Baby Dream Crib - Sweet Dreams In Baby's Dream Crib Collection

A Baby Dream Crib, with adorable bedding and accessories to match, is one way of ensuring a comfortable, nurturing nursery. With more than 15 years experience behind it, the company is committed to continue the tradition of quality craftsmanship, as seen in every Baby Dream Crib. Located in Buena Vista, Georgia, the Baby's Dream Crib manufacturer is an integral part of the community.

The Baby Dream Crib collection is versatile, with cribs manufactured to accommodate conversion to a toddler bed later on. With the addition of optional rails, the crib even becomes a full-size bed. The superbly adjustable mattress heights maximize functionality of these cribs.

The Generation Next, with classic sleigh bed lines, is one range in the Baby Dream Crib Collection. A convenient drop-gate front allows you to reach your little one with ease. Beautiful decorative feet have dowel reinforcements, adding to the robustness of the crib.

The Generation Next Baby Dream Crib meets safety standards as set out by the CPSC. A selection of furniture pieces, such as Drawer Chests and mirrors, complement the crib. Finishes are available in a variety of colors, such as amber, cherry, honey, and white.

A Baby Dream Crib with an elegant touch, is featured in the Georgian line. Lenga wood, with exquisite detail in the design, adds to the beauty of this range. A safety feature is that both latches of the drop-gate front has to be engaged or loosened simultaneously. At the same time, the design also prevents little fingers from getting pinched. Non-toxic cherry-colored finishes rounds off the picture.

The Kathryn Crib is a Baby Dream Crib in the sleigh style. The delicate, soft curves of this cozy crib converts into a full-size bed that will enhance any teenager's room. A choice of additional pieces, such as the Belle 6-Drawer Chest, adds stylish storage space.

In the tradition of Baby Dream Cribs, a crib in the ebony finish of the Infinity line, will grow with your baby. This range is suitable for a boy or a girl, and has a number of options as far as add-on pieces are concerned. An Infinity Grand Armoire, or Double Dresser, are only two examples.

Your baby will love naps and nights in his or her comfy Baby Dream Crib...

Baby Gifts – A Guide for Men

Buying gifts for babies can be a difficult chore for men, especially for single men. After all, how can a man who has no children know what the best Baby Gifts are? With this article I hope to help men take some of the mystery out of shopping for Baby Gifts. Baby shower gifts can be simple or elegant, traditional or creative and personal. Select with creativity and care. The possibilities are endless.

Check the registry. A lot of moms are doing the same thing for baby showers they have always done for wedding showers and that is to create a registry, a list of items she knows she will need. By picking something that is on the list you avoid having to make a choice at all. For a man, that’s always the best choice!.

Use your experience as a parent (or ask someone you know who has kids): If you are a parent, think back to what you couldn’t have done without. If you aren’t a parent, then talk to one of your friends who is. They can help you choose the right Baby Gift.

Ask the new parents to give you a list of things they might need. If you are good friends with them, they won’t mind you asking and might even appreciate the fact that you want to buy them a Baby Gift they can really use. Look around and imagine what they might need, like car seats, front carriers, etc.

Go in with a group to purchase baby furniture or strollers. This is perfect for men who don’t have a clue! Ask some of your friends what they are getting as a Baby Gift and ask them if they want to split the cost of a more expensive Baby Gift.

Monogram an Item. A Picture Frame, A Bib, Baby Silverware, anything like that, can be a great baby Gift that is both useful and cherished.

Baby Gift Baskets. Shop around for little things you know the parents and the newborn will need. Baby Powder, Baby Lotion, Baby Shampoo, Diapers, and other small items in a Nice Baby Gift Basket is always a safe choice.

Personalized baby Song CD. Now this is a unique gift! Go to http://www.giftsfortots.ca/personalcds.asp and you can order a CD made with songs that actually use the baby’s name in the songs!

Buy child-sized jewelry: Bracelets, Necklaces, ID bracelets, Tie Bars, and Cufflinks, make a great Baby Gift made for babies make great Baby Gifts.

Choose clothes in size 3 months or larger. Anticipating that the baby will soon grow out of the clothes usually bought at a baby shower can please the parents immensely . Include gift receipts if possible so they can be exchanged if you suspect you have awful taste or if they just need them in a different size.

