Baby Food Chart » Parenting Advice

Getting Some Energy Back After Baby is Born

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:26:56 +0000

You’re holding your new baby in your arms and can hardly believe that they are here. After nine long months of pregnancy and however long it took to conceive, your little bundle of joy is finally here. It’s a miracle and something that’s just so amazing to absorb for most new moms.

The miracle of life is something that can’t be replicated in anything else, and therefore we cling to it with the birth of our child. Therefore we are filled with a plethora of emotions, all of pure joy, right? If you are feeling a bit less than joyful as you are experiencing what it’s like to have many sleepless nights, then you’re not alone.

Though your lack of energy likely doesn’t take away any of the joy that you feel, you are probably feeling simply exhausted. This is a stage that many new parents go through and it’s a normal and natural part of the cycle. Knowing how to get some much needed energy back can help you to feel more like yourself again.

Take Advantage of Help When You Get It

If you are breastfeeding then you may feel as though you never have a break. You may feel as though your entire existence is based on feeding and caring for that little darling – and it is! If you are bottle feeding, then you may have a bit more of a break. You may be able to trade off feedings with your partner or a close family member that can help out a bit.

No matter what you are doing for feedings or how you are caring for your baby, you do want to take people up on the offer to help. If people offer to help with simple chores around the house, run errands for you, or make you dinner, then let them. This can result in you having a bit more time to relax or at least not have to worry about the many things that need to be done. This is a simple enough way to get some energy back and allows you to enjoy your new baby and a bit of freedom.

Along the same lines comes the notion of resting when the baby rests. Until the baby gets on any sort of schedule, this can be tough. It can also be difficult if you have another child at home. However even the notion of a mini nap of twenty minutes here and there can be of great help. Resting and putting your feet up if nothing else is always a great way to regain some of that much needed energy. Whatever you can do to rest your body and take care of yourself will pay you back in dividends.

Eat Right and Exercise

If you really want to ensure that you get your energy back, then you may have to expend a bit of energy. Though this does sound counterintuitive, it really can work. It may not be something that you can do in the baby’s first couple of days, but is something that you should look to whenever necessary. So consider eating the right foods, that is a well balanced diet to give you nutrients and of course energy.

You also want to start to incorporate exercise whenever possible. This can be something as simple as putting the baby in the stroller and taking it out for a walk, but it gets you moving. Though this may not sound desirable, it can really help you to regain some energy and feel more like yourself again in no time.

Looking For and Building Up Fine Motor Skills In Your Baby

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:43:23 +0000

There’s just so much to take in throughout baby’s first years. They will change so much from month to month that you may even feel as though you don’t recognize your little one on certain days. They grow leaps and bounds just within a given week. They accumulate new skills and traits all the time, leaving you marveling at all that they can do.

It seems that almost overnight your little newborn baby who is more of a blob than anything else turns into this charismatic little person that has more personality than you can believe. Babies are truly marvelous in all that they accomplish, and many of these milestones happen right in front of our very eyes. When it comes to fine motor skills, this is something that you want to be tuned into in terms of your baby’s development. You want to be on the lookout for it and you want to help foster and develop it as a parent, as it will provide great benefits later on.

What Can You Look For?

First and foremost, it’s important to note that this is not something that you want to force. You don’t want to push your baby as they won’t reach any milestones until they are ready. If you push too hard you may get the opposite reaction. However, you do want to keep tuned into their fine motor skills as this is something that they will utilize their whole life through. See if baby is reaching for things, grabbing for items, sucking on her hand, or discovering things such as their own body parts. These are all good examples and exhibit a sense of fine motor skills that are rather important for baby’s development. These are important to ensure that they keep on track, and they are actually things that you can facilitate on your own.

You want to watch for these things in the first few months of your baby’s development. By five months as an average, baby should be trying to reach for things or at least be interested in things. It may take some time and encouragement from you as a parent, but the simple act of reaching or grabbing is a great sign that baby is doing what they are supposed to do. Every baby will work on their own timetable as some babies start grabbing or reaching far sooner. Others may skip over this phase and then move onto the next. This all shows possible coordination and shows that baby understands what to do to get what they want. All of these things are important for fine motor skills and the development of your baby overall.

