Month: September 2020

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When you first find out that you’re pregnant, you quickly realize that you’re not only eating for yourself but you’re also eating for your baby, thus comes the phrase “eating for two.” Now, there have been lots of mommies-to-be and current mommies-to-be who take that phrase and use it out of context.

Eating for two is more so said for mothers-to-be to be more aware of the types of foods they’re eating… meaning to make healthier food choices. Pregnant women today have used that phrase as an excuse to eat what they want and how much they want… that’s a big no-no.

Doctors inform mothers-to-be of the importance of healthy eating and the foods they can eat and the foods they should avoid for the baby’s health. It’s okay to indulge sometimes because well, you have another person growing in your body, but you have to do it in moderation. With eating for two, a lot of women tend to think that eating for two is just for when you’re pregnant… but oh no… it goes way beyond pregnancy. If you make the decision to breastfeed your baby, you’re going to have to continue on your “eating for two” regimen.

Nothing Really Changes…

One might think that because the baby has been born and is out of your body that you can go back to eating all the foods (good foods and bad foods) you used to eat… WRONG! Your baby might be out of your body but if you make the decision to breastfeed, your baby will still be taking in nutrients from your body through the breastmilk you produce. So in knowing that, you’ll need to decide what you really want to do.

It’s actually quite a big deal because the foods you consume have a big impact on the quality of your breast milk. For example, when you were pregnant, you obviously couldn’t drink alcohol but while you’re breastfeeding, you can consume alcohol but not drinking is the safest option, according to the CDC. There’s just so many stipulations and rules to it that’s it’s really not even worth it.

If you accidentally consume too much alcohol while breastfeeding, you would have to pump a good amount of breastmilk out just to prevent the baby from also consuming alcohol through your breastmilk… it’s just more of a hassle than it will ever be an enjoyment while breastfeeding. Some people would say that not being able to drink alcohol or eat all the bad foods they want is probably the biggest downfall of breastfeeding but it’s really not… there’s so much more to breastfeeding than people realize and it affects your body in many ways but if you want to give your baby the best milk, breastfeeding is the sacrifice you have to be willing to make.

Best Foods For Breastfeeding

Salmon

Salmon is a fish with low mercury and incorporating it into your diet while breastfeeding will not only improve the quality of your breastmilk but it will also add nutritional value to your breastmilk, which is very important. Salmon is a fish that is full of omega-3 fatty acids which are detrimental to the development of your baby’s eyes and brain.

If you’re not a big salmon fan, there are other types of fish that have the same nutritional value:

• Trout
• Herring
• Sardines
• Anchovies

But if you are a big fan of salmon, some great ways to cook salmon is to try a honey, lemon, and garlic salmon recipe or a pesto salmon recipe.

Chicken

Chicken is a food staple found in most homes unless you don’t eat meat. But if you’re someone who does enjoy chicken and you’re breastfeeding, you’re not only improving your own overall health but you’re also improving the health of your baby as well. Chicken is known for being full of protein but it also good for your bones, it builds muscle and improves your immune system. With chicken doing all of this for you in consuming it, just imagine the wonders it will do for your baby when ingested through your breastmilk.

The great thing about chicken is that it’s so versatile. You can make anything from variations of chicken soup and chicken chili to chicken pasta and lemon pepper chicken… you can practically make anything out of chicken. You, of course, want to stay on the healthier side of preparing chicken but if you’re like most people, you’re probably tired of making the same types of meals with chicken. A refreshing chicken meal to try at home is Italian baked chicken. If you like the sound of that but have no clue how to make it, you can try this simple step-by-step recipe.

Blueberries

Whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s very common for women to become vitamin B deficient, so what’s the best solution? Blueberries! Eating blueberries is not only a great way to get your vitamin B fix but it’s also a great source of antioxidants and energy. Just as you are receiving all of the wonderful nutrients of blueberries, your baby will be able to receive the same nutrients.

With blueberries, you can either eat them as is or you can turn them into delicious meals. If you decide to do the latter, you can make blueberry breakfast bars to incorporate them throughout your week or put them on top of your oatmeal. There are so many ways you can use them that you’ll be able to satisfy your tastebuds and give your baby good quality milk at the same time!

