Yesterday I talked a little bit about learning toys. As I do think the most important first teacher is you, some learning toys can really help. Alex has a laptop that has really helped him learning his letters and what letter makes what sound. It is something that we play together, he tells me what letter he will push next and then we both clap!

It can be hard to know which toys are really helping your baby grow and which are just trying to get the sales. Shown below is a Fun 2 Learn Laughtop. Alex's is a little different than this one, but his is a hand me down, so I had a hard time finding that one. I do really recommend them. If you like this you can just click on the laptop and it will direct you to learn a little bit more about it.

Labels: baby toys, Recommended Baby Toy

Baby's are truly like sponges, so use that time to teach them good things. Things like I like to do with Alex are as simple as just giving him a crayon and a blank sheet of paper. When I give him a color I tell him what color he has. Then we color together, and I will draw shapes and numbers and we will write his name. Alex gets proud of himself when he recognizes the things that are getting drawn, such as a hearts or circles.

Learning toys help too. They let the child see different numbers and letters, but all toys are made better when there is praise for getting it correct. When they don't get it correct don't use punishment, just tell them what the right way is. Get excited to color with your baby! Put the crayon in their hand then put your hand over theirs, use that method to write their name and shapes. Then they feel like they are doing it (with a little help).

Tell you baby's babysitters what you are doing and see if it can be incorporated in their day while you are away too. I am lucky to stay at home with Alex, but the many people that love him also encourage his learning and he loves that!

Labels: baby learning

It is almost impossible to keep from getting a cold during the colder months, especially if you have a toddler, or even worse, a school child. You can help from passing the cold around by cleaning with disinfectant. Using Lysol on the doorknobs, things that get touched a lot. You want to be careful with this though because you don't want your baby to put to ingest it. The safest way that I use is just washing your (and your baby's) hands A LOT!!

Labels: baby health

Pregnancy is a very important time for the development of your unborn baby. The brain is working very hard to develop rapidly. If you are planning your pregnancy and you drink and smoke, try to quit before hand. I know that this is easier said that done, but I did some research on this topic because of the myth that "one drink wont hurt" or "my smoking isn't hurting my baby." That really isn't true, as a matter of fact even second hand smoke is a toxin for your unborn baby. It can damage the lungs and with the drinking can cause some birth defects.

As far as harder drugs if you are doing these while you are pregnant, if the baby survives, then that helpless baby will not only suffer from withdrawal but will also most likely have birth defects along with learning disabilities. This is a topic that some don't take very seriously and thank you to those of you who do!

Labels: pregnancy

Until Alex was a year and a couple months old we put him to sleep at 8:00, and then we went to 9:00. The 9:00 seemed to fit him better, he went to sleep easier and took a better nap in the middle of the day. When you are trying to see what time will work for your baby give it a couple of days to see if it is helping, it is hard to tell after just one night. Whatever you decide just make sure you have a routine and I'm sure it will be good.

Labels: baby questions, baby sleep

This is really they key. Your baby knows when they are hungry and they will stop eating when they are full. Just keep the snacks healthy and give them good meals. Getting them in a routine will help both of you. It will help you because you will be used to cooking at the same times every day, and for your baby because you will know when about he/she will be getting hungry.

Just keep in mind that baby's go through phases as well as older children where they are just not as hungry. During this stage just be sure that the foods that they are eating are good for them and offer fruit or veggies for your baby's snack.

If your baby develops good eating habits now chances are that they will stay with them! So why not give them a boost!

Labels: baby food

Reading to your baby does so much for their minds. I'm going to make and example out of "Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See." While you are reading this book to your baby talk about it with them. Point to the red bird and say something that will reinforce what your baby is looking at. Such as "Do you like the red bird? Red birds are beautiful aren't they!" Because as your baby is learning to expand their vocabulary they are also learning colors shapes and individual letters!

Help your baby make the world of reading exciting! For Alex and I it is ALWAYS part of our night time routine, but he loves to read so much that he often brings me books during the day. First Alex reads to me (points at the pictures and tells me what he sees) and then I read to him! It is amazing to she how far he has come just by reading to him, so why not do the same!

Labels: baby books, baby learning

There are so many brands of diapers out there, and then all the brands have different levels. It can be rather confusing. To find the one that is correct for you and your new baby could be a bit of a challenge. Some work better for boys then for girls and some better for girls then for boys. I have found that Pampers Baby Dry worked the best for my boy, but I have heard that Huggies work best for girls. Once Alex began to crawl we went to Pampers Cruisers because they move with Alex rather than just being uncomfortable for him. Another thing to look at is the scent. Personally I don't like scented diapers or wipes, mainly because they contain more chemicals. I try to stay away from things with chemicals. Which brings me to cloth diapers. While yes, this would mean more laundry, it also means more natural! Just keep your options open and see what is right for you and your baby!

