Babies are not the only recipient of massage benefits. Caregivers also benefit greatly from massaging their infants. Massage helps caregivers tune into their babies needs and cues, promotes bonding, and eases symptoms of post partum depression.

Babies can receive their first massage, as long as they medically stable, the same day they are born. More and more often NICUs are utilizing massage as a way to help parents be involved with their babies care and gain confidence caring for their new baby in addition to other benefits. It can also be introduced later- there is not an open and shut window during which massage may be introduced.

In terms of timing baby’s first massage, a caregiver should wait until the baby is in a quiet alert state and in a warm environment so the baby does not become chilled. The warm environment also promotes relaxation. The massage should be relaxed and not rushed. Baby and caregiver should be tuned in to each other and the caregiver should be responsive to babies needs. This quiet attention promotes trust and bonding between the infant and the caregiver. If the infant has other needs that require attention those should be met first before beginning the massage. If the baby becomes fussy or cries the massage can be continued later or tried again another day. It is important for the baby to associate a massage with positive feelings as opposed to a negative experience.

It is never too early to begin massage as long as the baby is stable; also it is never too late for an individual to be introduced to massage.

Learn how to do a proper massage on a baby with this great DVD system:

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It is important for Mama to consume organic food if she is planning on nursing. What Mama eats is passed to baby- so if your primary reason for choosing green is to limit the effects of chemicals on your infant- this would be a key way to start. I would also opt for BPA free baby feeding products such as bottles, sippies, and later baby food.

Another important area to choose natural and organic products is baby skin care. Infants have delicate and sensitive skin chemicals can irritate it (full disclosure- so can natural products if the baby is allergic). But bathing in chemicals and then lotioning up in chemicals is pretty darn unappealing. So I would look for organic products here as well.

In terms of clothes and diapers; I use cloth diapers. Some are organic and some are not. For me, it was a choice between non organic cloth dipes and disposable ones. Cloth won out but I was still able to find a few good deals on organic cloth ones. I was less choosy about clothes though. If I could do it again I would look for more organic sleepers and blankets as they spend so much time in them as infants.

Since babies put almost everything they can get their hands on in their mouths. Choosing natural products here is also relatively important. Remember though that, babies do not need an entire toy store to amuse them a few toys will do.

Check out this great ebook on how to use all organic products for your baby and what the benefits are:

The Organic Baby EBook

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Heather Maynard, LMT, NCBTMB, a Certified Baby’s First Massage Instructor, and Certified massage therapist in Wheaton, Illinois indicated that there are a few key items to remember when massaging newborns.

First, the caregiver should wait until the infant is in the ‘quiet alert state’ and should always wash his or her hands first. Natural oils such as grapeseed, olive oil, jojoba oil, or apricot oil should be used in place of mineral oil. This is because mineral oil can clog pores and often gets into baby’s mouth as they tend to suck on their hands. The caregiver should use gentle firm pressure, enough to avoid tickling the baby, be extra gentle on the baby’s head and fontanels. Massage on the infant’s spine should be avoided as should massage when the infant has a fever. Caregivers should take care to keep their baby warm when massaging; systematically massage areas of the baby’s body and cover the parts of the infant that are not being massaged with a warm blanket. When massaging a newborns stomach, massage in a clockwise circular motion following the natural path of digestion. Last, follow your baby’s cues. If she begins to fuss, stop and try something different to see if she settles. If she begins to cry- meet her other needs and continue the massage later or another day.

Infant massage makes a great addition to the bedtime or bath-time routine and helps the caregivers and baby unwind and reconnect with each other as well as relax and transition into sleep.

Infant massage does not need to be a formal experience. It can be laid back and should be enjoyable for both the caregiver and the baby. It is a great way to bond and encourage trust and communication between the baby and the caregiver.

Want to see how proper baby massages are done?

Check out the Massage for Happy Babies DVD Today!

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If you have a crab put it in water…If you have a baby who likes bathes put him or her in the bath tub. This works more for babies four months and older. But older babies really enjoy being warm, wet and naked. It is useful for distracting a grump as well as easing gas pains.

In terms of gas pains there a few things that you can do to bring some relief rubbing or patting their tummy in circles, bicycling legs, holding them against your arm or up on your shoulder.

You know the old saying about vacuuming to get a baby to sleep?? Try it sometime. White noise is familiar to a baby. Mama’s womb is not a quiet place the white noise simulates it and helps; as does being held on Mama’s chest with your baby’s ear about heart level. They find the sound and rhythm of a heartbeat calming. Another trick is ‘Shhhing’ with the baby up on your shoulder (like the burp position) “Shhh” her. “Shhhhh” sounds like noise in the womb and helps calm an irritated baby.

Walking, rocking, climbing stairs are also other things that mimic being in the womb and along for the ride everywhere that mama went. Ever notice how your baby would be quieter during the day than at night? It is because your movement rocked her to sleep and when you were ready to rest she was ready to party.

