Online Tips On How To Care For That New Bundle Of Joy (NAPSA)—Since babies don’t come with a care manual, new parents often rely on the experience of others for answers. Advice and tips from knowledgeable sources can provide a lifeline for first time parents. As a salute to these heroes and heroines of the nursery, there’s now a new, free compilation of the best infant care tips showcasing their wisdom, humorand insights available online at a Web site for a laundry product created for infants. This collection, available at www.dreft.com, contains tips submitted from across the nation as part of a recent search for baby care pearls of wisdom. If you’re facing a new bundle of joy for the first time without personal experience to draw upon, here are some recommended tips to make baby care a breeze: Before Baby Arrives: * Prepare as many meals for your family in advance that your freezer can hold. * Take advantage of your babysitter-less status before the newborn arrives. It could be a while before you can catch the latest blockbuster or go to your favorite restaurant. * Before your baby even comes homefor the first time, be sure to wash everything that might touch baby’s skin. This includes baby clothes and undergarments (t- >) e A If you’re facing a new bundle of joy for the first time, don’t be afraid to profit from the experienceof others. shirts, bodysuits, socks, pants, sleepwear); towels and washcloths; bibs; bedding (bumperpads, sheets, blankets, comforters—even your own, if you plan to co-sleep); receiving blankets, lap pads and burp cloths; car seat, stroller and playpen fabrics; and last, but certainly not least, your clothing that baby could come into contact with such as shirts, blouses, camisoles and nursing bras. When Baby Comes Home: * Be sure to sleep whenever your baby naps, if at all possible. It might seem like a good time to catch up on dishes or to vacuum, but you need your rest in order to be a good parent. * Enlist the help of family and friends who offer, whether it is for housework, cooking or other things. * Inform family and friends when you don’t want to be disturbed, and that you'll be in touch very soon to provide updates on your bundle ofjoy. * Prepare a place to feed the baby with a glass of water for yourself, pillow to support the baby whether breast- or bottle-feeding, and lots of burp cloths nearby. * Send your babyoff to dreamland as safely as possible by putting baby down to sleep on his or her back, not tummy. Research indicates that the back-to-sleep position could reduce the risk of SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Melissa Stark, a memberof the national media with sideline reporting experience for ABC Sports’ NFL “Monday Night Football” now finds herself calling the plays with a new baby. She has helped kick off a contest called “Dreft Moms’ Wrap Your Baby in Generations of Trust” to provide new parents and parents-to-be with a free resource for baby care. Said Stark, “I’m depending on the experienced mothers I know for guidance. From tips on the best way to calm a cranky baby to learning how to manage my schedule, tried-and-true advice is invaluable to me.” “Dreft is proud to be one of the sources moms have turned to for 70 years for the answer to clean baby laundry that is gentle on tender baby skin,” said Teresa Bello, Dreft brand manager. To learn more, visit www.dreft.com.
