Build a Happy World for Your Baby

Build a Happy World for Your Baby
Lynda Fassa

When your beautiful baby is born, a million things enter your mind: How will I pay for college? What will I wear when he wins the Nobel Prize / U.S. Presidency / World Series?

But before any of those things can happen, you have a lot of decisions to make and actions to take: changing diapers, drying tears and holding tiny hands, to name a few. You’ll also want to build a clean, happy and safe environment in which your baby can grow and thrive.

This may seem like a big undertaking, but you really can make the world a better place for baby without breaking your budget. As a mom of three brilliant, healthy and (mostly) happy children, I know firsthand that creating a better world doesn’t have to be overwhelming or only for movie-star millionaires. Here are my three easy guidelines for improving your baby’s world. …

Sleep

Though your shut-eye may be in short supply, your baby’s getting lots of it. For the first two years, your baby will spend most of his hours asleep. So it’s important to choose a room with good ventilation. According to the EPA, the air we breathe indoors is up to 20 times more polluted than outdoor air. Place your little one near windows that can be opened every day. And while you're at it, throw those curtains open wide and let the sunshine in -- it’s a natural dust mite killer. Also, keep baby’s sleeping area free of stuffed animals, pillows or bumpers. They can trap and trigger allergens, so sleek and chic is the way to go!

Bath

Some of the most joyous memories I have of my three children are during bath time. Depending on your baby's personality, tub time can be either fun and exciting or Dalai-Lama-world-peace relaxing. Either way, the bath is a special experience for babies and parents. Create your own ritual and start by gently letting your baby know that bath time is approaching. In my house, we always sang songs during bath and finished off with a gentle baby massage after drying. When my middle child was 2, she used to leap out of the bath and exclaim "baby mathage, baby mathage!” in anticipation.

Play

Play is the work of children -- and fun and fulfilling work it is! When you're greening your baby, add value to his play by using the environment as an educational aid. Get outside with your baby as much as you can, and nature will do its magic. A butterfly gathering nectar from a flower, a flock of geese honking overhead, flowers sprouting in the yard -- they all deserve an audience. Baby's early observations of these occurrences will stimulate her growing awareness of the large and varied world in a way no indoor lesson can.