Author: สามิตร

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Diet

The Dark Truth About Baby Cereal

Baby cereal was first introduced in the 1930s, which was when a monumental shift occurred away from real foods towards processed convenience foods. Previously known as pablum, mothers were advised to mix it into a bottle with breast milk for babies as young as six weeks old. Then when baby was around 3 or 4 months old, the pablum was mixed into a thicker consistency to be spoon-fed.

Iron-fortified grain cereal is still a leading recommendation for starting solids… even by most pediatricians, and even with today’s clarity about the importance of whole foods vs refined. Sadly, processed grain products aren’t the healthiest choice for anyone, let alone as a first food to properly nourish a developing baby.

Stripped of its nutrients

Baby cereal is stripped of its nutrients and fiber and it’s highly glycemic, which causes drastic blood sugar spikes followed by inevitable fussiness and hunger. Many parents often start solids prematurely with the hopes of keeping babies “fuller for longer”, but a high glycemic food like baby cereal doesn’t contain the fat or protein necessary to satisfy a baby for very long at all. Baby cereal is also very bland tasting, which doesn’t set the stage for adventurous eating.

Even if it wasn’t refined, rice is sorely lacking all the top essential nutrients a baby really needs when starting solids, such as healthy fat, calcium, vitamin D, choline & naturally occurring iron. Baby cereal is fortified with synthetic nutrients, but our focus should undoubtedly be to ensure that our babies are eating naturally nutrient-dense foods instead of foods like baby cereal that are fortified with synthetic nutrients. Let’s skip the processed foods to help set our babies up for a lifelong relationship with healthy, whole foods.

High levels of arsenic in rice cereal

Arsenic is present in soil, so all plants can absorb some of it. Although, rice is known to be high in arsenic because it’s grown in flooded paddies and soaks up more arsenic than other food crops. As a well-recognized carcinogen, arsenic is currently regulated in drinking water. However, there are currently no regulations concerning arsenic concentrations in food, including infant rice cereal.

While other foods account for 19% of arsenic exposure in babies 4 – 24 months, rice cereal accounts for 55%.

Several studies have found that arsenic exposure in rice cereal exceeds the US Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant levels and markedly increases arsenic exposure among babies. Studies show that the toxic effects of rice are most concerning in infants.

What about whole grains for babies?

Some people argue that a baby doesn’t produce enough amylase to properly digest grains. But I actually recommend being cautious with grains for an entirely different reason. Grains can be difficult to digest, even for many adults with mature digestive systems. Grains have substances called phytic acid that inhibit the absorption of minerals like iron and calcium.

When we look to ancient cultures for wisdom, babies have been fed rice or other grains as a first food in many countries around the world. They also weren’t using arsenic-containing pesticides that significantly increased the arsenic levels present in their rice. However, it’s important to note that these whole grains used by these cultures were carefully prepared using traditional methods.

If you do include grains as a part of your family’s meals, I suggest properly preparing them by soaking, sprouting, or fermenting/souring to increase nutrient absorption and digestibility. I also prefer waiting until baby is reliably consuming 3 meals per day with ample amounts of food at each meal. Babies tend to prefer ‘filling up’ on grains if given the choice, but like baby cereal, whole grains don’t contain the essential nutrients that a baby requires in high doses during this age (fat, calcium, vitamin D, choline & naturally occurring iron). This leaves less room in their tiny tummies for the other foods that are much higher in these nutrients. Lastly, grains are pretty bland, and time and time again I see that if baby was introduced to these foods in larger amounts at an early age, it’s much harder to diversify their palate later on. Early exposure to a variety of flavors is key!

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Diet

6 Months Old Baby Food Ideas

Congratulations, your baby has hit the half-year milestone. In the first six months, she has gained all the nutrients from breast milk. It is now time for your baby to start tasting solids and relish them.

