Last week I got to spend time with both of my nephews (ages 9mo and 8mo). I don’t get to see them too often since they live states away, so when I do get the opportunity to spend time with them I am quick to snatch them up for some playtime. What I would soon find out is that playtime usually involves them grabbing my face. They laugh and giggle as they do it (baby giggles = adorable), but shortly later I find myself beginning to wince and looking for his mom to pass him back to. Why you ask? Two words: finger nails.
A baby’s finger nails are perhaps the smallest vicious thing out there if gone untreated. It’s important to keep them trimmed so they don’t scratch out themselves, as well as other people who hold them.
I recently discovered an article posted by The Bump, which asks the question, “What is the best way to trim a newborn’s finger nails?” Here are some of the answers they provided:
1. Carefully, you should wait until the baby is sound asleep so that he/she will not move as much as when he/she is awake. Then, push down on the finger tip and either clip or cut the nail. Finally, use an emery board to file and smooth out any rough edges.
2. I found it hard to trim my newborns nails. I just put gloved on her hands for the first few months. Her nails didn’t grow very long. Now that she is almost 5 months old I have to trim her nails about 1-2 times a week to keep her from scratching herself and me. I put her in my lap (crossing my leg like a man) or in a cradle position and push back on the tip of her fingers to expose the nail. Then I cut them in stages since she can’t sit still for all 10 fingers.
For the full list of answers, visit The Bump website here.
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Tag Archives: baby
Go Directly to (Baby) Jail!
It looks like this time the baby can’t pass “Go” and collect $200. Like any monopoly opponent, you rejoice when the other person has to go to jail because that means you have time to own the game, or in this case, the house.
Baby jail is a great way to keep your crawling infant safe, and also free up your hands to catch up on all of the housework!
The walls are great for balance, and allows the baby to pull themselves up to stand or walk.
You can even place your baby’s favorite toys inside for play and exploration!
Here’s one I put together for my little guy. You can buy it online at Target here.
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell
Fussy Babies at Night
Just when you think it’s safe to relax and catch up on your DVR shows, the baby gets fussy and the struggles of putting him/her down to bed begin.
Have you ever wondered why babies freak out at night? Well, thanks to a great article by The Bump, we can start to solve this mysterious question.
Here are some of the reasons the article highlights as to why the baby is acting fussy. And for the full article, click here.
1. Baby is overtired – Just like how you get cranky when you’re tired, so does the baby. To prevent overtiredness, the baby needs to sleep a lot during the day — he/she should have a nap every two to two-and-a-half hours.
2. Baby needs to nurse – Some breastfed babies seem to want to feed constantly in the evenings. It’s okay to nurse the baby in what seems like back-to-back-to-back sessions; breastfed babies are virtually impossible to overfeed. The same can’t be said for formula feeding, so if you’ve just fed the baby a bottle, don’t try to “top him up” to prevent him from fussing.
3. Baby is hypersensitive – Here’s the main reason for the witching hour; the baby is hypersensitive to noises, sensations and activities going on around him/her.
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
First Foods – Peas, Carrots and Stain Stick – Oh My!
So your child is ready to start solids? Great! Pull up your rugs and stock your cabinets with baby Oxyclean – life is about to get very colorful!
Introducing solid foods is an exciting (and potentially exhausting) milestone. I’ve gone down this road twice and had two very different experiences. I’ll try to be brief because you’re likely reading this post while trying to pee and keep your child from pulling all of the toilet paper off the roll at the same time.
With my first child, I had no clue what I was doing. I felt that my pediatrician wasn’t really providing me with the kind of nutritional support I was looking for. Her recommendation was rice cereal first, then fruits and veggies, etc. Rice cereal didn’t make sense to me because it’s not particularly nutritious and it’s hard for adult bellies to digest – things that make you go hmm… So, because I didn’t have enough on my plate already (pun intended), I decided to do a little digging. I asked around, read a few books, consulted a holistic pediatrician and reached out to my friends abroad. Turns out, other cultures are feeding their children what they eat (in a mushier form) and are a lot less scientific (read: neurotic) about the feeding process altogether. I decided to give my son veggies and fruit first. So for 3-4 hours a week, I holed up in my kitchen and I did the Betty Homemaker, made from scratch purées thing. While a valiant effort on my part, I couldn’t keep up with his appetite and I was tired of the massive clean up. Make food, clean up food, diaper change, stain remover, rinse, wash, repeat. I also thought that the point was that he actually got the majority of the food I was serving in his mouth – as opposed to all over my (occasionally) washed hair and on the walls, so I made sure I was leading the charge by feeding him and making helicopter noises to get him to open his mouth. It worked – well enough, I suppose. I tried baby lead weaning – his determination to choke himself and my fear of said choking, ended that exploration rather quickly. The downside of purées (other than the labor intensive part) is that at some point you’ll have to go back to square 1 when they graduate to food that needs to be chewed! Ugh, are we there yet?! Some of you may not have entered this stage while others are thinking . . . been there, done that, got the strawberry stained t-shirt to prove it. Bear with me.
