Tag: Parenting Baby and Toddler

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The Personality Traits of a Pisces Baby

born under pisces

The Personality Traits of a Pisces Baby

Your Pisces Baby

February 19 – March 20

Your baby will have the most winning ways of all babies and will dazzle you with the sweetest of smiles. She will dislike order and routine and will have an amazing imagination. Some

Pisces children live in a world of make-believe with imaginary people to talk to, and they believe in magic, fairies and myths – don’t ever tell them that Santa Claus does not exist, it will be traumatic!

Young Pisceans can have a very active sixth sense.

Your child may enjoy the company of adults more than that of other children. Pisces children rarely lose their temper, instead, they will happily continue on their own sweet way.

Pisces children tend to avoid the limelight and do not seek to lead.

Parents should not push their child into such positions. Their passive, non-aggressive natures mean that Pisces children can often be the victims of bullying. You will need to watch for this and to teach your child a strategy for dealing with such situations.

Young Pisceans seek attachments to people and animals rather than places and things.

They need to be taught to believe in themselves to prevent them from becoming too clinging. Pisceans absorb all sorts of information like sponges (you may have a future Mastermind!) and need to be taught to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

Two Pisces children in the same family will get on very well together, often building an imaginary world. A Piscean parent with a Pisces child will also have an excellent relationship.

The Personality Traits of A Baby Born During The Sign Of Cancer
Top Baby Names Present to 2009
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Pear Nog a Healthy Snack Toddlers are Sure to Enjoy

toddler drinking pear nog

By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers

Homemade Toddler Snack

A fruit treat the whole family will love but made for toddlers.

Make this festive toddler snack anytime but for sure at Christmas holiday time. Nutrients and hydrations from this fruit and milk based snack that toddler will actually drink.

Healthy Toddler Snack: Pear Nog
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Healthy Toddler Snack: Pear Nog

Recipe by Cheryl TallmanCourse: toddler snack, preschool snackDifficulty: Easy
Servings

3

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking timeminutes
Calorieskcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pear peeled, cored and cut in chunks

  • 1 cup of egg nog (dairy or soy)

  • Dash of cinnamon2 ice cubes cracked

Directions

  • Place all ingredients in blender. Blend at high speed for 15 seconds.

More toddler’s food recipes

Baby Weaning Kit


On Sale Now! Click Image.
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Healthy Toddler Meal: Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Healthy Toddler Treat: Carrots and Cashews

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A Baby Is Born With Certain Reflexes

baby hand reflex

A Baby Is Born With Certain Reflexes

A Baby’s Reflexes..

A baby is born with certain reflexes to protect them during the first few weeks. These reflexes will disappear after a few weeks and be replaced with voluntary movement during baby’s development.

Doctors will check these reflexes to ensure his central nervous system is working correctly.

Walking Reflex

If you hold baby in an upright position with his feet touching the floor, his legs will seem to be trying to walk. This reflex will last for about 3-4 weeks, and he won’t actually walk until he is around 12 months.

Crawling Reflex

Place baby on his stomach and he will take up a crawling position with his bottom in the air and his legs bent. This lasts for about two months when he will then be able to lie flat.

Search Reflex

Touch baby’s cheek with your finger or breast and he will turn towards the source and open his mouth in search of food. This reflex will last for about 12 weeks.

Grasp Reflex

Place your finger in the palm of baby’s hand and he will grasp it. This involuntary movement will persist for about 3 months.

Sucking Reflex

Put your (clean) finger in baby’s mouth and he will suck on it. This reflex ensures he will be able to feed.

Diving Reflex

If baby is placed in water – either during a water birth or in a swimming pool – his throat will close so that he does not swallow the water. This means that baby will not drown if born in water, and he will also be a natural swimmer. This reflex will last for about 2 months, or longer if you take him swimming.

Babinski’s Reflex

Stroke the sole of baby’s foot and his big toe will curl up and the other toes will spread out. This lasts for about two years.

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Author: Tony Luck who runs a site with advice for moms-to-be and new moms. Included are the fascinating to tell you when baby is expected.

Sugar Bee Baby -Parenting advice and family fun resource. Expert
parenting advice for babes to teens from doctors, teachers,
psychologists, nutritionists, Special Need Children and Child
Development Specialists and a Nanny. Family Fun includes crafts,
games, party ideas and family vacation travel. Families Online
Magazine also provides answers to those important questions, What’s
for dinner and Are We There yet?

 

Newborn Baby Reflexes

Assessing Newborn Primitive Reflexes” by Nina Gold for OPENPediatrics

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Why Should I Make Sure My Baby is Screened for Critical Congenital Heart Disease at Birth?

baby girl and dog

New study confirms a dramatic decrease in infant deaths

Infant deaths from critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) decreased when babies were screened for Congenital Heart Disease at birth.

