Children Archives - Page 3 of 33

How to Take Care Of A Newborn Baby

April 27, 2020 by Mandy

As a matter of fact, the first few months with the newborn baby can be overwhelming and chaotic for the first time parents. You will face all the contradicting advice from everyone about taking care of the babies. The final decision is up to you on deciding what advice to follow. Taking care of the newborn baby can be really baffling. It is challenging and exhausting at the same time.

Here are some of the newborn baby care tips that you can follow to take care of the infants –

Feeding

This is an essential newborn baby care tip that you need to follow. The most important thing to be kept in mind is to feed the baby on time. A newborn baby or an infant has to be fed every 2 to 3 hours. It means that you need to feed the baby for around 8 to 12 times a day. You must only feed breast milk to the baby for the first six months of life. This is because breast milk consists of vital nutrients and antibodies which are required for the babies growth and survival. Nurse the baby for at least 10 minutes. Hold the breast near the baby’s lips until he or she latches on its family and starts sucking.

Burping

After feeding, comes burping. Baby needs to be burped. Most of the time it happens that babies swallow the air while feeding which might cause gas and colic in the tummies. As per the burping experts, this excess air leads to digestion problems or spit-ups in the baby. So, all you need to do is generally hold the baby against the chest with one hand and chin resting on your shoulder. Stroke the back of the baby very gently until he or she burps. This is an essential step to the newborn baby care process.

Holding

There is a way of holding the babies as well. It is very important to maintain that you are supporting the head and neck of the baby while holding it. This is because the neck muscles are not very strong enough to hold up independently. The backbone is still growing and must be taken care of. So, always pay attention to the neck and head supporting the baby while taking care of it.

Cord Stump Care

It is a must for the new parents not to bathe the babies for 2-3 weeks. Instead of bathing, you can give a baby a sponge bath or something with a wet towel or lukewarm water. Keep the navel area of the baby clean and dry. Clean and sanitize your hands before handling the navel area. If you want to clean the baby, use a damp cloth or absorbent cloth. Look out for the signs of an infection near the cord stump area. If there is any swelling, redness, is smelly discharge or bleeding in the naval area, take the baby to the pediatrician.

Diapering

It is very important for the new parents to change the diaper as frequently as possible while taking care of the newborn baby right after the delivery. If the baby is getting sufficient breast milk for the formula suggested by the doctor, he or she will wet at least 6 to 8 hours a day with regular feeding of the breast milk. You can also change at 10 times a day depending on the wetness and bowel movements. If you want to change a dirty diaper, you must purchase a changing sheet, diaper wipes, baby powder, diaper rash cream, and some fresh style diapers. In order to prevent uterus infection or anything like that, you must clean the baby from front to back then back to front. Let the babies remain without diapers for a few hours every day.

Bathing

Bathing a newborn baby is a very cautious task. You should start by bathing your baby around 2 to 3 times a week soon after the main umbilical cord stump heals and fades off. Make sure that you have the bathing supplies before you take your baby for a bath. Make sure the bath time is just before bedtime because it helps the babies in sleeping more peacefully. You must buy some of the essential bath commodities like a bathtub, lukewarm water body wash, baby soaps, wash clothes and soft towels, baby lotion, baby creams, and so on. Ensure that you have the best clothes for newborn babies for dressing them in the best attire. It is a must for every parent to make their little angels look special at all the events.

Conclusion

In this way, you can learn very easily how to take care of a newborn baby. The new parents should take some help from friends and family members as well so that they can rest and take care of themselves too. The first time parents are quite confused about many aspects of newborn baby care and it is natural. All the steps will help you in taking care of the newborn baby in the best possible manner.

Happy Caring!

BREASTFEEDING TIPS FOR NEW MOMS

April 22, 2020 by Mandy

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Feeding your little one is one of the first nurturing responsibilities for a new mother. Many women choose to breastfeed over artificial formulas to nourish their little ones with essential nutrients required for growth. However, the natural method of breastfeeding comes with a wide array of stress and worries for young mothers.

The goal is to provide your child with the nourishment he/she needs for a healthy bone structure and vigorous growth. But, it is also about ensuring that you get comfortable with breastfeeding and devise your routine. Young mothers have millions of questions about the correct methods of breastfeeding and the best way to do it.

In this article, we will walk you through some valuable tips to help guide the way.

Here, take a look:

ANTICIPATING NEEDS

As a mother, it is vital to attune yourself to your baby’s feeding desires and need. Don’t wait for the little one to cry; instead, lookout for signs that indicate that your baby wants to feed. For instance, babies open and close their mouth; they repeatedly raise their head, and even stick out their tongues. Some babies even start sucking on objects near them when they are hungry.