How Can You Facilitate It?

This doesn’t mean that you should be shaking a rattle in front of your newborn relentlessly every day. It does mean though that as your baby grows and shows signs of readiness, that you are on the floor playing and interacting with them. Introduce different toys such as puzzles and different colors of toys. Things that are interesting to them will help them to reach and grab, and eventually pull items towards them. The point is that you as a parent can set up an environment that doesn’t force but encourages your baby to develop these skills and build upon them as they get older.

Preparing For and Understanding Baby’s First Words

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:23:07 +0000

Many parents look at their baby’s content little faces as they sleep and wonder what’s next. There are so many different milestones to look forward to as a parent. As you make it through the first year of baby’s life, there is much to work towards and much to enjoy. You want to be sure that you enjoy every moment, even the little ones. You also want to know what you have to look forward to. It may almost feel like a race sometimes – you make it through one milestone and enjoy it, wondering what will be next. This is a common sentiment amongst new parents, particularly as they await some of the larger milestones. One of the biggies is by far hearing baby’s first words, and it’s an exciting one. So what can you expect in terms of baby’s first words?

Detecting Baby’s First Words

The reality is that baby’s very first words may be a bunch of jumble. If you look at this chart for example, you see that baby’s first words change and evolve as they grow older. At three months they will be rambling or just responding to the sound of your voice. By six months however, that may be turning into a limited and somewhat difficult to decipher vocabulary.

As with any other milestone it is important to note that there is no real set time limit to encounter these things. So before you set yourself or your baby up for unrealistic expectations, know that it will all come in time. Sure if your baby isn’t saying anything as they near their second birthday, then it’s time for some outside help. However up until then enjoy their sounds as they prepare to utter those first words.

How Can You Get Them Talking?

Though it’s all likely to happen in its own due time, the reality is that there are certain and very simple things that you can do to get them talking. Baby’s first words are likely to be very simple one-syllable words that they can easily utter. The reason that many babies utter “dada” first is that it comes off of their tongue so easily. Whereas “mama” requires more pronunciation that their little mouths aren’t really ready for. So while this may serve as a disappointment to moms everywhere, this is why the first word is often “dada” or even something else – it’s not due to lack of love or appreciation.

What you can do to help the language along is to talk to them. Many parents find that talking to their babies as they move about their day can help to properly prepare them for the words that they will say. Tell them what you are doing as you are doing it, even the simple things. Have a conversation with your little one as they will be fascinating by the sound of your voice and seem interested in what you have to say to them. You can also get them talking if you show them toys or pictures of things and then tell them what it is. This is a more educational type of play, and it does wonders for developing a baby’s vocabulary. It may not mean that they start uttering words tomorrow, but it will most certainly work towards their overall development and vocabulary moving forward.

Understanding the Crawling Milestone for Your Baby

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:53:04 +0000

The one thing that you will learn early on as a parent is that no two babies are created equal. You will quickly learn that just because one baby is doing something at a certain point in their development doesn’t mean that every baby will do it the same way. Even amongst siblings, developmental patterns can be totally different. This is an important lesson to learn early on as a parent so that you ignore the urge to compare your little one to others.

If you’re in a playgroup or have friends with a baby about the same age, then you may be tempted to look from their baby to yours and wonder why the milestones are happening as they are. It’s natural but it can be a destructive behavior! Understanding how the milestones work is a good idea, particularly when it comes to one such as crawling.

Is Your Baby Crawling On Time?

You will hear experts say that the typical baby crawls anywhere between six and ten months. This is an average and therefore not something to be taken as anything but a guideline. There are some babies that will crawl far earlier than that, and then some babies that will crawl far later than that. Some babies may not even crawl at all because they prefer scooting and can get to where they want to be using this method. Add to that the fact that some babies will skip over crawling altogether. They may roll or scoot and get what they want until they one day get up and start standing and walking.

