Send a Card Celebrating a Birth - What Do I Say?

When is it appropriate to send a celebration of a birth card? Of course you would want to send the card as soon as you hear the good news. Certainly if you sent a card within a 30-60 day window, that would be appropriate. And of course, the best way to communicate your feelings is with physical greeting card that the proud new parents can keep in a baby scrapbook of memories. An eCard is not recommended for the celebration of this life event.

Who should you send a congratulations card to? Any close friend, business associate or relative. Cards can be sent to new mothers, the couple, grandparents and even great-grandparents. Celebrating a new life in a family is big news. And, it is just as important to send a birth announcement to a couple that has just welcomed their second or next child as well. Each child is special to the family.

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After selecting just the right card, you will want to add a little personal note. Here are some ideas to choose from:

Send a Card Celebrating a Birth - What Do I Say?

" Congratulations on the birth of your ____ (son, daughter). We wish you the best."

" We were so thrilled to hear the great news of the birth of your child. Congratulations!"

" We join in you in welcoming a new member of your family. Blessings on you and yours at this special time."

If this is a second child, you might want to reference and acknowledge the first child as well with wording like:

"We welcome your new son to the world and hope that big brother Bob enjoys having a new baby brother."

"Congratulations on your new baby, she will benefit from having her big brother Bob to watch over her."

What if the birth is not a typical situation. Here are some ways to convey your thoughts to friends.

Adoption - This is a big event to the new parents. Sending a congratulations card is welcomed and appropriate.

" We were so happy to hear about the new member of your family. Congratulations on your new son."

" Best wishes to the new mom and dad."

Single parent - Rejoice and focus on the positive.

" Congratulations on birth of your daughter. We celebrate with you."

" Best wishes to you and your child, we are thinking of you."

Child with a birth defect. - The important thing to remember is that God doesn't make mistakes. You should celebrate this child as an important event.

" Congratulations on the birth of your son, Adam. We welcome him into world with love."

" We celebrate with you in the joy of the arrival of a new member of your family."

" God bless you and your family as you celebrate a new life."

A congratulatory card should be simple and heartfelt. This is a big life event and your friends will always remember that you took the time to show that you cared.

If you are having difficulty finding the right words, put yourself in the new mother's shoes and ponder on what she would want to hear. I hope this article was useful and that you will print and save it for future reference.

Send a Card Celebrating a Birth - What Do I Say?

Karen Miller makes it a habit to send at least five cards to friends and family every day. Learn more about how to use greeting cards to connect to one another and enrich lives with positive messages. Create your own personal card

Stomach After Childbirth - Get a Flat Stomach After Having a Child

You need not feel guilty at all for wanting to shed those extra pounds after delivery and getting a flat stomach after childbirth. There are some effective tips to achieve it.

Most of the women tend to have a bulging belly after the childbirth. That is nothing much to obsess about. Give your body sometime to overcome the ordeal it has undergone during pregnancy and then during delivery.

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There are ways and means which will help you lose the baby fat in a healthy way. Mixing exercise with a healthy diet is a very effective way of cutting those extra pounds from your tummy.

Stomach After Childbirth - Get a Flat Stomach After Having a Child

Don't start with a strenuous exercise regime. Start slow and gradually increase the duration and the quality of the exercises. You can start with the Kegel crunches right after a day of your delivery from the bed itself.

This type of exercise helps in toning and strengthening the vaginal muscles which undergo lot of stress during childbirth. Moreover these can be done anywhere and at any time.

Moderate exercises like walking, swimming and yoga will be beneficial in attaining a flat stomach after delivery. Before choosing any kind of exercise plan it is better to consult your doctor. One very important point to remember during the course of the exercise is to discontinue, if you feel any kind of discomfort like shortness of breath, dizziness, or more bleeding.

Breastfeeding is another effective way to reduce your tummy fat after delivery. Your body burns around 300 -500 calories during this activity. And of course your milk is best for your child.

Along with exercise and breastfeeding, healthy way of eating too will help you to lose the baby fat from your stomach. Choose those foods which gives you lot in the way of nutrition. Include lot of fruits and green vegetables, lean meats, nuts, cereals etc. in your diet.