Labels: baby diapers

A question that is often heard is what should I get my baby that is, however many years old, for their birthday. The ages on the box are when they child will get the most from the toy. In some cases it is even a safety issue. If you are buying the gift for someone else and there is no ages on the box and you are unsure, you should ask the parents. You don't want to buy a toy that the child will not be able to play with.

This is especially true with video games! Some games that look OK really are not. Even the parents should be looking over the child's shoulder while playing for a while to keep an eye on the graphics and language.

Labels: baby toys

If you are pregnant and you will have to go back to work after your baby is born go ahead and start looking for the right babysitter for you. This way you will feel comfortable with who you are trusting with your baby. Do research on the local daycares and if you don't find one that you like try Sittercity.com, they will find local people in your area for you! It can be so hard to know who to trust your baby with, so get a head start on it that way you don't feel rushed once your baby is born.

Labels: babysitters, pregnancy

This is a sensitive subject because this could be happing for many reasons. For example, if you are more likely to do things for the older children maybe the youngest child is driving you crazy as a way to get attention. Try spending more quality time with just the two of you and see if the craziness dies down. Keep in mind that kids big and small pick up on stress and tension, but if you are not acting that way to the older children the youngest one will start to blame themselves and think they are a bad kid.

You didn't give me much detail to the situation which is fine, but this was the best answer I could come up with given what I knew. If this is the situation, please, just try spending more time with your youngest child. This could be really hurting them too.

Labels: baby questions

Giving your baby/toddler a nap during the day will give you a happier baby! If your baby doesn't get a nap during the day then they are more likely to not only fight sleep at night, but also to be cranky throughout the day. Sleep is important at every age, but especially to a young child. It will also help out greatly if you can develop a routine. Giving a nap at the same time every day will help your baby adjust.

For example, try getting your baby to take a nap after lunch and after a few days of doing this at the same time they will know what to expect!

Labels: baby sleep

In my eyes you cannot spoil an infant. When you are comforting them when they cry then to me you are doing your job! When babies cry it means that they need something, they just can verbally tell you what it is that they need. Babies grow up so fast that I think you should enjoy all the cuddles and love that you can get!

To me spoiling doesn't come until later, when the baby thinks that they can have everything they touch. Just be careful not to over do it then. But for now give your baby all the love in the world!!

Labels: baby questions

I'm going to share a true story with you today in hopes that everyone will see just how important it really is to read to your baby.

Jacob was born 10 weeks early, weighing only 3 pounds and 1 ounce. His mommy, Tara, who is an English teacher began to read the Harry Potter series, with the first chapter of the first book being "The Boy Who Lived." Tara would read every day for hours at a time. By the time they began the fourth book it had been 5 weeks of being in the hospital.

She and his father, Mike, are able to hold their son now which cuts into reading time just a little bit, but the nurses noticed that when the mommy reads to her son that his oxygen-saturation levels go up (which is a sign that he is calm and he is breathing better!)

This family is still in the hospital an in the fourth book. They hope to be home in a month and that baby is gaining weight! He was 5 pounds 8 ounces with only 1 IV as of Wednesday!!

This is a great true story! You don't have to wait for something like this before you begin to read to your baby. Once your baby is born, or even while in the belly, read. They will hear you!

Labels: baby health

To get the most effective skills out of parenting it is important to have good communication with your significant other. Discuss how you want to run the house things you allow and don't allow and then come to a conclusion on what you want to punishment to be. Even if you baby is just a baby it is important to know, and respect, the other parents opinion.

If there comes a time and you feel like your spouse was too harsh or not harsh enough talk about it, but do it away from the baby. Your baby will be able to pick up on the arguing, and you don't want your spouse to feel undermined.

If there is good communication between parents then child will learn that communication is important too! It's a win win!!

Labels: baby learning

While you are pregnant it is very important to try not to let the little things stress you out. Severe stress can lead to miscarriage, premature birth and is even the cause of some birth defects. I know this sounds really scary. When you feel yourself getting stressed get out and do something for yourself. Whatever you enjoy, whether it be shopping for the new baby or getting a massage. Let your significant other know that you are getting stressed and see if there is anything that he can do to help.

