How To Get Your Baby To Sleep Through The Night

Many parents suffer needlessly, along with their baby, through hours of baby's crying and sleepless nights. If you are experiencing the same problem as I suffered with when my children were babies, now there is a new, natural way to end those long, unpleasant hours and help your baby fall asleep on his own. In fact, there are more than 23 ways to naturally bring about a peaceful, gentle way to get your baby to sleep through the night and without crying.

I wish I had known of these natural methods when I was struggling to get my own babies to sleep through the night. It would have saved us from many unneeded tears and long nights, just to get them to sleep.

The good news is, there are now a number of methods to use, conveniently recorded on audio cd's to listen to whenever you are at home or in your car, which will save busy parents much more time than reading books about how to get your baby to sleep through the night.

Since every parent and baby is different, there are many choices of methods to use, depending on each personality, but each natural method has been tried and successfully used.

How To Make A Baby Shower Diaper Cake

A few weeks ago, one of my daughter's friends had a baby shower and my daughter wanted to make her a unique gift. I suggested that she could make her a baby diaper cake similar to one I had made for my grandson at her recent baby shower.

My daughter said she had no idea how to even begin to make a diaper cake, so I told her about some video tutorials on making diaper cakes I had seen on the internet which I had purchased when I made the one for her baby shower.

The tutorials show you step-by-step how to make several styles of diaper cakes in under 25 minutes. These kind of original designs would cost over $100 to purchase from specialty shops, if you could even find them!

After the friend's baby shower, everyone was so impressed with her gift that they kept asking her where she got the "cake" from, and found it hard to believe that she had actually made it herself.

If you have a baby shower coming up or know someone who does, tell them to check out these tutorials on how to create a diaper cake. It will be a unique and personal baby gift that the new mom will love and appreciate.

Building Baby's Language Skills

If you would like to boost your baby's language skills, one way is to get out the building blocks!

According to a six-month study of 18- to 30-month-olds, those who played with blocks had about 15 percent bigger vocabularies than those who didn't. The reasoning behind this is that blocks, along with other toys such as dolls and cars, provide parents a way to actively play with and talk with their baby, while at the same time offer a way to subtly lay a foundation for their baby's language skills.

The study author Dimitri Christakis, MD, states that it's not just the time the parents spend playing with their baby, it's the benefit later on when their baby is playing alone that he will recreate what you did. While playing, if you say, "This block is yellow", then later on when your baby is playing with the blocks he will be thinking, "yellow".

Crib Baby Bumper Safety

If you are a mom, safety always comes first for your children, and especially a concern for a new mom with her first baby.

Crib baby bumpers have always been designed to prevent crib injuries; however, I have just been made aware that new research from Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, Missouri, suggests otherwise. As babies get old enough to wiggle or roll around, they could get trapped and suffocated by the bumpers. Older babies could stand on the bumpers to get out of their cribs and get hurt or injured by a fall. According to study author Bradley Thach, MD, bumpers should not be used at all. If you choose to use them, he says, be sure to remove them before your child can move or roll around, usually by 3 to 4 months.

This information is provided as a safety measure for your child or children. Please post a comment if you would like, or if you have any further information on the subject.

Sign Language for Children

I came across a wonderful program called Signing Time which is being shown on public television stations across the country. They also offer products, dvds and vhs tapes, books, and many other resources. This fun and clever television series teaches kids with fun videos and interactive songs and play, how to sign. It reminds me a little of the Sesame Street format of teaching children through songs and repetition, and kids themselves mimicking what they see. Check it out - it has won much acclaim and news coverage, plus numerous awards, including the Parents' Choice Award. Designed to help parents and caregivers make informed decisions about which products are recommended for children, the Parents' Choice Awards is the nation's oldest nonprofit guide to quality children's media and materials for children, including: books, toys, music, magazines, software, videogames, television and websites.

You can watch an introduction video on their website. This is an interesting and fun way for children to learn another way to "speak', and may be very helpful to interact with other children who may not be able to "speak' the words. Click on the box below to go to the website for Signing Time.

Growing Up Healthy and Strong with Organic Food

Growing up healthy and strong with organic food
Contributed by Dr. Joey Shulman for Sweetpea Baby Food

All parents want the best for their growing babies. Decisions about the quality and quantity of the food your baby is eating are, therefore, of the utmost importance.

Selecting high quality foods and "going organic" have been shown to have immense benefits, which include:

• Lowering your baby's risk of developing allergies or asthma
• Decreasing the chances of having a "picky eater"
• Optimizing your baby's digestion and immune system function
• Decreasing exposure to toxic chemicals found in conventional fruits and vegetables

Step 1 - Starting with cereal (approx. 4-6 months)

A hypoallergenic infant cereal such as organic brown rice, barley or mixed grain is the best "starter" food for your baby. Mix cereal with added breast milk, formula or water to ensure it has a soft and smooth texture.

Step 2 - Moving on to 100% organic fruits and veggies (approximately 4-6 months)

Fruits and vegetables are the next solid food category you should introduce on a one by one basis. As a general rule, the more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrient value it holds. The top organic fruits and vegetables to introduce include avocados, bananas, blueberries, pears, broccoli, peas, carrots, squash and sweet potatoes.

Step 3 - Introducing organic proteins for strong muscles (approximately 6- 8 months)

As your baby's energy and growing demands change, s/he is ready to eat a greater amount of protein and iron. Introduce new protein foods one at time with a 3-5 day lag between each new protein introduced.

Becoming informed about your baby's nutritional and growing needs gives parents peace of mind. Having the right information will help with your baby's continuing growth and development.

To contact Dr. Joey, visit drjoey@sweetpeababyfood.com

Introducing Healthy Foods and Good Eating Habits

Healthy Eating for Babies

Healthy eating starts with good choices.

As a new parent, you want to provide your baby with the best possible start in life. Studies show healthy eating habits begin to develop with your baby's first foods. Starting early by educating yourself and to introduce your child to fresh, all-natural foods, you are creating the foundation for your child to make healthy food choices.

10 Healthy Eating Habits

-- Teach your baby about different fruits and vegetables.
-- Talk about what your baby is eating. Make it fun!
-- Be a good role model. your baby learns by imitating you.
-- Encourage your baby to drink water. Offer it at every meal.
-- Your baby's tastes will change often. Don't get discouraged.
-- Your baby needs a balanced diet, with plenty of variety.
-- Don't be in a rush at mealtimes. Enjoy time with your baby.
-- Set times for meals and snacks.
-- Never force your baby to eat. Be patient.
-- Make mealtimes a relaxing, family event. Avoid distractions.