About Baby Care

Archive for the ‘For Parents’ Category

You spend whole nine months waiting for your baby’s birth. Those nine months are truly emotional especially if we consider the so-called processes of searching for names, stopping at every baby-shop hoping to find something as special as your baby and reading various baby-care books to learn the ways of bringing up your little angel as a good person for the society. But everyone is unique in their own way and very possibly what you have planned for your baby can remain pictured in your mind and never come true. So what? Is it “the end of the world?”

Definitely no, you just need to know that you should help him in building his way, but never ever force your own ideas on him, because in the end it’s him who should create his future. If you want to educate a civil person with multifarious interests you have to firstly educate an individual.

We offer you some important points to avoid or solve various problems you are sure to face when educating your child.

Don’t humiliate your child!

Imagine your two year-old child has painted something you think is awful. Oh, you were expecting a masterpiece to hang in Louvre? Try to understand how much love he has put in it. He is expecting inspiring words from you, don’t disappoint him. So be careful not to hurt him saying, “What’s this? Couldn’t you do something better?” With every other such “good” remark, you will break a piece of talent him.

Don’t threaten your child!

Children are very vulnerable and they need protection, but never threat. Be careful while threatening your child. Avoid expressions like this, “If you do it next time, I will show you.” He is just a child, even if he is too naughty, he is still a child. So threats are not a way out. Talk to your child quietly, give him examples and try to explain everything in details, so that he knows what bad consequences his actions can result in. This will help you build friendly relations as well.

Don’t expect quick obedience!

Imagine you are very busy doing something. And your husband asks you to put everything aside and make a hot chocolate for him. What a horrible request! The same goes for the child — when he is playing with his favorite toys and you ask him to put them aside and come to have dinner, he becomes nervous and doesn’t want to do that. What to do? Simply let him know about dinner ten minutes before.

Don’t demand more than your child is able!

Comparing your child with your, let’s say, neighbor’s child will not help him become better. Unlike your neighbor’s four-five year-old child your child is only two-years old. It’s not right. If your baby is not gifted he’ll hardly manage to write down the alphabet at that age. So don’t force him to and don’t downgrade his skills and abilities. He’s yet not grown enough to do all that by himself. Help him, but don’t judge.

Serve a good example for your child!

You educate your child as much as possible every time trying to punish him when he does something wrong. But suddenly you understand that all efforts were feckless and ask yourself — why? Seems you did everything right, so which was your mistake? If you teach your child to respect older people, but you shout at his grandpa, he will never consider your words. He doubts the accuracy of your words because you gave him a reason to. Parents are but a perfect example for children, because what they do in a broader sense is the imitation of your own actions, at least until they are still kids.

Love your child no matter what. Communicate with him as much as possible. Don’t expect anything back. Just don’t cut his wings, give him a chance to fly, let him make his future and one day he’ll be back with his gratitude and love towards you for everything you did for him. This way he’ll not be just someone else in the crowd but an individual standing out in it.

Let your love towards your baby be great, endless, devoted, but never selfish. Be happy and create a good person out of him.

Talking

Your baby will gradually learn to use words to describe what she sees, hears, feels, and thinks as she makes mental, emotional, and behavioural leaps. Researchers now know that long before a baby utters her first word, she’s learning the rules of language and how adults use it to communicate.

When it develops

Children learn to talk during their first two years of life. Your baby will begin by using her tongue, lips, palate, and any emerging teeth to make sounds (ooh and ahhs in the first month or two; babbling starts shortly thereafter). Soon those sounds become real words (“mama” and “dada” may slip out and bring tears to your eyes as early as four to five months). From then on your baby will pick up more words from you, your partner, and everyone else around her. And between one and two years, she’ll begin to form two- to three-word sentences.

How it develops

Your child’s wail at birth is her first foray into the world of language. She’s expressing the shock of being out of the confines of the womb and in a new and unfamiliar place. From then on, she’s absorbing sounds, tones, and words that later shape the way she speaks.

Talking is inextricably linked to hearing. By listening to others speak, your baby learns what words sound like and how sentences are structured. In fact, many researchers believe the work of understanding language begins while a baby is in utero. Just as your unborn baby got used to the steady beat of your heart, she tuned into the sound of your voice. Just days after birth, she was able to discern your voice among others.

1-3 months

Your child’s first form of communication is crying. A piercing scream may mean she’s hungry, while a whimpering, staccato cry may signal that she needs a nappy change. As she gets older, she’ll develop a delightful repertoire of gurgles, sighs, and coos, becoming a mini sound factory. As for her ability to understand lanugage, linguists say babies as young as four weeks can distinguish between similar syllables, such as “ma” and “na.”

4 months

At this stage, your child will start to babble, combining consonants and vowels (such as “baba” or “yaya”). The first “mama” or “dada” may slip out now and then, and though it’s sure to melt your heart, your baby doesn’t quite yet equate those words with you. That comes later, when she’s almost a year old.

Her attempts at talking will sound like stream of consciousness monologues in another language, endless words strung together. Vocalisation is a game to your baby, who is experimenting with using her tongue, teeth, palate, and vocal chords to make all sorts of funny noises. At this stage, babbling sounds the same, whether you speak English, French, or Japanese in your home. You may notice your child favouring certain sounds (“ka” or “da,” for example), repeating them over and over because she likes the way they sound and how her mouth feels when she says them.

6-9 months

When she babbles and vocalises, she’ll sound as if she’s making sense now. That’s because she’s using tones and patterns similar to the ones you use. Foster your baby’s babbling by reading to her.

12-17 months

She’s using one or more words and knows what they mean. She’ll even practise inflection, raising her tone when asking a question, saying “Up-py?” when she wants to be carried, for example. She’s realising the importance of talking and how powerful it is to be able to communicate her needs.

18-24 months

Between 18 and 20 months, children learn words at a rate of 10 or more a day. Some learn new words every 90 minutes, so watch your language. She’ll even string two words together, making basic sentences such as “Carry me.” By the time she’s two, she’ll use three-word sentences and sing simple tunes. Her sense of self will mature, and she’ll start talking about herself — what she likes and doesn’t, what she thinks and feels. Pronouns may confuse her, and you may catch her avoiding them, saying “Baby throw” instead of “I throw.”

25-36 months

She’ll struggle for a while to find the appropriate volume to use when talking, but she’ll learn soon enough. She’s also starting to get the hang of pronouns, such as I, me, and you. Between ages two and three, her vocabulary will increase to up to 300 words. She’ll string nouns and verbs together to form complete though simple sentences such as “I go now.”

By the time she turns three, your child will be a more sophisticated talker. She’ll be able to carry on a sustained conversation and adjust her tone, speech patterns, and vocabulary to her conversation partner. For instance, she’ll use simpler words with another child, but be more verbal with you. By now she may be almost completely intelligible. She’ll be fluent at saying her name and her age, and will readily oblige when asked.

What comes next

As your child grows, she’ll become more of a chatterbox. You’ll scarcely remember the time when she hardly spoke at all, and you’ll enjoy hearing about what projects she did at playgroup, what her friend Cassie had for lunch, what she thinks about Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, and anything else that occupies her mind. She’ll also start to tackle the more complicated skill of writing.

Your role

It’s simple: talk to your child. Research shows that children whose parents spoke to them extensively when they were babies have significantly higher IQs than other children. Their vocabularies are also richer than those of kids who didn’t receive much verbal stimulation. You can start as early as when you’re pregnant, so your baby gets used to the sound of your voice. Read a book out loud or sing to your baby when you are in the bath. When the baby’s born, talk to her as you change her nappy, feed, or bathe her, and give her time to respond with a smile or eye to eye contact. At around five months, you may notice her watching your mouth intently. Keep talking, and soon she’ll start trying to talk back.