Labels: pregnancy

Every parent can't wait until the day that they're baby is finally potty trained. Not having to buy anymore diapers or wipes! As nice as it sounds it is so important that the baby not be rushed into doing something that they are not ready for. If you are trying to push you baby to get out of diapers when your baby is not ready it could lead to a lot of accidents, which can be very discouraging. Also you may end up going back and fourth a lot with putting on diapers then taking them off again, which can be very confusing.

You know your baby better than anyone, you will know when the time comes that they are ready too potty. Your baby will start telling you when they need to potty, and then you make it fun and happy!! When you do get there, and your baby has an accident (and they will), don't get discouraged, and try hard not to get upset.

Labels: baby diapers

Something that I have started to do with Alex and his toys are that if I notice it has been about month or so without playing with a toy, then I take it to children who I know will use them or to goodwill. It really works, for now because he is so young, but I am going to keep doing this so that when he is older he wont tell me "no". I have noticed that kids like to keep their toys even if they don't play with them, as I'm sure Alex will try to when he gets older, but for now it works! If you decide to try this, you will be surprised at how many toys that your baby doesn't play with, I know I was!!

Labels: baby toys

Babies grow up fast, so why not spend as much quality time with them as you can. If you are working parents who are coming home stressed out about the day that you have had try to leave the chip at the door and let your little one have the happy you. We are our children's role models, we our their first teachers, let's teach them happiness. Teach your baby that quality time is important, that spending time with your family is important. These are all great things that your baby will carry with them forever.

Labels: baby learning

I have seen a lot of commercials lately that have the parents talking while the toddlers are running around. These are very sad commercials because they insinuate the children are going to fall from high places, and get very badly hurt. While they are very sad images, they are so important. I think people need to see that all it takes is one second for children to get into something dangerous. So please go on with your conversation and enjoy being an adult, but know where your child is. If you need to interrupt a story just say "excuse me, I need to check on my baby" and move the conversation closer to where your baby is playing. That way you can keep on talking and just move your head to see your baby.

Labels: baby safety

The following is a list of medicine being taking off the shelves due to accidental overdose for children under two. Most of these say "consult a doctor, or just not to use for children under 2. This is VERY important, children under two should not be taking the medicine. I'm going to copy a quote that I found: The trade group stressed in a statement that the “medicines are, and have always been, safe at recommended doses.”

• Dimetapp Decongestant Plus Cough
  Infant Drops
  
• Dimetapp Decongestant Infant Drops
• Little Colds Decongestant Plus Cough
• Little Colds Multi-Symptom Cold Formula
• PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine)
• PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant Cough (containing pseudoephedrine)
• PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine)
• PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough
• PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing phenylephrine)
• Robitussin Infant Cough DM Drops
• Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant
• Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant Plus Cough
• TYLENOL Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold
• TYLENOL Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough

Labels: baby health, baby safety

There are a couple of tricks that I would suggest:

• Pack extra diapers, wipes, bottles, formula (if not breastfeeding), passys, and a change of clothes. You never know if or how long a plane will be delayed.

• When the flight attendants offer to preboard, don't do it! If you are traveling as a family, have one of you preboard with all of the luggage, and the other wait with the baby. You want your child to spend as little time possible in the plane so that they don't get board.

• The safest place for any child under two is to be strapped into the seat next to you, in a child seat. However most parents feel better holding their baby, and if this is what you choose to do, pick an aisle seat so that you are not climbing over people when your baby wants to get up and move around.

• If you are going over seas, your baby will need a passport, this one is often over looked.

Something else that I would like to add is that if you do a lot of traveling in the car, AAA is a wonderful thing to have. The provide 24 hour roadside assistance, if you run out of gas, or get a flat tire they are there.

Labels: baby questions

Pregnancy is such a delicate time for that unborn baby, it is so important to treat it that way. Those nine months have such rapid brain development, and the baby is eating everything that you are, and is being surrounded by everything that you are as well. Try to stay in a healthy environment, free from excise noise and stress and of course drugs and alcohol. Go to your prenatal Dr. visits and make sure that your baby is growing well. Pregnancy is such a special time, so celebrate with lots of rest and eating well! It is well worth is to bring a healthy bundle of joy into the world!

Labels: pregnancy

There are a couple of other things that you can do to help prevent SIDS. While not putting your baby to sleep on his stomach or putting him in too much bedding or pajamas are the big ones, there is also not smoking in the house or really anywhere near the baby. When the baby inhales the smoke it makes the baby's lungs not function as well. Also smoking and drinking while you are pregnant can lead to SIDS as well as poor prenatal care. Some other things that can contribute are low birth-weight and mommies that are under 20.

