A baby shower used to be an  a ladies party.  Maybe, the new dad came at the very end with a bouquet of flowers  for his mate. Now, more and more people are having a couples baby shower. The shower event is more like a giant cocktail party with hors douevres and drinks and , of course, presents for the new baby.The most popular gift at any baby shower is still a baby blanket. Sometimes, this baby shower has a unique purpose ; it is the place to announce the sex of the new baby and the presence of a baby blanket as part of the decoration has a deeper meaning.

There are clever ways that the baby’s sex is revealed to the friends and family at the party. Sometimes, the cake is rolled out, and the color of the cake indicates the baby’s sex. Sometimes, the favors are pink or blue. Sometimes there are  pink or blue booties on the table. Our favorite way to announce baby’s gender is to display baby’s first blanket. If the baby blanket is blue; then the baby is a boy and if the blanket is pink; of course, it is a girl.  Revealing baby’s gender at a baby shower gets more complicated if the mother is having twins. Then she needs to display two items in the appropriate colors.

If you are invited to a baby shower where the baby’s sex is still a secret, what do you bring as a gift? We still think at namelynewborns that some form of baby blanket is the best baby gift.

There are so many uses for blankets , that the new mom can never have enough. Babies need the following types of blankets.

Security blankets or blankees are available in many gender neutral designs with cute animal heads; lambs, bunnies, giraffes, elephants, ducks are all perfect for baby and don’t need to be pink or blue.

Swaddling blankets can be eco friendly in muslim and large enough to nurse baby or cover his stroller. They can be small and soft to lswaddle the baby at night or small enough to be rolled tightly to prop baby up so he will not roll over when he is placed on his back to sleep. Many popular patterns have jungle or bug themes and are totally gender neutral.

Tummy Time Blankets are usually large enough to provide a soft space for tummy time or to provide a germ free environment in the public bathroom when changing baby. Bright  primary colors are perfect for this type of blanket because this baby blanket  doesn’t have to match a crib or nursery. It’s only function is to be soft and practical.

Stroller Blankets should be no larger than 24 by 34 so that they don’t drag when you stroll baby. Most strollers are gray, black, orange, or blue . Buy a stroller blanket that will look sharp in these neutral strollers. These blankets can also be used in the carseat.

Crib Blankets are the one type of blanket that should really match the nursery. If you know the color of the room , try to find a blanket that matches. If the room color is a secret and you still want to buy a crib blanket ;here is our favorite tip. Hint: brown has become the new neutral and most nurseries are combinations of pink and brown for girls and blue and brown for boys. Also, you can never go wrong with a whitebaby  blanket.

Sleep is very Important to the New Baby

 
Baby should always sleep on his back. Use several swaddling or receiving blankets to position baby. This position keeps her safe while she sleeps
and greatly reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). At this stage
Baby may be able to roll from her stomach to her side, but  is not yet strong
enough to roll from her back to her side or her stomach. If your baby does roll onto
her stomach in her first few weeks, reposition her on her back. Stack the swaddling blankets on both sides of her to create a wall so that she can’t roll over.

Help your baby develop good sleep habits by establishing a consistent bedtime
routine. About an hour before bed, begin soothing activities, such as feeding him,
putting on his pajamas, and reading or singing to him. When he becomes familiar with
these rituals, he’ll know it’s time to sleep.

Helping your baby develop safe, healthy sleep habits is a learning process for both
of you. According to Priyanka Yadav, D.O., pediatric sleep medicine specialist at
Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, New Jersey, one of the most important things
you can do is to learn to recognize when your little one is sleepy. For example,
your baby may rub her eyes or become fussy or irritable.

If Baby always rubs her eyes when she’s drowsy, for example, or if she becomes fussy
or irritable, you’ll know it’s time to get her ready for bed. This will help Baby
get the sleep she needs, when she needs it.

To help your baby learn to fall asleep on his own, put him to bed when he’s drowsy,
but before he falls asleep. This will train him to fall asleep in his crib and not
in your arms. Your baby will also learn to soothe himself back to sleep instead of
being rocked or held, which means more restful, uninterrupted sleep for you.
According to Dr. Guzman, your little one will be less likely to suffer from insomnia
or other sleep problems as he grows older if he learns to fall asleep on his own
from a young age.