Baby, Pregnancy, and Parenting at Babies Online » moments

Tender Moments Create Perfect Photo Ops

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:08:41 +0000

As a new mother I’m sure that I do not need to be the one to tell you that there is no wrong moment to take a picture of your bright shiny beacon of joy, even when he or she isn’t all that joyous. However, there are times that are simply too special and too intimate to pass up as far as tempting photo opportunities go. The problem is that all too many of us feel that every photo opportunity needs to be staged. The truth of the matter is that unplanned tender moments often create the sweetest baby pictures you will ever have the pleasure of taking.

With this in mind, be sure that you keep your camera in a convenient location and that whenever it is not being used it is in that location. This will mean that you won’t lose those special moments while searching for your camera. Believe me I have lost plenty of great “Kodak” moments searching for the camera (this is especially true if older siblings and children are involved in those perfect picture moments that are so very rare). While I am by no means advocating total structure and rigidity in your life, the camera is a special tool that you will want convenient throughout most of your little one’s childhood.

When it comes to baby photos, there is absolutely nothing wrong with point and shoot photography. You can get the beautiful pictures you desire without having so many bells and whistles on your camera that you have difficulties figuring out which button actually snaps the shot. Believe me, I’ve been there when it comes to cameras and the simplest cameras in the hands of the untrained provide far superior results than a fully loaded camera with countless bells and whistles if you don’t know how to properly use them. Find a camera that you are confident of your abilities to use and let that be your camera. Beyond that my only real recommendation is digital if you can afford the investment as they provide you with the most options for sharing photos and not paying for the photos you aren’t happy with. Even more than that however, I’m an instant gratification kind of girl after waiting 9 months to see my baby’s beautiful face I don’t want to wait one hour let alone a few days for processing. Most of the digital cameras of today offer you the option of viewing your shot immediately.

Sneak attacks work best when attempting to capture those tender moments. Camera shy adults will shy away, turn away, or grimace and camera hogs will send out their cheesiest grins and poses. Sneak attacks allow for a more natural setting and a much more beautiful, unstaged baby photo that will look great in your baby photo album.

All in all, the most important things when it comes to capturing those tender baby moments in pictures is to take the photo of baby and whomever else may be included without either being aware, with a camera that you are comfortable with and can place your hands on before the moment is lost. There will be many moments that are special throughout your baby’s life so don’t despair of the moment passes before it is captured on film or disc. Just remember to keep a vigilant eye out for opportunities and seize them when they appear.

Great Moments You will want to Capture

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:00:07 +0000

While it would be great if we could catalog every precious moment of the lives of our precious little ones that is not exactly a perfect solution for keepsaking those special memories. The truth of the matter is that capturing too many of this special time will often cheapen the spectacular moments that should be recorded as fond memories and for future potential blackmail. There are special events and tender moments that are important to capture and those that just seem special to you as a mother.

While there are no hard and fast rules to which events must absolutely be covered and since it is very impractical to have a camera within reach at all times there are a few moments that you will want to take great care in trying to catalog. Some of these special events for which you will want to be sure to snap plenty of baby pictures include some of the following.

First steps. While the probability of you actually getting the very first steps your baby takes on film your baby will have a few days of wobbly steps and a great sense of pride and accomplishment for you to capture this moment on film (or data cards as the case may be). This is an important moment for your baby and will be a bittersweet time for you as your child takes the first of many steps towards independence.
That first tooth. While we love our baby’s smiles there is something special about that one smile where one tooth is proudly displayed for the world to see. Your baby has labored hard and spent many nights in misery for this small trophy. You should record this moment and take comfort in the knowledge that your little one may have a day or two of peace and relative painlessness before the next tooth begins to work its way to the surface.
Raising her head. This is one of the first major accomplishments your baby will experience. When she begins to raise her head on her own she will begin for the first time to really see and desire to explore the world around her. A world beyond her mommy and daddy.
Siblings holding baby. There are few photos that are more precious than those of older siblings holding their baby brother or sister for the very first time. These are the photos you will want to grace the cover of your baby photo album and send out in your birth announcements for many reasons. First, it eases big brother/sister anxiety and lets them know that they are still important. Second, it gives the baby a reference to those times that he or she will not remember in the future. Finally, this is a huge bonding experience and a tender moment for siblings, who wouldn’t want to record this special moment?

You will find plenty more opportunities to take excellent baby pictures throughout the life of your precious little one. Don’t sweat the details so much that you forget to record a photo of baby with daddy (or several) and mommy in the process. The memories behind the photos will prove far more precious in time than the photos themselves so be sure to capture some special moments to recollect later.

What is Preventing Your Baby from Sleeping Through the Night?

admin — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 04:46:16 +0000

By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of No Cry Sleep Solution

Here’s something that may really surprise you: As much as we may want our babies to sleep through the night, our own subconscious emotions sometimes hold us back from encouraging change in our babies’ sleeping habits. You yourself may be the very obstacle preventing a change in a routine that disrupts your life. So let’s figure out if anything is standing in your way.

