That’s where we, oh-so-graciously, come in, so don’t say we didn’t warn you!  Remember, parenthood is not for the faint of heart, but it will completely change your life for the better. Adapted from iVillage’s 13 Things No One Told You About Having a Baby.

The world is suddenly a Scary Place to bring up children

Second-hand smoke, deadly chemicals in your baby shampoo, vaccines that may cause autism, BPA-leaching baby bottles, lead in teething toys, and germs lurking everywhere. It may seem completely overwhelming and terrifying at first. But eventually you realize that you can’t protect your child from everything… and what doesn’t kill ‘em will just make ‘em stronger!

You are no longer the star of the show

Giraffe decal from Wall Nutz

Stickers

Add instant fun with wall stickers, like these Flocked Butterflies ($19.99 from WallNutz).

Wallpaper

Old-fashioned fine wallpapers are making a comeback, says iVillage, and they’re not as pricey as you might think. Check out The Land of Nod designs which come in a variety of designs such as damask designs ($60 per roll) and classic plaids ($75 per roll). For something really fun (and to protect mom’s sanity) you can purchase paintable wallpaper– like the Frames pattern ($40 per roll)– in a variety of designs, which actually encourages your kids to draw, color and paint on the wall!

If you don’t want to paper the whole room, try doing just one wall or even lining the inside of a bookcase. It’s less expensive and a great way to add instant décor.

Murals

You could buy a pre-cut or paint-by-number wall mural, but why not try your hand at painting your own? It can be as simple or intricate as you like. If you’re artistic, you can draw and paint it freehand. If all you know how to draw are stick figures, don’t despair!  All you need is an overhead projector, along with the pattern or picture transposed onto a transparency. Beam it onto the wall, trace, and paint!  This one is called “A Bug’s Life” by Bi0star (via Flickr)

And I love this “white on white” nursery design from A List Baby!

Stripes

What You Can Do to Prevent SIDS

Despite the widespread believe that SIDS is a baffling and unpredictable tragedy, there are ways you can significantly protect your baby. One thing that has been proven is that babies who sleep on their backs are less likely to die of SIDS than babies who sleep on their stomachs.  And so the “Back to Sleep” program was born in 1992, when the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) began warning parents of babies under 1 year old never to let their infants sleep on their stomachs. Since then, the rate of SIDS has dropped by over 50%.  In addition to this, Dr. Sears explains that there is a combination of many factors that lead to death: immature development of cardio-respiratory control mechanisms, defective arousability from sleep in response to breathing difficulties, medical conditions that compromise breathing, and unsafe sleeping practices.

The main risk factors for SIDS are:

• Prematurity or low birth-weight
• Smoking or taking illegal drugs during pregnancy
• Smoking around baby after birth
• Putting baby to sleep on their stomach
• Infants who are not breastfeeding
• Having little or no prenatal care
• Unsafe sleeping environment
• Overheating from excessive sleepwear and bedding
• There is no correlation between immunizations and SIDS.

Therefore, parents should follow the AAP recommendations for reducing the risk of SIDS:

• Place your baby on a firm mattress to sleep.
• Do not put your baby to sleep on a pillow, waterbed, sheepskin, couch, chair, or other soft surface.
• To prevent rebreathing (where the baby inhales the same air he just exhaled), do not put blankets, comforters, stuffed toys, or pillows near the baby.
• Make sure your baby does not get too warm while sleeping. A good temperature is one where an adult would be comfortable in a short-sleeve shirt. Do not over-bundle or over-swaddle your baby.
• Do not smoke, drink, or use drugs while pregnant and do not expose your baby to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke doubles a baby’s risk of SIDS, while a mother who smoked during pregnancy triples the risk.
• Receive early and regular prenatal care.
• Make sure your baby has well-baby checkups regularly.
• Breastfeed, if possible. There is some evidence that breastfeeding may help decrease the incidence of SIDS.
• If your baby has GERD (reflux), be sure to follow your doctor’s guidelines on feeding and sleep positions.
• Put your baby to sleep with a pacifier during the first year of life. If your baby rejects the pacifier, don’t force it. Pacifiers have been linked with lower risk of SIDS.