So as you start fearing that your baby is behind, know that there is no real set time limit. If you are ever in doubt or concerned, then by all means talk to your pediatrician. Know though that every baby handles this rather large milestone in a totally different way.

They All Do Things Differently

Babies get mobile in the first place to get to items that they want. They see something across the floor that they want and then they go for it. As you can see even experts such as Dr. Greene are reluctant to give true time limits to crawling. If the baby sees something that they want, then they will start off by rolling to get to it. This can quickly evolve into crawling, though it usually does take time and has a process involved with it.

If you see your baby “army crawling”, that is using their forearm to move them along and bringing their bottom half up behind, then they may be getting close. They may use these alternate methods solely as it’s easy for them to get around. So be sure not to put any pressure on your baby or your expectations because they are still doing what they are conditioned to do.

Ignore the myths that say if a baby avoids crawling or is late to crawl that they may not be as coordinated. This is simply not true and if your baby is moving around and doing everything else that they are supposed to do, then they are right on track. It’s easy to get caught up in measuring the milestones, but remember that every baby is different and that crawling is an activity that is quite different for everyone.

Baby’s First Tooth

admin — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 10:43:27 +0000

Has your baby not quite seemed like themselves lately? Many parents can tend to pinpoint when something is amiss and when their baby seems to just be a bit off. It can be a sign of the baby being sick, or it may be a sign of something more routine and common that every baby goes through.

Teething is an aspect of baby’s first year that is on the minds of parent, and it can be a rather challenging one to contend with. The reality is that every baby is different and therefore to say when it will happen or how strenuous it will be on parent and child is hard to predict. Some parents will tell you that their baby was virtually unaffected by the teething ritual. Others will tell you that it was one of the most challenging parts of the first year. Every baby is different and therefore how they cope with teething can be a completely unique experience.

Planning for the Milestone

Every parent looks anxiously in their baby’s mouth from early on to see if that first tooth has finally popped through. Even when they are showing signs of teething, though, it may be a long road until you see the first tooth. As you can see from this baby development chart, the average age for a baby to get their first tooth is anywhere between four and seven months. This, however, is a rather wide range and there are babies at either end of the spectrum. Some may not even have their first tooth by their first birthday, and that’s just the way they are built. This is not a sign of imperfection nor of any sort of developmental issues. This is just how each baby is built and how they develop, so it’s nothing to be concerned about. You can plan for the milestone with a few simple supplies that can make any potential teething issues run much smoother.

Are They Showing Any Signs?

Sure there are some parents that will tell you that they had no idea that it was coming. That they woke up one morning, looked in their baby’s mouth, and suddenly a tooth was staring back up at them. While this does happen, it’s an exception to the rule. Even if your baby doesn’t necessarily have a difficult time with teething, they will often show some sort of signs to indicate that it’s coming.

So what are the signs? One of the first and most obvious signs is that the baby is drooling a lot. This is due in large part to the excess fluids gathering in the mouth as a result of the teething, and therefore comes out almost constantly. You will see your baby drooling, sometimes almost like a faucet, and the only thing you can do to contain it is to put a bib on them.

Many babies are also known to put absolutely everything in their mouth. If they are chewing on their toys, your hand, or anything else in sight that they can fit in or around their mouth, then they may be teething.

You will notice in some babies that they get fussy or that their sleeping or eating patterns get disrupted. This may go on for a bit of a while as the tooth actually breaks through, but it’s a good thing overall. That tooth will come in no time and you can enjoy yet another milestone with your little love.

Getting Your Child Ready for Preschool

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:05:34 +0000

The first years of your child’s life fly by so very quickly. In an instant, you may feel as though you are dealing with a baby one day and a big kid the next. Though it may not seem like it at the time, the years fly by and so too do all of the many milestones. Before you know it, you are looking at an almost school aged child and wondering to yourself if they are ready for the next big step.

Preschool can be a huge step for many kids, while others just float into it with great ease. Just as every child has a different upbringing and different care each and every day, they will be different in their readiness for preschool. Though age is a big determining factor in their readiness, it’s certainly not the only one. You should think through other factors, particularly personality, when you make the decision to put them into preschool or not.