If you spot any of these signs, it’s time for breastfeeding. It will create a harmonious cycle where your little one will not have to struggle to capture your attention. It will create an intimate relationship between you and your child.

It is also essential to allow your baby to determine the frequency and duration of breastfeeding. Do not set a predetermined schedule and intervals between nursing. If you do that, you will deny your child the right to feed simply because of your scheduling. Many mothers have a habit of waking up sleeping babies just to feed them as per schedule. Allow them to enjoy their sleep and feed them when they’re awake.

GETTING COMFORTABLE

As a mother, your comfort is paramount in the act of breastfeeding. Be sure to invest in soft and comfortable nursing bras that offer adequate support. You also need to find a supportive sitting position, as you will be holding your baby for a considerable time duration. Uncomfortable sitting positions give birth to the horrid neck, shoulder, and backaches.

It is vital to make yourself comfortable because fidgeting, sudden movements, and squirming can disrupt breastfeeding patterns. It will increase your baby’s hunger and give birth to irritability. You can hold your baby in your arms and maintain a reclined position. Or you can comfortably lie on your side with your baby facing towards your body.

Be sure to breastfeed on a bed with lots of pillows to make you and your baby comfortable. You can also use a large couch that offers adequate support to your arms and back. These positions not set in stone. You can try any position that makes you feel more comfortable. Being attentive to your convenience will make the nursing sessions fulfilling for you and your child.

YOUR BABY CAN SENSE NERVOUSNESS

If your body is tense and nervous, your baby can sense, and it will prevent them from latching on accurately. Remember this: if you are not relaxed and comfortable, your baby will not be able to relax either. So, be sure to relax and eliminate tension from your mind before the breastfeeding session.

Naturally, if your environment is stress-inducing and chaotic, it will make you uncomfortable. Surround yourself with a peaceful and tranquil environment. Use the breastfeeding sessions to carve out some time for you and your baby to relax and unwind. You can perform some breathing exercises, visualize a delightful scenery, and look forward to bonding with your little one.

FINDING THE RIGHT POSITION

Many young mothers worry about helping their babies find the right position for breastfeeding. You see, your baby will find the correct position that is most comfortable for them. Every baby is unique and different, and there is no hard and fast rule for this. As a mother, you can ensure that your baby’s mouth leveled with your nipple.

You can make them comfortable so that they do not have to turn their head excessively. Keep the little one’s head titled slightly backward with their chin against your breast to keep the nose clear. Instead of forcing a position onto your baby, let them find their ideal place naturally.

FINAL WORDS

Being a mother brings scores of alarming changes in your body, and leaking is one of these changes. Rest assured that leaking is natural during the first few weeks of breastfeeding. Instead of being alarmed, you will have to adjust to it.

It will disappear on its own and lessen down in intensity as you and your baby continue on the breastfeeding journey. You can invest in good quality nursing pads that boost absorbent qualities to make yourself comfortable.

Here’s Why You Should Consider Catholic Education for Your Child

April 1, 2020 by Mandy

Your kids are finally approaching the age where it’s time to send them to school.

You thought of sending your little ones to the local public school but are wary.

You’ve considered homeschooling them, but there aren’t any local co-ops nearby.

So, you turn to private schools. There may be many, or few options nearby, but your biggest concern is what the possible benefits of Catholic education are.

Whether you’ve received a Catholic education or not, you are certainly wondering why Catholic schools are better than your other options.

Read on to learn why.

Benefits of Catholic Education

An important note: you do not have to be Catholic to attend or send your children to a Catholic school. This leads to the first major reason for considering Catholic education.

A Culture of Service and Respect

There is an important culture of and communal understanding of other persons, from all parts of this world which is integral to Catholic faith and education.

ALL of us are God’s children, and a Catholic education emphasizes as such.

With this in mind, consider how Catholic education, versus a public school education, encourages such respect.

This same community that teaches respect does so through more than policy but through direct acts of service.

The culture and community of respect grow from families, educators, and religious working together–directly forming children into generous persons.

Discipline and Excellence

Catholic education emphasizes academic rigor. Students are taught discipline as part of the faith, which leads to high expectations in scholastic achievement.

Students are seen as good, not simply because they follow rules, but because they were made as such. The discipline taught in Catholic schools stems from the recognition of the inner goodness of all people and then helping students behave accordingly.

Excellence naturally follows, with emphasis on both moral and academic discipline. This often leads to a clear path to college. In fact, the majority of Catholic high school graduates attend college.