Baby talk has its place, but also speak in real sentences. Your child will learn to speak well only if you teach her to do so. You don’t have to avoid using complicated words. While you may need to simplify the way you talk so your child will understand what you mean, the best way for her to expand her vocabulary is to hear you using new words. The same goes for toddlers and preschoolers, whose language skills will continue to grow as long as you continue to stimulate them with conversation.

Reading is a great way to help develop your child’s language skills. Babies will delight in the sound of your voice, toddlers will enjoy the stories, and preschoolers may even jump in to tell you what’s going on in a book.

When to be concerned

Babies with hearing problems stop babbling at around six months. If yours isn’t making any sounds (or even attempting to) or eye contact with you, consult your doctor. While some kids start forming words at nine months, many will wait until they are 13 or 14 months. If your child isn’t saying any words by 15 months, or you still can’t understand a word she’s saying, discuss the matter with your doctor or health visitor.

If by age three your child continues to drop consonants (saying “ca” for “cat,” for example) or substitute one sound or syllable for another (saying “car” as “tar”, for example, or “fish” as “sish”), she may have a speech or hearing problem. Talk to your GP or health visitor, who can arrange for her to be assessed.

All toddlers sometimes stammer and stutter from time to time. Sometimes they’re so excited to tell you what’s on their mind that they can’t get the words out easily. Allow her to finish her sentences, and avoid jumping in to help her out. That can feel like a put-down and won’t help her learning.

However, a persistent stutter should be checked out by a speech and language therapist. A child will usually make best progress if he is seen in the first six to 12 months after the stutter is first noticed, regardless of his age. You could ask your GP for a referral, but most speech and language therapy departments will also accept referrals directly from concerned parents.

During the first 12 months of baby development, your baby responds best to a warm, loving environment.

Holding your baby and responding to baby cries are essential in building a strong, healthy relationship by bonding with your baby.

Use the following guidelines to offer age-appropriate activities for your baby.

These are just guidelines, and a healthy baby may achieve a milestone later than average.

If your baby is lagging in several areas, contact your pediatrician.

First month

• Lifts head for short periods of time
• Moves head from side to side
• Prefers the human face to other shapes
• Makes jerky, arm movements
• Brings hands to face
• Has strong reflex movements
• Can focus on items 8 to 12 inches away
• May turn towards familiar sounds or voices
• Responds to loud sounds
• Blinks at bright lights

Baby keeps the hands clenched and arms and legs curled in. This is a familiar, comforting fetal position to baby who has never known anything but this closeness. Baby will relax the muscles during the next several weeks.

The baby’s first few days are guided primarily by instinct. Already at birth baby is able to recognize mother’s voice and, you will likely notice baby turn the head toward that single sound even when visitors crowd the room. Soon baby will identify other familiar voices that the baby heard from the womb.

Second month

• Smiles
• Tracks objects with his eyes
• Makes noises other than crying
• May repeat vowel noises, such as “ah” or “ooh”

Baby will start to relax her muscles and straighten her body. Expect her hands to remain clenched except during periods of sleep or quiet alertness.

Witness displays of strength as your seemingly helpless baby lifts her head approximately 45 degrees when placed on the floor on her tummy.

Improved eye sight now allows her to glance around the room and take in her surroundings.

Baby will now begin to cry to elicit a specific response from you. Feed her at the first sign of hunger rather than the first cry. At this young age, you will not spoil her by offering too much attention, cuddling or feeding on demand. Conversely, baby will learn that baby is secure and that her needs will be met promptly without the need to cry for attention. You may also notice her cry when you attempt to put her down. Your baby has realized how comforting it is to be in her parents arms and close to your breast.

You may witness her first social smile. Unlike sleep grins, which are in fact, adorable glimpses of the smiles to come, these first responsive smiles are her true reactions to outside stimuli such as over-exaggerated facial expressions. Baby will probably attempt to mimic your expressions.

Motor skill development is prominent at this age. Though baby doesn’t yet have the hand-eye coordination, or necessary muscle tone to effectively reach for an object, he will most likely squeal in delight as his arms flail about in the air above him. The discovery of her hands and emerging muscle control will enable her thumb to find its way to her mouth on a regular basis.

Third month

• Raises head and chest when put on tummy
• Lifts head up 45 degrees
• Kicks and straightens legs when on back
• Open and shuts hands
• Pushes down with legs when placed on a hard surface
• Reaches for dangling objects
• Grasps and shakes hand toys
• Tracks moving objects
• Begins to imitate sounds
• Recognizes familiar objects and parents, even at a distance
• Begins to develop a social smile
• Begins to develop hand-eye coordination
• Brings both hands together
• Interested in circular and spiral patterns
• Kicks legs energetically
• Holds head up with control

Baby is growing every day. He may seem even bigger as baby begins to stretch out his body. He’s growing strong enough to roll over and move around. Be careful to supervise him closely, especially when he’s laying on a changing table, bed or other piece of furniture.

While baby may not have the hand-eye coordination to aim correctly on the first attempt, you’ll quickly discover which items baby wants to touch. Chances are baby’ll continue to play with her own hands frequently, directly in front of her face. Baby is now able to track an object with her eyes from one side to a midline (directly in front of her face). Baby may even continue following it all the way to the other side — a full 180 degrees.

Baby is now strong enough to sit in this semi-reclined position, especially when propped with a small pillow or rolled receiving blanket. Be certain these objects are not placed near her head where baby can turn his face into them. While her neck and back have grown significantly stronger in the past few weeks, you may notice her head is still a bit wobbly. Keep her comfortable, by providing support as needed.

Your baby is well on her way to mastering the concept of cause and effect. Baby ’s already learned that her cries evoke a response from you and other caregivers. Baby will now begin to vary her cry to signal different needs. You’ll soon learn the difference between, “I’m hungry,” “I’m wet,” and “Someone pick me up, please.”

Your baby is also learning that he can physically effect her environment. When baby shakes her rattle, it makes noise! Expect her to make noise as well.

Her coos, squeals and throaty sounds will appear more frequently. Baby will begin using these happy sounds as baby plays or socializes. Her smiles will become truly spontaneous.

Somewhere around the age of three months, most babies begin sleeping for extended periods of time each night. These stretches may last six hours or longer.

Baby will be increasingly social. He’ll flash that wonderful smile and invite you and other caregivers to play.

Fourth month

• May sleep about six hours at night before waking (total sleep typically 14 to 17 hours)
• Rolls over (usually stomach to back is first)
• Sits with support
• Lifts head up 90 degrees
• Can follow a moving object for a 180-degree arc
• Babbles and amuses self with new noises
• Responds to all colors and shades
• Explores objects with his mouth
• Recognizes a bottle or breast
• Communicates pain, fear, loneliness and discomfort through crying
• Responds to a rattle or bell

Baby will enjoy experimenting with his voice. He’s probably developing quite the “vocabulary” lately. He will say vowel sounds like “ooh” and “aah” and has learned that he can change the sound at will by simply changing the shape of his mouth. In addition to these vowel sounds he will continue gurgling and making throaty sounds. He may also enjoy blowing bubbles.

His legs continue to strengthen as he stands with your support, bearing his own weight. Depending on his strength he may even be able to sit (propped up) very soon though most babies are in their sixth month before they’re able to sit without assistance.

His mind is hard at work as well. He’s starting to develop mental images of the things that will happen when he “asks” for assistance. He’s able to envision certain cause and effect relationships.

Baby ‘s still developing her hand-eye coordination. Baby may also protest when it’s time to put her precious items away for a little while.

