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Unusual baby gifts can be fun to find and give. There all kinds of unusual baby gifts on the market.

Unusual baby gifts might include setting up a savings plan for the child. You could also put money aside for camps or music lessons. Other unusual baby gifts that keep on giving would be accounts set up for dance lessons or memberships to the zoo or children’s museums.

Unusual baby gifts that would be easy to give would be establishing a gift-of-the-month plan. You could start a library for the child or a collection like music tapes or DVDs.
If you are looking for unusual baby gifts you could pay for childcare for a certain amount of time or hire a photographer to take pictures of the baby.

Really unusual baby gifts may be found online. There are sites that have very unusual baby gifts. These gifts will not be found in most other places and will please any recipient.
Unusual baby gifts online are easy to order and can be sent directly to the family. You can spend a lot of time looking for unusual baby gifts in stores and boutiques. Cut this time in half and see many more unusual baby gifts when you shop online.

You will find unusual baby gifts that are clothing, toys and nursery accessories. There are unusual baby gifts online that the parents will greatly appreciate. Look for organic products and gifts for mother and baby. There are unusual baby gifts like engraved jewelry, silver spoons, cups and photo frames.

You will find sites online that have personalized story books for babies. These books use the baby’s name and other information to make the books really special.

Some of the best baby gifts are the unusual baby gifts. Spend a little time online and you may find the perfect gift.

Craig Thornburrow is an Author and Business Owner. Find all you need to know about Baby Gifts at http://www.FunkyBabyGifts.com

As a new mom, we can panic when our little ones get their first colds. Thoughts go through our heads such as: what will take some of the pain away or how can I make him/her comfortable? We want to do the best for our child and help them get through this as quick as possible. Here are five tips to make the first cold easier on you and the baby.

1) Go and buy a cool mist humidifier and let it run during their nap times and during the night. This will help loosen up the cough secretions and let them breathe better.

2) Keep their head elevated. Try to put something under the baby’s mattress to build up their head elevation. Babies always breathe better if elevated and not laying flat on their back during sickness.

3) Go into the bathroom and turn on the shower with real hot water so it will steam up the bathroom. Sit the baby on your lap and let them breathe in the steam. This will help in case they get into a coughing spell.

4) Make sure you have infant tylenol in stock in case of fevers and discomfort.

5) Give extra loving, snuggles and kisses to let them know you are right there every step of the way.

Of course these are just tips to make it easier to get through the cold. Always listen to your doctor on what is best for your child. Babies always have our best interests at heart. Using these tips will make them more comfortable to get through this dreaded first cold and even other colds to come.

One last thing to always remember is make sure they have plenty of fluids. This will ensure they are wetting enough diapers and will not get dehydrated.

Jennifer Houck is the owner of Ilovebeingamom.com which is your free parenting resource for busy moms. Stop over today to get your tips and information on making parenting easier.

It is recommended to begin potty training between the ages of eighteen months and three years. The average age most children become potty trained is two. So how do you know when it is time to begin the process? There are multiple indicators that provide parents clues about whether or not their child is ready to begin potty training. The following criteria are very important when considering potty training.

1. Your child is older than eighteen months. Typically, if the process is started too early it will take longer and you will probably experience setbacks.

2. Your family has not experienced any recent significant changes that have affected your child’s routine nor will any major changes occur in the near future. Examples include having a new baby, moving, starting preschool or daycare, and divorce. If you are experiencing any acute stress, such as loss of a job, death in the family, etc. then it is not a good time to approach your child with learning a new skill.

3. Your child needs to understand certain words like “pee,” potty,” and “poop” (or whatever words you use to refer to going to the bathroom). Other words that are good for a child to understand are “wet” and “dry.”

4. Your child is cognitively able to understand and follow simple directions.

Other signs of readiness that varies from child to child are:

1. Your child is imitating other people’s behavior. This is especially so if s/he is imitating an older sibling or parent going to the bathroom.

