There are so many great pregancy books out there, and not enough time to read every one of them.

The best idea is to visit your local book shop, library, and newsagent for all the great baby books and baby magazines you have time to devour.

Go through each highlighting and noting all the best tips and advice, there will be plenty to go through. You will figure out what appeals to you pretty quickly. Here’s some books and magazines to take a look at.
Some Pregnancy Books: (there are plenty more)
1. The Pregnancy Journal
2. What to Except When Your Expecting
3. Pregnancy
4. The Pregnancy Bible
5. Baby’s First Year Journal
A couple of great Parenting & Baby Magazines areThe hellobabe Notebook and My Child. Its all about getting out there and finding productions that suit your style and family.
Happy researching, reading, resting and relaxing!

It is very important for new mums to ensure they like a mother or baby product, and are happy with the quality first before purchase. Trying a product before you spend money is time and cost saving. Getting free baby samples is the best way around this.

New mums find there are a lot of decisions to make on purchasing mother and baby products once they become pregnant with a child.

Items such as nappies, breast pads, skin care, soothers and so on can be difficult to choose. It can be a very good idea to try or sample before you buy. As a lot of mother and baby products can be costly items, so you want to ensure you purchase the right one.

Before you purchase a whole packet or box of a particular item you need to find out whether it is suitable to you and your baby. Trying or sampling first ensures you like the product and you are happy with the quality.

A lot of mother and baby product companies will actually send you out free baby samples for you to try first, so it may be worth contacting a few, through their website or simply call and ask them to send you some products you would like to try.

There are many mother and baby websites that run regular competitions, have free giveaways, promotions or specials and are generally free to join – if you join you can get news or messages on upcoming promotions and freebie giveaways.

Mums can also join forums on some mother and baby websites you can chat to other mothers and find out where they have received free goods, products and samples. Other mothers are a brilliant source of information. Asking other mums what they have used and liked can be really helpful.

Mums can also purchase mother and baby sample gift bags or packs that not only contain a vast variety of samples but actual products, such as nappies, soothers, baby food, skin care plus good information on a wide range of mother and baby services and supports.

As many new mums find themselves very time and energy poor, receiving a whole variety of samples and products in one product is very helpful. Mums can find product sample packs like this online.

New and expectant mums are hungry for good, accurate information that is easy and simple to read and understand and find. Information on everything they could ever possibly need and want to know about their newborn baby. Where do they go?

New and expectant mums understandably are also time and energy poor and facing information overload from every angle, it can be confusing knowing which information is up to date and accurate. And do I have to go to 10 different places and avenues to find the right bits about each subject? I get tired just thinking about it.

There are quite a few options for quick help and support.

Ebooks are easy to obtain and information can be provided immediately. There also many help lines and support services online and via phone lines where help is just at the other end of the phone, for breastfeeding, post natal depression, sleeping problems and more.

New and expectant mums can be surprised that when their little bundle of joy arrives, joy is hardly what they are feeling. Which raises many questions. Should I feel like this? Am I normal? Is there somewhere I can get help? Information is empowering and being able to access it quickly and easily is important.

Information from experts in each field really is essential especially for issues such as breast feeding advice and for post natal depression. Mum & baby hubs, forums and blogs for information on just about every product and service available for mums and babies are in abundance. Informative ebooks which covers almost all subjects, concerns and questions. Playgroups, and mothers groups for mums and their babies all around Australia, where mums can get together and swap ideas, advise and support. And this is just to name a few.

Being a new mum is certainly a very exciting time, it can also be a challenging and difficult time. A lot of new mums either don’t have, or find they don’t have, much outside assistance from family or friends, so having information and support accessible is extremely important.

A lot of mother and baby websites have forums where mums can chat online to other mums who may be experiencing similar things, exchange information, and offer support and ideas.

Any mum needing support or information can visit or contact any of the supports mentioned or ask your GP, midwife or baby clinic nurse.