In addition to favorite toys, baby will continue to occupy herself with her hands. And, baby will surely enjoy cuddling and snuggling as baby nurses or winds down for the evening’s rest.

He’s learning that every object has a label. Though it will be some time before you will hear true words, he will being to understand that the furry animal he loves to watch is called a dog (or a cat) and that every other object has a specific name.

Keep a close eye on him now as he’s probably able to roll over (usually from tummy to side first). Be careful to keep him properly restrained and within arms reach whenever he’s lifted off the ground.

Baby is now more able to accurately track objects with his eyes and grasp them with both hands. His eyes are maturing and he will begin to have improved depth perception and generally clearer vision. He will delight in pulling dangling objects. Favorite items are sure to include your hair, jewelry and clothing.

Keep your ears tuned in as he learns to laugh. Great big belly laughs are wonderful to hear. Elicit a few by tickling him and watching him squirm and giggle.

You will notice him turn toward a voice when someone speaks to him. It will be increasingly easy for him to do this as he props himself up on his arms when he’s placed on his tummy.

Fifth month

• Pays attention to small objects
• Experiments with the concept of cause and effect
• Can see across the room
• Begins to use hands in a raking fashion to bring toys near
• Begins teething process

While he is not yet able to sit unassisted, he will love the view offered by being perched in a high chair if he’s firmly supported by pillows or rolled towels and receiving blankets. Your lap will be another wonderful place to sit and view the world’s happenings. He will continue to enjoy standing with your support.

During playtime you may witness baby taking an interest in his feet.

Baby has learned which cries and sounds will grab your attention and will display her skills often. You may soon be able to tell what baby needs by the tone of her cry.

Baby is developing strong leg muscles and will discover that baby can use them to push herself around. Now diaper changes may become a challenge as baby tries to scoot away either in protest or just to move about.

Baby is also mastered the art of rolling over. Chances are baby will begin by rolling from her tummy to her back. This position allows her to push with her hands as baby tries to flip. As before, never leave her unattended. Baby is likely to be very resourceful and use this as a means to move around the area.

Her desire to be in an upright position may leave you looking for an entertaining device that will allow her to stand while providing your arms with a much-needed rest.

You’ve long understood that baby has definite likes and dislikes. He’ll begin making his desires known in a more physical manner. Now, attempts to introduce a new food or administer medications may meet with an outstretched arm just waiting to purposefully push you away.

Baby will now begin to reach for her toys and will soon begin moving them from hand to hand and then right on to her mouth. Watch her carefully and take care to give her safe toys and teething rings baby will be able to suck on without harm.

Baby will enjoy the challenge of squeezing toys to make them squeak. You’ll notice her making conscious decisions as baby plays. Baby will begin to play with blocks although baby will not be very accurate in stacking or sorting them quite yet.

Baby will closely observe your mouth movements while you speak and will attempt to imitate your sounds and the inflection in your voice. Baby will babble specific sounds in an attempt to get attention. Watch as baby also mimics your gestures.

Her eyesight has improved dramatically. Now, in addition to her black and white toys, baby will begin taking an interest in the many colors the world has to offer. Offer her toys and objects of many colors and watch how quickly baby makes her preferences known!

Sixth month

• Keeps head level when pulled to sitting position
• Makes some vowel-consonant sounds
• Sits by self with minimal support
• Opens mouth for spoon
• Reaches for and grabs objects
• Rolls over and back
• Drinks from a cup with help
• Can hold bottle
• Copies some facial expressions
• Makes two-syllable sounds

Now, when baby wants to play with a specific toy he’s able to reach for it himself. And, his aim may be accurate enough to grasp it.

He’s probably discovered the joy of being somewhat independent and whenever allowed, will push himself around with his hands and feet to move closer to out-of-reach objects.

Your baby is probably now strong enough to sit in an upright position.

Baby ’s not quite able to pull herself into a sitting position, but will be able to support herself if you seat her on a mat on the floor. Baby will begin by supporting herself with her hands and will soon graduate to sitting steadily while toys occupy her hands. Baby will thrust her arms out and will attempt to break her fall with her arms and hands when tipping forward.

In addition to sitting by herself, baby may be able to stand without assistance if you place her next to a piece of furniture.

During playtime baby will begin to make more intentional movements. Baby will study toys for longer periods of time and attempt to make them work together.

Baby has learned how to effectively communicate his needs. Now he’ll begin to display his every emotion as well. You’ll find that he’s like an open book and you can read his moods as they change simply by observing the expression on his face and his body language.

You’ll witness smiles and animated movements when he’s happy and a more quiet, withdrawn demeanor when he’s tired, sad or lonely. (Expect him to continue crying as he has in the past to signal the need for attention, food, a diaper change or a nap.)

He’ll continue to experiment with his voice. You’ll hear loud outbursts, soft babbling and long strings of seemingly unrelated sounds. He’s attempting to speak as you do and make the noises he hears around him every day.

Infant swings and bouncing chairs will be favorites at this age. Baby may be quietly lulled to sleep by the gentle motion of a swing or be kept happily playing by himself as he bounces in a stationary entertainer chair.

Your baby will use his whole hand like a little rake to reach for and drag nearby objects closer to him. Baby may become frustrated and cry when he can’t reach items that have peaked his interest. Though he may be able to scoot about the floor this movement is somewhat difficult and cumbersome.

Baby may begin to show an interest in the foods you are eating.

Seventh month

• Can self-feed some finger foods
• Makes wet razzing sounds
• Turns in the direction of a voice
• Plays peekaboo
• Imitates many sounds
• Distinguishes emotions by tone of voice

Displays of frustration at not being able to move around freely should begin to disappear as baby learns to crawl. While on average babies crawl around six months of age, be aware that it may be weeks or even months before baby is fully mobile.

Baby will likely be pulling herself around using hands and feet with her tummy on the floor, or by getting up on her hands and knees and rocking back and forth without going anywhere.

Expect continued babbling as he learns he can use his tongue, as well as the shape of his mouth to create and change sounds. Remember too, that some of his loud outbursts may be nothing more than his attempt to see how far he can make his voice heard.

Help him develop the gross motor skills he’ll need for walking, climbing, riding a bike,and playing ball by providing plenty of opportunity.

Expect him to focus on, and try to pick up, small objects. He’ll be able to rake in and pick up objects as small as a raisin or pebble. He’ll use his whole fist to grasp the tiny object and it’ll surely be destined for his mouth.

Baby may become anxious when you are out of sight. This “separation anxiety” is common during the second half of the first year and even into the early part of the second year.

His eyes have matured and he’s now able to track objects well from one side of his head all the way to the other. In addition, he can now see across the room and will enjoy looking around at every object he can find.

Eighth month

• Chews on objects
• Reaches for utensils when being fed
• Turns head away when finished eating
• May sleep between 11 and 13 hours a night; takes 2 to 3 naps (may vary)
• Rolls all the way around
• Sits unsupported
• Gets on arms and knees in crawling position
• Has specific cries for various needs
• Babbles enthusiastically
• Tests gravity by dropping objects over edge of high chair
• Responds to own name
• Has different reactions for different family members
• Shows some anxiety when removed from parent

Baby is now mobile. Baby will enjoy crawling around picking up every exciting object baby finds and they’re all destined for her mouth.

While some begin much earlier, the average infant begins teething between six and twelve months of age. Generally, the incisors erupt first (four on top and four on the bottom), then four molars. These are followed by the four canine (eye) teeth and finally by the two year molars somewhere around two years of age. Watch for signs of teething, including drooling (and a related rash, cough or diarrhea caused by the excess of saliva), night waking, biting, loss of appetite and irritability.

Baby has developed his own manner of expressing his needs. Expect his repertoire to grow steadily as he adds gestures to the mix. For example, he may hold his arms above his head in an attempt to ask you to pick him up.

