It’s time for bathy bathy! Undress baby, splash warm water with a bit of soap in a sponge and that’s it, you’re good to go! Uhm. But really, that’s just not it. 

Baby’s first bath time can be as exciting and daunting for new parents. But we’re here to help you out!

So, being in a room most of the time, your baby doesn’t really get dirty (that much). Mommy, there’s no need to bathe your baby every day. You may prefer to wash their face, neck, hands and bottom carefully instead. This is often called "topping and tailing" or non-bath days. For busy parents, that surely is a yay! You may also do daily spot-cleaning in areas that get particularly sweaty, oily, or dirty, such as behind the ears, in the neck folds, in the creases of the groin, and in the diaper area.

Now, if  you think that baby is ready for a daily bath, make it predictable and comforting by following a regular routine. Have everything you need to hand before you start and make sure the bathroom is warm. If your baby screams every time you try to put her into the water, it either means that she is hungry, the water is too hot or cold, or you have a baby who doesn’t like to be alone in the water. Her security may be threatened. 

Should bath time be in the morning? That's up to you! Choose a time when you're not rushed or likely to be interrupted. Some parents opt for morning baths, when their babies are alert and ready to enjoy the experience. Others prefer to make baby baths part of a calming bedtime ritual. If you bathe your baby after a feeding, consider waiting for your baby's tummy to settle a bit first.

Baby’s skin, especially a newborn’s, is sensitive, and all soaps are mild irritants. The function of soap is to suspend particles and oils on the skin surface so that they can be more easily removed from the skin with water. Limit the soap’s time on the skin to less than five minutes to avoid drying or irritating the skin. Wash it off as soon as possible and rinse the skin well. The truth is, choosing bath soap is a matter of trial and error, once you’ve found the perfect soap that is “hiyang” for baby, you just unlock the gentle way to keeping your little one’s skin super soft.

First, bear in mind that bathing is not primarily cleaning time. 
It’s much more than that.  It’s a chance to play, learn, grow and bond with your baby. Also, there is no right or wrong way to bathe a baby; just pick one that works for you with a minimum of hassles. 

I wonder if there’s a mom or just anybody else who hasn’t been saved by …. Baby wipes! Everybody loves baby wipes! It’s your best friend whenever and wherever something stinky happened to you and your baby. 

According to Reader’s digest,  baby wipes can be used for more than just cleaning babies' bottoms. They're great for wiping your hands after pumping gas, mopping up small spills in the car, and cooling your sweaty brow after a run. In fact, wipes make ideal travel companions.

But that’s just few of the many great things that wipes can do for you. Mommy here’s a random list and I bet you’ll never look at baby wipes the same ever again. 

●    Wipe dust off house plants
●    Clean away household dust
●    Spruce up a leather sofa
●    Stain remover
●     De-grease frying pans 
●    Sanitise those germ-ridden public spots
●    Clean pets and catch pet hair
●    Get rid off deodorant marks on your clothes
●     Clean your kids plastic toys
●    Clean your keyboard
●    Reuse as dusting cloths
●     Remove eye make up

The list is endless, and now you wonder how can you ever lived without them.

For mommy and baby, wipes are very important during nappy changing whether be inside or outside the house. Baby wipes are as safe and effective as cotton wool and water and can even soothe nappy rash, according to scientists.

Did you know that you can make a DIY Baby wipes?

Here’s what you need:
●    1 roll of heavy duty paper towels 
●    Plastic shoebox containers, old plastic coffee containers or empty gallon plastic ice cream buckets also work.
●    1 3/4 cups boiled water (or distilled)-cooled but still warm
●    1 Tablespoon of pure aloe vera– check the ingredients
●    1 Tablespoon of pure Witch Hazel Extract
●    1 teaspoon of Liquid Soap
●    10 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract or 2 capsules of Vitamin E (optional)
●    1 teaspoon of Olive or Almond Oil (optional)
●    Essential Oils of choice (optional)

Here’s how you do it: 
1.    Cut the roll of paper towels in half using a sharp knife
2.    If using a plastic shoe box or old wipe container, accordion fold the wipes into the container.
3.    In bowl or quart size jar mix the water, aloe, witch hazel, liquid soap, GSE/Vitamin E and oil and stir.
4.    Add essential oils if desired and stir.
5.    Pour over paper towels in container and let absorb- this takes about 5-10 minutes.
6.    Flip the container over to make sure wipes are well soaked.
7.    Note: If your child has extremely sensitive skin, you may need to leave out the essential oils or use calendula or chamomile.
Busy to make one, mom? It’s okay, South Star Drug has got you covered! Check out our “Great Deal” promo for baby wipes that suit your little one’s skin type!

Source:
 39 unexpected uses of baby wipes. http://experthometips.com/2015/04/17/39-unexpected-uses-for-baby-wipes/

Homemade Baby Wipes Ingredients. http://wellnessmama.com/1459/homemade-baby-wipes/

One of the greatest moments as a parent is when their baby eyes see you! Face to face, for the first time! Although somewhat blurry and abuzz, it still counts, right?

From birth, baby begins exploring the wonders of the world through their eyes.
Even before they learn to reach and grab with their hands or crawl and sit-up, their eyes are providing information and stimulation important for development.
Healthy eyes and good vision play a critical role on how infants and children learn to see. 

There are many things parents can do to assure their baby's vision is developed properly. The following are some examples of age-appropriate activities from the American Optometric Association (AOA):

Birth to four months

• Use a nightlight or other dim lamp in your baby's room.
• Change the crib's position frequently and change your child's position in it.
• Keep reach-and-touch toys within your baby's focus, about eight to twelve inches.
• Talk to your baby as you walk around the room.
• Alternate right and left sides with each feeding.

