Avoid Sugar for Babies As your child approaches the first birthday, he or she is speeding up, reaching out to anything and everything on the way. By twelve months, toddlers will be able and be interested to eat everything the parents eat. The weight gain process will slow down drastically. Since, they don't want bulky food, give them nibbles, let them graze, its their psychology, they prefer to eat less but eat often. Hence, giving them nutritious food is very important. Don't introduce junk yet, it doesn't fetch them any health. Hopefully, at the time of his or her first birthday, your toddler will not feed on junk. The association of junk food at this event is obvious, but you make sure, even though every guest is having cakes and sweets, you Child only cuts the cake but doesn't ask for it. Delay the introduction of refined sugars and other sweets as long as you can. Although it's tempting to put a gigantic cake in front of the baby on her first birthday or feed her ice cream when she won't eat anything else, the longer you can put off introducing these foods, the less hooked on them she's likely to become. Prepare the baby food at home and feed it to the child in a separate room at the party, you can give the child a favourite fruit, or a home made, no-sugar fruit juice.
MILESTONES TO COUNT ON Every stage of the baby's growth--before and after birth is so crucial for the parents and the child's development. Birth to 6 Months : The child will be tested for Hearing ability within 2 days of birth at the Hospital. Even then, observe his/her response to sounds often. From 4 Months Upto 2 years: Infants who cross 4 months of age should be able to hold their head straight up without any support. And observe the eye contact your child maintains everytime you speak to him/her, whether they interact socially or not, like smiling, laughing, trying to talk to you by babbling and cooing. Around 9 months: By this age, you won't hear them talking so well, but they will babble as long as awake and respond to all your questions or instructions. By 1 year: Still not much clear words, but the child will tell you what he/she wants by pointing out to things and choosing few easy words. By 1.5 - 2 years: You will hear them talk normally as you do, but still not clear with pronouncing words well. They will follow instructions, help you with house chores, ask for food, entertainment etc. The child will be getting ready to identify the need of going to potty on their own. If you notice a child with absolutely no expression of words or numb response to your instructions, not liking the company of other kids and playing alone always, doing the samething repeatedly, around this age, consult a Pediatrician and followup immediately.
Treat Kid Injuries Got kids, one day you will be running between the medicine cabinet and your child..sprains, strains, bruises and blisters are pretty common and absolutely normal. Specially for kids involved in sports, the stakes are even higher. As long as they are not serious and can be treated at home, parents need not worry. But maintaining a good and non-expired supply of first-aid medicines at home is extremely important. With summer approaching and after the exams are done, you should be ready to treat one or two of these issues! Heat Rash: Also known as prickly heat, is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during the hot, humid weather. Provide a cooler, less humid environment. Keep the affected area dry. Dusting powder may be used to increase comfort. Cold compression can be used to combat itching. Baking soda or fine-ground Oat-meal powder baths can be used to minimize itching. Add a few tablespoons of either to tepid bath water and stir until dissolved. Soak in this water and find comfort. Sprains and Strains: For immediate care of a sprain, use one of the most reliable home remedies known to man --RICE approach---rest, ice, compression and elevation. Until you reach the Doctor's office, use an ice cool compress for 15-20 mins and repeat every two/three hours for the first 48-72 hours, if going to the Doctor takes time. The cold pack helps to reduce pain, swelling and inflammation in injured muscles, joints and connective tissues and may decrease bleeding if a tear has occured. If the area turns white, too soaked, remove the ice pack immediately as it may indicate a cold injury. To reduce swelling, have your child elevate the affected area to a level above the heart. Bruises: In general, bruises respond best to treatment that is given immediately, before the affected area begins to darken. Apply an ice pack or a bag of frozen veggies for 20-30 mins, to minimize discoloration (blood clot sometimes) and swelling. Be careful not to apply ice directly to the skin, use a towel to wrap ice in it or use a duck-bag with cold water. If the bruise covers a large area of the leg or foot, the leg should be kept elevated as much as possible during the first 24 hours after the injury. After 48 hours, apply a warm pack with a washcloth for 10 mins two or three times a day, this works to increase blood flow to the damaged area allowing the skin to reabsorb the blood more quickly. Consult the Doctor immediately if there is extreme pressure or bleeding in the bruised part of the body, or especially if the hurt area is large. Let the Doctor know if you have observed fever, streaks of redness around the area. Blisters: These usually heal on their own and there's not much we can do at home to treat it. Wash the area with soap and water. Apply a cold or ice pack to reduce swelling and discomfort. Keep the area clean and dry. Donot try to burst the blister. If the blister bursts on it own, place an adhesive bandage or dressing on the area to keep it clean. Observe the are for signs of infection such as increased warmth, swelling, redness, bleeding or pain. If you notice any of the above, consult the Doctor immediately.