You may find yourself wondering why he seems to “act up” when you’re around while other caregivers report that he’s a joy to care for. He’s already figuring out how to manipulate Mom and Dad

Around this time, baby may develop a fear of strangers. The once outgoing baby who would allow anyone and everyone to touch him and pick him up may appear anxious when a stranger enters the room. He may decide to hide his head in your shoulder or cling to your legs.

Ninth month

• Reaches for toys
• Drops objects and then looks for them
• Becomes interested in grabbing the spoon during feedings
• Goes from tummy to sitting by self
• Picks up tiny objects
• Begins to identify self in a mirror’s reflection

Most children this age are able to wave “bye-bye,”.

The development of the pincer grip, grasping a small object between her thumb and forefinger, allowing her greater freedom in self-feeding. Help her master this skill by introducing small, easy to eat foods like Cheerios, or small pieces of soft, cooked fruits and vegetables.

Baby will be able to say Mama and Dada now and may even be able to say another familiar word.

He understands that when you say “cat” you are talking about the furry animal that sits all day on the sunny window ledge safely out of reach. Now he’ll begin creating mental images of the cat when you say the name and it’s not within sight. He’ll soon make these associations about every object even if he can’t yet say the words.

Baby has probably mastered the fine art of crawling on her hands and knees. This perfected position affords greater flexibility and faster speeds. Baby will be able to pull herself to a standing position and will lean on furniture for support. Baby may even be able to pivot in a circle to take in new views of her surroundings.

Baby is ready for new advancements in the self-feeding area as well. He’s now able to drink from a sippy cup though this may take a few introductions before he’s able to easily take a drink.

Tenth month

• Understands the concept of object permanence
• Gets upset if toy is removed
• Transfers object from hand to hand
• Stands holding onto someone
• Pulls to standing

Baby will become increasingly mobile. Now he’ll have perfected his crawling abilities and will be on the go whenever he’s placed on the floor. He’ll alternate hand, then knee, first one side, then the other. This new, more mature motion, will allow him to balance on one hand while reaching for an object with the other.

He’s also learned how to move from a crawling position to a sitting position, enabling him to fully inspect and enjoy the toy he’s grasped. You’ll find that he’ll also sit frequently just to rest his tired limbs.

He’ll also learn to crawl up stairs and will delight in displaying his newfound abilities, whenever the opportunity presents itself. Unfortunately, he has not yet learned how to go back down the stairs once he’s climbed up.

New sounds continue to flow from of baby’s mouth each day. Baby will test her ability to make these noises by babbling streams of random vowel sounds. Very soon, these strings of seeming meaningless sounds will take shape as individual “words” with very clear definitions. In addition to these sounds, baby will also begin to imitate non-verbal noises such as coughs and sneezes. Baby will discover that certain sounds (such as a cough) will cause you to turn and check on her. Baby may delight in making these sounds simply to attract your attention.

Her now well-developed pincer grasp will enable her to pick up very small items.

Watching the baby in the mirror is sure to be one of baby’s favorite past times.

His memory is steadily evolving now. He’s able to form mental images of familiar objects when they’re out of sight. Expect him to remember a favorite toy even after it’s been carefully put away. He’s mastering the concept of object permanence.

When it’s time to unwind, you’ll notice how baby will enjoy cuddling on your lap while you read a book or two. Baby begins to take an interest in the pages. Colors captivate. Familiar sounds intrigue. Baby may have enjoyed story time in the past, but as the next few weeks and months unfold, baby will take on a new appreciation for this daily ritual.

Eleventh month

• Says “ma-ma” and “da-da” discriminately
• Understands “no”
• Claps hands
• Waves bye-bye

Your baby is now likely to pull herself up to a standing position and will begin to “cruise” from one piece of furniture to another. Baby will begin to alternate feet and “walk” if you offer encouragement and physical support by holding both of her hands.

More advanced exploration is also possible, as baby learns to scale and climb furniture and other obstacles. Expect frequent tumbles and falls as baby learns to balance more effectively.

His cognitive abilities have been growing steadily during recent weeks as well. Expect that he’s now able to understand and respond to a one-step command. For instance, when he picks up an object you’d rather he not have, ask him to “Please bring that to Mommy (or Daddy).”

Language skills continue to evolve as he beings to make more and more two syllable sounds. He may even learn another word or two. Don’t worry if he doesn’t seem to “talk” as much as friends his age.

Baby is now able to pick up small, snack-like foods such as Cheerios and diced, soft fruits and vegetables. You’re probably amazed at how baby gets excited to feed herself each time you offer such a snack.

Baby is beginning to understand certain trigger words and their associated cause and effect relationships. Though her comprehension is still limited, baby will now anticipate the departure that is to follow when baby hears you say “bye-bye.” When you’ve stepped out of the room and baby begins to cry, the words “Mommy (or Daddy) is coming right back” may help to calm her as baby forms a mental picture of her beloved parent.

Twelfth month

• May take one to two naps daily
• Triples birth weight and is 29 to 32 inches long
• Bangs two cubes together
• Puts objects into containers and then takes them out
• Voluntarily lets objects go
• Shakes head “no”
• Has fun opening and closing cabinet doors
• Crawls well
• “Cruises” furniture
• Walks with adult help
• Says “ma-ma” and “da-da”
• “Dances” to music
• Interested in books and may identify some things
• May understand some simple commands
• Fearful of strangers
• Shares toys but wants them back
• May form attachment to an item
• Pushes away what he doesn’t want
• Prefers to push, pull and dump items
• Pulls off hat and socks
• Understands use of certain objects
• Tests parental responses to behavior
• Extends arm or leg when getting dressed
• Identifies self in mirror

Your baby is about to become increasingly independent. He’s now able to stand without holding on and, if he’s extremely adventurous, he may attempt to take his first unassisted steps. Expect his feet to be spread apart. This wide stance will help increase his ability to balance. You may notice that his feet are primarily flat and that his toes point in a bit as he steps. He’ll be quite unsteady on his feet at first and will stumble and fall frequently.

Playing with baby is becoming increasingly interactive. Now, baby will take great joy in participating fully in these games and even initiating them. Baby will enjoy clapping her hands and will continue to learn about social interaction as baby plays.

Allow her to play often with kids near her age. While baby may enjoy being with her friend, expect that although they may sit side by side, each child will continue to play by herself. This “parallel play” is normal behavior for a young toddler.

Baby will probably become upset and possessive if another child takes interest in her toy and attempts to take it away for a time. Early lessons in sharing might begin now, but expect it will take quite some time to master this skill.

Compartments, drawers and cabinets will become favorite places to search now. He’ll entertain himself by opening any door or drawer within his reach, pulling the contents out onto the floor.

Baby has learned the meaning of the word, “No.” Help her to follow your instruction regularly by simply telling “No” without making animated faces or gestures as these can easily be mistaken for play.

If you are both enjoying your nursing relationship, consider continuing for another few weeks or months. The benefits of breastfeeding continue far past the first birthday. The worldwide average age of weaning is between three and four years of age. Not only will baby continue to receive a very beneficial boost of infection-fighting antibodies each time baby nurses, baby will continue to enjoy a wonderfully nurturing time with Mom.

Before your new baby arrived, your toddler was told he’d have a wonderful little brother to play with and how much fun it would be. Then the little brother was born and your toddler started thinking, “This squirming, red-faced baby that takes up all your time and attention is supposed to be fun?” Here are 10 ways to help him make the transition from only child to eldest:

1. Teach him how to interact

Your first goal is to protect the baby. Your second, to teach your older child how to interact properly. You can teach your toddler how to play with the baby in the same way you teach him anything else. Talk to him, demonstrate, guide and encourage. Until you feel confident that you’ve achieved your second goal, however, do not leave the children alone together. If you see your toddler about to get rough, pick up the baby and distract the older sibling with a song, a toy, an activity or a snack. This action protects the baby while helping you avoid a constant string of “Nos,” which could encourage the aggressive behavior.

