Pros and cons of second hand clothes shopping for babies

Berlin, especially its Eastern side, is full of stores where second hand products for babies are sold. Usually in this part of the city, there is a high concentration of babies too and thus, these stores are just recycling a lot of things, some of them hardly worn. 

However, how recommended are those products, especially for babies? I am talking here about clothes and shoes, as I will address on a separate post the issue of car seats and toys?

Here are a couple of pros and cons:

Pros:

- Children are growing up fast and you better find some affordable pieces of clothing for less as in one month time you will have anyway to buy more.

- As the clothes were washed so many times, the harmful chemicals and other substances are already out of the material.

- You protect the environment as using products made already save the harm produced while creating new ones.

Cons:

- What about the germs contained in clothes from previous owners ???

- Second hand clothes often look tiresome and...just second hand...Do you want your kid to look like a beggar? Even if he or she does not notice that for now....

- Sometimes you do not save too much money. Some Oxfam stores in Germany can be quite expensive in fact.

My choice:

- I am not a big supporter of second hand clothes. I NEVER EVER use second hand shoes, for instance, and I never buy from stores. Stores like ZEEMAN in Germany offer nice and colourful and very cheap clothes so why not use this option instead?

- I prefer to take clothes from people I know and wash them before using. I am very selective though and choose the ones that look fresh and are spotless. 

6 Products to spoil your baby from BabyKorb Berlin

I become a big fan of the BabyKorb store after the baby was born, and not only because it is situated very close from me and when passing-by I just stop frequently by for some inspiration. In fact, love the quality of the products and some well designed corners, although the prices are mostly high-end. It is also a one-stop store, where you can find everything you need for your baby, from small milk bottles to beds and prams, which will save you a lot of precious time. 

The customer service is also careful with many employees roaming around and ready to help.

As yesterday I visited again this cave of treasures, I selected up 6 gorgeous categories of products that would recommend to check on the friendly payment counter.

Toys from Sterntaler - This over 6-decade old German brand offers a large range of baby toys, stuffed animals, some of them singing or to be used as puppets. As usual in the case of the German toys, they always teach you some new skill, which I find a good idea. The prices range from 12.99 to 16-17 EUR.

Sleeping bags - A must-have item in the first year of baby life, considered important in preventing SIDS, but also that gives a chance of keeping the baby covered well during the night, especially when she reached the age of moving over and over around the bed. The choice is very high end, with elegant shapes and materials, for summer - fine white mouseline from Nouk for 45.99 EUR - and autumn or winter. Prices vary highly from 16.99 half-body from Belly Button, to 59.99 EUR. Basic Jersey, or 69.99 Anni cool.

Honolulu outfits from Dutch company BabyFace - I am in love with the boyish design and the quality cotton used, exactly the kind that suits my adventurer little boy. The prices are affordable too: 12.99, 17.99 EUR.

Design clothing from KANZ - These are the kind of products for environmental concerned parents. In addition to the joyful design, the products have been tested for harmful substances too. Their collection looks very cute for the summer, with prices around 24 EUR.

Heimess wooden toys - Just another serious German company selling educative wooden toys. Nice and safe colours, attractive shapes made to develop the intelligence and the spirit of observation. In the case of many, the quality was tested and certified by specialized German institutions. Affordable prices too, between 5-7 Euro.

Music boxes by the French creative minds from DJECO - My baby loves music and we purchased a couple of musical toys. These music boxes are not considered toys, which I agree as they should be rather included in the category of small pieces of art. Cute and delicate figures rolling over and over again, available for just 19 EUR.

Month 6 with the baby

Here we are - or we were, as the event as such took place a couple of days ago - in the 6th month going 7th of the baby life. For us, as parents, it was not easy and sometimes I had to went to sleep around 21.00 for getting enough energy for the next day. Which is a very unusual time to sleep for me, usually not in bed before 00.00. But the most important for the baby is to have healthy parents to take care of him so I adjusted even my white nights to cope with the new challenges. For the baby, things are getting much and much better and the changes as as fast that we better take notes and pictures of every moment. The good part is that I am with him all the time and I can be near him every time.

The biggest achievement of the month were the two cute teeth that appeared out of nowhere. Of course, there were some hard days of deep and hard to explain crying. But, as he cannot speak and explain what is the cause of his pain, all I can do in such moments is to take him in my arms and hug him tight. In most cases it works out.

