ParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gifParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/How Can I Get My Child to Sleep in His Own Bed?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/06/06/how-can-i-get-my-child-to-sleep-in-his-own-bed/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/06/06/how-can-i-get-my-child-to-sleep-in-his-own-bed/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/06/06/how-can-i-get-my-child-to-sleep-in-his-own-bed/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Dear AdviceMama,

I am the mother of three children. Our youngest refuses to sleep alone in his own bed. We have tried lying down with him until he falls asleep or letting him lie in our bed until he falls asleep, but as soon as we move or try to move him, he wakes up and the whole process starts all over. I feel like we have tried everything! I'm hoping you have some advice for us.

Signed,
Sleepy Mom

Dear Sleepy Mom,

This is one of the most common questions I'm asked, and probably because a disrupted sleep affects children (and their parents) so significantly. There's nothing quite as rejuvenating as going to bed peacefully and sleeping undisturbed through the night. A child who either can't fall asleep easily, or who requires parents to stay for extended periods of time is affecting their own sleep, as well as their weary parents'.

Get clear. This situation is made worse by sending mixed messages to your child. Do you lecture him about how he has to sleep in his own room, only to cave in when you're tired, tucking him into your bed as you give up ... "just for tonight"? Do you sometimes scold him for creeping into your bedroom in the middle of the night, and other times sweetly make room for him to join you?

Until and unless you're very clear about what you and your husband want your son to do, he's going to push to get what feels best to him. Remember, children are egocentric. As much as you're little boy loves you, he isn't thinking about how tired you might be as you lie there waiting for him to finally fall asleep; he's focused on what feels best to him.

So don't expect your child to recognize how sleepy you are and tell you to go off to bed. He -- like most children -- prefers your company as he falls asleep. It's normal; humans have been co-sleeping for thousands of years. I'm not telling you to sleep with him, but I am suggesting that you'll need to be crystal clear that the goal is to help him go to sleep in his own bed and stay there before you try the new strategies I will offer you.

If you're certain that you do not want your son to sleep in your room, choose a relaxed time -- not before bedtime -- when you explain the new bedtime plan. Give him the chance to be upset, scared or sad, and help him offload his feelings without trying to convince him of how much he's going to love sleeping alone! He probably isn't, at least at first. So let him express his anger, fear or tears about the fact that you've decided that he cannot sleep in your room anymore.

Proceed in stages. Think of the process as weaning, rather than a cold turkey, all-at-once experience of making him stay in his room. Focus on helping him go to sleep in his own room, rather than moving him after he's fallen asleep in yours (which clearly doesn't work).

Offer distractions. First, give him something interesting to look at or listen to so he doesn't feel bored and alone in the dark. Quiet music, audio books or a projector that shows stars moving across the ceiling can help distract a sleepy child.

Address fears. Charlotte Reznick, author of "The Power of Your Child's Imagination," suggests that if your child is fearful of sleeping in his own bed, engage his imagination for protection. One 9-year-old, initially terrified of break-ins even with a working alarm system, created an enormous white dragon to wrap around her bed and added a tiger at the door (just in case...). It helped her feel safe enough to allow her eyes to close and her body to relax into sleep."

Move across the room. Lie beside your son silently for a while, and then sit across the room from him while you listen to your iPod or read with your itty bitty light without engaging in any conversation. Let him know that, for a while, you're going to stay nearby until he falls asleep, but only to help him get used to being alone. Let him know if he tries to get you to talk, you will go out of the room. (But give him a reminder or two, as this will take some getting used to.)

After a week or so, start leaving for two to three minutes to "go to the bathroom," and be sure to return as promised. This will help him develop greater tolerance for your absence, without causing him to panic.

Usually within a couple of weeks of sticking closely to these guidelines, the parents I have worked with find that their children adjust to sleeping alone. Give it a try, and let me know how it works! And sweet dreams!

Yours in parenting support,
AdviceMama

AdviceMama, Susan Stiffelman, is a licensed and practicing psychotherapist and marriage and family therapist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in developmental psychology and a Master of Arts in clinical psychology. Her book, Parenting Without Power Struggles, is available on Amazon. Sign up to get Susan's free parenting newsletter.

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]]>child sleepchild to sleep in own bedsleep in own bedsleeping in own bedSusan Stiffelman, MFTMon, 06 Jun 2011 11:00:00 ESTHow to Put Your Teething Baby to Sleephttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/31/how-to-put-your-teething-baby-to-sleep/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/31/how-to-put-your-teething-baby-to-sleep/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/31/how-to-put-your-teething-baby-to-sleep/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Is your teething baby having a hard time sleeping? Sleep-training when teeth start to come in is not an easy task, but it is doable. Follow these simple tips from TheBump.com to make sure your child stays on schedule.