Start the baby's library with a book. Choose one of the classics for children, Winnie the Pooh and other books are a great Baby Gift. Put a nameplate in the front cover for a personal touch.

Give the baby a savings bond. Start their college fund with a savings bond and the gift is truly for the baby. The parents will appreciate the gift and it will encourage them to add to it as years go by. Get them started early!

We hope the Tips on buying a Baby Gift are helpful to you. There are more tips for buying Baby Gifts at http://babyport.info/30789.php Take time to choose the right gift and it will be very much appreciated.

Baby Information and Babies Names

Moms Break free birthday pintables can helps you throw a birthday party

So be a frugal shopper and use our free birthday invitations and our other great free birthday ideas, Childbirth Facts and birthday crafts for kids. For example many of our free birthday invitations are in jpg image format and can be opened in any image editor and personalized before printing.

Also find free birthday printable theme sets which include free birthday card, invitation, placement, Baby Information, Baby names, and many other useful birthday ideas.

Having a Natural Childbirth is one of the most empowering experiences a woman will ever encounter. Having control over your body and making informed decisions about your delivery will make for lasting memories.

There are many ways to name a baby, Baby Information, Baby Shop, Perhaps you stumbled on the perfect name. Maybe you and your spouse have already decided long ago. Or maybe you're like me and wrestling with the decision for a long, long time. I'd suggest starting with narrowing some of the names or types of Baby names you don't like. If you hate certain Baby names don't consider them. Start with the positive Baby names. Then define your baby naming style, Babies Names. From there I'd suggest lists of Babies Names. Baby names books are great for that purpose.

Choosing the Best Birth Environment

Your choice of birth environment, Childbirth Information is the first decision you make that determines your pain-relief options. If you know you want to use modern medical pain-relief methods, Parenting Tips you will need to select a birth environment that can accommodate these preferences.

If you are leaning more toward a natural childbirth, but would like to keep your options open, you may want to be in a birth environment that offers not only no medical forms of pain relief but also allows accessibility to medical pain relief. If you are committed to using no medical pain-relief options and do not want to be in an environment where they are frequently used, you will need to choose a birth environment that has both the physical amenities and supportive caregivers you will need to successfully give birth free of any medications, using complementary and alternative pain-management techniques.

Get more information at site www.kiddiekids.co.uk

Baby Gift Registry

Many stores offer baby gift registries where the expecting parents can register and can make a list of what they require for their coming baby. To create your own customized baby gift registries could be an exciting event for many of the soon-to-be mothers. Most often, women register in their fifth or sixth month of pregnancy but they prefer to wait to a bit closer to their due date or until right before their baby shower.

Gift registries are basically an expectant mother’s wish list where they can register for anything and everything that their heart desires. Using baby registries is a perfect way whereby friends and family can get for the expectant parents whatever they want and need for their new little one. If it is their first baby, they will need many things or almost everything as compared to their second or other child. Would be mothers can register for gifts to stock the nursery like furniture and baby bedding, adorable baby clothes or baby essentials like diapers and bottles. Baby registry can therefore make the lives of the expectant mother and her baby much easier with anything from necessities to luxuries.

Other benefit of a gift registry is that it is easier to find something within your budget if you are searching a gift for the mom-to-be. If the mom-to-be has a baby shower, it is possible that the name of the store where they have registered will be included in the invitation. And if it is not then you can always ask the hostess of the shower whether or not the mom-to-be is registered somewhere.

Many mom-to-be are involved in many different circles where they have more than one baby shower, they have one at work, one with friends, one with family and therefore it is important not to duplicate gifts. No one has the time to exchange things and therefore if you purchase an item from the registry you know for sure that the expectant mom does not receives two of the exact items.

Many retailers also offer their baby registries online and therefore online registries are increasingly popular and with some good reason. Registries make the gift buying process easier on your guests and shopping online also enhances the convenience.

For further information, visit customgiftbasket.info

Baby High Chair Guide

There are many different types of high chairs such as the very convenient ones like the on-the-go booster seat, the euro highchair two, the transition highchair, the chicco polly high chair, the sit 'n secure, bumbo baby sitter, and much more. You should do a high chair review to find the best baby high chair for your child.