2. Your child expresses a desire to wear underwear.

3. Bowel movements occur with regularity and usually at the same time each day.

4. It is clear when your child is going to the bathroom. Your child may tell you this verbally or by making a face and/or noise or going to a special place.

When assessing your child’s readiness for potty training it is wiser to follow your child’s lead than to make the decision according to a timetable. When a parent captures the optimal window it only takes a short amount of time to potty train a child. Another important consideration is to not introduce any other new skill around the time your child is potty training. For example, moving your child to a big kid bed around the time your child is learning to go to the potty will be too overwhelming for him/her. Wait a month after one skill is well established before moving on to the next developmental growth adventure.

For more help on this subject and other behavioral issues please visit http://www.child-works.com

Rachel Steinberg is a parent coach at child-works.com Rachel has helped countless parents of young children with behavioral concerns. Child-Works provides parents research-based consultation in the areas of sleep, behavior, and education.

It’s a milestone in your child’s life…learning how to use the potty. Many parents find both a joy and sorrow in this stage that is a rite of passage for their child from being a baby to being a big boy or girl. For parents trying to toilet train, it can test your patience. However, using the potty is complex for small children, so mom and dad shouldn’t panic if baby doesn’t potty train right away. The best way to approach potty training is to take it one step at a time and to be patient.

The first step is to get both you and your toddler ready. Observe little one for the “about to go” signals such as squatting, retreating to a quiet area or verbalization. Other signals that show a parent a toddler is ready are: verbal communication of things like hunger, child understands simple sentences, doesn’t like being soiled, stays dry longer. One way you can help your baby from birth for this time is to change all dirty diapers quickly. This way, they never have a chance to be used to the soiled feeling. Once your sure your toddler is ready, prepare yourself by getting the proper equipment. This includes but is not limited to: potty training chair, training pants, training diapers, other potty training aids. You must also prepare to be patient…don’t expect miracles overnight.

Once you’re both ready, start by teaching the essentials. First, teach them where to go. A good way to get your toddler involved is to let him or her pick their own potty chair. This ensures that they will be comfortable with potty training on the chair. Next, you want to make sure you’re teaching the correct vocabulary. It’s best to use words like “penis” and “vagina” to prevent confusion in later life. However, it’s okay to use words like “pee-pee” and “poo-poo” rather than “urination” and “defecation”. The main challenge consists of teaching them the connection between feeling the urge and going and after going, telling mommy or daddy. You could do this by waiting for them to show the telltale signs of eliminating and taking them straight to the potty training chair. TV’s “Dr. Phil” suggests illustrating with a doll that uses the bathroom. Having this visual aid can help a great deal. Once they begin to make progress, move them from diapers to training pants. Above all, be patient and relax. Some day you’ll look back on this time and miss it.

Grant Carroll proud father and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedbabies.com with Baby Clothes and Baby T-Shirts
Also visit Little Pampered Pets where you can find boutique quality Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters

Being without a girlfriend in the city where you witness relationships in each and every bar and disco can be a sad feeling. I personally know of 4 without a girlfriend friends who go on dates every day and each day they are sad because they are still without a partner. In the amazing city of London there are a hefty collection of tremendous escorts, these terrific working girls are the perfect present to present to yourself if you are not with a girl.

Working girls in the capital city of the UK are tremendous and charming and have a high education making them fine companions as well as spectacular lovers. The escorts in London are routinely more expensive than anyplace else like Manchester, the reason for this is the escorts tend to be of an improved class. Escorts in all nationalities from Lucy Bond.

Call girls have been made celebrated with the television show Secret Diary with the delightful Billie Piper. In the television show the escort is made out to be glamorous and very rich and always looking graceful. Secret Diary is a top rated tv show in the United Kingdom and many males have seen it and have now booked a working girl. This has helped to fuel the rise in single men feeling much happier and better about the choice a single boy has in London.

