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- Activities & Games
- Brain Builders: 9-month-old
The world of exploration opens up to your 9-month-old as she begins to accomplish many exciting new things. And, of course, she is getting closer and closer to walking.
- Activities to Promote Motor Learning in Babies
As new parents, we delight in every movement our baby makes. From Baby's first attempt to reach for Mommy's face to that miraculous first step, we're watching for motions that indicate our child is developing satisfactorily.
- Brain Builders: 5-month-old
Are you ready to rock and roll! This month Baby is rockin' and rollin' all over – wiggling, wriggling and rolling her body in ways to get what she wants.
- Brain Builders: An Introduction
As many new moms can attest, your goal in life is suddenly to provide your baby with the best experiences possible from care to love to learning.
- Brain Builders: 7-month-old
Sitting up is the name of the game this month. By the end of 7th month, Baby will probably be sitting up without any support.
- Baby Behavior
- How Babies Grow in the First Year
Watching your new baby grow is a miraculous time in any parent's life, and be
prepared for strangers, friends, relatives and your pediatrician to ask for updates
on your baby's progress.
- 10 Reasons to Cherish the First Year
Not that you need any more reasons to love your bundle of joy, but just in case,
here are 10 things to cherish about your baby's first year:
1.
- Baby Bloopers
Depending on what types of baby books you read before you bring your little bundle
of joy home, you may or not be prepared for one of the most important ways your
life will change as a parent.
- The First Months
You're a pro at changing dirty diapers now – both varieties. You can bathe a
slippery baby solo – and you've even started using soap.
- Baby Girl
According to the old rhyme, little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything
nice – and little boys not so much. That may be a big generalization, but baby
girls are different than baby boys in a multitude of ways.
- Baby Food
- The Real Scoop on Solid Foods for Baby Part Two
Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization
agree that solid foods should be started around 6 months – when your
baby
shows an indication that he is ready.
- 10 Baby Food Safety Tips
1. Never leave your baby alone with food.
- Baby's First Thanksgiving
Who says baby has to eat the same old jar baby foods for Thanksgiving?
- Could Your Baby Have a Food Allergy?
By the time her daughter was 3 months old, Sheree Godwin knew something was wrong.
Her baby had sores that wouldn't heal, slept poorly and simply seemed miserable.
- Baby Food From Scratch
The word "homemade" may conjure up images of an old-world Italian grandmother, fussing for hours over dozens of bubbling kettles while mixing mysterious concoctions in large bowls set on flour-covered counters.
- Baby Gear
- Buying Safe Baby Gear
The process of purchasing baby furniture and other baby gear can be overwhelming
for parents. With so many different types of baby items available on the market,
how do parents go about making the safest purchases for their children?
- Baby Walkers
The emergency room at
Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, treated 271 children for baby-walker
related injuries from March 1993 to February 1996.
- Protective Sun Gear for Babies
It's the time of year again that brings lazy days by the swimming pool and strolls
along the beach. For young children, nothing can be more exciting than summertime
water play.
- High Chairs
Buying a highchair for your baby is not unlike buying your first car. When purchasing
a car, you may check its accident record.
- Chemicals and Car Seats
Just when we thought we had our children's car seats all figured out, a report
by the Clean Car Campaign is released telling us that our car seats might be dangerous
to the very children they are designed to protect.
- Babyproofing & Safety
- A Child-proofed Home
Everyone knows that home is where the heart is. What fewer people may be aware of is that home can also be where many dangers lie.
- Room-by-room Babyproofing
"It was the scariest thing I ever experienced," says Wendee
Holtcamp. "We have three tall kitchen windows that come nearly down to the
floor on one wall, and I had the windows open one day.
- Room-by-room Babyproofing Part Two
After you've babyproofed inside your home, head outside and make sure your garage, basement and yard are babyproofed too.
Babyproofing the Basement and Garage
Poisons: Lock up poisons such as paint, varnish, soap, bleach, and antifreeze.
- Driveway Safety
On May 21, 2008, singer Steven Curtis Chapman's 5-year-old daughter, Maria, was
run over and killed in the driveway of their home by her teenage brother. He was
backing their SUV out of the driveway and didn't see the little girl.
- What's Hiding on Your Floor?
Jennae Petersen of Athens, Ga., has had a "no shoes in the house" rule for years
and says her family always thought she was a little crazy.
