Archive for the ‘Baby Tips’ Category

Click! 5 Tips for Your Newborn’s Photo Shoot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newborn babies change and grow so fast during the first few weeks! Most parents (and grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, friends, the list goes on!) cannot take enough pictures of their little ones.

In addition to the treasured newborn pictures taken on an iphone or personal camera, many new parents also get professional pictures taken. Even with a professional photographer, there’s a bit of prep and planning that needs to go into these sessions to create a beautiful photo.

So, for all of you new moms and moms-to-be, we’ve compiled a few tips below to help you get the very best out of your newborn photo session.

  1. Book the Session Early: Most newborn photography is taken within 2 weeks after the baby is born; the babies tend to be more “mold-able” during this period. Be sure to research a variety of photographers’ work with newborns early in your pregnancy. Book your session during the second trimester to ensure a spot around your due date with a photographer you like. Contact the photographer once you deliver (or are about to!) to confirm a time for the session.
  2. Make Sure the Baby is Sleepy: Most newborns are easier to photograph if they are in deep sleep. If possible, try to schedule your newborn photography session when you know the baby will be sleeping - and that tends to be very often during those first few days!
  3. Make sure the Baby is Fed: A well-fed baby is a happy baby! Try to feed and burp your baby right before the session to ensure a happy, sleepy (“milk drunk”) baby.
  4. Keep the Baby Warm: Newborns have a difficult time regulating their own body temperature and spend most of the first few weeks swaddled in blankets. Make sure the photography space, whether a photographer’s studio or your own home, is nice and toasty at 85F to make the baby more comfortable. If necessary, use space heather to warm up the area. You may get sweaty, but it will help keep your baby warm and sleepy!
  5. Be Prepared: Prepare everything you need before the session. Collect various props you want used, such as blankets for background and warmth, clothing and accessories for the baby, a meaningful family trinket and extra diapers. Aim to bring back-ups of as many items as possible; after all, you might change your mind about, say, a blanket once you see it under the photographer’s lights. If the parents or older siblings will be in a few of the pictures, make sure their outfits are also ready!

And lastly, don’t forget to enjoy! You are creating memories and pictures that will truly last a lifetime.

How Will You Announce Your Newborn? Our Top 5 Picks for Baby Announcement Tools!

Want to know one of the most overlooked items on the prepping-for-baby checklist? Birth announcements. Oh, you’ll think of it but quite possibly not until you have a days-old baby in your arms, needing your attention around the clock.

Whether your baby is a few weeks old or still a few weeks away, it’s never too late or too early to think about how you’ll share your family’s big news. From the hundreds of different options available, we have culled our favorite birth announcement tools that pass Nine Naturals muster in aesthetics, quality and convenience.

Traditional Baby Announcements (By Post)

For all of the social photo-sharing conveniences on the digital market, sometimes it’s the traditional, physical envelope or postcard that seems most fitting for such special news as the announcement of your new baby. Several online services help you personalize your news by providing elegant, tasteful announcement templates. Parents need only to provide the names and addresses of the recipients and then give the “go” when the baby is born. These services do all the work of addressing and sending the announcements once the baby arrives. You can focus on more important things!

Paper Culture. Announcements by Paper Culture are ideal for proud parents looking to indulge as they spread the news. In fact, their “jumbo” offering is 35% larger than the average announcement, giving parents more room to let their baby’s face to burst off the page. Paper Culture uses 100% recycled paper for their products.

Minted. Designed for the indie-chic mom and dad, Minted curates a quirky and distinctive selection of announcement templates, each designed by a thoughtful independent artist. Both modern and more traditional style layouts are available. And whether you choose the pearlescent paper or the 100% recycled matte option, your announcements from Minted will feel personal.

Tiny Prints. Tiny Prints takes home the prize for the range of customization. Tiny Prints offers hundreds of designs that can be altered and personalized as dramatically or subtly as you see fit. They also can accommodate a wide range of budgets; you’ll always be treated to a Personal Shopper who will help you sort through Tiny Prints’ bountiful selection of templates.

