Baby Shower Favor Ideas

Remember going to birthday parties as a little kid? You always came home with a goodie bag. Sometimes it would contain candy or bubbles or a pinwheel. It was so fun to go to a party for someone else's birthday and come up with a little present for yourself.

Bring a present – get a present. We still get to do that as grown-ups … only now we call them "favors."

It's a nice gesture to have something that your guests can take home with them after the festivities are finished. If your shower will be like most, you'll probably play some silly games. No game would be complete without prizes or favors.

It's a good idea to have a little something for everyone to take home. Here are a few ideas:

• How about a little tin candle with a custom label that reads "Your friendship lights my day. Thanks for being part of my special day"?
• Most everyone likes chocolate. Little boxes of chocolate that read, "You're so sweet. Thanks for coming to my baby shower." Or a little package of nuts wrapped in tulle, "You're nuts. But that's why we're friends – thank you for coming to my shower."
• Lotion is always a good little favor for women. Be careful not to get something too fragrant – as some people are bothered by strong scents.
• A small gift booklet with the inscription on the inside cover: "I appreciate your wisdom and support of my new baby." Or "Thanks for all times I've cried on your shoulder, I appreciate you." Or if you don't feel very sentimental how about simply: "Thanks for coming to my baby shower. June 1, 200x"

The truth is that it doesn't really matter what you offer as a favor. It's a small token of your appreciation for the time your friends devoted to celebrate your baby.

Using Creative Art for the Nursery

When decorating a new arrival’s nursery, you don’t have to stick to the usual teddy bears and pastels. There are so many more options available today. Research has shown that bright colors, especially black, red and white, are better for eye development in the early months. Big bold shapes are also good, as they help with focusing.

Here are a few creative art project ideas you can easily make for the baby’s nursery.

Fabric Letters
Get some red, black and white fabric and cut out shapes, numbers and letters – or the child’s name -- and arrange them on the walls. Try to use fabric that doesn’t fray (ask the clerk at the fabric store for assistance in the choice). By soaking the pieces in liquid fabric starch (a spray starch works well), the pieces will stick to the wall after it dries, without damaging the surface. This is great to use in an apartment where you may not be able to use nails.

Handprints and Footprints
Decorate the room with the baby’s handprints and footprints. Make a stencil of the print, or if the baby cooperates, actually put the paint on baby’s hands and feet and press on the walls. Each month, you could make a new set of prints to add to the design, to watch your child’s growth. Write your baby’s age on each footprint, so you can see the change.

Family Photo Tree
Paint a simple tree on one wall. Collect nice pictures of the family: parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. Hang them on the tree. There are a lot of attractive and inexpensive picture frames that would work nicely. If you don’t want to purchase frames, you could even use different color photo mats, and use those to attach the pictures to the wall.

Wall Quilt Collage
Collect baby wallpaper samples to create a “wall quilt” collage. Lay the wallpaper pieces out, and try to use as much of a variety as possible to create a nice pattern. Options: If you’re in an apartment, the samples can be attached to poster board and then hung on the wall. Or, instead of using wallpaper samples, gather the cards from your baby shower and use those instead. “Frame” the art with ribbon to make it look like quilt binding.

With a little time and creativity, it doesn’t have to cost a small fortune to have a unique nursery.

Baby Shower Theme Ideas

If you have a particular baby shower theme, it makes it very easy to decorate and to plan menu items. Well, sometimes it helps with the menu items.

Of course the reason for the shower is the baby, but you can also decide to have a particular theme. Below are just a few examples.

Fall Harvest Theme
You could decorate in orange, brown and gold colors. Serve pumpkin pie, cider, spiced chai tea and apples. Make some soups and warm dips; and burn cinnamon candles. Having a fall theme is just another added dimension to the shower. It in no way distracts from the main focus of celebrating baby.

Pool Party Theme
If it's summertime, this can be the perfect themed. Suggest everyone bring their bathing suit and a towel. Host the shower outside. Serve lemonade and popsicles.

Spring Theme
A spring theme could include lots of flowers. Favors could be a little package of bulbs. Stress the new birth that comes with spring and tie it in with the new birth of the baby.