  • a decrease of more than 33 per cent in eight states that mandated screening for CCHD using a test called pulse oximetry.
  • And deaths from other or unspecified cardiac causes decreased by 21 per cent.

Pulse oximetry is a simple bedside test to determine the amount of oxygen in a baby’s blood and the baby’s pulse rate. Low levels of oxygen in the blood can be a sign of a CCHD.

About 1 in every 4 babies born with a congenital heart defect has CCHD and will need surgery or other procedures in the first year of life.

In the U.S., about 7,200 babies born each year have one of seven CCHDs
CCHD screening nationwide could save at least 120 babies each year, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

This study is the first look at the impact of state policies to either require or recommend screening of infants for CCHD at birth.

The study, Association of U.S. State Implementation of Newborn Screening Policies for Critical Congenital Heart Disease With Infant Cardiac Deaths, shows that states that required their hospitals to screen newborns with pulse oximetry saw the most significant decrease in infant deaths compared with states without screening policies.

47 states and D.C. now have mandatory screening policies in place and one additional state, California,  requires screening be offered. These results serve as a reminder to hospitals across the country to remain vigilant in their screening for CCHD.

“More families are able to celebrate special milestones in a child’s life thanks to the early identification and treatment of heart defects,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. “Screening newborns for critical congenital heart disease in every state, tribe, and territory will save lives and help babies thrive.”

Without screening by a pulse oximetry reading, some babies born with a congenital heart defect can appear healthy at first and be sent home with their families before their heart defect is detected.

CDC works to identify causes of congenital heart defects, find opportunities to prevent them, and improve the health of people living with these conditions.

For more information on congenital heart defects, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/index.html and https://www.cdc.gov/features/congenitalheartdefects/.

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Introducing Your New Baby to Your Pet

baby and dog

Having a child is a life-altering event for you and your family. If you own a pet and are concerned about how your pet will respond to the bringing home of a little bundle of joy, then you are not alone.

Hundreds of thousands of new families each year have to deal with how their pet might respond to the new baby. If you have a small child or are expecting in the near future you may have many questions such as,

What if my pet gets jealous?

What if he or she bites the baby?

How do I get my pet used to the new baby, and vice versa?

Not to fear, we have compiled some basic guidelines to follow when introducing your new baby to your family pet. First, you might want to think about your pet’s breed and temperament.

This applies to all pets, but in particular dogs. In all likelihood, you have seen many news stories about how certain dog breeds have attacked or even killed small children. Doing some basic research on your dog’s temperament will help you decide what to do upon the baby’s arrival.

If you find yourself deciding that you will not be able to keep your pet, keep in mind that many local rescue groups willingly take in animals and place them in homes where they will be better situated. It can be a tough decision, but the protection of your child is obviously paramount.

Familiarize with Baby Gear

Another main point that you should consider is familiarizing your pet with the baby gear that you plan on using. About a month or so before your baby is due, assemble all (or most of) the baby equipment.

Leave the bassinet out, put the swing in the living room, set up the bouncy chair on the floor. Just having these items out will enable your pet to get used to seeing them.

By the time the baby comes home, your pet will think nothing of that big playpen that is taking up half the room, or the baby’s new blankets and rattles.

You may even want to buy a little doll and swaddle it and hold it as if it were the baby. This will get your pet used to you holding the new baby a lot. Allow your pet sniff the doll and let him or her watch you put the doll into the playpen or swing.

Turn on the swing so your pet gets used to the noise, as there will be a lot of new noises in the house.

Getting Ready

When the time comes and your new baby is born you will probably be in the hospital for a few days. Try to get one of your family members to bring home one of the hats that your baby has recently worn. Let your pet sniff the hat so he or she can get familiarized with the new baby’s scent.

Coming Home

Your arrival home with the new baby will be a big event. Remember when you used to come home you’d greet your pet and give him lots of attention? Now you’ll have a tiny little baby who you’ll need to immediately feed, change and take care of.

Try to have your spouse, friend or family member give your pet lots of attention when you can’t so your pet still feels loved when you come home.

Let your pet smell the baby (of course with close supervision).
After a while, your pet will become very accustomed to the new baby in the house. Mostly, critically, always remember that no matter how much you trust your pet, especially dogs, never leave him or her alone in the same room with the baby.

You can never be 100% sure of the animal’s intentions. Regardless of how much you trust your pet, don’t be afraid to use baby gates or keep doors closed. When your baby begins to crawl and walk, watch out because your curious child might think it is fun to pull the dogs’ ears and tail and that’s when you could really be in danger.

In short, know your pet and always remain watchful. In the end, most children and pets will form a special bond as they grow to love one another over the years.

