Babies

5 Tips For Getting Your Baby To Sleep Through The Night

November 27, 2023 By Lara

Getting your baby to sleep through the night is an incredibly common search term on Google. Getting a baby to sleep long stretches is such a challenge for many parents, that they often find themselves tearing their hair out, trying to figure out how to get some rest. While there’s no single magic formula that works for everyone, ultimately, it’s a skill that has to be taught.

Here are some of the best tips to get started.

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Originally posted on March 4, 2021 @ 3:08 am

New Mom Challenges – Psych Yourself Up to Meet Them

November 27, 2023 By Lara

Having a new baby is an exciting new moment indeed. However, along with the excitement can also come a considerable number of challenges. You may feel uneasy about whether you’re bonding enough with your baby or whether they’re getting the right amount of nutrition. They may cry for unreasonably long periods of time or leave you sleepless for nights on end.

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Originally posted on February 15, 2021 @ 7:49 am

Are Infants Able to Detect Adult Emotions Correctly?

November 26, 2023 By Teresa Martinez

Adults are wont to believe that babies are not able to detect or determine if they are revealing their true emotions or not. Recent studies revealed that infants as young as 18 months old can actually tell whether an adult is not responding accordingly to a given situation. In simple terms, infants know when adults are bluffing or lying!

Originally posted on November 20, 2013 @ 12:45 pm

Listing The Do’s and Dont’s of Childhood

November 25, 2023 By Lor

Some times our kid’s need a little helping hand in remembering what we ask them to do. If you are a parent of a child who is old enough to start helping out around the house…You will know what I mean.

Some children just do not comprehend and know how to complete tasks from start to finish. So they ask mom or dad over and over how to do whatever it is they are attempting to do.

I thought I would take a moment and list a few things that might be great to put on a child’s list of To Do’s and To Not Do’s. Making a list and posting it in words your child can read will not only help you save all the questions. It will also help you to encourage your child to read.

Toddlers Ages 3 to 5

1. Pick up your toys.
2. Put your toys where they belong.
3. Put your dirty clothes in the hamper.
4. When you are done playing put your things
away.

Kindergartners Ages 5 to 6

1. Pick up your things in your room.
2. Put everything where it should go.
3. Put your dirty clothes in the hamper.
4. Set out your clothes for the next morning.
5. Try and make your bed.
6. Help set the table.

Children Ages 6 to 10

1. Clean your room.
2. Make your bed.
3. Put toys away and other play items.
4. Put dirty clothes in the hamper
5. Help fold and put clean clothes away.
6. Help set the table.
7. Learn to pick up around the front room.
8. Learn to vacuum.
9. Learn to dust and clean surfaces in bathroom.

Children Ages 10 to 12

1. Clean your room.
2. Make your bed.
3. Put belongings away after play or use.
4. Put dirty clothes in hamper.
5. Help fold and put clean clothes away.
6. Set the table and wash dishes.
7. Learn to clean and vacuum front room.
8. Clean the bathroom.
9. Take care of personal belongings.
10. Put your bike away or any outside items.
11. Feed and take care of a pet.
12. Take out the trash.
13. Help around the house.
14. Be willing to learn new things.

Teenagers 13 and up

1. Do all of the above listed things.
2. Help mow the lawn and pick up around the yard.
3. Do extra chores for added allowances.
4. Baby sit as you grow more responsible.
5. Clean the house.
6. Learn to cook a little.
7. Learn to do laundry.
8. Learn the value of money.
9. Do some volunteer work.

Now Don’ts For All Ages.

1. Do not break house rules.
2. Do not talk to strangers.
3. Do not go any place alone or without
your parents permission.
4. Do not disrespect other people.
5. Do not talk back to teachers, parents or
people with authority.
6. Do not leave your bike or belongings in
places they do not belong.
7. Do not go places by your self.
8. Do not leave your mess for others to clean up.
9. Do not hit, kick or bite.
10. Follow all of your parents DO NOT Rules.

I am sure you get the basic idea of what you want your child to do and to not do. Just make up a list and post it on the door. You may want to add a how to clean your room list. It is always helpful to use simple words that the kids understand and can relate too. You may want to show them where the dirty clothes go.

Just a few ideas to help make life a little easier and more pleasant on the home front.

