All Posts By Fundas bcn

When you give birth, especially if you are a first time mother, you can find yourself obsessed with taking pictures of your little one.

I am the mother of 5 kids and I like to take pictures of them everyday. I always discover new things about photography.

In this article I have outlined a few essential tips to take beautiful pictures of your baby.

Do I need a camera?

No. You can actually take great pictures with your phone. The good thing about taking pictures with your phone is that you always have it with you, so you can capture memories at anytime.

One picture was taken with my phone and the other one with a Reflex camera. Can you tell which is which?

What makes a great picture?

Taking pictures is an art in itself but to start this simple tip will help: ensure that the focus of the picture is not in the centre but slightly shifted to one side. If you put your baby’s face at a point other than the centre, the whole picture will acquire another dimension to the viewer.

Give more movement and depth to your picture by playing with perspectives and lines. This can be created with furniture (bassinet, changing mat), linen, the walls of the bedroom, the floor or the baby’s curves.

Look around you and take several shots of the same scene by changing the position of the camera: whatever you do, remember that there isn’t a right or wrong option. They are just options, and exploring them will help you find the composition that best suits what you want to convey.

A clever combination of colours is also a key part of a good picture.  Take advantage that babies don’t move too much and play the “stylist” trying different outfits or adding a cover for your maxi-cosi or a swaddle.

If you want to create a vintage picture that has a timeless feel, why not add a black & white filter?

Unleash your creativity!

A picture with the right light

By changing the orientation and quality of light we can achieve totally different effects. Newborn babies will have to be placed in a horizontal position either sideways or facing up/down. Finding a good lighting will allow you to create contrast between light and dark areas.

Avoid frontal lights that don’t generate shadows and lights that go from the chin to the forehead  (which reminds us of the effect of a flashlight when we explain horror stories…). Whenever you can avoid direct sunlight and very direct lamps.

The ideal light would be a side lighting and indirect light. Drapes are your friends!

Just stand next to a window and make sure the light will come on one of your baby’s cheeks or from the forehead to the chin if your baby is lying down.

Can you guess the direction of the light in these 2 pictures?

When is the best time to take pictures of your baby?

It is never a bad time to take a picture of your baby, but the best time will depend on how old your baby is. During their first weeks of life, babies have little control over their muscles and often make involuntary expressions when they are awake and they are not exactly flattering. I would recommend taking pictures while they sleep. In that way, you can capture their sweet and delicate expressions. As they grow and learn to smile, new photographic possibilities emerge.

Keep in mind several key stages of development: the first two or three days babies typically have many red marks on their skin, but they disappear quickly. After ten days of life (sometimes sooner, sometimes later) their skin sheds completely. After a few weeks, the first signs of neonatal acne can appear and their face might look full of red or white spots on the cheeks, forehead, neck, etc.

You can photograph your baby dressed, naked, awake or asleep in your arms, in his brother’s, his father’s or in his crib. Have fun taking pictures in different moments: while changing their diaper, while bathing, while eating … The only photo that you’ll regret is the one you didn’t take.

Go a step further

When you think about taking pictures of your baby, you are probably thinking about portraying their face. But there are many more things that can be interesting to capture that, over time you will appreciate. If your camera allows you, take pictures of small details. Get closer to your baby and photograph their hands, their feet or even their belly button. Find new angles, new perspectives, and have fun shooting. Include their brothers and sisters in the scene.

And a final recommendation is that you try to appear in the pictures as well. Having a picture breastfeeding or rocking your baby is priceless. And if you can’t do it on your own, don’t hesitate to hire a photographer!

By Victòria Peñafiel · Newborn baby photographer

www.victoriapenafiel.com · Facebook · Google+

When we find out that we will become a mum, a rush of happiness invades us. Pregnancy is one of the most special and important moments for women.  During pregnancy, we experience many changes, physically but also psychologically. This is an article full of tips for mums to be.

How to adapt to body changes?

It is normal to feel tired and experience symptoms such as stretch marks on your belly and breasts.

