Women say, “Diamonds are the girl’s best friend”. But, for children, books are children’s best friend! Just like my niece who is a book freak. She likes reading so much. Book store is like a heaven for her. I think that’s because we (especially me) started to introduce her to books when she was only 5 months. What I did at that time was reading her a book with great colors and big picture and taught her to turn the pages one by one. I didn’t even care whether she understood the content or not.

Read the rest of this entry »

For you, all breastfeeding mothers, please read this news for your baby’s shake. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is doubling the amount of vitamin D, from 200 IU per day to 400 IU per day, beginning in the first two months of lice. This recommendation also extends to all other babies, children, and adolescents. “We are doubling the recommended amount of vitamin D children need each day because evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits,” Dr. Frank Greer, chairman of the AAP Committee on Nutrition, said.

This doubling recommendation is especially important for breastfed baby according to Dr. Carol Wagner, member of the AAP Section on Breastfeeding Executive Committee and who co-authored the report with Geer. “Because of vitamin D deficiencies in maternal diet, which affect the vitamin D in a mother’s milk, it is important that breastfed infants receive supplements of vitamin D,” she explained.

Read the rest of this entry »

Most moms are afraid to trim their baby’s nail because they are worried to cut their baby’s finger. Are you one of them? Here are some useful tips to trim baby’s nail without hurting her:

1. Trim after your baby has a bath - it will make the nails softer and easier to trim.
2. Don’t do the trimming all by yourself! Get someone to help you.
3. Distract your baby’s attention with toys or other amusing things.
4. Trim your baby’s nail while she’s sleeping. But do this without waking her!
5. Use baby nail clippers, baby nail trimming scissors, or an emery board, and never use adult nail clippers!
6. Push down the pad of the finger. Make sure that none of her skin is showing when you cut the nail.
7. Cut along the shape of the nail and round any rough edges with an emery board.
8. Cut toenails straight.
9. If you accidentally cut baby’s finger, press the finger to stop the bleeding. And use a clean cloth and apply a little antibiotic ointment after the bleeding stop.

Now, trimming your baby’s nail won’t be scary anymore, right?

Are you trying to teach your kids about money? You can try Barrack Obama and his wife’s tips on teaching children about money. Just like other parents, Obama and his wife also set rules for their kids. One of them is about money giving. In a magazine interview Obama and his wife Michelle revealed that one of their steadfast house rules is not giving Christmas or Birthday presents to their kids, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. “They spend ‘hundreds’ on birthday slumber parties and we want to teach some limits. Santa Claus is still permitted to deliver seasonal gifts however,” they said. The girls are also given an allowance of just $1 a week for performing household chores. Those chores include making their own bed, setting and clearing the dinner table, and putting themselves to bed by 8.30 pm. So, do you think it will work for your kids? Just try it with them!

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk, People magazine

Wondering why your kids looks “terrible” on the camera? Here are the keys to take a good picture of your kids:

1. INFANTS look beautiful on the camera while they are asleep. Use natural light and avoid flash if possible. Keep the image tight on the child and crop out distractions. When your baby is awake, have another person to accompany him or her. You can crop the shot to keep that other person out of the image, or you can keep both of them in the photo.

2. TODDLERS look best when they don’t know that you’re taking a picture of them. Use the candid shots for them. Keep your camera handy and snap the photo quick when they start doing something. They don’t have to be looking directly into the camera.

3. CHILDREN AGES 4 PLUS are look good at sitting for photos. If you want to dress them up, make sure that they are comfortable with that costume. Crop tight on your subject, use natural light. If you are using toy to get their attention, make sure it makes them laugh, not make them scared.

4. OLDER CHILDREN are good at dressing up for photos. What you need is how to get a natural smile from them by saying something funny to them.

Easy isn’t it? Now, say cheese!

Good news for breastfeeding and fish lover mom! A study that was conducted by the researchers from Harvard University said that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and compounds in breast milk aid infant development. The research, which looked at 25,446 children born to mothers participating in a Danish study between 1997 and 2002, found that children whose mothers ate the most fish during pregnancy (about 2 ounces a day on average) were more likely to have better motor and cognitive skills. Children who were breast-fed for longer periods of time also scored better, especially at 18 months. Breast milk also contains omega-3 fatty acids. The benefit of fish consumption was similar among infants breast-fed for shorter or longer durations. But, U.S. women are advised to limit their fish intake to two servings a week, because some fish contain high traces of mercury. Cod, plaice, salmon, herring, and mackerel are good low-mercury fish choices to consume.  

SOURCE: Harvard Medical School, news release, September 2008

Who says that essential oil is only for adults? Children can also get the benefits from essential oil, including for relieving fever safely. The differences are only on the dosages and dilutions that are generally significantly lower for your little one, comparing to those used with adults. Dilutions for caring touch massage, for example, can start as low as 1 drop per ounce of carrier for newborns. The child’s weight and overall condition also must be considered. A child that is big for their age could use slightly higher amounts of essential oil, comparing to a child that is weak from illness.

So, what about using essential oil for relieving your kid’s fever? Here are the tips for you: Read the rest of this entry »

Here are the things that you should and shouldn’t do when your kid gets cold and cough:

* DON’T use cough and cold drugs if your kid is under 4 years old!

About 7,000 children under 11 go to emergency rooms each year after taking cough and cold medicines, according to the CDC. Roughly two-thirds of those occurred after children drank medication while unsupervised, according to the CDC. Currently, leading makers of over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold drugs has changed their label on the product. According Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) the label will say: DON’T GIVE OVER-THE-COUNTER PEDIATRIC COUGH AND COLD MEDICINE TO CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 4. The new labels will start showing up on store shelves this year. But, the CHPA says there are no plans to take products with the old labels off the shelves since the FDA hasn’t indicated a need to do so.

* DON’T you ever give multiple products at the same time

Believe me! You must follow this advice, because these words are not from me but from Janet Woodcock, MD, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. She also said that parents should follow, very carefully, the directions on the package.

* DON’T use drugs to make your kid sleepy

Don’t use over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold drugs containing antihistamines to sedate or make your kid sleepy. So, please do read the contents of the drug, will you?

Read the rest of this entry »