The post Eating For Two: What are the Best Foods to Eat While Breastfeeding? appeared first on BabyCare Mag.

So, you’ve decided to finally tackle your little one’s sleepless nights and inconsistent napping. Learning how to sleep train a baby is challenging in itself, even before you take daycare into account. If you’re suffering from the daycare dilemma, this one’s for you.

The daycare dilemma

Whether you’ve bypassed infant sleep training and are interested in sleep training a toddler, or you’re starting from the beginning, daycare can throw a wrench into even the best-laid plans. While you’re in total control on weekends, you’re reliant upon your child care provider to follow-through with the nap schedule you’ve set. And when you don’t meet in the middle, your little one is apt to feel sleep confusion.

Start by choosing the right daycare

If you’re currently on the hunt for a care provider, knowing what to look for can help you avoid sleep training headaches down the road. Knowing that a consistent, predictable schedule is the key to sleep training, there are a few questions you should ask your potential daycare provider to ensure a good fit.

The first thing you want to ask potential providers is what their approach is to naps. Do they put little ones down at set times, or do they go by custom schedules? Do all of the kids nap at the same time, or will they have separate nap times? Will they accommodate special requests? This is especially important for those little ones still learning to sleep independently. Ideally, you want a provider who will work with your set schedule and try to match it or remain close when it comes to naptimes. You’ll also want to ask if your provider can match your style. For example, are they willing to let your little once fuss for a few minutes before rushing in?

After putting thought and care into your baby’s nursery, creating a safe, cool, quiet, and dark space, you don’t want to send mixed signals by sending your baby to a daycare that cannot provide the same. Ask to see where your baby will be sleeping when they nap. Again, you want to look for at least a semi-private, dark space for your little one to rest. While you’re at it, ask if you can provide a white noise machine for your baby to block out other children’s sounds. If your provider is on-board with white noise, make sure you use the same device at home so that your baby is familiar with the sound.

Working with your current provider

If your little one is already with a caregiver, schedule a time to meet and get everyone on the same page. Communication is vital here, so you’ll want to discuss your approach to naps and stress the importance of keeping your little one on schedule. Let your provider know that you’re okay with a bit of fussing — most caregivers will go with a no-cry approach unless instructed otherwise.

It’s essential that your daycare provider try to maintain what you’re doing at home. This means that you need to instruct caregivers not to give your little one sleep props or pacifiers, and not rock or feed them to sleep. By all means, if your little one has a comfort object, send it with them, but don’t provide any items you don’t use in your routine at home.

Be prepared. Your provider might not be able to accommodate all of your requests. In this case, work with your caregiver to find a compromise, whether it be shifting naptimes a half-hour or being okay with going without the white noise machine.

Daycare doesn’t have to create a dilemma; you just need to know how to work with it. I’ve helped many Philadelphia area families come up with daycare-friendly sleep training plans. If you’re wondering if a sleep consultant is right for your family, reach out and schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation with me.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Having a 5-month-old baby is fun! They are usually social, loving, and active. If you want to know what development milestones to look for and get ideas on how to play with your baby, this post is for you!

Many 5-month-old babies are getting a bit picky about their activities. They seem to think that baby play gyms or baby bouncers are for babies – that is not for them! 🙂

They want to be where you are, eat what you eat, and do what you do.

This is not a period of a lot of adult time when the baby is awake. But they still sleep a lot!

Now is a good time for you and your baby to start getting together with other parents and babies. Baby swim classes can be great fun for example. Many 5 months old babies are also old enough to enjoy a trip to the playground both to watch other children and to try the swing themselves (if it has a high back for support).

A bit surprising maybe, but some babies already experience their first round of separation anxiety. Remember that you can never spoil a baby by carrying him!

For many more tips on baby games to play, check out Baby Play for Every Day. (Link to Amazon)

Your 5-Month-Old Baby

5 Months Baby Milestones

Here are the development milestones to look for when your baby is 5 months old:

Physical Development

• Weight and Length

 Your 5-month-old baby has probably doubled his birth weight by now.

The average weight for a 5-month-old baby boy is 16 pounds and 9 ounces (7.5 kg), and the average weight for a 5-month-old baby girl is 15 pounds and 3 ounces (6.9 kg).

