During the first week following discharge home your infant should breastfeed between 8 and 12 times every 24 hours. Some infants may breastfeed more often. Your infant should show signs of being full and satisfied within 30 minutes. You will notice after nursing that your breasts will feel softer and less full. Your infant’s stools […]
Although there are many challenges to breastfeeding most of them can be managed with adequate preparation, education and support. If a mother is HIV positive or is suffering from ongoing drug or alcohol use then breastfeeding is contraindicated. Rare infants with Galactosemia, Tyrosinemia and certain forms of PKU should also receive special formula and not […]
Why does quiet time foster the ability to connect? One of my fondest memories is walking hand in hand with my mother to a corner store one block away from our house. We made this trip many times when I would wake from naps. She would buy me a chocolate cream filled cupcake and arriving […]
Parenting advice is often difficult to hear, understand and incorporate into our daily lives. No one enjoys criticism no matter how constructive it is. On some days everyone wishes they had a parenting GPS to follow. Due to the complexity of parenting responses and the diversity of behaviors children express a single map is not […]
It is important every child learns how to handle negative emotions. Children must know how to feel strong emotions without hurting themself or another. The ability to cope with and express these feelings is something every parent must support within their child. Emotion coaching uses reciprocal parent to child communication to teach empathy. The parent […]
Happiness is a gift from within. I looked up from the menu and saw this young girl standing next to me smiling. Her hair touched the top of a billowing white dress and her black patent leather shoes sparkled. I cocked my head to the side and said: “Well, hello.” Speechless, she continued to smile. […]
Exercise is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle and leads to good physical health. There is no single best activity but keeping your exercise routine fresh, exciting and social improves your chance to continue exercising. Everyone should exercise from infancy through adulthood. Exercise must always be done in a safe environment. Make sure you […]
Trust your intuition and always error on the side of moderation. A go slow approach is generally best while always maintaining a relaxed environment during feeding times. Choosing a small initial portion and only adding one new food per week is best. After age 1 year try to keep milk intake under 24ozs per day. […]
Have you ever wondered why we find it so difficult to forgive ourselves? “Did you try a magic eraser?” I shook my head no but remembered seeing some soft white rectangular blocks in a box autographed with a picture of Mr. Clean. “They are out on the porch with all the cleaning supplies,” my wife […]
This disorder is both frequent and serious. Numerous health problems are associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in childhood. It is estimated that 2-3% of children have OSAS and the most common cause is enlarged tonsils and adenoids. When obesity is also present the risk for associated health problems is increased further. The most […]
