Here’s some food for thought: your baby needs more fat in her diet than you. 

A baby’s dietary needs are different from those of adults, and while low-fat and high-fiber keep you trim, it puts your baby at risk. Some facts:

• Fat is needed in children below age 2 because of their rapid growth and ongoing brain development.  Aside from iron, fat is the most important nutrient for brain development in the first three years of life.
• Fat in the diet is needed to digest fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and to keep baby’s temperature consistent. 
• Until they reach their first birthday, babies’ diets should be composed of 50% fat. Breast milk is the best source of fat for newborns. If an infant is weaned before the age of 1, infant formula is preferred. 
• After their first birthday, children’s diets should be be 35% fat. The AAP recommends full-fat milk and milk foods such as yogurt and cheese, until your child is aged 2. 
• Butter, meat, and  avocado are other good sources of fat. Well-cooked fatty fish such as sardines, salmon and fresh (not canned) tuna are also good sources but may have to wait if baby is allergy-prone. 
• If you have a child who seems chubby before she has started to crawl, remember that she will burn much of her fat once she becomes more active.
• Fat deprivation in the first three years of life actually puts children at risk for malnourishment and specific deficiency syndromes like underdeveloped speech and motor skills.

THESE AMOUNTS OF FOOD WILL GIVE YOU 10 GRAMS OF FAT

Children’s food allergies are unpredictable, and misinterpreting them could be deadly. Learn to separate fact from fiction.

MYTH:  Children are allergic to any kind of food that causes a negative reaction.

FACT: Many negative food reactions are unrelated to food allergies and are simply food sensitivities.  True food allergies are not as common as people think and only affect 2% of children. Lactose intolerance, for instance, is different from a milk allergy. Doctors say a milk allergy would have life threatening consequences and those that are allergic to milk would have to skip milk protein all together.  A real food allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to a certain component, usually a protein, in a food or ingredient.

Symptoms of food allergies can include watery eyes, wheezing and difficulty breathing, coughing, skin rashes, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea and swelling around the mouth and throat.  The more severe reaction is anaphylaxis, which involves enlarging of the larynx and a choking sensation that can lead to death. 

The top 4 food allergens for children are peanuts (which are not true nuts but actually legumes from the bean and pea family), tree nuts (walnuts, peacans, cashews etc.), cow’s milk, and eggs (especially egg whites). Peanut allergies may be the most likely to cause life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), but a cow’s milk allergy is the most common food allergy in young children. 

MYTH: Children with allergies have them at the onset of birth.

FACT:  While most food allergies begin at the onset of birth or early childhood, they can develop anytime in a person’s life. Interestingly, experts suspect that our society has become “cleaner” and healthier, which may be causing the immune systems in some children to fail in differentiating real threats from harmless invaders, such as food. Some also believe that because immune systems are no longer fighting real threats, they overreact and shift to turn on the body’s own tissues.  

It’s good to note, however,  that many children actually outgrow their food allergies. Some children can outgrow their food allergies if they eliminate them from their diet for two to three years. Approximately 85% of children outgrow their allergy to milk, but fewer will outgrow their allergies to peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish.

MYTH:  Giving your child small amounts of food that he is allergic to helps him build up a resistance to the allergy.

FACT: On the contrary, if your child develops adverse reactions to certain foods, you must try to eliminate them from your child’s diet as soon as possible.  Many children outgrow their food allergies if they completely avoid them for two to three years. If your child has multiple food allergies, eliminate all food he is allergic to, and rotate all other foods every four to five days.  

MYTH:  You can prevent a food allergy.

FACT:  In pediatric allergy circles, this is a subject of much debate. Although women are often advised to avoid certain foods, such as peanuts, when they’re pregnant or breastfeeding, no one can say for sure that if this will lower a child’s risk of allergies. 

What is known is that children who have parents with food allergies are more predisposed to allergies.  There is also general agreement that strictly breastfeeding newborns and only introducing cow’s milk after your child’s first birthday has a protective effect. Breastfed children are less likely to develop eczema (a rash that’s often considered the first sign that a child is allergy-prone).

