Baby Names Box

Some people think that the word sexy and pregnancy do not belong together. I
have to disagree. In fact, I have heard many men say that a woman is
her sexiest and most beautiful when she is pregnant!

So, how do you go about feeling sexy when your belly is expanding and your body is
going through so many changes? So many women tell me they feel
unattractive when they are pregnant, but they don’t have to!

The good news is that the days of the maternity tent dress are over! Today’s maternity wear is hip, trendy and yes, even sexy! http://maternitycorner.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=M
The designers have brilliantly combined comfort and fashion in clothing
that you can start wearing as soon as you discover you are pregnant
right on through post-partum and beyond.

Just wearing your husband clothes may be economical – and they may fit fine over your
expanding belly—but they will not have a good fit everywhere else!
Buying bigger sizes in regular clothes is also never a great idea if
you want to feel good about yourself. I’m sorry to say you will just
look bigger and feel frumpy.

There are several “basics” that every woman should have when she is pregnant. For your first pieces, try to stick with basics that will go with everything. A couple of good
pairs of pants, jeans or skirts are a good place to start (your
lifestyle will determine which is best for you). Add a top or two and
you are on your way! Then, as you “grow”, add tops in fashionable
prints and colors that will mix and match with your basics, giving you
fresh new looks, as well an occasional, much needed, psychological
boost. If you are really keen, splurge on some “not-so-practical” tops
or bottoms to round out your maternity wardrobe. Remember, many of
today’s styles can be worn after baby too!

If you cannot afford a whole new wardrobe, or even if you can and don’t want to spend the
money, you need to get yourself at least a couple of basics and one outfit that makes you feel beautiful and sexy—there is no price for the way an outfit like this will make you feel!

Don’t forget your underwear! If your underwear binds you are not going to feel
comfortable. There are so many great styles available now! And if
you’re a thong wearer, there’s no reason to stop now. Maternity thongs,
as well as the bikinis and briefs, are available in a wide variety of
fabrics and colors.

Chances are you will probably require several different bra sizes throughout your pregnancy. No matter which type of bra you choose, fit is important. There should be room for expansion
around the rib cage and room for expansion in the cup, but not so much that the bra does not provide adequate support. Have fun with your maternity and nursing bras—there are so many options available!

There are also some great skin care products available now. Pamper yourself
with some luxurious creams or body wash! Take some time out for you—you deserve it!

Remember, when you feel good, you look great—even sexy!

About The Author

Anne
Cavicchi is a mom and owner of Annie’s Maternity Corner—dedicated to
providing a large collection of fashionable maternity and nursing wear
to allow you to express your own style comfortably during and after
pregnancy. We also carry all the products you will need for after your
child is born. Accessories, diapers, sleepwear, breast pumps, playwear,
and everything in between! http://www.maternitycorner.com

Your breasts are now twice their normal size.

One of the early trademarks of pregnancy are sensitive, sore breasts.
This is caused by an increase in the level of hormones. However, this
too will pass. Once your rising hormone levels have stabilized and your
body adjusts, the tenderness will diminish. You should be feeling much
better after the first trimester.

The monthly visitor has failed to visit.

This actually isn’t one of the best signals that you may be pregnant.
You may have some spotting due to implantation bleeding (although this
is uncommon). Most women notice other symptoms before this one comes
along. A pregnancy test is usually your best bet.

You suddenly crave apples and pretzels (or any other unusual food for that matter).

Many women claim to crave certain foods during pregnancy. Food
aversions are also very common. You may want to take a pregnancy test
if your favorite food no longer lingers for your attention.

Your mornings are often spent over the toilet bowl (morning sickness strikes again).

Most women don’t experience morning sickness until about a month
after conception. These peak around 8 to 10 weeks into your pregnancy
and then level off in the second trimester. A lucky few escape it
completely.

Exhaustion sets in after a normal day at work

The increased hormone levels and changes in your body can make you
exhausted. Your energy should increase in the second trimester.

Aromas that are 15 feet away now seem to be invading your space.

Many newly pregnant women experience increased sensitivity to
odors. This may be a side effect of increasing levels of estrogen in
your body.

You sprint to the bathroom every five minutes.

#1 proof! Home pregnancy test declares that “Yes, you are pregnant.” Despite any
previous threats.

In spite of all of this, often when women are asked to name what the
most empowering moment of their lives was, the most common answer is
giving birth.

Alli Ross is the webmaster at the Baby Names Box – http://www.babynamebox.com – Where you can explore thousands of unique and unusual baby names.Browse articles on parenting, pregnancy, and household tips.

The best time to get pregnant is during the period of ovulation in your menstrual cycle.
In order to find out when this optimal time is, you must learn to pay attention to your body
and spot the physical signs of ovulation.

When is the best time to get pregnant?