- Beauty & Wellness
- The Sexy Side of Stretch Marks
What is sexy? Ask most people to define sexy, and stretch marks are not likely to make the list.
- Mommy's Day Out
As luck would have it, the night before my big "Mommy's Day Out" was a sleepless one. My infant son, now 11 weeks, still only slept in two-hour stints and this particular night, he was particularly agitated.
- Finding Time for You
The day starts out as usual. I manage to get three cranky children out the door and drive them to school.
- Great Skin - From the Inside Out!
How many jars and tubes of skin care products are hiding out in your medicine
cabinet? Probably more than you'd like to admit.
- Revive With Vitamins
It makes sense, so much sense it is hard to believe we Americans
haven't gotten it by now. That old adage, "Beauty comes from within," is
right, though not necessarily the way our mothers meant it.
- Beyond Baby
- Exercising with Baby
Getting back into shape is usually high on a new mom's to-do list. But alone
time is often difficult to come by.
- Married with Children
The reality is after a man and woman each promise "I do," their unique journey
as a married couple begins without an instruction manual.
- Guess What Worked for Me?
Ask any parent of two – or more – about the tricks of the trade, and they'll
tell you that each child is his own little universe. What works for one fails spectacularly with another.
- Birthday Planning
- Your Baby's First Birthday Party
For many parents, a child's first birthday heralds the end of babyhood and
the beginning of toddlerhood. A walking, talking little person ready to
explore the world takes the place of midnight feedings and T-shirts caked in
spit-up.
- Baby's First Birthday
As you flip the calendar page, you realize your baby's first birthday is approaching. Where has the time gone?
- Seasonal First Birthday Party Themes
Your child's first birthday party should be fun and memorable. But planning it
doesn't have to be difficult.
- Painless Birthday Parties
"It's not MY birthday party!" Jordan cried.
- Birthday Party Ideas for Twins
Two of a kind doesn't necessarily mean the same – especially when you're talking twins! That goes double for birthdays.
- Bonding
- Bonding with Baby From the Beginning
When each of my three children was born, I couldn't get over how perfect they
were.
- Prepare for Alone Time with Baby
It's always puzzling when a parent is in a room with a child, yet the child goes
to the other parent who's in another room to ask for something to eat or for permission
to go outside and play.
- Bonding with Your Newborn
When Mary Sadlier was pregnant with her daughter, Caitlyn, her husband, Stephen Rosa, regularly read entire books to the baby including the classic Green Eggs and Ham.
- Baby Bonding: The Power of Touch
On a warm spring afternoon, after months of watching and feeling my first
baby grow inside my ever-expanding belly, finally that precious moment I
dreamed about arrived.
- Bonding Over Breast or Bottle
Breast versus bottle: We've heard this debate and read what the experts think.
- Bottlefeeding
- Should Baby's Bottle Be Propped?
Sometimes the last thing you want to do is give your baby a bottle. This is why
bottle propping – putting something like a receiving blanket under the bottle
to hold it up – is appealing.
- Beginning Bottlefeeding
First you give the bottle to Baby, and then you're done. Right?
- Cereal in the Baby Bottle
Some people believe that putting cereal in baby bottles helps babies sleep through
the night quicker. Is this a myth or does it actually work?
- Baby Bottle Cautions
Melissa Katz-Moye of Portland, Ore., considers herself an "eco-minded mother.
- Choosing the Best Bottle for Your Baby
From angled bottles to straight bottles, from reusable to disposable, today's parents have many choices when it comes to the vessels with which they feed their babies. When purchasing bottles, how do you choose?
- Breastfeeding
- Have Breasts, Will Travel
Whether you have five children or one, traveling with a breastfed baby is easier than with a bottle-fed baby. Without packing a thing, you have all the food your baby needs for a long or short journey.
- Biting the Breast that Feeds
Megan is a breastfed baby. She has a gorgeous complexion compliments of Mother Nature's most precious gift.
- Breastfeeding the Distracted Baby
At one time or another, every nursing mom has visited the "dinner theater."
You know the place: when your infant won't breastfeed without pausing every other
minute to take in "the show" around him.
- The Truth About Iron While Breastfeeding
Do infants who are breastfed require additional iron supplements to ensure they are receiving all the necessary dietary nutrients? If so, then when
should parents add more iron to their baby's diet?