Electronic Baby Announcements

Perhaps you and your partner are wedded to the digital experience – from design to execution to delivery. There’s no shortage of stylish and touching options for the parents who want to keep the announcements virtual.

Sweet Greets. We’re particularly fond of Sweet Greets; the user experience is simple and intuitive. Available for both the iPod and iPad, Sweet Greets requires no more than sixty seconds to upload, detail, personalize and send out an impressively designed baby announcement to friends and family. Sweet Greets also syncs up with your Facebook or Twitter page to ensure all of your social circles get the news.

Paperless Post. Paperless Post was created with a nod towards both environmental sensitivity and design consciousness. It was part of the revolution of moving invitations, greeting cards and announcements into the digital space. Paperless post has garnered attention from the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Kate Spade, in addition to new parents who want birth announcements as lovely as their newborns. Classic, yet chic, children’s artwork adorns many of Paperless Post’s announcement designs.

What site or app will you choose for your newborn announcements? Did we miss an app that we should have featured? Let us know!

Tips & Essentials for Creating Your Baby Registry!

tumblr_inline_mrlv9cobxT1qz4rgp

 

Thanks to Allyson Downey, CEO and Founder of WeeSpring, for lending her expertise on baby registries! weeSpring is a platform that helps you share advice with your friends about baby essentials, like bottles, strollers, and diapers. Expecting parents use weeSpring to ask their friends about the things they couldn’t live without, and find out what they wish they’d never bought.

Walking into a baby store is enough to turn even the sanest expecting mom into a hot mess. From shelves of bottles to aisles of strollers and an entire wing devoted to swings, it’s tempting to register for one of everything and call it a day. But narrowing down your list doesn’t have to be stressful. It’s actually really fun. Check out these simple tips on how to register for the right stuff.

  1. Do your research. Before you go click-crazy or step foot into that store, talk to other parents about their tried and true must-haves. Expecting moms and dads use weeSpring to get the scoop from their friends about the things they couldn’t live without, and find out what they wish they’d never bought. Log-in with your Facebook account to instantly see your friends’ favorite products. Then click “want” and add items to your registry weeList. Being organized makes the whole process much less daunting.
  2. Be realistic. Don’t go overboard (especially if you live in a small space). If your registry is insanely large, you may not get some of the things you actually need. It’s not necessary to register for 3 different bouncy seats (thanks to tip 1, you won’t need to!). You don’t need 20 swaddle blankets. And those adorable hoods with animal ears? Get a couple, not the entire collection. Make sure your focus is on the functional products.
  3. Think Ahead. Don’t forget to register for bit ticket items beyond the newborn phase, like a highchair, mat, carrier, monitor, activity center, interactive toys, and lots of great books. Your friends and family can join forces and go in on an expensive gift together. So, don’t shy away from including them.
  4. Go neutral. If you know the sex of your baby, don’t go into pink or blue overload. You can use these items for baby #2, so choosing neutral colors is smart.

So what are the newborn necessities for a new parent?