2. Teach soft touches

Teach your toddler how to give the baby a back rub. Tell him how this kind of touching calms the baby and praise the older child for a job well done. This teaches him how to be physical with the baby in a positive way. Your toddler will be watching as you handle the baby and learning from your actions, so you are his most important teacher.

3. Act quickly

Every time you see your child act roughly with the baby, respond quickly. You might firmly announce, “No hitting, time out.” Place the child in a time-out chair and say, “You can get up when you can use your hands in the right way.” Allow him to get right up if he wants–as long as he is careful and gentle with the baby. This isn’t punishment, it’s just helping him learn that rough actions aren’t permitted.

4. Praise your toddler often

Whenever you see your older child touching the baby gently, make a positive comment. Make a big fuss about the important “older brother.” Hug and kiss him and tell him how proud you are.

5. Don’t blame everything on the new baby

Be careful not to say things like: “We can’t go to the park because the baby’s sleeping;” “Be quiet, you’ll wake the baby;” or “After I change the baby I’ll help you.” At this point, your child would just as soon sell the baby! Instead, use alternate reasons. “My hands are busy now;” “We’ll go after lunch;” “I’ll help you in three minutes.”

6. Be supportive

Acknowledge your toddler’s unspoken feelings, by saying things like, “Things sure have changed with the new baby here. It’s going to take us all some time to get used to this.” Keep your comments mild and general. Don’t say, “I bet you hate the new baby.” Instead, say, “It must be hard to have Mommy spending so much time with the baby.” When your child knows that you understand his feelings, he’ll have less need to act up to get your attention.

7. Give extra love

Increase your little demonstrations of love for your child. Say extra I love yous, increase your daily dose of hugs and find time to read a book or play a game. Temporary regressions or behavior problems are normal, and can be eased with an extra dose of time and attention.

8. Involve your toddler

Teach the older sibling how to be helpful with the baby or how to entertain the baby. Let your toddler open the baby gifts and use the camera to take pictures of the baby. Teach him how to put the baby’s socks on. Let him sprinkle the powder. Praise and encourage whenever possible.

9. Make each feel special

Avoid comparing siblings, even about seemingly innocent topics such as birth weight, when each first crawled or walked, or who had more hair-children can interpret these comments as criticisms.

10. Take a deep breath and be calm.

This is a time of adjustment for everyone in the family. Reduce outside activities, relax your housekeeping standards and focus on your current priority–adjusting to your new family size.

1. Know who you want to help you for the first week or two that you are home with baby.

It’s unrealistic to assume you can do it all on your own or that you have to! And if you don’t plan ahead, you could have every neighbor, cousin and coworker stopping by to gawk at your new little one. While it’s nice that people care, set limits because you and baby need rest and one-on-one time.

Be honest by letting others know how they can be most helpful (visiting at a certain time so you can nap or bringing a meal for your family). People genuinely do want to help you so relish in it!

2. Know that a new baby uses a lot of diapers, and not always “newborn” size.

You can never have too many diapers on hand! Most babies outgrow the newborn size very quickly so make sure you have size one available too. If getting out of the house proves difficult, don’t forget miraculous two-day shipping via the Internet!

3. Know that your breasts will probably become engorged when your milk comes in and you should have a breast pump available.

Don’t delay the purchase or rental of a breast pump because you don’t think you’ll need it until you introduce the bottle or return to work! Engorgement happens and it happens fast. Being ready with a breast pump, even an inexpensive manual one, will bring you much needed relief. While it is different with every baby, your milk typically comes in three or four days after delivery.

4. Know that it’s okay if your baby does not sleep in her crib or bassinet right away.

Those first couple of nights at home with your baby are likely to be challenging. Because it is so important that you get some sleep and that baby doesn’t get her nights and days mixed up, consider letting your baby sleep in her carrier, swing or bouncy chair. It’s unrealistic to think that baby will automatically sleep wonderfully in her bassinet (and if she does you will be surprised and overjoyed)!

5. Know that you will bleed for a while.

I had no idea this would happen. Seriously. I knew that there would, naturally, be a lot of blood during the delivery but I had no idea about the immense amount of menstrual-like bleeding that would take place afterwards. And having not had my period for the last nine months I had no women’s products on hand. Make sure you have plenty of pads to address this issue! This postpartum bleeding could last up to six weeks. If bleeding is excessively heavy, bright red (for more than 7 days after delivery), accompanied by a discharge that smells bad, a fever or chills, you need to contact your health care provider or go to the emergency room.

6. Know that babies like to be warm.

It was during my pregnancy that I was first introduced to the concept of swaddling a baby. Sounded kind of silly to me, but it totally made sense. Learning how to swaddle your baby could help your baby sleep for longer than 20 minute increments (which was super important to me). And because you should never cover an infant with a blanket, I recommend using bag sleepers (or sleep sacks) once your baby outgrows swaddling.

7. Know that batteries are every mother’s best friend.

If a new mom could choose one item to invest money in, I would highly recommend it be batteries. Everything from baby swings to freakish dancing Elmo dolls require these little power packs. Not much is worse than having a hysterical newborn who won’t stop crying unless she’s constantly in motion except having a hysterical newborn who won’t stop crying and then finding out that the batteries in her swing are dead [again]! Stock up on batteries– lots and lots of batteries.

8. Know that you need to take care of yourself.

Perhaps the best piece I advice I could offer for the postpartum period is that as a new mom you need to take care of yourself! I know, I know, you just had a baby you’ve got loads of wash to launder, dozens of diapers to change, lots of bottles to scrub and oh-so-much cuddling to do. And, don’t get me wrong, all of those things are important (especially the last one) but it is also very important that you take a few minutes to yourself. I always rolled my eyes when someone said I needed to be napping while my baby napped (especially after the delivery of my third) but it really is important. Most other things can wait. Your body just underwent huge stresses and it needs to recover. Taking time for yourself might look like napping but it could also be a nice, hot shower while hubby holds baby or a short walk down the block while grandma spoils baby. Whatever it is, it is necessary and you deserve it!

Your parents, or in-laws probably fall into two categories; those who think they know best and those who do know best. As great as the first category of grandparents sounds, most of us have more experience with the former; those who think they know best and tell you what you are doing wrong as a parent! Here are a few ways to deal with that troublesome mother-in-law or your mum constantly turning up unannounced to see your baby…

Problem 1:  Giving your kids too many treats

If your parents or in-laws spoil your children, it can be difficult to tell them to stop – after all it’s the age-old cliché that grandparents are there to spoil their grandchildren. The problem is that firstly your children may come to expect presents from them and look forward to their visits because of the treats, rather than spending time with their grandparents. Secondly, your kids can be a nightmare to deal with after they have been spoiled with chocolate treats and toys, especially once the Grandparents have left and it’s just boring old Mummy and Daddy left who say NO to everything.

It will probably help to see it from your parents or in-law’s point of view. When they were bringing you or your partner up they probably had to worry about money, whether they were parenting in the right way and having to deal with their own parents and in-laws!  Now that they are grandparents they can spoil their grandchildren in a way they probably never did with you! They are more financially secure and have relaxed a bit from when they were parenting. Often parents will notice that their own parents are different as grandparents, regularly break the rules they set for you as children with their own grandchildren!

