Two of my three children are summer babies. That is, they were born in the summer and had their first months surrounded by sunshine streaming in the windows, the sound of birds chirping, and days spent wearing nothing but a diaper and a “onsie.” I made sure that they had Fourth of July outfits ready, even though one of them arrived a week after the holiday. I guess he just wasn’t interested in the parade. Do you have a summer baby, too?
We had a lot of new information to share this past month, such as recall notices and new scientific findings about your baby’s health and ideas for cooking and volunteering with your baby. Because they grow up so fast, we’ve also covered toddler discipline issues and transitioning to a toddler bed. The exciting news is that there will be even more articles about toddlers coming soon, and we will also begin to cover preschoolers! As a parent of a very active preschooler myself, I am looking forward learning new things and sharing ideas on everything from empowering your preschooler to the debate about preschools. I hope you’ll be there with me.
And now, in case you missed any, here are all of the articles we featured last month.
July 1st
Creepy Baby Book: Love You Forever
Can reading to your child really make a difference? The experts think so, and I am inclined to agree. However, some of the books that are often recommended for babies, seem to me, pretty scary. Either these books send the wrong message or they are just plain creepy. Have you come across any books like this?
July 2nd
My Favorite Baby Books: In My House
Exposing a baby to books and reading will set her on a wonderful path in life. Even the youngest babies enjoy a good read aloud. They love to hear mom, dad or a special caregiver’s voice, and babies do pick up a lot from being read to. From the cadence and sounds of language to actual vocabulary, babies are learning by leaps and bounds. Reading to your baby is also a great way to enjoy some close bonding time.
July 3rd
Baby Blog Month in Review: June 2008
June was my first official month posting for the Baby Blog. It has been a great experience. I love learning new things about babies and sharing it with friends. Of course, I could use your help. Whether you are a first-time mom or an experienced mom of a large family, I want to hear from you. Please share your advice, your questions and your comments. On which topics would you like to see more blogs? Meanwhile, take a look at all of the articles we had in June.
Will you be celebrating the Fourth of July with a fireworks show? If so, here are some things to keep in mind to ensure that everyone, including the baby, has a wonderful, fun and safe celebration. First let’s mention that very young babies shouldn’t be taken to a fireworks show. The loud noises and crowds can make your baby uncomfortable, scared or cranky. While it may be inconvenient, in the long run it might be easier to get a sitter or to watch the fireworks on television or from very far away.
July 7th
Baby Blog Week in Review: June 30th Through July 6th
Summer time is so much fun with a baby. From splashing in a kiddie pool to talking long walks in a stroller, going to the beach and spotting fireflies, it is always a great adventure. What do you and your baby love about summer?
The miracle of a baby’s smile, how it just instantly melts your heart and makes the sleep deprivation and the stress all worth while, is a powerful thing. Now, researchers have concluded, a baby’s smile not only warms the heart but it affects the brain, and it does so much the same way that a drug might.
July 8th
Dealing with Old Fashioned Baby Advice
When you have a baby, the advice comes out of the woodwork. Some of it is much welcomed, such as when someone gives you the perfect trick for soothing your baby, while other advice can be old fashioned and even dangerous if not useless, such as binding a belly button to ensure an “outie.”
July 9th
You might be surprised to know that libraries generally welcome babies. A visit to the library with your baby can be a fun and rewarding experience. It can introduce the importance of books to your little one, provide an opportunity for socialization, and let’s face it, if you stay home with your baby, it provides opportunity to get out of the house.
July 10th
If you have ever looked at your child and wondered if your baby could be a model then you’ll want to keep reading. I’ll talk about some of the things that make it more likely for your baby to have the opportunity to model.
July 11th
Would You Sell Naming Rights to Your Baby?
One of those cute parenting e-mails that goes around talks about all the things you get for your money when you have a child (as well as the cost involved). One point was that you get naming rights. If you want to name a human being “Sassafras Major Chicken” you can. And you can do it legally, provided it is your own child.
July 12th
If you are a newborn black infant, your chances of survival to toddler-hood is less than if you are a newborn white infant. This is according to a study that was published in the January 2008 issue of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
July 13th
Early Solid Food Causes Allergies? Maybe, Maybe Not
One of the great questions involving baby care is the introduction of solid foods. When did you or will you start your baby on solid foods? I have seen parents all across the spectrum with this one, from those who started putting cereal in their baby’s bottle at three weeks to those who waited until almost a year to introduced any form of solid food.
July 14th
Baby Blog Week in Review: July 7th Through July 13th
With babies, there is always something new every day. My little one turned two-years-old today. It is hard to believe that this energetic toddler started out as a fragile newborn who came into the world already charming everyone in the delivery room with his big eyes, long toes and the ability to accurately wet two nurses and one doctor when he was less than a minute old.
Bringing Baby to the Library: The Children’s Room
The library can be a rewarding experience for both you and your baby. If you missed the earlier article about this topic, just click here: Bringing Baby to the Library.
Lack of Sleep Linked to Injuries
Is your baby, toddler or preschooler always falling down, bumping in to things and getting hurt there you may think it is just normal kids behavior or perhaps an awkward clumsiness that he may someday outgrow. But the truth is that your little one might just be sleep deprived.
