• A nice life-sized picture of a baby

• Drawings of a pacifier – you will need one for each guest. Since this is easy to do you can opt for excess in case some guests want more than one try.

• Blindfolds – you can create blindfolds from paper or get scarves or even ask each guest to take their own material or sleep mask to use.

• Tape to use on the drawings of the pacifiers. Tape is safer than pins.

The objective is to have guests take turns trying to place the pacifier in the baby’s open-mouth while blindfolded. The person who comes closest to the baby’s mouth with the pacifier wins the game.

There are many variations to this game, so use your imagination. Some suggestions include:

• Instead of trying to pin the pacifier, other objects can be used instead such as baby bottles, sippy cups, even a thumb.

• Use an image of a mother with hands positioned as if holding a baby, but of course, the baby is missing. The game is to cut out images of babies and try to stick them into the cradled arms of the mommy. Really creative persons can have the mommy lying in bed, sitting in a chair or standing – the choice is wide open.

• Another nice variation is ‘pin the belly button’ with a picture of a pregnant tummy minus a belly button and guests try to place the belly button in the right position.

Do you have a favorite baby shower game not listed?  Please comment!

When a baby has colic, the family environment is stressful and many family members may become upset or on edge. This is most often seen in new parents. Some symptoms of colic may be that the baby cries loudly for three hours, the baby has bowel pains or the baby pulls their feet up under themselves and clenches their fists. New parents become alarmed and upset that their new baby may cry for hours, even though they have tried just about everything to comfort the the baby.

Causes of Colic
There is no known one cause of colic. Doctors have several theories of what causes infant colic. The most popular theory is that the child had ingested air along with either the mother’s milk or bottled milk. Drinking too fast or in gulps causes air to enter the baby’s stomach which leads to gastrointestinal pain, thus the baby becomes colic. Another theory some believe is that if the baby is breast fed and the mother is eating a lot of gas producing foods such as orange juice, vegetables, like onions and cabbage, apples, plums, spicy food and caffeinated products such as cola, chocolate and tea, the baby will receive the same result through breast milk. A third theory is that infants have an immature nervous system that is unable to cope with all the intense new stimulations of new life events. As the day progresses, the stress overcomes them and they cry for hours.

Solutions For a Colic Baby
Infant colic is very common in new born children. It is not the result of poor parenting skills. In fact, about 1/3 of all babies experience colic, so having a colic baby is not uncommon. In most cases infant colic will disappear in three months. But what can you do now? How can you reduce colic symptoms? There is no single treatment for a colic baby. Many parents have experienced success trying the following methods:

1. Hold your baby and rock it in your arms.
2. Put your baby in a swing and gently rock it back and fourth.
3. Take the baby for a car ride.
4. Carry the infant in a sling or take it for a carriage ride.
5. Try turning on a fan or vacuum, using them as white noise.
6. Try using a pacifier.
7. Give the baby a warm bath.
8. Try burping the baby.
9. Use Simethicone drops to reduce the baby’s gas pains.
10. If you are the mother, and you are breast feeding, vary your diet to see if you are eating some food which produces gas. The baby would receive this food through your breast milk.

Summary of Infant Colic
Most of the time newborn colic is nothing to worry about. Make sure you go over the possible solutions for a colic baby which are listed above. Ask neighbors and friends. They have often already been through infant colic. Consult your doctor if your baby screams constantly or if the infant colic is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or absence of urine. These symptoms may indicate a more serious problem. If you are new parents, congratulations!

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• Get an early start: Nursing should begin within an hour after delivery if possible, when the infant is awake and the sucking instinct is strong. Even though the mother won’t be producing milk yet, her breasts contain colostrum, a thin fluid that contains antibodies to disease.
• Proper positioning: The baby’s mouth should be wide open, with the nipple as far back into his or her mouth as possible. This minimizes soreness for the mother. A nurse, midwife, or other knowledgeable person can help her find a comfortable nursing position.
• Nurse on demand: Newborns need to nurse frequently, about every two hours, and not on any strict schedule. This will stimulate the mother’s breasts to produce plenty of milk. Later, the baby can settle into a more predictable routine. But because breast milk is more easily digested than formula, breast-fed babies often eat more frequently than bottle-fed babies.
• No supplements: Nursing babies don’t need sugar water or formula supplements. These may interfere with their appetite for nursing, and that can lead to a diminished milk supply. The more the baby nurses, the more milk the mother will produce.
• Delay artificial nipples: It’s best to wait a week or two before introducing a pacifier, so that the baby doesn’t get confused. Artificial nipples require a different sucking action than real ones. Sucking at a bottle could also confuse some babies in the early days. They, too, are learning how to breast-feed.
• Air dry: In the early postpartum period or until her nipples toughen, the mother should air dry them after each nursing to prevent them from cracking, which can lead to infection. If her nipples do crack, the mother can coat them with breast milk or other natural moisturizers to help them heal. Vitamin E oil and lanolin are commonly used, although some babies may have allergic reactions to them. Proper positioning at the breast can help prevent sore nipples. If the mother’s very sore, the baby may not have the nipple far enough back in his or her mouth.
• Watch for infection: Symptoms of breast infection include fever and painful lumps and redness in the breast. These require immediate medical attention.
• Expect engorgement: A new mother usually produces lots of milk, making her breasts big, hard and painful for a few days. To relieve this engorgement, she should feed the baby frequently and on demand until her body adjusts and produces only what the baby needs. In the meantime, the mother can take over-the-counter pain relievers, apply warm, wet compresses to her breasts, and take warm baths to relieve the pain.
• Eat right, get rest: To produce plenty of good milk, the nursing mother needs a balanced diet that includes 500 extra calories a day and six to eight glasses of fluid. She should also rest as much as possible to prevent breast infections, which are aggravated by fatigue.