"Pamper-Me" Theme
Let everyone take their shoes off and dip their feet in the foot massager. Then rub peppermint lotion on your feet. This would be a fun get together – all the while making mom and baby the focus. It will be enjoyable and memorable for the shower guests too.

Cookie Exchange
Have all the guests bring 2 dozen cookies and swap them out. Chances are your guest of honor will have fun too. Of course a baby shower is all about mom, but sometimes there are only so many baby festivities to do in one afternoon.

Luau Theme
You can make this theme can be complete with grass skirts, leis and coconuts.

Make your shower FUN. It doesn't have to be about tea and crumpets while sitting quietly in a chair. If your guest of honor was fun before she was pregnant, she'll still be fun. (Give her one last hoorah before baby settles her down.)

How Do You Decorate the Nursery if You Don't Know the Baby's Gender?

So you have decided NOT to find out the sex of your baby. That's cool - I decided not to find out with my first 2 and then opted to know with the last one. Although it is a great decision, it can be a challenge when it comes to decorating the nursery. Thankfully we have a lot more choices available to us today than our parents and grandparents had when they were having babies. They worked with the two basic baby colors; blue and pink. We have the entire rainbow and our imagination is the only limit.

Before you put anything into your nursery, it’s a great idea to tackle the walls. You’re going to want something gentle and soothing that will work with all kinds of ideas you come up with later. Without being girlish or boyish, you could go for a simple blue sky scene using a few shades of light blue. Add in some fluffy clouds and you have a great backdrop for anything. Carry this same theme over into curtains with some fabric paints. Just about any fabric color you choose for the windows will look complimentary.

Most nurseries have four basic elements of furniture. The baby’s crib and changing table usually match. Then you have a dresser and a rocking chair for Mom. You may also have a cradle, but that’s more likely to be in your own bedroom. Since you won’t know the gender of the baby until you bring him home, and you certainly won’t feel like shopping for furniture then – you will probably want to go with natural wood tones. If you pick up some unfinished pieces, you can add color and design elements later when you have more time.

The next step in decorating your baby’s nursery might be all about the functions of the nursery. If you’ll be spending time in the nursery late at night, a little side nightstand with a lamp next to the rocker will be nice. Find a plain white lamp and lamp shade and you’ll be able to modify it later to match the theme you choose.

Look for two or three large shelves, two or three feet wide, at least eight inches deep and hang these up strategically around the room. Choose a natural wood tone to match the furniture or stick with white until later. These shelves will be a blessing to you for things like a small stereo, some books to read your baby, or a few favorite décor items. These basic elements are so versatile and can flow with any ideas you come up with later when the baby is settled in. Whether you end up adding butterflies or frogs to the room later, the blue sky and neutral additions will fit perfectly.

This is a room with a really nice canvas of sky and all of the basics in place. You can wait for baby to reveal his or her gender to really dig into a decorating theme, or just choose to go with something that isn’t girl or boy specific to get everything done in advance. Whichever you choose, don’t be afraid to be daring – remember, the nursery gets redecorated in just a few short years and you get to have the fun all over again.

Game Ideas for Your Baby Shower

Wouldn't be nice if all your friends and family were to RSVP to your baby shower right away because they simply could not wait to play THE GAMES? We all know that's not going to happen.

Baby shower games - it's a rite of passage. What's a shower without silly games? Ok, admit it, while some may grumble and groan (generally silently while they outwardly smile and play nice) there is guaranteed to be much laughter and memories with baby shower games. Below are some suggestions:

Baby Food Tasting
Sit mom in a chair, blindfold her and be prepared for some funny faces. The hostess will spoon mom different kinds of food and she'll have to guess what flavor it is. Or better yet, blindfold all the guests and have THEM try to guess the flavor. Have them remove their blindfolds (or if on the honor system, open their eyes) so that they can write down their guess – then begin with the next flavor.

Along the same lines is to put a dollop of baby food inside a disposable diaper. Eww, yes it is somewhat gross, that's what makes it so fun. Everyone must sniff and try to determine what kind of baby food is in the diaper.

