If you have a son, you had to decide if you wanted to have him circumcised or not. If your little boy is uncircumcised, you might wonder if there is any special care involved.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to keep the area clean. Properly cleaning a penis may not have been something you were concerned about in the past. But being a mom means you think about things you might not have considered before.

If you chose not to have your son circumcised, it means the foreskin covers the glans or head of the penis. Although the foreskin is fully attached to the glans at birth, it will slowly separate as your baby grows up. The skin may start retracting when your little guy is a toddler. But it may take until puberty or beyond for the natural separation to fully occur.

For now, you just need to wash your baby’s private parts with soap and water during each bath. There is no need for any special cleaning procedures, such as using cotton swaps or antiseptics. Just remember your baby’s skin is sensitive so treat the foreskin gently.

It’s important to understand you should never forcibly retract the foreskin. Forcing the foreskin back will not only hurt your baby, but it also can cause bleeding and even damage his penis.

When you’re giving your baby a bath, you only need to wash the outside of your baby’s genitals. You don’t have to clean the inner fold of the foreskin. In fact, a good rule to follow is only clean what can be seen.

Although it is uncommon, the hole in the foreskin can be too small to allow for a normal stream of urine. If your baby seems to have pain when he pees or if his urine only trickles out, talk to your pediatrician.

Occasionally the foreskin can become red and inflamed. When this occurs, it is usually due to a fungal infection. If the foreskin becomes red or swollen, call your son’s doctor. An antifungal cream may be prescribed.

Although you don’t have to worry about it now, when your son gets older, you or dad can explain how to maintain proper hygiene as the skin retracts. Your son should be taught how to gently pull the foreskin back and clean beneath it with soap and water.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Did you know that when your baby was born, he or she was already able to recognize your voice? That’s right, all those months in utero, they were committing your voice to memory, and research now tells us that it is one of the first things your baby will recognize at birth. Little ones intentionally turn their heads to mom and dad’s voice within moments of entering the world.

This type of initial baby memory is called recognition memory. It’s what allows them to recognize things after a short delay, and it is the type of memory your baby will also employ to start remembering your face in the months to come.

Still, it’s pretty much going to be the full extent of your baby’s memory until about 9 months of age. He or she will recognize things and people they are exposed to frequently, but not much else. Baby memory is kind of limited that way.

Around 9 months, your baby will start to develop recall memory. With this type of memory, your little one will begin storing information away that he or she can act upon later. For instance, if you always keep a specific toy in a specific room, your baby will start to remember that and look for the toy when he or she is there. They will also use this type of memory to start with simple problem solving, like remembering that a cupboard can be opened or that clapping makes a noise.

Long-lasting conscious memory, what you or I rely on to retain most of the information we use, won’t develop for your little one until between fourteen and eighteen months of age. Not coincidentally, this will also be when your baby’s language skills start to develop at a greater rate. He or she will start to have favorites—favorite books, favorite songs, favorite games—and will remember people and places that they haven’t seen in several weeks or months.

Even with the development of that long-lasting conscious memory, though, your baby probably won’t start to have any memories that stick through to adulthood until around preschool age. This varies for every child, of course, but try to think back to your own first memory—when was it? For most people, those earliest memories occurred somewhere between 3 and 5 years old, and the same will probably be true for your little one.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to make lasting memories just yet, though. Even if your baby doesn’t retain the memories of the fun things you do together, new and engaging activities will be great for brain development and social connectivity.

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

There are lots of stereotypes out there about how birth order affects personality. Firstborns are said to be quiet and well-behaved, they’re pretty much blamed for tricking the parents into daring to have another assuming the next one would be just as placid. Younger siblings are said to be assertive, they know what they want and they’re not afraid to demand it. They’re about as different as first children can be. And as for the middle-child, well, they’re supposed to spend life feeling well and truly left out. But is there any truth in the stereotypes?

Does birth order affect personality?

Numerous research studies have been carried out to determine whether birth order affects personality and the results are varied. Though it was once accepted as common knowledge that birth order would play some part in determining your personality, recent studies have disproved this theory. A 2015 study concluded that birth order had little impact on personality outside of intellect.

Older children consistently score higher on IQ tests, this is thought to be because first time parents are more likely to spend time educating their child. Younger siblings tend to spend more time engaged in play with their older siblings, whereas first born children were likely to spend that time learning with parents.

Other than intellect, recent studies have not found any link between birth order and personality, so you can stop worrying about your middle child. It does make sense, however, that birth order would have some impact on the environment your child is born into even if this does not affect each child in a uniform way. A toddler with older siblings, for example, will have a very different home life than a toddler who is an older child.

Having an older sibling not only affects how you spend your time, it also means you have an important early relationship with a non-adult, which is likely to be very different to the close relationships of a child with only parents in the family. By the time a second or third child arrives, the parents are likely to be less anxious about things. Years into your parenting career, you won’t experience the same rush of terror when your child climbs the big slide. You may find your second child enjoys independence and freedom a little earlier than your first child did.

