Dear Mama

Dear Mama,

I just wanted to say thank you. I know the past year hasn’t been easy for you, but I just wanted to say, I think you’re doing an amazing job of being my mama. You have made me feel loved, safe and cared ever since I was first thrust into your arms and, for that, I will be forever grateful.

Thank you for all the sleepless nights and for holding me when my teeth hurt. I know you’re tired and would much rather be asleep in bed, but I feel so much safer and happier when I’m in your arms. There is truly no place I’d rather be than snuggled up on your chest, listening to the steady beat of your heart.

Thank you for loving me unconditionally. No matter how many poop explosions I’ve thrown your way, no matter how many times I’ve woken in the night and no matter how many nights out you’ve missed, you haven’t let me feel unloved for a second. You have spent the last year of your life putting my feelings first and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

Thank you for singing me nursery rhymes when I can’t sleep, nothing soothes me quite like the sound of your voice. Thank you for all the games of peekaboo, I love that game so much. And for all of the adventures we’ve been on. The walks in the country, the trips to the beach and the visits to museums, all of these things were especially exciting because I got to do them all with you.

My birthday should be as much a celebration of you as it is me. You did it! One whole year of parenting. And not only did you do it, you excelled at it. You are a better mama that I could ever have dreamed of. I feel so lucky to have you as my mama, I know you are the best mama a baby could ever dream of. And I can’t wait for another year of love, cuddles and adventure with you.

Thank you for everything,

Baby

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

#breastfeedinggoals

You’ve been breastfeeding your baby from the start. You’ve gotten past those two-hourly feedings your baby had in the first weeks, to starting solids and drinking from a cup. What now?

When to wean

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, then continued breastfeeding while solids are introduced during the second six months of life. Weaning can happen at one year, but breastfeeding can continue as long as mom and baby are both happy with it. The World Health Organization recommends nursing to two years or beyond. Experts say the natural age for weaning is between 2.5 years and 7 years.

Weaning without worries

If you want to wean your baby, you need to consider his age and his developmental stage. If your baby is younger than one year, those at-breast feedings will need to be replaced with expressed breastmilk or formula.

If your baby is older than one year, you can gradually wean from the breast by eliminating one feeding every few days. If your baby resists or regresses in other areas, then weaning is going too fast for him. Gradual weaning is also preferred so that your breasts do not become engorged, risking plugged ducts and mastitis for you.

For older babies, weaning strategies might include: distractions at normal feeding times, substitutions with other foods, shortened nursing sessions, and don’t offer don’t refuse.

Expect weaning to take time – maybe even months. Night nursing and naptime sessions are typically the last to go.

What if you’re being pressured to wean?

How do you feel about continuing to breastfeed? It’s entirely your own private decision about whether or not to continue nursing your baby. The benefits of breastfeeding don’t end just because your baby turns a certain age. How you deal with judgments from others depends on how close you are to that person. You may be more emotionally offended if the person questioning your continued breastfeeding is your partner or a family member. You can always use phrases, such as “My doctor thinks this is best for our baby” or “This is working for our family” when people start asking when you’re going to wean.

Extended breastfeeding

Breastmilk doesn’t turn to water at one year. It continues to be a source of nutrients for your toddler. Your child will still get the immunological benefits along with the calories and comfort of breastfeeding no matter how many months (or years) old he is.

How long are you planning to nurse your baby? What are your #breastfeedinggoals?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Realities of Being a Stay-at-Home Mom

“So, what do you do all day?,” my friend asked. At the time, she didn’t have any children yet, and I had two. I had decided to quit working outside the home when my oldest was born. My days were full – of changing diapers, washing and folding laundry, fixing meals, and, more importantly, cuddling and loving my small children.

The realities of being a stay-at-home mom, however, can be challenging for some. As one well-known reality television star put it, “It’s so boring!” There were days when it was raining outside, we had nowhere that we needed to go, and I didn’t have a single ounce of patience or time for crafts and nutritious meals. I was tired of doing the same old puzzles, reading the same old books, watching repeats of DVDs we’d already seen, and naptime couldn’t come soon enough. But those days were rare.

Did I miss being out among adults in the working world? Sometimes. When my husband was working longer hours, I might go the whole day conversing only with a one-year-old and three-year-old. It was hard not to envy at least a little intellectual stimulation that comes from even the simplest small talk with others my own age.

