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BellaSugar's Gift Guide: Awww, The Beautiful Baby!

BellaSugarUK — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

You're one lucky person if you know a magnificent mum-to-be who's about to bring a brand-new life into our world!

What better way to spoil the adorable infant right from the start than with baby beauty products! I've found gift sets like this skincare package from Johnson & Johnson (£29.99) to be especially helpful to new mom's. Even though it's no-frills, it contains all of the gentle essentials from a tried and tested brand.

Shop even more gender neutral baby bath and body gifts below!

Très Cool! Babies Cry in Their Native Language

TresSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0800

I've always found it fascinating that dogs "bark" in different languages. Though we say "ruff ruff" in English, that same noise is expressed as "ouah, ouah" in French. Now here's something even cooler: German researchers have started to think that babies' wails sound different depending on what language their parents speak.

The scientists observed 60 babies born to families speaking French and German and found that the infants could be absorbing their parents' accents from inside the womb. In the last three months of pregnancy, babies have already begun to memorize sounds, and based on the analysis of the babies' cry "melodies," the sounds mapped closely to the parents' accents:

The French newborns cried with a rising "accent" while the German babies' cries had a falling inflection.

Writing in the journal Current Biology, they say the babies are probably trying to form a bond with their mothers by imitating them.

The findings suggest that unborn babies are influenced by the sound of the first language that penetrates the womb.

Fascinating, right? Now I want to hang out with a big international gang of babies and see if their cries all sound different. Wait, that means being trapped in a room with a bunch of crying babies - nevermind!

What Do You Know About Baby Talk?

LilSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:08 -0800

No doubt about it, moms and dads can hardly wait to hear their babe's first words. While there are some great things you can do to encourage language development in babies, the main thing most tots need is a little time. Before stressing about your little one's speech (or lack thereof) take this quiz to see how well you know baby talk.

Take the quiz

Did You Trade Dine In For Takeout After Having Children?

LilSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:00:13 -0800

Couples may enjoy white tablecloths and candlelight before baby, but after becoming parents hearing that there's an hour-long wait at a hot eatery isn't as enticing. Getting food to go allows mom and dad the chance to eat their favorite entrees without any of the worry of entertaining their tots during the experience or public mid meal meltdowns. Once you had children did you table your reservations and turn to takeout more often?

Is Birth More About the Mother or Baby?

LilSugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:00:29 -0700

A friend recently told me she was shocked that I had allowed my sisters and sister-in-law into the delivery room when I had my kids. I told her I don't think of birth as a production centered around me and my husband, but rather the baby. Each of my children was lucky enough to be welcomed into the world with their godmother present. While some ladies primp for the occasion, bring a picture to focus on or stock up on their favorite snacks for the hospital stay, I'm usually too preoccupied watching the monitors and coping with contractions. Who do you think the experience is about?
Source: Flickr User madaise

Has Your Child Slipped Into Her First Pair of Heels?

LilSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:30:08 -0700

My daughter doesn't have a swank pair of custom-made high-heeled slippers like Suri Cruise, but she was gifted a bag of plastic princess ones a few years ago. Though my girl only wore them around the house to play dress up, her feet are not strangers to an arch. While shopping for dress shoes at Nordstrom, there were several wedge and tiny kitten-heel styles available in her size! Even my son has managed to tear down our hall in a pair of pumps he found in my closet. Sure, some parents encourage their tots to wear fabulous footwear starting with sassy crib heels, but most kiddos are just drawn to trying on (and wobbling around) in their mama's shoes. Have your tots strutted in shoes that gave them an extra inch or two?

Safety Gates For Design-Conscience Parents

LilSugar — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Stairs are enticing for lil ones who aren't supposed to play on them. Though several LilSugar readers told us they didn't do much in the way of babyproofing their homes, safety gates are a staple for many families with steep staircases. Consumer Reports recommends using the baby gates until a child is two-years-old.

Clunky plastic varieties may dominate the market, but there are also modern gates available for more discerning mothers. The Numi Extending Gate ($98) combines a brushed metal frame with dark wooden slats to make for eye candy rather than an eyesore. Check out our other decorative picks below.

View 5 Photos ›

10 US Birth Facts You Might Not Know

LilSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:00:18 -0700

September is a big month for babies! Here at Sugar HQ, we are awaiting the births of two new Sugar babies in the next three weeks. Birthing trends in the US are tracked by each state and the cumulative data is full of surprises. Here are 10 facts you probably didn't know.

View Slideshow ›

Awkward! A Stranger's Child Won't Stop Screaming

TresSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0700

We've all been there - on a plane, at the store, trying to watch a movie, and the screeching, wailing or whining begins. I always feel for the parents of children who, in public, are causing a big ruckus. It's annoying enough, I imagine, but then having strangers either glare or silently seethe must be tough. You'd probably either never want to leave the house again or you'd become militant about your rights as a parent to be out and about, annoyed strangers be damned! (Check out the hilarious video above and watch until the end - she admits the kid, though annoying, is cute!)

One crazy old dude took matters into his own hands on Monday by slapping a stranger's crying toddler at Walmart. Uh, wow. Hopefully, most of us are not cruel (or crazy) enough to do something like this, but how do you handle a situation when a baby, toddler or child is making a fuss? The child's age and the parent's reaction probably make a huge difference.

Say What? Katie Roiphe on Feminism and Maternity Leave

TresSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 -0700

"Historically, feminists have emphasized the difficulty, the drudgery of new motherhood. They have tried to analogize childcare to the work of men; and so for a long time, women have called motherhood a 'vocation.' The act of caring for a baby is demanding, and arduous, of course, but it is wilder and more narcotic than any kind of work I have ever done."

- Writer Katie Roiphe on the conflicted pleasures of having a baby and maternity leave. At the same time she talks about the pleasures of taking care of a new baby, she says that "part of the allure of maternity leave is you give up everything you are and care about."

Mothercare Baby grooming set - £6.99	Buriti Baby Bamboo Hair Brush - £6.85
Cath Kidston Cath Kids Baby Duck Soap - £8.00	BURTS BEES Mum & Baby TLC Gift Set - £29.40
Winnie Shower Gel Topper 611484 - £3.99	Neals Yard Remedies Baby Gift Set - £23.10
Buriti Baby Mini Essentials - £15.00	Trevarno Organic Chamomile Baby Soap - £3.35
Green People Baby Care Gift Pack - £12.50	Mothercare Natural Softie - Organic nappy balm - 100ml - £3.99
Philips AVENT soothing Magic Cream - 125ml - £5.49	Banana Boat Baby Tear-Free SPF 50 Lotion - £7.99
Mothercare muslin squares - 6pk Yellow - £8.99	Mothercare Little Softie baby shampoo - 300ml - £1.99
Little Me Organics Sleepy Head Bath Milk - £3.99