Kangaroo care, also called skin-to-skin, is a wonderful way to be close to your baby. It means holding your diapered baby on your bare chest (if you're the father) or between your breasts (if you're the mother). Be sure to put a blanket over your baby's back to keep him warm. Kangaroo care is great for you and your baby. 

Kangaroo care may help your baby:

• Keep his body warm
• Keep his heart and breathing regular
• Gain weight
• Spend more time in deep sleep
• Spend more time being quiet when awake and less time crying
• Have a better chance of being able to breastfeed

Kangaroo care may help you: 

• Make more breast milk
• Reduce your stress
• Feel close to your baby

Kangaroo care has emotional benefits for you, too. It builds your confidence as you provide intimate care that can improve your baby's health and well being. You are giving something special to your baby that only you can give. By holding your baby skin-to-skin, you will feel the experience of new parenthood and closeness to your baby. Kangaroo care is healing in many ways, for both you and your baby. 

To continue reading and see similar articles please click on the link: 
http://www.marchofdimes.org/baby/kangaroo-care.aspx

Author: Elizabeth Grace 

Updated: 2 October 2012 

Q. My son will be 3 in 2 weeks' time. He has been assessed by a developmental paediatrician who diagnosed him with severe speech delay. He has been undergoing speech therapy for 6 months, and we have noticed no improvement. He doesn't say Daddy or Mummy, doesn't call anyone by their names, knows a few words such as "car", "good bye", "good boy". He is extremely affectionate and cheerful, loves company (both adults and children) has good eye contact and clearly a sense of humour.

We are at a loss to know why he's not talking (hearing was tested and apparently ok). He is growing increasingly fustrated by his lack of speech and though he loves his nursery, they admitted he is very much behind his peers, development wise. What else can we do to help him please? What could be the causes of his lack of speech?

(Miss Muriel Minvielle, 16 December 2008)

A. I congratulate you on taking such an active interest in your son’s development—your continued involvement is sure to help him to reach his fullest potential! As you know, children develop at their own rates, with very few following a ‘textbook’ pattern, so while your son is considered delayed in his speech, he very well may catch up to his peers and learn to better communicate verbally, relieving your current worries.

Speech delays can sometimes be the result of oral impairments--physical difficulties with the tongue or palate--but since your son was examined by a developmental paediatrician, I doubt that these issues apply to him. Since you’ve already ruled out hearing problems, a common cause of speech delay in young children, and your son is working with a speech therapist, it may be beneficial to focus on the things that are going well, rather than those that are worrisome.

Your son is affectionate, social and has an age-appropriate appreciation for humour, all of which indicate that he is unlikely to suffer from any type of emotional disorder that would explain his limited speech abilities. That’s certainly good news.

One thing that developmental experts stress is that speech is only a portion of overall language development. Language, in the broad sense, encompasses verbal, non-verbal, and written communication as ways of expressing and receiving information. Your son does have a few words, which indicates that he is physically capable of speech, and you did not indicate that he has other notable delays, so I am assuming that he is able to understand and process the verbal cues that he gets from others. For example, if you were to ask him to get his jacket and shoes, he is able to comply.

There are a few steps that you can take at home to encourage your son’s verbal development. One of the most basic is simply to talk to him—a lot. Use descriptive language whenever possible and be patient as he tries to communicate with you.

To keep reading please click on the link: http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk/what-causes-speech-delay-children.html

You're not finished eating for two quite yet — here's how to get the right nutrition to provide your baby with a liquid lunch (and breakfast, and dinner, and snacks…)


It's the couch potato's dream — burning up the calories of a five-mile run without leaving your lounge chair. And guess what? That dream is your reality now that you're breastfeeding your little tater tot. It's true — milk production burns 500 calories a day, which means that when you're breastfeeding, you'll get to eat an extra 500 calories a day (up from your pre-pregnancy numbers) to meet that need — just one of the many benefits of breastfeeding. 
  