We continued the therapy for improving his mobility and with one session the week for around 30 minutes for 3 months we advanced that much that right now he can easily move in the car seat and keep his neck straight. He can also move back and forth, and keep staying stable for a couple of good minutes.

On the ocassion of his 6th month anniversary we switched from the vintage crib to a huge bed where he can move back and forth, from the back to the belly and back once again. Stay tunned for some tips about how to choose a bed for your kid soon!

We also finished another important stage in our baby life, with the last batch of vaccination until the first anniversary. Soon I will explain why I am such a big supporter of vaccinations!

The food diversification continued and we tested more bottle foods, including some (kosher) meat. I am trying to expose him to as many tastes and flavours as possible and he seems to like almost everything - except some chicken with spinach that he was not too excited about. The food tasting is in process  and we promise even more diversification- we have to try some rice and some fish too. He takes kilos and moves well so no worries from this point of view.  

He got some extra centimeters too so most of his wardrobe is in process of changing. 

Changes is the word of the day ad we are so looking forward for more to come. And more cute small white teeth too.  

Why we all, but especially children, we need some good Vitamin D

Oranges and sunshine, the perfect healthy combination

Vitamin D, or the sunshine vitamin, plays an important role in the development of children, and especially in sunshine deprived regions as Europe, its levels should be kept under careful control. Its regularly consumption helps prevent rickets, and builds strong bones, teeth and immune system, reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis or heart diseases. When Vitamin D is deficient, there is a high risk of developping abnormalities, such as osteomalcia (soft bones) or osteoporosis (fragile bones). 

The minimal daily dose for keeping the constant level is of 200 IU, but according to many medical opinions, more exposure to the sun and consumption of foods such as oranges, milk, sardines, egg yolk, cereals or yogurth are recommended as natural supplements. Vitamin D deficiency is often causes by improper nutrition, but also by pollution, too much time spent indoors and lack of light, in general. At least 10 minutes of sun exposure every day can help, as this vitamin is produced in our skin in response to sunlight. 

This fat soluble vitamin, part of a family of componds that includes Vitamin D1, D2 and D3, is equally important for both adults and children. For the first year of life of my child, the doctor recommended a 600 IU dosis, the same ratio being advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women or for adults till 70 years. After this age, a level of 800 IU is necessary. In oder to give the right amount to your child, get in touch with your pediatrician and try to catch up as much as possible with the sun. What we are doing quite well lately!

Month 5 with the baby

The awesome invention of mobile playground

There were so many things going on in our baby life in the last 30 days. As a general rule, he entered a very healthy schedule, with early wake up around 5.30 after a full night of sleep, eating, sleeping a bit, playing, eating, sleeping again, some more playing, eating, a couple of hours outdoors when weather allows, eating, playing, 30 minutes of sleep, bath. We tried to keep this pace and in most cases everythin went more smoothly than expected.

The biggest achievement this month was the purchase of the mobile playground, a very great idea, made up of colourful pieces put together, made of different materials, uttering sounds, with mirrors and plush that are a delightful idea. He spends around 2 full hours there, playing with the toys and this time is a precious mommy time too, when I just can do my writing things while watching him from close. We bought more and more toys, that are aimed to stimulate his creativity and help him develop. More about the amazing industry of children toys in a coming post.

Compared with the previous months, he spends much more time touching and observing things, pulling up and trying to feel the materials. 

Another big step for the baby was the introduction of solid foods. I am preparing an extensive post about it but till then, we are very happy with the addition and we tried to add new and new foods - white carrots, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, fruit mix, evening brei with vanilla or banana. Another reason to be happy was that so far there were not allergic reactions so we can keep going on with more experimenting. We did not try fish and meat yet, but hope to find a kosher solution in the next 2 weeks.

There were another awesome things going on too: we went travel by airplane, bus and train. It was not easy for us and for the other passengers, but at the end of the journey, he reacted quite well and ended up by taking some healthy naps in between long sessions of screaming. There were many lessons learned but also a warning that we have to try to slow travel and listen to his requirements first and foremost. Conclusion: travel with a baby is not easy at all!

