LilSugar

Double Check Your Baby Goods!

LilSugar — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:00:51 -0700

Subsequent babies get lots of newborn hand-me-downs, but parents should double check their items to make sure they are still safe. In the time that passes between one tot's use and the next, goods may have been recalled or held to new safety standards.

Car Seats: Car seats are manufactured to last approximately six years, so be sure to check the manufacture date before installing it in your vehicle. It's also imperative to check the brand's website for news and to make sure the straps and harness are in working order.
Cribs: Make sure the slats are not cracked or missing and that they are not spaced more than 2 3/8 inches apart. The mattress should also be checked to see that it fits snugly into the crib. Precautions also include side drop cribs and the use of bumpers.

To see the rest of the list, read more.

Strollers: Strollers are tossed around throughout their use, so they must be thoroughly examined before reuse. Make sure the seat belt and harness systems are in working order and still attached to the frame. Test the brakes for effectiveness. Consider greasing the wheels to ease the steering.
High Chairs: Check the unit to see that the straps are still in working order and that the tray cannot be pushed off by a pushy tot.
Bottles: If your oldest tot is over the age of two, it is likely that any bottles or sippy cups you used with him contained BPA. Many states have banned the sale of products with BPA in them, and it is advisable to replace your bottles with newer, safer ones.
Breast Pump Accessories: Most breast pump manufacturers suggest replacing breast pump tubes and attachments for each child to eliminate any possibility of cross-contamination. Newer versions also tend to be BPA-free, making them even safer for babies.

Lil Mark: Newborn Essentials

LilSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:00:20 -0800

A new parent is often amazed at how much gear one tiny baby requires, but some items are more essential than others. I asked you ladies to share a few of your newborn essentials for mommies and daddies-to-be on TeamSugar and there were some great finds.

User Ericka shared her must have for new parents - Long Sleeve Side Snap Shirts. Not only will they keep your wee one bundled up, the mittens will cover her nails so she doesn't scratch herself, and the side snaps make it easy to put on while you're still getting comfortable handling your new babe.

Expecting a lil one soon? Check out more essentials for infants below.

Lil Mark It Mission: Newborn Essentials

LilSugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:00:27 -0800

New parents are bombarded with things to do before their newest family member arrives, but one of the most overwhelming parts is figuring out what to buy.

Help out expectant moms and dads by sharing your ideas for newborn essentials that parents-to-be will want to have on hand before the baby comes, or soon there after. From a swing to bottles to binkies, the list is long but it's also a lot of fun. Bookmark your find on TeamSugar and if you tag your finds as "Newborn Essentials," I'll do a recap of everyone's picks next week. I already added the Boppy Pillow ($30), as well as the scary, but helpful Newborn Nasal Aspirator ($2). Feel free to add as many as you'd like.

Not sure how to bookmark in Team? geeksugar has written an explanation of how to bookmark items on TeamSugar if you need a helping hand.

Five Newborn Diaper Bag Essentials

LilSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:00:07 -0800

Your first wee one brings a whole lot of joy and bewilderment. Suddenly, getting out of the house takes an hour and you end up carting fifteen pounds of goodies for an infant that weighs half of that! When you're scrambling for the door, just toss these five items in your diaper bag and you're good to go! Check out our slideshow to see our picks for the bare bones newborn essentials.

View Slideshow ›

19-Pound Baby Sets Birth Weight Record . . . OUCH!

babysugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:36:01 -0700

How would you like to give birth to a 1-year-old child? Sounds pretty painful, right? Frightening as it may be,
that's essentially what an Indonesian woman did when she delivered a 19.2-pound infant measuring 24.4 inches. These stats are more normal for a kid celebrating his first birthday, and doctors attribute the massive body weight to the mother's diabetic condition. Thankfully, the newborn is healthy and showing a strong appetite. It is a good reminder to all expectant ladies to follow through with the glucose test, and especially for diabetic mamas to monitor their diets closely as it can clearly affect their growing child.

What's the heaviest birth weight you've ever heard?

Test Your Newborn Reflexes Knowledge

LilSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:00:09 -0700

Babies are amazing. From the moment they are born, they can feed, grasp and position themselves for movement. These newborn reflexes may be involuntary, but they are essential to protect them from danger. See just how familiar you are with your wee one's natural reflexes by taking this quiz.

Take the quiz

What to Eat: Recommended Daily Intake During Pregnancy

LilSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Maintaining a healthy diet is paramount when you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Experts suggest you eat a variety of healthy foods and take a daily prenatal vitamin recommended by your health care provider to help fill in nutritional gaps. We've all heard (or said!) the excuse, "I'm eating for two," but the reality is most pregnant or nursing women are advised to consume 300 extra calories a day (400 while nursing). That being said, I think it's most realistic to treat yourself and give in to cravings as long as it's in moderation.

To see a detailed chart breakdown of daily allowances, read more.