Photo via Chromatic

Originally posted on July 16, 2010 @ 9:52 pm

Are Slings Dangerous?

November 25, 2023 By Lara

Every year, some pieces of news breaks out – the kind that tends to change the way we look at things. In the realm of parenting, the latest controversy is lambasting the tried and tested baby sling. I don’t know about you, but this contraption has been so useful to me and countless other parents I know. In spite of the fact that so many people have been using the baby sling for as long as anyone can remember, new “developments” have arisen that question its safety and efficacy.

The Health News Digest tells us more:

It seems the CPSC was alerted by Consumer Reports, an independent, nonprofit agency that tests and rates the quality of a wide range of products. Consumer Reports raised valid concerns when they reported thirty-seven infants who were seriously injured in the past eleven years from falling out of slings and seven deaths from suffocation. They specifically cited the Infantino “SlingRider” and the “Wendy Bellissimo” carriers as a major culprit in the suffocation deaths of two infants (largely due to its pouch-like design) and asked the CPSC to issue a recall noting that it had previously been recalled in 2007 for the breaking of shoulder strap adjusters. Such a recall was not included in their March 12th statement; however Consumer Reports insists that “Because of those incidents, and the lack of safety standards, infant slings are on our list of products not to buy for your baby.”1 They do so without considering product design or track record and without assessing the relative risks (in other words comparing the percentage of babies worn in slings to the considerably small percentage of deaths.)

(For your information, CPSC stands for the Consumer Product Safety Commission.)

So anyway, why the sudden attention on baby slings? I just don’t get it! Think about the countless issues regarding car seats, cribs, play pens, and similar other contraptions used regularly for babies. They have been under scrutiny for a long time, and yet they have not really been banned. Why? Because they are necessary and steps have been taken to ensure that children will be safe.

When it comes to baby slings, I think the same approach should be taken. My children have outgrown the sling, and they are just fine. I am sure that many other mothers will agree with me on this. What do you think? Are baby slings safe enough or should they be banned?

Originally posted on March 26, 2010 @ 1:56 pm

Teething Troubles and A Sleepless Night

November 25, 2023 By Lor

Just as you start patting yourself on the back for having a good week of parenting (i.e. no major arguments, tantrums or illnesses), you get thrown a challenge. Yesterday morning it suddenly came in the form of baby Wills being a little more cranky than usual. By afternoon he was a lot fussier, waking several times from his naps, and by early evening he had a low grade fever. Ugh. I hate fevers. I know that doctors say that when low, fevers actually help the body fight an infection – so leave it until it hits the upper range of 38. But when one of my babies get it I have to admit that I slightly panic and go straight for the paracetamol.

At his “well baby” check-up the other day, Doctor J noticed that his upper gums were swollen. So last night when he woke up every 2 hours screaming in agony (not his style at all!), I knew that teething was at least one of the culprits. His fever had also risen to 38.6 even 3 hours AFTER I had given Calpol, he was clearly in pain and discomfort, so I enlisted my husband to give an extra dose of ibuprofen. I don’t know how he does it, but my husband can work some serious Daddy Magic! With a few silly-faced peekaboos, he turned the dreaded “medicine time” into comedy hour, and literally had Wills laughing so hard, I secretly wondered if he had become slightly hysterical with the fever.

Mission accomplished, Dad went downstairs to watch his DVD reruns of “Las Vegas“, while I kept Wills in bed with me, hoping that the meds would kick in and we’d get some sleep. Well, you know that that wasn’t to be. This morning, I noticed a cough and a slight runny nose, which means that we’ve been hit with a double whammy.

Teething-wise though, here’s what I’ve done. Will report results in my next entry.

1. Homeopathic Teething Gel
I rubbed this in this gums every time he woke up during the night. It seemed to have helped because he went back to sleep after a couple of minutes.

2. Frozen Teething Rings/ Washcloth
Those went into the freezer this morning. When he wakes from his nap, they should be ready.

3. Paracetamol
I don’t like this, but I just felt it was necessary with the fever.

4. Chamomilla Drops
I’ve been starting to give him this homeopathic remedy for teething. It is in the gel as well, so the jury’s out on if this will help.

5. Mom’s TLC
The most important thing of all!

Photo via cjbvii

Originally posted on October 16, 2008 @ 8:59 am