by: Teresa Schahczinski
Baby nursery furniture and baby crib sets are a growing category, representing $1.1 billion at retail last year, and expected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2009. Today baby furniture varies quite a bit in style, price and selection, and at over a billion dollars, there is room for a wide range of manufacturers in the nursery furniture field. There are many top manufacturers in the nursery furniture category. The baby furniture category includes nursery furniture for children from birth through 2 years, including painted baby furniture, nursery crib furniture, bassinets, a baby table for changing diapers, glider rockers, rocking chairs, dressers, chests, armoires and bookcases. Basically anything you would purchase at a baby store while furniture shopping. Although most of the parents claimed that they mostly shopped at discount stores they admittedly would make more extravagant purchases at a specialty baby store if there was something they really wanted. A Gen X mom talked about children strollers. She paid $300 for a stroller because she liked the features. So if a parent is willing to spend $300 on a stroller which is typically a smaller ticket item in comparison to nursery furniture what are they willing to spend on a nursery crib, an item that use is far more than the use of a stroller. Things like blankets, strollers, a nursery crib mattress, a toddler bed and accessories or items that would be bought for nursery gifts or baby gifts, or furniture for children over the age of 2 are not included in the category being discussed as leading infant bedroom furniture manufacturers. This is primarily nursery furniture for babies 2 and under in the strictest sense of the word. According to Kids Today exclusive Buying Trends Survey, 2.2% of U.S. households bought a nursery crib in 2004, and 2.7% bought other baby furniture. The median price point for a nursery crib in 2004 was $150, with those consumers planning to buy a nursery crib in 2005 saying they planned to spend a median of $200. Even still, 18% of consumers who bought a nursery crib in 2004 paid $500 or more. What this tells me is that although 18% of parents purchasing a nursery crib probably planned to purchase practically but when push came to shove they were willing to spend on average and extra $300 above and beyond what they initially planned to spend. Why is this? Is it because we are seduced by all the new-fangled cribs such as the newer style of the round crib and the BRAND-NEW Corner cribs (shaped to fit in a corner)? It is common knowledge that the median prices of these specialty cribs cost much more than the traditional rectangle cribs. As far as infant furniture goes round baby cribs are a fairly new concept. I do not even remember them being available when I had my first child. Since a separate room for a baby nursery is not always an option some parents feel that the round baby cribs and corner cribs which is a new concept is the way to go, they are both big space savers. It could also be because parents are willing to purchase the top of the line 3-in-1 cribs in hopes that they will save money in the long run? Or quite possibly is it because parents will spend just about anything on their children, trying to provide everything they were never given? Obviously a nursery crib is the most important purchase you will make for your childlong with the rest of the nursery furniture. Nursery Furniture Manufacturers know this and cater our need to give our child verything? That is why nursery furniture and nursery crib sets are such a booming market! ?
Copyright Best-Baby-Furniture.com, All Rights Reserved. About the author:Teresa Schahczinski is a frequent contributor to Best Baby Furniture
baby care
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Baby Name Meanings
by: Michael Barrows
Speaking as a Michael (a Hebrew name, meaning ho is like God?, I really proud of my name. And I think that I ?mostly - live up to the title! Of course, my mother would probably disagree; I think the phrase ittle devil?would probably pass her lips if she was describing me during many stages of my childhood. But then, my mother has her own issues; apparently her name (Kathleen) is a Celtic name meaning little Darling? Hmmm, that isn the way I used to think about her during those regular occasions when she was punishing me for my ot like God?behaviour? And that the fun of baby name meanings ?parents make naming decisions based on many, many different reasons, including family traditions, religion, culture, uniqueness and t just sounds really nice.?But ?in the Western world ?we rarely do any real research into the history or real meaning of names. So when the poor/lucky child finally finds out the meaning of his/her eally nice sounding?name, the results can be interesting, ironic, unfortunate or just sometimes hilarious. You can have a lot of fun thinking up family/friends names, finding out the meanings and trying to make a connection between the two. For example, my eldest brother Clive is apparently cliff dweller? which is coincidental, since he lives at the top of a very long steep hill! Or why not play the game with celebrities ?consider the following: Badu (as in r n singer Erykah Badu): African name meaning enth born child?Winona (as in actress Winona Ryder): Sioux name meaning irstborn daughter?Aaliyah (the late r n singer): Arabic name meaning igh, exalted?Hilary (as in actresses Duff/Swank): Latin name meaning heerful?Some cultures have very interesting traditions when it comes to baby name meanings. For example, Hindu names usually have connections with very positive things such as truth, beauty, happiness, blessings, etc, or one of the Hindu gods. In the Sikh culture, girls traditionally have the middle or surname aur? meaning rincess? whilst the boys have the middle or surname ingh? meaning ion? An African friend of mine once mentioned that many Africans are given a second name corresponding to the day of the week on which they were born. I think is a really nice tradition, but in my case, my middle name would be ondo?