Baby Swimwear Essentials For Swimming Outdoors
Being properly prepared for a beach holiday can guarantee your children have a fantastic time while staying safe in the sun and water. Below is a guide to the essentials they will need for safe fun in the sun:
- UV swimwear
Choose swimwear made from UPF fabric to protect your childrens delicate skin from the sun. Splash Abouts UV all-in-one collection features UPF 50+ sun protection. For sun protection with the added benefit of integrated floats, choose our UV floatsuits.
You can view the full collection of UV floatsuits here.
- Wetsuits for cooler water
Toddlers and older children can enjoy splashing about in cooler water for longer by wearing a wetsuit. Made from neoprene, wetsuits protect skin from the sun and provide added warmth for children while they explore the beach.
Read our complete baby wetsuit guide here or view the collection here.
- Rash tops for extra sun protection
These UPF tops protect childrens shoulders, arms and torsos from the sun. Rash tops are suitable for babies aged six months and above and can be worn with a Happy Nappy or board shorts or over any other type of swimwear.
You can view our full range of rash tops here and our full range of board shorts here.
To find out more about the benefits of float suits, read our guide here.
Our Complete Guide to Float Vests and Jackets provides further information on these handy buoyancy aids.
What Is The Rooting Reflex
Babies are born with involuntary reflexes that help ensure survival. Reflexes also are a way for babies to interact with the world. For example, gently stroking a newborn’s cheek will get the baby to turn the head and mouth to that side, ready to eat. This is called the rooting reflex.
But by the time they’re 3 weeks old, babies will turn toward the breast or bottle not just because of a reflex, but because they’ve learned that it’s a source of food.
Am I Doing Enough With My Newborn
Babys mind and body are constantly developing in the most amazing ways right now, and we get your enthusiasm about maximizing every moment of this key period. But the truth is, you dont need to do a heck of a lot to entertain a newborn.
Forget mommy-and-me French lessonsright now, baby can benefit most from a few simple activities, says Lisa M. Asta, MD, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. So if youre doing the following, then youre definitely doing enough:
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Limit Time In Baby Containers
Swings and seats can be a great way to calm your baby or let you get a quick shower in.
However, they are not meant for extended time throughout the day.
Too much time in these devices can cause a flat head .
Holding your baby or just letting them play on the floor are both great options to prevent any problems.
Allowing Everyone To Visit All At Once
Everyone is excited to see your newborn! But when everyone comes all at once, it can be distressing for your little one.
Your baby is still getting used to being alive. Its important that in these early moments, you spend time holding your child as he/she gets used to you.
Not to mention that youll be mentally and physically exhausted as well. A lot of people will be telling you what to do and give you advice. Avoid becoming overwhelmed by staggering your visits. Friends and family will have their chance to see the baby.
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Newborn Crying And How To Respond
Sometimes youll know why your baby is crying. When you respond to crying for example, by feeding your baby if shes hungry she feels more comfortable and safe.
Sometimes you might not know why your baby is crying, but its still important to comfort him. You cant spoil your baby by picking him up, cuddling him, or talking to him in a soothing voice.
But lots of crying might make you feel frustrated, upset or overwhelmed. Its OK to take some time out until you feel calmer. Put your baby in a safe place like a cot, or ask someone else to hold her for a while. Try going to another room to breathe deeply or call a family member or friend to talk things through.
Never shake a baby. It can cause bleeding inside the brain and likely permanent brain damage.
Its OK to ask for help. If youre feeling overwhelmed by the demands of caring for your baby, call your local Parentline. You might also like to try our ideas for dealing with anger, anxiety and stress.
Months: Ready For Takeoff
This activity is virtually guaranteed to make baby giggle. Bonus: Youll get a leg workout in the process. Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Place babys belly on your lower legs and hold onto his or her torso as you lie back on the ground. Baby will rise up into the air like an airplane. Then you can rock your feet back and forth, move baby up and down or trace circles in the air, Lyons says.
Good to know: The tummy-down position can strengthen those core muscles, and he or she will love playing silly games of peek-a-boo as you move up and down.
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Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- When will my baby get over colic?
- What is the best way to feed my baby to avoid colic?
- Should I hold my baby upright for a certain amount of time after they eat?
- Is there a good position to hold my baby in to make them feel better?
- Can I give my baby any medicines to make them feel better?
- What can I do to help myself from getting angry or frustrated when my baby cries?
Parenting Do’s And Don’ts For A Newborn Baby
Becoming a parent is exciting and overwhelming. After months of waiting, it’s finally time to bring your newborn home from the hospital and care for them unsupervised. Many first-time parents find themselves with questions about caring for a new child, but it will become more natural over time. Here are the parenting do’s and don’ts for a newborn baby.
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Newborn Baby Bootcamp: Taking Care Of A Newborn
Every new mom and new dad needs some help. Here’s everything you need to know about sleeping, breastfeeding, crying and more to get through those first few weeks with a new baby.