An Enlightened Worldview

Through the high expectations of behavior and academic performance, the discipline instilled to achieve them, and the strong, healthy relationships, Catholic school education shows students how their goodness is part of the world.

This results in an emphasis on the arts and humanities less common in public school education–which tends to focus on results, over the quality of independent performance.

In essence, these students learn to see true goodness, in the Catholic, classical sense of goodness, in everyone and everything around them. These are the benefits of a Catholic education from Notre Dame Academy.

Is Catholic School Worth It?

The benefits of Catholic education listed above should be evidence enough, but one last concrete note to consider: on average, Catholic schools are far less costly than other private education.

You’re also investing in more than your child’s academic future, but that of their entire well-being when you choose Catholic education.

Furthermore, the majority of Catholic schools also include financial aid, in light of the necessity of Catholic education.

When you determine the worth of your child’s future, don’t stop at whether they’re academically equipped for this world, but if they’re ready for the emotional and spiritual demands, too.

The Ultimate Soccer Mom Success Guide: How to Be the Best in 10 Steps

January 13, 2020 by Mandy

So your child is into soccer? Now the pressure is on.

You want to show your child and their team as much support as you can as a soccer mom. Being the best soccer mom you can be is all about patience, persistence, and good planning.

This article will outline 10 steps to soccer mom glory.

Buy a Calendar

Children’s soccer is an intense thing to schedule. There are games, practices, and socials to consider. You want to start a calendar so you can mark down what lies ahead of you this season.

This way you won’t schedule any dental appointments during a tournament, or forget when it’s your turn to bring snacks.

Practice at Home

If you want your child to succeed at soccer, you can’t just let them be lazy at home. You should be running drills with your child on off days as well.

Fun ideas for soccer practice will include high energy games to keep your child interested. Invite neighborhood kids so your child has new people to play with.

Bring Nutritious Snacks

It is typical that soccer parents switch off who brings snacks every week.

When it’s your turn, make sure to pack snacks that have nutritious value. Junk food might taste good to the kids, but it will make them sluggish on the field.

Bring foods that have a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Granola bars, oranges, bananas, and fresh-made muffins are good options.

Keep Your Kid Hydrated

Hydration is key for optimal athletic performance. Keep your child hydrated by making sure the drink at least 8 hours of water per day. This number should be even higher when it’s hot outside or on game days.

Water should be your child’s number one beverage. They should avoid caffeine and sugary drinks as these can actually make them more thirsty.

One Gatorade after a game to replace electrolytes is acceptable.

Teach them Sportsmanship

Your child can’t possibly win every game. When they lose they will be looking to you for a reaction. It’s important to teach them that winning isn’t everything.

Lead by example by being a gracious loser. Shake the hands of the parents on the winning team. Remind your child that winning a soccer game isn’t everything. Winning a soccer game isn’t as important as making quality friends and playing with integrity.

Celebrate Either Way

Sure, it’s fun to visit a nice restaurant after a win, but it’s equally important to celebrate losses sometimes. Your child might need a pick me up even more after they lose a soccer game.

Taking them to get ice cream after reminds them that life goes on after setbacks.

Stay Active

It’s going to be difficult to be a soccer mom if you’re huffing and puffing walking out onto the field.

In order to be the best mom you can be, you need to get in shape yourself. Join a gym and start working on developing cardiovascular strength and muscles. Build a foundation for yourself by doing cardio three times a week and strength training two times a week.

If you are new to exercise and want to be able to run across the soccer field with your kid, try a running program like Couch Potato to 5k. During Couch Potato to 5k, you slowly progress from short running intervals to being able to run a full thirty minutes.

Running is one of the most important skills a soccer mom can have.

Bond With the Other Parents

Being a soccer mom is a social activity.

Much of your time is going to be spent on the sidelines watching your kids play.

This is the perfect time to build relationships with the other moms on the field. Getting to know the other moms will build bridges for your child to have more social interactions.

Once you trust the other parents, your child can have sleepovers and spend more time with other kids on the team.

Plus you being social teaches your child appropriate social cues. Remember they’re always watching your behavior, so keep any resentment to yourself and off the soccer field.

Bring Balance To Your Child’s Life

Remember that soccer is just one element of your child’s life. They also have school, friends, and hobbies to juggle.

Don’t let them become so obsessed with soccer that they neglect their academics. Teach them about priorities early by not letting them practice until their homework is done.

Place soccer lower on their totem pole then homework, friends, and family.

Set Early BedTimes

Soccer is an extremely physically exhausting sport.

Your child needs to be getting extra rest to make up for all the running their doing.

