Picking out what your child is going to need before they have even arrived is a big task and it can be overwhelming, especially if you are a first time mom.

Here are some tips that may help you register for your baby:

• Know What You Want – Do some research before you head to the store. Read reviews and see what other moms are saying. Know which bouncer, swing or stroller you are looking for. Seeing so many products in one place is confusing, which may cause you to pick out something that looks good as opposed to something that IS good.
• Take Your Time – The whole registry doesn’t need to be done in a day. You can make a few trips to the store to complete the list. Start by doing gear (stroller, swing, bouncer, bassinet and exersaucer) one day, the nursery another and layettes and accessories on a third visit.
• Be Modest - Just because other people are buying you gifts, it doesn’t mean that you can ask for more than what you need. Remember that too much gear will clutter up your house.
• Register Early - A safe time to register is around 28 weeks. By that time you will know that your baby is developing well and that gives your guests a few weeks to decide on what to get. Showers are normally held between 32 and 36 weeks.
• Keep Your Registry To 2 Department Stores – It is confusing for your shower guests and family to have to go to more than 2 stores to find your gift. If you want a specialty item from a third store you may want to suggest it to your parents or purchase it yourself.
• Do NOT request cash gift cards – If your friends and family want to give a cash envelope at your shower, they will. It is a bad idea to suggest that anyone wishing to get you a gift should do cash or a gift certificate at a particular store.
• Keep it simple - Request gift sets as opposed to single items (thermometer, nail clippers and medicine dropper, spoons and bowls). Having friends and family who don’t have babies search high and low for individual items will just frustrate them and cause them to abandon ship. Bath sets, feeding sets and safety kits usually come with all of the necessary pieces.
• Ask for what you need – A baby shower is usually thrown to get you started, not to set you up for life. Keep your requested items to the first 9 months of your baby’s life.

Getting started:

Here is a list of items you may need to get started:

• 5-7 sleepers
• 5-10 onesies
• 2 newborn hats
• 1 sweater
• 2 hooded towels
• 10 wash cloths – to get started 10-15 more as baby gets older
• baby wash, bum cream, lotion
• thermometer, nail clippers, soft hair brush
• infant Tylenol (dye free)
• Diaper bag
• 2 sheets for crib
• 3 light blankets
• change pad cover
• 2 heavy blankets
• 3 -4 burp pads
• 4 bottles – even if you are breastfeeding

Baby Gear:

• Crib and a good mattress
• Car Seat
• Monitor
• Change table
• Bath Tub

EXTRAS:

• Stroller System with car seat
• Playpen
• Swing
• Bouncer
• Baby Carrier
• Electric Breast Pump
• Mobile

• Resist buying too many items for 0-3 months. You baby will grow out of that stage VERY quickly.
• Buy nicer clothing in sizes 6-9 months. The weight gain will start to level out by then and your baby will be able to use these clothes for longer that a few weeks.
• In order to save time and money, you can wait a few months to purchase items like the highchair, exersaucer and developmental toys.

It seems that I was living in the wrong country because New Zealand has the BEST pregnancy lingerie.

HOTmilk made some waves last summer when the media deemed their advertising ‘Pregnancy Porn’.

I think all those journalists are prudes because this company’s pregnancy lingerie is sexy.

For some women pregnancy is a very sexy time in their life.

Some find that pregnancy makes them want sex more than they did before they became pregnant. This increase in sex drive is caused by hormonal changes.

Having something great to wear on those nights would definitely go a long way to keeping the mood strong.

For more info and prices please visit HOTmilk’s site

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging obstetricians and gynecologists to counsel women who are pregnant or may become pregnant to take hygiene steps to guard against becoming infected with cytomegalovirus, or CMV.

Contact with the saliva or urine of preschool-age children is a leading cause of this viral infection among pregnant women, the CDC says.

Congenital cytomegalovirus infection is caused when an infected mother passes the virus to her fetus through the placenta, during childbirth or while breast feeding.

