Best Parenting World

Vasectomy Reversal - A Personal Story
 by: Roy Thomsitt

This article is a very personal one, but one I wanted to share with you, as there are always tens of thousands of men considering whether to have a vasectomy reversal.

The desire for a vasectomy reversal can come from two main causes: divorce or relationship break up, and a change in financial circumstances that makes having a baby affordable whereas before, at the time of the vasectomy, it may not have been.

Most commonly, men have a vasectomy in marriage, when they or their partner, or both, have decided they do not want any more babies. The reason does not matter, really, the fact is they have the vasectomy because of that particular relationship.

Should a couple make a decision to have no further children then a male vasectomy is the best option. It is a simple outpatient operation. I always compared it to going to the dentist, except you open your legs instead of your mouth. It is also quite painless, although in my case I did not appreciate the painkiller wearing off while I was driving home, after I was assured it was going to be ok. Using the clutch was not a bundle of fun for the last few miles. But the vasectomy was done, as it is commonly every day for thousands of men around the world. At the time, I never gave a thought for vasectomy reversal in the future.

Baby Clothes - Daywear, Nightwear And Special
 by: Roy Thomsitt

When choosing and buying baby clothes, parents can be faced with many choices that, in the baby’s younger days, can seem quite confusing. Striking a balance between practical and cute, fashionable and comfortable, need and impulse, and night and day can all play their part in affecting decisions on what baby clothes to buy, and in what quantity.

All of these difficulties in choosing baby clothes are made worse by the fact that babies grow so quickly. You do not necessarily buy to fit now, but fit for the next few months if at all possible.

When buying the first baby clothes, and even with follow up shopping sprees as the baby grows, it can be helpful to remember a simple division rule, a rule of three. Your baby will basically need three types of clothes: daytime clothes, night wear (or sleepwear), and clothes for going out.

The baby sleepwear will likely outweigh the other categories, as sleeping is what babies spend most of their time doing in the early stages. But how do you decide what numbers to buy of each? Well, that may depend on how often you want to do laundry, but you will soon find a level that suits both your routine and the level of cleanliness and smartness you want for your baby.

Buying Gently Used Baby Clothing
 by: Mark Freeman

Remember that adorable outfit you bought for your newborn - the one that cost you nearly $40, and got worn three times before it no longer fit? For such tiny things, baby clothing is expensive - and as fast as babies grow, they seldom see much wear. For parents on a budget, those are potent arguments for cutting costs where you can when dressing baby.

Designer duds for baby DO make sense though - and by designer, I mean the elite in the baby design field: OshKosh and Baby B’Gosh, Carters, Sweat Pea and other top-of-the-line baby clothing manufacturers. They concentrate on the little details that cheap clothing manufacturers skimp on - little details that make a major difference in fit, appearance and comfort. You want to take advantage of nice, flat seams that don’t irritate, and nylon snaps that don’t scratch or pull through fabric. But you don’t want to pay $30 for a sleeper!

The answer is shopping around for gently worn using baby clothes and checking with friends and relatives for outgrown hand-me-downs. Yard sales are a great source in the spring and summer months. You’ll often find great clothes that are barely worn in sizes for the next couple of years. Check the newspaper for upcoming yard sales - baby clothes are often one of the advertised items.

The Effects of Televised Sexual Content on Adolescents
 by: Brent Sitton

How To Avoid Post Partum Depression
 by: Moss Greene

New mothers sometimes experience “postpartum blues.” This is understandable. Pregnancy and birth are very dramatic events for your body - both physically and emotionally. So, it’s common to feel a little weepy, irritable or moody in the first few days after birth.

If you eat well, supplement your diet with high quality whole food supplements (especially omega-3 oils and B vitamins) and get enough rest, mild cases should pass quickly.

But, if “the blues” continue for more than just a few days, or if you’re feeling really depressed and down, please don’t try to tough it out. Get professional help. Ask your midwife or doctor to connect you with someone who can give you appropriate counseling.

