Zzzz - The Nurzery Blog — tips

6 reasons why you need a high chair 0

Introducing solid foods to your infant is a fun and exciting time for parents. Watching your child discover new tastes and textures is always a great experience and it is a unique bonding time with baby. Before having my first child, I always assumed high chairs were just bulky contraptions that served no real purpose. Boy was I wrong! Here are 6 reasons why you really need to invest in a high chair.

1. They are safe. You don’t have to worry about your child falling off of or out of a high chair as long as the harness is secured. Also, for young infants who are just starting to gain more muscle in their necks, high chairs with a recline can accommodate infants from 4-5 months old. While young babies are still learning how to sit up on their own, you can rest assured that your baby will be properly supported in a high chair. Most high chairs also have a 3 point or a 5 point harness to buckle them in – perfect for any little escape artist.

This Mickey Mouse High Chair has 3 recline positions for all life stages. 

2. Easier to the feed baby. When your child is in a high chair, it is a lot easier to feed them. You can face them and spoon feed them a lot easier. The high chair tray is also great to place a few tiny finger foods and allow them to feed themselves. Learning to use their fingers and feeding themselves is a very important milestone and it sets the stage for much more than eating food. 

While not exactly a high chair, this booster has the added convenience of a space-saving design. Strapped to another chair, this booster gives enough height to save parent's backs during feeding time.

3. Helps practice and develop good dining habits. When in a high chair, your little one is learning how to eat at a dinner table. This is by practicing good dining habits. They start to understand what meal times are and when we eat throughout the day. When sitting in the high chair they will learn to anticipate that now is eating time and will be less resistant to eating in the future. This is especially important to develop early on because toddlers are notoriously picky eaters! (Trust me, I have one!)

This high chair is great because it folds flat in seconds and its maximum height is 50 lbs!

4. Easy cleanup. This sounds like a no brainer but trust me, kids make huge, out of this world messes with their food. I found the messiest stage was between 12 months to about 2 years, peaking at 18 months and the ease of high chair clean up was a lifesaver. High chairs have a special layer of plastic that makes clean up a breeze (try to get dried up puree off a wooden table--it's a nightmare) and they are often equipped with machine washable padding and dishwasher safe trays. 

This is a such a neat idea: easy to clean booster with an included adult chair protector. 

5. Helps develop independent eating habits. Having your child in a high chair is a great way to help them develop independent eating. It is here that they can learn how to use feeding utensils such as spoon and fork along with bowls and plates. The high chair tray makes all of these items much easier for them to get a hold of. This is great for gross motor development.

This high chair enables children to safely self-seat with minimal assistance from parents or caregiver, which builds self confidence in the child while minimizing back strain for the parent or caregiver.

6. Easy to Supervise. Having a child in a high chair makes it very easy to supervise them. They can’t crawl or go anywhere and you can keep them busy in a high chair with food while you work on something else such as washing the dishes after a meal. I have many fond memories of strapping my son into his high chair while he munched on cheerios and he and I "cooked" together. Many toys are made specifically for high chairs with suction cups that allow parents to stick the toy to the tray.

This booster has a cool built-in toy tray for your children. 

The tray is easily removed once food is ready to be served. 

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10 Unique Baby Shower Ideas 0

1. Long Distance Shower. This mom-to-be could be living quite far from family and friends. Some would rather save the money for travel to see a baby rather than going to a shower. Many families are separated by many miles and often live in different states or countries.Having a long distance shower is a great way to help new parents with baby gifts without having to live in close proximity. Technology can really help with a long distance shower: use FaceTime and/or Skype to keep everyone connected. 

2. Baby Sprinkle. A Baby Sprinkle is a baby shower for those on their 2nd or even 3rd baby. It is a great way to celebrate the new baby without having to throw a huge party and give gifts of items that these seasoned parents already have. This is great for parents who are having a different gender and can get some new clothing they may not have to hand down to their next baby. 

3. Book Theme. Want to build up the new baby’s book library? A book themed baby shower is a perfect idea. Everyone can bring a book in lieu of a card with a little note in the side cover. There will be lots of bedtime story readings and the new parents will especially appreciate having a large selection of books to choose from. Since books can be pricey, suggest that guests bring used books. 

4. Welcome! Sip & See. A sip and see party is a great way to get everyone together to see the new baby. This party is really just to introduce your new baby to everyone. I would have loved this type of party since I was hospitalized at the end of my pregnancy and I missed the opportunity to have a baby shower. Also, many new moms don't like to host guest after guest coming unexpectedly to visit the new baby. This is an organized way to invite everyone to see new baby at the same time. And if you feel uncomfortable with everyone touching new baby, make sure you make it very clear that there is a "no touch" policy in effect. 

5. Frozen Dinner Shower. Any new parents will tell you that the first few weeks of a baby’s arrival can be rough. Just trying to come up with something to eat for dinner can seem like an impossible task. Having a frozen dinner shower is a great way to provide pre-prepared meals that just need warming up. I would've loved this party! Imagine having months of go-to meals for those nights when you don't feel like preparing anything? Great idea. Make sure everyone knows if you have allergies or food intolerance. And just make sure that they have a large freezer! 

6. Piggy Bank Shower. If the new parents-to-be are moving right away or in a situation where they cannot bring lots of gifts to their home, a piggy bank shower is good idea. A big piggy bank is placed on a table and everyone who wants to contribute can place their money inside. Guests should be told in advance that they should not purchase any gifts but are asked to donate any amount of money they feel comfortable giving. The money can be used for any expenses or needs, like diapers or formula, that the parents can use over time.

7. Diaper Baby Shower. What is one thing every new parent can never have enough of? Diapers! And diapers are expensive! Having a diaper baby shower where everyone brings a pack in lieu of a gift is great for new parents and seasoned parents. I'v attended quite a few baby showers where guests arrive with "diaper cakes." Diaper cakes are essentially diapers folded in the shape of a towering cake. Then they'll tape or pin baby essentials to the "cake" and wrap it in cellophane. I've received diaper cakes and they are very practical gifts...I would've liked a diaper shower!

8. Have a Blessingway. A Blessingway, also known as a Mother Blessing, is a sacred pre-birth ceremony performed by the Navajo people. The ceremony celebrates when a women becomes a mother for the first time. It's a sacred rite of passage that is deserving of pampering and blessing from all the important women in her life. Instead of sharing gifts, the women gather in a circle and share life experiences and birthing stories. It can be so powerful to feel the warmth of the women you love and the mutual sharing of hopes and fears.  

9. Invite the men! Baby showers usually exclude the men. It seems almost unfair to leave the men out of the equation when they'll be right there supporting you through your delivery. It's a great way to teach new fathers about diaper changing techniques, swaddling methods and other handy tips. Try to incorporate the men by playing party games they would enjoy and ensuring that they participate in the fun.

10. Pamper party. This is a good one! Invite all the girls out for a mani/pedi party. Bring the cake and enjoy some delicious after-pampering treats in the salon. By the time the baby shower roles around, most moms-to-be can't reach their own toes and it doesn't hurt to have pretty toes on the big day. 

Whatever you decide to do--even if you decide not to celebrate with a party--enjoy the bundle of joy that is about to arrive!

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Baby proofing your house: 6 tips your Mom never told you 0

Baby proofing your house may not be as easy as you think it is. There will be things that you would never think your little one could get in to and you will be amazed when you find out they can. Baby proofing requires much more than just putting covers over outlets and putting any breakables out of their reach. Here are 6 unique tips Mom never told you.