Nutrient Requirements of a 6-Month-Old Infant

Here are the nutritional components that 6-month-old baby food should have:

  1. Calcium: Calcium is essential for bone and teeth development.
  2. Iron: Iron helps to carry oxygenated blood to developing parts of the body.
  3. Zinc: Zinc improves cell repair and growth.
  4. Fat: Fat insulates the baby and stimulates brain development.
  5. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates provide energy for doing day-to-day activities.
  6. Protein: Proteins act as building blocks for cells.
  7. Vitamins: Different vitamins contribute differently to a baby’s growth. Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D, E and K are essential to a baby.
  8. Minerals: Minerals like sodium and potassium directly influence the growth of a baby.
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Baby Games

Best Baby Games: Birth to 18 Months

Never Too Young for Fun

Something about the stuffed animal we dubbed “crinkle puppy” for its crinkly sound when squeezed left my daughter Emma, 3 months at the time, smiling each time I placed it in front of her. Maybe it was the contrasting colors that held Emma’s attention. It could have been the way I often “spoke” for the puppy, giving Emma an idea of what a real puppy would sound like or what it might say to her if it could talk. “Babies are so eager and curious,” says Michelle Gross, a developmental psychologist who directs a Centers for Disease Control-contracted parenting research project for kids from birth to age 5. “Your interaction with your baby — keeping her happy and giving her opportunities for playing and learning — is setting a foundation for how she’ll approach the world, really for the rest of her life.”

A particular toy might snag your child’s attention — thank you, “crinkle puppy” — but never underestimate your own power to produce a smile, Gross says. Babies are most amused by your behavior when you laugh, make funny noises with your mouth, or open your eyes really wide. A guide to what makes her happiest, and why, during those early weeks and beyond:

Birth to 3 Months

  • What Your Baby Likes: Sensory stimulation, your smiling face, the comfort of routine.
  • What’s Behind the Smiles: She feels a sense of security — vital for her sense of well-being — when you rock and cuddle her. At 2 months, she becomes more alert, just as her vision develops to the point where she can follow moving objects and people, so she’ll love gazing at her surroundings.
  • What You Can Do: Hold her close and sing to her, suggests Catherine Grus, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Mailman Center for Child Development. Babies love faces, so look directly at her as you talk about your day, the errands you’re running, or who you might be seeing later on.

Around 2 months, she also might smile or coo happily at high-contrast primary colors and patterns placed within her view. Try hanging a simple mobile above her crib. She’ll like the mobile’s motion and bold patterns.

Even at this young age, babies will like imitation games. It starts with something she can already do, like form her mouth into an “O” or stick out her tongue. “You can try, when you’re eye to eye, making an ‘O’ with your mouth and seeing if she does it. Then stick out your tongue and see if she does that too,” suggests Judith Myers-Walls, an associate professor and extension specialist in the Child Development and Family Studies Department at Purdue University, in Lafayette, Indiana.

Make your daily routine fun for your baby by injecting a bit of silliness — greet her with the same pet nickname when she wakes up, or sing the same song as you get her dressed, or playfully drip water onto her tummy during bathtime.

By 3 months, she may grasp, say, a rattle with your help, but she won’t fully understand that she’s the one shaking it.

3 to 6 Months

  • What Your Baby Likes: Different views of his world, being silly with Mom and Dad, kicking, batting his arms.
  • What’s Behind the Smiles: He can now see greater distances and is beginning to understand what his little body is capable of, whether it’s using his fingers to swat at a hanging toy on his bouncy seat or kicking his foot at his crib gym. “For the first time he’s able to do things on his own, which is huge for him confidence-wise,” says Gross. He’ll like shaking, waving, and, yes, tasting, whatever he gets hold of.
  • What You Can Do: Allow him time on his back and tummy so he can see things from different perspectives. Offer safe objects of varying textures — a plush stuffed animal, a bumpy rubber teething ring, a chunky board book — for him to touch. Your baby will like roly-poly toys that wobble back and forth because he can knock them from side to side.

