The study, done by McMaster University, examines two groups of parents with infants of 1 year in age, all of whom have never attended music instruction before and are roughly on the same social development level. One group received interactive instruction, which involved playing and making music with rudimentary instruments. The other received passive instruction, which included games and listening to music. Both groups attended classes once a week for six months.

After this time, researchers found the babies receiving interactive instruction smiled and communicated more with their parents and had more sophisticated listening skills when music was played. About these findings, one of the researchers said in a statement:

“Babies who participated in the interactive music classes with their parents showed earlier sensitivity to the pitch structure in music. Specifically, they preferred to listen to a version of a piano piece that stayed in key, versus a version that included out-of-key notes. Infants who participated in the passive listening classes did not show the same preferences. Even their brains responded to music differently. Infants from the interactive music classes showed larger and/or earlier brain responses to musical tones.”

Instruction is not the only approach to exposing a young child to music. Because musical exposure can improve social and academic skills and stimulates hearing senses, various baby toys have a musical component. The child, when playing, touches the toy, which may make a pitch or soothing sound or even play a brief classical music melody.

Related articles

• Interactive Music Classes Good For Babies’ Brains (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Babies’ brains benefit from music lessons, researchers find (eurekalert.org)
• Babies’ brains benefit from music lessons, even before they can walk and talk (sciencedaily.com)

Although thousands of baby names are out there, Nameberry’s list of the top 100 indicate that picks for baby girls are leaning toward the feminine side, while for boys, parents are still going after Biblical references.

“Sophia” (not including other spelling variations) was the most popular name parents gave to girls last year and has been in the top 100 choices for over the past decade. Following this were other distinctly feminine names, such as “Isabella” (No. 2), “Emma,” “Ava,” and “Emily,” among others. While still in the top 50, androgynous-sounding names, such as Madison, Addison, and Brooklyn, were farther down the list.

For boys, “Jacob” was the No. 1 pick, but the –aiden and –ayden names, such as “Jayden” and “Aiden,” popular over the past few years are still in the top 20. While “Jacob” is an Old Testament name, its ascent comes at the time of the Twilight series popularity. Considering “Isabella” (the name of Twilight’s lead female character) is also high on the list for girls, the Stephanie Meyer books may be an influence. “Edward,” however, is not in the top 100 for boys.

After “Jacob,” “Mason” is the next popular name for boys and is also a pop culture-influenced choice. But, rather than a related to a film or book, “Mason” is the name of one of the Kardashian sisters’ children.

If you haven’t read the full list, here are the top 10 selected names for baby girls:

1. Sophia
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Emily
7. Abigail
8. Madison
9. Mia
10. Chloe

And for boys, the top 10 are:

1. Jacob
2. Mason
3. William
4. Jayden
5. Noah
6. Michael
7. Ethan
8. Alexander
9. Aiden
10. Daniel

Related articles

• Tuesday’s Radio Free Lunch, Top Baby Names (929dave.radio.com)
• Top Baby Names Of 2011 Announced (inquisitr.com)
• Sophia and Jacob top list of most popular baby names of 2011 (cnn.com)

But, as the Globe and Mail reports, big box retailers, from Walmart to Amazon, are just catching the trend and are attempting to take advantage of it in order to push baby products in a booming market.

But, in terms of shopping for baby products online, who has the advantage? Specialty retailers, such as Rattlecake for diaper cakes, brand themselves on a sole product and can become the go-to source for that item. The personal touch of someone choosing inventory or crafting a product is more evident. Even when an e-commerce store, such as a baby boutique, covers a greater product selection, it projects a certain image, be it for top-of-the-line brands or rented baby products. Buyers –parents, apparently, are frequent purchasers of baby products online – come to rely on a particular retailer’s quality and selection.

Big box stores, on the other hand, are all-encompassing, from auto parts to furniture to baby products. Although such a retailer allows for one-stop shopping, its items are considerably middle-of-the-road and may not be selected or put together with the same degree of cognizance, understanding, or care.

The Globe and Mail reports that these larger stores are scouting out parenting bloggers to get an idea for the products to feature, but at this point in time, such online communities have already carved out a niche for themselves and may be reluctant to let the bigger-but-not-always-better brands into their virtual circle.

Related articles

• Is Big Box Retail Dead? (dailyfinance.com)
• What Target knows about you and your pregnancy (lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com)

When it comes to clothing, Dada Baby Boutique plays it low-key but still distinct. Trumpette socks for girls and boys have Minnie and Mickey Mouse themes, respectively, and are available for day and night wear. As these socks are from Trumpette, they essentially act like shoes and, to many a parent’s relief, actually stay on.

