GRAND Magazine - March 2009 - (Page 27)

5. Fancy outfits in size “newborn.” Where do you think she’s going in that? It’s pretty. It’s frilly. And it will be covered in spit-up 3.4 seconds after she’s dressed, leaving the exhausted new parent with a dryclean-only item that she can’t spray down with a stain-fighter, a miserable baby who is all dolled up in itchy fabric, and an outfit that will never be worn again. (Even if Mom wanted to see it on Princess one more time, she’ll be too big before the opportunity comes ’round again.) crib, and who wants to cuddle with something soft up against the hard slats on the side of a crib? Not a baby, who runs the risk of being suffocated by a crib bumper (a total of 27 kids in the 20-year span from 1985 to 2005 according to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report, but still possible) and a heightened risk of SIDS. These aren’t just silly, they’re a safety hazard. these fit on? And what baby do you know that will sit directly on the center of any one spot in your lap to maximize the use of these waterproof squares of fabric? The truth is, a person so afraid of a leaking diaper that they must cover their lap in a pad needs to learn one critical fact: Poop happens. 8. Infant blankets. There will no doubt be a pile of these at the shower: one knitted by the godmother, another crocheted by an old friend of the family, two sets of the flannel receivers. Considering blankets are a no-no until age 6 months according to the March of Dimes’ Back to Sleep Campaign (aimed at protecting babies from SIDS ), even that is overkill. So, unless it’s designed as a wall hanging, don’t bother. If you must, buy or make a larger blanket for a toddler who can use it. 6. Sleepers with snaps in size “newborn.” Remember middleof-the-night diaper changes? Me neither. Most of us are too sleepdeprived in the baby’s newborn stage to remember anything. Which means the parents’ fingers are also sleep-deprived, and aching to go back to bed rather than fight with 437 snaps up the legs of a kicking baby at 3 a.m. 11. Baby bathtub. Even the lousiest architect has managed to put a place perfect for bathing every tiny baby into every household. It’s the sink. It’s the right size, and it’s already there. What’s more, you can place the whole baby’s body right into the warm water—instead of leaving them suspended in a sling out in the frigid air. (Doubt this? Check out all those screaming babies in the bath on YouTube ). 12. Video monitor. Babies sleeping are, well, babies sleeping. You can sneak into the room and see them anytime. The point of a monitor is to hear when you’re needed—at which point you’re going to rush in to see what they want rather than watch from the living room. Are you going to sit around and watch the video instead? Didn’t think so. 7. Crib bumpers. Adorable. Cuddly. But these go on the side of the 9. Side-positioners. The emphasis on Back to Sleep has perplexed parents who want to keep their baby from developing a flat head. The answer? A rolled-up blanket behind the baby, propping them on their side. In other words? All those blankets have one use—and this contraption doesn’t. If you think a baby who can flip onto his tummy in the middle of the night is going to be deterred by a little thing like this, you’re underestimating the power of your new grandchild. 13. Baby shoes. Repeat after me, “Babies don’t walk.” Most babies don’t even stand until at least 6 months . To keep their little toes warm, how about a nice big multipack of baby socks? The more the merrier—the dryer will eat them anyway. G MARCH 10. Lap pads. What lap, exactly, do Click and connect to more resources instantly where you see this symbol:  2009 GRAND 27 http://www.nichd.nih.gov/sids/ http://www.nichd.nih.gov/sids/

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - March 2009

GRAND Magazine - March 2009 GRAND View Contents GRAND Central Isn't it GRAND? The Hippest Grand of All? Saying Goodbye Necessities, Not The Perils of the Purse Take Care Sexy at Sixty 50 ‘Hidden Treasure’ State Parks Resources GRAND Finale

GRAND Magazine - March 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.