Is Your Child Really Ready?

First and foremost, there are certain age limits or restrictions that may help to make the decision for you. In many preschool programs, kids can start by the age of three but they must have turned three by December first of the current year. If they aren’t there yet, then they’ll need to wait for the next school year to start. This isn’t always a bad thing as it can give you plenty of time to prepare for the big step, but it is something worth looking into before you get them signed up for a preschool program. Some kids start preschool at four years old, but it is becoming more and more common these days that they start at three years old and then work their way up.

You also want to decide if they are ready in other ways too. Take a look at this preschool guide for example. Consider if your child can bear to be without you for a couple of mornings a week. If they have never been away from you at all, then this can be a shock to the system. It can also make their adjustment to preschool very difficult so plan accordingly. You also need to ensure that your child is potty trained before you enroll them in preschool. Many schools won’t even take a child unless they are potty trained and can work independently in this and other areas.

Helping to Prepare Your Child

Preschool is a big step for both of you, so it’s important to work with your child ahead of time to get them ready for it. First and foremost any exposure that you can give them to a school like setting can be a big help. Sign them up for a parent and toddler class beforehand to get them acclimated with the structure and feel of a real classroom. Be sure that they get plenty of exposure to other kids, because this will be a big help.

Though you want to be present for every big moment in their life, do your best to let them work independently whenever possible so they get used to that feeling. Work with them on lessons like the “ABC’s” or painting. Though you don’t need to put them through boot camp, any steps that you can take to get your child ready will really benefit them when that first day of preschool comes upon you.

Planning for Baby’s First Birthday

admin — Sat, 29 May 2010 06:41:48 +0000

It may be hard to believe, but you are staring down a major milestone. Baby’s first birthday is just around the corner and you feel just amazed by this fact. Wasn’t it just yesterday that you had that little bundle of joy?

If it feels like the time has simply gone by too fast, you’re not alone. Many parents are in awe of just how quickly the first year goes by and aren’t sure what to do when the milestone of a first birthday comes upon them. Many parents not only feel overwhelmed by the fact that their baby is turning one, but they may not know quite where to start in terms of the planning. This is a huge milestone and you do want to celebrate it with glee, but you have to ask yourself how much money, time, and effort that’s ultimately worth. So here are a few guidelines that can help to make planning your baby’s first birthday much easier and more enjoyable.

Keep It Simple

Here’s the reality of the situation-your little darling isn’t going to remember a thing! Sure they’ll look back on pictures and therefore you want it to be something special, but they are not going to remember any details of the event whatsoever. So before you get yourself all crazy thinking of which theme to select or what sort of elements to incorporate, remember that this is a party that is really more for you than for your baby. Not to burst any parent’s bubble, but the parents get far more out of the first birthday party than the kids do. That will change in years to come, but for now suffice it to say that simple is the way to go.

If they have taken to a favorite cartoon character or symbol then by all means incorporate it. If not though, don’t worry and just go with simple and effective. Fortunately there are many different first birthday “themes” out there that you can run with. Keep the decorations simple and just use the plates, napkins, and any decorations in a certain color theme or something else unified in nature. A cute idea is to put out pictures of your little one throughout their first year. These can serve as centerpieces on tables or just adorn the space of the venue that you’re working with. So try this out as a way of honoring your little one, and of course as a way to help decorate the party space.

Make The Baby the Center of Attention

Spend some of the money that you may have spent on extraordinary decorations on a cute outfit for your little one. This is their special day after all, so be sure that they are dressed in something cute and fitting for the occasion. Invite close friends and family, as the first birthday is usually one of the larger celebrations to mark such a special and memorable milestone. Have everybody around that is meaningful to you and your baby, as they will surely want to be a part of the celebration.

One of the most important parts of the first birthday party is most definitely the cake. Be sure to not only make or buy an adorable cake for your adorable guy or girl, but get them their own little smash cake as well. A first birthday party isn’t complete until you put that cake in front of the birthday person and let them go wild as they eat their way to stardom. That’s what first birthday parties are all about after all!