- A Touchy Subject
Babies thrive on touch. As they grow to imitate the actions and emotions
they witness from their parents, they will learn to use touch to express
comfort and affection.
- Budget & Finance
- Instead of This for Baby, Try This...
As the economy spirals ever downward, the need to save money increases. New parents
often feel overwhelmed upon being exposed to the exorbitant costs of raising children.
- Single Mom Money Savers
Many families struggle to make ends meet. Those families headed by single moms
may find it even more difficult than most.
- Couponing Secrets
Everyone loves a good deal, but it takes a little effort on the consumer's part
to make using coupons work. The three secrets to saving a lot of money at the
supermarket with coupons are doubling, volume and organization.
- One Family, One Income
Single-income families may be in the minority, but these families are performing financial miracles raising their children in our nation's current economy.
- Raising Baby Without Going Broke
Despite what the charming lady at the maternity store would have you believe,
you don't have to spend a million dollars in the first year of your new baby's
life.
- Childcare
- Daddy Daycare
Sitting back in a darkened theater, I laughed along with everyone else as Eddie Murphy stumbled over himself as he tried to start his own daycare business in Daddy Daycare.
- Child Care and Nanny Cams
Disturbing videos of caregivers abusing children have been displayed on various
programs such as "60 Minutes," "Dateline" and evening news programs across the country.
- Breastfeeding-friendly Child Care
Your maternity leave may be coming to an end, but contrary to what many people
believe, your breastfeeding relationship can continue.
- Babysitting Co-op Basics
Are you bleary-eyed from grocery shopping with three kids, or ready to collapse
after caring for baby twins? Participating in a baby-sitting co-op can provide
sanity-saving free time.
- Ready to Leave Baby with a Babysitter?
Your baby is due any day now. The nursery has a fresh coat of paint, a polished wooden crib and the afghan your grandmother knitted.
- Crafts & Activities
- Bonding With Books
Following the advice of educators everywhere, more and more
parents are encouraging their children to read as much as they can.
- Water Babies
Swimming is not only a fun summertime activity, but also an important safety
skill that everyone should know, which is why many parents enroll their kids in
lessons.
- Recommended Reading List
Children's Books
Magical Max Makes Friends (Lead Life Press, 2005) by Mary Lou Decosterd, Ph.D.
- World Space Week
Young children have great imaginations, so it is no surprise that many of them
are fascinated by outer space. Help your little explorer join in the fun this
month as people throughout the world celebrate World Space Week from October 4
to 10.
- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
A lock of hair from his first haircut. A ticket stub from the first movie you
went to as a family.
- Discipline
- Toddlers Acting up at Daycare
"My 2-year-old acts up constantly at daycare. What can I do at home to encourage
good behavior when he's away from me?
- Love at First Bite?
June Cook, a mother of two boys, did not have a problem with her
older son, Adam, 4, using his teeth as a natural weapon. However, Cook,
of Tampa, Fla.
- A Discipline Dilemma
No matter how many parenting techniques you have at your disposal, a child's tantrum can catch you by surprise. Fatigue, hunger and frustration seem to be the common ingredients.
- Redirecting Negative Toddler Energy
There is perhaps no creature on earth that has more energy than a toddler. Their developing minds can think of so many marvelous things to try, but often their bodies and coordination lag behind.
- Tackling Tantrums
Jamasa Tello, shopping with her 2-year-old daughter, Maria, and her mother, found her enjoyable afternoon taking a turn for the worse when Maria began throwing a tantrum. Following the advice of experts, Jamasa ignored her daughter's screaming fit.
- Fatherhood
- Magical Moments of Parenting
Children are like kaleidoscopes, changing and shifting constantly, allowing us
unexpected glimpses into a world we don't recognize or can't remember.
- Start Now to Be a Role Model for Your New Family
It was leaving the bright California sunshine that helped shed some light on
what Jim Schneider needed to change: "When my beloved sun went away for a good
portion of the year, I was destined to be an unhappy man without some significant
changes to my lifestyle," he says.
- 7 Tips to Make More Time for Baby
Previous generations of fathers worked tirelessly to provide for their families but played a negligible role when it came to baby care.
- Is Fatherhood Making You Blue?
Her name is Cynthia*. For Robert Hall and Greta Shaw*, she is the miracle
baby they waited and longed for.
