You have decided to swaddle your baby, and you read the book/watched the DVD/had a private consultation with me. You know why swaddling helps your infant calm down, fall asleep, and stay asleep. But what do you actually use for swaddling? Two choices appear: the blanket or the manufactured garment. Swaddle blankets can be muslin,…… Continue reading Swaddle With a Blanket or a Swaddle Garment? How to Decide What is Right for Your Family
Category: newborns
Baby Wearing for Premature Babies
As a nationally certified Happiest Baby on the Block educator, I think that baby wearing is a great way to nurture your preemie, and I approach this topic as I do all the Happiest Baby training: parents need to know why wearing their baby is helpful and why correct technique matters so much. The government’s…… Continue reading Baby Wearing for Premature Babies
The Easy Way to Buy American-Made Products for Your Baby And Our Economy
I know that this is not the whole answer to raise all economic boats. But I also know you will be shopping anyway, so I thought it would be nice for you to know that some of your favorite manufacturers (and some smaller guys too) are creating American jobs and make great toys, clothing, and equipment…… Continue reading The Easy Way to Buy American-Made Products for Your Baby And Our Economy
Try a Dream Feed to Lengthen Your Newborn’s Sleep at Night
Imagine that you know an easy way to send your baby into a longer and more restful sleep. But guess what? You have to wake him up to do it. Welcome to the world of the dream feed. The dream feed concept is not my own, but it is one of the most useful strategies…… Continue reading Try a Dream Feed to Lengthen Your Newborn’s Sleep at Night
Why Would Your Daycare Refuse To Use Happiest Baby on the Block?
Recently I taught a mom to use the Happiest Baby on the Block techniques to calm her 11 week-old son. He was soon a very easy baby to settle, and was sleeping very well. When she tried to explain these new strategies to her high-quality daycare providers, she was brushed off. They have “their ways…… Continue reading Why Would Your Daycare Refuse To Use Happiest Baby on the Block?
Healthychildren.org Has AAP Tips And An E-zine For Parents
There are so many sites out there, and busy parents aren’t sure what to look at first when researching health issues. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has a website with a newsletter and an e-zine that can be a place to start. They write a monthly newsletter on a wide range of subjects, and…… Continue reading Healthychildren.org Has AAP Tips And An E-zine For Parents
Breastfeeding Supports Speech Development and Self-Calming
U.S. News and World Report published a great article on the research surrounding the connection between breastfeeding and jaw control on August 29th. Melinda Johnson wrote “Breastfeeding Builds a Better Jaw, and Other Benefits for Babies”. This article explains some of the dental and motor benefits for infants, but only hints at the additional contributions that…… Continue reading Breastfeeding Supports Speech Development and Self-Calming
Happiest Baby on the Block: Misconceptions and Misunderstandings
AS a certified HBOTB educator, I have received comments and questions that help me clarify my message and improve my instruction. I imagine that many parents are thinking about these questions but may never ask me in person or on the phone. Time for some refinement.Q: How can I use side or stomach-lying? The pediatrician…… Continue reading Happiest Baby on the Block: Misconceptions and Misunderstandings
Swaddle Products That Confuse Parents
I found this product at a local big-box store, and my first thought was ” Created by a dad; how terrific!” Then I thought a bit more. How would a parent know when to go sleeveless? Warm weather? Babies who still cry when fully swaddled? Most babies are still crying after you finish swaddling them,…… Continue reading Swaddle Products That Confuse Parents
Eating Fish in Pregnancy and Beyond: Eat This/Not That
The FDA has made an additional recommendation to pregnant and nursing women: eat at least 8 but not more than 12 ounces of certain fish for your baby’s health. Don’t eat too much albacore tuna but eat some light tuna. Specific choices they recommend are the fish most likely to have low levels of mercury.…… Continue reading Eating Fish in Pregnancy and Beyond: Eat This/Not That
Can You Sleep Train a Newborn?
Sleep training is a hot topic with parents of older babies and toddlers. So many are struggling and bewildered. New parents either pray they will escape this fate or confidently assume they are the exception. It isn’t really the roulette wheel that it seems. Parents are often told that they cannot do much to develop…… Continue reading Can You Sleep Train a Newborn?
Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: Book Review
Ever wonder if all the recommendations and “new” ways to raise your children are based on anything scientific? Well, “Welcome to Your Child’s Brain” will explain the current research behind popular recommendations such as eating fish during pregnancy and teaching your child another language while still in diapers. Authors Sam Wang, PhD. and Sandra Aamodt,…… Continue reading Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: Book Review
Summer Swaddling to Keep Your Baby Cool and Safe
Warm weather has arrived, and with it the question of what to do with a baby that sleeps best swaddled. The answer: dress for the season! Babies that are too warm when swaddled have hot ears and sweaty necks. Did you know that overheating is one of the risk factors for SIDS (Sudden infant Death…… Continue reading Summer Swaddling to Keep Your Baby Cool and Safe
Nap Nanny Death; A Preventable Tragedy
The infant recliner called the “Nap Nanny” had already been recalled, but another death was reported in NJ this weekend. The story involves an 8-month old child who was belted in and trapped between the nap nanny recliner and a crib bumper, as per reports in USA Today and other news media. Infant recliners are popular…… Continue reading Nap Nanny Death; A Preventable Tragedy