Toilet Paper Around Mommy's Tummy
Pass a roll of toilet paper around to all the guests. Tell each one to take as many squares as they think will be necessary to fit around mom's tummy. This also works with string but the toilet paper is funnier because if someone guesses too little, the paper squares break apart. Nothing like making mom feel HUGE.

Unscramble the Words
Write baby related words on pieces of paper – rattle, diaper, teething, colic, bath, ointment, bouncy seat, Pack n' Play, etc. and then scramble up the letters. Give everyone a few minutes to decipher as many as they can.

Test Your Memory
Have a box or a tray with baby related items – wipes, diaper pin, diaper ointment, ear bulb, teething tablets, booties, washcloth, hair bow, etc. The smaller the items the better. Put the box or tray in front of everyone for two minutes then remove it. Have guests write down as many items as they can remember. Of course mom gets to keep the box of goodies when the game is finished.

***Don't Forget***
You should have some little prizes for the winner(s) of each game. Candles, bath and body items, dish towels, or lip balm work nicely. Think of anything small that most women would like.

Don't dread the games – have fun with them. Make sure to take lots of photos during the festivities.

What to Expect During an Emergency C-Section

Reasons for having an emergency C-section

There are times when a woman needs help during labor and delivery, and inducing labor is not an option. The only other solution is to do a Caesarean delivery, or C-section.

These times include the following:

• If your baby stops moving down the birth canal and your cervix is no longer dilating.
• If your doctor feels that your baby’s heartbeat can’t safely handle any more labor.
• If your umbilical cord comes through the cervix, with concern that the baby’s oxygen supply will be cut off.
• If your placenta is starting to tear away from your uterine wall, making it imperative that your baby be delivered immediately.
• If you have genital herpes and your water breaks.

If there is time, your doctor will explain to you why a C-section is necessary and you will be asked to sign a consent form. Your partner will be allowed to be with you in most cases. The anesthesiologist will tell you about your different choices for pain control.

The most common type of pain control is the epidural or spinal block. The lower part of the body is numbed, but you will remain conscious to view the birth of your baby.

The process of the C-section

The doctor will cover your belly with antiseptic and cut through the layers of tissue from just above the pubic bone to the uterus. Once the doctor reaches the uterus, a horizontal cut is made and the doctor then reaches in and delivers your baby. After the baby has been examined and your placenta is removed, you will be given the baby to hold while you are being stitched up, layer by layer. After the surgery is done, then you are taken in to a recovery room where you will continue to be monitored for a few hours.

Once the anesthesia has worn off you may get either pain shots every 3-4 hours or an IV that will allow you to give yourself a safe dosage of pain reliever whenever you feel the need. With a C-section, you may expect to stay in the hospital for about 3-4 days, depending on the situation.
The first few days after your C-section

You will probably feel somewhat groggy and nauseous after your C-section. Your incision will probably feel numb and sore. The incision itself will look puffy and darker than the rest of your skin color. When you sneeze, cough, or laugh, the area around the abdomen will be sore for a few days. You may experience a gas buildup at first, but once you are able to get up and walk a little, your system will start working again. Your stitches will be removed in 3-4 days before you are sent home.

What happens when you leave the hospital?

Remember that you have had major surgery and you will not be able to do a lot of things for a while. So plan on accepting help from others.

Keep taking your medication as prescribed, drink plenty of liquids and walk, slowly at first. Your vaginal bleeding will take up to six weeks to go away.

What kind of emotions will you feel?

If you were planning on having a vaginal delivery and ended up with a C-section birth, you may feel disappointed and cheated. You may feel like an incomplete person because you did not get your magical birth moment. All these feelings are normal. Visit with your doctor about any feelings you have so you don’t have to feel like you have to suffer these feelings on your own. Also, try talking to others that have experienced the same thing, and get some perspective on what others have felt after their C-section.

You will still be likely to feel the same kinds of emotions that most mothers go through, whether they had a vaginal birth or a Caesarean birth.

The point is that you are not alone with your different feelings and emotions. So please share them with someone, if you need to. You will have enough stress with your hormones adjusting and settling in to a new life with baby around. The less stress you have, the more you will be able to relax and enjoy the precious moments with your little miracle.