Five to eight months

• Hang a mobile, crib gym or various objects across the crib for the baby to grab, pull and kick.
• Give the baby plenty of time to play and explore on the floor.
• Provide plastic or wooden blocks that can be held in the hands.
• Play patty cake and other games, moving the baby's hands through the motions while saying the words aloud.

Nine to twelve months

• Play hide and seek games with toys or your face to help the baby develop visual memory.
• Name objects when talking to encourage the baby's word association and vocabulary development skills.
• Encourage crawling and creeping.

One to two years

• Roll a ball back and forth to help the child track objects with the eyes visually.
• Give the child building blocks and balls of all shapes and sizes to play with to boost fine motor skills and small muscle development.
• Read or tell stories to stimulate the child's ability to visualize and pave the way for learning and reading skills. As your child grows, so does his eye care needs. Sometimes we tend to overlook this things especially during early childhood years. But even if no eye or vision problems are apparent, at about age 6 months, you should take your baby to your Optometrist for his first thorough eye examination.

Nothing can replace breast milk. It is the gold standard for your baby’s nutrition. 
But mommy, did you know that breastfeeding benefits you and your baby? Yes! It’s a give and take relationship at its best. While your baby is busy sucking your wondrous breastmilk, something amazing is also going on with you!

For Babies
Your milk provides the many nutrition like protein, calcium, fat, vitamin A, and other nutrients that your baby needs even before he learns to swallow solid food. Milk also boosts their immune system that shoo away hosts of illnesses such as ear infections, upper respiratory infections and more. Studies also show that your baby’s brain development is optimized. Robin Elise Weiss said that babies who nurse off of both breasts are put into different positions, and have the chance to look and reach in different directions which exercise the baby's reach and mind.

For Mommies
It makes moms healthier, too! Moms who breastfeed are less likely to have breast cancer and reduced risk of ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer. As an all -around, always on-the-go mom that you are, you have a looot of things to do! It's easy to get caught up in work, chores, and family matters. Breastfeeding is a blessing-in-disguise to get the chance to sit down and calm down with your little one. Also, breastfeeding may delay menstruation for a year or more ­ because it causes the release of prolactin, which keeps estrogen and progesterone at bay so ovulation isn’t actuated.

For babies and mommies
Breastfeeding is a chance for mom and baby to connect, bond, and be literally close to each other!

Extended breastfeeding
Now, let’s echo the famous line “breastfeeding is best for babies up to 3 years” Yes! Extended breastfeeding is good for you and your baby, too. Even though your child gets most of his nutrition from solid food, breast milk still provides calories, growth hormones, valuable immunity, vitamins, and enzymes. The composition of your breast milk will continue to change to meet the nutritional needs of your child. Your breast milk is tailor fitted to your baby! There's no known age at which breast milk is considered to become nutritionally insignificant. Doctor Sears also mentioned that if it's working for you and your child, and your mothering instinct tells you it's right—it's right! 

But of course, extended breastfeeding does take some planning. You may check out other articles that feature extended breastfeeding planning.

There are many moms out there who think of choosing the alternative to breast-feeding, and that is, bottle-feeding. Bottle-feeding allows freedom especially to moms as they have more time for duties other than those involving baby care. When a baby is bottle fed, the parent gets the exact measurement of milk her baby gets. It will also help mom to know how much more her baby needs to be full. If your mother instincts tell you to go bottle-feeding then go ahead, but be sure to know these things

Choosing the Right Bottle:

Bottle material: Glass, silicone, plastic, and stainless steel are the most common materials.

• Plastic came to picture in lieu of glass bottle. It is light, ubiquitous, shatterproof and inexpensive. However, there are chemical in polycarbonate plastic could lead to certain cancers, changes in the brain and reproductive system, and early puberty. Also, plastic bottle needs to be replaced regularly as the quality deteriorates.

• Silicone bottles are light, unbreakable, BPA-free (BPA stands for bisphenol A. BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins), and often soft but more expensive than plastic and glass. Silicone bottles are not available in drugstore and supermarket.

• Stainless steel is light, unbreakable, BPA-free, and lasts for a long time, but like silicone, these bottles can be expensive and hard to find.

Bottle shape: There’s no much problem in choosing the right shape of bottle as the market provides ergonomically designed bottles. Traditional ones are tall and slightly curved or angled.

Venting systems: Vented baby bottles are also known as natural flow bottles (named after the popular vented bottle by Dr Brown) or anti-colic bottles. Baby bottles can be vented from the nipple, by use of a straw or by a valve in the base of the bottle. It prevents colic or gas vacuum can cause air bubbles to become trapped inside the nipple. .

Size and number: The number of bottles you'll need to own can range from about 4 to 12. Stick with 4 on the first 4 months and then continue to 5-12 as your baby grows a bigger appetite.

Bottle Care

Before you first use new bottles, sterilize them by submerging them in a pot of boiling water for at least five minutes. Then let them air dry on a clean towel or handy bottle-feeding gear, such as bottle drying racks and dishwasher baskets

Note: Don't boil plastic baby bottles, heat them in the microwave, or wash them in the dishwasher because chemicals will be released when exposed to too much heat.

When to replace a bottle

It’s time to say bye to your bottle when these things happen:

• Cracks, chips, or breaks — Your child could cut, pinch, or otherwise injure himself. This is especially dangerous if you use glass bottles. single scratch, dent or chip could be hazardous. Just throw it away if you see one.

• Discolouration of the bottle is another warning sign. And remember, if you use bottles with disposable liners, you should throw away the liner after each use.

If you have decided to bottle-feed your baby, you’ll have to start by selecting a formula. Your pediatrician will help you pick one based on your baby’s needs. If you need further reference, feel free to take a whirl in our article about Formula Milk!