Non-Toxic Cleaning

Those dust bunnies in the corner may have never bothered you before; but now that your baby has tried to eat them, you’re hoping to eradicate those untidy residents. Since your baby is crawling, and maybe even pulling himself up to stand, you’re more conscious of cleaning areas of your home that you may have neglected for a while. Take heart – some research has shown that having a too clean home can increase your child’s allergy risk.

But on a more serious note, you’ve got another worry – are the chemicals in your cleaning products maybe more harmful that the dirt itself? Ingredients that aim to deep clean and kill germs can also be irritating to baby’s delicate airway, eyes and skin (not to mention your own). Many products aren’t safety tested in any meaningful way – we just don’t know what the health effects are for many of the components of these cleaning products.

If you’re looking for a green option, consider making your own household cleaners. These cleaners get the job done with a few inexpensive ingredients. They clean as well as – if not better than – their commercial counterparts and you don’t need to worry about exposing your baby (or yourself) to harmful chemicals. Here are a few recipes to get your started:

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
In a spray bottle, mix 9 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. Add a few drops of dish soap or essential oils, if you’d like.

Furniture Polish
In a spray bottle, combine 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice or lemon essential oil.

Window Cleaner
Combine 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with on quart of warm water. Use some crumples black and white newsprint to wipe the windows. If the sun is shining, wait to clean the window to avoid streaking.

Bathroom Cleaner
Sprinkle your tub or sink with baking soda and scrub with a wet sponge, then rinse with fresh water. You can also use vinegar first to break down soap scum.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Pour 1/2 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide directly into the toilet bowl and let it stand for 20 minutes. Then just scrub clean as usual.

Fabric Softener
Consider making or buying wool dryer balls. Throw 2 or 3 into the dryer with your clothes to soften fabrics naturally and to speed drying time. You can also scent them with a few drops of essential oil if you’d like. Or, add white vinegar to the wash cycle and forego fabric softener in the dryer.

Laundry Whitener
As an alternative to bleach, add one cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide wash to boost brightness

Additionally, you may want to open windows when you’re cleaning, even with natural products. Clean from the top down, saving the carpet or floor for after the dust has settled. Then put your feet up and take a break to enjoy your clean, fresh home.

Most importantly, always keep chemicals and cleaning materials out of sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

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.

8 Month Milestones: What to Expect

At eight months old, your baby is starting to make some amazingly cute noises throughout the day. She’s busy discovering her vocal chords and experimenting with the sounds she can make. She’s also busy working out to build her strength ready for the mobility she’s working so hard to achieve. Your baby is busy developing a personality and is probably quite fun to be around these days. Here are some of the 8 month milestones your baby might reach this month:

Splat

Your baby has been working on her hand control and dexterity this month and, unfortunately for you, she’s likely to discover the endless fun of dropping things. You should expect to spend most of this month bent double picking things up from the floor. The good news is, your baby is not only learning to improve her hand control, she’s also figuring out a little bit more about object permanence. If she starts playing this game with her dinner, try not to get too frustrated. It’ll be a short phase and she’ll soon figure out that dropped food doesn’t make it’s way back to her plate. To protect your floors, put down some wipe clean mats before each meal.

On the move

Your eight month old is probably desperate to be on the move. She’s been working hard at developing her strength and is busy plotting her escape routes. Your baby may already be crawling but if she’s not, don’t worry. Your baby will master these skills in her own time. At around this time, your baby may start using her upper body strength to pull herself up whilst holding onto bits of furniture. She’s probably not ready for cruising just yet, but she’s thinking about it.

Coordinated attack

Your baby’s hand-eye coordination is constantly improving and you can help her to develop this skill further by offering her finger foods to eat at mealtimes. Small foods like peas or beans may be a challenge at first, but your baby will soon master the pincer grip necessary for eating smaller foods.

Hold me

Your baby may develop separation anxiety at around this time. Thanks to her newfound understanding of object permanence, she now knows you exist even when you’re not in front of her. You may notice she’s clingier than usual and cries when you leave the room. It can be frustrating, but it won’t last forever (even if it feels like it will). Remember, this too shall pass.

Eight months is a pretty cute age. What’s your favorite thing about eight month olds?

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.

Conversations with the Childless

Something happens to all of us when we become new parents. For a brief period of time (or, heck—maybe several years) we are so consumed by that new role, that it becomes all we really know how to talk about.

Suddenly, every conversation you have revolves around what your kid is up to. How late he or she is sleeping. What they’re eating. The cool new thing they just did.

And often… how tired you are.

Everything you post on social media is child related. Every other sentence out of your mouth has to do with your baby. And even within your own relationship, the focus is almost always on your little one.

Don’t feel too bad, every parent goes through this. And while, yes, it is probably something you should try to shift away from at some point (just because… even your friends with kids will eventually grow tired of hearing about yours) most people understand this initial obsession.