- Tackling Shopping With Baby
Some men don't like to go shopping. Imagine if a baby or toddler is thrown into the mix!
- Fussiness & Colic
- Baby Crying and Stress Relief
Tim Nabors' favorite trick to soothe his infant children was to turn on the water
faucet.
- Holding Baby Skin to Skin to Calm
Holding your child's hand as you walk along the sidewalk or having your infant
wrap his tiny fingers around yours during a feeding is an instant reminder of
the connection you have with your child.
- Errands and Fussy Babies
When you have a busy day filled with appointments and errands, the last thing
you want is for your baby to be uncooperative. You're trying to pay while he's
pulling things from the shelves in line at the grocery store.
- Soothing a Fussy Baby
When Vickie Barnes's first child was born, she was living in London far from
her family and friends. When the baby developed colic and proceeded to scream
for six solid months, she just assumed she was a terrible mother.
- Tiny Tears, Huge Toddler Tantrums
We've all heard of the terrible two's (or three's) and the tantrums that are
sure to be a part of each toddler's development.
- General Baby
- Baby Gear I Couldn't Live Without
With nifty new baby products coming out constantly, it's impossible to keep up.
For first-time parents, deciding what baby gear to buy (or put on their baby gift
registry) can be overwhelming.
- Breastfeeding the Distracted Baby
At one time or another, every nursing mom has visited the "dinner theater."
You know the place: when your infant won't breastfeed without pausing every other
minute to take in "the show" around him.
- Baby Checkups and Well-baby Visits
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that babies begin following a regular schedule of checkups (or well-baby visits) within 24 hours of birth. The check-ups should continue every couple of months as recommended by your doctor.
- SIDs Research and Baby Sleep Monitors
When asked, most new parents can identify several issues that worry them upon bringing a new baby home.
- Health & Fitness
- Exercising with Baby
Getting back into shape is usually high on a new mom's to-do list. But alone
time is often difficult to come by.
- Moms Team Up for Fitness
Play groups can be lifesavers. Not only can they help preserve your sanity by
allowing you to socialize with other parents, but they can help promote fitness
– both for you and your baby.
- On the Run!
It's very early in the morning, and I hear my baby girl crying in the room next door. I
know she's hungry, but I just want her to sleep another two hours, another
hour, even another half-hour more.
- Have Baby, Still Exercise
Having a baby in the house disrupts all your routines including when you sleep,
eat, think – even when and if you exercise. But the first year after delivery
is also a great time to get back in shape and spend precious time with your baby.
- Exercising With Your Baby Indoors
New moms, especially nursing moms, find it easy to keep baby nearby for frequent feedings. Try these mom-and-baby exercises.
- Immunizations & Health
- Smoke Into the Mouths of Babes
The next time you get your nicotine fix, you might want to consider that – depending
on where you live – it could be grounds for a fine.
That's right.
- Colds, Flu and Baby
Everyone knows you can't cure the common cold or the flu. Sometimes you can prevent
it with a vaccination, but for the most part, when you catch a cold, you just
have to deal with it until it goes away.
- Cigarette Smoke and Babies
A serious danger to your children's health has been found in homes across the
country. Although it has long been thought dangerous, new evidence links this airborne threat with a whole
host of the most common childhood ailments.
- When Should You Worry About Diarrhea?
Paying attention to your baby's bottom can, quite literally, be a murky thing.
When it comes to what goes in that diaper, how do you know what's normal and when
to consult the doctor?
- The Risks and Benefits of Infant Immunizations
Archana Arora read the newspaper article carefully. It reported on infant vaccines
and the alleged connections between immunization and autism.
- Manners & Social Skills
- Self-calming Techniques
"Landon has been able to calm himself through the use of his pacifier," says
Christine Lefler of Daytona Beach, Fla. "As soon as he puts it in his mouth, his
entire demeanor changes.
- Building Your Toddler's Social Skills
As your child enters the toddler years, you'll start to see a lot of social activity.
- Little Consumers
Obesity among children under 5 is becoming an epidemic. Recent statistics show
that in the last 20 years, the prevalence of overweight 4- and 5-year-old children
has increased but younger children have remained the same weight.
- Boosting Self-Esteem
When it comes to their child's self-esteem, most parents don't intentionally
chip away at their child's sense of worth in the world. But experts say it is
important to help your toddler feel successful.
