Built NY Baby Thirsty Totes ($8.99) is an insulated bottle holder that helps keep feeding bottles from getting cold.  It comes in two attractive colors (blue and pink) and helps keep in spills.  The handle can be attached to the strollers, diaper bags, and car seats for easy reach.  Just remember that breast milk lasts only for 1 hour in room temperature, while formula milk can be kept at room temperature for 3 hours.

Judy's Bottle Holder ($9.50) is a bottle holder that you loop around your neck that stabilizes a baby’s bottle, leaving mother’s hands free to do other things such as reading or writing down her grocery list.  This can be heaven sent for busy moms and easily-confused fathers to keep organized and flexible.

Baby Bottle Bibs ($11.95) is a cloth cover for bottles designed to absorb those little drops of milk that escape from the feeding bottle.  This minimizes mess as well as keeps baby’s skin clean from dripping formula.

Noah's Ark Ceramic Piggy Bank ($14.00) is an attractive nursery decoration, yet still has the function of letting you slip in a couple of coins every now and then.

Daddy's on Duty Tool Belt ($35.00) is a great utility belt for fathers left to fend for themselves while taking care of the little one.  It comes with 2 newborn diapers, baby wipes, baby lotion, and hand sanitizer among a few other items that help make diaper changing easier and less stressful.

Daddy's Diaper Dootie Tool Belt ($44.99) is the same ideal gift for dads.  This tool belt comes with several items that daddy can use to change baby’s diaper including Boudreaux's Butt Paste Ointment, ear plugs (men have nearly zero tolerance for crying babies), a pair of rubber gloves, and much more.

Baby Carrier Sling by New Native - Organic Dusty Rose Twill, Medium ($54.00) is an organic sling designed to keep baby close and comfortable while keeping mother’s hands free to do anything else.  This also gives mother the opportunity to rest her arms for a while without needing to put baby down..

There is a belief that you have to spend as much as $65.00 or more for a gift idea.  It does not necessarily have to be that way.  As long as you have a well-meaning gift that is designed to help the parents take care of the little one, it does not matter how much (or how little) you have spent for your baby show gift.

It is easier to have a planned baby shower than it is to have a surprised one.  This is because you have the freedom of knowing the preferences of your mother-to-be.  It can be quite awkward when you have invited a guest that your mother-to-be does not want to see in the shower.  Aside from that, food preferences are also important.

Pregnant women often have food cravings on foods previously detested, and can detest previously loved foods.  Still, if you can get these important pieces of information accurately from another reliable source secretly, then by all means throw in a surprise baby shower.

See if you have to plan for the baby shower yourself, or have the help of other guests plan other portions of the shower for you.  You can assign someone to help plan for the venue, the other for the invitation, another for the food, and somebody for the games, theme and give-away items.

Just remember to have a meeting every now and then to consolidate each other’s progress so you know if each will have to make adjustments.

Choose a perfect date for your baby shower.  Ideally, baby showers are held 6 weeks before the delivery date.  Other baby showers are done after the baby is delivered.  Check when your honored guest would want to have her baby shower.

Some prefer the weekends or during a holiday so everyone can be present.  Some do not mind having the baby shower after office hours, but be prepared to have some guests arriving late or not arriving at all due to work requirements.

Think of a perfect menu for your guests and mother-to-be.  Your menu will depend on how many people are coming, the time of the event, and if you are planning on having people bring some food home after the shower.  Showers held during meal times are expected to have a menu that is substantial and can satisfy guests.

If it is between mealtimes, say a brunch, light meals are just perfect.  The location will also determine how the menu is served.  If the place does not have enough tables to accommodate everyone, finger foods are just fine.  Take the time to note down any food allergy the expectant mother and guests would have.  Label food trays there an ingredient that can cause an attack of the hives.

As the host of the shower, you have to plan it carefully as you will be the one to pay for all the expenses.  Consider having someone co-host the baby shower to spread the expense, as well as the happiness if you do not have enough resources to cover everything.

Generally, baby showers last for 2 hours and the guests can have their respectful exit.  If your baby shower lasts for that long with people leaving with all smiles, consider your baby shower a success.

