Going through another pregnancy has gotten me to look into things, that I never would have thought about.

I recently read that Chicago was actually the first state in the U.S. to put a ban on the crib bumpers.  After reading several different things, it became clear that the reasoning was that the bumpers put the baby at an increased risk for SIDS.  With the bumper in the crib, the baby is more at risk for suffocation and could possibly get tangled in the string that ties the bumper to the crib.

What sparked me looking into this, was when I was looking for bedding for our new addition.  I noticed that the sets were sold with and without the bumper.  I also receive Parenting Magazine, and I had read a write up in there too.  Other than that, I have not heard much so I thought that I would help spread the word!!

This is a common question among parents.  First, I want to say that I am not a Dr. and you should always consult your physician before drastically changing your babies diet.

Typically, it is best to wait until your baby is at least a year old before giving him/her regular cows milk.  A big reason for this is because the baby could actually develop anemia, an iron deficiency.  Cows milk does not have iron in it, where as breast milk and formula do.

This is not to say that milk based products are bad, such as yogurt and cheese.  I know with Alex, the Dr. encouraged me to introduce yogurt around 10 months.

It is the time of year that people think about the things that we are all thankful for.  As parents we need to teach our babies, and children, what it means to be thankful and how to be thankful.

Babies model behavior of the people around them.  If they see their loved ones saying "thank you" and being kind to one another, they are more likely to do the same.  For instance, when our family is out to a restaurant, Alex is encouraged to order for himself, and to be polite to our waiter/waitress.  He has been taught to be thankful that someone is bringing his food to him, and in turn he also ends up thanking whoever it is that took him to the meal.

This week, as a family, we are going to say one thing that we are thankful for.  I am sure that Alex will likely be thankful for toys, but that is okay.  For our babies that cannot talk yet, the parents can tell their babies what they are thankful for.  Babies can hear and understand at young ages.  Parents will be teaching their child how to be thankful.  It is a good habit to get into, and starting this at such a young age will be fun!

If you have children like Alex, it can be a challenge at times to get them to eat broccoli, spinach, or other healthy options.  Last night I cooked a dinner that Alex not only ate all of, but he loved it!  I made chicken nuggets from the cookbook Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Foodwhich has many different recipes to choose from.

The nuggets were made from chicken that I cut into bite size pieces. However, the breading was the real trick!  I had pureed broccoli, and used that with the bread and flax seed meals. Alex really loves macaroni and cheese, and there is a great recipe in the cookbook that includes squash or sweet potatoes in with the cheese.

This cookbook has been a huge help in sneaking in healthy options! You can click the picture to see more reviews and get one for yourself!

If we look at this for health matters, as long as the mother is healthy, breastfeeding has more benefits.  When breastfeeding, your new baby will get help building his or her immune system.  Breastfeed babies have also been shown to have less of a problem with childhood obesity.

Another great benefit to breastfeeding is the cost.  There is no additional cost for formulas!  Let me tell you, that is good news.  That cost adds up.

Some women are uncomfortable with this.  I would suggest at least trying it for three days.  If it does not work for you, then at least you tried it.   If you do decide to use formula, make sure you have your water tested.  This way you can feel sure your baby is getting formula that is not at risk for contamination.

This is a good question!  Many people feel as though this may be helpful, and others may feel it is not.

However, giving birth is a big deal and it is important to make your own decision.  I have read that it does actually help.  There has actually been research done on this, and the outcome is that the classes help decrease anxiety.  Believe it or not, it was even shown that labor was shorter for ladies who had childbirth classes.  These classes seemed to help the overall experience.  I think that going to these classes gives the parents an idea of what to expect, and just makes them more comfortable.

Even more important that childbirth classes is emotional support.  If it is your spouse, or another family member, emotional support is very important.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is a very exciting time for our little ones, and for the parents too!  It is fun to dress up our children *if they are not old enough pick their own costume*.  I just wanted to provide some safety tips before you head on your way!

*Wear something reflective, or add glow sticks to your child's costume.  This will help drivers see your precious cargo.  It may not hurt for the parents to have something on too.

*Never enter a home, unless you know the person.  This may seem to be common since, but sometimes the sight of a haunted house can be appealing.

*Only eat candy that has a professional wrapper, nothing homemade by strangers.

*If your child's costume has a sward or knife, be careful that it is not too long or sharp.  If your child is to trip, it may hurt even worse to have their toy sward poke them.

*Take a small flash light.  You never know if you might need it!

*Little ones are usually very excited.  Hold their hands and remind them not to run from house to house.

*Last but not least, have fun!!  Enjoy another fun time with your child!

Personally, I am pretty excited.  My baby still lets me dress up with him to go trick or treating.

When your baby is around nine months old, parents may notice that she/he starts to get upset when the parents leave.  This could be at day care, or even if the parents just go out for the night.

The point that I want to make is that this is normal.  This is just because at about nine months, infants are able to remember when parents left in the past.  The positive side to this is that with time, your baby will learn that his/her loving parents always come back.

I remember worrying when my baby went through this.  I did not understand why he went from being fine, to crying when I would leave him.  It was not long before he was back to his happy self, and waving bye to me.

This is a very common question, and one that could have many answers.  If you are married, it may be something that you and your husband could tell your toddler together.  I would just sit your child down and with big smiles tell him/her that they are going to be a big brother/sister!!  Most toddlers will feed off of your energy and if you are excited they will be too!

Explain that they are going to be the big kid and are going to get to teach the baby new things.  Maybe even get your toddler to help you every so often with baby things and then tell him/her what a big helper they are.

Once your newborn arrives and you are comfortable doing this, ask your significant other to stay with the baby and you and your toddler go out to lunch.  Just the two of you doing something special will help them know that just because there is a new baby in the house, doesn't mean that they are not equally as important as the baby.  Then have dad do that as well.  This way the toddler is still getting some of that one on one attention that they are used to from both of you.  This will also be a nice opportunity to get some one on one time with your new baby, as the other parent is with your toddler.  :)  I hope this is helpful!

April 30, 2010 – Fort Washington, PA. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is voluntarily recalling all lots that have not yet expired of certain over-the-counter (OTC) Children’s and Infants’ liquid products manufactured in the United States and distributed in the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, Dubai (UAE), Fiji, Guam, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, and Kuwait. (SEE RECALLED PRODUCT LIST BELOW).

* CONCENTRATED TYLENOL® INFANTS’ DROPS 0.5 OZ. GRAPE FLAVOR is also included in JOHNSON'S ® Baby Relief Kit.

*CONCENTRATED MOTRIN® INFANTS’ DROPS 0.5 OZ. BERRY FLAVOR is also included in JOHNSON'S ® Baby Relief Kit