BabyBitsAndBytes.com

Most children, by the time they are about 9 months old, have the motor skills needed to drink from a cup. If you think your baby’s ready to make the move from bottle to sippy cup, try filling a sippy cup with water and let your child try and drink from it. Don’t expect perfection with the first tries. He’ll probably drool, spit and dribble a bit, which will probably delight him! But within a few weeks and lots of practice, he’ll be willing to take all his drinks from the sippy cup. He’ll most likely be a sippy cup pro by the time he’s about 14 months old.

If you start the transition from bottle to sippy cup early, you’ll save yourself frustration – the longer a baby stays on the bottle, the tougher it is to get him to kick it. If the bottle is a security object for your baby, choose one with a special favorite animal or character to help increase his willingness to try and use it.

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Reading is one of the most important skills your child will learn. It’s a skill that most of us use each and every day. Getting your toddler interested in reading will make her more excited about learning how to read when the time comes.

When to Read

Bedtime is one of the most popular times for parents to read to their children. Listening to a story is a great way for your toddler to wind down from a busy day. It also gives you a chance to bond with her in a special way. Some toddlers also like for their mom or dad to read to them before a nap.

Sleep time isn’t the only time you should read to your child, though. You could set aside a time in the morning or afternoon to read a book. If your toddler asks you to read to her at other times, do so if possible. There’s no such thing as reading to a child too much.

Many libraries have story time once or twice a week. Taking your child to these readings can pique her interest in reading. Experienced storytellers have a knack for making stories exciting, and seeing all of the other kids enjoying the story will make a positive impression.

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When it is time to go to bed, we adults have our routines: a cup of tea, a good book, watch a little TV, brush your teeth, or take a relaxing bath. No matter what routine you have, it helps you to sleep better. Babies are no different. They need a routine to help them get to sleep as well. It is up to you to find out what works best for your baby.

For babies, the routines can be fairly simple and shouldn’t take too long. If it takes too long, the baby can sometimes get a second wind and be harder to get to sleep. A bath is a nice start to the evening. There are even soothing baby baths that are nice to use. Then you can snuggle them into some comfy pajamas.

After that, sitting together in a rocking chair is a nice way to spend some time together before the baby nods off to sleep. Singing or playing some lullabies while you rock can help relax the baby to sleep. You have to be careful not to move too soon to put the baby in the crib, or you may find yourself starting over. Watch for steady breathing, and relaxed arms and legs.

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In response to reports of contaminated milk-based infant formula manufactured in China, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today is issuing a Health Information Advisory. This is to assure the American public that there is no known threat of contamination in infant formula manufactured by companies that have met the requirements to sell infant formula in the United States. Although no Chinese manufacturers of infant formula have fulfilled the requirements to sell infant formula in the United States, FDA officials are investigating whether or not infant formula manufactured in China is being sold in specialty markets which serve the Asian community.

The FDA is advising caregivers not to feed infant formula manufactured in China to infants. This should be replaced with an appropriate infant formula manufactured in the United States as mentioned below. Individuals should contact their health care professional if they have questions regarding their infant’s health or if they note changes in their infant’s health status.

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Parents often arrive home from the hospital a day or two after a birth exhausted. But that quickly passes. The urge to take your newborn to visit grandparents and others will soon become very strong. Then there are the inevitable pediatrician visits for exams, vaccinations and other medical events. While minimizing travel during the first three months is desirable, whenever you choose to travel with your newborn there are a few things to keep in mind.

Traveling with your baby can seem like planning a 13th century caravan across the desert. There are a thousand things, it seems, to consider. But with modern transportation, communication and baby-friendly facilities in so many places, it’s really not that bad.

Naturally, you won’t forget to bring the basic supplies. You’ll want a supply of diapers, diaper rash cream and a bag for soiled diapers. You should bring some teething gel and infant paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain relief on the road. Newborns should not be given aspirin. Petroleum jelly is a must. Sunscreen is helpful for those circumstances where you can’t keep the sun entirely off. Babies have very sensitive skin.

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Imagine This: You wake up to your toddler screaming. You go to her room to find her sitting straight up in bed with her eyes wide open. She’s crying and has a startled look on her face. There’s nothing in the room that should have caused such a reaction, so you assume that she has had a nightmare. But that might not be the case.

It’s possible that your toddler may have had a night terror. These typically occur in children from 2 to 6 years old, and differ somewhat from nightmares. When having a night terror, the toddler is never fully awake and probably doesn’t even know you’re there. She becomes confused and inconsolable, and after you see such a scene you may feel similarly.

The good news is that night terrors can often be treated without medication. Treatment usually consists of simple changes in routine or interruption of sleep patterns. Even if your child does not completely stop having night terrors with treatment, she will most likely outgrow them.

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Before you begin to care for your newborn’s umbilical cord, you must realize that nature is already doing that for you. Through this attachment a mother is supplying her baby with all the nutrients it requires during the critical gestation period. Then, when birth occurs, doctors care for it by clamping, snipping and tying. But the baby feels no pain, since nature has provided a lack of pain-sensitive nerve fibers in the cord.

Now it’s your turn.

After birth, the newborn’s umbilical cord may change color. It can alter from green to brown to black. Not to worry! This is all part of the natural process as the cord dries out in preparation for falling off. This typically takes about 1-2 weeks.

During those days the only care needed is to keep the area clean and avoid bumping the cord.

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When your child is an infant, he may have no problem with going to the babysitter. Babies usually adapt to new caregivers well as long as their needs are being attended to. So it often comes as a shock when you go to drop your 1 year old off at his long-time sitter, and he starts screaming.

This is not an uncommon scenario. At some point between 8 months and 2 1/2 years of age, most children experience separation anxiety to some degree. Understanding the underlying causes can help you cope with separation anxiety and help your child overcome it.

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Parents around the world recognize similar behavior in babies: they like to move. That’s good for them, since it develops strength and muscle control. It also helps keep several other body systems tuned up, like the cardiovascular system.

One way to make sure they satisfy that natural desire in a safe way is to invest in a good baby bouncer. But what makes a baby bouncer ‘good’?

The specifics will vary slightly with age, but the first criteria - of course - is safety. Bouncers should be able to stand up to a range of punishment. Some babies are naturally more vigorous and mobile than others. But as they age all of them will increase the stress they put on a bouncer. And, as every parent knows, they grow up fast.

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Some people are opposed to immunization against certain diseases as they believe that they are unnecessary but the simple fact of the matter is immunization will not cause your baby any harm and quite possibly it could save its life, so it is always better to be safe than sorry. For the protection of your baby against a disease that can prove to be fatal, you should always talk to your doctor and find out your options. Failing to immunize is a risk that most people would never consider taking.

Meningitis is one of the most important immunizations that you should consider because meningitis can have fatal consequences in a very short time particularly with a small baby or young child. Following the correct procedures is crucial and you should consult with your doctor and make sure that you follow the guidelines that are given to you.

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