Baby Teething and Sleeping Issues

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]]>sleepingteethingJessica SamakowTue, 31 May 2011 12:30:00 ESTWhy Is My Teenage Son Overeating? From Dr. Drewhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/20/why-is-my-teenage-son-overeating-from-dr-drew/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/20/why-is-my-teenage-son-overeating-from-dr-drew/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/20/why-is-my-teenage-son-overeating-from-dr-drew/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sex and addiction expert Dr. Drew responds to a concerned mother's question about her teenage son's unhealthy eating habits.



Don't miss on MarloThomas.com:

Forget the Hook-Ups!
Dr. Drew strongly encourages young people to "cultivate dating" and to abandon the "hook-up culture" that is so prevalent today.
See the clip

Shopping: Is It an Addiction?
A lot of my friends wonder about whether you can be addicted to shopping. Dr. Drew says yes.
See the clip

Planning an Intervention
Dr. Drew offers specific guidelines on how to plan an intervention for a friend or family member suffering from chemical dependence.
See the clip

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]]>childdr drewmarlo thomasovereatingthe editors at MarloThomas.comFri, 20 May 2011 09:00:00 ESTMore Sleep Linked to Growth Spurts in Babies, Study Findshttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/03/sleep-in-babies/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/03/sleep-in-babies/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/03/sleep-in-babies/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Watch a video on baby sleep patterns.
sleep in babies

More sleep for babies means more growth, study shows. Credit: Getty Images

Wonder why your newborn is suddenly sleeping longer? No big deal -- she's just busy growing.

A new study, published this week in the journal Sleep, looked at records kept by 23 parents noting their infants' sleep patterns, HealthDay reports. The growth of the newborns -- 12 days old when the study began -- was also measured, the news service adds.

The findings: The babies experienced "uneven bursts of sleep," HealthDay reports, and sleep increased at irregular intervals -- an average of 4 1/2 hours per day for two days. The infants also slept more often -- adding an average of three extra naps a day for two days, the researchers found.

Here's where the growing part comes in -- HealthDay reports the extra sleep was significantly linked to growth spurts in body length. They also gained weight around the belly, Time adds.

The magazine reports that the infants were 43 percent more apt to experience a growth spurt for each extra nap they took, and 20 percent more likely to grow for each extra hour of sleep they got during the bursts of sleep.

"The results demonstrate empirically that growth spurts not only occur during sleep but are significantly influenced by sleep," lead investigator Dr. Michelle Lampl, an anthropology professor at Emory University, says in an American Academy of Sleep Medicine news release. "Longer sleep corresponds with greater growth in body length."

So, why does extra sleep affect growth in newborns? Lampl says it's not clear, HealthDay reports, but that growth hormone secretion increases during sleep.

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]]>sleepsleep in babiesLesley KennedyTue, 03 May 2011 12:00:00 ESTTry This: What Are Your Best Tips for Dealing With Picky Eaters?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/21/try-this-what-are-your-best-tips-for-dealing-with-picky-eaters/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/21/try-this-what-are-your-best-tips-for-dealing-with-picky-eaters/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/21/try-this-what-are-your-best-tips-for-dealing-with-picky-eaters/#commentsFiled under: , , ,





It is important to feed your kids healthy foods, but when it comes to meal time, that's not an easy task. Trying to get them to eat veggies when they know there's ice cream in the fridge can be quite the struggle.

And, if your kid is a really picky eater, it might even seem impossible.

These moms share their secrets on dealing with their picky eaters. Sneaking it in some way or another is at the top of the list; "I distract her by putting on one of her favorite shows and kind of sneak in spoonfuls at the corner of her mouth," one mom says.

Another suggests a reward system: If her kids eat all of their veggies three nights of the week, they can pick the menu on the other nights.

Our resident AdviceMama takes a creative spin on tackling the picky eater problem. Presentation is everything," she says, "and kids are masters of creativity, so let them have fun helping you lay out the snacks in an interesting way. They might decorate a dish of yogurt by making a funny face with raisins, or arrange the chips in a special way around the guacamole. It doesn't take much time to make food look appealing, and it makes children much more interested in eating something when they've been responsible for serving it up in a 'fancy' way!"

