Happy New Year

The Baby Loft wishes you a Happy 2009!

The Baby Loft Singapore is officially launched!!

Visit our new Singapore online store for 10% off all products, in December only!!

Singapore store coming soon...

Shhh...yes you heard it here...The Baby Loft is opening an online store for our Singapore shoppers, stay tuned for the official launch!!!

DivaMom nursing tanks available in new colors!

You loved our classic black...now you can get DivaMom nursing tanks in brand new colors and designs! Psst..psst...limited time 10% off sale going on too :)

Visit our Desa Parkcity store or shop online to get them quick

Baby Signing Class

Baby Signing Course
"Sign, Say & Play"

A registered Baby Signs® 6-week class for baby and parent, starting Nov 9 2008. Email us to register.

Join us at Midvalley Parenthood Expo this weekend!

THE BABY LOFT
will be at

Parenthood Expo

Opening Times :
Friday 22nd August 2008 : 10.30am to 9pm
Saturday 23rd August 2008 : 10.30am to 9pm
Sunday 24th August 2008 : 10.30am to 8.30pm

Mid Valley Convention Centre
BOOTH 20

Join us :) and see you soon!

Travel safely with your baby

Are you going to be flying with your baby? One of the biggest travel concern from parents is the safety of their child. The Baby B'Air Flight Vest is one way to put your child in a safer environment for the flight. In U.S., Baby B'Air is currently meeting with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to expand the use of the vest for the entire flight, including taxi and takeoff. You can find out more about the flight vest in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_SEAq1pQVs

The Flight Vest is available in our Desa Parkcity boutique in KL, or online in our Malaysia or U.S. store.

One woman's view on babywearing...

An excerpt from an article in the Times Free Press:

...In these days of constant balancing acts most mothers play, I already know I want something more simple. I’m sure I’ve idealized the whole process, but I have fantasies of toting a baby on my back while I go about my chores, mashing up real bananas for my tiny tot to eat and giving him or her therapeutic massage.

I spoke with a young woman the other day who was “wearing” her baby in a cloth wrap just like women in more traditional cultures do. As we talked, she told me about her Attachment Parenting International (API) group. In short, attachment parenting involves going back to more traditional ways of nurturing babies and infants...

By: Tabi Upton
Read more at http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/10/upton-parenting-strategies-today/

You can get your sling or pouch today...
~ Products: Baby carriers come in several styles and fabrics. Choose yours to fit your preferences...

Ring Sling - versatile to carry baby in different positions, adjustable for mommy and daddy to share, doubles as a blanket or nursing cover.

Pouch - easy to use with no buckles or rings to fumble with, reversible design, choose cotton for daily use or fashionable silk

Peanut Butter & Jelly Flower sandwiches!!

Make your daily meals fun for your little ones again...they'll think it's a new treat but it's really just your good old PB&J!

These cute sandwiches made with peanut butter and jelly (or cream cheese and jelly, or any other fillings) are perfect for parties, lunch boxes, or snacks. RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Bread
Peanut butter or cream cheese
Jelly or jam
Water bottle cap

1. For each sandwich, cut two slices of bread into flower shapes with a cookie cutter.

2. Cut a hole in one of the slices by pressing a water bottle cap into the center.

3. Spread the peanut butter and jelly on the whole piece and place the slice with the hole on top.

Courtesy of FamilyFun magazine

Set up a Gift Registry for multiple stores

My Gift List offers a free private, universal gift registry. You can add products from multiple vendors for your baby, wedding, birthday, etc.

Many of our customers have included The Baby Loft items in their registry, simply include the TBL site product URL when you set up the registry!

What to pack for the hospital...

Giving birth is an exciting time...get your hospital bag packed early...then sit back and enjoy the process!