Solution: With this in mind it can be a tricky situation to broach, but it is worth (if you can), being as open as possible. You could explain your parents or in-laws that you are worried that your kids are looking forward to seeing their grandparents for the wrong reasons. If this falls on deaf ears, you could try giving them a list of items you really need – new vests and babygrows in the next size up for example, instead of more toys or chocolate. You could then ask that they limit the treat they give to your child to one small item.

Another idea is to set up a savings account for your child and encourage the grandparents to put money in and only give one small gift to your children each visit. The important thing is to make sure the grandparents don’t think they are being denied the opportunity to give – they can give a small present but limit it to one or two rather than the whole of The Early Learning Centre.

A friend of mine decided to ask her parents to stop buying the kids lots of toys and instead pay for their weekly ballet and football classes; the grandparents loved this idea and it added up to the same amount of money anyway. My friend told her kids that their grandparents were paying for their classes so the children were aware too, which again is important for the grandparents.

Problem 2: Overriding your authority

Another tricky one, but a common complaint from parents! The normal scenario is that you have just told your child off for being naughty and a grandparent will then buy her an ice cream or let her watch TV – whatever it is you have told your child they are not allowed! My Grandmother used to have a plate on her kitchen wall that read; ‘If mother says no ask Grandma’, which illustrates this problem. Children realise they can get things out of their grandparents that they couldn’t get from their parents. While this is fine occasionally and quite fun for your children, it needs to be stopped if it is becoming a frequent occurence.

Solution: Probably the best approach with this situation is to say to your child after you have reprimanded him, ‘Please don’t ask Grandma if you can watch TV because she’ll say no too, won’t you Grandma’, so say it loud enough for Grandma to hear. This approach might be effective if you don’t feel like you can sit down and tell them they need to support your decisions. Of course if you can be upfront with them, tell them straight, or at least let them know gently that you would prefer them to stand by your decisions rather than going against them. You could say your child becomes very confused by right and wrong if he gets conflicting opinions from the parental figures he trusts. It’s always better to be singing from the same hymn sheet as they say.

If a grandparent or in-law looks after your child for you and is overriding your authority for example, giving your child sweets and chocolate when you have said not too, it is probably a good idea to sit down with the grandparent to get the boundaries straight. Make sure the grandparent knows how much you value them looking after your child and how much your child looks forward to seeing them, but point out that when your child gets home he pesters you endlessly for the same treats, making it difficult for you. You can suggest that he gets less treats, especially later in the day when it may affect his bedtime routine. Or suggest he gets treats at the weekend if he is good but is not allowed in the week. Tell the grandparent why he cannot have too many treats; his teeth, sweets make him hyperactive, he has been naughty etc etc. Explain that if you have said no to something and the grandparent lets him do it, next time he’ll probably be even naughtier.

Problem 3: Favouring one child over the other

Quite often the first grandchild becomes a favourite grandchild for one of the grandparents, or a grandparent may favour your boy over your girl. If this happens you definitely need to sit down and have a chat with the grandparent. Even young children (although probably not babies) will notice if an older sibling gets bigger or better presents than them, or if a grandparent pays more attention to a sibling. The reason you need to nip this one in the bud is because it can lead to the ‘unfavoured’ child feeling jealousy, resentment and anger and even unhealthy competition between his siblings. The last thing you want is one of your children to feel insecure or unconfident because of favouritism.

Solution: It may be that the grandparent feels more of a bond with an older child who can speak and be understood more so than with a toddler. If you do think favouritism is happening, why not suggest to the grandparent that they take the other child out for a trip to see the ducks or to the park for an ice cream – just the two of them.

Remember that the grandparent may not be aware they are paying one child more attention than the others; be careful to phrase it properly if you decide to bring it up with the grandparent. You could say: ‘Lucy mentioned to me that you play with Alex more than him’, to gage the grandparent’s reaction. If the grandparent seems upset you could say, ‘well I’m sure you don’t always play with Alex, but why don’t you and Lucy have a little trip to the park – it will mean I can spend some time with Alex…”

The other thing to remember is to be an example yourself, so if you pay more attention to your youngest child because she is the smallest and seems to need you more, the grandparents may well be reacting to this by showering the older one with love and treats. If you treat your children equally then hopefully other adults around you will do the same.

Problem 4: Criticizing your parenting style

It’s a pretty standard grandparent gripe we see on the gurgle chat forums all the time; a grandparent who tells you you’re doing something wrong! It may not be confined to parenting; your general lifestyle can be open to criticism too! The problem with this scenario is that it can often drive a wedge between you and the grandparent, it can also drive a wedge between you and your partner, especially if it is his parents who tend to criticize and this can only be a bad outcome for your children.

Solution: One thing to consider is how parenting styles differ compared to twenty or thirty years ago. This can often be why a grandparent feels the need to speak out. Why not try bringing the grandparent with you when you next visit the health visitor for a weigh-in or to a doctor’s appointment. That way the grandparent will feel more in touch with the parenting practises recommended today. (And if they start questioning the doctor they may be firmly put in their place!)

Instead of fighting against a grandparent’s comments why not say, ‘Yes I think I’ll try that, good idea’ – whether you do or not is up to you, but keeping the peace should be paramount. Do remember that she has brought up children of her own and may well have some good advice.

If the comments really are unjust and she is constantly putting you down, it may be worth sitting down with her and being open about how you feel. Explain that while your parenting styles may differ you both want the same thing, for your child to be happy, healthy and most of all loved. Mention that as a parent you learn through your mistakes (even if you don’t think you are making any) and it is imperative that you learn for yourself the ups and downs of being a parent, just like she did.

Problem 5: You’re ignored by your parents/in laws

Ever been pushed out of the way in the doorway by your eager in-laws desperate to get a glimpse/hug from your kids? Many mums feel (to the grandparents) like they exist only as the mother of the grandchildren rather than an actual person. This may occur because the parents or in-laws have been waiting for grandchildren for a while and when they do arrive – they want to spoil them rotten. This doesn’t help you much from feeling like a spare part.

Solution: Why not arrange for a babysitter to look after your kids one night whilst you and your partner and the in-laws/parents go out for dinner together. This way they can get to know you without your children around to distract them. It may be that they realise they are distracted by the kids and will relish spending some time with you. If not a meal out then encourage them to stay for diner after they’ve helped you put the kids to bed so you can spend some time together. You could try to include your mother-in-law (for example) in an activity you like doing; going to an art gallery or theatre together or even just out shopping for kids clothes minus the kids!

It might help to ask the grandparents advice on a parenting matter to encourage more adult conversation between all of you. You could try calling the grandparents to say hello. Tell them news of your kids, but also tell them what you have been up to; that way they cannot become distracted by your children and will be listening to your news as well.

It’s also worth remembering that as your kids get older and more independent and the grandparents aren’t ‘new’ grandparents anymore, your relationship will change as they spend more time with you. Your kids will be off playing in the garden and this is a good time to nurture that relationship with your in-laws.

Problem 6: Your parents or in laws ‘land in’ on you the whole time!

Again, another common nightmare scenario – grandparents who cannot stay away! Tired of hiding behind the sofa when the door bell rings? Here are some hints about how to deal with uninvited guests!

Solution: First off you need to sit down with them and your partner and be clear and honest about what you want. If they are your partner’s parents it may be a good idea coming from him. Start by telling them that life has been pretty stressful since the kids arrived and although their help has been amazing, it’s stressful for you when they arrive unannounced. Make sure they realise that you love seeing them and your kids adore them but they must phone first before visiting you to check whether it is a good time. Tell them it is no point coming if the children are napping and if they see their grandparents it might disrupt their nap. If this doesn’t work and they still turn up announced tell them you were about to go out and you wished they’d phoned first to check if you were in. You may well have to go out and see a friend (unannounced) just to make the point!