The Chicco Polly high chair is a very lovely Italian high chair that is loaded with a lot of features such as a three-way footrest, armrests that lift up, and an adjustable leg rest. This chicco polly high chair is for infants only ages six months and up and it can hold up to thirty seven pounds. Put this furniture near the dinner table and it will suit your toddlers needs.

This booster seat is for youth like nine-month infants and up and can withstand up to forty pounds. The on-the-go booster seat deflates and compresses for easy packing. It also weighs less then two pounds so it is very light to carry. This booster seat is very comfortable and it inflates at the parents touch while keeping your youth content. The on-the-go booster seat has some cool features like a storage pocket to store food or what knots, wipe clean vinyl cover, and a shoulder strap for easy portability. The on-the-go booster seat is a inflatable booster seat that has handles so it is portable that is why it is called the on-the-go booster seat. It is ranked as one of the top booster seats and high chairs for those mother and fathers who are on the road a lot.

The bumbo baby sitter is another interesting chair that is only for infants that can hold their head up. This bumbo baby sitter is a soft, comfortable chair that is molded to support his or her back and sides. It also has passive restraints that help keep him or her from sliding forward. This baby sitter can support weight that is between nine to twenty two pounds. Look for a cushion that is going to prop up your toddler during those growing years.

The euro high chair two is a high chair that is three things in one. This is a high chair for your baby, and then converts into a booster seat for your toddler, and then it can be a chair for your teenager. The euro high chair two only takes about fifteen minutes to twenty minutes to assemble. This high chair is also a wooden chair that supports youth that weighs between eighteen to one hundred and fifty pounds. This euro high chair also comes with many different features such as a removable safety bar, an anti-skid feet, built in stabilizers, a seat cushion, and a five-point harness to make it very safe for your child. This high chair is for only those infants who can sit up on their own.

Baby Heartbeat Monitors Reviewed

Today, with advances in science and technology constantly creating smaller and cheaper electronic devices, acquiring a home use baby heartbeat monitor is cheaper and easier than you may think. For parents that want to listen to the developing fetus of their unborn child, use of a baby heartbeat monitor provides added peace of mind and valuable information that can actually prevent complications during pregnancy. A baby heartbeat monitor is a device which is used to hear any kind of irregularity in the development of the baby, so that it can be taken care of well in time. One can find many heartbeat monitors manufactured by various companies, but to get the desired results it is essential that one chooses the best baby heart beat monitor available.

Choosing the Best Baby Heartbeat Monitor

There are various forms of baby heartbeat monitoring devices available on the market, each having different features and attachments. The available options differ from each other considerably. Whether it's a fetal Doppler baby heart monitor or an external electronic fetal baby monitor, a cosy fetal heart beat monitor or a BeBe Sound Prenatal Listener baby heartbeat monitor, each baby heartbeat monitor has some unique features which makes one model stand out over its competitors.

These advanced baby heartbeat monitors can let one hear the exact heart sounds of the little one growing inside the mother's womb. The sound-only baby heartbeat monitor for analyzing the heartbeat of a unborn baby is designed for clinical and medical use as well as for domestic use by the parents. Some home models also have video so one can see the baby (although the image is generated using ultrasound and not crystal clear). The sex of the unborn child can be determined using a video prenatal baby monitor.

Monitoring the heartbeat of the unborn baby at regular intervals is often recommended to those mothers who have an uncomplicated and healthy pregnancy. However, to those who develop certain complications such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes, any kind of heart disease, vaginal or urinary infections or is expecting twins are strictly advised to have continuous electronic fetal monitoring in order to keep track of any serious problems on the part of the child or the mother. Thus, choosing the heartbeat monitor depends on many factors and it is essential that an unborn baby gets monitored according to the needs of the situation.

Comparing the Prices of Baby Heartbeat Monitors

Pricing a baby heartbeat monitor mainly depends on factors such as the brand name, features, attachments, and quality. Sometimes the accuracy of a particular heartbeat monitor also contributes towards determining its price.

Starting as low as $25 for the BeBe Sounds Prenatal Listener, the prices go as high as $150 or $200 for a fetal Doppler ultrasonic baby heart beat monitor. One can choose exactly that which suits his or her budget and choose the features and quality that one can afford. However, one can't fix the price of the baby's health. It is more then anything in the world - it's priceless.

