Tip Archive

Below are this month's tips from Your Baby Today. Tips appear daily on the Your Baby Today home page.

• Once baby arrives, remember to let your other children know you love them by expressing your love regularly.
• Don't feel pressured to finish housework-- caring for your newborn is top priority.
• After baby is born, join a parenting group to share concerns and for support.
• When caring for a newborn, remember to eat nutritious meals for energy.
• Exhausted parents of a newborn should take turns sleeping in on weekends to avoid burnout.
• For an inexpensive alternative to an infant backpack, tie a square knot in a 45-inch wide piece of sturdy fabric to create a sling.
• Acupressure technique that may help induce labor: Press hard on your right foot between the ankle and Achilles tendon.
• Raspberry leaf tea may help induce labor, but consult with your doctor before ingesting any supposed labor inducing herbs.
• If you're past due and hoping to induce labor, according to popular belief spicy foods help.
• If you're having trouble sleeping, cushion your pregnant belly with pillows.
• Exercising moderately at least three times a week will help you sleep better while pregnant.
• Kegel exercises (which strengthen pelvic floor muscles) can help prevent bladder problems before and after pregnancy.
• A tip for Mom on Mother's Day: Increase your serenity and decrease your stress by spending twice as much time focusing on what's right (positive thinking).
• Be wary of exercise that requires you to lie on your back after the first trimester because it could restrict blood flow to the uterus.
• If you aren't sure about the effectiveness of a cloth diapering service, try it for a least one month after your baby is born. If after that time, your baby has developed a rash or it's too messy then you can switch to disposables.
• Every once in awhile, set up your video camera on a shelf or table in your baby's room to record her daily activities. This way you too can be involved in the action.
• Use empty, plastic butter tubs as boats for your baby's bath. Place different toys inside the "boats" for her to look at and try to get.
• Bring your baby's automatic infant swing outside in the yard or on the deck so she can enjoy "swinging" in the warmer weather.
• Let your baby watch the family pet from a safe location (e.g., her highchair or infant seat). This will give your baby something fun to do and will help her get acquainted with another important member of the family.
• A few times a week, give your baby a tour of her room by holding her upright in your arms against your stomach and facing away from you. (A forward facing infant carrier works well, too.) Describe each item as you show her around.
• To help your baby sleep better through the night, establish (and stick to) a regular bedtime routine (e.g., bottle, bath, books and bed).
• To ease the discomfort and swelling of engorged breasts, put a few cold pieces of cabbage inside your nursing bra. Be sure to chill the cabbage in the refrigerator not freezer.
• Get down on your hands and knees to look for hazards at baby's eye level.
• To entertain your baby in a pinch, hand him stickers and tell him to put them on your nose.
• Before your baby is born, make sure your library card is up-to-date so you can read books often.
• Got a picky eater on your hands? Sneak some nutritious foods in on a piece of bread spread with mashed banana, whipped cream cheese, or pureed apple and cinnamon.
• To keep your baby happy in a pinch, draw a face on a paper bag to create a puppet.
• Keep extra baby essentials (e.g., diapers, wipes, blankets, toys and food) in your car's emergency kit, so if you're delayed for any reason you'll have enough of the basics to keep your infant happy.
• Discard all plastic dry cleaner bags because your baby can pull off pieces and choke on them.
• When putting your baby down for a nap, give her a chance to cry and fuss for a few minutes before picking her back up. Sometimes she needs a little time to get comfortable before she falls asleep.

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