Don't starve yourself to lose weight. It will do you more harm than good. Eat those foods which provide you with many nutrients and make you feel full longer. Avoid temptation by stocking up healthy food and avoiding junk foods.

Eat smaller portions. Drink water before sitting for meals. Although these are some tips to eat less but be careful not to interfere with your body's nutritional requirements as after delivery your energy level has to be high due to the responsibilities of looking after the baby.

Stomach After Childbirth - Get a Flat Stomach After Having a Child

Having a baby changes you and your body. If you are a new mom and wondering whether your body will go back to the same shape or not after childbirth, then check out the systematic methods and ways to get a flat stomach after childbirth at http://www.losepregnancyweight.org

Newborn Baby Checklist - A Complete List of Newborn Needs For the New Mom

The long awaited day is almost here! Soon you will hold a precious baby in your arms, and you want everything to be perfect!

Bringing home a newborn baby, especially when it is your first, can be daunting. Such big changes and unknowns can cause a new mom stress. "De-stressify" your preparation with this newborn baby checklist. It will help give you the confidence to know you are prepared!

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The following newborn baby checklist can be used as a guideline in the quest to be prepared for your new arrival. While no checklist will have you prepared for EVERYTHING (like finding out your mother-in-law will be coming to "help" for a few weeks), this one ought to come close!

Newborn Baby Checklist - A Complete List of Newborn Needs For the New Mom

Clothing - Newborn babies grow into the next size very quickly! Don't go crazy purchasing the tiny newborn clothing items, or you may find that your baby has outgrown them before he/she has even had a chance to try them on! By the time your baby is about 8-9 pounds, you will need the 3 month old clothing (these will last until your baby is about 12 pounds). Some larger babies even skip the newborn size altogether!

The quantities listed here are based on the assumption that you will be washing your laundry at least 2 times per week.

• 5-10 newborn sized outfits
• 2 sweaters
• 5-7 sleepwear
• 2-4 wearable blankets or sleep sacks
• 4-6 onsies
• dress clothes
• 2 pairs of mittens (for preventing scratches)
• hats - one for warmth and one for shade
• snowsuit - do NOT use when your baby is in his/her car seat
• 6-10 pairs of socks (more is better because they are so little that they get lost or "eaten" by the washing machine)
• accessories - such as shoes, hair decor, jewelry
• mild laundry detergent

Bathing and Grooming - When my first baby was born, we had very little in the way of baby supplies - and nothing for bathing. Do you know what we discovered? We didn't really need much. He got perfectly clean when I bathed him in the bathroom sink and washed his hair with the kitchen sink hose.

So why did I include most of the following items in this newborn baby checklist? Convenience. There is a LOT to be said for convenience when you have a newborn baby in the house!

• baby tub or baby bathing sponge
• 4 baby washcloths
• 2 hooded towels
• baby lotion
• baby brush
• infant nail clippers
• baby shampoo/body wash
• bath thermometer

Nursery Items - A beautifully decked-out nursery is a fun way to prepare for your new baby. Giving the baby's room personality and then putting away the items he/she will be using makes it start feeling like he will REALLY be arriving soon! Consider:

• dresser
• baby size hangers
• rocking chair
• cd player with soothing cds
• night light
• nursery decor - wall hangings, window coverings, bed skirt

Diapering - "Changing a diaper is a lot like getting a present from your grandmother - you're not sure what you've got but you're pretty sure you're not going to like it." (Foxworthy) No baby checklist would be complete without "covering" this.

• wet wipes - either commercial or home-made
• changing table with a water-proof pad
• 3 washable changing pad covers
• hand sanitizer
• diaper rash remedy
• wipe warmer
• diaper disposal or diaper pail with liners
• basket or diaper holder for keeping diapers orderly If using disposable diapers:
• 10-12 disposable diapers per day OR If using cloth diapers:
• 24-36 cloth diapers
• 8-10 diaper covers
• inserts and liners
• diaper pins if the chosen system calls for them
• diaper sprayer

Feeding - After you have decided whether you will be breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you will want to consider which items you will need to assist you in growing a healthy baby.