There are several solutions to combat these discomforts.

For example, if you feel nauseated or you feel like throwing up, you can try to drink lemonade, ginger or watermelon.

Some yoga postures can help alleviate nausea symptoms such as: supta virasana, naddha konasana, viparita karani, yoga deep breathing o adho mukha swastikasana.

Eating bananes can help fight fatigue.

To prevent and treat stretch marks we recommend moisturizing the skin.

How to manage our emotions during pregnancy?

It is common to be more in touch with our emotions during pregnancy. It seems like feelings and emotions are intensified. We recommend not to deny or block our emotions. It is very important to mange them in a healthy way.

If you are feeling stressed or worried, we recommend relaxation techniques.

Don’t worry if at one point you feel extremely happy and a few seconds later you feel sad.

When time to giving birth gets closer anxiety and worries can increase. We recommend to keep calm and be confident about yourself.

Some tips to enjoy pregnancy:

Exercise It is healthy for you and the baby to exercise in a moderate intensity such as long walks, yoga, pilates and swimming.

Stop bad habits: Avoid completely alcohol and tobacco

Rest & sleep loads: If you feel tired, rest. It is completely normal to feel more tired than usual when you are pregnant.

Vitamins boost: Make sure you are following a healthy diet that includes vitamins such as folic acid, iron and iodine.

By Natalia Martín de la Huerga, psicoterapeuta, investigadora y neuropsicóloga especializada en atención infantil 

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which usually begins in the first years of life.

The exact cause of AD is unknown. However, there are various immunological disorders that may explain the disease.

The main symptom of AD is itching and there is no atopic eczema without itching.

Atopic patients have dry skin that contributes to itching and causes scratching. Synthetics and wool fabrics tend to irritate the skin and cause itching.

There are several factors that can worsen the disease. In particular, wool and synthetic fabrics, exposure to abrasive and aggressive soaps and climatic factors may exacerbate AD. Skin infection in particular with Staphylococcus aureus is also another important factor that keeps the skin irritated.

The right approach requires a combination of multiple actions: Eliminate potential triggers and repair the skin barrier.

When trying to treat AD it is important to carefully review the fabrics we use. Our clothes are in direct contact with our skin all day long and that’s why it’s important to choose the right fabrics for kids with AD. Due to their hygienic properties, natural fibres fabrics are the most suitable choice. Wool fibres are frequently used in clothing but they can irritate sensitive skins. It has been demonstrated that wool fibres irritate the skin of atopic patients, and for this reason wool intolerance was included in the diagnostic criteria for AD in 1980 .

Cotton is the most common fabric recommended for AD patients. Cotton is widely used in clothing due to their natural properties:  

–  Good resistance to folding

–  Better heat circulation

–  Easy to dye

–  A slow and excellent moisture absorption.

Silk fabrics also help maintain body temperature by reducing sweating and the loss of excessive moisture. However, silk fabrics generally used in clothing are not particularly useful in improving AD as it reduces sweating and can cause discomfort when in direct contact with the skin.

Dra. Ma José Tribó Boixareu

Dermatologist

Mallorca, 211 1º2ª   08008 Barcelona

Whether you’re preparing your first nursery or redecorating your children’s bedroom, we’ve got some great ideas to help you create the perfect bedroom. We believe that small items and accessories are key to create a fun and original decoration. Bunting is trendy and adds a personal touch to your baby’s bedroom.

There are many different styles of bunting and there are easy to find either in baby’s stores or online. Another option is to get creative and DIY!

Buntings are great to decorate your kid’s room or for birthday parties. Make your little one’s party even more special with a personalized name bunting.

Bunting can also be added to any room in your house. Have fun decorating your house with bunting of different colours and fabrics.

If you decide to DIY, here is an easy tutorial:

You will need:

A piece of ribbon or string

A variety of your favourite printed paper.