Playgrounds and outdoor play equipment provide fun, fresh air, and exercise. But they also can pose some safety hazards.

Faulty equipment, improper surfaces, and careless behavior are just a few of the hazards of playgrounds — each year, more than 200,000 kids are treated in hospital ERs for playground-related injuries. Many of these could have been prevented with the proper supervision.

You can make the playground a place that’s entertaining and safe for your kids by checking equipment for potential hazards and following some simple safety guidelines. And teaching kids how to play safely is important: If they know the rules of the playground, they’re less likely to get hurt.

Adult Supervision

Parents can help prevent playground accidents by taking some precautions, ensuring that there’s adult supervision at the playground, and making sure that the equipment is appropriate to a child’s age and maturity level.

Adult supervision can help prevent injuries by making sure kids properly use playground equipment and don’t engage in unsafe behavior around it. If an injury does occur, an adult can assist the child and administer any needed first aid right away.

Kids should always have adult supervision on the playground. Young children (and sometimes older ones) can’t always gauge distances properly and aren’t capable of foreseeing dangerous situations by themselves. Older kids like to test their limits on the playground, so it’s important for an adult to be there to keep them in check.

Before you visit a playground, check to make sure that play areas are designed to allow an adult to clearly see kids while they’re playing on all the equipment.

Playground Design Safety

The most important factors in evaluating the safety of any playground are surface, design and spacing, and equipment inspection and maintenance.
Surfaces

A proper playground surface is one of the most important factors in reducing injuries — and the severity of injuries — that occur when kids fall from equipment. The surface under the playground equipment should be soft enough and thick enough to soften the impact of a child’s fall.

Here are some things to consider:

• Concrete, asphalt, and blacktop are unsafe and unacceptable. Grass, soil, and packed-earth surfaces are also unsafe because weather and wear can reduce their capacities to cushion a child’s fall.
• The playground surface should be free of standing water and debris that could cause kids to trip and fall, such as rocks, tree stumps, and tree roots.
• There should be no dangerous materials, like broken glass or twisted metal.
• The surfaces may be loosely filled with materials like wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or shredded rubber.
• Surfacing mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials are also safe.
• Rubber mats and wood chips allow the best access for people in wheelchairs.
• Loose-fill surface materials 12 inches deep should be used for equipment up to 8 feet high. The material should not be packed down because this will reduce any cushioning effect.
• No surfacing materials are considered safe if the combined height of playground and the child (standing on the highest platform) is higher than 12 feet.
• The cushioned surface should extend at least 6 feet past the equipment. Additional coverage may be needed, depending on how high a slide is or how long a swing is.
• If there is loose-fill over a hard surface (like asphalt or concrete), there should be 3-6 inches of loose-fill like gravel, a layer of geotextile cloth, a layer of loose-fill surfacing material, and then impact mats under the playground equipment.

Keep in mind that even proper surfacing can’t prevent all injuries. Also, the greater the height of the equipment, the more likely kids are to get injured if they fall from it.

Design and Spacing

Playground equipment should be designed for three different age groups: infants and toddlers under 2, 2- to 5-year-olds (preschoolers), and 5- to 12-year-olds (school-age kids).

In the safest playgrounds, play areas for younger children are separated from those meant for older kids and signs clearly designate each area to prevent confusion.

Younger children should not play on equipment designed for older kids because the equipment sizes and proportions won’t be right for small kids, and this can lead to injury. Likewise, older kids shouldn’t play on equipment designed for younger ones. Smaller equipment and spaces can cause problems for bigger kids.

Here are some things to check for to ensure the equipment is designed and spaced to be safe:

• Guardrails and protective barriers should be in place for elevated surfaces, including platforms and ramps.
• Play structures more than 30 inches high should be spaced at least 9 feet apart.
• Swings, seesaws, and other equipment with moving parts should be located in an area separate from the rest of the playground.
• Swings should be limited to two per bay.
• Tot swings with full bucket seats should have their own bay.
• Swings should be spaced at least 24 inches apart and 30 inches between a swing and the support frame.
• Be sure there are no spaces that could trap a child’s head, arm, or any other body part. All openings on equipment (for example, rungs on a ladder) should measure less than 3½ inches or they should be wider than 9 inches.
• Playground equipment with moving parts — like seesaws and merry-go-rounds — should be checked for pinch points that could pinch or crush a child’s finger or hand.

Maintenance and Inspection

Whether your kids play on a home or public playground, it’s important for you to take a general look at the equipment to make sure that it is clean and well maintained.

• There should be no broken equipment.
• Wooden equipment should not be cracking or splintering.
• Metal equipment should not be rusted.
• The fence surrounding a public playground should be in good condition to prevent kids from running into surrounding traffic.
• Surface materials on the playground should be maintained regularly so that the surfacing is loosely packed and covers all appropriate areas — especially the fall zones surrounding playground equipment.
• Playground equipment should be made of durable materials that won’t fall apart or worn down too much by the weather.

Check for objects (like hardware, S-shaped hooks, bolts, and sharp or unfinished edges) that stick out on equipment and could cut a child or cause clothing to become entangled.

All hardware on equipment should be secure, with no loose or broken parts. Plastic and wood should show no signs of weakening, and there should not be any splintered or rusted surfaces.

If the local playground has a sandbox, check for hazardous debris such as sharp sticks or broken glass, and be sure that the sand is free of bugs. Sandboxes should be covered overnight to prevent contamination from animals, such as cats.

Help keep your playground clean and safe by picking up trash, using the equipment properly, and reporting any problems to the city, town, or county parks department, school, or other organization that is responsible for the upkeep of the playground. If a part seems broken, loose, or in need of other maintenance, designate it off limits immediately and report the problem to the appropriate authorities.

Teaching Kids About Playground Safety

Safe playground equipment and adult supervision are extremely important, but it’s only half of the equation: Kids must know how to be safe and act responsibly at the playground.

Here are some general rules to teach your kids:

• Never push or roughhouse while on jungle gyms, slides, seesaws, swings, and other equipment.
• Use equipment properly — slide feet first, don’t climb outside guardrails, no standing on swings, etc.
• If you jump off equipment, always check to make sure no other kids are in the way. When you jump, land on both feet with knees slightly bent.
• Leave bikes, backpacks, and bags away from the equipment and the area where you’re playing so that no one trips over them.
• Playground equipment should never be used if it is wet because moisture causes the surface to be slippery.
• During the summertime, playground equipment can become uncomfortably or even dangerously hot, especially metal slides. So use good judgment — if the equipment feels hot to the touch, it’s probably not safe or fun to play on.
• Don’t wear clothes with drawstrings or other strings at the playground. Drawstrings, purses, and necklaces could get caught on equipment and accidentally strangle a child.
• Wear sunscreen when playing outside even on cloudy days so that you don’t get sunburned.

Play is an important part of kids’ physical, social, intellectual, and emotional development. Following these safety tips will help your kids play as safely as possible.

You can’t expect your figure to go back to your pre-pregnancy shape straight after birth! Its takes time for the womb and your stomach to re-adjust to its normal size. Expect it to be around 4 weeks.

Don’t rush back into weight loss after the birth. It is a very stressful and busy time and you don’t need the extra strain of trying to lose weight.

