Learn to Photograph Babies and Capture Those Special Moments

Unless a baby is sound asleep, taking a picture of a baby is not easy. However, if you can manage to develop enough patience to capture your baby in an unforgettable pose, the picture can be extremely valuable.

Photographs like this will be treasured for years and years and hold special meaning for you as well as your children. You will find out just how valuable these pictures are when your teenager brings home someone special for you to meet. You may have read an article about children photography and have the belief that the same techniques that are used to photograph children will work as well when photographing babies. Is this is what you think, you had better reconsider. There are some special considerations needed when photographing infants and toddlers and you will quickly understand why once you try to do it. As babies grow older they start to understand your wishes and will usually respond accordingly. This definitely makes taking those pictures much easier. An infant or baby up to twelve months old will have no idea what you mean when you ask them to "say cheese".

From birth to twelve months of age, infants go through a number of stages of growth. Often, capturing the perfect pose will largely depend on the stage the baby is in. We are going to take a closer look at baby photography and the best techniques to use at each stage of growth.

Birth to 10 weeks - Take full advantage of the photography opportunities you have at this stage because it gets harder later on. Babies at this age will not move around to much and spend almost all their time either lying on their stomachs or backs or held in your arms. You will get the best possible head shot of your infant if he or she lies on their back. Point the camera toward your baby's beautiful little head and start snapping.

10 weeks to 6 months - At this point, babies are fully capable of holding their heads up themselves and this makes a huge difference when taking pictures. Babies at this age are known to roll over frequently, flipping from their stomach to their back. Babies are now more aware of their surroundings and like to reach out to things. You can get great shots by getting their attention right before you take a picture. To do this, casually play with something that interests your baby and quickly pull the object toward the camera without blocking the lens. If this trick works as planned, your angel will focus his or her attention on the object and therefore the camera, providing a perfect shot. You can try teasing a smile out of your baby by gently tickling the lips with a plush toy before you pull it away.

6 months to 9 months - By the time your baby has reached this age, he or she will be able to sit up without any help, crawl, and stand with the support of a chair or table. A baby's behavior is rather unpredictable at this phase. They can go from laughing, to crying, to a full-blown tantrum in a matter of seconds. You will have probably learned to handle the camera well by now which is a good thing because you will have to do your work as quickly as possible. You can try the tickle trick, but its success will likely be rather short-lived.

9 months to 12 months - Your precious baby has certainly come a long way. He or she is no longer restricted to wriggling around on their back. Once a baby has reached this stage it will be very aware of its surroundings and will try to investigate everything. Babies at this age demand a lot of attention from you so you will have to be able to play while snapping those pictures. One very easy game that all babies love is the classic "peek-a-boo". Playing this well loved game will surely provide you with some twinkling eyes and gorgeous smiles.

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Family Activities Don't Have to Cost Money Just Your Time

There are a many books, discussions and video about what to do with the family. Some people take the advice in stride, others are overwhelmed by all the information and still others don't care much at all about family activities. There are those many of us are already familiar. You know the ones where you visit grandma, grandpa and relatives. However, there are other family activities that don't require visiting anyone or spending much if any money.

Take walk around the local neighborhood.

Sometimes we are so busy going in and out of the neighborhood that we don't take the time to really look at our community, nature, and speak to neighbors. Take frequent strolls around the neighborhood and point out things along the way to your child. Ask about the color, shape, and texture. If you have a faith, use this time to teach your child about the things people didn't create like the sky, wind, trees, flowers and more. If you have older children, take the time to talk to them about life experiences and ask how they feel about the way things are going in their lives, what their plans are in the future, and what has been happening lately with their friends.

Draw pictures with your children.

Little ones enjoy learning new things. Utilize this time to show them how to make a face, paint, or illustrate something very unique. If you have experience using various software programs, take the time to teach your older ones how to make some interesting creative pieces.

Invite them to help you spring clean.

Going through old things is a great way to get children involved in family history. Tell the little ones a few stories while holding up your keepsakes while allowing them to look at the items closely. You can explain why some things are worth keeping and why other things you rather do away with. Show your older children how to make signs to sell your old wares, teach them how to list on eBay, or Twitter the stuff you are trying to sell.

List more interesting activities to do with your family that cost nothing but your time. Note your plans on a calendar and stick to them.

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Allergic Children - 5 Common Allergens That Trigger Pediatric Allergies

Allergies, or the body's overreaction to a substance that it mistakenly views as dangerous, can trigger allergic reactions in children that range from mild to life threatening. A specific protein is usually at the root of the problem even though the triggers may vary. Here are 5 common allergy triggers to which your child is most often exposed, and some tips for managing them.

