Sun Safety Facts

Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. Protection from UV rays is important all year, the CDC reported. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV rays can damage skin cells. Protection from UV rays is important all year, not just during the summer. UV rays can reach you on cloudy and cool days, and they reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand and snow. In the continental United States, … Continue reading →

Out of Date Parenting Advice

The best parenting advice today is (hopefully) tried and true methods that are designed to help infants and children be healthy. Sometimes, people will pass along ideas that have since been debunked. No matter what kind of unwanted parenting advice you have heard, it probably isn’t worse than some of the advice given to moms of the past. A popular book for mothers in the 1900s was The Mother and Her Child. It advised mothers to “wash their nipples with soap and water” before nursing, and then “rinse in boracic acid”. This is a terrible idea! Boric acid is not … Continue reading →

Beware of Bath Time Dangers!

New parents need to learn how to properly bathe their babies. Bathing a toddler requires a different set of skills. The goal, of course, is to make sure your little one is clean and comfortable. There are some bath time dangers that parents need to be aware of. Bath Toys and Bacteria That cute little rubber ducky that your baby or toddler loves to play with in the bathtub could be full of bacteria. A study published in Biofilms and Microbiomes found that bath toys are colonized by dense biofilms with complex bacterial and fungal communities. It’s not just rubber … Continue reading →

Crib Bumpers Are Dangerous

Crib bumpers are decorative. They help make a baby’s crib look softer, warmer, and more visually appealing. Unfortunately, crib bumpers can also be dangerous. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents not use any crib bumpers at all. The AAP has a lot of great advice for parents. Follow that advice, and you can help to keep your baby safe. Many parents have heard the “back to sleep” advice from the AAP. The simple phrase makes it easy for parents to remember to place their baby on his or her back for sleep – and to do that … Continue reading →

A Swim Lesson for Baby

I have never been a good swimmer. I never took lessons as a child, and so I have never really felt comfortable in the water. So, recently, I started swim lessons for my older two kids. When signing them up, they asked us if we wanted to try out the parent-tot class for free for our baby. Of course, everyone loves something for free, so we signed him up! When we got there, I was a little nervous, but stood on the sidelines watching as my husband took him into the heated pool. He loved the water and hardly made … Continue reading →

The Safety of Crib Bumpers

Why Do We Use Bumper Pads? In the past bumper pads were used to prevent a baby’s head from getting caught between the slats of the crib. Today the United States and Canada have regulated the distance between bed slats so it is impossible for a baby’s head to get stuck. Why Are Bumper Pads Still Used? Fashion Some parents believe it can prevent a baby’s arm or leg from getting caught. Some parents believe it prevents head injuries if the baby hits her head against the crib. Experts and doctors have stated that it is unlikely that a baby … Continue reading →

Don’t Underestimate Your Toddler!

The amazing thing about a toddler, besides the fact that they seem to have unlimited energy, is how quickly they can figure out the things we think they’ll take years to learn. For example, I remember a few months ago I let my son hold the tube of diaper cream while I was changing his diaper. I honestly believed he could do nothing to that tube, because he was only slightly over a year old. To my absolute shock, I glanced over while cleaning him up and noticed he had unscrewed the cap and was putting it in his mouth. … Continue reading →

Beetles Everywhere!

Always shake out your clothes after hanging them on the line. If you don’t, a Japanese beetle might find his way into your toddler’s onesie. He might die in the hamper, still in the onesie. You might put the onesie on your toddler, not knowing about the beetle hiding inside. The beetle might fall down into your toddler’s diaper. You might find the beetle in your toddler’s diaper after a nap. You might feel a sinking sense of dread as you wonder if the beetle hurt your little one. You might search his skin for bites and breathe a sigh … Continue reading →

Warm Weather Car Safety

Depending on where you live, winter can be long, depressing, and, let’s face it, cold. When warm weather arrives, many of us can hardly wait to get outside. There are parks to visit, playgrounds to explore, and beaches to comb. And yet, with all the fun surrounding warm-weather outings, some precautions need to be taken when traveling with a baby. Before you even place your child in the car, check the car seat, especially any metal buckles or other metal parts. These can get extremely hot during a warm day, especially if they are in the direct sunlight. The last … Continue reading →

Put Down the Benadryl

When I was childless, I heard several of my friends who were parents talk about using Benadryl on their children to make them drowsy when traveling or when they just needed a break. Once I became a parent, I certainly understood the motivation behind that, although we never did it. Now, Dr. Shan Yin, a toxicology fellow at the University of Colorado, has completed a study that says this is akin to child abuse. The study was just published in the Journal of Pediatrics. Yin and his fellow researchers found at least 160 reports of parents using Benadryl and other … Continue reading →