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]]>AdvertiserMon, 21 Feb 2011 00:01:00 ESTToddler Beds: How to Choose the Right One for Your Childhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/04/toddler-beds/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/04/toddler-beds/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/04/toddler-beds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

toddler beds

Consider adding rails when setting up your child's toddler bed. Credit: Getty Images

Finding the right time to move your child out of the confines of a crib and into a toddler bed depends on a variety of factors, but if you do it right, everyone will get a good night's sleep.

The big move often happens when baby number two is on the way, says Dr. Paul Horowitz. That might be OK, as long as your child is 18 months old or older, and can safely get into and out of the new bed on his or her own, says the Valencia, Calif.-based pediatrician with Discovery Pediatrics.

A key issue in determining whether your child is ready for a big bed is the height of the new bed. The closer to the ground, the better, Horowitz says.

It also helps to make bedtime a regular routine with the goal of getting your child to sleep. Beds should be for sleeping, not playing, and a child needs to know to remain in bed unless they have to use the bathroom.

"A lot of families try to make beds or bedtime more entertaining than it should be," Horowitz cautions.

Other experts recommend waiting until the child is much older to transition to a toddler bed. Jodi Mindell, author of "Sleeping Through the Night," (Harper Collins, 2005) tells ParentDish she strongly recommends waiting until as close to age 3 as possible.


"It takes a lot of behavioral control to stay within those imaginary boundaries," she says. "There also has to be a cognitive understanding of the boundaries."

Even with a new baby on the way, Mindell says there's no immediate need to move the older child to a big bed. For several months at least, newborns can sleep in a bassinet and don't need a crib. Consider borrowing a crib if your child is not ready to make the move.

There are a variety of toddler bed options available, and finding the right one depends on a number of factors. Some parents may chose a toddler bed that uses the same mattress as the crib -- familiar crib sheets can provide comfort during the transition for your child. Some of these beds are closer to the ground than a traditional bed.

Parents who are moving their child to a traditional twin bed should consider not using a bed frame until the child is older, or should use removable railings for any child under 5, because they can easily fall out of bed.

"You need railings no matter what, because kids fracture their collar bone falling out of bed," Mindell says. Even if you think your child never moves while sleeping, put up railings anyway, she says.

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]]>bedtimebedtime-routinesevergreensleeptoddler bedtoddler bedsEllen Rooney MartinFri, 04 Feb 2011 15:00:00 ESTTry This: How Do You Go From a Crib to a Big-Kid Bed?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/01/try-this-how-to-go-from-a-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/01/try-this-how-to-go-from-a-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/01/try-this-how-to-go-from-a-crib-to-a-big-kid-bed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



To the child-free world, moving a toddler from crib to bed might seem like a small step, but these moms prove that it is really a giant leap for babykind.

And, when it comes to accepting or resisting the transistion, there is no typical behavior. Some babies use their monkey-like strength to climb out, while others cement themselves to their sheets and never want to leave.

Pediatric sleep disorders expert, Dr. Deborah Lin-Dyken, suggests waiting until the baby is about 3 years old to make the transition, although some will be ready at as young as 18 months.

One mom recounts her toddler climbing back into the crib when her baby brother arrived. If you can relate to the sibling struggle, Dr. Lin-Dyken recommends making the switch "at least six to eight weeks before you're due" so that your toddler does not feel like the new baby is taking over. However, if the older sibling is not ready for a big-kid bed, it might be better to borrow another crib instead of forcing the older child out, she warns.

What did you do to make the transfer? Did it work?

Looking for family meal ideas? Get tips from other parents at KitchenDaily.

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]]>AdvertiserTue, 01 Feb 2011 14:00:00 ESTWhat to Do When Breast-Feeding Issues Arisehttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/06/breastfeeding/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/06/breastfeeding/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/06/breastfeeding/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Breast-feeding

In the beginning, breast-feeding isn't easy for every mom. Credit: Getty Images

Although it's not uncommon for women to initially have difficulty breast-feeding their babies, many new mothers are surprised by the issues that can occur.

"Breast-feeding is natural," says Cathy Carothers, co-director of Every Mother, Inc., a national nonprofit organization that provides lactation training for health care professionals. "But sometimes it takes both Mom and baby a little time to get comfortable learning how to do it."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends moms breast-feed for the first year of a baby's life.

Carothers says mothers should hold their babies skin-to-skin immediately after birth. Placing the baby near the breast allows the child to "hear Mom's heartbeat, feel her skin, smell her special scent and find their way to her breast all by themselves," she says. "Babies who latch by themselves often latch well, and milk production begins quickly."