When to Start Baby-Proofing your House

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 01:14:53 +0000

When you first bring home that tiny newborn baby who doesn’t do much besides eating and sleeping, it’s hard to imagine that one day he will be getting into everything in sight. But that day will come before you know it, so stay ahead of the game by baby-proofing early, and watching for improvements to your baby-proofing as baby grows.

How Early Should I Start?

While baby isn’t likely to find much to get into until he really starts crawling, you should start baby-proofing around the time that he starts to roll. Baby-proofing is a process, and as you go, you will notice things you didn’t think of before. So start early, and hopefully by the time baby does start to get up on hands and knees you will be one step ahead of him.

On average, a baby will start to roll over from tummy to back at around 4 months old. By 6 months old, he will be rolling from back to front as well. Once he masters both directions, he will quite literally be on a roll. You’ll see him using this new trick to make his way across the room. He’ll probably roll until he runs into something that stops him, and then roll back. Every baby is a little different as to when they will hit these milestones, so go by your own child’s abilities. At this point baby will also likely be pushing himself up on his hands.

Where Should I Start?

When you see him start to roll from front to back, it’s time to baby-proof. Start with the dangers that baby is most likely to encounter – this means dangers that are at his level. The best way to do this is to get down on the floor and see things from baby’s angle. Start with the rooms where baby spends the most time on the floor.

Things that baby can reach even from lying on the floor such as outlets, low shelves, drawers and cupboards are a good place to start. Watch for any small items baby could get into his mouth and choke on, or breakable items. Baby gates are an early investment well worth making. They will keep baby safe from stairs and also help to keep him contained in one part of the house, so that you can concentrate your baby-proofing efforts there.

Continual Baby-proofing

Baby-proofing is a continual process. Just when you think you have everything covered, baby will grow taller, or learn a new skill. First she’ll crawl, and then she’ll pull up on furniture, cruise around it, and eventually walk. Somewhere in there she will learn to climb too. And before you know it, she will be able to push a chair to where she wants it and climb up to reach something even higher. She will also learn how to open doors into new rooms.

Take your baby-proofing cues from your baby, and try to stay one step ahead. When she is rolling, go ahead and baby-proof for crawling, and when she crawls, baby-proof for pulling up. Think of baby-proofing as an ongoing process; there will always be something new that needs to be made safe against your baby’s curiosity.

Your baby-proofing will also need to expand to new rooms as she becomes more mobile. Thinking ahead and getting your house ready for baby before she gets moving will keep you from discovering a hazard the wrong way – by baby getting hurt.

A Room by Room Guide to Baby-Proofing Your Home

admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 02:31:05 +0000

When your baby starts to get moving, it’s time to make sure your house is safe for her to roam. Keep baby safe as she explores with this easy guide to baby-proofing, room by room.

Living Room and/or Family Room

Start with the room where your baby likely spends the most time playing. This will probably be your living room or family room. Look for these common dangers:

Secure any furniture to the wall that could potentially tip over onto baby. This includes bookshelves, entertainment units, and televisions. If you have a flat-panel television, consider having it wall-mounted.
Remove any breakable or dangerous items from low shelves or coffee tables.
If you have a fireplace, secure the doors or block access to it any way you can.
Secure doors to any cabinets that might contain breakable or dangerous items
Consider replacing floor lamps with models that can be placed out of reach. As there is no way to secure them properly, they could easily tip over on baby. They can also be placed behind furniture.
Cover all electrical outlets with secure covers.
Tie up cords for blinds, or better yet, replace them with cordless blinds.
Cover sharp corners of furniture with soft corner covers

Kitchen and Dining Room

The kitchen is a place full of dangerous items that should be kept out of baby’s reach. In addition to these security measures, be sure never to leave baby unattended in the kitchen.