Hello, potato chips? Not exactly. Quality matters as much as quantity, especially if you expect to stay vertical during those long postpartum days (and even longer nights). The good news is that you're an old pro at eating well — what with all the practice you've had for the past nine months during your pregnancy. The even better news is that eating well while breastfeeding is very much like eating well while expecting (see The Pregnancy Diet), with (best news of all) slightly more relaxed rules. You'll still be aiming for plenty of healthy foods and steering clear of the less healthy ones (though there's more leeway for indulgences). Plus, while calories definitely count, you still won't need to count them — just follow the Breastfeeding Diet as best you can: 
  
What to eat. Like eating well during pregnancy, eating well while breastfeeding entails getting the right balance of good (and good for you) food. Try to get the following each day:

• Protein: three servings
• Calcium: five servings (that's an increase from your pregnancy requirement of four)
• Iron-rich foods: one or more servings
• Vitamin C: two servings
• Green leafy and yellow vegetables, yellow fruits: three to four servings
• Other fruits and veggies: one or more servings
• Whole-grain and other concentrated complex carbohydrates: three or more servings
• High-fat foods: small amounts — you don't need as much as you did during pregnancy
• Eight cups of water, juice, or other noncaffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages
• DHA-rich foods to promote baby's brain growth (look for it in wild salmon and sardines, as well as DHA-enriched eggs)
• Prenatal vitamin daily 

What not to eat. Here's the great news: When you're breastfeeding, there's a lot more that can be on the menu than off. But (and here's the less great news), with caveats. It's fine to pop open the cork on that pinot noir you've been pining for (or flip the top on that ale you've been aching for) — but within limits (a couple of glasses a week, preferably taken right after you nurse, rather than before, to allow a couple of hours for the alcohol to metabolize and for far less to reach your baby — use Milkscreen to check the alcohol levels in your milk). Time to pick up your coffee habit where you left off? Depends on how hefty your habit was — more than a cup or two of joe can make junior jittery (and keep you both from getting any sleep). As for safe foods after pregnancy, it's okay to reel in the sushi again, although you should continue to avoid high-mercury fish such as shark, tilefish, and mackerel, and to limit those that may contain moderate amounts of that heavy metal. (See Pregnancy and Fish.) 
  
To continue reading please click on the link: http://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-diet.aspx

Responsive relationships with consistent primary caregivers help build positive attachments that support healthy social-emotional development. These relationships form the foundation of mental health for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

"Infant mental health" is defined as the healthy social and emotional development of a child from birth to 3 years; and a growing field of research and practice devoted to the:

• Promotion of healthy social and emotional development;
• Prevention of mental health problems; and
• Treatment of the mental health problems of very young children in the context of their families.1

During the experiment, an infant and a parent interact playfully before the parent suddenly stops responding and looks away. After a short period, the parent reengages with the infant. The infant’s reaction to a suddenly unresponsive parent and his or her behavior when the parent resumes interaction, have been used to study many aspects of early social and emotional development.

Click on the link to read more and watch a video on the importance of connecting with babies and toddlers.

http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/early-childhood-mental-health/

Active toddlers need naps -- even if yours shows signs of giving up those precious daily dozes. Here's how to keep her happily bagging some extra z's.

By Nitza Wilon from Parents Magazine

Exactly one week after their second birthday, Paul Goodian's twins gave him a Sunday- afternoon surprise. "I had just put Carrie and Eric down for their nap and was settling in for some quiet time of my own," says the Livingston, New Jersey, father, "when two excited voices behind me squealed, 'Hello, Daddy!' "

The twins had climbed out of their cribs and made their way downstairs for a visit. "I put them back to bed but wondered if their great escape meant that they didn't need their afternoon nap anymore," says Goodian.

Not at all, say experts. Although at around 18 months, toddlers typically go from two naps a day to one, napping is still vital to their health and well-being. In fact, experts recommend that 2-to 3-year-olds get 10 to 12 hours of sleep during the night, with an additional 1 to 2 hours of shut-eye during the day.

