Meet Baby Jones

Man arrested in YouTube food poisoning hoax - I usually just post links that might be helpful to new parents, but this story was just too good to keep to myself. Apparently, there was a really stupid person who posted videos of himself on YouTube claiming to have put poison in millions of bottles of baby food because he wanted to kill black and hispanic babies (fortunately, it wasn’t true). He also said he could never be caught. Well, the goon was caught and slapped with a few penalties that could buy him 10 years in prison! What was unexpected was that the dude is black. How’s that for a soap opera?

TV Background Noise Disrupts Child Play - Research finds that tv background noise disrupts children’s ability to sustain various types of play.

Is it Harder to Raise Boys or Girls? - An article that outlines the fundamental differences of raising boys vs. girls.

Heelarious - Her First High Heels - I would find these so cute if they didn’t conjure images of poor Jon Benet. Yeah, I know they’re supposed to be cute and fun, but there’s nothing cute and fun about sexualization of children.

Dangers of Having an Older Father - Research shows that because of declining sperm quality, children born to fathers who are 45 and older died at an early age (before 18) at twice the rate of children born to fathers in their 20s and 30s as a result of congenital defects. It also shows that children fathered by older men had a higher risk of dying from accidental death and increased likelihood of suffering from autism, epilepsy or schizophrenia.

Raising Optimistic Kids - A blog post that explains what it means to be optimistic or pessimistic so parents can teach their parents how to be more optimistic. Studies have shown a strong link between how happy a person is to how optimistic they are.

Information on Mercury in Fish and Shellfish for Young Children - We all know the benefits of including fish and shellfish in our children’s diets, but we also have to be aware of the dangers of mercury which is contained in almost all fish and shellfish. Here’s a good article that contains recommendations from the EPA and FDA.

Fish Calculator - This website helps you to calculate how much fish is safe to consume based on body weight.

Cellphone Use Harmful to Unborn Babies - A new study shows that mothers who used their cellphones while pregnant were at least twice as likely to have children with behavioral problems. Furthermore, the study showed that children who used mobile phones before age 7 were also as affected.

Gestational Diabetes on the Rise - I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant with Avery. Fortunately, it was easily controlled with diet modification. Even more luckily, it did not seem to have any negative impact on Avery. He was huge for a 35-weeker (6 lbs., 1 oz), and my ob said that had I carried him to term, he would’ve likely been 10 lbs., but other than that, nothing.

BabyPlays - A toy rental program for babies and tots. The toys come already assembled and with batteries when required, and best of all, the company guarantees that the toys are lead-free. Sweet!

Babycakes NYC - This is a bakery in NYC that makes gluten-free, refined sugar-free and vegan cupcakes. Perfect for when parents are unsure of their children’s food allergies (the cupcakes are made sans wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs - the most common allergens). Oh, and they deliver too.

Too Much Praise Can be Detrimental to Your Child’s Self-Esteem - “A child who is praised too much may fall into the great-expectations trap. These kids feel the only way they can be accepted and loved is to keep performing at higher levels.”

Vaccine-Autism Link? Do Your Own Research - Depending on which side you listen to more, it’s really hard to tell what really is going on with vaccines and autism. Be a vigilant advocate for the future of our world and do your own research. Remember that the government and the medical industry have been wrong before and they do not always have our best interest at heart.

The Modern Nursery - Article in The New York Times showcasing the newest trends in baby products. I love, love, love, the AlwaysClean Pacifier! When it falls to the ground, it lands onto its handle which then activates a plastic shield to close over the nipple. The genius!!

Make Flip Books From Your Digital Video - Melvin and I have not tried this service yet, but we are getting a few of our favorite video clips together now as I write.

T-shirts With Big Words for Little Kids - How adorable! I would really love one for my pulchritudinous child.

Sign up for Free E-mail Notices of Future Recalls at Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Web site - A good way to stay on top of recalls.

Free Children’s Audio Stories - I like it, but Avery seems to favor my voice

Brickworkz - If you don’t have the time to make your own LEGO art from your photos, here’s a place that would be more than happy to make it for you.

Get Some Sleep if You Want to Lose That Baby Weight - Study associates sleep deprivation with weight gain and obesity.

The Consumer Action Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys - A great resource to find out exactly what is contained in your baby’s toys. They have tested thousands of toys and what they have found will shock you (spoken like somebody who should be working for Fox 10 O’Clock News, right?).

A Baby’s Conception and Birth Can Influence Dream Content in New Moms - Ok, so what I went through wasn’t abnormal at all! I swear I had the most horrific nightmares soon after I had Avery. The one involved Melvin being attacked (and eventually killed) by these thugs and I woke up screaming, and ugh, it was just really, really, scary. That was the first time I’ve ever experienced anything like that. Thankfully, I haven’t had any more nightmares that scary since.

Baby Bottles Leach Toxic Chemical - According to a new study, the toxic chemical BPA leaches from plastic baby bottles when heated. BPA has been linked to obesity, diabetes, thyroid disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer and other illnesses.

Baby Einsteins: Not So Smart After All - Research has shown that educational baby videos may hinder infant learning.