It’s finally time. My child is old enough to be drinking from a cup; a sippy, if not an open-mouthed one. I reason that we’ve been making the switch for some timeafter all, it is only milk that is served in a bottle. Juice comes from a sippy cup or a juice-boxwe’ve even learned to get all of the juice out of the box without spilling or squeezing. But alas, it’s time for us to change the way we consume liquids.

I’ve been trying for months to present milk in a cup. I even use a clear plastic one that lets my little lamb see the true color of what she’s drinking. But she always frowns and puts the cup down, after tasting something that, in her mind, remains firmly associated with the original nutrition-delivery system.

It is interesting to hear complete strangers unabashedly holding forth on whether or not my chid ought to still be using a pacifier (they usually conclude that she shouldn’t, and I go away guiltily vowing to rush her to an orthodontist to correct the supposed trouble I’ve caused). Then there are parents who swear their children never had any use for a pacifier, and preschools that offer the open cup at snacktime–is cup-drinking a learned social skill? Am I supposed to shame my child into moving toward it, or will she go there naturally as she develops?

It is said that cup-drinking should begin as early as six months. I’m ashamed. My child still cries for a binky. I did hear about a woman who breastfed her child until the age of five, and I couldn’t help thinking there was something odd about nursing a child who was old enough to say clearly and understandably, ‘Mumma. I’m hungry.’

This, however, is not breastfeeding. We’re only serving milk in a bottle three times a day, and we’re careful never to do it publicly, so self-conscious we are about the public perception of our feeding practices. The prevailing wisdom says that babies shouldn’t have to give up the comfort and pleasure of the bottle until after their first birthday. Okay, we’re well past that point. I’m aiming for sometime before the two-year mark.

So I don’t pressure her to give up binky. We tried a few times, with little success. I gave in, and bought more of them so I can change them often and have one on hand for emotional-distress emergencies. Then the missing binky turned up in the car, and Little One was granted a few more weeks of sucking pleasure. This morning I made up a batch of bottles, and just as I was about to put the nipples on them, I promised myself that at some point this month, I’ll buy sippy spouts instead.

copyright little turnips.com 2003-2005. All rights reserved

Lin Wu writes for http://little-turnips.com and is the mother of a sixteen-month-old girl.

Are you in charge of planning a baby shower? Do you need a baby shower theme? Decorations? Favors? This guide will give you baby shower ideas, whether you are a sister, friend, or coworker.

Baby Shower Themes

The first and most difficult thing to do when planning a baby shower is to decide on a theme. After this has been finalized, much of the rest of the shower will plan itself.

There are several ways to pick a theme.

A baby shower theme can relate to the mother-to-be and what she needs. It can be a color, a nursery theme, or a specific type of item. For instance, if the nursery is decorated in flowers, the theme could be “A Baby’s Garden.” If it is decorated in a sports motif, the theme could be the parents’ favorite sports team. All the gifts would then coordinate with the room. If the nursery is painted with frogs, the theme could be “Green.” This way, the guests can be a little more creative in their giving. Or the theme could be “Bedtime,” prompting guests to bring pajamas, blankets, and crib items.

For a second (or third, or fourth) time mother, the theme can be really creative. For someone who already has almost everything they need, a theme such as “Reading,” in which everyone brings books for the baby (and maybe for the older children as well) would be a nice change of pace.

Some people do not like to attend showers for second time mothers, because they feel that they have already received what they needed for their first child and are just being greedy. If you feel this may be the case for your guests (such as a group of coworkers), throw a baby shower in which the invitation clearly states not to bring a present. Or spend some money on a nice gift (for instance, a gift certificate to a restaurant, spa, or hotel), and ask that guests bring a specific item (diapers, specific baby food) in exchange for a raffle ticket. They can even bring as many items as they would like in exchange for several tickets. That way, people who wish to be generous can still give the mother-to-be a useful gift, and no one feels obligated to bring anything. At the end of the night, raffle off the prize.