The communication improved significantly and he smiles more and more. He also developed a funny caugh that drove me to panic first, but two doctors told me that in fact it is just a way to grab our attention. Also, he can show us also when he does not agree with something, looking at us with some big worried eyes. 

He also moving a lot, with the neck getting stronger and stronger - we are doing some special therapy too, as the doctor realized that more exercise is needed - with more rolling on sides. We also had a little panic moment, when the doctor announced us that his head is a bit flat and we need to check out with some other specialists about. Hopefully, everything is fine and will come back later with a detailed post about this. 

Overall, everything is changing, and not only his hair: we bought a new sleeping bag, most of his first clothes are packed in bags and ready to go further to other kids, we have to find him a new bed as soon as possible. 

But first and foremost, I am very happy to have spent a lot of time with the baby as I decided to give up work for now and apply for the so-called 'Elterngeld', the salary given by the German state to moms for the first year of life of the kid. We went beyond the bureaucratic stage and we are waiting for the further developments. 

Ready for more baby adventures to come!

How to Prevent Sudden Instant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Sudden Instant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a relatively unpredictable tragic occurence leading to the death of the new born, that based on the medical experience with children can be prevented though.

Also called crib death, it occurs during sleep, within the first months of life of the baby. It may be associated with a certain abnormality in the kid's brain, most specifically a disfunction at the level of the part that is supposed to control breathing. The most exposed are usually kids with a low weight at birth or with respiratory infections. For the boys, the risk occurs when there is already a family history of SIDS, with second hand smoke and premature birth. If the mothers are over 20, smoke, take drugs and drink alcohol and with an indadequate prenatal care, the risks are higher.

One of the best prevention of SIDS is to be sure that the kid is sleeping during the night on the back and not on the stomach or on the side. The baby should also have the blanket around the body and far away from the face in order to leave him breath properly. We are using a nice sleeping bag that helps baby D. to control his moves.

It is also important to avoid bringing the kid in the same bed with the parents as they may obstruct his breath during the sleep. The crib of the baby should be bare, regardless how big is the temptation to gather his favourite friendly looking toys around. It is also said that brestfeeding for at least 6 months can reduce the risk of SIDS.

Another important preventive method is to maintain a room temperature between 18 and 20C, as overheating can create breath problems. The air should not be dry either and in order to keep the air fine, once in a while we brought a wet towel on the thermostat. It is a relatively primitive method but it works for now.

As for us, what we additionally did and do, is to check on him regularly. Even he looks fine and asleep, it is always good to keep an eye on him every hour and check if everything is fine.

Month 2 with the baby

Our beautiful prince is already two-month old...Time goes fast but our baby is growing up even faster. This second month from the life of our baby boy was less eventful health-wise, except  the vaccination session that went actually great with only half a day of serious problems. We also had a little eye infection that was fixed with proper medication - although was warned that sometimes in Germany they exaggerate a bit with the antibiotics. The colics problems were fast solved with the help of the 15 drops of BSimplex that we give him before every milky meal. 

Working in shifts

We, as parents, we got used with the sleep deprivation, and were smart enough to plan the night shifts. Given the fact that at the end of the second month I started to work again full time, this time management detail helps me very much to maintain a healtlhier night life program. Also the baby sleeps much more, with around 5 hours in a row in the evening, after the bath and evening meal. But he also seems to be more demanding, with more and intense sessions of crying. Often he is unhappy with the load on the pampers or he wants to eat or to sleep, but it also happens that he is just bored and needs our company. Yes, sir!

More organised

We did not have too much time to breath, but we got more organised: we write down the eating hours and we started to buy in advance diapers and milk powder. (This after a couple of late Saturday evening or Sunday crisis when we realized that we may not have enough changes or milk for the baby). We bought a milk powder separator that helps to have everything ready and prepare the bottle within minutes. We also got more information about baby products and we purchased a special bottle cleaning substance and special laundry cleaning material. In order to avoid the bad smell of diapers, we keep putting the use ones in small bags that we close afterwards. 

Nails cutting made easy

We got much more experience in the field of nails cutting, but contrary to all the advices we did it not during sleep but after the bath. He cooperated very well and the operation succeeded withot incidents. In comparison with many other children, he enjoys staying on the belly and we tried to practise this exercise as often as possible. Overall, we are much better and our hard work is more and more often rewarded with big sincere natural smiles. Long enough to allow us to take so many pictures to send to our family and friends from far away.

