.com

Call to receive coupons for baby food, a free informational booklet, and a free baby spoon. Check out Gerber’s Website to receive up to $50 in valuable coupons for Gerber products, special offers, free samples and more when you join “Growing Up Gerber”.

9. H.J. Heinz Company In the United States, call 800-USA-BABY (press 2) In Canada, call 800-565-2100

Website: www.heinzbaby.com

Call the above-listed number to receive a free feeding booklet with discount coupons, as well as other free promotional offers from Heinz. Residents of Canada can call the above-noted number to participate in the “Children’s Miracle Network” program, a label-saving program where you can collect and send in the labels/box tops from any Heinz baby product. Through the Children’s Miracle Network, Heinz will make a donation of 6 cents for each label collected to a local participating children’s hospital.

10. American Baby Magazine

U.S. Website: www.freebiesquest.com (click on “baby & toddler”) Get a FREE subscription to American Baby magazine!

Are you a new or expecting parent? Do you know someone who is expecting a baby or who has a baby under 1 year of age? Check out Hannah’s website at www.Free-Baby-Samples.com for tons of baby freebies and parenting resources!

About the Author
Kathleen Brookes, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Free Baby Stuff

(ARA) – Rashes, colds and upset stomachs are common baby ailments. But the occurrence of one or more of these symptoms can signal a serious allergy. If unrecognized, these symptoms can make an infant miserable and malnourished.

More than 100,000 babies each year suffer from milk allergy. The condition causes digestive, respiratory and/or skin problems and is often difficult to recognize.

“These babies cannot process the complex protein chains found in milk-based baby formula. And many also react to soy-based formulas,” says Dr. John Moissidis, a Board certified pediatric allergist at The Asthma Allergy Clinic in Shreveport, La.

Infant milk allergy is treated by either eliminating the milk proteins from the nursing mother’s diet, or by replacing the regular formula with an amino acid-based formula.

“An amino acid-based formula is safe for babies with milk and soy allergies because it is comprised of non-allergenic amino acids, the building blocks of protein, instead of partial or complete protein chains found in other formulas,” says Sarah O’Brien, nutrition specialist for Nutricia North America, the manufacturer of amino acid-based formula Neocate.

This specialized formula does not require a prescription, but infants taking it should be under the care of a physician.

Here are eight signs, provided by Dr. Moissidis, to help parents of infants identify a potential milk allergy.

1. Diarrhea

Diarrhea is common in babies, but if it is persistent (an average of two to four times a day for more than five to seven days) and/or if there is blood in the stool, it could signal a more serious milk allergy.

2. Vomiting

Babies often spit up bits of food, but vomiting beyond the typical mealtime regurgitation should be examined by a doctor. Reflux symptoms, such as spit-up and difficulty swallowing, can also be milk allergy symptoms.

3. Skin Rash

There are many causes for infant skin rashes like eczema. Milk allergy is one possible cause, especially if the rash occurs along with some of these other symptoms.

4. Extreme Fussiness

Every baby cries, but crying continuously and inconsolably for long periods of time is abnormal. When there is no apparent reason, this is usually called colic. Sometimes this extreme fussiness is actually caused by the gastrointestinal pain resulting from an allergy to the proteins found in milk.

5. Low or No Weight Gain

Most infants double their weight by six months and triple it by 12 months. But when babies are not getting the nutrition they need because of excessive diarrhea and vomiting, they are unable to grow like they should.

6. Gassiness

All babies have gas, but when it occurs along with several of these other symptoms, it can also signal an allergy to milk proteins.

7. Respiratory Problems

Colds are common for infants, but wheezing, struggling to breathe and developing excess mucus in the nose and throat is not. For some kids, these respiratory problems can be the baby’s reaction to the protein found in milk.

8. Failure to Thrive

Babies with milk allergy often suffer from a lack of proper nutrition characterized by dehydration, loss of appetite and lack of energy. This overall failure to thrive is often the result of the effect of the other symptoms effect on the infant’s body.

Parents can take the allergy test and learn more about infant milk allergy and amino acid-based formula at www.testforallergy.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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