With your baby on his back, look him in the eyes and ask, “How big are you?” Gently stretch his arms over his head and say, “So big!” He’ll like the repetition of this game and the sensation of your moving his arms in a way he can’t yet do on his own, Myers-Walls says. Showing your baby his reflection in a mirror might also produce a smile or two — possibly even a giggle — because babies love seeing baby faces. He doesn’t yet fully get that he’s the baby in the mirror, Myers-Walls says, but he’ll like that as he moves, so does the baby before him.

Just being plain silly sparks some serious smiles, Barbara Isaacs found when her daughter Kate was this age. “One of the first things that made her laugh was gently putting her belly on top of our heads, almost like a hat draped over us,” says Isaacs, of Lexington, Kentucky. “She cracked up hysterically.”

As you play with your baby, he’ll like hearing from you, so reciprocate his happy sounds. “If your baby is making a cooing sound, coo back,” Grus says. This back-and-forth exchange helps foster attachment between you and your baby, Myers-Walls explains.

6 to 9 Months

  • What Your Baby Likes: Seeing people he recognizes, interactive games, cause-and-effect toys.
  • What’s Behind the Smiles: By 9 months, he’s beginning to understand object permanence, the concept that an object or person still exists even after leaving his line of sight. He’ll show you he understands this when he cranes his neck over his stationary activity center or high chair after a toy falls to the floor. He’ll like it all the better if you pick up the toy for him to toss over the side again.

His memory is growing now, too, so what left him laughing yesterday — hearing his sister sing a silly tune — might make him chuckle days later when she does it again, Gross says.

  • What You Can Do: Initiate a game of peekaboo. He’ll also like having you help him hide a stuffed animal or toy under a blanket and asking, “Where’d it go?”

Play a modified game of airplane with your baby by lying on your back, knees bent, and placing him on your shins. Make whooshing sounds as you gently “fly” him back and forth and side to side.

Toys that allow your baby to push a button and watch something pop up are sure to induce a smile. I remember adding voices to a pop-up toy featuring a farmer, cows, horses, and sheep. Emma would bust out laughing at my deep “Farmer Fred” voice.

Making dinner and need a distraction for your baby? Offer up a couple of pots and pans along with a wooden spoon. He’ll like knowing he’s capable of creating such a racket. Speak to him as you both “cook”: “Mommy is making mashed potatoes for dinner tonight. What are you making? Looks like green beans! Stir ’em up!”

9 to 12 Months

  • What Your Baby Likes: Playing near Mom and Dad, performing for audiences (expect an encore if well-received!).
  • What’s Behind the Smiles: She now realizes she can do quite a lot on her own, from playing with toys to picking up food on her plate and putting it into her mouth. She’s sitting up on her own, possibly crawling, and maybe pulling up to a standing position. These milestones all give her a great feeling of accomplishment, though she might sometimes express frustration over what she wants to do but physically can’t quite do yet, Gross says. She’ll enjoy showing off, though, and will eat up the attention she’s given.
  • What You Can Do: Encourage her emerging independence with lots of praise. For instance, when she’s playing with a musical toy: “Look at you, pushing those buttons and making those sounds!” When you notice her pleasure at using a spoon just like Mommy and Daddy (even if she’s not getting much food into her mouth), tell her, “You’re eating all by yourself. What a big girl you are!”

Get physical with your baby: holding her securely in your arms, sing a song or silly chant you make up yourself, and turn in circles. She might also like for you to bounce her gently on your knee or dance with her to upbeat tunes.

Another idea: Try setting up a couch cushion obstacle course, Myers-Walls suggests. Place cushions on the floor and show your baby how to climb over and crawl from one to the other.

Categories
Baby Games

Baby shower games

Get everyone involved with a coed shower Mix things up by inviting the guys, then try out one of these gender-neutral contests.

He said she said: Put the spotlight on the parents-to-be by typing up a list of the funniest, most surprising things you’ve heard mom and dad say (paraphrasing permitted) and asking everyone to guess who uttered the words. 

Guess the baby: Every party-goer will have skin in this game. Ask each guest to bring a baby picture of themselves and see who can match them all to the right grown-up. Pin the photos onto a board or a wall. You’ll certainly uncover some chubby cheeks and unexpected transformations. 