If a baby has difficulty latching, seek help from a lactation consultant, adds Liz Brooks, secretary of the International Lactation Consultant Association. Lactation consultants can work with you at the hospital -- and after you've gone home -- to ensure your baby is nursing properly, she says.

Brooks and Carothers offer the following tips to help mothers address these breast-feeding concerns:

  • Pain when the baby latches on: It's not uncommon for a woman to experience nipple pain for five to 10 seconds when a baby latches on. Any pain that lasts longer than that is a sign of trouble and should be brought to the attention of your pediatrician, lactation consultant or obstetrician.
  • Concerns that baby isn't getting enough milk: Moms can count the number of wet and dirty diapers to be sure baby is getting enough. Newborns should have two to three dirty diapers a day. A good rule to remember is that babies should wet as many diapers as they are days old in the first few days. By the time the baby is a few days old, mom's breasts should feel full at the beginning of the feeding and softer when she is through feeding.
  • Itchy, pink, red, shiny or burning nipples or shooting breast pain after feedings: These are symptoms of thrush, a common and harmless yeast infection in a baby's mouth that can spread to your nipples during breastfeeding. Consult your doctor for treatment, which is usually anti-fungal medication.
  • Breast pain or redness, chills, fever or body aches: These are symptoms of mastitis, a breast inflammation usually caused by infection. It's most common during the first six months of nursing. It can develop if the breasts are not being emptied regularly or from a plugged duct. Women often feel tired. The condition is usually treated with rest, lots of breast-feeding and an antibiotic prescribed by a physician.

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]]>Breastfeedingbreastfeeding helpevergreenmastitisthrushMelissa Kossler DuttonThu, 06 Jan 2011 11:18:00 ESTA Good Night's Breast: Does Breast-Feeding Mean Less Sleep?http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/23/a-good-nights-breast-does-breast-feeding-mean-less-sleep/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/23/a-good-nights-breast-does-breast-feeding-mean-less-sleep/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/23/a-good-nights-breast-does-breast-feeding-mean-less-sleep/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Don't stoop to infant formula because you think it might get you more sleep.

That's what the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and celebrity-lactivist Gisele Bundchen might like us to take away from a recent study showing moms get seven hours whether they breast-feed or bottle-feed.

How did researchers convince mothers with newborns to do anything? Women were chatted up still aglow in pregnancy. Imagine that call from the research assistant:

Research assistant: Welcome to The Study of Maternal Sleeping Behavior.
Mom: This is a sleep study?
Research assistant: Yes ma'am, sort of. As you probably know some people actually think formula helps babies sleep better. We want to know if moms who breast-feed really get less sleep than moms who don't breast-feed, you know the women who either can't or refuse to try and resort to using formula.
Mom: I don't have to breast-feed?
Research assistant: Yes, no, I mean the experts recommend it and it's your baby and your decision whether to risk it so I can't tell you what to do. But we do need to find some mothers who aren't breast-feeding to test this myth about formula.

Motivated by altruism and perhaps a small financial token of appreciation, over 80 women signed up and shortly after giving birth, strapped on "actigraphs," wrist devices monitoring their physical movements. Remarkably, they logged every time they either fell asleep or woke up "in real time" on their PDAs.

Contrary to the belief that breast-fed babies wake more, and thus deprive their moms of sleep, there were no significant differences between women who breast-fed, bottle-fed or did some of each. This was a good study that measured sleep very well with plentiful data, like total sleep time day and night, number of night awakenings, sleep quality, and daytime fatigue. However, this was a small sample with somewhat surprising results that merit further investigation. So, before I make any proclamations about sleep and the bottle or the boob, I'd like to see these results replicated with more mommas. Also, quite frankly, I'd like some explanation as to why my breast-fed babies woke like every other hour for what seemed like months.

Oh, I'm no Friend of Formula. I got the breast-feeding creds. Three kids, minimum three months each, the bleeding nipples, the double-breast pump in the deserted parking garage. Been there. I supplemented only after my pediatrician assured me formula wouldn't condemn my daughter to chronic disease or sub-par SAT scores.* But I don't have to sit silently while yet another study glorifies the almighty power of the breast. Which this one did not. There were no advantages bestowed on lactating women or their babies.

Thank goodness someone did this study! Otherwise who knows how many more children would suffer for the sake of a good night's rest? I do wonder how many formula-feeders turned to the canned stuff on the mistaken assumption of more sleep. If you're not too exhausted, give a holler and let me know.