Food - An increasing number of children have allergies that are food related and the most common foods seem to be peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, eggs, milk, cheese, crab, lobster, fish, and soybeans. With such a wide variety of possible products, one of the best ways to determine which foods cause problems is to keep a food diary. Then should an allergic reaction occur, you have a record of what was eaten and can better pinpoint the food that may possibly be causing a problem for your child.

Try avoiding the suspect food and make a note if there is no further occurrence. If there is another occurrence, continue on by eliminating other foods that may possibly contain the allergen. Involve your pediatrician in the process, and get advice for developing an emergency plan should you need it.

Pet Dander - 80 million American homes have pets as part of the family. Is there any wonder that pet dander is a common allergy trigger for children? Dander is invisible to the human eye and the protein in the dander can also be found in the pet's saliva, and urine. Pet hair can also attract dander which is sticky, and so just rubbing a pet's coat can cause a reaction.

If your pet pre-dates your child and there is a problem try bathing your pet to get rid of the dander, but consult your vet first. Make your child's room off limits to the pet, wash clothes and linens frequently to remove any dander that might have found its way into the room. Use a high efficiency particle arresting air purifier to provide an extra layer of protection against airborne dander that often attaches to other airborne pollutants in your home.

Environment - Seasonal allergies to tree, grass, and weed pollen are tough to avoid, particularly during the peak of the season. Curtail outdoor activities on dry windy days when pollen is more able to spread. Plan outdoor activities for days when the pollen count is low, and if possible avoid the outdoors during early morning hours when pollen counts are generally higher.

Keep your child's school informed of allergies, write a note on days when it is not advisable for your child to be outdoors, and if necessary get a note from a doctor to have on file should questions arise. Make sure all of your child's care givers have emergency contact numbers, and a clear procedure to follow should an emergency arise.

Insect Sting - Wasps, Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Black Flies and other insects can pose a serious threat to those who are allergic. Symptoms that often indicate your child's body is in overdrive are extended swelling, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, and headache. Should these symptoms occur, seek immediate medical attention. Afterwards, make a follow up appointment with your pediatrician, and ask about an Epipen that could be used in emergencies to counteract the severe and sometimes life threatening symptoms.

If in fact your child does have a sting allergy, find out all you can about the insect, when and where it is most prevalent, and help your child avoid places and activities that might expose your child to it.

Household - Pollutants such as household dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, pollen, bacteria, and viruses are present in the cleanest of homes. They are a constant aggravation and irritation to an allergic child. Many of these irritants are too small to be seen, but your child's body knows they are there and produces histamines as a reaction which often presents as a runny nose, congestion, sneezing, coughing, dark smudges under the eyes, and an overall lack of energy.

One of the best ways to combat these invisible airborne triggers is to constantly eliminate them with a high efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) air purifier that, by definition, can remove sub micron particles as small as .3 microns. And even though you may not be able to see the difference, your child's body will feel the difference.

By Debbie Davis

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Tips to Manage High Fever in Children

Temperature more than 102°F - 103°F in children is considered as high fever. Cold sponging of the body and head is of paramount importance in small children as they can get convulsions (fits) during high fever.

If the baby has a fit during fever, lay him on the stomach over a pillow to prevent choking. Vomiting during a fit can cause the secretion to go into the lungs.

During such a fit, arms and legs will shake with jerky movements and the child might go blue in the face. The fit lasts for a few seconds.

Call your doctor and while waiting for medical help, try to reduce the body temperature by cold water sponging.

During high fever, remove the clothes and starts sponging the body with cold water. Put a napkin soaked in cold water on the forehead every five minutes. Sponge the arms, front of chest, abdomen and back frequently. You can keep the fan running while sponging, if required.

Important: Ice cold water can be used for the sponging of the head. Do not apply ice cold water to large areas of the body and the abdomen, as it may cause chills and discomfort to the child.

One tablet of Paracetamol can be taken every 3-4 hours till the temperature comes down. In children (1-5 years) Paracetamol Syrup, two teaspoonfuls every 3-4 hours can be given safely. In very small children ½ teaspoonful or 8-10 drops of Paracetamol should be given.

Do not cover the patient with heavy blanks or put on too many clothes during high fever. One bed sheet over a shirt is enough.

Give plenty of cold water sips and fresh water to the child during high fever, It will help to bring down the temperature very fast.

Remember: If you do not give water to the child the temperature will not come down in spite of the best medicines.

Noting the temperature every 5-10 minutes is useless. Every half an hour is ideal during high fever.

Diet During Fever: Mostly liquid diet like plain water, fruit juices, milk, tea, coffee, besides bread, cornflakes, porridge and various soups can be given. Avoid heavy, fried and spicy foods. If there is vomiting, wait for 1-2 hours and then give food. Breast feeding can be done during fever.

By Gopal Tripathi

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