Pacifier pick-up: Channel an Easter egg hunt with this tot-friendly take. Plant a handful of pacifiers throughout the shower—nestled in flowers, perched behind picture frames or balanced on blinds. Tally up everyone’s loot at the end of the party to decide the winner.

Print and play

We’re not talking bingo: Think out of the box with printable ideas that’ll stump fortune-tellers and fact-checkers.

Animal house: Bring baby creatures into the mix, and you’ll have no shortage of cuteness. First, print pictures of all kinds of baby animals—the rarer, the better—and have family and friends guess on the right name. Chicks and cubs may come easy, but you can stump them with trickier ones like porcupettes, pups, and joeys (a.k.a: baby porcupines, sharks and kangaroos).

It’s a date:  The little one decides the winner of this contest: Print out calendars for the months near mama’s due date and ask everyone to pencil in when they think the big day will be. Then, whoever hits closest to the actual birthday wins (after the party, of course!). 

Shower games, but make it modern

Keep everyone guessing with these clever, contemporary challenges.

Name that year: Jog everyone’s memory (and imagination) by asking them to guess what names were the most popular in recent years and decades past (Mildred, Ruth and Florence were among the chart-toppers in 1910. You can search for others online at ssa.gov).

Classics with a twist: Your favorite party games are shower-friendly when you swap in baby themes. Try charades and Pictionary, but use phrases like “smooth as a baby’s bottom,” “dirty diapers,” or “swaddling.”

Round it out

Adding in something sentimental doesn’t have to feel boring. Balance out all the ruckus with these cute, kind ideas. 

Words of wisdom: Mothers (and fathers) know best, so ask the parents in attendance to give their best advice. Make cards with topics like packing for the hospital, changing diapers, and taking turns on the night shift. Have them draw a card and sum up their top tips.

Gifts to go: Play Project Runway with a DIY onesie decorating station. Buy plain ones in a range of sizes (so the baby can sport them all for months to come) and invite everyone to add a personal spin. Tie-dye is foolproof—even the not-so-crafty types can get cool results with a quick tutorial and some elastic bands.

Above all, if you’re organizing a casual, convivial shower or something more elaborate, an added activity will bring an element of game-night fun.

Categories
Diet

Crying and Colic: What You Need to Know

It’s your infant’s natural way to communicate, but you can lessen unnecessary tears.

Most newborns fuss and cry for about an hour and a half each day— typically because they’re tired, hungry, or under- or overstimulated. However, some infants cry for more than three hours a day and are much harder to soothe. Persistent crying has often been called colicky crying, although doctors have been moving away from using this term. It usually begins when a baby is 2 or 3 weeks old and hits its peak around 6 weeks. It often starts improving by 2 months and is gone by 3 or 4 months. Getting through the in-between period requires a shift in what you may assume your baby needs.

Smooth the transition.

The word colic comes from ancient Greek, meaning colon. For thousands of years, people thought that babies were crying because they had intestinal pain. Of course, babies can have intestinal sensations, but there are several ways we know this type of crying doesn’t arise from pain. For example, going out for a car ride or turning on a hair dryer for white noise works to calm a lot of babies, but it wouldn’t do anything for pain. I believe that babies are born three months before they’re truly ready to interact with the world. I call this period the “fourth trimester.” That’s why the best way to soothe your baby is to help recreate the sensations she was accustomed to before birth. Inside the womb, there’s constant motion and sound—it’s louder than a vacuum cleaner 24/7. Your baby heard noise from the outside, like voices, as well as inside, like your heartbeat. She also felt a jiggling motion every time you walked. But when you bring your baby home, everybody says, “Tiptoe—the baby’s sleeping!” And you put her in a flat bed in a quiet room by herself, which is sensory-depriving for a baby who’s used to a rich environment of sensation. She can take it for only so long, and by the end of the day she loses it. That’s why people talk about the “witching hour.”