Sleep tight, sweet dreams!

*The Naked Truth in Breast-Feeding Campaign: I pledge to disclose the details of my breastfeeding behavior and demand the same of every researcher, health authority and journalist, male or female, who has ever uttered or written the word "breast-feeding."

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]]>breast-feedingPolly PalumboThu, 23 Dec 2010 12:00:00 ESTChilean Miners and Their Families Need Time to Grieve, Regrouphttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/chilean-miners-and-their-families-need-time-to-grieve-regroup/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/chilean-miners-and-their-families-need-time-to-grieve-regroup/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/chilean-miners-and-their-families-need-time-to-grieve-regroup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

chilean miners picture

Miner Franklin Lobo, right, embraces his daughter Carolina after he was rescued on Oct. 13.Credit: Gabriel Ortega/Chilean government/AP

The families of 33 Chilean miners dramatically rescued yesterday from an underground bunker as the world watched are, of course, filled with jubilation at the return of their husbands, fathers, sons, brothers and uncles.

But, says our expert, they will also need time to grieve.

Susan Stiffelman, ParentDish's Advice Mama, author and family therapist, compares the men to soldiers returning from war. Ever since the 125-year-old San Jose Mine collapsed on Aug. 5, they and their loved ones have been caught somewhere between extreme hope and extreme fear, as the miners waited for 69 days to be rescued from an underground refuge with limited food and water.

On Oct. 13, each of the 33 men was carried out of the mine in an escape capsule as the world -- and their loved ones -- watched, transfixed, for nearly 23 hours.

"People have been holding their breath," Stiffelman tells ParentDish. "The initial joy and elation will eventually have to give way to the outpouring of grief and anger that has been pent up and held in for all this time."

The whole range of emotions these 33 men and their families have experienced since the mine collapsed can be likened to a "really long holding of the breath," she adds.

"Even right up until the point of being fairly confident that the rescue would be successful, there has been this intense mix of tremendous hope and absolute uncertainty, and at some point there will have to be an outpouring (of emotion) or a letting loose," Stiffelman says.

It will be especially important for the children of the miners to express their emotions, because, as Stiffelman says, it's a given that they have suffered some emotional trauma. Children of soldiers can have a similar reaction to a parent returning home from an overseas tour of duty, or kids of those coping with a life-threatening illness.

While the outcome is positive, the experience of dealing with it still leaves them with residual grief, fear and anger that needs to come out, one way or another, Stiffelman says. She adds that there is the additional adjustment of dealing with more than one parent again after an extended amount of time.

"When a father or mother comes back, and the other parent has been the primary caregiver, there is an element of having to reassert authority, getting that balance between two parents again," she says.

But, perhaps most pressing, is the fact that these men are now suddenly in the world spotlight. Honors, all-expenses-paid luxury vacations and even jobs offers have been pouring in following the rescue. While the fame and fortune may be enticing, it's imperative that these families have the chance to reunite in peace and quiet right now.

"These people are going to be bombarded with gifts, courted and seduced by access to money, fame and fortune," Stiffelman points out. "It will be interesting to see how that plays out. It's one thing to be part of the mainstream world and (to have something like this happen), but it's another thing to be a miner in a small Chilean village and, suddenly, Oprah wants you to be on her show."

Being plunged into fame could be tremendously stressful for these families.

"It can have an adverse effect on the person himself, but also on siblings, spouses and children, who feel they have to compete for that person's time," Stiffelman says. "Children, in particular, don't want to be competing for their fathers' time, especially with someone like Larry King."

However, there is certainly cause for celebration, she adds, and reminds us that most people who survive a crisis carry few negative after-effects, and often experience a rebirth of sorts.

"Most people don't succumb to violent post-traumatic stress," Stiffelman says. "Most survivors do quite well. They have a period of time when they have to adjust and emote, but most people find a new lease on life."

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]]>chilean minerschilean miners familieschilean miners foundchilean miners rescuechilean miners trappedChileanMinersChileanMinersFamiliesChileanMinersFoundChileanMinersRescueChileanMinersTrappedPTSDtraumaAmy HatchFri, 15 Oct 2010 09:44:00 ESTPregnant? Get Your Flu Shot!http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/12/pregnant-get-your-flu-shot/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/12/pregnant-get-your-flu-shot/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/12/pregnant-get-your-flu-shot/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


Syringe flu shot picture

Don't avoid the needle, moms-to-be. Credit: ZaldyImg, Flickr

If you're expecting, be sure you're first in line to get a flu shot this year.