Breastfeeding Needs:
• 3-5 nursing bras
• nursing pads - washable or disposable
• breast pump
• nipple cream
• breast milk storage containers
• breast feeing pillow
• nursing cover
• 10 burp rags

Bottle Feeding Needs:
• bottles (BPA free) - start with just a few until you know what your baby will prefer
• nipples (clear silicone)
• formula - don't stock up until you know it will "agree" with your baby
• 10 burp rags
• bottle brush
• bottle warmer
• drying rack
• sterilization bags

Sleeping - Newborn babies spend about 18 out of every 24 hours sleeping. At least some of that time you will want to put him/her down to tend to your own needs. Your baby's safety during that time is paramount. Providing a safe, comfortable, familiar place to sleep will help your baby establish good sleeping habits which will in turn facilitate YOUR sleep. You will need:

• sleeping place - crib with mattress, portable crib, bassinet, Moses basket, or co-sleeper
• 2 mattress pads
• 3 fitted sheets
• 6-8 receiving blankets
• baby monitor
• a small fan for air circulation and white noise

Traveling - Whether it is across town or across the country - you will want to show off your baby (or at least re-stock on diapers). Traveling with a newborn is more complicated than grabbing your keys and walking out the door, but you will be prepared for any trip if you have:

• car seat
• diaper bag
• replacement car seat cover
• stroller
• baby sling or carrier
• blankets of varying thicknesses
• car seat travel bag for air travel
• portable crib

Health - No one likes to think about their baby becoming ill, but sooner or later it is bound to happen. Be prepared by having the following items on hand:

• nasal aspirator/bulb syringe
• petroleum jelly
• digital thermometer
• rubbing alcohol & q-tips (for umbilical cord care)
• infant acetaminophen - use with newborns only under advisement of your pediatrician
• saline nasal spray
• a great pediatrician
• Don't forget to add your baby to your health insurance policy!

Safety - Your newborn won't be mobile for a few months, but you will want to have safety items in place well before that occurs.

• safety gates
• corner/edge bumpers
• safety locks
• outlet covers

Development and Entertainment - Most of your newborn baby's early development will come from the cuddling, singing, talking, and interaction provided by the ones who love him/her the most. A few items that will stimulate and entertain him/her while you are occupied will be beneficial to you both.

• baby mobile or a plastic mirror for the crib
• a few toys of differing textures
• baby swing and/or baby bouncer
• baby book for recording all of the milestones

A common "rookie mom" mistake is caring for her baby to the exclusion of caring for herself. Don't forget to make "mommy care" a priority, too. Add your favorite bubble bath to your newborn baby checklist - and then use it!

Newborn Baby Checklist - A Complete List of Newborn Needs For the New Mom

Laurie Grismore is the busy mom to 8 great kids ranging in age from 2 to 15. She is the owner of http://www.My-Newborn-Baby-Care.com a site devoted to educating and encouraging parents in caring for their newborn babies. Check out http://www.my-newborn-baby-care.com/newborn-baby-checklist.html to find a printable checklists along with great tips and practical advice for making the first weeks with your newborn baby go smoothly.
Copyright - you may freely republish this article provided the text, author credit, the active links, and this copyright notice remain intact.

Post Pregnancy Memory Loss

Post pregnancy memory loss is not an uncommon disease. It happens with many women. This can occur anytime after pregnancy, but in some cases, it also shows up in the later stages of pregnancy. The reason for this may be many, but there are also ways to fight them and return to the normal life. Some of the basic reasons for this memory loss can be lack of sleep, improper diet, birth, and lactation.

Reasons For Post Pregnancy Memory Loss

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Lack of sleep is the most anticipated reason for post pregnancy memory loss, as it reduces productivity and efficiency, thereby, causing restlessness among new moms. This in turn affects the brain's memory power, causing memory loss. In order to avoid this problem, it is recommended to take small naps during the day, as it can do wonders to your memory.

Post Pregnancy Memory Loss

Stress is another challenge that is faced by the new mom, which results in a constant attack on you brain cells, thereby, reducing memory power. To avoid stress, moms should try to relax by watching TV, exercising, or doing yoga. Walking is considered to the best stress buster, in addition to meditation that can do wonders to your body as well as brain.