- Thanksgiving Day Manners
It's Thanksgiving Day! Your turkey is in the oven, and your guests will be arriving soon.
- Milestones
- How Old Is Your Baby? Use Our Baby Age Calculator.
"How old is your baby?" It seems like a simple enough question to answer, but before you respond, maybe you should ask, "Would you like the answer in days, weeks, months or years?
- Baby's First Steps
Of all the milestones your baby will reach during the first year of life, the most amazing is taking those first precious steps – alone.
Beth Skarupa, mother of four, is looking forward to her youngest child reaching this milestone.
- Baby's First Words
It's hard to believe, but your baby is preparing to talk! From the moment he was born, your baby started communicating his basic needs
to you.
- Baby's First Smile
Out of all the first milestones with your baby, the first "real" smile is one
of the most anticipated. In an instant, your world changes – your baby smiles
because she recognizes you and is genuinely happy to see you.
- The Mind of the Baby
Do you know exactly what your baby will have learned from the time she is born through kindergarten? Your smart baby will have mastered how to walk, talk and eat alone.
- Motherhood
- Keeping Family History Alive
Another busy signal. This year when I called my brother to wish him a happy birthday his phone line was busy for more than an hour.
- Laying Claim to Family Genes
Oh, horrors. You've just had your baby, and the new grandparents descend on your home to "ooh" and "aah.
- Baby Step
The "Walking of the Child" is a traditional night of dancing, feasting and
singing in Samoa to celebrate a baby going from a totally dependent state
to joining the playing children.
- The 2009 Baby
Velcro diapers versus cloth. Five-point harnesses versus standard belts.
- Soon They'll Be Walking
I was coming out of the doctor's office yesterday when I realized there was nothing in my hands.
- Newborn
- Bonding with Your Newborn
When Mary Sadlier was pregnant with her daughter, Caitlyn, her husband, Stephen Rosa, regularly read entire books to the baby including the classic Green Eggs and Ham.
- Newborn Umbilical Cord Care
The day you have been anxiously awaiting has arrived. Your beautiful new baby is carefully swaddled in a blanket and handed to you
to hold and caress.
- Phototherapy for Jaundice
Jen O'Neal of Orlando, Fla., hadn't heard of phototherapy until her daughter,
Molly, had jaundice after her birth.
- Newborn Care
- Baby's First Bath
You've just arrived home from the hospital with your new baby. The nurses and doctors are all gone, as are most of the relatives.
- Newborn Skin Care
Skin serves many purposes for the human body, including regulation of body temperature and protection from the elements. During the months prior to birth, the mother's womb is performing these tasks for the baby.
- 21 Tips to Help Soothe Your Newborn
As I caressed my pregnant belly, I couldn't wait for my baby to arrive. I had visions of watching her sleep and snuggling with her while she nursed.
- Newborn Surprises
At 4 weeks old, Andrew Crawford's face broke out in tiny red bumps. Worried
that something was terribly wrong with her newborn, Andrew's mother called
his doctor.
- Basic Baby Care
Carma Shoemaker sat on the floor with her infant son, holding his new
sleeper
first one way and then the other.
- Newborn Health
- Baby's Extended Stay
Delivering a full-term baby means Mom and Baby are discharged in a couple of
days or so, right? Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen.
- Newborn Jaundice
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), jaundice is the No. 1 leading cause for hospital re-admittance of
newborns.
- Neonatal Jaundice
What Gina Friars remembers most about her first son at birth was his suntan. "[He] must have inherited my love for the sun," she told relatives and friends when they visited the hospital to see her baby.
- Phototherapy for Jaundice
Jen O'Neal of Orlando, Fla., hadn't heard of phototherapy until her daughter,
Molly, had jaundice after her birth.
- Shaken Baby Syndrome
Jim Misko lectures frequently across the country on traumatic brain injuries,
some of which are the result of violently shaking a baby.
- Nutrition & Picky Eaters
- Who's the Boss?
It's high noon. The showdown begins.
- The 411 on H2O
In September 2008, doctors at Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital in Baltimore,
Md., reported they were seeing a rise in the numbers of young children with kidney
stones.
- Super Foods for Baby
The term "super foods" is everywhere these days. While the list of so-called
super foods varies depending on who you talk to and grows every day through new
research, they all make for healthy eating.
- Dairy-free Toddlers
Quick – what's the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word
calcium? If you are like most people, it's milk or dairy products.