Once you have discovered when your ovulation due is, you can time
sexual intercourse in accordance to this period, thereby increasing
your chances of getting pregnant.

Counting days to getting pregnant?

A common method of finding out the best time to get pregnant is known
as counting day. To do this, you must figure out when your next period
is due. From this date, count back 12-16 days. This will give you a
range of days when you will probably be ovulating. In most cases, for
women with a 28-day cycle, the 14th day is often the best day to get
pregnant. In order to use this method, you must know how long your
cycle usually lasts and have fairly regular cycles.

Cervical Mucus and the best time to get pregnant

Cervical mucus is another method that is used to determine the best
time to get pregnant. As your cycle progresses, your cervical mucus
increases in volume and changes texture. These symptoms reflect your
body’s rising levels of estrogen. The best time to get pregnant is when
the mucus becomes clear, slippery, and stretchy. Mucus is responsible
for nourishing, protecting, and speeding the sperm on its way up the
uterus and into the Fallopian tubes in order to meet your egg.

• A baby is born every seven seconds.

• Babies are born with very poor vision but can recognize their mothers almost right away.

• Babies are always born with blue eyes, within a few moments of delivery their eye color can change.

• Babies are born with swimming abilities and can naturally hold their breath. However, they shortly lose this instinct.

• Newborns usually double their weight by six months.

• Playing classical music will increase a baby’s intelligence.

• Reading to your child at ANY age will increase their knowledge.

• Babies and toddlers are, pound for pound, stronger than oxen. This is especially true of their legs.

• Babies are born without kneecaps.

The human body is a fascinating study to subject. You may be surprised by the following facts.

• Women blink twice as many times as men do.

• Eyes are the most active muscles in the whole body.

• There are about 550 hairs in the eyebrow.

• The life span of a tastebud is 10 days.

• Humans have almost 10,000 taste buds.

• The colder the room you sleep in, the more likely that you will have a bad dream.

• The human body is better suited for two four-hour sleep cycles than one eight-hour one.

• The jawbone is the hardest bone in the human body.

• It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

• You share your birthday with at least 9 million other people in the world…. talk about a lot of celebrating.

• The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan.

Decorating a nursery for your new baby can be a fun and exciting experience. It
will be the first place for your baby to dream, to experience, and to
grow. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Location

Calm surroundings are critical to a newborn’s development. Avoid room’s
that are close to a busy street, where there could be more noise. Will
the baby’s room be on the same floor as your bedroom ? This makes it
more convenient to monitor your baby. However, you can always opt for
an audio or video monitor.

Time to decorate! Choosing a particular theme and design for your baby
room depends on how much you want to spend, how much space you have,
and whether it’s a boy or a girl. To be safe, you can always go for gender-neutral
colors such as greens, purples, and reds.

Choosing a theme. Now it’s time to let your imagination run wild. To get some
ideas, visit a few baby stores and check out different styles. They may even
have example rooms set up that you can check out. Take a look at the following
nursery themes to get a few ideas rolling.

Animals. This motif could include kittens, puppies, farm scenes, or teddy bears.
This is a common theme that can easily be found in stores. You could purchase
everything from the sheet and comforter set to coordinating wall hangings and wall
paper.

Cartoon / TV Characters. The
options are numerous here. Winnie the Pooh, Spiderman, Aladdin, Curious
George, Bugs Bunny, Snoopy, and Peter Pan are just a few examples.

Noah’s Ark.

This a popular theme with plenty of designs to choose from. You can
accesorize with animal pictures, a nursery lamp, bedding, and even a
rocking chair.

Dolphins or other underwater scenes. This theme will add a cool, refreshing
feeling to your new baby room. The cool colors will also be comforting for you
baby. For decorating, you could use sea-related wall hangings, sea shells, a border
with waves, or even sea horses.

Crayons. Remember how much fun crayons use to be. Introduce your child to
a new and creative world with this theme. You could use accents in the shape
of hand prints or stencil of your choice. Place these on the walls, window frames,
closet door, or even the lamp shade. Looking for the perfect paint. Crayola has come
out with paints with their colors made specifically for the baby’s room.

Whichever design you choose, use inexpensive stain-repellant area rugs that can
be easily replaced when you want to update the design. You’ll want a
room that your child can grow into. The most important thing to keep in
mind with choosing a baby room theme is make sure that it is safe and
comfortable. From there, the possibilities are endless. Best of luck!

When bringing home your new baby, there are so many things to do in order to
get ready. Making your home a safe haven for your new little one is one
of the most important things you will do to get ready. Each room
contains its own set of dangers. Below is a baby safety checklist to
ensure that every room in your house is baby friendly.

General Safety Tips:

_ Place child-resistant covers on all electrical outlets.

_ Install safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.