Pediatricians have a general standard on just how much your baby should weigh at a certain age. This would help you gauge how your baby is responding to his current feeding program.  Remember that breast milk or formula is your baby’s staple food for up to 6 months.

When your baby is around 0-4 months, the normal weight gain should be 5.5 – 8.5 ounces per week, although there are some babies who will peak at a weight gain of 7 ounces per week.  Initially, your baby will lose 5% of birth weight in the first week because he is burning brown fat.  Brown fat is stored fat that your baby develops while inside the womb.

Your baby will also have to get used to being fed by mouth, as he spent 9 months being fed via the umbilical cord by your placenta.  Once your baby’s digestive system picks up, he will then start utilizing energy to develop organs and other body parts.

When your baby reaches 4-6 months, your baby’s weight gain will slow down to 1-2 pounds per month.  By 6 months to 1 year, weight gain will be 1 pound per month.  In this period, your baby’s body is now centered in developing bones and nervous system.  Instead of gaining weight, your baby is getting longer and leaner.

Do not be concerned if your baby is not getting the highest recommended weight.  As long as your baby is on the lowest recommended weight range, you are feeding your baby properly.  When you consider the weight gain of your baby, you must also take into account your baby’s build.  Generally, longer babies do not gain weight easily.

Round babies, on the other hand, tend to increase in weight faster.  Babies gain weight better if they are given the best quality of sleep and when they are fed according to demand.  If you are concerned with your baby’s weight, do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician. Babies who do not gain weight or are below the minimum weight range need to be carefully examined by a pediatrician to rule out or correct any medical condition.

Common Detected Diseases and Disorders

• PKU: this is a disorder where a baby lacks a special enzyme in metabolizing a protein compound called phenylalanine.  Phenylketonuria results in mental retardation because the absence of phenylalanine hydroxilase leads to the accumulation of phenylketones.  These are toxic substances that destroy brain cells and once the damage is done, it is irreversible.  The condition cannot be cured.  To prevent mental retardation, a milk formula low in phenylalanine is given to the baby.  When the baby grows up to an adult, he must maintain a low-protein diet to prevent brain damage.  The key to help give your baby a normal life later on is early detection.

• Galactosemia: the problem here lies in the metabolism of galactose.  If this compound accumulates in the bloodstream, liver enlargement (hepatomegaly), renal problems, cataracts, and brain retardation results.  If left untreated further, it can cause multiple organ damage, and death.

• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: regulating hormones produced by the adrenal glands are severely affected.  This results in alteration in the development of secondary sex characteristics of the infant.  Untreated infants eventually die because of loss of salt in the kidneys.

• Biotinidase Deficiency: your baby lacks the necessary enzyme to metabolize biotin, a B-complex vitamin (Vitamin H).  This vitamin is necessary to maintain the nervous system as well as the immune system.  Lack of biotin results in seizures, hearing loss, poor muscle control, mental retardation, and death.  The condition is resolved by giving the baby an extra dose of biotin.

• Sickle-cell anemia: this is a condition where the red blood cells mutate to a shape highly similar to that of a sickle. This greatly alters the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cell, and can also predispose an infant to a variety of infections such as pneumonia and meningitis.

• Maple syrup urine disease: MSUD is condition where your baby lacks important enzymes that help break down three essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) in the body.  The resultant accumulation of these amino acids results in the body producing urine that smells similarly like burnt sugar or maple syrup.  Because these amino acids also leave behind some toxic byproducts, the baby would suffer this condition feed poorly, experience vomiting and dehydration, is lethargic, have poor muscle tone.  Late in the condition, the baby experience coma and even death.

These are the common diseases that are mandated to be tested in the US.  The test is done after 24 hours, or 2-3 days after birth. It is not done immediately for your baby must be significantly fed to detect the presence of any metabolic disorders.  The test is done by pricking the heel of your baby.

Blood is then placed on a sheet of paper that is specifically designed for this test.  Results are relayed to you depending on hospital policy and how fast the laboratory will process the sample.  If disorders are detected, the health care team will inform you immediately and will proceed to do series of calls to specialists for treatment or referral on your baby’s condition.