Fast forward two years and another child later – we were at the golden gates of feeding and I didn’t have the time or energy to go down the purée path again. I felt guilty that I’d done it for my son and didn’t want to “deprive” my daughter of the healthy food I’d provided him. I put on my strongest poker face and gave her whole foods and trusted (read: prayed to God) she wouldn’t choke herself. She would take larger bites than made me comfortable, but I gave her the space to explore it and sure enough she would spit out pieces that were too big to swallow. I reminded myself to keep my face neutral – if she was coughing or gagging, she wasn’t choking (I strongly suggest taking an infant/child CPR class – for safety and confidence). I had to watch her carefully, but I gave her what we were eating and I tried to give it to her in a way that she could feed herself. And here is the kicker – she did! She even figured out how to use a fork and spoon by herself and she’s only 18 months. My 3.5 year old is still struggling with this skill.
I’d love to tell you there is a one-size fits all method of feeding kids but as with everything in child rearing – that’s not the case (because that would be TOO easy!). My advice is, try to be relaxed when you start this process. Of course, consult your pediatrician if you have any concerns. Know that right now, your child is getting nourishment from breast milk or formula so take the stress off yourself to get them to consume food for that purpose early on. Your role is to provide them with what you deem as healthy food exposure – their role is to decide whether or not to eat it. Exposing our babies to foods is less about filling their bellies up so they can sleep through the night (although I hear this is a nice side effect for some, it wasn’t the case for my kids) and more about letting them explore flavors, textures and figure out “how” to eat and what is safe to swallow.
So what should you feed them you ask? From a nutrition standpoint – try to feed your kids as many whole unprocessed foods as you can. Organic is best, but not always available or affordable so check out the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, which can help you make the best decisions for your family. Life is busy – there is never enough time so don’t beat yourself up if you give your kids some processed stuff, but be cautious about the sugar and sodium content – you’d be surprised what can be in baby foods. With the advice of our holistic pediatrician, we started with orange vegetables (roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin), green vegetables (peas, broccoli, string beans), fruits (avocado, strawberries, bananas, apples, pears), meats and fish (rotisserie chicken is a great one or even the meat and veggies from chicken soup) and grains (quinoa is a fantastic source of nutrition and really easy for kids to eat). Advice regarding nuts has changed over the last year. New research indicates early exposure to trace amounts of nuts helps decrease allergies. Be sure to check with your pediatrician on the most accurate data and don’t be afraid to do research of your own – it can take a while for new studies to make it to your Dr.’s desk. Most of all, listen to your gut – mother’s intuition is a real thing. Be patient with yourself and your child – this is new for both of you. If something is not working, change it up. I knew the way I approached eating with my son wasn’t successful so I did things differently with my daughter. She eats just about everything from fish to quinoa and she makes a massive mess in the process, but she has a healthy appetite for new foods and is an independent eater. If it means I need an extra paper towel to mop it up after, well, that’s a small price to pay.
Looking for a little more guidance on feeding your family? Contact me for a free consultation at [email protected].
Happy Exploring!
Jen Khalaf
Holistic Health Coach, Thrive Hive Wellness
Follow me on Facebook: Thrive Hive Wellness
Ghouls, Ghosts, and Goblins, OH MY!
On the hunt for a perfect Halloween costume this year? Fear no more because we’ve done our research so you don’t have to!
Take a look at what category best fits you and then suit up for a fun night of trick-or-treating!
1. For the gamer
2. For the movie-buff
3. For the traditionalist
4. For the family outing
5. For the DIY-er
6. For the emoji-obsessed
7. For the youngster
8. For the tween
9. For the too old to be trick-or-treater
10. For the pup
Happy Haunting!
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
What You Need to Know About SIDS
Sorry to be a downer with this article, but we want to make sure everyone is aware of every new parents greatest fear, SIDS.
SIDS is very rare, but such a great fear because we don’t know why it happens. The best way to prevent SIDS is to have your baby sleep on his/her back. Most SIDS cases happen between one to four months, with 90% of all cases happening before six months of age.
Ways to prevent SIDS:
1. Have the baby sleep on his/her back
2. Sleep in the same room (not bed) as baby
3. Be firm about baby’s sleep spot
4. Choose baby’s bedding carefully
5. Keep baby from overheating
6. Breastfeed as much and for as long as you can
7. Stick to your doctor’s schedule
8. Avoid smoke
9. Offer a pacifier
10. Avoid baby sleeping in a car seat, swing, or stroller for long periods of time
The data for this article was from The Bump.com.
Written by our CEO & Founder, Lindsay Bell
When Your Baby Hits Their Head
When your baby falls and bumps their head, mama calls the doctor and the doctor said..
When your baby hits his/her head for the first time it is no joking matter. A wave of fear, nervousness, and helplessness overcomes you. I was out at a work meeting when I came home to my husband and baby. My baby was cheerful as usual, but then my husband looks at me intently and says “I **cked up.”