Babies who have been affected by the virus will not show any signs until after birth, although some of these infants can develop hearing, vision, neurologic, and developmental problems over time. In some cases, there are symptoms at birth, which can include premature delivery, being small for gestational age, jaundice, enlarged liver and spleen, microcephaly (small head), seizures, rash, and feeding difficulties. These infants are also at high risk for developing hearing, vision, neurologic, and developmental problems.

Hand washing is the key and NO kisses: It is recommended that pregnant women wash hands often with soap and water, especially after contact with saliva or diapers from young children, to not kiss children under age 6 on the mouth or cheek to avoid saliva, and to not share food, drinks or utensils with young children.

How will a parent know if a child has the virus? The affected child will have ‘mono-like’ symptoms including a fever that lasts for several day, unusual or extreme tiredness, muscle aches, headache.

Kidshealth.org offers more information for expectant moms.

Children whose mothers get enough omega-3 fatty acid during pregnancy may have sharper problem-solving skills in infancy, a small study suggests.

Researchers found that 9-month-olds whose mothers had eaten DHA-fortified bars during pregnancy performed better on a test of problem-solving abilities than infants whose mothers had not added DHA to their diets.

DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, is one of the major omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish like salmon, sardines and tuna. Because of the fat’s vital role in brain development, experts recommend that pregnant women get 300 milligrams (mg) of DHA each day.

However, research shows that few U.S. women meet this goal.

The new findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that women who do get adequate DHA may aid their infants’ cognitive abilities.

The study included 29 women in their 24th week of pregnancy. Half were randomly assigned to eat a cereal bar supplemented with 300 mg of DHA from fish oil, while the rest were given a bar with added corn oil to serve as a comparison. On average, the women ate five bars per week.

Their babies underwent standard tests of infant problem-solving and memory at the age of 9 months. The problem-solving task tested the infants’ ability to retrieve a toy that was covered by a cloth.

In general, the researchers found, babies in the DHA group performed better on the test than those in the comparison group. There was no difference between the two groups on the memory test.

Omega 3’s are normally found in fish and flax seeds. It is not recommended to eat much fish while pregnant due to the mercury content so you can take the oil instead.

Udo’s choice makes a nice omega 3-6-9 oil that you can take in liquid or pill format. It is reasonable priced and not that bad tasting. It is stored in the refrigerator section of mist health food stores.

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Mexican singer Thalía is expecting her first child with her music executive husband Tommy Mottola, peopleenespanol.com reports.

The pregnancy was announced in a statement on Thalia.com, which reads in part: “Yes, it’s confirmed! Thalía is expecting her first baby, who will be born in a few months. Her pregnancy is going well and she is healthy, very happy and full of energy, as usual.”

Earlier this year the 35-year-old singer told PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL: “This year, I’m going to be a mom… I swear it’s happening this year. I’m ready; as a woman I feel it’s the ideal time, the ideal time in my career. I want it and I am going to be [a mother].”

Asked about Mottola’s opinion about expanding the family, Thalía said that her husband, 57, has wanted to have kids together for years. “If it had been up to Tommy, I would have had children from the first day we married. I would already have three or four,” she said.

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At the end of April I reported on a couple that was expecting their first baby, which turned out to be six first babies. At that time Brianna Morrison was 16 weeks along and a substanstial size.

WCCM.COM is reporting that Brianna has been placed on bedrest at Abbott Northwestern with a due date in October.

Morrison said she’s feeling good, and so, apparently are her little ones.

“They’re pretty active now,” she said. “Just two days ago I felt three of the babies all at the same time which was the first I felt two of them kick at the same time. They’re getting stronger, so the kicks are harder and the punches, but I love it. I love when I wake up at night and I can feel one of them kicking or punching me.”

Morrison isn’t the only one living at the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy. Her husband, Ryan Morrison, sleeps on an inflatable bed next to her.

He’s also packing up their apartment because their lease is up and will need a new place to stay.