Some other theme ideas include:
Look What the Stork is Bringing
Noah’s Ark (good for a shower where the guys are invited too!)
Alphabet Soup
Blue is for Boy

Baby Shower Decorations

The decorations should flow from the theme. A color theme is the most flexible and inexpensive, although a specific theme such as “Teddy Bears” will be easy, as you can buy coordinating tablecloths, plates, and napkins.

Keep the decorations simple. Put a nice tablecloth under the cake and spread some confetti rattles around it. Tie some balloons to the buffet or appetizer table. Add some pastel streamers across the living room, and you’re done. After all, the focus should be on the mother-to-be.

If you are having the shower at work, the decorations can be even easier. Simply put the cake under a white tablecloth and add a bouquet of balloons. A lunchtime event is perfect for the office. Many of the baby shower ideas will work for any location, indoors or out.

Baby Shower Favors

After the shower, give your guests something to remember it by. Candle holders in the shape of a baby item, such as a rattle or booties, are popular and easy to find online or in a party supply store. Other favor ideas include magnets or candies in a pretty gift box. Of course, let the favors flow from the theme. At “Tea Party” themed baby shower, guests might receive tea cups and saucers. At a “Pamper Party,” an idea increasingly popular for mothers who already have several children and therefore most of the stuff they actually need, they might take home spa accessories such as a loofah or bubble bath.

Baby Shower Schedule

Typically, a baby shower will last approximately two hours. If a full meal will be served, be sure to indicate this on the invitation so guests can plan accordingly. Usually, however, some light appetizers, punch, and cake are all that is needed. The following is a general idea of a schedule.

As your guests arrive, serve them some appetizers, and let them sign a guest book. One idea is to make this an advice book, allowing each guest to write down one piece of advice they would give the new mother.

Serve simple appetizers. Two to three dishes is best, along with some cheese, crackers, chips, dip, and fruit. Some ideas for munchies that are easy and can be made ahead of time include:

Deviled Eggs: Add salsa and cheddar for a Mexican twist!
Stuffed Mushrooms

After all your guests have arrived, begin with everyone introducing themselves. This is especially important if this is a mixed shower, with coworkers, friends, and family. Make sure everyone mentions how they know the mother-to-be.

Next, play one or two games. These will serve as icebreakers. Some ideas include:

Baby Boggle - See how many baby related words guests can make in three minutes from a sentence such as “I can’t believe [Mother-To-Be’s Name] is going to have a baby!” or something else silly and fun. Everyone reads their list, crossing off duplicates, and the person with the most remaining wins.

Baby Box - Place some common baby items (rattle, diaper) in a box. Cut a small hand-sized hole in the side. Give each guest 20 seconds to touch as many items as they can (no peeking!), then have them write down what they felt. The person with the most correct wins.

Remember, short is good, and have fun!

If there is going to be a full meal, now is the time. Generally, a buffet is best, as the guests can eat while the mother-to-be opens her gifts. If there is not going to be a full meal, give everyone some time to get another round of appetizers, then have the guest of honor open her presents.

After the gifts are open, serve the cake. At this point, the shower is over. Everyone will socialize for as long as they’d like, and the guests will begin to leave. If the time is important (i.e. the host has somewhere she needs to be), be sure to put an end time of the invitations.

Hopefully this gave you enough baby shower ideas to begin brainstorming. Remember to have fun, and you’ll throw a successful baby shower.

Jennifer Barnett is a successful party planner providing valuable tips and advice on planning a baby shower that is inexpensive, fun for the guests with baby shower games, and choosing the perfect baby shower gift. Her numerous articles offer moneysaving tips and valuable insight. Print her “Baby Shower Checklist” to help you plan and organize the upcoming event!

Planning a baby shower can be a very big task. In order to make this process easier, here is a baby shower planning checklist that should make things easier.

Printed cards

The invitation card is the primary element in the baby shower. It should carry the theme of the party to let the guests know what to expect. It will also guide them in buying the baby shower gift. Send the invitations at least a month in advance. Make sure to RSVP so you can plan against the right number of guests.