- Food Allergies in Babies and Toddlers
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, up to 8
percent of children in the United States are estimated to have food allergies.
- Potty Training
- The Big Finish to Potty Training
Potty training is pretty exciting in the beginning. Everyone's on board with
this big step toward becoming a big boy or big girl.
- Elimination Communication
Elizabeth Parise of Concord, Mass., is mother to six, so to say she has her hands
full is probably an understatement.
- Finish Potty Training During the Holidays
The holidays are an exciting time of year, especially for kids.
- From Diaper Donned to Toilet Trained
Parent Coach Diane
Nicholson, a mother of five who has earned more
than 100 graduate credits in family education, special education and
child development, knows from experience that toilet training is no
simple task.
- When Mom Isn't Ready to Potty Train
Often times a child remains in diapers not because he
or she is not ready to be potty trained, but because
Mom isn't. Wearing a diaper is symbolic of being a
"baby" and sometimes Mom doesn't want to or isn't
ready to give up her "baby.
- Preemies
- Breastfeeding Your Preemie
When complications throw a wrench in your pregnancy and the prospect of a premature delivery seems imminent, can breastfeeding your newborn still fit into your mothering
plans?
- Sonja Taylor: Living with a Miracle Baby
On October 24, 2007, a miracle baby named Amillia Taylor turned 1 year old in
Miami, Fla.
- A Preemie's First Year
Becky Haag doesn't remember much about the first
three months following her preemie twins' homecoming. "It was such a
whirlwind," says the mom from Horeb, Wis.
- Going Home Without Your Preemie
Most parents dream of the day they come home from the hospital with Baby in tow. They have waited nearly nine months,
readied the nursery and home for the arrival.
- Developmental Difficulties and Preemies
When a baby is born prematurely or at a low birth weight, there may be developmental delays that are not seen in the early days of infancy. Often it is within the first few years that these delays, or other problems, are discovered.
- Preparing for Preschool
- Getting Ready, Having Fun!
Will your toddler start preschool this fall? Turn play into learning with these fun crafts that work on cutting, pasting, thinking and planning.
- Off to School We Go
Whether or not to send a toddler to preschool is a decision many parents face.
For some, it's a no-brainer, while others would prefer to wait or forego it entirely.
- Fun at the Library
At Mount Lebanon Library in Pennsylvania, 2-year-old Lydia's mother told the
librarian, "Everyone comments on Lydia's vocabulary. We started reading to her
at birth.
- Toddling Off to School
Parents experience a wide range of emotions as their toddler begins to approach
preschool age. Some parents may feel uncertainty: "Is my child ready?
- Is Your 2-Year-Old Too Young for School?
When Devin Woodrow started preschool at the age of 2, she barely talked. Within
30 days, her vocabulary increased.
- Raising Multiples
- Sleep Tips for Mom when Breastfeeding Twins
Sleep is an important priority for mothers
of twins. Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is laughable, at least to
begin with.
- Stupid Things People Say to the Parents of Twins
I've said stupid things, and you've said stupid things. We're all guilty, but there's one classic stupid phrase in America today that wins first prize in the parenting category.
- 10 Ways to Encourage Individuality in Twin Toddlers
As babies, your twins may have been fed, clothed and bathed together to help simplify an extremely busy parenting schedule. But as twins
grow older, most parents don't want their twins to be carbon copies of each other.
- Twins and the Terrible Two's
"I wonder if [the twins] time those precise moments in which I am
stuck having to decide whether to run after the one heading for the
parking lot or the one eight rungs up a ladder in the park," says
Shlomit Ben-Michael, mother of 2-year-old boys.
- Twins Are Built-in Playmates
Jane Haller overhears this conversation between her 3-year-old twin boys
one day: "I need to fix my car," Ray says. "I need to go to work.
- Relationships
- Siblings
- Bringing Home Baby
Before Gideon was born, Blair was the easiest, most pleasant, agreeable
child I, or any of my friends and family, had ever known. I kid you
not ...
- From Only to Oldest
Last year, my 6-year-old son, Jonah, had to make a big adjustment. He went from being an "only child" to being a big brother, and the
transition was not an easy one.
- Toddler Transitions
When I went to the hospital to have my second child, I remember thinking
about what the first meeting between my toddler and my new baby would be
like. For a brief moment, a terrifying vision of Chris screaming, "What is
that thing?!
