PA Student Diaries

• Baby
• Developmental
• Immunization
• Pediatrician
• Examinations
• Care
• Bathing
• Day Care
• Diapering
• Twins

Babies generally swallow some air as they are feeding, although breastfed babies tend to swallow less air than bottle fed babies. To minimize the amount swallowed by a bottle fed baby, try to always keep the nipple full of formula as you feed. Regardless of the method of feeding, an air bubble will probably accumulate and make your baby feel uncomfortable. To prevent that distress, you should burp him ay the conclusion of each feeding. You may also want to burp him at the midpoint of the feeding, to prevent the buildup of too large a bubble.

There are a number of commonly used positions for burping, and no one of them is the "right" one. You will eventually find the one that is most effective for your baby, although on some occasions you may have to run through the whole repertoire of burping positions until you get results. These positions generally have in common putting some slight pressure on the baby’s abdomen-by placing him against your shoulder so that he is facing backward; by sitting him up on your lap, resting his midsection on your forearm; or by laying him face down across your lap-and then gently rubbing or patting the middle of his back. Remember to protect the area beneath his mouth with a cloth because he is quite likely to bring up some milk with the gas bubble; this is usually only a small amount and does not indicate a feeing problem.

Some babies don’t accumulate a large bubble and aren’t made uncomfortable by one, so if your baby doesn’t burp after several minutes of concerted effort, there is no point in exhausting both of you in a marathon burping session. Simply put him face down in his crib as you would if he had burped; that prone position often brings up the bubble by itself. Of course, you want to spare your baby any discomfort that might result from an air bubble, but if your burping efforts aren’t successful, the worse that will happen is that your baby will noisily let you know when the bubble is making him uncomfortable, at which point you can simply pick him up and renew your burping efforts.

• Parenting
• Grandparenting
• Motherhood
• Fitness
• Health
• Obstetrician
• Labor
• Social
• Pets
• Siblings

Over the course of our lifetime, we accumulate “stuff” that represents our history, experiences and the good and the bad events that have occurred during our journey through life.

I suppose I am overly sentimental and obsessed with ensuring my own children have keepsakes from their babyhood and beyond. Perhaps it is because I do not have momentos from my babyhood and toddler years that I place a huge importance on ensuring that my children do have treasures that they can appreciate as the years pass by. Call me a pack rat for my kids!

Photographs

Photos are a fabulous means of recording the life of a child.

For each photograph I take of my children, a copy is put into a special box for each of my child. The date and place is recorded on the back of the photograph in addition to additional names of others that may be in the photo. When my children turn 18, I will pass these photographs to my children for their own keeping.

Baby Gifts – Videos

A wonderful, realistic means of recording actions, words and developments of babies, toddlers and up.

The camcorder is an absolutely fantastic electronic device that I have become close friends with since my first baby. Not only do I take videos, but I also utilize video editing software to record music and sounds to the video clips to make it all the more personalized and interesting to others and my children. A copy of all videos is also put into safe keeping for each of my children.

Clothing and Toys

One cannot keep every single piece of clothing or toy, however, I have kept a piece of clothing and a toy from their newborn stage that has been given by a special person in their life such as grandma, grandpa, aunts and uncles, mommy and daddy and other special family members or friends. As the years go on, I am sure the collection will grow with favorite toys that they have cherished through their childhood or other “stuff” that will bring back fond memories.

Baby / Toddler Record Keeping Books

Recording the particulars of baby’s birth, date of their first steps, the first word spoken, a clipping of hair from their first haircut or all the “firsts” will be a wonderful keepsake for children when they are older. Every person is curious to know what they were like as a baby, what their favoritie color or song was, etc. Remember, even parents forget such things and record keeping books are a great method of looking back and remembering your children.

Yes, I am probably Clean Sweep’s biggest nightmare but it is so important to me that I give my children a part of their history and I believe that they will be grateful when they are older and obtain these special treasures.

Personalized baby gifts and baby gift baskets are among our most popular gift items for newborn babies. Security blankets, baby blankets, plush toys and more embroidered with baby’s first name and birthdate are an excellent baby gift idea. Not only are they enchanting but are a fabulous keepsake gift that will last a lifetime. Baby gift wagons are also great for boys and girls.

Start your little blessing with a gift that will represent their babyhood and start in the journey of life.