1. Waiting around six weeks to start your diet is sensible. Remember your body has been through a lot and needs time to recover! The average weight gain for a mother during pregnancy is 25-35 pounds. Expect to lose around 13 pounds after the birth. This gives you around 12 to 22 pounds to lose. A reasonable target to lose this weight is 8 months. Losing 1 or 2 pounds a week is an easier proposition. Don’t push yourself too hard to lose the weight. Give your self reasonable targets that are obtainable.
2. Be careful when trying to diet when breastfeeding. Your body needs extra nutrition to produce the milk, but your body is very effective at milk production so you don’t need a lot of extra calories. Be guided by your appetite and eat when hungry. If you don’t feel hungry at all, be aware that postnatal depression can cause lose of appetite. See your doctor if you are feeling down and you don’t feel like eating.
3. Take your baby for walks – your baby will appreciate the fresh air and you will burn calories! Taking exercise will also make you feel better. Even going walking around the shops or a stroll in park. It will also give you bonding time with your child.
4. Breastfeeding burns around 500 calories a day and is of course best for baby. You should be eating around 1800 to 2000 more calories a day when nursing. Remember that everything you eat is going to baby as well so don’t go over board on junk food.
5. Make up or buy healthy snacks for when you are at home. You will be spending a lot of time in the house and you are probably not going to resist the urge to snack! So be prepared and have plenty of healthy options rather than cakes or biscuits. What about making up a smoothie? Get in a few of your 5 a day. Research points to liquid foods can make you feel full for longer. Honey and yogurt. A pot of honey and yogurt for a 120g pot is around 140 calories and is a tasty snack! Dried fruit – such as mango, prunes and apricots. Potato wedges – put them on oven foil or paper, to save on the grease on the baking tray. A very nice low fat potato option! Plenty of fruit – always have fruit in your bowl, buy a combination of different fruits to stop your self getting bored! Why not try something you have not eaten before?
6. What about a postnatal exercise class? This is a good way to lose weight and also you will meet other mums in the same situation. After you have had your post natural check feel free to get your self out to a regular exercise class. If you are breastfeeding try to exercise after you have feed the baby. Research points to some babies shunning the breast completely or feeding less than normal.
7. Eat when you are hungry! Don’t skip meals, hunger is a natural instinct and will always win! Plan your meals and eat a sensible amount of calories for each meal. You need to learn the difference between actual hunger and emotional hunger.
8. Drink water – Most people do not consume enough water during the day. If your urine is yellow then this is a sign of dehydration. Drinking water will help refresh your body – try sipping water throughout the day. If you replace that sugary drink with a glass of water you are reducing your sugar and calorie intake. We sometimes think we are hungry but we actually just thirsty. Get into the water habit!
9. Increase whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Foods high in fiber will help you feel full for longer. Whole Grains are high in complex carbohydrates which give you long lasting energy. Vegetables are high in fibre and have a generally high water content meaning they are low in calories and fat free. Fruits are also high in fibre and are a good source of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs.
10. Base you meals around these three food groups and you will be well on your way to achieving your goal.

Travelling with a baby can be a little daunting but do not forget that your baby is extremely adaptable. You might even learn to love travelling with one so small, as your baby is very portable at this young age. Some people really enjoy travelling with their babies and plan all sorts of expeditions. It is toddlers who may present more challenges, as they can walk and therefore keep their parents on their toes in a less than relaxing fashion. So, here are some top tips for travelling with your baby:

• Try to plan your flights for the times that your baby normally sleeps. If she has a good stretch in the afternoon (or night) make this a requisite part of booking your flight. Bear in mind that aeroplanes get delayed all the time so even your well-planned travelling times can go to pot. Make sure you pack extra food/milk/toys for all eventualities.
• Take a baby sleeping bag on board the plane so that your baby feels comforted and has a sleep association with her, the same goes for a favourite toy.
• Breast or bottle feed as you take off, this will reduce the unpleasant sensation in her ears as the pressure increases.
• Check whether your normal formula milk is available at your given destination, so that you can make arrangements to take enough with you, if not.
• If the country is hot, ensure you offer enough water and be careful about the source. Cooled, boiled water is essential for young babies.
• Don’t buy food that has been cooked on the streets for your baby. You do not know what standards of hygiene have been put in place. Generally speaking foods like bananas that have a skin on them so are kept clean are fine – just make sure they are ripe (not green).
• Make sure you know whether you can hire buggies or car seats, this will make your journey much less stressful. There is nothing worse than lugging around huge piles of baby paraphernalia, when you don’t need to. Check that the car seat or buggy that you hire conforms with that countries safety regulations (which may not be a stringent as the UKs). Before you take the car seat or buggy away check that all the straps work and that the car seat is fitted correctly in your car.
• Bring toys and books for the journey and little bite-sized snacks (if your baby is weaned) to stave off any hunger pangs.
• Find out whether the place you are staying in has a washing machine and if so, pack lightly. Carting around a huge wardrobe is less than pleasant with a baby in tow.
• Instead of lugging baby sterilising equipment with you, but a liquid sterilizer which can be added to water once you arrive. Most chemists can advise you on which one is suitable.
• Don’t forget to pack adequate protection from the sun if you are going somewhere hot. Babies have very delicate skin and sun damage can be very harmful so read our feature on keeping your baby cool in hot weather.

If you have one of each in your family, you’ll become aware of their behavioral differences once they reach the toddler years and become more independent.

Boys and girls throw tantrums differently, play differently and express themselves in different ways, it’s just they way things are when nature starts to take over from nurture. Research has shown that boys’ and girls’ brains are wired differently. Your little girl will be able to talk about her feelings and empathise with others more so than your little boy and she’ll also be more sensitive to your tone of voice. When it comes to discipline, this may mean that your son isn’t as sensitive to other people’s feelings and may not respond when you ask him nicely to stop bad behavior! They will also react differently to stress. In practice this means that your little girl will be more likely to back down in a confrontation, while your little boy will experience a surge of testosterone that could have him acting up and hitting out.

So once they reach the age where their behavior is different, what discipline techniques will work best with them?

Discipline for girls

1. Be positive. Your little girl is more likely to co-operate with you on discipline issues if she thinks there is a payoff at the end of it, because she’s more patient than her brother and more likely to hang on for her reward. So if she’s pestering you for candy while you’re at the supermarket, try telling her that she can have some once you’re home and she has had her lunch.

2. Encourage her to empathize. Girls tend to be more considerate when it comes to your feelings and those of their siblings or playmates. If she is acting up, explain to her that her behavior is making her little brother sad but that if she’s good and stops being nasty he’ll feel happy again.

3. Talk it out. Your little girl’s language skills will likely be much further along than those of boys her age. Girls progress faster than boys when it comes to being able to string words together and this means they are able to form longer and more complex sentences. Tap in to this skill by asking her to explain what is causing her bad behavior instead of throwing a tantrum.

4. Point out the consequences. Girls are more likely to worry about what other children think of them and you can use this to your advantage if, for example, she isn’t sharing or playing nicely. Point out that her siblings or friends may not want to play with her if she doesn’t share.

Discipline for boys

1. Set limits but allow him some freedom. Your little boy may play games that seem rough but you need to allow him some freedom – within reason. Play wrestling is developmentally normal, so you should avoid inhibiting your son if he plays in this way. Just stay close by and set limits that ensure your child isn’t hurting a sibling or playmate.

2. Help him find his words. Boy aren’t as good as girls are at expressing themselves verbally – and the result is that they often express their frustration physically, by biting and hitting. Teach your son the words he needs to say how he feels: “I’m cross because Jack took my toy”, and constantly remind him that he can tell you without having to be aggressive.

3. Be direct. Boys tend not to be so concerned about what others think of them, and this means they’re more likely to be confrontational. If your little boy’s behavior crosses the line, don’t try to get him to empathise with your feelings or his sister’s – nip it in the bud immediately with a time-out or withdrawal of privileges.

4. Limit his TV exposure. Toddlers are very influenced by the cartoon violence they may see on TV. Those superhero games may seem harmless but flying fists and feet can cause injuries.