- When Toddler Meets Baby
Bringing home a new baby can be a time of great joy. It can also be a
stressful
time, especially for the exhausted parents of a demanding toddler.
- Family Introductions
There's nothing like the excitement of bringing a new baby home – unless of course you're greeted at the door by one very unamused 2-year-old screaming to take that "thing" back from whence it came.
- Sleep Issues
- SIDs Research and Baby Sleep Monitors
When asked, most new parents can identify several issues that worry them upon bringing a new baby home.
- Sleep Sacks for Babies
Designing the nursery and shopping for bedding is one of the many pleasures of
planning for a new baby.
- White Noise and Fussy Babies
The baby has arrived! Your precious little bundle seems perfect in every way.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is described as the cessation or blockage of
airflow for more than 10 seconds with continued chest and abdominal
effort. This is a serious medical condition that involves the ability to
breathe while sleeping.
- New Baby Sleep
One of the most challenging aspects of having a baby is the lack of sleep – for
both Mom and Baby. Sometimes it seems you're too tired to even enjoy all that
is wonderful about having a newborn.
- Special Needs
- Diagnosis: Down Syndrome
Babies born with a disability such as Down syndrome need the benefits of breast
milk even more than other babies.
- Developmental Delay or Developing Personality?
Comparing your toddler to how your older kids acted at that age is a
natural reaction for any parent. But Phyllis Ring of Exeter, N.
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Brian* was a very irritable and frustrated baby and toddler. "The slightest thing
would set him off," says his mother, Kay*.
- An Attack on Autism
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently issued a recommendation for
all children to be screened for autism twice by age 2.
- One up on Autism
Early last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started
a new campaign called Learn the Signs. Act Early.
- Speech & Language
- Stay-at-home Mom
- Keep Your Cool
As fathers and husbands, many men work hard to provide for their
families and make a better future for their children.
- Stay-at-Home Moms and Self-Esteem
Forget mano a mano; sisterhood is where it's at. From the Ya-Yas to
groups for clergy wives, girl talk is back, stamped an official trend by
The New York Times.
- Fast Track or Mommy Track?
Jeanellen Connelly thrived in her fast-paced career as a corporate computer consultant
and trainer in Manhattan, traveling three weeks each month and juggling dozens
of clients. "I loved my job and I did it very well," Connelly says.
- Mom Mentors
I was a new mom on temporary leave from a fast-track career. My life had been turned upside down by a 9-pound bundle of energy, and the typical insecurities of a first-time mother were rampant in my mind.
- Becoming a Stay-at-home Mom
There were approximately 5.8 million mothers staying at home with their children in 2006, according to United States Census Bureau estimates.
- Teeth & Teething
- Does Breastfeeding Cause Cavities?
Some researchers believe there is a link between infant caries and
breastfeeding. Some have even suggested that mothers wean their babies
before the first teeth erupt.
- Teething Troubles
Drooling, crying, screaming and gnawing on anything within reach -- thus is
the life of a teething baby. To the parents of a teething baby, life can
become a series of twists and turns in attempts to soothe a baby and ease
the teething pain.
- Relieving Baby's Teething Pain
You've survived sleep deprivation and the "new parent jitters," and finally your baby is sleeping through the night, sort of. Now, a new issue has reared its ugly head: teething.
- What's All the Baby Drool About?
Babies drool, and it's a fact of life for all parents of infants. But there are times when it seems to run like a faucet, leaving clothes and bedding a mess.
- Tried-and-true Teething Remedies
A girl was brought to Dr. Thomas Rennaker, a dentist in Los Angeles, Calif.
- The First Weeks
- Home From the Hospital, Now What?
Many new parents ask themselves the same question upon being released from the
hospital with their new baby: "What do we do now?" Leaving the security of a hospital
staffed by professional caregivers is at first a scary experience.
- New-baby Help
It's difficult for new mothers to process that once you have the baby, you have the baby. Many are so focused on the actual birth they don't think about taking
the baby home and caring for it.
- The First Day Home with Baby
There are often expectations on the part of many during the first day home with
a new baby.
- Complications in the First Weeks After Baby
When a snowflake rolls down a mountain, it gains momentum and force. No longer a snowflake, it has become an avalanche.
- Supporting Each Other in the First Weeks
Babies have two parents: Mom and Dad. Following labor and delivery, it
is important that both parents take an active part in the first few
weeks of their new baby's life.