The flu vaccine has been recommended for pregnant women for years, so why the added urgency this flu season?

Last year's H1N1 outbreak brought to light how hard the flu can hit pregnant women, and new research indicates that immunity is passed down to your baby.

In fact, 10 leading health organizations, including the March of Dimes, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, have co-signed a letter urging health care providers to recommend the flu shot to pregnant women and those trying to conceive.

Although the flu is generally considered a harmless bug that everyone gets, complications can arise, and when they do, they can be especially devastating to pregnant women and their babies. Also, pregnancy can compromise the immune system -- pregnant women are more likely to be hospitalized for flu complications than their non-pregnant counterparts -- so when the flu hits, they can get really sick.

Read the rest of the story at Parenting.com.

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]]>flu shotflu shot and pregnancyFluShotFluShotAndPregnancythe editors at Parenting.comTue, 12 Oct 2010 12:33:00 ESTHow to Childproof Your Windowshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/08/how-to-childproof/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/08/how-to-childproof/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/08/how-to-childproof/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



Do you have a minute (OK, a minute and eight seconds?) Good. Now watch this video on window safety from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and then walk around your house and do what you need to do to childproof your windows. Got it? Great. Glad we had this talk.

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]]>childproofingthe editors at ParentDishFri, 08 Oct 2010 12:42:00 ESTWarning: Stop Using Infant Sleep Positioners Immediately or Risk Suffocation Deathshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/29/warning-stop-using-infant-sleep-positioners-immediately-or-risk/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/29/warning-stop-using-infant-sleep-positioners-immediately-or-risk/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/29/warning-stop-using-infant-sleep-positioners-immediately-or-risk/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Parents are warned to stop using infant sleep positioners immediately. Credit: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission


The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a consumer alert today to warn parents to stop using infant sleep positioners, citing reports of 12 infants -- ages 1 month to 4 months -- who suffocated to death after being placed in the devices.

Most of the infants suffocated after rolling from a side to a stomach position; some of the infants suffocated on the device itself, while others succumbed after being trapped between a sleep positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet, according to CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum.

In addition to the reported deaths, the CPSC has also received dozens of reports of infants who were placed on their back or sides in sleep positioners, only to be found later in potentially hazardous positions within or next to the devices.

"The deaths and dangerous situations resulting from the use of infant sleep positioners are a serious concern to CPSC," Tenenbaum said. "We urge parents and caregivers to take our warning seriously and stop using these sleep positioners, so that children can have a safer sleep."

The two main types of infant sleep positioners are flat mats with side bolsters or inclined (wedge) mats with side bolsters (see above).

Both types of sleep positioners typically claim to help keep infants on their backs, thereby reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). There is, however, no evidence to support this claim, according to Dr. Rachel Moon, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Task Force.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend any of the products that claim to protect against SIDS," Moon says, "Because, to our knowledge, none of these do actually protect against SIDS; there is no scientific evidence supporting these claims."

In addition, the FDA has never cleared an infant sleep positioner to prevent or reduce the risk of SIDS. Over the years, the FDA has approved 18 sleep positioner devices -- all of which had made claims of helping to reduce gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms and/or preventing plagiocephaly -- also known as "flat head syndrome."

At this point, however, it has become clear that the risks of using infant sleep positioners outweigh the benefits, says Moon, so consumers are warned to immediately stop using the devices.

The FDA, which has jurisdiction over consumer products making medical claims, has contacted the manufacturers of the 18 approved infant sleep positioners and asked them to stop making these devices; the agency will also be contacting retailers to ask them to stop selling the devices, according to Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner.

Sharfstein advised that today's public health message is seen as the quickest way to get the warning out the consumers, so that they immediately stop buying the fatality-causing products. However, in the future, the FDA may issue for products that have not voluntarily been removed from the market; the agency will also be investigating reports of other, unapproved sleep positioning devices, as well as any other devices out there that claim to prevent or reduce the risk of SIDS.

The CPSC, FDA and AAP warn parents to:
  • Stop using sleep positioners. Using a positioner to hold an infant on his or her back or side for sleep is dangerous and unnecessary.
  • Never put pillows, infant sleep positioners, comforters, or quilts under a baby or in a crib.
  • Always place an infant on his or her back at night and during nap time. To reduce the risk of SIDS, the AAP recommends placing infants to sleep on their backs and not their sides.
Visit the CPSC's website for information about the agency's Safe Sleep initiative, which advises parents on how to help their kids sleep safely.