Depending on your budget, you may choose from a variety of invitations. The Internet offers such a variety, from the free and already printable to the online-purchased customized invitations. If you are computer savvy, you may use your home printer and a desktop publishing software to create-your-own themed baby shower invitation.

While on the subject of invitation cards, prepare the thank you cards at the same time. Ensure that your theme emanates in the layout of the thank you card. Sending out thank you cards provides proper closure to the party and gives your guests a lasting memory of the fun they had.

Games and Activities

While your invitations are being produced, plan for the party activities. Games will enliven each activity and entice participation from the guests. Depending on your theme, choose the games that are suitable to the theme, or customize them to suit. For example, the traditional bring me game can be customized by asking to “bring me” pink colored items, for a baby girl shower theme.

Prizes are as important in making the occasion memorable, so be prepared to give prizes to all game winners and sometimes, even participants.

Prepare or add on to this list as required by the activities that you have planned. Make sure that you have listed all the things needed to make the activity successful and to avoid last-minute paraphernalia substitutes.

Party Venue Set-up

As dictated by the theme, set-up the party place accordingly. If it is a layette party, hang a clothesline all around the room and clip colored paper cutouts of baby clothes and stuffs. For the Hollywood theme, copy the set-up by having a red carpet where guests will walk-in.

Food and Drinks

The other half of a lively party is overflowing food and drinks. Make sure that as you finalize the number of guests, you are able to buy enough food and drink supplies for the headcount. Buy an extra 10% more to make sure that hungry guests get their fill. Like the games and activities list, expand this section to include details on the supplies needed for your specific menu.

Baby Shower Souvenirs

Aside from the game prizes, give your guests a thank you token for attending and participating in the baby shower. Note that this is different from a thank you card, which will be sent to individual guests as a thank you for their gift. Thus, guest who may not have brought gifts can still receive this baby shower souvenir. It does not need to be expensive, especially if there are game prizes given out. Just be sure to have it in-line with your theme to complete the effect.

Celebrate the coming of a newborn in an organized fashion. Use this checklist of baby shower supplies to plan for a successful baby shower.

Visit www.babyshowerguidebook.com/ today and download your free report on baby showers and get some great baby shower ideas.

The old saying “babies aren’t born with instruction manuals” has opened the door for unwanted advice from family and friends, alike. If you’re a mother, specifically a “new” mother, at first you may appreciate the guidance of those that went before you. But eventually even the most patient of women will break. You will most likely become a hermit, hiding the car in the garage, locking the doors, turning the ringer off and avoiding anyone that perceives themselves as an “expert” on the subject of motherhood and newborns. So before you become a recluse and start avoiding all human contact; here’s some more advice on “unwanted” advice.

Often times, a new mother’s insecurities get the best of her, and in all honesty, this happens to all mothers; not just the “new” ones. As mothers, we’re always questioning our abilities to raise our children. You want the best for them and fear you’ll make bad choices, its human nature. Therefore, when someone offers advice or guidance, we often take their words as criticism. But in all reality, most family and friends mean to help, not judge. Open your mind to their words; ignore the little voice inside your head that says they’re judging you. In most instances, these same people have been giving you “unwanted” advice for years and you’ve never paid any attention to it. The insecurities of having a newborn often times warrants defensive behaviors when faced with unwanted advice. However, motherhood is a learning experience; it starts at the birth and never ends. Listening to family and friends that have walked in your shoes before can, however, be a soothing and rewarding experience.

Everyone will have opinions on certain circumstances and if you listen closely, even theirs will differ from one another. Pretty soon, you find yourself throwing your hands up and surrendering like General Lee. However, often times by educating yourself on what the actual “experts” say can eliminate the frustration and the insecurities that a new mom will face. Educating yourself on the best choices that you can make for your newborn can build self-confidence, self-respect, and sanity.