Baby Food Allergies - How To Identify And Avoid Them

Many parents find the risk of baby food allergies one of the most worrying aspects of introducing new foods to their baby. But there are simple steps you can take to minimise potential problems and make your child's introduction to solid food a safe and happy one.

Allergic reactions take place when your baby's immune system mistakenly treats a harmless substance as a harmful one. Baby food allergy symptoms include diarrhea, eczema, nausea, constipation and watery or red eyes. Very rarely, a serious reaction known as allergic shock can occur. This can cause the throat and tongue to swell dangerously, which could lead to choking. In this situation, professional medical help must be sought immediately.

Baby food allergies should not be confused with food intolerance. A baby with food intolerance would have difficulty in digesting a particular type of food, which can be caused by many other things besides an allergen. In either case, diagnosis should be made by a medical professional.

In order to prevent baby food allergies such as these, or to identify foods to which your baby reacts, it is important to follow these simple guidelines --

1. Try to delay feeding your baby solid food until he is at least 6 months of age. His immune system will be better developed by this stage.

2. Only introduce one new food at a time and wait for a few days to see if a reaction occurs. It will then be easy to spot the "problem" food and eliminate it from your baby's diet.

3. Avoid foods that are known to be more likely to cause allergic reactions. Examples of such foods include eggs (particularly the whites), shellfish, gluten and citrus fruits.

4. Decide whether or not your baby is at a particularly high risk of developing allergies -- for example, do you suffer from an allergy yourself? This can often lead to an increased risk of allergies for your baby, although not necessarily to the same allergen (i.e. the substance responsible for the reaction).

5. Discuss any concerns with a medical professional.

Whilst it is sensible to be cautious, it is still important to remember that baby food allergies only affect around 8% of children. So try to keep things in perspective, introduce new foods individually and stay alert for possible reactions -- these measures will give you the confidence to safely introduce the delights of solid food to your little one.

Baby Furniture in Luxury Styles

Baby furniture in luxury styles can be found in many different places. Brand name and big designers of baby furniture can make you feel good about your choices. Knowing you are getting the best furniture and the most comfortable furniture for your baby is important. Many baby furniture designers realize this and want you to have the best for your baby whether it is your first baby or your fifth.

You can buy durable baby furniture in luxury quality. There are many fine brands available to choose from. Well known brands make your shopping easy when you know what brand you are looking for. Your furniture will be beautiful and last for years to come when you choose a brand that is well known and of high quality. A complete matching nursery furniture set will give you everything you want in your infant room. Changing tables and bookcases, rockers and hampers, what more could you want to complete your sweet baby nursery? Add extras like wall hangings and stuffed animals too.

There are many shapes to consider when purchasing a crib. Round cribs are so luxurious and make your little one feel like a princess! Exquisite Cradles can be found in fun shapes also. When choosing cribs, consider one that has a drawer in the bottom to store baby bedding and blankets. Your baby furniture luxury items will be at the delight of your newborn. Do not forget the bedding and linens. The soft luxurious linens available for you to purchase will bring such a softness to their tender skin. Fine Egyptian cottons are excellent for surrounding your baby in luxury.

Baby furniture in luxury styles is one that is easily affordable these days. There are so many stores that carry luxury furniture for babies, that finding one will not be much of a problem. Know that you are getting the best you can for your baby, and feel good about it. Set the nursery up so that it is a comfortable space for you and your baby to come home from the hospital to.

Baby furniture for all your babies needs

Baby furniture will bring a quality to the home that reminds everyone who enters just how precious life can be. Seeing the joy on the faces of the parents is almost as beautiful.

Parents and family spend so much money and time organizing children's bedrooms, infant nurseries and playrooms. Parents should get started on designing and organizing the nursery well before their baby is born. Baby furniture is important to help make both the parent and child feel comfortable in their living environment.

The opportunity to design a nursery is very special, and parents should not take it for granted. The nursery is much more than just a room for the baby. It is an extension of the love and support that the parents plan to provide for the child.