Labels: baby questions, baby safety

I get asked why people breastfeed pretty often and haven't made a post about it yet, so today is going to be the day. Breastfeeding is good for so many reasons. There is something called colostrum (this contains many antibodies) that comes before the milk and it is usually the first 3 days after your baby is born, this is great for the baby. So even if you choose not to breastfeed, at least try the first 3 days. Other more common reasons, would be that the milk is always at room temperature, the milk is always sterile, and less bottles to wash.

It is also a good bonding experience, and you can put your breast milk in a bottle to give daddy a chance to do some bonding of his own. I didn't breastfeed Alex, and I'm really not sure why, but if we ever have another baby I probably will after learning all of the benefits that come along with it.

Labels: baby food

Well you didn't give me the age of your baby, but infants under 6 months really should not have juice at all. If you give your baby that is over the age of 6 months juice then it should be in a cup, not a bottle (this way the sugar is not staying on the teeth as much). Limit how much your baby is drinking, and give him/her 100% juice, children from 1-6 should only be given 4-6 ounces of juice a day. A good trick to use is to dilute the juice with water, and every time you give your child another cup just keep putting in more water than before.

Try giving her/him the real fruit instead. If she/he likes grape juice, give he/she grapes. A lot of kids are drinking too much juice and drinking juice can be associated with having cavities, having diarrhea and not eating as well as they should.

Labels: baby health, baby questions

If it is not something that you do on a regular basis then I would say yes, I know that for me, the first couple of times that I left Alex I wondered if he mad that I was gone, or if he even noticed. Turned out he didn't even notice I was gone until I got home. Once I came in the door he got mad at me for leaving. It was an out of sight out of mind thing, but he was also much younger then.

If what you are having trouble with is finding a babysitter, then that makes even more sense. If you don't trust who you leave your baby with 100% you will not feel right about it. This is why I think it is so important to listen to your gut.

Labels: babysitters

There are many benefits of keeping your baby in a routine, for example, a bedtime routine. When bed time comes (which should be the same time every night) your baby will be more likely to cooperate if they know what to expect. Give your baby a warm bath, then tuck them into bed and read them a story. This will give your baby time to wind down. You can even use this method with infants, and in fact, would probably be easier with infants.

One of my favorite parts of this routine, is the fact that no matter what happens throughout the day, I know that every night I will get to read Alex a story and we will have a little talk and then he is off to dream land. It really is a nice feeling!

Bedtime isn't the only routine you can have, there is also eating, napping, and so many other!!

Labels: baby sleep

If you start introducing healthy food alternatives to your baby now, you are giving your baby the head start that they need. Rather than rewarding them with candy and other foods, reward your baby with an activity, taking him/her to the park, or if it is cold outside, then you could read an extra story that day. Having food as a reward could lead to eating disorders later on in life if its is done all the time.

Give your baby the benefit by giving them healthy snacks, have grapes instead of a sucker, or strawberries rather than a candy bar. In Alex's case he loves green peppers, so that is what we give him instead of the sugary snacks.

Labels: baby health

When your toddler begins talking they normally say whatever he/she hears. If your toddler says "I falled down and hurted myself" this is actually a good sign. It means that your child is learning grammar, that something that happened in the past ends in "ed". Rather than telling them that they didn't say it correctly just say "oh you feel down and hurt yourself? Are you okay?" This way your child can hear the correct way of saying it without feeling like are are not smart.

Labels: baby learning

When your toddler learns to color it is very cool to see what kind of things that they will come up with to draw and the colors that they use. Of course as they get older the drawings will get more interesting and probably have some kind of story behind it, but for now they are pretty simple.

When Alex colors for me I ask him to tell me about what he is coloring. I do this to try to get myself in the habit, because when he gets older I don't want to make him think since I don't know what it is that he drew then he failed. Children are very sensitive and it may really hurt them if their parents don't see what they see in the art. It is also great communication!! I may not be able to understand him clearly, but Alex really does try to explain his pictures to me!

Labels: baby learning

They will probably make you wait until you are about 8 weeks along until you go in, and once you do they will ask you questions about your family history. In most cases they will want to know about the fathers family history too, so think about having him come if you don't know all his family history. Then they will measure your belly and do a pelvic exam to see how far alone that they think you are. You will probably get to see an ultrasound and hear the heartbeat! You should be going to the Dr about once a month, then once you get closer to the to the due day they will see you more often. Every 3 weeks, every 2 weeks and then every week for the last month!! You are on your way to a very exciting journey!! Congratulations!

Labels: baby questions, pregnancy