I am always looking for great food ideas for babies between 5 months and 12 months.
Here is a favourite I know of.
Avocado Milk
2 teaspoons of soft ripe avocado
2 teaspoons of breast milk or made up infant formula
Mash and Mix
Serve warm YUM!!!
Suitable for baby at 18 weeks old as a milk feed chaser.
I would love you to add one of your baby food favourites below.
With today’s knowledge on SIDS, it is safer to sleep young babies on their back and not on their tummy. For this reason, it is important to give your baby a snug and secure feeling in another way; swaddling.
Three misconceptions about swaddling a baby:
1. They don’t like their hands wrapped up tight
2. They fight the wrap when I put them in it
3. They are struggling to get free
Three benefits to swaddling a baby my way:
1. Their hands are wrapped and placed in a natural position (you will notice that your baby places their hands on the chest when you have them lying contented and unwrapped on their back)
2. Wrap them securely before their nervous system is out of control and over loaded
3. Once they are asleep it prevents the startle reflex waking them between sleep cycles; allowing for a longer more settled sleep
Swaddling a baby to aid in them having a settled sleep is appropriate until they are 6 months old.
The swaddling technique shown in this video is appropriate until a baby is 3 months old, after that you can leave their arms free of the wrap which allows a baby to be able to suck their fist or fingers to self settle.
A toddler will have tantrums. After all that is what they are known for!!!
Toddler’s are at an age where they are learning how things work and what sort of attention their behaviour will attract. This is normal however everything is harder to cope with when a person is tired. Most parents have probably experienced that in their own lives.
A day in the life of a toddler requires a feed, play, sleep balance to minimize fluctuating behaviour.
A toddler needs 5 meals evenly spaced over a day. All foods should contain proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. They should not be highly processed or contain refine sugars, preservatives and additives.
A toddler generally requires one or two sleeps during the day and 10 hours sleep overnight to function at their best.
When a child is given nutritious food at regular intervals and adequate rest their tantrums are much more short lived and easier to control allowing boundaries easier to establish and adhere to.
You can help your child make the transition from a cot to a bed when you and your child are ready. You will find this transition is the easiest to manage after your child turns 2 years old.
Below are some signs that indicate that it is time for your infant to move out of their cot.
· Climbs or falls head first out of their cot
· Thrashes around in their cot and seems unable to get comfortable
· Asks you for a “big bed”
· When they are toilet trained by day and then start to call out at night to use the toilet
· A new baby coming and the cot will be needed
Suggestions that can help your child move out of a cot and into a bed…
· Make the changes when there are no other changes happening in the child’s life
· If another baby is on the way, make the changes at least 2 months before or after their arrival
· They may like to help you chose the sheets
· Idea 1: Take away the cot surrounds and place the cot mattress on the floor in the same spot for a few days or a week before changing into the bed
· Idea 2: Bring the big bed into the same room as the cot, leaving cot assembled and start day naps and reading books on their new bed for a week before sleeping in it
· Have a calm and comforting pre-bedtime routine established before making the transition
· Have some of this on the big bed reading or chatting
· Tuck them in and ensure they know you expect them to stay in bed
· If they get out of bed, take their hand and walk them back to bed calmly and confidently, with no eye contact or conversation. Continue walking them back in this manner until they stay there. Do this consistently for 3 weeks before a new habit is established.
Read more infant sleep tips in “Putting them to Sleep” eBook/mp3
This video clip shows what can happen when an older baby (about 7 – 8 months ) gets over tired.
At this stage they are much harder to settle to sleep.
Give yourself a helping hand by understanding tired signs and acting on them appropriately.
To help you understand what tired signs are, when they are likely to happen and what to do about them I have written down my tried and tested theories and knowledge in an eBook for you to download and read. It is available here
It is also available on CD here
I know the information I share will bring you more understanding and confidence to help you enjoy your days and nights with your baby.
Jan
