child development, health

7 Useful Tips On How To Soothe A Teething Baby

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Teething is a tough phase for your little ones. It happens sometime in the first year when your child is around 6 months.

If you are not totally sure if baby’s discomfort stems from teething pain then here are some of the most common symptoms to look out for:

  • Rubbing an ear or earlobe
  • Reddened cheeks
  • Excessive drooling
  • Slight temperature
  • Teething rash around mouth and chin
  • Crying and irritability
  • Waking during the night
  • Refusing food and/or milk

Teething can be distressing for some babies but there are ways to make it easier for them. Here are tips on how to help soothe your child’s pain:

1. Cold food or drink and low inflammation diet

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If baby is eating solids, white foods such as refined sugar and flour, potatoes, and even dairy can cause inflammation. Focus on paleo-type foods—a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, pastured meats, wild seafood, ample healthy fats (coconut, avocado, butter, and whole eggs.)

To help prevent choking, place the fruit in a mesh feeder, and give that to your baby to lick or suck on.

Below are some cold foods many of us have that could bring relief:

  • Cold cut up cucumber slices. Cucumbers are also thought to have anti-swelling properties in them.
  • A frozen cheese stick. You can also serve it unfrozen, but frozen may provide more relief.
  • Cold celery. Not only is it cold but it is sturdy and the pressure from biting will also bring relief.
  • Cold soft foods like applesauce and yogurt. It’s a yummy snack with cold relief.
  • Cold water in a sippy cup with ice cubes. Your little one can chew on the cup and enjoy cool relief.
  • Frozen fruit juice slushy. You can make your own combo of fruit and freeze your blend in a 4 oz. zip-lock storage container. Then slightly thaw and serve it when needed. Frozen slushy pears mixed with apples were one of my son’s favorites.
  • Frozen breast milk. You can freeze this just the same as the fruit slushies and serve.

Always stay close when your baby is eating in case they choke.

2. Use a cold washcloth or spoon

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Soak a small washcloth in water, squeeze out water, then freeze for at least an hour. Let baby chew on the washcloth after it comes out of the freezer. However, don’t leave your child unattended while she’s sucking or chewing on the washcloth, as this can be a choking hazard.

Put a metal spoon in the fridge for at least 15 minutes when the spoon is cool, gently rub the back of the spoon against your baby’s gums.

3. Teething toys

  • Silicone teething rings: Made of safe silicone, rather than latex or plastic, this teether is a safe choicebaby-teething-toys
  • Wooden teethers: What works for one baby may not work for the next, so if silicone and rubber don’t do it, try a wooden teether. Just be sure to choose a brand that uses natural water-based sealants or food grade dyes. It should be unfinished or finished with organic flax seed oil.
  • Teething necklaces for mom are made of silicone and are great for baby to use while sitting in mom’s lap or in a baby carrier.15-facts-about-baby-teething-and-its-products

Also, never tie a teething ring around your baby’s neck, as it may be a choking hazard

4. Comforting distraction

A nice warm bath helps to distract a teething baby. This gives them the chance to take their mind off the pain by splashing around.baby-in-bath.jpg

Breastfeeding: simply holding your little one close and breastfeeding them can help soothe your little one.

Dry the drool. Excessive drool is a large part of the teething process. Keeping it wiped up will prevent skin irritation, which will only make the process more of an ordeal for your baby.

5. Natural remedies

chamomile-tea

Parents have been using herbal remedies for hundreds of years to help ease their baby’s teething pain. Chamomile, Rosehip, Catnip or Clove tea, may be something to consider for teething relief. It helps to relax and soothe irritability.

6. Give your baby plenty of cuddles

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Make sure your baby gets lots of hugs. Sometimes, the biggest comfort for a teething baby can be cuddle time with parent. Play and cuddle with your little one. Distract your child with a game like “peek-a-boo” to help take their mind off their discomfort

7. Medication

Different medical pills and bottles

If your baby is in pain or has a mild raised temperature (less than 38C), you may want to give them a sugar-free painkilling medicine that’s specifically for babies and young children. These contain a small dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen.

However, never give aspirin to anyone under the age of 16 years, as this can cause Reye’s syndrome.