When it comes to length/height, a 5-month-old baby boy is, on average, 26 inches (65.9 cm) long, while the average length for a baby girl of the same age is 25.25 (64 cm).

The most important thing is that your baby is happy and growing at a healthy rate. So, if your baby’s measures are slightly different from these, there is no need to worry. All babies are different.

At 5 months of age, vision and hearing are almost completely developed. Your baby’s vision is still not perfect, but he can see at different distances, his eyes aren’t crossing anymore, and he follows objects with his eyes without difficulty.

Babies this age can see and recognize different shades, even if the difference is subtle, but they still prefer primary colors. They also love looking at different patterns and shapes.

Motor skills

• Getting stronger

 A 5-month-old baby can lift the chest and hold the head up while lying on the tummy.

Your 5-month-old baby might have become strong enough to support himself on his hands for a short period when placed on his tummy. Crawling is now only a few months away!

Here is a fun poll on when babies started to crawl and what style.

 

 At this point, your baby can probably sit with support for more extended periods of time.

Some babies might already sit unsupported for short periods in a tripod position, but most will still topple over if unsupported.

 

• Rolling over

Many 5-month-old babies figure out how to roll over from back to stomach. It can happen anytime, so whatever you do, don’t leave your baby unsupervised on the couch or the bed. Also, if you co-sleep, the baby must sleep in the middle or by the wall. I didn’t think that one of our babies could roll over until I saw her doing it while asleep!

If standing up with support, your baby is maybe jumping like crazy.

Sometime around five months, most babies start using their whole hand instead of just a couple of fingers when trying to grab something. This means they manage to grab more or less anything. Watch out!

• Move objects

By the time they are 5 months old, some babies learn how to move objects between their hands and love using toys to pound the floor or the table.

Almost everything your baby holds will go straight into his mouth because he uses his mouth for exploring.

Your baby will start to throw toys and things on the floor, so prepare for a lot of bending in the coming weeks.

Cognitive and Social Development

 

• Object permanence

 Before, when your baby didn’t see a certain object, it was as if that object permanently disappeared. But now, your baby slowly realizes that things exist even if she doesn’t see them. It means she will also realize that you exist even if you are not in the room, which will make her miss you, and she might cry when you leave the room.

 

• Not wanting to be alone

At five months, many babies become very unhappy if left alone for a long time on the floor or in their baby bouncer. They want to be at the same level as everybody else and where all the action is.

• Knowing their name

Some 5-month-old babies have started to recognize their name. They understand that they are being talked to when they hear this particular sound.

• Showing affection

At 5 months, babies are passionate individuals, and they show it. Your baby may reach her arms for you when you come to pick her up and may kiss you all over your face if she gets the opportunity.

• Reserved towards others

Just as he is passionately in love with his dear ones, the 5-month-old may become more reserved when it comes to strangers. This will increase during the next few months.

Respect your baby’s feelings and protect him against (for him) unknown people who want to carry him if he doesn’t seem to enjoy it.

• Action and reaction

 As mentioned above, a 5-month-old will throw things from the highchair or the bed. At this age, a baby is starting to learn about the concept of the cause and the effect. Your baby realizes that every action produces a certain reaction, and she finds it is so interesting that she repeats the same action all the time.

• Language development

5-month-old babies will start making different sounds and start including some consonants into their range of “words.” You might hear your baby say “mama,” for example, but your baby still doesn’t know what that means. He is just exploring different sounds without attaching meaning to them.

Your baby will also try to mimic the language he hears. Continue having “conversations” with your little one regularly. Here are ideas on how to stimulate your baby’s language development.

Sleep

Although some 5-month-old babies sleep through the night, many babies still don’t. However, when they are 5 months old, most babies will start sleeping for longer stretches at night.

Your baby’s sleep schedule will still consist of 11-12 hours of sleep at night and a few naps.

If you haven’t already, consider starting a bedtime routine, such as bathing, massage, or reading. Anything that can help your baby relax and start calming down for sleep.

Activities and Games To Play with a 5-Month-Old

5-month-old babies love hearing different sounds as well as seeing funny faces. This is a great way to play with your 5-month-old!

Singing and dancing are also popular.

Go to a playground and place your baby in an infant swing. Chances are he/she will love swinging. You’ll have to find a swing with a high back to support your baby’s back and head. And no hard pushes!