Swaddling is another popular tactic. When in the womb towards term- there is not a lot of room to move around so the swaddle mimics that snug warm feeling and again calms them. Along the same lines as the above is baby wearing. It combines some of the above theories into one neat little package. Use a ring sling or a wrap for the most effective results (in my experience). By wearing your baby you are in essence swaddling them close to you in a snug carrier, close to your heart so she can hear it, and you can walk and go about your business rocking her to sleep gently, just like she was still inside mama.

It is important to remember that sometimes babies cry- if something seems off- call your pediatrician- they are there for that- I can almost promise that you are not the first mom to go through something like this. If you feel yourself getting close to losing it- call a neighbor a friend someone to relieve you. If you cannot find someone to relieve you put your baby in a swing or crib and close the door… NEVER SHAKE or DROP or HIT your BABY, EVER. It is far far better to sit in a crib for a few minutes while a caregiver composes herself than be injured.

More than anything remember you are not in this alone.

Check out the 5 things you MUST know to Calm Your Baby Today!

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Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis is the only way to be 100% certain that if implantation were to occur it would be of the desired gender. In this method embryos are fertilized and then tested for gender and chromosomal abnormalities. However, this method is very very regulated and cost prohibitive. It is used only in matters of genetic disease typically. Also there is no guarantee that implantation will occur.

Other, less invasive methods of gender selection have fewer cons but are also not as effective. The Shettles method for example is for instance not invasive, relatively inexpensive, and safe. However, there is no guarantee of success, and it is labor intensive. This particular method involves timing of intercourse in relation to a woman’s ovulation, sexual positions, and manipulating a woman’s vaginal pH to favor male or female sperm. Shettles proposes that to conceive a boy a couple should have sex as close to ovulation as possible, deposit sperm as close to the cervix as possible, and have an alkaline vaginal pH as the male ‘Y’, sperm are faster but die sooner. Conversely, to achieve a conception of a girl, a couple should have intercourse before ovulation, deposit sperm more shallowly, and have a more acidic vaginal environment. Shettles proposes ‘X’ carrying sperm are slower but hardier.

More concerning than the superficial pros and cons are the more emotional ones: why do you desire a certain sex? What will happen if your baby is not the desired gender? How will you feel if the characteristics you were hoping for in the specific gender do not appear?

You may get the ‘right’ kind of child but at what cost? Will you always wonder what would have been if you had left it to chance? If you get the ‘wrong’ gender will you have difficulty accepting him or her?

Individuals who have tried natural sex selection methods stress the importance of impressing upon yourself that you will get exactly the child you were supposed to get.

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This midwife has helped thousands of couples with a 94% success rate to choose a boy or girl of their dreams.

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These can be ordered online or you can get crafty and make your own. There are a ton of websites from which to choose from and it seems just as many price points to work with. But when it gets down to it they appear to be basically a glass jar with candy or almonds with cute sticker on the lid. A lot of them seem patterned after the old fashioned candy jars that one would see in candy shops but what really says ‘baby’ more than baby food jars?

So why not make you own? Add a little bit of your own flair to the favor. Save baby food jars (if you have a baby eating baby food), commission your friends to save some, or hit Hobby Lobby and buy them. Designing a sticker with names and dates is cute but if the baby does not have a name (or you are not privy to it) or if you do not know the gender of the baby figuring out what to put on the sticker can be harder. If that is the case; you could wrap the lid in baby themed fabric and a ribbon; cute but not over the top.

Then there is the candy for the jar. Personalized? Plain? Special Colors? Candy or nuts? M&Ms or Jelly Bellies? In my not so humble opinion, I would stay away from nuts, in the treat world they seem to be rather polarizing as well as have a potential for allergies. Again, if you know the name and gender of the baby personalized candy is easy. If you do not- I would go with pastel or primary colors for the candy depending on the expectant mothers taste.

Even within a particular kind or favor there are so many variations to make it unique to the expectant mother and event. You can make it as fancy as you want or as basic as you want. The options and combinations are limitless.

Need help planning that baby shower?

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If you want to play ‘guess the melted candy bar in the diaper’ game that is great but there are some other activities that are less known that celebrate the mother as well as the baby. One of which is making a beaded bracelet. When the invitations go out the hostess requests that each of the guests bring two beads and a scripture quote or some words of wisdom to share with the mother to be.

When all of the guests have arrived each takes a turn sharing her quote with the mother to be- the guest keeps one bead and gives the other to the mom to be. Then the hostess winds string around each guest’s wrist and the mother-to-be’s wrist; to remind everyone that we are all as one. We are all women we need to support each other through the journey into motherhood. Each guest is then given a length of string and several extra beads to make a bracelet or necklace with including the extra bead of the pair that she shared. The mother-to-be makes a bracelet or necklace incorporating all of the beads she has been given as well. Each guest and the mother wear their new accessories until the arrival of the baby. As a reminder to the guests to think of and pray for the expectant mother and as a reminder to the mother that so many women are thinking of her and praying for her- that she is not in this alone.

