The Next Three Months: Baby Milestones in Months 4-6
The first three months of a baby’s life are often referred to as the “fourth trimester” because the baby is still intensely dependent, has only rudimentary communication abilities, and does not seem fully engaged with the surrounding world. All of this comes to an end in the next three months, which is when babies really come alive. During this time, you will finally begin to feel your love returned, your child will develop a recognizable personality, and your ability to communicate with him or her will grow exponentially.
Posted in Activities, Bonding, Development, Emotional - Social, Learning, Misc, Motor Skills, Newborns, Teething | 
Leave a commentWhat to Do When Your Baby Rejects the Bottle
After several months of breastfeeding, many babies are understandably reluctant to change. Breastfeeding is warm and comforting, it brings mother and baby close together, and it comes easily and naturally. So when it comes time to introduce the bottle and your baby does not take to it right away, do not be frustrated. The plastic nipple takes some getting used to, and the temperature of the milk in the bottle can be difficult to regulate. Plus, if you are introducing formula at the same time, this adds another element of difficulty.
Posted in Bonding, Bottle Feeding, Breastfeeding, Feeding Products, General Health, Health, Illnesses, Learning, Moms, Motor Skills, Newborns, Nutrition | Leave a commentWhat Does It Mean If My Baby Has Tongue-Tie?
There is a visible string of tissue underneath your baby’s tongue that is attached to the floor of his mouth and is called the frenulum. Babies who have tongue-tie have a frenulum that is too short causing problems with the mobility of their tongue. The medical term for tongue-tie is ankyloglossia.
Posted in Dads, Development, Emotional - Social, Feeding, General Health, Health, Language Skills, Learning, Moms, Motor Skills, Newborns | Leave a commentWhen Will My Baby Begin to Remember Things?
Your baby will start recording things in her mind from birth but will not be aware of what is really happening. During the third trimester of your pregnancy your baby will have begun to recognize your voice and at four days old she will be able to distinguish between your face and a stranger’s. It is at this time she will also recognize Dad if he has been present throughout the pregnancy. She will certainly recognize your smell and be comforted by it from birth.
Posted in Activities, Development, Emotional - Social, Health, Language Skills, Learning, Misc | Leave a commentFlying With an Infant: How to Avoid Disaster
By Marc Courtiol
Having a newborn can be stressful enough without leaving the house, so it is easy to understand why so many new parents are reluctant to travel. Babies need constant care, they are unpredictable, and their crying is sometimes difficult to stop. All of these things work against travel, which requires as much predictability as possible. The good news is that many infants fall right to sleep as soon as the plane starts moving, but you just cannot know beforehand. Plus, nobody wants to be those poor parents stuck on an airplane with a baby who refuses to be quiet. That is no one’s idea of a fun vacation.
Reading to Baby: When to Start and How to Do it Well
By Jamell Andrews
In the age of television, internet, and ubiquitous gadgets, there is something refreshing about the quiet act of reading a good book. And although childcare experts say reading to a child has little significant effect until he or she is around the six-month mark, it is never too early to get started. Young children may not get the same things out of books that we do, but the reading experience is valuable for a number of reasons, and reading daily to your baby is a crucial stepping stone toward future linguistic and educational development.
Posted in Activities, Books, Dads, Development, Language Skills, Learning, Moms, Nanny | Leave a commentHow Can You Help Your Toddler Talk?
Babies, even before they are born have an inbuilt curiosity and interest in human voices. They instinctively want to listen to and concentrate on sounds especially human voices. When you are thinking about how you can encourage your toddler to develop his speech remember this in-built instinct he naturally has.
Posted in Activities, Bonding, Development, Language Skills, Learning, Motor Skills, Physical, Social Life | Leave a commentHow Babies Learn to Talk, and How You Can Help
Learning how to talk is an innate human ability that scarcely needs parental encouragement. As long as a child is around people who talk, he or she is eventually going to begin picking up on words, and adeptness with the language comes soon thereafter. However, the sooner a child learns how to talk, the sooner she can begin to communicate more complex things, learn to read, and socialize meaningfully with other children. As a parent, you may not be able to speed up the process significantly, but some babies do respond well to encouragement.
Posted in Development, Emotional - Social, Language Skills, Learning, Motor Skills | Leave a commentDoes Bump Size Matter?
Baby bumps come in all shapes and sizes. You are more likely to have a neat bump with your first child but with further pregnancies your muscles become more relaxed and your bump can spread out more. The shape of your bump can also depend on how many babies you are expecting, the amount of amniotic fluid you have in there and also what position your baby is lying in.
What Is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term which describes the various birth defects which can occur in people whose mothers drink alcohol during their pregnancy.
Posted in Care, Dads, Development, General Health, Health, Illnesses, Learning, Moms, Newborns, Nutrition, Physical | Leave a comment