With a small addition to any family, there will be plenty of pictures to capture special moments. Here are some of the top tips from the experts at Kodak on how to take the best pictures of babies and children:

1. Get down on your child’s level.
2. Choose a neutral background.
3. Capture different emotions, not just cute smiles.
4. Take some close- ups.
5. Show scale (hold daddy’s hand, sit next to a pet, etc.)
6. Try different angles.
7. Include other people in your child’s life.
8. Take some vertical pictures.
9. Use natural light.
10. Take lots of pictures! Your child will never grow and change this much again in his or her life!

Some of these tips you may have heard before, but some may be new and work for your child!

Many more tips can be found on the informational website  www.babiestoday.com

1. Stay calm.

The best thing parents can do when their infant is crying is to stay calm. An increase in your stress level will increase your baby’s. Remain calm and your baby might follow suit.

2. Check Baby’s diaper.

A wet or soiled diaper is one of the most common reasons for a baby’s tears. Even if you have recently changed your baby’s diaper, it’s still a good idea to check again. Check Baby’s diaper first before trying other calming methods, and change as needed.

3. Check Baby’s temperature.

Feel the back of your baby’s neck to see if she is too hot or too cold. Add or remove layers accordingly.

4. Feed Baby.

Most babies cry when they are hungry. Try offering the breast or bottle to soothe your little one.

Sometimes breastfeeding mothers worry that they will overfeed their babies because their babies seem to want to eat so often. Experts say it is normal for breastfeeding babies to eat often, as breast milk is quickly absorbed.

5. Ease gas pain.

If Baby starts crying after a feeding, he may have a gas bubble. Try patting his back, bending his knees toward his chest or rubbing his back while he lies on your lap to release the gas.

Successful burping is a skill most parents come to pride themselves on, but it’s also one of the oddest things a person could have imagined doing before becoming a parent.

6. Distract Baby.

It’s surprising how often this method works. Parents who’ve tried this suggest making faces or blowing raspberries to take your baby’s mind off the reason for his tears.

Sing or hum.

Soft, gentle songs sung by a familiar voice will often calm Baby’s cries. Even if the singer is not particularly gifted, give this tip a try. Humming also offers a soothing vibratory sensation.

We are excited to announce that Mother Earth and Baby has added a new line of baby layettes / sleep sacks from Violet’s Peapod.

Violet’s Peapod offers a unique line of baby sleep sacks available in an assortment of absolutely adorable fabrics. They design the peapod-shaped sleep sacks in-house, and have them produced in the U.S.A. using fabrics made of natural and organic fabrics.

The concept of baby sleep sacks may be new to some, yet familiar to others. They are essentially wearable blankets or infant sleeping bags, which are cozily worn over pajamas. By replacing loose blankets in the crib, sleep sacks provide a safer sleeping environment for babies and keep their body temperature regulated all night long.

B Nature: Nothing But Organic For Your Child

 

There’s nothing cuter than a newborn baby in a soft cotton outfit. That’s why we love the 100% organic cotton clothing from B Nature.

True to their name, B Nature makes sure that all their clothing and accessories are comfortable, durable, safe and chemical-free. The cotton is also grown under fair labor conditions.

Your baby will love B nature’s soft and comfy tops and bottoms.  The soft organic cotton is lightweight and features flat seams.  Keeps little bodies cool and grooving on warmer summer days. 

The gift-sets are a great idea for showers or birthday gifts. Whether you are a true environmentalist or just a smart parent willing to make safe choices for your child, B Nature is a top brand name for your baby’s wardrobe.

Santa Monica, CA – Feb 08, 2010 – Violet was spotted wearing the Retro-Polka Long Sleeves Tee by Green Sproutlets.  Violet Affleck, the first daughter of famous celebrity couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner is often seen wearing organic or eco-friendly clothing. She was recently featured in Popsugar.com with dad Ben Affleck spending an afternoon together in Santa Monica where they paid a visit to the Child Success Center sporting the Green Sproutlets hip eco tee.

Green Sproutlets’ first line of eco-friendly bamboo and organic cotton clothing, The Retro-Polka Collection is fast gaining popularity in different mommy blogs, reviews, parenting magazines, baby magazines and even celebrity moms! The reasons being, it is eco-friendly and luxuriously soft, the designs are fresh, hip and contemporary, it is made of high quality Viscose from Bamboo and Organic Cotton.

Consumers now are more aware of the impact that their choices have to the environment, therefore they are more conscious about what they eat, wear and buy. Celebrity moms such as Jennifer Garner & Jessica Alba are being vocal about this concern as well, you can see it by the way they feed and dress their children.

About Green Sproutlets

Green Sproutlets is an eco-friendly children’s lifestyle brand that caters to environmentally and socially responsible consumers to consumers that just like hip, unique, contemporary designs and everybody in between. As the name suggests, their focus is to provide eco-friendly (“green”) children’s apparel and accessories to our precious little ones (“sproutlets”).

Green Sproutlets’ intentions are to provide a variety of eco-friendly infant and toddler apparel and to promote eco-consciousness to mothers and others who care about the environment and the health of their children. To promote positivity with their clean and wholesome graphic designs and inspirational phrases without imposing the usual “attitudes” (i.e. shirts with “I’m Spoiled” phrases) that are seen in today’s marketplace.

Shop Green Sproutlets’ products at MotherEarthandBaby.com.

Most of us are guilty of packing a diaper bag full of “essentials” for a newborn that somehow ends up weighing three times the weight of the baby. It’s hard not to, since most books and magazines suggest 2 changes of clothes for baby, one for mommy or daddy, a nursing cover and nursing pads (or bottles and formula), pacifiers, diapers, wipes, a blanket, changing pad, jacket, etc. Not to mention the optional rattles, toys, books, camera, snack and water for the person fortunate enough to be in charge of carrying the 25 pound tote bag which is bound to tip your stroller over or take up most of your shopping cart.

Well after many nights of complaint, I decided that something needed to be done about the amount of stuff I was carrying around wherever I went with the baby!  I wisened up a little and started leaving my “luggage” in the car at all times, and just putting diapers, wipes, changing sheets, etc. in my purse.  This worked for a little while, but diapers don’t do very well in a purse for an extended period of time, and it’s hard enough to find your wallet at check out without piling a big mess of baby gear over top of it.  As if on cue, a friend of mine sent me a gift a couple of months after entering into motherhood.  A light, compact diaper wallet that fit in my purse!  I never even knew that these were available! What a back- saver. Just the right size to fit one or two diapers, a pack of wipes, and a disposable (but reusable) sheet to lay on public changing tables.

Since my close friends have seen me with mine peeking out of my purse (and no diaper bag in sight), they have all jumped on the bandwagon and started using diaper wallets for trips to the supermarket, coffee shop, post office, etc.  Pineapple Cove carries them in beautiful fabrics, making them look more like a designer bag than a diaper carryall.

Bamboo is perfect next to babies delicate skin because it is naturally hypoallergenic, and it can help to prevent odor, allergies and skin irritations.  In addition, it is thermal regulating, which is important since babies have a hard time regulating body temperature when first born.  Bamboo baby clothing also wicks away moisture and has more absorbency than cotton.

Because Bamboo is a grass that grows like a weed, it is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet today. It can grow up to three feet in one day!   This means Bamboo is an alternative to wide spread clear cutting of forests, and the most sustainable textile material available in the market. It doesn’t need help from pesticides or insecticides and usually grows on rain water alone.

And as far as how it looks…..Bamboo baby clothes look like expensive Pima or Egyptian Cotton and drape like silk.  It has less shrinkage than cotton and does not pill.  It has been described as feeling like pure cashmere!