–R.D.W.

About the Article:
Provided by FDA.

Security items bring comfort to babies and toddlers alike. A pacifier or bottle creates a sucking motion that often calms and puts a baby to sleep. This is especially true for babies who have been or are breastfed and found comfort and relaxation while nursing. What makes it hard is trying to take the bottle or pacifier away from a toddler that is attached to it and doesn’t want to let go.

A favorite toy can cause anxiety and tears when left at the park or forgotten at home when you head for an overnight visit to grandmas. Many kids will not go to sleep or calm down if they can not hold onto their first teddy bear, or stuffed animal they lovingly call, “Me Me” when they settle in for the night after hearing their favorite book. Without a distraction when this item is not there, a parent may have a very hard time getting their baby to go down for the night.

Whether you realize it or not, you probably do the same thing. When you get upset or anxious you may go looking for something to bring you some peace. Maybe you get that by reading a book, taking a bath or calling an old friend but when you find it you feel instantly better. This is what your baby is doing with his security item, making himself feel better.

At some point as a parent you will want to teach your child how to function without this object always having to be lugged along. You don’t want your kindergartener going to school with a pacifier in his mouth, or your preschooler not napping because he doesn’t have his blanket “whoopee”. There are many ways you can wean your kids off these items from doing it cold turkey to being gradual about it. Some believe cold turkey is too hard for the child, while other think out of sight out of mind is better than the tease of doing it gradually. As a parent you have to make the decision that is best for your family.

Swaddle
Wrap him up quite firmly in a baby quilt or receiving blanket, tucking the ends under him to make a neat bundle. It may comfort him to feel safe and secure. Carry him around in your arms still swaddled up until he seems happier, and put him down to sleep on his back without unwrapping him. If your baby is crying because of something you’ve had to do to him–perhaps he hates being dressed or washed, for example–swaddling may be the best way to reassure and calm him, and stop the crying.

Rock
Movement often comforts a cranky baby, and may put him to sleep. Rock him in your arms, and if he doesn’t quiet down, try rocking faster — perhaps 60 to 70 rocks per minute. Or just jiggle him up and down by shifting from foot to foot, perhaps with your baby in an infant carrier on your chest. Or rock with him in a rocking chair, if you have one. Or put her in her stroller or carriage and push her back and forth or go for a walk around the block.

Cuddle
Very often, this will be just the sort of loving contact your baby needs to calm down and stop crying. If he quiets when you hold him upright against your shoulder, or face down in your arms, it may have been gas making him cry. If he has been passed around for relatives and friends to hold, he may just want a few quiet moments of being cuddled by a familiar parent.

Distract
Something to look at may make your baby forget why he was crying, at least for a while. Bright, colorful patterns may fascinate him. He will often gaze intently at postcards, wallpaper, or your clothes. Faces and mirrors are also excellent distractions, and a walk around the house to look at photographs or to peer into a mirror may calm him.

Pat
Your baby may be gassy and need to burp. Rhythmically patting and rubbing his back or stomach will often calm him down and may help him to bring up gas. The feel of your hand will often comfort him when you first put him down to change his diaper, too. Try patting his chest or belly to help him calm down.

Sucking
Almost all babies are soothed by sucking, and nowadays mothers are often sent home from the hospital with a pacifier for their newborn. Obstetrical nurses have been known to use them, so don’t be afraid to try one. You might also offer your cranky baby your own clean little finger. Some newborns suck their own thumbs or fists. Your baby may not want to suck on a prop, but would rather nurse for comfort. This is ok, too. It will just help strengthen the bond between you and your baby.