A hypoallergenic infant formula should be used if your baby needs a milk supplement.  If your child is more predisposed to food allergies, only introduce  solids after the sixth month of life – eggs after your child turns 2 and peanuts (only as smooth as peanut butter) and shellfish when your child is at least 3 years old. Introduce new foods slowly (i.e, every four to five days) so that you can easily identify which foods cause a reaction or allergy.

Oh no… can we really handle another one?

My second daughter came to us sooner than expected. My son had not even reached his second birthday… and surprise! …we were pregnant again. Maybe the hormones were also to blame, but while the “good news” made my husband ecstatic it made me cry and panic. Apparently, my reaction is not unusual. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about that new baby on the way, I offer some comforting words.

True, taking care of two versus one is more complicated. There’s a transition phase that will entail some struggle and a few mistakes here and there. But that transition phase will eventually pass.

It hit me the moment I saw my son playing with his sister and her finding joy in being with her big brother. Eventually, I realized I was no longer at my son’s beck and call for entertainment. Now they have their own games and language that mom and dad are not part of… and it melts my heart when I see them relishing each other’s company.

There are fights of course. But what’s great about that is, I let them settle things on their own as much as possible. In the end, they’re better at dealing with other people in general.

Another upside of adding to your family: You’re an expert now, and you can kiss all that constant questioning good-bye. You’ve already raised one baby so you know what’s coming with sleep, feeding, and setting limits. In my experience, nursing the second time around was so much easier.

Transition Smoothly

With two kids you will definitely need to streamline your life. Set a systematic schedule for chores, shopping and errands. I really can’t imagine how a laissez faire approach can work.

When it comes to kids, you’ll find that setting and sticking to routines is key. As soon as you can, get your new baby on a regular nap and bedtime schedule; everyone will be in a better mood. Eventually, both kids will go to bed around the same time and eat regular meals together, which will make your life a lot easier.

A few more important tips:

Spend one-on-one time with each child. Set aside time for just hanging out with one kid at a time. This was especially helpful with my older son. He hardly felt like his sister was taking his mom away from him.

Indulge in date night. One night a week mom and dad deserve to spend some time together without the kids. It’s good for your marriage and sanity. You’ll take better care of your kids if you’re happy.

I laugh at myself now recalling those panic-stricken tear-filled days when I was surprised to find out baby number two was on it’s way. Today I consider my baby girl to be the best surprise ever.

Healthy baby teeth is crucial to healthy permanent teeth

Maybe your baby’s teeth are on their way in? Well, it’s time to start taking care of them. Even though this set will only be around for a short time, their health is essential to your baby’s gums and those future permanent teeth. Make sure your baby’s new teeth get the best care. Here are some practical tips.

Start with baby gums. Clean your baby’s mouth regularly even before her teeth come in. Wipe the gums after each feeding with a warm, wet washcloth or a dampened piece of gauze wrapped around your finger. You can also buy thimble-like, soft rubbery devices (they fit over your index finger) to use for rubbing off excess food. If you can’t do this after every feed, clean the gums at least two times a day, morning and evening.

Take care of them as soon as they’re out. Some parents think baby teeth aren’t important because they’re eventually replaced by permanent ones. But these first teeth preserve the spacing for the permanent ones and help your child chew and talk. If they’re not cared for properly they can decay, leading to a gum infection called gingivitis, which can affect the spacing of permanent teeth.

Check for cavities. The first signs of cavities in baby teeth are discoloration and minor pitting. Avoid putting your child to bed with a bottle of milk or juice. That’s like soaking their teeth in sugar and acids! The result? Cavities. Don’t leave your infant with a bottle for long periods, especially if you notice he’s done feeding and is just using the bottle for comfort. If you spot a cavity, take your baby to the dentist even before the standard first year check up.

Develop the water habit. After every meal, including every bottle of milk, make sure your baby drinks water. The water washes off baby food or milk that was left coating the teeth. This is just as essential as tooth or gum brushing.

Visit the dentist. The American Dental Association advices that children get their first dental exam at age 1. Some pediatricians say, if you are conscientious with daily teeth and gum care — and follow our tips above — that first visit can wait until your child is 3.