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Most newborns fuss and cry for about an hour and a half each day— typically because they’re tired, hungry, or under- or overstimulated. However, some infants cry for more than three hours a day and are much harder to soothe. Persistent crying has often been called colicky crying, although doctors have been moving away from using this term. It usually begins when a baby is 2 or 3 weeks old and hits its peak around 6 weeks. It often starts improving by 2 months and is gone by 3 or 4 months. Getting through the in-between period requires a shift in what you may assume your baby needs.

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Bathtime & Grooming

Baby’s Skin Healthy

When our children enter this world, we are armed with equipment that took much care and consideration to select. The same care and consideration needs to be taken for your child’s skincare products,” says Su-Marie Annandale, Krayons’ brand manager

Expect Bumps, Spots, and Rashes

There’s nothing quite like the soft, delicate skin of a baby. And nothing like a cranky infant irritated by diaper rash, cradle cap, or another skin condition. While your baby is perfect, her skin may not be. Many babies are prone to skin irritation in their first few months. Here’s what you can do about it.

What to Do With Pimples & Whiteheads

Baby “acne” is not really acne like the kind teenagers get. Research suggests it may be related to yeast, not oil. Pimples on a baby’s nose and cheeks usually clear up by themselves in a few weeks. So you don’t need to treat baby acne or use lotion.

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Bathtime & Grooming

Easy Tips for Grooming Your Newborn

Grooming a newborn can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially for first-time parents.  From caring for the umbilical cord to trimming tiny nails, parents have a lot to learn when it comes to keeping their little ones “baby fresh.”  Liz Drake, a clinical nurse specialist in the neonatal intensive care unit at CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital, offers these simple tips to help parents master the basics:

1. Bathe your baby no more than three times a week.  More than that can dry out your infant’s skin.

2. Give your baby sponge baths until the umbilical cord stump falls off, which can take up to three weeks. Gather all of your supplies—washcloths, basin of water, mild soap and towel—ahead of time, before placing your infant on a flat surface in a warm place.  Keep your hand on your baby at all times and keep your baby wrapped in a towel. Expose only the parts of the body you’re washing. Gently clean the eyes first. Using only a damp cloth, work from the inside to the outside corners.  Use separate ends of the wash cloth for each eye.  Next, wipe your baby’s face, followed by the head.  When it comes to cleaning the body, pay special attention to the skin behind the ears and around the neck, creases under the arms and legs, and, of course, the diaper area.  Don’t forget to wash between the toes and fingers.

3. After the umbilical area is healed, you can try bathing your infant in a newborn tub or plastic basin.  Lined with a towel or rubber mat, a kitchen or bathroom sink may also be an option.  Don’t fill the tub with more than two to three inches of warm water.  Always test the water before placing your baby in it.

4. To wash your newborn’s hair, cup your hand under warm water and gently pour it over your infant’s head.  Gently rub in a circular motion a small amount of mild soap or baby shampoo.  Use a small cup or your hand to rinse it off.

5. Don’t use clippers or scissors to trim your little one’s nails.  Use a buffer or nail file to gently file them down.

6. Baby acne can be normal.  Don’t pick or squeeze.  If the acne worsens on the face and turns into red pustules, call the pediatrician.

Categories
Bathtime & Grooming

Early Childhood Hygiene Continued

Caregivers may be tempted to do bath time scrubbing for their children in order to speed up the process. However, this is not necessarily a good idea in the long run, as kids need to learn for themselves how to thoroughly clean their own body parts. Instead of doing the work for children, caregivers can encourage scrubbing thoroughness by teaching their children a cleaning routine, perhaps keyed to a silly song, so as to help ensure that important body areas are not overlooked.

At this age, young girls tend to enjoy bath time, while young boys often resist it. As is the case with other aversive tasks, adding songs and games to the task can help all children to look forward to bathing. Bubbles, soapy body paint, washable bath crayons, pouring and measuring containers, character bath “stickers” (that adhere with water) and other water-resistant toys can tempt otherwise reluctant children into the tub. Some children even enjoy wearing snorkels or goggles for pretend “swimming” sessions (supervised, of course).