Baby furniture can be found in most large-scale retail stores or in specialty baby stores across the country. Bright colors like yellow and red can be used to make the room more inviting. Pastels are wonderful shades to use in a child's room. Let your imagination run wild when you wander through the aisles of your local retail store.

Parents will be happy with whatever they get because the simple fact that they are now parents. The most important thing to remember when looking for furniture or toys for your baby is safety. A knowledgeable parent is a better parent.

Baby Expense - When Money is Tight, and Baby's on the Way...

As you probably know, baby expense should be high on your list of things to plan for, before the baby comes. There is no cheap way to have and raise a baby: it takes sweat, work, lots of cash, patience, and more to have a happy, healthy baby. Some studies suggest that you will spend anywhere between $150,000 and $200,000 for your kids by the time they are 18 years old, not including private schools, special lessons, or college.

But if you waited until you had enough money, time and energy to have your baby, you would probably end up without any children. Here you'll find a few ways to ease the finances, so that you can enjoy your new bundle of joy.

1. Get health assistance - if you don't have health insurance, and can't afford it, doctor's bills can ad up really easy. But there are options out there for people just like you. This baby expense will probably be one of your biggest, so don't be afraid to ask for assistance if your family needs it.

2. Breastfeed your baby, if possible. It's free, it's convenient, and it might help against breast cancer. It's recommended as being the best form of nutrition for baby.

If you can't breastfeed, don't feel guilty. Try to apply for WIC (Women, Infants, and Children): http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic, a program designed to help middle and low income families with educational resources and food. You can also save money by buying formula in bulk, clipping coupons, and accepting free samples whenever they are offered. This is a baby expense you can't do without.

3. Diapers - Some diapers are better than others, but most are basically the same. Store brand disposable diapers can be just as good as the name brand, for several dollars less than their name brand counterparts. You can save even more, if you use cloth diapers instead of disposable. As with breastfeeding, it's a little more work involved, but well worth it.

4. Diaper Rash Prevention - instead of taking action after your baby got a diaper rash, prevent it with a drop of olive oil applied to their bottom every time you change their diaper: it works wonders (you should check with your doctor first).

5. Baby food - When it comes to baby food, a blender is your best friend: it will help you keep this baby expense at its lowest. Not only is it much cheaper, but it's so much healthier! Save the little baby food jars for quick trips, or special occasions, and give your baby pureed food made by you. You can cook a week's supply on the weekend, put the blended vegetables in the ice cube tray, for a few hours, and then place them in a freezer bag. Depending on your baby's appetite and age, you can microwave one, two or three cubes before meal time. It's quick, healthy and inexpensive.

6. Clothing - There is no need to buy expensive designer clothing for you little one. Do you think anyone will really notice that your baby is wearing Tommy Hilfiger? Babies look cute in anything: don't waste your money! You can get most of your baby clothing at yard sales or second-hand stores.

7. Toys - they are big business, but you don't have to feel pressured to get the latest and most expensive models. My kids were happy with everyday items as their toys: empty shampoo bottles (make sure they are cleaned and rinsed very well before handing them to your baby), plastic bowls, plastic containers from food products (margarine, sour cream , etc.) that they could stack up, etc. Also, buy some toys that will help with your baby's development, are durable, and are age appropriate: a baby expense worth the money.

8. Wills - Get a will or update your old will. Name a guardian for your child and the trustee of your child's inheritance (often but not always the same person). Without a will, the court will name these individuals and also split up your assets in accordance with state law which may not be the way you would wish. Please don't try to avoid this baby expense: your kid's future might depend on it. A simple will that includes a trust for minor children costs between $150 and $250.

Baby Gift Baskets Are The Hottest Gifts You Can Give

One of the most difficult decisions to make is the choice of gifts to give new parents after the arrival of their baby. It seems rather simple, but believe me it is a tough one.

Though this might sound funny, but its usefulness as a gift for new parents is getting increasingly popular. The item is baby-gift-baskets.

They are a very good gift option and are always welcomed, perhaps due to their utility nature. This kind of baskets can be used for variety of tasks.

Baby-gift-baskets are available in retail stores, and if you prefer shopping online, you can still order one from several internet shops. Those with a flair for creativity can even go a step further by making a baby-gift-basket of their choice.

When purchasing the gift, or if you are making one yourself, you must consider the gender of the baby. These will guide you about the theme to choose for the basket.