"Toddlers are going through a marathon of development," says Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at St. Joseph's University, in Philadelphia. "So much is happening intellectually and physically. Sleep is the only way they can restore themselves and keep up the pace." In fact, according to sleep expert Marc Weissbluth, M.D., author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Children (Ballantine, 1999), naps facilitate your toddler's cognitive development. "Research has found that cortisol, a hormone that increases with stress, falls dramatically during a nap," says Dr. Weissbluth. "As a result, your toddler awakens happier, more alert, and better prepared to learn about and explore his world."

Greg Prazar, M.D., a developmental and behavioral pediatrician in Exeter, New Hampshire, notes another good reason to keep your toddler napping. "Naps are actually a learning opportunity," says Dr. Prazar. "When he takes a nap, your toddler gets some time alone to learn how to soothe or even entertain himself."

To make the most of toddler naps, Dr. Mindell recommends that your child settle down at the same time and in the same place each day; try not to let him sleep in the car or stroller, which could disrupt his nap schedule. And don't worry if your child's schedule is different from his friend's. "Your toddler may nap twice a day for an hour or take the occasional three-hour snooze," says Dr. Mindell. "It all depends on your child's individual needs."

Two-year-olds are often ready to relax after lunch, so read your child a story and settle her down in a quiet, dark room. Remember, however, that you are dealing with a willful toddler; like so many aspects of this age, napping may require some negotiation. Here, some typical toddler naptime hassles and how to solve them.

Nap Sacking
Two-year-olds are very busy people -- so busy that they often balk at the idea of breaking for a snooze. "If your child is refusing to nap because she says she's not sleepy, make sure she still gets some quiet time," says Claire Lerner, L.C.S.W., a child-development specialist at Zero To Three, a Washington, D.C., organization that promotes the health and welfare of young children. To help your toddler get some rest, lay her down quietly with a book or turn on gentle music. "It's not as restorative as sleep, but at least the routine is maintained and your child gets some much-needed rest," says Lerner.

Late Napping
Temporary changes in routine, such as a family vacation, can push naptime to late afternoon, which in turn can move back his bedtime to an undesirably late hour. According to Richard Ferber, M.D., director of the sleep study center at Children's Hospital, in Boston, and the author of Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems (Fireside, 1986), the way to get your child back on track is to keep the gap of time between nap- and bedtime unchanged. So gradually move up your child's naptime, starting with just 10 or 15 minutes a day. In a few weeks, both naptime and bedtime should be consistently earlier.

Day-Care Distress
If you've just placed your 2-year-old in day care, she may find napping in a new location difficult. "To help your child sleep better at the center, assist her in finding a comfortable spot and bring along a lovey to remind her of home," says Dr. Mindell. Let your caregiver know your home napping rituals to make the transition smoother.

To continue reading a see more ideas please click here: http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/sleep/naps/how-to-help-your-toddler-nap/?page=5

The totally legitimate reasons your animal child just threw spaghetti in your face.

By Melinda Wenner Moyer

Last month, I discovered (and then nearly peed in my pants as a result of) comedian Jason Good’s blog post 46 Reasons My Three Year Old Might Be Freaking Out. (The first three possibilities: His sock is on wrong. His lip tastes salty. His shirt has a tag on it.) After exchanging a few comments on Facebook about it with a friend, she privately messaged me, frustrated with and concerned about her 18-month-old. “It's like all of a sudden in the last three weeks, she's turned into this tantrum ball and I never know what's going to set her off,” she wrote. “I'm living with a baby land mine!”



Me too. What is it with toddlers and losing their minds all the time? Is it normal that my son wails if his shirt sleeve isn’t all the way down, loves the bathtub one day but hates it the next, and manically screams “MINE!” two seconds after handing our dog a ball?


Yes, thankfully. And it’s not only normal, but reasonable. As five experts on child psychology recently explained to me, toddlers’ irrational behaviors are a totally understandable reflection of their inner turmoil and frustrations. In sum, their world is turning upside down and they don’t yet have the skills to handle it. Tantrums don’t mean your kid is a spoiled brat or needs therapy; tantrums mean he is normal.