- The First Year
- Baby Behavior: Birth to 12 Months
The first year of Baby's life is one of profound developmental growth, not only physically but also behaviorally. But in regards to baby behavior, it's not always easy to know what to expect from birth until Baby's first birthday.
- Infant's Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
Tina Blue of Lawrence, Kan., thinks of a child's potential as being like a rubber
band.
- Introducing Cereal to Baby
To begin the exciting milestone in your child's life – her first taste of solid
food – you might cover the floor, put a big bib on Baby and set up the video camera.
- Baby Signs
Wonder what your baby is thinking or what she is interested in? Want to ask her
what she likes to eat?
- The Holidays
- The Second Year
- Elimination Communication
Elizabeth Parise of Concord, Mass., is mother to six, so to say she has her hands
full is probably an understatement.
- Dining Dilemmas?
Your toddler is a huge fan of macaroni and cheese – and practically nothing else.
Your preteen sneaks out the door without so much as a bite of breakfast.
- Building Your Toddler's Social Skills
As your child enters the toddler years, you'll start to see a lot of social activity.
- Toddler Behavior
- Nickname Know-how
Nicknames can be cute, fun, silly or embarrassing. Some people love having a nickname; others can't stand theirs.
- Baby Behavior: 12 Months to 24 Months
Your infant will be entering toddlerhood by his second birthday, his progress seen on charts at the pediatrician's office. But he'll grow behaviorally as well.
- Room to Grow
On a typical day, your toddler blows through the house like a cyclone.
He empties your purse, rearranges your sock drawer and terrorizes the
dog.
- Painful Parting
Nearly every baby and toddler goes through some sort of separation
anxiety for a short time. This is especially common for toddlers going
into a preschool setting.
- When Lovey Is Lost
It's inevitable that most toddlers will become attached to a favorite toy, blanket
or pacifier (i.e.
- Toys & Playtime
- Raising Creative Babies
Let your children watch a lot of television. Don't talk to them, and definitely
don't expand on their natural interests.
- Kindermusik
When Tyler Connolly was just 6 months old, he and his mother began to spend 45 minutes each week listening to different types of music, rocking back and forth and exploring musical objects.
- Baby Play Techniques
We have finally hit somewhat of a routine in our home. At 7 in the morning, my 7-month-old baby wakes us with a boisterous, if not menacing, cry.
- Dads and Baby Playtime
Once Baby arrives, what's a new dad to do? He's eager to play with
his new treasure and start building on those father-child moments, but
doesn't have the foggiest idea of where to begin.
- 10 Items That Make Great Infant Toys
As parents, we're living in a paradoxical time. On one hand, the variety of developmentally
friendly infant toys available on the market is greater than ever before.
- Working Mom
- Back to Work
For Nichole Calautti it was purely a financial
decision. "I needed the money to pay my rent and other bills," the
single mom from Pittsfield, Mass.
- The Work-at-Home Option
For many moms juggling a full-time job and a hectic home life, working
at home seems like an unreachable fantasy.
- The Balancing Act
The pressure we feel is real. Mothers who stay home to raise their kids get it from friends who say, "You're giving up that education just to stay home?
- The Art of Interviewing
Is there anything more stressful than a job interview? When it comes to
stress, interviewing ranks right up there with your first meeting with
your in-laws or the unexpected siren of a traffic cop.
- Single Moms Balancing Work and Play at Home
For many single parents, life is a balancing act between work and parenting. Melanie Watson knows this firsthand.
- Young Mothers
- Single with Baby
Being the parent of an infant is no easy feat, and moms and dads from all walks
of life often rely on each other for support and advice during this challenging
stage of parenthood.
- Thriving When Motherhood Comes Early
While many women today are waiting longer before becoming mothers, there are
still many young mothers.
- Mommy Cocktail Hour
The invitation reads "Mommy Cocktail and Baby Play Date: Bring your little ones over for a play date while the mommies have a well-deserved 'refreshing' drink.
- Wedding Food Trends
Traditional thoughts about weddings have changed.
- Off to School Moms Go
Judy Niemi Johnson advises adults who would like to attend college. When she
talks to them, she can go beyond the statistics; she can pull on her personal
experience.
SOUND OFF! VOTE & DISCUSS
How do you soothe your crying baby?
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