(born on Sunday)!! Hmmmm?Whatever type of name you have chosen, or are thinking about for your undle of joy? its worth doing a little research into the meaning. And it never been easier, with the wealth of Internet resources and books available, including my own site at www.all-about-baby-names.com, which is jam-packed with resources, tips and information on baby names, baby name meanings and baby products. Your search may yield some surprises; for example, the lovely-sounding name alory?is French and means ad luck? You could get round this by spelling it allory? but this means ithout good fortune?in Old German! Alternatively, you may end up a little confused by different meanings of the same name; for example eah?is a beautiful girl name, but what does it mean? Well??In Hebrew it means ow?or eary one??uugghhh! ?In Greek it means lad tidings??In Assyrian, it means istress, ruler?And a final warning: if you are planning to go for a funky, unusual-sounding name, be sure to avoid acia,??its Ugandan meaning is amily deaths ruined the home!?For more information and advice, check out the baby name meaning resources at www.all-about-baby-names.com. Enjoy your search and happy baby naming!
About the author:Michael Barrows is a web publisher specialising in niche marketing.
baby care
Speaking as a Michael (a Hebrew name, meaning ho is like God?, I really proud of my name. And I think that I ?mostly - live up to the title! Of course, my mother would probably disagree; I think the phrase ittle devil?would probably pass her lips if she was describing me during many stages of my childhood. But then, my mother has her own issues; apparently her name (Kathleen) is a Celtic name meaning little Darling? Hmmm, that isn the way I used to think about her during those regular occasions when she was punishing me for my ot like God?behaviour? And that the fun of baby name meanings ?parents make naming decisions based on many, many different reasons, including family traditions, religion, culture, uniqueness and t just sounds really nice.?But ?in the Western world ?we rarely do any real research into the history or real meaning of names. So when the poor/lucky child finally finds out the meaning of his/her eally nice sounding?name, the results can be interesting, ironic, unfortunate or just sometimes hilarious. You can have a lot of fun thinking up family/friends names, finding out the meanings and trying to make a connection between the two. For example, my eldest brother Clive is apparently cliff dweller? which is coincidental, since he lives at the top of a very long steep hill! Or why not play the game with celebrities ?consider the following: Badu (as in r n singer Erykah Badu): African name meaning enth born child?Winona (as in actress Winona Ryder): Sioux name meaning irstborn daughter?Aaliyah (the late r n singer): Arabic name meaning igh, exalted?Hilary (as in actresses Duff/Swank): Latin name meaning heerful?Some cultures have very interesting traditions when it comes to baby name meanings. For example, Hindu names usually have connections with very positive things such as truth, beauty, happiness, blessings, etc, or one of the Hindu gods. In the Sikh culture, girls traditionally have the middle or surname aur? meaning rincess? whilst the boys have the middle or surname ingh? meaning ion? An African friend of mine once mentioned that many Africans are given a second name corresponding to the day of the week on which they were born. I think is a really nice tradition, but in my case, my middle name would be ondo?(born on Sunday)!! Hmmmm?Whatever type of name you have chosen, or are thinking about for your undle of joy? its worth doing a little research into the meaning. And it never been easier, with the wealth of Internet resources and books available, including my own site at www.all-about-baby-names.com, which is jam-packed with resources, tips and information on baby names, baby name meanings and baby products. Your search may yield some surprises; for example, the lovely-sounding name alory?is French and means ad luck? You could get round this by spelling it allory? but this means ithout good fortune?in Old German! Alternatively, you may end up a little confused by different meanings of the same name; for example eah?is a beautiful girl name, but what does it mean? Well??In Hebrew it means ow?or eary one??uugghhh! ?In Greek it means lad tidings??In Assyrian, it means istress, ruler?And a final warning: if you are planning to go for a funky, unusual-sounding name, be sure to avoid acia,??its Ugandan meaning is amily deaths ruined the home!?For more information and advice, check out the baby name meaning resources at www.all-about-baby-names.com. Enjoy your search and happy baby naming!