Hair care is an important aspect of bath time that may need to be handled on a different schedule from general bathing needs. While regular hair washing will reduce the chance of scalp infections and other health problems, over-washing can strip too much oil from delicate scalps and cause dry, flaky heads. As is the case with general bathing, children vary in how often they need to wash their hair. Some young children may need to have their hair washed every day, while others can wait two days between washings. Children in the latter category may benefit from bathing without washing their hair on some nights, which is especially good news for parents whose children hate getting their heads wet.

No matter the frequency of hair washing, many young children will need an adult’s help to lather up and rinse their hair thoroughly, especially if their hair is long or thick. Rinsing well is especially important, as shampoo residue remaining in children’s hair can cause itching and irritation. Caregivers should use a tear-free formula shampoo that will lessen the risk of eye irritation. As well, adults can buy a special bath hat for young children that funnels rinse water run-off away from the eyes. After little ones get out of the tub, caregivers can use a light conditioner or specially-made detangling spray to help a comb glide through children’s hair with fewer snarls and knots (and less painful tugging).

Young children can definitely begin to brush and comb their own hair at this age, and should be encouraged to do so several times a day. To make hair grooming more fun, children can be allowed to help style their own hair. It’s especially fun for young girls to put barrettes, combs, or other decorations in their own hair.

When selecting appropriate hair styles for young children, remember that shorter and less complicated (i.e., that don’t have to be blown dry or curled every day) cuts are easier to care for. Frequent hair cuts can help reduce tangles, knots, and daily grooming time. However, some children (especially little boys) may not enjoy trips to the hairdresser or barber shop. Caregivers can make hair cuts more pleasant for children by packing special toys and books for children to play with while they are waiting. Schedule hair cuts for times when the salon or shop is less crowded, noisy and busy. Ask around to find a stylist or barber who is experienced and good with children. Finally, consider taking your child to a shop that specializes in children’s hair cuts. Some salons offer child-friendly seats (e.g., shaped like fire engines) and show movies especially for their young customers.

The best way to cover a clean little body is with fresh, clean clothes. Caregivers should teach young children to change their clothes every day, especially when it comes to socks and underwear. As well, young children should be taught where to place their dirty clothes, such as putting them in the dirty clothes hamper. This task can be included in the nighttime routine in order to help it become habitual.

Battles over what children should wear can be a frustrating aspect of parenting. Children often have firm ideas about what they want to put on, and they may insist on wearing certain items even when they are dirty or inappropriate. Sometimes early morning clothing choice battles can be avoided by having children help pick out what they will wear the night before. However, some children are too tired at night and will react negatively to this exercise. Caregivers should experiment with the timing of clothing choice so as to determine the best time to select clothes for their particular children.

Applying the simple choice strategy to clothing selection can be helpful in reducing conflicts. Caregivers can offer children 2 or 3 weather-appropriate clothing options to choose between. Too many choices may be overwhelming, but a couple of options can provide children with a sense of control over how they look. Once children have decided on their outfits, they may still need adult assistance in the dressing, undressing, and shoe-tying process. Behaviors such as tying shoes and buttoning buttons require good fine motor control that children in this age group may not master immediately.

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Bathtime & Grooming

How to Give Your Newborn Baby a Bath

Until baby starts getting down and dirty on the ground, a daily bath isn’t needed. In fact, your newborn baby will only really need a bath two or three times a week — at first a sponge bath, until his umbilical cord stump heals (about one to four weeks after birth), then a baby tub bath, and eventually a tub bath, when baby can sit up on his own and outgrows the infant tub). There’s nothing cuter than seeing a baby splashing in the bath, soapy suds dotting his chubby folds and dimples.

Baby’s first bath

Adding bath time to baby’s routine is something you can begin shortly after your baby is born.

Some pediatricians recommend delaying a baby’s first bath until they are a few days old. That’s because after birth your baby is covered in vernix, which is a waxy substance on the skin that protects baby from germs in the environment.