- 1 set of comfy clothes for yourself for the day you come home (maternity clothes work fine, and don't forget a set of nursing bra and big comfy undies)
- 1 set of pajamas for daddy
- Socks
- Slippers
- Lip balm
- Lotion
- Toothbrush and toothpaste for both mommy and daddy
- Toiletries for both mommy and daddy (facial wash, moisturizer, etc)
- Hair brush and hair ties (if you have long hair)
- Phone numbers for family
- Phone numbers for doctors, insurance company
- Books to keep yourself entertained while you are recovering
- Snacks and plenty of water, for daddy to munch on while he waits and between meals for mommy
- Nursing privacy cover for the times when you have guests while baby is feeding (or use your baby sling instead)
- Clothes to wear at the hospital (most mommies prefer to stay in hospital gowns...if you bring your own, make sure they are big and comfy, and easy to access for nursing)
- 2 sets of baby clothes for the day baby comes home (in case baby has a boo-boo before he/she heads out)
- Baby sling to carry baby
- Baby blanket
- Car seat for baby
- Camera!!

Any other things that worked for you? Send your comments along!

Update for Malaysians in Motion, see Adrian in a LOFTSling

Remember our friends Ghani, Alison and 3-year-old Adrian? They started their journey on May 1 in Europe. The pictures are amazing, they have immersed themselves into the each culture and are meeting interesting local folks.

Alison continues to carry Adrian in a ring sling, take a look...
Adrian taking a nap on Mommy's shoulder
Adrian carried on Mommy's back to walk up a steep slope (on 24th May 2008)

Remember the sling can carry up to 18kg so even your toddler can continue to use it like Adrian, get your sling at The Baby Loft.

Gestational diabetes ups obesity risk in offspring

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children born to mothers who developed diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to be overweight or obese than their peers, according to a new study.

However, treatment of so-called gestational diabetes reduces the risk.

Dr. Teresa A. Hillier and her colleagues studied nearly 10,000 mother-child pairs enrolled in Kaiser Permanente plans in Hawaii and in the Pacific Northwest during the period from 1995 to 2000. Women with preexisting diabetes were excluded.

Follow-up with the children 5 to 7 years later revealed a significant association between their weight and their mothers' blood glucose levels when tested during pregnancy, the researchers report in the medical journal Diabetes Care.

Specifically, a child was 28 percent more likely to be overweight or obese when the glucose level of the mother during pregnancy was in the top range rather than the lowest.

According to Hillier's team, the trend remained significant after factoring in maternal weight gain, maternal age, number of pregnancies, ethnicity, and birth weight.

However, further analysis showed that the risk of obesity was not significantly increased among children born to mothers with treated gestational diabetes.

"Our results suggest that 'metabolic imprinting' of the future child for obesity occurs with one or more abnormalities on an oral glucose tolerance test," Hillier and her associates conclude. "The risk is modifiable by treating gestational diabetes."

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, September 2007.

How to use a Prefold diaper?

Prefolds are easy to use, these cloth diapers are prefolded. It just needs to be pinned via normal dritz pins, snappis or folded into a waterproof diaper cover that will transform it as an all-in-one diaper. It can also be used as a soaker with a diaper cover, or a pocket-diaper for a waterproof experience.

Click on the images below to see detailed instructions for using prefolds
A. For use in the Aplix / Snap diaper or a Diaper Cover
B. Angel Wing Fold
C. Navel defence (for newborn)
D. Night Time Doubler
E. Daytime Doubler
F. Bikini Twist (for baby with heavy thigh)






Prefolds available at The Baby Loft

Celebrity moms talk about parenting...

A few awesome snippets of parenting from Kate Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Helen Hunt, Thandie Newton, Salma Hayek...in many ways celebrities have the same joys and worries just like us...