Attachment Parenting

Dr. Sears also advocates a style of caretaking called Attachment Parenting. In addition to many benefits for you and your baby, Attachment Parenting greatly reduces the odds of your baby succumbing to SIDS. For more information, read these worthwhile articles:

• 4 Ways Attachment Parenting can Reduce the Risk of SIDS
• 3 Reasons Babywearing reduces SIDS)
• 8 Reasons Breastfeeding Reduces SIDS
• Co-sleeping SIDS
• Beware of Sleep Trainers

When Stomach Sleeping is OK

Having said all that, for some babies, it is actually recommended that they sleep on their stomachs.

Premature babies or babies with breathing difficulties are put to sleep on their tummies, since the still partially collapsed lungs of some prematures tend to expand better when front-sleeping.

If an infant has gastroesophageal reflux, it is also recommended that he sleep tummy down, at least for two hours after a feeding.  Some babies sleeping on their tummies also seemed to settle better and spit- up less after feeding.

Listen to Your Baby: If your baby is just not content to sleep on his back, is it OK to put him to sleep on his stomach?  Well, because of the new research it is best to try to get baby accustomed to sleeping on her back or side. Newborn babies tend to get in the habit of sleeping the way they are first put down.  Nevertheless, Dr. Sears says that unless advised to the contrary by your doctor, it is best to let your baby sleep in a position she prefers. This means that if your baby doesn’t settle down, or stay asleep on her back or side, front sleeping is fine.  Newborn babies DO tend to prefer their tummies. “If a baby repeatedly doesn’t settle in a certain sleeping position, this may be a clue that this position may not be the safest for this individual baby. This is just one example of how babies often try to tell us what is in their best interest. Parents should not be afraid to listen.”

Just be sure to follow all the safety precautions listed above, such as placing baby on a firm mattress, not overheating the room, etc.

Another Possible Cause of SIDS

Sleep position may be important, but there is some evidence that SIDS may be related to the fire retardants in the baby’s mattress.  The reason this may be a culprit in SIDS is that an ordinarily harmless fungus (Scopulariopsis brevicaulis) consumes the chemicals used in the plasticized mattress cover. Baby’s drool, vomit, urine, and perspiration, combined with body heat, enable the fungus to grow rapidly.  When this occurs, neurotoxic gases are emitted. If baby breathes a significant amount of these odorless gases for a prolonged time, the central nervous system can shut down, causing death.

Using a mattress pad that is NOT made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) would eliminate this tragedy.  For more information, read Is sleep position really important in SIDS? Also, read about mattress wrapping, which means wrapping baby’s mattress in a polyethylene cover, to prevent your infant from breathing the gases. You can also look into an organic crib mattress, made from all-natural fibers which have not be treated with flame-retarding chemicals.

Feature image from Delio: Organic Bedding for Baby

Surprisingly, there have been at least 32 other infants and toddlers killed by their drop-side cribs since 2000.  These babies were suffocated or strangled in these cribs, which have a side that moves up and down, allowing parents to lift children from the cribs more easily. Drop-sides have been around for decades, but only now are people beginning to question their safety.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission  regulates crib safety, and its chairman, Inez Tenenbaum, has pledged to make fixed-side cribs mandatory. It could take many months before becoming effective.  Big retailers such as Babies R Us and Wal-Mart have removed drop-side cribs from their sale floors. And now Congress is getting involved.

“There’s a great urgency here. We have to make sure that no parent is unaware that drop-side cribs could kill their children,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said in an Associated Press interview.  She wants to accelerate efforts for a ban, and plans to introduce legislation this week to outlaw the manufacture, sale and resale of all drop-side cribs. She also wants them banned from day-care centers and hotels, and she wants to educate parents who are using them.

“There still are thousands and thousands of children who are sleeping every night in drop-side cribs and we need to protect them,” said Gillibrand.