To be continued...

Pro or against pacifiers? A couple of reasons

Shortly after we were back from hospital, a big question preoccupied us: with or without pacifier - or inspirelly called peace makers? We read a couple of articles before, and listened to various opinions, but we also feel that a pacifier will just help the baby - but also us - to sleep. There was also the option of just having a baby that rejects it but it was not mean to be so we were back to step one.

Carefully, we set up a list of pros and cons, but as in the case of many other things in life, moderation is key. We accepted it as a temporary solution for maximum 2 years and things look more bearable.

As for the reasons, here is my pro and cons list for now:

PROs

- It has a soothing effect that calms both the parents and the baby

- It offers a temporary distraction to the kid, especially when at doctor, during flights and during a visit

- Reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - more about that in a next post

- Compared to the finger sucking, it is disposable, being up to the parents when to stop it

- Make the kid more secure and helps to control feelings

- Avoid the risk of overfeeding

CONs

- It may interfere with breastfeeding and can decrease the appetite for mother's milk

- If intensively used after 12 months it can lead to a certain delay of speech

- Increases the risk of middle ear infection (otitis media) as it may increase the pressure in the middle ear

- If used after 3 years old it creates dental problems

- For sensitive children, it can cause latex allergy or oral ulcers. It may also be associated with exhaustion. 

- It may create dependency and if not used it it the cause of various sleep troubles

And now, a couple of advices:

- Try to use the BPA-free type

- Do not use a cord, because it presents life risks

- Do not share it with other children

- Clean it properly

- If the kid doesn't want it, do not give it to him. Especially avoid to feed it into his mouth.

- The square orthodontic shaped pacified will most likely avoid too many dental problems. 

- The best time to introduce it to the toddler is between 2 weeks and 4 months, when there is the peak for extra sucking. After 10 months most probably the kid will use it discontinously.

- Before one year, try to plan getting ride of it, little by little. 

How BPA free should you be?

Very often on many bottles and other plastic products for baby, the 'Free BPA' mention is included. Curious to learn more about baby life I tried to figure out what are the main issues with that and this is what I discovered:

- BPA stands for Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical substance used since the 1960s to produce various plastics and resins. Is is a colorless solid soluble in organic solvents but poorly soluble in waters.

- It is used for the production of various consumer goods, containers that store foods and beverages, baby formula cans and sippy cups, bottle tops, food cans, but also dental sealants, contact lenses and CDs. Also some shields of pacifiers can have this ingredients, but not the nipple. 

- Plastics marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA.

- According to medical studies, once the BPA seep into food or beverages through heating, it may lead to negative effects on the brain and behavior of children - ADHD -, prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. However, there are not definitive studies and not direct evidence that BPA may create such problems. 

- At low exposure, most experts say that studies shows that the material is acceptably safe.

- The National Institute of Environmental Health Science advices against microwaving polycarbonate plastics and putting them in the dishwasher. Plastic can break dow and it allows BPA to leach into foods.

- In order to avoid BPA-related risks it is recommended to use as alternatives products made of glass, porcelain or stainless. Also, do not use those with BPA for hot foods and liquids. It is better to throw up any plastic products - like bottles or sippy cups - that are chopped or cracked. Besides the BPA risks, such problematic products can also harbor germs.

- Many companies started to produce alternatives to the BPA in canned foods. 

- BPA-free does not mean that the products are free from other harmful chemical ingredients that are included in the category of hormone disruptors (substance that interfere with the normal functioning of the hormone or endocrine system, by duplicating, blocking or exaggerating hormonal responses. In most cases, the effects of these substances was not studied yet.

After going through all the materials regarding BPA, my conclusion is that I will try if possible to use BPA-free bottles and where the mention about this substance does not exist, to be careful with the overused products. Knowledge is power but exaggeration never helps.

First month with the baby

This year was very scarce in terms of blogging, but there was a motivation: the nine months of pregnancy, two new jobs and since one month, the baby boy that gave us a lot of work and to-do-list and many sleepless nights. But watching him growing up and becoming a new little person every day gives me strength and happiness that sometimes can be even stronger than my love for words.