"I'm very impatient. I like to get things done. I move fast. Patience has been something he's teaching me" - Kate Hudson

"You can't believe you have this without a license, without any training. You learn as you go" - Sigourney Weaver

"they'll do what you do and not what you say" - Helen Hunt

"I remember the first time Ripley saw her shadow. My god. It was like shadows had just been invented." - Thandie Newton

"I relearned how to love everything around me, too." - Salma Hayek

Read the full story at:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20080508/d_celebmoms08.art.htm

My Little Green Secrets

Thank you for all your wonderful entries, the contest is now closed, and Wai will be receiving a gift voucher from The Baby Loft. Thanks to your wonderful little green secrets, we have decided to keep this an ongoing segment, so we can all continue to find new ways to keep our planet healthy for our children and their children. You may continue to submit your entries to blog@thebabyloft.com
******
Winner of My Little Green Secret
We can wrap gifts with natural and reusable materials. For example, we can reuse wrappers given by others or we can make use of cloth as wrappers. When we give cooking utensils or ingredients(dried herbs or etc) to our friends who love cooking, we can wrap it with apron or table cloth. It's like a gift within gift. Marvelous! - Wai
~~~
Over the last year, when my bulb blows out, we go and buy an energy saving bulb to replace it. Now we use less energy with that same lamp. It's a very gradual change but it reduces our monthly electric bill and it's good for the environment - Amy
~~~
When we have to save leftover food in the fridge, we cover it with another plate or put it in a washable container. Never use Cling Wrap or Ziploc bags unless you have to! - Lee Min
~~~
I put a fold-able cloth shopping bag in my handbag and in my car so that whenever I am out doing shopping or marketing I can make use of it instead of using plastic bag. - Molly
~~~
I try to use more energy-saving tools or items in my daily usage. For example, in my house, we use only enerygy-saving lights bulbs. I also make use of multi-level steamer which can cook the rice, and steam dishes at the same time which save me money and time and it is healthier way than frying in oil. My husband also bought me a very good thermal pot which cut my cooking time to more than half. I use it to cook my baby's porridge which reduces the cooking time from 30mins to 10mins and it keeps it warm until she is ready for her meal. I use it a lot for making soups and hot desserts as well. Good investment and good for the earth. - Molly
~~~
One simple thing that requires no effort...we print on both sides of the paper. The printer is never loaded with paper, the paper to reuse is right next to the printer. If someone in the family needs to print something for formal use, they actually have to reach in the drawer to get clean paper. - Steven
~~~
I try to live a more earth-friendly way when I choose a new job nearer to my workplace so that I can carpool with my husband as well as use less petrol. Even though the job pay lesser than the other job offer, I find it worthwhile as it also lessens the stress of being caught in a traffic jam, not to mention higher car petrol bill. - Bang Ai
~~~
Although the best thing is to not use any plastics, most of us cannot live without it. I learned that even though you can recycle a lot of plastic products, the lower the number printed at the bottom, the more likely it can be recycled. - Georgia
~~~
I gather all recycled paper, envelopes, plastic bags, bottles, containers, clothes neatly so that it is easier to locate, use or give away. - Molly
~~~
Technology has helped us to be more environmental-friendly. Whenever possible, I would use E-cards, E-mails, E-statements, and etc. I pay my bills online, I get my utilities companies sent my statement electronically, use E-filing for my income tax and in my company we try to go paperless as possible in our documentations, notices, forms etc. This help to reduce the amount of papers we used. - Lim
~~~
My whole family practice vegetarianism. I think this is a good way to help the environment by being a vegetarian as the it helps to reduce animal agriculture which can contributes to global warming and environmental destruction. I think everyone can do the same, starting with perhaps one meal per day or one day in every week for a start. :) - Molly
~~~
I bring my own thermos mug to get my daily coffee from Starbucks or Coffee Bean, so we throw away one less paper cup. - Emily
~~~
It is nice to have a vase of fresh plant / flower in the bathroom. So, I use old glass Nescafe container for this purpose. The shape of the container is quite nice. And some more, it’s free. I have 3 bathrooms in the house, so I save more money there :) - Zarita
~~~