Still… it’s when talking to your childless friends and family that it probably becomes most important to start focusing on grownup topics that have nothing to do with your kids. Not because those people don’t love your kids (they probably do—very much!) but because they are the least likely to understand your complete and total preoccupation. And because, as a good friend, you should be interested in hearing about what they are up to as well.

So here are some rules for how to keep your kids from dominating your conversations with the childless friends and family in your life.

  1. Always Assume It’s Chocolate: That brown smudge you just discovered on your shirt? Yeah, there’s a good chance it’s poop—something all your friends with kids would understand and laugh at. But your childless friends? They don’t really want to know you’re walking around with poop on your shirt. So just assume it’s chocolate and move on.
  2. Caffeinate: Guaranteed, when you’re hanging out with the childless, you’re the most tired person in the room. And unlike your friends with kids, these people don’t really understand if you’re interacting in zombie mode. So before any social setting attended by your friends without kids, be sure to caffeinate—at least this way, you can feign excitement when talking about their latest endeavors.
  3. No Spoilers: As a new parent, it can be tempting to error to one side or the other when it comes to encouraging childless friends to procreate. You will likely either gush about how great it is, telling them they just have to do it. Or… You’ll yawn and bemoan the ability to sleep in and travel at will, telling them to hold off a little while if they can. The thing is, they’re going to have kids when they are ready—period. And just like you, when you first decided to add to your family, they don’t need your added pressure or warnings one way or the other. Instead, just smile and nod as they talk about their plans—and greedily look forward to the day they’ll be on the other side and you can tell them it was poop on your shirt all along!

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.

3 Parenting Practices From Around the World

You only have to glance around your local baby group to see how long the parenting spectrum is. While some parents are big on routine and control others are more than happy to simply go with the flow. If you think there is a huge array of parenting practices on display in your local community, just wait until you hear about these parenting practices from around the world:

  1. Babe in arms

In Bali, babies are kept off the ground for the first few months of their lives. Babies are carried by their parents and helpful aunts, grandparents and neighbors for the first few months. When the time comes for the baby to touch the ground, a special ceremony is held to mark the occasion. The first few months of a baby’s life are believed to be sacred and this is why babies are not thought to be ready to touch Mother Earth until they are three months old.

  1. Early potty training

In the US, children are often in diapers until around the age of three. In Vietnam, however, parents are much quicker to get their babies out of diapers. Instead of potty training their children, Vietnamese mothers simply tune into their babies’ natural desires from birth. Babies will often wriggle or appear uncomfortable if they need to pee whilst being held, but most of the Western world has learned to ignore these signals. In Vietnam, parents will follow the baby’s cues and hold them away from the body so they can pee. In Vietnam, it is common for babies to be out of diapers by nine months.

  1. Independence

In the US, kids have much less freedom than they would have done a generation or so ago. Whilst it was once commonplace for kids to play out all day, come home late and explore at will, these things are dying out. These days, kids are more likely to be accompanied by a caregiver when out of the house and are less free to explore their local area. If you let your four year old ride the subway alone in the US, you’d expect to get a call from Child Protective Services, but in Japan, this practice is considered totally normal. Young children in Japan are given greater freedom than their US counterparts and often get themselves to and from school without parental help.

What do you think, should we adopt any of the customs mentioned above?

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.

Why Has My Baby’s Weight Gain Slowed?

Your baby was growing by leaps and bounds – he’s a huge, plump breastfed baby. But now that he’s a little older, it seems like he’s not gaining weight as fast. And you’re worried that he’s not getting enough milk or that your milk supply is disappearing. So, what’s going on?

From birth to six months, breastfed babies average about 4-7 ounces (113-142 grams) of weight gain each week. But from six months to one year, that weight gain normally slows to about 2-4 ounces (50-80 grams) per week. Other resources suggest babies gain about one pound (1/2 kilogram) per month from six months to one year. Your baby should regain his birthweight by 10 to 14 days of age, double his birthweight by 4 months and triple his birthweight by one year.

If you are tracking baby’s weight gain on growth charts, be sure the ones you are using are the most currently WHO growth charts for your country, which are based on the average growth of breastfed babies. Tracking baby’s weight gain on older charts that were developed using formula fed babies can make it seem like baby isn’t gaining enough.

Some things that could impact your baby’s weight gain include:

  • Your baby’s genetic body type and metabolism: For example, long, lean babies tend to be above average for length but below average for weight on growth charts.
  • Your baby’s temperament: Calm, laid back babies may burn fewer calories so gain weight faster; while their more active counterparts use up more energy and seem to gain less weigh overall.
  • Your baby’s developmental stage: As your baby starts crawling and walking, more calories are being expended on movement and are no longer just being stored as fat.
  • Your baby’s breastfeeding pattern: Babies who are fed on cue (including throughout the night) tend to grow faster – and this growth is appropriate. Babies whose feedings are scheduled and who are trained to sleep through the night tend to have slower growth.

