I am due with my first baby any day. What kind of baby car seat should I buy?

A first-time parent can sometimes be confused by all of the choices there are when it comes to baby supplies. The fact is that there are a lot of different car seats that can be purchased, but the seats for infants are different from those made for others. Infant car seats include two parts: the base and the seat. The base is strapped into the car and stays there at all times. It should not need to be removed. The seat latches in and out of the base. These seats are more of the reclining variety; therefore infants often sleep in these car seats. As the child grows, other car seats can be purchased.

I want to buy a crib for my baby, but my wife thinks a bassinet is better. Who is right?

Potentially, you both could be right. Some people who like to keep an eye on their infants will buy and use bassinets instead of cribs because the bassinets can easily be rolled up next to the bed in which the parents sleep. Mothers who nurse often prefer this because they do not need to get up to go to the baby each time he or she wakes to eat. On the other hand, some people do not want a baby to get used to sleeping in the parents’ room because these babies can sometimes be hard to move into their own bedrooms when the time comes.

I have heard about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). What can I do to minimize the risk of something like this happening to my child?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome often affects infants who are sleeping. It is important that an infant sleeps on a mattress that is firm and not cushy. The especially cushy mattresses make it harder for a baby to roll back over if he or she accidentally rolls on his or her face. Suffocation often is the cause of death in these situations. By the same token, items like pillows should not be used until the baby is old enough to be able to sit up and move around by himself or herself.