LilSugar

Kuster K1 Highchair Merges Style and Eco-Consciousness

LilSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 05:00:51 -0700

Looking to bring some green design into the kitchen? Make way for the Kuster K1 Highchair.

The stylish wood chair is made in the UK from German Beech wood and is designed to suit lil ones up to six years old. Its curved wood and high back are designed to encourage good posture in tots, regardless of their age, and its adjustable foot rest can be moved as its user's legs grow. The under-chair mesh storage basket will certainly come in handy for storing wipes, toys and other items needed to entertain a fussy toddler during mealtime. Though the chair looks to be rather large, it is foldable so it can be stored flat when not in use. But such beauty and convenience come at a price – the K1 is $250, making it a bit of an indulgence.

Silver Cross's Doodle Offers Longevity in a High chair

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:00:07 -0700

We spend so much time researching baby gear that we often don't see the forest through the trees. Most of the products are used for such a short period of time that before we know it, they are sent to storage until another tot is ready to use it. Silver Cross, the British company best known for its celeb-endorsed prams, is introducing a new solution to the time-sensitive high chair. The Silver Cross Doodle Chair ($220), which is set to hit stores this month, quickly and easily converts from a high chair to a tot-sized table and chairs with little more than a few clicks. As a high chair, the Doodle features a five-point harness system, wipeable cushions, and an adjustable seat. Once transformed into a play table, it has an underneath storage tray and detachable crayon and pencil cups. With its clean modern lines and neutral color options, the Doodle may be the ideal solution to baby gear that grows with your lil one.

Dine Like the Rich and Famous in a Tripp Trapp

babysugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:00:50 -0700

Getting a reservation at Nobu or the Waverly Inn may leave mainstream mamas dining at local eateries, but there's hardly a velvet rope when it comes to a child's dining spot. Even Alexander Schreiber seems to eat like the rest of our tots - in a high chair.

Sure his seating may be on the nicer side, but it's not gold plated or bedazzled with diamonds. Instead, his glamorous mama Naomi Watts picked up a Stokke Tripp Trapp for his eating pleasure. Having seen the chair in action, it's a pretty nifty contraption - the adjustable height and footrest allow a child to grow with it. Unlike many other high chairs, the Tripp Trapp lacks the bulky plastic parts, making it eye candy instead of an eye sore, especially when pulling it up to your dining room table.

Flynet

Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding: Tot-Tye

babysugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:00:51 -0700

Can't keep your kid seated at the dinner table? Maybe you should give Tribal Green's Tot-Tye a tug. The organic cotton device ($28) ties children to their seats with two straps.

For parents in a bind, the Tot-Tye may provide temporary relief, but some wee ones would probably still manage to wiggle their way out of the restraint.

What do you think of the Tot-Tye?

Pimp Your Crib: Kaboost Gets a Boost

babysugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:00:09 -0700

I recently gave the Kaboost ($38) chair booster a whirl.

Looking at the box, I was concerned it wouldn't fit my chair, but was surprised that the springs in the base made it painless and speedy.

To see about my test drive of the Kaboost, read more.

A little worried about the stability of it, I tested it before I put my daughter on it. Confident in the product, I propped her on the chair and pushed her up to the table where we sat and colored for 30 minutes.

Like any other booster chair, my babe may still be a tad young to use one as she would be incapable of getting down without my help and there is no attached seat restraint. But as long as I'm there to keep her company, I quite like the nifty contraption. One added bonus - the delightful booster isn't an eye sore in my dining room.

Simple or Swank: Highchairs

babysugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:00:39 -0800

With so many highchairs out there in babyland, it's hard to choose one. The chic minimalist design seems to be quite popular these days. And, while highchair makers have taken note, the price tags on some of these bad boys run upwards of $400. We looked around and found two that look similar and serve the same purpose. Both are nicely designed, simple to store, and will complement the decor in any home.

Simple: IKEA has the Antilop chair ($18), which is a simple white plastic chair on four steel legs with a strap. Moms love it because there's no cushion or creases to mess up.

Swank: The sassy Nano highchair ($180) from Giggle has a similar look but lots more features and costs ten times as much. The bells and whistles include a tray, foot rest, and a micro-leather seat available in four fun colors. The chair also folds flat so you can store it in a corner.

Lil Tip: Travel Highchair

babysugar — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 04:00:43 -0800

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and been surprised to find out that they don't have highchairs? I have, too many times.