Sometimes a baby’s weight gain does slow due to a dip in mom’s milk supply. If you think this is the case for you, nurse or pump more often to boost supply, and consider these possible causes:

  • Have your periods recently returned? Hormonal changes may cause a dip in supply for some moms.
  • Have you started using hormonal birth control? Again, the change in hormones can lead to low milk supply.
  • Are you pregnant? The hormonal changes necessary to sustain pregnancy do cause a milk supply to diminish.
  • Are you taking any medications? Some medications can impact milk supply, especially antihistamines and pseudoephedrine.
  • Are you recovering from illness? Some moms see a decrease in supply if they have been sick, especially if they have been at all dehydrated.
  • Is your baby getting a bottle more than occasionally? Any decrease in breast stimulation will lead to a decrease in supply.
  • Has your baby just started sleeping through the night? Again, those missed nighttime feedings can cause milk supply problems.

If you suspect baby’s slowed weight gain is due to milk supply challenges, the help of a lactation consultant can be essential.

For most babies, though, slow weight gain in the second half of the first year of life is completely normal, especially if they stay on a similar growth percentile as plotted on a WHO growth chart.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

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.

Yum, Yum! Is it Safe to Give My Baby Honey?

Remember when you were pregnant, and it seemed like there was a never-ending list of things you weren’t allowed to eat? Sushi, lunchmeat, soft cheeses… the list went on and on. But then, you finally had your baby—and you thought for sure you were past the list of non-consumables.

Not so fast!

For the record, you are totally welcome to have all the sushi, lunchmeat and soft cheeses your heart desires! Go for it! But there are still a few things your baby should probably be avoiding. For safety.

High on that list is honey.

Yep, you read that right. Giving your baby honey is a bad idea. We know it seems safe enough, and honey has so many great uses, like being a natural sweetener, and working great as a treatment for coughs. So it makes sense you might want to give some to your baby.

But hold off!

Just like so many of those things you were advised to avoid during pregnancy, there is a small risk that honey could make your baby very, very sick. This is because honey sometimes contains the spores of a bacterium called Clostridium Botulinum. This bacterium can cause baby botulism; a scary form of food poisoning for little ones to get. If your infant contracts botulism, it can be fatal.

Signs of botulism in infants can include constipation, muscle weakness, trouble sucking, and crying. If your baby recently had honey by accident and you are noticing some of these signs now, call your pediatrician immediately.

Waiting until your baby is a year old, and has a stronger/more developed digestive system, can reduce this risk. To most children over the age of one, Clostridium Botulinum is harmless; their little guts have a buildup of microorganisms that keep the baby botulism from growing. But during that first year of life, you should be diligent about avoiding honey. That means checking labels, knowing that plenty of food items may contain honey as a sweetener or additive.

In the meantime, your baby is still in a stage of learning all about new foods. He or she is getting plenty of new flavors, and is enjoying the fresh and exciting options you are already offering. So don’t worry—they aren’t missing out on honey just yet. And it will be all the more exciting when they turn one and you are able to introduce it—in moderation, of course.

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.

What You Need to Know About Baby Eczema

All babies get rashes, it’s usually a normal part of infancy. But some babies experience something worse than just the typical rash. Some babies have to deal with eczema.

What is Eczema?

Eczema is a condition that inflicts the sufferer with dry, itchy patches of skin. Sometimes the condition is very mild, or only affects one specific area of the body, and other times… it could be prevalent just about everywhere.

How do I Know if My Baby Has Eczema?

As we already mentioned, most babies will get the occasional rash, but eczema is more severe than that. These dry, itchy patches of skin will be persistent, even if you work diligently to keep your baby slathered in lotion.

Baby eczema is often a hereditary condition, so it is possible you or someone in your family has already dealt with this condition and is better able to recognize it. Regardless, your child’s pediatrician should be able to make an official diagnosis.

What Does This Mean For the Future?

Eczema usually lasts through adolescence, but your child may outgrow it by adulthood. The condition will likely change some as your child grows older, shifting from being most prominent on the face, to appearing more on the elbows, knees, wrists, ankles, and hands. The patches also tend to get thicker and less red with age.

What Treatment is Available?

Unfortunately, there are no sure-fire cures for eczema, but there are things you can do to help prevent flares and to reduce your baby’s discomfort.

Allergies can be a big trigger for baby eczema flares, so using sensitive detergents and lotions, and avoiding foods that seem to make symptoms worse, is a good first step. Applying ointments like Aquaphor or Vaseline to affected areas can help to soothe the itch and protect the skin, minimizing flares. And nightly warm baths (followed by routine lotion applications) can help to prevent the skin dryness as well.

Keep baths limited to 10 minutes and avoid using bubble bath. Soap should also be used only sparingly—remember, your infant doesn’t get overly dirty during the day, and doesn’t need soap every night to stay clean. Most nights, the water will be enough. When you do use soap, opt for an eczema friendly brand. Your doctor or pharmacist should be able to make a recommendation.

For children with extreme cases of eczema, a steroid or oral anti-inflammatory may be recommended, but that is something to discuss with your pediatrician.

Does your baby have eczema? What tips do you have that helped soothe the itch?

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.