I’ve already flown 3 times alone with my daughter, and each time I hit the jackpot — naps all around! I used to be one of those people to hold my breath and cringe at the idea of being seated anywhere near a baby (hangover + red eye from Vegas to NYC + screaming baby = mile high hell), so I try to be as prepared as possible when taking my girl on a plane.
But I’m still a bit unclear about the protocol for what I can bring on board. Since we’re traveling again for a wedding soon, I looked it up just to be sure. Thankfully, those annoying 3-ounce rules don’t apply to most of the stuff required by my kid at any given moment.
According to the TSA, you can carry on more than 3 ounces of juice, formula, breast milk, baby food, or medicine (in “reasonable quantities” they say), but they will probably inspect it, so have it available. They didn’t say anything about the powdered formula I had in canisters, either.
And just so you know, there are a few things the airport security folks are not allowed to do: They can’t ask you to do anything that will separate you from your kid/s, and they can’t ask you or your kid/s to taste any medications or food/drink they’re inspecting. If this happens, stop the presses and ask another security officer to step in!
bigbaby on September 9th 2008 in Good to Know
I wish I was starting school all over again. Not that I’m a fan of homework (okay. I kind of am), but back-to-school shopping was one of the highlights of the year. I guess that’s why I squealed a little when I saw this pencil case at Etsy.
Old school and home made? The coolest!
bigbaby on September 8th 2008 in Education
This makes me bang my head against a wall, wondering why I didn’t think of it first.
My girl is just over a year old and the toys are overflowing (most are gifts) and who knows which of them she really prefers. That’s why Baby Plays.com makes so much sense. For a low monthly fee, you can get up to 6 toys delivered (for FREE!) to your home every month, and keep them for a month or more. Not sure if there’s an option to buy the toy … that would really be great! (What if your kid gets attached to something?)
You won’t get toys that are all banged up, either. Once they’ve become “gently used” they’re donated to charity. Plus, all the toys are lead-tested.
What a great gift idea, too!
bigbaby on September 7th 2008 in Great Services
Even though I personally tend to dress like a Ramones groupie, I’m not usually in favor of foisting fashions that are too over-the-top onto my infant. (Those “Boob Man” onesies for little boys kind of creep me out, to tell the truth.)
But the stuff at Urban Baby Runway is really cute and mostly affordable. I especially love the Baby Legs for little crawlers! More than just clothes, though, they have stuff for mom & dad, the nursery, and the bookshelf. Keep this one in mind for gifts, too.
bigbaby on September 6th 2008 in Wardrobe
I didn’t think I worried, but maybe I should.
Most lead in toys is either in the paint or the plastic. Even though lead in paint was banned in the U.S. in 1978, it can still be found in older toys (those family antiques) or in imports. However, the use of lead in plastic is still allowed. Lead makes plastic flexible and somewhat heat-resistant. But, according to the CDC, “when the plastic is exposed to substances such as sunlight, air, and detergents the chemical bond between the lead and plastics breaks down and forms a dust.”
Babies and children under the age of 5 are at the greatest risk of lead poisoning because everything goes in their mouth, and they absorb lead so much easier than adults or older children. And their brains are still developing.
In January 2008 alone, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were eleven recalls of imported toys based on a violation of the lead paint standard. Recalls included wooded train sets and blocks, toy wagons, and much more.
So how do you tell if your toys (or your home) are safe? There are several home-testing kits you can buy (though the CPSC questions how effective they really are). Better yet, why not request a lead test at your next well-baby check up (especially if you live in the city, in an older building, or near construction)? We just had a test done — the peace of mind is worth it.
bigbaby on September 5th 2008 in Health and Medical
As would-be near-perfect parents, we reached the moment where we installed childproof latches on our kitchen cabinets. Pretty much everything under our kitchen sink is lethal. Plastic bags … lye … bleach … looks like an episode of CSI down there.
When it comes to cleaning, my husband believes that you can spray magic chemicals on stuff and never have to shake a scrub brush at dirt. I’d like to believe the same, but have been $8.99ed to death too many times on the cleaning aisles.
Of course, there are better ways to clean a house. Cheaper ways, too. Here are a few of my favorites.
All-Purpose Cleaner: mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1/2 gallon of water. With a sponge, this can be used on windows, mirrors, chrome, shower stalls … You can make one batch of this and clean everything all at once. It’s best to wash these surfaces when they are cold (prevents streaks). Microfiber cloths are a great help, too.
Bathroom Mold: in a spray bottle, fill it with 1/2 peroxide, 1/2 water. Spray this on the grout and let it sit for an hour before scrubbing. Or you can spray full-strength white vinegar on the tiles before scrubbing, but go easy because vinegar eats grout over time. For bathroom tile floors, I’ve just poured out an entire bottle of peroxide onto the floor, let it fizz away, and then mopped it up with great results.
Non-Scratch Surfaces: baking soda and damp sponge. It’s great for the top of the stove, the toilet, and the tub (add lemon or lime, if you like).
Air Freshener: those sprays give me a headache! Boil cinnamon sticks or orange rinds with cloves. Grind up a few lemon slices in your sink’s garbage disposal. Houseplants clear the air (I tend to kill houseplants, unfortunately). Before washing, rub vinegar on cutting boards, utensils, plates, etc. that smell like fish or seafood. And of course everyone knows the old baking-soda-in-the-fridge trick, but try putting it in a small glass bowl with a squeeze of lemon.
bigbaby on September 4th 2008 in House & Home
As if you needed to be reminded, exposing infants’ lungs to cigarette smoke can cause permanent lung damage. This article in Respiratory Therapy magazine reports on a study done with 2-week old mice. Exposure to smoke inhibited their genes.
Their genes! The fundamental building blocks of life!
There. More proof that there is nothing good about smoking.
bigbaby on September 3rd 2008 in Health and Medical
Looking for an educational Internet timewaster? Check out Anne & Robert Adams’s ABC Book of Invertebrates.
The NY Times has an article about Anne, who suffered from FTD — frontotemporal dementia. While she lost her capacity for mathematics and language, a flood of visual-artistic creativity filled the mental gap.
Here’s more about Anne and her art.
bigbaby on September 2nd 2008 in Education
I tend to forget what a good idea these “get free stuff” sites can be.
Check out Planning Family.com, and you can get a free sample of Enfamil (and a diaper bag), subscriptions to magazines, online calendars … probably the best thing here is the chance to win a year’s supply of Pampers. And make sure you look through the rest of the site for a bunch of coupons.
Click “Skip” at the bottom of the page to see all the offers. Check the ones you want, then all you have to do is enter your email and baby’s due date / birthday.
bigbaby on September 1st 2008 in Free Stuff