July 15th
Using Compromise with a Toddler
There is a reason that they call it the terrible twos. Two-year-olds tend to want to assert their own independence and opinions, even if they don’t quite make sense to us. A limited vocabulary also adds to their frustration because they can’t always communicate what they want and may have trouble being understood.
July 16th
Using Compromise with a Toddler 2
Yesterday in Using Compromise with a Toddler, I talked about how compromise can be a great form of discipline with your child. I talked about one type of compromise and gave a specific example that happened to occur in our household earlier this week. Now, let’s talk a little more about the art of compromise.
July 17th
Are your children more of one gender than the other? Are you hoping specifically for a boy or a girl? New research says that your diet may have something to do with the sex of your baby! And in some developed countries, the proportion of boys is actually falling due to dietary changes.
July 21st
Babies Are Most Likely to Get Bitten By a Dog
According to a 2006 study published by the Journal of Pediatrics, children less than one year of age were the most likely group to be bitten by a dog. What is even more disturbing, is that children less than nine years old are more likely to be bitten in the head or the neck area.
Baby Blog Week in Review: July 14th Through July 20th
Did you have a fun weekend with your baby? We had a lot of fun with a trip to New York City. That isn’t the main reason for my absence on Friday, though. We had our Internet connection go down and only restored today. At least the downtime gave me an excuse for extra baby play time! Now, here is the week in review.
One Breast Gives More Milk than the Other: Is This Normal?
Is it normal to have one breast produce more milk than the other? How can you tell? And, does this output of milk ever change? Here are some answers.
July 22nd
Important Child Safety Recalls: July 21, 2008
We expect our babies to be safe when we purchase something made especially for them. Unfortunately, poorly designed or poorly made equipment and toys can cause harm to your baby. It is important to keep up on the recalls, such as the bed that resulted in the death of a toddler. Here are the details for recent and important child safety recalls.
July 23rd
I recently learned of a dangerous practice that involves pacifiers. What makes this practice even more scary is that in the past, there were pediatricians that were actually recommending it. It is dangerous and doesn’t make much sense to me. What is it? Read this post and find out!
July 24th
Introducing Art to My Little One
Chances are that you are already introducing your baby to art whenever you look at a picture book or name colors and shapes, but why not go a little bit further and expose your toddler to more sophisticated fare. You might be surprised at how much he picks up and understands.
July 27th
Cooking with Kids from Baby through Toddler
One of my favorite things to do is to cook with my kids. When we cook together, we get to spend great quality time while being productive. Cooking together is also sharing in valuable life lessons, and introduces important life skills. You child will be introduced to new smells, new textures and even new vocabulary. There is also a lot of math and science involved with cooking.
Cooking with a baby can be a lot of fun. Yes, it can be done. As I mentioned earlier, cooking together is a way of spending quality time and introducing your little one to all sorts of new experiences and life lessons. I started cooking with my children almost as soon as they were out of the womb, and you can too.
The next meal you make, consider asking your toddler to help. Toddlers can be so much fun to cook with, and the educational value of the activity to high. In a short cooking session, you can introduce your child to language arts, math, science and life skills. And toddlers just love to help out. They get a great sense of accomplishment from doing things on their own, especially when they are “grown up” activities.
July 27th
Cooking with Kids from Baby through Toddler
One of my favorite things to do is to cook with my kids. When we cook together, we get to spend great quality time while being productive. Cooking together is also sharing in valuable life lessons, and introduces important life skills. You child will be introduced to new smells, new textures and even new vocabulary. There is also a lot of math and science involved with cooking.
Cooking with a baby can be a lot of fun. Yes, it can be done. As I mentioned earlier, cooking together is a way of spending quality time and introducing your little one to all sorts of new experiences and life lessons. I started cooking with my children almost as soon as they were out of the womb, and you can too.
July 28th
Baby Blog Week in Review: July 21st Through July 27th
What types of activities do you like to do with your baby? Is it playing on the floor, reading or taking walks? How about cooking? Check out this past week’s articles for new activities as well as some important baby safety news and recalls.
July 29th
Making the Transition to a Toddler Bed
When is the right time to transition your little one to a toddler bed? How can you make the experience easier? I’ve been through it with three kids, and here are my tips.
July 30th
A New Obesity Risk for Your Baby
We all want our babies to be healthy. Getting your little one off on the road to healthy living starts right from the beginning in babyhood. An overweight baby often leads to an overweight child which leads to an overweight adult. And now scientists have discovered a new obesity risk that may affect your baby. I’ll talk about what that risk is and how you can reduce the chances that your baby will become overweight.
July 31st
House Approves Legislation for Tougher Toy Standards
Toys should not be hazardous to our children’s health. It has long been assumed that the things that we buy and give to our children, those same toys, teethers, and pacifiers that our babies put in their mouths, are safe. But as we all know now, that is not the case.
When the heat and humidity start rising, we enjoy getting out the baby pool and using it to cool off. It can be a lot of fun for little ones and even their parents. Here are some ways to have lots of fun with the baby pool.
Ideas for Volunteering with a Toddler or Preschooler
Making the time to do good works is important for all families. Getting children started early with the concept of volunteerism is a wonderful way to make the acts so much a part of their lives that it comes natural for them. One of the added benefits of volunteering with your toddler or preschooler is that it may give you the means and motivation to volunteer yourself. Isn’t it difficult to carve out the time to volunteer when you are busy taking care of little ones. Making volunteering a family affair solves that problem!