Always follow the instructions that come with the medicine. If you’re not sure, consult your doctor or pediatrician for advice on using medication to help with baby teething symptoms.

how to be the most loving parent the smart wayGet a  book by the author Bakshi Sidhu

child development, Child's Education

FUN YET SIMPLE ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS 18-24 MONTHS

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Once your child goes beyond a year old, she will be exploring so many things in her surroundings. It is the time when she would try to sneak into your kitchen and open the cupboards herself. It is the dangerous period when she would climb up the staircases and leave you breathless.

So how can you keep your baby busy on safer and more meaningful things? What are the best activities that you could give her during this stage?

To help you get through this time successfully, I have listed five of the best ways to make your 18-24 month old baby happy and busy:

1. Ignite interest with picture books.

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Picture books are a real gift to the learning journey of our children. Most of the picture books that you will find in the bookstores and markets are of various themes and ideas. You can pick a book about shapes where different items that resemble certain shapes are shown so that your child can be familiar with them.

The toddler stage is the perfect time for your kids to embrace the fun in learning. It is ideal to introduce her to new words and concepts through the use of picture books.

2. Develop curiosity with wooden toys.

The use of wooden toys is promoted by the Montessori education. Contrary to plastics, wooden toys are safe for your kids. Just make sure that the wood has been painted with non-toxic materials.

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There are different kinds of wooden toys out there. The best wooden toys for children below two years old are those that can introduce geometric concepts and patterns. It is also nice to give her a wooden xylophone because music can intensify the cognitive development of children.

3. Stimulate creativity with art.

Boy, drawing a picture for fathers day

You might be surprised that your toddler can already create wonderful art even at her young age! Just allow her to hold a non-toxic and washable crayon with a piece of paper. See what she can randomly create! Do not forget to capture her creations through a photograph. There are also jewelry makers who can transform your toddler’s first doodles into a pendant for you to keep forever.

Other art ideas include tracing her hands using colorful and washable markers on a piece of paper, painting her toy box, making a DIY paint using a yogurt, or putting some stickers on a surface. Remember to be forgiving during this stage. There is no point in being so strict about cleanliness. Let her be messy to explore all areas of creativity.

4. Promote fine motor skills with play.

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You should not wait until her preschool years before you even attempt to consider the development of your child’ fine motor skills. You can check out the internet for some cool ideas about fine motor activities. One sample activity is the insert pipe game. Just get a used cardboard box, empty its contents, and create even round holes on the box. Then cut small pipe cleaners which your child could insert into the holes.

There is no need to spend so much on the toys of your baby. You can make do of whatever there is at your home. Be resourceful enough and enjoy the process.

5. Explore sensory capabilities with experiments.

Aren’t experiments fun? You don’t need to be a scientist just to let your child feel awesome about them! One experiment that you can do is the bubble fun experiment. Just get an empty bottle, fill it with water, pour some shampoo into it, add some food dye, and shake. Prepare three different colors to make things a lot more exciting. Your child will surely be amazed by the resulting bubbles!

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Another experiment that you can do is the simple pancake experiment. Create a pancake and add interesting toppings like mallows, nuts, syrup, and more. Let her get one topping at each time and ask her what she feels. Explain the idea of color, texture, taste, and flavor.

Enjoy every step of your journey to parenting. The toddler stage can be exhausting but it can also be extremely fun and meaningful for as long as you delight in little joys.

how to be the most loving parent the smart wayGet a  book by the author Bakshi Sidhu

child development, Child's Education, Relationships

4 Effective ways to Get Your Kids to Stop Whining

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“Moooooooooooom!”

It’s irritating, it’s frustrating and it gets on your last nerve. Though it’s obnoxious and unacceptable, it’s actually effective for your child to get your attention. It’s whining. But, like other bad habits, you can nip it in the bud early with a few simple strategies to teach your child there are other appropriate, effective forms of communicating with you.