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]]>aapalertcpscfdarecallsidsSudden Infant Death SyndromeSuddenInfantDeathSyndromeHoney BerkWed, 29 Sep 2010 15:46:00 ESTSleep by the Numbershttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/27/sleep-by-the-numbers/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/27/sleep-by-the-numbers/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/27/sleep-by-the-numbers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,


To sleep, perchance to dream ...

Eh, when you're a parent, it's more about just getting some snooze time (and praying that your little one won't give you a 5 a.m. wake-up call!)

Did you know that 1 in 50 teens wets the bed? And that you will die of sleep deprivation before starvation? Check out these and more dreamy facts from Psychology Degree about getting your Zzzzs.


Source: Psychology Degree

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]]>the editors at onlineschools.orgMon, 27 Sep 2010 15:53:00 ESTHomemade Baby Food on a Budgethttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/21/homemade-baby-food/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/21/homemade-baby-food/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/09/21/homemade-baby-food/#commentsFiled under: ,

homemade baby food

You can save money making your own baby food, but it will cost you some time. Credit: Getty Images

When a baby is old enough to start trying solid foods, many parents decide to make homemade baby food, rather than buy it in jars at the grocery store.

Some opt to make their own baby food because it gives them more control over what their baby is eating. Others believe homemade baby food costs less than store-bought. But is it more economical?

On a recent trip to our local grocery store, we compared apple prices with packaged baby applesauce prices. For homemade conventional, non-organic baby applesauce, it would cost $1.69 per pound. Bought jars: $2.97 for nearly a pound.

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]]>cheap homemade baby foodhomemade baby foodhomemade baby food costparent-dishLauren JamesTue, 21 Sep 2010 06:00:00 ESTCircumcision: Is It Right for Your Baby Boy?http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/31/circumcision-is-it-right-for-your-baby-boy/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/31/circumcision-is-it-right-for-your-baby-boy/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/31/circumcision-is-it-right-for-your-baby-boy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

baby boy

The decision to circumcise is up to parents. Credit: Nicole Hill, Getty Images


The debate over circumcision heated up when the Centers for Disease Control announced it may recommend circumcising all baby boys, but experts say the decision still rests with parents.

First of all, just what is circumcision? Dr. Rodolfo Sarmiento, a pediatrician on staff at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill., told ParentDish it's an elective procedure done to boys after birth, usually 24 hours after they are delivered. The prepuce, or overlying skin at the tip of the penis, is removed.

The procedure does cause the child pain, so doctors will administer a pain reliever such as Tylenol. Some physicians, Sarmiento says, prefer to give a newborn sugar or a local, topical anesthetic to help with pain control.

Not all parents choose to have their children circumcised, which is why the CDC's announcement caused such a stir. Officials are considering promoting the procedure in the U.S., according to The New York Times, because it may help reduce the spread of H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS.

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]]>baby boysBabyBoyscircumcisedcircumcisionevergreenhealthpenisAmy HatchTue, 31 Aug 2010 16:40:00 ESTStar Wars Pancake Molds Make a Galactic Breakfasthttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/31/star-wars-pancake-molds-make-a-galactic-breakfast/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/31/star-wars-pancake-molds-make-a-galactic-breakfast/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/31/star-wars-pancake-molds-make-a-galactic-breakfast/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

star wars pancake molds williams-sonoma

A good breakfast will help them fend off the Dark Side. Credit: Williams-Sonoma


Hungry for breakfast are you, hmm? Yeesssss.

Sure, the Force is what gives a Jedi Knight his power, but even Yoda knows how important a good breakfast is for young Padawans. And nothing makes breakfast more fun than this set of Star Wars Pancake Molds from Williams-Sonoma, with Yoda, Darth Vader and stormtrooper designs.

The forms, made from nonstick steel, are simple to use: Just place the molds on a preheated griddle, pour the batter and unleash the power of a galactic breakfast.

The best part: Your kids will think you're a Jedi Kitchen Master.

Available at Williams-Sonoma for $19.95.