An interesting theme is "diaper duty". If you decide to go for this, then its best to include disposable diapers and baby powders for the parents.

If you are not disposed to the above, another option you can go for is to fill the baby-gift-baskets with travel sizes of the products most used by the parents.

Items to consider for this includes baby shampoo, soap, baby wash clothes, creams and lotions. The parents will appreciate this because the gift items will just fit into the diaper bag anytime they go out with the new arrival.

You can also include fun items like toys and books in the baby-gift-basket. They will come in handy when the baby begins to grow.

A very good idea is the addition of a memorable item in the baby-gift-basket. The best item for this will be a copy of the local newspaper for the day the baby was born.

An alternative to baby-gift-basket is a small rocking chair the baby will be able to use when it becomes a toddler.

And like other baby-gift-baskets options, this one too goes with accompanying items. Clothing and toys are good examples of what to add.

If you are not too keen with a rocking chair, you will want to give a baby bathtub a look in. The bathtub can be filled with all bath essentials like soaps, shampoos, wash cloths, and towels.

Fun items like a bath toy or bath crayons can also be added to the baby bathtub gift. This will offer something for the first few years of the baby's life.

However, when planning for the purchase of the baby-gift-baskets, you should also ensure you include a small gift for the new parents into your budget. A bottle of wine will be just fine, as it will enable the parents toast to their new bundle of joy.

Baby Formula Goes Organic

Organic foods may finally get a seat at the kids' table.

Seven out of 10 Americans said they prefer organic alternatives. It's probably no surprise that many parents say they want to give their babies the benefits of an organic product when it comes to feeding them baby formula. However, the problem has been that until recently, there hasn't been an organic formula available that provides babies with two key nutrients for mental and visual development: the lipids DHA and ARA.

The Role Of Nutrition

"These lipids are naturally supplied from mom to baby in breast milk, but in reality, not all moms can breast feed. If parents formula feed, and choose an organic infant formula, it's essential that they use an organic formula enriched with DHA and ARA," explains Dr. Barbara Levine, director of the Nutrition Information Center and associate professor of nutrition in clinical medicine at Weill College of Medicine of Cornell University.

The only nationally distributed organic baby formula with DHA and ARA is available at Wal-Mart and is called Parent's Choice Organic Infant Formula, made by PBM Nutritionals. In addition to having the essential lipids, the formula is enriched with the same nutrients as other baby formulas and meets the strict infant formula guidelines set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Finding Affordable Formula

The formula helps parents looking for organic alternatives in a second way as well: It can save them some green. PBM got around the problem of high-priced organic foods by distributing its product nationally through Wal-Mart stores. Doing so allowed the manufacturer to reach many parents who did not have access to organic formulas-and to keep prices relatively low.

Baby Furniture - Furnishing The Nursery Safely

Babies are such a joy to be around and the feeling of excitement usually elevates during the period where its time to buy and select baby furniture for the baby.

One of the essential pieces of baby furniture that a baby needs is a crib. Though a crib is a common thing needed by babies, the selection process of picking this kind of baby furniture is crucial. Why you may ask? Well, according to recent reports, at least 50 babies experience suffocation or were strangled each year because of accidents that involve cribs that are old and have broken parts. This eventually led to the declaration of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 1995. The said declaration was all about the destruction and elimination of old and used cribs. Due to this incident, the safest way to ensure that baby furniture is in good and safe condition is to buy a brand new one. Unfortunately, not all people have the money to buy a new one so the best thing that you could do is to wait for the next best thing

In buying baby furniture, always remember that the safety of the baby is at stake. Do not buy baby furniture just for the sake of saving money because you would risk the safety of the child in return. Be sure to use precaution and examine everything. Here are some tips that would help you in finding the perfect baby furniture for the perfect baby (without compromising your baby’s safety as well as your budget).

The first step in choosing used baby furniture is to check the furniture thoroughly. Be sure to check every detail and look for possible missing, loose, broken or improperly installed screws, brackets and other hardware on the baby furniture. Another thing that you should consider is the material that the baby furniture is made of. A few minutes or so of inspection is a wise investment both financially and for the protection of your child.

