Category: Newborns

Baby Napping: 7 Tips for Optimizing the Little One’s Sleep

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Napping seems like such an ordinary thing, but to parents of young children it is a constant concern and often a source of anxiety. We know that getting the maximum amount of sleep possible is good for a child, yet the child is obviously not aware of this, and many seem to naturally resist being put down for naps. Some babies fuss, wake up frequently, and are unpredictable in when and how they like to nap. These are all simple facts of being a parent. And while you cannot stop nap troubles entirely, what you can do is minimize the difficulties. Read More

Baby Will Not Sleep Through the Night? Try These Strategies

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In the first few months of a baby’s life, it is perfectly natural for the infant to wake regularly throughout the night for feeding or just to be snuggled. But there comes a time-usually after four to six months-when the baby is ready to begin sleeping through the night. It requires work and patience on the part of the parents, however, and the reality is that many babies never consistently sleep through the night until they are a year or two old. Read More

Communicating With Your Baby in the First Six Months

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By Jamell Andrews During the first six months of a child’s life, parents go through virtually every conceivable emotion, from elation, to frustration, to hope, to terror. But there is one that stands above all the rest: The pure elation you feel when you begin to truly communicate with their little one. During the very early weeks of the baby’s life, parents are busy taking care of all the baby’s needs, but it is not until a little later that the back-and-forth, loving communication becomes tangible. And when this happens, it is one of the highlights of any parent’s life. Read More

From Milk to Formula to Solids: Helping Baby Transition

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By Lisa Pecos

All major American pediatric and health organizations strongly recommend breastfeeding babies for at least the first six months of life. The American Academy of Pediatrics, one of the preeminent authorities on such issues, recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months and regularly breastfed for the first year or as long as it is comfortable for both mother and baby. There is abundant research showing that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to nourish an infant. And though formula can be good, the mother’s body naturally produces the right milk for the baby throughout the stages of early development.

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Infant Napping: Everything You Need to Know

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By Jamell Andrews Everyone knows that babies spend a great deal of time napping, but many new parents are surprised by just how much of their time and energy will be devoted to fostering the baby’s naps. Getting a baby to nap regularly and on a set schedule is an immensely appealing idea to new parents who want a little predictability in their lives. But unfortunately, given that newborns’ sleep patterns tend to be unpredictable and may stay that way for several months, it is important to accept that it may be quite a while before your baby has set nap times. Read More

How to Play with a Newborn

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By Lisa Pecos

First-time parents are often surprised by just how little their newborns are capable of doing. In the first few days of life, babies can hardly focus on their parents’ faces, let alone participate in play activities. And for weeks afterward, it is difficult to get newborns to focus on toys, look at books, or even pay attention to one thing for more than a few seconds. But despite these factors, newborns are more capable of learning than one might think, and they really can enjoy play. All you have to do is enter the baby’s world, rather than expecting her to come into ours just yet.

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Infant Crying: The Secrets to Silencing an Upset Baby

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By Lisa Pecos For new parents, there is just no way to prepare for the onslaught of crying that you will be dealing with in the coming weeks and months. In their first few days of life, newborns spend most of their time either sleeping or in a quiet state of near-sleep, but this is just the calm before the storm. Once you get your baby home, he or she is likely to cry progressively more and more until the habit peaks at anywhere from six weeks to three months. So if you are reading this as an expectant first-time parent, remember not to draw any conclusions from those first few days. The crying almost always picks up by around week two or three, and that is when things may get rough for a while. Read More