A more common game or activity is making onseies for the expected baby. This one is a lot simpler. Each guest is given a plain white onsie and fabric paint. She is then free to design a onsie for the new addition. Don’t worry about having too many onsies- you go through a ton of them; alternatively, you can make them in different sizes.

Want more games?

Check out a Huge resource of the best baby shower games online!

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There are a lot of reasons that this practice has fallen out of favor- at least in my area- and I for one am not anxious for it to come back into favor- ever.

First, there is the privacy aspect. I do not want to announce to people: “hey look at all of the expensive stuff I am getting!!” It is like a please come steal my gifts sign. There of course are the more sinister motives too-for one being kidnapping….things that just thinking about make my blood run cold.

Then of course there is the concern of etiquette. You do not want to advertize your party and have someone who thought she should be invited drive down the road and see that she was excluded. What a way to celebrate welcoming a new baby…By hurting someone’s feelings.

Another reason? I just don’t like drawing that much attention to myself. Especially when I was pregnant and the size of a small apartment building, I drew enough attention on my own. No need for a lawn sign to increase it.

Maybe it is yet another regional thing. In my Chicago suburb I have not seen any lawn signs for baby showers. A brief, non scientific, poll of my friends indicated that they have not seen them either and they are not crazy about the idea. Around here we typically go for a few balloons at most.

Of course your opinion very well may be completely different from mine. If it is- go for it. Party it up. Get the biggest sign you want. Call me a party pooper. I can take it.

Want to host the perfect baby shower?  Check out these great Baby Shower Games that will let your guests have the time of your lives.  You will not find these games anywhere else online.

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Teaching your baby basic signs is not going to eliminate all tantrums but it will improve communication and reduce frustration which in turn will mitigate the tantrums. If this were not enough motivation recent studies indicate that children who sign have stronger lingual development than their non signing peers and frequently score higher on IQ tests. The myth that by teaching an infant signing will hinder their spoken language development is just that: a myth. Research indicates that infants who are taught signing frequently speak earlier than non- signing peers.

Most likely, you will not be engaging in complex discourse with your 18 month old, but if she can say “more” or “all done” among a few other basic signs she will be able to communicate her needs more efficiently and you will be able to meet them without playing 20 questions or charades. Also, by meeting your baby’s needs promptly you encourage the development of trust and deepen the bond between caregiver and infant.

Teaching basic signs is not that hard. There are myriad movies and books out there that introduce variations of American Sign Language (ASL) signs or the accepted signs themselves. There is no ‘too early’ either. Pretty much right from birth you can start signing along with tasks, like signing “milk” when you nurse, don’t expect your three month old infant to sign ‘milk’ though. It like learning any language takes time. Start with a few words and introduce more words one at a time. Be consistent with your signing. All people who have regular contact with your infant should use the signs in context and use the exact same sign. Use motivating words like “play” or “ball” in addition to words that express needs such as “owie” or “hungry”.

The reason it is easier to sign than to speak is down to muscle control. The muscles of the mouth, tongue, and lips develop slower than the muscles in the hands and fingers necessary for signing. An eight month old infant will also sign differently than a 3 year old. As their abilities increase their signs will become more mature and clear. It is fascinating to watch children develop and grow. Keep with it. One day your child will make the connection and sign back to you- it may take some time though.

Check out one of the best ways to teach your baby sign language.  This resource has helped thousands of mothers teach their babies sign language and it has gotten some great reviews.

Check out Sign Language for Babies and Beyond!

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There is no 100% percent way to guarantee conception, implantation, and delivery of one gender or another. Of course high tech ways that show 90% success rates for choosing a babies gender are available but these are not always affordable or palatable to people. There are ways that individuals can naturally encourage the conception of one over another though.

Some Old-Wives tales say that a woman should eat meat and salty fare for a boy and sugary treats for a girl. While a great excuse for avoiding or indulging in foods is not that reliable in practice. The most common method for ‘natural’ sex selection is the Shettles Method, which accounts for timing of sex, vaginal pH, sexual positions, timing of orgasms, and having the man avoid ejaculation for four days prior to the woman’s ovulation. He even provides ‘girl’ tips and ‘boy’ tips such as douching recipes to alter the pH of cervical secretions.

Others suggest that a woman should achieve orgasm if trying to conceive a boy as it increases the alkaline environment in the vagina as well as helps push the Y sperm into the fallopian tubes. Conversely, it is suggested that when trying to conceive a girl that women not orgasm. It is also suggested that women add foods high in potassium and sodium to their diets to improve vaginal conditions to favor male sperm.

None of these suggestions are harmful. You may not succeed at conceiving your desired gender, but the risks and side effects are pretty minimal. The child that you end up with is the child that you were went to have be it a girl or a boy. Love him or her.

Check out this guide to CHOOSING the gender of your baby before he/she is conceived:

Read the review of Plan My Baby here!

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