  • Seventh Generation Diapers: I didn’t want to have any artificial fragrances, and I like that these are just plain diapers.
  • Seventh Generation Wipes: Ditto on artificial fragrances.
  • A+D Ointment: When Logan was born, we just used Eucerin, but this has since replaced it for us.
  • Phil and Ted’s Nest: Logan slept in this at home for the first few months, but it is also amazing for travel because it fits in a duffel where you can pack everything for baby.
  • aden + anais Swaddle Blankets: More than just a swaddle! Used this as a burp cloth, a blanket so I could lay him on the floor, a nursing cover, a shade for the stroller… and so on.
  • Happiest Baby on the Block DVD: There’s nothing more reassuring than a laid back Californian pediatrician telling you that a) it’s normal for your baby to cry and b) how to get your baby to stop crying.
  • Chicco Keyfit Infant Car Seat: Can’t leave the hospital without it.
  • Fisher Price Bathtub with Sling: We started with one of those European pod tubs, and it was impossible. The sling on this made it much less scary to bath a newborn.
  • Elle Macpherson Maternelle Nursing Bra: Buy one or two at nine months pregnant, but don’t stock up until your milk comes in and you know what size you are.
  • My Brest Friend Pillow: Using this pillow was the only way I could nurse… and let’s face it, you’re gonna spend 10+ hours a day nursing.
  • Carter’s Side Snap Shirts: Putting a onesie over a newborn’s head is absolutely terrifying for a first time parent. This is all Logan wore for the first month.
  • Booginhead Paci Grip: They’ll give you a paci in the hospital (usually the Soothie), and this is the only strap that fits it.

Remember, a registry is a work in progress. You can always add, remove, and return if you have second thoughts!

Ally Downey was inspired to create weeSpring after having a meltdown in a Babies R Us. Her entrepreneurial spirit dates back to elementary school, when she had a face-painting business for birthday parties, and it’s carried her through roles in publishing, politics, the non-profit world, and Wall Street. As you’d probably guess, she’s pretty Type A and is dogged in pursuit of the safest and best products for her toddler. You can follow her on Twitter at @allysondowney and @wee_spring.

Things We’ve Read – Week of December 16th

Untitled

AAP Advises Women & Children Not to Consume Raw Milk Products (American Academy of Pediatrics): One of the leading medical groups for pediatrics supports a ban on the sale of raw milk in the U.S. and advises pregnant women, infants and children to consume only pasteurized milk, cheese and other milk products.

Weighing Cord Blood Donation Against Private Banks (NYTimes): Cord Blood is controversial topic and a personal decision for every new parent. Cara Paiuk helps readers consider whether a private cord blood bank the right choice.

Bigger Postpartum Challenges Than Just Baby Weight (Wall Street Journal): While you’re pregnant … why you should get out of bed by lying on your side and pushing yourself up with their arm. Read more about recent discoveries about the impact of pregnancy on your muscles and bones.

Ask Well: Sterilizing Baby Bottles? (NYTimes): Awesome video by Zena & Zeke on why we don’t need to sterilize baby bottles like our moms and grandmothers did. Plus an great mini-history of baby bottles!

263 “Pregnancy” Recipes from India! (Tarladalal):Looking for some new ideas for healthy recipes during pregnancy? We love these Indian recipes - focused specifically on pregnancy health.

Things We’ve Read – Week of December 9th

Screen Shot 2013-12-15 at 12.18.44 PM

BPA is still everywhere, and mounting evidence suggests harmful effects. (Washington Post): These days the baby aisle shelves are lined with products proudly announcing: “BPA-free.” But the chemical is found in many other common items: medical devices, dental sealants and compact discs, and even paper receipts. In short, it’s pretty hard to avoid the chemical.

Mindfulness for Fathers: 5 Difficult Feelings We Can Learn to Love (Huffington Post): What feelings and fears do guys confront when becoming a father? One dad describes how one man came to appreciate and even love what emotions he once feared.

Wall Street Mothers, Stay-Home Fathers (NYTimes): Growing numbers of women on Wall Street say is enabling them to compete with new intensity: a stay-at-home husband.”… the couples have come to question just what is male behavior and female behavior, noting how quickly their preconceived notions dissolve once they depart from assigned roles.”

High chair injuries on the rise, study finds (Today): The number of high chair-related injuries increased by more than 22 percent between 2003 and 2010, according to a nationwide study. This article covers explanations about this trend and tips for protecting your little one in his or her high chair.

7 Ways a Second Pregnancy Can’t Compare to a First (Huffington Post): What do kumquats have to do with pregnancy? An honest & funny comparison of one NYC mom’s experience with her second pregnancy vs. her first.

« Previous
Next »