After checking for obvious visual defects visit the CPSC’s website and enter the make and model of the item in their search box, this should bring back any warnings or recall notices.

A Baby Shower Really Is A Time for Celebration For Everyone

Celebrating the upcoming arrival of a new baby is exciting but at the same time, it's often a situation in which both parents can feel much anxiety. These feelings of anxiety are especially strong for first-time parents. There is so much to know and so many different items are needed to provide proper infant care.

The idea of the baby shower came about as both a special time for family and friends to be together before the baby's arrival and also to help relieve the financial burden on parents-to-be by supplying them with many of the new gadgets, furnishings and accessories they'll need once their baby arrives.

And even though today most people prefer to break out of the 'traditional' mold, when it comes to a baby shower, these events for the most part still adhere to traditional guidelines. Probably one of the biggest changes to the baby shower format is that they're no longer exclusively for women. Plenty of men make it onto today's baby shower guest list and those who are invited don't come grudgingly. While they might not play in all the baby shower games, men do enjoy the opportunity to give their regards to the expectant mother- and father-to-be.

In some cultures however, a baby shower is considered a sign of bad luck. If there's a chance the expectant mother might feel this way, be sure to check with her before proceeding with the baby shower.

In some parts of the world the baby shower is actually held after the baby is born. This makes sense since a baby shower is a celebration of the baby and guests enjoy actually seeing the one who is being celebrated. It's also easier to select gender-appropriate colors and gifts and should the gift need engraving, guests have all the delivery details they need.

Having the baby shower after the baby's birth does make sense, but it's a very busy time for new parents. Plus, many of the baby items the expectant parent(s) need are needed as soon as the baby arrives home. That's why scheduling the baby shower before the baby's birth is the more common option.

The baby shower itself is traditional and for the most part, every shower involves the same activities. Guest lists and invitations need to be created and mailed. The shower location needs to be decorated. Guests expect to be entertained so food, drink and games need to be coordinated. And because it's a special occasion, there might even be a photographer and/or videographer, musician and other special talent participating in the festivities.

A baby shower can be a big to-do with lots of little details to coordinate and every detail is going to cost money. That's why it's highly advisable for whoever is hosting the shower to put together (and stick to) a workable budget.

Pulling off a successful special event like a baby shower doesn't take special talent, it takes a well-thought out plan that includes a timeline and a budget.

Baby Shower Cakes - How to Buy or Make Wonderful Baby Cakes that Surprise Your Guests

How can you have a complete baby shower without baby shower cakes?

A baby cake is more than a moist, yummy confection to eat. You can use it as a wonderful baby shower centerpiece to make a special party setting that every guest can share and enjoy.

Also turn the baby shower cake baking into a funny baby shower game if you want to make a special and memorable moment that the mom-to-be can cherish for a long time.

What if you're looking for something that can do triple duties for your baby shower? A Diaper Cake decorated with all kinds of baby items is your best choice - it's not edible!

Keep the guidelines below in your mind. You’ll find that have the bakery design cakes for you is just a snap.

1. Set your party theme and budget, it will help you focus on what you really need.

2. Check out 4 or 5 bakeries (at least). Look at their cake pictures and ask for a sample-taste.

3. Make a decision on the cake that most fits your need. Tell the baker how many people will attend your party so they don’t make the wrong size. (A standard round cake serves approximately eight to ten people. An 11 x 9 x 2 inch sheet cake serves up to fifteen people.)

4. Tell the baker which day and what time the shower will start. ( you should order the cake a minimum of one week in advance of the shower.

5. Pay a 50 percent deposit. Ask the bakery to deliver the cake directly to your shower location (again, don't forget to tell them the date and time!).

Instead of the traditional baby cakes, try baking a batch of baby cupcakes which guests can frost and decorate.

You can even try the idea of an Autograph Cake - it's a sheet cake only have a standard "Congratulations!" inscription on it and the rest are left plain. Guests were asked to sign their names on the cake when they arrive.

And imagine a cake with the mommy’s photo or a classic pooh poster on it! The only thing you need to do is to choose one photo of the mom-to-be or any graphics related to your shower theme. The bakery will blow up the photo and decorate around it for you - it looks great and inexpensive!

No matter what you're looking for, put your heart and energy into the cake planning, the ideas are endless.