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, which represents over 90 percent of the crib industry, insists that drop-side cribs are safe w hen assembled and used properly.  But more than 7 million of these cribs have been recalled in the past five years, often because screws, safety pegs or plastic tracking for the rail can come loose or break. When the hardware malfunctions, the drop-side rail can detach partially from the crib, creating a space where a baby can get caught and suffocate or strangle.

Some people, such as Z Recommends, question the motives behind the banning of these cribs, saying there may be more to it than meets the eye. Why not issue mandated quality improvements on the design of drop-side cribs (for example: metal instead of plastic hardware, which tends to break), rather than an outright ban?  Fixed-sided cribs, even those with shorter legs (as some suggest would become the norm for cribs) will make it very difficult for tall parents, parents with bad backs, pregnant women, or older parents and caregivers to place their babies in the crib.

As one commenter puts it, “Can we put a man on the moon and not make a safe drop-side crib?”

If you are using a drop-side crib, be sure you have assembled it and are using it properly.  Check to make sure the model hasn’t been recalled. You may want to consider getting a new crib, or at least anchoring the movable side so there’s no danger of it malfunctioning.  It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

News source: Associated Press

Photo by valentinapowers, shared via Flickr.

Car Seats & Strollers

• Convertable car seat: Buy a “convertible” car seat, instead of an infant car seat. While the infant car seats (for smaller babies only) are handy because you can transfer the baby from the car to the stroller to the house without waking her, a convertible seat will last you longer, until baby is 40+ pounds.

• Infant car seat: If you do buy an infant car seat, you don’t need to buy the whole expensive “travel system,” including stroller, that goes with it. You can simply buy a generic “snap n go” that is made to accommodate that type of car seat.

• Stroller: When looking for a stroller, you may think that the more expensive models are somehow of better quality. Instead, look at the lower end of a respected brand (such as Graco, Kolcraft, or Cosco). Look for something lightweight, that reclines, that can handle a bumpy road. Purchase extra accessories as you need them.

• Free car seat: Some community organizations, car dealerships, and muffler companies offer free loaner car seats.

Feeding Baby

• Breastfeed: If you decide to breastfeed, not only are you providing your baby with the optimal baby food, you can also save $2,000 a year, just in the cost of formula and bottles. (This amount increases a few thousand more if your baby is allergic to infant formula and requires hypoallergenic versions.) And if that’s not enough, you’ll also be reducing your baby’s chances of obesity, digestive issues, juvenile diabetes, cavities, and even needing braces later on! (Learn more about breastfeeding benefits.)

• Breast pumps: Do you really need a breast pump? If you are going to be home with your baby, let him do all the pumping himself! If think you need a pump, you can temporarily rent a highly efficient, hospital-grade pump until you’re sure you really need to own your own pump. And if you decide to buy one, a good breast pump can be yours for under $200.

• Bottles: It’s much cheaper to use reusable bottles and just wash them after use, than buying the more convenient disposable bottles. Buy bottles made of non-polycarbonate material with smooth sides that are easy to clean.

• Baby Food: When you’re baby is old enough for mashed fruits and veges, you can easily make your own… it’s not rocket science!  All you need to do is mash up a banana or a sweet potato, open a jar of unsweetened applesauce, or throw some cooked veggies in the blender!

During pregnancy, breasts are ordinarily prepared for lactation because of the influence of hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin. However, without pregnancy, you can start secreting prolactin simply through nipple stimulation. The basic principle in breastfeeding is supply-and-demand. That means that the more there is suckling on the breast (or stimulation with a breast pump), the more prolactin increases, the more oxytocin is released to signal the brain, and the more breast milk you will produce!

image from Cheyenne Regional Medical Center

Nipple stimulation: You may be able to induce lactation by using a breast pump every 2-3 hours, either before the baby comes or after. Some also use a device such as the Medela Supplemental Nursing System or the Lact-Aid Nurser Training System. These both enable you to feed your baby while he is at your breast. This way, your baby gets enough milk while stimulating your body to produce your own milk. The key to all this is that the more stimulation your breasts receive, either by pump or baby, the more likely milk will be produced.