Secure all cabinets and drawers. There are several systems on the market today to make accessing the cabinets you use most easier.
Secure the fridge, oven, and dishwasher.
During cooking, use back burners as much as possible, and keep handles turned inward
Keep fridge magnets that are small enough to get into baby’s mouth up high, out of reach.
Don’t leave knives or glasses near the edge of the counter, even if you think baby can’t reach that high.
Push chairs in under tables to discourage climbing
Cover sharp table corners with soft corner covers.

Bathroom

The bathroom is another room that requires careful baby-proofing. Even if you keep the door closed and don’t allow baby access, take measures to be sure the room is safe.

Secure the lid to the toilet.
Secure all cabinets and drawers.
Make sure that any medication is kept out of baby’s reach and in a locked cabinet.
Cover the tub faucet with a soft cover to protect baby’s head
Install slip-proof grips on the bottom of the tub

Bedrooms

Baby’s bedroom should be a top priority for baby-proofing, but don’t forget your bedroom and any others in the house as well.

Secure any cords that are dangling from blinds so that they are out of baby’s reach, or replace them with cordless blinds. No matter which blinds you have, try to place baby’s crib away from the window.
Make sure any furniture that could potentially tip over is secured to the wall
Do not keep any medications in baby’s room.
Cover all electrical outlets.
Make sure to drop the crib mattress to its lowest position when baby learns to pull up on the rail, to avoid a potential fall.

Other Parts of the House

Watch for potential hazards in the small sections of the house that might not be included in these rooms.

Place gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
Keep exterior, garage doors and basement doors locked at all times
Install outlet covers in hallways and entrances.
If you have a laundry room, keep the door closed and secured if possible. If not, consider installing a gate.
Keep all detergents and other cleaning supplies in a secure cabinet out of reach.
Place latches on closet doors.

Enjoying Meals Together

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:23:58 +0000

Eating a meal together has a number of benefits for your family. While sitting down to a meal together can be a challenge with busy schedules, it’s worth the effort to get your family to the table at the same time for at least one meal a day.

Teaching Good Habits

Sitting down to a meal together helps your children to form good habits that will last a lifetime. This includes both healthy eating habits and table manners. When you sit down to eat with your family, you have an opportunity to teach them how to behave at the table. If they learn good manners at home, you won’t have to worry about how they will behave at a restaurant, or if they are invited to a meal at a friend’s house.

Eating meals together also encourages healthy eating habits. Seeing you eating the same healthy foods you have been encouraging your kids to eat will make them more likely to give it a try. They will also learn to slow down, and enjoy their food, rather than rushing through a meal which can cause indigestion.

Seeing you prepare a meal every day will give your child a better appreciation for what goes into the food you serve. Making everyone a part of the meal preparation and clean up process will also teach your children responsibility. And when everyone has a share of the responsibility for making a great family meal, they will enjoy the food more and dinner time battles will start to disappear.

Time to Talk

Family meal time might be the only time you are all in the same room and not focused on something else. Make it a time to talk, catch up with each other, and get to know what is going on in everyone’s busy life. Even for the youngest child, it’s a great time to see mom and dad interacting and chatting about something other than the bills or who is driving carpool this week.

This daily opportunity to reconnect will foster a sense of closeness and security in the family. Your children will start to open up to you more when it becomes normal to spend this time talking. You might hear about things going on in their lives you would otherwise never have known about. Once you have get in to the habit, you will find everyone looks forward to meal time as a chance to spend time together, not just a necessary break for food.

Starting this habit early in life has ramifications for your children as they grow older as well. Research shows that kids who eat meals with the family regularly have better grades and are less likely to get in trouble with drugs and alcohol down the road.

Better meals, Better Budget

Eating at home has many benefits, but the two most important are better meals and saving money too! Eating out can be very costly, and it usually means a less nutritious meal.

When you prepare your own food at home, you know what goes into it. You can use fresh produce, choose organic ingredients if you prefer, and watch the salt and fat content. You can also control your portion sizes, which is difficult to do at a restaurant. Making an effort to eat meals at home will save your family money, which can be spent instead on something everyone can enjoy, like a family vacation.