I unplug all my chargers when I am not using them. Supposedly even if you have nothing turned on or actively charging, it is still leaking electricity. It reduces your bill and saves money too - D'Lynn

BabyLegs...from Hollywood to your home

We started off getting BabyLegs for my little ones to easily keep their arms/legs warm when we get into an air-conditioned room. Now we've found so many new ways to wear BabyLegs, even for Daddy and Mommy! It is versatile and fun, and we decided to share it with all our friends at TBL too.

Most popular for babies and toddlers, celebrity moms and dads have been fans of BabyLegs for their little ones since the company’s 2005 debut. Mira Sorvino, Keri Russell, Halle Berry, Dr. Drew, Angie Harmon, Sheryl Crow, Adam Corolla, Holly Robinson-Peete, Angela Bassett, Tia Carrere and Diane Farr are just a few of the celebrity moms and dads smitten with BabyLegs!

BabyLegs is now available at The Baby Loft:
Malaysia Store
US Store

Despite myth, old age is the happiest time, research says

This article makes me look forward to aging gracefully :)

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO (AP) -- Newsflash for rock stars and teenagers: It turns out everything doesn't go downhill as we age -- the golden years really are golden.

That's according to eye-opening research in the U.S. that found the happiest people are the oldest, and older adults are more socially active than the stereotype of the lonely senior suggests.

The two go hand-in-hand -- being social can help keep away the blues.

"The good news is that with age comes happiness," said study author Yang Yang, a University of Chicago sociologist. "Life gets better in one's perception as one ages."

A certain amount of distress in old age is inevitable, including aches, pains and deaths of loved ones and friends. But older people generally have learned to be more content with what they have than younger adults, Yang said.

This is partly because older people have learned to lower their expectations and accept their achievements, said Duke University aging expert Linda George. An older person may realize "it's fine that I was a schoolteacher and not a Nobel prize winner."

George, who was not involved in the new study, believes the research is important because the general public continues to think that "late life is far from the best stage of life, and they don't look forward to it."

Yang's findings are based on periodic face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of Americans from 1972 to 2004. About 28,000 people aged 18 to 88 took part.

There were ups and downs in overall happiness levels during the study, generally corresponding with good and bad economic times. But at every stage, older Americans were the happiest.

While younger blacks and poor people tended to be less happy than whites and wealthier people, those differences faded as people aged.

In general, the odds of being happy increased 5 percent with every 10 years of age.

Overall, about 33 percent of Americans reported being very happy at age 88, versus about 24 percent of those age 18 to their early 20s. And throughout the study years, most Americans reported being very happy or pretty happy; less than 20 percent said they were not too happy.

A separate University of Chicago study found that about 75 percent of people aged 57 to 85 engage in one or more social activities at least every week. Those include socializing with neighbors, attending religious services, volunteering or going to group meetings.

Those in their 80s were twice as likely as those in their 50s to do at least one of these activities.

Both studies appear in April's American Sociological Review.

"People's social circles do tend to shrink a little as they age -- that is mainly where that stereotype comes from, but that image of the isolated elderly really falls apart when we broaden our definition of what social connection is," said study co-author Benjamin Cornwell, also a University of Chicago researcher.

The research rings true for 81-year-old George O'Hare, a retired Sears manager in Willowbrook, Illinois. He's active with church, AARP and does motivational speaking, too. His wife is still living, and he's close to his three sons and four grandchildren.

"I'm very happy because I've made friends that are still living," O'Hare said. "I like to go out and speak in schools about motivation."

"Happiness is getting out and being with people, and that's why I recommend it," he said.

Ilse Siegler, an 84-year-old retired nurse manager in Chicago, has a slightly different perspective. Her husband died 35 years ago; she still misses him everyday.

She has vision problems and has slowed down with age. Yet, she still swims, runs a social group in her condo building, volunteers in a retirement home and is active with her temple. These all help "make life more enjoyable," she said.

While Siegler said these aren't the happiest years of her life, she's content.