Hormone Therapy: Sometimes doctors prescribe supplemental estrogen or progesterone to mimic the effects of pregnancy. In some cases, other medications may be prescribed, such as Domperidone, although no drugs have been specifically approved to induce lactation, and potential side effects may be a concern. (Jay L. Hoecker, M.D., Mayo Clinic)  There’s even an approach called the Newman-Goldfarb Protocols, which uses birth control pills to simulate pregnancy in the body, followed by other deliberate steps to trigger lactation. Typically, hormone therapy is discontinued shortly before breast-feeding begins.

Herbs and Nutrition: There are several natural herbs that can help with milk production. According to Dr. Jack Newman, a pediatrician that specializes in breastfeeding issues, herbs can be taken without any harm to mother or baby when used as directed on his website. Increased food and water intake, proper rest, and avoiding sress can also help increase your milk supply, according to experienced mothers.

Breast Changes: Milk production typically begins between one to four weeks after initiating mechanical stimulation. At first, there may be only drops. During this time, you may notice changes in the color of the nipples and areolar tissue. Breasts may become tender and fuller. Some women report increased thirst and changes in their menstrual cycles or libidos.

If you want to induce lactation, you can get help and support from lactation consultants, such as at your local La Leche League. They’ll be able to provide information on the subject, connect you with other women who have induced lactation, and provide equipment (feeding tube devices, electric breast pumps) to help you get started.

Mothers who induce lactation vary widely in the amount of milk they are able to produce and in the amount of time required to produce milk. All agree that inducing lactation is a process that takes patience, commitment, diligence and education. A reasonable goal might be to try to provide some, or maybe most, of your new baby’s nutrition yourself, while fully enjoying the closeness and bonding that breastfeeding brings. This nurturing is by far more important than the actual volume of milk produced.

Sources:

AssociatedContent: How to Induce Lactation – the Well May Not Be Dry!

La Leche League: Can I Breastfeed My Adopted Baby?

Mayo Clinic: Induced lactation: Can I breast-feed my adopted baby?

Baby Zone: Induced Lactation

Dr. George Steinhardt, a urologist at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, says the biggest reasons American parents choose to circumcise their boys are still religious and cultural. “I think it’s done primarily for cultural reasons,” he explains.

photo by Proud to Introduce

The Medical Perspective
Medical professionals today debate whether or not the procedure is medically necessary. Dr. Mark Reiss, a retired physician and executive vice president of the nonprofit organization, Doctors Opposing Circumcision, believes that there is no medical reason to circumcise.  “The penis is meant to be covered by the foreskin. The normal state is intact. The U.S. is the only country in the world that performs routine circumcisions.”

Yet, other experts point that there are valid reasons to consider the procedure. Among them are the following:

Infections: Dr. Anthony Chin, a Los Angeles-based obstetrician, points out that circumcision does make it easier to keep the penis clean, and decreases the chances of infection.  “Let’s face it, boys aren’t the cleanest of genders,” he points out!  Today, however, we have antibiotics to treat infections, making them less dangerous than they were in the past. “Before antibiotics, people got really sick, but now in the post antibiotic era, circumcisions are not ‘medically’ necessary anymore.”

Kindney Problems: “We see a lot of babies with kidney problems,” notes Steinhardt. “For those boys, I would recommend that a circumcision be done. It protects against the possibility of an infection.”  In particular, when his patients are diagnosed with fetal hydronephrosis, or dilated kidneys (which is more common in boys than girls) he almost always believes that circumcision is necessary to alleviate the risk of infection and other complications.

Sexually Transmitted Disease: Steinhardt believes that circumcision may have other serious benefits. “There’s valid scientific evidence that HIV is more likely in a man with foreskin than in a man without foreskin.” Steinhardt also says that you rarely see cancer of the penis in a man who has been circumcised.  However, other experts say there is not evidence that circumcision prevents any STD’s or cancers.

Appearance
Chin notes that circumcisions are basically for cosmetic purposes now, saying that sometimes an uncircumcised child decides to have the procedure done later in life.  In the US, women seem to prefer a circumcized penis, and there are plenty of teenagers who get  circumcised for cosmetic reasons.