BITE PROOF Summer approaching!! The kids might want to get out and play. The insects are ready too!! Here are some tips to remind you on prevention and treatment of insect bites. Mosquito Prevention: Mosquitos breed in stagnant water, so don't let water settle anywhere, even in flower pots or trash cans. For infants, 2 months and older, its is safe to use a mosquito repellent cream that contains DEET or Picaridin in upto 20 percent concentration. Reapply the cream or lotion every two hours when they are playing out or if there are mosquitos at home, and wash it off ASAP. Treatment: Clean the bite area with soap and water atleast twice a day. An anti-biotic ointment can help prevent infection mixed with 1 percent hydrocortizone cream will relieve itching. Don't use any anti-itch tonics or capsules. Bee Prevention: If your child is heading out to play or on a trip to a garden, don't use scented lotions or soaps, bright or flowery design clothes. Bees and other bugs get attracted to sweet smells and bright flowers, even if they are just designs on dresses. Treatment: If the child has a bee sting, scrape the area with a credit card to remove the stinger. Wash the area, don't use any bee-sting treatments, they tend to irritate the skin more. Cool compress relieves itching and swelling. Tick Prevention: Mostly found in the Western countries. --Let not your child play in the woods. Cover the child's skin well using socks over pants and give him/her a hat to wear..just to avoid any sting. Apply an insect repellent that contains DEET , on the exposed skin. After returning to home, inspect the child's body for tiny, dark spots. Look closely: you might even find the tick's legs moving stuck in the child's skin. Treatment: If you see the tick's legs in the child's skin, use sterilized tweezers to grab the tick close to the skin, pull upward, without twisting to detach the entire tick from the child's body. A tick bite is usually not dangerous, but if rash and fever develop even 4-10 days later, immediately see a Doctor.
Mother's voice In a Newborn: A Mother's voice plays a critical role in a newborn's language development, according to a research. While a stranger's voice sparked brain activity only in the voice recognition are of the newborn's brains, the mother's voice activated parts of the brain responsible for language learning. To be Born baby: The bones and nerves in an unborn baby's ears are finally developed around Month 5 of the pregnancy. They are ready enough to function, and the baby can hear all sorts of sounds, including the blood coursing through the umbilical cord, mother's heart beat, mom's growling whenever she is hungry. In-fact sudden or loud noises may startle the baby. By all means, Mom should continue to speak to the baby even if still in the tummy, read her stories, talk to her/him with love, express all your thoughts, play healthy music, watch healthy TV programs, teach him/her good manners (after birth they may or maynot be interested in listening :) , the baby loves Mom's voice. It happened with me, i spoke and spoke and spoke to my child while she was still in my tummy, and now her Dad complains that she is a Momma's pet!!!
Toddler Fears As a parent, i was taken aback when my li'l toddler girl who was very easygoing, adventurous baby turned into a insecure toddler. I had no other option but to realise that Separation anxiety is a normal — and expected — part of a toddler's cognitive and emotional development. Until close to 2 years, they don't know much about the feeling of Fear. Its time they explore things on their own and in this journey, they learn that accidents may happen, things might be too hot, they can fall and be hit, parents can disappear and these guys be left alone in a large room. Separation anxiety, which begins to manifest at about 10 months but is fairly common in toddlerhood, may also show up. At this age, Toddlers also learn from their bedtime stories that there can be "make-believe" villains and parents or friends also tend to scare the li'l ones, sometimes for fun, sometimes to put them to bed, by creating strange and fiery characters. To solve the problem: don't hesitate to cuddle your child. Reassure your child that you would never do anything which can be dangerous to him/her. Also explain to them that you will be back to them if you have to leave the place to go to work or elsewhere to run an errand. Lets discuss some more in our upcoming artciles......
