Posts

You’ll want to make sure that the toys you choose are fun and developmentally appropriate. Children this age are intrigued by colors, sounds, and textures. But they also like to put things in their mouths, so choose toys that are safe and easy to keep clean. Make sure to look for toys that are challenging—but not too advanced—by following the age recommendations on the toys you choose. To find the best toys for one-year-olds, we researched products that are safe, durable, easy to use, educational, and age-appropriate....

Sleeping bags come with a variety of extra features that will help keep your child comfortable like hoods, fleece-lining, pockets, anti-snag zippers, and more. Once you’ve nailed the size and features down, don’t be afraid to pick a sleeping bag that’s personalized to your child’s taste. Other great features to look out for are their temperature range, durability, and ease of cleaning. We researched popular options from trusted brands with these features in mind....

To find the best options for your family’s needs, we purchased 13 thermometers and tested them on our own families. With the guidance of pediatrician Lyndsey Garbi, MD, and the how-to instructions outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), we spent three days capturing oral, axillary (armpit), temporal (forehead), and rectal temperature readings. After taking our temperatures over 50 times, we evaluated how easy each thermometer was to set up and use straight out of the package, as well as how easy it was to read the temperature on the display screen....

Look for products that will help you get things done more efficiently, such as sanitizing bags. Moreover, products that are comfortable to use and portable can make pumping on-the-go that much easier. We carefully considered design, value, efficiency, portability, comfort, and size when reviewing products. Here are the best products for breastfeeding parents who pump. Unlike some other electric pumps, you can customize the Spectra pump to your needs by adjusting the suction level and cycle speeds....

When it comes to purchasing twin baby products, ensuring that they are designed to safely accommodate both of your babies is essential. We carefully considered design, any age, height, and weight recommendations, material, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best twin baby products on the market. Each seat is designed to support kids up to 50 pounds, has a five-point harness to ensure they stay tucked in safely, and folds down to nearly flat....

Kids are not only starting to use technology at a younger age, but they are also using it in more situations, both at home and at school. Having a better understanding of where experts’ recommendations come from may help you decide what limits you might want to set in your home when it comes to screen time. Advantages of Screen Time There are countless benefits that can be garnered from using technology....

For kids 4 and under, booster eligibility depends on which shot they got for their primary series (Pfizer or Moderna) and when. Kids 5 and up can get a Pfizer booster as long as it has been two months since their last shot or booster. Kids 6 and up can get either a Pfizer or a Moderna booster two months after their previous shot. We spoke with an expert—Sara Siddiqui MD, FAAP, who specializes in pediatric and adolescent medicine at NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group in New York—to help separate fact from fiction....

Your child’s size might have a lot to do with why you haven’t switched. Some children quickly outgrow the baby bath, while others still fit inside comfortably at one year old. There are also other factors: Maybe your baby can sit up but doesn’t have complete control of her body just yet. Maybe you want to save water by sticking to a small baby bath. Do whatever you’re comfortable doing and what works best for your child....

If you’re breastfeeding, you may be wondering what type of birth control you should use. You have a choice of methods, some of which contain hormones and some that do not. You can choose the one that best meets your needs. Nonhormonal Methods Condoms. Condoms do not have any effect on the breastfeeding mother or baby, and they are the most effective nonhormonal birth control choice. However, breastfeeding mothers tend to have very low estrogen levels....

Leaking Breasts Leaking is more common in the early days of breastfeeding, while the supply of breast milk adjusts to your baby’s needs. You might not experience leaking at all. You might leak for a few weeks, or you might deal with leaking for as long as you breastfeed your baby. Leaking can occur when you hear your baby cry, when your breasts become very full, when you’re intimate with your partner, or for no reason at all....

It can be hard to sort through the confusing, conflicting, and incorrect information out there about how to care for an uncircumcised baby. Learning the correct way to care for an uncircumcised penis is not hard, but it is important. Improper care can lead to a child needing a circumcision later in life, particularly if a parent or caregiver retracts the baby’s foreskin before it is ready. Care for a Baby’s Penis During Diaper Changes The first point to remember in caring for your child’s diaper area is to change their diaper frequently....

This information is most useful to someone trying to plan a birth for a certain date range. The calculator offers an idea of when to have sex in order to achieve a particular due date. Why Use a Reverse Due Date Calculator? A reverse due date calculator might be useful for a variety of reasons. As noted above, If you want to have your baby in, say, early summer, the reverse due date calculator gives you a window in which you would need to conceive to target that prospective due date....

The qualities of character develop through an interplay of family, school, and community influences and the child’s individual temperament, experiences, and choices. Parents have many opportunities and tools to build their children’s character. Using them will give you the joy and satisfaction of seeing your kids grow into people of integrity and compassion. Be a Role Model Parents who exhibit the qualities of good character powerfully transmit their values to their children....

A 2016 study found that quality time with parents served as a better predictor of teenagers’ academic aspirations than time spent doing homework or attending extracurricular activities. Parents who discussed books, attended cultural events, and brought teens on community outings raised their teen’s aspirations. Giving your teen regular doses of positive attention will also help you maintain a healthy relationship, which can reduce behavior problems and set your child up for success later in life....

Although parents often expect the terrible twos to occur around a child’s second birthday, the behavior that’s typical of this stage often begins around 18 months and can last until age 4. Why It Happens Children are undergoing big developmental changes around age 2. They are learning new gross motor skills, like jumping and climbing, and developing fine motor skills, like stacking blocks and scribbling with a crayon or marker....