aden + anais

Planning a vacation, especially when you have a baby, can be stressful. Between the prospect of taking your baby on a plane or driving for hours, you may just want to stay home. If you choose to have a staycation with your baby, you will need to find things to do to have fun around the house that will keep both you and your little one entertained. Here are a few ideas for fun things to do while taking a much-needed staycation with your baby. Baby Bibs A Picnic in the Living Room Transform your living room into a picnic area for lunch. Get a basket, roll out a blanket, grab a pile of burp cloths to clean up the inevitable mess from your baby, and get the food out. If you have a smart TV, you can even turn it to a video of a forest or other natural area to bring nature and animals to you while staying inside. Enjoy snacks such as sandwiches or puffs, depending on the age of your little one. You can play games inside to complete the picnic experience. Pitch a Tent in th...

Having a nursery all set up before you come home from the hospital with your newborn is ideal. You can be prepared with some baby blankets for keeping your baby warm and as a play mat or tummy time map, burp cloths for feeding, and more. Here are some of the necessary items that you can prepare in your nursery before your little one comes home.  Baby Blankets                                Highly Versatile Baby Blankets The humble receiving blanket is highly versatile and will likely be found in your diaper bag, living room, and in the nursery. These baby blankets can be used for swaddling your baby to keep them warm, as a tummy time mat as soon as your little one is home, a play mat for later, a stroller cover, and even an emergency burp cloth, especially if it is made from cotton muslin. You can even use baby blankets in summer if...

Whether it is your first time taking your little one to daycare or coming back from a break, here are some of the items you might want to include in a backpack with your baby when you bring them in. From food preferences and extra burp cloths to extra clothes, these will be much appreciated by the caretakers at the daycare. Baby Bibs Food Preferences Whether it’s breast milk or formula, you should pack enough to get through at least a day. If your baby is going to daycare more than one day each week, give your daycare enough food to get through those days. If your little one is on formula, you can provide them with a can to hold, and they will let you know when you need to bring another. If you are bringing breast milk, be sure to label the package with your name and date. Buy extras of any bottles your baby likes and give those to the daycare after labeling them. If your baby spits up a lot, you might want to include extra burp cloths to not overtax the daycare. The sa...

Many hospitals will give parents a baby blanket to swaddle their newborn in. Swaddling, though, can be tricky without practice. What does swaddling do, and why can it be important? Here is everything you need to know about swaddling your new baby, and when you can stop swaddling. Baby Blankets What Does Swaddling Do? First, it’s essential to understand what swaddling does. The snugness of baby blankets helps mimic the sensation of still being in the womb, helping to calm your baby. That snugness helps keep your baby’s arms down, as well. The startle reflex, also known as the Moro reflex, can occur while your baby is sleeping. They throw their arms out to the side, startling themselves awake. Swaddling helps prevent this. Swaddling can also help keep your baby warm. Bear in mind that swaddling is not for every baby; some babies hate it and refuse to be swaddled. Alternatives are discussed later, but you may also just move on to a baby sleeping bag or sleep sack....

The weather is warm, and it’s the perfect time to start planning a picnic with your baby, whether you go to a park or your backyard. When planning your picnic, there are a number of essential items you will need to keep your baby comfortable and clean, as well as hold their attention while you are setting up and putting away the picnic. From having the right food to remembering sun protection and a garbage bag for cleaning up, here are some of the items to remember to pack for your fun picnic.  Baby Bibs A Multipurpose Baby Blanket A receiving blanket is multipurpose for a picnic. It can act as a picnic blanket for your baby. If the wind picks up, the baby blanket will keep your baby warm. A 100% cotton muslin receiving blanket will not only keep your baby warm but is also breathable to prevent overheating. The baby blanket can be a stroller cover if you are walking to and from your destination, or an emergency burp cloth or changing pad. Food for Your B...

Having a baby means adapting to many changing situations. You might need a burp cloth to clean up a regular mess and then use it for its intended purpose. If you are having a picnic in the summer, those baby blankets that were keeping your baby warm in the winter suddenly make fantastic picnic blankets. Whether it’s an item that can be repurposed after it’s no longer needed for its original function or something that has a lot of versatility, here are some baby essentials that pull double duty. Baby Blankets A Receiving Blanket for Playing, Covering Strollers, and Changing One of the most versatile baby essentials is the humble receiving blanket , especially when made with 100% cotton muslin. This increases the absorption, making the baby blanket an option as an emergency burp cloth. When not cleaning up messes, the receiving blanket can act as anything from a playmat to a stroller cover, an improvised feeding cover to an emergency changing pad when out and about...

If you’re expecting a baby in the summer, here are some essentials that will help make your life easier with your newborn. From having versatile baby bibs for picnics in your backyard to swaddles that double as the picnic blanket, these essentials can help you have fun with your newborn, as well.  Burp Cloths A Summer-Ready Swaddle While in winter, you want thick swaddles to keep your newborn warm, in summer, you want something more breathable. A great option is cotton muslin, which is breathable and won’t get too warm during summer nights. Plus, a receiving blanket can be used as a play mat during the day or even a picnic blanket for your newborn to have fun in the backyard. A super-soft cotton muslin blanket can pull other duties, as well, such as an emergency burp cloth or changing pad.  Bibs and Burp Cloths for Backyard Picnics While you may know you need bibs and burp cloths , you will probably need more than you realize. They get messy, fast...