About the author:Michael Barrows is a web publisher specialising in niche marketing.
baby care
Baby Bedding Wants Vs. Bedding Baby Needs
by: Beverly Marshall
If you walk into any baby store or online baby site you will find a multitude of styles and designs of baby bedding available. There is something for every nursery d嶰or ever thought of by a new mother. If it animals you want, there everything from apes to zebras. If you want an angel motif, there are a hundred styles of angels. If you want nursery rhymes, just pick one and you will find a matching motif. What about cartoon or Disney characters? You can find anything and everything when it comes to baby bedding. You will also find all of the pieces you want such as comforters, bumpers, dust ruffles, pillows and more. They are all matched and some of are the most luxurious you can find. So, now you see all this stuff and are tempted to buy. The cute patterns are obviously for the parents to enjoy because the baby doesn know the difference but what does the baby actually need? That a whole different story. If you are considering a bumper for the crib, this is a strip of padded cloth that is pretty or cute, but they are used to keep the baby from hitting their head against the bars of the crib. Some think bumpers will add to the risk of suffocation by pressing their face against the bumper. If the bumper is tightly fitted against the drib the possibilities of that happening are much less. Make sure all of the ribbons and ties are short and to the outside of the crib so there are no chances of getting entangled. Bottom sheets are sized for the crib with elastic corners and should fit snugly against the crib mattress. If the fit is correct they won't pop off and this also lessens the chance of suffocation. I would recommend leaving the top sheet at the store unless it comes as a set. Your baby only needs light blankets in the beginning and it is best if they are cotton. They also don need more covers or warmth than we do. We all know diapers leak at night so sheet protectors are a wonderful idea for the busy mom. A sheet protector is a piece of cloth with cotton on one side and waterproof on the other. If there is leakage at night, just pull one sheet protector off and put another one on. This will save you on laundry and time. You can do the same thing between two fitted sheets. Put the protector between the two so it protects the bottom sheet and the top one is easily peeled off if there is an accident. If you like, try the new heavier pajamas for baby so they will stay warm without kicking covers off. You only need a few outfits in the beginning. If you want perfectly white sheets, don't get too excited because colored would be best if you are trying to camouflage the inevitable staining that will happen. If you even think about buying a pillow, stop. There is no need for one for the baby. They aren safe, your baby can suffocate and they can really lift their heads enough to use one. It is found that babies sleep better when flat. In the early months babies will be constantly interrupted because their patterns are not yet established. It takes time for them to sleep without these interruptions and to fall back to sleep easily and quickly. When if comes to helping your baby sleep with the choice of baby bedding, consider safety to be the only true criteria. It doesn matter how cute the bedding set is if it doesn't fit right or isn't safe.
About the author:Beverly Marshall is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying bedding, duvet covers, bedspreads, mattresses, and more.