I started carrying my Phil and Ted's Me Too Chair ($50) with me everywhere. All I have to do is slip it onto a sturdy table and tighten the screws so it's securely attached. The lightweight, small chair fits right in the basket of my stroller so if I'm running out for lunch with friends, I can always guarantee that my lil one has a place to sit (other than my lap).

Simple or Swank: Natural Wooden High Chairs

LilSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:00:31 -0700

Well made wooden highchairs are back in style . . . only this time they grow with child! The chair's neutral tone that blend with the rest of the family's dining set and their ability to fit snugly under the table make them a smart choice for mamas desiring a streamlined kitchen area.

Simple: The natural wood Keekaroo high chair ($149) features an adjustable seat that can be used for children from six months old on up.

Swank: The Stokke Tripp Trapp ($249) started the "grow-with-me" high-chair phenomenon with its adjustable height and footrest and the ease with which it can be pulled right up to the table. Which do you prefer?

Ecotot: Text Message Baby

LilSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:00:11 -0800

Tech goes green with text message baby onesies. The 100 percent organic cotton snapsuits ($28) are the Eco-conscious way to keep your lil trendsetter communicating. Available in codes that spell out everything from "Chuckle and Grin" to "Stuck in My Highchair" to "Rock On," these garments will have adults and tots talking.

Infant - newborn development

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:50:29 -0700

Overview

Information

Illustrations

Skull of a newborn

Infantile reflexes

Developmental milestones

Moro reflex

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Information

Infant development is usually divided into the following areas:

Fine motor (holding a spoon, pincer grasp)
Gross motor (head control, sitting, walking)
Language
Sensory (sight, hearing, etc.)
Social

The physical development of the infant begins at the head, then progresses to other parts of the body (for example, sucking comes before sitting, which comes before walking).

Physical milestones:

Newborn - 2 months
- The infant can lift and turn the head when lying on its back.
- The neck is unable to support the head when the infant is pulled to a sitting position.
- The hands are fisted, the arms are flexed.
- Primitive reflexes include:
  - Babinski reflex -- toes fan outward when sole of foot is stroked
  - Moro reflex (startle reflex) -- extends arms then bends and pulls them in toward body, accompanied by a brief cry, often triggered by loud sounds or sudden movements
  - Palmar hand grasp -- infant closes hand and "grips" your finger
  - Placing -- leg extends when sole of foot is stimulated
  - Plantar grasp -- infant flexes the toes and forefoot
  - Rooting and sucking -- turns head in search of nipple when cheek is touched and begins to suck when nipple touches lips
  - Stepping and walking -- takes brisk steps when both feet placed on a surface, with body supported
  - Tonic neck response -- left arm extends when infant gazes to the left, while right arm and leg flex inward, and vice versa
3 - 4 months
- Enhanced eye-muscle control allows the infant to track objects.
- Hand and feet actions begin to come under willed control, but are not fine-tuned. The infant may begin to use both hands, working together, to accomplish desired effects. The infant is still unable to coordinate the grasp, but swipes at objects to bring them closer.
- Increased vision allows the infant to distinguish objects from backgrounds with minimal contrast (such as a button on a blouse of the same color).
- Infant raises up (upper torso, shoulders, and head) with arms when lying face down (on his tummy).
- Neck muscles are developed enough to allow the infant to sit, with support, and keep head up.
- Primitive reflexes have either already disappeared, or are in the process of doing so.

5 - 6 months
- Able to sit alone, without support, for only moments at first, and then for up to 30 seconds or more
- Infant begins to grasp blocks or cubes using the ulnar-palmar grasp technique (pressing the block into palm of hand while flexing or bending wrist in). Does not yet use thumb opposition.
- Infant rolls from back to stomach. When on tummy, the infant can push up with arms to raise the shoulders and head above surface and look around or reach for objects.

6 - 9 months
- Infant can walk while holding an adult's hand
- Infant is able to sit steadily, without support, for long periods of time
- Infant learns to sit down from a standing position
- Infant may pull into and maintain a standing position while holding onto furniture

9 - 12 months
- Infant begins to balance while standing alone
- Infant takes steps and begins to walk alone

SENSORY DEVELOPMENT

Hearing -- begins before birth, and is mature at birth. The infant prefers frequencies of the human voice.
Touch, taste, smell -- mature at birth; prefers sweet taste.
Vestibular (inner ear) senses -- the infant responds to rocking and changes of position.
Vision -- the newborn infant can see within a range of 8 - 12 inches. Color vision develops between 4 - 6 months. By 2 months, can track moving objects up to 180 degrees, and prefers faces.