"Contentment as far as I'm concerned comes with old age ... because you accept things the way they are," she said. "You know that nothing is perfect."

Cornwell's nationally representative study was based on in-home interviews with 3,005 people in 2005-06. While it didn't include nursing home residents, only about 4 percent of Americans aged 75 to 84 are in nursing homes, Cornwell said.

It's all good news for the aging population. However, Yang's study also found that baby boomers were the least happy. They could end up living the unfortunate old-age stereotype if they can't let go of their achievement-driven mind-set, said George, the Duke aging expert.

So far, baby boomers -- those born in the late 40s and 50s as soldiers returned from World War II -- aren't lowering their aspirations at the same rate earlier generations did. "They still seem to believe that they should have it all," George said. "They're still thinking about having a retirement that's going to let them do everything they haven't done yet."

Previous research also has shown that mid-life tends to be the most stressful time, said Cornell University sociologist Elaine Wethington. "Everyone's asking you to do things, and you have a lot to do. You're less happy because you feel hassled."

The new studies show "if you can make it through that," there's light at the end of the tunnel, Wethington said.

Jolie-Pitts ride in MacLaren stroller

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie take their daughters Zahara and Shiloh for a walk in a MacLaren Twin stroller.



Now you can get a MacLaren stroller at The Baby Loft too, buy on our online store, or come into our Desa Parkcity boutique to try the strollers first!

Positions for wearing a baby ring sling

The Cradle Hold
This hold is most popular for newborns, but can also be used with an older child or a nursing baby.

Pull the inner fabric up on your chest, creating a "pocket" for your baby to sit in. Place your child in the sling with his feet on the side with the rings. (slings can also be used with the child's head on the same side as the rings. Either way is fine; it all comes down to what is more comfortable for you and your baby.) When the baby is comfortably in the sling with his head either inside or outside the sling (again, whatever is more comfortable for your child) pull the tail of the sling to tighten it. You can make the sling fit more snugly by adjusting the top and bottom rail independently.

Vertical Position
After pulling all the material around your back tightly, put your baby inside the sling with his bottom resting on the bottom rail, his tummy against yours, and his head resting on your upper chest. Holding him securely with your left hand, pull the fabric around him tightly, holding all of the slack between your hand and the rings. Gently tighten the sling with the top rail covering or mostly covering his head. This is for a newborn carry; a baby with head control will not need his head covered by the sling but may still enjoy the vertical position.

Kangaroo Carry
This position works best with younger babies who have head control. Put on your sling and create a pocket as if you were planning to use it in the cradle position. Cross your baby's legs ("Indian Style") and place the baby inside sitting up with his back against your chest. While supporting your baby's weight, pull on the tail to tighten the sling.

Front Carry
Put your child in the sling facing sideways; he will be facing the rings. Be sure the bottom rail comes out to your child's knees. If your child is restless or tired, you can place his arms inside the sling. Tighten the sling until your child is secure.

Hip Carry
This is an excellent position for heavy toddlers because your hip is used to support your child's weight. Put your child in your sling resting on your hip with your child's legs straddling you. The bottom of the sling should extend out to your child's knees. The top of the sling should come up to his shoulder blades. This position can be used with the child's arms inside or outside the sling. Tighten the sling until your child is secure.

Back Carry
The back carry position is recommended for children who are at least one year old. Put your sling on with the rings too high (either on or behind your shoulder.) Place your child in the sling as far back on your hip as possible with his arms covered. Tighten your sling until your child is secure. Carefully slide your baby around to your back. Until you are familiar with this position it's a good idea to have someone help make sure your child is secure in the sling. The back carry position should only be used with a cooperative child.

As long as you and your baby are both comfortable, there really is no "wrong" way to use your sling. The more you use it, the easier it becomes, and the more indispensable it will be to you.

These positions can be used with The Baby Loft's LOFTSling