You’ve no doubt been dreaming about your baby for months: what he’ll look like, whether he’ll be laid-back like his dad or a Type A like you. But chances are, if it’s your first child, you don’t know much about taking care of a newborn.
Well, we’ve been there, and we’re here for you, with everything you need to know to care for your baby in those exciting but often frustrating first weeks. Let’s get started!
Overdoing The Newborn Gear
Moms sometimes go a bit overboard when it comes to shopping for their baby and stocking up on all the adorable newborn gear. We get it, it can be addicting, and you want your little one to have the best of the best.
Is it really necessary, though? When it comes to overdoing the newborn gear, this may be something you regret later on. For starters, most of us arent made out of money. But when you think about it, newborns grow little weeds.
Before you know it, all the experience clothing, booties, and other items meant for a specific size will no longer be of any use to you anymore. Your newborn will have outgrown it in no time flat, and now you have to go shopping all over again and spend even more money.
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How To Change Babys Diaper
To change your newborns diaper, make sure you have all supplies on hand. Then, follow these steps:
When To Get Medical Help
Trust your instincts. You know your baby well and will know what usual behaviour is for them . So if you think your baby is seriously ill, even if there are no obvious symptoms, call your GP, NHS 111, or call 999 in a medical emergency.
Get medical help immediately if:
- your baby has a high temperature that doesnt decrease with ibuprofen or paracetamol or if they have a temperature and theyre under eight weeks old
- theyre crying constantly and inconsolably in a way that doesnt sound normal for them
- their vomit is green
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Month: Wear Your Baby
Babies love skin-to-skin contact, but you likely have too much to do to just sit and cuddle all day. A baby carrier, such as a ring sling or a strap-on front carrier, lets baby snuggle in close while freeing up your hands. Wearing baby also provides him or her with a wealth of stimulation. Wearing babies allows him or her to see what you see and begin to make sense of the world as you wear him or her while you work, clean and run errands, says Bethany Gonzalez Moreno, founder of B. EcoChic, a company that helps parents find eco-friendly baby products.
Good to know: Young babies should be worn facing inward, not outward, to avoid overstimulation and so his or her head has proper support. Make sure baby has plenty of room to breathe while youre carrying him or her.
Tips For Working From Home With A Baby
May 30, 2012
I remember when my daughter first came home from the hospital, it was the hardest three months of my life. I remember one night in particular, where I was trying to eat some frozen pizza and breastfeed my daughter at the same time, and it just wasnt working. I was so sleep-deprived and hormonal that I just burst into tears during dinner, I cant do this its so hard!
As my daughter hit the three-month mark, it became a little bit easier. By the six month mark, we were getting into a groove, and by the eight-month mark, I began to feel like a normal human being again. It was at this point that I started to think about working from home.
While many individuals decide to work-at-home to achieve a better work-life balance, working at home with a newborn, presents many challenges for both moms and dads. Looking back, Im not sure how I would have handled an infant and working at the same time.
So I decided to ask some moms, who have been there and done that,
Whats Your Number One Tip for Successfully Working at Home with a Baby?
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What Will Happen Before I Bring My Baby Home
Before you go home, hospital staff will check that your baby:
- has a normal temperature,
- is not at high risk of developing jaundice,
- has had a wet diaper and passed a bowel movement,
- has received all necessary medications, including vitamin K to prevent bleeding, and an ointment to prevent eye infection,
- has received any necessary vaccines ,
- is eating well and has had at least 2 successful feedings,
- has had all screening tests for certain treatable diseases. All newborns in Canada are tested for hypothyroidism and PKU . In some provinces and territories, babies are screened for other conditions as well and may receive a hearing screening test. Your doctor can tell you which tests your baby will receive.
If your baby was born preterm, doctors will make sure your baby is healthy enough to go home. This includes making sure your baby:
- is breathing well,
- has a stable body temperature,
- is feeding well, and
- has not lost a lot of weight after birth or is steadily gaining weight.
Preterm babies also have newborn screening and hearing tests done before discharge home. Depending on how preterm your baby was, other tests may be done as well.
Your own doctor will check to make sure you are well. New moms should know the signs and symptoms of any complications they may develop, feel comfortable caring for their new baby, and have started to feel comfortable with breastfeeding before leaving the hospital.
How Often Do You Need To Change Babys Diaper
Your newborn will pass meconium for their first few days of life. This is a black, sticky, tarlike substance.
How often youll need to change their diaper varies depending on whether or not youre breastfeeding or formula-feeding them.
Breastfed babies will typically have several bowel movements per day. Formula-fed babies will have fewer.
Either way, youll want to change your babys diaper every two to three hours.
If the diaper is just wet with urine, you dont need to change it right away and wake up your sleeping baby. However, change baby immediately following any bowel movements to avoid irritation.
You can tell its time to change your babys diaper as soon as you can smell or feel that theyve had a bowel movement.
To determine if the diaper is wet, put one hand on the diaper to feel if its damp. Alternatively, some diapers change color when theyre wet.
- emergency information, including your babys doctor, nearest emergency room, and poison control number
You can also find a premade kit online that contains most of these items.
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