Encourage this by setting early bedtimes for your child. Set the time early enough so they’re getting 9-12 hours of sleep each night.

The amount of sleep your child needs will depend on their age as well.

You Now Know How To Be the Best Soccer Mom

Being a great soccer mom isn’t too much different from being a great mom in general.

It’s all about patience and listening to your child. If they feel too sick to play one day, listen to their needs. Allow them to take soccer at their own pace.

Remember to set an example for your child by being fit, active, social, and full of good sportsmanship. The soccer field could be the place they pick up valuable life lessons for other aspects of their life.

Check out more of our parenting articles for further advice on being an amazing mom.

How to Motivate Kids to Do Well in School: A Guide for Parents

January 13, 2020 by Mandy

When it comes to our children we can all agree that we want them to do their best in school – right? Have you been struggling with an unmotivated child lately? If you have been looking for different ideas on how to motivate kids to do well in school, you are in the right place!

Keep reading to learn some tips to help you out.

Positive Relationship

An important part of helping your child stay motivated in school and in life is to be the most influential person in their life. A great way to be their biggest influence is by maintaining a positive relationship with them. You want a relationship that is respectful, positive, and open.

If you try the opposite which is threatening them, punishing them, and manipulating them to get what you want will backfire. It might seem to work at first but it will hurt your relationship with your child and will not help motivate them to do good in school.

Reacting out of emotions when your child is not doing good in school will be ineffective. They are more than likely not doing this on purpose, kids typically want to make their parents happy and proud.

Instead of getting angry and reacting remind yourself that your child is just not there yet and your job is to teach them how to be responsible when it comes to their responsibilities.

Positive Reinforcement

Kids do well when they have positive reinforcement. This does not mean buying them a ton of toys every time they do well in a quiz, exam, or report card. Kids also do well with social reinforcers.

This can be with high fives, hugs, praises, etc. Those social reinforcers feel good to them and they will continue to do well looking for those good feelings again.

You can also use simple experience reinforcements as well. For example, taking them out for ice cream, or buying their favorite candy bar and sharing it.

Reward Their Efforts

Sometimes we think that rewarding only the outcomes is best but kids do well when their efforts are noticed. When you reward their efforts you are sending out the message to them that you are respectful of their hard work.

When a child is still pushing through a difficult class, assignment, project, etc praise them for not giving up. Remind them of how strong they are for still following through on their duties even when things get difficult for them.

You can reward them gifts related to learning like a trip to a cultural museum if they’re into history or a microscope if they’re into science. These things would not only make them happy, but also improve their learning experience. Make sure before investing in such gifts you research the best way find them such as a search in Google for how to buy a microscope or “the best museums in my area”.

Mistakes Happen

No one is able to get perfect A’s or 100 on every exam and assignment. Let your kids make mistakes and instead of frowning upon them when they do not get that perfect A, remind them that mistakes happen. It’s healthy for them to learn from those mistakes and give them tips on how to not make that mistake next time.

Stay in the Know

Make sure that you know what is going on at your child’s school. You want to make sure that you check their website to know all of the events, days off, testing dates, and even their school lunches.

When your child knows that you are aware of what is happening in their school they are more than likely going to be motivated to do well. Knowing things such as when the next fair or school dance is will mean more than you know. They will know that you care enough to be in the know even if you have a million other things going on.

Designated Study Spot

Having a place where your child goes every day to sit down and is made for them might help motivate them. Include them in the design of their study area. He/she might need a place that they call their own in order to concentrate and a place where you can come sit with them to help them with their assignments.

Offer your child help. Sometimes all they need is to know that you are there in case they need help or get stuck. This will help motivate them to complete an assignment even if they think it’s difficult.

Get Involved

Volunteer at your child’s school to show your child that you are interested in their education. Typically kids like to see their parents involved in school events or even like seeing them at their school.

Make sure that as your child gets older you pay attention to their cues. They might not want you around their school activities as much as before. If they seem uncomfortable with your presence then maybe it’s time to be more behind the scenes.

You want to reassure them that you are not there to spy on them but instead, you are there to help out the school community. Maybe something like a summer math camp is perfect to give them a sense of independence as they get older.

Now You Know How to Motivate Kids When It Pertains to School

Hopefully, you now feel confident about how to motivate kids to do well in school. You as their parent want them to feel confident in their ability to perform well and bring home good grades. The tips above are a great starting point to help you with keeping them motivated.

Do not forget that only you know what is best for your child. Use what you know will work best and make sure that you build that strong relationship so that you will have their respect and attention for years to come.

Did you find this article helpful? Come back soon for more great tips!