Improper diet during or post pregnancy life is a major cause of post pregnancy memory loss. Insufficient amount of vital nutrients like Zinc, Vitamin B12, Iron, and folic acid can adversely affect the memory, Iron being the most important of them. Eating healthy food rich in these nutrients like, spinach, legumes, nuts, during pregnancy is very important, as the baby requires these nutrients to grow.

Last but not the least, the other factor responsible for post pregnancy memory loss in the moms is the fluctuation on the hormonal levels during pregnancy, birth, and lactation. The two most important hormones, Cortisol, which is a stress hormone and directly affects the hippocampi, two regions critical for memory functions and Oxytocin, which is a labor inducing and milk injection hormone, are released during labor and delivery. Therefore, more is the labor; more is the chances of these hormones being released, which ultimately damages the hippocampi.

Ways To Improve Memory - Both Now And Post-Pregnancy

In order to overcome this short-term post pregnancy memory loss, moms can use several techniques, which have shown considerable improvement in memory. Some of them have been given below:

Using the above-mentioned techniques will result in a positive affect on your mental as well as your overall well-being. However, this can be achieved only through consistent efforts. With a little practice and hard work, you will find yourself with a sharper mind even more than your pre pregnancy days.

Post Pregnancy Memory Loss

Post pregnancy memory loss is very common, which happens with lots of women. The causes of this can be many; however, there are ways to fight them in both pre pregnancy and post pregnancy life. For more information please visit pregnancy.

Can You Induce Labor Yourself? Tips For Pregnant Women

Is it possible to induce labor yourself? This is one of those questions that pregnant women are eager to know the answer to. Once you've reached full term it's a guessing game as to when your bundle of joy will arrive. Most expectant women feel that their baby has a mind of his or her own when it comes to choosing the time of arrival. If you are reaching and passing your due date and you're still carrying your baby there are things you can do at home that can help stimulate labor to start.

You may actually be able to induce labor yourself by dancing. Belly dancing and hula dancing in particular are the way to go. Granted when your midsection is the largest it's ever been you may not feel sensual enough to put on a belly dance for your partner. If that's the case do it while you're alone. Put on some loud music, find an area in your home where you have room to move and dance. The exercise can help stimulate your uterus so contractions begin. If all else fails at least you and your baby will have some fun.

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If you're hungry why not prepare a meal filled with spicy foods? One way to induce labor yourself is to eat spicy dishes. Many women claim that once they have their fill of hot, spicy food that they go straight into labor. This certainly doesn't work for all women, and in fact it can cause a severe case of indigestion so be prepared. If you have been able to eat spicy things throughout your pregnancy this is something you'll want to try.

Can You Induce Labor Yourself? Tips For Pregnant Women

There's an old saying that the more you want something the longer it will take for you to get it. They may have some merit when it comes to the arrival of your newborn. It's so difficult for an expectant mom to focus on anything but labor and delivery when she's already been pregnant for nine months. If you are feeling this way, you may be able to induce labor yourself by relaxing. If you are skilled in meditation take some time each day to do that. If you find you relax more when you're exercising, take a walk. Shopping seems to be the trigger for stress relief in many women, so go buy the baby something nice if that's how you feel. Just do what you can to take your mind away from having the baby for a bit. That alone may be enough to push you right into the delivery room.

Can You Induce Labor Yourself? Tips For Pregnant Women

When a woman nears or passes her due date, each and every minute feels like an eternity. Being 9 months pregnant is uncomfortable and cumbersome. Your emotions are running high and all you really want is to hold your new baby in your arms. If you're ready to go into labor, there is a safe and simple way to start your own labor.

Maternity acupressure is an experience a couple can share together. It can help jumpstart your labor so you are in the delivery room in the next 36 hours. If you're growing impatient to be a new mom to your little one, try this technique today. It's guaranteed to work.

