In the first two years nearly all babies toe in. This is due to two conditions: The normal bowing of the legs leftover from the fetal position in the womb. Normal flatfeet. Babies seldom develop much of an arch until the age of three years. To compensate, babies turn their feet inward while walking, in […]
How to Comfort a Teething Baby
What to Expect and How to Comfort a Teething Baby As you wonder why your sleeping angel turns nightwaker, you hear the telltale ping against the spoon or feel the cutting edge. Actually babies don’t “cut teeth,” nor do teeth “erupt.” Teeth slowly slide and twist their way through gum tissue. But sharp teeth pushing through […]
Visual Stimulation for Newborns
Each of the five senses is a doorway to your baby’s mind. Your newborn baby can hear your voice, feel your touch, smell your scent, and taste anything you put in his mouth. While baby’s vision may be one of the least developed senses at birth, visual input during the early months may have the […]
Road Trip For Two
Wouldn’t it be nice if car rides with a baby could be like a quiet, peaceful drive through the country? The bright sun shining, birds singing, the warm summer breeze blowing in the window, and through it all your baby sits quietly in his car seat as you enjoy a nice restful drive. Reality is […]
Hearing & Sound Play Together
Baby’s five senses are an integral part of development. They are the gateway into baby’s mind, and interactive play should involve all of baby’s senses every day. Sounds are a big part of playful interaction with baby and will enhance baby’s language, personality, and social development. Using your voice to connect with your newborn Babies […]
Play Ideas for the Whole Family
Benefits of Play Ideas for the Whole Family In today’s busy world, it’s often hard to find time to slow down and just enjoy some good fun baby time. A parent who works full time may not have energy left to play with their baby after a long day at the office. A stay-at-home parent […]
Traveling With Toddlers
Tips for Traveling With Toddlers Whether you are driving over the mountains and through the woods to Grandma’s, or leaving on a jet plane to relax in a tropical paradise, when you have young ones tagging along, your “vacation” may not seem like a vacation at all. Whether it’s a crowded airport, a noisy car, […]
How Smoking Harms Babies in the Womb
Consider the physiological effects of smoking on yourself and your baby, especially the increased risk of SIDS. 1. It retards growth. Smoking stunts the growth of the developing fetus. Nicotine narrows the uterine blood vessels, thus reducing blood flow to the baby. Also, smoking puts the oxygen blocker carbon monoxide into the blood that nourishes […]
Choosing & Using a Safe Pacifier
DR. BILL’S BINKY ADVICE In the early weeks, only the real nipple belongs in a baby’s mouth. If you have a baby who really needs a pacifier, then use it, don’t abuse it, and quickly try to lose it. Select a one-piece model that will not break into two pieces, allowing baby to choke on […]
Ban Nighttime Binky
My two-year-old still uses a pacifier to sleep. I think it’s time to wean him. Is that right?You likely know that young children suck on their fingers, thumbs and pacifiers. From the early months, the sucking action becomes an activity that babies associate with comfort and sleep. Later in life, many toddlers will resort to […]
Touch Benefits
Touch stimulates growth-promoting substances Healthcare providers have long known that babies who are touched a lot grow better, and now there is research to back up this observation. There seems to be a biological connection between stroking, massaging, and grooming infants and their growth. Touch stimulates growth-promoting hormones and increases the enzymes that make the […]
Feet
CROOKED NEWBORN FEET A newborn’s bowed legs and feet reflect the scrunched up position of “no standing room” in the womb. The legs are normally very bowed, and the feet turn in. Since the bones were curved that way for many months inside, expect several months of free kicking before the legs and feet straighten. […]