It is very important for mother’s to have a good relationship with their infant’s pediatrician, as well. Often times, the trust you put into your child’s doctor will help fight off those insecurities that you may have. A pediatrician sees most infants several times during the first few months of their lives. These are great opportunities for mother’s to ask questions. Keep a notebook handy, write down concerns that you have, or questions.

Lighthearted advice is just that, when given it’s meant to be taken as helpful hints and suggestions. However, in some instances, you will have family and friends insisting on “their way” of doing things. When this circumstance occurs, be prepared. Thank the person and tell them you will consider their advice, quote what you have read from child-rearing books, explain to them that you and your child’s pediatrician has discussed the matter and you’re following doctors orders. If all else fails, change the subject or leave the room.

In many circumstances, especially those that are short-term, you may consider following the person’s advice while they are present. In all reality, they will leave and when they do, so can their advice. Short-term circumstances that have no long-term effects are just that. They won’t warp or change the big picture. If your mother-in-law comes to your house to “help”, and suggests adding more blankets to the crib or turning the heat up because the baby looks cold, just go with it. When she does leave, you can quickly undo the heartfelt actions.

Often times, you may find yourself in a circumstance where all other methods of deterring an opinion or advice have failed. You have tried avoiding the subject, quoting a doctor or expert, and even ignoring the advice. But yet still, the person insists on you listening to them. It is at this time that you have to result to what I call, “the truth”. In the kindest fashion possible, you explain to them your honest feelings on the subject, you express gratitude that they care, but in all honesty, the child is yours and you know what’s best. If you’re uncomfortable saying this to someone; ask a friend, your husband, or another family member to talk to the person and explain to them your true feelings on the situation.

It’s important to surround yourself with positive people. If possible, find other mother’s that share your views and values. Then, as mother’s you can swap stories, not advice.

http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/newborn_baby.htm

Dr. James Brann is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He is also the Editor of Women’s Healthcare Topics an information source for all women.

http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com

In the 15-year period from 1982 to 1996, the leading cause of death among young children was accidents, poisoning and violence (external causes) — these accounted for about 46% of all deaths among Australian children.

Although the death rate from external causes declined, it remained the leading cause of child death during this period. About a third of all child deaths from external causes were due to motor vehicle accidents (on average around 64 deaths per year) and drowning (on average 68 deaths per year).

A number of these deaths were also due to a silent killer found in many thousands of homes — dangling cords.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission in the US has been working with manufacturers of window blinds and shades to reduce strangulation deaths which occur when young children get caught in the loops of window covering control cords.

Since 1981, over 170 children have died in the US as a result of being entangled in window cords. This is about one death per month. In about half of these cases, children between eight months and four years old were found hanging in the loop of the cords. In other cases, children were found with control cords wrapped around their necks.

The younger children who died, usually between 8 and 23 months old, were in cots that were placed near the window cords. The older children, usually between 2-1/2 and 4 years old, strangled in cords when they climbed on furniture to look out windows.

Blind manufacturers have introduced wand controls on vertical blinds to eliminate this unnecessary risk to children.

MORE SAFETY TIPS

If it’s not possible to replace existing curtains or blinds with wand-controlled verticals, there are temporary steps that can be taken to prevent accidental deaths from strangulation:

* Keep all cords out of reach of children
* Move cots and furniture away from cords
* Remove objects from below windows to prevent children from climbing
* Do not tie cords together

The safest, long-term solution is to use wand controls. And of course, you must always be watching your children.

Jennifer Stewart has a degree in English and History and taught senior High School for over twenty years. During that time, she was Head of Department, responsible for devising and implementing teaching programs, and for supervising young teachers. After leaving full-time teaching, she wrote (and now markets) writing courses for students and adults who want to improve their writing skills. Visit her website at http://www.write101.com

Jennifer also offers professional writing services - copy writing, editing and proof reading for your web pages, press releases, technical booklets, newsletters, business proposals, reports or any other writing projects.