Nutrient	Non-pregnant Women	Pregnant Women	Lactating Women	Function
Kilocalories	2200	2500	2600	Provides energy for basic body functioning
Vitamin A (micrograms=mcg)	700	770	1300	Aids vision; needed for growth of bones and teeth
Vitamin B6 (milligrams=mg)	1.5	1.9	2.0	Aids in the formation of red blood cells
Vitamin B12 (mcg)	2.4	2.6	2.8	Aids in the formation of red blood cells
Vitamin C (mg)	75	85	120	Needed for wound healing, resistance to infection, and collagen formation
Vitamin D (mcg)	5	5	5	Aids in the growth of bones and teeth
Vitamin E (mg TE)	15	15	19	Needed for the formation and use of red blood cells and muscles
Vitamin K (mcg)	90	90	90	Prevents a rare bleeding disorder in the newborn
Calcium (mg)	1200	1000	1000	Essential for the growth and health of bones and teeth and proper muscle and nerve function
Folate (mcg)	400	600	500	Prevents neural tube defects in the fetus; essential for blood and protein production and cell division
Iodine (mcg)	150	220	290	Required for hormone production
Iron (mg ferrous iron)	18	27	9	Essential for the production of hemoglobin, an important blood protein
Magnesium (mg)	320	350 - 360	310 - 320	Needed for proper nerve and muscle function
Niacin (mg NE)	14	18	17	Promotes healthy skin, nerves, and digestion; helps the body use carbohydrates
Phosphorous (mg)	700	700	700	Essential for the growth and health of bones and teeth
Protein (grams=g)	38	50	60	Needed for overall health and growth; aids in blood production and supplies the "building blocks" for your baby's body
Riboflavin (mg)	1.1	1.4	1.6	Aids in the release of energy to cells
Thiamin (mg)	1.1	1.4	1.4	Helps the body digest carbohydrates
Zinc (mg)	8	11	12	Aids in the production of enzymes and insulin

Source

Interview With Liz Lange: Create the Perfect Maternity Wardrobe

LilSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:00:23 -0800

Building a new wardrobe that will only be worn for a few months is a daunting task. No one wants to spend a fortune on clothes that fit their pregnant figure, plus, given the state of the economy and the cost of newborn baby supplies, most household budgets don't allow for indulgent maternity shopping sprees.

Legendary maternity designer Liz Lange has dressed Hollywood stars like Bridget Moynahan, Julia Roberts, Cindy Crawford, and Kelly Ripa, on big budgets - but the pregnancy mogul also knows a thing or two about how regular women dress. She shared her thoughts about essential maternity purchases and her favorite pieces from her new collection.

lilsugar: Given the state of the economy, what key pieces should a woman invest in to get through her pregnancy?

Liz Lange: I think that there a few ways to look at that. First of all, eight key pieces are so lifestyle dependent, so it is always hard for me to say specifically for any woman what her key pieces should be. Maybe you work and then your key pieces are so different than a mom who spends her day at the playground chasing her 2-year old and she is also pregnant. So I think first of all, one has to look at themselves and look at their lifestyle and figure out what are those things that I go back to time and time again when I’m not pregnant. Those are the things that I need to invest in when I am pregnant because again, my body is changing but most likely my personal preferences and the way I like to dress and my needs are not really changing.

I think that today, jeans have become, not a trend, but a wardrobe staple. I would probably invest in a pair of those and if I could only invest in one, it would probably be a darker wash because I think they are more versatile. I believe in the little black dress, or perhaps it is not so little in this case! You can throw a cardigan or jacket over it and wear it to work. Pile on some chunky necklace and a little pair of kitten heels and wear it out at night. I believe in the pencil skirt, maybe depending on the season, a great t-shirt that’s fitted that you can wear as an underpinning under a suit jacket or sweater or cardigan, that you can also wear on its own with a pair of jeans on the weekend. I think most women want to have a great pair of black pants. I lived in those pants for like a year after my child was born.

To see the rest of what Liz said, read more.

In this economy every piece you buy needs to really work for you. So you gotta be able to imagine how you can change it up with different accessories or pairing it with different things and wearing it over and over and over again. I think it's also about mixing and matching some things that aren’t as expensive with a few things that are more expensive. And I think the more expensive pieces would be the ones you know you are going to live in. Anyone who’s been pregnant can attest to the fact that the few things you buy when you are pregnant you just live in. I’m not just saying this as a plug for my own [line], I’m saying it for anyone - you want to buy stretchy pieces that are not too oversized also because you are going to wear them on your way back down and that’s how you’re going to get more bang for your back. Just remember when you're shopping don’t look at it as just the nine months, it's longer than that unfortunately. There’s definitely a whole fourth trimester and that is a completely open-ended trimester. For some lucky women, like Hollywood moms, that seems to be like two weeks long, but for us mere mortals that can be up to a year.

Check back tomorrow to see how Liz juggles work and motherhood! And, if you missed the first portion of our interview, it's available here

Source