Ease
A 5-minute procedure as an infant is easier than the same procedure on an adolescent or adult.  Barbara Dehn, RN, MS, NP, a practicing nurse who teaches at Stanford University, says if you opt to circumcise, do it soon after birth. “The key with circumcision,” she says, “is that if you decide to do it, don’t wait too long. Even when they’re 3, that’s probably too late, since the experience will be too traumatic for them.”

Pain Control
Those who oppose circumcision often call it as a barbaric procedure that leaves infants in terrible pain.  The issue of pain and cruelty is often one of parents’ biggest concerns. Will he feel the incision? Will there be a long, difficult recovery? Will there be complications?

The claim that circumcision causes tremendous pain is simply not true, says Steinhardt. “In general, it’s a pretty harmless procedure. It’s well tolerated, it’s done with great care, and complications are rare and few and far between.”  Plus, with proper pain control, many babies just sleep right through the procedure. “You can have confidence that it can be done safely.” If you are concerned, have a conversation with whoever will be doing the procedure, whether the pediatrician, OB/GYN, or mohel, about what measures can be taken for pain control. A local anesthetic can be used to ensure a painless circumcision.

For more info:

TheCradle: Circumcision: What you need to know

Dr. Sears: Frequently Asked Questions about Circumcision

Paint: Paint the nursery walls with environmentally friendly paint that doesn’t release poisonous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Ingredients such as turpentine, formaldehyde, any animal products should also be avoided. Look for VOC-free paint made from all-natural ingredients such as mineral pigments, beeswax, plant oils, crushed limestone, soy resins and buttermilk.

Also, paint the nursery in far in advance and keep windows open to air out the fumes!

Flooring: Carpeting can trap mold, dust mites, and other allergens. Instead, choose wood flooring made from wood from sustainably managed forests such as bamboo or lyptus. Finish them with a nontoxic or natural sealant.

Linoleum, made of all-natural materials (sawdust, linseed oils, pigments and a jute backing) is soft underfoot, and easy to clean. Consider cork, too. It’s a natural insulator of both heat and sound, and soft enough to cushion those inevitable tumbles.

Rugs: To cozy up the room, select nontoxic carpets and area rugs made from natural, untreated fibers such as wool, organic cotton, hemp and jute. Synthetic carpeting can harbor over 100 toxic and carcinogenic chemicals.

Tranquil Nursery Collection by CoCaLo via Babble

Furnishing: Look for furnishing with a water-based aluminum oxide with no volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. Avoid furniture made with plywood, particle board, and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) because they often contain formaldehyde in their glues. Used furniture that’s already a few years old is also a good choice, as it is likely to have released all the harmful chemical fumes by now. (Recycling furniture is also a more affordable options compared with buying new, solid wood furniture!)

Mattress: Pick a baby mattress made with wool casings or organic cotton filling. Regular mattresses that are treated with fire retardants, stain- and moisture-resistant formulas contain harmful and potentially cancer-causing chemicals. You can also find pillows stuffed with natural stuffing such as kapok, buckwheat hulls, untreated wool, organic cotton or synthetic-free latex.

If you do purchase a regular mattress, air it out for a couple of moths before use. you can also cover it with an organic mattress pad protector.

Bedding: Look for organic all-cotton bedding for the crib. Conventional cotton is one of the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crops, and the chemicals could irritate your baby’s sensitive skin. Permanent-press sheets are treated with formaldehyde, a known carcinogenic.

Window Treatments: Organic cotton curtains are a safe and pretty option. Mini blinds, made of PVC, have been shown to give off gas when heated by the sun.

Toys: Safe toys are especially important because most of your baby’s playthings will end up in her mouth! Choose toys made with wood or natural fibers, and decorated with nontoxic paints.  Steer clear of plastic toys made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride).  This material releases toxins into the environment throughout its lifecycle.

Cloth Diapers: Although they require more of a time investment than disposable diapers, cloth diapers pollute less. Because they are chemical-free they may also be less irritating on your baby’s skin.

Fresh Air: You may decide to invest in an air purifier to clear the room of chemicals, gases, and household allergens.  Open the windows daily to bring in fresh air and circulate out stale air.