_ Don’t use baby walkers because they have been known to have caused
serious injuries to babies. Use stationary exercisers instead.
_ Keep all dangerous chemicals out of the reach of children.
_ Shorten curtain and blind cords.

_ Install smoke detectors on each floor of your home, especially near
sleeping areas. * Be sure to change the batteries each year.
_ Keep all small objects away from young children. (This includes tiny toys and balloons.)

_ Use corner bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges.
_ Know the names of all plants in case a child eats one of them.

_ Be sure that furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and all gas appliances are vented properly.
_ Place screened barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and portable space heaters.

_ Keep firearms and ammunition safely locked away.
_ Secure unsteady furnishings.

_ Check your house for lead and asbestos. If you detect either of
these substances, contact a professional. Any house built before 1978
is at risk for lead paint.

Protect your kids rooms:

_ Ensure that your crib meets national safety standards.

_ Place guards on windows and stops on all doors.

_ Make sure your baby’s crib is sturdy and has no loose or missing hardware.

_ Make sure that the mattress fits snugly.

_ Be sure the crib sheet fits snugly.

_ Never put stuffed animals or heavy blankets in the crib with your infant.

_ Never leave your baby unattended on the changing table.

_ Remove mobiles and other hanging toys from the crib as soon as your child can reach up and touch them.

_ Place infants under one year of age on their backs to sleep.
Mattress should be firm and flat with no soft bedding underneath. *
Following this advice will reduce the risk of suffocation and Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

_ Place night-lights at least three feet away from the crib, bedding, and draperies to prevent fires.

_ Check age labels for appropriate toys.

Keep the bathroom safe:

_ Put a lock on the medicine cabinet.

_ Lower the household water temperature. (It should be set at 120 degrees F or below to avoid burning your baby)

_ Always test the water first before bathing a child.

_ Never leave your child alone in the bathtub or near any water.

_ Secure toilet lids. Many young children are fascinated by putting objects inside.

_ Make sure that bathtubs and showers aren’t slippery.

_ Install ground-fault circuit interrupters on outlets near sings and bathtubs.

For the Kitchen:

_ Keep all knives, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags out of children’s reach.

_ If stove knobs are easily accessible to children, use protective covers to prevent kids from turning them.

_ Never leave your baby alone in a highchair. Always use all safety straps.
_ Replace any frayed cords and wires.
_ Keep chairs and step stools away from counters and the stove.
_ Remove all household cleaners from the bottom cabinets or put them in a cabinet that is out of your baby’s reach.

In the Yard:

_ Store tools, garden, lawn-equipment, and supplies in a locked closet or shed.

_ Don’t use a power mower when young children are around.

_ Don’t allow children to play on a treated lawn for at least 48
hours following an application of a fertilizer or pesticide.

_ Know the types of trees and plant life on the property in case children ingest berries, leaves, or other plant life.

_ If you have a swimming pool, install a fence that separates the
house from the pool. ( Make sure that the gate is childproof)

This list is a general guide. For more in-depth information go to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov.

Goodbye Bertha, Hello Kaitlyn! The top baby names of today break with tradition
and follow-up on new trends. Because choosing the perfect name can be a
daunting task, many informative web sites have been launched with
parents in mind.

A name is central to a child’s earliest sense of identity. It’s often the first
word he or she learns to read and write. Naming trends of today are
defined by celebrities, literary classics, and even name brands. Look no
further than your favorite book, car, or brand for baby name ideas. Names
like “Armani”, “Del Monte”, “Infiniti”, “Celica”, “Chevy”, and “Lexus” are
increasing in popularity.

Unisex names are another trend that is gaining steam. Parents are using names
such as Jordan, Madison, Devon, Bailey, Parker, and Logan on boys and
girls. However, when naming a baby, parents must consider if it invites
potential teasing. Boys are often targeted more heavily than girls.

Want to add a twist to your baby’s name? Another naming trend includes
spelling classical names untraditionally. There are usually at least
five different ways to spell any name. This way, you can add variety to
a classical favorite.

You could also use a name inspired by nature. Examples for boys include
Ashton, Avery, Birch, Bradley, Grant, Holden, Landon, Logan, or Wesley.
For girls you could use Beverly, Brooke, Erica, Hayley, Lauren, Lillian, or Olivia.

Want a crafty name? Bailey, Baker, Carter, Cooper, Foster, Mason, Porter,
and Turner may be more your style. However, you can’t go wrong with the following
chart-topping baby names, whether you prefer the 1900’s or the 1990’s.

Names of the 1900’s:

Boys: John, William, James, Charles and Robert

Girls: Mary, Helen, Elizabeth, Marie, and Alice

Names of the 1990’s:

Boys: Michael, Christopher, Joshua, Jacob, Andrew, David, and Tyler

Girls: Ahley, Emily, Sarah, Amanda, Taylor, Megan, Kayla, and Nicole

Best of luck!