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Organic Baby Food Now Available in Some States for WIC

toddler eating

More states add organic baby food to WIC program. Every year, almost two million babies are born into families that are eligible to participate in The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This program provides grants to individual states to support low-income households (under $46k in annual income for a family of 4) who are nutritionally at-risk.2

These families receive funds for a defined set of foods to help subsidize the cost of feeding their children. However, currently, very few organic options are authorized for purchase with WIC funds.

In fact, today only 12 of the 50 states approve organic products for infants at all.

Happy Family Organics is proud to introduce Happy Baby® Clearly Crafted™ Jars, creating an option from their premium, organic line for WIC families. 45% of parents use glass jars to introduce their baby to solid foods.

48% of WIC-eligible moms feel that there are not enough organic brands available to them.3

This didn’t seem right to us,” said Anne Laraway CEO of Happy Family Organics. “Clearly Crafted jars are truly meant for all babies in the US and this is the first moment that we are able to say that. We’re really proud to provide a premium, organic option for more families – one they can feel confident feeding their children.”
Happy Family Organics is proud to be working with the various state WIC organizations toward state authorization of its Happy Baby Clearly Crafted Jars.

The first 1,000 days of a baby’s life is a vital window that defines a child’s wellness blueprint.

And, since Happy Family Organics’ portfolio is 100% organic, parents can be sure that they are free from pesticides that are harmful to human health.
The jars are already WIC-authorized in Florida, Minnesota, Texas, West Virginia and Vermont(approximately 20% of the organic WIC market) and are in the process of receiving certification in additional states.

Happy Mama Mentors

WIC program offers a free, live chat service on their website in 2017,  providing parents individualized support from Happy Mama Mentors.  They are a team of experts lactation specialists and registered dietitians certified in infant and maternal nutrition (and all moms!).

Through this service, Happy Family Organics has provided free advice to more than 15,000 parents and is continually finding ways to expand this service so that more parents have access to quality nutritional information.
“The feedback we receive from parents who chat with us is so inspiring. Providing this free service has been extremely rewarding for the team, knowing we are positively affecting the health of more children,” said Laraway.

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4 Educational Toys That Toddlers Love

toddler playing musical instrument

When children start to walk more steadily, run, push, pull, climb and grab things – they are growing from infants to toddlers. Between their first and second birthdays, they begin to do things like – to flip light switches, pour things in and out of containers, unwrap packages and empty drawers.


The toddler stage is very important in a child’s life. It is the time between infancy and childhood when a child learns and grows in many ways. Everything that happens to the toddler is meaningful.


I am a mother of two boys who I love dearly. I decided to stay home and raise my children with the best education and values I could provide. We made sacrifices and reorganized our lives for them.

I learned the importance of educational toys as we saw our sons playing together with toys all around the house. This is when I realized the value of educational toys and started

Ehome 15 Types 22pcs Wooden Percussion Instruments Toy for Kids Preschool Educational, Musical Toys Set for Boys and Girls with Storage Backpack

ABC Sound Book For Children

 English Letters & Words Learning Book, Fun Educational Toy. Learning Activities for Letters, Words, Numbers, Shapes, Colors, and Animals for Toddlers

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube –

Classic Wooden Toy With 12 Shapes

Vstarner Stacking Cups

Baby Toys Early Educational Toddler Toys Baby Bath Toys & Rubber Animals BPA Free Recommended Baby Toys for 0 1 2 3 4-5-year-old Boys and Girls .（14 Pcs）

Baby Parent Gift Ideas – Gadgets and Apps for Baby and Modern-day Parents
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Why You Should Teach Your Baby How To Swim

baby swimming in pool

Many parents are discovering the art of teaching their baby to swim. Not only is it fun for your baby to swim, bond with you, and play with other babies, it is a great way for you to interact with other parents as well.

It was only discovered in the 1960’s that babies were able to swim independently underwater. But since then, it has been learned that it promotes self-confidence and personal development – physical and emotional. It gives your baby a calming, zero-gravity environment to move freely where they otherwise could not on land. This is incredibly beneficial to babies with Downs syndrome and cerebral palsy.

What are the benefits of baby swimming?

  1.  Increased motor development, social skills and intelligence,
  2. Increased concentration, alertness, and perceptual abilities,
  3. Improved nap time and night time sleep patterns.
  4. Babies who learn how to swim have been known to walk earlier as well, due to their increased muscle control.

Babies automatically hold there breath underwater

It’s only natural for a baby to feel comfortable and happy in the warm water. You don’t have to worry about your child breathing, because they automatically hold their breath while underwater. This is called the “mammalian dive reflex”. After all, they did spend their first 9 months in fluid.

If you have your own pool, it is up to you as a parent to decide when you want your baby to start swimming. There is no age limit. They can even start right after birth.

When to start swimming lessons for baby?