Have some skin-to-skin contact with your baby. Take both yours and your baby’s top of and cuddle. It is probably going to make your baby very happy. My youngest tried to swallow my shoulder when he got the opportunity at this age.

Babies of this age are also likely to discover how fun it is to splash water. Bathe with your baby and splash around together.

This is also a good age to start attending baby swim classes.

Best Toys for Your 5-Month-Old

An unbreakable baby-safe mirror, so that your baby can talk to “another” baby while lying on the floor is fun. Balls and toys that make sounds are exciting.

If your baby likes jumping on your lap, a baby jumper can be a real success. If using one of these, be very sure to read the instructions, so that you use it in a safe way. And never leave your baby unattended. There are two different types of jumpers to consider. The “floor stations” that ofter look like small space ships, but are good in the sense that they stand on the floor. This feels quite safe. Here is an example of a good jumper.

The other type is the door jumper, that you hang in the doorway. These are lots of fun for babies that really love jumping, and they take a lot less space. However, they can be a bit unsafe – they do hang! – and I know babies that have tipped over when jumping high. So a door jumper is a really funny toy, but it needs to be used with caution!

Finally, a 5-month-old baby that has learned to sit up or support him or herself on the elbows when lying on the tummy can really enjoy a roly-poly toy that rights up itself.

(If you live in the US and haven’t signed up for Rebaid yet, consider doing it! It is free to join, and you can receive amazing discounts when shopping at Amazon. Check them out here. )

For more toy tips month by month, check out this post!

The 5-Month-Old Baby On Video

In this video with 5-month-old babies, you can see some little ones actually almost being on the move, others sitting up. Most babies do neither yet, though. You can also see how much they enjoy the interaction with mom and dad and also siblings.

Where would you like to go next?

More About the 5-Month-Old Baby

The 4-month-old baby | The 6-month-old baby

To celebrate the launch of FLEXA – the leading Danish modern children’s furniture brand – in South Africa, we’ve put together a fabulous giveaway.

The Danes have certainly cemented their reputation for quality craftsmanship with a delicate balance of simplicity and functionality. FLEXA’s furniture collections are both safe and stimulating for kids up to teens and focus on the fundamental areas of child development: Sleep, Play and Study. Over the decades, both kids and their parents have put FLEXA’s furniture to the test, contributing to an iconic furniture brand offering products that grow as their children grow.

FLEXA’s collections embody the notion of flexibility (the clue is in the name!), allowing each item – be it a bed, desk or storage – to evolve as their young owners do, in all the significant areas of development. While flexibility is now an integral part of kids’ furniture design, FLEXA was, in fact, the early creator of this concept. Metamorphic furniture solutions, industrious storage ideas and a myriad of possibilities translate into a lifetime companion for children, and their parents too.

Visit their website here to view their furniture, toys and decorative accessories.

FLEXA is offering two lucky readers a gift voucher valued at R1250.00 each, so they can shop for their little people from FLEXA’s online selection of furniture, toys and decorative accessories. To stand a chance to win, simply fill in the form below. Entries close 31 Oct at midnight. T’s & C’s apply.

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Just a day after Game of Thrones stars Rose Leslie and Kit Harrington announced they’re expecting their first baby, Sophie Turner shared some never-before-seen snaps from her pregnancy on Instagram.

ALSO SEE: Jon Snow is going to be a dad

The actress who starred as Sansa Stark in the popular TV series, and her hubby, singer and actor Joe Jonas, chose to keep her pregnancy private. They never confirmed they were having a baby until a representative announced the birth of their baby girl, Willa, in July.

ALSO SEE: Game of Thrones star welcomes first baby

Obviously feeling a bit nostalgic, as moms do as their babies grow, Sophie must have been on a trip down memory lane and decided to share three intimate snaps of her baby bump with her followers. The pics were all taken by her hubby – which we think is so adorable!

In one snap she’s wearing a green bikini and enjoying some time next to the pool.

In another pic, she’s in a grey swimsuit enjoying a dip in the pool with her dog.

In the final snap, she’s wearing a cute pink and white striped pyjama set from Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles with Joe’s hand resting on her baby bump.

Her fans have gushed how beautiful she looked with her baby bump – and we have to agree!