Deciding Baby Names Expecting a child definitely brings along this big job of choosing the perfect name. If its the first child, then you will be very excited to name him/her the best. Believe me, its definitely not easy. The expectant mom is already very anxious with all the mood-swings and the load, sametime, she is too curious and worried if they will ever be able to select the right name before the baby arrives. In America, we seldom get enough time after the baby comes, to give the child's name and register it. People who have time to run around the government offices inspite of being busy and with sleepless nights, can take their time to name the child, but if you don't think you can spend your energy doing the juggling acts of handling s new baby, then you are given only 2days to name the child after birth. Agreeing on one name is another game. Either the Mom or the Dad doesnot like the spelling, the letters, or the number of letters in the name either of them choose. Its not mandatory these days to include a family name, or a common middle name all the elders had. Its has become easier to convince grandma and grandpa to name the child short. Everyone is now thinking of an easy to pronounce -at school- names, easy to - fill in the passport and visa-names. Ultrasound tests are generally correct but we never know, even the nurses who conduct them suggest that there could be a slight chance of the gender being predicted wrong, so be prepared with both names. You may be surprised after delivery. Do your homework well and take your 2 final names with you to the hospital. I suggest your avoid strangely spelt or difficult to pronounce names as the child should not be frustrated in the future correcting everyone who spelt his/her name wrong. And also think of new meaningful, easy to call names rather than the same old, too much heard names-just because people have practiced calling them or your Grandma suggested it.
Baby Teeth Baby teeth have more significance than just burying the lost tooth to expect a gold tooth after years, or the tooth fairy's visits. Some of us think baby teeth are not so important, some of us very well know that baby teeth are there to hold places in the mouth for adult teeth. According to American Dental Association, if a baby tooth is lost too early, the permanent teeth can fill the empty space early, which can lead to teeth coming in crooked or crowded. Hence, its important you watch your children avoiding any accidents injuring their teeth or gums, and also get them used to drinking from a cup around 9-12 months of age. However, using pacifiers doesnot result in crooked teeth if used until 4-6 months of age, most pacifiers are being designed under extra Orthodontal supervision. But using feeding bottles for long may be one reason to develop high teeth as the bottle nipple is not so much orthodontically designed unlike pacifiers.
TODDLER BATTLES Your li'l toddler will be on strike every now and then as she/he is learning the trait of individuality. They say NO to almost everything, No to wear the dress you pick, No to eat food, No to sleep on time, No to taking bath or going to potty. If the little one refuses to take a nap or go to bed, don't get upset. Keep your cool, wear your Poker face and continue to maintain the same time every day. After a day or two, he/she will surrender. If the child refuses to wear the clothes you picked, don't get annoyed. Let them select but you choose the options, keep all pants to select on cold days, or keep good looking dresses on a party day. You will be happy that the child chooses something from the category you prefer for the day and will calm down as they get to decide finally. You don't have to worry too much about his/her nutrition now, as the growth rate slows down, they will consume less comparatively. Just make sure all nutrients are included in the food you offer. If they go on strike, you show off your healthy eating habits, on a timely basis and he/she will oblige and join you soon.
Are you Feeding right ? When you serve your baby only real foods during the first couple of years, you program your baby for life long, healthy eating habits. Conversely, if you tend to feed your baby highly processed and fast foods, they begin to crave the same and also get habitually used to asking for the same kind of foods. Teaching your child to appreciate the flavor of fresh foods will program him/her to continue to accept and ask for these freshly prepared, unsalted, unsweetened foods. Infact, babies who learn to eat healthier foods don't fall sick as often as babies who are fed processed foods early in life. They don't have as many illnesses in infancy because the real foods matured their immune system. When they are fed junk foods at birthday parties and preschools, they complain of upset tummy. Its something to feel good about that the child's body is not accepting processed food, still..parents these days are thinking the other way, they want to bring up children rough and tough, and hence, tend to feed anything and everything, they say children should be able to cope with the polluted environment and are spoiling their present times by preparing them for the worst days to come...is that correct?...which way should we go? Gone are the days when parents taught their children to eat without the TV on. These days, mothers are turning on the TVs and feeding their children to make it quick and easy. Few mothers who are strictly following rules like ----No TV, No Laptop or other gaming devices---are facing criticism from parents who are doing it wrong. They say, Children eat better when they are allowed to watch cartoons they like and that parents who don't allow all these, are feeding their kids less food, making things boring for the kids.The right choice is yours!