Some classes, however, ask that you wait until they are 3 months. Others recommend you start as early as possible. But keep in mind, the longer you wait, their confidence in the water decreases.

Closer to their first year, they can actually develop a fear of water if they are not familiar with it. You should never force your child to learn if they don’t want to. This will only result in a stressful situation for your child which could become a problem later on.

Don’t expect your baby to start swimming like a pro right away. 

It takes time and patience. But even though they can’t swim on the water’s surface until they are about three, they can swim for short distances under the water with the help and encouragement of their parent. Have an underwater camera available to capture that special moment.

Check with your local community swimming pool to see if they have classes available. You and your new baby will love it.

 

Child Development: 3 – 6-Month-Old Milestones

A Baby Is Born With Certain Reflexes
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Wearing Pull-Ups While Potty Training?

boy in diaper coloring

Should a Toddler Wear Pull-Ups While Potty Training?

You’ll get lots of tips and advice, some of which is valuable, and some that will leave you undecided about things like should a toddler wear pull-ups while potty training?

Parenting toddlers can be challenging and no challenge is bigger than potty training. As a parent, you’ve learned a lot while your child moved from being an infant to crawling, to the mobile stage of an active toddler.

Now that they are older and able to understand simple directions and associations, you’re working towards the goal of “no more diapers”.

Disposable vs Cloth Training Pants

Again, we go back to the disposable diaper versus cloth debate, although the sheer quantity of either is somewhat reduced by the age of 18-24 months when most children are attempting to stay dry through the day and night. But the major question becomes one of convenience, versus what may be a better and more “natural” way to get your toddler into the bathroom when he or she needs to go.

Wearing training pants, which are made extra thick and absorbent, is often a deterrent to the child who dislikes being wet. With cloth, the wetness stays close to the skin, where disposable paper-based products tend to draw the liquid away, and the child will play happily, even though their pull-ups are drenched.

Even a young child can pull up an elastic-waisted pair of underpants, so there is nothing unique in the disposable version, except the cute patterns, and you can get those on training pants as well. What they pull down is not going to matter to a young child, as much as it does to the parent.
So when it comes to wondering should a toddler wear pull-ups while potty training, consider the cost, convenience, and your success in having the child acknowledge “accidents”, which will eventually prevent them from happening again.

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Your Baby And Social Skills – Babies-Toddler

taking baby for walk in a stroller

Your Baby And Social Skills

Your baby’s first year is filled with many challenges and new experiences for everyone in your family.

One of the many things that your baby is going to be learning in his first year is the ability to socialize and get along with others. The first place that your baby is going to learn to socialize with others is within your own family. You should also be exposing your baby to playmates and other people outside your immediate family. This is so that he can learn communication and interaction skills at as young an age as possible.

No matter how young your baby is, it is never too soon to let your baby enjoy social activities.

The earlier you start to teach social skills to your baby the better his social skills will be when he is older. You should be considering getting out with your baby a couple of times a week so that you are both interacting with other parents and babies.

Your baby won’t really “play” with other babies.

Babies will, however, be very interested in watching the other babies and at times may interact with them by hitting, touching, or grabbing them. Babies won’t participate in a “playing” activity until they are toddlers. What your baby gains by being exposed to other babies is the stimulation of being around other babies.

There are several ways that you can get out of the house and socialize with your baby. One thing you should keep in mind is that you should keep your baby away from other babies if your baby isn’t feeling well or if one of the other babies is sick. Babies are very susceptible to colds and you will want to limit your baby’s exposure to illness whenever possible.

Here are some things you may want to consider:

Try to expose your baby to as many social settings as possible.

There are many things that you can do in your own home so that your baby gets the socialization that he needs. this is especially important now during COVID-19.

  • Have your baby sit with you at the dinner table whether he has been introduced to solids or not. This is a great way for your family to spend quality time and for your baby to watch as others interact around him.
  • Include your baby in gatherings with family and friends.
  • Walk around the block, wave and smile at others
  •  Hold your baby when you talk on the phone or during a Zoom meeting
  • Sit on the front porch an engage other families as they go by,

Taking your baby out is a great way for you both to have a change of scenery and vary your daily routine. Your baby will enjoy going out with you, whether you are just going to the store or joining a parent-baby exercise class at your recreation center. He will be excited and stimulated by all the new faces, voices, and settings that he will encounter on his adventure.

Find a parent/baby playgroup to join. Your baby will enjoy watching other babies and children while you interact with old and new friends. The more social settings that you take your baby to, the more broad his world becomes.

Taking your baby to a playgroup or for a swim at the pool gives your baby the chance to be part of a larger group. Your baby will quickly learn that the smiles and coos he uses on you at home get the same response when you are both out. He will learn that he can have a positive impact on others around him as he gets the response that he is looking for.