So while birth order will not necessarily impact upon your child’s personality, the home environment will. A child with older siblings will undoubtedly benefit in many ways from being part of a larger family though they miss out on those glorious first years as an only child revelling in all of the attention.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

For most parents, one reason for having another baby is to give their firstborn a sibling. You imagine them playing together as kids, sharing secrets as teenagers and leaning on each other as they grow old. Perhaps you use your own sibling relationships as inspiration, imagining the same for your child.

Unfortunately, not all kids take to being an older sibling straight away. Suddenly having to share your parents, your love and the attention that was once 100% focused on you can come as quite a shock. Don’t be disheartened if your firstborn isn’t immediately smitten with the new baby, it will come with time. In the meantime, try the following to encourage them to bond:

1. One-on-one time

It’s important to think about how the new baby’s arrival is making your firstborn feel. Imagine if your partner suddenly invited a new woman to live in your home, he spent all his time with her and expected you to be thankful that she was there. You’d feel pretty left out, wouldn’t you? Maybe even a little jealous? Well, your firstborn is feeling all of that and probably doesn’t have the skills to voice those complex feelings just yet. What your firstborn really misses is you. Before the new baby came along, your first child enjoyed plenty of one-on-one time with you, but now your energy is focused on the new baby.

Try to carve out some one-on-one time to help your firstborn feel appreciated again. It won’t be easy when you’re juggling the needs of a newborn, but you should be able to snatch at least some time each day to focus on your oldest kid. During nap times, focus your efforts on your firstborn. Let him choose what you do and just follow his lead.

2. Perfect the multitask

Having a child is a great opportunity to learn to multitask, having two children leaves you with no other options. Babies spend a lot of time feeding, sleeping and being cuddled. This will take up a lot of your day, but it doesn’t mean you can’t do anything else. Investing in a sling or wrap will leave your hands free to play games with your firstborn. The baby will sleep happily in the sling, safely tucked into your body, and your firstborn will get to enjoy having your attention. You’ll get to enjoy the superpower of taking care of two kids at once and totally nailing it, so everybody wins.

3. Accept the difficult emotions

It’s not easy to hear your firstborn say unkind or hateful things about the new baby, but it is important not to dismiss those feelings. In fact, you need to actively accept these difficult emotions of your older child in order to help him process them. You can gently agree that sometimes having a younger sibling sucks. They do spend a lot of time feeding, they do make you late for school with their badly timed explosive poops and they do cry a lot late at night. Those things suck and there’s nothing wrong with saying so. Help your child to understand his emotions by talking openly about his feelings.

4. Get the older child involved

No matter how old your firstborn is, you can get him involved in helping out with the new baby. A young toddler can pass diapers and wipes when necessary and an older child can help with cuddles and reassurance when the baby cries. As the mom to a new baby, you spend a lot of time caring for the baby, getting your firstborn involved can help show him that he has an important part to play as well. Make sure you thank him each and every time he helps out and make sure the baby thanks him too. Keep telling him what a great big brother he is and how lucky the baby is to have such a helpful brother around to look after him.

5. Be positive

Sometimes, without even realizing it, parents can be part of the problem when a firstborn rejects the new baby. Think carefully about how you talk about being a big brother. Do you make it sound like a positive or negative thing for your firstborn? Many parents unwittingly make being an older sibling seem rubbish simply by the things they say. “You’re too old for that.” “You should know better.” “He’s just a baby!”. Suddenly, being a big brother doesn’t seem so fun, does it? Be mindful about how you talk about the new baby and what it means to be a big brother. Make sure the emphasis is on fun and love, not responsibility and getting told off.

It might take a little while, but if you adopt the techniques above you should notice a change in your firstborn’s attitude. Not only will this improve your relationship with him, it will also help to create a bond between your children.

How did you handle this situation and did it work?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

These days, most birth announcements take the form of a rather excited Facebook post accompanied by a photo of your beautiful new baby. Most new parents can’t wait to show their new baby off to the world. After all, you have singlehandedly created the most beautiful and amazing person on the planet. It wouldn’t be fair to keep that to yourself now, would it?

Some parents choose to keep their kids out of the social media spotlight, preferring instead to share photographs with only close friends and family. Whether to share images of your child online is just one of the millions of decisions you need to make now you’re a parent. You may find your decision is influenced by how you use social media. If you’re a social media addict, uploading photos is probably second nature. If you’re more reserved online, you may not feel quite as comfortable uploading pics of your newborn.

Keeping Your Photos Safe Online

This is a personal decision and one that can only be made by you and your partner. Sit down and discuss your thoughts on the issue, and remember, there are some steps you can take to keep your photographs safe online:

• Privacy settings – double check the privacy settings of all of your social media accounts. Make sure that you have it set so that only approved friends can see the images you share. This will make sure you have control over who gets to see the photographs of your new baby.