Recycle: Ask friends and relatives for their old baby gear, shop at secondhand stores, and check out recycling/sharing websites (such as Zwaggle, where you can find used stuff and give away your own used gear — no money required!)

For more info, visit:

BabyZone: Eco Friendly Nursery Basics

eHow: How to Create an Eco-Friendly Baby Nursery

TheBump: Creating an Eco-Friendly Nursery

TheCradle: The Eco Friendly Nursery

1. Extreme Fatigue

Every pregnant woman feels more tired than usual. But twin moms reported extreem fatigue, often taking 3-hour naps during the day, falling asleep on the job or before dinner!

2. A big fat positive on the pregnancy test

Most of  Raising-Twins.com‘s twin moms took a home pregnancy test and were answered with a big fat positive almost immediately. While normally there tends to be a very faint line for positive, especially in early pregnancy, when you are pregnant with twins, the hormone hCG  (human chorionic gonadtropin) is at higher levels and is therefore picked up faster by the test.

3. That twin belly grows fast!

Many women who start showing early on in pregnancy wonder if they are carrying twins. Sometimes they are, as the extra blood volume and extra water weight can result in faster-growing bellies.

4. Severe Morning Sickness

Many twin moms have reported the first trimester resulted in morning sickness. Even moms who have been pregnant without morning sickness before, reported having morning sickness for the first time ever. If you are finding your sense of smell is heightened, you have an overabundance of saliva, or things turn your stomach that you once enjoyed, you can atribute it to hormones once again. For almost all women, morning sickness passes around12-14 weeks.

5. Early Fetal Movement

Those little flutters and kicks can happen earlier with twins, especially if you have been pregnant before and know how to differentiate the little bubbles sensations from normal bodily functions. Most women pregnant with twins report feeling fetal movement earlier than usual – around the 16-18 week mark. However, there are cases though where they feel less fetal movement due to the position of the babies. If their little hands and feet are pointing inward, you are less likely to feel their movements. You may also only feel one baby on a regular basis.

6. Mother’s Intuition

Many, many moms swear they just ‘knew’. They either dreamed it, felt they were seeing signs, or just felt somehow different. While this is obviously not scientific in any way, there is something to be said for a mother’s intuition!

7. Seeing is Believing – Ultrasound Pictures

A trained technician or obstetrician can do an ultrasound or sonogram to show you on the monitor the two fetuses and and two heartbeats. Modern technology allows for quick diagnoses of twins, as well as viability and whether there are one or two sacs.

If you are looking for confirmation of your suspicions, your health care provider is the person to see. Having a twin pregnancy is an incredible journey that requires preparations – mentally, physically, financially and emotionally. But hopefully your twins will also bring you double the joy and double the fun!

For more information on twins, from pregnancy, birth, and throughout childhood, visit Raising-Twins.com.

Feature image from Science Daily

According to the FDA and the American Chemistry Council, bisphenol A is safe for use.  But an independent panel of scientists has criticized the FDA’s stance on BPA safety, insisting that more attention be paid to infant exposure.

The National Toxicology Program issued a report in September 2008, expressing concern about the effects on the brain, prostate gland, and behavior in fetuses, infants, and children. In animal studies, BPA mimics the effects of estrogen.

While there is no hard evidence to prove the ill-effects of BPA on humans, it is always best to err on the side of caution. To reduce your infant’s exposure to BPA, try the following:

• Look for safer baby bottles — either tempered glass bottles or plastic baby bottles made of safer plastics like polyethelene or polypropylene (recycling symbols 2 or 5).
• Some plastic products may have labels saying they are free of bisphenol A. Products that do contain BPA are not required to list the chemical on the label.
• Don’t heat breast milk or infant formula in plastic baby bottles.
• Don’t microwave plastic containers with baby food or milk.
• If you use formula, opt for powdered. Many formula cans are lined with a BPA resin and liquid formula is more readily contaminated than powdered.

Source: WebMD.

For info on BPA-Free baby bottles, click here.  Note that the safety of Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow bottle may be questionable.

Feature image from the daily green.