Healthy Eating During Pregnancy

As an expectant mother, your top priority should be healthy eating. Many women use their pregnancy as an excuse to “eat for two.” This is the worst possible thing you could do to yourself and your baby.

Here are a few healthy eating during pregnancy tips:

Healthy Eating Tips for Expecting Moms - The American Dietetic Association says that a pregnant woman needs only 300 calories a day more than she did before she became pregnant. This means, on average, you should consume about 2,500 to 2,700 calories per day.

The best foods for healthy eating are of course fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and dairy products. You should try to include something from each of these food groups in every meal.

Caffeine should be avoided at all costs, as it may have an effect on your unborn child. Junk food like chips and chocolate that will affect your weight gain should be eaten in moderation as well. Some pregnant women keep fresh fruit, like red seedless grapes, on hand. They claim these fruits that are naturally sweet help to curb their sweet-tooth cravings for things like chocolate.

Why Healthy Eating is Important for You - Your body is adjusting to carrying this new life inside you. While you will need extra nutrients, you don’t need to eat double. The best thing you can do is incorporate a pre-natal vitamin regimine into your daily life. Taking vitamins will help precisely feed your body the extra nutrients you need.

All too often, pregnant women pack on pounds unnecessarily. They eat in excess, thinking that after they have their baby, all the weight will magically disappear, too. It doesn’t work that way. If you wouldn’t ordinarily eat fast food five times per week, then don’t assume that kind of lifestyle just because you’re pregnant. Adopt well-rounded and balanced meals instead and treat yourself once a week to that craving you’ve had.

This way you’ll be able to keep your weight gain to a healthy level and also provide your baby with all the nutrients he or she needs for the best start in life.


Want more tips on eating healthy during your pregnancy? The Pregnancy Without Pounds ebook is a great resource to help you gain only the weight you should...the healthy way.

V-Tech Soft Explorer Mat

Product Name: V-tech Soft Explorer Mat
Submitted by: Michelle Morgan; Leawood, KS
Rating: 9
Where to buy: Amazon.com

Description: This product is an interactive play mat.

Review: The mat is very brightly colored with animal characters. On the mat are a bee, glow worm, frog, bunny and owl. When they are pushed they say their animals name and sound.

On the front is a raise platform with a ladybug, birds (with birdhouse) and butterfly. When spun the ladybug sings a numbers song to go along with numbers that are on her. The birds in the birdhouse wobble back and forth and sing when touched. The butterfly moves up and down and sings.

The control center can either be on song or baby mode. On song mode it talks to baby and sings even when baby is not moving. When on baby mode it reacts to baby's movements.

I bought this for my daughter who hated tummy time. She loved it. It really encouraged her to move around. She especially loved the ladybug who can be spun around. The songs are very cute.

It is very durable and easy to clean. I have washed it a few times and the bright colors have not faded at all.

Criticism: The only bad thing I can say is the mat is a little thin. I have hardwood floors so I put a blanket under it for extra padding.

Baby Furniture for the Frugal Mom and Dad

When new parents think of purchasing items for the nursery, the thought of buying baby furniture typically causes a new parent to panic. With all of the current expenses, visions of deeper credit card debt can make any new mom or dad break into a sweat.

However, there are ways to cut corners, and make furnishing the baby's room less expensive. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking frugally before rushing out to purchase furniture for your baby’s room.

The crib
New parents may think they need both a bassinet and a crib. The frugal shopper will choose to skip the bassinet, which is typically viewed as a luxury. The crib is a necessity, but the bassinet is only used for a few months, and is then stored in the garage.

When shopping for a crib, keep your eyes open for a bargain on a convertible style crib, which can transform from a crib, to a toddler bed, and then a full size bed. If you can invest in a convertible crib, it would alleviate the cost of a bed in the future.

The Dresser
Baby’s dresser is an item that can often times be picked up at a yard sale. Thrifty shoppers know that purchasing a full-sized dresser is more economical than buying a small dresser. Remember that you will eventually have to turn the baby room into a child's bedroom, and a smart investment now can grow with your child through the years. Don’t be afraid to buy an older dresser. An older dresser can be as good as new with just a coat of paint and some cute new hardware picked up at the local home improvement store.

