A Great Book for a Curious Parent

My cousin Quinci is expecting her first baby this year, and naturally she’s hungry for useful and accurate information.  As I was looking through the many books on pregnancy and babies that she bought, I happened to notice one in particular that was rather helpful.  It’s called “Your Baby’s First Year Week by Week” and was written by Glade B. Curtis, (M.D) and Judith Schuler (M.S). 

One of the things I appreciated most about this particular book was that the information was actually accurate.  Very often I have found myself reading self- help or informational books that are nothing more than the opinions of the author.  When it comes to information about one’s child though, it is imperative that the information one receives is accurate.  This book covers everything from developmental milestones, to increasing your child’s cognitive and motor skills, all of which can be trusted and implemented into your own parenting.  The information I found particularly useful in this book was the ways in which to handle emergencies or illnesses.  The book is broken down week by week and in each section is listed several illnesses or episodes a baby might have at this age.  The authors tell you whether the experience is serious or not, and give advice on what to do in that particular situation.  I think this will be useful to parents because they can know what to expect ahead of time and know what to do when a situation arises.

I was also very impressed with this book because it answers every possible question a parent might ask as well as a number of things many parents wouldn’t even think to ask at all.  I found the content very applicable, and the book is filled with a number of useful tips and tricks for new parents.   One section for example, talks about what babies probably will not like during their third and fourth months.  Overstimulation and irregular sounds or movements are listed as things that can be unsettling and disruptive to a child and this is completely right.  While stimulation can help a child’s growth, too much will overwhelm your baby and do little more than to frustrate and confuse them (Sloan 2010).  The back of the book also has a glossary and contact information for other resources such as the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. 

The writing is sophisticated, yet easily understandable and the book is broken down week by week up until the child’s 1^st birthday.  Each section is filled with random tips, feeding and sleeping habits, developmental milestones, and health problems that might arise.  The book is easy to navigate and the writing itself is straightforward and applicable. 

Overall I thought this was a great read and I definitely learned a lot from this book.  Knowledge is power and it never hurts to know what to expect from your little one when they arrive.  If you have any questions at all, I’m sure this book will be a great start in answering them for you.

-Sophie

Sloan, S, Stewart, M, Dunne, L, (2010) The effect of breastfeeding and stimulation in the home on cognitive development in infants. Child Care in Practice. Vol. 16 no 2.

How To Babyproof Your Home

Having a baby is definitely fun, but there is a lot of work that goes into raising your little one as well.  Moms and dads have to make a great deal of preparations when readying themselves into parenthood, and one such task is to make your home safe for your baby.  Posted below is a video link that will help you start taking the necessary measures to babyproof your home. Hope you find it helpful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TiWuCCxR8w&feature=youtu.be

-Sophie


Curtis, G.B, Schuler, J. (2000).  Your Baby's First Year Week By Week (4th ed.) De Capo Press, MA.  Perseus Book Group.

Getting Back to Intimacy

Let’s face it, being a parent is hard work.  Rewarding yes, but that doesn’t make the sleepless nights and constant diligence any less difficult to handle.  Baby responsibilities aside, being a new parent can also be quite stressful on a marriage as well.  Your relationship is never the same after a new baby comes and many couples complain that their marriages suffer after a new baby comes into the picture.  Research even shows that the transition into parenthood is one of the largest stressors on a marriage (Neff 2011) and as such it’s important to have the necessary skills to keep intimacy alive even after a baby enters the scene.  Here are a few tips you can implement into your own marriage to help you and your spouse stay close while trying to adjust to parenthood.

1.      Have an idea about responsibilities even before the baby is born. 

Take the time to talk about who will help with housework, midnight feedings, and meal plans before you’re faced with the issues.  This will lead to a lot less conflict later.   

2.      Understand that parenting styles might be different.

Your partner might not always react to a situation the same way you would, but if they’re trying and what they’re doing seems to be working, don’t intervene.  You need to give each other some credit and trust that you are both competent parents.

3.      Step back and find the root of the problem.

Lack of sleep can make us all a little crazy, so before you snap at your partner for something trivial, try and step back from your anger and figure out what’s really bothering you.  You might just be irritable.  Try to remember that little things really aren’t worth fighting over.