The history of names is so ancient that no one know quite where it
began. Oral and written history both profess people having names.
Earlier names seem to have some sort of meaning, usually descriptive.
In contrast, today’s names are usually given based upon their
popularity or pleasing sounds.

Early in prehistory, descriptive names were used continuously.
Eventually, a collection of names were formed that identified that
particular culture. Today, the meanings of many names are not known,
due to the aging history of a name. As time goes on, languages change,
and words that formed the original name are often unrecognizable.

The rise in Christianity transformed the history of names.
Christians were encouraged to name their children after saints and
martyrs of the church. Because of this influence, we now see names such
as Mary, Martha, Joseph, James, Mark, Paul, and John prominent among
many cultures. These names were spread by early missionaries throughout
Europe.

By the Middle Ages, Christian names were seen predominantly.
Each culture had its collection of names, which were a combination of
native and early Christian names. However, the naming pools continued
to evolve. Modern names often bear little resemblance of their
predecessors. Surprisingly, the early Christian names changed very
little in comparison.

Bynames are additional identifiers used to distinguish two
people with the same name. From these bynames, surnames were developed.
Surnames are a comparatively recent development. These usually started
out as being specific to a person and then became inherited from father
to son. This was a common practice between the twelfth and sixteenth
century. This practice was adopted first by the aristocracy and later
on by the peasants. Bynames came in various types. The patronymic
referred to the father, a matronymic referred to the mother, a locative
or toponymic indicated where a person was from,and an epithet described
the person in some way ( such as their occupation, office, or status).

Patronymics are common in almost all European cultures. For
example, a man named Ivan whose father’s name is Nikolay would be
know as Ivan Nikolayevich or “Ivan, son of Nikolay”. In Gaelic, the
prefix Mac is used to form a patronym. An example would be MacKenzie – son of Kenneth. The use of the matronymic is much less common.

Common occupational names included Baker, Shepherd, Carpenter, and Wright.

The Romans adopted surnames as far back as 2,000 years ago,
while other areas of the world were slower to begin using surnames.
However, by the Middle Ages, they were used regularly, first by the
nobility and then by the gentry. Following the fall of the Roman
Empire, Ireland was one of the first countries to adopt surnames. These
Irish surnames are found as early as the tenth century.

Today’s names are influenced by celebrities, common popular names, and biblical names.

by Rachel Paxton

When I first found out we were expecting twins, I had no idea how
we were going to able to afford enough clothes for both of them!
Two baby showers later, I had more baby clothes than I knew what
to do with, and I was struggling with trying to find somewhere to
organize everything.

I received as gifts many different sizes of baby clothes, from
newborn all the way to toddler. Friends and family members who
found out we were expecting also gave us many nice hand-me-downs.
I quickly realized I wasn’t going to have to buy any clothes for
our boys for quite some time! After looking over all the
clothing, I decided it would be easiest to organize the clothes
by sizes.

I first washed everything and sorted all the clothing by sizes.
I then went to Walmart and bought some very inexpensive large
plastic storage containers to store larger sizes.

The boys have two dressers in their bedroom. I filled one
dresser with newborn size clothes, and the other dresser with
size 3-6 months. I then labeled three plastic storage containers
6-9 months, 9-12 months, and 18-24 months. After sorting all the
clothes I organized the storage containers on a shelf in the
bedroom closet. Now whenever I get new clothing I can go right
to the storage container with the correct size. This system has
made it very easy for me to see what I have on hand and what I
still need to buy.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom helping other moms to
organize their families and their lives. For other organizing
hints visit http://www.Organized-Mom.com.

Many new parents are looking for frugal and money saving tips for their
new baby. The cost of baby wipes plays a factor in these expenses.
Therefore, why not make your own. It’s a simple project that can be
done easily at home. Just follow the steps below.

Ingredients:

1 cylinder shaped plastic container

1 roll of paper towels

2 cups of boiling water

1 TBSP. Baby Bath

1 ½ TBSP. Baby oil

Instructions:

Cut the rollof paper towels in half (cross wise) with a knife (serrated
edge works best). Remove the card board from the middle. Place your
paper towels in the container with the cut side down. Mix the baby bath
and baby oil into the boiling water. Stir well. Pour the mixture over
the paper towels in the container.

So, how much money can this save you? A brand name box of baby wipes
costs around $4 for 80 wipes. If you buy a box every two weeks, your
costs would total about $100 dollars per year. With the recipe above
you should be able to cut your costs by 3/4! Best of luck! There are
tons of homemade products you can make straight from home and save
hundreds of dollars.

Save all of your empty lids, cereal and oatmeal boxes, and foam cups.
These can be used to make various creations once your baby is at a
sitting up age.