Graco, another well-known brand of baby products, just recently introduced its Disney Baby Minnie Mouse collection. Unlike those pastel pinks, this collection of baby products sticks with darker plum shades. This way, you get the theme and the color choice you want. And, that princess theme, thankfully, is nowhere to be found.

But, when it comes to the rest of the room, what does Graco offer? For the nursery, the new line includes a multipurpose rocking seat. Aside from its basic purpose, it turns into a bassinet, has a toy bar for infant stimulation, can be carried from one room to the next, and plays classical music and soothing nature sounds from a mobile. For play, the brand has a swing with a similarly soothing effect, only the speed can be adjusted and the baby can be placed in multiple positions.

Graco has additional Minnie Mouse items for taking the baby out of the house, including a stroller and car seat. With a lightweight design, the brand’s stroller easily unfolds and closes and is, like many strollers, compatible with Graco car seats.

Related articles

• Our top 10 favourite baby products for 0-5 months (thankyouforthesmiles.wordpress.com)
• Decorating a Room in a Waiting Room for Babies (twincitiesdesigncollective.com)
• How to Take a Baby to Walt Disney World and Have Fun! (mouzekateerz.com)

Snooki’s possible pregnancy has been the talk of gossip rags for roughly the past week. Now, the reality star came forward with the news on Friday. Us Weekly reported Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi is officially pregnant and is engaged to boyfriend Jionni LaValle. Breaking the news at just 15 weeks along, the celeb told the press: “I don’t care what anybody else thinks. As long as I know I’m ready and he’s ready.”

Do you think the couple, who have just been together for a year, are ready? More importantly, do you think Snooki is ready to give up her hard-partying ways – the essence of her reality TV career – to raise her child?

Although she’s close with her Jersey Shore costars, her castmembers were unaware until the news broke. Deena Cortese, who joined the crew in season three, said on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show that she was in the dark. Nevertheless, Cortese still thinks Snooki will be a good mother: “I think this has been her dream: getting married and having kids. She’s really happy and I’m happy for her. I’m going to miss my little partner in crime, but I’m happy for her!”

Vinny Guadagnino, who has been on the series since its start, admitted to the Huffington Post that he, too, didn’t know. Guadagnino, however, thinks his costar will return to the show and the crew will be supportive of her decision as best as possible. He mentioned: “We all get into our hardships with each other and petty arguments but this is real life. She is pregnant and we are there for each other…”

On the other hand, rumors of canceling the show completely have surfaced. Unidentified sources told the press that MTV is canceling Jersey Shore because of its star’s condition. Nevertheless, Snooki with BFF J-Woww have been spotted filming their untitled Shore spinoff in Jersey City.

Related articles

• ‘Snooki’ Confirms Pregnancy (myfoxphoenix.com)
• Deena Cortese Supports Pal Snooki’s Pregnancy (celebs.gather.com)
• Jersey Shore’s Snooki: I’m pregnant (thesun.co.uk)

Detailed in the Huffington Post, a Dartmouth College study revealed foods sweetened with rice syrup have a higher concentration of arsenic. But why rice and not another crop? As the Post piece explains, land formerly reserved for cotton has been transformed into rice paddies.

Environmentally-conscious parents, often on the lookout for organic cotton baby products, are aware of the harmful chemicals that lace the soil of and are sprayed on cotton plants. Arsenic is one. Although the cotton crop has figuratively dried up, the arsenic is essentially embedded in the top soil, and rice planted in such ground absorbs the chemical.

Presently, the USDA is conducting research to reduce arsenic levels in domestic rice crops. Foreign rice, however, is not affected.

The USA Rice Federation, on the other hand, claims the arsenic discovery is hysteria. More specifically, arsenic is a naturally-occurring substance, they state, and has been in food and water for years. Unlike rice, however, water has inorganic arsenic – a more harmful compound – and has been regulated by FDA standards for years.

So, when it comes to your baby, what do you believe? Is the USA Rice Federation deflecting the study’s results in order to save their industry? Or, is the Dartmouth Study going slightly overboard with the results? Before a clear determination is made, however, be watchful of baby formula’s ingredients. Although the study pointed specifically to Baby’s Only Organic Dairy Toddler Formula and Baby’s Only Organic Soy Toddler Formula, other brands could contain rice syrup.

Related articles

• Is the Arsenic Found in Organic Brown Rice Syrup Based Baby Formulas Dangerous? (guide.thesoftlanding.com)
• How did Arsenic Get into Organic Baby Formula? (fooducate.com)
• Some Baby Formulas “May Contain Arsenic” (pamil-visions.net)

The South Africa-based company has sold 4 million seats in the United States, but in 2007, the product was first recalled for fall-related injuries from raised surfaces, such as chairs and tables. Bumbo International stated, at the time, their product is intended for floor use only and should not be put in place of a highchair or booster seat. Responding to the recall of 1 million seats over 28 reported injuries, Bumbo put the following label on all products: “WARNING – Prevent Falls; Never use on any elevated surface.”

