Babies love the sound of your voice, lots of eye contact and follow carefully any gestures you make.
Here are a few fun songs to sing and baby sign to your little one. These songs are sung to some very familiar sounding old tunes ...
(to the tune of She'll be coming round the mountain)
Oh it's time to change your nappy, 'cause it's wet, cause it's wet
Oh it's time to change your nappy, 'cause it's wet, 'cause it's wet
Oh it's time to change your nappy, it's time to change your nappy,
Oh it's time to change nappy, cause it's wet.
(to the tune of Row, Row your Boat)
Wash, wash, wash your face.
Wash your little face.
Pour the water on your face.
And Wash your little face.
This is also a great way to learn new words.
Have a go yourself. Perhaps even make up some words to the sound of your favourite tunes.
Enjoy!
Tuesday 11 August 2009
Thursday 6 August 2009
Saline solution for babies and toddlers
From the age of 3 months, I cleared my son's nose with a home-made saline solution, not more than once a week.
He remained free from coughs, colds and a runny nose until he was around 18 months of age.
The saline solution helped to loosen any build up in the nostrils. Do not overuse.
I made a fresh batch of saline solution each time.
Saline solution for the nose:
Add 2.5ml (1/2 level teaspoon) of salt, never more, to 250 ml (8oz) of cooled boiled water. Boil the water for at least a minute before cooling. Use a good quality sea salt. Measure quantities accurately.
Cleaning your Infant's nose:
When my baby was around 9 months of age I began showing them how to gently blow air through his nostrils. Blowing bubbles in the bath (face under the water), and blowing a cotton ball across the table, pushing air through your nostrils, is a great way for little ones to watch and learn!
Cleaning a Toddler's nose
Beyond the age of 12 months my son became too fussy to have his nose cleaned while laying on his back. So, I began using Hydrasense when I noticed congestion (which rarely occurred). Now 4 years old he uses a tissue when he needs one, and continues to remain free from any serious coughs and colds.
If you are using any type of nostril aspiration/suction system, then you will need to reassure your infant before and during the process. I was only able to use a nasal aspirator once with my son. The sound of the mucus being sucked out of his nose gave him a fright.
Hydrasense is a saline mist that is great for adults and children with sinus, colds and nasal congestion. There is a very gentle mist for children. Use cautiously on children under 18 months of age. Check with your pharmacist first. Hydrasense is available in Canada and major pharmacies, and at well.ca (online, with free delivery).
I have used the Hydrasense spray mist, with my son, once or twice when there has been signs of nasal congestion, between the age of 18 months and 2 years. I believe, if there are no major health issues, then the less intervention, the better.
Hydrasense helps sore throats, colds and sinus problems, especially during North American winters when homes have much lower humidity because of our winter heating.
He remained free from coughs, colds and a runny nose until he was around 18 months of age.
The saline solution helped to loosen any build up in the nostrils. Do not overuse.
I made a fresh batch of saline solution each time.
Saline solution for the nose:
Add 2.5ml (1/2 level teaspoon) of salt, never more, to 250 ml (8oz) of cooled boiled water. Boil the water for at least a minute before cooling. Use a good quality sea salt. Measure quantities accurately.
Cleaning your Infant's nose:
- Lay baby on their back.
- Place a full dropper (1ml) of salt water (saline solution) in each nostril.
- Clean inside very gently with a cotton swab (Q-tip) to catch any build up. Use a new Q-tip for each nostril.
When my baby was around 9 months of age I began showing them how to gently blow air through his nostrils. Blowing bubbles in the bath (face under the water), and blowing a cotton ball across the table, pushing air through your nostrils, is a great way for little ones to watch and learn!
Cleaning a Toddler's nose
Beyond the age of 12 months my son became too fussy to have his nose cleaned while laying on his back. So, I began using Hydrasense when I noticed congestion (which rarely occurred). Now 4 years old he uses a tissue when he needs one, and continues to remain free from any serious coughs and colds.
If you are using any type of nostril aspiration/suction system, then you will need to reassure your infant before and during the process. I was only able to use a nasal aspirator once with my son. The sound of the mucus being sucked out of his nose gave him a fright.
Hydrasense is a saline mist that is great for adults and children with sinus, colds and nasal congestion. There is a very gentle mist for children. Use cautiously on children under 18 months of age. Check with your pharmacist first. Hydrasense is available in Canada and major pharmacies, and at well.ca (online, with free delivery).
I have used the Hydrasense spray mist, with my son, once or twice when there has been signs of nasal congestion, between the age of 18 months and 2 years. I believe, if there are no major health issues, then the less intervention, the better.