SNOOZE BENEFITS That mid day nap is so valuable!!! If you are a Mom who handles kids at home, you will feel relaxed at the very thought of your kids taking a nap in the afternoons too. Wow, how nice!!! I still yearn that time, we can relax too. Well, these afternoon naps are not just valuable to the parents but also to the young ones. A University of Massachussets, USA research proves that children at age 3-5, who took atleast an hour to 1.5 hours of nap every noon had a better memory than children who didnt nap at all. This good memory extended to the next morning too. So, afternoon naps are extremely useful for a kid's future too. And naps help parents in many ways - the home is silent, Mom gets a calm time, kids are fresh through the evening and fall asleep early if the naps start early and end early before 5pm. So, push your children into the afternoon nap habit and put the ones who stopped this habit, back again.
OMEGA -3 SUPER FATS Most of the health conscious people are talking about Omega-3 essential fatty acids. The little picky eaters somehow don't like foods with Omega-3, its surprisingly strange . Coincidence. We are printing this article in Children's section but Omega-3 is excellently good for Adults too. Children at age 5 should be eating two 3-ounce servings of fish every week. Here are some tricks to let your child gulp the Omega-3 foods without knowing. The first year is crucial to introduce new tastes, make sure you introduce fish and other Omega-3 foods around 9 months of age when the baby is already an eating-pro and interested in trying new tastes. If you are a vegetarian, buy Omega-3 DHA fortified Milk, or Orange juice, soy milk from the store and introduce soon as the baby turns 1 year old. Cook omega-3 Eggs and feed them. Use Flax seed oil, Hemp or Canola oil on availability in your country/ stores. If not, buy Flax seed, Chia seed (expensive comparitively) or Hemp and ground them into fine powder and sprinkle on cereals or regular curries that are cooked not fried. The whole family can consume. If Flax, Chia, Hemp, Avocados and other products seem difficult to be found in stores, buy Walnuts or Soybean oil, they are good source of Omega-3. - Prathyusha
UNDER THE LIGHT Reading a book under a dim light will not make a child's eye sight any worse--Parent's, don't worry too much. This reading habit under a low-wattage bulb will not bring in glasses to your child's eyes. However, continue not to encourage your children to read in dim-light with their eyes crinkled. Children tend to adopt habits and this might become a habit while reading books in bright light or in a classroom. The main factor that determines whether your child or you need glasses is Genetics. Reading when its a darker light may give your child or you a bit of headache or make your vision blurry, but there is no permanent damage. Parents, if your kids are asleep and you want to read a book by the bedside or read a story book for the kids during bedtime, and the low lighting is giving you trouble, try occasionally glancing up from whatever you're reading and looking into the distance so your eyes have a chance to refocus. This practice will help you when reading the Menu at a restaurant with dim-lighting. You may have bought the book clip-torches and some bedside lamps or turning on your cell-phones as torches, just incase those lights are dim, this article would be helpful.
BABY FOOD: 10-12+ Months Babies close to a year are now open to trying new textures, eating on their own. Almost all the foods as those for 8-10 Months babies should be fed, sametime, introduce itsy-bitsy crumbs..make sure not to puree food as soft as it used to be. Babies are open to trying crunchy and usual foods, instead if you continue to feed purees of veggies and rice, they tend to not accept normal cooked rice grains as adults eat, in the future too, after all, how long will you keep spending time in pureeing the food. Babies learn to eat with a spoon or fork on their own. If they ask for one, make sure to offer a BPA-free plastic ware of Rubber ware. No Cow's milk until 12 months old. If breastfed, continue to feed as many nursing as possible in a day, until 12 months. Introduce sippy cups to drink formulae/ pumped breast milk and water. This is the age to get them used to sippy cups, gradually, else they will refuse to accept cups and cry for bottles even after 15 months. Offer sippy cup once everyday, and once you notice they like it, offer more often and slowly throw away the bottle, don't let it be seen anywhere at home. Quantity per day 1/3 cup dairy (or 1/2 oz. cheese) 1/4 to 1/2 cup iron-fortified cereal 1/4 to 1/2 cup fruit 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetables 1/8 to 1/4 cup combo foods 1/8 to 1/4 cup protein foods Feeding tip Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic. Prathyusha