Glue

Ruler, scissors

1. Choose where will the bunting go and cut the string accordingly.
2. Cut same size triangles. Make sure you have enough triangles.
3. Fold the top part of the triangle and glue it to the string. If you are using fabrics instead of paper you can use special glue for fabrics or sew it. The distance you leave between triangles is up to you!

If you need a bit of inspiration, check out the following links:

Do you have some scraps of fabric that you love and that you would like to use to make something practical, easy and beautiful? Then, this DIY tutorial is perfect for you!

In this tutorial we will explain step by step how to make a mousepad for your desk with your favourite fabric and other materials very easy to get. Transform your mousepad under 5 minutes (it doesn’t include drying time).

Are you ready? Here we go!

How to make a mouse pad:

The materials you need are :

• A piece of fabric (ours is from the Coral Summer print by Fun*das bcn)
• non-slip shelf liner
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Modpodge
• Brush/mini brush

Step by step guide:

1) Using a pencil, mark your liner and the fabric in the size you want your mousepad. You can get creative and try different shapes (rectangular, square or round). In our case we made a circle of 22 cms in diameter.

2) Cut the piece with a pair of scissors or cutter.

3) Grab a brush and cover the surface with a thin layer of modpodge. It is important to cover the whole surface in a thin even layer.

If not done properly, the mousepad won’t be smooth and you will have to start again. Another important issue is to make sure the glue is spread around the outer edge of the liner because you want the fabric to stay put.

4) Gently, place the fabric over the liner and smooth it repeatedly with the palm of your hand to get rid of any wrinkles.

Let it dry as much time as indicated by the manufacturer. If necessary, put weights on the corners of the pad to add pressure until it dries.

5) Once it’s completely dry, turn it around and trim the edges using scissors. Be careful not to cut the liner.

The most important part of this step is not to stretch the fabric.

Now, you’re all done! See how thin and sleek it is?

Are you ready to use it?

By Cosas Molonas

When Michael Obama visited Spain she said “Men who change diapers are praised and women who stay late at work are blamed”. As a rule of thumb, women earn less than men for the same job. As women, we have the responsibility to change this culture and it is one of the most important challenges of our generation. We have to tell boys that it is normal to cry and that girls can be great leaders.

We have the power to change this for us and for our daughters and sons. We need to be responsible for our individual economy and our money. We have to be aware about the importance of personal economic independence and we need to demand equality in our work environment. We need to feel free to ask for a raise and to choose our own career path without feeling guilty for not staying at home with our kids.

And what about our economy and our life goals? Do they exist? Very few women have a financial plan, although they are usually the best at managing their household economy. Only a few, have clear life goals (moving out from their parents, study, entrepreneurship, have kids, travel, retirement…) and have a financial plan to fulfil their goals.

Financial education is the foundation to learn to love money and manage it so that we can achieve our goals.

Today in Spain, women earn 34% less retirement pension than men, and that’s a figure that will not likely improve in the coming years as women in the age group of 35 to 55 have contributed 29% less than men due to part-time work, maternity leave, time off to take care of kids and parents or having a lower wage. Women who have stayed at home to take care of their children because men earned more money will find themselves deprived of a fair retirement pension. Retirement pensions are personal and non-transferable and women are disadvantaged due to the current financial culture. The path to freedom and independence starts with financial freedom.

Whatever the level of personal income, we need to learn to manage and review our expenses, adapt, save and always think long term. Financial planning with a professional advisor is strongly recommended. To work on our financial literacy doesn’t mean we need to know all about bonus, IRR or the Sharpe Ratio. What really matters is to have a budget for savings and to diversify investments. It is not advisable to put all our eggs in the same basket. Commitment and perseverance are key factors to financial security and we must not be alarmed by the news as the markets adjust in the long term.

Some of you may not know what you can get by investing as little as 20€ per month, from the day your child is born until he turns 18 years old. Properly diversified and managed, the yields can be extraordinary.

We need to change our culture but first, we need to take care of our money and achieve financial freedom.

Taking responsibility for our personal economy is the path to freedom and it’s our choice.

by www.gemmavoltas.es Financial advisor