There is a true saying that sums up the relevance of day sleeps on nighttime sleep: Sleep Begets Sleep, which literally means the more your baby sleeps, the more he will sleep. A good day sleep routine, made up of regular age appropriate day sleeps enhances night sleep and helps your baby sleep better. The […]
Having a baby is a beautiful and wonderful thing, but it can sometimes feel traumatic, depressing and frightening. A woman I know, who has 3 grown up children and a grandchild on the way, said to me, “everyone is so excited and happy when a 1st pregnancy is announced, but I just want to say, ‘oh […]
Whatever you call it; security blankets (baby comforter) are the best sleep tool a weary mother could wish for. The basics of choosing and introducing a security blanket. Why: At around 7 months of age separation anxiety emerges and night time sleep can be negatively affected by your baby waking to call you back for […]
After 9 months in a perfectly regulated environment – the womb – it becomes one of your baby’s first tasks to regulate his body temperature. It takes a while for this ability to develop and intermittently you may find that your baby is too hot or has freezing hands. Because of this, many parents fall […]
In recent years research has indicated that babies who sleep on their tummies are more susceptible to cot death or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). For this reason you have probably heard, you should put your baby on its back or side to sleep. Unfortunately many babies do not sleep as well on their backs […]
You will find summer outings a breeze if you have the essentials. Dress your baby appropriately for the warm weather. A rule of thumb is that your baby will be comfortable in one layer more than you are wearing. So it you are comfortable in a T-shirt, your baby will do well with a little […]
Summer is nearly upon us and I have been thinking of all the activities I am looking forward to with my children. Luckily in South Africa we can take advantage of our good weather and be out and about with our tots. I am a believer in Nature as our best teacher. It stimulates all […]
Non nutritive sucking (ie. Sucking without feeding) really helps to calm young babies. Some babies learn to suck on their own hands from a very early age, others prefer to suck a dummy. Both are excellent soothers for young babies. Do not stop your baby from sucking but guide your baby into a method you […]
“How much stimulation is enough?” Parenting comes with heavy responsibilities. One responsibility which we parents take very seriously is that of ensuring that our babies develop to their maximum potential. However advice on how we achieve this goal of optimising potential has varied over the past century. ‘Stimulation is unnecessary’ In the early 1900s a […]
Create a sleep zone and stick to it. This may be in her own room, or in your room. It doesn’t matter where it is, as long as it is a ‘zone’ where sleep happens – she will learn to recognize it as such. At sleep time, put your baby to bed. Try to avoid […]