A US Court asserts vaccination does not lead to autism.

A special U.S. “vaccine court” recently ruled that there is no evidence supporting a causal link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism. Doctors and researchers have been telling us about this for years, but this ruling makes the no vaccine-and-autism link official according to the American justice system.

The Vaccine Injury Compensation Act of 1986 set up the special court to hear cases and compensate people who suffer adverse reactions to vaccines. 

Special masters appointed to hear three vaccine cases in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims denied the claims of the parents of children with autism that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines caused their children’s autism.

In one case, special master Patricia Campbell-Smith said the parents of a boy with autism failed to provide “a sound medical theory causally connecting” the child’s condition with vaccination and that the petitioners’ theory of vaccine-related causation is scientifically unsupportable. 
These three cases, along with three cases that failed last year, are being considered by some as test cases for thousands of other pending cases.

The Coalition for SafeMinds, an autism and mercury advocacy organization, said in a statement that it regrets the ruling against three families who argued that vaccines that contained the mercury-based preservative thimerosal contributed to their children’s autism. 

”The denial of reasonable compensation to families was based on inadequate vaccine safety science and poorly designed and highly controversial epidemiology studies supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” the statement said.

Earlier this year, the medical journal The Lancet retracted a 1998 report that suggested a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. A noted Polish study also debunked the autism-MMR vaccine connection, releasing their report last month.

Babies need time and from Daddy too.

Babies are typically extra close to mommy. My husband was the first to notice that our days-old newborn would respond to my voice more than anyones else’s. It’s the sound she’d hear most often inside my uterus! Then there’s the breast feeding which truly does seal an almost mystical bond between mother and child.

But what about Daddy? Dads, don’t be afraid. Tiny as she is… she won’t break. So take every chance you can get hold her, take care of some baby duties… and just enjoy that bundle of joy. Mommies already have natural advantages to earn baby’s affections. But dads can step up their baby-game too. We’ll tell you how.

So how do you show your baby the world does not just revolve around mommy? You may not be baby’s personal milk bar, but you can be so much more. Here are our suggestions for some good daddy-and-me-time:

Daddy Cuddles

When mom is breast feeding notice how she cuddles baby close to her chest, as she gazes into her eyes? When you get the chance to bottle-feed, make sure to hold baby in the same position, allowing her to gaze up at you. Smile and make her touch your face.

When baby is upset and crying it’s easy to just hand her to mommy. If you know she’s not hungry, take a shot at calming her yourself. Try singing to her, walking her around, gently rocking, or find the pacifier for her to suck on. She must learn that mommy isn’t the only one who can give her what she needs.

Daddy Fun

You can be the fun and funny guy. Make silly faces that will make your baby glow with a smile. Babies love silly faces. As your baby gets older try fun games like peekaboo.

Are you a music lover? Play your favorite tunes and carry baby while dancing to the beat. Skip the heavy metal rock and blaring volume though. Babies love rhythmic motion and music, so play her your jazz or pop or indie rock tunes for some happy dance time.

Daddy Night Shift

You might be gone the whole day for work so take daddy-diaper duty at night. Take charge of feeding, bathing or getting baby dressed for bed — any night time care required — so you become an important part of the little one’s day too. While mom catches up on extra sleep, you might want to take charge of that extra night feeding or soothing baby when she’s fussy at night.

A consistent bedtime schedule is very important to helping your baby sleep through the night. Choose a part of the routine you want to be involved in — like bath or story time. Yup, even babies can enjoy books if they like the pictures and how you deliver the words. This will help baby understand that when Dad says its bath time or story time, it will be bedtime soon too.

Daddy Nightingale

When your baby gets sick it’s important for you to care for her as well — so take a day off to stay home with baby once in a while. Try to go to baby well checkups, so you can hear from the doctor how she’s developing and growing.

Take Daddy-and-Me Walks

Babies love fresh air and relishing new sights. So take your little bundle for a stroll around the block or to the park. Try using a sling or carrier instead of the stroller. This will keep baby close to you throughout the walk. Just be sure baby is slathered in sunscreen if it’s hot outside and bundled up if it’s a little chilly.