• Time for a cull – before sharing photographs of your new baby online, it’s worth taking a few minutes to take a long, hard look at your friends list. Get rid of the people you don’t know or trust. Your friends list should be made up entirely of people you are happy to share the new baby photos with.

• Team effort – ask your friends and family to support you by applying the same level of scrutiny to their own social media accounts before sharing images of your baby. Or ask them not to share images of your child online altogether.

Alternatives to Social Media

If you and your partner decide that sharing photographs on social media isn’t for you, there are other ways you can share images of your newborn with friends and family. Many online photo storage sites will allow you to create albums that can be shared with friends and family members. All you need to do is email them the link to the album so they can have a gander at your beautiful newborn baby. You can also create and share eCards using our Baby App, or share your Baby Diary with friends and family via email. You could also use a free smartphone messaging service to send photos to friends and family. For those without access to smartphones or internet access, a good old fashioned set of prints delivered straight to the door will be much appreciated.

Will you be sharing photographs of your new baby online? And if so, will you be taking any steps to protect your images?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

We’ve all heard of Mommy and Me baby classes; the same ones featured on dozens of television shows and movies where new parents sit in a circle with their little ones and play alongside other new parents. There is usually music and laughing and fun. Babies love it, and Mom and Dad get a chance to socialize with other adults—win-win! But nowadays, it isn’t enough to just attend a local Mommy and Me session. No… your child has to specialize.

Kidding! There are still plenty of Mommy and Me centered classes available, just about everywhere, but there are also a lot of exciting options to consider if you want something more focused. These baby classes can be an opportunity to spend time with your child, and to help them hone skills that may be beneficial as they continue to grow!

1. Swimming: Around 6 months of age, parent-baby swimming lessons become an option. Don’t worry, no one is going to toss your little one in, but this can be a fun way to get them comfortable in the water and building upon some basic swimming techniques. Water babies love the chance to splash around with Mom and Dad, and you’ll learn tips for helping your little one to build on their swim skills.
2. Music: Most people think dedicated music lessons are for school-aged children, but most people are wrong! There are actually a lot of different options for music education starting in infancy, and that exposure can be great for brain development. By toddlerhood, little ones can even begin to recognize instruments by sound, and notes on a page.
3. Gymnastics: With a bit of research, you can probably find a handful of gyms in your local area who cater specifically to babies and toddlers, sometimes starting as early as 6 months old. These baby classes are very hands-on for parents, led by teachers who help you in keeping your little ones moving. This can be a great way to develop gross motor skills and balance, and your baby is sure to have tons of fun on the equipment available to them at baby gymnastics.
4. PEKiP: You may not have ever heard of PEKiP before, but it’s the new baby class everyone is getting excited about. Originating in Prague, infants can start this child development program as early as 6 weeks old, lasting through the first year of life. The goal is to assist in infant development through play and movement, giving parents opportunities to build upon their interactions, while also receiving lots of support and having fun along the way.

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Every single day, your little ones change and become more engaged with the world around them. Right now can be an especially fun and exciting time, because you are watching your baby’s personality develop before your very eyes. With that development, you are probably wondering how best to play with your growing baby.

Play between babies and their parents is so important, both for brain development and social awareness. Babies and young children learn through play, and you have an opportunity to help your little one feel connected and involved as you embrace their desire to engage.

But what kind of baby activities are best for your little 4 to 5 month old?

Right now, your baby is becoming much more interested in exploring his or her little world. They are becoming more physical, gaining in their ability to reach for certain objects, to focus on objects that are further away, and even to maneuver around through rolling. So activities that allow them to use those new skills can be great fun for you both! Try blowing bubbles for your baby and encouraging them to pop the bubbles that float nearby. Or place your baby on his or her belly for tummy time and lie down opposite them with a ball in between you. You can then roll the ball in front of your baby (slowly, of course) and encourage them to try to catch it.

At the same time, your baby’s other senses are developing as well. Bring a few items out of your spice cabinet and invite your little one to smell the different scents. Vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon can all be great options.

By now, your baby has probably been laughing and smiling for a while. You’ve also likely learned that there is no better sound in the world than your little one’s giggles. So work to bring more of those giggles on by playing a game of “I’m going to get you!” followed up by gentle tickles, of course! Babies love the build up of this, and the anticipation is likely to bring on just as much laughter as the actual tickles.

This Little Piggy is another game little ones love at this age. If you need a quick refresher, “This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none, and this little piggy went wee-wee-wee all the way home!” Of course, don’t forget to tickle up their bellies with that “wee-wee-wee!”

And don’t forget to keep narrating your life for your baby as well. Even when you aren’t actively engaging in baby activities, they are learning from everything you say and do!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.