Did I miss the intellectual challenge of work and study? Sometimes. But I was able to do a lot of reading, and the Internet made a huge difference in being connected to resources to further my education and interests. The library became a favorite resource – for me and for my kids.

Here are some ideas to help you stay sane if you’re having trouble adjusting to being a stay-at-home mom:

Find something creative you like to do, and do it without kids. Whether it’s writing, reading, painting, crocheting, exercising, hiking, shopping – whatever – find some time every week to do it without kids in tow. When my youngest was a baby, I attended a “play group” (which was essentially a way for new moms to get out of the house), and a group of us moms started meeting once a week for tea, coffee and gossip. Mostly we talked about our families, but at least we did it without having to find anything, wipe anything or yell at anyone.

Get out of the house with your kids often. This doesn’t need to be to attend a structured program or playdate. Simply take a walk around the block, go dig in the garden together, play at the park, or toss a ball around on the porch. Fresh air and sunshine will do everyone a world of good.

Have a routine. Kids thrive on structure. Having a predictable daily schedule may help you feel a little more in control, and will help you break up your day a little. If you know your baby naps from one to three, you won’t feel so stressed building block houses with her until then. While she sleeps, you can pay bills, fold laundry or clean the cat litter.

Play. Don’t forget to have fun with your kids. Take time every day to get down on the floor with your kids and do something they enjoy. Set up a huge farm, and let him add his dinosaurs to the cow pen. Build skyscrapers with wooden blocks. Put puzzles together. Play simple board games. Talk, imagine, create, enjoy. It is so cliché to say this, but they’ll only be little once. You’ll never regret the time you spent enjoying your children.

It can be boring with a newborn – babies just don’t do much. They need lots and don’t give much in return. But as my children grew and started to show their own little personalities, it was like meeting someone new, someone who you wanted to get to know better. I was taken on a journey of never-ending discovery watching them learn new skills every day. Being able to stay at home with my children is an immense blessing. I feel amazingly thankful that we’ve chosen to have less stuff in order to have more connection with our children. I wouldn’t trade this abundance for any other life.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

What You Need to Know About Baby Swim Safety

You’ve heard all the warnings and you know that kids can drown in as little as one inch of water. That means an unlocked toilet seat, a forgotten bucket, and the bathtub can all pose a risk if you’re not watching. Given that, it’s fair to be extra-concerned about swim safety.

As your child becomes more mobile, watching him or her around water should be an even bigger priority. If you have a backyard swimming pool, be sure it is fenced in and inaccessible to your little one whenever you’re not around.

But having that backyard swimming pool (or even just enjoying swimming as a pastime) means that you will surely have your baby in a suit and in the water at some point. So how can you ensure their safety when that happens?

Well, obviously, maintaining a watchful eye is the most important thing. But beyond that, you may want to consider enrolling your child in baby swim lessons. At this point, they won’t actually be learning how to swim, but they will be learning to be comfortable in the water. Some lessons will also teach various survival techniques, like how to find and hold onto the pool’s edge. You might find that you learn a few tips and tricks for keeping your little one safe while at those lessons as well. And if done right, they should prove to be a fun parent/child bonding activity that you both enjoy.

Outside of lessons, anytime you’re near open bodies of water (the ocean, a lake, the creek that runs just behind your house) your little one should have a lifejacket or floaties on. These natural bodies of water can be swift and unpredictable, and you want to make sure that your baby is protected if a rogue wave appears or if they accidentally fall into the fast-moving current of that creek. You should also always be within arms reach for a quick rescue, should they fall in.

When it comes to your backyard pool, now is the time to begin laying the ground rules. No running around the deck and no swimming without an adult around are good places to start. It might also be a good idea to become infant and child CPR certified yourself, so that you can respond quickly in case of an emergency.

Above all else, never leave your child unattended around water. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, and while no parent ever thinks it will happen to them, no family is completely protected from the possibility of accidental drowning.

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

5 Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Daycare

Enrolling your child in daycare is a pretty huge parenting milestone. It is quite often one fraught with worry and anxiety, as you try to find the right daycare for your child. You may feel nervous about leaving your baby with strangers, and feel worried about how your baby (and you!) will cope with the separation.

Daycare can be an enriching, engaging and exciting environment for babies and toddlers. The range of activities on offer, regular routine and abundance of other children to play with mean many young children love daycare. Many babies and toddlers form strong bonds with their daycare key workers, allowing them to enjoy a strong attachment with an adult outside of the family.