  1.  First, try limiting the situations that trigger it. Avoid extra errands when the kids are hungry.  Don’t let them get involved in a frustrating game or project prior to bedtime. Pay attention when your child is talking, as sometimes whining is a reaction when a child feels you aren’t giving them your full attention. Praise them for not whining and talking in a normal and understandable voice that allows you to fully understand what they are saying to you.
  2.  When the whining begins, don’t overreact. Keep your response simple, calm and neutral.  Ask your child to repeat the request in a normal tone. When giving in seems inevitable, don’t delay. If you must finish the grocery shopping so you can put dinner on the table, for instance, and your child starts whining for a snack, offer something healthy right away.
  3. Once a limit has been set, parents should follow through. It’s imperative that both parents are on board with this limit and fully follow through when the whining rule has been violated.
  4. If you have an older child that’s developing a whining habit, suggest they come up with a solution to their perceived boredom or other voiced problem.  If you suggest possible alternatives, it might just prolong the child’s whining.

Sometimes whining can be the result of trauma and trouble in their life. A divorce, serious family illness or problems at school may be at the root.  Additional positive attention and quality one-on-one time may be just the medicine your child needs at a time like this. Your pediatrician can also suggest alternatives to curb whining should the positive attention and disciplinary actions be ineffective.

how to be the most loving parent the smart wayGet a  book by the author Bakshi Sidhu

child development, family time, Relationships

You Can’t Spoil a Child through Love

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Though we all worry about spoiling our child, rest assured that you cannot spoil your child with love. Love doesn’t spoil children. Love is imperative to a child’s healthy development, and it’s just not possible to love your child too much. They need caring adults to spend time with them, play with them, teach them, protect them, and enjoy life with them.

It’s a parent’s job to provide love, safety and encouragement. The process of growing up provides children with lots of challenges. Try to listen openly and understand their situation and communicate honestly with them when they have difficulties and letdowns in their life.

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Set appropriate limits with your child and then adhere to them. Establishing limits with your child gives them a sense of safety and security.  Sometimes parents do not set limits because they don’t want to fight with their children. They don’t want to cause bad feelings. They may beg a child to comply. Or they may make a rule and fail to enforce it. They may nag without ever enforcing the rules. None of these helps children.

When your child fails to adhere or comply with the boundaries you’ve set for them, be firm yet kind in your response. This lets them know that you’re serious about the rule but dedicated to helping and loving them.

Bear in mind though that each child is different and what works for one child may not work for another. For example, one child may respond well to the direct approach of telling them a specific time to be home, where another child may need a gentle reminder that it’s now time to come home.

Develop a firm but a kind manner of making and enforcing your household’s rules and expectations.  There’s no need to fear our children, and there should be no need to instill a sense of fear in our children in order to get them to comply.  

how to be the most loving parent the smart wayGet a  book by the author Bakshi Sidhu

child development, healthy food, Relationships

Training the Fussy Eater

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Toddlers can be fussy eaters who refuse to try a new food at least half of the time. Approximately half of all toddlers fit this description, so it is no wonder that food issues are a source of stress for parents.

Establishing healthy eating patterns is important to avoid problems such as obesity and eating disorders later in life. Various strategies can help your child accept a wider range of foods.  It may be necessary to offer food to your child as many as 10 different times before they choose to eat it. The problem is, many parents get frustrated and give up before the fourth or fifth try.

Picky eater

Try to make foods fun.  Colorful foods like carrot sticks, raisins, apples, grapes, cheese sticks and crackers can all be fun and healthy choices for your growing toddler.  Explain to them that eating good food is important so they’ll grow big and strong, and how it will help them run faster and play longer.

Children learn behaviors from their parents. If you restrict yourself to a narrow range of foods, your child will take notice and mimic your caution. Don’t limit your child’s food variety to only those foods you prefer. It may be that your child’s tastes are different to yours, and perhaps you are simply serving them foods they don’t happen to like.  Try to set a good example and try a variety of foods in front of your child. It could motivate them to do the same.

If your child seems healthy and energetic, then they are eating enough. If you are still concerned, keep an eye on how much food they actually eat over the day. Children tend to graze constantly, rather than restrict their eating to three meals per day like adults. You may be surprised how those little handfuls and snacks add up. For further reassurance, check your child’s growth and weight charts, or check with your child’s pediatrician.

Try not to worry, and remember, that unless a child is ill, they will eat.   Children are very good at judging their hunger and fullness signals. Try to stay relaxed about mealtime and offer your child a wide variety of foods, and most importantly, remember to set a good example by trying a wide variety of foods yourself.  You may discover you and your toddler share a new found favorite food!

 

how to effectively breastfeed babiesGet a  book by the author Bakshi Sidhu