What to Get Him for Your Anniversary

Although buying for a woman has always been said to be the most difficult, many women would agree that it is in fact the opposite. Buying for a man can prove to be quite a challenge if you think he already has every gadget or tool out there. And when it comes to buying for a big event such as an anniversary, you want to make sure that you get the right gift to show you are a loving and devoted wife.

So what is the perfect gift to get your husband for a special day that only you two share together? Traditionally speaking, most try to stick to a something that revolves around the material or symbol associated with how many years a couple has been married. Since we have modern technology on our side, materials such as paper, aluminum, or steel, create an endless array of options for us.

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If you are celebrating your first anniversary together and the material is paper, get him an autographed picture of his favorite celebrity or sports figure. Buy him tickets to an event such as a concert or sports game. If your symbol is aluminum or steel, get him that putter or tennis racquet he has been eyeing for the last couple of months, or the latest Ipod or PDA. Great deals are only a click away on many websites.

What to Get Him for Your Anniversary

If your husband has been itching for you to go rock climbing or scuba diving with him, do it! He will love it that his wife is willing to participate in one of his extra-curricular activities or hobbies that he is interested in. Just make sure you do it with a smile on your face. Nothing is worse than ruining your day together by complaining about how much you hate what you are doing, even though you arranged the outing!

If romance is what you need to recapture in your relationship, hire a babysitter and go somewhere special for the weekend. Rent a cottage in the mountains, or on a secluded lake. If adventure is your game, go somewhere that will allow the two of you to hike and explore the unknown. Make sure it is an activity or place that will recapture the essence of your relationship and reignite the sparks!

If you are tight on cash, making him a gift from the heart is always appropriate and a great way to show you care. Although, you may believe your man does not have a soft, fuzzy spot for love, he does. Your husband will be touched, even if he does not show it, by the handcrafted football or basketball team memorabilia you made for him. If you are not as crafty or short on time, there are plenty of websites out there that have last minute gifts and speedy shipping. Get him a gift basket filled with fine wines, or a basket that involves his favorite hobbies.

And if your still at a loss as to what the perfect present is for your man, as the old adage goes; "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Show him you really care by making his favorite meal with you as a side of dessert.

What to Get Him for Your Anniversary

My Gift Basket Ideas is an online gift basket store that specializes in great gift ideas for every occasion.

Ideal Present for New Moms

It is not easy to become a mother. Well, of course, every girl is probably dreaming to become a mother at the right time of her life. It is absolutely a wonderful gift from God to have a child of your own. However, we cannot take away the fact that it is also a bit scary to become a mother for the first time. There are different fears that a new mom experience like:

a. Fear that she cannot do her responsibilities correctly

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b. Fear that she is not good enough to become a mom

Ideal Present for New Moms

c. Fear that she will do something wrong that will harm her baby

Most moms probably went through this phase in their life. Therefore, it would great to share some tips to new moms out there and best of all, come up with these kinds of gifts for new moms:

1. Guide Books for New Mom - a first-time parent will surely need advices about parenting. To help her deal with things about motherhood and raising a child, it would be best to offer her some guide books about motherhood. In this book, she will be able to learn how to deal with a crying baby, how to change diaper, how to make a child burp or what to do when the baby gets sick. The new mom will surely appreciate this kind of gift.

2. Disposable diapers - it is more practical to use disposable diapers than washable cloths therefore this is a great gift for new moms out there. You should know how important a diaper is for a baby. Everything will be easier when the baby is wearing a disposable diaper. Well, just make sure to choose a good brand of diaper that is comfortable or suitable for sensitive skin.

3. Baby journal - having a new baby is definitely exciting so you could expect a new mom (and dad) to be taking lots of pictures of the baby. Giving her a scrapbook is appropriate so she can organize the pictures and compile everything in one place. Making scrapbook for the baby is a great activity for the mom. It will make her feel that she is indeed a mom now.

4. Baby clothes - it is also great to offer cute and comfortable baby clothes. You should make sure though that the clothes are made from cotton to avoid allergies and skin irritation. Babies have very sensitive skin so their clothes must be made from 100% cotton.

Hopefully you got some ideas on what kind of gifts for new moms to give. You should also never forget to offer your advices and tips to help her raise her baby.

Ideal Present for New Moms