Babies start learning from the minute they are born. Over the course of their first year they learn so much, there are a lot of activities that you can do with infants to help with development. Below are a few activities for ages 0-3 months: Kick, Kick, Kick: To help your baby practice kicking, place items at the baby’s feet such a stuffed animals, squeaky toys, or your … Continue reading Activities for Babies: 0-3 Months
Fall has long been a season of celebration. Harvest parties have been in existence for centuries. Why not have a party this year using suggestions from “The Penny Whistle Halloween Book” by Meredith Brokaw and Annie Gilbar? We’ve excerpted a few of our favorite ideas. PUMPKIN DECORATIONS Hollow out and fill with dried flowers, leaves, and branches. Make a “family” by using pumpkins of different sizes. As … Continue reading Kids Korner: Harvest Time
Learning about the 5 senses can be a lot of fun. Below are some suggestions for ways to teach the 5 different senses Sound Wind: Pinwheel, windsocks Running water: ponds, bridge over a wet spot Instruments: Bottle to blow through, windchimes, birdhouses & feeders to attract song birds, dry leaves, sticks in paper bags Piping taped sounds outdoors Songs which encourage making nature noises Play … Continue reading Creating a Sensory Environment
Pumping: Pump 3-4 hours after you last nursed the baby. Wash your hands. Use clean equipment. Adjust the pump setting on low to start. Then, increase it to your comfort level. Wet the horn with water or a few drops of breast milk. Center your nipple in the horn, don’t let the nipple rub. Pull the plunger gently about half way out for the first … Continue reading How to Pump and Store Breast Milk
Engorgement, or extreme fullness of the breasts, which causes an uncomfortable feeling, is not uncommon. There are things you can do to prevent or relieve engorged breasts. If your breast are engorged, you should still breastfeed or pump milk from your breasts. Breastfeed often Use a warm compress just before nursing. Massage your breasts. Express a small amount of milk. The milk softens the breast … Continue reading Tips on Relieving Engorgement
At some point, for every mother, the breast-milk will need to dry up. Sometimes it dries up on its own and other times it takes some work to dry up the breast-milk. In the process, painful engorgement can occur. Below are some tips that I have found helpful to dry up your milk or, at least, to make the process a little easier. Cabbage Leaves: … Continue reading Tips for Drying up your Milk
– Hot and cold compresses, message, and hand express for pain and pressure, also lanolin cream for the nipple when it’s feeling “dry and raw.” (Theresa Monfet) -Warm wash clothes on help relieve some of the pain. (Brooke Dhawan) -Make sure that your baby is latched properly. -Nurse on the less sore breast first. -Make sure to break suction before taking your baby off the breast. -Use breast milk to … Continue reading Moms to Moms: Breastfeeding- Dealing with Pain
Pregnancy can be very tough on a mother’s body, mind, and soul. Below is a list of 25 strategies for lowering your stress. Some of these can be used even when you’re not pregnant. Write in a journal Enjoy a prenatal message Go for a relaxing swim Join a support group Follow a healthy diet Cuddle with your pet Set manageable goals Plan a date night … Continue reading Pregnancy: 25 Stress-Busting Strategies
Bring outlet covers on vacation with you. (Rose DiCicco) Joy makes great bubbles When making a new recipe, label and date it with comments. Then you will know for next time. (Angela DiCicco) Use baby wipe containers for markers and crayons. (Angela DiCicco) When leaving your children give them now and later kisses. (Angela DiCicco) Have a bag designated for library books and your library … Continue reading This Works for Me!
Many people have asked me what I have done to make my children be well adjusted. I can only tell you how I handled certain situations. The rest is up to the child. It’s not enough just to be a parent by giving birth. We have to decide how we want to parent, what we want to teach our children and why. I decided to … Continue reading Well Adjusted Children
ART with Angela DiCicco, The Italian Grandmama's Guide 