If you have a hospital delivery, hospital nurses or staff will clean off the amniotic fluid and blood after your baby is born. But you’ll likely have the option to tell them to leave excess vernix if you choose.

Once you bring your baby home, you can give them a sponge bath. You can clean their head, body, and diaper area. This is the safest way to bathe your baby until their umbilical cord falls off.

Once the cord has fallen off on its own, you can begin bathing your baby by submerging their body in a shallow bath.

Read on to learn how to bathe your baby and other things you need to know about bath time.

How to give baby a sponge bath

Your newborn should be bathed with a sponge bath for the first few weeks of life. This is the simplest way to clean your baby before the umbilical cord falls off.

Sponge baths are also the best way to bathe boys who were circumcised while the circumcision site heals.

You can also give your baby a sponge bath anytime you want to wash one part or all of their body without getting them soaking wet.

Before giving your baby a sponge bath, make sure you have all the supplies you need within easy reach. You’ll also want to warm up the room to keep your baby comfortable.

Supply list

  • padding for hard surfaces, such as a blanket or towel
  • bowl of warm, not hot, water
  • washcloth
  • mild baby soap
  • clean diaper
  • baby towel

Once you’ve gathered your supplies, follow these steps:

  1. Choose a warm room, around 75°F (23.8°C) for the bath, remove your baby’s clothes and diaper, and wrap them in a towel.
  2. Lay your baby on a flat surface, such as the floor, changing table, counter next to a sink, or your bed. If your baby is off the ground, use a safety strap or keep one hand on them at all times to make sure they don’t fall.
  3. Unwrap the towel one part at a time to expose only the area of the body you’re washing.
  4. Start at your baby’s face and top of their head: First dip the clean cloth in the warm water. Use only warm water without soap for this step to avoid getting soap in your baby’s eyes or mouth. Wipe the top of the head and around the outer ears, chin, neck folds, and eyes.
  5. Add a drop or two of soap into the warm water. Dip the washcloth in the soapy water and wring it out.
  6. Use the soapy water to clean around the rest of the body and diaper area. You’ll want to clean under the arms and around the genital area. If your baby was circumcised, avoid cleaning the penis to keep the wound dry unless otherwise directed by your baby’s doctor.
  7. Dry your baby off, including drying between skin folds. Put on a clean diaper. You can use a towel with a built-in hood to keep their head warm while they dry off, too.

If you have a newborn boy who was circumcised, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully for keeping the area clean or dry until it has healed. This usually takes about a week to heal.

Categories
Parenting

Parenting behaviours even the best parents need to stop

As a parenting educator for more than 25 years, I’ve had many opportunities to observe and listen to parents in action. During this time I’ve learned some valuable lessons about raising children and managing families.

Usually, my advice is positive in that I try to focus on what you should being doing as a parent. Maintaining forward momentum has always been my aim. However it helps sometimes to be reminded of some of the behaviours we should stop or do less of, if we are to raise autonomous, emotionally-smart citizens of the future.

Here are some parenting behaviours you may consider stopping or doing less of, together with replacement behaviour as well:

Doing too much

Kids need to learn to fend for themselves and stand on their own two feet. Independence is the aim for parents. Learn to delegate.

Winning arguments

The need to win arguments and prove that you are right harms relationships and creates fertile ground for conflict. Focus on the things that matter.

Expecting too little

Expectations are tricky. Too high and kids can give up. Too low and kids will meet them. Pitch them at their own abilities and their developmental age.

Speaking when angry

Speaking tends to be a default mechanism regardless of your emotional state. When you’re angry kids don’t listen. They pick up your venom but not your words. Choose the time and the place to speak to kids.

Believing everything your children say

As loving parents we want to trust our children and believe everything they tell us. Children are faulty observers and frequently only see one side of an issue. Help children process what happens to them and see issues from every side.

After reviewing this list, for those of you who still aren’t sure what to stop, there is one habit that I’ve seen take precedence over all of the others. You may be part of the majority of people who partake in this bad habit. What is the number one problem of the successful parents I’ve worked with over the years? It is doing too much for their kids.