The toddler life is not actually as cushy as it seems. Sure, I’d like 12 hours of sleep a night and all my meals prepared for me, thanks. But 2-year-olds are also going through a hellish personal crisis: They have just learned how to walk and use tools, so they really want to explore the world; at the same time, they are terrified of what that world contains and constantly fearful that their parents, whom they love and trust to a terrifying degree, will suddenly abandon them. Oh, and those same parents? They’re suddenly barking “no” all the time, seemingly just for fun. What the hell?


It’s no coincidence that kids start having tantrums around the time that parents start enforcing rules. When you say no, sweetie, you can’t have that butcher knife, your 20-month-old has no idea that you are depriving her of this awesomely shiny contraption for her own safety. “Since it’s the parent, whom they rely on for everything, who is taking it away, it’s perceived as a withdrawal of love, essentially,” says Alicia Lieberman, a professor of Infant Mental Health at the University of California-San Francisco and author of The Emotional Life of the Toddler. “They don’t know your reasoning. They just know that something they were getting great pleasure from, all of a sudden, you are taking away.” The pain that this causes, Lieberman says, is similar to what we might feel if our spouse betrays or cheats on us.


As adults, we (usually) don’t (audibly) freak out when we don’t get what we want or when somebody makes us mad because we can talk ourselves down. We can identify and label the emotion we’re feeling, which, research suggests, goes a long way toward quelling and controlling it. Our ability to label feelings stems in part from our excellent language skills, which young toddlers don’t have yet. Also thanks to language, as adults we can confront the people who are upsetting us and suggest solutions. My 22-month-old, though now very adept at informing me of his need for milk, doesn’t manage complex negotiations so well. His first response to frustration is generally to grab the nearest object and throw it across the room, which makes sense considering that his gross motor skills are among his strongest assets. If the only tool you have is an arm, you tend to see every problem as a potential projectile.


Another reality of the toddler brain: The frontal lobe, which is responsible for planning, logic, reasoning, working memory and self-control, is vastly underdeveloped. Because of this, “toddlers are really living in the moment, not thinking about consequences,” explains developmental psychologist Nancy McElwain, who runs the Children’s Social Development Lab at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There’s no voice in their head saying, hmm, maybe it’s not a good idea to throw my lovie in the toilet (too bad, because lovie got very wet in our house last week).


A semifunctional frontal lobe also means that toddlers have practically no sense of time and patience and therefore “experience wanting as needing,” Lieberman says—i.e., when they want a chicken nugget, they really, really need it NOW! They can also have a skewed sense of cause-and-effect, developing a paralyzing fear of the bathtub because what if they go down the drain, too? Finally, let’s not forget the importance of experience when it comes to handling challenges appropriately, says developmental psychologist Claire Kopp, co-author of Socioemotional Development in the Toddler Years. The 2-year-old, she says, simply doesn’t have any experiences to draw from.


If it sounds like I’m characterizing your beautiful, special, way-above-average toddler as animal-like, that’s because I am. Pediatrician Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block, calls toddlers “little cavemen.” “That is not meant to be derogatory, but meant to set the frame of reference for parents,” he explained to me. “It takes years to socialize our little toddlers, so it’s important for parents to cut themselves some slack. Don’t feel you’re a terrible parent because they smeared jam all over the walls.” (This is not to say that toddlers don’t also love organization and routine; they do. My son lines his toy cars up in a row every day, probably because he’s trying to build some order into his chaotic, confusing life. And his sleeve-down requirements may stem from a desire for consistency.)


The caveman analogy helps to explain yet another issue plaguing toddlers, Karp says: They are very understimulated. Little cavemen (and here I’m talking about the real ones) spent their days very differently than kids do today. “It was a sensory-rich environment: smells, the fresh air, shadows, birds, grass under your feet. Today, we put our little kids in houses and apartments with flat floors, flat walls, ceilings, and not too many chickens, and we think that’s normal,” Karp explains. “It is hard to spend all day with a 2-year-old, and they don’t really want to spend all day with you anyway.”

To continue reading please click on the link: http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2013/02/why_does_my_kid_freak_out_the_science_behind_toddler_tantrums.html