Play Time Just With Dad

Set aside time every day or night just play with your little girl. Make it part of her daily routine, so she looks forward to regular daddy time. Little girls and boys need lots of time and affection from daddy too!

Help! My baby bumped his head!

I cannot forget the first time my first child bumped his head hard. He was about 2 years old, running around the house, when he smacked into the corner of a wall. Within minutes, his forehead had a bump the size of a golf ball. He was hysterical too. I called our pediatrician, sure that my son needed and x-ray. My pediatrician actually just told me to relax… and observe my son before rushing to the emergency room. We have  a simple guide on how you can tell if that bump needs medical attention or just some ice, hugs and kisses.

Bumps on the head, even those the size of a golf ball, do not always warrant a trip to the ER or even a call to your doctor. As our pediatrician explained, the skull acts as a protective helmet for the brain. On top of the skull we have a richly vascularized scalp that can withstand most of the bumps and bruises of childhood. The swelling is actually a good sign, that the brain was protected from the bump.

In case your child bumps his head, do the following:

Don’t panic. A panicky grown up cannot calm down a crying, injured child.

Ice it. When you’ve managed to calm your child, hold an ice pack (a pack of frozen peas can substitute) over the bump. Keep the cold pack as long as you can, about 20 minutes. This can help with the swelling and pain.

Observe, observe, observe. If your child got himself a big bump but remains alert and conscious, all you have to give is a good dose of parental sympathy and that ice pack. However, keep an keen eye on your child’s state. The reason for this is because doctors often rely more on how the child behaves after the injury than what happened at the time of the injury. If the brain has been injured, signs may show immediately, or they may appear slowly during the next twenty-four hours.

Seek medical attention fast if the following happens:

• loss of consciousness
• vomiting
• child does not focus on you, look you in the eyes or respond to your questions or instructions
• loss of balance when walking
• prolonged crying of more than an hour
• child complains of a severe headache
• note the following eye signs: crossed-eyes or rolling eyes, or one eye pupil looking larger than the other one.

Trust your instincts, if something worries you or you have a question about your child’s head injury not covered here… by all means give your doctor a call. He or she will give you advice on what to do, just make sure you can give  him or her good notes from your observations.

The new mom’s fever FAQs answered.

The first time my firstborn had his fever, I was flustered. You worry how such a tiny baby can handle such a high temperature! Well, babies are bound to get fevers at one point but don’t worry… they will survive. In fact, fevers indicate that their tiny bodies are working to fight an infection. What’s important is to figure out what’s causing the fever.

What’s the best way to take a baby’s temperature?

For babies, the most accurate temperature reading would come from a rectal thermometer. In a baby older than 3 months, taking the temperature orally is fine. Use a digital thermometer for oral readings. Avoid mercury thermometers as there’s a chance your child can end up getting mercury in her mouth — mercury is poisonous. Another option is the ear thermometer, it’s the easiest to use but may be off by about a degree.

What indicates a fever?

A normal temperature is about 98.6°F (37°C) when taken orally (in your child’s mouth) and 99.6°F (37.5°C) when taken rectally (in your child’s bottom). Many doctors define a fever as an oral temperature above 99.5°F (37.5°C) or a rectal temperature above 100.4°F (38°C).

Should I try to lower my baby’s temperature?

Fevers indicate that the body is fighting infection. If your child is between 3 months of age and 3 years of age, you may want to avoid giving him or her medicine if he or she is running a low-grade fever (up to 100.2°F [37.8°C]). If your child is achy and fussy, and his or her temperature is above 100.2°F [37.8°C], contact your pediatrician for which medicine to use.

If you have a baby who is younger than 3 months of age and has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, call the doctor or go to the emergency room right away. A fever that high can be a sign of a serious infection in young babies.

What’s the best fever medication?

Do not give fever medicine to babies younger than 2 months. Talk to your pediatrician first before giving any medication, even if it’s available over-the-counter.

Acetaminophen (like Infants’ Tylenol) relieves pain and lowers fever. Check the package label or ask your doctor about the correct dosage for your child. The correct dosage depends on your child’s weight and age.