In the first month, your baby is busy gaining control of his body, and losing some of their jerky, spasmodic movements and is beginning to move his arms and legs in a smoother, more purposeful way.
Your baby is gaining more head control and by about a month old you’ll find that they can move their head from side to side in the cot
When you speak to your baby in a slow, steady rhythm, his arm and leg movement is slow and steady. If you speak faster watch their kicking speed up.
Introduce your baby to a new sound and they will stop moving and appear to be listening. After they have heard the same sound two or three times, he stops reacting. Keep trying different sounds and watch the response.
Your month-old baby can follow a moving object with their eyes.
Such as:
Faces – especially your face or a face which looks like – yours
Patterns – he may prefer patterned wallpaper or stripey sheets to anything plain
Strong colours – particularly black and white.
You can see what your baby’s likes by seeing how long he looks at an object before losing interest.
Your baby gets a very different kind of stimulation from his dad than he does from you. By two weeks old, your baby will show a strong preference for his dad’s voice over any other male voice.
Babies don’t just look at your face shape – they’re much more interested in your features. They respond more positively to pictures of faces than to pictures of other objects.
At birth, your baby likes to look at the top of your face, like your hairline. By four weeks old, he’s more interested in your eyes.

Talk to your baby from different areas of each room. As your baby looks for you he begins to connect sight and sound.
Lie your baby on the floor on his tummy. Get down with him, show him a colourful toy and say his name. It will encourage him to lift his head, exercising his neck, back and arm muscles.
Choose a brightly-coloured toy and encourage him to follow it with his eyes by moving it slowly from left to right about 15 centimetres from his face.
This is such a fun stage, enjoy it all!

The Essential Baby Shopping Guide for Baby Essentials

When you first see a list of all the things you ‘need’ for a new baby, it can seem overwhelmingly long. Don’t panic! You have plenty of time to get organized and with a little bit of planning you can make sure you get the best deals on the baby essentials to suit your budget and lifestyle. Here’s how:

1. Make a list. Nursery stores and online parenting sites, such as parenthood.net.au, have checklists of all the things you’ll need for your baby. Start with one of these lists and refine it by asking friends with children what they consider to be their ‘must haves’. For example, you are unlikely to need a baby carrier and a baby sling, but one may suit your needs better than the other.
2. Set a Budget for all your baby shopping and stick to it! It’s easy to get side tracked when your shopping for a baby because there is so much to choose from (and its so much fun!) Once you’ve decided what you need, set a budget and stick to it! With so much available, there are good buys in every price range.
3. When it comes to baby shopping – research, research, research! When you know what you need, start researching different makes and models. Speak to sales assistants in more than one shop, ask your friends and family what products they use and check out online forums and customer reviews. Don’t be afraid to stop mums in the street for a vox pop review of their pram! Things like prams are a big investment and so it’s worth spending time thoroughly researching your choice.
4. Shop around. Once you have your list and budget planned, start shopping around. One stop nursery stores are convenient, but if you have time, visit a lot of shops to compare prices and to take advantage of sales. Don’t forget online retailers!
5. Really useful gifts. Friends and family are likely to ask if there is anything you need for your new arrival. Don’t be shy! If there is something on your list you would like but can’t squeeze into your budget, ask for it as a gift

Happy Shopping!

The Baby Magazine, are they useful?

Yes! Absolutely, I love them! Apart from making you have a little down time, actually being able to sit still for over five minutes and have a read is brilliant! Plus if you do get interrupted it doesn’t matter you can just pick it up again later, without feeling like you left a chapter half way through.

Baby Magazine will contains loads relevant articles and stories that new mums can relate to, which is really important. To know we all have a few difficulties and being able to share in other mother’s stories and experiences is great. Many valuable tips, hints and good advice can be obtained from having a read, and they are generally from other mums who have been there and understand.

Finding a great baby magazine that you love and subscribing to it, is a really good idea, its affordable and something to look forward to receiving in the mail every month, and it provides you with up to date baby information and stories!

Most baby magazines each issue has lists of useful website addresses of mum and baby sites, giveaways, competitions, diary dates of events. A range of mum and baby products and services. Plus it’s informal, helpful and fun.