Picking a daycare for your child may not be easy. Some parents just ‘know’ as soon as they walk into the right setting, but for others it can take months of deliberation to settle on the perfect daycare. However you decide to approach this decision, here are five important things you should consider:

  1. First impressions

First impressions are important. As a parent, you’ve probably gotten quite good at trusting your gut instinct. Sometimes it’s not quite possible to put your finger on why something doesn’t feel right, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore that bad feeling in the pit of your stomach. Think about your first impression. Does it seem like a happy place? Do you feel welcomed? Do you like the staff? It’s not just your first impressions that matter, think about how your baby reacts too. Does he seem happy and content in the new environment? Does he respond well to the staff members during your visit?

  1. Observations

Pay attention during your visit, you can learn a lot about a place by simply observing what’s going on around you. What are the children doing during your visit, do they look happy and engaged? How are the staff responding to upset or clingy children? Are they looking after the children in the way you would like them to take care of your own baby? Are the children being properly supervised? How are staff handling undesirable behaviour?

  1. The basics

It would be lovely to choose the daycare based solely on whether you love it, but in reality, there are other things to consider. Costs can add up, so you’ll need to do your sums and work out whether the daycare you like is within budget. Find out whether meals and diapers are provided, or whether you’ll need to buy these yourself, as this may affect the total cost. Do the daycare hours fit well with your work schedule? What happens if you’re late for pick up because of bad traffic or a late running train? Is the daycare easy to get to? These may not be the most glamorous of questions, but it’s important to consider them when making your decision.

  1. Recommendations

One of the best ways to find out what a childcare setting is really like, is to speak to other parents. A personal recommendation is worth a lot, so find out what other parents think about the daycare. If you don’t have any friends with children at the daycare. you could wait outside at drop off or pick up time and see if any of the parents can spare five minutes to tell you what they think. This way, you’ll get an unbiased opinion based on experience, which will give you something to go off when deciding where to send your child.

  1. The day to day

Facilities and activities can vary greatly between different childcare settings. Some may have amazing outdoor spaces, whereas others may invest more time and effort in trips outside the daycare gates. Newer settings may have better equipment, and some settings focus more on structured activities than others. Which of these matters most to you will depend upon what you think is most important (and more enjoyable) to your child. Find out how much time the children spend outside, and the sorts of activities the children engage with during a typical day. Are they free to play as they wish, or is there an element of structure within the day? How is undesirable behaviour dealt with, and does the answer compliment your parenting style?

Have you chosen a daycare setting for your child? And if so, what were the most important aspects to consider when making the decision?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Is Your Baby a Righty or a Leftie?

Although it will be a while before your baby is writing her name, you may be wondering if she will be a righty or a lefty. At this stage in her development, it’s probably not easy to tell. After all, she may be grabbing things with her right hand one day, and her left the next. In most cases, hand preference is not clearly noticeable until a child is about three. But your baby may start to show some preferences by about a year a half.

It’s often difficult to tell your baby’s hand preference when they are infants because they have not mastered a lot of motor skills yet. For instance, your baby may clumsily reach out for an object with one hand. But that does not mean that is their dominate hand. Even as an adult, you may grab things with your non-dominate hand. So one-hand grasps are not a good indication of whether your baby is a leftie or a righty.

As your baby gets older and uses both hands to play, such as when he stacks blocks or pulls objects apart, it may be easier to determine if he is showing use of a dominant hand. In many cases, by the time your baby is about 24 months, he may be consistently favoring one hand over the other.

If you prefer your baby be right-handed because you think it may be easier, don’t bother trying to influence her preference. Researchers think whether a person is right-handed or left-handed is partly genetic. So if you and your partner are both lefties, your little one might be too.

Keep in mind, if you try to make your baby use her right hand if she naturally wants to use her left, you’re only going to make matters worse. It’s likely your baby will get frustrated, and it’s probably near impossible to make her become right-handed if she is wired to be a leftie.

If your baby does turn out to be left-handed, there are things you can do to make it easier for him to learn new skills. These days there are a lot of instruments and tools that are designed for lefties. From toys to books and school supplies, there are everyday items made with lefties in mind.

Remember, not all people have hand dominance. Some people use both hands equally. Whether your baby turns out to be a leftie or a righty, one thing is for sure, she is pretty much perfect either way.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.