4.      Make time for each other.

Babies might seem like they can take up an entire day but it is so important to still take time out of your day to just be with your partner.  Plan a date night sooner than later.  Even sitting and talking with each other when your baby is finally sleeping will do wonders for your marriage.  Remember that it’s also important to talk about things besides your baby.  You’re allowed to have a life outside of being a parent.

5.      Show affection for each other.

Give each other a quick kiss while passing in the hall, hug each other, and cuddle whenever you can.  Sex can be a big issue at this point but it’s important to be patient with each other and communicate your feelings.  A woman can typically have sex again 6 weeks after delivery but it can still be painful and exhausting.  Take your time with foreplay, and don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t lead to sex.  You’ll get back to a state that feels right and normal for you.

A happy marriage will lead to a happy baby so please don’t underestimate the importance of being there for each other as well as your baby.  The two of you are in this together, so be honest, patient, and communicate as much as possible.  A baby is a wonderful gift, and is a great addition to a family, just don’t forget to make time for each other as well.

-Sophia

Neff, L.A, & Brody, E.F (2011) Stress resilience in early marriage: can practice make perfect? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol. 101, 1050-1067.                                                                            

                                                                    

STIMULATION IN THE HOUSEHOLD MAKES FOR BRIGHTER BABIES IN THE FUTURE

The human brain is an amazing thing, and more amazing still, is just how much of our brain development takes place when we can’t even walk yet.  Infancy marks one of the most important times for cognitive development, and research shows that one of the most important things you can do as parents is to create an environment for your child that is both nurturing and stimulating. (Sloan)

During this period of a child’s life massive amounts of connections are being made in the brain and synapses are being formed at a very fast rate.  Synapses are the structures in the brain that allow neurons to pass messages from one cell to the next.  Every action we make is capable only because of this process and infancy marks a “critical period” where the brain does its own type of pruning in a sense.  Synapses are being formed rapidly, but if neural connections aren’t made, then no messages will pass through that synapse and the brain will mark it as useless. (Huttenlocher)  As far as the brain is concerned, “you use it or lose it.”  

Your child takes in the world around them through a combination of sensory and motor experiences and it is important for you to give them as much stimulation as possible because connections that do not get made early enough will be lost forever.  Naturally, with so much going on in that brain it is important for parents to create the best possible environment for their infants to promote the stimulation necessary to fuel their child’s cognitive development. (Sloane)  But how exactly does one go about creating an environment for their child that will be successful and effective?  I have listed here a few easy steps you can take as parents to create a great environment for your children.

1.       Be emotionally and verbally responsive.

Simply talking to your child can do wonders, and even if they might not understand you yet, they are taking in every single thing you do.  Smile at your baby and show an active interest in their emotions and expressions.

2.       Engage in play with your child.

Don’t be afraid to be silly!  Play peek-a-boo, crawl around on the floor, and make funny faces.  Your baby will benefit from it, and so will you.

3.       Encourage your child to explore their environment.

Babies love to get into everything, and it can be very tempting at times to constantly tell them no and pull them away, but simply try to safe-proof the house a little bit, and actually let them explore the environment around them.

4.       Provide a variety of safe and appropriate play materials.

Children learn through their senses and experiences, so providing plenty of materials they can touch and manipulate is a great thing to do.  Anything coming in sets of different colors and sizes is a good option to choose.   Just make sure nothing is too small to avoid a choking hazard. 

5.       Read to your child often.

Infancy is a critical time for the acquisition of language, and all those sounds they hear you making, they’ll start to imitate themselves.  Reading to your child can help with this, and will engage your child’s mind as well.

Babies can be a little intimidating at times, but if you follow these guidelines, your baby will be well on their way to a happy and healthy life.

-Sophie

Hottenlocher, P.R (1984) Elimination and neural plasticity in human cerebral cortex, Threats to optimal development, 27, 39.

Sloan, S. Stewart, M. Dunne, L. (2010) The effect of breastfeeding and stimulation in the home on cognitive development tin one year olds, Child care in practice, 16, 102.

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