At first it may seem a little scary looking after your newborn especially if this is your first baby. The first thing to understand is you are the perfect parent for your baby.
Babies learn an respond from when they are born and their brain grows more now in the first months of life than at any other time
One of the most important tips in baby caring is taking care of yourself! Especially at first when you may be feeling a little overwhelmed. All of us mothers have been there and we have all felt this way, so rest and relax whenever possible.
There are loads of ways to get tips and advice, you can simply ask other trusted friends and mothers, there are baby books and baby magazines for easy to read information on sleeping, feeding, bathing and general baby caring.
Newborn crying can make you feel edgy and helpless, this is how your baby maybe feeling also, so it is very imporant you respond at all times when they cry.
The bond between you and your newborn baby is called attachment. Attachment happens in the first months of you baby’s life. To help make them feel safe and secure.
Your newborn baby is totally dependant on parents to make sure they are safe.
Read up, research and learn all the best baby tips and advice and simply use any methods that work for you and your baby, some things will work others may not.
Your baby may love being in a swing, swaddled or in a sling, or they may not, its all trial and error, your baby will let you know that’s for certain.
Enjoy the journey!

There can be a host of reasons why babies cry, obviously tiredness is one of the top reasons;

Signs of Tiredness:

* Less activity * Frowning * Crying *Staring * Clenched fists
* Grizzling * Change in expression * Rigid movements
* Sucking

Relaxation for your baby:

~ Warm bath ~ Baby massage ~ Rocking ~ Wrapping
~ Patting ~ Soother

Important Facts:

< Sleeping habits are learned so stick to your bedtime routine
< Relaxation and calming, soft music, gentle singing or humming
< A lot of babies have sleeping difficulties, not just yours
< Babies pick up on how your feeling
< You are not alone!
< Seek professional advise if problems persist

Handling Your Stress:

If your having a really bad day and nothing seems to work and your baby just will not sleep;

• Call a good friend
• Outside and take a moment with a cuppa
• Breath and try to relax (easier said than done some days!)
• Remind yourself your baby isn’t crying to annoy you
• Take a shower

Long Term Stress Busters:

 Ensure you get enough rest, rest when your baby does sleep
 Lighten your load
 Share your thoughts, talk to friends, family, professionals
 Eat a nutritious diet (see tips further on)
 Laugh!

The basics of day to day care of newborn

As a new mother, the first few days after the birth will usually be spent learning how to care for your newborn child.
For women having their second or subsequent baby, remembering how to do it all again may take a short while.

If your experience with newborn babies is limited you may be feeling a little nervous about dressing, bathing, changing, handling and general care of your newborn. This is very normal, you will be amazed at how quickly you learn these things in the coming weeks and months as you and your baby bond and communicate together. You are after all the perfect parent for your baby.

Most parents find they learn about caring for their baby by living each day with your baby. The skills do come naturally after the first few weeks, and then it gets better and easier as time goes on. There is a dozen different ways to do each baby task and every parent will do it differently, and you will figure out your way.

Some parents are keen to have some type of formal instruction on some aspects of the every day care of their newborn baby. There are many ways to get hot tips, from baby books, to baby magazines, friends, midwives, clinic nurses and the list goes on. So get as much formal information as you like then just pick the bits that work for you and caring for your newborn.

Every woman wants to have a happy, healthy pregnancy.

Research and learn what you need to do to help yourself and your growing baby.

When you include your partner, other family members and friends in your pregnancy, it helps them understand what you are going through so they can be more understanding and supportive.

You may be having a hard time, especially at the beginning of your pregnancy. You experience morning sickness. Which can be really difficult. Everyonw will understand if you take the time to let them know how you feel. Your loved ones will treat you with kindness and love.
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It takes some planning for a pregnancy and for a pending newborn, but it is definitely worth it, so taking the best care of yourself will make the journey more enjoyable. Sometimes it can seem when you’re pregnant, it will go on forever. However, speaking from experience, it actually passes very quickly and is soon a memory. Document the changes that are occurring in your life right now. include your partner in all this.

Easing the stress in your life is very important now. Do things that help you relax and focus on what is important in your life right now.
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Before you know it your pregnancy will be over a mother to be no more you’ll now be a new mother, with all the responsibilities of being a mum!

During your first time pregnancy you may hear negative things from friends or family members, such as scary birth stories or sad tales. Ignore them. Don’t listen. Most pregnancies work out great.

You’re a part of a very special miracle that is happening to you so stay relaxed and enjoy the ride!