BABY FOOD : 8-10 Months Most aspects are same as 6 to 8 months, the baby is ready to eat on his/her own, tries to grab things, holds finger foods, put everything in his/her mouth, is able to chew well now. Feed the child: Breast milk or formula, but no Cow's milk until 1 year age Mashed fruits and vegetables (bananas, peaches, pears, avocados, cooked carrots, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cut up grapes) Small cubes of ripe banana; organic scrambled eggs; well-cooked and cut up yellow squash, peas, and potatoes; well-cooked spiral pasta; crackers; lightly toasted rusks-bagels), cottage cheese or low-fat cheese cubes Small amounts of protein eggs; pureed meats, poultry, and boneless fish; tofu; well-cooked and mashed beans with soft skins like lentils, split peas, pintos, black beans) Iron-fortified cereal (barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals) Quantity per day: 1/4 to 1/3 cup dairy (or 1/2 oz. cheese) 1/4 to 1/2 cup iron-fortified cereal 1/4 to 1/2 cup fruit 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetables 1/8 to 1/4 cup protein foods Caution/ Tip Never feed the child anything thats round in shape, they are dangerous choking hazards. Any round food item like grapes, cherries should be cut into small cubes... Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic. - Prathyusha
BABY FOOD- 6-8 Months Baby is very much ready and interested to taste new foods. We should continue to feed milk whether formula or breast milk, absolutely no Cow's milk until age 1. Pureed or pulpy fruits like banana, pears, cooked apples, peaches and vegetables like potato, avocado, well-cooked carrots, squash, sweet potato. Pureed meat (chicken, pork, beef) 3-4 Tsps of Natural Yogurt Pureed Organic tofu Cooked Dal like toor dal, masoor dal, and legumes like green peas, black beans, chickpeas, edamame, fava beans, black-eyed peas, and kidney beans) Iron-fortified cereal (oats, barley) along with well-cooked and pureed brown rice mixed with Ghee. Quantity and Care: 1 teaspoon fruit, gradually increased to 1/4 to 1/2 cup in 2 or 3 feedings 1 teaspoon vegetables, gradually increased to 1/4 to 1/2 cup in 2 or 3 feedings 3 to 9 tablespoons cereal, in 2 or 3 feedings Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your baby's not allergic. - Prathyusha Talluri
BABY FOOD- 4-6 Months Age: 4 to 6 months Before beginning to feed solid foods to the baby in his/her 4 to 6 months age, we observe these milestones....if most of them are achieved, it indicates the baby is ready to eat solid food. Can hold head up Sits well in a highchair/ any chair without much support Learns to chew slowly Doubled birth weight Shows interest in food What to feed Breast milk or formula, Pureed food (like sweet potatoes, squash, apples, bananas, peaches, or pears) or semi-liquid iron-fortified rice/ oat cereal. Wheat cereal to be fed only after the baby is 9 months old. Quantity per day Begin with about 1 teaspoon pureed food or cereal. Mix cereal with 4 to 5 teaspoons breast milk or formula in watery consistency. Increase to 1 tablespoon of pureed food, or 1 tablespoon of cereal mixed with breast milk or formula, twice a day. If giving cereal, gradually thicken the consistency by using less liquid. Feeding tips Don't stop offering a particular food if the baby refuses it the first time. offer it again in a few days. - Prathyusha Talluri
SNOOZE SOLUTIONS -2 Babies love the rocking movement of a swing/ rocking chair as it reminds them of their pre-birth days in the tummy, while Mom is walking or moving. After birth too, they tend to like the the same. However, it all depends on what we get them used to. If you hold the baby and rock to sleep, then the baby will definitely like and continue to demand the same process. The baby sleeps well, bu the parents will be tired and tired, days and months. Start by eliminating the rocking movement.Any sudden change will not be appreciated, but you can follow the step by step process....put the baby in the swing, don't move it, sit in the rocker holding the baby, dont rock. Some babies sleep only when the parents take them for a ride in the car. I have personally seen parents driving crazily at nights, almost everyday, dreaming to see the baby asleep. To handle such babies, you have to slowly stop running away from their bitter cry and face the sleepless nights situation better. The initial few days will be tiresome but later, things will ease up and one day you will be proud of yourself that you trained your li'l one to sleep normally without any sleeping aids. Whatever be your plan, training babies who are young is easier as they dont have any pre-set behaviours or likes and dislikes. But once you start a good plan, continue it, don't confuse the baby by stopping it suddenly or changing it. - Prathyusha