Here are some tips that can help prevent or ease the symptoms of postpartum depression:

1. Ask for help after the birth. Here are some things friends and family could do for you during the first few weeks that might work better than giving the traditional baby shower gifts. They can:

Back-to-School success: Support your Child with Feng Shui
 by: Vicky White

Fall is almost here in the Northern Hemisphere, and back-to-school energy is everywhere. The malls are full of harried parents and children in tow, in search of the perfect new outfit for the school year.

By using Feng Shui to give them a bedroom makeover you’ll have more impact on your child’s energy, learning and creativity than any new outfit could.

Just as for adults, harmonious energy in a child’s bedroom encourages good study habits, promotes greater success in school and creates well-adjusted children.

Top 10 Feng Shui tips for your child’s success and well-being

Set an intention to co-create a simple and cozy room. Fill it full of symbols representing possibility and imagination. By giving children some control over how their room is decorated, you can help them prepare for decision making later in life.

To find where the various areas of the Bagua are located in your child’s bedroom, see the Bagua Map http://www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/BaguaMap.html

1. Clear the Clutter. Clutter is the biggest issue for children. It will suppress their energy and disrupt their growth.

Families That Hit Pine Cones Together Stay Together
 by: Duane Shinn

It is said that families that pray together stay together. I think it’s almost equally true that families that play together stay together. If play time is the glue of family life, our family is a sticky crew!

One scorching August day we were trying to escape the heat by retreating to a summer cabin rental at Diamond Lake, high in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Our little league star, Garin, suggested that we play baseball.

“But we don’t have a ball up here,” I objected.

“We don’t need a ball. We can use pine cones,” answered Garin.

“Where would we play? There’s no clearing big enough,” I countered.

“We can play in the driveway if you move the car.” Garin always was a problem solver.

“Alright,” I groaned. “Come on. Everybody out to the driveway.” I pouted while moving the car. I always was a bad loser.

Sweep Away Colic Baby Crying with White Noise
 by: Cherie Stirewalt

It doesn’t make sense does it? You do everything possible as a new parent to keep your baby healthy and happy. So why is it, your baby decides to start screaming inconsolably right around dinner time? Just when you need it least.

Ask yourself

• When your baby starts crying, is it for spells of 3 or more hours at a time?
• Do these crying spells happen 3 or more times a week?
• Did you notice the crying spells becoming more apparent about the 3rd week after you brought your baby home?

If you’ve answered yes to the above questions, you might have a baby with colic.

Colic is the diagnosis many pediatricians tag on a baby who is otherwise healthy and thriving, but follows the “Rule of Threes” as stated above. A colic baby has episodes of inconsolable crying beginning around the 3rd week of life, lasting at least 3 hours a day, for at least 3 days a week.

Alternative Baby Clothing
 by: Mark Freeman

Whoever coined the phrase that there is nothing new under the sun was clearly not expecting to see the latest trend in clothing for infants and toddlers. The members of the punk rock generation of the ‘80s are the parents of today and it seems that a good number of them chose to go the way of Peter Pan and simply refused to grow up. That is the only viable explanation for the aforementioned baby clothing trend: “alternative” baby wear. Parents are now able to dress their little Joeys and Siouxsies in all manner of punk-rock and biker inspired clothing designed to make even the most anti-social and anarchistic parents say, “Isn’t he a cute little punk?”

Time for Sleep..A Guide for First Time Parents
 by: Ryan Sorensen

If you don’t want to fight your two year old for space in your own bed, you must start early in establishing good bedtime habits. Good bedtime habits will allow your child the comfort that he or she needs to fall asleep in their own room by themselves. Good bedtime habits for your child are the gift that keeps giving because it pays off with better sleep and more comfort for you as parents.

First time parents always have anxieties about putting their child to bed in their own bedroom for the first time. Mothers may be anxious about their baby growing up so quickly and leaving the comfort of the bassinette that is right next to the bed. Both parents may feel uneasy about the baby being alone in a big dark room. The biggest cause of anxiety may just be the unknown amount of time it will take before your child goes to bed without crying hysterically before falling asleep. Hopefully some advice from a parent that has been through this stage already can help ease the anxiousness.