Examine Your Own Needs and Goals
Today’s society leads us to believe that “normal babies” sleep through the night from about two months; my research indicates that this is more the exception than the rule. The number of families in your boat could fill a fleet of cruise ships.

“At our last day-care parent meeting, one father brought up the fact that his two-year-old daughter wasn’t sleeping through the night. I discovered that out of 24 toddlers only six stayed asleep all night long.” …Robin, mother of thirteen-month-old Alicia

You must figure out where your own problem lies. Is it in your baby’s routine, in your management of it, or simply in the minds of others? If you can honestly say you want to change your baby’s sleep habits because they are truly disruptive to you and your family, then you’re ready to make changes. But if you feel coerced into changing Baby’s patterns because Great Grandma Beulah or your friend from playgroup says that’s the way it should be, it’s time for a long, hard think.

Certainly, if your little one is waking you up every hour or two, you don’t have to think long on the question, “Is this disruptive to me?” It obviously is. However, if your baby is waking up only once or twice a night, it’s important that you determine exactly how much this pattern is disturbing to you, and decide on a realistic goal. Be honest in assessing the situation’s effect on your life. Begin today by contemplating these questions:

Am I content with the way things are, or am I becoming resentful, angry, or frustrated?

Is my baby’s nighttime routine negatively affecting my marriage, job, or relationships with my other children?

Is my baby happy, healthy, and seemingly well rested?

Am I happy, healthy, and well rested?

Once you answer these questions, you will have a better understanding of not only what is happening with regard to your baby’s sleep, but also how motivated you are to make a change.

Reluctance to Let Go of Those Nighttime Moments
A good, long, honest look into your heart may truly surprise you. You may find you actually relish those quiet night wakings when no one else is around. I remember in the middle of one night, I lay nursing Coleton by the light of the moon. The house was perfectly, peacefully quiet. As I gently stroked his downy hair and soft baby skin, I marveled at this tiny being beside me—and the thought hit me, “I love this! I love these silent moments that we share in the night.” It was then that I realized that even though I struggled through my baby’s hourly nighttime wakings, I needed to want to make a change in our night waking habits before I would see any changes in his sleeping patterns.

You may need to take a look at your own feelings. And if you find you’re truly ready to make a change, you’ll need to give yourself permission to let go of this stage of your baby’s life and move on to a different phase in your relationship. There will be lots of time to hug, cuddle, and love your little one, but you must truly feel ready to move those moments out of your sleeping time and into the light of day.

Worry About Your Baby’s Safety
We parents worry about our babies, and we should! With every night waking, as we have been tending to our child’s nightly needs, we have also been reassured that our baby is doing fine — every hour or two all night long. We get used to these checks; they provide continual reassurance of Baby’s safety.

“The first time my baby slept five straight hours, I woke up in a cold sweat. I nearly fell out of bed and ran down the hall. I was so sure that something was horribly wrong. I nearly wept when I found her sleeping peacefully.” …Azza, mother of seven-month-old Laila

Co-sleeping parents are not exempt from these fears. Even if you are sleeping right next to your baby, you’ll find that you have become used to checking on her frequently through the night. Even when she’s sleeping longer stretches, you aren’t sleeping, because you’re still on security duty.

These are very normal worries, rooted in your natural instincts to protect your baby. Therefore, for you to allow your baby to sleep for longer stretches, you’ll need to find ways to feel confident that your baby is safe—all night long.

Once you reassure yourself that your baby is safe while you sleep, you’ll have taken that first step toward helping her sleep all night.

Belief That Things Will Change on Their Own
You may hope, pray, and wish that one fine night, your baby will magically begin to sleep through the night. Maybe you’re crossing your fingers that he’ll just “outgrow” this stage, and you won’t have to do anything different at all. It’s a very rare night-waking baby who suddenly decides to sleep through the night all on his own. Granted, this may happen to you—but your baby may be two, three or four years old when it does! Decide now whether you have the patience to wait that long, or if you are ready to gently move the process along.

Too Fatigued to Work Toward Change
Change requires effort, and effort requires energy. In an exhausted state, we may find it easier just to keep things as they are than try something different. In other words, when Baby wakes for the fifth time that night, and I’m desperate for sleep, it’s so much easier just to resort to the easiest way to get him back to sleep (rock, nurse, or replace the pacifier) than it is to try something different.

Only a parent who is truly sleep deprived can understand what I’m saying here. Others may calmly advise, “Well if things aren’t working for you, just change what you’re doing.” However, every night waking puts you in that foggy state where the only thing you crave is going back to sleep—plans and ideas seem like too much effort.

If you are to help your baby sleep all night, you will have to force yourself to make some changes and follow your plan, even in the middle of the night, even if it’s the tenth time your baby has called out for you. So, after reading this section and you’re sure you and your baby are ready, it’s time for you to make a commitment to change. That is the first important step to helping your baby sleep through the night.

About the Author:
Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry — Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman’s Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth’s web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.