I immediately get that sinking feeling in my stomach and he goes into how the baby fell out of his swing. I remain as calm as I can and pick up my baby, analyzing his body for any bumps or bruises. He looks fine. I then call my sister who has toddler twins (that fell constantly) and asked her what she recommended. She gave me a few stories about how the girls fell and then said to call the pediatrician just in case. We make the call and the doctor calls us back within 20 minutes.
The doctor was calm and asked us for a play by play. She said the couple she spoke to prior to us had the same thing happen.
We were instructed to do the following:
1. Scope out his body for any bumps or bruises.
2. Pay special attention to the baby’s head exactly where he fell.
3. Be aware of any troubled breathing or changes in breathing patterns.
4. Be aware of any projectile vomiting.
I couldn’t hear the monitor well at night, so I slept in the nursery with the sleep machine off to hear better. I checked on him every hour or so (I couldn’t sleep anyway), and then monitored him for a full 24 hours for any changes in behavior, vomiting, or trouble breathing.
He seemed fine. In the end, I’m glad we called the doctor and I stayed in the same room as him. It gave me a piece of mind.
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell
Meet Songs for Seeds!
Songs for Seeds introduces an interactive class that encourages children (newborn to 6 years old) to sing, dance, and play along with a live, three-piece band. After being named “Best Kids’ Music Class” by New York Magazine and “Most Magical Music Class” by Red Tricycle, it’s no wonder everyone is wanting to know more about Songs for Seeds. We sat down with them for a short Q&A to learn all about their offerings. Read below, and sign your little one up for a class today!
1. What can a child and their parent(s) expect to takeaway from one of your 45-minute classes?
The biggest takeaway from our class is that it is really awesome to learn through play! Without even realizing it, the children walk away signing songs that reinforce colors, shapes, numbers, animals ad all they know is that they just had a good time! The parents walking away having just been able to enjoy themselves and their children is a relaxed, stimulating area.
2. How involved are the child’s parent(s) in each of the classes? Are they actively participating or just looking on from the sidelines? Parents/Caregivers are encouraged to participate throughout the entire class, however, it is their choice to be involved as little or as much as they want to be and feel their child wants them to be. All of the clapping, playing, dancing and questions-answer activities are designed to include a child and their adult.
3. You also make your services available for birthday parties and events. What do you provide for such events and how would someone go about hiring you?
Although we are not able to bring our roadie box (classroom setup) with us for parties or events, we do create an interactive concert. Using a lot of the songs/activities from class, we are able to engage them children with instruments, scarves, magic and of course, play! A quick inquiry e-mail to [email protected] OR a phone call (646-820-9916) is all it will take the get the conversation going and book your party or event.
4. For the moms and dads wanting to sign their little one up for a class, how do they get started?
Head to our website! You can find all schedules, classes, and pricing information directly on our site. You can also call me, Courtney Fischer-Karasin, directly 646-820-9916. We are so excited to share this AMAZING program with all of the little seedlings of Fairfield County!
Written by our Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, Taylor Bell
Wee Ones Club to the Rescue
Have an infant and already worrying about being cooped up in your apartment all winter log?
If you live near Midtown East, sign up for a trial at Wee Ones, and hop into their Turtles and Tadpoles class!
It’s a quaint, clean space with what seems like very happy teachers. My son and I went on a trial pass and it was a great experience! My son is 5 months and was the youngest baby in the room. The class is for 4 to 14-month-olds, which is quite a large span. The class started with introductions followed by “tumbling” time; one baby at a time participated, while the others sat and watched. After this, there were sing-alongs, a short playtime, a puppet show of sorts, and a very colorful parachute ending.
This is their youngest class offering designed to introduce and develop skills for children who are not yet walking. Curriculum is carefully designed to explore all developmental domains of our youngest members and includes music, gentle movement, basic sign language, tumbling, parachute, and bubbles. Class structure supports language, social emotional, physical and cognitive development.
The trial was $15, and you can sign up for a semester class which comes out to approimately $50 per class at 50 minutes per session.
I found the class on Kid Central Station. It was easy to find and easy to book!
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell
The Four Month Sleep Regression
My just then turned four month old was ‘the man’ when it came to sleeping through the night. Since he reached three months old he was sleeping 7-8 hours at a time. Then, it was time for him to move to his big boy bedroom and transition from rock n’ play to the crib.
He took to the crib after a few days, but then suddenly he started waking up every 2-3 hours. WHAT?!?!
Apparently, this is what experts call the “four month sleep regression.” This article from Alpha Mom is spot on with my experience!
The four month sleep regression can start as early as three months or as late as five (or even six) months. It happens for a bunch of reasons:
1) A simultaneous growth and developmental spurt.
2) Changes in sleep patterns — around four months a baby’s sleep gets more like ours.
3) Changes in sleep needs — as if there wasn’t enough going on, the baby is probably in the middle of a nap transition, too. This means they are close to eliminating one.
My son is now five months old and worked his way out of the regression – it lasted about a week. Heads up to all of those new moms out there!
Written by our Founder & CEO, Lindsay Bell