Parents, on the other hand, have overlooked the warning, and still place the seats on raised surfaces. The November 2011 recall addressed this aspect, with the company stating that parents should use the product correctly to prevent injuries. On the other hand, a bit of leeway must be present in use; a child shouldn’t experience a skull fracture because the seat is placed in an elevated location.

More recently, however, consumer groups have pointed out that skull fractures even occur when the Bumbo is placed on the ground. Simply put, a child who wiggles in the seat has potential to slip out and fall onto the floor, where he or she hits her head. Should the CPSC, in this case, go through another recall, not even six months after the last? Should Bumbo take note and, in response, design a more secure product?

Related articles

• Bumbo recall urged by consumer groups (boston.com)
• Bumbo baby seats under fire for safety issues (mnn.com)

The Kelton Research survey comes to the conclusion that mothers frequently make such higher-priced purchases based on guilt, instead of considering all possible benefits. More specifically:

• 58 percent think regularly about the baby products to buy their child.
• 37 percent feel guilt about not being able to afford the name brand baby product.
• 59 percent are stressed about their general finances.
• 53 think about budgets for baby products each day.
• 75 percent have reduced spending on themselves

Advertisements may partially be to blame. Mothers, as the survey explains, are more attuned to parenting- and baby-focused advertisements, and the wording and emotional appealing often induce guilt. About the correlation, Sandra Gordon, national baby products expert and author of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, 10th edition, mentioned:

“This study sheds light on what moms are going through from both an emotional and economic standpoint. Moms are so intent on absorbing as much baby-related information as possible, and making the right purchasing decisions, that it can be easy to overlook inexpensive options that are just as safe and effective for their baby.”

Mothers, as a result of going for the brand names, end up spending too much. In this economy, secondhand baby products are an alternative. Although not all items should be purchased secondhand, toys and clothing, which a baby goes through extremely quickly, are some of those that can be.

After the rash, Alba began to research the chemicals added to the supposed baby-safe detergent, and found that many, in fact, aren’t particularly safe for babies. She was additionally appalled to find that flame retardant chemicals are added to breast pillows. Profiled in The New York Daily News, Alba explained her approach to her recent endeavor, saying:

“It was exhausting. I had a baby, I was working. I didn’t have time to go everywhere. And I get it. Everything has a green leaf on it or brown or beige. I’m like, just because it’s eco why does it have to be brown, beige, or have a green leaf on it?”

Addressing these points with The Honest Co., Alba developed patterned diapers outside the typical organic palette of green and beige while still using nontoxic materials. Because green products, in general, cost more than their standard counterparts, the Dark Angel star made sure her line is affordable. Presently, her diapers appear to only be available online.

As this actress’ latest outside project shows, even safe- or innocuous-seeming baby products may, in fact, add toxic chemicals to a child’s space. If you, as well, aim to go green with your baby, research all products, from diapers to soaps to crib mattresses, before purchasing.

Statistics and warnings only go so far, however. A piece in South Carolina newspaper The State delves into greater detail about the practice’s dangers and the recent realization that some SIDS cases may in fact be brought on by cosleeping.

First, think about a baby’s motor skills and strength level, as the State piece points out, and examine your own limbs. Outstretching your arm and laying it down on the bed, possibly over a sleeping baby, becomes a suffocation hazard, as the child cannot move away or lift up the limb. Worse, parents or older children may roll over onto the baby.

Following Richland County coroner Gary Watts, the State piece looks into better determination methods for Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome – Unsafe Sleeping Conditions. In the event such a tragedy occurs, the coroner asks the caregiver to reenact the sleeping situation, examining all potential causes of death. Aside from a family bed, a baby is equally vulnerable when left sleeping on an arm chair or sofa, in a crib with comforters or pillows, or in the sharing a space with a dog. Unlike SIDS, however, Sudden Unexpected Infant Death specifically involves a dangerous sleeping area.

Breaking the habit, especially as cosleeping has been passed down through generations, can be difficult. But like fire retardant pajamas and playgrounds of metal and concrete, cosleeping is a seemingly-safe practice that is in fact quite dangerous. To the press, Watts explained:

“My grandmother did it, my mother did it, and I know I did it. But it’s unsafe. At some point, you have to realize it’s a danger to the infant. If you want to have a child in the room – put him in a bassinet beside your bed.”