The young couple has a lot going on and through it all they stay strong through their faith. They believe things will turn out just as intended.

Brianna still has a long road ahead of her before her babies are out of harms way. They will all need to stay in until at least 26 weeks for them to have any chance of survival. I can’t imagine how she is feeling…

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This weekend the spotlight is on Tiger to see if he will win the Masters for the 5th time in his career, but next year his goals may be very different.

When asked if collecting major titles still be as important to him? Tiger responded,

“As important? I don’t know, but certainly it will be more difficult to try and prepare. Because obviously we’re going to have a little one, and it’s our responsibility to try and raise it as best we can, and that’s going to require a lot of energy. I’ve never gone through it before, so I don’t know how my preparation or my playing schedule will change.

“Obviously our whole priority [will be] to raise our child. That will be our No. 1 priority.”

At the end of December, Tiger and Elin announced they were expecting a baby this summer. I think when this child arrives we will see a different side of the normally serious golfer.

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In a five-year randomized trial on 153 women, researchers found that giving nitroglycerin to women in premature labour greatly improves their baby’s health.

Dr. Graeme Smith, principal investigator in the study, says that using a nitro patch on pregnant women helps to prolong pregnancy and improves the baby’s condition with fewer side effects than medication commonly used to stop premature labour.

“It’s very exciting. The results were stronger than we anticipated,” Dr. Smith told CTV News.

The nitroglycerin patch is commonly used to calm the heart of patients with angina.

During trials, the patch was placed on the mother’s skin while she was having contractions. Researchers found that the uterus, which is also a muscle, relaxed and that blood flow to the placenta was increased, causing pregnancy to be prolonged for up to three weeks.

The patch also reduced the risk of complications, such as lung disease and brain injuries, and the risk of infant deaths. “This is a significant improvement in outcome. It reduced the chance of having a major complication by 70 per cent,” Smith said.

The improvement is the most significant for babies who are going to be born very early; between 24 and 28 weeks.

Reducing fragility and complications with infants means greater relief at neonatal units in Canada.

“Less time on a ventilator, less complications, less time on oxygen, less time in the hospital,” Dr. Michael Flavin, a neonatologist, told CTV News.

Nearly 6,000 babies are born premature in this country. It is estimated that it cost the Canadian health system $2 billion a year to take care of premature babies and their medical complications.

The incident of premature birth is the leading cause of death and disability among babies worldwide.

Approximately 7.5 per cent of all babies in Canada are born prematurely (before 37 weeks) and 1 to 2 per cent are born before 34 weeks.

Premature births can lead to other more prolonged complications, such as learning disabilities and breathing difficulties.

CSI: Miami star David Caruso and girlfriend Liza Marquez are expecting their second child together.

David, 51, and Liza are the parents of 18-month-old Marquez Anthony and he also has a 22-year-old daughter, Greta, from his second marriage to actress Rachel Ticotin.

Last year, David spoke to Entertainment Tonite about Marquez saying, “We’re very, very lucky, and it’s nice to have that little sanctum to go home to everyday and to have this fresh little guy there. He’s amazing.”

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Jillian Barberie and husband Grant Reynolds, who are expecting their first child on July 7th, attended the Frankie B. Fall/Winter 07 Dinner Party over the weekend.

The couple announced they were expecting in December, Jillian is due June/July.

The pregnancy was especially good news for Barberie, who was unsure if she could conceive at 40 after a 2004 miscarriage. “I was pregnant a couple of years ago with a guy that I was dating, and I thought, well, I’m 38, and I’ll keep the baby because who knows if I’m going to have the chance,” Barberie says.

“When we got married I said, you know, I think this is something we’re going to try at. But (Grant) is very laid back and he said it’s just going to happen. He’s infectious with his positive thinking. And sure enough, it did! We got pregnant on our first try. I’m very blessed. I would have gone the route of treatment if I had to.”

She looks fabulous and is glowing from head to toe! We wish her the best in the last few months of her pregnancy.

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