baby care
If you walk into any baby store or online baby site you will find a multitude of styles and designs of baby bedding available. There is something for every nursery d嶰or ever thought of by a new mother. If it animals you want, there everything from apes to zebras. If you want an angel motif, there are a hundred styles of angels. If you want nursery rhymes, just pick one and you will find a matching motif. What about cartoon or Disney characters? You can find anything and everything when it comes to baby bedding. You will also find all of the pieces you want such as comforters, bumpers, dust ruffles, pillows and more. They are all matched and some of are the most luxurious you can find. So, now you see all this stuff and are tempted to buy. The cute patterns are obviously for the parents to enjoy because the baby doesn know the difference but what does the baby actually need? That a whole different story. If you are considering a bumper for the crib, this is a strip of padded cloth that is pretty or cute, but they are used to keep the baby from hitting their head against the bars of the crib. Some think bumpers will add to the risk of suffocation by pressing their face against the bumper. If the bumper is tightly fitted against the drib the possibilities of that happening are much less. Make sure all of the ribbons and ties are short and to the outside of the crib so there are no chances of getting entangled. Bottom sheets are sized for the crib with elastic corners and should fit snugly against the crib mattress. If the fit is correct they won't pop off and this also lessens the chance of suffocation. I would recommend leaving the top sheet at the store unless it comes as a set. Your baby only needs light blankets in the beginning and it is best if they are cotton. They also don need more covers or warmth than we do. We all know diapers leak at night so sheet protectors are a wonderful idea for the busy mom. A sheet protector is a piece of cloth with cotton on one side and waterproof on the other. If there is leakage at night, just pull one sheet protector off and put another one on. This will save you on laundry and time. You can do the same thing between two fitted sheets. Put the protector between the two so it protects the bottom sheet and the top one is easily peeled off if there is an accident. If you like, try the new heavier pajamas for baby so they will stay warm without kicking covers off. You only need a few outfits in the beginning. If you want perfectly white sheets, don't get too excited because colored would be best if you are trying to camouflage the inevitable staining that will happen. If you even think about buying a pillow, stop. There is no need for one for the baby. They aren safe, your baby can suffocate and they can really lift their heads enough to use one. It is found that babies sleep better when flat. In the early months babies will be constantly interrupted because their patterns are not yet established. It takes time for them to sleep without these interruptions and to fall back to sleep easily and quickly. When if comes to helping your baby sleep with the choice of baby bedding, consider safety to be the only true criteria. It doesn matter how cute the bedding set is if it doesn't fit right or isn't safe.
About the author:Beverly Marshall is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying bedding, duvet covers, bedspreads, mattresses, and more.
baby care
Baby Acne
by: Jackie G. Maxwell
One of the most common conditions a new mother may see on her infant, is baby acne. But while it is startling in so young a child, it's really not a serious issue, nor should you be overly concerned about the causes or cures. Some babies when born, may have small red bumps on their face. This is not baby acne, but something called ilia? which usually disappears in a couple of weeks. On the other hand, the acne will appear around that same two week period, and show itself as small white heads, sometimes surrounded by red, irritated skin on the cheeks, chin, forehead and even the back. In teenagers and even adults, acne is blamed on hormones and excessively oily skin. To some extent this is true of infants also, with hormones transmitted through the placenta, often being blamed for the facial spots. However, science has no real idea of the cause, and there is normally no treatment for the few weeks a child will have it. Because the baby acne appears on areas of the face where they may have spit up, rubbed against sheets washed in harsh detergent, or drooled, it can become slightly aggravated, but that extra irritation will go away by changing your laundry soap, and wiping their face with a damp cloth when needed. It is not advisable to try home remedies such as creams or oil, as these will only irritate the skin further. As a rule, nothing more is needed than washing once a day with mild baby soap. In some cases where the baby acne appears to get significantly worse, your doctor may prescribe a cream or other medication. He will also check at the same time, to see if a breastfeeding mother is taking any medication that may have triggered the acne through her milk.
About the author:Jackie G. Maxwell is the resident baby & toddler expert at Malcolm
baby care
One of the most common conditions a new mother may see on her infant, is baby acne. But while it is startling in so young a child, it's really not a serious issue, nor should you be overly concerned about the causes or cures. Some babies when born, may have small red bumps on their face. This is not baby acne, but something called ilia? which usually disappears in a couple of weeks. On the other hand, the acne will appear around that same two week period, and show itself as small white heads, sometimes surrounded by red, irritated skin on the cheeks, chin, forehead and even the back. In teenagers and even adults, acne is blamed on hormones and excessively oily skin. To some extent this is true of infants also, with hormones transmitted through the placenta, often being blamed for the facial spots. However, science has no real idea of the cause, and there is normally no treatment for the few weeks a child will have it. Because the baby acne appears on areas of the face where they may have spit up, rubbed against sheets washed in harsh detergent, or drooled, it can become slightly aggravated, but that extra irritation will go away by changing your laundry soap, and wiping their face with a damp cloth when needed. It is not advisable to try home remedies such as creams or oil, as these will only irritate the skin further. As a rule, nothing more is needed than washing once a day with mild baby soap. In some cases where the baby acne appears to get significantly worse, your doctor may prescribe a cream or other medication. He will also check at the same time, to see if a breastfeeding mother is taking any medication that may have triggered the acne through her milk.
About the author:Jackie G. Maxwell is the resident baby & toddler expert at Malcolm
baby care
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