Hydrasense helps sore throats, colds and sinus problems, especially during North American winters when homes have much lower humidity because of our winter heating.
Wednesday 5 August 2009
eat, play, sleep
Eat, play, sleep ... that is all your little one and YOU need do for at least the first 6 weeks!
When they are very young eat, play, sleep happens often. Sleeping takes up most of the time, next to eating and play is only for very short periods during the day.
As babies get older, anytime from 6 weeks on (or in my son's case at 3 and a half months of age) babies can and do stretch out their feeds during the night and sleep up to 6 hours quite easily.
Remember an older waking baby may not always be hungry (he may need a little soother, stroking for reassurance). Try and not pick them up or talk to them when they have woken during the night as this will send them a confusing message. They may think they are getting up to eat and play again. A hungry baby will not take a soother for too long before he is crying again.
eat
Milk feeds can be every 2 to 3 hours and last up to 40 minutes. As your newborns gets older you may notice they feed more quickly. By 6 weeks of age my son was done with one side of the breast in 10 minutes, sometimes less.
play
To encourage a burp, gently stroke the back of your baby, in an upwards motion on the left side. Ensure you are stroking their back well above the kidney area. Chat or sing to your little one. My son enjoyed being held with his arms up and over the top of my shoulder (while waiting for him to burp).
This is all part of play.
Sing a song, say a nursery rhyme or read a book. It is never to early to start reading to your child.
sleep
Then get ready to change their diaper (make it a short time of play), sing a little more, give them a cuddle and talk about getting ready to go to sleep.
At 8.5 months of age I still sing this little song to my son (while signing to him) to the tune of 'Frére Jacques' after changing his diaper ready for bed...
"Are you sleepy? Are you sleepy?
Baby mine, Baby mine,
Now it's time for bed, Now it's time for bed,
Time to sleep, Time to sleep
Try putting your baby down to sleep within 20 to 30 minutes of a feed. Watch for the signs that your little one is ready to sleep. Are they rubbing their eyes, pulling their ears, or giving a small yawn. The sooner you can put them to bed after catching that first sign of sleepiness the easier it will be for you, and baby will go off to sleep well.
Awake time = 1 to 1.5 hours (up to 3 to 4 months of age)
Sleep time = 2 to 3 hours (up to 3 to 4 months of age)
For extra help and ideas go to http://www.thesleepstore.co.nz for articles on baby sleep.
When they are very young eat, play, sleep happens often. Sleeping takes up most of the time, next to eating and play is only for very short periods during the day.
As babies get older, anytime from 6 weeks on (or in my son's case at 3 and a half months of age) babies can and do stretch out their feeds during the night and sleep up to 6 hours quite easily.
Remember an older waking baby may not always be hungry (he may need a little soother, stroking for reassurance). Try and not pick them up or talk to them when they have woken during the night as this will send them a confusing message. They may think they are getting up to eat and play again. A hungry baby will not take a soother for too long before he is crying again.
eat
Milk feeds can be every 2 to 3 hours and last up to 40 minutes. As your newborns gets older you may notice they feed more quickly. By 6 weeks of age my son was done with one side of the breast in 10 minutes, sometimes less.
play
To encourage a burp, gently stroke the back of your baby, in an upwards motion on the left side. Ensure you are stroking their back well above the kidney area. Chat or sing to your little one. My son enjoyed being held with his arms up and over the top of my shoulder (while waiting for him to burp).
This is all part of play.
Sing a song, say a nursery rhyme or read a book. It is never to early to start reading to your child.
sleep
Then get ready to change their diaper (make it a short time of play), sing a little more, give them a cuddle and talk about getting ready to go to sleep.
At 8.5 months of age I still sing this little song to my son (while signing to him) to the tune of 'Frére Jacques' after changing his diaper ready for bed...
"Are you sleepy? Are you sleepy?
Baby mine, Baby mine,
Now it's time for bed, Now it's time for bed,
Time to sleep, Time to sleep
Try putting your baby down to sleep within 20 to 30 minutes of a feed. Watch for the signs that your little one is ready to sleep. Are they rubbing their eyes, pulling their ears, or giving a small yawn. The sooner you can put them to bed after catching that first sign of sleepiness the easier it will be for you, and baby will go off to sleep well.
Awake time = 1 to 1.5 hours (up to 3 to 4 months of age)
Sleep time = 2 to 3 hours (up to 3 to 4 months of age)
For extra help and ideas go to http://www.thesleepstore.co.nz for articles on baby sleep.
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