Anyway, now that a certain routine is set up - meaning a lot of practice in terms of waking up fast in the night and finishing everything - the preparation of milk and diapers changing - in just a matter of minutes, there is also time for reflection and a lot of writing. Although busy, I was able to keep reading and kept a certain list of topics I want to cover in the next days, if the baby will agree.

A couple of advices

As for now, my first lessons learned of the first month as a baby boy mother:

- Once the baby is born, forget about everything you used to do before: sleep especially and going out. Even when you have a supportive partner or husband on your side, doing things together is much better than hoping than the other part will do it while you are away enjoying some special private time. All your hobbies and little secret pleasures do not make time at all and this is the way to be. The baby is the most important part of your lives now.

Ask an expert

- You never know enough about how to deal with the baby problems and checking with the specialists - doctors and midwife - as well as with experienced relatives and friends is very important for your peace of mind and well being of your child. From the reasons the baby is crying till how to make bath, there are thousands of reasons to ask support and help. Do not hesitate to do it! Getting books and reading online about baby development, preferably together with your partner or husband is also very important! The best is to keep reading about the current stage of development and do not get too much deep into the children life. Wait and see and keep the notes and the information for later. Your time is limited and you need to have the mind fresh for the new challenges. 

In our case, one of the problems we had to deal witlh wasl how to correctly bind the diapers, after we realized a couple of times in a row that the boy was wet - and very unhappy about this! We kept practising and practising and now we are finally able to make it even with the eyes closed...

Be together!

- After the woman gives birth there are a lot of changes and transformations taking place -as it was not enough what happens during the nine months of pregnancy! - and coping with the challenges of the new baby may not be easy. As long as you are not alone and your partner supports you and the baby, you can get along better and try to get adjusted to the new life. Expect some fights and misunderstandings and hard hours but as long as you keep talking and there is love and understanding everything will go smoothly. Once in a while, leave the other part some space and time and try to spend at least 30 minutes differently. You will get very refreshed and ready for the new challenges. 

As for the sleep deprivation, a chronical symptom for the new parents, the best is to try to sleep when the baby is sleeping. 

Simple is (always better)

- I left the hospital with a lot of packages of wet napkins and creams and other cosmetics. I used them intensively in the first weeks till I suddenly realized some red skin spots and irritation in the sensitive parts of the body. The cause? The Pampers napkins that had some alcohol and other substances harmful for the new born skin. What about some warm water and usual napkins to clean him? With this recipe plus some plant based cream his skin got better and the guily napkins are now used for cleaning the dust from the furniture. 

For the evening massage, we use a pharmacy formula of almond oil very helpful for the skin regeneration in the first weeks of life. In the case of the laundry, we found some bio-, non-perfumed ingredients. 

Bath is very important

- In the hospital, they told me to do the bath maybe a bit later in the month but common sense and practise of people with experience adviced me to do something else. The hard part is to know how to do it and for that you need someone to show it to you! Otherwise, besides the obvious cleanliness reasons, a bath before the sleep helps the baby to have a longer night and to relax.

Never too early to start with habits

- As we, adults, the babies need an organise life. Try to set up rituals in the evening - bath for instance - always at the same time - between 19.00 and 20.00 is the best before the baby can have a long sleep till midnight at least. Also, in the morning, spend at least 20 minutes with some basic face cleaning and changing to daily outfits. You may think the baby is too small to realize this, but it is part of a daily routine that you will respect if from now on. 

Also, it is important to make the difference between day and night, by creating the dark ambiance in the room. A small lamp kept open during the night and avoiding the switch on the big light is also part of the first weeks ritual. 

Always in contact with the baby

At this stage in life, when the baby does not see and hear good, the touching is the only way to create a special contact with the baby. Either if you touch his face during eating or you have some private moments before sleep or, as in my case, use any opportunity to touch and kiss as much as possible. 

A mistake to avoid though is to end up staying with the baby in the arms every time he is sleeping. The remedy to this was to bring the car chair in the room you are staying and keep the discrete company to the baby, but without turning into a slave. As much as the kid needs your love and attention it also needs to be independent and this is the lesson to keep in mind as early as possible. 

This is all for now. As the kid entered the month 2 of life, we are already prepared for new lessons and a new blog post in a couple of weeks.