Related: German Girl Identifies 'Star Wars' Legos With Her Mouth

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]]>cookingshoppingstar warsStarWarswilliams-sonomaHoney BerkTue, 31 Aug 2010 14:00:00 ESTThe Knife Under the Bed and Other Pregnancy Superstitionshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/13/the-knife-under-the-bed-and-other-pregnancy-superstitions/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/13/the-knife-under-the-bed-and-other-pregnancy-superstitions/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/13/the-knife-under-the-bed-and-other-pregnancy-superstitions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do pregnancy superstitions give you pause? Credit: Getty Images


If there's one thing a woman loses while pregnant (besides her waistline), it's any sense of control. Will it be a boy or a girl? Will my baby have 10 fingers and 10 toes? Will labor be easy or difficult? With so many unknowns out there, it's no wonder pregnancy and birth superstitions have proliferated for as long as they have.

Thanks to advancements in science and technology, some of these superstitions are losing their relevance. For example, moms-to-be no longer have to rely on dangling a wedding band over their bellies to determine their baby's sex. Sure, they may have had a 50/50 chance of being right, but ultrasound is much more accurate and DNA is, well, pretty hard to contest.

Did you know that one in 10 newborns are diagnosed with a vascular birthmark, those dark red or purplish marks more commonly known as strawberries, port-wine stains, stork bites or angel kisses? Before we had the science to explain that they are simply a mass of extra blood vessels in the skin, many cultures saw them as something sinister, referring to them as "the mark of the devil," while other societies explained away the unsightly marks by claiming the mother had indulged in red berries while pregnant.

Another medical phenomenon ancient cultures attempted to make sense of is the harelip, a colloquial name for cleft palate or cleft lip, which occur in approximately 1 per 500 to 700 births worldwide, according to Operation Smile. Ugandans believe if a pregnant woman sees an eclipse, her baby will have a harelip. In Mexico, harelips occur if she's out during a full moon and in China, if she eats rabbit.

Continue reading The Knife Under the Bed and Other Pregnancy Superstitions

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]]>birthbirthmarkbirthmarkscleft lipcleft palateCleftLipCleftPalatehareliphemangiomahemangiomaslabormythsMythsAndLegendspregnancystrawberriessuperstitionsuperstitionsvascularJulie Z. RosenbergFri, 13 Aug 2010 11:00:00 ESTMore Girls Entering Puberty Early, Study Findshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/10/more-girls-entering-puberty-early-study-finds/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/10/more-girls-entering-puberty-early-study-finds/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/10/more-girls-entering-puberty-early-study-finds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls are maturing earlier than ever. Credit: Getty Images


Girl, you'll be a woman soon. Sooner than you thought.

A new study finds that U.S. girls are entering puberty at younger ages than in the past. Early maturity is a public health concern because studies have shown that these girls are more likely to eventually develop breast and uterine cancer, CNN reports.

The study finds that nearly 25 percent of black girls and 15 percent of Hispanic girls had entered puberty by age 7. White girls mature more slowly, but the study finds that more than 10 percent of white 7-year-old girls had started puberty by age 7, up from 5 percent in a similar study conducted in the early 1990s, according to CNN.

Dr. Frank Biro, the study's lead author and director of adolescent medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, says it's unclear why girls are entering puberty earlier, but researchers are looking at several potential factors, including genes and environment, Medical News Today reports.

"Breast cancer is such a common problem, so if we can find some of the things that make it more likely, we could improve screening of those early developers," says Dr. Susan Nickel, M.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, who was not part of the study.

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]]>breast cancerBreastCancerpubertyColleen EganTue, 10 Aug 2010 11:19:00 ESTBaby Food Dispensing Spoon is Good to the Last Bitehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/06/baby-food-dispensing-spoon-is-good-to-the-last-bite/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/06/baby-food-dispensing-spoon-is-good-to-the-last-bite/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/08/06/baby-food-dispensing-spoon-is-good-to-the-last-bite/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

baby food dispensing spoon

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Credit: Boon


Unless you're a circus performer, there's no easy way to juggle a baby, a spoon and a baby food jar with two hands.

If the thought of a trapeze gives you vertigo, you may want try the Squirt baby food dispensing spoon instead. This ingenious little contraption removes the jar from the equation, making life-on-the-go a little easier for you and your little one.

Fill the bulb with up to three ounces of baby food, attach it to the spoon end, and you're good to go. Just squeeze the bulb to dispense the right amount of food, and voilà -- you're a one-handed baby-feeding wonder!

Squirt comes with a protective cover to keep things tidy between feedings, and is dishwasher safe for easy clean-up.

Available at Boon for $7.99.

Related: Front Seat Storage Bag Yields Safer Car Trips

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]]>boonfeedingfoodmealsshoppingspoonHoney BerkFri, 06 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST