Unfortunately, our current culture is one in which most young men and women don’t have the experience they really need when they become parents for the first time. Families are smaller, and girls and women are encouraged to be away from the home and family much more than in previous generations. Because of this, when many new babies are born, their parents feel unsure in how to take care of them, and especially how to soothe their cries. This book is very straightforward and easy to read and understand, giving new parents the techniques and therefore the confidence they need to care for their newborns.

Being a Christian myself, I don’t agree with the perspective that the author comes from when he talks about the evolution of man and babies being born 3 months too soon. Personally, I know from the Bible that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God’s plan for each baby’s birth is in His perfect time. I do agree with the author’s belief that newborn babies handle the first 3 months of their lives much better when the transition from womb to the outside world is a gentle one. The utter helplessness of my newborn daughter is God’s way of drawing me close to her. I have discovered through my experience that babies cannot be spoiled for the first 3 months of their lives, but rather they simply need to be with their mothers as much as possible during this special time that goes by so quickly.

I really like the 5 S’s that the author gives – Swaddling, Side/Stomach, Shushing, Swinging, and Sucking. They are very easy to remember, and that is important for me when I’m up with a baby in the middle of the night and too foggy-headed to remember what I read in the parenting books about that night’s particular problem. Each baby is different, and there are no cure-all solutions that will work for every baby, but the techniques in this book do work. Patience is needed to find out what works best for your baby.

I highly recommend this book for parents having a new baby, whether or not this is your first child. The only caution I would give is for Christians who might be offended by the references to evolution, but these are overlooked fairly easily.

You can buy this book here, and if you use this link a small amount of the sale will be donated to Doula San Antonio, who uses the donated funds to help moms in crisis pregnancies around the San Antonio area. Thank you!

Author: Brenda Minica, CD (CBI)

Acid reflux in infant is actually a common problem. This article will talk about the basic things you need to know about acid reflux in babies. Get to know just how many babies are affected by acid reflux, why they get it, and how the condition progresses if left untreated.

What Are The Statistics?

In babies with acid reflux, studies show that 50 percent of all infants have acid reflux during the first 2 to 3 months of life. Most of the time, infants experience the condition after feeding. In other cases however, an infant may experience reflux while crying, straining, or coughing.

Generally, infants with acid reflux are not necessarily irritated or unhappy. In fact, many infants who have acid reflux are healthy and happy. Almost all infants will no longer have acid reflux after 12 to 18 months. However, there are a few who may continue to show signs and symptoms of acid reflux after 18 months and so may require medical attention.

Why Do Infants Get Acid Reflux?

The condition is often a natural occurrence. Our body will sometimes produce more acid in the stomach than needed, and this can be caused by several reasons. For instance, when we eat considerably more than usual in one sitting, our body will try to process the large amount of food we just consumed by secreting more acid. Acid may therefore build up in the stomach and cause us to regurgitate. Since babies tend to be lying down most of the time or fall asleep after feeding, some acid may end up in the esophagus.

What Happens If The Condition Isn’t Treated?

The similarity between acid reflux in infant and in an adult is that, in both cases, the condition can worsen if left untreated. Acid reflux can continue to progress especially in infants that experience reflux after 18 months. Constant spitting and coughing often characterize common symptoms of infant acid reflux. Sometimes, your baby may also vomit, feed poorly and become irritated.

Left untreated, accumulation of acid in the stomach may become so bad that he or she will start to develop more serious complications. Since acid reflux involves the acid and enzymes in the stomach and travels up to the esophagus, the areas around those parts of the body can also be negatively affected.

For instance, your baby may start having breathing problems because acid can travel to the esophagus and affect the areas around it such as the breast area. Furthermore, your baby may have a bloody stool and experience blood loss due to poor digestive function. A lot of pain can be caused from infant acid reflux, and your baby may continuously show signs of irritability and develop poorly (mainly because of poor feeding).

If you are panicking as to why your baby keeps spitting up or unable to feed a lot of the time, you’re not alone. Many new parents actually experience this during the first few months of caring for their child. Now that you’re more familiar with acid reflux in infant, observe if your baby is experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned earlier and have him or her diagnosed by a doctor.

Unfortunately, there is no manual that teaches parenting. If there was one, the author would likely get rich very quick, because all parents face challenges at one time or another. It is just a fact of life, and it never ceases to amaze.

Truth be told, there are plenty of parenting books available today, and they are filled with excellent tips and advice. They teach techniques from A to Z, and yet they don’t seem to grasp that all answers don’t apply to all children. The parent must determine which children respond to which parenting techniques. Even if there are several children in the same household, certain things just won’t work for all of them.

I always advise parents to read everything they can about parenting. There are books, websites and online chat groups to participate in. I’ve found that interacting online with other parents often provides solutions I hadn’t thought of. The professionals can offer some valuable things, but those techniques and skills will always need to be adapted to different children and their personalities.

If you have a difficult situation with a child going on, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Get online and listen to what others have experienced in the same situation and how they’ve handled it. You can often get more useful advice than the experts provide. And the reason is because the parents are the ones out in the trenches, dealing with the children each day. They may not have the time to write a manual or book, but they still have plenty of good information to offer.

Sometimes it seems like you are all alone when faced with parenting struggles, but don’t give up. There are plenty of resources available to give you the information and support you need. Don’t be afraid to reach out for advice. All parents need it at some time in their lives. Parents learn best from other parents.

Have you ever been overnight at a hotel with your child and the hotel sets up a run down old crib for your baby to sleep in? Or how about when your child is having an overnight at grandma and grandpa’s home – is there a safe and comfortable place for your son or daughter to sleep? Have you thought about purchasing a travel bed for your toddler?

Safety and comfort is number 1 at all times when it comes to your child – and even more so when travelling with you son or daughter. Have you ever had that one night when your child cries all night – and you just know it is a result of them sleeping in an uncomfortable bed? How about getting to a hotel room and you see the crib they have set up for your son or daughter – and there is absolutely no way that you will be placing them in there to sleep – not clean – not safe – and so on. You may be ready for a toddler travel bed. There are many good quality beds to choose from – but how do you decide on the one that is the best option for your family. Read our 7 tips to help clarify your decision.

1. The lighter the better. All things considered – the lighter the bed the better. The bed you choose should be under 6 pounds (in metric that’s under 3 kg.). Travelling with a baby means that you have other gear as well – diaper bag, stroller, etc. Everything you buy – including your toddler travel bed should be ultra lightweight.

2. Easy to carry and load into your car. The bed you select should have its own travel case and when packed away it should be no larger than 24x8x8(in.) or 60x20x20(cm.). No matter where your travels with your child take you – on a plane on a cruise ship or to grandpa’s house you have to carry all the gear and it all has to fit into tight spaces – like your car trunk or as checked baggage on a plane. A small, compact bed will help with this.

3. Easy to set up – the last thing you want is when you get to your destination is having to fumble in setting up the bed for your child. It should be a simple process to set up and a simple process to fold it back up again when you are finished. Set up time and fold up time should take less than 1 minute, and it should be able to be done by one person.

4. Simple and quick access to your toddler. If your child needs you in the middle of the night you want to be able to easily reach into the bed to pick them up or to pat their back. The bed you decide on should have a way for you to quickly get to your child – usually with a side panel that can be lowered by a quick zip of a zipper.

5. Good air ventilation – a good bed will provide for good air flow for your child. Look for one that has mesh side panels that will allow for good air flow helping to keep your child comfortable.

6. Light and comfortable mattress. The mattress in a toddler travel bed can sometimes be heavier than the bed frame itself. Look for a travel bed that comes with a foam mattress – it will be both comfortable for your child and lightweight to carry.

7. Buy with confidence. Check to make sure that the retailer that you purchase from has a no problem return policy – you want to make sure that the bed can be returned (with no problems from the retailer) if it just isn’t right for your family. And if the bed that you purchase is a high quality one, the manufacturer should provide a life time guarantee which will protect you years from now in case there is a problem.

There are lots of essential pieces of baby gear that make life better and easier for families. We consider a toddler travel bed to be essential to our family – and maybe you feel the same way for your family. When the time is right for you to look for a bed for your toddler child use these tips to help to make the right decision for you.

It’s all the rage. Famous and not-so-famous moms and dads all over the world are wearing their baby! Are you next?

The newest and greatest fashion it seems for new moms and dads are great looking and comfortable baby wrap carriers and slings. Even the rich and famous are into it – Brad wears one and so does Gweneth.

Baby has become a new (and beautiful) fashion accessory. There are many types and styles to choose from, including slings, wraps and back frame carriers. And they are created as much for style as they are for comfort and convenience.

They are becoming more and more popular – and for good reason. We have listed five main reasons why people love them – and love to wear them…

1. Freedom. Looking after a baby is full-time work. But a busy mom and dad know that there are other things to do as well. Carriers ‘free up’ your hands allowing you to wear your baby (keeping them close to you) and give you the freedom to do other things as well.

2. Comfortable for baby and parent. People all over the world are amazed how comfortable today’s modern baby carriers are for both the parent and the baby – that’s because the carriers are built so that the weight is not on the arms of the person carrying the baby – but instead is spread across the shoulders and back of the person. This feature makes the carrier a comfort to wear.

3. They can be used when baby is a newborn all the way up to a toddler.

4. Soothing to baby. It’s a well known fact that babies love to be held – holding them increases their contentment – and the more content the less they tend to cry. Carriers (especially sling and wrap styles) are built for holding baby close to you. It feels good for baby and it also feels good for you!

5. Privacy for feeding time. If your baby is a breastfed baby mom’s that use a baby carrier have the luxury of providing privacy during feeding times. Sling and wrap carriers allow you to easily position the baby in the carrier during feeding times. This means that baby can be fed almost anywhere.

Celebrity watching is a ‘national pastime’. They tend to lead the pack in style. This time however, they are using baby carriers in ever-increasing numbers not only because they look good, but more because they are comfortable to wear and have so many advantages to mom, dad and baby.

And it’s not just mom anymore. More and more celebrity dads and the not-so-famous dads are getting in on the convenience and joy of carrying their child in a carrier.