Changing Table
The changing table is a luxury for the frugal shopper. Check places like the Salvation Army and Goodwill as well as yard sales. These tables are often discarded when the baby outgrows them. Another option for a frugal changing table is to convert a full-size dresser into a changing table. This is easily done by purchasing a thick changing pad (I got one that was curved like a half pipe to keep the baby from rolling) from a baby or discount store. No need to cover this with the expensive fitted covers - one of the many baby blankets that you'll be receiving as a gift will also do the job! There are also inexpensive organizers that can hang down the side of the dresser. The changing table is an item some moms choose to do without, and, instead, set a blanket on the floor to change their babies on.

I am sure in a perfect world, we would all appreciate the luxury of going out and buying everything we need at a baby boutique. However, the reality is that baby does not need the most expensive furniture. Your baby needs only one thing, and that is you.

How Much Weight Should You Gain?

Whether you want to admit it or not, you will gain weight during pregnancy. It is necessary for your baby’s growth and development. But just how much weight you gain is going to be a factor in how easy it will be to take the pounds off after the baby is born.

How much weight you need to gain will be up to you and your doctor. There are some general guidelines to follow.

• If you are somewhat underweight, your total recommended weight gain should be about 28-40 pounds.
• If you fall into the normal weight category, your recommended weight gain should be about 25-35 pounds.
• If you are somewhat overweight your weight gain may fall into the 15-25 pound range.
• If you are obese, your range of weight gain may be about 15 pounds.
• If you are pregnant with more than one child, your weight gain will be more.

For those that suffer from morning sickness, it is a good thing to know that not much weight needs to be gained during the first trimester. If you are starting out at healthy weight, your calorie intake should increase by 150- 200 calories. That doesn’t necessarily mean potato chip and candy bar calories. It means healthy calories from fruit, veggies, and dairy products such as low fat yogurt.

If you started out your pregnancy underweight, your daily calorie intake may need to be increased by 300-500 calories. You will need the extra weight to prevent your baby from being born earlier than the due date.

Being overweight before your pregnancy can bring on some health issues such as high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. But going on a diet now is not an option. You will need to gain a little extra weight or your body may start to break down its own storage of fat and create substances called ketones, which can be very harmful to the baby.

For example, if your baby should weigh around 7-8 pounds, below is where the rest of the weight comes from.

* Baby = 7-8 pounds
* Increased breast size = 1-3 pounds
* Increase is uterus = 2 pounds
* Placenta = 1-2 pounds
* Fluid surrounding baby = 2 pounds
* Increase in blood supply = 3-4 pounds
* Fluid build up = 2-3 pounds
* Storage of fat = 6-8 pounds

Making a total of 24-32 pounds weight gain

The main point here is that weight gain is inevitable. And it is important that you keep an open communication with your doctor. He or she will be the guide to help you monitor your weight.

Bumbo Baby Sitter

Product Name: Bumbo Baby Sitter
Submitted by: Melanie Triplett; St. Paul, MN
Rating: 4
Where to buy: Amazon.com

Description: The Bumbo Baby Sitter is a unique type of baby chair or booster seat. It's made of foam-like material and comes in a variety of colors. The chair is round and in the middle of the baby’s legs is a divider somewhat like a saddle horn. The seat portion of the chair is somewhat lower than the leg holes so that the baby "sinks" down into the sitter for support and to stabilize the chair. It's recommended as a sitting aid for babies between 3 and 14 months or up to 22 pounds.

Criticism: We purchased the Bumbo Baby Sitter when our son was 4 months old and he had outgrown it by the time he was 5 and a half months old. By that time he had already figured out how to arch his back in such a way that he could tumble up and out of the sitter!

He never did like it much, which was why he tried to fall out of it. For the first few weeks, it was nice to have as an extra place to set him down safely.

It sits nicely on any flat surface, it's lightweight and easy to carry around, and it's really easy to wipe clean of any drool, snacks or spit-up.

It doesn't have any straps, however, so it should only be placed on the floor or on a chair with constant supervision.

But for our son, it wasn't comfortable or safe, so I can't recommend to any parent to spend $40 for such a short-lived product.