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Crying is a vitally important means of communication. By the third day of life, mothers can tell their baby's cry from others. By the first month of life, most parents can tell if their baby's cry means hunger, pain, or anger. Crying also causes a nursing mother's milk letdown. The inherent biological response in most humans to crying insures the infant's survival.

The amount of crying in the first 3 months varies in a healthy infant, from 1 - 3 hours a day. Infants who cry more than 3 hours a day are often described as having colic.Colic in infants is rarely due to a problem with the body.

Excessive crying can be associated with child abuse. Regardless of the cause, it is a complex problem that deserves a medical evaluation.

BEHAVIOR

The behavior of the newborn is characterized by six states of consciousness:

Active crying
Active sleep
Drowsy waking
Fussing
Quiet alert
Quiet sleep

The ability to move smoothly from one state to another is one of the most reliable signs of nervous system maturity and health. Heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, and body movements vary with each state.

Many bodily functions are not stable in the first months after birth. This variability is normal and differs from infant to infant. Stress and stimulation can affect:

Bowel movements
Gagging
Hiccupping
Skin color
Temperature control
Vomiting
Yawning

Periodic breathing, in which breathing starts and stops again, is normal and is not a sign of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Some infants will vomit after each feeding, but have nothing physically wrong with them. They continue to gain weight and develop normally.

Other infants grunt and groan distressfully while making a bowel movement but produce soft, blood-free stools, and their growth and feeding remain good. This is due to immature abdominal muscles used for pushing and does not require any intervention.

Sleep/wake cycles vary and do not stabilize until a baby is 3 months old. These cycles occur in random intervals of 30 - 50 minutes at birth and gradually increase as the infant matures. By age 4 months, most infants will have one 5-hour period of uninterrupted sleep.

Breast-fed infants will feed about every 2 hours. Formula-fed infants should be able to go 3 hours between feedings. During periods of rapid growth, they may feed more often.

Giving the child water is not necessary. An infant who is drinking enough will produce 6 - 8 wet diapers in a 24-hour period. Teaching the infant to suck a pacifier or his or her own thumb provides comfort between feedings.

SAFETY

Safety is very important for infants. Base safety on the child's developmental stage. For example, around age 4 - 6 months, the infant may begin to roll over. Therefore, take extreme caution while the baby is on the changing table.

Consider the following important safety tips:

Be aware of potential poisons (household cleaners, cosmetics, medications, and even some plants) in your home and keep them out of the infant's reach. Use drawer and cupboard safety latches. Post the national poison control number -- 1-800-222-1222 -- near the phone.
Do not allow older infants to crawl or walk around in the kitchen while adults or older siblings are cooking. Block the kitchen off with a gate or place the infant in a playpen, highchair, or crib while others cook.
Do not drink or carry anything hot while holding the infant to avoid burning the infant -- infants begin waving their arms and grabbing for objects at 3 - 5 months.
Do not leave an infant alone with siblings or pets. Even older siblings are seldom prepared to handle the potential emergency situations that may arise. Pets, even though they may appear to be gentle and loving, may react unexpectedly to an infant's cries or grabs, or may actually smother an infant by lying too closely.
Do not leave an infant unattended on a surface from which the child can wiggle or roll over and fall off.
For the first 5 months of life, always place your infant on his or her back to go to sleep. This position has been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Once a baby can roll over by himself, the maturing nervous system greatly reduces the risk of SIDS.
Know how to handle a choking emergency in an infant by taking a certified course through the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or a local hospital.
Never leave small objects within an infant's reach -- infants explore their environment by putting everything they can get their hands on into their mouth.
Place infant in a proper car seat in every car ride, no matter how short the distance. Use a car seat that faces backwards until the infant is at least 1 year old, or longer if possible. Then you can safely switch to a forward facing car seat. The safest place for the infant's car seat is in the middle of the back seat. It is vitally important for the driver to pay attention to driving -- not playing with the infant. If an infant needs assistance, safely pull the car over to the shoulder and park before trying to help the infant.
Use gates on stairways, and block off rooms that are not "child proof" -- remember, infants may learn to crawl or scoot as early as 6 months.

CALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IF:

The infant does not look good, looks different from normal, or is not consolable by holding, rocking, or cuddling.
The infant's growth or development does not appear normal.
Your infant seems to be "losing" developmental milestones. For example, if your 9-month old was able to pull to standing, but at 12 months is no longer able to sit unsupported.
You are concerned at any time.

Review Date: 4/7/2008

Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy, ELS. Previously reviewed by Rachel A. Lewis, MD, FAAP, Columbia University Pediatric Family Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (11/12/2007).

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2010 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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