Ibuprofen is another medicine that can be used to lower a fever in children over 6 months of age. Talk to your doctor before giving ibuprofen (like Children’s Advil, Children’s Motrin) to your child. Your doctor will tell you the correct dose for your child.

Why cuddle time is more important than you realize

Babies learn through their sensory explorations. Daddy’s scratchy beard, mommy’s smooth skin and the voices of new strangers all give him a better understanding of how the world works. It’s all pretty good for his brain development too. We explain how those senses develop as your baby grows.

Touch

Babies need to be cuddled. Touch soothes your baby, and it shows him your love. Scientists have proven it can also boost natural immunity. Research shows that babies who are held often don’t get sick as much and are less fussy. Preemies who are massaged grow and develop faster than babies who aren’t. It’s natural for your newborn to prefer soft touches, like a gentle caress or the feel of soft cotton. You’ll notice that baby bristles at a rough touch or a scratchy, coarse fabric.

Taste

The human palate starts developing in the womb. Your pregnancy diet does influence your baby’s taste for food. Flavors are transmitted to the fetus through amniotic fluid. If you are breast feeding, what you eat also determines the taste of your breast milk. Recent studies show that the foods baby was exposed to during pregnancy or nursing are the ones he tends to like.

Hearing

Baby’s hearing is well developed at birth, but he prefers high-pitched voices because he hears them best. Baby talk is music to his ears which is why we seem to instinctively change our voices into that sing-song delivery. Over the first year your child’s hearing will sharpen and he’ll learn to track sounds. For the first three months, he’ll only turn toward a sound that’s in front of him, but by 6 to 12 months he’ll look toward a noise coming from behind him or from across the room.

Smell

That little nose is already in full working order at birth. He knows your scent well from the time he spent in the womb. Newborns can even tell the difference between their mother’s breast pads and those of another nursing mom by scent. Babies tend to like sweet smells like the fragrance of vanilla or lemon. Newborns naturally dislike foul odors, like the smell of rotten eggs. Just like they’re averse to bitter or sour tastes — probably an instinct to avoid dangerous foods.

Sight

At first, a baby’s eyes don’t work 100 percent. Studies indicate newborns see two of everything. They  focus best on objects 8 to 12 inches in front of them. Images closer or farther away are blurry. 8-12 inches is about the distance to your face when you’re feeding him, so it’s no wonder that he loves looking at you. Newborns prefer the human face in general. They’re especially drawn to the outline of the face or the hairline, which is easy to see because of the contrast. They can distinguish light from dark but can’t quite see color until about 4 months. Try getting baby’s attention with high-contrast patterns (like a checkerboard or stripes) and black-and-white or boldly colored toys. At 4 months he’ll begin to use his eyes to coordinate his hand movements, making reaching and grabbing easier.

Parents can cultivate excellence, no matter what genetic blueprint.

Many parents ask themselves at one point, what can I do for my child to achieve greatness? Author David Shenk dares to answer this loaded question with his new book The Genius in All of Us: Why everything you have been told about genetics, talent and IQ is wrong. Shenk asserts that genius can be ignited. His book discusses how the nature versus nurture debate has been missing the point all these years. His book shows evidence on how human achievements are the outcome of the nuanced interplay between genes and environment.

If anybody can be a genius, why are there so few Mozarts, Eisnteins or Tiger Woods among us? Citing the latest in human development research, Shenk underscores that genius is nothing without extraordinary dedication and persistence. Yes, we all know that. But there still seems to be a strong belief that people either have it or they don’t, and that’s that.

Just think… all those high achievers we had mentioned, from Mozart to Woods, all had started nurturing their talents young and put in so many hours honing their skills. Einstein has been quoted to say, “It’s not that I’m so smart. It’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

Einstein may have been over-dramatic with that statement. Of course he was very smart. His point is, we tend to forget that he had to work very hard for his achievements.

What this tells me is that as parents we should make an extra effort to cultivate persistence — extraordinary persistence. Apparently, years of research can show us how to cultivate persistence and tenacity. I’d like to see what new science has to say about this so I’m going out to get David Shenk’s book. If you have kids or have a baby on your way, the book could be worth checking out.