The diseases and disorders detected in newborn screening are often manageable and curable if detected early.  The test is simple, yet highly essential in saving your baby’s life.  If you have failed to have newborn screening performed in your baby, ask your pediatrician what can be done to help determine if your baby is safe from those disorders or not.

One reason is that the mother has tried breastfeeding and realized it is not working for her.  She might be feeling discomfort over being exposed, or she cannot tolerate the sensation of having baby suck milk from her breasts.  Some cannot breastfeed because of a present medical condition that is preventing her from giving her breast milk to her child.

A current drug therapy may also be preventing the mother from breastfeeding for some drugs are passed through breast milk and can harm the baby.  A common reason is also because the mother has to return to work, and thereby unable to be personally there to see to her baby’s feeding.  For whatever reason, still the choice is plainly up to the mother.  No one should cause her to think otherwise and she should be comfortable with her choice.

What to consider

Bottle feeding can be quite expensive, especially when a baby has allergic reactions to common brands.  There are several types of formula milk that can make a mother quite confused in choosing just what brand to buy.  Most brands, the common ones can be affordable.

Special formula milk like the ones made for babies with allergy (hypoallergenic) or suffering from diarrhea can be twice as expensive as the other brands.  Choose formula milk that is right for your baby’s age.  Written on the label is the recommended age for a milk formulation, and should be carefully followed.  Only use formula milk that is best for your baby and not cow’s milk that you buy in containers.

You may also need to stock up with several bottles for you to cope up with the day.  An average of 10-12 bottles can be a good amount to keep up with the frequency of feeding without having to wait for bottles to be ready.

Every three months, you may also need to change the size of the bottle, from 2 ounces, to 4, then 6, leading up to 9 or 12 ounces.  This is to make sure that your baby’s feedings grow in accordance to his age.  Nipples are also needed to be considered.  The nipples have various shapes, cuts, and sizes that are recommended for your baby’s age.

As your baby grows, his need for formula milk also grows with him.  This table is the average milk consumption of babies, although it may differ from one baby to another.

Do not force your baby to consume that very last ounce if he does not want to.  The best indicator to check if your baby is getting enough is through number of diaper changes in a day and body weight.

Your baby should change at least 10-12 times during the first few months, slowly and gradually changing to 6-8 diaper changes when he is taking in solid food.

Feed the baby the same way as you normally would during breast feeding.  Hold him close to you with one arm and prop him up so that his head is higher than his chest. This way, he would easily swallow the formula, and the risk of aspiration will be less.

It would also enable you to bond with your baby by allowing him to feel, smell, and see you.  Talk to your child as you normally would if you’re breast feeding.  The bottle should be kept upright as much as possible to prevent your baby from sucking in too much air while feeding.  Burp baby after each feeding to expel the air that he has ingested while he was feeding.

Tips

When changing milk formula, it is best that you consider your pediatrician’s advice.  In patronizing a brand, you also have to make sure that it is AA/DHA-enriched formulas.  This micronutrient ensures the optimum brain development of your baby.

Watch out for any digestive or allergic reactions. Diarrhea, constipation, and indigestion can be indicators for need to change milk formula.  If your baby develops rash all over the body, stop feeding and see the pediatrician immediately for remedy and to see if another brand or type of formula will eliminate the problem.

Never let a formula stay too long in room temperature.  Doing so will promote bacterial growth that can cause harm to your baby.  You may prepare formula in advance, but keep it in the fridge for no longer than 24 hours.  It is to be stored inside the shelf and not in the vegetable tray or fridge door.

Water is an option and not a necessity in formula feeding.  Generally, your baby is getting the water that he needs from formula milk.  If you are concerned, check first if he’s perspiring heavily before giving him an ounce of water.  Never give water before feeding for it would deprive him of the necessary nutrients that he can get from formula milk.

Medical experts advise against propping the bottle for baby or putting the baby to sleep with a bottle.  The risk for aspiration is high, as well as development of ear and tooth problems.